Chapter 188

Chapter 188

Tonight's reunion feast at the Duke's residence included relatives from the Xiao Family, Qiao Family, Tong Family, and Zhou Family.

Although the Zhou Family's kinship ties were a bit more distant compared to the Qiao and Tong families, Zhou Jingchun had gone to help when the Xiao Family was training troops at Imprisoned Dragon Ridge. During their southward journey, the four Zhou family members had treated countless soldiers of the Right Route Army. Even the residence granted to the Zhou family by the Xingping Emperor was located in the neighboring ward of the Xiao Family. With such deep connections, how could the Xiao Family exclude the Zhou family from their gathering?

The Tong family had arrived in Luoyang by noon and had been staying at the Zhou family's place. As dusk approached, both families made their way to the Duke's residence together.

By this time, the Xiao and Qiao families had moved beyond the emotional reunions and were happily reminiscing for more than half an hour. As relatives arrived, everyone went to greet them, making the hall even livelier.

In the kitchen, cooks from the Marquis’s residence were also called over to assist, preparing three large tables of dishes.

The men drank and conversed, while the women dined and chatted.

As night fell, the Zhou family departed before the curfew. The Tong family could not return to their home in southern Luoyang and originally planned to stay overnight at the Zhou family's place, but Marquis Xiao Zhen insisted they stay, taking them to the Marquis’s residence.

Xiao Ye and Liu Chu, along with their daughter, also returned to the Marquis’s residence.

At the Duke's residence, Xiao Mu was feeling slightly tipsy, and Xiao She was supporting the old man carefully.

Xiao Mu said, "It has been a tiring journey; everyone should head back and rest early. We can discuss other matters tomorrow evening."

Whether it was his sons and daughters-in-law or his grandsons and granddaughters-in-law, it was a joyful reunion after a long separation. Why rush to say anything that might dampen the mood?

Xiao Shouyi responded and supported the old man's left arm, saying to Madam He, "I'll see father to his room. You all should head back first."

Madam He nodded with a smile, her gaze still lingering on her husband's face.

Before leaving, Xiao Mu discreetly glanced at the most uniquely situated granddaughter-in-law.

He believed Aman had already told her.

The third granddaughter-in-law did not wish to reclaim the ancestral home, and the Xiao Family would respect her wishes. If the third granddaughter-in-law wanted to help her parents reclaim the ancestral home, they had already laid the groundwork for her. Given her intelligence, she only needed to go along with it.

Lin Ningfang caught the old man’s meaningful look.

Ever since she entered the Xiao Family, she had never been alone with the old man, and their direct conversations could be counted on one hand. Yet, Lin Ningfang knew how wise and caring the old man was towards the younger generation, and the reasons behind the old man’s and the Marquis’s arrangements.

The eldest uncle was lacking in virtue, and the grandfather had refused to associate with him, choosing instead to expel him from the family. Despite the Xiao Family’s meritorious service in aiding the emperor, with two dukes in the family enjoying unparalleled glory, they should have maintained a low profile. Yet, the old man and the Marquis had humbled themselves to courteously treat the eldest uncle, willing to endure the suspicion of "courting and rallying old officials." Was it for the sake of that grand mansion?

No, they were advocating for her and seeking justice on her behalf.

Therefore, Lin Ningfang returned the old man’s gaze with a faint smile.

Xiao Mu laughed and gently pushed his son away, saying, "Fifth son, you can escort me."

"I’m not so old that I need two people to help me."

Xiao Yan dismissed Ah Zhen.

The night was as dark as ink, and the off-duty servants had already retired for the night. The path to the eastern courtyard was quiet, with only the sound of the couple’s footsteps.

Among the relatives left in Wei County, if asked whom Xiao Yan missed the most, his wife would certainly be at the top of the list. However, the reason the old man had ordered him to report for duty at the military camp today was that his wife had returned to her homeland and was not in the mood for a joyful reunion. Remembering this, Xiao Yan refrained from doing anything else and first cautiously observed his wife’s expression.

Yet, after observing her for an entire evening, he didn’t notice anything unusual.

"This time back, do you miss your parents even more?" Xiao Yan asked.

Lin Ningfang turned her head and said, "I already cried in front of Second Sister-in-law when we entered the city, don’t tease me anymore."

Xiao Yan hurriedly said, "Okay, I won’t say anything. I just wanted to care for you."

Lin Ningfang said, "Your concern is enough; there’s no need to say it."

Xiao Yan replied, "Yes, I won’t ask unless you bring it up first."

After walking a few more steps, Xiao Yan said, "I still remember where I met you. But the city hasn't fully stabilized yet, so it's not convenient for me to take a long leave. When it's more convenient, I'll personally lead a team to move your parents’ graves back. There must be your family’s ancestral graves here, right?"

Lingshui Village was as much a foreign land to her parents as any other place, so she didn’t want to cause a commotion, and moving them to the Lin family graves was another matter entirely.

Lin Ningfang nodded and said, "No rush, we can discuss it carefully when the political situation stabilizes."

With his intentions accepted, Xiao Yan felt a bit more confident and brought up the important matter, "By the way, when I arrived in Luoyang, I found out you still have..."

Before he could finish, the person beside him suddenly stopped. Xiao Yan also stopped and looked over in confusion.

Lin Ningfang slightly bent down and gently massaged her legs.

Xiao Yan asked, "Can’t walk anymore?"

Lin Ningfang, with her eyes downcast, reluctantly admitted it.

Xiao Yan immediately squatted in front of her, still holding the lantern in one hand while reaching behind him with the other, "Hop on, I’ll carry you back. We still have a long way to go, and it’s late. There are no servants around, so don’t worry about being seen."

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Ningfang leaned onto his shoulder.

Feeling her weight on his back, Xiao Yan couldn’t help but laugh, "If I had known it would make you soften up, I would have gone out to fight in the war earlier."

Before the war, no matter how he tried to be nice to her, she didn’t appreciate it. After the war began, her attitude softened a bit, allowing him to hold and carry her.

Lin Ningfang found a comfortable position on his shoulder and closed her eyes, "Don’t talk nonsense, I’m very sleepy, let me sleep for a while."

His wife’s sleep was the most important, so Xiao Yan didn’t bring up the matter of Lin’s eldest uncle again.

Back in the room, Lin Ningfang looked tired. Since she had bathed earlier, she simply washed up and went to bed.

Knowing that she liked to be clean, even without considering that matter, Xiao Yan went to the bathhouse in the west and thoroughly scrubbed himself, even washing his hair, and dried it almost completely before returning to the bedroom.

The couple shared a quilt, and Xiao Yan carefully slid into bed, listening to her soft breathing. He wanted to, but didn’t dare to show it too much.

In this inner struggle, Lin Ningfang suddenly turned over and leaned into his arms.

Like a drop of water hitting hot oil, Xiao Yan tensed up, his hands clenched into fists, "You’re not asleep yet?"

Lin Ningfang, with her eyes closed, said, "Will you sleep peacefully? It’s better to let you have your way now so you won’t wake me up in the middle of the night."

With his wife saying this, how could Xiao Yan hold back any longer?

Unfortunately, Lin Ningfang still couldn’t get a full night’s sleep. In the middle of the night, Xiao Yan bothered her again, and even before dawn, he wanted more.

This time, Lin Ningfang firmly refused him. To make Xiao Yan give up completely, she got up directly, dressed simply, and went outside.

Xiao Yan hurriedly put on his clothes and chased after her, only to find her sitting alone on the western corridor's beauty seat, watching two maids clean the yard.

Xiao Yan went back to get a cloak for her, and as he draped it over her, he said helplessly, "I agreed, do you have to distrust me like this? Go back inside, don’t catch a cold."

Lin Ningfang shook her head, her expression melancholic, "It’s not about you; I have things on my mind, so I can’t sleep."

Xiao Yan sat down next to her and asked, "What's the matter?"

Lin Ningfang once again became that aloof version of herself, as if she couldn't hear him.

After watching her for a moment, Xiao Yan remembered the matter of the Lin family that he hadn’t had a chance to bring up the previous night. "Are you thinking about your eldest uncle?"

Lin Ningfang looked over at him, startled. "How did you find out?"

Feeling guilty, Xiao Yan averted his eyes. "I only found out by chance at the end of the twelfth lunar month that there’s a Minister Lin in the Ministry of Personnel who is actually your uncle. Before you arrived, Grandfather forbade me from presumptuously trying to claim kinship, so I only sent a New Year's gift once."

When he looked back, he saw his wife was suddenly in tears, her expression a mix of grievance and anger.

Xiao Yan panicked and hurriedly tried to wipe her tears. "Why are you crying when everything’s fine?"

Lin Ningfang brushed away his hand, stood up, and angrily threw the cloak off her shoulders, hitting Xiao Yan. For the first time in front of Xiao Yan, she displayed behavior unbecoming of a well-bred lady. "Who asked you to send him a gift?! I’ve already told you I don’t have any relatives here anymore. Yet you still insist on recognizing an uncle for me. Fine, then go be his niece’s husband and stop getting in my way!"

Xiao Yan was dumbfounded, and the two maids who were diligently sweeping also froze in shock. Even Ah Zhen and another senior maid, who were about to come over and attend to them, stopped in their tracks, equally stunned.

Xiao Yan was the first to recover, and holding the cloak, he stood up, now towering over Lin Ningfang.

Lin Ningfang sat back down, sobbing into the railing of the lounge.

Xiao Yan, completely confused, was accused by Ah Zhen, who thought her mistress had been wronged. She rushed over and stood in front of Lin Ningfang, glaring at Xiao Yan. "What did you do to upset the lady?"

Xiao Yan, feeling wronged, replied, "I didn’t do anything. I just said I sent a New Year’s gift to Minister Lin…"

Ah Zhen: "Which Minister Lin? Lin Shou?"

Xiao Yan: "Yes, him."

Ah Zhen’s eyes welled up, and she cried as she spoke, "You sent a gift to that villain? He was expelled by the Prime Minister long ago. After the Prime Minister passed away, he relied on his support from Royal Uncle Dou to secure a high official position. Then he came to force Second Uncle to give up the main house of the ancestral estate. When Second Uncle refused, he resorted to underhanded methods, which eventually forced Second Uncle and his family to leave Luoyang."

Ah Zhen couldn’t continue and, hugging Lin Ningfang, they both cried together.

Xiao Yan felt as if someone had suddenly dumped a bucket of filth over his head while he was happily walking down the street. He was stunned at first, then a fire of rage surged through him, and he wanted to tear the person who wronged them into pieces.

"Fuck his ancestors! I was kowtowing in front of such a wolf-hearted bastard?!"

"Don’t cry. I’ll go avenge your parents, brothers, and siblings right now!"

With his hair hastily tied in a crooked bun, Xiao Yan rushed towards the front courtyard. By the time Grandfather got the news, Xiao Yan had already rushed out of the estate on his horse.

At the neighboring Marquis’s residence, Tong Sui had already finished her preparations and was waiting. As soon as Ah Fu came to report the news, she headed out.

Xiao Zhen, who wasn’t supposed to appear today, was still lying in bed. Speaking in a relaxed tone, he warned his wife, "Let Fourth Son handle the fight. Stay far away so Third Son doesn’t accidentally hit you in his rage."

In private matters involving disputes over ancestral homes, if he and Grandfather went immediately, it would seem like they were using their influence to bully others, and it would also damage their status as a ducal and marquis family.

The fourth son’s role was to mediate and stop the fight. Xiaoman’s role was to mediate with Lin family ladies and other female relatives as a sister-in-law.

If Fifth Son acted rashly, he might join in the fight. Second Lady wasn’t suitable to appear publicly, but the elder would handle keeping these two in check.