Chapter Eight

Outside, the tender scene had just reached this point when Madam Pei led the people inside out to meet them.

Madam Pei called, “My lord,” helped Ming Tan to her feet, and said with a gentle laugh, “Five years apart, A-Tan has missed my lord so much—she’s all cried into a little kitten.”

Ming Tingyuan ruffled Ming Tan’s hair and laughed aloud, “I think the lady has raised this little kitten very well!”

A deeper smile spread across Madam Pei’s face. She was about to reply when someone burst into the courtyard and suddenly shouted, “Father!”

It was Ming Chu.

She was still wearing that red dress; she stepped forward and immediately wrapped her arms around Ming Tingyuan’s arm, acting spoiled as if no one else were there: “Father, you’re finally back. You went into the palace with Afu and the others, and no one was left to practice whipwork with your daughter!”

Ming Chu knew this routine; normally Ming Tingyuan enjoyed it very much. After all, living on the frontier with only this one daughter by his side, he naturally cherished every sight of her. Yet now, he instinctively glanced at the youngest daughter before him.

He saw his obedient, sensible youngest daughter staring at the arm Ming Chu was holding, frozen for a moment, then quietly lowering her lashes as if trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

A wave of undefinable emotion rose in his chest. When his gaze swept to Mrs. Pei’s face, where a sudden interruption had left an awkwardness, he too felt inexplicably uneasy. “What are you making a fuss about? You can’t even bow to your mother when you see her!”

…?

Ming Chu was momentarily stunned.

“Beijing isn’t like the borderlands where you can do as you please. A young lady should mind her manners. Stop practicing that whip—have some time with your mother and sisters and learn proper decorum!”

Concubine Liu paused at the courtyard gate when she heard those words.

Earlier, after returning to her own courtyard to rest, she had intended to bring Ming Chu to pay respects to Lady Pei. But on the way there a servant reported that the Marquis had already returned to the residence and was on his way to Lanxin Courtyard, so Ming Chu, furious, quickened her pace.

She wanted to catch up, but Ming Chu had only learned a few clumsy tricks over the years; she walked noticeably faster than most women. By the time she reached Lanxin Courtyard, she arrived just in time to hear the marquis’s reprimand.

She steadied herself, stepped forward, knelt, and said, “Your servant pays respects to the marquis and to madam.”

Ming Chu, still upset at the injustice of her father scolding her, was tugged by Concubine Liu and reluctantly followed with the proper kowtow, “I pay respects to father and to mother.”

“We’re family; no need for such formalities.” At moments like this, Madam Pei showed the gentle magnanimity of a housewife in charge. “Since the marquis has returned, don’t stand about here—come inside and set the table.”

The midday meal was set in the side room of Lanxin Courtyard’s main house, the dishes prepared with great abundance: braised deer tendon, crystal pork knuckle, lotus-leaf ribs, egg-foam tofu… both meat and vegetables well represented.

Since she entered the room, Concubine Liu had stood obediently at the side, dutifully serving soup and adding dishes for Madam Pei. Madam Pei told her to rest, but she bowed her head and said carefully, “Attending to the Marquis and Madam is my duty.”

Ming Tingyuan said nothing, but he was clearly pleased by her conduct. Just a moment ago, while outside, he had been thinking that bringing Ming Chu to Yangxi Road had been a mistake — that doing so had allowed Concubine Liu to be indulged and lose some discipline. On reflection now, however, Concubine Liu was actually fairly proper; it was mostly Ming Chu’s temper, and few people could manage it.

No one spoke.

Everyone in the room, maids included, had been honed by years in a grand household; only Ming Tingyuan and perhaps no one else took Lady Liu’s posture seriously.

Of course, Ming Chu truly felt indignant on behalf of her aunt.

After all, back on Yangxi Road they used to eat together as a family of three. Now, not only can they not sit down to a meal, they must even wait on the woman who occupies the mistress’s seat yet cannot produce an heir! Just thinking of that made all the exquisite dishes before Ming Chu lose their flavor.

At that moment, Ming Tan still served Ming Tingyuan a piece of braised venison tendon: “Father, try this.”

Leaving aside the flavor of the deer tendon itself, merely the way she pressed her sleeve when picking it up, swapped chopsticks, and silently set the tendon into the small dish by the bowl without smearing a drop of sauce—those motions made Ming Tingyuan very pleased.

He was a rough man with little taste for literature or refinement, but that did not keep him from enjoying cultured pastimes; otherwise, among his many concubines he would not have favored the most talented, Concubine Liu.

Seeing his daughter act with such grace and elegance filled him with a proud, almost possessive satisfaction. After tasting the deer tendon, he nodded and praised repeatedly, “Mm, tender and savory, quite good!”

“I’m glad Father likes it.” Ming Tan smiled, her eyes curving.

“How could I not like it? This braised venison tendon was made especially by A-Tan for the Marquis.” Mrs. Pei added another piece for Ming Tingyuan, “Venison tendon is extremely difficult to soften. They say it needs to be pounded and boiled a few days in advance, braised once in meat broth, then braised again in chicken stock that’s been simmering all day. The broths used for braising are prepared with great care. For this dish, A-Tan has been watching over everything these past few days.”

Ming Tingyuan, pleased to be shown favor, ate the piece Mrs. Pei had offered and felt a warm satisfaction in his heart: “A-Tan has been obedient and filial since childhood; of course, these past years have also benefited from Madam’s careful upbringing.”

He said this as he picked up two pearl meatballs, offering one each to Ming Tan and Mrs. Pei: “Don’t just pay attention to me. This dish was done beautifully — you should try it too.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“Thank you, Marquis.”

Ming Chu: “…”

Who would believe that this delicate young miss, whose ten fingers never touch a drop of common kitchen water, would personally stew deer tendons! She could at most tell the kitchen that this dish was for her father; turning a few words into an image of a dutiful daughter cooking—Pei’s family, this hen that never lays eggs, really can spin tales!

A subtle tension rippled across the table. Some chatted and laughed, while others had poked at their rice until it had lost its warmth.

Just then, Suxin, who hadn’t come to Lanxin Courtyard with Ming Tan, slipped in quietly after reporting to the servant outside the door.

Suxin took a few quick steps up to Ming Tan, nudging past Lve’e who stood behind her. While serving the meal, she leaned toward Ming Tan’s ear and whispered a few words.

Ming Chu had been watching Ming Tan the whole time, so he naturally did not miss this scene.

Seeing Suxin whisper and pass a note under the table to Ming Tan, Ming Tan received it without changing her expression. Sensing that something was up, she raised her voice and called out, “Fourth sister, someone handed you a letter? Who brought it, all secretive like that?”

A few people at the table followed the sound of her words and looked over.

“Nothing much, a letter from my cousin at the Bai family. I had asked her to help with a small matter before; perhaps it’s been resolved, so she wrote to let me know.” Ming Tan said lightly.

Ming Chu pressed on: “If it was delivered even during a meal, then your cousin’s matter must be quite important. Fourth sister, why not open it before eating? If she urgently needs to return, we can send someone to tell her.”

Ming Tingyuan thought Ming Chu’s remark made sense—he held military and civil power over the region and always hated delays in military affairs.

Seeing Mingtan’s embarrassment, he thought she was worried about breaking etiquette by reading while dining, and benevolently tried to smooth things over: “No matter, we’re family—don’t fuss over such things. Go ahead and read; if it’s truly important, you can reply in time.”

Mingtan was about to say something, but Mingchu didn’t give her a chance to refuse; he directly ordered the waiting maid at his side, “What are you standing there for? Fourth sister is most particular—how can she read a letter with unclean hands?”

Soon, the cloth and water for washing were brought before her.

Mingtan seemed to have no other option and had to wash her hands before opening the letter.

At first she looked as usual. But upon seeing something, her gaze froze; she pressed her lips together, read the letter faster and faster, and her complexion grew paler.

After finishing the whole letter, she, as if unwilling to accept it, read it through again from the beginning. Only this time, she was completely bloodless, staggering.

“What is it?” Ming Tingyuan frowned.

Ming Tan did not answer. She covered her lips with a plain handkerchief, her eyes filled with disbelief. In an instant her eyes reddened and tears began to fall.

Seeing the situation, everyone panicked; Ming Tingyuan snatched the letter from her hand.

He read it at a glance. Although he had no idea what drowning incident the letter referred to, he wasn’t an idiot. The letter plainly stated:

On the night of the Lantern Festival, the two who shoved Ming Tan into the water had long since left the capital; after many twists and turns they were finally tracked to Lizhou and barely found.

These two were not strangers—neither thieves nor victims—but a pair of biological brothers!

According to the two brothers’ confession, the bumping that sent someone into the water had been arranged in advance. They had received orders from the Duchess of Lingguo: on the Night of the Lantern Festival, follow Liang Zixuan in secret, obey his commands, and act when the opportunity presented itself.

That day Ming Tan happened to be placing river lanterns at the pier; if she hadn’t been there, once Liang Zixuan found her he would still have contrived to lead her to the water’s edge and perform that clumsy hero-rescues-beauty routine!

“Slap—!” Accompanied by the sound of a hand striking the table, the delicate bowls and plates on it rattled; Ming Tingyuan was furious. “This is outrageous!”

Madam Pei saw this, hastily took the letter, and read it carefully.

After finishing, she was even more shocked than Ming Tingyuan. Shangyuan Mingtan falling into the water, the Liang family’s heir covering it up for him — she had thought the Prince’s residence had been considerate in protecting their household, a family one could get along with. But to find that the matter had actually been orchestrated by the Prince’s residence itself! It was utterly incomprehensible!

“Fourth sister, what happened? What does the letter say?” Seeing the three of them react like this, Ming Chu knew something serious had occurred. She couldn’t help herself and leaned forward, eager to see the letter’s contents.

But Madam Pei clearly wouldn’t hand it over. Having managed the household for many years and been through many affairs, beyond her shock and anger she quickly understood that what mattered now wasn’t the bystanders’ feelings, but discovering why this had been done and how to respond and handle it.

She stood up and said calmly, “That will be all for lunch today. You may all disperse.”

This was Lán Xīn Courtyard; when Madam Pei said disperse, even those unwilling had to leave.

Míng Chǔ wanted to stay and watch the commotion, but Nurse Zhang blocked her way and, both respectful and firm, ushered her out.

Compared with Míng Chǔ, Shěn Huà was obedient—neither listening in nor asking questions. Only before leaving did she, as if on instinct, cast a glance at the plain handkerchief in Míng Tán’s hand.

Soon, only Ming Tingyuan, Madam Pei, and Ming Tan remained in the room. Ming Tan seemed to have been holding it in for a long time; once the door closed, she suddenly burst into tears.

When she cried, it was like pear blossoms in the rain—so pitiful it made one ache to look. Her eyes were raw and red, her thin shoulders trembling; she seemed so fragile a breeze might break her, making it unbearable to say a harsh word.

Ming Tingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, his anger suppressed and suppressed, afraid that if he spoke he would frighten Ming Tan. After a long moment, he finally asked in a low, furious voice, “What on earth is going on? What drowning? Why was I not told?”

Madam Pei gently patted Ming Tan’s back, soothingly saying, “Houye, please calm down first.”

She then told Ming Tingyuan, exactly as it had happened, about Shangyuan’s falling into the water.

When he heard that Ming Tan had not had any physical relations with Liang Shizi that day, and that outsiders didn’t know it was actually Ming Tan who fell into the water, he finally felt a little less enraged.

Ming Tingyuan: “Has the Duke’s household lost their minds? How could they scheme such a vile thing!”

This was also what Madam Pei thought was off: “Logically, the two families already have a betrothal arranged; once the Marquis returns to the capital it can be put on the schedule. Staging a fall into the water to be ‘rescued’ is really a little too much.”

She paused, then added, “Unless the Duke Ling’s residence believes that after Lord Hou returns to the capital, this marriage might change.”

Change, change into what? The betrothal arranged by Lady Bai before she died—everyone in the capital knows about it. Is their son in such a hurry to die that he’d trick a daughter-in-law into the house to guard chastity and win a memorial arch for virtue? If he wanted to die, he’d have jumped into the river in the dead of winter and drowned—at least that would be peaceful!

Ming Tingyuan had those words on the tip of his tongue, but suddenly he thought of something… Wait, he had been away from the capital these past few years and many things had not reached him in time. Could it be that the Duke Ling’s residence had gotten involved in some big mess they couldn’t cover up, and now they had to use the marriage to tie him, Ming Tingyuan, to the same boat?

Officials can drag anything into state affairs. Seeing Ming Tingyuan’s face harden, Ming Tan hastily choked up and said, “Actually, actually our daughter knows—she knows why the Liang family would be like this…”

She recounted, word by word, everything she had heard in the study of the Duke of Chang’s residence.

“Had an affair with his cousin and even fathered a two-year-old son?” After hearing it, Ming Tingyuan and Madam Pei were struck dumb with shock.

Ming Tingyuan: “Why didn’t you tell us about something this big earlier!”

Mingtan, tears streaming as she lowered her eyes, said, “…I thought this marriage had been arranged by my birth mother, and I heard that the Liang family has considerable influence in the Ministry of Personnel. I don’t know much about court affairs, but I’m afraid that ruining this match would affect Father’s reassignment and his chances for promotion when he returns to the capital…”

“They Liang family are nothing! How dare they affect my transfer and promotion!” Ming Tingyuan thundered in rage, even blurting out “I” in his fury.

“Daddy, don’t let yourself get sick from anger.”

Look at that—still worrying he’d get sick at a time like this. His daughter had grown into such a graceful, educated, gentle, and proper young lady; she knew the bigger picture, always put filial piety first—truly the exemplar of a noble maiden you couldn’t find even with a lantern. How could the Liang family’s unprincipled brat treat her so disgracefully!

“Ah Tan, don’t be afraid. Your father will take care of this.” Ming Tingyuan’s fury reached its peak, intolerant for a moment longer. Saying that, he swept his sleeve and stormed out.

“Your Lordship, Your Lordship!”

Madam Pei didn’t let him be heard; she hurriedly soothed Ming Tan with a gentle voice: “A Tan, the Marquis will surely take charge of this matter, but acting so rashly is truly unwise. Don’t worry—have Suxin and Lü’e attend you and help you back to rest. I’ll go find the Marquis and discuss this properly.”

Ming Tan already intended as much. Her tears hadn’t yet dried; she nodded and said, “Mother, please, you must persuade Father.”

Madam Pei said no more and hastened after them.

Suxin and Lǜ’è stood outside the room listening to the crying and shouting for a long time, their hearts growing uneasy. Having received Mistress Pei’s instructions, they hurried back toward the room.

“Miss, Miss.”

“Miss, are you—” Suxin’s words trailed off; she suddenly stopped where she stood.

Inside, everything was silent.

Most of the dishes on the table were untouched.

The young lady of the house sat at the table, fanning her eyes with her hand while leisurely pouring herself another cup of tea.

“…Are you all right?” Suxin instinctively finished the second half of the sentence.

Mingtan said, “It’s nothing serious, just that the handkerchief you soaked is indeed a bit too pungent.”