After spending the night at the relay station on the outskirts of the Capital, early the next morning, the Second Steward sent by order of Marquis Wu'an arrived to greet them.
This Second Steward was the most inclined toward the current Marquis' Consort among the Marquis Wu'an's confidants. However, being partial didn't mean being blind. Preferring the Marquis' Consort didn’t make him oblivious to everything else happening around him.
After so many years apart, the sight of Third Master carrying himself with such gravitas and unfathomable composure gave the Second Steward a jolt. And the reverence and admiration in the eyes of the old hands assigned to serve Third Master truly unsettled him. The Marquis' Consort is wary of Third Master—and rightly so!
The more he thought about it, the more his mood settled into a bleak calm: Now that Third Master has returned to the Capital, the future of the Marquis' Household is really anyone’s guess.
His obviously preoccupied appearance made Xiaoxi laugh outright. She turned around, hugging her father’s arm to complain, “If the Marquis' Consort can reach into Marquis Wu'an's confidants, it shows that the inner residence of the Marquis' Household is already run entirely by her.”
Qin Jingzhou smiled and said, “If we can’t provoke her, we can just avoid her. The problem is, it won’t be easy to do or say anything as long as we’re living at the Marquis' Household.”
During their journey back to the Capital, Xiaoxi had heard plenty from her father about Miss Ling, especially now that Miss Ling was the current Emperor’s most beloved little sister. “So, Dad, is this the reason you feel so justified in clinging to someone powerful?”
Qin Jingzhou didn’t hesitate at all. “That’s right.”
After entering the city, Qin Jingzhou first went to the Ministry of Personnel to hand over official documents, then returned to the Marquis' Household with his daughter.
Marquis Wu'an hadn’t come back yet, so Qin Jingzhou first had the stewards arrange their luggage, and before changing out of his travel clothes, he took his son and daughter to pay respects to the Old Madam.
The Old Madam was an imperial female relation; in terms of insight and character, not even five Marquis' Consorts over the years combined could compare to her, and all the resentments and affections in the Marquis' Household’s inner residence were stored in her heart.
With her daughter-in-law and grandchildren before her, the Old Madam didn’t say much—just a few casual inquiries about their health and how their business went, then closed her eyes to rest, utterly ignoring Er Xiao’s swollen cheek.
The Old Madam remained silent.
The Marquis' Consort, shocked that the assassin she’d sent hadn’t returned, decided not to make any rash moves for the moment.
The original host’s eldest brother had no intention of letting go of this opportunity. He gave his wife a look, and she caught on, sweetly asking, “What happened to Brother Xiao’s face? Poor thing.” She added a seemingly offhanded note of persuasion, “Third Brother, Brother Xiao is almost at marrying age, at least leave him some dignity.”
At these words, the Old Madam opened her eyes.
Qin Jingzhou set down his teacup, shook his right hand, and laughed. “If I hit my son face to face, which side of his face do you think would be swollen, Sister-in-law?”
Only the right side of Er Xiao’s face was swollen, his left side perfectly fine. His left hand was injured and still in a sling, so he could only slap his own right cheek with his right hand. So, expressionless, he deliberately mimicked his father by shaking his right hand, “I hit myself.”
After his father pointed it out, looking again at these family members he’d always thought were kindly, he found them rather interesting in a whole new way.
His sister-in-law paused for a second, then, finally realizing in the face of everyone’s laughter, blushed and blurted out, “But what if Third Brother suddenly decided to use his left hand?!”
Qin Jingzhou sipped his tea, “Eldest Brother, you should step in and be the peacemaker by now.”
The original host had always spoken with a biting, sarcastic tone, especially targeting his elder brother and sister. Playing his role to perfection, his expression shifted as he addressed his stupid son, “Listen, watch, and think more. If you don’t get something, ask me later. You’re not expected to charge into battle. Here in the Marquis' Household, you’re of such low standing that anyone can make you speechless. The goodwill they force upon you, you can’t refuse and still have to feel grateful.”
Er Xiao nodded repeatedly, then twisted his lips in a way that looked utterly distorted on his swollen right cheek, “I’ll never forget the Marquis' Consort’s generosity in giving me medicine.”
That could not have been more pointed.
The eldest brother, wanting to save face for his wife, looked straight at the Marquis' Consort after hearing this.
No matter how interested the rest were, seeing that the Old Madam’s face had darkened, they all prudently fixed their eyes in front and watched the drama in silence.
When the Marquis' Consort first entered the household, she was certain Marquis Wu'an would never let his legitimate eldest son inherit the title. But Marquis Wu'an’s third son, Qin Jingzhou... The more she learned, the more she believed he was the biggest obstacle to her own son’s succession!
So she’d managed, years ago, to persuade the legal wife’s son and daughter, and had sown discord with Qin Jingzhou’s two children, trying to combine inside and outside forces to ruin Qin Jingzhou completely.
Unfortunately, all her plotting had come to naught, the assassins she sent had vanished without a trace, and now, upon his return, Qin Jingzhou delivered her a show of strength. The way Er Xiao now looked at his father—was almost exactly how her own son looked at the Marquis!
Her hand, hidden inside her sleeve, clenched so tightly her nails pierced her palm, the pain snapping her back to reality.
There was still a chance.
The Old Madam’s health had been declining for years, and she often kept one eye open and one closed. Thus the inner residence of the Marquis' Household was essentially her domain. As long as she was careful not to let trouble spill into the front quarters, wearing away at the bond between father and sons with the help of the womenfolk would be easy.
What’s more, the resentment harbored by the girl in Prince Jin’s household hadn’t faded either—there were plenty of ways to work that angle. She would send word to that girl soon enough! She looked forward to seeing the girl deal with her own father.
At that thought, the Marquis' Consort composed herself, even covering her mouth with a smile, “No need to thank me. Shall I invite that esteemed imperial physician to have another look? He’s treated both the Emperor and the Empress—such fortune for you.”
Er Xiao’s face was bright red, just as he was about to respond, his right hand was pressed down. Seeing his father smile at him, he lowered his head and held his tongue.
Qin Jingzhou resisted no urgency, pulled out the prescription for the Energy-Calming Talisman decoction from his sleeve, and with a flick of his finger, sent it neatly onto the Old Madam’s small table. He glanced at the Marquis' Consort, “Would you like this blessing? My son’s taken this medicine for a full five years—consider it a generous reward.”
With the prescription falling into the Old Madam’s hands, the Marquis' Consort dropped all pretense, firing back without hesitation, “You’re very welcome!”
The atmosphere was tense. The eldest brother and sister-in-law had no desire to intervene, let alone anyone else.
The Old Madam took the prescription in hand. Instead of scrutinizing or questioning it right away, she abruptly ended the simmering conflict in her usual direct manner. “All of you, out! Back to your own rooms!” As her sons and daughters-in-law were getting to their feet, she added, her tone rather strict, “Eldest daughter-in-law, you stay.”
By “eldest daughter-in-law,” she of course meant the Marquis' Consort.
The Marquis' Consort lowered her head again. “Yes, ma’am.”
When they left the Old Madam’s courtyard, the eldest brother even sidled up, “Come to my place for a while? You haven’t been here, so you don’t know how smug the Consort has gotten all these years!”
Qin Jingzhou ignored him, striding off with his children. The eldest brother called after him, “If you ever get into trouble, just come find me!”
Back in their own courtyard on the eastern side of the Marquis' Household, Xiao Xi finally got a chance to vent, “Truly a family tradition... in stupidity. No wonder Marquis Wu'an can’t forget his third son.”
Qin Jingzhou carried his daughter into the study and bluntly said, “Being surrounded by imbeciles can only drive you mad or dumb.”
Trailing behind, Er Xiao chimed in, “I guess that’s why I’m both mad and dumb. So,” summoning his courage, “Father, are you hoping the Marquis will divide the household?”
Qin Jingzhou had his troubled son sit down, and didn’t answer directly, “Back then, your grandfather sent me away to see how the two sons born to the Consort would turn out. Five years later, he’s given up. With his sons hopeless, he can only look to the grandchildren.”
Er Xiao broke into a smile, though it looked so wretched it was almost like crying, “Grandfather has no expectations for me... He knows everything, he really knows everything... I once wanted him to uphold justice for me!”
Qin Jingzhou replied, “More or less. The attempt on our lives by the Consort—that he didn’t know in advance. He knows now, though. From here on, the Consort will have a much harder time stretching her hand beyond the Marquis' Household.”
Er Xiao was incredulous. “That’s all?! The Consort tried to have us killed!”
Qin Jingzhou just chuckled, “That’s all.” Without waiting for his son to question further, he explained unprompted, “The Consort’s young, beautiful, gentle and sweet—and has given the Marquis three children. People are willing to look past her faults. Truth is, the Marquis doesn’t like overly clever women, nor does the Old Madam.”
Seated next to her father, Xiao Xi gave an approving nod, “One clear-minded person in the household is enough, and that’s the Old Madam. No, wait, your granddaughter’s smart too, but she’s not going to mind.”
Er Xiao stared at his not-yet-five-year-old little sister, momentarily at a loss for words. So, his father’s indifference was purely due to his own stupidity... and he really was stupid...
Once he understood, he felt much better.
Qin Jingzhou took the chance to comfort this foolish son, “Once you stop taking that Energy-Calming Talisman decoction, your mind will gradually recover. So what if you can’t match your little sister? You’re still better than your elder sister, and that’s enough for me.”
Being praised by his father, Er Xiao’s mood lifted rapidly.
Qin Jingzhou then reminded him, “We’re not staying at the Marquis' Household for long—keep that in mind.”
Er Xiao was overjoyed, “That’s great!”
By dusk, Marquis Wu'an returned home. He first visited the Old Madam, listened to the Consort’s complaints for nearly half an hour, and finally summoned his third son, Qin Jingzhou, whom he hadn’t seen in five years.
Marquis Wu'an scrutinized his son, only to discover that he looked even better than he had in the Capital five years before... The stewards clearly hadn’t exaggerated.
He sipped some tea, and deliberately adopted a cool tone. “After reporting in, you’d better return home!”
Qin Jingzhou only smiled in silent response.
Marquis Wu'an set down his cup and, with a sigh, said, “With your reputation and credentials, how could you gain a foothold in the Capital? After so many years, your elder brother is still just idling! Do you really think I could get you any post you wanted? You sure overestimate your father!”
Qin Jingzhou kept smiling, “I’m not going back, so don’t trouble yourself.”
The Marquis Wu'an had already seen the prescription in the Old Madam’s rooms and had heard all about it. He’d listened to the Consort’s tearful complaints too and assumed he understood Qin Jingzhou’s thoughts. “I’ve dealt with everyone who worked for her.”
Qin Jingzhou brushed him off, “Since my own mother died, I’ve known you’re of the mud-stirring kind—always saying every piece of flesh on your hands is your own, always unwilling to take sides. At least outside this house, things aren’t like this, no one plays petty games that threaten lives just to get back at each other like Eldest Brother and the Consort.”
Marquis Wu'an fell silent.
Qin Jingzhou went on, “Because I declined to become Prince Qiyang’s disciple, you assumed I’d angered him and was finished as your son, so no matter how right or wrong I was, I’d be the one who had to compromise and endure.”
These words struck home, and while Marquis Wu'an didn’t get angry, he inwardly felt a ceaseless regret: had he known, he’d have kept his third son close from childhood, or handed him to the Old Madam to raise! The Mi family ruined my most gifted boy!
Marquis Wu'an's first and second wives were full sisters, the fourth—Qin Jingzhou’s birth mother—was their half-sister. All three were of the Mi clan.
Judging from Marquis Wu'an's expression, Qin Jingzhou could confirm this much: Marquis Wu'an understood everything, but since he’d chosen wrongly, he had no choice but to stick with his decision.
He sighed deliberately, “You really have a problem raising your children. I didn’t get it before, so I copied your ways. The result? My children ended up alienated from me.”
Those words cut deep.
Yet at the same time, Marquis Wu'an’s expression changed abruptly and he had to admit, Qin Jingzhou was right. In truth, he and his third son rarely interacted—often going a whole year with barely a few words exchanged. Yet all his other sons, legitimate and illegitimate combined, didn’t possess half the insight or far-sightedness of this one. After all, at just over ten, Qin Jingzhou had drawn Prince Qiyang’s attention, even being considered for the unprecedented honor of becoming his disciple...
Seeing Marquis Wu'an about to say something, only to slump back down in resignation, Qin Jingzhou smiled again, “Well, everyone has their fate. I’ll be moving out before long.”
At last, Marquis Wu'an responded, “All right.”
Qin Jingzhou stood. “The Marquis' Consort is bold and overreaching; be careful lest she drags the entire household into the struggle for the throne with her reckless schemes.”
Marquis Wu'an grew stern. He believed his third son had picked up some rumors outside. Yet thinking of how Qin Jingzhou unilaterally sent his own daughter to Prince Jin’s household... That was the only time in his life he had genuinely borne a grudge against his third son.
Even now he couldn’t help but speak, “But you personally sent Ah Yao to Prince Jin.”
Qin Jingzhou offered a meaningful smile, “Don’t underestimate Prince Jin. Even if he doesn’t have the last laugh, he’ll at least survive to the end.”
Marquis Wu'an’s face grew grave. “What do you mean?”
Qin Jingzhou replied, “Prince Jin has a beloved outside the household. Go look into that person’s background. Be careful—once you find even the slightest clue, you’ll understand.” With that, he turned and left without so much as a goodbye.
Marquis Wu'an wasn’t the least bit angry, but instead downed his now-cooled tea in one gulp. “That brat—I really did underestimate him!”
The stewards on duty in the study were all taking notes: next time they saw Third Master, he’d have to be treated with even more respect.
The next two days passed uneventfully, and on the third day the entire family was to attend a flower-viewing banquet at Prince Qiyang’s mansion.
The Marquis' Consort, having been lectured thoroughly by both the Old Madam and Marquis Wu'an, spent two days in her own rooms reflecting, unable to shake off her gloom and frustration. Filled with resentment, she had to vent somewhere. “The Prince’s invitation didn’t include Third Master—he can stay here and rest.”
Marquis Wu'an knew perfectly well that his third son had received a private invitation from Prince Qiyang. Seeing the vague smile on his son’s face, he gave nothing away as he commanded, “Claim you’re unwell. You don’t need to go.”
The Consort was horrified, “Marquis!” She—she already had an arrangement! If she couldn’t go, wouldn’t the plan be ruined?
But no amount of humility or begging could persuade Marquis Wu'an. Not only did he deny her a visit to the Prince’s residence, he also kept her two sons and daughter in the house that day.
To ensure that the Consort would not cause trouble while he and the Old Madam were out, Marquis Wu'an specially instructed his own most trusted Grand Steward and Personal Guards to keep close watch on the household.
Hearing this arrangement, the Consort’s face turned white. She’d enjoyed years of privilege and speaking with authority, but if the Marquis forbade it, she was powerless. She lowered her head, dreading that her true feelings would show, wishing she could carve up Qin Jingzhou’s face with her own hands!
In the carriage, Xiao Xi clung to her father’s hand, muttering, “The Consort practically has ‘I’m about to surprise you’ written across her face... This newbie village boss, even a straight push would be boring.”
Qin Jingzhou ruffled his daughter’s hair. “The real Er Xiao died at the Consort’s hands, though in my opinion Er Xiao was quite ill, and he felt he’d had enough of living.”
Xiaoxi sighed, “People to be pitied often have their own failings.”
Arriving at Prince Qiyang’s residence, Qin Jingzhou kept his daughter by his side. The original host’s old acquaintances, seeing him for the first time in years, were amazed. How could he spend five years in some backwater and come out looking younger than ever?
Soon, this group of old friends enthusiastically tried... introducing him to potential wives.
Qin Jingzhou tried not to break character—at least not here and now—so however impatient he felt, he kept smiling.
He said to the system, “There’s just so much the World Will can give. I’ll put up with it.”
The system could tell whether Brother Zhou was genuinely angry or just putting on a show. “Making money’s not something to be embarrassed about.”
So, holding his daughter, he ate, drank, and let all the boasting of his old friends go in one ear and out the other, patiently waiting for Miss Ling to send someone for him.
Suddenly, a vaguely familiar young maid, sweating profusely, rushed over before she’d even managed a proper greeting. “Third Master, Young Master Xiao has fallen into the water!”
Qin Jingzhou stood up, handed his daughter to someone else, and instructed, “Lead the way.”
Prince Qiyang’s residence had once belonged to the last Regent of the previous dynasty—a man so extravagant he’d built a pond in his mansion that linked with the imperial garden’s Taiye Lake, at its deepest over ten meters. It was more accurate to call it an artificial lake.
It was into this lake that Er Xiao had fallen.
In the original host’s memories, Er Xiao was a hopeless non-swimmer.
So this “surprise” from the Consort was just this.
Following the young maid to the lake, Qin Jingzhou found a dozen or so servants floundering on the surface. His foolish son, however, was nowhere to be seen.
A sweep with his divine sense revealed: there he was, his foolish son already sinking to the bottom.
It was late autumn, early winter. Many households had even set out braziers, and his fool of a son, not only with a fractured left hand but unable to swim... This “surprise” really was meant to take his life.
Qin Jingzhou set his daughter by the shore, leaped easily into the water, located his son, and fished him out—making sure to snatch a vermillion women’s cloak from his son's hands at the same time.
That was evidence, after all—couldn’t afford to lose it.
He carried his shivering, frozen son up to the surface, swam to the shore entirely on his own, hauled himself onto dry land without help, and, with a sweep of his wet hair and his soaked clothes clinging close, showcased a physique impossible to fault...
For a moment, the place fell pin-drop silent. Even the drops of water sliding from his hair to the ground could be heard.
The Prince Qiyang couple and other noble guests, estate stewards, housekeepers, and household troops all looked on speechless.
Ling Jing, after finally finding her chance to come over, gave Qin Jingzhou a long look, sighing to herself—if only she could just call him: ...a living bodhisattva.