Chapter 158 Aunt and Nephew

Chapter 158 Aunt and Nephew

Throughout the history of power transitions in ancient China, the power struggle between aristocratic families and the imperial throne has always been an unavoidable topic.

When the power of aristocratic families reached its peak, they could even co-govern the empire with the emperor, making the emperor heed their opinions.

The current Yu Dynasty has not yet reached such a stage, but the late emperor's incompetence and absurdity in his later years granted excessive power to these families. After the Yuanhua Emperor ascended the throne, he chose to deliberately indulge and nurture the arrogance and ambition of these families, making them increasingly short-sighted.

Upon learning that the Yuanhua Emperor had long planned to take action against these powerful families, Qiu Huanian felt somewhat relieved.

Although already caught in the whirlpool of power struggles, Qiu Huanian constantly reminded herself that a grounded life was what truly mattered.

Wealth and power were just fleeting illusions, far less joyful than the crops sprouting in the fields, the joyful smiles of the common folk, or the first greetings from family members in the morning and evening.

Several days later, after Jiu Jiu and Cun Lan helped draft the invitations, the imperial edict conferring Qiu Huanian the title of Qishu County Lord finally arrived.

After the edict left the Forbidden City, it was personally delivered to the Qishu County Lord residence in Nanxunfang by officials from the Ministry of Rites, sparking a buzz in the capital.

Qiu Huanian, having experience in receiving edicts, ordered all gates to be opened, changed into formal attire, and performed the ritual of burning incense and making offerings before kneeling to express gratitude according to protocol.

After the three bows and nine kowtows, the Ministry of Rites officials warmly assisted Qiu Huanian to her feet.

"Congratulations, Qishu County Lord. Please take care of your health."

Qiu Huanian was not surprised by the kindness of the Ministry of Rites officials and had Xing Mi present several money pouches as tea money for the officials who delivered the edict.

Whether it was titles or official positions, the higher one climbed, the harder and rarer they became.

The number of Township Lords in the Yu Dynasty was already small, and the number of County Lords was less than one-tenth of that. The officials from the Ministry of Rites mentally went over the list and realized that among the currently living County Lords, only the newly appointed Qishu County Lord had earned her title through her own merits rather than those of her father or brother.

The achievements of Qishu County Lord were indeed remarkable. She single-handedly resolved the issue of cotton for the winter uniforms of the entire Yu Dynasty army, making her worthy of the title and position of County Lord.

The fact that the edict conferring the title arrived as soon as the cotton harvest was completed showed how highly the newly appointed County Lord was regarded by the emperor.

With all these factors combined, the officials delivering the edict naturally treated Qiu Huanian with utmost respect, not daring to show any negligence.

Qiu Huanian received a new set of ceremonial attire and a waist token for the County Lord. Although she was not granted a county as a fief, she was given nearly two hundred acres of land in the capital region, along with numerous jewels, silks, and precious spices.

The County Lord enjoyed the treatment of a fifth-rank official, with a monthly stipend of thirty-two taels of silver, totaling three hundred and eighty-four taels a year, in addition to five hundred dan of rice annually.

If the stipend and rice of a Township Lord could ensure a comfortable life, then the combined stipend, rice, and land of a County Lord could allow for a luxurious lifestyle.

Moreover, while the County Lord was treated as a fifth-rank official, her actual status was much higher, roughly equivalent to that of a count.

According to the rites of the Yu Dynasty, anyone with a title lower than County Lord was required to bow and pay respects upon meeting her. This meant that unless the other party was a prince, marquis, duke, princess, or Qing Lord, even first-rank officials or first-rank titled ladies had to bow to the County Lord.

This was because the vast majority of County Lords were members of the royal family, and the few exceptions were individuals recognized by the royal family for their significant contributions. In feudal dynasties, the dignity of the royal family was unquestionable.

The news of Qiu Huanian's appointment as County Lord spread rapidly across the capital, and within half a day, the entrance to the Qishu County Lord residence was thronged with well-wishers.

Qiu Huanian had Quan Yu distribute the prepared invitations, widely inviting guests to her birthday banquet a few days later.

On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, the alley where the Qishu County Lord residence in Nanxunfang was located was tightly packed with countless carriages. As the honored guests disembarked and were escorted in, the carriages moved forward, and the empty spots were quickly taken by the next carriages.

Wu Da and Quan Yu stood at the entrance, one on each side, welcoming the guests. With a glance, they knew who the arriving guests were and instructed the maids and servants to lead them to the appropriate places.

The outer courtyard, inner courtyard, and garden of the residence were all prepared to receive guests. The small gate from the west passageway to the garden was left open, while all other gates were securely locked to avoid any oversights or scandals.

Seats were arranged in the main hall, side chambers, and courtyard. As Qiu Huanian's pregnancy progressed, she could not tolerate too much noise, so she did not hire a large opera troupe. Instead, she invited two famous performers, a qin player and a xiao player, to perform a few pieces in the lakeside pavilion in the garden without elaborate attire.

The enchanting voice drifted over the courtyard walls, carried by the water, reaching both the inner and outer courtyards, adding a delicate, lingering charm.

The guests dared not disturb the pregnant county mistress. After paying their respects and offering congratulations, those who were not familiar with her went elsewhere to relax. Only a few close friends remained in the green gauze partition where Qiu Huanian often stayed.

Qiu Huanian had someone open the flower window, allowing her to enjoy the beautiful music for a while, letting the lyrics linger in her mind.

"The opera they’re singing seems new to me. The lyrics are exceptionally well-written, unlike the formulaic works of struggling playwrights."

Min Leyi, who loved to play and explore, was familiar with such things. He tilted his ear to listen and said, "These are the words of Qingchi Xianren. They recently made their way from the south to the capital and are currently very popular."

Jiu Jiu, who was reporting the guest list to Qiu Huanian, paused mid-step when she heard this.

Qiu Huanian casually smiled and said, "Really? The lyrics aren’t as decadent or absurd as I thought. If you hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have thought it was Qingchi Xianren."

Though not a prodigy, Min Leyi, shaped by his father’s scholarly influence, spoke with authority, "Poetry and lyrics reflect the author’s inner thoughts. The same person can write in different styles at different times. Perhaps he happened to be in a good mood when he wrote this song."

Qiu Huanian dismissed the casual comment and asked Jiu Jiu with a smile about the situation outside.

Jiu Jiu quickly regained her composure, "Most of the people who received the invitation have come. Those who couldn’t make it sent gifts through their servants. My brother is hosting the men in the front courtyard."

"By the way, the wife of the Yu clan’s Minister of the Imperial Banquet Office didn’t come."

Qiu Huanian glanced at Min Leyi, who rolled up his sleeves and waved.

"She’s scared. If she came, she’d have to bow to Brother Hua in front of me! She couldn’t handle the humiliation."

Qiu Huanian had originally wondered how to handle it if unwelcome guests came, but the lady of the Yu clan chose to avoid the confrontation altogether.

After a while, the Azure Phoenix Lord also stopped by for a while, bringing a pile of precious gifts. Seeing the Azure Phoenix Lord, Qiu Huanian understood even more deeply why the lady of the Yu clan did not come.

A county mistress and a Qing Lord, both her superiors and both her adversaries, made this birthday banquet feel like walking through fire for someone like the lady of the Yu clan, who valued face and pomp above all else.

The Mid-Autumn Festival on August 15th was a major holiday in the Yu Dynasty. Government offices closed, and everyone from commoners to nobles gathered to celebrate and honor the moon.

Therefore, around three in the afternoon, the birthday banquet at Qiu Huanian’s home was wrapping up. The leftovers and tables and chairs were cleared away, and countless gifts filled the storeroom.

After three years in this world, Qiu Huanian finally knew the exact time again—the Taiping Marquis Kang Zhong gifted her a large, waist-high clock, said to be a tribute from overseas presented by Fuzhou. There were only a few dozen such clocks in the entire Yu Dynasty, most of which were in the palace.

Seeing this, Qiu Huanian was moved and told Quan Yu to place it in the main hall of the inner courtyard instead of storing it, where she could see the time at a glance.

Jiu Jiu and others were very curious about the large clock. Du Yunse, who often went to the palace to lecture, knew how to read Western clocks and explained it to the children.

Meanwhile, Qiu Huanian quietly went to the Cun Jin courtyard, using the excuse of wanting to read quietly for a while to dismiss the servants.

The small courtyard was quiet for less than a quarter of an hour when Qiu Huanian heard the long-awaited sound.

Sitting behind the desk with one hand propping her chin, she smiled and said, "Has my little uncle come with a birthday gift?"

Sixteen silently ascended the stairs to the second floor without making a sound. Qiu Huanian even wondered if his toes were touching the ground.

Because it was his little nephew’s birthday, Sixteen had specially changed into new clothes, though they were still black and almost indistinguishable from his usual attire.

His gloomy face showed no other expression, but when he placed the large package on the desk and pushed it towards Qiu Huanian, he tried to move the corner of his lips, attempting a very unfamiliar smile.

Seeing Sixteen push the package in front of her, Qiu Huanian quickly opened it, revealing a dazzling array of items.

Since Qiu Huanian had emphasized that she didn’t want anything expensive, and Sixteen didn’t want to be perfunctory, he had racked his brains for each gift.

Still propping her chin, Qiu Huanian stared at Sixteen and insisted, "Little uncle, explain each item to me one by one."

He put on a curious expression, eager to hear the story, and Sixteen couldn’t bring himself to refuse. He started with the first item.

"A pair of small silver bracelets engraved with the Hundred Blessings Pattern." Sixteen paused, then added with effort, "If I had been there when you were born, I would have given you these."

Qiu Huanian chuckled and asked, "Is this a family tradition? Did you receive something like this when you were born?"

Sixteen lowered his head and hummed in agreement, quickly picking up the second item.

"I never really got the hang of needlework, but my sister was very skilled... When you were one year old and couldn’t play with anything, I would have sewn you a hat."

Qiu Huanian took the small, clumsily made baby hat and confidently shifted the blame, "My sewing is just as bad. They say the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—now I finally know why."

"..." Sixteen opened his mouth but stayed silent, though he felt a sudden sense of relief.

As they continued, the atmosphere between them grew more natural. Qiu Huanian accepted the gifts while casually chatting with Sixteen about the past, touching only on fond memories and avoiding any painful topics.

"This is a whistle that can mimic the sound of a horse neighing."

"This is a jade hairpin. By six, you could have started wearing your hair in a bun."

"This is a peach wood sword. I had two cousins who were very good at making toys..."

...

Sixteen passed each item from the bundle—things that were of little monetary value but held immense importance to him. Seeing Qiu Huanian’s smile and the gleam in his eyes, he felt as though the void within him was slowly being filled.

"By the age of twenty, every direct descendant of the Mei Family is given a sword. I’ve already given you yours."

"The Fushu Sword?" It was the sword Sixteen had given him when they first met in Du Village.

"Yes, but unfortunately, it’s only the blade. The Mei Family’s Insignia and Inscriptions can’t be engraved on it anymore." Sixteen gradually lowered his eyelids.