A life of ups and downs is pure joy

"Huan'er, eat whatever you want. Now you are in the Lin Mansion, in your own yard. No one will force you, and no one will dare to bully you." Lin Mo said.

"I built a house for you in the peach blossom forest in the south of the city. Although it is not as magnificent as the mansion, you can live there freely. Hongqi can also go with you. You are free to go back to the Xiao Mansion or the Lin Mansion whenever you want." Xiao Yi put down his chopsticks and said to Lin Qinghuan who was sitting opposite him.

"You...you are laughing at Chunfeng...renovating the house?" Lin Qinghuan felt a pang in his heart and looked at Xiao Yi in disbelief.

"You said your favorite place is the waterfall in the peach blossom forest. The attic of the house is exactly the same as Su Heju. You can see the waterfall and hear the sound of flowing water from the attic." Xiao Yi said lightly.

Lin Mo knew what Xiao Chunfeng meant, and looked at Lin Qinghuan in confusion. Jia Xu didn't know where that place was, but looking at the two sisters who were so shocked that they couldn't speak, he could guess that Xiao Yi must have done something extraordinary.

Lin Mo looked at Xiao Yi in front of him, and for some reason he suddenly felt that it seemed appropriate for Lin Qinghuan to marry him. However, Huan'er couldn't let go of her senior brother, and she was helpless.

After the meal, the four of them sat down calmly and prepared to talk about the matter in detail.

"Lord Xiao, Huan'er has never suffered any grievances since she was a child. She was brought up like a treasure in our Lin family. Now she goes to your Xiao Mansion and is bullied without dignity. It is unacceptable both morally and logically. Moreover, if we publicize this matter, it will be difficult for the unmarried eldest daughter of your Xiao family who beat her eldest sister-in-law to find a good husband in Kyoto." Lin Mo said, and Lin Qinghuan looked at her nervously.

"When my father-in-law comes back from the southwest, my parents will come to apologize." Xiao Yi said.

"It is normal for your mother to come and apologize. After all, my father is a first-rank military marquis, and his official position is second only to the emperor. But your sister, Miss Xiao, is so ignorant of etiquette that she must come and kneel down to apologize to Huan'er. I don't need to explain the saying that an elder sister-in-law is like a mother. If so, the matter of divorce can be discussed. But if the Xiao family can't even do this, I will report it truthfully if my father comes back." After Lin Mo finished speaking, Xiao Yi looked up at her for a long time. Lin Qinghuan didn't expect Lin Mo to say that, and her eyes were full of disbelief. Jia Xu also looked at his wife in shock.

Xiao Yi looked at Lin Qinghuan and then said, "You are her eldest sister-in-law. She should come and apologize to you."

"Okay, if Lord Xiao agrees with what I say, let's go back early. It's getting late. Huan'er is not feeling well and should rest." Lin Mo said as he saw the guest off.

Lin Qinghuan didn't expect that her sister was so powerful and dared to challenge Xiao Yi. She instantly felt that she was a coward.

After Xiao Yi left Suheju, Lin Qinghuan sighed with relief.

"Huan'er, do you really want to divorce?" Lin Mo asked.

"I...I don't know either." Lin Qinghuan felt very conflicted. Even if she divorced, she couldn't marry Gong Heyu, but this kind of life was not what she wanted now.

"Huan'er, I have a feeling that the Xiao family will not agree to a divorce, and with the Empress still there, it's probably difficult for your father to really let you divorce. At most, we can vent our anger and ask the Xiao family to treat you well in the future, so you have to be mentally prepared." Lin Mo was a very smart woman. Lin Qinghuan remembered that when Xue Feng was alive, she told her that Aunt Guan was a very smart person.

"Okay, I understand." Lin Qinghuan nodded and said no more.

"My mother is sick, otherwise I would have stayed with you these days." Lin Mo said in embarrassment.

"It's okay, you can go back with your brother-in-law. It's important to take care of your aunt and the baby in your belly." Lin Qinghuan stood up and said sensibly.

In the Yuanwu Hall of Fengqi Pavilion, Xiao Qiannan couldn't hold back her excitement after hearing what Liu Rong said.

"Ask me to go to the Lin family and kneel down to apologize? Big brother, are you crazy? You might as well kill me with a knife instead of humiliating me like this." Xiao Qiannan never thought that Xiao Yi would make such a decision, and she immediately impulsively wanted to go back home.

"Nan'er, this is not only Yi'er's idea, but also the master's idea." Liu Rong said.

"Aunt Rong, Daddy and big brother are going to force me to death for that woman!" Xiao Qiannan started crying in anger.

"Nan'er, you are fifteen years old now. It's time for you to understand the truth. This matter itself is an act of insubordination on your part. If it gets out, it will bring shame to the Xiao family and also your future affiliation. If you are wrong, you must admit it." Liu Rong said patiently to Xiao Qiannan.

"Aunt Rong, I can go and apologize to Sister-in-law Lin and ask her not to divorce Big Brother. But asking me to kneel down and apologize is an insult to me. Nan'er can't do it no matter what." Xiao Qiannan cried loudly. The maids outside didn't dare to go near the door and hid far away, guessing.

"Nan'er, do you know why your elder brother wants to marry Lord Lin's daughter?" Liu Rong said as she pulled Xiao Qiannan to sit down.

"That's because His Majesty granted the marriage, but my second brother left. In order not to embarrass His Majesty, my eldest brother was forced to marry her." Xiao Qiannan said while sobbing.

Liu Rong shook her head. "Silly girl, His Majesty wanted to marry Marquis Lin's daughter to the Fourth Prince from the very beginning. It was the Empress and Master who put so much thought into arranging the marriage between the Xiao and Lin families. Master and the Empress's original intention was to have your elder brother marry her, but she and Yu'er were in love, so His Majesty granted the marriage. However, the marriage certificate states that it is the legitimate son of the Xiao family, but does not specify which one. This is the Empress's intention."

"But why do aunt and father insist on marrying into the Lin family? He is already the uncle of the emperor and a first-rank general. Jinhan has so many royal relatives and nobles. Is it really necessary to curry favor with the Lin family, who are of military origin?"

"Is Marquis Lin an ordinary high-ranking official? He is the most powerful supporter for the Crown Prince's stable ascension to the throne. Marquis Lin's eldest son married the princess of the Imperial Noble Consort. If your brother divorced your eldest sister-in-law, do you think the Eastern Palace would still be as stable as it is now?"

"But Crown Prince will definitely be the future emperor. Could it be that the Lin family still wants to rebel?" Xiao Qiannan asked in confusion. After all, she was just a young girl who was ignorant of the world and naturally did not understand the struggle and ownership of imperial power.

"The Emperor is now in his prime, and all the princes are so outstanding. It's hard to say what will happen in the future, especially since the Fourth Prince's mother is still the most favored in the six palaces. Empress Xiao is very worried. Since you are a child of the Xiao family, you must do your best to help your aunt and your prince brother. My dear girl, can you understand what I mean?" Liu Rong wiped the tears from Xiao Qiannan's face and said earnestly.

"Aunt Rong, I... I never knew about these things." Xiao Qiannan has been accustomed to enjoying the highest wealth and respect since she was a child, and never thought that these were not easy to come by.

"Good boy, listen to Aunt Rong. This time, bow your head and admit your mistake. She is your elder sister-in-law, so it is normal for you to kneel down to her. An elder sister-in-law is like a mother. When she returns home, you must be obedient and don't provoke her again. The master will naturally let you go back." Liu Rong said.

Xiao Qiannan looked at her aggrievedly for a long time, and finally nodded in agreement with tears in her eyes.

After Lin Mutang returned from Luomen, the former residence of Dasheng in the southwest, General Xiao, along with his wife, eldest son Xiao Yi, and only legitimate daughter Xiao Qiannan, came to apologize.

In Suheju, Lin Mo saw Lin Qinghuan walking around anxiously, so he held her down.

"Okay Huan'er, stop walking around. You're making me dizzy." Lin Mo said.

"Second sister, I'm worried. I'm afraid Daddy and the Grand Marshal will start arguing again. Aunt He said they always bicker."

"Don't worry. Daddy is a man, and General Xiao is not an ordinary person either. They won't quarrel. Besides, it's the Xiao family who came to apologize, so Daddy won't make things difficult for them." Lin Mo said.

"Then... is Xiao Qiannan here too?" Lin Qinghuan asked.

When Lin Mo was about to speak, Chu Xia ran in and said, "Girls, the brother-in-law is on his way to Su Heju with the eldest daughter of the Xiao family." Chu Xia said while panting. It seemed that she had run all the way back to Su Heju from the front hall.

"Oh my God, is she really going to come and kneel down to me?" Lin Qinghuan asked anxiously.

"Of course, but you have to judge the situation. When she is about to kneel down, ask someone to help her stand up, so that she doesn't have to kneel down. Let her stand and talk." Lin Mo explained to Lin Qinghuan.

"Okay, I understand." Lin Qinghuan nodded in response.

Xiao Qiannan followed Xiao Yi into Suheju very reluctantly. As soon as she entered the yard, she saw a masked woman spinning two swords and looking at herself and Xiao Yi. Then she saw Lin Ancai who pointed a sword at her in the mansion that day. She hid behind Xiao Yi in fear.

Lin Qinghuan, who was also anxious but pretending to be calm, was sitting in the living room of Suheju, watching Xiao Yi and Xiao Qiannan walk in.

"Nan'er, come forward and admit your mistake." Xiao Yi was not polite at all. He walked straight to the stool next to Lin Qinghuan and sat down.

Xiao Qiannan glanced around, walked up to Lin Qinghuan, and slowly knelt down.

"You don't have to kneel, just stand up and say what you want to say." Lin Qinghuan said, while Chuxia and Lixue beside him were about to step forward to help Xiao Qiannan up.

"Let her kneel. If she comes to admit her mistake, she needs to have an attitude of admitting her mistake. You are her sister-in-law, so it is only right that she kneels down to you." Xiao Yi said. Chu Xia and Li Xue looked at Lin Qinghuan awkwardly.

Lin Mo in the attic was very surprised. He never expected Xiao Yi to come and apologize so seriously.

"Sister-in-law, Nan'er was ignorant and did something beyond the rules in the past. Today, Nan'er kowtows to you to apologize and offers tea to acknowledge her mistake." After Xiao Qiannan finished speaking, she kowtowed to Lin Qinghuan, then respectfully offered tea, and then returned to her original place and continued to kneel.

"Get up. We won't mention this matter again, and I won't be angry with you anymore." After Lin Qinghuan finished speaking, Chu Xia glanced at Xiao Yi. Seeing that he had no objection, she stepped forward to help Xiao Qiannan up.

After watching the show, Hong Qi returned to his pavilion and broke the sesame cake in his hand to feed the fish in the pond. Lin An then sat down next to him, took a few pieces of cake from the stone table, stuffed his mouth with them, and then chewed them angrily.

The two watched Xiao Yi and Xiao Qiannan leave the house. Xiao Qiannan glanced at Lin Ancai, then quickly quickened her pace and followed Xiao Yi out of Suheju.

"Sister, have you forgiven the Xiao family just like that?" Lin An asked when he saw Lin Qinghuan and Lin Mo coming out.

"I...she has already knelt down like this. If I continue to dwell on this matter, it would be immature of me." Lin Qinghuan said.

"But I'm still a little angry for you." Lin Ancai said.

"Forget it, An Cai, she is just a fifteen-year-old girl. I don't want to bother with her anymore. Let's just keep our distance from each other in the future." Lin Qinghuan said.

"I don't know how the discussion in the front yard is going. An Cai, go and ask Fourth Sister." Lin Mo said.

"Okay, Daddy will definitely not forgive the Xiao family for this." Lin Ancai said unwillingly, and then he trotted out of Suheju, and bumped into Lin Qingyi who was walking hurriedly towards Suheju at the corner of the plum garden.

I saw two people walking in cursing all the way.

"Huan'er, you can't get a divorce. Daddy has accepted the apology from General Xiao and Madam Xiao, and the Queen Mother has also sent people to the mansion to act as lobbyists." Lin Qingyi said.

"Well, I've been mentally prepared. I knew it would be like this from the beginning." Lin Qinghuan said lightly.

"However, Xiao Qiannan is going to Fengqi Pavilion to learn the rules, so you can have a clear eye for quite some time. If someone bullies you again in the future, you must not hide it from us." Lin Qingyi said.

Lin Qinghuan nodded, walked forward and hugged Lin Qingyi, then reached out and pinched Lin Ancai's face, looked at Lin Mo and spoke.

"Nice to have you."

"We are blood relatives, so naturally we should love each other." Lin Qingyi said with a grin.

Early the next morning, Xiao Yi came to take Lin Qinghuan back to the Xiao Mansion.

"After the New Year, if you want to live in Xiao Chunfeng, just tell Yunxiang and Luhua. You don't have to say hello to anyone in the mansion." Xiao Yi said while sitting at the table in Luoyi Pavilion.

"Yeah." Lin Qinghuan nodded.

"In a few days, when grandma comes back from Luancheng, I will take you to pay her a visit." Xiao Yi said.

"Yeah." Lin Qinghuan was stunned at first, then nodded. If Xiao Yi hadn't told her, she would have forgotten that the Xiao family had an ancestor, and Hu Tao Niang, the maidservant beside Grandmother Xiao, was Xiao Yi's other concubine.

The two of them sat facing each other in silence for another while. Lin Qinghuan felt a little tired. She lowered her head and covered her face with a handkerchief and yawned. She had to go back to the Xiao family today because she tossed and turned and couldn't sleep last night.

"I see that you don't look well. Go and rest first. I'll go to the East Palace." Xiao Yi stood up and said.

Lin Qinghuan nodded, and Xiao Yi left Luoyi Pavilion.

"Young Madam, let me change your clothes for you." Yun Xiang walked over happily and took off Lin Qinghuan's coat.

Chuxia and Lixue also went back to their rooms to clean them. They hadn't been back for two months, so there was a lot of dust. Luhua also considerately brought a basin of water and a rag to help them wipe the cabinets.

"Sister Chuxia, it's great that you and Sister Lixue are back. I was really afraid that the young lady would really ignore the eldest master." Luhua said.

"I thought so too... Never mind, it's all over." Chu Xia wanted to sigh, but then she remembered that Mother Huang had told her that Luoyi Pavilion was not Suheju. She thought more about the words before she said them, so as not to cause trouble for the girl.

"I've left some delicious food for you two. After you've cleaned up, come to my and sister Yunxiang's room." Luhua said with a very happy smile.