What a dull and boring young master.
Both sides had their own accounts, and naturally the adults believed their own children's words. However, the Wen and Miao families were connected by marriage, and since it was just children fighting, each side wanted to smooth things over without delving into who was right or wrong. After returning to their mansion, the wives of the Miao family sent pearl flowers and silk to apologize to Wen Yuan'ai and Jiang Xuesui, and the Wen family reciprocated with gifts. Everyone thought the matter was settled.
As it happened, Jiang Shaohua had just been promoted to the position of Jiangnan Governor, a second-rank official in charge of military affairs in seven provinces of Jiangnan. This post was that of a high-ranking regional commander, a pillar of the state. Upon learning this news, the Duke Xiangguo's Mansion prepared to host a continuous banquet to welcome him when he came to the capital to thank the emperor.
Jiang Xuesui had already written a letter home telling her father how the Miao family's young masters had bullied Wen Yuan'ai, her, and Wen Qiao. After reading the letter, Jiang Shaohua slapped his thigh—how could his daughter and niece and nephew be bullied for nothing? He quickly finished his official duties and entered the capital several days early to thank Emperor Zhengshi.
It happened to be a regular court day. After the court session, the civil and military officials exited through Xihua Gate. Jiang Shaohua, dressed in crimson robes, was followed by twenty or thirty officials who were either his fellow graduates or friends. The Eldest Master, Second Master, Third Master, Fourth Master, and Fifth Master of the Miao family, along with other clansmen, held positions in the capital. At Xihua Gate, Jiang Shaohua spotted the figure of the Eldest Master Miao, ran over, and kicked him in the back of the leg.
It wasn't just that the eldest son of Eldest Master Miao had pulled out a lock of his daughter's hair; the Miao sons who served as officials were all drawing salaries without doing their jobs—wasn't that wasting the hard work of the people? This was one of the types of officials Jiang Shaohua despised most.
The Eldest Master Miao also wore crimson robes but was of a lower rank than Jiang Shaohua. He was used to throwing his weight around because his mother had been the emperor's wet nurse. Although he was wary of Jiang Shaohua, who had just become Jiangnan Governor, his colleagues and subordinates had witnessed the kick, so despite his wariness, he had to save face.
"Lord Jiang, that kick of yours—was it for public or private reasons?" asked the Eldest Master Miao.
Jiang Shaohua didn't even deign to look him in the eye. "Half for public, half for private."
The Eldest Master Miao angrily pointed toward Fengtian Gate. "If it was for public, we are all officials; if punishment is due, it should come from His Majesty. If it was for private, we are still inside the imperial city. You aren't just hitting me—you're showing disrespect to His Majesty."
Jiang Shaohua shoved the Eldest Master Miao out of Xihua Gate, thus disciplining him outside the imperial city. The Miao officials would not allow their Eldest Master to be chased and beaten by Jiang Shaohua wielding his tablet. They all surged forward. The officials following Jiang Shaohua also joined the fray with their tablets. The censors from the Six Section Corridor had long wanted to beat the Miao faction; they elevated the fight between the two cliques to 'the upright officials pruning the dead branches from the court's great tree.' Other officials who disliked the Miao faction found cheering insufficient and, taking advantage of the chaos, also used their tablets to knock a few heads and stamp a few feet.
The Eldest Master Miao was pinned down by Jiang Shaohua, who slapped his face with his tablet, leaving it bruised and swollen. Suddenly, he had an epiphany about his personal grudge with Jiang Shaohua.
"It's just a daughter—she's going to marry out eventually. Why treasure her so much?"
If he hadn't said that, Jiang Shaohua could have controlled himself not to kill him. But after hearing those words, Jiang Shaohua swore to fight to the death.
"My daughter is different from anyone else's." Jiang Shaohua kicked the Eldest Master Miao hard in the ribs, breaking one.
"My daughter is more precious than anyone else's." Jiang Shaohua kicked him a second time, breaking two ribs.
"You can say I'm a bad official, but you cannot say my daughter is no good." Jiang Shaohua was about to kick a third time when he was pulled back by Cheng Lin, the eunuch director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, who came running from Xihua Gate.
Cheng Lin, sweating and panting, said, "Lord Jiang, stop! His Majesty summons you. Please enter the palace immediately for an audience."
*
Since Emperor Zhengshi ascended the throne, he had liked to summon outside officials in the West Warm Chamber of Qianqing Palace. At that moment, the emperor sat behind his desk, having just finished reading a memorial accusing the sons of his wet nurse Miao Shi. There were hundreds more such memorials on the bookcase behind him. He was not an emperor who appointed only relatives, but he could not forget the kindness of his wet nurse. The thought of his aged wet nurse worrying over her unfilial and troublesome descendants pained him. This time, he would settle accounts with the Miao family properly.
Miao Chengzong was carried into the West Warm Chamber by four eunuchs, having just vomited blood. Cheng Lin ordered the attendants to change his clothes and feed him ginseng soup so that he would have the strength to answer questions. The emperor glanced at Miao Chengzong's injuries and was relieved that Jiang Shaohua had not beaten him to death. Then, remembering what Miao Chengzong and his brothers had done over the years, he felt a flicker of regret that Jiang Shaohua hadn't killed him—killing him would have been a favor, cleansing the Miao family.
"What did your young masters do to provoke Lord Jiang's daughter? Don't you know Lord Jiang is famously a doting father who adores his daughter?" The emperor himself had only fathered a single princess three years ago. In the years before his ascension, his consorts had borne him six princes. He had longed for a daughter, so he sympathized with Jiang Shaohua's love for his daughter.
"Your Majesty, I have failed to teach my sons. My son is indeed mischievous, but that Jiang eldest miss is no pushover. After my son was hit by her head, he has been nauseous and vomiting sour water every day. He still hasn't recovered." In his agitation, Miao Chengzong blurted out the truth, admitting that his eldest son had been injured by Jiang Xuesui.
"A little girl not even four years old—how hard can her head be? Your eldest son, with his build, could sit to death two or three little girls like Miss Jiang. Why blame your son's injuries on her? Spoiling a child is killing him. I am a father too. You should have your eldest son reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors."
After the emperor's words, Miao Chengzong had nothing to say and swallowed his anger. The emperor continued, "Out of consideration for your mother, I have treated the Miao family generously over the years. But you have failed to repay Heaven's grace. The businesses you conducted behind my back are enough for me to cut off your heads several times over. Taking today's incident at Xihua Gate where you assaulted a superior official as an opportunity, you and your brothers should retire to your hometown as a form of apology. If it ever comes to a tripartite trial, I won't be able to bend the law to protect you."
Miao Chengzong stammered his assent and withdrew. Cheng Lin then led Jiang Shaohua before the emperor.
"Come closer, let me see the wounds on your face." The emperor looked at Jiang Shaohua. After Jiang Shaohua bowed, he approached the desk. Seeing the faint bruises on both cheeks, the emperor smiled. "I haven't seen you trade blows with anyone in years. Since you love your daughter so much, why entrust her to the Duke Xiangguo's Mansion? Why not remarry? Then your daughter would have a stepmother to raise her."
"Your Majesty, you are being ironic again." When the emperor was crown prince, Jiang Shaohua had been his study companion, witnessing how the stepmother treated the emperor with affection in public but harshly in private. Yet the emperor was a benevolent ruler. Even after being treated so badly by his stepmother, he had tended to her medicine with care before her death and treated the three princesses she bore kindly, preferring war to marry his half-sisters to foreign tribes for peace.
"Shaohua, I have understood since childhood: every family has its difficulties, and each person has their own hardships." The emperor granted him a seat, and a eunuch brought a stool. Jiang Shaohua thanked him and sat down. Then the emperor spoke of their childhood, youth, and the present.
Just then, Noble Consort Gao came with the little princess to pay respects. The emperor ordered the attendants to bring the princess for Jiang Shaohua to see. With a proud expression, he said, "This is my eldest daughter. When will you bring yours to the palace for me to see? I have six sons; take a good look. I'll betroth them to your daughter."
"Your Majesty, I am not boasting, but my daughter is truly a gentle little lady. I don't want her to marry into a high-status family. In the future, if she wants to marry, she should pick a son-in-law who treats her well and have him marry into our family—that is the proper way."
The emperor played with the infant princess. "Your daughter is indeed 'gentle,' able to turn Miao Dalang's head into a pig's head."
Jiang Shaohua said indignantly, "Your Majesty, that Miao Dalang was always a pig's head. Saying such things wrongs my daughter."
"I was thinking of rewarding your little girl to calm her nerves." After pondering, the emperor issued an edict granting Jiang Xuesui the title of Qingping County Princess, with the special privilege of enjoying the treatment of a commandery princess.
*
Compared to the edict granting the title, Jiang Xuesui liked the little maid her father gave her, Aliya, much more. Aliya was a slave from the northern border, with a head of golden curls, two bright green eyes, snow-white skin, and long limbs. Most importantly, she was very strong, could leap over roofs and vault walls, and sang many beautiful nursery rhymes like a nightingale. As good as Aliya was, Jiang Xuesui thought that Wen Yuan'ai needed a martial maid like her more than she did, so she gave Aliya to Wen Yuan'ai.
Lady Sang was extremely grateful. Unlike before, when she had tried to avoid trouble, she now ignored what others said and no longer restricted her children's interactions with their cousin. She specially prepared ointment for her niece to apply. The small patch of Jiang Xuesui's scalp that had been exposed soon healed and grew new hair.
One day, Jiang Xuesui was in Wen Yuan'ai's room, facing her while tracing characters in red ink. A little dog with snow-white fur slipped under her feet. She barked "Woof woof" at it, but the dog just tilted its head and didn't make a sound. Wen Yuan'ai pointed at the dog and said, "Brother Qiao's dog took a bath; its fur changed color and turned into a little snowball." Jiang Xuesui roughly understood that Wen Yuan'ai was explaining why the gray dog had become white. Sure enough, Wen Qiao's dog was just like Wen Qiao—a mute little dog.
Every day, she went to Fuxi Pavilion to play with Wen Yuan'ai, and she bowed to Wen Qiao when she met him. Wen Qiao only bowed in return without saying an extra word. He was as cold and stiff as the little snowman she made in winter. What a dull and boring young master. If it weren't for his stunning good looks that made it impossible to look away, she would definitely avoid him.