Chapter 833 Arrival in Luoyang
In the afternoon, outside the Ganlu Hall of Shangyang Palace.
Groups of female officials floated by.
In and out.
But it was quiet, as if there were no footsteps.
Busy in silence.
There was a sense of afternoon tranquility.
Two elegantly dressed female officials, who only appear beside a sage, stood guard outside the main hall, quietly exchanging glances and giving hand gestures as they directed the process.
Suddenly, three jade chimes rang out from the east corridor outside the hall.
The lark perched on the locust tree was startled, and soon a group of musicians in dark uniforms carrying sandalwood zithers hurriedly walked out of the hall with their heads bowed.
A short while later.
Faint whispers could be heard coming from inside the main hall.
I couldn't hear it clearly.
It was drowned out by the desperate cries of the cicadas on the branches.
None of the palace servants dared to hold their breath and listen closely...
At this moment, another beautiful female official, adorned with plum blossom makeup, came from afar and arrived at the gate.
She turned and took the ice chest from the hand of the attendant who had stayed behind, then walked past her two colleagues without looking to the side and entered the Ganlu Hall.
Inside the hall, an octagonal gilded incense burner steamed with styrax incense. Wisps of smoke climbed up the dragon-carved pillars and drifted into the hall, where they condensed into dewdrops on the surface of the pipa strings of the flying celestial maidens painted on the ceiling.
A gentle breeze wafts from the distant Taiqing Pond, and the sheer gauze curtains that block the view inside the palace flutter in the wind, revealing glimpses of the interior in shifting light.
As the lady-in-waiting in colorful robes carrying the ice chest entered, she happened to see an elderly figure finish kneeling and bowing on the ground and then get up.
The old man, even from behind, looked quite plump. He was talking to the elderly woman in the dragon robe at the head of the table.
The main hall, now empty after the palace servants and musicians had been removed, was now deserted, save for the plump old man and the old woman in the dragon robe.
The female official immediately lowered her eyes, holding the ice chest in her hand, and remained where she was.
The ice chest trembled slightly with her wrist.
They chose to stop far away.
"Rise, Elder, please don't stand on ceremony. I don't know why, but whenever I see you kneeling tremblingly, I feel pain in my body, as if I feel your pain as well."
Behind the beaded curtain came the hoarse voice of an old woman in a dragon robe.
Master Di bowed and clasped his hands in greeting:
"May the sage live ten thousand years and enjoy boundless blessings and prosperity. How could he possibly be a mere rotten weed like this old minister? The sage has flattered this old minister."
"Never mind, Elder, please sit down."
"This old minister is apprehensive; it is better to remain standing."
"Why the fear?"
"This old minister has done something wrong, or said something wrong."
"Oh? What wrong thing have you done? What wrong thing have you said? How come I don't know?"
Di Fuzi spoke earnestly:
"Is it not the Emperor who commands Fengtai? Why can't this old minister even examine the memorials and documents submitted at night? It must be that this old minister is incompetent and has offended the Emperor."
The old woman seemed to smile slightly:
"No, Elder, this is not to avoid you. I am merely admonishing the officials there not to disturb you unless it is a matter of great military or national importance. You do not need to be on night duty in the palace like other prime ministers. Go back and rest early. Deal with matters during the day."
She said earnestly, "Elder, I truly hope that you are in good health."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This old minister is still capable."
"Please take a seat, Elder Guo."
"yes."
Master Di sat upright, with one side of his buttocks resting on the stool.
The old woman in the dragon robe seemed to have waited for a while.
Master Di remained motionless and silent.
The atmosphere quieted down.
Only from behind the beaded curtain came the old woman's leisurely voice:
"I thought the elder statesman would also advise me."
"I wouldn't dare. What matter does Your Majesty wish to advise me on?"
The old woman laughed and said:
"Of course, it's about me not returning to the capital and staying at Shangyang Palace for a long time to recuperate and enjoy myself. Also, the elder statesman probably wants to persuade me about the turmoil involving Tian Shu and the four Buddha statues, and use this opportunity to lecture me."
Master Di shook his head solemnly:
"Whether it's a natural disaster or a man-made one, it's all regrettable. It involves Holy Week, so it's not an opportunity to preach. The most important thing now is to clean up the mess."
The old woman in the dragon robe sounded both surprised and pleased:
"The old minister truly prioritizes the overall situation; I have not misjudged him."
Master Di humbly accepted the gift and then took the initiative to ask:
"Your Majesty's brows are furrowed with worry. What troubles you? May this old minister hear your advice?"
Behind the beaded curtain, the old woman in the dragon robe remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking:
"I had a dream the night before last."
She paused for a moment.
Di Fuzi bowed again:
"Your Majesty, I am listening."
“I dreamt of a great reed warbler with both wings broken, which cried out blood before me, but I was powerless to do anything about it.”
Master Di immediately said:
"Your humble servant is not talented, but may interpret Your Majesty's dream."
The old woman in the dragon robe hesitated for a moment:
"speak."
"Wei is Your Majesty's surname, and the two wings refer to your two sons. Your Majesty currently only has two sons, the Prince of Xunyang and the Prince of Xiang. This dream foretells that as long as the Prince of Xiang is reinstated and the Prince of Xunyang is recalled to the capital, and both sons are given important positions, Your Majesty's two wings will be able to regain their strength and soar to new heights!"
The old woman in the dragon robe fell silent for a moment, her tone sounding somewhat displeased:
"Interpreting dreams is one thing, but it's my family matter and has nothing to do with the elder statesman. Didn't the elder statesman just say that he wouldn't advise or teach me? How can I go back on my word?"
Master Di stood up abruptly and gave a polite bow:
"This old minister dares not."
The plump old man on the throne was very old, yet he was still very elegant.
“This is not advice, but a proper interpretation of the dream for the sage. This old minister is not trying to preach. This old minister is just puzzled by something and will not be happy until he asks about it.”
"What is puzzling you, Elder Guo?"
Master Di spoke slowly and deliberately, yet his words were as sharp as a knife, piercing straight to the heart:
"Your Majesty, between an aunt and a nephew and between a mother and son, who is closer? This old minister has studied history and examined the royal families of all dynasties. Since ancient times, there has never been a case of a nephew honoring his aunt as Empress Dowager and allowing her to be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Is it possible for this to happen in our dynasty?"
"Although our Holy Zhou is unique, Your Majesty is also a once-in-a-millennium emperor, capable of setting an example for all ages, comparable to Emperor Shun, this old minister has no doubt about this."
“But the King of Wei and the King of Liang are ambitious but lack talent. The Tian Shu incident shows that they are not wise rulers like Your Majesty. As Your Majesty’s aunt, you know your two nephews best. Do you think they can stand shoulder to shoulder with Your Majesty and be the ones to set an example for all ages?”
"I hope Your Majesty can enlighten this old minister."
The old woman in the dragon robe suddenly fell silent.
...
night.
Outside Luoyang city.
At a small inn, a family using the alias Su checked in for a rest, which went unnoticed.
Every day, so many people come to Luoyang from all directions, from all over the country, in an endless stream.
The capital city is not short of such a wealthy and powerful family.
After dinner,
In a side room on the second floor of the backyard of the post station.
After everyone had rested, they gradually gathered together.
Li Xian, Li Guo'er, Li Dalang, Wei Mei, Lu Ya, and Ban Xi are all present.
They are discussing matters related to going to Beijing.
After nearly two months of travel, by land and water, braving wind and rain, the group finally arrived in Luoyang, the capital city and the most beautiful place in the world.
The center of power in the Great Zhou Dynasty.
Inside the room, only a few lamps were lit, perfectly matching the atmosphere of the meeting.
Apart from Li Guo'er, who sat beside her holding the cat, and Cai Shou, who served her.
Everyone else sat around a table.
The lamplight barely illuminated a corner of their faces.
Li Xian could not hide his excitement.
From the moment he caught sight of Luoyang's towering city walls in the distance that afternoon, Li Xian had been in a state of high spirits and excitement.
If it weren't for Li Guo'er and Xie Lingjiang's suggestions, and Wei Mei keeping an eye on things, Li Xian would probably have rushed to the capital by evening to scout the time.
The women discussed it and decided to rest for one night and make plans the next day.
"By the way, where are my niece Xie and Lady Rongzhen?"
Li Xian looked around and asked curiously.
Li Guo'er shook her head:
"She should be in Rongzhen's room. Sister Xie just went out to find Lady Rongzhen. We don't know what she wants to talk about. She told us to talk first."
Li Xian and Wei Mei exchanged glances, and Li Xian nodded without saying a word.
"It's probably a private matter for Tanlang. Ahem, let's talk about serious matters."
Lu Ya asked:
"Your Highness, shall we go straight into the city? Should we notify anyone?"
Li Dalang said, "Let's follow what Tanlang told us back in Xunyang. Let's first talk about the attack on Xunyang by the river pirates and gain their sympathy."
Wei Mei raised his hand:
"How about we contact an old acquaintance first? My cousin is the current Prefect of Jingzhao. We can contact Father first, and then have him contact this cousin, who can then inform the court. That way, we'll follow the proper procedures, and our own people will be safe."
The group exchanged glances.
Li Xian hesitated and said:
"It's not impossible."
Li Dalang glanced at his father's face and asked:
"What was Father originally going to say?"
Li Xian subconsciously said:
"Of course, we should contact the Prince Xiang's residence or the tutor's side. They are helping us, and we can also inform Chang Le."
Wei Mei frowned slightly:
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate? The Master is certainly worthy of respect and should be reliable, but I just feel it's not quite right to call your younger brother, and the same goes for your younger sister."
Li Xian scratched his head, as if to say, "Since we're going to offer up the Ding Sword anyway, we can leave it at that for now and just mention the burning of the Prince's Mansion and the danger we encountered in Xunyang. We can offer the sword after we meet the Emperor."
Wei Mei suddenly asked Li Guo'er, "How's your learning of the Rainbow Ribbon Sword Technique going?"
Li Guo'er shook her head:
“Cai Shou was already at the ninth rank, but failed. Sister Xie and I deduced that it might be because the real name was invalid. That character was not the real name, so it couldn’t be added to the ninth rank with the sword technique, and it also couldn’t become its sword master.”
Everyone frowned.
Li Guo'er suddenly said:
"It's alright. We don't know their real names, and neither do the others. Let's present them to the Empress Dowager first. Anyway, the credit will be ours."
Li Xian hesitated and asked, "This doesn't align with Tan Lang's original plan."
Li Guo'er shook her head and pointed out the window:
"The arrow is on the string and must be released. We've already arrived in Luoyang, but the plan has changed, so we have to present the sword first. Ouyang Lianghan once said that the truly important things are unplanned and we can only adapt to the situation."
Wei Mei agrees:
“Alright. Guo’er is right. It would be best if the sword master were one of our people, but how can we be perfect? The most important thing is that the sword can be presented smoothly. That merit is enough. Besides, I have always felt that if the sword master is one of our people, it is easy to arouse the emperor’s suspicion.”
"Oh well."
Li Xian sighed, then rallied:
"No matter what, we need to make contact tonight. We need to enter the city tomorrow. We can't delay any longer. We've come this far, let's go to Luoyang first and talk about it later!"
"good……"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Just then, two beautiful figures suddenly appeared outside.
A fiery red dress, a simple white dress—each has its own unique charm, like spring blossoms and autumn harvests.
However, Li Xian and the others were surprised to find that the two figures walked together today, one tall and one short, entering the house one after the other.
Xie Lingjiang walked in front.
Wei Mei greeted them with a smile:
"My dear niece has arrived."
Li Dalang glanced at the cold-faced girl with sleeves covering her face who was silently following behind him, and asked:
"Is Lady Rongzhen here to say goodbye?"
The door was closed by Lu Ya.
As if sensing the strange gazes lingering on her and Xie Lingjiang, Rong Zhen suddenly stopped by the door and did not follow Xie Lingjiang inside.
She shook her head.
He kept silent, his sleeves tucked behind his ear.
It seemed a little impolite.
However, Li Xian and his group had already adapted.
Throughout the journey, Rongzhen gradually drifted apart from the main group, becoming somewhat unconventional.
However, he didn't hold anyone back; he just seemed reluctant to do it because he was "unfamiliar" with the situation.
It's unclear whether it's due to a disagreement with Xie Lingjiang or a grudge against Li Xian's status as a member of the Li clan.
Or, to put it another way, regarding the conflict between Li and Wei, if it weren't for Ouyang Rong's presence, Rong Zhen would have been more neutral, leaning towards her own surname. However, now...
However, my feelings have become complicated.
However, no one could discern the cold-faced lady's true intentions, only that she likely meant no harm.
"Your Highness."
Xie Lingjiang suddenly spoke, attracting everyone's attention.
The young woman remained silent for a long time, then turned to look at Lu Ya and the other outsiders.
Seeing this, Lu Ya withdrew.
Besides her and Rongzhen, only Li Xian, Li Dalang, Wei Mei, and Li Guo'er remained in the room.
The woman in red took out a brocade pouch from her sleeve, which seemed to have been prepared in advance, and handed it to Li Xian.
Everyone turned to look.
Li Xian was also stunned: "What is this?"
Xie Lingjiang whispered, "My senior brother asked me to give you this brocade pouch. He said that if the prince hesitates outside Luoyang, he should open this pouch."
Li Xian was overjoyed and immediately opened the brocade pouch, took out the note inside, and held it close to the lamplight to read it expectantly.
After a short while, his smile faded, and he became somewhat serious.
After a while, Li Xian slowly put down the letter, his expression inscrutable. He would look up at the aloof and solitary figure of the palace-dressed girl at the door, then look down at the letter again to confirm.
"What did Tanlang say?"
Wei Mei couldn't wait to ask.
Li Xian didn't answer immediately. After only three breaths of hesitation, she lifted her up and handed the note to Xie Lingjiang.
The latter glanced at it as well, then walked to the lamplight, burned the note to ashes, and turned her starry eyes back to look at Li Xian.
The crowd grew increasingly puzzled.
Under the scrutinizing gazes of Wei Mei and the others, Li Xian quickly made up his mind, walked to Rong Zhen's side, and solemnly bowed.
"Please ask Lady Rongzhen to help me enter the palace and inform His Majesty that... that your unfilial son, Li Xian, is in the outskirts of Luoyang and has important matters to report, wishing to see His Majesty."
The atmosphere was somewhat quiet.
Rongzhen nodded slightly, turned around and went out.
"I will enter the palace now, please wait a moment."
Wei Mei whispered, "How can we have Lady Rongzhen report to Qi Lang, about my Wei family..."
Li Xian immediately lowered his voice and said:
"Don't contact anyone. Don't tell anyone about our return to the capital. This is Lianghan's advice. Don't tell Prince Xiang, Chang Le, or Lady Wei. Don't even tell the Master or Mr. Xie. We'll only inform the Emperor and have Lady Rongzhen go. Don't contact anyone else."
Wei Mei fell silent.
Li Guo'er seemed to be deep in thought.
Xie Lingjiang followed them out, preparing to see them off.
Li Guo'er suddenly asked, "Does your senior brother have any other brocade pouches?"
Xie Lingjiang shook his head, and as he passed by her, he hurriedly tossed out a few words:
"None of them are for you."
Li Guo'er stopped in her tracks.
(End of this chapter)
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