After sharing a few laughs, I leaned in to look at my eldest brother’s sickly face, his brow slightly furrowed. Guilt flooded my heart. Turning to Lord Wei, I said, "I shouldn't have acted so recklessly. I should have waited for you to return before trying to test Zhang Zhuyi."
Wei Qingming merely smiled and said softly, "I don't blame you for taking a risk, A-Zhi; you simply lacked experience. When you strike, it must be a lethal blow intended to kill; every strategy must be conceived with that end in mind. Furthermore, the enemy was in the shadows while we were in the light. They dictated the rhythm from the start, forcing us into a passive defense. They held the black stones while we held the white; if we were a move behind, it was not for lack of skill." She gently stroked my head and added, "I told you long ago, it’s not as if you can achieve nothing without me. On the contrary, you are brave, resourceful, and quick-witted. You fought this battle brilliantly."
She didn't blame me for the various troubles my impulsiveness had caused, nor did she reproach me for endangering myself and causing her worry. Her words were more than I could bear; right there in front of Nie Xueqing, I pulled her into a tight embrace and began to sob.
Nie Xueqing was visibly stunned by her magnanimity and affection. After a long moment, she laughed. "It’s rare for A-Zhi to find a man like Lord Wei. Most men want nothing more than to lock their wives away at home—to have them be submissive little birds, serving tea, pouring water, enduring blows and smiles alike, bearing children, and flattering their husbands. It’s considered enough if they understand the price of rice and salt. The more refined ones might paint eyebrows or recite poetry, singing a few sentimental tunes together—the so-called 'exquisite, understanding flowers.' Anyone else would have issued a death order forbidding A-Zhi from ever meddling in these affairs again. Who would actually teach you how to strategize? Preposterous!"
I laughed through my tears at Sister Qing’s words. Indeed, she could be like this precisely because she was not a man... and even among women, few could match her.
Wei Qingming’s focus, however, was rather peculiar. As she used a handkerchief to wipe away my tears and snot, she smiled. "As for children, we shan't have any. I will not allow anyone else to dilute A-Zhi’s love for me. Nor do I wish to distract myself with the care of tedious little things; looking after A-Zhi is quite enough. Besides, A-Zhi doesn't seem to like children much either."
Her jealousy was so potent that, had she not feared waking Lu Kaifeng, the head of the Nie family would have roared with laughter. She repeatedly remarked that this was "even rarer." Truly, none of those three reasons were things a man would ever say... I was left caught between tears and laughter, thinking to myself: *Well, since we can't have them anyway, you might as well talk big...* But I was genuinely surprised by the depth of her understanding. How did she know I was terrified of children?
Once we stepped out of the courtyard, I pestered her to tell me. She gave a faint smile. "I only had to look at your expression every time Princess Anchi hugged you."
"Oh? She only hugged me a handful of times. You can draw a conclusion from that?"
"The first time was at the Pavilion of Spiritual Laws. You were with Fifth Sister. That was the day you first met Yu Niannian, and Guan Shanping insisted on speaking with you," she said coldly.
I clutched my stomach, unable to stop laughing. I jumped up and poked her cheek. "Aha! So someone was pretending to be heartless and aloof, while actually seeing everything and keeping it all in her heart!"
I expected her to angrily catch me and shower me with kisses and affection, but instead, she simply gave a soft "Mhm." She blinked and said quietly, "Back then, I only feared I couldn't give you the happiness you desired. I didn't dare let you know I still thought of you, and I didn't dare find out if you still thought of me. I didn't dare... walk toward you."
My heart swelled with an insurmountable tenderness and pity. I held her silently and tightly for a long while. The early morning sunlight was pale and translucent, cold yet lingering, wrapping around us alongside the dissipating mist. The first birds of the morning had perched upon the treetops, chirping for some time now.
*Fearing she couldn't give her what she wanted... was that why Xue Yishan destroyed the zither?*
"What nonsense," I laughed. "The moment we met again, you should have publicly demanded I return the hugs I owed you. Then you would have known how much I love you. Why bother pretending to be as indifferent as drifting clouds?"
She laughed as well. "Quite right. It seems debts of the heart are like any other; they must be collected promptly."
Only then did we resume our usual banter, chatting about a great deal of useless things. I teased her, "You're so concerned about whether I like children, but what about Lord Wei? With such genius and such beauty, it would be a tragedy for all living things if they weren't passed down!"
The Commandant proved to be quite thick-skinned. She shrugged. "I don't like them; they're a nuisance. Besides, I have committed too many evils. There are at least eight or ten thousand people cursing me. Any child born to me would likely not..." She trailed off.
I burst into loud laughter, startling all the birds in the garden into flight. That was the crudest thing I had ever heard from her mouth... even if she hadn't finished the most critical part.
It was a rare occasion where we could gather a full table for breakfast. Even that night owl, Zhu Yixin, had gotten out of bed. She marched along, shouting for everyone to clear the path as if she were a high-ranking official heading to court on the Imperial Street, lacking only a "Make Way" sign. All this was just to carry a basin of soup from the kitchen—filled so high it nearly overflowed—which she had made with her own hands. She claimed it was her first time lighting a stove, having specifically learned from Muyu to welcome her "Brother Qing" home...
I stared at that vat of soup, which was larger than even the Nie family’s washbasins, and nearly dropped my eyeballs into it as an extra ingredient for Chef Zhu’s masterpiece. Wei Qingming smilingly accepted the first bowl Fifth Sister ladled out. She took a sip, her smile deepening as she offered continuous praise. Zhu Yixin was insufferably smug and ladled out several more bowls, but no one stepped forward to take them. No one was a fool; they knew Zhu's cooking skills and they knew Lord Wei’s talent for lying. Combining the two, who would dare eat it?
As it turned out, Nie Xiaoyan didn't have to return to the ancestral home. Nie Xueqing must have given her a thorough scolding and made it clear that she was staying by the grace of her "rival." When they met today, the young girl awkwardly apologized to Lord Wei. She sat at the table, shrinking into herself, but seeing Wei Qingming eat, she also reached for a bowl. She blew on a spoonful to cool it and took a bite, her eyebrows shooting up in surprise. "Sister Xin, this is actually quite good! I'm not lying!"
Meanwhile, Zhu Yixin was already intimidating Qiao Songlin: "Are you going to eat or not!" Brother Qiao maintained a neutral expression as he picked up the bowl and, without even using a spoon, gulped it down in a few swallows.
Seeing the three brave souls lead the way, everyone else stopped being polite. They swarmed forward and finished the entire basin... It was indeed better than expected, though according to Daoist Wei’s tastes, it was perhaps a bit too vegetarian...
Once Sister Qing had her fill, she was the first to leave the table to look after Lu Kaifeng. The rest of us chatted and joked, boasting and rambling. After finishing her soup, Lord Wei simply rested her chin on her hand, watching with a smile, occasionally interjecting a comment that made everyone pound the table with laughter. Nie Xiaoyan was still a child at heart; though she tried to remain stoic, she often failed. After laughing, she would stare intently at Wei Qingming, her thoughts unknown.
After the meal, Wei Qingming casually drew a hairpin from her sleeve and placed it before Nie Xiaoyan. This was a replacement for the one melted the previous night. "I have indeed spent too little time accompanying A-Zhi. I shall strive to do better in the future. Thank you for being by her side during this time."
This hairpin was an ancient jade piece, carved by a master craftsman—worlds apart from that ordinary gold pin. Nie Xiaoyan was so stunned her face instantly flushed like red clouds. For a long time, she couldn't speak. Before she could respond or decline, Wei Qingming had already stood up and left.
I watched this and sighed. She wasn't doing this to compensate someone else; it was because Xiaoyan’s words had truly pierced her heart, and she couldn't forgive herself. In truth, Xiaoyan was just an ordinary friend to me, nowhere near as important as her words suggested. Wei was simply too consumed by guilt over my loneliness...
The Commandant had rushed back to the capital from the south, so the aftermath was naturally hurried. By morning, four or five groups of people had already arrived. Hong Lu and the two Lieutenants were coming and going like spinning tops. A-Wan hadn't returned with them; I didn't know what errand she was off performing. Although Lord Wei didn't need to eat lunch, others did, yet they were too busy to leave the mountain of case files. So, I had food prepared and served directly in the main hall of the front courtyard where they were deliberating. I went out with a smile to offer a toast before returning to the rear courtyard.
The two Lieutenants were terrified, not daring to look me in the eye. The others were even worse, clearly afraid their superior would gouge out the eyes of anyone who looked at me too long or cut out the tongue of anyone who spoke an extra word... But since the Lady of the house had been so gracious, everyone felt refreshed after the meal, and their efficiency soared.
In the afternoon, several more groups came and went. Zhu Yixin and I were reading a novel by "Sorrows of a Thousand Years" when Muyu lifted the curtain. Yin Deng walked in gracefully, smiling brightly. "What good book are you reading? Let me have a look too."
Seeing her vibrant makeup and high spirits, I knew she had recovered after a night's rest following her rescue. I joked, "The protagonist just got kidnapped. Do you still dare to read it?"
"In our novels, the protagonist is a great beauty like you, not me. What do I have to fear?"
The three of us laughed for a while. I asked Yin Deng why she had come. Although she had visited the house once or twice recently, it was always at my invitation. Her arrival today was likely regarding the matter at the temple. Nominally, Ninth Commandant Wei was on holiday today, but there were simply too many matters; she couldn't rest at all, so every faction had flooded into the Orange Garden. She didn't go to the office to work simply because she couldn't bear to be so far from me. Though separated by the front and back courtyards, being a bit closer brought peace to her heart.
Sure enough, Yin Deng’s eyes flickered as she smiled. "I am here to report on official business. Lord Chu has arrived as well to discuss matters regarding that Demon Zither. Let us go and listen together."
I sent Lanzhao to fetch Qiao Songlin and told her to check on my eldest brother’s condition; if he was well enough, he could come along. The three of us strolled leisurely, admiring the snow-covered garden as we made our way to the front courtyard. Halfway there, we were caught up by Qiao Songlin and Lu Kaifeng. With Sister Qing by his side, his injuries were indeed healing rapidly...
When our group entered the hall, the two Commandants were already seated as host and guest. Chu Jiangheng was saying, "The mark on the Demon Zither won't hold for long. Miss Lu said there is hope until tomorrow morning, but after noon, there are no guarantees. Ye Thirteen can't do anything with her. As for Li Thirty-Six’s side, Miss He and Miss Zhou were separated; only the former has been found. Vice Minister Zhou of the Ministry of Works has several official mausoleums scheduled for construction next year, which was already a mess of details. Now his heart is in a frantic state, and he’s fallen ill at home. Because of this, the Emperor is displeased. This holiday of yours cannot be taken."
Wei Qingming merely nodded calmly upon hearing this. Seeing us enter, she ordered Hong Lu to stoke the charcoal fire and placed braziers near the three of us women and the ailing Lu Kaifeng. Because people were constantly entering and exiting the hall, the doors were left open. Although there were formations to guard against heat and cold, they weren't entirely effective, and the room was only moderately warm. She even reached out to press down on my hand as I moved to untie my cloak, telling me to wait until I warmed up. This caused Chu Jiangheng to frown, a flash of surprise and disdain in his eyes. Clearly, having worked with Wei Qingming for many years, this was the first time he had seen her acting so sentimental toward a woman...
