Old Madam Qi smiled so broadly that the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothed out—and yet, she couldn’t help but tear up.
What a good child.
Her voice choked with emotion: “Yuanyuan, Grandmother often feels she’s wronged you.”
She had once sent people to the estate to inquire about Li Xiuniang and Butcher Xu.
Only then did she learn—almost everyone on the estate knew about Qi Yuan. From a young age, she had lived with difficulty. At her hungriest, she even fought a dog for scraps that others had thrown away.
She had lived such a hard life, yet if you showed her even a sliver of kindness, she would never forget it and take it to heart.
For a time, Old Madam Qi would toss and turn at night, unable to sleep, her heart aching when she thought about what Qi Yuan had gone through.
She could hardly bear to imagine how Qi Yuan survived those long, hungry nights, nor could she bear to wonder whether Qi Yuan, back then, had secretly longed countless times for some rescue—from her own kin.
She couldn’t help but cry.
Qi Yuan was at a bit of a loss.
She herself didn’t cry—only people who hadn’t lost all hope could still shed tears.
She had grown up in hardship, and had seen through the indifference and opportunism of the world.
But still, she believed that sincere tears could burn.
After hesitating a moment, she gently patted Old Madam Qi’s hand. “Grandmother, it’s all in the past now.”
Old Madam Qi pulled her into an embrace, gently patting her back.
Qi Yuan’s spine was straight as ever. In her whole life—aside from Madam Xie from her past life—no one had ever held her so gently in comfort.
In this moment, she suddenly felt that perhaps the heavens really were fair.
They had given her a second chance—and with it, so many things she’d never even dared to dream of before.
Old Marquis Qi, having finally stopped coughing, now felt his own nose sting.
Seeing Old Madam Qi still crying, he couldn’t help but clear his throat and mutter, “Alright, alright! This is good news—why are you crying?”
Then he looked to Qi Yuan with gentler eyes and asked, “Yuanyuan, have you truly thought this through? All we hope is for you to be happy. Whatever you decide, we’ll support you.”
Qi Yuan nodded.
She knew—there were too many things in this world that, the more you wanted them, the harder they were to obtain. Better to hold tight to what you already had. A little was still something.
The moon was hers—and it only shone on her.
Of course she had to seize it.
Old Marquis Qi let out a hearty laugh: “Good! Then Grandfather will be your backing! Yuanyuan, the Qi family owes you much in the past—but from now on, we’ll make it right. Go forward boldly. The Qi family will always be behind you!”
Qi Yuan smiled and nodded.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yunting had returned to the palace and gone straight to see Empress Feng.
The empress was practicing calligraphy. When she heard Xiao Yunting had come, she set down her brush and allowed him to enter.
She herself sat down on a rosewood armchair, looking coolly at the boy entering.
Xiao Yunting walked in with light steps and bowed.
Youthful and brimming with energy, he was strikingly handsome—just like the kind of young man who rides past towers with red-sleeved beauties waving down from the balconies.
Yet there was not a trace of frivolity in his demeanor. On the contrary, he carried a sharp air of authority befitting someone of high rank—just enough to balance out his looks and lend him an even more commanding presence.
No wonder Emperor Yongchang preferred his grandson over the Crown Prince. Just from appearance alone, the gap between them was stark.
Empress Feng gave a soft sigh in her heart. “You seem like you have good news?”
Of course, she already knew about the Feng family’s situation—but by the time she had, it was already too late to act.
Censor Tie had hounded the Fengs relentlessly, even comparing Old Master Feng to Cao Cao, forcing Empress Feng to realize she had no choice but to let the matter drop.
Still, her heart was not entirely at ease.
After this episode, how could she not see Xiao Jingzhao’s true attitude toward the Feng family?
Just as he had said before—what the Fengs had done for them in the past had earned them rewards, but only rewards.
He had never planned to give the Fengs a daughter-in-law seat in the imperial family.
Xiao Yunting spoke openly and confidently: “There is indeed a happy matter. Before everything is finalized, I wanted to tell Grandmother first.”
He said solemnly, “The girl I like is the eldest daughter of the Yongping Marquis’ household. She has finally agreed to marry me. So I wanted to let you know that the future Imperial Grandson Consort has been decided—I hope you will come to like her too.”
Empress Feng couldn’t help but frown.
She had already heard as much from Feng Caiwei.
But hearing it from Xiao Yunting himself—this earnestly, this seriously—was something else entirely.
She frowned slightly. “Yunting, your wife will be the future mother of the nation. Do you really believe Miss Qi is up to the task?”
Xiao Yunting’s smile didn’t falter: “I believe she is.”
Empress Feng’s tone dropped slightly: “She spent the first dozen years of her life on an estate. While other noble daughters were studying the four arts and managing households, she was feeding pigs and chopping firewood. Yunting, think this through carefully.”
Xiao Yunting interrupted her: “I’ve thought it through. I know all that.”
He looked directly into her eyes, calm and unflinching: “Being born noble and living in comfort isn’t all that impressive. What’s truly admirable is someone who starts from hardship, rises from obscurity, and still shines bright—anchored to this world like a nail. Qi Yuan is such a person. And that’s exactly the kind of person I admire.”
What more could Empress Feng say?
She could already see how resolute Xiao Yunting was.
The tiger had grown. It was no longer a cub to be directed at will.
At least—this leash was no longer in her hands.
Leaning back against the chair, she ultimately relented: “Since you’ve said so much, I have nothing more to add. After all, it’s your life—you two will be the ones living it. I only hope you won’t regret it.”
Xiao Yunting stood up and bowed deeply. “Thank you, Royal Grandmother, for your blessing. I will never regret it.”
He turned and walked out with long strides, his figure straight like a pine tree.
Empress Feng sat quietly, her heart a swirl of unnameable emotion.
The Xiao family wasn’t known for romance. Why did it have to be Xiao Yunting—this rare one-in-ten-thousand exception?
Xiao Yunting made his way cheerfully to the Eastern Palace to tell his mother, Crown Princess Lu.
She had kept to herself for years, rarely appearing in public—but every time she saw Xiao Yunting, her face would always light up.
When she saw him approaching, she stood and smiled, reaching out her hand gently. “You’ve grown taller again.”
She said it every time he visited. Xiao Yunting leaned his head toward her hand with a grin: “Before Royal Mother, I’ll always be a child.”
Crown Princess Lu laughed aloud and stroked his head. “Did something good happen today? You look so happy.”
Xiao Yunting replied softly, “Yes, Royal Mother. The one I love now loves me back too—it’s a very good thing.”
Crown Princess Lu gave a delighted “Ah!” and laughed: “Then it truly is wonderful news—she must be a very good girl.”
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