Chapter 85: Daiyu's Birthday.
"Yu'er, look!" Chu Heng jogged over to Daiyu's side, his eyes and brows filled with a joyful smile. "Come on, be careful."
Daiyu used a handkerchief to cushion her hand as she took the kite, then looked up at the kite soaring high in the sky, squinting slightly in the bright sunlight: "It's flying so high."
Chu Heng also looked up, and after a moment he took a kite from a maid: "This one isn't very nice. We prepared it in a hurry this time. I'll ask them to make some better ones when we get back."
Daiyu tilted her head to look at him and said with a smile, "Make a few more, it's quite interesting to watch them fly."
Chu Heng took a few steps closer to her: "Okay, what style do you want..."
Before he could finish speaking, Daiyu exclaimed, "Oh!" It turned out that the two of them were too close, and the kite strings were tangled together. When the wind blew, it twisted the two kites even more tightly together.
"Hey..." Chu Heng quickly used more force in his hands.
Zhao Qing took the scissors, carefully approached, and cut all the strings. The two kites slowly drifted away in the wind.
"Let me see your hands." Chu Heng came over and opened Daiyu's palm.
Daiyu smiled and said, "It's alright." She looked at the sky with some regret, "That wild goose was quite beautiful, but it just flew away like that."
Chu Heng blew on Daiyu's palm: "There are plenty of beautiful kites, one more won't make a difference."
"Hmm." Daiyu clenched her hands, feeling a little uneasy being outside. "I already said I'm fine."
Chu Heng took her hand in his and said gently with a smile, "Let's go back and have some hot soup to warm up. We'll go shopping again later."
Daiyu felt the warmth of his palm: "You've been running around for a while, you must be sweating, and your hair is all messed up. You need to comb your hair when you get back."
"Your shoes are dirty too." Chu Heng looked down at them. "Yours are dirty too."
Fortunately, they had brought all their belongings. After entering the room, Daiyu changed her shoes and washed her hands first, and then took the comb from the maid to comb and tie Chuheng's hair.
Chu Heng looked at Daiyu in the mirror: "Oh, I really can't bear to see you get up so early, otherwise I really wish we could do this every day."
Daiyu smiled and said, "You'll be able to do that when you no longer have to get up early for court every day."
Chu Heng turned his hands behind his back and squeezed Daiyu's wrist: "Now that you mention it, I really dislike these days of getting up early for court."
Zijuan led two maids around the screen, curtsied, and said with a smile, "Your Highness, Your Highness, the soup is ready."
Daiyu glanced at herself in the mirror one last time and nodded, "Alright."
After drinking the hot soup, the two rested for a while, then went out for a stroll. After having a meal at the estate, they set off for home.
The next day, Chu Heng and Daiyu went fishing at home. The fish they had just caught the day before were not as clever as the fish from the Duan Prince's mansion. Daiyu sat for an hour and caught five fish.
Daiyu released the two smaller ones and ordered someone to send the other three to the kitchen.
Chu Heng stood up from the zither table, stretched his limbs, and laughed, "Finally, I can eat the fish you caught. It's been such a long time."
Daiyu looked at him and said, "Do you think I'm stupid? I can't even catch a fish."
Chu Heng leaned over and massaged her shoulders: "The fish from before was too inconsiderate, making our princess sit here for so long for nothing."
The two laughed and joked for a while when someone came to report that the fifth mistress of the second branch of the Fang family had come to deliver a birthday gift to the princess.
On Princess Duan's birthday, gifts were sent from the residences of the imperial family and relatives. This was because no matter how aloof Prince Duan was, he never failed to show them courtesy; it was simply a matter of reciprocity.
However, apart from that, no court officials came to present gifts, since Prince Duan had never had any personal dealings with any family during his time at court.
The Fang family was Chu Heng's maternal grandfather's family, and was the only courtier that the Prince Duan's mansion had dealings with. However, the usual practice between the two sides was to send a servant of some standing to deliver the gifts.
In the past, Prince Duan was just a sickly young prince. The Fang family held high positions and great power, and they didn't really think much of him.
This time, it was the fifth madam of the Fang family who came, which makes one sigh that times have changed.
Daiyu thought for a moment and said, "Fifth Madam... isn't she Fifth Miss's sister-in-law?"
The Fang family chose a very suitable person. In terms of seniority, this Grandma Wu is a generation younger than Daiyu, so it is perfectly reasonable for her to come and offer birthday wishes to her elder.
“Well, one of those who were ordered to go home and reflect on their actions this time is her… Let me calculate her seniority, oh, she’s my great-grandfather,” Chu Heng said.
Daiyu packed up the fishing rod and line and handed them to a servant: "I need to go back and rest. I'm quite tired. Please invite Second Madam Fang for tea, and then..."
"Then you can see the guests off," Chu Heng replied with a smile.
The old woman obeyed and left. Daiyu, holding Chu Heng's arm, stood firm: "The Fang family has suffered so much loss here. We should go and complain to the Empress Dowager."
“Go ahead and sue. I’ve already offended the Empress Dowager with this matter, what’s one more time?” Chu Heng said. “I really don’t understand the Fang family. What are they thinking? Even the Empress Dowager couldn’t persuade me. Do they really have that much faith in their eloquence? Or do they have some reason that can definitely convince me, or… something else?”
Daiyu pondered for a moment: "Do you want to see the Fang family? It's not impossible, but we must inform the Emperor first."
"Let me think about it some more and see what the Fang family does next," Chu Heng said slowly.
Daiyu covered her mouth and yawned: "Mmm..."
Chu Heng held her shoulders and chuckled, "Let's not talk about these troublesome things. Come on, I'll go with you to rest."
Daiyu leaned closer to him: "I'll just sleep for a little while, remember to wake me up."
...
The three-day holiday passed in the blink of an eye. On Daiyu's birthday, the palace bestowed gifts as usual, and Chuheng accompanied her to the palace to express her gratitude.
The Fang family's situation has not improved, and the Empress Dowager has been in a bad mood lately. Fortunately, the smell of medicine no longer lingers in Renshou Palace.
Because Chu Heng refused to plead for the Fang family, the Empress Dowager disliked him greatly. However, due to Master Pingyi's words, the Empress Dowager hesitated to find fault with them.
Master Heiichi...
The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes. She acknowledged the old monk's supernatural abilities, but getting him to work for her would be very difficult.
Now that the Fang family has suffered a setback and Chu Heng has slipped out of control, the Empress Dowager urgently needs more capable people.
Looking at the Empress Dowager's expression, Chu Heng knew what she was planning again, wondering if it had anything to do with the couple.
Chu Heng asked calmly, "Mother's complexion hasn't been very good lately. Has the imperial physician been summoned to take a look?"
The Empress Dowager came to her senses and said unhappily, "The imperial physicians just prescribe a few remedies and have people brew some bitter medicine soup. What use is that!"
“That’s true,” Chu Heng casually agreed. “My son took those medicines a few years ago, but I didn’t feel they were of any use.”
Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager suppressed her displeasure and glanced at Chu Heng a few more times. Compared to his pale complexion in previous years, he now had a rosy complexion and bright, piercing eyes, making him seem like a completely different person.
This is all thanks to Master Pingyi, not to those useless imperial physicians.
She secretly made up her mind to summon Master Pingyi to the capital again.
"Now you not only no longer need to take medicine, but you can also serve the emperor." The Empress Dowager lowered her eyes and stroked the jade ruyi in her hand. "I am very pleased to see this."
Chu Heng smiled and said, "An elder brother is like a father. The late emperor is no longer here. My brother, the emperor, can't stand my idleness all day long, so he entrusted me with important responsibilities. I am always trembling with fear, for fear of not doing well and disgracing my brother."
The Empress Dowager glanced at him and felt that all the love she had given her youngest son over the years had been for nothing. He didn't even say anything to make her feel better.
You keep calling him your elder brother, but does he treat you any better than I do?
The Empress Dowager grew increasingly annoyed and turned to look at Daiyu. She and Chu Heng had been married for almost a year, and the two still seemed inseparable. The more the Empress Dowager looked at them, the more it bothered her.
However... the Empress Dowager still remembered what Master Pingyi had said, and dared not interfere with the couple, so she became increasingly irritated by them.
"Enough, I'm tired." The Empress Dowager decided to avoid the trouble altogether. "You... may leave."
Chu Heng and Daiyu bowed and withdrew, then went to the Empress's palace to pay their respects. Just as they were about to leave the palace, Yongkang came over and invited them to sit down. Daiyu agreed first, and Chu Heng had no choice but to follow.
This delay meant that it was already afternoon when they left the palace again.
"I can't live such a leisurely life," Chu Heng sighed. "I don't want to go to court again tomorrow."
Daiyu smiled and comforted him, "You are going to court now so that you can live such a leisurely life in the future."
"Hmm?" Chu Heng thought for a moment and nodded vigorously, "That makes sense."
Inspired by the princess, Prince Duan went to the Ministry of Revenue the next day looking radiant, leaving the two vice ministers quite astonished.
Three days later, news came from Longhua Temple that Master Pingyi had passed away.
Upon hearing this, Daiyu clasped her hands together and uttered, "May he have returned to the Western Paradise as the Master said."
Chu Heng gently patted her back: "Master has done many good deeds in his life, and his merits must have been fulfilled."
"Moreover, the master will never be troubled by worldly affairs again," Chu Heng sighed.
Daiyu sensed something amiss in these words and asked, "What has happened lately?"
Chu Heng said, "The day before yesterday and yesterday, the Empress Dowager sent people to invite the master to the palace, but he declined both times with excuses."
Daiyu thought for a moment and asked, "What does His Majesty think of this matter?"
Chu Heng said, "His Majesty wants to build a pagoda at Longhua Temple to enshrine the relics of Master Pingyi."
"Where is the Empress Dowager?" Daiyu asked again.
Chu Heng sighed again: "The Empress Dowager is ill. This time it's not an act, she's really sick. In front of the Emperor, the imperial physician said that the Empress Dowager's illness is caused by fright."
Daiyu was taken aback, but then she understood: "The Empress Dowager believed what Master Pingyi said, so she sent people to invite him one after another. The master passed away because she was afraid that he would die because of her."
Even so, since Buddhists refrain from killing, what did the Empress Dowager have to fear? It's clear she was far too guilty.
Chu Heng said with a complicated expression, "When I was little, I overheard the Empress Dowager talking to the people around her. She didn't believe in these so-called gods, Buddhas, or underworld beings."
Since ascending to her current position, the Empress Dowager has done many treacherous things and harmed many innocent people.
Chu Heng believed that she would never be afraid.
Daiyu placed her hand on his and said softly, "The Empress Dowager is getting old now, and her thoughts have changed along with it."
Zijuan came in from outside and curtsied, saying, "Your Highness, Your Highness, someone has come from Renshou Palace. The Empress Dowager summons you to the palace."
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