Every year, the Chinese New Year is the happiest time of the year for many people. After all, no matter whether they are high-ranking officials or peddlers, during this time, they can put down their work and enjoy the joy of family reunion.
Among them, some were not very happy.
For example, Qi Yunxi just couldn't be happy at all. It was New Year's Day, and the amount of tea sets made from the official kiln in Jingdezhen that she broke was enough to make Princess Mingchang, who was famous for her extravagance, heartbroken.
Recently, everyone in the mansion has been avoiding her.
Even Master Tong Er was a little afraid of her and did not provoke her.
Qi brought Xu Huixian to pay New Year's greetings. When she saw Xu Chong had gone out to drink with Master Tong Er, she came up to Qi Yunxi and called her "Aunt" in a weak voice.
When Qi Yunxi faced her, his tone was still a little cold, but much better than usual. He hummed, looked at her and asked her, "How is Yuanbo?"
After all, she is still very close to Xu Yuanbo and Xu Huixian.
Speaking of her son, Qi's eyes became red. She shook her head and nodded quickly, forcing a smile and saying, "It's nothing serious. He's just too ignorant, so his father punished him by confining him at home and making him copy books."
After all, there was a huge conflict with the Sun family. Although Xu Shun tried his best to protect his grandson from the outside, he certainly did not ignore it completely. He still punished Xu Yuanbo.
Qi Yunxi frowned in dissatisfaction: "Sun Wencai is looking for trouble himself. Does he want Yuanbo to be a coward?! His own family members don't help him, so won't others bully him even more?! Your old man is really fair and strict. He is cruel enough to his own grandson!"
She was in a bad mood, so her words were naturally harsh.
Xu Huixian has always been indignant about this matter. In her heart, her brother is noble and has more than enough to do anything wrong. If there is any mistake, it is someone else's fault. It is because of others that her brother can't help but fight.
However, after a series of incidents between her and her brother, although the family was powerful, it was still criticized. Her grandfather still said nothing to outsiders but became much stricter within the family.
Life became difficult for both her and her brother.
It was also because of this that when her brother was under house arrest this time, she dared not say anything but was angry.
Now that her great-aunt had also said so, Xu Huixian immediately shared the same hatred for the enemy: "Isn't it?! My brother was also beaten very badly and couldn't get up for several days at home. They say it takes two to tango, so why are you blaming everything on my brother?"
Qi was getting more and more helpless with her daughter's temper. She coughed and glared at her: "Can't you be more content?! You are so old, but you always say things without thinking. You don't know what to say and what not to say. How can people trust you when you get married?"
Her life has experienced so many ups and downs that she can no longer bear it. Her only wish now is that her children can take a different path from her and live a smoother life in the future.
Life is so long, what’s not better than living it well
Qi Yunxi sneered: "If we tell others about this, we will lose face for our ancestors! If a family like us still needs to be cautious in what we say and do, then what are our parents trying their best for? Could it be that they have nothing better to do?"
These words touched Xu Huixian's heart again. She was immediately overjoyed and pulled her great aunt's arm and acted coquettishly.
Qi Yunxi patted her on the head, gave her a very generous gift, and sent her out to play with the girls from the Tong family. After the door was closed again, she looked at Qi impatiently: "You sent me letters several times, what do you want to tell me?"
Qi naturally saw the unhappiness in her eyes, pursed her lips, and said in a low voice with some restraint: "I bought some old jewelry, saying that they were from the former Lord Lei..."
Qi Yunxi frowned and stared at her, not understanding why she said that.
"These are things from our former home, as well as some things of the Queen Mother..." Qi said with a sense of melancholy.
This Empress Dowager naturally does not refer to Empress Hu of Emperor Yuanfeng, but Empress Li of Emperor Fei.
Qi Yunxi's face became a little gloomy when this was mentioned, but when he heard that it came from Lord Lei, he didn't find it strange anymore - Lei Yun himself was the Shaoqing of the Shangbao Division, in charge of the treasury, and he was also a greedy man, so it was normal for him to have treasures from the previous dynasty.
"Is the stuff reliable?" Qi Yunxi rubbed his brows: "Is this a small matter worth a special trip to tell me? If you like it, just keep it."
She was able to give Xu Huixian a complete set of ruby head ornaments as a dowry, so why would she care about Qi buying some second-hand items
Everyone in this world who knew that the sisters were still alive is dead.
Apart from each other and people they absolutely trusted, only Xu Shun and Xu Chong knew.
There is nothing to be taboo about.
Qi was a little uneasy. She rubbed her hands and hesitated to speak. After a while, she sighed: "Aunt, do you, the princess and the father-in-law have other plans... ..."
Of course there are other plans.
But there was no need to mention it to this timid niece. Qi Yunxi slowed down her voice for the sake of the New Year: "It has nothing to do with you. Just be a good wife."
Originally, she wanted to persuade Qi Yunxi to stop, but when she heard his tone, she knew that she was just wishful thinking. Qi felt indescribably heavy in her heart, and the whole year passed in boredom.
It was not until the beginning of the new year that she heard of a major event - Gao Ping and others jointly wrote a letter to Emperor Yuanfeng, asking him to give the eldest grandson a title and allow him to go out to study.
The so-called marriage and study means starting to learn about the prime minister's national affairs.
Or to put it another way, it is to clear Xiao Heng's name.
She couldn't help but feel even more worried. She lowered her eyes and looked at the half-embroidered veil in her hands, and couldn't help but sigh.
She had embroidered this veil for her daughter, waiting to put it on Xu Huixian so that she could get married in glory. As she thought of this, the needle accidentally pricked her finger, and blood immediately oozed out.
She quickly sucked her fingers clean, and when Xu Chong came back in the evening, she saw that he looked unhappy, and thought it was because of this matter: "Is it because of the matter of the emperor's eldest grandson?"
Xu Chong shook his head and sat on the stool with a sad face: "It's about another matter. The emperor has ordered the emperor's eldest grandson to go to Yunnan to supervise the army and supervise the suppression of the rebellion. He was appointed as an imperial envoy to send the sister and son of the former chieftain of Yunnan back to Yunnan. If the mission is completed, the court will not have to fight anymore."
Qi didn't understand this, she was just subconsciously afraid: "Then, what should I do?"
Xu Chong let out a frustrated breath: "There is always a way. It's just the beginning of the new year, there's still a lot of time. What's the point of staring at it for a while?"