Chapter 68 The Difficulty of the Shu Road (Part Two) "Like an inner palace within the Eastern Palace..."

Summer days are long. In the afternoon, the weather turned cloudy, and by evening, it rained intermittently, so dusk came earlier than usual.

Shen Wei returned to the Shen residence more than half an hour late, and had been caught in the rain. He was in a sorry state as he stepped through the door when a servant came to tell him that the old lady wanted to see him. So he had no choice but to quickly change his clothes and go to the west courtyard to pay his respects.

These past few days, Old Mrs. Shen's mood had suddenly become heavy, especially today, when she was depressed for the entire afternoon and couldn't even eat. At this moment, all the servants around her were sent out, leaving her standing outside the door, with only the old lady alone in the room, facing a table full of food, her face full of sorrow.

Upon entering and seeing this scene, Shen Wei was immediately startled and hurriedly asked, "Grandmother, what happened?"

Shen Wei was greatly shocked: "Grandmother, what are you talking about? Don't listen to those gossips outside. The Shen family still has Father and me. Nothing will happen. That's all just fear-mongering."

He stepped forward to pour the old lady a glass of water, but she suddenly grabbed his arm, tears welling in her eyes, and whispered, "You don't need to comfort me. I know everything about your father. Now the officials in the court are impeaching him, aren't they? Tanze, I've seen your father's character all these years, he..."

Shen Wei concealed his expression and said calmly, "Grandmother, court intrigues are always like this, and there is no conclusion yet. Let's wait for Father to return before discussing anything further. Please put your mind at ease and don't worry too much."

Old Mrs. Shen took a deep breath, glanced at the delicacies on the table, her eyes vacant, and shook her head: "Your father is away from the capital most of the year, yet he cares deeply for the family. Look at this house, look at all the things he sent me. I know his filial piety, but this is far too extravagant. And your career—do you really think that with your qualifications, you can secure a stable position in the Crown Prince's court? Your father has also been helping out your uncles and cousins. I'm naturally happy that the Shen family is prospering, but I fear your father has become complacent and offended too many people. These past few years, not only are outsiders envious, but even I am deeply worried. I'm old, and I don't know when I'll be buried, but you are all still young..."

Shen Wei thought about his years in the Eastern Palace and the Crown Prince's words today. A cold sweat broke out on his back. He opened his mouth and said, "Grandmother, please don't say such unlucky things. You will surely live to be a hundred years old. Your grandson will definitely live up to your expectations and persuade Father properly."

Grandma Shen looked at her grandson with affection and sighed softly, "My poor grandson, you finally found a marriage partner, and how could you lose it so easily! You're not getting any younger, and you haven't settled down yet. How can I not worry about you..."

She couldn't help but feel melancholy when she thought about how her grandson was still all alone. She had been looking forward to that happy event for a long time.

They had originally planned to get married last autumn, and three of the six traditional wedding rites had been completed. Everything seemed to be going smoothly, but unexpectedly, something went wrong halfway through.

At that time, the imperial court was holding officials accountable for discrepancies in the amount of summer tax. The matter was complicated, and the emperor had moved away from the palace and was less involved in government affairs. As a result, the court and the public were in chaos and criticism was rampant.

The Zhang family was also implicated. Zhang Ji's brother was impeached for having private dealings with officials outside the capital and was imprisoned. Although no members of the clan were implicated, the Zhang family suffered considerable damage. Coincidentally, the person who impeached him came from the Shen family and was one of Shen Wei's cousins.

This made the marriage between the two families somewhat awkward. Zhang Ji had already developed a dissatisfaction with Shen Wei, and his sister also strongly resisted marrying Shen Wei, so they canceled the marriage agreement.

At first, Shen Wei didn't care much about getting married and starting a family; he just didn't want to disappoint his elders. Later, he vaguely heard some gossip that the marriage between the Shen and Zhang families was related to the Crown Prince's faction. He didn't believe the Crown Prince would scheme against him, but he still felt uneasy and inexplicably uncomfortable whenever he thought about the marriage.

So when he later called off the engagement, he was actually relieved.

"Grandmother, please don't rush this matter. Marriage is a matter of fate. I am still young, and it's not too late to discuss it later."

He brushed it off hastily and ordered the servants to remove the cold rice, but his heart was already filled with thoughts of his father, who was thousands of miles away.

This year marks the triennial imperial inspection tour, during which all local officials must undergo evaluation by the court. Furthermore, according to ancestral rules, officials dismissed during this tour will never be reinstated. At this crucial juncture, if something were to happen to Father, the consequences would be far more severe; no wonder the Crown Prince was so serious.

.

Inside the Donghua Gate of the Imperial Palace, a bustling noise filled the air, resembling a marketplace. Following the flow of people westward, the crowd stretched as far as the eye could see. The palace servants, accustomed to this scene, were engrossed in their buying and selling.

This is what is called the inner market. Its origin is that the palace had a rule that lowly servants had to transport excrement and filth out of the palace to be disposed of on the 4th, 14th and 24th of each month. At these times, all the gates would be opened, and the palace servants would have the opportunity to trade items.

This practice gradually became a custom within the inner palace, and on these three days, a gambling market was set up. As most of the twenty-four directorates of the inner palace and the palace ladies participated, the inner market gradually expanded, starting from the Imperial Horse Administration inside the Donghua Gate and extending to the Xihai area.

Today is the fourteenth, the day the inner market opens. The palace servants set up their stalls and chatted amicably, though occasional quarrels occurred, but nothing serious.

A rather plump middle-aged eunuch swaggered through the market, smacking his lips and shaking his head. Suddenly, he spotted something glittering gold and leaned closer to examine it, only to have the eunuch snatch the gold away.

"Hey, isn't this the Imperial Kitchen Attendant? It's only been a few days, and you don't recognize me anymore!"

The fat eunuch then noticed the person in front of him and chuckled, "How could I forget Vice Minister Song? It's my fault for being too blind to see you!"

Song Qianshu was naturally unperturbed. He opened his palm again, revealing a gold ring of exquisite craftsmanship. It was too small to be a necklace, yet too large to be a bracelet. The entire ring was made of gold, with six sections of ivory forming the core. The sections of ivory were carved with peonies and the character "福" (fortune). The most ingenious part was the overall design. Upon closer inspection, the ring's body resembled a dragon's, with the dragon's head partially visible. The openings at the head and tail formed a dragon pearl, creating a design of two dragons playing with a pearl. A tiger-head gold lock also dangled from the bottom of the ring.

"Ah, it wasn't for His Majesty's use, but it was definitely a gift from him." Song Qianshu covered his mouth and chuckled, "His Majesty has a new cat named Jinhu by his side, so he ordered the silver workshop to make a gold collar for Jinhu to wear..."

Song Qianshu was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly coughed, pulled the steward aside to avoid the commotion, and then lowered his voice to change the subject: "...These past few times, we've all been so grateful to you. If it weren't for you reporting the news, both the head of the department and I would have been in grave danger."

The Chief Steward of the Imperial Kitchen turned around and patted his chest as if he was still shaken: "Master Hu and Vice Minister Song have both been very kind to me, and I can only repay them in a small way. I really didn't expect that the Crown Prince would be able to find out about Xiao Bu. Fortunately, the old craftsman and Xiao Bu are both dead, and the Eastern Palace has not made any other moves. In my opinion, this matter can be put behind us."

"Hey, hey, make way! Make way! We can't squeeze through!" Suddenly, a commotion behind them interrupted the two.

Several people were huddled together not far away, so Song Qianshu changed the subject: "...Speaking of which, one day the Golden Tiger was shaking its head and barking in front of His Majesty, but as soon as His Majesty removed its collar, it quieted down. Oh dear, I was there at the time, and my heart was pounding with fear. I was afraid His Majesty would blame us for making something bad, but the will of Heaven is unpredictable. His Majesty was in a good mood at the time, and he actually rewarded me with the item..."

After the crowd dispersed, he lowered his voice and continued, "You are the Imperial Kitchen Attendant, in charge of all the meals for the Crown Prince. Have you run into any trouble lately?"

The Imperial Kitchen official's brow furrowed immediately: "Nothing has been discovered. It's just that recently, Liang Lu, the Grand Eunuch of the Eastern Palace, has been causing trouble for me, arresting several petty thieves with shady dealings. But daily meals and tea are still served as usual, so it seems to be just a personal grudge and nothing serious. It won't hinder Chief Hu's grand plan."

Song Qianshu's expression turned slightly serious, and he nodded, saying, "I understand."

The steward raised his head and snorted coldly, then left with his hands behind his back.

Such situations are perfectly normal in business transactions. Only two or three people glanced at them, but quickly looked away.

The steward was preoccupied with something on his mind, and on his way back he was absent-minded. Suddenly he bumped into someone, and when he looked up, he saw that it was Liang Lu.

.

As dusk settled and the shadows shifted, Xu Shuying returned from Yongning Palace. Stepping through the gate of Liyuan Garden, she saw the quiet and familiar Zhaojian Palace before her and felt a sense of relief. Just as she turned to speak with her maid, a eunuch came to report that the Crown Prince summoned her.

Shuying's smile froze instantly, but she could only force herself to remain calm, change her clothes, and hurriedly went to the front hall.

The Crown Prince rarely saw her, only occasionally sending gifts or offering a few routine greetings. Her daily necessities were never lacking, and she was allowed to visit Yongning Palace whenever she wished. Naturally, she wisely never mentioned or went to Zhaoyang Palace.

As the sunlight outside the palace gradually dimmed, she glanced sideways and saw a gray-brown bird flying away from a branch. The flowers and leaves trembled and swayed, and the scattered light and shadows flickered and danced. She remembered Prince Chang Le, who, when he was young, had said that he wished he could have a pair of wings so he could secretly follow a flock of geese and fly up into the sky.

As she stepped into the palace, Shuying tightened her clasped hands. Her arms, pressed against her waist, stiffened involuntarily, like wings bound together. She lowered her eyes, about to bow, when the Crown Prince ordered that she be excused from formalities and offered a seat. Palace servants then served tea.

"You often visit Yongning Palace. How is Consort Ning doing lately?"

"Your Highness, Her Majesty is well and often thinks of you," Shuying said cautiously. She didn't dare to ask the Crown Prince to visit Yongning Palace more often.

Yan Chao nodded, then asked, "Have you been teaching Your Highness to write lately?"

"Your Majesty doesn't like writing much, and often asks me to read poems to her. She mostly reads the Book of Songs, and occasionally she reads poems copied by the late Empress Wenhui. But I don't know many characters, so I really have failed Your Majesty's expectations."

“It’s already quite rare.” Yan Chao casually sipped his tea and said to Shu Ying, “Yongning Palace often brews Xueya tea. Try the Ganlu tea here.”

Shuying replied "Yes," and silently took a small sip from her cup. She knew nothing about tea, let alone was too nervous to savor it properly, so she could only rack her brains for a few nice words to praise and compliment her.

Yan Chao secretly observed Shu Ying. She seemed to have grown taller, and the innocent childlike quality in her eyes was gone. Having followed Consort Ning for a long time, her temperament had become more composed. Although her expression showed some restraint, her behavior and replies were not awkward or improper, but rather gave people the impression of being well-mannered, reserved, and gentle.

Yan Chao seemed to realize something, but quickly looked away, her tone still indifferent: "I usually don't have time to attend to the inner palace. If you need anything, just send someone to find Liang Lu. As for Consort Ning, if you have any questions, you can also tell me."

"yes."

“If you miss Prince Chang Le, you can go back to Zhaoyang Palace to visit him. You don’t have to stay cooped up in the East Palace all day.”

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness. However, although I come from Zhaoyang Palace, I am now Your Highness's person. Moreover, the Prince is getting older, and I know I should avoid suspicion."

Yan Chao paused for a moment after hearing this, gave her a few words of advice, and then told her to go back. He then instructed someone to bring her some tea as a reward.

"She may not have that many thoughts, but it's hard to guarantee that the people around her won't take advantage of the situation, so let's be careful. Have someone keep an eye on things secretly."

Liang Lu didn't respond immediately, but after a slight pause, he said, "Your Highness, there are indeed some problems with the people in Zhaojian Palace."

Before Yan Chao could ask any questions, he continued, "There was a eunuch named Shi Xi serving Consort Xu. He was originally from the Imperial Kitchen, and after Consort Xu entered the Eastern Palace, he was put in charge of the daily meals for Zhaojian Palace. However, in addition to his dealings with the Imperial Kitchen and the Imperial Kitchen, Shi Xi also associated with people from the Silverworks Bureau and the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. Furthermore, he had repeatedly left the palace under the guise of purchasing supplies, making his behavior highly suspicious. Indeed, most of the tea and wine in the Eastern Palace passed through Shi Xi's hands, but he was quite cautious and did not leave any conclusive evidence."

"Shi Xi's contacts outside the palace are not fixed, and many of them are just ordinary people and merchants. It is likely that this is a deliberate act by someone behind the scenes."

“I understand,” Yan Chao nodded, glancing absently outside. The wind rustled the leaves in the garden, startling the birds into flight. She pondered for a moment, then instructed, “Find a pretext to transfer the Imperial Kitchen Attendant Qiu Xing away from the Eastern Palace. His duties will be temporarily handled by the Imperial Kitchen Assistant. As for the new Director, I will make my own arrangements.”

.

Located outside Donghua Gate, Dengshikou Street has always been a bustling area in Beijing. Except for the Lantern Festival when the lantern market is at its peak, it is usually very lively. The area is lined with shops and businesses, and is frequented by officials, nobles, and ordinary people, creating a noisy and bustling atmosphere all day long. When night falls, the street is brightly lit, dazzling and colorful, making it feel like a fairyland, and people linger there, reluctant to leave.

As soon as a sedan chair came to rest in front of the Broken Cloud Pavilion on the west side of the street, a waiter greeted it warmly. The person in the sedan chair waved a folding fan and casually gave an order. Due to the noise, the waiter seemed not to have heard it clearly, but he still subconsciously replied, "Okay!" and gave his servant a wink. The servant quickly followed.

When I got to the third floor, I ran into an acquaintance.

"Shen Gongzhan?"

"Zhou Yude?"

The two spoke in unison, both surprised.

Zhou Shaoyun saw Shen Wei, slightly tipsy, walking out as if he were about to leave. He closed his folding fan, smiled, and reached out to stop him, saying, "Brother Shen, since you've come, why leave so early? If there's nothing urgent, why not sit with me for a while?"

Shen Wei didn't refuse, but was forced back by T's half-blocking. Just as the wine pot and cups on the table were cleared away, Zhou Shaoyun turned around and instructed his attendant, "Tell the waiter to make a pot of tea and bring it over." The attendant responded, closed the door, and left.

Zhou Shaoyun made a casual greeting: "I come to Suiyunlou quite often, but I rarely see Brother Shen coming here to drown his sorrows. Among the restaurants in the capital, Suiyunlou is not the most famous, but its lamb wine is the most mellow and sweet. However, people nowadays prefer Jinhua and Shaodao. It's not the wine that makes people drunk, but the person. Brother Shen is drowning his sorrows in wine. I imagine he is quite distressed."

He had also vaguely heard rumors that there was a rebellion in southern Sichuan and that Shen Wei's father, Shen Yue, was involved, but he did not know the specifics.

The conversation was interrupted by a sudden commotion, as they were so close, separated only by a door. The two involuntarily stood up.

“…Oh, I know what kind of treasure you want, so I didn’t dare delay. I’ve escorted it all the way from Yazhou to the capital for you. But you can’t go back on your word! Last year, Manager Hu promised me that he would resolve the matter of those three hundred salt permits, but a year has passed and there’s still no news. That’s really not sincere!”

"But this..."

Inside the room, Shen Wei seemed lost in thought, muttering to himself, "That eunuch's voice sounds somewhat familiar."

"The eunuchs in the palace had shrill voices."

"That voice sounds like a eunuch from the Eastern Palace."

Zhou Shaoyun immediately became alert, turned around and looked around, and with lightning speed pulled Shen Wei behind the curtain by the window, then signaled Shen Wei, who was still in a daze, to be quiet.