The border is at war, while the Capital is in mourning!

The Crown Prince is overwhelmed, but luckily, Panpan’s words have reassured him by more than half.

Here, the peace of the Crown Princess Consort’s pulse is attended to by three people summoned by Doctor Guan, and no other Imperial Physicians can intervene.

The Empress told the Crown Prince that when he ascends the throne and grants amnesty to the world, the Xiao family will also be pardoned.

The Empress Dowager and the former Emperor were laid to rest in the imperial mausoleum, and the new emperor’s ascension ceremony was held grandly.

"Long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor, long live the Emperor!"

"Everyone, rise!"

The new emperor waved his hand, and the civilian and military officials stood up.

Next followed a long series of conferrals.

The Empress became the Empress Dowager, and the Cining Palace changed its owner.

The Crown Princess Consort was conferred as Empress, becoming the owner of the Kunning Palace.

All of the concubines of the former Emperor became Dowager Concubines. Some young women would now spend their days suffering as living corpses in the harem.

Next, the new emperor granted amnesty to the world, and he specially issued an imperial decree: Summoning the Xiao family back to the Capital.

When Xiao Chunyu heard this news, he was in tears: I’ve finally waited for this day. Finally, we can reunite the family.

Xiao Chunning received the news of the new emperor’s amnesty and the announcement of the imperial examinations midway from the Northern Desert back to Shu City. He hadn’t yet heard that his family had also been pardoned.

When he returned to Shu City, he saw the entire family was jubilant.

Had he missed some joyous event?

"Chun Ning, you’re finally back. We can return to the Capital now."

What?

"The new emperor granted amnesty, and also pardoned our Xiao family. We can return to the Capital now," Mrs. Xu said excitedly. "The Northern Desert should have also received the decree. We can finally return to the Capital for a reunion."

"Yes, we’re finally heading back to the Capital. Just, is our house still there?" Mrs. Xu worried, "Where will we live when we get back?"

"Second Aunt, don’t worry. Even if there’s no place to stay when we get back, it’s not a problem. We can buy an estate or something."

Mrs. Zhu said, "As long as we can go back to the Capital, that’s all that matters."

Back then, she was pregnant and left the Capital, traveling with the Xiao family to Shu City. Now her son is already seven years old!

Seven years, a full seven years, the Xiao family managed to endure living in Shu City against all odds; it wasn’t easy at all.

The day they received the imperial decree, the whole family wept with joy.

Heavens know how hard they waited for this day to come.

"Yes, going back to the Capital, the children can also talk about marriage."

The daughters of the Xiao family were getting older, and this was Mrs. Huang’s greatest worry.

Hearing about marriage, Xiao Chunning suddenly thought of someone.

Ah, I’ll visit her tomorrow.

"Then let’s make arrangements, see how to handle things here and prepare to set off for the Capital."

Mrs. Xu remained the backbone of the family.

"Now that Chun Ning is back, send for Nuannuan to come back so we can discuss together."

The Xiao family, after many years, gathered once again for a discussion.

"Nuannuan, what do you think we should do with the Xiao family’s properties?"

Thinking back to the initial years, when the Xiao family arrived in Shu City, they were dirt poor, having to pawn a few clothes just to afford food and lodging; they even met with a fire that burned everything to the ground... As difficult as those days were, the better days now could not be achieved without Nuannuan’s efforts.

So despite her being a married woman, Mrs. Xu still wanted to hear her opinion.

"I suggest we keep them." Xiao Chunnuan pondered for a while, "We are an independent branch of the Xiao Family. Now, we have some properties in Shu City too, and we should leave them in the hands of reliable people to manage."

Preserve ancestral properties—do not sell them!

No matter how high a position one holds or how far one travels, there must always be a place to return to.

Thinking back, if Great Grandfather and Grandmother had found reliable people to manage things, the Xiao family could have returned from hard times without living so miserably, and Grandmother might not have passed away either.

"I agree with Sister’s suggestion," Xiao Chunning nodded, "When I went to the Northern Desert, both Uncle and Third Uncle spoke about the Xiao family’s ancestral properties, saying we should now have our own ancestral properties, managed in our own hands. We’ve been deceived once; we shouldn’t fall into the same pit twice."

Chun Ning spoke of the situation in the Northern Desert: once refined elder men had become weathered; young brothers from that time had turned into middle-aged men.

Seven years, ample time for many people and things to change.

"If we calculate the time, we should reach the Capital before they do," Mrs. Xu said. "Our immediate task is to plan where to live once we reach the Capital?"

"There’s no need for Auntie to worry. Naturally, we’ll stay at home once we return to the Capital."

At home?

"The Xiao Mansion. My husband has already bought it and arranged everything. All you have to do is move in when you return."

"Really?"

The members of the Xiao family were all shocked, "You had him buy it?"

Only Nuannuan could have been so thoughtful.

"No, he bought it and then wrote to inform me."

"The son-in-law is quite considerate."

This left the Xiao family very grateful to Zhao Minghua.

The family began discussing the date to set off.

"The sooner, the better," said Chunnuan, "By the time we reach the Capital, it’ll be winter, and the roads will be icy."

"Then we’ll leave in three days," Mrs. Xu, always the one for decisive actions, "Chun Ning, make the necessary arrangements to hand over the fields and properties to reliable people. Additionally, leave the courtyard in Nanny Wu’s care. Also, contact an escort master; our safety on the journey back to the Capital is the priority..."

Chunnuan listened to Mrs. Xu’s methodical arrangements and silently praised her: Aunt truly hasn’t lost the bearing of a head of a great household!

She deserved to enjoy a life of comfort in a large manor!

At last, they could return to the Capital; the Xiao family had finally seen the light after the storm!

After returning to the Zhao family, Chunnuan awaited news.

Sure enough, the next day Bai Zhi reported: Chunning went to that alley.

Chunnuan sighed softly: This boy, after all, a sentimental hurdle to cross!

However, doomed to be disappointed.

"Go and ask if the master has found his escort team yet?"

To see him idle around, not realizing he has such an important task to do.

Chunning returned from town, a bit absent-minded.

Just in time, Mrs. Xu asked about the escort master.

"Aunt, I’ll head to town to find an escort master now."

"What did you go to town for earlier? To find Nuannuan?"

"I..." Her straightforward question caught him off guard, making him pause — yes, what did he go for?

"Chun Ning, over the years in Shu City, you’ve been raised under my watch. You’re usually discrete and steady in what you do. What happened today?"

Mrs. Xu realized that Chunning must have something on his mind.

At that age, if a young man had something distracting him like this, it must be a girl.

If they were to remain in Shu City with no known return date, Mrs. Xu wouldn’t mind him marrying a local girl.

But now, as they were heading back to the Capital, even if there was no intention to shoot for high connections, they couldn’t randomly marry a town girl. After all, the Xiao family still needed to interact in the Capital; Chunning was the most important young man of the Xiao family’s next generation, and his wife must be able to hold her own in society.

"Aunt, Chun Ning was wrong."

Mrs. Xu’s words made Chunning realize how out of line he was, almost jeopardizing the Xiao family’s return to the Capital because of her.

It was a wake-up call.

"Chun Ning will go find the escort master at once."