Transmigrated into a farmer's lucky charm, all the villains in the family panicked.

Time flew by and the end of the year arrived.

The exiles had not yet reached their destination, and there was no sign of the New Year celebrations on the desolate northwestern plains; only the wind was colder than usual.

Yun Pianpian and Wu Changchun discussed it and sent a letter home, saying that they would not be going home for the New Year.

They planned to wait until the Ming Prince's family arrived safely in the Northwest and settled in before leaving.

Wu Changchun grinned: "Anyway, I won't make it back in time for the New Year's Eve dinner, so I might as well stay here and enjoy the northwest wind for a few more days. I'll feed myself as much as I want."

Yun Pianpian smiled, a rare occurrence for her.

Hearing that they weren't going back, the people at the Ming Prince's Mansion were both excited and a little embarrassed.

If it weren't for them, the two wouldn't be suffering here.

Zhen Linqing felt even more guilty and secretly vowed that from now on he would treat Yun Pianpian well and listen to her in everything.

Even if I can't marry her, I will protect her for the rest of my life. I will never let anyone bully her.

……

Meanwhile, at a mountaintop estate a thousand miles away, the New Year was also being celebrated.

The manor was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, with red lanterns hanging under the eaves, and the kitchen was bustling with the clanging of pots and pans.

Ke Yun sat blankly under the eaves, gazing at the distant clouds and mist.

This is the second New Year she has spent since she came into this world, and she has not spent it with her parents, sisters, and brothers.

I miss them a little, and I wonder what they're doing.

A few days ago, she received a letter from home.

They said the shop was doing well and that their parents were in good health.

The eldest sister gave birth to a big, healthy baby boy. Her husband rushed back from Beijing and was so happy that he almost tripped and fell at the door of the delivery room.

Her second sister is still on her way to the Northwest, and no one knows where she is, but she is safe and sound.

The third sister is doing well in the palace and has even gained the favor of a concubine.

My fourth sister is now learning martial arts from an old soldier, and five or six soldiers can't beat her alone.

When Yun Shengsheng read this passage, the image of her fourth sister chasing a group of soldiers all over the yard automatically popped into her mind.

My eldest brother-in-law and fifth brother have officially become disciples of Mr. Su Qing and have gained some reputation in the capital. They will be taking the exam after the New Year.

The letter ended with a note: Yun Zide and Liu Yinyue went to the capital to stay with Liu Yinyue's brother.

Then came two full pages of longing...

Strangely enough, in her previous life, Yun Shengsheng's parents abandoned her, and she grew up alone.

I spend Chinese New Year alone, and I just cook a bag of frozen dumplings for my New Year's Eve dinner. I don't feel lonely at all.

But things are different now—now she has a lot of people thinking about her, and she has so many people to think about.

I really want to go home.

[Unfortunately, it won't work; the indenture is supposed to be for three years! This wicked old society...]

Yan Shijin walked up to her side without her noticing.

Hearing his true feelings, I couldn't help but twitch my lips.

When did he ever sign a contract of servitude? It was clearly an equal and voluntary agreement.

However, it is true that Yun Shengsheng cannot leave now.

He coughed slightly, a little awkwardly, and said, "The kitchen made your favorite pastries. Would you like to have some?"

Yun Shengsheng looked up at him and said "Oh," but didn't move.

Yan Shijin glanced at Mo Ning beside him.

Mo Ning pointed to his nose and asked in a low voice, "Master, do you want me to fetch it?"

Yan Shijin narrowed his eyes, while Mo Ning pouted and walked away.

He was a little resentful that his master favored Yun Shengsheng so much, even though they were both servants.

Yan Shijin then asked Yun Shengsheng, "Would you like me to stay up with you tonight to celebrate the New Year?"

Yun Shengsheng didn't answer directly. Instead, she pulled his wrist and skillfully placed three fingers on his pulse point—a professional habit she'd developed over the months of learning from her fifth senior brother. She took his pulse for a while, confirming that all of Yan Shijin's vital signs were within the normal range, before nodding.

"Yeah, it's okay to stay up late once in a while."

Yan Shijin's lips curved slightly.

Yun Shengsheng snorted inwardly.

[You clearly wanted me to stay up with you on New Year's Eve, but you said it was you who stayed with me.]

[That's fine, being alone is really boring. Maybe we should invite Princess Yongjia and the others too, it'll be more lively with more people...]

Before the thought had even fully formed in her mind, Linlang rushed over.

First, he bowed respectfully to Yan Shijin, then grabbed Yun Shengsheng's arm, his expression clearly not quite right.

"Yun Shengsheng, are you busy right now? If not, come with me!"

"Princess Yongjia seems to be acting strangely. She hasn't eaten or drunk anything all day and has locked herself in her room. She won't open the door no matter who calls her."

Yun Shengsheng was taken aback, then immediately stood up and followed.

Yan Shijin narrowed his eyes and gently moved his finger.

Mo Ning had just returned with the snacks, so she had no choice but to put them down and resignedly follow him...

Yun Shengsheng and Linlang walked quickly to the door of Princess Yongjia's room.

Mu Yu was pacing back and forth at the door with a frown on her face.

When he saw Yun Shengsheng arrive, his eyes lit up and he quickly went to greet her.

"Shengsheng, you're here! Quickly help us persuade Princess Yongjia. She won't respond to anything we say, and I'm really afraid something will happen to her."

Yun Shengsheng thought for a moment, then stuck a finger into her mouth, moistened it with saliva, and quietly poked a small hole in the window paper.

She wanted to see what was wrong with Princess Yongjia before making a decision.

Just as she peered inside, the door suddenly swung open from the inside.

Yun Shengsheng awkwardly took a step forward, covering the small hole, and forced an ugly smile as she spoke.

"Greetings, Princess Yongjia! Have you eaten yet?"

Princess Yongjia glared at her with red eyes before saying in a muffled voice, "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. I just want to be alone for a while."

Linlang hesitated before speaking, "We'll be having New Year's Eve dinner soon, how about I bring it over to you?"

Princess Yongjia thought for a moment and nodded: "Thank you."

Then he gave Yun Shengsheng a meaningful look and closed the door again.

Yun Shengsheng's eyes darted around, and she turned to Linlang and Muyu, saying, "Go and get some food for the princess. Remember to get plenty; she must be hungry after not eating all day."

Without giving it much thought, the two told Shengsheng to keep an eye on things there and hurried off to the kitchen.

Once their footsteps had faded into the distance, Yun Shengsheng raised her hand and knocked on the door.

The door opened again, and Princess Yongjia pulled her inside before quickly closing the door.

Princess Yongjia will be seven years old after the New Year.

At seven years old, in an ordinary family, a child is still a tiny little kid who can play in the mud all day and doesn't understand anything.

But in the royal family, a seven-year-old child already understands everything.

Princess Yongjia loosened her sleeves, walked dejectedly to the table and sat down, her shoulders slumped, like a flower battered by frost.

"Sheng Sheng, please sit down too."

Yun Shengsheng silently sat down next to her, without saying a word, just quietly keeping her company.

The room was quiet for a while, with only the occasional crackling of the candlelight in the lantern.

Then Princess Yongjia's tears began to fall, one by one hitting the table and leaving dark watermarks.

Seeing this, Yun Shengsheng also felt somewhat uneasy.

Princess Yongjia suddenly wiped away her tears and asked, "Sheng Sheng, is your father good to you?"

Yun Shengsheng's eyes darted around, and she immediately understood most of it.

She nodded: "My father treats me quite well."

Princess Yongjia's tears fell even more fiercely.

The dripping sound turned into a torrent of tears, and his voice was trembling.

"But my father treats me badly. I received a letter from home this morning. My mother told me that my father has a woman and children outside. There are two children, and they are both older than me."

"No wonder he was always so busy in Beijing, so busy that he couldn't go home."

Yun Shengsheng didn't speak, but gently placed her hand on the back of Princess Yongjia's hand and patted it.

Princess Yongjia's nose was red, and her eyes were full of hatred. "How could my father treat my mother, me, and my brothers and sisters like this?"

Yun Shengsheng patted the back of her hand; the little girl was still sighing.

"That's your father's fault, and it's not worth you being sad for him. The fact that your mother told you about this shows that she didn't intend to hide it from you or endure it. This is your mother's choice, not a burden for you."

Princess Yongjia nodded, gritted her teeth, and a fierce glint flashed in her eyes that was completely out of character for her age: "My mother wants to divorce my father. My brother and sister both agree, and I agree too."

"But my maternal grandfather disagreed."

Yun Shengsheng frowned.

The old emperor, of course, disagreed. The court was in turmoil; a single move could have far-reaching consequences. For the Grand Princess to divorce her husband at this time would be tantamount to giving many people ammunition against her. The old emperor preferred his daughter to endure it rather than create further complications at this critical juncture.

[Enduring it for a while might calm things down, but why should we tolerate a scumbag? Scumbags should get lost...]

Princess Yongjia slammed her fist on the table in anger, causing the teacup to bounce. "What's most disgusting is that my father knew my maternal grandfather disapproved, yet he actually went too far. He begged my mother to bring that mistress and her two children into the manor and even wanted them to be included in the family genealogy! Included in the family genealogy! How could he have the nerve to say such a thing?"

Yun Shengsheng sighed softly: "Don't worry, the Grand Princess is both beautiful and intelligent, she will definitely not let him succeed."

Yongjia paused for a moment, blinked her teary eyes, and couldn't help but let out a nasal laugh: "You've never even met my mother, how do you know she's both beautiful and intelligent?"

Yun Shengsheng's lips curled up, her tone brimming with self-assured confidence: "Didn't you say your mother is the eldest grandson's aunt? Look how handsome the eldest grandson is, how could your mother not be beautiful...?"