Chapter 347 Xie Guidu ruined her life.
As night falls, the moon casts its shadows across the ground, the banana trees in the courtyard are green, and the night breeze gently blows, causing the purple bamboo to sway in the wind.
Pei Siyan stood with his hands behind his back under the octagonal pavilion, gazing at the silent night sky in a daze.
Zhang Chengxian brought a pot of wine, filled two cups, and gently tapped the Ru kiln celadon wine cups on the stone table.
"Your Majesty, would you like to have a couple of drinks?"
Pei Siyan turned around and waved his hand, "I've already had two glasses of fruit wine tonight, I can't drink any more."
"wine?"
"Fruit wine?" Zhang Chengxian raised an eyebrow, almost laughing. Pei Siyan had always only drunk the strongest Fengchunzui wine; when had he changed his ways?
A playful smile curved his lips. "Could it be that you're afraid of reeking of alcohol and being kicked off the Empress's bed when you get back?"
Pei Siyan raised the corners of his eyes slightly, his smile faint, "I am about to become a father."
"Then we should celebrate with three drinks!" Zhang Chengxian clapped his hands in sudden realization, a flash of excitement in his eyes.
Pei Siyan let out a cold snort, lifted his robe and sat down opposite him, "You're not allowed to drink either. Although your injuries aren't serious, you should recover quickly, because war is about to break out again."
"Your Majesty, are you worried about the sea?"
"With the He family army here, those pirates and Japanese invaders are nothing to fear."
"What if Taizhou and the southeastern coastal areas are simultaneously in crisis?"
Zhang Chengxian's heart tightened. "How could this be?"
Pei Siyan's face was ashen, and he remained silent for a while before saying, "Duke Anguo has been lying low for more than ten years. He has already controlled hundreds of treasure ships. His eldest son's 'early death' is just a smokescreen. Now he is colluding with Xie Guidu. If chaos breaks out in the northern and southern seas at the same time, even the He family army will find it difficult to spare the time."
He picked up his wine glass, letting the strong liquor burn his throat, before slowly saying, "Military strength is not my concern. What is truly troublesome is that the powerful officials along the coast are secretly colluding with the Duke of Anguo to profit from the Japanese pirates."
"If we want to eradicate the corrupt elements from Fuzhou to the Jianghuai region..." He tapped the table lightly with his fingertips, "I wonder how many heads will have to roll."
Zhang Chengxian's expression hardened: "Whom does His Majesty wish to send to oversee Fuzhou?"
The affairs of the state are complex and interconnected; a single move can have far-reaching consequences. He currently has very few people at his disposal. Pei Siyan shook his head and remained silent.
Zhang Chengxian picked up his wine cup and drank the wine in one gulp.
He suddenly knelt on the ground and solemnly requested, "Your Majesty, naval warfare is not my forte, but Taizhou is crisscrossed by waterways, almost as well as land. This humble general is willing to go to Taizhou to eliminate the bandits for you."
Pei Siyan's eyes flashed with relief. "With your abilities, I am quite at ease. The situation in Taizhou is unclear, and it also involves corruption among local officials. There are too many twists and turns involved. If we don't address the logistics, it will only make things worse. I must arrange a reliable senior official to assist you."
“What about Shen Yanzhou? He’s meticulous and has a knack for dealing with corrupt officials,” Zhang Chengxian suggested.
Pei Siyan pondered for a moment, "He is indeed a reliable candidate. However, this trip will take at least a year, and possibly three to five years. What about your marriage?"
Zhang Chengxian's ears burned slightly, and he forced a smile, "She must like me."
Pei Siyan let out a muffled chuckle. "I can see that now. So when are you going to propose? Why don't you take the initiative and get the marriage arranged quickly!"
"yes!"
At this moment, Eunuch Anxi strode over, hesitated for a moment, and finally spoke, "Your Majesty, this servant has something to report."
"Speak."
"Just now, a scout reported that someone has suspected that Princess Fu'an has been spotted in Quanzhou Garrison."
After finishing his sentence, Eunuch Anxi dared not continue speaking without permission.
Pei Siyan had always treated Princess Fu'an like a younger sister, and even after the incident involving the Eldest Princess, he did not pursue the matter to the bitter end. Unfortunately, under the rule of the emperor, their sibling affection was far too weak.
What is her situation?
"It's said... not good. The princess was sold to a brothel in Quanzhou by wicked people who forced her to serve customers. The Imperial City Guard, unaware of the Emperor's will, secretly sent money to help her and prevent her from being humiliated."
Pei Siyan's hand, gripping the wine cup, suddenly tightened, his emotions unreadable.
Seeing that he did not speak up to stop him, Eunuch Anxi mustered his courage and continued.
"I heard that Princess Fu'an went to sea with Xie Guidu. Afterwards, she secretly returned to Quanzhou by hiding on a cargo ship. However, after disembarking, she accidentally encountered villains and ended up in prison. Presumably, she has broken ties with Xie Guidu..."
Those who belittle themselves will inevitably be humiliated by others.
Pei Siyan did give Fu'an County Chief a chance, but she insisted on marrying Xie Guidu, which led her down this path of no return.
"Your Majesty? Should we order the Imperial City Guard to bring the Princess back?"
"Yes, send a message to the Imperial City Guard, instructing them to escort her back to Tianning City immediately and not to allow her to be humiliated!"
——
When Dou Wenyi saw Princess Fu'an again, she almost didn't recognize her.
Her hair was disheveled, she clutched her blue cloak tightly, her arms wrapped around her knees, a pink and alluring tassel peeking out from her calves, her toes stained with dirt, and she huddled in the innermost corner of the carriage like a frightened young animal.
The Imperial Guard lifted the carriage curtain, letting in blinding sunlight that startled her, causing her to scream. A sharp dagger was pointed at the newcomer.
"You, you... don't come any closer!"
Dou Wenyi felt a dull pain in her heart. She still remembered that last spring, Princess Fu'an had domineeringly stopped her in the West Garden and demanded information about Xie Guidu.
She was once carefree, adorable, bright, and flamboyant, but that carefree girl is gone forever.
She gave the eunuch a look, and the carriage curtain was lowered.
Dou Wenyi turned and walked a few steps away. "What exactly happened?"
The guards from the Imperial City Guard, their expressions grim, reported in a low voice, "When our men arrived, a drunken son of the Prefect of Quanzhou was trying to... tear the princess's clothes. He's probably had a shock and is having some kind of stress reaction..."
At this point, his face turned indignant, and he spat out a curse, "They're all worse than beasts."
Dou Wenyi's breathing hitched slightly. Looking at her, she seemed to see her past self, disheveled and mired in the mud.
Princess Fu'an had never suffered any grievances in the first half of her life. Because of the Eldest Princess and the Emperor's grace, she enjoyed wealth and power for more than ten years, but in the end, she was hurt by power.
Later, she overestimated her ability to handle love and insisted on jumping into the fire pit, marrying Xie Guidu, claiming that she wanted to borrow a seed to save the prostitute.
As a result, he ruined his life because of that despicable man, Xie Guidu...
Dou Wenyi pursed her lips. "Go and report back. I'll take care of her."
"Yes, Your Majesty, we will obey your orders." The Imperial City Guard personnel respectfully withdrew.
Cuizhi looked worried. "Your Highness, you are pregnant. Please let me do it. What if she accidentally hurts someone..."
Dou Wenyi shook her head and returned to the carriage. She lifted the curtain, and Princess Fu'an looked up at her blankly, as if she didn't recognize her at all.
"Fu'an, it's me, Wenyi! Shall we go take a bath and change first?"
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