004 The Qi Family

Outside the villa, a guard led over two fine horses and said with an expressionless face, "By order of His Highness, I am to escort Compiler Xue back to his residence."

"Much obliged."

Xue Huai took the reins naturally. Fortunately, he had practiced horsemanship in his youth in his previous life. Although not particularly skilled, he could manage a normal ride; otherwise, he would surely have revealed a flaw today. After all, it was a celebrated story in the capital that the sixteen-year-old top scholar had ridden through the imperial streets to show off his appointment two years ago.

He did not presumptuously strike up a conversation with the guard, but instead silently collected his thoughts. As they traveled, he unobtrusively observed this novel world.

The two rode out of the side alley, the sunlight gilding the surface of the Nine-Bend River into dark gold. The world was peaceful and serene.

The two riders passed through Elm Coin Lane, where three or five young children were huddled on the ground picking up fallen leaves. Their crisp, playful laughter startled an old man carrying a teapot, causing him to spill half a cup. Not far away, a bamboo tray for drying medicinal herbs was set up at a pharmacy, where a woman with a wooden hairpin slanted in her hair was carefully turning the herbs.

Turning right onto Changning Street, Xue Huai saw a roasted chestnut cart under a locust tree emitting white smoke. The old man in a felt hat hammered his iron shovel with a clanging sound. Suddenly, the figures of patrol guards from the Five Cities Infantry Command appeared in the distance, and he quickly pulled his hands back, wiping the dust off his apron.

In his previous life, Xue Huai had admired fictional landscapes in films and television dramas. Now, seeing it with his own eyes, he realized that the real ancient world was far less polished and brilliant than that. The pedestrians on the street wore simple clothing, the shops along the road were cramped and narrow, the roads in the capital were not very smooth, and dust was visible everywhere.

This suddenly gave Xue Huai a sense of rustic simplicity, but he could also feel the vibrant, lived-in atmosphere of the human world.

About a quarter of an hour later, a bluestone memorial arch appeared in Xue Huai's line of sight. Immediately, the guard's flat voice reached his ears: "Compiler Xue, Dayong Ward has arrived."

Xue Huai bowed with his hands folded, "Thank you for the escort."

The guard said nothing more and turned his horse around with crisp efficiency.

Xue Huai looked at the bluestone arch, carefully recalling the situation of the Xue family in his mind, and simulating the scene of meeting his family in a moment. He was also prepared; in case his family became suspicious of him, he would simply say that he had forgotten some things after falling into the water, which should be enough to muddle through.

Before long, the Xue residence came into view.

It was a standard three-courtyard official residence with a grand, five-purlin, hanging-gable entrance gate. The ebony plaque was gilded with the words "Xue Residence," four palace lanterns hung under the eaves, two five-foot bluestone lions stood before the gate, there were nine steps of bluestone, and the door nails were arranged in rows of seven and nine.

After Xue Mingzhang passed away, this official residence should have been reclaimed according to imperial regulations. However, the Emperor, mindful of the bonds between sovereign and subject and pitying the plight of the Xue family's widow and orphan, had specifically decreed that the residence be granted to the Xue family, preserving all its original structure and specifications. This act naturally earned praise from the entire court.

Therefore, Xue Huai was able to live in this third-rank official's mansion despite his position as a seventh-rank compiler in the Hanlin Academy.

"Young Master, it's the Young Master who has returned!"

As Xue Huai rode up to the gate, the gatekeeper, A-Jiu, hurried over, his face full of worry.

Xue Huai handed the reins to A-Jiu and, after a moment's thought, instructed, "Feed this horse the best fodder."

This fine steed belonged to the Princess's mansion; he would certainly return it.

A-Jiu took the reins and added, "Young Master, you didn't return to the mansion last night, and the Old Madam was very worried. You should go see her quickly."

Xue Huai replied and walked into the mansion.

Bypassing the "Cranes and Deer for Spring" screen wall, entering the hanging flower gate, and passing through the east courtyard, he reached the main courtyard behind the second gate. Aside from Madam Cui and Xue Huai, the current Xue household consisted only of the housekeeper, the gatekeeper, personal attendants, maidservants, a coachman, and a cook—barely a dozen people in total.

As soon as Xue Huai entered the second gate, he saw a woman near forty, supported by a maid, hurrying out from the courtyard. Before she even saw Xue Huai, an anxious voice came: "Huai'er? Is that Huai'er back?"

This was his biological mother, Madam Cui.

The late autumn sunlight spilled down, illuminating a few strands of white hair like silver threads beneath her pearl hairpin, and her originally refined cheekbones appeared even more gaunt. Perhaps because she had walked too hurriedly, the pendants on her skirt were still swaying slightly, and two stray strands of hair at her temples fluttered in the breeze.

"Mother."

Xue Huai stepped forward quickly, bowed, and said, "Your son is unfilial, causing you to worry."

Madam Cui reached out to support him. The wrist bones protruding from under her green silk sleeves were thin, and her hand, wearing sandalwood prayer beads, trembled slightly when it touched Xue Huai's forearm. Her eyes welled with warm moisture, and faint traces of years of worry were etched into the fine lines at the corners of her eyes. She asked urgently, "Why didn't you return home last night? Why did the steward from Princess Yun'an's mansion come to inform us that you stayed at the Green Willow Villa for the night?"

Xue Huai said softly, "Mother, yesterday I felt troubled and wanted to walk around the city, and inadvertently found myself by the Nine-Bend River. Perhaps because I was lost in thought, I accidentally slipped and fell into the water. Fortunately, the guards from the Princess's mansion rescued me and called a physician to treat me. I only woke up this morning, and the physician said I was fine, so I hurried back."

"Ah."

Madam Cui's voice trembled, and her eyes turned red in an instant: "You child... if anything had happened to you, how could Mother go on living?"

Even though he had made full preparations in advance, Xue Huai couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion. After Xue Mingzhang passed away, the middle-aged woman before him was the only person in the world who truly cared for the original owner. Although she could not help him in his official career, she had done her best to maintain a warm home for him.

In Xue Huai's memories, Madam Cui was a gentle lady of a distinguished family, beautiful in her youth, and she and Xue Mingzhang were hailed as a perfect match. She had also had a very beautiful time, when her husband’s career was smooth and her son was clever, sensible, and known as a prodigy.

Everything changed on that spring night six years ago.

Xue Mingzhang passed away, and Xue Huai was still young; from then on, there was no one left to shield her from the wind and rain. After finally waiting for Xue Huai to place high in the imperial examinations, these past two years had broken her heart. No matter how she tried to dissuade him, Xue Huai refused to back down; he was determined to entangle himself with the corrupt officials in the court to the end.

Although time is said to be kind to beauty, the current Madam Cui had seen her youth fade, and the dark traces at the corners of her eyes were enough to show the torment she had endured over the years.

Seeing this stubborn son remain silent, Madam Cui assumed his bullheadedness had taken hold again. She took his hand and said, "Huai'er, Mother knows you can't stand those people acting recklessly. This was your father's teaching to you before he died, and Mother certainly wouldn't ask you to collude with them. But you must think of yourself, and think of Mother. You are only a Compiler in the Hanlin Academy, not a Censor in the Censorate. So many high-ranking officials who are actually in charge are keeping quiet; why must you be the one to charge to the front?"

Xue Huai nodded and said, "Mother's words are absolutely correct."

The air seemed to freeze at that moment.

Madam Cui stared blankly at Xue Huai, seemingly thinking she had misheard, and even the delicate maid beside her looked full of disbelief. In fact, similar conversations had occurred many times over the past year or so, but Madam Cui had never been able to persuade Xue Huai. He did not think he was wrong, and at the same time, he was firm in his conviction to be a pure and upright official like his father. He could follow his mother's teachings in everything else, but he refused to engage in duplicity with the corrupt officials in the court.

Therefore, Madam Cui did not expect to hear such a response from him today, which made her even more distressed and panicked. Could it be that her son was going to give up on himself and let everything fall to ruin?

Xue Huai had long anticipated her reaction, so he softened his tone and said, "Mother, shall we go inside to talk?"

Madam Cui nodded, her mind clearly elsewhere.

The mother and son sat down in the main hall, and the maid, Moyun, served fragrant tea before quietly withdrawing. Facing Madam Cui's complex gaze, Xue Huai began, "Mother, I have indeed done some things wrong these past two years. After falling into the water yesterday, I felt I was near death. At that moment, I couldn't help but think of my father's unfulfilled ambitions and my mother's unresolved worries. I realized that my past headstrong behavior not only failed to topple the corrupt officials in the court but instead left those who care about me in sorrow, ultimately leaving me surrounded by enemies on all sides. How is this not a foolish act that hurts those close to me and gladdens my enemies?"

Madam Cui's thin hands were twisted together as she murmured, "Huai'er, do you really think this way? You are not just trying to coax Mother?"

Xue Huai said sincerely, "Mother, please rest assured, I do not have a single word of falsehood. Thinking back to when my father was in Yangzhou, he never indulged those wicked salt merchants, but he always practiced methods and strategy. He could endure humiliation when necessary and strike with thunderous force when the time was right. If I could learn even one-tenth of my father's skills, I should not have caused the current situation."

Madam Cui had said similar things in the past, but at that time, Xue Huai had clearly been stuck in a dead end and could not listen.

Xue Huai continued, "Mother, these past two years I have had the courage to act like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, but without meticulous planning, I have ended up in this current state, causing you endless worry. I feel truly guilty. From now on, I will not be so stubborn. Even if I am to be an official like my father, I should first learn to protect myself, at the very least, so as not to cause you distress."

Upon hearing this, Madam Cui's suspended heart finally settled. She raised her hand to wipe away her tears, nodding repeatedly, "Buddha bless, Huai'er, you have finally thought it through. This is good, this is good indeed, otherwise Mother would not know how to answer to your father in the future."

Before Xue Huai could reply, she asked in a flurry, "Huai'er, are you feeling any discomfort? Should we call for the physician to examine you again? You must have been terrified falling into the water yesterday. Mother will tell the kitchen to brew you some soothing soup immediately."

Looking at Madam Cui's undisguised concern and nervousness, Xue Huai did not refuse and replied obediently, "Very well, I will follow Mother's instructions entirely."

Even if he could not yet fully inhabit the role of her son, faced with such a pitiful and respectable mother, he could at least do his best to put her mind at ease.

There were still tear stains at the corners of Madam Cui's eyes, but a smile of relief finally bloomed on her face. It was as if the clouds had parted to reveal the sun.