Sang Shisi chased after Yang Jingyuan out of the city. The snowflakes and biting wind made it difficult to even open his mouth. After pursuing ten li beyond the city gates, Yang Jingyuan finally slowed his horse and turned his head, asking, “Why are you following me?”
“You fool!” Sang Shisi cursed in irritation as he spurred his horse forward and grabbed Yang Jingyuan’s reins. “Third Brother, have you lost your mind? Once betrothed, you’re not supposed to meet. Even if you rush to the Ji family, Madam Ji and Young Master Ji won’t let you see her.”
“You’re the fool!” Yang Jingyuan retorted impatiently. “How could I not know that? I’m going to Qingcheng to see Master. I need to tell him about my betrothal anyway. While I’m there, I’ll get two sets of health-strengthening medicine from him to send to the Ji family.”
“Oh, so that’s it!” Sang Shisi smiled and released his grip. “Then go ahead. In this cold weather, I’d rather brew wine and enjoy the snow.”
Xiangyou had caught up with them and pleaded, “Young Master, shall I go to Sandaoyan to gather news for you? You said you’d only leave the mansion briefly and return for the meal. The Master and Madam are in high spirits today—you can’t be absent. Madam will skin me alive!”
Sang Shisi laughed heartily. “Third Brother, if you miss today’s family meal, be careful! Old Madam Yang might scold you, saying ‘a married-off son is like spilled water’—unable to manage a household!”
Yang Jingyuan glared at him in anger. His sister-in-law hadn’t mentioned anything about Ji Yingying being ill when she returned. Yesterday she had seemed fine. How could she fall ill in just a few hours? Could something have happened to the Ji family again? Had Zhao Xiuyuan stirred up trouble after hearing about their betrothal? Yang Jingyuan’s heart was in turmoil, genuinely worried.
Xiangyou clutched the reins tightly, nearly in tears. “Young Master, please return for the meal first. Let me go inquire about the situation. If necessary, you can go after eating, how about that?”
This seemed reasonable. After weighing his options, Yang Jingyuan reluctantly turned his horse around. “Xiangyou, go check on the Ji family.”
When he returned home, the main hall was already set for the feast. Today there were two additional tables. Members of the Second and Third Branches had all come, making it quite lively. Yang Jingyuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively looked for Concubine Liu.
Today was different. Concubine Liu wore a pink wide-sleeved robe and sat nervously at the last seat of the women’s table. Her chief maid Xueqing stood attending behind Madam Yang Shi.
Yang Jingyuan immediately felt relieved. Usually during family gatherings, Concubine Liu would stand to attend to the Madam. Today was his betrothal celebration, and she was, after all, his birth mother. If she had to stand and serve while the family celebrated, Yang Jingyuan wouldn’t have been able to bear it. He shot a grateful look at Madam Yang Shi before stepping forward to pay his respects.
Madam Yang Zou smiled as if it were her own son’s betrothal, speaking before Madam Yang Shi could: “Third Brother, I heard your sister-in-law successfully delivered the betrothal gifts and set an auspicious date. Second Aunt and Third Aunt watched you grow up, so we came without invitation to congratulate you. Sister-in-law treats the Third Brother like her own son. Look at this feast—one might mistake it for New Year’s celebrations. When my Fourth Son arranges his betrothal next year, we’ll also take advantage of the festivities for a family celebration.”
While the first half of her words seemed pleasant, the latter half-revealed Madam Zou’s competitive nature.
Her meaning was clear—he was merely a son of a concubine. It seemed inappropriate for the whole family to celebrate a concubine’s son’s betrothal so grandly. A betrothal wasn’t even a wedding, yet the First Branch had prepared such an elaborate feast.
Concubine Liu, seated at the end, shifted uncomfortably, not daring to raise her eyes. Among all the proper wives at the table, she was the only concubine. And they were discussing her son. She felt increasingly out of place.
Madam Yang Shi knew Madam Zou couldn’t speak without finding fault. The First Branch wanted to celebrate for Third Brother, yet the Second and Third Branches came uninvited only to complain about the grand celebration for a concubine’s son. She spoke calmly, “Third Brother, your sister-in-law braved the wind and snow to deliver your betrothal gifts and arrange the date. Don’t forget to offer her a toast today.”
She completely ignored Madam Zou’s remarks.
Yang Jingyuan seized the opportunity to bow deeply: “Thank you for your concern, Second and Third Aunts. Thank you for your trouble, Sister-in-law.”
Madam Chen smiled and nodded: “This is what a sister-in-law should do.”
He quickly withdrew after paying his respects. Madam Zou might be sharp-tongued and competitive, but his mother would handle her.
Master Yang and his two brothers sat at the head table. The adult juniors sat at the lower tables. After paying his respects, Yang Jingyuan took his seat. Once Master Yang picked up his chopsticks, the atmosphere grew livelier.
Delighted that his youngest son was betrothed, Master Yang declared that the younger generation could drink freely tonight. The Yang brothers became boisterous, gathering around Yang Jingyuan to toast him. Fourth Young Master Yang showed no envy. There were plenty of beautiful young ladies—he would never marry someone from a small dye house. A concubine’s son naturally married beneath legitimate sons in status; he couldn’t understand what Yang Jingyuan was so happy about.
“Third Uncle, let me offer you a toast in congratulations!”
The one toasting Yang Jingyuan was Yang Chengyu, Yang Jingshan’s eldest son. The ten-year-old boy held up his teacup, speaking like a miniature version of Yang Jingshan. Yang Jingyuan laughed heartily: “Good, Third Uncle thanks, Young Master Yu. When it’s your turn to be betrothed, Third Uncle will be able to drink wine with you.”
Yang Chengyu replied seriously, “Good when I’m betrothed, I’ll drink with Third Uncle.”
Yang Jingyuan couldn’t resist teasing him: “Young Master Yu is thinking about betrothal already?”
Yang Chengyu blinked and said, “That’s up to my father.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
“You rascal, go back and look after your brothers. Stop causing a commotion!” Yang Jingshan scolded with a laugh, unable to hide his fondness for his son.
Second Master Yang sat beside his elder brother. He observed his brother’s white hair and deeply wrinkled face, then looked at his eldest nephew Yang Jingshan, with his neatly trimmed beard and white jade thumb ring. Still in his prime, elegant and dignified. His eldest nephew was only ten years younger than himself. In a few years, his grand-nephew would come of age. The Yang family’s legitimate line passed down from generation to generation, each producing talented heirs to continue the family business. While he was still the Second Master Yang of the main family now, in the next generation, he would become just the Master Yang of the Second Branch. He recalled Young Master Sheng’s words, and his expectations for the family headship finally overwhelmed his reason.
“…There’s a wine recipe from the palace. The Daoist master of Dragon Tiger Mountain personally created it for His Majesty. It strengthens the body and restores youth. I bought several jars and will send some to you.”
No one can resist the allure of youth. Master Yang glanced at Concubine Liu, who sat with a lowered head at the end of the table, and nodded.
Yang Jingyuan overheard Second Uncle’s words amid the noise. He dismissed it with a slight frown. He believed in medicinal wine’s ability to strengthen the body. Unless his father practiced cultivation like his master, using qi to nourish the body, maintaining vigor in old age would be the best outcome. He didn’t believe in returning to youth.
He didn’t dwell on the matter.
After the feast, night had fallen deep. The Second and Third Branches took their leave. Master Yang, supported by his eldest son and emboldened by wine, said, “Father and son fight together on the battlefield, brothers unite to hunt tigers. Eldest Son, Third Brother is about to start his own family—he’s a grown man now. Teach him well about business, let Third Brother and Second Brother become your right and left arms. Third Brother, where is Third Brother?!”