Chapter 14 The King of Chu is "too secretive; he wouldn't do that."...

The flickering candlelight illuminated Feng Tan's serene face. She closed her eyes and slowly said, "His secrets are too strong; he won't do that."

Feng Tan had almost never spoken in such a cold tone. Ren Pingsheng paused in his spraying of medicine, and after a long while, he said, "After Empress Xiaoxian passed away, Emperor Chongming only took one more concubine after many years of reign. He was indeed deeply in love with the Empress."

Feng Tan hid her emotions in her closed eyes, her tone as calm as an outsider's: "Whether it's a case of deep affection leading to a short life or a political show, even Emperor Chongming himself probably can't tell."

Ren Pingsheng was shocked that Feng Tan, at such a young age, possessed such a profound understanding of human nature. He paused and said, "Let's not talk about him anymore. You should rest and recover tonight. Sleep in Wan Niang's room. She'll be overjoyed to know you slept there after she gets out of prison. She's written to you the most over the years, sometimes even sending you all her money so you can live comfortably. You might have a fever tonight, so it'll be easier for me to take care of you if you stay here. Meng He Nabuer is, after all, a man, and there are many things he can't do..."

Ren Pingsheng, usually straightforward and domineering, became increasingly talkative and rambling when he saw Feng Tan suffering such a heavy heart tonight. Before he could stop talking, the tightly closed door was suddenly pushed open!

Ren Pingsheng reacted quickly, grabbing a quilt to cover Feng Tan's exposed waist and abdomen, and squinted at the uninvited guest at the door.

The man outside wore a purple jade and gold crown, and leaned against the door frame with a loose belt and light fur coat. His clothes were half open, revealing a large area of ​​skin and a clear lipstick mark. He looked to be nearly forty years old, with a handsome face and a jade-like appearance. He glanced at the two women as they took a sip of peach blossom wine, and his every move exuded charm.

Ren Pingsheng composed himself and said, "Your Highness, have you drunk too much wine and women and become dizzy? The girl you chose tonight is in the fifth-floor room."

Prince Feng Tingxiao of Chu was born to a palace maid whom Emperor Jianming had drunkenly slept with. Emperor Jianming had three sons, from oldest to youngest: Prince Yu Fengshi, Prince Jing Fengcheng, and Prince Feng Tingxiao of Chu. Because Prince Feng Tingxiao of Chu was born to a palace maid, Emperor Jianming never paid any attention to him during his lifetime and passed the throne to his legitimate son, Prince Yu Fengshi, born to the Empress, who became Emperor Chongming.

After Emperor Chongming ascended the throne, he remained childless for many years, leaving the position of crown prince vacant. The struggle for the throne between Prince Chu and Prince Jing reignited. However, Prince Chu was a dashing and romantic figure, spending his days indulging in pleasure. He had briefly settled down after marrying a princess in his early years, but afterwards, he spent his days drunk in brothels and pleasure houses, showing no interest in power and only wanting to enjoy himself.

Wine dripped down Feng Tingxiao's lips. He wiped it away lightly with his sleeve, tossed the empty bottle behind him, and staggered in. He stopped a foot away from the bed, leaned down to look at Feng Tan, and said, "Boss Ren, when did Hongxiu Pavilion get such an excellent male prostitute? How much is his 'flower flower' worth?"

This is jargon understood by all the patrons of prostitutes in the capital. Some powerful and wealthy individuals have peculiar tastes, preferring male prostitutes, while most patrons are content with cultivating the virginity of the girls. The Prince of Chu was one of the most notorious playboys in the capital, enjoying the company of both men and women in brothels.

Ren Pingsheng stood up. She was very tall and could look Feng Tingxiao in the eye. "Your Highness is drunk, so we will not hold this against you. The man in bed is not a prostitute, but a court official."

Ren Pingsheng raised his voice and shouted, "Li Niang, please escort His Highness out!"

The King of Chu's face was flushed, and his eyes were hazy with a slight intoxication. He leaned against the bedpost to support his swaying body and laughed, "How can I bow down to serve the powerful and wealthy, making me unhappy! Boss Ren truly lives up to his reputation as the capital's top-notch hot-tempered man. I have witnessed his brilliance today!"

"Well, however, Mr. Ren, don't try to fob me off. This young official is so unique in appearance that he won't pass His Majesty's imperial examination for physiognomy."

The imperial examinations were held every three years and consisted of three levels: the provincial examination, the metropolitan examination, and the palace examination. The provincial examination was held in the eighth month of autumn, hence it was also called the autumn examination. Scholars from all over the province gathered in the provincial capital, and those who passed were called "Juren" (举人). Those who passed the provincial examination could participate in the metropolitan examination the following spring, also known as the spring examination. The examination venue was set up in the Gongyuan (贡院) of the Ministry of Rites, and those who passed were called "Gongshi" (贡士). The palace examination was held fifteen days after the results of the metropolitan examination were announced. This examination was conducted by the emperor himself in the court, with officials from the Censorate, the Office of Transmission, and the Court of Judicial Review serving as examiners, and the Minister and Vice Minister of Rites serving as coordinators. The process was complex and involved almost all the offices of the Ministry of Transmission.

In the palace examination, the emperor not only tested the candidates' talents, but also roughly assessed their facial features to see if they were suitable for officialdom. If a candidate had a full forehead, a horse-like face, and dragon-like eyes, that is, a square and upright appearance, it meant that this person had the appearance of an official and was destined for a bright future. This person could then enter the court to serve as an official.

Feng Tingxiao chuckled, his eyes never leaving Feng Tan's face, and said, "Although the young master is currently frail and sickly, he is still incredibly handsome. I have always been drawn to beautiful women, and how could I not know of such a person in the capital, especially one who is an official?"

Feng Tan straightened up slightly and bowed to Feng Tingxiao, saying, "I am too injured to stand up. I apologize for my rudeness. I am indeed an official in the court. I was a Juren in the sixteenth year of Chongming. I did not do well in the provincial examination and was not qualified for the palace examination. Therefore, I have never met Your Majesty and have not been able to read your face. My official position is not high. Your Highness is of great honor and it is normal that you have never met me."

During the Dahuang imperial examinations, the investigation into cheating was extremely rigorous. Candidates were only allowed to bring a pen, ink, inkstone, and twelve drafts into the examination hall. Inspectors would meticulously examine each candidate, scrutinizing everything from head to toe, including their clothing. Feng Tan was a woman. During the provincial examination, Ren Pingsheng used his connections to get the inspectors to let her off the hook. However, the metropolitan and palace examinations involved high-ranking officials, making such arrangements difficult. Ren Pingsheng dared not help Feng Tan again, so she only achieved the rank of Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial examination).

Feng Tingxiao reached out and brushed aside the light gauze curtains beside the bed, his demeanor casual and nonchalant, and asked, "Which government office do you work for?"

Feng Tan said, "Your humble servant is Feng Tan, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice."

“Feng Tan…” Feng Tingxiao murmured, then said slowly, “The Ministry of Justice has the power to investigate and the authority to speak frankly to His Majesty, but I think it would be better if you didn’t see His Majesty.”

What does Your Highness mean?

Feng Tingxiao's eyes were flushed from the alcohol, and the corners of his eyes were red. "Lord Feng's face does not meet my brother's aesthetic standards. He is handsome, but he has no official air about him. He will not like him."

Feng Tan met his eyes and said, "Your Highness is overthinking it. His Majesty has not attended court for many years and sees almost no one except a few important ministers. I am of low rank and position, so I only need to submit the memorial to the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"Oh, so even the Six Ministries have disappeared now, Your Majesty?" Feng Tingxiao glanced at Feng Tan and Ren Pingsheng, and teased, "Lord Feng, Boss Ren was once the top female official of this dynasty. She has always been known for her bold and arrogant ways. I'm very curious what you did to make Boss Ren condescend to come and talk to you..."

"Let's chat for a while tonight," Feng Tan interrupted Feng Tingxiao before he could finish speaking, his eyes gentle but his tone distant, "The girl I love is now in prison. I miss her dearly, so I spent money to buy her bedroom to live in. Boss Ren was curious about who would spend money to stay in an empty room instead of picking up a girl, so he came to see for himself."

Feng Tingxiao sighed, "So that's how it is. I was drunk and my mind wasn't working properly. I almost offended Boss Ren. I should apologize with three cups!"

Ren Pingsheng said, "Whether Your Highness is drunk or not, you know for sure. I, Ren Pingsheng, cannot accept Your Highness's apology."

“Boss Ren still has a good temper,” Feng Tingxiao said with a smile as he looked at Feng Tan. “Lord Feng is a person in the officialdom. Don’t be like her, or you will be crushed to pieces.”

Feng Tan said, "Uprightness and tact each have their own merits and ways of life. Boss Ren has always been straightforward and has never made a mistake, so why should he be so tactful?"

Feng Tingxiao hesitated for a moment without moving, his narrow eyes looking at Feng Tan slowly and deliberately, "Lord Feng is truly a remarkable person. I haven't had enough to drink tonight, so get up and have a couple more drinks with me!"

Feng Tan's wounds had not yet healed, and she had only recently taken medicine. Drinking at this moment would be tantamount to digging her own grave. She cupped her hands in apology and said, "This humble official is not a strong drinker and cannot drink..."

Feng Tingxiao persisted, saying, "We are both regulars at brothels and taverns. How can we not drink?! Lord Feng, please don't stand on ceremony with me. Let's see who can hold his liquor! As the saying goes, 'A true connoisseur finds pleasure in wine.' We may not be as talented as Bo Ya who broke his zither, but it would be nice to be like-minded drinking buddies!"

Seeing Ren Pingsheng's fierce expression, before she could confront the King of Chu head-on, the seven ladies—Yao, Jian, Zhang, Jian, Zhan, Fan, and Fu Niang—hurriedly entered and surrounded the King of Chu, escorting him towards the door as they said, "Your Highness, you've only been drinking with Brother Feng at our Red Sleeve Pavilion. Where do you think we sisters are supposed to put our faces? A night of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold. Your Highness is a big customer tonight; you can't waste your time on men!"

Feng Tingxiao casually put his arms around the shoulders of the two ladies beside him. When he reached the threshold, he glanced back at Feng Tan and muttered to himself, "I'll find a good day and we'll drink until we drop!"

Ren Pingsheng was furious. He strode forward and slammed the door shut, saying, "The Prince of Chu is a regular at the Red Sleeve Pavilion. He has never acted like this before. He always goes upstairs after choosing a girl. What's gotten into him today?"

Feng Tan rolled back onto the bed, her voice growing weak, "It wasn't a seizure, he came to see me on purpose."

Ren Pingsheng touched Feng Tan's burning forehead, wrung out a handkerchief to wipe it, and said, "The news from that Prince Chu is faster than that from my Red Sleeve Pavilion. You got involved in the murder of an official, and the one who died was his subordinate. It makes sense that he wants to come and meet you, but what I heard from his words just now was rather strange..."

Feng Tan glanced at the jar of wine that the King of Chu had left behind and said in a low voice, "Aunt Ren, have you forgotten? He is my royal uncle, a member of the Feng family. Everyone wears a mask."

As the medicine took effect, drowsiness washed over Feng Tan. She slowly closed her eyes and said, "Aunt Ren, could you please compile all the information about the Merfolk into a book for me? I need to read it tomorrow. Also, I want to eat Fuluzhai's plum blossom pastries, but I don't have enough money. Could you buy them for me, Aunt Ren..."

Ren Pingsheng looked at Feng Tan's peaceful face as she drifted off to sleep, tucked her in, and muttered under his breath, "You little ingrate, you're sleeping here and not letting your aunt sleep."

She carefully blew out the candles, closed the door, and then summoned four servants to guard the entrance before going downstairs with peace of mind.

A note from the author: