Chapter 98: Is a Fight About to Break Out?

Xue Rui, filled with questions, led the students back to the Imperial Observatory. As they entered, he heard the astronomy students discussing the upcoming day off. Upon inquiry, Xue Rui learned that the officials of the bureau had recently decided to grant a day of rest tomorrow, allowing the officials and students to return home.

According to standard Ming dynasty practice, government offices typically observed a rest day every five days, totaling about six days off per month. Beyond this, traditional festivals like the Lunar New Year, the Winter Solstice, and the Lantern Festival brought an additional three to ten days of leave for officials to spend with their families. While these were the regulations, many offices often occupied these rest days due to special circumstances. The Imperial Observatory was one such place; since his arrival, Xue Rui had never seen the students take a break. Whenever someone had family matters to attend to, they had to apply for leave. The reason for this was that Peng Deqing had drafted a large number of staff for the northern military expedition, forcing the remaining personnel to shoulder the extra workload, hence the month-long absence of any rest.

During the meal, the astronomy students discussed the situation. Liu Jin, who worked under Xu Dun, revealed that the ministers at court had collectively submitted a petition that day, requesting the Empress Dowager to appoint the Prince of Cheng as the new monarch. Now, the entire civil and military bureaucracy was awaiting her response.

As Xue Rui ate, he asked curiously, "In such a critical time, why is our observatory suddenly granting a day off?"

Liu Jin lowered his voice and told those at the table, "I happened to hear the mid-level officials discussing it. It’s likely because the ministers are very firm in their stance, and it is highly probable the Empress Dowager will agree. Once that happens, our observatory will have to coordinate with the Ministry of Rites to prepare for the enthronement ceremony, which will be incredibly busy. So, they are giving everyone a day to rest and recharge so we have the energy to work."

This aligned with Xue Rui’s expectations. Once the Empress Dowager agreed, the ministers would urge Prince Zhu Qiyu to take the throne. After a few rounds of polite refusal, Zhu Qiyu becoming emperor was a foregone conclusion. The Ministry of Rites would handle the ceremony, while the Imperial Observatory would be responsible for calculating the auspicious timing. The Emperor would also need to conduct sacrifices at the Imperial Ancestral Temple to honor his ancestors, along with a series of heaven-worshipping activities, all of which required the participation of the observatory staff. Once the ceremonies were finished, everyone would likely be exhausted, so letting the students rest beforehand was a sensible move.

After finishing his shift and returning home, Xue Rui went to the study as usual to wait for Hu Ying'er for their lesson. Waiting and waiting, he didn't see her arrive. He pulled over a maid and asked, only to hear that Hu Ying'er had gone to find Madam Liu and hadn't come over yet.

"Why is she looking for my mother?" Xue Rui’s expression changed instantly. Without waiting for the maid to answer, he rushed toward his mother’s quarters, afraid that if he arrived too late, the two women might be fighting.

Panting, he reached the west wing. In the corridor outside the room, Susu and Jin'er were sitting together, whispering.

"Young Master, why are you in such a rush?" Susu asked, a bit surprised to see him running so fast.

"Where is your mistress?" Xue Rui didn't answer, staring intently at Jin'er.

Jin'er glanced into the room and said curiously, "The mistress is learning embroidery from Madam Liu."

"What? Embroidery? Just the two of them?" Xue Rui almost bit his tongue. He wasn't entirely sure how bad Hu Ying'er’s needlework was, but he knew his mother’s skills all too well. For the past month, his mother and Susu had been fussing over a pair of ugly cloth shoes for him. If it came to embroidery, his mother had likely never even mastered the basics.

He crept to the door and peered inside. In the living room, his father, Xue Yuanhao, was reading a book with great interest. From the bedroom, the sound of women talking drifted out. Xue Rui hurried inside and asked, "Dad, they aren't fighting, are they?"

"Fighting?" Xue Yuanhao looked toward the bedroom, puzzled. "Why would they be fighting?"

"Er... it’s good if they aren't. I’ll go check." Xue Rui felt a sense of relief. Hu Ying'er had recently been slighted by Madam Liu behind her back, so her taking the initiative to visit—and specifically choosing needlework, a skill neither was good at—seemed like a bold provocation. If things went sour, it would be hard to smooth over.

Inside the bedroom, the two women were sitting on a small daybed. The atmosphere wasn't as tense as Xue Rui had imagined; it was surprisingly harmonious. What puzzled him was that each had a sewing basket beside her. Hu Ying'er was holding a round silk fan, stitching away, while Madam Liu sat beside her, looking dignified and virtuous, occasionally offering pointers as if she were a seasoned expert.

Seeing such a peaceful scene, Xue Rui was intrigued and stepped closer.

"Rui'er, you're back from your shift?" Seeing her son enter, Madam Liu was delighted and stood up from the bed. Hu Ying'er also exhaled almost imperceptibly, stood up, performed a graceful curtsy, and said softly, "Greetings, Brother."

"???" Seeing Hu Ying'er looking so gentle and well-mannered, Xue Rui felt a chill run down his spine, and goosebumps broke out all over. "Has Hu Ying'er lost her mind?" He stared hard at her, hoping she would return to normal, but she wouldn't look at him.

Seeing her son staring blankly at Hu Ying'er, Madam Liu prompted, "Your sister is greeting you; why are you acting like a fool?"

"Oh, oh, hello, Sister." Xue Rui had to pull himself together and greet her awkwardly.

"Since you are back, I will go to the study to prepare the books for our lesson. Auntie, it is getting late; I shall come again tomorrow to ask for your guidance on embroidery," Hu Ying'er said, putting away her sewing basket and turning to Madam Liu.

"Yes, yes, do come by and sit with me whenever you have time. It’s lovely for us to chat," Madam Liu said with feigned politeness.

"Then I shall wait for you in the study." Hu Ying'er curtsied to both of them, greeted Xue Yuanhao on her way out, and left gracefully.

*Phew.* Once she was gone, Madam Liu let out a long sigh. Looking at the sewing basket Hu Ying'er had packed away, she looked quite uncomfortable. Xue Rui glanced at the fat bird embroidered on the round fan and asked curiously, "Mother, why are you two interested in embroidery? It takes a lot of effort to get it right. Look at this duck—it looks like a goose. Did you teach her to embroider this?"

"What duck? It’s a mandarin duck!" Madam Liu glared at her son. "Although I am not a master, I have seen plenty of others work. Ying'er’s skills are lacking, so my guidance is enough. Look, under my tutelage, she has managed to... well, she’s a motherless child, her needlework is beyond help." She wanted to brag, but looking at the semi-finished "mandarin duck," which really did look like the goose her son described, she bit her tongue and stopped boasting.

Hearing this, Xue Rui relaxed and probed, "She’s coming back tomorrow. Is there anything else you need to teach her?"

"There is... right?" Madam Liu hesitated. She had used every bit of her embroidery knowledge in the past hour to avoid losing face. If Hu Ying'er came back tomorrow, she really wouldn't know what to teach.

"Forget it, Mother. Don't waste your energy on that. Looking after my father is the real priority. I’ll talk to Hu Ying'er and tell her not to bother you anymore." Knowing his mother was merely putting on a brave face, Xue Rui offered her an easy way out.

"That’s fine. Your father’s health has just improved, and I need to keep a close eye on him. By the way, your grandfather’s family moved into the city today. They heard your father was safely out of prison and even visited the manor. Let’s go visit them tomorrow after your shift; it’s only proper to return the courtesy."

"That works out perfectly. I’m off tomorrow, so I’ll accompany you to see them. I haven't seen my cousins in a long time." The timing was perfect. He had planned to visit the Zhao residence tomorrow, but since the Liu family was in town, he could visit them with his mother.

After discussing it with Xue Yuanhao, who had no objections—especially since the Liu family had provided ice for the manor and sent gifts after his release, making it necessary to show gratitude—Xue Rui took Susu to the study.

Once inside, Hu Ying'er was busy grinding ink. Xue Rui told Susu to guard the door and then closed it. Seeing Hu Ying'er focused and ignoring him, he walked behind the desk and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"You—let go! I’ll call for help!" Hu Ying'er could no longer keep up the act and struggled vigorously.

"At your command, Miss Hu." Xue Rui surrendered immediately.

Hu Ying'er arched her eyebrows, blushing with indignation. "What did you promise me? You’re taking advantage of me again. If you do this again, I won't talk to you."

"And you promised last night you wouldn't bother my mother, yet you went and provoked her today," Xue Rui said, annoyed.

Hu Ying'er feigned ignorance. "What are you talking about? I only wanted to ask Auntie for embroidery advice. Thanks to her guidance, my skills have improved significantly... *pfft.*"

She couldn't help but burst into laughter. Seeing this, Xue Rui knew she had deliberately made things difficult for his mother by choosing the most challenging needlework. Fortunately, his mother’s sisters-in-law often showed off their embroidery in front of her, so she had seen enough to barely save face. If his mother knew the truth, given their fiery tempers, they would have certainly ended up in a row.

"Enough. I’m telling you, you are not allowed to go to my mother again tomorrow. What if you end up making things worse?" Xue Rui softened his tone and reminded her earnestly.

"Alright, alright, I have a sense of propriety. I didn't intend to go again anyway. Don't worry, I’m good at making excuses." Seeing Xue Rui’s serious expression, Hu Ying'er stopped acting childish; after all, it was his mother, and any argument would likely leave her at a disadvantage.

"That’s more like it." Xue Rui’s expression finally relaxed. Before the lesson, Hu Ying'er was delighted to hear about the day off. Recently, Hu Zhong’s health had improved, and with the transition of power, he had been busy organizing the bureau’s affairs to hand over to his disciple, Xue Yuanhao. He hadn't missed a day, and Hu Ying'er had been worried about his exhaustion. A day off would finally give him a chance to rest.

The next morning, Xue Rui borrowed Hu Zhong’s carriage to take his mother to visit his grandfather. With over a dozen members of the Liu family now in the capital, it was only right for the Xue family to show their respects. Madam Liu carefully selected gifts from those they had received, preparing generous offerings for her father and three brothers.

In the past, when the Xue family was struggling, their gifts were never worth much, and her sisters-in-law had often looked down on them. But now, the Xue family’s fortunes had turned—Xue Yuanhao was about to fill a position, and his son was a promising official. Most importantly, they were now associated with powerful families like the British Duke’s and the Zhao family. Madam Liu couldn't wait to show off.

The Liu family had rented a house near the warehouse in the eastern part of the city. After consulting with his sons, Xue Rui’s grandfather, Liu Wenyao, had rented a courtyard nearby for convenience. The area was bustling with merchants and shops, a scene of prosperity.

After asking for directions, Xue Rui finally found the house. It was a modest three-courtyard residence, seemingly newly built with blue bricks and green tiles, surrounded by bamboo. It suited the Liu family’s status well.

Xue Rui knocked on the gate, and an old servant emerged. He didn't recognize Xue Rui at first until he saw Madam Liu behind him, at which point he exclaimed, "Young Mistress, you’ve returned!"

The old servant, He Famou, had served the Liu family for years. When Madam Liu was young, she used to play with him, and hearing him call her "Young Mistress" filled her with nostalgia.

"I’ve come to see Father... Uncle He, you look much thinner. How is your health?" Madam Liu asked.

"Just old age, Young Mistress. My teeth aren't what they used to be, but I’m doing fine," He Famou replied.

Madam Liu introduced Xue Rui, "Uncle He, this is Rui'er. You met him when he was young."

"Is this the Young Master?" He Famou looked him over, excited. "You’ve grown so tall! The master told us how you helped get our carriage back from the officials; everyone says the family would have collapsed without you. It’s a great kindness!" He started to kneel, but Xue Rui quickly stopped him, insisting, "Uncle He, the Liu family is my family too. I couldn't just stand by. Please, don't bow to me."

After being helped up, He Famou bowed instead and hurried inside to announce their arrival to the master of the house.