WSMTATMC C166

Chapter 166

In the blink of an eye, it was New Year’s Eve. This year marked the sixth year since Wang Ying’s transmigration; by now, he was twenty-three.

Early in the morning, Old Chen climbed a ladder to hang lanterns. Seeing this, Ershun hurried over to help. “Please come down; I’ll hang them.”

“I’m not that old—I can hang them.”

“Do come down; don’t risk a fall on New Year’s Eve.”

Old Chen came down and handed him the lantern, steadying the ladder from below.

Ershun’s injuries had healed; only the knocked-out tooth could not be replaced. When he smiled, the gap showed, but he didn’t mind. The master had given so much compensation.

He planned to save the money properly and bring half home to his parents when visiting this year.

“Well now, our lanterns are hung truly high this year—you can see them far down the alley!” Ma Qianzi returned from outside with the Huang family’s two boys.

Brushing dust from his hands, Ershun grinned. “Of course—look who hung them.”

Thumb up, Ma Qianzi said, “Brother Ershun’s handiwork is flawless!”

“These are Bāiguàn and Qiānguàn; come inside.”

The two Huang boys greeted nervously, then followed Ma Qianzi in to stow their luggage. With the martial guild on holiday, Wang Ying had sent for them to come over and spend New Year together.

In two years at the guild, the boys had changed a great deal. Bāiguàn had shot up almost to his late father’s height; Qiānguàn had grown quite a bit too.

From time to time, Wang Ying had servants go check on them—sometimes sending food, sometimes clothes.

Having promised to look after the two children, he would not go back on it. Life at the martial guild was hard, but the boys had indeed grown up.

“Settle in here; later, I’ll take you to see the master.”

“Thank you, Brother Ma.”

They set down their bundles and sat on the warm kang, peeking all around the room.

Young Qiānguàn couldn’t help leaning at the door to peek outside. “The master changed to a bigger house—so spacious!”

“This is not the guild. When seeing the master, don’t speak randomly.”

“Got it, brother.”

Ma Zhandong headed to the eastern side courtyard and told the old housemaid at the gate; soon she returned and said, “The master asks you to bring Qiānguàn and Bāiguàn in.”

Inside, Wang Ying finished dressing Yuanbao in new clothes. “Go play in Grandmother’s room—Xiaomai and the others should be there.”

“Mm!” The little one thumped off.

Before long, Ma Qianzi brought in the two boys. After more than a year apart, Wang Ying barely recognized them.

They knelt and knocked heads; Wang Ying quickly helped them up. “Come, sit. Are you used to the guild’s life?”

Huang Bāiguàn said, “At first, no. With time, we adapted—Master treats us well.”

Qiānguàn nodded. The master at the guild did treat them well.

Their teacher was also surnamed Huang—a lifelong bachelor. Learning the boys were orphans, he adopted them as righteous sons.

Strict in training, he also truly doted on them; any spare money he had, he spent on food for the boys. “Half-grown lads eat you into poverty;” without Huang An’s care, they could not have grown so tall in two years.

“Seeing you well puts me at ease,” said Wang Ying. “We may go back home in the fourth month. Do you want to come to have a look?”

Both nodded rapidly—they had long wanted to return. When their father had died, they hadn’t even raised a grave; thinking of it, Huang Bāiguàn regretted it bitterly.

At each Qingming and Ghost Festival, the brothers could only burn paper and incense at the roadside for their father, not knowing if it reached him. This time, they would raise him a tomb, so there would be a place for offerings in future.

After a few words, Wang Ying let them rest and went to the front courtyard.

The main house was toasty. Chen Rong and Madam Li sat on the kang shelling melon seeds; Lin Qiu and Lin Sui watched the children play. The second baby was nearly six months—able to sit up—watching the elder brother scamper about and crying anxiously.

“Could hear Second Baby outside—whose child can cry like that?”

Second Baby looked up at Wang Ying, holding up two little chubby hands to be held.

Wang Ying handed his cloak to Lin Sui and lifted Second Baby, bouncing him. “This fellow is solid—feels even chunkier than Yuanbao at six months.”

Chen Rong laughed. “Chunky, yes. Yuanbao had seventeen or eighteen jin then; this one is already twenty.”

“Our little strong man,” Wang Ying said, clicking his tongue to tease. The little one showed two tiny milk teeth and giggled.

Yuanbao ran over and tugged Wang Ying’s trouser leg. “A-fu, hold me too!”

Xiaomai stood shyly by, hands behind back, big eyes pleading. Wang Ying handed Second Baby back to Lin Qiu and scooped up both children together; they chortled in delight.

“Careful, don’t drop them,” Madam Li said.

After a bit, Wang Ying set them down. Strength didn’t last forever; compared with a man’s, his muscles were lesser—back in the other life, carrying seven—

Before long, Chen Qingyan and Chen Qingsong came in as well. In the last small exam of the year, Qingsong had done poorly—dropping out of the top forty to Class B.

Since returning for the holiday, he had been despondent.

Chen Qingyan had him rework one of the test papers; the result was much better than during the exam.

Last night, under candlelight, the brothers spoke at length. Qingyan said much that put him at ease. Hearing others compare him unfavorably to his elder brothers left a knot; the more he minded, the worse he performed.

By nature, Qingsong was cheerful; once he thought it through, he stopped dwelling. Entering the room, he was all smiles again, leading the little ones in wild play.

Chen Qingyan sat. “Is Cao Kun not coming for the New Year?”

Lin Qiu shook his head. “We weren’t at ease leaving Mother-in-law alone in the county; this year, we’ll spend it apart.”

Madam Li said, “Should have brought Mother-in-law to stay.”

“She’s used to living alone and not used to long trips.”

Chen Rong said, “I like to roam—want to see every place.”

Wang Ying said with a smile, “Maybe this year we’ll go to the capital together.”

“Oh, that’s settled—when Qingyan becomes a capital official, Third Aunt will come live at the house. Don’t you dare kick this old aunt out!”

Madam Li laughed till she rocked. Amid the joking, footsteps sounded at the door, and Qingyun’s clear voice rang out: “Mother, Big Brother, Sister-in-law, Little Brother—I’m back!”

Chen Qingsong ran to open the door; Qingyun and Liu Changyi came in with piles of things.

“How are you back already?” Madam Li exclaimed, delighted, ushering them in.

Ordinarily, a married daughter returned on the second day of the New Year.

Qingyun said, “Mother-in-law said the first year’s always an adjustment—told us to come back for New Year and stay at home next year.”

Madam Li clasped her daughter’s and son-in-law’s hands, filled with emotion. To meet such understanding in-laws—what fortune her daughter had cultivated over lifetimes.

“Auntie! Auntie!”

“Little Yuanbao~” Qingyun reached to take him, but Liu Changyi was quicker, scooping him up. “Let Uncle hold you.”

Yuanbao frowned up at Liu Changyi, wanted to speak but didn’t, making everyone laugh.

Realizing, Madam Li drew her daughter close and asked softly, “Are you expecting?”

Blushing, Qingyun nodded. Earlier at a meal, she had felt a bit nauseous; Qin Furong called a physician to check—the month was still early, so she was told to rest with care.

Just over two months married and already with child—great joy that had made the in-laws so happy they immediately gave Qingyun the deeds to two shopfronts.

She didn’t need to manage them herself—there were fixed managers and she only needed to collect rent monthly.

Clapping, Chen Rong said, “Wonderful—our family will add to its members again!”

In old times, large families were prized—more people meant flourishing days. The Chen family’s numbers were not many; each added child was a joy.

Madam Li carefully instructed her. “Avoid cold foods this while, and no spicy. Snow makes roads slick—go out as little as you can. The first three months the fetus is unstable; a fall risks a miscarriage. Take great care.”

Qingyun nodded, committing it all to memory.

Lin Qiu added some childbirth tips—she had only just birthed the second baby and was experienced.

The men grew embarrassed and slipped off to the study.

Liu Changyi also had to go to the capital next year for the metropolitan exam; the two took the chance to discuss it.

“Earlier, my uncle sent word—delighted that I passed as juren and looking forward to my going to the capital next year,” Liu Changyi said. His uncle was Liu Yao—the Minister of Personnel, chief grand secretary, imperial tutor.

The Wu dynasty did not set a chancellor’s office, but his rank was no less; one man beneath the emperor and above ten thousand.

The Liu lineage was thin; Liu Yao had only one son, currently posted in Bozhou, so he placed great emphasis on his clan’s studies.

“Uncle also arranged lodgings for us—after the New Year, we’ll go together.”

“Would that not trouble the honored elder?” asked Chen Qingyan.

“Rest easy—we’re not outsiders. Besides, without acquaintances in the capital, finding lodging isn’t easy. Ordinary inns aren’t safe; better inns cost two taels a day—living a month is five or six hundred taels!”

Chen Qingyan clicked his tongue. “Then I’ll go with you.” For now, he still relied on his husband to keep the household—no splurging.

“We can see Brother Huai, too. Two months apart and I miss him terribly.”

Listening, Chen Qingsong wore an envious look—he missed Second Brother as well, but the prefectural school reopened after the New Year; he could not go.

Liu Changyi consoled him. “Don’t worry. You’ll make the trip soon enough. By then, Big Brother might already be in the Hanlin Academy and able to accompany you.”

Chen Qingyan was not thinking so far—just of doing well in the exam first.

That night, a great table of dishes was prepared at home, and the family gathered amid laughter to welcome the New Year together.