After lunch, Minglan took a sedan chair to tour the marquis's mansion.
Spring is a time of flourishing, but the courtyard's once vibrant, brocade-like blossoms withered overnight, trampled into mud by the desperate footsteps of those rushing through the darkness. Though the smooth bluestone slabs had been washed repeatedly, a few still showed a faint, dark red stain, especially in Kouxiangyuan. Deaths had been reported inside and outside the house, and several timid maids cried, afraid to enter. Minglan couldn't force them, so she planned to find a new place for Rong Jie'er to live. The original location was a bit remote to begin with, so she simply turned it over and used it for other purposes.
The worst is yet to come.
The nearly half-foot-thick vermilion lacquered door slowly swung open with an eerie creaking sound of metal. Looking down the bluestone steps extending outward, the ground outside the door was covered with mottled bloodstains. The boiling oil that was stuck to human skin and hair had cooled and solidified into charred black blocks. Even though the corpses and body parts had been cleaned up, the thick purple and fishy smell was still horrifying.
There were several tree trunks as thick as cup rims lying on the ground. No one knew which house the thieves had cut them from. Most of the large brass nails on the door had been knocked off and were scattered all over the place. The doorman Liu was muttering to himself, "It's a good thing they weren't gilded back then. I could pick them up and melt them down so they can still be used."
Minglan wanted to laugh, but couldn't.
After returning to Jiaxiju, he lay on the kang mattress in a depressed mood, staring at the sky which was gradually turning yellowish and golden.
Before dinner, Tu Lao Da returned from outside and knelt before Ming Lan in front of the curtains in the corridor. His face was extremely ugly, as if he had just been cuckolded. He was feeling very uncomfortable but could not say anything. "...Han San is really not clean! I didn't discipline him well enough. Please punish me, Madam."
He led a few guards to the Han family and searched them, and surprisingly found two newly transferred land deeds and one hundred taels of gold - Tu Hu was so angry that he wanted to chop the man into minced meat.
Minglan was slightly surprised: "Master Tiger has taken action?" Although Han San was a surrendered person, his family members were all of good origin.
"That's not the case!" said Boss Tu dejectedly. "We're just keeping him under observation now. It's not appropriate to make any decisions now. We'll settle the score later."
Minglan nodded tiredly, "That's good. Whether to beat or kill them, we'll make the decision when the Marquis returns."
She was so tired of being forced to deal with this kind of thing constantly, someone who advocated a peaceful and lazy lifestyle like her. She consoled Boss Tu with a few words, saying that the undercover agent had clearly failed, so there was no need to be overly upset. She could just nip it in the bud in the bud.
By the third day, although martial law had not yet been lifted, the atmosphere had noticeably relaxed, and many anxious families had secretly sent servants to exchange news. The first to arrive was from the Duke of Ying's residence, asking again if everything was safe and sound. He also told Minglan that if she needed anything, whether it was guards, doctors, or medicine, she could ask for it. Madam Zhang even joked that the Duke of Ying's residence had been on guard all night the night before, and none of the supplies they had prepared had been used at all.
Minglan was deeply moved. No wonder, for decades, Madam Zhang had always been one of the most influential figures in the imperial family circle in the capital. Judging from her actions, she was indeed a person of great courage. Not long after, the daughter of this person of great courage also wrote a letter; the short note was written in a violent and angry handwriting.
The night before yesterday, things were not peaceful at the Prince's uncle's house either, but it was actually just a simple robbery - "My foolish sister has wasted nearly twenty years of her life, conceited about the reputation of the Zhang family, and with her accumulated prestige, she thought no one would dare to touch her. I never expected that there would be a robbery the night before last"!
Zhang had truly learned something new. She had never imagined that one day, a thief would be so bold as to dare to bully her! She was depressed for a long time before she realized that the family's surname was Chen, not Zhang. Even though her father's reputation for defeat was now flying everywhere, no pickpocket dared to open a business within a three-mile radius of the Duke of Ying's mansion.
The letter said that without an internal traitor, there would be no external thief. The root of the trouble was that the Zou family had caused trouble by flaunting their wealth outside.
"What did the Zou family do outside?" Minglan asked.
The servant who came to report the news also spoke with a gloomy face: "...Those evil-hearted people in the Zou family said that the prince's uncle was seriously injured outside. If anything happens, the prince will take the throne in a blink of an eye. My uncle is a big stone. When the time comes, I will have to ask for advice on everything! The husband dies and the son follows. Let's see if Zhang can stand up? Alas, after the interrogation, our wife was also very angry..."
The nonsense in the tavern caught the attention of some ruffians who were determined to get them drunk and make friends with them. Then they found out the true situation of the Shen family's inner house. Then they took advantage of the chaos in the capital and tricked the back door of the Shen family into opening in the dark night under the name of the Zou family. After entering, they started to kill and rob.
Fortunately, Zhang was well prepared. Upon hearing the news, he hurriedly led his guards to kill the bandits. How could ordinary bandits be a match for the brave soldiers trained by the Duke of Yingguo's mansion? In a short while, they had killed or captured many of them.
Zhang was filled with resentment - after all, those preparations were originally for more serious and larger-scale political persecution!
Immediately, she personally shot and wounded several thieves with her bow. Two of the bravest thieves, after being captured, were still arrogant and intimidating in the room full of women and children, spewing foul language. Zhang was furious and without a word, she slashed off the ears of the two thieves with a few swift strokes of her sword and threw them to the ground to feed the black mastiff. The whole place was solemn and no one in the Shen Mansion dared to speak.
The boy said this with a look of pride, and Minglan was so good at it.
From then on, everyone in the Shen family would avoid Zhang when they saw her. Zhang lived a very stylish life for the next few decades. The concubines didn't dare to talk back to her, and the stepchildren didn't dare to nag her. It's hard to say whether it was a blessing in disguise, but let's not talk about that for now.
In addition, the women of the Duan, Zhong, and Geng families have not yet returned home from the palace, and the reason is still unknown; the servants who went to the Bo and Fu families finally received a reply, saying that they were attacked on the way and trapped in civilian households. They did not rush back to report until the martial law was relaxed. They all said that the two families were fine - especially the Bo family, whose women had gone to the countryside with Old Madam Bo early on.
The letter from the Sheng residence was the thickest, written by Changfeng, a profuse, over ten pages long. Minglan patiently read it all, unable to resist complaining about her "Third Brother's awesomeness." The story was simple: that day, Father Sheng went to work as usual, ate a bowl of rice and half a roast chicken, then began to review Changfeng's homework. He'd just gotten to the point of "If you don't pass the Autumn Examination this time, I'll..." before he could utter a harsh word when chaos erupted outside.
The capital was under martial law, and Father Sheng had to be unemployed for two days and has not been able to return to work since then - this is the case for most civil servants; it can only be said that compared to the last time the rebel king rebelled, the hardest-hit area has shifted.
It was a simple letter home, with no major or minor news, but it was filled with ornate language and exquisite rhyme. It used three allusions in a row just to lament the unstable current situation. Even the kitchen lady, who couldn't go out to the street to buy fresh vegetables and fruits, had to recite a self-composed doggerel of "Lingxiao creates chaos and the Kitchen God sighs."
Tuan Ge'er's eyes were wide open, and he refused to go to sleep no matter how much he was coaxed. As a result, Minglan read the letter to her son. After reading only one and a half pages, the little fat boy drooped his head and became drowsy.
"Come on, I don't expect you to study anymore. From now on, just follow your dad and practice breaking rocks with your chest." Minglan touched her son's chubby arms and legs resignedly. His little belly rose and fell, and he had already fallen asleep.
The news from the Zheng family came very late, and it was not until dusk that we got the news - but it was even worse than the news that the prince's mansion was robbed.
The servant choked up and said, "...My old master passed away the day before yesterday, and this morning, the old lady also...passed away."
Within three days, both elders passed away?!
Minglan was extremely shocked: "What do you mean? He was fine, how could he just disappear...?" She wanted to find out the truth, but Madam Zheng was strict in managing the household, so the servant just shook his head and refused to say another word.
"...Over the years, the old master and the old lady have been ill all the time... The eldest lady told me to pass on a message, saying that she and the second lady are both busy at the moment, and that she will discuss the details with Madam Gu when she has time."
Seeing that the servant was sweating and panting from exhaustion, yet still spoke appropriately and followed the rules, Minglan admired Madam Zheng's ability. She asked Luzhi to give him a handful of copper coins as a reward and then had someone send him out.
Mother Cui watched the figure disappear at the door before she said, "Madam, this is not right. A few days ago, we delivered the fruit wine that had been brewed for a whole winter to the Zheng family. Aren't Old Master Zheng and Old Madam Zheng still fine? As the old saying goes, a thin shoulder pole is used to carry things on a curved pole. This, this..." She said "this" several times in a row but couldn't say anything else.
Minglan understood what she meant. The longer an elderly person had been bedridden, the less likely they were to die suddenly. It would usually take three or two days from the time they were critically ill to the time they breathed their last. It was really strange that the two elders had been fine a few days ago and had passed away suddenly.
After thinking for a long time, she still couldn't figure it out. Minglan hated her poor imagination and was confused all night, hugging her pillow. As a result, the next morning, someone came to her house to help her solve the mystery.
Mrs. Liu was wearing a half-worn ochre jacket with dark gold thread patterns, a finger-wide dark red velvet headband with a large pearl in the middle, her face was powdered, and small red flowers were inserted in her hair. She looked like a wealthy version of Granny Liu in the new society.
Minglan was having breakfast at that time, so she casually said "yes". Unexpectedly, Mrs. Liu said "yes" and started eating with her chopsticks.
She seemed to be in a very happy mood, and praised while eating: "The food at my sister's home is really exquisite. Wow, this glutinous rice soup is so fragrant... What's in it? Oh my, my sister is so pretty, and the fried fruits at home are also beautiful..."
Minglan despaired of this analogy and pulled up the corners of her mouth to laugh dryly. "No, no, these are all recipes passed down from ancient times." In a wealthy family, even the cooking skills are passed down from generation to generation. Which family doesn't have a few signature dishes that are the most famous? "If you like it, sister, I'll have someone copy a few copies and send them to you tomorrow."
"Don't worry about it." Madam Liu waved her hands quickly and grinned, "To be honest, no one in my family is used to the food in the capital, so we specially invited a chef from Sichuan before the New Year. I just said that, don't take it to heart... Since I was a child, the elders said that when you visit someone's home, you must praise them a lot." She chattered to herself for a long time.
Minglan opened her mouth and closed it again.
Madam Liu wasn't just nagging. After finishing her meal, she wiped her mouth and hands and, before Minglan could ask, she quite consciously explained her intention: "His father came back last night, and he was covered in blood... Oh, I won't tell you about this, for fear of frightening you... His father gave me a lot of instructions. He told me to tell you everything today, so you can be at ease and not worry yourself... Well, this... where should I begin? Hey, sister, what do you want to ask first?"
Of course, if Gu Tingwei died, would the Marquisate be safe? Would the old witch, the Madam Tai, be finished? Ah ah ah—it’s a pity! This was ancient times, and she was a first-rank imperial lady conferred by the court!
Minglan choked the words in her throat, laughed dryly, and said, "Of course, it's about whether the Emperor and Empress are doing well. As subjects, this is what we are most concerned about."
Mrs. Liu seemed deeply moved. "Sister, you are truly loyal to the emperor and patriotic."
Moved, and to show that she was no less politically conscious, she began to sing praises to the emperor.
"...That bunch of clowns, acting furtively and secretly, think they're so smart. Little do they know that our emperor is an unprecedented... that... rare wise ruler, and with the help of a star, he should have seen all this clearly. However, for the sake of the late emperor, I wanted to show some mercy to Empress Dowager Shengde and Prince Rui, mother and son, but who knew..."
Minglan, biting her tongue, interrupted, "Is it really related to Empress Dowager Shengde and Prince Rui?"
"Isn't it? I wonder who is so audacious as to forge an imperial decree to trick ministers' families into entering the palace." Madam Liu wiped her dry eyes, like the lead singer of a rural mourning band. "Oh my! Our Emperor is such a kind emperor. The Empress Dowager Shengde is not his biological mother, and she has never been promoted to empress. But because of a word from the late emperor, our Emperor visits him every morning and evening, obeys him in every way, is filial and considerate..."
Minglan deeply felt that the last three idioms were inappropriate, but seeing that the other person was in the midst of an emotional outburst, it was not easy to remind him.
"...They're praising and worshipping people, yet they're still not satisfied. They're determined to seize the throne from His Majesty! And that Concubine Rong, they're truly ruthless... It's a blessing that General Zheng is so loyal, otherwise our Emperor would have been in vain..."
Next, Mrs. Liu talked for more than half an hour - half of which was praising the achievements of the emperor. Xiaotao changed the teapot twice and Luzhi added snacks three times before she could give a general idea of what had happened.
In fact, according to Minglan's judgment, although Empress Dowager Shengde and her group had ulterior motives, the emperor, who was loved by everyone, was loyal and filial, and respected heaven and loved the people, might not be as pure and innocent as a lamb.
Over the past few years, as the power of the imperial faction (Zhang, Chen, Gu, Zheng, Duan, Liu, etc.) grew, the emperor became more aggressive, sparing no effort to weaken the Empress Dowager Shengde's faction. Among the important civil officials, there were either diehard emperor loyalists, led by Yao Ge Lao, or those who played the game, like the retired Zou Ge Lao.
Among the several old ministers who had been attending to the late emperor's affairs at his bedside, those who had been desperately advocating that the emperor should be filial to the Empress Dowager Shengde had been unknowingly sidelined or "reported to be old" in the past few years.
As for those of the third or fourth rank and below... Prince Rui is still young, and it is not clear how legitimate he is. Few of the young and strong cabinet ministers are willing to wade into the muddy water of fighting for the throne.
Seeing that the current emperor's throne was becoming more and more stable and his several princes were growing up, Empress Dowager Shengde and his family were anxious like a cat scratching its heart. On the other hand, the emperor felt uncomfortable as if there was a thorn stuck in his throat every time he saw the smart and intelligent Prince Rui.
The Empress Dowager Shengde and her followers wanted to take action, but they did not find a good opportunity and did not dare to do so; the emperor knew that they had evil intentions, but he could not take the initiative to attack, for fear of being branded as a person who did not respect his mother and did not take care of his sons and nephews.
The two factions were in a stalemate - just like in a civilized society, both countries want to start a war, but neither wants to bear the bad reputation of provoking a war, so they keep teasing each other and praying to God that the other side will fire the first shot.
By last year, the emperor felt that he had an overwhelming advantage and began to feel impatient.
So, he set up a plan to kill two birds with one stone.
I still remember that a few years ago, the Jie slaves took advantage of the new emperor's accession to the throne and launched a large-scale plundering campaign southward. Although they were eventually repelled, they still occupied several northwestern border towns. The emperor prepared for years and finally assembled a large army to suppress them, regaining his dignity - this is the first bird.
The army marched westward, the capital was empty, and it was a perfect 'opportunity' for rebellion. The evildoers were ready to make a move, and this was the perfect opportunity to lure the snake out of its hole - this was the second bird.
Empress Dowager Shengde came from a prominent family in the northwest. For decades, her family had extensive connections in the region, with relatives spread across the land, often controlling the military and political affairs of the northwest (it was these people who actively spread the news of Zhang and Gu's defeat). The emperor secretly instructed General Bo that conquering the enemy was secondary, and the primary focus was on pacifying the local area. If Empress Dowager Shengde could no longer restrain herself, that would be great; if she could not, then seize the opportunity to eliminate this major threat from the northwest in one fell swoop—this was the third bird.
It is said that there are a few other birds, but Mrs. Liu cannot explain them clearly, and Minglan herself cannot guess.
“Your Majesty, this is too dangerous. The entire army is out. What if something unexpected happens... well, what should we do...?” Although betting big can win more, if the God of Gamblers doesn’t bless you, you can easily lose everything.
"Who is our emperor? He is the true dragon emperor who has come down to earth..." Madam Liu once again enthusiastically praised the emperor's wisdom and bravery, and then revealed the truth - the emperor had secretly ordered General Zheng to act as a spy, to coordinate with Liu Zhengjie inside and outside, and to determine the overall situation.
Military power in the capital was divided among three groups: Liu Zhengjie's Imperial Guard, General Zheng's Imperial Guard and another general, and the Five Cities Military Command. To rebel, one had to incite at least one of these three groups.
Among the three groups of people, except for General Zheng, the other commanders were all military generals from humble backgrounds who were promoted by the emperor himself. When the confidant of Prince Rui, who was also a descendant of an aristocratic family, went to lobby them, General Zheng pretended to agree, preparing to capture them red-handed after the incident.
It should be said that General Zheng completed his task very well - usually mature and steady people are more convincing when they pretend to be serious, and things have been going very smoothly so far.
However, he never expected that not only the emperor knew about the spies planted in the enemy camp, but the other side also knew about it and planted two at once.
On the morning of the incident, the emperor left the court as usual, but suddenly fell headfirst and fell unconscious. Empress Dowager Sheng'an and the empress were at a loss and could only cry. The palace was in chaos, and Empress Dowager Shengde took the opportunity to make trouble.
"It was Concubine Rong who did it?!" Minglan's eyes were as red as bells when she heard this, "The Emperor dotes on her so much!" The relationship between the Emperor and the Empress was originally good, but because of her, the Empress had no idea how many times she had quarreled.
Madam Liu said bitterly, "That vixen!" No concubine in the world is a good person. "His father said it was Empress Dowager Shengde who tricked Concubine Rong, saying that besides the First and Second Princes, Concubine Rong's son was the oldest. And after the Emperor's death—bah, bah, it wasn't me who said the Emperor's death, it was his father who said it. Ahem, it wasn't his father who said it either, it was Empress Dowager Shengde who said it—then they'd push the blame for the Emperor's murder onto the Empress and her son, and the Third Prince would ascend the throne!"
"Empress Rong also believes this nonsense?!" Minglan found it unbelievable. In the past, when she went to the palace to meet with the emperor, she thought that Concubine Rong was quite intelligent. "Empress Dowager Shengde has a grandson of her own, why did she want to make Concubine Rong's son the emperor?"
Madam Liu scoffed loudly, "That vixen who uses her beauty... her beauty, uh, to please men, what's the brain in her? Empress Dowager Shengde coaxed and lied, saying that Prince Rui wasn't her grandson anyway, and they only saw each other a few times during festivals, so their affection was very thin. But the Third Prince often showed his filial respect to her, and she really liked him... Besides, isn't Concubine Rong at odds with the Empress? When the First Prince ascends the throne, will they still have a good life?"
Minglan remained silent. Though the Empress was kind and generous, she was not one to feign virtue. Concubine Rong was proud and high-born, and had enjoyed uninterrupted favor over the years. Furthermore, the Third Prince's success had made him almost as popular as the first two. The concubines often clashed with each other, and at the slightest disagreement, the Empress Dowager sometimes had to mediate.
Fear and greed are the simplest and most effective baits.
"What about now? Is the emperor in good health?" Minglan knew that the emperor must be fine at this moment, but she still couldn't suppress her fear.
Madam Liu clasped her hands together and bowed several times overhead. "Oh, my God... Thank goodness our emperor is so blessed. He spent the whole night reviewing memorials, and that morning he felt a little under the weather. He only had two mouthfuls of his favorite pastry, tea, and cheese... God is truly merciful..."
She had secretly cursed Rong Fei's eighteen generations of ancestors, including their mistresses. If the emperor fell, military generals like Gu Duan might still have a chance to survive, but her man, who started out as an internal security spy, would most likely be in danger.
Minglan also silently bowed several times to the void - if something happened to the emperor, even if Gu Tingye captured the Jienu Chanyu's seventh uncle alive, it would be hard to predict whether it would be a blessing or a curse.
Not only the inner palace, but Empress Dowager Shengde and her followers also put in a lot of effort elsewhere, and even instigated Teng Anguo, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Five Cities Military Department, to rebel.
Minglan blinked, and before her eyes appeared a man in his fifties with a gloomy look. She asked doubtfully, "I remember this Commander Teng...isn't he from the Qiandi Palace..."
Madam Liu spat, disdainfully saying, "That's exactly the guy! Speaking of which, he's been with the Emperor longer than anyone else. He doesn't have much talent, but he loves to flaunt his seniority. That year, at the Emperor's 30th birthday banquet, he jokingly called his father and the Emperor's uncle the 'Five Tigers,' and he actually got drunk and acted like a lunatic! After arriving in the capital, he even complained that the Emperor wasn't using him enough! It's only because our Emperor is kind, otherwise, no one would care about him!"
Minglan sighed in silence.
Chen, Gu, Duan and the others were all young and strong, and were still making great achievements. Teng Anguo had been feeling resentful, and seeing that he had less and less chance to make a breakthrough, he couldn't help but think of giving it a try.
After the two sides colluded, Teng Anguo took advantage of his power to release many rebels dressed in gangster clothes into the city one after another; soon, Liu Zhengjie realized that something was wrong and went to question Dou Laoxi, the commander-in-chief of the Five Cities Army.
Just when Dou Laoxi found out the truth, he was stabbed to death on his way home. To prevent Liu Zhengjie from finding out, the rebels had to take action immediately and wanted to eliminate Liu Zhengjie as well.
As a result, with Concubine Rong at home and Teng Anguo outside, General Zheng, who had just "rebelled", was dumbfounded.
——Honey, we agreed to work together inside and outside to catch them all in one fell swoop.
Fortunately, the emperor had made careful arrangements in advance, and Zheng Jun was alert, resourceful, and decisive. He turned against the enemy at the critical moment and captured Empress Dowager Shengde and Prince Rui's mother and son first. Then he joined forces with Liu Zhengjie to defeat the rebels who had lost their backbone in one fell swoop.
"Thank God, peace is finally restored outside! His father lifted martial law this morning." Madam Liu, not forgetting to praise her husband, added, "Don't worry, sister. His father said that they rushed it over 800 miles last night. The Duke of Yingguo's army was completely unscathed and even defeated the enemy chieftain's Golden Tent! They're now rushing back to the capital to quell the rebellion. His father said, what kind of... what kind of enemy..."
"Luring the enemy," Minglan said calmly. Somehow, she seemed to have known this all along.
Madam Liu clapped her hands and laughed, "Yes! It's to lure the enemy."
In order to make the effect more realistic, when the news came that Zhang and Gu's army had advanced rashly and suffered a disastrous defeat, the emperor knew that this was a pre-planned tactic to lure the enemy, but he could only hold it in, with a stern face, and an expression of "dragon face irritation".
His acting was good, and all the civil and military officials in the court were deceived; because of this, Empress Dowager Shotoku became more confident and took action.
Seeing Minglan's calm demeanor, Madam Liu felt a pang of worry. She clearly remembered Minglan's first encounter, delicate and beautiful as a fresh fruit, carefree as a child. But what about now? The pregnant woman before her was on the verge of giving birth, pale, emaciated, her brow knitted with an unspoken weariness.
"Sister, please don't blame his elder brother. Even his father didn't know about this beforehand, which shows how well the Emperor kept it a secret. His father said it was all those corrupt officials in the northwest who were busy reporting the defeat. Otherwise, according to history, how could the news spread so quickly from such a long distance? Perhaps the good news of a great victory would have arrived before you even heard of the fake news."
Minglan gently spread her palms within her sleeves; they were damp and cool. She sat still, smiling, "What's there to complain about? I wouldn't want to follow the will of a woman like Kuan and ask a man to reveal all the details of military and national affairs first... Sister, please tell me about the attack on our mansion that night."
"Oh, look at my brain!" Madam Liu smiled and patted her forehead, then lowered her voice, "Sister, you guessed it right. The one who came to harm your mansion that night was indeed your Third Master!"
Minglan's pupils dilated, then she calmed down and pretended to be worried. "Sister, are you serious? Third Master is a member of the Gu family. How can you accuse him of something like that just because a few servants said they saw something?"
Madam Liu understood and promised, "Don't worry, sister, his father will do the job. Didn't he send people here before dawn the day before yesterday? After catching up with the gang of thieves, they beat them up like crazy. Some of them escaped from the city, while others were caught..."
"The third brother was caught on the spot?!" Minglan exclaimed, covering her chest.
Mrs. Liu was embarrassed: "That's not the case."
Minglan was slightly disappointed, but she still tried to comfort him, "Then Lord Liu must have made some other gains."
Madam Liu breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said, "His father interrogated him several times and he confessed everything. The thieves said they were originally bandits from outside the city and accepted this deal two months ago. The person who went to contact them was an old man, and the one who led them here that night was a young man. I heard their eldest son was called 'Third Master'. After describing his appearance in detail, wasn't that young man your third son? His father immediately led people to surround your wife's house. As expected, your third son was not at home. Instead, they grabbed a steward named Lu from the cellar and pulled him out to identify him. Ha, it was the old man who contacted them!"
Minglan pondered for a moment and said, "Then our Third Master was just robbing people, not committing treason?"
"That's not necessarily true." Madam Liu smiled meaningfully. "His father said that it was just an ordinary robbery, how could he calculate the time so accurately? It just so happened that something happened in the palace, so you, the third brother, came here to force your sister-in-law and nephew to kill him."
Minglan looked at Madam Liu quietly for a moment, her mind clearing up as she whispered, "Thank you so much, sister. I saved myself the trouble. The Marquis and Master Liu are as close as brothers. I really didn't entrust you to the wrong person."
Mrs. Liu thought that it was worth selling it, and smiled as she picked up the teacup and started drinking.
In fact, according to Liu Zhengjie's estimation, Gu Tingwei had a wide circle of friends and probably only knew some of the clues of the rebellion in secret, but had never joined them. He wanted to wait until he found out the exact date before taking action. However, unexpectedly, something unexpected happened that day. Empress Dowager Shengde and her followers suddenly rebelled. Gu Tingwei had no time to make thorough arrangements, so he had to go out himself, bring the bandits into the city, and lead them to attack the Marquis's Mansion at night.
Strictly speaking, Gu Tingwei can only be counted as murder and arson, and harming his sister-in-law and nephew, not treason, and his crimes do not extend to his parents and descendants - but why make such a clear distinction? Liu Zhengjie is the head of the secret service, not a judge.
Besides, given Liu Zhengjie's duties, he neither noticed the unusual situation in Rong Fei's family nor discovered Teng Anguo's rebellion beforehand. Although he made contributions in suppressing the rebellion afterwards, he was still somewhat negligent, and his contribution was not as great as Gu Tingye's in the future.
Thinking of this, Mrs. Liu became even more attentive to Minglan and answered every question she asked.
"Third brother...has he escaped from the city by now...?" Minglan asked hesitantly.
Madam Liu nodded and said, "There were many rebels who escaped with him. His father said that they couldn't get far. Besides, his house is under guard now. Alas, it's a pity for his wife, children and the elderly..." As a woman, her life and wealth are not in her own hands.
Minglan sneered in her heart. That old witch was not pitiful at all. She was probably the mastermind behind this matter. Gu Tingwei was just an errand boy, but Zhu... she was so hopeful about the future...
The two sat opposite each other, sighing together for different reasons.
After a long moment, Minglan vaguely remembered that there seemed to be something unclear. "...Oh, by the way, yesterday the Zheng family reported that their old master and old mistress are both gone. This...sister, do you know why...?"
She had only asked, not expecting an answer, but Madam Liu sighed deeply and smiled bitterly, saying, "This is truly an unprovoked disaster. On the day of the rebellion, rumors were rife that General Zheng was plotting a rebellion. They were so convincing that the family couldn't hide it. Old Master Zheng, always loyal and upright, was so angry that he choked on a spit and died on the spot! The old lady was heartbroken for two days and fainted several times from crying. But yesterday morning, General Zheng rushed home and explained the reason. The old lady was so happy that she was beside herself with joy and, before she could even catch her breath, she... also died..."
Minglan opened her mouth halfway, too shocked to control herself.
Dad was pissed off and Mom was happy to death. The old man couldn't stand the sudden change of sadness and joy. In this battle, General Zheng lost both his parents, but he made a perfect transition from being the emperor's closest relative to becoming the emperor's top confidant.
——Good, what a bloody career! It’s a fight for your life!
Mrs. Liu's visit was like a timely rain, which not only resolved her doubts but also put her mind at ease.
Perhaps it was because she had been thinking too much recently, Minglan felt unwell all over. Her feet were swollen like steamed buns, her face was swollen as if she had been slapped twice, and her neck was bulging with thin blue veins, as if someone was choking her throat.
Touching the protruding bones on her body, Mother Cui sighed - after so many years of hard work to raise her, she was back to the days before liberation overnight.
Minglan rubbed her belly apologetically. She remembered how, even when she was pregnant with Tuan Ge, she was still radiant and energetic, even though she couldn't even walk. But this time, it was like this... Her palm pressed against her abdomen, feeling the steady and powerful fetal movement, slow but very regular, like an eighty-year-old grandfather pacing. She smiled, "This child will definitely be a slow-paced person in the future."
Mother Cui didn't answer. She stared at Minglan's belly and counted the days on her fingers.
In fact, Minglan's due date had arrived, but the discerning maids over the years said that the bulge had not subsided and the fetus had not yet dropped into the pelvis. After asking Doctor Zhang to come and check, he said that it would take about seven or eight days, ten at most, and maybe eleven or twelve days - she almost got beaten out by Mother Cui - even though what he said was indeed the truth.
(Doctor Lin said: Doctors are creatures that, from the day they came into the world, every pore of their bodies has been dripping with medical skills and eloquence.)
A slight delay in delivery is normal, so Minglan was not anxious. She just rested and took care of the baby. She followed all Mother Cui's instructions and tried to return to her daily routine of eating and sleeping.
After the martial law was lifted outside, relatives and friends came to visit Minglan one after another, and took the opportunity to admire the gate and stone steps that were still stained with dark red blood. The first person to come was actually Father Sheng!
Minglan was startled, and Sheng Hong was also shocked. Ever since his youngest daughter entered Shou'an Hall, she had been plump and white for many years, and now she looked so withered and frail. He couldn't help but say, "I said at the beginning that marrying a military officer would be inconvenient, and it would be better to marry a scholar. But your mother was so happy that she agreed without hesitation!"
Minglan said blankly, "When did Dad say that?" How could she never hear that before?
Sheng Hong seemed to realize his slip of the tongue. He coughed lightly and stammered, "...When I first... came to propose to Rulan... ahem,... "
Minglan suddenly realized that it was Gu Tingye who came to the Sheng family to cheat... Oh no, when he proposed marriage.
Thinking about it, he glanced at Sheng Hong and thought to himself, forget it, you were actually very happy at that time, but you were more advanced in Taoism and more reserved than Wang.
Time flies. In a blink of an eye, Tuan Ge'er has grown up to be able to help with cooking, and Old Man Sheng's temples are also gray. Minglan suddenly forgot all her resentment, smiled with two white teeth showing, and waved her handkerchief to see Old Man Sheng, who was pretending to be majestic, off.
Well, although this awful dad is unreliable in many ways, he once forgot his stepmother for the sake of his new family, forgot his original wife for the sake of his mistress, and later forgot his 'true love' for the sake of his future... However, it has lasted for more than ten years, so it's okay.
I sent my father away in the morning and my daughter came in the afternoon.
Brother-in-law Yuan personally escorted Hualan, who was not yet pregnant, into the house gracefully. Her eyes welled up at the sight of Minglan, and she leaned against the doorframe, saying in a wry voice, "You troublesome little rascal, why are you like this? If the old lady saw this, she would surely be heartbroken!"
Minglan swayed, nearly falling onto the kang. Her elder sister had never behaved in such a coquettish and sobbing manner, even as a teenager, and she found it difficult to adapt.
Ever since she became pregnant, Hualan suddenly became sentimental. She would sob when she saw flowers withering, shed tears when she saw baby birds leaving the nest, and would feel sad when the wind blew a few fallen leaves. But her brother-in-law Yuan now flatters her a lot, and the couple finds themselves enjoying themselves in a corny and funny way.
"Doesn't my brother-in-law have to work outside?" Minglan wondered.
Hua Lan pouted and said, "I wanted to come see you, but he was worried, so he asked his superiors for half a day off."
"At this moment! There's no place in the capital that doesn't need people. You... you..." Minglan was heartbroken. "You guys can do whatever you want!"
It is said that this incident made everyone unlucky, but Brother-in-law Yuan's luck turned around.
He held a high position in the Wucheng Bingmasi, but he had not been bribed. Teng Anguo was considering whether to get rid of him in advance, but unexpectedly, Yuan's brother-in-law asked for leave to go outside the province because he was concerned about the horse farm business. Teng Anguo was overjoyed and approved the leave immediately.
After returning home, he suddenly heard that Hualan was pregnant. Brother-in-law Yuan was so happy that he refused to leave and stayed at home to accompany his wife. As a result, he happened to witness the turmoil in the capital city - he led a group of brothers and suddenly rushed out, and actually made considerable contributions.
Molan's husband was also very lucky. As a man in mourning for his father, he was not affected at all. He even led his servants to help the people in the neighboring street fight off the thieves who took advantage of the situation to rob people. The neighbors of the Yongchang Marquis Mansion were either rich or noble, and Liang Han praised him continuously.
"After this, the Wucheng Bingmasi must be thoroughly reorganized. Your brother-in-law said that Fourth Brother-in-law is afraid of the opportunity to come forward." Hua Lan slowly peeled a piece of preserved rice dumpling leaf. "Alas, if Molan is sensible and lives a good life, she may not be bad in the future."
After chatting, Hualan reminded Minglan to take good care of her pregnancy. After showing her love as an elder sister, she went back contentedly.
In the next two days, Madam Xuan, Madam Di, and even Kang Yun'er came to visit, but no one mentioned the Madam Dowager. The women from the three families of Duan, Zhong, and Geng came together, each bringing large and small bags of abalone and ginseng. Their gratitude was beyond words, and they kept praising Ming Lan for not forgetting them even in the midst of chaos, which showed his kindness.
Mrs. Geng was particularly excited. She pulled Minglan aside and said repeatedly, "Sister, you are reliable. Next time, I will definitely trust you completely. Otherwise, I wouldn't have suffered so much!"
Mrs. Zhong feigned a cough and gently poked her arm: "There won't be a next time. From now on, the world will be peaceful."
Mrs. Geng knew she had spoken out of turn, but she refused to admit defeat: "You are the one with too many ideas. I was talking about other things, such as renovating the house and dealing with people. From now on, I will trust my sister."
Seeing the two of them like this, Madam Duan shook her head and laughed, "You two, you've suffered so much together, and you can be considered to have shared hardships, yet you're still bickering. When you become grandmothers or great-grandmothers in the future, I wonder if you'll still be bickering!"
Minglan found this very interesting, and the four of them laughed together. As for what hardships they had endured in the palace in the past few days, none of them was willing to say.
On the ninth day after the rebellion, Liu Zhengjie finally cleared out the entire capital, even eliminating the scum hiding in the corners. He either killed them or captured them. Most of them were driven out of the city and driven to the east by Zheng Jun who was ambushed outside the city gate.
The rebels thought that it was not easy for the capital garrison to leave for too long, so they gathered with more than a thousand scattered bandits who were considered traitors on the hillside thirty miles east of the city to rest for a while. Suddenly, a group of fierce cavalry came out and blocked the entrance to the valley. In an instant, the sky was filled with flames, arrows and a sea of blood.
The sky was dim, Minglan sat at the dinner table, drinking chicken soup slowly.
Across half of the capital city, more than 30 miles away from the slopes of the suburbs of Beijing, one could almost hear the deafening roar of killing coming down the hillside. Thick smoke billowed in the distance, with golden flames flickering proudly in it. The darker the sky, the brighter the flames, like gods in a story, wearing armor, stepping on smoke and thunder, coming down to earth to slay demons and monsters.
At the hour of Si, the clappers drummed. Having slept too much during the day, Minglan was now wide awake. She sat on the porch, fanning herself with a large cattail leaf fan, and gazed up at the vast, starry sky. The fragrance of leaves, tingling with an ancient fragrance, wafted into her nose. Fireflies fluttered tremblingly under the eaves, and moths flapped their wings gently against the crystal lampshade, making a sound like the turning of pages in a book.
Minglan was gradually feeling sleepy and was about to get up and go back to the house when she suddenly heard a noise in the garden, like cheers of surprise. Before she could react, she saw a tall, dark figure standing at the other end of the courtyard.
The man paused, then walked over step by step, his broad shoulders supporting a dark red cloak. On both sides were ferocious beasts gleaming with golden light, with two tiger heads with open mouths and sharp teeth.
Through the lush branches and leaves, the sparse moonlight shone on the man's face and body. The thick scarlet condensed on the dark gold armor. The thick beard covered most of his face, leaving only a pair of dark eyes, bright and fiery as before.
Minglan felt her throat dry and her heart beating wildly. The palms holding the fan handle felt sticky. She had been missing him for so long that she had forgotten her original intention. She could not hear what Xiao Taoluzhi was saying beside her. She just stood there motionless, staring at him intently.
Hu Zi slowly approached and spoke in a hoarse voice, but the first word broke before he could even pronounce it: "...I, I'm back..."
It was as if there were drums beating in the distance, with a low sound, and thrilling news coming faintly. In the fragrant and cool courtyard, there were the sounds of moths fluttering and dewdrops dripping on the tips of leaves. Minglan's ears were silent, and she suddenly didn't know whether she was dreaming or awake.
Maybe I fell asleep in the corridor just now, and now I am just dreaming...
Hu Zi took a big step forward and hugged her tightly. The smell of blood and dust, and the pain from pinching her shoulders and arms, finally brought her back to consciousness. She touched his face blankly: "Oh, you're back." Her throat seemed to be blocked. She had a thousand words to say, but at this moment, she couldn't say anything.
Hu Zi hugged her for a long time, then held her face in his hands and asked, "What do you want to say?"
Minglan was stunned: "Did we win the war? But we didn't get convicted."
Hu Zi grinned and said, "We all win.
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