Chapter 30: Why is everyone in the palace more familiar with me than my wife?
The sky was bright.
Under Jiang Yuzhi's tutelage, Zhao Pingfeng actually learned quite well, and was able to embroider a small flower on a handkerchief. He also learned most of the clothing pattern making.
The streets became lively, but Madam Zhou was not in a hurry to look for her son.
Her son is diligent and filial. He gets up early every day, either to clean the yard or to make preparations at the shop in front of the house to open the door.
She was grateful for Miss Jiang's kindness. Although she was an uneducated country woman, she knew how precious her son was.
Furthermore, Manager Jiang said he wanted his son to stay at the shop and teach him the ways of business.
Madam Zhou was overjoyed; this showed how much the shopkeeper valued her son and thought he was good.
She hummed a little tune as she helped Zhisi sweep the yard in the backyard of the shop.
The Bai family's carriage stopped in an alley not far from the shop.
As the Spring Festival approaches, people frequently come to buy incense, yellow paper money, and other offerings for the rituals.
Bai Yan entered the shop alone, but couldn't find his wife. Just as he was about to go to the backyard to look, Zhiyi cleverly pointed to the second floor and then continued to help customers settle their bills.
Behind the long table used for cutting, Jiang Yuzhi was teaching Zhao Pingfeng how to draw example diagrams.
"Tamaori, it's almost time."
Bai Yan stood at the door and gently knocked on the door panel to remind her.
Jiang Yuzhi then noticed that the wax on the table had burned out, and the curtain, which was not drawn tightly, was letting in daylight through the gaps.
The wind picked up late at night, making the papers on the desk rustle in the wind, so she closed the window and drew the curtains.
The faint candlelight was almost imperceptible; neither the living dead nor ghosts relied on light for their vision.
Jiang Yuzhi nodded and instructed Zhao Pingfeng, "I will come back tonight. You can do whatever you want, but one thing: you are not allowed to leave the shop."
Even if he wanted to escape, he couldn't, as the barrier and the silver bracelet would bind him.
Zhao Pingfeng obediently agreed and picked up his pen to copy Jiang Yuzhi's design.
Only then did she follow Bai Yan downstairs.
Bai Yan didn't care about the child. Ever since he learned that his wife was no ordinary person, all the strange and suspicious things from before seemed to have been explained.
He will naturally know what he is meant to know.
The princess's carriages were too elaborate, so whether it was Xiao Yao or Bai Yan traveling, they all used carriages from the Bai family that didn't even have a logo, so they rarely attracted attention.
Although it was her first time entering the palace, Jiang Yuzhi was not as nervous as she would be when meeting the Princess, as she naturally disliked the palace.
On the way, Bai Yan only told her that her uncle was a people-friendly emperor who didn't care about etiquette and often had a stern face and didn't like to smile, simply because he was too tired.
Speaking of the current emperor, Jiang Yuzhi had heard praise for him from the people. Indeed, under his rule, there were fewer corrupt officials and the people were able to live a better life. However, this did not prevent her from hating the emperor's position.
Those in high positions regard those below them as ants.
His moods are unpredictable and ever-changing; if he were to become displeased one day, how many people would die because of him?
Bai Yan noticed that his wife was absent-minded; her red eyes, visible only to him, were lowered, and he wondered what she was thinking.
Sometimes Bai Yan really wished he were a tapeworm in his wife's belly, so he could know what she was thinking and relieve her worries.
Yes, Mother is right. Perhaps if we agree to Uncle's offer, he will have power and confidence, and my wife will be able to rely on him a little, instead of being lost in thought with her eyes down like this now.
Xiao Yao had already made arrangements. The eunuch who came to pick them up was surnamed Xu. Knowing that Jiang Yuzhi was entering the palace for the first time, he introduced her to everyone from the moment she got off the carriage, leaving Bai Yan no chance to get a word in edgewise.
Except when passing by the Imperial Clothing Bureau, Jiang Yuzhi stopped and glanced at the somewhat old plaque, becoming even more silent.
Bai Yan was annoyed. Since entering the palace, his wife's complexion had never been good. Could it be that she had some connection with the palace during her lifetime, and that painful memories had been stirred up?
Eunuch Xu has some insight, but not much.
This young lady is favored by both the princess and Young Master Bai. Now that he has finally found a place that interests him, he must tell her all about it.
"Miss Jiang, are you familiar with the Imperial Wardrobe? It's a prestigious place that produces many female officials and empresses. Many concubines have been chosen by the Emperor to enter the harem based on their skillful hands and beautiful appearance. It's truly a blessed place. Some with outstanding skills even became the head of the Imperial Wardrobe and later went to the Ministry of Works to report for duty. However, going to the Ministry of Works was thanks to Her Highness the Eldest Princess setting a precedent..."
Jiang Yuzhi thought that Eunuch Xu was a nice person, but he talked too much.
Bai Yan noticed his wife's slightly furrowed brows and coughed lightly.
The talkative eunuch stole a glance at the taciturn young lady and said, "Look at my mouth! Hurry up and take you two to see the Emperor, or we'll be late."
In comparison, Jiang Yuzhi suddenly realized how good Bai Yan was: he was quiet, reserved, and not talkative.
If the Imperial Wardrobe were truly such a wonderful place, Aunt wouldn't have ended up like this...
The last time they saw each other before they died, her aunt patted her shoulder with a smile and said that next time she came back, she should teach her the etiquette of the palace and let her go to the palace for training.
Little did I know, it would be our final farewell.
After years in the underworld, Jiang Yuzhi not only failed to find her family members who had gone to the Yellow Springs with her on the execution platform, but also failed to find her aunt who had died before them, which was truly strange.
While I was pondering, we arrived at the Imperial Study.
Eunuch Xu bowed respectfully, gesturing for them to enter. "Young master, young lady, please come in. Don't keep the official waiting."
The two eunuchs guarding the gate opened the door for them.
Eunuch Xu watched them go in with a smile, inwardly sighing. If it were the master his master served, the palace would be like a funeral all the time. Would he still be allowed to chat so noisily with the young ladies outside the palace? He was truly lucky to have caught such a good time.
While thinking about it, he went to the kitchen to keep an eye on the tea and snacks to be served later, and also to cook a little something for himself.
Inside the imperial study, only the Emperor was working on a mountain of memorials behind his desk. He didn't even look up when he heard the noise. "You've arrived? Zuo Huai did a good job. What do you think of my proposal?"
For some reason, Jiang Yuzhi felt that the official's voice sounded somewhat familiar.
The pile of memorials almost completely obscured the emperor's bowed head.
As Bai Yan said, there was no formal greeting or even a verbal greeting. Fearing that Jiang Yuzhi would be nervous, Bai Yan even gave her a reassuring look.
“Uncle, I can try, but wouldn’t it be better if you married an empress and had your own child? You wouldn’t have to endure the ministers outside banging their heads against the pillar to remonstrate.”
Since the Emperor ascended the throne, there has been no Empress, no harem, and not even a confidante.
The ministers had submitted countless memorials urging the empress to be made empress and to bear children in order to secure the foundation of the nation.
But the official was not willing, so what could they do but force him onto the bed?
Moreover, the reason the emperor used to fob them off was that the country was not yet settled and the people were displaced. Did he think that if he had a child, the weather would be favorable and the country would be stable?
The courtiers were speechless.
It's not that there aren't radicals; some even dared to ram their heads against pillars.
"Let them run wild. The imperial physicians are always on standby; they won't die. It's not a good reputation to die advising the emperor to marry. Since you want to try, then today..."
The emperor's attention was entirely focused on the first half of Bai Yan's sentence, and his voice was filled with joy. He put down the memorial and was about to discuss it in detail with his nephew.
When Jiang Yuzhi and he made eye contact, they both froze and exclaimed in surprise.
Jiang Yuzhi: What are you doing here?
The official asked, "What are you doing here?"
With heavy dark circles under his eyes, a haggard face, and a familiar countenance, it was none other than Lu Zhidao, the Martial Judge of the Underworld!
Bai Yan was also stunned, his mind wandering uncontrollably, recalling his wife's reaction when she entered the palace.
Just then, Eunuch Xu came to deliver tea and snacks. Lu Zhidao had the palace servants bring over a small round table and instructed Eunuch Xu to guard the door and not to disturb them unless it was an urgent matter. After everyone left, he still felt uneasy and asked Jiang Yuzhi to add a protective barrier.
Bai Yan was even more puzzled by their familiarity with each other.
Lu Zhidao: "So Mingze is the person you're looking for?"
Jiang Yuzhi: "Yes, what's Judge Lu doing here?"
Suddenly, I remembered the simple wooden plaque that Lu Zhidao had given me when we first met, with the character "佶" written on it.
Jiang Yuzhi remained silent. "You are Xiao Ji."
His usually expressionless face showed a sorrowful nod.
Without even trying to hide it from Bai Yan, Lu Zhidao already knew about the progress of the Sheji Map from the Black and White Impermanence.
Ghosts with official positions in the underworld are released into the cycle of reincarnation by the Heavenly Dao every hundred years, to experience a lifetime in the mortal realm and understand the people's conditions.
When it was Lu Zhidao's turn, the Underworld was already short-staffed, and he held an important position. When he left, the Underworld almost came to a standstill.
The Emperor of Fengdu served as a judge for a while, but he was overwhelmed with problems and had no conscience. At first, he appeared in a dream to Lu Zhidao, who was already a mortal, and his name was Xiao Ji.
Xiao Ji was full of ambition, feeling that he was the chosen one, and every night he was tricked into going to the underworld to handle cases.
If an ordinary person becomes a judge, they must first swallow an iron ball; if they are corrupt or abuse their power, the iron ball will burn their internal organs.
Xiao Ji, who was only seventeen or eighteen years old, swallowed it every time.
In the first few years, things were fine, but as he got older, there were more and more worldly affairs to deal with, and Xiao Ji became less willing to do them.
He was busy with the uprising during the day and had to go to the underworld to judge cases at night.
Taking too many iron supplements can cause side effects.
One night, Xiao Ji had a splitting headache and suddenly remembered his time as a judge.
Even the Emperor of Fengdu hadn't expected this, since no mortal had ever swallowed so many times before.
Perhaps Heaven felt guilty, for it did not react at all.
The Emperor of Fengdu begged Xiao Ji relentlessly, even threatening him, saying that after he died in this life, he would have to continue being a judge in the underworld anyway, and if he didn't do it now, he might leave Xiao Ji with a mess.
Xiao Ji swallowed his anger and became increasingly gloomy and resentful.
He was busy day and night, and he felt that he was even more like a beast than the ox-headed and horse-faced demons.
The donkey pulling the millstone can at least take a break, but he's been working non-stop for over a decade, and is now over thirty.
No wonder he doesn't have time to build a harem. Jiang Yuzhi looked at him with pity.
Xiao Ji: "The Emperor is on good terms with you, so hurry up and find a civil judge for me. If I really can't go on, there's still Mingze. If you don't come to help me, your uncle will become a ghost on the spot."
Bai Yan was still processing the news, so much so that she forgot to blink.
Jiang Yuzhi: "I can't help it either. You should know that judges aren't easy to find."
Xiao Ji fell silent. He himself was appointed by the Heavenly Dao. The Emperor of Fengdu had no authority to appoint him, but he could seek permission from the Heavenly Dao.
Bai Yan: "Uncle, you're busy for a while longer. I'm going to the Ghost Market with Yu Zhi tonight, so I can't help you for now. I'll definitely come in a couple of days."
He only now realizes how hard his uncle has worked, and his unreasonable demands now seem reasonable.
There's just one thing: how come everyone else is more familiar with him than his wife? Even the Zhou family's children from before are closer to him than he is?
Jiang Yuzhi pondered, "Why not look for other children?"
Jiang Yuzhi didn't really want Bai Yan to suffer like this, since even a dignified judge had been tormented like this.
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Author's note: Striving for perfect attendance in May! [hands clasped in prayer]
After that, Lu Zhidao was always called Xiao Ji, and his colleagues in the underworld still called him Lu Zhidao.
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