Chapter 69: Back to the Capital!
Chapter 69: Back to the Capital!
Potato sprouts wouldn't grow quickly.
Su Sui wasn't in a hurry either; she discussed with Feng Xuanrui whether they should water them. The two children were uncertain, and Qing Shanqing Shui, who had never raised such plants before, was equally clueless.
In the end, they could only ask Doctor Liu for advice.
Doctor Liu, who had never seen a potato plant before, wondered if it was good to constantly water crops.
After some thought, Doctor Liu waved his hand and said, "No need to water it for now; let's just observe."
The children decided to follow Doctor Liu's advice.
Since they weren't rushing on their journey that day, they stopped for the evening in a small town.
This town marked the boundary between the capital and Xinzhou.
Going forward, they would officially enter the territory of the capital.
However, they were still several dozen miles away from the city itself.
Even though they hadn't traveled far that day, the two children were still exhausted from the previous day's journey.
So, upon reaching the inn, they simply washed up, had dinner, and fell asleep.
Su Sui didn't even have the energy to stay awake for a bedtime story.
The next day, the weather remained clear and sunny.
Doctor Liu looked up at the sky and smiled, saying, "Looks like the heavens are smiling upon us as we return home!"
The children didn't quite understand, but they giggled as they followed behind him.
After a good night's rest and with no need to rush, even if they traveled slowly by donkey cart, they would still reach the capital before nightfall.
As they drew closer to home and the prospect of seeing their father, the king, and their mother, the consort, after a long separation, Feng Xuanrui's heart felt a mix of sourness and discomfort.
When they were playing and having fun, he hadn't really thought much about home.
But now that they were close, and he would soon be facing his family, Feng Xuanrui felt a nervous tension akin to homesickness.
While a child might not understand these complex emotions, he still felt a sense of unease.
To distract himself, Feng Xuanrui began to introduce Su Sui to the members of their household.
Given the large number of people, Feng Xuanrui only mentioned the key figures: "In our mansion, there's Father, Mother, two concubine mothers, and six older brothers."
When he mentioned the six older brothers, Feng Xuanrui's enthusiasm waned.
Hmph!
He wasn't going to be the only brother to this sister.
Once they returned, he would get rid of the others!
Su Sui didn't understand terms like "father king" and "consort," but she did understand that there would be six more older brothers when they got back.
She also wasn't sure if these people would be as kind as her current older brother, Feng Xuanrui.
Thinking of her unpleasant cousins back at Chen's household, Su Sui felt a sense of unease.
Noticing his sister sitting quietly in a corner of the carriage, her eyes downcast and her small hands clenched into fists, Feng Xuanrui asked softly, "Are you scared, sister?"
Su Sui's past had been too tragic, and King Qing hadn't shared the full details with Feng Xuanrui.
He had only mentioned that her previous family had been unpleasant and that they should forget about them from now on.
Recalling what his sister had said about her cousins treating her poorly, Feng Xuanrui felt concerned. He thought for a moment before reassuring her, "Don't worry, sister. Although each of the six brothers at home has their own flaws, they... they're afraid of me!"
The last two words were said with a hint of uncertainty.
After all, while he could handle the younger ones by beating them in a fight if necessary, the older ones...
He didn't seem to have any other option.
He couldn't beat them in a fight, and they held the position of older brothers.
Especially the eldest brother...
Maybe it would be better to just get rid of them all when they returned?
Hearing that her brothers each had their faults, Su Sui became even more scared.
While this was the outcome she had wanted, Feng Xuanrui didn't want his sister to feel afraid.
Uncle King Qing had said that Su Sui's previous family had treated her poorly.
They needed to treat her better and shower her with warmth.
Only then would his sister no longer look so pitiful.
Feng Xuanrui wanted to be good to his little sister.
With this in mind, he tried his best to praise his brothers: "Actually, my brothers aren't that bad. Take our eldest brother, for instance; he's excellent at his studies."
Although he was reluctant to admit it, Feng Xuanrui's eldest brother, who shared the same father, was indeed exceptional at his studies, earning praise even from their tutors.
At the mention of academic prowess, Su Sui sat up straighter, her posture becoming more proper.
Su Sui held scholars in high regard and respected them immensely.
Witnessing this, Feng Xuanrui's heart twinged with a mix of emotions.
He pondered for a moment, then added, "Sister, I'm also excellent at my studies. You'll see when we get home."
Upon hearing this, Su Sui immediately nodded and clapped her hands, exclaiming, "I know! My brother is the best!"
With this praise, Feng Xuanrui felt a sense of satisfaction wash over him.
Soon, he brought up his second brother: "As for our second brother... He's pretty good at horsemanship, but not as good as me."
Su Sui didn't understand much about horsemanship, but she eagerly agreed: "I know! My brother is amazing!"
Feng Xuanrui basked in the glow of his little sister's admiration, his heart swelling with pride.
As he continued to assess his brothers, his evaluations gradually strayed further from his initial intention: "Our third brother doesn't have any particular strengths, but he's decent at carving little horses, so I guess that counts as a skill."
"Our fourth brother is timid, so you don't have to worry about him."
"The fifth brother is a troublemaker. He's disobedient, so if you tell me about it, I'll beat him up for you. After all, what's the point of boasting about bravery if you've lost to a girl?"
"The youngest, the seventh brother, is actually older than you, so you have to call him Seventh Brother. He's a bit slow and not too bright, so you don't have to pay him any mind."
"Anyway, you have me as your brother, so there's nothing to be afraid of!"
...
Qing Shan and Qing Shui, who had been listening to this entire exchange, could barely keep straight faces.
Sixth Young Master, they thought, are you going to dare say these things in front of your brothers when we get back?
As they drew closer to the capital and reflected on the bumpy journey they had endured, the two brothers also felt a pang of emotion.
They thought, We're finally going back! If we hadn't returned now, who knows if we would have even survived!
They wondered what would happen once they returned. Would they face repercussions for their actions?
After all, when Sixth Young Master had insisted on running away from home, they hadn't been able to stop him, and so they had ended up helping him escape, adhering to the principle of 'if you can't beat them, join them.'
Now that they were returning, there would undoubtedly be consequences to face.
With these thoughts in mind, the two brothers couldn't help but feel anxious once again.
Su Sui listened to all of this, but by the end, she couldn't remember much about her brothers' personalities.
All she knew was that her brother was the most incredible person in her eyes! Su Sui's blind confidence led her to believe that having her brother by her side was all the courage she needed to face the world.
Outside the carriage, Doctor Liu was discussing the arrangements for their return to the capital with King Qing: "After we get back, I'll need to trouble Your Majesty to pay a visit to the Qi King's Manor and explain the situation."
With King Qing's support, it would strengthen Su Sui's position, and with Feng Xuanrui's protection, the young girl's life in the manor would hopefully be more comfortable.
Hearing this, King Qing nodded in agreement: "Of course."
These were matters that had been previously discussed and decided upon, so King Qing would certainly keep his word.
Although Doctor Liu felt that it would be best for Su Sui to go to the Qi King's Manor, he still had some reservations.
After some thought, he added, "If His Highness Qi King is unwilling, then I'll take Su Sui with me."
King Qing considered this proposal and didn't refuse: "Alright."
...
The two men continued their conversation, discussing various matters.
At noon, they didn't stop to eat a proper meal, only taking a quick bite to sustain themselves.
In the afternoon, after enduring the long and bumpy journey, they finally caught sight of the majestic city gates of the capital.
They were home at last!
(End of Chapter)
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