The Empress’s condition suddenly worsened. While people expected Ning Wang to step back and resign from his position as Left Vice Director of the Department of State Affairs as he had done before, he instead retaliated with surprising firmness.
In one swift move, he took down Li Zhongjie, the newly appointed Protector General of Anbei and brother-in-law to Minister Xiao’s younger sister. Among the numerous charges against Li, one involved mixing moldy grain with military rations. This action seemed to be Ning Wang’s attempt to clear his wife’s brother’s name and restore his reputation. As a result, a string of people were implicated, with several of the Xiao family’s brothers falling from grace. Minister Xiao himself nearly got dragged into the mess. The Emperor watched calmly, dealing with the situation impartially but showing no mercy in his decisions. On the surface, Ning Wang appeared to have the upper hand, but in reality, both Ning Wang and Min Wang were suffering silently, with neither truly gaining an advantage over the other.
As iron-willed officials fell, new ones sprouted like spring bamboo shoots. However, these newcomers lacked the clear-cut allegiances of their predecessors, each harboring their small calculations. After much turmoil, the court finally experienced a moment of peace. By this time, light snow had begun to fall, and the winter plum blossoms had bloomed.
During the winter solstice, the Emperor dozed off during a court session, revealing his aging fatigue. This sparked a wave of calls to establish a crown prince, with some advocating for the eldest son and others for the legitimate heir. The Emperor’s stance remained ambiguous. A few days later, Ning Wang suddenly fell ill, causing the voices supporting the legitimate heir to fade while those favoring the eldest son grew louder. The tide of opinion swung back and forth between these two choices, with no clear winner emerging. Then the Emperor’s health also declined, and he entrusted the capital’s defense to the recently recovered Jing Wang. Although the most filial and pure Ning Wang nominally held this responsibility, it was clear that the ailing Emperor trusted Jing Wang more. The situation had subtly shifted, and now Jing Wang only needed an opportunity to demonstrate his talents and abilities.
The external turmoil didn’t cause much distress for Mudan. Jiang Changyang could shelter her from the storm. After successfully delegating the task of searching for the elixir formula to Liu Chang, he suddenly found himself with more free time. Apart from spending two hours in the outer courtyard every morning and evening, he devoted the rest of his time to his wife and children. Their days passed peacefully and leisurely, with the family of four living in harmony. Watching Jiang Changyang patiently play with the children, his face serene, and seeing the children grow more understanding and lovable day by day, Mudan felt as if her previous life had become a distant, blurry impression. She had almost forgotten what she was like in her past life.
Before they knew it, spring of the following year arrived. With the mourning period over, Mudan and Jiang Changyang hosted a family banquet at Fang Garden to entertain their closest relatives and friends and express gratitude for everyone’s care over the past year. They kept the guest list small, inviting only close relatives from the He and Jiang families, the Li family, the Fang family, Pan Rong and her husband, Yuan Shijiu and his wife, and a few of Jiang Changyang’s close friends. On that day, Li Xing came alone to the banquet. Madam Wu Shijiu didn’t appear, and they later learned that she was five months pregnant, with divination and pulse readings suggesting it was a boy, so she was resting at home.
Soon after, Jiang Changyang resumed his official duties following the end of his mourning period. Mudan busied herself to manage various social interactions. Amidst her busy schedule, the annual spring party invitation from the Fen Wang’s consort arrived, inviting Mudan and Jiang Yunqing to view peach blossoms at the Xuandu Temple on the outskirts of the capital. Mama Zang smiled and said, ” Wang Fei is getting older and doesn’t enjoy lively gatherings as much as before. She’s invited fewer people than in the past, but it’s still quite a number.”
Recently, the court has been in turmoil. The Empress clung to life, refusing to let go, while the Emperor’s condition fluctuated. On good days, he could ride horses and draw bows, but on bad days, he required urgent medical attention at night. No one was having an easy time, and everyone had unanimously reduced the frequency and scale of their banquets. Even the women had decreased their visits to each other. Although the Fen Wang’s consort had a good relationship with the Empress, the Fen Wang’s household had remained silent during the recent crown prince selection, maintaining their usual neutrality and avoiding taking sides. Therefore, Mudan felt it was safe to attend their spring banquet. Moreover, the real intention behind the invitation was clearly for Jiang Yunqing.
Mudan sent Shu’er to invite Jiang Yunqing over to discuss: “What do you plan to wear? Do you have suitable accessories?” After the downfall of the Duke’s mansion, this would be Jiang Yunqing’s first formal appearance in such a setting. Her attire, accessories, and demeanor all needed to be carefully considered. Although the Fen Wang’s consort and Madam Chen showed no signs of changing their minds, the Fen Wang’s household was large and influential, with many people and potential for gossip. Yunqing’s appearance would directly affect how others perceived her in the future. If she could hold her head high in adversity, others would naturally respect her. But if she appeared weak from the start, how could she blame others for looking down on her?
Jiang Yunqing felt somewhat troubled: “I wanted to consult with you, sister-in-law.” Her current situation was quite awkward. She had never been particularly adept at social maneuvering, and while she previously had the backing of the Duke’s household, now she was merely living under her brother and sister-in-law’s care. In such a setting, she inevitably felt uncertain and lacking in confidence. Upon receiving the invitation, she had already given it some thought, knowing that her attire needed to be appropriate. However, achieving that appropriateness was the most challenging part. Dressing too brightly might draw unwanted attention and gossip while dressing too plainly could be seen as disrespectful.
Mudan understood her concerns and smiled gently: “With your fair skin and dignified demeanor, you would look good in any color. However, since we’ve just completed our mourning period, it’s not appropriate to dress too brightly, but we also shouldn’t be too plain. I think the spring outfits we had tailored a few days ago are quite suitable. They’re elegant and made of good material. Any of them would be appropriate.”
“What I wear is secondary; what matters is their family’s intention,” Jiang Yunqing sighed softly, expressing her true thoughts. “To be honest, sister-in-law, I was anxious at first, not knowing what to expect, and fearing they might change their minds. But after living with you for this period, I’ve gradually become more at ease and realized it’s not so frightening. If they’re still willing, I’ll honor my promise; if they’re not and feel my status is unsuitable, that’s fine too. After all…” She looked up at Mudan with a shy smile, “After all, I know my brother and sister-in-law won’t abandon me. Life is life, no matter how it’s lived. As long as I’m at peace with myself, I can endure hardships.”
Mudan was pleased to see her clarity of mind: “It’s even better that you can think this way. If so, what is there to fear? Just be yourself when the time comes. With your brother’s support, we can hold our heads high.” She paused briefly, “Your brother and I have discussed this. Whether this marriage happens or not, we will ensure you leave our home with honor. Your concerns are many.”
“A simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough. I’ll keep your kindness in my heart without saying more,” Jiang Yunqing smiled brightly. “What will you wear, sister-in-law?”
Excited by this topic, Mudan immediately perked up: “I have several ideas but can’t decide. While Zhenger and Huianer are napping, why don’t you help me choose? Bring yours too, and we’ll decide together.” She then asked Shu’er and Kuan’er to bring out their clothes and accessories. They playfully tried on different combinations, giggling as they placed a pair of gold hairpins inlaid with turquoise in Jiang Yunqing’s hair and slipped white jade bracelets onto her wrists. “These complement your jade green outfit perfectly. Fresh and bright.”
The jade bracelets and gold hairpins were of excellent quality. Jiang Yunqing’s first instinct was to refuse, but then she smiled, realizing there was no need to decline. She was already living under their care, with everything provided for her. It was better to accept their kindness graciously. There would be plenty of time in the future to repay their generosity. For the first time, she fully relaxed and joined in the fun with Mudan.
When Jiang Changyang returned home, he was greeted by this joyful scene. Clothes were scattered around the room, jewelry boxes were half-open, and the women were holding up dresses against themselves, chattering and laughing. While it wasn’t unusual for Mudan to be cheerful, seeing Jiang Yunqing with the brightest smile he had ever seen on her face was truly rare. Jiang Changyang stood silently by the curtain, not wanting to disturb their moment.
Little Li, like a happy butterfly, flitted about, examining this and touching that, curious and excited. When she spotted Jiang Changyang standing by the curtain, she was about to call out with a smile, but he waved his hand, signaling her not to alert Mudan and Jiang Yunqing, and then left.
When the two women finally settled on their outfits, Mudan realized how late it had gotten. She exclaimed, “What time is it? Has the master returned?”
Little Li quickly replied, “The master did come back, but seeing you were busy, he left again.”
Jiang Yunqing hastily took her leave, and Mudan saw her out before asking someone to fetch Jiang Changyang and prepare dinner. She then went next door to check on the two children. Both had woken up and were sitting in their wet nurses’ arms, playing with cloth tigers. Upon seeing Mudan enter, they simultaneously dropped their toys and reached out to her, clearly calling, “Mother.”
Huianer was sitting closer to Mudan, so she picked her up first, kissing her cheek and asking the wet nurse, “Have the children been eating well?” Before the wet nurse could answer, Zhenger let out a dissatisfied cry, baring his two little white teeth and fixing his bright black eyes on Mudan.
“Does Zhenger want mother to hold him too?” Mudan smiled softly, extending her other arm to take him and kissing his little cheek as well. Satisfied, Zhenger giggled and promptly used one hand to push at Huianer. Huianer watched him quietly, firmly resting her head against Mudan’s chest, not moving an inch.
“Don’t push your sister. You’re the older brother,” Mudan said with a smile, gently moving Zhenger’s domineering hand away. At nine months old, the twins’ personalities were becoming increasingly distinct. Zhenger was consistently domineering, while Huianer stood her ground against him. However, Zhenger had the advantage of better physical development, already having grown two teeth while Huianer had only one, and he was noticeably larger.
Jiang Changyang entered and, seeing the situation, laughed, “These two little troublemakers are fighting over their mother again. How can you hold both? Let me take one.” Without hesitation, he picked up Zhenger. Zhenger was deeply displeased, kicking his chubby legs, glaring, and reaching out to Mudan with a pout, on the verge of tears.
Mudan gently stroked his face but didn’t take him back.
Left with no choice, Zhenger burst into loud cries of protest, his voice strong but his eyes tear-free. This scene played out every few days, and the couple was used to it by now. Jiang Changyang patted Zhenger’s back while casually talking to Mudan, “Liu Chang has been promoted.”