In Chengxin Hall before dawn, Yin Hui and Wei Luo woke up.
Wei Luo went to escort the bride; they had been apart for so long, attending the wedding banquet upon return was busy, and the time before bedtime was used for various tasks, leaving little room for proper conversation. Now, under the same quilt in the cold winter morning, they finally had the opportunity to talk comfortably.
Wei Luo began by inquiring about the children, “Is Xiao Xun still refusing to talk?”
Xiao Xun would turn one in a few days, and at this age, Xiao Heng could already speak simple sentences. Even if he didn’t say much, he mastered the art of expressing “hug” most proficiently.
Yin Hui replied, “He’s about the same as when you left. No need to worry. Mother mentioned that you were also late in speaking. It seems you suddenly became eloquent when you turned two, speaking in full sentences. Every child is different. From Da Lang to our Qi Lang, some learned to walk and talk in the same month. It’s normal for milestones to vary, and it doesn’t necessarily indicate intelligence.”
Wei Luo then inquired about Xiao Heng’s progress in his studies.
“He’s doing well with his homework, but he loves running around with Er Lang and San Lang. He had a big somersault a few days ago, and his palms got scratched,” Yin Hui shared.
Wei Luo frowned, expressing his concern, “Is Cao Bao looking after him properly?”
Yin Hui reassured her, “We’re fortunate to have him; otherwise, Xiao Heng might have experienced more than just a fall on his hands. San Lang also took a tumble, and now he has a bump on his forehead. Please pay attention when serving tea this morning; there are still visible marks.”
Reflecting on his own childhood, Wei Luo remembered that his relationship with his elder brother wasn’t close. Wei Luo preferred solitude, and unless unavoidable, he ignored his elder brothers, let alone the fifth brother.
“Did the wedding go well? Who escorted the bride from the Kingdom of Jin?” Yin Hui asked casually.
Wei Luo replied, “It was Prince of the Kingdom of Jin. The return was delayed by two days due to the snow.”
After more than twenty days of travel, only two short sentences fell out of his mouth.
If it weren’t still dark outside, Yin Hui might have gotten up straight away; chatting with him would be the most boring.
“Thank you for your hard work. Let’s sleep a little longer,” Wei Luo said, patting her on the shoulder.
When it was slightly bright, he got up first.
Xiao Heng had already woken up and ran over to find his father. The little guy had been playing with his brother and almost forgot about his father’s return.
Wei Luo grabbed his son’s little hand, and there was a scab on the side of the palm.
“It doesn’t hurt anymore,” Xiao Heng said, carefully looking at his father’s face, fearing that his father would reprimand him.
Wei Luo reassured him, “Be careful in the future.”
Xiao Heng remembered and began to excitedly talk about the wedding banquet with his father, eventually asking, “Dad, when will Fifth Uncle get married?”
Yin Hui happened to come from inside.
Fifth Master Wei Jing was fifteen that year, and it was still early for him to get married. In the capital, it could be said that the wedding banquet of the Fourth Master was the last wedding held by the Yan Palace in Pingcheng.
“Rather than looking forward to your Fifth Uncle getting married, you might as well look forward to celebrating the New Year earlier,” Yin Hui suggested, patting her son’s head with a smile.
Only then did Xiao Heng remember that the Chinese New Year was approaching, so he stopped thinking about it.
The wet nurse brought Xiao Xun too. He was so small and overdressed that he was round like a ball.
The wet nurse put Xiao Xun down when she came in and encouraged him to go to his father and behave.
Xiao Xun staggered towards his father step by step. Halfway there, the little guy turned a corner and finally threw himself into his mother’s arms, peeking at his father with a pair of eyes that resembled his mother’s.
Having not seen him for more than twenty days, the little guy looked at his father unfamiliarly.
Therefore, Wei Luo carried Xiao Xun all the way to Qinzheng Hall.
That morning, as the bride prepared to offer tea, all the masters of the palace gathered in the side hall of Qinzheng Hall, eagerly awaiting the ceremony.
The newly married young couple had not yet arrived, so the wife and concubines of King Yan had to wait for the younger generation to appear before making their entrance.
Ji Xianxian whispered to Yin Hui, “The fourth younger sister is so beautiful. I thought all the girls on the grassland were dark.” Yin Hui responded casually, “Second sister-in-law, you praised her dozens of times yesterday. My ears may get calluses.”
She knew that Ji Xianxian was using these words to mock Xu Qingwan, who had a slightly darker complexion. Yin Hui disliked Ji Xianxian, and while she acknowledged the importance of appearance, she believed that people with ordinary looks should not be ridiculed.
Xu Qingwan, the elder sister-in-law, possessed a noble and fair appearance. Ji Xianxian, on the other hand, had little to boast about other than engaging in idle chatter to pass the time. Thus, Yin Hui had no qualms about showing a cold expression to Ji Xianxian early in the morning.
She glared at Ji Xianxian and sipped her tea, maintaining a good mood.
On the opposite side, Wei Yang and his brothers sat in a row. Even if they didn’t deliberately look at the females, their gazes involuntarily swept over several times. Wei Yang couldn’t help but notice the contrast between his wife and his two younger sisters-in-law.
He used to be able to comfort his wife’s high birth, but since the old Duke had passed away, the status of the Xu family was not as good as before.
After a while, Wei Xuan arrived late with his new wife.
Except for Wei Luo, everyone else’s eyes were on him.
Fu Shan shyly moved towards Wei Xuan, who smiled at her, revealing a hint of affection. Observing Fu Shan’s face, Wei Yang couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. Okay, the fourth brother’s wife was even more beautiful than his own.
Wei Yan stared blankly at Fu Shan for a few moments but quickly averted his gaze after being kicked by Wei Luo’s shoe. Wei Luo had only seen Fu Shan’s face up close to recognize her for future meetings.
As the newcomers arrived, King Yan, Princess Xu, and others also made their entrance. Concubine Li and the others observed from their seats, and Concubine Guo’s seat was placed next to Princess Xu, as the daughter-in-law would also offer tea to her later.
Being beautiful indeed had its advantages. Concubine Guo, Wei Xuan’s mother, was initially dissatisfied with this marriage. However, upon seeing Fu Shan’s rare beauty and how well she stood with her son, Concubine Guo became a bit more comfortable.