Hearing Tong Aning's thoughts, Tong Fengye stood straight up and rolled up his sleeves, looking ready for a fight.
Tong Aning marveled, [Third brother might have poor grades, but he's a good person.]
Tong Fengye was moved to tears. His little sister had finally praised him.
The more she praised him, the more fired up Tong Fengye became. He was poised to strike, just waiting for Cui Heng to come in so he could slap him.
But when the door opened, Tong Fengye froze at the sight of Cui Heng and the woman holding his arm. Which one should he hit first?
Why not hit them both?
Tong Fengye rubbed his fists and palms together.
Cui Heng hadn't expected to see Tong Siyan. He hurried to distance himself from the woman, saying in a panic, "Yanyan, why are you here?"
Tong Siyan raised an eyebrow. "Isn't this the private room Drunken Fragrance Pavilion reserves for our household? If I'm not here, where should I be?"
"That's not what I meant." Cui Heng approached Tong Siyan and tried to take her hand, but she pulled away, her expression cold. A flash of malice crossed his eyes. "I was just..."
Tong Siyan had no intention of hearing any more.
She rose and walked over to the woman who had entered with Cui Heng, asking in surprise, "Why are you here too, Cousin?"
Cheng Wenmiao's heart skipped a beat. He said quietly, "I came here to eat and happened to run into my cousin. Don't worry, Sister-in-law. I didn't mean to come here with him."
[What a green tea.]
Holding a cup of tea, Tong Aning walked over to Tong Siyan. "Second sister, try this year's new tea. Its fragrance is spilling everywhere."
Tong Siyan accepted it with a smile. After taking a sip, she looked Cheng Wenmiao over again. "Of course I know you didn't mean to."
"Yanyan..." Cui Heng stepped in front of Tong Siyan, conveniently shielding Cheng Wenmiao behind him. "Since Father-in-law and Mother-in-law are here too, I'll impose on your hospitality."
[He knows he's imposing but still wants to mooch a meal. Shameless!!!]
Su Zhouyue smiled. Her daughter really came through.
Cui Heng turned and gave Cheng Wenmiao a meaningful look.
Cheng Wenmiao hurriedly said, "I won't disturb you and Sister-in-law, Cousin. I'll just..."
"Wait." Su Zhouyue rose. "I've long heard of your fine reputation, Miss Cheng. Meeting you today must be fate. Why not join us?"
[Mother, just let her leave.]
No!
Su Zhouyue still wanted to put Cheng Wenmiao and Cui Heng firmly in their place.
If the tiger didn't show its might, did they take her, Su Zhouyue, for a kitten?
[Host, Cheng Wenmiao's lover is coming upstairs!]
[Her lover? Goodness me, this is getting lively.]
The Tong family's eyes lit up again and again. Cheng Wenmiao actually had a lover too.
Su Zhouyue swiftly changed her tune. "Since you have other business, Miss Cheng, I won't keep you."
Cheng Wenmiao: "?"
Since when did she have other business?
Still, it was just as well not to stay.
Cheng Wenmiao curtsied and headed out.
Tong Aning volunteered, "I'll ask the manager to serve the food."
Cui Heng had intended to offer his services, but Tong Aning spun around, dodged him, and headed for the door.
Cui Heng could only drink his tea in frustration, occasionally glancing at Tong Siyan across from him.
He had been arm in arm with Cheng Wenmiao earlier. He didn't know whether Tong Siyan had seen.
Even if she had, it didn't matter. Tong Siyan was meek and gentle; she would never argue her case with him. Then wouldn't he be able to...
Tong Aning's voice interrupted his pleasant dream halfway through.
Tong Aning said deliberately, "Brother-in-law, your cousin seems to have run into a friend."
"It's only a friend. My cousin has always been very popular..."
"It's a man."
Cui Heng: "!"
He hurriedly rose and saw Cheng Wenmiao tugging back and forth with an unfamiliar man in the corridor outside.
[Listen. That's the sound of a heart breaking.]
Cui Heng clenched his fists.
He said softly, "Fourth sister, I'll go take a look. It's a minor family matter. How could I make Father-in-law and Mother-in-law go hungry with me? Please eat first."
"Oh."
Tong Aning nodded obediently.
Cui Heng thought he had persuaded Tong Aning, but as he walked toward Cheng Wenmiao, seven heads poked out of the private room.
Tong Aobai coughed softly. "Close the door. Let's eat."
Tong Fengye and Tong Yibin took one side each and shut the door.
When Cui Heng caught Cheng Wenmiao's hand, he even glanced back. Seeing the private room's door shut eased his mind considerably.
[Cheng Wenmiao really has some nerve, arranging to meet her lover while having a meal with Cui Heng.]
Su Zhouyue looked at Tong Siyan.
Tong Siyan blinked, placed a piece of spare rib on Su Zhouyue's plate, and said with a smile, "Mother, try this. It's delicious."
Su Zhouyue was now certain that Tong Siyan had arranged for that lover to appear.
My, my. Her second daughter's black-bellied nature took after her!
Tong Fengye deeply regretted not getting to beat Cui Heng up. He asked, "Second sister, do you still intend to stay with that bastard Cui Heng?"
At Tong Fengye's question, everyone's eyes turned toward her in unison. Even little Fifth held a bowl and stared straight at Tong Siyan.
Tong Siyan said calmly, "No."
"Then shall Eldest brother and I go with you to the Cui family tomorrow to arrange an amicable divorce?"
"There's no hurry." Tong Siyan's expression was gentle. "Cui Heng and Cheng Wenmiao have plenty of fighting ahead of them. Their household will probably have chickens flying and dogs jumping."
Looking at Tong Siyan like this, Tong Fengye suddenly shivered.
Why did he get the feeling that offending Second sister would mean a very miserable death?
Tong Aning felt the same. [Cui Heng, I'll observe a moment of silence for you.]
Tong Fengye observed a moment of silence too.
The usually taciturn Tong Yibin suddenly said, "It's good that you have a plan."
Her eldest brother rarely spoke, and Tong Siyan couldn't work out what he meant. She asked, "Eldest brother, do you mean..."
Tong Yibin smiled slightly. "The Cui family has wronged you. Why not find some faults with them?"
Tong Aning sucked in a cold breath.
[This is practically Second sister killing someone and Eldest brother handing her the knife.]
With Tong Siyan and Tong Yibin being two black sesame tangyuan, the little glutinous rice dumplings sitting between them-Tong Aning, Tong Fengye, and Tong Yi'an-looked rather dim.
Tong Siyan said, "Eat your food."
Tong Aning: Wah.
Cui Heng never returned before the Tong family left the private room.
Tong Siyan didn't want to bother with him.
She felt light all over. On the way back, she laughed again and again at Tong Fengye and Feng Chu's embarrassing stories. Tong Fengye's face was still red when he got out of the carriage.
Seeing them return, Uncle Zhao came forward. "Marquis, someone from the palace has come to deliver an imperial decree."
Tong Aobai paused. "At this hour?"
"Yes."
"Who came?"
"Eunuch Wang."
He was a eunuch who served at the emperor's side.
Tong Aobai's expression grew solemn, and he strode forward. Su Zhouyue followed behind him with the children.
Eunuch Wang was drinking tea in the courtyard. "You've returned, Marquis."
Tong Aobai said, "Sorry to have kept you waiting, Eunuch Wang."
"This is part of my duties. There's no need to concern yourself, Marquis."
Eunuch Wang unfurled the imperial decree, and everyone in the marquis's household knelt to hear it.
Only that morning, Tong Aobai had heard Aning's thoughts about the whole family being demoted because he offended the emperor. Now, he couldn't help feeling unsettled.
But he had barely said anything at court today. He had already heeded Aning and his wife's words and been cautious in speech and conduct. Why was this still...
Tong Aning wanted to scream.
[No way, no way. Surely we can't be this unlucky?]
Eunuch Wang paused. What was that voice?
He had, after all, served at His Majesty's side for over a decade and seen plenty of grand occasions. He continued reading the decree.
"...The Tong family's fourth daughter, with the essence of fragrant orchids in her heart, courageous and steadfast, is hereby bestowed a ruyi scepter."
[Huh?]
[It's for me?]
There it was again, again, again?
Without betraying anything, Eunuch Wang observed everyone.
He said, "Fourth young lady, hurry and receive the decree and thank His Majesty."
Tong Aning came to her senses and held out her hands. "Thank you for your boundless grace, Your Majesty."
That voice-why did it sound so much like this fourth young lady's?
Eunuch Wang handed both the imperial decree and the ruyi scepter to Tong Aning.
Tong Aning's eyes widened. [This really is wealth and honor pouring down from the heavens.]
Indeed, it was this fourth young lady.
This was no trivial matter. He had to return and inform His Majesty.
Tong Aobai escorted Eunuch Wang out of the estate.
Eunuch Wang said, "There's no need to be anxious, Marquis. His Majesty has seen your tireless devotion to your duties. And with the fourth young lady having fallen ill, His Majesty thus..."
Tong Aobai nodded. "I understand. Safe travels, Eunuch Wang."
Returning inside, Tong Aobai saw Tong Aning blissfully cradling the jade ruyi and smiled.
Su Zhouyue asked, "What did Eunuch Wang say?"
"It's simply a reward from His Majesty."
Su Zhouyue breathed a sigh of relief. She had thought His Majesty wanted to use the opportunity to warn them.
Tong Aning said, "Then, Father, this jade ruyi..."
"Since His Majesty gave it to you, it's yours, naturally."
[Hooray.]
[I'm going to sleep holding it.]
"No." Su Zhouyue patted Tong Aning's head. "It's so cold. Don't go catching another chill."
"Oh."
Tong Aning reluctantly set the ruyi down.
[Huh, how did Mother know what I was thinking?]
Su Zhouyue poked Tong Aning. "You're a piece of flesh that fell from your mother's body. Who could those little thoughts of yours fool?"
"Ow, ow, ow."
Tong Aning covered her forehead. Now she knew how Tong Aobai had gotten that mark on his forehead.
"Children have such thin skin. How could that hurt? Off to bed, all of you."
[It really does hurt!]
Tong Aning turned, holding the jade ruyi, but Tong Siyan called her back.
Taking Tong Aning and Tong Fengye by the hand, Tong Siyan said, "Today was meant to celebrate you two, but I spoiled it."
Tong Aning said, "What are you saying, Second sister? Aren't we family?"
Tong Fengye agreed. "Exactly. Cui Heng is the outsider."
Tong Yi'an ran over and clutched the hem of Tong Siyan's clothes with both hands, eyes round, large, and bright, clear and pure.
Tong Siyan's heart softened under that gaze.
Tong Yi'an waved a fist. "Second sister, that Cui Heng deserves a beating."
Tong Siyan said in amusement, "Our little Fifth is so fierce."
Tong Yi'an huffed.
Tong Siyan stroked Tong Yi'an's head and looked at Tong Fengye and Tong Aning. "I'll make it up to you two another day."
"Why another day? Second sister, how about tomorrow?" Tong Fengye asked excitedly.
Tong Aobai said darkly, "Last place, and you want two celebratory meals?"
Tong Fengye turned stiffly. "Hey, wait, Father. You've already beaten me once. You can't beat me a second time."
"You..."
By the time Tong Aobai came to his senses, Tong Fengye had long since run off.
Afraid of getting dragged into it, Tong Aning took Tong Siyan with one hand and Tong Yi'an with the other. "Let's go catch fireflies."
With that, she ran off too.
Smiling, Su Zhouyue rested a hand on Tong Aobai's shoulder. "Aning really comes up with anything. Where would she find fireflies in spring?"
When Su Zhouyue and Tong Aobai walked curiously to the water's edge, they saw-
Their three daughters, heads together, staring blankly at the starry sky.
Author's note: