Qin Fang descended from the Shoushan Daoist temple right on time, having completed his daily patrol.

As he reached the base of the mountain, he spotted Huang Huzi waiting there.

Pausing, Qin Fang asked with a hint of excitement, “Did you bring my family back?”

Huang Huzi had been gone for a month on this task, and now that he’d returned, Qin Fang could hardly contain his anticipation at the thought of reuniting with his grandfather, grandmother, and parents.

Huang Huzi bowed in greeting, “General, I’ve brought them back. They’re all settled in the General’s Manor now.”

Hearing this, Qin Fang’s eagerness to return home grew. “How are they? Did everyone come?” he asked, concerned.

Huang Huzi explained the events that had taken place in Baili Village, including the matter of the separation letters.

Qin Fang hadn’t anticipated this development.

He wasn’t the same sixteen-year-old boy who had left home to join the army six years ago.

Now twenty-two, he was a seasoned soldier, having experienced the hardships of military life and the responsibilities of marriage and official duties.

He realized the courage it must have taken for his grandfather to ask his uncles to write those letters, severing ties.

Qin Fang sighed, “I’ve caused Grandfather to carry such emotional burdens and pressure.”

He felt a wave of mixed emotions—touched by his grandfather’s sacrifices and guilty that his family had endured so much for his sake.

Seeing the General lost in thought, Huang Huzi added, “You’re the old man’s pride and joy.”

Qin Fang smiled, but the weight of his grandfather’s sacrifices lingered with him.

When he finally returned to the General’s Manor, the Qin family had gathered in the main hall, ready for a shared meal.

Qin Siya, who had come back from the embroidery workshop and heard that her family from the village had arrived, was thrilled.

She had been lonely here, with no family close by, and now, seeing her parents again, she indulged in some affectionate banter before pulling Qin Sanya aside for a chat.

Qin Shoucheng, normally reserved and mature beyond his years, also felt a surge of joy.

Knowing his older brother was settled in his own courtyard made him happy.

At one point, Qin Siya turned to Yang Haiyan. “Sister-in-law, our embroidery workshop is starting a new project. If the embroidery is good enough, it could be chosen, and there might be rewards. Could Sanya come along with me?”

Upon hearing this, the others looked to Yang Haiyan. Qin Sanya, feeling nervous, said, “I… I’m not good enough. I only know how to embroider handkerchiefs and flowers.”

Yang Haiyan replied, “Siya, it’s not up to me to decide. Even if I agree, Sanya would still need permission from the workshop’s teacher.”

Qin Siya nodded, “I understand. I’ll ask them then.”

Yang Haiyan continued, “In addition to that, it’s essential to consider what Sanya wants. We should always consult the person involved before making decisions on their behalf. Their wishes are the most important.”

Qin Siya smiled, “Thank you, sister-in-law. Sanya, we learn many things at the workshop, and there are plenty of girls to make friends with. Would you like to join me?”

Qin Sanya, who had never had friends outside her family, felt a flutter of excitement.

She looked to her father for approval.

Qin Third Uncle nodded, and she agreed, “Alright. Thank you, Siya.”

Just then, a voice announced, “The General has returned.”

Everyone looked towards the door, eager to see Qin Fang.

Qin Grandma, in particular, rose excitedly from her seat, moving towards the entrance, calling out, “Is that you, Afang? Afang…”

Seeing her excitement, Yang Haiyan rushed to support the old woman, worried that she might overexert herself.

Qin Grandma hadn’t seen her grandson in over a year, and her joy was mixed with pride at how far he had come.

Qin Fang hadn’t even entered the hall when he heard his grandmother’s voice.

His anxious steps quickened into a run until he spotted her.

Slowing down to avoid startling her, he finally reached her, wrapping her in a gentle hug, “Grandmother.”

Grandma Qin responded with an affectionate sigh, her wrinkled hands clutching Qin Fang’s sleeve. “Finally, our family is reunited. After so many years, we’re finally all together.” As she spoke, tears began to roll down her cheeks.

Although Qin Fang had brought Yang Haiyan back home in March of last year, they’d only stayed for about twenty days.

To the elderly woman, that brief visit was far from a family reunion.

Only now, when they were living together, did it feel like a true reunion.

Qin Fang, a grown man, had never been good at comforting others—even his own wife.

Now, seeing his grandmother cry, he was even more at a loss.

He awkwardly replied, “It’s my fault for worrying you all. I haven’t been a good grandson.”

His gaze traveled across the room, lingering on each family member in turn: from his grandpa, his parents, to the rest of the relatives, all of whom were looking at him with both hope and excitement.

Qin Fang’s eyes reddened slightly.

Just being able to see them, and knowing that he could ensure their well-being, was the greatest fulfillment he could hope for.

Finally, his eyes settled on Yang Haiyan, looking at her as if seeking help.

Yang Haiyan, noticing his silent plea, took the elderly woman’s hand with a smile. “Grandma, you’re crying from happiness at seeing him. But if the younger ones see you like this, they’ll get jealous,” she teased.

Qin Fang’s mother quickly stepped in, “Yes, indeed, Mother, come over here and sit.”

The elderly woman let herself be led over to a seat.

Qin Fang approached his grandfather, “Grandpa.”

Grandpa Qin looked up at him.

The little boy who once barely reached his knees now towered over him.

Yet, his gaze was filled with deep pride.

“Grandpa, I…” Qin Fang had so much he wanted to say, especially about the family matters.

But his grandfather patted him on the shoulder, stopping him from continuing.

He understood that the family affairs had likely been reported to his grandson, and he didn’t intend to keep anything from him.

There were things that didn’t need to be spoken aloud, and he knew his grandson wasn’t the kind to neglect family ties.

He’d rather use the restraint of his younger siblings as a means of securing some degree of protection for them.

No one else noticed the silent exchange between Qin Fang and his grandfather.

Everyone gathered around the dining table and took their seats.

Once Qin Fang and his grandfather were seated, the food was served.

The Qin family was large, and one table wasn’t enough.

So, the elders and Qin Fang’s immediate family sat at one table, while the younger ones—Qin Shouye, Qin Shoucheng, Qin Siyang, Niudan, and Sanya—sat at another.

Qin Fang poured tea for each elder at the table, not forgetting Yang Haiyan.

Once he’d finished, he lifted his cup and said, “Grandpa, Grandma, Father, Mother, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, Third Aunt, and Haiyan, I offer you this tea in place of wine, to show my respect.”

Third Uncle Qin spoke up, “Ah, Fang, there’s no need to be so formal.”

Grandpa Qin replied, “It’s been so long since we last saw you. We’ve all worried about you. It’s only right to pay respects to the elders. Your wife traveled far with you to settle here, so it’s fitting for you to toast her too. Let’s all drink this tea.”

At his words, everyone took a sip of tea.

After finishing the tea, Qin Fang sat down and served dishes to his grandparents. “Let’s eat,” he said.

This was, after all, the General’s Residence, and though Grandpa and Grandma Qin were the oldest, it was Qin Fang who was the head of the household here.

This meal was an eye-opener for the Qin family.

They’d had porridge and small dishes when they first arrived, but they hadn’t yet realized the extent of the General’s Residence’s provisions.

When the dishes kept coming, everyone was taken aback.

This wasn’t just a meal—it looked like a feast for a celebration! Even in the countryside, they couldn’t imagine a banquet like this.

The food was so extravagant that everyone hesitated to start eating.

Grandpa and Grandma Qin were the only ones who managed to keep their composure.

Grandpa Qin urged, “Eat, everyone. What are you waiting for?” and began eating the dish Qin Fang had served him.

“Yes, yes, eat,” echoed Grandma Qin.

Once everyone started eating, they were surprised by how delicious everything was.

The women, who were good cooks themselves, marveled at the flavors.

They couldn’t prepare dishes this tasty at home.

The General’s Residence must have incredible chefs, they thought.

In reality, the dishes were prepared by Kun Zhang’s staff, not because her cooking skills were exceptional, but because the ingredients used were abundant and varied.

The Qin family, used to frugal cooking, rarely indulged in such seasonings, which made all the difference in flavor.

The dining room was quiet.

Even the children were focused on eating, leaving everyone with less inclination to talk than usual.

After the meal, Yang Haiyan led everyone to the adjacent room to rest and enjoy some tea and pastries, while servants cleared the dining table.

She then produced a few sheets of paper and announced, “Grandpa, Grandma, and everyone, I’ve noted down the names we discussed this afternoon. I’ll read them to you, and if anyone feels they’re not suitable, we can come up with new ones.”

Grandma Qin replied eagerly, “Yes, yes, go ahead, let’s hear them.”

Qin Fang, curious, asked, “Names for what?”

Yang Haiyan said, “These are the new formal names I’ve chosen for the younger siblings. Now that you are a general, the younger ones should also have proper names. It’s not appropriate to keep calling them ‘Big Ya’ and ‘Second Ya.’ But as for your younger sisters, I will pick their names. You, as the eldest brother, should choose Niudan’s (Little Egg) new name.”

Qin Fang wasn’t aware of this, but he didn’t mind. “Alright, I’ll give Niudan a name first.”

Niudan didn’t dislike his name; after all, it was easy to pronounce.

However, now that he was older and knew his brother had become successful, he realized that still being called “Niudan” might embarrass his brother.

So, he happily suggested, “Big brother, could you give me a name with fewer strokes? Otherwise, I won’t be able to write it.”

Everyone burst into laughter after hearing this.

Seeing everyone laugh, Niudan also grinned foolishly. “Really! Writing characters is a hassle.”

Qin Fang smiled and said, “Alright. Let’s follow the pattern of ‘Shouye’ (Keeper of Enterprise) and ‘Shoucheng’ (Keeper of Achievement). You will be called ‘Shouxin’ (Keeper of Heart). The character for ‘heart’ has fewer strokes and is easy to write. ‘Shouxin’ means to remain true to your heart. I hope you will always be like you are now, keeping a pure and honest heart.”

Niudan recognized the character for “heart” and knew how to write it.

When he heard his name was “Shouxin,” he was satisfied. “Great! Shouxin—Qin Shouxin. It’s easy to write!”

Qin Fang then asked, “Grandfather, Second Uncle, what do you think of the name Shouxin?”

Yang Haiyan looked at him and thought, He came up with that so casually… without much thought.

Grandfather Qin replied, “It’s good. Shouxin means to guard your own heart.”

Of course, Qin Fang didn’t have any deep meaning behind it.

He simply hoped his cheerful cousin would always be as happy as he was now.

Second Uncle Qin said, “Good, it’s very good.” He had no personal opinion; if his father said it was good, then it was good.

Qin Siya (Qin Fang’s younger sister) asked, “Sister-in-law, since Big Brother gave Niudan his new name, what names did you give the sisters?”

Indeed, everyone was curious about what names Yang Haiyan had chosen for the girls.

Qin Fang was also curious. “What names did you choose for our sisters?”

Yang Haiyan explained, “I gave ‘Big Ya’ the formal name ‘Yiya.’

‘Yi’ sounds like the character for ‘one’ in ‘one, two, three, four,’ but I chose the character from the word ‘Yiren’ (beloved one).

Since Big Ya is the first girl in the Qin family, ‘Yi’ is fitting.

Originally, I thought of naming her ‘Da Ya’ (Big Sprout), following the pattern of Siying’s name, but I couldn’t find a good-sounding character for ‘Da,’ so I used ‘Yi’ instead. What do you think?” She looked at Qin Fang.

Qin Fang didn’t have any opinions about the girls’ names.

Whether it was ‘Yiya’ or ‘Big Ya,’ it didn’t matter to him.

In his heart, the name wasn’t important; she would still be his sister.

So after hearing his wife’s explanation, he said, “It’s good.”

Mother Qin asked, “Yanyan, ‘Yi’ as in ‘Yiren’ means ‘beloved one,’ but what does ‘Ya’ mean?”

Yang Haiyan said, “Shoucheng, you explain it to Mother. What does ‘Ya’ mean?”

Qin Shoucheng stood up. “Yes, Sister-in-law. Mother, ‘Ya’ means ‘sprout,’ as in the sprout of a plant. Sister-in-law said it also sounds like ‘Ya,’ but it has another meaning too. ‘Ya’ symbolizes growth and hope.

Whether it’s a fruit, a crop, or something else, everything starts as a seed and then sprouts before growing strong.

Sister-in-law used this character to express hope that the girls in our family will have bright futures.

And, just like how a sprout grows with the careful nurturing of farmers, our Qin family’s girls grow up under the love and care of their elders.”

Mother Qin nodded thoughtfully. “Ah, so that’s the deeper meaning behind a proper name. It sounds much nicer than the one A-Fang picked.”

Qin Fang: “…” This isn’t fair, Mom! You can’t praise her by putting me down!

Yang Haiyan gave Qin Fang a smug glance, while he looked back innocently, feeling a bit wronged.

Yang Haiyan continued, “Second Uncle, I gave ‘Second Ya’ the formal name ‘Er Ya.’ ‘Er’ sounds like the character for ‘two,’ and it’s a simple character to write, yet beautiful. Take a look.” She showed the piece of paper with ‘Er Ya’ written on it to Second Uncle Qin.

Second Uncle Qin didn’t know how to read, so he carefully took the paper but couldn’t understand it.

He asked Qin Shouxin (formerly Niudan), “Niudan, look at your sister’s name.”

Qin Shouxin(Niudan) looked and said, “Wow, Sister’s name is also easy to write.”

Hearing this, Second Uncle Qin felt reassured. “A-Fang’s wife, thank you so much.”

Yang Haiyan smiled, “No need to thank me, Second Uncle.”

Then she moved on to the name for ‘Sanya.’ “Third Uncle, Third Aunt, ‘San Ya’s’ name is a bit more complicated, so let me explain.

Based on the sound pattern, ‘Shanya’ would be a good name, where ‘shan’ sounds like ‘three’ and means kindness.

But when you say ‘Shanya’ quickly, it sounds like ‘cliff,’ which doesn’t flow well.

So I thought about it and decided to use ‘mei’ (beauty) instead of ‘shan,’ as beauty is also a virtuous quality. Therefore, I named ‘San Ya’ as ‘Meiya.'”

“I’ve thought of another suitable name,” Yang Haiyan said. “Since the girls are ranked in the family, and Sanya is the third daughter, I was thinking about using seasonal names.

For example, some families use Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter as a way of ranking.

Fall would be the third season, so I thought of the name ‘Qiuya’ (Autumn Bud). With a name like ‘Meiya’ (Beautiful Bud), it doesn’t immediately convey that she’s third in the family, but if she’s called Qiuya, everyone will instantly know she’s the third daughter.”

Yang Haiyan turned to Qin San Shu and his wife, saying, “Now we have three names: Shanya (Virtuous Bud), Meiya (Beautiful Bud), and Qiuya (Autumn Bud). Which one do you prefer?”

Third Uncle Qin looked at his daughter, then asked gently, “Sanya, which name would you like?”

He felt it was most important for his daughter to like the name herself.

Sanya, a quiet girl who often felt a bit inferior compared to her sisters, whispered, “They’re all nice.”

“But you should choose one,” her father encouraged. “You can’t have all three names!”

Sanya thought for a moment before replying, “I’d like to be called Qiuya.”

Third Uncle Qin smiled and turned to Yang Haiyan, “Then Qiuya it is. Thank you for thinking of three names for her.”

Yang Haiyan smiled back, “Oh, it’s no trouble at all. We’re family, after all. But, Qiuya, why did you choose that name?”

Qiuya blushed a bit as she replied softly, “I…I want to have a name that makes it clear I’m the third daughter in the Qin family, just like my sisters. When people hear the name Qiuya, they’ll know right away.”

Yang Haiyan smiled warmly, “That’s so thoughtful, Qiuya. You really care about being part of the family.”

She admired how the shy and quiet girl wanted a name that reflected her place in the family, showing her desire for belonging.

Qiuya’s cheeks turned red at the compliment.

With the names settled, everyone moved on to discuss the more pressing matters ahead.

After a good rest in the afternoon, spirits were high.

Grandpa Qin, noticing the anticipation on everyone’s faces, decided to address their concerns directly. “Ah Fang, now that the family is here, aside from the second branch, how do you plan to arrange things?”

Qin Fang responded, “The military camp has a thousand acres of land, currently managed by a single overseer and about a hundred soldiers. Each soldier is responsible for ten acres.

The soldiers are very motivated, as this land provides their food. However, it’s too much for one overseer to manage all the work and oversee the crops, so I want to recruit ten overseers, one for every hundred acres.”

At this, Grandpa Qin frowned slightly, “We only have three potential overseers here—your father, your third uncle, and myself.”

Qin Fang quickly replied, “Grandpa, I don’t want you working in the fields. You should stay here in the residence and take it easy. Father and Mother have worked in the fields all their lives, and they’d feel restless without something to do, so I’ve arranged for Father to oversee one of the plots. But you, Grandpa, you should be relaxing here at home.”

Grandpa Qin smiled, “My health is fine. I can handle it.”

Yang Haiyan then stepped in, “Grandpa, you and Grandma don’t need to oversee the camp’s land. But we do need someone to manage the garden here in the General’s Residence.”

Grandpa Qin looked at her, surprised.

She continued, “The residence is so big, and we’ve converted some unused areas into an orchard and a vegetable garden. It would be wonderful if you could tend to the garden. That way, Ah Fang can enjoy fresh vegetables that you grew yourself. He might even end up eating an extra bowl of rice at each meal!”

Qin Fang quickly chimed in, “Yes, Grandpa, the garden here still needs you.”

Yang Haiyan added, “You’re always welcome to visit the camp’s land whenever you’d like, and we have a carriage ready to take you anytime.”

Seeing his grandson and granddaughter-in-law’s thoughtfulness, Grandpa Qin relented.

They were clearly looking out for him.

With a nod and a smile, he said, “Alright then, I’ll go along with your plan. We’ve got plenty of time ahead.”