After playing in the Plum Garden for a while, Mrs. Han and Yun Qi escorted Yun Jinnian back to Niannian Garden, then returned to the main courtyard.
At the front gate, Yun Qi knew Mrs. Han would not ask him to enter the house, "Shu niang, go to bed early, see you in the morning!"
"Mm!"
Mrs. Han responded faintly and entered the small hall.
Yun Qi waited for a while, then happily went to sleep in the room next door.
He was already very happy to be so close to Mrs. Han.
The days were pleasant and comfortable.
Yun Qi, seemingly aware that Yun Jinnian could not read, made a special effort to teach Yun Jinnian, while Mrs. Han took up needle and thread to sit aside and make clothes for Yun Jinnian, with Mrs. Yuan and the others helping out.
Mrs. Han was determined to have a few sets of clothes made for Yun Jinnian before the New Year.
Yun Qi's literary grace was excellent, composing poetry and making rhymes with ease, and Yun Jinnian soon immersed himself in this atmosphere.
But the warm days passed by quickly.
On the twenty-first day of the twelfth lunar month, the whole family was to go to the Yun Family.
The Imperial Court took recess especially early this year, starting on the twentieth of the twelfth month, and Yun Chen, knowing that Yun Qi would bring Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian back on the twenty-first, ordered everyone in the Yun Family, from top to bottom, to greet them at the gate.
Mrs. He felt fear and apprehension inside.
Still, she made sure that Yun Muyou and the others were not allowed to sleep in; though she could not control Xu Xinmo, her own daughters had to be present.
Early in the morning, Yun Chen was already sitting in the main seat of the grand hall, seemingly calm as he sipped his tea, but inside, his heart was a mix of feelings.
The elder madam, after all, arrived in the grand hall with Xu Xinmo.
From the elder madam, Yun Chen, Mrs. He, several of Yun Chen's concubines, Yun Qi's concubines like Su Ayi and Hua Ayi, down to the legitimate sons, Yun Zhen, Yun Yi, Yun Xuan, and the legitimate daughters, Yun Muyou, Yun Musi, Yun Mulan, to the legitimate daughters of the first family Yun Zihan, of the second family Yun Zuomo, and Yun Qingzhi, Yun Qingqing.
The elder madam sat in the main seat, continuously twirling the Buddha Beads, trying to suppress the chaos in her heart.
And the fear.
For some reason, she felt that the return of Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian this time was not so simple.
On the carriage
Mrs. Han held Yun Jinnian's hand, "Jinnian, are you scared?"
Yun Jinnian shook his head slightly, "With mom and dad here, I'm not scared!"
Mrs. Han patted Yun Jinnian's hand and looked at Yun Qi, "What about you, is there anything you want to tell the two of us?"
"As long as you're happy, that's good!"
"That's what you said, don't jump out to stop me later!" said Mrs. Han, embracing Yun Jinnian in her arms.
When the carriage stopped at the entrance of the Yun Family.
Yun Qi got off the carriage first, and the doorman immediately greeted him, very respectfully, "The servant greets Second Master!"
When he saw Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian, he paused, then respectfully said, "Greetings to the Second Madam, greetings to the Fourth Miss!"
"Mm!" Yun Qi responded coldly and briefly as he helped Mrs. Han and Yun Jinnian off the carriage.
His attentiveness surprised the doorman.
"Shu niang, Jinnian, we're home!" Yun Qi said, leading Yun Jinnian, with Mrs. Han on his other side, and Mrs. Yuan, Ming Yang, Ru Yue, and Bai Que followed with the embroidered boxes.
Servants naturally began moving things.
There were tags on several boxes indicating where to send them.
In the grand hall
The elder madam watched as Yun Qi led Yun Jinnian in, with Mrs. Han walking by their side, causing a sting in her eyes.
Xu Xinmo looked at Yun Jinnian's rosy-cheeked, tender and delicate little face, wearing a small jacket of light green smoke-like gauze with soft embroidery, her hair arranged in a hanging bun with long tresses cascading down her back.
Two butterfly-shaped jade hairpins, as clear and sparkling as crystal, were pinned in her hair, with a small string of gemstone beads amidst her locks looking incredibly beautiful.
The entire person was truly charming and adorable, instantly outshining all of her sisters in the room.