Chapter 167: Certainty
An autumn rain brings an autumn chill.
It was the season again in Shangjing City when ginkgo leaves fluttered down, and wine shops and teahouses along the streets buzzed with voices, all discussing the Empress Dowager’s seventieth birthday ceremony. Carriages from various countries entered the capital one after another, and the posthouses were packed, bustling with activity.
After the start of autumn, winter is not far away.
At the west corner gate of Prince Duan’s Mansion, servants were moving newly made silver wire charcoal into the storeroom.
Xue Yuechen sat under the eaves of Mu Yue Residence, examining a ledger, her brow furrowed.
“The price of charcoal this year has actually increased by thirty percent.”
She looked at the vermilion annotations on the paper and sighed to Xue Sui, who was brewing tea beside her, “The Western Frontier is currently in turmoil, and recently Xizi people have been causing frequent trouble in the capital. In my opinion, a war is probably unavoidable. Even the expenses for the consorts in the palace are being cut…”
At this point, she sighed heavily.
“It’s fortunate that the Crown Prince has the means. He cleared up the Ministry of Revenue, replenishing the national treasury by tens of millions of taels, which earned him considerable acclaim.”
Xue Sui smiled faintly, “Matters of the imperial family are for them, the emperor and his ministers, to worry about. We just need to live our own lives well and prepare for a comfortable winter.”
Prince Duan’s Mansion was preparing charcoal and tailoring new clothes, and Xue Yuechen meticulously managed everything. Seeing her leisurely demeanor, she couldn’t help but chide, “You’ve become even more idle…”
Before she finished speaking, the gatekeeper sent someone to report that Princess Ruihe had come to the mansion again.
Xue Sui’s hand movements paused slightly. She smiled but said nothing.
Xue Yuechen, however, her face darkened.
“I wonder what excuse she will find this time…”
In the past few days, Princess Ruihe had visited Prince Duan’s Mansion three times.
Once she brought handwritten Buddhist scriptures, once she brought medicinal cuisine, and once she sought loquat paste from Xue Sui to relieve a cough.
Each time she visited, Li Huan happened to be away from the mansion.
She always spoke with a melancholic tone, recounting old stories from the palace or the local customs of Longyou. Xue Yuechen would feign politeness, accompanying her, and each time she would prepare a small table of nanmu wood, arrange pastries, and have Xue Sui brew tea nearby, thus seeing off the rather tiresome guest.
The sisters’ relationship had become much closer than usual.
Xue Yuechen relied on and trusted Xue Sui completely, discussing all major and minor matters of the mansion with her.
Inside and outside the mansion, everyone said the Princess Consort was benevolent, but the lives of the consorts in the rear chambers of the mansion were truly difficult.
The Prince was always busy with state affairs and rarely paid attention to matters of the rear chambers.
The vast mansion was firmly controlled by the elder and younger Xue Shi, like an iron barrel.
The consorts dared not speak their minds, and during the unavoidable morning and evening greetings, they had to clench their fists to suppress their jealousy. Consort Zhang, however, was composed, keeping her head down like a quail, claiming to cultivate her mind and worship Buddha, living a life of peace and obedience.
In the Xue Mansion, Old Madam Cui was very pleased with this.
Taking advantage of the matchmaker from the Duke of Zheng’s Mansion coming to propose marriage, she specifically summoned all the young ladies of the mansion back. Those who were married and those who were of marriageable age, except for Xue Yueying who was in confinement after childbirth, all gathered in Old Madam’s Shou An Courtyard and were thoroughly lectured.
The Old Madam admonished them to take Xue Yuechen and Xue Sui’s favor as a model and to be prudent in their words and actions.
The sisters verbally agreed, but each had their own plans in mind.
Along with the matchmaker from the Duke of Zheng’s Mansion, an experienced nanny personally examined Xue Yue Man, and only then was the marriage settled.
This matter was handled discreetly, and most people were kept in the dark. The sisters congratulated Eighth Miss one after another, saying she had achieved her wish and found a good match.
Only Xue Yue Man, filled with humiliation and resentment, locked herself in her room after the examination and cried bitterly…
Xue Sui pretended not to know and set up a tea ceremony in Li Xiang Courtyard.
She invited Third Madam Qian Shi and Xue Yue Lou to taste tea and chat.
Xue Ji poured tea and offered water beside them, her face full of smiles.
After that unconventional concubine ceremony, although Xue Qingzhi never came to see her, Third Madam managed the household affairs, and food and supplies were constantly sent to Li Xiang Courtyard. Xue Yue Lou also visited from time to time with Ming Ge’er to keep her company and relieve her boredom.
Xue Ji was living a more comfortable life than ever before.
Xue Yue Lou was using a silver skewer to pick candied fruits for Ming Ge’er, but her complaints were incessant.
“Eighth Sister has finally gotten her wish, yet she still pretends in the mansion, constantly making sarcastic remarks. As a daughter who has returned home, I don’t dare say much. I never expected that today, in front of so many people, she would still act so dramatically…”
She had become much plumper than before her divorce, and her words were even bolder.
Xue Sui, knowing full well why Eighth Miss was crying, did not expose it and merely smiled.
Qian Shi, however, suddenly sighed.
“More and more people are leaving this mansion. I used to find it noisy, but after Eighth Miss gets married, there will be one less person to argue with. Thinking about it makes me feel empty and uneasy…”
Xue Sui couldn’t help but chuckle.
Qian Shi placed a pastry on Tenth Miss Xue Yue Ling’s plate, gesturing for her to eat, and then wiped her mouth with a handkerchief.
“Our little ten will also have to start worrying in a few years…”
Tenth Miss was still a child not yet ten years old. She was usually doted on by Xue Qingxiu and Qian Shi and knew no worries at all. She said with her big, bright eyes.
“I don’t want to be like Eighth Sister and Ninth Sister, thinking about marriage all day. I’m happy to be an old maid in the mansion, with my father and mother raising me. That’s true happiness…”
Qian Shi smiled and pinched her rosy cheeks.
“You’re too spoiled. Be careful your grandmother hears about it, or she’ll blame me for spoiling you so much that you’re lawless.”
Little Ten giggled.
Xue Ji also chuckled lightly, happy and joyful, but remained silent, afraid of disturbing others…
Xue Sui looked at her mother and aunt, then at her younger sister, a faint smile on her face, but a hidden sadness in her heart…
Because only she knew.
This beautiful peace would not last forever.
The Xue family would not, as Old Madam Cui hoped, continue their wealth and glory indefinitely…
–
Autumn rain pattered on the surface of the pond, and the Eastern Palace was desolate and silent.
Li Zhao was in the study, painting a picture of birds and flowers.
The vermilion ink at the tip of his brush suddenly spread, staining the sparrow on the Xuan paper red.
Lai Fu, with his neck hunched, came in to refill the water. Seeing that His Highness had smudged the paper, he feared it was his fault and dared not make a sound…
For the past half month, the Crown Prince had rarely gone out, dedicating himself to studying governance in the Eastern Palace. His daily routine consisted of listening to court affairs in Zichen Hall, attending lectures by the Grand Tutor in Chongwen Hall, and playing a game of chess with the Crown Prince’s Guests.
The messy accounts of the Ministry of Revenue were cleared up after Luo Huan was demoted and Xiao Jing died. The Minister of Revenue was replaced by Zhou Chongli, a disciple of the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and the Vice Minister of Revenue was replaced by the steady and capable Tian Huaitong.
They took over this hot potato, deeply revering the Crown Prince. Unsure of his temper, they dared not make decisions on their own and cautiously sought instructions from His Highness the Crown Prince on all matters.
The Eastern Palace appeared calm on the surface, but it had, without anyone noticing, taken control of the Daliang Dynasty’s purse strings.
Logically, the Crown Prince’s brilliant move deserved celebration.
However, Lai Fu observed that his master would pause several times when writing, repeatedly dipping his brush in ink, clearly showing his impatience.
“My Lord, try this year’s newly arrived Junshan Silver Needle tea.”
Li Zhao grunted noncommittally.
Mei Ruhui sat to the side and said slowly, “I heard that Prince Duan found the long-lost auspicious item – the Nine Dragons Playing with Pearls Glazed Pottery Cup. The Empress Dowager has been longing for that item for a long time…”
Li Zhao grunted again, still expressionless.
Mei Ruhui looked at his expression, adjusted the corner of his robe, and cupped his hands, saying, “Intelligence reports indicate that it was that person from the Xue family who made the move, acting as a go-between for Prince Duan, and managed to procure this item from an antique dealer in Old Mausoleum Swamp…”
He cautiously observed Li Zhao’s reaction, fearing he had said something wrong.
Lai Fu was even more unfortunate. As soon as he heard the wolf hair brush in the Crown Prince’s hand snap, the splashed ink rained down on him, scaring him pale. He immediately knelt on the ground.
“Your Highness, please calm your anger…”
Li Zhao was not angry. He casually placed the broken brush on the inkstone, his expression indifferent.
“Is there no other news?”
Mei Ruhui said, “Prince Wei prepared a hundred *hu* of Eastern Pearls, Prince Chun presented a zither… even Prince Xian’s Mansion offered a troupe of Dianzhou slave performers… Marquises and high officials racked their brains to prepare birthday gifts for the Empress Dowager. The gift Your Highness sends must not only please the Empress Dowager but also showcase the dignity of the Eastern Palace, which is truly not easy…”
The tea kettle bubbled.
In the imperial harem, no matter is small.
Mei Ruhui, having studied history extensively, knew the implications well.
A birthday celebration was not a simple ceremony but a battlefield for fame and fortune where various forces competed in secret.
Li Zhao gazed at the gloomy and overcast sky outside the window.
On that snowy day, Xue Liu had barged into You Huang Ju, saying she wanted to be his chess piece. Thinking back now, he was the most brilliant chess piece on Xue Liu’s entire board.
“I have it in mind.”
