Chapter 61: Bring The Wine
Yan Bei was about to be infuriated to death.
From yesterday to this morning, he had prepared for so long, imagining it countless times, just wanting to be both grand and proper as host when she visited for the first time, to slightly salvage the face lost from being sent away, but she didn’t even give him that chance and came first herself!
She came first, while he was still outside; he rushed back all the way, but now he looked somewhat disheveled.
“Father King, the little duck Mother bought me!”
Entering Yongfu Hall, A Li, who was leaning on Yue Tang’s legs, raised the doll duck in his hand high upon seeing him, his little face flushed red, eyes full of stars, half his body still nestled in his mother’s arms.
Yue Tang leaned on the couch by the window, propping herself up on a large bolster pillow, her posture elegant, her gaze full of tenderness and affection as she looked at him.
Yan Bei was stunned.
Looking again at the side, Lan Qin was sitting on a chair folding little clothes, Yun Niang was testing the herbal medicine for A Li, the little maidservants stood outside the curtain, occasionally serving tea and water with extremely light footsteps.
In that instant, he seemed to return to that simple village house, the three years of separation like a dream.
All his resentment instantly dissipated.
He sat down, glanced at the mother and son, then again, and said, “A Li came to Father King’s place, but Mother is still weak and can’t stand the fuss.”
A Li was reluctant to part, Yue Tang reached out to hold him: “He was playing so well, why did you call him?”
A Li wrapped his little hands around Mother, becoming even more like sticky candy.
Yue Tang touched his head and took the medicine bowl from Yun Niang: “It’s time for medicine.”
A Li tilted up his little face: “Mother feed me.”
Yue Tang smiled, scooped the medicine to his little mouth.
The first meeting was too sudden, feeling somewhat unreal, too many emotions surging up, no time to savor them carefully.
Only now on this visit, truly holding him, spending this half day together, did Yue Tang sort out her thoughts, believing this was truly her A Li, that he really existed, and from now on she would never let them be separated again.
Thus, she could finally enjoy their time together with peace of mind.
Yan Bei’s gaze stuck to her, listening to the mother and son whispering, sitting quietly, waves surging in his heart.
So A Li’s parents were both alive, and this was how it looked; he had never imagined it like this.
“You were in such a hurry just now, did something happen at the Xu Family?”
Unknowingly, A Li had obediently finished the bowl of medicine. He took the little duck from Lan Qin’s hand again.
When Yue Tang handed the medicine bowl back to Yun Niang, she glanced over midway.
“Nothing—much.” Yan Bei cleared his throat, coming back to himself, remembering she had mentioned the Xu Family, naturally knowing Wei Zhang had told her everything, so he said, “I had something to do this morning and went out, passed by the Xu Family, thinking you might not find the way to the prince’s mansion, so I wanted to pick you up. Who knew you weren’t there, so forget it. I came back myself.”
He sat with a solemn expression, picked up a cup of tea, and drank half of it in one gulp.
Yue Tang sat cross-legged, pulling little A Li in front of her, then flipped his little body over to lie flat on her legs, one hand supporting his neck, the other massaging his middle palace acupoint.
Then she said, “On your way back just now, did you hear any rumors?”
Yan Bei had rushed back in a flurry and indeed hadn’t paid attention to anything else. Anyway, the prince’s mansion had dedicated people for gathering news; any news would reach his ears.
“I went to Guang’an Temple,” Yue Tang said. “Last night Wei Zhang went with Xu He to the Du Family and learned that Du Yu would stake out Shen Li first thing in the morning. So I went there.”
“How was it?”
“The Shen Family should have made a move against Prince Duan’s Mansion.” Yue Tang looked at A Li, who was squinting comfortably, and said slowly, “The Shen Family has had people meeting accidents year after year these past four or five years, and the times of those accidents coincide with around my brother’s anniversary of death.”
Yan Bei straightened up upon hearing this and looked at the people in the room: “All of you withdraw.”
In an instant, the room was cleared of everyone.
Then he added, “All the servants around the son, from top to bottom, are loyal servants who have had family members sacrifice their lives for my father.
“Even the miscellaneous ones are all brought from Mobei, all with clean backgrounds.”
Yue Tang smiled: “No need to be so cautious.
“I am the Princess Yongjia conferred by the former emperor, harmed by someone, not wrongfully convicted; I have no shame in my identity, so I have no fear of being exposed.
“Even if the Du Family or anyone in the world reveals my background right now, I have nothing to fear; at most, I’d just lose the initiative to uncover the truth first.
“Since I dared to come to your prince’s mansion, why would I hesitate and fear this or that?”
These words made Yan Bei feel ashamed: “Of course I know you’re fearless of heaven and earth.”
Yue Tang smiled and took the three booklets from Lan Qin’s hand, briefly recounting the information obtained from above.
Then she said, “The former emperor and Empress Mu were childhood sweethearts; naturally, Father King knew Empress Mu from childhood too. The three had deep bonds, which led to me being deeply favored by the emperor and empress.
“But precisely because of this bond, Prince Duan’s Mansion would never have ties with Consort Shen’s maternal family, even after Empress Mu passed away and Empress Dowager Shen rose to power; Prince Duan’s Mansion never had private dealings with the Shen Family.
“Since that’s the case, I won’t make benevolent guesses about the oddity of the Shen Family around my brother’s anniversary of death.”
At this point, she raised her head: “That day at the Du Family birthday banquet, I probed Du Minghuan’s study and saw some evidence of crimes from the Shen Family faction that he had hidden, along with a broken pearl bracelet worn by a woman.
“Originally I just suspected the person behind the Du Family wasn’t the Shen Family, but after today, I’m even more certain.
“Because after Shen Li heard the ambushers were from the Marquis of Guangling’s Mansion, he not only immediately ordered them all captured, but later interrogated them publicly.
Yan Bei quickly took the booklets: “So it really was you who went to the Du Family study.”
Then he stood up and also brought out the evidence of crimes the guards had brought back from the Du Family that day.
“Is this what you saw?”
Yue Tang looked intently: “You actually brought it back.”
Thinking again, she understood.
“Afterward, the Du Family didn’t openly suspect me these past few days; it seems that’s your merit.”
“Not worth mentioning.”
Yan Bei waved his hand, picked up tea and drank another sip, then looking at the three booklets he had already opened, said again, “Although the dates above coincide with your brother’s anniversary of death, and the Shen Family is indeed a major suspect, what about the accidents that befell the Shen Family? Who did that to them?”
“I don’t know,” Yue Tang said frankly.
A Li rubbed his face against her belly: “Mother, my butt itches.”
Yue Tang paused: “Where does it itch?”
Yan Bei was a bit embarrassed and took the child: “After drinking the herbal medicine, he needs to pee.”
Yue Tang burst out laughing.
Lan Qin also smiled and stepped forward: “Your Highness, let this servant take the Heir Apparent.”
Yan Bei handed the child to her: “Give him to Gao An.”
The two in the room watched the big and small leave, then withdrew their gazes one after another.
Yue Tang said, “You’ve raised the child so well; you’ve put in the effort.”
“No need to say that.” Yan Bei’s ear roots were red.
Yue Tang smiled again, stood up and said, “Let’s go, change places to talk.”
Yan Bei was thinking the same and led the way ahead: “There’s a terrace next door; it’s perfect for admiring autumn right now.”
The terrace was directly behind Yangrong Zhai, requiring passage through the main entrance colonnade.
Yue Tang looked up at the plaque: “If I didn’t know you, I’d have to call you ‘Old Prince’.”
Yan Bei kept a calm face: “After all, I’m the master of this mansion, holding a seat in the imperial court; cultivating my body and character daily is only proper. —Come on, just around the corner.”
The terrace connected to a passageway on one side, surrounded by stone railings on three sides, with several fiery red maples outside the railings, interspersed with a few colorful luan trees, beautiful like a painting. The platform was also swept clean, with a Eight Immortals table set up, tea stove and tea set fully prepared.
Yue Tang looked around and sat in the guest seat.
Yan Bei sat in the host position, discreetly picking up a fallen yellow leaf from under the table and hiding it in his sleeve.
Then he called for someone to light the stove, brew tea, and serve twenty-four styles of sweet and savory tea and snacks in order.
He also had two performers already prepared brought in, holding pipas to serve.
This was a vivid display of royal hospitality.
Yue Tang lightly propped her left elbow on the table edge, watching him arrange everything with a faint smile.
When it was time for tea, she said, “Let’s drink alcohol instead.”
With that, she slightly turned sideways and said to the little eunuch who had been following and serving her as Jin Yu had pointed earlier: “Bring the wine.”
Yan Bei was stunned: “What wine?”
“Peach blossom brew, specially bought.” When the wine arrived, Yue Tang slapped open the seal with one palm.
The wine aroma immediately wafted out, making Yan Bei dizzy.
He grew wary: “What are you up to now?”
Three years ago, he had fallen under one cup of her wine. Again?
“Just a little drink!” Yue Tang took two jade cups, placed one in front of each, then signaled the little eunuch to pour.
The little eunuch was very obedient and quickly poured full cups for both.
Who was really the master of this prince’s mansion?
Yan Bei pulled a long face: “Let’s be straightforward; what are your intentions?”
Don’t pull some sneaky trick on him again.
Yue Tang chuckled, “Just now we talked about Wei Zhang’s shout; Shen Li has already caught Du Family members. At this point, I reckon the two sides have clashed.
“Although the Du Family controls the Imperial City Department, they are far from comparable to when my father king was in power. As long as Your Highness doesn’t back the Du Family, they can’t withstand the Shen Family’s accountability.”
As soon as Yue Tang finished speaking, Gao An hurried over from the walkway, bowed to the two, and said, “Your Highness, the Shen Family Eldest Young Master Shen Li just took several bound Du Family guards to the marquis’s mansion. He said the Du Family sent people to assassinate secretly but were caught. The marquis’s mansion sent someone to ask Your Highness to help speak for them.”
Yan Bei was slightly taken aback.
Yue Tang smiled again: “Shen Li is good. It was clearly just a stakeout, but he insists it was an assassination attempt. With the people in their hands, Your Highness won’t step in, and the Du Family can’t get away.
“Will Your Highness step in?”
Yan Bei looked at the wine in front of him, then at her: “This is what it’s about?”
Back the Du Family? Crazy.
He turned to Gao An: “Let them settle it themselves.”
“Wait a moment.”
Yue Tang stopped Gao An and looked at Yan Bei again, “I deliberately fanned this fire to use the Shen Family to pressure the Du Family.
“Right now, though the Du Family is hard-pressed, Shen Li may not be able to nail them completely.
“Simply put, I think the Du Family isn’t miserable enough yet. If Your Highness really intends to shake off the Du Family, now is a good opportunity.”
Yan Bei understood: “You want me to kick them while they’re down?”
“Not quite,” Yue Tang waved her hand, “Your Highness thinks only of the big picture; pests like the Du Family holding key positions are definitely harmful to the court. If not removed early, they’ll be a future trouble. You’d be acting with righteousness, purging the government for clarity!”
“Don’t try to flatter me,” Yan Bei said, “You just want me to take the chance to deal with the Du Family.”
He wasn’t refusing anyway. His wife and child had been harmed by the Du Family; of course that account needed settling.
“You don’t need to do much.” Yue Tang smiled faintly: “Just poke the suspicious points of the He Family and Zhang Family cases to the imperial court.”
Yan Bei paused upon hearing this, then put down his hand stroking his chin: “You set the fire and now want to flip the table too?”
After all, they had lived together; Yan Bei knew what kind of person she was to some extent.
Gao An also glanced at Yue Tang.
“Of course it’s not time to flip the table yet, so when you speak in the imperial court, you still need to control the fire.” Yue Tang grew serious, “As long as you handle this matter, I’ll take care of the rest and ensure you shake off this rotten tail of the Du Family.”
Yan Bei looked at her for a long time.
After the He Family incident, rumors from the Liu Family in prison had scared the Du Family half to death; if directly raised in the imperial court, and said personally by him Yan Bei, wouldn’t that be sending the Du Family father and son straight under the blade?
After all that roundabout talk, he hadn’t expected his ex-husband role to be useful like this!
He picked up the wine and drank half a cup, said solemnly: “I, the dignified Regent Prince, if not one word worth nine cauldrons, eight cauldrons at least?
“You ask me to act, but what’s in it for me!”
“How could there be no benefit?” Yue Tang personally refilled his cup.
Yan Bei glanced sideways: “What benefit?”
Reconciliation could be considered.
Yue Tang set down the wine cup: “The Du Family keeps you in the open as a front, while secretly relying on others, acting as their lackeys.
“Such disloyal and unrighteous scum, even if you slaughter them yourself, it’s strengthening the foundation and rectifying the true essence, thinking of the prince’s mansion’s long term.
“If that’s not enough, I’ll remind you of one more thing.
“Do you know how much reward money the Du Family gave the He Jianzhong and Zhang Shaode families? Three thousand taels to the Zhang Family.
“He Jianzhong was the biggest leader in the whole operation; his benefits were no less than the Zhang Family’s, only more.
“Just the He Family’s increased family assets over these three years, plus He Xu’s private property, amount to at least forty to fifty thousand taels.
“Plus Liu Shi, the payout for those hundred or so assassins—these surely couldn’t have come from the Du Family, right?”
These were all calculated back at the He Family; as for why she was worth ten thousand taels of silver, that was another topic to discuss.
Looking at Yan Bei’s gradually stiffening face, she raised her lips: “Roughly calculating, it’s over a hundred thousand taels in total.
“Someone who can shell out so much silver to kill a me—how wealthy must they be, no need to say more.
“Prince Jingyang has resided in the border region since enfeoffment; Mobei is bitterly cold—what lives do the myriad soldiers lead? Your Highness knows better than anyone.
“The families of those loyal ministers who died for the country and fought desperately for the prince’s mansion are still serving Your Highness loyally.
“Now with ready silver right in front of you, doesn’t Your Highness want to dig it out, to improve the soldiers’ conditions, to repay their loyalty?”
