As the touching scene unfolded outside, Lady Pei led the others out to greet the Marquis.
Lady Pei addressed him as “My Lord” and helped Ming Tan up, saying with a gentle smile, “After five years apart, Tan’er has missed you so much that she’s cried herself into a little cat-faced mess.”
Ming Tingyuan patted Ming Tan’s head, laughing heartily, “I see my lady has raised this little cat exceptionally well!”
Lady Pei’s smile deepened. Just as she was about to respond, someone burst into the courtyard, abruptly shouting, “Father!”
It was Ming Chu.
Still, in her red dress, she went straight to Ming Tingyuan, clinging to his arm and whining as if no one else was present, “Father, you’re finally back! You took A’Fu and the others to the palace, and no one was left to practice whip techniques with me!”
Normally, Ming Tingyuan would have been pleased by Ming Chu’s behavior. After all, living on the frontier with only one daughter nearby, he naturally doted on her. But now, he instinctively glanced at his younger daughter.
He saw his well-behaved little girl staring at the arm Ming Chu was clutching. She froze for a moment, then quickly lowered her lashes, as if trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes.
A mix of indescribable emotions welled up in his heart. Noticing the awkwardness on Lady Pei’s face at being interrupted, he also felt somewhat uncomfortable. “What are you doing, causing such a commotion? You haven’t even greeted your mother!”
Ming Chu was momentarily stunned.
“The capital is different from the frontier. You can’t act so freely here. As a young lady, you should temper your behavior. What’s all this about practicing with whips? Spend more time learning proper etiquette from your mother and sister!”
Concubine Liu, standing at the courtyard entrance, paused upon hearing these words.
Earlier, after resting in her quarters, she had planned to bring Ming Chu to pay respects to Lady Pei. However, halfway there, a servant informed them that the Marquis had returned and was heading to Lanxin Courtyard. Ming Chu had then stormed off, quickening her pace.
Concubine Liu had tried to catch up, but Ming Chu, having learned some martial arts over the years, walked much faster than most women. By the time Concubine Liu reached Lanxin Courtyard, she arrived just in time to hear the Marquis’s reprimand.
Composing herself, she stepped forward and curtsied, “This concubine greets the Marquis and the Lady.”
Ming Chu, still wallowing in the hurt of being scolded by her father, reluctantly followed suit after a nudge from Concubine Liu, “Greetings, Father. Greetings, Mother.”
“We’re family. No need for such formalities,” Lady Pei said, demonstrating the graciousness of the household’s matriarch. “Now that the Marquis has returned, let’s not stand around. Come, let’s have our meal inside.”
The lunch was set in the side room of Lanxin Courtyard’s main hall. The dishes were sumptuous: braised deer tendon, crystal pork knuckle, lotus leaf spare ribs, hibiscus tofu… a perfect balance of meat and vegetable dishes.
From the moment they entered, Concubine Liu stood respectfully to the side, serving soup and dishes to Lady Pei. When Lady Pei told her to rest, she humbly replied, “Serving the Marquis and the Lady is this concubine’s duty.”
Ming Tingyuan remained silent but was pleased with her behavior. He had been thinking that it was a mistake to bring Ming Chu to Yangxi, where Concubine Liu’s indulgence had stripped her of all manners. Now, he realized that Concubine Liu was quite proper; it was mainly Ming Chu’s temperament that few could control.
The room fell silent.
Everyone present, including the maids, was well-versed in the ways of noble households. Except for Ming Tingyuan, no one took Concubine Liu’s act at face value.
Of course, Ming Chu genuinely felt frustrated on behalf of her mother.
After all, back in Yangxi, the three of them had always dined together. Now, not only could her mother not sit down to eat, but she had to serve that woman who occupied the position of the main wife without fulfilling her duties! Just thinking about it made Ming Chu lose her appetite for the delicacies before her.
At that moment, Ming Tan picked up a piece of braised deer tendon for Ming Tingyuan, saying, “Father, please try this.”
Regardless of the taste, Ming Tingyuan was impressed by the grace with which she served: adjusting her sleeves, changing chopsticks, and silently placing the tendon on the small dish at the edge of his bowl without spilling a drop of sauce.
He was a rough man with limited literary and artistic tastes, but that didn’t stop him from appreciating refinement. It was why, among his concubines, he favored the talented Concubine Liu.
Seeing his daughter display such elegance, he felt a surge of pride and satisfaction. Tasting the deer tendon, he nodded and praised, “Mmm, tender and flavorful. Excellent!”
“I’m glad you like it, Father,” Ming Tan said, her eyes curving into a smile.
“How could he not? This braised deer tendon was specially prepared for the Marquis by Tan’er,” Lady Pei added, serving another piece to Ming Tingyuan. “Deer tendon is notoriously difficult to tenderize. It needs to be pounded and boiled days in advance, first simmered in meat broth, then in chicken stock that’s been hanging for a day. Even preparing the broths requires great skill. Tan’er has been overseeing the process meticulously these past few days.”
Ming Tingyuan made a show of eating the piece Lady Pei served, feeling deeply gratified. “Tan’er has always been thoughtful and filial. Of course, much credit goes to my lady’s careful nurturing over these years.”
He then served a pearl meatball each to Ming Tan and Lady Pei, saying, “Don’t just focus on me. The dishes are beautifully prepared; you should enjoy them too.”
“Thank you, Father.”
“Thank you, My Lord.”
Ming Chu: “…”
As if anyone would believe that this pampered young lady, who had never lifted a finger in her life, would personally prepare braised deer tendon! At most, she might have mentioned to the kitchen that the dish was for her father. Yet somehow, this lip service had been transformed into a tale of a filial daughter cooking. And that barren hen Lady Pei was spinning quite a yarn!
The atmosphere at the table was tense beneath the surface. While some chatted and laughed, others had poked at their rice until it had gone cold.
Just then, Suxin, who hadn’t accompanied Ming Tan to Lanxin Courtyard, quietly entered after speaking with a maid outside.
Suxin approached Ming Tan in small steps, nudging Lüe who stood behind her. As they attended to the meal, Suxin leaned in to whisper something in Ming Tan’s ear.
Ming Chu, who had been watching Ming Tan closely, didn’t miss this scene.
Seeing Suxin whispering and passing a letter to Ming Tan under the table, which Ming Tan received without a change in expression, Ming Chu sensed something was amiss. She quickly spoke up, “Fourth Sister, did someone send you a letter? Who’s it from? Why so secretive?”
Everyone at the table turned to look in their direction.
“It’s nothing important. Just a letter from my cousin in the Bai family,” Ming Tan said casually. “I asked her for a small favor earlier, and it seems she’s reporting back with the results.”
Ming Chu, however, pressed on. “If it’s important enough to interrupt our meal, surely the matter must be urgent. Why don’t you read it now, Fourth Sister? If she’s expecting a quick reply, we can send someone right away.”
Ming Tingyan thought Ming Chu’s suggestion made sense. As someone who oversaw military and political affairs, he despised delayed information.
Noticing Ming Tan’s hesitation, he assumed she was concerned about etiquette. “Don’t worry,” he reassured her. “We’re family here. Go ahead and read it. If it’s urgent, you can respond promptly.”
Ming Tan tried to protest, but Ming Chu didn’t give her a chance. She ordered a nearby maid, “Go on, help Fourth Sister wash her hands. She’s always so particular about cleanliness.”
Soon, a basin of water and a towel were brought over.
Left with no choice, Ming Tan washed her hands and unfolded the letter.
At first, she maintained a neutral expression. But suddenly, something caught her eye. Her lips tightened, and she began reading faster, her face growing increasingly pale.
After finishing the letter, she reread it from the beginning, as if in disbelief. By the end of the second reading, she was ghostly pale and unsteady.
“What’s wrong?” Ming Tingyan frowned.
Ming Tan didn’t respond. She covered her mouth with a handkerchief, her eyes filled with disbelief. In an instant, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.
Seeing her reaction, everyone grew alarmed. Ming Tingyan snatched the letter from her hand.
He quickly scanned its contents. Although he didn’t understand the details of some incident involving falling into the water, he wasn’t a fool. The letter clearly stated:
The two people who pushed Ming Tan into the water during the Lantern Festival had already left the capital. After much effort, they were finally tracked down in Lizhou.
These two weren’t strangers – a thief and his victim – but brothers!
According to their confession, the incident was pre-planned. They had been instructed by Duke Ling’s wife to follow Liang Zixuan that night and act on his orders when the opportunity arose.
That day, Ming Tan happened to be releasing lanterns at the dock. If she hadn’t been there, Liang Zixuan would have found a way to lure her to the water’s edge, staging the entire “accidental fall and heroic rescue” scene!
“Slam!” Ming Tingyan’s fist hit the table, rattling the dishes. “This is outrageous!”
Lady Pei quickly took the letter and read it carefully.
After finishing, she was even more shocked than Ming Tingyan. She had thought Duke Ling’s family handled the Lantern Festival incident well, covering for Ming Tan. It seemed like they were decent people to associate with. But to learn that they had orchestrated the whole thing was beyond comprehension!
“What’s happened to Fourth Sister? What does the letter say?” Seeing their reactions, Ming Chu knew something serious had occurred and was eager to read the letter herself.
But Lady Pei had no intention of sharing it. Having managed the household for years, she quickly realized that understanding the cause of this incident and deciding how to respond were the most pressing matters.
She stood up and calmly said, “Let’s end lunch here for today. Everyone, please leave.”
This was Lanxin Hall, and when Lady Pei dismissed them, no one could stay.
Ming Chu wanted to linger and watch the drama unfold, but Zhang Mama blocked her path, respectfully yet firmly escorting her out.
In contrast, Shen Hua was more tactful, neither listening nor asking questions. However, as she left, she couldn’t help glancing at the handkerchief in Ming Tan’s hand.
Soon, only Ming Tingyan, Lady Pei, and Ming Tan remained in the room. As if she had been holding back for a long time, Ming Tan burst into tears as soon as the door closed.
Her crying was heart-wrenching, her eyes red and swollen, her thin shoulders shaking. She looked so fragile that it seemed a gentle breeze could break her, making it impossible for anyone to speak harshly to her.
Ming Tingyan stood with his hands behind his back, struggling to control his anger. After a while, he finally asked in a deep, angry voice, “What exactly happened? What’s this about falling into water? Why wasn’t I informed?”
Lady Pei gently patted Ming Tan’s back, trying to calm her. “My lord, please try to calm down,” she said. Then she recounted the entire Lantern Festival incident to Ming Tingyan.
Hearing that Ming Tan hadn’t had any physical contact with Young Master Liang and that others were unaware it was Ming Tan who fell into the water, Ming Tingyan’s anger subsided slightly.
“Has the Duke Ling’s family lost their minds? How could they scheme such a despicable act?” he exclaimed.
Lady Pei shared his confusion. “Logically, with the engagement already set and your return to the capital imminent, there was no need for such elaborate planning. Unless,” she paused, “they feared the engagement might be at risk after your return.”
Ming Tingyan was about to retort angrily but suddenly thought of something. Could it be that during his years away from the capital, Duke Ling’s family had become entangled in some scandal they couldn’t contain, necessitating this marriage to tie the Ming family to their fate?
Seeing Ming Tingyan’s grave expression, Ming Tan hurriedly explained through her sobs, “Actually… I know why the Liang family did this…”
She then revealed everything she had overheard in the Changguo Duke’s study.
“He had an affair with his cousin and fathered a two-year-old son?” After hearing this, Ming Tingyan and Lady Pei were utterly shocked.
“Why didn’t you tell us this earlier?” Ming Tingyan demanded.
Ming Tan lowered her gaze, tears still flowing. “I thought… since this engagement was arranged by my late mother, and I heard the Liang family has some influence in the Ministry of Personnel… I don’t understand politics, so I feared breaking off the engagement might affect Father’s transfer back to the capital and his promotion…”
“The Liang family? Who do they think they are? Affect my transfer and promotion? Nonsense!” Ming Tingyan exploded in anger, even using the crude “I” (老子) in his fury.
“Father, please don’t upset yourself,” Ming Tan pleaded.
Look at her, still worried about his health at a time like this. His daughter had grown into such a graceful, well-mannered, and considerate young lady, always putting filial piety and the greater good first. She was the epitome of a well-bred young lady from a noble family. How dare that unworthy Liang boy try to take advantage of her!
“Don’t worry, Ah Tan. I’ll handle this matter myself,” Ming Tingyan said, his anger reaching its peak. He then stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
“My lord! My lord!” Lady Pei called after him but to no avail. She quickly turned to comfort Ming Tan. “Ah Tan, your father will surely handle this matter, but his current state of anger is not ideal. Don’t worry. Go back and rest with Suxin and Lüe. I’ll go talk to your father and try to calm him down.”
This was exactly what Ming Tan wanted. With tears still on her face, she nodded. “Mother, please do your best to persuade Father.”
Lady Pei hurried out without further words.
Suxin and Lüe, who had been listening to the cries and shouts from outside, rushed in as soon as Lady Pei left, concerned for their young mistress.
“Young Miss, Young Miss!”
“Young Miss, are you-” Suxin’s words trailed off as she froze in her tracks.
The room was silent.
Most of the delicious dishes on the table remained untouched.
Their young mistress sat at the table, fanning her eyes with one hand while calmly pouring herself a cup of tea with the other.
“… alright?” Suxin finished her sentence instinctively.
Ming Tan replied, “It’s nothing serious. It’s just that the handkerchief you prepared was a bit too spicy.”