"I asked the troupe leader. Cui'er was caught in this mountain forest."
Tong Aning nodded. A lush expanse of green filled her vision. At first, she had thought Feng Ying was far too unreasonable to name a monkey Cui'er, but at this very moment, the name actually complemented the scenery.
Xue Lin got out of the carriage first. Before he could reach out to help Tong Aning, she had already jumped down.
The fingers Xue Lin held behind his back curled. Tong Aning looked around and even helped Sichen carry the cage.
Cui'er was already getting excited.
Tong Aning said, "Let's put it beside that big rock up ahead."
Sichen looked toward his young lord. Xue Lin strode to Tong Aning's side. "Let me."
"No need."
But the weight beneath Tong Aning's hands suddenly vanished. Holding the cage, Sichen said with a cheerful smile, "Miss Tong, I can manage on my own."
Tong Aning: "..."
"Still, you're quite strong, Miss Tong."
"Of course." Tong Aning proudly raised her fist. "My mother is a tigress from a military family. Naturally, I've picked up a little of what she knows."
Xue Lin said softly, "You're very impressive, Miss Tong."
"You're very impressive too, my lord."
Tong Aning's eyes twinkled. A butterfly happened to flutter past her. Her words did not sound like polite flattery; instead, they carried an entirely natural sincerity.
Over there, Sichen had already set the cage down.
Tong Aning and Xue Lin went to open the cage together. Cui'er probably knew they were good people. Rather than reaching out its claws to scratch them, it waited obediently for the moment the cage opened.
Tong Aning reached out and stroked its head. "Don't get caught again."
The cage opened, and Cui'er darted out, grabbed a vine, and swung away.
Tong Aning said, "It understands people quite well."
"Yes. The troupe leader said they originally intended to train it to steal things, but no matter how they taught it, it wouldn't learn."
Tong Aning gave a surprised sound. "Aren't they performers?"
"They're thieves who travel around stealing under the guise of performing."
Tong Aning nodded.
Xue Lin continued, "A little while ago, Cui'er started taking things. But everything it brought back was something they didn't want."
Tong Aning grew curious. "Like what?"
"Used handkerchiefs and dirty clothes waiting to be washed."
Tong Aning burst out laughing, her eyes curving. "Wasn't that just to disgust them?"
"Yes."
Tong Aning and Xue Lin glanced back once more in the direction Cui'er had gone.
They returned to the city, but someone stopped their carriage.
Tong Aning lifted the carriage curtain and said in surprise, "Feng Ying, what are you doing here?"
His eyes red, Feng Ying peered into the carriage. Unfortunately, he could see nothing. "Where's my Cui'er?"
Tong Aning: "...Didn't you say it wasn't your Cui'er?"
"Yes, yes." Feng Ying suddenly grew bashful. "Whatever else, you should at least have let me see it off."
Tong Aning: "..."
"Aren't you afraid your mother will punish you again?"
She had heard that after Yang Rong brought Feng Ying home from Jingzhao Prefecture, she had given her unfilial son a sound beating for the first time.
The mention of this angered Feng Ying. Half his backside still hurt. His mother had really spared him no dignity.
He stiffened his neck. "A real man owns up to his actions. What have I got to fear?"
"Such spirit."
Tong Aning tipped her chin toward the space behind Feng Ying. "But you're about to get beaten."
Feng Ying panicked. He turned and met Yang Rong's menacing face head-on. Clutching his head, he scurried away like a rat. "Mother, Mother, I know I was wrong! Mother, don't hit me anymore..."
"A beating is getting off lightly." Yang Rong caught Feng Ying by the ear. "If I don't starve you for three days and three nights this time, I'm not your mother!"
Feng Ying spoke pitifully. "Mother..."
"Shut your mouth. The sight of you annoys me."
Something even more vexing came along for Yang Rong.
She saw the person who had come to the marquis's residence two days earlier with betrothal gifts, seeking to marry Feng Jingruo.
He was a refined young gentleman. When Yang Rong looked his way, he cupped his hands. "Marchioness."
Yang Rong's smile did not reach her eyes, and her heart bled all the more.
What sin had she committed? Just look at someone else's son and daughter.
The son had lately been studying from dawn until late at night, and the daughter had a mind of her own. Yet her son had actually taken a fancy to a monkey.
Yang Rong tightened her grip, and Feng Ying let out a miserable scream.
The carriage stopped outside the marquis's residence. Tong Fengye, who had been lounging lazily by the entrance, immediately came forward. He helped his younger sister down and raised an eyebrow. "Oh, back from releasing the monkey?"
Tong Aning took Tong Fengye's hand. "Third Brother, let me tell you something..."
The siblings walked inside with their heads close together. Tong Aning even found a moment to wave at Xue Lin.
Sichen said, "Those siblings are really close."
Xue Lin withdrew his gaze. "Drive."
Sichen: "..."
Tong Aning and Tong Fengye had already reached the courtyard when Tong Fengye suddenly exclaimed, "Really?"
"Of course. I saw it with my own eyes."
"I mean Feng Chu studying hard."
Tong Aning did not understand. "That's what you're concerned about?"
Tong Fengye dashed into his room. "If I don't work harder, Feng Chu will outdo me."
Tong Aning: "..."
[I really don't know what Third Brother and the others are competing over.]
The door opened again. Tong Fengye straightened his back. "Anyway, there's no way I'm losing to Feng Chu."
"Yes, yes, yes," Tong Aning said perfunctorily.
[You even compete over wetting the bed.]
Tong Fengye: "!!!"
He came forward and covered Tong Aning's mouth. "Have you finished those pastries from First Rank Pavilion? All you're doing here is opening your mouth and nothing else."
Tong Aning: "Mmph, mmph, mmph."
"Got it. I'll get you some."
Tong Aning: "...?"
She understood her third brother less and less, but having someone run errands for her was rather nice.
Tong Aning patted her skirt and walked toward the covered walkway.
Carrying the pastries, Tong Fengye passed the study door and heard Tong Aobai talking to Tong Yibin.
"Father, Earl Mingxuan's second son works in the Ministry of Revenue and wanted a promotion too. You didn't agree."
Tong Aobai snorted. "That second son of his is a complete straw bag. He's already insatiably corrupt as a bureau director. If he became Minister of Revenue, he'd probably pocket the entire treasury."
Tong Yibin smiled. "Then, Father, have you considered why Censor Ma did it?"
Censors stood apart and generally had little involvement with court officials like them.
Tong Aobai sat up straight and narrowed his eyes. "You mean someone else has their sights on us?"
Tong Yibin neither confirmed nor denied it. "A tall tree catches the wind. That's only natural."
"You've heard this much. Come inside already."
The door opened, revealing Tong Fengye's awkward face. "Is it too late for me to leave?"
Tong Aobai looked at him. "What do you think?"
Tong Fengye obediently entered the study. Holding the pastries from First Rank Pavilion, he found a random spot and sat down.
Tong Aobai asked him, "Why do you think Censor Ma is targeting our family?"
Tong Fengye said, "He's sick in the head. What other reason could there be?"
Tong Fengye snorted. "He even dared drag Fourth Sister into it. I really want to beat him up."
Tong Aobai and Tong Yibin exchanged a glance.
Tong Yibin patted Tong Fengye's shoulder. "You're right. Now that Fourth Sister has such a remarkable ability, we need to protect her all the more."
"Don't worry, Eldest Brother. I'll protect her without leaving her side." Tong Fengye's gaze was resolute.
Tong Aobai came over too. "But simply staying by her side might not be enough. Have you thought about that, Third?"
Tong Fengye stared blankly at his father and brother.
"Here."
"Third Brother, what took you so long?"
Tong Aning opened the box, took a pastry, and held it out to Tong Fengye. "You have the first one, Third Brother."
Seeing Tong Aning like this made Tong Fengye feel even worse. He bit into the pastry and murmured an acknowledgment.
Tong Fengye's voice sounded muffled.
Tong Aning asked, "Third Brother, what's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Tong Aning tilted her head at Tong Fengye and sighed inwardly. [Ah, a young man's worries, a young man's worries.]
Tong Fengye's eyes widened. What young man's worries!
He said, "Just eat your pastries."
Tong Aning: "Oh."
Yingtao hurried in and curtsied. "Third Young Master, Fourth Miss, Madam asks you to come to the front courtyard."
Tong Aning dusted off her hands. "Do we have a guest?"
Yingtao nodded. "Your eldest maternal uncle's wife is here."
Tong Aning took a step back, her expression turning bitter. "I don't want to go."
Tong Fengye said, "If you're not going, neither am I."
The siblings huddled together.
Caught between laughter and tears, Yingtao pushed them toward the door. "Madam said you have to go."
Neither Tong Aning nor Tong Fengye liked this eldest aunt of theirs.
There was no other reason: their eldest aunt had a loose tongue and loved showing off, as though only her children shone with brilliance, while Tong Aning and the others were mud that could never stick to a wall.
[How infuriating.]
Tong Aning sighed, Tong Aning smiled, Tong Aning behaved.
"Eldest Aunt."
"Oh, oh, Aning and Fengye are here."
Their eldest aunt, Xiong Shuiyao, answered them twice before turning back to continue speaking with Su Zhouyue.
Both Tong Fengye and Tong Aning found it strange. What was wrong with their eldest aunt today? And she seemed weighed down with worry.
Xiong Shuiyao picked up her handkerchief and dabbed beneath her eyes. "Sister, I really have no other choice. Father and Mother won't listen to me, so I could only come to you. Your brother has always listened to you most. Please talk to him, will you?"
Su Zhouyue's expression was cold. With the children present, she could not speak too harshly. "Sister-in-law, it's not that I won't help you. But if I help you this time, what will you do afterward?"
Xiong Shuiyao froze. Her face pale, she said, "You mean this won't be the only time?"
Su Zhouyue nodded and took Xiong Shuiyao's hand. "Sister-in-law, once a man does it once, he'll do it again. If you want to put a stop to this, you must refuse outright when he tests you."
"But I'm afraid your eldest brother will come to loathe me."
Su Zhouyue pressed a hand to her forehead. The fire was already singeing her eyebrows, yet she was still worrying about whether he would loathe her.
[Eldest Uncle was injured while hunting and fortunately rescued by a hunter's daughter. They developed feelings for each other, so after recovering and returning home, he wanted to marry the hunter's daughter as his secondary wife... To think Eldest Uncle could come up with such a worn-out plot.]
That-that was Aning's voice!
Xiong Shuiyao wanted to look toward Tong Aning, but Su Zhouyue held her in place.
Su Zhouyue had her keep listening.
[Eldest Aunt has really been kept in the dark the whole time. In fact, those two got together more than ten years ago, and they even have a son!]
What!
Xiong Shuiyao could no longer sit still.