Chapter 723

Chapter 730 Distant News (Part 2)

The imperial exam results list was released, and Xu Siyu ranked tenth in the second tier.

The Xu family celebrated together, and even in-laws like Yongchang Marquis and Marquis Weibei joined in the joy, sending stewards with carts of firecrackers to set off at the Xu residence. The father of Third Madam even made a special trip to visit Xu Siyu.

Lord Xu revealed a proud and satisfied smile in front of Eleven Miss.

Eleven Miss covered her sleeve and laughed, "If others didn’t know better, they’d think it was you who passed the imperial exams!" Lord Xu embraced her and gave her a passionate kiss.

Eleven Miss giggled and pushed him playfully, and the two collapsed into each other’s arms...

Xu Siyu, meanwhile, was constantly attending banquets—sometimes meeting fellow candidates, other times paying respects to his mentors. If he wasn’t being invited to feasts, he was rarely seen at home.

Second Madam finally seized an opportunity to pull Xu Siyu aside for a talk. "It’s fine to enjoy the celebrations, but what’s truly important is the upcoming Hanlin Academy entrance exam..."

Xu Siyu remained silent but came to see Eleven Miss the next day.

"Mother!" he greeted respectfully, "I wish to serve in a provincial post." In other words, he had no intention of taking the Hanlin Academy entrance exam!

Eleven Miss was astonished.

"Does your father know?" she asked after a moment’s thought.

"I haven’t yet spoken to Father," Xu Siyu said hesitantly. "While it is said that while parents are alive, children should not journey far, and staying in Yanjing would be ideal, I would rather see Jiangnan for myself." He offered a gentle smile. "Fortunately, Fourth Brother can remain here to care for you and Father in my stead, while I take Xiang Shi and the children to enjoy the scenery elsewhere." He stepped forward and slowly knelt before Eleven Miss. "Mother," he gazed up at her, his eyes filled with a mix of sorrow, reluctance, and relief, "please forgive my failure in filial duty." As he spoke, his eyes grew red and moist.

At a time when he had outshone Xu Sizhun by ranking higher in the imperial exams, he was choosing to let Xu Sizhun take his place in caring for their parents while he moved far away to Jiangnan with Xiang Shi and the children—even intending to stay away for years—asking her to forgive his failure in filial duty... Was he trying to show Xu Sizhun that he had chosen a path that would not obstruct him? Or perhaps he meant this as a message to Lord Xu!

Eleven Miss felt an ache of sadness in her heart. "Your father has always valued you highly. Otherwise, he would not have arranged the marriage with the Xiang family..."

"I know," Xu Siyu nodded, his smile growing more relieved. "That’s why I want to go to Jiangnan!" Having said this, he stood up. "Mother, which places would you like to see? Once I’m settled, you must come stay with me for a few days. I’ll take you around to see the sights—we can go boating on the lake, listen to operas at teahouses..." He stood there gracefully, his eyes smiling like the serene as a moonlit breeze, as refreshing as a sprouting tree in spring, with no trace of his former gloom.

Eleven Miss couldn’t help but relax her expression, revealing a tender smile.

Leaving isn’t always an end; sometimes, it is the beginning of soaring on new wings!

By the time Lord Xu returned to their rooms, it was already time to light the lamps.

The bright red lanterns swayed in the wind, and to his eyes, they suddenly seemed even more festive.

Slightly tipsy, he entered the room, where the maids Han Xiao and Yan Xiang approached cheerfully to help him change.

He went to the side room to wash his face, then chewed on some tea leaves to freshen his breath and rid himself of the alcohol scent.

"Where is Madam?"

"In the inner chamber, reading." Leng Xiang, who was from Jiangnan, had been with the Xu family for over a year. Though she spoke the capital’s dialect, it carried the soft, melodic lilt unique to the Jiangnan region.

Eleven Miss was also from Jiangnan, but her enunciation was precise and clear, with a crisp elegance. Her capital dialect was even more polished than his, a native’s.

At this thought, he rubbed his head.

Eleven Miss had spoken the capital dialect from the moment she married into the family, drinking spicy and sour soup without any discomfort, as if she had grown up in their household. Was this what people meant by "birds of a feather flock together"?

Lord Xu smiled as he entered the inner chamber, greeted by a wave of warmth.

Eleven Miss had a delicate constitution. For many years, while other households only started heating their kang beds at the onset of winter, their room began using the heated kang by the tenth month.

She was draped in a dark red, woven silk coverlet with a vase pattern, reclining against a golden-yellow brocade cushion embroidered with carp by the window on the heated kang, lazily flipping through a book. She reminded him of a kitten warming itself by the stove... His heart warmed, and he quickly walked over to sit by the kang, reaching inside the coverlet to grasp her delicate, jade-like foot...

Lady Eleven was deeply engrossed in her book when she was startled, jerking her leg back instinctively, only to have it gently pulled back again.

She teasingly glared at him with a smile: "My Lord, you're back!..."

Lord Xu murmured "Hmm," his thumb delicately stroking the smooth skin of her foot, making her heart flutter. She quickly sat up straight and handed him the book in her hand: "What does my Lord think of Yangzhou?"

It was that copy of *The Nine Domains of Da Zhou*.

Lady Eleven hadn’t opened this book in a very long time.

His eyes narrowed slightly: "Yangzhou is quite good. Very prosperous. With delicious food." Then he asked, "Why suddenly ask about Yangzhou?"

"Yuge'er said he wants to take Lady Xiang and the children to take an official post in Jiangnan!" Lady Eleven gazed at Lord Xu.

Lord Xu fell silent, and the hand under the covers stilled.

The maid Leng Xiang entered to serve tea.

The lady and the lord sat intimately close, yet the atmosphere in the room felt icy cold.

She hunched her shoulders slightly and slipped quietly out.

Lord Xu picked up the teacup and took a sip: "Did he say anything else?"

"He said he wants me to visit him at his post." Lady Eleven looked at him with sympathy in her eyes, "...take me boating and to operas..."

Lord Xu remained silent for a long time, then let out a long sigh, set down the teacup, and leaned against the large bolster next to Lady Eleven: "Then let him go!" He added in a voice barely above a whisper, "This might be for the best... you respect me, I respect you... Zhun'er knows what’s good for him..."

Lady Eleven wrapped her arms around his and rested her head on his shoulder: "Then find him a good post, won’t you? When the time comes, we’ll take the children and see Xu Siyu off at the boat!" Lord Xu responded with a deep "hmm..." and sent a fast horse to deliver a message to the Huguang Provincial Administration Commission.

Lord Xiang expressed neither regret nor emotion over Xu Siyu’s decision, instead calmly and rationally mapping out his official career. He suggested major tax collection areas like Taicang, Gaochun, or Jiaqing, or key transportation hubs like Fenzhou, Dezhou, or Changzhou: "...He cannot serve as the chief official right away. First, gain experience in such large counties, then take a local magistrate role in affluent small counties like Tongxiang, Xiushui, or Pinghu. If tax revenues increase, opportunities for promotion will be much greater than for others... Alternatively, take the opposite approach: serve as a local magistrate in poor counties like Shenqiu, Baofeng, or Nanzhao, where it’s easier to accomplish something noteworthy!..."

Lord Xu spent two or three days deliberating in his study and eventually decided to strive for a post in places like Taicang, Gaochun, or Jiaqing.

During the Spring Festival, he made a special trip to Minister Chen’s residence. After the New Year, Xu Siyu was appointed as a judge in Jiaqing Prefecture, holding a rank 7b.

Ever since Xu Siyu chose not to take the Hanlin scholar exam, rumors had spread like spring weeds throughout the Xu residence. When the news finally broke, the Elder Madam remained silent for a long time before instructing Luzhu, who kept the keys to the storage boxes: "Take out my jewelry. I want to give some away..."

Yingniang was envious and said to Xu Sijie, who was soothing the child: "If mother goes to visit second brother, let’s insist on going too!..."

Xu Sijie laughed heartily: "I wouldn’t dare. If you want to say it, you go ahead and say it!"

"Fine, I’ll say it then." Yingniang glared at him. "Just don’t hold me back when the time comes."

A young maid rushed in: "The fourth young master is here!" Xu Sijie handed Zhuang Geer to Yingniang and explained: "Fourth brother invited me to see second brother off together. We plan to drink at Chunxi Tower." "Then come back early!" Yingniang saw him out of the courtyard gate and, carrying the child, went to Lady Jiang’s rooms.

Lady Jiang was in the storeroom.

Hearing that Yingniang had arrived, she walked out while rolling down her sleeves.

Yingniang had the nursemaid take the child to play with Ting Geer while she discussed with Lady Jiang: "Second sister-in-law and the others are going to Jiaxing. What should we give them as a farewell gift?"

"I was just in the storeroom looking at things!" Yingniang had a cheerful personality and got along well with her sisters-in-law. Lady Jiang smiled. "They’ll likely have plenty of fabrics over there. Grandmother and mother will probably give jewelry or the like. I thought of giving them official kiln porcelain—they probably don’t have much of that in Jiangnan, right?"

"Very little!" Yingniang laughed. "Then I’ll follow your lead and give porcelain too!"

After settling on this, they went to Lady Xiang’s place.

The room was bustling with noise. Several of Lady Xiang’s attendant matrons were calling out inventory items from ledgers, while senior maids directed younger maids in checking and storing things. Half-packed items were scattered everywhere. Qing Geer, attracted by the commotion, insisted on playing in the main room. He wanted to touch every handled vase and examine every teacup, keeping the nursemaid’s eyes glued to him. The maids and older women packing things were exhausted, constantly exclaiming, "Oh, ancestors...", yet Lady Xiang was nowhere to be seen.

Jiang Shi and Yingniang exchanged a puzzled look.

Xiang Shi’s nanny hurriedly invited the two to sit in the side hall: "The Second Young Mistress was called to Shaohua Courtyard by the second madam early in the morning!"

Unlike the noise and commotion in Xiang Shi’s quarters, Shaohua Courtyard was quiet. As the second madam had moved to the elder madam’s residence, only two maids responsible for cleaning the courtyard and two others tending the study remained in the back rooms of Shaohua Courtyard. Only Jiexiang was inside serving tea.

"You must have heard from your mother when you were young that your grandmother secretly gave me all the Xiang family’s books as part of my dowry, right?" The second madam sat upright on the luohan bed (a traditional wooden daybed) in the study. Her expression was cold, leaving Xiang Shi somewhat uncertain of her intentions.

"I’ve heard Mother mention it," she replied honestly. "As it was a matter between elders, we juniors didn’t pay very close attention…" Before she could finish, the second madam suddenly stood up and walked toward the study, cutting her off: "Follow me!"

Xiang Shi did not dare hesitate and hurried after her.

The bookshelves in the eastern study were completely empty, but several camphorwood chests carved with auspicious patterns of persimmons had been added.

"These are the books I brought from the Xiang family," the second madam slowed down, her hand gently tracing the persimmons carved on the camphorwood chests with a sense of lingering attachment. "They’re all here. I’m giving them to you. Have someone come collect them."

Xiang Shi was stunned.

The second madam had already turned and left the study without looking back.

Xiang Shi hurried to where Eleven Miss was: "Mother, what should I do?"

"Since the second madam gave them to you, you should take them."

These were the second madam’s possessions, and she had the right to decide whom to give them to.