Chapter 11 Entering the Palace and Living in Harmony with My Husband
Lu Tingwan hesitated for a long time before finally speaking frankly, "Sir, to be honest, I'm not a flower farmer. I'm just a small flower dealer in Kyoto. These flowers are shipped in from outside the city every day."
Lu Tingwan pointed out the window toward Jingzhao Prefecture. "They've imprisoned the flower farmers who supply me for no apparent reason. They haven't committed any serious crime, yet the people from the Criminal Justice Department are just imprisoning them without asking any questions."
Cheng Xianzhi would not just listen to her one-sided story. He did not know the person in front of him, but he was well aware of the Jingzhao Prefecture's methods of handling cases. Even if the case was handled unfairly and severely, it would definitely not be without reason.
"I advise you to think it over carefully before you speak," he warned. "You don't have much time left."
Lu Tingwan rephrased, "Yes, there was a dispute between the farmers and merchants on the farm. The two sides fought each other and reported it to the government office, but there was a reason for it."
"Those merchants are bullying others by co-opting merchants in Kyoto City to suppress the market price for flower farmers. However, the purchase price offered to retail traders like us in the city is even higher than the normal market price, which has already disrupted the market."
"If this is really as you said, farmers and retail investors can go to Jingzhao Prefecture to file a lawsuit, and the Jingzhao prefect will make the final decision. You are so eager to block my way, just because you want me to seek justice for you?" Cheng Xianzhi's patience is running out.
"Yes, but it's more than that," Lu Tingwan said with a sharp gaze, "These flower farmers are all good people. If the merchants hadn't come to cause trouble, why would they hurt anyone? I just saw that Cao Guanqing was quite respectful to you, sir. I guess your official position is higher than his, so he can speak a few words. Aren't you going to investigate the property tax?"
"I happen to have a friend who works in the real estate industry. I can get you some reliable information. There's no need to mobilize a large force. What you're doing," Lu Tingwan glanced at the piles of files behind him, "will only alert the enemy. If a mouse knows a cat is coming, won't it hide quickly?"
Cheng Xianzhi finally calmed down, leaning his elbows back on the pile of case files, and showing a rare kindness: "The case in Jingzhao Prefecture is under the jurisdiction of the prefect. Even the three courts don't need to investigate. You want me to interfere..."
After a pause, he said, "It's not completely impossible."
Just because he can't intervene doesn't mean others can't. The court has extensive connections, and it wouldn't be difficult for Cheng Xianzhi to ask Cao Guanqing to release a few people, if Cao Guanqing knows what's good for him.
"But if what you do for me is not to my liking." He lowered his head and looked down at the people. Lu Tingwan's eyelashes fluttered. "I will have your shop turned upside down."
This person has a very bad temper. Who is he?
Lu Tingwan had only been in Kyoto for a short time, and she hadn't heard of many officials. Apart from her adopted husband, whom she had never met, and her father, there were really few people she could relate to.
"My Lord, a gentleman's word is as good as mine. I will certainly not let you down. But if I have any clues, how can I contact you?"
Cheng Xianzhi said nothing, but raised the curtain. With a single glance, the attendants outside ushered the man out. Lu Tingwan was bewildered. This man's words were so boring, pretending to be profound, always trying to make people guess, yet he had something to ask of him, so he dared not utter a word.
Besides, she didn't know his identity and she was also constrained. If she really offended him, she would probably not be able to survive in Kyoto in the future.
After the carriage started moving, the curtain was suddenly lifted, and the person inside said calmly: "I will send someone to look for you."
The wheels disappeared in a burst of noise. The words were like a thunderbolt. Lu Tingwan felt inexplicably panicked. He didn't even know his own name or where he lived, but he could find someone in Kyoto at any time. It was no exaggeration to say that he had connections in the imperial city.
Lu Tingwan shuddered after thinking about it, turned around and looked at the high walls of Jingzhao Prefecture. His sight gradually moved upwards from the white walls, and the green tiles came into view. With the sunlight pouring in, his eyes were dazzled. He looked up again, and the blue sky and white clouds were piled up by the high walls and obscured by the branches.
"This Kyoto is truly a world of power." She couldn't help but sigh and shook her head helplessly.
Her clothes were stained with mud, so she had to go back to Zhichunli to change into clean clothes and settle today's accounts. If she wanted to find out information for Cheng Xianzhi, she would have to go through Luo Yunchu, so it seemed that she had to visit him again.
Before the people reached Zhichunli, they met Feng Xin who came in a hurry to deliver a message.
Lu Mingqian sent a message to the Cheng residence, asking Lu Tingwan to return. She had only returned once, over a month after her wedding. At that time, Lu Mingqian was not at home. If he had called her specifically, she assumed it was someone in the palace who wanted to play a pawn on her.
The carriage stopped at the Lu residence. Lu Tingwan changed into a silver silk brocade dress embroidered with hundreds of flowers, with a green silk ribbon hanging from her waist. The girl's delicate features seemed as if meticulously carved by a craftsman, with not a single flaw to be found. No matter which angle you looked at her, she was beautiful in a different way.
The girl is as pretty as the sun, always smiling. She has a peony-shaped hairpin pinned to her hair, which is delicate and exquisite, but does not overshadow the rest of her appearance. The most eye-catching thing is her makeup, and rouge is just the icing on the cake.
She seemed to have figured out Lu Mingqian's thoughts in advance. Since she was going to enter the palace, she had to behave decently.
I heard that the current Empress Dowager Jiang has been ruling the country behind the scenes for nearly ten years. She was born in a military family and likes to take care of flowers and plants. There were rumors in the early years when the late emperor was still alive that the emperor personally planted Clivia to make the daughter of Bo Jiang smile.
Clivia is not easy to grow, so the emperor worked day and night and posted notices to find talented people all over the world, just to teach the emperor how to grow Clivia.
At this moment, Lu Tingwan was holding a pot of Clivia in her hand. It was a famous brand she bought from a farmer and it was of high quality.
The Lu family's carriage entered the palace. Inside the Jinhua Hall, the empress dowager was waiting in formal attire. Calming incense was burning in the room. They had just entered the main hall.
As Lu Tingwan nodded, she kept glancing at the surrounding layout. There were several grape vines planted outside the main hall where she lived. The vines were entwined around the fence and climbing up, as if they were trying to climb over the high wall. There were several bunches of small green fruits under the vines, just like the Yansheng Hall where she lived now.
She also transplanted a few grape plants in the yard, but she was busy these days, going out early and coming back late, and had no time to take care of them, so she didn't know whether they would bear fruit.
His thoughts drifted away, as if he was back in Jiangling. Every Mid-Autumn Festival, his mother Jiang would cut the ripe grapes to make wine, cakes, or drinks. The past flooded into Lu Tingwan's mind, and his vision was blurred without him even noticing.
In the main hall, Palace Master Hong summoned someone to enter. Lu Tingwan raised her head halfway, tears streaming down her eyes. She subconsciously brushed them across her cheeks. The tears came so unexpectedly that even she was caught off guard.
After her mother passed away, she burst into tears in the dark night when no one was around. It was just that one time. After venting her anger, she still lived a fulfilling life every day with endless work to do. Perhaps she was born with this kind of personality and would not lose herself because of anyone's departure.
The uncles and aunts in the neighborhood felt sorry for her and advised her to be more open-minded. Lu Tingwan smiled and said that those who stayed should always look forward.
"Second Madam Cheng, the Empress Dowager invites you in." Palace Manager Hong interrupted her reverie. Lu Tingwan collected her thoughts, responded politely, and stepped in.
Queen Mother Jiang was wearing a purple brocade palace robe embroidered with gold thread, with precious glazed purple beads hanging from the cuffs. Her towering bun was pinned with red flame phoenix golden hairpins on both sides, and her skin was whiter than snow.
Lu Tingwan sighed inwardly, her face not matching her age. She had never seen such a noble woman before. When she first saw Liu in Kyoto, she had been stunned. Now, even standing beside the empress dowager, Liu seemed dull and dreary, like a flower among green leaves. But a true national beauty needs no green leaves to stand out.
"Your servant Lu Tingwan pays homage to the Empress Dowager." Lu Tingwan performed the kneeling ceremony.
Queen Mother Jiang's wide sleeves moved slightly, and the glazed purple beads on her cuffs clashed with each other, making a lingering sound. "Stand up, and I will grant you a seat."
"Thank you, Empress Dowager."
Lu Tingwan kept her head down the entire time, not daring to look too blatantly. Queen Mother Jiang also looked at her. Although she was from the countryside, her behavior was generous and unconventional, and her manners were considerate. She did not seem petty at all, which was somewhat different from what Lu Mingqian said.
"Lu Tingwan?" Empress Dowager Jiang said kindly, "You are already the second wife of Cheng Pushe, so it's time to change your name."
"Your Highness the Queen Mother's teachings will be remembered by your humble subject." Lu Tingwan folded her arms and clasped her hands together.
"Look up."
Lu Tingwan slowly raised her head, and after seeing the empress dowager's shoulder, her gaze did not move upwards again.
"She is a beautiful woman. When Lu Pushe was young, he was considered a dashing and charming man in the capital. You look a bit like him."
"In reply to the Queen Mother, my mother said that I look more like her. If you look closely at my features, I am somewhat similar to my father. But I feel that I look like no one but myself." She spoke frankly, certain that the Queen Mother would not hold it against her.
"Only like myself?" Queen Mother Jiang found it amusing and gave Palace Master Hong a meaningful smile. "Only like myself."
She repeated these words. When she was young, she had said the same thing to the late emperor. But later, she went deep into the palace and got caught up in the struggles of the imperial city step by step. She could no longer tell whether it was herself or someone else in this body.
She no longer felt like herself.
"I hope that many years later, you can still say the same thing. I see that you are somewhat similar to me when I was young, innocent and naive."
"I'm not very satisfied with you. I heard that you asked to marry into the Cheng family, but the person I personally chose was not you, Lu Tingwan, but your elder sister, Lu Tingwu."
Lu Tingwan could not force her sister to commit suicide, so she told the Queen Mother that she was unwilling to marry Cheng Xian.
I could only make up a plausible excuse, "Your Majesty, I have mentioned this to my father. My sister is always by our parents' side. If she gets married, I'm afraid they will be reluctant to let her go."
"I am young and still playful. If my elder sister gets married, I am afraid I won't be able to serve the elders in every detail like my elder sister does. I also feel sorry for my mother and want to see her children separated. I also heard that Master Cheng is a distinguished man in Kyoto and a handsome young man. It is natural for people to love beauty. After seeing Master Cheng once, I fell in love with him, and it was also out of selfish motives."
Secretly in love? She was quite frank, not blushing or fluttering when she lied.
However, if she has feelings for Cheng Xianzhi, it will not be a good thing for Queen Mother Jiang.
"Since your father has promised you to marry, I believe he has already told you some things. Is there no need for me to say more?"
Here it comes! Queen Mother Jiang’s intention lies here.
"The Empress Dowager and my father have worked hard, and I understand it in my heart. I will obey your orders and will do my best to fulfill your mission." Lu Tingwan had already made preparations.
"You have been in the mansion for over a month. Are you and your husband still getting along well?"
"Harmony." She answered so straightforwardly, without any guilt at all, that Queen Mother Jiang believed her.
"Has Cheng Xianzhi been to your room?"
"I have been, but not often." Lu Tingwan lied without blushing, "I haven't been here recently, nor have I been to the Madam's courtyard. I've been staying in the study. My husband is busy with official duties and doesn't want us to disturb him."
"Your Highness?" She became less reserved as she probed again and again. "Your Excellency has an important mission in the palace, otherwise he wouldn't even go to the First Madam's courtyard."
Queen Mother Jiang said bluntly, "There are doubts about the Ministry of Revenue's tax accounts this year. I have appointed him to investigate the property tax. Cheng Xianzhi has joined the official duties. This will surely implicate many officials. I want you to keep an eye on Cheng Xianzhi. Will it be difficult?"
The purpose is obvious.
As she guessed, her spy finally moved.
"It would be a good thing if Cheng Xianzhi could find out the information and report it to the court. Is the Empress Dowager worried that he might keep it secret?"
Hong Zhanggong's eyes were sharp, warning her that she had crossed the line.
Queen Mother Jiang spoke calmly, "I never like people to ask about what I do. As for the process, I don't care, I only care about the result."
"If you can't do it, someone else can."
Lu Tingwan knelt down quickly and said, "It is my honor to share the Empress Dowager's worries. I can do it."
"That's good. I know you are a good child." Queen Mother Jiang waved her hand, and Palace Master Hong took out a box from the inner room.
"This is a night-shining pearl sent as tribute from the South China Sea. The emperor, out of filial piety, gave me two for my enjoyment. Today, seeing that you truly match my feelings, I want to give this night-shining pearl to you."
The tribute of the South China Sea's Night Pearls was only two each year. How could Lu Tingwan dare to accept such a great gift? He was in a stalemate, not daring to refuse or accept it.
Palace Manager Hong was in a difficult position, as there was no gift from the Empress Dowager that he couldn't deliver.
"Why? You don't like it?"
"No, no, I like it, but it is too precious. Without merit, there is no great reward. I dare not accept such a great gift."
"I like you, and this is your credit." Queen Mother Jiang raised her hand, and Palace Master Hong placed the golden nanmu box in her hand.
Lu Tingwan had no choice but to answer.
Queen Mother Jiang looked at the desk beside her and had been staring at the pot of Clivia for a long time.
"Is this the Clivia miniata?" The Clivia miniata is a well-known variety, but it is also precious. Its flowering period can last up to two months, but it is not easy to cultivate.
Lu Tingwan almost forgot about this, she stood up and handed it over.
"Your Majesty, my father once mentioned that you love flowers and plants, and that orchids are the most beautiful flowers. I am so bold as to offer them to you. I hope you will not despise me."
Queen Mother Jiang carefully examined the leaves, which were smooth and shiny, truly a top-quality product.
"Then I have accepted your kindness. Are you still going to prevaricate about this Night Pearl?"
Lu Tingwan lowered her eyes and said, "I dare not. Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."
Queen Mother Jiang's purpose today is to test whether Lu Tingwan can be used for her own purposes. It can be seen that Lu Tingwan is very smart.
Smart people will not be blindly loyal, but will only seek self-interest, so she must make good use of it.
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