Chapter 217: Shufangzhai warms up, discusses countermeasures together
The afternoon sun filtered through the carved window lattices of Shufangzhai, casting tiny specks of light on the blue brick floor. Petals from the crabapple tree, blown loose by the wind, drifted through the half-open window and landed on Ziwei's spread-out embroidery frame. She was embroidering a double lotus, her silver needle weaving across the plain silk, her fingertips trembling slightly, and the thread misplaced several stitches.
"Sister, you've already made three mistakes in your embroidery." Xiaoyanzi lay on the pearwood table next to her, twirling an apple in her hand. The hem of her lake blue dress swept the ground, stirring up a few petals. "Don't think about those nonsense words. The Emperor said, 'It's not up to others to comment on my daughter.' With his words, I'm not afraid even if the sky falls!"
Ziwei put down the embroidery needle, picked up a handkerchief and wiped the sweat from her fingertips. The cuffs of her moon-white skirt were stained with light pink silk thread: "I'm not afraid of being wronged, but I'm afraid that these words will spread to Jinan and disturb my mother's old neighbors. Before my mother died, she said that the neighbors in Jinan treated us very well. If we are implicated by these rumors..." Her voice became lower and lower, and her eyes gradually turned red.
"Who dares to implicate them!" Xiaoyanzi leaped to her feet, and the apple rolled to the ground, where it was quickly caught by Xiaochongzi. She placed her hands on her hips, her brow furrowed. "My brother said yesterday that he'd sent a waiter from the guesthouse to Jinan to deliver a letter, asking the Fang family's relatives there to keep an eye on them. Besides..." She leaned closer to Ziwei and lowered her voice, "The Empress loves us so much, she's definitely not going to sit idly by."
Ziwei blinked and looked up in confusion: "Empress?"
Xiaoyanzi stuck out her tongue and quickly changed the subject: "We're here anyway!" As she spoke, Yongqi and Erkang came in, bringing in a gust of wind that made the gauze curtains in the warm room sway gently. Yongqi was holding a food box, and Erkang was holding a few books, both of them with a solemn look on their faces.
"I just came from the Grand Council and heard a few young eunuchs gossiping in the corner, saying things like 'Princess Mingzhu's background is questionable, and Princess Huanzhu is trying to get close to a rich and powerful man.'" Yongqi slammed the food box down on the table, his tone filled with anger, the collar of his moon-white uniform tugged slightly. "I really want to cut off the tongues of those gossipers!"
"Yongqi!" Ziwei quickly grabbed his sleeve and said, "Don't be impulsive. The bigger the commotion, the more suspicious people will become."
Erkang placed the book on the table, his gaze falling on Ziwei's reddened eyes. He softened his voice, "Don't worry, Ziwei. I've already had the palace guards investigate the eunuchs who passed on the message. We'll eventually find the source if we follow the clues. It's just that..." He paused and looked at Xiaoyanzi, "Noble Concubine Gao is determined to spread rumors this time. We have to come up with a foolproof plan."
Xiaoyanzi picked up the apple from the ground, wiped it on her sleeve, and took a big bite. "What else can we do? If the enemy comes, we will fight back with our troops, and if the water comes, we will block it with earth! If she dares to spread rumors, we will expose her! If all else fails, I will go to the Emperor and show him the letters from E Min and Li Ma Ma. Let's see who dares to talk nonsense again!"
"No." Erkang shook his head, tapping his fingertips lightly on the table. "Those letters are evidence against E Min's corruption. If we show them now, people will think we're fabricating evidence to prove our innocence. That's more trouble than it's worth." He looked at Yongqi. "Fifth Prince, how do you think the Emperor will deal with this?"
Yongqi pondered, "The Emperor summoned me last night, saying, 'Rumors stop with the wise,' and asking me to keep an eye on Xiaoyanzi and not let her act rashly. I see that, though he hasn't said it out loud, he's already got it in mind." He walked over to Xiaoyanzi and saw her cheeks puffed up like an angry squirrel. He couldn't help but reach out and ruffle her hair. "Don't be angry, the Emperor knows what's going on."
Xiaoyanzi slapped his hand away, her cheeks flushing softly: "Who's angry? I just can't stand them bullying my sister!"
"Guaiguai long di dong!" Little Mosquito suddenly ran in from outside, holding a freshly kneaded dough figurine in his hand. It was a grinning, ugly eunuch. "I just heard two young eunuchs in the Imperial Garden say that Eunuch E secretly sent a letter to someone in Jinan Prefecture, and stuffed a heavy silver bag into it!"
Xiao Dengzi followed behind, holding a copy of Journey to the West, and added breathlessly, "I also heard them say they wanted to find someone who 'saw Miss Xia Yuhe by Daming Lake'. They wanted this person to testify...that Princess Ziwei was adopted!"
"Bullshit!" Xiaoyanzi yelled angrily, squeezing the apple core in her hand until it was deformed. "My mother would never..." She got stuck before she could finish her words. She almost forgot that she was Fang Ci and quickly changed her words. "Sister Ziwei's mother is so gentle and kind, how could such a thing happen! They are lying with their eyes open!"
Ziwei's face paled slightly, her fingers tightly gripping the silk thread on the embroidery frame until her knuckles turned white. "They...they're even going to slander my mother?"
Yongqi quickly supported her shoulders and whispered to her, "Don't listen to their nonsense. Those people have taken the money, so what lies can't they make up? As long as we protect the neighbors in Jinan and prevent them from being bribed, the rumors will naturally fall apart."
Erkang nodded in agreement. "I've already ordered the Fulun Mansion's men to rush to Jinan. They set out half a day earlier than Eunuch E's men, and they will definitely be able to protect Miss Xia Yuhe's old neighbor." He looked at Ziwei with a firm gaze. "Don't worry, I'm here, and I won't let anyone tarnish your mother's reputation."
Ziwei looked at Erkang's sincere eyes, and the panic in her heart gradually subsided. She nodded gently, her voice choked with sobs: "Thank you, Erkang."
"What are you thanking me for?" Xiaoyanzi put her arm around Ziwei's shoulders and patted her vigorously. "We are sisters. Your business is my business! When we catch those who spread the rumors, I'll make them kowtow to you and your mother and admit their mistakes!" Her eyes rolled and she suddenly smiled. "By the way, Xiaodengzi, aren't you the best at reciting Journey to the West? Tell us how Sun Wukong saw through the White Bone Demon's tricks and encourage me!"
Xiao Dengzi's eyes lit up, he immediately cleared his throat, picked up "Journey to the West" and banged it like a gavel: "It is said that the White Bone Demon transformed into a village girl, an old woman, and an old man, and deceived Tang Monk three times. Sun Wukong took a look with his fiery eyes - my goodness, this evil spirit must be the work of a demon! He raised his golden cudgel and smashed it with a "clang", and the demon's disguise was shattered to pieces!" He gestured as he spoke, attracting the little bugs beside him to "squeak" and imitate monkey calls.
Ziwei was amused by them and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. The tears in the corners of her eyes had not yet dried, but she already smiled: "Yes, no matter how cunning the goblin is, it can't hide from the piercing eyes of the golden pupil."
Yongqi watched Xiaoyanzi, her deliberate attempts to liven up the atmosphere, his eyes filled with tenderness. Sunlight streamed through the window lattice onto her face, revealing even the fur. She listened with her mouth open to Xiaodeng's storytelling, mumbling "good job!" like a little fox with its ears pricked up.
Erkang sat beside Ziwei, helping her straighten out the scattered silk threads, and whispered, "When this storm is over, I will accompany you to Jinan to pay homage to your aunt. Tell her that you are doing well now, that the emperor loves you, and that we all protect you."
Ziwei nodded, her eyes red, her heart warm. In the warm room, the murmur of storytelling from the small stool, the onomatopoeia of the insects, and the cheers of the swallows blended together, dispelling the haze brought by the rumors. The crabapple petals were still falling, landing on everyone's clothes and books, carrying a faint floral fragrance, as if to say: No matter how dark the storm, it cannot block the warmth of the human heart.
Meanwhile, in Jinan Prefecture, Rong Mama's men had just arrived at the alley entrance to Xia Yuhe's former residence and were being handed over to the guards from Fulun Mansion. The alley's elderly neighbors gathered at the entrance, clutching the embroidered handkerchief Xia Yuhe had once given them, and chimed in, "Don't worry, we wouldn't lie! Miss Xia was such a good person, we all remember her!" In the distance, Eunuch E's men were still resting at the post station, completely unaware that their ruse had already been discovered.
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