On the carriage, the three were still discussing, especially Lu Liucheng and Cao Dabao, who were mimicking Zhu Bajie carrying his wife while talking. Lu Xuanyu was also laughing loudly.
As the carriage moved, the three children gradually became drowsy. Lu XuanNing laid out a blanket for them to sleep side by side. He and Li Xia sat by the carriage door, watching the sleeping children.
Li Xia's expression changed slightly. Lu XuanNing leaned closer to Li Xia, asking, "What's wrong?"
"Someone doesn't want us to return home safely," Li Xia said, about to go out.
"Xia Xia, watch the children. I'll go," Lu XuanNing stopped Li Xia. He lifted the carriage curtain and walked out. Li Xia sat back in her original position, tucking the blanket around the three children.
"Mother, I want to carry my wife," Lu Liucheng's sleep-talking made Li Xia laugh. She made a mental note to tell him about this when he grew up.
Li Xia used her wind control to muffle the sounds of swords and knives outside, preventing the noise from disturbing the three sleeping children.
When the sounds of combat ended, Lu XuanNing got back on the carriage. "Xia Xia, let's go home."
The carriage started moving again, and no one else tried to attack them on their way back to the Mansion of Marquis of Pacifying the South. They carried the three children into the house, and Qiu Shui led their personal maids and servants to clean them up.
Back in their bedroom, Lu XuanNing was reviewing the interrogation results. "Who made the move?"
Lu XuanNing handed the documents to Li Xia. It turned out to be Mei Saniang.
"Why did she attack us?" Although Li Xia had killed Fourth Miss Lu, she was certain no one knew about it. This Mei Saniang suddenly attacking her was unexpected.
"I've sent people to investigate," Lu XuanNing was also unsure of the situation.
Returning the documents to Lu XuanNing, Li Xia prepared for bed. It had been a tiring day. Lu XuanNing put down the papers and got up to massage Li Xia, easing her discomfort.
"Zhou Heng has gone to the Imperial Academy of Medicine to check the records, and Xiao Changyou has returned to the Xiao Family to inquire. We'll have results soon," Lu XuanNing softly spoke about their progress.
Mentioning Xiao Changyou reminded Li Xia. Xiao Changyou had promised Qiu Ling they would marry once they returned to the capital. It had been almost a month since their return, yet there was no movement on that front.
"I was just about to tell you about this," Lu XuanNing explained that the Xiao Family had relented and agreed to let Xiao Changyou marry Qiu Ling, promising not to interfere in their affairs anymore.
However, Xiao Changyou was worried this might be a temporary measure by the Xiao Family and was reluctant to return. Qiu Ling, on the other hand, urged Xiao Changyou to go back, partly to avoid a complete rift between Xiao Changyou and his family, and partly because she hoped Xiao Changyou could find a cure for Li Xia there.
"Madam cares for me the most. You wouldn't let me suffer," Qiu Chan clearly didn't believe Li Xia's words.
"Qiu Chan, I could find someone for you. But I'd prefer if you could find someone you're mutually in love with," Li Xia said, thinking back on the people Qiu Chan had interacted with, wondering if there was anyone suitable for her.
"Miss, what does 'mutually in love' mean?" Qiu Chan looked completely confused. It was clear she hadn't yet opened her heart to love.
"Ask Qiu Ling," Li Xia was too lazy to explain and passed the question to Qiu Ling.
"Qiu Ling isn't in the mansion. I'll ask her when she returns," Qiu Chan answered honestly.
"She left so early?" Li Xia checked the time; it was just the beginning of the Mao hour, the sun hadn't even risen yet.
"She went to see Doctor Xiao," Qiu Chan's words made Li Xia sigh about how quickly young girls grow up.
After breakfast, Li Xia took the children to see Lu XuanNing off to work. Lu Xuanyu took Lu Liucheng and Cao Dabao to the study to read and write.
Li Xia called for Wu Auntie, noticing her silence. Li Xia spoke first, "Have you met with Wu Dazhuang?"
"Yes, that man is indeed Maomao's father." Wu Auntie was initially reluctant to believe that Wu Dazhuang had become a bandit. But after meeting him, she found it was true. Wu Dazhuang also admitted to the terrible things he had done over the years. Wu Auntie felt angry, but because he was her child's father, she couldn't bring herself to completely disregard him.
"Madam, Dazhuang said he's earned a reduced sentence for his bravery in battle," Wu Auntie confirmed.
"His death sentence has been commuted to a fixed-term imprisonment. He still needs to be sent back to the frontier to continue serving his sentence," Li Xia gave a definitive answer.
"That's good, he's not beyond redemption," Wu Auntie said, muttering a prayer to Buddha.
However, the fact that Wu Dazhuang still had to return to the frontier put Wu Auntie in a dilemma.
"Think it over carefully, whether you want to leave with Wu Dazhuang or stay in the capital," Wu Auntie was an excellent cook, and Li Xia was quite reluctant to let her go. But she also knew that Wu Auntie had been thinking about Wu Dazhuang for many years.
Wu Auntie responded with a hum and went off to work. Li Xia leaned back in her lounge chair, enduring the pain in her body.
"Madam, we have news," Qiu Ling walked in quickly from outside, her face full of joy. She handed the documents in her hand to Li Xia.
Li Xia took the documents, which recorded information about her maternal grandmother, Madam Xu. When they learned she hadn't died, Li Xia had been having the Tian Yi Pavilion track her whereabouts, trying to confirm whether she was alive or dead.
Years had passed, and they thought they wouldn't be able to find her. Unexpectedly, news arrived at this moment.DiiScôver new stories on no/v/e()/lbin(.)c/o/m