“Grandfather, would it be enough for me to just pretend to be worried?” Without waiting for Zhù Ying to speak, Su Zhe followed up with the question.

Zhù Ying gave a nod.

Su Zhe was relieved. “Then I was right — looking at the whole Eastern Palace, not everyone is actually worried.”

Zhù Ying said, “That’s right. A three-year-old child. The warmth of human feeling in the palace is… thin.”

Su Zhe shrugged. “The Crown Prince Consort is still so young — the place doesn’t feel like a real home. Where would human warmth come from?”

Zhù Ying said, “When the time comes to offer condolences to the Crown Prince, you still need to say a few words of concern.”

“I won’t forget!” Su Zhe cheerfully promised.

The Eastern Palace’s eldest son had been raised deep within the palace; outsiders had never laid eyes on him, let alone had the chance to cultivate any feeling toward him. He was also the illegitimate eldest son — the Crown Prince Consort was still young, and making too much of him now would only create complications in a few years when a legitimate son arrived. The wisest course was simply to “know that such a child exists” and not inquire further.

As for whether he was gravely ill — that was even less of a thing worth fretting over. Too much concern could easily be misread.

Zhù Ying casually asked, “Where is Lin Feng?”

Zhù Wen answered, “He hasn’t come back yet. He sent word that he’s having drinks with friends from the Eastern Palace and won’t be back for dinner.”

Zhù Ying asked Su Zhe, “Lin Feng often gets together with colleagues — how is it you never go out to enjoy yourself? Have they been excluding you?”

Su Zhe pursed her lips and gave a dismissive sound. “Hmph! What good can come of them clustering together like that? Drinking, song and dance, running off to the pleasure quarter! Even if they invited me, I wouldn’t want to go! Hmph!”

“Lin Feng goes to the pleasure quarter? How did I not know? Qingtian.”

Within the Zhù household, the one called Qingtian was Zhù Qingtian. Zhù Wen stepped out the door and sent a little girl to summon Zhù Qingtian.

Zhù Qingtian came trotting over. Hearing Zhù Ying ask her, “Lin Feng has been going to the pleasure quarter?” she paused briefly and said, “I haven’t heard anything about that — he doesn’t care for that sort of thing; he much prefers hunting. If there has been anything, it was probably from someone else inviting him recently.”

“Send him home to come and see me.”

“Yes.”

Su Zhe asked with a trace of caution: “Grandfather, his… head isn’t the sharpest — he doesn’t mean to act against your wishes.”

In Su Zhe’s view, with Zhù Ying advocating for the abolition of the official courtesan system on one side and Lin Feng patronizing the pleasure quarter on the other, this was deeply inappropriate. She hadn’t meant to inform on him — it had slipped out while she was talking about a colleague, and Su Zhe now felt a twinge of regret — she should have looked into it more carefully before saying anything.

Zhù Ying said, “This has nothing to do with the sharpness of his head. What kind of person takes someone else to the pleasure quarter? He’s the same — not the least bit on guard. If someone had their eye on him, the trap could already have been set by now. Going to the pleasure quarter costs money — where is he getting it from? After drinking, he’s not guaranteed to keep his mouth shut either.”

Su Zhe said earnestly, “That is indeed trouble.”

“Gambling and visiting courtesans — once someone is caught in either, ruin is just around the corner,” Zhù Ying said. “If he can’t break himself of it, I’ll have to break him of it myself.”

Lin Feng had no idea that Zhù Ying was considering breaking his legs. He returned to the residence before the night curfew. Zhù Ying did not forbid them from making friends outside, but they were not to stay away from home overnight.

Lin Feng dismounted with a light, carefree step, called out “I’m back!” — and saw the strange look Zhù Biao was giving him.

“What is it?” Lin Feng asked.

Zhù Biao said, “You’re back? My Lord has been waiting for you.”

Lin Feng breathed into his palm and sniffed it. “Is there any tea?”

Zhù Biao said, “Only what we have for ourselves…”

“Give it here!” Lin Feng snatched the teapot from the gatehouse, rinsed his mouth, made himself as presentable as possible, and went to the study to see Zhù Ying.

Zhù Ying was reading. Lin Feng stood at careful attention: “Adoptive Father.”

Zhù Ying finished a page, set the book face-down on the table, and looked Lin Feng over. He was in a slightly disheveled state — his collar slightly loosened, his hair not quite as tight as it had been.

Hu Shijie was eyeing him sideways, and Lin Feng grew even more apprehensive. “Adoptive Father, what on earth has happened?”

“You went to the pleasure quarter?”

The color drained from Lin Feng’s face. “That… I’d never seen it before! They said to go take a look at the world, and I… I just went…”

This was actually true. When Lin Feng had been very young, Wuzhou under Zhù Ying’s administration had none of that sort of thing. By the time he was old enough, he had been at Zhù Ying’s side — he genuinely had never seen it.

“And now you’ve seen it?”

“Mm.”

“Was it interesting?”

“I… I’m not a man of loose morals!” Lin Feng immediately protested. “I just listened to some music for a while — I didn’t even have them accompany me for drinking; I drank alone!”

Zhù Ying tilted her head and looked at him. Lin Feng felt he had done something wrong. Exactly what, he wasn’t sure — but something, certainly.

Zhù Ying let out a sigh. “There are many temptations in the outside world, and in many respects our household is out of step with what’s out there. This was also a lapse of mine — you have all grown up, and there are things that need to be made clear. It is natural for grown people to have desires, but they must not be allowed to run unchecked.”

“Yes, yes!”

Zhù Ying said, “I won’t lecture you with grand principles. Going forward — don’t do this.”

“Yes.” Lin Feng answered obediently.

“Go and rest.”

“All right.”

This matter — Zhù Ying wasn’t sure how to go about teaching him. Talk reason? What was there to say? That a gentleman must keep himself upright? She couldn’t afford to cultivate gentlemen here.

She had drawn a line. If he kept to it, she would continue to cultivate him as before. If not, she could only write him off and find someone else. All things considered, Lang Kunwu’s son, Lang Rui, should have grown to a reasonable age by now — being separated from his parents wouldn’t kill him off immediately.

Still, this had reminded Zhù Ying: Lin Feng was already well past twenty. She should write a letter to his father to ask what arrangements had been made regarding Lin Feng’s marriage.

The people at her side — they either did not marry, or they married late. Counting carefully, even the attendants were no longer young. This was already a pressing problem before her eyes.

Zhù Ying pulled a sheet of letter paper toward herself and wrote a letter to Lin Feng’s father.

Then she called Zhù Wen and Zhù Yin before her and asked the two of them whether any of the men and women in the household wished to marry and had plans to establish their own families. If so, they could report to her, and she would preside over their wedding ceremonies.

The two of them showed a look of relief. Those who had followed Zhù Ying still retained some characteristics from life in the mountains — that is, marriage customs that differed somewhat from those outside. First, “men and women may arrange their own marriages, and their parents do not prohibit this”; second, “listen to what the master says.”

Although Zhù Ying had abolished their slave status, those who had entered the Zhù household were, by habit, still inclined to seek the master’s word. Even in the capital, servants’ and attendants’ marriages were a matter to be reported to the master. Since Zhù Ying had never raised the subject, they had gone on wondering whether perhaps it was not appropriate.

Now that Zhù Ying had finally asked, they no longer thought of the previous silence as inattention — rather, they felt the time had simply not come until now.

Zhù Yin, being a young woman herself, did not particularly yearn for marriage. The women who followed Zhù Ying were never in any rush to be married. Zhù Yin said, “I’ll go and ask around.”

Zhù Wen, on the other hand, said, “Of course everyone very much wants a home — they just didn’t know whether they could ask.”

Zhù Ying said, “As long as both parties are willing.”

Zhù Yin carefully asked one more question: “Those who haven’t thought about starting a family yet — can they be spared the pressure?”

Zhù Ying said, “Of course. A melon forced from the vine is never sweet.”

Zhù Yin was completely at ease. “Understood!”

Zhù Ying thought to herself that a separate sum of money would need to be set aside for this — a small expenditure for someone in her current position. Money was not the problem. But she could not help feeling a sense of urgency in her heart — the attendants were starting families, and this residence in the capital was growing ever larger and more unwieldy. Leaving it all behind someday would not be easy.

After fretting over the attendants, she had to fret over the Zheng family taking a bride the following year. Zheng Xi was still in mourning, but preparations for Princess Gong’an’s wedding were quietly already underway. The allowance prepared for Princess Gong’an’s household was originally set to be slightly less than what had been given to Princess Mingyi — Zhù Ying had her justifications ready. Once the husband was confirmed, the princess’s household steward and other officials came looking for Zhù Ying.

That day, Zhù Ying had barely finished dealing with the regional governors when the household steward of Princess Gong’an’s residence submitted his name card requesting an audience.

The visitor was a proper-looking man of around thirty, all deference and respect. Having met Zhù Ying, he first offered some flattery: “The Minister labors tirelessly for the nation — a true example to us all. This humble one presumes to disturb you and is deeply sorry. But as this humble one has the honor of serving as the princess’s household steward, and the matter concerns Her Highness, I dare not remain silent.”

Zhù Ying said, “What is it? Go ahead and speak.”

The steward said, “Just now, while arranging matters for the residence, I noticed that the rear chambers are rather cramped and the garden quite small — I fear they do not befit the dignity of Her Highness the Princess and her husband. I have considered undertaking an expansion at my own initiative, but the costs of relocating the neighboring residents have somewhat exceeded the budget. The princess has only just established her household and has no accumulated savings. Without an expansion it truly looks shabby and would reflect poorly on the imperial family’s face.”

Princess Gong’an’s husband was Zheng Xi’s son.

Zhù Ying said, “Draw up the accounts for me.”

“I have already brought them.” The steward said with a smile.

Zhù Ying watched as Zhù Wen took the accounts, and said, “I’ll look them over when I have a moment — wait for my answer.”

“Then this humble one shall await the good news from the Minister.”

Zhù Ying looked through the accounts and found that the inflated figures, while present, were remarkably restrained — he had asked for only fifty percent above market price, which was better than those who doubled their figures outright.

Zhù Ying’s expression did not change. If she gave it to Princess Gong’an’s household, what about the Prince of Yong? Treating them differently was surely out of the question — she would have to give to him as well. All that bargaining she had done with the Emperor had been for nothing!

Could she refuse to give? If Zheng Xi were in the Grand Council right now, perhaps she could, but since he was in mourning at home, absolutely not.

This meant the supplements for both households had to be provided! Zhù Ying had no choice but to shift another sum out of the budget, covering the Prince of Yong’s possible expenses as well, and have it all ready.

She could not even complain to anyone about this matter. Zheng Xi had been something of a mentor to her — a “benefactor who recognized her talent.” She had never taken the path of “strict impartiality”; she had always been considerate, and she could not “forget where she came from.”

——

Zhù Ying had hardly met Princess Gong’an at all and had no particular regard for this princess. She allocated the funds by the book. The allocation, moreover, had to be done quietly — it could not be made known.

No one else was aware of it, but the household steward made a special trip to the Zhù residence to offer his thanks: “The Minister has delivered me from my difficulty.”

Zhù Ying said, “Apply yourself diligently and take good care of the Princess and her husband in the days ahead.”

“Yes.”

The steward left in satisfaction — how Zhù Ying was to balance the accounts was not his concern.

Zhù Ying not only had to balance the Ministry of Revenue’s accounts; she also had to send wedding gifts on the occasion of the Zheng family’s marriage into the imperial family. The wedding was next year, but the Zheng family’s preparations had already begun. For a household of the Zheng family’s standing, they had their own resources; Zhù Ying’s contribution was primarily in money, sent in two separate installments, both of which Zheng Xi had Yue Miaojun accept.

At this time, Zheng Xi — having had good fortune to celebrate — looked considerably younger. He said to Zhù Ying: “The end of the year is approaching and the Ministry of Revenue is busy — if there are matters, you need not always come yourself.”

Zhù Ying said, “It’s the same things as always; I’m well accustomed to them by now. I came today because there is something I need to bring to your attention.”

Zheng Xi asked what the matter was.

Zhù Ying said, “The second son is marrying into the imperial family. A princess’s household is not like one’s own home — he needs to have some understanding of that in his mind, so the people beneath him cannot deceive him. A husband in a princess’s household is in a somewhat awkward position to begin with; he must be attentive.”

Zheng Xi asked, “Have you heard something?”

Zhù Ying said, “It’s nothing else in particular. The princess’s household steward — keep an eye on him. The accounts he submitted to me were not entirely honest. For the sake of your face, I chose to pretend I hadn’t noticed what he was up to; I did not want to stir up trouble at this time. In the future, when the second son is managing his own affairs, he must not allow others to act under his banner without his knowledge, leaving him as an unwitting scapegoat. If he does know, then he can make his own arrangements — and at least he will know what his name is being used for.”

Zheng Xi offered no clear opinion.

Zhù Ying said, “How much controversy did Princess Anren stir up for the Eastern Palace? The temper that old woman has now was not built in a day. Her husband and son are both good-natured people — they spoiled her into this. Raising one’s own mother into this kind of behavior — Luo Sheng brought that scolding on himself.”

Zheng Xi nodded. “There is truth in that.”

Zhù Ying said, “Just something said in passing. After all, it is the court’s money being spent — it doesn’t come out of my own pocket. The money is the court’s; the matter is one’s own.”

Zheng Xi nodded again, then asked, “How are things in the Eastern Palace?”

Zhù Ying said, “Don’t you know better than I do? Same as before. From what I can see, things are not going to go badly wrong. His Highness has kept his composure — he hasn’t been letting Xian Jing run him around.”

Zheng Xi said, “I heard the Eastern Palace’s eldest son hasn’t been well.”

“Small children fall ill easily. I heard he has already recovered.”

Zheng Xi said, “Is that so? I heard he had a fever that addled his mind.”

“What?”

Zheng Xi asked in surprise, “You didn’t know?”

“Know what?”

Only then did Zheng Xi say slowly, “It happens sometimes — when small children run high fevers, if the fever isn’t brought down in time, the brain is damaged by it. The eldest son had by now already learned to speak, could recognize people, and could recite several poems. After this illness, he is no longer anything like that.”

Zhù Ying said, “It might be better to wait a few more years before drawing conclusions — he’s still very young, and neither cleverness nor dullness is easy to determine at this age. And even if it could be determined, it matters little — the Crown Prince Consort is still young.”

Zheng Xi said, “That’s true!”

Zhù Ying suddenly smiled. “What’s come over you? You still have a few months — once you return, there will be plenty of time to worry.”

Zheng Xi laughed at himself and said, “The closer the day comes, the more restless I grow.”

“The Grand Council is currently down to two and a half people, all of them moving at half speed. Everyone is waiting for your return.”

Zheng Xi said, “Not necessarily! Xian Jing, for one, does not want me back.”

“He doesn’t get a say in it.”

Zheng Xi laughed.

——

After the conversation with Zheng Xi, Zhù Ying did not dwell further on the Eastern Palace’s eldest son. There was much to keep the Ministry of Revenue occupied. She also had to manage the regional governors — and after the New Year, it would be her fortieth birthday in the first month. Zhao Su and the others were already planning to hold a birthday banquet for her.

A fortieth birthday could not be overlooked. Those who knew of it all came to drink to her health. Zheng Xi, Chen Meng, and the others all attended — it was warm and lively.

Chen Meng’s son Chen Fang had not yet returned to Yanzhou and had been stationed by Chen Meng at the residence gate to help Su Zhe and the others receive guests.

Chen Fang was dressed in such festive red that he looked like a wrapped gift, dazzling to the eye. Standing at the gate, he spotted a party in the distance charging through the crowd, sending passersby scattering left and right.

Chen Fang could not help but frown. “Who has the audacity?”

The guests arriving today were none but the wealthy and eminent — two of the three Chancellors were here. Never mind Zhù Ying’s face: even out of consideration for the other guests, such conduct was inexcusable.

He set his face and stepped down from the entrance steps. Suddenly his expression shifted — he had recognized the livery of the visitors. They were men from the palace!

In an instant they were before him — an old acquaintance, one of the imperial guards who had served before the late Emperor in years past.

The man rushed up to him and spoke quickly: “Quickly! Something’s happened — take me to see Minister Zhù!”

Chen Fang dared not be negligent. Taking the man’s hand, he smiled and said, “Don’t panic — anyone who comes to offer birthday wishes gets a cup of wine, gift or no gift!”

With that, he pulled the man into the residence, steering him toward the study while sending Zhù Wen to fetch Zhù Ying.

Within moments, Zhù Ying received the news in the study — the Emperor had suddenly collapsed. This time the situation was truly dire: he could be seen breathing out, but barely breathing in. Before losing consciousness, the Emperor had summoned the Chancellors and Zhù Ying and several others. Empress Mu had summoned the Crown Prince, Mu Chengzhou, and others to attend at the imperial bedside. Du Shi’en, seeing that things were going badly, was also trying to get word out of the palace.

Zhù Ying asked, “Was Counsellor Zheng summoned?”

“The summons was only for the Chancellors currently in the Grand Council. Neither Counsellor Shi nor Counsellor Zheng was summoned.”

“And the palace prohibition? Has the Imperial Guard been mobilized?”

“His Majesty gave the order to summon Wen Yue.”

Zhù Ying said, “Understood.”

She sent Chen Fang to find Chen Meng, then had Zhao Su quietly inform Zheng Xi — telling him to return home and wait. Then she pulled Wen Yue away from the banquet and told him to return to his camp and prepare to receive orders and enter the palace at any moment.

Only then did she leave with Chen Meng for the palace.