“Really? Have you seen a doctor?” Ming Tan asked, eyes wide with surprise.
Lady Pei nodded. “We consulted two physicians, and they both confirmed…” She trailed off, finding it difficult to say the words. At her age, after years of trying without success, she had resigned herself to childlessness. Now, this unexpected joy left her feeling a bit embarrassed.
Ming Tan remained stunned, taking a moment to process the news.
Lady Pei gently caressed her belly, a tender smile curving her lips. “I’ve been craving spicy food lately. They say sour cravings mean a boy, and spicy means a girl. I’m hoping for a little girl, just like you were as a child – delicate, lovely, well-behaved yet lively, absolutely adorable.”
Ming Tan instinctively glanced at Lady Pei’s abdomen, then smiled softly. “A brother or sister would both be wonderful. Either way, the child will be blessed. Of course, a brother might be even better. Girls marry and leave, making it harder to care for their parents fully.”
Lady Pei’s smile deepened at these words. “You’re right. The child will be blessed regardless. With older siblings to rely on… and if it’s a boy, he can learn from his big brother.”
Ming Tan nodded, taking a sip of tea.
She knew Lady Pei truly hoped for a son but hesitated to say so, fearing it might hurt their mother-daughter bond given Ming Tan’s older brother. In truth, Ming Tan also hoped for a boy. She understood her brother’s abilities and temperament – kind and righteous, but also conservative and stubborn. He was unlikely to match their father’s youthful conquests or current political influence.
For the Jing’an Marquis family to maintain its century-long prestige and continue producing great generals, they needed more male heirs. This long-term thinking was why noble families always hoped for more sons.
Ming Tan delicately shared her thoughts with Lady Pei.
Lady Pei, sensitive and mindful of appearances, had become more cautious in her interactions with Ming Tan after her marriage, not wanting to appear as if she, a stepmother, was currying favor with the royal family.
Ming Tan had long wanted to address this but never found the right moment. Now, with the conversation naturally leading here, she took Lady Pei’s hand and said, “Since I married, Mother has become even more cautious. People often say the bond of nurture is greater than that of birth, and I believe this too. You are my mother, and it’s only natural for us to be close. What right do others have to comment?”
Lady Pei returned the grip, her eyes glistening with emotion.
“By the way, you mentioned Father has been preoccupied lately and won’t discuss it with you. When did this start?” Ming Tan asked, remembering their earlier conversation.
Lady Pei thought for a moment. “It’s been just these past few days, since returning from the autumn hunt. Usually, your father discusses important matters with me, but this time he insists nothing’s wrong, even when I ask. That’s why I came to you.”
“I’ll ask my husband about it,” Ming Tan offered.
“No, don’t,” Lady Pei quickly interjected. “If it’s state affairs, it’s best for women not to pry. Don’t risk creating tension with your husband over this.”
Ming Tan was about to say that her husband had already given her permission to inquire about such matters, but Lady Pei continued, “It’s probably just my pregnancy making me worry unnecessarily. If there were any major issues, His Highness would surely tell you. Since he hasn’t, it’s likely nothing serious.”
Ming Tan nodded, deciding not to dwell on it further.
Although she had intended to ask Jiang Xu about it, he had been so busy lately that she rarely saw him, and she had her matters to attend to.
Shen Hua had safely delivered the eldest grandson to the Li family, bringing joy to the entire household. Even the usually modest and low-key Li Jizuo allowed a grand celebration for the child’s hundredth-day feast.
No sooner had Ming Tan attended Shen Hua’s child’s celebration than she was busy helping with Bai Minmin’s wedding preparations. As the year drew to close, joyous events followed one after another, with the most lively being the marriage between the Pingguo Duke’s family and the Changguo Duke’s family.
Both families were of high nobility, and the couple was well-matched in talent and beauty, truly a union of gold and jade that everyone admired.
On the wedding day, the procession was grand and spectacular, with the bride’s trousseau stretching for miles. The Empress even made a rare appearance outside the palace to preside over the ceremony.
Bai Minmin and Zhang Huaiyu’s relationship had always been contentious. Unlike most brides who hoped for their grooms to pass the wedding games quickly, Bai Minmin personally devised challenges, complaining that the riddles were too simple or that the hidden wedding shoes weren’t concealed well enough. She even instructed the younger family members to demand more red envelopes from the groom, determined to make him pay dearly before allowing him to pass.
Her competitive spirit made it seem as if she didn’t want to get married at all.
Zhang Huaiyu had his hands full. When he finally managed to carry the bride out, he sneaked a peek under her veil and couldn’t resist teasing, “Why so much makeup? Are you plastering a wall? Did you ruin your face and trick me into marrying you?”
“You’re the one with a ruined face! Put me down!” she retorted.
Seeing the newlyweds about to quarrel before even leaving the house, the matchmaker and maids quickly intervened, urging the groom to carry the bride into the sedan chair.
Three days after the wedding, during the bride’s return visit to her family, Ming Tan noticed Bai Minmin’s radiant complexion. At the post-banquet gathering, she teased her friend with some private questions. Despite being a newlywed, Bai Minmin still found discussions of marital intimacy embarrassing and frequently changed the subject.
“Why didn’t your husband come today? Even on the wedding day, he only made a brief appearance, and not with you,” Bai Minmin asked.
“He’s been very busy lately, often out and going straight to his study when he returns. On your wedding day, he had just rushed back from Qingzhou early in the morning, so he only had time for a quick appearance,” Ming Tan explained.
Bai Minmin nodded. Seeing they were alone, she broached a more serious topic: “Is there going to be a war in the north? I’ve noticed my father has been very busy lately. Even when the household was preparing for my wedding, there was a constant stream of visitors to his study.”
Ming Tan didn’t confirm or deny it, but the mention of “visitors” triggered a fleeting thought in her mind. She couldn’t quite grasp it, unsure why it felt significant.
Time passed steadily, and soon it was nearly the winter solstice again.
One night, Ming Tan found an opportunity to ask Jiang Xu if something was troubling her father. Jiang Xu paused briefly before simply saying, “Don’t worry.” She didn’t press further.
When she inquired about potential conflict in the north, Jiang Xu was silent for a moment before responding gravely, “Storm clouds are gathering in the north. War will break out by next year at the latest.”
“By next year?” Ming Tan was shocked.
She had anticipated the possibility of war but hadn’t realized it was so imminent.
“Then, will you…” she began.
“I likely won’t be able to spend New Year’s Eve with you,” he finished.
The news came so suddenly that Ming Tan was at a loss for words.
The lamps had been trimmed early, and thick clouds obscured the moon, leaving the room in near-total darkness. Silence slowly spread in the dimness.
Thinking she was reluctant for him to go to war, Jiang Xu explained, “As the Northern Prince of Da Xian, it’s my duty to fight and protect our country. With only Rong Province remaining outside our control, reclaiming it and reestablishing our defenses will ensure our borders are secure from northern barbarians for a century. After this campaign, the borderlands should remain peaceful for years.”
“I understand,” Ming Tan replied softly. “It’s just… so sudden. I’m not prepared…”
Jiang Xu held her tighter.
“Will it be dangerous? Are you certain of victory?” she asked.
“The battlefield is unpredictable. Nothing is certain.”
Though she knew this, she still needed to ask. Ming Tan bit her lip and fell silent.
On the day of the Winter Solstice ceremony, Jiang Xu accompanied the imperial procession to pay respects at the ancestral temple as usual.
Ming Tan rose early to see him off. The morning was bitterly cold, and Jiang Xu enveloped her icy hands in his cloak. Unexpectedly, he said, “While I’m away, no matter what happens, wait until I return to discuss it.”
Ming Tan was about to nod, thinking it a normal instruction, when he added softly, “Trust me.”
She paused, finding his words strange. “Husband… is something wrong?” she asked hesitantly.
Jiang Xu didn’t answer, only ruffling her hair gently.
The ceremonial visit was to last three days, but Jiang Xu didn’t return with the imperial procession. A secret agent brought word that the prince had left on an errand and would be back in the capital a few days later.
Ming Tan was somewhat relieved that he hadn’t gone directly to the northern front.
However, her relief lasted only three days before disaster struck the Jing’an Marquis Manor.
Without warning, the Imperial Guard surrounded the manor. Led by Lu Ting, the Deputy Commander of the Palace Guards, they searched the premises and discovered several letters in a hidden room of the study, revealing correspondence with the northern Heer tribe. Suspected of treason and collusion with the enemy, Marquis Ming Tingyuan was immediately arrested and taken to the Ministry of Justice prison. The entire household was detained, including the Marquis’s heir, Ming Heng, who was intercepted at Pangshan before taking up his new post in Tonggang. He was to be escorted back to the capital once the initial investigation was complete.
The Jing’an Marquis accused of treason and collusion with the Heer? This news was nothing short of a thunderbolt from a clear sky.
When Ming Tan heard this at the Northern Prince’s manor, she nearly collapsed. Her mind went blank for a long while. When she finally processed the information, her first thought was: Impossible.
How could Father possibly commit treason? He must be mad! There must be some mistake. The letters could have been planted to frame him!
Ming Tan immediately wanted to go find Lu Ting. As the one who had led the arrest, he must know something.
But as soon as she tried to leave, she was stopped by soldiers. Although the misfortune shouldn’t extend to married daughters, Ming Tan was wed to the Northern Prince, who also held military power. With such a serious charge of treason, they couldn’t rule out collusion between father-in-law and son-in-law. So while the Northern Prince’s manor wasn’t under arrest, it was surrounded by troops.
Ming Tan’s heart raced with anxiety.
Her instincts told her that her husband’s request to “trust” him before he left referred to this very situation. It seemed he had known about her father’s impending arrest.
But now, with the Northern Prince’s manor also surrounded, she couldn’t help but wonder if her husband, in his scheming, had forgotten that he too might be part of someone else’s plans.
If so, his plea for trust was futile, because now, he might not be able to protect himself.
Of course, this was the worst-case scenario.
Unable to leave, Ming Tan returned to Qian’an Hall, forcing herself to calm down and think clearly.
Her hands shaking, she drained a cup of tea before finally remembering the impending war in the north.
Yes, the northern campaign, the reclaiming of Rong Province… This couldn’t be the worst-case scenario involving her husband.
Da Xian couldn’t do without him now. Even if the Emperor wanted to eliminate him, he wouldn’t choose such a crucial moment. Reclaiming Rong Province was equivalent to bringing all thirteen northern provinces back under imperial control. In the annals of history a century from now, this would be the most noteworthy achievement of the Emperor’s reign. How could the Emperor give up such lasting fame just to remove one powerful minister?
Ming Tan breathed a small sigh of relief. But in the next moment, her hand, which had been fidgeting with the tea lid, suddenly froze.
If her husband wasn’t implicated, then he must be part of the plan behind this incident. Knowing what would happen yet not returning to the capital – was this intentional?