Youthful Glory

"Is it true? Have you consulted a physician?"

Madam Pei nodded. "Two physicians were called in, and both confirmed..." She hesitated, finding it somewhat embarrassing to voice aloud. At her age, she had long resigned herself to the idea that such blessings were beyond her, yet now, unexpectedly, this joyous news had arrived—it felt rather awkward to mention.

Ming Tan remained stunned, taking a long moment to collect herself.

Madam Pei gently caressed her abdomen, a tender smile curving her lips. "Lately, I've been craving spicy foods. They say sour cravings foretell a son, while spicy ones mean a daughter. I do hope it's a little girl—one just like you were in your childhood would be perfect. Fair as jade, sweet and lively, utterly delightful."

Ming Tan instinctively glanced at her stepmother's belly and smiled faintly. "A brother or sister would be equally blessed. Though, if it's a brother, that might be even better. Once daughters marry, it's often difficult for them to fully attend to their parents' needs."

Madam Pei's smile deepened at her words. "You're right—this child is blessed regardless. In the future, they'll have elder siblings to rely on. If it turns out to be a mischievous boy, we'll have Da Ge'er take him under his wing and teach him properly."

Ming Tan nodded in agreement, sipping her tea.

She understood perfectly well that Madam Pei secretly longed for a son. However, with an elder brother already in the household, her stepmother was cautious not to voice this desire outright, lest it sow misunderstanding and strain their relationship.

Truthfully, Ming Tan herself hoped Madam Pei would bear a son. She knew her elder brother's capabilities and temperament well—kind-hearted and righteous, yet conservative and stubborn. To expect him to emulate their father, who had expanded territories in his youth and now wielded considerable authority, was unrealistic.

The Jing'an Marquis Manor had stood proudly for centuries, its halls filled with renowned generals. For its current glory to endure, the family needed a steady stream of future military leaders. It was for this long-term vision that prestigious families always hoped for more sons.

She tactfully shared these thoughts with Madam Pei.

Madam Pei, sensitive and deeply concerned with reputation, often worried that others might perceive her—not Ming Tan's birth mother—as currying favor with the princely household. Since Ming Tan's marriage, their relationship had grown more distant compared to her maiden days.

Ming Tan had long wanted to have a heartfelt conversation with her stepmother but never found the right opportunity. Seizing the moment, she took Madam Pei's hand and said gently, "Since A Tan's marriage, Mother has become increasingly reserved. As the saying goes, the bond of upbringing surpasses that of birth—A Tan believes this wholeheartedly. You are my mother, and it's only natural for us to be close. Why should we care about others' opinions?"

Madam Pei clasped her hand in return, eyes glistening with emotion, her heart overflowing with unspoken feelings.

"By the way, you mentioned earlier that Father has been preoccupied lately but unwilling to share his thoughts. When did this start?" Ming Tan asked suddenly, remembering.

Madam Pei pondered. "Only in recent days, after the autumn hunt concluded. Normally, your father discusses matters with me voluntarily, but this time, even when I asked, he insisted nothing was wrong. That's why I thought to seek your insight."

"I'll ask my husband about it later."

"Don't." Madam Pei stopped her hastily. "If it's political affairs, it's best for women not to inquire too much. Don't let such matters create discord between you and your husband."

Ming Tan was about to explain that her husband had already granted her permission to discuss official matters, but Madam Pei continued, "Perhaps it's just my pregnancy making me overthink things. If anything significant were happening, Your Highness would surely inform you. Since he hasn't, it's likely nothing major."

That was true.Ming Tan nodded, setting aside further thoughts for the moment.

Though she had intended to ask Jiang Xu about it, he had been so busy lately that she rarely caught a glimpse of him, and she too had her hands full.

Shen Hua had safely delivered a healthy heir to the Li family, filling the entire household with joy. Even the usually humble and reserved Master Li, the Imperial Tutor, made an exception and allowed a grand celebration for the baby’s hundred-day banquet.

No sooner had Ming Tan attended Shen Hua’s child’s celebration than she was busy preparing dowry gifts for Bai Minmin—as the year drew to a close, joyous occasions came one after another. The most lively of all was undoubtedly the wedding between Duke Pingguo’s Mansion and Duke Changguo’s Mansion.

Both families were illustrious and noble, and the bride and groom were a perfect match in both looks and affection—a golden union that drew admiration from all.

On the wedding day, the bridal procession stretched magnificently, with red decorations trailing for miles. Even the Empress made a rare trip out of the palace to personally officiate the ceremony.

Bai Minmin and Zhang Huaiyu were truly a case of "fate brings foes together." While most brides hoped their grooms would swiftly pass the challenges and fetch them, even urging friends and family to go easy on him, Bai Minmin took matters into her own hands. She criticized the poetry riddles as too simple, complained that the hiding spot for the bridal shoes wasn’t discreet enough, and even instructed the younger family members to demand more red envelopes from the groom when blocking his way—determined to make him suffer a substantial loss before letting him off.

Her competitive spirit almost made it seem like she didn’t want to get married at all.

Zhang Huaiyu was no less troublesome. The moment he managed to carry his bride out, he sneakily lifted her veil when no one was looking and couldn’t resist teasing, "Did you plaster your face this thick to build a city wall? Or are you hiding some scars, trying to trap me into this marriage?"

"You’re the one with scars! Put me down!"

Watching the two nearly come to blows just leaving the house, the wedding attendants hurried forward, pushing the groom to carry his bride into the sedan chair.

After the wedding, the bride traditionally returned to her family on the third day. During this homecoming banquet, Ming Tan noticed Bai Minmin glowing with health and radiance. Later, they shared some playful private banter. Though newly married, Bai Minmin still blushed at mentions of marital intimacies, deftly steering the conversation elsewhere.

"Why didn’t Your Highness come today? Even on the wedding day, he only made a brief appearance—and not even with you."

"He’s been extremely busy lately, always out and about. Even when he returns to the mansion, he heads straight to his study. On your wedding day, he had just rushed back from Qingzhou at dawn—barely had time to show his face."

Bai Minmin nodded and, seeing no one around, broached a rare serious topic: "Is there going to be war in the north? My father has been unusually busy lately. Even while preparing for my wedding, the outer courtyard was constantly filled with guests."

Ming Tan neither confirmed nor denied it, but at the mention of "guests," a fleeting thought crossed her mind—so subtle she couldn’t grasp it, nor even pinpoint where that momentary unease came from.

Time passed steadily, and soon the winter solstice approached once more.

One night, Ming Tan finally found a chance to ask Jiang Xu if her father was involved in something. Jiang Xu paused briefly before replying simply, "Don’t worry." She didn’t press further.

Instead, she asked about the potential war in the north. After a long silence, Jiang Xu answered gravely, "A storm is brewing in the north. War will break out by next year at the latest."

"By next year at the latest?" Ming Tan was stunned.She had anticipated the possibility of war, but never imagined it would be so imminent.

"Then... then will Husband..."

"I'm afraid I won't be able to spend New Year's Eve with you."

The news came too suddenly. Ming Tan froze momentarily, unsure how to respond.

The lamps had been trimmed earlier for the night, and thick clouds obscured the moon, leaving only an endless darkness in the room. Silence spread slowly through the gloom.

Jiang Xu thought she didn't want him to go to battle and explained further: "As Prince Dingbei of Daxian, it is my duty to fight on the battlefield and defend our homeland. Only Rongzhou remains scattered beyond our borders among Daxian's thirteen provinces. Reclaiming Rongzhou and rebuilding defenses spanning thousands of miles will ensure our dynasty remains free from northern barbarian invasions for a hundred years. After this campaign, the border regions should remain peaceful for years to come."

"A Tan understands," Ming Tan replied softly. "It's just... it's so sudden. I'm not prepared..."

Jiang Xu held her tighter.

"Is this battle dangerous? Are you fully confident?"

"The battlefield is ever-changing; nothing is certain."

Even knowing this, she still had to ask. Ming Tan pressed her lips together and fell silent.

For the winter solstice rituals, Jiang Xu accompanied the imperial procession to worship at the ancestral temple as usual.

On the day of departure, Ming Tan rose early to see him off. The morning was bitterly cold, and Jiang Xu wrapped her icy hands in his cloak. For some reason, he suddenly said, "While I'm away, no matter what happens, wait until I return to deal with it."

Thinking it was just a routine reminder, Ming Tan was about to nod when Jiang Xu added softly, "Trust me."

She paused, finding his words strange, and asked hesitantly, "Husband... is something the matter?"

Jiang Xu didn't answer, only ruffled her hair.

...

The worship procession was scheduled to return in three days, but Jiang Xu didn't come back with them. A secret guard sent to the manor reported that the Lord had been dispatched on official business and would return to the capital a few days later.

At least he hadn't gone directly to the northern front.

Ming Tan felt slightly relieved.

But her relief lasted less than three days before disaster struck Jing'an Marquis Manor—

The Imperial Guards surrounded the manor without warning. Deputy Commander Lu Ting personally led the search and discovered several letters exchanged with Northern He in a hidden compartment of the study, suspected of treason. Marquis Jing'an Ming Tingyuan was immediately taken to the Dali Prison, and everyone in the household was detained. Ming Heng, the newly promoted heir of Jing'an Marquis who had yet to assume his post in Tonggang, was also held at Pang Mountain and would be escorted back to the capital once the investigation was complete.

Marquis Jing'an communicating with Northern He, suspected of treason? This was nothing short of a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

When Ming Tan heard the news at Prince Dingbei's Manor, she nearly collapsed. Her mind went blank for a long moment. When she finally regained her senses, her first thought was—impossible.

How could Father possibly commit treason? Had he gone mad? There must be some mistake—those letters were likely planted by someone else!

Ming Tan immediately wanted to seek out Lu Ting. Since he had led the arrest, he must know something.

But as soon as she tried to leave, she was stopped by soldiers outside. Though the crimes of the family shouldn't affect a married daughter, Ming Tan was married into Prince Dingbei's Manor, and Prince Dingbei also held military authority. With a crime as severe as treason, there was no guarantee that the father-in-law and son-in-law weren't colluding. Thus, while no one in Prince Dingbei's Manor was detained, it was surrounded by soldiers.

Ming Tan was frantic.

Her instincts told her that the "trust" Jiang Xu had mentioned before leaving referred to this very situation. It seemed her husband had already known her father would be arrested.But now that Prince Dingbei's Manor was also surrounded, it was hard for her not to wonder—had her husband, while making his own plans, forgotten that he might also be part of someone else's scheme?

If that were the case, then his "trust" would be useless, for now, he might not even be able to protect himself.

Of course, this was the worst possible outcome.

Unable to leave the manor, Ming Tan had no choice but to return to Qi'an Hall, forcing herself to calm down and think carefully.

Her hands trembled as she finished a cup of tea, only then barely recalling the impending war in the north.

Yes, the northern war, the recapture of Rongzhou... That couldn’t possibly be the worst outcome that would implicate her husband.

The Great Xian dynasty could not afford to lose him now. Even if the Emperor wanted to eliminate him, he wouldn’t choose such a critical moment. The recovery of Rongzhou would mean the return of all thirteen northern provinces to the court. A hundred years later, the annals of history would record this as the most notable achievement of the Emperor’s reign. How could the Emperor sacrifice a legacy that would be praised for generations just to remove one powerful minister?

Ming Tan let out a slight sigh of relief, but the next moment, her hand, toying with the teacup lid, suddenly froze.

If it wouldn’t implicate her husband, then he must be part of the scheme. Knowing this yet still not returning to the capital—was he doing this deliberately?