Xu Yuejia returned to the west courtyard in the middle of the Xu hour.
At that time, Wen Ye's dark hair had just been dried, her long tresses cascading down her back and over her chest, as she sat before her dressing table, indulging in her skincare routine.
Upon hearing Yun Zhi's announcement from the outer chamber, Wen Ye glanced at her reflection in the bronze mirror, a satisfied smile gracing her lips.
If perfection were rated out of ten, Wen Ye would give herself a nine, withholding the final point to avoid the pitfalls of overconfidence.
After admiring her own beauty, Wen Ye turned to the newcomer and said, "The hot water is ready. You should go and soak; it will help relieve your fatigue."
Her considerate demeanor was impeccable, leaving no room for criticism.
However, Xu Yuejia, who had been the first to uncover the true nature hidden beneath Wen Ye's gentle and serene facade, gazed at her intently for a long while.
Wen Ye blinked in feigned confusion.
Without a word, Xu Yuejia stepped past her and entered the bathing chamber.
Unbothered, Wen Ye continued to admire herself in the mirror.
About a quarter of an hour later, Xu Yuejia emerged, dressed in a frost-white sleeping robe, his hair slightly damp, and the air around him moist. He walked over to the bed.
On the bed, two quilts lay distinctly apart—one neatly arranged on the outer side, the other slightly raised, clearly concealing someone beneath.
Xu Yuejia paused for a moment, then lifted the quilt and lay down flat, his hands resting on his abdomen.
His sleeping posture was impeccably proper.
At this moment, Wen Ye peeked out from under the covers, her face framed by a few stray strands of black hair that fell across her cheeks, which were tinged with a faint blush. She looked at the composed man beside her and chuckled softly, "Husband?"
Xu Yuejia turned his head slightly toward Wen Ye, his voice cool as he asked, "How many times?"
His expression remained indifferent.
Wen Ye was momentarily taken aback but quickly grasped the meaning behind his words. Recalling their wedding night, she couldn't help but curve her lips into a smile.
"Let me think about it, husband."
Seeing her genuinely deep in thought, Xu Yuejia was once again rendered speechless.
Wen Ye didn't keep Xu Yuejia waiting for long, as the initiation of such matters relied heavily on atmosphere and feeling.
"Let's do it like last time," Wen Ye declared straightforwardly.
This would also allow her to gauge whether his skills had improved.
And so, Wen Ye lay back down, wrapping herself tightly in the quilt.
Her stance was firm and unmistakable.
Xu Yuejia remained silent for a moment before rising and neatly folding the quilt at the foot of the bed.
Noticing his actions, Wen Ye promptly opened a corner of her quilt, silently inviting him in.
When his large hand rested on her waist, Wen Ye relaxed, feeling the stirrings of desire. She leaned in, her lips brushing his briefly before pulling away.
Xu Yuejia froze, the warmth at his throat lingering as his gaze deepened when he looked at Wen Ye.
Under the dim glow of the candlelight, shadows danced on the bed curtains.
Wen Ye had always believed that as a husband, whether one was affectionate or not, one must at least be capable.
She glanced up at Xu Yuejia, restraining herself for a moment before finally closing her eyes, ready to embrace the impending wave of passion.
......
At the Yin hour, the sky was still dark. Today was a grand court assembly, so Xu Yuejia woke up earlier than usual.
Wen Ye had always been a light sleeper, both in this life and the last. Even in slumber, she could faintly sense the presence of another person beside her.
As Xu Yuejia sat up and prepared to rise, a head emerged from the inner quilt. Its owner looked somewhat weary, her eyes lazy as she asked, "Are you getting up already, husband?"
Xu Yuejia responded coolly, "Yes, the court assembly cannot be delayed."
Wen Ye nodded drowsily, "Then go ahead, husband. I'll sleep a bit longer."
The tenderness and consideration of the previous night had vanished without a trace.
It was as if it had all been a figment of Xu Yuejia's imagination.
The softness and warmth that had once filled his palm...
Xu Yuejia steadied his mind, got out of bed, and as he lifted the curtain halfway, he turned back to the still-awake woman and said, "Recently, I've taken on a rather complicated case."
Hearing this, Wen Ye's eyes cleared slightly. She met the man's gaze for a moment before replying, "I understand what you mean, husband."
She sat up, clutching the quilt, the chill dispelling some of her drowsiness. "You can focus on the case without worry. I won't disturb you."
Enthusiasm didn't equate to a desire for frequency, and Wen Ye had been searching for an excuse to send him back to the front courtyard tonight.
Seeing the decisiveness on her face, Xu Yuejia paused briefly. "Thank you."
Then he turned and left.
Wen Ye watched his retreating figure, his steps still steady and strong.
If it weren't for the fact that he had exceeded expectations last night and still seemed to have energy to spare, Wen Ye might have wondered if he was putting on a brave face.
But Xu Yuejia's gesture of giving three and adding one last night—could it have been to make this morning's conversation easier?
Regardless of the reason, she had enjoyed herself, and that was all that mattered.
Wen Ye pushed the thought aside, kicked away the quilt Xu Yuejia had used, and sprawled across the entire bed, stretching out her limbs before closing her eyes and drifting back to sleep.
When she woke again, it was already the Chen hour.
Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi entered the inner chamber carrying hot water and dry towels.
Wen Ye used the hot water to freshen her face.
Tao Zhi murmured, "I feel like Madam looks even more beautiful today than yesterday."
Wen Ye rinsed her mouth, glanced at her, but chose not to explain.
After dressing, Wen Ye stepped out of the inner chamber and asked, "What's for breakfast today?"
Tao Zhi replied, "Hongxing has prepared lamb soup."
Wen Ye's eyes lit up, and she said cheerfully, "Bring me a bowl of lamb soup, and you can decide on the rest."
Tao Zhi knew her preferences well.
Wen Ye then turned to Yun Zhi and said, "Later, take some silver from my box of loose coins and give it to Hongxing."
The reward had gone from a string of copper coins to a few taels of silver—quite the upgrade.
Yun Zhi acknowledged the order.
Wen Ye always trusted Yun Zhi with such matters, as both Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi were her carefully trained aides.
Having expended a fair amount of energy last night, Wen Ye was thinking of replenishing herself today. It was fortuitous that Hongxing had prepared lamb soup early in the morning.
It couldn't have been more timely.
At the breakfast table, after finishing a bowl of soup and sampling a few pastries, Wen Ye suddenly remembered Xu Yuejia, who had left for the court assembly before dawn.
He had worked hard last night as well.
So she asked, "Is there any lamb soup left?"
Tao Zhi answered, "There's still plenty."
Wen Ye wiped her mouth and said, "Before lunch, pack a food box and have a servant deliver it to my husband."
Tao Zhi was momentarily surprised but quickly responded, "I'll go and arrange it right away."
Wen Ye, meanwhile, thought that if only one of them replenished their energy, the growing disparity might lead to awkwardness in the future.
......
As noon approached, at the Ministry of Justice.
Recently, a murder case had occurred in the West Market, involving a nephew of Minister Han from the Ministry of Personnel. Unable to withstand the pressure from Minister Han, the Prefect of the Capital had secretly reported the matter in advance to Xu Yuejia, the impartial Vice Minister of Justice, in hopes of maintaining his own integrity.
With the Yongchang Marquis Mansion backing Minister Han, the Prefect of the Capital dared not offend him. After receiving Xu Yuejia's confirmation, he promptly submitted the complete case file to the Ministry of Justice.
With Xu Yuejia in the Ministry of Justice, other officials no longer felt as constrained when handling cases.
Everyone in the court knew that the current Minister of Justice was well past retirement age. The only reason he still held the position was that Vice Minister Xu Yuejia was still too young.
For this reason, the Emperor had rejected the old minister's retirement requests three times. However, considering Minister Jiang's advanced age, the Emperor had exempted him from morning court.
In essence, the Ministry of Justice was now largely under Xu Yuejia's control.
The Emperor's favor toward Xu Yuejia was undeniable, and it was impossible for no one in the court to feel envious.
At such a young age, he had already risen to the rank of Vice Minister. Who wouldn't envy such a position? Many could only dream of reaching such heights in their lifetime, or perhaps toiling their entire lives just to attain it.
For others, this was the pinnacle, but for Xu Yuejia, it was merely the beginning.
Yet, he himself never displayed the slightest hint of arrogance, always adhering strictly to the law and evidence, without a trace of leniency.
It was precisely because of this that the Ministry of Justice, which had been riddled with corruption during the previous Emperor's reign, had been thoroughly cleansed within just a few years of the current Emperor's ascension.
When the Duke's servant arrived with the food box, Xu Yuejia had just finished interrogating a prisoner. His clothes still carried the faint scent of blood, and after changing, he was informed, "Vice Minister Xu, someone from the Duke's residence is here."
Xu Yuejia frowned slightly at the timing...
Before he could ponder further, Secretary Wen, who had come to deliver the message, added, "It's your servant, carrying a food box."
The food at the ministry's canteen was rather plain, so those with even modest means would have their servants deliver meals when they couldn't return home for lunch.
There were, however, a few who didn't mind the canteen's fare, and Xu Yuejia was among them.
For him, food seemed to serve only the purpose of sustenance.
Secretary Wen couldn't help but feel a bit surprised, silently thinking to himself that no one could truly endure the hardships of the official kitchen.
Xu Yuejia thanked Secretary Wen and then walked out of the room. A servant from the Duke's mansion spotted him and quickly approached, saying, "Young Master, this is the lamb soup that the Second Madam asked me to deliver. She said that since you've been troubled by cases all day, you should nourish yourself properly."
Secretary Wen, who hadn't gone far, slowed his steps and pricked up his ears.
Xu Yuejia remained silent for a moment before accepting the food container and saying, "Go back and tell Madam that I've received it."
The servant rubbed his hands together, responded with a "Yes," and then Xu Yuejia dismissed him.
Carrying the food container, Xu Yuejia turned around and bumped into Secretary Wen, who had been eavesdropping.
Secretary Wen nervously said, "I'll be on my way now," and fled in a rather flustered manner.
Xu Yuejia lowered his gaze to the food container in his hand and stood still for a long while.
After lunch, within less than an hour, the officials working at the Ministry of Justice, through Secretary Wen, all learned that the wife of the Vice Minister had specially prepared lamb soup to nourish Xu Yuejia.
Meanwhile, Wen Ye, who was staying in the West Courtyard, remained completely unaware of this.
Wen Ye had only drunk one bowl of the lamb soup that Hongxing had prepared. She sent a portion to Xu Yuejia and had Yun Zhi deliver another portion to the main courtyard.
Madam Lu had previously given her many fine gifts, so Wen Ye felt it was only right to show some appreciation in return.
Hongxing's culinary skills were no worse than those of the Duke's mansion's chef, and Wen Ye was confident that Madam Lu would enjoy the soup.
Today was the fifteenth day of the month. Both Duke Xu and Xu Yuejia had gone to court early in the morning. Afterward, one went to the military camp, and the other stayed at the Ministry of Justice. Thus, the family only gathered for dinner in the main courtyard that evening.
The lamb soup that Wen Ye had sent to the main courtyard was served during lunch. Madam Lu gave each of her two sons a bowl, while she and Xu Yuxuan each had half a bowl.
Xu Yuxuan was still young and shouldn't eat too much, while Madam Lu limited herself to maintain her slender figure.
After finishing half a bowl of lamb soup, she was already half-full.
Therefore, Madam Lu wasn't in a hurry to eat. Instead, she turned to her eldest son, who was busy eating, and said, "Lifting your house arrest today doesn't mean this matter is over."
Xu Jingrong continued eating with his head down, mumbling indistinctly, "I know."
Madam Lu's expression turned stern as she continued, "You'll be nine years old after the New Year. Your father and I have decided to send you to Pine Mountain Academy in the spring."
Xu Jingrong paused but didn't say anything, seemingly accepting the decision.
Madam Lu was somewhat satisfied.
The Duke's mansion had previously hired a great scholar to privately tutor Xu Jingrong, which was why he hadn't attended an academy at the age of eight.
Now, Madam Lu felt it was time to send him to an academy to toughen him up and hone his character.
Aside from the Imperial Academy of Jingsheng, Pine Mountain Academy was the most prestigious of the three great academies in the Great Jin Dynasty. The Xu family of Orchid City was a prominent local clan with a tradition of not allowing their direct descendants to serve in the imperial court. Pine Mountain Academy was established by the Xu family's direct line.
Orchid City was neither too close nor too far from Jingsheng, just a day's journey, making it a suitable location.
*
West Courtyard.
Wen Ye had just woken up from her afternoon nap when Tao Zhi came to report, "Madam, I just noticed someone sneaking around outside the West Courtyard gate."
However, when she went to investigate, there wasn't a trace of anyone to be found.
"Oh?" Wen Ye stretched lazily. She wasn't planning to get up just yet and instead decided to do a simple set of modern yoga in bed.
Seeing her mistress start those peculiar movements again and not needing her help to dress, Tao Zhi stood by and waited.
She added, "Should I call some people to stand guard? It wouldn't be good if some thief sneaked into our West Courtyard."
Wen Ye glanced at her and said, "What kind of thief would dare to come here? Have you forgotten what the Young Master does for a living?"
Tao Zhi scratched her head and asked, "Then what should we do? I really did see a suspicious figure."
After finishing her shoulder stretches, Wen Ye said, "Then call some people to keep watch and see who it is."
With permission granted, Tao Zhi eagerly replied, "I'll go right away."
Tao Zhi didn't keep Wen Ye waiting long. Within a quarter of an hour, Wen Ye heard Tao Zhi exclaim, "Young Master?!"
Then Yun Zhi came in to report, "Madam, the Young Master from the East Courtyard is here."
Wen Ye finished her last yoga pose and asked, "What does he want?"
Yun Zhi shook her head, "The Young Master wouldn't say. He only asked to see you."
Wen Ye got out of bed and asked, "Where is he?"
Yun Zhi replied, "Tao Zhi has already invited him inside. It's too cold outside to leave the Young Master waiting in the courtyard."
Wen Ye went into the side room to dress. Moments later, Yun Zhi opened the door to the inner chamber, and Wen Ye walked out.
Hearing footsteps behind him, Xu Jingrong got up from his chair. After Wen Ye took her seat, he respectfully bowed and said, "Jingrong greets Auntie."
Wen Ye paused. It had only been a few days—had he been possessed?
"Sit," Wen Ye said. "What brings you to the West Courtyard?"
Xu Jingrong looked up, his expression still a bit awkward, and said, "I came to apologize to you, Auntie."
Wen Ye thought for a moment, then smiled and feigned ignorance, "Oh? What are you apologizing for?"
Xu Jingrong said, "I misunderstood you before. I thought you would treat Yuxuan poorly and said some rude things about you in front of Mother."
Wen Ye took the tea that Tao Zhi handed her, sipped it, and then looked at him, "Oh? What did you say? Tell me."
Xu Jingrong widened his eyes, as if he hadn't expected Wen Ye to react this way.
He lowered his head and said, "They weren't nice words. It's better if you don't hear them, Auntie."
Wen Ye said calmly, "It's fine. Go ahead. I won't get angry."
Xu Jingrong instinctively looked up, "Really?"
Wen Ye glanced at him, noticing how he subconsciously covered his bottom. Under his eager gaze, she nodded.
Reassured, Xu Jingrong finally spoke up.
He wasn't afraid of Wen Ye getting angry, but his bottom had already suffered twice. A third time would surely ruin it.
Xu Jingrong said softly, "I said... I said you were a wicked stepmother."
Yun Zhi and Tao Zhi, who were standing nearby, both looked furious. How could the Young Master slander their mistress like that!
Wen Ye, however, remained unfazed. "What else?"
Xu Jingrong shook his head, "That's all."
He now knew that it was his third aunt from his maternal family who had designs on his uncle. He had fallen into her trap. His mother had told him that he shouldn't judge his aunt based on what others said. As a member of the family, he should observe for himself.
And that third aunt was the outsider.
To judge a family member based solely on an outsider's words showed a lack of trust in his own family. As the heir of the Duke's mansion, he should never have done such a thing.
Two rounds of punishment, several days of house arrest, and the testimony brought back by Aunt Qingxue had completely reformed Xu Jingrong.
Seeing his sincere apology, Wen Ye said, "I forgive you."
Xu Jingrong's heart immediately settled, and his tone lightened, "Thank you, Auntie."
But the next moment, his expression fell again.
Wen Ye noticed and asked, "Is there something else?"
Xu Jingrong shook his head, then nodded, "Mother said she's sending me to the academy next spring. I'll only be able to come home once a month."
Wen Ye raised an eyebrow, "You don't want to go?"
Xu Jingrong began to open up, "I hate studying. Auntie, you don't know, the words in those books are so dense, they look like ants crawling all over the page. Just looking at them gives me a headache."
Wen Ye said nonchalantly, "Really?"
Xu Jingrong continued, oblivious to the danger he was in, "I want to be a general, like Father, Grandfather, and my maternal grandfather, fighting on the battlefield! But Mother insists that I study!"
"Your mother won't let you learn martial arts?" Wen Ye asked.
Xu Jingrong shook his head, "Not exactly. She said if I want to continue learning martial arts, I have to study."
Wen Ye put down her teacup and said in an almost gentle tone, "You should listen to your mother. Here's what I'll do—I'll give you a gift later, one I'm sure you'll like."
Madam Lu's gentleness had only existed in Xu Jingrong's life before he turned five. Wen Ye's demeanor now almost made him feel like he was back in his childhood.
Xu Jingrong couldn't help but think, "That third aunt is even worse than Mother said!"
"What gift?" Xu Jingrong blurted out.
Wen Ye smiled, "It's a secret."
And so, Xu Jingrong, who had come feeling awkward and anxious, returned to the East Courtyard full of anticipation.
As soon as he left, Tao Zhi exclaimed indignantly, "Madam! The Young Master said such things about you, and you're still going to prepare a gift for him!"
She couldn't stand it any longer.
Wen Ye said leisurely, "I haven't even mentioned what I plan to send yet, so don't get upset first."
Yun Zhi, upon hearing this, asked, "What does Madam intend to send?"
Wen Ye revealed a mischievous smile and said, "I recall the booklist I used to purchase books for my younger sister is still around, right?"
Tao Zhi seemed to understand and replied, "Yes, I've kept it safe all this time!"
Wen Ye turned her gaze to her and instructed, "Pick out a few of the most obscure and difficult-to-read ones from it and send them to the young master. Tell him it's a token of my high expectations for him as his second aunt."
As for being a wicked stepmother, Wen Ye had never considered it.
But being a mischievous aunt? That was something she was quite looking forward to at the moment.
