It was early spring in April. The snow that had accumulated over the winter had long melted away, and the flower buds on the branches had all popped out. On the ground, a huge double-handled tripod incense burner with silver gilt characters for "longevity" was still faintly burning with fine silver charcoal, making the room warm. On the small lotus and pear wood table beside the bed were three or four bowls of medicine, all made of pastel-colored stone blue palace kiln porcelain with embossed beauties. Beside the bed stood a long armchair covered with a black leopard-print fur, and on it sat a middle-aged man in brocade clothes, with a gentle expression and a short beard.
"...Heng'er has been in there for a day and a night. I wonder how he did in the exam?" A female voice came from inside the bed.
Lord Qi said, "Heng'er has been working very hard this time. He has been studying day and night for the past few months. He will surely achieve academic success. You should stop worrying about your son. What's most important is that he takes good care of himself. You haven't been able to stop taking medicine this winter because you've been ill for years."
Princess Pingning leaned against a thick brocade pillow embroidered with gold-threaded peonies. Her complexion was sallow, her cheekbones were sharp, and she looked haggard, completely devoid of her former spirited energy. She spoke in a sickly voice, "Heng'er is blaming me."
"Don't worry. Mother and son don't harbor grudges overnight," Lord Qi consoled him. "During the turmoil last year, many people were killed and wounded across the government. The Hanlin Academy and the Cabinet, being so close to the palace, were nearly empty. That's why the Emperor opened the special examinations earlier this year. Heng'er has been studying hard day and night, hoping to pass the exam and gain a degree. That's perfectly reasonable."
Princess Pingning sighed softly, "Don't try to fool me. Heng'er was one of the best men in the capital, handsome, talented, and admired by everyone. Now he's a widower, and he's being pointed at and laughed at for no reason. It's all my fault!"
Lord Qi remained silent, thinking to himself that his wife was not wrong, as she had made the right bet, but she was just unlucky.
Princess Pingning's eyes were red as she choked up, "When Miss Rong got into trouble, I already had a vague feeling something was wrong, but by then... it was too late to back down. I wasn't happy with the marriage of the county lady either. She was arrogant and domineering, and she took no prisoners. It was truly unlucky for our family, but I still forced Heng'er to get close to her! But... even so, I never imagined she would die so tragically!"
As she spoke, Princess Pingning began to sob. Lord Qi was helpless and could only gently pat his wife's hand. The princess covered her face with a handkerchief and whispered, "These past few months, I've often dreamed of the day Rong Xian broke into the palace. The soldiers had murderous looks on their faces, their swords bleeding. The palace maids were crying and trying to squeeze in. The Sixth Princess and the County Lady were dragged away right in front of me..." She couldn't hide her fear in her eyes and said in confusion, "I've only just realized that this wonderful marriage actually cost several lives!"
She fell beside her husband and couldn't hold back her tears.
Lord Qi and the princess were a young couple, and although they often had their share of arguments, seeing his wife so helpless, his heart softened. He gently advised, "The Sixth Princess and her daughter dared to act so recklessly. Think of the Sixth Prince's evil deeds in the vassal state. His Majesty was enraged and stripped him of his title as a prince, leaving him as an idle member of the royal family. If it weren't for the Third Princess's loneliness and childlessness, he would have stripped her of her adopted son as well. Little Rong and Shufei committed suicide, and after the Fourth Prince's death, his children were demoted to commoners. Alas... Ten years of strife, all in vain in one day. How many royal families in the capital were implicated. Fortunately, His Majesty is wise and has provided generous support to my father-in-law and my family. We... should also be more open-minded."
"I'm not sad about this." Princess Pingning wiped away her tears and shook her head. "I grew up in the palace, and I know the ins and outs of it. Although the emperor still treats us well, his health is getting worse day by day. Regardless of right or wrong, we are implicated. A new emperor chooses new ministers. In the future... I'm afraid he won't be in such good graces anymore."
Speaking of this, Lord Qi couldn't help but sigh: "The real person's plan is not as good as God's plan! Who would have thought that in the end it would be the Eighth Prince!"
"Have you really decided on him?" Princess Pingning hesitated. She no longer dared to be sure.
Lord Qi pushed his wife onto the pillow and said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty has already appointed Li Shuyi as Empress and Consort De as Imperial Noble Consort. The appointment of Consort De was to ease the pain of losing a son, but Li Shuyi, who came from the laundry department, was only given the title after giving birth to a son. Your Majesty has never favored her and has been living out her days in the cold palace. Your Majesty's actions are obvious to anyone with a discerning eye, and you've already summoned the Eighth Prince to the capital."
Princess Pingning remained silent for a long time before letting out a long sigh. "The Emperor has never favored that mother and son, but now... Alas, how can one defy fate? The country relies on its eldest son, and the remaining princes are all still young, leaving him as the only one left. ... I remember the Eighth Prince's fiefdom is far away on the border of Shu. When will he be able to reach the capital?"
"The road to Shu is difficult. It will take at least a month," Lord Qi said. He then moved closer to his wife and said gently, "So you must take good care of yourself. If Heng'er succeeds this time, you will have to take care of him."
Princess Pingning thought of her son's future and suddenly felt a surge of strength. She propped herself up from the pillow, her eyes flickering as she sighed, "I don't know who Heng took after. He's so stubborn!"
"How is my son not meeting your expectations?" Lord Qi said with a smile.
Princess Pingning looked at the sandalwood bedtop, which was carved with pomegranate patterns depicting hundreds of descendants, and said dejectedly, "Years ago, the emperor issued an edict to open a special examination. I remembered that Heng'er had always been good friends with Changbai, the eldest son of the Sheng family, so I asked him to talk to him about the imperial examination. But Heng'er would rather wait outside the Hanlin Academy in the cold weather than go to the Sheng Mansion!"
"Huh? Why is this?" Lord Qi was puzzled.
Princess Pingning glared at her husband and said, "Think about that girl the county lady beat to death with a stick. Whose eyes did she resemble?"
Lord Qi thought for a moment, then uttered a soft "Ah," and said, clasping his hands, "I was told that the maids the county lady arranged for Heng'er were all stupid and vulgar. How could Heng'er have fallen for that flattering one? Could it be that Heng'er is still thinking of Brother Sheng's daughter?"
The princess nodded helplessly and said, "Fortunately, Minglan rarely appears in public, otherwise if the county lady saw her, she would probably become suspicious... What's wrong with you? What are you thinking about?" She tugged at the corner of her husband's clothes.
Lord Qi had been staring intently at the purple-gold bronze cauldron on the ground, his head lowered. He was startled awake by the tug at the corner of his clothes and said hurriedly, "I was just thinking, Brother Sheng is truly blessed. Old Minister Lu usually seems deaf and confused, clueless when asked, but unexpectedly, in this critical moment, he was brilliant. Not only did he and his subordinates survive the disaster safely, but the Ministry of Works' various documents and maps were also intact. After the turmoil, the Emperor commended the Ministry of Works officials for their 'remaining calm in the face of danger.' Not only did the old minister enter the cabinet, but Brother Sheng was also promoted to the rank of Left Censor-in-Chief, a fourth-grade official."
Princess Pingning said gloomily, "Not only that, Sister Wang has been in high spirits recently because of all the good things that happened to her. Her eldest son has been promoted to a scholar, her nephew has been promoted to captain, and her son-in-law has been appointed as deputy commander. Look...that's the double portion of wedding eggs she sent the day before yesterday. Last month, her eldest daughter gave birth to a fat boy, and this month her daughter-in-law also gave birth to a boy!" She couldn't hide the sourness in her tone.
A plate of bright red eggs was placed on a round marble table inlaid with rosewood and decorated with auspicious patterns. Lord Qi looked at it and felt deeply moved. He turned to his wife and said, "The end of next month is the anniversary of the death of the old Marquis Ningyuan. Do you want to go?"
Princess Pingning looked at the basin of wedding eggs with a touch of envy, and said, "I won't go. We're already five generations of relatives, so sending a tribute will be enough. Besides, it's been over a year since Tingye's wife passed away." She sighed heavily and said indignantly, "My poor uncle was so cautious all his life, but he never thought that his descendants would be dragged into this chaos. Tingyu's health is not good, and he has been caught up in this big mess. Now the whole family is in constant fear, afraid that if someone reports it, they will immediately strip him of his title and confiscate his property."
Lord Qi felt bad after hearing this, and looking at the happy egg, he had some thoughts: "...Since Heng'er is still thinking about Brother Sheng's daughter, why don't you go and talk to her? I think it's a good match. What do you think?"
Princess Pingning hummed and said, "It's too late. They have already made arrangements."
Lord Qi was surprised and asked, "Have you asked?" The Qi family and his son were unlucky enough, and if the marriage proposal was rejected, it would be double the blow.
"How could I be so reckless!" Princess Pingning understood her husband's intentions and quickly comforted him. "Sister Wang is straightforward, and I got the message out of her in a few words. Her legitimate daughter will probably be married to her nephew, but it's not decided yet, so we'll have to wait and see. The old lady had already planned to marry Minglan off to a boy from the Baishitan He family's side branch."
Lord Qi couldn't hide his disappointment. Thinking of his son's lost and silent look, he hesitated and said, "So... there's only one girl left. How about that one?"
"Bah." The princess spat politely and frowned at her husband. "No matter how bad Heng'er is, he wouldn't have to settle for a concubine's daughter! If it weren't for the fact that Minglan was raised by his old lady and her temperament and appearance are first-class, do you think I'd be happy with it? It's because I've let my son down once, and I want to satisfy his wishes."
Lord Qi was silent for a long time before he said, "If there is a family this time, you should take a closer look and ask Heng'er what he thinks. It will be best if he is happy."
Seeing her husband's distressed look on his face, the princess couldn't help but say, "I heard that the Sheng family hasn't made peace with the He family yet. And now that the Sheng family is so prosperous, perhaps there will be changes."
In fact, there is also bad news for the prosperous Sheng family.
"Mother, please think about it again. You are old and it is not good for you to travel back and forth all the time." Sheng Hong did not even change his official uniform. As soon as he left the yamen, he went to Shou'an Hall. Wang and his children were already sitting at the bottom.
Old Madam Sheng shook her head stubbornly, her fingers twirling a string of agarwood prayer beads back and forth. "We are sisters-in-law, bound together for decades. Now that she's not well, how can I just walk away and ignore her?"
Sheng Hong frowned and looked at Tai Sheng, who was fidgeting beside him. "How is your aunt's health?"
After not seeing each other for a few years, Taisheng had grown a lot taller. The short, plump boy had gradually taken on the shape of a young man. He stood up with an apologetic look on his face, bowed to Sheng Hong, and whispered, "Uncle, please forgive me. Ever since the beginning of the year, my grandmother has been unable to take care of me. We hired the retired doctor Bai, but he also said that she might not live for more than a few months. After the news leaked out, the third branch of the family took turns to come to our house all day long. Sometimes they said that the old man left some money with my grandmother and now they want to share the money. Sometimes they said that they wanted to take charge of the household for my eldest uncle. The third old man is also very old and often sits at home and refuses to leave. Everyone is afraid that something bad might happen to him, so they dare not move him... There is really nothing we can do."
After hearing this, Sheng Hong sighed deeply and turned to Old Madam Sheng and said, "But if anything happens to you, how will your son feel?"
Chang Wu, who was sitting nearby, was filled with shame. He immediately knelt before Sheng Hong, raised his eyes, and said sincerely, "I am an unfilial nephew. Grandmother is ill, and as a grandson, I cannot serve her by her side, but instead I have to make Second Old Madam work so hard. This time... this time, my cousin Taisheng will escort the old lady there. Once we get there, my mother will take good care of her. Please rest assured, uncle!"
Wang Shi looked unwilling and muttered with a stern face, "Easier said than done."
Before Sheng Hong could say more, Old Madam Sheng put down her rosary, waved her hand gently, and sighed, "No need to say more. I've made up my mind. I'll set off tomorrow." She paused, then looked at Sheng Hong, who was sitting at the head of the table, with a worried look on his face. She then said, "I know you're filial, but priorities matter. Since my old bones can still move, I'll go. Alas... Speaking of which, the capital is in turmoil right now, but our family is safe and sound. You and Bo Ge'er and Wu Ge'er have even been promoted. This is certainly due to your usual caution, but it's also thanks to the gods' care and the blessings of our ancestors. Therefore, we must be kind to others and accumulate more merit, especially since this is our own family."
Sheng Hong and Wang Shi exchanged a glance, unable to speak any more. After a few more words, Changbai escorted Changwu and Taisheng out. Minglan, seeing that the matter was settled, stood up and made a promise to Sheng Hong, practically patting her chest as she said, "Don't worry, father. I'm here. I'll take good care of the old lady along the way."
But Mrs. Sheng shook her head and said, "No, you won't go this time."
Minglan was shocked. She had been inseparable from the old lady for years, so how could she bear to be separated from her husband? But before she could say anything, the old lady turned to Wang Shi and said, "Ming girl is getting older. It's not good for her to live away from home all the time, let alone run around. I'll go to Youyang first. If my old sister-in-law..., we can ask the child to come over then."
Wang stood up and responded respectfully. The old lady continued, "Brother Bo's daughter-in-law is currently in confinement after giving birth. You'll have to worry about everything at home." Then she glanced at Minglan, who had a bitter look on her face, and couldn't help but say, "Sixth girl has never left my sight since she was little. She's a simple-minded person, and I'm really worried about her. You have to keep a close eye on her and don't let her get naughty."
Wang Shi knew exactly what the old lady meant, so she smiled and said, "Look at what you said. I think Ming girl is very good and more sensible than her two sisters." Old Madam Sheng nodded and said, "Thank you for your concern."
Seeing the old lady like this, Molan felt a pang of sadness in her heart. She smiled sweetly and said, "Grandma, you are so biased. Only Sixth Sister is worried about you? Fifth Sister and I have no one to love or pity."
Rulan was also unhappy, but she didn't want to be used as a tool by Molan, so she said, "Sixth sister is the youngest, and it's understandable that grandma is worried about her; but... grandma does love sixth sister the most." As she said this, she pouted.
Old Madam Sheng smiled but said nothing. Sheng Hong frowned and scolded her, "Who taught you this rule? The old lady is leaving tomorrow, and you're not thinking about her health, but only about yourselves!"
The two Lans immediately lowered their heads and stopped talking.
That night, Minglan stayed in Shou'an Hall, nagging Old Lady Sheng with a mournful face, repeating the same things over and over again. This tactic usually worked, but this time the old lady was determined. Minglan muttered, "My granddaughter no longer gets carriage sick, and I'm used to boat rides. I can even talk to you on the way. What's the point of my uncle's house being outside? We're all family..."
The old lady was both angry and amused. She slapped her granddaughter on the head and said with a stern face: "You should also learn more from your sister-in-law. Look at how she speaks and behaves under the Madam's control. She is so steady and foolproof. What about you? You stick to me like this. What will happen when you get married in the future?" The more she thought about it, the more worried she became. The tea bowl in her hand clashed against the lid.
Minglan raised her lips and said gloomily, "Why don't you marry me?"
Old Madam Sheng could no longer hold back and nearly spit out a mouthful of tea. She put down her teacup and pinched Minglan's face, scolding her, "I'm so soft-hearted. I should have spanked you harder when you were little!"
Seeing that persuasion was hopeless, Minglan changed the subject and began to tell the old lady to take care of herself, not to drink too much water at night, as getting up too often would easily catch a cold, and not to rush out in the morning, but to go for a walk when the sun came out. She went on and on until Fang Mama and Cuiping came in and laughed, "It's true that things change over time. The young lady has grown up and knows how to be considerate of the old lady's health. In the past, the old lady would always catch her and nag her, but now everything has been reversed."
Old Madam Sheng's ears were numb from the nagging, and she couldn't escape. She could only sigh helplessly, "Didn't Taisheng bring you a letter from Pinlan? Every time you receive a letter from Pinlan, you always laugh for a long time. Why don't you open it and read it quickly?"
Minglan twisted her fingers and acted like a scoundrel, climbing on the old lady like a fat squirrel, rubbing her little head against her grandmother's neck, which made the old lady laugh because of the itch. The two of them started to playfully twist and pull each other. Mother Fang and Cuiping found it very funny, but they did not dare to laugh. They quietly retreated. After a while, the two of them stopped playing.
The old lady's hair was all messed up, but she also had some of the cheerfulness of an old child. She gently patted Minglan's little hand and scolded her, "Stop messing around and listen to me!"
Minglan then sat up straight. The old lady looked at Minglan and said earnestly, "Alas... I thought I would have no bloodline in this life, and I would have lived like this. I didn't expect that God would give me a little devil like you, and how much trouble you have caused me for nothing."
Minglan remained silent, her head buried in the old lady's arms, cuddling her tenderly. The old lady's heart was warm, her eyes loving as she rocked her granddaughter in her arms, saying slowly, "I've been stubborn since I was little. I was spoiled by my parents and acted recklessly, even when I was bruised and bloodied. Now I think it would have been better if I'd suffered some setbacks as a child. How long can grandma protect you? When you get married in the future, your family will still have to look after your wife and your sister-in-law. Grandma can't just keep you under her arm forever. It's not good for you to be uninhibited. This time, you should get along well with them. Do you hear me?"
Minglan raised her little head and nodded, her eyes moist. A few water droplets hung on her long eyelashes, and her porcelain-white skin seemed to be wet from being squeezed. The old lady felt sorry for Minglan's pitiful appearance and said lovingly, "Without me around, they won't be constrained. Madam, apart from other things, is an expert in managing the household accounts, and your sister-in-law is even more clever. You should learn from them. Hey... in a year or two, you will also be coming of age."
Minglan choked up and said, "I can't bear to leave my grandmother."
The old lady patted the girl and just sighed.
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