"You've returned? Why do you look as if you've all lost your fortunes? Your expressions are so dismal," the Old General asked.
"Greetings, Uncle, Aunt, and cousins. Jiu'er is here to pay her respects." Wen Jiu had guessed that they must have encountered some trouble at the palace.
"Jiu... Jiu'er?"
"Uncle has never seen Jiu'er before, so I must seem like a stranger..."
"Good child, my dear child!" Both aunts embraced her, looking her up and down. "You are truly beautiful, like a celestial being. How did you grow to have such perfect eyes and a perfect nose?"
Wen Jiu didn't know how to respond. *Aren't those things everyone has?* she thought.
The two women were turning her this way and that, making her dizzy. The Old Madam spoke up, "Easy now, don't shake her so much. She hasn't recovered from her injuries yet; stop fussing over her." The two aunts were so startled they quickly let go.
"Ah, ha-ha-ha, Jiu'er, this is the first time your Little Aunt and I have met you. Wait here, we’re going to get your gifts!" With that, Madame Qin pulled Madame Zhao away, rushing off in a flurry.
"It’s good that you’re back, my dear. Now that your Grandmother and I are both home, we shall be your support from now on. You’ve suffered so much these past years," the eldest uncle said, his eyes rimming with red.
"That's right. If anyone bullies you in the future, come to your Little Uncle. I’ll settle the score for you."
Men were different—they didn't spin her around to inspect her. Due to the boundaries between men and women, even if she were their niece, it wouldn't be appropriate for them to embrace her, but she was truly beautiful. The two uncles stared at her, longing to pull her aside for a chat, but they were held back by the presence of the Old General and Old Madam.
"Three cousins, do I have any gifts?"
"Yes, yes, yes! You can have all the imperial rewards from today!" The three of them pulled her toward the trunks as if presenting treasures. Wen Jiu opened one and—good heavens, it was blinding. The golden glow was dazzling.
"Cousins, are these for me?"
"Mm, for you, all for you." Looking at their cousin, the three cousins thought she truly had a beautiful, delicate face—brows like moths' antennae, a charming smile, a chin like a melon seed, eyes like clear water, and lips red without the need for rouge. She truly embodied the words: *a beauty so stunning it would make fish sink and geese land, eclipse the moon and put flowers to shame.*
"Thank you, cousins! I'll just take one of each for now. If I run out of money later, can I come to you?"
"Take them all! We have no use for them."
"Is that so? I wonder who it was that said they didn't have enough silver to marry a wife and had to beg the Emperor for more," the eldest uncle teased them.
"Father!"
"Uncle!"
"Alright, alright. Jiu'er, this is your eldest cousin Jinyu, this is your second cousin Jinmu—from your second uncle’s household—and this is your youngest cousin Jinxiu, from your little uncle’s household. You are the only girl in our Su Family; you must be pampered."
Wen Jiu looked at her eldest cousin: tall and elegant, gentle and scholarly, like jade. He carried the aura of a man of letters.
The second cousin was imposing, with a pair of sharp, rebellious eyes, long and narrow phoenix eyes, a high bridge of his nose, and a dignified, refreshing, and handsome appearance.
The youngest cousin carried a fan, looking suave and free-spirited, his appearance as jade-like as a wealthy, handsome dandy.
The Su family really had excellent genes. Even the two uncles, though middle-aged, were still strikingly handsome. *Damn it, I'm almost drooling,* she thought.
"Greetings, cousins. I am Wen Jiu—'Wen' as in warmth, and 'Jiu' as in strong spirits."
"Good, good, good. Now that everyone is back, we shall prepare dinner later. You all come to the study first and tell me about what happened today."
"Yes, Father."
"Cousin, may we call you 'Little Sister'? We don't have a sister of our own."
"Of course, Little Cousin."
"Brother, we have a sister now..." Wen Jiu felt like rolling her eyes. *Oh, you big shots... if it weren't for the fact that I’ve transmigrated, we could have been sworn brothers!*
Speaking of which, it had been a long time since she thought of herself as a man, and now she was even being considered for marriage—this was utterly absurd. *Forget it, forget it. Since I am here, I must make the best of it.* She had already told herself this a hundred times.
"The Minister of Personnel and the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review?" The Old General radiated a murderous aura.
"I don't know either, Son. We had already declined, but Prince Yong suddenly stepped forward to claim merit for us and even bestowed titles upon Zhaohua and the wives, all according to our ranks."
"The titles are what they deserve; they have braved life and death with you. But what is Prince Yong's intention? We have never had any dealings with Prince Yong's Estate."
*Knock, knock, knock.*
"Come in."
"Grandfather, I didn't mean to eavesdrop just now."
"So it's you, little girl. Why didn't you let your three cousins take you to play? What brings you here?" The Old General’s voice was loving, as if the person who had just been radiating bloodlust wasn't him.
"Grandfather, can Jiu'er participate too?"
"You're still too young, little one. Go out and play. Your uncles and I will be finished talking in a moment."
"Grandfather, this glory is at its peak; it is bound to decline. When that time comes, the entire Su Family will be in danger. How are we to protect ourselves? Although the Emperor granted the two uncles high positions and wealth, it must have been an emergency measure. He surely did not expect Prince Yong to step in today. These two positions look prestigious, but they are actually the leftovers he didn't want—unlike the Ministry of War or the Salt Transport Commissioners, which are the real seats of power he intends to keep for himself."
"I suspect that the Emperor intended to crown you a King of a different surname today, knowing the ministers would object, and planned to just muddle through it. He simply miscalculated Prince Yong."
"Jiu'er, you must not speak such nonsense."
"Grandfather, I am not speaking nonsense. There is only one way to break this deadlock."
"Come in and close the door."
"Grandfather, you should retire from the military and return to your fields. Think about it: is it really good for the Su Family to be like this? Three uncles in high office, you as the Defender-General of the State, and Grandmother and the aunts holding official titles. Throughout history, what good ending has there ever been for a military general? Is this the outcome you want? From now on, even the slightest mistake will lead to impeachment. Once it happens enough times, is it not easy for them to manipulate you? The higher you stand now, the harder you will fall later. How can a man tolerate another sleeping beside his own bed, Grandfather?" Wen Jiu spoke with great weight, then continued.
"Rather than letting them watch us and look for our mistakes, it is better to take a big step back. Let the world feel that we have served Dachao well. Let the common people stand by us. Give the princes a grand gift, and let them fight over the military power that this Grand General's Estate has relinquished—including the Salt Transport Commission and the Ministry of War. Let them see how they arrange their own people to fill those roles; then they will be too busy to pay any attention to us here."
"Who taught you this—to manipulate the court?" The Old General was clearly displeased, though only out of worry for her. This precious granddaughter had just returned, and he didn't want her involved in the power struggles of the court at such a young age.
"My Master."
"Your Master?"
"Fu Ruming. He was my master and also your old friend. I was found by him and raised for over ten years."
Fu Ruming. A Great Tutor of his generation, who had resigned and traveled after a falling out with the Emperor. That old fellow had sent him letters but never mentioned he had raised a little girl. That old fox!
"That old fellow has returned?"
"Master... is dead," Wen Jiu said, her face filled with grief.
"What?" The Old General stood up, his body swaying.
"Grandfather!"
"Father!"
"It's nothing, I'm fine. Child, was it his illness?"
"Yes." Wen Jiu did not tell him the truth. She needed to take revenge, and she couldn't drag the General's Estate into the water. *Grandfather, I’m sorry,* she cried inwardly. *Once I have avenged my Master, I will tell you everything.*
"How many people know he was your master?"
"Just me, Xuanling, and you all. I haven't told anyone else. I ran into Fu Yichen that day, and I suspect he is Master's grandson, but I didn't say a word." Tears streamed down Wen Jiu’s face as she held them back, looking incredibly fragile.
"Don't cry, don't cry. I will go to the palace tomorrow. Very well, since it was that old fellow who taught you, I have nothing more to say. I never wanted a little girl like you to know the filth of the court, but he must have already taught you. Very well, very well." He finished, his entire being permeated by a sense of desolation. Wen Jiu knew this was her grandfather’s sorrow at the loss of his dear friend.