Quick Transmigration: Survive to the End

After catching up, the three boarded the carriage. Yu Miaoqi held her son's hand in one hand and her daughter's hand in the other, feeling that there was no greater joy in the world than this.

Zhan Zheng hadn't spent time with his mother and sister like this for many years, and he felt a little nostalgic: "If I hadn't known that we were going to the capital, I would have thought we were going on a trip together and returning to Yingzhou."

"Whether it's the capital or Yingzhou, as long as our family is together, that's fine," Yinyin tilted her head and winked mischievously. "After my eldest brother's wedding, we can go out with my sister-in-law to admire the autumn leaves!"

Yu Miaoqi nodded: "I remember there is a Jueyuan Temple in the suburbs of Beijing. The autumn scenery there is wonderful. If you have time, let's go there together when you are on leave."

Jueyuan Temple isn't far, and it's no problem to go back and forth on a day off, so Zhan Zheng certainly wouldn't refuse: "Since Mother has this intention, I will accompany you no matter what."

Upon hearing this, Yu Miaoqi smiled more happily than if she had drunk honey water. Regardless of whether it would actually happen, it was her son's filial piety that made her happy.

The carriage stopped briefly at the city gate before entering the city, and the surrounding noise gradually grew louder.

If she were a child, Yin Yin would definitely have secretly lifted the curtain to peek outside, but now that she's a grown woman, she naturally can't do anything inappropriate anymore. She can only listen to the hawkers' cries outside and ask, "Big brother, after I go to the capital, can I still come out and play like I used to in Yingzhou?"

“Of course you can, but you have to bring enough people with you to avoid being disturbed,” Zhan Zheng told her. “However, there are still a few young ladies in the capital who go out on their own. In a few months, after your sister-in-law gets married, ask her to take you out to play more often.”

Yin Yin understood immediately upon hearing his words. The young ladies in the capital, whether out of modesty about their status or because of how others perceived them, were subject to much more strict rules and regulations than they had in Yingzhou.

Yinyin responded thoughtfully, then said, "I have almost no memory of the capital. My mother hasn't been there for over ten years. Does my elder brother have any reliable elders around? I'd like to invite them to tell my mother about what has happened over the years. If possible, they could also offer me some guidance."

Before she could finish speaking, Zhan Zheng agreed: "After I arrived in the capital, I bought two servants from two families of convicted officials who had been sold off. I'll call two of them in to serve me."

Then Zhan Zheng asked Yu Miaoqi, "Mother, I have acquired an additional residence in the capital. Would you like to live there by yourself, or go to the Zhan residence?"

Yu Miaoqi was taken aback and asked, "Where do you usually live?"

Zhan Zheng replied, "When I first arrived in the capital, I stayed at the Zhan residence for a few days, and then I moved out to live on my own. After I passed the imperial examination with top honors and gained the Emperor's trust, my grandfather often asked me to return to the Zhan residence, but I never agreed."

“This time, taking advantage of my wedding, my grandfather suggested that I return to the Zhan residence to hold the ceremony.”

After listening to what he said, Yu Miaoqi thought for a moment and then said, "Then let's go back to the Zhan residence."

“If Mother is unwilling, we can continue to live outside,” Zhan Zheng said. “There are quite a few people in the Zhan residence, so it’s better to live on our own in peace and quiet.”

Yu Miaoqi shook her head: "Yinyin, come and explain what I mean to your older brother."

Yinyin organized her thoughts and said to Zhan Zheng, "Brother, you came to the capital on your own before, and you were ostracized by the Zhan family. You moved out on your own, and people could only say that you were young and impetuous. But now that you are about to get married and Mother is also coming back to the capital, if you still live outside, people will inevitably think that our family is estranged from the Zhan family and that we are about to separate."

"Although you live a peaceful life, one tree cannot make a forest. Now that you have suppressed these houses in the capital, there should be an opportunity to ease tensions."

Yu Miaoqi smiled and looked at Zhan Zheng: "Although there are still some parts that are not fully explained, your sister has pointed out the most important points. Zheng'er, I know you are not comfortable with them, and how could your mother not like them? But once you enter the court, the weight of the word 'family' will be much heavier."

"If you want to live as comfortably in the Zhan residence as you would in your own mansion, then you should find a way to take over the position of clan chief from your grandfather. This position will bring you more than just trivial troubles."

“Your father used to be the young clan leader, and all matters of the clan had to be approved by him. Now that your grandfather is old, you can wait a few more years until the title of young clan leader is removed. As long as you remain in power, the entire Zhan clan, no matter how talented or cunning they are, will have to listen to you.”

“Mother is right,” Zhan Zheng said. Although he disliked the main branches of the Zhan family in the capital, he did not have any ill feelings towards the other branches of the Zhan family, especially the branch in Yingzhou. After all, his family was able to live peacefully in Yingzhou not only because of the support of Yu Miaoqi’s maternal family, the Yu family, but also because the stability and non-troublemaking of the Zhan family members provided him with great help and support.

“I think my eldest brother has a very good chance of winning the clan leader position,” Yin Yin whispered. “Father was the young clan leader before, and my eldest brother is the grandson of the first clan leader. From the perspective of family succession, my eldest brother is the only one who should take the position.”

"Although the second branch's uncle has become powerful in recent years, my eldest brother has not always been in Yingzhou, far away from the capital. In fact, my eldest brother is the only member of the Zhan family in this generation to pass the imperial examination with top honors based on his own ability, and even has his name on the emperor's lips. His future is promising."

"If we compare them in this way, what makes Second Uncle think he can compete with Eldest Brother? Is it because he has no successor?"

"Furthermore, I believe that with my second uncle and the others comparing the options, any ambitious member of the Zhan family's branch knows who to support."

“By the way,” Yin Yin gave a sly smile, “at least within the Zhan family branch in Yingzhou, they definitely think highly of eldest brother. As far as I know, several of my cousins ​​admire him greatly and see him as a role model!”

Seeing his sister's confidence in him, Zhan Zheng smiled and said, "Then I must work hard so as not to waste these many advantages and not to let my sister down."

"I was just giving my analysis casually, it might not be right, but..." Yinyin covered half of her face with her fan, "Big brother, I believe you can definitely succeed!"

In recent years, Zhan Zheng has become increasingly adept at concealing his emotions in officialdom, but today, facing his family, he couldn't help but smile.

He cleared his throat, lifted the curtain, and instructed the servant following the carriage outside: "Go to the Zhan residence first and inform Grandfather that I have picked up my mother and sister and they will be at the manor in a little while."

The servant agreed and went into the side alley to deliver the message via a shortcut.

Zhan Zheng lowered the curtain and looked at his mother and sister: "Whether they stay at the Zhan residence or not depends on their attitude."

"If we can't find a suitable place to go today, Mother, you should take my sister and come with me to my house to settle down!"