“My father dotes on Tenth Girl the most—he even had Your Highness relay the message. I’m quite embarrassed.” Wang He quickly expressed his discomfort.

“No harm, no harm. By the way, I heard about Eighth Miss—she can also be considered fortunate. ‘When taking a wife, take a daughter of the Wang family’—this saying is indeed correct. Has the person to be adopted been decided?” Prince Su inquired.

“Not yet. This grace is too great. This humble official is still considering how to proceed in order to avoid gossip from others. Does Your Highness have any ideas?” Wang He sought Prince Su’s counsel.

“This is simple. You’re just afraid that changing the Wang surname to Wu will not only attract envy but might also invite future disaster, right?” Seeing Wang He nod repeatedly, Prince Su continued, “As long as the Wang surname you select has Wu family bloodline, wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone?”

Wang He suddenly understood. “Your Highness means—”

“Is there a shortage of marriageable princesses of suitable age in the palace? Your Wang family can marry one as a daughter-in-law. When she bears a son, he can be adopted to Eighth Miss. I think His Majesty would also like this idea. After all, it’s grandfather and grandson, which is always better than having no blood relation whatsoever.” Prince Su suggested the Wang family strive to obtain a prince consort position.

Wang He was somewhat hesitant. “Your Highness’s method is good, but Eighth Madam becoming Princess Zhen was already His Majesty’s grace. To then request marriage to a princess seems… seems…”

“Too ostentatious?” Prince Su raised an eyebrow.

Wang He answered, “Precisely so. To speak frankly, the Empress is from our Wang family, and when selecting the Crown Prince’s consort, Eighth Madam was chosen again—this has already drawn quite a few unkind gazes. The Wang family has always been proper and law-abiding, with no intention of showing off. Now, this situation is like having braziers set up in front and behind me, scorching me with panic and anxiety.”

“Who doesn’t know the Wang family has many outstanding men and beautiful women? You’ve earned it. Don’t worry, you don’t need to speak up—this prince will first ask Mother Empress. If she agrees, the matter will be easy to handle. With one imperial decree bestowing the marriage, what else can others say?” Prince Su took the initiative, offering to matchmake. “Good things come in pairs. Once this period passes, Tenth Miss and the Xiao family’s second son’s betrothal might as well be handled together.”

“This matter isn’t urgent, not urgent.” Wang He declined.

“In this prince’s view, this matter is somewhat more urgent than seeking to marry a princess or adopting a son. Last night, this prince dined with Prince Jing. Between his words, he was quite anxious about Second Son’s marriage. Thinking about it, it makes sense—his most outstanding son has long passed the age for marriage. It was thought that His Majesty intended to take him as a son-in-law, but if he were going to propose it, he would have done so early. In any case, if there’s still no word this year, the Xiao family plans to start making arrangements themselves. This prince tells you, a good son-in-law must be seized.” Prince Su made a grasping motion with his five fingers forming a hook.

Wang He laughed. “Your Highness still has this approachable nature.”

Prince Su chuckled and stroked his beard. “Come, to your home to eat game. I heard Minister Chen say it’s now fashionable to set aside a plot of land in one’s residence, let it grow wild grass, then release a few pairs of rabbits to graze freely and roast them over fire right there to eat. It has a unique flavor. Prime Minister, do you have such a place?”

The two men talked as they walked away.

At morning court the next day, when the decree to place Yuan Cheng under house arrest was announced, the assembled officials had all received advance notice. Knowing the Emperor had made up his mind and that opposition would only intensify the situation, no one spoke against it. In any case, the matter was still under investigation. Being relieved of office wouldn’t make restoration easy, and house arrest was equivalent to imprisonment.

When Yuan Cheng returned to his residence and saw the desolate and deserted scene, he knew it had been cleaned out.

“Sir, you’ve finally returned!” Ming Nian followed at Yuan Cheng’s side. “This whole month we didn’t know your whereabouts—it worried us terribly. However, now seeing that you don’t seem to have suffered, that’s good, that’s good.”

“Apart from not being able to come and go freely, it is indeed good.” Yuan Cheng’s smile remained gentle and warm. “Where is Mo Zi?”

Ming Nian had been waiting to be asked this. “Sir, I must tell you, you really need to talk to her properly. These past days, she’s only returned when it’s nearly dawn, and a young lady getting drunk as a lord. If Luo Ying and Zan Jin weren’t accompanying her, I think she could be sold off without even knowing it.”

Yuan Cheng pondered for a moment. “Is that so?”

“Indeed! I wanted to speak to her, but she left the residence early in the morning again. Don’t expect to see her for the entire day.” Ming Nian increasingly had the bearing of a steward. He expressed his concern for family members in this complaining manner.

“When she returns, I’ll ask her.” Yuan Cheng obligingly agreed.

“If Sir wants to ask, just ask Li Yan.” Li Yan, Zhang Zhen, and Wei An entered from outside—all three of them.

“Did Teng Guo and Ouyang already leave?” Yuan Cheng invited the three to be seated.

“Yes, everything went according to the original plan without incident.” Li Yan smiled, not at all worried about the current house arrest situation.

“Elder Li returning to the residence was unexpected for me.” Yuan Cheng became serious. “Sir should not have come back.”

“I left Yi Dan there. Moreover, when Sir encountered trouble, asking this old man to wait for news—this old man absolutely refused. Sir knows best that I’m a stubborn old man.” Since following him, he had always hoped Yuan Cheng could go with the times and achieve great undertakings. Repeatedly advising and repeatedly failing, repeatedly encouraging and repeatedly disappointed—yet the result was unexpected clarity after darkness. His stubbornness must have played some role after all.

“Was Mo Zi going out early and returning late daily because of the joint memorial?” Actually, he knew without asking.

“Precisely. Today she went out to socialize, thanking those students from the Imperial Academy. That Sir could be released, Miss Mo Zi deserves the foremost credit. These past days, her feet haven’t touched the ground—it was all running about for Sir. Every day she returned too drunk to remain conscious, all just for a few more signatures.” Li Yan was gratified. “That Sir has such a female confidant is tremendous fortune.”

A flicker passed through Yuan Cheng’s eyes. “Yuan was already without interest in life, but since meeting her, I often think about the days ahead.”

Ming Nian cried out and hit his own head. “Miss Mo Zi was running out to socialize and drink for Sir’s sake. Why didn’t anyone tell me? I thought she was out enjoying herself freely.”

“It’s not that we didn’t say, but that there was no opportunity to say it. Everyone’s busy with their own tasks—who has time for idle chatter? You’ve always been clever, but this time you were rather dense.” Zhang Zhen teased Ming Nian.

“No harm. When Mo Zi returns, we’ll tie this boy up completely and hand him over to her for punishment.” Yuan Cheng smiled. “In any case, Mo Zi has wanted to beat him for a long time. Old accounts and new accounts can be settled together.”

“Sir, spare this humble one.” Ming Nian lamented.

After everyone laughed, they began discussing serious matters.

At the fourth watch, Yuan Cheng was still reading in his study when he suddenly heard footsteps outside and people talking. Walking out to look, he saw Zan Jin supporting Mo Zi, who insisted on walking by herself and was shaking off his hand.

Luo Ying held a lantern, following behind and chattering incessantly, “Zan Jin, support her steadily! What if she falls—”

“How much did she drink?” Yuan Cheng spoke up.

“Oh? They let you out?” Luo Ying breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. Starting tomorrow, I never have to accompany her to socialize again. Day and night eating meals and chatting with people—it’s exhausting me to death.”

“The one eating meals and chatting with people was Brother Mo.” Zan Jin said a sentence.

Luo Ying slapped his back with one palm, but ended up hurting her own hand. “Watching made me tired, all right?”

Zan Jin ignored her and nodded lightly to Yuan Cheng. “Young Master, Brother Mo said he wanted to come to the study. He probably knows you returned today.”

Yuan Cheng went over. Mo Zi’s feet seemed to be treading on floating clouds. He caught hold of her. “I’ll help her inside. You go rest. Have Ding Gou take the next shift.”

“Ding Gou went with Young Master Su to handle business and isn’t in the residence.” After explaining, Zan Jin added, “I’m not tired.”

Hearing this news, Yuan Cheng looked at the tipsy Mo Zi in his arms and said to Zan Jin, “In that case, you still go sleep. I’ll arrange someone else to temporarily replace Ding Gou.”

Zan Jin trusted him and turned to leave.

“Luo Ying, trouble you to prepare a basin of warm water for me in the side chamber.” The residence already had few people; now one person did the work of several.

Luo Ying brought water into the room and saw Mo Zi lying on the couch with Yuan Cheng covering her with a silk quilt, his movements so gentle. But Mo Zi wasn’t cooperative at all—her hands and feet flailed about from time to time, and she spoke drunken nonsense.

“Drink! That fellow Wu Song drank those three bowls of strong liquor from ‘Three Bowls and You Can’t Cross the Ridge’ and could beat a tiger to death. I’m not beating tigers—I’ll drink you all under the table one by one. Consider it my gratitude for your clear sense of right and wrong!”

Luo Ying wrung out a cloth and stepped forward.

“I’ll do it. You go too—aren’t you tired?” Yuan Cheng took the cloth and carefully wiped Mo Zi’s forehead and flushed red cheeks.

“For your sake, she exhausted every effort. It’s only right you should serve her.” Luo Ying also left.

When inside and outside were both quiet, Yuan Cheng clearly heard his own heartbeat—thump thump, thump thump thump thump—so fast.

“You…” The person on the couch turned over and sat up, finger wavering as she pointed at him. “You… look like the person I like.”

Yuan Cheng smiled and embraced her. “If living, I shall return; if dead, I shall long for you eternally. Having you, my heart is content.”

Mo Zi’s eyes were drunk and hazy. She lightly patted his back. “It really is you, Yuan Cheng. How have you been these days?”

“Well. Knowing you’re here, I eat well and sleep well.” Yuan Cheng released her, using one hand to smooth the loose hair on her cheek.

“That’s good.” Mo Zi was too exhausted to hold up her body. She curled and lay on her side. “I’ll tell you, getting drunk once or twice is fine, but drinking day after day, night after night—it shortens your life. If you need to socialize, I won’t interfere, but you must gradually quit drinking. I’ve only been drinking day and night for a few days and feel I’ve lost ten years of life.”

Yuan Cheng gazed at her with a faint smile, unaware how much tenderness and care showed in his eyes. “All right, I’ll quit.”

“Also, sleep is very important. You need at least four hours a day—no less.” Mo Zi closed her eyes, rubbing her head on the pillow as her consciousness began to drift.

“All right, four hours a day.” Yuan Cheng held her hand. Sensing she had already fallen asleep, he said softly, “I’ll listen to everything you say.”

Early the next morning, Mo Zi felt the chirping and chattering around her was unbearably annoying. She covered her head with the quilt, but it remained noisy.

Unable to help herself, she sat up and shouted, “Where are all these bird calls coming from?”

Her ears instantly became peaceful. Breathing a sigh of relief, she lay down and pulled the quilt, wanting to continue sleeping. But her head hurt as if it would split open. Unable to bear it, she opened her eyes and discovered she was once again lying on the couch in the study.

“Is anyone outside?” she asked.

“Me.”

Her heart skipped a beat. A person entered from behind the beaded curtain—tall hat with double cords, black robe swaying in the wind, face like beautiful jade, eyes like dark stones.

“You’ve returned?” Was this a dream?

“I returned last night and even helped you wash your face and prepare your bedding. Don’t you remember?” Yuan Cheng picked up the soup bowl from the table, sat before the couch, blew on the spoon and brought it to Mo Zi’s lips. “You woke at just the right time. I was worried about bringing this chicken soup too early. Drink it while it’s hot. After drinking, sleep some more.”

Mo Zi smelled the fragrance and opened her mouth. After drinking, she felt embarrassed and reached out to take the bowl. “I’ll do it myself.”

Yuan Cheng didn’t argue with her, watching her blushing face with smiling eyes.