Chapter 55: The Xu Family’s Daughter, A Silent Contest

“Yaoyun, remember your manners!”
“Mother, I understand!”

The little girl who poked her head out of the window caught the attention of passersby near the Chang residence. Even though it was only a fleeting glimpse, her delicate features compelled a second look. She appeared to be just six or seven, yet already showed the promise of beauty.

Once she retreated into the carriage, it became clear there were two others inside as well. A woman, whose brows and eyes bore a resemblance to the little girl’s, sat with an air of severity. The other was a boy of three, still in his age of innocence.

Under her mother’s gaze, the girl lowered her head, her childish innocence vanishing, replaced by a gentle composure. The woman nodded her approval.

“Today I bring you here to visit the young master of the Chang family. Lord Chang Yuchun is a comrade-in-arms of your father at the front; in the future, our families will often keep company. You two must behave yourselves and not disgrace your father!”

The girl nodded obediently, but inwardly dismissed her mother’s words. Gifted with a remarkable memory and deeply cherished by her father, Xu Da, she knew from listening to her parents’ conversations that her father and Chang Yuchun were far from close friends.

Yet she did not argue, only nodded sweetly. She stepped out of the carriage, taking the three-year-old boy by the hand.

“Come, little brother, follow your sister.”

The trio walked to the gate, where the woman addressed the Chang family’s steward.

“Please inform Madam Chang that Madam Xie from the Duke of Loyalty’s household has come to call.”

“So it is the Lady of the Duke of Loyalty’s household! Please come in and be seated; I will announce you at once.”

The servant led the Xu family to the reception room before hurrying to summon Madam Lan.

With a slight nod, the Xu family sat in quiet anticipation.

“Ever since that incident, the Chang family has lost its former arrogance…” remarked the woman.

“Mother, mind your words,” the girl quietly cautioned.

“So they can bring trouble upon themselves and yet no one is allowed to mention it?” Madam Xie muttered but chose not to pursue the matter further.

After settling the guests, the servant hurried toward the inner quarters.

At that moment, the mistress of the Chang family, Madam Xie, was tending to Chang Mao’s wounds.

“My son, do you still blame me for beating you so harshly? I had no choice—your foolishness reached the palace itself. If I hadn’t disciplined you sternly, His Majesty would have taken offense…”

Chang Mao still lay prone on his bed. Though the wounds on his backside had begun to heal, they still caused him to grimace in pain.

“Mother, it’s all that little Daoist’s fault! If he hadn’t exposed me, how would the Emperor have known?”

At the mention of Zhang Yi, Chang Mao gnashed his teeth in hatred.

Madam Chang scolded him sternly. “Had you not acted so recklessly, what could they have said about you? It was your own doing! Besides, I’m still hoping that young Daoist will help our family dispel the lingering curse…”

Seeing her son still sullen, she coaxed him, “Your father is fighting at the front. Don’t add to his worries at home. The rumors outside say our family is about to be granted a royal title. Now you’ve left a poor impression with His Majesty—aren’t you just dragging your father down? If your father loses out to Xu Da, it’s you, the eldest son, who will suffer in the end. Listen to me and bear it for a while. When our forces take Dadu in the north and all is settled, whatever you wish to do, I won’t stand in your way!”

Chang Mao retorted, “Mother, don’t blame me for Father’s troubles. I simply can’t swallow this humiliation. Besides, Father’s situation—he’s already fallen behind Xu Da…”

At these words, Madam Lan’s face darkened.

She hardly needed her son to point it out. She knew the truth: Chang Yuchun and Xu Da were both brilliant generals of Ming—one renowned for valor, the other for his many talents. While their relationship was not openly strained, the contest for preeminence in the army was ever-present. Yet Chang Yuchun had a notorious penchant for slaying prisoners, a habit Xu Da never failed to report to Zhu Yuanzhang. Though the Emperor cherished Chang Yuchun, he was vexed by this flaw, and so, in subsequent campaigns, placed Xu Da in overall command, assigning Chang Yuchun as his deputy, and strictly ordered Chang Yuchun to obey Xu Da. Thus, the contest for first place in the army reached an uneasy truce.

Still, since Xu Da had once reported him, even though Chang Yuchun himself seemed unbothered and later worked well with Xu Da on the battlefield, the Chang family harbored resentment, believing Xu Da’s victory unfair.

Both Madam Lan and Chang Mao felt this way. In private, Chang Mao had even said Xu Da’s advantage was due only to his childhood friendship with Zhu Yuanzhang, while his father was a latecomer. If not for Madam Lan’s reproach, he would have voiced even more foolish notions.

“Slaying prisoners brings misfortune…”

Madam Lan recalled the predictions of a young Daoist on Dragon Tiger Mountain, which left her anxious and unsettled. She realized she had yet to invite that Daoist to the Qingxin Monastery to help dispel the family’s ill fortune.

She truly believed Zhang Yi’s words: first, because Chang Yuchun’s imperial cold-shouldering stemmed from his treatment of prisoners; second, because since Chang Mao’s killing, her nightmares had convinced her the Chang family was indeed cursed.

“Perhaps if that Daoist can help resolve this, our family’s fortunes may yet rise!” Madam Lan had intended to resolve Chang Mao’s troubles before seeking out Zhang Yi at Qingxin Monastery, but a sudden summons from the palace had thrown all her plans awry.

As she pondered whether to go, a servant arrived to report.

“Madam, the Lady of the Duke of Loyalty’s household is here!”

“The Duke of Loyalty? That would be Xu Da’s wife?”

Among all the founding heroes of Ming, only Xu Da possessed the title of Duke of Loyalty before the founding of the state—a distinction for which Madam Lan had long envied her.

“What brings her here?” The Xu and Chang families were not especially close, nor were Madam Xie and herself intimate friends. Yet since her guest had come to her home, she had no choice but to receive her.

After a few words of reassurance to Chang Mao, Madam Lan made her way to the reception room. Even before she reached the door, she could hear the gentle tones of someone reading aloud.

Upon entering, Madam Lan’s eyes were not drawn first to Madam Xie, but to the little girl present.

“What a lovely child! I wonder which family will be so fortunate in the future…”

The young girl was dressed in white, though her clothes were somewhat worn. Even so, it did nothing to diminish Madam Lan’s impression of her. The sight of her quietly reading softened any resentment she might have harbored toward the Xu family.

“Madam Lan greets the Lady of the Duke of Loyalty’s household.”

Madam Lan shifted her gaze from the Xu girl to Madam Xie.

“Sister, you are too formal. There’s no need for such titles between us—our husbands are brothers-in-arms, after all. Why keep up such distinctions?”

The two ladies exchanged polite pleasantries. Madam Xie then called her children forward.

“Yaoyun, Yungong, come greet Madam Chang.”

“Xu Yaoyun, Xu Yungong pay their respects, Madam.”

The Xu siblings bowed respectfully to Madam Lan.

“Sister, I only recently learned of the troubles in your household and hurried to send some medicine…”

No sooner had Madam Xie explained her purpose than Madam Lan’s expression darkened.