Chapter One Hundred Five: Difficult Matters

Chapter 105: A Difficult Matter

Xiao Xun was indeed hungry. After he finished eating, Lin Qiuran took the bowls and chopsticks away, then returned with a book from a trunk, clearly intending to stay for a while.

Seeing this, Xiao Xun paused, surprised, and said, “It’s getting late. You should go back and rest.”

Lin Qiuran sat down, opened the book, and began to read. “No rush. I’ll keep you company for a bit.”

Xiao Xun sat at his desk, while Lin Qiuran settled by a small table near the window, warming herself by the hearth as she read. The room was quiet, so quiet that the soft rustle of her turning pages was audible.

They weren’t far apart—the room was small, after all. One was bent over his writing, the other leisurely reading. If not for the serious matter at hand, the scene would have exuded a sense of peaceful contentment.

Lin Qiuran was very quiet. Whenever Xiao Xun felt stuck, he would rub his temples and then look up at her. Two lamps illuminated her, their dim yellow light casting a soft glow. Under the lamplight, her features seemed gentler than in daylight, even her hair appeared to glow warmly.

Xiao Xun mentally traced her features, and as he did, he couldn’t help but recall the bright moon over the northwest. During the war, when he was utterly exhausted, he would sometimes look up at it.

The moon hung high, and seeing it always brought thoughts of home.

Lin Qiuran kept her head slightly lowered, her attention entirely on the book, unaware of his prolonged gaze. Feeling reassured, Xiao Xun averted his eyes and picked up his brush to continue writing.

After reading a dozen or so pages, Lin Qiuran stood up to stretch her neck and shoulders. She then trimmed the wicks of the lamps in the room, which noticeably brightened the space. Noticing that Xiao Xun’s cup was almost empty, she refilled it with water instead of tea. Drinking tea during the day might keep one alert, but at this late hour, it might keep him awake.

After completing these tasks, she sat back down and resumed reading slowly.

Xiao Xun wrote in stops and starts, occasionally taking sips of water. As a military man, this task was particularly challenging for him. After what seemed like a long time, he set down his brush and looked over. Lin Qiuran was still there.

He put down his brush and said, “Qiuran, it’s late. You should go back and rest.”

Lin Qiuran looked up, smiling. “I’m not tired. Just focus on your work. If you run into any difficulties, having another person around might help.”

There wasn’t much else Lin Qiuran could assist with in this matter, but keeping him company was better than nothing.

Xiao Xun’s lips moved as if to say something, but no words of objection came out. In truth, he wanted Lin Qiuran to stay, yet he also felt she should rest. He nodded and returned to his documents. Back when he had almost died, his only fear was that deserting would bring disaster to his family, so he rejoined the army as soon as he could leave his sickbed. Later, he earned merits and became a deputy thousand-household commander under Zhao Tingyue, and afterward, he was sent to fight in the northwest.

He could serve as a witness, but gathering physical evidence would be difficult and require considerable effort.

Evidence of Zhao Tingyue claiming others' military merits could be found, and there was also proof of his several poor decisions. He had to take it step by step—there was no rushing it. Xiao Xun glanced at Lin Qiuran once more before lowering his head to continue writing.

Time passed slowly. Outside, the night was pitch-dark, and the shadows of trees from the front yard loomed on the window paper, their branches claw-like, rather eerie.

The wind howled loudly. Lin Qiuran always felt that Beijing turned cold earlier and had more snow than Yu’an. In Yu’an, winter afternoons were fairly warm, and snow melted quickly. But here, even at noon, it was bitterly cold, and the snow piled deep, old and new layers mixing together. If not cleared in time, it became icy and slippery.

Beijing was prosperous, but the cold cut to the bone.

At night, the wind grew even stronger, sometimes howling so loudly it could be heard through the night. Yet, staying indoors felt secure.

Xiao Xun wrote for a long time, working until midnight. “It’s late. Let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow.”

Lin Qiuran urged him to pack up his things carefully and bring them back to their room. They were moving tomorrow, so it was best to keep important items close.

The distance from the study to the main room was short, but it was freezing outside. Lin Qiuran reached out and took Xiao Xun’s arm.

Xiao Xun glanced down. It was the first time Lin Qiuran had taken his arm. Though he would have liked to prolong the moment, the cold outside made him quicken his pace.

The room was warm. The maid left when they returned. Tangyuan was sleeping soundly, in the same position as he had been when Lin Qiuran left.

She sat by the kang for a while, tucking him in tighter. Perhaps stirred by their return, Tangyuan shifted, opened his sleepy eyes, and upon seeing Lin Qiuran, called out “Mom.” He struggled to sit up and look for Xiao Xun. “Where’s Dad?”

Lin Qiuran patted him gently. “He’s here. Go back to sleep.”

She turned to Xiao Xun. “Let’s sleep too.”

Xiao Xun couldn’t quite describe what he felt, only that it was as if warm water had been poured into his heart, warming him from head to toe.

Before he could dwell on it, he nodded. Once under the covers, with only one lamp left lit, Xiao Xun felt an immense sense of peace. He said to Lin Qiuran, “Qiuran, you’re so good to me.”

Lin Qiuran lay in bed, her hand still held by Xiao Xun. It had become a habit these days—she was growing accustomed to having him by her side.

Was this what it meant to be content? She wanted to say something but feared waking Tangyuan. In the end, she simply said, “Mm, let’s sleep.”

Early the next morning, the household rose to prepare for the move. No matter how pressing other matters were, this important task couldn’t be delayed.

The servants made two trips moving belongings. Finally, Xiao Xun rode on horseback, while Lin Qiuran, Sun Shi, and Tangyuan took the carriage. The family moved to the Count of Dingyuan’s residence.

Some maids and servants had gone ahead early in the morning. When the carriage stopped, rows of them stood waiting in the front yard. Lin Xia and Lin Ming led the group in bowing to Lin Qiuran and the others. “Your servants pay respects to the Count, Madam, the Elder Lady, and the Young Master.”

Xiao Xun and Sun Shi looked to Lin Qiuran. Sun Shi, unaccustomed to such formality, straightened her back instinctively. Xiao Xun, on the other hand, deferred to Lin Qiuran as the head of the household—he was happy to let her take charge.

Lin Qiuran said, “Rise, everyone. Moving day is hard work. Later, see the steward for your rewards.”

Lin Ming had become the steward of the residence, overseeing all affairs. Lin Xia, though young, was Lin Qiuran’s personal attendant. Though not yet considered an elder maid, she was already the head maid of the household.

Lin Ming and Lin Xia would handle any necessary discipline without Lin Qiuran having to intervene. The weather was cold, and dawn had yet to break, so they returned to their rooms first.

Moreover, following Yu’an customs, after moving, they had to make pancakes in the new kitchen and share them as a family to complete the move.

After settling in, Sun Shi looked around excitedly, repeatedly expressing her satisfaction. She was pleased with everything. Her courtyard was still named Shou’an Hall, but it was more than twice the size of the previous one. It had a small garden and a tree so large it would take two people to encircle it. In summer, it would provide ample shade for relaxing under.

Once moved in, Sun Shi had the maids start cleaning. She now had four maids and one elderly servant. The elder servant was around Sun Shi’s age, and the two could chat to pass the time, sparing Sun Shi from relying on embroidery to occupy herself when Xiao Dashi was away.

Sun Shi was beaming with joy. She was now a respected elder lady, waited on by many, living a life of ease where everything was handed to her.

With more maids in Shou’an Hall, the other courtyards also saw an increase in staff. The main courtyard, including Lin Xia, now had seven maids. Lin Qiuran also assigned Tangyuan a young attendant, a few years older, to serve as a companion.

The kitchen, flower room, embroidery room, and stables all had additional staff. Moving day was a significant event, and these people had arrived early. The embroiderers had even prepared uniforms—the maids and attendants now wore matching outfits, creating a neat and orderly appearance.

After settling in for a while, Lin Ming and Lin Xia came to report. Lin Ming said, “Madam, the rewards have been distributed.”

Lin Qiuran nodded. “Well done. Keep an eye on the new staff, and have someone monitor outside the residence as well.”

She gave Lin Ming two taels of silver and Lin Xia a silver hairpin.

Lin Ming thanked her first. “I noticed a few suspicious people outside, but they kept their distance, so we couldn’t apprehend them.”

Lin Qiuran understood—they were likely sent by other households. “Keep a close watch. For now, limit outings for the household staff.”

Indeed, some were watching, hoping to see the Count of Dingyuan’s household stumble. The Xiao family had just arrived in the capital, and both Xiao Xun and Lin Qiuran were from humble backgrounds. While the inner workings of the residence remained unknown, some tried to plant spies. However, Lin Qiuran had vetted all the servants during the hiring process and rejected any who seemed suspicious.

Naturally, some also tried to send women to Xiao Xun’s side. In this era, it was common for men to have multiple wives and concubines. Even if Lin Qiuran was no rustic woman and could carry herself with grace, how could she possibly control whether Xiao Xun took concubines?

Yet these attempts failed. For one, Sun Shi had warned Xiao Xun repeatedly, “Qiuran has taken care of me, your father, and Tangyuan all these years, working tirelessly. Don’t follow others’ examples and think about taking concubines. Our family doesn’t allow such things. You must never wrong Qiuran, or I won’t acknowledge you as my son.”

Sun Shi wished for more grandchildren, but not from another woman’s womb. She always said she treated Lin Qiuran as her own daughter—it wasn’t just empty words.

Xiao Xun chuckled at her words. “Don’t worry, Mother. I will treat Qiuran well.”

No matter what, he would always be good to Lin Qiuran.

The things Sun Shi mentioned had never even crossed his mind.

Back in their room, Xiao Xun glanced at Lin Qiuran and then headed to the study. Lin Qiuran did not accompany him in the morning, as there were still many matters to attend to after the move. Besides, she hadn’t finished exploring the residence before and now had the chance to take a closer look. While it made sense to keep him company during the quiet, drowsy evenings, there was no need to do so during the day.

The residence spanned about twenty acres, with eight courtyard compounds, and most of the space devoted to landscaped gardens and trees. Pavilions, terraces, waterside pavilions, and gardens—even blanketed in snow, hiding their original forms—remained a delight to the eyes.

There were six or seven gardens within the residence alone. The main garden bordered a lake, its shores covered in pristine white snow. Taihu rocks (ornamental limestone formations) lay hidden beneath the snow, and when the cold wind blew, it swept up powdery snow from the lake’s surface, creating a picturesque scene.

If one were to boat on the lake, it would resemble the classic image of an old fisherman in a straw cloak on a snowy river. Each of the other courtyards had its own charm. Being able to reside in such a spacious residence in the capital, with another slightly smaller one as well, the Count of Dingyuan’s residence was quite notable and reflected a comfortably well-off family.

The Count of Dingyuan’s residence was located in the northern part of the city and was larger than their previous home. Lin Qiuran estimated that if it were to be sold, it would surely fetch several thousand or even over ten thousand taels.

Lin Qiuran intended to manage their assets wisely, hoping that by the time Tangyuan grew up, the family would be quite prosperous, leaving him with nothing to worry about.

For now, Tangyuan was carefree. Having just moved, he was out playing, accompanied by maids and servants, which put Lin Qiuran at ease.

After taking inventory of their things, she went to check on the Golden Tripod Restaurant. After several days of renovation, the basic layout was already visible, and it was certain to be completed before the New Year. However, Lin Qiuran planned to open after the New Year, allowing time for cleaning and stocking the kitchenware, dishes, and utensils.

Lin Qiuran looked around inside and then exited through the back door, taking a roundabout route before returning to the residence.

As soon as she returned, Tangyuan rushed over to her. He had been playing outside for quite a while, his forehead sweaty and his face flushed and steaming. "Mom, it’s so much fun! I even went ice skating on the lake—it’s bigger than the one we had before. But it’s so hot; I feel like I could breathe fire."

Tangyuan loved ice skating. Previously, they had only one ice cart, but now they had three. There was also an ice horse—a wooden horse figure with iron plates nailed to its hooves, made by Xiao Xun. It came with ice blades, allowing him to glide on the ice without needing to be pulled.

Lin Qiuran ruffled his sweaty hair and said, "Even if you’re hot, you’re not allowed to take off your hat or clothes. It’s getting late—go call your father for dinner."

Xiao Xun had been in the study all morning. During lunch, with Tangyuan keeping him company, he ate slowly and heartily.

Tangyuan and Sun Shi were unaware of the family’s underlying concerns, and with the move today, the grandmother and grandson were especially cheerful.

Sun Shi had a good appetite, finishing one bowl of rice and adding another half. She ate three pieces of braised pork and quite a bit of pickled cabbage fish. With more people at the table, the meal felt livelier. Tangyuan, stretching his short arms, served dishes to everyone: "Mom, Grandma, Dad, have some pork belly."

It was actually steamed pork with preserved vegetables.

Tangyuan’s most important daily task was to supervise Xiao Xun’s taking medicine and applying ointments, as well as check on his injuries.

He checked in the morning, again at noon, and once more in the evening. During the meal, he looked at Xiao Xun’s hands and said, "Dad, your chilblains are much better. When the doctor checks, if he says you’re healing well, I deserve some credit too."

Xiao Xun smiled, his gloomy mood from the morning vanishing entirely. "Tangyuan deserves most of the credit."

Tangyuan grinned. "Of course! Dad, eat more."

Xiao Xun put down his chopsticks when he was comfortably full. After the meal, he returned to the study. Lin Qiuran brought him a double-skin milk pudding, which was soothing and refreshing when he felt tired.

Xiao Xun had been searching for evidence but had no intention of submitting it just yet. Zhao Tingyue’s defeat in battle and delay of military operations were facts—perhaps he didn’t need to intervene.

Several days passed like this until the fifteenth, when Xiao Xun attended court, but there was still no progress on the matter.

In the evening, after Xiao Xun returned from court, Lin Qiuran handed him a bowl of hot pigeon soup. After he took a few sips, she asked, "How did it go?"

Xiao Xun replied, "Many at court are advocating for him, saying Zhao Tingyue is elderly and that it’s already remarkable he can still wield a sword on the battlefield. Everyone suffers defeats—if he is punished for this, it may dishearten other meritorious officials."