Wen Jufeng (Part Two)
Soft music played in the Great Chen Palace. The dancers, dressed in brightly colored clothes, moved like graceful kingfishers, while the ministers beside them had eyes like dried-up riverbeds.
The person behind the scenes didn't make a move against her during her time in Huijing, but it was simply too difficult for them to do so.
However, Chen Zhuangmu was tolerant of the unknown road ahead. At this moment, she only had a few clues and could not pinpoint the group of people. If someone took the initiative to attack her, she could investigate from there and save some effort.
The audience looked listless, and when she looked away, she saw an empty seat at the front.
"Aunt, who should be in that position?" she asked the Empress in a low voice.
The Empress glanced over and said, "The Deputy Envoy of Distant Affairs is named Zhao Yi. He's a very easygoing person; even your uncle can't say anything to him."
She nodded and then asked, "I don't see that there are many people here. Are there any people whose names I can recall who didn't come?"
The Empress looked at the audience below and thought for a moment before saying, "The Privy Councilor is not here."
Chen Zhuangmu's brows furrowed slightly involuntarily. "You mean, no one from Shumi Courtyard came?"
The Empress's eyes seemed to dart away as she said softly, "The Privy Councilor is a boorish man. He... he has a great prejudice against your mother."
She understood the implication; he hadn't actually been invited.
There wasn't much to see here, so she decided to go out and urge Li Chu to finish the map she had made for her. She lifted her skirt slightly and quietly slipped out from behind.
She left the quiet inner room and came out to find rows of trees, with a large lake behind them. Luckily, it wasn't summer, or she would have been covered in bites from water insects by now.
Following the candlelight along the path towards the South Jin Palace, all was quiet. The place was secluded, and she was all alone. The only sound was the occasional rustling of leaves falling around her.
She walked slowly for a long time before she saw wisps of smoke rising from the pavilion under the bright full moon, carrying a sour and sweet scent.
This tastes like plum wine!
The noble ladies in the palace have always had a fondness for wine tasting. Could this be another product made by the imperial kitchen? Perhaps the imperial kitchen was short-handed, so they set up the pot here. But they've put in a lot of effort. Making plum wine is not easy; it requires twenty-five steps before it can be cooked in the pot.
Moreover, autumn is not the season for green plums, so it must have taken a lot of effort to make such an appealing flavor. Chen Zhuangmu couldn't help but be intrigued and approached with a smile and small steps.
All that could be seen was a small pot set up in the middle of the pavilion, bubbling and rolling around inside, with green plums rolling about and releasing an intoxicating aroma.
She couldn't wait to sit on the stool, picked up a small ceramic cup next to her, and used a ladle to scoop the clear wine into the cup, making a "tingling" sound. The wine entered her mouth, smooth and mellow yet quite powerful.
Fine wine!
With the bright moonlight as her companion, Chen Zhuangmu drank another cup, unaware of the approaching footsteps.
"Rongshu, Princess?"
Chen Zhuangmu's body stiffened, and she turned her head only after confirming that she had not revealed anything.
Standing in the moonlight was a man bathed in a soft glow. His dark blue brocade robe, with its subtle patterns, suited him perfectly. He was handsome yet not imposing, upright without being effeminate. But this dignified demeanor didn't last a moment before he crossed his arms and laughed, "Princess? Why are you stealing my wine?"
Chen Zhuangmu scoffed. She never expected that this was Zhao Yi's wine. She had no idea that he had entered the palace, let alone that the Deputy Privy Councilor would come here to brew wine.
Besides, she hadn't even settled the score with Zhao Yi for almost shooting an arrow into her head in Tongshi, yet he was using the word "steal" to describe it.
"So that's why I couldn't get it to eat; it was all your doing," Chen Zhuangmu replied, sitting in a daze.
"Hmm. Princess, you are of noble birth, but could you please be considerate of me? I see there is not enough wine."
The amount of wine was indeed reduced, but Chen Zhuangmu didn't feel apologetic. He considered the wine she drank as an apology to her. It's rare to encounter someone as easy to talk to as her.
“Princess, you have drunk quite a bit. Please wait here while I have someone take you away.”
"No need, you should prepare someone for yourself." She had already reached the edge of the pavilion.
"May I ask, Princess, what is the purpose of your trip to Tong City?" These words stirred up a storm in the silence, and Chen Zhuangmu immediately became alert.
"I've already tried all the fun things in the capital in the past two months. I heard there are even more fun things to do in Tong City, so I thought I'd go and ask about them." Chen Zhuangmu smiled, her narrowed eyes revealing a hint of slyness.
"Looking for something to reward us, shall we go to Tong City?" Zhao Yi approached her. "Your Highness has quite the refined taste. Do you think your subordinates are fools?"
"Is the Vice Envoy questioning me?" She chuckled lightly and said bluntly, "Where I go is none of your business, Vice Envoy. I'm only saying these few words to you because of my uncle. Don't push your luck, Vice Envoy."
Zhao Yi subtly examined her face for a moment, then lowered his voice and said, "Tongshi and our dynasty are irreconcilable enemies, and everyone in Huijing wants to get rid of it as soon as possible. It doesn't matter that the princess has already been implicated, but remember who spread the news. Arrest her and question her to the authorities."
Irreconcilable enemies? It was clearly Li Chu who told her this. That Zhao Yi, trying to play her tricks, especially with his nonchalant attitude, is an eyesore to her.
She nodded slowly, took out a packet of powder from her sleeve, and opened it. As she tilted her hand, the powder fell into the wine, creating ripples.
Zhao Yi's expression indeed turned ugly, and Shen Zhuangmu suddenly felt a little better. She tried her best to suppress her smile, and only after the powder packet in her hand was empty did she say, "Oh, I meant to add some sugar for the Vice Envoy, but I accidentally brought a laxative instead. If the Vice Envoy doesn't mind, please drink it. After all, plum wine is hard to come by in autumn."
Chen Zhuangmu thought their conversation should end there, so she walked out without looking back, only to hear Zhao Yi say behind her, word by word, "Princess Rongshu, so pure, kind, and virtuous, you don't even dare to say a word?"
Before he could finish the second syllable, Chen Zhuangmu disappeared from his sight. He exhaled and placed the wound medicine in his arms on the table.
The aroma of wine wafted through the air, lingering and long, and seemed to have been tinged with its fragrance, spreading to the lakes outside the Dachen Palace.
Around 1 AM, farewells began to be heard from inside the Great Chen Hall. Perhaps because people had been sitting for a long time, they could only stagger out, their faces filled with suspicion.
The next morning, Chen Zhuangmu, dressed in a narrow-necked brocade robe with arrow-shaped sleeves and jade patterns, and wearing a pair of small boots, stretched and opened the door. Li Chu was practicing martial arts in the courtyard.
"My dear Li Chu, you are truly hardworking."
Li Chu scratched the back of her head and said, "To protect the princess, of course I have to become even stronger."
"Come on, follow me to a place, the one on the map." Chen Zhuangmu said and started to walk out, but Li Chu grabbed her arm: "Princess, you can't run away anymore, or His Majesty will punish me."
"This matter is of utmost importance. I need the map you gave me last night. No matter how you try to persuade me, I won't listen. Why don't you wait for me in the palace?" Chen Zhuangmu said with a regretful expression.
Li Chu said with a bitter face, "Alright, Princess, I'll go with you. You can't be without me by your side."
Chen Zhuangmu nodded emphatically, "Yes, I can't live without you. If your uncle punishes you for anything, I'll make it up to you."
Li Chu's sorrowful expression showed no signs of easing.
An hour later, Chen Zhuangmu looked at the dark path and checked the map, then said to Li Chu, "This is it!"
Located at the intersection of West Jade Street, this place has been deserted since the murder, and is only three zhang away from East Jade Street, making it seem like two completely different worlds.
There was a narrow path between the two low houses, barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways. The two of them looked around carefully before finally daring to step inside.
As I walked, I found that the road had ended, and something was blocking my way, with a dark mass on the ground. Just as I was looking at it in confusion, I suddenly noticed a dark patch that seemed to be arching upwards.
Looking at these round and plump little things, a thought trembled and rose in her mind.
These are piles of heads! All you can see is a dark mass of heads, all huddled together in this isolated space, with no way out at all.
It was impossible to tell whether they were men or women, or what they looked like.
Chen Zhuangmu swallowed hard. Li Chu also wanted to back out, but she had already stepped back with her other foot and kept pulling Chen Zhuangmu, saying, "Miss, let's go, let's go, let's go!"
As Chen Zhuangmu hesitated, a small figure suddenly leaped onto the "sea of people," took a few steps, and jumped to the ground, accidentally stumbling.
It turned out to be a child, who was unclean from head to toe and reeked of an unbearable stench.
"Here to buy information?" The child's voice was very loud.
"How did you know?" Li Chu asked.
"You're all dressed up so neatly, do you think you're here to beggars?" Seemingly thinking that Li Chu's question was a bit stupid, everyone burst out laughing. This laughter was terrible, so loud that it felt like the sky was falling and the stench was so strong it felt like it was drilling into your head.
Chen Zhuangmu felt a strong urge to cough, but she knew that once she started coughing, she wouldn't be able to suppress it and it would interfere with her business, so she kept holding it in. Only when she couldn't bear it any longer did she turn her back.
What kind of information are you looking to buy?
There's no paper or pen here, so I can only talk to him.
Chen Zhuangmu asked, "What happened around the city gate three years ago on the night of the eighth day of the eleventh lunar month?"
The child paused briefly, then said, "Wait!" Before he could finish speaking, he had already jumped into the crowd and disappeared inside.
Like a fish in a black wave, she thrashed about freely. She looked back and saw no end in sight. Was this the daily predicament of these people?
"Princess! Princess!" Li Chu called out to her, "Why do we see the city gate from here? Could it be that they're colluding with outsiders?"
“We’re stacked up like human pyramids, so we can see from over there… otherwise, how would we survive?” The person closest to them spoke up, startling them.
"Then how do you remember it so clearly?" Li Chu asked.
“It’s carved on the wall,” the man said. “I’m not afraid to tell you, but you still wouldn’t want to go in. We make money by reading the news. See that iron gate?” The two of them looked in the direction he pointed, and there really was a gate, not very big, but big enough for a skinny man to pass through.
"Someone will be coming to deliver things in a few days," the man said, his voice tinged with pride.
As they were talking, the child stood right in front of them. "Yes! There's one who went out in the middle of the night!"
Immediately, Chen Zhuangmu's attention was drawn back to her, and she asked, "Is it during curfew? How late?"
The child was startled by her sudden seriousness and said earnestly, "At three-quarters past noon! A carriage went out! The gatekeepers didn't stop it at all, and the carriage was pulled by two horses!"
Two horses! Chen Zhuangmu noted this down in her mind, then asked, "What are the characteristics of that carriage?"
The child smiled mysteriously and said, "That's a different price."
Li Chu asked, "Three years have passed, can the carving still be seen?"
Chen Zhuangmu did not stop Li Chu, which was exactly what she suspected.
“You look down on us! There are too many procedures to open a hotel in Huijing. Many high-ranking officials and nobles steal food outside the city. We make a living this way.” The child looked very proud.
Chen Zhuangmu paused for a moment, then stopped asking. She took out all the money she had, asked Li Chu for more, and handed it to the boy. "Is this enough?"
The boy nodded repeatedly, his mouth agape, "That's enough, that's enough."
"Our leader said that the carriage was very big, and the person sitting inside must be very rich. There was also a decoration on the back of the carriage, I think it was something, but oh dear, it's too dark to see clearly. I'll just give you the picture, you've given me too much money."
As he spoke, the child raised his arm and shouted, "Get out of the way, distinguished guest!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the sea of people that had been packed together vanished instantly, and everyone squatted in two rows against the wall.
The child looked proudly at the dark curtain and pointed, "Please, sir!"
They hesitated to move.
The child frowned, looking at the ground with a puzzled expression, but nearly fainted from anger. "How many times have I told you! Don't pee or poop in there!"
After he finished speaking fiercely, he walked to the right-hand path and said to the people, "Get out of the way!" Then he turned to Shen Zhuangmu and said, "Sir, please come in."
Chen Zhuangmu followed him slowly, sighing as she walked. Truly, there's always a way out. How could they have ended up in this predicament? She couldn't imagine how desperate and tenacious they were when they first arrived, managing to find a place to make a living.
They were led to a wall with a picture of a carriage carved on it, which must have depicted the evening scene.
It's a drawing, and it's truly a terrible sight.
Chen Zhuangmu groped her index fingernail with her thumb, gritting her teeth to make out the child's voice, which interrupted her thoughts again.
"How about that? Impressive, right? We even have artists here!"
The little boy picked at his fingers, seemingly thinking about something, then frowned and pointed to a spot on the carving, saying, "I remember that group of people seemed to have brought knives that night. Yes, this is a knife. And here, someone came down and gave something to the guard, but it was too difficult to carve."
"Yes, impressive, impressive." Chen Zhuangmu nodded in response, then looked back at the painting on the wall.
They only drew the general outline of the carriage, with large wheels, a high roof, and two horses that were difficult to identify. There was a window, and a long object hanging from the back of the carriage, which seemed to have several triangular shapes.
Chen Zhuangmu couldn't imagine it at all, and asked again, "Could you be more specific?"
The child plunged into the crowd without saying a word, and soon two more people arrived. Both were tall and thin, and looked to be about the same age as Chen Zhuangmu.
The child mumbled a few words to the man, and they nodded, their expressions showing a clear understanding.
"It was quite dark at the time, and I could tell the carriage was quite old. With the help of the dim light, I could see it was red, and, well... anyway, it was this shape."
Chen Zhuangmu knew he wouldn't get anything out of him, and he was so frustrated he was practically tearing his hair out.
"Okay, thank you." She nodded with a smile, and the child led the way for them again. The floor was worn black. When they reached the end, they suddenly heard a hoarse voice.
"Young lady." This person seemed to be nothing but bones, with skin tightly shrunken to the bone. Chen Zhuangmu felt a chill run down her spine at the sight of her, and forced herself to say, "Grandma."
"Young lady, please bring more people with you when you go out in the future. The world is not peaceful." After she finished speaking, she leaned against the wall, trembling.
"Thank you." Chen Zhuangmu finished speaking and was pulled out by Li Chu, with the child's loud voice ringing out behind them: "Take care, sir!"
His voice was childlike and cheerful, which eased the serious mood of Chen Zhuangmen.
"I never imagined that people could be so resilient," Chen Zhuangmu said.
“This is only one side of the story. When I was training, it was even harder than this.” Li Chu smiled again and said, “But the environment was much better than this.”
As Chen Zhuangmu emerged from the alley, her mood remained low. A bird flew towards her, and she raised her hand to catch it, but it slipped past her fingertips and landed on Li Chu's outstretched hand.
Chen Zhuangmu blinked: "Birds are used to deliver messages in the capital? You just think that's all there is to it?"
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