Jin Xiufeng and Jin Yue exchanged a glance.
Neither of them knew what Tong Aning meant.
However, in their eyes, Tong Aning was no less than a deity; since she was a deity, whatever she said was right, right?
The emperor only gave Jin Yue a minor punishment, ordering her to copy the poem "The Peasant Woman" a hundred times, and granted her permission to divorce An Jinghuan. He also told her to be more careful in the future.
Jin Yue was incredulous, but Jin Xiufeng quickly reminded her, "His Majesty is benevolent; why don't you quickly pay your respects and thank His Majesty?"
Jin Yue knelt down, "Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty."
[This is truly a happy ending for everyone.]
*
Upon returning to the Jin residence, Jin Yue immediately went into the kitchen, made dumplings, and had them delivered to the Marquis's residence.
Tong Aning asked in surprise, "Did Miss Jin give this to me?"
The servant of the Jin family nodded, "I hope Miss Tong likes it."
What could it be?
Tong Aning opened the lid, revealing a plate of steaming dumplings inside.
Tong Aning: "..."
The servant said, "This was made by our young lady herself."
Although Tong Aning didn't understand why, it was Jin Yue's kind gesture after all, so she smiled and said, "Please thank your young lady for me."
"Yes, I will definitely pass on the message."
After the servant left, Tong Aning looked at the plate of dumplings in front of her.
Why did they give me dumplings...? Oh well, they smell so good, I'll eat one first.
Tong family. "..."
Watching Tong Aning eat dumplings, Su Zhouyue teased, "Nothing can stop our Aning from eating!"
Tong Aning chewed and exhaled a puff of hot air, "I'm not a picky eater, so I'm easy to feed."
It made everyone laugh.
Tong Siyan instructed, "Have the kitchen bring up the dumplings. Everyone has worked hard this year; let's eat dumplings after we've received our rewards."
Today is the Lunar New Year, and everyone is in high spirits. The servants cheered and headed to the kitchen.
Tong Aning craned her neck and asked, "Did Second Sister prepare dumplings too?"
"Yes," Tong Yi'an said, propping her head up with her hand, "I even wrapped two of them myself."
Tong Aning reached out her hand, saying, " Yi'an, give me one."
"I won't give it to you, I want to eat it myself."
Tong Aning: "?"
"Hmph," Tong Aning said, squinting at Tong Yi'an, "As soon as the dumplings are served, I'll find the two you made and eat them all."
Tong Yi'an was shocked, "Fourth sister, how could you do this?"
Tong Aning crossed her arms, looking somewhat smug.
Su Zhouyue smiled and tried to smooth things over, "Alright, alright, Aning, how old are you now?"
When Uncle Zhao brought the dumplings up, he saw the fourth and fifth young ladies craning their necks, their eyes shining, as if he were holding a plate of gold.
As soon as Uncle Zhao put the dumplings down, Tong Aning and Tong Yi'an rushed over.
I thought finding Yi'an would be quite difficult, but it turned out to be so easy.
On the plate, only two dumplings were oddly shaped, standing out from the other standard dumplings.
Tong Yi'an sulking. "Ha, why is Fourth Sister talking like that?"
Tong Yi'an quickly reached out and grabbed the dumplings, then ran off with the bowl in her arms, hiding behind Su Zhouyue and Tong Aobai, sticking her tongue out at Tong Aning.
Tong Aobai asked, " Yi'an, are you still going to sleep with Aning tonight?"
Every year during Chinese New Year, Tong Yi'an insists on sleeping with Tong Aning, and for this, he doesn't hesitate to give all his New Year's money to Tong Aning.
Upon hearing this, Tong Yi'an panicked and offered the dumplings to Tong Aning, saying, "Yes, I want to sleep with Fourth Sister!"
Tong Aning laughed heartily and patted Tong Yi'an's head, "Don't worry, I'll definitely sleep with you. Daddy's just trying to sow discord."
Tong Aobai's smile vanished.
Su Zhouyue teased him deliberately, "See? Who told you to get involved?"
Tong Aobai secretly wrapped his arm around Su Zhouyue's waist, "Don't I still have my wife?"
Su Zhouyue gave him a reproachful look.
Tong Yibin said, "The fireworks have been prepared in the courtyard."
Tong Yi'an ran over and tugged at her older brother's clothes. Tong Yibin understood and picked Tong Yi'an his arms.
The family stood on the corridor, watching the magnificent fireworks against the night sky.
In Prince Yong's Residence.
As Xue Lin gazed at the vast expanse of fireworks, Sichen said, "That's... the Marquis Yongning's Residence, isn't it?"
Xue Lin looked at him, Sichen rubbed his hands together. "Your Highness, the Marquis Yongning's Residence must be bustling with activity right now."
Xue Lin: "What does this have to do with you?"
Sichen: "... Eh?"
Xue Lin left him with only a cold, indifferent back view.
The snow, which had stopped for half an hour, started falling again. Sichen looked around and thought to himself, "Really, it's wrong for people to crave liveliness. This place is almost like a cold palace."
Xue Lin's cold voice came from inside the house--
" Sichen, what are you dawdling for?"
They seemed to be saying that if they didn't come in soon, they could forget about getting their reward this year.
Sichen hurriedly said, "Coming, coming."
*
On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, Tong Aning volunteered to comb Tong Yi'an's hair.
Tong Yi'an was very skeptical, "Fourth Sister, are you really sure you can do it?"
Tong Aning, hands on her hips, chin tilted back, and said, "Who do you think you are? Just tell me what kind you want!"
Tong Yi'an blinked, gesturing as she spoke, "I want one..."
Tong Aning: "Okay, okay, I've got it covered."
Tong Yi'an wanted two pretty little buns on the left and right, with red ribbons fluttering in the wind, but Tong Aning's hairstyle was different—
The bun collapsed, and the hairband got knotted.
Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, Tong Yi'an not only questioned the meaning of life, but also felt like crying.
She pushed Tong Aning, "I want Sister Yingtao to comb my hair!"
Yingtao had been smiling ever since Tong Aning started, but now she toned it down a bit and coaxed softly, "Alright, alright, Fifth Miss, let me comb your hair."
Tong Yi'an still pouted, Yingtao said, "I guarantee it will be completely different from this one, okay?"
Tong Aning's eyes widened. [Who are you trying to discredit?]
Yingtao's hands were the most skillful in the Marquis's mansion, and she finished combing her hair in no time. Tong Yi'an's face returned to a smile.
She glanced at Tong Aning, then ran out.
Tong Aning: "..."
Yingtao looked at Tong Aning, whose hair was still disheveled, and raised an eyebrow. "Fourth Miss?"
Tong Aning: "... Hmph."
Then he sat obediently in front of Yingtao.
The two of them had their hair styled in the most fashionable updos and were wearing new clothes, making them the brightest splash of color in the snowy courtyard.
Today, Su Zhouyue and Tong Aobai are taking them back to the General's Mansion.
As soon as I entered the old couple's courtyard, I heard mocking voices coming from inside the house.
"Brother, sister-in-law, I'm not trying to be mean, but why did you have to send your son away? Now look what's happened, it's the New Year and you don't even have anyone to visit."
Yu Ya: "Are all the people in this room ghosts?"
[Hahahaha, Grandma is amazing!]
Su Zhouyue lifted the curtain and went in, just in time to see her aunt's expression, which looked as if she had swallowed a fly.
Su Zhouyue said, "Father, Mother, Aobai and I have come to wish you a Happy New Year."
Yu Ya and Su Huahan laughed so hard their eyes almost disappeared. "Okay, okay, okay!"
Su Zhouyue looked at the children and said, "Why aren't you going to wish your maternal grandparents a Happy New Year?"
The four people stood together and said loudly, "We wish our maternal grandparents a Happy New Year!"
Aunt's face darkened further. This wasn't a New Year's greeting; it was clearly a slap in the face from what she had just said.
Tong Aobai sat down with Su Mingye, while Su Zhouyue sat next to Xiong Shuiyao and Liu Zhenru, the younger generation huddled together.
Having just suffered a setback, the eldest aunt was determined to get her revenge. Her gaze swept back and forth between Tong Yibin and the other three, and she said regretfully, "Alas, my grandson is good, but he's still just my grandson."
Su Haosi, who was asking Tong Yibin for advice, looked up and asked blankly, "When did I become someone who wasn't human?"
[Hahahaha, there's even an expert here!]
Xiong Shuiyao laughed, then looked at her aunt, whose face had turned green, and said, "Children often speak without thinking, please don't take it to heart."
Her aunt chuckled twice and retorted, "You're already divorced, how dare you still linger here?"
Xiong Shuiyao: "Isn't this the General Who Protects the State's Residence?"
Aunt: "..."
"Oh dear, I'm so sorry, Auntie. I thought I was staying at your house."
Aunt: "..."
Everyone in the house except her aunt was of one mind, and she couldn't argue with any of them, so she could only sulk and wait for her husband to return.
Her husband returned and said, " Zhouyue is back."
Su Zhouyue smiled and nodded.
He even started exchanging pleasantries?
As soon as my uncle sat down, my aunt pinched him hard.
He didn't dare glare at his aunt, and could only weakly ask, "What are you doing?"
"Can't you tell? Everyone's targeting me."
Uncle: "... I didn't realize everyone was so kind."
My aunt was truly exasperated. "What have you been doing?"
My uncle stammered, "I didn't do anything."
[This seems like there's some juicy gossip going on.]
Su Zhouyue paused. Putting everything else aside, her uncle was quite honest and upright. Although her aunt was sharp-tongued, the two had been loving and affectionate for many years.
What can he do?
[Wow, Xixi, are you sure you're not mistaken? This scene is too beautiful, I can't even look at it.]
Aunt: "???"
She stood up, her expression aggressive, and said, " Su Huamo, tell me honestly what you've been doing!"
Su Huamo's eyes darted around guiltily, "I didn't do anything..."
The eldest aunt crossed her arms and snorted, "I knew it! Why are you always so eager to come to the General's Mansion? Tell me, have you been hiding your mistress here with your second brother?"
She had heard a little about Tong Aning.
Every time she makes a move, chaos ensues. Now, it's finally her turn to secretly keep a mistress!
My aunt was so angry she could hardly breathe. "Looking at your thick eyebrows and big eyes, I thought you'd be an honest person!"
Su Huamo's eyes widened, his face flushed with anxiety, and he stammered, "This... this is impossible! This is not true!"
"Then say it!"
Su Huamo pursed his lips, as if his mouth was locked, and remained silent.
His aunt became even angrier when she saw his expression. "Are you trying to drive me crazy...?"
[It's really not a mistress, it's just... hahahahahahahahaha.]
Everyone:...
Stop laughing, give me your lines.
[Actually, my uncle went to dress up as a woman.]
Everyone:?
What is it?