Chapter 73 This marriage has taken many twists and turns...
Jiang Wei dismounted and went to the inn where the dead were found. "What's the situation? Where is the deceased? Have you found out his identity and place of origin?"
"Sir, the deceased is on the second floor," the subordinate said from upstairs, then hurried down the stairs to continue reporting, "The deceased's surname was Zhao, he was from Rongcheng, and he was a candidate who took the imperial examination this year, but he failed."
"How did you die?" Upon hearing the words "failed the exam," Jiang Wei subconsciously assumed that he had been suicidal, but he did not directly ask whether it was suicide.
"He was killed by having his throat slit. I heard that he was quite popular before the imperial examination, and he seemed certain to succeed. Many people placed bets on him at the gambling dens, but he failed to pass the examination and lost money, so many people hated him."
The subordinate followed Jiang Wei to the house where the dead were found, and continued, "On the day the results were announced, the name of this scholar Zhao was not on the list. He was quite bold, and the next day he actually went to the gate of the examination hall and said that there was a problem with this year's spring examination, questioning the Ministry of Rites and the Emperor."
He already had a bunch of enemies because he made people lose money, yet he still dared to question the imperial court.
That's practically suicide.
Jiang Wei knew about the candidates who had passed the imperial examinations during the spring season, as the Ministry of Rites had announced the procedures for grading the examination papers this year.
This immediately silenced a group of people.
Those who had failed the imperial examinations multiple times but succeeded this time were particularly vocal in their praise of the emperor, writing poems and lyrics to celebrate the success of the spring examinations.
--
After Jiang Wei was summoned away for a case, Li Lianniang was also in poor condition due to excessive sleepiness caused by her second pregnancy.
In managing the household affairs, Zhao Xian conscripted Cui Tingyue.
Meanwhile, she was busy looking through the family letters (travelogues) that Jiang Liangxu had written.
After returning from Guluo Temple, Zhao Xian asked Uncle Jiang, who was an old man arranged by Jiang Liangxu's father. He had followed Jiang Liangxu the longest and must know the most.
Unexpectedly, after asking, I learned that he was only sent to take care of by the old master after Jiang Liangxu had been stationed in another post for almost three years.
He had no idea what Zhao Xian was asking about.
The person who knew the details best was Jiang Liangxu, but unfortunately, he wasn't there.
Zhao Xian could only deduce based on her vague dream. After thinking about it for a long time, she concluded that the time she met the person in her dream should be between the time Jiang Wei was born and the time he was four and a half years old.
If it had just happened, that would be fine, but if it had happened many years ago, it would be extremely difficult to find the source.
Fortunately, the family letters written by Jiang Liangxu have been well preserved.
However, when Zhao Xian reads family letters from more than a decade ago, she often blushes.
When Jiang Liangxu was young, he used bold and straightforward words in his writing.
There were quite a few letters, some of which weren't even meant to be sent, but rather seemed to have been used as slips of paper for passing around. These were the original bodies that were preserved.
After reading the letters from that period, fearing that something might have been missed, Zhao Xian read the letters from the next two or three years, but none of them mentioned the topic of fellow villagers.
As Zhao Xian read on, she felt that the original owner of the body had changed a lot. In the past, her words were filled with reverence and joy for things. When Jiang Wei was three years old, they suddenly stopped passing notes to each other.
There were very few letters home.
Did something happen during that period that caused the letters home to stop?
However, there is no evidence whatsoever to prove the existence of the woman in her dream.
But the pain I felt when I woke up was real.
It seems that only Jiang Liangxu knows the truth about this matter. Zhao Xian thought of the book that recorded her life before she transmigrated.
She searched the study from top to bottom but couldn't find it. She remembered giving it to Jiang Liangxu in Changzhou. Where did he put it?
Cui Tingyue received a letter from a servant; it was sent by Jiang Heng.
Besides being lethargic, Li Lianniang has been nauseous lately. Cui Tingyue took the letter to Zhao Xian: "Mother, my brother sent someone to deliver a letter home."
She reads family letters every day, and when she suddenly hears the words "family letters," Zhao Xian instinctively reaches out and takes them, intending to find them.
When she opened the letter, she found it was from Jiang Heng, who said he wouldn't be coming back. He explained that he had accepted a mission and would be leaving with the army for a while, and asked her to take care of his fiancée.
“I asked my sister-in-law, and she said that when my second brother didn’t come back last time, she had someone pack some spring clothes, medicine, silver notes, food, and other things to send over.” Cui Tingyue paused as she spoke, “Mother, is it the same this time?”
Zhao Xian closed the letter. "No need. He won't need it anyway. Just ignore him."
"good."
After returning from Guluo Temple, Zhao Xian was busy looking through family letters and didn't have time to go to the palace. She searched for several days without any results, and ultimately couldn't let the dream delay other important matters.
He said to Cui Tingyue, "I plan to go to the palace tomorrow to report to Her Majesty the Empress about your relationship with Young Master Han."
The Empress Dowager had once bestowed upon her a token that allowed her to enter the palace at any time without having to present the token in advance.
Cui Tingyue sat upright. To be honest, the identity of the Empress's nephew was really tempting, but she knew that the other party had no interest in her, so she would not rush to pursue him.
Zhao Xian then said, "These past few days, invitations for flower viewing banquets, tea banquets, and other events have been sent to your residence. Once I return from the palace, I will bring them all to you so we can choose one. It's about time we went out for a stroll."
Cui Tingyue understood the meaning behind her words, and her cheeks flushed slightly.
The next morning, Zhao Xian put on her official robes.
Cui Tingyue arrived just before she left, holding a flat box in her hands, slightly out of breath, "Mother, I made a round fan, and I hope you can take it to Her Majesty the Empress."
Although Han Mu and the Sixth Prince tricked her, it also brought her to the attention of the Empress.
Cui Tingyue didn't know if the Empress would blame her for this. This fan was a test. If the Empress was satisfied, she would have a deeper impression of her. If she didn't like it, she hoped that the Empress wouldn't hold a grudge against her and the Jiang family because of the gift.
The mother of a nation shouldn't be so petty.
Zhao Xian was unaware of Cui Tingyue's thoughts. When she heard Cui Tingyue mention the round fan, she assumed it was because she had shown the Empress her embroidery in the palace last time and received praise from the Empress, which led to the preparation of the fan.
Noticing her slightly swollen eye bags, Zhao Xian asked, "Did you stay up all night to finish this?"
Cui Tingyue shook her head, "Preparations have been underway since the Sixth Prince chose his consort last time."
Because he had taken over the household affairs, he was working a little slower.
Cui Tingyue didn't say this.
-Royal Palace-
After Han Mu retrieved the gold-inlaid jade ring, the Empress already knew that they were not destined to be together.
Opening the round fan given by Cui Tingyue, one finds a fan shaped like a phoenix leaf, embroidered with gold and silver threads depicting a phoenix perched on a phoenix tree trunk. Turning the fan handle causes the phoenix's wings to change depending on the angle.
Looking at the exquisitely embroidered phoenix on the round fan, the Empress exclaimed dramatically, "Young lady, you've put a lot of thought into this. It's just that my nephew isn't lucky enough to have it."
Zhao Xian didn't know how to respond to that, so she just smiled.
The Empress played with her round fan. "Let's just consider this a misunderstanding, so as not to tarnish your young lady's reputation. After all, it was those scoundrels who implicated her. I have a phoenix hairpin and a box of pearls here for the young lady to play with."
Zhao Xian rose and kowtowed in gratitude: "On behalf of my daughter, I thank Your Majesty for your generosity."
After chatting with the Empress in the central palace for a while, seeing that the Empress looked tired, Zhao Xian took her leave: "This humble woman will not disturb Your Majesty any longer. Since it is still early, this humble woman will go and pay her respects to Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."
The reason I didn't pay my respects to the Empress Dowager when I entered the palace last time was because I was involved in the selection of the Sixth Prince's consort, which was a serious matter.
The Empress was not displeased at all by the failure of Han Mu and Cui Tingyue's relationship. Instead, she instructed, "Qi'an, arrange for someone to guide Madam Jiang."
Upon arriving at Shouchang Palace, the eunuch guarding the gate went in to announce their arrival, but the Empress Dowager did not summon them for a long time.
The person who was leading the way also waited.
By the end of March, the weather had warmed up, and especially after the sun came out and shone directly, Zhao Xian felt hot on her head and back. She felt she needed to turn her clothes over; the imperial robes were already thick and heavy, and if she stayed in the sun any longer, they would burn.
However, no one came out to summon him, even though he was separated by that large gate.
The sun was becoming increasingly scorching.
Sweat rolled down her forehead, and Zhao Xian knew that her back was most likely stuck to the pot.
She should have just left the palace. What is she doing here? She's sick.
As I was lost in thought, a person walked out of Shouchang Palace, limping and unsteady.
"Miss Lin!"
Although Zhao Xian didn't see Lin Nianzang often, she looked similar to her mother.
The son of an old friend, the appearance of an old friend, are very easy to recognize.
"Madam Jiang, it's been a long time." Upon hearing the voice, Lin Nianzang paused, straightened up, and subtly straightened her back.
Zhao Xian nodded and turned to the side as if to let her go first, but in reality, she had been standing for too long and wanted to turn over and move around.
The two weren't familiar with each other and had nothing to talk about. Lin Nianzang nodded politely and walked past Zhao Xian.
Although Lin Niancang tried her best to hide it, her stiff steps were still noticeable.
It's hard not to guess that she had just knelt down.
After Lin Nianzang left, a palace maid from the Empress Dowager's side came to deliver a message, "Madam Jiang, the Empress Dowager requests your presence."
Zhao Xian withdrew her gaze from Lin Nianzang, feeling somewhat puzzled. She hadn't realized before that the former Rongyang Princess Xiao Langyue was dead, so why was her daughter running around during the mourning period?
Especially the tea banquets and flower banquets, they did not miss a single one.
Now he's come to the palace to see the Empress Dowager again; he's very busy.
"Your Majesty, I, Zhao, pay my respects to the Empress Dowager. May Your Majesty enjoy good health and live a long and prosperous life."
Compared to before, when the Empress Dowager didn't make things difficult for her by calling her to get up, this time there was no sound from above for a long time.
About fifteen minutes later.
"Rise." The Empress Dowager's voice remained unchanged, revealing neither joy nor anger. "Give Lady Jiang a seat."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager."
As soon as they sat down, the Empress Dowager asked, "You just came from the Empress's side? I heard that the Empress intends to arrange a marriage between her nephew and the Jiang family. What is Lady Jiang's attitude on this matter?"
Zhao Xian was somewhat surprised. This matter had nothing to do with the Empress Dowager, did it?
But she suddenly mentioned it, and it didn't seem like she was just saying it casually.
"This is a misunderstanding, nothing of the sort. I came to the palace today to deliver a round fan to Her Majesty the Empress on behalf of my adopted daughter. Her Majesty the Empress once praised my adopted daughter's embroidery skills. The child took it seriously, so I shamelessly made this trip to deliver the fan to Her Majesty the Empress on her behalf."
The Empress herself spoke up to refute the rumors. Zhao Xian didn't know the Empress Dowager's intentions, so it was best to clear her name first.
"I have also seen the Empress's nephew. He is a good boy, and there is nothing wrong with the two families arranging a marriage between them. Why doesn't Madam Jiang approve?"
There seemed to be no discord between the Empress Dowager and the Empress, but the Empress Dowager's words today were quite strange.
Zhao Xian tentatively said, "Young Master Han is handsome and dashing. As a son-in-law, I'm afraid all the ladies of Jin'an would be vying for him, and I am no exception. However, regarding Young Master Han..."
It can't be said that she looked down on the other party; it can only be implied that the other party looked down on the Jiang family.
When Zhao Xian realized that the Empress Dowager showed no displeasure, she knew she was right.
But Han Mu is the Empress's nephew, so why does the Empress Dowager value him so much?
"Your adopted daughter is not young, is she?"
"Your Majesty, he is seventeen."
In ancient times and in this environment, at this age, most women would have become mothers.
Empress Dowager: "Are there any suitable families you'd like to meet?"
Zhao Xian: "We're currently looking at potential partners."
"I have a few candidates here... If you think they are suitable, I will issue an imperial decree to grant them marriage."
The Empress Dowager named three candidates, and judging from their status alone, they all sounded quite good.
Zhao Xian gritted her teeth, unable to understand how the Empress Dowager had gotten involved in this matter.
But it wouldn't be right to agree rashly, since we'd never met and I didn't know his character. So I made up an excuse, "This humble woman will go back and discuss it with my husband."
After leaving the palace, Zhao Xian sought out Lou Bai, "Is there any way to find out what's going on in the palace?"
The Empress Dowager didn't say it explicitly, but her implication was that she was eager to marry off Cui Tingyue.
This meant that Zhao Xian had to guess what she was thinking.
On her way out of the palace, she pondered the Empress Dowager's intentions.
At the very least, the Empress Dowager did not want Han Mu to marry Cui Tingyue.
Lou Bai suddenly laughed, a look of helplessness and speechlessness on his face. "...The palace? Madam, why don't you take a look at the information the Han family has found out?"
As he spoke, he handed over a stack of folded papers.
Zhao Xian took the document and opened it. As she examined it closely, her brows furrowed and relaxed repeatedly.
Suddenly it dawned on her: the Empress Dowager was actually helping her.
I remember the last time the Sixth Prince was choosing a consort, the Empress mentioned Han Mu for the first time.
Because Han Mu was a bit old, Zhao Xian was puzzled. The Empress explained that he had been engaged to someone else, but his fiancée remarried before the marriage, thus wasting his time.
However, the Empress did not tell her that Han Mu's fiancée had remarried his elder brother, the eldest son born to the same father.
My fiancée has become my sister-in-law!
Such a shameless act! Don't the elders in the Han family understand the situation? They actually changed the marriage arrangement.
Previously, I thought Han Mu was good in every way, his ranking in the imperial examination was also good, and he was also talented.
Now it seems that his age is no longer an issue; with a group of clueless elders, the Han family is the biggest problem.
Moreover, he's twenty-two. Is he unwilling to get married to get revenge on the Han family, or is he still thinking about his ex-fiancée?
It's hard to say for sure.
"Investigate the character, temperament, and household affairs of the three young masters: the youngest son of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, Lord Lu; the eldest son of Lord Yao of the Ministry of Works; and the youngest son of the General of Huaihua."
Lou Bai, after hearing about these three families, realized things were much easier than those in the palace. "Then what about the palace..."
"No need for matters concerning the palace."
Zhao Xian didn't understand the Empress Dowager's intentions before, but now she does. The Empress Dowager is helping her; it's a benevolent act.
Lou Bai nodded: "Your subordinate obeys."
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Author's note: There's one more chapter, it's a bit late, read it tomorrow morning.
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