Shen Yuning was stunned for a moment. When she came to her senses, she realized that Princess Jiayang must have asked Weirui first. Since Weirui didn't agree, she came to ask Shen Yuning, hoping that she could persuade Weirui.
Perhaps Princess Jiayang was too lonely. Since she liked Weirui, she especially wanted Weirui to accompany her all the time.
Just like when Shen Yuning became an adopted daughter of the Xue family, she moved to live in the Xue family's mansion.
Shen Yuning didn't refuse immediately. Instead, she went to the flower hall to find Weirui and asked what she thought.
Weirui lowered her head for a long time before stammering, "I know the princess is good to me, and I like her too... But I can't bear to leave home."
Shen Yuning smiled and said, "Your Grandpa Zhang is at home. What are you worried about? And if you miss them, you can just go back and visit them often. Anyway, it's all in the capital. It's not far."
Weirui looked up and stared at Shen Yuning seriously. "Grandpa... he's getting old and often gets sick. He's afraid you'll worry, so he won't let Uncle and me tell you. He always bears it alone."
She pointed at Zhang Rong sitting blankly in the corner of the pavilion. "We've come to the capital and got used to the life here. But they aren't used to it. For the sake of our current status, although they don't know how to socialize and don't like it either, they have to come out. Auntie, look at Sister - in - law. She's such a strong - willed person. She's so afraid of embarrassment, but in order not to let us worry, she can only pretend that nothing has happened."
Even though Zhang Rong was sitting there obediently, from time to time, some blind ladies and noble girls would pass by and show a bit of ridicule on their faces.
The direction Zhang Rong was looking worriedly at was Huzi on the other side. Huzi was playing with some young masters. But except for the Chen family's child, the other kids didn't want to talk to him. Even though Huzi was only five or six years old, he was sensible. When playing with them, he tried so hard to please them.
Shen Yuning was shocked. She had never thought about what the life of Grandpa Zhang's family would be like after they came to the capital with her and relied on her. She thought that as long as they had enough food and clothing and Huzi could get the best education, that would be good.
She had grown up in the capital since childhood as the daughter of a marquis's mansion. Even now when she returned to the Xue family, she was still looked down upon. How much worse would it be for Grandpa Zhang and his family who had no power or influence and came from the countryside?
Weirui was right. Just because they didn't say anything didn't mean these things hadn't happened.
How ridiculous she was, thinking herself considerate, but actually she wasn't as sensible as Weirui, a child.
At this moment, there were tears in Zhang Rong's eyes. As a mother, a mother who loved her children, no matter how powerful the others were, she didn't like to see her own child acting like a servant and trying to please other kids.
But she had no other choice. Yuning was a country - lady and needed the support of the Xue family. Weirui was the granddaughter of a princess, but she was often looked down upon. Besides enduring, she had no other way.
After sending Zhang Rong, Weirui, and Huzi back to the Country - Lady's Mansion, Shen Yuning seriously thought that after her elder sister got married, she would move back to the Country - Lady's Mansion and spend more time with Grandpa Zhang and the others.
However, before she could think it through clearly, the gatekeeper of the Country - Lady's Mansion came to the Xue family's mansion with a letter, saying that Grandpa Zhang had fainted.
There weren't many servants in the Country - Lady's Mansion. Grandpa Zhang and his family weren't used to having too many servants either. Usually, there was only an old couple at the gate. The man was the gatekeeper and the woman cooked. There was also a little maid beside Weirui and a young servant beside Huzi.
Shen Yuning once wanted to assign more servants to them, but Grandpa Zhang didn't like it. He said he had been living freely all his life and wasn't used to being served. So she gave up.
When Shen Yuning rushed back, Grandpa Zhang had already woken up and was drinking medicine. When he saw Shen Yuning come back, he immediately frowned and shouted at Shen Fugui beside him, "Why did you call your sister back? I'm fine. It's just an old illness."
Shen Yuning's eyes turned red. She reached out to take the empty bowl from Grandpa Zhang and said with a smile, "I'm bored staying in the Xue family's mansion. I originally wanted to come back and have a look."
After that day, Shen Yuning simply moved back to the Country - Lady's Mansion and only went to the Xue family's mansion occasionally.
Grandpa Zhang's old illness came and went quickly. But after he recovered, he always looked worried, staring at the almost bare tree in the yard.
It was so bare that there was nothing nice to look at.
Shen Yuning went to get a broom and wanted to gather the fallen leaves and clean the courtyard.
However, Grandpa Zhang quickly walked out and waved his hand. "Yuning, don't sweep. These fallen leaves are fertilizer. Next spring when this tree sprouts new leaves, it will grow very well."
Shen Yuning put down the broom and nodded. When she was in the Xue family's mansion, the trees and flowers in the yard were taken care of by special servants and were always kept clean. Later, when she went to Xitian Town, she was so busy running around all day that she never had the time to sweep the leaves.
It was only today when she had some free time and thought the leaves in the yard were in the way that she wanted to sweep them all away.
Grandpa Zhang paced around the tree with his hands behind his back, lost in thought.
When Weirui saw this, she looked up and asked him, "Grandpa, what are you looking at?"
Grandpa Zhang gave a little laugh. "Grandpa is missing home."
Weirui asked curiously, "Didn't Grandpa say that wherever we are, there's home?"
Grandpa Zhang stroked her head and nodded. "Yes, but I also miss my hometown. Fallen leaves return to their roots. I miss my root."
Perhaps because he saw Shen Yuning and Weirui staying at home every day and rarely going to the marquis's mansion or the princess's mansion, Grandpa Zhang finally couldn't help but say, "I want to go back to Xiaoshu Village."
Shen Fugui was completely hesitant. On one hand, there were his younger sister and niece, and on the other hand, there was his father - in - law who had raised him. He couldn't bear to part with either of them.
Grandpa Zhang waved his hand. "I used to think that I'd go back after seeing Miss Yuning get married and I'd feel at ease. But now, waiting and waiting, this girl Yuning is so picky and still hasn't made a decision. I'm afraid I, Zhang Laohan, won't be able to wait for that day in my lifetime."
Zhang Rong quickly scolded him for talking nonsense and shifted her eyes. "If you go back, Fugui and I will definitely go with you. But what about Huzi? If Huzi stays in the capital, his future will be bright. Do you want him to go back and be a farmer for the rest of his life?"
Hearing this, Shen Fugui's frowning eyebrows relaxed. He seemed suddenly thirsty. Instead of drinking the water in the small teacup in front of him, he went to get a big bowl, poured a bowl of water, and drank it all in one gulp.
It was so much more comfortable to drink water like this.
He wiped the water from his mouth and laughed heartily. "If Huzi is good - for - nothing, then he should be a farmer for the rest of his life. Besides, what's so shameful about being a farmer? It's just a bit more tiring. If he's capable, he can pass the imperial examinations and come to the capital by himself in the future. If you're worried, after we go back, we'll send him to the private school to study."
After hesitating for a while, Zhang Rong also nodded.
Shen Fugui was a man of action. That very day, he started to pack up their luggage. As for the servants in the house, he paid them off and sent them away, leaving only the little maid beside Weirui.
Shen Yuning walked into the yard and saw Grandpa Zhang standing hunched under the eaves. He was really old. In the past, he had the strength to carry Weirui on his back and hold Huzi in his arms, but now he couldn't do it anymore.
When Grandpa Zhang saw Shen Yuning, he waved her over and sized her up. "The water and soil in the capital really nourish people. Look, you've only been back for a year, and you look much prettier than before."
Shen Yuning didn't say a word.
Grandpa Zhang continued, "I don't have anything to be reluctant about. As long as you and Weirui are well, I'll be at ease."
Shen Yuning's eyes were red. When she was at her most miserable, it was her second brother, Shen Fugui, who saved her, and it was Grandpa Zhang who supported her all the way. But now, were they going to separate?
Seeing her like this, Grandpa Zhang laughed again. "Miss Yuning can't figure it out. In this life, there's no such thing as everything going smoothly. People get together and separate. If there's a chance in the future, you can go back to visit us, or we can come to the capital to see you. Isn't that okay?"
Shen Yuning nodded vigorously, but she still couldn't help feeling sad.
Grandpa Zhang added, "Actually, I don't like it here very much. Everyone here wears a mask to live. They act one way on the surface and another way inside. It's so boring. It's not like in Xiaoshu Village. If you're unhappy, you can have a fight, but the next day, you're still villagers in the same village. And no one will deliberately harm others."
Grandpa Zhang's family set off. The one who cried the most sadly was Weirui.
She held Grandpa Zhang's hand tightly and buried her face in his hand, calling out repeatedly, "Grandpa... Grandpa..."
In the end, she didn't say that she wanted to go with him.
They escorted the family all the way to the outskirts of the capital and couldn't go any further. Then it was Huzi's turn to hug his aunt and cry heart - rendingly, not wanting to leave.
For a moment, everyone's eyes were red. The capital and Lingcheng weren't close. Grandpa Zhang was old. No one knew if they would ever see each other again in this lifetime.
Just then, a carriage with a precious cauldron and a canopy slowly drove over on the adjacent road. There were many guards around the carriage.
Shen Yuning thought some noble person was passing by. She quickly told the coachman to drive their carriage to the side of the road to let the noble person's carriage go first.
The carriage stopped beside theirs, and a young master got off.
Shen Fugui was stunned and subconsciously asked, "Xuanzhi?"
The face was like the grown - up Xuanzhi, and the concern in his eyes was the same. But this person also seemed different. He was dressed in luxurious clothes, and his face looked cold. There seemed to be some differences from the old - fashioned young man he used to be.
It had been almost four months since they last saw each other. The affairs in the court were extremely busy. Zidu had a lot of things to deal with. The new emperor had ascended the throne, but his health was poor and he often fell ill and had to stay in bed. All the remaining factions of the Tang family in the court had to be cleaned up. Zidu had to take care of these follow - up matters himself. So until now, Zidu hadn't had any free time to get together with his former relatives.
And Shen Yuning hadn't told her family about Zidu's identity either. She didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble for Zidu.
But unexpectedly, it turned out that Zidu had been paying attention to their movements and actually came to see them off on his own initiative.
Shen Yuning quickly led everyone forward to salute. "Your Highness, King Yu."
This greeting stunned everyone. Was Xuanzhi the famous Regent?
Zidu reached out to help Shen Yuning up. His eyes were gentle, which made the close attendant beside him almost dazzled. Their master could actually smile?
"Yuning, why do you need to be so polite to me?"
Grandpa Zhang finally came to his senses at this moment. He was an unrestrained person. He stepped forward excitedly and was about to pat Zidu on the shoulder, but was blocked by the close attendant beside Zidu.
Zidu glared at the close attendant unhappily and waved his hand, telling all the attendants around him to go farther away.
Seeing this, Grandpa Zhang laughed even more happily. He glared at Zidu fiercely. "You rascal. You just disappeared without a word. Do you know how worried your sister was? Especially when we heard from that Mr. Zidu that you were dead, your sister cried all day long. You ungrateful brat. Since you're still alive, why don't you show up? If you don't show up, at least send us a message to let us feel at ease."
Weirui finally realized and covered her mouth. "You... You're Mr. Zidu?"
The Regent's name was Zidu. She hadn't realized it before, but now she finally connected the dots.