Chapter 121: Does The Promise Still Hold?
The eunuch passed through the courtyard, delivering hot soup to the Emperor, and also brought news: “Miss Shen entered the palace to attend to the sick, brewed soup for the Empress Dowager, and the Empress Dowager ordered Miss Shen to send over a bowl of soup.”
The Emperor raised his head from behind the flickering dragon saliva incense, glanced at the soup tureen in his hand, and slightly furrowed his brows.
“Go reply to the Empress Dowager that We have been taking medicinal tonics these past two days and should not take extra nourishment.”
The eunuch hesitated somewhat: “Your Majesty, it’s the Empress Dowager’s imperial decree; refusing it would likely be seen as unfilial.”
The coming-of-age ceremony is in July next year, and now the entire court is waiting for that opportunity; at this crucial moment, one should prioritize forbearance.
“Your Majesty,” another eunuch walked in from outside the door, glanced at the bowl of soup, took it smoothly, and looked toward the Emperor: “Your Majesty, Miss Shuyun suffered grievances yesterday; if you get too close to Miss Shen at this time, it would likely make the Grand Tutor lose face.
“For Your Majesty to establish a foothold, you still cannot do without the Mu Family!”
The Emperor’s hand, suspended in midair, withdrew again.
“Then how to explain it to the Empress Dowager?”
“Isn’t that simple?” At this moment, a crisp voice sounded from the doorway. “We accept the Empress Dowager’s kind intentions; as for how to dispose of it after it stays, doesn’t it all depend on Your Majesty?”
With these words, a graceful figure slowly stepped in.
The Emperor’s brows twitched slightly: “Shuyun?”
“Miss Shuyun.” The eunuchs all bowed in salute.
Mu Shuyun walked up to the Emperor, lifted her skirt and knelt, performing a grand salute.
The Emperor paused in place for a moment, then stepped forward to help her up: “Why have you come?”
He looked up again at the eunuch who had entered later from the doorway: “Why did no one report to Us?”
“Your Majesty,” Mu Shuyun raised her head, “Back in Jiangling, when I came to see you, there was never a need for announcement.
“I thought that even now, Your Majesty would not be so strict.”
The Emperor was slightly stunned.
Mu Shuyun gazed at him and smiled again: “But I accompanied the Old Madam to Jiangling and haven’t entered the palace for months; I suppose Your Majesty has forgotten, otherwise you wouldn’t have failed to summon me even once.”
The Emperor’s expression softened. “Indeed, there have been too many matters, and I forgot.
“You haven’t entered the palace for a long time either, and yesterday there was no time to talk. How was your journey back from Jiangling this time?”
Mu Shuyun smiled again: “I’ve been back for five or six days, and only now does Your Majesty think to ask me.”
The Emperor’s face stiffened again.
The two eunuchs in the hall had already withdrawn.
Mu Shuyun said: “Cousin.”
The Emperor turned around.
“Do the words you said to me back in Jiangling still count?” The girl’s gaze was as deep as a pool, impossible to fathom.
“Of course they count.” The Emperor slowly placed his hands on her shoulders. “I said that the wife I would formally marry could only be you.
“But Yun’er, I didn’t know yesterday’s incident would happen; you were too reckless.
“I thought about it all last night and still don’t know how to break this situation.
“Why did you go provoke your elder cousin?”
“Provoke?” Mu Shuyun laughed. She lowered her head to look at the bowl of soup: “The Shen Family has already sent an invitation to Prince Duan’s Mansion today.
“Cousin, if all the civil and military officials in the court petition to establish an Empress at this time, could you resist?”
The Emperor fell silent. He picked up the vermilion brush on the table: “If Uncle Father spares no effort to help me, what could I not do?”
With that, he turned his gaze to the girl: “I am willing to do anything for you. I look forward to bringing you into the palace soon, but you know my position is weak and isolated. Yun’er, are you willing to help me?”
“What do you hope I will do?”
The Emperor took a deep breath and raised his hand to rub his brow: “For example, this bowl of soup right now.
“Even if I refuse it today, there will be a next time, and the time after.
“Do you have a way to help me resolve the current difficulty?”
The smile at the corner of Mu Shuyun’s mouth spread to the skies.
“What are you laughing at?”
Mu Shuyun shook her head and lowered it in silence for a moment before saying: “When we were young, Grandfather was especially strict with Cousin; he said you would rule the world in the future and needed to be stronger than others in every way.
“Whenever you couldn’t recite an article or answer a question, I would always find ways to gather brothers and sisters to give you hints from the shadows.
“I was afraid you would be punished and afraid you would suffer losses.
“How could I not do what you ask of me?”
“Yun’er!” The Emperor grasped her hand.
Mu Shuyun pulled her hand away: “But I still feel uneasy in my heart. You haven’t given me even a word of promise to this day, and yesterday the Princess caught me in a vulnerable spot.
“If while I’m clearing these obstacles for Cousin, someone else seizes a handle on me, what then?
“My reputation is already ruined; if targeted again at that time, I would have no choice but to die, right? Is that what Cousin hopes?”
The Emperor’s brows and eyes darkened deeply.
Mu Shuyun smiled through tears: “If I died, there would always be a rift between Father and Your Majesty.
“I’m afraid at that time, even if the Mu Family wanted to go through fire and water for Your Majesty, it would be willing in heart but lacking in strength.
“I feel it’s not worth it for Your Majesty.”
Her voice was as gentle as usual; perhaps because of the tears in her eyes at this moment, the tone was not as lively and clear as before. But falling in this quiet hall, it carried exceptional weight.
The Emperor said slowly: “What do you want?”
Mu Shuyun drew a prepared memorial from her sleeve, unfolded it, and pushed it before him: “I want a promise; Your Majesty just needs to sign and seal it. With peace of mind, Yun’er can persuade Father to charge forward for Your Majesty without hesitation.”
The handwriting on the paper was elegant. The content was none other than one matter: promising to enfeoff Miss Mu Shuyun of the Grand Tutor’s Mansion as Empress in the future.
“Your Majesty was just swearing solemnly; it shouldn’t be hard to write a few words, right?”
Mu Shuyun’s tone remained mild, but her direct gaze allowed no retreat.
“The Mu Family has protected Your Majesty for over ten years, giving their all without selfish motives. This is the promise you once made to me yourself; if you honor your word, you surely won’t refuse.”
The girl’s face was pale. Dark shadows lay heavy under her eyes. In just one day, she seemed like a different person from yesterday’s spoiled and lively Grand Tutor’s daughter.
In the quiet room, the sound of the sand timer was deafening.
The Emperor said slowly: “Yun’er, you came prepared.”
“I said, I only seek peace of mind.” Mu Shuyun’s reddened eyes smiled. “Of course, if you truly are unwilling, how could I force you?”
The Emperor turned his back, stood like a post for a moment, then turned around again: “Fine.”
With that, he took up the vermilion brush and swiftly wrote a few words on the memorial, then affixed his private seal.
He placed the memorial in Mu Shuyun’s hands: “After this current disturbance passes, you can bring it to me to fulfill the promise.”
Mu Shuyun’s hands slid over the vermilion characters, and a tear dropped onto them with a pat.
She suddenly folded it shut and looked up with a smile.
“Thanks be to the Lord’s great grace.”
She pressed the memorial tightly to her chest, retreated a few steps, and at the threshold, turned and walked out.
The Emperor slowly walked to the door, silently watching her departing figure until only the slanting sunlight remained in the courtyard, then returned to the imperial desk.
The soup on the desk had gone cold. A thin layer of oil floated on the surface.
He picked it up and looked toward the eunuch who had brought the soup: “The Empress Dowager’s reward—refusing it would be unfilial, right?”
The latter’s gaze was astonished, and he quickly stepped forward: “It was this servant’s loose tongue earlier; if Your Majesty doesn’t drink it, there’s no harm.”
The Emperor gave a wry smile: “But that is the Empress Dowager whom the Former Emperor appointed to hold the seal and listen to politics; We cannot disrespect her, can We?”
The eunuch fell silent.
In that instant, the Emperor raised the bowl and drank it all in one gulp.
“Your Majesty!” The eunuch panicked and snatched the bowl. “This servant hasn’t tested it yet!”
“No harm.” The Emperor handed the bowl back: “How could a reward openly sent by the Empress Dowager be poisoned?”
The eunuch fell silent.
“Chang Yu.” The Emperor said again. “Take the bowl to Yongfu Palace and thank the Empress Dowager and Miss Shen on Our behalf for their kind intentions.
“Also bring four kinds of pastries as my return gift to the Empress Dowager.”
……
Last night they hosted Yan Bei, and the meal lasted until nearly Xu hour before breaking up.
A jar of Zui Xian Lou’s bamboo leaf green was drunk dry by the two; just as the moonlight rose, illuminating the layered eaves, Yue Tang’s pride welled up in her heart, and taking advantage of the wine, she pulled him to tour the major halls of Prince Duan’s Mansion.
She got up somewhat late this morning.
Upon asking Han Yi, it turned out he had come early, but since she wasn’t up, he went out first to find his grandfather’s former colleagues.
Then Dou Yun and Guo Yin each came to pay respects.
After sitting down for some small talk, the guard quietly reported that the two had also brought two horse carriages waiting outside the door.
It turned out the two had brought their families, but since they had notified in advance, they hadn’t let the two madams come in together.
Yue Tang sighed at the two of them, then had Lan Qin take He Shi to receive the two madams and bring them in.
Then Dou and Guo went to the yamen, Yue Tang stayed with the female guests to chat, also kept them for lunch, and along the way inquired about some imperial court and inner residence matters.
Madam Dou was steady and prudent, not talkative but just right. Madam Guo was frank and straightforward, with a forthright temperament; initially somewhat reserved, but soon relaxed.
After seeing them off, the sunlight was already slanting westward.
In the room, a stack of invitations lay on the desk; some from the Imperial Clan Court, Imperial Household Department, and other yamens, and some from female guests of major households in the city. Among them, one prominently read “Shen Mansion.”
She drew it out and saw it was an invitation from Shen Yi along with his wife.
He Shi happened to enter holding a ledger and said thoughtfully: “I heard from Lord Wei earlier that Miss Shen entered the palace today to attend to the Empress Dowager. And he said the Eldest Young Lady of the Grand Tutor’s Mansion’s sedan was also carried to the palace gate; it seems Miss Mu also entered the palace.”
Yue Tang paused upon hearing this, and before she could speak, Lan Qin who entered afterward said: “Princess, can you guess why Mu Shuyun entered the palace at this juncture?”
“Why?”
“The disturbance at yesterday’s palace banquet has already spread. Starting last night, people at all gathering places have been discussing Mu Shuyun’s behavior. In the shadows, many are fanning the flames, saying Miss Mu falls far short of the Former Empress in virtue, openly and covertly saying she is unfit to be Mother of the Nation.”
Yue Tang nodded in understanding: “The Shen Family’s doing.” Then she asked: “Did Mu Shuyun’s palace visit this time cause any disturbance?”
“This servant specially sent someone to Prince Jingyang’s Mansion to ask; the Prince’s side hasn’t heard any news. Moreover, Mu Shuyun left the palace very quickly.”
Yue Tang hummed, glanced again at the invitation on the desk, set it aside, and picked up the booklet He Shi presented to flip through.
“Where is Wei Zhang?”
After several days of work, all who should be registered in the Prince’s Mansion have been. Next, just wait for Wei Zhang to check the whereabouts of the batch of guards formerly used by the Former Emperor one by one, then they can select a batch of reliable candidates to bring into the Prince’s Mansion.
“He went out yesterday and hasn’t returned yet.”
Lan Qin draped a piece of clothing over her shoulders, glimpsed with the corner of her eye someone walking into the courtyard, and said: “Lord Han has returned.”
Yue Tang also looked out and saw Han Yi hurrying along, already quickly reaching under the corridor.
“Come in.” She said.
Han Yi entered, hastily performed a bow, then said: “Princess, this subject has learned the ins and outs of the case back then. Mu Father relied on power to sell offices and accept bribes, taking a large amount of silver; he was exposed, and the petition went directly to the Former Emperor’s desk.
“The Former Emperor was furious, sent people to secretly gather evidence of crimes, then threw Mu Father into prison.
“But a few months later, the Former Emperor still showed mercy, commuting the original ten-year sentence, merely dismissing him from office.
“Later, after Mu Father was released, Grand Tutor Mu and his two younger brothers all resigned their posts at the same time, and the whole family moved to Jiangling.”
Yue Tang said: “Mu Chang resigned later, meaning the case didn’t implicate the brothers?”
“Because Mu Father offended few times and not for long, just those two years, selling three positions for a total of 100,000 taels of silver, so at the time only Mu Father was arrested.
“The three Mu Chang brothers were not serving in related positions, so they weren’t implicated.”
“Then why did His Majesty later pardon Imperial Father-in-law Mu, yet they still resigned and returned to their hometown?”
“This subject also found it suspicious and inquired carefully, only then learning it was very likely the Former Empress’s decision that made the whole Mu Family leave the Capital City.”
Yue Tang pondered.
The reason the Mu Family left the Capital City—she only knew it was because of the offense. But she didn’t know that though the Mu Family was already cleared, Empress Mu still made them resign and go back.
After thinking, she asked: “Who reported them back then? Do you know?”
“Don’t know.” Han Yi shook his head. “It’s said the petition was directly submitted to the Former Emperor; afterward, no one knew who exposed it, and the Former Emperor never revealed it.”
Yue Tang fell silent again.
Indeed, a big tree attracts wind; with the Empress’s prestige in the imperial court and the Former Emperor’s respect for her, having her maternal home that had shown a vulnerability retreat to Jiangling to avoid the limelight at that critical point was wise.
But with Mu Chang’s ambitious nature, would they willingly submit?
Would they obediently lie low?
Before the Second Prince went to Jiangling, had they made any efforts to turn the situation around?
Under what stroke of fortune did they smoothly take over from the Emperor and Empress the heavy responsibility of raising the Second Prince?
Yue Tang tapped her fingers on the desk, glanced at the sweat on Han Yi’s temple, and casually tossed him a handkerchief from the desk:
“Though I told you to handle the matter quickly, it doesn’t mean to work yourself into a donkey.
“You are the Chief Clerk of my Prince Duan’s Mansion, representing Princess Yongjia’s decorum outside.
“In the future, no matter whom you meet, keep your back straight for me.
“If I see you being obsequious again, no need to continue.”
Han Yi hurriedly clutched the handkerchief, stunned and looking up, only after a good while managing a “Yes.”
