Chapter 7: The Beast That Hidden Its Claws During a Spring Outing
On the last day of March in Beijing, a light snow fell again.
After the court session, Xie Jingxuan followed the Grand Eunuch Xu Sheng, passing through the palace walls and stepping on the fine snowflakes that were difficult to accumulate on the ground, and entered the Imperial Study.
The incense burner with its dragon design in the study was filled with wisps of smoke. Xie Jingxuan kept his head down and remained silent, while Xu Sheng, standing beside him, presented him with a wooden tray, his arm trembling slightly.
The emperor, sitting at his desk, gently lifted his eyelids. On the tray lay a neatly folded crane cloak and a jade plaque.
Emperor Qianyuan put down the memorial in his hand and asked, "What is the meaning of this, Lord Xie?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng knelt on the ground with a thud, while Xie Jingxuan calmly crossed his arms and bowed, enduring the oppressive feeling from his superior as he spoke:
"Your Majesty, my granddaughter was afraid that she might offend you in the palace that day, and she was in a panic. That's why I went on her behalf to return this valuable item to Your Majesty."
Emperor Qianyuan paused, "Panic?"
Xie Jingxuan nodded: "Yes, Miaoniang is very uneasy."
Emperor Qianyuan: "Xie Jingxuan, by what right do you speak to me like this?"
The imperial study fell silent for a moment. Just as Xu Sheng was sweating for the person beside him, Xie Jingxuan felt a sense of calm.
Humans aren't plants or trees; how could they be without feelings? He already felt guilty towards Wen Miao, and now, as Miao Niang's relative, Xie Jingxuan calmly said, "I am speaking to Your Majesty as a maternal grandfather. Miao Niang has just recovered from her illness and cannot withstand any shock. I think perhaps we should let nature take its course."
The emperor at the head of the table chuckled deeply, seemingly pleased or satisfied. The atmosphere in the imperial study relaxed a bit. He waved his hand, "Alright, put the things away for now."
He should have been more careful and slower.
Then, Emperor Qian Yuan let out a soft laugh and looked at Xie Jingxuan, saying, "You did quite well."
At this moment, Xie Jingxuan finally felt completely relieved.
No matter what happens in the future, he will always be Miao Niang's maternal grandfather. He has wronged Miao Niang in terms of her memories, but in other respects... he truly regards Miao Niang as his own granddaughter. He only hopes that His Majesty's wishes and Miao Niang's desires can be fulfilled.
...
When Xie Jingxuan came out of the Imperial Study, it was already half an incense stick later. After taking only a few steps, he saw the Ministers of Revenue, Rites and Works who had come with him.
The three ministers were all veterans of the palace. Although they didn't know much about this newly promoted colleague who had returned to the capital, they could see that His Majesty valued him. Therefore, they took the initiative to greet him with clasped hands upon meeting.
Xie Jingxuan bowed in return. After a silent exchange of glances, the Minister of Revenue coughed lightly and asked in a low voice, "Lord Xie, how is His Majesty's mood today?"
Xie Jingxuan was taken aback, then replied, "Not bad."
Upon hearing this, the ministers all breathed a sigh of relief.
Since they were summoned to the palace by the Emperor a few days ago, they have been busy. The ever-powerful Emperor first inquired about the details of the household registration and taxation of the people from the Ministry of Revenue, then asked about the imperial examinations and education of students from the Ministry of Rites, and finally looked at the Minister of Works, not letting go of any of the water conservancy, civil engineering, and the use of tools.
During the questioning, the ministers were sweating profusely, fearing that the emperor was looking for a way to punish them. However, what awaited them afterward was a series of appointments and assignments, keeping them so busy that they stayed in their respective departments for several days in a row, without even a chance to go home!
Hearing Xie Jingxuan say that His Majesty was in a good mood, the ministers greeted him with smiles, hoping that His Majesty would maintain his good mood after hearing their report.
After all, some things really can't be accomplished overnight!
...
After the snowfall, the weather warmed up.
After the crane cloak and jade pendant were returned to His Majesty, Wen Miao enjoyed a period of leisurely life.
During the day, the female tutor hired by the manor would give Xie Mengjun lessons, and Wen Miao would listen in whenever she felt like it, which was a way of filling in her mind, which had become too blank after losing her memory.
In the afternoon, she would sometimes take Xie Mengjun to the streets, to teahouses for tea and snacks, to restaurants for storytelling and music, or to the outskirts of the capital in a carriage from the Xie family, to take walks, enjoy the spring scenery, and fly kites.
It happened to be the day the female teacher was off, and Xie Mengjun had some free time in the morning, so she brought her newly made kite to Qinyuan to find Wenmiao.
"Auntie! Auntie! Come fly a kite with me! My husband is off today, we can play all day!"
Wen Miao, who was reclining on the couch reading "The Book of Natural History," sat up. Seeing Xie Mengjun's excited expression, she smiled gently, "Didn't Mr. Li assign any homework today?"
Ms. Li was the female teacher hired by the Xie family to teach Xie Mengjun. Her name was Li Qing, and she was a tall woman with a cold expression. She mainly taught Xie Mengjun poetry, calligraphy, painting, and elementary arithmetic.
This practice of inviting female tutors to one's home is a tacit understanding among aristocratic families. After all, most schools in the Great Chu currently only admit boys and do not offer girls' schools. Therefore, the education of the girls in the family cannot be neglected.
However, in this era, female teachers are ultimately a minority, so everyone just tacitly understands this.
Xie Mengjun nodded, "The master said I can have a good rest today! So, cousin, come with me to play! I also want to ride horses!"
Wen Miao pinched the little girl's cheek. "I can't ride a horse... When the time comes, I'll have the guards from the manor bring a pony. You can ride it if you want, but you have to be led by someone, understand?"
"I know, I know! I'll definitely listen to my cousin!"
Seeing that Xie Mengjun agreed readily, Wen Miao also smiled and got up, calling Shi Cui and Wan Bi to help her change her clothes.
It's already past April, and the weather is gradually getting warmer. Wanbi chose a light and elegant light blue dress for Wenmiao, and replaced the shawl with a more convenient pearl white gauze cover-up, which made Wenmiao's waistline appear hazy and dreamlike, giving a wonderful feeling of viewing the scenery through the mist.
Shi Cui then styled Wen Miao's hair into a wado bun, with one side of the bun slightly tilted, adorned only with a wooden hairpin that Wen Miao had previously bought from the street. It was light and comfortable, unlike other beaded flowers that made one's scalp feel tight.
The Xie family's carriage was already waiting at the gate, heading towards the outskirts of the capital.
Their destination was the meadow at the foot of Huiling Mountain.
In April, the capital city was filled with swaying willows and gentle breezes. At the foot of Mount Huiling, the ground was covered in green grass. Wen Miao led the people in the mansion to choose a slightly flat spot. Shi Cui spread a soft cloth on the ground, took out the tea and snacks that had been prepared in advance, and even set up a small stove to brew fragrant pomegranate tea.
The guards rested not far away, and Wanbi brought them food. Wen Miao led Xie Mengjun to an open area of grass to fly a kite.
Xie Mengjun's new kite was an eagle that Wen Miao and Mr. Li Qing had painted for her together. It was majestic and spirited. Xie Mengjun ran around pulling the string, and with the wind, the eagle quickly soared into the sky and flew high in the blue sky.
"Auntie! Look at my eagle! It's flying so high!"
Wen Miao, who was picking flowers with her head down, carrying a bamboo basket and preparing to weave a few flower wreaths to play with, smiled brightly, "Meng Jun is so amazing, today's kite is higher than the previous ones."
Xie Mengjun was even happier after being praised by her beautiful cousin. Her slightly chubby face turned bright red with a smile. Perhaps because she had stopped dieting to lose weight after Wen Miao came to the Xie family, she had recently become more energetic and even had more energy when running.
Seeing that Xie Mengjun had run quite far, Wen Miao instructed, "Shi Cui, keep an eye on Mengjun and don't let her go too far."
"Yes, madam."
Seeing that Shi Cui had caught up with Xie Mengjun, Wen Miao shook her head with a light smile and continued to bend down to look for suitable plants to weave into a wreath.
Wen Miao stood on tiptoe, broke off a few slender and flexible willow branches, and intertwined them end to end to form the most basic ring shape. Then she added a few fallen flowers with slightly longer stems, matching their colors, and inserted them into the willow branches, gradually revealing the outline of the wreath.
But it still looks a bit bland.
Wen Miao looked up and around, and seeing that the flowers in the distance were even more beautiful, she walked towards them.
As Wanbi was arranging tea and snacks, she asked, "Madam, would you like me to accompany you?"
"No need, I'll be back soon." Wen Miao shook her head, her tone light and gentle. "You should prepare some food first, so that Mengjun won't get hungry when she's tired from playing."
Although the distance was somewhat far, the Xie family's guards were not far away, and they could hear her if she called out. Wen Miao didn't think there could be any danger in broad daylight.
She held her veiled hat with one hand and carried a bamboo basket with the other.
With her graceful figure and swirling snow-like movements, the person who wandered around, stopping to pick flowers, was unaware that she had already become an irreplaceable beauty in someone else's eyes.
Outside the stone pavilion on Huiling Mountain in the suburbs of Beijing—
Tall, silent guards stood in a row among the mountains and forests, their elbows slightly bent, gripping their sword hilts. In the center of the guards' encirclement sat Emperor Qianyuan, who sat quietly in a stone pavilion.
He held a calligraphy brush in his hand, his gaze occasionally falling to look at the figure diligently picking flowers, and then he would dip his brush in ink and write down the memorials on the table.
This kind of work seemed to offer more hope, as if it were a reward for himself. Only after Emperor Qianyuan finished reviewing a memorial did he allow himself to look up at the figure that had long been etched in his dreams.
In a nearby stove, pomegranate tea was also brewing, its steam rising and its warm aroma filling the air.
Seeing that the emperor had finished reviewing the memorials in his hand, Xu Sheng shrewdly took another stack of memorials, placed them on the table, and spread them out flat.
Spring is in full bloom, early orioles are vying for trees, and a few clouds drift in the distance, seemingly gathering gradually.
The scenery in Huiling Mountain was serene and natural. Wen Miao picked enough flowers, then sat down on a rock and began to weave them carefully, in vibrant red, gentle purple, and delicate pink...
Slender, pale fingers entwined between willow branches and flower stems, and soon a wreath was formed, but Wen Miao felt that it was still missing a color and was somewhat monotonous.
She looked around and was immediately drawn to the light blue floral pattern on one side of the stone steps halfway up the mountain. After hesitating for a moment, she spoke to Wanbi, lifted her skirt, and stepped onto the stone steps leading upwards.
The shadows of the trees on both sides were scattered by sunlight. Wen Miao was only wearing soft-soled satin embroidered shoes, which were a little uncomfortable on the stone steps, so she walked even slower.
Inside the stone pavilion in the mountains, Xu Sheng said, "Your Majesty, the Empress has gone upstairs."
Emperor Qianyuan glanced at the deserted grass and said, "Have the guards hide. Don't stop them or scare them."
Xu Sheng: "Yes."
After a brief pause, Emperor Qianyuan spoke again: "Zhang Ji, go to the mountains and pick some flowers, choose the pretty ones."
Zhang Ji, the leader of the Imperial Guard, clasped his hands in response and immediately led several of his men into the mountains.
On the other side, halfway down the road, the corner of the stone pavilion could be vaguely seen, and a few light blue wildflowers had fallen on both sides of the road. Wen Miao smiled slightly, picked them up and put them in the bamboo basket, when suddenly a clap of thunder rang out in the sky.
Rumble—
The weather is as changeable as a child's face. One second the sky is clear and blue, and the next the clouds gather, the sky darkens, thunder rumbles, and large raindrops pelt down, leaving dark watermarks on the stone steps.
At the foot of the mountain, Shi Cui and Wan Bi reacted quickly, first taking Xie Mengjun back to the carriage to take shelter from the rain. Wen Miao was afraid that going back the way she came would make her even wetter, so she gestured to Wan Bi from afar, indicating that she would go up to the stone pavilion to take shelter from the rain.
But before she could climb a few more steps, the rain that had been cascading down seemed to be suddenly stopped by something. The damp rain carried a refreshing scent of sandalwood, which awakened Wen Miao's thoughts that had been calming down for several days.
The raindrops didn't fall on her hair, but they seemed to hit her nerves.
Wen Miao slowly raised her head and saw the Emperor of Great Chu standing on the next step, holding an oil-paper umbrella that covered most of her head, while she herself was soaked by the rain.
Spring rain falls in a misty rain, and the forest is shrouded in mist, but at this moment, the person's eyebrows and eyes seem to be painted with thick ink, moist and quiet, like a wild beast hiding its claws.
Emperor Qianyuan's lips curled into a smile. "My lady, we meet again."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Emperor: I need to act gentle and polite in front of my wife. (Nervous) (Pacing back and forth) (Creating a chance encounter)
Wen Miao: ...Why is it him again?
[Poor thing] Thanks for your support!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
