Chapter 10 A Time of Turmoil, Shen Que Returns to the Capital
The first snow of this winter came exceptionally late.
So much so that a thin layer of snow had accumulated on the bare branches outside the window before Wen Lingzheng snapped out of her daze.
—This year marks the eighth year of the Xuanren era.
The window facing the street was half-open, creaking and groaning in the biting wind.
Wen Lingzheng sat by the window, listening to Manager Jin's report.
This teahouse outside the Vermilion Bird Gate was the most valuable item in Qi's dowry, but unfortunately, it was neglected and looked dilapidated in the past.
Since she took over, she has worked hard and finally gained some reputation in Shengjing City. She even established a caravan and went to the northern border.
"girl."
"The snowfall in the North this year is more severe than in previous years, compounded by the war."
“Not only did we lose our goods, but several members of the escort team were also affected by the fighting.”
"How about we stop the caravan for now?"
Manager Jin glanced at the girl's expression subconsciously, and began to have second thoughts.
He was Qi's personal attendant. He had been working in this teahouse since Qi was still alive, but unfortunately, he was not capable enough.
He still vividly remembered the ruthless methods the young lady used when she took over the teahouse a few years ago. He didn't want to end up like those fools, being slowly and cruelly driven out of the teahouse by the young lady.
The girl's slender fingertips traced the ledger, the soft rustling sound reaching Manager Jin's ears.
It was only a moment, yet Manager Jin was already sweating profusely.
"Fine."
"Let's stop for now!"
"However, we must send a generous reward to the caravan members."
"Remember to add 20% for those who are injured."
Seeing the young lady nod, Manager Jin breathed a sigh of relief and left with the account book in his arms.
Outside the window, amidst the pristine white snow, only a few figures flashed by. The boisterous laughter and chatter of yesteryear seemed to have faded into the past, disappearing into the vast expanse of time.
Yao Guang pushed open the door at the right moment and gently draped the cloak over the girl.
"Girl, we should go back now."
Wen Lingzheng nodded slightly.
The north wind blew in my face, and even though I had a veil or hat to block it, it was still quite cold.
The coachman, who had been waiting outside, quickly put down the footstool.
The cart wheels rolled across the snow, quietly and smoothly.
Wen Lingzheng looked up at the window and couldn't help but sigh.
This year has been eventful.
With the war in the north at a stalemate, another major flood struck the Jiangnan region in late summer.
The breached dikes flooded the towns, leaving the people with nothing to eat and displaced.
The emperor devoted himself to the task, and relief grain and silver poured into the south like a flowing river. Just when the situation in Jiangnan was finally stabilized, the second prince fell ill.
The emperor's family had few heirs.
Five years after the Emperor and Empress's marriage, only Empress Shen and Lady Kangping had children in the Forbidden City.
The child is young and delicate.
The eldest son and second daughter of the Emperor, born to Lady Kangping, died young, before they could even be named.
Empress Shen's eldest daughter, Li Zhen, grew up healthy until the age of three, but the second prince, Li Hong, suffered from constant illnesses, both major and minor, from birth.
A cold snap swept through Shengjing in early autumn, triggering the prince's congenital ailment. The poor child, not even two years old, ultimately did not survive the winter.
The emperor and empress were deeply grieved by the sudden loss of their son.
The emperor suspended court for three days, and Empress Shen fainted several times.
Even though the emperor and empress were so grief-stricken, the officials refused to give up and repeatedly petitioned the emperor to replenish the harem and continue the imperial line.
The emperor was furious, but there was nothing he could do.
Fortunately, Empress Shen was diagnosed with pregnancy by the physician, and Consort Jiang was also pregnant, so the matter was finally resolved.
Subconsciously tightening her cloak, Wen Lingzheng sighed, "This winter seems a bit colder than usual."
"It's going to get even colder!"
Yao Guang reached out and closed the window tightly.
The sunlight streaming through the window was dazzling and made one feel somewhat disoriented.
I wonder how the war in the North is going...
Wen Lingzheng lowered her head and muttered to herself, "I heard from Yuheng that the plum blossoms in the outskirts of Beijing are all in bloom!"
She held the cool jade in her hand and rubbed it, as if trying to smooth out the carved veins on it.
Yao Guang sighed softly, "These plum blossoms have bloomed and faded countless times! How can you still remember, young lady!"
The sudden jolting of the carriage stopped Wen Lingzheng from speaking.
The crowd ahead blocked the road, forcing the coachman to stop the carriage by the side of the road.
She lifted the curtain and looked outside, only to catch a glimpse of a familiar face.
Liu the tailor?
The girl she remembered, with her round face and smiling eyes, always beaming at everyone, now had lifeless eyes.
She was half-crouching, holding a blood-soaked child. Opposite her were a doctor shaking his head and sighing, and a horse foaming at the mouth.
A twitch appeared between Wen Lingzheng's brows, and she suddenly remembered something.
Horses must not gallop on the main street unless it is for urgent business.
The Criminal Code further stipulates that "anyone who rides a carriage or horse without cause in the streets and alleys of the city or among crowds shall be flogged fifty times."
Even though there are already criminal laws in place, some people are still not afraid.
Of Emperor Taizu's three sons and one daughter, besides Emperor Taizong Li Zhao and Princess Yongqing Li Xin, there were also Prince Xiang Li Yao and Prince Gong Li Jing.
Although there was much discussion in the court about establishing another Prince Xiang as the heir apparent, Prince Xiang himself seemed to have no intention of doing so.
After Emperor Taizong ascended the throne, he spent his days indulging in nature and becoming addicted to wine and women.
He made no progress in politics, but was an expert in domestic affairs.
With more than a dozen children, both legitimate and illegitimate, the clan was uniquely large and prosperous.
But with more offspring, there are naturally more problems to deal with.
Li Che, the second son of the Prince of Xiang, was a notorious playboy in Shengjing City. Before he was even thirty, he had a house full of wives and concubines and spent his days bullying men and women and doing all sorts of bad things.
Prince Gong, Li Jing, was different from Prince Xiang.
He was cautious and meticulous, and was strictly controlled by the Princess Consort of Gong. He did not have any concubines in his household, and therefore only had one son, Prince Gong's heir, Li Xun.
Unfortunately, Li Xun was a disappointment.
Not only did he achieve nothing in politics, but he also indulged in brothels all day long, ruining his good health to the point that he could not tolerate any nourishment.
How did Li Xun die in the end?
It seems he was pushed on the main street, hit his head on the steps, and fell to his death.
Wen Lingzheng felt a chill run down her spine.
She vaguely remembered that Li Xun died on a snowy day.
The incident began when Li Che was pulling Li Xun across the main street on his horse, which resulted in the death of a young child. In her grief and anger, the child's mother pushed Li Xun, who was closest to her.
Unexpectedly, Li Xun exhausted himself in the red-light district and fell on the steps, dying on the spot.
Li Xun died young, and as a father, Prince Gong was naturally deeply grieved.
Despite his ailing health, he knelt outside the Funing Palace all night, pleading with the Emperor to severely punish the murderer and implicate his family.
However, according to criminal law, Li Xun's act of riding his horse on the main street and killing a child was already a serious mistake.
The government had to pay attention to the overwhelming public anger, but Prince Gong was different.
It was precisely because of this incident that Prince Gong became completely estranged from the Emperor and turned to support the Emperor's eldest half-brother, Prince Liang, Li Heng, in launching a rebellion in the nineteenth year of the Xuanren reign.
Hatred filled her eyes, and Wen Lingzheng bit her lips tightly. The intense pain gradually brought her back to her senses, and a figure appeared in her mind.
A herbal medicine shop in the suburbs of Beijing!
If he were here, this child would most likely be saved!
Having made up her mind, she lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down without a second thought. The coachman, who was about to place a footstool, was startled and exclaimed, "Young lady, be careful!"
The speed at which things were developing had exceeded Wen Lingzheng's expectations.
She immediately noticed a woman standing to the side.
It was clearly the dead of winter, yet the person was only wearing a thin short-sleeved shirt and skirt.
The armband wrapped around her neck and tied a knot on her back. In the snow, her wheat-colored skin looked white from the cold.
Wen Lingzheng saw her stiffly raise her head, a hint of a smile flashing in her otherwise emotionless eyes.
not good!
Seeing the woman rushing straight towards Li Xun, Wen Lingzheng darted out from the crowd like a fish and grabbed her waist.
Women who are used to doing rough work have great strength.
Wen Lingzheng almost broke free, so she had to use her body weight and momentum to pull her down.
Li Xun was so frightened by the woman's sudden action that he collapsed to the spot.
His once dazed eyes were finally filled with terror, and cold sweat soaked his clothes, making it difficult for him to recover for a long time.
The loud impact startled everyone present.
The lecherous servants beside Li Xun, who were already exhausted, finally realized what was happening and hurriedly stepped forward to help him up.
Unexpectedly, Li Xun was covered in flesh.
Not only did they fail to help him up, but they all fell over in a heap, leaving Li Xun breathless with fright.
The woman's weight mostly pressed down on Wen Lingzheng's slender arms.
The pain struck suddenly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead.
The chaotic exclamations around her jolted the woman awake. She numbly got up from the ground and slumped down.
There wasn't a single tear in her eyes, but she kept her gaze fixed on Liu the tailor, refusing to look away.
"Sister-in-law!"
Liu the tailor seemed to have just come to his senses.
She sadly put down the weak-breathing child in her arms and crawled to the woman's side.
She held the stiff woman in her arms, and warm tears finally flowed out, wetting the woman's shoulders.
Yao Guang, standing in the crowd, nearly fainted from fright.
Her petite figure weaved through the crowd, being jostled from side to side, and finally managed to reach Wen Lingzheng's side.
Yao Guang panicked: "Miss..."
She tried hard to calm herself down, but she couldn't control the trembling in her voice.
"I'm fine."
Wen Lingzheng tried her best to force a smile to comfort Yao Guang, but the sharp pain in her elbow made her gasp for breath.
She struggled to her feet and, with Yao Guang's help, slowly moved to the child's side.
It's still breathing!
Wen Lingzheng breathed a sigh of relief.
The snowflakes fell softly, as if weaving a natural thin blanket on the ground.
The distant sound of horses' hooves reached my ears.
"Oh."
"Brother Xun, how did you manage to get yourself into this state just by riding a horse?"
The man's arrogant and disdainful laughter shattered the surrounding tranquility.
Wen Lingzheng looked back along with everyone else present.
Amidst the swirling snowflakes, a young man dressed in fine clothes sat astride his horse.
He glanced down at the crowd, letting the horse impatiently stamp its front hooves.
The surrounding crowd moved aside on their own initiative, and Li Xun scrambled to his feet.
He stared intently at Li Che, filled with resentment.
How dare you ask that!
"This horse is yours, why did it suddenly go out of control and go berserk?"
"You culprit!"
Li Che scoffed.
"Brother Xun, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want!"
"I delivered this horse to your Prince Gong's Mansion several days in advance!"
Li Xun was speechless.
He made a move to charge at Li Che, but the horse neighed and took two more steps forward. He couldn't avoid it in time and fell into the snow.
Extremely disheveled.
"you!"
He lay on the ground, unable to get up for a long time. Looking at Li Che's smiling face, Li Xun felt it was an eyesore.
Only then did he realize that he had probably been tricked, but what should he do now?
Li Xun glanced at the child covered in blood and trembled uncontrollably.
Wen Lingzheng didn't care about Li Xun's actions.
She simply had Yao Tingguang summon the coachman and shouted to Liu the tailor and her sister-in-law, "Stop crying, what's the use of crying? If we hurry, she can still be saved!"
Wen Lingzheng's words drew skepticism from an elderly man with white hair in the crowd.
He stroked his white beard, his tone revealing a hint of dissatisfaction.
"I have been practicing medicine for over twenty years. Is this young lady questioning me?"
"This child's spleen is damaged; how can he be saved?"
She chuckled softly. Wen Lingzheng's gaze swept over the old man.
The sharp, piercing gaze made the old man feel uneasy, and he involuntarily took a step back.
Did she find out?
No, no, no, she's just a little girl!
After instructing the coachman to put the child in the carriage, Wen Lingzheng shouted again to Liu the tailor and her sister-in-law, "If this drags on any longer, she'll really be beyond saving!"
Having experienced both great sorrow and great joy, the woman was clearly still reeling.
As if waking from a dream, Liu the tailor wept with joy. She helped the woman who had collapsed to the ground and followed Wen Lingzheng toward the carriage.
Li Che frowned in the crowd.
His attendant, as if sensing something, stepped in front of Wen Lingzheng and the others, saying, "Miss, you can't take this child away."
Li Che looked at Li Xun, his eyes seemingly concerned but actually revealing a shrewd calculation.
"Brother Xun, you should think this through carefully."
"When Master Feng arrives later, and this child is acting recklessly again, how will you explain yourself?"
Damn it!
Seeing that Li Xun was beginning to waver, Wen Lingzheng clenched her fist.
She took a deep breath and turned around, trying to remain polite.
"Prince Xiang was brave and skilled in battle, and loved his people like his own children."
"Young Prince, you are now disregarding the life of this child. Aren't you afraid of damaging your reputation?"
His smile froze on his face, and Li Che's gaze gradually turned dangerous.
He stared at Wen Lingzheng as if she were an ant he could crush effortlessly.
"Such arrogance."
He pointed at the gray-haired doctor and smiled in a disgusting way: "Old Fu is a doctor who is famous far and wide. Even he couldn't save this child. What makes you think this child can be saved?"
"Because I said this child could be saved!"
The boy's clear voice blended into the drifting snow.
Everyone turned to look.
Snowflakes illuminated the sky, and in the sparse north wind, a person came from afar.
He wore a blue robe and carried a simple medicine box.
It's him!
Wen Lingzheng leaned weakly against Yao Guang.
She looked at the two women, Liu the tailor and her sister-in-law, to the side, and breathed a sigh of relief: "The child can be saved."
Upon seeing the newcomer, Li Xun was first taken aback, then overjoyed.
"Sound and true!"
"You're back?"
A note from the author:
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“Anyone who rides a carriage or horse without cause in the streets and alleys of the city or among the crowd shall be flogged fifty times.” — Here, “riding” refers to galloping.
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