Chapter 316 Xiao Qing's Love

On the 17th day of the tenth month of the Renxu year, Xiao Jian, who was only seven years old, witnessed his father being beheaded and his mother perishing in a sea of ​​fire.

My younger sister, who was only six months old, was sent north by her wet nurse and disappeared without a trace.

Xiao Jian followed his master and practiced diligently until he mastered his kung fu.

He bid farewell to his uncle and aunt and set off from Yunnan, searching all the way to the capital.

What I didn't expect was that I would run into a group of people outside the Summer Palace.

That group of people changed Xiao Jian's fate.

He found his sister whom he hadn't seen for many years, and found the one and only person who was indispensable in his life.

That year, after reuniting with his sister, he also met Qing'er, whom his sister had been talking about.

Qing'er's gaze towards him was unusual from the very beginning. "Princess Qing, why are you looking at me like that?"

"Oh dear, Xiao Yanzi and I are best friends. You're her brother, so just call me Qing'er, just like her..."

"It sounds really awkward to hear them keep calling her 'Qing Gege'."

Xiao Jian laughed and said, "Alright, Qing'er, why are you looking at me like that?"

Qing'er explained, "I had heard Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi mention your name before and learned about you. Now that you're in person, you truly live up to your reputation."

Xiao Jian asked curiously, "How exactly does it live up to its reputation?"

Qing'er said, "With a flute and a sword, I roam the world; with a thousand years of love and hate, I drink a pot of wine. I tread the path of the mortal world with both feet, and take the sky as my roof and the earth as my dwelling."

"Is this your poem?"

How did you know?

"This is what Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi said, but I don't know how they knew it..."

"However, I think that Xiao Jian, who can compose such verses, must be no ordinary person."

Xiao Jian smiled slightly and said, "You overestimate me..."

“My master told me that the greatest virtue in the world is forgiveness, so what I have been doing all these years is searching for my sister.”

"But unexpectedly, by a twist of fate, I found her here and even met a group of important people like you..."

Qing'er asked again, "Xiao Jian, Xiao Yanzi is going out to venture out and take a chance for her and Yongqi's future. What about you?"

Do you have someone you like?

Xiao Jian shook his head, "I haven't even found my sister, how can I have the mind to like anyone else..."

"But, judging from what you just said, could it be that my sister and your Fifth Prince have a romantic relationship?"

Qing'er smiled and said, "If you want to know what's really going on between Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi, why don't you just go and ask them yourself?"

“But your Fifth Prince is of noble birth; he's clearly not an ordinary person. My sister…”

"Xiao Jian, do you know what life is like for Xiao Yanzi and Yongqi in the palace?"

"They attend classes together every day and practice swordplay together..."

"Since Xiao Yanzi couldn't write, Yongqi taught her to write by holding her hand..."

"Since Xiao Yanzi couldn't read yet, Yongqi personally taught her..."

"Their relationship evolved from friendship to romantic love..."

"Of course, there are some things they won't tell me. Maybe you'll have to ask them yourself. Perhaps Little Swallow will tell you what she's thinking..."

Xiao Jian looked at Qing'er seriously and asked, "Qing'er, if Xiao Yanzi insists on being with your Fifth Prince, can he protect her?"

Qing'er laughed and said, "All I can say is that your little swallow is not a lamb to be slaughtered!"

“Yongqi and all of us will protect her. Xiaoyanzi herself is skilled in martial arts, and she will learn even more in the future.”

Qing'er asked again, "Xiao Jian, if the truth comes out, would you be willing to stay in the capital?"

Xiao Jian asked, puzzled, "What do you mean?"

"Little Swallow goes out to explore and gain experience, but in the end she will still return to the capital and the palace..."

"As her brother, would you also be willing to enter the imperial court as an official to protect and protect Xiao Yanzi?"

"However, Xiao Yanzi and Yongqi said that you have always been carefree and may not like the life of an official."

Xiao Jian said, "I don't like life in officialdom, but I have eyes, I can see, and I know that the only people who can bring a good life to the people are those in officialdom..."

"If it were for the sake of my little sister Xiao Yanzi, I would be willing to enter the imperial court as an official and lend another helping hand to Xiao Yanzi and the Fifth Prince's marriage..."

"And what about yourself, Xiao Jian? Have you thought about your own marriage?"

“You’re 16 years old this year, so you should be thinking about marriage.”

Xiao Jian sighed helplessly, "Who would like someone like me, a lone bird wandering the world, with no fixed abode?"

"I don't want to ruin a good girl's life. It's fine for me to be alone..."

Qing'er probed until the very end, but still didn't get a direct answer from Xiao Jian. She couldn't hold back any longer, "I'm not going to beat around the bush with you anymore. I just want to ask you, are you willing to stay for me?"

Xiao Jian stared at Qing'er in disbelief. "You... what did you say?"

After Qing'er shouted loudly, her tone weakened again, "I hope you will stay for me, but I don't want to force you to become an official in the court. I just want to say... if you don't have someone you like, you can consider me first..."

"If you want to marry me, all you need to do is pass the Empress Dowager's test!"

She had no biological siblings; she only had an old lady who raised her!

"Qing'er, what merits does Xiao Jian possess to deserve your favor?"

"Not to mention, you are still young..."

Before Xiao Jian could finish speaking, Qing'er interrupted, "I'm only four years younger than you, how am I younger?"

“In other families, children as young as twelve can be engaged.”

"Xiao Jian, let me remind you, the Empress Dowager values ​​my marriage very much. If you hesitate, she might choose someone else for me by the time you've made up your mind."

Xiao Jian chuckled. "What? Are you threatening me?"

"I...I was just trying to kindly remind you!"

Xiao Jian smiled helplessly, "We've only known each other for a short time. If I were to agree to your proposal right now, would you dare to marry me?"

"Marriage is a serious matter and should not be taken lightly."

"If you are sincere, then wait until I have thought it through and figured it out before I give you my answer."

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Qing'er waited for quite some time until Xiao Jian passed the imperial examination and became the top scholar.

Emperor Qianlong placed Xiao Jian at the lowest level of the Ministry of War, and at the same time, he also ordered Xiao Jian to train a Xiao Family Army as Xiao Yanzi's support.

"Xiao Jian, you're already the top scholar now, can you give me a definite answer?"

That year, Xiao Jian was 22 years old, and Qing'er was 18 years old.

Xiao Jian finally had enough confidence to bravely tell Qing'er that he was willing to spend his life with her.

However, dealing with the Empress Dowager presented another major problem.

However, Emperor Qianlong, Qing'er, and others had told him that the Empress Dowager was not dissatisfied with him, but rather reluctant to let Qing'er get married.

So Xiao Jian endured it again and again until the appearance of Prince Shangmu made Xiao Jian unable to bear it any longer, and he went to ask Emperor Qianlong for an imperial decree.

Finally, through the combined efforts of him and Qing'er, they obtained the Empress Dowager's consent and received the imperial decree for their marriage.

However, physical troubles arose between him and Qing'er, making their wedding unsettled.

Fortunately, everything turned out alright, and after the wedding, they lived happily ever after.

Of course, a small number of people still caused them trouble after the marriage, but fortunately it was resolved in one go, and Qing'er's health was also fine. Otherwise, Xiao Jian would have regretted it for the rest of his life!

Their family situation was similar to that of Erkang and Ziwei's family. When his wife was not pregnant and when she was in good health, they would kiss, hug, and lift her up whenever they had free time and opportunity.

After my wife got pregnant, she started taking leave.

He stayed with his wife until she gave birth and recovered before returning to work.

Xiao Jian was mindful of Qing'er's health and his own well-being, so after having a son and a daughter with Qing'er, he took medication and decided not to have any more children.

Because he and Qing'er are currently in a state of having no parents, the two children are often taken care of by the Empress Dowager in the palace.

This gave them more free time, but because of the Empress Dowager's high seniority, they didn't dare to go too far astray.

After raising the child with great difficulty, and enduring until Yongqi retired, he finally took Qing'er back to Dali and settled down with the Xiao family in Dali.

His time settling in Dali was the most relaxed and happiest period of his life.

Of course, ever since Xiao Yanzi's master and fellow disciples came to Dali, he and Qing'er often watched plays and saw Yongqi and his fellow disciples vying for her affections. They were incredibly happy.

"Xiao Jian, do you think we'll have a next life?"

"Yes, it will! It definitely will!"

"In the next life, I still want to marry you!"