Yuan Yunzhong said, "You still remember the incident where you were suddenly summoned into the palace to identify the age markings, right? The Eldest Imperial Son was staying in Cining Palace, and someone, using the Empress’s name, sent steamed cakes to the Eldest Imperial Son. As a result, the Eldest Imperial Son suffered from vomiting and diarrhea, scaring the Empress Dowager and the Empress half to death. After the investigation, it was said by the people of Kunning Palace that the cakes had come from Anxi Palace; the people from Anxi Palace denied sending them. Up until now, it’s still a muddled account, and just at this time, Consort Ji fell ill."
Consort Ji is the biological mother of the Eldest Imperial Son.
Jiyun couldn’t help but exclaim, "Does the Eldest Imperial Son know about Consort Ji’s illness? Is her illness serious?"
"The Eldest Imperial Son probably doesn’t know that Consort Ji is ill," Yuan Yunzhong said. "As for how serious Consort Ji’s condition is, I am not in a position to inquire about the concubines in the Inner Palace. However, from what a senior brother from the Board of Rites told me, it seems that it’s not a serious illness."
The Board of Rites consisted of officials close to the emperor, so knowing about Consort Ji’s condition was not surprising.
"I guess someone saw you enter the palace and used you to sneak the Eldest Imperial Son out," Yuan Yunzhong said. "Otherwise, the Eldest Imperial Son wouldn’t have been able to hide in your sedan chair."
Jiyun frowned.
Yuan Yunzhong smiled and said, "You don’t need to worry. From the way the emperor is handling this, it seems he was aware of the Eldest Imperial Son’s situation beforehand. Sending Xu Guangzeng and Shao Qing over, there might have been such consideration as well. This child deserves pity. Just take good care of him for some days, let the child breathe a sigh of relief."
Thinking of how the Eldest Imperial Son ate, Jiyun shook his head with a bitter smile, "Even less like the home of ordinary folks!"
"Isn’t that the truth." Yuan Yunzhong said, laughing, "The emperor has agreed to my trip to Jingde Town. It’s just that a lot has happened recently, so it might be a few months before the trip can happen."
"Really?" Jiyun was also very pleased to hear this.
Being able to return smoothly without offending the emperor, waiting a bit longer was okay.
"Then this is good news." She then thought about Yuan Yunzhong’s prolonged stay in Jingde Town and that he would definitely need many items he was accustomed to using.
She couldn’t help smiling radiantly, "Food is easy to say, we have ready-made Suzhou and Hangzhou chefs at home. Jingde Town might not have as many clothing fabrics as the Capital, but we can shop in Nanjing. However, the furs from the Capital are definitely better than those in Nanjing. I’ll speak to Zhou Zheng, asking him to help us buy some furs to take back. For other needs, we might need Wang Hua’s help..."
She calculated the days and said, "Starting to pack now, we can depart in a few months, which is just right."
Yuan Yunzhong smiled and nodded, and the two went to the study to make a list.
Wang Hua came in and said, "My lord, people from the palace have arrived, asking you to rush to Qianqing Palace."
Yuan Yunzhong seemed somewhat reluctant, asking, "Did they say what it’s about?"
He explained to Jiyun, "Lately I have been helping the emperor handle domestic affairs, listening to his complaints. If it’s nothing urgent, I’ve decided to ask for a leave."
"It’s about Prince Ning," Wang Hua said. "It seems that the Prince of Ruichang will be entering the Capital in a few days, and you are to lead the Ministry of Rites to welcome him."
The Prince of Ruichang is Prince Ning’s biological brother.
Could this be related to what Yuan Yunzhong mentioned about "replacing someone as Prince Ning"?
Jiyun asked Yuan Yunzhong.
Yuan Yunzhong casually responded, "He has been placed under house arrest."
Jiyun was surprised.
She had not heard any whispers about it.
Yuan Yunzhong smiled and helped her pluck a pomegranate flower petal that had fallen onto her hair, saying with a laugh, "Otherwise, why would the Prince of Ruichang be coming to the Capital!"
But Nanchang Prefecture is a thousand miles away from here, wouldn’t it take two or three months just to travel?
Could it be that he had already planned to keep Prince Ning in the Capital?
Jiyun said, "Then what will happen to Prince Ning?"
"Not much!" Yuan Yunzhong laughed, "After all, as a prince and royal grandson, he will be well provided for, no matter if he has a title or not. It’s much better than for ordinary people."
But it was precisely because he had enjoyed such brilliance that it was all the harder to endure the solitude.
But what did this have to do with her and Yuan Yunzhong?
Jiyun smiled and straightened Yuan Yunzhong’s clothes, sending him off in his sedan chair.
*
In the East Crossing Courtyard of the Siyi Pavilion, Prince Ning, looking at the hall where nothing more could be smashed and at the young eunuch shivering and hiding behind the large red floor column, furiously tore down the hanging curtain, threw it on the ground, and stomped on it a few times.
"Yuan Zhi," he gritted his teeth, furiously said, "You just wait, if I don’t kill you, I won’t be surnamed Zhu."
He shouted Yuan Yunzhong’s name.
The Young Eunuch was so frightened that he hardly dared to breathe.
Prince Ning looked up and saw the newly bricked red walls through a small gap in the half-opened window lattice.
He was trapped in this small square courtyard.
He was trembling with anger.
It was all Yuan Zhi’s fault, all Yuan Zhi’s fault.
If it hadn’t been for Yuan Zhi always circling around about Song Jiyun knowing how to fire porcelain, how would the Emperor suspect that his desire to marry Song Jiyun was to take advantage of the Song Family’s kiln factory, to have Song Jiyun help him make porcelain, to continue smuggling?
The Emperor was a fool too!
Being led by the nose by Yuan Yunzhong and not knowing it.
So what if he fired some porcelain in the wild kiln to earn some silver? His ancestors had even given the nation to the Emperor, what was wrong with him making some money to spend?
Thinking this, he stepped forward and kicked over the multi-tiered shelf used as a divider.
A few people sequentially walked in through the locked corner gate.
The person in the lead was wearing vermillion clothes, holding an imperial decree.
He was stunned.
Qin Fang spoke out loud, "Prince Ning, heed the decree."
Prince Ning thought for a moment, then still knelt down.
Qin Fang respectfully raised the bright yellow imperial decree embroidered with a dragon stepping on multicolored auspicious clouds towards the direction of the Qianqing Palace and said loudly, "This servant, following the Emperor’s order, questions Prince Ning."
Prince Ning bowed his head in assent.
Only then did Qin Fang unfold the decree and said, "On the 8th day of the fourth month in the year of Dinghai, did you harbor three thousand five hundred and sixty-four refugees?"
Prince Ning was startled and looked up in astonishment.
Qin Fang’s face wore a smile, yet that smile seemed to carry some contempt no matter how one looked at it.
"My Lord," he said softly, "This servant is also acting on orders, my apologies to you."
Prince Ning’s lips tightened into a thin line.
Although Qin Fang did not continue to ask whether he did or did not, his next words made Prince Ning’s heart quiver with fear, producing a very bad intuition.
"On the 23rd day of the 11th month in the year of Dinghai, what were you doing in the Meiling Mountains with fifty-four colonels?"
"On the 16th day of the 5th month in the year of Wuzi, what were you doing in Fengxin County with one hundred and thirty-seven colonels?"
"On the 13th day of the 7th month in the year of Wuzi, during the third watch of You Hour, who did you meet with on a boat in Poyang Lake?"
"On the 8th day of the 3rd month in the year of Jichou, you went to Dragon Tiger Mountain and met Celestial Master Zhang, Celestial Master Zhang prophesized for you ’Purple Aura from the East’, at the Shangrao post-station, did you ever say to your staff officer, ’Heaven blesses our line which will not be extinguished’?"
Prince Ning’s sweat dripped down large and heavy.
He jumped up and rushed toward Qin Fang, trying to snatch the imperial decree, "Is it Yuan Zhi? Is it Yuan Zhi? He’s framing me! He saw me wanting to take his wife, so he framed me!"
A look of contempt flashed in Qin Fang’s eyes, thinking: You clearly knew that the Song Clan was Yuan Yunzhong’s wife, yet you still forcibly took another man’s wife, who else would deal with you if not him?
He took several steps back rapidly, while the people beside him shielded him.
"My Lord, the Emperor is still waiting for this servant to return with a response! You are of noble birth, why trouble a servant like me!"
If Yuan Yunzhong had only accused Prince Ning of harboring refugees for plotting mischief, perhaps Prince Ning would have had a chance to escape. But Yuan Yunzhong’s report stated that he had personally gone to Dragon Tiger Mountain, seen Celestial Master Zhang, who even said he had the aura of an emperor. Who would die if not him?
Qin Fang looked at Prince Ning as if staring at a dead object.
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