A life of ups and downs is pure joy

Xiao Yi, wearing armor, rode on horses with the brothers Lin Mutang and Lin Mufeng on the top of the mountain, looking at the Nanbang camping area in the distance.

"These are the Nanbang people who have repeatedly provoked our Dasheng. Have you seen those people training? They are all reckless." Lin Mutang pointed to the distance and said to Xiao Yi.

"The last time Luofeng City secretly colluded with Chen Li, it was the Nanbang villain. My father-in-law and second uncle have been fighting against Nanbang for so many years. Yier wants to ask what is the breakthrough point to defeat them?" Xiao Yi asked humbly while looking at the people from these most cruel countries in the legend in the distance.

The two Lin brothers looked at each other and smiled slightly.

"The people of Nanbang love to fight, so they are cold-blooded and cruel. This is both their advantage and their weakness." Lin Mufeng said.

"What do you mean, Uncle?" Xiao Yi asked, puzzled. "Isn't bravery the most important thing on the battlefield?"

"My child, bravery is the basic quality of soldiers on the battlefield, but unity is the most important. People in Nanbang are belligerent, and everyone wants to be the bravest, so they don't care about the life and death of others. But for us in Dasheng, soldiers are the foundation and generals are the end. The soldiers who fight to the death are always the most important. Your second uncle and I must bring back as many brothers as we took out. Only when the soldiers are united can we win the battle!" Lin Mutang said with full energy.

"Kindness, wisdom, strategy and courage are the ways to win, and this is also the way of the Lin family army!" Lin Mufeng looked intently at the beautiful land that he and his elder brother had guarded for decades, then frowned and looked at the enemy camp in the distance and said.

Xiao Yi looked at the two of them and stopped talking, but he had secretly learned a lesson in his heart.

On the way back to the military camp, Lin Ancai came on horseback to look for the three people.

"Brother-in-law, Second Brother Xiao's injuries have almost recovered. When do you plan to set off back to Beijing?" Lin Ancai asked while riding his horse.

"Maybe if I stay, I can help my father-in-law and second uncle." Xiao Yi said.

"Son, your mission has been completed. Jinglin University Scholar is not a military commander who kills enemies on the battlefield. Jin Han still has many important matters for you to deal with. You will set off tomorrow and take good care of Huan'er for me." Lin Mudang said to his son-in-law with a hearty smile.

"Then let Bai Duguang stay to help my father-in-law and second uncle. Although he is young and has no military achievements, he is a brave and resourceful man." Xiao Yi said.

"Bai Gang's grandson is a good candidate. Xia Ting also sent me a letter praising the child for his contribution when you were in danger. It's okay to let him stay and see the world." Lin Mutang was a person who valued talent, so he agreed with Xiao Yi's opinion.

Several people returned to the camp before dark. The next morning, the two Xiao brothers led a group of people on the journey back to Jinhan City. The Lin family army was also working hard to prepare for a fierce battle the day after tomorrow. Bai Duguang and Lin Ancai followed Lin Mutang and Lin Mufeng to learn the art of war and the tactics of the battlefield.

"Brother, fortunately everything went well this time, and Bai Duguang also stayed." Xiao Fan couldn't ride a horse due to his back injury, so Xiao Yi went back to Jinhan with him in the carriage.

"Well, the Bai family is one that my father has always been optimistic about. General Bai Gang is also a man with great military achievements. How is your injury?" Xiao Yi asked with concern.

"I never thought these thieves were so vicious. If it was just an ordinary knife wound, it would be fine. But I didn't expect the knife was poisoned. This time I suffered a great punishment." Xiao Fan's face was pale and had not recovered yet. After all, he had experienced the pain of scraping bones and cutting flesh these days.

Xiao Yi patted his shoulder and said, "I'm glad you're okay. Don't risk your life for me like this next time."

"Daddy said that it is the mission of our Xiao family to ensure that the crown prince ascends the throne safely. Big brother, you have been the smartest since you were a child. Naturally, I have to protect you. This is the most important thing I can do as a descendant of the Xiao family." Xiao Fan said with a smile despite the pain.

"Remember, your life is the most important at all times. Big brother doesn't want anything to happen to you, and daddy doesn't want anything to happen to you either." Xiao Yi said softly.

Xiao Fan nodded in response.

Lin Qinghuan received the second letter from Xiao Yi, saying that he had arrived safely in Yinan County for several days and would return in a few days, asking her and her mother not to worry.

"My husband is coming back." Lin Qinghuan muttered happily after closing the letter.

"Girl, look how happy you are." Chu Xia said with a smile.

"My husband said that my second uncle's injuries have fully recovered. Now, he and my father and brother-in-law are confidently driving the Nanbang people out of the country. This time they will definitely return victorious." Lin Qinghuan said, then pouted and said, "It's a pity that he couldn't find any news about Jingshu near Yinan. Chuxia, do you think she is still alive?"

"Miss, you have already tried hard on some things. Since Miss Chen disappeared, you have been sending people to look for her. Now you let your son-in-law go to investigate personally. Actually...actually..." Chu Xia hesitated to speak.

"What actually?" Lin Qinghuan asked strangely, looking at Chu Xia with a strange expression on her face.

"Miss, it's not that Chu Xia is heartless. I just don't want you to see Miss Chen again. After all, her father's death is related to you. I'm afraid..." Chu Xia said worriedly, looking at her innocent master.

"Are you afraid that Sister Chen will hate me after she finds out? After all, it was me who killed Lord Chen." Lin Qinghuan said.

"Miss, what you did is not called killing. He deserves to die. If you don't do this, it will be your son-in-law who will die." Chu Xia knelt down anxiously and said.

"Chu Xia, you can say whatever you want, but why did you kneel down again? I didn't say anything. If you ask me to do it again, I will definitely protect my husband." Lin Qinghuan said, reaching out to help the panicked little maid.

"Miss, Chuxia knows, but what Chuxia doesn't understand is what should you do if you really find Miss Chen?" Chuxia asked.

"Jingshu is a smart girl. She knows right from wrong and good from evil. I just want to save her and haven't thought about anything else. Even finding a place for her to go and supporting her is enough. She is just a little girl." Lin Qinghuan said.

"Well, I hope Miss Chen can turn the danger into safety." Chu Xia was very conflicted, but could only say this.

Xiao Qiannan had packed up and was walking towards Qingbo Courtyard, with her maids Miaoyu and Jinyun following behind her.

Lin Qinghuan also changed into new clothes for early winter, putting on a thin white feather fur robe. Just as she was about to go out, she saw Xiao Qiannan who had just stepped into Qingbo Courtyard.

"Sister-in-law, you cleaned up very quickly today. I thought I was going to have a cup of tea from Qingboyuan." Xiao Qiannan couldn't help but smile as she looked at her sister-in-law who looked like a fairy in a painting.

"It's all my fault for being too slow. I asked Nan'er to wait for me for half an hour every day. Let's go." Lin Qinghuan said a little embarrassedly.

"A beauty's laziness is also a kind of weary beauty. My sister-in-law has always had a good life." Xiao Qiannan said with a smile.

"Little girl." Lin Qinghuan pinched her sister-in-law's face coquettishly and said, "Our Nan'er is a lucky girl."

"By the way, sister-in-law, it's not just you and I who will be going to my aunt's place today. The Crown Princess and several of the Crown Prince's concubines will also be there." Xiao Qiannan chattered to Lin Qinghuan as they walked.

"I have met them several times, and the Crown Princess is even more familiar with them." Lin Qinghuan nodded.

"Oh, by the way, do you know what we are going to do today?" Xiao Qiannan remembered that she had not told her the specific reason yet.

"Ah? Aren't you going to visit your aunt?" Lin Qinghuan said after getting into the carriage and sitting firmly.

"It's not just the ordinary worship on the 15th of every month. Do you know the Sixth Prince's brother Ning Sijue?" Xiao Qiannan asked.

"Yes, I know." Lin Qinghuan nodded.

"Today, let's go with my aunt to choose a concubine for him. If there is a suitable one, she can also be the principal wife." Xiao Qiannan said.

"How old is he now? He doesn't even have a concubine?" Lin Qinghuan asked in disbelief.

"No, I heard that the Sixth Prince has a sweetheart, but I don't know who it is. This time, he is already twenty years old, and there are no real concubines in the backyard except for a few maids. So I wanted to choose two from the housekeeper's women to be his concubines." Xiao Qiannan said.

"I didn't expect that he is such a lovesick man. If the girl he loves is a girl from Dasheng, why don't he ask aunt to grant him a marriage?" Lin Qinghuan asked with some doubt.

"Sister-in-law, do you find it strange too? Auntie asked him the same question, but he never said who it was, so..." Xiao Qiannan glanced at Lin Qinghuan, then lowered her voice and said, "I'm afraid it was the girl from Dayan that he fell in love with during those years he stayed there, so Sixth Prince Brother couldn't bring himself to say it out loud. After all, we are sworn enemies of Dayan."

"If that's the case, it would be difficult for him." Lin Qinghuan suddenly felt a sense of empathy with Ning Sijue. The people they both cared about were in that country, and they could only rely on their longing for each other. Perhaps this was also the reason why Ning Sijue treated her so close on a daily basis.

"Well, the Sixth Prince is a good person. When they were young, he and my second brother..." Xiao Qiannan couldn't help but speak quickly when she mentioned Gong Heyu. Then she looked up at Lin Qinghuan, and seeing that she just smiled at her indifferently, she continued, "He has always been quite close to my second brother, so I grew up with them. Unfortunately, after a few years, he went to Dayan as a hostage, and my second uncle went with him. In the years that followed, except for my second brother secretly visiting him a few times a year, I never saw him again. The next time we saw him was when he returned to Jinhan. It's interesting to say that he looks like my eldest brother. If you don't know, you would think they are brothers."

"Well, the eyebrows and eyes are the most similar, because they both have the same appearance as my aunt. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince doesn't look like my aunt, but more like the Emperor." Lin Qinghuan said, thinking of the mediocre Ning Jinyang.

"Among my uncle the emperor's sons, the third prince Ning Chenxian and the crown prince look most like him. The other princes and princesses all look like the concubines in the palace, especially the fourth prince Ning Junze, who looks exactly like the one born to Imperial Noble Consort Xian." Xiao Qiannan loved chatting with people the most. At this moment, she couldn't stop chattering and laughed as she spoke.

"When I first saw the two of them standing together, I sighed like you." Lin Qinghuan said, thinking of the chrysanthemum exhibition at that time.

"Just like the one my sister-in-law gave birth to, she looks exactly like you and Brother Ancai's mother. Even the fairy in the embroidery painting in your room looks exactly like her. I thought it was you at first, but later Yunxiang told me that it was my sister-in-law Jiaxin who made a mistake." Xiao Qiannan said.

"Sister Li's embroidery is so exquisite and skillful. I really admire her. She has such good skills. She makes pastries so well that I wish she would come to see me every day." Lin Qinghuan said.

"Sister-in-law, you and Brother Ancai are really twins, both so greedy. Speaking of sister-in-law Jiaxin, she is also pitiful. She is gentle and virtuous, and proficient in music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but big brother just doesn't like her and has been ignoring her for so many years. Mother sometimes regrets agreeing to the Li family's request and feels very sorry, but she doesn't seem to care about these, she really loves big brother." After Xiao Qiannan finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan nodded with some regret.

"Maybe, for her, she just has to get by day by day." Ever since Lin Qinghuan came into contact with Michelle Reis, she found that she was really a very optimistic woman. Even if her husband didn't love her, she could still enjoy herself in a small courtyard, looking at the flowers and cultivating her temperament.

"I don't want to be like her in the future. My husband must love me for the rest of my life." Xiao Qiannan said, shaking her head.

"Are you talking about An Cai?" Lin Qinghuan said jokingly.

"Oh, sister-in-law, you are making fun of me again." Xiao Qiannan's face turned red again.

"Hahaha." Lin Qinghuan couldn't help laughing when he saw Xiao Qiannan's expression.

"We're here." The carriage stopped at the palace gate. Lin Qinghuan and Xiao Qiannan stepped down from the carriage. The maid handed the palace entry token to the guard at the palace gate, and the two of them walked into the deep palace with the maid.

The Empress's Fengqi Pavilion was very lively. The Crown Princess Su Yuefei and several concubines were already in the palace, serving the Empress with breakfast.

Lin Qinghuan and Xiao Qiannan walked in and bowed to greet them.

"Huan'er and Nan'er are here. Have you eaten?" The Queen looked at her niece and niece-in-law with a doting look on her face.

"Aunt, my sister-in-law and I came here after we had dinner." Xiao Qiannan stepped forward and took the tea from the Crown Princess's hand and served her.

Lin Qinghuan and Su Yuefei saluted.

"Why do we have so many gifts as a family?" Su Yuefei helped Lin Qinghuan up.

Lin Qinghuan smiled shyly and nodded. Su Yuefei had always treated her so well.

"Huan'er has always looked best in white. Is the material of this white velvet robe from the batch I asked Nan'er to bring back?" Empress Xiao asked as she looked at the coat that Lin Qinghuan had just taken off and was taken away by the maid.

"Yes, aunt, I gave the snow leopard fur to my sister-in-law. This color suits her. Nan'er kept the gray mink fur for herself." Xiao Qiannan said.

"My Yi'er is so lucky. Come here, aunt." Empress Xiao stretched out her hand towards Lin Qinghuan, who hurriedly walked over to support her.

"Auntie." Lin Qinghuan called softly

"Hey, Yi'er should be back soon. You two should hurry up. Auntie also wants to be the royal aunt." Xiao Qiannan said, touching Lin Qinghuan's delicate and white little hand.

Lin Qinghuan nodded with a red face. Su Yuefei looked at her shy look and smiled with her handkerchief covering her mouth.

"Empress, the Sixth Prince has arrived."