The babies stayed in the room, with a small cot set up in the outer area where Uncle Tang slept. Charcoal was burning inside, keeping the place warm and cozy, so there was no fear of the cold.
The babies slept a lot at this stage and didn't cry much. When they wet themselves, they'd just hum with their eyes closed—like tiny kittens mewling.
Zhao Ger had been exhausted at noon, and after that had spent most of his time watching the babies, getting only a short rest. Now he was fast asleep and didn't hear a thing. Uncle Tang was too far away to notice either. In the end, it was Fang Zichen—who was sleeping on the inside of the bed—who heard it.
The crib was placed not far from Zhao Ger's side. Fang Zichen had originally wanted to sleep on the outside, but being so close to the babies made him uneasy—every time he turned his back to them, he felt as if they were wriggling toward him, sending chills down his spine. In the end, he reluctantly moved Zhao Ger to the outside and took the inside spot himself.
Though he was terrified, they were still his own sons. He got out of bed, steeled himself, and reached over to check. Finding them wet—Uncle Tang had just changed their diapers before bed—he remembered seeing how it was done. It wasn't difficult; just wrap the cloth around their bottoms. Uncle Tang had been running around all afternoon and was exhausted, so Fang Zichen didn't want to wake him. He fumbled through changing them himself, not daring to look at their faces the entire time. He grabbed their tiny feet with just two trembling fingers. In just a few minutes, a cold sweat had broken out all over his back. If he had downed a couple of drinks to cloud his mind, he might have thought he had built the Great Wall—it was that exhausting.
Just as he was about to pull his hand back, the third child suddenly grabbed Fang Zichen's little finger and opened his eyes.
Dark and deep, yet glistening like they'd been washed in water—clear and pure. The second child, after having his diaper changed, slept soundly, his little eyes squeezed shut like two thin lines.
Fang Zichen froze.
---
Late that night, Uncle Tang got up to feed the babies and found Fang Zichen sitting by the crib, poking the third young master's face over and over again.
The third young master wasn't asleep either—he was kicking his little feet about, full of energy.
Fang Zichen grinned at Uncle Tang and said, "This one's a spirited lad—takes after me."
Uncle Tang couldn't help but laugh. "Not afraid anymore, Master?"
"Afraid of what?" Fang Zichen puffed out his chest. "I'm afraid of nothing under heaven."
Uncle Tang chuckled as he fed the baby some milk. The little one gulped it down greedily—every drop that went in disappeared right away. Only the second child, still asleep like a little pig, paid no mind.
This was cow's milk—every time they milked the cow, they had to boil it first, which was quite a hassle. Fang Zichen thought to himself that he really ought to hire two wet nurses instead.
He planned to go find some wet nurses for his children the next morning, but right after breakfast the following day, Eunuch Huang showed up and announced that the Emperor had summoned him to the palace.
The moment Fang Zichen entered the imperial study, he spotted two gleaming gold longevity locks on the desk. Without a second word, he scooped them up and beamed, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Xia Jinghong teased him a bit, then wearily beckoned him closer. "Young Fang, do you want a promotion? Do you want to get rich?"
Fang Zichen answered honestly, "Of course I do!"
Xia Jinghong said, "Then a golden opportunity lies right before your eyes."
The court had recently dismissed several officials, leaving vacancies at all levels—the highest being a second-rank post, and the lowest at least fifth-rank.
Fang Zichen's heart pounded wildly.
Xia Jinghong continued, "I believe you are a capable man—ambitious, principled, and responsible."
"Exactly, Your Majesty—your instincts are spot on," Fang Zichen said gleefully. "Are you planning to give me Old Man Su's position?"
Old Man Su had previously served as the Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Transmission, a fourth-rank post. Fang Zichen didn't dare dream of the second-rank job—he hadn't been in office long enough.
"So you want to be Deputy Commissioner of the Office of Transmission?" Xia Jinghong asked.
Fang Zichen smiled. "Mm! I think that position suits me perfectly. That fifth-rank one would really lower my standing."
Xia Jinghong laughed along with him. "No, I think making you Deputy Commissioner would be wasting your talent. How about I make you a prefect instead?"
Fang Zichen immediately grew wary.
He wasn't stupid.
"Your Majesty, let's forget that. I'm a man of little learning—good for nothing, really. I can't do anything right, and I eat everything in sight. So why don't I just—"
"A prefect is third-rank. With all the grain, cloth, and miscellaneous allowances added to your monthly salary, you'd bring in over two hundred taels a month."
Xia Jinghong coaxed him gently: "That's far more than what you're earning at the Hanlin Academy now."
So what if it's more?
The Hanlin Academy is safe!
What use is money if you lose your life? Can I spend it in the afterlife? Only a fool would take that deal.
"Just go for five years. After your term is up, I'll transfer you back. I'm offering this to you because we're close—otherwise, I'd have given this good fortune to someone else." Seeing Fang Zichen stay silent, Xia Jinghong turned up the pressure: "If you don't go, how many years will it take you to climb to this rank at the Hanlin Academy? Without ten or twenty years, you'll never make third-rank."
Fang Zichen looked troubled. "But Hezhou is too dangerous. I have three children now—I need to stay alive."
Xia Jinghong shot him a glance. "It's precisely because it's dangerous that I'm sending you."
Fang Zichen's eyes went wide, and his voice rose. "Your Majesty, I admit I've swindled you out of some silver before, but I don't think that's any deep grudge—surely you wouldn't go this far over that?"
Xia Jinghong laughed and slowly slid a box across the desk toward Fang Zichen. "You misunderstand me. Other officials all got beaten, but I don't think you will. You're capable—I have faith in you." He sighed. "Hezhou is far from the capital, with poor roads. The previous prefect ruled like a despot, crushing the commoners under his heel. I simply can't keep an eye on everything from here, and the people of Hezhou have suffered because of it. I don't trust anyone else to send—only you. I know you're a good man, different from the rest."
Fang Zichen opened the box and his face lit up. At this point, not just Hezhou—he'd have gone to the Western Paradise itself. "Of course, of course—I am the most selfless and incorruptible man there is."
"Exactly. The day before yesterday, an urgent report came from Hezhou again—saying that Baixiang County lost another thirty-nine people to the cold this year. And Baixiang is relatively better off compared to the other counties... if even there the people are suffering like this, the other counties must be even worse."
Fang Zichen's mood turned somber as well.
"You're still young. I'm not asking you to achieve any great feats—just guard Hezhou well for me. Don't pay lip service to me like the others did. Simply follow the laws of the court and do your duty."
Fang Zichen, forgetting all formality, leaned onto the imperial desk and spoke bluntly: "But Your Majesty, I just bought a house and still owe the broker money."
Xia Jinghong knew the man was about to drive a harder bargain, and his brow twitched faintly. "I'll pay it off for you."
"How could I impose? I truly care about the people's suffering—but if one can't take care of one's own family, how can one care for the realm? My fulang just gave birth; it's not a good time to leave!"
"Go after the confinement month is over. I'll assign you some people to ensure your safety."
"So all I have to do is guard Hezhou well?"
"Yes."
"You'll really transfer me back after five years? You won't trick me?"
"Really. My word is my bond."
Fang Zichen left in high spirits.
The Right Chancellor stepped out from behind the screen.
A subject should share the sovereign's burdens and go wherever he was sent. If His Majesty wanted to send Fang Zichen, one imperial edict would be enough—he would have no choice but to go, whether he wanted to or not. How could he possibly dare to refuse a direct command from the Emperor?
The Right Chancellor felt that Xia Jinghong was far too indulgent with Fang Zichen.
Xia Jinghong leaned back into his chair. "He's the only one who can truly talk with me. I don't want him to resent me. I want him to go gladly and serve me faithfully."
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