On the second day of the Lunar New Year, Huo Xi returned to Ning.
Also returning with her were Bi Zhu and Bi Yue, who all brought their husbands and children back with them, and the whole family reunited and had a good time.
Bizhu married the eldest son of Uncle Fuyuan, and Biyue married into the natal family of the Tai Madam. Both of them lived well. The sisters of the whole family gathered together and recalled the years in the boudoir, which made their hearts even more happy.
Zhang Fu saw several of his grandchildren having their beards pulled several times by Xiao Yuer and others. He was making out with his grandchildren while they were shouting ouch, and his face became more smiley.
Huo Xi and Mu Yan were chatting with their family in the hall. They asked Huo Nian quietly, "Why do Zhang Jie and his father look so bad? Is this because they are at odds?"
Huo Nian glanced at the two of them, shook his head, and whispered: "No. The second sister sent someone to bring the New Year's gift from the East Palace years ago. My father learned that she had been depressed recently and had been seriously ill a few days ago.
Oh, I'm worried."
Huo Xi thought of Zhang Biyao's years in the East Palace and sighed.
A woman who marries into the royal family, if she has no children and is not favored, will probably die of old age within the palace walls for the rest of her life. She cannot divorce and cannot even return to her natal family easily. If she wants to meet her natal family, she has to ask for permission from everywhere.
When Zhang Jie was young, he often went to the East Palace to look for Baguio. When Zhang Jie grew up, he rarely went there in order to avoid suspicion, and Baguio could not leave the East Palace easily.
All of this was the fault of the Wu family. Originally, a woman from the British royal family had no need to be sent to the imperial court. For Zhang Jie, Baguio's life was ruined in vain.
After having lunch with the family, Huo Xi and Zhang Fu ate in the garden.
"Father is worried about Baguio?"
Zhang Fu paused and glanced at Huo Xi.
Baguio and Nannan are from different mothers and are separated by one layer. The relationship between sisters is weak, so it is better to have a harmonious relationship with Bizhu, Biyue and Bigui. Seeing that Huo Xi's face was the same and not angry, Zhang Fu breathed a sigh of relief and said: "Baguio
She has been married to the East Palace for several years, but her knees are still weak, and her father is really worried about her."
Four of Zhang Fu’s five daughters are already married. Except for Baguio, Huo Xi, and Bizhu Biyue, they are living very well in their husband’s family. The other one, Bigui, has not yet grown up, and her threshold has been crossed.
No need to worry.
Baguio is afraid that she will be trapped within the palace walls for the rest of her life.
There are many women in the East Palace, and there are also many who have given birth to heirs for the prince. Although Baguio can occasionally be favored by him as the prince, but without heirs, he is afraid of difficulties in the future.
"Your aunt is in the palace and has not seen her relatives all year round. Your grandmother sheds tears when she mentions her. My father is afraid that Baguio will follow in your aunt's footsteps."
Thinking of what Wu had done without telling him, Zhang Fu felt very angry.
She didn't want to bring up Mrs. Wu to cause trouble for her daughter, so she just said: "I have often dreamed of your mother recently, telling me to take good care of you and Nian'er. As a father, I dare not disobey her. When I want to say a few more words to her, she will disappear.
I'm afraid you still blame me... My father is relieved to see that you are doing well in the Mu family. My son-in-law is a caring person, so I leave you to him, and my father is very relieved."
Huo Xi saw that he was sad and didn't know how to comfort him. Mother was the thorn in the hearts of the three of them, father and son. It was okay not to mention it, but it hurt to mention it.
Huo Xi smiled: "That's not what you told Mu Yan. He often told me that his nose is not a nose and his eyes are not eyes, and he often scolded him."
Zhang Fu snorted, "He didn't have any elders around him to teach him. He just followed his own temper and acted rampantly, almost offending all the noble officials in the capital."
Huo Xi was silent.
Zhang Fu sighed: "Nanny, my father wants you to live a comfortable life, but the son-in-law is getting more and more aggressive now. My father knows his thoughts. He is loyal to the emperor and obeys the emperor's orders wholeheartedly. This is true, but water
There will be no fish in the Qing Dynasty. It is necessary to judge the situation in order to keep the water flowing. If public opinion is not good for him, even though the emperor knows that he is loyal, he may not be able to protect him in the future."
"Thank you father-in-law for your teachings. My son-in-law will keep them in mind."
Huo Xi and Zhang Fu both looked back and saw Mu Yan walking slowly from somewhere else.
Zhang Fu snorted: "This is my British government residence, not your Jinyiwei Yamen! Your ears are so erect!"
He said a few personal words to his daughter, but the man's ears were perked up, as if he was afraid that he would say something bad about him. He glared at him, very dissatisfied.
Can't stay away from his daughter for even a moment?
Mu Yan approached with a respectful attitude: "I know that my father-in-law is very caring and caring. My son-in-law will keep this in mind."
"Don't just talk with your mouth. You need to remember it in your heart and put it into action. Now you are not alone. You have a family, a wife and children. Keep a line in everything for you, your wife and children.
They are all very beneficial. When doing things, you need to consider all aspects of your family, and don't take a narrow path. There is no shortage of capable people around the emperor, and one less than you would be a big deal."
"But father, if the emperor knows that he has reservations about doing things, can he still use him with confidence? As you said, the emperor has no shortage of capable ministers around him. If he loses his sacred heart, I am afraid that he will not be able to do everything smoothly."
If the Jinyiwei officials do not have the Sacred Heart and are squeezed out by all the officials, they may really have no way out.
Zhang Fu snorted, "There are many ways to go in officialdom. He doesn't even have hair on his head, so he has a lot of tricks to learn."
"Please give me some advice from my father-in-law." Mu Yan bowed his hands and bowed.
Zhang Fu expressed satisfaction with his attitude.
"You must remember that you must think twice before doing anything, and don't be stubborn without detours. Doesn't the emperor like able officials and ministers? But the advice of able officials and ministers is also very offensive. Occasionally, I hear some flattering words from others, and I still
You will feel at ease. Everyone in a superior position is good at playing a balanced game. You should not be stupid and go to the dark side. When the time comes, you will become a lonely minister, no one will help you, and you will be criticized by the ministers. If you say that you are in charge, you are willing to give up.
Are you alone, or are you willing to sacrifice others?"
"My son-in-law, please remember this. Thank you father-in-law for your teachings."
Mu Yan bowed sincerely to Zhang Fu.
Over the years, he has stumbled along the way, and no one has helped him. He has blazed the road by himself. The journey has been extremely difficult. Now, his father-in-law has given guidance from time to time, which has helped him avoid many detours.
"Don't worry, father-in-law, and remember this son-in-law. My son-in-law cherishes his son as much as his life, and everything depends on her. He must think twice before acting, and make decisions before taking action."
Hum. "Don't just talk about it."
"My son-in-law swears on his life..."
"Who wants you to swear an oath!" Zhang Fu interrupted him.
Huo Xi glanced at the father-in-law and son-in-law, smiled, and helped Zhang Fu to walk with him. Zhang Fu glanced down at the girl's hand on his arm without leaving a trace, and his eyes suddenly felt a little wet.
Although his children are close to him, they are not close. No one has been so close to him since he was seven years old.
Only his daughter seems to have no regard for secular women's virtues and precepts. She will pull her father's hand whenever she wants, and pull his sleeves whenever she wants.
Zhang Fu looked up at the sky and blinked a few times.
Mu Yan glanced at him, then looked at Huo Xi's hand holding him, and raised the corner of his mouth.
"Father, don't worry about Baguio. She is still young now. Maybe in a few days, good news will come. Besides, even if she has no children in her life, who would dare to do it with you as a British father-in-law?
Bullying her! Maybe it’s a good thing that she’s like this now. The wives and concubines in the East Palace are fiercely competing for favors. She may be able to survive alone. When the weather is clear in the future, she will naturally have a good life. "
Zhang Fu was comforted by his daughter and felt much better. He patted Huo Xi's hand on his arm and said, "Okay, father, I listen to you."
Huo Xi smiled and went about their daily routine with him. After a while, Huo Nian also came over, and the two siblings walked with him and talked.
"I heard that after the Chinese New Year, my father will go to Jiaozhi again to suppress the rebellion?"
After Huo Xi finished speaking, she glanced at Huo Nian again, "Do you want Nian'er to go too?"