Youthful Glory

In the flower hall, all attendants had withdrawn, leaving only Ming Tingyuan and Ming Tan seated across from each other. Ming Tan took the initiative to ask, "Father, what did you wish to discuss with me?"

"Nothing much, really. It's just... it's been a while since we last talked." Ming Tingyuan took a sip of sobering tea and cleared his throat. "People say Lang'er resembles you, but truth be told, he looks more like that Ming Heng."

Ming Tan seemed to understand something but did not respond, lowering her gaze to sip her tea instead.

Ming Tingyuan paused. In his eyes, this youngest daughter of his was the most perceptive—usually, he only needed to start a topic, and she would pick up on his meaning and continue the conversation.

After waiting in vain for Ming Tan to speak, Ming Tingyuan had no choice but to awkwardly circle around the subject for a while longer. His throat grew dry from the effort, and finally, he couldn't hold back any longer. "A-Tan, your brother's marriage can't be delayed any longer. Now he won't even come home—what are we to do about this?"

Ming Tan feigned confusion. "Doesn't Brother already have a woman he favors? Besides, his absence isn't something he can control. He now holds an important post in Quanzhou—how could he return to the capital at will?"

"That woman is completely unsuitable!" Ming Tingyuan waved his hand dismissively without a second thought. "Her family background—let's not even mention it, let's not mention it."

Earlier, when Ming Tingyuan had been suspected of treason and imprisoned in the Dali Temple, Ming Heng had also been detained in Pangshan County's yamen before being escorted to the capital. However, within days of his arrival, Ming Tingyuan's name had been cleared.

The relationship between father and son had always been strained, but this shared hardship had brought them rare reconciliation. Yet, less than two days after their reconciliation, Ming Heng expressed his desire to marry Qing He, a low-ranking constable from Pangshan County's yamen—prompting fierce opposition from Ming Tingyuan.

Though a military man at heart, Ming Tingyuan placed great importance on aristocratic traditions. Ming Tan's birth mother, Lady Bai, and his current wife, Madam Pei, were both noblewomen of dignified and refined bearing. Between his two daughters, Ming Tan and Ming Chu, he clearly favored Ming Tan's aristocratic demeanor. It had never even crossed his mind that Ming Heng, heir to the Jing'an Marquis Manor, would want to marry a mere constable with no family background to speak of!

"Father, if your dissatisfaction with Miss Qing He stems solely from her family background, there's truly no need," Ming Tan said gently. "After relinquishing your military authority, haven't you realized? The Jing'an Marquis Manor already has me as the Princess Consort Dingbei. Forming another high-ranking marriage alliance might not be adding flowers to brocade—it could be inviting trouble."

Ming Tingyuan fell silent for a moment. "Of course I understand that. I'm not looking for another marriage as prominent as Prince Dingbei's Manor. But even if our Marquis Manor exercises the utmost caution, must we stoop to marrying a... a constable as the heir's wife? What kind of propriety is that?"

The more he spoke, the more agitated he became. "The capital is full of respectable families—there's Master Shi's daughter from Lüsong Academy, and that... that younger sister of Compiler Yan from the Hanlin Academy. These are scholarly families—wouldn't any of them be better than some constable from a backwater county?"

"They may be excellent, but Brother doesn't care for them," Ming Tan set down her teacup. "Father, did you know that when our Jing'an Marquis Manor fell into disgrace, and Brother was escorted to the capital, Miss Qing He defied her family's objections and insisted on following him to the capital?"

Ming Tingyuan said nothing.

"Before that, she didn't even know Brother's identity, let alone who you were. Yet, simply out of admiration for him, she was willing to believe that his father could never be a traitor conspiring with the enemy. Even if the entire Jing'an Marquis Manor were to be implicated, and Brother were to be executed in the marketplace, she still insisted on coming to bid him farewell. Such devotion is rare—how could Brother possibly betray it?""Although my brother has not pursued a military career, his temperament is extremely stubborn, as you well know, Father. Since his mind is unchangeable, why not grant his wish? It might even help mend your father-son relationship. Miss Qinghe may not come from a prominent family, but at least her background is clean. For the Marquis Manor, that should suffice."

Ming Tingyuan remained silent, yet his expression showed signs of softening.

Ming Tan was about to persuade him further when he waved his hand dismissively. "Let's not talk about him for now. Let's talk about you."

Ming Tan was slightly taken aback.

"Your mother has always been worried that you and the Lord might quarrel too much and ruin your relationship. But from what I saw today, he seems quite attentive to you, so I'm relieved. The previous incident wasn’t his fault to begin with. As the saying goes, 'When the Emperor commands a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to obey.' Thanks to your husband’s influence, the Emperor has shown considerable leniency toward Jing'an Marquis Manor."

"I haven’t been quarreling with him..." Ming Tan defended herself somewhat guiltily. She took a sip of tea and changed the subject. "Father, there’s something I’ve never understood."

"What is it?"

"If the Emperor is so wary of powerful officials, why does he place such trust in my husband?"

Jiang Xu commanded 500,000 troops of the Dingbei Army, accounting for half of the Great Xian’s deployable forces, and also nurtured numerous elite warriors of the Jinyun Guard. His threat level far surpassed that of Ming Tingyuan. Ming Tan was not the only one who harbored such doubts.

Ming Tingyuan pondered briefly. "The two of them grew up together. While the princes were vying for the throne, it was natural for cousins to be close. Moreover, the Emperor has been rescued by Qizhi multiple times in life-threatening situations. That’s not just a bond—it’s a debt of life."

He sighed softly, his voice slow and deliberate. "Besides, Qizhi is different from your father. Do you think, given the current might of the Dingbei Army, the Emperor has any choice but to trust him unconditionally? In truth, it’s been this way for a long time—far longer than now."

Ming Tan fell silent, unable to respond.

……

By the time they left Jing'an Marquis Manor, dusk was approaching. Jiang Xu helped her into the carriage and casually placed a soft cushion behind her back.

After a long silence, Ming Tan couldn’t resist asking, "Aren’t you curious about what Father discussed with me?"

Jiang Xu paused briefly before humoring her. "Then, what did my esteemed father-in-law say to you?"

"Nothing much, just some talk about my brother’s marriage," she replied, resting her chin on her hand and turning her gaze to Jiang Xu. "He also told me not to quarrel with you, lest you grow tired of me... and either send me back to the Marquis Manor or take in a few more consorts and concubines."

"Achoo!"

—Back at the manor, Ming Tingyuan, who had never uttered the latter part of that sentence, sneezed inexplicably.

But it was no wonder Ming Tan used such words to tease. Since their return from the northwest, envoys from the feudal lords and neighboring states had flocked to the capital to pay tribute. While most sought to present women to the palace, many also aimed to send them to Prince Dingbei's Manor.

Fortunately, Jiang Xu had learned his lesson from the incident in Lingzhou and handled the matter swiftly and decisively this time. Ming Tan had only heard a few murmurs, and no one dared to bring such troubles to her doorstep. The manor was now peaceful—so much so that even Yun Yi had moved out.

Thinking of this, Ming Tan asked, "By the way, where is Yun Yi now? Her last letter mentioned Tong Harbor, but it’s been quite some time since then."

"I don’t know. But with her skills, there’s no need to worry. She’ll return when she wishes to."Upon hearing this, Ming Tan nodded, feeling a touch of melancholy.

Yun Yi had left the capital because of Shu Jingran. Ming Tan wasn't entirely clear about the details between them, only knowing that over the past few months, the Right Prime Minister's Madam had been quite conspicuous in seeking potential matches for Shu Jingran. Shu Jingran himself had also gained the Emperor's open trust due to his outstanding performance in establishing ports in Quanzhou and handling the aftermath in Lingzhou.

When Yun Yi left, she had said, "He has a splendid future and grand ambitions. It's not that I feel unworthy of him, but I don't want to hinder him from achieving his aspirations because of me. Besides, I have my own dreams—to roam the world freely, sword in hand. Isn't that wonderful?"

She spoke these words with the same forthright expression as always. Her departure was equally carefree—just a small bundle in hand, a wave goodbye, and then she disappeared into the boundless night without looking back.

After Yun Yi left the capital, Shu Jingran seemed unchanged on the surface, yet he appeared more composed than before. He frequently voiced forthright advice in court, and Emperor Chengkang grew to rely on him even more.

After the Right Prime Minister retired, Zhou Jingwan's father, the Hanlin Academy's Chief, took over the position. Shu Jingran, still young, rose to a third-rank civil official post, clearly on track to succeed his father as the Emperor's right-hand man.

He never spoke of Yun Yi voluntarily, yet somehow, the matchmaking efforts the Right Prime Minister's Madam had busied herself with for so long quietly came to nothing.

Much later, noble ladies in the capital often wondered why the esteemed Shu Jingran, so favored by the Emperor, remained unmarried. Once the most dashing young master in the capital, he remained solitary to this day, without even a concubine. Did he have some hidden ailment, or perhaps no interest in women?

Speculations abounded. Some even sent male entertainers from the southern quarters to his residence, only for him to send them all away.

Then, one spring, when Shu Jingran was promoted to second rank, becoming the youngest minister in the Great Xian dynasty—just one step away from the pinnacle of power—a letter arrived from the distant south, carried on willow catkins. Scrawled crookedly on it was a single line: "The camphor tea chicken in Lingzhou is as fragrant as ever. If Second Young Master Shu wants some, I'll bring one back for you."

Shu Jingran smiled.

But that is a story for another time. For now, the upcoming excitement in the capital was the marriage of Shen Yu, Deputy Commander of the Northern Army and General of the Cloud Banner, to the Sixth Princess of Nanlu.

Previously, Shen Yu had gone out of his way to avoid the Sixth Princess. Yet, after escorting the Nanlu envoys back, he unexpectedly proposed to marry her at the welcoming banquet in Nanlu. At the time, the Sixth Princess already had a betrothed, and the King of Nanlu did not give a direct answer.

Then, as war loomed in the northwest, Shen Yu made his pledge and immediately rode off to the front. Only after reclaiming Rongzhou did he, at the victory banquet, exchange his military merits for Emperor Chengkang's personal letter of recommendation.

With such sincerity, and the Sixth Princess herself eager to marry him, the King of Nanlu had no reason to refuse.

The young ladies of the capital were envious of the Sixth Princess. How deep must his affection be? As soon as word arrived from Nanlu, General Shen rushed there himself to fetch his bride.