The Great Master also raised his eyelids in surprise.

He exchanged a glance with the Great Madam.

All three nephews raised their eyes. Dage and Hongge were about to speak, but Minge first glared at his two younger brothers.

Yet his own face was full of words left unsaid.

Second Master had placed Second Madam’s life and death in the hands of the First Branch.

Having done such a dishonorable thing, only two paths lay before Second Madam.

Either death, or being cast out.

When Second Madam had been seeking death so desperately back then, it was mostly out of unwillingness: since it was death either way, better to die in a way that made everyone unhappy.

But in the end, thinking of her three sons, as soon as Seventh Miss sent word to her, she thought it through and stopped making a fuss, arriving calmly at today.

She must have prepared herself mentally for the worst.

But she hadn’t expected Second Master to be even more ruthless than she was.

This slap was not divorce, yet surpassed divorce.

Even if the First Branch was magnanimous and let this matter pass, Second Madam’s face had been lost to this degree—what qualification did she have to continue living in the Yang household?

Seventh Miss shifted her feet and slowly let out a cool breath.

She had originally thought that for the sake of his three sons, Second Master would at least protect Second Madam’s life no matter what…

As for whether she would be sent back to live in the Northwest hometown afterward or brought to the capital—that was hard to say.

However, with three sons present, as long as Second Madam could preserve her life, she would eventually have a day to rise again.

From the looks of it now, Second Master didn’t care one bit about his three sons’ dignity…

Truly worthy of being Great Master’s younger brother! That ruthless streak ran in the family.

For a moment, the courtyard fell silent again.

Great Madam looked at Second Madam, then at Ninth Brother, and a faint layer of anger rose on her face.

“Master,” she urged Great Master in a low voice, “let it be as you decide!”

This one sentence allowed Great Master to make up his mind as well.

“Good.” He slowly opened his mouth. “Since Second Brother is willing to let me, his elder brother, make decisions for you once more… then Elder Brother won’t stand on ceremony.”

He closed his eyes, not looking at the utterly dejected Second Madam on the ground, his tone light and slow.

“Although this matter is shocking, it ultimately doesn’t violate the Seven Grounds for Divorce. When Second Aunt married into the family, we were still a poor household. ‘Those who were first poor then became wealthy should not be cast out’—divorce would be going too far.”

“However, witchcraft has always offended Heaven and harmony. Since Second Aunt was momentarily confused and possessed by demons to commit such an error, she should still cultivate her character and nurture her nature. From now on, she should not go out and about too much.”

Everyone in the Second Branch let out a breath of relief.

Just restricting her outings—that was acceptable.

If Great Master had decided to have Second Master divorce Second Madam, Second Master would not have objected.

But if that happened, the faces of both the Yang and Wang families would inevitably be completely lost.

The several young masters would have no foundation to stand on in the Second Branch either.

“As for what comes next, that’s your Second Branch’s own family affairs. Though I’m the elder brother, you’re grown now—handle your own household matters yourself.” Great Master smiled slightly.

But his words took another turn.

“Speaking of which, our Yang family’s ancestral home is in the Northwest. You’re now in the capital, and Suzhou is neither the ancestral home nor a permanent residence. Establishing your household here is neither proper nor justified. Having husband and wife separated long-term in two places isn’t a long-term solution either… I’ll take it upon myself as elder brother to decide—after the New Year, sell the mansion here. With the remaining silver, buy a more spacious residence in the capital, which should be more than sufficient.”

“If you’re short on silver temporarily, your elder brother can help supplement a few taels. Although our two households divided the property many years ago, blood ties cannot be severed. Material possessions like money—our First Branch has never cared much for such things.”

The sarcasm lay deep within that bland tone.

Yet who couldn’t hear it?

Minge deeply lowered his head, his face burning red.

Even Second Master couldn’t speak.

Great Master’s handling appeared magnanimous but actually severed the connection between the First and Second Branches at the root.

Originally, though property was divided, the family was not—the two households still interacted and visited as if they were one family.

But now Great Master was refusing to let the Second Branch live as neighbors with the First Branch anymore, intending to send the Second Branch to the capital.

Separated long-term in different places, even one family would become two families.

“As for the nephews, since they’ve begun studying at Shantang Academy, they shouldn’t easily abandon their studies.” Great Master remained unhurried. “Although the two branches have separated, family ties cannot be severed. Let the nephews stay with our First Branch for a few years. After they’ve achieved scholarly success, they can go to the capital and reunite with you, father and sons.”

Second Madam’s whole body shook.

She raised her head and stared fixedly at Great Master.

Great Master wore a smile, his tone still composed. “Naturally, if Second Brother has other plans, I won’t force the matter. After all, it’s all for the children’s good… Our family only has one Ninth Brother. In the future, in many places, he’ll need his several elder cousins to help and support him greatly. The children are still young—staying together more will help them become familiar with each other… This is up to Second Brother himself.”

Second Master showed not a moment’s hesitation and agreed immediately.

“That Elder Brother is willing to elevate the nephews is better than anything!”

Genuine joy appeared on his haggard face. “After this New Year passes, I’ll still need to rely on Elder Brother’s connections to establish a household in the capital… Younger Brother truly cannot repay even if ground to dust Elder Brother and Sister-in-law’s kindness in raising me!”

Both Great Master and Great Madam’s faces relaxed.

Second Master was indeed perceptive and tactful.

The several conditions the First Branch proposed had been carefully deliberated by the couple.

Keeping these nephews at Shantang Academy to study couldn’t be said to lack the meaning of hostages.

If Second Master refused to agree, the two branches would part ways from this point on.

The First Branch would lack one of their own people in the capital—setting aside how inconvenient that would be, the Second Branch would lose their protective umbrella.

It was rare that Second Master saw things so clearly and accepted all the First Branch’s conditions without even blinking.

Great Master then signaled Chief Steward Zhang to come forward and personally went forward to help Second Master up.

“Since both families are going to the capital, we should also invite the ancestral tablets to the capital to offer morning and evening incense to Great Master and Great Madam.”

He then entered the ancestral hall shoulder to shoulder with Second Master.

Inviting the ancestral tablets was an important matter. Even though it was just handing over tablets already prepared to Second Master, both Great Master and Second Master had to kneel and bow in respect.

From deep within the ancestral hall came Second Master’s intermittent crying.

Second Madam knelt on the ground with lowered head, burying it deeply.

Seventh Miss raised her head and met Ninth Brother’s eyes.

The two siblings exchanged a glance, both exhaling a long breath of turbid air from their chests.

This family had finally and completely split apart.

#

Since leaving the ancestral hall, Second Master’s tears hadn’t stopped.

Great Master simply arranged for him to wash up in the outer courtyard, change clothes, and the two families entered the inner courtyard to talk.

Second Madam was too ashamed to see people and had been sent back to Hanlin Manor early.

Second Master also sent the nephews home to attend to their mother.

Only Great Master, Great Madam, and Second Master—the three household heads—sat around in the eastern side room.

Great Master gave Great Madam a look. “These years, Second Brother’s farmland has been managed together with ours for rent collection. You should bring out the account books for Second Brother to see.”

Previously, when property was divided but the family wasn’t, many things were cooperatively managed between the two branches—whatever was convenient.

Second Madam wasn’t good at financial management, the household had no male heir, and it wasn’t convenient to manage finances either, so Second Master took the initiative to ask his elder brother and sister-in-law to help oversee their bit of property in Jiangnan.

Bringing up this matter, Second Master’s tears flowed down again.

While sobbing, he blamed himself. “It’s my uselessness, unable to properly discipline my wife, that made Elder Brother and Sister-in-law’s hearts grow cold!”

Great Madam was after all a woman. Seeing Second Master like this, she couldn’t help but soften a bit.

Sorrow appeared on her face.

“Which family doesn’t have such matters?” She comforted Second Master. “You have your own substantial household. In a few years things will get better and better!”

Second Master grew even more sorrowful, sobbing and choking, actually kneeling on the ground, about to kowtow again. “It’s Younger Brother who has wronged Elder Brother and Sister-in-law, unable to show filial piety to Elder Brother and Sister-in-law. Younger Brother is useless, useless!”

He began crying intermittently about life back in the Northwest in those years. “Ever since Elder Sister-in-law married in, she’s treated me like her own child… In eating and using things, she always put Younger Brother first. Younger Brother knows this clearly in his heart, all of it.”

“I wanted to distinguish myself and provide for Elder Brother and Sister-in-law, but never imagined that at this age, I’d still be so unfilial, requiring Elder Brother and Sister-in-law to turn back and look after me…”

Every word and phrase struck deep into Great Madam’s heart.

Great Madam couldn’t help but shed tears as well.

“You must live well from now on.” She instructed Second Master. “Don’t let such things happen again…”

Second Master shuffled forward on his knees a few steps and suddenly embraced Great Madam’s calves, collapsing against Great Madam’s knees in tears.

“Younger Brother has wronged Sister-in-law, wronged Elder Brother!”

Great Madam then joined him, the two embracing and weeping together.

Great Master turned his head to watch this moving picture of family affection, but a trace of satisfied smile slowly spread across his lips.

It seemed Second Master was very afraid the First Branch family would become estranged from the Second Branch.

Inner household matters were inner household matters; court matters were court matters.

Dividing the family and property didn’t mean the two families had to grow farther apart on the career path.

#

Second Master’s crying session indeed proved effective.

Ever since the two families completely separated in front of the Nianxian Ancestral Hall that day, Great Madam had been busy every day with several nannies, settling the accounts between the Second Branch and First Branch over many years. Some farmland managed under the First Branch’s name also needed to be calculated and the accounts returned to the Second Branch.

Although Second Madam was ashamed to see people, this ultimately concerned the Second Branch’s future livelihood.

She still endured the humiliation, entered the First Branch’s gates, and worked the abacus alongside Great Madam, settling her own household’s accounts.

Because of Second Master’s crying session, Great Madam didn’t play any tricks in the account books and was fairly conscientious in guiding Second Madam.

For a household matriarch to pull strings behind the scenes and deliver underhanded blows was the easiest thing—never mind anything else, just doing a bit of manipulation when re-measuring both families’ farmland—with the local power broker elder brother right there, and occupying the moral high ground, the Second Branch would have to swallow their grievances.

However, Great Madam had never been stingy about money and looked down on such underhanded methods. The Second Branch not only completely inventoried their own property but even gained some small advantages.

In the blink of an eye, it was the twenty-ninth of the twelfth month.

Although the family had split, Second Master had only entered Hanlin Manor in the twelfth month, and the household had experienced so many upheavals—how could they be in the mood to prepare for the New Year?

They also had to consider outsiders’ eyes… Great Master took the initiative to suggest it, and the two branches had long agreed to spend the New Year together.

Early on the twenty-ninth, Second Master and his wife brought their three sons into Baifang Garden.

The children were also dressed formally, waiting in the main hall for Second Uncle and Second Aunt.

The ancestral worship ceremony on the twenty-ninth of the twelfth month absolutely could not be neglected.

Great Master personally held the incense, Minge held the wine, Great Madam and Second Madam arranged the offering dishes, and the daughters personally wrung warm damp cloths to wipe the ancestral tablets before performing the worship.

They busied themselves until noon before returning to the main hall, where two tables of wine and food were set out.

In the bitter cold, with no heating system in the Nianxian Ancestral Hall, everyone was frozen with blue lips and pale faces. Great Madam took charge, instructing the nephews, “Everyone drink a mouthful of warm wine to drive away the cold, lest at this critical juncture you catch a chill and suffer.”

Since the two families had torn open the matter of Second Madam raising little demons at the ancestral hall entrance and settled their property, whenever they met, they both acted as if nothing had happened.

As if no unpleasantness had ever occurred.

Great Madam’s concern for her three nephews was still just as sincere.

The children quickly heated the wine and each drank a cup.

Only Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother didn’t touch a drop of alcohol.

Minge was the eldest brother, personally holding the pot to pour wine for his younger siblings. When he reached Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother and saw both younger siblings simultaneously shake their heads in refusal, he couldn’t help but feel somewhat surprised.

Thinking about it sideways, he understood.

His eyes dimmed slightly. He only nodded at Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother without urging them further.

Ever since Second Madam’s incident, this child Minge had become increasingly somber.

As if overnight he’d grown into an adult.

Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother acted as if nothing had happened. After eating, they each returned to their side courtyards to rest.

At dusk, they each brought their maids to the main hall to pay respects to Great Madam.

Great Madam was sitting opposite Great Master drinking tea. Seeing the pair of children enter side by side, for a moment both felt dazzled.

Ninth Brother and Seventh Miss would be eleven years old after the New Year.

Though they looked similar, there were now distinct differences.

Ninth Brother was very “lively”—the large eyes on his melon-seed face always sparkled with rippling light, seeming happy yet not happy, seeming angry yet not angry, making him impossible to read.

His pressed-together lips carried an indescribable stubbornness.

Like a leopard cub not yet fully grown—though strength was still insufficient, when encountering matters he already had his own opinions.

Seventh Miss was very still.

Her water-cut eyes showed no ripples, and every gesture was slow and leisurely, yet carried an inherent alertness.

This pair of children arriving together, both wearing silver-sprinkled fully embroidered crane cloaks.

Even divine children of gold and jade wouldn’t be so striking.

Great Master sighed with contentment.

“The children are gradually growing up.” He remarked to Great Madam.

But Great Madam’s heart was full of bitterness.

“The children have all grown up.” She echoed her husband in a low voice.

The couple then brought Seventh Miss and Ninth Brother into the Xianxian Ancestral Hall.

With Great Master’s current reputation and position, obtaining a ninth-rank imperial mandate for his only son’s birth mother would be as easy as turning over his hand.

After all, this was Great Master’s family affair. Elevating a Second Branch wife—no one would be tactless enough to report it to the Censorate.

However, specifically opening the family shrine to elevate the Second Branch would be somewhat too grand.

It was simpler to move it up to the twelfth month, taking advantage of the ancestral worship on the twenty-ninth to inform the ancestors and elevate Ninth Aunt’s tablet to the small side table—that would count as having told the ancestors.

Concubines after all couldn’t be placed on the main stage. Entry was at dusk; elevation should also be at dusk. Moreover, it wasn’t worth inviting relatives and friends to witness—only the master, mistress, and biological children would participate.

Since Great Madam had agreed to elevate Ninth Aunt, she didn’t obstruct these matters.

Several people stood before the Nianxian Ancestral Hall. Great Master and Great Madam bowed slightly in courtesy, while Ninth Brother and Seventh Miss performed a full two kneelings and six prostrations.

Only then did Ninth Brother personally invite Ninth Aunt’s tablet and place it on the small side table on the lower west side of the room.

After all, she was a concubine. Even with the honor of being on a side table, she could only be placed on a separate small table.

After the placement, Great Master and Great Madam departed first. Ninth Brother and Seventh Miss still needed to sweep the room and worship Ninth Aunt once more.

The two children—one gripped a broom to sweep dust from the floor, the other wrung a cloth to wipe Ninth Aunt’s tablet.

The four simple black characters “Yang Family’s Sealed Feng” were glossy and bright—there really wasn’t much need for wiping.

Yet Seventh Miss wiped very earnestly.

Ninth Aunt’s voice and smile vividly reappeared before her eyes.

“Living under another’s roof, one can only endure…” Her bitterness.

“Never imagined that marrying into the Yang family, I’d still have to rely on this embroidery skill to support me and my girl.” Her self-mockery.

“You must be obedient… Madam is a person whose… heart is actually rather soft.” Her calculations.

“This is exactly your chance to distinguish yourself!” Her planning.

Even now being written under Great Madam’s name, she had always been very clear in her heart who her real mother was.

After wiping the tablet, she and Ninth Brother together paid respects to Ninth Aunt.

For a Second Branch wife, two kneelings and six prostrations completed the ceremony.

But whether Ninth Brother or Seventh Miss, both performed the full ceremony of three kneelings and nine prostrations.

Outside, the evening glow already filled the sky. In the dark blue heavens, blood-red color was wantonly painted.

Cold crows from who knows where alighted on the pine trees outside the Nianxian Ancestral Hall.