Winters in Beijing were bitterly cold, and it was impossible to stay indoors without a charcoal basin—one's breath would turn to mist in the air. Seventh Lord not only stayed for tea but also ended up joining them for a meal.
The three of them sat around the table, eating hot pot. The copper hot pot stove had a small chimney in the center, with a ring of clear broth bubbling around it. Everyone dipped slices of mutton into the boiling broth. Dingyi circled the table to refill their wine cups, but Twelfth Master took the wine pot from her hands and said, "Sit down, no need to fuss."
Seventh Lord stuffed a piece of sesame-dipped mutton into his mouth and mumbled, "He’s right. We have hands of our own—we can pour our own wine if we want to drink. You, my dear, need to learn to take it easy. Don’t be so diligent, doing everything yourself—that’s no way to live. If you want something, just ask the servants—they’re idle anyway. Our Shu’er has such delicate hands; they ought to be well cared for. Look at those Princess Consorts in the mansions—their faces might not be much to look at, but their hands are as tender as spring onions. That’s all from pampering. You should learn from them."
As he spoke, his hands grew restless, reaching out toward her, but Twelfth Master flicked them away with his chopsticks. Seventh Lord pouted at her. "Shu’er, look at him..."
Dingyi merely smiled. It wasn’t as if there were no servants around, but she was used to doing things herself. These were people close to her, like family. From now on, she would be living in this circle, but given her humble background, acting too refined might invite ridicule.
Hongce carefully dipped a piece of meat in sauce and placed it in her bowl, urging her to eat. He had nothing to worry about now—she was right beside him, within sight and reach. No matter how much Seventh Master agonized over it, Hongce simply responded with the triumphant smile of a victor. Casually, he asked, "Seventh Brother, have you finalized the betrothal gifts? When’s the wedding? I’ll need to prepare a grand gift."
Seventh Lord blinked, utterly confused. He had little patience for such formalities. His previous Princess Consorts had all been concubines, so he hadn’t needed to personally handle the arrangements—specialized staff took care of everything, and he only had to show up on the wedding day. But this time was different—it was a major affair, and since he was handling it himself, things had become rather muddled.
"The betrothal gifts have been sent, but the date isn’t set yet. Probably waiting for the palace’s word," he replied offhandedly. "Whatever. It is what it is. I’m in no hurry to marry—one more day of freedom is a blessing."
Hongce smiled faintly. "What’s the matter? The new bride not to your liking?"
Seventh Lord squirmed uncomfortably. "She’s good-looking, but her temper’s awful. When I went over, before I even stepped inside, I heard her and her father shouting at each other in the courtyard. Apparently, this princess isn’t happy about the marriage. I don’t get it—if she’s unwilling, did I force her? If she’s got the guts, she can go kneel on the Street to Heaven and beg for the imperial decree to be revoked. What’s with the attitude? If she pisses me off after the wedding, I’ll make sure she regrets it!"
His words were just venting, of course. In reality, he’d probably cower like a mouse before a cat when face-to-face with her. The Mongols weren’t to be trifled with—if provoked, they’d draw their swords and fight to the death. The thought alone would terrify the feeble Seventh Master out of his wits!
The other two merely smiled without comment, which irritated Seventh Lord. Unwilling to dwell on his own troubles, he asked Hongce and Xiaoshu about their wedding plans. Hongce set down his chopsticks and wiped his mouth. "Tomorrow I have a case to adjudicate. The day after, I’ll submit a request to bring her into the palace for an audience with His Majesty."
Seventh Lord nodded slowly, pondering. "Everything else is fine, but her background might be an issue. If they ask where she’s from, about her parents and family circumstances, and she can’t answer, things might get complicated."This was indeed a difficult problem. Dingyi glanced at Hongce, who didn't seem worried at all and said nonchalantly, "Their approval just means we can smoothly enter our names into the Imperial Genealogy. It's just a title—is it really that important? Of course it would be best if we could get it, but if not, they can strip me of my Imperial Clan title and take back my Yellow Belt. I don't have to be a Prince; I can just be an ordinary person, right?"
Such boldness... Seventh Lord trembled as he raised his thumb in admiration. "I concede defeat. Well... if you're busy, I can take Shu'er to the palace myself."
He chuckled, as if others couldn't see through his schemes! Hongce replied indifferently, "Thank you, Seventh Brother, but there's no need for you to trouble yourself. My own matters should be handled by me—I wouldn't trust anyone else with them."
Seventh Lord looked embarrassed and pursed his lips, saying nothing more. After a round of mutton, it was time to cook cabbage and vermicelli in the hot pot. He scooped up a generous portion and piled it into Xiaoshu's bowl.
Dingyi thanked him and asked if Seventh Lord knew the Cang Suo family. Upon inquiry, it turned out that household was his bondservant. If needed, a word from their Banner Lord would carry more weight than ten from anyone else.
Seventh Lord picked his teeth and said, "The Suo family that guards the treasury? I know them. They used to live in Qinlao Hutong but later moved to the eastern side of Dengshikou, near Jirentang. They built a house there, a mishmash of courtyards that ended up looking like nothing in particular—but it's quite large. That's the Suo family. Why do you ask? Are they relatives of yours? Well, that's convenient—turns out we're all connected in some roundabout way."
Hongce frowned and said, "Seventh Brother, could you not do this? Stop trying to force connections where there aren't any. Since she's with me, she's your sister-in-law. Is this how you talk to your sister-in-law? If not for anything else, at least consider my feelings—I'm still here, you know!"
At that, Seventh Lord had nothing to say. The other man had a point, and he couldn't argue. As for Xiaoshu and Twelfth Master's relationship, he'd actually known about it back in Suifenhe. Once they'd crossed that line, there was no room for anyone else. He just couldn't quite let it go—venting his frustration verbally at least made him feel better.
Afraid they might start bickering, Dingyi quickly changed the subject. She straightened her skirt and turned politely toward Seventh Lord, speaking softly, "It's not exactly a family connection—just an old acquaintance. Our fathers had some dealings. This time, we plan to pay them a visit. Do you know about their daughters? Are they already betrothed?"
Seventh Lord thought for a while before answering, "I remember this from several years ago, back when I'd just established my own residence. On New Year's Eve, 'Chicken Claw' came to my house to kowtow and offer New Year's greetings—'Chicken Claw' was the head of the Suo family, Suo Tao. The man was skinny, so we nicknamed him that. He forced a smile when he entered, but after kowtowing, he burst into tears. He said their eldest daughter had died—no one knew what illness took her. She'd been fine one day, and the next, she wouldn't answer when called. When they went in, she was already cold. Anyway, one was lost. As for the younger one, I don't recall if she was betrothed. Normally, when bondservant families hold weddings, they have to report to their Banner Lord and invite them to the celebration. I don't remember the Suo family doing that... or maybe they did and I didn't go. With so many servants, I can't keep track of everything."
Dingyi turned to look at Hongce. "Dengshikou isn't far from Tongfu Lane. We can stop by to see my master on the way back."Hongce said, "It's only right. I'll have someone prepare gifts for you to take to your master—it's a gesture of your filial piety. I can't put aside my duties right now; I have to head to the Ministry of Justice soon. Let Guan Zhaojing accompany you back. As for the Suo family, whether they're still around or not, don’t let anything slip to avoid unnecessary complications. Remember?"
She hummed in agreement. "Don’t worry about me. You have heavy responsibilities on your shoulders—focus on your own matters first. My affairs are trivial; I can handle them myself. Before I met you, wasn’t I doing just fine, scrambling through mud and water all on my own?"
He chuckled, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, and murmured, "That was different. Back then, you had no one to rely on—everything depended on yourself. But now it’s not the same. If I let you face things alone again, wouldn’t that be my dereliction of duty?"
Their affectionate exchange made Seventh Lord nearby sour with envy. He felt deeply regretful, thinking that staying for this meal had been a mistake. Watching their intimacy, he realized there was truly no place for him here. His heart needed to move on. As Twelfth Master had rightly said, she was his sister-in-law now. No matter how reckless he was, he couldn’t entertain such thoughts. Better to figure out how to appease his Mongolian Princess Consort instead!
Soon after the meal, everyone went their separate ways. Dingyi had prepared eight different gifts and, seeing that it was time for her master to return from duty, set off in a sedan chair toward Tongfu Lane. Upon arrival, Guan Zhaojing helped her down, saying, "Princess Consort, please wait a moment. This servant will go ahead to clear the way. The communal courtyard is too crowded—all sorts of riffraff might approach you, and we wouldn’t want you startled."
Dingyi found his behavior rather unfamiliar. Back when she had first sought an audience with the Prince at the mansion, she had hardly dared to breathe in front of this steward. Now, here he was, addressing himself as "this servant" at every turn. It felt somewhat overwhelming, so she smiled and demurred, "Steward, please don’t call me that. Nothing’s been settled yet—people might laugh if they hear. I’ll go in by myself; it’s fine. I lived in this courtyard for five or six years. The neighbors all know me well. I can’t start acting high and mighty just because I’ve climbed the social ladder, or what would people say behind my back?"
Guan Zhaojing had no choice but to bow and escort her inside.
The snowy weather made the sky darken early, and by now, dusk had settled in. Every household had their meals ready, waiting to be served. The courtyard was a quadrangle, with residents living in all four directions, their doors covered by thick curtains that obscured the view of outsiders. Dingyi had originally planned to slip quietly into her quarters, but halfway there, Sanqingzi’s wife from across the way lifted the curtain and stepped out. At first glance, she saw a richly dressed young woman in a goose-yellow skirt and a fox-fur cloak, accompanied by a eunuch bowing respectfully under an umbrella—clearly someone of importance.
In their courtyard, the only notable visitors had been the officials who came for Da Nǎinai’s funeral. Usually, it was just common folk living here, none with wealthy relatives. So, the sudden appearance of this elegant lady, adorned in fine silk and exquisite jewelry, made Sanqingzi’s wife wonder if she had taken a wrong turn.
Squinting, she sidled forward a couple of steps and asked, "Miss, are you looking for Uncle Wu—Wu Changgeng? He and his apprentice live in the east room."
She didn’t recognize Dingyi, which wasn’t surprising. During duty hours, Dingyi wore a uniform, and off-duty, she roamed about in a simple robe, never fussing over appearances. But now, as a young lady with no official duties and more leisure time, she had taken to dressing meticulously—enough to render her unrecognizable.She felt quite awkward, not intending to make it public knowledge, hoping to muddle through. But Sanqingzi's wife kept approaching, staring at her in shock. After a long pause, she finally caught her breath and exclaimed loudly, "Isn't this Xiaoshu? Is it Xiaoshu?" As she spoke, she circled around her, "How did... you suddenly become a girl? Hey, something's not right here!"
Hearing her shout, Wu Changgeng emerged from inside, lifting the door curtain. The moment he saw Dingyi, he was overjoyed and said in a trembling voice, "Our young mistress has returned! Quick, come inside." He then hurriedly kowtowed to Guan Zhaojing, "Chief Steward, we failed to welcome you properly. Please, come in."
Guan Zhaojing, however, declined with a smile, "You two must have private matters to discuss. As an outsider, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to intrude. I'll wait under the eaves outside. When our Princess Consort is ready to leave, Master Wu, please let me know. I thank you in advance."
Times had indeed changed, and it seemed like one's success brought glory to all around them. The Prince's steward, who used to look down on others, now spoke with unexpected gentleness. Watching him hunch his back and retreat outside the gate, Wu Changgeng finally snapped out of his daze. Under the lamplight, he examined Dingyi—her figure had grown taller, her complexion was good, and he felt deeply comforted.
Supporting each other, they entered the house. Dingyi called out, "Master," her eyes rimmed red as she choked back tears. "I've been away for over a year, and only now have I returned to Beijing. I missed you terribly while I was away. Seeing you in good health puts my heart at ease. Let me kowtow to you, to make up for the filial duties I couldn't fulfill this past year." With that, she knelt and kowtowed three times.
Wu Changgeng quickly pulled her up. "I'm fine. The thought alone is enough—no need for such formalities."
Just then, Xiazhi came out from the inner room. The moment he saw her, he wailed, "Xiaoshu! You only missed Master, but not your senior brother? I went to visit my parents in Mentougou, and when I came back, you were gone. We're fellow disciples, after all—what did you mean by leaving without a word? And now look at you—a complete transformation! My junior brother has turned into a girl. My heart... it's too much to bear."
His sorrow stemmed partly from mourning the loss of his buddy and partly from feeling that he had missed his chance with his childhood sweetheart—fate had dealt him an unbearably cruel hand. Dingyi, accustomed to his dramatic outbursts, smiled and comforted him with a few words. Xiazhi wasn’t one to dwell on things, and soon enough, he cheered up and bustled about to set the table.
As the three of them caught up, the courtyard outside grew lively. Sanqingzi's wife, ever the gossip, spoke in a hushed yet audible tone, gesturing animatedly, "You wouldn’t believe it—Xiaoshu was actually a girl all along, and now she’s returned in glory! Just now, a eunuch came in—looked like some Prince’s chief steward—wagging his tail and calling her 'Princess Consort.' My, what a rise! From rolling up her sleeves to cook to becoming a Princess Consort..." Her tone turned sour as she continued, "Who knows which Prince took a fancy to her? But she does look stunning all dressed up. I always said this kid had a girlish face—who knew she was actually a girl?"
Someone nearby tapped the edge of a water vat and muttered, "If she was a girl, how could she serve in the Shuntian Prefecture? If the authorities find out, the charges would be severe."Sanqingzi's wife laughed, "Silly you, she's a Princess Consort now. Who dares to accuse her except the old Emperor? Enough, stop worrying needlessly, everyone scatter! Our Xiaoshun hasn't found a godmother yet, and here's one ready-made." With that, she slipped back into the house to fetch the child, carrying ten-month-old Xiaoshun on her shoulder into the eastern room.
If the Princess Consort was godmother, wouldn't the Prince be godfather! Sanqingzi's wife had it all figured out. Lifting the door curtain, she entered and thrust the child toward Dingyi. "You've been away so long, you missed Xiaoshun's birth. Come see, what a chubby little boy."
Dingyi was quite surprised. Her chat with her master would have to wait as the child was handed to her, leaving her no choice but to take him. Never having held a baby before, she didn't know how to position her hands, cradling him flat against her chest. The child blinked his black bean-like eyes at her as she tucked in his bib, smiling. "He's so lovely, full of cleverness."
Seizing the opportunity, Sanqingzi's wife said, "Xiaoshun will be one soon and still hasn't been pledged to a godparent. They say children must be given away to ward off disasters. See how he takes to you? Why not take him as your godson? I won't have to look elsewhere—we know each other well, and I'd feel at ease giving him to you."
This was a first for Dingyi. At just eighteen, how could she be a godmother? She hesitated. "I'm not even married yet... Besides, godparent pledges depend on zodiac signs. Are ours compatible?"
At this point, compatibility was irrelevant. Sanqingzi's wife insisted, "I've checked—they match perfectly. Not being married doesn't matter; it's just a formality. Would the Prince really mind you having a godson?" She glanced at Dingyi's expression. "Or... is our status too low for you?"
With things put this way, how could she refuse? Dingyi smiled awkwardly. "Of course not, we're neighbors." She looked at her master, whose face glowed with pride, perhaps thinking his apprentice had made something of herself. Feeling reassured, she smiled and slipped off one of her filigree and kingfisher feather bracelets, tucking it into Xiaoshun's swaddle. "I'm unprepared and don't know what to give him. Keep this for him. Tomorrow, I'll send over a set of silverware and a longevity lock as tokens of my regard."
Sanqingzi's wife exclaimed in delight, curtsied with the child, and cooed in a baby voice, "Thank you, Godmother! Godmother loves Xiaoshun, and when he grows up, he'll take good care of you."
Dingyi could only laugh—what else was there to do? She had come to discuss matters with her master but ended up with a godson instead. With no time to spare and still needing to visit East Dengshikou, she exchanged a few pleasantries before taking her leave.
Her master saw her to the sedan, holding the curtain as he whispered, "That place isn't like home—full of people and schemes. Be careful in all things. If anything troubles you, if the Twelfth Master is unkind or sharp-tongued, don't endure it. You're not married yet; resentment now will make for a miserable life. We're climbing high, but the higher we climb, the straighter we must stand, or we'll be looked down upon."Dingyi responded with a soft "Aye, I'll remember." An indescribable warmth and sorrow welled up within her. Outsiders might see only the glamour, urging her to endure any grievances in silence. Only family truly prioritized her well-being—her master and Rujian shared the same concern. She forced a smile and said, "You should go back inside, it's cold out here—no need to catch a chill. I'll take my leave for today but will visit again soon. I'm currently staying at Wine and Vinegar Bureau Alley. If anything comes up, just send my senior brother to fetch me."
Wu Changgeng nodded, lowered the sedan curtain, and cupped his hands toward Guan Zhaojing in farewell. The palanquin was hoisted onto the bearers' shoulders, two wind-proof lanterns leading the way as it swayed and vanished around the street corner.
Some departed, others retreated indoors. A desolate gust swept through the narrow passage, swirling the loose snow along the path. From the shadowed corner where the mulberry tree stood, a figure emerged, spitting out peanut husks with a vicious huff. Grinning crookedly through gritted teeth, he turned and stalked off toward the far end of the alley.
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