That day, as usual, he went out riding with the eldest son of the Wang family. Unexpectedly, upon returning, Young Master Wang fell ill with a cold and fever, and later died. He himself also began to feel a headache and feverish, fearing terribly that he might die too.
Fortunately, Madame Jiang came. She took his hand and said, "Young master, if you feel unwell anywhere, just tell the servants."
Wei Seventh Master heard she was the wife of the local magistrate. She was gentle and kind, and even had a statue of Guanyin, the Bodhisattva of Compassion and Salvation, brought for him. Perhaps because of this Guanyin statue, he recovered fully and was lively again in just three days, which even his mother found unbelievable.
"It truly is the Bodhisattva's blessing. You're finally completely well, and the high fever is gone," Madame Wei sighed with relief.
Wei Seventh Master hurriedly said, "This unfilial son has worried you, Mother."
His family had three sons. The eldest was his full brother, the second was born of a concubine, and he was the youngest son. His father held an official post in another region and had arranged a marriage for his elder brother locally, so his brother and sister-in-law stayed at his father's post. At home, only he kept his mother company.
Naturally, it was also because he had been frail since childhood that his mother found it difficult to take him on the long, arduous journey to his father's post.
Pitifully, for a boy, he was always kept deep within the inner quarters. He had finally managed to go out to play, but his companion's tragic death meant he probably wouldn't be allowed out for a good long while.
However, during this period of recuperation, he didn't have to attend school either, which was a good thing.
Just then, Wei Sixth Master came by to tease him: "You're not going to study either. Now the tutor focuses on me alone, and I feel quite awkward."
Wei Seventh Master said, "Sixth Brother, resting at home these past few days, I haven't felt at ease either. Don't worry, I'll join you in a few days."
The two brothers were only a few years apart, so they often studied together.
However, Wei Sixth Master was already betrothed, to the granddaughter of the Prefect of Daming Prefecture. He now carried himself with some adolescent air, more mature than before.
As the elder brother, coming to urge his younger brother to study, he naturally had to show brotherly affection and respect.
Sure enough, Wei Sixth Master was immediately pleased upon hearing this: "That would be wonderful. The two of us studying together would put Mother at ease too."
Wei Seventh Master also smiled and agreed.
Likely because of the Buddha statue Madame Jiang had sent last time, her family wished to form a clan alliance with theirs. After some consideration, his mother agreed. Wei Seventh Master asked Madame Wei's confidante, Nurse You, "So, does that mean we'll have another branch of relatives?"
"Exactly so. That Madame Jiang's family is also a scholarly one. Magistrate Jiang is descended from a famous official; he and his brother passed the imperial examination in the same year. I've heard the Commissioner of the Three Departments is even his maternal uncle. Speaking of which, such an alliance wouldn't disgrace our family," Nurse You explained.
Wei Seventh Master nodded slightly.
And so, the two families truly began visiting each other as relatives. On the third day of the Lunar New Year, he followed his mother to the Jiang residence. As the Jiangs were only serving as local officials, their home wasn't elaborately decorated. Though not large, their washroom was truly the most comfortable. Upon entering, there were wind chimes, incense candles in gauze lanterns, fresh flowers dripping with dew, and even scented petal water specifically for washing hands.
One emerged feeling fragrant all over, and he felt completely refreshed.
At the Jiangs', he experienced what family happiness meant. It turned out a father could barbecue meat for his own children and play with them together. To him, it sounded like something from a fairy tale.
But it wasn't like that in the Wei family. The number of times he had seen his own father could be counted on one hand. Whenever his father saw him, he would scold him for being spoiled, being extremely stern. His mother doted on him too, but when he truly needed something, it seemed no one knew.
Yet there was nothing he could do about it. He was just a lonely eight-year-old child.
However, because Madame Jiang's daughter, Jiang Yun, attended a girls' school and was now related to their family, she naturally visited his mother often as a guest. He occasionally overheard Jiang Yun talking about her own home.
"We have so many gatherings at home: Dumpling Gatherings, Tangyuan Gatherings, Flower Gatherings, and Kite Gatherings. My mother buys all the dumplings in the city for us to taste—that's the Dumpling Gathering."
Hearing his elder sister ask, "Then what's the Flower Gathering?"
Jiang Yun laughed, "She takes us out to buy flowers. Each of us gets the same amount of money to buy one type of flower, and we see who buys the prettiest one. The winner gets a wish granted by Mother."
Wei Seventh Master listened with such envy!
Life in the Jiang family was truly so interesting.
Why was his own life so dull?
He had thought coming to Bianjing would make life more fun, but it turned out to be just so-so. Unlike typical idle young masters, he didn't enjoy overly stimulating activities. Unlike Sixth Brother, who had been a scholar in Daming Prefecture but, upon arriving in Bianjing, also learned to frequent pleasure houses for wine.
Of course, among literati and refined scholars, visiting courtesans' quarters for wine was considered an elegant pursuit.
Naturally, not long after they arrived in the capital, the Jiang family was also transferred back to Bianjing. He had heard his father and brother say that this Magistrate Jiang was a man of great talent and ability, achieving merits in every post he held. He was still young, highly principled, and never embezzled a single coin. Such an official had a great future ahead.
Also due to the Wei family's recommendation, the Jiang and Wei families grew even closer.
Madame Jiang became a frequent guest at their home. His mother liked her very much and had once said to him, "Your Third Aunt is truly an impressive woman."
"Mother means Third Uncle has no concubines?" Wei Seventh Master said.
Madame Wei smiled, "To manage a man like Jiang Shushi is no easy task. Moreover, one couldn't tell from their family, but they bought a large mansion on Jinliang Bridge in one go. This shows your Third Aunt is exceptionally skilled at managing household affairs. You don't understand—for an official who doesn't take bribes yet has endless money at home, that's a woman's credit."
Wei Seventh Master said, "Mother, don't you manage many affairs in our household too? That's nothing special."
"That's not quite right. I only manage the inner household. Many family matters are still handled by your father," Madame Wei stated factually.
Wei Seventh Master knew his mother rarely held anyone in high regard, except for that Madame Jiang. Apart from her saving his life with the Guanyin statue, she had also saved his mother's life years before.
Back then, his mother suddenly fainted. It was Madame Jiang who came, immediately took charge of the situation, stayed with him in the room copying sutras, and cared for her meticulously. His mother recovered. Clearly, this Madame Jiang was indeed no ordinary person.
Therefore, for Madame Jiang's birthday, his mother sent him to the Jiang residence, likely intending for him to grow closer to the Jiang family.
But sometimes the food at the Jiangs' didn't suit his taste. He was somewhat picky to begin with and didn't feel like eating. Yet Jiang Yun came out and scolded him instead. If anyone else had said those things to him, he would have been angry. But hearing them from Jiang Yun, he only felt they treated him as one of their own.
Sometimes, when he visited the Jiangs', he always felt a sense of closeness.
People outside the family revered him as the son of a Grand Secretary, while those within the household, knowing how favored he was, all flattered and indulged him. Yet he understood clearly that such pampering was not necessarily for his own good.
Therefore, after returning from the Jiang family, he made a decision.
His family had originally intended to form a marriage alliance with the Shen family. Shen Ziqi enjoyed high prestige across the land, and Shen Zijia was also a person of noble character. Marrying a daughter of the Shen family would undoubtedly provide political advantages, but he was unwilling.
It wasn't that the Shen family was lacking, but rather he had another family in mind that he much preferred for such an alliance.
However, this matter had to be broached with his mother first. Lady Wei first scolded him: "You are being absurd. This is not something you should even concern yourself with, let alone dare to speak of before me. It is far too unconventional and shocking."
"Mother, I fear that even if you agree now, trouble will inevitably arise in the future," the Seventh Young Master of the Wei family argued.
Lady Wei still refused to consent.
Left with no other choice, the Seventh Young Master had to devise his own plan. When Shen Ziqi came to visit, he deliberately brought his cousin, the Eighth Young Master of the Wei family. He knew perfectly well that Eighth Young Master was more suited to the Shen family's expectations than he was.
Eighth Young Master was a man of few words, ambitious and driven. In contrast, he himself appeared exceptionally handsome but also as someone who shirked hard work, pursued a life of luxury—completely the opposite.
He didn't know what his mother was thinking, but in the end, she still doted on him. She devised an excuse about their birth characters being incompatible, and thus this marriage arrangement fell upon Eighth Young Master.
As the saying goes, what is meant to be will be, and what isn't, won't.
His maternal grandfather fell ill, and his mother needed to return to her maiden home to visit. Coincidentally, his mother didn't get along with his eldest sister-in-law, considering her unreliable. Just as she was worrying about whom to entrust with his care, he had a sudden inspiration and thought of the Jiang family. The reason was readily available.
After all, Madam Jiang's own younger brother had just passed the imperial examinations and become a Jinshi. Not only was the Jiang family known for its scholarly atmosphere, but there was also Miss Jun there. Many young ladies, upon seeing him, were practically throwing themselves at him. Yet Madam Jiang, despite their frequent interactions, almost never brought Miss Jun along if she could avoid it. Even within the Wei household, they rarely met.
This was deliberate avoidance. That family had never thought of climbing the social ladder through him, which put his mother at ease.
It was unlike the You family where he attended school. The young ladies there bickered and fought over him daily. Such incidents happened so often that he grew weary of it, and his mother did too.
In truth, what those people valued was his family background, not him as a person.
During his stay with the Jiang family, he began to feel almost like one of their own children. Third Aunt would take them out for fun when she made some money; Third Uncle would squat with him and Brother Ning, waiting for famous scholars to come and compose poems.
Brother Ning would compete with him in completing homework and would also point out his shortcomings. His aunt supervised his studies strictly, making him finish his essays even when he was starving.
But after finishing their studies, they could play together every day, compose poetry, enjoy delicious food together—it truly felt like being part of a family. Especially since Third Aunt placed great trust in him.
Yet, this Jiang Jun remained unenlightened. Despite his several overtures of goodwill, she still seemed utterly oblivious.
However, that didn't matter much. Uncle Jiang's official career was flourishing, so his mother should eventually agree.
In the past, he had always accepted his parents' arrangements for him. This was the first time he acted according to his own wishes.
He didn't realize at the time how much he would benefit from this marriage alliance. Only many years later, after his father had retired from office—by then he and Jiang Jun were already married—when his clan and relatives were filled with anxiety and uncertainty, it was Madam Jiang who took their couple in. Not only did she welcome them into her home, but she also patiently helped him advance further in the imperial examinations, even supporting him until he passed the Jinshi exams, securing him a good official post. She spared no effort.
Even his parents later said they never imagined they would end up relying on the Jiang family, praising him for his discerning eye. After all, back then, every family seeking an alliance with the Wei family held high positions and great power; only the Jiang family was rather inconspicuous.
Upon first entering the officialdom, he felt overwhelmed by traps at every turn. Behind every kindly and benevolent face, there might be someone waiting to stab you in the back. When one's rank was low, it was somewhat manageable, but once competition arose, people would try to ruin you utterly.
"Are you tired?"
His wife, Jiang Jun, seeing him return, personally brought him a cup of hot tea.
The Seventh Young Master of the Wei family drew her inside, holding her close. "Now I understand how difficult even a county magistrate's job can be. This Wu County is even a place where my father-in-law once served. With so many acquaintances, it's not easy to navigate."
He listened as Jiang Jun said, "That's only natural. You're responsible for the livelihood and legal matters of so many people. A heavy burden rests on your shoulders. Those above demand taxes and funds from you; below, any natural disaster or calamity requires relief efforts. How could it not be exhausting?"
As the daughter of an official, his wife understood these intricacies. Without him needing to say much, she handled the management of relationships with superiors and subordinates exceptionally well during his tenure.
"Yes, but now most of these matters have been sorted out and are running relatively smoothly," the Seventh Young Master of the Wei family sighed.
Those days of being a carefree young gentleman seemed like a distant past.
No wonder he couldn't understand back then why some people were unwilling to become officials. Being an official seemed so prestigious. Only now did he realize that being an official wasn't so easy.
Cumbersome bureaucracy, constant compromises, many difficult challenges.
After three years in Wu County, fortunately, his father-in-law was still in court. He had originally thought he would achieve great things, but then his own father passed away, and he had to observe the mourning period and leave office.
Aging seemed to happen in an instant. When he first became a Jinshi and saw his mother, he felt she hadn't changed much.
Now, seeing the many white hairs at her forehead, her somewhat stooped posture, and her failing eyesight, the Seventh Young Master of the Wei family suddenly felt a pang of sorrow. One must remember, his mother was once exceedingly sharp and astute; everyone used to fear her somewhat.
"Mother, how is your health?" the Seventh Young Master of the Wei family asked.
Lady Wei, however, was more accepting than he was. "I'm well, very well. I always used to think, since you were frail as a child, it would be enough if you could become a wealthy gentleman, often staying by my side. That would be all I asked for. Yet, you turned out to be so naturally brilliant, passing the Jinshi exams with seemingly no effort at all. Your mother-in-law writes to me, saying you performed very well during your tenure. How could I not be at ease?"
A mother always believes her son is the best under heaven.
The Seventh Young Master of the Wei family thought to himself that in terms of being an official, his elder brother-in-law, Jiang Ning, far surpassed him. During his three-year tenure, he adjudicated numerous cases without a single miscarriage of justice, personally inspected farmlands, and earned the deep trust of the common people, who called him "Justice Jiang."
He was completely different from his father. His father-in-law, Jiang Xian, was famously non-committal as an official. He had ability, but not much integrity in his official conduct. Jiang Ning, however, was renowned as an upright and capable minister, highly regarded both in and out of court. He himself fell far short in comparison.
Look, Brother Ning had already been transferred to serve as the Prefect of Daming Prefecture.
Yet, after his mourning period ended and he returned to office, he could only secure a position in the capital thanks to his father-in-law's connections.
In truth, his promotion had been rapid enough, enviable to many. He didn't know how many people deliberately said to his face that he relied on his wife's family connections.
Some even mocked him as being henpecked, using the most unpleasant language imaginable.
Wei Qilang was initially indignant, but then it occurred to him that this group of people had deliberately spoken those words to sow discord among them. If he really had a falling out with his wife's family and his wife left him, as the daughter of the Left Councilor, she could easily remarry, but he would be utterly abandoned.
Once his mind cleared, he realized those people had ill intentions.
It was Brother Ding who saw this matter more clearly. When he passed the imperial examination, many said he relied on connections and backdoors. Brother Ding laughed and said, "Let them laugh and scold. I am doing my official duties perfectly well, why should I care about them? In a few years, these people might even be begging us for favors."
"You are absolutely right," Wei Qilang said sincerely.
Their daughter Jiaojiao was already betrothed. Unconsciously, he and his wife were also growing older. During a official day off, the whole family went to his in-laws' for a meal.
Speaking of his in-laws, his mother-in-law had always seemed gentle and entirely devoted to her children in his impression, but now he found her somewhat inscrutable.
It seemed that after her children started their own families, she would at most support them, but she no longer managed her grandchildren's affairs as she used to.
Puzzled, Wei Qilang asked his wife, "Last time I saw Tiaoge playing around, and no one mentioned his homework."
Jiang Yun, however, was more open-minded: "My mother says one generation can only be responsible for the next. She is already advanced in years now, how could she manage so much? She had already discussed this with my brother and his wife. It's like how no one can live forever; how can one family enjoy blessings for all eternity?"
This was a perspective he had never considered before. It seemed at different stages of his life, his understanding of his mother-in-law kept evolving.
As a child, he felt she had a divine aura about her, somehow able to protect him and his family. In his twenties, he thought she had great foresight, raising all her children to be accomplished.
And now, he felt this statement of hers was profoundly wise.
How could the blessings of the world be monopolized by one person or one family? When at the peak, one should instead begin to think of retreat, to begin letting things take their natural course.
"We've always talked about serving outside the capital, but it never happened. Now you stay in the capital to prepare for Jiaojiao's wedding, and I'll take a provincial post for a few years to achieve something substantial," Wei Qilang said earnestly.
His wife smiled, "As you wish. But once matters in Bianjing are settled, I will come to join you."
Wei Qilang laughed, "What? You don't trust me?"
"No, it's just that over the years, I've seen how well my father and mother managed our family—sharing both fortune and hardship. We are childhood sweethearts, and though we've had our quarrels over the years, if we work together with one heart, we will surely make a good life for our family," Jiang Yun said.
These words greatly comforted Wei Qilang. In his youth, thanks to his prominent family background and exceptional looks, he was almost heaven's favored one. But since becoming an official, although his promotions were relatively smooth, he always felt somewhat unfulfilled, and whatever he tried to do never felt completely effortless.
After being posted to Qingzhou, a year later, his wife joined him at his post. Coincidentally, Jiang Ning was about to take up a post in Huaiyang. When the three met again, they were filled with emotion.
"You had a fine reputation for your governance in Ganshanxi. Now being transferred to a prosperous place like Huaiyang shows the Emperor's trust in you," Wei Qilang said sincerely.
Jiang Ning thought to himself that after being an official for so long, how could his brother-in-law still not understand? Before the Emperor, there was no such thing as trusted people, only useful ones and useless ones.
If someone too useful becomes overly powerful and overshadows the ruler, they must deliberately tarnish their own reputation. The useless aren't even fit to be cannon fodder.
His father walked the line between the two—he got things done but didn't claim all the credit, at most seeking fame and power.
Whenever trouble arose, he would immediately resign his councilor post, leaving the Emperor with no hold over him.
However, being straightforward in his official duties didn't mean he lacked worldly wisdom. Jiang Ning said to his brother-in-law, "I hear the merchants in Huaiyang are uniting to cause trouble. The Emperor simply wants me to quell the unrest there. The place is riddled with factions, and salt tax reform is urgently needed. It's a tough nut to crack."
If he handled it poorly, even he could get dragged down. It was far from the cushy job it appeared.
Hearing this, Wei Qilang could only sigh.
That night, the two of them talked by candlelight, just like when they were young.
Jiang Ning said, "My father has now been appointed Left Councilor. His power and position have reached the pinnacle. Many expect me to use his influence to carry out reforms, but all these years, my father and I have had our own separate networks. We have an understanding—I walk my path, he walks his."
"But what if your paths conflict?" This was what Wei Qilang truly wanted to ask.
Jiang Ning glanced at him, then turned away. "Qilang, it is precisely because my father and I are not aligned that our family can endure."
In that instant, Wei Qilang felt his own understanding was far too shallow.
So that was it. Yet the next day, Jiang Ning acted as if he had never said those words, leaving no trace, merely advising Wei Qilang to focus on being a good official.
After Jiang Ning left, his wife discussed family matters with him: "The people we sent with festival gifts returned to our hometown. They said mother is still in good health, so you can rest assured."
Both of his elder brothers had returned to Daming Prefecture. Although the eldest brother started his official career through hereditary privilege and served for several years, he later got entangled in factional strife and was dismissed. The sixth brother had always held a hereditary post. After the family division, he received a large sum of money and was living quite comfortably.
Wei Qilang smiled wryly, "The official circles are truly difficult to navigate. I even feel like going back home."
Not everyone could be like his father-in-law, full of drive and ambition. He had originally wanted to achieve great things, but once actually serving outside the capital, he found it somewhat arduous.
His wife, however, understood him: "If you really resigned, the drop in status would be quite significant. You've never truly experienced hardship, always living a smooth life, unaware of the dangers of the world. Without official rank, it means anyone can step on you. Now when we travel, we can stay at post stations. You at least hold some authority. Of course, if you truly make up your mind, we will return to our hometown."
Wei Qilang hesitated for a moment. "I was just talking."
Although he couldn't become a renowned minister like Jiang Ning, who handled everything with masterful ease, wherever he served, he still had to do his job well.
While serving as the prefect of Qingzhou, he gradually began to break through the many barriers he had imagined existed, doing more things beneficial for the common people. Unexpectedly, he even gained the appreciation of his superior.
He realized that nothing in this world was truly that difficult; success mainly depended on human effort.
When he left his post in Qingzhou to report to the capital in Bianjing, he first visited his in-laws. He heard that Jiang Ning was vigorously suppressing local magnates and reforming the salt tax at his post, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy.
Unexpectedly, his mother-in-law, seeing him like this, instead said, "In this world, there are people who do one kind of thing, and people who do another. Just like me—back in the day, I had the least natural talent and wasn't from any renowned embroidery family. But I persisted all these years, and now Wei embroidery is the most fashionable in Bianjing. This shows that a person's perseverance is more important than anything."
Only then did Seventh Young Master Wei realize his mother-in-law was encouraging him. Yes, he had been too quick to give up. Someone like his mother-in-law, who rose from being a seamstress to now the Left Chancellor's wife—she never carried on like he did.
"I understand your meaning," Seventh Young Master Wei said earnestly. "From now on, I will dedicate myself to my official duties and earn a noble title for my wife."
He now knew the path he should take in the days to come.
