Chapter 120: Imperial Family
Lu Zhao hurried into the inner courtyard with the morning dew still on him when the first light of dawn had just appeared; Mu Chang, who had woken early to prepare for the morning court session, had just sat down at the dining table.
Madam Mu ladled soup for him: “After court disperses today, you should still go sit with the Emperor. First see what the Emperor means; what if his attitude is firm, but there is still room for mediation?”
Mu Chang nodded: “How is Yun’er? Has she recovered?”
“She cried half the night last night, but I finally managed to persuade her. She is a smart child, only born into a family like ours, naturally carrying some pride, and unable to turn the corner for the moment.”
Madam Mu sighed, unconsciously rubbing her temples.
A child raised pampered and spoiled, when her temper flares up, is quite grinding.
It was not until midnight that she finally quieted down.
But in the end, she has never suffered setbacks before; to suffer such a big loss right away, how could she accept it?
Not to mention her, even Madam Mu herself took some effort to calm down.
It was at this moment that Lu Zhao walked in: “Grand Tutor!” He tried his best to suppress his expression and bowed to the two in the room: “There is some not-so-good news.
“The matter from yesterday’s palace banquet has already spread outside.”
Mu Chang raised his chopsticks and looked up; Madam Mu, who was passing dishes, also looked over.
“How has it spread?”
“Today, voices are floating through the streets and alleys, saying that the Eldest Young Lady yesterday at the palace banquet wanted to act as matchmaker for Prince Jingyang and Princess Yongjia, was rebuked by Princess Yongjia, and that it was originally planned to petition to establish the Eldest Young Lady as the empress of the central palace, but instead the Eldest Young Lady was rude!”
The room fell silent for a moment, then Madam Mu stood up: “There were no outsiders at yesterday’s palace banquet; is this rumor spread by the Shen Family or Prince Duan’s Mansion?!”
Lu Zhao paused: “Currently, it is not known which family, but it has already become a disturbance throughout the city; the Eldest Young Lady’s former good reputation outside has been mostly slandered!”
“They are actually so despicable, using such a method to target the Mu Family?” Madam Mu’s hand trembled with anger. “To deal such a heavy blow to a girl in her teens, isn’t this ruining our Yun’er?!”
As the daughter of the Grand Tutor’s Mansion, a famous lady of the current dynasty, does this sound good when spread?
This is not just arrogance; this is to confirm the conflict with Yue Tang and Yan Bei!
Originally just a private dispute, now made known to everyone, naturally the Mu Family suffers, and Mu Shuyun suffers!
She said: “Master, we must quickly think of a way to suppress it; first investigate clearly which family is stirring up the disturbance?”
It is not out of fear of anyone, mainly there is no reason to let people bully us like this.
“Master, Madam, a message has come from the imperial palace!”
Mu Chang had not yet replied when someone came from outside the door; seeing everyone there, he immediately reported: “Shen Family’s Eldest Young Lady Shen Yizhu was taken into the palace early this morning to attend to Empress Dowager Shen.
“She brought two maidservants with her, and quite a few accompanying items; it looks like she plans to stay long-term!”
Hearing this, Madam Mu’s expression changed again: “She was fine yesterday, but early this morning she is attending to what illness?
“This is seizing the opportunity to call her into the palace to accompany the Emperor, that’s the real intent!”
After speaking, she gritted her teeth again: “So, the gossip outside is mostly spread by the Shen Family!”
“Yue Tang was already arrogant enough yesterday; if she is smart, she should know the Emperor will not let her act recklessly!” Mu Chang, who had been listening with furrowed brows for a long time, stood up at this point. “Send someone to inform Shuntian Prefecture to immediately search the city for those spreading rumors, first arrest a few and investigate the source of the rumors, make them produce evidence; if there is none, immediately throw them into prison and deal with them strictly!”
“Understood!”
The servant waiting for dispatch at the doorway immediately accepted the order and left.
Mere gossip cannot disrupt the Grand Tutor’s Mansion’s composure; within half a day, no one in the capital city will dare spread it again.
Madam Mu was still worried: “Even killing the chicken to warn the monkeys leaves a trace. With this trace, in the future, it will definitely be used to make an article.”
“Suppress the disturbance first.” Mu Chang took a deep breath. “The Shen Family was originally at a disadvantage, but now with this good opportunity, they will surely bite and not let go. At this critical moment, no matter what you do, you cannot recover the reputation!”
“Master! Madam!”
Just as he finished speaking, the maidservant’s anxious voice came in again. “The news of the rumors rampant outside and Shen Family’s Miss entering the palace, the Eldest Young Lady has just received them!”
The maidservant was Mu Shuyun’s maidservant, with panic on her face.
Everyone in the room froze.
“Who told her?”
Madam Mu reacted first and rushed out the threshold.
Last night, she had exhausted her words to barely persuade her; anything else aside, hearing the news of Shen Yizhu entering the palace at this time, Mu Shuyun probably could not sit still again!
Mu Chang behind hurriedly greeted Lu Zhao and also hurried over.
In the Xie Fang Hall built near the garden, there was no sound of crying or making a scene; instead, intermittent qin sounds came out.
Madam Mu hurried into the room and saw Mu Shuyun sitting by the qin stand under the window, her back like a statue.
“Yun’er!”
Madam Mu reached her and pulled her up.
“Silly child!” Madam Mu said, “What do you care how the Shen Family fares? They’re just a few clowns putting on a show. How could your father truly let them stir up any disturbance? Don’t worry, your father has already sent someone to deal with it.”
Mu Shuyun did not speak.
Madam Mu’s voice grew even softer: “After all, good things are bound to face obstacles. Looking across the world, who is more qualified than you to sit in that position?
“Yesterday we all underestimated the relationship between Princess Yongjia and Prince Jingyang, so we made a small mistake.
“Right now they’re in the spotlight, so let them be for the time being. After some time passes, there will surely be a chance to turn things around.”
Mu Shuyun tugged at the corner of her mouth. “But the Imperial Palace will ultimately need an Empress, won’t it?”
Madam Mu paused. At the same time, she glanced at Mu Chang who had just arrived.
Mu Shuyun turned her head to look at them. “Do you know? From yesterday until now, not a single person has come from the Imperial Palace.
“He and I have known and accompanied each other since childhood. Every time we quarreled, he would come find me within half a day at most.
“But from yesterday until now, he has not only not come personally, he hasn’t even sent a single person to inquire after me.
“Father, Mother, tell me, did the Emperor yesterday fail to insist on rejecting Prince Jingyang and their judgment of me because he was powerless to stop it, or because he agreed with it in his heart?”
Madam Mu was at a loss for words.
Yesterday, after Yue Tang and the others forced the issue and even brought up the Former Emperor and Empress Mu, the Emperor could not possibly go against them.
Not to mention Yan Bei also mentioned the Former Emperor’s attitude toward the Mu Family Master’s wrongdoing back then. With the word “filial piety” weighing on him, how could the Emperor conveniently come to visit right now?
However, after Mu Shuyun said this, a trace of gloom also passed through her heart.
If it weren’t for the Emperor pleading at that crucial moment yesterday, Yan Bei wouldn’t have been able to bring up the Former Emperor to suppress people. As it turned out, this gave Yan Bei the perfect chance to shut the Emperor’s mouth!
Was it intentional or unintentional?
“Although the Emperor shares childhood companionship with you, the Son of Heaven’s affections cannot be fully trusted.” Mu Chang said at this time.
“Then what about Aunt and the Former Emperor?”
“They are different.” Mu Chang pursed his lips tightly.
Mu Shuyun bit her lower lip and gave a bitter smile: “I understand the reason. Our family has already produced one Empress. As the Eldest Young Lady of the Mu Family and the niece of Empress Mu, how could I marry too poorly?
“And conveniently, I share childhood companionship with the Emperor, so naturally I’m closest to the water and first to get the moon.
“But precisely because I was so certain in the past that I would become his wife, I was proud and fearless.
“But now I only feel a chill in my heart, because I discovered that he can’t even control a mere Princess.
“He can’t even decide who his own wife will be!”
Madam Mu blurted out: “This is only temporary. There are still a few months—less than a year. As long as he smoothly takes the seal from Empress Dowager Shen’s hands and holds great power, the Emperor will no longer have so many constraints!”
“But if the Shen Family falls, won’t there still be Prince Jingyang’s Mansion?” Mu Shuyun stood up. “The reason Princess Yongjia dares to bully me and seek revenge against the Mu Family is precisely because she has Prince Jingyang backing her, isn’t it?
“Once the Emperor holds great power, can he overturn the Former Emperor’s appointed Regent Minister? Can he eliminate the several hundred thousand troops from Mobei?”
This speech left the couple both silent.
Mu Shuyun sneered coldly: “If Princess Yongjia and Prince Jingyang don’t let him make me Empress, he can’t say a single word.
“If the two of them propose making a Miss of the Shen Family Empress, can the Emperor refuse? Even if Father opposes, would the opposition be of any use?”
Madam Mu was already speechless. The hand resting on her shoulder unconsciously withdrew.
“But precisely because of this, we must strive even harder.” Mu Chang stepped forward. “He is the Emperor and has only been on the throne for three years. He might compromise for certain reasons.
“But for our Mu Family, there was no reason to give up this position before.
“Now that this has happened, we must hold on even tighter!
“Once the rumors cannot be contained, no family of equal standing will willingly seek to marry you.
“Even if you can still marry in, it won’t be as you wish.
“Instead of that, why not fight for it?
“If you fall, get back up. What’s the use of such dejected complaining?”
By the time Mu Chang said this, his voice had also sunk.
Madam Mu couldn’t help but look at them worriedly.
They doted on this daughter, and speaking to her so sternly was something that had never happened before.
“Has Father considered that this matter might have variables?” Mu Shuyun raised her head.
Mu Chang fell silent.
If he were certain there were no variables in the Emperor seeking to marry Mu Shuyun, he would naturally have already maneuvered for establishing the Empress in the Imperial Court.
Because their intentions matched, it wouldn’t cause any rift.
But precisely because when the matter was first raised, he sensed that the Emperor still had some reservations, he had put the matter on hold.
After all, the situation was not yet settled; it was a time to unite against the enemy, not suitable for sowing grudges over such a thing.
He believed that even if the Emperor hesitated, he would ultimately go along with this arrangement.
Because on the current Imperial Court, only their Mu Family supported him without reservation.
Their interests were intertwined and inseparable!
“There will be no variables.” He said slowly, “More than a decade has passed; at this step, whether it’s the Empress of the central palace or the Heir Apparent, it must ultimately come from our Mu Family!”
Mu Shuyun bit her lower lip.
Outside the door, another maidservant arrived.
Mu Chang turned his head to look, and the maidservant then came in: “Master, Teacher Lu asked me to pass on a message that someone from the Shen Family just seemed to have gone to Prince Duan’s Mansion to deliver an invitation.”
Mu Chang withdrew his gaze, glanced at Mu Shuyun, and instructed: “Rest well, and think again about what to do.
“The Emperor and you still have a bond that no one else can replace; that’s your capital. It would truly be a pity to waste it.”
After speaking, he gave Madam Mu a look and walked out.
Madam Mu sighed, went forward to help Mu Shuyun up: “Sleep a bit more. No need to pay respects to the old madam this morning; I’ll ask for leave on your behalf.”
Mu Shuyun said nothing.
Madam Mu then helped her inside and had her lie down on the bed.
Mu Shuyun turned over facing inward and buried her face in the bedding.
Madam Mu stayed for a moment, but in the end, she was still thinking about the Shen Family having already delivered an invitation to Prince Duan’s Mansion, feeling restless and unable to sit still. She called the maidservants to watch and left herself.
Inside the room gradually quieted.
The maidservant lowered the curtain and was also preparing to go out.
Mu Shuyun on the bed sat up, however.
She got out of bed barefoot and walked to the mirror, raising her hand to touch her face.
In the mirror, the girl’s face was as gorgeous as a flower. Even after a night of crying, though she looked somewhat haggard, her beautiful features were still striking.
“Someone come!”
She opened her hoarse throat.
The maidservant outside the door quickly walked in. “Miss.”
Mu Shuyun was still looking at the mirror, but her expression had already calmed, and her gaze was as serene as a frost-covered lake surface.
“Help me deliver a memorial to the Palace. I want to see the Emperor. Don’t let Master and Madam know. I want to go quietly.”
The maidservant stared at her in a daze.
Privately seeking an audience with the Emperor was no small matter, after all. If Master and Madam found out, she would be the one to take the blame.
“What?” Mu Shuyun raised her eyes. “Do you want to be thrown out?”
“No!”
The maidservant hurriedly shook her head. “This servant will go right now!”
……
