chapter 23.1

Except for Tao Hong, and Liu Lu and three other servants, the rest of the servants were replaced by Yu Pin Yan. The slave contracts were transferred to Yu Xiang to let her properly keep them.

Compared to before, Yu Xiang had become more clingy to Yu Pin Yan. She had to see him for three meals a day. If not, she would find the food unappetizing, unable to sleep well and would be irritable. Yu Pin Yan tried his best to satisfy all of his younger sister’s requests. If he had any good items, he would send them to her courtyard.

He matured at an early age, experienced ups and downs, and his heart had been refined into a thousand-year-old cold iron from the repeated conspiracies, schemes and political strife. There were so many people in the mansion. Before, he only had to care about the Old Madam. Now, he also had to care for Yu Xiang, while other people like Yu Si Yu, Lin Shi and his blood-related younger sister, who had been living outside, were classified as outsiders.

The outside world assessment of Yu Pin Yan was all based on facts, cruel and cold-blooded.

However, no matter how the outside world criticised him, Yu Xiang liked this kind of Yu Pin Yan very much. When she had nothing to do, she would take out the whip, which Yu Pin Yan gave her, and waved it gently as she grinned.

On that day, Yu Pin Yan didn’t return in the afternoon. As Yu Xiang waited, she became anxious. She whipped the table with the whip and yelled, “Tao Hong, go to the Front yard to check if my elder brother is back.”

“Yes, Nubi[1] will go now.”

Tao Hong agreed and went outside to the courtyard. As soon as she stepped out of the yard, she saw Ma Momo’s anxious expression as she ran over. She panted heavily and exclaimed, “Tao Hong and Liu Lu, quickly push your master to the main courtyard. The Old Madam has an urgent matter! Quick, quick, quick!”

Ma Momo had always been dignified. This was the first time Tao Hong had seen Ma Momo with such an anxious expression. She immediately agreed and sprinted towards the room as she pushed out her impatient master.

“What’s the matter?” Yu Xiang felt more and more flustered.

“Miss, you have to dissuade the Marquis.” Ma Momo felt that Liu Lu did not have enough strength, so she brushed aside Liu Lu’s hands that were pushing the wheelchair, and explained softly, “I don’t know what kind of hypnotism the Marquis is in. He said he is going to join the army. He has packed up his things and would be heading to Hui Shi camp tonight. It’s Hui Shi camp ah, the Hui Shi camp that is the front line in a war! At that time, the Old Marquis was an important general of the cavalry, but he died in the battlefield and ended up as a corpse. It’s said that the Emperor is going to order Prince Yu to go on a punitive expedition at the beginning of spring next year. The Marquis is preparing to go to the Northwest District ah! Young Miss, the Marquis listens to you the most. You must stop him!”

Hearing this, Yu Xiang’s face became gloomy. She didn’t respond or nod. She just held the whip tightly the entire time.

As soon as Yu Xiang entered the room, she saw the Old Madam covered her chest with one hand and pointed to the expressionless Yu Pin Yan. Her lips were trembling, and she was too angry to speak. When she saw Yu Xiang, she immediately exclaimed, “Xiang’er came just in time. Please dissuade your elder brother! To do whatever is fine, yet he wants to join the army! You think that it’s fun to go to war?!”

Yu Pin Yan finally couldn’t control himself. He furrowed his brows and said, “Grandmother, why did you call Xiang’er? She’s too young to know about these things!”

“Why don’t you want me to know?!” Yu Xiang asked Ma Momo to push her towards Yu Pin Yan. She clung to his arm tightly, “Don’t go! If you go, what would happen to Grandmother and me?” Her tears welled up after she said this.

Seeing her cry was something Yu Pin Yan couldn’t bear to see the most. He carried her from the wheelchair and placed her on his lap and gently wiped her tears. When she was calmer, he explained gently, “If I became an official through the Imperial Academy, in three years, I would be promoted to the Secretary of General Administration. In five years, be promoted as a scholar in cabinet’s service, then to a deputy secretary in General Administration in ten years, and to a general secretary three years after that. It will take me at least twenty years to climb to the top three positions. Twenty-one years later, you would be thirty-one years old. Yet, I still can’t protect you, and the Marquis manor wouldn’t be as glorious as when our grandfather was still alive. I’m unwilling to resign myself to this!”

The Old Madam’s hands stopped trembling. She closed her eyes as she turned the Buddhist beads. She paused for a moment when she heard the last sentence.

“But now you are Marquis Yongle.” Yu Xiang sniffed.

“Silly girl, a title is different from an official position. We would still be trampled on regardless of how high the title is without the power.” Yu Pin Yan helped her blow her nose and continued, “The goal that I can’t accomplish in 21 years can be accomplished just by going to the battlefield a few times. Xiang’er, I want you and our grandmother to live better than how we are living now.” This was not the life he wanted for her, where a mere Qinghe Junzhu[2] could step over her head.