Chapter 9 Pine Tree Embracing Snow (Part 9) "Lan Huaien is like a vicious dog..."

After leaving the Meng family, Yan Chao did not return to the palace. Instead, he turned around and headed east. After passing through Chongwenmen Street, he finally found a long-forgotten residence among the many hutongs in the southeast corner of the capital.

As she alighted from the sedan chair, she happened to see the tightly closed gate of the house. It was the dead of winter, and the nearby Paozi River was frozen over. The place wasn't originally considered remote, but many of the nearby families had moved away one after another, leaving it deserted.

Liang Lu followed her forward and sighed deeply, "Probably no one knows that this was once the old residence of the Marquis of Anping."

Yan Chao lowered his eyes and said softly, "The people are all gone, so the house is naturally empty. It's been six or seven years since the Cui family left the capital. The bestowed earldom was long ago taken back, and now only this house remains."

Liang Lu was also somewhat saddened; it had been seven years since Empress Wenhui passed away. In those seven years, the Cui family had rarely sent officials to the capital, and even a trip to the capital was difficult for them.

She looked up and saw that the place above the gate where the plaque should have been was empty.

After a long period of contemplation, his gaze vaguely traced the words "Cui Residence," and the gate opened in his memory. Several children dressed in new red and green clothes ran out laughing, holding a few sprigs of plum blossoms in their hands, scattering petals like red beans on the snow.

Her thoughts drifted slightly, and that longing eagerly rushed through the golden gate, past the screen wall painted with evergreen pines and cypresses, to the warm hearth in the front hall. Her maternal grandfather's official position was not high, but he was not greedy either. With a daughter in the palace who would become empress, he only hoped that his children and grandchildren would be successful, and that his family would live peacefully and smoothly.

Even though her parents weren't here, it was much warmer than the palace.

Seeing her lost in thought, Liang Lu couldn't help but speak in a low voice: "...The lock on the door is now rusty, and finding the key will be of no use. If Your Highness wishes to go in, perhaps this servant will take some people to look for other entrances."

Yan Chao nodded blankly, but then said softly, "No need to force yourself."

Liang Lu should be the one.

She herself didn't know why she suddenly thought of this place. Last night she had thought she would be overwhelmed with grief for her husband's funeral today, but now she seemed unusually calm.

The group entered the house through the side gate. Liang Lu only said that the side gate was ajar, but it was clear that no one had actually gone inside.

She went in and only glanced around casually. After so many years, the sight of it made her feel somewhat apprehensive. Clumps of withered grass squeezed out from the cracks in the brickwork and the corners of the corridor, the scene so distant and unfamiliar that it felt like a lifetime ago.

Just as I walked around to the backyard, I suddenly heard a sound. The sound of breaking branches seemed to be mixed with a sob.

Yan Chao was slightly startled and immediately became alert. No one should normally come to this courtyard.

Liang Lu reacted first, immediately shielding Yan Chao behind him and whispering, "Your Highness, it would be best if we left first, in case the thieves have an ambush..."

They did have guards with them, but if there really were assassins, they probably wouldn't have had time.

Although Yan Chao was curious about who it was, he knew that nothing more should happen at this time. So he nodded slightly and turned to leave.

"...Lan Ruo, I just never expected Mr. Meng to die..."

Even though the voice was a bit low and hoarse, Yan Chao could still tell that it was Chen Wei.

She stopped and decided to turn back. Suppressing her doubts, she slowly walked in. The backyard was surprisingly tidy, as if someone had deliberately cleaned it.

The stone table and chairs still stand in the courtyard. Many years ago, this courtyard was full of the women of the Cui family. On clear days, the girls would gather around the table and chairs, chattering and making a ruckus.

Shen Wei sat there.

Not far from his feet was a withered lantern, its wooden frame sticking out, and faint traces of ink were visible on its yellowed outer paper. The wind pushed the lantern further and further away, and Chen Wei stared at it.

The choked-up words almost vanished in the wind. But before they could finish, a person stood a few steps away.

When their eyes met, Chen Wei's expression changed instantly. As if still somewhat incredulous, he stood up in a daze, only to realize that Yan Chao was indeed walking towards him step by step.

It wasn't until he looked into the distance and saw Liang Lu not far away that he realized what was happening, bowed, and said, "Your Highness, what brings you here..."

Yan Chao noticed that his expression showed less panic than before, but it was far from calm.

“This is the old residence of the Cui family. I rarely get to leave the palace today, so I’ve come to take a look around,” she said softly. Then she raised her head and asked him in a relatively gentle tone, “And you, Tanze? I thought you would go to see Master again after his funeral.”

She did not see him at the Meng family's house today.

Shen Wei was somewhat uneasy. He avoided her eyes, lowered his head, and said, "Your Majesty... Your Majesty has come to visit an old friend." He then fell silent and said nothing more.

Yan Chao waited for a moment, and seeing that he remained silent, he pondered again and said, "If I remember correctly, Cui Lanruo is the youngest daughter of my second uncle."

I rarely saw that cousin in my memory. Later, she left the capital with my second uncle, Cui Han, and I haven't seen her since.

"She was my fiancée, but she passed away two years ago..."

Fiancée? Yan Chao had never heard of this before, and the Shen family had never publicly announced that Shen Wei was engaged. She felt a little strange; Shen Wei's father valued social standing above all else, so why would he choose a declining family like the Cui family?

Shen Wei added, "Today is the anniversary of her death."

Yan Chao sensed the urgency in his voice and frowned, saying, "So you chose not to even show up on Mr. Meng's funeral day? Now that I'm going today, someone will definitely be watching you."

As she watched his face grow paler and paler, her heart sank deeper and deeper.

She might understand his feelings, and didn't want to press him for answers at this moment, but...

Shen Wei was almost unable to hold on any longer; his knees buckled and he was about to kneel down. Yan Chao stopped him and whispered in his ear, "Tan Ze, what are you panicking about?"

"I just didn't expect Your Highness to come today..."

"What difference does it make whether I come or not? No one expected Mr. Meng to suddenly commit suicide, not just you. And it has absolutely nothing to do with Lan Ruo, who passed away three years ago. Tan Ze, what are you afraid of?"

She had just escaped from a chorus of weeping when she encountered such a desolate situation.

A profound and subtle situation that left her suddenly puzzled, both willing and unwilling to believe it.

Her hand trembled slightly as she grasped his wrist, her grip not too strong, trying to calm herself as she spoke slowly and deliberately: “Chenwei, you grew up with me, you know my deepest secrets, and you are one of the few people I can trust in this cold Eastern Palace. I really don’t want to lose you at the same time as losing Mr. Meng.”

I'm really going to be all alone.

She closed her eyes silently for a moment, feeling only weariness. Releasing his wrist, she slumped down, each breath carrying a chilling breeze: "Tanze, I don't want to investigate you. Nor can I bring myself to harm you."

Shen Wei felt a lightness on his wrist, a slight emptiness. In the end, he still knelt down and said, "Your Highness, I will never deceive you."

Yan Chao helped him up without saying anything more. She was very tired and didn't want to ask anything. She was afraid she wouldn't get any answers, and she was also afraid of what she might get.

"Since we're here, let's take a look around."

As she left the backyard, she turned around and glanced back one last time.

The broken lantern on the ground had been torn to pieces by the wind. She heard the hissing sound of tearing paper, accompanied by the innocent laughter of girls.

"It's a promise, and it can't be changed for a hundred years!"

A gentleman's word is as good as his bond.

A halo of light seemed to flash before my eyes, but the fierce north wind finally blew it all away.

When they arrived at Jiashu, Yan Chao realized the purpose of his visit.

"I first met Mr. Meng here. He was on good terms with my maternal grandfather and took over a class from the tutor. At that time, all the young men and women from the Cui family squeezed in. Later, when I entered the Eastern Palace, His Majesty chose him as my tutor."

"At that time, I came to visit my father and was fortunate enough to listen to the lectures outside the window." Later, when I entered the Imperial Academy, I was still fortunate enough to be addressed as "student" by Meng Huai.

Shen Wei was somewhat lost in thought and did not notice Yan Chao's casual glance back.

After leaving the Cui residence, the two parted ways. Fearing that someone with ulterior motives might cause trouble, they did not intend to travel together.

Shen Wei still didn't go to the Meng family. Yan Chao didn't force him anymore, nor did he ask why.

Just before leaving, Shen Wei suddenly asked, "Your Highness, do you think Lan Huaien still has a chance to turn things around?"

"That's hard to say. He's like a vicious dog, biting anyone he catches. He's incredibly tough and won't be easily defeated. Not to mention he's in the Directorate of Ceremonial, surrounded by his men, and Cheng Tai of the Eastern Depot is utterly loyal to him. Do you think he can be stuck there forever?"

Shen Wei's gaze dimmed: "Then that little lesson he learned this time is nothing at all..."

"His Majesty doesn't need him. With Lan Huaien gone, the highest-ranking eunuch in the Imperial Court is Ji Weixian. In just a few months, he could easily eliminate Lan Huaien's people. Even if Lan Huaien returns, he won't be as powerful as before. Given His Majesty's trust in Ji Weixian, his position will soon be secure."

Shen Wei then suddenly realized that if Ji Weixian replaced Lan Huaien, it would mean that his position in the court would also have to rise. In the past, the constant struggle between the two could still maintain a balance, but if only Ji Weixian remained, it would inevitably cause concern.

"His Majesty is unlikely to tolerate Ji Weixian's monopolization of power."

Yan Chao said, "He will not tolerate it, but that doesn't mean His Majesty won't be biased. You and I both know which side he's on, so that's what worries me."

Shen Wei lowered his head and pursed his lips: "That's why Your Highness spared Lan Huai'en's life. It's just that the Cao family..."

"His Majesty the Cao family has already made a clear decision, and it is not for you or me to say anything more now." Even though there was a lot of dissatisfaction below, the emperor's golden decree had already been issued, and they could only put it aside for the time being.

"It's not convenient to discuss this further here. Tanze can come to the East Palace tomorrow to discuss it." She lowered the sedan curtain, her tone still relatively gentle. Shen Wei said nothing more, only watching her leave.

The wind was particularly fierce that day. Yan Chao couldn't help but think that a heavy snowfall, blanketing the sky and covering the earth, would be more fitting for such a day.

When she returned to the palace, she heard that Prince Xin had entered the palace and gone to Qianqing Palace, where Consort Li was also present, and the three of them were enjoying themselves. She had originally planned to go, but had to give up the idea.

Prince Xin had never been as cautious as she was in front of the emperor. Faced with the emperor's gentle smile, she racked her brains to decipher the unspoken meaning of his words, and would frequently kneel down in fear.

She stood at her desk in the study, wrote a few words, and suddenly felt uneasy for some reason. As she picked up her pen, a jumble of thoughts flooded her mind, so she put it down again.

"How is everything at Yongning Palace?"

Liang Lu knew she was worried about Consort Ning: "Your Highness, rest assured, Her Highness is doing well."

Yan Chao's gaze swept over the words on the paper, then settled on the mountain-shaped white jade pen holder in front of him. After a moment, he spoke: "You will later..."

Suddenly, a young eunuch rushed in. Liang Lu saw that it was Xiao Jiu and was about to reprimand him, but Yan Chao interrupted him: "Tell me what happened first?"

After Xiao Jiu finished her bow, she whispered, "Your Highness, Eunuch Ji met with Lord Li Shih-huai in private. I happened to see them, but I don't know what they talked about."

Yan Chao's gaze deepened slightly. This was only the beginning, and Ji Weixian couldn't hold back any longer.

.

When Cheng Tai finally saw Lan Huaien, Lan Huaien's injuries from the caning had not yet healed, and he was alone in his room. A group of seven- or eight-year-old eunuchs were gathered outside the door, all craning their necks curiously to look inside.

He chased them away and went inside, only to find out what the children were looking at. The floor was splattered with shards of porcelain and water. Lan Huaien lay on the bed, stunned. This was a far cry from the imposing Lan Huaien who used to be, clad in his python robes. He was utterly disheveled.

The charcoal fire in the room has gone out, and it's almost evening. Are we going to have to freeze tonight?

He bowed respectfully to the person on the bed, addressed him as "Eunuch," and said with concern, "It's not good for you to recover here. Why don't you come back to the Eastern Depot with me and find a doctor..."

Lan Huaien straightened up and gave him a cold, sidelong glance: "If I dare to take a step out, I'll die without a burial place."

Cheng Tai felt a chill in his heart. He glanced at the mess on the ground and said, "Then I'll send someone to bring you some medicine and charcoal..."

“No need,” Lan Huaien sighed. “I’m here to suffer. If people know I’m having a good time, they’ll try every way to make things difficult for me. Let’s just get through these few days first. They should laugh at me, whether openly or secretly.”

"You've suffered."

"That's nothing. I've always gotten through this. I'll climb back up sooner or later. What's a little hardship? It won't kill me."

He himself was quite relaxed. He glanced out the window and saw that the group of noisy children had all left. He said casually, "The Inner Study is nice. It has a strong scholarly atmosphere, which makes people feel young."

"You jest, Your Excellency. You are indeed young and promising."

This wasn't flattery; the eunuch before them, who had been a favorite of the emperor just a few days ago and held power over the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Eastern Depot, was actually only in his early twenties. He was indeed young and promising.

Cheng Tai walked around the broken porcelain on the ground and strolled to the wooden table beside him. There was a cup on the inside of the table. He didn't notice it at first, but when he picked it up, his eyes lit up. The blue and white porcelain teacup was decorated with a picture of clouds and strong pines.

He knew Lan Huai'en fairly well; Lan Dugong could afford such things, but he wouldn't know how to use them, so they must belong to someone else. He guessed in his heart that the owner's status must be quite high. However, he pretended not to know and made a gesture to pour him water.

Lan Huaien stopped him as expected: "Put down the cup."

He obediently put it down and was about to ask, "This..."

Lan Huaien recalled those cold eyes and the overflowing tea that day, and said in a deep voice, "This was a gift from the noble master. It should not be easily discarded and must be sincerely worshipped."

Cheng Tai was puzzled. Why wouldn't we need it?

A note from the author: