Chapter 96: Defeat

Prince Jing is a man of his word. On the third day after the two of them had tea, Xiao Jingyan received an imperial edict, instructing him to accompany Prince Jing to the northwest. He was also granted the position of Fifth-Rank Secretary, officially tasked with collecting locally unique paintings and calligraphy for the emperor.

When the Xiao family learned of the emperor’s command, most of them were surprised at first, but they soon accepted it with composure. Only Mrs. Qin, her handkerchief soaked with tears, continued to cry.

“Why did the emperor issue such an order? If Yan’er goes to the northwest, what should I do?” Mrs. Qin muttered repeatedly, her voice soft with sobs.

“Why do you keep crying endlessly? Are you expressing dissatisfaction, or do you want to send our whole family to prison?” General Xiao, unable to tolerate it any longer, scolded her gently.

“Is it wrong for me to cry just because my son is leaving home?”

“You’re reluctant to part with him, aren’t you? Should I now risk defying the imperial edict, raid our house, and go to the palace to beg the emperor to revoke the command? Would that satisfy you?”

“Please don’t go. I won’t cry anymore, I promise I won’t cry anymore.” Now that their house might be raided, how could she continue crying?

Seeing that his wife finally stopped crying, General Xiao breathed a heavy sigh of relief. In just this short time, he had been overwhelmed with a headache from her incessant sobbing.

Men should go out more often. Even if they don’t create their own world, gaining some experience would be good!

Moreover, the capital was full of rumors. Rather than letting his son stay at home and worry everyone, it was better for him to go out and take a break.

The current mission to eliminate the bandits should not be dangerous; otherwise, the emperor would not have sent his own brother. Plus, his son had been given a formal post, so everything about this seemed like a good thing. He couldn’t understand why his wife was crying so much.

“At most, in three to five months, our son will be back. Look at me—I’ll be promoted and also make connections with Prince Jing. It’s a great deal!” Once his mother regained her composure, Xiao Jingyan joined the persuasion effort.

General Xiao gave his son a harsh glare. What was he doing earlier? Now that he sees his wife has calmed down, he starts acting all obedient.

Xiao Jingyan wanted to retort that if only he had a chance to speak earlier, would his father have dared to talk to his mother like that?

“Mother, don’t be upset. Maybe Fourth Brother will come back with a wife for you!” Xiao Jingtai thought his words were very fitting.

“I want a daughter-in-law who is knowledgeable and well-mannered, just like your three sisters-in-law. Yan’er, you absolutely must not marry some barbarian or foreign woman. There are people in the capital who are watching us. You tell me, how can I be at ease if he goes alone?” Her voice once again had a hint of crying.

“Fourth Brother will definitely not act recklessly. He has always kept your words in his heart, right, Fourth Brother?” Tong Mingyu hurriedly poured tea for her mother-in-law and gently persuaded her.

“My marriage will be decided by my mother. Whoever you choose, I will marry. Whenever you want me to get married, I will marry then.” Xiao Jingyan made the promise without hesitation.

“Since this has already been settled, we should all go about our business.” General Xiao, eager to escape from this overly sentimental scene, threw out this line and was the first to leave the room.

“Big Brother’s wife, prepare everything. On the first of next month, I’ll go to the temple to pray.” He wanted to pray for his son’s safety and a swift return.

“Which temple would you like to go to?”

“Just Bi Yun Temple. Everyone who is free that day should go.” Mrs. Qin, rarely giving orders, repeatedly emphasized. It seemed that the more people who went, the safer she would feel about her son’s journey.

“Alright, we’ll all go, the whole family.” Tong Mingyu promised, not only for herself but also for her sisters-in-law, daughter, and niece. Now wasn’t the time to reason with her mother-in-law; as long as it put her mind at ease, she would agree to anything, even if it meant going to the temple ten times.

When the two young girls heard about going to the temple to pray for Fourth Uncle’s safety, they didn’t object either.

Xiao Yao: “Even if it’s not effective, it’s still good for peace of mind.”
Xiao Yuan: “We can also go out to play. I heard the vegetarian meals at Bi Yun Temple are especially delicious.”

To show sincerity, Mrs. Qin personally took care of all the preparations for the temple visit. Even after everything was ready, she asked three times a day, “Is everything in place?” “Have we forgotten anything?”

The night before they were to go to offer incense, Xiao Jingkang, while massaging his wife’s shoulders, teased, “You check the items for incense offering so many times a day. Do you think you’ll ruin something good by over-checking?”

“I understand how Mother feels. If it were Ah Yi or Ah Yang traveling, I would probably be as worried as she is!”

“A good man should travel far and wide, and experience more.”

“Men will never understand the feelings of women and mothers.” Tong Mingyu shook her head and sighed.

“Second Brother and I have traveled too, but we never had such treatment as Fourth Brother. Fortunately, we have broad hearts. Otherwise, we’d have to go to Mother and ask, ‘Did you adopt us?’”

“Do you think parents should treat each child equally?”

“Isn’t that how it should be?” Xiao Jingkang asked in confusion.

“Alright, starting tomorrow, I will treat all four children equally. How does that sound?”

“I didn’t mean that. Boys and girls can’t be the same! Boys should grow up in an environment where they fall and get hurt, suffer hardships, and work hard. Girls must be the complete opposite—pampered, protected, and given everything they want.”

“See? ‘Must,’ ‘should,’ ‘even.’” Tong Mingyu almost wanted to ask her husband, “Did you pick up our son somewhere outside?”

“Tomorrow, we’ll take Ping An and have a good time visiting Bi Yun Temple. The bamboo forest and the inscriptions are world-famous, and their vegetarian food is liked by many dignitaries.”

“Actually, I think being your son isn’t the most pitiful. The most pitiful would be the person who has to marry your daughter in the future.”

“That’s not true. The most pitiful part isn’t having me as a father-in-law, but having such a grandfather.” After saying this, Xiao Jingkang couldn’t help but laugh triumphantly. If anyone thought being the son-in-law of the Xiao family was easy, they were gravely mistaken. Only after passing through five gates and slaying six generals would they even think of taking that troublesome little kid in.

Tong Mingyu quickly understood what her husband meant, and the couple exchanged amused glances.

Xiao Yao and Xiao Yuan were also talking about the upcoming incense offering.

“I heard the vegetarian meals at Bi Yun Temple are especially delicious,” Xiao Yuan said, narrowing her eyes. Her lips occasionally made a “smack” sound.

“However, it seems we’re going there to pray for peace.”

“I heard their inscription forest is famous worldwide. We can go take a look tomorrow.” Xiao Yuan wasn’t interested in whose masterpieces were there; what mattered was finding an excuse to stroll around.

“We should be more concerned about how to get the peace amulet tomorrow.”

“Sis, do you think the temple will have little nuns? If they do, we can stay there for a few days.” I’ve never seen little nuns before!

“Go to bed. We have to get up early tomorrow.” Ruyi’s imagination was running wild, and I couldn’t keep up. It’s best to wash up and go to sleep!

“Sis, I’m afraid I won’t be able to wake up early tomorrow. Why don’t we sleep together?”

“Ruyi, it’s not that I don’t like sleeping with you…” It’s just that I can’t sleep on the same bed with you!

“I’ve thought of a solution.”

Though Xiao Yuan was chubby, her hands and feet were quick. She ran to her sister’s bed, kicked off her shoes, and quickly crawled into bed, rolling herself up in the blanket that the maid had laid out, turning into a big dumpling.

“Sis, am I clever? Is this solution good?”

This is your solution? Xiao Yao thought to herself, I’m truly defeated by this sister!

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