Returning to the Capital after eight years, Anning found that everything in Capital seed unchanged.
She was very calm, but the children were chattering nonstop.
Especially Xu Minwu, who was visiting the Capital for the first ti, kept lifting the carriage curtain to look outside: "Aunt, is this the Capital? It’s really bustling."
Xu Minying didn’t even lift her head: "Stop looking; we’ll be ho soon."
"How do you know we’re ho if you’re not looking?"
Xu Minwu and Xu Minying bickered.
Xu Minlan covered her mouth and snickered.
Anning clapped her hands: "Indeed, we are almost ho. Brace yourselves; we still have stuff to move later. And rember, you’re responsible for tidying up your own rooms."
The children were used to doing chores, so tidying up the house was naturally a piece of cake for them.
Arriving at her family’s residence, Anning noticed the house was well-maintained and looked almost new.
She knew for sure that this must have been thanks to Zhou Xun’s painstaking efforts.
She took the children around, and seeing that both the yard and the rooms were very clean and that commonly used items were also properly replenished, she felt even more grateful to both Zhou Xun and his wife, as well as Zhou Yu’er who was in the Capital.
Anning instructed the servants to unload the things they brought and asked Xu Minlan to oversee their placent, patting her own shoulder, saying, "I’m tired and going to take a nap first. You all see to the rest. If you want sothing to eat, either ask the cook to prepare it or order a full table of dishes from a restaurant."
"Let’s order in."
Xu Minwu was particularly eager to try the Capital’s restaurant cuisine, so he made a suggestion.
Xu Minying thought the cook who ca with them must be tired and probably wouldn’t cook very well today, so she also agreed to order in.
After Anning took a nap and woke up, Xu Minlan roused her.
Everything had already been put away by the ti she awoke, and the restaurant had delivered the food.
Anning moved to the flowery hall to dine with the three children.
In the following days, Anning visited Zhou Xun and Zhou Yu’er’s hos with the children and then sent her visiting card to the palace.
The Empress Dowager had long known that Anning had entered the Capital and had been waiting for her to send in her visiting card.
Seeing that she had submitted the card, the Empress Dowager imdiately summoned her to Cining Palace.
After not seeing her for eight years, the Empress Dowager had aged quite a bit. Seeing Anning, she exclaid, "How do you maintain yourself so well? It’s been eight years and you haven’t changed a bit."
Anning smiled, "In the countryside, there’s less to worry about. The children are growing up and can take on many responsibilities for , which naturally makes seem younger."
The Empress Dowager asked Anning to sit down: "You must stay in the Capital this ti."
Anning laughed, "That’s certain. I also want to find a good marital match for my daughter."
Rembering that Anning’s twin children were now grown up and of marriageable age, the Empress Dowager said, "Bring your girl and boy to tomorrow, I’ll help you find suitors for them."
Anning smilingly complied, "Your patronage in matchmaking couldn’t be better, but my daughter has been spoiled by and might not be suitable for a family with too high a status. We’re from a humble family and can’t reach too high. It would be best to pick soone from next year’s batch of Advanced Scholars, soone with good character."
The Empress Dowager smiled and pointed at Anning, "Alright, you’re even making requests to . Don’t worry, I’ll surely find soone suitable for her."
A few days later, Anning brought Min Ying and Minlan to visit the Empress Dowager in the palace.
The Empress Dowager was extrely fond of the two children.
Min Ying and Minlan were twins, very much alike, and as both Xu Zhiwen and Anning were of good appearance, these two children inherited the best traits from their parents and were naturally very beautiful.
Even the Empress Dowager, who had seen many beautiful people, couldn’t help but praise how truly beautiful these two children were.
Over these years, Anning has been particularly devoted to raising her two children.
The children she has raised, whether in terms of deanor or character, are also excellent. The Empress Dowager noticed at a glance that these two children had good temperants and called them over to talk.
Before entering the palace, the Empress Dowager was a well-known prodigy. After entering the palace, she read a great deal during her spare ti. She was very learned herself and, within the palace, few could keep up with her thoughts.
In the past, Anning often visited the palace and would accompany her in conversation.
After Anning left, the Empress Dowager beca quite lonely.
But this ti, when talking with Minying and Minlan, no matter what the Empress Dowager said, the two children were able to keep up, and since they were both lively and sweet-tongued, they delighted the Empress Dowager imnsely.
When it ca ti to leave the palace in the afternoon, the Empress Dowager especially did not want to part with Minlan and insisted on keeping her in the palace for a while.
Anning said with a smile: "For my daughter to serve by your side is her good fortune, but as you know, we’ve just arrived in the Capital, and she’s not accustod to things here. I’m afraid she might disturb you. It might be better if I take her ho for a few days of guidance before bringing her to serve the Empress."
The Empress Dowager waved her hand: "Enough, you can’t bear to part with your daughter, don’t find so many excuses."
Anning bowed: "I speak the truth, I have already thought of asking you to help with making a marriage match, so naturally, there is no reason not to part with her. It’s just that this child has really been spoiled by ..."
The Empress Dowager was amused by Anning: "Alright, no more ntion of matchmaking. Are you afraid I might forget? You keep bringing it up."
She pointed towards the doorway with a smile: "If you are leaving, then go quickly. With such a darling by my side, I really might find it hard to let her go in a mont."
Anning then led the two children out of the palace with a smile.
At the palace gate, Anning and Prince Su brushed past each other without a word.
After Anning had familiarized Xu Minlan with the Capital, she indeed sent Xu Minlan to the palace to accompany the Empress Dowager for so ti.
In the days that followed, Anning accompanied Minying and Minwu in their studies, all the way until the Imperial Examination the following spring, when the family almost never left ho.
When the Imperial Examination began, Anning sent her two children to the examination hall.
After three days, she and Minlan went to pick the two children up and brought them ho.
Anning didn’t inquire about how the children had perford in the exams.
She knew her own children well; if nothing unexpected happened, both would pass the exams, it would just be a matter of ranking.
She was not in a hurry, but Zhou Xun was extrely anxious.
Over the years, Zhou Xun had cared for the Xu Family as he promised.
Minying and Minwu would often write essays and send them to the Capital for Zhou Xun’s advice; he knew the children’s capabilities.
Perhaps it’s the worry from caring too much, but Zhou Xun had high hopes for the children and was therefore incredibly uneasy.
Besides Zhou Xun being anxious about the results, the Empress Dowager was also eager to know whether Minying had passed.
The reason was that the Empress Dowager intended to arrange for her niece to marry Minying.
The Empress Dowager was very fond of Minying; she was satisfied with his character, appearance, and scholarship, the only slight discontent being his family background.
However, the Empress Dowager’s niece was not like ordinary boudoir ladies; she had a very forthright temperant and didn’t care at all about family background, which is why the Empress Dowager considered finding her a husband with good character.
As the Empress Dowager waited and hoped, finally, the results ca out.
She inquired with Emperor Pingle imdiately and upon knowing that Xu Minying had beco the top scorer, was overjoyed.
Afterward, the Empress Dowager had her niece-in-law co to the palace and discussed the matter of Xu Minying.
The two of them talked it over and felt that Xu Minying had great prospects, plus her niece-in-law knew her own daughter’s temperant well.
Her daughter was the type who liked good-looking people; she didn’t ask for a future husband to have much talent or capability but only cared if he was attractive. If he looked like a Heavenly Immortal, she would probably be willing to do anything.
After hearing from the Empress Dowager about Xu Minying’s appearance and learning that he truly resembled a Heavenly Immortal, her niece-in-law agreed without hesitation.
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