Chapter 432: Time Changes Everything
Chapter 432: Time Changes Everything
Suixui was dressed in her usual riding attire, which wasn't suitable for performing the squatting kowtow, so she gave a spirited fist salute, "Mingxi greets Mother Empress Consort and all the sisters-in-law."
Princess Qi quickly took a few steps forward and pulled Suixui up by the hand.
Lu Yinxiao bowed behind her, and Princess Qi politely nodded in response.
Lu Yinxiao had been away from the capital for a long time, and now that he had brought Suixui back, he had to return to his manor.
Princess Qi understood this in her heart, but she still smiled and invited him to stay.
When Princess Qi heard that Lu Yinxiao would be leaving soon, she didn't insist on keeping him any longer.
Ten years had passed in the blink of an eye.
Princess Qi no longer had the youthful appearance of her earlier years; fine lines had formed at the corners of her eyes, but she now exuded a more loving and gentle aura, making her seem even more serene.
Each of the sisters-in-law had their own unique qualities. The eldest sister-in-law, Wen Shi, had not had the best skin when she first arrived in the capital, with a flushed face that had been secretly mocked by many.
After two years of care, her skin became fair and her appearance radiant. With bright eyes and a cheerful and decisive demeanor, she handled matters with efficiency and maturity, causing many to look on with envy and regret for having judged her by her appearance in the past.
In the second year of her marriage, Wen Shi gave birth to a pair of dragon and phoenix twins, solidifying her position as the heir's consort.
Although she hadn't conceived in the many years since, the imperial physician had assured her that it was just a matter of recovering from the strain of giving birth to the twins.
The two children grew up healthy and adorable, bringing Wen Shi much peace of mind.
The eldest brother later took two concubines, each of whom gave birth to a young master. They were both elevated to the status of secondary consorts due to their humble backgrounds, and with Wen Shi's capable management, they remained content and the inner court was peaceful.
The second sister-in-law, Lin Shi, was a gentle and amiable woman. In all these years, Suixui had never seen her argue with anyone.
Her soft-spoken and unhurried manner made it difficult for others to pick fights with her or say unnecessary things.
Since the second brother had left for the Southwest Battlefield after his capping ceremony, the couple had only one daughter after many years of marriage.
The third sister-in-law, Chi Shi, was the youngest daughter of the Censorate Chi family. Suixui had played with her in the past, and she was a lovely elder sister.
She was currently pregnant, and by Suixui's calculations, she was probably around four to five months along, but due to her loose-fitting clothing, it wasn't noticeable from the outside.
The fourth sister-in-law, Sun Shi, was a relative of the Marquis of An Yuan's wife and had a gentle temperament that complemented Feng Xuanjie's personality well.
After their marriage, they had a son who had just turned one year old. Unlike his parents, he was a chubby and playful little boy.
However, the birth mother of the fourth brother, Feng Xuanjie, was Wen Yiniang, who had passed away a few years ago due to poor health.
She had closed her eyes in peace, having seen her son marry and have a child.
It could be said that she had no regrets.
As for the fifth sister-in-law...
Well, Suixui didn't have a fifth sister-in-law yet.
The fifth brother, Feng Xuan Bo, had a rather bumpy road when it came to marriage.
He had been engaged to three different women, all of whom passed away or met with accidents before the wedding.
This led to quiet rumors in the capital that Feng Xuan Bo was cursed in his marriages.
Ren Cefei, the imperial concubine, was furious and made a fuss about it a few times, but she eventually grew tired of the commotion.
This was because the fifth brother had already given up.
He realized that he wasn't suited for marriage, and whenever his matrimonial affairs were mentioned, many in the capital would treat him like an enemy, fearing that he would bring misfortune to the prospective brides.
Feng Xuan Bo decided to travel, explore nature, and write miscellaneous notes, living the life of a wandering hero.
As for getting married?
Hmph! He wasn't going to do that anytime soon!
The last time Suixui had communicated with the fifth brother was three months ago.
Recently, there had been no news from the other party, and she could ask Mother Empress later if Fifth Brother had written any letters to the manor.
Sixth Sister, Lian Ruyi, was a childhood friend of Suixui.
Calling her Sixth Sister wasn't entirely accurate now, as she was only engaged to Feng Xuanrui and not yet married.
However, they had already chosen an auspicious date for the wedding, which was set for June of the following year.
Over the years, Suixui had kept in touch with her old friends, Sun Ronglin and Lian Ruyi.
Soon after Sun Ronglin's parents were reunited, they conceived, and in a few years, they had two daughters and a son, making the Sun family's lineage flourish.
Lady Sun believed it was due to Suixui's blessings, so every year on Suixui's birthday, they would send gifts.
Under Mother Empress's gentle gaze and the laughter of the sisters-in-law, Suixui bid farewell to Lu Yinxiao and returned to the manor.
Duke Ling had been very busy lately.
Suixui's various cold-resistant and drought-tolerant crop varieties, which were being tested in the Imperial Botanical Garden, were ready for harvest, so he had to personally supervise the process, as he couldn't put his mind at ease otherwise.
However, he would return to the manor early every evening.
As he wasn't sure when Suixui would return, Duke Ling had gone to the Imperial Botanical Garden with peace of mind that day.
After drinking tea, harvesting the crops, and tallying the yield, he relaxed.
Then, he received the news that his precious daughter had returned!
Duke Ling couldn't sit still and hastily bid farewell to the officials, rushing back in a carriage.
As Suixui was sharing stories about the frontier with her sisters-in-law, she heard her father's footsteps approaching.
In the past ten years, Duke Ling had taken good care of his health, but his foundation had been damaged in his youth, causing him to age faster.
His temples had turned grey, and he appeared somewhat aged, but his voice was robust and full of vitality.
Before even seeing her, he exclaimed in a loud voice, "My precious has returned! Quick, quick, let Father see if you've lost weight! Has that Lu boy bullied you? Don't be afraid, tell me, and Father will deal with him!"
Hearing his voice, Suixui smiled softly, reassuring her sisters-in-law, and then stood up to greet him.
It had been almost a year since they last saw each other.
Seeing her father again, Suixui felt he had aged even more.
His eyes weren't as bright as before, and his legs seemed to be giving him trouble when he walked.
He had knee problems early on, which were exacerbated by the ordeal with the Chen family, and even after years of recuperation, his legs still hadn't improved much.
Suixui had consulted the system, which said it could only alleviate the condition, and a complete cure would be difficult.
Over the years, Suixui had tried various medicinal plasters, but they only provided temporary relief, making his rainy days less painful.
When she saw her father, Suixui couldn't hold back her tears, and her eyes turned red.
Duke Ling, seeing this, immediately felt a pang of pain: "Oh dear, my precious, don't cry. If you cry, Father's heart will shatter!"
In recent years, Duke Ling's Manor had welcomed an eighth son, as well as several grandchildren—both boys and girls.
However, no matter how many children came later, even if they were his blood relatives, he still loved his precious daughter as much as he did before.
Perhaps it was because he had invested so much in the past, and it was difficult to truly detach himself from such emotions, nor was there a need to.
Or perhaps it was some kind of predestined connection.
Duke Ling thought, this is my only daughter in this life, whom else would I cherish if not her?
(End of Chapter)
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