IDWBE -Chapter 509 Sorrow Welling from Within

Standing at the doorway with hands clasped, Hong An saw Hong Ying come out and whispered, “Master.”

Hong Ying said, “In a few days, it will be the day of your great celebration. Go back and prepare—there’s no need for you here.”

Hong An smiled. “My senior brother took pity on me and gave me a house, which solved my biggest problem. Everything else is handled by the bridal sedan service, with the old knife from the dentist keeping an eye on things. There’s nothing I need to worry about.”

“All of it just so he can show off,” Hong Ying said, a rare smile appearing on his face. “Remembering the benefits but not the punishment, typical.”

Hong An said, “Senior brother is magnanimous and kind-hearted, helping me out. Please, Master, don’t punish him.”

She didn’t need to speak ill of her senior brother in front of her master; she simply followed the flow.

Hong Ying glanced at her. “You come from the same school. That you can help each other is enough to make me happy.”

“Rest assured, Master. I will follow your teachings carefully,” she promised.

She definitely wouldn’t speak recklessly.

Her senior brother had grown increasingly arrogant, stirring up trouble both inside and outside the palace. Even the usually indifferent monks and the blind man disapproved of him.

Once, her senior brother had given the blind man fifty thousand taels of silver, begging him to divine a fortune. The blind man refused.

Why? He wouldn’t say.

But according to her understanding of the blind man, he rarely refused business that came to him.

Besides, Hong Ying had already scolded her senior brother multiple times. Yet he showed no sign of restraint.

So secretly, she had intended to distance herself from her senior brother, unwilling to collude with him.

But what her master said next was something she never anticipated.

“You two come from the same school. Do you think you can do nothing and remain pure, keeping yourself untouched?”

“Never dare!”

Hong An was stunned, not quite understanding the meaning of her master’s words.

Hong Ying said slowly, “If the water is too clear, there are no fish; if a person is too meticulous, there are no followers. Do I need to teach you such a simple truth?”

“The meaning is clear: water that’s too clear cannot sustain fish; if you demand too much from others, you’ll have no companions. I understand this, Master,” she replied, though still uncertain.

She hesitated but finally said, “But Master, my senior brother, as the chief disciple, his actions are really a disgrace to our school and to your name.”

Hong Ying snorted coldly. “He and you are just servants of the Prince. What need do we have for reputation?”

“Master…”

Hong An was momentarily at a loss for words.

Everything her master said went against her expectations.

Hong Ying continued, “Right now, it’s just the two of us. Let me make it clear: we serve only the Prince. The common people, with their endless opinions, what do they have to do with us? A eunuch who maintains good relations with officials and brings benefit to the people might seem ambitious to outsiders—but that’s none of our concern.”

“Ah!”

Hong An was momentarily flustered. “Then my senior brother…”

Is he deliberately tarnishing himself? But judging by his actions, that didn’t seem likely.

“He’s no fool. He knows exactly what he’s doing,” Hong Ying said calmly. “If he tried to befriend everyone, by this time next year, it would be his memorial day.”

Hong An seemed to grasp something.

She recalled that Lord He Jixiang once said: He Jin is not a fool.

At the time, she didn’t take it seriously. If he wasn’t a fool, how could he have stirred such public outrage, with everyone wishing to tear him apart?

“Master, I understand my mistake,” Hong An said, ashamed.

Hong Ying nodded. “Good. From the day you became my disciple, you were no longer just yourself.”

“Master,” Hong An’s eyes welled with tears. “I will follow you for my whole life.”

Her senior brother would remain only her senior brother for life.

Hong Ying waved his hand. “Good. Go back. On your wedding day, I will also raise a cup in celebration.”

“Yes.”

Hong An cupped her hands and left.

Sang An carefully moved a high-back chair and a table in front of Hong Ying, placing a tea set on it. Respectfully, he said, “Chief Steward, please have some tea.”

Hong Ying closed his eyes to rest and did not respond.

When Xiao Xizi arrived, Hong Ying opened his eyes.

“Master,” Xiao Xizi replaced the tea with a fresh cup and said quietly, “I forgot to tell you—Imperial Consort has arranged for Ci’an Palace to be tidied up.”

“Ci’an Palace was originally the residence of the Empress Dowager and later the Princess. It’s splendid inside, and it’s good that Consort appreciates it,” Hong Ying said expressionlessly. “Just follow her orders.”

Xiao Xizi hesitated. “But the Prince…”

He hadn’t notified the Prince yet!

Hong Ying said, “The Prince is a filial man. If the Consort wants to move into Ci’an Palace, there is no reason to refuse.”

“Yes.”

Xiao Xizi continued, “Master, you should rest. I’ll keep watch here.”

Before he finished, his master was already gone.

Sang An peeked out of the gatehouse again, grinning, “Eunuch, shall I change the tea pot again?”

Xiao Xizi, reclining on the chair, bored, teased, “You old thing are getting more spirited with age.”

Sang An smiled, “Thanks to the Chief Steward, I was fortunate to learn his skills. Now I am third rank, healthy, no illness, can eat two bowls at once.”

Xiao Xizi glanced at him. “No meat?”

Sang An said, “I have a grandson in the army. He’s about to marry, so I dare not overindulge.”

Xiao Xizi snorted, “You might fool others, but I know your background. Tong Jinhua’s new Chúnxiāng Brothel in the suburbs rents the house from you.”

“Heh heh.”

Sang An wasn’t surprised Xiao Xizi knew this; after all, he was a senior eunuch.

If he didn’t even know the stir caused by Tong Jinhua coming from Sanhe to Ankang City, he wouldn’t deserve his position today.

Xiao Xizi continued, “You old thing, silently amassing such a fortune, it’s astonishing.”

“Not at all,” Sang An said politely but proudly. “When I was in Xunzhou, I got a large gold ingot. Later I melted it in Jinling and got a lot of silver. Coming to Ankang, I liked a house developed by Tian Sixi and borrowed 500 taels from the Sanhe bank to buy it.

“When Bai Lin first came to Sanhe, I gave him a meal, or he would have starved. How could he have gained the Prince’s favor and become the bank manager? That dog even turned on me, demanding seven wen interest a year, and now I pay two taels a month!”

“No truth at all,” Xiao Xizi said, rolling his eyes. “Your grandson is already a commander in the army. If he retires, he could become a town mayor. As his grandfather, if you hinder him, what progress can you expect?”

Sang An shivered. He feared no one, but the threat to his grandson terrified him.

His parents died early. At twenty, he married and had a son. Unexpectedly, his wife died of a cold when the son was three months old.

He raised his son single-handedly, only for tragedy to strike again with his daughter-in-law’s death soon after childbirth.

He raised his grandson through hardship.

Coming to Sanhe with the Prince, he ensured compulsory education. He had to send his grandson to Baiyun City’s first school.

Unexpectedly, his grandson excelled, entering the army after elementary school.

A seventh-rank master, now commander! If nothing goes wrong, he’ll eventually be a guard. Retired soldiers returning to Sanhe would have a bright future.

“I am ignorant,” Sang An said, kneeling. “I beg you, Eunuch, give me a clear path.”

“Enough. Stand up,” Xiao Xizi waved dismissively. “I was just joking to scare you.”

Sang An wiped the cold sweat from his brow. “I have only this grandson. I don’t seek wealth for him, only safety and prosperity for our family line.”

After saying this, he regretted it. Speaking of “prosperity for the family” in front of someone who isn’t even considered a man—he might have angered him.

“Your grandson is called Sang Ning?”

“Yes, Eunuch,” Sang An said, bracing himself.

“He’s a good child,” Xiao Xizi said calmly. “Diligent and studious. Even Shen Chu values him. I hear he hopes to marry his daughter to him.”

“That is General Shen’s favor. I dare not presume,” Sang An quickly said. “Please, Eunuch, look after him.”

Xiao Xizi shook his head. “Shen Chu married four times, all maidservants. If your grandson really marries Shen’s eldest daughter, your family tombs will smoke green.”

Sang An dared not speak rashly about his grandson.

He regretted venturing near Xiao Xizi.

“Look at you, such a coward,” Xiao Xizi said impatiently. “Go. As long as the old Sang woman is alive, your family need not worry.”

“Thank you, Eunuch. I take my leave.”

Old Sang? Already over sixty?

Though skilled and accomplished, how many more years could she have?

Sang An dared not rely on her name to offend anyone. He couldn’t afford a reckoning.

“Truly boring,” Xiao Xizi said, looking at the bright moon. “Once a person reaches a certain age, there are no true confidants left.”

Before dawn, he rose from the chair.

He ate a bowl of thin porridge brought by Sang An. The carriage arrived.

He began arranging to send his aunt, Erya, and Dalang to the estate outside the city.

He saw Hong An but not his master.

Hong An smiled. “The Prince is going incognito today. He said he wouldn’t bring anyone, but knowing Master’s nature, he will secretly follow. We take care of Aunt, and Master will have no worries.”

“How much would it cost for such a large estate?”

Hong Mei lay in the courtyard, basking in the warm sun, staring at the massive house. She felt uneasy. “What a burden, what a burden.”

Xiao Xizi hurried over, squatted before her, and smiled. “Aunt, Master is out today. Don’t worry. This house isn’t worth much. When there’s a good harvest, just reward us disciples a little.”

Looking at Xiao Xizi’s pale face and gentle voice, Hong Mei realized he, like her brothers, was a eunuch.

Childless for life.

Her sorrow welled up. She wiped her tears and said softly, “You child, you didn’t learn from your master, but you learned how to comfort others.”