Slap!
Minister Sun struck his son across the face with a heavy hand.
Madam Sun immediately threw herself over her son, her heart aching for him. She turned to Minister Sun, her voice sharp with indignation. "Oh, my goodness, Master! Why are you hitting your son?"
Sun Ze was utterly bewildered, his cheek stinging from the blow. "Father! What was that for?" he demanded.
"Look at the mess you've made!" Minister Sun suppressed his rage and questioned him, "Tell me, did you detain the child who pushed Cheng'zhi and his father in the Court of State Ceremonial?"
Sun Ze, naturally unaware of the gravity of the situation, replied as if it were the most logical thing in the world. "Yes, I did. Cheng'zhi suffered so much, and at the time, we didn't know if he would live or die. As his uncle, I had to take that father and son into custody to give Cheng'zhi and my sister an explanation."
Minister Sun trembled with rage. He pointed a shaking finger at his son, his voice thick with disappointment. "According to the laws of our dynasty, children under ten are granted leniency, and those under seven are not punished for crimes at all! You are an official of the Court of State Ceremonial; have you read your books into a dog's belly?"
"Never mind Cheng'zhi being injured—even if he had been beaten to death, it would be a matter for the Ministry of Justice! Since when does the Court of State Ceremonial interfere? And you even arrested the father! You... you... do you have any idea what kind of hornet's nest you've poked?"
Minister Sun was so furious that he felt a sharp pain in his chest. He clutched his heart and stumbled back two steps.
Terrified, Madam Sun and Sun Ze rushed forward to support him.
Minister Sun gasped for air, gasping out orders to his son. "You... go and release that father and son immediately. Then prepare generous gifts and personally escort them home. Go to the An estate and offer a formal apology!"
...
Wu Da arrived from the palace to tell A Mei that An Sheng had been appointed as the Commander of the Inner Branch by the Emperor today. He was currently swamped with work and would be returning home very late, so A Mei should eat and rest without waiting for him.
A Mei blinked, but before she could say anything, she heard a significant commotion outside the door.
Douzi and A Mei’s father had finally returned home!
The people accompanying them were officials from the Court of State Ceremonial. One of them introduced himself as Song Cheng'zhi’s uncle and informed them that his nephew was now out of danger. He claimed that it was common for children to get hurt while playing and admitted that Song Cheng'zhi had been spoiled rotten by his family, often bullying his classmates. He even went as far as to say that Douzi’s lesson was well-deserved.
He emphasized that the father and son being invited to the Court of State Ceremonial was entirely a misunderstanding and presented many gifts as an apology.
A Mei was originally quite angry, but considering that their child had indeed been injured and they had come to apologize in person, she decided not to pursue it. Although it had been a frightening ordeal, seeing her brother and father safe and sound was enough.
Douzi clung to his sister and wouldn't let go, his tears falling in big splashes.
"Sister, Sister, Douzi missed you so much."
"Douzi didn't mean to push Song Cheng'zhi. He was the one who started laughing at me and Sister. Sister, Douzi was so scared."
Douzi had been terrified over the past two days. After all, he had seen Song Cheng'zhi fall down the steps and bleed so much. Being just a child, Douzi thought he had killed someone. He had spent the time in a state of shock and fear, looking quite pitiful.
A Mei held her brother tightly in her arms, soothing him softly. "Don't be afraid, don't be afraid. Douzi, rest easy. Your classmate is fine now; he’s doing well."
Hearing that Song Cheng'zhi wasn't dead, Douzi finally felt relieved, and his spirits lifted considerably.
A Mei’s father sighed with emotion from the side. "A Mei, I know everything now. It’s all thanks to my son-in-law that Douzi and I are safe."
An Gui stood nearby with a beaming smile. "In-law, we are all one family. There’s no need for such formalities."
A Mei’s father nodded heavily, his face full of gratitude.
By evening, after everyone had finished dinner, Douzi looked at his sister longingly. He still had his arms wrapped around A Mei’s waist, refusing to let go and clamoring to sleep with her.
A Mei’s heart ached for the child after such a traumatic event. She was just about to agree when her father pulled Douzi away from her.
"Stop being difficult. Your sister naturally sleeps with your brother-in-law. Why are you trying to join them?"
Douzi froze and asked blankly, "But Brother-in-law didn't come home today."
A Mei’s father patiently coaxed him. "Your brother-in-law is a man of great ability. He is very busy and comes home late."
Douzi let out an "oh" and then opened his bright eyes wide, saying crisply, "Then Douzi will wait for Brother-in-law. Douzi missed him too."
"No, go to sleep now. You have school tomorrow!"
A Mei watched as her father dragged Douzi away, feeling both touched and amused. Since Wu Da had sent word, her husband would definitely come home no matter how late it was. A Mei suddenly remembered her husband’s promise before he left that he would never let her spend a night alone, and her face flushed crimson.
An Gui sat in a chair leisurely sipping tea. Seeing A Mei’s shy expression, he understood perfectly. He said with a smile, "It was a good thing Sheng'er took you along. Being together day and night on the road, I see the bond between you two has grown even stronger."
A Mei’s face grew even redder. She felt a bit embarrassed, yet she couldn't help but confide in her godfather. "Godfather, A Mei said she was going along to serve Husband, but it was clearly Husband who looked after A Mei the whole way. Not only that, but he taught A Mei how to read and write, told her stories, and gave her so many jewels and hairpins. He took A Mei to so many places, called a doctor when she felt unwell, fed her medicine, and even took A Mei to the hot springs..."
At the mention of the hot springs, A Mei paused. Her mind began to wander, and she became overcome with bashfulness. She certainly wouldn't tell her godfather about the intimate matters of husband and wife.
A Mei talked a lot more, all about how well her husband treated her. It felt as if she could never finish the list. Her youthful, fluttering joy and the happiness of a girl in love were vividly apparent. An Gui watched her, listening happily, his smile widening the more he heard.
...
Restarting the Inner Branch was an incredibly complex task. An Sheng was so busy his feet hardly touched the ground, as matters large and small were piled onto him.
However, the taste of power was indeed exhilarating. Having gained influence, An Sheng naturally enjoyed the flattery and subservience of others. Even though he was exhausted, he couldn't hide his triumphant spirit; his mood was exceptionally good.
A Mei had originally intended to wait for her husband to return before sleeping, but by the time the hour of the Pig arrived, he still hadn't returned. She was simply too tired and eventually lay down.
In a daze, A Mei heard the sound of the door opening and closing. Thinking it was her husband, she propped herself up and sat on the bed. Looking up, she saw him walking toward her from the entrance.
A Mei met his gaze. It was hard to describe, but she felt that her husband's eyes looked different tonight.
If she had to put it into words, his eyes were frighteningly bright, shimmering with an indescribable excitement.
A Mei didn't think too much of it. she reached out her arms toward him, seeking a hug, and called out softly.
"Husband."
