Zheng Ya carried the octagonal table downstairs with one hand, followed by Manager Qi and the waiter from Fuxianglou. They went downstairs to meet Prince Rong's entourage, glared at each other, and then turned to walk towards the Imperial City.
The group marched in a grand procession, causing a ruckus in the streets.
Fu Lian ran downstairs and saw a scene of countless passersby chasing after Zheng Ya and his group, watching the spectacle and making endless comments. He was so frightened that he wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and ran home.
Lai Dayi and his servants followed closely behind: *Shh*
The journey, which should have taken a quarter of an hour, was completed in just half an hour, and the group returned to the Rongqing Hall of the Duke of Dai.
The main hall is decorated with carved beams and painted pillars, exuding an antique charm.
Hanging in the hall is a painting depicting the heavens and earth, with Lao Tzu, the sage, riding an ox to ascend to heaven.
Below the painting, on the altar, are offerings of incense and food.
Below the altar were three prayer cushions. Below the three jade steps leading to the small platform of the prayer cushions, at the head of the octagonal table, sat a wealthy-looking old lady dressed in brocade robes.
Four pretty maids served him at his side.
Three tables were arranged on either side of the main hall. Behind the tables, on cushions, knelt the wives of the third and fourth generations of the Duke of Dai’s family, with their unmarried daughters serving them, and maids standing by with their heads bowed, waiting for orders.
The entire Rongqing Hall was filled with a solemn and sacred atmosphere.
When Fu Lian burst through the gates of Rongqing Hall, the old lady, the wife of the Duke of Dai and a woman of the highest rank, who was sitting at the head of the octagonal table, angrily said, "What's the rush? What kind of behavior is this?"
"Ah, Ancestor, disaster has struck, disaster has struck..." Fu Lian greeted her in a panic, startling all the women and maids in the room, who were thrown into a frenzy.
The old lady scolded him with exasperation: "Do you still have any of the dignity of a viscount, any manly spirit?"
Isn't it just some trivial matter where a member of a collateral branch of the family offended Prince Rong?
Is this all that scared you?
What will you use to protect the legacy your ancestors built?
"Ah, Ancestor, if Fu Ya hadn't insisted on going to beat the Dengwen Drum to appeal to the Emperor, your grandson wouldn't be so incompetent..." Fu Lian hurriedly wiped his sweat with his sleeve and revealed the truth in an absurd manner.
The old lady only learned about Fu Ya's disturbance at Fuxiang Tower after hearing the servants' report. Not knowing the follow-up, she was shocked and got up angrily, saying, "How dare you beat the drum to appeal to the emperor and file a complaint with the emperor?"
Who gave a collateral relative the audacity to file a complaint with the emperor?
Where does he intend to place the mansions of the Dukes of Yong and Dai?
"Your Majesty, please calm down. This matter is beyond our control under Prince Rong's supervision. We must quickly find a way to break this deadlock!"
Otherwise, if His Majesty holds them accountable, the Yong and Dai families will inevitably be accused of lax discipline, insubordination, and treasonous plots.
The key issue is that the Yong and Dai Dukes' mansions have been unlucky and have fallen to the point where they have barely inherited the legacy of their ancestors, but have been demoted to the rank of viscount and have failed to continue the glory of their ancestors. They are no longer recognized by the civil and military officials.
Furthermore, sworn enemies are secretly sabotaging them, making every step they take difficult.
"If we let Fu Ya continue to file a complaint with the emperor, I'm afraid the whole court will be against the Yong and Dai families, and they could be wiped out!" Fu Lian tearfully described the current situation of the two families.
Although it was said in a veiled manner, it struck the women and young ladies in the hall like a thunderclap, moving them all deeply.
The ancestors of the two Dukes of Yong and Dai originally followed the late emperor in conquering the world and created the legend of the Azure Dragon Legion. They were granted the title of king according to their merits.
However, the two Dukes of Yong and Dai were too powerful and their families had too many enemies, which was not conducive to the long-term prosperity of the family. Therefore, they took the initiative to resign, retire to their hometown, and live in seclusion in the mountains to make a fortune as hermits.
The late emperor, moved by the brothers' sincere friendship, reduced their titles and made them Dukes of Yong and Dai, thus ensuring that their ranks would remain unchanged for generations.
This favor undoubtedly highlights the status of the two Dukes of Yong and Dai, making them the biggest winners, equivalent to commanding the entire army.
After all, being granted the title of king requires relinquishing military power.
Being granted the title of Duke allowed one to continue wielding military power. The two Dukes of Yongdai were both Dukes for two generations, effectively taking over the dynasty's military power. This status and honor was unmatched by the other four Dukes who were demoted and inherited their titles.
He held a superior status and earned unparalleled prestige within the military.
This practice continued through the third generation of the family, eventually leading to the tragic incident of the crown prince staging a coup in the palace and forcing the emperor to abdicate.
More than 180,000 people were killed or wounded in that battle.
The circumstances surrounding the coup were complex, and even those involved in the Yongzheng and Daizong princely affairs who assisted the crown prince in his plot to seize the throne were unaware of the details.
After the war, the Crown Prince died violently in the Golden Palace, and the Emperor was seriously injured. He issued an imperial edict ordering the Third Prince Zheng Yuan to succeed to the throne, and then fell into a coma.
When the emperor awoke, Emperor Chengping had already stripped the marquis titles of the two dukes of Yong and Dai. If the emperor hadn't woken up in time and warned Emperor Chengping that the military prestige and influence of the two dukes of Yong and Dai should not be underestimated, as a slight misstep could cause turmoil in the court and allow someone to take advantage of the situation and replace them, Emperor Chengping would have executed the entire family of the two dukes of Yong and Dai.
Ultimately, in order to consolidate his imperial power and gradually take control of the military power held by the Yong and Dai families, Emperor Chengping decreed that his fourth-generation sons would inherit the title of viscount, as a punishment and favor for the crimes of the marquises of the Yong and Dai families who rebelled and forced the emperor to abdicate.
As a result, the two prefectures of Yongzheng and Daizhou were burdened with the crime of plotting to usurp the throne, and suffered suppression from the civil and military officials, making their lives difficult.
As the wife of a second-generation duke, the old lady knew the inside story and said in a panic, "The Yong and Dai mansions are in an awkward situation and can no longer withstand any more turmoil."
Since this collateral descendant of the Fu family has voluntarily severed ties with the clan, let's remove him from the family genealogy and then report this to His Majesty, offering our apologies with a bundle of thorns on our backs.
"Grandfather, Fu Ya's death at Fuxiang Tower is a serious matter. I'm afraid that if he gets involved, even if he's removed from the list, he won't be able to escape unscathed!" Fu Lian said anxiously, not believing that the court officials would let go of the opportunity to suppress the Yong and Dai families.
The old lady sneered, "Lian'er, although you have inherited the legacy of your ancestors and His Majesty has decreed that you inherit the title of viscount, you are only eighteen years old, you have too little experience, and you do not know the life-saving methods of the Fu family ancestors."
Just remember one thing: the Fu clan chief won't die so easily.
"Ah, Ancestor, my cousin Fu Zhen didn't die a violent death at Zifuxianglou. I saw it with my own eyes..." Fu Lian asked in astonishment, leaving all the ladies and young women in the room speechless and at a loss for words.
Only Madam Fu Zhen remained calm and composed.
The old lady pursed her lips and said, "Did you see Sister-in-law Liu change her expression or cry?"
"Oh, sister-in-law, how can you not be sad about the violent death of my cousin Fu Zhen?" Fu Lian was stunned and murmured to himself.
Madam Liu smiled faintly and said, "The legacy of the Fu family's ancestors is an ancestral precept, and I, as their granddaughter-in-law, dare not speak presumptuously."
"Alright, the legacy of the Fu family ancestors is unknown even to this old woman. Only the clan leader and his wife know the inside story, which has been passed down by word of mouth."
"Lian'er, step down and remove your name from Fuya's list. Then go and apologize to His Majesty with a bundle of thorns on your back. If you delay, things will get complicated. Go now!" The old lady waved her hand to shoo him away.
Fu Lian, filled with doubts but unable to ask further, hurriedly turned and ran out, saying, "Grandson takes his leave, let's go..."
At this moment, Wu Wei stood with her hands behind her back behind the window of the reception room on the third floor of Guiyuan Pharmacy, looking down at Zheng Ya and his group, and said: "Zheng Ya, you're always causing trouble wherever you go, never giving up..."
"You bastard, are you stupid? He's obviously causing trouble to accumulate luck and other energy to help him cultivate his supernatural abilities. Only you are stupid enough to help him become stronger..." Lan Meier sowed discord.
Wu Wei was furious: "Shut up..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com