Chapter 44 Orchid Under the Autumn Sun: "Women, being of the yin kind, how can they overstep their bounds?"...

Minister Zhou persisted, saying, "Minister Zheng, the ancestral worship ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple is a grand national event. The incense was broken before the statue of Emperor Taizu in full view of everyone. How can this be excused by mere 'negligence'? This is clearly an ominous sign from Heaven, a warning to us, the sovereign and his ministers. If Your Majesty does not thoroughly investigate your mistakes, you will be failing the nation. I earnestly request Your Majesty to issue an edict of self-reproach as soon as possible, calmly reflect on your mistakes, and correct the corrupt practices in order to bring peace to the country and stabilize the hearts of the people."

Vice Minister Zhou kept insisting that the emperor had made a mistake, yet he used the broken incense stick as an excuse, leaving everyone speechless. This man was always very particular about etiquette and rigid, and Fu Sui couldn't tell whether he was acting under someone else's orders or genuinely believed it was a warning from heaven.

"How can the loss of such a trivial item be attributed to Your Majesty's sagacity!"

"That is not true. Within the Imperial Ancestral Temple, before the ancestors, the will of Heaven is clear. How can we not be aware of it!"

Several more voices rose up behind them, arguing with each other, and the debate boiled down to whether it was the emperor who had lost his virtue or the eunuch who had failed in his duty.

Everyone has a guess in their heart, but some people can't say it, some won't say it, and some dare not say it.

"If I had known, I would have feigned illness and not come," Fu Sui slowly took a deep breath and said, "Your Majesty's rule is so enlightened, what has ever happened before? How can we know that someone is secretly colluding with the gods and spirits, using the will of Heaven to attack Your Majesty?"

The two factions, who had been fiercely arguing just moments before, seemed to have their throats gripped by an invisible giant hand, and all their voices came to an abrupt halt at that moment.

Deathly silence—a silence deeper and more unsettling than the moment the incense burned out.

The idea that the incense burner broke due to human error had been lingering in everyone's minds. Now that it had been revealed, the court officials below the hall each had their own thoughts.

Zheng Gongchuo glanced at Prime Minister Qiao, who was standing at the very front. Seeing that Prime Minister Qiao did not move, he lowered his head and tucked his sleeves, pretending to be mute like Prime Minister Qiao.

Yu Shaoqing and Gao Zi'ang exchanged a glance, then Yu Shaoqing turned to look at several of Wang's henchmen.

The Emperor's faction was waiting for the Wang family's reaction, while the Wang family was waiting for the Emperor's response. Neither faction spoke up.

Other minor officials simply prostrated themselves on the ground, fearing they would be implicated; no matter what mistakes they made, kowtowing was never wrong.

Only one person remained detached from the situation.

"Women, being of the lower classes, are already committing blasphemy by entering and leaving the Imperial Ancestral Temple. How dare they presume to discuss state affairs and overstep their bounds!"

The hall was silent, but the sound reverberated between the beams and pillars, becoming deafening.

Fu Sui was so angry after being scolded that she almost turned around to see who was spouting such nonsense. She clenched her fists and held back. It was fine if they could blame the broken incense for her frequenting the ancestral temple; at least things would end better today.

Finally, Prime Minister Qiao slowly spoke up: "The princess's sacrifice is a matter for the imperial family, so how can it be considered interference in politics? The emperor specially permitted the princess to be worshipped in the ancestral temple because Emperor Taizu favored her. Now that this has happened, the princess should no longer participate in the sacrifice in the future."

In just a few words, Prime Minister Qiao attributed the reason for the loss of incense to Fu Sui.

Just as Fu Sui was about to kneel down and reflect on his actions, Vice Minister Zhou's voice rang out again: "Your Majesty..."

Fu Sui was truly terrified of this stubborn man who kept calling her "Your Majesty." She had already admitted defeat and risked everything, even using herself as a stepping stone, but this man not only refused to accept it, but also wanted to dismantle the stepping stone.

This time, it was the emperor himself who interrupted him. The emperor stood on the platform with his hands behind his back, showing no sign of panic. His voice was deep and majestic: "Minister Zhou, there is no need to say more. Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life and has taken pity on my sincere heart. It has sent down an unusual phenomenon to warn me. This is a blessing from heaven for our dynasty. I should diligently reflect on myself to comfort my ancestors."

Before the emperor had finished speaking, Prince Mu had already knelt down, and Fu Sui quickly followed suit. After Fu Sui had straightened her skirt and settled down, Prince Mu was already shouting, "Your Majesty is benevolent and wise, and your filial piety has moved Heaven. Today, the extraordinary phenomenon has helped our dynasty avoid disaster, all thanks to Your Majesty's virtue, which is truly a blessing for the nation."

The ministers who had been standing all knelt down and shouted, "Your Majesty is wise!" and "Heaven blesses our dynasty!"

The dissenting voices were drowned out by wave after wave of praise for "holiness".

Xu Asheng brought out some new incense. The emperor lit the incense with one hand, gazed intently at the portrait of the founding emperor for a few breaths, and then steadily placed the new incense into the incense burner.

The news of the incense burning out spread throughout the capital in less than half a day. No matter how much people shouted "Long live the Emperor!" in the palace, outside the palace, it became evidence, along with supernatural rumors, that the sage had "decreed his demise."

Some submitted a memorial stating directly, "What does Heaven say? It sends forth omens to warn you," and once again requested the emperor to issue an edict of self-reproach to reflect on his actions. Others attributed everything to the emperor's insistence on implementing the system of appointing officials by appointment.

Fu Sui wanted to laugh when he heard this. Zhuan Zhu killed the King of Wu but only destroyed a fish. These people tampered with the sacrificial ceremony for such a trivial matter.

Fu Sui told her subordinates to stop inquiring about the strange phenomena, as it was none of her business. No matter how widespread the rumors, they would eventually escalate into real conflict. If simply mimicking a fox's howl could make one a king, then everyone in the world would be a fox king.

Ten days later, the Bureau of Astronomy found the reason for the incense burning incident. The Bureau of Astronomy predicted a severe drought the following year, hence the warning from Heaven.

Upon hearing the news, Fu Sui stood in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky. The clouds were thick and gray, like rolling waves, pressing down on people's heads.

"Dai Ling'er, does next year look like it will be a year of severe drought?"

Dai Ling imitated Fu Sui, looking up at the sky with her hands behind her back. Although she had farmed before, it was all before she entered the manor, and she couldn't remember much. However, she didn't think that a day without rain looked like this. Thinking of this, Dai Ling shook her head: "It doesn't seem like it."

The master and servant exchanged a glance, then tacitly looked up at the sky together again.

Fei Qing came in carrying a stack of flower patterns: "It looks like it's going to rain, Princess, don't stand in the courtyard, or you'll get wet and catch a cold." As she spoke, she urged Fu Sui and Dai Ling to come inside so they could choose some flower patterns to make new clothes.

The early autumn rains poured down, and drought relief orders were issued one after another.

Fu Sui waited patiently, but received neither the seal from Yue Shanling nor any news about the system of appointing officials. He was first greeted by Qiao Zhenzhen, whom he had not seen for a long time.

Fu Sui counted the days until he last saw Qiao Zhenzhen, and realized it seemed like they had just seen each other last month. Whether it was due to illness or the recent bad weather, Fu Sui felt a little dazed.

Qiao Zhenzhen's words made Fu Sui feel even more complicated.

"Wang Lingshu is engaged? Which family is she betrothed to?" The Wang family was extremely wary of Fu Sui, so even Qiao Zhenzhen didn't know much about the Wang family. Qiao Zhenzhen only heard about Wang Lingshu's engagement from Zheng Zizai and then told Fu Sui about it. As for how Zheng Zizai found out, she didn't know.

"It is Tao Gong."

There are countless people who can be addressed as "Gong" (公), and ordinary people in the city occasionally address each other as "Gong Zhang" (张公) or "Gong Li" (李公).

Fu Sui blinked as she looked at Qiao Zhenzhen.

Qiao Zhenzhen asked with some surprise, "Don't you know Tao Yunzhong, Master Tao?"

Fu Sui continued to blink as she looked at Qiao Zhenzhen.

Qiao Zhenzhen had no choice but to tell Fu Sui about Tao Yunzhong's identity. Tao Yunzhong was a great Confucian scholar of the time. He had been studying the Five Classics since childhood, but he never entered officialdom. Instead, he followed the example of Confucius by writing books and seeking knowledge from the common people. Many officials in the court had been his students.

Fu Sui finally remembered why the name Tao Yunzhong sounded familiar. One of her former tutors had been Tao Yunzhong's student, and she had actually studied Tao Yunzhong's "Discourse on the Book of Changes" and "Classic of Rites and Music" for a few days.

Qiao Zhenzhen held Tao Yunzhong in the highest esteem: "My grandfather had also studied under Master Tao. My grandfather said that Master Tao was like a skilled craftsman working jade, carving it according to its nature. His teachings were as adaptable as the four seasons and as nurturing as heaven and earth. He also understood the vastness of the land, upholding the classics while adapting to circumstances. He was truly a model teacher."

Qiao Xiang largely agreed with Tao Yunzhong's assessment of Fu Sui, and his discussions on the relationship between ruler and subject and the methods of employing people in his "Book of Rites and Music" did indeed have an influence in the court. However, his students did not seem to have grasped the essence of his teaching and philosophy; his classes were rigid and uninteresting, to the point that Fu Sui would doze off for two and a half days out of every three days of classes.

Fu Sui pictured the teacher with thinning hair, swaying his head as he read, and then thought of Prime Minister Qiao's age, feeling a chill run down his spine: "Tao Yunzhong must be in his eighties or nineties, how old is Wang Lingshu? Has the Wang family gone mad?"

Although Qiao Zhenzhen also felt that Tao Yunzhong and Wang Lingshu were too far apart in age, she still wanted to clarify for Tao Yunzhong: "Master Tao is only fifty-seven years old."

Fu Sui was somewhat bewildered. Tao Yunzhong was much younger than Prime Minister Qiao, so how could Prime Minister Qiao become his student?

“Reading the classics and discussing philosophy should not be divided by age. Confucius said, ‘When three people walk together, there must be one who can teach me.’ Tao Gong had his own expertise, which my grandfather could not match. When teachers resolve doubts, why should we care about the order of age?” Qiao Zhenzhen explained earnestly.

Even with Qiao Zhenzhen's opinion, Fu Sui still felt the marriage was inappropriate. Wang Lingshu's birthday was in winter, and she was not yet seventeen. Fifty-seven was only a difference between old and very old compared to Fu Sui's guess of eighty or ninety.

"Wasn't Wang Lingshu observing mourning? Why is she getting engaged right after the mourning period ended? Why is the Wang family in such a hurry?"

"The official explanation is that everything was already agreed upon, and all the formalities of betrothal and marriage were prepared. The betrothal ceremony was scheduled to take place during the mourning period, which is why it was delayed until now. Now that the mourning period is over, the betrothal ceremony will be held in a few days, and the wedding date has already been set."

Not to mention Fu Sui, even Qiao Zhenzhen didn't believe what the Wang family said. Qiao Zhenzhen had met Wang Lingshu once in April, but at that time she hadn't heard any rumors that the Wang family was arranging a marriage for Wang Lingshu.

Fu Sui leaned back in her chair, unconsciously fiddling with the gemstone beads hanging from her skirt. The Wang family had indeed taken a bold step; with such a learned scholar as their son-in-law, who knew the Wang family might not intend to command all scholars in the land? She asked with a hint of sarcasm, "Wang Lingshu is also willing?"

Qiao Zhenzhen didn't know how to answer, and after a moment of consideration, she said, "Madam Wang is blessed with a precious gem, and Master Tao is exceptionally talented. The two of them naturally share the same interests. It is said that Master Tao values ​​Madam Wang's talent and reputation, and Madam Wang also greatly admires Master Tao."

However, these are all just words spoken to outsiders. If only talent and reputation mattered, then Li Xiangnu, the famous courtesan of Pingkangfang, was also renowned for her talent, yet no one redeemed her. If Wang Lingshu truly admired someone like Tao Yunzhong, who could cultivate a multitude of talents for himself, she wouldn't have cherished Xue Guangting's upright and unyielding essay.

Wang Lingshu's parents are both alive, and no one else can decide whether the marriage is good or bad. Qiao Zhenzhen didn't come for this matter either: "There's a Dharma assembly at Longxing Temple next month. My mother donated five hundred taels of incense, saying it's to pray for the people during this drought. My mother asked me to ask you if you're going."

Fu Sui wouldn't normally attend a religious ceremony, but she had to go because it was a ceremony to pray for relief from the drought, and she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed: "Who's going?"

Qiao Zhenzhen thought for a moment and said, "I'm afraid there will be too many people going."

With more people, there will be more incense offerings. Fu Sui instructed Qiao Zhenzhen: "Aunt Changguang must listen to the sutras and eat vegetarian meals. Don't wait for me. I'll go and offer two sutras by myself and then leave."

After having Qiao Zhenzhen eat, Fu Sui had someone send Qiao Zhenzhen to the princess's residence next door, while he himself walked around the courtyard with his head down.

Every evening, Kouyun would patrol the various side gates, while Dailing stood alone to the side, swaying her little head from side to side with Fu Sui's steps. As she swayed, she would feel dizzy.

When Fu Sui stopped, he saw Dai Ling patting her head and asked her in confusion, "What are you doing?"

"Huh?" Dai Ling was still dazed and didn't react at all to the sudden question. After a couple of pauses, she said, "Does the princess have any orders?"

Fu Sui looked at Dai Ling's bewildered expression with a wry smile and said softly, "I'm going out tomorrow, tell them to prepare the car."

This was Fu Sui's first time visiting the Wang family's land. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable, but upon closer inspection, even the trees were ancient. In terms of heritage, the Feng family couldn't compare to the Wang family, not even with a single nail on their door; in terms of extravagance, the Wang family far surpassed the Feng family.

The servants of the Wang family received Fu Sui's invitation and were speechless with astonishment. Before they could even ask the head of the family for permission, Fu Sui's carriage was already blocking the gate. The guards riding tall horses in front of him had their hands on their swords and looked down at him with an air of impending doom.

The servant bowed and stepped forward to pay his respects to Fu Sui, but before he could get close, a cold blade was pressed against his neck. The servant was so frightened that his legs went weak, and his eyes were fixed on the blade pressed against his neck. He stood frozen in place, not daring to move.

"Step back." The servant heard a voice above him and hurriedly stepped back, but his body was stiff and his legs wouldn't obey him. He tripped and fell to the ground.

The guard, expressionless, sheathed his sword and slightly raised his chin at the person below: "Open the door."

The servants sat on the ground, not daring to move. Seeing this, the other servants hurriedly opened the main gate to welcome Fu Sui into the mansion.

An older man strode out of the mansion, saw Fu Sui, jogged forward to greet him, introduced himself as the mansion's steward, and asked Fu Sui to wait in the side hall.

Where is Wang Lingshu?

The steward's face darkened; he suspected the princess's visit was ill-intentioned. He forced a smile and tried to lead Fu Sui to the main room: "Madam is..."

Fu Sui ignored him and walked straight past him.

Four or five maids hurriedly crossed the front hall and stood in front of Fu Sui to bow.

Fu Sui had to stop, as the maids completely blocked his path.

“Princess, you have come without prior notice. We have been unaccommodating. Why don’t you rest in the side hall for a while and wait for Madam to see you when she has time?” The steward hurried up and blocked Fu Sui’s way again.

Fu Sui glanced sideways at the steward, who had a forced smile, and suddenly drew a knife from a guard beside him, holding it to a maid's forehead: "Where is Wang Lingshu?"

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Author's note: I'll be updating the second part of my writing soon, stay tuned.

Wang Lingshu lived a life of peace and wealth, and that was all she ever had. She wanted to be like a pine tree on a mountain or snow on a rock, but in the end, she could only be a peony on a bed of luxury or a canary in a secluded mansion.

The fact that Hua Chaojie never glanced out the window was because she understood that she didn't love Xue Guangting, but rather the upright and resolute image he represented.