Chapter 190: The Marquis’s Surprise
“This is His Majesty’s surprise for the Marquis…”
“Your Majesty, the Great General is at the border and cannot return to the Capital City without an edict. How can you treat this so lightly! Chai Du, you have abandoned your post without authorization, a grave offense!”
“Father, your son did not abandon his post without authorization. He was ordered to escort the Black Iron Saber.”
“You all…”
“Marquis, for the stability of the border, your second son has not returned home for five years. This year is your whole birthday, and His Majesty wants your children to reunite.”
“Father, it was your son who missed Father and Mother and wrote a letter to His Majesty pouring out his heart. He specially came up with this method. Do not blame His Majesty. Your son knows that if he told you, you would not agree.”
Chai Du suddenly appeared to present the treasured saber, but Marquis Yichun was not overjoyed. Instead, he was angry. The atmosphere in the hall quieted down. The guests present understood what was going on through the conversation between His Majesty, Marquis Yichun, and Chai Du.
Chai Du, as the commanding Great General stationed outside, indeed could not return to the Capital City at will.
However, General Chai’s identity was different from other generals. For family members, as long as His Majesty was willing, even without morning court, summoning him back was not a big deal.
Thus, a few old officials tried to persuade him: “Marquis, don’t be hasty,” “It’s a day of great joy.”
His Majesty spoke again: “Marquis, I ordered General Chai to escort the saber. The saber has been delivered, and he must return today without staying in the Capital City.”
Chai Du hurriedly said: “Yes, Father. Your son’s horse is already prepared, waiting outside the palace.”
Leaving immediately.
Marquis Yichun’s expression softened slightly.
The eunuchs nearby read the room and hurriedly brought over the prepared wine cups.
Chai Du knelt on one knee and took down the wine pouch hanging from his waist, pouring out a cup of wine.
“Father, this is wine your son brewed himself in the Border Army,” he said. “To wish Father a happy birthday.”
Marquis Yichun looked deeply at his son, then at His Majesty, and sighed: “You all—do not be so frivolous next time.”
His Majesty and Chai Du hurriedly agreed in unison.
Only then did Marquis Yichun take Chai Du’s wine cup and drink it all in one gulp.
“Good.”
“Congratulations to the Marquis.”
People around crowded forward to join in the fun. The Old Madam of Marquis Yichun hurriedly came over to help her son up, looking left and right with tears blurring her vision. Chai Yuan and the Chai Clan’s men, women, elderly, and young all gathered around, calling “Daddy,” “Second Uncle,” “Second Uncle,” and so on. The atmosphere in the hall became lively again.
“His Majesty and General Chai can be said to have put on colorful clothes to entertain their kin.”
“Your Majesty must never do this again.”
“Marquis, rest assured. I know my limits.”
People in the hall spoke again, and His Majesty gave Marquis Yichun assurances once more. Chai Du removed his armor, solemnly kowtowed to His Majesty and the Empress, then took his seat at the Chai Clan’s table.
The Prince of Donghai and Princess Pingcheng happily came to see their uncle. Chai Du was very happy to see them and gave them prepared gifts: a bow to the Prince of Donghai and a young eagle to Princess Pingcheng…
Princess Wuyang looked enviously at the hawk perched carefully on Princess Pingcheng’s arm.
Other people’s uncles gave fun gifts, but her uncle only sent a bunch of annoying lectures or headache-inducing books.
“Mother Consort.” She couldn’t help but say softly, “I will go pay respects to General Chai too. Will he…”
give her a gift.
As she spoke and turned her head, she saw Imperial Consort Li holding a wine cup, seemingly lost in thought.
“Mother Consort.” She called softly.
Imperial Consort Li looked at her, clearly not having heard what she said.
“Mother Consort, should I go pay respects to General Chai?” Princess Wuyang asked softly.
Mother Consort must have been frightened by the Empress’s scolding just now. Normally, she would urge her to go curry favor with the Chai Family.
Earlier, with the assassin causing such danger, and hearing the Empress say to continue the banquet upon return, Mother Consort insisted she come back to participate, all to support the Chai Clan.
Imperial Consort Li looked at her, a strange smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
“Perhaps, it’s not necessary.” She said softly.
What did she mean by perhaps not necessary? Princess Wuyang was stunned and was about to say something when several Imperial Guards strode in from outside the hall.
“Your Majesty, we have caught a suspicious person among the banquet guests.” The leading Imperial Guard said gravely.
These words instantly quieted the hall that had just become lively.
……
…..
The banquet guests had also guessed that the dead palace maid and eunuch were fakes, not from the Imperial Palace, so they must have been infiltrators from outside.
Although attending banquets in the Imperial City required strict checks, with so many people it was chaotic, and assassins had many opportunities to sneak in.
“Assassin?”
Chai Du, unaware of the incident while in the cabinet, asked Chai Yuan. Chai Yuan whispered to him, and Chai Du looked surprised, then frowned.
“…How could the Imperial City be managed like this.”
“Imperial City matters have nothing to do with you. Just manage the Border Army well.” Marquis Yichun interrupted him sternly. “Also, you can leave now.”
Chai Yuan couldn’t help but say: “Let Second Brother stay a bit longer…”
Before he finished speaking, His Majesty stopped the noisy discussions in the hall and asked gravely: “What person?”
The Imperial Guard leader nodded, stood firm, and looked toward the center. The guests were somewhat nervous. Soon, all gazes fell on one person.
“Grand Secretary Xia An.” The Imperial Guard leader said sternly. “You submitted a list for the banquet bringing one coachman and one house servant, but a third person claiming to be your house servant was searched out in the imperial garden.”
All gazes in the hall converged on the Grand Secretary. More Imperial Guards surrounded the old official.
Grand Secretary Xia An was still holding a wine cup, his expression shocked: “This old official indeed only brought two people. This third person must be an imposter.”
An Imperial Guard threw a waist token in front of the Grand Secretary: “This is an item from your household.”
“Your Majesty, waist tokens can always be stolen.” The Grand Secretary shouted.
The Imperial Guard leader signaled again: “Bring the person up.”
Two Imperial Guards from outside dragged a person in and threw him in front of the Grand Secretary.
Others around also craned their necks to look. Since the person was lying face down on the ground, they could only see he was wearing a servant’s robe in blue, and his build and hair suggested he was a middle-aged man.
“Your Majesty—” The Grand Secretary knelt and said, “Your minister absolutely did not instruct the assassin.”
These words startled everyone in the hall. The Grand Secretary’s words were off.
Shouldn’t he first go check on this servant and state that he didn’t recognize him, then cry injustice?
Yet the Grand Secretary skipped these two steps and directly cried injustice.
Was the Grand Secretary frightened? Or… was this servant indeed from the Grand Secretary’s household?
His Majesty clearly thought of this too and slammed the desk: “Xia An! Why did you privately bring someone into the Imperial City!”
Xia An knelt on the ground: “Your Majesty, your minister had absolutely no intention of assassination. The assassin has nothing to do with your minister.”
He did not answer the question, only defended himself.
His Majesty grew even angrier and stood up: “Come—”
“Your Majesty.” The servant lying on the ground suddenly spoke. “I am not the assassin, but I know why the assassin came into the palace.”
The hall fell silent again. All gazes turned to the person on the ground.
The servant slowly pushed himself up to kneel and said: “They came to kill Miss Yang Luo, Duke Ding’an’s Yang Luo.”
The hall erupted in instant uproar.
The assassins had entered the Imperial Palace, not to assassinate His Majesty, the Empress, or the nobility, but to kill a Miss Yang?
Well, indeed, Miss Yang had encountered assassins, but everyone thought it was a coincidence—the assassins happened to be there, and Miss Yang unluckily ran into them.
“Duke, Duke.” Duke Ding’an’s Wife couldn’t help shaking Duke Ding’an. “What… what is going on…”
Duke Ding’an was dazed: “I don’t know what’s going on, but I knew something would happen.”
Chai Du couldn’t help asking Chai Yuan again: “Miss Yang is the one you mentioned earlier who…”
This time Marquis Yichun did not stop him, but seemed lost in thought.
But Chai Yuan couldn’t answer, because His Majesty had already angrily shouted.
“What nonsense are you spouting!”
The kneeling servant suddenly lifted his head: “Your minister is not spouting nonsense. That Miss Yang is a survivor of the White Horse Town massacre. Her mother died, she escaped, but those people still came to kill her!”
The hall erupted in noise again. Many people stood up, shocked, looking at this servant.
He said, your minister?
A servant certainly could not refer to himself as your minister!
Miss Yang is a survivor of the White Horse Town massacre?
White Horse Town massacre?
Someone standing nearby suddenly shouted: “Ah—”
He pointed at the kneeling servant who had lifted his head.
“Ji Ying!”
Ji Ying!
With this shout, more people in the hall reacted, looking at this servant.
Although he had gone out as an inspector, Ji Ying was originally a court official, known to many in the court, and they instantly recognized him.
It really was Ji Ying!
That Ji Ying who was said to be dead!
Ji Ying looked at His Majesty and prostrated himself: “Your Majesty, the criminal Ji Ying has come to accept his punishment.”
The noise around him, Marquis Yichun could no longer hear clearly, nor did he need to.
He looked at Ji Ying prostrating himself.
Actually, this was His Majesty’s birthday gift to him, wasn’t it.
