Lang Zhengping felt that his second younger brother’s sole piece of flesh and blood had, to some degree, inherited that same unyielding backbone of his — fearing neither heaven nor earth, even willing to march up to the face of someone she had offended and make her presence known.
She truly was not afraid of getting hit.
But she might not be afraid — he certainly was.
“Funerals have their inauspicious clashes to observe. Our household has only just concluded ours — there is no need for us to attend the Zhao family’s procession. To do so might invite a clash of inauspicious energies between the two, and that would not be well.” Lang Zhengping said evenly.
Lang Jiuchuan, however, replied, “There is no need to bring the whole household. You could escort me there. And if you are truly worried about a clash of inauspicious energies, I can go alone — just have the steward arrange a carriage for me.”
Was this child incapable of understanding a tactfully worded refusal?
Lang Zhengping’s complexion took on a slightly greenish cast. “It is not only a matter of inauspicious clashes. Have you forgotten what you did before? The Zhao family may not have pressed the matter with you, but for you to show up uninvited…”
“The Zhao family did not merely refrain from pressing the matter — they would not press the matter. You know this in your heart. And there is something I need to see to. I must go.”
Lang Zhengping’s expression darkened.
The two of them stared each other down.
After a long moment, Lang Zhengping conceded. “Then tomorrow at first light, I will go with you. But there is one condition — you are not to speak carelessly, and you are absolutely not to cause any trouble.”
Lang Jiuchuan gave a nod.
Lang Zhengping watched her agree so readily, and felt somehow more uneasy than before. This felt very ominous.
Carrying that unease back with him, Lang Zhengping returned to the main courtyard. Madam Fan was going over the inventory of vessels and furnishings returned after the funeral with the household attendants. Upon seeing him arrive, she dismissed the attendants and coughed twice.
“You are not young anymore — do not exhaust yourself. There are matters you can entrust to the eldest daughter-in-law to manage.” Lang Zhengping said with some concern.
Madam Fan gave a nod. “Over the coming years of mourning, I will gradually pass more of the household management to her. What has put that look on your face?”
Lang Zhengping removed the rosewood prayer beads from his wrist and began rolling them between his fingers. “Father’s coffin has been returned to the ancestral burial grounds — the funeral is properly concluded. But as for the court — not so much as a verbal acknowledgment has come, let alone any word of condolences or posthumous honors.”
When a duke or marquis passed away, a well-regarded one would receive an envoy from the court to offer condolences or words of comfort. Those who had rendered great political service might even be granted a posthumous title. Yet for Marquis Kaiping — nothing whatsoever had arrived.
Which made the court’s regard for Marquis Kaiping perfectly clear.
The court’s attitude bore directly on the Lan family’s future prospects, and so Lang Zhengping was deeply anxious.
Madam Fan, being the wife of a marquisate’s heir and herself from a prominent family, grasped the implications the moment her husband raised the matter. She frowned and asked, “The petition to inherit the title — has it been submitted?”
“I had previously arranged through old Uncle Zhao on that front, but with the Zhao family now also in mourning… There is also the Zheng family, and several of the in-law families. As for your father — you should write to him as well. We need this matter settled and confirmed before the year-end when official appointments are sealed.” Lang Zhengping worked his prayer beads at a rapid pace. “The Palace Rites official Tong, from the Ministry of Rites — his newly taken secondary wife just gave birth to a son this year. Next month is the one-month celebration. Send a suitably generous gift.”
Madam Fan’s complexion turned slightly pallid. A small measure of sadness settled in her chest. A mere concubine’s son at his one-month celebration, and their marquisate household had to send a generous gift — all because that official Tong was the third-ranking figure in the Ministry of Rites.
Lang Zhengping seemed to sense her reluctance. “I know you are not pleased about it. But official Tong is already past forty-five. He has a house full of wives and concubines, yet daughter after daughter kept coming — this is the only son he has ever had. You can imagine how precious that child is to him. A commonplace gift would simply not catch his notice.”
“This concubine understands, my lord.” Madam Fan’s tone carried a faint note of bitterness.
All of it for the sake of ensuring the title inheritance went through smoothly — which was why, even toward someone of lower standing, they had to swallow their pride and go fawn over them.
Lang Zhengping discussed several more pressing matters with her before turning the conversation to Lang Jiuchuan.
“This child of second younger brother’s family — in other ways she may not resemble him, but in temperament and that stubborn backbone, she is a near-perfect copy of him, eight or nine parts identical. And that is entirely at odds with how frail and delicate her body appears.” Lang Zhengping said, his brow furrowed. “Now that she is grown, she cannot simply go on living at the estate as she did before. But I can see that second younger brother’s wife still carries that thorn in her heart — she is unlikely to show much care for this child.”
Madam Fan sighed. “From what I have observed these past few days, those two truly seem born to clash.”
Seeing Lang Zhengping’s brow tighten, she hurried to add, “Though of course, being mother and daughter, what rift can truly last forever? The longer they are together, the more it will soften.”
Lang Zhengping said, “Whether it softens or not — that is a matter of the bond between them. There is one thing I must say clearly: this child is second younger brother’s only bloodline, and she is a daughter of the Lan family. Whatever I think of Cui Shi, on account of second younger brother alone, I ask that you as the eldest aunt show her more attention and care.”
Madam Fan agreed readily, and took the opening to bring up Lang Cailing’s habit of speaking without thinking. “She is already of age to be wed. If you had not been so indulgent of her, her betrothal would have been settled long ago. Now another year of mourning stands in the way, and she still has that spoiled young miss temperament. When she eventually goes to her husband’s family, I worry…”
She lifted her teacup and took a slow sip, watching his expression from the corner of her eye. Seeing his brow crease into a deep furrow, she continued, “The first branch has a total of three unmarried daughters. You may certainly choose to keep her close and dote on her a little longer. Only — a young lady who is kept waiting too long will be kept waiting into resentment, and then the fault would rest with us.”
Lang Zhengping immediately said, “During this year of mourning, have the nannies teach her proper conduct and decorum. As for her match — I will look into it further.”
“Very well.” Madam Fan gave a nod, then said, “Now that the ninth young miss has returned — what of the matter of adoption?”
Lang Zhengping’s expression turned solemn, and the prayer beads moved faster between his fingers.
Lang Zhengpan had died young, leaving only one daughter. By convention, a son ought to be adopted into the second branch to carry on the line — this had been discussed and planned for ten years, but because Cui Shi had never given a clear answer either way, the matter had been left unresolved and dragged on.
Now that Lang Jiuchuan had returned to the household, how this would be handled still depended on Cui Shi.
“There is no rush on this. Let the title inheritance be settled first, then we will see. It ultimately depends on Cui Shi — if she is unwilling, Lang Jiuchuan could also take in a son-in-law through marriage…” Lang Zhengping’s words trailed off as he remembered what the household physician had said: the ninth young miss’s constitution was too weak, and she was not expected to live long. Bearing children would likely be beyond her.
Seen in that light, taking in a son-in-law to produce an heir for the second branch would probably come to nothing as well.
Lang Zhengping felt a sudden and heavy headache descend upon him. “We will revisit this later. I am going to sleep in the study. And — tomorrow I will be taking the ninth young miss to pay condolences at the Zhao family. Have the carriage arranged.”
One thing after another — would it ever end?
Madam Fan saw him out, then settled back by the south-facing window, the slight crease between her brows persisting.
Her personal attendant Nanny He brought in a fresh cup of longan tea, and said, “Madam, what did the young lord say?”
“As for the seventh young miss — have Nanny Gui go and teach her proper conduct.” Madam Fan’s voice was cool. “She thought the match I found for her was not distinguished enough, and kept interfering and stirring up trouble. She does not know that ‘the daughter of a marquisate’ has a finer ring to it than ‘the daughter of an earldom.’ After another year of mourning, that may no longer even be what she is. Let’s see what kind of remarkable man the young lord manages to find for her.”
Nanny He said, “Some people are never satisfied — they will get their just deserts in the end. The seventh young miss is one thing. But the eleventh young master — if he is truly adopted into the second branch, I fear a certain person will start to put on airs.”
That certain person, naturally, referred to Lang Cailing and Lang Caiyi’s birth mother, Chen Yiniang. Once her son was adopted as the sole legitimate heir of the second branch, who could stop her from ascending to the heavens?
A cold glint passed through Madam Fan’s eyes. She lowered her head and took a slow sip of longan tea. In an unhurried tone, she said, “What she wants — she would first have to see whether second younger brother’s wife would consent. Born of the Cui clan, a woman of her standing would sooner perish than accept flesh and blood from that fox-spirited creature into her household — she would choke on the very scent of it. Tomorrow, go to the ninth young miss’s courtyard and see if there is anything lacking. See that everything is properly arranged. Remember — she is the one and only legitimate daughter of the second branch…”