Ban Shuyue hurriedly clarified, "Sister, you misunderstand. Old Master Liang merely believes that children raised from a young age are more obedient and will feel a stronger sense of belonging to the Liang family."
Madam Ban still couldn't come to terms with it. She looked at her brother sadly, "So, the Liang family only sees you as a male concubine?"
"No, no," Lanlan, though a bit spoiled, was not bad at heart and didn't have too many schemes. She fancied me among the six boys, and when I turn sixteen, she will marry me. She has no other men."
Madam Ban: ......
She vaguely recalled how her younger brother had been as delicate as a carved jade back then. Influenced by his elder brother's teachings, he had already diligently studied the Four Books at a tender age. It wasn't impossible for him to be favored by Miss Liang.
However, the more she thought about it, the more upset she became.
Ban Shuyue lowered his head, "Big Brother feared you would be upset, so he asked me to keep this a secret."
Madam Ban considered herself quite strong over the years, but hearing this, she couldn't help but shed tears. Ban Shuyue was also crying, but he quickly wiped his tears, "Sister, let's not dwell on these old matters. I will handle Big Brother's funeral. You should return to the capital quickly."
"What are you saying? How could I possibly leave at a time like this?"
"You don't understand the Liang family. They are wealthy and powerful, but their status as descendants of convicted traitors will forever bar them from the imperial examinations. Father-in-law dreams of returning to the capital and sending his children to serve as officials. Now that Xi Xi is the Empress, they will surely pester you because of this."
Qiangwei asked in surprise, "If they can't take the imperial exams, can't they pursue a military career?"
Yan Qing looked at Ban Shuyue's expression and slowly said, "The battlefield is fraught with peril; it's not so easy to make a name for oneself. They'd rather find a shortcut."
Ban Shuyue's worries were well-founded. That evening during dinner, Liang Lanlan arrived again.
This time, she came specifically to cry to Madam Ban.
"Sister, let's forget about ourselves, but what about the children? Chong'er and the others are still young. What's the point of their lives if they languish in Lingnan forever? We dared not even think about it before, but now, our niece has achieved such success. Helping them out would be a simple matter, wouldn't it? Sister, for the sake of your in-laws, you cannot let them remain in this hopeless place for the rest of their lives."
Madam Ban sighed, "Sister-in-law, it's not that I don't want to help, but the Liang family's ancestors were involved in rebellion. Such a crime, let alone Xi Xi, even the Emperor wouldn't dare to pardon it lightly."
"But Sister, that matter was sixty years ago. Several emperors have changed. The Liang family has surely atoned for its sins. Moreover, my heart is small; I don't need the Emperor to pardon the entire Liang family, only to allow Chong'er and the others to return to the capital."
Their ancestors were sentenced to be perpetually confined to Lingnan, and their descendants were forbidden to leave.
After acknowledging Lu Nianfu, the sole principle Madam Ban adhered to was not to cause her any trouble. She sighed, "Sister-in-law, I can't even take Shuyue back with me, so how can I possibly think of something for Chong'er? Alas..."
"You are the Empress's mother. Surely she wouldn't deny you this small favor."
"Sister-in-law, you are unaware. In a moment of carelessness, this child was abducted. When I found her again, she was already the wife of a third-rank commander. This child has always been estranged from me."
"How can that be? I saw that the gifts the Empress prepared for me and the children are rare treasures. If she didn't care about you, why would she go to such expense?"
Madam Ban's reply was watertight: "She's already the Empress; preparing gifts wouldn't require her personal attention. A mere command, and those palace servants wouldn't dare to be negligent, so they would naturally select the best items. Moreover..." Madam Ban lowered her head and smiled, "What you consider good things, in the Empress's eyes..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but Liang Lanlan's expression changed.
Yes, what they considered good things might just be trash in the Empress's eyes.
Liang Lanlan left with nothing. Qiangwei gave Madam Ban a thumbs-up, "Madam, you are becoming more and more formidable. You should have seen the Second Madam's expression; it was truly satisfying."
Madam Ban's expression turned a little somber, "If I truly had the ability, wouldn't I want to take them back to the capital?"
"Madam has always been sentimental," Yan Qing brought a bowl of lotus seed soup, "You haven't had much appetite these past two days, but you should eat something. The climate here is already poor. If you fall ill, it will be even more difficult to manage."
"Brother Yan, do you think I'm too indecisive?"
"You've always been soft-hearted, but I didn't expect you to refuse so resolutely this time."
Madam Ban gave a bitter smile, "If I were the Empress today, I would definitely find ways to help them. But that's Xi Xi; I can't bear to make her difficult. Fortunately, Xi Xi's personality isn't like mine, otherwise, in a high position, how troubled she would be."
Yan Qing said, "That's not entirely true. The Empress is quite cold towards strangers, but she is wholehearted towards those close to her. Madam, to put it bluntly, everyone has a distinction between the near and the far. If you were genuinely close to everyone, wouldn't that be unfair to those you are close to?"
Madam Ban pondered, and Qiangwei nodded vigorously, "Actually, Madam sees things quite clearly, she's just easily swayed by emotion. But now, she has learned to refuse."
For example, Zeng Weiyang in the capital, and now Liang Lanlan.