An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

"Sister Mingyue, are you worried that your cousin-in-law will be sent abroad to serve as an official?" After dinner, the princess, prince and other guests were sent away. The rest of the men went to the front yard to drink tea and discuss matters. The sisters gathered in Jing Mingyue's elegantly decorated courtyard to talk.

The room was filled with the faint scent of lilies, and a brocade cushion embroidered with lotus patterns was placed on the rosewood armchair. The maids gently served the freshly brewed Biluochun tea. Amid the aroma of tea, the sisters sat in a circle and talked about personal matters.

"That's right. There aren't many mistresses in the Duke's Mansion to begin with. If my brother-in-law goes out of town and my sister follows him to take up a post, there won't even be a woman in charge of the mansion.

"But if we don't go, it's so far away, and we might not even know if my brother-in-law takes a concubine and has a child in another place, wouldn't it..." Sister Jin pinched her handkerchief, her brows slightly furrowed. Although she was young, she had also begun to pay attention to these matters in the harem.

"Jin Jie'er, how old are you? Why do you worry about that?" Jing Chunxi gently tapped Jin Jie'er's shoulder with a round fan, with a hint of teasing in his tone, but the look he gave Jing Mingyue was full of genuine concern.

Sister Jin started talking, and even Jing Chunxi looked at her with concern. Faced with the sincere concern of her relatives, Jing Mingyue felt warm in her heart, as if she had a hand warmer in winter.

A gentle smile spread across her lips, and she spoke in a clear voice, "Don't worry! My brother-in-law promised me that he studied so hard to take the imperial examinations, ultimately just to prove his talent, not to pursue a career in politics. Even if he could stay in the capital as a minor official, he would be happy to do so and would never ask to be transferred out of the capital."

He also said that with the title of Duke, no one could bully her.

Then she sighed with heartache, a sigh filled with reminiscence of the past, and whispered, "Whether he was sent away or not, what does it really matter? He was displaced and fled for more than ten years in his youth, and later he devotedly assisted Uncle Xiao for so long. He has experienced all kinds of hardships and learned everything he should and shouldn't learn. If the emperor doesn't see these things, or has other arrangements, he never clings to them, and never fights or competes."

Seeing the sisters all breathe a sigh of relief, Jing Chunxi patted his chest and said, "That's good! However, it would be best to report his feelings to the Emperor to avoid any misunderstandings in the future."

"Of course he did. He had already found an opportunity to confess his true feelings to the Emperor the last time he entered the palace. He also told His Royal Highness the Crown Prince that he did not seek high office or wealth. He just wanted to live a peaceful life at home, read and write in his spare time, spend time with his family, and at the same time do his best to serve the court."

When she said this, her face suddenly turned slightly red, as if stained by the sunset glow, and her voice became a little lower, with a girl's shyness, "It's just that he told my sister privately that he asked me to work harder and give birth to a few more children for him, so that this Duke's Mansion will be lively.

He also said… Even if I’m not healthy enough and can’t have children, I’ll never take a concubine. At most, I’ll find a virtuous wife for my younger brother-in-law so he can continue the Tao family bloodline.”

"Did my brother-in-law really say that? Then my sister really married the right person."

"Pooh, pooh, pooh! What do you mean sister can't have children? The girls in our general's mansion are all strong and healthy! Giving birth to eight or ten is no problem." Mingzhu immediately retorted. She was straightforward and couldn't stand hearing such discouraging words.

"You think you're a pig! You give birth to litters after litters. No matter how many you give birth to, four or five will be enough. If you really give birth to ten or eight, will your tummy need some rest?" Jin Jie'er was amused by Mingzhu's words. She covered her mouth with a piece of silk and laughed, and couldn't help but make a joke.

"Then let's do the same as my aunt and give birth to three children at a time. It will be more lively and save trouble." Sister Yan was not willing to be outdone, and finally spoke in a soft voice.

Then everyone was stunned, remembering that their aunt who gave birth to three babies at once was praised as a god by the people outside. After a moment, they couldn't help but burst out laughing, and the room was suddenly filled with a happy atmosphere.

"Hahaha! Then I wish cousin Mingyue and her husband can get what they wish for and have a litter of children." Jing Chunxi finally couldn't help herself and laughed so hard that she fell over. She thought that only those truly wealthy and carefree nobles would dare to think of such a wish of just hoping for a large family and not caring about the level of their official position.

"Then when I see Brother Xiaokang later, I will have a good talk with him and ask him to fulfill the Duke's wish and allow him to stay in Beijing with his sister and have a good baby." Jing Chunxi added, winking at Jing Mingyue.

"You girls should not spread this around, or you will be laughed at and thought that our Duke is a lunatic." Seeing them laughing so hard, Jing Mingyue regretted bringing up this topic. She quickly softened her expression and warned them in a serious tone, but the smile in her eyes had not completely faded.

"I understand. Even if someone asks, we will just say that the Duke loves my sister and couldn't bear to see her stay alone in the capital, so he asked for grace to let her stay. We will never say anything nonsense." This was the first sentence Mingrong said after entering her cousin's courtyard. Her voice was soft and gentle, but what she said was very reasonable, which immediately brought the joke back to the right track of consideration and thoughtfulness.

Only then did Jing Mingyue turn her gaze gently towards her, her eyes filled with concern. "Mingrong, I've been thinking about you and will keep an eye on you. Now that things are over, move on and don't dwell on them. I mentioned your situation to my brother-in-law a few days ago, and we both felt that if there were any good men with clean family backgrounds and decent character among the students taking the Spring Examination who sincerely proposed to marry you, you wouldn't mind considering it."

This sentence shocked Jing Chunxi a little. Jing Mingyue hadn't returned to her parents' home during this period, and no one from there had come to talk to her in detail. Could it be that she had a supernatural eye that could predict the future? He couldn't help but look at Jing Mingyue in confusion, but saw that she looked calm.

"Mingrong doesn't have that kind of fate. Now I just want to quietly take care of my great-aunt and show my filial piety. I don't dare to think about anything else." Mingrong said this in a different way. His voice was low and calm as if he had accepted his fate, but if you listened carefully, you could still hear the refusal in his heart.

"Life is something that people fight for! It doesn't fall from the sky." Jing Chunxi immediately retorted, her tone a little anxious. She couldn't stand Mingrong's submissive look the most.

"That's right. Those who should reflect and repent are those who have committed countless evil deeds and have no place to be buried after their death. You are clean, so why do you always have to suffer for others?"

Mingzhu was a little angry. She glared at Mingrong and said angrily, "You have to reach out and grab your own happiness, instead of watching it coming and then pushing it away with your own hands."

Although Mingzhu was young during the exile, she had experienced it firsthand and knew the hardship. Later, in the occasional recollections and discussions of her elders, she relived the fear and hardship her cousin had experienced, and felt that she should not be so depressed now.

"Our Mingzhu is the one who thinks things through. Mingrong, you need to learn more. You went through so many hardships during your exile. God let you survive, but He didn't let you lock yourself up. Your current state is definitely not what your grandmother wants to see." Jing Mingyue spoke earnestly, looking at Mingrong with a soft but firm gaze.

"I understand." Facing the concerned chatter of her family members, Mingrong responded in a low voice, her eyelids drooping slightly, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow under her eyes. It was not known whether she really listened to them, but she finally replied with words that were not as decisive as before.

"I think that Mr. Li, the successful candidate in this year's imperial examination, is quite good. He has a simple family background and is a humble and motivated person. Besides, we all know him well." Jing Chunxi took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire and said casually, then secretly paid attention to Mingrong's expression.

Mingrong's hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly, and he quickly raised his head to glance at Jing Chunxi. A quick light flashed in his eyes, which always held a hint of sadness, and then he showed a rare look of embarrassment. Without saying a word, he turned his head as if nothing had happened, pretending to concentrate on tasting the slightly cold tea in the cup.