Youthful Glory

The tender scene outside the house reached this point just as Madam Pei led the household servants out to greet them.

Madam Pei called out "Marquis," then helped Ming Tan up, smiling warmly. "After five years apart, A Tan has missed you so much she's cried herself into a little mess."

Ming Tingyuan patted Ming Tan's head and laughed heartily. "I see Madam has raised this little kitten exceptionally well!"

The smile on Madam Pei's face deepened slightly. Just as she was about to respond, someone suddenly burst into the courtyard, shouting abruptly, "Father!"

It was Ming Chu.

Still dressed in her red outfit, she went straight to cling to Ming Tingyuan's arm, acting spoiled as if no one else was present. "Father, you're finally back! You even took A Fu and the others to the palace—no one was left to practice whips with me!"

Normally, Ming Tingyuan would have been quite indulgent of Ming Chu's antics. After all, while stationed at the border, she was the only daughter by his side, and he doted on her endlessly. But now, he instinctively glanced at his younger daughter before him.

His well-behaved and sensible little daughter stared at the arm Ming Chu was clinging to, momentarily stunned, before silently lowering her lashes, as if trying to hide the disappointment in her eyes.

An indescribable emotion welled up in his heart. Noticing the awkward interruption on Madam Pei's face, he also felt inexplicably uncomfortable. "What nonsense is this? You haven't even greeted your mother properly!"

...?

Ming Chu was dumbfounded.

"The capital isn't like the border where you can do as you please. A young lady should learn to rein in her wildness. Practicing whips? You'd do better to spend time learning proper manners from your mother and sister!"

Consort Liu, standing at the courtyard gate, paused upon hearing this.

Earlier, after freshening up in her own quarters, she had intended to bring Ming Chu to pay respects to Madam Pei. But along the way, a servant informed them that the Marquis had already returned to the estate and was heading to Lanxin Courtyard. Ming Chu had stormed ahead in a huff.

Consort Liu had tried to catch up, but Ming Chu, having practiced some half-baked martial arts over the years, walked much faster than most women. By the time Consort Liu arrived at Lanxin Courtyard, she happened to hear the Marquis's reprimand.

Steadying herself, she stepped forward and curtsied. "This humble one greets the Marquis and Madam."

Ming Chu, still reeling from the shock of being scolded by her father, only gave a reluctant curtsey after being tugged by Consort Liu. "Greetings to Father and Mother."

"No need for such formality among family," Madam Pei said, displaying the gentle magnanimity expected of the household's matriarch. "Now that the Marquis has returned, let's not stand around here. Come inside for the meal."

The midday feast was laid out in the side chamber of Lanxin Courtyard's main hall, with an extravagant spread of dishes—braised deer tendon, crystal pork knuckle, lotus leaf spare ribs, hibiscus tofu... a balanced selection of meat and vegetables.

From the moment they entered, Consort Liu stood obediently to the side, serving Madam Pei by ladling soup and adding dishes to her bowl. Though Madam Pei urged her to rest, Consort Liu bowed her head demurely and said, "Attending to the Marquis and Madam is this humble one's duty."

Ming Tingyuan remained silent, but his approval of her behavior was evident. Earlier, outside, he had been thinking that he shouldn't have taken Ming Chu to Yangxi Road—Consort Liu had spoiled her into having no sense of propriety. But now, upon reflection, Consort Liu was actually quite dutiful. The real issue was Ming Chu's temperament, which few could control.

The room fell into silence.

Everyone present, including the maids, were seasoned veterans of the inner household's politics. No one but Ming Tingyuan likely took Consort Liu's display at face value.

Of course, Ming Chu was genuinely indignant on her mother's behalf.After all, back in Yangxi Road, they used to dine as a family of three. But now, not only could they not sit together for meals, they even had to serve that woman who occupied the position of the mistress yet couldn’t produce an heir! Just the thought of it made Ming Chu lose all appetite for the delicacies before her.

At that very moment, Ming Tan picked up a piece of braised deer tendon with her chopsticks and placed it in Ming Tingyuan’s bowl. “Father, try this.”

Regardless of how the deer tendon tasted, the way she elegantly adjusted her sleeve, switched her chopsticks, and silently placed the tendon on the small dish by his bowl without a single drop of sauce spilling was enough to satisfy Ming Tingyuan immensely.

He was a rough man with limited literary refinement, but that didn’t stop him from admiring elegance and grace. If not for this preference, he wouldn’t have favored Consort Liu, the most talented among his concubines. Seeing his own daughter display such poise and refinement now filled him with a sense of pride and gratification. After tasting the deer tendon, he nodded and praised, “Mmm, tender and flavorful—excellent!”

“I’m glad Father likes it,” Ming Tan replied, her eyes curving into crescents.

“How could I not? This braised deer tendon was specially prepared by A Tan for the Marquis,” Madam Pei added, placing another piece in Ming Tingyuan’s bowl. “Deer tendon is notoriously difficult to soften. They say it must be pounded and boiled days in advance, then braised once in meat broth and again in chicken stock simmered for a full day. Even the preparation of the broths is meticulous. A Tan has been overseeing every step of this dish for days.”

Ming Tingyuan graciously accepted the piece Madam Pei offered, feeling deeply touched. “A Tan has always been filial and obedient since she was little. Of course, much of that is thanks to your careful upbringing over the years, Madam.”

As he spoke, he served both Ming Tan and Madam Pei a pearl meatball each. “Don’t just focus on me. This dish looks splendid—you should try it too.”

“Thank you, Father.”

“Thank you, Marquis.”

Ming Chu: “…”

As if anyone would believe this pampered young lady, who had never lifted a finger in the kitchen, actually cooked this braised deer tendon herself! At most, she might have told the kitchen to prepare it for her father—yet Madam Pei, that barren hen, had the audacity to spin it into a tale of filial devotion!

The atmosphere at the table was thick with undercurrents. Some chatted and laughed, while others had already poked their rice cold with resentment.

Just then, Suxin, who hadn’t accompanied Ming Tan to Lanxin Courtyard, quietly entered the room after speaking to the maids outside. She approached Ming Tan with small steps, nudging aside the maid standing behind her, and while pretending to assist with the meal, whispered a few words into Ming Tan’s ear.

Ming Chu, who had been watching Ming Tan closely, didn’t miss this. Noticing Suxin discreetly passing a letter under the table while whispering, and Ming Tan accepting it without a flicker of expression, she sensed something amiss and immediately called it out. “Fourth Sister, someone sent you a letter? Who’s it from, so secretive?”

Everyone at the table turned to look.

“It’s nothing, just a letter from Cousin Bai. I asked her to handle a small matter earlier, and she must be notifying me of the outcome,” Ming Tan replied nonchalantly.

Ming Chu pressed on. “If it had to be delivered during mealtime, it must be quite urgent. Why don’t you read it now? If she’s waiting for a reply, you can send someone right away.”

Ming Tingyuan found Ming Chu’s reasoning sound. As someone who commanded military affairs, he despised delays in urgent matters most of all.Seeing Ming Tan's hesitation, he thought she was worried about breaking etiquette by reading the letter during the meal, and presumptuously came to her defense: "It's fine, we're family and don't stand on ceremony. You can read it. If there's anything urgent, we can respond promptly."

Ming Tan wanted to say something, but Ming Chu didn't give her the chance to refuse, directly ordering the maids waiting nearby: "Why are you still standing there? Fourth Sister is particular about cleanliness—how can she read the letter without washing her hands?"

Soon, a basin of water and a handkerchief were brought before her.

Ming Tan seemed to have no other choice but to wash her hands and unfold the letter.

At first, her expression remained normal. But then, upon reading something, her gaze froze. Pressing her lips together, she began reading faster and faster, her face growing increasingly pale.

After finishing the entire letter, she stubbornly read it again from the beginning. But this time, by the end, her face was completely drained of color, and she looked as if she might collapse at any moment.

"What's wrong?" Ming Tingyuan frowned.

Ming Tan didn't answer. Covering her lips with the plain handkerchief, her eyes were filled with disbelief. In an instant, her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall.

At this sight, everyone was alarmed. Ming Tingyuan snatched the letter from her hands.

He skimmed through it rapidly. Though he had no idea what the letter was investigating about some drowning incident, he wasn't a fool. The letter clearly stated:

On the Lantern Festival, the two men who had pushed Ming Tan into the water had long since left the capital. After much difficulty, they had been tracked down to Lizhou.

These two men were not strangers—a thief and his victim—but actual brothers!

According to their confession, pushing her into the water had been prearranged. They had received orders from Madam Lingguo to secretly follow Liang Zixuan on the night of the Lantern Festival and act according to his instructions when the opportunity arose.

That day, Ming Tan had coincidentally been at the dock releasing lanterns. If she hadn't been there, Liang Zixuan would have found a way to lead her to the water's edge to stage the entire scene of an "accidental fall" and a heroic rescue!

"Bang—!" With a slam of his hand on the table, the delicate dishes rattled. Ming Tingyuan was furious. "Outrageous!"

Seeing this, Madam Pei quickly took the letter and read it carefully.

After finishing, she was even more shocked than Ming Tingyuan. When Ming Tan had fallen into the water during the Lantern Festival, and the Liang family's heir had covered for her, she had thought the Lingguo family's thoroughness showed great decency—that they were good people to deal with. But this entire scheme had actually been orchestrated by the Lingguo family! It was utterly unbelievable!

"Fourth Sister, what's wrong? What does the letter say?" Seeing the reactions of the three, Ming Chu knew something serious must have happened. Unable to contain her curiosity, she eagerly tried to peek at the letter's contents.

But Madam Pei obviously wouldn't let her. Having managed the household for years, Madam Pei had seen her share of incidents. Despite her shock and anger, she quickly realized that nothing else mattered at the moment—the most urgent thing was to understand why this had happened and how to handle it.

She stood up and said calmly, "Let's end lunch here. Everyone may leave."

This was Lanxin Courtyard, and when Madam Pei said to leave, unwilling or not, they had to go.

Ming Chu wanted to stay and watch the drama, but Zhang Mama stepped in front of her, politely but firmly ushering her out.

Compared to Ming Chu, Shen Hua was much more discreet, neither eavesdropping nor asking questions. But before leaving, she instinctively glanced at the plain handkerchief in Ming Tan's hand—

Soon, only Ming Tingyuan, Madam Pei, and Ming Tan remained in the room. Ming Tan, who had been holding herself together for so long, finally broke down the moment the door closed, bursting into tears.Her tears fell like pear blossoms bathed in rain, so pitiful that one couldn't bear to say a harsh word to her. Her eyes were red, her thin shoulders trembling, fragile as if a gust of wind could break her.

Ming Tingyuan stood with his hands behind his back, suppressing his anger again and again, afraid that speaking might frighten Ming Tan. After a long pause, he finally asked in a low, furious voice, "What exactly happened? What drowning incident? Why wasn't I informed!"

Madam Pei gently patted Ming Tan's back, soothing her. "Marquis, please calm down first."

Then, she recounted the entire incident of the Lantern Festival drowning to Ming Tingyuan.

Upon hearing that Ming Tan had not been physically intimate with the Liang heir that day, and that outsiders were unaware it was Ming Tan who had fallen into the water, his anger subsided slightly.

Ming Tingyuan: "Has the Duke of Ling's family lost their minds, scheming such a despicable act?"

This was also what Madam Pei found suspicious: "Logically, the marriage alliance between our families was settled long ago, and the Marquis's return to the capital would have set things in motion. Orchestrating a drowning rescue seems entirely unnecessary."

She paused, then added, "Unless the Duke of Ling's family believes that after the Marquis returns to the capital, this marriage might face unforeseen changes."

Changes? What changes? The betrothal was arranged by the late Madam Bai when they were children—the entire capital knows of this engagement. Is their son so desperate for a wife that he’d resort to trickery, dragging a girl into their household to uphold their so-called chastity and earn them a virtue plaque? If he’s so eager to die, why not just drown properly in that freezing water and save everyone the trouble!

The words were on the tip of Ming Tingyuan’s tongue, but suddenly, a thought struck him… Wait, he had been away from the capital for years, and many matters had escaped his notice. Could it be that the Duke of Ling’s family was embroiled in some unspeakable scandal, forcing them to bind Ming Tingyuan to their sinking ship through marriage?

For officials, everything could be tied to politics. Seeing Ming Tingyuan’s grave expression, it was unclear where his thoughts had wandered. Ming Tan quickly sobbed, "Actually… actually, I know why the Liang family did this…"

Word by word, she revealed everything she had overheard in the Duke of Chang’s study.

"Had an affair with his own cousin and fathered a two-year-old son?" After hearing this, Ming Tingyuan and Madam Pei were utterly speechless with shock.

Ming Tingyuan: "How could you not tell me such a thing sooner!"

Ming Tan lowered her eyes, tears still streaming. "…I thought this betrothal was arranged by my late mother, and I heard the Liang family holds considerable influence in the Ministry of Personnel. I know nothing of court affairs, and I feared ruining this engagement might affect Father’s promotion and reassessment upon returning to the capital…"

"What nonsense! Since when does the Liang family have any say in my promotions!" Ming Tingyuan roared in fury, even slipping into coarse language.

"Father, please don’t let anger harm your health."

Look at her—even now, she was worried about his temper. His daughter had grown into such an elegant, well-mannered, and virtuous young lady, always prioritizing filial duty and the greater good. She was the very model of a noblewoman, impossible to find even with a lantern! How dare that Liang family’s shameless, dishonorable brat treat her so disgracefully!

"A Tan, don’t be afraid. Your father will handle this." Ming Tingyuan’s fury burned too fiercely to tolerate another moment. With that, he stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

"Marquis! Marquis!"

Madam Pei failed to stop him. She quickly soothed Ming Tan with gentle words: "A Tan, the Marquis will surely take charge of this matter, though his impulsiveness is hardly proper. Don’t worry—let Suxin and Lü’e attend to you and rest. I’ll go speak with the Marquis properly."Ming Tan had the same thought in mind. With tears still wet on her face, she nodded and said, "Mother, please do persuade Father."

Madam Pei said no more and hurried out after him.

Suxin and Lü'e had been listening to the cries and shouts outside the room for quite some time, their hearts filled with worry. Upon Madam Pei's instruction, they quickly rushed inside.

"Young Mistress, Young Mistress."

"Young Mistress, are you—" Before Suxin could finish her sentence, she suddenly froze in place.

The room was silent.

Most of the sumptuous dishes on the table remained untouched.

Her Young Mistress sat by the table, fanning her eyes with one hand while leisurely pouring herself a cup of tea.

"...Are you alright?" Suxin instinctively finished her sentence.

Ming Tan replied, "Nothing serious. It's just that the handkerchief you soaked was rather spicy."