The warm breeze in March makes me feel warm on my body, and I can't help but feel sleepy.
Jiang Yan sat in the corridor, with tea, snacks, and cherries fresh from the capital placed on the low table beside her.
But she had no mood to enjoy the food.
On the twenty-eighth day of the first lunar month, Emperor Kaiyao passed away. The funeral bells rang throughout the harem.
Jiang Yan was still Jiang Shuyi in the harem at that time. She kept Zhou Miao's instructions in mind, took out the porcelain bottle, and took out the pills.
She hesitated and struggled for a long time, but when she heard the scolding from the palace servants, she knew that there was no time for her to hesitate any longer.
She gritted her teeth, hardened her heart, and swallowed the pill.
Her trusted palace maids would help her delay the palace servants outside.
When the palace servants arrived at the hall, she had indeed stopped breathing and was "dead"!
She knew nothing about what happened afterwards, how she left the palace, how she was buried in the underground palace, how she was replaced in the underground palace, and how she was placed in this secluded little house.
When she woke up, she was already in this small house with two entrances.
There was a maid, a woman serving as waiter, and an old man guarding the gatehouse.
The servants were all taciturn and didn't like to talk.
On weekdays they all called her Madam Jiang.
After some inquiries, she found out that she was still in the capital. This house was located in a certain market town in the south of the city, surrounded by residential houses.
More than a month had passed since she woke up that day. The weather was getting warmer day by day, and she had already bought four sets of spring clothes, but no one came to see her, and she couldn't go out.
Whenever she wanted to go out, the old man guarding the door would frown, wave his hand, and tell her to go back to her room.
Jiang Yan felt a little depressed.
When I have nothing to do every day, I start to think about random things.
The noble man Zhou Miao mentioned had gone to great lengths to rescue her. But after so much time had passed, he hadn't even sent her out of the capital, nor had he sent anyone to visit her. What did he mean by that?
She looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but make a bold guess.
Could it be that this noble man is attracted by her beauty?
Jiang Yan is still young and beautiful. It can be said that she is more feminine and charming than when she was in her teens.
After several years of living in the harem, she developed a graceful and elegant demeanor. Just by sitting there and raising her eyebrows, she exuded an air of authority.
If she smiled, she would suddenly become charming and weak, making any man fall in love with her.
Jiang Yan knew her own capital very clearly, better than anyone else in the world.
She knew that her greatest assets were her face, her body, and her job of serving others.
It is also possible that the nobleman took a fancy to her and was reluctant to send her out of the capital.
However, she was a "dead" person after all, and she was also the woman of the late emperor. It was not appropriate for her to appear in the capital, lest others discover her identity.
The nobleman probably hadn't figured out what to do with her, so he just left her here.
Jiang Yan thought she had grasped the truth, so she was not in a hurry and lived peacefully in this small house.
The old man guarding the gate didn't let her go out, so she didn't go out.
It was also quite interesting to listen to the little maid talk about the situation on the street.
It’s just that the warm wind in March is so disheartening that it makes people lose their spirits.
It wasn't until she heard the maid talk about the current princes that she became interested.
"The six princes still live in the palace. They have never moved into the palace, nor have they established their own residences. It is said that His Majesty has compassion for the people and knows that taxes are too heavy, so he does not want to increase the burden on the people by establishing residences for the princes. Therefore, for now, the princes will continue to live in the palace. When the court has more money in the future, they will be given separate residences."
Jiang Yan asked, "Who told you this?"
The maid said, "That's what people say outside."
Jiang Yan laughed, with a hint of sarcasm in her eyes.
She has been in the harem for many years, so her vision has improved a bit.
She could tell at a glance that without Emperor Wende's approval, there was no way these words would spread to the public and be freely discussed. Perhaps Emperor Wende had also deployed a number of spies to secretly guide public opinion.
Emperor Wende's move was clearly an attempt to win people's hearts and boost his reputation.
Don’t think that being an emperor doesn’t require fame. An emperor cares about fame more than anyone else.
Emperors of all dynasties, if they had any aspirations, wanted to leave a reputation as wise monarchs in history books so that future generations could praise them.
The first thing a wise monarch should do is to love his people like his own children and to impose light taxes and levies.
As long as this is achieved, no matter how many brothers or sons this emperor killed, or how many wars he provoked, he will be regarded as a wise emperor in history books.
Anyway, it wasn’t a civil official who died.
Civil officials are not killed, and taxes and levies are light. This is definitely a wise and benevolent monarch.
Who says the pen is in the hands of civil officials and scholars?
Jiang Yan muttered, "I didn't expect Prince Ning to be so enamored. He's already rushing to build momentum after ascending the throne. Could it be that he's done too many bad things in the past, or is he aware of his bad reputation and wants to correct the people's impression of him?"
"What did Madam Jiang say?" the maid asked curiously.
Jiang Yan shook her head. "Nothing. Tell me what else you heard."
The maid continued, "People are still talking about it on the streets. They say it's been very lively outside the South City Gate these days."
"How to make it lively?"
"The Sihai Trading Company's security team is forcibly demolishing all those shacks. I heard it's sparked public outrage, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards have arrested many people. Some people even had their legs broken and thrown out. They're saying that if you don't move out, you won't be allowed to work on the construction site anymore."
Jiang Yan's heart tightened. She didn't understand forced demolition, but she knew how severe the public resentment was.
She asked nervously, "Did it really arouse public resentment?"
She didn't know whether she was nervous for Gu Jiu or for herself.
The maid nodded. "That's what people say outside, so I guess it's true. Those refugees deserve it. The Sihai Trading Company feeds them well, but now they refuse to move just because we ask them to. Damn it."
The people of the capital all said that this should have been done long ago. They had been too kind to the refugees in the past, and they had become more and more greedy. Now it was time to use the drastic measures to teach them a lesson.
The capital city is now a vast shantytown, which is just ugly. What’s so good about those shantytowns? Those refugees are so reluctant to move out.”
Jiang Yan heaved a sigh of relief when she heard the maid's words.
It just aroused the resentment of the refugees, that's not a big deal.
Listening to what the maid said, it was obvious that the people in the capital were on the side of Sihai Trading Company, and they hoped that Sihai Trading Company would be more ruthless towards those refugees.
"These cherries are newly released this year, won't you eat them, ma'am?"
Jiang Yan smiled and said, "If you want to eat, fill half of that bowl."
"How can I be so embarrassed?"
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I'll make the decision for you."
The maid was delighted and said, "Thank you, Madam Jiang."
The maid happily went to the kitchen to get a bowl, filled half a bowl with cherries, and hid away to eat them relishingly.
Bang bang bang!
Jiang Yan was stunned for a moment before she realized that it was a knock on the door.
How long has it been since she heard the knock on the door?
And the knocking sound came from the courtyard gate.
Jiang Yan put on her shoes and hurried to the front yard.
Sure enough, the gate opened and a familiar person walked in from outside.
"Zhou Miao!"
Zhou Miao smiled and asked, "How is Madam Jiang these days?"
"Why...come in and say, come quickly."
Jiang Yan was delighted to see someone she knew. She had so much to say that she waved to Zhou Miao and asked him to follow her to the backyard to talk.
Zhou Miao was familiar with the place and followed Jiang Yan to the backyard.
Jiang Yan closed the door, screamed "Ahhh" twice, and then started crying again.
"Don't cry! You're alive and well, why are you crying?"
"Don't bother me, I'm just unhappy."
During this period, Jiang Yan had suppressed too many emotions, and when she saw Zhou Miao, she couldn't help but vent them.
She cried, letting out all her fear of death and the panic of an uncertain future, and her mood calmed down.
Sure enough, crying is an excellent way to vent.
She wiped her tears, a little embarrassed, "I told you to laugh at me."
Zhou Miao drank his tea and said, "Nothing. I hope you're not too depressed after being confined to the outside world for so long."
"If you don't come, I'm really going crazy. Are you coming back to visit me or to send me out of the capital?" Or are you sending me to the bed of a nobleman?
Jiang Yan waited for Zhou Miao's answer with hidden suspicion.
Zhou Miao smiled and said, "When the noble learned that you had settled down, he asked us to come and see you. Seeing that you are doing well, we are relieved."
Jiang Yan glared, "That's all?"
Zhou Miao nodded, "Yes, that's all. What else do you want?"
Jiang Yan frowned, "How long will I live here? I can't live here forever and never go out."
"It seems you've really been stifled. Well, let me be honest with you. In ten days, a fleet will be sailing south. Someone will escort you aboard and take you south to settle down. Once you get there, you can change your name and start a new life. You can get married or stay single, it's all up to you. You don't need that little bit of money anyway."
Jiang Yan opened her mouth. This day had finally arrived, but it seemed so unreal.
She asked cautiously, "Are you really sending me south?"
Zhou Miao nodded. "Of course it's true. But from now on, you can no longer use the name Jiang Yan. You have to change it. I'm here today for this matter. Once you think of a new name, I'll get you a travel permit and household registration with your new name. With a new household registration, you'll truly be reborn."
Jiang Yan asked tentatively, "Can you really help me get it done in ten days?"
Zhou Miao looked at her with a half-smile, "You've seen the power of noble people before. A mere road permit and household registration is just a matter of a word. Do you think this is difficult?"
Jiang Yan lowered her head and smiled, "This matter is naturally difficult for ordinary people. I think that noble man, even if he is not a royal family member, should be a minister of the current dynasty who holds power."
"Don't try to guess the noble's identity. You promised us that you would put aside your curiosity and stop asking about the noble's identity."
"I remember everything. I won't cause you any trouble."
"That's better. If you can't think of a name, I'll think of one for you. Why not take my last name and call yourself Zhou Yan?"
"No." Jiang Yan denied it without thinking, "My last name is Jiang, so I'll be called Jiang Zhu."
Zhou Miao frowned, "This is not a good name."
"It's pretty good. In my hometown, Jiang is a common surname. There are many people named Jiang Zhu. This name is ordinary and not eye-catching."
"Never mind. It doesn't matter what your name is, as long as it's not Jiang Yan."
Zhou Miao drank some tea, did his business, and planned to leave.
It was a rare opportunity for someone to visit her, so Jiang Yan naturally didn't want to let Zhou Miao leave.
"Please stay with me for a while. I'm having a hard time these days."
"There's nothing much to say. I should go back to the palace and do my work."
"Don't try to fool me. You have a day off today, so you don't have any errands."
"You know my situation perfectly well."
Jiang Yan snorted, "I've worked with you for so many years, how stupid would I be if I didn't even know when you were taking a break."
Zhou Miao chuckled, "Whatever you want to know, I'll try my best to tell you."
Jiang Yan hesitated for a moment, "Am I really dead?"
Zhou Miao nodded. "In the roster of concubines in the harem, you have been buried alive with the late emperor. Your death is a worthy one."
Jiang Yan's face turned pale. She was clearly alive and well, but she suddenly felt cold for no reason.
She asked cautiously, "Did no one really notice the switch?"
Zhou Miao laughed heartily. "Who would dare to open the coffin of a concubine who has already been buried? Don't you want to die? Even if she is dead, she is still the late emperor's woman. You can't just stand by and watch."
Jiang Yan breathed a sigh of relief. "That's great. I've been so worried these past few days, terrified that one day the Jinwu Guards will burst in and capture me, butchering me and throwing me into the imperial mausoleum as the most lowly burial offering."
"Don't worry, I've already cleared up all the mess for you. There's not a single trace left. As long as you keep quiet, no one in the world will know your true identity."
Jiang Yan smiled and said, "Thank you, Eunuch Zhou. Thanks to your care over the years, I am still alive today."
"That's easy, we're from the same hometown after all."
"Is my family all right?"
"Very good! They have all returned home safely and with great dignity. As long as you don't commit suicide and don't be too ambitious, you can still guarantee a small fortune for three generations."
"That's all right. When I leave the capital, please ask Eunuch Zhou to look after my family when he's free. Just make sure they don't die in vain."
"It's easy. Leave it to me."
The two chatted for a while, Zhou Miao ate a few snacks, and then said he couldn't stay any longer, so he got up and said goodbye.
Jiang Yan watched him go with eager eyes. She was afraid she would never see him again. She couldn't help but feel sad.
Zhou Miao left the house, walked onto the street, and started strolling around.
The streets were bustling, but his mind was not on that.
A carriage passed by and he could faintly hear crying, so he paid a closer look.
Hey, looking at the emblem on the carriage, it seems to be the Gu Mansion’s carriage.
The Gu family is now very prosperous, because Lord Gu gave birth to a very capable daughter. She went from being the wife of the emperor's grandson to the wife of the prince, and she also runs a huge industry.
However, the Gu family is now in mourning and keeping a very low profile.
Who is sitting in the carriage? She is crying, and it is clearly a woman's cry.
The carriage moved slowly all the way, finally entering from the side door of the Gu Mansion and stopping at the second gate.
Who else could it be but Xie who got off the carriage?
Xie's eyes were swollen, and she looked ten years older and very haggard.
She had just returned from a farm outside the city and was feeling very sad.
Two days ago, she asked the coachman to drive her to the farm outside the city to visit Gu Yue.
When they arrived at the place and saw Gu Yue's haggard appearance and the poor living conditions, Xie felt heartbroken and angry.
"This is too much, it's really too much. These lowly servants, who gave them the guts to torture you like this?"
Xie was about to bring Gu Yue back to the Gu Mansion. How could a legitimate daughter be tortured to this extent?
Unexpectedly, the people sent by Lord Gu came to the farm and forced Xie to return to Beijing.
All the tricks Xie used were useless.
Lord Gu was determined not to tolerate any of this, so the maids who came after him were all strong and sturdy, and Xie and Gu Yue were no match for them.
In the end, Mrs. Xie was forcibly put on the carriage by the maid, and Gu Yue continued to eat coarse food at the farm.
Xie cried all the way the carriage was traveling.
She still had quite some strength at first, but now she is crying till she is hoarse.
When they arrived in the capital, Xie had cried until she had no strength left and could only sob, looking miserable.
Sixth Young Mistress Hu was waiting at the second gate. "Madam, you're finally back! Master was terribly worried. Madam, would you like to wash up first before going to see Master?"
Xie said angrily, "Why should I go to see him? He would rather I were dead."
"Madam, you are embarrassing your daughter-in-law by saying this."
"You two are all bad people. Yue'er is being tortured at the farm, but you have food and drink. Don't you feel guilty?"
Mrs. Hu rolled her eyes. "The third aunt was driven back by the palace. She's dishonorable. If she isn't confined to the farm, are we going to let her live in the palace and ruin the family's reputation? The madam doesn't care about reputation, but the daughter-in-law does, and so does your granddaughter."
Mrs. Xie was furious and cursed, "How dare you face people when you can't even give birth to a son? What's the use of you being a hen that can't lay eggs?"
Mrs. Hu was so angry that her face turned pale and she trembled all over. A dignified imperial edict actually scolded her daughter-in-law as a hen that couldn't lay eggs. Such vulgar language was even worse than that of a shrew in the market.
Mrs. Hu suppressed a mouthful of blood and said gloomily, "A daughter-in-law is naturally not as capable as her mother-in-law. But to give birth to a troublemaker is also very impressive."
"Little whore, I'm going to tear your mouth apart today." Xie raised her hand and slapped Hu in the face.
"Stop! Why is mother hitting people?"
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