It was already very late when he returned.
As soon as Xiao Jue arrived at his courtyard, a small yellow dog excitedly bounded towards him, grabbing his robe with its teeth and refusing to let go.
He crouched down and patted the dog’s head, but the little creature grew bolder, vigorously wagging its tail while frantically tugging at his sleeve.
Just like its master – same behavior.
On that night after exploring the He mansion, the yellow dog named Er Mao somehow followed through the dug tunnel. Since He Yan had raised it personally, they couldn’t abandon it. However, He Rufen was now frantically searching everywhere for the intruder from that night, so He Yan, fearing his brother might discover the connection to the He family if he saw Er Mao, entrusted the dog to Xiao Jue. He Rufen, no matter how bold, wouldn’t dare enter the Xiao residence, so he wouldn’t find Er Mao there.
Thus, Xiao Jue had no choice but to bring Er Mao back to the Xiao residence.
A young maid in the courtyard named Bai Guo had taken quite a liking to Er Mao. She had bathed it and thoroughly groomed its fur until it no longer looked like a stray. She even tied its loose fur near its ears into two small tufts with red string.
Despite Er Mao being male.
As Xiao Jue was playing with the dog, an unexpected voice came from behind: “Huai Jin… since when did you start keeping a dog in the mansion?”
Xiao Jue stood up and turned around to find Xiao Jing and Bai Rongwei standing at the edge of the courtyard, looking at him rather peculiarly.
Everyone knew that the Xiao family’s second young master was extremely particular about cleanliness and propriety. While he might tolerate certain conditions in the military camp, upon returning to Shuo City, his fastidiousness became almost excessive. The Xiao residence never kept birds or other animals, except for that green-eared horse – no other creatures were allowed on the premises.
This small dog appeared to be just an ordinary farm dog, its yellow fur mixed with bits of black, certainly nothing precious.
Xiao Jue looked down at Er Mao, who was silently “woofing” at him.
“I’m watching it for someone.”
“Who would dare ask you to watch their dog?” Xiao Jing laughed. “That’s quite an imposition.”
Bai Rongwei nudged Xiao Jing with her arm and said with a smile, “In all of Shuo City, only Miss He could get Huai Jin to watch a dog.”
Xiao Jing suddenly understood, and his gaze toward Xiao Jue immediately filled with approval. His brother had always been excessively cold and distant toward women, but now it seemed he did know how to please a young lady.
Earlier that day, Bai Rongwei had already held a birthday celebration for Xiao Jue at the mansion, knowing he would be accompanying He Yan to the night market that evening. Since there would be plenty of food at the night market, they hadn’t saved any dinner for him.
“Big Brother, Sister-in-law, why are you waiting up so late?” Xiao Jue asked.
Xiao Jing walked closer to him, watching Er Mao playing in the snow in the courtyard, and said with a smile, “Did you know that the fourth young master of the Shi Jinbo household will be marrying Miss Xu next month?”
Xiao Jue responded with a disinterested “mm.”
“You and the fourth young master Chu were both granted marriages by His Majesty,” Xiao Jing continued. “Now that Young Master Chu’s wedding date is set, your sister-in-law and I wanted to ask when you plan to set your wedding date?”
Xiao Jue was slightly taken aback.
“Your brother and I have already discussed this with Master He. He said he would agree to whatever Miss He likes. Since Miss He is a young lady, I didn’t want to ask too directly,” Bai Rongwei looked at Xiao Jue. “You spend time with Miss He regularly – have you discussed this matter with her?”
The Xiao family was quite open-minded. When Xiao Zhongwu and Madam Xiao were still alive, and Xiao Jing wanted to marry Bai Rongwei, a concubine’s daughter, Madam Xiao objected but ultimately yielded to Xiao Jing’s wishes. Now that both Xiao Zhongwu and his wife were gone, Xiao Jing and Bai Rongwei were even less inclined to interfere with Xiao Jue’s marriage arrangements – everything would be according to his wishes.
“I plan to marry after the New Year,” Xiao Jue said.
Bai Rongwei and Xiao Jing exchanged glances, both seeing the pleasant surprise in each other’s eyes. They had thought it might take another year or so but hadn’t expected Xiao Jue to decide so quickly. This was good news – it seemed Xiao Jue liked Miss He even more than they had imagined.
“In that case, tomorrow I’ll take both of your birth dates and times to the master, so he can select an auspicious date. We’ll also need to discuss the upcoming arrangements with Master He. Don’t worry about the betrothal gifts – Ru Bi and I have already prepared them for you.” Bai Rongwei’s smile was filled with genuine happiness as she took Xiao Jing’s hand and said, “I’ll go with Ru Bi to send an invitation to the master first. Huai Jin, you’ve had a long day – go rest in your room. We can talk more about this tomorrow morning.”
Xiao Jue nodded, and Bai Rongwei contentedly left with Xiao Jing.
Xiao Jue watched their retreating figures until Er Mao came to paw at his boots, bringing him back to the present.
Previously, he had only felt the courtyard was empty and desolate, but now with just the addition of a small dog – even a mute one that couldn’t bark – it somehow seemed to have become lively.
He smiled slightly, but instead of returning to his room, he turned and walked toward the ancestral hall.
In the Xiao family’s ancestral hall, the tablets of Xiao Zhongwu and his wife were placed at the front. Xiao Jue went to the side and took incense from the shrine to light it.
The blue smoke rose in wisps.
Xiao Jue’s face was hidden behind the smoke, his expression diffused.
Whenever he returned to Shuo City, he often came to the ancestral hall. During thunderstorms, during ceremonies… during troubled times.
He wasn’t one to readily confide in others. In life, there were too few people one could truly confide in. Everyone has their troubles – why share one’s burdens with others? Even at his lowest point, when scholars criticized him behind his back after the battle of Yu City, he had only come to the ancestral hall and lit three sticks of incense.
After those three sticks of incense burned out, everything continued as usual.
Many of life’s flavors needed to be savored drop by drop over many years. In his youth, he had seen everything and found it all tasteless. He longed for the smoke and fire of mortal life, yet mortal life avoided him. What did it matter if he achieved success at a young age? What did it matter if he was a young master from a noble family dressed in fox fur and fine silk? Everyone saw him as the high moon in the sky, but in truth, the moon was just a lonely youth.
He had had friends, but then friends betrayed him. He had also looked forward to family, but then his family left him. The most carefree years of his youth lasted only a few short years, and life’s last remaining piece of candy had been given to a suicidal stranger he met on the road. For all these years, he had been alone, keeping nothing, until one day, a smiling young lady crashed headlong into his life and told him, “I like the moon, but the moon doesn’t know.”
Never before had he been as certain about anything as he was at this moment.
Xiao Jue raised his eyes to look at the memorial tablets behind the smoke.
“Father, Mother,” his voice was calm, like an unshakeable vow, “I like someone.”
“I want to make her my wife.”
…
In a certain courtyard of the He residence, intense coughing could be heard.
A maid sleeping in the outer room of the courtyard turned over drowsily, mumbling, “The Second Madam is coughing again, go check on her.”
“I won’t go,” another maid beside her turned over, responding irritably. “Even the Second Master doesn’t care, why should we meddle? It’ll be fine by daylight. You go if you want.”
“It’s so cold, I won’t go,” the speaking maid covered her head with the blanket. “Let’s just pretend we didn’t hear.”
The coughing outside continued unabated. After a while, it seemed to be deliberately suppressed, resulting in several muffled groans.
Second Madam He struggled to prop herself up, her throat feeling as if it had been seared by fire. The handkerchief in her hand was already heavily stained with blood. She laboriously caught her breath, and after a while, managed to fumble around to light the lamp.
He Yuanliang hadn’t visited her courtyard for a long time – to be precise, since that incident at the Yuhua Temple, when she was confined to the He residence, He Yuanliang refused to even look at her once.
This was something Second Madam He had anticipated. Her husband was a petty man, moreover a cowardly and greedy one. Now he was so afraid of offending He Rufen that he rushed to distance himself from her, even though she was his principal wife.
Principal wife – Second Madam He smiled sarcastically. What did being a principal wife matter? If he could be cruel to his daughter, then a principal wife without blood ties was no different from a stranger to him.
Second Madam He watched the flickering flame in the oil lamp.
She was the eldest legitimate daughter of her family. Back then, her father had arranged her marriage to He Yuanliang, mainly because the He family still held a position among the nobility in Shuo City. In her original family, daughters’ marriages were meant to pave the way for their fathers’ and brothers’ official careers, and unexpectedly, it was the same after marrying into the He family.
Unfortunately, her luck was poor – she gave birth to two daughters, and so naturally, her children became sacrifices for the He family.
Second Madam He hated He Rufen for his ruthlessness, hated He Yuansheng and his wife for coming up with the idea of switching children, hated He Yuanliang for his cowardly incompetence and fence-sitting, but most often, she hated herself.
She hated her powerlessness to change anything.
If she had given birth to a son, perhaps with a son, He Yuansheng wouldn’t have been so brazen in his actions. But she hadn’t, and so she could protect neither He Yan nor He Xinying.
There was a knock at the door.
Second Madam He said, “Come in.”
A young maid entered, her face unfamiliar.
Second Madam He asked, “Who are you?”
“This servant is Cui Luo, a cleaning maid in the courtyard,” Cui Luo respectfully answered, holding a pot of hot water. “This servant went to fetch some hot water. Second Madam, please drink some water to avoid damaging your health from coughing.” She walked to the table, took a teacup, and poured a cup of water for Second Madam He.
The water was pleasantly warm, not too hot. Second Madam He took a sip, and the burning pain in her throat immediately eased somewhat. She said, “Thank you.”
Cui Luo kept her head lowered and said softly, “It’s what this servant should do. If Second Madam has any other needs, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Everyone in my courtyard already treats me as if I don’t exist,” Second Madam He smiled bitterly. “Why trouble yourself?”
“This servant’s master is Second Madam He, naturally I should follow Second Madam’s orders,” Cui Luo’s voice remained unchanged.
Second Madam He was slightly startled and couldn’t help but carefully examine the maid before her.
The maids in the He household had always been strictly disciplined by He Yuansheng and his wife. Some used to be lively, but now, out of fear of He Rufen, they had become subdued. The servants were always trembling and timid, but this maid standing here was neither servile nor overbearing, looking at her as if she were just an ordinary person – without particular respect but also without overstepping bounds.
Second Madam He felt a stirring in her heart and tentatively asked, “Can you really help me with anything?”
“Please feel free to instruct this servant.”
“Could you find a doctor for me?”
Cui Luo remained silent for a moment before saying, “That might not be possible these days, but this servant can bring some medicine pills for Second Madam first.”
Second Madam He suddenly understood something.
She leaned forward slightly and lowered her voice, “You’re not from the He household. Who is your master?”
Cui Luo glanced at Second Madam He with some surprise. General Fei had instructed her to secretly infiltrate the He household to help care for Second Madam He, which she had done. Over these days, she had observed that Second Madam He held almost no status in the He family, with even the servant girls dismissing her. Despite being so ill, He Yuanliang had never come to check on her voluntarily or called for a doctor. Even tonight, if Cui Luo hadn’t entered the room, Second Madam He would have been left coughing until dawn.
She had always thought this was just an ordinary weak and powerless woman, but hearing these words now, she realized this lady was quite perceptive and intelligent.
Cui Luo remained silent.
“Your master, could it be General Feng Yun?” Second Madam He asked softly.
Cui Luo was even more surprised.
Second Madam He instead smiled. After laughing for a moment, her expression became serious again, and said, “I know what your master wants to do. Go back and tell him that I can lend him assistance, but as the price for this deal, he must protect my daughter He Xinying.”
Cui Luo remained silent for a while, saying nothing. She simply placed the hot water pot on the table and said softly, “If Madam has any instructions, please call for this servant again.” With that, she closed the door and withdrew.
Second Madam He stared at the hot tea on the table, lost in thought. After a long while, she finally swallowed the sweet metallic taste in her throat and lay back down.
…
A night passed, and early the next morning, Fei Nu brought back news from the He household.
In the study, Xiao Jue frowned slightly: “A deal?”
“That’s exactly what Second Madam He said,” Fei Nu replied. When Cui Luo relayed the message, Fei Nu was also been surprised. He wasn’t sure whether to admire this woman’s courage or say something else.
“Second Madam He must know about He Rufen and the Second Miss He switching identities, that Second Miss He is the real Flying Swan General,” Fei Nu said. “He Rufen is probably using He Xinying to threaten Second Madam He, which is why she dares not reveal the truth. With Second Madam He’s help, the He family’s secrets should be easy to uncover.” Speaking of this, Fei Nu felt deeply moved. Who could have imagined that the Flying Swan General, who struck terror into the hearts of the Qiang people on the battlefield, was a woman? And how stone-hearted must Second Master He and his wife be to make a young lady bear such an overwhelmingly heavy fate, only to dispose of her after she achieved fame and success?
Their Nine Banners Camp thought they had seen all kinds of cruelty on the battlefield, but when they learned the truth, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for the wrongfully dead Flying Swan General.
A great general, even in death, should have died gloriously on the battlefield, not through underhanded schemes in an ordinary household’s inner quarters.
“Did Second Madam He only mention He Xinying?” Xiao Jue asked.
Fei Nu nodded: “Yes.”
Xiao Jue lowered his eyes: “I understand.”
“Young Master, then…”
“Tell Cui Luo to inform Second Madam He,” Xiao Jue looked out the window, “that I accept this deal.”
…
On the first day of the twelfth month, the Wuto envoy Ma Ningbu arrived in the capital.
Emperor Wenxuan received the Wuto envoy in the Golden Dragon Hall. In Qinglan Palace, Imperial Consort Lan was reclining against a couch, watching palace maids brew tea.
Imperial Consort Lan was no longer young. New beauties entered the palace every year, yet she alone maintained the Emperor’s unwavering favor. Everyone said Imperial Consort Lan had such good fortune undeservedly – she had both the Emperor’s love and bore a son of exceptional virtue and talent, yet her temperament was neither competitive nor aggressive. Not to mention that with the Empress above her, even Noble Consort Ni below her dared to be arrogant toward her.
However, after Emperor Wenxuan entrusted the Fifth Prince Guangji to Imperial Consort Lan’s care, Noble Consort Ni became somewhat more restrained. Though Fifth Prince Guangji was young, and despite Noble Consort Ni repeatedly warning him that Imperial Consort Lan wasn’t a good person, Guangji felt that Imperial Consort Lan treated him more tenderly than his birth mother, and had never had any conflicts with her.
Today was no exception.
Guangji came running in from outside, with an elderly palace matron hurriedly following behind him, saying, “Fifth Prince, please run more slowly, be careful not to fall!”
“Mother!” Guangji ran straight to Imperial Consort Lan’s side and said excitedly, “The Wuto envoys entered the palace today, and Father Emperor is receiving them in the hall. I heard those Wuto people brought many gifts, including ivory as tall as half a person, and white peacocks… Mother, I want to go see!”
Imperial Consort Lan smiled, patting the snow off his clothes, “Go ahead if you want to.”
“Won’t Mother come with me?” Guangji asked.
“I’ll pass,” Imperial Consort Lan smiled. “Just let Matron Chang accompany you.”
The Fifth Prince was young and only thought about seeing the white peacocks, so he said, “Alright, then I’ll go now, and tell Mother all about it when I return!”
Matron Chang held the Fifth Prince’s hand as they left, and Imperial Consort Lan smiled and shook her head, “Still just like a child.”
“Fifth Brother is indeed young,” a voice came from outside, “it’s normal for him to be childish.”
The palace maids behind quickly said, “This servant greets the Fourth Prince.”
Fourth Prince Guangshuo stepped in.
Imperial Consort Lan was delicate and graceful in appearance, and the Fourth Prince took after his mother, appearing clear and handsome. Compared to Crown Prince Guangyan’s daily appearance of indulgence in pleasure, he seemed much more approachable and reliable.
Upon seeing Guangshuo, Imperial Consort Lan immediately smiled, pulling him to sit by the brazier, having palace maids pour hot tea for Guangshuo while asking, “What brings you here today?”
“Father Emperor is receiving those Wuto envoys in the hall, and the Crown Prince is there too, so I came to see Mother,” Guangshuo smiled.
Imperial Consort Lan smiled slightly but said nothing.
“Mother must also know about those Wuto envoys?”
Imperial Consort Lan’s expression was no longer as relaxed as when she had faced Guangji earlier. She sighed, “I do.”
“Father Emperor’s willingness to receive these envoys already shows he’s willing to accept the Wuto people’s peace offering,” Guangshuo’s smile also faded. “That’s one thing, but after the battles of Jiyang and Rundu, though the Wuto people temporarily dare not act rashly, if Father Emperor agrees to let them establish trading posts in Great Wei… the consequences would be unthinkable.”
Imperial Consort Lan glanced outside, “Everyone else withdraws. Yugui, close the door.”
The palace maids all withdrew, and Yugui closed the door.
Imperial Consort Lan looked at Guangshuo, “Have you mentioned these things to your father?”
Guangshuo shook his head: “No. Father never discusses such matters with me.”
Emperor Wenxuan liked the Fourth Prince because he resembled Imperial Consort Lan. Imperial Consort Lan was talented in literature and gentle in temperament, neither competitive nor aggressive. In the deep palace, she was like the last pure land in the emperor’s heart, not to be defiled. Thus, even though Empress Zhang greatly disliked Imperial Consort Lan, she had lived well in the deep palace all these years. Because she made no mistakes, and the emperor protected her. This bit of pity and respect for Imperial Consort Lan also extended to Guangshuo.
Guangshuo was the same way – no matter how the court officials tried to incite him to compete with the Crown Prince for that position, Guangshuo remained unmoved. When he was with Emperor Wenxuan, they mostly discussed poetry and paintings – affairs of state and country should be the Crown Prince’s concern. If he overstepped too much, it would provoke the emperor’s displeasure.
“Guangshuo,” Imperial Consort Lan looked at him and suddenly asked, “Do you want to compete?”
Guangshuo was startled.
“Do you want to compete for that position?” Imperial Consort Lan repeated.
As if a secret in his heart had been exposed, Guangshuo awkwardly avoided Imperial Consort Lan’s gaze, “I wouldn’t dare.”
“I’m only asking if you want to, not if you dare to.” The usually gentle woman’s eyes showed unprecedented determination and unfamiliar coldness.
Under that gaze, Guangshuo involuntarily spoke: “…I do.”
After a while, he collected himself and said, “I do want to, Mother. The Crown Prince is not fit to be heir apparent – he only knows how to indulge in pleasure. He must also have private dealings with the Wuto people. If there were other brothers in the palace worthy of virtue and talent, I would support them, but there are none now. If Guangyan takes that position one day, no one knows what Great Wei will become.”
“Perhaps there won’t even be a Great Wei anymore.”
As the last word fell, an extreme silence descended upon the palace, as if shocked by his treasonous words.
Imperial Consort Lan let out a soft sigh.
“All these years, I’ve never thought of anything else. Entering the palace wasn’t my wish, but since I was here, I would live well. I don’t care about what happens to the Wuto people, or what happens to His Majesty, or even what becomes of Great Wei,” she looked at Guangshuo, reaching out to brush his face, her eyes showing a gentle smile. “In this palace, Guangshuo, I only care about you.”
“If Guangyan becomes emperor, neither of us, mother and son, will survive,” she said softly, speaking the cruelest words. “I’ve lived most of my life already, so it doesn’t matter whether I live or die. But not you, Guangshuo.” She smiled slightly. “You are so intelligent and gentle, and so young – how could you die at the hands of such a person? I will not allow it.”
Guangshuo looked at the woman who straightened up from the couch, still with the same elegant and dignified features as before, but with a single movement, her entire bearing had changed. In his heart, a surge of emotion suddenly welled up, like an impulse that had been accumulating for a long time was about to break through.
“Mother…”
“I already have His Majesty’s favor. You already have the love and support of the court officials and common people. But these two things alone are not enough. He Rufen has already been bought, so to compete for this position…”
“You must gain Xiao Huaijin’s support,” she said.
Sister Lan: It’s my turn to perform.