Though their thoughts differed, everyone proceeded together to Longevity and Peace Hall. Wang Old Madam was particularly enthusiastic, leading the way with her good son-in-law Lord Sheng Hong following closely behind.
Though conscious, Old Mrs. Sheng remained extremely weak, barely able to utter a few words. Mama Fang, fearing she couldn't withstand the shock, hadn't revealed the truth. The old lady simply assumed her sudden illness was due to old age. When she saw the Wang family, she thought they had specially come to visit her, struggling to sit up and express gratitude.
Wang Uncle, burdened by guilt, couldn't bear to accept the elderly woman's thanks and retreated behind the others. Wang Aunt supported Wang Old Madam at the bedside, a faint mockery in her eyes—her mother-in-law held Old Mrs. Sheng's hand, speaking with excessive concern. Had Doctor Lin not warned them beforehand, she might have pleaded for her daughter's forgiveness right there by the sickbed.
Sheng Hong's performance was equally impressive, beating his chest and weeping bitterly—enough to rank among the top ten filial sons in the capital. In contrast, Madam Wang lacked such refinement, standing shamefaced beside her elder brother, head bowed low as she continuously wiped her tears.
After enduring this mix of genuine and feigned concern, the old lady finally showed true joy when she saw Minglan and Changbai.
"...I heard... your governance... has been excellent... Well done... Grandmother is happy..." She looked at her sun-tanned, sturdy eldest grandson with pride in her eyes. Seeing Minglan weeping quietly by the bedside, she comforted with difficulty, "...Silly child... when one gets old... this is inevitable..." Minglan felt as if a stone were lodged in her throat, desperately holding back sobs while forcing a smile.
The recovering patient lacked energy, and after just a few words, Old Mrs. Sheng drifted back into drowsy sleep. Doctor Lin, with dark circles under his eyes and newly silvered temples, led everyone to the outer hall. He excitedly announced that the old lady could now take medicine and eat on her own, and with proper care, would recover fully.
Gu Tingye bowed deeply with a smile: "Our elder's recovery is entirely thanks to your diligent care, Doctor. I shall remember this kindness. We hope you'll continue guiding her recuperation."
Doctor Lin returned the bow: "You flatter me, Marquis Gu. I'll naturally do my utmost for her recovery." This was precisely what he'd been waiting to hear. He then requested permission to return home after many days away, wishing to consult medical texts and prepare recuperative herbs.
This was promptly approved. Sheng Hong saw Doctor Lin out with profuse thanks, instructing the steward to present a generous silver envelope. He wanted to add "Please don't speak of my mother's poisoning," but the words stuck in his throat.
Doctor Lin, being shrewd, understood the unspoken implication from Sheng Hong's hesitation. Internally, he thought: Thirty years ago during the Chong Prince's succession dispute, they used red-crowned crane poison and viper bile—I navigated that just fine and lived to tell the tale. Your household merely has inner quarters women poisoning the old lady—hardly worth such alarm! Acting as if it's rebellion—truly inexperienced!
But Doctor Lin revealed nothing, stroking his beard with a smile: "They say the old become like children—how true. The older people get, the more gluttonous they become. Your honored mother must restrain her appetite from now on—sweet, raw, and spicy foods should be minimized."Sheng Hong was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed in gratitude. He thought to himself that high-quality talents were indeed different—not only exceptionally skilled professionally but also well-versed in human affairs and so articulate.
After seeing Doctor Lin off, Sheng Hong walked with buoyant steps, feeling completely at ease as he returned to the hall. Just as he reached the doorway, he heard arguing inside again.
He heard Wang Old Madam anxiously saying, "...Since your grandmother has already recovered, why must you insist on pursuing your aunt? If not for her sake, then for mine! I beg you, what kind of place is the House of Repentance?! Is it fit for humans?! Sending your aunt there would be the death of her!"
Sheng Hong’s heart jolted, and he immediately halted his steps before entering the room.
The House of Repentance was under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Household Department. Originally established to punish and confine female relatives of the imperial clan, its scope had later expanded. Women from noble families who had committed grave offenses—though not deserving of death—but could no longer appear in public were all sent there. Unlike ordinary nunneries where banished women were typically confined, once entered, no one could leave without an imperial decree, effectively imprisoning them for life.
It was like a tomb for the living, located in a remote and desolate corner of the imperial city. No matter how scandalous the affairs that had erupted outside, all disputes vanished along with the person sent inside, buried without a trace and beyond further inquiry.
Due to the secrecy of such matters, he had only heard of two cases so far. One was during Emperor Renzong’s consort selection, when the Marquess of Jinyang’s wife, to ensure her daughter’s success, secretly administered Pockmark Powder to the eldest daughter of the Marquess of Jinxiang, who had been pre-selected for the palace, disfiguring her. The other was during Emperor Wu’s reign, when the Dowager of the Duke of Chenggong personally sent her two daughters-in-law there, though the specific reasons remained unknown.
To this day, he had never heard of any woman entering and leaving alive. Most remained until their deaths, when their bodies were returned to their families for burial. To put it bluntly, families like the Kangs, Wangs, and Shengs weren’t even qualified to send someone there—it would likely require the influence of the Ningyuan Marquis Household.
His thoughts wandered, and he missed some of the conversation inside. He quickly pricked up his ears to listen carefully.
"...Good child, I beg you, I beg you... I know you deeply resent your aunt. Can’t I have her recite Buddhist sutras and maintain a vegetarian diet in a nunnery? I’ll have her practice asceticism as a layperson, or even shave her head and become a nun! I won’t let her harm anyone again." Wang Old Madam wept bitterly, pleading desperately, "She truly cannot go to the House of Repentance! The inmates there perform hard labor—pounding rice, washing clothes, chopping firewood—and eat coarse, spoiled food. Your aunt has lived a life of luxury her entire life; how could she endure it?!"
Changbai replied, "The House of Repentance allows family visits twice a year. If you visit often, Grandmother, those inside likely won’t treat Aunt too harshly. As for hard labor... after committing such a heinous act, does Aunt still expect to enjoy wealth and honor?"
After a pause, he added sarcastically, "And you mention a nunnery? As I recall, seven or eight years ago, wasn’t Aunt sent to the Kang Family’s ancestral temple? In just half a year, you couldn’t bear her pleas and personally went to the Kang Family, pressuring them to release her."
Aunt Kang was exceptionally skilled at manipulating her elderly mother, always managing to soften her heart. A state-mandated institution seemed far more reliable.
Wang Old Madam retorted angrily, "How heartless you are! Your grandmother isn’t dead, is she? Why must you be so relentless?"
Changbai countered sharply, "Grandmother’s survival is thanks to heaven’s mercy and Buddha’s protection, as well as Doctor Lin’s diligent care. What does Aunt have to do with it? Aunt was determined to take her life!""But she did survive!" Old Madam Wang struggled to argue.
At this point, Gu Tingye interjected, "Old Madam, you are mistaken. There are countless ways to live. Our family's Old Madam was originally robust and healthy, but after your daughter poisoned her, her health deteriorated drastically, leaving her foundation hollow. She could have lived to 118, but now she may only reach 108. She could have enjoyed operas, dances, mountain hikes, temple visits, and spent her twilight years joyfully, but now she cannot be without medicinal soups and may suffer lifelong ailments. How can your sister compensate for these lost years and decades of happiness?"
Changbai wore an expression of deep bitterness. "My brother-in-law speaks truly. And what about Quange? How will Grandmother dote on her great-grandson in the future?"
"Exactly." Gu Tingye clapped his hands and laughed. "The exact amount owed is truly incalculable. We don't know how long your sister will live either—we can't exactly invite her to the underworld years in advance. Nor can we actually break her limbs just because Old Madam has difficulty moving. It's simplest to send her to the House of Repentance and let the grievances among our three families be settled!"
Old Madam Wang stared in stunned silence, utterly astonished—where did the Sheng family find such a remarkable son-in-law?
Minglan stared blankly at her husband's profile, the corner of her mouth twitching.
"Cousin, you dispose of my mother so decisively..." Kang Jin, who had remained silent until now, suddenly spoke, his face filled with grief and indignation. "Then what about your own mother?"
Old Madam Wang had actually wanted to ask the same question, but didn't dare since her younger daughter already resented her. Hearing her eldest grandson speak up, Madam Wang—who had thought she was off the hook—immediately burned with rage and glared furiously at Kang Jin.
Changbai responded calmly, "My mother showed disrespect toward Grandmother and harbored unfilial, rebellious thoughts. Naturally, she should also be punished. My mother will devote herself to Buddhist prayers and chant scriptures to seek blessings for Grandmother."
Madam Wang breathed a sigh of relief and smiled slightly. "Exactly, I plan to set up a Buddhist shrine in the back room..."
"Not at home." Changbai quickly interrupted.
Madam Wang paused, embarrassed. "Right, my faults are significant. I should find a quiet nunnery in the capital..."
"Not in a capital nunnery either." Changbai looked steadily at his mother and stated firmly, "Mother, you must return to our hometown in Youyang. You will practice spiritual cultivation, maintain a vegetarian diet, chant Buddhist sutras, and repent at the Sheng Family Temple. Except during festivals, you are not permitted to leave the family temple."
Madam Wang gasped, straightening up abruptly and shrieking, "Isn't this imprisonment?!"
Changbai enunciated each word clearly: "If Mother refuses, I will resign from my official post. With a mother like this—who has erred yet shows no remorse and refuses to accept punishment—I would have no face to continue serving as an official."
Minglan lowered her head in contemplation.
Madam Wang had never liked Youyang. In the decades since marrying into the Sheng family, she had spent less than a month total in the hometown. There, she had no relatives or friends and could only rely on her uncle's family. Given Madam Wang's relationship with her cousin's wife, Da Bomu would likely be quite willing to strictly supervise her 'repentance.' Additionally, since the two branches of the family were close, Da Bomu wouldn't neglect Madam Wang's daily needs.
Her elder brother's method of punishment was excellent.
Madam Wang grew anxious and flustered, saying hurriedly, "...You child, who are you threatening?! If home isn't suitable, can't I practice Buddhism at a nunnery? Why must I return to the hometown? I don't know anyone there...""Mother shall leave the family and reflect alone before the ancestral tablets of the Sheng family. Think carefully about Grandmother, every family member, and where you went wrong over these decades – whether it was justified or not." Changbai walked over and gently guided his mother to sit down. "Mother knows me well – I mean what I say and follow through."
Madam Wang broke into a panicked sweat, stammering, "Then... how long must I go for..."
Minglan began counting on her fingers inside her sleeve – accessory to murder didn’t apply, but intentional bodily harm was established. Since Doctor Lin said Grandmother would recover, it could be considered half attempted... At least... well, five years of imprisonment...
"Ten years," Changbai said calmly. "After ten years, when Mother has truly reflected, you may return to serve Grandmother."
Minglan quietly drew a sharp breath and clenched her jaw – she could come out occasionally for festivals and New Year’s, so the sentence wasn’t excessively harsh. No, it wasn’t.
Madam Wang nearly fainted from anger. She sprang up furiously, pointing at her son and cursing, "You unfilial wretch!" Then she rushed out like a whirlwind, covering her face and weeping loudly, completely failing to notice Sheng Hong by the door.
The room fell silent instantly. Wang Old Madam stared at Changbai, speechless for a long while, while Kang Jin completely shut his mouth.
After listening outside for a while longer as the grandmother and grandson continued arguing relentlessly – with Wang Old Madam alternating between pleading and furious scolding, yet her son remaining unmoved and refusing to yield – Sheng Hong decided it would be wiser to avoid the main hall. Instead, he went to the inner room to fulfill his filial duties by his ailing mother’s bedside, attending to her bowls and tasting her medicine.
Finally, Wang Old Madam left in humiliated anger. When Wang Uncle asked if he could take away Kang Yima, who was confined in the back room, Changbai sternly refused. Disheartened, Wang Uncle had to leave with his other nephew, Kang Jin.
Still uneasy, Minglan wanted to stay until she saw the Old Madam able to speak and sit up. Gu Tingye, sensing his wife’s reluctance to return home immediately, boldly asked his father-in-law if they could extend their stay for a few days.
Sheng Hong felt bitter inwardly (having to maintain his filial act longer in front of his son-in-law), but he forced an expression of warm welcome.
Just then, Hai Shi arrived with a virtuous demeanor, inviting everyone to lunch as if nothing had happened – merely hosting her sister-in-law and brother-in-law for a family visit. She cheerfully served dishes and soup with a smiling face.
Faced with his unfilial daughter, cunning son-in-law, expressionless son, and pretending-oblivious daughter-in-law, Sheng Hong found the meal hard to swallow, his throat tight and stomach aching. He barely endured until after-tea before hastily retreating to his study.
The Longevity and Peace Hall had many vacant rooms. Mama Fang quickly prepared a clean, elegant room according to Minglan’s old preferences. Remembering Minglan’s habit of napping, she even laid out the white grass mat Minglan favored. Considering the summer heat, she also placed two large buckets of warm water in the side room in case the couple felt uncomfortable from sweating.
Exhausted, they bathed without any romantic notions. After washing up, Gu Tingye glanced around the room and teased his wife, "It’s truly comfortable – no wonder my lady is reluctant to leave. But does my lady recall we still have a young son at home?"
Minglan, spreading a thin blanket on the bed, threw a bamboo pillow at him with a laugh. "Don’t mock me! I miss Tuan Ge’er too. Sleeping in Grandmother’s room every night, I even dream of our son!"Gu Tingye was quite pleased with being tossed onto the bed. Holding the bamboo pillow, he cheerfully climbed onto the bedding. Minglan loosened his tied-up hair, gently combing it out with her fingers. She whispered softly, "I truly feel sorry for our son this time, but... alas, there was no other way. We could only focus on one thing. Cui Mama and Cuixiu will surely take good care of him."
Hearing the sorrow in his wife's voice, Gu Tingye gently stroked her back. "You really frightened me this time. Seeing how honest and mild-mannered you usually are, I never imagined you would go to such lengths—it was as if you had become a different person."
After reading Gongsun Baishi's letter, he could hardly believe his eyes. Blockading her maternal home, angrily rebuking her birth father, forcibly capturing people, deceiving others, interrogating, and torturing—each act was a desperate, all-or-nothing gamble without regard for her own safety. Was this still the clever, cunning Sheng Minglan who always prioritized self-preservation and never made a mistake?
Throughout his hurried journey, his emotions had swung between joy and worry, leaving him unable to articulate his thoughts clearly. He only felt one thing—he must help her, protect her.
Seeing Minglan bow her head in silence, Gu Tingye sighed softly. "You still don’t want to tell me? Fine..." He made to lie down and sleep, but Minglan suddenly pressed a hand against his chest, lifting her head to meet his gaze. "I’ll tell you."
Gu Tingye sat cross-legged on the bed.
"In the end, Grandmother’s undeserved misfortune was actually because of me," Minglan said with a solemn expression. "Old Madam has always had her improper ways, and Grandmother turned a blind eye to it for decades, maintaining peace between them. Kang Yima didn’t just appear in the last couple of years—she’s been visiting Old Madam to chat ever since we moved to the capital. Back then, she also stirred up trouble and sowed discord, yet Grandmother never reacted so severely."
The muffled chirping of cicadas drifted in from outside as the sweltering afternoon sunlight slowly seeped into the room. The Longevity and Peace Hall was surrounded by many tall trees, their dappled leaves and branches casting shifting shadows on the fine white gauze windows—some deep black, some pale gray, and some as faint and delicate as the tail of a finely drawn eyebrow.
Two basins of ice were placed in the corners of the room, releasing a thin mist that carried a refreshing coolness.
Gu Tingye listened quietly.
"Grandmother never told me, but I know it was the year Kang Yima tried to send a concubine into our household that truly angered her," Minglan picked up a palm-leaf fan and began to sway it gently—simple yet elegant. "Grandmother was furious. She cast aside years of pretense between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, lost her temper, publicly reprimanded Old Madam, and even made her kneel at the entrance of the Longevity and Peace Hall for everyone to see. From that moment on, resentment must have taken root in Old Madam’s heart."
The cool breeze from the fan drifted into the bed curtains, lightly teasing her fine strands of hair and brushing against the man’s arm, tickling him.
"After that, Grandmother grew increasingly worried that Old Madam, influenced by her sister, would harm me again. She tightened her control over Old Madam, even stripping her of her authority to manage the household and handing it over to my sisters-in-law. Old Madam has always been fiercely competitive and stubborn—she wouldn’t even yield to Father. For Grandmother to publicly humiliate her like that deepened the resentment in her heart, giving Kang Yima the opening she needed."
Minglan’s tone was calm, tinged with a trace of sorrow.
"What Grandmother did was wrong. Old Madam, after all, is a mother and grandmother—she deserves a basic measure of respect. Grandmother could have closed the doors and counseled her patiently, explaining things in detail... In the past, whenever Old Madam acted foolishly, that’s how Grandmother handled it."Tears welled up in her eyes, yet she seemed completely unaware as she continued speaking slowly: "Why should Grandmother seek vengeance for me? I'm already married and can take care of myself. At her age, shouldn't she be enjoying the respect and care of her descendants, living in comfort and peace? Why must she become so agitated and determined to act upon hearing I've been wronged? Eldest Brother is, after all, the Madame's own son—isn't she afraid this might create a rift between them and spoil her twilight years?"
Her long eyelashes could no longer hold back the teardrops. One fell, then another, forming small dark circles on the soft cotton blanket. Minglan pressed a handkerchief to her face, slowly absorbing the warm moisture.
"Grandmother truly loves and worries about me, which is why she brought this calamity upon herself... I understand the Marquis's concerns, but I cannot deceive myself. That year when I gave birth to Tuan Ge'er, when the Grand Old Madam tried to burn me to death and Man Niang attempted to crash into me—later when the Marquis arrived and handled everything perfectly, I understood then."
"Because... I didn't punish Man Niang severely enough?" Gu Tingye's throat was so dry he could barely form a complete sentence.
"Whether the punishment was severe or not doesn't matter at all." Minglan shook her head slowly, her eyes red-rimmed. "That time you said you didn't care about Qi Heng, you only cared about what was in my heart. Today I'll return those words to you: I never cared about Man Niang's fate. What I care about is what you did and what you thought."
Cool air gradually permeated the bed curtains. Minglan set down the palm-leaf fan, gently tracing the banana leaf patterns on its surface.
"To be fair, your handling of the Man Niang situation was most appropriate—it stopped outsiders' gossip, prevented opportunists from causing trouble, and spared me any embarrassment. Even upon repeated reflection, I couldn't have devised a better arrangement. But do you know? When you truly care for someone, you make mistakes in moments of panic—what they call 'care brings chaos.' Like Grandmother did..."
She lifted her head, her large damp eyes gazing at him. "When you heard Man Niang was trying to kill me, did you panic? Did you lose your composure? Even after learning I was safe, were you still so furious you wanted to immediately avenge me?"
Gu Tingye felt utterly lost, remaining silent.
Tears trembling on her lashes, Minglan covered her face with her sleeve and said sorrowfully: "I know I shouldn't say this, but... I've always felt that true love isn't measured by how many wise things one does, but by how many foolish things."
Gu Tingye wasn't Qi Heng, nor He Hongwen, nor any frivolous and ignorant youth. He had experienced betrayal and deception, nearly being destroyed. Precisely because of this, his 'care bringing chaos' was all the more precious.
Like Old Mrs. Sheng—after half a lifetime of suffering and mistreatment, she was still willing to wholeheartedly love a child with no blood relation to her. This was what drove her to charge forward fearlessly, undeterred by thousands.
Lowering her sleeve, her face streaked with tears, she looked at him with pleading eyes: "We'll grow old together, respecting and loving each other our whole lives. I'll surely be a good wife, a good mother... Let's just live well like this."
After saying this, Minglan turned to face the inner side of the bed, closed her eyes, and spoke no more.
Gu Tingye leaned against the bedpost, gazing blankly at her. Her curled form was as soft as willow branches, quietly buried beneath the thin blanket.He suddenly recalled something she had said long ago—mundane couples wound each other too easily with excessive entanglements; the best is to live out this life in tranquil ambiguity.
Picking up the palm-leaf fan by the bed, he gently began fanning her.
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