It was the fifth day of the fifth month, the Dragon Boat Festival.
Su Zhouyue came to Tong Aning and Tong Yi'an's room early.
The two had slept together again the night before. Tong Aning lay perfectly straight, but Tong Yi'an was sprawled every which way, almost sideways, her legs draped over Tong Aning and a hand propped against her head, sleeping soundly.
Little Five had always been a restless sleeper. When she used to sleep with Su Zhouyue and Tong Aobai, she had made Tong Aobai suffer terribly. But he doted on her so much that even then, he could not bear to send his darling little padded jacket out to sleep elsewhere.
Now she was wreaking havoc on her fourth sister instead.
Moving quietly, Su Zhouyue tied the braided five-colored cords around Tong Aning's and Tong Yi'an's wrists.
Tong Aning stirred. "Mother."
Su Zhouyue stroked her cheek and asked softly, "Awake?"
"Mm."
Tong Aning sat up, only then discovering that Little Five's legs were pinning hers down. No wonder she had dreamed that waterweeds had tangled around her.
Tong Aning carefully moved Tong Yi'an's legs aside.
Seeing this, Su Zhouyue said, "We should let Little Five sleep by herself from now on."
"But I couldn't bear that."
Su Zhouyue looked at her, and Tong Aning said quietly, "Little Five is warm, just like a little stove."
Su Zhouyue could not stop laughing. "It's getting hot already. Do you still want a little stove?"
Tong Aning thought about it. Tong Yi'an, who had woken up at some point, pounced onto her back and hugged her tightly, tilting her head to press their cheeks together. "Don't even think about shaking me off, Fourth Sister. I'm going to sleep with you forever!"
Su Zhouyue separated them. "You'll leave your fourth sister unable to breathe."
Tong Yi'an noticed the five-colored cord on her wrist and raised her hand, staring at it with sparkling eyes.
"Oh, it's already on!"
"Yes." Su Zhouyue hooked a finger around hers. When Tong Yi'an had seen her braiding the five-colored cords yesterday, she had wanted one right away.
Su Zhouyue had not given her one, and she had pouted for a while.
Tong Yi'an looked over at Tong Aning and saw that she had one on her wrist too. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Do Eldest Brother, Second Sister, and Third Brother all have one?"
"I haven't had time to give them theirs yet."
Tong Yi'an's eyes shone even brighter. She threw back the covers and eagerly climbed out of bed. "I'll put them on for them."
Su Zhouyue laughed helplessly.
In the courtyard, Tong Yi'an had already tied five-colored cords around Tong Yibin's and Tong Siyan's wrists and was chasing Tong Fengye everywhere.
"Little Five, catch me first, and I'll let you put it on."
Tong Yi'an panted hard. "Just you wait."
"Little Five, I'll go this way, and you go that way. We'll catch Third Brother for sure."
Tong Aning's voice came from the other side. Tong Fengye glanced over. Well, his two little sisters had surrounded him.
Just as the five-colored cord was being tied around Tong Fengye's wrist, Tong Aobai took Su Zhouyue's hand and slipped one onto hers.
Su Zhouyue asked, "Weren't we going to wait until after court?"
Tong Aobai stroked Su Zhouyue's wrist. "I couldn't wait."
Su Zhouyue laughed at his lack of restraint and waved the five-colored cord she was holding for Tong Aobai. "Then I'll wait until you return from court."
"That long?" Tong Aobai asked.
Su Zhouyue blinked. "Yes."
Looking somewhat disappointed, Tong Aobai wrapped his arms around Su Zhouyue's waist. "Put it on for me now, my wife."
"In your dreams."
When Tong Aobai and Tong Yibin were leaving for court, Su Zhouyue straightened Tong Aobai's hat and tied the five-colored cord around his wrist while she was at it.
Tong Aobai caught her hand and asked quietly, "Weren't you going to wait?"
Su Zhouyue raised her brows. "I couldn't wait either. Is that not allowed?"
"Of course it is," Tong Aobai said with a smile.
Tong Aobai rubbed the back of Su Zhouyue's hand. She coughed, and only then did he notice three heads all staring their way.
Realizing they had been caught, Tong Fengye, Tong Aning, and Tong Yi'an furtively turned away.
"Tong Fengye!"
Tong Fengye protested, "Why am I the only one getting called out?"
"Because I saw you first."
Tong Fengye: "..."
There were no classes at the Imperial Academy that day. Tong Aning and Tong Fengye were going to play polo and teach Tong Siyan along the way. Su Zhouyue told them to be careful.
Not long after Tong Aning and the others left, Su Zhouyue took Tong Yi'an out too. Tong Yi'an wanted to watch the dragon boat races.
Inside the carriage, Tong Fengye asked, "Second Sister, what made you want to learn polo?"
"To strengthen my body," Tong Siyan said flatly.
That shut Tong Fengye up.
A little while later, Tong Fengye shifted uncomfortably and ventured, "Second Sister, you're not planning to assassinate Cui Heng, are you?"
Tong Siyan: "...?"
Even with her exquisitely perceptive heart, Tong Siyan could not fathom what this younger brother of hers was thinking.
Second Sister actually didn't deny it!
"Second Sister, you have to pay for murder with your life," Tong Fengye said anxiously.
Tong Siyan: "..."
Beside them, Tong Aning said in a ghostly voice, "Don't worry, Third Brother. Even if Second Sister wanted to assassinate someone, she'd start with you."
Remembering how calm Tong Siyan had been when dealing with Cui Heng, Tong Fengye suddenly felt a chill down his back. His scalp prickled as he glanced at her. "Surely not? We're siblings by blood! Second Sister, you wouldn't be that cold and heartless, would you? Second Sister, say something!"
Expressionlessly, Tong Siyan stuffed a piece of pastry into Tong Fengye's mouth. "Third Brother, have something to eat."
Tong Fengye: "..."
"Actually, we could use Third Brother to test needles," Tong Aning said eagerly.
Tong Fengye: "!!!"
Help.
Second Sister wants to assassinate me, and Fourth Sister wants to needle me to death.
Tong Fengye had lost all desire to live. What was going on? Was he no longer their blood relative?
Tong Aning and Tong Siyan exchanged a look. The former burst out laughing, while the latter curved her lips.
Only then did Tong Fengye realize they had played him.
Honestly... Tong Fengye never wanted to speak to them again!
At the polo field.
Tong Aning said, "Third Brother, we're one player short."
Tong Fengye said, "I'll be right there."
Tong Fengye ran happily over to Tong Aning. Meeting her smiling face, he stopped. For a moment, he was speechless at himself.
Tong Siyan learned quickly. After missing the ball a few times, she hit it straight through the goal and scored.
Mounted on their horses, Tong Aning and Tong Fengye clapped for Tong Siyan excitedly. "You're amazing, Second Sister!!!"
Even Tong Siyan felt a little embarrassed. A fine sheen of sweat had formed on her face from the exertion, glittering in the sunlight.
Tong Siyan liked herself this way.
It was Tong Siyan's first time playing polo, after all, and she soon began to run out of strength. She withdrew and watched Tong Fengye and Tong Aning play.
Half an hour later, quite a few people had arrived at the polo field.
Looking at the new arrivals, Feng Chu told Tong Fengye, "Be careful. I heard the Heir of Duke Anguo really hates you."
Tong Fengye: "?"
Bewildered, Tong Fengye said, "I've barely had anything to do with him. Why would he hate me?"
Feng Chu shrugged. "That, I don't know."
Tong Fengye: "..."
Am I really that unpopular?
Sure enough, the Heir of Duke Anguo came straight toward Tong Fengye, wanting to play a match against him.
Tong Fengye was not afraid. "Just the two of us?"
"We can pick players."
"Sure."
Tong Fengye leaned forward. The youth on horseback was Minglang, bold, and brimming with vitality. "Is there a prize?"
"Naturally."
The Heir of Duke Anguo took a hairpin from inside his robe. "Whoever wins gets this hairpin."
The hairpin's design was quite ordinary, but a lustrous pearl presented as tribute by a foreign country dangled beneath it. One glance was enough for Tong Fengye to feel that it would suit Tong Siyan perfectly.
"All right," Tong Fengye said.
While picking players, Tong Fengye swung by Tong Siyan. "Second Sister, just wait. I'll win that hairpin for you."
"It's not as though I absolutely must have it. Be careful above all else."
Even she could see the Heir of Duke Anguo's hostility toward Tong Fengye. But... the marquis's household had not fallen out with the Duke of Anguo's Residence.
Tong Fengye grinned. "Second Sister, I absolutely must give you that hairpin."
"Third Brother..."
Somewhat touched, Tong Siyan wanted to offer a few more words of caution, but Tong Fengye had already run off.
[Heavens, host, the Heir of Duke Anguo wants to harm your third brother!]
Standing beside her horse, Tong Aning asked, [Why?]
[The girl the Heir of Duke Anguo likes is in love with your third brother. She even said she wouldn't marry anyone but him. So the Heir of Duke Anguo wants to cripple one of your second brother's legs and see whether his beloved still likes him then.]
Tong Aning: [...]
She did not know whether to call Tong Fengye unlucky or just unlucky. Why did he keep encountering such sinister people?
Tong Fengye stumbled as he stepped into the stirrup.
Oh no, they're coming for my legs again this time. Why is my life so miserable?