Chapter 128 (This is a fragment of a poem, likely a title or heading.)
Sihai Inn.
Jiaojie sat in the room, gazing longingly out the window, quite impatient: "How much longer until we leave?"
Although people in remote areas don't pay much attention to etiquette, the Zhang family still knows how to behave properly. They only allow the women to go out for some fresh air occasionally throughout the day, and because they are staying away from home, they are restrained and cannot go out and play.
—You can also enjoy some fun in the wild along the way!
Jiao'er was getting bored to no end. She was with two other sisters, Xian'er and Chan'er. There was no distinction between the first and second wives; they were all born out of wedlock, so they received the same treatment.
I don't want to do needlework, I stop reading as soon as I leave the house, and there's not much else to enjoy.
All three girls looked rather worried.
"I heard from my father that we're stuck in Liuzhou because of some trouble," Chan Jie'er said softly. "It's still uncertain when we'll be able to set off."
Jiao'er suddenly realized, "Is it about the Prince? Didn't Father say this morning that he wanted to find a way to pay his respects to the Prince? Can't we leave without seeing the Prince?"
Chan Jie'er glared at her reproachfully. Jiao Jie'er realized she had said the wrong thing, smiled awkwardly, and changed the subject: "If I could stay a little longer, I would like to go to the temple to pray—it would be more comfortable to go up the mountain than to stay in the inn all the time."
Xian-jie listened quietly; she didn't like to talk.
Ultimately, she still lacked a father, unlike her two sisters. Although they were also born out of wedlock, their uncle's love for them was genuine. These kinds of casual conversations were not her place. Not knowing what to say, she could only listen as always.
Suddenly, a commotion broke out outside.
Jiao'er stood up suspiciously, about to send her maid outside to inquire about the situation. But the door was pushed open, and there stood her most favored aunt, usually so reserved and dignified, but now her face was flushed with joy as she urged her on:
"Great news! The Prince Rui's mansion has actually left a private message for our family! Ladies, hurry! Go to the courtyard!"
"Prince Rui's residence?" The two girls exchanged a glance, both taken aback, their faces flushing slightly.
Father had given vague instructions that morning, and the girls, intelligent and pretty, and nearing marriageable age, naturally understood his thoughts. They certainly wouldn't dare to overthink it. But if the Prince Rui's residence had sent a separate imperial edict to their family… had they stumbled upon something while playing outside a few days ago? Or…?
The girls dared not think any further. They hurriedly tidied their hair and tried to change their clothes, but the aunt was extremely anxious and urged them repeatedly, "There's no time! The Grand Eunuch from the Prince's Mansion is outside talking with the Master. Who can make him wait!"
Xian'er's mood was not very calm either, and she had a few extravagant hopes when she went downstairs.
She wasn't dissatisfied with her current situation; after all, she and her two sisters were treated much the same, and once they got married, they would leave this family. But her brother…
She can't usually help much, but she hopes she can help her brother make his life less difficult.
The usually bustling first floor of the inn was now empty. Apart from the Zhang family members who were anxiously waiting for the imperial edict, other bystanders only dared to peek through their own doors, secretly listening with envy.
Zhang Rui's face was almost frozen with a smile, and he was sweating profusely. He was just an ordinary minor official with little experience in dealing with important figures. At most, he had only met one superior who appreciated him, and he had been promoted without really understanding what was going on.
Now that he was being asked to sit with the Grand Eunuch for a chat, Zhang Rui felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. He had been tormented in his heart countless times, secretly lamenting why the rest of the people were moving so slowly...
The steward dared not delay. Seeing that the master was about to collapse, he quickly turned to the servants and whispered angrily, "Go and urge him on!"
Song Gu then adopted the airs of a grand eunuch, sitting on the first floor with a forced smile, holding a cup of tea with disdain, but refusing to drink it.
He subtly scanned the men and women standing as punishment in the courtyard, and his sharp eyes spotted Zhang Ting, who was quite far away.
Haha, he's standing quite elegantly...
Zhang Ting's status can be seen from the positions of these Zhang family members. Although they are also descendants of the Zhang family, Zhang Rui's son is standing at the very front, not even bothering to pretend, as if he is afraid of not showing his face in front of someone from the Prince's mansion.
When the three girls arrived in a hurry, they stood in the second row with the women. Zhang Rui was relieved and respectfully invited him over: "Esteemed gentleman, everyone is here."
Song Gu was rarely addressed as a eunuch in normal times. He thought to himself that he only got called that when he met those outsiders in Liuzhou who didn't know his identity and were trying to curry favor with him. He chuckled to himself and stood up.
Having heard the whole story beforehand, and wanting to save face for Zhang Ting and his sister, he cleared his throat and asked in a sarcastic tone, as people would expect, "Where are Zhang Tianshi's children?"
The Zhang family members dared not discuss it, but a slight commotion arose as they looked at each other, somewhat bewildered.
What Zhang Tianshi?
Only Zhang Ting's eyelashes trembled uncertainly, her lowered face filled with disbelief.
...Someone from Prince Rui's residence has come. Are they looking for his concubine?
Did Brother Qi help deliver the letter to Prince Rui's mansion for help? But how did they know his aunt's name? Or did he mistake her for someone else?
He had been suffering these past few days, absentmindedly waiting for news, and at times even having a moment of daze wondering if the Qi brother and his son he had seen that day were just his delusions. For a moment, the young man hesitated, caught in a dilemma, and did not immediately speak.
Xian'er, one of the women, was also stunned for a moment.
She had never met her birth mother, only heard about her from her brother. Was this... a father-in-law referring to her aunt? Or were there other women in the Zhang family, surnamed Zhang Tian?
Xianjie made up her mind and carefully observed her surroundings out of the corner of her eye, waiting for someone to claim her.
Zhang Rui's forehead was covered in even more sweat. He didn't understand the trivial matters of the women in the inner quarters, so he could only ask anxiously in a low voice, "...Does our Zhang family have such a person?"
His wife also looked somewhat hesitant, as if she didn't recognize anyone present as Zhang Tianshi.
Zhang Ting watched coldly, finally confirming in his heart—this was probably the help Brother Qi had found!
Ultimately, no one remembered that the concubine of the fallen first wife, who had passed away many years ago, was surnamed Tian.
Without further hesitation, he stepped forward and walked out of the crowd.
Xian'er was stunned for a moment, then quickly lowered her head and followed, only giving the two sisters a look of concern as they instinctively wanted to call her back.
Zhang Rui: "..."
He and his wife exchanged a glance, both showing surprise and unease, their expressions shifting several times. They never expected that the person the Prince Rui's residence specifically requested was a descendant of the eldest son's family.
Is today... a blessing or a curse?
Zhang Rui's previous euphoria had subsided considerably, and his composure returned, making him somewhat uneasy.
The boy and girl, both still young and vibrant, stood side by side before Song Gu. Song Gu carefully looked them up and down, a loving expression on his face, and spoke in the familiar tone of an uncle or elder:
"Don't be afraid, good child. How old are you this year? What's your name?"
Zhang Ting and Zhang Xian answered in hushed tones, looking very reserved.
Song Gu made no attempt to hide his gaze as he stared at the Zhang family members, raising his voice slightly:
"The reason I'm here today is because His Highness's wet nurse had a close confidante before she entered the palace, but she later disappeared without a trace. As luck would have it, after searching high and low, we actually found her at Lord Zhang's residence!"
"His Highness has instructed, 'Since the wet nurse's good sister has passed away, it would be good to bring her child to visit.' That's why we've come today to invite her."
After saying that, he changed his tone to a warm one and continued to speak to Zhang Ting and Zhang Xian with a smile: "Young master, young lady, shall we get in the carriage? Aunt Liu is probably getting impatient at the Prince's residence, and the Prince will likely also like to see you..."
His ever-changing expressions and unpredictable moods were exactly the classic image of a court eunuch that the brother and sister had imagined, leaving them completely stunned: "..."
But Zhang Ting and his sister didn't dare to delay. They obediently agreed and boarded the carriage that had arrived behind them like quails, as if they were in a dream.
Song Gushu raised his hand, took in the expressions of the Zhang family members present, and then turned and got into the carriage.
...The incident seems to be over.
But the Zhang family members present stood frozen in the courtyard, unable to recover for a long time. Especially Zhang Rui and his wife. Only after the eldest father-in-law left did the scene suddenly erupt in chaos. Only then did Zhang Rui and his wife dare to ask each other their questions:
"How did the eldest son's family get involved with Prince Rui's mansion?!" "Xian'er's aunt is actually a close friend of the prince's wet nurse?!"
The couple stared at each other, questioning each other, but neither could give an answer.
Who would care about a concubine who passed away so long ago!
Jiao Jie'er and Chan Jie'er were both envious and disappointed: "We never imagined that the siblings had such a connection..."
I actually got to meet the prince.
But the two sisters were unwilling to give up, yet they also felt somewhat relieved: "Now Xian'er has someone to rely on."
In their eyes, Xian'er's elder brother was an incompetent fool, and with the eldest son gone, Xian'er didn't know who she would rely on in the future.
The Zhang family elders, however, wouldn't think so simply. The faces of Zhang Rui and his wife were filled with both gloom and worry.
"Why at this critical juncture..."
Zhang Rui was also exhausted, and only thanks to the steward's quick reflexes, who brought him a chair to sit on, did he survive. The official, almost disregarding his image, exclaimed, "Wouldn't that mean..."
His mind was in turmoil, he was feeling very uneasy.
It's obvious that if the eldest son's family gains favor, aside from anything else, preventing retaliation is a top priority...
In particular, why did Zhang Rui insist on staying in Liuzhou for several days? He had just learned that Yulin Prefecture, where he was to take up his post, was actually closely related to Prince Rui, and that to have a good life there, paying homage to the prince was essential. This principle applied not only in officialdom but also even more so in local areas.
This...the future...
"Disperse! Disperse!" Zhang Rui's head was throbbing with pain. He waved the crowd away, and the couple went back to their room to discuss the matter for a long time, but they couldn't reach a conclusion.
...
The brother and sister in the carriage were also feeling uneasy, but fortunately there was no one else in the carriage, so they could take the opportunity to whisper to each other.
"Brother, did our aunt have such a powerful confidante before?" Xian'er had never met her mother since birth, and her question was full of doubt.
Zhang Ting had at least spent a few years with her biological mother, but even she felt uncertain when she thought about it: "...As for my aunt, all I know is that she used to be from the capital. Perhaps she didn't tell us?"
Zhang Ting still harbored doubts and worries.
Brother Qi said he would find a way to help them both, and at the time he thought Brother Qi was just going to deliver a message. But now, could this be a plausible excuse? Is this not the truth? Then Brother Qi's connection with the Prince Rui's mansion...?
Zhang Ting didn't dare to think about it anymore.
Brother Qi is definitely not just the son of a businessman.
With so many chaotic thoughts swirling in her mind, Zhang Ting got out of the car with her sister and entered the Prince's Mansion without daring to lift her head. After several changes of scenery, they were finally led into a small hall.
In front of him was a pair of luxurious boots, and next to them was a pair of exquisite embroidered cloth shoes.
The boy in boots must be Prince Rui.
Zhang Ting didn't dare to look closely at all; a slight sweat broke out on her back, and her face suddenly went blank: "..."
He was about to kneel down and pay his respects with his sister when he remembered that the eunuch who had brought him here hadn't taught him any manners for meeting a prince, not even how to greet him properly...!
—Song Gu, who was walking at the back, didn't even follow into the flower hall.
He simply closed the door leisurely, leaving the conversation to them.
In that moment of Zhang Ting's panic and helplessness, a familiar boy's laughter suddenly rang out in front of her:
"Pfft... The scene just now was to give you face. I don't usually have that many formalities here, so don't kneel down!"
Zhang Ting: "...?"
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