The marriage of the Marquis of Pingliang and the Commandery Mistress Deqing caused a sensation throughout the Great Zhou.
Countless people had tried and failed to arrange a match with the Marquis of Pingliang, An Yizhi. She was a golden catch, a fact universally acknowledged, even though she was over thirty, an advanced age in this era.
As for Chun Gui, she was a favorite of the Emperor. Marrying her was tantamount to placing one’s family directly under His Majesty’s nose; any good fortune would surely come their way first.
Despite this, some still whispered their opinions. Although her background was lacking, although she was a “servant,” although she was a bit old, she was still a close and favored courtier of the Emperor. Marrying her to a family’s legitimate heir was beneath them, but marrying her to a son of a concubine might displease the Emperor. A younger legitimate son was the best option.
Ha! One had to admit, these people were truly confident.
In any case, all four of them had received varying degrees of marriage proposals. After all, they were unmarried, high-ranking officials, and close to the throne. Marrying any one of them would be a huge gain.
Yet these same people looked down on their origins, feeling they weren’t daughters of noble or high-ranking families, and so they would offer their wastrel sons. It was laughable. Even if they offered their legitimate heirs, so what? When it came down to it, none of those men held a higher official rank than they did.
A whole crowd of them fantasized about marrying them into their families, without a single thought as to whether they were even qualified.
The ones they liked didn’t have to be high officials with great wealth, nor did they have to be from prestigious houses, because they themselves were high officials and prestigious houses.
Chun Gui and Xia Qu were titled nobles with official posts. Qiu Lai and Dong Ying each independently managed an entire department. They received their share of rewards during festivals and New Year’s, with annual salaries in the tens of millions and benefits in the hundreds of millions. They had money and power. On what grounds did those people still look down on them?
Chun Gui’s marriage surprised many. Could women like them, despite their poor origins and being in their thirties, still find such a good match?
But the thing was, the Marquis of Pingliang was also in her thirties.
Therein lay the difference. With An Yizhi’s status, it wouldn’t matter if she were in her thirties; even if she were in her fifties or sixties, people would still send their twenty-year-old daughters to the Marquis’s residence.
These people were all ruthless calculators, willing to sacrifice anyone as long as it benefited their family.
The day after their wedding, Chun Gui and An Yizhi came to the palace early in the morning to express their gratitude.
Chi Wan’s face was etched with fatigue. Yu Jiuzhou didn’t look tired, but her expression was completely blank.
They hadn’t attended the entire wedding ceremony yesterday. They had observed the rites in the palace and then returned, but the night had left them both exhausted.
Why were Chun Gui and An Yizhi perfectly fine?
Speaking of which, An Yizhi felt quite bitter. She recalled last night, when her wife, to ensure they wouldn’t be late to thank the Emperor today, had them sleep in separate beds.
Chun Gui slept on the bed in the inner room, while she slept on the luohan couch outside.
The thought soured An Yizhi’s mood. But what could she do? Her Majesty came first in her wife’s heart. They had a long life ahead of them. It was just their wedding night… which was actually very important.
An Yizhi’s resentful gaze was met with a swift and precise strike from Chun Gui. A sharp pain in the soft flesh of her waist jolted her awake, and she immediately straightened up to bow properly behind her wife.
What choice did she have? She couldn’t wait for her wife to deal with her when they got home, could she? Tonight, she was determined to share a bed with her wife.
It wasn’t that Chun Gui was quick to strike, but rather that Xia Qu and the others were often disobedient. She frequently had to discipline her three younger sisters and placed great importance on etiquette. If anyone dared to look around, act listless, or bow carelessly while paying respects to His Majesty, she would take action.
This was limited to those she was familiar with and cared about.
Because they were her sisters. She couldn’t be bothered with others, merely making a mental note of their transgression.
That was why Chi Wan said Chun Gui was Yu Jiuzhou’s absolute supporter. No one was allowed to disrespect His Majesty, and she was incredibly capable.
Chun Gui deserved the best, be it noble titles, silver, or high office. They would not be stingy.
Watching the two of them bow, Yu Jiuzhou spoke calmly, “Rise. I gave you a month’s leave. Why have you come?”
Chun Gui smiled. “Your Majesty’s grace is a gift this subject could not fail to thank you for.”
“Alright, you two should hurry home and rest.” Chi Wan forced her weary eyes open. She hadn’t known Chun Gui would come to pay respects the day after her wedding; otherwise, they wouldn’t have stayed up all night.
A thought suddenly struck her. “Chun Gui, if you want to see the three little ones, just go ahead. An Yizhi… you find a place for some tea.”
Chi Wan stood up, about to pull Yu Jiuzhou away, when another thought occurred to her. She glanced at An Yizhi again, then decided against it.
An Yizhi: “?” Why did she look at me and then stop talking?
She was annoyed!
It wasn’t that Chi Wan didn’t want to speak; she had been about to mention Xia Qu’s situation, but decided against it since nothing was certain yet.
Chun Gui, however, seemed to have caught on after a moment of thought. “Rest assured, Your Highness. I will keep this matter in mind.”
An Yizhi grew even more confused. It felt like everyone knew something except her.
Though Yu Jiuzhou said nothing, she wasn’t puzzled. This feeling of being the only one left in the dark was awful. When would she ever fit in with them!
How had so many years stationed at the border made her former playmates feel like strangers?
But she had always believed in one principle: you can’t force your way into a circle you don’t belong to, and if you do belong, you’ll eventually fit in.
Perhaps she had been away for too long and lost her rapport with them, or perhaps it was something inconvenient to discuss. She had no intention of prying, so she simply lowered her head in silence.
Just as Chi Wan was about to leave, she remembered something. “By the way, after your leave is over, Yizhi, you can take up a post in the Five Army Camps’ Chief Military Commission. How about Vice-Commander?”
An Yizhi was stunned. She was very surprised. She had thought His Majesty would give her a more leisurely position, or just let things be until the next war. She never expected to be appointed to the Five Army Camps’ Chief Military Commission, and as a Vice-Commander at that—a senior first-rank military official. If the Commander position was vacant, she could even act in his stead.
The authority of a Vice-Commander was considerable. Logically, with Chun Gui serving as the Vice Minister of Revenue, she shouldn’t be appointed to another position with real power, but…
Her military life was full. She would rise before dawn, first inspecting the camp, then having the soldiers woken up for training before breakfast. After half a shichen of free time, training would resume. She would lead patrols to more distant areas, occasionally discovering scouts, but most of the time things were normal.
She would return after dark to handle official duties, sometimes juggling patrol and administrative time. Sleeping only two or three shichen a day was more than enough for her.
After years of such high-intensity life, she had long grown accustomed to it. If she were truly made to be idle, she probably wouldn’t know what to do with herself. An appointment to the Five Army Camps’ Chief Military Commission was perfect; it gave her a job.
Appointing her as Vice-Commander would surely put His Majesty and Chi Wan under pressure. The officials in the outer court were no pushovers. Some of the civil officials already looked down on military officers, and even though she was a marquis, they would certainly submit memorials in protest.
An Yizhi immediately said, “Perhaps a position of a lower rank would be better?”
Chi Wan waved her hand. “Don’t worry. The Chief Military Commission is under my control. I will handle this matter.”
She and Yu Jiuzhou had a good system for dealing with the outer court. She would propose tearing down a wall, and Yu Jiuzhou would then suggest opening a window. Their coordination had always been excellent.
But a saying circulated in the outer court: offending His Majesty is not so terrible, but offending the Prince will lead to a dark future.
Everyone knew that to His Majesty, the Prince of Qin Yu was the most important person.
Since that was the case, An Yizhi quickly bowed. “This subject thanks Your Majesty and Your Highness.”
Chi Wan nodded and left with Yu Jiuzhou.
Only then did Chun Gui look at An Yizhi. “What were you just thinking?”
An Yizhi didn’t hide it. “I was a little sad. When we were children, we were the closest.”
Hearing this, Chun Gui tilted her head, then said earnestly, “But they still consider you a friend.”
“I know. Both His Majesty and the Prince have gone to great lengths for me.”
An Yizhi suddenly smiled. “I’m not overthinking it. After all, I’ve made many comrades and friends over the years. I’m just a little unused to being back in the capital.”
Chun Gui lowered her eyes thoughtfully. “If you wish, you can return to Blackwater Town immediately. I, however, will remain in the capital. You can come back once a year, and I can visit you once a year as well.”
The journey from the capital to Blackwater Town was long and arduous. A round trip once a year would take three or four months.
An Yizhi shook her head. “Of course not. I’ve just come back for a rest, how could I leave so soon? Perhaps I’ll change my mind in the future, but right now, I just want to be with you.”
She spoke from the heart. Otherwise, she could have chosen not to return. She wasn’t the type to change her mind and go back on her word after getting married.
A smile touched Chun Gui’s lips. “It’s alright. If one day you wish to return to the border, just tell me.”
They were in love, but for Chun Gui, her career was more important. As a prominent Kun Ze, the higher she climbed, the smoother the path would be for future Kun Ze.
She had greater ambitions and would never abandon them to go to the border with An Yizhi.
She believed An Yizhi was the same. It was just that, for now, An Yizhi had chosen her. As for the future? They would deal with it when it came.
An Yizhi, despite her large frame, leaned against Chun Gui’s shoulder like a delicate bird. “I’m mainly just feeling wronged by my wife’s neglect. Can my wife not neglect me tonight?”
Chun Gui: “…” She didn’t want to talk.
An Yizhi returned to the carriage outside the palace gates while Chun Gui entered the rear palace. She went to find Xia Qu first.
Learning that Xia Qu was riding with the three highnesses, she walked over to the training grounds and spotted the Prince of Shunchéng there as well.
The training grounds were in the outer palace, so it wasn’t unusual for the Prince of Shunchéng to be there. However, she was noticing more and more how Yu Xingchen seemed to always be sticking to Xia Qu.
Especially at the wedding yesterday. The Prince followed Xia Qu everywhere, constantly saying things like, “Getting married is so nice,” and even asking Xia Qu if she wanted to get married.
At this point, never mind Chun Gui; everyone except Dong Ying had probably figured it out, right?
Oh, and Xia Qu herself didn’t know.
In fact, Xia Qu was sharp beneath her rough exterior. It was unlikely she didn’t know. She was probably just pretending not to.
Chun Gui walked forward. When the three little ones saw her, they immediately rode over to greet her. “Auntie Chun Gui.”
Chun Gui smiled and bowed. “Your Highnesses.”
Just then, Xia Qu also came over. “What are you doing here? Not at home with the Marquis of Pingliang?”
“I came to give thanks, and to find you.”
“Find me?”
Xia Qu raised an eyebrow. “Something wrong? Let’s go to the pavilion to talk.”
As Yu Xingchen started to follow, Xia Qu shot her a glare. The Prince immediately stopped, gave a sheepish grin, and walked away.
Afterward, Yu Xingchen went to wash the horses, but her gaze never left their direction.
Seeing this, Chun Gui pursed her lips before finally saying, “The Prince of Shunchéng is always following you.”
She phrased it rather tactfully. Some things were better left unsaid too bluntly, even if only the two of them could hear.
Xia Qu’s wide grin suddenly vanished, and her hand holding the teacup froze. Chun Gui knew she understood.
“You all noticed?”
“The Prince of Shunchéng was too obvious yesterday.”
Otherwise, they wouldn’t have figured out Yu Xingchen’s feelings.
Perhaps seeing Chun Gui get married had emboldened Yu Xingchen. Xia Qu had always said that she and her sisters would spend their lives together and never marry.
Xia Qu drained her teacup and took a deep breath. “Though we never had the title of master and disciple, we have the substance of it.”
“Besides, she is a Prince, and I am a military official.”
The marriage of a Prince was always a cautious affair. Not to mention Yu Xingchen was a Prince with an actual post; even for an idle Prince, marriage was difficult.
The Prince of Shunchéng’s residence also had an old Princess Consort, who had always wanted a gentle and virtuous daughter-in-law.
Xia Qu was a military officer who spent her days with swords and spears, with a bold and forthright personality. The strict rules of a princely residence were not for her.
But hearing this, Chun Gui tilted her head. “Setting all that aside, if she wanted to marry you, would you be willing?”
Xia Qu laughed heartily. “Of course I would. She’s good-looking, has a nice personality, and supports Kun Ze serving as officials, whether military or civil. With that attitude, I don’t dislike her.”
She had known Yu Xingchen for many years and certainly had some affection for her. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have continued to spend time with her after their teaching relationship ended.
Chun Gui sighed. “I understand.”
It had to be said, while Xia Qu was usually boisterous, she thought things through very clearly. She was a general with a straightforward personality, naturally unrestrained. The princely residence had strict rules and an old Princess Consort watching over it. Was she supposed to give up being a general to become a virtuous and demure princess consort? She would have to be truly insane.
Xia Qu had followed Yu Jiuzhou and Chi Wan for so long and had finally become a true general. To ask her to give it all up for marriage, just for the sake of so-called love?
It was the same reason Chun Gui had initially rejected An Yizhi.
Love was love, but they would not give up their careers for it. Having been by Chi Wan’s side for so long, they had all been greatly influenced.
Everyone had their own aspirations. Some might want to shine in the inner quarters, but she wanted to shine in her position as a military official.
Fortunately, no one was forcing them, and they had the support of His Majesty and the Prince. There was no need for them to seek out trouble for themselves.
Xia Qu waved her hand. “Don’t worry. We’ve followed His Majesty and the Prince for so many years, we’ve become like them in many ways. I won’t make a choice I’ll regret.”
Chun Gui smiled. “That’s good.”
After Chun Gui left, Yu Xingchen immediately trotted over. “Xia Qu, how about we go for roasted lamb tonight? The lamb sent from Anbei is absolutely delicious. We can have it with iced fruit wine, and I’ll have someone buy some of your favorite dishes.”
It certainly sounded good. Normally, Xia Qu would have refused, as she didn’t want to give Yu Xingchen any false hope. But now, thinking about it, since so many people already knew, it was indeed time to make things clear. Since the other party was asking her out, it was the perfect opportunity to do so.
“Alright.”
“It’s really delicious, I never lie… What? You agreed?”
Yu Xingchen was completely stunned. She had expected Xia Qu to refuse. To be precise, Xia Qu never went out with her alone.
What was different today?
Whatever the reason, the fact that she agreed to go out alone with her was a good thing.
Xia Qu sent the three little ones back, then packed her things and left.
The moment she and Yu Xingchen left the palace, Chi Wan knew. She was slightly curious about what Xia Qu would do.
Beside her, Yu Jiuzhou was testing the three little ones on their lessons. They had just returned from the training grounds looking like little dirt balls, but each one stood at attention.
Questions from their Mother were fine; what they feared most were questions from their Mama, who never played by the rules and always managed to stump them.
It was because the three little ones were too clever. At their young age, it was easy for them to become arrogant, to feel that the knowledge they were learning was nothing special. Memorizing was one thing, but being able to apply it was what mattered.
They couldn’t be allowed to underestimate the world or knowledge itself.
There was always a higher mountain. They had mastered what they had learned and thus no longer valued it, so Chi Wan would use that very knowledge to test them.
If she used knowledge they hadn’t learned, they would surely protest. But what if they couldn’t even answer questions on what they had learned?
Therefore, they dreaded having Chi Wan present during their examinations, as she always left them speechless.
Chi Wan didn’t want to do it either, but what choice did she have? If she wanted to retire early and not raise a tyrant for Great Zhou, she had to teach them with care.
Her philosophy was simple: either don’t have children, or if you do, teach them well. Great Zhou had many excellent teachers, but as their mothers, they played an indispensable role.
Finally, the three little ones obediently went back to review their lessons. However, Chi Wan still said, “Although you didn’t answer the main question, your overall performance was good. As a reward, you can have one day to arrange as you please.”
They were still children; they couldn’t study all day. After every examination, as long as they performed reasonably well, they would receive extra rest.
The children’s eyes lit up, and they immediately cheered with excitement. A whole day to arrange as they pleased—the thought alone was delightful.
Chi Wan watched them leave with a smile, then got up and sat next to Yu Jiuzhou. “Sister, really, your questions were too easy.”
Yu Jiuzhou was the type who looked strict but would actually go easy on them.
“So are you.”
Chi Wan gave a dry laugh. “They’re getting older, and their schoolwork is getting heavier.”
There was so much to learn, a necessity for those born into the imperial family. She never stopped them from learning these things; only by knowing one’s enemy could one avoid being fooled by them.
They had to learn not only what others learned, but also what others did not.
As they grew older, the children’s schedule, which had been one day of class followed by one day of rest, had now become five days of class and one day of rest. With the additional breaks, they still got seven or eight days off a month, which was acceptable.
Even so, many officials were dissatisfied. The imperial heirs of Great Zhou should be studying every day without a single day off. How could an heir rest for seven or eight days?
But whenever they raised this objection, Chi Wan would say, “In that case, let’s put it to a vote.”
Seeing that many wanted the children to study every day, she knew they didn’t feel the pain because the rod wasn’t on their own backs. She continued, “Not just the imperial heirs, but the officials as well. If the heirs study daily, then the officials will work daily. No days off.”
The officials: “…”
They didn’t want to talk. It was delightful to see others get no rest, especially the imperial heirs, but when it was their turn, they’d rather not.
As Chi Wan expected, the opposition was overwhelming. There were a few supporters, but very few.
These people were warriors, willing to give up all their rest days just to work. They must truly love their jobs.
Chi Wan recalled how, after court that day, the three children had looked at her with adoration, bouncing around her with pure joy.
They were still young, after all. They had to study, but they couldn’t lack time to play. Constant studying could make them dull.
However, the little ones had so much to learn, all of it foundational. In the future, they could study whatever they liked.
Yu Jiuzhou patted Chi Wan’s head. “Don’t be fooled by their age. They have self-control beyond their years. Giving them a free day just means they’ll choose to study what interests them.”
Chenchen would grab a pile of memorials, Guiyi would definitely go riding, and as for Little Yuyu, she would undoubtedly be off doing research again.
Chi Wan wrapped her arms around Yu Jiuzhou’s waist, burying her face in her abdomen and taking a deep breath. She changed the subject. “Great Zhou’s ships are getting better and better. When we retire, we can go sailing with the fleet. Without the three of them.”
“You, getting jealous of the three little ones.” Yu Jiuzhou was amused, patting her playfully on the bottom.
“So what? They’re always trying to steal you from me.”
They used to do it when they were little, and though it was much better now that they were older, she still remembered.
Yu Jiuzhou helplessly pinched her ear. “You still hold a grudge.”
Chi Wan dodged by nuzzling against her, then asked with bright eyes, “Does Sister want to rest?”
“Aren’t you curious about what Xia Qu will choose?”
“I’m not curious about what Xia Qu will choose. I’m just curious about how she will reject Xingchen.”
Yu Jiuzhou shook her head with a smile. As expected, Chi Wan thought the same as her. They both believed Xia Qu would refuse.
And just as they predicted, Xia Qu rejected Yu Xingchen quite bluntly.
The two arrived at the barbecue spot. The whole roasted lamb was already cooked, ready for them to eat.
Xia Qu picked up a nearby knife, about to carve it, but Yu Xingchen quickly stopped her. “Let them do it.”
A cook immediately came over, sliced the lamb, and arranged it on a platter. A row of various dipping sauces was set out, and the fruit wine, chilled in ice, was poured into cups, mist rising from the surface.
Yu Xingchen picked up her chopsticks, lifted a thin slice of lamb, dipped it in sauce, and placed it on Xia Qu’s plate.
A self-deprecating smile touched Xia Qu’s lips. She decisively tore off a whole lamb leg, rolled it in her favorite sauce, then grabbed the wine flask from her waist—a liquor ten times stronger than the fruit wine—and began to eat, taking a bite of meat and a swig of wine.
She said nothing, yet she said everything.
This was the fundamental difference between them. Xia Qu was a general who ate meat in big bites and drank wine in great gulps. Of course, on formal occasions, her etiquette was always impeccable—she couldn’t disgrace His Majesty, after all—but in private, she was always unrestrained.
If she married Yu Xingchen, she feared she would never be able to be herself for the rest of her life.
Beside her, Yu Xingchen was stunned. Being intelligent, she naturally understood the meaning behind the action. She tried to mimic Xia Qu, tearing off a lamb leg, rolling it in the fragrant sauce, and taking a fierce bite.
The next second, she was coughing violently. The sauce was too spicy, and she had choked.
But, refusing to admit defeat, she grabbed Xia Qu’s wine and took a large gulp. This time, her coughing was even more violent.
Xia Qu handed her a cup of water. “My personality is crude. I’m afraid I would be an affront to Your Highness.”
The reason she had always been rough with Yu Xingchen was to provoke her dislike. She thought no one would like a woman like her. However, it seemed to have had the opposite effect.
This time, she had to make her attitude clear to Yu Xingchen.
As expected, Yu Xingchen lowered her eyes and said nothing. She looked like a large puppy, leashed in the rain, unable to escape.
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