Old Zhuang’s injury was recovering well. Those festering places had all formed a layer of thick black scabs. In a few more days, when the thick scabs fell off on their own, a vigorous and spirited man would appear again. The Yun family still couldn’t do without him right now.

“Take advantage of recuperating to spend more time with your wife. Of the three forms of unfilial behavior, having no descendants is the greatest. Your family members were scattered in the chaos of war. Now only you remain. The family line must be passed down. I’m about to get married. Let’s see which of us brothers holds a son first.”

He and Old Zhuang were truly brothers through life and death. If there was anyone else in this world willing to die in his place, it could only be Old Zhuang. No matter from which perspective, Old Zhuang had long surpassed the bounds of master and servant in Yun Ye’s heart. Regarding him as family was only natural.

Words didn’t need to be said explicitly. Old Zhuang understood in his heart. Old Grandmother having his whole family move to live in the front courtyard said everything. After the marquis’s grand wedding, the main family could hire consecrated retainers. Thinking of this, Old Zhuang’s heart became fervent.

This was a great matter benefiting descendants for three generations. He dared not be careless.

“Congratulations, Marquis! How can this lowly one compare with you, Marquis? Being able to touch a bit of the marquis’s good fortune, this lowly one would be completely satisfied.”

“Where do we get all this nonsense between us? Recovering your health early is proper business. When the time comes, having a child will also be robust.” Yun Ye glanced at Old Zhuang. People, ah—they just couldn’t be involved with self-interest. Once self-interest was involved, they became wretched. A fine man, for the sake of his wife and children’s future, forcibly shrank his body like a turtle.

He had no mood to talk with a turtle. It turned his stomach, especially a tough man pretending to be a turtle was even more disgusting.

Grandmother’s room light was still on. Only seeing maids going in and out, not knowing what they were busy with, Yun Ye walked in. Seeing Grandmother holding a candle, laboriously flipping through things in a chest, while those maids all stood to the side with their hands in their sleeves watching the excitement.

“Are you all dead people? Letting Grandmother busy herself alone, you don’t know to lend a hand. What kind of spoiled behavior is this?” Yun Ye was very angry. It seemed the household rules needed changing. If this continued, how could that be acceptable?

The maids were so frightened they all knelt down, lowering their heads without making a sound. Grandmother quickly said to Yun Ye: “Ye’er, don’t blame them. Grandmother won’t let them touch these things.” After speaking, she drove all the maids out.

When Yun Ye came forward to look, they turned out to be his own blueprints. Even some calculation draft papers were inside. Even some cartoon patterns he’d casually drawn had all been categorized by Grandmother and bound with hemp thread, arranged neatly in the chest.

“Grandmother, rest early at night. Don’t always flip through these things. If they’re lost, your grandson can just draw them again. No need to treat them as treasures.” Yun Ye took the blueprints from Grandmother’s hands, rolled them into scrolls, tied them with silk ribbon, and put them back in the wooden chest.

“Can’t be careless. These are all treasures. Even these pictures you drew all reveal honesty everywhere. Look at this pig—plump and adorable, even better looking than that pig Xiao Ya feeds called Hanhan. Your aunt got married and wanted to pick one or two patterns from here to embroider. Grandmother wouldn’t allow it. Already become another family’s person, yet still thinking about the family’s treasures. Raising daughters really is useless.”

Old Grandmother rambled on about household matters. Watching her spendthrift grandson organize the chest, joy flowed from the bottom of her heart. The old Yun family accumulated great virtue for hundreds of years, not knowing how many wooden fish they knocked to make Heaven give such a good child to be born into the Yun family. Not to mention being learned and reasonable, not to mention clever and quick-witted—just this heart toward family relatives alone, even if this child really was a spendthrift, she’d accept it.

“Ye’er, Grandmother knows you’re dissatisfied with your aunt’s marriage, thinking Grandmother used your aunt as a bargaining chip and gave her to Lishi. You resent Grandmother’s heartlessness in your heart, don’t you?”

Yun Ye turned around with difficulty and knelt before Grandmother, saying: “Your grandson considers himself a great man. I’d rather take through straightforward means than seek through curved ways. As family head, I also know people can’t be rigid. For the Yun family to achieve its goals, we can employ schemes and plots, we can also take by cunning or force—this is nothing. But using one’s own relatives to exchange, even if obtaining the greatest benefits, I deeply consider it shameful. Grandmother, these are your grandson’s heartfelt words. If you’re angry, beat your grandson once, but definitely don’t damage your health with anger.”

Old Grandmother smiled and walked before Yun Ye, bending down to embrace her grandson, pressing her grandson’s head to her bosom, stroking Yun Ye’s hair and saying: “Grandmother isn’t angry. Grandmother is happy. These are the words my Yun family’s head should say. This old woman doesn’t have such insight, nor such means. Only a man would think this way. Grandmother is now so happy she can’t wait to die and tell my grandson’s good news to the Yun family’s ancestors.”

“It’s just, good grandson, you’ve thought wrongly about this matter. When you saw your aunt getting married, was there the slightest dissatisfaction?”

Yun Ye tilted his head and thought for a long time. Indeed, he hadn’t discovered his aunt had any meaning of complaint. He said: “She just wanted to marry so badly she went crazy. Having an old man come to propose made her delighted beyond measure. She actually only needed to wait a while. When the armies from all directions return, your grandson would naturally select a brave warrior from the military with appropriate age and status for her. Was there any need to marry in such a hurry?”

Grandmother indulgently patted Yun Ye’s head once: “Such nonsense. You’re really underestimating your aunt. These two years, the Yun family inside and out has all relied on her management. Everyone she’s contacted—who isn’t a noble lady from a prestigious family? Now her standards are high. Military roughnecks might not enter her eyes. Moreover, those suitable for her might already have countless concubines at home. The Yun family’s daughter they wouldn’t dare bully. Being the legitimate wife is certain. Your aunt has seen too many of those disgusting scheming matters in back courtyards. Now her beauty has faded—how could she compete for favor with those seductive women? With you here, no one would dare bully her. She knows this. But for those disgusting matters in the back courtyard, can your aunt seek your help?”

“Marrying Lishi is different. Status and identity—he lacks nothing. Still alone. Although his age is greater, his body is robust. Living another twenty years is no problem. Your aunt is the elder before you, but the younger one before Lishi. She’ll definitely be favored. Although somewhat poor, so what? Can our Yun family just watch them live in poverty? Your aunt has those private savings. Sending them over is enough for them to use endlessly. So, good grandson, this is a good match.”

After hearing Grandmother’s words, Yun Ye discovered he’d taken things for granted. In this era where status and identity were higher than everything, examples of white hair and red beauty were everywhere. Even princesses might marry monkeys. That his aunt was satisfied with her own marriage was not strange. The Yun family’s back courtyard was peaceful and harmonious. Messy matters never occurred. Naturally, she hoped her future would also be this happy and fulfilling.

Night had deepened. Yun Ye helped Grandmother to bed to rest, tucked in her blanket corners, instructed the maids to care for her well, then walked back to his room in the moonlight. With one heart ailment gone, his footsteps were light and cheerful.

Good days lived easily naturally passed extremely quickly. Another morning came. The Yun household up and down was in chaos, all busy with the marquis’s grand wedding in three days. Grand Steward Qian Tong was so busy his feet didn’t touch the ground, riding the Yun family’s light carriage shuttling between various prestigious family residences. Originally, invitations should be personally delivered by family elders to be proper. But the Yun family only had Yun Ye as a male member. The elders were all women—how would it be convenient to deliver invitations? Fortunately, Old Qian spoke respectfully, and people also sympathized with the Yun family’s thin numbers, so they forgave the Yun family’s difficulties and happily accepted the invitations.

Li Er sent someone to deliver a piece of calligraphy. On it was written “Suitable for Family and Home,” directly praising Xinyue without commenting on Yun Ye. Zhangsun was much more substantial—a set of headpieces and jewelry, exclusively for imperial use. The Yun family originally had no qualifications to wear these things. Bestowed items were different—they were a kind of honor. Li Chengqian knew how to make Yun Ye happy—directly serving meat dishes. A plate of gold ingots dazzled the eyes. The Imperial Treasury markings on top were clear as day. These things also weren’t for spending but for pressing the bottom of chests. Even Li Yuan sent over a pair of jade pendants.

The one the imperial family sent to deliver gifts was the eunuch Wu She from the Bureau of Palace Attendance. This old thing gave Yun Ye the feeling of a slippery poisonous snake coiling around his neck that couldn’t be removed. Even his smile was sinister. Cupping his hands saying auspicious words was like reciting a eulogy: “Marquis Yun achieved success at a young age. At the time of receiving official promotion and noble rank, you also welcome a new wife. The imperial family’s favor is unheard of. The Grand Emperor, who hasn’t concerned himself with worldly affairs for many years, also has generous gifts to bestow. Truly congratulatory.”

The old eunuch harbored ill intent. In public, he actually said Yun Ye and the Grand Emperor had lingering connections. Ghosts all knew Li Yuan was driven off the throne by his son. Saying this made it seem like Yun Ye planned to help Li Yuan restore the monarchy.

The nobles present all became somewhat uncomfortable. Their noble ranks were obtained by toppling Li Yuan. They were most sensitive to these topics. They all stopped their pleasantries, watching how Yun Ye would respond. Wu She also waited with hands in his sleeves for Yun Ye’s explanation.

Yun Ye put away his smile. Seeing Wu She become somewhat uncomfortable, he finally spoke: “His Majesty commanded you to come deliver rewards. Did he arrange for you to speak these inexplicable words? When did eunuchs in the palace also become able to speak for His Majesty? What do you take His Majesty’s intentions to be? If I kill you here today, I’d like to see who would come find trouble with me. Even His Majesty would only praise my good killing. Why don’t you withdraw?”

Wu She’s facial expression was extremely wonderful, cloudy and uncertain. His two hands in his robe sleeves continuously undulated. Knowing he was a martial arts expert, Master Lishi, who was receiving the edict together, stepped diagonally forward, protecting Yun Ye behind him without saying a word.

Yun Ye spoke fiercely but didn’t have the courage to really do anything to Wu She. Yet Wu She withdrew his hands from his sleeves. In his hands was a silk handkerchief. Smiling at Yun Ye, he said: “When leaving the palace, the Grand Princess had me deliver this silk handkerchief. Please accept it, Marquis Yun.” After speaking, he shook his hands and left.

Everyone’s expressions became even more peculiar. When a woman gives a man a silk handkerchief, the implication goes without saying. Princess Anlan was recently bestowed in marriage to barbarians in Lingnan, momentarily becoming a laughingstock. Later, not knowing what happened, all the土 kings of Lingnan were completely locked in the imperial prison. It was said severe torture continued day and night without rest. The princess’s marriage was delayed. Everyone said the princess had good fortune, able to avoid the suffering of marrying far into the wasteland.

Also strange was that Tang Jian, whose imperial favor was at its peak, suddenly submitted a memorial requesting punishment. The crimes listed above were vague and unclear, but the heart requesting punishment was extremely earnest. Everyone saw this wasn’t acting but truly requesting punishment.

Which major household didn’t have a few informants? In less than a day, they knew the cause of the matter occurred after Yun Ye collected large quantities of gifts from the Court of State Ceremonial. Although not knowing what happened, they knew the matter was absolutely not small. The miserable condition of those土 kings in prison could be called utterly tragic.

The Son of Heaven was in a violent rage—this was the only conclusion everyone reached. These days, Chang’an City could be called filled with gloomy clouds and tragic fog. Everyone was careful not to have the slightest conflict with others. The wastrels in families were also driven to the academy early, not even allowed to return home on Sundays.

The Yun family’s joyous occasion was Chang’an City’s only social opportunity in recent days.