Three days after the wedding, it was time for the daughter’s return visit, and Imperial Guard Lane’s Yu family set out a full spread of banquet tables to host their new son-in-law. Though they hadn’t lived here for many years, a single lane like Imperial Guard Lane, plus the Six Ministries lanes to the left and right, meant frequent comings and goings—enough to fill sixteen tables across the front and back courtyards.

And that was just for the return visit, among those who lived nearby.

On the day Da Niu got married, every household along that stretch near the Yu residence had cleared out their rooms, setting up more than eighty tables in total to properly entertain all the guests.

With so many people coming, the gift ledger alone filled eight thick volumes. Anyone who’d ever crossed paths with the Imperial Guard had come to show face, and the gifts they brought were far from modest—Liu Daya alone gave a hundred strings of cash as a wedding gift.

The Lao Dao brothers were startled. Qiqian’er was even more startled.

In the days after his daughter married out, Yu Qingguan seemed fine on the surface, but a person can’t stay busy forever—once things quieted down, all sorts of feelings began welling up in his heart.

It was said that over three days he secretly shed tears twice, drank a few cups of melancholy wine in private, and sat alone in his daughter’s room muttering to himself half the night.

Da Niu wasn’t a child who stood out much, but now that she’d left, it felt like a piece of flesh had been carved out of his heart.

Marrying off a daughter was supposed to be a joyous face-saving affair on the surface, but in his heart—there was no need to say more. He wished he could treat his son-in-law the way he treated himself, wished he could let her be pampered and indulged and doted on… but that wasn’t possible.

Whose household didn’t have its own difficulties?

The courtyard was lively and bustling. The Yu family’s main hall had a great banquet table set, and aside from Zheng A’man, who couldn’t come because of Empress Dowager Zheng’s death, and Chen Dasheng, everyone who should have come had come.

Chang Lianfang sat down and immediately started looking for someone, scanning the room before asking Meng Wanquan, “Brother, why didn’t Dasheng Ge come?”

Meng Wanquan gave a sly chuckle and leaned in to murmur in his ear, “That’s a sworn-kinship relation—still family, but family all the same. As for the old Prince’s meaning on that side—helping out is fine, but sitting at the banquet table isn’t necessary. This world’s full of all sorts of small-minded, troublesome people. Right now we can’t be bothered with it, but later, once things settle and someone takes a dislike to you, they’ll have plenty of ways to make your life unpleasant.”

Chang Lianfang thought it over and nodded. “That’s true enough. I’ll go see him in a bit…”

Before he could finish, an arm suddenly draped over his shoulder from beside him, and a voice asked quietly, “I hear your wedding isn’t far off either?”

Chang Lianfang looked at him with amused surprise. “Oh ho, your mother-in-law’s information network is well-informed!”

Since when had the Lao Dao brothers started concerning themselves with the mortal world’s affairs too?

Tong Jintai rubbed his chin, smiling a bit sheepishly. His father-in-law’s household had, over the past two years, been getting out and about more because of him—it had been his own suggestion, in fact.

He wasn’t worried about his father-in-law’s family using his name to socialize around. The main reason was that the older Zhang family had three generations of idle members, and he’d already vetted their characters, especially the third generation, who called him “brother-in-law” affectionately at every turn. Could it really be that just because these children were descendants of former-dynasty officials, they should have no future at all?

His father-in-law’s family treated him like a son, so those children were like his own juniors. Besides, Wanru kept having children year after year, and by the time his own children grew up, the Zhang family’s third generation would be grown too—these blood ties through marriage, the cousins on his wife’s side, were relations he could actually rely on.

The more he looked at children these days, the more his thinking had changed from before.

In Qian’er’s sister-in-law’s words: with so many real, solid relatives right there, why bother slowly building relationships with outsiders instead, spending another decade or so testing someone’s character before you could trust them with anything? Wasn’t that just foolish?

The Zhang family, generation after generation, were well-read, cultured people. What was the harm in him, as their in-law “uncle,” giving them a small hand up? If these children had promise, and someone looked out for them and guided them, how many detours could they avoid? Why spend ten years on something that could be settled in one?

Take Guan Si’er’s father, for instance, who taught at the Imperial Academy—getting a couple of relatives’ children quietly enrolled as auditing students there was just a matter of one word.

These children might not necessarily pass through the examinations, but perhaps they’d go the recommendation route instead, or perhaps they’d work their way up through seniority like Shoutian had. Either way, the friends they’d make along the way would be different from ordinary friends.

Everyone had families to provide for—it was only right that one generation look after the next.

Just as Chang Lianfang had come to know Zheng A’man through this circle, and Li Jinggui, and Little Seven and Young Master Liu Sixth—no one expected any favors from anyone else; it was simply sincerity exchanged for sincerity.

A’man’s mood had been poor lately, and the Lao Dao brothers felt for him too. They’d quietly gone to visit Empress Dowager Zheng’s mausoleum, just to keep him company—even if it was only to chat idly, that was the kind of thing only close friends would do, accompanying someone to look after a grave.

A’man had good friends around him, so he managed well enough over there. Today Xiao Huar went to keep him company for a few days; tomorrow, if Erdian saw bad weather coming, he’d send over some supplies; Chen Dasheng often had estate produce sent over as well…

This was sincerity answered with sincerity. Zheng A’man had shown real sincerity himself, and so when he ran into trouble, he had friends there for him.

Hearing Chang Lianfang tease him, Tong Jintai laughed softly. “My mother-in-law only pays attention to these little matters because she considers you one of the family. Do you think our old lady cares to pry into other households’ business? What’s the matter—your own dear young lady from the Marquis’s household is about to marry in, and you won’t even let your friends be happy for you…”

Chang Lianfang immediately clapped a hand over Tong Jintai’s mouth, forcing the words out through gritted teeth: “It’s only just been decided, nothing’s settled yet—don’t go blabbing this around outside, it’s too early. At least wait until A’man is out of mourning, understand?”

At the mention of A’man, Hu Yougui, seated further down, chuckled. “Speaking of him being able to go to Yanjing now—the other day I went into the palace to look for Old Liu, and you know what, I saw A’man carrying a big box, strolling inside. I asked him what he was up to—you know what he said?”

Yu Shoutian stood off to the side pouring wine for his uncles, while his own group of brothers sat at the courtyard banquet, not daring to call him over—just occasionally passing by the doorway to catch his eye.

They were dying to see the horses his uncles had brought back from this round of military training—horses so fine that even the Prince’s household in Yanjing didn’t have their like. Even the finest breeding stallion at the Six Steeds Ranch was about on par.

His father had said that next year, if the breeding went well and there were foals, he’d give him one.

But he didn’t dare act on it. If he tried going out with that gang of rascals right now, his young uncles would take a horsewhip to him without hesitation. In his Seventh Uncle’s words: what kind of people were those anyway? Cockfighters, dog-racers, gamblers—he had a household to uphold, sisters and a mother to protect and provide for.

Ugh, and it was true those good-for-nothings were unreliable, constantly causing trouble in Qingfeng City every few days, with the Qingfeng government office always sending someone to the Ministry of War Lane to file complaints. Grown men, every one of them—why not just find themselves a proper post somewhere and collect a steady salary each month, wouldn’t that feel better? Why be so unreasonable about it?

The boy did his work efficiently, but when he leaned in close to his Fifth Uncle, he heard his uncle say, “A’man was carrying a box of pastries from Huguo Temple and told me, his little wife in the palace wasn’t eating well and kept crying, so he was going to see her!”

Yu Shoutian couldn’t help laughing and nearly tipped over the wine he was pouring.

Everyone burst out laughing together. Cui Erdian patted him on the shoulder, took the wine jug from his hands, and pointed outside. “Alright, alright, you’ve been itching to leave for a while now, haven’t you? Go on and play. But mind your mouth out there.”

Yu Shoutian smiled and shook his head—he didn’t actually want to go out.

What he heard, saw, and experienced at home was different from what his friends over on Six Ministries Lane dealt with.

When he’d first arrived in the city, he’d still hoped to make friends. But he didn’t think that way anymore now. He wanted to join the Imperial Guard early and inherit his father’s saber.

He also wanted to sit leisurely in a chair, looking impatient and world-weary, and say to his friends: “Ugh, I’m so exhausted. Minister Liu from the Ministry of War never bathes—every time I watch him get his rod-punishment I feel disgusted, there are lice crawling all over the waistband of his trousers, and his feet stink so badly, how does his wife stand being near him?”

Now that—that was a proper line to say.

Just as things were at their liveliest, Yu Qingguan brought the new son-in-law, Niu Zhu, in from outside.

The father-in-law wanted to introduce his connections to his son-in-law, let everyone put a face to the name, so they’d know to look out for him going forward.

The young man’s looks were middling, but rare was his easy, cheerful smile—he was clearly a young man brimming with happiness.

How could he not be happy? His wife had brought an excellent dowry—two hundred mu of prime farmland, a storefront on a busy street, thirty-six chests of miscellaneous items, and ten thousand strings of cash tucked away besides. It had left him utterly stunned.

He was a clever young man and didn’t dare stir up trouble. That very day he dismissed the scribe who’d come to read out the dowry inventory, and didn’t even dare have the chests opened—just had them carried straight into the house.

He knew his own family’s situation. His sisters-in-law weren’t bad people, but he worried that showing off wealth would draw the wrong kind of attention. And besides, his father-in-law was a newly risen official—no need to cause him trouble either.

He’d thought it all through carefully, but who could have expected that, right in the middle of the wedding bows, someone from the palace sent by Noble Consort Xiao arrived bearing a pair of jade hairpins—one for him, one for his bride.

That alone was an honor beyond measure—even if the dowry chests had been completely empty, this would have made up for it entirely.

This young man had married well, and his heart was overflowing with contentment. Whoever offered him a toast, he drank sincerely with them, and by the time he’d made the rounds of the tables, he was already swaying on his feet.

Poor thing—only after going around and meeting all the uncles and elders did he realize just how far he’d risen in fortune. The people of Imperial Guard Lane truly lived a steady, secure life, without ever making a show of it.

Back before, people used to say of his wife’s family: oh, those new nobles on Imperial Guard Lane, just gatekeepers for His Majesty, weren’t they? Sure, that one saber-wielder had made something of himself, but what did that have to do with your father-in-law’s household—wasn’t he originally an indentured servant, tsk tsk…

So what if he’d been an indentured servant? Still ten thousand times better than being descended from officials of the fallen dynasty—at least this family belonged to the Shao Shang faction.

He also knew he’d married a country girl. But who could have guessed—Da Niu was truly, genuinely wonderful. Up early each morning, she already had the household running smoothly. In all his years, this was the first time Niu Zhu hadn’t had to lift a finger, just sitting there while a hot meal was placed directly in his hands.

This—this was what it meant to really live well.

Having had parents but no one who truly cared for him growing up, this poor pitiful soul walked into the main hall and threw himself at Yu Qingguan, weeping, “Father—! I finally have someone looking after me, hic! I need to go make a vow of thanks to Grandmother Yushu, waaah…”

Yu Qingguan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Afraid he’d embarrass himself, he grabbed him by the collar and instructed Yu Shoutian, “Quick, carry your brother-in-law off to bed.”

The room erupted in laughter. A lively affair—as long as people were laughing, that was as it should be.

While the front courtyard buzzed with the men’s revelry, the back courtyard where the women had gathered was a different scene entirely.

Qiqian’er and the others didn’t come with Empress Dowager Jiang, so instead the old lady led the whole family to claim two tables at the Yu residence.

Where other tables sat ten to a table, hers wouldn’t do—her family’s gift had been so generous that her table simply had to seat eight. In truth, it was so they could eat a bit more; they didn’t even sit properly, just claimed the whole table as their own.

The old lady felt she was still coming out behind. She’d given one gift on behalf of herself, but her grandchildren below her all counted as heads of their own households too—that made it six gifts’ worth from her side alone. And the Yu family’s own descendants numbered three more besides. Meanwhile, her own poor grandchildren were barely old enough to be out of diapers, crawling everywhere—by the time she’d see any return on this investment, she’d surely be long dead.

Today she was determined to make sure the children ate their fill and then some—she’d even brought food boxes along, three sets of them!

Not a single drop of oil would be left behind for the Yu family, damn it all. It was only afterward that she found out Chen Dasheng and his sworn brothers had each given the eldest granddaughter a thousand strings of cash as dowry money.

From the moment the old lady learned of this, she couldn’t sleep. The next morning she woke up with her mouth full of blisters, practically wishing she were dead, and desperately wanting to take it all back.

But as people age, they grow more accommodating, more timid—she didn’t dare offend anyone, and could only suffer in silence.

Having become a married woman now, Da Niu sat shyly and bashfully at the main table, too embarrassed to eat much. In her heart… if only A’Nai weren’t right there nagging at her, perhaps she could have enjoyed herself more.

The Yu family’s old lady, seething with resentment, ate a few bites, then paused to catch her breath, turning to Yu Da Niu with a tearful, wheedling expression. “Big girl, with all that money, all that land… you’ll never spend it all, will you? You won’t spend it all, right?”

Da Niu thought to herself: no, I won’t spend it all—and there’ll still be plenty left for my children and grandchildren.

Ding Yuniang used her chopsticks to look after her two daughters, piling chicken, duck, and fish high into their bowls. Every so often she’d look up and say to the children with an almost reverent sincerity, “Eat! Eat!”

She knew the old lady still held a grudge—one that wouldn’t be resolved even if it were buried in the ground. What could she do about it? She’d simply play deaf.

Just as everyone was eating merrily, a matron from the Yu household came in from outside, leaning down to whisper in the old lady’s ear, “Old Madam, your Fourth Household’s madam is at the gate looking for you.”

The old lady set down her chopsticks, with some difficulty swallowed the mouthful of oily food, glanced left and right, piled generous portions of meat into the bowls of Lanting Ge’er and Xi Que, and made sure her three grandsons’ wives each had a full share of proper dishes—only once she’d confirmed everyone had enough to eat did she take Yiyue’s hand and, imitating her elder sister-in-law’s manner, head outside.

At the gate, the old lady paused, turned to glance at Ding Xiang and her mother-in-law’s table, gave a small cough, and, catching Ding Xiang’s eye, pursed her lips and gestured beneath the table.

Ding Xiang smiled, reached under the table, and pulled out the food box she’d brought along, raising her eyebrows.

Good girl! No wonder—raised by her own hand! Then she glanced at Ding Xiang’s mother-in-law—hmph, an old sow if there ever was one, calling herself an official’s wife and never having seen good food before in her life, judging by the way she ate, tsk tsk tsk…

Satisfied, the old lady was finally willing to leave.

Madam Qiao hadn’t dared show her face at the Yu family’s gate. She’d sent word through someone else and waited instead at the old residence’s gate.

When the old lady saw her, her mood soured immediately.

This hungry wolf of a woman was no good at all—always changing her mind on a whim. She’d said she was coming back, then abandoned her husband, and taken a servant woman to rent some shabby little house behind Quanqian Street.

What kind of muddled thinking was that—with money like that saved up, why not use it properly instead of buying some run-down shack on Quanqian Street? And what was most infuriating was that her worthless husband just let her do as she pleased?

Now that she’d settled in, she still hadn’t asked to take the children back. Every day, before dawn, she came to the old residence’s gate to pay her respects, occasionally bringing food and drink, never stepping inside, just kowtowing day after day to make everyone uncomfortable.

It had already been over two months now—who knew when this would end.

“What did you come here for?” the old lady’s tone was far from friendly.

Madam Qiao was dressed today in worn cloth clothing. Beyond her circumstances being hard, she’d aged in the face too, though she still carried herself with that same neat, tidy manner from before. Back when they’d fled famine together, she’d still worn a hairpin or two; now she wore only plain blue cloth wrapped around her head, no different from a widow in mourning.

The old lady didn’t bother sparing her any consideration—as far as she was concerned, Chen Siniu was already dead.

Seeing the old lady, Madam Qiao hurriedly stood, forcing a smile as she pulled out a bundled parcel from beside her and held it out with both hands. “Old, Old Madam, I hope this isn’t too much trouble.”

The old lady sat down on the stool Yiyue had brought over and refused the parcel. “Don’t cause more trouble—you carry no weight with me!”

Madam Qiao didn’t seem to mind the scolding, and continued with her forced smile, “I know, I know—it’s not what you think. This is a gift for the Yu family’s celebration. This cloth only came off the loom this morning; I hurried and traded it at the cloth shop for a string of cash, and brought it straight to you.”

“A gift?” The old lady’s heart clenched, and she sneered, waving off the bundle. “The Yu family is holding an event—what business do you have sending them a gift? Do they even know who you are? Don’t you dare try to attach yourself to them uninvited—do you think Qian’er won’t slap you across the face if she finds out? And don’t you dare feel wronged about it either!”

The Yu family would never look kindly on the Fourth Household, nor could they possibly have any dealings with them—everyone knew exactly what kind of person she was.

Still smiling, Madam Qiao said, “I know. But, if I don’t do this now, then tomorrow, when the flesh and blood I gave birth to have their own affairs to attend to, who will give them any face? Even if the honored guests themselves don’t come, at least having a gift recorded in the ledger helps fill it out properly.”

She didn’t cry, just looked at the old lady with pleading eyes. “I know you hate me. The sins I’ve committed, I’ll spend ten lifetimes as your ox and horse to repay you. But my Xi Que and the others still need to marry out with proper dignity, don’t they? At least these two children were raised by your own hands…”

At the mention of the children, the old lady’s heart finally softened somewhat. She glanced at Yiyue, who stepped forward to take the bundle.

One string of cash—these days even the likes of Madam Lü were giving ten strings as gifts. Times really were getting worse and worse.

The old lady, being simple-hearted, couldn’t hold back and asked, “Siniu—he just let you leave like that?”

Madam Qiao, having made her peace with things, smiled and said, “Yes! I just left. Your son has taken another woman into the household besides. From now on, our Fourth Household will finally have more children to carry on the line.”

The old lady didn’t respond to that, just looked at Madam Qiao coolly.

Under that gaze Madam Qiao had nowhere to hide. She simply smoothed back a lock of hair by her temple, kowtowed properly, offered her thanks, and walked away along the outer wall, head lowered.

Outside Imperial Guard Lane, a peddler passed by with his shoulder pole, calling out his wares. A pudgy little boy in brocade clothes ran past pushing a pinwheel, clattering along, right past Madam Qiao.

The child was running fast, and the servant woman chasing after him in a fluster accidentally shoved Madam Qiao into the wall.

Madam Qiao took the blow hard, and it took her a good while to catch her breath, bracing herself against the wall to stand back up.

A few more servants ran past. Seeing Madam Qiao, they glanced over toward Imperial Guard Lane, and one small young maid undid a purse from her waist, grabbed a handful of copper coins, and flung them down at Madam Qiao’s feet.

The whole group hurried off after their young master.

Madam Qiao stood there in a daze, quietly looking at the several dozen coins scattered on the ground. After a long moment, she reached up and smoothed her hair back, then walked away without bending down to pick up the money.

This woman… The old lady watched her retreating figure, and in the end spat at the ground, curling her lip in disdain.

If she’d dared to bend down today, Xi Que and Lanting Ge’er would never be able to show their faces on Quanhou Street again. If she’d dared to pick up that money, the old lady felt she could have chased her down and beaten her for it.

At least she still had the decency of a mother, after all!

The old lady smoothed back her own hair and said flatly, “Let’s go. Go settle the account with the Yu family—we still owe them, don’t we!”