No one found it surprising.
Before the imperial decree was issued, Yi Yan Geng was only lacking the title of Regent.
Now, it was even more legitimate.
There were dissenting voices in the court.
But no matter how loud these voices were, they couldn't reach Yuanyou Palace.
Or, it could be said that these voices wouldn't affect His Majesty's pursuit of immortality.
Who would dare to knock on the palace gates now?
The bloodstains in the cracks of the bricks in front of the palace gates might not have been washed clean yet.
Xu Shuo sighed silently, inevitably worried about the future situation.
However, Xie Jiang didn't take it as a big deal, saying in a casual tone, "Yi Yan Geng has been made Regent. Should I go and congratulate him?"
Saying this, she turned to Yue Lin and Xu Shuo, asking, "Do you want to go together?"
Xu Shuo smiled and said, "Lord Yi, the Regent, has always disliked being in the spotlight. He's probably already closed his doors to visitors, so there's no need to rush to congratulate him."
Marquis Xie thought too highly of them. Even if they were to go and congratulate him, it wouldn't be their turn to do so.
Yue Lin nodded in agreement, "Yesterday, when the King of Nanyang was enfeoffed, the scene outside the Marquis of Nanhai's mansion was quite something. Today, with the Regent's enfeoffment, the Regent's mansion is likely to be similar. If we want to squeeze in, it will probably be quite difficult."
Xie Jiang had a good relationship with Yi Yan Geng, so it was appropriate for her to go and congratulate him. However, it was unnecessary for Yue Lin and Xu Shuo. Their relationship with Yi Yan Geng had not reached that level.
Xie Jiang had just said it casually. After a tiring day, she just wanted to lie down and didn't have the energy to go around.
Chang Yang, the butler of the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, was internally excited but showed no outward emotion as he watched the three of them leave, until Xie Jiang and the other two disappeared around the street corner.
After turning back and closing the door, isolating all the demons and monsters, his footsteps became hurried.
The siblings had concerns and did not personally escort them to the main gate, but Chang Yang knew that the young master and the third young lady were definitely still waiting.
As expected.
Two figures, one tall and one short, were still standing there.
"Young Master, Third Young Lady."
Chang Yang stepped forward, "Marquis Xie and Young Masters Yue and Xu have already returned."
Song Ze nodded and said only one word, "Good."
Song Xun held the two osmanthus branches in her hand, her face beaming with joy. "It's a pity it's so late. It would be great if you could stay for dinner."
Chang Yang smiled and comforted her, "Third Young Lady, don't worry. There will be such a day sooner or later."
"I'm just becoming more and more greedy," Song Xun's bright eyes curved into crescent moons.
Song Ze smiled and raised his hand to pat her head. "This is not greed. We have waited for her to come home for so long."
Seeing the young master and the third young lady happy, Chang Yang became even more unable to hide his excitement. "When Marquis Xie left, he left a whole deer, as well as two civets and several fat rabbits. I heard that Marquis Xie likes to eat roasted rabbit legs, and always eats roasted rabbit legs whenever there is roasted meat. He was eating roasted rabbit legs when he went hunting outside the city today. I will instruct the kitchen to prepare them. Young Master and Third Young Lady, would you like to try some?"
Chang Yang still cautiously avoided directly addressing the second young lady.
It was enough to keep it in his heart.
"Yes, yes, yes, we will have roasted rabbit legs for dinner today," Song Xun said.
"I'll go tell Mother. Mother must have heard the news too, and she'll be so happy."
After saying that, Song Xun grabbed her skirt and ran towards the back of the house, disregarding all rules and decorum. Every step she took was filled with joy.
Song Ze originally wanted to go with Song Xun, but when he turned around, Song Xun had already disappeared.
"Mother, Mother—"
As Song Xun ran in from outside, she saw her mother pacing in the courtyard, clearly also missing her second sister.
Looking at Song Xun, whose little face was flushed and whose smile was as bright and cheerful as a little bird's, Madam Song Er couldn't help but smile.
Her child, who had been wandering outside for so many years, had finally returned home today. How could Madam Song Er not be happy and excited?
Madam Song Er asked, "Did she leave?"
Song Xun nodded with a smile, "It's a pity it's too late today. She only stayed for a short while."
Madam Song Er's smile turned into tears, her voice choked with emotion. "I almost couldn't hold back just now..."
When she was sent away, she was so delicate and small. She must have suffered a lot.
Although Song Ze and Song Xun had met Xie Jiang and told her that Xie Jiang was doing well now, with the powerful Lan Yong Xie clan as her backing, it was not something they had seen with their own eyes.
Moreover, the more powerful the Lan Yong Xie clan was as a backing, the greater the price that child must have paid.
It was imaginable what that child had gone through all these years!
Madam Song Er's heart ached at the thought.
"Me too, but I saw my second sister, Mother..."
"It's okay," Madam Song Er looked up and forced back her tears.
"When I sent Sister Yao out, I also spoke with my second sister. This is what my second sister gave us."
Song Xun spread her palms like she was presenting a treasure. It was the two osmanthus hairpins. "I heard that my second sister bought many, and Sister Yao and the others also received them. They are not conspicuous and won't attract suspicion. We can wear them every day."
Madam Song Er took the two osmanthus branches and stared at them for a long time.
"Second sister is so smart!"
"I even suspect that woman was arranged by my second sister in advance. She calculated the time and waited for them on their way back, and then my second sister passed by and bought them to distribute to everyone. Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence that only two were left for us?"
Song Xun felt that her second sister had gone to great lengths to give them a little something.
Madam Song Er looked at her as if she were a little fool.
Song Xun believed it wholeheartedly, but her mother's gaze... "Isn't it?"
Madam Song Er said, "There's no need for that."
"Is it really a coincidence?" Seeing her mother's confident look, Song Xun couldn't believe it.
Madam Song Er said, "To give us a small gift, there's no need to go through so many twists and turns. She could have just sent it directly."
Only then did Song Xun have to believe it. "I heard that my second sister often sends small gifts of food and daily necessities to the female relatives in the mansions of the several old masters."
Madam Song Er sighed softly. "Although she has only returned to the capital, she knows everything."
She remembered everyone who had protected the Duke of Dingguo's mansion in times of crisis and was willing to associate with them.
As for those who had openly and secretly pushed and trampled on the Duke of Dingguo's mansion, some had already met their misfortune, and the rest should prepare to welcome their misfortune.
However, her attitude towards the Duke of Wei's mansion made Madam Song Er somewhat unable to understand.
She only knew that she harbored no goodwill towards the Duke of Wei's mansion.
Returning to the capital as the young master of the Lan Yong Xie clan, and now being the Marquis of Nanhai personally appointed by His Majesty, it seemed that everything was within her plan.
There was no rush.
Madam Song Er and Song Ze had decided to wait and see.
The deep sea of blood and revenge for the Duke of Dingguo's mansion was not just about the Duke of Wei's mansion or those who had fanned the flames.
The true culprit was the one in Yuanyou Palace.
How could it be easy for them to seek revenge? This matter could not be rushed, and she hoped Xie Jiang would not be anxious either.
Her hair was blown loose by the wind. Song Xun looked up, "It's getting windy. Is it going to rain?"
Since the person had already left, Madam Song Er's eagerness to see her subsided. She sat down under the grape trellis, and the suddenly strong wind rustled the grapevines.
Madam Song Er said with a smile, "Accompany me to Nanzhao Temple in a few days. Since your second sister has returned, it's time to fulfill our vows to Buddha and the Bodhisattvas."