Chapter Fourteen: The Situation of the He Family

“This year marks the forty-fifth year of Jiacheng. His Majesty ascended the throne in his prime, and he’s nearly sixty years old,” He Ziqi remarked.

“And what of the Crown Prince position?”

“Shh—” He Ziqi lowered his voice. “Don’t speak of that. The Emperor detests this matter more than anything. Whoever dares to discuss the succession never meets a good end.”

He Chong’an immediately sensed a great storm brewing—or rather, that undercurrents were already surging within the capital. Only he was unaware of it.

He soon put the matter aside. Whoever became emperor was none of his concern.

Upon returning home, Madam He’s eyes brightened when she saw a box containing a pocket watch. She then took out a stack of silver notes, placed them inside the box, sealed it with wax, and instructed He Ziqi to entrust a loyal servant to deliver it posthaste to the marquis.

Next, she brought out a large chest and retrieved a fur coat, handing it to He Chong’an. “This treasure was gained by our ancestors during battles in the Northern Wilderness. It is the pelt of an ice bear from the far north—a prize worth a fortune.”

“Thank you for the pocket watch. This coat is your reward,” she said.

He Chong’an hesitated twice before accepting it, and Madam He urged him to try it on.

He could do nothing but wear it. The fur was as white and soft as snow, incredibly fluffy and impervious to water. After a short while, a slight sweat appeared on He Chong’an’s brow, as if he had applied several warming patches.

To onlookers, He Chong’an appeared even more prosperous and distinguished.

The luxurious fur coat described in Li Bai’s poems was likely no better.

Madam He chuckled as she watched him don the coat. “Honestly, your father and two elder brothers are at the front lines. The household is in chaos, with no one reliable to help manage affairs. Thankfully, you are here.”

“From now on, you will stay by my side and help run the household,” she declared.

Though Madam He intended to use He Chong’an, she remained cautious and wanted to observe him closely to discern his true character.

His talent was certain, but talent without virtue or with ulterior motives demanded vigilance.

He Chong’an readily agreed.

In this way, he entered the decision-making circle of the He family.

He quickly expressed gratitude and presented a music box. “Last time, I neglected to give sister Rou’er a gift. I feel truly ashamed. Please allow me to make amends. Kindly deliver this on my behalf.”

Madam He smiled. “You are thoughtful. No need to send it through someone else—give it to her yourself. She will surely be delighted.”

With those words, the inner courtyard of Marquis Wuning’s residence effectively welcomed He Chong’an’s presence.

Had He Chong’an grown up in the mansion, it would have been in the inner courtyard before moving to the main courtyard upon reaching maturity. Naturally, there were no restrictions on his entering the inner courtyard.

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He Chong’an entered Rou He’s courtyard and found her standing stiffly with a basin of water on her head, her small face etched with misery.

“What's wrong?” he asked.

An elder woman replied, “Second Miss is learning proper etiquette.”

“That’s enough for today. We’ll continue another time,” He Chong’an said.

The elder women exchanged glances.

“Why, haven’t you heard what Third Brother said?” a voice came from behind He Chong’an. It was He Wan.

The elder women immediately apologized and prepared to leave.

“Spread the word: from now on, whatever Third Brother says in this household is as if I said it,” He Wan declared.

“Yes, ma’am,” they answered.

As the women departed, Rou He cried out, set down the basin, and threw herself into He Chong’an’s arms. “Third Brother is so kind.”

“How kind?” He Chong’an smiled.

“Better than Sister. Sister never lets me stop when learning etiquette.”

“You silly girl,” He Wan tapped Rou He’s head. “Noble ladies in the capital may lack in scholarship or needlework, but they must understand etiquette. Every movement has its rules. If you don’t learn, how will you face others in the future?”

Rou He turned away, refusing to meet He Wan’s gaze, and clung to He Chong’an. “Third Brother is the best.”

He Chong’an patted her head. “Look, here’s the gift I promised.”

He placed the music box on the table and opened it, releasing a crisp melody.

Rou He was overjoyed.

He Chong’an had a sudden thought. “This can actually be sung.”

He then taught Rou He to sing “Two Tigers.”

She learned quickly.

Once she mastered it, Rou He became wildly playful.

She first ran to Madam He. “Mother, shall I sing ‘Two Tigers’ for you?”

She clapped her hands and sang the tune once.

Then she ran to others, asking everyone she met, “How did you know I can sing ‘Two Tigers’?”

Her little legs were so quick that neither He Chong’an nor Rou He’s elder brothers could catch her.

A warmth stirred in He Chong’an’s heart—a faint sense of family. But he quickly stifled it, reminding himself, “You are a fraud. Don’t take this to heart.”

Still, for this sliver of warmth, he was willing to do more for the family.

He also hoped his true identity would never be revealed.

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From then on, Madam He summoned all the village heads and household managers. He Chong’an and He Wan stood by, assisting.

Listening to Madam He and examining the He family’s accounts, He Chong’an discovered that five years ago, when the marquis became commander of the Western Sea forces, the household had a surplus of over one hundred thousand taels. Half of it came from spoils of war in the Southern Sea.

Now, however, the He family was completely depleted.

Not only that, but they had sold off many minor assets. The household’s cash on hand was only a few thousand taels.

For an ordinary family, a few thousand taels was a significant fortune, but for the He family, it was barely enough to survive the year.

He Chong’an’s curiosity deepened. At a suitable moment, he privately asked Madam He, “Mother, why is the household expenditure so great?”

“Because of the Western Sea campaign,” Madam He replied, clearly troubled.

He Chong’an was perplexed. “Why does our family pay for the war expenses while fighting for the court?”

“Good question,” Madam He said. “As a member of the He family, you should understand how the court wages war.”

“Please enlighten me, Mother,” He Chong’an bowed.

“For example, suppose you face an impregnable city that must be taken by force. What would you do?”

He Chong’an thought for a moment. “Under great rewards, brave men will surely emerge.”

“Exactly. You set a bounty—let’s say ten thousand taels. Good. The city falls. Do you pay the soldiers the ten thousand taels?”

“Of course. To withhold payment would spark mutiny.”

“Right. It must be paid in full, not a single tael less. But where does the money come from?”

“From the court’s military budget, naturally.”

“Would the court provide this bounty money in advance?”

He Chong’an pondered briefly. “Probably not. The court wouldn’t know beforehand that the city requires such a fierce assault.”

“Correct. The battlefield changes in an instant, with countless unclear expenses—rewards for soldiers, bribing enemy generals, purchasing intelligence, and so on. Even if the commander is honest, the military budget is a mess—impossible to audit clearly.”