The first year of Zhengde, June 30th.

At this time, Liu Jin was planning how to ask for credit for Sun Xiucheng, Governor of Xuanda and Li Pin, commander of Longqingwei, while Chen Xi was too lazy to pay attention to the affairs in the court, because he had very important people to meet that day, and even business affairs could be put aside first.

This day was the day when Hui Niang and Li Jin returned to Beijing.

Chen Xi finally met Huiniang and Li Jin who had been away for more than a year and two years. At the same time, he also met his second son Chen Hong, who was nearly three years old but was still the first time he met.

Chen Xi was worried about Hui Niang and her son. Finally, when she saw someone, Chen Xi’s energy was not all about the child, and she cared more about Hui Niang.

In the small guest room, Hui Niang sat beside the bed in plain clothes. The little guy sitting beside her raised his head and looked at Chen Xi. Facing a stranger, the little guy seemed a little scared and hid in his mother's arms from time to time.

Li Jin stood aside and explained to Chen Xi: "Master, the young master is a little afraid of having sex. He doesn't like talking very much. He is very close to his sister and has basically no chance to meet outsiders... After I returned to Guangzhou Prefecture with my sister, I also took some effort to get the young master to get closer to his sister..."

Chen Xi looked at the child who was sixty or seventy percent similar to him in front of him and sighed: "It was the first time I met him since he was born."

Hui Niang felt something when she heard this, she turned her head and said to the child: "Hurry, Hong'er, call me dad!"

The child did not speak and hid behind Hui Niang. After a while, he blinked his eyes and came out from behind Hui Niang, looking at Chen Xi curiously again.

Seeing this, Chen Xi shook his head: "Don't force your children. It is the greatest comfort for me to be able to return safely! From now on, you sisters will no longer have to live a displaced life. They will live in the capital for a long time, and even let business matters go temporarily..."

Li Jin hurriedly said, "Master, there is no need to be such a trouble. I and my sister manage the business in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guizhou and other places very well. Even if we go to Beijing, there will be special people there to manage it. This time we brought 50,000 yuan of money for the master, and we know that it is worth it to be the Minister of War."

Chen Xi looked at Hui Niang sitting there, lowered her head and pinched the corner of her clothes, her heart was filled with tenderness and sweetness, and turned her head and said, "Jin'er, take Hong'er to the next room first, I have something to say to your sister."

Li Jin was understanding. She went over to pick up the little guy, but unexpectedly Chen Hong jumped off the bed and ran to the door with his legs and feet. Hui Niang hurriedly greeted: "Hong'er, don't run so fast, be careful of falling, let your aunt take you out."

After saying that, Hui Niang looked at Chen Xi.

This was the first time she appeared in front of Shen Xi with her son, and she felt a little embarrassed... This was related to the fact that the other party was a child when she first met Chen Xi. At the same time, she remembered her daughter and felt an inexplicable resistance to this relationship that was endless and messy.

Chen Hong looked back at his mother, slowed down immediately, and let Li Jin take his hand out of the room. After Li Jin went out, he turned around and took the door with him. Only Chen Xi and Hui Niang were left in the room.

Chen Xi sighed, "I haven't seen you for a long time. After seeing you again, I seem to have a little more separation... What are you doing? Is it really necessary for us to be so distant?"

After saying that, Chen Xi came to the bed, sat down next to Hui Niang, and then held the jade hand of the beauty beside her.

Hui Niang looked at Chen Xi, and at first she was warm and affectionate, but she was replaced by a embarrassed look and sighed: "The master is so serious. I am just a hard time on the journey, and I am a little unacceptable to the local environment, so I seem to be in a lack of energy."

Chen Xi looked at Hui Niang affectionately and nodded slightly: "Don't stay in the inn. I received your letter yesterday, and I knew you would arrive in the past two days, so I arranged my residence overnight... The yard is located on East Chang'an Street, not far from Chongwenmen. I will come back from the yamen office and see you often... Our family will be together and never be separated again."

When he heard Chen Xi say "the family", Hui Niang's face became a little unnatural, obviously thinking of her daughter Lu Xier.

Chen Xi also knew that Lu Xier was a hurdle that could never be overcome between him and Hui Niang.

Chen Xi saw the sad look flashing on Hui Niang's face and comforted him: "Everything is fine at home, everyone is healthy. Although I have traveled everywhere in the past two years, I dare not neglect my family. They are all settled... Now it is the same as before, and there is no change!"

Chen Xi could not make it clear about Lu Xier's affairs, so as not to be embarrassed between herself and Hui Niang. He could only summarize some of the matters so that Hui Niang could feel at ease.

Chen Xi told Hui Niang two things: one is that the family is very healthy, and the other is that the same as before, the one who has not married yet has not been married yet, at least there is no confusion in etiquette.

Hui Niang's face looked a little ugly, but she still nodded slightly, her eyes were a little red, and she looked at Chen Xi and said, "Let it go over if you have gone..."

In a word, it seems to be self-comfort, but it is more of a numbing myself. Now Shen Xi doesn’t know how to express his position, so he said:

"Okay, don't waste time here. I'll arrange a carriage outside, and I'll take you to the residence now... Next, you may need to find some diligent girls to go on both sides. There are business letters in the south, and you can also handle them in time. I will send someone to help take care of them. As my current identity, I can ask about local affairs such as Guangdong and Jiangxi. You can stay in the capital with confidence."

...

...

Hui Niang and Li Jin had just moved into the inn shortly after they moved into the house.

The house prepared by Chen Xi for the two girls is located near Taiji Factory. It is Zhuwang Pavilion to the north, not far from the military school founded by Chen Xi. It is a yard with three entrances. Chen Xi bought the industry a few years ago and left it specifically for the Hui Niang sisters. This time it finally came in handy.

In order to prevent the family from knowing about Hui Niang's affairs, Chen Xi specially arranged for the servants recruited from Huguang to be responsible for the affairs of Hui Niang's sisters. In addition, Hui Niang brought many mothers and maids from the south to the capital, and there was no shortage of people to take care of her.

When he arrived at the place, Chen Xi personally opened the gate of the courtyard. Hui Niang and Li Jin followed Chen Hong behind. Behind were more than a dozen mothers and maids that Hui Niang bought in Guangzhou Prefecture. The sedan chairmen and grooms fell to the end, and some servants.

After entering the yard, the grass was green inside, and the flowers were blooming in several flower beds. The air was filled with fragrance, and everything seemed to be full of vitality. Li Jin said happily: "Oh, sister, this place is really an elegant place. It seems that we will have a blessing in the future."

Chen Hong was a little afraid of life and didn't speak much in the face of a strange environment. He just kept turning his head to look at it.

Hui Niang looked as usual, but Li Jin was a little excited. On the one hand, she returned to her hometown, and on the other hand, she met her lover. She could see it often in the future and no longer felt empty and lonely.

Chen Xidao: "I really feel sorry for you to wander around the world. This yard is just a temporary place for you to settle down. I will buy a bigger house for you in the future."

Hui Niang took her son to walk around the house, looked at the grape trellis in the middle of the yard, shook her head and said, "You don't need to prepare anymore, this house is good... In fact, I'm the same everywhere I go. The house is not big or small. You just need a tiles to cover your head, and you won't force it."

Chen Xi could see that Hui Niang was still feeling sad about her namelessness. When she asked herself, it was hard for him to say that she was responsible for Hui Niang.

Chen Xi thought to himself: "Everything else is easy to say, but this matter is difficult to deal with. It will damage my reputation... I risked being pursued by the court and took her out of prison, and the family could not explain it... Alas, this matter was always a thorn between me and her."

Thinking of this, Chen Xi's interest was much weaker.

The old lady and maid around Hui Niang asked the people outside to move the things into the yard first, and then began to do something and took the servants to clean up the yard.

Chen Xi doesn’t have to worry about many things, because Hui Niang’s business is very big, she has money on hand, and several of the big maids are also cultivated by Hui Niang step by step, and she has great abilities.

When they entered the main hall, Chen Xi sat down in the main seat, Hui Niang and Li Jin sat down on both sides, waiting for the maid and the woman to clean up the house.

Hui Niang said, "The master is a high and powerful person. Do you have no official business to deal with today? How can you have time to meet me? If you delay the serious business, I will be unforgivable."

Chen Xi smiled and said, "You are more important than anything else when you come back... You may have heard of the situation in the court now. The emperor enjoys the leopard room outside the palace every day, and the government affairs are basically in the hands of the eunuch. I seem to have been promoted, but after returning to the court, I am constrained everywhere and have a lot of spare time. I have more time to accompany you in the future."

Li Jin asked curiously: "Master, can the high-ranking officials of the court have been replaced?"

Perhaps because Li Jin's family is a victim of political struggle, she is very concerned about the court structure and even risks being scolded by usurpation, so she must ask clearly.

Hui Niang raised her face and scolded, "Sister, don't talk too much."

Chen Xi raised his hand to stop Hui Niang and said, "This is not a secret matter. Just ask Jin'er... Now that Liu Shaofu and Grand Secretary Li have both retired, the chief minister Xie Qiangge Lao, former Minister of Rites Jiao Fang and Wang Yan, the Minister of Personnel, replaced the position in the cabinet. The Minister of Personnel was Liu Yu, who joined the eunuch party. This man was once the governor of Datong and took the throne by bribing Liu Jin. As for other yamen, even if it has nothing to do with the eunuch party, he still has to compromise with the eunuch party. The court's clear stream is no longer there, and it is mainly based on Xie Ge Lao to maintain the decent civil servants."

Hui Niang said, "The master should be very careful when he is in the court."

"Um."

Chen Xi nodded and said, "I can handle the affairs of the court well. Hui Niang, don't worry. The Ministry of War is different from other yamen. It always has military power. It is not easy for the eunuch party to deal with me, and I will never compromise with the eunuch party. This eunuch party disaster should end within a few years."

Hui Niang stood up and saluted: "The master is a person who does big things. I believe that the master can handle it freely and will not ask too much. Master, I should take my sister to clean up the room. Should I stay and have a meal together, or go back to the yamen to do business first?"

Chen Xi then stood up: "What are you doing like this? I came here and I won't leave during the day. At dusk, I can go to the Ministry of War for a look. It's rare to reunite and enjoy the joy of family."

Hui Niang nodded slightly, said nothing, and took Li Jin and Shen Hong to the main courtyard, while Chen Xi followed leisurely.

There are many maids and mothers around Hui Niang, and with the slaves, these people are very flexible in their hands and feet. They quickly settled the place they should pack up. Now they have already had a leisurely opening... There are things like firewood, rice, oil and salt, and they can be taken out and used directly.

"Please to my wife...who is this?"

An old woman came over, about forty years old, with a southern accent and looked very smart.

Hui Niang has a son, and everyone in her family knows it, so she directly calls Hui Niang "Madam".

But Chen Xi's age seems a little younger, but it seems to be Hui Niang's younger brother, not her husband, so this question is.

Hui Niang introduced: "This is the master in the family. You must understand the rules in the future and not be rude to the master."

The people of Chenxi are too young, they look not mature and sophisticated, and they do not deliberately put on a mature and persevering attitude, so they don’t look like the head of the family. Hui Niang said that Chenxi was the "master", which scared the woman. She looked carefully and wanted to see what was unique about this young man, but after observing for a long time, she felt that Chenxi seemed too ordinary except for her youth.

He does not have the appearance of Pan An or the tall and burly figure. He looks just a weak scholar. He has a smile on his face when he speaks, and he doesn't feel much majesty.

The old mother thought to herself, "This is really strange... The wife and the second wife were born noble at first sight. I had previously speculated which official they were women who were raised in the house, so they looked so graceful and generous."

"This time I went north, I originally thought I wanted to meet with the master who was an official in Beijing, but why is it now that I am such a young man who looks unpretentious?"

"Is this master the son of a wealthy family? Is the old couple a lot of old couples heard about it, but the old couple has never seen him."

Seeing that the woman was looking at Chen Xi, Li Jin couldn't help but frown: "Aunt Zhu, I told you that this is the master of the family, why are you watching? If you are so rude, don't blame me for punishing you!"

Unlike the old mothers used by the Shen family, these people were brought from the south by Hui Niang and Li Jin. To put it bluntly, they were all slaves who signed contracts for sale and were not qualified to talk to the owner of the family.

Aunt Zhu directly lowered her head and admitted her mistake: "What the second wife taught her is that she will clean up now and she will have lunch soon..."

Although the man left, he muttered freely, just because the voice was too small and outsiders couldn't hear it clearly. Li Jin shook his head and explained to Chen Xi: "This is the old lady I'm looking for in Guangzhou Prefecture. She is enthusiastic, but she doesn't understand the rules. Please forgive me for the abrupt areas."

Chen Xi smiled and waved his hand, "The most important thing for servants is loyalty and easy to use. As long as you take good care of you, I can do whatever I want."

Hui Niang didn't say anything, and walked into the room with Shen Xi. At this time, the room was almost tidy up, the mats and bedding were laid, and the mosquito nets were hung. Hui Niang looked around, then squatted down, stroked her son's head with her jade hand, and said softly: "Hong'er, if you are tired, go to bed and rest, or go to the yard outside to play... Mom has something to say to your father and aunt."

Chen Hong looked very tired. He had been looking down like a chicken pecking at rice before, and he kept looking down. When he heard Hui Niang's words, he tried hard to open his eyes wide. He first glanced at Chen Xi, then looked at his mother, and then grabbed his mother's hand, looking panicked, as if his mother was about to be snatched away.

Li Jin walked over and said, "Obe obedient, Hong'er, my aunt will ask Sister Mei and Sister Lan to play with you, but she will have to wait for you to sleep and eat."

Chen Hong yawned, then looked at the three people present. With his age, he couldn't figure out what the relationship between them was. However, he knew one thing, that is, after seeing this strange man, his mother was not as devoted to him as before.

"mother!"

Chen Hong shouted, the child seemed to have something to say, but he was not brave enough and he got stuck when he said something.

Chen Xi shook his head and smiled bitterly, thinking: "This child was fostered elsewhere shortly after he was born. He was almost two years old and he met again. He finally established an intimate relationship with his mother, so I can't destroy it... I don't need to get close to him now, just let him know that I am his biological father."

Chen Xi said: "Hui Niang, stay here to take a nap with Hong'er. I'll talk to Jin'er. We will talk about it after lunch!"

"Um."
Chapter completed!