Chapter 87:
Lu Ziyan valued Xie Wanning so highly that he rushed back to the capital city over several days and nights just to stop her from remarrying someone else. If anyone was the most dissatisfied with this matter, it must be His Majesty the Emperor.
This dissatisfaction was of course not directed at his confidant beloved general, but at Xie Wanning.
The empire was beset by storms, and Lu Ziyan was a rising military talent of the younger generation, undefeated in campaigns east and west, quelling rebellions and suppressing bandits.
Pei Yuqing had a sharp mind, outstanding ability and wrist, and under his command these years, the Qing Tian Guard had gradually reversed its former decline, nearly returning to its peak, with no wind or grass stirring in any state or county escaping his eyes and ears.
Both of them were the most trusted and valued military and prime ministerial talents of His Majesty the Emperor.
Yet now they had fallen out over a woman, the empire’s twin stars at odds.
The Emperor’s slightly cold attitude was felt not only by the Empress and Imperial Consort Shu, but also by Xie Wanning herself.
Actually, in those dreams, after she married into the Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate, she had accompanied Lu Ziyan to the imperial palace for several banquets, and the Emperor’s attitude toward her had been warm, even rewarding her with a pair of top-quality jade ruyi.
She knew what this cold reception was about, so she quietly sat beside Pei Yuqing, saying nothing and making herself invisible.
No one in the hall took the initiative to mention last night’s farce.
The Empress, dressed in everyday attire, smiled and said, “They all say that one is refreshed by happy events, and Changqing looks indeed much sturdier in health.”
Speaking of health, the Emperor’s expression turned serious, and he also said, “Have you had the imperial doctors come regularly to check your pulse for safety?”
“Thank you, Your Majesty, Your Ladyship, for your concern,” Pei Yuqing said. “I am all well.”
The Emperor’s expression softened slightly, and he said again, “You are nearing thirty now, and since you are already married, have you thought about when to enter the imperial court to share my worries?”
On the surface, Pei Yuqing was just an idle cloud wild crane, a young lord indulging in mountains and waters; few people in the entire capital city knew that the Qing Tian Guard was in his hands.
Xie Wanning lowered her eyebrows and eyes, her fingers fiddling with the sachet at her waist, bored as she listened to them talk, when suddenly a skinned grape appeared before her eyes.
The man’s skin was very fair, purple-red grape juice slowly sliding down from between his slender finger bones, the intense color striking the eyes abruptly. Xie Wanning was stunned for a moment and in the end didn’t have the nerve to open her mouth directly.
She reached out to take it, but that hand dodged away and brought it closer to her lip, saying righteously, “It will dirty your hands.”
Xie Wanning: “…”
Feeling the gazes of several great Buddhas in the hall all falling on her, she turned her eyes to glare at the culprit, meeting a pair of gentle smiling eyes.
She was silent for a moment, then awkwardly opened her mouth to eat the grape. Afraid he would make more trouble, she took the lead in pulling out a handkerchief to spit out the seeds.
Pei Yuqing helplessly withdrew the palm he was about to spread open, and went to peel another one, but was stopped softly by Xie Wanning, “I don’t want to eat anymore.”
Watching this newlywed couple’s loving sweetness, the expressions of the several people in the hall varied.
The Emperor grew impatient watching the young couple’s clinginess, drained the jade cup in his hand, stood up and said, “Come, go with me to the front hall to talk.”
Pei Yuqing was taken aback and hadn’t spoken yet when Imperial Consort Shu teased, “Young Lord, rest assured, your wife won’t be lost. Go to this palace’s palace later to pick her up.”
“Wanwan hasn’t entered the palace for a long time, and since she’s here, of course she must come to this palace’s place to sit for a while.”
With the words said to this point, what more could Pei Yuqing say? He wiped his hands with a handkerchief, gave a low-voiced instruction or two, and stood to leave.
Once the Emperor left, the Empress kept Xie Wanning alone to chat for a while longer.
The current Empress was the successor empress; she was not His Majesty’s principal wife. When the former Empress was alive, she was the Lotus Consort whose favor crowned the six palaces. After the former Empress passed away, she was made Empress, and over these years, her honors and favors had remained undiminished.
Since she ascended to the empress position, the Emperor had exempted the triennial selection of consorts for her, and the rear palace had been left vacant thereafter, with no other imperial consorts giving birth to imperial heirs.
Yet under such great favor, the Empress had only borne the Sixth Prince and the Second Imperial Daughter, both children born when she was still a consort.
Even the Sixth Prince hadn’t survived; he passed away before his full moon. The Second Imperial Daughter, however, grew up safe and sound.
Now the Emperor had only four princes under his knee. The eldest son, born of Imperial Consort Shu, was already twenty, and even the youngest Fourth Prince had grown up.
Though the Emperor’s body was still healthy, he was after all growing older in age, and the struggle for succession in the imperial court was already surging with undercurrents.
The crown prince position was vacant, none of the four princes were legitimate, and the First Prince, as the eldest son, was accomplished in virtue and talent, revered by the court ministers, and seemed to have the best opportunity.
The First Prince’s Consort position was practically the future empress position, and Imperial Consort Shu had chosen most cautiously, only betrothing the eldest legitimate granddaughter of Grand Secretary Liu’s family to her son at the beginning of the year.
If not for fear of the Emperor’s dread, according to Imperial Consort Shu’s idea, she would have wanted to select a daughter from a general’s family for her son, but the Liu family was not inferior in status either—a civil official prominent family, valuing rules most, and the daughters they raised were dignified and virtuous. The eldest legitimate granddaughter was indeed worthy of the future empress position.
Moreover, with her maternal home’s niece previously engaged in marriage to the Wuyuan Marquis’s Estate, and Lu Ziyan having considerable prestige in the military, it would add wings like a tiger to the First Prince’s side.
Xie Wanning had previously thought that her insistence on withdrawing the marriage engagement with Lu Ziyan would displease her aunt in the palace, but this meeting, the other party’s attitude was still mild, and she couldn’t help feeling somewhat moved.
Perhaps influenced by the pain of losing a son, the Empress, though only in her early forties, looked even older than Imperial Consort Shu, who had served His Majesty since his days in the eastern palace. In a dignified and grand bright yellow skirt, she smiled warmly and instructed the palace maid to refill the tea.
Imperial Consort Shu sat at her lower seat, her expression always respectful and modest. Xie Wanning listened quietly to their conversation, only chiming in when addressed.
When a pot of tea was drunk up, the Empress smiled and waved her hand. “Look at me, keeping you this long and disturbing your aunt-niece chat.”
Imperial Consort Shu repeatedly said she dare not.
The Empress tiredly rubbed her forehead and smilingly let them go.
Imperial Consort Shu respectfully curtsied, and only after the Empress left did she lead her niece out of Changchun Palace.
The aunt and niece together got into the palanquin and returned to Yanxiang Hall.
Just as they alighted from the palanquin, Xie Wanning looked up and saw a young man in python robe in the courtyard.
She hurriedly curtsied. “I have seen the First Prince.”
“Why so formal,” now in her own territory, Imperial Consort Shu no longer maintained the posture, and smiled. “This is your cousin, and there are no bystanders, no need for excessive courtesy.”
First Prince Qi Mingcheng also smiled. “Mother Consort is right, cousin need not be overly courteous.”
Xie Wanning pursed her lips in a smile.
The autumn wind was cool, not suitable for lingering, so the three entered the hall.
Imperial Consort Shu pulled her niece’s hand to sit down, tilted her head to examine her complexion, and with a concerned expression said, “Were you frightened yesterday?”
Finally mentioning last night’s matter, it was clear that Lu Ziyan’s night intrusion into the new bridal chamber was indeed known to those in the palace with some eyes and ears.
Xie Wanning was stunned for a moment, then slowly shook her head.
Imperial Consort Shu pityingly patted her hand. “That scoundrel is utterly detestable, but for now we cannot move against him. Let him be arrogant for a while longer, until your cousin ascends…”
At this point in her words, her eyes suddenly turned cold.
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