Chapter 44 Chapter 44 The Plan Begins
It is said that Wu Tianyue had just returned to Yihong Courtyard when he saw Lu Chen bringing him a purse. He knew at a glance that it was made by Daiyu. He was so happy that he personally changed the one he usually wore into this one.
Before he was done, he received another note from Daiyu, which contained only one line of poetry: "The clouds and the moon have their own eternal colors, so why should we change the old brilliance of the courtyard?"
As soon as Wu Tianyue read the poem, he knew that she knew about the stupid thing he had done. He felt very uncomfortable and quickly ordered someone to bring water to wash the grease off his hands.
After washing, he was about to ask Lan Ye to ask the imperial physician not to make the ointment tomorrow, but then he thought of Daiyu's frail body, who often stayed in the house and had very delicate skin. After struggling for a long time, he still did not ask her to stop making the medicine.
The next day, someone was sent to escort Jia Huan out of the city, and Wu Tianyue resumed his previous life, but he went to the Prince's Mansion much more frequently. He no longer took advantage of the situation like before, but instead actively participated in everyone's discussions.
Although the prince was puzzled as to why he was suddenly so enthusiastic, he just thought that his cousin had grown up, no longer relied on his own strength, and understood the importance of literature. Therefore, he taught Wu Tianyue articles and poems more strictly, and took him out to work from time to time. After work in the evening, he would force him to write a poem or an article.
Wu Tianyue was tortured to the point of unbearable pain every day. Fortunately, Xue Pan came to practice martial arts with him every day under his tyranny. Xue Pan was also very tough, so Wu Tianyue released a lot of pressure by bullying him.
He did feel much more comfortable, but Xue Pan was miserable. At the beginning, Chang Qian followed him all the time. Fortunately, Chang Qian would only stop him when he wanted to leave the shop. The rest of the time, as long as he was in the shop, Chang Qian would not interfere no matter what he did. Xue Pan finally had a chance to breathe in this high-pressure environment.
But now, every day when Wu Tianyue was free, he would ask someone to call Xue Pan over. Xue Pan dared not say anything although he was angry. Over time, his daily routine became regular. Those friends knew that Wu Tianyue asked him to accompany them, so they dared not come to see him. His daily life was also forced to be much cleaner, and Aunt Xue, who felt sorry for him at the beginning, also began to support Wu Tianyue.
The three of them got along in this strange yet balanced way, torturing each other, until the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. Jia Zheng was appointed by the emperor as a school official, and after the date for taking office was set, Fei Yan delivered a letter.
Wu Tianyue received the letter and realized that everything was ready. It was time to let Xue Pan leave the capital. After thinking for a moment, he called Lan Ye and asked, "I remember the Imperial Household Department sent a batch of feather satin a few days ago?"
Lan Ye nodded and replied, "Yes, a batch was sent over."
Wu Tianyue heard this and instructed her, "Send someone to the Imperial Household Department and tell them that I've seen good quality feather satin this year and I'd like to prepare some rewards. Ask them to send me a little of each type of feather satin."
Lan Ye agreed to go. Because Wu Tianyue was favored and often went in and out with the prince, the Ministry of Internal Affairs sent people to deliver a lot of things that night.
Wu Tianyue asked Chang Jian to check and found that there were indeed tribute items from the Xue family, so he sent someone to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to specifically ask for them.
Although the royal family is small in number nowadays, the emperor and the retired emperor have to reward people from time to time. There are quite a few feather satins in the Imperial Household Department. However, although the Xue family's feather satin is of high quality, it is only ordinary among those purchased by the Imperial Household Department, so there are not many in stock.
Seeing that he only wanted this and the quantity was large, the officials in the mansion hurriedly sent the rest to him, and then asked someone to find the Xue family and ask them to buy some more.
After receiving the order, Zhang Dehui, the manager of Xue's pawnshop, packed his luggage in a hurry and told Xue Pan that he would go to Jinling to buy the items in person because the items were tribute and the quantity was large.
Xue Pan heard the news and thought to himself, "I'm in the capital now, being tortured by the prince all day long. If I leave him, there's a follower following me around. There's nowhere to hide. I don't have a moment of leisure in a day. I might as well take this opportunity to go out with Zhang Dehui for a few months and explore the mountains and rivers. It would be better than staying here."
Having made up his mind, he ordered Zhang Dehui to wait for him for a few days before going together.
In the evening, after Xue Pan told Aunt Xue about this, Aunt Xue was both happy and afraid. She was happy that he had grown up and become sensible, but she was also afraid that he would cause trouble outside, so she did not allow him to go.
But Xue Pan was really fed up with going to bed early and getting up early, and not being able to go out for fun. He insisted on going out, saying, "Every day you say I don't want to learn this and don't know that, but now I want to learn how to do business and you won't agree."
"Brother has looked much better these days. If he goes out and experiences some things, he'll naturally be even better." Baochai, who was listening, advised her mother, "If he really can't change and continues to be the same as before, we have no other choice. We might as well let him go out and try his luck. Maybe he'll change. Besides, Zhang Dehui has been with the Xue family for many years and is an elderly and virtuous man. If brother does behave badly for a while, he can advise him. Besides, he has the servants with him, so nothing will happen."
After hearing this, Aunt Xue thought for a while and finally agreed. She asked someone to invite Zhang Dehui and asked Xue Pan to entertain him in the study. She stayed in the corridor and gave instructions through the window.
Zhang Dehui naturally agreed. When he said goodbye after dinner, he told Xue Pan that the Imperial Household Department was in urgent need of feather satin, so he might have to leave in the next two days.
When Xue Pan heard that he could leave quickly, he was overjoyed. He hurriedly agreed on a date with him and then came in to tell Aunt Xue and others what had happened.
Hearing this, Aunt Xue became anxious and quickly packed the luggage and accompanying persons with Baochai and Xue Pan's concubine Xiangling.
On that day, everything was ready. Xue Pan said goodbye to everyone in the Jia Mansion and was about to leave. Baochai saw that he was about to leave and said, "Brother, you have been accompanying the young master in martial arts training recently. It would be better for you to say goodbye before you go out this time."
After hearing this, Xue Pan was reluctant, but he thought that if he really left without saying goodbye, he might be in trouble when he came back, so he went to Yihongyuan hesitantly.
After Wu Tianyue learned that Xue Pan had gone out, he ordered Fei Yan to speed up the deployment of personnel outside the city. Suddenly, he heard Xue Pan coming to say goodbye. He hurriedly asked Fei Yan to leave and ordered someone to bring Xue Pan in.
The two men exchanged some hypocritical pleasantries, and Wu Tianyue added, "The journey to Nanjing is long, so I'll let Chang Jian go with you and keep you safe."
Xue Pan grumbled inwardly: "It's not like I've been this way before. It's an official road, and the people I'm following are familiar with. Why do I need him to protect me?" But he also knew that Wu Tianyue had made the decision, so he didn't dare to refute it. So he pretended to be happy and agreed, then retreated out of the city with his long sword.
After he left, Wu Tianyue informed Fei Yan to let the people outside the city take action, and then he went back to the palace to find the chief historian in person.
"Why is the prince here?" The Chief Clerk was resting in his room today, having nothing to do. Upon hearing the news that Wu Tianyue had arrived, he hurried out to greet him, smiling, "If you need anything, just send someone to call me over."
"I have something I want to trouble you with." Wu Tianyue said with a smile, "It's not a big deal, just a little troublesome."
The chief official, while calling for tea, replied, "Your Highness, please feel free to speak."
"I need you to hold the people from the Censorate back for a few days. They can't be used by the Wang, Jia, and Xue families until I pass on the message."
"That's not difficult." The chief historian agreed, then asked doubtfully, "What are you going to do?"
"I was just teasing that kid from the Xue family." Wu Tianyue didn't want to reveal the truth now, so he just said perfunctorily, "Please don't let my father, the king, and my mother know. I was just playing around and I won't hurt anyone."
The Chief Clerk had watched Wu Tianyue grow up since he was a child and was considered his elder. He knew that Wu Tianyue was talented and loved martial arts, but could not do what he liked, so he always spoiled him.
In addition, he, like Prince Zhongshun, disliked the four great families of Jia, Shi, Wang, and Xue, so he did not object to his dandy behavior. He only advised: "You should quit while you are ahead. The Xue family still has Prince Teng to protect them. Don't make a big fuss, or you will be in trouble."
"Don't worry, I know my limits." Wu Tianyue smiled. "That Xue Pan is neither good at literature nor martial arts, a complete playboy. When his daughter went to the capital to choose a study partner, Wang Ziteng was not there, and the Wang family sent people to stop them and not let them into the mansion. Wang Ziteng is still outside the capital. As long as nothing serious happens, the Wang family will leave him alone."
Seeing that he knew all the gossip like the back of his hand, the Chief Clerk said speechlessly, "Just say this to me, but be more restrained in front of others."
"I know, I'll just tell you about it." Wu Tianyue said, and stood up. "I'm leaving first, don't forget this."
"When have I ever forgotten your business?" The chief official escorted him out of the door and personally helped him onto the horse.
Wu Tianyue had no choice but to get on the horse with the help of the chief historian, and said goodbye to him before returning to the Grand View Garden.
Lan Ye saw Wu Tianyue hurried out and didn't know when he would come back. Seeing that it was getting late, she asked the maids serving in Yihongyuan to go have dinner, and waited for Lu Mo and others to finish their meal and take over.
He was just sitting there looking at the account book when he saw Wu Tianyue come back. He put down his pen and went to greet him and said, "Is it time for dinner, my prince?"
Wu Tianyue shook his head and asked, "Did Sister Lin use it?"
"I just sent someone to ask, and the girl said that Miss Tanchun held a poetry club today and ate a lot of snacks while writing poetry, so she is not hungry now."
Wu Tianyue took off his coat and asked, "Poetry Society?"
"Miss Tanchun sent someone with a floral note at noon, inviting the prince to join her in the club. The prince wasn't in the courtyard or his study at the time, so I prepared a gift and sent it over. The girls in the garden were all there." Lan Ye took Wu Tianyue's coat and turned around to bring out a piece of floral note and a piece of invitation. "The invitation was sent by the man called Jia Yun earlier, along with a pot of crabapple blossoms."
Wu Tianyue opened the flowered note and read it, then said with a smile, "They are quite refined."
He then instructed, "Send the flowers to Miss Lin, and add some crabs, lychees, and the cloth and spices sent by the Imperial Household Department."
After thinking for a moment, he added, "Forget about the crabs. She has a cold constitution. Although she is feeling much better now, she will still feel uncomfortable if she eats too much. I'll eat with her someday."
"These things have been taken away a long time ago." Lan Ye replied with a smile, "But today the Prince's Mansion sent a set of four treasures of the study, and the quality is much better than the previous ones."
"If it's good, send it over." Wu Tianyue nodded and said, "Send some of these to the Jia Mansion. Jia Yun, in addition to these, add some seasonal fruits."
"yes."
Lan Ye agreed, but before she left, Wu Tianyue said, "Please bring my meal to Xiaoxiang Pavilion as well. I will eat with you."
When the little maid who came back from dinner to serve heard this, she hurried to the small kitchen to pass on the message.
After Wu Tianyue gave the instructions, he changed his clothes, picked a few books from the bookshelf, and personally took them to Daiyu.
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