On hearing that Rui’an King took over the case, Fen Ling pondered for a moment and quickly left the Dali Temple.
After spending two days there, he realized the depth of intrigue within the court. The entire Dali Temple was as leaky as a sieve. He wondered how the Minster of Dali Temple managed to remain in his position without being ousted by various factions. Without any official status, he was merely a representative from the Princess Residence tasked to monitor the case progression, which turned out to be futile. He could not even figure out who poisoned the old madam and when.
Bitterly disheartened, he simply left without uttering a second word.
After returning to the Shen Residence, Fen Ling vented his frustrations to Su Rong, "This rotten court, it’s dirty and corrupt. It’s remarkable how the Crown Prince has managed to hold for so many years."
Just a glimpse into the Dali Temple was enough to see the tip of this iceberg, indicating that corruption was pervasive.
Su Rong had anticipated this and offered him a cup of tea to soothe him, "Please moisten your throat. You shouldn’t be agitated. Your original purpose wasn’t to investigate anyway."
Fen Ling was indeed irritated, but after hearing Su Rong’s words, he immediately cooled down and replied indifferently, "Regardless of how broken the court is, it has nothing to do with us. Our only responsibility is to help the Crown Prince break the current status quo. When it comes to reformation, it will be entirely up to the Crown Prince in the future."
Upon saying those words, he felt as though he wasted two days for nothing and was suddenly hit by a sense of loss. He told Su Rong, "Master, I need to have a hearty meal to get rid of my fatigue."
Su Rong nodded, "You can pay a courtesy visit to Aunt Shen. Knowing your penchant for food, she would definitely ask the kitchen to prepare extra dishes."
"Sure. I’ll go right away." Fen Ling immediately got up and left with springy steps.
Ordinary secret guards usually aren’t expected to pay courtesy visits to the masters; but Fen Ling wasn’t ordinary. He had been staying in the Capital City, hanging by the name of Su Rong’s brother.
Being sweet-tongued and loved by all, Fen Ling received a grand feast once he met Madam Shen. That evening, she had the kitchen prepare a large table full of dishes, inviting Shen Xian to join them for dinner once he returned to his home.
Madam Shen was thrilled, "The residence has been silent and empty for a long while. It’s livelier now that you are here. Otherwise, it would be cold and quiet. Why don’t you stay here for some more time!"
Su Xingze hastily said, "We have already imposed on uncle and aunt for quite some time. How could we stay here permanently?," glancing at Su Rong, "Should we return to East Fourth Hutong in another three to five days?"
Madam Shen disagreed, "No. It took me a long while to find a young lady who can keep me company during the day. Listen to me, and just stay here."
Su Rong blinked her eyes, "Three to five days are indeed short. How about staying for another seven to eight days?"
Mainly, she was considering Fen Ling. Seeing the table full of dishes today, his eyes lit up. His appetite wasn’t likely to be satiated in less than seven to eight days. Moreover, she also wanted to provide her adversaries with more opportunities to strike at her. As they were residing in Shen Residence now, nobody dared to lay a hand on her while even in the capital, people feared Shen Xian, the Minister of Personnel. Although the Crown Prince had instructed her not to do anything recently, that didn’t mean she would stay put without stepping out of the Shen Residence.
Shen Xian coughed lightly and said sternly, "Stay here until Xingze tops the imperial examinations, or else, aren’t you afraid of becoming a ’top-scholar groom’?"
Su Xingze: "..."
Upon hearing this, Su Rong laughs, "Right, big brother? Isn’t it true? It seems you really need to be careful. I’ve heard that every three years, when the examination results are announced, all those households that are looking to marry their daughters off turn as ferocious as wolves and tigers. Seems like you are safer here in the Shen Residence, protected by Uncle Shen’s reputation."
Madam Chen also broke into a laughter, "Exactly. Only we do not have a daughter to marry off. If we had one, I would definitely make Xingze my son-in-law."
Su Xingze also laughed, "Aunt Shen is also teasing me."
"It’s not me who teases you, but you haven’t realized how many people have been eyeing you ever since you came to the capital have you?" Madam Shen chuckled, "I only attended two banquets, and so many people came up to me enquiring about your marital prospects."
Su Xingze seemed helpless, "A man must make a name for himself before he starts a family. No matter who asks, aunt, please help me turn down their requests!"
Madam Shen nodded with a smile, "Of course, I turned down those requests on your behalf. Men are not like women; there’s no rush to start a family. Given your talent, even if you aren’t married by thirty, you could still wed an eighteen-year-old girl."
Su Xingze: "..."
Laughing uncontrollably, Su Rong nodded repeatedly, "Absolutely. There’s no hurry for my big brother. Those who need to worry are my six sisters."
She turned to Madam Shen, "Aunt Shen, after my big brother succeeds in the examination, the marriages of my six sisters will definitely require your effort. My mother has been holding off their marriages, waiting for my big brother to succeed. This way, she can select a reputable family for my sisters to become main wives."
They were originally counting on her to marry, but now they couldn’t pin their hopes on her and instead relied on her big brother.
Madam Shen nodded with a smile, "All right. I’ll keep this in mind. I’ll begin filtering through eligible young masters of fitting households in the Capital tomorrow."
Seizing this chance, Su Rong made her request, "It’s not necessary for them to come from a government official family. A merchant’s family is also acceptable. The only requirement is that my sisters should be the main wives. If there is someone with potential, even if his household is somewhat on the lower end, that’s doable. However, we can’t consider those who are entirely penniless. Otherwise, who knows how much hardship we’d have to suffer to build up their fortunes? They need to have acceptable character and ability. My six sisters are not like me. They were truly raised by my mother to be aristocratic maidens. They have all learned exceptionally well how to manage a home and keep track of accounts. They have also read quite a bit. In short, they exceed me in every aspect except for looks."
Madam Shen bursts into amused laughter, "Who even raises others up while putting themselves down like you do?"
Su Rong sighed, speaking honestly, "I’m not praising them too highly. There are many aspects in which I simply cannot match them. My mother always says that I don’t behave like a proper aristocratic maiden and that I won’t make a suitable daughter-in-law. But my sisters are different. They excel in all respects and can stand out even among many young ladies in the Capital."
Upon hearing this, Madam Shen was surprised, "Okay then, leave this matter to me. Once I have sifted through and found someone suitable, I’ll send you their names. If you think they’re suitable, you can have someone take these lists to your mother in Jiangzhou for approval. If she also thinks they’re fitting, they can come to the Capital for a face-to-face meeting. Don’t just blindly follow customs of arranged marriages, it’s better to meet in person to set minds at ease."
Su Rong thought this a splendid idea and nodded repeatedly.
After a lively dinner, Shen Xian said to Su Rong, "You just stay in the Residence for now, don’t attend any banquets recently. If you’re bored, you could go for a wander around town."
Su Rong blinked her eyes, "What if I want to go outside city to explore the lake or visit Buddha Temple to burn some incense?"
Shen Xian glanced at her, "Just take plenty of people with you, and make sure to protect yourself."
Su Rong beamed, "If Uncle Shen does not object, then I will go have fun with Fen Ling tomorrow. Banquets are really boring, we haven’t even had a chance to explore inside and outside the Capital."
Shen Xian did not object, nodding his head.
However, Madam Shen was a bit worried, advising them, "You must be careful, do not get hurt again."
Su Rong agreed with a smile.
After dinner, upon returning to her quarters, Fen Ling eagerly suggested to Su Rong, "My lady, let’s go outside the city tomorrow. Maybe we can flush out our opponents."
Su Rong nodded then shook her head, "There should be no one daring to make a move for the time being. The investigation by Rui’an King will surely make Capital City go completely quiet. Let’s listen to the Crown Prince and behave ourselves! We can give up the idea of luring out the enemy, but we can go out for a stroll."
She considered for a moment, "Invite Ye Guixue as well."
Show a perfect opportunity to thoroughly understand Nanchu during this downtime.
Fen Ling thought about it and agreed, "Alright then!"
After discussing, just when Su Rong was about to ask Fen Ling to send a message to Ye Guixue, a messenger arrived with a note from Duanhua stating that she planned to visit. Su Rong had no choice but to meet with Duanhua.
The next day, after breakfast, a servant came to report that Duanhua Princess had arrived to take them, and the carriage was already waiting outside the gate. The pair got ready, informed Madam Shen, and then headed towards the gate.
At the gate of Shen Residence, Duanhua and Ye Qiuying sat in the carriage. Both of their faces, one old and one young, stared towards the gate. Upon seeing Su Rong and Fen Ling exit, they simultaneously showed expressions of happiness.
Su Rong greeted cheerfully, "Duanhua, Qiuying."
Ye Qiuying, with her grape-like big eyes, adorably called out, "Sister Su Qi, Brother Fen Ling."
Duanhua coughed subtly, straightening her back, and urged Su Rong and Fen Ling, "What’s with you two? Why are you so slow on the road? Hurry up and get in the carriage. Today there’s a storytelling session by Old Zhao at the Premier Fragrance Tea House. His storytelling is excellent. He only performs one day a month. I booked a spot half a month in advance otherwise we wouldn’t even have standing room."
Su Rong was surprised that Duanhua was taking her to a tea house for a storytelling session that was so in demand. She hurriedly got into the carriage and asked, "Why does he only perform one day?"
"Oh dear, the old man is not in need of money. He tells stories just for fun. He enjoys having people listen to his stories and praise him. His son is a tea merchant, and the Premier Fragrance Tea House belongs to his family. As he is old, he simply follows his own desires," Duanhua moved aside to let Su Rong sit, then looked towards Fen Ling.
Fen Ling waved his hand, "Princess, I will not go inside. I’ll sit with the coachman upfront."
Duanhua nodded, lowered the curtain, and ordered the coachman, "Let’s go!"
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