Zhao Huanxi didn’t return for dinner, so Yin Furen didn’t call Yin Luochen and Fu Yunjin over. Instead, she had the food sent to the guest room and ate dinner with her daughter and daughter-in-law.

After dinner, Zhao Huanxi still hadn’t come back, and the three women couldn’t sleep. They stayed in Yin Furen’s room, playing with the mahjong tiles for a while.

Just as Xu Nian’an had won over eighty taels of silver, Zhi’er stumbled in, in a panic, saying that Zhao Huanxi had been involved in a fight at Changqing Tower. Someone had reported it to the authorities, and now the two groups involved in the fight had been taken to Shuntian Prefecture by the officials.

顺天府 (Shùntiān Fǔ): Shuntian Prefecture. This was the government office responsible for the administration and justice of the capital city. Being taken there meant being treated as a common criminal or a serious public disturber.

“I told you he shouldn’t practice martial arts! Look at this, fighting every few days and causing trouble. What are we going to do now? It’s freezing cold outside, if he spends a night in prison, won’t he freeze to death? Someone needs to go to Shuntian Prefecture, find out the situation, and bring him back.” Yin Furen was so anxious she paced around in a circle, then said to Zhi’er, “Go to the guest house now and bring Biao Shaoyé here.”

“Mother, asking Biao Shaoyé to help might not be very effective. After all, his surname is not Zhao. It would be better to request Zufu’s assistance. Even if Zufu sends Xiang Guanshi, it would be more useful than relying on Biao Ge,” Xu Nian’an said.

Yin Furen hesitated. “Troubling your Zufu again… Huanxi keeps getting into fights at the drop of a hat, and this time he’s ended up in jail. I’m afraid your Zufu might form a negative opinion of him.”

Zhao Jiazhen replied, “Mom, Zufu was a military general. To him, a fight between boys of sixteen or seventeen is hardly a big deal. If you want Didi to return home smoothly tonight, reporting to Zufu is the fastest and most effective option.”

Seeing that both her daughter-in-law and daughter shared the same opinion, Yin Furen did not hesitate further. She wrapped herself in a cloak and took Zhao Jiazhen and Xu Nian’an with her to Dunyi Hall.

Guogong Yé received the news and, as expected, sent Xiangzhong with his command plaque to Shuntian Prefecture to bring Zhao Huanxi back.

牌子 (páizi): Official Command Plaque. In imperial China, high-ranking nobles and officials were issued plaques of authority. Presenting this plaque was equivalent to Guogong Yé himself appearing. It granted the bearer the power to bypass certain legal hurdles or "request" favors from local magistrates like the one at Shuntian Prefecture.

The three women anxiously waited in Jixiang House for nearly an hour, and Zhao Huanxi finally returned.

In the dim light, with him still wearing his cloak, Yin Furen couldn’t immediately tell if he was injured. Hearing him say he wasn’t, she asked if he had thanked his Zufu, which Zhao Huanxi replied that he had.

Yin Furen was about to ask more questions when Zhao Jiazhen interjected, “You must be freezing! Nian’an, quickly take him back to Shenhui Courtyard, let him freshen up and rest early.”

Zhao Huanxi and Xu Nian’an bade goodnight to Yin Furen. She wanted to keep them a little longer but was stopped by Zhao Jiazhen by holding her hand.

After seeing the young couple off, Yin Furen glared at Zhao Jiazhen angrily and said, “Why were you in such a hurry to send him back? I haven’t gotten to the bottom of things yet!”

Zhao Jiazhen pulled her back to sit down in the side room and said, “Didi is already married, and his wife is a sensible person. If there’s something to ask, she’ll get to the bottom of it. It’s nearly midnight, and keeping him here to ask one thing after another, don’t you afraid of annoying him?”

Yin Furen raised an eyebrow. “He dares to feel annoyed by me?”

Zhao Jiazhen replied, “I’m just saying it casually. Even if he doesn’t mind, don’t you feel sorry for him? He got into a fight at the tavern, probably didn’t even eat properly, then was dragged to Shuntian Prefecture to freeze, and now you want to keep him here asking questions. You’ll ask Nian’an tomorrow anyway, right? It’s already this late, and he has to go to the academy tomorrow. Don’t you want to let him go back, freshen up, eat something, and sleep?”

Only then was Yin Furen reminded and quickly called for Qianhe to instruct her to send someone to the kitchen to check if there was anything that could be quickly heated and eaten, and to have it sent to Shenhui Courtyard.

At Shenhui Courtyard, Xu Nian’an helped Zhao Huanxi take off his cloak, washed his hands and face with hot water, and asked, “Did you really not get hurt?”

“It’s just a few hits on my body, nothing serious,” Zhao Huanxi replied, pressing a warm cloth to his face. Only then did he feel a bit more alive. It was too cold outside.

“Didn’t you go out to eat with Qian Ming and the others? How did you end up fighting again?” They walked to the table, and Xu Nian’an poured him a cup of hot tea and continued her questions.

Zhao Huanxi took a sip of tea and said in frustration, “Don’t even mention it. Huo Xiong said his family had arranged a marriage for him, but he wasn’t happy about it and wanted to go out drinking. On such a cold day, how could we let him go alone to drink? After school, we all went with him to Changqing Tower. He drank a few cups and started babbling nonsense. The marriage his family arranged was for the legitimate second daughter of General Zhenbei’s family, but he didn’t like how Nie Guniang looked, and then he started worrying that her temperament might be like her father’s. I was trying to talk sense into him, to persuade him to go on with the marriage but before I knew it, Nie Guniang’s younger brother, Nie Gongzi, and his friends were dining next door. They overheard the commotion from our side and barged in while cursing. Before we could calm things down, a few words were exchanged, and then it turned into a fight.”

Xu Nian’an listened to him and, unable to hold back a chuckle, asked playfully with a glint in her eyes, “You actually tried to persuade him? How did you do that? Tell me.”

Zhao Huanxi replied, “I told him that his family wouldn’t harm him, and since they arranged the marriage, Nie Guniang must be a good person. I advised him not to judge her before even getting to know her, or else he might regret it later.”

Xu Nian’an smiled and said, “If you had added one more sentence, your advice would have sounded even more convincing.”

Zhao Huanxi quickly asked, “What sentence?”

Xu Nian’an suppressed a smile and replied, “From my experience as someone who’s been through it.”

Zhao Huanxi’s cheeks flushed red. He stood up and playfully pinched her, saying, “You can’t go a day without teasing me, can you!”

“Hahahahaha!” Xu Nian’an laughed uncontrollably while trying to push him away. In a moment of imbalance, she nearly fell off the chair, but he was quick to catch her and, in one motion, lifted her up into his arms.

Xu Nian’an laughed so hard that her face turned pink. She pushed him away as she said, “Put me down.”

Zhao Huanxi, still holding her, walked towards the bed and gently laid her down. He then lay beside her, propping his head up with one hand while holding hers with the other. His gaze, gentle and lingering, seemed to weave around her like spider silk. He asked, “Dong Jiejie, do you think I must have accumulated a lot of good deeds in my past life, which is why I married you in this one?”

“Why do you say that?”

“When Huo Xiong was venting, everyone tried to comfort him with their own experiences. Qian Xiong and He Xiong shared their frustrations with married life, and even Ge Xiong said that sometimes he felt his wife wasn’t completely open with him, that things were never perfect. When they asked me, I told them everything was perfect for me. They didn’t believe me and made me drink more. But I wasn’t lying. I truly feel that everything is perfect when I’m with you. From this, I realized that not every couple is like us. It’s only because I married you that everything is so perfect,” Zhao Huanxi said, his lips gently brushing against her fingers as he spoke.

Xu Nian’an felt ticklish from his light kisses, and though she tried to pull her hand back, he held onto it firmly.

She said, “We’re happy because you married me, and I’m happy because you’re the one I married. A marriage involves two people, so whether it’s fulfilling or not, it’s naturally up to the two. Someone like Li Ziliang, no matter who he marries, would never be content. Next time something like this happens, just make up an excuse and say that you’re not satisfied either.”

Zhao Huanxi immediately disagreed, “That won’t do. Even if it’s to comfort someone, I can’t go against my conscience and say something bad about you.”

Xu Nian’an laughed and playfully punched him, but he quickly pounced on her, pinning her down and kissing her several times on the cheek.

The young couple laughed and played for a while, and soon after, Yin Furen sent someone over with food. Zhao Huanxi ate a little, washed up, and went to bed.

✦

Xu Nian’an’s birthday was on the 23rd day of the Eleventh Month. Since it wasn’t during the ten-day break, Yin Furen suggested celebrating three days early, which is on the break.

Since it wasn’t a milestone year, Xu Nian’an didn’t want to make a big fuss, so she only invited close family. Xu Moxiu, Xu Hui’an, and Xu Qian’an who just got married, all came. Zhao Jiashan returned home as well, and Zhao Jiaxian wanted to come back too. However, both Yin Furen and Xu Nian’an had sent people early in the morning to tell her not to return. It was snowing heavily, and with her large belly, they didn’t want to risk her slipping and falling.

Zhao Huanxi, early in the morning, took Yin Luochen and Fu Yunjin to Zhilan Garden to build a snowman. After Xu Moxiu arrived, he also joined them. That left the women in the house, sitting together and chatting.

Soon after, Qianhe came to report that the wife of General Zhenbei, Jiangjun Furen accompanied by her son, had come to visit.

Yin Furen was a little confused, as she had no prior dealings with this Jiangjun Furen. Just a few days ago, Huanxi had had a quarrel with their family’s son at the restaurant. Could it be that they had come to seek retribution?

Since they had already come, she couldn’t refuse to meet them.

She instructed the younger ones to stay in the adjoining room and chat around the stove, while she herself went to the main hall to receive Zhenbei Jiangjun Furen.

After a while, Yan Furen entered with her son.

Yin Furen greeted her guests with a smile, and after a round of pleasantries, Yan Furen hurriedly instructed her youngest son, Nie Guocheng, to pay respects to Yin Furen.

“Xiaozhi pays respects to Furen!” Nie Guocheng, just fifteen years old, had striking features; sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, and an aura of youthful vigor that made him look like a young warrior. His voice was loud and clear, and when he spoke, it nearly startled Yin Furen.

Yin Furen smiled and gestured for him to rise, before sitting down with Yan Furen.

After they had both taken a sip of tea, Yan Furen finally turned to Yin Furen and said, “Yin Furen, today I’ve come with my son to apologize. A few days ago… Hai, Ah Cheng, you tell it yourself.”

Nie Guocheng didn’t hesitate. He reached up to adjust the back of his head and said to Yin Furen, “A few days ago, I went to Changqing Tower with some friends. By chance, I overheard Huo Qingzhe talking badly about my older sister in the next room. Everyone was agreeing with him, except for one person who spoke up kindly and defended my sister’s reputation. At that time, I was so angry that I didn’t think things through, and I rushed in and started fighting without distinguishing right from wrong. Afterward, I learned that the person who defended my sister was your son, Zhao Gongzi. I came today specifically to apologize to him. I wonder if he is at home?”

Upon hearing this, Yin Furen was relieved and smiled, saying, “Is this really such a big deal? There’s no need to come all the way here just for that.”

Yan Furen said, “If someone was wrongfully hurt, of course, an apology is necessary. He’s been thinking about it for several days, and he insisted on waiting for the holiday to drag me here. Please fulfill his wish and let him apologize to your son in person.”

Yin Furen smiled and replied, “He’s in the garden making a snowman. Qianhe, have a maid take Nie Gongzi to San Yé’s place.”

Qianhe nodded and led Nie Guocheng out.

Once they had left, Yan Furen turned to Yin Furen and said, “You truly know how to raise children. Your son has no prior connection to our family, nor does he know my daughter, but when he heard his friends speak of her, he felt it was improper and kindly offered advice. To have such an upright and virtuous young man, it’s truly rare.”

Yin Furen was pleased by the compliment, her heart feeling warm, and she modestly replied, “There’s no such thing,” before enthusiastically continuing the conversation with Yan Furen.

The two women chatted for a while, feeling as though they had just met, they could talk endlessly. Yin Furen then mentioned that today was her daughter-in-law’s birthday and invited Yan Furen to stay for dinner before returning. She also called for the younger generation in the next room to come out and greet their guest, and soon the atmosphere became lively and bustling.

At Zhilan Garden, Zhao Huanxi and the others were building a snowman on the open space between the Plum Ridge and Lake Lan.

First, they made a dragon, and were in the process of building a horse when Nie Guocheng arrived.

Upon seeing Zhao Huanxi, he exclaimed, “You are Zhao Huanxi? My friend said that among the group of spoiled Gongzis, the one who looked the most handsome is the one who hit the hardest. Turns out it’s you?”

Zhao Huanxi: “…….” He dusted off the snow from his sleeves, raised his head, and said, “What of it? Are you looking for trouble?”

Nie Guocheng quickly said, “That’s not it, I came to apologise to you.” As he spoke, he respectfully bowed to him, and said loudly, “Zhao Gongzi, I’m sorry. Last time, you didn’t speak ill of my sister, and I shouldn’t have hit you. I was just angry at the time and didn’t think it through. Please forgive me.”

Zhao Huanxi: “…….”

After thinking for a moment, he realised that if it were him, he might not have thought things through either. So he said, “It’s in the past, no need to mention it. That day, my friend was also at fault.”

Hearing this, Nie Guocheng knew he didn’t mind and straightened up. He glanced behind him and asked, “What are you all building? A dog?”

Yin Luochen laughed mischievously from the side, and Xu Moxiu couldn’t help but chuckle as well.

Zhao Huanxi had already been laughed at by Xu Moxiu and the others earlier, and now hearing Nie Guocheng ask the same thing, he became irritated and said, “A horse! This is a horse! Have you ever seen such a big dog?”

Nie Guocheng stepped forward and said, “A horse doesn’t look like this. There’s not even a hint of muscle definition. Move aside, let me do it!”

Zhao Huanxi: “……”