Chapter 219 -
The dining hall of the Xi estate was bathed in the warm, flickering glow of candlelight, but the air inside was strangely heavy.
Fine porcelain dishes filled with roasted meats, steamed fish, and rich broths lined the long wooden table. Everyone had gathered Even Old Madame Xi sat at the head of the table, resting her hands on her carved wooden cane.
The doors opened, and Duke Xi stepped into the room. He wore his formal dark blue robes, looking every bit the proud, formidable commander the empire knew him to be. Yet, beneath his stern eyes lay a deep, exhausted shadow.
He took his seat at the far end of the table. Servants poured warm wine into his silver cup, but no one picked up their chopsticks. The silence in the room felt taut, like a bowstring drawn too tight.
Duke Xi took a slow sip of wine, set the silver cup down with a quiet clink, and swept his heavy gaze across his children.
"Things have not been easy for our family recently," Duke Xi began, his deep voice carrying a quiet, solemn weight. "Wenzhe was missing for two months, caught in dangerous waters. But now that he is back safely beside us, our family can finally begin to heal properly."
Yueqing lowered her gaze, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of her porcelain bowl. Beside her, Wenzhe sat perfectly straight, his dark eyes locked onto his father, completely motionless.
Duke Xi turned his gaze toward Lanyin, his expression softening just a fraction. "Lanyin, you are old enough now. Meiyun," he said, glancing briefly at Duchess Xi, "you should begin reviewing marriage proposals for her. Find a reputable, good-natured family that will treat our daughter with kindness."
Lanyin blinked in surprise, her cheeks flushing slightly as she lowered her head. "Father..."
Before anyone could speak, Duke Xi turned his attention to Qianqian. "And Qianqian, you have grown up quickly. It is time for your formal debut into society. Once that is done, we shall start preparing for your future marriage as well."
Qianqian’s jaw dropped slightly. She looked over at Lanyin, then at her mother, completely bewildered by how suddenly her father was arranging their lives.
Duke Xi did not stop. His gaze shifted to his younger sons.
"Yunchen," Duke Xi said, his voice firm. "If you still wish to follow your elder brother and me onto the battlefield, you are free to enter the military command. Work hard under Wenzhe and build a name for yourself."
Yunchen straightened his shoulders, bowing his head. "Yes, Father."
"And Yunhao," Duke Xi continued, looking at his third son. "I know you have no heart for violence or swords. You wish to be a scholar, and I will no longer push you toward the army. You will take the imperial examination in six months. Study hard, and make the Xi family proud."
A heavy, bewildered quiet fell over the entire dining hall.
Yunhao stared at his father in complete shock, his chopsticks frozen halfway to his mouth. "Father... you are really letting me take the imperial exam?"
Across the table, the siblings exchanged uncertain, confused glances. Duke Xi was normally a man of few words, a strict commander who gave short orders. For him to sit down and systematically arrange the future of every single child in one breath felt wrong. It sounded less like a dinner conversation and more like a man settling his affairs before a long journey.
Only two people at the table remained entirely still.
Duchess Xi sat with her hands folded neatly in her lap, her face an unreadable, icy mask. She did not look at her husband. She already knew what this meant.
And next to Yueqing, Wenzhe remained completely silent.
His grip on his wooden chopsticks tightened until his knuckles turned ghostly white. A cold, dark realization clawed at his chest. A terrifying thought surfaced in his mind, but every fiber of his being refused to accept it.
He is arranging everything...Yueqing realized with a chill running down her spine, her eyes darting between Duke Xi and Wenzhe. He is giving everyone a future so they won’t be dragged down when his own path comes to an end. He knows what he and the Empress are about to do... and he knows he might not survive it.
Wenzhe slowly raised his head, his dark, piercing eyes locking straight onto Duke Xi’s face.
"Father," Wenzhe spoke, his voice dropping into a low, deadly register that made the room grow even colder. "Why are you saying all of this tonight?"
Duke Xi looked back at his eldest son. For a brief, lingering second, a flicker of guilt and deep, unspoken pain flashed in the old general’s eyes. But just as quickly, it vanished behind his rigid armor.
"Because a father must ensure his household is secure," Duke Xi replied softly, holding Wenzhe’s gaze. "Eat your dinner, everyone. Tonight, we simply enjoy being together."
Aunt Ronghua frowned, setting her chopsticks down with a sharp clatter. She looked directly at her brother, Duke Xi, her tone laced with confusion and worry.
"Brother, why are you saying all these things so suddenly?" Aunt Ronghua asked, shaking her head. "There is still plenty of time. The children shouldn’t rush into these things so quickly..."
Beside her, Gu Zhen quickly reached out beneath the tablecloth, firmly pressing his hand over hers. He gave her a subtle, warning squeeze, silently pleading with her to keep quiet. Aunt Ronghua bit her lip, but she still looked visibly uneasy, glancing toward Duchess Xi for support.
Before Aunt Ronghua could protest any further, Duchess Xi spoke up, her cool, measured voice cutting across the heavy silence.
"Ronghua is mistaken," Duchess Xi said calmly, not picking up her chopsticks. "Lanyin is indeed old enough to be married. In fact, I can see she already has a liking for the Prime Minister’s son, Zi Han."
Lanyin’s eyes widened in sheer shock, a deep, burning blush instantly spreading across her cheeks all the way to the tips of her ears. She dropped her head low, nervously clutching her silk handkerchief under the table.
Duchess Xi continued seamlessly, her expression unreadable. "I will meet with his mother during the upcoming ladies’ banquet at the Count’s residence. I will speak to her about a formal match between our families."
She’s making sure Lanyin gets tied to the Prime Minister’s family fast, securing a safe shelter for her before Duke Xi’s mess explodes!
Aunt Ronghua closed her mouth, realizing Duchess Xi was not going to back down. Gu Zhen slowly withdrew his hand, letting out a small, quiet breath of relief that his wife hadn’t started a scene.
Duke Xi looked at his wife, a faint shadow of gratitude and sorrow passing through his tired eyes. He gave a single, heavy nod. "That is wise, Meiyun. The Prime Minister’s household is honorable."
Across the table, Wenzhe’s dark gaze shifted from his father to his mother, his jaw clenching tightly.
After dinner ended, everyone slowly left the dining hall.
Duke Xi stood up first and walked out. Without saying a single word, Wenzhe pushed his chair back and followed his father toward his private study in the outer courtyard.
Yueqing stood near the doorway, watching Wenzhe walk away. He had not looked at her once during dinner, and he did not even turn around now.
Her brows pulled together into a tight, angry frown.
[Unbelievable!] Yueqing shouted in her mind, crossing her arms tightly. [He is still completely ignoring me! Yesterday he was leaning on my shoulder like a sad puppy, and today I am invisible?! Fine! See if I ever care about him again!]
[Host, you are really mad,] Nine snickered. [He is going to talk about huge family secrets with his dad, and you are upset because he did not look at you?]
[Shut up, Nine!] Yueqing shot back in her head. [It is about basic manners!]
Before she could stomp back to her room, a calm voice called out to her.
"Yueqing."
Yueqing turned around quickly and put on a polite smile. "Mother?"
Duchess Xi walked over to her. The cold look she had during dinner softened a little as she looked at her daughter-in-law.
"Walk with me for a moment," Duchess Xi said gently, stepping out into the quiet garden.
Yueqing followed her onto the stone walkway.
Duchess Xi stopped near the garden pond and turned to look at Yueqing.
"Tomorrow morning, I want you to go to the Prime Minister’s house," Duchess Xi said clearly. "Take some fine tea and silk as a gift, and visit the Prime Minister’s wife."
Yueqing blinked, surprised. "To see Zi Han’s mother?"
"Yes," Duchess Xi answered. "At the big party coming up, everyone will be watching and talking gossip. But if you visit her tomorrow in private, you can find out if she likes the idea of Lanyin marrying Zi Han before we make any big moves."
She stepped closer and placed a warm hand on Yueqing’s shoulder.
"You are smart, Yueqing," Duchess Xi added softly, looking straight into her eyes. "You know how to handle people well. Help us secure this match for Lanyin. Our family needs strong, safe friends right now... more than ever."
Yueqing felt the serious meaning behind her mother-in-law’s words. Duchess Xi was trying to protect Lanyin before Duke Xi’s dangerous secrets blew up.
"I understand, Mother," Yueqing said seriously, bowing her head. "I will go tomorrow and do my best."