On the Dragon Boat Festival, the Xu family’s back garden was as bright as a starry sky.

The lady held Xu Sizhun in one hand and Xu Lingkuan in the other, and walked among the flower trees with lanterns hung on them, smiling happily. From time to time, she turned back to say a few words to Eleventh Lady, Fifth Lady and others behind her. The children were running and playing among the lanterns, making the scene even more lively than during the Chinese New Year.

Jiang's gaze couldn't help but turn to Eleventh Lady.

She was responding to the lady's words with a smile on her face and a gentle expression.

Who doesn't love such a scene?

Jiang couldn't help but sigh softly.

After the banquet, she gently advised Xu Sizhun: "Father-in-law and mother-in-law are not particular about food and clothing. Wouldn't they think you are too extravagant?"

Xu Sizhun couldn't help but frown.

My wife had been in a low mood since dinner, and when she saw the lanterns all over the yard, the smile on her face even became a little forced. Now she asked such a question again...

He thought for a moment and shook Jiang's hand. "I also know that we spent a lot of money, but I didn't use the public money. We used all our own money. I thought that after I got married, I would be an adult. This is my first Dragon Boat Festival after getting married, and it is also my mother's first birthday. If I can buy a special birthday gift for my mother, she will definitely be very happy." As he spoke, his voice lowered, "I also want to make you happy... If you don't like it, I will never act on my own again. I will discuss everything with you before doing anything, what do you think?"

Jiang was very anxious.

From the sound of her voice, it seemed as if she was reluctant to do so.

"If you can make the elders happy, no matter how much money you spend, it is not extravagant." Jiang said hurriedly, "I just want to say that the gift-giving method should be particular. If it is the right gift, the happiness will be different. It's like giving a sword to a hero or giving rouge to a beauty. These are all just the right things..."

"I understand what you mean." Xu Sizhun's eyes showed some confusion, "Grandmother and mother are well-informed. They have a lot of rare jewelry and precious fabrics. They are not rare at all. It took me two months to come up with this idea. I hired three craftsmen from the lantern shop and it took more than a month to make this lantern..." He laughed, "You can see that grandma and mother are very happy. It shows that they like this gift very much."

Jiang had no choice but to bring up Xu Lingyi: "If the father-in-law comes back and asks about it..."

"Then you don't have to worry about it." Xu Sizhun smiled, looking relaxed, and whispered, "Father once spent eight thousand taels of silver to buy a set of emerald headpieces for mother. I only spent three or four thousand taels of silver... Father would definitely not say anything if he knew."

The emerald headpiece can be passed down as a family heirloom, but this gauze lantern can no longer be used after being used twice. Besides, the family property was earned by my father-in-law, so he can use it however he wants. His personal money was either given by my father-in-law or left by my deceased mother-in-law... How can this be compared!

"Husband..." Jiang wanted to persuade him, but just as she opened her mouth, Xu Sizhun smiled and said, "Okay, okay, don't worry about it. Even if daddy blames you, I'll take the blame. Just sleep well." As he spoke, his hand gently fell on her bulging belly, "You are not alone now. If you don't sleep well, he won't sleep well either..."

His words reminded her of another incident.

"Husband, do you want to let E Rui serve you..." Before she finished speaking, her expression already seemed a little awkward.

Before Xu Sizhun got married, he took his personal maid E Rui as his concubine. After Jiang came to marry, she soon became pregnant. In this case, in order to prevent the concubine who had a relationship with the master since childhood from becoming a big wife, the wife would usually arrange for her personal maid to serve. But Xu Sizhun was deeply in love with Jiang, and Jiang saw that E Rui was very honest, so she kept her.

"No need!" Xu Sizhun tucked in the quilt for Jiang, "I'm here with you - you're pregnant!"

Jiang felt sweet in her heart, and the unhappiness just now disappeared.

She held her husband's hand tightly, and the tiredness of accompanying her elders to visit the garden soon made her fall into a deep sleep.

* * * * * *

A few days later, it was Xu Sizhun's birthday.

The lady and Eleventh Lady discussed that since this was Xu Sizhun's first birthday after marriage, it might be a good idea to have a lively party. They invited relatives and friends, set up three tables of wine for him, and had the Changsheng Society perform operas.

There were loud gongs and drums on the stage and laughter from the audience. Everyone was eating and drinking and was very happy.

Eleventh Lady gave Xu Sizun a palm-sized glass crystal cup that looked like a lotus pod: "Your fifth brother helped me find it in front of Xiangguo Temple. It's very beautiful, isn't it!"

Xu Sizhun couldn't let it go: "It's very beautiful, I like it very much." He smiled and thanked Xu Sijie.

Xu Sijie smiled and took out a fist-sized blue and white porcelain lantern with a carved winding flower pattern: "I saw this in Duobao Pavilion, I'm giving it to you on behalf of my sixth brother." He also took out a sheepskin lantern the size of a large bowl with a painting of the four scenes of the Western Hills, "This is mine. It's the same as mother's glass lantern. I bought it from a street stall next to the Xiangguo Temple." He gave all the things to Xu Sizhun, "Although they are not worth much, they all look cute to me."

Xu Sizhun's eyes sparkled. He looked at this and touched that, not knowing what to do. "I want to hang these three lanterns in my study... No, hang them on the Luohan Pavilion in the warm room. When I lie down and read, I can see them as soon as I raise my head."

"As long as you like it!" Eleventh Lady smiled, "Speaking of which, there is an allusion to these three lanterns..."

Before she could finish her sentence, Xu Sijian ran over and said, "Oh, fourth brother, you're so lucky. Sometime, can you treat us to a meal?" He still loved teasing people.

"Okay!" Xu Sizhun said happily, "You can choose any place you want."

"How about Cuihua Hutong?" Xu Sijian asked seriously.

That was a famous place of entertainment in Yanjing.

Xu Sizun's face flushed red: "Or, let's go to another place!" He spoke a little haltingly.

Xu Sijian laughed and turned to the lady and said, "Fourth brother even knows this place!"

Even if you don't know, you can tell it's not a good place by looking at his mischievous look.

"Come here!" The lady waved at Xu Sijian, "I'll teach you a lesson." She twisted his ear.

"Ouch!" Xu Sijian covered his ears with his hands, pretending to be in unbearable pain, "Grandfather, please be gentle. I am also a sixth-rank official. How can I save face with this!"

The whole room burst into laughter.

Jiang was a little disappointed.

When she saw that Eleventh Lady had given Xu Sizun many uniquely shaped but cheap lanterns, she thought that Eleventh Lady would take the opportunity to persuade Xu Sizun, but Eleventh Lady said nothing.

Amber also asked privately: "Madam, didn't you say you wanted to remind the Fourth Young Master a few words?"

"Let's find another opportunity!" Eleventh Lady said, "There are too many people. He has good intentions. I'm afraid he will lose face."

Amber nodded.

But before Shiyi Niang and Xu Sizhun could say this, Xu Lingyi and Jing'er suddenly came back.

"Why didn't you ask the servant to deliver a message overnight?" She hurriedly asked the kitchen to cook, found some clean clothes for Xu Lingyi, helped her son take a bath, and ordered the maid to take out all the clothes in their boxes and wash them, "so that the family can be prepared." She added, "Didn't you say that he might not come back until after summer? Why is he here so early? It's so hot to travel in summer!"

"He Chengbi won a great victory in Fujian and wiped out all the Japanese pirates in Pinghaiwei." He looked at Shiyi Niang with a blazing gaze, "The emperor appointed He Chengbi as the general of Fujian."

Eleventh Lady didn't know who He Chengbi was, but in recent years, Fujian's wars had relied heavily on the Jinghai Marquis Qu family.

"Does this mean that from now on the court will have generals available for naval warfare?" she hesitated.

Xu Lingyi laughed, "That's right. He not only pacified Pingweihai, but also pacified Hengyu before." His joy was beyond words, "I have no scruples about the Qu family anymore." He lay in the pine wood bathtub, looking up at the two tiles on the bathroom, "Twelve years..."

Some things are never forgotten.

The faint voice floated in the foggy house, making Shiyi Niang's eyes slightly sore.

"My Lord!" She rubbed his back.

His back was broad and strong with clear lines. She didn't know why, but she always felt that his shoulders were too tired. She wanted him to rest for a while. Whenever the handkerchief brushed past her, she would grab the corner of it with her hand, fearing that the weight would make him feel tired.

For a while, the bathroom was silent. Only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard, but it did not feel monotonous or boring. With each breath, it was like singing in harmony, asking and answering, and gradually it became a frequency that made people feel comfortable.

"My Lord!" A little maid's timid voice broke the silence of the bathroom, "My Lord Prince Yong is here!"

Xu Lingyi stood up, and the sound of water splashing all over the room: "Your Highness, please go to the small study and sit down. I'll be right there!" His voice was calm and sharp, and Eleventh Lady's heart was pounding.

As if sensing her uneasiness, Xu Lingyi turned around and held her hand: "It's okay! Our Jing'er hasn't started a family yet!"

Eleventh Lady smiled and nodded. Regardless of the fact that Xu Lingyi was soaked, she held him quietly for a moment, then turned around to get him some clean clothes: "My Lord, would you like to wear official uniform or casual clothes?" Her voice was clear and crisp, without a trace of fluctuation.

* * * * * *

In mid-July, the emperor sent three letters of accountability to Marquis Jinghai in one day due to the unfavorable results of the Taizhou campaign. People inside and outside the court began to impeach and denounce the Qu family.

The octogenarian Marquis of Jinghai personally went to the capital to plead guilty, and died of illness in Guangze County on the border of Fujian. The emperor did not let the case go, and on the Mid-Autumn Festival, when families reunite, he posted a royal notice outside the Meridian Gate to denounce the Qu family for 36 crimes. Subsequently, the Qu family was stripped of their titles, their property was confiscated, their direct descendants were executed, and their collateral descendants were exiled, and their family business of more than 200 years was lost in one day.

The Fujian family was reshuffled. It took five years for them to recover. However, there was already a new topic of conversation in Beijing - when He Chengbi was judging the merits of his subordinates, Li Ji, the second son of Li Zhong, the former general of Fujian, was ranked first.

The old events of the past were brought up again, with Li Zhong becoming a tragic figure with bad luck, while Li Ji became a young hero who revived the family.

"It's no small feat that He Chengbi can employ him, not to mention that he puts his name first." Xu Lingyi threw down the official newspaper in his hand and said lazily, "This kid has a bright future."

Everything was going the way he hoped, and there was a hint of excitement on his calm face, making him look several years younger.

"So many years have passed, the emperor shouldn't be holding on to the matter of Li Zhong, right?" Eleventh Lady sat beside him and made a bellyband for Jing'er.

"Now is the time to use people." Xu Lingyi said calmly, "Besides, the matter of Li Zhong was also unclear and confusing. The emperor will not bring up the past again."

As he was speaking, the servant ran in breathlessly: "My Lord, Prince Yong is here!"

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I’ll post a draft first to make up for the extra update on September 3rd!

I did nothing this morning so I wrote this. I have some other things to do this afternoon so the update will be postponed until around 21. Please understand.

O(∩_∩)O~

PS: After reading everyone's comments about the lantern, I blushed. It is indeed a flaw. I made some minor repairs.

Thank you all for your corrections.