A life of ups and downs is pure joy

After living in the palace for two years, the Empress Dowager treated Princess Changping as if she were her own daughter. Upon hearing that she was in poor health, she specially granted her a place to live in the Youran Garden in the Qifeng Palace, which was the most suitable place for recuperation.

"I heard that the two young masters of the Xiao family went to the palace to meet the emperor today." Outside, the rain was dripping, and two little maids were chatting in the wooden corridor. Their every frown and smile showed their admiration for the young masters of the Xiao family.

"Help me change my clothes. I want to go for a walk in the back garden." Lin Qinghuan, who was lying on the couch by the window and listening to the conversation at the wall, closed the poetry collection in his hand, sat up and said.

Standing in the pavilion in the garden, I saw the backs of two people holding paper umbrellas slowly leaving in the rain.

"Brother Xiao!" Lin Qinghuan shouted loudly towards the distant place covered in mist.

Xiao Yu and Xiao Yi turned around together and saw Xiao Yu's familiar face. Lin Qinghuan didn't care about the heavy rain outside and ran towards him in the rain. Xiao Yu was stunned for a moment, then walked towards her quickly.

"Princess~" The little maid following behind ran up anxiously with an umbrella.

Xiao Yu held Lin Qinghuan's shoulders, and the rain flowed freely down his handsome cheeks.

"Huan'er." He reached out and wiped the rain off Lin Qinghuan's face and head, and covered her head with his sleeves. The little maid quickly handed her a paper umbrella, and then the two of them knelt on the ground.

"Brother Xiao, I miss you so much. I want to see you so much." After not seeing each other for two years, Lin Qinghuan didn't care who was next to her. She just hugged him willfully, and Xiao Yu also hugged her tightly in his arms.

Xiao Yi signaled to the servants beside him and took away the two female servants who were following Lin Qinghuan.

Back in the pavilion, Xiao Yu wiped the rain off Lin Qinghuan's face and head with a handkerchief, and said with a hint of anger, "Huan'er, how can you be so willful? Your body can't stand being exposed to the rain like this."

"Huan'er is in very good health now. Seeing Xiao..." She looked up at Xiao Yi standing next to her and changed her words, "Seeing you is more effective than any medicine."

"Silly girl, are you happy living in Qifeng Palace?" Xiao Yu asked lovingly.

"I'm not happy because I can't go to the courtyard to see you anytime like before." Lin Qinghuan complained, but other than this, everything else was good. The Queen always took me with her wherever she went, and the most common thing I heard in the palace was words praising Princess Changping for her beauty.

"The Queen likes you, so she wants you to stay with her. Next year, I will take you out of the palace." Xiao Yu said.

"Next year, is Brother Xiao planning to marry Huan'er?" Lin Qinghuan asked Xiao Yu in surprise.

"Ahem." Xiao Yi, who was standing next to him, was obviously startled by Lin Qinghuan's words. He coughed awkwardly, then waved his hand to dismiss Da Yuan and Liu Ye, the only two people left present.

"Well, then you should stay beside the Queen obediently, listen to your sister, take your medicine obediently, and don't act like you did today." Xiao Yu nodded, and his eyes curved into a bright moon when he smiled.

Xiao Yu was not in a position to accompany Lin Qinghuan back to Fengqi Pavilion. Lin Qinghuan watched Xiao Yu and Xiao Yi leave. It was too boring to stay here alone. She was about to get up and go back, but she met the cold and beautiful Concubine who came for a walk. Now she was the Imperial Concubine. Lin Qinghuan stepped forward to pay her respects. The Imperial Concubine dismissed everyone and went into the pavilion with her. At this time, the rain outside had stopped.

"Zer asked me to tell you that Lord Lin has returned to Kyoto." The Imperial Concubine said gently to Lin Qinghuan. Lin Qinghuan felt emotional in his heart. She was really beautiful, cold and noble.

"Your Majesty, I've caused Fourth Brother so much worry over the years." Ning Junze had been trying to find a way to get Lin Qinghuan out of the palace, but His Majesty only wanted Lin Qinghuan to live in the palace. After all, Lin Mudang was a minister and was so loyal to His Majesty, so he followed His Majesty's wishes.

"Ze'er treats you very well. Do you like him?" The imperial concubine gently lifted the loose hair on Lin Qinghuan's forehead and asked softly.

"Fourth brother? He is like my own brother, so Huan'er naturally likes him." She could understand the Royal Concubine's underlying meaning, but still pretended to be an innocent and romantic child and replied.

"Huan'er, you have grown into the same beauty as the most beautiful woman in Kyoto back then. The threshold of the Lin Mansion will soon be trampled down." The imperial concubine looked at Lin Qinghuan and said.

"Your Majesty, the hairpin on your head is so beautiful. It's not that gorgeous, but so delicate." Lin Qinghuan said as she looked at the pearl hairpin on the imperial concubine's head.

The Imperial Concubine tilted her head, gracefully removed the hairpin, and held it up to look at it. "Huan'er, do you like it?"

Lin Qinghuan looked at the beautiful profile of the imperial concubine, hummed, and nodded.

The Imperial Concubine gently inserted her hair into Lin Qinghuan's bun and said, "You should dress more beautifully."

"My Lady, Huan'er is sincerely praising me, not asking for a reward."

She hurriedly tried to take it off, but the imperial concubine held her arm and said.

"It should have been yours. Take the princess back." Then he waved to the two maids and said. Lin Qinghuan didn't understand what the Royal Concubine meant, but was thinking in his heart, does the Royal Concubine also want me to marry Ning Junze?

In the carriage of the Xiao Mansion, the two brothers of the Xiao family were silent, each with their own thoughts.

"Brother, when can Huan'er leave the palace?" Xiao Yu asked, breaking the silence.

"She has already said it herself." Xiao Yi couldn't help but curl up the corners of his mouth when he thought of Lin Qinghuan's words today.

"Okay." Xiao Yu replied softly.

"Why aren't you angry with your aunt? After all, your sister Lin is hidden in the palace." Xiao Yi asked curiously.

"The place where she lives is more suitable for recuperation than Luo Feng's." Xiao Yu's answer was concise but clear in meaning.

"Then do you know that if you don't marry her, I will marry her, or in other words, Princess Changping can only marry into the Xiao family." Xiao Yi suddenly said seriously.

"Is this what my aunt wants or what my father wants?" Xiao Yu looked up at him and asked.

"This is for the Crown Prince and for the peace of the previous dynasty." Xiao Yi replied coldly, as if the Princess Changping was an accessory.

"Who Huan'er wants to marry is her own decision. No one can make the decision for her, and no one can make the decision for General Lin." Xiao Yu looked at his brother expressionlessly and replied.

"Second brother, father doesn't allow you to interfere in state affairs, but you are a member of the Xiao family, the Empress is also a member of the Xiao family, the Crown Prince is your brother, and it is your duty to protect the Emperor and his world." Xiao Yi said sternly.

"Huan'er is not a member of the Xiao family."

"You know what I'm talking about."

The two stopped talking.