Chen Yan Yun still remembered the scene when he first saw Jiang Wan Qing.

She wore a simple white short jacket with red plum blossoms, paired with a goose-yellow pleated skirt, standing gracefully in front of her mother, answering questions with composure.

At that time, Madam Chen had brought him to visit the Jiang family. Sitting outside the flower hall, looking toward the main room from a distance, she nodded with a smile: “Look at this child, so composed at such a young age. She will surely grow up to be quite intelligent and sensible.”

Chen Yan Yun was only fifteen then, busy preparing for the metropolitan examination. Thinking about what books his eldest uncle had told him to read, he didn’t pay much attention to his mother’s words.

Madam Chen waved her hand: “All right, I’m sure you’ll pass the exam. It’s rare for you to come out, so Mother is just taking you out for a change of scenery. Don’t worry about those things! Some people take the exam until they’re thirty or forty and still don’t pass.”

Chen Yan Yun was diligent in his studies then and smiled, saying: “Son must always try his best.”

Madam Jiang finished speaking with her daughter and led her out from the main hall.

The two families were old acquaintances, so Madam Jiang didn’t have her daughter avoid the guests.

Jiang Wan Qing, standing at a distance, immediately spotted Chen Yan Yun standing behind Madam Chen in a blue straight robe. As a youth, he wasn’t as handsome as he would later become, but his features were gentle and elegant, with fine skin that appeared jade-like.

Jiang Wan Qing bowed to Madam Chen and stood behind Madam Jiang, very observant of proper etiquette.

Madam Jiang introduced her daughter: “This is Master Chen Three, the Provincial Examination champion whose name resounds throughout North Zhili!”

Chen Yan Yun merely smiled: “Madam exaggerates. I am but a humble scholar, without achievements or reputation. I can’t claim to be renowned.”

Jiang Wan Qing kept her head lowered and brows modest as she listened.

Madam Jiang and Madam Chen conversed, and then Jiang Wan Qing was allowed to withdraw.

Chen Yan Yun wanted to borrow a rare Song Dynasty edition from Jiang Ping Hai, so Madam Jiang instructed a servant to guide him slowly toward the front courtyard.

As he passed by a clump of palm bamboo, he heard a girl’s voice coming from within. “Bi Luo, look at this magnolia. It doesn’t have much fragrance, but we could dry it and put it in the room as decoration.”

Then he heard the maid’s voice: “Third Miss, the tree looks quite tall. I’m afraid we can’t reach it…”

The girl reassured her: “I’ll watch you from below. Nothing will happen.”

Chen Yan Yun thought for a moment and sensed trouble. To be safe, he quietly instructed Nanny Zheng behind him to go look.

Standing outside the palm bamboo, he asked the young servant guiding him: “Which young lady is your Third Miss?”

The servant answered: “She’s our legitimate young miss.”

As far as he knew, Madam Jiang had only one daughter, the one he had just seen. Why did she seem so immature?

Just as Chen Yan Yun was thinking this, he heard the sound of something heavy falling. He walked over quickly and saw Nanny Zheng already consoling a frightened, crying young maid. Jiang Wan Qing stood nearby, clutching a magnolia blossom. Her other two maids, only thirteen or fourteen, were stunned at seeing someone fall. When Jiang Wan Qing saw Chen Yan Yun approach, she didn’t even raise her head, feeling somewhat embarrassed.

Chen Yan Yun called Nanny Zheng over to inquire. Nanny Zheng said: “…This servant just checked. There’s no problem, she’s just frightened.”

He nodded and smiled at Jiang Wan Qing: “Just now Madam Jiang was praising Third Miss for being clever and proper, but it seems you’re quickly showing your true nature. Third Miss should be more careful; you wouldn’t want your mother to see this.”

Jiang Wan Qing murmured a thank you and hurriedly left with her maids.

For Chen Yan Yun, this incident was but a minor occurrence. Soon he would be taking the metropolitan examination.

In the second month of the thirty-eighth year of the Jiajing reign, Chen Yan Yun passed the metropolitan examination. In the third month, during the palace examination, the Emperor personally appointed him as the second-place scholar and assigned him as a Hanlin Academy Editor.

The first-place scholar was the already renowned Yuan Zhong Ru.

Chen Yan Yun’s reputation truly began to soar. He was not yet engaged, and people seeking marriage proposals for him wore down the threshold of his door.

Madam Chen didn’t agree to any of them, later telling Master Chen: “I’ve had my eye on the Jiang family’s Third Miss for some time; she has a sweet disposition. If you agree, we’ll send a matchmaker to propose! I believe Madam Jiang has the same intention.”

Master Chen trusted Madam Chen’s judgment: “To establish a family and career, Old Three should first marry, then pursue his official career. After Old Three marries, we can arrange matches for Old Four and Old Six. Go ahead with your plans.”

Madam Chen was very pleased and went to Baoding to invite a highly respected aunt of the Chen family to serve as a matchmaker.

Madam Chen also asked her son’s opinion. Chen Yan Yun could vaguely recall Jiang Wan Qing’s appearance and thought there was nothing objectionable about her; after all, he had to marry someone. Seeing that her son didn’t object, Madam Chen was even happier. In truth, even if he had objected, it wouldn’t have mattered—she had already sent the matchmaker. Whether he agreed or not, he would have to go along with it. Besides, there was nothing wrong with the Jiang family’s daughter. She had watched her grow up and felt very confident about the match.

By the end of the year, Jiang Wan Qing had married into the family.

She was very hopeful; what young woman doesn’t look forward to marriage? Especially marrying someone like Chen Yan Yun.

She had never forgotten him since the day he spoke to her.

Life after marriage, however, was somewhat different from what she had imagined. After the initial novelty wore off, days began to feel monotonous, especially since Chen Yan Yun was more concerned with his official career than with her.

Until later, when her child was born.

Jiang Wan Qing’s first child was a boy, which solidified her position in the Chen family. Not only was she happy, but everyone around her was happy for her. From birth, the child receives love from everyone. She still remembered the day she gave birth—Chen Yan Yun was still at the Hanlin Academy. After the birth, the household was in a flurry of activity. Madam Chen, holding her grandson, quickly instructed the nanny: “Quickly harness the horses and inform Old Three that he’s become a father!”

Jiang Wan Qing, leaning against her pillow, looked at the child in Madam Chen’s arms and couldn’t help wondering what Chen Yan Yun’s reaction would be.

When he returned that evening, she was leaning against the bed, sleeping. With a little one in the house, things were different. Hearing an infant’s cry, she opened her eyes to see Chen Yan Yun holding the child awkwardly as the baby cried. The nanny stood beside him, instructing him on how to hold the baby properly, but he seemed at a loss.

She couldn’t help but smile.

Chen Yan Yun turned to see her smiling and explained: “This little thing is so soft, I’m afraid of hurting him…”

Only then did Jiang Wan Qing realize there were things he didn’t know how to do.

He learned how to care for the child and even learned lullabies, though he had little sense of melody. Fortunately, his voice was deep and gentle, always able to lull the child to sleep. Before the child was six months old, he was very close to his father, always giggling when he saw him.

The child grew quickly, and by age four, his grandfather was teaching him to read. Chen Yan Yun and Master Chen had disagreed about this—he thought Chen Xuan Qing would be better off studying with his eldest uncle, but Master Chen remained firm, and the child was taken to him.

After becoming a Reader-in-Waiting at the Hanlin Academy, Chen Yan Yun began studying under Director Zhang, who was then the Vice Minister of Personnel.

The relationship between husband and wife gradually became more bland. Sometimes when Chen Yan Yun dined with Jiang Wan Qing, the two would go half the meal without speaking. They had grown accustomed to the silence; he would light a candle and read, while she would sew by its light or learn household management and accounting from Madam Chen.

Besides their eldest son, they had no more children.

One day, Jiang Wan Qing suddenly said to him: “Your bedchamber servant Xue Rong has reached the age to be released from service. I’ve discussed this with Mother and thought to elevate a concubine for you. What do you think?”

Chen Yan Yun thought for a moment, closed his book, and asked her: “Is this Mother’s idea, or yours?”

Jiang Wan Qing replied: “It is this concubine’s idea.”

“Hmm, I understand,” he said mildly. “Do as you see fit.”

As Jiang Wan Qing spoke, she gripped her thimble tightly without realizing it. When she let go, she felt somewhat lost. She smiled and said: “It’s getting late. Let me call the maid to help you wash up.”

The one who entered was Xue Rong, looking more anxious than usual. Chen Yan Yun didn’t notice anything amiss and calmly rose to go to the washroom.

Chen Yan Yun didn’t know what Jiang Wan Qing was thinking, but if his offspring were few, according to custom, he would need to take concubines. If Jiang Wan Qing didn’t bring it up, others would surely mention it to her. She probably wanted to suggest it herself rather than have Madam Chen bring it up, which would put her in a more passive position. Jiang Wan Qing had a strong personality.

Half a year after elevating Xue Rong, Jiang Wan Qing arranged for him to take Lady Lu as another concubine. This was her balancing strategy—two concubines competing and conflicting with each other were easier to control than just one.

When Lady Xue gave birth to a boy, the child was brought to be raised by Jiang Wan Qing. Lady Xue moved to Xian Yu Pavilion, and the child wasn’t very close to her.

Chen Yan Yun saw through all of Jiang Wan Qing’s maneuvers.

These were just minor squabbles in the inner courtyard, and Jiang Wan Qing’s actions were quite normal and not inappropriate in any way, so he never interfered. Only when he felt that Jiang Wan Qing was overly indulging Chen Xuan Xin would he say a few words.

Zhang Ju Lian increasingly valued him and wanted to promote him to Junior Mentor of the Heir Apparent’s Household. Chen Yan Yun could see that Zhang Ju Lian truly wanted to utilize his talents. Zhang Ju Lian had many disciples, but only a few truly earned his appreciation, making this opportunity extremely important. If it weren’t for his eldest uncle having helped Zhang Ju Lian during his difficult times years ago, he might not have received such favor from his teacher today.

Chen Yan Yun successfully entered the Heir Apparent’s Household. Just as his official career was flourishing, before he could even celebrate, the Chen family encountered misfortune. Master Chen contracted a severe illness, developing bedsores, and rapidly lost weight over three months.

During his serious illness, he held Chen Yan Yun’s hand and instructed him: “…The Chen family, you must support it from now on. Father can no longer guide you, so follow your eldest uncle…” His throat tightened, “Not listening to father was right. You’re doing very well now!”

Chen Yan Yun’s tears flowed freely as he knelt on one knee, hearing the women wailing behind him. For the first time, he felt powerless.

Life and death are ordained by fate, and wealth and honor are determined by heaven. Sometimes human effort is so feeble; no matter how intelligent one is, one cannot resurrect the dead.

Chen Yan Yun had thought that since he hadn’t grown up with his father, he wouldn’t be too grieved when his father died.

But blood is indeed thicker than water—how could he not be heartbroken?