Chapter 16
It rained for several days in a row, and it cleared up on April 26th. Dewdrops covered the lush summer grass, and hundreds of peonies were in full bloom, like flaming clouds. There were only six days left until Wang Shuhuai's birthday.
In the early morning, the third wife called Xie Yunchu to discuss the birthday banquet. The other wives and grandmothers were sitting in the hanging flower hall drinking tea. Across the water was a water pavilion. Laughter came through the woods and across the water, creating a unique artistic conception. It was the girls in the mansion who were enjoying themselves by admiring the flowers and bamboos, drinking and composing poems.
Xie Yunchu took on the responsibility in front of everyone and said, "The guest list will be decided by Third Aunt, and the rest of the kitchen and meal arrangements will be handed over to my niece." He thought that the order would come down soon, so he took the job first to prevent Third Madam from wasting money.
Upon hearing this, the Third Madam showed her admiration and said, "Look, if my Fifth Master could get a daughter-in-law as capable as Chu'er, I would wake up with laughter in my dreams." The Third Madam has a son and a daughter, the Fifth Master and the Second Miss, who are both in the process of being married. As they are the legitimate grandchildren of the Eldest Princess and the Duke, they are very popular in the capital.
Second Madam Jiang thought Xie Yunchu was just being courteous to Third Madam, and she felt so sick that she snorted awkwardly.
Outside the curtain, bamboo sounds were like singing. The Third Madam told Xie Yunchu what to pay attention to. Xie Yunchu lowered his head and listened silently. After a while, a maid ran over from the corridor in front. It was obvious that she was greatly frightened.
The third wife saw that the person looked familiar, and she was a well-known maid in the mansion. She immediately said, "Why are you so scared now? There is a master sitting here. How can this be disrespectful?"
The eldest wife sitting at the top recognized the housekeeper beside her. Her heart sank slightly, and she leaned forward and asked, "What's wrong?" After all, she was not the real mistress of the Wang family, so she lacked some confidence when she spoke.
The maid fell to her knees before her, tears streaming down her face. "Madam, our master was just brought back. It was said that someone had covered him in ink while he was parading through the streets. That person even threatened to challenge him to a duel. Our master was born a scholar, how could he know any martial arts?"
The eldest wife was shaky, "How is that possible?"
The third wife's face suddenly darkened, "It's simply lawless."
After a while, he called the servant who followed Master Wang Shuzhao and asked him the reason.
The boy cried with snot and tears,
"That man is big and strong, claiming to be a retainer of the Jing'an Palace of Western Chu. He said that he came to the capital this time to challenge the eldest grandson of our Duke's Mansion and to settle the feud with the Duke." At the end, he lowered his voice and glanced at Jiang secretly.
After these words were spoken, no one spoke in the Chuihua Hall for a long time.
The feud between the Duke and King Jing'an of Western Chu is known to everyone in the palace.
Logically, the target of Jing'an Palace's revenge should be Wang Shuhuai, but the eldest master Wang Bin has followed his mother to the Wang family since he was two years old. Outsiders regard him as the eldest son of the Duke, so they seek revenge on the eldest son.
The situation was so delicate that even the Third Wife, Mrs. Zhou, didn't know how to handle it.
The eldest wife's eyes were filled with tears. She was so shocked that she half collapsed in the armchair, feeling both aggrieved and angry.
Jiang silently wiped her forehead and for the first time felt fortunate that someone ignored the identity of Wang Shuhuai's eldest grandson.
Xie Yunchu was not so lucky. She knew very well that the princess's order would come down soon and Wang Shuhuai would definitely be pushed to the forefront. In his previous life, it was his brother who protected him from disaster. In this life, she detained his brother in the academy. What should Wang Shuhuai do?
It's not that she isn't worried. Even if her heart has turned cold towards him, he is still her husband and the father of her children. They rise and fall together.
The ladies soon dispersed, and Xie Yunchu followed Jiang back to the second room. When they were alone, Jiang couldn't help but gloat over her misfortune.
"See? It's not that I won't take revenge. It's just that the time has not come yet. Don't you want to take advantage of the title of eldest grandson? Well, they are here to seek revenge. Let them have a headache."
Jiang was short-sighted and had no foresight. Xie Yunchu had no time to pay attention to her. He sent her to Ninghe Hall and went back to his room.
Sure enough, in the evening, news came from the palace that the eldest princess was about to hold a coming-of-age ceremony for Wang Shuhuai in the imperial palace. This news was like a thunderbolt hitting the second wife's head. Not only could they not say a word, but they also had to be grateful.
Jiang almost cried and fell into her husband's arms.
"Why push my Huai'er out? They take the benefits while we take the blame. Is there any law in this world..."
The second master blocked the second half of the sentence in his mouth. He was angry and panicked.
"Just stop talking. There's no point in nagging like this."
The second master was so anxious that he was incoherent. When he came to his senses, he saw his wife and sons all bowing their heads, regretting their words. He was silent for a moment, then he looked at Xie Yunchu.
"Chu girl, you have some face in front of the princess. Tomorrow morning, you will go to the palace to ask for an audience with the princess and ask her to tell you how to deal with this matter."
Xie Yunchu knew that this approach would not work, "Father, how about we wait for the Second Master to come back and discuss it first, and then make a decision?"
After being reminded by her, the Second Master realized that it was too rash to go look for the Princess now. This matter was of great importance and the Duke would definitely come back to give an explanation. The Second Master had never felt so aggrieved as today. His deep eyes were red, veins were bulging on his forehead, and he was venting all his grievances.
Wang Shuhuai is the backbone of the second branch. Once something happens to him, the second branch will never be able to make a comeback.
Jiang was crying, the second master was depressed, Wang Shukuang and Wang Shutong were indignant, and the others were wiping their tears, none of them knowing what to do.
Xie Yunchu quietly withdrew and returned to Ninghe Hall.
The lights silently broke through the night, forming a dragon that shuttled through the majestic Duke's Mansion. Willows swayed, phoenix tails grew densely, and an exceptionally slender man held a young child in his arms and stood by a peony to play. The man pointed at the sparkling water and said something to the child. The child half-peeked out of his arms, staring at the shimmering water with eyes wide open.
Perhaps he sensed Xie Yunchu's footsteps, and the man turned his head towards him with a deep and long gaze. He was wearing a sky-blue gown embroidered with silver bamboo patterns, which was neither new nor old. It was unknown if she had sewn it herself some time ago. The gentle breeze lifted the hem of his gown, and he looked like a banished celestial being who had ascended to heaven.
He looked extremely stern and gentle, but she could sense his strong aura and his calmness. She used to blame him for not showing his emotions, but now she was glad that he was responsible. At least in all the ups and downs over the years, she had never seen him show any fear or violence. He was always calm and steady, as if he had everything under control.
Xie Yunchu did not regret saving her brother, but she also did not want her husband to fall into trouble. When she came to Wang Shuhuai, her eyes unconsciously turned red.
Wang Shuhuai had already handed the child over to the wet nurse, and now only the couple were left in the pavilion by the lake.
Wang Shuhuai looked at his gentle and dignified wife, her beautiful face turned a little paler and full of anxiety, but she still cared about him as always.
"Don't be afraid, I know what to do." The deep, mellow voice was pleasant to the ears.
"The people of Western Chu are brutal and cruel. You must not take them lightly. Second Master, think of a way to avoid fighting with them." Xie Yunchu witnessed Wang Shuhuai's rise from a weak scholar to the prime minister of the dynasty. He is very scheming and he definitely has a way to make the other party retreat without a fight.
Wang Shuhuai looked extremely calm.
"Ma'am, he is no match for me in a duel, but I won't necessarily lose in a duel."
If it were someone else, Wang Shuhuai would not say such blunt words. He was really worried that Xie Yunchu would be frightened. She was gentle and weak in nature, and he didn't want her to get sick from being frightened.
Xie Yunchu looked at her husband with a smile in his eyes. She wondered, "You don't seem unhappy?"
Wang Shuhuai raised his eyes slightly, his face hidden in the flickering light, "Why not force the princess to publicly acknowledge my status as the eldest grandson?"
This was not only an announcement to the world that the first branch had taken over the magpie's nest, but also a warning to the third branch. Even though they were the eldest princess's sons, the eldest branch of the Duke's Mansion was the second branch, and his eldest grandson was Wang Shuhuai. This was the orthodox bloodline that could not be desecrated.
In addition, he has a deeper plan.
Xie Yunchu was speechless as she watched her husband's confident look on his face.
Suddenly, the crying sound of Sister Ke was heard in the distance. The couple walked back at the same time. When they reached the fork in the road, to the left was Chunjing Hall and to the right was the study. The atmosphere was obviously good. Xie Yunchu did not invite Wang Shuhuai, and Wang Shuhuai did not stop either.
The next morning, the imperial decree was officially transmitted to the palace. Wang Shuhuai received the decree and went to the palace to express his gratitude. The matter was done and the second house had no room for resistance. Jiang said she was sick and could not get up. Everyone else was worried.
Prince Jing'an of Western Chu and Duke Wang He are old rivals. Prince Jing'an proposed that the Duke Wang He accompany him on this trip to Dajin, and the Duke Wang He readily agreed. Not only that, the Duke Wang He was very patient and remained calm no matter how Prince Jing'an provoked him.
The court officials could not sit still. The ministers of various departments valued talents and were worried that a genius like Wang Shuhuai would be defeated by the people of Western Chu. They came to the Duke to lobby him to find a way to stop the two men from fighting. However, the Duke just waved his hand calmly.
"A real man should be able to stand tall and proud, so why should he fear life or death?"
Wang Shuhuai also went to the Ministry of Revenue as usual every day, doing what he was supposed to do. The grandfather and grandson were calm and composed, which made others secretly anxious.
In a blink of an eye, it was the first day of May. The Duke did not return home for the sacrifice, and Wang Shuhuai forgot the agreement with Xie Yunchu. Xie Yunchu didn't care either. With the competition approaching, the couple did not take this missed opportunity seriously.
Compared with Wang Shuhuai, Xie Yunchu was more worried about his brother's sudden return home. He sent people to watch the city gate and Xie Mansion for several days in a row. After making sure that Xie Yunyou would not return before Wang Shuhuai's birthday, Xie Yunchu felt completely relieved.
The second day of May.
The Wang family put on their imperial robes and headed for the palace before dawn. On the way, Jiang rode with the second master, while Xie Yunchu and her two sisters-in-law took a car.
Xu Shiwei was sleepy and dozed off on the side. Dou Keling was looking at Xie Yunchu's outfit. She had a bun with five phoenixes facing the sun and a jade hairpin in it. She had a thin jacket made of red fragrant cloud gauze and a pink flowered skirt. Her bulging chest and face could be described as "flashy". Dou Keling was very envious.
"Second sister-in-law is really dressed up today, but I wonder if you will be criticized by the second master later?" Wang Shuhuai is very disciplined and doesn't like to be in the limelight. Everyone in the mansion knows it. In the past, Xie Yunchu always bound her chest, and Dou Keling, as a sister-in-law, knew it.
Xie Yunchu didn't even look at her, "What does it matter whether he likes it or not, as long as I like it." Besides, wasn't Wang Shuhuai in the limelight today?
She shook her Xiangfei fan and looked like she didn't want to say any more to Dou Keling, which made Dou Keling feel disappointed.
The prince's mansion was not far from the imperial palace and they arrived there in two quarters of an hour. With the badges given by the eldest princess, the people from the prince's mansion led the way into the palace, followed by a continuous stream of famous officials from the capital. Although today was Wang Shuhuai's coming-of-age ceremony, it was also a confrontation between the two countries and was of great significance. All the prominent people in the capital wanted to come in and join in the fun.
When we arrived at Changchun Palace where the eldest princess was, it was already bright.
There were already palace maids waiting outside leading everyone into the hall.
Xie Yunchu followed closely behind Jiang. The main hall was grand and spacious. In the north stood a coiled dragon incense burner with sandalwood burning in it. Above it hung a picture of the late emperor and the late empress riding horses on the western hills. On the left and right were couplets written by the current emperor himself. On the long golden nan table were displayed all kinds of fresh fruits, incense, candles, etc., showing that sacrifices were often made there.
Turning into a corridor with carved windows on the right, there was a bright red brocade carpet on the floor. The group walked on it silently. Going north through a round moon-carved door, they entered the east wing hall where the princess lived.
Through a jade bead curtain, one could vaguely see a person lying on his side on a rosewood dragon-patterned couch, with female officials serving on each side. On the couch was a soft pillow with bright red flowers and a square backrest made of spun silk. Because the princess was afraid of the cold, she did not use the cool jade cushion, so the palace servants laid a whole piece of delicate ivory cushion instead, which was just right, neither too cold nor too hot.
After a while, she heard footsteps below. The pearl curtain was opened by a palace maid, and the figure on the bed gradually stood up. Before she raised her eyes, all the wives, grandmothers and girls of the Wang family knelt down at the same time.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"Get up."
The voice was cold and low, with a hint of nonchalance.
Everyone stood up quickly, stood on either side, and held their breath.
Xie Yunchu was standing below Jiang and glanced upward quietly. The eldest princess was wearing a stone-blue brocade plain jacket and was sitting there upright. Her hair was tied into a peony bun with a white jade hairpin and she was wearing no ornaments at all. Even so, her elegance was not reduced at all.
The eldest princess was over sixty years old. Her cold, pale face was crisscrossed with fine lines. Her long eyebrows were thin and tough with sharp sheaths. Her narrow, long and narrow phoenix eyes drooped, and two deep nasolabial folds spread out on both sides. She was gently sipping the blood swallow and ginseng soup handed to her by the palace maid.
After drinking, the palace maid handed her the string of red sandalwood Buddhist beads that she had been playing with the other day. She twisted it and placed it in the palm of her other hand, then raised her eyes and looked at the people below.
His eyes were as calm as water, showing no emotion, yet they gave people an invisible pressure.
She spoke slowly in silence, "I haven't been home for a long time. Is everything going well at home?"
The palace was run by the third wife, Mrs. Zhou. She bowed and replied, "Thanks to my mother and father, there is nothing wrong with the family."
The princess raised her hand slightly upon hearing this.
When Mrs. Li, the fourth wife, saw that her mother-in-law was about to get up, she quickly took a step forward and supported her with a smile.
"Mother, be careful." The fourth wife's voice was soft and delicate.
On the other side, the eldest wife Qian, who was closest to the princess, also silently and forcefully supported the princess.
The second wife, Mrs. Jiang, acted as if she were blind, and the third wife, Mrs. Zhou, remained motionless.
The eldest princess walked down the stairs and stood in the hall, her eyes first falling on Xie Yunchu.
"Your third aunt said that everything is fine at home. What about you, Huai's daughter-in-law? Are you okay?"
There is a reason why the people in the palace fear the princess. Every word the princess says has a deep meaning. If you reply with a wrong word, the consequences will be unpredictable. Hearing this, Jiang glanced at the princess in fear, and her hands under her sleeves were shaking slightly.
Fortunately, Xie Yunchu had the experience of his previous life and figured out the grandmother's thoughts. She was used to being complimented, so the truth became precious. Xie Yunchu knelt down and said truthfully,
"In reply to your grandmother, your granddaughter-in-law is a little worried about your husband."
The eldest princess was not surprised, and even asked her kindly, "Do you blame me?"
The uneasiness in Xie Yunchu's eyes had not faded, but his expression was extremely firm, "Don't blame me." There was no use in blaming me.
The eldest princess pursed her lips and said nothing.
Xie Yunchu continued, "If the people from Western Chu had asked around, they would have known the truth. Shu Huai is my grandfather's legitimate grandson, so it is his responsibility to fight. If they implicate my elder brother for no reason, it would have put Shu Huai in an unjust position and make him look cowardly."
"Even if one cannot achieve great things, one must still act with integrity. I think my husband also thinks so."
Presumably, this was the reason why the Duke did not stop the Princess. The old man had lived an honorable life and would not ask others to replace his grandson and die.
This path is the common choice of the Princess, the Duke and Wang Shuhuai. They each have something they want.
The eldest princess nodded with satisfaction, "I'm glad you understand." She likes women with insight.
Who says women are inferior to men? Women can also achieve success in their careers.
It was getting late. The first and fourth wives helped the princess go inside to change her clothes. The third wife led Xie Yunchu and others to pay respects to the queen. When everyone left Changchun Palace, they all had cold sweats on their backs. Xu Shiwei quietly pulled Xie Yunchu's sleeves.
"When the princess asked you a question just now, I was really scared. I was afraid that my sister-in-law would be punished. My sister-in-law is really amazing."
Xu Shiwei had complained about Xie Yunchu before, but now that Xie Yunchu was doing well, she wanted to get closer to him.
Xie Yunchu looked straight ahead and didn't respond to her.
At the exact time of Si, Chongguang Hall was crowded with people, and Wang Shuhuai's coming-of-age ceremony was held here.
The emperor sat at the top, the empress on the left, the eldest princess on the right, and all the civil and military officials in the court watched the ceremony. Except for Duke Wang Guo and the Jiang couple, the rest of the female members of the family retreated to the back hall.
The coming-of-age ceremony was just a formality, lively but not festive. The real eye-catching event was the school competition in the afternoon.
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