"Grandmother, please accept a bow from your granddaughter." Qin Yining did not dare to be arrogant. She stopped and bowed. The people who came with her naturally avoided her.
Duchess Ding's eyes became softer and softer. She held her hand with both hands and said with pity, "Good girl, you don't have to be so polite. Let me take a good look at you."
Duchess Ding's hands were dry and warm, which was unique to old people. The heat transmitted to Qin Yining's eyes made her involuntarily tear up.
Duchess Ding only looked at Qin Yining's watery eyes, and her heart softened.
Some people were fated to like each other at first sight. Duchess Ding looked at Qin Yining like this.
Duchess Ding's fingers felt the calluses and scars on Qin Yining's hands. Her heart ached. She held her in her arms and patted her. She choked back sobs and said, "Poor child, you have suffered all these years."
Her words made Qin Yining's tears fall uncontrollably. The warm and soft embrace and the elegant incense on Duchess Ding's body touched the softest and most fragile part of her heart. She forced herself not to cry at this good time.
"Grandmother, don't be sad. No matter what happened in the past, it's all in the past. Let's look forward. There's no need to look back."
These words went straight to Duchess Ding's heart. She nodded repeatedly and said, "Yes, it's all in the past. It's all in the past."
Eldest Aunt and Second Aunt, who had been moved and kept wiping their tears, also nodded hurriedly. Even the Sun Clan, who had been emotional after finding their daughter, couldn't help crying for a while.
The scene of hugging and crying in the cold wind was too sad. Eldest Aunt sniffed and said, "Look at how happy mother is. She doesn't even care about the weather. Why did she come out wearing the soft shoes in the room? Put them on carefully. "
Mother Bao wiped the corners of her eyes with her sleeve and said cooperatively, "Old Madam can't wait to see her granddaughter. She won't even let me help her change her shoes. "
"You're talking about me? I don't know who can't sit still here. "Duchess Ding teased her two daughters-in-law.
The sorrowful atmosphere was diluted, and only joy remained. Everyone laughed and jostled into the room. Even the little girl who lifted the curtain was full of smiles, as if she was celebrating the new year.
Qin Yining had been smiling with tears in his eyes the entire time. He listened to his aunt and grandmother talking about their concern for him, but he couldn't get a word in edgewise.
She had fantasized about this scene countless times on her way back to the capital from Liang City. Who would have thought that what he couldn't get in his own family, he would get it in his maternal grandparents' house?
Last night, she tossed and turned in bed, thinking of all those unexpected situations and solutions. It seemed that all of them were useless. She was the one who was worrying for nothing and had the heart of a villain.
Duchess Ding was served by her two daughters-in-law and sat at the head of the table. Eldest Aunt, Second Aunt, and the members of the Sun Clan sat on the side.
Mama Bao brought a praying mat for Qin Yining. Qin Yining knelt down and bowed respectfully, "Granddaughter greets grandmother and aunts."
"Get up, get up." Duchess Ding leaned over to support her and pulled her up to sit next to her. "Are you used to living here? Do you still lack anything? Your mother has a bad temper and is careless. If she dares to neglect you carelessly, come and tell grandmother that I hit her! "
Duchess Ding spoke so quickly that Qin Yining couldn't get a word in edgewise. She could only shake her head repeatedly, indicating that she hadn't been neglected.
"Mother, you're biased. Now that Sister Yi is here, she's better than me." The members of the Sun Clan's face flushed when they heard their biological mother's words. They couldn't help but remember that they had hit their child and warned her sternly. However, this child had always understood the big picture and helped them maintain their dignity. They felt a little guilty.
"How old are you? Why are you still arguing with your daughter?! I won't talk about your impatient temper. You should use your brain more in the future. Don't be the wind and rain when others say that you are the rain. "Duchess Ding tapped the Sun Clan's forehead.
When Qin Huining heard this, her face instantly turned as pale as paper. She lowered her head and secretly observed Duchess Ding's expression.
The members of the Sun Clan shrank their necks and stuck out their tongues with a smile on their faces. This made the girls laugh, and the noise and laughter spread far away.
Qin Huining was extremely nervous.
She knew that her grandmother wasn't a simple person. She wasn't as easy to manipulate as the members of the Sun Clan. Her words just now clearly had a hidden meaning!
Ever since they arrived at Duke Ding's Mansion, that wild hussy had always been the focus of everyone's attention. Even her grandmother could only see her. It was as if she had become transparent.
Qin Huining was already jealous and resentful of being treated so poorly. But now, those resentful feelings were extinguished by Duchess Ding's words. All that was left was the panic of losing favor.
She hurriedly bowed to Duchess Ding and said with a smile, "Grandmother, you look better these days."
Duchess Ding held Qin Yining's hand, gently patted the back of her hand, and said with a smile, "Yes, I'm living a comfortable life. Your two aunts and cousins are filial to me. Now, I don't care about this family anymore. If there is anything wrong, your aunt will take it on herself. She won't mention a word of groundless accusations in front of me. I have nothing to do, and I just want to enjoy my grandchildren. Tell me, how can I not look well?"
Qin Huining's head buzzed, and her face alternated between red and white. She forced a smile and said, "Grandmother is a Dai Fu person. My aunts and cousins are filial, and my uncles and cousins are also hardworking."
"Yes." Duchess Ding looked at Qin Yining with a smile and said, "Our Sister Yi has suffered a lot in the past. Now that she has returned home, the calamity has passed. There will be good days in the future, so Sister Yi is also blessed."
Everyone laughed in agreement, and they began to chat at once.
Qin Huining angrily retreated to the side and stood still. Her hands hidden in her sleeves were clenched into fists, and her palms were almost bleeding from her long nails.
She didn't expect that Duchess Ding would embarrass her like this. Duchess Ding's words had repeatedly knocked her down.
She didn't know if others could understand, but the Sun Clan probably could.
Qin Huining looked at the Sun Clan uneasily, only to see that the Sun Clan was looking in the direction of Duchess Ding and Qin Yining with a smile. She didn't know what they had heard, but they were laughing happily.
Perhaps feeling her gaze, the Sun Clan turned their heads inquiringly.
The two of them looked at each other, and the resentment in Qin Huining's eyes that she couldn't hide in time fell into the Sun Clan's eyes.
The Sun Clan was stunned. Thinking about what Duchess Ding had said just now, and then thinking about how Qin Huining didn't forget to play tricks in front of her cousins today, she didn't like it in her heart, so she didn't call her to her side to comfort her as usual and continued to talk to her two sisters-in-law.
She actually ignored her!
Qin Huining gritted her teeth so hard that they almost broke!
Now she could see who was close and who was distant. These people's hearts were too crooked. It was true that she had been swapped, and she had occupied the position of Qin Yining's legitimate daughter for 14 years, but how could they blame her for this? She was also a victim! But now they were giving her a hard time.
They treated her like this, so how could they blame her for fighting for it?
"Old Madam." The head maidservant came in to salute and said with a smile, "Duke and eldest son have returned from court, and Steward Wang from the palace came with them. He said that there was an imperial edict! He told our whole family to go to the front to receive the edict! "
"Did Steward Wang, the emperor's personal attendant, come in person?" Duchess Ding's voice was a little high in the silence.
The head maidservant nodded, "Yes, this servant asked the servant who followed us. He said that Duke and eldest son were very happy. Steward Wang was also very polite. He just told the young men not to come to Chunxi Hall first, and to go to the front to see Steward Wang first to prepare to receive the edict."
Second Aunt clapped her hands, "I was wondering why those children hadn't come yet. It turned out that there was a good thing! Mother, it's most likely a good thing for the old men! "
Duchess Ding and Eldest Aunt also guessed the same, and both of them had a happy expression on their faces.
Duke Ding's whole family was the mainstay of fighting against Da Zhou's invasion. Whether it was Heir Apparent Sun Haifan, Second Master Sun Haijing, who was now fighting against the enemy on the front line, or Sun Yu, who was an official in the court, the civil officials and military generals, they were all the sharp blades of the emperor's pro-war faction.
Now that Steward Wang came in person, it must be to reward one of the men of Duke Ding's Mansion.
At this time, they didn't have time to talk. Duchess Ding, Eldest Aunt, Second Aunt, and the Sun Clan all hurriedly went to put on makeup. The girls also straightened their clothes, and then quickly went to the front yard to burn incense and receive the edict.
It was the first time that Qin Yining had seen such a scene, so she was inevitably a little nervous. She knelt at the back of the womenfolk with her cousins, listening to Steward Wang's slightly shrill voice read the imperial edict:
"By the will of heaven, the emperor decrees that Sun Yu, the descendant of Duke Ding of Hanlin Academy, is an upright person with both talent and integrity. He has self-restraint and high integrity. He doesn't wallow in the mire. His loyalty can be seen and deeply comforts my heart. He will be promoted to Hanlin Academy's lecturer and be rewarded with 100 taels of gold."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Everyone kowtowed in unison.
Steward Wang handed over the imperial edict with both hands and said with a smile, "Lord Sun, congratulations!"
Sun Yu took the imperial edict with both hands and hurriedly said with a smile, "Thank you, Steward Wang. Please have tea in the Flower Hall."
Duke Ding stood up and said with a smile, "Thank you for coming, Steward Wang. You must taste my good tea before you go back."
Steward Wang smiled until his eyes curved into crescents. He bowed and said, "Thank you, Duke. It would be impolite of me to refuse."
"Please."
Duke Ding and Sun Yu went to entertain Steward Wang together.
The womenfolk and the rest of the young masters returned to Chunxi Hall together.
After they changed clothes and washed up, they sat down again. The atmosphere became lively again.
"Oh, it's really a great thing, a great blessing!" Sun Yu took Eldest Aunt's hands and said, "It's hard for my sister-in-law to raise such a good son. He has entered the pavilion at such a young age and has been promoted to Hanlin Academy's lecturer with his talent! He can even be rewarded by the emperor! Our family is the first to have such an honor! "
Eldest Uncle smiled and waved his hand, "Look at what you're saying. Brother Ming is just lucky. And this time, he really poked the emperor's itch. "
With that said, everyone was curious.
Duchess Ding asked, "I'm also wondering why the emperor specially ordered Steward Wang to announce the imperial edict and reward him. Not only did he promote him, but he also rewarded him with 100 taels of gold."
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