Chapter 9 Power "Nothing? Are you shameless for saying that?"...
People often say that Lang Yan is exceptionally handsome, but the common folk say that there are two other exceptional men in the capital, and meeting them is like experiencing the very opposite ends of winter and spring. The first is Xiao Yinshi, whose appearance is like a god descending to earth, and whose temperament is like the coldest days of winter; the second is Zheng Qingru, whose purity is like a white crane at a banquet, and whose presence is like a scene of springtime.
Zheng Qingru held the rank of fourth grade official and was a second-class Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the sixth year of the Chongming reign. During the palace examination, Emperor Chongming favored him greatly and appointed him to serve in the Dali Temple. His scholarship was no less than that of his father, and his character was even more noble. He was the dream man of countless young ladies in the capital.
Zheng Qingru helped Grand Tutor Feng walk slowly over. Lin Wanzhou peeked out from behind Feng Tan, ran a few steps and rushed into Grand Tutor Feng's arms, crying, "Grandpa!"
Grand Tutor Feng, who was blind, reached out and touched Lin Wanzhou's head, saying, "Wanzhou, don't be afraid."
Feng Tan held her hand and said, "Don't be afraid." Grand Tutor Feng stroked the top of her head and said, "Don't be afraid." Lin Wanzhou sniffed and said, "I'm not afraid."
Gao Yu narrowed his eyes. So what if Feng Hengdao was a veteran of three dynasties? His daughter had done such a rebellious thing. The day he asked to leave the court, his power was already gone... As for Zheng Qingru, who had helped him come, although his official position was low, his grandfather Zheng Guanhe was the Grand Secretary and Minister of Personnel of the Dahuang Privy Council. With his grandfather's high status, Gao Yu could not help but be wary of him.
Grand Tutor Feng stared blankly at Gao Yu, his cough worsening from the chill. "Lord Gao... cough... Wan Zhou... is innocent... you must not torture me..."
Gao Yu said, "The Grand Tutor was a man of integrity and upright character throughout his life. His eldest daughter went to prison, and now his granddaughter is in prison too... Alas, it is indeed pitiful. But since Lin Wanzhou has been a prostitute in the Red Sleeve Pavilion for several years, going to the Buddhist temple in prison won't tarnish her, will it? She's already implicated anyway."
Upon hearing this, Grand Tutor Feng coughed incessantly, and Zheng Qingru angrily shouted, "Lord Gao, how can you be so disrespectful to the Grand Tutor?!"
"Oh dear, Grand Tutor, please take care of yourself and don't get angry with me!" Gao Yu feigned an apology, but then gestured for his men to tie up Lin Wanzhou. "But the laws of Dahuang are inviolable and show no mercy. Take Lin Wanzhou away!"
It was no secret in official circles that Gao Yu loved to abuse beautiful women. Lin Wanzhou had no power or influence, and was one of the most beautiful women in the capital. It was inevitable that she would be captured and tortured by Gao Yu. After the tragedy of the two women in Chongming 2, Grand Tutor Feng repeatedly warned himself to accept his fate and do what he could not do. He never expected that now, he would once again taste the burning pain of being powerless and unable to protect his children and grandchildren.
Zheng Qingru walked up to Lin Wanzhou and shielded her behind him, then said to Gao Yulin, "If Lord Gao insists on acting against the law, I will be the first to deny it once the case is handed over to the Dali Temple!"
Gao Yu said, “Lord Zheng is a gentleman. A gentleman’s character is formed over many years, but it can be destroyed in a single word. The Zheng family has strict discipline. If the Grand Secretary learns that Lord Zheng is obstructing the Ministry of Justice’s investigation for a prostitute, I wonder if Lord Zheng will be reprimanded by his family? And if his colleagues in the court know that the Grand Secretary has such a grandson, will they privately despise and belittle him?”
Zheng Qingru slowly clenched his fist. Lin Wanzhou tugged at his arm and said to Zheng Qingru and Grand Tutor Feng, "Second Brother Zheng, don't make things difficult for Grandpa because of me. Take my grandfather back. He's old and has had a cough for many years. He can't stand the cold wind."
After saying that, Lin Wanzhou lowered her voice and said, "Second Brother Zheng, you have done very well. Yongle will not blame you."
As the most noble princess of the Great Han Dynasty, Feng Qinghuang was deeply loved by Emperor Chongming. From a young age, the princess was studious, so Emperor Chongming invited renowned teachers and recruited many companions. Only eligible sons of officials from the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers were selected to enter the palace as the princess's companions. Zheng Qingru was shy and refined as a child, and Princess Yongle chose him from among the many companions. He remained her companion for five years until the princess was secretly sent out of the palace.
Zheng Qingru was already twenty years old, but he never discussed marriage with his daughter, believing that the princess would surely return.
The gentleman is a close relative of Yongle, and Yongle regards the gentleman's daughter as his own sister. If he cannot protect Lin Wanzhou today, he will have no face to see Yongle again.
Zheng Qingru was trapped in a predicament from which he could not escape. In the darkness, the sound of galloping hooves came, a red dress flashed by, and a tall horse galloped with its front hooves flying. The girl on horseback nimbly pulled the reins tighter and stopped high on the horse between Zheng Qingru and Gao Yu.
The young girl laughed heartily, looking down at the people below her horse, and said, "Zheng Qingru, you act like a gentleman, dealing with the petty person with the demeanor of a gentleman, which naturally leaves them speechless with anger!"
Zheng Qingru smiled and said, "Yu Ruxi, you're back in the capital!"
Yu Ruxi said, "Yes, after the war is over, we should naturally return to the capital to report on our duties. It just so happens that there is a grand opera performance at Yongle Temple. It would be a shame not to come and join in the fun, wouldn't it?"
Zheng Qingru knew that Yu Ruxi had also come because of Lin Wanzhou's matter. She was Yongle's close friend. As the daughter of General Zhaowu, she had practiced martial arts since childhood and had a cheerful personality. She was also Yongle's other study companion. The three of them were taught by the same teacher and grew up together. After Yongle disappeared, she no longer lived in the palace and spent most of her time fighting alongside her father. She would definitely rush back immediately if Yongle's sister was in trouble.
Feng Tan stood at the foot of the white jade steps, her lonely figure far from the opposing crowd, her lowered eyes slightly moist.
Years ago, her mother secretly sent her out of the palace, and only Feng Youming and Ren Pingsheng knew where she was. Because of her mother's crime, Lin Wanzhou entered a brothel at a young age and lost all will to live. Helpless, Ren Pingsheng had no choice but to tell Lin Wanzhou that Yongle Society had returned to exonerate their teacher, so that she would have hope to live.
Lin Wanzhou asked at that time, "My sister is a princess, and His Majesty loves her so much, why not let her go directly to His Majesty to ask for his help?"
Ren Pingsheng replied, "Emperor Chongming will not change his mind just because she is a princess. Feng Youming is defying the system and etiquette, and Yongle is powerless to stop her."
"Why did Mother do this? Why did she put me in such a terrible situation?"
Ren Pingsheng hugged the young girl tightly and said, "Because she is the one destined by the wind. Though there are millions of people, only those destined by fate will go forth."
Ren Pingsheng had said that Yongle would return, so when Feng Tan extended her little finger to make a pinky promise at the beginning of their meeting, Lin Wanzhou recognized her as she was, even though she had no trace of her childhood and her demeanor had completely changed.
They made a pinky promise, and Feng Tan came to keep her vow.
Grand Tutor Feng, Zheng Qingru, and Yu Ruxi... they didn't know Feng Tan. In their eyes, Feng Tan was just a junior official in the Six Ministries.
They didn't know her, but they always remembered Yongle. When Yongle's sister had an accident, they rushed over immediately.
Feng Tan dared not raise her head, and Lin Wanzhou dared not look at Feng Tan either. There were eyes and ears everywhere in the capital, and Ren Pingsheng had warned her many times that Lin Wanzhou must never tell anyone about Feng Tan's identity.
Yu Ruxi glanced at Feng Tan out of the corner of her eye, then turned to Gao Yu without lingering. She folded the riding whip in her hand and said, "Lord Gao, Zheng Qingru may have elders to consider, but I, Yu Ruxi, have no such considerations! After all, everyone in my family is a warrior. I have never learned the virtues of filial piety, brotherly love, loyalty, trustworthiness, propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame that you civil officials value. Today, you will release Lin Wanzhou whether you like it or not!"
Gao Yu's mustache twitched, and he pointed at Yu Ruxi, barely able to speak, "As a woman, how could you be so... shameless, so... so..."
Yu Ruxi, seated high on horseback, looked down at Gao Yu and said, "Nothing? Nothing? Are you shameless?"
After saying that, she ignored Gao Yu and leaned towards Lin Wanzhou, saying, "Mount up, Lin sister!"
Lin Wanzhou took Yu Ruxi's hand, mounted her horse, and said to Grand Tutor Feng, "Grandpa, don't worry, let's go back quickly!"
Yu Ruxi turned her horse around and smiled at Grand Tutor Feng, "Grand Tutor, I will take good care of her!"
The horses' hooves kicked up snow as the two girls rode off together on one horse.
Xiao Yinshi and Wei Shengxian left at some point, while Gao Yu glanced at Feng Tan, silently flicked his sleeve, and led a group of soldiers away.
The large crowd that had filled the courtyard dispersed in an instant, and Feng Tan's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, was finally at ease. She resisted the urge to look at Grand Tutor Feng and slowly walked out of the courtyard.
An old man's aged voice came from behind, "Lord Feng, please wait."
Grand Tutor Feng, who was blind, slowly released Zheng Qingru's arm that was supporting him, stepped forward to Feng Tan, and said with a kind smile, "I am old and can't see, but my ears are still good. I heard what you said to Gao Yu in the courtyard just now. I thank you for your help."
Feng Tan turned around, bowed, and said, "Grand Tutor, you flatter me. There's no need for thanks."
Grand Tutor Feng changed the subject, asking, "Where is Lord Feng from?"
"A native of Qingning County."
Where will you serve as an official?
"The criminal investigation department is headed by the censor."
"Lord Feng's voice is hoarse; is it because you are not yet twenty?"
"Two years shy of adulthood, my voice is hoarse... it's just how I was born."
"You haven't been given a courtesy name yet, have you?"
In Dahuang, a significant ceremony was held, and when a man reached the age of twenty, he would be given a courtesy name by a respected relative.
Feng Tan said, "Not yet."
Grand Tutor Feng said, "How about we call it 'Lingyun'?"
When fortune smiles upon you, your wisdom and intelligence will shine forth; and you will be destined to be like a phoenix, turning misfortune into good fortune.
Zheng Qingru sensed something was amiss and said, "Grand Tutor..."
Feng Tan looked up at Grand Tutor Feng. He could see nothing, yet he gave people the illusion that he saw through everything.
The distant mountains showed compassion, the snow fell like a vast sea, and Feng Tan bowed devoutly, kneeling to receive the name.
Grand Tutor Feng smiled, his eyes crinkling with amusement. He took Zheng Qingru's arm and turned to leave.
The long street outside Yongle Temple was filled with the biting wind that ruffled Feng Tan's hair. Her eyes were slightly red, and she remained kneeling in the snow, not rising. "Grandma, the roads are slippery in this snowy weather, please be careful!"
Grand Tutor Feng, though blind, still turned his head back. "Alright, Lord Feng, you should go back too, it's so cold!"
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