Chapter 38 Doing a Good Deed Every Day My sister-in-law does good deeds anonymously, and in the future she will be like me...
The main hall was brightly lit by candles, and the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air. Without the imposing presence of the regent, the atmosphere was peaceful and harmonious.
Chu Yueyuan poured a glass of wine and handed it to Princess Liang, her eyes smiling.
"Last time, the Princess Consort mentioned that many years ago, the late Emperor went on an incognito tour to the Jinsha River and was unfortunately attacked by river bandits. Fortunately, Prince Yi and Prince Liang stepped forward and worked together to protect the Emperor, which allowed him to escape danger. It must have been very dangerous at that time, right?"
Princess Liang accepted the wine cup and replied, "Yes, the river bandits on the Jinsha River were rampant. If Prince Yi had not led the Buddhist navy to rescue the emperor in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. At that time, the late emperor was worried that the bandits would strike again, so he ordered Prince Yi to escort them all the way to Liangzhou."
Chu Yueyuan smiled slightly, her jade-like fingers resting on the rim of the cup, gently swirling the blood-red wine, as if casually mentioning:
"It's quite a coincidence. My elder sister admires Prince Yi's talent. Before entering the palace, she told me more than once that she wanted to marry a man like Prince Yi, who is both scholarly and martial. Unfortunately, the prince has always been stationed in Beiting, which is a pity for my sister's infatuation..."
"Fortunately, fate has been kind to those who are destined to meet. Sister, you met Prince Yi again in Liangzhou. I imagine you were very happy at that time, weren't you?"
Princess Liang was drinking when she suddenly heard the Empress Dowager's words. She choked on her drink and quickly covered her face with her sleeve, coughing violently: "Cough cough... The Empress Dowager and Consort Chun are truly best friends who can talk about anything."
"Yes, I have the best relationship with my elder sister..."
Chu Yueyuan's eyes curved slightly, as if she were smiling, but there was no smile in her eyes, and her gentle voice concealed a sharp edge:
"I have been missing my sister very much lately and would like to know more about her life, especially her experience of accompanying the late Emperor to Liangzhou. Since the Princess Consort of Liang is here, would you be willing to help me recall a few things?"
Princess Liang was not good at hiding her inner panic. Her eyes darted around, and the smile on her lips was extremely stiff: "I'm afraid I will disappoint the Empress Dowager. Your Majesty... Your Majesty is not familiar with Consort Chun and did not notice much at the time."
The opera "Nezha Conquers the Dragon King" was performed on the stage. The sound of the zither was solemn and the drums were thunderous. Inside the hall, the guests were drinking and chatting, and the atmosphere was lively and noisy.
Chu Yueyuan was in no hurry to interrogate Princess Liang. She slowly picked up her wine and took a sip, her gaze calm, as if she were watching the play on stage with great interest.
The Princess Liang, left standing to the side, grew increasingly uneasy, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her palms without her noticing.
After a long while, the Empress Dowager's light voice rang out from above: "By the way, I received a report of victory from the Ministry of War yesterday in the Hall of Diligent Governance. The Canglang Kingdom wishes to temporarily cease hostilities and intends to negotiate peace with the Great Qi."
Princess Liang nodded blankly, absentmindedly agreeing: "Ah...that's a good thing. War has caused the people on the border to be displaced and suffer greatly. If peace can be reached, it will be a good thing for the people of both countries."
"Yes, peace talks are a good thing..."
Chu Yueyuan sighed softly, her gaze sweeping with pity over the uneasy Princess Liang as she stood below, and she said meaningfully:
"If the two countries are to negotiate peace, a marriage alliance is undoubtedly the best choice. Khan Canglang wants to obtain a princess from the Great Qi to be his concubine, but the late emperor had few heirs, with only one son, the current emperor, and there are no princesses of suitable age in the palace. To resolve the current predicament, the only option is to select a princess of suitable age from the imperial clan and bestow her with a title..."
She changed the subject, her tone slightly somber: "I recall that the Princess's youngest daughter is of marriageable age but remains unmarried..."
"Splash!"
Princess Liang's face turned deathly pale. She accidentally knocked over the wine cups on the jade table, spilling wine everywhere.
"What's wrong with the Princess?"
Chu Yueyuan smiled gently, turned to the side and asked with concern, her eyes sparkling with pure kindness.
In fact, the Canglang Kingdom did not send any letter of marriage proposal at all. Moreover, given her status as a puppet empress dowager, even if there were the latest military intelligence, the regent would never tell her.
However, she can still fool people by using this nominal identity.
As expected, Princess Liang believed her without question. The thought that the Canglang Khan was already over sixty, while her youngest daughter was not yet seventeen, and that the Canglang tribe had a custom of the new Khan inheriting the old Khan's wife, caused her defenses to crumble instantly. She reached out and tightly gripped the young Empress Dowager's forearm, her eyes filled with pleading, and choked out:
"Your Majesty, could you please find a quieter place? I have... a few words to say to Your Highness..."
Chu Yueyuan's forearm was gripped so tightly by Princess Liang that it hurt, but she still maintained a faint smile on her face: "Of course."
Thick clouds swallowed the moonlight, and a heavy mist shrouded the majestic imperial city. Not far away, a hazy candlelight shone through the carved window lattice of the Lotus Breeze Pavilion.
The night wind whistled, and the ram's horn lanterns hanging under the eaves swayed left and right in the wind. The candlelight would sometimes lean to the west and sometimes swing back to the east, and the light and shadow on the ground would intertwine, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.
After an unknown amount of time, soft footsteps echoed in the quiet night, and suddenly, a woman's graceful figure appeared on the lotus-patterned brick.
Chu Yueyuan walked out of Hefeng Pavilion, and the flickering candlelight illuminated her tightly furrowed brows.
To prevent her youngest daughter from being sent to the Canglang Kingdom for a political marriage, Princess Liang revealed to Chu Yueyuan the shocking secret she had witnessed on the dragon boat years ago.
At that time, King Liang was seriously injured in a fight with the river bandits, and Queen Liang took care of him without taking off her clothes.
One late night, Princess Liang was dozing off by her husband's bedside when a maid rushed in to wake her. The maid said that while she was preparing medicine in the kitchen, she vaguely heard a woman crying. Following the sound of crying, she found that it was coming from Consort Chun's room.
The maidservant, looking uneasy, leaned close to Princess Liang's ear and whispered, "This servant also heard... a man's voice coming from Consort Chun's room."
Princess Liang's expression changed, and she immediately rebuked, "Nonsense! How could there be a man in Consort Chun's room?"
Emperor Shang encountered river bandits during his travels. Although he narrowly escaped death, the bloody scene of the sword fight still frightened him greatly. Emperor Shang felt that the dragon boat was not safe and insisted on resting on Prince Yi's warship.
Since the warship had limited cabins for resting, Emperor Shang left his three concubines on the dragon boat and only took his most beloved concubine, Consort Li, aboard the warship.
If the Emperor was not on the dragon boat, how could there be a man's voice in Consort Chun's room in the middle of the night?
But the maid swore to heaven that she had not misheard.
Princess Liang was skeptical, worried that pirates might have boarded the ship under cover of night and broken into Consort Chun's room, so she decided to go and see for herself.
She took a lantern and went to the lower deck, and sure enough, outside the room at the end of the corridor, she heard a woman's intermittent sobbing.
Princess Liang stood at the door, hesitating whether to knock, when she heard Consort Chun's trembling voice questioning from inside: "Aren't you afraid I'll tell the Emperor about our relationship?"
"Is Your Highness threatening me?"
A man's cold voice came from inside the room, startling Princess Liang so much that she almost dropped the candle she was holding.
She recognized the voice all too well; it was the voice of Prince Yi, who had saved her husband from the brink of death.
Before Princess Liang could recover from her shock, she heard Consort Chun sobbing inside the room: "Pei Lang, I was wrong. I don't want to be the Emperor's concubine. I only want to be your woman. Haven't you ever had any feelings for me all these years?"
"The Empress and I are both in our proper places, so what is there to say about affection?"
"Pei Lang..."
"Your Highness has broken the rules first. I will withdraw the people from Yunyan Palace. I hope Your Highness will behave yourself in the future."
"Pei Lang, you...you don't want me anymore?"
Consort Chun suddenly became agitated, and her sobbing was somewhat unclear. Princess Liang quickly put her ear to her ear.
Unexpectedly, the carved door suddenly opened, and Princess Liang was so startled that she took two steps back, causing the gilded silver eight-treasure lamp she was holding to slip from her grasp.
The lantern rolled a few times on the ground before finally stopping beside a pair of black boots embroidered with gold dragon patterns.
The flickering flames illuminated the man's dark, glassy eyes, which matched the moonlight perfectly.
Princess Liang's gaze unconsciously darted into the room, where a vivid and sensual scene suddenly came into view, startling her so much that she was terrified.
Consort Chun lay prostrate on the ground, her black hair disheveled, wearing only a scarlet embroidered grape-patterned blouse. The gauze blouse on her shoulder slipped down to her forearm, revealing her snow-white skin, and tears streamed down her beautiful face.
For a moment, Princess Liang felt that she was surely going to die, and she couldn't help but regret why she had been so curious and joined in the fun.
The man bent down to pick up the lamp that was offered to him, and handed it to Princess Liang with a calm expression, his tone so flat that it revealed no emotion whatsoever.
"How is your brother's injury?"
Princess Liang trembled as she took the lamp, forcing a smile onto her stiff face: "Thank you for your concern, Prince Yi. My husband is much better now. The medicine is almost ready; I was just about to go to the kitchen to get it."
"Thank you for your hard work, sister-in-law."
Princess Liang dared not look at the scene inside the room again. She forced a smile and said a few words, then hurriedly led her maid and fled.
Only after returning to her fiefdom of Liangzhou did she dare to recount to the King of Liang what she had witnessed on the dragon boat.
After learning the whole story, King Liang pondered for a long time, and finally only ordered his wife to punish the maid who witnessed the incident.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye. Consort Chun died, and the emperor passed away. Only Prince Yi's power snowballed and grew bigger and bigger, eventually making him the regent of the Great Qi.
Princess Liang originally intended to take this secret to her grave, until she met Chu Yueyuan, the reincarnation of a tree spirit.
The night was cool, and Chu Yueyuan's heart was equally cold.
She naively thought that as long as it was confirmed that Xiao Yun was the Regent's son, it would be natural for the father and son to recognize each other.
However, from the story of Princess Liang, she finally understood that although the Regent had spent a night with Chu Wanxi, he was a heartless man who would deny everything once he had done so.
The cold-blooded and heartless man wouldn't even admit to his affairs, let alone acknowledge a son who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Chu Yueyuan was in a state of turmoil, as if a tiny needle had pierced her heart. The pain wasn't excruciating, but the subtle stinging sensation was impossible to ignore.
She couldn't tell if the pain was for Chu Wanxi, who had given her heart to the wrong person, or for Xiao Yun, whose mother was gone and whose father didn't want him, or for herself, who had been blind to the truth.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager! Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!"
Hearing the shouts from afar, Chu Yueyuan looked up and saw Eunuch Wang running towards her with great speed, his whisk flying high like a horse's tail.
"Oh dear, this old servant...this old servant has finally found Your Highness..."
Eunuch Wang, panting heavily from running, didn't even bother to straighten his tobacco hat before continuing:
"Your Majesty, the victory banquet is about to end. According to the procedures previously drafted by the Ministry of Rites, the Regent should reward the officials who quelled the rebellion. However, Chief Minister Lin has searched most of the palace but could not find the Regent anywhere. Please, Your Majesty, go to Yaohua Palace immediately to take charge of the situation."
Chu Yueyuan frowned: "I saw the Regent and the Prince of Liang leaving together earlier. Did you inquire about the Prince of Liang?"
Eunuch Wang wiped the sweat from his brow and shook his head repeatedly: "This servant has inquired, and Prince Liang said that he and the Regent only had a short drink in the side hall, after which the Prince left first. But... but the strange thing is that the palace servants on duty outside the side hall knew nothing, and no one could say for sure where the Prince went afterward."
Chu Yueyuan couldn't help but feel a little troubled.
The officials promoted tonight are all ministers who made great contributions during the "Seqiu Rebellion". After this coup, the situation in the court has just stabilized. It is a good opportunity for the regent to seize power and intimidate all officials. Logically speaking, she should not steal the limelight from the men.
But the regent suddenly "disappeared," leaving Lin Sizhou frantic, like an ant on a hot pan. He had no choice but to send someone to bring back the young empress dowager to help.
After pondering for a moment, Chu Yueyuan finally followed Eunuch Wang to Yaohua Palace.
She certainly hated the Regent for his heartlessness and abandonment of her sister, but for now, the two were, after all, in the same boat, and if the boat were to capsize, she would inevitably fall into the river.
Fortunately, having been a puppet empress dowager for so long, Chu Yueyuan knew the ins and outs of every official in the court. Even without the hands pulling the strings behind her back, she could still remain calm and composed, displaying the dignified demeanor of a mother of the nation as she bestowed honors upon these officials.
The banquet came to a successful close, and the guests gradually left the palace.
The once bustling and prosperous palace has become silent in the blink of an eye. The majestic palace stands in the dark night, with its eaves soaring high and its corridors winding around.
When the lights are dazzling, it is like a heavenly palace, beautiful and magnificent; when all is quiet, it is more like a cage made of gold and jade, firmly binding the people inside.
On the way back to Zichen Palace, Xiao Yun was full of energy, like a night owl. He even refused to sit in the imperial carriage, instead holding Chu Yueyuan's hand and gesturing wildly as they walked, showing off the acrobatic tricks she had missed.
On a golden autumn night, the osmanthus trees on both sides of the palace wall quietly bloom, and the air is filled with a light and delicate fragrance that is refreshing and delightful.
"Mother, I want to go swing on the swing!"
As they passed by Yuanxiang Hall, Xiao Yun suddenly grabbed Chu Yueyuan's sleeve and begged her.
Yuanxiang Hall is built by the water and surrounded by a large number of osmanthus trees. The environment is quiet and secluded. The craftsmen built a swing rattan couch here, which can be used to cool off and enjoy the scenery.
This place is a great place to escape the summer heat, but in the cool autumn weather, coupled with the remote location of Yuanxiangtang, few people come here on weekdays.
Chu Yueyuan knew perfectly well that Xiao Yun's desire to swing on the swing was a pretense; his real intention was to deliberately dawdle and not go back to practice calligraphy.
Coincidentally, she also didn't want to go back to Phoenix Palace.
The secret revealed by Princess Liang felt like a boulder pressing on her heart, making her feel suffocated. She thought it better to go outside for some fresh air and clear her head.
She held up a finger and shook it in front of Xiao Yun: "Only a quarter of an hour, the night breeze will get chilly any later."
"Long live the Empress Dowager!"
Xiao Yun cheered and turned to run happily into the depths of the osmanthus grove. Several imperial guards saw this and hurriedly followed.
Watching Xiao Yun's carefree figure, Chu Yueyuan's smile slowly faded, and her gaze became serious.
Even tigers don't eat their cubs; loving one's child is innate. Even if the regent is cold-blooded and ruthless, he would never harm his own flesh and blood.
Should she tell the Regent the truth, or continue to keep it from him?
Should Xiao Yunzun enjoy a life of luxury and danger, or continue to live a mediocre but peaceful life?
Chu Yueyuan was unsure of what to do.
Before long, a small, bright yellow figure ran out of the woods and quickly rushed into her arms.
Xiao Yun's face had lost its joy, and his two caterpillar-like eyebrows were furrowed together: "Mother, the Regent has taken over the swing. Mother, go and help me get it back!"
Chu Yueyuan was somewhat surprised: "Your Majesty means the Regent... he's swinging on a swing in the woods?"
Xiao Yun nodded vigorously, her soft voice filled with deep grievance: "Mother, the Regent has monopolized the entire swing. When I ask him questions, he ignores me..."
Chu Yueyuan was completely confused, so she asked the two guards who had just followed the emperor, and they confirmed it.
"Your Majesty, the Prince is drunk and passed out on the swing rattan couch."
Chu Yueyuan frowned slightly, puzzled. At this crucial moment of bestowing titles upon meritorious officials, the regent, whom Chief Minister Lin had been searching for most of the night, was found drunk on the swing in the Imperial Garden.
Such absurd behavior might be understandable for the Emperor Shang, but it seems rather out of place for the Regent, who is known for his meticulous and methodical approach.
Could it be that after overthrowing Prince Chen and Prince Runan, the Regent, overconfident and believing that no one in the court could stop him from ascending to the throne, couldn't wait to open the wine jar to celebrate?
Chu Yueyuan looked thoughtfully at the golden osmanthus grove.
The fragrance of osmanthus blossoms at night has a more delicate and subtle scent than during the day, making it exceptionally fragrant and alluring, like an invisible hand quietly grasping her curious heart.
Chu Yueyuan asked Granny Xu to take Xiao Yun back to Zichen Palace first. After the group had gone far away, she led several guards into the depths of the osmanthus forest.
The moonlight, as soft as silk, blanketed the earth.
The osmanthus blossoms, blooming at midnight, glowed with a faint golden halo, like stars embedded in the night sky. They swayed precariously in the wind, their petals swirling and dancing in the air before finally landing on the man's magnificent jade-adorned golden crown.
The swing rattan couch swayed gently in the night breeze, and moonlight filtered through the gaps in the trees, casting dappled shadows on the man's deep-set face and giving his black robe embroidered with gold a shimmering sheen.
He rested one hand on his abdomen, while the other arm hung lazily from the edge of the couch, the white jade wine pot hooked by his long fingers swaying in mid-air.
The man's demeanor was relaxed and casual, a dashing and debonair appearance that Chu Yueyuan had never seen before.
His jade crown, brocade robe, and black boots were stained with many fallen osmanthus petals, and he exuded a refreshing aroma of wine.
Chu Yueyuan tiptoed over, untied the gold-embroidered peony cloak from her shoulders and clutched it tightly in her hand. She lowered her eyes and stared at the sleeping man on the rattan couch, her mind caught in a battle of wills.
The temperature difference between day and night is large in autumn. If the regent sleeps in the open, he will most likely catch a cold.
Even the thickest cloak could only warm the man's body, not his naturally cold heart.
On one hand, there was the minister who had treated her well in reality; on the other hand, there was the heartless and ungrateful man in the words of the Princess Consort of Liang. Chu Yueyuan struggled with her inner conflict for a long time before finally bending down, reaching out to gently pluck the petals stuck to the man's body, and carefully covering him with a cloak.
"Fine, if you live to be a hundred, my life will be better too."
Chu Yueyuan comforted herself in a low voice. After draping the cloak over the man, she was about to get up and leave when she suddenly felt a tightness around her wrist.
A woman's startled cry rang out in the quiet night. The rope tied to the tree branch swayed violently twice, causing the tree trunk to tremble. The falling osmanthus petals were like a snowstorm, almost engulfing the two figures intertwined on the bed.
The swing on the rattan couch swayed incessantly, and the bright moon in the sky seemed to sway into two in Chu Yueyuan's eyes. For a moment, she couldn't tell whether the twinkling stars in front of her were the stars in the sky or if she was seeing stars.
"My sister-in-law does good deeds anonymously; how will I ever repay her?"
The man spoke in a hoarse voice, his voice like a clear, cold wine slowly flowing into her ears, almost seeping into her heart, intoxicating her senses, and burning her earlobes red.
Chu Yueyuan turned her head in a daze, her gaze meeting his long, narrow, reddish black eyes, like a blood-red epiphyllum blooming quietly in the dead of night.
The world spun before her eyes, and all that remained was a pair of dark eyes, terrifyingly bright, right in front of her...
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