Chapter 32 Apology Yu Er Takes the Initiative
As the newly appointed top scholar, Yu Xuan was extremely busy during this period, submitting a memorial to express his gratitude, attending banquets with flowers in his hair, and visiting the Confucius Temple... His schedule was packed, and he hardly had a moment to rest.
Even during his brief rest, Yu Xuan didn't dare to think about Zhu Xuanning's good intentions that day. Instead, he devoted himself entirely to jade carving, as if immersing himself in it would temporarily put aside some unspeakable pain.
The art of carving jade by hand was once regarded by the master of the Yu family as a frivolous and wasteful skill. When the young Yu Xuan was seen playing with these things, the master would either sneer or order his servants to beat him with thorny branches.
Yu Xuan knew that the so-called "indulging in frivolous pursuits" was just an excuse for the other party to cover up their disgust. His existence was an indelible stain on Yu Langzhu's life.
But things changed after he showed his talent in the imperial examinations; they needed him as their successor.
Now that Yu Xuan has picked up this interest again, the head of the Yu family will specially set aside some rare and expensive jade materials for him to carve.
When Yu Xuan finished writing the last stroke and could finally catch his breath, Shu Qing told him about Yan Hengdan's attendance at the banquet.
He gathered the unfinished, half-finished products together and said, "I only want to hear good news."
Shuqing laughed and replied, "How could there be any bad news about what Young Master instructed? The Lady of the County sent a message that it has been completed. I reckon Young Master Yan is feeding the fish with Miss Zhu right now."
"This is the information Miss Zhu wanted to find out. Do you think we should send it over now?"
Yu Xuan listened and hummed in response. He seemed to be smiling, but there was no light in his eyes.
Seeing that her young master was no longer reacting, Shuqing pondered what he needed and then quietly left.
When he came again, he told Yu Xuan another piece of news: the young marquis had paid a visit to the Zhu residence.
When Yu Xuan heard the news, he paused in his work of polishing the jade carving, and his eyes, which had regained some luster, drooped again.
"And then, what was his reaction when he left the manor?" Yu Xuan put down the fine leather and asked.
“From a distance, it looks no different from usual,” Shuqing replied thoughtfully, considering the messenger’s description.
Yu Xuan stopped what he was doing, sat down in the jade workshop, looked up, and stared blankly for a while.
He was thinking about Ah Heng's intentions.
Ji Yucheng definitely didn't see her. Does this mean that Aheng doesn't actually care about Ji Yucheng as much as she thinks, or that she can't live without him?
So, does that mean he misunderstood Aheng's behavior?
Ah Heng wasn't giving a reminder, but rather testing the waters.
Ah Heng's inquiry into Pei Yu's itinerary wasn't actually because she still harbored feelings for him.
Yu Xuan slowly turned around. He couldn't help but grip the jade carving tightly in his hand. The unfinished piece, still not smooth, hurt Yu Xuan's palm slightly.
He exhaled and said to Shuqing, "Let's stop the small kitchen from preparing dishes for now, and we'll talk about it after 7 PM."
After saying that, Yu Xuan kicked Shu Qing out.
After Shuqing handed over the matter, the cook asked with concern, "Young Master has been eating irregularly for a long time, and he's been attending banquets one after another. Can his body really take it?"
Shuqing was also worried, but he knew that once the young master made a decision, he would almost never change it, so he replied, "The young master knows what he's doing. Once he's done with these few days' work, things should be fine."
Shuqing glanced around and saw that the jade carving in the young master's hand only needed polishing. Once that was done, he wouldn't skip meals anymore.
"Miss, this is the book box sent by the young marquis." When Mama Hua came to deliver the items, Zhu Xuanning was taking a nap, so the book box was handed to Po Mo. Po Mo brought the items up after Zhu Xuanning woke up.
Zhu Xuanning then had Po Mo open the book box and take out the books one by one.
"Truly confident," Zhu Xuanning remarked in a splash of ink.
She thought of Wei Mingzhu's grand entrance and felt even more envious and eager for power.
Zhu Xuanning casually flipped open a travelogue, and a piece of paper fluttered out.
He exclaimed "Eh!" and bent down to pick it up, but his gaze did not fall on the ink stains on the paper.
Zhu Xuanning reached out and took it, glanced at it, and was momentarily stunned. Then she asked Po Mo to help her flip through the book to find the paper.
After they had gathered all the papers, he splashed ink and asked, "Miss, what does the young marquis mean by this?"
Po Mo was surprised and puzzled. Why was someone sending a letter instead of sentimental poems expressing their feelings? Instead, it contained such strange drawings. Moreover, these numerous drawings all looked quite similar. Po Mo couldn't understand what the young lord was trying to express.
Zhu Xuanning didn't understand it at first either. When she was thinking, she would unconsciously make some small movements.
Zhu Xuanning rested her hand on the book, casually flipping through it again and again.
She suddenly paused, her gaze fixed on the turning pages of the book, as if she understood.
"Be careful, cut these paintings to the same size, press them down with glue, and then sew them together with needle and thread." After Zhu Xuanning finished speaking, she went to get things and start working.
After the three roughly made books, each about the size of a palm, were finished, Zhu Xuanning waved her hand.
The little figures that looked somewhat alike transformed into a moving picture as the young lady quickly turned the pages of the book.
As the days and months passed, a little person sat at his desk, reciting, reciting, reciting. Later, he grew up and lost his books, running off to the peach grove. He caught fish and flew kites with a little person with tied-up hair. Then he cut the kite string and watched the little person do many things. In the end, only one little person remained. This little person sat alone in the room, repeating the same things over and over, only occasionally staring blankly at the peach blossoms outside the window.
I don't know why, but after watching the video, I felt a little sad.
This little guy is rather pitiful.
This was the first thought that came to her mind, so she looked at the silent Zhu Xuanning and then noticed that the young lady had silently flipped through the pages several more times.
Zhu Xuanning pushed the three picture books aside: "He's trying to appease me. He wants to tell me that he won't force me. He's also trying to gain my sympathy."
Zhu Xuanning spoke calmly, but she knew she felt a little down inside.
Grabbing a powerful figure should have made her very happy, but Zhu Xuanning knew she wasn't in a good mood.
Zhu Xuanning pondered the words, then shook her head: "I cannot sympathize."
Soft-heartedness and compassion are things that Zhu Xuanning abandoned the moment she chose this path.
Zhu Xuanning calmed herself down and then said to Po Mo, "Put things away properly and don't worry about it for now. We'll talk about it again in a few days."
After Po Mo agreed, Zhu Xuanning thought for a moment and then asked, "Has there been any news from Jiangnan?"
"No, young lady. Would you like to send a letter yourself?"
Zhu Xuanning refused without much thought: "I won't write. If I do, I'll have to go through Ji Jingzhi. Unless he writes a few letters to me, I won't reply."
Zhu Xuanning breathed a sigh of relief when Song Zhaohan didn't send a letter.
"By the way, miss." Po Mo recalled the information she had recently gathered and wrote down Pei Yu's attendance at the banquet on a small, narrow piece of paper, which she then handed to Zhu Xuanning.
Zhu Xuanning looked at it carefully for a few moments, memorized it, and then lit a tinderbox to burn the small piece of paper.
She breathed a sigh of relief, then instructed Po Mo to continue inquiring about the Yu family's situation.
While Zhu Xuanning was still having Po Mo inquire about the invitations accepted by the Yu family, Yu Xuan, who had remained silent until four days later, suddenly took the initiative.
Po Mo was given a letter. She turned back to the courtyard, glanced at the envelope, and after seeing the words "Respectfully presented to the Fifth Miss Zhu" on it, Po Mo immediately ran off to find her young mistress.
"Girl! Girl! A letter has arrived!" Po Mo seemed even happier than Zhu Xuanning, and she quickly showed the letter to Zhu Xuanning.
"Respectfully yours, Meng Xiaxuan and..." Zhu Xuanning opened the letter and saw that it began with greetings and pleasantries. After reading it word by word, she put the letter aside and snorted.
"Now that you've come to me, apologized, and invited me to go on a spring outing, am I supposed to just go?" Zhu Xuanning looked a little unhappy, but her tone was somewhat excited.
Po Mo had been following her for quite some time, and when he saw that the girl had become a little more lively because of this letter, he was so happy that his eyebrows curved into a smile. He jokingly said, "If the girl is still angry and doesn't want to go there, I will write the letter on her behalf to refuse Young Master Yu."
Zhu Xuanning stopped her, and then Po Mo looked at Zhu Xuanning with a smile.
Zhu Xuanning felt uncomfortable under her gaze and could only explain in a low voice, "I'm not going with him, it's because Baoyue is going. He invited me to the hunting and spring outing at the General's Mansion."
Po Mo suddenly realized what was going on. When he saw Zhu Xuanning's face gradually turn red and she turn her back to him, Po Mo stopped talking.
With a smile still on her face, she hurriedly asked the girl if she wanted to reply to the letter. Only after Zhu Xuanning nodded did she start grinding the ink.
Po Mo felt that perhaps even the girl herself didn't realize that her reaction to mentioning Young Master Yu was different from that of others.
She liked this energetic girl, and she also liked the girl who was immersed in the toys given to her by the second young master Yu, revealing her true feelings.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the torn letter lying quietly beside the girl, then clasped his hands together, hoping that the girl's wish would truly come true.
A secret memorial was sent overnight from Jiangnan Road, and it took countless horses to die before it was finally presented to the Emperor.
In the dead of night, amidst a heavy rain, Zhu Yuli was summoned to the palace by an urgent imperial edict. Recalling the Emperor's recent actions, he roughly guessed the Emperor's intentions.
Holding an umbrella, Zhu Yuli followed behind the young eunuch, hurrying towards Chengxin Palace. As he wiped the rain from his face, he said worriedly, "The rain has come so suddenly just after we passed through this gate. Tomorrow probably won't be a good day either."
After listening, the young eunuch carrying a lantern and an umbrella sighed and replied, "It's just as the scholar said. This rain came too suddenly and it's likely to continue for days on end. We should prepare an umbrella every day."
Zhu Yuli clenched his fist, his heart sinking. After arriving at Chengxin Hall, he bowed, greeted the emperor, and took his seat. Then, the emperor, his expression unreadable, pushed the secret memorial in front of him and said, "Take a look for yourself."
Holding the secret memorial, Zhu Yuli skimmed through it. Even with his extensive experience, he couldn't help but feel shocked. He knew that the little eunuch hadn't been wrong.
"Your Majesty," Zhu Yuli said, having discerned the Emperor's intentions and made his decision, "In my opinion, this is not the work of His Highness the Crown Prince."
After Zhu Yuli finished speaking, the emperor, who had been keeping his eyes closed, suddenly looked at him.
"Oh?" The emperor's tone remained unchanged as he continued, "What insightful opinion do you have, my dear minister? Tell me."
Upon hearing this, the Grand Eunuch Liu An knew that this was a sign that the Emperor was somewhat angry. He broke out in a cold sweat and even his breathing became shallow.
Zhu Yuli said calmly, "The Crown Prince has been the heir apparent for many years and has no reason to do something that would undermine his own position."
After listening, the emperor sneered: "Minister Zhu, the Crown Prince has been in the position of heir for twenty years. How do you know that he has not become arrogant from sitting in power for too long, and that he finds me in his way and can't wait for his son to succeed him after his father's death?"
Such words frightened Liu An so much that he immediately knelt down and called out "Your Majesty." Zhu Yuli also knelt down, but after performing the deepest bow, he continued to respectfully state his point of view: "Your Majesty, this is only one aspect."
“I have two daughters in my family. One of them was born to my wife before I entered officialdom. I cannot give them a proper title and I owe my wife and daughter a great debt. Therefore, apart from the things related to titles, I can take whatever I want from my daughter. I have already drawn up a contract that all my possessions will be divided into two parts, with nine parts going to my eldest daughter and one part to my youngest son.”
The emperor knew about this matter. Back when the emperor appointed him as the top scholar and intended to employ him, Zhu Yuli had confessed everything to the emperor in detail.
The emperor was both shocked and furious, astonished by his audacity and furious that his admired student had such a stain on his reputation.
But it was precisely this frankness that earned him the emperor's favor.
Thus, Zhu Yuli became the most trusted tool in the emperor's hands. After he was officially put to use, the first thing Zhu Yuli did was to eliminate the remaining influence of the Qin family in the court. He did this very carefully. When the Duke of Qin realized that his disciples and confidants were beginning to fall on the political margins, Zhu Yuli became the only informant of the Qin family in the center of the court.
"And what about your two daughters, my dear minister?" The emperor's tone rarely revealed a hint of emotion as he pressed for an answer.
“My two daughters are protected by their mother, and all of their mother’s wealth has gone to their two daughters.”
The emperor understood Zhu Yuli's unspoken meaning: "My eldest daughter only has me left, therefore I am willing to defy worldly conventions and give almost everything I have to my eldest daughter."
“Your Majesty, the ten fingers are connected to the heart, but even the five fingers are not the same length. How can the fairness you speak of be absolute? Besides, it is up to me to decide who should receive my things,” Zhu Yuli replied calmly.
The emperor remained silent for a long time, feeling a sense of empathy and a slight pity for the eldest daughter of the Zhu family whom he had never met.
Zhu Yuli, not hearing any movement from the person at the head of the table, said to himself, “My eldest daughter has lost her mother and is all alone, without any official status. If I, for the sake of so-called fairness, were to give her only a small share, how could I, as her father, bear to do so? And after my death, how could I face my deceased wife, whom I have already wronged?”
Such self-disclosure struck the emperor's heart. He moved his lips, and after a long while, he said, "With such favoritism, how can you expect her to harbor such rebellious thoughts? As a father, how can you not feel heartbroken?"
“The roles of ruler and subject, father and son are interdependent. If she has no children, it is my fault, and I am fulfilling my duty as a good father. But my eldest daughter has no power or influence, and even if she harbors rebellious thoughts, she cannot do anything to me.”
But if one day she truly has the ability to stand above me, though I am heartbroken, I will also be proud. If my eldest daughter truly has the ability to stand on her own, then even in death I can die in peace.
Zhu Yuli rested his forehead on the back of his hand, trying his best to maintain a calm tone when answering the emperor's question.
As Liu An listened, his eyes welled up with tears. He recalled the events concerning the Emperor, the late Empress, and the Crown Prince, and couldn't help but feel emotional. It was truly a case of perfect timing, favorable location, and popular support that made Scholar Zhu a favored minister and close advisor.
The emperor sat there for a moment, then silently helped Zhu Yuli up.
He patted the minister in front of him, who was several generations younger than him, his eyes showing some emotion, and said in a low voice, "My dear minister, you have come here by imperial decree in the middle of the night, so please rest in the palace. This will save you from the trouble of traveling back and forth, and you won't even have time to take a nap."
Zhu Yuli agreed and withdrew. Only then did the emperor say to Liu An, "Go and have the palace servants boil some hot eggs and send them to the scholar to soothe his eyes. They can also eat them tomorrow morning to fill his stomach."
Liu An accepted the order, and after giving his instructions, he bowed and returned to find a portrait on the emperor's desk. The emperor, who was nearly sixty years old, stroked the still young face in the portrait, and his eyes revealed a look of reminiscence.
Liu An only caught a glimpse before immediately lowering his head, not daring to offend again. He tiptoed forward and massaged the emperor's shoulders and neck, then heard the emperor say, "Tell me, would my little pig really do such a thing?"
Liu An dared not respond, and instead changed the subject by repeating what Zhu Yuli had said before, without giving a direct answer.
The emperor was well aware of the chief eunuch's caution. He smiled but was not angry. He only scolded him as a slippery old man. He was once again moved by Zhu Yuli's frank and straightforward advice.
"Liu An, what do you think? Now that the Jiangnan Circuit is settled, how about I move him to one of the Six Ministries?" The Emperor, already tempted, blurted out.
Liu An naturally agreed.
Ever since Zhu Yuli entered the palace in the middle of the night, Madam Zhu had been so worried that she hadn't slept. Po Mo naturally woke up Zhu Xuanning and told her about the matter.
Zhu Xuanning wasn't worried; in fact, she was hoping this person would make a mistake before the emperor. It would be a pity if that happened, as she wouldn't be able to hear Zhu Yuli kneeling before her mother's grave and personally admitting his mistake and repenting.
She and Po Mo waited for a long time, and finally, a eunuch from the palace sent a message to reassure everyone in the Zhu family.
The next day, Zhu Yuli returned unharmed, bringing with him eggs bestowed by the palace, which he shared with them, including one for Zhu Xuanning.
Zhu Xuanning was quite disappointed, but she still peeled and ate the egg, after all, it was a gift from the emperor.
Seeing his daughter finish her meal with cold boiled water, Po Mo couldn't help but ask, "Miss, is this imperial egg any different from the eggs we usually eat?"
Zhu Xuanning thought for a moment and replied, "Actually, there's not much difference, but it does taste a bit better."
Po Mo, being clever, understood Zhu Xuanning's seemingly contradictory words and said, "You can do it too, Miss."
Zhu Xuanning smiled, then turned and told Po Mo to instruct the small kitchen to prepare some pastries tomorrow.
"Are you preparing these pastries for the young master, Miss?" Po Mo asked, and Zhu Xuanning naturally answered yes.
Zhu Xuanning knew that she couldn't get any more information at the moment, and Zhu Yuli couldn't tell them these things either, so she could only place her hopes of finding out about this matter on Zhu Xiyue.
As Zhu Xuanning expected, Zhu Xiyue found an excuse to rush back that same day.
The next day, after preparing the pastries, Po Mo took the food box and went to the path that Zhu Xiyue always took back to the courtyard.
Zhu Xiyue was both touched and surprised when she received the pastries made by Zhu Xuanning.
He asked his personal attendant several times to confirm that the pastries were made by his elder sister herself. Then Zhu Xiyue asked, "Was it given to me alone, or did my sister and parents also have some?"
"Young Master, you've asked several times, and I've answered several times. I don't know. Sister Po Mo didn't say. You'll have to ask Miss Biao yourself," the page boy replied helplessly.
Just then, someone in the courtyard announced that the master of Luoxue Courtyard had arrived.
"Quickly call my elder sister in!" Zhu Xiyue was overjoyed. Before she finished speaking, Po Mo lifted the beaded curtain, and then Zhu Xuanning walked in.
Zhu Xiyue was momentarily stunned, feeling as if the room shone brightly the moment her elder sister entered.
He quickly stood up, and amidst the servants' greetings and salutations, he awkwardly lowered his gaze: "Sister."
"What were you talking about just now? You seemed so happy, but when you saw me, you looked so awkward," Zhu Xuanning said with a smile.
Zhu Xiyue blushed, but still asked the truth, though her high-pitched voice became a little softer: "I'm asking my people whether the pastries my elder sister made were only given to my younger brother, or whether my elder sister and father both received them."
After Zhu Xiyue finished speaking, she added, "My parents are doing well. If my sister doesn't have any, I plan to send some over for her. Otherwise, she'll make a scene if she finds out."
After hearing this, Zhu Xuanning stepped forward, opened the food box, and then carried the pastries in the bowls and plates to Zhu Xiyue, saying, "You don't need to worry that Baoyue will make a fuss, eat up."
Zhu Xiyue cautiously, like a timid little animal, sought answers from Zhu Xuanning.
"Yes," Zhu Xuanning could only answer directly.
Upon hearing this answer, Zhu Xiyue felt a lump in his throat. He recalled the surprise he felt when he received the rare book from the mansion that day, and felt an urge to cry.
Zhu Xuanning noticed Zhu Xiyue's barely concealed emotional fluctuations. She was somewhat puzzled as to why this young man, who was born into a life of luxury and raised to be both upright and innocent, would be moved by this. Just then, she saw Zhu Xiyue smile at her, and the mist in the young man's eyes condensed into pitiful dewdrops, which fell and dripped onto the rabbit-shaped pastry.
"Sister, you are so kind."
Sister, you're the best. No one else has ever given me a gift that's uniquely mine.
Zhu Xiyue wiped away her tears, not minding the pastry with tears on it, picked up a piece and put it in her mouth.
Zhu Xuanning looked at her younger brother in front of her, and the fake smile on her lips was forced down.
It was just a pastry, but her younger brother's reaction was somewhat unexpected.
Author's note: I'll make up for the missed updates slowly. [pity][pity]
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