Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Seven

Chapter One Hundred Eighty-Seven

The eastern wall of Luo City stretches for about fifteen li, with the Luo River as the boundary. To the north of the Luo River, the Upper East Gate is set up, while to the south, the Jianchun Gate and Yongtong Gate are established.

Because the old master wouldn’t return to the city until evening, Tong Sui suggested that the families from Wei County should go back to their respective homes to settle down first. Families like the Sun, Zhang, and Pan could come together to visit the old master on the day of rest, the tenth. Her own parents, her aunt, and Aunt Xiao should also return to their homes first, satisfying their curiosity about the new home. After resting enough, they could come to the Duke’s mansion in the evening for a reunion dinner.

This way, the group would split and enter through two different city gates, to avoid drawing too much attention.

Though Feng Ji, Lu Gong, Fan Zhao, and Luo Xiao, the old timers of Jizhou, were all enfeoffed as dukes and marquises, only the Xiao family, who had joined the Xingping Emperor midway, had both a duke and a marquis in the family. Moreover, the young men of the Xiao family were all holding official positions as commanders of the third rank in the guards. On the surface, the Xiao family was the most prestigious among the meritorious subjects who followed the emperor to power. Privately, many people envied and were jealous of them.

The Tong and Qiao families were related by marriage to the Xiao family and were certainly considered part of the Xiao family faction. The Sun, Zhang, and Pan families were brought out of Lingshui Village by the old master, and in the eyes of outsiders, they were also solidly part of the Xiao faction. Usually, when they were apart, it wasn’t too obvious. But today, when everyone entered through the same city gate in a grand procession, wouldn’t the people talk?

The old master didn’t like making such a public display, and Tong Sui didn’t need it either.

"Alright, then we’ll go to pay our respects to the Duke in a few days."

"We’ll go a bit earlier in the afternoon."

The ten mule carriages were split up. Six crossed the river to go through the Jianchun Gate, while three carriages of the Xiao family and one carriage of Jiang’s went through the Upper East Gate. Following them were three flatbed mule carriages of the Xiao family, carrying luggage.

The carriages carrying people also had space for luggage, enough for each family to place two large trunks and small bundles. Only the Xiao family needed separate carriages to transport the two carts of military rewards they had received and the books from the five full bookshelves of rare books from the Xiao family’s old home in Lingshui Village.

Before Aunt Xiao was leaving, she quietly instructed Tong Sui about something that the old master had previously written to his daughter about.

Therefore, while waiting outside the Upper East Gate, when the city guard saw the token of the Duke’s mansion and was about to let them pass, Xiao Ye insisted on bringing them to a mule carriage and asking the guard to inspect the boxes.

The guard inspected two boxes, and the people waiting in line also stood on tiptoe to peek. When they saw that the boxes only contained old books that looked like they had been around for many years, they shrank back. The guard, having fulfilled his duty, no longer wanted to inspect and instead smiled, inviting the Wei Duke’s mansion group into the city.

As they passed through Sigong Fang, Jiang’s and Zhou Gui’s mother and daughter returned to the Zhou family’s home first.

The Xiao family’s six carriages continued forward. As soon as they entered Qinghua Fang, some residents inside began to gather, including servants and maids from some wealthy families.

Although the road was smooth, the mule carriages still swayed regularly. As they turned a corner, a box suddenly fell from a flatbed mule carriage. The moment the box hit the ground, the lid loosened, spilling out the top layers of books, which were also packed full.

Hearing the noise, Xiao Ye rode back and, upon seeing this, chided the guards accompanying the carriage, saying, "You’re too busy sightseeing to notice the boxes are crooked. The old master holds these books most dear. Pick them up quickly!"

Saying that, he jumped off his horse first and picked up a book, wiping the dust off with his sleeve before carefully placing it back into the book box.

Xiao She also came to help.

Xiao Ye was mostly putting on a show, but Xiao She, unaware of the real situation, knew that their old master did cherish the family’s collection of books. So, he mimicked Xiao Ye’s behavior, wiping with his sleeve and blowing off the dust.

These two brothers, both burly men, treated the books with the care of scholars. A nearby old scholar, stroking his beard, commended them, saying, "The Xiao family has such a fine family tradition. No wonder the old Duke has cultivated so many capable descendants."

Hearing this, Xiao Ye looked up, smiled at the old man, and said, "You flatter us, old sir. My father loves books, and my uncle and second brother also love reading. But we three brothers get a headache whenever we see books. When we were young, we played pranks on our private tutors and skipped class, and were frequently scolded by our father."

Xiao She added, "Yes, there was one time when the tutor came to our house to complain. Third and Fourth Brothers pulled me to hide in the mountains. In the end, the old master promised not to hit our palms, so we agreed to come back. But instead of hitting our palms, he tied us to a tree and gave each of us ten lashes."

The two brothers reminisced about their mischievousness in their younger days with a look of pride, not unlike the sons of ordinary families. The neighbors laughed but also felt that the Xiao family seemed quite approachable, unlike other prominent families or official households in the neighborhood who were very particular about maintaining decorum and rules.

After the books were packed, Xiao She placed the box back on the carriage, and Xiao Ye tied the ropes. The two brothers bowed to the neighbors and continued with the caravan towards the Duke’s mansion.

As the caravan arrived at the lane where the two mansions were located, not many people were following them anymore. Xiao Yuchan peeked out of the carriage window once more and, seeing a grand vermilion door ahead, asked Xiao She, who was riding beside her, "Is this the right place?"

Xiao She replied, "Yes, but this is the eastern side gate. The main gate is ahead."

Xiao Yuchan, with her peach-blossom eyes wide, stared at the door that was about to fall behind and asked, "Exactly how many gates does our house have?"

Madam He also poked her head out.

Xiao She: "It's like our house in the village, divided into three wings. Each wing has its own main gate, and the interiors are interconnected."

Madam He: "The central wing is the Duke's residence, and one wing is the Marquis’s residence. Who will live in the third wing?"

Xiao She: "No, all three wings belong to the Duke's residence. The Marquis’s residence is a separate mansion nearby, also a large estate divided into three wings."

Madam He clutched her chest in shock.

Xiao Yuchan: "Wow! This is even more extravagant than what I pictured!"

Xiao Ye chimed in with a smile, "There are more than fifty servants in the Duke's mansion alone. They're all waiting in the front courtyard to greet us. You two better be prepared and act like a noble lady and a young miss. Don't let the servants laugh at us."

Xiao Yuchan confidently lifted her chin, "I'm ready."

Madam He, wide-eyed, remarked, "More than fifty servants? It would take several days just to remember all their names, wouldn’t it?"

Xiao Ye: "You can become familiar with the young maids slowly. As for the senior maids, Second Aunt can continue calling them by their original names. If you find them awkward to pronounce, you can rename them to something easier."

Madam He nodded.

At that moment, the convoy stopped.

After introducing the new masters to the servants, Tong Sui instructed them to resume their duties.

There were still three carts of goods outside. Just as Xiao Ye was about to instruct some young servants to move the goods to the storerooms and study, Lin Ningfang suddenly spoke, "Fourth Younger Brother, Grandfather wrote earlier to instruct us to divide those military reward items into two carts. One cart is for the Duke's residence, and the other is for the Marquis’s residence. We should separate them now to avoid moving them again."

Madam He had already walked some distance with her daughter, eager to tour the new residence. Hearing this, she stopped and turned back. She saw her daughter-in-law standing in the courtyard with Tong Sui and Liu Chu. Behind them, not far away, were two wide-open crimson doors.

This daughter-in-law, who had always seemed out of place in the old village residence, now appeared as if she had finally returned to where she belonged. Even though she wore only a simple cotton dress and no makeup, her slightly swollen eyes did not detract from her presence. She looked more like the mistress of the house than Lady Anguo, Tong Sui, and even made Liu Chu appear like a beautiful but rustic village girl.

Madam He was clearly displeased.

Her mother-in-law was long gone, and she was the lady of the Duke's residence now. She should be the one giving orders. Even if she had forgotten Grandfather's instructions, Lin Ningfang should have reminded her, not bypassed her to instruct the servants directly, as if she intended to keep the military reward items in her own storeroom.

"Is it that urgent? We've just reunited as a family. Aman and Fourth Younger Brother aren't in a hurry, but you're eager to play the good person. The boxes are all sealed. Would they get mixed up if we waited a little longer?"

Madam He might not have mastered the bearing of a mistress, but she always carried the air of a mother-in-law. Even though Lin Ningfang had never taken her seriously as a mother-in-law.

The ten guards, all previously wounded soldiers who had stayed in Wei County and were familiar with the Xiao family, now looked a bit bewildered. Several young servants, pointed out by Xiao Ye and more experienced, quickly sensed the tension between the new daughter-in-law and the daughter-in-law of the Marquis’s residence and bowed their heads respectfully.

Regarding the property of the Marquis’s residence, neither Tong Sui nor Xiao Ye felt it appropriate to intervene.

Lin Ningfang replied calmly to Madam He, "There are at least ten boxes, weighing hundreds of jin altogether. Moving them from the entrance to the storeroom here is exhausting enough. Moving them again to the Marquis’s storeroom would double the distance. Grandfather, being meticulous, specifically mentioned it in his letter. When we packed the carts at home, Aunt also made sure to separate them. I'm merely following Grandfather's consideration for the servants' well-being and have no other intentions."

Madam He was speechless.

Xiao Yuchan stepped in to mediate, "Alright, it's not a big deal. Why argue over this? Let's go inside and take a look!"

Mother is foolish. She couldn’t get her hands on Second Brother and Second Sister-in-law’s rewards in Wei County. Now that we're in Luoyang, with Grandfather in charge, and Second Brother and Fourth Younger Brother aren't fools, could she possibly gain anything?

Madam He was still angry, "It's not about the rewards. She didn't show me, her mother-in-law, any respect!"

Xiao Yuchan: "Third Sister-in-law is helping you fill in the gaps. You're the one thinking negatively."

Over the past year, Tong Shan had gained a scholarly air under Third Sister-in-law's guidance, and Mianmian had been taught to behave like a young lady. Even their Yao Ge Er was more disciplined than before. These benefits would last a lifetime, more valuable than if Third Sister-in-law had given the children hundreds or thousands of taels of silver. Xiao Yuchan would not side with her mother to offend her sister-in-law again.

Once Madam He left, the atmosphere in the courtyard returned to harmony.

Xiao Ye went ahead with a carriage to the Marquis’s residence to settle the arrangements. Tong Sui asked Lin Ningfang, "Would you like to rest in the eastern courtyard first, or join us for a tour?"

The Lin family mansion also had three sections, so she didn’t believe Lin Ningfang would be interested in touring a mansion similar to a ducal residence at the moment.

Lin Ningfang had cried in the carriage for a long time and definitely needed to compose herself. She smiled and said, "Second sister-in-law, why don’t you accompany First sister-in-law and Mianmian on the tour? I am indeed a little tired."

Tong Sui nodded.

Ah Zhen supported Lin Ningfang as they headed towards the eastern courtyard, with a young maid leading the way.

Tong Sui took Mianmian’s hand and said to Liu Chu, "First sister-in-law will be living in the Marquis’s residence. The rooms inside and outside have been tidied up. I’ll show you around first before we go to rest. The two residences are connected, with doors between the front and back courtyards."

Liu Chu was the one who had the hardest time adjusting, especially in terms of her self-esteem. "You all risked your lives on the battlefield to earn this wealth and honor, yet I haven’t contributed any effort. I’m just reaping the benefits for nothing..."

Tong Sui cut her off, "Big sister-in-law, I’ll be angry if you say this again. How can we keep track of such things among family? Otherwise, does that mean Third sister-in-law should feel ashamed as well? And should my parents take my younger brother and return to Taohuagou?"

Liu Chu turned her head away, and tears uncontrollably fell down her face.

She understood Tong Sui’s meaning and knew that neither her brother-in-law nor sister-in-law saw her as a burden, but could a daughter-in-law be the same as parents and siblings?

Her daughter could comfortably enjoy the wealth of the Xiao family, but she couldn’t.

Outside, Tong Sui didn’t want to incite more tears from Liu Chu. After returning to the Marquis’s residence, Tong Sui took Liu Chu to the inner rooms. She prepared a towel and handed it over, then shared the old master’s words from the move: "Grandfather clearly stated that two of the shares were for you and Yu Chan, not for the children. This shows that in grandfather’s eyes, you and Yu Chan are equally cherished by him."

Tong Sui wasn’t sure about other families, but at least in the Xiao family, from what she had seen, Liu Chu’s filial piety towards the old master was far greater than Xiao Yu Chan’s. Not to mention the extra household chores Liu Chu did before marrying in, even during her leisure time, Liu Chu would make clothes and shoes for the old master every few days. What had Xiao Yu Chan contributed besides sweet words, coquettish behavior, and empty compliments?

Of course, Xiao Yu Chan was the biological granddaughter, and whether she was lazy or not, it was up to the old master to indulge her laziness. The relationship between grandfather and granddaughter was not for Tong Sui to comment on, but the fact that the old master had specifically set aside a share of property for Liu Chu, Tong Sui found it very fair and believed that Liu Chu fully deserved to enjoy the prosperity of the Xiao family.

Upon hearing this for the first time, Liu Chu covered her face with the towel and wept uncontrollably.

By dusk, Xiao Mu, Xiao Zhen, Xiao Shouyi, and Xiao Yan all returned early from their duties at the Southern Camp.

In the eyes of Lady He and others, Xiao Shouyi and his nephews hadn’t changed much, but the old master, whose hair was as black as ink when they left Wei County, now had a mix of black and white hair.

"Father!"

Auntie Xiao was the first to rush over, tears streaming down her face. She would rather give up this immense wealth if it meant the old master could be healthy and live a long life.

Xiao Yu Chan and Mianmian followed, their eyes brimming with tears. Liu Chu, who had already cried over the old master’s thoughtfulness in the morning, once again dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief.

Seeing this, Lady He also wanted to cry but couldn’t squeeze out any tears, so she could only express her heartache verbally.

Xiao Mu embraced his daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter, and said with a cheerful smile, "Alright, alright, it’s a day of family gathering. If the neighbors hear you crying like this, they might think something terrible has happened to us. Stop it now, let’s go inside and have a happy chat!"

Xiao Zhen carried Mianmian away, Uncle Xiao led his wife, and Xiao She, reminded by his father, led his sister away.

Xiao Yan gazed intently at his wife.

Lin Ningfang met his gaze, then supported Liu Chu as they walked inside.