Chapter 162: Encountering a Sunny Day Chapter 141: Truly Nonsense

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Shaowei

Liu Qi

Shaowei's hiding place was located in the back courtyard of the Taoist Temple. Unlike the front courtyard, where people came and went, this place was dim and quiet, and the roof was well suited to be borrowed for temporary use.

Until now, a line of Nuguan appeared in the corridor, about ten of them, with two Nuguan carrying lamps at the front and back respectively, and one person in the middle whose bearing was especially outstanding, tall and well-proportioned, her Daoist Robe light and fluttering, wearing a vermilion gold lotus crown, with a light gray gauze hanging behind the crown. She must be the owner of this Taoist Temple, Yi Ming Gongzhu.

Unexpectedly to Shaowei, Yi Ming Gongzhu had a round, fair face, phoenix eyes and vermilion lips; her Daoist Robe did not conceal her charm but added a touch of otherworldly fairy air.

Two Nuguan before her carried flower baskets, and several Nuguan behind her carried wooden buckets, steam floating from the rims of the buckets, under the lantern light looking like fairy mist swirling about, making Yi Ming Gongzhu, who held a Whisk in her arm, seem even more like a transcendent immortal.

It turned out this place was the Mushi, and Yi Ming Gongzhu could now bathe.

Shaowei's gaze fell on one of the wooden buckets carried by a Nuguan. That Nuguan suddenly stumbled, bumping into the person ahead. Amidst a chorus of low exclamations, more than half the water in the bucket spilled, and that Nuguan slipped to the ground.

Shaowei was startled. She had just fixed her gaze when this happened, as if her gaze had tripped the person.

Seeing the fallen Nuguan helped up, Shaowei wanted to leave. Unprepared, she suddenly saw Yi Ming Gongzhu, whose shoes were wet, raise her hand and slap the fallen Nuguan.

With a "Pa!" sound, it echoed through the corridor. The mist still swirled, but only steam remained; the fairy air was gone.

The door of the bathing room was pushed open. Yi Ming Gongzhu said nothing, lifted her foot and entered the room. The others hurriedly lowered their heads and followed. Soon, two Nuguan remained in the bathing room to serve, while the rest withdrew.

The young Nuguan who had been slapped stood there anxiously until she saw a familiar person come out. She hurriedly went up to meet them, and the two walked out together, speaking in low voices: "Hurry back and change clothes... How could you be so careless?"

"I didn't mean to..."

"Whether you meant it or not, the Temple Master has been in a bad mood these past few days... You and I must be more careful in what we do."

"Why is the Temple Master displeased? Good Shixiong, tell me, so I can have some idea..."

As the two spoke, they had already left through this door. Such words cut off mid-sentence were most troubling. Shaowei bent over, held her breath, and leapt over the back of the house, nimbly pouncing onto a large tree, jumping onto another roof ridge, lowering her body, and propping her ears to listen as she followed.

"Five days ago, because Lady Huang passed away, the Temple Master was invited to Rui Fu. I accompanied the Temple Master just as we left the Taoist Temple and happened to see the Xiang Fu's carriage heading toward Lu Hou Fu..."

"I also heard rumors that the illness of the Feng family's young lady has improved considerably, and that Yan Xiangguo still has the intention to marry her."

"Ah..." The Nuguan covering her stinging cheeks said in a surprised low voice: "This rumor may not be credible... Moreover, the Princess has already comprehended the Dao and cultivated for many years. How could she still be moved by old matters?"

"I'm only guessing. I'm kindly reminding you. You may listen or not, but don't spread it recklessly!"

"I know, I know. Shixiong treats me the best..."

A copper bell was blown by the wind and rang. The two figures disappeared, and Shaowei's shadow disappeared with them, returning the small roof where she had hidden to the thin moonlight.

When the moonlight faded and the morning sun shot through the clouds, the blue-gray tiles were plated with a layer of dazzling golden light.

The sound of Nuguan reciting scriptures for morning lessons rose in the temple, accompanied by bronze bell sounds, both spreading from Lianqing Guan. The bell sound was even more lingering, floating over the street, and the last trace of lingering sound settled upon the high courtyard wall of Lu Hou Fu.

Shaoxian Ju, in the main hall, Feng Xu and his wife Lady Qiao came to pay respects to Lord and Lady Lu, and to discuss a matter.

Lady Qiao, sitting beside her husband at the lower seat, smiled and looked at Feng Zhu sitting beside her parents at the upper seat. Her gaze fell on Feng Zhu's neat hair bun, and she praised: "Seeing that your aunt's hair has turned black quite a bit. This time, this Acupuncturist was indeed hired correctly!"

"Doudou, your sister-in-law is speaking to you." Shen Tu Furen smiled and called her daughter.

Feng Zhu, who had been lowering her head, not knowing what she was daydreaming about, raised her face. Her expression was somewhat dazed, but she still smiled slightly at Lady Qiao.

Lady Qiao was even more surprised and delighted: "Did the Crown Prince see? Your aunt is truly going to recover completely!"

Feng Xu nodded with a smile, his affectionate gaze never leaving his sister.

"If speaking of complete recovery, there is still much work to be done." Shen Tu Furen joked: "Speaking of being tiresome, she has reached the pinnacle. Every day she recites it again and again. She insists on going to Henei Jun to worship at the Xiwangmu Temple."

Feng Zhu hurriedly grabbed her mother's arm, her expression insistent: "Mother, I want to go, I want to go again."

After saying this, she herself was stunned, furrowing her brow and muttering to herself: "Go again, go again what..."

Her expression began to change, and Pei became nervous. Shen Tu Furen timely held her daughter's hand in return, smiling: "You were born in Henei Jun. Your maternal grandfather's family has been in Henei Jun for generations. That Xiwangmu Temple has been worshipped at who knows how many times. It's not going again. Could it be the first time going?"

"Yes..." Feng Zhu slowly nodded, her shoulders relaxing, and she fell into a dazed state again.

Pei breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that the young lady was now easier to soothe. And the Acupuncturist from Taiyi Shu had said that being dazed was a sign of thinking, a good thing.

"Then prepare. We will set out in three days." Lord Lu said: "It's time to take Zhu'er back to her maternal grandfather's home for a visit."

Shen Tu Furen had great prestige in her maiden family, and the two families had always been on good terms. The Shen Tu family sent letters and gifts every month, inquiring about and caring for Feng Zhu's situation.

"Father, Mother, this trip will be at least a month. Let my son go with you." Feng Xu spoke again.

Lady Qiao also smiled and said: "Yes, the Crown Prince going with you can also take care of Father and Mother on the road and watch over your aunt."

"Just going out to offer incense. It's not like there are no servants available." Lord Lu sighed: "You shouldn't always worry about me, your mother, and your sister. You must also manage the household. With the drought at hand, if something sudden happens, there must be someone at home to deal with it!"

Feng Xu was somewhat embarrassed: "Father reminds correctly. My son will stay."

Lady Qiao covered her mouth and smiled, but in her heart she curled her lips. Her husband was too gentle and benevolent. For all these years, he had only been filial, and since his aunt was found back, he had run back and forth, not even caring for his own children. The children had complained a lot, and it also made the old master impatient. This was truly...

Mentioning the children, Shen Tu Furen said in a gentle voice: "There is one more thing. That child... is still ill. You must take more care of them in the Capital and visit often."

She also instructed Feng Xu: "If they still don't improve after a long time, find a way to discuss with Xian Tai Gong. Say it is your father's and my meaning. First bring the person back to the mansion to recuperate. After all, the person is more important."

Feng Xu: "Yes, my son remembers. I will definitely not let Shaow... that child suffer any grievance or mishap."

After saying some trivial matters, Feng Xu said: "My son will have people prepare for the trip now."

Lord Lu nodded and reminded him: "Don't bring too many people with endless chatter. Keep it light and simple. Enough is enough."

Feng Xu hesitated for a moment, but unusually insisted: "Father, there are now many disaster victims outside the city. It is more secure to bring more people."

Saying this, he smiled and looked at his sister: "Father is unmatched in bravery, but always considers for Zhu'er. I only take it as arranging for Zhu'er."

Shen Tu Furen also smiled and said to her husband: "Alright, it's just a small matter. Xu'er has always been meticulous. Let him decide."

Lord Lu was impatient to say more and waved his hand: "Go, go."

Feng Xu smiled and took his leave. Lady Qiao also stood up, saying she would go together to arrange things.

Shen Tu Furen held her daughter's hand with one hand and gently patted Lord Lu's hand resting on the table with the other, saying softly: "It's time to take Zhu'er for another trip..."

In a Boshan incense burner with a base of gilt bamboo joints, smoke slowly exhaled and inhaled.

Beside the incense burner, the woman's slender hand was held by a pair of middle-aged man's hands.

The sky had turned pitch black; the lamplight in the hall flickered. The Prince of Liang, sitting on the cushion bed, held that hand, smiling broadly as he looked at the kneeling woman before him. His gaze gradually grew somewhat dazed, recalling his youth, brandishing a spear and galloping on horseback, heroic and unmatched.

Unconsciously, he exerted slight force with his hand, wanting to pull that woman in the prime of her youth closer to himself.

The woman timidly lowered her head, revealing a stretch of her nape. On that fair nape, however, were several red dots, their color vivid like cinnabar.

"The neck... ah, what's wrong?" The Prince of Liang's speech was slurred, his gaze concerned.

Qingwu looked up blankly, but the Prince of Liang saw the same red dots on her right earlobe and cheek.

The Steward hurried forward to examine, only to see that Xiangzhi's forearms also had quite a few speckled dots.

"Quick, quick, summon a physician..." As if a cherished object had been damaged, the Prince of Liang urged repeatedly.

The Steward hurriedly took her away, and had a physician examine her through the night. However, after Xiangzhi took the medicine and slept a night, the red dots became even more severe.

The family members in the same courtyard said she had likely contracted a strange illness, and might even transmit it to others. Frightened, they no longer dared to live with her. The Steward, finding it troublesome, also felt a trace of suspicion. Yet Xiangzhi, fearing she would be thrown out of the residence, actually ran before the Prince to weep: "I beg the Prince not to drive Xiangzhi away!"

"The Prince promised Xiangzhi that he would take Xiangzhi back to Liang Guo!"

The frail, helpless woman wept with rain on pear blossoms. Looking at that mirror-like face, and the burn scar revealed when the bandage on her hand was undone, how could the Prince of Liang bear to abandon her? He repeatedly instructed the Steward that no matter what, Xiangzhi must be cured.

Xiangzhi thus resided alone in a courtyard. Servants passing by that small courtyard always heard the woman's intermittent weeping. Fortunate to be favored by the Prince of Liang, yet suddenly stricken with a strange illness — how could she not weep?

Even denser weeping echoed in the mourning hall of the Rui Fu.

Lady Huang was still keeping vigil and performing rites. It was the height of summer; the mourning hall was piled full of ice mirrors.

Rui Ze, bitten all over, had accumulated heat toxin inside. Busy and bustling, alternating chills and fever, he thus half-truly half-falsely fell ill, staying home to observe mourning and recuperate, no longer attending to official documents.

Currently the Confucian Way was not flourishing. Although there was initially the notion of "Ding You" (mourning leave), it was not mandatory and had not been codified into law. The Emperor had already spoken: court affairs were heavy; after Lady Huang's funeral was complete, Rui Ze would need to return to court to manage affairs.

The Grand Minister of Agriculture managed tax revenue and granary storage. The allocation of treasury silver and grain both required his seal. Recently, he had fallen ill while observing mourning, and a backlog of affairs had piled up. His subordinates repeatedly shirked and passed the buck.

On this day, an official entered the Rui Fu to offer condolences. After leaving the mourning hall, he went to see the convalescing Rui Ze.

Rui Ze leaned against the bed, listening to the other party detail the disaster relief matters. These matters mostly revolved around the Sixth Prince, Liu Qi.

"Originally thinking it was merely to serve as some auspicious omen, the myriad affairs were intricate and complex; he might not even understand them if he looked. Unexpectedly, this person wants to vie for control over everything..."

"He also publicly said something like: he bears the Imperial Mandate, dares not be negligent, only fears that the slightest carelessness will let someone frame him. Who knows what crimes he'll have to bear in the future——"

Such words were actually spoken outright. That youth laid his paranoia bare, as if everyone wanted to harm him. Therefore he also openly guarded against everyone.

Yet it was not entirely unreasonable troublemaking. If it were only unreasonable troublemaking, that would be just right.

However, in all manner of affairs, this child actually got the hang of it very quickly. He also consulted and decided on strategies together with the Changshi under him, officials of various yamen, and even nearby village worthies. He had wells dug, water vein maps drawn, changed irrigation methods and sequences according to the elevation of fields in each place, sent people into the mountains to search for underground rivers, and established water officials, ordering each village to strictly record "water accounts" daily.

As for grain, he had already incited powerful clans and wealthy merchants to raise supplies. As for why it's called incitement, this child took an unconventional approach. Not reasoning with them, but moving them with profit. He promised those wealthy merchants: anyone who donated three hundred shi of grain, in a year of favorable weather, would have their taxes reduced, and their goods would enjoy the court's priority purchasing rights. This move made those wealthy merchants who dared not offend the court yet were reluctant to donate grain for nothing — and had thus been watching and waiting — unable to help but be tempted.

Rui Ze was furious: "Simply arrogant. How can this matter be decided by him alone? Tax revenue is a major affair of state. This official has not yet agreed. How can he implement it?"

"He said the Grand Minister of Agriculture is at home observing mourning, unable to manage affairs, and it would be inappropriate to disturb... Therefore this morning he has already memorialized the Emperor."

Rui Ze let out a cold laugh. He shut his door to recuperate, yet instead gave this child the excuse to bypass him. He asked: "What did the Emperor say?"

The official's tone was complex: "The Emperor said: it can be tried."

Rui Ze was silent for a moment, looked at the other party, his tone turning cold: "You just let him be like this? Obey his every command in everything?"

"This subordinate was about to speak of this matter." The official's face was already bitter beyond words, pouring out grievances: "In his treatment of us, he acts with no regard for face..."

In officialdom, "delay brings resolution" is indeed a common attitude. But this Sixth Imperial Son does not permit it. He only said that during the previous day's discussion, they had not expressed their stance on the spot. The other party actually had the door shut, not permitting them to leave. Either they gave a better proposal, or they obeyed and affixed the seal. The man sat at the head, leaning against the case table, and threw his three-chi sword and the Emperor's imperial edict onto the table, with a full posture of "those with differing opinions today shall not leave" coercion.

He himself closed his eyes to rest. Everyone was kept until the sky was about to turn bright. Naturally some officials could not endure it and rebuked him for being overbearing and rude. He didn't even open his eyes, with a half-smile claiming that back when his Imperial Father was still Crown Prince, during water disaster management, those who stalled and shirked were also treated with such overbearing methods. By that logic, was it the Imperial Father who was rude?

And the officials present were naturally not all Rui Ze's people. There were also quite a few who approved of his decisions, especially the lower-level yamen clerks. Such slight coercion instead gave those people the "no choice but to comply" face-saving step.

This child frequently used the imperial edict to coerce. If he caught their mistakes, they would surely suffer severe punishment. His temperament was steady, only overcast not clear. When encountering displeasure, kicking over the case table was a common occurrence. Over time, even neutral officials were intimidated by his overbearing might.

When the trouble a person himself brings far exceeds the trouble of executing his orders, even for the sake of settling things quietly, many below do not want to provoke his ill favor.

It just so happens that the Changshi by this child's side, Tang Jia, every time after the fact apologizes and makes peace. Saying his Highness acts outrageously, but it's all for the court, for the Emperor. Why not unite and achieve merit.

Those of low status and light words but willing to do practical work offer strategies behind the scenes. This child is responsible for going mad. Tang Jia appears last to soothe. Such a strange drama is staged every day.

This official listed Liu Qi's crimes in flowing detail. Rui Ze only asked again: "He acts with such coercion. Has no one reported him to the Emperor?"

That official's face went through a series of changes. He said: "The Emperor did reprimand him..."

Four words of reprimand: 【Truly outrageous.】

Rui Ze's gaze narrowed slightly.

He spoke no more. A moment later, he silently looked at the medicine bowl beside him. That bowl of medicine had been used by him, and was already empty. Only a little medicine juice remained at the bottom of the bowl.

……

?? Good night everyone.