Xu Sijin kept glancing left at his father, then right at his mother, forgetting to chew the food still in his mouth.

How strange!

His father and mother were sitting upright eating their meal just as they always did, without any outward signs of affection, yet for some reason, their every movement radiated a natural intimacy that was completely unlike yesterday’s coldness and distance.

And all of this had happened in just one night.

What on earth had occurred?

“What’s the matter?” Noticing her son’s odd behavior, Shiyiniang smiled and asked him.

Xu Lingyi also set down his chopsticks, his gaze filled with concern.

“Nothing, nothing.” Xu Sijin lowered his head and began scooping rice into his mouth to cover up his thoughts, only to forget that he still had food in his mouth. He choked and started coughing.

“This child!” Shiyiniang quickly ladled him a bowl of soup. “Why are you in such a fluster?”

Leng Xiang had already deftly handed over tea for rinsing his mouth.

Xu Sijin took the soup from Shiyiniang and drank two mouthfuls, feeling much better. Afraid his father might notice his little scheme, he quickly said, “Father, you still haven’t told me about your visit to Elder Chen’s residence yesterday!”

“Eat first!” Xu Lingyi said evenly. “After we finish eating, we’ll go to the study in the east side room and talk there.”

Xu Sijin let out an “oh,” wolfed down his food in a few bites, and then gazed at Xu Lingyi with hopeful eyes.

Xu Lingyi gave a faint smile, finished the half bun in his hand, and stood up. “Let’s go.” He headed toward the east side room.

Xu Sijin hurried after him.

Shiyiniang smiled and told Leng Xiang to clear away the bowls and chopsticks, then settled onto the wide kang by the window in the west chamber and set up her embroidery frame to embroider.

After about half an incense stick’s worth of time had passed, Xu Lingyi and Xu Sijin emerged one after the other from the east side room.

Xu Lingyi’s expression was calm; Xu Sijin’s, on the other hand, brimmed with excitement.

“I’m going to pay a visit to Old Marquis Sun.” Xu Lingyi said to Shiyiniang. “I’ll be back by noon.” Then he turned to Xu Sijin. “You stay home and keep your mother company. Understood?”

“Don’t worry!” Xu Sijin said quickly. “I know what matters. I promise I won’t go wandering off.”

Shiyiniang stepped down from the kang to see Xu Lingyi out.

Watching his father leave, Xu Sijin draped an arm around his mother’s shoulders. “Mother, these powerful men are really ruthless! No wonder Lord Gong kept warning me over and over before I came, saying the waters of Yanjing run deep, and that I should consult Father over anything and never act on my own.” He then told Shiyiniang how Elder Chen and Minister Lu had both tried to use the opportunity of Commander Ding Zhi being transferred back to Yanjing to install their own people.

Xu Lingyi had already analyzed all of this the previous night, but Shiyiniang had been too preoccupied with her own worries to listen carefully. Now, hearing Xu Sijin explain it properly, she smiled and said, “That is simply how things work at court. Don’t think that because you’re now the Viscount of Wujin you’re already impressive — you still have much to learn.”

This time, Xu Sijin did not talk back. Instead, he said honestly, “That’s exactly why they say, ‘A full bottle makes no sound, while a half-full bottle sloshes about!'”

Shiyiniang smiled and looked him up and down.

“What is it?” Xu Sijin grew a little self-conscious under her gaze and laughed as he explained. “I heard that saying from the wife of one of our commanders — the commander of Pingyi Garrison…”

“I’m just happy,” Shiyiniang said with genuine feeling. “Our Jin Ge’er has grown up. He knows how to reflect on himself and how to assess himself correctly.”

His mother’s praise made him flush with embarrassment, and he glanced away. “I — I always knew how to reflect on myself. You just never noticed.”

Shiyiniang pressed her lips together in a smile.

Afraid his mother would go on praising him, Xu Sijin quickly changed the subject. “Mother, I still want to sneak over and visit Grandmother!”

Xu Lingyi had once said that there are times when feigning ignorance is better than being brazen. Lord Gong had not yet handed over his seal of command, yet Xu Sizhun had quietly slipped back to the capital. If someone with ulterior motives took note of this, even if everyone pretended not to notice this time given the Emperor’s good mood, they might well use it against him one day when their interests clashed.

Seeing that his mother made no reply, Xu Sijin knew the matter was off the table. He folded his arms under his head and lay back on the kang. “Out of all of us brothers, Grandmother loves me the most…” He looked thoroughly dejected.

Shiyiniang smiled wryly. “You’ll just have to be patient and wait a couple of days.”

Xu Sijin had no choice but to nod.

Shiyiniang found some travel journals from Xu Lingyi’s study to keep him entertained.

Mother and son chatted, read, and did needlework, and before they knew it, the days had slipped by to the twenty-ninth.

“Gong Dongning has set up camp at Wangjia Bay, fifteen li from the Western Hills. This afternoon, the Shunfeng Escort Agency has a cargo convoy leaving the city,” Xu Lingyi said suddenly during the midday meal. “You will go out with the Shunfeng Escort Agency to rendezvous with Lord Gong. Until the prisoner presentation ceremony is complete, you are not to come home.”

Xu Sijin responded with a solemn “Yes,” his manner carrying a composure and steadiness that belied his age.

Xu Lingyi nodded with quiet satisfaction.

Shiyiniang, reluctant to let him go, helped him change into a servant boy’s clothes.

“Mother, by rights, there should be a few days of rest after the prisoner presentation ceremony,” Xu Sijin said, consoling her. “When that time comes, I’ll walk back in through the front door properly to visit you, pay my respects to the Grand Lady, Second Aunt, and Fifth Aunt… and set up cenotaphs for Huang Xiaomao and Liu Erwu.” As he said this, a shadow passed over his eyes and his expression grew somber.

“I’ll be waiting for you to come home!” Shiyiniang embraced her son and watched him walk out of the main room.

When the day of the prisoner presentation at the Meridian Gate arrived, Xu Lingkuan, Xu Sizhun, Xu Sijie, Shen Ge’er, Cheng Ge’er, and even Ting Ge’er and Zhuang Ge’er all went to watch the spectacle. The family’s womenfolk gathered in the Grand Lady’s room to wait. The young servants at the reception office came at intervals with reports — “The Sixth Young Master has entered the city,” “The Sixth Young Master is in the victory procession,” “The Sixth Young Master has reached the Meridian Gate” — and with each report the Grand Lady beamed with delight, handing out ten taels of silver to each servant, until the boys at the reception office were competing with one another to bring news first, and the atmosphere was wonderfully lively. The Fifth Madam joined in the fun from the side: “Grandmother, what about us waiting here — shouldn’t we get a little reward too?”

The Grand Lady was genuinely overjoyed and, not stopping to consider whether the Fifth Madam was joking, laughed cheerfully and instructed Zhi Hong, “Give Fifth Madam twenty taels of silver!”

The room erupted in laughter.

A young servant came running in, wiping the sweat from his forehead. “Grand Lady! Grand Lady! Wonderful news — our Sixth Young Master has been appointed Military Commissioner of Guizhou!”

How could Jin Ge’er become the Military Commissioner of Guizhou? He was only sixteen years old this year!

Shiyiniang was stunned.

The Grand Lady let out a gasp and sat bolt upright, her expression grave as she interrogated the young servant. “Did you hear that clearly? If you’re talking nonsense, you’ll be flogged!”

“Grand Lady, I’m not talking nonsense!” the servant said urgently. “It was the Fifth Master who sent word — the imperial edict has already been read aloud, and the official notice has been posted. He asked me to inform you so you could share in the joy.” He glanced toward Shiyiniang. “Fourth Madam, the Fifth Master also said that once court disperses, there will certainly be many guests coming to offer congratulations, and he wanted me to inform you as well so the kitchen can start preparing food and wine early.”

“If it comes from the Fifth Master, then it must be true!” the Fifth Madam quickly affirmed, supporting Xu Lingkuan, and turned to Shiyiniang. “Fourth Sister-in-law, would you like me to help?”

“If it’s true, then of course I’ll need your help, Fifth Sister-in-law!” Shiyiniang smiled in reply, while her mind was in a whirl.

If Guizhou’s Military Commissioner position had gone to Xu Sijin, then who had gotten Sichuan?

She managed to find an excuse to slip away to the study.

“My lord, have you heard the news that Jin Ge’er has been appointed Military Commissioner of Guizhou?”

“I just found out myself.” Xu Lingyi said. “The Military Commissioner of Sichuan is Elder Chen’s man… According to Wang Li, making Jin Ge’er Military Commissioner of Guizhou was the Emperor’s own idea.” He then analyzed the situation: “Elder Chen wanted to arrange for one of his own people to become Military Commissioner of Sichuan and still needed the Emperor’s backing, so the Emperor would naturally have had no objection to this arrangement. And once the Grand Secretariat saw that Elder Chen raised no protest, they naturally would not have chosen that moment to cause a scene. Through a happy accident, the Military Commissioner position fell to Jin Ge’er.” At this, he wore an expression of helpless resignation. “When Lord Gong hears about it, he will certainly be disappointed. I’ve already written a letter to Gong Dongning explaining the situation — the steward carrying it just left!”

His words had barely faded when a young servant rushed in. “My lord! My lord! Lord Zhou has arrived!”

“Most likely he’s come to drink at our expense!” Xu Lingyi mused, then said to Shiyiniang, “Go tell the kitchen to prepare food and wine. I expect more guests will be arriving shortly.”

Shiyiniang acknowledged and returned to the inner courtyard.

The outer courtyard was in an uproar all through the night. The next day, female guests began arriving one after another to offer congratulations. Shiyiniang was run off her feet. Just when she had managed to find a moment, Madam Tang the Fourth brought up an old topic and pulled her aside to discuss the marriage between the Tang family’s eldest daughter and Jin Ge’er. Shiyiniang had barely managed to extricate herself using the excuse that “today there are too many guests and this is not the time to discuss such matters,” when Madam Gan caught hold of her to speak about her own niece.

Lin Da’nainai drew her aside. “You’d best not agree to any of these families — Jin Ge’er is now a Military Commissioner, and by custom, his womenfolk must remain in Yanjing.” She gave her a pointed look.

Shiyiniang understood at once.

No wonder Madam Zhou and Meng Shi had both held their tongues.

“Thank you for the reminder,” she quickly thanked Lin Da’nainai. “I will discuss this matter with the Marquis.”

But when Xu Lingyi heard, he was unfazed. “There are always exceptions to every rule. When the time comes, we’ll petition for an imperial decree allowing Jin Ge’er to take his wife to his post. For now, you just focus on finding him a suitable match. He’s a regional official now and still unmarried — others will see him as lacking in steadiness, which won’t be good for his future promotions.”

“Then does my lord have any suitable families in mind?” Whether forming ties with a particular family would benefit Jin Ge’er’s career was a matter Xu Lingyi understood better. Among those families, choosing the right bride was for Shiyiniang to decide.

“There’s no rush.” Xu Lingyi smiled. “We can discuss it after the imperial special decree comes through — no harm in waiting. Otherwise, who would dare marry their daughter into our family? That would be condemning her to be a widow while her husband is away. And then we’d certainly have to take concubines for Jin Ge’er. If a concubine’s son is born before the legitimate wife’s son, that’s another headache.”

The moment Shiyiniang heard this, she said at once, “Then we’ll wait until the Emperor’s special decree comes down before we say anything more.” Her position was firm.

Xu Lingyi gave a gentle nod.

Leng Xiang came in with a face full of smiles, her step light and quick. “My lord, Madam — the Sixth Young Master is back!”

Shiyiniang was overjoyed. She headed outside even as she asked, “Where is he?”

“He’s been surrounded by the Fourth Young Master, Fifth Young Master, Seventh Young Master, and Eighth Young Master.” Leng Xiang hurried forward to support Shiyiniang. “They’re all in the middle of hearing about how he captured the Doyan forces — the maids, matrons, stewards, and servants are three rings deep around him, listening with great excitement!”

—