Wealth and glory seek stability

Mo Chuan was a man so it was difficult for him to step forward, so Chu Lu quickly stepped forward to help Jian Xi up, "Sir, are you okay?"

Jian Xi frowned and shook her head with a sad expression.

Tao Ran's body seemed to have aged dozens of years in an instant, and he walked into the room with difficulty.

Although Tao Letu was also sad, he still had to take care of Lu Feiman's funeral, so he asked his servants to bring the auspicious wood and build the mourning hall.

In order to bring good luck, Lu Feiman's funeral arrangements were fully prepared. In just half a day, white lanterns were hung throughout the Tao family's home, and everyone in the mansion wore mourning clothes.

When Tao Lejiao hurried back, Lu Feiman's body had already been wrapped and put to rest.

"Mother! I am unfilial and I am back late."

Tao Lejiao had changed into a silver-white uniform and cried all the way from outside the gate to the mourning hall.

Jian Xi knelt at the back of the mourning hall, looking at the man in front of her who was crying bitterly. He did look somewhat similar to herself.

She is a pregnant woman and does not need to kneel before the coffin all day.

Tao Letu's wife, Jiang, had to kneel in front of the mourning hall all day to show her filial piety.

Jian Xi felt her sleeve being pulled, and behind her was a little girl with two braids, about five or six years old.

When the little girl saw Jian Xi looking back, she narrowed her big watery eyes and stretched out her little hand with a white frosting on it, "Sister, this is for you."

"Sister Qian, stop yelling, that's your aunt." Jiang's face was a little pale, but she still patiently explained to her daughter.

Tao Qianqian nodded slightly, "I understand, mother."

The little hand never dropped. Jian Xi stretched out two fingers, picked up the icing in her hand, and put it into her mouth. "Thank you, Sister Qian, I just feel bitter in my mouth."

Tao Qianqian smiled shyly. At her young age, she didn't understand what it meant when someone died, but she liked the little aunt in front of her very much.

After Tao Lejiao finished his worship, Jian Xi also stood up.

As the eldest daughter-in-law of the royal family, Jiang had to stay in front of the coffin to entertain relatives and friends and was unable to leave.

Tao Qianqian is young, and her knees can't stop shaking while she is kneeling. She reaches out her little hands to press her knees from time to time.

Jiang saw it and felt pain in her heart. The Xuanyuan Dynasty attached great importance to filial piety, so she would never dare to say that Tao Qianqian should go back to rest. If this got out, people would say that she didn't know how to raise her daughter.

Jian Xi didn't care about that. She had experienced the rules and regulations of this big family in the past few days.

Besides, she never thought that the dead were more important than the living. It was much more useful to be filial to the deceased while they were alive than to cry loudly when the deceased died.

Looking at the lovely Tao Qianqian, he stretched out his hand and pulled her up. "Auntie feels a little uncomfortable and wants to rest for a while. Qianqian, can you come with me?"

Tao Qianqian's big eyes were full of desire to go, but she turned around to look at her mother, and only nodded her head after getting Jiang's tacit consent.

When Tao Lejiao saw his niece being taken away by a strange woman, he was puzzled and asked, "Brother, whose relative is she? How come I have never seen her before?"

Tao Lechu hadn't eaten or drunk anything for a day, and his lips were chapped. "That's my little sister. She just got recognized as her relative today. My mother insisted on seeing her for the last time before she passed away peacefully."

"Since you are my little sister, why don't you say hello when you see me?"

"Be at peace. Father has fainted from crying so hard and is resting in the backyard. If you have time, go and see him."

"Well, I'll have to trouble my brother and sister-in-law to take care of the coffin." Tao Lejiao, dressed in mourning clothes, strode towards the backyard.

Tao Lechu looked at Jiang, a little dissatisfied, "We only have one daughter, why did you let my younger sister take her away? Why are you running away instead of staying in front of the coffin to show your filial piety to your mother?"

After Jiang married Tao Lechu, the eldest son of the Tao family, she only gave birth to a daughter, Tao Qianqian, seven years after their marriage. Although she had taken several concubines for her husband, there was still no male heir born in the eldest son's family.

So when facing Tao Lechu, she always felt that her momentum was three points less, "Husband, it is my younger sister who wants to take Sister Qian with her. I don't know my younger sister's temper, and I'm afraid that if I say too much, she will be annoyed."

Tao Letu glanced at Jiang and did not continue to blame her. He walked towards the backyard.

Jian Xi brought Tao Qianqian to her residence.

Chu Lu happened to have brought some medicine for bruises and injuries. She lifted up the little girl's skirt and saw the two purple marks on her white knees, which were particularly shocking.

The white powder was poured on the little girl's knees. Chu Lu pursed her lips and said, "Bear with it." Then she covered the powder with her palm and spread it evenly.

Tao Qianqian just bit her lips without even a hum.

Jian Xi leaned sideways on the bed, saying in a nonchalant tone, "You are such a strong girl, why did you want to come back with me?"

Tao Qianqian raised her head. She knew that the woman in front of her had seen through her. "My father doesn't like me, nor does he like my mother. My mother is very worried about me. If I force myself to hold on, she will be the only one who will be sad for me. I don't want to make her worry."

The childish words touched people's hearts. Chu Lu looked at the little girl in front of her and her tone suddenly became much more mature. She couldn't help but pinch Tao Qianqian's face, "My goodness, little girl, are you an old monster? You think so carefully, and you dare to use us adults."

Tao Qianqian smiled and said, "My aunt is beautiful. I really like her."

"Chu Lu." Jian Xi spoke.

Hearing this, Chu Lu let go of the little girl's face. Two bright red finger marks instantly appeared on her fair face. "I... I didn't use any force."

After saying that, he resigned himself to his fate and applied powder on Tao Qianqian's face.

Jian Xi looked at Tao Qianqian whose eyelids were fighting each other, and pointed to the empty space beside her, "If you feel sleepy, come and sleep quickly. Your legs won't hurt when you wake up."

Tao Qianqian had been sleepy for a long time, but she didn't hesitate and sensibly took off her coat and shoes, then quietly pulled open a corner of the quilt and crawled in.

"Aunt, you are better than the aunt at home. Qianqian likes you." After saying that, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Jian Xi laughed, the child's sleep quality is really good.

Jian Xi was lying on the inside of the bed, and Tao Qianqian's small body was lying beside her.

After Chu Lu finished packing, she also walked to the bedside. Looking at the little girl's sleeping face, she couldn't help but complain in her heart: "My lord, this child is almost a spirit. She actually plotted against you."

Jian Xi smoothed the small strands of hair on Tao Qianqian's head and said, "Children from large families are all like this, especially those who are not favored. They have to learn to read people's expressions and plan for themselves from a young age."

She already knew that the baby in her belly was a girl, but she didn't know whether the child would look like Tao Qianqian when she grew up.

"grown ups."

Mo Chuan's voice came from outside the door.

Jian Xi stood up gently and walked around Tao Qianqian.

Chu Lu also moved more gently and carefully covered her with a blanket. The little girl hadn't slept much all day and there were dark circles under her eyes.