Chapter 19 Why is the Nineteenth Year's Return Too Late?
The emperor's regret was too obvious, so Yu Mingzhe quickly took the initiative to say, "I'll be free tomorrow, I'll buy some for the young master!"
"No need, there's no need to force it." Xu Heng forced a smile, then a thought suddenly popped into his head: Tomorrow's dumplings will be different from tonight's.
Because of this thought, my heart skipped a beat, as if I had stepped into thin air.
He made a blank, hesitant sound.
The Yu couple smiled and nodded.
The three walked back to the entrance of Zhuque Avenue. Qingfu and the coachman stood guard, not daring to doze off for a moment. Upon seeing the emperor, the coachman immediately straightened his back and pulled on the reins, while Qingfu quickly ran over, accompanied the emperor to the carriage, and helped him into the carriage.
The carriage was heading back towards the Forbidden City when, less than a quarter of an hour later, a series of rumbling sounds, like thunder, filled the air. Xu Heng pushed open the carriage window and looked up to see clusters of blazing flames illuminating the sky, like colorful butterflies fluttering about.
Oh, so the fireworks are only going off now... It's only 7 PM.
Xu Heng wanted to take a closer look, but the Vermilion Bird Street where the fireworks were set off was already far away. He could only watch the flames like fireflies and hurriedly hide behind the high pavilions, which were now just dark outlines.
The car kept moving forward, and the pavilions, towers, and hustle and bustle rushed past in Xu Heng's eyes. He swayed slightly with the car and finally returned to silence.
When the emperor returned to his bedchamber, it was already 7:45 PM.
Qingfu helped the emperor change his clothes, glancing at the water clock as he did so, and said with a smile, "Finally back to the palace after all that trouble, but it's so late—"
Just as he was about to add the second half of the sentence, "Your Majesty should rest early," Xu Heng suddenly murmured, "It's still early."
Qingfu was taken aback.
Xu Heng didn't find anything unusual. He just felt that it was still early, and why should he go to bed at three quarters past 7 PM? Why should he lie down on the bed all alone?
I haven't been able to sleep at night lately.
Qingfu was silent for a moment, then cautiously asked, "Then shall I prepare some midnight snacks?"
Xu Heng shook his head.
Qingfu then asked, "Then Your Majesty, would you like to have a sip of tea to moisten your throat?"
Xu Heng waved his hand: "It's too late, I won't drink anymore."
Qingfu remained silent, made the bed, and led the eunuchs to take their leave.
Xu Heng lifted his robe and sat on the edge of the bed.
He reflected on what he had done that evening. He had helped General Wuwei alter a pair of earrings, which might just lead to a marriage.
Xu Heng chuckled silently, slowly placing his right hand on the edge of the bed. He wondered what Wang Yuying would choose if she were picking out jewelry at Linglong Pavilion.
The first material to choose must be fluorite.
Fluorite is not expensive.
This must have been a hobby she developed in her youth and continued in the northern frontier. However, fluorite was unsuitable for making bracelets, as it was too brittle. She also loved practicing swordsmanship and riding horses, which involved large, sweeping movements, and she would break one every few days.
Fluorite can only be protected by setting it in gold or silver, making it most suitable for earrings.
He gradually recalled the dispute caused by the fluorite face mask given to him by Hugu Sumi.
Mei Niang explained that she knew her lowly status and dared not choose the best items, so she picked the cheapest fluorite, intending to leave the rare treasures for Wang Yuying. She meant well, but Wang Yuying misjudged her.
At that time, Xu Heng was having a cold war with Wang Yuying. Wang Yuying had a bad temper, while Jiang Mei had been raised by the Empress Dowager since childhood. He had watched her grow up. She was frail and gentle. When he told her to break off the engagement, she just kept crying and didn't blame him at all.
Xu Heng always thought Jiang Mei was a kind and gentle person who would swallow her pride, so he trusted her and rebuked Wang Yuying.
It wasn't until Jiang Mei became pregnant that he realized what he had seen was false; Jiang Mei was not innocent, but rather cunning and manipulative.
Filial piety is the most important virtue. In order to gain a good reputation, he began to repair his relationship with the Empress Dowager in the second year of Yuanjia. He then treated Jiang Mei well. However, he was careless and forgot that the Empress Dowager, who was most skilled at concealing her true intentions, could not possibly raise a little white rabbit.
Jiang Mei seduced the master, and he himself was also bewitched by her gentleness and affection...
It's quite possible that Jiang Mei really did bully Wang Yuying and then turned around and blamed her for the incident involving the fluorite.
Thinking about this, Xu Heng recalled carefully, and the more he thought about it, the more detailed it became. He used his detective skills to unravel the case, and the hand that was supporting him on the edge of the bed tightened its grip. Finally, he realized that he had indeed been an accomplice to the evildoer and had wronged Yingniang.
Why didn't I think about it more deeply back then?
Xu Heng recalled what he had said to Wang Yuying: "Mei Niang doesn't understand anything, so just forgive her," and "Don't always assume malicious intent in others; Mei Niang meant well." What kind of words were those?!
If you were in Wang Yuying's shoes, you'd be furious.
She suffered so much injustice.
He remembered that when he entered Fuyu Palace, Jiang Mei covered her face and fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face, while Wang Yuying raised her right arm. He then arbitrarily concluded that Wang Yuying had slapped Jiang Mei.
Years later, upon reflection, he realized that he had only seen Wang Yuying's back and had not witnessed her making the move. Although Wang Yuying's right arm was suspended in the air, her index finger was outstretched, suggesting that she may have merely pointed at Jiang Mei's face without actually touching her. Jiang Mei then fell to the ground and framed him.
He recalled the tear that Wang Yuying shed outside the Imperial Garden, so vivid in his mind that, even after so many years, it pierced his heart like a knife.
He shouldn't have not only caused Jiang Mei to miscarry, but also kept her as a concubine.
"Someone come here." The bedchamber was silent, and Xu Heng's voice echoed back.
Qingfu hurried into the hall, sensing that the atmosphere was different from usual: "Your Majesty?"
Xu Heng's voice was calm and cold, like a frozen river in the dead of winter: "By imperial decree, Consort Jiang of the Fuyu Palace is unworthy of her position and has become arrogant due to imperial favor. She has repeatedly tried to divulge the emperor's intentions, causing discord within the palace and failing in the virtues of a woman. Now, her title and seal are stripped, and she is demoted to a commoner. From this day forward, she shall be moved to the inner palace and shall not leave without an imperial edict. All her provisions shall be provided according to the regulations for commoners."
*
Outside the Fuyu Hall, plum branches grow strong and vigorous.
Inside the Fuyu Hall, wisps of smoke curled upwards.
Consort Jiang lay on her side on the couch, gazing intently at the incense. She watched as a cluster of ashes at the top burned to ash and then fell, leaving a thick layer of ash in the plain jade tray.
When she was young, she read a poem that read, "Her beauty has not faded, but her favor has already ended." She did not understand its meaning, and at that time, her aunt, who was still favored, could not give her an answer either.
Now I understand, I've realized!
But I don't regret it.
Jiang Mei felt she was right; she was the one who met His Majesty first, many years before the deposed empress.
She turned over, forcing herself to fall asleep. Just as she was starting to feel drowsy, a palace servant rushed into the hall in a panic: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
"What are you doing!" Jiang Mei frowned, about to punish him, but the palace maid put on a smiling face: "Your Highness, Eunuch Qingfu is coming this way!"
In the dead of night, even with the lamps lit, it was still dark. But Jiang Mei's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly said, "Quick, quick, help me change and put on makeup."
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty—" The palace maid called twice before Jiang Mei heard her and turned around. Her personal maid held Jiang Mei's arm and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, it's not His Majesty, it's Eunuch Qingfu."
Jiang Mei raised her hand and touched her right cheek: "I still need to dress up a bit."
The palace maids busied themselves helping her change clothes and do her makeup. Jiang Mei picked out a pair of large pagoda-shaped gourd rings adorned with jewels. The palace maids hesitated, saying, "Your Highness, these are too heavy."
"This is the pair!" Jiang Mei said confidently. Weight didn't matter; the pendant was large, and the Emperor liked it. She applied more powder to make her skin appear whiter, and her lipstick was also a vibrant red.
Just as Jiang Mei finished dressing, Qingfu and a group of eunuchs arrived at the door. She smiled and waved, "Quickly, please invite the eunuch in!"
Qingfu looked at the Imperial Concubine, concealing the pity in his eyes, and slowly unfolded the imperial edict: "Imperial Concubine Jiang of Fuyu Palace, to be summoned—"
Jiang Mei knelt down happily, but after Qingfu read two sentences, her smile froze. She couldn't believe her ears. As Qingfu read on, she recovered, her heart rising and falling, rising and falling again, filled with fear and speculation. This went on and on. When the word "commoner" was pronounced, Jiang Mei's heart felt like it was falling into an abyss.
After Qingfu finished reading, he rolled up the yellow silk and said, "Jiang, receive the decree."
Jiang Mei slumped to the ground.
*
After finishing the morning court session, Xu Heng walked briskly. The Imperial Study was on the right, but he turned left. Qingfu hurriedly reminded him, "Your Majesty, the study is on this side."
Xu Heng said decisively, "Let's put today's memorials aside for now."
Qingfu parted his lips, paused for a moment, and then chased after the emperor.
Xu Heng passed through the moon gate, turned onto the secluded path, which twisted and turned nine times and ten times. There was a small screen in the middle that blocked the way. He could only hear footsteps and breathing, but could not see the people behind the screen. So when he almost bumped into them, Xu Heng realized that the people coming towards him were not palace servants or eunuchs, but Consort Shu and her maids.
Consort Shu curtsied: "Greetings, Your Majesty."
Xu Heng did not lower his chin, but merely glanced down at the ground. After a moment, he said coldly, "Take off those two earrings immediately. You are not allowed to wear them again."
Consort Shu felt a chill in her heart upon hearing this, yet she was puzzled. Xu Heng turned and walked away in an instant, then flicked his sleeve and said, "Rise."
He walked for a long time before the maids in Consort Shu's palace carefully helped their mistress to her feet. Consort Shu slowly turned her head to look back, still puzzled. She had worn these earrings when she returned to the palace from her visit home that day and met the emperor. The emperor had not reprimanded her but instead praised her piety and bestowed upon her tribute silk. Why was she not allowed to wear them today?
Xu Heng had long forgotten what Consort Shu wore during their last meeting. He only thought that one day in the northern frontier, he would bring up the fact that fluorite was cheap and that if the two of them ever escaped poverty, he would let Wang Yuying choose an expensive pair.
Wang Yuying laughed loudly: "Then give me a pair of peach-pink tourmaline paired with jadeite!"
How could such similar earrings be worn by Consort Shu!
Yingniang would be angry if she saw this.
Xu Heng had figured it out last night. After court today, he would personally go to the storeroom to select similar earrings, choosing the most vibrant tourmaline and the greenest jadeite in the world. He would take the earrings to Mount Fuyou. If the mountain wouldn't come to him, he could go to it. Since Wang Yuying refused to return to the palace, he would take the initiative to go to Mount Fuyou, far better than those hesitant, roundabout encounters and waiting!
Xu Heng's heart was pounding with excitement, and despite the stuffy, poorly ventilated warehouse, he remained in a state of high arousal.
He carefully selected about ten sets of jewelry and various gifts. When he came out of the storeroom, it was past 3:30 PM. Rain was falling from the eaves like a curtain, there was mist in the sky, and puddles on the ground.
"Your Majesty." Qingfu hurriedly opened the umbrella, and Xu Heng took it from him and rushed back to his palace. He took out half of a white jade pendant, tied it to his waist, patted the white jade lightly with his right hand, and then covered it with his palm.
Now that everything was complete, Xu Heng smiled with satisfaction: "Inform them that court will be adjourned tomorrow."
Qingfu was stunned when Xu Heng hurriedly said, "After you finish this, come with me out of the palace and go to Wang's Fried Balls."
Qingfu hurriedly said, "If Your Majesty wants to eat meatballs, I can simply send someone to buy them. Why make Your Majesty brave the rain?"
Xu Heng shook his head. No, he wanted to buy it for Yingniang himself.
Many people braved the rain to celebrate the festival, and vehicles moved slowly to avoid skidding and collisions. Xu Heng choked at the sight and had no choice but to order his driver to slow down as well. When they arrived at Wang's shop, there was a long queue. Unwilling to use his privilege to cut in line, he opened his umbrella and joined the end of the queue. By the time he bought the radish balls, it was already past dusk, and night was falling.
Xu Heng glanced at the darkness; at this rate, they wouldn't reach Yuqing Temple before midnight.
"Bring me a raincoat and a raincoat," Xu Heng ordered. He then drew the sword from his guard's waist and cut the carriage's harness. Once the raincoat and raincoat arrived, he slung the gifts for Wang Yuying onto his horse, covered himself with the raincoat, put on the raincoat and hat, and rode out of the city on horseback.
The rain and fog were thick, and the darkness added to the already poor visibility. Yet, Xu Heng's eyesight was unusually sharp tonight. He headed straight for Floating Mountain—he had been wrong before; upon seeing Wang Yuying, he would apologize and accept her punishment. From now on, he would try to see things from her perspective. The wind howled, the rain was heavy, and the sky was pitch black. Not only was the Taoist temple invisible, but even the outline of Floating Mountain was obscured. Yet, Xu Heng still smiled, his eyes shining: "Yingniang, I've come to see you!"
A note from the author:
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I'll be releasing a 10,000-word update tomorrow (it will be a paid chapter). Thank you all for your support.
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