Chapter 146: Negotiation
"Stop her idea of becoming a concubine for Zhong Zheng Lin"?
He Lian Min Min's brain was put to use appropriately in this matter. She almost bluntly pointed out that He Lian Wei should be stuffed into the Eighth Prince's Mansion.
Mu Xi Yao felt that this deal was a bit of a loss. He Lian Min Min dared to bring it up so clearly, and it had a lot to do with her return to the He Lian Mansion. Someone should have said something to her, otherwise this woman would not let go of her grudges so easily.
"Since it's all for the peace of the house, this concubine has no reason to refuse."
No matter what she says or not, things need to be done. This time she suffered a bit of a loss on the surface, but next time she'll get it back. On the side of His Royal Highness, she needed to pretend to be pitiful and show weakness again. The benefits should be enough to recover the "loss" caused by this excessive generosity.
She really wanted to express her opinion about the damaged suffered: she couldn't take advantage of this business, and she also had to use her brain to drive away the woman she disliked.
He Lian got her refreshing [1] reply, and contentedly, she took people away with her.
[1] 爽快 shuǎngkuai - refreshed/rejuvenated/frank and straightforward. I feel like in Chinese novels this "refreshing" word is used very much, and I needed to put it out there that it actually means one is being direct. I didn't know.
Sure enough, Mu Xi Yao was still afraid of the other woman who had won the Phoenix sign with her, her mother was right. The negotiation went unexpectedly smoothly, and the result made He Lian Min Min extremely satisfied. One mountain couldn't tolerate two tigers? Humph! After He Lian Wei Rui was cleared away, she and Mu Xi Yao would return to be bridge to bridge, road to road [2]. How to live next, this life was very long... [3] Afraid that Mu-shi thought the same way in her heart.
[2] 又是桥归桥，路归路 yòu shì qiáo guī qiáo，lùguīlù - Bridge to Bridge, Road to Road. Metaphor meaning that unrelated things to each other should be strictly separated. The idiom's origin is from Gao Yang's "Complete Biography of Hu Xue Yan: Stepping into the Clouds", volume 1: "Lending a loan is another thing, and getting a pad of rice is another thing. The bridge returns to the bridge, and the road returns to the road."
[3] When she says "life is long" she means she is open to possibilities. Like now, they're allies, but maybe next time they would not necessarily be.
"Wei Zhen, keep an eye on the He Lian Mansion. Lord He Lian should be very busy these few days."
Mu Xi Yao was used to doing things steadily, and she had always kept her promises about what should be done.
"Mistress, won't you tell the Highness about this? The He Lian family is not easy to deal with."
Wei Zhen sat in the corner just now and heard the conversation between the two women clearly. He was a little uncertain about what Mistress Yao wanted to do. The Principal Consort He Lian-shi actually encouraged her Mistress to do this, his Royal Highness should be extremely unhappy.
"Of course the He Lian family is not a soft persimmon. However, some things that cannot be achieved without a solid foundation. A little flaw is enough to change the whole situation."
The way to find this flaw… Mu Xi Yao decided to wait and see Lord He Lian first.
Zhong Zheng Lin took Yan Cheng Zhou to take a boat and walked around outside the camp at will. When he turned to the mountainside, he saw Zhong Zheng Ming sitting on the ground in an apricot-white brocade robe. A horizontal flute in his hand was placed on his lips, and the ancient tune of "Flowing Goblet" [4] came to his ears. In this deep mountain, it was particularly moving.
[4] "流觞" liú shāng, can be translated to "Flowing feast/goblet", this 'flowing' can also be a 'stream of water or sth resembling one'. About the piece. There's a famous modern qin master called Ding Cheng Yun (丁承运 ) who wrote a qin partiture called exactly the same piece: "流觞". (This master is from our times, I wonder if the author just put it there as a wink for the ones in the known, or if they got confused). Another important thing is, 流觞 shares his two characters with "流觴曲水" which means Winding Stream Party, an ancient drinking game played during the Spring Purification Festival in which a cup of wine is floated down a stream with people seated on both side (the person sitting in front of the cup when it stops has to drink).
A guqin. Pinterest.
"Flowing Goblet" was one of Mu Xi Yao's favourites, and every time she played the guqin, she will definitely not miss this song. Now, Zhong Zheng Ming also prefers "Flowing Goblet".
Zhong Zheng Lin's phoenix eyes flickered for a moment.
This was Yan Cheng Zhou's first time listening to the fifth prince's play, and he found it was very pleasant. Although he was not proficient in rhythm, he could still enjoy it. His Royal Highness's skills didn't seem to be bad. This tune penetrated directly into people's hearts, and he always felt that there was something in it.
Zhong Zheng Lin saw Yan Cheng Zhou listening intently and in the blink of an eye, his eyes darkened even more.
"Sixth brother."
Zhong Zheng Ming played the song, turned around and greeted the visitor politely. He had noticed it as early as when he came, but he didn't intend to interrupt himself.
"The fifth brother is in good spirits." Choosing such a fancy pastime, at night in this kind of place, all alone.
Zhong Zheng Ming drew the flute in his hand with a flowery move and stood up with one hand on the ground. Roughly tidying up the brocade robe, he smiled extremely gracefully.
"This song fits the scene. An old man [5] once praised the lofty and quiet song Flowing Goblet, but this song can only be played when there is harmony in all matters." Zhong Zheng Ming said with regret.
At the end, he couldn't hear that old man playing the zither. A pity. Otherwise it could be regarded as an elegant [6] event where intellectual people could mingle.
[5] 故人 gùrén is 'old friend / the deceased' and 曾 zēng is 'grand' from great- (grandfather, grandchild etc).
[6] 雅事 yǎshì is a Chinese word meaning 'something elegant', often referring to activities related to qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting. From "Suiyuan Poems".
Old man? The arc of Zhong Zheng Lin's mouth gradually disappeared. When did Mu Xi Yao become an old relative of Zhong Zheng Ming?
"We set off early tomorrow. If the fifth brother has had enough fun, it's better if he rests earlier." Zhong Zheng Lin nodded and said his parting, with his hands behind his back, and walked away with Yan Cheng Zhou in no hurry.
On the way down the mountain, his sixth Royal Highness glanced at the guard commander who was standing solemnly beside him, and spoke casually, "Is the music good?"
Yan Cheng Zhou nodded honestly, "This subordinate thinks his fifth Highness song should be good."
What exactly is a good play, he is a rough man, and he can't say, but he still can answer as he feels.
"Not only are you interested in rhythm, but you can practice a lot in your spare the next training gap, there will also be an adjustment." After Zhong Zheng Lin said this sentence, he didn't speak again.
Yan Cheng Zhou's steps showed his confused mind, and when he stared at the Master's back his eyes were open like copper bells.
Chinese copper bells. (Baidu).
Learn the rhythm? Did his Highness send this errand wrong? He has been tone-deaf since he was a child, and he doesn't even know how to read the music score. With these qualifications, no musician would be willing to teach him.
Holding back his doubts, Yan Cheng Zhou followed his sixth Highness all the way back to the camp, and even until he fell asleep, he still couldn't figure it out. Next time he trains, does he really want him to go up and show his ugliness?
Zhong Zheng Lin picked up Mu Xi Yao's letter and read it carefully under the oil lamp.
In the dead of night, he missed the soft intimate way she acted with him and her coquettish appearance when she was full of tricks and reluctant to acknowledge her mistakes. More than half a month passed, and things in the mansion continued to happen, and she was not idle for a moment.
He took the Cheng Qing "stamp" that was always attached to the back of each letter. That kid was raised by his mother in Danruo Courtyard, he must be spending his days happily.
Zhong Zheng Lin glanced at a stack of letters in the box and felt that the rebel party needed to be wiped out as soon as possible.
So on the second day, the soldiers found that his sixth Royal Highness looked colder, and his horse's speed seemed to increase a bit during the journey. If the sixth Highness was the only one who looked different, then everyone would think it may just be that the military situation was urgent.. However, the fifth Royal Highness on the side also had a poor face, which made the entire team look a lot more solemn in an instant.
Everyone silently chose to bury their heads and speed up the horses. Out of the corner of their eyes, they also caught a glimpse of the blue under the eyes of Commander Yan, and then they were even more afraid to squeak.
In Shengjing, He Lian Min Min took Su Lin Rou and the two concubines without title, Wan Jing Wen and Zhang-shi, to the palace of Consort Shu to greet her. After greetings, she got on the sedan chair and followed the Consort to Feng'An Palace to salute the Empress Dowager.
Entering the main hall, He Lian Min Min saw at a glance several princesses leaning next to the Empress Dowager and talking amusedly. At this moment, Empress Dowager Jin had a gentle smile on her face.
"Empress Dowager, this concubine brought the old six family to greet you." Consort Shu smiled gracefully and saluted.
Behind her, He Lian Min Min and the others followed suit and greeted the Empress Dowager Jin, who was sitting on the soft couch.
"You may rise." Empress Dowager Jin raised her right hand slightly, and the golden crystal nail guard on her finger was particularly eye-catching.
A golden nail guard. (Pinteres).
Consort went to the concubine's side to sit down, and He Lian Min Min led the people to sit down under the princesses and Consorts.
"Is the sixth sister-in-law not sleeping well? Why are your eyes a little puffy?" Zhong Zheng Ying on the opposite side immediately singled out He Lian Min Min.
The Empress Dowager looked over there, and it was indeed a bit eye-catching.
"Sixth family, what's the matter? Didn't you rest well at night, or did you overdo it? You need to take care of your body, Aijia [7] is still waiting to hug the great-grandson."
[7] 哀家 aijia: lit. "in mourning" or "grieving one"; illeism for the Empress Dowager, a widowed empress, as she is in mourning for her deceased husband. (Dreams of Jianghu).
He Lian Min Min's stomach hasn't moved for a long time, and it's something that Empress Dowager Jin has remembered for more than a day. He Lian Min Min was sitting upright with her hands folded on her knees. Her demeanour was excellent as she answered.
"Going back to the ancestor, this concubine is conditioning her body with a medicinal diet. I used it a little late last night, and my eyes looked like this this morning."
"The medicated diet needs to be taken with attention to the hour, and children's affairs have to be taken to heart. Ask the people below to remind you. Otherwise, after drinking those many cups of soup in vain, it will be useless and it will not be able to work."
The Empress Dowager heard her say that she was taking the initiative to take the medicine, and her face showed satisfaction.
"Well, then, how is the sixth sister-in-law recuperating? When will the ancestors' wish to hold her great-grandchildren be fulfilled?" Zhong Zheng Ying's eyes flashed harshly.
She now sees Zhong Zheng Lin's family as unsightly. Consort Shu was favoured by the Emperor and she couldn't move her for the time being. But for He Lian-shi she can still make it difficult by one or two points.
He Lian Min Min had been prepared to be criticised by her, but she didn't expect Zhong Zheng Ying to be so blunt in front of Empress Dowager. She didn't take her feelings into account at all, and she singled out people's weaknesses without a hitch.
"Momo said that I still need to take the medicine with peace of mind for two or three years. As for the children, it still depends on fate." He Lian Min Min showed a little shyness on her face, and she seemed embarrassed to speak of these matters in front of people.
"Isn't it that Ben Gong heard that the sixth brother is often in Mu cefei's place, and that there are not many times when he is in sixth sister-in-law's house?"
In a phrase, Zhong Zheng Ying put on display Mu Xi Yao's domineering favour and He Lian Min Min's inability to hold Zhong Zheng Lin's heart.
The Empress Dowager raised her eyebrows, glanced at Zhong Zheng Ying, and when she looked at He Lian Min Min, her expression changed subtly.
"Is that true?"
What was the matter with the rules in the old sixth's Mansion?
Consort Shu looked at He Lian-shi, afraid that she would not understand the sense of proportion and answer badly. Better He Lian Min Min be sensible this time, and excuse Mu Xi Yao.
"Ancestor, there is no way it's like this." He Lian Min Min turned her head to look at Zhong Zheng Ying, correcting her words with great patience. "Mu-shi fetus is really unstable, so His Royal Highness is naturally vigilant. It is also human nature to guard at night. Besides, they rested on separate beds, separated by a screen. The rules were not broken."
He Lian Min Min couldn't be clearer about the facts, but this is what must be said, otherwise they would just expose that there are no rules in the backyard, and that Empress Dowager will definitely not like it.
The Empress Dowager remembered what the Master of Anguo Temple said, and remembered that Mu-shi was blessed with excellent luck, and her lively and active personality. She took into account Mu-shi's hard work in pregnancy, and the doubts in her heart slowly disappeared.
"Besides, your Highness will not break the rules for Mu-shi. Before leaving, His Royal Highness also walked to the various yards every month, and it's not like the princess said. Afraid the princess heard the wrong news, or was blinded by the servants."
Where did Zhong Zheng Ying's news come from, He Lian Min Min waited for her to justify herself.
Su Lin Rou was well advised by He Lian Min Min in advance, and the two of them adjusted their story early. Although they were reluctant in their hearts, they had a look of agreement on their faces.
Wan Jing Wen and Zhang-shi were just concubines, and they were not even qualified to answer in front of the Empress Dowager. They were not asked questions by the above, so they could only wait in silence. At this time, listening to He Lian Min Min's answer, they were shocked, but their faces did not reveal anything.
When the Empress Dowager saw Zhong Zheng Lin's mansion's women were quite harmonious, there was no worry in her heart. On the contrary, she was unhappy with Zhong Zheng Ying's hearsay.
"Fourth girl, how can your identity allow you to listen and believe, then speak falsely in public so easily? What are you caring about the private affairs of your sixth brother's mansion? Do you want your face [8] or not?"
[8] 体面 Tǐmiàn - dignity / face (as in "losing face") / honourable / creditable / (of sb's appearance) presentable / respectable.
Empress Dowager Jin was a typical harem woman, and she had great requirements for women's morality and etiquette. This time she ran into Zhong Zheng Ying who exceeded the bounds, and naturally she wanted to admonish her.
"You are also a Mistress and mother now, does Aijia still need to tell you this? Speaking of the sixth's family just now, what are your plans for yourself? Do you still let momo oversee and take care of it?"
When the Empress Dowager asked this question, not only Zhong Zheng Ying couldn't hold her face, but even He Lian Min Min was very surprised.
He Lian Min Min thought the Empress Dowager would admonish Zhong Zheng Ying to be outspoken and listen to all the muddy words. She didn't think that the ancestors would be guided by her, but instead thought of the private affairs of the princess's mansion.
He Lian Min Min glanced at Zhong Zheng Ying obliquely, laughing secretly in her heart.
This slap was loud.
Chapter 147: Rebound
Zhong Zheng Ying looked sharply at Concubine Shu and He Lian-shi's back, her eyes dark. She underestimated Zhong Zheng Lin's Principal Consort! She never thought about getting burned.
"Her Royal Highness, bengong has heard that the Imperial Garden has planted new types of flowers. Fu Zhaoyi and bengong are about to go to see it, and we will have dinner afterward. Wonder if the Princess is interested in going together?"
Consort Qi's sedan chair stopped in front of Zong Zheng Ying, opened the curtain, and her well-maintained face was full of smiles. Behind her was a gorgeous sedan chair, and through the lowered bead curtain, a beautiful concubine could be seen sitting in it. Facing Zhong Zheng Ying, she only nodded slightly, without saying a word of greeting.
Zhong Zheng Ying looked at Fu Zhaoyi, who had been extremely favored recently, and saw that she was dressed in a noble manner. Thus, the only pearl Buyao on her head was very eye-catching. When she took a closer look, she suddenly found that this rare and precious accessory… wasn't it the pair of the one that Emperor Yuancheng rewarded Concubine Shu? No wonder Concubine Shu had an unfathomable expression on her face when she saw this new favorite.
"Since Consort Qi had extended an invitation, bengong is naturally happy to go." Zhong Zheng Ying rolled her whip and turned around to ride the princess's lift. She didn't chat with Consort Qi but quietly admired the frosty woman in the sedan chair behind.
With such a cold temper, did she act the same way in front of Emperor Yuancheng?
"Mistress, Lord He Lian has gone to two places to socialize privately in the past two days. The people who met him were Fu Zuoyi, the Commander of the Infantry, and Wang Rui, Deputy Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household, respectively. In addition, Lord He Lian's second wife [1] has a very close relationship with Madam Anguo, who was recently sealed as an honored lady."
[1] 平妻 píngqī. A very rare case in ancient China where a man had another equal wife. Different from the first wife, who has the highest status, the flat wife/equal wife is a second wife, higher than a common concubine, and lower than the first wife. (Don't cite me on this, this is also the first time I'm encountering this, lolol, many sites also say that this was a concubine and not a wife, but Wikipedia said otherwise).
Wei Zhen explained all the news that the dark guard had received, and waited for Mistress Yao to speak.
He Lian Zhang was so courageous that he dared to contact the Anguo Mansion in disguise. A few months ago, the old Duke of Anguo finally couldn't hold on anymore, and Emperor Yuancheng coldly asked people to go to prepare his funeral rites. Then, with a stroke of his pen, the eldest son of the Duke's Mansion was promoted as usual. This talent, who had just been promoted to office, was the eldest uncle of the first prince Zhong Zheng Chun, who was now in the Yuye Palace as well as the elder brother of Noble Consort [2] Li, who was sent to "recuperate" by Mu Xi Yao.
[2] 贵妃 guìfēi - Noble Consort. High-ranking concubine, lower only to the Empress and the Imperial Noble Consort.
Behind Zhong Zheng Lin's back, the He Lian family used the path of the wife's diplomacy [3] and had secret contact with the eldest prince. Mu Xi Yao guessed that the two sides must have some ulterior motive. As the sixth highness' in-laws, He Lian Zhang should've imagined that this would cause displeasure to Zhong Zheng Lin. Since he committed this crime, there must be a way to change the wind and let him go back. What was the old fox going to use to calm Zhong Zheng Lin's anger?
[3] This refers to when families establish a friendly political relationship with their wifes opening up their talks and later serving as an enhancement to avoid friction. This is something that tends to happen behind the scenes.
"Fu Zuoyi, the commander of the infantry?" Mu Xi Yao was not familiar with this person. Instead, she had heard from his superior, Huo Shaoguang, the admiral of the Nine Gates from Zhong Zheng Lin several times.
"This person forms part of the newly promoted group of important ministers. His third daughter was chosen by the emperor in the draft. In just a few months, she has been promoted to a second-ranking Zhaoyi and enjoys the benefits of being an imperial concubine. Now that she is in her prime, no one in the palace can beat her except for Concubine Shu."
Mu Xi Yao nodded. Emperor Yuancheng's hands and feet were fast. Fu Zhaoyi? The next time she entered the palace for greetings, she had to take a good look at her.
So, the He Lian family wanted to use the connections in the harem to bring He Lian Wei Rui into Zhong Zheng Lin's backyard? Wasn't this abacus played too well?
How were they going to explain this? Moreover, how will they send their daughter to the sixth prince's mansion when the Imperial Noble Consort was choosing a concubine for the eighth prince? This obviously had the meaning of choosing a prince's faction, how could He Lian Zhang, who was known to be of the Emperor's clique, keep the high hat of being a clean and loyal official?
"Alright. Since He Lian Zhang has already started the game, this game of chess is not without clues." Mu Xi Yao calmed down and started writing again. "Mister Wei doesn't have to worry about staring over there anymore. He Lian's mansion only needs one or two secret guards to be on call at any time, and the rest can be withdrawn. What we have to wait for now is the news from the palace." The battlefield changed to the harem, and the dark guards had little effect. Instead of risking exposure, it was better to be discreet.
Mu Xi Yao dismissed the servants, sitting alone in front of the bookcase to complete the daily homework assigned by the boss. On one hand, she wrote corny [4] lines to please the boss, while interjecting an occasional sigh about this and that situation that made her anxious.
[4] 肉麻 ròumá - sickening/corny/sappy/maudlin/fulsome (of praise).
If it goes on like this, wouldn't she be involved in a palace fight again? And it was not the right time. And this fight will be with no more than with her father-in-law's wifey, wasn't this too much?
Shouldn't this palace fight drama be with Emperor Jian'An's harem? At this time, the big boss has not yet ascended the throne, but his favorite concubine has frequently appeared... This thing can't be done, it was no different from stealing the spotlight. Mu Xi Yao pouted, if this was filming, it would definitely be considered overtime, she was very unhappy.
He Lian's family had a good life, but their tricks [5] had to be counted!
[5] 搞风搞雨 gǎofēng gǎo yǔ. Ply tricks behind others' backs. Treacherous.
In his letter to his sixth Highness, Mu Xi Yao emphasized how hard she had managed the housework and endured humiliation and burdens for his sixth Highness. The writing was touching and affectionate. In the end, she did not forget to let Zhong Zheng Lin remember to find a famous chef in Shu for her. It would be better if it could be sent to Shengjing earlier. The excuse was that the one in her belly had been very picky about dishes recently.
Three days later, news came out of the palace.
The Imperial Noble Consort had been recuperating in the palace for a long time now, and finally got the imperial doctor's nod. Emperor Yuancheng went there in person, and then everything went as before.
In the morning, the concubines went to greet the Imperial Noble Consort and saw the Imperial Noble Consort who they haven't seen for a while. Before the Duke's death she used to be arrogant from head to toe, both in words and actions. Now, she was dressed elegantly with only a wooden hairpin on her head. She spoke more politely than before, and she became estranged from others.
When their greetings were over, for the first time, the concubines gave a full salute in front of the Imperial Noble Consort time and then left in silence. In the whole process, there was no gossip, so the Imperial Noble Consort just sat coldly for half a quarter of an hour. She didn't have the smiling face from before, and she didn't even fake a word of greeting.
"The Imperial Noble Consort has recovered?" Mu Xi Yao looked at Wei Zhen in surprise and asked the momo to bring Cheng Qing aside to play.
Although she knew for a long time that Concubine Liu's case alone could not completely knock down the Imperial Noble Consort, she did not expect that Emperor Yuancheng would lift the ban so quickly. The old Duke passed away, and the hatred in the heart of the Imperial Noble Consort must be a hundred times stronger than before. Mu Xi Yao had never seen this woman's ability with her eyes but she still secretly guarded against her. Maybe one day she would be provoked and take drastic measures. Fighting with a crazy person, one couldn't have enough precautions.
"Fu Zhaoyi has been in contact with the Imperial Noble Consort for the past three days?" Being able to intercede in front of Emperor Yuancheng for Li-shi, the only variable in the palace, apart from Fu Zuoyi's daughter, she couldn't think of anyone else. Lord He Lian's move was immediate and effective.
"When Fu Zhaoyi fell into the water, it was the Imperial Noble Consort's prompt reaction that saved her life." Wei Zhen didn't dare to underestimate the means of the He Lian family. They even dared to design a water accident in the harem, they definitely used some secret chess pieces.
"She's actually fast, huh." Mu Xi Yao was amused.
Although Fu Zhaoyi and the Imperial Noble Consort lived in the same Six Palaces in the East, they were still separated by Consort Qi. Did this mean that the Imperial Noble Consort was able to handle things effectively, or was Consort Qi deaf and blind?
"Is the one in the middle a dead person? And how can this trick be hidden from the Emperor's eyes?" Mu Xi Yao rolled her eyes.
Wei Zhen has gradually been able to adapt to Mistress Yao speaking casually in private. The rules in the palace were much more than the rules in their mansion. The Mistress was not willing to follow them, and His Highness was reluctant to discipline her, and he had no room to talk.
"Consort Qi took someone to eat in the Imperial Garden, she was not there when it happened." Wei Zhen reported truthfully.
"That's right. Consort Qi should have eaten her "Prosperous Garden" [6] for dinner. It must've been really hard for her to digest food at 7-9 pm." Mu Xi Yao shook her head, showing no manners.
[6] '富贵满园' fùguì mǎn yuán: A garden filled with riches an honor/The garden is full of wealth. (To shorten it I just called it "Prosperous Garden".)
Wei Zhen's face twitched. Mistress Yao dared to mock people even when she was in the wrong. "Prosperous Garden" was not a palace dish, but a grand banquet that was rarely served in Shengjing. The most recent one was to congratulate the Crown Prince on his wedding more than ten years ago, and there were nearly a thousand dishes. One table was enough for hundreds of strong men to eat.
Emperor Yuancheng did not have it easy. Mu Xi Yao sighed. An emperor has to turn a blind eye to these women's clumsy methods, she felt that such patience was beyond her reach.
The biggest boss in Shengjing probably felt he owed a debt since when Duke Anguo died he didn't allow the Imperial Noble Consort to leave the palace to pay homage. Now the old thief who was not pleasing to his eyes had kicked the bucket, so these little tricks were insignificant for him, and couldn't care less.
The emperor was a thief [7], and all of them were the big shots in the movie industry!
[7] 贼 Zéi - thief / traitor / wily / deceitful / evil / extremely.
The Imperial Noble Consort, Consort Qi, and Fu Zhaoyi. These three women mixed together were too annoying. Consort Shu was still too popular, and people's jealousy of her should be quite high. As a member of the Sixth Royal Highness's Mansion, Mu Xi Yao could only suffer.
However, He Lian Zhang was worthy of his reputation as the emperor's confidant, he really understood Emperor Yuancheng's thoughts.
"Come back when there is news. This scene has just started, so let's watch it slowly." Mu Xi Yao was calm, she had guessed He Lian Zhang's next move.
Sure enough, in the next few days, Emperor Yuancheng flipped the Imperial Noble Consort's brand twice, and then Fu Zhaoyi's. In the middle of this, Consort Shu, who was always stable no matter how many women there were in the emperor's harem, had the Emperor Yuancheng going to her palace for a few days as well. This made the women in the harem see clearly that Concubine Shu seemed to be very stable, ah...
Fu Zhaoyi rarely smiled in front of the emperor. The cold beauty occasionally smiled charmingly, awkwardly begged for love, and said a few nice-sounding words, Emperor Yuancheng liked this act very much. Now, in order to repay her life-saving grace, Fu Zhaoyi repeatedly tried, and finally persuaded the emperor to go to the Imperial Noble Consort.
With such comings and goings, the two of them got closer and closer, and they talked more and more with each other.
On this day, He Lian Min Min went to Empress Dowager's palace to give her greetings but it was not Zhong Zheng Ying who she met, but the "He Lian Party" led by the Imperial Noble Consort.
Ironically, He Lian Min Min was going to confront the forces that had been bribed by her family head-on. Mu Xi Yao was amazed after hearing about this scene.
The Feng'An Palace was very lively. Both concubines and princesses flattered the Empress Dowager Jin with a smile on their faces.
"It is said that the most talented woman in Shengjing is Yu Hong Ying, the second young lady of the Grand Master's [8] Mansion. Back then, she wrote the poem "Singing catkins" [9]. The Poetry Club was startled and very envious of her talent."
[8] 太师 Tàishī - imperial tutor. The scholar who taugh the princes. Baidu says: "In ancient times, Taishi, Taifu, and Taibao were called "Three Dukes", and later they were added to the titles of high officials, expressing grace but no real position".
[9] 咏絮 yǒngxù - the talent of singing catkins. According to Baidu, this is a word used to describe eloquent, smart, talented women. It comes from an ancient story. You can read the story in the footnotes below.
Catkins in China.
Gossip went back and forth. First they discussed the first beauty in Shengjing and now they talked about the enviable talented woman in Shengjing.
Zhong Zheng Ying frowned, "Yu Hong Ying has no good works since «Singing catkins». In Shengjing, Zhuge Li's poems are the best, and no one can match them."
Zhuge Li was the pearl in the palm of Lord Zhuge, the Head of the Imperial Guards. Zhuge Li not only wrote beautifully, but she herself was also quite beautiful.
Zhong Zheng Ying's words were immediately approved by everyone. Zhuge Li's poems and essays were almost selected as one of the top three "Great Collected Works". Zhuge Li's fame amongst women was quite good.
"This statement is biassed. Chenqie [10] knows that there are at least two women who are as good as Zhuge Li, not only in poetry but also in good loks" Fu Zhaoyi¡s cold voice instantly attracted everyone's attention, and even the Empress Dowager Jin was curious.
[10] 臣妾 Chénqiè - (literary) I, your servant (self-appellation of a lower-rank female) / (archaic) male and female slaves / subjects (of a ruler).
Were there people who could keep pace with Zhuge Li? And she said there was two. If so, sho were them?
Chapter 148: Gong!
"The first is He Lian Wei Rui, the second young lady of the He Lian Mansion and the shu sister of the Princess Consort of the sixth prince." Fu Zhaoyi replied coldly, her demeanor still arrogant. "Miss He Lian Wei Rui once wrote «New Commentary on the Interpretation of Canons», which is praised by the academics of the Hanlin Academy today. As for the other person, she has a close relationship with the sixth prince and his Princess Consort. You may as well guess."
"Could it be that the He Lian family has two talented women in a row? Which sister from the He Lian Consort are you speaking of?" Cao Chong Hua asked curiously.
"Chong Hua guessed wrongly. The second woman is Mu-shi, the cefei of the Sixth Highness. Isn't this having a close relationship with the Princess Consort He Lian-shi?"
Mu-shi? The crowd was amazed. He Lian Wei Rui's volume of «New Commentary on the Interpretation of Canons» was still plausible, but Mu-shi has never been known for having any talent.
"Does Mu cefei write poetry? Why haven't I heard of it?" The third princess, Zhong Zheng Rong, was very puzzled. It stands to reason that people who can be compared with Zhuge Li should have long been famous. Apart from owning a rouge shop and being a clever talker, Mu-shi didn't have a good reputation.
"Cefei's name is not obvious because she is very humble. What book she has written, chenqie does not know." Fu Zhaoyi gave a half explanation, looking a bit regretful, and she obviously did not satisty everyone's curiosity.
"Zhaoyi doesn't know, so how can she identify Mu cefei with outstanding literary talent?"
"Chenqie dares to say that, of course there is a cause for it. It is not chenqie who praises her for her outstanding prose, but the Emperor."
When she was accompanying the Emperor in the imperial study, Fu Zhaoyi once overheard Emperor Yuancheng's blunt words to his subordinates, "Mu-shi literary talent is not in the same league as of a woman's". When Fu Zhaoyi first heard this, she was very jealous. She was also considered a little talented, but she has never entered Emperor Yuancheng's eyes. The emperor has seen her poems and small verses but he only praised her with "good words".
At this moment, when Mu Xi Yao was pushed out, the entire Feng'an Palace was instantly silent.
No one dared to question the words of the Emperor Yuancheng. As for why the emperor looked at Mu-shi so highly, Fu Zhaoyi didn't know, and they didn't dare to ask further details.
Empress Dowager Jin had great confidence on Emperor Yuanchen's judgment. Knowing that Mu-shi had been praised by Emperor Yuanchen, she naturally nodded in agreement. "Mu-shi is also good. It is very rare to be knowledgeable and talented." The most rare thing is to have both happiness and longevity. Of course, the Empress Dowager would not say this to anyone casually.
Empress Dowager still remembered a bit of the backyard of her grandchildren. This Mu-shi was a special case, she was not a Princess Consort but she was more impressive than anyone. That girl was sharp, and as long as she was not jealous or domineering, the Empress Dowager would still hold a good impression of her.
"Cefei is so humble, chenqie would've never imagined it." Cao Chonghua sighed.
"Yes, Mu-shi is not only talented but also capable of raising children." Consort Qi admired her.
Consort Shu sat quietly, taking her time to watch the group of women uncharacteristically walking around in a big circle only to compliment Mu Xi Yao. Knowing that the limelight was wrong, but without being able to see the tricks in it, she could only secretly pay attention, with a cautious expression.
This was to take advantage of the absence of Mu-shi, not afraid of her sharp counterattack, and brewing a plan? Seeing that the Imperial Noble Consort did not say a word from beginning to end, those who didn't know thought she was watching the show.
It's a pity that Consort Shu's battle with her did not last only a day or two. No one knew each other better than the other. The Imperial Noble Consort was recuperating in the Yuye Palace, and when she was banned there was no such strange thing. She has only been released for a few days, and Mu-shi has been involved in a matter? Saying it was a coincidence, Consort Shu felt it was a shabby excuse.
"Mu cefei has been in the manor for three years, and she has the eldest son under her knees, and now she is about to give birth again. It is a good thing that His Royal Highness's children are prosperous." The third princess, Zhong Zheng Rong, was instructed by her biological mother and she was still friendly to Mu Xi Yao. This was a well-meaning statement, but a pity that it changed in Zhong Zheng Ying's mouth.
"In the sixth brother's mansion, only cefei's belly has moved, in fact, it's a bit deserted." After the last time she was reprimanded by the Empress Dowager, Zhong Zheng Ying didn't dare to say too much, she just started talking carefully.
"His Royal Highness' is controlling the rebellion in the middle of Shu, if he can suppress the rebellious party in one fell swoop, it will be a great achievement and the emperor's reward will definitely be indispensable. At that time, rewarding a few women and spreading branches and leaves for His Highness, wouldn't it be an easy task to have a son then?" Consort Qi took a handkerchief, covered her mouth and smiled.
Consort Shu's eyes swept away, and she immediately understood why these women put so much effort into it. It turned out that they wanted to stuff her son with a woman. This was strange. Mentioning this in front of her, weren't they afraid that this woman would cause her suspicion? Or was there something else she didn't know about?
"Now the Imperial Noble Consort is choosing a cefei for His Highness the eighth prince, why don't the Imperial Noble Consort pay attention to some good things for His Sixth Royal Highness? The sons of the princes are prosperous, and the ancestors are also happy to see it."
The Imperial Noble Consort sat under Empress Dowager Jin, looking at these women chatting back and forth looking very lively. This matter was inexplicably implicated in her, and she wondered if the Empress Dowager would agree to their ploys.
"You say, if Miss He Lian Wei Rui and Mu cefei were together, wouldn't it be very interesting? Both of them are Shengjing's good women with both talent and beauty, and being able to accompany His Highness at the same time is also a good story. Maybe the two of them will see eye to eye and their talents will collide so much that it will be a great work, and then the future female students in Shengjing will be able to have a great time." Cao Chong Hua was excited and proposed a bold idea, which sounded a bit tempting.
Empress Dowager Jin was not interested in which woman entered the Prince's Mansion, but she was especially concerned about future generations. She had paid some attention to their chatter, but hearing Cao Chong Hua, she felt it was quite interesting and couldn't help but pay attention to He Lian Wei Rui.
"Does Chong Hua want to witness the legendary story of "Ehuang and Nüying" with her own eyes?"
[1] 娥皇女英 é huángnǚ yīng. You can read the story she's talking about here. But they're basically two sisters who were the concubines of the same man and helped him greatly. In the end, they became goddesses.
He Lian Min Min had been waiting for this good show, and she was not afraid, but rather relieved. That's fine, the ones that should come can't be avoided. It's better to end it earlier, so as not to feel suffocated and restless.
"If that's the case, then ask the Empress Dowager for grace, wouldn't their beginning be a lot more glamorous?" Zhong Zheng Ying kneaded Empress Dowager's arms and leaned in front of her acting coquettish.
The Duke of An had provided enough benefits. If this can be done, she will not only get three prosperous shops but also make Mu Xi Yao watch Zhong Zheng Lin being dragged away by other women, which will definitely make her suffer.
"You girls are all messing around. The matter in the backyard of the eighth is serious and the Imperial Noble Consort has to hurry up. But since you mentioned that He Lian Wei Rui, you might as well take a closer look. If she is really good, it would not too late to think about it when the time comes." Empress Dowager Jin's attitude loosened.
Imperial Noble Consort and Fu Zhaoyi looked at each other and smiled, and quickly staggered their eyes away and smiled to echo the meaning of the Empress Dowager.
Consort Shu was at a loss at this time. Why did so many people speak for He Lian Wei Rui? She looked below and found that He Lian Min Min was sitting dignifiedly, with no joy or anger on her face, she didn't even look surprised.
Going back to her palace, she had to look into this. This matter seemed to be quite peculiar.
Chapter 149: Revenge
"Come on, do tell me if you know what happened today. What is the He Lian family planning?" Consort Shu stared at He Lian Min Min with a displeased expression on her face. Such a big thing and she didn't even reveal the slightest rumor, did she even take her seriously?
He Lian Min Min knew that things in the family were not right, yet she still passed over the Sixth Highness and Consort Shu and went straight to deal with the Imperial Noble Consort and Fu Zhaoyi. Consort Shu being angry was reasonable.
Of course, He Lian Zhang would not speak directly to Consort Shu who had always been on the same page as His Highness. As long as His Royal Highness didn't allow it, Consort Shu couldn't force him. And it was even more difficult to ask the Sixth Highness to welcome He Lian Wei Rui into the door than to ask Emperor Yuancheng to grant him this marriage. Unless He Lian Zhang had the courage to fearlessly move his hand, and under the eyes of Emperor Yuancheng in the palace, tell Consort Shu the matter of the "Phoenix stick - The Emperor's Swallow" fortune-telling stick [1], well, let's say he does it, but after that, the next thing to face would be the wrath of the emperor and being accused as "peeping on the throne".
[1] This is from Chapter 106. Mu Xi Yao and He Lian Wei Rui both get the "Phoenix stick - The Emperor's Swallow" fortune-telling stick which means that they're going to be the Empress, cuz the Phoenix is the sign of the Empress. Behind Mu Xi Yao getting this fortune, there's the hidden meaning of Zhong Zheng Lin becoming the Emperor. Since HLWR also got it, the He Lian family is trying to stick her into his backyard.
So things got weird. Things went around so much that by the end, Consort Shu, her mother-in-law was isolated from the matter, at least until this day.
"Niang Niang, isn't this the concubine's fault? I'm ashamed." He Lian Min Min really felt guilty. If it weren't for her own problems, the He Lian family would not be able to grasp a handle, and hurriedly abandon her. "This concubine's shu sister met His Sixth Highness once at Anguo Temple, and after returning home, she never forgot about His Highness. Although this concubine was married into the mansion... after serving several times, the stomach has not moved and has therefore made the family anxious and so they acquiesced to my sister's request, Like this, they thought of a way to send her into the palace to help me one or two. If she can get an heir, father said that the child will be recorded under this concubine's name."
The matter of the "Phoenix stick -The Emperor's Swallow" signature must not be known to Consort Shu. If Niang Niang ever knew, then she too would force His Highness to bring He Lian Wei Rui into the mansion. Now she could only speak half-truths to confuse the matter, at most making Consort Shu feel that the He Lian family was radical and utilitarian.
Consort Shu frowned when she heard that the He Lian family was too concerned. "How long has it been since you got married? How could He Lian Zhang be so ignorant?" Consort Shu was dissatisfied with the He Lian family, they couldn't even understand the rules.
"This concubine has only heard of this matter recently. I will let my mother enter the palace tomorrow to make amends with Niang Niang."
"That's alright. Let Madam He Lian enter the palace early tomorrow, I have to speak to her in detail."
"Yes, I will pass the news to the family when I go back." He Lian Min Min felt happy. Things had just started there, and Consort Shu over here was already dissatisfied. Didn't this count as Lord He Lian's saving a little but losing a lot? [2]
[2] 因小失大 - yīnxiǎoshīdà. to save a little only to lose a lot (idiom). Meaning to lose big benefits for small benefits. From Han Liu Zhou's New Theory: Greed for Love: "Destroying the country and ruining one's body, losing the big gain by being greedy for small gains only makes the world laugh." Baidu.
He Lian Zhang was cunning, and of course, he would not overlook such an important person as Consort Shu. He went to the palace the next day to plead guilty, and not only did Madam He Lian arrive, but he also brought his equal wife, the adoptive mother of He Lian Wei Rui, Lu-shi.
To be able to stand against Madam He Lian, how could she be a simple character? Lu-shi's long sleeves were good at dancing [3], and her words were full of humility. Describing He Lian Wei Rui's affection for His Sixth Royal Highness made Consort Shu's expression ease. In the subsequent plea for guilt Lu-shi even wiped away tears. She said that He Lian Wei Rui and Zhong Zheng Ying were acquainted from the academy, and friendship gradually developed between their exchanges. Since the girl really couldn't let go of her feelings for His Highness, she asked for help, and it was so that yesterday's absurd scene happened.
[3] 长袖善舞 chángxiù shàn wǔ. Long sleeves help one dance beautifully (idiom). As described by H°Lifestyle: "Skillful in dancing with long sleeves refers to someone who's good at socializing, great at diplomacy and thus easier to achieve success, socially active".
Consort Shu was not a fool, although this might look like the truth, there were too many holes in the story. Seeing that Madam He Lian didn't even bother to talk to Lu-shi from the beginning to the end, she wondered if the He Lian family had a lot of infighting, and this He Lian Wei Rui entering the backyard was in fact, one more of the main wife and the second wife fighting each other. Climbing up to the sixth prince, naturally, the sky was closer, and power can be expected. As for He Lian Zhang, how could he not be happy with two daughters in His Royal Highness's mansion?
Consort Shu also came from a big family and she knew what they were like. It was so that she began to think this was a matter of the family fighting internally. The main room has the glory to marry the sixth prince, and the second room naturally wants to take a piece. Things could be taken slowly to plot but it just so happened that the eight prince's selection for a cefei was happening and they couldn't hold their breath, so things were done hurriedly and she noticed there was something going on.
Consort Shu didn't take He Lian Wei Rui into her eyes. She was just a woman. If her son liked her, he can well enough carry her into the door, but if he didn't like her, then this girl needed to come back to where she came from. Consort Shu already had a grudge against Zhen Yu. She didn't like girls stalking her son regardless of how his son felt. Like this, Concubine Shu figured out what was going on, and chased the two of them out of the palace.
In the evening, when Emperor Yuancheng was flipping the brand for the night he saw that the brands were less than usual, "What happened?"
Wang Rui, the Deputy Chief Eunuch of the Imperial Household, pulled down the whisk in his hand and took a few steps closer to answer. "Reporting back to the emperor, Consort Shu's little day is coming. Fu Zhaoyi has a cold and took the initiative to have her card removed. Hua Meiren and Zhang Jieyu had a conflict in the day, and their cards were withdrawn by the Imperial Noble Consort for three days."
Concubine Shu was inconvenient to serve, so Emperor Yuancheng, who had planned to go to her palace, went to sit with Fu Zhaoyi. Taking the initiative to remove her brand, this move was still sensible. The ice beauty acted very pleasingly, and Emperor Yuancheng sat with her for half an hour before going to Consort Qi's palace and settling down for the night.
Seeing that the matter was done, Wang Rui suppressed a smile and secretly went to the Imperial Noble Consort's palace to receive his reward.
On the second day, Emperor Yuancheng suddenly sent the Imperial Noble Consort on a new errand and asked her to take care of the other princes' backyard. If she saw a good woman who could give birth, then let her stay. For the royal family having too many children was never a problem.
The Imperial Noble Consort had already received the Empress Dowager's oral order, and now even the emperor had ordered it. This matter had to be taken care of. It's so that the matter of the eighth prince choosing his cefei became lively and the number of selected women doubled.
Mu Xi Yao watched from the beginning to the end, and up until now, He Lian Zhang's chess game hadn't taken a single misstep. The old fox successfully created this situation, and now He Lian Wei Rui would naturally be selected, and she would not necessarily be given to the eighth prince. Who could say that if she tried harder she wouldn't end up entering the sixth Highness' door?
Lord He Lian was really hardworking and much more diligent than her backup.
Mu Xi Yao leisurely glanced at the motionless fishing rod, and pouted, unwilling to wait. Because this woman didn't have the patience to hold the fishing rod still, she went looking for a reason why she wasn't in the wrong if she didn't. She held the tail of the fishing rod in her right hand and gently rose it, making the front end hit the water's surface lightly.
Standing beside her, also holding a fishing rod, Mister Wei, who was fishing seriously, showed disapproval on his face.
Mu Xi Yao explained to him her unreasonable actions: "Watching the beautiful scenery of the rippling blue waves will help you relax your mind therefore helping your brain become smarter and better able to deal with the endless means of the He Lian family."
The fishing rod in Master Wei's hand trembled, and the corners of his lips pursed solemnly. If Mistress Yao continued to make such a fuss, today's fish feast couldn't be counted on. Just now, he patted his chest and promised the little master five piebalds and five stone tails. Now, Wei Zhen felt that he needed to change to another location.
"Mister Wei, how come the silverfish sent by His Royal Highness doesn't bite the hook? This concubine has sat for a long time, is the fish not hungry?"
Boss could catch these fishes so effortlessly, but how come she couldn't see a single fry? It seemed it was still the boss' ability, even Wei Zhen didn't seem to be good at fishing.
Mu Xi Yao completely ignored her own unreasonableness in spoiling the situation, and directly labeled Wei Zhen as a fishing waste.
"If Mister Wei can't do it, let's change to a fishing net. Lunch can't be delayed." Before Wei Zhen could reply, Mu Xi Yao muttered to herself, turned around, and ordered others to do it.
Wei Zhen had no choice but to put down the fishing rod, and for the first time experienced the grief of returning empty-handed. What did she mean by "sit down for a long time"? Mistress Yao, your posture had just been set, and the bait of your hands was just thrown, ah, this patience…
When Mu Xi Yao brought the servants out to fish, except for Mister Wei, who had honestly believed in her words and started fishing with her, everyone else had expected this outcome. After listening to her instructions, they skillfully took out all kinds of nets and tossed the nets from the edge of the pond.
Wei Zhen watched in awe as the crowd showed their skills, and took him a while to understand that, to be serving at Mistress Yao's side, one needed to practice more than one day, and even he, afraid he couldn't do it…
Cheng Qing immediately cheered as he watched the plump and fresh fish jumping around in the net. His two fat legs jumped vigorously, shouting, and insisting that Wei Zhen take him to the pond to join in the fun.
Seeing this, Mi Xi Yao spoke, "Mister Wei, take this skinny monkey to play."
Some servants caught a few small fish and put them in the bucket and let Cheng Qing play with it. This little guy who too small and couldn't hold any big fish.
Mu Xi Yao felt that her son definitely followed the boss. That man was born ambitious, add to that he belong to the royal kind who were never peaceful and rather talented. She thought to herself that his son must also be like this.
Mu Xi Yao picked and chose, and finally selected ingredients of good quality. Satisfied, she led the people straight to the small kitchen. For the remaining ones who weren't eye-catching, she casually rewarded them to the servants so that they could have a taste of it.
Mu Xi Yao felt that this meal was too tasty and needed to be reported to the boss. After getting up from her nap in the afternoon, she was just in time to "express her sincerity and sorrow" in the daily letter to the boss.
In Jiangzi Pavilion, Zhu Jin finally collected all the information about the He Lian family, wrote it, and presented it to Wan Jing Wen for her perusal.
Wan Jing Wen quickly browsed the top-secret news, kneaded the paper into a ball, and laughed so much that her shoulders could not stop shaking.
"He Lian Min Min was actually regarded as an abandoned child by the He Lian family!" Wan Jing Wen laughed wildly. In her previous life, it was only after Emperor Jian'an was enthroned that she was forced into such a situation by her maiden family! "Indeed, this is her karma".
Zhu Jin witnessed how her Mistress' expression changed greatly, and how she laughed madly without daring to utter a sound. Although she couldn't understand her Mistress' hate towards the princess consort, she knew how much she plotted against her, even making plans when she was in the boudoir. Still, she knew that although her Mistress was laughing, she wasn't in a good mood. She glanced at the tearful eyes of Wan Jing Wen and stayed silent.
Wan Jing Wen vented fiercely and finally wiped her tears with a silk handkerchief. In this life, she was unsure of many things, and she didn't expect to be treated with extra kindness by God on the most crucial things.
"Zhu Jin, the time has come."
For her poor child, she had waited too long for this revenge.
"Do you understand what to say when the news is released?"
"Yes, Mistress once taught this slave to say, «The sixth prince's main consort has a root disease in her womb, but it is a hidden disease that is difficult for ordinary people to detect. Her womb was born cold and she cannot conceive»."
"I thought of another sentence." Wan Jing Wen looked at the woman with a grim expression in the bronze mirror and turned her head away in disgust. "The He Lian family noticed something was wrong, and they deliberately deceived the sixth prince, it's because of this that they wish to send He Lian Wei Rui to the mansion to make amends."
Zhu Jin was so shocked that her palms were sweating. The Mistress' words charged the He Lian family with the crime of deceiving the king! If Emperor Yuancheng believed it, the He Lian family, a century-old family with nearly a thousand members would cease to exist in the world in the blink of an eye...
Chapter 150: Changes
In a dark dungeon, there was a middle-aged man with disheveled hair and a sloppy appearance. His sapphire blue brocade gown was obviously valuable yet was now completely stained with blood, looking rather unbearable.
The sound of the iron door being locked came. The middle-aged man had deep eagle eyes, and when he looked up, he saw Zhong Zheng Lin in a green robe leading his attendants to stand in front of the cell with his head held high. The entourage took out a folding chair and opened it. Zhong Zheng Lin lifted his brocade robe and sat with a straight posture.
"Originally from the same root, yet they are obsessed and determined again and again." Zhong Zheng Lin's voice was icy cold.
"Same root? I think that your lineage has long forgotten your ancestors, so today you have the face to mention the origin of your bloodline." The middle-aged man replied sarcastically, his open mockery revealing a strong hatred.
"We have been lenient with you again and again. Since you were expelled from Yuzhou more than ten years ago into Shu, have we ever persecuted you or wanted your life?" Zhong Zheng Lin turned a blind eye to his unruly behavior.
"Good for you, Zhong Zheng Lin! Your bullshit ancestor killed his brother and seized the throne. My ancestor was lucky to escape and watched his brother get his head cut off and his eyes taken away by thieves. Such a family feud, what do you think!"
"There is no need to entangle with the grievances of the ancestors. The battle for the throne, the winner and the loser, the decision of life and death. All the remnants of the rebels were punished. Only you need to be escorted back to Shengjin and I should have allowed you to return to the capital safely but it's a pity that Mu-shi once begged Bendian that if you were captured alive, you must be for her to release her anger. Now you will pay her back this debt. I don't want her to have resentment."
Zhong Zheng Lin had always acted in a domineering manner, and away from Shengjing, he had no patience for the torture to be done in a step-by-step manner.
Earlier, Zhong Zheng Ming interrogated the rebels in accordance with the laws of the Ministry of Punishment, but the two broke up after a disagreement, and he never showed up again. When it was Zhong Zheng Lin's turn to interrogate, His Royal Highness ignored the rules and asked Yan Cheng Zhou to take over, fulfilling Mu Xi Yao's wish.
In the Battle of Central Shu, Zhong Zheng Ming and Zhong Zheng Lin each led thousands of elite soldiers, and with the help of Yu Gu's [1] secret medicine, although the situation was dangerous, they won a complete victory in the end.
[1] "Yu Gu of the Red House. Red House was Shengjing's most famous brothel. Yu Gu was the person in charge of Red House from behind the scene and also the descendant of Tianxian elder" (Chap.19). She's good at fragrances, medicine, poison, drugs…
The rebel party originally wanted to take advantage of their favorable location, but they didn't count on the ability of Yu Gu, Zhong Zheng Lin's subordinate, and her medicines. In fact, the rebel faction also had some tricks under their sleeve, but they couldn't hold a candle to Zhong Zheng Lin's [2]. Now, if the two sides fought head-on with real swords, and the soldiers of the Great Wei met the soldiers of Central Shu, their troops wouldn't remain intact and there would be a tough battle to fight.
[2] 班门弄斧 bānmén nòng fǔ. It is a metaphor for showing off one's abilities in front of experts and overestimating oneself. The idiom contains a derogatory meaning. (Baidu). / Teaching a fish how to swim, couldn't hold a candle, toothing one's own horn.
"Doing it like this…" Zhong Zheng Ming waited outside, but even from this distance could he hear wails like ghosts and howling wolves [3] from the dungeon. Seeing Zhong Zheng Lin stepping out, he frowned. "Aren't you afraid that Imperial Father [4] will blame you?"
[3] 鬼哭狼嚎 Guǐkūlángháo. To wail like ghosts and howl like wolves (idiom)/ Baidu: describe crying loudly with a shrill voice.
[4] 父皇 fù huáng. Imperial Father.
"He's just a dying person." Zhong Zheng Lin replied.
"Well, swords don't have eyes, if he has some small injuries it will not be our fault." Zhong Zheng Ming agreed with his handling, and even when he talked nonsense, his gentle aura was not reduced.
The two looked at each other and walked out side by side. Behind them, the wailing continued and made the person on duty terrified.
After the affairs in Central Shu were over, the two led the troops back to Qicheng, but unexpectedly met a familiar person outside the city gate. Seeing the figure of that person, the complexions of the two Highnesses were as black as ink.
"Take her along!" Zhong Zheng Ming signaled his followers to carry her onto the horse, and when he turned around, his expression was back to normal.
Zhong Zheng Lin narrowed his eyes and looked at the back of the woman who was being lifted up, his tone gloomy. "Ye Kai, call the doctor."
"Sixth brother how come you haven't made any arrangements?" He felt it was impossible for Zhong Zheng Lin to tolerate someone who was so similar to Mu Xi Yao, so humbly begging for life in front of others.
It was okay if he didn't ask, but Zhong Zheng Lin's expression was even worse when he asked. "Bendian will deal with it on the return trip. Isn't the fifth elder brother the most gentlemanly? [5]" With Zhong Zheng Ming's obvious and easy-to-see mind, how could he not help?
[5] 怜香惜玉 liánxiāngxīyù: "pity the jade". It means to have tender, protective feelings for the fairer sex (idiom).
Zhong Zheng Min straightened his expression. "I underestimated the jealousy of women." Before he left, he had asked someone to send her money, and after that, like Zhong Zheng Lin, he felt that he could make an arrangement after the march, after all, it was not appropriate to bring women into it.
When he came back this time, he saw this woman covered in dirt, begging outside the city gate, and at first glance, he knew that she was seriously ill. This situation made the two of them really angry, and naturally, there was no good color on their faces.
The originally tense schedule was delayed for half a day because of this woman. Afterward, everyone hurried on their horses and galloped towards Shengjing.
[Note: To those who are confused, the woman they found was Chun Yu Yao, the woman who looked like Mu Xi Yao. She appears in chapter 139].
Zhong Zheng Lin was still on his way back, and Shengjing was already full of turmoil. It was not because of the concubines' selection, but because something happened to the He Lian family!
The cause of this incident originated from a confidential letter received by the Shengjing Supervision Department. Then on the second day, a nursery rhyme came out in the streets and alleys. The spearhead pointed directly at the He Lian family's family for the crime of deceiving the Emperor and for wanting to push a shu sister to help the Consort bear a child [6].
[6] 李代桃僵 lǐdàitáojiāng. lit. the plum tree died instead of the peach tree. It means to substitute one thing for another or to carry the can for sb.
Hearing the news, four women reacted the most violently.
"What did you say?" He Lian Wei Rui turned pale with shock. This news was too shocking, who devised it? And what happened to He Lian Min Min? How could it be rumored that she was infertile for no reason, and she too was involved in it? The only one who could benefit from this was Mu-shi. Could it be that He Lian Min Min followed Mu Xi Yao's way?
But Mu-shi had always been a person who didn't offend those who hadn't offended her. How could she suddenly see through the He Lian family's move? Did she want to uproot those who hinder her from ascending to the top?
But the timing was wrong. As far as she was concerned, the most suitable time was to wait for the sixth Highness's affairs to be completed and then shake He Lian Min Min's position in one fell swoop. How beneficial could it be to start at this time?
He Lian Wei Rui really couldn't believe that with Mu Xi Yao's brain, she would have come up with such a stupid scheme. Thinking about it this way, someone must've stabbed the knife secretly, ruining the He Lian family's business.
The most important thing now was to find out if there was anything wrong with He Lian Min Min's body. If it was true as the rumors said, He Lian Min Min would not be able to bear children for the royal family, and the He Lian family's intention to send her as a concubine to Zhong Zheng Lin was known to too many people. Associating the two, the He Lian family had fallen into a trap! This time it was really hard to argue back.
"Lord Father." He Lian Wei Rui saluted the grim He Lian Zhang.
"There is a change in the matter this time. What you said can only be postponed. At present, the family is being targeted. We can only deal with it and find a way later." Even now, He Lian Zhang didn't believe those rumors. Over the years, none of the momos serving by He Lian Min Min's side had said anything, he would have known something this big. Like this, this rumor must be put to rest as soon as possible. Was this a political enemy or a backyard woman? He Lian Zhang felt that things were tricky.
"Yes, daughter understands. Lord Father has worked hard." He Lian Wei Rui knew that family matters were the most important. Only when the He Lian family survived this situation safely could the people in the house live a good life.
"It's simply ridiculous!" He Lian Min Min smashed the tea bowl with a flick of her hand. Her hands were trembling from her rage. "Who is it! Who did the good deed at this time?"
He Lian Min Min could only think of Mu Xi Yao. Except for her, no one could make the He Lian family fall like this.
That woman agreed with her face-to-face, but did such insidious things behind her back, she shouldn't have believed her at all! But now she gave her a handle herself, which was really humiliating.
He Lian Min Min was so angry that she led the people and rushed to Danruo Courtyard. If she didn't confront her, she really won't be able to swallow this breath! Any woman who was framed by someone to be unable to bear children was tantamount to cutting off her livelihood. Such a woman who couldn't pass on the family lineage, which family could tolerate her? In the Royal Family, to be abandoned would be a certainty.
If Mu-shi dared to say it, she must make her regret it!