Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Jinjiang First Release
Chapter 27
Jianye Imperial City, Hall of Supreme Harmony.
The evening sunlight leaked in through the diamond-shaped window, casting a few dark and sparse flower shadows on the golden brick floor.
Inside the hall is a dragon-head throne for the emperor, and behind an auspicious embroidered screen sits an old man with a solemn expression.
This person was none other than the monarch of Wu, Emperor Xuanning.
Emperor Xuanning's face was gloomy, hidden in the curling sandalwood incense from the bronze incense burner, and it was impossible to tell whether he was happy or angry.
The atmosphere in the palace was solemn. Crown Prince Li Fuyun spoke first, "Father, Cui Jue is treacherous and cunning. He defeated the Zhang clan in just one month, yet he deceived the emperor and embezzled enough military supplies from the treasury to sustain 50,000 elite troops for six months... Now that Cui Jue has returned, not only has he refused to return the military pay, he's also lied that the granaries were raided by the Zhang clan's troops and all the supplies burned... Is he making fun of my Li family?!"
Prince Jing Li Zhang had harbored a personal vendetta against Cui Jue ever since he'd been robbed of his love. Now, hearing his brother's glare, he readily agreed, "Your Highness, I see him acting perversely. He has no respect for respect, no regard for the monarch or his subjects. He's definitely trying to deceive the emperor! Father, Cui Jue cannot be allowed to stay!"
The two sons denounced Wudong Cui with righteous indignation, and were ready to take up their guns and fight Cui Jue.
Emperor Xuanning watched coldly without saying a word.
Emperor Xuanning had reigned for thirty years, so how could he not be aware of the deep scheming of the Cui clan's elders? As early as his ascension, Emperor Xuanning had foreseen the wicked ambitions of these aristocratic families. He endured years of hardship and humiliation, finally deceiving the Cui clan and regaining power, no longer serving as a puppet emperor controlled by the aristocratic families.
The blood on Emperor Xuanning's hands is no less than that of the Cui family.
It's just that his son is lucky. He was born and raised under his full wings. He has no idea of the former glory of the nobles and how they once controlled the world with one hand... It is because his son is too well protected by Emperor Xuanning that his methods are naive and he makes such ridiculous remarks.
Emperor Xuanning wasn't angry, but patiently asked his sons, "So what do you think? Should we send troops to execute Cui Jue within the imperial city, or should we decree that he be demoted to a commoner, strip him of his official position, and exile him to his native place?"
Crown Prince Li Fuyun heard that although his father's tone was gentle, the questions he asked were quite critical. He came to his senses and remained silent.
On the contrary, Prince Jing Li Zhang was extremely excited: "Father, in my opinion, Cui Juede is unworthy of his position. He should be dismissed from his post as Zuo Pushe first, and then the entire Cui family should be investigated..."
Before Li Zhang finished speaking, Emperor Xuanning sighed heavily.
Li Zhang's face turned pale immediately. He didn't dare to ask more questions. He just glanced at his brother frequently, trying to get some clues.
The Crown Prince said, "I have investigated and found that the Cui family only has 30,000 soldiers and horses in the city. They are not a threat... The Cui family is weak and feared by the noble families. How can we not kill them?"
Emperor Xuanning shook his head. "Have you ever considered that Cui Jue completed this campaign against the Zhang family in just one month? I only sent 20,000 imperial guards. If Cui Jue wanted to face the Zhang family's 50,000 elite troops, he would have to bring in another 30,000 or 40,000 private soldiers to help him. But when he left the city, the Cui family army he led would only be a mere 10,000..."
The prince said solemnly, "Please enlighten me, Father."
Emperor Xuanning: "Cui Jue's swift victory this time must have been due to external support from other troops, allowing him to encircle and annihilate the Zhang clan within a month. Speed is of the essence in war, and Cui Jue's prompt call for reinforcements clearly shows that he's concealing his true strength... In other words, you only see Cui Jue's 30,000 troops, but you don't know how many more cards Cui Jue holds hidden. Facing such an opponent, if you strike first, you'll only give him an excuse to rebel, and by then, it's unclear whether the one ascending the throne will be from the Cui or Li clan."
After hearing this, the prince's expression changed drastically.
As a son, he is inheriting his father's business and he also wants to take over his father's country. How can he be willing to hand over such a large family business to others?
The Crown Prince's brows were thick with worry. "I don't understand. If Cui Jue is so sinister, why does Father tolerate him? He even went so far as to marry the Imperial Sister to him, forming an alliance with the Cui family and emboldening his family's arrogance..."
Emperor Xuanning: "It is to stabilize the Cui family and not to shake the foundation of the Wu Kingdom... From now on, the two families will become relatives. If we want to keep a close eye on the Cui family, we will have someone close to us who can spy on the enemy."
The prince understood.
In the future, Li Muyao can become a spy for the royal family, so it would be great to marry her to Cui Jue.
The Crown Prince nodded and said, "Father is absolutely right. It seems that my sister's marriage must be put on the agenda as soon as possible."
However, both Li family father and son knew that Cui Jue was arrogant and resolute, and disliked others' arbitrary decisions regarding the Cui family's affairs. Emperor Xuanning did not want to have an antagonistic relationship with Cui Jue for the time being, so he did not dare to hastily grant a marriage to a noble family. He could only wait for Cui Jue to ask for Li Muyao's hand in marriage...
Emperor Xuanning glanced at the Crown Prince and said, "Dalang, you are almost thirty years old. It is time to choose a Crown Princess."
Li Fuyun wasn't exactly stupid; he understood immediately. "Then I'll organize a hunting banquet and invite the children of the aristocratic families in the capital to attend, to strengthen the relationship between the monarch and his subjects. I'll also ask Prime Minister Cui to take full responsibility for all banquet arrangements and attend the banquet together. That way, while I'm meeting the Crown Princess, I can also help bring Cui Jue and the Emperor's younger sister together."
Emperor Xuanning nodded with a smile. "Since this is a hunting feast, the young men are full of vigor and vitality. In order to compete for prey, it is inevitable that bows and horses will be drawn, and swords and spears will clash. Remember, as the crown prince of Wu, you love the people like your own children. You must protect the safety of the children of the noble families..."
Emperor Xuanning was smiling but had a hidden dagger in his heart.
Soon, the prince understood his father's hint.
Although the Cui family cannot be touched, Cui Jue is extremely intelligent and if he can be assassinated, it will be considered as eliminating a great threat.
Without Cui Jue in power, the aristocratic families are just a group of scattered sand and are not to be feared. Emperor Xuanning is confident that he can swallow up the entire Cui family.
This hunting banquet, in addition to facilitating the marriage of a pair of young children, also has the intention of arranging an assassination at the Hongmen Banquet. It all depends on whether the prince can pull it off.
Li Fuyun also understood his father's plan.
This hunting banquet was originally given full responsibility to Cui Jue, who was asked to set up defenses.
Since it was Cui Jue who had hosted the banquet, if he was killed, it was Cui Jue's own fault for underestimating the enemy. No matter how furious the Cui family was, they couldn't blame the Li family...
Even if it fails, Emperor Xuanning can use the hunting feast to persuade Cui Jue to get closer to Li Muyao and get married and form an alliance as soon as possible, so as to stabilize the Wudong Cui family and consolidate the throne.
This move really kills two birds with one stone. After hearing it, Li Fuyun was amazed.
-
On the day Cui Jue returned to the city, Aunt Huirong remembered Mr. Cui's order and came to remind Su Li to serve the head of the family and prepare for sex.
What was coming finally came. Su Li had no resistance and she took it calmly.
But this time, she did not accept the dress prepared by Aunt Huirong. She refused to wear the spring shirts with plum, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum patterns that were specially used to please Cui Jue.
Su Li knew that no matter what she did, Cui Jue would dislike her. In that case, it would be better for everyone to worry less. She would just wear the dresses with rabbit, cherry, and pear blossom patterns that she usually wore. At least they looked pleasing to her eyes and she wouldn't be too restrained.
At night, Su Li changed into a pink spring dress with a peach blossom pattern, and Aunt Huirong took her to Shuyue Pavilion as usual.
Su Li thought that this time would be the same as last time and they would go to the simply furnished guest room, but Aunt Huirong did something out of character and led her to the front hall.
Su Li felt uneasy when she thought of Cui Jue's crazy killing behavior before.
Could it be that this time he didn't even pretend and just ordered someone to bring her here to die?
Su Li was so scared that she couldn't help asking, "Aunt Huirong...why wasn't I waiting in the guest room for the eldest young master to come?"
Upon hearing this, Huirong said in a rare gentle voice, "The eldest master has to review official documents tonight, and I don't know when he will finish. I was worried that my lady would wait too long in the guest house, so I went to ask the eldest master if Madam Su could wait in the front hall. The eldest master agreed."
The last time Huirong cleaned the guest room after Su Li left, she found bloodstains on the floor.
Although she didn't know what happened to her masters, Huirong suspected that the blood might be Su Li's virgin blood.
Huirong was more respectable than ordinary servants, so she naturally knew Su Li's background...
She didn't expect that Madam Su married into the second branch of the Cui family as a virgin, and she was a young lady who knew nothing about sexual intercourse.
But the eldest master is not interested in women. He has never had a maid in his room for all these years. I guess he doesn't know how to deal with women.
It was Huirong who was negligent. She didn't expect that Su Li had no experience in this area.
I don’t know what the two of them did that night...but hearing Su Li’s crying voice, maybe she suffered a lot.
Huirong was upset because she failed to send the fire-avoiding drawings and spring drawings to her masters in time.
In order to make up for Su Li, Huirong went to Cui Jue and asked for respect for Su Li, giving her the opportunity to serve Cui Jue closely.
Su Li sensed a hint of taking credit in Aunt Huirong's words.
Perhaps for others, being able to get close to Cui Jue is a great blessing.
But Su Li almost died at the hands of Cui Jue many times, so she had no intention of seeking favor at all!
Su Li's body stiffened. She quietly declined, "I'm a very noisy person. I think I might disturb the eldest master from handling state affairs..."
Huirong gave her a loving look. "Madam Su, don't worry. Since the Young Master has allowed you to accompany him, he won't mind your noise. To be honest, this is the first time I've seen a woman accompany the Young Master on official business. Even when Her Royal Highness the Princess came to Shuyue Pavilion, the Young Master wouldn't allow her into the front hall or study... It shows that the Young Master treats you differently."
Su Li smiled awkwardly and didn't respond.
Can she be the same as Li Muyao?
Cui Jue didn't let the princess accompany him because he felt sorry for her and was afraid that His Highness would feel bored.
But Su Li couldn't hide, so she could only bite the bullet and follow Huirong.
Although the Shuyue Pavilion was not luxuriously decorated, the scenery was superb, with willows on the steps, flowers in the courtyard, and winding paths leading to secluded places. Su Li admired several spring flowers along the way and finally came to Cui Jue's study in the front hall.
It was a house with ventilation on three sides. A few bamboo strips were hung under the eaves, and copper lamps with thousands of flower trees were set up in the four corners. The candlelight was bright as daylight.
In the very center of the room stood a mahogany desk, and beside it were piles of bamboo slips and official documents.
Cui Jue had obviously bathed and changed her clothes. Her black hair was soft and smooth, and was only half-tied with a jade hairpin, while the rest of her long hair flowed down her shoulders.
He was wearing a long robe with a dark lotus pattern and was kneeling at the desk. His posture was straight and upright, like a pine or a cypress. His whole body was filled with a sense of alienation and coldness, which was intimidating.
Cui Jue was concentrating on his work, his head bent over the desk, his fingers moving with the pen, not knowing what he was annotating.
After Aunt Huirong brought the person in, she left.
Su Li was left standing motionless in the middle of the courtyard, not even having the courage to greet Cui Jue.
The stalemate lasted for a quarter of an hour. Su Li stood on tiptoe and looked around, and saw a pile of documents.
She realized that Cui Jue wouldn't be able to finish his work anytime soon... In that case, could she go back to Mudong Pavilion and come back later?
In order to escape the predicament, Su Li cautiously took two steps closer and whispered, "Young Master..."
Cui Jue had already noticed Su Li's arrival. He didn't speak to her, but he had something else on his hands.
Hearing the girl's delicate and weak cry, Cui Jue raised his eyes indifferently: "What's the matter?"
Cui Jue glanced at Su Li and noticed that she had not only soaked in the fragrant bath today, but had also washed her black hair. The ends of her hair, which she hadn't wrung out in time, clung to the back of her neck, dripping with a few crystal-clear drops of water.
The dress was a newly cut spring gown, and from that white jade-like wrist bone, the sweet fragrance of autumn osmanthus slowly emanated.
Su Li seemed uneasy, afraid of disturbing Cui Jue, and deliberately lowered her voice: "You work day and night for the public, which is really hard. I just don't know... when will you finish reviewing the documents tonight?"
Hearing this, Cui Jue was slightly stunned.
He remembered Huirong's words and thought about Su Li's purpose of coming to Shuyue Pavilion tonight...
Cui Jue's eyes narrowed slightly and he asked thoughtfully.
"Madam Su, are you in a hurry?"
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