Old Madam Zheng was old. Her body couldn't take much strain. Who knew how many more years she had left. She didn't want to leave her hometown—she'd lived in Fu'an Town for decades and was used to it. She also didn't want to go to Yuanzhou to live with her second and third sons. Yang Mutao wanted to stay and look after her: "You and Guaizai go first. Father will come find you later."
Yang Mingyi lowered his eyes and said nothing.
Yang Mutao patted his shoulder: "Don't overthink it. This isn't your fault. If anything, blame me."
Guaizai didn't understand: "How is it Grandpa Yang's fault?"
Yang Mutao sighed deeply: "Your Uncle Yang looks like me."
Guaizai immediately shut up.
Yang Mutao saw his expression that clearly said, 'Grandpa Yang, I didn't expect you to be even more shameless than me' and his hands itched to hit him. He went back to the study and brought out a portrait of himself from his youth. Guaizai stood on tiptoe to peek. In the painting was a handsome young man.
Guaizai was stunned. He looked at the painting, then up at Yang Mutao, back and forth several times, and finally couldn't help blurting out: "Grandpa Yang, did you bribe the painter back then?"
Yang Mutao: "......"
What's that supposed to mean?
This little brat.
Yang Mingyi kowtowed three times to Old Madam Zheng. She had him sit beside her, held his hand, and said many heartfelt things.
She said that yesterday at dinner, Guaizai had picked out fish bones for her. In past New Years, when the second and third sons brought their children back, the whole family ate together at the holiday table, and no one had ever picked out fish bones for her even once. It wasn't that her grandchildren were unfilial—they just weren't like Guaizai.
She was old, her teeth weren't good. Only soft fish meat was easy for her to eat, but fish had many bones. At her age, her hands weren't as nimble as when she was young. When she picked up food, it always fell on the table. Her hands trembled badly.
Yang Mingyi was badly injured and hadn't come out to eat. Seeing this, Guaizai took a clean bowl, picked up a piece of fish, and removed the bones for her.
Old Madam Zheng saw this, and saw how much he loved to smile, and knew what kind of people Zhao Ger and Fang Zichen were.
She was at ease letting Yang Mingyi go.
"I've never heard of Hezhou either, but your father says it's very far from our Fu'an Town. Once you go, who knows when you'll be able to come back. Grandma is at this age—I'm afraid I won't see you again. When you get there, listen to your Brother Fang and Brother Zhao. Your father only has you in this life. He was a scoundrel before, but he truly loves you. You must be filial to him in the future, understand?"
She chattered on. When she finished, she leaned on her cane, trembling, and personally watched Yang Mingyi leave with Guaizai.
---
The Left Chancellor and his wife arrived at the border by the end of the twelfth month.
Recently there hadn't been much business in court. If there was, it was only the war in the south.
The Left Chancellor's only worry in this life was Meng Ruqing. Before, he would lie awake at night thinking of him. Now that he knew about Fang Zichen, he submitted a memorial saying he would come to hold things down here. With him here, Qin Hengxuan and Meng Ruqing could make a trip to Hezhou. Otherwise, by the time the war stabilized, who knew how long they'd have to wait. He was even more anxious than Meng Ruqing — he wished Meng Ruqing could acknowledge the child right away.
When Xia Jinghong heard him out, he was dazed for a long time. Though he couldn't quite make sense of it, joy and excitement surged up in him all at once. He waved his hand grandly—the Left Chancellor wanted to go? Go, go, go, go, go.
The memorial was approved. Then Xia Jinghong thought: if this were true, the Qin family used to beg for even one, and now four had come at once. Uncle Qin would probably be in for quite a shock. But Fang Zichen and Guaizai could talk people to death without batting an eye. And this father and son pair weren't exactly fond of doing things properly. Put them together, and they could stir up trouble at the drop of a hat...
When they were still in the capital, even with his extraordinary tolerance, he had often been half-killed with anger by them.
Miscalculation.
If the Qin family were to recognize Fang Zichen and take him back, Uncle Qin would probably not live long.
At this critical moment, nothing must happen to Uncle Qin!
"Eunuch Huang, send some tonic and calming medicine over right away, along with some emergency pills."
"Your Majesty, the emergency pills are best made by Imperial Physician Fu, but he retired and returned to his hometown years ago. There aren't many emergency pills left in the palace now."
"Impossible. Didn't I see a box of them just a few years ago?"
"Yes! But afterward, on the day Guaizai brought you pork kidneys, you took one. On the day he dug up the imperial garden, you took two more. And that time Lord Fang came with a sack to swindle lychees out of you, you took two more."
Say no more.
Forget the emergency pills. When it comes down to it, I'm the one who needs them most.
Uncle Qin is broad-minded. He's weathered plenty of storms — he should be able to hold it together.
Besides, Fang Zichen holds office in Hezhou. He can't be away from his post for too long.
It should... be fine.
"Your Majesty, rest easy. This servant has heard Guaizai is already at the border — he left some ten days ago, and no news has come from there. Old General Qin should be able to endure."
"That's good to hear."
With the Left Chancellor and Old Madam Qin holding things down here, Qin Hengxuan felt at ease. Guaizai hadn't returned yet, but his bags were already packed — he planned to leave the moment the boy got back.
But when Guaizai actually returned, the Left Chancellor's wife clung to him, sobbing and refusing to let go no matter what. Even before they were related, she had already doted on him dearly. Now that she knew he was her little great-grandson, she loved him down to her bones. Old Madam Qin held Gungun and Dandan, tears streaming down her face.
She truly couldn't bear to let them go. The very thought of the children leaving felt like her heart was being carved out.
Qin Hengxuan had no choice but to stay one more night. Guaizai pulled Yang Mingyi over, and Meng Ruqing looked him up and down. Yang Mingyi, a little nervous, bowed to him.
Meng Ruqing helped him up and said kindly, "No need for formalities. We're family now—there's no need for that."
Old Madam Qin led Gungun and Dandan over to meet him. The moment the two little ones laid eyes on Yang Mingyi, they started circling him, shouting "Wow! Wow!"—not shy at all. Gungun even climbed right onto him. Yang Mingyi found the child heavy—heavier than Guaizai, even—but soft, like squeezing cotton.
"Brother, you're so pretty!"
Yang Mingyi's voice softened involuntarily. "You're very cute too."
Gungun giggled: "Brother, you have good taste!"
"No, no." Guaizai patted him. "Call him uncle."
"Brother, don't smack Gungun's butt! Otherwise Gungun will fart on you later."
Guaizai smacked his butt again: "I'm not scared."
Gungun said very seriously: "Gungun's farts are really loud—they'll blast you flying. Yesterday Grandma got blasted flying by Gungun."
"That's because it stank and Grandma couldn't take it. If you go around farting at home, Father will sort you out."
Dandan scratched his head. "Father says loud farts don't stink and stinky farts aren't loud. If you fart on the sly, you get a beating, but loud farts—Father won't hit you. So Brother, don't scare us!"
With the three little ones chattering away, Yang Mingyi actually wasn't so afraid anymore. The sorrow of leaving home felt a little lighter.
Qin Hengxuan was busy handing over military affairs with the Left Chancellor and hadn't returned even by nightfall, so the Left Chancellor's wife came to find Meng Ruqing.
A brazier was lit in the tent. Meng Ruqing was leaning against the head of the bed, sleeping alongside the two children—Gungun hugging his hand, Dandan hugging his leg, both sleeping soundly, drool and all.
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