Volume Three: Southern Expedition and Territorial Expansion Chapter 112: The Marquis of Qingyang’s Estate (Part I)

Faced with the request from the County Princess Xuerou, Wei Fufeng nodded after a moment’s thought. The Fourteenth Lady promptly ordered a maid to fetch the Four Treasures of the Study. Once they were brought, the County Princess Xuerou personally ground the ink with her own delicate hands.

Wei Fufeng felt a touch of emotion as he watched. He picked up his brush and wrote a formal order, commanding the Magistrate of Ba County to find a residence for the County Princess Xuerou and gift it to her, ensuring her security for both living and conducting business. He then stamped it with the seal of the Fufeng Military Commissioner.

"Many thanks for your care, Marquis," the County Princess Xuerou said respectfully.

"You are too kind, County Princess," Wei Fufeng replied with a polite smile. To him, this was a trivial matter, unrelated to military or political affairs; it was akin to settling a noble refugee.

The County Princess Xuerou took the written order and left with the Fourteenth Lady. They returned to the main hall, exchanged a few words with Lady Li Ji, and then departed together with the Ninth Lady.

In the hall, Lady Li Ji asked the Fourteenth Lady a few questions, then, losing interest, dismissed her to continue attending to Wei Fufeng. The Fourteenth Lady happily took some osmanthus cakes and returned to Wei Fufeng to share them. Watching her pretty, gluttonous demeanor, Wei Fufeng felt a sense of deep contentment.

After finishing the cakes, Wei Fufeng, not wishing to overstay his welcome, took his leave. When he did, Li Ji came to see him off, accompanying him all the way outside the manor gates.

Having visited Li Qi's residence, half of his business in Chang'an was complete. Wei Fufeng returned to Anyi Ward to rest. The following morning, accompanied by Mingyu, he went with his Eldest Aunt to the Manor of the Marquis of Qingyang.

Wei Fufeng had never visited the Marquis of Qingyang’s manor before. When he was young, he had yearned to see it. Now, he had no interest at all, going only out of respect for his Eldest Aunt. In fact, before coming to Chang'an, his father, Wei Xuan, had spoken with him, hoping that he would show his Eldest Aunt proper respect.

Even if his father hadn't said so, Wei Fufeng would not have treated her with disrespect. He was not a rogue like Wang Jian, capable of turning heartless without a second thought; he deeply cherished familial bonds and his own reputation. The family upbringing instilled in him since childhood shaped his moral code, and he was determined never to bear the stigma of being unfilial.

In truth, his Eldest Aunt had always treated him and his biological mother well. She had never mistreated him, was generous with the silver required for his education, and had satisfied many of his requests. Coupled with the influence of the Wei family’s honor and traditions, in Wei Fufeng's heart, his Eldest Aunt held a status slightly higher than his biological mother.

The Manor of the Marquis of Qingyang was located in Fengle Ward, on the west side of Vermilion Bird Avenue, just two wards away from the Taiji Palace. The Marquis of Qingyang’s family were military nobles who had once held significant influence over the Divine Strategy Army in Chang'an. During the reign of Emperor Xizong of Tang, the Divine Strategy Army was essentially annihilated during the Huang Chao Rebellion, and the military foundation of the Qingyang Marquis manor was dealt a devastating blow.

Before the rebellion, the Marquis of Qingyang’s manor belonged to the middle tier of the Chang'an noble circles, with little influence over the imperial court. However, the noble class was connected like a spiderweb; through marriages of equal status, they formed a network where a single movement could trigger a ripple effect, indirectly influencing the court’s situation. After the rebellion, the noble forces in Chang'an were severely struck, and the survivors were scattered like sand. The rise of the regional military governors and the power of the eunuchs made the Chang'an nobles increasingly weak, and they preferred to remain neutral and avoid power struggles.

Accompanied by ten guards, they entered Fengle Ward and arrived at the gates of the Marquis of Qingyang’s manor. Wei Fufeng stepped out of the carriage first, seeing four soldiers in bright armor standing guard outside the towering gate. A plaque hung from the eaves, inscribed with the name of the manor. The entire gate projected an air of majesty and grandeur. Wei Fufeng praised it silently; as expected of an old noble house, even if they were not what they once were, their foundation remained solid. It was only because his Eldest Aunt had told him of the manor’s difficult circumstances that he felt such a sense of melancholy.

He turned to help Mingyu down, and Mingyu then turned back to assist the Eldest Aunt. At this moment, a soldier on the stone steps descended and bowed respectfully: "Seventh Aunt is back. I shall go and announce your arrival."

The Eldest Aunt gave a slight nod. The soldier turned and hurried off. Not waiting outside, the Eldest Aunt walked toward the gate, supported by Mingyu, and ascended the steps. Wei Fufeng followed behind, with two maids and ten guards entering the manor as well; the guards at the gate did not stop them.

Entering the gates and walking along the path, they arrived outside the main hall, which featured eaves as grand as a palace. Suddenly, a group of men and women emerged from the side ceremonial gate. The Eldest Aunt immediately turned to greet them.

"Lanying pays her respects to all my sisters-in-law," the Eldest Aunt said with a polite bow.

"It is good that you have returned. Mother has been thinking of you lately," said a graceful, noble-looking woman at the head of the group with a faint smile.

The Eldest Aunt nodded and turned to introduce him: "Fufeng, this is the Mistress of the Marquis of Qingyang’s manor."

Wei Fufeng walked forward and bowed respectfully: "Junior Wei Fufeng pays respects to the Mistress. May you be blessed with health and peace."

"Hmm, spirited yet refined. A fine young man," the Mistress of the Marquis of Qingyang praised with a smile.

Wei Fufeng remained respectful. The Mistress of the Marquis of Qingyang turned and ordered: "Laifu, take Young Master Fufeng to rest."

A middle-aged man in a round-collared robe bowed respectfully and said politely: "Young Master, please follow me."

Wei Fufeng gave a silent bow and turned to leave. His Eldest Aunt gave a brief instruction, and Mingyu also bowed and followed, while the Eldest Aunt went to the inner quarters with the rest of her family.

After passing through the ceremonial gate, the Eldest Aunt whispered to the Mistress of the Marquis of Qingyang: "Sister-in-law, please give further instructions that Fufeng must not be neglected. It would be best if one of the male masters of the house, if they have time, could host him."

The Mistress of the Marquis of Qingyang was surprised and asked, "Sister, why do you place such importance on Fufeng?"

Fearing that she might ruin the affairs of her husband’s family, the Eldest Aunt did not dare tell the truth. She explained, "Fufeng commands military forces in Jinzhou and is highly regarded by the elders. The Marquis of Qingyang’s manor is a family of military merit; if you can build a good relationship with Fufeng, it will be mutually beneficial."

The Mistress of the Marquis of Qingyang gave a soft "oh" and turned to give an order. A maid left to inform the steward, Laifu. As they walked, the Mistress asked, "I hear the Jinzhou forces are led by the Jincheng Military Commissioner. Fufeng is quite young; it is surprising he has been entrusted with such authority."

"Although Fufeng is young, he has great military talent. Previously, when Yang Shouliang’s army besieged Jinzhou, Fufeng was in charge of the city's defense. That is why he holds military power in Jinzhou, while the Jincheng Military Commissioner is responsible for guarding Junzhou. Uncle and nephew work together to hold the military power of the Wei family in Jinzhou," the Eldest Aunt explained tactfully to justify why she valued Wei Fufeng.

The Mistress nodded and whispered, "No wonder you mentioned the marriage alliance earlier."

The Eldest Aunt murmured, "Fufeng is not my biological son, and I had never brought him here to the manor to build relations, so I wanted to arrange a marriage for him with the Marquis of Qingyang’s house."

The Mistress said, "Sister, I understand your good intentions, but none of the daughters of the house of marriageable age are willing to be concubines. After all, Fufeng is born of a secondary wife."

The Eldest Aunt was slightly stunned and said, "Sister-in-law, although Fufeng is born of a secondary wife, he has already embarked on an official career. It would not be a grievance for a daughter born of a secondary wife in this house to be his concubine, and she would have my protection if she married into our family."

The Mistress hesitated for a moment and whispered, "Sister, let us speak in my room."

The Eldest Aunt nodded and moved with her to a nearby side room, while the others waited outside. Once inside, the Mistress said seriously, "Sister, it is not that I look down on you or Fufeng, but the Marquis does not wish to have further entanglements with the Wei family of Jinzhou."

"Why?" the Eldest Aunt asked, surprised and confused.

"It is mainly out of concern for the Fengxiang Military Governor, Li Maozhen. Sister, you know that most of the Qingyang Marquis’s fields are under Li Maozhen’s jurisdiction, and we have been heavily exploited by him these past years. If we appear close to the Wei family of Jinzhou, I fear it would give Li Maozhen an excuse to seize the manor’s lands," the Mistress explained.

The Eldest Aunt’s brows furrowed. "Sister-in-law, it is only a marriage alliance for a concubine. How could that lead to such serious consequences? If Li Maozhen wants to cause trouble, he needs no excuse."

The Mistress smiled bitterly: "Please forgive me, sister. The manor is not what it used to be. We are most afraid of inviting trouble, so we must be extra cautious."

Hearing this, the Eldest Aunt felt unhappy and even disheartened. She had come with great enthusiasm to resolve the worries of her natal family, intending to help them gain official posts. As it turned out, her own family was unwilling to get close to the Wei family of Jinzhou. Such an attitude placed her in the embarrassing position of being a harbinger of misfortune.

"Since my brother is worried that getting close to the Jinzhou Wei family is improper, I will not cause him any more trouble in the future," the Eldest Aunt said coldly.

"Sister, please do not misunderstand. The Marquis bears the burden of the family legacy and must act with caution," the Mistress explained.

The Eldest Aunt nodded and said gently, "I understand my brother’s difficulties. Let us say no more of the marriage alliance."

The Mistress nodded, and they left the side room to head deeper into the inner quarters to see the Old Mistress.

...

Wei Fufeng had been led to a side room. After entering, Laifu bowed respectfully and left. No sooner had he stepped out than he encountered the maid who was delivering the message. Laifu dared not delay; he ordered the servants to bring good tea and snacks while he went to invite the Sixth Master.

The Sixth Master, named Chu Yanhe, was forty-one years old, a son of the Marquis of Qingyang by a secondary wife. He held a ninth-rank official title and had once served as a registrar at the Imperial Academy. After the Huang Chao Rebellion ended, the Imperial Academy could not be restored; it existed in name only, and the registrar was the lowest level of minor official.

Laifu, having received the Mistress's instructions and considering Wei Fufeng’s background, had invited the Sixth Master, who was also born of a secondary wife and held an official title, thinking it appropriate for him to host Wei Fufeng. Laifu’s caution was primarily because he did not want to offend Wei Fufeng’s Eldest Aunt.

Chu Yanhe wore a slightly worn round-collared robe and a headwrap. He had a decent appearance and a three-inch beard. He did not feel slighted at being asked to host a junior. Though called "Sixth Master," his status in the manor was actually very low—lower even than that of Wei Fufeng’s father during his own period of decline. Chu Yanhe’s wife came from a commoner family.

When Chu Yanhe arrived, Wei Fufeng respectfully addressed him as "Uncle" and paid his respects. Chu Yanhe had no airs of an elder; he smiled, spoke with Wei Fufeng, and they sat down to chat over tea. During their conversation, Chu Yanhe expressed great concern about the situation in Jinzhou, and Wei Fufeng answered briefly.

As they talked, Chu Yanhe suddenly requested, "Fufeng, could you arrange a position for your uncle? Even one of the six departments in the county office would suffice."

Wei Fufeng was slightly taken aback and said, "The local region is not peaceful; it would be a grievance for you to serve in the six departments, Uncle."

Chu Yanhe smiled bitterly and said, "Life in the manor is not easy. I have enough to eat, but being idle all day with nothing to do is truly unbearable."

Wei Fufeng nodded. He had come with the intention of pleasing his Eldest Aunt by building ties with the Qingyang manor, and he was psychologically prepared to accept a request for a position from his uncle.

"If you wish to serve in Jinzhou, Fangzhou, or Junzhou, I can only secure a position for you in the six departments, Uncle. If you are willing to go to Lizhou to serve as an official, you could serve as a County Assistant," Wei Fufeng replied.

"Lizhou? Where is that?" Chu Yanhe asked, unfamiliar with the name.

"It is on the south bank of the middle reaches of the Great River, south of Jingzhou, north of Langzhou, and to the west of Dongting Lake," Wei Fufeng answered.

"Oh, the Lizhou you speak of—that is under the governance of the Wuzhen Army," Chu Yanhe said, realizing it once he was prompted.