Fang Furan finished sorting through Yun Xi’s luggage, setting aside the clothes that needed washing, and called for Ming Cui to come in.
Ming Cui had been in the back courtyard with Bai Ling, grinding medicine for Uncle Bai. Hearing the call, the two of them quickly wiped their hands and came over.
Ming Cui asked, “Young Madam, are you going out?”
Yun Xi was surprised. “Sister, are you going somewhere?”
Fang Furan didn’t answer. Ming Cui said with a smile, “Today’s the Young Madam’s usual day to see the physician at the pharmacy. She waited for you to come back, so she’s going later than usual.”
Yun Xi glanced at the sky — it was already past noon, later than usual indeed.
Worried about delaying Fang Furan’s appointment, she said, “I have somewhere to be anyway, so let me see you to the pharmacy first.”
“No need,” Fang Furan said gently. “It’s nothing serious. You go about your business — Zhao Wu and Ming Cui can accompany me to the pharmacy.”
As she spoke, Ming Cui had already gone to the east wing to fetch Fang Furan’s fur cloak. Bai Ling, who had been standing quietly nearby, seeing everyone about to leave, said, “Young Miss, Young Madam, let Ah Ling take these clothes to be washed.” She gathered up the two sets of clothing awaiting laundering from Yun Xi’s luggage, looking at Yun Xi as though afraid she might refuse, and explained, “Father just finished his medicine, so Ah Ling is free right now anyway.”
Yun Xi nodded. “All right. Thank you for the trouble.”
Hearing her agree, Bai Ling looked pleased, gave Fang Furan and Yun Xi a small smile, and headed toward the back courtyard.
Watching Bai Ling’s retreating figure, Fang Furan remembered something and asked Yun Xi, “A’Ting, earlier this year I mentioned wanting to find a match for Ah Ling. How has that been coming along?”
Yun Xi was startled. “I completely forgot.”
It wasn’t quite that she’d forgotten, exactly. Bai Ling was Uncle Bai’s daughter, four years younger than Yun Xi, and someone she had watched grow up. Back when Yun Luo had regarded Uncle Bai as a second father, Uncle Bai’s family had never been treated as servants in the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor’s household. Ah Ling had always been gentle and obedient, and as she grew older, aware of how her family had benefited from the Marquis’s household’s care, she’d wanted, besides caring for her father, to serve Yun Xi and help with small chores. But while she thought of herself as a maid, Yun Xi thought of her as a younger sister and rarely let her tire herself out.
Earlier in the year, when Bai Ling had come of age, Fang Furan had brought up finding her a match, but Yun Xi hadn’t given it much thought at the time — partly because she’d been consumed by her father’s case, and partly because she simply couldn’t bear to part with Bai Ling.
Yun Xi said, “I thought Ah Ling was still young. Even if we arrange a match, there’s no rush.”
Fang Furan smiled. “She’s not that young anymore. Just think it through — even if we start the matchmaking process now, the betrothal rites alone will take nearly half a year, and preparing for the wedding another half year. By next year, Ah Ling will be sixteen. We can’t afford to wait.”
Yun Xi considered this and found Fang Furan’s reasoning sound, but then added, troubled, “But I spend my days going in and out of government offices and army camps, mostly around soldiers and generals. Ah Ling is too gentle and proper a girl — she’d be better married into a family of scholars.”
“I think so too,” Fang Furan said. “It doesn’t need to be a wealthy family — a respectable farming-and-scholarly household would suit her well. Ideally, one that could also take Uncle Bai in.”
Yun Xi paused. “Why would we need to bring Uncle Bai along?”
But no sooner had she asked than she understood.
Since Aunt Bai had passed, Uncle Bai and Ah Ling had only each other in this world. If Ah Ling married away, Uncle Bai would be left alone and lonely, and Ah Ling would surely worry about him constantly, unable to feel at ease.
Yun Xi said, “Sister, you always think of everything. I’ll find a matchmaker in the next few days, then, and while things are quiet, prepare a good dowry for Ah Ling so she won’t lose face when she marries.”
By the time they’d finished talking, it had grown later. Zhao Wu had already hitched up the carriage and was waiting at the gate. Not wanting to delay any further, Yun Xi helped Fang Furan into the carriage, then turned and headed off in a different direction.
Seeing that Yun Xi was still in her colonel’s uniform, as if headed toward the imperial palace complex, Fang Furan asked, “A’Ting, what business do you have?”
Yun Xi said, “His Majesty has summoned Father’s and my brother’s former subordinates back to the capital. Several dozen veterans couldn’t wait for spring and set out in late autumn instead. When they arrive in Jinling, the Marquis’s household surely won’t have room for them all. Since they’re all soldiers with registered military status, I want to go ask the Ministry of War if there’s some way to help arrange their settlement.”
As she spoke, she brightened. “I’ve already looked over the roster — A’Jiu is coming back too!”
With that, she waved to Fang Furan and headed off toward the palace complex.
When Yun Xi reached the Ministry of War, she had only meant to inquire about arrangements for the Marquis’s former subordinates. But now that she’d been promoted to colonel and was held in high regard by His Majesty, and had recently achieved great merit by finding Cheng Chang, the officials at the Ministry didn’t dare treat her lightly. After reviewing the roster she presented, they promptly assigned staff to coordinate with the Ministry of Rites, the Bureau of Receptions, and the Privy Council, and resolved the matter of settling the Marquis’s former troops upon their return to the capital that very day.
Winter days grew dark early, and by the time Yun Xi finished at the Six Ministries offices and stepped outside, dusk had already settled in.
Lanterns were being lit throughout the palace complex, the towering halls looking magnificent and imposing against the fading light. As Yun Xi and a young clerk from the Ministry of War were being led out through a side gate of the palace complex by a palace attendant, they suddenly heard the main gate of the palace complex open slowly, and three extraordinarily luxurious carriages rolled one after another onto the main avenue.
The guards and attendants along the way stepped aside to bow in respect. Yun Xi and the clerk, standing at a distance, bowed toward the carriages as well. A nearby attendant remarked, “Those carriages must be carrying Prince Cong, Prince Ling, Prince Yun, and the Third Young Master.”
The Ministry clerk, having spent the whole day in the office, was unaware of the day’s events, and asked, “Why are the prince and the third and fourth princes all entering the palace together?”
The attendant seemed pleased to share some news, his lips parting in mild surprise before he explained, “You don’t know, sir? The Third Young Master returned to the capital this morning, and His Majesty is hosting a family banquet at Yanfu Palace to welcome him home. I hear even the Grand Empress Dowager is attending.”
These were, after all, the most exalted people within these towering palace walls.
Hearing this, the Ministry clerk didn’t dare comment further. He and Yun Xi waited for the carriages to pass slowly along the main avenue and turn east before quietly slipping out through the side gate of the palace complex.
Since few guests were attending, the banquet at Yanfu Palace was simple yet refined. The Grand Empress Dowager, holding her chopsticks, smiled at Cheng Chang. “You’ve not only changed your temperament these past months, but your tastes seem quite different too. Come, try some of this — are these dishes on the table to your liking?”
Cheng Chang answered “Yes,” and looking over the array of light, simple dishes, casually picked one and took a bite, declaring that he liked it very much.
The Imperial Noble Consort said with a smile, “Grand Empress Dowager, how can you say that? You raised Mingying yourself when he lived in the palace as a child — surely you know his tastes better than anyone. You personally oversaw the preparation of these dishes at the longevity kitchen today. How could he not like them?”
Since this was a family banquet, Emperor Zhaoyuan and Prince Cong avoided discussing state affairs, which inevitably made for quieter conversation. To keep the mood lively, someone needed to carry the conversation — the Imperial Noble Consort was one such person, and the Worthy and Virtuous Consorts were no less skilled at it. Prince Ling and Prince Yun, though the younger generation, also knew how to please the Grand Empress Dowager and Emperor Zhaoyuan. By the meal’s end, the whole affair had turned out warm and pleasant.
As the banquet drew to a close, the Grand Empress Dowager beckoned to Cheng Chang again. “Chang’er, come here.”
A perceptive attendant immediately added a seat beside the Grand Empress Dowager. She took Cheng Chang’s hand and asked with a slow smile, “Do you remember the second young lady of the Yu Zhong household, and the fifth young master of the Zhou Hongguang household?”
Cheng Chang had never heard the name Yu Zhong. As for Zhou Hongguang, it seemed to be someone serving in the Ministry of Personnel.
After all, he wasn’t truly the original Young Prince, and couldn’t keep everyone straight.
So he answered vaguely, “I don’t recall them very clearly.”
The Grand Empress Dowager smiled. “No wonder you don’t remember well. The Yu Zhong family moved away from Jinling twelve or thirteen years ago, and the Zhou family made some blunder in their duties a few years back, earning quite a scolding from your imperial uncle. They’ve probably felt too ashamed to send in visiting cards to see this old woman ever since.”
Cheng Chang said, “Great-Grandmother Empress remains hale and hearty, may you live a long and healthy life.”
“Such a sweet tongue you have,” the Grand Empress Dowager laughed again. “But I only just learned recently that your imperial uncle brought Yu Zhong back to the capital last year — he’s serving at the Court of Imperial Sacrifices now. During these two months when your fate hung in the balance, my heart…” She pressed a hand to her chest. “It never settled. Every time I closed my eyes, it was nightmares, wondering where my Chang’er could be. It was only later that your imperial uncle found out about this and had a word with Yu Zhong, bringing his second daughter into the palace to keep me company. Ling’er — do you remember her? When you were little, you, she, and the Zhou family’s fifth young master used to play together often in my palace. And every year, you all looked forward to me taking you to Mingyin Temple. Once there, you’d all run wild across the hillsides, having the time of your lives.”
From the Grand Empress Dowager’s words, Cheng Chang gathered that both the Yu and Zhou families bore different surnames — meaning these children, from families outside the direct imperial line, could only have been accompanying the Grand Empress Dowager as relatives from her own natal family.
Cheng Chang said, “Since they’re relatives after all, and they’re here in the capital, if Great-Grandmother Empress misses them, you need only summon them into the palace to talk.”
“Just so,” the Grand Empress Dowager said. “I was even thinking, while I still have some strength left in these old bones, to take the three of you to Mingyin Temple once more. But alas, that won’t be possible anymore.”
Mingyin Temple was an imperial temple, abandoned over a decade ago after a bloody incident. Nowadays, all sacrificial rites to Heaven were held instead at White Cloud Temple.
At the mention of Mingyin Temple, everyone at the table fell quiet. Fortunately, the family banquet was nearly finished by then. Emperor Zhaoyuan set down his chopsticks. “It’s getting late. Grandmother, you should rest soon.” Then, smiling, he added, “Your birthday celebration is coming up soon, and there will be much to attend to on that day — you should conserve your strength. Since you miss Mingying, and he has nothing pressing these days, just have him come visit and keep you company often.”
With that, he rose along with Prince Cong, Prince Ling, and Prince Yun, first seeing the Grand Empress Dowager off, before making his own way out of the palace.