When Qiu Bingde left Yipin Tower and returned to the Qiu mansion, Lord Qiu had already returned from the yamen early.
After all, Madam Dou had died at the Xiang family's residence. At that time, there were many people around, and the magistrate Dou had ordered everyone to keep silent. However, within half a day, the news had already spread throughout Qianzhong Prefecture.
Backyard.
"Where have you been?" Madam Wu asked with a smile, skillfully changing clothes for Qiu Bingde. The two eldest maids who should have been serving them had already retreated to the outer room to wait.
Qiu Bingde changed into his casual clothes and handed the wiping cloth to Madam Wu. "Has second brother gone to the study?"
Looking at her smiling husband, Madam Wu suppressed the slight impatience and helplessness in her heart. She smoothed the wrinkles on Qiu Bingde's clothes and then took the cyan jade pendant from the dressing table and hung it at his waist before speaking. "The news was sent back by second brother. Father returned from the yamen in less than half an hour, and mother has also gone to the front courtyard."
"Thank you, my lady. I'll go to the study first." Qiu Bingde's unhurried demeanor made people think he didn't care about his younger brother, Qiu Huaixin, at first glance.
When she married into the Qiu family, Madam Wu had her sights set on becoming the mistress of the household. Furthermore, her husband was naturally gentle and refined. As for his two younger brothers, they were both uninterested in official careers.
Even though Madam Wu had better options at the time, she ultimately chose Qiu Bingde.
However, after many years of marriage, Madam Wu gradually realized that Qiu Bingde's personality was indeed too gentle, lacking sharpness and ambition. He treated his two younger brothers with the same care as his own son, Shen Ge'er.
Fortunately, the second and third brothers had no ambitions. One was content with nature, and the other enjoyed making friends. Otherwise, Madam Wu would have worried that the Qiu family's future patriarch would be replaced.
After escorting him to the垂花门 (chuí huā mén - a type of gate in traditional Chinese architecture), Madam Wu's smile finally faded. She looked at Qiu Bingde's retreating back with complex eyes.
"Madam, you don't need to worry. The son-in-law has his own plans," said Nanny Dong from the side. She knew her young lady was annoyed that the son-in-law lacked ambition, and that he was entertaining guests at Yipin Tower when such a major incident had occurred in the mansion.
The second young master was a good person, but unfortunately, the second young madam was shallow and always had her eyes on the position of the head of the family. It was no wonder her young lady was anxious. The third young master was not yet married. If there were another sister-in-law, who knew what the situation in the mansion would be like.
Madam Wu was very close to her wet nurse. There were some things she couldn't say to her husband, Qiu Bingde, and her maiden family was far away, so she could only confide in Nanny Dong.
With a long sigh, Madam Wu turned and walked back into the room. Even though the maids in the courtyard were her dowry, Nanny Dong only spoke her mind after asking the maids attending to retreat outside when they entered the room.
"The saying goes, 'The youngest son and the eldest grandson are the old lady's lifeblood!' Not only the mother, but the father also dotes on the third brother the most. When the third brother gets married in the future, this favoritism might be transferred to the youngest daughter-in-law and the youngest grandson. If they truly have brotherly affection, how would there be the Xuanwu Incident in the history books?"
Nanny Dong handed over the tea and said in a low voice, "The mansion favors the third young master, but the third young master has no scholarly achievements yet."
Nanny Dong was a child of the Wu family's household. As a servant from an official family, her vision and knowledge were superior to those of scholars from humble backgrounds. The Qiu family, being a scholarly and official family, valued inheritance the most.
Although the Qiu family's ancestral rules did not require the嫡子 (dí zǐ - legitimate son) to inherit the family business, Nanny Dong believed that among the three young masters of the Qiu family, only Qiu Bingde could be the patriarch. Although the eldest young master was only a fifth-rank official, the second and third young masters were still commoners. In comparison, the difference was obvious.
The tea brewed from the high-grade tea leaves had no bitterness, but Madam Wu felt as if she were drinking bitter melon water. She put down the teacup and said helplessly, "I'm not worried about my husband, but Nanny, I'm worried about the next generation."
It was not that Madam Wu was thinking too far ahead. Strictly speaking, Qiu Wangshu was the most talented in the Qiu family, while Qiu Bingde could only be considered mediocre. Madam Wu was worried that her son would not be able to compare with the second branch, and that the position of patriarch would be passed from Qiu Bingde to his nephew, which Madam Wu could not accept.
Nanny Dong opened her mouth, wanting to say that Madam Wu was thinking too much. The two children had only started their studies a few years ago, and it was impossible to tell who was more talented and promising. They would have to wait until after the imperial examinations to have achieved scholarly success.
Madam Wu raised her hand and rubbed her temples. She didn't need to hear the answer from a servant like Nanny Dong. She narrowed her eyes and continued, "Nanny, you don't need to say self-deceiving words. Not to mention the deceased Qiu Jinyu, he had completely suppressed our main branch until we were in darkness. Just look at Zhan Feiyu. She was accepted as a disciple by Scholar Gu only a little over two years ago."
"My husband said that Scholar Gu has always been in the capital, and he usually assigns homework through letters. Even with such self-study, Uncle Xiao is eager to take her as a disciple and compete with Scholar Gu for her. When Father mentions Zhan Feiyu, he truly praises her highly."
Nanny Dong was Madam Wu's head nanny and was present at the time. This was the first time she had seen Lord Qiu praise a junior so highly. If this young girl were a descendant of the Qiu family, the position of patriarch would truly be out of the eldest young master's reach.
Back then, Qiu Jinyu of the third branch had achieved the title of 小三元 (xiǎo sān yuán - a scholar who ranked first in three consecutive imperial examinations). In the master's words, he was merely "this child is good at studying." "Shen Ge'er is still young, and some people are late bloomers. Shen Ge'er will definitely be like those who achieve great things in old age in storybooks."
Madam Wu fell silent. She remembered hearing people say that sons were like their mothers. However, Shen Ge'er's mind and personality were very much like her husband's. "Talent is determined from birth. Look at the top scholars in the Great Qing Dynasty, which one achieved it through diligence? Which one was a late bloomer? When a man's beard is white and he's old, how many years can he serve the court?"
Although Madam Wu also doted on Shen Ge'er, she was a wise woman. As the saying goes, "You can tell a person's future at three years old." She could clearly see whether her own child had talent.
Nanny Dong could understand Madam Wu's unwillingness, but when she thought of a certain possibility, she felt a pang of panic and glanced around warily. "Miss, this old servant only recognizes a few characters and doesn't understand grand principles, but there are still the master and madam in the mansion. Miss, you must not have any other ideas."
Nanny Dong was truly afraid that Madam Wu would harm Lin Ge'er of the second branch. Her young lady was intelligent, but the master was a provincial governor, a second-rank official of the imperial court. These calculations in the inner chambers were merely petty tricks that could not escape the eyes of the master and madam.
Once her young lady took action against the descendants of the Qiu family, whether successful or not, it would be a dead end. And the dowry servants from the Wu family would also have no way out.
Madam Wu did not speak. She rested her chin on her hand as if she were asleep, but no one knew what she was thinking.
...
Front courtyard study.
Knowing that Qiu Bingde had returned, Madam Qiu also immediately rushed over from the backyard. The mother and son met at the entrance of the study.
In the study, Qiu Huaixin, who was feeling stifled, keenly noticed Madam Qiu and Qiu Bingde in the courtyard. He jumped up and, as if seeing a savior, rushed over. "Mother, eldest brother."
"How old are you and you still have no proper manners," Madam Qiu slapped away Qiu Huaixin's outstretched hand and chided him playfully. "You're already of marriageable age, yet you still act like you're the same age as Shen Ge'er and Lin Ge'er."
"No matter how old I am, I'm still mother's good son." As soon as Qiu Huaixin uttered these shameless words, Qiu Wangshu, who was sitting and drinking tea, spat out a mouthful of tea.
Lord Qiu had been in the mansion for almost an hour since his return and had seen Qiu Huaixin. He had not reprimanded him, but Lord Qiu's indifferent attitude made Qiu Huaixin uneasy. He didn't even dare to sit down. Seeing Madam Qiu now, he couldn't help but want to seek her help.
Lord Qiu still ignored Qiu Huaixin and looked at Qiu Bingde as he entered the room. "What's the situation outside?"
"The Xiang family's funeral was already attracting attention. Coupled with the arrival of the yamen, the news couldn't be suppressed at all." Qiu Bingde had been entertaining Zhan Feiyu at Yipin Tower, but he had already made arrangements. "Someone wants to use second brother's matter to attack father."
Qiu Wangshu wiped the tea stains from the corner of his mouth. His previously lazy posture suddenly straightened, and his expression turned cold. "The matter of the third branch has only just passed, and second brother is now accused of forcing an elder to death. The Censorate will likely impeach father for not managing his household properly."
Lord Qiu was the head of the Qiu family. Although the third branch was a collateral branch, they also bore the surname Qiu. Previously, the Qiu family had been able to safely pass this ordeal because of the Emperor's trust and reliance on Lord Qiu. However, if the Qiu family encountered one incident after another, even if the Emperor intended to protect them, he would have to consider the feelings of all the officials.