Spring in the Hall of Paintings

“Guard, I am Lady Fucha, the wife of Tong Rongxuan.”

Lady Fucha took the initiative to step forward, bending her knees and bowing. The imperial guard seemed startled, stepping back two paces. “Madam Tong, please rise. Madam, you honor me too much.”

Yun Wei helped Lady Fucha steady herself. She had a moment of thought. Based on the hat worn by the imperial guard, his rank was considerable. The guards around Emperor Kangxi were all from prominent Eight Banner families, born to nobility. Even wealthy families couldn’t simply buy a position like that. They were usually very proud. How could he be so respectful to Lady Fucha?

Lady Fucha, however, was more perceptive than Yun Wei. Her worry gradually eased. The imperial guard said little and directly spoke, “Lord Tong has saved the Emperor’s life once and the Prince’s life twice. He will surely be promoted to a higher position soon. The men in the army all admire Lord Tong’s bravery, loyalty, and righteousness. I, too, respect him greatly. His Majesty has specially sent me to inform Madam Tong that Lord Tong’s injuries are not serious. He will return to the capital on a chosen day.”

The words “saved the Emperor’s life once, saved the Prince’s life twice” struck everyone’s hearts. Lady Fucha staggered slightly, her lips trembling. “You mean… My husband… was injured? How serious is the injury?”

The imperial guard awkwardly smiled. He was somewhat surprised by Lady Fucha’s reaction. Usually, the wives of wealthy families would show joy at hearing such news. He solemnly reassured her, “Madam Tong, please rest assured. Lord Tong’s injuries are not serious.”

“Thank you, Sir, for bringing me the news. You’ve worked hard.”

Lady Fucha’s face turned pale. Not serious? How could saving so many people not be serious? She had once thought that Rongxuan would achieve merit, but she had never wanted him to be injured. She gave a look to Nanny Qi, who stepped forward and pressed two silver coins into the guard’s hand. “Please, Sir, accept this token of appreciation.”

“Thank you, thank you.” The guard did not refuse the silver coins. He tucked them into his chest and bowed before leaving. As soon as he was gone, the servants in the house called out in unison, “Congratulations, Second Mistress! Congratulations!”

The credit for rescuing the Emperor belongs to their second master. Not only did he save the current Emperor, but he also saved the Prince. What an immense merit this is! The Emperor has always been known for his clear judgment of rewards and punishments. Second Master will surely be promoted and honored with titles. The Tong family will receive exceptional glory because of Rongxuan’s deeds. Lady Fucha, the second mistress, and Yun Wei, the sixth daughter, appeared noticeably different in the eyes of all the servants in the household.

“Sixth Sister, congratulations.” Yun Lan concealed the regret in her heart, linking arms with Yun Wei. She gave a bright and sincere smile, her face radiating joy. “This is good news, truly wonderful news. Sixth Sister, do not worry too much about Second Uncle. Didn’t the guard say that Second Uncle only sustained minor injuries? He will be fine.”

“Yes, thank you, Fourth Sister.”

Yun Wei was very grateful to Yun Lan, as she often found herself surrounded by flatterers, but right now, what Yun Wei most cared about was her father Rongxuan’s safety. As for what rewards Rongxuan would receive from Emperor Kangxi, Yun Wei wasn’t particularly concerned. Deep in her heart, however, she was very proud of having a father who was like a hero. She recalled a dream she had a few days ago. Upon reflection, it seemed like she had seen the battlefield and witnessed her father Rongxuan saving the Emperor. The scene was chaotic, with blood and flesh flying in all directions. Yun Wei woke up in shock and couldn’t sleep again. She didn’t dare tell her mother, Lady Fucha. The next day, she went to the Buddhist hall to pray for Rongxuan’s safety. There, she happened to meet Elder Madam Jue Luo. The old lady spoke with her for a long time, offering guidance on how to live well while loved ones were away at war. She reminded Yun Wei that one should not lose heart or falter just because a loved one is far away or in danger.

Elder Madam Jue Luo was deeply worried about her two sons who were away at war but did not change her usual composed demeanor. She maintained a calm and steady presence in the Tong family, though she stayed a little longer than usual at the Buddhist hall.

“Mother, Second Brother has achieved great merit; this is good news.”

The eldest madam, Lady Jueluo, wore an excited expression. Since ancient times, there has always been a distinction between older and younger siblings. Even if Tong Rongxuan was granted a title and military rank, as long as Rongda did not make any mistakes, the position of clan leader would belong to him. Moreover, Rongxuan had always respected his elder brother and his sister-in-law. The eldest madam was genuinely happy from the bottom of her heart. The revival of the Tong family line was now within reach, and the faces of everyone in the house shone with pride.

The elderly madam muttered a prayer, “Amitabha Buddha, may our ancestors protect us. May Rongxuan… may he be safe and sound.”

“He will be fine,” the eldest madam reassured the elderly madam. The third madam, Guo Luoluo, suppressed her own feelings of bitterness and loss, smiling gently, “Shall we have the servants set off firecrackers to celebrate?”

“That will not do. The Emperor has not returned to the capital yet, and things are not settled. To set off firecrackers now would be too hasty and reckless.”

Elder Madam Jue Luo straightened up and said with seriousness, “Remember, everything in the Tong household remains the same. We only received word from the Northwest that Rongxuan’s injuries are not serious. As for the rescue of the Emperor and the Prince, not a word of it must be mentioned. Anyone who leaks this information will have to answer to me. Do you understand?”

“I understand, mistress.” The servants responded in unison, not daring to go against the elderly madam’s wishes. Elder Madam Jue Luo’s gaze swept over the three daughters-in-law, and she sighed, “Wei girl, help your mother back to her room. Her health has just improved a little, so don’t let her catch a chill.”

“Thank you, Mother.” Lady Fucha understood the elderly madam’s concern for her. She was too weary to deal with the flattery from others, so she simply followed the elderly madam’s words. Holding her daughter’s hand, she returned to her room. The servants in the second courtyard, though they were often strictly managed by Lady Fucha, now showed smiles of joy. They bowed and greeted her, “Mistress, may you be at peace.”

“Alright, stop making a fuss in front of me. Everyone, go back to your tasks. Remember to keep your mouths shut. No unnecessary chatter. Anyone who lets slip their tongue or gets too smug will not need the elderly madam to take action. I’ll deal with you myself.”

“Yes, Mistress, don’t worry. We will not cause any trouble.”

The head servant spoke nervously, and Lady Fucha nodded in satisfaction. “Once your father is safely back, we can celebrate and be happy.”

After everyone left, Lady Fucha collapsed onto the couch, her limbs feeling slightly cold. She grasped her daughter’s small hand and asked, “Yaya, am I dreaming? Your father is really safe, right?”

“Mother, how could it be a dream? Father will return victorious and bring glory to the family. He will triumph on the chosen day.”

Yun Wei took the bowl of soup from the servant, stirred it with a spoon, and smiled, “This is the tofu soup I’ve newly researched. You should try it.”

She carefully fed her mother spoonful by spoonful. Lady Fucha propped herself up a little and asked, “Tofu soup? The name sounds so ordinary. But this soup doesn’t just taste like tofu.”

“Fourth Sister says that the most skillful dishes are the ones that bring a new twist to the most common ingredients. I think she’s right. And she said this tofu soup is delicious.”

“Fourth girl only talks; I’ve never seen her cook anything herself.”

“Mother, Fourth Sister is very good. I like Fourth Sister. Besides, I rarely cook, and you only say that because you love me so much.”

Lady Fucha wiped her mouth, flicked Yun Wei’s forehead, and laughed, scolding, “You only know how to speak up for Fourth Sister. Yun Lan… Yun Lan is a good girl, but my little Yaya is the one I love most. I won’t let my sweet girl be wronged.”

Yun Wei rolled into her mother’s arms, and the two of them laughed and played together.