Chapter 741

Chapter 748: Surprise (Part 2)

Seeing Lady Eleven hurrying over, Xu Sijin quickly pushed aside the crowd surrounding him.

"Mother!" He opened his arms to embrace her but then remembered his father's repeated warnings not to act like a child clinging to his mother in front of others. He immediately changed his gesture to adjusting his robes. "I'm back!"

He knelt before Lady Eleven.

Everyone in the room either bowed or cupped their hands in salute, and the courtyard was filled with the sound of rustling as people knelt.

Having already seen her son earlier, Lady Eleven felt less surprise and more joy.

She stepped forward to take her son's hand and asked with a smile, "After the prisoner presentation ceremony, Lord Gong handed over his command seal. Why did you only return now? Grandmother has asked about you several times!"

Xu Sijin stood up and supported his mother, explaining, "Lord Gong left the capital yesterday. As the former Guizhou Commander, he had some official matters to instruct me on. Given his mentorship and kindness, I escorted Lord Gong off before returning."

Lady Eleven nodded. "Let's go see Grandmother first." She let her son support her as they walked toward the elder madam’s residence, chatting along the way. "When will you assume your post? How many days can you stay at home?"

The Ministry of Personnel’s documents would specify the arrival date. Failure to arrive on time could result in dismissal or even imprisonment.

"His Majesty has granted me special permission to stay home for two days," Xu Sijin said. "I must arrive at my post by the twenty-second of July."

According to court regulations, those stationed more than two thousand li (about 650 miles) away from the capital were given fifteen days to assume their posts. The Ministry of Personnel's allowance for Xu Sijin to arrive by the twenty-second was already quite generous.

For officials, advisors, guards, servants, maids, cooks, doorkeepers—all had to be personally selected, and they needed to be loyal and capable. Otherwise, if those who followed to the post engaged in misconduct or oppressed the people under the master's name, it could ruin one's reputation. Being impeached by censors was minor; worse, offending the wrong person could cost one's career or even life.

For Xu Siyu, the family had long been prepared, and with Lord Xiang's help, the retinue was quickly decided once the official document arrived. The news of Xu Sijin's appointment as Guizhou Commander came too suddenly, leaving the family unprepared. Although Xu Sijin was not afraid of offending people, harming the common people or making enemies over such matters would mean the gains wouldn’t outweigh the losses... Lady Eleven asked Lord Xu to help Jin-ge’er make a decision, but Lord Xu said he should first ask Xu Sijin himself, adding that if Xu Sijin lacked capable people around him while away from home, he would fail in Guizhou and might as well return after a brief visit!

She felt somewhat anxious for Xu Sijin and was about to ask him when Shen-ge’er suddenly jumped out from behind them.

"Sixth Brother, I want to go to Guizhou with you." Xu Sizhun and the others, heeding their mother's words, dared not speak up, but Shen-ge’er had always been close to Lady Eleven and was used to speaking freely with her. In his eagerness, he couldn't hold back. "I also want to train at the garrison like Sixth Brother, to achieve merits and build a career through real ability!" He spoke with an envious expression.

Cheng-ge’er had long been eager but too afraid to speak up. Seeing his brother speak, he mustered courage. "Sixth Brother, take me along too! I also want to go to Guizhou."

Xu Sijin was surprised but soon smiled. "In battle, fathers and sons fight together; to hunt tigers, brothers join forces. Of course, I want you to come! I'm just afraid Fifth Uncle and Aunt Fifth won't agree! As long as Fifth Uncle and Aunt Fifth consent, I'll take you to Guizhou right away."

The two brothers cheered.

"Both so grown up, yet still shouting and cheering like children, so impatient?" Aunt Fifth suddenly emerged from the elder madam's courtyard, scolding her two sons. "Look at Jin-ge’er—only two or three years older than you, yet so much steadier..."

Shen-ge’er and Cheng-ge’er looked somewhat embarrassed.

Lady Eleven quickly came to their defense. "It's just because Jin-ge’er is back! The two brothers are just happy."

Xu Sijin quickly stepped forward to salute Aunt Fifth. "Aunt Fifth, how have you been? Last time Seventh Brother wrote to me, saying you had trouble sleeping during the summer. It's midsummer again—are you feeling better? I have a colleague from Hunan who says the bamboo sleeping mats from Junshan are particularly refreshing. I'll ask him to bring one back for you to try, to see if it helps you stay cooler!" Aunt Fifth had only been worried that Xu Sijin, so young yet already a Regional Commander, might look down on Shen-ge’er and Cheng-ge’er for their childishness. She wasn't truly scolding her sons. Xu Sijin's gentle and considerate words made her feel respected, and her slight concerns vanished.

She smiled warmly and said, "You're too thoughtful," then addressed Xu Sijin and Lady Eleven: "Mother heard Jin-ge’er was back and couldn't sit still, insisting on going to greet him. The weather is too hot, and everyone was afraid to let the elder madam go out. I was just about to check if Jin-ge’er had arrived..." As she spoke, a clamor of voices arose from the courtyard.

"Oh dear!" Aunt Fifth's expression changed slightly. "Second Madame must have failed to stop her..."

Before she finished speaking, Xu Sijin had already rushed into the courtyard in three quick steps.

Everyone hurried after him.

Second Madame and several maids from the elder madam's side stood on the steps, trying to dissuade the elder madam, who leaned on a cane.

"Grandmother, Grandmother!" Xu Sijin hurried over. "I'm back!"

"Oh, oh!" The elder madam embraced Xu Sijin, who was about to kowtow to her. "Our Jin-ge’er is finally back!" Then, as if remembering something, she stepped back to scrutinize him. "I heard you captured Duoyan—were you injured? Did you eat well in the military camp? Did Chang'an serve you properly? Was Gong Dongning good to you? You performed such meritorious deeds—what did His Majesty say when he saw you?" Her questions barraged him, full of concern. "Grandmother, I'm absolutely fine, don't worry." Xu Sijin rolled up his sleeves, revealing a sturdy arm. "See, does this look like I haven't eaten well?" Then he supported the elder madam toward the house. "The Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of War have already issued the documents. I must take up my post by the twenty-second of this month, so I can stay home at most two days. All these years away, I've dreamed of the family's red-braised lion’s head meatballs. How about letting the kitchen make me a bowl first before we get into all these questions?"

Upon hearing that he could stay home for at most two days and had been longing to eat braised pork balls, the elder madam felt so heartbroken that she immediately dropped her questions. She took Xu Sijin’s hand and called out to Dew, “Quick, go tell the kitchen to prepare braised pork balls for the sixth young master!”

Dew acknowledged and left at once.

The elder madam smiled contentedly and allowed Xu Sijin to help her sit on the heated kang by the window in the sitting room.

Xu Sijin fetched a stool himself and sat before the elder madam. “Grandmother, I noticed you have a lot of white hair. Have you not been drinking walnut paste properly?”

“Nonsense, of course I have!” the elder madam retorted with a frown, immediately growing worried. “I don’t know why, but my white hair just keeps increasing. Your second aunt said she would dye my hair for me, but once it’s dyed, the new growth comes out white again, making it two-toned and strange-looking, like some kind of monster. So I just let it be.” She then asked anxiously, “Do I look frightening?”

“How could you?” Xu Sijin said earnestly. “I think it looks really nice. It shimmers silver and makes you look dignified and venerable.”

The elder madam’s eyes curved into happy crescents. “I think so too,” she said repeatedly. “But everyone kept telling me to dye it, so I had to go along. Luckily, you’re back now, or else I wouldn’t even have anyone to speak up for me!”

What kind of reasoning was that?

Everyone exchanged glances and smiled wryly.

Xu Sijin then shared amusing stories from the military camp, and the elder madam laughed heartily. After Lord Xu took Xu Sijin to pay respects to the ancestors, the Third Young Master and his wife, upon hearing the news, brought their sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren over. The entire third branch gathered at the elder madam’s residence, where six tables were set up, separated by gender. Amber led the way to set up ten tables in the elder madam’s courtyard to reward the influential housekeepers and senior maids of the inner court, while Steward Bai arranged over twenty tables in the outer courtyard’s flower hall to reward the well-known stewards of the outer court. After three rounds of drinks, Steward Bai and several senior stewards came in to toast Xu Sijin. The elder madam laughed and scolded Steward Bai from behind the screen for not being considerate, while Steward Bai bantered and joked with her, eliciting waves of laughter and making the breezy midsummer night lively and warm.

After the banquet, the elder madam insisted that Xu Sijin stay in her room for the night. Lord Xu naturally did not object. After giving Xu Sijin a few instructions, everyone dispersed.

Eleven Miss spoke with Lord Xu about Xu Sijin agreeing to take Shen Geer and Cheng Geer to Guizhou: “…I wonder if Fifth Sister-in-law will be willing to let her children go. I certainly couldn’t bear it back then.” Lord Xu laughed and said, “What mother wouldn’t want to keep her children close by her side? Dan County naturally can’t bear to part with them. But this matter concerns the children’s future—it’s not about whether she’s willing or not. Besides, there’s still Old Marquis Sun, and the heir to the Dingnan Marquis title isn’t a fool either. He won’t let Dan County act recklessly.”

“So, are you planning to ask Old Marquis Sun to intervene?”

“We’ll see how things go tomorrow,” Lord Xu said. “Dan County might come around on her own.”

They chatted idly before retiring for the night.

Early the next morning, Amber quietly told Eleven Miss, “There was quite a commotion at Fifth Madam’s place last night. Both Shen Geer and Cheng Geer want to go to Guizhou. Fifth Madam said Shen Geer, as the eldest son, should stay home and only agreed to let Cheng Geer go. Shen Geer was unhappy and protested, threatening to tell Old Marquis Sun! Fifth Madam was furious!” This was only natural.

The eldest son could inherit privileges, so it was natural to find a path for the second son.

As she pondered this, Xu Sijin came to pay his respects.

“Father, could you help me find an advisor?” he asked bluntly, seeking Lord Xu’s help. “I have a few people around me who can serve as guards, attendants, even gatekeepers or cooks without any problem, but finding a suitable advisor is difficult!” He added, “Lord Gong also asked me about this before he left. I thought he might have someone to recommend, but he merely inquired. From the look of it, it wasn’t that he had no candidates but rather that he avoided the matter to prevent any misunderstanding.” “So, what do you have in mind?” Lord Xu asked leisurely.