“Ping'an has got a cold recently and had better stay at home. Please forgive me!” Commandery Princess Qingjiang took a sip of the tea and presented two gifts, explaining, “I've also brought the gift for his auntie that he prepares.”

Song Yixiao hastened to express her thanks and then asked about the health condition of Zhuo Ping'an.

Commandery Princess Qingjiang told her smilingly that Ping'an was recovering and also expressed thanks for her concern. The next were Earl Shouchun and his wife.

Earl Shouchun, Dou Rouchi was the half-brother of Commandery Princess Qingjiang. With big eyes, bushy eyebrows, fair complexion and goatee, he was a man of few words, who was dressed appropriately. However, his wife Madam Bai, smiling all the time, had beautiful eyes. She had given birth to three children but she still looked active and easy-going.

After they presented the gifts at the meeting, Jian Yiyou showed up.

It was the first time that Song Yixiao had met this brother-in-law dearly loved by her father-in-law. Jian Yiyou was 19 years old, two years older than Jian Xubai. They looked quite alike but he was more exquisitely dressed than Jian Xubai. Wearing green clothes and a jade hair ornament, Jian Yiyou was a handsome gentleman who was rarely seen.

Especially his eyes resembled Jian Xubai's, which were profoundly dark and sharply bright.

He was neither close nor cold to Jian Xubai and his wife.

He didn't show the lovely brotherhood or appear indifferent, who was like muddling through his work.

After drinking the tea, he took out the gifts and said in a calm voice, “Wish you a happy and harmonious life and live together till old age.”

Then it was over.

Apparently, Jian Xubai didn't like this brother. He only mumbled, “Okay,” and then threw the gift at Ji Su. If Ji Su didn't react fast enough, the gift would drop on the ground.

His arrogance was easily visible and yet it didn't even set off a ripple within Jian Yiyou. However, Jian Likuang was irritated with a stern face, who took a glance at Jinguo Grand Princess quietly and only clenched the tea bowl.

“Take a seat!” Having serving the tea to Jian Yiyou, Jian Xubai held on to Song Yixiao's arm and reminded her to sit down next to Jian Yiyou.

Then a little girl with long eyelashes, sitting at the back, fetched the tray from the servant and walked to them, uttered in a soft voice, “Xubai, Yixiao, please have some tea!”

Jian Xubai pa.s.sed a bowl of tea to Song Yixiao first and then took another bowl himself, mumbling, “This is Mother's foster daughter, Nie Wuying. She is our fifth sister. Just call her Wuying.”

“Nice to meet you, Wuying!” Luckily, Song Yixiao had prepared two more gifts. After taking a sip of tea, she hinted at Jinxun to give one gift to this foster sister. She was a bit speechless to her mother-in-law. If this girl was only a foster daughter, why did she get to be ranked in the seniority among brothers and sisters. And why did she present herself at the tea ceremony?

Pei Yourui, who was also the foster daughter of the Grand Princess, was not here!

Moreover, young as Nie Wuying was, she did resemble the Grand Princess!

“Rumor has it that my mother-in-law has a few kept men in the mansion…” Song Yixiao hurriedly stopped pondering. Regardless, the Grand Princess was her mother-in-law and treated her well. She shouldn't think in this way indeed.

However, she had no idea how to treat this sister-in-law. Then she decided to ask Jian Xubai about it later.

The next following Nie Wuying should be Zhuo Ping'an, but as he didn't come, the kids of Earl Shouchun advanced to greet their new auntie.

Earl Shouchun and his wife had two sons and two daughters, three of whom were legitimate children and the other of whom was born by a concubine. However, only the eldest legitimate son, Dou Anjin and the eldest legitimate daughter, Dou Anyi were here to send their regards. The other two kids were still in their infancy and didn't feel well recently, who were not brought here. Madam Bai apologized on behalf of them.

Song Yixiao drank the tea they served and gave them gifts in return with a compliment. The two kids retreated to their parents with satisfaction. The Grand Princess glimpsed at the sky and said, “Well, you have met with the people in the mansion. Go to your uncle now. He lives alone. It won't delay you anyway. It will be fine for you to enter the imperial palace to express your grat.i.tude after you serve tea to your uncle!”

As their marriage was granted by the Empress Dowager, they must go into the palace and expressed their grat.i.tude to her after getting married.

Jian Xubai agreed on the advice and yet didn't leave at once. Instead, he said goodbye to his peers and relatives politely. He even nodded at his foster sister Nie Wuying but he didn't take a look at Jian Likuang and Jian Yiyou.

“It must be a big trouble in the future that they are so distant from each other!” Song Yixiao looked on coldly and felt worried. “Given the ident.i.ty of the Grand Princess, I don't need to fear that my father-in-law may show bias or that others gossip. Nevertheless, once this mother-in-law… By then, Father-in-law can make Jian Xubai suffer only on the ground of filial piety!”

She recalled that Jinguo Grand Princess was about 10 years older than Jian Likuang…

However, she had a lot of things to worry about at present and had better put aside the future problems!

Song Yixiao kept this in mind and followed her husband's steps attentively without much thinking.

Jian Xubai disregarded Jian Likuang and Jian Yiyou in public when leaving, but obviously, he didn't feel happy at all.

He didn't show his feelings on the way but as he got into the carriage, he became gloomy instantly!

“Uncle Limiao is always in bad health and his wife died in childbirth. He has no offspring. You should show more concern for him in future.” After the carriage went out of the Grand Princess's mansion, he felt better and said with a casual air, “Uncle is nice to me all the time.”

Song Yixiao thought of their first meeting. Back then, it was Jian Limiao who found Jian Xubai in the silk store and persuaded him into going back. It was not strange that a wifeless and childless uncle doted on his nephews and nieces. However, Jian Likuang had partiality for his elder son. No wonder Jian Xubai disregarded his own father and yet respected this uncle. He even specially told Song Yixiao about points for attention before meeting this uncle.

She nodded seriously, “Well noted!”

The mansion where Jian Limiao lived was actually nearer Jinguo Grand Princess's mansion than Duke of Yan's mansion. It was a house with three courtyards. They had just come from the vast Duke of Yan's mansion and the Grand Princess's mansion, but they didn't feel that the place was crowded at all. It was not s.p.a.cious. Very few people would come here. It looked so remote and desolate. How could it be crowded?

“Xubai, since you are married, you are a grown-up now. You must abide by the responsibilities of a husband by showing care for your wife and managing your marriage well.” Jian Limiao was not healthy indeed. Upon entering the house where he resided, they smelt a faint smell of medicine. The room where he met Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao was still full of the lingering smell of medicine despite the burnt incense. Obviously, he must have a lot of medicine before.

However, Song Yixiao had a good impression of him not only because he looked exceptionally handsome. He was not as handsome as the kind of luxurious master like Jian Xubai. Neither did he look as unruly as the rich men's sons like Ji Zifu. Besides, he was not as sedate and conserved as Yuan Xuepei.

With a great body shape, he had das.h.i.+ng eyebrows, bright eyes, a turned-up nose, thin lips and a fair complexion. Today he was wearing a half-old dark blue round-collar gown with a leather belt around his wrist, leaning against the brocade bed. Despite his pale face due to illness, his bearing was greatly decent without any dejected feelings of a patient.

Different from Lu Guanlun's decency, he not only appeared benign and openhearted but also s.h.i.+mmered with a unique charm of a well-known scholar.

Most importantly, his eyes were as bright as stars in the winter night but when he gazed at Jian Xubai and the newly met wife of his nephew, his eyes were brimmed with softness. The heartfelt love reflected in his eyes was never gained by Song Yixiao from her birth father Song Yuan even before she was seven years old.

Back then, Song Yuan cared about his only daughter but his main focus was still his wife, Wei Mengying.

“Uncle, you make it sound like I will bully her.” Jian Xubai was very relaxed in front of this uncle. After serving tea and getting the present, he complained smilingly, “Maybe I am the bullied one.”

Song Yixiao forced a smile with embarra.s.sment. Jian Xubai was not lying but he didn't even say it to his parents. He even asked her to act in Jinguo Grand Princess's mansion and yet seemed to be complaining in front of this uncle now.

Inevitably, she fell into deep thought.

Luckily, Jian Limiao insisted on showing partiality for the wife of his nephew, “Your wife looks rather graceful. How can she be able to bully you? Even if she bullies you, as her husband, you are supposed to bear with her anyway!”

“I must treat this uncle well!” Song Yixiao narrowed her eyes when hearing this. Although she knew that Jian Limiao couldn't be closer to her than his nephew, at least he expressed his care for her anyway. Moreover, his influence on Jian Xubai was rather evident through what he just said. Song Yixiao made up her mind to curry favor with this uncle.

Maybe it was more useful than playing up to Jinguo Grand Princess and the Empress Dowager.

After all, Jian Xubai told her to treat this uncle better!

Jian Xubai didn't know that the joke he made randomly had inspired his wife so much. As they had to express their grat.i.tude for the Empress Dowager's imperial decree, they left after having a short chat with Jian Limiao.

Then they went into the imperial palace. It was convenient for Jian Xubai to go in there. However, they had been to two places to greet the seniors, it was almost time for lunch when they arrived at the Palace of Mingren.

Yet, it was also good for them that they arrived late. That was, there was no imperial concubine in the Hall of Qingxi. After all, the Empress Dowager didn't invite them for lunch. No one dared to keep staying in her palace.

Therefore, Jian Xubai and Song Yixiao only needed to pay regards to the Empress Dowager by kowtowing and curtseying.

The Empress Dowager had always hoped that her grandson could get married. Now she was happy to accept their greetings, grant them a lot of gifts and invited them to have lunch together.

The minute she told them about the lunch invitation, an imperial servant came in and reported that here came Emperor Xianjia.

“It has been a few days since I didn't meet Xubai.” Emperor Xianjia uttered as soon as he arrived, “I heard that he would come here to thank for the imperial decree with his wife today, so I'm here to join the fun.”

He was not alone. The Crown Prince came with him too. They were much alike. To Song Yixiao's surprise, Jian Xubai closely resembled his uncle. Now that the three of them were together. Judging from their appearances, they didn't look like uncle, uncle's son and nephew. Instead, they three looked father and sons.

It reminded Song Yixiao that Emperor Xianjia and his son were said to favor Jian Xubai very much. She wondered whether it was related to their alike appearances. After all, most of people favored the inferiors who resembled them.

The Emperor and the Crown Prince were generous. After receiving the regards, they granted a series of good things to the newly wedded couple.

The Crown Prince added, “Yixiao, if you are free, you may as well pay frequent visits to my wife in the Eastern Palace. She likes you very much.”

Song Yixiao thought to herself that the Crown Princess hadn't even met her before. Why could she like Song Yixiao? However, since the Crown Prince said so to show respect for her, of course she must be grateful.

“What a coincidence! I have asked the chefs to prepare for more dishes for Xubai and his wife.” The Empress Dowager was happy that her grandson was well honored so she let them chat for a while and then said, “Why don't you stay and have lunch together?”

Emperor Xianjia and the Crown Prince accepted the offer gratefully. It was the first time that Song Yixiao had attended such a high-standard dinner. Although what the Empress Dowager prepared for was a family feast and it was not very ceremonious, she was about to eat with the Empress Dowager, the Emperor and the Crown Prince. Besides the Empress, they were the most honored people in Great Rui. Therefore, she had to brace up.

However, without rhyme or reason, Jian Xubai didn't forget to manifest that he was a good husband who loved his wife. After a dish of Stewed Perch was served, he glanced at it and then said to the Empress Dowager, “Grandmother, Shanyao doesn't like it. Let me have it instead!”

Shanyao was Song Yixiao's style name.

Song Yixiao was about to reach out her chopsticks when she was shocked to hear this!