Outside, Xiao Yuling and her two companions had already eaten and gone to rest. None of them were young, and having been on the road for a long time, their bodies were feeling the strain.

At dinnertime, the three of them rose and saw nanny holding the three children. Xiao Yuling, in particular, hurried forward and asked nanny to hand one of the babies to her.

“Is this Yunjing’s child?”

Xiao Yuling took the baby, surprised to see three identical children, and couldn’t help but smile widely.

“Answering the Old Madam, they are the Young Master’s children, triplets,” nanny replied respectfully.

“Oh my goodness, my darlings, my lovely grandsons!” Xiao Yuling was overjoyed and kept kissing the face of the little bun she held.

“WAAH WAAH…”

The little bun, perhaps unwilling to be kissed so much by a stranger, opened his mouth and began to wail.

“What’s wrong?”

Xiao Yunjing and Gu Qingli were in their room preparing quilts and other necessities for Xiao Yuling and the other two. Hearing a baby cry, they both rushed out.

In the main hall, Xiao Yuling was holding the little bun, trying to console him, “You naughty little boy, I’m your grandma! How can you cry when your grandma kisses you? Don’t you like your grandma?”

Gu Qingli and Xiao Yunjing were speechless upon hearing this. Talking like that to a child who was just over a hundred days old was simply absurd.

Xiao Yunjing stepped forward and firmly took the child from Xiao Yuling’s arms. “Do not touch the children in the future.”

Xiao Yuling was dumbfounded. She stood there, staring blankly as her son forbade her from touching her grandchild. What does this mean?

Hui Jing shook her head and led her into a room to sit down.

“Ling’er, I’m leaving early tomorrow morning. If you want to come with me, I’ll take you back. If you choose to stay, then listen to my advice.”

Xiao Yuling, still somewhat stunned, looked at Hui Jing. “Won’t Xin’er stay a few more days?”

Hui Jing shook her head. “No. You know I can’t be away for too long.”

Xiao Yuling nodded. “Speak, Xin’er. I’ve always listened to you.”

Hui Jing sighed. “Ling’er, if you decide to stay, remember this: speak less, observe more, do more. Be kind and amiable, not harsh.”

Xiao Yuling looked at Hui Jing in surprise. “Xin’er, are you saying I’m not kind and amiable, that I’m harsh?”

Hui Jing put her palms together. “Amitabha. Ling’er, whether you are or not, remember what this poor nun has said.”

By referring to herself as ’this poor nun,’ Hui Jing’s meaning was self-evident; it was up to Xiao Yuling to comprehend it.

One is often unaware of their own shortcomings. Hui Jing was very worried that her friend’s temperament would cause problems if she stayed here.

It was clear at a glance that Xiao Yunjing and his wife were no ordinary people. The martial arts of those two maidservants surpassed Yueniang’s, and Xiao Yunjing himself was even more unfathomable. These were not people Xiao Yuling could control.

The most crucial point was Xiao Yunjing’s attitude towards Gu Qingli.

Xiao Yuling bit her lip. She wasn’t stupid—on the contrary, she was very intelligent. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to climb from the rank of a mere consort to that of Noble Consort. Even after she and her son were poisoned, she still had the ability to send her son out of the Imperial Palace. In that environment, and with such a status, she had naturally become very picky.

Seeing her son take a rural woman as his wife was something her heart couldn’t accept. Her attitude, naturally, wasn’t good.

After her friend’s reminder, she realized they were no longer the exalted figures they once were in the Imperial Palace.

She sighed and nodded. “I understand what Xin’er is saying, but for Yunjing to marry such a wife…”

Hui Jing kindly reminded her, “Don’t look down on her. She’s not just a simple rural woman. Besides, what is your and your son’s status now?”

“Mm, I understand. Xin’er, please stay a few more days. I really can’t bear for you to leave.”

“Alright, I truly can’t say no to you.” Hui Jing smiled. She wasn’t actually planning to leave immediately but had taken the opportunity to speak frankly with her. If she didn’t say something, Xiao Yuling’s temperament would eventually lead to her being driven away.

Xiao Yuling smiled back at her.

KNOCK KNOCK…

A knock came at the door.

Xiao Yuling said, “Come in.”

Wuqing entered, carrying a new mattress and quilt. “Reverend, Old Madam, this servant has come to change the bedding.”

Hui Jing replied kindly, “Thank you for your trouble.”

Wuqing said, “Reverend, you don’t need to be so formal. If our Young Miss has been remiss in any way, please forgive her, Reverend.”

Hui Jing gave Xiao Yuling a look that said, ’You see?’ then replied, “Not at all. We were the ones who imposed.”

Wuqing smiled, quickly made the bed, and then four maids brought in many more items, arranging the room. This room was Xiao Yuling’s, so it was furnished more elaborately; Hui Jing’s room was arranged more simply. Yueniang pitched in with Wuqing and the others.

Once everything was set up, Hui Jing pointed at the furnishings in the room and said, “Look! These things would have been considered valuables back in the Capital City. Don’t underestimate them.”

Xiao Yuling touched the table, the chair, the bed, the wardrobe, the screen—indeed, not a single piece was ordinary.

Of course, they weren’t ordinary items; Gu Qingli had collected them all from Dean Lin’s house, so how could they be inferior?

Xiao Yuling’s eyes darkened. She had indeed underestimated them.

When the two women came out, they saw everyone busy bathing the three little ones. Xiao Yuling didn’t go forward but stood to the side and watched.

Watching Gu Qingli and her husband personally wash, dress, and feed the children, with the servants merely handing them things, she was at a loss for words.

Once the couple finished bathing and feeding them, they each held one child, while Wuyou held the third. The servants carried out the other tasks in an orderly fashion.

If Xiao Yuling hadn’t seen her son with her own eyes doing tasks that her former palace maids used to perform, she wouldn’t have believed it even if someone beat her to death. Moreover, the couple was so young, yet they took such good care of the three children, who were so adorable. She longed to hold them. But without her son’s permission, she didn’t dare.

Xiao Yuling followed them around for a long time before finally going back to sleep.

That night, her heart was restless, and she only fell asleep after midnight.

「The next day」

She was awakened by the sounds of effortful grunts and shouts. Getting up, she followed the sound to the backyard and saw Xiao Yunjing practicing martial arts with the four children. Hui Jing and Yueniang were already there, watching from the side.

She walked over.

“The Young Master’s martial arts are very profound,” Yueniang whispered to Xiao Yuling.

Xiao Yuling was once again astonished.

“You four continue practicing like this; I’m going to help your sister,” Xiao Yunjing said, after instructing them on the morning’s training.

“Go on, brother-in-law. Are you going to the County Town later?” Dashuang asked.

“Not today. What’s up?”

“If you’re not going, then we’ll go up the mountain later. My sister said she needs some medicinal herbs, so the four of us are planning to dig them up.”

“Alright,” Xiao Yunjing agreed.

He walked over, glanced at Xiao Yuling and her companions, and said, “Go and have breakfast. Just ask the maids to serve you.”

He and Gu Qingli always ate breakfast only after tending to the three little ones.

The three women nodded and went to ask the maids to serve them breakfast.

Breakfast was simple: vegetable porridge with two large steamed buns.

The three exchanged glances. Yueniang didn’t eat, serving Xiao Yuling and Hui Jing first.

They both took a sip of the porridge. As it entered their mouths, the aroma of vegetables filled their senses, and the rice was soft, glutinous, and fragrant. They had never eaten such a simple-looking yet delicious vegetable porridge before.