Selling dowry at a stall
The Eastern Palace.
Jiade Hall.
Inside the hall is a giant sand table that surveys the entire empire's territory; this is called the Altar of Mountains and Rivers.
A throne was set up on the high platform.
Five-tiered footrest, with lotus patterns engraved in relief.
A six-cornered canopy, painted with the sun, moon and stars.
Between the footsteps and the canopy stands a nine-panel sandalwood screen.
A nanmu chair with a Sumeru pedestal, inlaid with seven four-clawed dragons and two gilded dragon-head armrests, proclaims that this chair is second only to the dragon throne in the Golden Palace.
According to custom, the Crown Prince may use this chair on the first day of the first lunar month, the winter solstice, and the day he marries his Crown Princess. After use, it must be immediately stored in the treasury. Unauthorized use will be considered a crime of usurpation.
However, the Crown Prince Xiao Zhian, who was in charge of the country, held a position far exceeding that of ordinary heirs.
His daily routine as regent consisted of sitting on the throne, exercising the powers of the emperor, and managing state affairs.
At this very moment, inside the Jiade Hall, on the high throne, Crown Prince Xiao Zhian, dressed in a round-necked purple robe, wearing black leather boots, and with an ivory hairpin in his hair, and without even a gold fish pouch hanging at his waist, was leisurely reading when he was suddenly disturbed by an unexpected event and had to deal with government affairs urgently.
Imperial Envoy Qin Luo stood in the hall, respectfully presenting the secret edict and arrows, and reported:
"Your Highness, the Imperial City Guard just received a secret letter shot with an arrow. Every character with a stroke ending in a left-falling stroke has a deliberately hooked finish, which is the mark you left on the stone classics of the Imperial Academy to prevent anyone from copying it. I suspect that someone has imitated your handwriting and forged a secret edict, so I am here to report to Your Highness."
Before Qin Luo finished speaking, the guards and the two officials in charge of recording the events in the hall all changed their expressions drastically.
In particular, the Registrar of the Imperial Secretariat, because the memorial was so treasonous, suddenly stopped the wolf-hair brush he was using to record the memorial, leaving a large blot of black ink.
Who would be so audacious as to forge His Highness the Crown Prince's secret edict?
This is a heinous crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family!
Moreover, the arrow flew into the Imperial City Guard, which was equivalent to shooting an arrow right in the Crown Prince's forehead, slapping the Emperor and the Crown Prince across the face.
Whose son is so arrogant?
Everyone kept their eyes down, afraid of angering the Crown Prince, while also being incredibly curious to know what deadly words were written on the fake edict.
They dared not look directly at Xiao Zhian, and instead secretly glanced at Qin Luo, hoping to discern something amiss.
Surrounded by everyone's gaze, Qin Luo silently lowered his head, thinking to himself, "Don't ask. If you do, you'll find out that it involves Princess Pingyang, and the severity of the matter is beyond imagination."
On the throne, in Xiao Zhi'an's hand, the forged secret edict clearly read—
"The Ministry of War has been robbed. Head immediately to the Erwang Temple and wipe out the White Lotus Rebellion."
The Temple of the Two Kings. Xiao Zhian stared at those three words, his gaze unwavering, lost in thought.
The Erwang Temple was a place where his younger sister, Princess Pingyang, once practiced Buddhism. It was a private temple for the princess, but now someone has reported that it harbors traitors and has even implicated the Ministry of War in a theft.
Was the Ministry of War ever robbed? Why didn't Minister of War Zhao Changji submit a memorial explaining this at the morning court session?
How could the messenger know such a secret? If he did know, why didn't he expose it openly and honestly, instead of going to such lengths and acting suspiciously?
Who exactly is he?
Xiao Zhian held the secret edict in his hand and gently fanned it, releasing a faint, delicate fragrance of perfume into his nostrils.
It was a woman.
Xiao Zhian picked up the arrow and smelled the same fragrance.
Therefore, the person writing the letter and the person shooting the arrow are the same woman.
Add to that the priceless arrows, and it's clear this woman comes from a noble family with an illustrious background.
Immediately, Xiao Zhian identified the candidate—the third young lady of the Lin family—Lin Huaiyin.
As for motives, Lin Huaiyin was once kidnapped by the White Lotus Rebels, and her deep hatred for them will surely drive her to continue her investigation.
Regarding archery skills, Lin Zhenlie once praised her, saying, "My third daughter can hit a gourd mouth from 500 paces away. Her archery skills are unprecedented."
In terms of courage, perhaps only a woman from the Lin family, who came from a century-old military family, would dare to forge the Crown Prince's secret edict.
interesting.
Very interesting.
She truly is Lin Zhenlie's beloved daughter.
If she did it, then it's understandable.
Xiao Zhian seemed to see Lin Huaiyin sitting in front of him, swinging her legs, puffing out her chest and rolling her eyes at him.
She was angry, so she lashed out at him, complained to him, pointed an arrow at the Imperial Guard, and jumped up to slap him in the face.
Xiao Zhian remained silent in despair.
A year ago, it was his ineffective suppression of bandits that allowed the White Lotus Sect to spread throughout the capital, which led to her being kidnapped by the rebels and suffering a tragic fate.
As the Crown Prince regent, Xiao Zhian failed to protect his subjects and admitted his dereliction of duty. He had no choice but to allow Lin Huaiyin to be his creditor and grant her the right to collect debts.
When the creditors came knocking, he had no choice but to let her run wild.
Xiao Zhian stroked the thin paper as if he were pinching Lin Huaiyin's little ear, warning her: This is the only time, and there will be no next time. If you dare to stretch your claws out again, I will grab you and chop you up.
"Qin Luo," he instructed the Imperial City Envoy, "immediately lead troops to investigate the Erwang Temple. If there are indeed rebels entrenched there, be sure to wipe them out completely."
"Your subject obeys the decree!" Qin Luo accepted the order and withdrew.
Stepping out of the palace gates, the sunlight hit him, and his temples throbbed with alarm. He was filled with confusion: the Crown Prince hadn't even been angry when the dirty water had been thrown on Princess Pingyang. When had he ever tolerated Princess Pingyang being wronged? Why hadn't he issued an edict to investigate the traitor who forged the secret edict, and instead directly sent troops to suppress him?
It's simply unbelievable.
After sending Qin Luo away, Xiao Zhian focused his attention on the words "Ministry of War stolen," his brows furrowing as he said, "Summon Du Yu."
Soon, Du Yu, who was in charge of military affairs in the Eastern Palace, entered the hall, bowed and clasped his hands: "This humble general greets Your Highness."
"Go and bring Zhao Changji, the Minister of War," Xiao Zhian ordered.
"This subordinate obeys the order." Du Yu immediately accepted the command and left.
A wisp of incense rose from the beast brain in the Eastern Palace. Xiao Zhian stared at the arrows on the storage table, feeling that something was not quite right.
——
Iron Buddha Temple.
The crab claws arrived with lightning speed.
With the Buddha's Birthday still two weeks away, Tiexiang Temple is already bustling with activity.
Horse-drawn carriages, oxcarts, and donkey carts flowed like water, and horses moved like dragons.
The number of women and children, both high-ranking and low-ranking, was countless.
The worshippers—no, not quite—were like fish and crabs, one lifting the curtain, the other driving a carriage. They clearly saw that nine-tenths of the worshippers were women. Observing their attire and demeanor, they recognized many noble ladies, all dressed in their finest attire, as they filed into the temple gate.
That's really strange.
In previous years, only on the day of Buddha's Birthday, when His Highness the Crown Prince personally visited Xiangguo Temple, could one see such a scene—all the noble ladies of the capital would turn out and flock to His Highness. How come the Buddhist temple is now so popular?
The two were completely baffled, but in any case, the more people the better, as they were happy to see it.
After parking the oxcart, the three of them got off. Yu Li and Xie Ao each carried a bundle of gold and silver, while Lin Huaiyin held her "Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" painting tightly, carefully preventing the bow and arrows inside from falling out.
Mixing into the surging crowd, Crab Ao, being tall, found a good spot to set up a stall on the right side of the mountain gate, and pulled Yu Li and Lin Huaiyin to squeeze over.
Lin Huaiyin watched the lively scene and a sneer curled at the corner of her mouth. She remembered that on the day Shen Congyun asked her for money, she went to Tiefo Temple to color and offer the painting "Sakyamuni Emerging from the Mountain," which caused a sensation throughout the city. All the women in the capital, whether married or not, came to watch.
The elegant Grand Secretary Danqing worshipped Buddha, a scene both solemn and captivating. His right hand, holding the paintbrush, lingered in the dreams of noble ladies in the capital for a long time, and was even written into unspeakable stories. Legend has it that every woman in the capital had a copy, making the bookstores very wealthy.
Lin Huaiyin laughed.
That's hilarious.
He's two-faced. The current Grand Secretary lives in a Buddhist temple, appearing refined and detached from worldly affairs, but secretly he's eyeing his wife's dowry and even trying to seduce her family. Truly, shamelessness knows no bounds.
But this is just right.
Lin Huaiyin thought: You sell elegance inside, and I sell dowry outside. Let's have a competition and see who is more popular.
Soon, the crab claw led the two of them to their destination.
Under the large banyan tree to the right of the mountain gate, many aerial roots hang down, swaying in the wind. The women, not wanting their hair and makeup to be disturbed, all moved away, leaving the space for them to set up their stalls.
So, brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were laid out, and Lin Huaiyin picked up her brush and wrote the signboard: "The Prime Minister's Wife's Selected Jewelry Shop".
The Prime Minister's wife was also carefully selected; Miss is truly cunning.
The two heads of the fish and crab were squeezed together, laughing so hard they were shaking.
The crab claws were happily picked up and strung onto the aerial roots, instantly attracting the attention of passersby.
Yu Li didn't hesitate either. Taking advantage of the fact that someone was paying attention, she quickly untied her bundle, spread a silk cloth on the ground, and neatly arranged the boxes of jewelry.
A dazzling array of jewels emanated from the box, shimmering and radiant, making the banyan tree seem almost sentient.
The eyes of the onlookers lit up instantly.
These were all well-known young ladies, all of whom had seen the real thing. They recognized that the jewelry on the ground was top-notch. They were all stunned and stood there dumbfounded. When did such a jewelry store appear in the capital? The materials and craftsmanship were all superb, dazzling the eyes. Could it be stolen goods from the palace?
The product is good, but I'm afraid it will burn my hands.
The noble ladies hesitated, reluctant to miss out on the good deals, yet worried about getting into trouble, so they could only wait and see for the time being.
Lin Huaiyin was still writing furiously, composing a couplet, "Crab Claw Hanging as a Couplet"—
"Inlaid with gold and jade, it shines with precious light; wearing my precious ornaments, honor and glory are naturally revealed."
"A new style in the capital, adorned with floral hair ornaments! The First Minister's wife has selected precious hair ornaments specially made for the Buddha's Birthday and is among the first to try them on!"
Upon seeing the words "First Minister's Wife" displayed, the women felt a surge of excitement and agreed that the First Minister's Wife should possess such a treasure.
Only by wearing these treasures can one be worthy to stand beside Lord Shen.
As for the current Grand Secretary's wife, everyone despises her—the third young lady of the Lin family, who was ruined by the thieves, is not worthy of these treasures, much less worthy of Lord Shen, and will be replaced by them sooner or later.
Shen Congyun is currently in the main hall. The young ladies have all come for him, and now they are even more eager to see him, secretly thinking that with these jewels, they will be truly radiant, and perhaps they can win the favor of Lord Shen?
Opportunities to meet Lord Shen in private are extremely rare, and the young ladies are restless and eager to make their move.
Feeling the burning gazes, Yu Li began to enthusiastically hawk her wares—"Don't miss out! The finest precious hairpins in the capital, brimming with gold and jade, genuine and of the highest quality! Persian-style, dazzlingly bright! Come on, come on, come and see! These are all precious hairpins privately collected by the Prime Minister's wife, half price, every single one, no deception!"
After a few shouts of "half price," the young ladies finally couldn't hold back any longer. They thought to themselves that there was strength in numbers and the law would not punish the masses. Given their backgrounds, even if they bought the stolen goods, they could simply return them later. Meeting Lord Shen today was the most important thing.
Suddenly, all mental barriers disappeared, and the young ladies crowded around, vying to choose, asking the prices in unison, like hungry wolves pouncing on rabbits.
The crowd surging towards the mountain gate instantly gathered under the banyan tree, forming a fan shape and surging forward like waves. Some young ladies, having heard the news, hurriedly rushed out of the gate.
The fish and crabs were so plentiful that one couldn't keep up with the feast.
Lin Huaiyin didn't help; instead, she kept a close eye on everything around her, paying attention to the surrounding movements—two young novices were running away in a hurry, probably to report to the temple.
Lin Huaiyin thought to herself that someone from the temple would surely come to investigate soon. If her identity was exposed then, it would be difficult to act alone. Now was the perfect time to take care of something important.
She made a quick decision, whispered a few words to the crab claw, picked up the scroll, and quietly retreated from behind the banyan tree.
The purpose of coming to Tiefo Temple is to sell dowry and fight Shen Congyun; these are just secondary purposes. The most important thing is to obtain a head here.
Lin Huaiyin couldn't interfere with how the Imperial City Guard would act. To protect the 800,000 taels of silver and completely thwart Shen Congyun and Princess Pingyang's plot to control the Ministry of War, she had to fire a second arrow.
Lin Huaiyin hugged the scroll tightly, entered the mountain gate with her head down, and blended in with the bustling pilgrims who were carrying all kinds of items waiting to be consecrated, and was not conspicuous at all.
Her goal was the wooden pagoda in the temple. She patiently followed the flow of people, passing through many halls and pavilions. When she arrived at the Mahavira Hall, she witnessed what it meant to be completely packed.
She leaned against a pillar and stood on tiptoe, and could vaguely see Shen Congyun's dark robes, from which the sounds of chanting and Buddhist prayers could be heard. Shen Congyun was motionless, presumably painting.
Ninety-nine percent of the onlookers were women.
The peach blossoms and willows, each with its own unique charm, are graceful and alluring, each more beautiful than the last. They transform the solemn Buddhist temple into a celestial garden, exuding fragrance and swaying in the breeze, making people linger and forget to leave.
In the corners and outskirts, there were also some young talents who admired Shen Congyun's talent, their eyes burning with admiration for the current chief minister.
The scene was lively, but Lin Huaiyin watched coldly, the whispers of demons from the raging flames of the imperial prison echoing in her ears:
Minister Zhao of the Ministry of War was jealous of the Lin family's control of the Imperial Guards, and even more so of Yuan Cong's superior position in the Imperial Guards, which always put him in a superior position. After joining forces with Shen Congyun, he committed all sorts of evil deeds. Not only did he embezzle rations and cause the deaths of soldiers at the front during Lin Huaiyin's second brother Lin Shifeng's southern expedition, but he also falsely accused Lin Huaiyin of defecting to the enemy. Furthermore, he fabricated evidence and falsely accused Lin Huaiyin's father, Lin Zhenlie, of treason, making him the key figure behind the Lin family's extermination.
To destroy a century-old military headquarters out of mere jealousy is utterly despicable.
Lin Huaiyin was never jealous of anyone. She didn't understand. All she knew was that the Lin family had risen up with the founding emperor two hundred years ago. The Xiao and Lin families had been sworn brothers for generations. The Lin family's prominence was earned by their ancestors through hard work and perseverance.
For two hundred years, the Imperial Guards of the Yuan Dynasty protected the capital and fought in the north and south, creating two hundred years of peace for the empire. Their status was certainly extraordinary!
Since Minister Zhao shows no respect for the most important figures in society and harbors such deep-seated hatred that it's a matter of life and death, then we have no choice but to ask him to die.
Lin Huaiyin bypassed the main hall and finally arrived at the pagoda in the backyard.
As they climbed the tower, floor after floor, pilgrims paused on different levels to admire the scenery and discuss the landscape.
Lin Huaiyin kept her head down and continued climbing.
The higher the floor, the narrower the viewing platform becomes, and it gradually becomes so crowded that there's nowhere to put your feet.
Lin Huaiyin calmed herself down and continued climbing.
At the top of the thirteen-story tower, the view stretches to the horizon. A dozen or so people are huddled in a circle, their attention all fixed on the distant horizon.
Taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, Lin Huaiyin climbed to the top of the tower, leaned against the golden gourd-shaped finial, and re-stringed the bow.
With the sky high and the earth wide open, and the wind whistling past her ears, Lin Huaiyin was focused on testing her bow when suddenly a sharp pain shot through her back, as if a extinguished fire had reignited in the wind, burning her with cold sweat. Her bones and flesh felt a chill and a burning pain, and her stomach churned violently.
This feeling was as if I were back in the fiery prison.
Her body convulsed uncontrollably, and she lay in agony on the glazed tiles, gasping for breath of cold air, yet her gaze remained unwavering as she surveyed the surroundings.
Yongxingfang, Shengyefang, and Anrenfang quickly came into view.
Most of the important officials of the court lived in the Three Lanes. Lin Huaiyin endured the pain, adjusted her breathing, squinted one eye, and after a lot of effort, finally managed to locate the Zhao residence.
Zhao, the Minister who hated the Lin family so much, had shamelessly made several dealings with them.
Lin Huaiyin remembered him as a tall, thin old man with wrists that reached past his knees. He also had an only son who worked in the Ministry of Rites.
Drawing her bow and nocking her arrow, Lin Huaiyin steadied her wrist, overcame her trembling hands, and aimed at the Zhao residence. Like a hunter, she quietly waited for her prey to appear, while in her heart, she pondered Zhao Yanxiu, the son of Minister Zhao.
The Ministry of War lost its weapons. Minister Zhao might keep it a secret from others, but he would definitely tell his only son. Father and son are of one mind, and who knows? Even if Chen Congyun suppressed his urgent memorial and attempted to form a faction—a reckless act—Minister Zhao also told him.
If this is the premise, and the Erwang Temple incident broke out, and Minister Zhao died at that time, Zhao Yanxiu would probably suspect that Shen Congyun killed him to cover it up.
The hatred for the murder of one's father will inevitably lead to action once suspicion arises.
With this thought in mind, Lin Huaiyin felt completely relaxed, a smug smile playing on her lips. She thought to herself: You are disloyal and unrighteous, trying to cling to the pirate ship of Shen Congyun and Princess Pingyang. Don't blame me for smashing your beautiful dreams.
No sooner had she uttered those harsh words than a group of armored soldiers suddenly burst into Lin Huaiyin's field of vision. The leader was clad in gleaming armor, which was dazzling in the sunlight.
Lin Huaiyin came from a family of imperial guards and was familiar with military affairs. She noticed that the leader's chest guard did not have dragon and phoenix patterns, so he was a general of the Eastern Palace. Her heart skipped a beat, and she knew that His Highness the Crown Prince had sent someone to arrest Minister Zhao.
The Crown Prince was knocking on the door. Lin Huaiyin's heart sank. She thought to herself: Even if I hand him over to the Crown Prince, he might not admit to conspiring with Shen Congyun. He might even shout that his urgent report was suppressed and that he was extremely wronged. He also said that Zhao Yanxiu knew about the collusion and faction. I won't delay His Highness's investigation. I'm determined to take Zhao Shangshu's life today.
Lin Huaiyin narrowed her eyes, made up her mind, and watched as the Donggong Langjiang led the team into the gate, around the screen wall, and approached Zhao Shangshu's residence. Cold sweat dripped down her forehead.
Time was of the essence. Killing someone in front of the Crown Prince was too risky. Lin Huaiyin suppressed her racing heart, steadied herself, and continued to wait.
Three breaths later, the Prince of Donggong strode into Minister Zhao's courtyard, and Lin Huaiyin tightened her grip on her fingers.
A gaunt figure finally appeared.
Minister Zhao appeared to have just finished bathing as he slowly walked into the courtyard and spread out his hair to dry.
That way, you can go completely naked and clean.
You got off easy.
Lin Huaiyin's field of vision narrowed, the tip of the bamboo arrow overlapping with the prey's throat. Calculating the wind force and distance, she released her right hand—
"call out!"
Zhao Shangshu's head hit the back of the recliner, but strangely he didn't bounce up.
A black dot solidified in his throat.
The three maids were still carefully combing the master's hair, not daring to hurt him. Not a single strand of wet hair fell to the side of the chair, and the water droplets at the ends dripped into the cracks of the blue bricks—just like the blood that seeped from his throat, seeping into the earth at the same time.
When Donggong Lang arrived at the scene, Lin Huaiyin withdrew her gaze, untied the bowstring, tied it into the scroll, found an opening, jumped down, and blended into the crowd.
After leaving the mountain gate, Yu Li and Crab Ao's stall was now quiet and peaceful.
A group of monks surrounded the group, and the two men remained silent in the center of the encirclement.
A young lady dressed in a scarlet dress, waving a sign that read "The Prime Minister's Wife's Selected Jewelry Shop," spoke sternly: "Master Guest, these two are impersonating maids of the Shen family, claiming to be selling Madam Shen's dowry and raising money for her. They are tarnishing Lord Shen's reputation and should be arrested immediately and sent to the Jingzhao Prefecture for investigation!"
Upon hearing this, Lin Huaiyin quickened her pace, returned to the oxcart, put down the scroll, hid the bow and arrows, and changed back into Madam Shen's attire.
Returning to the scene, the fish and crab claws were already in the hands of the monks, and the gold and silver jewelry was piled up and repackaged as stolen goods.
Lin Huaiyin walked unhurriedly to the master of ceremonies, put her hands together, and said, "Amitabha, I am Lin Huaiyin, the wife of Lord Shen, the Grand Secretary. Please release my maid."
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