Chapter Seventy-Seven: Longing Burns Like Fire
These words were quite blunt, and Xu Maoyu was initially startled, then chuckled, thinking that he had forgotten the prince's temperament. He was originally a fearless person, and had said even more domineering and blunt things before on the Northwest battlefield. He couldn't help but miss the life in the Northwest, far from the emperor's reach, and sighed, "It's been a long time since I've heard Fei Yang speak like this."
The King of Jin sighed, put down his pen, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes, and asked, "Mao Gong, tell me, was my choice the right one?"
Xu Maoyu looked at him, puzzled.
"Yesterday, Consort Xie deliberately framed her. When I saw her kneeling on the ground, I wondered if my choice was right?"
Recalling Luo Youde's words, Xu Maoyu suddenly understood. No wonder the prince had ridden his horse all night; he had been provoked. And the provocation was strong enough to make him question his own choices. Few people knew that he was actually Emperor Xuanzong's most beloved prince, and at one point, he was much closer to the throne than the third prince. He had voluntarily requested to join the army in the Northwest, choosing to become a general like the Marquis of Champion, whose name would be etched in history. He had stayed in the Northwest for so many years to reassure the emperor. After returning to the capital, he kept a low profile, concealing his talents, also to put the emperor at ease.
"How did Consort Xie frame Fifth Miss?"
When this matter was mentioned, anger flashed in Prince Jin's eyes again. He said, "Disguised, he sneaked into the palace, shoved the Imperial Concubine, and attempted to murder the imperial heir."
Xu Maoyu pondered for a moment and said, "It seems that Xiang Zhuang's sword dance was aimed at Liu Bang."
Prince Jin nodded and said, "That's right. I also guessed that she was probably really after Master Ziying. Because Master Ziying is virtuous, she's targeting Fifth Miss. If the charges are proven, she'll not only suppress Master Ziying, but also the Ruan family, and please Princess Rouzhen. It's a plan to kill two birds with one stone."
How did Fifth Sister deal with it at that time?
Mentioning her, Prince Jin's expression softened slightly, a hint of tenderness appearing in his eyes. He said, "Her..." He recalled her telling stories to Consort Xie, her words eloquent and graceful, neither humble nor arrogant, a slight smile playing on her lips; he recalled her final, unrestrained smile, and his heart softened like spring water in March. Heaven knows how much he loved her smile like that—arrogant, disdainful, and unrestrainedly proud... If any other woman smiled like that, he would think she was too haughty, but her smile was different; he felt that this was how a smile should be.
Xu Maoyu waited for a long time, but saw that he remained silent, his eyes filled with tenderness and lost in thought. He understood and coughed softly.
Prince Jin awoke with a start, his cheeks slightly flushed. He said, "Her? Don't you know her? She's naturally silver-tongued, able to make even the most unreasonable claim sound plausible, let alone this time. If Xie really reports this to Third Brother, I doubt she'll gain any advantage. But Third Brother..." He felt uneasy, recalling the Emperor's comments about Ruan Bi. However, after playing chess yesterday, the Emperor left Zhenmeng Pavilion in high spirits, seemingly forgetting Ruan Bi's existence; it seems his praise was merely a passing fancy.
"What's wrong with the Emperor?"
“It’s nothing,” said the Prince of Jin, picking up his pen and continuing to write the letter.
"What are Fei Yang's plans next?"
When asked about his plans, the Prince of Jin's smile faded, and he frowned in thought for a moment before saying, "Mao Gong, I don't know. I'm a little confused right now."
Xu Maoyu nodded slightly, understanding his feelings. He had been born with too much; many things were given to him willingly, so he was careless and indifferent to many things, including the supreme position. But one day, he fell in love with a girl, only to find that he was forced by ancestral rules to marry her. How could his heart not be in turmoil?
"Mao Gong, has the messenger sent to Guangzhou replied yet?"
"Not yet. Ruan's husband, Xu Yongruo, just passed away. The Xu family must be in a lot of chaos right now, so she might not be able to see Ruan." After a pause, Xu Maoyu said, "It's a pity that such a good assassination attempt failed that time. I heard that Old Madam Shen was terrified and is bedridden. I'm afraid she will never show her face in public again."
"Let's not dwell on the past, we'll figure something out later." He said this, but Prince Jin knew a solution was hard to come up with. Half a month had passed since the assassination attempt failed, and he still hadn't found a suitable plan, and time was running out. The most crucial issue was Ruan Bi's unclear origins, so having the Shen family take her back was the best solution. "Lord Mao, first investigate whether Prime Minister Shen has engaged in any corrupt practices."
Xu Maoyu hesitated, neither nodding nor speaking.
The Prince of Jin glanced at him sideways and asked, "Does Mao Gong think I lack integrity?"
Xu Maoyu shook his head and said, "I have known Fei Yang for so many years, how could I not know your character? If Prime Minister Shen is indeed corrupt, you will surely make him leave on his own. I am just worried... Fei Yang, the new emperor's party led by Prime Minister Shen and the old emperor's party led by Prince Han have been vying for power. If you join them, wouldn't the Emperor misunderstand that you have other plans?"
The Prince of Jin remained silent for a moment, then said, "I know, just keep it a secret."
Having said that, Xu Maoyu had no choice but to nod.
Prince Jin focused on writing letters, finishing two in a short while. He held the paper by one corner and walked to the window to let the wind dry it. Then he called in a guard: "Take this letter to the Ruan residence and give it to Yunying, and this one to He Si Niangzi of the Tiangong Embroidery Workshop."
Then he summoned the prefectural magistrate and instructed him: "Take my name card to Yuxu Temple and give it to Master Ziying. Tell her that I have invited her to play a game of chess, and she can decide the time."
The prefectural magistrate accepted the order and left.
Xu Maoyu asked in surprise, "What does Fei Yang mean by this?"
"I originally intended to stay out of the struggle for the Empress's position, but now that she is involved, I can no longer stand idly by. If I support the Zhao family, Master Ziying will surely be more than happy to do so."
Hearing the implied meaning in the song, Xu Maoyu nodded and said, "Master Ziying is the Fifth Sister's teacher, and he can speak to the Empress Dowager. It would be good to let her curry favor with the Empress Dowager."
After finishing these chores, the Prince of Jin couldn't help but yawn.
"Feiyang, I'll take my leave now. You should rest for a while."
The Prince of Jin glanced at the water clock and said, "There's no time. I'll change my clothes and go out." Seeing Xu Maoyu's surprise, he added, "I'll just wander around the city. Maogong, you don't need to come with me today. I'll discuss Yuqing's marriage with you later when I return." After saying this, he went into the inner room, changed into a plain black brocade robe, and told Yuqing, Youde, and the others to change into ordinary clothes. They went out through the back gate of the Prince's mansion, boarded two ordinary blue-draped carriages, traveled a long way to the bustling main street, and then walked a short distance to the back gate of the Tiangong Embroidery Workshop.
At the same time, two carriages from the Ruan family's residence stopped at the entrance of the Tiangong Embroidery Studio.
Yunying was the first to get out of the carriage. Seeing the second, third, fourth, and Ruan Bi filing out in succession, she felt a terrible headache coming on. Today, after receiving a letter from Prince Jin, she had asked the old lady if she could visit her fellow townswoman at the Tiangong Embroidery Workshop. She was a concubine given to Ruan Chi by Prince Jin, and had always been well-behaved since entering the household, so the old lady naturally couldn't make things difficult for her. She then requested that the fifth young lady accompany her. The old lady had been praising Ruan Bi like a flower lately, finding her utterly perfect, and naturally granted her request.
Unexpectedly, the second young lady stepped forward, saying she wanted to visit her former embroidery teacher—Mrs. Xu from the Tiangong Embroidery Studio. The old lady thought about it, and since she had taught the young ladies embroidery, she instructed them to prepare gifts and come over. Yunying naturally dared not say anything.
Tiangong Embroidery Studio, which makes custom-made garments and also employs external tailors, caters primarily to high-ranking officials and nobles. The greeter, quick to recognize the Ruan residence's insignia, hurriedly ushered them in, serving tea and pastries, and quietly inquiring about their purpose. Upon hearing they were looking for Master Xu, the greeter said, "Unfortunately, Master Xu has some family matters to attend to these past few days and has taken leave." Then, in a low voice, she asked, "Which one of you is Miss Ruan the Second?"
The second girl was surprised and said, "It's me."
The greeter looked her over carefully and said excitedly, "She is indeed very elegant. No wonder even the Empress Dowager praised her embroidery."
The second young lady immediately felt a surge of pride, straightened her back, and smiled demurely. Then she remembered that the fourth young lady and Ruan Bi were also there, and felt a little awkward. She glanced at them out of the corner of her eye; one was drinking tea, and the other had her head down, as if they hadn't heard anything. She felt a little more at ease.
Just then, a young maid ran in from outside, glanced curiously at the ladies, and whispered a few words in the greeter's ear. The greeter nodded and then said to the second young lady, "Second Miss Ruan, our craftsmen here are very excited to hear that you've arrived and all want to learn a thing or two from you. Would you like to sit in the workshop for a while, young lady?"
The second daughter has been studying huangmei embroidery at home lately and has gained some experience. She is eager to try it out, but she is a little wary of Ruan Bi and the fourth daughter.
Ruan Bi put down her teacup and said, "I can't refuse your kind invitation, Second Sister, please go ahead."
The second sister was too embarrassed to go alone, so after thinking for a moment, she pulled the third sister up and said, "Third sister, come with me."
Tiangong Embroidery Workshop was the most famous embroidery workshop in the capital. The Fourth Sister loved embroidery and had long yearned to go there. Ignoring her grudge with the Second Sister, she said to Ruan Bi, "Fifth Sister, let's go and take a look too."
"Sister, you go ahead. I'm not interested in embroidery."
The fourth sister naturally knew this and didn't insist, following behind the third sister.
After a short while, only Yingbin, Yunying, and Ruanbi remained in the room.
The greeter's fawning smile vanished, his face hardening as he opened the small door leading to the courtyard and said, "Please."
Yunying didn't say anything, but pulled Ruanbi inside. Seeing her strange expression, she smiled and said, "Miss, there's no need to be surprised. He Si Niangzi is the daughter of the Prince's wet nurse. Tiangong Embroidery Workshop originally belonged to the Prince of Jin's mansion, but outsiders just don't know that."
In truth, Ruan Bi wasn't surprised. She knew Prince Jin's character somewhat; he was even more meticulous than herself, so he certainly wouldn't have forgotten his operations in the capital during his seven years in the Northwest. She was thinking that he had actually exposed all these places to her—what immense trust that showed! It also showed how much he wanted to see her, and her heart couldn't help but flutter.
After walking along the covered walkway for a short while, they came to a room. Yunying stopped and said with a smile, "Please come in, young lady. The prince is inside."
Ruan Bi took a deep breath and reached out to push the door open.
The door had barely opened a crack when a hand reached out and swiftly pulled her inside. The movement was as fast as lightning. Yunying only saw a blur before she vanished, and the door slammed shut behind her. Her expression froze instantly, then she chuckled, a flicker of curiosity crossing her face. She listened intently, but heard no voices, only soft breathing. Her heart pounded and her ears burned. As if stung by a scorpion, she leaped three steps into the courtyard.
Looking up at the sky, the clouds are faint and beautiful.
She couldn't help but laugh again.
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