Wei Shao had been very busy for several consecutive days, generally leaving early and returning late. Last night he came back earlier but was still handling official business alone in his study. Later, when it got quite late and he still hadn’t returned to their room, Xiao Qiao brought him a bowl of dessert. He barely ate any of the desserts, instead treating Xiao Qiao as the treat. Holding her on his lap, they were intimate for a moment before Wei Shao said, “There’s a temporary matter in Zhuo Commandery. I’ll go there tomorrow and return in three or four days.”
Xiao Qiao was slightly taken aback.
News had been sent back that Qiao Ci and his party were very close and would arrive in a day or two. Wei Shao knew this as well.
“If my husband has business to attend to, please go ahead,” Xiao Qiao said with a slight hesitation and a smile.
Wei Shao glanced at her but didn’t say anything. He just leaned in and kissed her cheek, then helped her stand up, saying, “It’s late, let’s go back to the room.”
Early the next morning, after Xiao Qiao saw Wei Shao off, she was copying scriptures in her room as usual when one of Wei Shao’s guards returned to the Wei mansion to fetch something. He said that last night, Wei Shao had forgotten a document in the cabinet of his study and asked the lady to retrieve it for him to take back.
Xiao Qiao figured he must have forgotten it last night. Knowing he was waiting for the document to be brought, she hurried to his study and found the document Wei Shao wanted in the specified cabinet drawer.
As she turned to leave, she hesitated slightly and finally stopped in her tracks.
She saw a box placed in one of the cabinet compartments.
Previously, on her first day in this room when she had just arrived at the Wei family, she had inadvertently touched this box, and Wei Shao had questioned her about it at the time. The next day, he had taken it away.
At that time, she had guessed that the contents of this box must have special meaning for him, which was why he wouldn’t even let it be touched.
Xiao Qiao’s gaze fell on the box and lingered for a moment.
She knew she shouldn’t touch it. But in the end, her self-discipline wasn’t enough, and she couldn’t resist taking the box out of the drawer.
The box was locked, not with an ordinary lock, but with a nine-square grid, similar to a combination lock.
The box wasn’t heavy. The wood itself probably accounted for most of the weight. Xiao Qiao held it close to her ear and shook it gently, feeling that the contents were probably something like letters or papers.
Instinctively, Xiao Qiao’s mind conjured up the image of Su Nü, whom she had encountered in the State of Zhongshan.
In her previous life, Wei Shao had favored her for many years and made her his empress not long after Da Qiao’s death.
This woman, who was two years older than Wei Shao and had accompanied him as he grew up, must have an extremely special existence for him.
Indeed, such a stunningly beautiful woman, with charm to her very bones, had captivated even Xiao Qiao at first glance.
Xiao Qiao had originally been quite satisfied with her appearance, but compared to this woman, looks seemed less important, and her figure couldn’t compare at all. As for allure, she probably couldn’t cultivate that in this lifetime.
Let alone a man?
Xiao Qiao gently put the box back exactly as it was, hurriedly turned, and left, handing the retrieved document to the guard to take away.
…
The next day, news arrived that the envoy Yang Feng, sent by Qiao Yue, and Qiao Ci’s party were about to reach Yuyang. There were twenty to thirty attendants, bearing the flag of the Inspector of Yanzhou.
Madam Xu took this very seriously. She appointed Wei Yan to go out of the city to welcome them. Then she asked Xiao Qiao to go along as well.
About to see her brother’s face, Xiao Qiao felt both anticipation and joy. She changed into formal attire and came out to the main gate, where she saw Wei Yan already waiting with his people. To the side was parked a double-shaft carriage for summer use, with a canopy on top and light gauze curtains on three sides – left, right, and back – to protect from wind and sun, as well as to avoid the impolite stares of passersby. The carriage was extremely lavishly decorated, and even the chestnut horse pulling it at the front was magnificent, spirited, and energetic, with a sleek and even coat without a trace of impurity. The horse’s forehead was adorned with a golden frontlet, and around its neck hung a collar with nine small golden bells, which made a pleasant, soft tinkling sound as the horse shook its head.
Only a woman of Xiao Qiao’s status and position as the wife of a marquis would be qualified to ride in such a precious carriage.
Wei Yan seemed to have been waiting for a while, but showed no sign of impatience, sitting calmly on horseback. Seeing Xiao Qiao’s figure gradually emerge from the main gate, he dismounted to greet her, smiling as he invited her to board the carriage, saying, “We just received word that they’re less than twenty li away. If you come with me to welcome them outside the city gate, I expect your brother will arrive by then.”
“Thank you for your trouble, Elder Cousin,” Xiao Qiao smiled slightly at him, then turned and lifted her skirt to board the carriage. Wei Yan ordered attendants to guard the front and back as they set out, while he mounted his horse and followed slightly behind and to the side of Xiao Qiao’s carriage, heading towards the south city gate.
Although Xiao Qiao had been married to Wei Shao and living in Yuyang for quite some time, she mostly stayed at home. The last time she went out to inscribe at the Queen Mother Temple, she rode in a box carriage, so the people of Yuyang rarely had the chance to see the Marquis’s wife. As soon as this precious carriage from the Wei mansion hit the road today, it attracted the gaze of passersby. Although there were curtains on three sides, the front was open, and as the carriage moved, the wind would occasionally lift the curtains.
Through the fluttering light gauze curtains, people could see from afar that a stunningly beautiful lady in luxurious attire was sitting in the carriage, attracting countless gazes. As word spread that she was the lady of the Wei mansion, people became even more excited, and many began to follow towards the south gate. A scene similar to when she left Xin Du seemed about to unfold again.
Seeing more and more people gathering on both sides of the road, Wei Yan, fearing that Xiao Qiao might be disturbed, ordered the attendants to guard her strictly. He also rode his horse closer, watching her back occasionally visible through the light gauze curtains. Finally, they left the city and stopped the carriage beside a stone pavilion a few li away. The pavilion had curtains drawn on three sides and seats set up inside. Wei Yan invited Xiao Qiao to dismount and rest in the stone pavilion while waiting for the Yanzhou party to arrive.
Wei Yan’s considerations were indeed meticulous. There were even two plates of freshly washed fruit and two types of exquisite pastries in the stone pavilion, as well as tea. Xiao Qiao only wanted to see her brother quickly and had no appetite for food, but feeling a bit thirsty, she slowly drank a cup of the provided tea. As she was halfway through her second cup, she saw the silhouette of a group of horses and men appear at the end of the distant road.
Xiao Qiao felt a surge of excitement. She put down her teacup and left the stone pavilion, standing by the roadside with her hand shading her eyes as she watched. The group of horses and men gradually drew nearer, and she could already see the Yanzhou flag. As they came closer, she could make out a red horse at the front, with her brother Qiao Ci sitting on it, coming towards her.
When they were about a bowshot apart, Qiao Ci also saw Xiao Qiao waving at him from the roadside. Overjoyed, he immediately urged his horse out of line and galloped towards his sister. When he reached her, he leaped off his horse and ran to her.
“Sister!” “Brother!”
Xiao Qiao tightly grasped her brother’s arms, feeling a wave of emotion. Her chest felt warm, and her eyes reddened slightly. She carefully examined her brother, whom she hadn’t seen for over half a year.
He had grown much taller. She remembered that before she got married, he was only about half a head taller than her. In the past half year, she had grown a bit, but he had grown even faster. He was now only slightly shorter than Wei Shao, and she had to look up at him. His shoulders were also broader, and standing before her, he already had the appearance of a young man.
Qiao Ci had also been missing his sister very much. Since her marriage, he had always felt that the Wei family had ill intentions in marrying a Qiao daughter, and he constantly worried that his sister might be mistreated there. So when Qiao Yue sent an envoy north this time, he was determined to come along. He also examined his sister.
Xiao Qiao had grown a bit taller than last year, her clothes were luxurious, and her face was full of vitality. Before her marriage, she had the pure and clear beauty of a maiden, but now there was a slight hint of charm and maturity in her eyes and brows. Qiao Ci felt that his sister seemed even more beautiful than before, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. In any case, seeing that she seemed to be doing well, the worry that had been hanging over him during the journey finally eased. Suddenly noticing that her eyes seemed to be reddening again, he became flustered and hurriedly asked, “Sister, why are you crying?”
“Your sister is shedding tears of joy to see you more handsome and valiant than before, killing two enemies for everyone at such a young age on the battlefield, truly heroic,” Wei Yan had approached and said to Qiao Ci with a smile before Xiao Qiao could answer.
Qiao Ci looked at Wei Yan, slightly startled. His first impression was that this man was Wei Shao, but on second glance, he realized that wasn’t right. He had heard that Wei Shao was in his early twenties, but this man, though also outstanding, seemed a bit older. He looked towards Xiao Qiao.
Xiao Qiao quickly wiped her eyes, then smiled and said, “This is your brother-in-law’s cousin, Lord Wei, the Duke of Dai Commandery and the Light Chariot General of the third rank in the imperial court. He has come out of the city especially to welcome your party on Grandmother’s orders.”
Qiao Ci suddenly understood. He sized up Wei Yan briefly. He found this man to be of extraordinary appearance, giving an impression of shrewdness and capability, yet with a smiling face and a very friendly attitude.
On his way here, he had prepared himself to be coldly received by the Wei family. This moment was quite unexpected. Moreover, Wei Yan had just mentioned his battle at the front lines outside Juye, with a tone of praise, which made him feel a bit embarrassed but inevitably pleased. His impression of Wei Yan immediately became very good. Hearing Xiao Qiao’s introduction, he became respectful and hurriedly greeted Wei Yan, addressing him as “Lord Wei.”
Wei Yan smiled and said, “You are my sister-in-law’s younger brother, so we are like family. There’s no need to be so formal. You can just call me Cousin Wei.”
Qiao Ci, after all, was not yet sixteen. Although he had grown tall, his mentality was still that of a young boy. Seeing Wei Yan so easygoing, he didn’t stand on ceremony and directly called him Cousin Wei. The two addressed each other as brothers, and at the first meeting, they seemed like close friends despite the age difference.
Her brother hadn’t even entered the city yet, and with just one meeting, he was already so close to Wei Yan. Xiao Qiao felt somewhat uneasy in her heart. Moreover, although her sense of disgust towards Wei Yan was not as strong as it had been initially, she still felt that this man was quite scheming, and subconsciously, she didn’t want her brother to be so close to him. Of course, under these circumstances, she wouldn’t say anything.
A moment later, Yang Feng, the Yanzhou envoy whom Qiao Ci had left behind, arrived with the rest of the entourage.
Xiao Qiao had met Yang Feng before. He was her uncle’s chief clerk, well-versed in Confucian studies, and considered a scholar of note in Yanzhou. Yang Feng dismounted, and Wei Yan went forward to greet him. After they exchanged greetings and pleasantries, Xiao Qiao boarded her carriage again, and the group, led by Wei Yan, began their leisurely journey back.
In addition to carrying Qiao Yue’s letter, Yang Feng’s mission also included bringing generous gifts. There were brocades, embroidered clothes, and gold ornaments for both Madam Xu and Madam Zhu, a thousand bolts of silk, satin, brocade, and gauze (two hundred each), as well as ten full carts of local products from Yanzhou.
The procession of horses and carriages passed through the streets under the watchful eyes and buzzing discussions of the Yuyang citizens. Wei Yan arranged for Yang Feng to stay at the official guesthouse, explaining that Wei Shao had coincidentally left Yuyang on business yesterday but would return in a few days, and asked him to rest easy for now. Then he brought Qiao Ci to the Wei mansion.
The first thing Qiao Ci did upon arrival was to pay respects to Wei Shao’s grandmother and mother. He went to his lodgings, washed away the dust of travel, and changed into formal attire.
Xiao Qiao waited for him outside his room. Seeing her brother come out, full of spirit, looking like polished jade in his new black wide-sleeved outfit, radiating youthful energy, she felt extremely gratified, with a subtle pride like “my little brother has grown up.”
Xiao Qiao personally led Qiao Ci to the north room. Along the way, many young maids of the Wei mansion couldn’t help but turn to look at the lady’s brother.
Madam Xu and Madam Zhu were already in place. Wei Yan was also present. After Xiao Qiao led Qiao Ci in, he paid his respects to Madam Xu and Madam Zhu in turn.
Although Qiao Ci was not yet sixteen, and the Qiao family was now in decline, they were still an old aristocratic family. He had received strict training in etiquette for formal occasions since childhood and wouldn’t make any mistakes. After going through the formalities step by step, Qiao Ci stood up. Madam Xu seemed very pleased, praising his outstanding appearance, like a young eagle soaring in the sky. She ordered Nanny Zhong to present a welcoming gift: a short sword with a scabbard inlaid with beautiful cat’s eye gems.
As soon as Madam Zhu saw Qiao Ci, with his radiant appearance like a jade mountain before her, she immediately thought of her deceased husband and eldest son. Now the son of their enemy had not only grown up but was being welcomed into their home as an honored guest. The disgust in her heart was beyond description. However, in such an occasion, and front of Madam Xu, how could she, who had been the mistress of a marquis’s household for decades, dare to show the slightest discourtesy? She barely suppressed her hatred and ordered someone to present a gift as well.
Qiao Ci received the gifts with both hands, thanked them again, and stood up. Madam Xu called him to her side, asked him a few friendly questions about family matters, and invited him to stay for some time. Then she turned to Wei Yan and said, “It’s unfortunate that your Second Brother happens to be out of town on business. I’ll have to send you on some errands these couple of days. Please take his place in showing him around. Although our northern landscape may not be as beautiful as the south, it has its majestic scenery.”
Wei Yan smiled and said, “There’s no need for Grandmother to instruct me. I would naturally serve in his stead.”