Chapter 81: The Passage of Time (3)

By the time the banquet ended, Qi Ying was already in a state of pleasant intoxication.

This wasn’t because Lord Qi couldn’t hold his liquor, but rather due to the sheer number of people offering him drinks. Not wanting to show favoritism, he accepted every toast, drinking glass after glass until inevitably, he became drunk.

He was so inebriated that he couldn’t even stand up to personally escort several royal guests out of the mansion. Instead, Qi Yun and Han Ruohui took on this responsibility for him.

The Fourth Prince had also thoroughly enjoyed himself that night. When boarding his carriage, he was visibly swaying, with Fu Rong attentively assisting him, full of tender care. Xiao Ziyu, on the other hand, paid no heed to her fourth brother’s drunken state. Standing at the entrance of the Qi residence, she gazed longingly inside, hoping to catch one last glimpse of her beloved Brother Jingchen. Naturally, her efforts were in vain.

She deeply regretted not seeing him but could do nothing about it. She couldn’t very well throw a tantrum and stay at the Qi residence, so she bade farewell to Qi Yun and Han Ruohui. To them, she said, “We’ll take our leave now, and trouble you both to take good care of Brother Jingchen.”

Her words made little sense since she, who earnestly entrusted them, had no actual relationship with Qi Ying. Meanwhile, those she entrusted were his legitimate older brother and sister-in-law—relations easily discernible.

Qi Yun and Han Ruohui naturally agreed without hesitation, though they felt a slight embarrassment on behalf of Princess Six for her inappropriate remark. Nevertheless, the couple, ever graceful, ensured the reluctant princess was comfortably settled into her carriage. Only after seeing the carriage off in the distance did they finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Han Ruohui rubbed her lower back wearily and sighed as she watched the princess’s carriage disappear into the distance. “Alas, she is truly an infatuated soul…”

Indeed, the title suited Princess Six well.

Although the Fourth Prince firmly claimed tonight that they coincidentally met Jingchen at the palace gates, justifying their visit to the banquet, anyone with discerning eyes knew there were few genuine coincidences. It was evident that Princess Six had waited eagerly at the palace gates, and her fourth brother, to preserve her reputation, had no choice but to accompany her out of the palace, fabricating some plausible excuse to cover for her.

It was all quite tiresome.

Tonight, Han Ruohui observed closely. The princess’s flirtatious eyes had followed Jingchen throughout the evening. Whenever she found an opportunity, she drew near to speak with him. A mere two sentences from him delighted her immensely, while his attention elsewhere left her desolate.

Both amusing and pitiable.

Princess Six’s late mother was also a daughter of the Han family, making her Han Ruohui’s aunt. Thus, Xiao Ziyu and her brother were like younger siblings to her. Seeing her cousin in such a comical yet pitiable state stirred a deep sigh within her.

While she was lost in these reflections, Qi Yun beside her hadn’t heard what Lady Han said. He gently embraced her, and together they entered the mansion.

Upon entering the main hall, they found the entire family present: Qi Zhang, Yao Shi, the third and fourth brothers seated in the hall, and even the second brother was there. He sat upright in a side seat, his brows clear and composed. There was no trace of earlier drunkenness where he couldn’t walk steadily.

Qi Yun realized the truth and, walking into the hall, laughingly scolded, “So, you were pretending to be drunk!”

Qi Ying turned his head and looked towards his eldest brother, a smile in his eyes.

Of course, he had to pretend to be drunk; otherwise, how much would they have pressured him to drink? Moreover, the wine he drank tonight had been diluted with water by the servants beforehand. Though he drank copiously, he wouldn’t become heavily intoxicated.

Qi Yun chuckled, patted Qi Ying’s shoulder, then both he and Han Ruohui took their seats. He asked, “What’s going on? The banquet has concluded, yet everyone remains gathered here?”

Qi Zhang sat in the primary seat, his expression anything but relaxed. With a furrowed brow, he replied to his eldest son, “We are discussing your younger brother presiding over next year’s Spring Examination.”

Though noisy during the banquet, this matter had spread widely, and Qi Yun had heard something about it. Now, hearing his father mention it, he pondered briefly before saying, “Presiding over the Spring Examination is a prestigious and beneficial opportunity, and Jingchen is certainly capable. Father, is there something troubling you?”

Qi Zhang’s brow remained furrowed, sinking into silence.

He knew well that overseeing the Spring Examination was a lucrative position and that his son was more than competent. However, in their family alone, three members held official positions. He himself was the prime minister, and his two sons already occupied high-ranking posts. Such honors within one household were unprecedented, not only in the current dynasty but even in previous ones.

Currently, the Qi family stood at the pinnacle of power, controlling the nation’s civil, military, and political affairs. Precisely because of this, he feared the decline following such peak prosperity. With Jingchen taking on this task of presiding over the Spring Examination, another layer of glory was added to the Qi family. He worried that standing too tall among others might not necessarily be a good thing.

These thoughts lingered in Qi Zhang’s mind, yet with the presence of his eldest daughter-in-law, he hesitated to voice them.

Despite years of marriage to his eldest son and having a child together, she was still a daughter of the Han family. Could someone of her stature truly sever ties with her maiden home? If it were so easy, his own mother wouldn’t have lived to old age still preoccupied with promoting the Fu family.

Qi Zhang feared that Han Ruohui might relay the Qi family’s affairs back to her maiden home for gossip. Therefore, he couldn’t articulate his hidden concerns. Yet, his astute second son already understood. Calmly, he bowed and said, “Father, rest assured. I understand.”

Qi Zhang looked at his second son, seeing clarity in his gaze and a meaningful expression on his face. He surmised that his son had already devised a plan, which slightly eased his mind.

At that moment, Qi Zhang didn’t know what his second son was thinking or if he had ulterior motives for accepting the task of presiding over the Spring Examination. However, Qi Ying was now capable of handling matters independently, and Qi Zhang trusted him, unlike when he first entered officialdom, needing constant guidance. He believed Qi Ying could manage everything adeptly.

He always reassured him.

Qi Zhang nodded and refrained from further inquiry into his second son’s plans, waving his hand dismissively. “Enough, as long as you have things under control.”

Qi Ying nodded in acknowledgment. They exchanged a few veiled words, each understanding the other’s deeper meaning. However, others in the room, like Qi Le, failed to decipher these underlying messages.

Upon hearing that his second brother would be the chief examiner for next year’s Spring Examination, Qi Le was ecstatic. Had his father not been present, he would have leaped onto the roof in joy. Even suppressing his excitement, he still enthusiastically exclaimed, “Having Second Brother as the chief examiner is wonderful! Fantastic! When grading the papers, if he happens across mine, will he perhaps…”

Before finishing, he was interrupted mid-sentence by his eldest brother. Qi Yun sternly reprimanded the youngest, “Nonsense! The imperial examination is not a game! Don’t get carried away just because you passed the provincial exam by luck! Your second brother will never give you special treatment. Abandon this thought immediately!”

The sharp rebuke frightened Qi Le into lowering his head and shrinking back, not daring to utter another word.

Qi Yun wasn’t finished. He valued laws and discipline highly and couldn’t tolerate dishonesty, especially among family members. Seizing the opportunity, he lectured his two younger brothers who were still studying for exams, continuing for quite some time.

Qi Zhang listened to his eldest son reprimanding the two younger ones without interruption. Once Qi Yun finished, he turned to his third son, calling him calmly, “Jing’an.”

Qi Ning, addressed by name, flinched slightly, looking at his father hesitantly before responding.

Qi Zhang sighed and said, “This year, you must study harder. At least catch up with your fourth brother. Understand?”

This situation was amusing. Qi Ning was two years older than Qi Le, who he used to mock as a fool when they were young. Now, Qi Le had passed the provincial exam and was preparing for the Spring Examination, whereas Qi Ning hadn’t even passed the provincial exam, leaving him without the chance to participate in the Spring Examination.

Being publicly reminded by his father, Qi Ning silently lowered his head, answering sullenly, “Yes.”

Qi Zhang glanced at his third son, saying nothing more. Soon after, he rose to retire, and with his departure, the others dispersed.

Yao Shi lagged behind. Qi Ying stood up to assist his mother back to Jiaxi Hall.

The autumn night was cool as water, with exceptionally clear moonlight. Without clouds, the family’s pavilions and terraces appeared as grand and luxurious as they had three years ago, unchanged in the slightest.

Mother and son strolled along the covered walkways under the bright autumn moon. Yao Shi gazed at her son, now taller and more robust, her eyes filled with pride. Time flew swiftly; in the blink of an eye, he had grown into such a reliable figure, stirring deep reflection within her.

She gently patted the hand supporting her and said, “I saw you drinking all night, hardly eating. I’ll have the servants bring you some food later. Eat a little to avoid stomach pain.”

Before Qi Ying could respond, Yao Shi continued, “Now that you’ve achieved a high position, it’s a good thing. People flattering you is inevitable. But it’s still too exhausting. You’re busy enough daily; even your birthday couldn’t be spent peacefully. Instead, you had to socialize forcefully, truly adding unnecessary strain.”

Yao Shi’s nature was such. While outwardly hospitable to guests, she couldn’t help but complain once out of sight. Decades ago, she complained for her husband; now, she did so for her children.

Qi Ying understood his mother’s temperament. Upon hearing this, he smiled and consoled her, “It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

Yao Shi sighed, saying, “You may be accustomed, but I still feel sorry for you. Sometimes, I wish you weren’t so accomplished, sparing you from this exhaustion.”

Qi Ying smiled faintly, remaining silent. Yao Shi suddenly remembered something, exclaiming, “Oh! It’s your birthday today, and you haven’t eaten longevity noodles yet. Shall I have someone prepare them for you? Before the day ends, you should eat a bowl for good fortune.”

As Yao Shi prepared to send someone to arrange it, Qi Ying stopped her.

“There’s no need to trouble, Mother. I’ll eat later at Fenghe Garden.”

His words startled Yao Shi, causing her to chuckle. She touched her forehead and said, “How could I forget? You still have Wenwen on your mind—I assumed you’d stay overnight at home since I noticed you hadn’t returned to your separate quarters recently.”

Hearing the word “mind,” Qi Ying coughed slightly awkwardly and explained, “She went out of town to collect accounts half a month ago and only returned today.”

Yao Shi was surprised, asking, “She went to collect accounts herself? For half a month?”

Qi Ying nodded, a hint of helplessness and a faint smile in his beautiful phoenix eyes. “Yes, busier than me.”

Yao Shi shook her head disapprovingly, saying, “Wenwen is still so young and pretty. How can you let her go alone?”

Qi Ying responded, “I sent Bai Song with her.”

Yao Shi paused, then nodded.

Bai Song was a private retainer of the Qi family, highly skilled in martial arts and dependable. With him accompanying her, nothing untoward was likely to happen. However, Bai Song usually stayed by Qi Ying’s side. Recently, as Qi Ying climbed higher in officialdom, encountering more trouble, including numerous assassination attempts over the years, sending Bai Song with Wenwen meant…

Qi Ying noticed his mother’s worry, fell silent for a moment, then reassured her, “It’s fine. The privy council can handle these matters. Besides, they return today.”

With these words, what more could Yao Shi say? She nodded, then seemed to recall something, smiling, “Speaking of which, isn’t Wenwen nearing her coming-of-age soon?”

Qi Ying nodded, replying, “Yes, in a few months.”

Yao Shi smiled, saying, “Coming-of-age is a significant event, a girl’s once-in-a-lifetime ceremony. How do you plan to arrange it for her?”

Qi Ying raised an eyebrow, saying, “She’s quiet and dislikes ostentation. Probably won’t want a grand celebration—I’ll discuss it with her.”

Yao Shi nodded, her eyes conveying deep meaning as she advised, “Don’t wrong her.”

Though seemingly ordinary, her tone carried a teasing undertone, hinting at double meanings.

Qi Ying paused, realizing his mother’s deeper implication, his expression becoming slightly unnatural. He began, “Mother, between Wenwen and me, it’s not…”

Before he could finish, Yao Shi laughed, saying, “Right, right, it’s not romantic love—I didn’t say anything. Why react so strongly?”

Though her words dismissed the notion, her teasing expression grew more pronounced. Observing Qi Ying’s still somewhat unnatural yet evidently pleased demeanor, her smile widened.

Tsk, her son handled political affairs decisively, yet remained inexplicably hesitant in matters of the heart. As a mother, she couldn’t interfere, only wait for them to resolve matters themselves.

She sensed it wouldn’t be long.

Yao Shi smiled, looked up at the sky, and decided not to delay Qi Ying further. Laughing, she said, “Alright, hurry back. Remember to convey my regards to Wenwen.”

Qi Ying acknowledged, and after escorting his mother back to Jiaxi Hall, he left for Fenghe Garden.

The cool autumn breeze was refreshing, aiding sobriety. Yet, despite the diluted alcohol, he still felt slightly tipsy.

Tipsiness was pleasant. In this mild intoxication, he thought of the person he hadn’t seen in half a month, a faint, fleeting smile playing in his beautiful phoenix eyes.

More intoxicating than all the fine wines consumed by the guests tonight.

Author’s Note: After drinking, one should naturally go home to find their spouse. (Pfft, stop pretending; it was diluted fake wine.)