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

The elders in the mansion were quite puzzled. They had always treated her very well, and lately they had become even more attentive, making her feel flattered.

Almost every day, people would send things to her room. Today it was a gold and kingfisher feather hairpin sent by the old lady, tomorrow it was bird's nest specially ordered by the first lady to be cooked by the kitchen, and the day after tomorrow it was Shu brocade fabric sent by her stepmother.

The old lady also made an exception and had her personal maid send over a jade bracelet, which was originally reserved for her legitimate granddaughter, saying it would perfectly match her newly tailored autumn dress.

Mingzhu accepted the generous gifts with a sense of flattery, but she was increasingly puzzled: if it was a coming-of-age gift, she could have waited until the actual day to send it, why bother to visit every day?

What puzzled her even more was that after each elder brought a gift, they would always hold her hand and chat for the time it takes to drink a few cups of tea, sometimes scrutinizing her eyebrows and eyes, sometimes gently stroking her hair, their eyes filled with an indescribable affection and reluctance.

Two days later, when the old general personally opened the ancestral hall and led the entire clan in worshipping their ancestors amidst the rising smoke, solemnly recording her name under the name of her stepmother, Lady Yin, she was still bewildered.

Kneeling on the cold bluestone slab, gazing at the gilded characters on the memorial tablet, she vaguely sensed that this matter was extraordinary, yet she did not quite understand its deeper meaning.

But seeing that Aunt Zhao was already in tears, bowing repeatedly to the old general, the old lady, and Madam Yin, she also respectfully kowtowed three times, her heart filled with gratitude.

Aunt Zhao's hand, clutching the handkerchief, trembled slightly. When she first heard that her only daughter might be married off to the Rouran, she was so frightened that she couldn't sleep all night.

It wasn't until Heizi's letters to the elders were circulated to her that she specifically asked someone to transcribe the one written for her. The handwriting on the letter was neat and strong, the tone respectful and sincere, and every word showed how much he cherished Mingzhu.

When she read the promise, "I will cherish you as a treasure, return to your parents' home once every three years, and never take another woman in my life," her tears finally broke free.

She spent her whole life as a concubine, and although she was lucky enough to be born into a good family and escape mistreatment, she was still considered inferior. Now, her daughter is not only the principal wife but also the Crown Princess—this is truly an incredible stroke of good fortune.

What was even more remarkable was that the old general and his wife personally promised that "Mingzhu would definitely agree," which finally put her mind at ease.

On the third day of the eighth month of the thirty-seventh year of the Daqing era, an auspicious day, Erlang married Lin Ru, the legitimate daughter of the Water Management Director of the Jiangnan Water Administration.

Over the years, during the construction of the canal, Miss Lin often brought her father clothes and food, and occasionally she would cook for them herself to improve their meals. Over time, she and Erlang developed feelings for each other, and now they have finally become husband and wife, becoming a beautiful story in the household.

"I never expected this trip to coincide with Erlang's wedding." Hei Zi smiled and handed over the gift list, which contained a luminous pearl from the Western Regions and a fine Hetian jade ruyi. "This is just a small gift to wish you a long and happy marriage and many children."

"Mingzhu, Qiaoqiao, hurry! That dark-skinned boy from Rouran is here, go and see!" Silang's voice preceded his arrival. Despite being over twenty, he was still so impetuous. Over the years, he had turned down countless blind dates and remained unmarried, which had become the First Madam's greatest worry.

"Really? Brother Heizi is here?" Mingzhu's eyes lit up, and she grabbed Qiaoqiao and ran outside.

The bridesmaids who had been surrounding the bride in the bridal chamber became curious upon seeing this, but hesitated when they looked at their second sister-in-law. Lin Ru gently persuaded them, "You all go ahead, the dowry attendants and the matchmaker are all here, it's alright for me." She was a perceptive woman and had already seen through her sisters' thoughts.

"What's so interesting about him? He's just a dark-skinned guy." Mingyue said dismissively. She had specially returned to the manor early to help arrange her younger brother's wedding and was unaware of Hei Zi's proposal to Mingzhu. Her impression of that dark-skinned boy was still from many years ago.

"Mother, I want to go too!"

"I am coming too!"

The two six-year-old twin sons couldn't contain themselves any longer and hopped and skipped outside like two little sparrows.

Jing Mingyue hurriedly instructed the servants, "Hurry up and follow them, be careful not to let the two young masters fall!"

Watching her sons' retreating figures, she playfully scolded them with a happy smile, "Those two rascals."

Ever since giving birth to the twins, she had wanted another daughter, but Tao Chengrui refused, always saying "in two more years." Now that his sister-in-law was pregnant, he bluntly said, "Give birth is too painful for you, my lady. Two little boys are enough." Jing Mingyue had no choice but to give up.

"Brother Kuroko!"

Perhaps by coincidence, Mingzhu, who was originally running in the middle, suddenly rushed to the front as she approached the old lady's courtyard gate. She lifted her skirt and stepped over the threshold, forgetting even to greet her elders, and just stood there, stunned.

The light in her eyes gradually dimmed, the excitement on her face turned into shyness, and her previous lively posture became a proper standing posture. She became unusually coy, and her slender fingers unconsciously rubbed the hem of her clothes.

The boy, who had already stood up upon hearing the sound, was tall and straight, his wheat-colored skin glowing healthily in the autumn sun. He wore a Han Chinese long robe with wide sleeves, but he was more robust than the average Han Chinese, a full head taller than Mingzhu.

With sword-like eyebrows, bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and a slightly upturned mouth, his obsidian-like eyes were staring intently at her, giving her an inexplicable sense of pressure.

"Mingzhu~ Miss." The young man, who had just been chatting and laughing with the old general and others, suddenly became a little flustered, even stumbling over his words. He had called out this title in his heart a thousand times, but it sounded unfamiliar when he said it now.

He gazed at the stunningly beautiful girl before him, but he couldn't reconcile her with the little girl in his memory who followed him around gathering firewood, picking mushrooms, and catching small fish, always looking at him with adoration and offering him food.

The moment the old general and the old lady's eyes met, a barely perceptible sigh flashed across their eyes.

The old lady gently stroked the lotus scroll pattern on the celadon teacup with her fingertips, recalling Mingzhu's understanding and thoughtfulness in Yayamen Village. The old general subconsciously stroked his white beard, thinking of the little girl who used to accompany him on the cart during his exile, feeding him steamed buns and water, and now she was about to get married.

Sitting at the lower end of the table, Jing Chunxi and Xu Zize smiled at each other. Xu Zize gently placed his hand on the back of his wife's hand, which was resting on her lap. Jing Chunxi felt the warmth from his palm and suddenly remembered the journey of exile that year. She couldn't help but smile – it turned out that the exile was not all suffering, but rather like the red thread that the Old Man of the Moon had deliberately tangled, quietly binding many destinies together amidst the hardships of life.

Not to mention her and Xu Zize, a couple who have gone through thick and thin together, there are also Mingzhu and Heizi, who have been tied together by the God of Love, as well as Dalang and Feng Jiaojiao, Tao Chengrui and Jing Mingyue, whose marriages were indirectly brought together by their exile. Aren't they all twin lotus blossoms blooming from thorns?