Coming-of-age controversy
As the grand coming-of-age ceremony of Xu Zhixu passed, half a month later, the turmoil in Chang'an City continued unabated.
On that day, all the nobles and prominent figures in Chang'an flocked to the scene.
They presented gifts to Sui Zhixu, who was late for her coming-of-age ceremony. For the past two weeks, people in the city have been discussing the generous gifts Sui Zhixu received at her ceremony.
...
"If we're talking about the value of this gift, then it must be Master Fan's. He's the richest merchant in Chang'an. If his gift isn't valuable, then who is?"
"Vulgar! What is truly admirable is her character, and what is most precious is Ni Shanzhang's painting skills. She is indeed worthy of being the daughter of the Ni family in her time, and she lives up to her father's great reputation."
"Ah, as expected of someone from the Sui family of Jingzhou, their background is profound. The young master's coming-of-age ceremony was truly magnificent..."
Fan Lingzhang overheard this, then turned back to the private room and said with a smile, "The poetry gatherings of the past two days have been full of praise for the grand occasion of the coming-of-age ceremony."
“Boring.” Sui Zhixu parted his lips slightly, uttering these two words coldly, one word at a time.
At this moment, she was playing chess by herself. The sleeves of her light green overcoat were as thin as mist, piled up in layers, making her look hazy and ethereal, just like a freehand ink painting.
Fan Lingzhang was already used to her aloof demeanor. He sat down opposite her and asked, "How is the matter with the organization progressing?"
Sui Zhixu picked up a white piece and looked at the board. The board was already set, with black and white pieces interlocking. The black pieces moved from the inside out, waiting for an opportunity to attack the open white pieces step by step, and finally won by a narrow margin.
Sui Zhixu gently tossed the black piece into the chess basket, her voice as cool and clear as warm white jade, "It wasn't smooth sailing. After searching the entire manor, we discovered quite a few secret chambers and mechanisms. Everything else was manageable, but there was one that was particularly tricky, and even Yueling didn't dare to try opening it easily."
Her hand landed on the edge of the chessboard, and Fan Lingzhang's gaze lingered on her fair hand for a moment before he involuntarily took two steps back.
Sue knew that Xu hadn't noticed his little actions and was deep in thought.
Logically speaking, when my father took over the former prime minister's residence, he had already invited many capable individuals to conduct a thorough investigation. The mechanism at the rockery might have been concealed and went unnoticed, but why did no one notice the mechanism in the wardrobe of the bedroom in the main courtyard of the east wing?
The mechanism door was dangerous. Even just looking at the parts hidden in the hole in the panel, it was already a delicate and intricate mechanism. Even someone with a lot of knowledge could not figure it out. The small hole was round and about the thickness of an average person's index finger.
The master and apprentice weren't foolish enough to actually test it with their own fingers. Instead, Xu casually picked up a calligraphy brush, spun it around, and poked it in. In less than three breaths, the section of the brush that had gone in was cleanly severed, leaving a smooth and neat cut, demonstrating the sharpness of the blade inside the mechanism.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the half of the pen that remained in the small hole was automatically ejected, drew an arc in the air, and then stumbled to the ground.
As Xu frowned and pondered a solution, Yueling took out a wire and poked around in the hole, trying to treat it as if it were a lock.
Still no use.
Despite trying to find other entrances, searching every corner of the bedroom, even looking at the few bricks on the floor, Xu ultimately failed to find another way out.
As the azure dawn gradually clears, light and shadow shift outside the window, and day slowly gives way to night.
For an entire day, Xu and Yueling racked their brains but still couldn't come up with a solution, and in the end, they had no choice but to give up.
Upon hearing this, Fan Lingzhang gripped Sui Zhixu's hand tightly. His soft, white hand was enveloped by her large palm. He was relieved that his wife was still rational and hadn't grabbed the chessboard and swung it at him.
She looked into his worried eyes, her beautiful face constantly conveying his heartache.
"I'm worried about your safety. Don't risk your life by venturing into unknown dangers."
The lotus blossoms, glistening with dew, possess a unique charm.
The flowers bloomed at just the right time, and knowing that Xu had not yet sealed her heart and locked away her love, I could not bear it.
"I didn't try it, did I? Don't worry, I won't risk my safety. Why are you crying again?"
As Xu spoke softly, she picked up a soft blue handkerchief and gently wiped away the tears welling up in his eyes.
With her slightly upturned phoenix tail and her eyes sparkling between her eyelashes, Fan Lingzhang seized the opportunity to grasp Sui Zhixu's hand. "Leave the handkerchief for me. You should always leave me something each time, so I have something to remember you by, and so I don't feel like you're always leaving me."
Sui Zhixu was somewhat stunned. Was this how he looked after becoming a widow?
It's really...
It's hard to put into words.
"I'll leave the handkerchief to you, but what will you leave me?" Sui Zhixu stuffed the handkerchief embroidered with jasmine flowers in the corner into his arms and reached out as if to ask for a return gift.
His eyes flickered, and he said mournfully, "I have nothing to give you right now; the jasmine from Lingnan Road hasn't arrived yet."
Xu realized that he was very obsessed with jasmine, and that he always carried a jasmine sachet with him.
She sighed softly, "Never mind, you've done enough."
She took off her peach wood hairpin and exchanged it for Fan Lingzhang's jade hairpin. The young man's long, black hair flowed behind him, occasionally intertwining with hers.
Sui Zhixu gripped the end of the jade hairpin tightly, saying, "Your jade hairpin is a hundred times better than my peach wood hairpin. Consider it an item you left for me."
"good."
As Xu finished inserting the hairpin, he saw that he had stuffed the peach wood hairpin into his bosom, showing no sign of wearing it, letting his hair fly freely.
Danhong and Liulu were guarded at the door by her, and there were many hidden guards from the Sui family's military quarters in the shadows.
As Xu Zhixu's nose twitched slightly, the scent of jasmine in the room seemed to grow stronger.
She changed the subject, shifting her gaze away from Fan Lingzhang, "What has the Prince of Xuanping been up to lately?"
The jade hairpin perfectly complemented Fan Lingzhang's collared, front-buttoned Hu-style robe, exuding an air of refined elegance and unrestrained spirit. Now, with his hair loose, he appeared more graceful and less flamboyant.
"Madam Ye is back. I have cut off most of her businesses in the martial arts world, so she brought several women from the Western Regions to Chang'an and opened a tavern run by Hu women in the West Market. It's doing very well. You should have heard of it."
A look of confusion flashed across Sui Zhixu's eyes. Who was Lady Ye? She had never seen her in the Prime Minister's mansion's register about the Prince of Xuanping.
Though puzzled, she remained calm on the surface, even lowering her voice to praise him, "You did a great job, you're very capable."
Fan Lingzhang was flattered by her praise, and then Xu asked her, "What are you going to do about her? Most people in Chang'an don't like Hu women dancing, so isn't your Yunlai Tower's business being taken away a bit?"
Business was Fan Lingzhang's forte, and when he talked about it, his expression became animated. "How could that be?"
“Chang’an is my territory. As for inviting Hu Ji to dance, that’s not Yunlai Tower’s main business, so it has nothing to do with me. Besides, she’s only just arrived here, so why would I need to personally intervene?”
"In the underworld, people in the same profession will naturally look out for each other. Things in the Jianghu mostly rely on force, while in Chang'an, it's all about profit. Madam Ye is too prominent and has taken over most of the business. They have no money to make, so they will naturally step in."
Having navigated the ups and downs of the business world for many years, Fan Lingzhang knew these things better than Sui Zhixu.
After hearing Fan Lingzhang's words, Xu felt that they were somewhat similar to aristocratic families.
If Sui Zhixu were to speak out, the aristocratic families would certainly not recognize her as a member of the aristocratic family.
The aristocratic families were proud and would never intermarry with commoners even if they fell on hard times. Back then, when Sui He took Cong Lan as his son-in-law, Cong Lan was not even a commoner. He had no family background, no social standing, and was penniless. This completely angered the aristocratic families, who refused all transactions with the Sui family for a time.
It was all thanks to his mother's skillful management that Ni, the headmaster of Shanhai Academy, was able to break the unspoken rule that it was difficult for people from poor families to enter the imperial court. With just a few members of the Sui family, they managed to force their way into Chang'an, and many officials in the court had dealings with Sui He back then.
It is indeed difficult to navigate the crest of a storm. The Prime Minister's residence is currently bustling with guests, but in reality, it is the most effective and swift weapon His Majesty has to deal with the forces of the previous dynasty.
Once defeated, one's doorstep will be deserted, and there will be countless people kicking one when one is down.
She never thought that aristocratic families were particularly noble. Most of them prided themselves on their scholarly integrity, did not engage in commerce, and took pride in their family, so they had no interest in others.
Xu Si paused immediately, realizing that she had suddenly started to care about others.
The Prime Minister's residence was in a precarious situation, with the former dynasty's forces, such as the Prince of Xuanping, eyeing it covetously. Sui Zhixu shook her head. After being instilled with the idea that Yueling should take the world as her responsibility for so long, she almost thought that she was the same.
"What are your plans after this? The opera singer was used to win you over. Apart from the county princess, what were the reactions of the others?"
Sui Zhixu carefully considered her words, her face cold, her demeanor aloof yet tinged with anticipation.
Lu Kou probably feels this way when facing her former relatives: trying to distance herself from them and speaking in a way that contains certain unspoken emotions.
Fan Lingzhang had no doubts. "The Princess Consort and he occasionally talk about you in front of me, and they feel very sorry for you."
He chuckled lightly, seemingly mockingly, "Not as genuine as Sima An."
"When we returned to our parents' home for the first time, Lady Ye went to her hometown to pay respects to our ancestors. I don't know what your relationship with your aunt is like, but anyway, the expression on the Princess Consort's face when she talks about you these days..."
Fan Lingzhang's words lingered in his throat. After carefully observing Sui Zhixu's expression, which remained unchanged, he slowly said, "Very contemptuous."
"Does she have a bad relationship with the Princess of Runan? She seems to dislike you."
His words entered Sui Zhixu's mind, and she quickly recalled information about Lady Ye.
Lady Ye is Lu Kou's maternal aunt, which means she is the cousin of the Princess of Runan and the Prince of Xuanping.
The former crown princess's maternal family was surnamed Ye, but records show that the Ye family, as the main force supporting the former emperor, was massacred by the Taizu Emperor.
The situation was critical at the time, and the Ye family was able to protect her and send her to the former crown prince who was under house arrest.
Sui Zhixu shook her head. "Perhaps she has her reasons."
She took Fan Lingzhang's hand and asked, "How has he been treating you lately?"
His long hair fell onto Sui Zhixu's lap, and just as Fan Lingzhang was about to rest his head on Sui Zhixu's lap, a commotion suddenly came from the doorway.
"Go to the back." Sui Zhixu shoved Fan Lingzhang, whose eyes drooped but who still obediently hid behind the screen.
"Madam Liu has always been the number one lady in Chang'an. Although I've never heard much about her talent, she's stolen the limelight recently, and the poetry gathering has become her show. I don't know what the head of the Sui family is thinking. After all, the two young masters of the Sui family have some ranking in the academy, don't you think?"
"Young Master Zhao is joking. With the head of the family receiving the Emperor's favor, one's judgment is bound to be good. I'm sure the young master also has many merits, but we just haven't discovered them yet."
He has a graceful demeanor and refined speech.
Xu acknowledged that Liu Xi was good in this regard, and his calm and composed attitude at all times was truly admirable.
"Are you all talking about me? Why don't you talk to me face to face and tell me who is more suitable to succeed the young master?"
Sui Zhixu pushed open the door and walked up to the group, his words icy and his aura heavy.
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