The Xu Household.
South Mountain Courtyard.
"Husband, my brother sent a letter asking us to bring Zhao'er and Wen'er to the Commandery Seat. What do you think?"
Yang Ronghua carried a foot basin over, set it by his feet, then looked up at him.
Xu Mingwei sat at the edge of the bed and lowered his feet into it. His brows slowly drew down as he asked in puzzlement, "To the Commandery Seat?"
Yang Ronghua stood. "First, Father and Mother want to see Zhao'er and Wen'er. Second, my brother said the elders want to test him again, then decide whether to teach Zhao'er the Yang Household's Inherited Martial Art based on the results."
Xu Mingwei pondered for a moment. "Whether he learns the Yang Household's martial art is secondary. Zhao'er and Wen'er have never met their maternal grandparents since they were born. It's only natural to take them for a visit. But as the Xu Household Head, I can't simply leave whenever I please."
At his words, Yang Ronghua's eyes dimmed a little.
Xu Mingwei knew full well that in all the years since their marriage, Yang Shichang had only visited once. To say Yang Ronghua did not miss his parents-in-law would certainly be a lie.
She simply hid those feelings very well.
He saw it all, and it pained his heart.
Silence filled the room.
Only Xu Mingwei's feet stirred against each other in the copper basin, sending up sounds like shattered jade and bouncing pearls.
Cool ripples broke and rounded out again in the basin, reflecting the dim glow of the dwindling candle.
A moment later.
A trace of resolve flashed in Xu Mingwei's eyes. "I'll speak to Father tomorrow and ask him to watch over things. That should be fine, though it means troubling him with more