So it was for this!

Shiyiniang let out a breath of relief.

It was plain to see that Fengqing lacked a sense of security. If there were a familiar person to accompany him to West Mountain, he might find it somewhat easier to accept. Still, thinking that Xu Lingyi ultimately intended to send the child back to the ancestral home, thinking that this child would ultimately be disappointed… a flash of quiet sorrow passed through her eyes.

“The Marquis is too considerate. Dongqing has nothing pressing to occupy her anyway, and accompanying Fengqing to West Mountain would even give her a chance to get out and about. I’m more glad than anything — there is nothing to be put out about at all.”

“She is, after all, someone close to you,” Xu Lingyi said with a smile, “and the New Year is coming — the busiest time of year.” His expression grew slightly displeased. “It will be better once Fifth Brother’s wife has given birth.”

He was referring to the matter of avoiding certain birth years, surely.

Shiyiniang knew he had always dismissed such things. She dismissed them too. However, since the matter involved the Dowager Marchioness and Fifth Madam, it was best that she keep her opinions to herself.

She offered Xu Lingyi a few words of comfort. Then Linbo came in: “Marquis, Advisor Hou, who works for Official Wang Li, has arrived accompanied by a stranger, saying he has an important matter and requests to see you in person. Steward Bai noted that though the stranger’s face was unfamiliar, his dress, manner, and bearing were quite out of the ordinary. He sent me to ask your wishes.”

A flicker of surprise passed through Xu Lingyi’s eyes. He considered for a moment: “Since it is Advisor Hou… show him to the flower hall.”

Linbo acknowledged the instruction and left.

Knowing he was going to receive a guest, Shiyiniang rose promptly to see him out.

At the doorway, Xu Lingyi paused, looked at Shiyiniang, and hesitated for a moment before saying: “It’s getting late, and that narrow winding path is hard to walk in the dark. Head back early.”

That was concern, surely.

Shiyiniang smiled softly, bent her knees in acknowledgment: “Yes. The Marquis take care as well.”

Xu Lingyi nodded, and with Linbo accompanying him, headed to the flower hall in the outer courtyard.

Everyone let out a quiet breath.

Binju, quick with her words as ever, said: “What a relief the Marquis didn’t press the matter…”

But Shiyiniang’s thoughts were with Fengqing.

Since they were going to send Fengqing to West Mountain, they ought to tell him in advance. Otherwise, the child, bewildered and uncomprehending, would only know he was being passed from one pair of adult hands to another — and that would make him feel even less secure.

She first informed Dongqing of Xu Lingyi’s decision: “…In a couple of days, the child will be sent to West Mountain. You’ll go along to look after him for a few days.”

Dongqing was somewhat surprised, but a moment’s thought made it clear enough. She herself had been confined to her room to avoid Fifth Madam, so even if she went to West Mountain, no one would take any particular notice. Unlike the other maids — with the New Year approaching, if one of them suddenly disappeared, people would inevitably ask questions and make the whole matter even more complicated. She immediately bent her knees in assent: “Madam, rest assured. I will take good care of Young Master Fengqing.”

Shiyiniang nodded, then went to speak with Fengqing: “Fengqing, you must listen to Dongqing.” She pointed to Dongqing. “In a couple of days, Dongqing will accompany you to stay at West Mountain for a few days. There’s a big sister there, and a very beautiful aunt.”

Fengqing’s dark, glistening eyes stared fixedly at Shiyiniang for a long while, then suddenly said: “I’ll be good.”

His voice was like the first call of a golden oriole — melodious and lovely.

Everyone froze.

First, because no one had expected him to suddenly speak. Second, because no one had expected his voice to be so beautiful.

Shiyiniang felt a pang of both sourness and bitterness.

That voice — it must have been inherited from his birth mother.

If he were Xu Lingyi’s child, she could have done something for him. But he was Fifth Young Master’s child, and with the Princess of Danyang as his legitimate mother, a princess of the second rank at that…

Her heart was flooded with compassion, and she stroked his head tenderly.

“Fengqing. The New Year is coming.” Shiyiniang crouched down and smiled at him. “Do you know what the New Year is?”

He nodded: “At New Year, we set off firecrackers.” His voice was very pleasant to the ear.

Seeing that he was more understanding than children his age, Shiyiniang’s tone grew even gentler: “The household is very busy, and we won’t have time to look after you properly. So we’re sending Sister Dongqing along with you to take care of you at West Mountain. That way, we can see to our other affairs without worry!”

“I’ll be good.” He gazed at Shiyiniang earnestly. “I won’t run about everywhere.”

Shiyiniang felt tears pricking at her eyes.

“Since you’re going to be good, then you must follow my arrangement and go to West Mountain in a few days!” She could only choose to set aside his last words. “There’s a big sister at West Mountain!”

“I don’t want a big sister.” He suddenly leapt up. “I’m not going to West Mountain.” With that, he bolted toward the bedchamber.

Shiyiniang caught him in her arms: “Fengqing, you promised me you would listen to what I say.”

He pressed his lips together, staring at Shiyiniang and saying nothing.

Shiyiniang sighed inwardly, but dared not look away, and held his gaze.

After a long while, Fengqing’s mouth drooped, and his eyelids drooped with it.

“Fengqing is such a good child.” Seeing him yield, Shiyiniang patted his back as a reward. “When the time comes, I’ll have Dongqing bring lots of delicious things for you to take to West Mountain. And I’ll ask the big sister there to play with you in the courtyard. West Mountain is much bigger than here — there are so many wonderful places to explore…” She murmured gentle reassurances to Fengqing for quite some time before his emotions slowly calmed.

Shiyiniang gave him pastries to eat and tea to drink, then gave Dongqing a thorough round of instructions, before finally returning to her own courtyard with Hupo and Zhuxiang.

At the gate, she ran into Xu Lingyi.

His face was as cold as frost. Seeing Shiyiniang, he gave a slight nod: “Coming back at this hour. What — was the child making trouble again?” There was a note of veiled displeasure in his voice.

Not knowing who he had gone to see or what had happened, Shiyiniang could see his mood was poor, and smiled: “The child was quite well-behaved. He wasn’t making trouble. It was me. I heard you were sending him to West Mountain, and thought I should let the child know first. Otherwise, not understanding what was happening, he’d be frightened and unsettled.”

“He’s three years old — what does he know?” Xu Lingyi said dismissively and walked inside.

Shiyiniang quickly exchanged a glance with Hupo and Zhuxiang, signaling them to tread carefully, then followed Xu Lingyi inside.

She saw him seated on the large kang by the window in the inner room. Shiyiniang sat down across from him, and Hupo and Zhuxiang each served them tea before tiptoeing out.

Then Xu Lingyi’s temper came rushing to the surface.

He sprang to his feet: “The disaster Fifth Brother has made of things…” Then he turned his full fury on Shiyiniang: “Do you know who it was that tried to buy the child? It was someone from the Qu family!” As he spoke, he paced back and forth across the room like a caged beast.

Shiyiniang was somewhat startled.

She had assumed it was the Yang family!

In all of the Great Zhou, there were very few households with the boldness to do such a thing even knowing Xu Lingyi would come in person. To think it turned out to be the Qu family!

“Marquis, please calm your anger.” There was nothing Shiyiniang could do at this moment but offer soothing words. “At least the child has been found. Nothing terrible has come of it.”

“What do you mean nothing has come of it!” Xu Lingyi stopped in his tracks and turned to face Shiyiniang with a cold, self-mocking laugh: “Do you know who came to inform me? It was someone from the Wang family. One of Wang Jiubao’s people.”

Shiyiniang was mildly surprised.

Then, after a moment’s thought, she found it made a certain sense.

The ones who understand you best are often not your friends, but your enemies.

The Qu family’s movements — Wang Jiubao’s people would surely be more informed than anyone else.

Now Wang Jiubao needed something from Xu Lingyi. If they could help Xu Lingyi resolve a troublesome matter, it would both demonstrate their strength and draw them closer to the Xu household.

The furious Xu Lingyi rapped his knuckles against the kang table in a steady drumbeat.

“Do you know what the Qu family intended? They wanted to buy the child back for an elder of theirs with particular tastes — someone who favors boys. They planned to raise him until he was thirteen or fourteen, then bring him to Yanjing…”

Shiyiniang could no longer hide her shock: “How could they do such a thing!”

She had thought that without the protection of his family, only girls would be crushed like flowers underfoot…

Then thinking of the enmity between the Wang and Qu families, she said: “Who said this?”

She feared the Wang family might be using this to slander and frame the Qu family.

“The Wang family’s people delivered both witnesses and evidence to me.” Xu Lingyi’s expression was dark and heavy. “The people at the attendants’ office have also made thorough inquiries.”

Shiyiniang felt a suffocating heaviness in her chest.

Politics was truly the filthiest thing in the world.

All of this — because the child had a pair of phoenix eyes identical to Xu Lingyi’s.

If Fifth Young Master had never told Xu Lingyi about this. If Xu Lingyi had let it go or arrived just a moment too late. If he had not, in a moment of anger, brought the child back to the mansion… So many if’s — if even one had failed to connect to the next, the fate of the child called Fengqing would have been an entirely different story.

She felt a slight stinging behind her eyes.

Fengqing — bearing none of the privileges of the Xu family, yet forced to carry all of its burdens.

“Marquis, if we keep Fengqing at West Mountain — would he be safe?” She thought of how the Qu family had dared to move against a fifth imperial prince, and thought of the Qu family’s status as a military household…

The lines between Xu Lingyi’s brows were sharp and stern: “The West Mountain villa has some retired soldiers stationed there. The Wang family also has eyes watching the Qu family’s movements. If they dare set foot there, they will not come back.”

But what use was that — they would not come back.

The villa still housed Second Madam and Zhen Jie’er, and now Fengqing as well — all women and young children…

Shiyiniang reached out and took hold of Xu Lingyi’s sleeve: “Marquis, it is not the ten thousand possibilities we fear, but the one. Our family and the Wang family are, after all, not close…”

“Do you know what a pledge of loyalty is?” Xu Lingyi looked at his wife’s face going pale and understood that she was frightened. He smiled and patted the hand clutching tight to his sleeve: “If he wants me to go and persuade the imperial relatives to support lifting the maritime trade ban, he must show me the kind of strength that convinces me. If all he has are petty underhanded tricks, there’s no point in even raising the subject of the maritime ban.”

The two of them had arrived at the same conclusion, but this did not ease Shiyiniang’s worry.

Because the Qu family’s scheme was far too damaging to the Xu household… She feared the Qu family would not let the matter rest so easily.

But since things had come this far, it was not her place to say more. She could only force a smile at Xu Lingyi.

Xu Lingyi saw that his reassurances had not put his wife at ease. Thinking of how quick and perceptive she was, unlike ordinary women, he simply told her directly: “The West Mountain villa has underground passages and cellars. Unless the Emperor were to send the Imperial Guards to take it by force, it is completely impregnable. Second Sister-in-law knows this as well. There is no need to worry.”

A flash of astonishment crossed Shiyiniang’s eyes.

She had not expected the West Mountain villa to hold such hidden depths.

Xu Lingyi, thinking he had guessed her thoughts, could not help smiling as he tousled her hair: “There — now you can set your mind at ease!”

She really ought to learn to trust Xu Lingyi more.

Shiyiniang apologized graciously: “It was this concubine’s mind running away with her.”

Xu Lingyi’s spirits lifted considerably. Smiling, he took her hand: “Come, let’s go to Mother’s for dinner!”

Not wanting to dampen his mood, Shiyiniang let him lead her as far as the doorway to the hall before she pulled her hand free.

Xu Lingyi did not take offense either, and simply gave her a wink with a smile, then composed his expression into one of grave dignity and strode out with his head held high.

Shiyiniang let out a quiet breath of relief.

She thought back to that time when he had been carrying on a perfectly proper conversation with the Dowager Marchioness while, behind his back, he had been toying with her hand… And then that other time, in broad daylight… She truly worried that he might, in a spirit of amusement, take her by the hand to the Dowager Marchioness’s courtyard — in which case, by tomorrow, everyone in the entire mansion would know, and a cap of “casting a fox’s spell” would come hurtling down from the sky and land squarely on her head.

—