Eight qian of silver
The well-mansion is deep and the courtyards are scattered, with a graceful and elegant demeanor that has been passed down for thousands of years. Unlike the magnificent and majestic imperial palace, this place is more reserved, elegant and refined.
Ning Yanhe lived in a secluded courtyard. Although it was called a retreat, the number of guards, both overt and covert, around him was no less than that of his old residence in the imperial palace.
He knew very well that this was protection, but also house arrest.
He still read and practiced martial arts every day, and discussed politics with Mr. Jing. The turmoil in the court, the fog on the front line, his sister's remains, the undercurrent in the capital... countless thoughts lingered day and night.
That afternoon, after finishing his homework, he dismissed his attendants and strolled in the garden of his mansion to relax.
The Jing Mansion covers a vast area, with pavilions, towers, and winding paths. He unknowingly walked to a secluded pavilion.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of a piano coming from upstairs, gurgling and clanging, like a clear spring dripping into a deep stream. It was faint at first, but gradually became clearer.
The sound of the piano was not passionate, but rather carried a soothing tranquility. The tune was the elegant "High Mountains and Flowing Water", but it did not simply imitate the ancient sages, but had a certain detached and unrestrained quality.
Ning Yanhe couldn't help but stop and look up.
The attic window was half-open, revealing a slender silhouette sitting behind it, her brows lowered, her hand caressing the strings of a zither. Sunlight filtered through the lattice, casting a soft halo around her. Her face was indistinct, but her presence was serene and her manners elegant.
He guessed her identity immediately.
Jing Weng's granddaughter, the woman who has been highly regarded by her family since she was a child, is closely linked to his future and may even be his future queen.
This was the first time he "saw" her.
In the past, the Jing family had never deliberately arranged for them to meet. Everything was in accordance with etiquette, maintaining distance and mystery.
He stood quietly in the shadow of the tree downstairs, not going forward to disturb them, but just listening attentively.
The piano music seemed to sense his presence, paused slightly, and then became smooth again. The melody changed slightly, still ethereal, but with a hint of imperceptible comfort.
She was using the music to tell him that she knew his situation and understood his pain of losing his sister.
She understood him.
When the song ends, the lingering sound dissipates into the wind.
The girl upstairs seemed to tilt her head slightly and glance in his direction downstairs.
Their eyes touched lightly across the air, and Ning Yanhe could even feel the kindness in that look.
Then, the figure, holding the zither, quietly disappeared into the depths of the pavilion, leaving no trace.
From beginning to end, she didn't say a word and didn't reveal her full appearance. This was the most subtle yet boldest greeting that a noble lady from a noble family could make.
Ning Yanhe stood there for a long time without moving, with a slight wave of emotion in his heart.
This marriage has been the core of the political alliance since the beginning. It has nothing to do with romance, but only with interests. He has long accepted this fact.
But at this moment, this stunning glimpse and the clear sound of the piano made him feel more affection for her. At least, his future wife understood him.
This was much better than he had expected.
He turned silently and returned along the way he came.
When he returned to the study, Jing Pu Ze was already waiting inside, leisurely brewing tea. The aroma of tea was exactly the kind he usually drank.
"Your Highness has returned." Jing Puze raised his eyes and smiled gently, "The piano music in the mansion just now didn't disturb Your Highness, did it?"
Ning Yanhe sat down opposite him and shook his head: "The music of the zither is very beautiful, it makes one feel calm."
He paused, looked at Jing Puze, and suddenly took the initiative to speak: "Mr. Jing, if great things are accomplished in the future, I wish to enthrone your daughter as empress on the day I ascend the throne, and make her the imperial concubine."
Jing Pu Ze's hand holding the pot paused slightly, and a hint of genuine surprise flashed in his eyes.
He put down the teapot and said thoughtfully, "Your Highness, there's no need to be so hasty about this matter. Selecting a queen is a matter of national importance, one that concerns the very foundation of the nation. Once Your Highness ascends the throne and stabilizes the political situation, we can then discuss this matter at our leisure. It's premature to bring this up now."
Ning Yanhe's eyes were calm, but his tone was firm: "Since she is destined to be my wife, I will treat her with sincerity and make it known to the world as soon as possible. This will also reassure the Jing family and the officials. I will respect her, cherish her, and fulfill my responsibilities as a husband."
Jing Pu Ze stared at him for a moment, the surprise in his eyes gradually fading, turning into a deep sense of relief. He slowly nodded and said, "Your Highness's kindness is truly a blessing for my daughter and for our Jing family. On behalf of my granddaughter, I thank Your Highness."
"There's no need to be so polite, Mr. Jing." Ning Yanhe changed the subject slightly. "Since Jing Zhao is the empress's father and Mr. Jing's son, shouldn't he be transferred to the cabinet at an appropriate time to assist him?"
Jing Puze shook his head, his expression indifferent. "My son Jing Zhao is already at the limit of his rank as a third-rank military minister. He might be able to assist in military supply arrangements, but serving as a cabinet advisor on confidential matters is neither his forte nor a boon to the nation. Your Majesty will need capable and competent officials in the future, not those who have ascended to higher ranks by relying on their status as relatives of the emperor. Your Highness need not worry about this matter any further."
Ning Yanhe was slightly shocked when he heard this.
Mr. Jing's action was tantamount to cutting off one of his own arms.
He was silent for a moment, then said, "Isn't this unfair to the Jing family? I feel uneasy. How about I accept Mr. Jing as my Grand Tutor, the Emperor's Teacher? I also ask Mr. Jing to stay by my side and teach me the ways of the emperor and support the country."
This time, Jing Puze didn't refuse immediately. He stroked his beard and pondered for a long time before slowly saying, "Your Highness, I am deeply grateful for your trust. If Your Highness insists on this, I will accept it with all my heart. I only wish to dedicate the rest of my life to Your Highness and the Southern Dynasty, and do my best to help them."
"That's very good." Ning Yanhe nodded, then raised a question that had been buried in his heart for a long time. "Mr. Jing, I have a question that has puzzled me for a long time. Why have you never considered sidelining me, or even replacing me? Instead, you have generously taught me the ways of the emperor. Could it be that after thousands of years of accumulation in the Jing family, we have never given rise to the aspirations of an emperor?"
Upon hearing this, Jing Puze was startled for a moment, then burst into laughter. He added, "Your Highness, do you know how our Jing family has survived thousands of years of ups and downs, dynasties changing, and yet has remained standing to this day?"
He asked himself and answered: "It is not because of overwhelming power, nor because of wealth that rivals that of a nation, but because of the word 'contentment', in knowing what can and cannot be done, in knowing how to follow the trend and act according to the time."
"Your elder sister, Ning Lingyi, left behind a new dynasty that recovered Hebei and defeated the Western Qiang, enjoying unprecedented popular support. Her political legacy is strong enough to support a ruler who maintains the status quo for decades."
"Your Highness, you are the only brother she recognizes. You are the heir to the throne, legitimate and rightful, and the whole nation is united. If I were to act in rebellion and become an enemy of the world, not only would my dream of becoming emperor be shattered, but the thousand-year-old Jing family would also be doomed in an instant."
Ning Yanhe felt extremely sad when he heard this. It turned out that even though his sister was gone, she was still protecting him, and he actually...
Jing Pu Ze continued, "What's more, Your Highness, you and your sister are both gifted by nature, beyond the reach of ordinary people. My children and grandchildren may be able to manage a region or manipulate power, but when it comes to imperial strategy, they are not even one-tenth as good as you and your sister."
Ning Yanhe was silent for a long time. He then whispered, "Can I... really do well in this position like my sister?"
"Whether it can be done well or not is beyond my power to decide today." Jing Pu Ze's eyes were deep. "But looking at the future, Your Highness has embarked on this path, and there is no other choice but to move forward."
Ning Yanhe raised his head and asked again, "Don't you worry, Mr. Jing, that when I grow up, I'll become powerful and turn against the Jing family, or even kill my meritorious officials?"
Jing Puze laughed again, his smile surprisingly frank. "Your Highness, what obstacles do I and the Jing family pose to you? Are we trying to stop you from ascending the throne? Or will we demand things from you after you ascend the throne that you cannot give us?"
"The merit of supporting the emperor is nothing more than power, status, and wealth. These are the usual rewards given by the emperor. My Jing family has tied the fate of our entire clan to your Highness and has devoted all its efforts to helping you. This is all we can gain in the future. All those who follow the emperor are like this. If we gain these, it would be an act of usurpation. Then shouldn't all the founding heroes of the past dynasties be killed?"
"By then, there will be no subjects in the world more loyal to Your Majesty than the Jing family. If Your Majesty maintains a stable throne, the Jing family will enjoy prosperity and prosperity; if Your Majesty's throne is unstable, the Jing family will fall with it. With such a shared destiny, why should I worry about the bow being put away after the bird is dead?"
These words were so insightful that they actually eliminated the last trace of suspicion.
Ning Yanhe was silent for a moment, and finally reached out and picked up the cup of tea in front of him that had not been touched.
The tea was at just the right temperature. He took a sip, and the familiar aroma lingered on his lips and teeth.
"Is this tea shipped from my home tea garden in Suzhou?" he suddenly asked.
Jing Pu Ze nodded: "Yes, this is the only one I like."
"I still remember that when my elder sister and I first met Mr. Jing, we drank this tea. I'm already used to it." Ning Yanhe said softly, looking at the clear tea in the cup.
"I am also delighted to be liked by His Highness."
Ning Yanhe suddenly remembered what Mr. Jing had said when he first drank this tea: it costs more than 100,000 taels of silver to make tea every year...
How much did it cost to transport it from Suzhou to the capital, along with the carriages, boats, and manpower required for maintenance? He didn't know.
Ning Yanhe looked at his blurry reflection in the tea, but his thoughts drifted back to the paddy fields outside Mingzhou City many years ago.
Under the scorching sun, his sister took him and Lingyao to plant rice in the mud, stepping deep and shallow. Their coarse clothes were soaked with sweat, their backs ached, and mud filled the cracks between their nails.
Later, the field was harvested, and the sister led them to thresh the rice, carefully dry it, and remove the husks. In the end, they only got a few buckets of rice.
His sister took him and pushed the wheelbarrow a long way to the market, in exchange for eight coins of silver.
The elder sister solemnly placed the eight coins in his and Lingyao's hands and said, "You earned this yourselves."
He didn't understand at that time, and even blamed his sister for making them suffer. He didn't understand why she always had to work hard for those pale and skinny civilians.
Sister, now that you are gone, I gradually understand what you asked me to do with my own hands. It turns out that what you were protecting were the livelihoods of thousands of people who could produce "eight cents of silver".
The eight cents of silver he had worked so hard for for so many days made him blind.
He did not tell these thoughts to Mr. Jing, but slowly drank the tea in the cup.
Putting down his teacup, he turned and said, "Although the matter of establishing a new emperor is imperative, it also requires the approval of Concubine Yu. Only then will it be legitimate and fulfill my filial duty. I wish to honor Concubine Yu as the Empress Dowager and provide for her for the rest of her life to comfort my sister's spirit in heaven and to fulfill my filial duty on her behalf."
Jing Pu Ze's eyes flashed with admiration, and he said happily, "Your Highness is benevolent and filial, and thoughtful. This is a great virtue! If you can gain the support of Concubine Yu, then Your Highness's ascension to the throne will be more logical, and the people will be at peace."
"I intend to visit the palace soon to see the Concubine Dowager, explain my feelings, and try to persuade her," Ning Yanhe said. "Once Beishuo returns my sister's coffin, I will hold a state funeral for her, following the ritual system of replacing the month with the day, and observe mourning for twenty-seven days."
"It should be so," Jing Pu Ze said solemnly, "Only in this way can Your Highness fully inherit all the inheritance left by Princess Mingzhu, not only the power of the country, but also the hearts of the people."
Ning Yanhe nodded and finally said, "In that case, please ask Mr. Jing to begin the preparations. On the day of the ascension, I will reward those who have done good deeds. I also want to know who are my own people. I need enough manpower to stabilize the situation left by my sister."
Jing Pu Ze stood up and bowed: "I will obey your highness's orders."
Ning Yanhe looked at him and nodded.
Outside the window, the sky gradually darkens and the dusk is heavy.
Outside the side door of the Well Mansion, the Well Manager who was in charge of the tea room walked out of the mansion in the twilight.
When he reached the corner of the street, a sixth-rank official suddenly appeared. With a broad smile on his face, he pressed a visiting card into his hand and whispered, "Sir, please do me a favor and put in a good word for me in front of Lord Jing Zhao..."
The visiting card felt heavy in his hand. The steward twisted it with his fingers and found a silver note worth ten thousand taels and a deed to a thousand acres of fertile land inside. He sighed in his heart. There were too many such things in recent days and he was a little fed up with them.
The official thought he could please the other party, but he didn't expect the well manager to close the card and hand it back to him, saying, "Your Excellency has been very busy recently and cannot see you. Please forgive me."
Without waiting for the official to say anything more, the well manager bowed and left.
As he walked, he turned his head and asked the servant, "Has tomorrow's new tea arrived at Tongzhou Wharf? We must not delay it and ruin Mr. Jing's interest in tasting tea."
"Sir, we have sent someone to pick it up. The express horse reported that the ship has arrived at the port and will be delivered to the tea room in the mansion before dawn tomorrow." The servant replied respectfully.
"Well, watch carefully, there can't be any mistakes."
The official looked at the note in his hand. He thought that even with twenty years' salary of ten thousand taels, he couldn't even pry open the door of a manager?
He looked at the Well Mansion, and found that it was covered with clouds, blocking out the sky and the moon, and no sunlight could be seen.
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