"My tooth hurts," Chu Yening suddenly smiled slyly, and quickly leaned down...
Prince Jing's heir wanted to frame his son for cheating in the imperial examinations and sought out the great Confucian scholar Master Han to tutor his son, but to no avail. Meanwhile, Sun Zheng had been waiting for many years, believing that he could become the top scholar or even the third-ranked scholar in one day. However, the imperial examination in the new year was still far away, so he also failed to achieve his goal.
These events, which never actually happened, allowed Prince Jing's heir to avoid serious consequences and only suffer the removal from the imperial genealogy, being demoted to a commoner. Although he had lost a leg, he could still live a carefree life privately with the money given to him by Prince Jing after this turmoil subsided. Liang Xu, on the other hand, could also escape the turmoil because his younger brother was willing to confess.
When Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he followed the ways of ordinary couples, having only one wife and one empress throughout his life, without establishing any concubines; the harem was essentially non-existent. Emperor Taizu was brave and wise, valued and employed capable people, and treated others with kindness.
The mother of the nation was approachable, kind, and benevolent, treating all the people with kindness. She once traveled incognito among the common people and was praised as a "virtuous empress" and a "benevolent ruler." As a result, members of the royal family followed the example of the emperor and empress in treating their principal wives well, or not taking concubines or establishing secondary wives.
The fact that Prince Jing's son had concealed for many years that he had a child with a concubine is not worth mentioning, but he was so foolish as to collude with court officials to carry out the kind of corruption that Emperor Taizu hated most during his lifetime.
Liang Xu had thought that peace would finally be restored, and the Liang family would have a chance to rise again. But no one could have imagined that the arrow he cruelly shot at his younger brother would be intercepted, and that his brother, out of brotherly affection, would hurl insults at him in the bustling marketplace, each word like a raging storm.
He was heartbroken to abandon his younger brother, only to avenge him when he regained his position as commander of the Zhenfu Division.
Jiang Zhao, the heir who had already left the Prince Jing's mansion, never expected that the imposter he had secretly chosen for his son's official career would actually arrive in the capital alive.
Although there was no court assembly today, the incident of students causing trouble in front of the palace gates had already spread throughout the city, causing a great uproar. Therefore, Emperor Kang Le quickly summoned all his ministers to the palace.
Emperor Kang Le was already furious. Seeing that all the officials had arrived, he said, "Summon the students from Qianzhou to the palace."
The ministers whispered among themselves. This Prince Jing's heir, Jiang Zhao, was a man of great foresight and planning for his son, whom he had only had in his middle age. However, the fact that he had not yet accomplished what he wanted to do and that he had already accomplished represented two different outcomes. The fact that Jiang Zhao was able to escape and be demoted to a commoner was already a sign that the emperor had shown leniency towards the family of Prince Jing, the youngest brother whom Emperor Taizu cared about the most.
But who could have imagined that the Prince of Jing's heir would send someone to assassinate a powerless and weak scholar?
If the scholar had died quietly, that would have been one thing, but now he has appeared in the capital city perfectly well, joining other students who have also studied diligently for years, and is about to compete with the powerful and influential people in the capital.
Not long after, Fang Xun, a student from Qianzhou, entered the hall.
Emperor Kangxi had by this time come to know this “weak” scholar who was fearless of power and dared to tear up books in front of the palace gates.
"Is the visitor Fang Xun?" the emperor asked sternly.
Undeterred by the gazes cast upon him by the assembled court officials, Fang Xun stepped forward and knelt, saying, "This humble subject, Fang Xun, greets Your Majesty."
Emperor Kang Le acknowledged with a "Hmm," and then asked, "Fang Xun, what crime have the common people committed? I have noted those words. But everything requires evidence. Do you have any evidence to prove that the common people intended to assassinate you? If this is not true, aren't you afraid that I will punish you for a grave offense of disrespect by having the students gather outside the palace gates?"
Fang Xun had already gotten up and taken out the items that had been searched by the palace guards after he entered the palace, and then Chen Guiyi took them and presented them to Emperor Kang Le.
He replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Majesty, this is both physical evidence and witness testimony."
Upon closer inspection, the ministers discovered it was a sole that had not yet been fitted with a shoe upper.
Fang Xun continued, "This spring, after the rain, I suffered from a headache and did not sleep at night. Suddenly, I heard a slight noise in the courtyard, but I did not get up. I only held a dagger to protect myself in case of any unforeseen events."
"Until the next morning, I found a man's shoe print in my yard. So my aunt made a mold that matched the print left in the mud after the rain."
Fang Xun continued, "As for the witness, when I entered the palace, he was already being escorted by the palace guards and waiting outside the hall. I think if someone wanted to assassinate me in Qianzhou, they would definitely send someone familiar with my hometown. Therefore, this piece of evidence and this person should be the same person."
Emperor Kang Le now looked at the scholar, who appeared very poor and thin, covered in patches of coarse cloth, with admiration in his eyes.
If this scholar's "false words" could come true one day and he could achieve his lofty ambitions, he might become a great help to the prince in due time.
He's old.
Soon, an eunuch entered the hall carrying a document in both hands, which Chen Guiyi accepted again.
Emperor Kang Le glanced at it only once, then said, "Summon the witnesses."
When the ministers heard the sound again, they saw that the assassin who had been brought to the palace was now disheveled and covered in mud and grime. Who else could he be but a trusted follower of Prince Jing?
The courtiers were in uproar, then suddenly remembered that the man who had attempted to assassinate a prisoner from the Court of Judicial Review earlier that day had vanished without a trace. The emperor personally dispatched the newly appointed commander, Marquis Jingning, to investigate the matter.
Emperor Kangxi, however, changed the subject: "Minister Liang, what else do you have to say?" After a pause, the emperor seemed lost in thought, and after a long while, he spoke again: "Or perhaps, what else does your youngest son have to say?"
Liang Shuwen's teeth chattered as he recalled witnessing his usually taciturn youngest son openly discussing the Qin family's past. Before entering the palace, he had also seen Xu Lin, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and others take his eldest son away from the mansion once again.
His youngest son is disobedient; this time, the Liang family is doomed.
Thinking of this, he shakily took off his official hat, revealing a conspicuous scar on his forehead between his temples.
This scar was left nine years ago when he risked his life to save the emperor during his incognito travels.
He slowly said, "I am muddle-headed and incompetent. In recent years, my eyesight has deteriorated and my family is in turmoil. How can I, in my ignorance, shoulder this important responsibility in the court?"
Emperor Kang Le's face was stern: "Minister Liang, are you threatening me?"
He roared again, "Summon Prince Jing to the palace!"
The autumn rain lasted for three days before stopping, and the capital city was already chilled to the bone.
Liang Lang entered Dali Temple in a long robe worn at the end of summer, and when he looked up again, the air was filled with the fragrance of osmanthus blossoms.
The group had a rare lunch together at the Marquis of Chengyi's residence. Since it was at her maternal grandparents' home, Jiang Yuanfu also made a rare trip out of the palace to meet with them.
Gazing intently at the osmanthus blossoms falling in the wind throughout the garden, Jiang Yuanfu stared blankly. Qin Weixi took the cloak from Zi Shu's hand and draped it over her shoulders, which Jiang Yuanfu accepted without hesitation.
Zi Shu smiled and said, "Miss, the princess will listen to you."
Qin Weixi smiled and looked down at Jiang Yuanfu, who was sitting with her arms crossed in the rattan chair: "Why have you been sick so often lately?"
Jiang Yuanfu smiled faintly, then said nonchalantly, "Perhaps it's because life in the palace is so boring."
At this moment, Zhao Shuhan came out of the house and saw the two of them standing under the eaves looking at the osmanthus tree. One of them looked down at the person looking at the osmanthus. She stepped forward with relief and said, "Seeing the two of you together always reminds me of your childhood."
"I'll go make you some tea."
The two watched Zhao Shuhan leave, and then they could vaguely hear the voices of several men talking inside the house.
Someone laughed and said, "Let him live well for now, but now it's just as the old man said before, that living is definitely more painful for him than dying."
Then a gentle voice rang out: "After Liang Xu was imprisoned, Lord Xu, having received my decree, did not speak much to him, but only talked with his subordinates about what happened back then. Liang Xu only said that there was no evidence in the Qin family case, and that his younger brother, who was frightened into a stupor, could not be imprisoned based on just a few words. But in the end, no one was killed, and my uncle and his son were also exiled. Now, it can be considered that the father-son relationship between the two has been fulfilled."
Tao Qingjun rarely detected a hint of teasing in Jiang Yuanjun's words, and she was in a very pleasant mood.
"That Liang traitor has not only been dismissed from his post, but he can no longer serve as an official in the court, and his descendants are also barred from taking the imperial examinations. He can only live off the money his father has accumulated. But now that he's approaching thirty and still unmarried, where will he find descendants? What family would be blind enough to marry a perfectly good girl to him?"
"Old fox, is this all just a setup to wait for Liang Xu? If so, I won't stand for it. Brother A-Shuo won't be able to rest in peace either."
Chu Yening poured himself a cup of sake but didn't drink it. He then stirred the clear sake with his chopsticks.
Do you think I would comply?
He believed that peace and tranquility were just the beginning of the real bloodshed.
The weather grew increasingly cold. The scandal of cheating in the imperial examinations had been resolved, with some being exiled and others dismissed from their posts. It seemed that everything in the capital was back to normal.
But the storm has only just begun.
On this day, Emperor Kangxi summoned Marquis Jingning to the palace. The two played a game of chess in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and then the emperor invited him to stay for lunch.
Since early spring, the court has been rife with events, both major and minor. Emperor Kang Le's hair, which had already seen a sudden increase in silver strands, has now grown even more.
After lunch, the two of them sat down to drink tea while staring at the unfinished game of chess.
Chu Yening smiled and asked, "What's troubling you, Uncle?"
Emperor Kang Le chuckled, his demeanor unlike that of a majestic emperor in the court, more like that of a kind old man: "There's plenty. Whether it's that unfilial son of Prince Jing or the eldest son of the Liang family, I know all about the tricks those sly little devils are up to behind the scenes."
Chu Yening raised an eyebrow upon hearing this.
Emperor Kang Le then asked, "Ye Ning, are you aware of these things?"
Before Chu Yening could answer, Emperor Kang Le continued, "Uncle is confused; you must not know the truth." With that, the emperor slammed the lid of his teacup shut. "These days I keep dreaming of Xuzhi, your father, and the Emperor..."
Chu Yening seemed not to hear, picked up another black piece from the chessboard, and said with a smile, "Uncle, would you like to play chess again?"
"Playing chess?" Emperor Kang Le was momentarily distracted but quickly came to his senses. As if he had thought of something, he dismissed the palace servants guarding the hall and said, "A Rong entered the palace some time ago. After all, it was Uncle who watched her grow up."
"The young girl went to your aunt crying and then came to your uncle, saying that she has admired a handsome young man since childhood. Now, her close friends are either married early or have just become brides. Now that she has lost her father, she only wants to find a satisfactory marriage."
"Ye Ning..."
"Don't marry."
As dusk fell, two eunuchs, each carrying a palace lantern, led the way for the young marquis, who now wore an icy expression.
They didn't know why, but they knew that the young Marquis Jingning entered the palace with a smile and left with a cold face.
Jiuqu and Songyang waited for their master by the carriage of the Marquis's residence outside the palace, one on the left and one on the right. When they saw him come out, they were all smiles before entering the palace, but now they were expressionless.
The two stepped forward, and Jiuqu tentatively asked, "Lord Marquis?"
Chu Yening raised her eyelids slightly and glanced at the two of them indifferently before quickly running into the carriage.
Jiuqu approached Songyang and asked, "Brother Bai, are you returning to your residence?"
Song Yang glanced at him indifferently, raised his chin but didn't say where he was going.
Seeing this, Jiuqu curled her lip and said, "If you don't want to be beaten with a stick, I'll take you somewhere."
On the way, Songyang told the Ice Man in the carriage about what he had observed that day.
Before long, the carriage of the Marquis of Jingning's residence stopped in front of the Luo residence. Chu Yening dusted off the thin layer of dust on his body and got off the carriage. Suddenly, he took a heavy money bag from his waist and threw it to Jiuqu, who was waiting beside him.
"reward."
Jiuqu took the purse, weighed it in his hand, and hurriedly followed, grinning as he said, "Thank you, Lord Marquis." Just as he was about to give Songyang a smug smile, he saw that his twin brother, Bai, didn't even give him a glance and went straight into the Luo residence.
Inside Tingyu Pavilion, it was already dusk, and Qin Weixi, after bathing and washing, was only wearing a thin shirt. Seeing that the weather was getting cooler, Luo Ling had already ordered people to buy a lot of fluffy lichen to lay on the second floor of Tingyu Pavilion to prevent this girl who loved the cool from catching a chill.
The guards of the Luo residence were already used to the arrival of visitors. Chu Yening instructed the two men, "Go to Brother Luo's study and inform him."
Jiuqu chuckled and said, "Isn't Your Excellency going?"
Chu Yening chuckled coldly, "You stupid idiot, stop making noise!" He made a move to take back the money bag from Jiuqu's hand, but Jiuqu dodged and quickly slipped away.
As night deepened and the autumn wind grew chilly, the small window, which had been tightly closed, was suddenly disturbed from the outside. Qin Weixi, who was alone in his bedroom on the second floor, heard the noise and his ears perked up. He quickly picked up the short dagger under his pillow and the hidden arrow beside it.
She walked quietly down the wooden steps leading to the first floor, when she heard a soft laugh from outside the small window: "It's me."
At this moment, Qin Weixi's jet-black hair cascaded down her shoulders, her bright eyes sparkling. Her fair face, though unadorned with makeup, was even more radiant and charming. The snow-white neck peeking out from her begonia-red thin shirt resembled a begonia blossom blooming on a desolate, snow-capped mountain.
Chu Yening stood on the narrow balcony outside the window, gazing at the scene before him, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
"Fourth Brother?" Qin Weixi was full of surprise and subconsciously opened the window.
Chu Yening took the opportunity to climb through the window and enter.
A wisp of cool air swept into the room, and Chu Yening turned around and quickly closed the window. Qin Weixi was also suddenly startled by the coolness and subconsciously looked around at herself, her eyelids twitching.
Before she could think any further, the person in front of her had already draped the cloak over her back with a wave of their hand, then wrapped it tightly inside and tied it with a knot.
Upon seeing this, Qin Weixi suddenly recalled their encounter at Xiaguang Peak after returning to the capital, where he was wearing a heavy cloak while she was already soaked with sweat from the heat in her undergarments.
She instinctively grasped his hands again; they were ice-cold.
He endured more than three thousand days and nights of wind, sand, rain, and snow in the Northwest, but it was there that he developed a cold.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Chu Yening turned around and firmly grasped her in his palm again.
She said, "Fourth Brother, it's getting cold, wear more clothes."
Chu Yening smiled upon hearing this, but just as he was about to speak, he suddenly hissed, his expression showing a hint of pain.
She asked, "What's wrong?"
"toothache."
She leaned closer, stood on tiptoe, and poked his right cheek with a finger: "Open your mouth, let me see."
Chu Yening suddenly smiled slyly, quickly leaned over and pointed to the spot she had just poked, saying, "It hurts here."
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