Spring in the Hall of Paintings

Third Master Rongzhi held the position of a second-rank Imperial Bodyguard and was a favored courtier of the Kangxi Emperor, so he accompanied the Emperor on his military campaign. Second Master Rongxuan, stationed as the Vice Commander at the Fengtai Military Camp, which originally only protected the capital and didn’t participate in campaigns, was also called upon to accompany the Emperor on the expedition. Rongxuan belonged to the Plain Blue Banner, making it reasonable for him to go along.

Fucha was worried about her husband Rongxuan’s safety, but she understood that this campaign was a significant opportunity for him to further his career. Though reluctant, she couldn’t say much. As she personally prepared his travel bag, her incessant chatter was a bit surprising to him. She constantly reminded him to rest and stay safe, making him feel a little taken aback. In his eyes, his wife had always been intelligent and strong.

Fucha spent a long time making sure everything was prepared, and when she finally turned to face Rongxuan, she saw no sign of anxiety in his eyes—only calm and composure. Even under great pressure, he remained steady. This stability was why Fucha had chosen to marry him. Rongxuan wasn’t good with words, nor was he handsome, but he made Fucha feel secure.

“My lord, may I say something unwise?” Fucha approached Rongxuan, her fingers cool as she picked up the white porcelain teapot from the sandalwood table and poured tea for him. Lowering her head slightly, she quietly spoke, “I know that my lord has great ambitions, wishing to achieve glory and bring honor to the family. But… I would rather see you return safely to the capital. We have children, and as long as you are safe, I want nothing more.”

Her plea for his safety spoke volumes about Fucha’s deep feelings for him. Due to the third master Rongzhi’s newfound noble title from the Kangxi Emperor, Third Lady Guo Luoluo held a command position among the sisters-in-law, and her attitude became more arrogant toward Fucha. In the era when a woman’s status was linked to her husband’s, not all women were indifferent to titles and honors.

“Zhuohua,” Rongxuan, who was not good with words, struggled to express himself. It was rare for him to call Fucha by name, but when he did, it felt like a promise. He tightly gripped his wife’s hand and looked at her earnestly, his voice low and sincere: “Take good care of the children. If I—”

Before he could finish, Fucha pressed a finger to his lips, scolding, “Pah! Don’t say such things, my lord. You still need to watch our daughter marry and our son find a good match.”

Rongxuan stood up with a smile and nodded. “I won’t speak of my ambitions. Even for the sake of the children, I won’t miss this campaign. Our daughter will marry well.”

This was Rongxuan’s love for Yun Wei. From this, it was clear that Rongxuan’s arms tensed for a moment as he slowly embraced Fucha. From her surprised expression, this kind of affection wasn’t common during the day. Rongxuan softly whispered in her ear, “Zhuohua, wait for me to return.”

“Mm, I will wait for you to return safely, my lord.”

A maid’s voice interrupted their rare moment of affection: “Second Master and Misses ask for your presence.”

Reluctantly, Rongxuan released his wife and muttered, “These children… so clueless.”

Fucha waved a handkerchief, trying to hide her embarrassment, and teased, “My lord, don’t you want to see them?”

Rongxuan smiled, “The children are just as much your treasures as mine. Their future is just as important as my ambitions on the battlefield. The glory and honor of our family is one thing, but only if I establish myself in the officialdom will our children’s futures be secure.”

Cheng Wu led Yun Wei and Yun Yi to the room, where the curtain embroidered with a pattern of joyful branches was lifted. The young maids had already laid out the mats. Cheng Wu sat in the center, with Yun Wei and Yun Yi kneeling on either side of him. They both kowtowed to the seated Rongxuan, speaking in unison:

“May our father achieve great success and return safely.”

“Get up,” Rongxuan said, his eyes slightly moist as he looked at his three children. His voice was deep as he instructed, “Cheng Wu, you are my eldest son. While I am away from the house, you must be filial to your mother, take good care of your sister, and never neglect your horsemanship practice. A man must build his future through such skills. Our family, the Tong family, has a long history of military service. You must excel in horsemanship.”

“Yes, Father, I will remember your words,” Cheng Wu replied.

Rongxuan nodded. He trusted Cheng Wu completely. His son appeared honest, but with hidden talents. He was not someone who would be easily taken advantage of or offend others. His heart was firm, and he was very filial. If Rongxuan were to die in battle, with a son like Cheng Wu, his wife Fucha’s wisdom would ensure their family would not fall into decline. The family’s legacy would be carried on.

“The two girls must also be diligent with their needlework and serve the old lady well, helping your mother with her burdens.”

“Yes, Father,” both Yun Wei and Yun Yi responded.

Yun Yi, with her hands hidden in her sleeves, tightly clutched the protective talisman that her aunt had given to Rongxuan. She used this opportunity to bring up her aunt, but noticing Fucha’s subtle gaze, Yun Yi could only lower her head and silently stand to the side, too nervous to say anything more.

“Father, this… this is something I made myself.”

Yun Wei stepped closer to Rongxuan, taking the deer skin water bottle from her maid, Lu Yi, and eagerly handed it to him. “This deer skin was hunted by my older brother. I had it skinned and made into a water bottle. I heard that the Northwest is very dry, so I made it extra large. I hope Father will find it useful.”

Rongxuan was surprised. He had expected Yun Wei to give him a protective talisman, but instead, it was a deer skin water bottle. As he looked at it, he noticed that a plum blossom pattern had been embroidered on the bottom of the bottle. Though Rongxuan didn’t recognize the plum blossom design, it had been something his daughter had insisted to learn. The blossom was beautifully crafted, but the water bottle itself seemed a bit odd.

Yun Wei smiled sweetly and linked her arm with Rongxuan’s, playfully acting like a little girl. “Father, though the style might seem a little strange, this water bottle holds the most water. It’s made according to the volume calculations that Fourth Sister and I did. I measured it, and it’s true—it can hold half again as much as a regular deer skin water bottle.”

Fucha smiled with joy. Since she had heard that Rongxuan was going on the campaign, Yun Wei had been busy, constantly seeking out Yun Lan and making calculations. It turned out she had been making the deer skin water bottle to prevent Rongxuan from becoming thirsty. Fucha softly said, “My lord, this is also a token of our daughter’s love. Please accept it.”

“Though it might not look very nice, I will accept it because it’s from Wei girl’s heart,” Rongxuan said as he hung the water bottle from his waist. Yun Wei’s smile grew even brighter.

Rongxuan glanced at his daughter’s sparkling eyes and, for a moment, was lost in thought. He looked at Fucha, wondering if their daughter had grown too beautiful. Both he and his wife had ordinary looks, so how could they have such a beautiful daughter? Rongxuan didn’t doubt Fucha but instead believed it was a gift from heaven.

“Right, right, there’s more,” Yun Wei said, turning to Cheng Wu. “Brother, quickly take it out.”

Cheng Wu took out a piece of leather from his chest and handed it to Rongxuan. “Father, this is a map that Sister and I put together. We searched through the records and documents of the Northwest and also asked some merchants who came from there. Please have a look. It might be useful.”

Rongxuan was moved. He unfurled the small piece of deer skin, which clearly depicted roads with key locations marked in red. The map was drawn with great precision. Rongxuan asked, “Did you two come up with this yourselves?”

Cheng Wu looked at Yun Wei and explained, “The map was made by Sister.”

“No, Brother also put in a lot of effort. He nearly asked everyone who came from the northwest of the capital. Father, don’t you think Brother’s tone has changed a bit? He’s got a bit of a northwest accent now. If he said he came from the northwest, people would probably believe it.”

Cheng Wu scratched his head and said with a silly grin, “It’s still Sister who worked harder.”

Seeing the siblings getting along so well was the greatest joy for any parent. Rongxuan nodded and said, “Both of you are great, very filial. Did you two draw this map?”

Yun Wei blinked her eyes and asked in confusion, “Did I get it wrong? Father, did I not do it well?”

“No, Yun Wei, did you come up with this by yourself?” Rongxuan asked urgently. Yun Wei, not daring to delay, quickly explained, “I had heard Fourth Sister talk about it during her free time, and later, I specifically asked Fourth Sister how to make it.”

“Yun Lan… Yun Lan…” Rongxuan sighed. “My niece is truly clever, but…”

Rongxuan patted Yun Wei on the shoulder and laughed proudly, “She can’t compare to my daughter. She wouldn’t make a map for Third Brother, or make a deer skin water bottle. It’s not that she’s unfilial, it’s just that she wouldn’t think of it.”

As Rongxuan had expected, Rongzhi had neither a deer skin water bottle nor a map, only a protective talisman.