CH 64

Roude also didn’t want to meet this daughter of the Ming family who had been fostered elsewhere. In her opinion, people who grew up in small places always have an indelible smell of soil. 

But reality forced her to lower her head.

The incident that happened in front of her Prince Consort’s paternal aunt’s husband’s residence had implicated both of them. So much so that some even suspected her possible involvement in the matter. Precisely because she didn’t have a good relationship with the Fourth Prince’s birth mother.

Today, Su Guife…Empress Su permitted the princesses to leave the Palace and meet their Prince Consorts. Only then did she learn that his family had been brought under the Jinwu Guards’ supervision. They even denied her summon when she asked for the Prince Consort to come to the Princess’ residence. 

She knew that this matter had far-reaching implications, and that many people were afraid to get involved in it. The only ones she could seek help from were Empress Su and Chen Wang.

Empress Su has never mistreated the princes and the princesses, but that didn’t mean she was close to them. Chen Wang was even less likely to give her face; he might even publicly ridicule her for her delusions.

Therefore, she could only pin her hopes on Ming Jiuzhu.

By now, everyone in the capital knew that Empress Su was very satisfied with Ming Jiuzhu, her future daughter-in-law. Not only did she praise her everywhere, but she also openly asked the mingfu-s to take care of her.

On New Year’s Eve, Chen Wang personally brought Ming Jiuzhu into the Palace. From all these, it was quite clear that the two of them had a very good relationship.

Some speculated that Empress Su and her son were treating Ming Jiuzhu well to show goodwill toward the officials and demonstrate their closeness. Regardless of the truth, it was enough to confirm Ming Jiuzhu’s position in Empress Su and her son’s hearts.

If she could not ask Chen Wang, she could still seek help from Ming Jiuzhu.

Little guniangs from small places were easier to deceive than those who had been raised in noble families from childhood.

“Your Highness, the Princess.” Jiuzhu looked at Princess Roude and then at the gift box on the table, not comprehending what her intention was.

“Xianzhu is about to marry fifth younger brother. I don’t have anything good to give but please accept this set of head ornaments. Xianzhu can add it to your dowry,” Roude smiled amiably. “Hope you do not dislike it, Xianzhu.”

Add to dowry? Dowry gifts are usually given by the bride’s relatives. Princess Roude was His Highness’ elder sister; why would she give something for her dowry?

“Xianzhu, open the box and see if you like the gift,” Princess Roude disguised her disdain in her eyes quite well. She heard that this Xianzhu, in order to win Empress Su’s favor, entered the Palace early on her birthday. Given how shallow this Ming Jiuzhu was, this set of precious black cat’s eye chrysoberyl head ornament would surely move her…

“Many thanks, Princess.” Jiuzhu opened the box and took a glance at the jewelry embedded with something pitch black. The hairpin that His Highness and niangniang gave her was much prettier.

She closed the box and handed it to Chunfen,  who was standing behind her. “Princess is very generous.”

That is her reaction?

That is it?

The stunned expression that Roude anticipated did not appear, making her sigh in disappointment. “If I may ask Xianzhu, do you like this head ornament?”

“En, it’s pretty good.” It wouldn’t be proper to reject someone’s goodwill as it would hurt their feelings. Jiuzhu smiled at Roude and expressed her gratitude again.

I don’t believe it!

There is no hint of liking in your gaze!

Roude took a deep breath. “As long as Xianzhu likes it.”

The two of them fell silent. Roude pretended not to notice the awkward atmosphere between them and tried to continue the conversation. “May I ask where Lord and Madam Ming are? Why don’t I see them?”

“Father is still at the Ministry of Rites, and Mother hasn’t returned from the tea-tasting gathering.” Jiuzhu lifted the teacup and took a sip. “If Your Highness the Princess wants to meet them, please wait a little.”

“No, I came specifically to meet Xianzhu.” She came because she found out that Ming Jingzhou and Shen-shi were not at home. How could she deceive Jiuzhu into agreeing to her request if they were present too?

“Oh.” Jiuzhu nodded.

Roude: “……”

Why just an “oh”?

At this point, any normal person should ask, “Why have you come to meet me?”

Why does she not ask?!

“Xianzhu.” The other person didn’t ask, so Roude had to bring it up herself. She gritted her teeth and continued, “Today, I have come to ask for a favor.”

Jiuzhu blinked as she looked at her, but didn’t ask what it was.

Roude’s teeth almost shattered as she gritted them in frustration. It’s fine, she can still persist.

“Xianzhu, I believe you know that my Prince Consort is involved in a case…”

“Which case?” Jiuzhu blinked innocently, smiling at Roude. “I do not know ah.”

Do not know?

Do not know?! Not even a three-year-old would believe you if you said it aloud! 

“It is understandable for Xianzhu not to know.” Roude smiled and explained the case involving her Prince Consort’s paternal aunt’s husband in the assassination attempt on the Fourth Prince. “That Prince Consort of mine is an ignorant person who knows nothing. How could he have the courage to participate in a plot to murder a prince? Jinwu Guards have been watching over the Prince Consort’s family residence all the time nowadays. This has led others to think that he actually harmed the Fourth Prince. You say yourself, how this situation escalated…”

“Chunfen, pour more tea for the Princess,” Jiuzhu listened with great interest, gesturing Roude to continue.

Roude, who met Jiuzhu’s curious gaze: “……” 

Does she look like a storyteller?

“So, can I ask Xianzhu to speak a few good words to fifth younger brother and help him be more lenient?” Roude smiled, “Of course, I won’t let Xianzhu bear the burden for nothing. Once the matter is settled, I’m willing to add two thousand taels to Xianzhu’s dowry.”

Two… two thousand taels?!

Jiuzhu’s heart trembled. This princess is really wealthy.

“But…” She dismissed the thought about the two thousand taels from her mind: “Princess is His Highness’ elder sister. If there’s something to say, why not mention it directly to him? Why is there a need for chennu to pass on the message?”

And wasn’t it a little overboard to spend so much money? Were the people of the capital always so extravagant?

Upon hearing this, Roude almost couldn’t maintain the smile on her face. She even suspected that Ming Jiuzhu was deliberately mocking her.

Looking again at the other person’s ignorant expression, Roude couldn’t determine whether it was the truth or not. She may be from a small place, but she had mastered the art of pretense like the people of the capital.

Roude forced a smile, “Fifth younger brother is straightforward and may not listen to what others say. But Xianzhu is different. You are about to become his Wangfei. He will definitely take note of whatever you say.”

Jiuzhu realized something. This was what her mother had told her about, the capital’s well-known method of putting someone on a pedestal.

Praise someone till they get carried away and they would happily and foolishly help you run errands…

“On second thought, two thousand taels may be a bit lacking. For someone as important as my younger sister-in-law, I, this elder sister, should at least contribute three thousand taels to make it somewhat decent. What does Xianzhu think?”

Jiuzhu felt a bit scared to hear the amount of money. It seemed too much.

What kind of words would require spending three thousand taels to convey?

“Your Highness the Princess must be joking. I will inform His Highness about today’s matter. There’s no need to add to my dowry,” Jiuzhu raised the teacup, indicating that the guest should be on her way.

Roude’s face darkened. Tell Yun Duqing about today’s matter?

Is this something that can be openly discussed?

“Since Xianzhu is not willing, I won’t insist. As for what happened today, you must not tell fifth younger brother to avoid troubling him,” Roude stood up. “Farewell.”

After leaving the Assistant Minister Ming’s residence, Princess Roude sat in the carriage. The smile had faded from her face. She turned to the maid attending on her and asked, “Do you think this Ming Jiuzhu has a problem in her mind?!”

She wanted to tell Yun Duqing everything because she thought he would treat her wholeheartedly?

She wanted to see if Ming Jiuzhu would still trust him when Yun Duqing had a group of concubines.

Outside the city gate.

“My Lord, we have arrived in the capital city.” The coachman jumped down from the carriage and asked the person inside, “There seems to be something posted at the entrance. Many people are gathering to look.”

“Arrange for someone who can read to go and see what it says,” the man inside the carriage lifted the curtain and saw the bright yellow paper surrounded by the Dragon Guards. His expression changed slightly.

What major event had happened in the Palace that they would post an imperial notice outside the city gate?

“My Lord,” the person who read the contents of the imperial decree ran back excitedly. “It’s good news. His Majesty has conferred the title of Empress upon the birth mother of His Highness Chen Wang!”

“What?” The man jumped down from the carriage and squeezed through the crowd to get to the imperial notice. He read each character thoroughly. 

His Majesty actually made Su-shi his Empress. Didn’t that make Chen Wang his legitimate son?

He stood still in shock.

“Haven’t you finished reading?” Someone pushed him aside, “If you’re done, move aside.”

“Who is this Su Guifei? She managed the harem for so many years and still has no regrets about being neglected by His Majesty.”

“I know, I know. I heard that this Su Guifei has an unparalleled beauty like that of a fairy.”

“You know this much? Well, not only do I know that she is beautiful, but I also know that she has given birth to a talented son who excels in both literary and martial arts. You know His Highness Chen Wang, don’t you?”

“I know, I know. He’s the Overbearing Prince who descended from the heavens, suppressed the bandits, topped the imperial examination, and has a lovely fiancée. No wonder His Majesty wants to confer the title of Empress on her. To raise such an impressive son, she must be remarkable too.”

Suppressing bandits?

Topping the imperial examination?

Lovely fiancée?

Overbearing Prince? 

Listening to this conversation in surprise, the man in green robes felt there was something wrong with his ears.

Did he really serve in another place for merely two years?

Why had Chen Wang’s reputation become so good in the hearts of the commoners?

When did he become the top scorer in the imperial examination? He knew this year’s zhuangyuan. It was not Chen Wang ah, right?

And as for the suppression of the bandits, his family’s letters never mentioned this matter. Why were the people so convinced of it?

Was the capital still the same as the one in his heart?

“Ai, I heard a piece of gossip. Have you guys heard about it?”

The man’s ears twitched. He glanced at the expressionless Dragon Guards.

Was it appropriate to mention all this gossip about the imperial family in front of the Dragon Guards?

“What news? Spit it out!”

“I heard that something earth-shattering happened on New Year’s Eve.”

“Continue, stop dawdling.”

“There was a Demon Consort who wanted to kill Chen Wang because she was jealous of his talent. As a result, she was discovered by the great and wise Emperor who sentenced her to death after she not only tried to harm Chen Wang, but also killed the birth mother of a certain princess.”

“Tsk, I thought it was something big. It’s just that Zheng family’s matters. Boring.”

Demon Consort sentenced to death?

Zheng family?

The green-robed man became more and more confused as he listened. What was the connection between the Demon Consort and the Zheng family? Some officials in the capital used to privately refer to Su Guifei as the Demon Consort, right?

Why did it seem like they were unrelated from these commoners’ words?

“Third Young Master!”

“Third Young Master!”

Several men dressed in the clothes of young servants walked briskly toward him, their faces full of smiles of long-awaited reunion. “You finally came, third Young Master. We have been waiting for you, please accept our greetings.”

“How are Father and Mother?”

“Good, good. Madam guessed that you would be arriving in the capital soon, so she arranged for people to wait at the city gate these past few days. You finally arrived.”

The green-robed man robe continued to ask, “Has the Young Miss adjusted well to life in the capital?”

“Young Miss is fine,” the young servant replied. “She would mention you every day at home. When it snowed in the capital before, she was worried the slippery roads would make your journey difficult.”

The green-robed man, who was the third Young Master of the Ming family and Jiuzhu’s full-blooded older brother, Ming Jiyuan, looked at the bustling capital with excitement. He could finally meet his younger sister.

Unfortunately, he had just returned to the capital and she was about to get married. To say more, she was actually about to marry Chen Wang.

“Is that Ming Jiyuan, the third Young Master of the Ming family, ahead?”

Ming Jiyuan looked in the direction of the voice and saw Chen Wang on horseback.

He was somewhat surprised. Chen Wang actually took the initiative to greet him?

He looked up at the sun in the sky. There was no problem ah, it still rose from the east.

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