Chapter 25 I Saw Spring Return (Part Two) "The twenty-second Kongming lantern..."
"Your Highness, that is Xu Zhen, the Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate," Xiao Jiu whispered, noticing her gaze fixed on the man.
“I know,” Yan Chao nodded slightly. She saw that Xu Zhen had quieted down, but he looked really disheveled. After a moment of silence, she turned her head and asked the assailant, Lan Huaien, “Can you explain?”
Lan Huaien hesitated for a moment, glancing around at his surroundings: "Here?"
Wasn't the Crown Prince traveling incognito?
Yan Chao glanced at him sideways: "Otherwise, do you want to go back to the palace and explain to His Majesty?"
Although Xu Zhen was drunk, he wasn't so drunk that he couldn't even recognize Lan Huaien. So how could he have been beaten like this with his bare hands?
"Imperial Censor Xu harassed a woman in the street, and I was indignant, so I took action to punish him." Lan Huaien stepped forward, stared at the injury on Xu Zhen's face for a long time, and a mocking look appeared in his eyes.
Yan Chao frowned. Before he could speak, he suddenly heard Xu Zhen hiss, grit his teeth, and put down his hand that was rubbing his eyes, which were clearly bruised.
His face turned ashen, burning with rage: "You're slandering me with baseless accusations! That woman admired me and only gave me a piece of fruit; how does that mean I'm harassing a commoner?"
Xu Zhen struggled fiercely, almost baring his teeth, but was restrained by the guards and unable to move. He turned around and saw the person in the sedan chair, and was immediately shocked, his heart sinking. He hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, I truly only accepted one fruit..."
Lan Huaien scoffed lightly: "Ask anyone on the street if they didn't see Lord Xu's affectionate gaze?"
"If Your Excellency is not satisfied, shall we go and argue this point before the Emperor?"
He laughed freely, his almond-shaped eyes possessing a captivating charm, the corners of which were slightly upturned. He raised his hand to smooth out his sleeves, then stood with his arms crossed. The scholar's attire looked utterly out of place on him; the clash between simplicity and ostentation made him appear comical and ridiculous.
Xu Zhen was still angry, but seeing his appearance, he felt helpless. He could only turn around angrily and apologize first, saying, "Your Highness, I have been disrespectful. But Governor Lan..."
"Censor Xu, go back. It's not a good look for you to be dressed so disheveled during the festival." Yan Chao didn't mention the incident of him startling the emperor, and naturally had no intention of pursuing it. Lan Huaien's move was reckless and absurd, but she was determined to make him suffer this beating. She added, "If the eunuchs in the imperial court are guilty, His Majesty will punish them. Censor, you should take care of yourself."
She gestured for the guards to release him, straightened her sleeves, and lowered the curtain, clearly unwilling to interfere any further.
Xu Zhen had sobered up considerably and straightened his posture to apologize, saying, "Your subject knows his mistake. If Your Highness does not mind, please come and sit in my humble abode."
"No need, I have other matters to attend to. Please make yourself at home, Imperial Censor." She ordered, "Start the sedan chair," and left the alley ahead of everyone else.
Xu Zhen straightened up and turned around to find that Lan Huaien was also gone. Thinking of the scholar's robes he had just worn, he felt nauseous and spat out a curse under his breath.
He hadn't gone more than a few steps when servants caught up with him. He breathed a sigh of relief, hurriedly got into the sedan chair while covering his wound, and said in a deep voice, "Go back quickly."
The servant responded and then reported, "Master, the Dowager is not feeling well."
Xu Zhen's expression immediately changed.
.
Lan Huaien wandered aimlessly through the streets, accompanied by a young eunuch dressed as an ordinary servant. When no one was looking, he secretly plucked off his mustache, the slight stinging sensation making him wince.
The streets were bustling with activity, with wooden sheds and large lanterns erected on both sides. At the Xuanting Bridge, along the main streets and alleys, there was music, singing, acrobatics, and hawking, with crowds of people watching and applauding from time to time.
His gaze lingered slowly on the street, from the lanterns on the pillars and gates that read "Celebrating the Lantern Festival" to the riddles and stories under the canopy, but his heart seemed unmoved. He had seen too many magnificent things, and these things could not arouse his interest.
He casually pulled up his sleeve and felt that he wasn't quite used to the clothes, though the fabric was quite comfortable. Looking down, he saw that he was dressed entirely in a plain floral white, and Lan Huai'en's eyes widened inexplicably. He asked the attendant behind him, "Do I look really disgusting in this?"
If his attire fell into Xu Zhen's hands, he would probably be accused of greatly disgracing scholars, since eunuchs were inherently unworthy of anything. However, he had never considered being a clean-cut scholar.
The young eunuch was taken aback, and replied tremblingly, "Master is even more impressive than those high-ranking officials."
Lan Huaien just smiled wryly upon hearing this; he truly lived up to his arrogant image.
He strolled over to a vendor, glanced at it casually, picked up an ordinary red paper lotus lantern, examined it for a moment, didn't ask the price, tossed some loose silver coins over, and turned to leave.
"Young sir," the peddler called out to him, clearly not noticing the complicated expression on his face, and said to himself with his head down, "This lamp is far from worth that much silver... Why don't you take a look and see if there's anything else you need?"
Lan Huaien silently glanced around. Most of the items on the stall were ordinary. Across the table were some scattered hairpins, bracelets, and other beads. He discerningly spotted a tourmaline beaded bracelet, but its quality wasn't very good.
The vendor followed his gaze and quickly smiled, "Since it's a festive occasion, sir, you can also bring some little trinkets for the women in your family."
However, upon looking up, the vendor noticed the customer's expression had suddenly changed. He paused, realizing he had said something wrong, and quickly added, "If you have a lady you admire, you may also..."
Lan Huaien's gaze deepened slightly. He usually served in the palace, and the women he came into contact with were nothing more than concubines and palace maids. His mind went blank for a moment, and then he suddenly recalled the sleepy figure that had suddenly appeared in his eyes one day.
But in a short while, he quickly pushed that person out of his mind.
Not to mention that the two of them are always wary of each other when they meet, the Crown Prince used to feel a sense of scrutiny and supervision when he saw him, as if he were about to eliminate evil and wickedness. In the future, he might wish he could kill him quietly and secretly.
His expression shifted unpredictably, but what he uttered was a string of lies: "These things are hardly worthy of her."
Seeing the vendor's truly embarrassed expression, he added in a low voice, "It's me who's not good enough for her."
The words were meant to help the vendor out of a difficult situation, but he immediately felt extremely awkward about them. However, he had already forgotten about them by the time he turned away.
He took a few steps and then stopped, raising his hand to examine the small lamp. It wasn't particularly exquisite or ornate, but it was indeed meticulously crafted. However, since it was still daytime, he couldn't see anything about it.
“We’ll miss the lantern festival in the capital these next few nights. It’s a rare opportunity to come out, so we’ll bring these back and put them in the house to brighten things up,” he muttered to himself, as if explaining something.
The little eunuch who had been following closely behind was stunned for a moment, and only answered "yes".
Lan Huaien brought a slightly larger group of people out of the palace, but they all dispersed. He strolled all the way to Dong'an Street and saw an acquaintance at the entrance of the alley.
The man, dressed in a robe with a broken waist, leaned against the wall with his left leg bent, his hand resting on a sword at his waist, his face cold and stern. His posture clearly indicated he was waiting for someone.
"Lord Lu, how have you been?" Lan Huaien greeted him first, his tone friendly and amicable. After all, in some ways, the two were in the same boat regarding Meng Huai's matter.
However, Lu Xun has not yet been reinstated to his original position.
Lu Xun raised his eyes, his whole demeanor slightly listless. He slowly straightened up, adjusted the sword at his waist, and bowed slightly to Lan Huaien: "I have been waiting for you, Grand Eunuch, for a long time."
"Wait for me?" Lan Huaien was slightly surprised and stopped five steps away from him, waiting for him to continue.
The noise on the street had subsided somewhat. Lu Xun looked at the empty space beside him and asked softly, "Is the Eunuch out investigating a case today?"
Lan Huaien narrowed his eyes, his expression growing increasingly serious: "You dare to spy on me?"
“I don’t have that kind of ability right now,” Lu Xun chuckled lightly. His former confrontational tone had weakened considerably. He pursed his lips and said, “I heard from a guard from the Northern Garrison that His Majesty is investigating the Cao family.”
The moment he finished speaking, the atmosphere around him suddenly turned cold. He remained motionless as the person in front of him quickly approached him, snatched the loosely clad sword from his waist, and forced him back several steps, pinning him against the wall with the sharp blade pressed against his throat.
Lan Huaien was puzzled by his lack of reaction. She continued angrily, "You dare say such a thing in public? Don't you value your life?"
Lu Xun continued, his voice trembling, "Has the Grand Eunuch ever considered why His Majesty is now secretly targeting the Cao family after Meng Wenzhen's death?"
"Whatever the reason, these matters are not for a mere captain like you to meddle in," Lan Huaien said coldly, his hand gripping the sword motionless. "The Meng Huai case was concluded hastily. Do you feel wronged?"
Lu Xun wanted to shake his head, but dared not move. Tears welled up in his eyes: "I am not wronged, I am the one who deserves to die. But someone is determined to kill him, and I can't do anything about it."
"The governor is going to investigate the Cao family, so we need to be extra careful."
He said something out of the blue, leaving Lan Huaien somewhat bewildered, but he remained tight-lipped.
What is your purpose?
The sword was put down and then put back into its scabbard at his waist.
"Lu Xun is incompetent; he only prays that there will be no more wronged souls."
Lan Huaien turned his head to look at him. Was he feeling guilty?
There is something to feel guilty about. Lu Xun, who used to command the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was always known for his impartiality and incorruptibility. But Meng Huai's case was an exception, and it involved more than just dereliction of duty.
“That’s ridiculous. I’ve already killed quite a few innocent people,” Lan Huaien said slowly, bowing his head and dusting off his clothes. “However, I will try my best.”
Lu Xun remained silent.
Lan Huaien turned and left, pondering the deeper meaning behind Lu Xun's words the whole way.
The capital was exceptionally bustling during the Lantern Festival, with crowds surging day and night, a diverse mix of people from all directions. Since the emperor had given him the decree, he naturally had to do his utmost.
Half an hour later, when they finally met the first scout, the scout said there was nothing unusual, but before leaving, he added, "Eunuch Cheng is at Juehui Temple."
Lan Huaien asked in surprise, "What is Cheng Tai doing at the temple?"
The scout replied, "My father-in-law said that several sons of the Cao family took their female relatives to offer incense and worship Buddha today, but we have received information that they are colluding with some monks in the temple."
.
Although Yan Chao did not show up at the annual gathering, she still entered the Li family's gate. First, she sent Xiao Jiu to inform them that she was traveling incognito and there was no need to make a fuss. Therefore, only the steward came out to greet her personally.
Following her instructions, the steward led her through a side door, avoiding people as much as possible, until they reached the hall where everyone was gathered. However, Yan Chao did not go in. Instead, she stood in a side room for a moment, watching them clink glasses and compose poems through a landscape screen.
Most people were slightly tipsy, while a few were completely drunk.
A man raised his glass high, pondered for a long time, and then barely managed to recite a poem:
"In the midst of a joyous gathering, names are forgotten, and the sounds of wine cups and jade pendants mingle with the clinking of bells."
The lights in Liang Garden shine like daytime amidst the snow; how many watches of the night will this continue?
Amidst cheers, someone immediately protested, "Brother Wang, you're cheating! I remember perfectly well, this is your essay from last year's Lantern Festival. There's no snow this year!"
A man beside him waved his chopsticks and exclaimed, "...Wang Lang's talent has run dry!"
"I didn't!"
Immediately followed by a noisy commotion.
...
Yan Chao shifted his gaze to the east seat, where a person a short distance away from the others was taking notes. According to custom, the poems and verses collected at the annual gathering were to be compiled into a book for commemoration.
Today's recorder is Chen Wei.
She thought to herself that Shen Wei was probably the only sober person present.
However, someone soon remembered Shen Wei. She didn't recognize the person who stood up. He was facing away from her, with a thin figure and a clear voice.
"Tanze drank the least today, could it be that he's not giving Brother Li face?"
Shen Wei picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and smiled gently: "If I didn't want to give you face, I wouldn't have come today. You are all Jinshi graduates of the same year, and it's a rare occasion for us to gather together. Let's enjoy ourselves with literature and art. After all, excessive drinking is harmful to health, and I wouldn't dare trouble my elders at home."
"Tsk, she's definitely a favorite of the Crown Prince; her arrogance is off the charts." Someone who couldn't stand such nagging couldn't help but speak up sarcastically, his words somewhat harsh.
Few dared to speak out against Shen Wei, after all, in terms of career advancement, Shen Wei was indeed superior to most. Right now, perhaps some people were taking advantage of their drunkenness to stir up trouble and gossip.
I vaguely heard someone say something like, "This position of crown prince might not even last long, what are you so smug about?"
The hall suddenly fell silent, and the slightly longer end of that sentence became all the more clear.
Li Qi Gongzi immediately felt embarrassed and quickly raised his cup to Shen Wei: "Brother Tanze, I toast you, you must drink this cup..."
After downing a cup of warm wine, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. What had the steward said earlier? That the Crown Prince was coming? But why hadn't he arrived yet? If he hadn't, everything should be fine…
He glanced nervously and casually beyond the screen, and it seemed as if he really saw a pair of cold eyes watching him. He was so frightened that he swayed to the side. When he looked again, there was nothing there.
Yan Chao had already quietly gone out and casually pointed to a servant boy to go in and deliver a message to Shen Wei.
She stood by the railing, gazing calmly at the artificial hill and pond in the courtyard. Although the cold winter had not yet completely ended and all things had not yet revived, and the natural landscape was probably still dry and bland, this carefully crafted little landscape remained unchanged throughout the four seasons.
The sculpture depicts Su Shi visiting the Red Cliff. The entire artificial mountain appears as if it were formed by nature, with its towering peaks and expansive waters creating a grand and majestic scene.
She had no intention of figuring out her master's interests; after a brief glance from afar, she looked away.
Shen Wei was quite surprised to see her. His expression changed before he bowed deeply and stammered, "Your Highness, what brings you here..."
Yan Chao raised an eyebrow, but deliberately avoided his gaze, and asked in a low voice, "Who said the wrong thing just now? I will not interfere with your annual party, but since he dared to say it, he should think about the consequences of his reckless words."
Shen Wei's hand clenched noticeably within his sleeve as he whispered, "Your Highness, he was merely drunk and spoke inappropriately..."
"Do you think I'm so merciful as to turn a deaf ear, or do you think I can't find him?"
Although her voice was still low, it had become increasingly sharp and contained a hint of impatience.
The two remained locked in a stalemate for a while. Shen Wei lowered his head and was about to kneel down when Yan Chao helped him up in time, saying, "I'm not blaming you."
She paused, then said, "If you don't want to talk about it, fine. I'll grant your request to be loyal to your brother. Go back now."
After saying that, he turned around, his face full of disappointment.
Shen Wei remained silent for a moment, then bowed and took his leave.
Yan Chao vaguely sensed that the gaze fixed on her had intensified. She looked around but found nothing. She frowned, her expression returning to normal, and silently left the Li family.
The lightness and slowness of his steps were perfectly measured.
Xiao Jiu watched her get into the sedan chair and whispered, "Your Highness, you had only been inside for a short while when Prince Xin went in as well."
Yan Chao nodded slightly, his eyes deep and unfathomable.
Xiao Jiu continued, "...Your Highness, the spies we sent to secretly follow Eunuch Lan have returned. They said that Eunuch Lan encountered the former Lord Lu Xun, but we don't know what they talked about. Eunuch Lan even seemed to get physical with him, and they almost came to blows."
Yan Chao looked up. Lu Xun? She knew the two of them had always been irreconcilable enemies.
“Let’s withdraw Lan Huai’en’s men and keep a close eye on Lu Xun for now,” she rubbed her temples and sighed. “Let’s take another stroll through the market and then head back.”
Xiao Jiu responded with a "Yes," scratching his head. "Your Highness, the curfew has been lifted for the Lantern Festival. Actually, we can go back before the palace gates are locked. We won't have time to see the lantern festival and fireworks tonight..."
He spoke too quickly, and only realized he had said too much after he finished speaking. Just as he was about to apologize, Yan Chao said, "I see it every year, and I think it's just the same. I remember I didn't bring you out last year. If you want to go this year, you can go by yourself."
Xiao Jiu was slightly taken aback: "This...this won't do..."
He hesitated, his heart pounding, a cautious yet hopeful anticipation. His parents were both deceased; he only had an older sister who, he'd heard, had married and moved to the capital last autumn. Because of his status, he couldn't openly visit her, but if they happened to bump into each other at the lantern festival, a glimpse from afar would suffice.
Yan Chao said softly, "Go ahead. The streets are bound to be chaotic these days. Take care of yourself."
Xiao Jiu took a deep breath, expressed her gratitude in a solemn voice, and escorted Yan Chao to the palace gate before turning to leave.
.
The lights still shone brightly at night.
The most lively time of the Lantern Festival has passed, but the warmth still lingers. However, the palace has never been bound by such formalities. It is said that Consort Li found the variety shows performed by the Bell and Drum Bureau too old-fashioned, so she invited a folk opera troupe, and the Wan'an Palace was filled with melodious music.
The emperor gladly went to show his support, and even the concubines in the palace who were not on good terms with Consort Xian were happy to go and join in the fun.
Yan Chao only sat for half an incense stick's time before making an excuse to leave. He went to the city tower and gazed at the distant fireworks. The fireworks were a bit sparser than in previous days; only one went off every now and then, and the next one wouldn't start until the starlight had faded.
Liang Lu stood behind her, used to her preference for standing still. He switched the lamp from his left hand to his right, quietly took two steps forward, and saw from the side that her eyes had already lowered at some point, and she was not looking at the lamplight.
He couldn't help but feel a little worried, and was about to ask when Yan Chaoxian broke the silence: "Why did you suddenly sigh?"
Liang Lu was slightly taken aback. He hadn't even realized that perhaps his words came from his heart.
"It's quite windy up on the city wall, Your Highness should take care of yourself." He did not answer Yan Chao's question.
“I know,” she paused, then asked softly, “Has Shenwei gone back? Is everything alright?”
"Your Highness, Lord Shen returned home at dusk. He is perfectly well."
Yan Chao secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She hadn't originally intended to keep her entry into the Li residence a secret. Although she had some idea of what was going on, she was still afraid that the Li family would make things difficult for her.
Liang Lu then said, "Your Highness, the person who spoke rudely at today's banquet was a supervising secretary from the Ministry of Works named Yan Jin."
"The name is well-chosen, but the person is not so certain. It's a shame he's a censor," Yan Chao chuckled, casually tossing him an orange. "Has word spread?"
Liang Lu caught it with lightning speed.
"Yes. I heard that he came home drunk, and his father was furious and punished him according to family rules."
Yan Chao grunted in response. This matter could have been a minor or major issue, but if it got out, things would be very different. The emperor could be strict and critical of her, the Crown Prince, but after all, it involved the dignity of the royal family, and he would never allow others to make fun of her in this way.
She didn't care about the outcome of the investigation; her attention was more focused on Shen Wei.
Liang Lu slowly peeled the oranges and was about to hand them to her when he looked up and found that Yan Chao had magically produced five or six oranges from somewhere.
A faint, sweet and sour aroma filled the air above the city gate, and when it was mixed with the occasional cold wind, it made even the corners of my eyes sting.
Suddenly, a small figure came running from not far away, its steps hurried and chaotic. The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw that Yan Fei had left the palace servants carrying lanterns far behind and was running straight towards them.
He stopped, bent over, panting: "Sixth Uncle, so this is where you are. I've searched many places but couldn't find you."
Liang Lu crouched down to comfort him, and heard Yan Chao ask in a gentle voice, "Weren't you watching a play at Wan'an Palace? What do you want with me?"
"I don't really like watching Consort Xian's plays. Right now, my grandfather ordered a martial arts play, which is still based on Yue Fei's story. I came out when the mad monk was cursing Qin Hui."
Yan Fei pursed his lips, took the orange segment she handed him, and put it in his mouth.
"What, you don't like it?" Yan Chao was a little surprised. She remembered that children liked those dramatic plays with a lot of excitement and where good and evil were easy to distinguish.
Yan Fei tilted his head back and chuckled triumphantly, "No. It's just that at this time, another concubine said she wanted to watch a puppet show, so I didn't want to watch it..."
Yan Chao said "Oh," but didn't ask him why. Instead, he asked, "How did you find this place?"
“I found it by the smell of Sixth Uncle’s oranges,” he touched his nose, took a deep breath, but quickly shrugged and admitted defeat. “Well, it was Consort Ning who told me you might be here. The Consort came too, but she was a little late.”
He turned and pointed behind him, and everyone looked over. Just then, Consort Ning raised her head and appeared, walking gracefully in a cloak. Her eyes met Yan Chao's, and a smile immediately appeared on her face. She quickened her pace slightly.
Yan Chao's eyes lit up slightly.
"Why has Your Highness come too?"
“Wan’an Palace has its own lively activities. I had nothing to do, so I came to see Chao’er,” she said, turning around to take a gilded bronze begonia hand warmer from a palace servant and shoving it into Yan Chao’s arms without a word, glaring at him angrily, “I’ve finally caught you! How does Liang Lu take care of your mistress? You know she’s afraid of the cold. How can this be allowed?”
Liang Lu bowed and repeatedly apologized. Yan Chao spoke up to defend him, saying, "This is my fault. I will be more careful next time. Please forgive him. He is caught in the middle."
Yan Fei withdrew her hand, blushing and giggling. Her bright eyes looked at Consort Ning, and she asked curiously, "Does Your Highness not like puppet shows either?"
Consort Ning instructed a palace maid to hand Yan Fei his hand warmer, and nodded silently.
"It's just that we probably didn't have enough preparation this year, so maybe we won't be able to perform."
Yan Chao ran her fingers lightly across the hand warmer, feeling the slightly hot warmth of the thick inner wall. Her thoughts drifted aimlessly: "Last year's performance seemed to be of Zhuge Liang."
Yan Fei continued with great interest: "...The story of seven captures and seven releases! The craftsman's hands are truly skillful. He carved a small figure, more than two feet tall, from light wood and placed it in a square wooden pool. He filled it with water to about seven-tenths full, set up stools, and separated it by a gauze screen. Fei'er and her grandfather sat on the north side to watch. There were even live fish, shrimp, crabs, frogs, and algae in the water..."①
Yan Chao chuckled and patiently listened to him finish, temporarily setting aside the question of why he had said he didn't like it earlier.
"The musicians used bamboo strips to hold the puppets on the water, making them float and compete, and play around. There were also people on the sidelines playing gongs, reciting lyrics, and playing music. It was really interesting to watch all together. My grandfather watched and pointed, telling me stories about Zhuge Liang. I really admired Mr. Zhuge Liang back then..."
Being just a child, he recounted the entire play again. Consort Ning and Yan Chao listened, exchanging silent glances, both thinking in unison that the scene must have been quite heartwarming.
"...But after I finished watching it, I didn't want to watch it anymore," Yan Fei's tone suddenly changed, and she became unusually sad. "Such powerful figures were only sculpted by later generations into lifeless puppets, with ropes around their bodies and water under their feet, being led around by others at will, without any control over their own lives. It's not that Fei'er doesn't like watching plays, it's just that she can't bear to look at those puppets on stage."
Yan Chao sighed, reached out and patted his head, and said softly, "It's just a show, don't take it too seriously."
"But why should we be led around even after we're dead..."
"Even if they are carved into puppets, we still look at them with respect, don't we? Some people are already puppets while they are still alive, which is even more tragic."
Her tone was gentle as she looked down at his seemingly enlightened eyes and smiled slightly.
"That's why Emperor Wu dared to carve the wordless stele, leaving his merits and demerits for future generations to judge," he thought for a while, his eyes brightened again, revealing two small, white tiger teeth, and he said with a grin, "My mother taught me to consult my sixth uncle more often, and it seems that she was right."
"Fei'er is intelligent."
Mentioning the Sun family inevitably made her think more, but she remained silent.
Consort Ning's eyes were inexplicably melancholy, and when she heard her mention puppets, a slight ripple stirred in her heart.
"Uncle Liu, look! There's a Kongming lantern!"
Yan Fei, with her sharp eyes, pointed to the few bright lights rising slowly in the sky and exclaimed in surprise.
From a distance, they all look the same color and size, and are roughly the same height and distance. Upon closer inspection, there are exactly twenty-one lamps.
Is it because of the 21st year of Xuan Ning? Praying for the country, truly heartfelt.
A slight stirring in her heart prompted her to turn to Consort Ning and ask, "Did Your Highness release lanterns and pray for blessings this year?"
"This has always been a custom in the palace. I also placed one in the Thousand Lantern Pond... What about Chao'er?"
She nodded.
She left an empty lamp, without writing anything on it. She thought for a long time, feeling that she was being greedy, so she dared not ask for anything. But Liang Lu said that the lamp would get wet as soon as she turned her head, so she simply didn't bother to turn her head at all.
I don't really care, after all, gods and Buddhas are so busy at this time of year, how could they possibly care about so many things?
She lowered her head and asked Yan Fei, who stuck out his tongue: "I wrote too much, so the gods and Buddhas probably found it troublesome and set a fire to burn it for me."
The two couldn't help but laugh.
Only those twenty-one lamps remained in the sky. As everyone watched them disappear into the distance, their hearts sank into emptiness, mirroring the desolation of the night sky.
Liang Lu turned his head unintentionally and saw another figure at the other end of the corridor. He reminded him, "Your Highness, Your Highness, it seems to be Eunuch Lan."
Lan Huaien arrived silently, carrying a palace lantern. However, the lantern in his hand was no longer as shabby as it had been the night before. It had a hexagonal frame inlaid with silk gauze, and the outside was decorated with auspicious and propitious designs. It was somewhat like the large lanterns hanging in the halls, but much smaller and of a smaller size.
He bowed, glanced at Yan Fei beside him, and said, "His Majesty knows that the Empress and His Highness are here, and instructed them that it is windy on the city tower and they should return to the palace as soon as possible."
Consort Ning nodded: "Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. I will return soon."
“There are already palace servants waiting for Your Highness at Zhaoyang Palace.” His questioning gaze finally settled on Yan Fei.
Yan Fei nodded, turned around to bid farewell to Consort Ning and Yan Chao, and then followed the eunuch downstairs. After taking a few steps, she turned back and said, "Sixth Uncle, there were actually twenty-two Kongming lanterns just now, but you had your back turned and didn't see them. That one was very big and bright. I don't know who released it. Fei'er thinks that the owner of that lantern's wish will definitely come true."
Yan Chao casually turned her head and glanced at the light in the distance. There seemed to be a bright spot of light. She nodded in response.
The noise on the city tower suddenly ceased, leaving it somewhat quiet. The wind was light, so it wasn't too cold. Yan Chao frowned, noticing Lan Huaien staring intently at him, and subconsciously pulled his cloak tighter around himself, asking, "Isn't Eunuch Lan leaving?"
"Your Majesty, I will escort you back to the palace."
"Both Your Highness and I are being escorted. You may return to your palace." She walked beside Consort Ning, taking Consort Ning's arm and slowly moving forward, completely ignoring him.
She paused for a moment, then tossed the things in her hand to him without turning her head.
Lan Huaien stood there with the lantern in hand, when suddenly he felt a chill on his cheeks. He turned his head and saw that small snowflakes were falling from the sky again.
He looked down, opened his palm, and held it up to the light. It was an orange, still warm from his hand.
I peeled it open and stuffed it into my mouth; it was so sour it hurt my teeth.
Consort Ning descended the city wall, where a sedan chair came to greet her. Before getting into the chair, she asked Yan Chao in a low voice, "Chao'er, what's going on between you and Lan Huai'en?"
Yan Chao exclaimed in surprise, "What?"
Consort Ning tilted her head and looked at her: "He looks like someone you know. You didn't have much contact with him before."
Yan Chao pondered for a moment, then decided not to hide it: "It's a matter of mutual benefit."
Consort Ning was startled.
.
The emperor heard about Yan Jin's matter the next day. It wasn't a big deal, but it was indeed true. The emperor didn't pay much attention to it, simply issued an edict to dismiss him, and said nothing more.
At the same time, something else happened.
Cao Ying's son, Cao Fu, was assassinated at Juehui Temple and nearly lost his life. Fortunately, he was rescued in time and returned home barely alive.
Because Juehui Temple was built by Empress Dowager Cining, Cao Ying dared not act rashly. He went to the palace first to see the emperor and tearfully pleaded his case. The emperor immediately sent the Imperial Guards to investigate. The force of the operation was so great that all the worshippers in the temple left, and even the monks in the temple were filled with anxiety.
The Eastern Depot.
Lan Huaien took his hands out of the hot water, casually picked up the handkerchief offered by the eunuch and wiped his hands, before slowly turning around to look at Cheng Tai, whose face was full of panic.
"Since you dare to do it, why are you afraid of being found out?"
Cheng Tai panicked even more, his knees buckled and he knelt on the ground, looking quite aggrieved: "Your Excellency, it really wasn't me who did it... His Majesty ordered the Eastern Depot to investigate the Cao family, and I did receive news that there were problems at Juehui Temple, but... but I didn't have the guts to assassinate them directly..."
Lan Huaien ignored him, closed his sore eyes, having not slept well the night before. He sat down and said to himself, "His Majesty ordered an investigation into the Cao family, and no one knows where you got the information. You inexplicably went to Juehui Temple, and then Cao Fu was assassinated. You are the person directly involved in the whole thing. Isn't that a coincidence?"
He leaned back in his armchair, crossed his left leg, and said after a moment of silence, "Right now, the only people who know about this are His Majesty, you, and me. Do you think His Majesty won't become suspicious?"
"But, there are only the three of us. How could there be someone in the shadows..." He seemed at a loss, but then he seemed to understand something, and his eyes cleared. "Does the Grand Eunuch mean that someone wants to use this to sow discord between His Majesty and the Eastern Depot?"
"On the bright side, it was only you, Cheng Tai, who leaked the secret and carried out the assassination. On the dark side, none of us from the Eastern Depot can expect to survive."
He seemed relaxed, but Cheng Tai's face turned pale at the joke, so he quickly stopped him: "Of course, we are all good brothers in the Eastern Depot, who can abandon whom?"
"Then... what do we do now?"
Lan Huaien sighed, put down his leg, and went to help him up: "Don't panic, take your time. Right now, we need to find out how Cao Fu was assassinated."
His gaze was deep and unfathomable: "I'm now wondering if it's true that the Cao family is secretly colluding with the monks. If it is, how dare the Cao family ask His Majesty to thoroughly investigate Juehui Temple?"
There are many shady dealings within Juehui Temple. I had vaguely heard rumors a few years ago that some of the monks in the temple were businessmen and had some secret dealings with wealthy merchants from the south.
Cheng Tai took this seriously because of the charge of collusion between officials and businessmen.
"Your Excellency, do you think Lu Xun might have a serious problem?"
"Do you even need to tell me?" Lan Huaien raised an eyebrow, his disdain mixed with impatience. "I originally wanted to find a pretext to thoroughly investigate him, but since he happens to be with the Embroidered Uniform Guard, we can't take any action now."
The emperor clearly distrusted the Eastern Depot, which is why he sent the Embroidered Uniform Guard to investigate directly.
“But we can’t trust the Embroidered Uniform Guard. We still need to find someone to lend a hand to ensure fairness.” He yawned, lay back down indifferently, and said lazily, “Tell our agents outside not to make any trouble these days. We’ll talk about it after the Cao family’s case is closed.”
He touched the tip of his nose and couldn't help but yawn again, thinking to himself that spring fatigue was coming.
.
The holiday ended quickly, and the court returned to normal. The emperor had taken a few months' rest before the New Year, and when he resumed governing, he felt somewhat powerless. He then took another month's rest during the New Year and Lantern Festival, a time when he should have been full of energy.
However, Lan Huaien was not the only one who was overcome by spring drowsiness.
The imperial physician clearly stated that it was due to seasonal fatigue, and even the emperor could not help but barely manage to stay awake. The first matter to be dealt with was the assassination attempt on Cao Fu, who is said to still be lying in bed recovering from his injuries.
The Imperial Guards secretly investigated and found that the clues led to a dead man. Seeing that a life was involved, the emperor ordered the Court of Judicial Review to investigate further.
Less than two days later, the initiative was suddenly handed over to the Crown Prince.
Cao Ying, who was weeping in front of the emperor, was immediately stunned. Could the crown prince find out the truth for him?
The Crown Prince remained calm and assured Cao Ying in front of the Emperor, "Your Excellency, rest assured, I will certainly give your son justice."
Cao Ying wiped away her tears and expressed her gratitude.
Deep down, he even suspected that the Crown Prince might be holding a grudge and thus targeting his son. But he dared not voice these thoughts aloud, remaining constantly on edge.
Upon hearing this, He Shu sighed and joked, "I'm wondering if Your Majesty is doing this on purpose, wanting to see Your Highness and Lord Cao quarrel."
Yan Chao put down her pen and chuckled, "That's not quite right. If he doesn't trust me, does he think he can't trust the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Court of Judicial Review?"
Shen Wei entered from outside the door, placed the official document beside her with her head down, and then silently turned and left.
"Tanze," Yan Chao called out to him, looking up and noticing that his complexion wasn't quite right, and asked with slight concern, "What's wrong?"
He bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I am fine. I was probably just sleepy from the spring heat." With that, he fled out the door as if he were escaping.
Yan Chao asked suspiciously, "Are there so many people experiencing spring fatigue lately?"
However, it's only the beginning of the first month of the lunar calendar.
She had a vague intuition that Shen Wei was troubled. However, she knew he might not tell her even if she asked, so she simply ignored him.
He Shu suddenly asked, "Your Highness, did you attend Meng Tingke's class reunion?"
It was at the Li family's house that incident.
Yan Chao nodded slightly: "I glanced at it, but didn't disturb you."
“My son was talking nonsense that night, saying that Your Highness was behind the screen, and I didn’t believe him. He was so ashamed that he cried bitterly, saying that he was afraid his poem would offend Your Highness’s ears.”
"..." Yan Chao was speechless, then opened his mouth and said, "I remember your son worked in the Hanlin Academy, so he should be very knowledgeable in literature. However, I don't seem to remember him being there yesterday."
He Shu wiped his sweat and said, "Your Highness is referring to my eldest son. The one who attended the banquet yesterday was my second son, named He Huiyan. His talent is far inferior to that of my eldest son."
Yan Chao thought about it carefully, but still shook his head: "I'm ashamed to say that I really have no recollection of him... In that case, you can rest assured to tell him that I don't know him and I haven't heard his poem."
He Shu breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank you, Your Highness."
Yan Chao remained silent.
What should I thank her for? Should I thank her for not recognizing me?
One morning, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review came to report that there was new progress in the case of Juehui Temple, but he also said in a rather mysterious way that there were some things that she needed to go and see for herself.
On that day, Chen Xiu was lecturing at the Wenhua Hall. Knowing that the Crown Prince had something on his mind, he selected the key points and explained them in detail before leaving the class.
Yan Chao went to the front hall, and after drinking a cup of tea, he hadn't yet seen Shaoqing. Just as he was about to leave, Lan Huaien and his entourage suddenly arrived.
"Your Highness, His Majesty has issued a decree."
Author's Note:
① For descriptions related to wooden puppet shows, please refer to "Zhuozhong Zhi".
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