Chapter 5: Three Brothers

The year’s end for the Chu family was like a lone boat on a single log, passing somewhat unsteadily. Fortunately, the clan elders still stood behind Chu Mingxi—at least outwardly—and the New Year’s opening ceremony was held as scheduled.

Early on the morning of the sixth day of the new year, a large crowd had already gathered outside the Head Office of the Imperial Medicine Hall in the Joyful Peace District. Wei Jiewu craned his neck, circling the crowd, unable to find a gap to squeeze through. He glared in frustration. Little Nine, trailing him, tugged at his arm, his little face crumpled with worry. “Third Young Master, stop trying to squeeze in! There are so many people. If you get bumped or trampled, my mother will beat me to death.”

“Believe me when I say I’ll beat you right now!” Wei Jiewu shook his arm, feigning ferocity. Seeing Little Nine’s scrunched-up face, his heart softened, and he offered helpless comfort: “It’s rare for us to get out. Just let me see the excitement. I’ll give you a chicken leg later.”

Little Nine had no choice but to protect him as best he could with his short arms and stubby legs.

The opening furnace ceremony of the New Year ritual lasted a full two hours, though it was unclear whether people came to observe the ceremony or to watch the people. Even so, Wei Jiewu, after tiptoeing until his calves ached, failed to catch the excitement. As the crowd ahead dispersed, he let his brows droop and shuffled home, head hanging low.

Amidst the bustling crowd, a sachet was suddenly offered to him. He took it, bewildered, and before he could see the giver, he turned his head and asked, “What’s this?”

Little Nine received one too. He held it up and examined it. “The Chu family medicine hall is distributing medicine. This is probably for warding off disasters and evil spirits.”

“Like we’re Daoist priests…” Wei Jiewu scoffed. His gaze swept away and saw, not far off, a plain, clean figure half-crouching, speaking to a child from a poor family. Her back was to him, so he couldn’t see her face. He only saw the little girl in patched clothes, grinning to reveal a few baby teeth. The plainly dressed girl stroked her head and hung a sachet around the child’s neck.

Wei Jiewu squeezed his palm; the sachet gave off a faint medicinal fragrance.

Little Nine looked at the sky and tugged his sleeve. “Third Young Master, let’s go back.”

“Hm? Oh. Alright.” Wei Jiewu answered as he walked. After a few steps, he glanced back. The girl had half-turned her face, but before Wei Jiewu could get a clear look, Little Nine grabbed his arm and pulled him around a corner. In a flash, he forgot all about it.

The hour was already late. The two had sneaked out and ran for a while before Little Nine was the first to give out, clutching his stomach and gasping for breath. “Young Master, slow… slow down for a moment.”

Wei Jiewu had trained in martial arts with his father and brothers since childhood and had much better stamina. He glanced sideways at him, his face full of disdain.

Like this, walking and stopping, it wasn’t until noon that the two small figures shuffled their way back to the Grand General’s Mansion. Not daring to use the main gate, Little Nine first knocked on a side gate, pressing his ear to it and listening intently for a long while. Just as he was about to knock again, the side gate creaked open. The gatehouse boy was a head taller than Little Nine. He opened his mouth to curse, but, seeing Wei Jiewu standing aside with hands clasped behind his back like an adult, he smacked his lips and clicked his tongue.

Wei Jiewu strode in, but after no more than five steps of proper bearing, seeing no one else ahead, he grabbed Little Nine and bolted back to his courtyard.

The courtyard was still eerily quiet.

This was not normal!

Wei Jiewu hunched over and crept stealthily toward the Flower Hall, when suddenly—

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow………………” His ear was grabbed out of nowhere, yanked high. He yelled out, turning his face, and sure enough, there was his mother—the General’s Mansion Side Consort, Tong Min’er—her face icy cold, looking at him without expression. Just as he was about to howl again, his mother had already released his ear, reached over, and covered his mouth.

“Mm mm mm mm mm…” Wei Jiewu’s half-yell was muffled in his throat. Mouth stuffed with the bitter herb of regret, he was dragged into the room by his mother.

“What’s all the damn screaming!” Tong Min’er shoved him onto the Luohan bed. He was thick-skinned and tough, so she didn’t worry about breaking him. “You disappeared first thing in the morning! Do you know the entire mansion was looking for you?!”

“If the whole mansion was looking for me, how could it be this quiet? I don’t believe it.” Wei Jiewu massaged his ear while making a face.

“You!” Tong Min’er jabbed a finger at his forehead. “Something happened in the mansion, so they were urgently looking for you! Afraid some rat might have carried you off, and you’d die in a hole where no one could find you.”

Poked crooked by her, Wei Jiewu straightened himself, mumbling, “What could possibly happen during the New Year? I’m your son, after all. Can’t you hope for the best for me?”

Tong Min’er’s face turned pale, then flushed. Seeing this, Wei Jiewu realized something really must have happened at home. His father and brothers were all away at war. What could make his mother this anxious? Could it be… The more he thought about it, the more flustered he became. He pulled at his mother’s sleeve: “Is… is it Father…”

“No!” Tong Min’er cut him off. “It is an event within the war, but it isn’t your father.” She lowered her head, looking at her son’s still-childish face. “It’s your brother.”

“Eldest Brother or Second Brother?”

“It’s your Second Brother.”

“Ah!” Wei Jiewu stood up, his dumpling-like face wrinkling into a knot at his brow. “What happened to Second Brother?”

“A letter arrived from the front lines today. It says your second brother went missing early last winter. Your father already sent men to search for him. He didn’t want your mother worrying, and with the war pressing on the front lines, sending word is truly difficult, so he wanted to wait until he was found before saying anything.”

“Second Brother is Mother’s own flesh and blood. Of course, she’d worry. What about now? Has he been found?” Wei Jiewu said, wrapping both hands around his mother’s arm, his face openly anxious.

“If he had been found, would the mansion still be this silent?”

Grand General Wei Huaishu had been granted the title of Marquis of Jingyuan for his military merits. His principal wife, Mu Yunxian, was the current Emperor’s own older sister. The Second Young Master, Wei Qingchen, was thus the Mingcheng Emperor’s real nephew. A royal relative. If he could be safely found, it would be fine. But if not…

Tong Min’er touched her son’s round head. “For the next few days, behave yourself. Don’t go out causing trouble and drawing attention.”

“Oh…” Wei Jiewu responded sullenly. A moment later, he looked up, blinking: “Father will find Second Brother, right?”

“He will.” Tong Min’er smiled gently. “Your Second Brother… fortune favors the good.”

Ever since receiving the letter from the Northern Border, Mu Yunxian had been sitting in her room. The door was wide open. Her gaze passed through it, landing somewhere unknown. The tea the maid offered had been held for a long time. She had neither lifted the lid of the teacup nor set it down on the side table.

Aunt Qi, waiting at the side, watched with alarm. She wanted to say something to divert her worry but feared that right now, whatever she said, her mistress might not hear it.

It wasn’t until a distant shout from the Third Young Master’s courtyard broke the mansion’s silence that the Grand Princess’s gaze refocused. Aunt Qi used the moment to take the teacup from her hands. The tea was already ice cold.

Mu Yunxian’s movement paused; she released her grip.

“Madam, please don’t worry too much. The Heir has been clever since childhood. It’s not his first time following the Grand General to the battlefield. Perhaps something just… detained him…”

“It’s precisely because it’s not his first time that I worry. Reading the Marquis’s letter, it’s been at least half a month since Chen’er went missing. He’s not someone who acts without knowing the stakes.”

“Madam… The Grand General has only this one legitimate son. He will surely do his utmost to search for him and bring the Heir back safely.”

The Grand Princess opened her mouth, then closed it again, afraid of uttering something even more ominous. She knew her worries were causing her to lose composure.

Aunt Qi tried to support her into the inner chamber to rest. She waved her hand. “The family letter has arrived. The court gazette must have been sent to the palace too. The day is already late. Tomorrow morning, the palace will certainly summon me. Go prepare first. Tomorrow, you’ll accompany me to the palace.” She said, massaging her brow. “I just wonder if His Majesty will be able to keep this from the Empress Dowager.”

On the fifteenth day of the first month, the Lantern Festival, the long river seemed to take flight, moonlight like unrolled white silk.

In the camp of the Northern Pacification Army, soldiers gathered around bonfires under the starlight and moonlight, eating meat heartily. Due to the march, they only drank a little wine. Occasionally, someone would sing a victory song, drawing cheers and praise from the men. The Northern Pacification Army had won a great victory at the start of the year. The Northern Chen Kingdom had suffered greatly from this battle. The border would be peaceful for a long time. They would be able to return home and reunite with their families soon.

Inside the central command tent, Wei Huaishu sat silently in the commander’s chair. A host of advisors and camp officers were gathered inside. The sounds of revelry from outside drifted in wave after wave. Vice General Zhuang glanced at Xiao Zheng. Xiao Zheng was the Adjutant for the Northern Pacification Army. In the past, whenever there were unresolved military matters, the General often consulted his advice.

Xiao Zheng stroked the black beard at his chin, carefully choosing his words. “General, the military affairs of the Northern Border are settled. According to regulation, you should select a day to lead the army back to court and report to Heaven’s grace.”

Wei Huaishu responded with an unreadable grunt.

The generals waited a moment. Seeing no clear instructions, they looked at each other. Vice General Zhuang cupped his fists. “Your subordinates know that the General is worried about the Second Young Master. But we are under imperial orders. If the General does not lead the army back, we fear there will be criticism in the court. This would not be a good strategy for the General or the Young Master. And…” He paused, steeling himself. “We have already lingered at the Northern Border for many days. The army’s provisions… I fear we cannot afford to sustain it much longer.”

“I understand your points.” Wei Huaishu sighed. This was his favorite child, the one he valued most. Raised by his side since childhood, personally taught martial arts and military strategy, finally grown into a fine, upright youth. Never did he imagine…

The number of sons and daughters one has is all dictated by fate. He steadied his breath, tapping his fingers on the table. “Order the three armies…” Before he could finish, the felt door of the central tent was lifted. A young voice shouted, “Father!”

Wei Huaishu started, looked up, and saw his eldest son, Wei Chengxian, striding in with a beaming face. His brow furrowed. He barked in a deep voice, “What’s the matter, barging in like this!”

Wei Chengxian saw the scene inside the tent and knew he had been rash. He quickly composed his face, stood with hands at his sides. “It was your son’s rashness. But the top three of the military tournament have been decided. Father once said he would use his helmet to toast the champion. Your son has come to respectfully request Father Marshal’s presence.”

Hearing this, Wei Huaishu’s expression softened somewhat. As he rose, Wei Chengxian quickly handed over the marching helmet. Wei Huaishu took it, swept his gaze over the assembled generals, and said, “In a moment, order the three armies: tomorrow, rest and reorganize for one day. The day after tomorrow morning, we return to court!”

“Understood!” The generals assented thunderously.

Wei Chengxian froze, then stepped forward urgently. “Father, what about Second Brother…”

Wei Huaishu paused at the felt door. “Leave two squads of ten men to continue searching for the Second Young Master.”

With that, he walked out without looking back.