Chapter 179: It’s Settled
When Wang Zaitian took the Emperor and Miss Yang back to the academy, Ling Yu did not follow again.
Firstly, a lot of reading time had already been delayed, and secondly, he had some ominous premonition.
The wooden fish hanging under the eaves of the house was spun up by the gale. Ling Yu pushed open the door; the originally messy interior of the house had become even messier, with paper scattered all over the floor. Wei Jiao lay among it, covered with book scrolls on his head and body, seemingly asleep.
“Wei Jiao!”
Ling Yu shouted loudly, not caring to pull up Wei Jiao first, but pouncing on the ground to pick up the scattered paper. Only after seeing that the densely written characters on it were handwritten did he breathe a sigh of relief.
Ling Yu hurriedly picked up the books scattered on the ground and on Wei Jiao.
“Get out now!”
“Don’t take advantage of your madness to do as you please.”
Wei Jiao lay on the ground and said lazily: “I’m not the only one who’s sick. The disciples Mister has taken in: inept officials, wandering rakes traveling the world, you bookish fool who only knows how to read books, and now adding a liar full of lies.”
As he spoke, he pulled over a scroll from his body and shook it with his uninjured hand.
“Last time I caught someone who argued with me about supreme virtue or lack thereof, spouting nonsense, claiming it was what Mister said. I really should have kept him to give to Mister as a disciple; that would have been even more lively.”
He laughed loudly as he spoke.
When it came to reading matters, Ling Yu couldn’t help asking: “What did he say about supreme virtue or lack thereof?”
Wei Jiao said it, then mocked: “Isn’t this just nonsense?”
Ling Yu sneered: “This was what Mister lectured on during his travels in Mengzhou in Year Yuan Chu 3. You’re ignorant and shallow in knowledge, yet you have the nerve to mock others.”
Wei Jiao sneered: “I haven’t heard it; it’s Mister who’s negligent. Why shouldn’t I have the nerve!”
With that, he got up, stepped on the scattered books and paper, slammed the door open, and walked out.
The wind blew in, the book scrolls in the room flipped chaotically. Ling Yu hurriedly went forward to close the door, then frowned slightly, looking at Wei Jiao’s staggering back as he went far away.
He didn’t know how it had become someone else’s fault!
Truly taking advantage of his illness to go mad!
Ling Yu slammed the door shut heavily, then couldn’t help but chuckle softly.
Year Yuan Chu 3 in Mengzhou—that was the year he encountered A Sheng.
Time flies; it’s been so long.
……
……
When the Emperor went to the National Academy, no one knew, but when he came out from the National Academy, the Emperor no longer hid his whereabouts, and everyone knew.
Imperial Consort Li’s house arrest was lifted, her children returned to her side for upbringing. As soon as Princess Wuyang finished school, she came over, not caring to eat pastries, and said excitedly: “Mother Consort, today Father Emperor praised me…”
“What about that Yang Luo? What did your Father Emperor say?” Imperial Consort Li interrupted her and asked.
Princess Wuyang was annoyed; Mother Consort always asked about Yang Luo, from the very beginning, as if sending her to school was just to ask about Yang Luo.
But this time it was understandable; after all, there were all sorts of rumors about Yang Luo and Father Emperor. It was normal for Mother Consort to be nervous and curious.
“Father Emperor has no intention of taking her as a consort, letting her live in the temporary palace and ride royal carriages and horses—it’s because of the Libationer; she is a Libationer disciple.” Princess Wuyang said lazily, “This is giving face to the Libationer.”
Imperial Consort Li asked: “And then?”
“What ‘and then’? Father Emperor didn’t even glance at her much, and moreover, she won’t be attending classes with us anymore in the future.”
Imperial Consort Li let out an “ah”: “Your Father Emperor won’t let her go to the National Academy anymore?”
Princess Wuyang pouted: “It’s not that she won’t come to the National Academy; she is a Libationer disciple and will attend classes with the Libationer in the future, not with us.”
With that, she said happily again.
“Mother Consort, find me another lady-in-waiting.”
Although she didn’t need any lady-in-waiting, since Princess Pingcheng had one, she naturally wanted one too.
Today, in Father Emperor’s words, she was on equal footing with Princess Pingcheng…
“Mother Consort, when Father Emperor praised me today, he didn’t praise me together with Nangong; he praised me together with Pingcheng…”
Imperial Consort Li interrupted her: “Is this your Father Emperor’s arrangement? Or the Libationer’s arrangement?”
Princess Wuyang stood up angrily: “It’s Pingcheng’s arrangement; she wants to drive Yang Luo away, out of sight out of mind—”
With that, she stomped her foot.
“Mother Consort, you don’t want to see me either; I’m leaving!”
With that, she stormed off.
The palace maids and women outside the door called out to the princess one after another.
Imperial Consort Li only raised her voice once: “Remember to eat properly,” and then ignored it, sitting in the hall lost in thought.
Using the rumors to make His Majesty acknowledge the daughter, then conflicting with Marquis Yichun indeed wouldn’t work.
However, Imperial Consort Li was not too disappointed.
His Majesty was not a muddled, incompetent, or impulsive sort after all; there were many ways to deal with such rumors.
However, it could still add some disgust for them.
The Empress was disgusted, the Emperor was disgusted, even Princess Pingcheng was disgusted, so she proposed removing Yang Luo from the companion reader young ladies.
She wondered what the family of three sitting opposite each other were feeling at this moment. Imperial Consort Li picked up her tea and drank it all with a beaming smile.
……
…….
“Father Emperor, Mother Empress, I’ll go wash up and change first.”
Princess Pingcheng paid respects and said.
The Emperor nodded with a smile: “Go on, go on; come over for dinner in a bit.”
Princess Pingcheng assented, then looked at the Empress again.
The Empress smiled: “Go on.”
Having received responses from both parents, Princess Pingcheng finally withdrew with relief.
But what she didn’t see was that as soon as she withdrew, the smiles on the Empress and Emperor’s faces disappeared.
“Pingcheng did this for His Majesty; you are the Sage Ruler and cannot block the gossip under Heaven.” The Empress spoke first, “So she will block it for you.”
The Emperor nodded: “I know.”
But he did not say he was sorry to Pingcheng; such rumors made Pingcheng so embarrassed at the academy. The Empress’s hand on her knee clenched.
Hah, in his heart and eyes, there was only that Miss Yang now, right?
Her poor Pingcheng, wasting her deep affection for Father Emperor.
But she would not make a fuss anymore.
Making a fuss was useless.
The Empress lowered her eyes to conceal her emotions: “Also, Father came and said those rumors were not done by our family.”
The Emperor nodded again: “I know.” Then his voice softened as he called, “A Feng,” “Such dirty and despicable deeds are not your or your father-in-law’s style.”
Yes, he knew, but did he not know that such dirty and despicable rumors were all caused by his own improper conduct? It was he who kept that Miss Yang in the temporary palace, treating her like a princess… The Empress’s hand on her knee clenched until it bled.
“A Feng, rest assured.” The Emperor continued, “Miss Yang is just Miss Yang, a Libationer disciple; she won’t be anything else.”
Rest assured? When he married her back then, he had also said to rest assured; after Lady Yang left, he had said to rest assured again. In the end, between husband and wife of first marriage, a first wife suddenly appeared; after Lady Yang left, a Miss Yang appeared… The Empress looked at him and nodded: “Good.”
The Emperor’s expression softened even more: “Also, that loose-tongued Ji family servant has already died of guilt by suicide.”
The Empress smiled: “That’s truly great; Father can have a peaceful birthday.”
The Emperor let out an “aiya”: “Indeed, your father-in-law’s birthday is in the second month, coming up soon.”
He stood up as he spoke.
“This year is your father-in-law’s milestone birthday; it must be celebrated grandly.”
“I will personally handle it.”
……
…….
Night fell; when the Emperor and his family of three were having dinner, Marquis Yichun was also eating.
Chai Yuan saw off the Empress’s eunuch who came with the news, his expression somewhat relieved: “Good, at least he still has a conscience; he disposed of that loose-tongued servant.”
Marquis Yichun slowly chewed the meal in his mouth. What kind of conscience was this? If he truly had a heart, he should have ordered the servant beaten to death the moment he spoke nonsense, instead of dragging it out until now.
It was just using this servant to exchange for them not pursuing his favoritism toward the Yang family lady.
This was not conscience; this was the emperor’s heart.
It seemed that although he said he wouldn’t acknowledge the princess, he still wanted to treat the Yang girl like a princess.
Marquis Yichun snorted coldly.
“Also, His Majesty said your birthday banquet in early February will be held in the imperial palace.” Chai Yuan asked, “What does Father think?”
Marquis Yichun lifted his head: “This is His Majesty’s intention; we ministers cannot decline.”
Chai Yuan hadn’t expected Father to agree; these years Father had lived in seclusion, and many people had forgotten Father’s power and status.
He happily said good: “This is a happy event; it should be lively.”
Marquis Yichun smiled: “At that time, I’ll add another happy event for His Majesty.”
Chai Yuan’s eyes lit up; thinking of something, he sat up straight and lowered his voice: “Father, that matter—have you settled it with Zhu Yunxiao?”
Marquis Yichun said indifferently: “A matter where everyone benefits, of course it’s settled with one word.”
Happy National Day, happy holiday, everyone enjoy your vacation happily; you can save chapters, I’ll finish writing this White Horse Town case plot in these few days!
