And have the man prepare a dowry on top of that — how could that possibly be acceptable?

What would people think of the Chief Minister’s residence?

“What propriety does it break?” Jiang Zhibai’s gaze swept toward her, calm and measured.

He was willing to acknowledge her, and Ningning was willing — so what did proper conduct have to do with it?

Yan Shiyao smoothed the loose strands at her temple and smiled. “Manor Lord, our father holds a particular position. Ningning doesn’t always observe the formalities, so allow me, on Ningning’s behalf, to…”

“What does my acknowledging Ningning have to do with your father?” Jiang Zhibai’s gaze turned cool.

He had already been displeased with Yiyi’s elder sister. And then she had drugged him — now the mere sight of Shen Ruochu made his skin crawl. At this point, he found himself equally irritated with Ningning’s elder sister.

Looking at her reminded him of Shen Ruochu.

Yan Shiyao’s eyes immediately reddened. “Manor Lord, how does it have nothing to do with Father? If you acknowledge Ningning, doesn’t that also make you Father’s son? Doesn’t that make you my brother too?”

She had no desire for another brother — one was already enough.

“Who is your brother?” Jiang Zhibai stood up, furious.

“A’Bai, sit down.” Shen Ruoyi tugged at his arm and pulled him back onto the wooden chair.

No matter what, Yan Shiyao was Ningning’s elder sister — there was no need to make things too tense.

Yan Yunning exchanged a glance with A’Ci: Is that actually how it works??

A’Ci shook his head. He had no idea.

Because of Yan Shiyao, the meal never quite settled into ease.

After spending a few more days at Yuanjin Manor, everyone returned to the capital. Pei Shutong was also invited by Yan Shiyao to accompany them back.

Yan Yunning stood before the gates of the residence and raised an eyebrow. Red silk lanterns hung on either side of the Chief Minister’s plaque, and red satin ribbons fluttered in the wind from the stone lions flanking the entrance. Was there something to celebrate???

——

Inside the residence, Tangyuan Pavilion.

Chu Wantang pressed her fingertips to her brow, weary. She had been too furious to sleep properly for days.

Nanny Liu kneaded her shoulders with sympathy. Ever since Chu Wantang had gone at the mistress’s request to ask Xuan Yanyu to write the betrothal letter with a name on it — and had returned having lost her voice — she had seen numerous physicians with no improvement in sight.

In all likelihood, it was Xuan Yanyu’s doing. And since she was not particularly skilled at writing formal characters, she had no choice but to swallow the humiliation in silence.

“Mother, you sent for me — is something urgent?” Yan Zhiyi pushed open the wooden door and gave a small bow.

“Zhiyi, that concubine your father took in wants me to give one of my daughters to be adopted as hers. And your father actually agreed to it with a cheerful smile.” The more Chu Wantang spoke, the angrier she became.

When Lu Jin’an had first raised the idea, Chu Wantang had considered putting Yan Yunning forward — but on reflection, having Yan Yunning registered under her name only to hand her over to this woman upon the lord’s remarriage would make her look feeble. What would people say? That the legitimate wife couldn’t even hold onto her own daughter, who had been transferred to the new wife’s name? Wouldn’t that be an open admission that the new wife had gotten the upper hand?

How could she ever show her face outside the residence after that?

“Mother, then simply go along with Father’s wishes and adopt a younger sister for her.” Yan Zhiyi smiled.

He had assumed it was something urgent. It was such a small matter — had it really thrown Mother into a panic?

“My son, she wants me to give her either Yaoyao or Ningning.” Chu Wantang smoldered with suppressed anger.

“Hmph.” Yan Zhiyi’s eyes narrowed. “Mother, is she trying to supplant you? Or is this purely provocation?”

She wants one of the legitimate daughters adopted into her name?

He had not yet met Ningning, for that matter. After coming of age, he had moved to a separate estate and rarely returned to the residence.

“Son, your father has already been bewitched by her. She is insisting on it — what am I to do?” Chu Wantang had wrung her handkerchief out of all shape.

If she opposed the lord outright, her days in this residence would become unbearable.

“Mother, don’t worry. I’ll go speak with Father about this.” Yan Zhiyi’s eyes took on a cool edge.

“Good. Zhiyi, do stay in the residence for a few more days. With Yaoyao away as well, I really am…”

Yan Zhiyi curved his lips into a smile. “Mother, Yaoyao is back. I saw Yaoyao’s maidservant heading to the small kitchen to order dishes just as I came in.”

“Yaoyao is home?” Chu Wantang’s eyes lit up.

Her Yaoyao was home.

“Yes.” Yan Zhiyi smiled and nodded.

——

The Chief Minister’s residence was particularly lively that day. Young Lord Lou Ao had come with Yan Shiyu as well.

It took Yan Yunning quite some time to absorb the reality that A’Niang Lu had married her father.

“Ningning, go with Yanyu to Yaoyao’s Bixiang Garden for the meal. Your father and your mother have something to attend to.” Yan Ruijing began ushering them along.

“What are you two going to do?” Yan Yunning frowned.

She still wanted to ask how A’Niang Lu had ended up marrying her father in the first place.

How had they even met?

Yan Ruijing opened his mouth. This child — how could she be so oblivious?

“Let’s go.” Xuan Yanyu tapped the young woman on the head as she stood lost in thought, and led her toward Bixiang Garden.

“Ningning is back? I thought I heard Ningning’s voice.” Lu Jin’an emerged from the inner room.

“Yes.” Yan Ruijing took her hand and sat her down on the wooden chair, smiling. “I sent her and Yanyu off to Yaoyao’s for the meal.”

Lu Jin’an frowned lightly. “Ruijing, you think highly of Yanyu?”

Every time he mentioned him, it was Yanyu this, Yanyu that.

Yan Ruijing said: “Jin’an, I’ll be honest — I once had the thought of taking Yanyu as a godson, of cultivating him. But he refused. He kept hovering around Yaoyao instead, so I thought — if Yaoyao were to marry him, we’d still be family. He wouldn’t end up with strangers. But I don’t think that way anymore.”

Lu Jin’an’s eyelid twitched.

“I’ll have Ningning marry him. I’ve already made up my mind — I’ll give him a sum of money and have him devote himself to Ningning alone from that point forward.” Yan Ruijing lifted Lu Jin’an’s hand and enclosed it warmly in both of his.

“Absolutely not.” Lu Jin’an’s heart was racing. “He keeps gravitating toward Yaoyao. If you pay him off, then whatever feeling he shows Ningning will be tainted by self-interest. Can you pay him for the rest of his life?”

Word had already spread through Xuanzhao — Prince Xuan had built a Crown Prince’s residence within the imperial palace for the Crown Prince, had doted on him from childhood with the utmost tenderness, and had even taken him as a godson. This one treasure was all Prince Xuan had. If Prince Xuan were to find out, would he not overturn the entire Chief Minister’s residence?

And yet — raised in such comfort and privilege — the Crown Prince had not been spoiled by it at all. On the contrary, he carried himself with a composed and understated grace, never exploiting his position, and with a remarkably fine appearance besides. Prince Xuan was fortunate indeed to have a son like this — one who fit every measure of a crown prince in every regard. If this son had turned out to be worthless, Xuanzhao would have been finished.

“That’s true.” Yan Ruijing sighed.

He hadn’t considered that problem before. But the Third Prince’s side was still very complicated. He had refused once — he couldn’t refuse a second time. He couldn’t keep defying imperial authority.

That would be the same as asking to die.

Lu Jin’an saw the resolve in Yan Ruijing’s expression begin to soften and let out a quiet breath.

Good. As long as that idea was put to rest.

Bixiang Garden.

Yan Yunning bit down on her chopsticks and stared blankly at Lou Ao and Yan Shiyu.

“My lady, please eat more — you’re with child, you can’t eat so little.” Lou Ao was coaxing her along. “Here, open up. Let your husband feed you.”

Yan Shiyu gave two quiet, embarrassed coughs. At the Marquis’s residence she had often acted spoiled and let the Young Lord feed her just to provoke the concubines — but this was the Chief Minister’s residence. There was no one here competing for the Young Lord’s attention, and on top of that, her two elder sisters were both watching her fixedly.

She was beginning to regret coming back to the Chief Minister’s residence today.