Madam Liang stroked Xie Lanqi’s soft, smooth long hair. “What do you want to say?”
“He’s very frightening,” Xie Lanqi analyzed calmly. “He used to love Third Miss Xia so much that he resented our family because of her. But now? He discards her like an old shoe. His heart changes far too quickly.”
She didn’t need to finish the thought. Madam Liang’s face darkened at once. “Don’t worry. His Majesty spoke those words himself — Zhao Jin wouldn’t dare treat you that way.”
“Mother, His Majesty is already advanced in years,” Xie Lanqi said in a lowered voice that only the two of them could hear.
Madam Liang’s expression shifted several times. Zhao Jin’s sudden change in attitude was too abrupt; deep down, she also had doubts.
“Mother, everything you’ve arranged is for my own good — Qier understands that completely,” Xie Lanqi said, seizing the moment to persuade her. “But all of it depends on Zhao Jin truly treating me with sincerity. If his current behavior is all an act, we need to make more preparations. Compared to managing the household or having children, the most important thing is to protect my life.”
“Speak!” Madam Liang’s eyelid twitched violently.
“The Marquis Anyuan household has many people and complicated relationships. The Marchioness of Anyuan already dislikes me intensely. As a senior, it would be easy for her to find fault with me. I’m not the kind of person who can handle everything perfectly — the more I do, the more mistakes I’ll make. It’s better to do nothing and make no mistakes. I’ll just manage my own courtyard well and ignore everything else.” Xie Lanqi glanced at Madam Liang and saw, as expected, that her brows were tightly furrowed. Madam Liang had always believed the mistress must firmly hold the inner household’s authority; if not for what Xie Lanqi had said earlier, she would surely have scolded her.
“Mother, you and Father have given me such a generous dowry. I won’t need a single needle or thread from the Marquis Anyuan household — I can live well on my own.” Xie Lanqi’s mood sank. “Maybe I can even avoid hidden schemes and keep myself safe. It might just invite some unpleasant gossip that will upset you and Father.”
Madam Liang’s eyes widened. “Who cares about those petty gossips? What matters is that my daughter stays safe and sound. In a deep inner mansion, there are too many ways to torment someone quietly. I must tell your father to select some strong, skilled servants who can come out and send us word if anything happens.”
Madam Liang felt this was her own oversight and mentally noted it down heavily.
“Also, I think there’s no need to prepare those chamber maids,” Xie Lanqi continued gently. “Mother, don’t be upset. My greatest support is the Jing’an Earl Manor — it’s you and Father, not Zhao Jin’s favor, and certainly not children raised at my knee. If Zhao Jin really is a deep, sinister person, no amount of children I raise for him will make a difference.”
Madam Liang hesitated. “Without children to rely on, if things really reach that point, what will you do?”
“Have Father bring me back home,” Xie Lanqi said lightly and innocently. “I’m not going to raise someone else’s children — who knows if they’ll turn out loyal or not.”
“Your father?” Madam Liang’s heart stirred. She suddenly realized she had been thinking in the wrong direction. She had been making arrangements based on her eldest daughter Jin’s situation, forgetting that Qier was different.
Since Qier could not bear children, she had planned to have honest chamber maids give birth and let Qier raise the children from infancy so they would become her support when grown. But if — as Qier suspected — Zhao Jin was not a good man, none of that would help. Moreover, husband and wife had already prepared themselves to support Qier for life. Now that they had no choice but to marry her off, their only wish was for Qier to live well. If the worst really happened in the future, they should bring Qier back home and take care of her themselves. Even if they were no longer around by then, there would still be Yunqian and Yunzhi — her own blood brothers would look after her far more reliably than any child without blood ties.
“Mother, think about it again.”
Xie Lanqi let out a soft breath of relief. Although Madam Liang had not agreed outright, she was very close to it. There were still six years until she turned twenty-four. In those six years, she would endure as much as possible — but she would not endure humiliation silently. She needed to prepare her mother mentally.
Madam Liang had originally come to give Xie Lanqi advice, but after Xie Lanqi’s alarming words, she could no longer sit still. She wanted to discuss everything with Jing’an Earl as soon as possible.
Xie Lanqi stood up to see her off and walked with her all the way to the rear garden.
“You go back now,” Madam Liang said.
“Mother, autumn is deepening,” Xie Lanqi pointed at the fiery red and orange leaves. “The villa halfway up our West Mountain is the best place to admire the red leaves.”
Madam Liang gave her a half-smile. “Until you finish that pouch, you’re not going anywhere.”
“Mother, you’re not…?”
Madam Liang patted her lightly on the back. “Those are things for the future. We can guard against them, but right now, you focus on putting your heart into it. Maybe he really is a good man after all.”
On the twenty-seventh day of the tenth month in the twenty-eighth year of Zhaowu — Zhao Jin’s twenty-first birthday.
As the future in-laws, and given Zhao Jin’s greatly changed and respectful attitude, Madam Liang had Xie Yunqian and Xie Yunzhi personally deliver the birthday gifts.
Xie Yunqian was thirteen this year — a refined, gentle, and somewhat shy young boy. Even in Zhao Jin’s courtyard, he politely addressed him as “Heir.” Seven-year-old Xie Yunzhi was much more lively; with one cheerful call of “Second Brother-in-law,” he made Zhao Jin laugh heartily.
Xie Yunqian shot his younger brother a fierce glare and pulled him close, forbidding any more mischief.
Zhao Jin had long known the two little brothers-in-law had very different personalities. There were some things he wanted to ask Xie Yunzhi alone, so he needed to find a way to separate Xie Yunqian.
“Ouch!” Zhao Jin’s attendant Shang Xian suddenly stumbled, his body tilting and knocking against the table. A chessboard sat on the table; it shook, and a few black and white pieces fell from one corner, landing at Xie Yunqian’s feet.
Xie Yunqian had loved Go since childhood. He immediately bent down to pick up the pieces. When he placed them back on the board, he glanced at the position and froze. “Huh?”
The board showed an intense, evenly matched mid-game battle — both sides clearly played at a very high level. Xie Yunqian was instantly captivated.
“This setup is based on the chess manual Diagram of Eternal Life by the previous dynasty’s Go saint, Liu Zhongfu,” Zhao Jin said.
“But aren’t all of Saint Liu’s manuals lost?” Xie Yunqian asked, his eyes still glued to the board.
“Indeed, Saint Liu’s own writings have been lost. However, his close friend recorded one of his games in a book of anecdotes, titled Diagram of Eternal Life.”
Xie Yunqian was overjoyed. He pressed his palms together. “This really is a blessing from the Bodhisattva.”
The refined young boy’s face flushed red. Gathering his courage, he spoke shyly, “Heir, may I borrow it to study?”
Zhao Jin laughed openly. “Not just borrow — I’ll give it to you. Shang Xian, bring the book.”
Shang Xian brought the book over but hesitated, looking troubled. “Heir, this book has already been promised to Prince Zhou.”
Zhao Jin paused. Xie Yunqian reluctantly tore his gaze away from the board, understandingly about to decline the offer out of consideration.
“No matter. Yunqian, you are my wife’s younger brother. Take this book first and study it. Once you’ve copied it, just return the original to Prince Zhou.” Zhao Jin settled the matter with finality.
Xie Yunqian truly wanted to read it. He accepted the book with both hands and looked at Zhao Jin gratefully. “Many thanks, Heir—” He caught Zhao Jin’s intense, expectant gaze and, feeling a little embarrassed, quickly corrected himself, “Second Brother-in-law.”
Zhao Jin smiled smugly. Once Xie Yunqian became absorbed in the chess manual, Zhao Jin quietly took Xie Yunzhi by the hand and led him outside.
The two looked at each other for a moment. Zhao Jin sighed with a laugh and held out his hand. “Hand it over.”
Xie Yunzhi looked completely puzzled. “Hand over what?”
“The thing your Second Sister gave you.”
“Second Sister didn’t give me anything.”
Zhao Jin froze. “Then… did she ask you to pass on any message?”
“No.” Xie Yunzhi looked utterly innocent.
A moment later, Xie Yunzhi muttered under his breath, “Why aren’t you smiling anymore? Second Brother-in-law looks scary when you don’t smile.”
Zhao Jin rubbed his face and forced a smile.
After the meal, Xie Yunqian left carrying the book, while Xie Yunzhi hugged a small bow. Both gifts were exactly what each boy loved. They said goodbye to their Second Brother-in-law Zhao Jin and happily returned home.
Zhao Jin, full of anticipation, opened the gifts from the Jing’an Earl Manor one by one. When he came to the plain, long rectangular pouch with a flip cover, he gave a low, soft laugh. His gaze turned warm and gentle, filled with pure delight.
Shang Xian was stunned. He leaned over to look — the pouch was made of treasure-blue satin with not a single stitch of embroidery on it, and the needlework was rather uneven. At best, the design was a little novel, but it was far from exquisite. Yet his Heir treated it like a treasure. Shang Xian had no idea: if the pouch had been perfectly crafted and stunningly beautiful, his Heir would never have smiled like that.
Zhao Jin gently stroked the pouch. A faint sweetness rose in his heart. His virtuous wife was wonderful in every way except her needlework skills — this pouch had surely been made by her own hands.
Suddenly, he wanted very, very much to see her.