Ruyi at the age of seven was already very mature and sensible, displaying quite a bit of the demeanor of a young Xie Jue. Her child-like tendencies to cry, fuss, and act spoiled gradually transformed into a calm and steady demeanor, becoming increasingly like Xie Jue. The children of Prince Yan Mansion all matured early, and even Ruyi, who was doted upon by Xie Jue and Xie Xun, was no exception, becoming sensible early on.

With political stability in the Beining Dynasty and the Crown Prince firmly established, Xie Jue relinquished his powers early on and spent years traveling the land with Fang Chuning, organizing and reforming governance, rarely staying in the Capital City. Left in the Capital, Mingzhu and Ruyi gradually became the backbone of Prince Manor, and in the midst of rumors they understood the relationship between their father and Fang Chuning. Hearing others discuss their father, Ruyi has argued, fought, cried, and complained. Gradually, she came to understand why her father and Uncle Fang were rarely in the Capital, shed her childish pettiness, and was cautious not to make mistakes. The matter concerning her father and Uncle Fang had already been criticized continuously for years without end, prompting Ruyi and Mingzhu to become even more careful. If their manners and conduct faced criticism, the consequences would fall upon Xie Jue and Fang Chuning. In such an environment, even those born of noble blood gradually became calm and collected.

Ruyi was diligent, adept both in literature and military strategy, never falling behind others, and swore to become a princely heir who was beyond reproach. Xie Xun and Fengyu noticed this and felt distressed, often summoning Mingzhu and Ruyi into the palace. Even if Xie Jue wasn’t in the Capital, nobody dared bully Mingzhu and Ruyi, and though cautious in etiquette, they didn’t contend with others. Xie Xun and Fengyu practically stood as a protective force behind them. The children of aristocratic families were shrewd, and wouldn’t dare provoke trouble.

Xie Jue and Fang Chuning left the Capital in March, and by mid-June, Mingzhu and Ruyi received a letter from Xie Jue informing them he’d return to the Capital by the end of the month. The siblings knew their father’s habits well, typically leaving the Capital for half a year and returning in September to spend the New Year with them before departing again. Both he and Fang Chuning weren’t merely traveling for leisure, they were inspecting and reforming various places in Beining. Over the years, Zhongzhou and Jiangnan’s political environments improved significantly, particularly Zhongzhou and the Twelve Prefectures; Beiman disturbances had long stabilized. Additionally, Beiman officials personally chosen by Xie Jue helped stabilize the local people and achieved impressive results, which made young Ruyi proud.

Shortly after mid-June, Ruyi heard news that Duke Wu’an returned to the Capital for a debrief, accompanied by his wife and children. Mrs. Fang mentioned that Duke Wu’an would be reassigned to the Capital and no longer guard Sannan, as the court would appoint a new military general to oversee Sannan. Ruyi also understood why her father and Uncle Fang returned to the Capital ahead of schedule. On the third day after Duke Wu’an’s family arrived, Marchioness sent an invitation to Prince Manor, inviting Mingzhu and Ruyi for a gathering.

Mingzhu prepared gifts and took Ruyi to visit.

Xie Jue and Fang Chuning had taken Mingzhu and Ruyi out of the Capital for several months two years ago, visiting Sannan and staying at Duke Wu’an Mansion for half a month, deeply enjoying the company of Duke Wu’an’s adorable chubby children. Two years passed, and the little ones had grown robust and much taller than other children their age; moreover, Marchioness had given birth to a pair of dragon and phoenix twins still in swaddling clothes. Mingzhu and Ruyi brought gifts for the children, and Marchioness invited only the siblings and Mrs. Fang for a small family dinner, anticipating a simple reunion while Xie Jue and Fang Chuning were on their way back to the Capital. The twins argued over who received which gift and ended up in a fight, bruising each other’s noses, but Duke Wu’an and Marchioness let them tussle, not intervening, while Mingzhu expressed regret for not bringing identical gifts.

Seeing Mingzhu’s remorse, Marchioness hastily said, "Mingzhu, don’t worry about them. Last time, Dalang had a puppy, and Er Lang insisted on wanting one just like it, causing a commotion for half a month. They fought for just as long, unwilling to share and insisting on each having one of their own. In the end, neither got one, as their father wouldn’t indulge them. Upon returning home, each received several strokes and calmed down."

The twins differed greatly from the children of noble families. They were strikingly handsome, inheriting Duke Wu’an and Marchioness’ advantages, possessing deep and spirited features unlike the ruggedness of Beiman, beautifully harmonious. Their temper was genuinely fiery, engaging in fights at the slightest disagreement. Initially, Marchioness tried discipline, but eventually, she let them be. Living far off in Sannan with little restraint, their temper was particularly domineering. Ruyi played with them briefly, her own temperament becoming more lively.

Even though Fang Chuning and Xie Jue had no wedding nor marriage papers, Fang Family and Prince Yan Mansion treated each other as relatives—a mutual understanding. When the two were not in the Capital, Mrs. Fang often invited Mingzhu and Ruyi, looking after the young siblings. Mingzhu and Ruyi grew accustomed to such a lifestyle, paying no heed to gossip around them.

After the twins returned to the Capital, Ruyi found playmates. Though she didn’t lack companions, interactions among aristocratic children extended beyond shared disposition and involved interests among families. As the princely heir, many children from noble families sought her company. Ruyi was amiable, having many friends her age, and contrary to the mischief-making Crown Prince, Prince Yan was highly welcomed.

The twins, unfamiliar with the Capital due to their long residence in Sannan, found Ruyi as their elder brother upon their return. She often guided them in playful ventures. Though these brothers were unwavering due to their fiery temper, they rarely provoked issues and quickly bonded with many children in the Capital.

Xie Jue and Fang Chuning returned to the Capital, each going home separately, while Ruyi and Mingzhu eagerly awaited them at the doorstep. Although Ruyi was not as attached as she was in her childhood, seeing her father still brought immense joy, her smile wide. Learning that Xie Jue wouldn’t leave the Capital again in the short term, Ruyi felt even happier.

Ruyi still loved sharing various interesting tidbits with Xie Jue, and upon his return, she promptly informed him about how, during Duke Wu’an’s visit to the palace with the twins, there was an altercation with the Crown Prince over pitch-pot throwing. The Crown Prince was notorious for his temper; being of the same age, any disagreement among the three led to a brawl. Initially, Dalang and the Crown Prince were quarrelling, where Er Lang naturally sided with his brother. Fortunately, the strength of three-year-olds was limited, resulting in mere small bruises, yet Duke Wu’an dared not take his sons back to the palace again.

The Crown Prince, knowing his brother brought twins along, was furious and hadn’t spoken to his brother in three days.

In matters of children’s scuffles, Xie Jue remained uninvolved. Ruyi, at three years old herself, had a volatile temper, teasing animals. Growing up, she restrained much of it, though Xie Xun and Fengyu were less restrictive of Xingxing. The twins returning to the Capital was indeed a boon; with peers around, Xingxing wouldn’t cling to Ruyi as much.

Xingxing’s attachment to his brother was excessive, compelling Ruyi to often visit the palace. Though he adored his younger brother, he was older by several years, burdened by busy studies, preventing frequent palace visits, and had his circle of friends. Xingxing clamored multiple times, demanding to stay at Prince Manor. With boisterous twins around, Ruyi needn’t entertain his younger sibling.

Ruyi, exceedingly sensible, also knew his brother was the Crown Prince, always yielding intentionally or inadvertently. Xie Jue understood that children’s maturity came naturally, though he hoped Ruyi could remain freer, without undue constraint.

Fang Chuning visited Prince Manor at night, where Xie Jue recounted the incident of Fang Lingjun’s children fighting with Xingxing. Fang Chuning chuckled, saying, "Junjun was terrified, particularly with the Crown Prince bleeding from the blows by Dalang and Er Lang. They received ten strokes each from Dugu Jing upon returning home. Hopefully, they wouldn’t dare again."

"Given this, they likely won’t want to play with Xingxing in the future?"

Fang Chuning shrugged, "There’s nothing to be done, only Ruyi can scuffle without getting punished. Anyone else would face strokes upon returning home."

Originally, Xie Jue envisioned letting the twins play with Xingxing, easing Ruyi’s burden. Disappointed, his treasured boy would continue bearing the responsibility.

"Based on my understanding of Zhixu, I suppose she’d choose them as fellow readers for Xingxing."

"Hah... that could be quite amusing."