Chapter 56 New Year's Wish: "What crime has my husband committed in defending me?"
On New Year's Eve, the streets were bustling with noise and excitement.
The riverside verandas were packed shoulder to shoulder, a vast, thronging sight. Inside the exquisitely decorated pleasure boats, brightly lit, with beaded curtains and embroidered screens, oars of cassia and orchid, glided slowly through the water. Beautiful women on the boats, veiled and clad in delicate shoes and socks, danced enchantingly. Frivolous young men clung to the railings, tossing branches at the boats and spitting vulgarities. The vendors, wielding their candied hawthorn sticks, seemed quite familiar with this scene; despite the crowds, they moved through it as if it were empty.
Chuze, squeezed in the crowd, made a face and moved his shoulders, which were sore from carrying too many things. He glared at the man in front of him who was laughing and joking.
He claimed he was taking his wife out for fun, but in reality, he was the one who got the most carried away.
From boating on the lake, listening to opera, and making figurines to guessing riddles and wearing ghost masks, Lu Xiuyi certainly had the most fun compared to Meng Yu.
Although he grew up in the capital, Lu Huaiyuan kept him confined in the manor during his most playful years. Before he was eight, he didn't even know what the rice paddies on the outskirts of the city looked like. Later, as he grew older, Lu Huaiyuan could no longer control him. He could leave the manor on his own, but he lost the desire to roam the streets and ride horses. All he did all day was practice martial arts, because the only way to defeat an enemy was to become stronger.
The lanterns were placed near the Cloud Tower.
When Meng Yu and Lu Xiuyi arrived, the ever-burning lanterns shone with orange light, carrying people's hopes for the New Year as they drifted leisurely towards the vast, dark sky, transforming from individual lanterns into tiny dots until they disappeared from sight and could no longer be seen.
Meng Yu released the ever-burning lamp from her hand, and the familiar scent of cedarwood suddenly filled her nostrils. When she turned her head, Lu Xiuyi was already leaning over, tilting his head and smiling at her: "What did you wish for, Yu'er?"
He had thick eyebrows and big eyes, his pupils seemed to hold starlight. Meng Yu bent her index finger and unexpectedly tapped his forehead, raising her hand: "Wishes won't come true if you say them out loud, so I won't say them."
"mean."
Lu Xiuyi clutched his temple in pain, frowning slightly. Although his tone contained a hint of complaint, there was no anger in it; instead, it carried a trace of joy.
There were no buildings or vegetation on the Cloud Tower side. A biting wind blew against her face. Meng Yu pulled her light blue fox fur cloak tighter around her as she watched the ever-burning lamp with her wishes written on it drift further and further away in the wind.
The fox fur cloak was soft and warm, like being roasted over a charcoal brazier. Lu Xiuyi had obtained it last month when he went hunting in the suburbs with Prince Yu. That very night, he had the cloak made and delivered to her a few days later.
After releasing the eternal lanterns, it was getting late. Since they had to go to the palace to pay New Year's visits the next day, Lu Xiuyi took Meng Yu back to bathe and rest.
The next day, the two got up at the appointed time, washed up, had a simple breakfast, and then boarded a carriage to enter the palace.
The banquet was held in the Yichen Hall. After the concubines and princes toasted Emperor Jinghuai, it was Lu Xiuyi and Meng Yu's turn to raise their wine cups.
Lu Xiuyi raised his voice and said, "At the beginning of the new year, my wife and I only wish for the country to be prosperous and the people to be at peace, and for His Majesty to enjoy lasting blessings."
Emperor Jinghuai responded with a loud laugh, and drank the wine in one gulp.
As soon as the two sat down, Prince Rui across from them smiled and said, "I thought that Ziye's judgment would improve after he joined the Western Camp, but who would have thought he would still be the same."
Ignoring the cold glint in Lu Xiuyi's eyes, the Sixth Prince asked with a smile, "What do you mean by that, Fourth Brother?"
Prince Rui raised his eyebrows, feigning surprise: "Sixth brother, don't you know? A couple of years ago, Ziye played the hero and got into a fight with someone in the street."
The Sixth Prince pondered for a moment, then snapped his fingers as if a sudden inspiration had struck him: "Oh! Right, I remember now, but why do I remember that woman was a courtesan? My cousin Ziye was even punished with five months of confinement for that, could it be that I'm mistaken?"
“Sixth Brother is certainly not mistaken; that woman was indeed a songstress,” Prince Rui looked at Lu Xiuyi, his smile particularly piercing. “Ziye, do you agree with what I said?”
Before Lu Xiuyi could respond, Meng Yu's eyes sharpened, and she smiled slightly as she made a hand gesture. Huai Yin behind her immediately cooperated and said seriously, "Of course that's not right. I've heard that among all the princes, the Sixth Prince is the most fond of pleasure. He is skilled in horseback riding and archery, but he is completely ignorant of poetry and books. This is because the Sixth Prince has a very poor memory. He can't even recite a complete poem properly. It's only natural that his memory is somewhat flawed."
"you……"
The sixth prince was so angry that his face turned ashen. He felt a lump in his throat and between his lips and teeth, unable to breathe it out or suppress it.
Prince Rui coldly replied, "Madam Lu is mute. Since she can't speak, she should follow behind Ziye. But now she's in such a hurry to jump out and just gesticulates. It's ridiculous that she only has a maid who can't stand on stage speak for her."
Meng Yu sat upright in her seat, her spine not slumped in the slightest, her clear gaze fixed on him: "So what if I'm mute? What law of the court stipulates that if a husband is wronged, as his wife, she cannot speak up for him? That courtesan was forced to perform to bury her deceased father, and she always upheld her principles and did not sell herself. My husband saw injustice on the road that day and drew his sword to help her. Who would have thought that the common people only knew one side of the story and not the other? Once the rumors spread, they categorized my husband as a playboy."
Prince Rui smiled leisurely: "Father punished Ziye for this, does Father also wrong him?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent, and everyone looked toward the person seated on the high seat.
Lu Xiuyi glanced at Emperor Jinghuai, who was pursing his lips, his brows furrowing slightly. He was about to speak up in defense of her.
Meng Yu, however, acted first, gently placing her slender white fingers on the back of his hand where the veins were slightly bulging. Her clear gaze fell on the other side, indicating that he should be at ease before she slowly raised her hand: "Our dynasty governs the world with benevolence and filial piety. His Majesty is a wise ruler and a kind uncle. His mother-in-law passed away early. His Majesty's actions are merely to teach his nephew on behalf of his mother-in-law. One must think thrice before acting, lest one give others cause for criticism, and instead of saving others, one may find oneself in a position of being unrighteous and immoral."
Her words were clear and logical, and she spoke in an orderly and composed manner, without arrogance or impatience. She maintained a proper balance in her speech, leaving Prince Rui with no room for criticism. He could only catch his breath in his throat, which made him turn pale.
Smack! Smack! Smack!
A crisp clapping sound suddenly came from the high seat, and Emperor Jinghuai laughed loudly: "Well said, Your Majesty is calm and composed in the face of adversity, and the maid beside you speaks neither servile nor arrogant. Ziye, your wife has truly earned you face."
Meng Yu and Lu Xiuyi quickly stood up: "Madam, you argued with the Prince in front of His Majesty without His Majesty's permission, which is an offense to His Majesty. Please forgive us, Your Majesty."
"Get up quickly," Emperor Jinghuai waved his hand, signaling the two to rise. "Just as Meng Yu said, what crime has she committed in defending her husband?"
The two bowed in thanks before rising.
Emperor Jinghuai looked past Meng Yu and at Huaiyin, asking in a deep voice, "What is that maid's name?"
***
It was nearly noon when we returned home.
There were three people in the carriage when they came, but only two remained on the return trip.
The atmosphere in the car was a bit tense. After hesitating for a while, Lu Xiuyi cautiously asked Meng Yu, "How about we skip going back to the manor for dinner today and go to Xunmanlou to eat the honey-glazed pigeon you've been craving for days?"
Meng Yu smiled and said, "You don't need to be so careful. It's a good thing that Huaiyin has found out her true identity. I'm happy for her. But I've been thinking about it and I don't know if she can adapt to the environment in the palace."
Two months ago, Emperor Jinghuai issued a proclamation, searching the whole country for Princess Mingyi who had been living among the common people. Who would have thought that just today, just now, when Emperor Jinghuai looked at Huaiyin, he saw the face of a familiar person. After a closer inspection and a blood test, he discovered that Huaiyin was indeed Princess Mingyi who had been living among the common people all those years ago.
The incident happened somewhat unexpectedly, and with Huaiyin suddenly gone, Meng Yu felt uneasy.
Whether she adapts or not is a minor matter; the real concern is Huaiyin's safety, which is to be confined to the palace from now on.
Lu Xiuyi placed his hand on the back of hers, comforting her: "Do you know who Huaiyin's biological mother is?"
Meng Yu looked up at him, signaling him to continue.
"It is Consort Jing."
Meng Yu frowned: "But as far as I know, Consort Jing doesn't seem to be favored."
"Although she is not favored, the Emperor feels guilty towards her. This guilt alone is enough to ensure Huaiyin's safety in the palace. Moreover, you treat her as a sister. If she is in danger, how can I stand idly by?"
The wheels rolled along the palace road, gradually entering the bustling market. Various shouts seeped in through the bamboo curtain, and the charcoal brazier warmed the interior of the cart.
When Lu Xiuyi's deep, mellow voice reached her ears, it gave her a strange sense of peace.
With his promise, she subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as she raised her hand: "I'm hungry, I want to eat pigeon."
Lu Xiuyi immediately lifted the curtain and instructed Chu Ze, who was driving the carriage, "We're not going back to the manor. Let's go to Xunmanlou for dinner."
"Alright!" Chu Ze laughed loudly upon hearing this and immediately turned his horse around.
The three of them finished their meal at Xunmanlou and returned to their residence an hour later.
For the past six months, Zhi Mian has been working closely with Huai Yin, handling all matters, big and small, and has become quite familiar with everything in the General's Mansion.
With Huaiyin no longer by her side, Meng Yu promoted Zhi Mian to be the head of the household. Apart from the courtyard where Granny Zhuang lived, which did not require her attention, all other affairs of the household were managed by her and Steward Cao.
Aside from the initial few days when Meng Yu gave Zhi Mian some pointers, she later became quite adept at managing the maids and servants.
***
On the Lantern Festival, Lu Xiuyi was ordered to accompany Emperor Jinghuai and the princes on a winter hunt in the suburbs. Just before they were about to set off, it suddenly started to snow, and the snow seemed to be getting heavier. The branches of the trees outside the window groaned and broke off under the weight of the snow.
Meng Yu fastened the black and gold embroidered cloak around his neck and raised her hand to instruct him, "The roads are slippery in the snow, so be careful when you ride your horse."
With gentle words and a warm feeling enveloping him, Lu Xiuyi looked at her increasingly tender eyes and suddenly said with some reluctance, "If it weren't for the fact that the Emperor enjoys winter hunting, I would really like to stay here with you all day, doing nothing, just sitting at the tea table by the window, enjoying the snow and sipping tea."
Meng Yu smiled and said, "You wish! Go on! I had someone make mutton stew today, so you can eat it when you get back."
Lu Xiuyi responded, then added, "Then you're not allowed to steal any food. Wait for me to come back."
Meng Yu nodded with a smile.
Not long after Lu Xiuyi left, Huaiyin informed Emperor Jinghuai and, after receiving permission, rushed out of the palace to visit her.
After not seeing Huaiyin for half a month, Meng Yu was relieved to see that Huaiyin had a rosy complexion and had gained a lot of weight. She immediately instructed Zhimian to have some of Huaiyin's favorite pastries and desserts made.
“Girl, stop now! You have no idea how many pastries I’ve eaten in the last two weeks,” Huaiyin said, waving her hands and touching her belly. “Look at me, I’m getting rounder and rounder. If I don’t watch what I eat, my face will get so fat it’ll be unbearable to look at.”
Meng Yu and Zhi Mian were amused by her, and the three of them laughed for a while. Then she remembered how Huai Yin used to address her, and quickly raised her hand to instruct, "You are a princess now, with a noble status, unlike before, so please don't call me 'Miss' anymore."
Huaiyin shook her head: "In my heart, a girl will always be a girl, no matter what happens, that will never change."
“It’s fine if Sister Huaiyin calls you that in private, but if someone with ulterior motives hears it, who knows what trouble it might cause,” Zhimian brewed a pot of black tea and poured them cups. “Besides, the young lady has always treated you like a younger sister. If we’re talking about it, the general is your cousin, and the young lady is your cousin’s wife. Why doesn’t Sister Huaiyin call the young lady ‘sister’? That would be a good way to maintain our relationship.”
Upon hearing this, Meng Yu quickly gave Zhi Mian a thumbs up.
After thinking it over, Huaiyin felt that Zhimian was right, so she changed her address to Mengyu as "sister".
The snow outside the window was falling heavier and heavier, and the interior of Longxiang Pavilion was covered in a white blanket.
Steward Cao rushed over through the heavy snow and against the north wind, his face filled with sorrow. He almost slipped on the snow on his way there because he was running so fast. He leaned against the door and said breathlessly, "Madam, something terrible has happened. Someone from the Meng family has come to say that Aunt Shen is dying."
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