Chapter 72: Reconnecting with Family

The flower carriage halted before the grand gates of the imperial palace, and hundreds of ceremonial guards retreated in perfect order. Li Xiuran led over two dragon horses to replace the female cultivators who had been pulling the carriage, glanced at the hour, and said, "We must wait another two quarters before entering the palace."

Although Tao Ming was puzzled, she kept silent.

Qin Youchuan and Su Yanfeng were already waiting outside the palace with their families, both clans standing distinctly on either side of the gate.

Su Nanxing and the Seventh Prince dismounted to exchange pleasantries, while Tao Ming awkwardly picked up the soft, small child, uncertain of what to do.

The Seventh Prince led the Qin family over to the flower carriage. As Tao Ming was about to step down, she heard the Seventh Prince say, "No need to come down."

Standing atop the carriage, Tao Ming looked down at the nine people before her, feeling ill at ease. She thought to crouch, but as soon as she bent her knees, she remembered she wore a skirt, and so stood up again, greeting them, "Hello."

The group replied in unison, "Hello to you as well."

Tao Ming wondered if she had stepped onto the wrong scene yet again.

At that moment, the only familiar face—Qin Sihang—spoke, "Mingming, these are all Qin family members. They've long since learned the ways of greeting from your parents in the other world."

Tao Ming scrutinized each face, hoping to find her real father, but none resembled the person she remembered. She had to ask, "My father didn't come?"

A tall, sturdy man in a dark blue robe, bearing some resemblance to Qin Sihang but older, replied, "Mingming, I am your grandfather. Your parents are still bedridden, recovering from their injuries. After you meet the Heavenly Emperor and return to the Qin residence, you can see them."

Upon hearing this, Tao Ming quickly greeted, "Hello, Grandfather." She then prompted the little one to address her great-grandfather.

The child, now less nervous with fewer people around, asked, "What is a great-grandfather?"

"That's your mother's father's father. You can also call him great-grandpa."

The child chirped, "Great-grandpa!"

Qin Youchuan beamed with delight, then suddenly looked embarrassed, saying, "I left in such a rush, I forgot to bring a meeting gift."

Tao Ming recalled her first encounter with Qin Sihang and couldn't help but chuckle. Qin Sihang coughed and said, "I forgot last time too; I'll prepare something for them when we return."

He then introduced the rest of the group. Tao Ming remembered that besides Qin Sihang, she had four uncles and three cousins, all resembling Qin Sihang to some degree. She found it odd—her real father, as she remembered, did not look much like any of them.

Finally, Qin Sihang said, "My daughter Qin Yue is in secluded cultivation and will miss this grand occasion."

...

Su Nanxing dismounted and approached Su Yanfeng, calling out, "Father." Su Yanfeng, his face dark, scolded, "Marriage and the birth of a daughter—such major events..."

He meant to rebuke Su Nanxing sternly, but seeing his child bowing his head in contrition, he swallowed the rest of his words.

"Enough. Things have come to this; there's no use saying more."

Su Nanxing looked up with a mischievous grin. "Father, you love me best!"

Su Yanfeng snorted, refusing to reply.

Su Nanxing then greeted each of those beside him in turn: "Fourth brother, fifth brother, eighth brother, twelfth brother, nineteenth brother, twentieth brother, twenty-second brother."

The Su brothers responded one by one. Su Fang, the nineteenth, teased, "Seventeenth brother, quietly fathering a holy maiden—truly an example to us all!"

Su Nanxing boasted, "Not everyone can manage it—not every daughter is a holy maiden!"

Seeing the Qin family gathered around Tao Ming and the child, Su Yanfeng said, "Seventeenth, take your father to meet the holy maiden."

Su Nanxing agreed and led the Su family toward the flower carriage.

Tao Ming had already set the little one down and taken the sticky baby from her arms, while Qin Youchuan playfully amused the child.

The Su family came to the other side of the carriage. Su Nanxing called out, "Wife, let me introduce you to my relatives."

Su Yanfeng felt a pang of annoyance at the phrase "Su family relatives." All present were the proper heads of the Su clan.

Tao Ming glanced over; a few people had gathered on that side as well. She nodded to Su Nanxing, then turned to Qin Youchuan. "Grandfather, I'm going to meet the Su family relatives."

Qin Youchuan didn't even look up. "Go ahead, I'll keep the child company."

Tao Ming stepped over to Su Nanxing's side, preparing to descend, but Su Nanxing quickly held her back, "You can't come down yet. Wait until we're in the palace and have seen the Heavenly Emperor."

So Tao Ming remained above, looking down at the Su clan.

Su Nanxing, standing beside Su Yanfeng, introduced, "This is my father."

The man before her wore a green robe, his face fair and handsome, his long beard flowing. At first glance, he scarcely seemed older than Su Nanxing, though there was little resemblance between them. Tao Ming quickly greeted, "Hello, Uncle."

Su Yanfeng’s expression soured. Uncle? Shouldn’t she call him father?

He spoke with a hint of anger, "Since you are Seventeenth’s wife, you ought to call me father."

Tao Ming, always one to respond in kind, replied coldly, "Uncle, Su Nanxing and I have already divorced—did he not tell you?"

Su Nanxing knew trouble was brewing as soon as he heard his father speak. Before he could think of a solution, Tao Ming had already retorted, and he silently cursed his luck. Given his father's temper, the day would not end well for either of them.

Su Yanfeng turned to Su Nanxing in anger, "Divorced? Is this true?"

From the other side, Qin Youchuan called out loudly, "Divorce is a good thing! Mingming, come here!"

Tao Ming turned to leave, but Su Nanxing clung to her skirt, pleading, "Wife, I was wrong."

Amused, Tao Ming asked, "What did you do wrong?"

"I was wrong to be born into the Su family, saddled with such a father."

The Qin and Su families: "..."

Su Luo, the fourth brother, couldn't stand it any longer and rebuked Su Nanxing, "Seventeenth brother, how could you act like this?"

Su Nanxing thought, What do you know? Haven’t you heard the saying, 'Arrogance is fun for a moment, but chasing after your wife is hell'? If Tao Ming really broke ties with me, could you give me another one? Even if we’ve ended up together again, in this world, cooked ducks still fly away!

Su Yanfeng, however, was not angry. He even felt a bit of empathy, recalling the trouble he’d had marrying Qiao Ruowei back then. Ah, beauty is a dangerous thing.

As a proper father, he was determined not to hinder his son. Even setting aside the holy maiden, Su Yanfeng, a devotee of beauty, was thoroughly pleased with Tao Ming as a daughter-in-law.

He smiled kindly at Tao Ming, "Call me uncle for now. When you marry in, you can change it later."

Then, face darkening, he said sternly to Su Nanxing, "If you fail to bring her home, the Su family will no longer have a son like you."

Su Nanxing’s eyes lit up, "Father, does that mean I can be a live-in son-in-law?"

Su Yanfeng glared at him, "If you learn a third of the tricks I use to coax your mother, it’ll be enough!"

Tao Ming: "..."

Now she finally understood where Su Nanxing’s shamelessness came from!

The Seventh Prince, having watched the drama unfold, saw the time was nearly right and reminded, "It’s time to enter the palace."

Qin Youchuan and Su Yanfeng exchanged a rare look of unity. Su Yanfeng stroked his beard and said, "It’s been too long since I saw the Heavenly Emperor. I do miss him. Today, I’ll accompany the holy maiden into the palace."

Qin Youchuan said bluntly, "I’ll go with Mingming."

At last, the two dragon horses pulled the flower carriage, and the Seventh Prince, Qin Youchuan, and Su Yanfeng accompanied Tao Ming and her party into the palace.

Su Nanxing, lacking sufficient status, could not enter without the Heavenly Emperor’s summons. He could only watch the carriage disappear through the palace gates, growing ever more distant.