Cultivation Begins with Caring for Sister-in-law

Chapter 812 - 817: Home, Part 2

...Early November had just passed, and it was now mid‑month.

Fine snow was falling from the sky.

On the official road less than fifty li from Tianchuan City.

A caravan was slowly moving along.

Inside the carriage, Xingyao was dressed all in black with a cloak over her shoulders. She stretched her hand out of the window; the howling cold wind poured in. Xingyao caught a snowflake and then pulled her hand back.

Although the snowflake quickly melted, there was still a hint of a smile on her cold, aloof face.

In Yelang, it was rare to see snow, let alone snow this heavy.

She hadn’t expected that as soon as she came to Great Song, she would get to see a snowy scene.

"Princess, Great Song is so cold." Shuang’Er, who was driving outside, rubbed her hands together. She was still wearing a skirt.

"Shuang’Er, we’re about to reach the Capital of Great Song. From now on, don’t call me Princess anymore." Xingyao said, watching the snow outside the window.

Shuang’Er: "???"

"Now that Mother is gone, the reason I brought you with me was because I was afraid you’d be taken revenge on if you stayed in Yelang. Now that we’re in Great Song, you don’t have to follow me anymore." Xingyao said.

Shuang’Er froze. "Princess, you don’t want this maid anymore?"

Xingyao shook her head. "It’s not that I don’t want you. I’m granting you your freedom."

There was a trace of confusion about the future in Xingyao’s eyes. "After all, I don’t even know myself—once I get to the Prince’s Mansion, will I be taken as his concubine, or as a slave? If you stay with me, this whole life of yours will be spent as a beast of burden.

And I don’t know whether his inner courtyard is full of scheming or not. If there is scheming, you might even be in danger. So after we enter the city, I’ll give you a sum of silver and ask him to register you as a resident of Great Song. Then you can find a good family to marry into."

"Princess..." Shuang’Er’s voice was tinged with grief.

"You’ve been with Mother a long time. Before Mother was killed, she wanted you to flee as quickly as possible. That shows you truly cared for her. All the more reason I can’t let your youth be wasted."

...

Back then, Chen Mo had left Tianchuan in a low‑key manner.

This time coming back, Chen Mo had only notified his family and Geng Songfu and the others, telling them not to put on any big display to welcome him, since this trip was, after all, for personal business.

So when he entered the city, everything went very smoothly.

When they were almost at the Prince’s Mansion, Xingyao called out to him.

Chen Mo rode his horse over to the side of her carriage.

Xingyao told him about Shuang’Er’s matter.

Chen Mo patted his chest in assurance. "I thought it was something serious. Since she’s your person and also a Martial Artist, I guarantee I’ll find her a good match. Before that, let her stay at the Prince’s Mansion first."

Xingyao nodded, secretly letting out a breath of relief. At least from his answer, he did value her somewhat and wasn’t treating her casually.

"Miss, this is Great Song’s Capital? There are so many people. It’s snowing and still so lively." As a maid from a great family in Yelang, Yu Zhu now looked a bit like a country girl entering the city for the first time.

Compared with Great Song, the capital of Yelang was simply worlds apart.

But Lin Xuelan, sitting inside the carriage, had no mind to appreciate what was happening outside.

At this moment, Lin Xuelan’s mood was like that of an ugly daughter‑in‑law about to meet her parents‑in‑law.

She was silently rehearsing in her heart how she should greet Chen Mo’s wives and concubines when she met them later.

The caravan soon arrived at the gate of Prince Wei’s Mansion.

Liang Mu had already left ahead of time.

At the main gate, Wu Mi and the other women were all dressed in padded jackets and skirts, and had been waiting for a while.

Seeing his wives and concubines who had been waiting so long, Chen Mo urged his horse to speed up a bit more, then swung off the horse and jogged over. "Didn’t I tell you to wait inside the mansion? It’s snowing so heavily outside, and you’re standing at the gate. It’s freezing."

Chen Mo held Wu Mi’s small hand, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.

"We just missed our husband." Wu Mi said softly.

"Erlang, is everything done?" Han Anniang saw the frost and snow on Chen Mo’s hair and eyebrows, stepped forward to brush it off for him, and straightened his robes.

"Mm, it’s all done." Chen Mo nodded.

"You really never forget to bring women home every time."

Looking at the few women stepping down from the carriages, Xia Zhining couldn’t help speaking in a yin‑yang tone.

Chen Mo was long used to it. He let go of Wu Mi’s hand, turned and waved at Lin Xuelan and the others, signaling them to come over quickly.

"Wu Mi, let me introduce you. This is Lin Xuelan, and next to her is her maid Yu Zhu. This is the Yelang Kingdom’s Princess Deti, Xingyao, and beside her is her maid Shuang’Er.

Xuelan, come. This is Mi’Er, your eldest sister in the mansion from now on." Chen Mo said.

"This humble woman, Lin Xuelan, greets the Princess Consort." Lin Xuelan bowed to Wu Mi.

Yu Zhu and Xingyao followed suit one after another.

Wu Mi’s face was full of smiles, gentle and soft. "Now that you’ve entered the Prince’s Mansion, we’re all family. No need to call me Princess Consort, it sounds distant. Just call me Sister."

Lin Xuelan was stunned, not daring to actually call her that. She was very clear about ranks and status.

"Xuelan, don’t be afraid. Your Ms. Mi has a very good temperament." Chen Mo said, and then he started introducing Han Anniang, Xia Zhiqing, Xia Zhining, and the others to them.

They weren’t familiar yet, so Lin Xuelan and the others only smiled and nodded.

At this moment, Wu Mi realized Nalan Yiren wasn’t there, and couldn’t help asking, "Where is Miss Nalan?"

"She went back to Poison King Valley." Chen Mo said.

Wu Mi let out an "oh," knowing there was more to it, but she didn’t ask in detail. She said, "Let’s all go inside and sit. Don’t just stand here."

After that, Wu Mi took Chen Mo’s arm, and the two walked in front. She quietly asked which ones had already had their relationship confirmed, and which hadn’t, so she could arrange rooms.

Chen Mo named Lin Xuelan and Xingyao.

Once she had an answer, Wu Mi instructed the servants to prepare two empty rooms in the rear courtyard. As for Yu Zhu and Shuang’Er, they were to be arranged in the front courtyard with the mansion’s maids.

In the Warm Pavilion of the inner courtyard.

Xiao Yunxi was lying on a wooden couch usually used for naps, with a white fur blanket over her.

A brazier was placed on the floor beneath the bed, and beside the brazier a White Tiger was curled up, napping. The floor was covered with rugs, so a few little rascals were leaning against the White Tiger, playing with a set of building blocks that Wu Mi had commissioned for them.

Yue Ruyan, Yang Qingqing, Liang Xue, Ning Wan, Xiao Ya, Yi Shiyin, Nangong Ru, and Song Min were sitting around together, playing beating the horse game.

It was so lively that it was no wonder they hadn’t gone to the gate with Wu Mi and the others to wait for Chen Mo.

When Chen Mo and Wu Mi walked in first, Yi Shiyin was the first to get up. She rushed over excitedly, wrapped herself around Chen Mo’s arm, and said, "Husband, hurry and help me get revenge. Younger Sister Ning Wan has won all my money."

"I’m no match for Wan’Er at this game. Let your Ms. Mi help you."

Chen Mo chuckled, ruffled Yi Shiyin’s hair, then squatted down and smiled at the four children playing with blocks. "Jia’Er, Chong’Er, Youyou, Nu’Er, come let Father hold you."

The four children were very well‑behaved. Not only did they come over to let Chen Mo hold them, they also wanted kisses. The eldest, Chen You, said, "Father, did you bring a gift for Youyou this time?"

Chen Mo: "..."

He had brought plenty of things for his wives and concubines, but as for the children—he really hadn’t.

Still, coaxing children was something he was good at.

He said with a smile, "I brought you something tasty, but it’s almost lunchtime. After you’ve had lunch, you can have it, all right?"

"Okay."

"Youyou is so good."

While Chen Mo was coaxing the children, Wu Mi said to Yi Shiyin, "Xiaolu, I still have some things to do. Why don’t you teach Xuelan and Princess Deti how to play?"

Yi Shiyin: "???"

At this time, Han Anniang and the others brought Lin Xuelan and Xingyao in as well.

But the first thing that startled Lin Xuelan and the others was the White Tiger Yang Qingqing was keeping.

Han Anniang comforted them from the side. "Don’t be scared, that’s Qingqing’s pet. It’s very tame and doesn’t bite."

Lin Xuelan: "..."

Keeping a big tiger as a pet—this was her first time seeing that.

That was what Han Anniang said, but how could Lin Xuelan not be scared? She shrank back a little on her own and deliberately kept some distance.

Still in the middle of her game, Yang Qingqing gave Dabai a soft command and a look.

Awoken from its nap, the White Tiger Dabai, reluctant and aggrieved, padded over to squat in the corner.

Then Han Anniang introduced the women in the Warm Pavilion to Lin Xuelan and the others.