The subtle fragrance of cotton needles

Xia Zhibai said hoarsely: "My son knows."

Tu knew that her son owed Li, and Li had no complaints against Xia Zhibai. Tu was also very kind to her daughter-in-law. At this time, she could only comfort Xia Zhibai: "Bai'er, you don't have to worry too much. You should treat Li well in the future."

Xia Zhibai nodded, then remembered something else, and turned to ask Xia Yanxiang, whose eyes were red, "Mother, I heard that Xiao Yan'er was poisoned a few days ago, and Aunt Yue cured her. Is she feeling better now?"

Although he was asking Tu, Xia Zhibai's eyes were carefully observing Xia Yanxiang. Xia Yanxiang saw him looking at her, and the tears that she had suppressed with great difficulty were about to well up again. Xia Yanxiang lowered her head, not daring to let Xia Zhibai see: "Thank you for your concern, brother. I am fine now."

Seeing them like this, Mrs. Tu couldn't help but burst into tears again.

Yue Qing couldn't bear to watch this situation any longer, and before Xia Zhibai was about to speak again, she quickly said, "Alright, alright, be happy, why are you all so sad? It makes you feel really uncomfortable. If Li Yatou were here, we might quarrel again."

When Li Guan was mentioned, everyone's mood improved. Li Guan and Shen Shi had similar temperaments, both were noisy, but still cute and lovely like girls, making them everyone's happy pills.

Now everyone stopped shedding tears.

Xia Zhibai was relieved now, and said softly, "That's good. On my way back to Beijing, I brought some local girls' favorite things to my sisters, and I'll have the servants deliver them to my second and fifth sisters in a while. Since my sixth sister is also here with mother, I brought her and Xiao Yan'er's share when I came."

As he spoke, Xia Zhibai raised his hand towards Bai Ke. Bai Ke understood and immediately brought the things up.

The one given to Xia Yanxiang was a silver hollow carved ball with six layers inside, while the one given to Xia Qianxiang was a jade bracelet with intricate patterns. These were originally common items in the capital, but these two items were handmade by local people from other places. The production methods were kept secret and there were clever anti-counterfeiting techniques.

Xia Yanxiang and Xia Qianxiang had already stood up, ready to thank Xia Zhibai, but Xia Zhibai stopped them: "Don't say thank you, after all, I am also your brother, there is no need to thank me for bringing gifts to your sisters."

Xia Qianxiang looked at Xia Yanxiang carefully. Xia Yanxiang didn't have so many complicated thoughts about Xia Zhibai, so she simply accepted it without hesitation.

Xia Qianxiang saw that Xia Yanxiang didn't show any courtesy, but after thinking about it, she bowed slightly and accepted it.

Xia Zhibai was afraid that Tu would think he was spoiling his sisters too much, so he leaned over to Tu and said, "Mother, my sisters are usually bound by those rules and etiquette. It shouldn't be a problem for me, their elder brother, to indulge them a little, right?"

Tu didn't care about this: "Don't be too restrained, you know your limits, don't worry about me being unhappy about everything."

Xia Zhibai said sternly, "No, my son has only lived for a short 24 years. He still has a lot to learn from his mother about life."

Tu nodded with satisfaction and said nothing more.

Yue Qing said at this time: "Is the emperor not making things difficult for you when you entered the palace today?"

"Don't worry, Aunt Yue, the emperor didn't make things difficult for me." Xia Zhibai knew what Yue Qing meant. As early as when he got the news that Xiao Yan'er was poisoned, his uncle had already said it in the letter. In order to let the emperor order the Dali Temple to thoroughly investigate the poisoning of Xiao Yan'er, they brought up the fact that he was going to cause trouble when he returned to Beijing.

Yue Qing was a little suspicious. Xia Zhibai was no longer a child and had learned to handle some things on his own. It was possible that the emperor was making things difficult for him because of this matter.

Xia Zhibai knew Yue Qing's concerns and nodded firmly to her: "Aunt Yue and mother, don't worry. Although the border is temporarily stable now, the nomadic people in the north will lack food in winter and will inevitably attack from the south. Even if the emperor is worried that I will be more powerful than him, he should also consider that the Darong Dynasty is short of generals. As long as I don't do anything treasonous, the emperor should not touch me within ten years."

Yueqing and Tu finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"Well, now that you're back, why don't you go to your uncle's house first, then come back for dinner, and then go back after dinner!"

"I listen to my mother."

"Over at Zhuxiang Garden..." Xia Zhibai already knew that the emperor had granted marriage to Xia Pinxiang as Prince Yuan's concubine, and he was a little worried that the second concubine would gain more face in front of his father.

Tu didn't care at all: "It's okay, since the emperor has granted her marriage, it's her destiny. If she wants to get married, your uncle and I don't want Yan'er to marry His Royal Highness Prince Yuan. His Royal Highness Prince Yuan is now competing with His Royal Highness Prince Luo. We just hope that we don't get involved in the fight for the throne."

Xia Zhibai nodded silently. Xiao Yan'er was not old enough to get married yet. Moreover, if she married the prince, she would have to face countless women in the backyard. It would be better for her to marry into a family of lower status so that they could protect Xia Yanxiang well.

Not to mention that Xiao Yan'er has been keeping a low profile since she was a child because of her overly dazzling brother and uncle. She stays at home whenever possible and tries hard not to be in the limelight. She has very little knowledge of the outside world. If she is married off rashly, she might suffer even more grievances.

Xia Yanxiang didn't know what Xia Zhibai was thinking. Instead, she was worried that her brother was afraid that she would not be able to get married.

Xia Yanxiang secretly peeked at Xia Zhibai's face, only to see a face full of guilt. Her heart couldn't help but tighten. Just as she was about to say something, Xia Zhibai spoke first: "Mother, don't worry about Zhuxiangyuan. Even if the second sister becomes the concubine of Prince Yuan, the second aunt is still a concubine. With your son and uncle, you and Yan'er will definitely be fine. Yan'er doesn't have to marry into a noble family. It's enough for her to live a good life."

Xia Yanxiang's eyes were filled with tears. Xia Zhibai was a pure-hearted, passionate man. He never thought that his passion would be extinguished by the undercurrent in the capital.

What made Xia Yanxiang even more miserable was that she should have noticed everything, but she didn't take warning. She should have discovered it when she was being plotted against in the beginning. It was because she was too stupid and unwilling to speculate and think deeply that she suffered these bitter consequences!

Tu was also a little touched. After all, ever since Xia Zhibai left home at the age of sixteen, Xia Liu no longer took her and Xia Yanxiang seriously. Although he did not take away her housekeeper power, he did so for Tu Song's sake. After all, as long as Tu mentioned it to Tu Song, Xia Liu would be in trouble in the court.

Now that Xia Zhibai is back, even if Xia Zhibai does not live in the Xia Mansion, he still has a certain deterrent effect on Xia Liu. In this way, even if Xia Pinxiang is married to Mo Yuyang as a concubine, the second concubine will not be able to make any waves.