As the New Year approached, every household bustled with activity, and the Cheng family was no exception.
The eldest Madam Cheng reclined on a luxurious chaise lounge, cushioned with soft felt. She had retreated to rest while the children ran about noisily outside. Hearing their commotion intensify, she sat up and called out, “Dong Gu!” When a maid lifted the curtain to enter, she asked, “Are those little rascals being watched out there? They’re making such a racket.”
Her maid, Dong Gu, entered with a steaming plate of pine nut cakes. “Don’t worry, Madam. The girls and servants are keeping an eye on them. The young ladies are just enjoying themselves.”
Madam Cheng lay back down, picking up a cake to eat. “New Year’s is exhausting. I’d rather avoid the festivities altogether. I don’t understand why they enjoy all this commotion.”
She lowered her voice and asked Dong Gu, “She’s seen the doctor three times this winter because of this, and I heard she called for one again today. It’s inauspicious on New Year’s. Is she pregnant?”
Dong Gu replied softly, “You know our Fourth Young Master’s ways. How could she be pregnant? She’s just anxious and probably has indigestion. The Third Madam is upset, but the Fourth Young Master is still at the Lu family and hasn’t returned. The Fourth Mistress has instructed the servants not to tell him.”
Madam Cheng sighed. “Sometimes I’m too tired to quarrel with her. I pity her; my fourth brother is no good man. He’s heartless, putting on an act that she believes.”
“Most women are like that,” Dong Gu, who had followed Madam Cheng from the palace, had seen much. “If not for the Empress’s protection, the Fourth Mistress wouldn’t even have this life.”
Hearing this, Madam Cheng sighed again. She said Xie Yun was pitiful but weren’t all men and women like this? She sipped some hot tea to moisten her throat, then asked Dong Gu to help her up. She wanted to visit the Cheng family’s Old Madam.
Across half the city at the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion, Cheng Lang was waiting for Lu Jiaxue to come out of his study.
He wondered what whim had brought him here on New Year’s Day.
Outside, the snow had cleared, leaving a bright sky that improved his mood slightly. He savored a cup of oil tea sprinkled with roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and rice crisps. Occasionally, he glanced at the large chunks of bluish-white ice on the frozen lake and the distant indigo mountains, thinking the scenery here was truly beautiful. The Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion had its advantages being farther from the inner city.
Every New Year, the Ningyuan Marquis’s household drank oil tea.
Red lanterns hung outside every building during festivals. Though Lu Jiaxue lived alone and the servants didn’t dare disturb him normally, they made the house as festive as possible during New Year’s to cheer up the Marquis. Lu Jiaxue never complained about this rare show of leniency towards the servants, perhaps because the sight of the red decorations throughout the garden lifted his spirits.
An old servant who had attended Lu Jiaxue for many years stood outside, chatting with Cheng Lang. “The Marquis returned from outside yesterday in a foul mood. I didn’t dare leave and waited outside half the night. Early this morning, someone came to see him, and the Marquis immediately summoned you.”
Cheng Lang frowned and asked, “Who’s inside?”
The old servant shook his head slightly. “I’ve never seen him before. Young Master, would you like another bowl of tea?”
“It’s too rich. Bring me some plain tea instead,” Cheng Lang said, explaining that the oily New Year’s food made oil tea unpalatable.
As the servant left to prepare plain tea, Cheng Lang stood outside for about fifteen minutes before hearing a soft voice from within: “…The man has been bought. His father happens to be under my command, so there won’t be any problems. The Imperial Guard, Feathered Forest Guard, and Golden Pheasant Guard remain in the Forbidden City, while the Eastern and Western Depots are staffed by eunuchs and pose no threat. The Divine Machine Battalion is more troublesome, but you control most of the troops under the Grand Marshal’s Office, so that shouldn’t be an issue either.”
Hearing this voice, Cheng Lang felt as if he’d been plunged into cold water, his contentment instantly vanishing.
If he wasn’t mistaken, he had heard this voice once before—it belonged to Zhou Yingyou, the Empress’s uncle and Commander of the outer capital’s main camp.
Why was he in Lu Jiaxue’s study, discussing troop distributions?
Cheng Lang’s mind raced, his intelligence quickly piecing things together. Lu Jiaxue had summoned him early in the morning, Xie Yun had mentioned the Empress’s recent strange behavior, and the Crown Prince’s power in court was growing… The Empress and Zhou Yingyou likely intended to force the Emperor to abdicate in favor of the Third Prince!
The door opened, and Lu Jiaxue emerged first. Seeing Cheng Lang standing outside with his head bowed, he smirked coldly. “Had enough of waiting?”
“I wouldn’t dare complain,” Cheng Lang replied.
Lu Jiaxue sighed. “Cheng Lang, you know we’re in this together. I won’t hide what was discussed from you. You’ve probably guessed who’s inside…”
A cold glint flashed in Cheng Lang’s eyes. He thought Lu Jiaxue must have gone mad to help the Empress!
Although the Empress had fallen out of the Emperor’s favor in recent years, forcing the Emperor’s abdication was a crime punishable by the execution of nine generations of one’s family. Without a major crisis, she shouldn’t have considered this option. It seemed that if the Third Prince didn’t ascend to the throne, her Zhou family’s position would be in jeopardy. As for Lu Jiaxue, he had always favored the Third Prince and was already at odds with the Crown Prince’s faction… Viewed this way, Lu Jiaxue’s actions made sense.
Still, Cheng Lang couldn’t shake the feeling that Lu Jiaxue must have been provoked into taking such a risk.
Instead of asking questions, Cheng Lang nodded and said, “Uncle, please speak freely. Without your support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.” Having overheard the earlier conversation, how could he not help Lu Jiaxue? He probably wouldn’t even be able to leave the courtyard alive if he refused. Moreover, Lu Jiaxue’s downfall would bring him no benefits, as he bore the Lu family’s mark.
Besides, Cheng Lang was naturally capricious. To him, the difference between investigating officials and assassinating an emperor might not be that great. He even enjoyed this kind of life, preferring it to stagnation. And Lu Jiaxue had amassed enough power that failure seemed unlikely; for years, others had died while he survived.
Lu Jiaxue led him into the room to meet Zhou Yingyou.
Zhou Yingyou had a broad face and an unkempt beard. His expression remained impassive, not even glancing up when Cheng Lang entered. This, Cheng Lang thought, was a man capable of great deeds.
Only after Lu Jiaxue’s introduction did Zhou Yingyou look at Cheng Lang and nod. “I’ve heard of your reputation. With you assisting the Empress, I can rest easy.”
The Empress, being a woman, would do well just to remain calm during the palace coup; strategy couldn’t be expected from her. Hearing this, Cheng Lang understood his role—he would likely be sent to aid the Empress.
“On the third day of the New Year, officials will enter the palace to offer thanks,” Zhou Yingyou continued. “The noblewomen will also enter to express gratitude. The palace guards will surely be in disarray then. I’ll handle matters inside the palace, but for the outside, we’ll need the Marshal’s assistance.”
Lu Jiaxue’s eyes narrowed slightly. “General Zhou is too kind. Please rest for now. Return after the evening meal to avoid drawing attention.”
Zhou Yingyou, a man of few words, nodded in agreement and was escorted by a steward to rest.
“Uncle,” Cheng Lang asked in a low voice, “You’re really…”
“Lost my mind, haven’t I?” Lu Jiaxue said. Seeing Cheng Lang’s serious expression, he laughed. “What is there to fear? The Emperor favors the Crown Prince. If he ascends the throne, my days are numbered anyway… Besides, I no longer have a choice in the matter.”
He wasn’t acting on impulse. At over thirty years old, what could provoke him to such recklessness? Rather, news had arrived from the palace last night that the Vice Minister of War had returned to the capital to see the Emperor. The Emperor, noting that the borders were now secure, intended to reduce the army to lower taxes.
When Lu Jiaxue heard this, his heart sank. With the borders secure, any troop reductions would surely target Shanxi, effectively diminishing his power. The Emperor’s suspicion had indeed proven fatal.
Would Lu Jiaxue allow the authority he had amassed over a lifetime to be carved up by others?
In the past, he would have schemed to change the Emperor’s mind, but now he felt indifferent to it all. After yesterday, he suddenly wanted to act recklessly. What could they do to him?
Hadn’t he helped the Emperor ascend the throne years ago? Now he could just as easily bring him down!
Lu Jiaxue’s gaze turned fierce.
Seeing Lu Jiaxue’s expression, Cheng Lang knew there was no turning back.
“Don’t worry, unless Zhou Yingyou successfully detains the Emperor, I won’t make a move,” Lu Jiaxue maintained his cautious attitude, speaking calmly. “On that day, you’ll enter the palace first with Xie Yun. Say that Xie Yun wants to see her aunt, and you’re accompanying her. Understand?”
Cheng Lang took a deep breath. “I understand, Uncle.”
By the time he left Lu Jiaxue’s place, night had fallen. Firecrackers exploded all along his journey home. Sitting in his sedan chair, it seemed as if thousands of fireworks were going off at once, illuminating the night like day.
He remembered when he was young, how many firecrackers were set off on the street outside the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion. How lively it was!
He was too small then to see the firecrackers outside, so his uncle would lift him to watch. His uncle asked, “Is this high enough?” She stood nearby, anxiously protecting him, saying, “Look, you’re scaring him!”
“Ha ha, he’s a boy! How could he be scared?” Lu Jiaxue’s smile was bright as he lifted him even higher.
Only when she was around was he truly happy.
Cheng Lang had long since stopped hating Lu Jiaxue for what happened to Luo Yining. Now, he almost felt sorry for him. But then he wanted to laugh—who was Lu Jiaxue to deserve his pity?
When Lu Jiaxue was unhappy, he made sure others couldn’t be happy either! That was the kind of person he was. This coup was for the Third Prince, likely because he didn’t want Luo Shengyuan to keep rising in power… Lu Jiaxue wanted Luo Shengyuan dead.
When Cheng Lang returned home, even the firecrackers had finished. The entrance was littered with festive red firecracker debris. He stepped on the red scraps as he entered, and a maid came to greet him: “Fourth Young Master, you’re finally back. The Fourth Mistress is waiting for you.”
“Mm, I’ll go to her shortly,” Cheng Lang said as he walked towards his study. He wanted to look at his paintings again, something he had been doing more and more frequently lately. But when he closed his eyes, he saw her other face—the one that looked at him so coldly. Cheng Lang didn’t want to face that. He needed to see her kind expression towards him.
But when he opened the painting box, his expression suddenly turned cold. Something was wrong—a painting was missing.
He knew exactly how many there were.
He called in the servant guarding the study and asked, “Who came in here?”
The servant’s face turned bitter, refusing to speak. It wasn’t until Cheng Lang threatened to have him beaten that he quickly knelt and said, “Fourth Young Master, it was the Fourth Mistress… But she said if I dared to tell, she’d sell me off. I didn’t dare!”
Cheng Lang should have guessed it was Xie Yun. The last time he looked at the paintings, she had been nearby.
He had no time to deal with this servant now. He ordered the guards to detain him, then headed towards Xie Yun’s quarters.
Each step felt heavy as he approached the main hall where Xie Yun was staying up to wait for his return on New Year’s Eve. Seeing him enter, she stood up from her chair and smiled, saying, “My lord, you’re back!”
Cheng Lang walked up to her, his tone unprecedentedly cold: “Who permitted you to meddle in my affairs? You’ve gone too far, even threatening my servant. Where’s the painting?”
“My lord, you mean that? I was just curious and wanted to look. It’s an old relic; what use does my lord have for it?” Xie Yun’s smile was forced.
Cheng Lang ignored her and turned to search through her belongings.
Xie Yun grew anxious, bewildered by this man’s capriciousness. She exclaimed, “Don’t search! It’s not here!”
Unable to find it, Cheng Lang gave her an indifferent glance. He straightened his sleeves and headed for the door.
It was New Year’s Eve—where was he going?
Leaning against a folding screen, Xie Yun recalled the woman in the painting—someone she had never seen before. The painting looked old, so the woman couldn’t have been young.
When Xie Yun discovered this, how could she not be jealous? She was consumed by jealousy, a feeling she hadn’t experienced since her time with Luo Shengyuan. Being clever, she took the painting to an old nanny who had served Cheng Lang before. The elderly woman, with her failing eyesight, took a quarter of an hour before saying, “It looks familiar… resembles the Fourth Madam Lu from years ago. That’s Young Master Lang’s aunt, who passed away many years ago.”
Obsessed, Xie Yun questioned many others about the painting. Only one or two could answer, and their responses were consistent.
Learning this, she felt as if she had fallen into an icy pit, her body so cold she couldn’t feel where she was.
How ironic! When she had liked Luo Shengyuan before, she had looked down on Cheng Lang. Now that she had grown to like him, she discovered such unspeakable, dirty thoughts hidden in his heart!
Suddenly, she couldn’t bear it anymore. Xie Yun wanted revenge. Why should he be allowed to throw her into such turmoil? She would retaliate!
Xie Yun took a deep breath and slowly said with a cold laugh behind him, “Cheng Lang, you’re so anxious—is it because of the woman in the painting, someone you loved but couldn’t have? When she was alive, she was your aunt. By the time you grew up, she had died.”
Cheng Lang stopped in his tracks and turned around.
Xie Yun had never seen such a fierce expression on his face. Before she could react, Cheng Lang grabbed her by the throat, pinning her against the wall. His voice was icy and rigid: “What are you saying? You’ve been asking around?”
Xie Yun couldn’t breathe, her face turning red. She struggled to say, “You’re afraid people will know, aren’t you? This is simply—”
Cheng Lang’s grip was so tight that Xie Yun thought he might strangle her to death!
When Cheng Lang finally released her, she collapsed to the ground, struggling to move. She clutched her throat, coughing uncontrollably, almost to the point of vomiting.
Cheng Lang yanked her up with one hand, asking with a cold smile, “Disgusted, aren’t you?”
Her gaze unfocused, Cheng Lang whispered in her ear, “Yes, I love her. I’ve only ever loved her, even after her death. And you? You mean nothing. Do you understand?”
“Beast… beast…” Xie Yun retched, too weak to struggle against his grip. The servants outside dared not enter. Tears and mucus streamed down Xie Yun’s face as she felt unbearable pain, both physically and emotionally.
Through her tear-blurred vision, she saw the man slowly stand up. He nonchalantly adjusted his sleeves and said flatly, “I’ll call the maids to attend to you.”
At the doorway, he turned back and said, “Compose yourself. If you want to continue living here, pretend this never happened. I’ll treat you well as before, and to others, you’ll still be the favored Fourth Mistress.”
Xie Yun could hardly believe these words from the usually gentle Cheng Lang.
His daily kindness towards her had all been false, an act. He performed this way for everyone, playing his part in a game of facades.
How terrifying this man truly was!
Xie Yun cried for a long time, realizing Cheng Lang was right. She didn’t dare speak of this to anyone, just as he said. She needed her pride; being abandoned and neglected by her husband was a judgment she couldn’t bear for life.
So when the nanny came in, she had stopped crying. She asked the nanny to help her to wash and dress. She couldn’t show weakness, at least not in front of these people, not in front of the First and Second Mistresses Cheng. She had to keep up the act.
In the evening, Luo Yining received an apology gift from the younger Mrs. Zhou.
Luo Shanyuan had forced her to come and apologize. The younger Mrs. Zhou smiled forcedly, carefully offering her apologies. Luo Yining noticed the handprint on her cheek, visible even through her makeup.
To be honest, Luo Yining didn’t feel much sympathy; her relationship with the younger Mrs. Zhou was ordinary at best. Since returning, the younger Mrs. Zhou had been the most uncomfortable around her. The elder Mrs. Zhou was indeed smarter than her younger counterpart.
Luo Yining initially refused to accept the gift, almost bringing the younger Mrs. Zhou to tears.
Finally, after reading the situation, she allowed Pearl to accept some of it. She saw Luo Shanyuan’s relief.
That evening, they had the New Year’s Eve family dinner in the main hall. The Luo family had decorated with many lanterns, creating a lively atmosphere. Children ran about, while the elder and younger Mrs. Zhou, Mrs. Chen, Lin Hairu, and the concubines who stood serving all chatted together, making the room bustling with activity.
Luo Shengyuan entered from outside and saw her drinking with Concubine Guo, appearing to have recovered from earlier events.
He felt slightly relieved, fearing she might still be angry about the day’s incidents. Seeing she wasn’t, he returned to Jiashu Hall, as he had other matters to attend to.
After the family dinner, noticing Luo Shengyuan’s absence, Yining didn’t stay with Lin Hairu to see them in the New Year but went to find him.
However, she paused as she reached Jiashu Hall. Standing outside, she saw the courtyard hung with numerous small tangerine-sized lanterns, bright and plentiful, filling the entire yard with a warm red glow.
Daimao approached her, smiling, and said softly, “The young master had these arranged. Do you like them?”
Yining’s lips curved into a slight smile. Back when she was at the Ningyuan Marquis’s mansion, she loved decorating the courtyard this way, hanging many lanterns to create a festive atmosphere. Fresh out of the Luo family then, her natural inclinations were more open. Later, as she became “little Yining,” she grew lazy, reluctant to go through the trouble of gathering people to set up and then dismantle the decorations.
She stepped lightly into the room, seeing Luo Shengyuan waiting for her, seemingly reviewing documents again.
Always reading, every day—was it really that interesting?
She walked to his side and asked, “Third Brother, those lanterns you arranged are quite pretty!”
“Mm, I’m glad you like them,” he replied calmly. Unless pressed, he could maintain this indifferent tone indefinitely.
“Did you come back especially to do this?” she asked.
This time, Luo Shengyuan looked up at her and replied simply, “Mm.”
Luo Yining threw herself at him, nearly knocking him over. He rarely did such things, and even when he did, he wouldn’t mention it unless asked! Hearing this made Yining want to pounce on him, to make him lose his composure for once.
Luo Shengyuan, however, settled her down and said, “I saw the things on your table earlier. The younger Mrs. Zhou came to apologize today, didn’t she?”
Luo Yining nodded, knowing he must have forced her to come and apologize.
“How did you threaten her?” Luo Yining wanted to know.
Luo Shengyuan smirked, “Just a minor punishment to teach her a lesson. To let her know not everything can be said freely.”
Luo Yining leaned against him quietly, and he put his arm around her.
Before long, their son Bao’er came in looking for his mother. He had spent the whole day with his Uncle Nan and was quite tired. As soon as he entered, the room became noisy and lively. The little one clung to his mother before falling into a deep sleep in her arms.
Yining asked Pearl to bring scissors to trim the lamp wicks, planning to stay up for the New Year with him.
However, at that moment, Luo Shengyuan was called away. The commander of the Imperial Guard had arrived with urgent business.
Luo Shengyuan put on a cloak and went out. The commander, standing at the bottom of the steps, spoke to him, his voice tinged with coldness: “Lord Luo, I apologize for the late-night disturbance—there seems to be unusual activity in several garrisons within the capital. I’ve informed His Majesty, and he asked me to find you.”
Luo Shengyuan’s brows furrowed slightly as he said, “Go on.”
After the commander finished his report, Luo Shengyuan realized the severity of the situation: “You may return first. I’ll personally report to His Majesty tomorrow.”
…
Yining was nearly dozing off when Luo Shengyuan finally returned from outside. The night was cold, and his outer robe felt like ice. She voluntarily sat in his embrace, saying, “I’ve already stayed up for the New Year.”
“Then let’s go to sleep,” Luo Shengyuan called for the wet nurse to take Bao’er away. He then picked up the bundled-up Yining and placed her on the heated kang bed, beginning to undress her.
Luo Yining said, “Didn’t we already do it twice today?”
Luo Shengyuan replied, “Mm? So you don’t want to?”
Luo Yining expressed concern: “Mother said you should practice restraint. You’re young now, but what about when you’re older?”
After a long silence, Luo Shengyuan asked, “Luo Yining—what do you mean by that?”
Luo Yining paid the price for her words as the Grand Academician sought to prove that not only was he capable now, but his vigor would last decades to come. Lying on top of him, catching her breath, Luo Yining felt his hand sliding down again. She quickly grabbed it, saying, “No more, we have to get up early tomorrow! I was wrong, okay?”
Luo Shengyuan, having just confirmed her feelings for him today, was feeling quite pleased. Even if she didn’t cling to him, he wanted to hold her close. Hearing her words, he reluctantly let go and asked, “You’re planning to return to the Ying Guo Gong mansion on the second day of the New Year, right?”
Luo Yining nodded.
“Don’t go back yet,” Luo Shengyuan said, kissing her temple. Without explaining in detail, he lowered his voice and said, “Listen to me, the capital isn’t peaceful lately.”