Chapter 8: Incident

When the King of Wei saw the King of Linzi and the King of Baling, he smiled but didn't smile. He asked, "I was just looking for the two princes. It's rare for you to leave the palace. Why didn't you come to the banquet but came to the back instead?"

This was the Empress' most trusted nephew. He had said in front of the Empress several times that the Crown Prince had ulterior motives and wanted to abolish the Zhou Dynasty and restore the Tang Dynasty. If it had not been for the strong support of the old ministers headed by Di Lao, the Crown Prince and his sons would probably have died.

The Crown Prince lived in fear all day, and when Prince Baling saw Prince Wei, he instinctively felt fear. On the contrary, Prince Linzi was relatively calm, and said with reason: "My fourth brother and I were ordered by the Empress Dowager to leave the palace, and we dare not neglect our filial piety. Aunt Taiping and my father have a deep affection for each other, and we are here to show our filial piety to Aunt Taiping, and we dare not be careless."

The words of the Prince of Linzi seemed humble, but they were full of meaning. He first brought up the Empress to warn the Prince of Wei not to act rashly, and then brought up Princess Taiping to imply that the Crown Prince, Princess Taiping and the Empress were blood relatives, and were different from the Prince of Wei, who was a nephew from another family.

The King of Wei stared at the King of Linzi with a gloomy look. The King of Ding looked around and suddenly fixed his eyes on Ming Huazhang and Ming Huashang and asked, "Who are these?"

Ming Huashang was listening to the confrontation between the Li and Wu families with trepidation, and suddenly the focus turned to her, she was stunned. Fortunately, Ming Huazhang always stood in front of her. The young man's slender and straight back blocked those ambiguous looks for her, and he bowed and said, "I am Ming Huazhang from the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion, and this is my sister."

When Prince Ding heard about the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, he had some impression of it and asked curiously, "Could it be that you are the dragon and phoenix fetuses?"

Ming Huazhang nodded slightly: "That's right."

Prince Ding was a famous handsome man when he was young. Now that he is middle-aged, his appearance and figure are still well maintained, and he has even added a touch of elegance and calmness that a young man does not have.

He glanced at Ming Huazhang. He had not attended banquets for a long time and did not even know when such a handsome young man appeared in Luoyang.

In fact, both male and female members of the Wu family are good-looking, and the empress's "beautiful appearance" when she was young is worthy of special mention in official history. But this young man is different. His good looks are noble, cold, and naturally arrogant, which is completely different from the Wu family's soft and charming appearance, as if he was born to be worshipped.

Such temperament reminded him of an old friend - Princess Taiping's first husband, the deceased consort Xue Shao.

Prince Ding noticed that the young man had been vaguely blocking the woman behind him. He smiled softly and said, "A dragon-phoenix fetus is a good omen. The princess likes this kind of auspicious sign the most. Have you met the princess?"

"Replying to Prince Ding, I have already greeted the princess."

Princess Taiping had already rushed out of the palace when she heard that the King of Wei had collided with the King of Linzi and the King of Baling. She had a red scarf on her arm, and as if she hadn't noticed the obviously agitated atmosphere on the King of Wei's side, she smiled and said, "King of Wei, Prince Consort, why don't you come in now that you're here? It's windy outside, and it's expected to snow tonight, and it's going to be pretty cold. Come in quickly, and you can play a game of double six with me."

After Princess Taiping appeared, Prince Linzi quietly relaxed his shoulders, knowing that he was safe for the time being. As expected, after seeing Princess Taiping, Prince Wei could not make trouble again, and walked into the palace half jokingly and half tentatively: "There are so many young talents here today, why don't you go to the poetry meeting and take a look, but stay in the back palace by yourself?"

Princess Taiping chuckled and said with seductive eyes: "Isn't the King of Wei here? My dear husband, don't take sides today. I will play a good game with the King of Wei."

The King of Wei laughed and said, "That's not right. As for favoritism, Youji doesn't even know who he sides with. Youji, tell me, is your heart with me or with the princess?"

Prince Ding Wu Youji just smiled gently and walked into the inner hall filled with spring atmosphere, surrounded by his attendants and maids.

The curtain was lowered, and the laughter in the hall could no longer be heard. Ming Huashang finally dared to raise her head. She found that Ming Huazhang was looking in the direction of the hall door, his eyes were as black as black jade, cold and focused.

Ming Huashang called cautiously: "Second brother?"

Ming Huazhang came back to his senses, withdrew his gaze calmly, and said, "Let's go."

Ming Huachang nodded silently. Prince Linzi and Prince Baling also looked like they had survived a disaster. Ming Huazhang went up to greet them. Prince Linzi and Prince Baling did not dare to offend anyone at the moment. They responded politely, but they really did not have the energy to exchange pleasantries. The four of them walked together for a while and then went their separate ways at a fork in the road.

After Prince Linzi and Prince Baling left, Ming Huashang, holding the incense burner, quietly approached Ming Huazhang and said, "Second brother, do you feel that the King of Wei was too aggressive today, as if he had a grudge?"

Ming Huazhang was surprised for a moment, obviously not expecting Ming Huachang to say this. He paused and asked, "How do you know?"

Ming Huashang tilted her head slightly and pouted, "I can't explain it, I just have a feeling."

Ming Huazhang didn't take Ming Huachang's words to heart and said, "The King of Wei has always been resentful of the Crown Prince. You don't have to be afraid. No matter how much they fight, it won't affect you. In front is the warm pavilion where the women gather. I'll take you there first."

Ming Huashang was too lazy to care about the fate of the princes at the top of the dynasty. The next emperor's surname was Wu or Li, and the country's name was Zhou or Tang. What did it have to do with her?

She is nothing more than a fake daughter, without money, power or support. In another year she will return to the common people. Who is the emperor above her? Won't the common people have to make a living the same way?

Ming Huachang put the words and things he had just heard and seen behind him without hesitation. They soon arrived at the warm pavilion, which was full of unmarried ladies. Ming Huazhang could not stay too long, so he watched Ming Huachang go in and then turned around and left.

When Ming Huazhang came over, the warm room was quiet. The ladies seemed to be doing their own things, but in fact they were all looking at Ming Huazhang. When Ming Huazhang turned around, the warm room suddenly exploded.

"That's Ming Jiro? He's really extraordinary."

"Who is the woman next to him? She is so beautiful that she can be escorted by Jilang himself."

A bunch of people immediately gathered around Ming Huashang. She was used to this kind of treatment and explained calmly and skillfully, "That's my brother. Yes, I am his twin sister."

The women's looks at their love rival immediately turned into flattering looks. They looked Ming Huashang up and down, and were very satisfied with their sister-in-law. They surrounded Ming Huashang and asked her all kinds of questions, but the topic always revolved around Ming Huazhang.

Although Ming Huachang was lazy about socializing and calculating, it didn't mean she didn't understand. Who Ming Huazhang married was Ming Huazhang's own business, and at the very least, it was the business of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, and had nothing to do with her.

Ming Huashang didn't want to be a tool for these women, nor did she want to play the harmonious drama of sister-in-law and sister-in-law with them. She glanced around and didn't see Ren Yao, so she changed the subject and asked, "Where is Madam Ren from the Pingnan Marquis's Mansion?"

When the woman next to him heard the name, she curled her lips and slowly waved her fan, saying, "She is a very busy person, different from ordinary people like us. She is probably making connections."

The ladies not far away heard this and burst out laughing: "She is a woman, how can she make connections? Everyone is reluctant to reject her for the sake of Madam Ren and the late Marquis of Pingnan. Does she really think she is an important person?"

"Yes." The ladies echoed, "The court has kept the Pingnan Marquisate for the sake of Madam Ren. Once Madam Ren is gone, there will be no heir to the Pingnan Marquisate, so won't the title have to be revoked? I heard that Madam Ren has brought in the concubine's branch that was separated in the early years. In my opinion, if Ren Yao is really smart, she should build good relationships with her concubine's uncle and cousins. If it is really the concubine's turn to inherit the marquisate in the future, she can curry favor with the new marquis, so that she can at least prepare a dowry for her and have a family to return to in the future. Otherwise, if she is wronged in her husband's family, no one will care for her."

The woman who spoke first covered her lips and laughed: "Who would dare to marry her if she looks like that?"

"That's right." The noble ladies burst into laughter. Ming Huashang, who was listening beside them, felt very uncomfortable.

Ming Huashang couldn't listen any longer, so she stood up and said, "It's a bit stuffy in the hall, I'm going to go for a walk outside. Please take your seats, I'll leave you later."

When the female relatives saw Ming Huashang was about to leave, they tried to keep her, but Ming Huashang ignored them and quickly walked out of the warm pavilion into the dark snowy night.

It was a sunny day during the day, and the west wind blew in the evening. Snowflakes fell from the sky, and it might snow again. Ming Huashang held a heavy cloak, holding a gilded incense burner in her hand, and walked slowly in the deep corridor without lighting a lamp.

When those ladies said those frivolous things to Ren Yao, Ming Huashang would always think of herself a year later. They hugged her now and were very affectionate, but Ming Huashang knew that they didn't really want to be friends with her, but used her to please Ming Huazhang.

When the real daughter returns to the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion in another year, what will they say about her behind her back? If she dies alone in the side yard late at night, will the nobles of Luoyang just say that she deserves it?

Ming Huashang exhaled a breath of foul air. At this time, they turned a corner. Ming Huashang raised her head and suddenly saw a pale face wearing a red dress. She was terribly frightened.

Unexpectedly, the woman in red across from him also staggered two steps and screamed, "Ghost!"

Ming Huashang recognized that this was just a servant girl, but her face was illuminated by the light, which made her look particularly eerie. Ming Huashang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "It's not a ghost, I am Ming Erniang from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion."

The woman opposite held up a lamp and carefully shone it on the shadow of Ming Huashang. Only then did she calm down and said, "It's Miss Ming. I'm sorry. Miss Ming, it's so dark, why don't you hold up a lamp?"

Ming Huashang deliberately shook off the maid who was leading the way, not wanting to be disturbed. She said, "It's rare to see such heavy snow. I wanted to see the light of the snow, so I didn't light a lamp. By the way, do you know where Madam Ren of the Marquis of Pingnan's mansion is?"

The maid in red frowned and thought for a moment, then said, "It seems to be over there. When I came here, I saw Miss Ren standing under the rockery, motionless and intimidating."

Ming Huashang thanked her and walked in the direction the maid pointed, holding up her skirt.

There was snow outside the corridor, and the accumulated snow reflected a shimmering white. Even without a lantern, it did not affect walking. Ming Huashang followed the maid's path and saw a dark figure leaning against a stone at the corner, staring blankly at the snow in the sky.

Ming Huashang struggled to lift the large and heavy coat and called out, "Sister Ren!"

Ren Yao turned around and squinted for a long time before recognizing Ming Huashang: "Why is it you?"

Ming Huashang came running over and said with a smile, "I'm enjoying the snow here. I heard from the maid that you were here, so I came to talk to you. Why are you standing in the snow? Are you cold? My incense burner has just been heated with charcoal, so it's still hot. Here, I'll give it to you!"

Ren Yao glanced at the hand warmer that was emitting heat, and then looked at Ming Huashang's bright eyes. He felt even more depressed for some reason: "No, I'm used to practicing martial arts, so this little bit of cold is nothing. You look so delicate and weak, so you should keep it for yourself."

Ming Huashang said "Oh" and silently put away the hand warmer, but still stood beside Ren Yao and chatted with her casually: "I heard about what happened at the banquet. There are always more people in the world who are jealous of others' success than those who sincerely wish them well. Don't take it too seriously."

Ren Yao sneered and said, "How could I bother with a bunch of young ladies who have to rely on others for food, clothing, shelter and transportation? I just feel bad. I don't want to be like them. I have been practicing martial arts desperately these years just to be able to rely on myself one day, but I found that there is no way for women to rely on themselves in this world."

Ming Huashang listened in silence. If it was someone else's sarcastic remarks, Ming Huashang could still try to comfort them; but Ren Yao was concerned about the invisible oppression in this world, and Ming Huashang could not say a word.

Ren Yao forgot that the woman in front of her was just someone she had known for a day. The voice that had been pent up in her heart for many years burst out: "My father and brother's old friends were very sympathetic after hearing about my experience, and said that they would take good care of me in the future. But when I mentioned that I wanted to inherit the Marquisate, they all seemed to have heard a fantasy, as if they didn't understand why I would have such a bizarre idea. Everyone thinks that my uncle is a bad guy who eats, drinks, and gambles, but they also think that the Marquisate should be handed over to a man. If not my uncle, he should be adopted by a young cousin and raised by me. The Marquisate of Pingnan must have a man, so how can it be handed over to a woman like me?"

"But, that is clearly my home! Why has it become someone else's gift for me to live in my own home and keep my parents' property?"

Ming Huashang was silent for a long time, then walked down the stairs and silently held Ren Yao's hand. As expected, her hands were cold, and she didn't know how long she had been standing in the snow.

Ren Yao did not cry when she practiced martial arts in the hot summer and cold winter, did not cry when she was punished by her grandmother to kneel in the ancestral hall, did not cry when she was repeatedly rejected at banquets, but now someone held her with a warm hand, she suddenly lost her temper. Ren Yao lowered her head, tears fell, and asked with a sob: "Women can become emperors, why can't they inherit the Marquisate?"

Ming Huashang understood Ren Yao's pain, but she still had to remind her: "Sister Ren, be careful with your words."

Ming Huashang's voice was low and gentle. As she opened her mouth, a piercing scream filled the night sky, completely drowning out her voice: "Ah, ghost!"