The Cui family also received a letter from Cui Shaoting. When Yu Shi received that letter, she began crying first. She had thought it was a letter from Cui Shaoting, and indeed it was written by someone surnamed Cui, but it was not from Cui Shaoting. It was sent back by Cui Yingtang, who had desperately defended Jinzhong alongside the Prince of Zhennan and Hu Yingming.

Old Madam Cui had long been prepared for the family’s destruction. Receiving her son’s letter and learning the Cui family was safe, she excitedly repeated the word “good” several times. After the excitement passed came weakness, and without a trace of strength, she fell back onto the couch. Only then did she raise her head to look at Princess Duanhui and Yu Shi: “You should also take a look.”

The Cui family had lost many collateral branch descendants, and even among the direct line, some of the younger generation had met with disaster. Princess Duanhui’s youngest son had also nearly lost his life but had been rescued in time. Now he had recovered and was in no serious condition.

The second and third branches were the same. However, the Third Old Madam could not withstand the shock and had already passed away before the new year. Yu Shi covered her mouth but could no longer hold back and burst into tears. Her mother-in-law was dead, and her husband’s fate was now unknown. Her heart truly could not endure any more.

It was still Cui Huaying who could console her at this time, tirelessly comforting her again and again: “Father has heaven’s protection for good people and will certainly be fine. Others may not know Father’s capabilities, but surely Mother knows them? Even the Prince and the others are well, so Father will certainly also be fine.”

Old Madam Cui sighed and called Yu Shi to sit beside her, holding her hand: “I know your heart is bitter. Usually the most talkative and cheerful person, recently you’ve spoken less and smiled less. But you must also listen to our words. Battlefield matters are too distant—we womenfolk cannot intervene there, but we can take good care of ourselves and our homes. The children are all watching you.”

Yu Shi had always been even more attentive and astute than Princess Duanhui, but now she truly could not bear it any longer and cried bitterly in Old Madam Cui’s embrace.

In wartime, expedient measures were permitted, but the family had ultimately suffered a bereavement. Although they had divided the household, Old Madam Cui was still the elder. She carefully instructed Yu Shi on how to first set up the mourning hall—the third branch had only Cui Shaoting as their sole son, and when the Third Old Madam passed, Cui Yingtang and Cui Yingyu would naturally arrange things well, but as the legitimate daughter-in-law, she naturally should make separate arrangements.

Yu Shi had managed household affairs since the third branch began and did not find these procedures burdensome now. Summoning her spirits, she agreed, and after returning home, she replaced the lanterns with white ones, prepared mourning clothes and hemp cloth, and with everything fully prepared, she donned mourning garments and led the children to receive those who came to offer condolences.

They were not the only family conducting funeral rites. The Prince of Zhennan had also sent back definite news about Zheng Sansi’s younger brother, the Vice Minister of Personnel—the man was dead. Zheng Sansi had been dismissed from office, and upon receiving news of his brother’s death, his vital energy and spirit vanished overnight.

The other families on the casualty list sent back by the Prince of Zhennan also began making arrangements. For a time, cries of mourning shook the capital.

It was only at this moment that the common people truly realized that war meant death, and the situation in Xibei received even greater attention.

Emperor Jianzhang specifically had Zhou Weizhao represent him in offering condolences at the Cui family and Marquis Dingyuan’s household—the nephew Marquis Dingyuan had taken to Xibei had also died and was included on the casualty list.

Zhou Weizhao made the trip. Princess Duanhui’s eldest son and Yu Shi’s eldest son welcomed him inside. He offered a stick of incense before the spirit tablet, sighed, and consoled the two Cui brothers with a few words.

Only after the Cui family members had gone to entertain guests did Ye Jingchuan come up and pat Qingbai on the shoulder, standing before Zhou Weizhao. Because the Prince of Zhennan had written to report his safety, and because the Princess Consort of Zhennan had already personally asked the Crown Princess Consort to arrange his match with Lu Chonghua, his face showed some relief. Seeing Zhou Weizhao’s appearance, he sighed again: “Her Highness must be very worried, right?”

She had always valued her family highly. Although Old Madam Cui and Cui Yingshu were both in the capital, there were still so many of her relatives in Jinzhong. Though she might not speak of it, she was surely worried in her heart.

Zhou Weizhao acknowledged this and walked a few steps, following the steward’s guidance to temporarily sit in the flower hall before asking him: “I heard your elder brother won’t let you go to Xibei anymore?”

Speaking of this, Ye Jingchuan had a belly full of frustration. Originally it had been agreed that after the betrothal was settled he could go to Xibei, but when the time came, everyone had changed their tune. Even the Princess Consort of Zhennan adamantly refused. He was no longer the unreasonable child who had cried and demanded to run to Zijing Pass to accompany his uncle. With his mother frightened and worried and the household unsettled, he naturally could only compromise. Hearing Zhou Weizhao ask this, he gave a bitter smile: “Yes, Elder Brother won’t let me go, and Mother is crying and shouting even more insistently that I stay.”

Having said this, he earnestly asked Zhou Weizhao: “Although good news came this time saying Jinzhong was held, the Tartars’ hundred thousand cavalry are still within our borders. Zijing Pass, Xuanfu, and Jizhou are all in critical danger. What do you think—will Chief Commander Cui and my father…” He was so frightened by his own speculation that he refused to continue, instead asking about something else: “Elder Brother still treats me like a child and won’t tell me these things. But I still want to ask—will the court dispatch troops to march north?”

“Easier said than done—how could it be so simple?” Old Master Song was also frowning with Song Jue. “The northern troops have almost all been deployed. The forces from Hebei West Circuit and Hebei East Circuit that originally defended the capital have all been transferred to Xuanfu, Jizhou, and Zijing Pass. To recover Xibei would be as Zheng Sansi worried—where would the silver come from? Silver won’t fall from the sky. Recently the court has had constant disputes and frequent disasters—it’s already very difficult. If we mobilize more troops to fight the Tartars and recover Xibei, I fear all under heaven will fall into great chaos.”

In the end, it still came down to the fact that before troops could move, provisions must go first. Circumstances were stronger than people.

Song Jue poured tea for him and personally attended to him as he sat before taking his own seat at his grandfather’s lower hand: “But recently in court, the calls for dispatching troops as reinforcements have been very strong…”

Old Master Song drank a sip of tea, feeling his originally dry tongue gain some flavor, and couldn’t help but complain: “Exactly so. Every one of them is a civil official who has never been on a battlefield and doesn’t know what warfare is about. They think it’s simply a matter of dispatching personnel—where is it so simple?”

After a pause, he continued: “Today we didn’t argue to any conclusion. Tomorrow we’ll probably continue discussing this matter. We’ll see then.”

Not dispatching troops as reinforcements meant watching the Tartars advance inch by inch, watching Cui Shaoting isolated and without support. But dispatching reinforcements—where could the court still find the capacity to sustain it now?

Both sides’ reasoning made sense, but this decision was too difficult to make.

Unless… Old Master Song tapped his fingers on the tabletop and said nothing. After a long while, he finally instructed Song Jue: “The Cui family is after all related to our family by marriage. It won’t do for you to make the rounds and just return. With Yingshu and Shaoting both away from the capital, you should go see if there’s anything you can help with. Also, remind your mother not to forget to send礼 to Marquis Dingyuan’s household as well.”