Chapter 43 Where did the tension come from if one divination was omitted?
Afternoon sunlight streamed through the carved window lattices, casting dappled shadows on the table in the teahouse's private room. Xie Chengyu frowned, reached out, and gently touched the gauze wrapped around Meng Lingyao's hand.
Meng Lingyao sighed helplessly, "Why be so careful?"
Xie Chengyu gave her a disapproving look, "These are your hands!"
Meng Lingyao moved her fingers, "It's just a minor injury. I'm just wrapping it up to prevent it from getting dirty. It's fine now."
She withdrew her hand and asked, "You summoned me here today not just for tea, were you?"
Xie Chengyu gently waved his round fan, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.
"Do you know the real reason why Lin Yunshu entered the palace?" she asked, covering her lips with a fan and lowering her voice.
"Wasn't it supposed to be copying Buddhist scriptures for the Empress Dowager?"
"Copying Buddhist scriptures?" Xie Chengyu chuckled. "My cousin sent me a message that said His Majesty encountered Lin Yunshu on Qiyun Mountain on the Shangsi Festival."
Meng Lingyao gently placed the teacup on the table and listened attentively. Xie Chengyu was always well-informed, and her cousin was quite favored in the palace, having been granted the title of Consort Jing. Therefore, she knew much more about the inside story than ordinary people.
Xie Chengyu leaned closer and lowered his voice, "The eunuchs around His Majesty said in private that when His Majesty saw her, he was captivated by her handsome appearance and knowledge of poetry and literature. Despite the Empress's objections, he insisted on bringing her into the palace."
Meng Lingyao frowned, tapping her fingertips lightly on the table a few times. If Lin Yunshu were an ordinary commoner, it wouldn't be so bad, but she was the daughter of a high-ranking official, which involved far too many things. Entering the palace out of the usual selection process was bound to draw criticism from both the court and the public.
"She's still Lady Lin this month, but next month at the Dragon Boat Festival banquet in the palace, she might be Consort Lin." Xie Chengyu smiled meaningfully. "I didn't know she had such lofty ambitions before."
Meng Lingyao looked up at her, a hint of inquiry in her eyes.
Xie Chengyu picked up his teacup and took a sip. "After His Majesty left Shushi Residence that day, he stayed in the back garden of Chongwen Academy. Ordinary people cannot go there. Even if they did, they would know who was there by seeing the surrounding situation."
“But not only did she get in, she also met the Emperor, and he learned that she was well-versed in poetry and literature and had great literary talent…” Xie Chengyu’s voice carried a hint of amusement.
Meng Lingyao remained silent for a moment, her fingers unconsciously tracing the rim of her teacup. Although she was initially summoned to the palace as a female official, under the pretext of serving the Empress Dowager, it seemed reasonable and respectable. However, anyone with discerning eyes could see the real story.
Moreover, Consort Jing knew so much about the inside story... How could anyone around the Emperor be so secretive? The fact that she could find out so easily could only mean that the Emperor had no intention of hiding anything.
It is clear that he did not value Lin Yunshu highly.
On the Shangsi Festival, Meng Lingyao did see Lin Yunshu. The reason was simply to be wary of her. In the past, on similar occasions, Miss Lin had often brought her good friends to make things difficult for her, both openly and secretly.
That day, however, he sat alone at the table, unusually quiet.
Meng Lingyao said thoughtfully, "I remember you said that Lin Yunshu has always been in love with General Zhao."
"Last month, I was still admiring Young Master Hu." Xie Chengyu shrugged, looking quite indifferent.
Meng Lingyao was taken aback. "Isn't it Young Master Qu?"
Xie Chengyu blinked. "Really? Maybe I remembered wrong." She flicked her sleeve lightly. "It's nothing important anyway."
“The important thing is—” she spread her palms out, “Have you made any new and useful scented powders and lotions lately? Hand them all over, especially the ones with fresh scents, I’m preparing them for the Dragon Boat Festival banquet.”
"..."
After a moment, Meng Lingyao took out an exquisite brocade pouch, "I've prepared a few new dishes, why don't you try them?"
Xie Chengyu's eyes lit up. "What's that scent?"
"It smells like jasmine as the main note, with the coolness of mint and a touch of sandalwood at the end to prevent the scent from being too light." Meng Lingyao opened the brocade pouch, inside which were several small white porcelain bottles. "Try these one by one, and let me know your feedback later."
"Okay, okay," Xie Chengyu readily agreed, carefully putting away the brocade pouch.
When she bid farewell to her friends and returned home, the sun was high in the sky, and the streets were sparsely populated. The carriage swayed gently, and Meng Lingyao squinted her eyes, letting the breeze from Song Lan's fan caress her face.
“Miss doesn’t seem to be in a good mood,” Songlan observed her expression.
Meng Lingyao sighed softly, "Songlan, do you know how old His Majesty is?"
Songlan thought for a moment, "This servant remembers that His Majesty just celebrated his fortieth birthday two years ago, so he should be forty-two now."
She vividly remembers the night of the emperor's 40th birthday celebration, when the capital was filled with jubilation and fireworks.
“Yes, he’s about the same age as my father.” Meng Lingyao looked out the window. “But Miss Lin is only eighteen…”
Although His Majesty is well-preserved, thanks to the royal family's generations of selecting beauties for the palace, he also possesses a handsome appearance. But ultimately...
Seeing that she was lost in thought, Songlan called out softly a few times, "Miss?"
Meng Lingyao came to her senses and shook her head. "Never mind, everyone has their own ambitions."
When she passed by Wuweizhai, she happened to see freshly baked chestnut flour cakes, so she bought some and asked Cangdian to deliver them to her father.
This is a commendation for his law-abiding behavior over the years.
Cang Dian carried the still-warm pastries to the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, and as expected, received a warm welcome from Meng Shaoqing. Meng even managed to pull out a coin from the bottom of the trunk, saying he wanted to buy him some fruit. Cang Dian waved his hands repeatedly in refusal. Everyone in the manor knew that the master's private savings were hard-earned.
"At this moment, it's perfect to have a few snacks to stave off hunger." Meng Yan slowly savored a piece of pastry and muttered to himself, "Why don't we go see the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices? Or perhaps Zhou Yueguan?"
He had to eat the snacks in front of them, and with their envious faces, they tasted even better.
Meng Yan carried the box of pastries out of the official residence, but to his surprise, neither of them were there, so he simply walked a few more steps outside.
"Meng Shaoqing".
The voice, like a bell hanging from the eaves, rang out clear and melodiously.
Meng Yan turned around and saw Pei Xu standing below the steps. He quickly cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Young Master Pei."
Pei Xu's gaze swept over the gold-embossed markings on the corner of the food box. "These are pastries from Wuweizhai." He paused slightly. "I once overheard Miss Meng mention that Lord Meng's favorite is chestnut flour cake from Wuweizhai."
"My daughter speaks without thinking, please forgive her, Shaoqing." Meng Yan said modestly, but the smile lines at the corners of his eyes had already formed. He glanced at the food box as if by accident, "My daughter just sent someone to deliver some snacks, saying that she was afraid I would be hungry and upset my stomach. I am ashamed, I am ashamed, an old man of my age, that my daughter still has to worry about my health."
"This is precisely Miss Meng's deep affection for her child."
Upon hearing this, Meng Yan was even more delighted. Recalling the favor he had shown the Taichang Temple in restoring the ancient music, he found the young man increasingly pleasing to the eye and blurted out, "If Young Master Pei doesn't mind..."
Before he could finish speaking, he was secretly annoyed. This man was always the most disciplined; last year, at the banquet hosted by the Emperor, he hadn't even touched the pastries made by the imperial chefs. How could he possibly eat his pastries?
To everyone's surprise, Pei Xu nodded slightly, "Thank you for your kindness, Young Master Meng. I will respectfully accept your offer."
Meng Yan was taken aback, then quickly opened the food box and handed it over, watching as the young nobleman ate a pastry with remarkable elegance and surprisingly fast speed. After a few more polite exchanges, the number of pastries was reduced by one.
His brows twitched involuntarily, a mixture of joy and heartache.
This is a snack that his daughter specially sent him, and he only ate one piece himself!
Just as he was about to speak again and earn a few more pleasant words, so that the two snacks wouldn't have been wasted, a series of footsteps approached from afar.
Zhao Xu strode over, dressed in a dark blue military officer's uniform, his crown carefully fastened. He had been back in the capital for some time, and his wheat-colored skin had become slightly fairer; at first glance, he was a handsome young man.
"I have just run into you two gentlemen." He stopped and bowed respectfully.
Meng Yan returned the greeting, "General Zhao, what brings you here?"
"After meeting the Emperor, I remembered that General Xie had instructed me to consult with the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review on a matter." Zhao Xu stood still and answered obediently.
"I see." Meng Yan exchanged a few polite words, intending to end the conversation naturally, but found that General Zhao's feet seemed to be rooted to the spot and he didn't move at all, and his eyes were practically glued to his pastry box.
I should consult a fortune teller before going out today!
Meng Yan inwardly regretted his actions, but forced a smile. "These are some snacks that my daughter specially sent over. Would the general like to try some?"
"Then I will trouble you, Lord Meng!"
"..."
Meng Yan's lips twitched slightly as he handed over the pastry box.
“Miss Meng’s filial piety makes me feel quite ashamed.” Zhao Xu swallowed his snack, his eyes sparkling. “As the saying goes, skill comes from the mind. A few days ago, I went horseback riding with a friend outside the city, and on the way back, I happened to run into Miss Meng.”
He took out an exquisite jasmine powder box from his pocket. "I am fortunate to have received this box of jasmine powder from Miss Meng. The women in my family all say that the fragrance is elegant and comparable to imperial gifts."
The box was opened, and a faint jasmine scent wafted out. Pei Xu's fingers tightened slightly, leaving tiny marks from the pastries between his fingers.
Meng Yan was always meticulous about his daughter's affairs, and he did not boast or make any nonsense such as "Since the ladies of the Marquis's mansion like it, I will have my daughter send a few more boxes." He only cautiously said, "It's just some pastime for women. General, you are too kind."
Just as Zhao Xu was about to offer a few more words of praise, Pei Xu suddenly spoke up, "Miss Meng is indeed a very clever and insightful person. During the Shangsi Festival, I happened to receive a painting from Miss Meng, which she gifted to the Princess. The brushwork was exquisite, and the artistic conception was profound. Her Highness greatly admired it and wrote a letter in return. She also personally selected an inkstone and sent it back to Miss Meng. The letter and inkstone are currently in my residence and will be delivered tomorrow. Please ask Lord Meng to pass them on to your daughter."
"Thank you for your kindness, Princess." Meng Yan was overjoyed. Her daughter would surely be happy if she knew about this.
After a moment's thought, he said, "It would be too much trouble for you to deliver it personally, Shaoqing. After I leave my post later, how about I go with you to get it?" He wanted to bring it to his daughter as soon as possible so that she could be happy sooner.
"Lord Meng, you are too kind." Pei Xu nodded slightly. "That is also acceptable." Then he turned to Zhao Xu and said, "General Zhao, I just saw that the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices seemed to have important business to attend to. If you want to find him, it would be better to hurry."
Zhao Xu stared at him intently for a few moments before saying, "Thank you for informing me, Lord Pei."
"You're welcome."
The two spoke casually, but Meng Yan sniffed the air.
Where is that smell of gunpowder coming from?
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