Wen Jufeng (Part 1)
The autumn wind was biting, and the dry air brought a touch of coolness.
The area under Huijing Bridge in Tongshi was filled with a gloomy atmosphere, the muddy ground chilling to the bone.
But Chen Zhuangmu could only pull her foot out of the mud and then step down with her other foot without hesitation.
After a while, she looked at the small house, still over five zhang tall in the dim light, and thought to herself: This Tongshi is so stingy! They earn so much money but don't even think about repairing the roads. If it weren't for…
Thinking of this, she cautiously looked around and realized that she was the only one under the bridge, with a dark wooden house.
She swallowed hard, her anxiety growing as she got closer to the cabin. The stench of decay in the air tickled and tingled her throat.
Mustering her courage, she peered into the doorway. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a waiter wearing a cloth hat emerged, his footsteps barely audible: "Miss, it's your turn!"
After putting on her makeup and covering herself with a veil, she stepped onto the connecting low ladder and walked to the door of the small house, only to hear a "crack" sound. Looking back, she saw that a deep crack had appeared in the middle of the ladder.
Wood always rots faster in muddy ground, and Chen Zhuangmu knew this common sense, but since she was the one who had stepped on it, she still planned to pay for it.
The waiter had already brought a stool out of the house, kicked the broken ladder away, and as he put the stool down, he gestured for her to walk forward.
She turned and walked inside. The space inside wasn't large, and the long corridor seemed endless. But the thought of facing her mother's death made her heart beat slower, her brows furrow heavier, and a numbness settling over her.
Before she could even compose herself, she was chilled to the bone by the blast of cold air. A sense of foreboding washed over her, and in a panic, she quickened her pace, trying her best to find out the truth about her mother's death before the poison took effect.
Looking up, she saw three doors in front of her, but only one was open, so she could only enter this room.
Inside sat an old man. Upon closer inspection, one could see that his clothes were tattered into strips. The only thing that could be clearly seen were his two eyes embedded in his face, their cold gaze seeming to bore holes into her.
The old man handed her a piece of paper and a pen, and wrote down the information she wanted to buy—the cause of death of General Nebula.
He took it, wrote a few words, and then pushed it to Chen Zhuangmu.
——————No definite cause.
She clutched the note and read it. On the morning of the day of the incident, more than thirty corpses had inexplicably appeared, catching even the emperor's uncle off guard, let alone Tongshi, a town under the bridge.
But Tongshi was known for its omniscience and connections to the entire world. Even finding some clues would be incredibly lucky. So, she added a few words to the note and handed it to the old man.
The old man nodded and took out a wooden plaque from his body. The original brown wood had been worn smooth and dark by time, and a few words were roughly engraved on it: "Two thousand two hundred taels".
She sighed inwardly at the expense, took out all the silver notes she had, which amounted to only two thousand taels, and then took out a hairpin from her hair bun. It was inlaid with gemstones, and the fine gold threads of her hair were twisted into the shape of a butterfly.
Chen Zhuangmu didn't know how much the hairpin cost, but adding two thousand taels would definitely be enough.
The old man nodded, his gaze falling on the translucent white bracelet on her wrist, and then pointed to her wrist.
As expected, old ginger is spicier and more insatiable.
If it were any other bracelet, it wouldn't matter, but this was a medicinal bracelet that her uncle specially found for her. It looked ordinary, but the scent it emitted could calm the poison in her body.
She felt conflicted, thinking that her uncle would definitely find out if she sneaked into Tongshi this time, and it would be a long time before she could come again.
So, she gritted her teeth and took off her medicine bracelet, placing it on the table along with the silver notes and hairpin.
"I'll give you everything, but you have to tell me everything, no matter how small."
The old man glanced at her, then wrote several more sentences on the unopened note, folded it, and handed it to Chen Zhuangmu.
Chen Zhuangmu reached out her hand, flipped up her sleeve to reveal a red dot on her wrist, and suddenly heard something "whoosh" past her ear. She felt a sharp gust of wind and heard a "thud" as an arrow pierced through the door and landed right next to her head.
The once silent little house suddenly became noisy. Chen Zhuangmu quickly took the note from the old man's hand and hid it in her waistband. She pushed open the door and saw a crowd of people surging into the narrow back door.
She crouched down and ran in that direction. As she looked down, she noticed the deep red feathers tied to the tail of the arrow. Suddenly, she felt a tightness in her chest, and her anger grew stronger.
She then stood up and grabbed the arrow with both hands, trying to pull it out. However, she used too much force at the last moment, and the arrowhead shot directly into her palm.
She clearly felt a sharp sting in her palm, followed by the horrifying pain of her flesh being ripped open, almost numbing her. A few drops of blood oozed from the cut, dripping down her fingers onto the ground, leaving a small, crimson patch.
Chen Zhuangmu gasped in pain, tears streaming down her face. Just then, there was a series of knocks on the door, three long and two short.
She paused for a moment, gradually getting used to the pain. She wiped away her tears, smeared the blood haphazardly on her face and dress, and made what she considered a very pitiful expression before gently pushing open the door.
In the dim light, only two rows of people could be clearly seen standing not far away.
Standing at the very front, dressed in a dark black round-necked robe, with a string of black jade gourds hanging at his waist and wearing a pure black mask, he was definitely Shen Zhuangmu's uncle.
Despite being the emperor of Da Qun, he never focused on politics. In his own words, the hardest thing he ever did was to listen to his ministers recite scriptures every day.
Beside the emperor stood a young man wearing half a gilded mask, who did not look at her but casually surveyed his surroundings.
He wore a dark blue, narrow-sleeved robe, his figure tall and slender. He stood with his arms crossed, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes when his gaze fell on Chen Zhuangmu's wound.
When Chen Zhuangmu saw her uncle, she felt a little guilty, but then she remembered the injury on her hand and suddenly became tough again, turning her body slightly to make the wound more noticeable.
As expected, the emperor noticed her wound at first glance and quickly walked towards her.
"How are you? Does it hurt? Why didn't you dodge?" The emperor looked her over, and only when he saw that she was alright elsewhere did his expression soften slightly.
Then he looked at the young man beside him and said angrily, "All you do is play around all day! You even missed the mark with your arrows!"
Chen Zhuangmu raised her hand to explain, but the pain from her wound made her unable to speak. The next moment, the man stared at Chen Zhuangmu's wound and slowly bowed to her: "Princess, I apologize."
He spoke at a moderate pace, yet his manner was particularly casual and nonchalant, giving off a rather disdainful air.
Chen Zhuangmu lost all desire to explain and turned her face away, only to have the emperor slap her on the back of the head. He roared, "You're still not convinced? Do you know what time it is?! All the ministers are waiting in the palace for the banquet, and you dare to come here and ask where there's anything fun to do?!"
She knew her uncle was saying that to cover up the real reason she came out, but it was really embarrassing for a grown woman to be patted on the back of the head like that, so she just said, "Oh, I see."
Seeing that Chen Zhuangmu had agreed to the matter, the emperor pointed at her and said, "We'll talk to you about it when we get back!"
When the group arrived at the bridge, the emperor ordered the man from before to ride away first. As the man turned around, Chen Zhuangmu remembered his identity.
This man is named Zhao Yi. He is currently the Deputy Privy Councilor and a prominent figure in Huijing. He visits the Pinglou Pavilion more often than he goes to court.
She was skeptical of the rumors. Although her uncle disliked politics, he was very responsible. If Zhao Yi didn't have some ability, her uncle would not have given him such an important position.
As Chen Zhuangmen pondered, she lifted the curtain of the carriage. Various colored lanterns in the market lit up one after another, making the whole street even more lively under the twilight.
For two years after being poisoned, she was in a semi-conscious state, and at times she was unsure if she was still alive. Every time she saw people moving around, she felt a sense of peace.
The carriage slowly passed through every street, turned past the majestic bronze tortoise, and rumbled along the cobblestone path of the palace gate. Chen Zhuangmu returned to the Nanjin Palace, where she had lived as a child, which was also her mother's childhood residence. She had been living there alone for ten years.
She had just sat down on the soft stool in her bedroom when a maid led the imperial physician to her palace to bandage her wounds, so she could only look at the note from Tongshi again later.
The imperial physician was not alarmed when he saw the deep cut on her palm, but his expression changed when he saw a small red bump on her arm.
“Princess, this is no ordinary water insect bite.” He placed a medicine jar on the table. “Three times a day, without fail, or it will leave a scar.”
Chen Zhuangmu smiled and nodded, instructing Li Chu to give the imperial physician a reward. After the physician left, Li Chu pulled out the wooden stopper from the medicine pot to apply medicine to her, but she was turned around and pushed out of the room, saying, "No need, it hurts a lot. You are a martial artist and you can't control your strength."
Li Chu looked bewildered. "How could this be, Princess? I... Hurry up, the banquet is about to begin, and you haven't changed your clothes yet."
"Okay, okay." Chen Zhuangmu closed the door and locked it with a "click".
The note was gently pulled out, and she leaned against the wall to examine it closely. The more she looked, the colder her heart became.
When Yu Qunchao found himself alone, the eldest princess went on an expedition and bestowed upon him the title of General Xingyun. Since the current emperor ascended the throne, the general has been stationed on the frontier and has never returned to the capital. Five years later, he gave birth to a daughter on the border, the father of whom is unknown.
His Majesty was delighted upon hearing this and bestowed upon the child a special and honorable title.
When Princess Yu Rongshu was seven years old, there was a great battle, and she was sent to the palace. She was separated from her mother and never saw her again. She heard that His Majesty raised her by his side and taught her personally.
Eleven years later, three years ago, the eldest princess returned to the capital to celebrate her daughter's birthday. Early that morning, someone presented evidence of the eldest princess's treason, and the evidence was conclusive, leading to her execution. However, she was not executed in public; instead, her body was cremated in public.
Strangely, Princess Rongshu was poisoned from that day onwards. She disappeared again shortly after the announcement of the search for a doctor, but was found not long afterward. It is said that she had lost her memory.
However, young lady, seven city gate guards died that night, but no one mentioned it, and there was no mourning during that time.
Also, turn right at the end of Xiyu Street, and go to the third door at the end; there should be the information the girl needs there.
The corner of the note was licked by the candlelight, and the smell of the fire lingered on her fingers. In less than a moment, it turned to ashes. A cup of tea was poured in, causing black ash flakes to rise.
The last two messages were new. She let out a breath, wiped her face, and opened the door after unlatching it. There were quite a few people waiting for her.
"Princess, shall we get dressed now?" a nanny asked cautiously.
Chen Zhuangmu smiled and agreed. The servants in the palace were all afraid of her now because they couldn't figure out her temperament. She didn't care. She had come back to the capital to avenge her mother. Once this was done, no matter how much time she had left to live, she would never stay in Huijing.
Since it wasn't a major traditional festival, the prepared attire wasn't formal palace wear. The lotus-pink brocade robe was inlaid with gold thread, adorned with blooming peonies, and round pearls dangled along the edges of the wide sleeves, giving it a playful touch. It was a garment that Chen Zhuangmu had never tried before.
“Princess, you’ve never worn pink before! You’ll look beautiful in it,” Li Chu said from the side.
The candlelight flickered, revealing a mixture of anticipation and nervousness in her expression.
The old woman finished applying her makeup and said, "Princess, what do you think of this?"
In the mirror, her face was as white as warm jade, with a faint rosy glow on her cheeks. Her hair ornaments and pearl and jade flower crown, one above the other, complemented each other, making her appear dignified yet revealing her girlish charm.
It's truly remarkable how clothes make the man; her uncle, the emperor, had specifically instructed her to dress her up in a simple and innocent way, and she actually did have a rather endearing appearance.
She realized this and inexplicably broke out in goosebumps.
Before she could speak, the old woman held her breath, looked at them with a faint smile, and said, "You look quite good, Li Chu."
This seemingly casual remark left the maids somewhat bewildered. Before they could understand what the princess meant, Li Chu presented them with a handful of gleaming silver, then put the silver back into her purse and handed it to them.
"Take it," Li Chu said with a smile.
The leading nanny took the heavy bag in disbelief and kept thanking her. Only after Chen Zhuangmu raised her hand and waved it behind her did they leave one after another.
After they had gone some distance, Li Chu approached her and said, "Princess, didn't you say that the current rumors wouldn't affect you? Why are you still thinking about it..."
"I really think it looks beautiful, but it's too heavy." Chen Zhuangmu was still admiring her reflection in the mirror, touching the pearl and jade crown, and looking at Li Chu: "Besides, after being missing for three years, who knows what kind of rumors will spread about the former dynasty and the harem. If some people's attention were focused on now, the situation would be better."
Li Chu didn't know how to answer her, and after a moment of silence, she said, "Shouldn't we go now?"
"yes."
Chen Zhuangmu placed her hand on Li Chu's palm, and together with the palace maids waiting outside the palace, they headed to the Da Chen Palace.
Even the green trees in the palace couldn't withstand the passage of time; most of their leaves turned yellow and remained motionless. The lake water was distributed throughout the palace, with one section leading directly to the banquet area.
Inside the Dachen Hall, many candles were lit, and rows of oil lamps were illuminated. The dragon eyes on the dragon pillars were polished until they looked as if they were alive. The ministers whose names were listed had already taken their seats, and a stage had been set up in the center for dancers to perform.
The last time Dachen Palace was decorated like this was to celebrate Princess Rongshu's birthday; this time, it is to celebrate Princess Rongshu being found after being missing for three years.
"Isn't this shameful?" said a minister sitting at the bottom of the table. "The daughter of a disgraced minister has entered our home, and we are expected to greet her with smiles! She was missing for three years and then found, and she still dares to come back!"
"Alright, shut up. You said she has amnesia, but you can't tell..." The person who answered him looked up and then shut his mouth.
The two of them continued to hang their heads in sullen silence, not daring to touch the wine on the table.
Little did they know that behind the window not far away, a pair of eyes had taken in the scene just now.
"Zhuangmu, you're here so early?" Shen Zhuangmu, who was near the window, turned around and saw her aunt, the Empress, smiling and talking to her.
"Since I had nothing to do, I came."
Her aunt wore a bright red palace dress, with her hair styled in a high bun and adorned with a crown. Despite her dignified appearance, she did not appear rigid or boring. Her aunt had gentle eyes and spoke softly. When Chen Zhuangmu first arrived at the palace, her aunt would tell her stories every night.
“Then let’s go in first.” Chen Zhuangmu took a step forward, but the Empress stopped her arm and said, “Wait until your uncle arrives before you go in. You have lost your memory and don’t know anything about what’s happening in the palace. This is your first time showing your face since you came back, so you must have your uncle backing you up.”
She nodded, remaining silent for a long time, as anything she said would seem like she was deceiving her aunt. She had intended to go to the inner hall, but the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Princess had already arrived at the steps.
"What are you standing there for? Go inside." The emperor waved his sleeve.
With a sharp shout from the eunuch, the servant gently opened the door, and the emperor and his entourage stepped in one after another.
The last one to enter was Chen Zhuangmu.
When the father-in-law called out "Princess Rongshu," countless eyes turned to the doorway, looking at the first shoe that stepped in, then slowly moving up to her clothes and headdress, finally settling on her face and scrutinizing her expression.
Countless eyes were fixed on her. Chen Zhuangmu awkwardly forced herself to look ahead, calm her breathing, and walked up the steps to the Empress's side.
Just when she thought she would be making eye contact with countless pairs of eyes in the audience, she only saw rows of heads. Many people were looking down at her, but because they couldn't see her, they were eager to try.
She gave a forced smile, but instantly lost interest.
"Ahem." The emperor's cough was deliberate.
Looking through the curtain, she saw the emperor winking at her, reminding her not to be so rude.
Sure enough, one of them stood up, leaning on the table, and said, "Your Majesty, we have heard that the princess spent her time in the countryside during her disappearance. She looks quite different from before."
Chen Zhuangmu raised an eyebrow; she hadn't expected someone to be so blunt.
The hurtful words were on the tip of her tongue, but she stopped herself. She looked over as if she didn't understand and asked, "Are you talking about me?"
Her tone was calm, but she felt incredibly aggrieved. Her uncle had previously told everyone that she was quiet and gentle, and weak, so that she could enter the palace. Upon hearing this, she immediately decided against going to the palace, but seeing the emperor's attitude that he would kidnap her even if it meant being tied up, she still agreed.
She's never been one to hold back, and besides, the things she did as a child have already spread throughout Huijing. How could her personality change just because she lost her memory? That's too unbelievable.
So, Chen Zhuangmu successfully comforted herself, thinking that if anyone said another word about her, she would definitely retaliate.
But after waiting for a while, no one spoke up to bother her again.
The scene fell silent. The man who had spoken earlier touched his nose. Seeing her expression as if she had no idea what was going on, he couldn't bring himself to say anything more. But it would be embarrassing to leave things unresolved, so he stood boldly in the audience.
"I have said these things countless times. If you still have such thoughts, you may consider them carefully." The emperor's voice was authoritative and left no room for doubt. He then said to the man, "Sit down."
The already unpleasant banquet became even more dull due to the earlier incident, like a handkerchief that can't be wrung out no matter how much you try to salvage it, no matter how bright the candlelight or how moving the music and dance.
The emperor knew perfectly well that his men were unwilling to sit there. But he insisted on keeping them there, even after he left, for an hour or two, to further intimidate them and make Chen Zhuangmu's path smoother. No one could guarantee what the future held.
That's exactly what Chen Zhuangmu was thinking too.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
