He took a moment to compose himself, his eyes and brows brimming with smiles. "However, I met her. Sometimes I think that if it weren't for her, I probably wouldn't have bothered to return to the capital, let alone go back to that home where people think differently from me."
"With A Xi, I suddenly wanted to give her a home. That was the first time I wrote to my family. I didn't dare to write to anyone else, only to my eldest brother."
Shi Ning'an understood. Everyone in the Rong family was stubborn, either hot - tempered or cold - hearted. Only Rong Xuan was always gentle and yielding, and he was the only one who took care of everyone's emotions in the family.
Rong Zhuo continued, "It was only then that I learned that my sister - in - law had already married into the family, and Han'er was born. Mother shed tears every night because of my matter. Even Grandfather, stubborn as he was, fell seriously ill because of me. I really regretted it."
Shi Ning'an looked up at him.
"I really regretted it at that time. But I don't regret it anymore. Ning'an, I know that regret is useless. We can only forge ahead. When I return to the Rong family, I will prove to Grandfather that I was not wrong."
Shi Ning'an returned the small portrait. "Cousin, Grandfather already knows that both literature and martial arts can defend the country. The Great Zhou not only needs military generals like the Rong family but also civil officials who can offer strategies. Otherwise, even without external threats, internal troubles will arise."
Rong Zhuo nodded. "Now, I can take her home. I also want to marry her openly and righteously under my name, Rong Zhuo, and then let her give birth to a child as lovely as Han'er for me."
Shi Ning'an's eyes curved into crescent moons. Yes, they were all going home.
Rong Zhuo carefully flattened the small portrait on his hand, then gently placed it in a small brocade bag before tucking it into his sleeve.
He looked back at A Xi. "She said she hoped to give me a son, but actually I hope for a daughter. I will surely give my daughter the best things in the world."
Hearing this, Shi Ning'an couldn't help but burst into laughter. She thought that probably the whole Rong family thought the same way before Han'er was born, including this unborn child in Lady Shao's womb. The whole family hoped it would be a daughter.
She calculated the months. It was the end of August now, and Lady Shao's pregnancy was already six months. According to the process of the previous life, the child in Lady Shao's womb should be a daughter, only a year earlier.
Zeng Haomiao and the others returned quickly. They even brought back some brown - sugar steamed buns studded with red dates, a pack of brown sugar, a pack of dried longans, and some patent medicines for nourishing the body.
"It's not convenient to decoct herbs on the way, so we can only buy some prepared patent medicines for Madam to tide over for now. This brown sugar and dried longans can be brewed with hot water to replenish qi and blood."
Rong Zhuo didn't know that A Xi was pregnant, and Zeng Haomiao didn't dare to be too obvious. "Girls need to replenish their qi and blood."
Shi Ning'an originally didn't feel hungry at all, but seeing the brown - sugar steamed buns, she suddenly felt ravenous. She took a bite. Although it was cold, it was soft, making her think it was the most delicious food in the world.
She ate gracefully but still ate two buns in one go before feeling full.
Seeing this, A Xi couldn't help but laugh. "I've seen you pick at your food these days and thought you had a small appetite. No wonder your cousin told us to put an egg in your meals. Otherwise, I don't know how you managed these days."
Shi Ning'an blushed and lowered her head. "I'm really too picky..."
Rong Zhuo pursed his lips. "When I first left home, I was just like that. I survived on a little silver that my eldest brother gave me before I left. The food outside was simply inedible. Ning'an has been living a life of luxury since childhood. How could she bear such hardships? No wonder she couldn't eat anything."
He looked up and saw Zeng Haomiao asking the innkeeper for hot water. After making a bowl of brown - sugar longan water for A Xi, he said, "Make a bowl for Ning'an too."
Zeng Haomiao paused. It wasn't that he was stingy and didn't want to give his cousin a bowl of brown - sugar water. This town was small, and they were in disguise for fear of being recognized. They hadn't found many shops for a while. The brown sugar and dried longans were what he managed to find by taking a detour. He didn't know how long it would take to reach the next town where they could buy supplies.
Compared with Shi Ning'an, A Xi, the pregnant woman, was of course more important.
A Xi gently pushed the bowl away. "Give it to Ning'an."
Shi Ning'an quickly pulled at Rong Zhuo's clothes and shook her head. "I don't need it. I'm just hungry, not lacking in qi and blood. Sister - in - law has been very busy and tired these days and has suffered with you. She has lost qi and blood. We should prioritize her."
Rong Zhuo was silent for a moment. A Xi had always been strong. In his impression, she had never even been sick. But at this moment, A Xi's face was extremely pale. He had been too busy and had ignored her too much.
He walked over, picked up the bowl of brown - sugar water on the table, and personally fed A Xi. "A Xi, don't worry. Soon I will be able to let you live a stable life. We will have a home."
A Xi stared fixedly at him, nodded with a smile. "A Yin... I shouldn't call you A Yin anymore, but wherever you are, that's home."
After a long and dusty journey, the group arrived at the outskirts of the capital before the Double Ninth Festival.
The expected war - torn scene didn't exist. Everything in the capital was still in good order, as if those battles without gunpowder smoke had never happened.
Rong Zhuo led a group of people, avoiding the eyes and ears of the Imperial Guards, and took a small path all the way to the Rong family's estate.
Unexpectedly, everyone in the Rong family was living on the estate.
When the wet - nurse beside Princess Zhaoming saw Rong Zhuo, she was stunned for a long time. Then, after a while, she let out a scream and rushed forward. "Second Master? Second Master, you're back?"
Rong Zhuo supported her and nodded with a smile. "Yes, I'm back."
Tears rolled down the wet - nurse's face. She held Rong Zhuo's hand tightly and nodded vigorously. "It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back. Madam has been longing for you day and night. Now the Second Master is finally back."
When she saw Shi Ning'an behind, the wet - nurse was stunned again. She quickly came over and asked, "Why is Miss Shi back? Shouldn't you be in Nanling? Oh, Miss Shi looks like a little cat! When the Old Master sees you later, he'll surely feel heartache."
Shi Ning'an's eyes were filled with smiles. "Wet - nurse, I'm fine. I'm just a little tired from the journey. How is Grandfather?"
The wet - nurse nodded repeatedly. Then she suddenly realized something and quickly led them in. As she walked, she said, "The Old Master is fine. But the two young masters aren't at home now. They're busy every day and don't come back often."
Just this one sentence revealed the current serious situation. Otherwise, why would Rong Xuan and Rong Sui, who no longer had official positions, be so busy?
Rong Jian was holding a long spear and watching the servants practice martial arts on the training ground. Besides the servants, there was also his son, Rong Feichi.
"You're really useless! When I went to battle to kill the enemy back then, if I had been as weak as you, I would have lost my life long ago!"
Rong Feichi had heavy sandbags on his hands and feet. He was squatting in a horse - riding stance with a bucket of water on his head. His face was terrifyingly pale. No one knew how long he had been holding this position.
Rong Jian's spear would occasionally strike hard on his buttocks, making him stagger. But if he didn't hold on and even a little water spilled from the bucket on his head, a more brutal punishment awaited him.
Shi Ning'an blinked her eyes. Seeing that her uncle couldn't hold on anymore, she quickly shouted, "Grandfather?"
Rong Jian was startled. He turned around and looked for a long time. It wasn't until the servant beside him confirmed it that he threw away the spear and strode over. He sized Shi Ning'an up and down. "Ning'an girl is back? Why have you lost so much weight?"
He was dissatisfied. He looked up at Zeng Haomiao and glared at him. "What's wrong with your Zeng family? How did you raise my darling like this?"
He didn't even give Rong Zhuo a glance the whole time.
Rong Zhuo stepped forward and knelt down with a thud. "Grandfather, your unfilial grandson, Rong Zhuo, is back."
Rong Jian ignored him. He just pulled Shi Ning'an and asked, "What's going on? Does the Zeng family not feed you? You've lost so much weight! Oh, your clothes are also torn like this. Where's the First Lady? Ask her to quickly prepare clothes for Ning'an to change. A girl should be delicately raised. Look at what my Ning'an has become..."
Shi Ning'an took Rong Jian's arm and pointed at Rong Feichi. "Grandfather, let Uncle rest..."
When Rong Jian saw Rong Zhuo, he was full of anger. He even thought that his son hadn't taught his grandson well. He wouldn't let Rong Feichi rest. He just turned back and shouted, "You can't even hold on for two hours? Hold on!"
Shi Ning'an quickly coquettishly said, "Grandfather, Ning'an is back. Ning'an misses you all so much, misses you and Uncle..."
Only then did Rong Jian shoot a cold look. "Didn't you hear what your niece said? Come here quickly."
Shi Ning'an supported Rong Jian and asked, "Grandfather, Ning'an was so worried when hearing the news about the capital. Now that I see Grandfather is okay, I can finally rest assured."
Rong Jian said with a big smile, "It's still Ning'an who cares about me. But don't worry, your grandfather is very strong and has nothing wrong with him."
Princess Zhaoming rushed over in a hurry. Seeing her son, who had been away from home for six or seven years, kneeling on the gravel ground, she felt extremely heartache. But she also knew that her father - in - law was very angry. If she tried to persuade him at this time, her father - in - law's anger wouldn't subside, and Zhuo'er would only suffer more.
She pretended not to care and endured the longing in her heart. She only stepped forward and lightly scolded Shi Ning'an, "Did you run back secretly?"
Looking at Zeng Haomiao again, both of them were in a mess, so she knew they had suffered a lot on the way. She frowned and scolded again, "You two... Oh, why are you so disobedient! This will surely worry the Zeng family to death!"
Shi Ning'an deliberately hid behind Rong Jian. "Grandfather..."
Rong Jian waved his hand. "Oh, the child is back. Why are you scolding her? You can't..."
His words stopped. He glanced at his daughter - in - law and Ning'an and knew they were doing it on purpose for Rong Zhuo.
He let go of Shi Ning'an's hand, flicked his sleeve, and sneered as he walked inside.
Shi Ning'an quickly stepped forward and grabbed him. "Grandfather, if you don't care about Ning'an, at least care about your own granddaughter - in - law, right?"
When Rong Zhuo knelt down just now, A Xi naturally knelt beside him. It was obvious to everyone that this was the wife Rong Zhuo had married outside.
Shi Ning'an continued, "Grandfather, even if you don't care about your granddaughter - in - law, you can't ignore the great - grandson in her womb, right?"