Shiyiniang had finished eating early and changed her clothes, waiting for Xu Lingyi to return so they could go pay their respects to the Dowager.

When she saw Xu Lingyi come back, she welcomed him to sit on the kang in the inner chamber, presented him with a cup of tea, and dismissed the attending servants. She said in a low voice, “Did Elder Brother tell you everything?”

“He did.” Xu Lingyi took a sip of tea. “Zhensheng is worried that if things reach a point of no return, he wants Tenth Aunt to move to a dowry farmstead. I think it’s not without a solution, but it can’t be rushed.”

Shiyiniang had only just heard about the arrangement for Tenth Aunt to move to the dowry farmstead, and now hearing that Xu Lingyi’s words carried a deeper meaning, she said, “My lord, do you have a plan in mind?”

Xu Lingyi nodded, but said, “I heard from Zhensheng that Duke Maoguo has suffered a great blow — the man is completely dazed and has to have things repeated to him several times. Ask five questions, and he can’t answer one. The servants attending him are a few nephews from his collateral branches, each of them eyeing him like wolves, terrified of being left out. Seeing the situation wasn’t a good time to speak, they sat for a while before taking their leave. However, you apparently ran into Madam Jiang in the rear courtyard, and she made certain demands. The details weren’t described very thoroughly. Tell me carefully.”

Shiyiniang acknowledged and sat down across from Xu Lingyi, telling him everything in detail.

“This is quite thorny.” Xu Lingyi murmured, “I had originally thought the Jiang family would come to me about the matter of inheriting the title — I didn’t expect they would want to use my hand to pursue Ren Kun. And yet the Wang family’s collateral relatives have entirely different intentions from Madam Jiang. This matter will require careful consideration.”

Shiyiniang nodded. “I thought the same. So at the time I pretended not to understand the meaning in Madam Jiang’s words, and I didn’t even mention that you are no longer in office.”

“It’s good that you didn’t engage with her.” Xu Lingyi said. “News of my dismissal should spread throughout Yanjing within the next couple of days. Let us wait and see what the Wang family’s position is before deciding anything. Helping people is a kind gesture — but one shouldn’t help in a way that breeds resentment.”

Shiyiniang hadn’t expected Xu Lingyi to show not the slightest inclination to avoid the matter or find it troublesome. She was quite surprised. Thinking it over, she said, “Given the Wang family’s situation, what would need to be done to secure the inheritance of the title?”

“First, one would need to get past the Ministry of Rites,” Xu Lingyi said. “If someone in the Grand Secretariat were to speak on the matter, that would be even better. Then it all depends on His Majesty’s disposition. Under ordinary circumstances, if the Ministry of Rites approves the petition, His Majesty won’t reject it. But sometimes circumstances change. In the late years of the late Emperor, the Duke Weiguo and Marquis Linchuan families both had their titles stripped. The former was because the legitimate heir died and the Ministry’s petition for the eldest concubine-born son to inherit was rejected; the latter was because there was no son, and the wish to adopt the younger brother’s son was rejected — it mainly comes down to His Majesty’s mood at the time.”

Shiyiniang felt the undertaking was immense.

“If it’s too much trouble, my lord need not get involved. Living in a small farmstead isn’t so bad either.” She thought of Tenth Aunt’s gaunt figure. “She might even be happier there.”

In truth, she felt that if Luo Zhensheng was willing to provide for Tenth Aunt, having her live in the small dowry farmstead was better than staying in the Wang household. As for what came after death — a person doing well in this life was already good enough. Whether there was a next life was still unknown. There was no need to give up the present life for the sake of something uncertain.

“What nonsense!” Xu Lingyi’s heart warmed seeing her speak in his favor, and though the words were a reprimand, they carried not a shred of anger — on the contrary, they were tinged with an implicit fondness. “If Tenth Aunt moves to a dowry farmstead, what would that make her? She is Wang Lang’s properly wedded legitimate wife. Besides, she and you are sisters — if she does well, you’ll have someone to rely on. I have my own plan for this matter. You needn’t worry.”

Shiyiniang couldn’t help but laugh bitterly to herself.

Tenth Aunt doing well and being a support to her?

If Tenth Aunt didn’t turn around and make things difficult for her, that would already be fortunate!

As they spoke, Xu Lingyi stood up. “It’s getting late. Let’s go pay Mother our respects so we can rest early.”

“Yes!” Shiyiniang answered and helped Xu Lingyi into his cloak before they went together to the Dowager’s quarters.

She had already sent Hupo ahead to inform the Dowager. The Dowager knew that Luo Zhensheng and Qian Ming had come, and that Shiyiniang needed to host them for dinner. Seeing the two of them arrive together, she immediately asked about the situation.

Xu Lingyi gave a brief account, leaving out Madam Jiang’s demands and Luo Zhensheng’s intentions entirely. The Dowager listened and sighed repeatedly, urging Shiyiniang, “It takes ten years of cultivation for two people to share the same boat — all the more so for sisters. Tenth Aunt has encountered such a great calamity. Whether it concerns Gongxian Hutong or Duke Maoguo’s manor, whatever comes up you may go directly — just have a maid inform me. That way I’ll know where you’ve gone, and you needn’t worry about it weighing on my mind.”

Shiyiniang was deeply grateful for the Dowager’s thoughtfulness. She thanked her, sat and chatted with her for a while, then bid the Dowager farewell along with Xu Lingyi and left the courtyard.

On the way, they encountered Xu Lingkuan.

He stood in the covered gallery they had to pass through, craning his neck in anticipation.

Seeing the two of them from a distance, he hurried to meet them.

“Fourth Brother, I have something to tell you.” Without avoiding Shiyiniang’s presence, he walked alongside Xu Lingyi and said, “I heard that the one who killed Wang Lang was Ren Kun’s personal manservant. I went to look into it today. That manservant’s parents died long ago, and he only has one younger sister, who worked in the needlework room at the Ren household. After the incident, the manservant’s sister immediately vanished. It took me a great deal of effort to trace her — she had been sent to the Kaifeng Prefecture.”

“Sent to the Kaifeng Prefecture?” Xu Lingyi stopped in his tracks and stared at Xu Lingkuan in astonishment. “How did you find that out?”

“Every tiger has its den, every snake its burrow.” Xu Lingkuan’s brows lifted with a hint of pride. “Yanjing is only a hand’s breadth of a place — you see the same faces wherever you go. I always have a few people around me who know Ren Kun.”

Xu Lingyi thought of the fights his younger brother had gotten into recently — his opinion of this brother had changed considerably. He laughed and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. “Not bad, you!”

Xu Lingkuan grinned and said in a low voice, “Fourth Brother, the person I sent to gather information told me that the Ren family arranged for the manservant’s sister to be given to a wealthy household in the Kaifeng Prefecture as an adopted daughter. They even changed the household registration.”

Xu Lingyi’s eyes crinkled slightly at the corners, revealing a flicker of puzzlement.

“It’s true.” Seeing that his elder brother was skeptical, Xu Lingkuan hastily insisted, “This is something Ren Kun himself let out. The purpose was to let everyone know that he would always take care of those who follow him — and he’s not afraid of others knowing, because he has the power to protect them. It was also to put the manservant’s heart at ease. And it worked remarkably well. They say the Shuntian Prefecture used severe torture, yet they couldn’t pry that manservant’s mouth open. Now people throughout Yanjing say Ren Kun knows how to use men well — that he’s a fearsome figure.”

Xu Lingyi glanced sidelong at Xu Lingkuan. “Go on then. What message did Ren Kun have someone pass to you?”

Xu Lingkuan jumped at that. “Fourth Brother, I truly didn’t agree to anything. Truly, I agreed to nothing at all.” He waved his hands frantically, his eyes darting toward Shiyiniang.

“Your sister-in-law is hardly an outsider. Say what you have to say quickly, or I’ll hold you to nothing.”

Xu Lingkuan gave an awkward laugh.

“Ren Kun says he will be staying at Changchun Temple until the case is closed. If Fourth Brother wishes to find him, he is ready to receive you at any time.” His expression then gradually became serious. “He also said — if the matter were to happen again, he would do exactly the same.”

The words were arrogant, audacious, untameable.

Shiyiniang listened and felt a chill run down her spine.

Twenty-seven stabs, each one striking a vital point. He had arranged for the manservant to take the blame and calmly walked away. He publicly and loudly announced his arrangement for the manservant’s sister — contrasting it with Wang Lang’s death — telling others what the fate of betraying him was, and what the reward for loyalty was. He sent Xu Lingkuan to pass a message to Xu Lingyi, implicitly warning him that he was fully aware of the Wang family’s strength, and that if Xu Lingyi intended to champion the Wang family’s cause, he was not without preparation. As for the final line about waiting at Changchun Temple — it was the finishing stroke. It told Xu Lingyi that no matter what consequences might follow, he would face them without fear.

Resolve, confidence, tenacity — every one of them present.

How could such a man not inspire dread?

Xu Lingyi stopped walking.

He asked Xu Lingkuan in a mild tone, “Xiaowu, how well do you know Ren Kun?”

Xu Lingkuan couldn’t quite read Xu Lingyi’s intent. He said cautiously, “There’s no direct connection between us. But if Fourth Brother had something he needed me to take care of, I could make contact.”

Xu Lingyi gave a faint nod. His gaze fixed on Xu Lingkuan, and his eyes gradually grew grave. “Keep your distance from him from now on. This man’s heart is too cruel.”

Xu Lingkuan was taken aback.

Xu Lingyi explained patiently, “Look at his method of killing — clean and efficient. Then look at his arrangements afterward. Bold yet meticulous. He makes no effort to conceal the fact that he killed Wang Lang, telling everyone: those who betray him, even if he kills them, can do nothing about it. And he settles the loyal servant’s family, telling everyone: those who are loyal to him, even in death, will have their families live in wealth and prosperity. Far-thinking. Then he sends a message through you — openly presenting himself as forthright and unafraid to take responsibility. Xiaowu, a man like this has too deep a heart and acts too coldly. A nodding acquaintance is sufficient.”

Xu Lingkuan lowered his head and considered his elder brother’s words.

Seeing that his younger brother didn’t brush it aside as he once would have, Xu Lingyi’s eyes held a trace of a smile. He patted his shoulder. “It’s not early — go rest.”

Xu Lingkuan nodded, then hesitated. “And the matter of Wang Lang — are we still going to get involved?”

“Even if we do, we can’t go barging over there ourselves.” Xu Lingyi said with a smile. “We must at least know what the other party is asking for, mustn’t we? What’s the use of scratching someone else’s shoulder when their thigh is the one that itches?”

That made Xu Lingkuan laugh. “I’ll do as Fourth Brother says.”

Xu Lingyi nodded. “Go rest. If something comes up, I’ll come to you for help.”

Xu Lingkuan gave Shiyiniang a salute and walked away with a light step.

Xu Lingyi watched his retreating figure and sighed, “Who would have thought Xiaowu would have such a sensible day.”

Shiyiniang covered a smile with her sleeve.

The husband and wife made their way back to their own courtyard.

Xu Lingyi spoke with Shiyiniang as they walked, “Since Ren Kun dares to act so boldly, I’m afraid he already had a plan long in place. Before, I had thought to be a mediator, and was worried Madam Jiang wouldn’t agree — thinking we were only looking out for Tenth Aunt and not Wang Lang. But now, I think Madam Jiang has little choice but to agree. For the next few days, you should stay home and rest — stay in and embroider, tend to the children. Let Madam Jiang go and hit a wall or two. Once the news of my dismissal has spread, she’ll quiet down. Then we can negotiate our conditions with the Wang family.”

He mentioned the children, and Shiyiniang took the opportunity to bring up the matter of adding a new room. “…Since you happen to be free, why not settle this sooner rather than later?”

A change of scenery would bring fresh air.

Xu Lingyi was quite interested as well. “All right! Tomorrow I’ll have a good talk with Steward Bai and see if we can add another courtyard. The children will only grow more numerous as time goes on!”

Shiyiniang was lost for words.

—