The Third Miss and her husband jumped up in shock upon hearing the news.

“Quick, call for the carriage driver!” The Third Miss’s husband ordered frantically.

“Oh!” The Third Miss responded, hurrying out. Halfway there, she came to her senses and called loudly for her maidservant: “Please bring Yu Wei in, their Mistress is about to give birth. Go immediately to Shi Family Alley and inform Old Zheng Three to prepare.” Then she summoned her head maid, “The Ninth Concubine is about to give birth. Send someone to tell Zheng Three to prepare the carriage quickly, and instruct the maids to bring several thick quilts to pad the carriage. Hurry and bring in a cup of brown sugar water.”

The personal maidservant and head maid promptly obeyed.

The Third Miss hurried over to support Fu Tingyun: “Come lie down on my kang bed for a while.”

Fu Tingyun curled her body and shook her head.

The Third Miss, having experienced childbirth herself, knew she was having contractions and didn’t force her. Seeing her husband standing there in a daze, she secretly laughed and cursed him as a “silly goose” in her heart, then said: “Quickly go call some servant women to take down half a door panel, so we can carry the Ninth Miss onto the carriage later.” She further instructed him, “I’ll go with her to check on things. Please help look after Spring Cake and Yuanxiao.”

Her husband finally collected himself, secretly ashamed that he was less composed than a woman in this situation! Knowing it was inappropriate for him to remain, and thinking that since Zhao Ling wasn’t home, having a man present would provide some reassurance, he said, “I’ll come over after settling the children,” and quickly left the hall.

Yu Wei arrived after receiving the message. Fu Tingyun’s contraction had just passed. She sighed with relief and stood up, holding Yu Wei’s hand.

Several women were already waiting outside with a door panel padded with thick quilts.

The Third Miss and Yu Wei supported Fu Tingyun on either side as she lay down, watching as the servants carried her to the carriage.

Zheng Three cracked his whip and headed toward Shi Family Alley. He was afraid of jostling Fu Tingyun, so he dared not go too fast, yet was also terrified that something might happen to her. His hand holding the whip trembled with anxiety.

The Third Miss had been thoughtful enough to bring a pot of hot water onto the carriage. Yu Wei and the Third Miss took turns wringing a cloth to wipe the sweat from Fu Tingyun’s forehead.

Finally, they arrived at Shi Family Alley, where the house was already brightly lit.

The maidservant who had delivered the news to the Shen family had already arrived, and the midwife who had moved in days earlier was boiling water in the kitchen.

Old Mrs. Zheng Three and others helped Fu Tingyun down from the carriage.

Drenched in sweat, Fu Tingyun asked about Youyou and Young Master Xi: “…don’t disturb them.”

Old Mrs. Zheng Three steadily replied, “Don’t worry, Madam. Concubine Tong is already accompanying the Young Miss and Young Master to bed.”

Fu Tingyun nodded and entered the inner chamber.

After a chaotic flurry of activity, she successfully gave birth to a son at the Hour of the Tiger, weighing six pounds and six ounces.

Zhao Ling was overjoyed and named his second son “Xu” (meaning “dawn”).

However, by the time his letter reached the capital, Young Master Xu had already celebrated his full month ceremony.

The Third Miss was carrying Young Master Xu and walking around the room when she heard that Zhao Ling had named the child. She smiled at the soundly sleeping Young Master Xu and said: “Chuyi, did you hear? Your father has given you a name. From today on, you’ll be called Zhao Xu.” Then she inquired about Zhao Ling: “How is the battle going over there?”

Young Master Xu was born on the first day of the fifth month, so Fu Tingyun had given him the milk name Chuyi.

“It’s said that the Miao people rebelled because the taxes and levies were too heavy,” she carefully folded Zhao Ling’s letter exactly as it had been and placed it in a gold-painted red box beside her. “He only executed the ringleaders and pacified the rest. He also memorialized to the Emperor to redraft the tax system and had stone tablets erected in each county yamen as proof. Since the beginning of the fifth month, the Miao barbarians have surrendered wherever he went. In at most two or three months, the Miao rebellion will be pacified.”

The Third Miss couldn’t help clapping her hands together: “Amitabha Buddha, that’s wonderful, that’s wonderful!”

Fu Tingyun smiled: “It’s still the Emperor’s great grace—if His Majesty hadn’t agreed to redraft the tax system, how could the Miao rebellion be pacified so quickly?”

“No matter what, this is all due to the Ninth Brother-in-law’s good fortune,” the Third Miss smiled. “Otherwise, why would the Miao people who have been rebelling for so many years be pacified as soon as the Ninth Brother-in-law arrived?”

Fu Tingyun certainly hoped that Zhao Ling would always have such good fortune. Then, thinking of the Third Miss’s husband, she asked about his reinstatement: “Is there still no news?”

The Third Miss smiled: “The magistrate positions for several remote small counties have already been filled, but the positions of Censor in the Censorate and Clerk in the Court of State Ceremonial are still vacant, let alone the Left Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel. Your brother-in-law said, No news is good news. We shouldn’t worry.”

Since Fu Tingyun had given birth to Young Master Xu, the Third Miss had been coming and going almost every day, spending all her time at Shi Family Alley. First, she felt that Fu Tingyun had no elders on her side, and as her elder sister, she should take care of Fu Tingyun during her confinement period. Second, she felt guilty. She always felt that if it weren’t for their family matters, Fu Tingyun wouldn’t have gone into labor two or three days early.

There had been no further news about the Third Miss’s husband’s situation since that day, and the couple was very anxious. But Fu Tingyun was in confinement, and they had already visited Master Yan. They had done all they could, and the Third Miss’s husband was afraid that Fu Tingyun would worry herself sick, repeatedly instructing the Third Miss: “If the Ninth Sister asks, just tell her that the Seventh Brother-in-law and I are keeping an eye on things, and tell her not to worry. Court affairs cannot be settled overnight.”

That’s why the Third Miss spoke as she did.

But Fu Tingyun felt that this matter had dragged on for too long.

She frowned: “If I were in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, with so many people watching, I should cut through the mess quickly. The longer it drags on, the more people will know about the vacancy for the Left Secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, and the more people will come to pull strings. There’s only one position—if you promise it to one person, you offend another. It would be better to decide early and cleanly dismiss others with ‘you’re too late’…” As she spoke, she said solemnly, “No, we must make another trip to Tanzhe Temple.”

“Absolutely not!” The Third Miss firmly refused. “You need to rest properly. If you’re worried, when your brother-in-law comes later, you can ask him yourself. You absolutely cannot travel and exhaust yourself. It’s already June—we’re sweating just sitting here, let alone considering you’ve just completed your confinement month.” By the end, her tone carried an implicit plea.

Fu Tingyun felt embarrassed.

The Third Miss found a feather fan and fanned her.

Pearl came in and reported: “Madam, the Third Uncle has arrived.”

Fu Tingyun looked at the Third Miss.

The Third Miss had no choice but to say: “Then please invite the Third Uncle to the inner courtyard hall to talk!”

Pearl looked at Fu Tingyun, and seeing her nod, smiled and withdrew to invite the Third Sister’s husband to the hall.

The three sat down according to their positions. Tea had just been served, but before they could speak, Kernel came in to report: “The Seventh Uncle has arrived.”

Fu Tingyun hurriedly instructed Kernel to bring him to the hall as well.

Kernel acknowledged and left.

Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside.

Just as the Third Sister’s husband was about to tease the Seventh Sister’s husband, the curtain moved, and the Seventh Sister’s husband lifted it himself and strode in.

“I went to the Third Brother-in-law’s place and heard from his servants that you were all at Shi Family Alley, so I rushed over,” he said, joy radiating from the corners of his eyes and brows. “I just came from Horse Guard Alley. Grand Secretary Shen has retired, and Grand Secretary Mo has been dismissed and investigated for the Imperial Granary affair. The Emperor has appointed Qian Donglin and Chen Danting to the Grand Secretariat. Qian Donglin will replace Grand Secretary Shen as Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Hall and concurrent Minister of Personnel, while Chen Danting will replace Grand Secretary Mo as Grand Secretary of the Wenhua Hall and concurrent Minister of Works.”

The Six Ministries were located in Horse Guard Alley.

The Third Sister’s husband stood up with an exclamation of “Ah!” and asked excitedly: “Is this true?”

Fu Tingyun and the Third Miss also stood up, both asking what had happened.

The Seventh Sister’s husband smiled: “I can’t explain the details. I originally went to Horse Guard Alley this morning to inquire about the Third Brother-in-law’s matter, but unexpectedly heard this news.” He continued, “The news came from the Ministry of Personnel. They say that after the morning court session today, Qian Donglin and Chen Danting had already gone to the palace to express their gratitude. The official documents will be posted by noon at the latest.”

The Third Sister’s husband couldn’t sit still anymore and pulled the Seventh Sister’s husband: “Let’s go take a look!”

So Grand Secretary Yu’s wish had fallen through!

Fu Tingyun felt both happy and concerned.

She was happy that the Yu family had finally hit a brick wall, but worried that the Third Sister’s husband’s matter might change because of this.

She quickly instructed Baoshu to go with them.

Baoshu was one of the servants Zhao Ling had sent from Xuanfu, along with another named Yuechuan. Both were only eight or nine years old but had bright, lively eyes that showed their intelligence. After just a month of learning protocol under Ah-Sen, they could handle errands flawlessly.

The Third Miss asked Fu Tingyun: “Who are Qian Donglin and Chen Danting?”

Fu Tingyun shook her head: “I don’t know either.”

“It seems we’ll have to wait for your brother-in-law to return to ask him!” the Third Miss murmured, while anxiously wondering if her husband’s matter would encounter complications because of this.

The two sisters were each lost in their thoughts, yet thinking about the same matter.

For a moment, the room fell silent, without a sound.

…

Compared to the tranquility of the Zhao household in Shi Family Alley, the Yu mansion on Jiadao Street was now like crashing waves against the shore.

Grand Secretary Yu picked up the inkstone on his desk several times, wanting to throw it, but seeing his son standing worriedly before him, he forcibly restrained himself and put it down each time.

Yu Jingxiu never dreamed of such an outcome. Seeing his father’s distress, he couldn’t help but feel indignant: “Father, how could this happen? How could someone who has never governed a region—a Hanlin Academy Director, Junior Supervisor of the Heir Apparent, and Principal of the Imperial College—directly enter the Grand Secretariat? And that Academy Director even became the Chief Grand Secretary? Isn’t this the most absurd joke? Father, don’t we have any other options?”

“Other options?” Grand Secretary Yu smiled bitterly, looking at his son with dim eyes lacking luster. “When Xiang Zhuang danced with his sword, his true target was Liu Bang. We all thought His Majesty was going to deal with Grand Secretary Shen, who would have thought His Majesty’s sword was pointing at Mo Yingbo… Do you think, with such an Emperor, we could have any other options? Whether Qian Donglin is the Hanlin Academy Director or Junior Supervisor doesn’t matter to His Majesty. What he wants is nothing more than an obedient Chief Grand Secretary…”

Yu Jingxiu could not help but fall silent.

Seeing this, Grand Secretary Yu forced himself to cheer up, laughing loudly several times, and said: “Alright, Depu, don’t be discouraged. It’s better that I didn’t become the Chief Grand Secretary—now you can go to the Ministry of Personnel.” He patted his son’s shoulder encouragingly and said, “Work hard. Your father is waiting for the day when you are promoted to nobility and enter the Grand Secretariat. That would make me happier than becoming the Chief Grand Secretary myself.”