Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Pei Ze’s expression went blank for a moment. Then, following Ming Tang’s gaze, he spotted the painting on the table and instinctively looked away. Noticing Ming Tang still staring at him, he feigned innocence, "Oh dear, did I forget to draw yesterday? A-Ze forgot."

His voice carried an unmistakable hint of guilt.

Ming Tang playfully chided, "When Uncle first left, you longed for his return every day. But now that you have a kitten, you’ve forgotten all about him. Poor Uncle."

Pei Ze turned to look at the kitten, comfortably curled up on its cushion, then thought of Pei Yue. He edged closer to Ming Tang and whispered conspiratorially, "Mother, don’t tell Uncle. If he doesn’t know, it’ll be fine!"

How could Ming Tang agree so easily when the little one was asking for a favor? She playfully extracted several promises from him before reluctantly nodding. "A-Ze, you mustn’t do this again. Just because you have new things to attend to, you can’t forget what you were supposed to do before."

Pei Ze interpreted this as not forgetting Uncle because of the kitten. He nodded solemnly, his dark, round eyes fixed on Ming Tang, and declared with utmost seriousness, "If I forget, make A-Ze turn into a big fat pig."

After the meal, the two went to the study. Ming Tang held his hand as they completed the plum blossoms left unfinished from the day before. The paper was now dotted with red blooms, with only a few unpainted spots remaining.

Having completed his task for the day, Pei Ze set down the brush, slid off Ming Tang’s lap, and eagerly returned to playing with his beloved kitten. The mingling sounds of human voices and the kitten’s meows created a charming domestic scene.

By afternoon, the sky had darkened, and the wind howled through the bare branches outside. Seeing the child happily occupied, Ming Tang had no intention of disturbing him. She made herself comfortable nearby and began reading a novel.

In the resting chamber, Zhe Liu and Wen He were still tallying the last batch of account books. The muted, steady clicking of the abacus drifted through the hall, creating a soothing rhythm and a sense of calm and certainty.

Suddenly, a voice announced a visitor at the door. Hong Ying rose to greet them.

The newcomer was a familiar woman from Mrs. Pei’s courtyard. Upon being led into the study, she kept her eyes respectfully lowered, bowed to Ming Tang, and presented an envelope with a smile. "Greetings, Madam. One of the Young Master’s guards returned this afternoon with a letter from him. This one is for you. Madam instructed me to deliver it."

A letter? Wasn’t Pei Yue away on official business? Why would he send a letter back?

Ming Tang accepted it with thanks. The envelope felt thin—what could Pei Yue have written? She moved to the desk, carefully opened the envelope, and unfolded the letter.

The message was brief, filling less than half the page. It was more of a quick note than a proper letter.

She finished reading in moments and glanced up, puzzled to see the woman still waiting.

Perhaps sensing her confusion, the woman hesitated before asking, "Will Madam not write a reply?" In her view, when a husband sent a letter home while traveling, the family ought to respond without fail.

"That won’t be necessary." Pei Yue’s letter mentioned that his mission in Fengxiang was proceeding smoothly and he would return to the capital soon. Since the guard delivering the letter would take time, by the time she wrote a reply and sent it, Pei Yue might already be on his way back.

Seeing the woman’s lingering confusion, Ming Tang neatly folded the letter away and offered a brief explanation. The woman nodded in understanding before taking her leave.

Once she was gone, Pei Ze was bursting with curiosity. "What did she come for?"

"To deliver a letter from your uncle."

At once, Pei Ze hurried over, standing on tiptoe beside Ming Tang and craning his neck to see the desk with eager impatience. "A-Ze wants to see too!"

Ming Tang handed him the letter. "Here, take a look."

Pei Ze studied the paper intently but couldn’t recognize a single character. He stole a glance at Ming Tang, who was now writing something, then tiptoed to Hong Ying and whispered, "Sister Hong Ying, read it to A-Ze?"

As his reading practice buddy, Pei Ze considered Hong Ying an ally.

Hong Ying hesitated—this was the Young Master’s personal letter. She shot a questioning glance at Ming Tang, who nodded in permission. Relieved, she finally glanced at the letter and read it out in a hushed voice to Pei Ze.

While they were occupied, Ming Tang quietly calculated the days and, while Pei Ze wasn’t looking, sketched a few extra plum blossoms in ink beside the branch. Once the ink dried, she set it aside.

Perfect—now the count should be just about right.

After listening, Pei Ze returned with the letter, holding it up pretending to read it with great seriousness. He parroted back what he remembered from Hong Ying’s reading, filling in gaps with his own words. Remarkably, it sounded quite convincing.

When he finished, Ming Tang gave an amused round of applause.

Pei Ze puffed up with pride, waiting for praise.

"Hong Ying has learned so many characters now." Ming Tang recalled that Hong Ying had only known a handful of simple words before, starting from scratch alongside Pei Ze.

Hong Ying blushed and stood quickly. "It’s all thanks to Madam, and Sisters Zhe Liu and Wen He have also taught me much in private."

As the two conversed, Pei Ze’s face fell. He pulled insistently on Ming Tang’s sleeve. "What about A-Ze?"

"A-Ze has an excellent memory." After hearing it just once from Hong Ying, he had recalled most of it.

Pei Ze lit up at the compliment, happily placing the letter back on the desk before returning to his stool by the kitten’s nest, where he resumed his attentive watch, occasionally chattering away to the little creature.

Meanwhile, in Jinghua Hall, the messenger returned to report. Mrs. Pei, in the middle of writing a letter, raised an eyebrow at her quick return. "Did Madam not write a reply?"

The woman curtsied and repeated Ming Tang’s explanation verbatim.

Mrs. Pei stared at her half-finished letter and paused thoughtfully.

Well. She couldn’t decide whether she hadn’t thought things through—or if Ming Tang had simply overthought the situation.

Setting down her brush, she moved the unfinished letter aside, washed her hands, and stepped outside to play with the parrot hanging near the door.

Perhaps sensing that its owner might soon replace it with a cat, the bird had been exceptionally well-behaved lately. It hopped lightly in its cage as Mrs. Pei approached, even nudging her finger affectionately with a soft chirp.

The soft feathers brushing her skin brought a smile to her face.

Far away in the Chen residence, the cheerful chirping of birds and Wu Shi’s occasional laughter drifted under the eaves. But Chen Wenyao frowned deeply, slamming his brush down with a heavy sigh.

Ever since their return from the palace audience, his mother and Wu Shi had been locked in a silly spat.

Chen Wenyao knew his mother had been too casual in the palace, and Wu Shi’s words held merit. He had spent days privately pleading with his mother to back down. She eventually admitted her fault—but refused to apologize to Wu Shi.

Wu Shi, in turn, remained stubborn, even going through the motions of greetings lately. Instead, she had bought a bird, hanging it outside to amuse herself, appearing thoroughly pleased with herself.

Only Chen Wenyao returned home each day exhausted. Hoping to persuade Wu Shi to yield first, he had attempted to reason with her in the eastern courtyard—only to be ignored as she made a show of tending to her bird outside.

To make matters worse, recent court affairs had taken a turn for the worse for him.

News had spread about the man who had accused Fengxiang’s Prefectural Governor Li of corruption having died while in custody of the Ministry of Justice. Almost instantly, a deluge of impeachment memorials targeting Prefectural Governor Li, Vice Minister of Justice, and Minister Li of the Ministry of Rites poured in.

Some even suggested that Minister Li, as a father, bore responsibility for his son’s failings—proof of lax discipline. Given his age, perhaps it was time for him to retire.

Originally, this wouldn’t have concerned Chen Wenyao. But if Minister Li stepped down, Vice Minister Ming, by seniority, was next in line for promotion.

With their mentor-student ties already severed, Chen Wenyao would never actively wish misfortune upon Vice Minister Ming’s career. Yet the thought that barely a year after cutting ties with the Ming family, his former father-in-law might be elevated to such prominence...

Chen Wenyao couldn’t help but wonder—had he been the one holding the Ming family back? Ming Tang had secured an aristocratic marriage shortly after their divorce, and now her father was on the verge of advancement. Though he had never believed in fate, Chen Wenyao began doubting his own fortune.

After a moment of silent contemplation, he tuned out the sounds of Wu Shi outside and finished drafting a memorial supporting Minister Li’s case. Once the ink dried, he set it aside and gave a deliberate cough.

Outside, Wu Shi’s carefree chatter stopped abruptly. Moments later, she pushed aside the doorway curtain and entered, a self-satisfied smile still playing on her lips as she met Chen Wenyao’s gaze without flinching.

Regarding the court audience that day, Wu Shi had been confident she was right. Today, she privately learned that Chen Wenyao had also taken her side in front of his mother, which made her even more confident. She knew her husband would never make her back down.

She realized she'd wasted money buying information about Madam Chen from Ming Tang before her marriage. After entering the household, she had even gone to great lengths to please her mother-in-law several times. Now, it seemed her mother-in-law was the type who only respected strength, not kindness. The more submissive Wu Shi acted, the more her mother-in-law felt she could control her.

No wonder Ming Tang hadn’t minded at all when Wu Shi tried to win over her mother-in-law after entering the household—she must have long realized that this woman couldn’t be won over with flattery. What a waste giving money to that Ming woman! The thought made Wu Shi feel foolish.

This time, her mother-in-law was clearly in the wrong, and her husband was on her side. If Wu Shi didn’t seize this opportunity to establish her standing, she’d consider herself a fool.

Seeing her expression, Chen Wenyao guessed her thoughts. At first, he felt displeased, but knowing Wu Shi would never yield first—and that his mother was the easier one to persuade—he softened his expression and said gently, “Thank you for not holding it against Mother. I’ll make sure she listens to your advice more when she’s out in the future.”

Wu Shi adored this cultured gentleness, something she had never seen from her own father or brothers. Hearing him say that her mother-in-law should listen to her more, she was momentarily stunned, her heart softening. She leaned against the table beside Chen Wenyao and said, “Mother just occasionally gets confused.”

Chen Wenyao’s brow twitched slightly, but he nodded and changed the subject. “In a few days, it’ll be another rest day. Let’s go to the temple to draw fortune sticks and spend the day out.”

It was the first time in days the couple had spoken softly to each other. Wu Shi’s smile brightened, and she immediately grew excited, listing all the famous temples near the capital. Eventually, they settled on Hantan Temple, said to be best for changing one's luck.

She began planning what to wear that day and even picked out matching outfits for Chen Wenyao—preferably the new ones she had made for him.

Chen Wenyao, however, paused thoughtfully before adding, “We should also get a protective charm for the eldest boy. He fell ill after the sudden rain the other day and still doesn’t seem fully recovered.”

Wu Shi’s mood instantly soured. But since she had always maintained the image of being considerate and caring toward Ya Yun and her son in front of Chen Wenyao, she forced a smile. “The sudden chill that night woke me up too. If I hadn’t added another blanket, I might’ve fallen ill as well. Are the servants attending the eldest boy insufficient? Should I buy two more maids for him?”

Chen Wenyao shook his head. “No need. Their quarters are cramped—too many people would be inconvenient.”

Wu Shi gritted her teeth. *Four rooms are small?* She was certain that temptress was scheming. Who knew how often her husband had visited her in secret? She resolved to have someone get friendly with the back gatekeeper more often.

But Chen Wenyao had already lost interest in the conversation. Picking up the petition, he stood. “I’ll go to the front study. This still needs to be rewritten.”

He could only hope that Prefectural Governor Li hadn’t truly done something foolish enough to allow the accuser to reach the capital and appeal, dragging Minister Li into the mess. Still, he should revise the wording—make it less absolute. Lost in thought, Chen Wenyao left the eastern courtyard.

The next morning, the court briefly debated the matter before the emperor put an end to the debate.

Minister Li, at the center of the storm, walked with steady steps as usual after court, heading toward the Grand Secretariat. There was no sign he had faced numerous impeachments in recent days.

Vice Minister Ming, on whom many secretly pinned their hopes, also behaved no differently than usual. If anything, he looked even more haggard—nothing like a man on the verge of promotion.

Meanwhile, Ming Tang had just accompanied her mother in making small talk with Mrs. Pei before escorting her back to Chengyi Hall. After understanding her mother’s purpose for visiting, she recalled for a moment before stating firmly, “Prefectural Governor Li should be fine. Mother, you must persuade Father to hold steady—even support Minister Li.”

Mrs. Ming couldn’t help but doubt. “Really?” Crown Prince Pei was away, and sending letters back was rare enough. Mentioning official matters in them seemed impossible to her.

Seeing her skepticism, Ming Tang retrieved the letter and handed it to her mother.

After reading it, Mrs. Ming grew even more puzzled. “How did you infer this?” The letter didn’t mention official matters at all—to her, it was filled with nothing but “I’m safe, I’ll be back soon.”

Ming Tang hesitated, unable to explain clearly. Yet, she was inexplicably certain she hadn’t misunderstood Pei Yue’s meaning. Faced with her mother’s doubtful gaze, she cut straight to the point. “Just trust me on this, Mother.”

“Alright, alright.” Perhaps the young couple had some private understanding. Mrs. Ming patted Ming Tang’s hand reassuringly, though a faint regret lingered. While her husband had also advised staying steady, the thought of him possibly entering the Grand Secretariat made her hopeful despite herself.

Seeing Ming Tang still unconvinced, Mrs. Ming reassured her, “Your father understands everything. I was just impatient and thought you might have news. Since it wasn’t out of my way, I came over.”

There *was* news—just not the kind Mrs. Ming had hoped for.

Still, her husband had always been diligent in his duties. At her age, Mrs. Ming had long passed the stage of pushing her husband to advance. She was happier seeing her children thrive. Setting aside her tangled thoughts, she glanced around the sitting room, and a pleased smile spread across her face. “Seeing you so comfortable sets my mind at rest.”

The sitting room’s decor mirrored Ming Tang’s maiden chambers, proof of how at home she felt here.

But… Mrs. Ming frowned. “You look like you haven’t slept enough—you seem tired.”

At this, Ming Tang couldn’t suppress a hint of resentment. “With someone experiencing their first night sleeping beside an adult, too excited to stop talking, even you wouldn’t sleep well, Mother.”

Ming Tang deeply regretted allowing Pei Ze to stay last night.

Having a little chatterbox beside her, asking at fixed intervals, “Mother, are you asleep?”—how could anyone sleep under such conditions?