A life of ups and downs is pure joy

Lin Qinghuan's favorite thing here is the family banquet. There is a large table full of delicious wine and food, with all kinds of colors, aromas and tastes. Today, Lin Muchang held a banquet to welcome the distinguished guest from Jinghe Hall. It is said that he has an extraordinary temperament and his clothes are also unusual. It turns out that he is the fourth son of the current emperor's family, a suave and handsome prince. When the elder brother lived in Kyoto with Lin Muchang in his early years, the two studied and played together, so they had a good relationship. So, Ning Junze, in casual clothes, brought two followers and moved into Lin Yuzhi's Jinghe Hall.

Lin Qingyi is still under house arrest, and it's boring not being able to see her. Lin Mo went to check the old lady's pulse and will come with his grandmother later. Lin Qinghuan, who is idle, is the first to arrive today. He has been feeling well these days and is less and less willing to stay in Lingzhu Garden.

"Girl, the wintersweet flowers in early winter are quite beautiful. It's still early now, let's go and appreciate the plum blossoms in the backyard." Chuxia suggested when she saw her daughter sitting there bored.

"Then let's go, it's nice to enjoy the plum blossoms." Chuxia handed her a hot water bottle, put on her favorite white velvet robe, and the two walked towards the backyard.

"It's actually a green-calyx plum. It really amazed me." Lin Qinghuan's mood became particularly good as she looked at the winter plum blossoms. Chuxia stepped forward and broke off a branch and handed it to her girl. She played with it for a while and found that the goose egg yellow long skirt Chuxia was wearing today matched with the green plum blossom was very cute, so she inserted the beautiful plum blossom into her bun and looked around for a while. "Well, pretty little girl, not bad." Chuxia smiled shyly and touched the flower on her head with her hand.

"By the way, why don't you wear the small silver hairpin with floral patterns that I gave you?" Lin Qinghuan asked curiously when he saw that she only had a small plain velvet flower on her head.

"Miss, Chuxia likes that hairpin very much, so she hid it in a brocade box." Chuxia looked at her own girl with sincerity in her eyes.

"Silly girl, I will give you many beautiful headpieces in the future. Wear them if you like. As someone who belongs to me, Lin Qinghuan, you should dress up beautifully. I will be happy when I see you." Lin Qinghuan patted her cold face.

"Girl, you treat Chuxia so well." Chuxia's voice was soft and sticky with an excited nasal tone. She felt like she would cry if she said a few more words.

"Wan'er, remember this, the Fourth Prince is only eighteen years old and has not married yet. I heard that he only has two concubines in the mansion. You must behave well later. Have you learned the music that your mother taught you? I heard that he is also a good musician. He will definitely notice my son later." The master and servant were playing around when they suddenly heard Chang Xinrui's voice coming from outside the wall. Lin Qinghuan made a hushing gesture to Chu Xia.

"Mother, if the Fourth Prince is interested in marrying, he must be Qing Huan. Why should I do something that is a waste of effort?" Lin Qingwan replied listlessly.

"What a joke! The Fourth Prince would marry a sickly girl as his princess?" Chang Xinrui's word "sickly girl" was particularly harsh. Lin Qinghuan saw Chu Xia clenching her fists in anger. She patted Chu Xia gently, signaling her not to be angry.

"Mother, will it really work? Even though Qinghuan is not in good health, she is the legitimate daughter. The Fourth Prince wants father's power, so just marry her and raise her there." Lin Qing said gently.

"Hmph, she is still a little girl who has not grown up yet. She is still very young. You just need to play the piano well. Wan'er's beauty will surely stand out." Chang Xinrui said confidently.

Then the two people's voices became farther and farther away, and Chu Xia puffed up her face angrily, "Aunt Chang is getting more and more excessive."

"What's wrong? Is there any grudge from the past?" Lin Qinghuan saw that Chu Xia's reaction was a little different.

"I don't remember anything else, I just remember that year when the master went out and never came back. The girl was so young, and she sat in the corridor every day waiting for the master. When he finally came back, he hadn't even spent time with the girl for a while, and Concubine Chang pretended to have a heartache to comfort the master. The girl was so sad that she cried herself to sleep. Concubine Xue saw it and felt sad. I always felt that half of the reason why Concubine Xue entered the mansion was because of the girl. Fortunately, the master has been very good to Concubine Xue over the years." After Chu Xia finished speaking, Lin Qinghuan realized that her general father was so reluctant to marry a beautiful woman.

"With such scheming, it's no wonder that she, the oldest one, is still favored by her father." Lin Qinghuan thought about it and realized that Chang Xinrui was indeed very charming, but in such an age where women shared one husband, it was normal for her to use some scheming to win favor.

"Miss, I just don't like her. Aunt Xue and Aunt He are good people." Chu Xia replied indignantly. It seems that coquettish women have been a sin since ancient times.

"Okay, it's okay. If she doesn't offend me, I won't provoke her. If she bullies me openly, I will make her pay for it." Lin Qinghuan stood up and walked back. The biting wind was still quite cold. After a few steps, he found that the little girl was still standing there in a daze. "Let's go, silly girl."

"Hey, here I come, girl. Let me help you straighten your robe." Chu Xia ran over happily.

In the Green Plum Garden, a man in black stood behind a man in dark clothes with his hands clasped.

"Go down." The man in black waved his hand, and the man in black behind him disappeared into the darkness.

When Lin Qinghuan and Chuxia returned to the main living room, their father and grandmother were already sitting on either side of the upper armchair in the front hall, the distinguished guest was sitting on the upper seat on the left, and their eldest brother Lin Yuzhi was sitting below him. They were chatting and laughing. Lin Ancai, Lin Qingru, Lin Qingwan and Lin Mo were playing with Lin Zhichuan in the side hall, and several concubines were also sitting in the middle chatting. Standing at the door, she looked at the scene in the room, which was very warm and happy.

"Qinghuan, what are you standing there like an idiot for?" Lin Muchang's shout brought her back to her senses. Lin Qinghuan walked straight into the main hall, bowed to the old lady and her father, turned around and smiled sweetly at Lin Yuzhi, and glanced at the distinguished guest next to her casually. Unexpectedly, he was looking at her without hesitation. His eyes, as dark as a deep pool, met her gaze. He smiled again, not knowing whether it was surprise or nervousness. The moment Lin Qinghuan turned around, she stepped on the hem of her floor-length skirt without noticing. She lost her balance and fell awkwardly into the arms of a stranger. She looked up and met a smile as gentle as the March breeze.

"I didn't expect that after so many years, Sister Huan'er is still stumbling and unable to stand steadily." As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Yuzhi burst into laughter.

"I suddenly remembered that it was the same scene when Junze met Qinghuan for the first time, in the garden of the Kyoto mansion. Did you fall?" Lin Yuzhi stepped forward to look at Lin Qinghuan and pulled at the hem of her skirt that was stepped on by her shoes.

"I still remember that little kid fell and got his mouth full of mud, crying with tears and snot. When he looked up and found that I was not Yu Zhi, he was stunned for a long time and cried even more sadly." Ning Junze said with a smile.

"Huan'er, call me Fourth Brother." Lin Yuzhi pointed at Ning Junze and asked her to say hello.

"Hello, Fourth Brother." Lin Qinghuan called out obediently. Anyway, she had no memory of what he said, but it sounded like they had known each other since childhood. So the fall just now was a little less embarrassing.

"Sister Huan'er is so big now, she is about ten years old?" Ning Junze looked at her and asked.

In an instant, Lin Qinghuan suddenly remembered what Chang Xinrui said in the yard, and her heart skipped a beat. Could it be that he really came here to get married? But she was only twelve now, and her elder sister didn't get married until she was eighteen. Maybe she was thinking too much.

"Qinghuan? Why do you become so silent when Fourth Brother is talking to you?" Lin Yuzhi looked at Lin Qinghuan strangely.

"Ah, big brother, I was just thinking about where I'd seen fourth brother before, and I was lost in thought." She smiled at Lin Yuzhi, then turned to Ning Junze and replied, "Fourth brother, Huan'er just celebrated her twelfth birthday last month."

"Grandma and Daddy, I'm going to play with Sister Mo." Lin Qinghuan said, then bowed obediently and pretended to be as innocent as a child as if nothing had happened, and went to the side hall to find Lin Mo.

"Still a playful little brat." Lin Yuzhi returned to his seat with a smile, and the few of them continued chatting. When Lin Qinghuan turned into the side hall, he secretly looked back and happened to meet Ning Junze's eyes again, so he had to pretend to smile innocently like a child.

"Huan'er, where have you been? Didn't you go out early? Why are you here just now?" Lin Mo saw her, walked over and asked with concern.

"I went to the side yard to see the camellia flowers. They were blooming so gorgeously and looked so beautiful." Lin Qingwan and Chang Xinrui were looking at her, so Lin Qinghuan said casually.

"Aunt Xue, how are you feeling lately?" Lin Qinghuan saw Xue Feng sitting at the round table and looking at her with a smile, so she walked up to her and asked.

"Huan'er, come, sit down and rest for a while. Your little face is so rosy." Xue Feng stretched out his hand, held her hand, and looked at her with satisfaction.

"Mother, Sister Huan'er went to the yard to see you yesterday. You drank the medicine and fell asleep. Sister played with Zhichuan and me for a long time. Finally, it's time to go back to take medicine." Lin Qingru ran over, hugged Lin Qinghuan's legs, and rubbed against her coquettishly.

"I've always told my lord that I really envy Sister Xue. Her children are all so filial. She's really lucky." Chang Xinrui said, waving a scented fan.

"Aunt Chang, my third sister is dignified and virtuous. She is the most likable person in the mansion. Aunt Chang has the best life." Lin Qinghuan looked at her and said with a smile.

Chang Xinrui looked at Lin Qingwan beside her, smiled happily and said, "Huan'er is becoming more and more talkative now."

"Well, Huan'er learns everything she says and does from her sister. Big brother said that this is called emulating the good." Lin Qinghuan walked forward and pulled Lin Qingwan.

"Qinghuan, you're the only one who can say nice things." Lin Qingwan looked at her shyly and said coquettishly.

"Third sister, let's go see if there's anything delicious over there and let the aunts chat about family matters." Lin Qinghuan pulled her to find Lin Mo.

Lin Mo was happily teasing Xiao Zhichuan. Looking at her every move and smile, a strange idea suddenly came to my mind. She is already fourteen years old, and the nobleman sitting in the hall doesn’t have a wife. Aren’t the ages of these two people quite suitable? The more I think about it, the more I feel that they are really suitable for each other.

"My father has been thinking about Uncle Lin all these years and often told us stories about how he could defeat thousands of enemies alone." During the dinner, Ning Junze clinked his glasses with Lin Muchang and said admiringly.

"Hahahaha, a hero never brags about his past achievements. Those are all things of the past." Lin Mutang smiled heartily and waved his hand.

"One man against a thousand soldiers? How brave! Fourth brother, tell us about it." Lin Ancai became excited when he heard this and chased Ning Junze to ask.

"Don't you know about this?" Ning Junze looked at everyone in surprise, and admired Lin Muchang even more.

"Dad never mentioned the past to me." Lin Qingwan said.

"Hahaha, it's just the reckless behavior of a young man, not worth mentioning." Lin Mutang took a sip of wine and said with a smile.

"My father, who was still a prince at the time, and General Cheng, your great-grandfather, were ambushed by rebels and trapped in Baisha Mountain with a group of generals for three days and three nights. It was Uncle Lin who single-handedly killed four fierce enemy generals from Yinan Pass and broke through into Baisha Mountain. He fought one against a thousand enemies, slaughtered a large number of people on the battlefield, and directly took the head of General Hei of Gu State. Did you see the scar on Uncle Lin's face?" Ning Junze toasted Lin Mutang with another glass of wine after he finished speaking. Lin Mutang smiled, and the scar on his face was particularly eye-catching at this moment.

"I, Lin Ancai, will definitely become a great general like my father!" Lin Qinghuan's twin brother said excitedly.

"You can't even beat your third sister, and you still want to fight a thousand people alone." Lin Qinghuan looked at him jokingly.

"Nonsense, I was just giving in to her!" Lin Ancai said unconvinced.

"That's right. Mother said that older brothers and younger brothers should protect their older sisters. So when Zhichuan grows up, he will also protect me and Sister Huan." Lin Qingru's innocent voice was soft and tender.

"Well, that's right, your mother is right." Lin Mutang looked at Lin Qingru with satisfaction, then picked up the wine glass and clinked it with Xue Feng. Xue Feng picked up the wine glass, covered his face with his sleeve, and took a sip.

After dinner, Chang Xinrui gestured to Lin Qingwan to play the piano. She played the piano really well. Ning Junze listened to the piano with his eyes closed in admiration.

"The guqin is pleasing to the heart. The wine at the banquet just now didn't make me drunk, but now the sound of the guqin by my third sister has me mesmerized." Ning Junze praised.

"Your Highness the Fourth Prince, you are too kind. Wan'er's piano playing is nothing compared to yours." Chang Xinrui's charming face was full of pride. This woman was indeed very charming. Even in her middle age, she still had some grace.

"Sister Huan'er, are you not full yet?" Lin Qinghuan was about to put a piece of Qinghe rice cake in her mouth when Ning Junze suddenly turned to look at her and asked with interest.

"No, do you want one?" She handed him a piece of osmanthus and coconut rice cake. Ning Junze took it and observed it for a moment. Then he looked at Lin Qinghuan seriously and said, "Just now during the meal, you were busy eating from beginning to end. Now your mouth is still busy. How can you eat so much when you are so thin?"

"Daddy can always support me no matter how much I eat." Lin Qinghuan stuffed the last piece of purple rice and red date-flavored rice cake into her mouth and drank a sip of tea with satisfaction. "This is what it means to be satisfied." Lin Yuzhi looked at his sister dotingly and said, "Huan'er has a good appetite, so her illness has gradually improved in the past two years. Fortunately, the Lin family can still afford to raise this little pig."

"It's okay. If you really can't afford to raise me, just send me to my house and I'll take care of you." Ning Junze said jokingly.

Lin Qingwan's piano music suddenly stopped, and the strings broke. Everyone was startled by the sound. Chang Xinrui quickly stood up and walked forward to ask with concern, "Wan'er, is your hand hurt?"

Lin Mutang also looked over with concern, "Mo'er, go over and see how your sister is doing."

Lin Mo walked over slowly, and just as he was about to take a look, Lin Qingwan retracted her hand, "It's okay, Daddy. I guess this zither has been with my daughter for too long, and the strings are loose and there's no time to repair it."

"It's good that you are not injured. Daddy will buy you a new guqin tomorrow." Lin Mutang said.

"Then I'll take my leave first. Father, grandmother, and fourth brother, you guys chat." Lin Qingwan bowed and left without even carrying the guqin that she usually loved so much. Bai Lu stepped forward to pick up the broken guqin and followed her away.

"My lord, Wan'er is probably worried about Guqin. This child has always kept her worries to herself since she was young. I'll go and take a look. Mother, your daughter-in-law will leave first. The Fourth Prince pays his respects." After saying that, Chang Xinrui also left with the servants.

After eating and drinking, Lin Qinghuan began to feel sleepy. In addition, the content of their conversation was not what she liked to hear, so she kept yawning. Seeing this, Lin Mo said, "Daddy, it's time for Qinghuan to take her medicine. I'll take her back to the hospital to take the medicine first."

After bidding farewell to these distinguished guests, the two left the yard and returned to Lingzhu Garden hand in hand.