Chapter 112: A Night at the Noble Residence, Amidst the Howling Wind...

As the carriage crossed the Ba River Bridge and left behind the weeping willows lining the banks, the coughing from seventeen-year-old Miss Cui in the carriage behind finally subsided.

However, the manservant sent off at dawn to gallop to the Wang family in Chang’an had yet to return, and no one from the Wang family had appeared to receive the Cui siblings. Du Shiyi had originally intended to hand them over and then return to his old family estate in Duqu, Fanchuan, without entering the city of Chang’an. But since no one had come, he had no choice but to see the matter through to the end. Having spent several months in Luoyang, he was no longer as awestruck as he once was, yet as they arrived beneath the watchtower of the Mingde Gate, the sheer imposing presence of this "First Gate of Chang’an" still struck him with force.

The Mingde Gate featured five passage ways, spanning nearly twenty rods in width; each passage was remarkably deep, appearing dim and cavernous at a glance. Even in broad daylight, blazing torches were lit in the central passage to illuminate the way for those entering and exiting. The central gate remained closed, while the four side passages were bustling, with four wheel ruts in the outermost lanes allowing two carriages to pass side by side—westbound and eastbound—in orderly fashion. As Du Shiyi’s party prepared to head toward the westernmost lane, a group of riders suddenly burst out from the eastern gate. The man in the lead, upon seeing their grand caravan of ox carts, carriages, and attendants, immediately let out a shout.

"Fourth Young Master, the Twenty-fifth Young Master and the Seventeenth Miss have arrived!"

At that sound, the group across the way turned to look. A rider emerged from the crowd, and upon reaching them, he bowed with a smile. "Are you Master Du and the two Master Wangs? Thank you both for your hard work in bringing my cousins to Chang’an. I, Wang Rongting, am deeply grateful."

Wang Wei had long heard that the mother of the twenty-fifth Master Cui and the seventeenth Miss Cui was from the Taiyuan Wang clan. Though not of the main lineage, they were still a better match than his own branch, which had long since become distant. Thus, if the man had identified himself as "Taiyuan Wang Four," it would have been quite awkward. But as this young man in his early twenties greeted them with a smile and referred only to his given name, omitting the prestige of his ancestral home, Wang Wei felt an immediate sense of rapport and exchanged a few polite pleasantries based on their shared surname. When Du Shiyi heard Wang Rongting’s apologetic explanation—that he had been delayed by family affairs upon receiving the news—his sincerity was such that Du could not possibly hold any grudge. Finally, the "little fatty" of the Cui family grew impatient and pushed open the carriage door to jump out.

"Fourth Cousin, how much longer are you going to drag this out with your endless chatter? It’s almost dark, and the curfew will be closing the city gates!"

Years had passed, yet this little fatty was just as disagreeable as ever.

Wang Rongting cast a helpless, sidelong glance at him before cordially inviting everyone to stay at the Wang residence in Guangde Ward. The journey had taken far too long, and after Wang Wei had reunited with his younger brother, Wang Jin, in the Eastern Capital, they had stayed too long, leading them to surrender their previous rental in Chang’an. Thus, he readily accepted the invitation offered out of clan fellowship. Du Shiyi had intended to take Miss Thirteen to the old estate in Fanchuan, but seeing the late hour, he realized that if the old house was not ready for occupancy, he would have to scramble before nightfall. Deciding to be pragmatic, he accepted the offer without further fuss.

Wang Rongting, however, raised an eyebrow in confusion as he watched his little cousin climb back into the carriage without another word. The boy used to complain that the carriage was stifling and preferred to show off on horseback, even having a custom pair of stirrups made—why the sudden change in temperament?

Guangde Ward was located west of Anhua Gate Avenue, the sixth ward from the north. As dusk fell, the pedestrians on the road were rushing to beat the curfew. Fortunately, with Wang Rongting leading the way, the group passed through the Mingde Gate, traveled north along Vermilion Bird Avenue, turned west at Yanxing Gate Avenue, and then north again at Anhua Gate Avenue before entering the ward through the eastern gate. As they traveled from the crossroads toward the Wang residence in the northwest corner, they passed the Jingzhao Prefecture office, which occupied a quarter of the ward. The office had clearly closed for the day; only flags rustling in the wind remained, along with a row of neat mounting blocks and tethering posts, with two guards in black robes standing stiffly at the gate. After crossing the main intersection and turning north into a secondary street, Du Shiyi soon saw the gatehouse of the Wang residence.

The master of the house, Wang Rongting’s father, Wang Qinglan, was currently serving as a Vice Minister in the Ministry of Revenue, a position of the upper sixth rank. In the Tang court, where central officials were strictly limited, such a rank was not easily attained even by those from prominent families. Compared to the brothers Cui Taizhi and Cui Ezhi, however, his title and status were significantly lower, and the house appeared much more modest from the outside. Yet, after passing through the simple gate, bypassing the solemn and solitary main hall—which was not particularly grand—and proceeding through the second gate, Du Shiyi followed Wang Rongting through several courtyards and could not help but marvel at the hidden splendor within.

The northern style of architecture tended to be spacious and square, and the other courtyards in the Wang home followed this pattern, but the courtyard they now entered was quite different. In the center lay a pond crossed by a winding wooden bridge, with a rockery in the middle. At the end of the bridge stood a quaint little building, flanked by covered corridors on either side. Upon closer inspection, Du Shiyi noticed that the ground floor of the building was fully open, supported by pillars with no walls. Inside, there were nothing but floor mats, screens, and small low tables. The polished, lacquered wooden floor had been wiped so clean it seemed to reflect the people standing upon it. While such a space would require partitions in winter, it was perfectly bright and airy for the spring.

Seeing the little fatty’s eyes light up, Wang Rongting smiled. "Knowing that the Twenty-fifth Master and the Seventeenth Miss were coming for a short stay, Father ordered that the Danran Pavilion—the place you liked most—be cleared out for you."

"Uncle is the best!"

The previously sullen little fatty cheered, finally shaking off the trauma of their near-death experience on the road. He immediately hurried toward the northern staircase. However, the moment he stepped onto the stairs, a soft but distinct cough sounded from behind him. Having grown accustomed to that sound throughout the journey, he instinctively froze and turned back. Seeing Du Shiyi chatting and laughing with Wang Rongting as if nothing had happened, the boy gritted his teeth in irritation, but eventually, he reluctantly returned to the side of Miss Seventeen. Faced with this turn of events, Wang Rongting was even more baffled.

The second floor was divided into five rooms: a study to the east, a bedchamber to the west, and a central room for lounging and receiving guests. Five years had passed since Miss Seventeen and the little fatty had last stayed here; they were still young then, and sharing a space was natural. Now, returning to the old site, Miss Seventeen spoke without a second thought, "Brother, you are grown now; you should have this place to yourself."

The little fatty, who loved this place most, was about to agree, but he couldn't help but steal a glance at Du Shiyi. Even though Du hadn't looked at him once, the boy changed his tune. "Since Master Du and the Wang brothers are our guests today, they should naturally stay in the main building. I will take the eastern corridor, and my sister and the Du family’s Miss Thirteen can take the western one. From now on, the main building shall be for my sister."

If Wang Rongting had been merely puzzled before, he was now genuinely astonished. This little fatty actually knew how to be polite? Du Shiyi, meanwhile, secretly restrained the Wang brothers from offering humble refusals, signaling to them with a smile.

Miss Seventeen looked at her brother in disbelief. Stunned, it took her a moment to stammer, "How can that be..."

"Why not? What is mine is yours, and what is yours is mine. You are my sister, and I have decided!" After making his arbitrary decision, the little fatty heard the faint sound of drums in the distance and stretched vigorously. "Fourth Cousin, it’s late already. Is there anything to eat? I’m starving!"

"Of course there is, you won't starve to death!" Wang Rongting, unable to muster the proper authority of an elder brother toward the little fatty, scolded him with a laugh. He then explained to Du Shiyi and the Wang brothers, "For now, let’s get you settled, then we shall go to the inner hall to see my mother. The kitchen has already prepared everything."

The Tang dynasty was an open society; the noblewomen of high-ranking official families were not overly concerned about meeting male guests. Furthermore, Du Shiyi was a young junior with close ties to the Cui family, and the Wang brothers shared their surname. After Lady Zheng, the wife of Wang Qinglan, met the group in the inner hall, she smiled and pulled Miss Thirteen and Miss Seventeen to sit beside her, then ordered food and wine to be served. As the trays were placed before everyone, she gestured for Wang Rongting to personally pour wine for Du Shiyi and the Wang brothers. She said with a smile, "It is over eight hundred miles from Luoyang to Chang’an, and I hear you were delayed by several incidents along the way. You must be exhausted. If you don't mind, do stay with us for a few more days."

Staying the night was one thing, as each had their own inconveniences, but accepting a long-term stay at the Wang residence—whether for Du Shiyi or the Wang brothers—was not something they could treat as a favor to be accepted lightly. Du Shiyi explained that he needed to take Miss Thirteen to their old residence in Fanchuan, and Wang Wei politely declined, saying he had already arranged for a rental. Lady Zheng did not press the matter further. After the meal, knowing how weary everyone was, she had her most trusted servant, Mother Liu, escort them to their quarters, but she asked Wang Rongting to stay behind.

"I see that Master Du and the two Master Wangs are all men of exceptional character and refined appearance. It was said that the thirteenth Master Wang was a talent of his generation when he frequented the noble houses of the capital, and though I was once skeptical, seeing him today proves the rumors true. As for this Master Du, he once had a great reputation, then was said to have lost his touch, only to rise to fame again a few years later—truly, the tides of fortune are unpredictable."

"It is hard to say regarding the two Wang brothers, but the nineteenth Master Du is someone the late Grand Lady of Qi thought highly of. Otherwise, the Duke of Zhao would not have written a special letter asking Father to look after him during the Ministry of Rites examinations next year. You must realize, he hasn't even passed the preliminary examinations yet, so how could he be at the Ministry level? However, I truly never expected the Twenty-fifth Master to have someone he fears." Wang Rongting recounted the strange behavior of the little fatty to his mother and laughed. "I noticed that in front of him, the Twenty-fifth Master is much better behaved than before."

"He is nearly thirteen; it is time he learned some sense." Lady Zheng, who had vivid memories of her nephew’s foul temper, pondered for a moment before remembering something more pressing. "The curfew has already begun. Why hasn't your father returned yet? He went to visit the Duke of Qi, the Commander-in-Chief. Even if he felt obliged to pay a courtesy call due to their shared surname, the Duke of Qi is not from the main Taiyuan Wang line. Isn't it a bit conspicuous to stay so long?"

"Father should know the logic behind what you say, Mother," Wang Rongting said, furrowing his brow in thought before murmuring to himself, "Unless..."

"Unless what?"

"Unless the Duke of Qi is not suffering from a minor illness, but a grave one!"

Note: The Duke of Qi, Wang Renjiao, was the father of Empress Wang, the consort of Emperor Xuanzong.