Spring in the Hall of Paintings

A man in his thirties, wearing a sapphire-blue jacket with arrow sleeves, with thick eyebrows and broad eyes, and a sturdy build, walked over. He picked up the little girl who had been waving her hands excitedly and asked joyfully, “Yaya, did you miss Father?”

“Mm, mm, mm,” Yun Wei nodded obediently. Seeing an eight-year-old boy standing next to the man, she sweetly said, “Brother, you must have missed Yaya too.”

The boy, who bore about an 80% resemblance to his father but had a slightly fairer complexion, blushed slightly and said quietly, “Mother, let’s go inside the mansion.”

“Yes, yes, our son is right. Madam, you’ve had a tiring journey, let’s head inside first,” the man said.

His eyes gleamed with joy as he looked at his wife, Madam Fucha, who flicked her handkerchief, releasing a faint fragrance. The man’s eyes brightened, and he chuckled, hugging his little daughter tightly as they walked toward the main gate. “Yaya, we’re going home.”

Fucha tightened her grip on the carriage curtain and softly called, “Husband, wait a moment.”

“Is something the matter, Madam?” the man turned to look at his wife, who hadn’t stepped out of the carriage yet, and asked with concern, “Are you feeling unwell?”

“Husband, this is the capital. We must observe proper etiquette, or others will mock us for lacking manners.”

Though Madam Fucha was pleased with how much her husband valued her, in the strict Tong family, it was essential to behave with decorum, especially in a place like the capital, unlike Fuzhou. She gently reminded him, “Husband, please let me hold Yaya. We should enter through the side gate.”

“You’re overthinking it,” the man said as he set his daughter down and entrusted her to their steady and reliable son. He returned to the carriage and softly added, “This is Mother’s wish.”

Madam Fucha was momentarily stunned. Her husband rarely saw her usually calm and composed self show such an expression. He helped her down from the carriage, guiding her by the arm as she stepped onto the footstool, smiling as he spoke. “You come from a noble family, and marrying me back then was already a bit of a grievance for you. Right after our wedding, you left the bustling capital to accompany me to a remote, wild place. You raised our children and managed the household so that I could lead troops and serve the emperor without distractions. Mother understands all of this well. Everything arranged today is with her approval. Don’t delay any longer—let’s return to the estate.”

Madam Fucha was deeply moved, her heart warm with emotion. She realized her years of dedication had not gone unnoticed by her husband. With a gentle smile, she said, “Marrying you was my good fortune, and managing the household is my duty.”

Although she said this, Madam Fucha still held the hands of her son and daughter as they followed her husband into the Tong family estate. The layout of the courtyard was largely as she remembered, but with the gradual rise of the three Tong brothers, the mansion now had a livelier atmosphere, and the main hall of the ancestral home appeared even more luxurious.

Passing through the corridors and stepping over the moon gate, they arrived at a neatly arranged three-part courtyard. Madam Fucha’s slightly surprised voice reached her husband, Tong Rongxuan’s ears, “Why did you suddenly dig a pond?”

“That was also the idea of our eldest sister-in-law. She knows you like lotus flowers, so at the beginning of spring, she arranged for someone to dig a pond and plant the seeds. By this summer, we’ll be able to admire the lotuses.”

“She was very thoughtful. It must have been a lot of trouble for her.”

Madam Fucha grasped her daughter Yun Wei’s small hand to stop her from running toward the pond and sternly said, “Yun Wei, have you forgotten what Mother has told you?”

Yun Wei lowered her head, her bright eyes sneakily glancing at the pond as she muttered softly, “Mother, I won’t dare again.”

“Mother, sister she—” Chengwu, who hadn’t seen his younger sister in days, spoke up, but his words were cut short by a sharp glance from his mother. He stood beside his father, head down, saying no more.

“Chengwu, you are a boy. Your mother hopes you will follow in your father’s footsteps, excel in both academics and martial arts, and bring honor to the family. Affairs of the inner household are not for you to speak about.”

“Son understands his mistake.”

Seeing that Chengwu sincerely admitted his mistake, and considering it had been half a year since they last saw each other and that her son was doing well and had become more mature, Madam Fucha hinted, “Mother knows you care for Wei’er, but you must understand what is truly good for her.”

Chengwu obediently nodded. Rongxuan, seeing his wife’s stern demeanor, did not want to interrupt. He also felt sorry for his lively and adorable little daughter, wanting to plead for her, but a glance from his wife stopped him. Usually honest and mild-mannered, Rongxuan scratched his head, patted his son on the shoulder, and said loudly, “Your mother is right. As long as you do well, Wei’er won’t suffer. After paying respects to the Old Madam, go pull the hard bow ten times to remind yourself.”

“Mother, I will write out big characters as punishment. Please don’t be angry with me,” Yun Wei said, pouting and looking at her mother with pleading eyes.

Madam Fucha nodded, a smile returning to her lips. “This is for your own good, Yun Wei. From now on, don’t forget what Mother says.”

With the clouds in the sky clearing away, Rongxuan pointed out a few areas that had been recently renovated and reassured, “Wife, you’ll manage all the household affairs from now on. Although the Old Madam is still around, and my brothers and I have been apart for many years, our bond remains strong, so—”

“Don’t worry, husband, I understand,” Madam Fucha responded. She knew the meaning behind his words. In Fuzhou, she had been in charge, but returning to the capital meant things would be different. Though she felt a little stifled inside, she showed no sign of it, sensibly adding, “Eldest Sister-in-law is fair and just, and with her managing everything, I’ll have less to worry about.”

Rongxuan was very pleased with Madam Fucha. She discreetly scanned the courtyard, mentally taking note of everything. Just then, the servants, including young attendants, maidservants, and older women, lined up according to protocol, bowed, and said in unison, “Greetings to the madam.”

“Rise,” Madam Fucha said calmly as she headed towards the main hall. She took note of which servants were new and which were familiar with the household duties.

As Rongxuan and Madam Fucha settled in the main hall, before the maidservants had the chance to serve tea, a girl with a refined appearance performed a proper curtsy and softly said, “Greetings to the mother.”

Madam Fucha glanced at the girl in the lake-blue qipao, who was slightly taller than Yun Wei, and lovingly remarked, “In the half-year since we last met, Yunyi has grown even more beautiful. It seems the capital’s environment agrees with her. No wonder Concubine Liu insisted on bringing you back with your father. Is your illness completely better, Yi’er?”

Yunyi’s eyes glistened with tears of longing as she responded with a trembling voice, “Mother, Yunyi has been thinking of you.”

Her words made Concubine Liu, who was standing a bit further back in a peach-red embroidered qipao, shiver. Her lowered eyelids could not hide her sorrow. Noticing this, Madam Fucha’s lips curled slightly, and she said lightly, “Concubine Liu has worked hard taking care of you. It hasn’t been easy for her.”

Rongxuan, indifferent to the situation, took a sip of tea and said, “Wife, first pay respects to the Old Madam. She has been asking about you for several days.”

Afterwards, Rongxuan stood up, and Madam Fucha thoughtfully adjusted the folds on her husband’s shoulder. Rongxuan smiled at his wife and then took her and their children to the back courtyard of the ancestral home. Yunyi and Yun Wei, who hadn’t seen each other in half a year, huddled together. Yunyi quietly shared interesting news from the capital, not even glancing at Concubine Liu, who trailed behind. Madam Fucha stood straighter, thinking to herself, Liu Shi, you’ve wasted your efforts; even though Yunyi is your child, she will never acknowledge you as her mother.