Chapter 62 Choosing Radishes "Now that Your Highness understands, what are your plans..."
The warm room fell silent for a moment, as if even the air had frozen.
Chu Yueyuan reached out and pinched Xiao Yun's puffed-up cheeks: "Your Majesty has forgotten that losing your temper can stunt your growth. Be careful that you don't grow any shorter than Confucius in the future."
Xiao Yun's attention was diverted by these words, and she pouted her rosy lips to retort, "Impossible! I'm almost up to Confucius's chest now. Last time, while the Master was dozing off, I even stood on tiptoe and drew a turtle on his face..."
Chu Yueyuan smiled gently: "Your Majesty, would you like to know what new and interesting things your mother brought you when she left the palace this time?"
Xiao Yun's eyes lit up immediately, and he nodded vigorously, "I want to think about it!"
"Baoluo, take the Emperor to the side hall to select some items."
"This servant obeys."
Baoluo bowed her head and accepted the order. Before leaving, she quietly pulled up Yuluo, who was kneeling on the ground.
Outside the curtain, Du Chuirong saw Xiao Yun and Chu Yueyuan behaving intimately like a mother and son, and felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. She secretly resented that this little bitch had returned too soon; if she had been a year or two later, she would have been the one who had the young emperor's unquestioning obedience.
As Du Chuirong was filled with mixed emotions, the jade beaded curtain in front of her was lifted.
She looked up and saw the woman sitting gracefully on a rosewood chair with openwork phoenix patterns. Her hair was piled high in a cloud-like bun, adorned with pearls and jade. She wore a scarlet brocade robe embroidered with phoenixes. The robe had a bright red base and was embroidered with intricate and exquisite peony patterns. The evening sunlight shone through the window lattice onto her dress, giving it a noble and splendid glow.
Du Chuirong felt even more bitter, feeling that all the wealth and glory of her daughter had been stolen by the woman in front of her.
If it weren't for her daughter paving the way with her life, would she, a lowly merchant's daughter, even deserve to sit in this position?
Chu Yueyuan glanced indifferently at Madam Du, clearly noticing the fleeting hatred in her eyes.
"Please offer Madam Du a seat."
Jin Tong brought over an armchair, and Du Chuirong got up and sat down.
Chu Yueyuan picked up her teacup and took a sip, saying in a calm voice, "During my absence, Lady Du worked hard in the palace to take care of the Emperor's daily life. During my visit to Xixia Kingdom, the King of Xixia Kingdom gifted me a bracelet of red coral and jade. This bracelet has also been blessed by a Western saint. Wearing it can nourish one's blood and qi. Lady Du has made a contribution in taking care of the Emperor, so I will bestow this bracelet upon you."
Jin Tong opened the ivory jewelry box, revealing an exquisite coral bracelet. Each coral bead was round and full, with a vibrant, blood-red color. A jade Buddha's hand was inlaid at the clasp of the bracelet.
Du Chuirong's gaze was drawn to the ornate bracelet. She stared at it for a while before turning her head and smiling, "I thank the Empress Dowager for the gift. The Emperor is my own grandson. This blood ties alone make me different from the palace maids. I am willing to treat the Emperor with all my heart."
Chu Yueyuan smiled slightly: "I heard that the Chu family has a new addition, and Lin has given birth to a son. This is truly good news. I congratulate Madam Du on having her own grandson."
Lin is Du Chuirong's daughter-in-law, and gave birth to the Chu family's grandson a month ago.
Du Chuirong's expression froze, and her hands on her knees tightened. She was surprised that the young empress dowager had only returned to the palace at noon and had already figured out the current situation at home in just half a day.
"Madam Du enjoys the pleasures of family life, and now that she has a grandson of her own flesh and blood, she no longer needs to go to the palace every day to escort the Emperor to Zishan Hall. Jintong, go to the storeroom and pick out a few gold locks and jade ruyi scepters..."
Du Chuirong quickly interrupted, "Madam Lin is young, and she has many servants in her household, so there's no need for the noblewomen to worry about her. As for the Emperor, the Empress Dowager not only has to manage court affairs with the Regent, but also oversee all matters of the inner palace. She must be exhausted by the end of the day. Perhaps the noblewomen could continue to look after the Emperor..."
She paused, her eyes flashing slightly, then said meaningfully, "Not long ago, the Censorate impeached the palace servants for mistreating the Emperor, causing a great uproar in the court. It was only recently that the matter was calmed down. If the Empress Dowager were to send away the noblewomen now, it would stir up trouble in the court again, and I'm afraid it would damage His Highness's reputation..."
Du Chuirong stood up straight, with a slight upturn at the corners of his lips, as if confident that his words would make the woman wary.
Chu Yueyuan put down her teacup, looked up at Madam Du, her gaze as calm as autumn water: "Since Madam Du is unwilling to take back my reward, then take her away."
She tapped the table lightly with two fingers, and the palace door suddenly opened. A palace maid, bound hand and foot, was dragged in and thrown at Du's feet like a sack of potatoes.
Du Chuirong was so shocked that he almost jumped off his chair.
Blood continued to flow from the palace maid's lower body, leaving a long trail of blood on the gilded floor tiles. She struggled desperately, clutching at Du's skirt, pleading:
"Madam Du, please save me..."
Du Chuirong's face turned deathly pale instantly. A hint of panic flashed in her eyes as she tried to pull her clothes out of the maid's hands, her voice shrill: "What are you accusing me of... I don't know you!"
Chu Yueyuan coldly glanced at Zi Rui, who was weeping bitterly. This was the maid she had specially assigned to serve Granny Xu before leaving the palace.
Xu Mama told her that she was accompanying the Emperor to fly kites in the Imperial Garden that day when she was suddenly pushed from behind and fell down the high stone steps.
After waking up, Xu Mama did not mention the matter to anyone. She carefully observed and found that on the second day after Zirui took leave, Du Shi accompanied Princess Anxian to Zishan Hall and happened to run into Xiao Yanzi and the others picking up the Emperor from school.
Subsequently, King Anxian used the remonstrance officials to create trouble, thus making it seem natural that the right to raise the emperor would fall into the hands of the Du family.
It wasn't until Chu Yueyuan returned to the palace that Xu Mama dared to tell the truth.
Finding the mole makes the investigation much easier.
In front of Madam Du, Jin Tong opened the second layer of the brocade box. Inside were Zi Rui's confession and several gold ingots. In the confession, Zi Rui detailed how she colluded with Madam Du to murder Granny Xu and how she leaked information about Fengqi Palace over a long period of time.
Du Chuirong's eyelids twitched violently, and she forced herself to remain calm as she explained:
"When the Empress Dowager and the Regent went on a visit to the Western Xia Kingdom, the Lady was worried that the Emperor would not be able to live well alone in the palace, so she asked around to inquire about his whereabouts. It was...it was this greedy servant who approached the Lady. I never instigated her to plot against Granny Xu. It must be...she was not doing well under Granny Xu and was looking for revenge, trying to pin the blame on me! Your Highness, please see the truth!"
Chu Yueyuan removed the openwork engraved finger guard from her little finger and said calmly, "Madam Du always knows how to absolve herself of all responsibility. She did this in the Chu family before, and she does it now in the palace."
"However... I am not Lord Chu. Your feigned sincerity will not work on me."
Seeing that the woman had completely torn off her facade, Du Chuirong simply stopped pretending. She narrowed her eyes and said sneer:
"What, does the Empress Dowager intend to use these documents to file a complaint against the noblewoman at the prefectural office, or to imprison me and bring me to justice? Have you thought this through? I am the Emperor's maternal grandmother! If you dare to touch me today, you will be abusing your power for personal gain. By tomorrow, the memorials from the remonstrating officials will be enough to flood the Golden Palace!"
Faced with Du's provocation, Chu Yueyuan's tone remained calm: "It seems that Madam Du has calculated that I do not wish to publicize this matter, which is why she dares to be so fearless. Raising imperial offspring is a new and arduous task; the slightest mistake will bring trouble upon oneself. Madam Du is getting old, and her energy is not what it used to be. If she accidentally makes a mistake, do you think Prince Anxian will protect you, or will he... abandon you?"
She smiled, her bright eyes crinkling, her voice soft yet clear: "Now that the Regent has returned to court, and I hold the Phoenix Seal, it would be as easy as turning my hand to strip you of your noble title and ceremonial robes."
"You..." Du Chuirong took a step back in fright, but tripped over the dying Zi Rui at her feet and almost fell.
She managed to steady herself and looked at the proud woman again. Although she felt resentful, she knew that the woman's words were true. After the regent returned, the woman would have someone to rely on.
"The Empress Dowager's great fuss today is nothing more than the right to raise His Majesty's child." Madam Du took a deep breath and finally compromised: "In that case, the noblewoman... will be returned to you."
"No, I want you..."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes grew colder as she stared at Madam Du and said, word by word, "From now on, you are not allowed to appear in front of Yun'er."
Du Chuirong's eyes twitched slightly. She lowered her head, a cold smile playing on her lips that went unnoticed: "I hope Your Highness remembers what you said today, and lest you regret it."
Chu Yueyuan did not want to push the Du family to the brink. Even if the bones are broken, they are still connected. She was surnamed Chu, and even if she had severed ties with the Chu family, in the eyes of outsiders, she would always be a member of the Chu family.
The Chu family caused trouble, and in the end, she, being the one closest to the sky, was the first to be hit.
Chu Yueyuan gave the order to leave: "It's getting late, so I won't keep Madam here for dinner. Xiao Yanzi, go and see Madam Du out of the palace."
"Your servant obeys!"
The woman's bright smile was like a dagger piercing Du Chuirong's heart; her face turned ashen as she bowed in farewell.
Jin Tong stared at Du Shi's departing figure with disdain, and couldn't help but spit out, "Pah, I just returned to the palace and she's already entangled with me, what bad luck! Your Highness, what should we do with that Zi Rui who tipped us off?"
Chu Yueyuan rubbed her head acupoints, closed her eyes wearily, and said in a hoarse voice, "Heal her legs and then send her to the Yeting prison."
After a long and tiring journey, she returned to the palace and within half a day, she first exposed the spies in Fengqi Palace, and then sent Lin Mu out of the palace to gather information and find out about the current situation of the Chu family. After figuring out the relationship between the Du family and the Anxian Prince's family, she caught the Du family off guard.
She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and all she wanted to do was have dinner with Xiao Yun and Granny Xu, and then get a good night's sleep.
————
Time flies, and a month has passed in the blink of an eye. Xu Mama has recovered from her injuries. During this time, Xiao Yun made a fuss several times, wanting Du Shi to enter the palace, but Chu Yueyuan managed to fool him with the toys she brought from Xixia.
It was as if a carriage had entered a broad, prosperous road, and everything was moving in a positive direction.
A gentle spring breeze caressed the red flowers and green willows planted outside the palace, carrying a faint fragrance. A paper eagle kite floated in the azure sky, its wings trembling slightly in the wind, rising and falling. The eagle's eyes were sharp, its wings spread wide, exuding a fierce aura. From a distance, it was almost impossible to tell whether it was real or not.
Chu Yueyuan lay on the desk, gazing longingly at the eagles and kites soaring in the sky, as if she could hear Xiao Yun and the others laughing joyfully in the Imperial Garden.
A few soft thuds brought Chu Yueyuan back to her senses.
She looked up at the pair of well-defined hands on the table, her gaze meeting a pair of equally sharp and aloof phoenix eyes.
In the imperial study of the Chuigong Hall, a five-foot-long sandalwood desk carved with dragon patterns was split in two.
On the left-hand table are a crystal pen holder, Xuan paper, a pair of inkstones containing cinnabar ink and pine soot ink, and two neatly stacked memorials.
On the right-hand table sits a white-glazed vase with two peach blossoms diagonally inserted into its mouth. Several folded papers are casually tossed about, and a plate of pastries sits in the remaining space.
The two desks on the left and right have completely different styles and are clearly distinct, yet they can coexist harmoniously.
Pei Muwei raised his arm over the white glazed vase, tapped the table lightly with his long fingers, and said in a calm voice, "Has Your Highness selected candidates for the assistant examiner, co-examiner, and examiner from the roster?"
Chu Yueyuan slowly straightened up. She flipped through the roster of nearly a hundred officials, each with a detailed biography next to them, including when they took office, their responsibilities, when they were promoted, and the reasons for their transfer. The tiny handwriting was dense and dry.
She felt dizzy after just one glance, so she blinked her bright eyes and said aggrievedly, "Minister Pei, I don't really know most of the officials here, how can I make decisions so arbitrarily..."
The woman tilted her head, her starry eyes slightly reproachful, her lips red and teeth white, her dark hair reflecting the fresh peach blossoms in the vase, making her as radiant as a painting.
Pei Muwei was already used to the Empress Dowager's lazy and slacking behavior. He smiled slightly and said, "Those whom the Empress Dowager cannot recognize are naturally unknown people. It doesn't matter if they are not selected."
Chu Yueyuan: .....
"This is outrageous. The imperial examination is to select pillars of the Great Qi, and it is a matter of great importance. The officials in charge of the imperial examination are of paramount importance. I cannot simply have them drawn by lot."
In fact, the Regent had already prepared a list of officials in charge of the spring imperial examinations, but apart from the chief examiner, Prince Chun, the other candidates were all blocked by Prince Anxian and several senior ministers.
The powerful families wanted to place their own people in positions of power, while the officials from humble backgrounds looked down on the candidates, deeming them all incompetent and useless. After days of debate among the officials, Prime Minister Shen finally made the decision to offer this hot potato to the young Empress Dowager.
Prime Minister Shen was upright and incorruptible; if Chu Yueyuan were to draft a list haphazardly, he would definitely reject it.
Chu Yueyuan moved her rose chair next to the man's armchair, laid the list flat on the table, took out a wolf-hair brush from the crystal pen holder, and dipped it in ink.
"Ahem, I don't want you to tell me who to choose. How about this, I'll randomly pick a few people first, and then we can discuss their character with you?"
Pei Muwei raised his eyes to look at the young empress dowager.
As the weather gets warmer, the woman wore a light blue embroidered silk strapless dress. The strapless dress was embroidered with delicate vine patterns, with tender branches intertwining and several twin lotus flowers blooming in layers. The petals were full and plump, lifelike, and one could almost smell the delicate fragrance of lotus.
She raised the wolf-hair brush, and the wide sleeves slipped down from her wrists, revealing her fair and delicate forearms.
His eyes shimmered, and a smile played on his thin lips: "Very well, Your Highness, please circle a few people first."
Pei Muwei pulled the roster on the table closer to himself, causing the woman to lean forward slightly. Her ample breasts pressed against his forearm, and the soft touch made him tense up involuntarily.
Chu Yueyuan was unaware of the other party's strange behavior. She first scanned the names on the roster and then circled one name after careful consideration.
“Zhai He, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, comes from a noble family. I remember that he likes to write poetry. He once wrote a poem for me, which I still remember: “The lotus cannot compare to the beauty’s makeup, her red lips and green eyebrows are her dress, the wind from across the river carries her jade fragrance, she picks flowers under the moon and smells their fragrance alone.”
Pei Muwei frowned slightly, picked up his pen and heavily crossed out the person's name, his voice cold: "Does Your Highness find such lewd poems and lyrics acceptable?"
Chu Yueyuan remained noncommittal: "Although Minister Zhai's words were rash, every sentence was a compliment to me. If Minister Pei finds his writing flowery and impractical, then I will look for someone else..."
She bit her crimson lips and pondered for a while before putting pen to paper again, circling a name on the roster: "Duan Song, Assistant Director of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War. He is also from a noble family, a third-generation military officer. He is skilled in horsemanship and plays polo exceptionally well. This year's imperial examination is a combination of civil and military tests, so we need outstanding individuals who understand martial arts and military strategy. Young Master Duan is very suitable."
Pei Muwei narrowed his dark eyes and asked casually, "How does Your Highness know that Prince Duan is good at polo?"
Chu Yueyuan looked up at him and answered truthfully: "About three years ago, the Earl's wife of the Marquis of Zhongyi held a polo match. The winner would receive a prize. I casually mentioned that the grand prize, a jasmine hairpin in a mutton fat color, had a good patina. I didn't expect that Prince Duan would hear me. He won five matches in a row and gave me that hairpin."
Seeing the man's dark gaze grow increasingly sharp, her voice softened, and she lowered her head guiltily.
Pei Muwei stared at the delicate, fair nape of Luo's neck, resisting the urge to bite it. He picked up his pen and crossed out the name she had just circled, saying coldly, "Playing with things leads to the loss of ambition; being competitive and domineering is not the way of a good person."
Chu Yueyuan: .....
After the Regent rejected two candidates in succession, Chu Yueyuan dared not write anything easily. She chewed on the pen and searched through the densely packed list for a long time before her eyes lit up and she wrote with a flourish.
Pei Muwei read out the name of the person circled by the young empress dowager: "Fang Mo, the director of the Personnel Evaluation Department of the Ministry of Personnel. What kind of interaction has this person had with Your Highness?"
Chu Yueyuan asked in surprise, "How did you guess that I had any dealings with Young Master Fang?"
Pei Muwei picked up the pomelo teacup on the table with a blank expression and said in a calm voice, "Judging from the methods Your Highness chose for the first two, it's not hard to guess."
Chu Yueyuan did not notice the displeasure in the man's tone; on the contrary, she was very satisfied with the person she had chosen.
"There's an island in the middle of a lake outside the capital. The scenery there is beautiful, and there's a vegetarian restaurant. I really like their sushi, but getting to the island requires a ferry ride, which is a bit inconvenient, so I don't go there often. Once, when I was returning by boat, the handkerchief in my hand was accidentally blown away by the river wind. Luckily, a young gentleman on the shore picked it up, but the boat had already left the shore, so I just assumed I had lost the handkerchief..."
"Six months later, when I returned to the island in the middle of the lake, I unexpectedly encountered the young master who had found the handkerchief in a vegetarian restaurant. He said his name was Fang Mo and he worked in the Ministry of Personnel. He said that after finding my handkerchief that day, he wanted to return it, but he didn't know my name. So, whenever he had a day off, he would come to the island in the middle of the lake to find the owner of the handkerchief..."
At this point, Chu Yueyuan raised her head, winked confidently at the Regent, and concluded, "A mere handkerchief was enough to make him persist in searching for its owner for half a year, which shows that Young Master Fang is of noble character, trustworthy and righteous."
Pei Muwei stared at the woman's watery peach blossom eyes, feeling that the shimmering light in those eyes was like a pool of peach blossom water, and she was the peach blossom spirit nurtured in that pool, alluring and captivating.
He casually stroked the smooth rim of the cup and said in a low voice, "Your Highness has said so much, please have some tea."
Chu Yueyuan was indeed a little thirsty. Just as she was about to pick up the teacup beside her, she saw the man move her tea to the corner of the table with his large hand, and with a long arm, sweep the roster to the ground.
Before she could figure out what was wrong with the Regent, she was placed on the hard table, and his thin lips followed, pouring clear tea into her mouth through his forceful tongue.
The man leaned down, his hot, large hands supporting her waist. Chu Yueyuan was forced to lean back by this domineering yet lingering kiss. Feeling suspended in mid-air, she hurriedly reached out and tightly gripped his clothes, looking like she was struggling to hold on.
Hearing the commotion coming from the study, Wang, the eunuch guarding outside, assumed that the emperor and his minister were arguing and throwing their documents at each other. He stood at the door, hesitating whether to go in and clean up the mess. A moment later, the commotion was replaced by the soft whimpers of a woman, which tickled the heart like cat claws.
The worry on Eunuch Wang's face faded. He raised his whisk and tapped the peeking eunuch on the head, gesturing with his chin, "What are you looking at? Close the door."
Chu Yueyuan originally thought that her return to the imperial city was like a canary returning to its cage; although she lost her freedom, she was able to escape the eagle's claws.
Unexpectedly, the eagle soaring in the sky plunged into the cage, locked the cage door with its claws, and nearly pecked the canary's feathers off.
After downing half a cup of tea, the sparrow, filled with shame and anger, fiercely pecked at the eagle.
Pei Muwei raised her hand, her long fingers wiping away the bloodstains from the corner of her lips, her narrow eyes glowing with a rich red.
Chu Yueyuan still clutched his clothes tightly, the smooth black brocade creased in her hands. Her chest heaved as she tried to suppress her breathing, not wanting the palace servants outside to hear. Yet, her fair shoulders and slender neck were covered with red marks, like peach blossoms blooming on her body.
"Are you crazy? This is the palace!"
The man slightly parted his thin lips, and the blood at the corner of his lips added a touch of sinister charm to his otherwise aloof face.
"What wrong has it done to serve Your Highness tea?"
Chu Yueyuan's face was still flushed. She released the other person's clothes, picked up the green gauze robe piled in her arms, and threatened fiercely, "I have hands and feet, I don't need you to serve me. If you dare to act recklessly again, I won't help you clean up the mess. I will directly select a group of Anxian Prince's people and hand them over to Prime Minister Shen."
If we compare the positions of examiners and graders to radish pits, then the regent and King Anhyeon are the people who plant radishes in the pits.
Chu Yueyuan knew that the reason why Prime Minister Shen had asked her to take on this task was to make the Regent and Prince Anxian each take a step back so that the radishes in the field could be distributed evenly.
Being bullied so badly by the man, she decided to make a threat: if she didn't behave herself, she would make the fields grow full of Prince Anxian's radishes.
Pei Muwei stared at the bright red mark on the woman's collarbone, his gaze deep and unfathomable: "Is Your Highness selecting officials for the imperial examinations, or is he choosing a favorite minister for himself?"
Chu Yueyuan retorted, unconvinced: "I have said that I do not know any of the officials on this roster. If you insist that I choose, then... I can only choose those I have some acquaintance with."
Pei Muwei lifted her chin, looking down at her with a condescending gaze, and said in a calm voice, "But Your Highness's relationships with these people are not simple."
Chu Yueyuan's dark eyes widened.
"Then...is it my fault? Minister Zhai used my appearance to write lewd poems and lyrics, which became known to everyone in the capital. When these disgusting words reached my ears, I could only pretend to be magnanimous and smile."
Chu Yueyuan looked directly into his eyes, her eyes slightly red: "Young Master Duan never asked me if I was willing, but took it upon himself to fight for the prize for me and even broke the Earl's son's arm. From then on, the Earl's wife resented me, while he gained a reputation for being loyal and righteous."
"And that young master Fang who picked up my handkerchief, he claims to be deeply in love, but he's actually out of his mind! After the news spread, everyone thought that I had given the handkerchief to young master Fang on my own initiative, and that I had him bewitched for half a year."
She raised her hand and pounded on the man's chest, venting her anger: "Just because I am beautiful, all the foolish things these young masters do are blamed on me, like 'femme fatale,' 'Bao Si bewitched Zhou'..."
"And you, you bully me too, both inside and outside the palace, and you even bully me while wearing someone else's face..."
Chu Yueyuan was filled with grievances. She watched helplessly as her relationship with the man was like a flood breaking through a dam. Every time the waves of passion subsided, a large, unfillable hole remained, leaving her feeling empty and panicked.
She feared she would sink into despair, like her mother, like Chu Wanxi, like the exquisite phoenix embroidered on the screen, her later life nailed to one place, her soul withered away.
The woman's eyes were filled with tears, and large teardrops slid down her cheeks like broken pearls, hitting Pei Muwei's clothes and feeling as if a boulder had struck his heart.
Her small fists pounded his chest repeatedly, the force weak yet seemingly carrying immense weight, causing him a sharp, agonizing pain.
He pulled her into his arms, his large hand stroking her back: "Your Highness knows?"
Chu Yueyuan pressed against his chest, her tears soaking his clothes. She continued to pound on him, but her strength gradually weakened: "If I had known sooner, I wouldn't have been so foolish as to let you bully me again!"
"Now that Your Highness is aware, how do you intend to deal with this humble subject?"
What else can be done? Should she retaliate? That Pei bastard is just treating her like a fool!
Chu Yueyuan gradually stopped crying, her slender neck drooped, her shoulders trembled, and her voice choked with sobs: "Pei Qing, stop talking nonsense and quickly help me select suitable officials for the imperial examination so that I can get past Prime Minister Shen."
A low chuckle came from above: "Your humble servant obeys the decree."
Sigh... Chu Yueyuan sighed inwardly: If she had known that tears were so effective, she should have buried her face in Pei’s lap and cried for an hour every time she saw him, until he lost all interest, felt disgusted, and left in a huff.
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