When they left the Palace together, Xiao QingYan had a cold face, and Xu ChangAn had a distant look of disgust to the people around him. Xu ChangAn had been following suit. When Xiao Qingyan walked fast, he naturally had to speed up his steps. Maybe he paid attention to Xiao QingYan in front of him, so after hurrying up his steps, he tripped twice in succession, but fortunately he did not fall down.
It was easy to get to the gate of the Palace. As soon as they pulled down the curtain of the carriage, Xiao QingYan’s face smoothed down and almost immediately drew closer to Xu ChangAn. However, Xiao QingYan found that Xu ChangAn’s face did not look good.
Xu ChangAn had a hard time waiting for this opportunity, but he never thought that such an opportunity might have been arranged by Xiao QingYan himself. Xu ChangAn remembered that when he mentioned going to his maternal grandfather’s home in front of Xiao QingYan not long ago, Xiao QingYan was obviously against it, but after two days he agreed again, but let him speak in front of the Emperor himself.
This time he had mentioned it again and promised that Imperial Father would agree to…
Xu ChangAn didn’t know why, he always had a feeling in his heart that in the Emperor's heart, Xiao QingYan was the one he cared the most out of his sons and was the closest to him. As the Emperor, he would not be unaware of the significance of the throne to the princes, nor of his sons' character and ability. Compared with other successors, perhaps Xiao QingYan was the most suitable candidate to succeed the throne.
But why did the Emperor make such a decision?
Xu ChangAn was puzzled and finally chose to give up for the time being. How could such a thing make him guess it in twos or threes?
Looking at Xu ChangAn’s face, instead of being relaxed, he became more dignified. Xiao QingYan thought about what he had just said, and could only explain quickly: “I knew Imperial Father decided that it was impossible to promise to set up Nan Xi as Cefei, that's why I'd come forward. Besides, I told you about her identity. I knew that woman had no good intentions. How could I like her and want to be close to her? That is to say, I would play with her these days but I never stayed in her room according to her intentions. You… Don’t take my gibberish to heart.” Looking at Xu ChangAn worrying about his words, Xiao QingYan did not know whether to be happy or anxious, but after explaining, he felt a little relieved. Although he still could not figure out this person’s temperament up to now, at least he was sure that Xu ChangAn was not a person who makes trouble unreasonably.
His journey with Xiao QingYan to his maternal grandfather’s home was almost a foregone conclusion. Xu ChangAn did not want to tangle with it anymore. He thought that since he could not deal with his own matter, he could deal with his mother’s matter there.
Xiao QingYan and his return was not without benefit, even if there were rules in the maternal grandfather’s home, under the whole Heaven was the land of the King[1]. Being accompanied by Xiao QingYan, this royal descendant, their importance gave him a little face, and his mother's tomb would move to Feng Province more smoothly.
“Wangye, you don’t have to explain it to me. I know you must have your own plans. I was just thinking about something else before I got lost in my mind.”
“Alright, don’t think about anything, you go back and make a proper preparation, we will go out after the New Year. Go out and relax, don’t think about the messy things in the capital.”
“I understood.” Since it was already an established fact, Xu ChangAn naturally did not think much about it. In fact, he really did not think much about it.
They were speaking of returning to Feng Province, yet Xu ChangAn responded in this way. Although Xiao QingYan's mouth explained to him of Nan Xi's matter, but in fact he was thinking of Xu ChangAn being like this perhaps it was because he thought about Xu family.
On that day, Xu Yinghui went to Wang Residence to stir up trouble, and said such bold words. After that, Xiao QingYan naturally let people to pay attention to Xu family's present situation. Although there was absolutely no sense of guilt towards Xu family even when he hit them when they were down, but now the Xu family did not need him to do anything at all.
Their fate now was enough.
Afraid that Xu Yongnian would have no more opportunities to become an official. His son, who he valued highly, was writing and signing[2] for people on the street. His daughter was getting older but she had no family to seek for marriage at all, plus his mother who had been tossing around all day. In short, any change might be a good thing for them now. But if they keep doing so, it would be a torment to them.
Xioa QingYan didn’t want to talk about Xu family with Xu ChangAn. After all, he was also from Xu family. Xiao QingYan didn’t want to embarrass him or do more. He just wanted to think that if they didn’t find trouble in front of Xu ChangAn in the future, he didn’t have to teach them any lessons.
Wangye was left in the Palace one day and one night after the incident. Wangfei went into the Palace to pick him up. Since Xu ChangAn left Wang Residence, the people in the residence had been nervous. When the news of Xu ChangAn and the rest had returned, the carriage of the two people had not yet arrived at the gate of the Wang Residence, the manservant at the gate shouted that Wangye and Wangfei were back!
With this roar, just after the two people entered Wang Residence's gate, a row of people came towards them. Since Min Yu’s incident, although QinXin’s life had been quite satisfactory that at least she did not getting chided from time to time by Min Yu. However, her heart's nevertheless was even more despaired.
She originally thought that Wangye had been gradually good to them, even thought that in the near future she might have her own children, thus this life could also have hope. Who would have known…
“Paying respect to Wangye and Wangfei!” No matter what kind of life she would live in the future, now these two people were her masters. QinXin's heart finally rest assured when seeing them come back without anything happen to them.
Now there was only QinXin with the status of concubine in Wang Residence. Naturally, she led the crowd of womenfolk to receive them. Even Nan Xi was standing behind her. She stood behind her, but until she saw Xiao QingYan getting off the carriage, she slowly stepped forward and stood side by side with QinXin, and looked at Xiao QingYan walking towards her with tender face.
Xu ChangAn knew that Xiao QingYan could not go back to his courtyard with him, so he volunteered to say that he would go back first, and then followed the maidservants from his courtyard to leave first.
QinXin saluted Xiao QingYan and after thinking she went with Xu ChangAn. She couldn’t speak at all in front of Wangye, so she went to ask Wangfei what was going on.
Xu ChangAn knew that compared with Min Yu, QinXin was much more difficult to deal with. If she really intends to do something to him on any day, maybe it would be nothing he could do to prevent it.
“An Cefei, Wangye is not a cruel person, even if he now put his mind on Miss Nan Xi, but you are his Cefei, he will not treat you unfairly.” In the end, Xu ChangAn told QinXin the matter about the Xiao QingYan wanted Nan Xi to be a Cefei. Anyway, it was not something that could be concealed. Let just said it, and he could also see what her attitude would be.
QinXin really didn’t expect Xiao QingYan to make such a decision! That Nan Xi was not just a peasant girl, she was still a person from South Xinjiang! Wangye clearly knew, but he still insisted on taking her as his concubine… QinXin suddenly felt that her life was very sad. Since childhood, she had no choice but to curry favor by showing obeisance in front of the Madam for the sake of herself and her Yiniang. She also thought that one day she would become someone else’s wife and be the hostess of a family. No matter whether the family was big or small, she would never have to read people's face anymore and her children would not have to compromise from childhood.
At that time when the marriage decree arrived at home, no one in the family was happy. It was not for the sake of her, but because the object of marriage was not the Second Prince, but Xian Wang. The family and Xian Wang were not the people on the same boat!
“Wangfei… you must be tired after entering the Palace today, Wangfei. QinXin won't disturb, you should rest well." She was a woman, but what about it? It was still nothing compared to Wangfei.
Without Wangye's favor and without Wangfei's privilege, she herself was nothing, not even comparable to that peasant girl.
The sober your mind, the more you feel sad. QinXin felt that she might not be able to meet the expectations of her grandmother, and even if she had that idea, she would not have that ability.
Xiao QingYan went to Nan Xi, and naturally told the story truthfully. When speaking of Cefei, Nan Xi’s face flashed an unnatural tint, but it quickly retracted, with some complaints said: “Nan Xi knows that Wangye did it for my own good, but I did not wish to make things hard for Wangye. I have said to Wangye before: no name and no status, Nan Xi will have no regrets and no complaints."
“How can this be done? Making you feel very wronged, even if you can accept, I can't! I wanted you to be this Wang's Wangfei, but that Wangfei is Imperial Father's bestowed marriage, and in all likelihood, the Succeeding Empress also must have a hand in it. I’m afraid it’s a trouble to come to another one without this one.
"Anyway, he is a man. I think that when you become a Cefei, I can leave everything in the residence to you to take care of. So it will be like giving you the position of Wangfei, and I can feel better in my heart."
“Wangye!” Nan Xi was thrilled. She really felt constrained in recent days. Southern Xinjiang had a pleasant climate all the year round, there would never be such a severe winter at all. There were not enough charcoal in her courtyard, she sent people to collect the charcoal. Who would have known, she had been told that the existing charcoal had been sent to Wangfei’s courtyard?
Originally, she didn’t pay attention too much about those servants, she would not stay in this residence for long, but now, she didn’t think so, if…
“By the way, I forgot to tell to you! Imperial Father had issued a decree. After the New Year, he asked me to go back with Xu ChangAn to his maternal grandfather’s home. At the shortest, maybe for two or three months, I will tell the people in the residence to take care of you after I left. Don’t worry.” Xiao QingYan interrupted Nan Xi’s unfinished words, but she couldn’t say the rest, because she was afraid that she would not be able to suppress her angry tone at a moment's notice, and would directly hurl all kinds of abuse at the Emperor who had spoiled her work.
Xiao QingYan naturally saw the wonderful expression on Nan Xi’s face, but he made another explanation by himself.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take good care of myself when I go out.”
“… Wangye should do what you say and take good care of yourself."  She did not even know what words came out of her own mouth. Nan Xi really didn’t have the mood to deal with Xiao QingYan, so she sent people away in a few words. This time, she didn’t even have the heart to let Lark see which way Xiao QingYan was heading out of her courtyard.
Footnote:
[1] Under the whole heaven, every spot is the sovereign’s ground; To the borders of the land, every individual is the sovereign’s subject.
[2] A sign is a phrase that a believer can ask for a question. Because often in the form of poetry, also known as poetry. East Asian traditional religious temples are often set to the believers asked to use the sign, after signing the corresponding signature, that is, by the Buddha to give the “answer.”—Source: educalinguo.com