Chapter 161 Leaving the Capital (Part 45) Why are you making this knife? ...
Jiuli was still sitting in the Yanxia Tower in the palace. This tower had two floors, with windows upstairs facing the sunset. The Emperor and his consorts would sometimes sit here after dinner to enjoy the beautiful twilight, often seeing the sky ablaze with sunset colors and shrouded in mist. In winter, few people came. Jiuli sat upstairs for an hour or so, feeling increasingly lonely. The two palace maids accompanying her remained silent, only Rongle occasionally striking up a conversation.
Just moments ago, the Emperor had told her to move into the palace, but Jiu Li now only thought, "This cold and lonely place, I can't live in it, not even the Heavenly Palace!" But judging from the Emperor's expression, it seemed he absolutely had to keep her in the capital. Fine, but he insisted on arranging her marriage; if she didn't agree, wouldn't that be considered disobeying the Emperor's decree? She had originally wanted to obtain an imperial decree so she could be open and honest with Yu Qi without fear of gossip, but it seemed she had ended up losing more than she gained!
She sighed softly, got up and opened the window halfway. Outside, the sky was covered with clouds, the north wind was howling, and the snow was like thousands of pear blossoms, falling endlessly. A thick layer of snow had accumulated on the golden tiles, and only occasionally could one see a person walking between the palace walls, just a faint trace of green and red.
Rong Le was behind her, instructing two palace maids to grind walnuts, peel almonds, and brew tea. They were drinking tea again; they'd already had two cups of tea sitting there, and who knew how many hours had passed! Jiu Li left a crack in the window, turned around, and said, "I'm not drinking tea anymore. Go and ask Eunuch Shen for me. The Emperor is so busy with state affairs; perhaps I should leave the palace first and dine with him another day?"
Rong Le smiled and said, "Even if the Emperor is busy, he still has to eat. Besides, it's not dinner time yet. Miss, please wait a little longer." Seeing that Jiu Li's face was already a little impatient, she changed her mind and said, "Then I'll go to Yu Gan Palace to take a look. You two take good care of the young lady and make sure the charcoal brazier burns brighter."
After speaking, she left. Jiuli, feeling bored, wandered around the room, looking at the curtains and furnishings for something new, and then went to the window. Two palace maids brewed tea and asked her to drink it, but she waved her hand and said, "You can eat it, I'm already full of water."
Just then, the handkerchief in her hand was suddenly swept away by the wind. A palace maid went to the window to look and saw that the handkerchief had landed on the cobblestone path. Coincidentally, two eunuchs were walking on the path. The palace maid hurriedly called out, "Hey! Pick up that handkerchief."
Jiuli asked who they were, and the palace maid replied, "I don't recognize them, but they look familiar. Judging from their clothes, one looks like he's from the Jade Palace, and the other looks like he's from the Water Clock Room."
What a coincidence! Jiuli suddenly remembered that Shunzi, who had given false testimony, was working in the water clock room. Since he was idle anyway, he might as well ask him. So, when the two eunuchs brought up the handkerchiefs, he kept them for a while. "Since you've come up, have some hot tea. This is freshly brewed almond tea. Walking around in the snow, it'll warm you up."
The man in the maroon robe, Jiu Li, looked familiar; he was a young eunuch from the Jade Palace. This eunuch was eager to flatter him, repeatedly nodding and thanking him. The man in the parrot-green robe, however, was a complete stranger; he must have worked in the water clock room. This man was young and not short, and upon seeing Jiu Li, he also found her unfamiliar and hesitated, seemingly unsure how to greet her.
The eunuch from Yugan Palace lightly scolded him, "You servant girl, hurry up and kowtow to Miss Jiuli!"
At this moment, the eunuch in charge of the room looked surprised and hurriedly knelt down and kowtowed.
"Get up quickly, I can't accept that." Jiu Li called him up and asked with a smile, "What time is it exactly now?"
"Reporting to Miss, we just came out of the water clock room at the second quarter of Shen time."
Jiuli looked down his arm and saw that he was carrying a bundle in his hand. She asked in surprise, "What are you doing with that bundle?"
The eunuch from Yugan Palace took over, saying, "Miss, this servant just came out of Yugan Palace. The Emperor has ordered him to leave the palace, and I was just escorting him to the water clock room to pack his things."
No one knew what wrong the young eunuch had committed to warrant the Emperor's personal order to expel him from the palace. However, it was none of her business, so Jiuli simply asked him, "When you worked in the water clock room, did you know a eunuch named Shunzi?"
Unexpectedly, the eunuch from Yugan Palace pointed at him and replied, "This servant is Zhang Shun."
Jiuli was surprised for a moment, then smiled and walked up to Zhang Shun to look him over. She had just heard that Zou Chang had come to pay his respects, and yesterday she heard Yu Qi say that Shun had confessed that he had accused Prince Zhao of being instructed by someone else. Now that he had come from the Yugan Palace and been expelled from the palace, it must have been Zou Chang who brought him to the Emperor to tell him the truth.
Therefore, Consort Chen should be held accountable. However, given her past favor with the emperor, it remains to be seen whether he will show leniency.
She smiled and nodded. "So you're Eunuch Shun. I thought you were just a young eunuch, maybe ten or so. I heard you had dysentery, are you better now?"
"Reporting to Miss, it's all better now." Shunzi had heard about Jiuli's identity and name in Jixiang Hutong, and knew that she was ordered to investigate Shuqiang's case, so she said directly, "This servant came today specifically to accompany Lord Zou to the palace to report to the Emperor."
He knew he would be punished, yet he still agreed to testify against the Consort, showing he still had a conscience—truly lamentable. Jiuli told the two to sit down, then sat down in the chair opposite them, asking Zhang Shun, "Where will you go after leaving the palace? Will you return to your hometown?"
Zhang Shun said, "My hometown is Datong, Shanxi. However, I came to Beijing with my mother to stay with relatives when I was young, and there is no one left in my hometown. As for where I will go to settle down, I have no plan yet."
"Have a bowl of tea to warm yourself up first." Jiuli asked the palace maid to pour two bowls of steaming hot tea.
Unexpectedly, a palace maid dropped the cup when she brought it over, scalding it and spilling it on Zhang Shun's clothes. He quickly grabbed a handkerchief to wipe it off. Jiu Li was still comforting the palace maid who was picking up the broken porcelain pieces from the ground when her eyes slowly shifted to Zhang Shun and fixed on the handkerchief in his hand.
The handkerchief was embroidered with a blue longevity pattern in the center. Suddenly, Jiu Li's mind flashed back to the several embroidered handkerchiefs that Shu Qiang had made. Like this handkerchief, the pattern was embroidered in the center. Ordinary handkerchiefs, if they only had one flower embroidered, would have it embroidered in a corner, which could be seen when folded up. But Shu Qiang was different; she always embroidered it in the center of the handkerchief.
Jiuli wanted to keep the handkerchief, so she took out her own handkerchief and handed it to the palace maid, saying, "Give him this one. Take his one and wash it for him. After you've washed it, have the eunuch on duty take it to Jixiang Alley to exchange for his."
Unexpectedly, Zhang Shun hurriedly got up and knelt down, saying, "This servant wouldn't dare!"
It would have been better if he hadn't knelt. His kneeling only made Jiu Li realize his panic, and she became even more determined to take the handkerchief away. She laughed and said, "Hey, what's there to be afraid of? It's not like I'm washing it for you. Besides, she's the one who knocked over the teacup. Get up quickly. Don't kneel all the time. I can't take that."
The palace maid took the handkerchief and walked to Zhang Shun. Zhang Shun hesitated, but then a eunuch from Yugan Palace shouted, "You don't know this? Hurry up and thank Miss Jiuli!"
Zhang Shun had no choice but to hand over the handkerchief as thanks. Jiu Li noticed a hint of panic on his face, but it passed by quickly.
After the two of them finished their tea, Jiuli hurriedly asked a palace maid for the handkerchief, rinsed it haphazardly with water from the pot, held it by the two corners, turned it upside down, and looked it up at the window. Sure enough, within the indigo longevity pattern, there were two characters embroidered with a darker color: "Zhang Shun".
Two palace maids approached the window. "What are you looking at, young lady?"
Jiuli snapped out of her reverie, put away her handkerchief, and smiled. "It's nothing." As she walked back to her chair, she asked, "Hey, do you think these eunuchs also take wives and concubines?"
The two palace maids blushed and looked at each other. One of them stepped forward and nodded shyly. "Yes, there are, but they are all eunuchs in charge. They are rich and powerful, so they buy houses outside the palace, marry wives, and live like ordinary men."
"Are there any men who marry palace maids?"
The other one, blushing, came closer and said, "There are some, but they are still in the minority."
Jiuli nodded, wanting to ask a few more questions, but fearing that it would only embarrass the two women, and besides, they might not even understand, so she didn't ask any more and just sat there lost in thought.
Not long after, Rong Le came up to report that she had asked Eunuch Shen and that there was no need to wait for dinner tonight, so Jiu Li could go back first. Jiu Li secretly thought that it was probably because of Zou Chang's exposure of Consort Chen's matter, but she wondered how Consort Chen was doing at the moment.
He then asked, "Was the Imperial Concubine in the Jade Palace when you went there?"
Rong Le smiled and said, "Miss, please don't ask any more questions. Aren't you in a hurry to go back? I'll escort you out of the palace right now."
It seems Consort Chen is truly in trouble. He refuses to speak, so Jiu Li naturally doesn't press him further. She simply follows him downstairs and leaves Yanxia Tower. Rong Le holds an umbrella for her as they exit the palace through the west gate, heading towards Cangwu Pavilion.
Just as they reached the gates of Cangwu Pavilion, they heard weeping coming from inside. Glancing inside, they saw Shen Quan holding a whisk, standing on the veranda with two young eunuchs. Things were being thrown out of the room one after another, but Shen Quan remained unmoved. Several palace maids from Cangwu Pavilion were also weeping and pleading about leaving the palace. The sounds of crying, pleas, and the smashing of objects created a deafening din.
Jiuli stopped and called out "Eunuch Shen" towards the garden. Shen Quan turned around, saw Jiuli, and hurriedly came out, "Oh, Miss hasn't left yet?"
"We're about to leave." Jiu Li tilted her head and peered inside. "Eunuch Shen, what's going on?"
"It's nothing. The Fourth Prince is ill. The nun at Minghua Temple calculated that a close relative of the Fourth Prince needs to go to the Bodhisattva's altar to pray for blessings for half a year in order to ensure the Fourth Prince's lifelong health and well-being. So, His Majesty and the Imperial Concubine have discussed it, and the Imperial Concubine will go to Minghua Temple to practice. She is packing her valuables right now."
Just then, with a loud crash, another vase fell out of the room. Jiu Li chuckled inwardly. Was this what they called packing up valuables? It was more like demolishing the house. It was probably the Emperor's punishment for Consort Chen framing Prince Zhao. Half a year away from the palace for spiritual practice—let alone half a year, even a day could change the Emperor's mind. No wonder Consort Chen refused to go.
Seeing that Jiu Li was still engrossed in looking, Shen Quan patted the snow off her cloak and bowed twice, saying, "My dear aunt, what's so interesting to look at in this cold weather? Go back quickly. Ah, isn't that Zhang guy waiting for you in the guardhouse outside?"
Jiuli nodded and was about to leave when a sudden shout of "Stop!" stopped her in her tracks. Looking towards the door, she saw Consort Chen drinking in the corridor. She had no choice but to enter. "Did Your Highness call for me?"
Despite the tear stains on her face, Wan Sheng still held her chin high and said, "Come here, I have something to ask you."
Jiuli had no choice but to walk to the underside of the corridor and curtsy, "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
Wansheng sized her up for a few moments, then suddenly raised her hand and slapped her. "How dare you team up with your uncle and Zou Chang to frame me!"
Shen Quan hurried over to Jiu Li's side. Seeing that her face was red from being slapped, she was about to say something when Jiu Li laughed and said, "What have we wronged Your Highness about? If you don't want people to know, then don't do it in the first place. I think Lord Zou wouldn't dare to say a single bad word about Your Highness to the Emperor without solid evidence. The Emperor is wise and has a clear judgment in his heart. Isn't this result a case of 'those who do many evil deeds will surely perish'? Your Highness has no one to blame but yourself."
Wansheng was enraged by these words and shouted angrily, "How dare you speak to me like that?! Who do you think you are? At least Princess Yuan has a title, but you, her own flesh and blood, don't even have one! Do you know why the Emperor doesn't acknowledge you? Even if the Emperor has an illegitimate daughter, it will cause gossip. The Emperor is only concerned about those rumors. Do you think you are of any importance to the Emperor? Hmph, don't overestimate yourself. If the Emperor didn't want to marry you off to the Lu family, he probably wouldn't even bother to get close to you!"
Jiuli was stunned for a moment, and Shen Quan quickly pulled her away, entrusting her to Rong Le to lead her out of the palace. Jiuli walked blankly in the snow, unable to tell whether the Consort's words were just an angry outburst or if it was indeed true.
As the saying goes, emperors are fickle. Before, she had her mother; now, she has the Imperial Concubine. She, a daughter who has been separated from her family for many years, may not even have much influence. She suddenly realized this, smiled blankly, and felt numb inside.
Upon meeting Zhang Da, Rong Le had already ordered carriages and horses to be prepared outside the palace gates. Disregarding the rules, Jiu Li insisted on taking Zhang Da with him. Rong Le could not stop him in time and could only watch the two of them board the carriage together. With a sigh, he turned and went into the palace.
Outside the car, the wind and snow were whistling. Inside the car, Zhang Da just rubbed his hands together and chuckled. "Why did you insist on me riding in the car with you in front of so many people? Putting aside the difference between men and women, there is also a difference between superiors and inferiors. Look how angry that Eunuch Le is, his face has changed color."
Jiuli snorted irritably, "What's this about hierarchy? I'm just a wild girl who grew up in the countryside of Suzhou. Even if my family has some wealth, we're not exactly people of high status. If we're talking about status, your brother Zhang is a government official, while my family are just common doctors."
Hearing that her tone was off, Zhang Da couldn't help but scrutinize her face. Her face was flushed from the wind, and white breaths were coming out as she spoke, as if she was exhaling her anger.
"What's wrong with you? Did you get upset in the palace?" Zhang Da's eyes darted around, and he suddenly remembered, "Oh right, it's only a little past Shen Shi (3-5 PM) and you're already out here. Why are you having dinner so early?"
"What's so good about it? I don't need that food!"
"That's not how it works. Does that mean the food in the palace is the same as the food elsewhere?"
"I don't care about any delicacies, I'd rather go back to the countryside and eat coarse food!"
Seeing her anger, Zhang Da assumed someone in the palace had offended her, so he didn't ask further. The two sat silently for a while when they suddenly heard Yu Qi's voice. Jiu Li quickly turned and lifted the curtain to look. Snow was falling heavily on the street, and it was dinnertime; the streets were deserted. She immediately spotted the blacksmith shop that was still open. Three blacksmiths were hammering away, talking to Yu Qi.
What was he doing at the blacksmith's shop at this time? Jiu Li took advantage of the fact that the carriage had not gone far, hurriedly called for a stop, gave the little eunuchs a reward, sent them back first, and then went to the blacksmith's shop with Zhang Da.
Yu Qi was examining a gleaming saber when he caught a glimpse of Jiu Li sneaking in through the door. Before she could scare him, he spoke first, "What are you doing here?"
Jiuli pouted and turned to face him. "We just came from the palace. What are you doing here?" Her eyes widened when she saw the sharp knife in his hand. "You did this?"
The chef behind the table was speaking up, "Sir, how is it?"
Yu Qi flicked the blade with one finger, sheathed it, and placed it on the table. "I'd appreciate it if you could make another eight-inch long dagger." He then turned to look at Zhang Da and added, "And a waist knife as well."
Zhang Dazhi called him, but he quickly declined, saying, "I don't need to. I have a knife with me; it's inside the house."
"Your knife got dull back in Sanhe Post Station."
Zhang Da laughed and said, "But I don't need the knife either."
Yu Qi ignored him and continued to have his master hit him. He turned around and looked at the restaurant across the street. Although the downstairs door was closed, people were bustling about through the cracks in the upstairs windows. It was a lively time.
"Let's go across the street, eat while we wait." With that, she turned and went out the door.
Jiuli hurriedly followed, "How did you know we hadn't had dinner yet?"
“In the palace, meals are sometimes served at noon. Since you left the palace at this time, you naturally didn’t have dinner.”
As they spoke, they knocked on the hotel door, followed the waiter upstairs, and asked for a small, quiet room by the window in the corner. They ordered a lot of food and drinks. Zhang Da frowned as he listened, quickly saying that it was too much and he wanted to return some.
Yu Qi smiled and shook his head, "Officer Zhang has worked hard these days, he deserves some good food. I may not have a mountain of gold and silver, but I can still afford to treat him to a good meal."
Zhang Da blushed at this and laughed, "Little Fish just said that she doesn't care for the delicacies in the palace and would rather go back to the countryside with you to eat coarse food. But I think you won't have to eat coarse food with me. You'll have plenty of good days."
As Yu Qi poured tea, he glanced to the left and asked, "When have I ever made you eat poorly?"
Jiuli glared at Zhang Dachen, then turned and smiled, "What I mean is that as long as I live with my uncle, it's like living the life of a god. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Yu Qi couldn't help but chuckle, placing a cup of tea in front of her. "Your mouth can be both pleasing and infuriating. What, you're only going to live with me and not marry into the Marquis of Yan'an's household?"
"And you're telling me? Just thinking about it makes me angry! Today at the Yugan Palace, the Emperor brought it up, and when I refused, he almost got furious. It's so unreasonable! For the past ten years or so, I didn't have this father, and he never had to worry about my food or clothing. Suddenly, this father appears, and he immediately tries to arrange a marriage for me, refusing to listen to a single word I say. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have bothered coming to the capital to find him. Even if I had found him, it wouldn't have done me any good!"
Zhang Da smiled and said, "Who says there are no benefits? If you're willing, you can live a life where you can command servants and be above everyone else. It's just that you're unwilling."
Jiuli sneered softly, "Everyone who rises to the top will eventually fall. Wasn't Consort Chen once above ten thousand others? Today, she has fallen just as easily."
What do you mean by that?
Jiuli then recounted in detail how Zou Chang, with witnesses and evidence, exposed Consort Chen, and how Consort Chen was then sent to Minghua Temple to practice for half a year.
Zhang Da sighed, "No wonder you weren't eating in the palace. So this happened. Lord Zou is truly swift in his actions. This time, Consort Chen is really in dire straits. What about the Chen family?"
Jiuli shook her head, "I only heard that the Imperial Concubine was punished by being forced to leave the palace to cultivate herself, I didn't hear that the Chen family was implicated."
Yu Qi asked, "Has His Majesty said that Prince Zhao's confinement has been lifted?"
"It seems not. I heard from Rong Le that His Majesty told Lord Zou that the case of Shuqiang is still unclear. Although some witnesses and physical evidence were fabricated at the behest of the Consort, the dagger still belongs to Prince Zhao. Since the thief who stole the dagger has not been found, it is not appropriate to release her first. Prince Zhao will have to suffer for a while until the truth of the case is revealed."
These words were rather intriguing. After speaking, Jiu Li narrowed her eyes and glanced at the two of them, "Actually, even if Prince Zhao were released at this time, those ministers who opposed him wouldn't dare to say anything. If the Emperor doesn't release him, is it because he intends to imprison Prince Zhao?"
This is clear. The Emperor has now ordered Consort Chen to leave the palace under the pretext of her need for spiritual cultivation, but he has deliberately avoided implicating the Chen family, presumably because he needs capable people at the moment. Moreover, the Grand Prince's brother-in-law is currently serving as the Provincial Governor in the southwest, and with the reinstatement of Lü Hechun as the General of Sichuan, the Emperor needs the combined efforts of these two, both civil and military, to quell the uprising in Guizhou. It is not too late to deal with the Chen family after eradicating the Zhao Prince's faction; the Emperor most likely intends to do so.
Yu Qi pondered this, but only glanced at her, remaining silent and drinking his tea.
The food and wine were served one after another. After the three of them finished eating, they left the inn just as the snowstorm stopped. They went to the blacksmith's shop across the street, picked up two waist knives and a long dagger, and walked back along the street. Zhang Da lagged half a step behind, examining the waist knives in his hand for a long time. He thought about the Wangfeng Temple incident and pondered the words they had spoken in the inn. Suddenly, he felt that something was amiss.
Upon returning to the Qi residence, while Jiu Li walked ahead, Zhang Da secretly pulled Yu Qi aside and asked, "Mr. Yu, what do you mean by the Emperor not lifting the ban on Prince Zhao?" Seeing Yu Qi remain silent, he asked again, "What is the purpose of this knife you've been using?"
Yu Qi could only whisper, "Go back to your room and change your clothes first, then we'll find Qi Xubai to discuss it later."
Back in her room, after drinking half a bowl of tea, Jiuli said she felt sleepy and wanted to go back to her room for a nap. Yu Qi advised her, "If you sleep now, how will you sleep tonight?"
Jiuli yawned as she went out. "I won't sleep for long, at most half an hour. Wake me up in half an hour, I have something to tell you, please remember that."
Yu Qi changed his clothes and waited until the lamps were lit. Seeing that the light in her room was not on, he asked Li Mama, "Has your second master returned yet?"
"I'll be back in the afternoon, and I'm in my room right now."
Yu Qi went to knock on Zhang Da's door first. Entering the room, he saw the newly forged waist knife lying on the table, gleaming coldly. He picked it up and examined it, saying, "Officer Zhang shouldn't have come to the capital. He was ordered by Lord Yan to gather information, but he stayed in the capital to help me and Yu'er investigate the case. I remember Officer Zhang's great kindness. This knife is my compensation to Officer Zhang. If Officer Zhang is worried about his wife and children at home, he should return to Nanjing tomorrow while there are still boats at the dock. If I, Yu Qi, have a future, I will repay you."
Zhang Da's face suddenly turned serious, and he quickly pulled Yu Qi to sit on the stool. "Mr. Yu, please don't scare me. What serious thing has happened?!"
Yu Qi glanced at him sideways and smiled, then got up. "I advise you not to ask too many questions. Some things are better left unsaid."
"Hey!" Zhang Da pressed him back down on the stool. "Speak up! Whether you, Mr. Yu, acknowledge it or not, we've been through thick and thin together, so we're pretty close. If anything happens, just say it, and we'll all take care of it together!"
Yu Qi remained silent for a moment, then sighed, “King Zhao intends to rebel, which is a heinous crime. If you are afraid of getting involved, you should leave now before things come to light.”
After hearing this, Zhang Da stood there with his mouth agape for a long time, his mind racing. Fang Ruan sat down on the stool and asked, "I'm leaving. What about you and Xiao Yu'er?"
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Author's Note: Thank you for reading. My next book is "The Phoenix's Mistake," please feel free to add it to your collection.
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