Chapter 175:
Since ancient times, autumn brings melancholy and desolation, and Shengjing City is no exception.
The courtyard was covered in withered yellow leaves, with the autumn wind swirling wildly, presenting a scene of bleakness.
But the high officials and nobles never lacked the good mood to appreciate flowers and hold banquets.
Since the beginning of autumn, with the scorching heat gone and the weather clear and refreshing, invitations for chrysanthemum appreciation banquets and lake outings from various families arrived like snowflakes.
Xie Wanning kept in mind Pei Yuqing and Lu Ziyan’s guidance before they left, and she never liked joining such lively gatherings.
Her reason was readily available: her husband and elder brother were both away on official duties, potentially facing danger at any time, so she naturally practiced vegetarianism and prayed for blessings—how could she possibly be carefree and happy?
Such a reason for refusal left no room for criticism from anyone who heard it; they would even praise her for her deep affection and loyalty. Even Princess Duanyang nodded repeatedly upon hearing it.
However, the princess was extremely loving; she couldn’t bear to see her young daughter-in-law staying young and secluded in Xuan Hua Courtyard, avoiding people. Instead, she strongly encouraged her to go out and enjoy herself.
Grateful for her mother-in-law’s kindness, Xie Wanning, aside from managing her own dowry and the industries left by Pei Yuqing, would return to the Xie Family to accompany Madam Zheng whenever she had free time.
She occasionally ran into Li Rong, who was the future Young Lord’s Wife of Xuanping Marquis’s Estate. After Xie Yanyu left the capital, she often came to visit at Madam Zheng’s invitation.
After spending a few times with her, Xie Wanning admired her mother’s discernment even more.
Li Rong was simply the epitome of a noble lady cultivated by a prominent family—knowledgeable and reasonable, gentle and virtuous, speaking in a soft voice, yet not appearing weak; her words and actions were measured, and she was considerate and attentive to others.
Naturally, Xie Wanning grew close to this future sister-in-law, and the aunt and niece-in-law often chatted and sipped tea together, talking most about Xie Yanyu, who had already left the capital.
Speaking of Xie Yanyu, he had sent a family letter a few days ago, saying he would return to the capital before the end of the year. Madam Zheng was overjoyed and immediately began refurbishing the separate courtyard, muttering that after the new year, they would set the wedding date.
Both of them were not young anymore; after the new year, Xie Yanyu would be twenty-two, and Li Rong would be eighteen—it was indeed time for marriage.
Even Pei Yuxuan’s wedding date had been set, for next spring.
In the Pei Family, besides Pei Yuxuan, the eldest branch’s eldest daughter Pei Lin had also reached the age for marriage proposals. Originally, due to the title, relations with the eldest branch should have been somewhat awkward, but this young lady was peculiarly very close to Xie Wanning.
For such a major matter as discussing marriage, she didn’t consult her own close blood relatives but instead came specifically to Xuan Hua Courtyard to find Xie Wanning, bashfully stating her purpose and mentioning a few names before asking for her opinion on them.
What opinion could Xie Wanning have? Since the young lady had brought it up, and as an ‘aunt,’ she was considered an elder, she gave objective evaluations.
In the end, she was indeed a bit curious and said, “For such a matter, you should ask your mother and have her send people to investigate thoroughly before making a decision.”
Hearing this, Pei Lin showed a hint of embarrassment on her face but frankly said, “You may not know how much the noble ladies of the capital envy you.”
“Oh?” Xie Wanning furrowed her brows slightly. “What do you mean?”
“I heard it too,” Pei Lin said softly. “They all say you have a good eye for choosing a husband.”
…Husband?
Xie Wanning was stunned for a moment, suddenly recalling that shortly after Pei Yuqing left the capital, his identity as the leader of the Qing Tian Guard was made public by His Majesty.
He was upright and handsome, with a clean back courtyard free of flirtatious women, wielding great power, unbothered by her previous engagement, and now able to leave for duties, his health must have greatly improved.
Apart from being a bit older, Pei Yuqing was simply the dream husband for all young ladies.
And she had had two husbands in total: one fiancé husband and one official husband after the wedding ceremony.
One was the young Killing God Lu Ziyan, a master of warfare, and the other was Pei Yuqing, the infallible strategist of the Great Han.
Neither of these two was an ordinary person; even in the capital full of prominent families, they were the most outstanding young masters at the top of the pyramid, yet both were deeply in love with her.
As Lu Ziyan’s fame rose, the story of him rushing back to the capital overnight from Yunzhou just to stop her marriage was repeatedly brought up.
Xie Wanning’s name was almost a household word among the capital’s populace.
If not for Pei Lin’s words, she wouldn’t have known she had become the object of envy for the capital’s young ladies.
What did it mean to have a good eye for choosing a husband…
Xie Wanning’s face froze in speechless embarrassment.
Pei Lin, however, smiled and said, “Someone as wonderful as Aunt deserves her husband’s devoted love and protection.”
If it had been said by another married madam, Xie Wanning would have at least pretended to look shy, but coming from an unmarried young lady, she really couldn’t muster the embarrassment.
She thought for a moment, then adopted an elder’s demeanor, offered some encouragement, and prepared to serve tea to see the guest out.
Pei Lin showed a bashful expression and softly pleaded, “My engagement will be set in a few days, and I’m really quite uneasy in my heart. Mother said the Marriage Temple on Chuyun Mountain is very efficacious. Would Aunt accompany me there to draw a lot?”
Go to the Marriage Temple?
Xie Wanning was taken aback, soon realizing that the Pei Family didn’t have many descendants, and in Pei Lin’s generation, there was only her as a young lady, truly without sisters to accompany her for lots.
Actually, though by seniority she called Pei Yuxuan ‘aunt,’ their ages weren’t far apart. However, the relations between the two branches were somewhat awkward, and Pei Yuxuan, sealed as a commandery princess from childhood, had playmates who were all imperial clan noble ladies—where would she have patience for the younger generation’s struggles? Thus, she was quite distant from this niece.
Compared to Pei Yuxuan as aunt, Pei Lin was indeed closer to Xie Wanning, who had married in just a year.
Even close handkerchief friends, unless they were girls currently discussing marriage, wouldn’t easily accompany one to seek marriage lots.
Looking at the fresh-faced, anxious prospective bride before her, Xie Wanning slowly agreed.
She was familiar with the Marriage Temple; she had gone herself, accompanied her family’s cousin there, and even gone once with Pei Yuxuan two months ago—it was quite familiar territory.
Though in the outskirts of the capital, it wasn’t too far; if they went early and arranged the time properly, they could return to the capital in the afternoon.
The day after agreeing to go to the Marriage Temple with Pei Lin, an invitation suddenly arrived from the imperial palace, which had been silent until then.
It was personally delivered by the chief eunuch from Consort Xian’s palace, stating that Consort Xian was celebrating her fortieth birthday. Mindful of the warfare at the border and the drought disaster in the northeast afflicting the people, she did not wish for a grand affair and only wanted to invite family into the palace for a chat and some liveliness.
And Xie Wanning, as her blood-related niece, was naturally among the ‘family.’
So sudden, without any prelude—this banquet surely harbored no good intentions.
The moment she took the pale purple gold-embossed invitation, Xie Wanning inwardly thought, ‘It’s come.’
She wasn’t foolish; the current court situation was almost out in the open, with Lu Ziyan overwhelmingly suppressing all the princes, including the First Prince.
Her aunt had finally sat still no longer and was turning her schemes toward her?
How could she dare attend the birthday banquet!
In her past life, she had died from a secret Western Region poison, with her aunt and cousin as the masterminds behind it.
Who knew what other vicious things they had up their sleeves? Once faces were torn…
Wouldn’t she be secretly murdered again without a sound?
But it was her blood-related aunt’s birthday banquet, and with the invitation issued, how could she easily refuse?
Eunuch Li, the chief eunuch of Yanxiang Hall, was right there—feigning illness on the spot was impossible.
As the atmosphere grew somewhat strange, Pei Yuxuan stepped into Xuan Hua Courtyard.
She had come to chat with her sister-in-law and, seeing the scene, raised her brows slightly. After understanding the situation, though unable to guess the inside story, she could tell Xie Wanning was unwilling to attend the banquet alone. Smiling, she took her arm and said, “It’s perfect, I have nothing today. I’ll accompany Sister-in-law into the palace for some fun. Surely Consort won’t take offense.”
As the Emperor’s blood niece, having frequented the palace since childhood, her favor was no less than that of several princesses. With her wanting to go along, how could Eunuch Li refuse her? He could only nod with an accompanying smile.
Seeing him nod, Pei Yuxuan turned and brought along two stewards she usually didn’t take even when leaving the estate.
They were all veteran grannies brought out from the palace by the princess—absolutely seasoned and shrewd.
One of them seemed to be an old acquaintance of Eunuch Li; when she smilingly greeted him, he responded with a stiff, skin-deep smile.
The group thus entered the palace and, upon arriving at Yanxiang Hall, found it eerily quiet inside.
Not the slightest bit of festivity for a lead consort’s birthday banquet.
Moreover, it was called a family banquet for the birthday, inviting even married-out nieces into the palace, yet not a single person from the Xie Family, including Madam Zheng, was present.
Only Consort Xian and the First Prince were there. Seeing Pei Yuxuan with Xie Wanning, their expressions stiffened.
When their gazes fell on the two grannies in female official attire behind Pei Yuxuan, their stiff faces twisted for an instant.
Everyone knew palace female officials were precious; not even lead consorts were entitled to them at their side. These female officials, accustomed to palace intrigues, had eyes like hawks—any tricks under their watch, no matter how seamless, carried the risk of exposure.
How cautious!
They were blood relatives, yet guarded against like this!
Consort Xian and the First Prince inwardly seethed with hatred.
Though they had no intention of any covert tricks today, being guarded against like this was naturally uncomfortable.
Still, as a consort who had climbed to a high position in the palace, after the meal, Consort Xian maintained a friendly demeanor, showing no flaw. In contrast, the First Prince’s expression was less natural than his mother’s.
Even with Pei Yuxuan accompanying her, Xie Wanning remained on high alert, a hundred and twenty percent cautious.
Poisoning the meal was too crude a method; with two grannies present, they wouldn’t dare risk it.
The incense burned was even less likely to be problematic.
After thinking it through carefully, a startled exclamation suddenly sounded nearby.
A palace maid had accidentally spilled tea on Pei Yuxuan.
Consort Xian expressed concern and directed a nearby granny to take her to the side hall to change clothes.
This was clearly a deliberate move to speak with her alone.
As long as it wasn’t dirty tricks, she wasn’t afraid of a few words.
Xie Wanning gave Pei Yuxuan a look, and the other followed the granny out.
The two female officials also went outside the hall to wait.
The previously lively main hall quieted down.
Consort Xian looked deeply at her niece, dispensing with pleasantries. Her first words cut straight to the point: “Aunt knows you are clever, so I won’t elaborate on the stakes. You only need to know that with your relationship to Qi Ziyan, once he returns victorious, not only will your cousin have no hope, but the Pei and Xie Families will be in peril.”
As she spoke, her gaze fixed intently on her niece. Seeing Xie Wanning’s face show some movement, she softened her tone. “Wanwan, are you willing to help your cousin this once?”
Hearing ‘Qi Ziyan’ suddenly, Xie Wanning was briefly dazed, then quickly reacted, pursing her lips. “…I don’t know what you mean.”
“You know.” Consort Xian smiled faintly. “With Qi Ziyan’s obsession with you, as long as you cooperate with us, he will undoubtedly fail.”
Every time she thought of this, Consort Xian couldn’t help feeling elated. Qi Ziyan was arrogant to the extreme, getting whatever wind or rain he wanted, yet he had stumbled before a Xie Family young lady.
She had only glimpsed the tip of the iceberg of his obsession with Lu Ziyan and didn’t see it as true affection—just lamenting that the unattainable is best—completely unaware that his love had reached a pathological level.
Even so, she still believed this bit of obsession with her Xie Family young lady was Lu Ziyan’s only weakness.
As long as this weakness was exploited well, Lu Ziyan wouldn’t be invincible—he would die too.
“Qi Ziyan is our common enemy. For the sake of the Xie Family, you should stand with us.” Consort Xian said, “Once your cousin ascends the throne, the Xie Clan will be the emperor’s maternal family, and your husband’s family can maintain its current glory.”
No threats, no inducements—just stating reality plainly.
“How to cooperate?” Xie Wanning said. “What does Aunt want me to do?”
“Make you disappear. Just spread the news that something has happened to you. Given how much Lu Ziyan values you, he might lose focus on the war and rush back to the capital.” The First Prince interjected from the side.
“Cousin thinks too highly of me. He has a heart of iron and hands stained with blood—how could you believe he’s a man influenced by a woman?” Xie Wanning clenched her hands tightly in her sleeves, maintaining a calm expression. “Back in Yunzhou, the reason he rushed back to the capital overnight was that the warfare had already ended.”
Indeed, when Lu Ziyan rushed back to stop the night intrusion into the wedding chamber last year, the unrest in Yunzhou had been quelled—he hadn’t abandoned ongoing warfare to rush back overnight.
The First Prince, however, smiled. “We have to try to know if it works. To be frank with Cousin, we’ve pretty much used all the methods we can these days, but any possibility must be tried. If Lu Ziyan panics upon hearing you’ve met with trouble, that would be a pleasant surprise.”
Mainly, this method cost little effort.
It only required making one woman disappear and getting the news to Lu Ziyan’s ears.
If Xie Wanning cooperated voluntarily with this ‘disappearance,’ it would be even easier; if not, they had ways to make it happen.
Though she was indeed cautious, in fact, they had nearly succeeded. Even by their plan, things could be done more ruthlessly—enough to shake Lu Ziyan.
If not for his mother cherishing blood ties and pitying this niece, there wouldn’t have been today’s banquet invitation.
Xie Wanning, of course, was unaware of the First Prince’s thoughts.
She pinched her palm for a long while, finally slowly shaking her head in refusal. “No, I can’t cooperate.”
Combined into one, next chapter later~~
