Chapter 369

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

"There are already so many rumors outside; if today we eat fish and tomorrow meat, who knows what they'll spread!"

Deng Empress suddenly grew alert and asked, "What rumors outside—who's finding fault with His Majesty again?"

She added, "Always worrying about this, yielding to that—I see you're not the emperor, the ministers are the emperors; ministers aside, those imperial clansmen whisper all day, and you let them say what they want—being emperor is far too humiliating!"

Zhao Yu said, "Why bother? Whether it's for the good of the country or the bloodline of Taizong, let them say what they want; it's not easy anyway."

Deng Empress knew her husband felt his throne had come by luck, and that he was indulgent toward the Taizong line's descendants, so she didn't argue with him.

She pouted, dropped the subject, and asked, "Does your belly feel better now? Shall I summon an imperial physician?"

"It's better, and it's not early. If we summon someone now, waiting for medicine to be fetched and decocted, who knows when it'll be done—so much trouble. I suppose I'll be fine by myself tomorrow."

"You're just greedy. I knew I shouldn't have mentioned that fish to you!"

The two exchanged a few idle words, and as they were about to rest, Zhao Yu rose, caught sight of a sheet of paper spread out on the corner table, not yet put away, and asked with a smile, "What did you practice writing today?"

He walked closer and saw that the paper was filled with boys' and girls' names, with no beginning or end.

Seeing this, Zhao Yu was first stunned, then overjoyed, and turned to ask, "Yuniang?"

He added, "Did you summon an imperial physician to look? What did he say? Should you be extra careful with food, drink, and daily life? Why didn't you tell me!"

Deng Empress naturally understood her husband's meaning, but quickly shook her head. "It's not like that."

Zhao Yu still wouldn't believe her. "Don't fool me. How is it not? Isn't it you who wrote these names?"

He added, "I've heard that when the fetus is unstable, it shouldn't be spoken of outside—but I'm not outsiders, so why can't it be said?"

Deng Empress felt embarrassed, but had to say: "It was when Consort Lu last entered the palace and mentioned she'd just had a granddaughter, asking me to bestow a name. I put her off with words, only keeping this matter in mind, thinking that if someday we ourselves... it's all baseless..."

She finished speaking, looked up, and saw Zhao Yu standing where he was opposite, his face full of disappointment at the names on the table.

"Your Majesty..."

Deng Empress called out, wanting to say more, but the words were on her lips and too hard to speak.

Zhao Yu then came to himself, forced a smile, and said, "Let me see what names you've chosen."

Speaking, he indeed stepped forward, looking at the names on the paper and pondering for a long while.

The couple here roused their spirits and chose two names, one male, one female. When they returned to the sleeping hall and lay in bed, at midnight, though not a word was spoken by either, they sighed in unison, turned over—one to the left, one to the right, facing each other squarely.

Mid-Autumn was near, the moon already more than half full, the moonlight very bright.

But after all it was seen through window gauze, across the curtains, and it was midnight, naturally not as clear as daytime.

Deng Empress thought and thought, finally saying, "I know Your Majesty's heart, but still... there ought to be an heir, after all..."

Zhao Yu finally sighed long and said, "Heirs are a matter of fate. If fate has none, perhaps there will never be any—didn't the former emperor try? Didn't the Taizu Emperor? And how did it end?"

He added, "Besides, the imperial physicians have examined both of us and have nothing to say. If it truly can't be, I'll do as the former emperor did and adopt one. I'm not afraid to tell you straight: these past couple of years, I've actually been quietly looking into it. Best if they have no parents, and you and I take them in, raising them as our own, so there's no worry about family back home."

"They say young couples keep each other company in old age. I fear nothing else, only that when we're old, we'll meet an unfilial one. When I used to hear the story of Emperor Zhezong of the former dynasty, it sent chills down my back. Your family is all long-lived, but my branch—males who live past fifty can be counted on one hand."

"I'm choosing here; you choose too. Best if there's affinity. If I go first, at least you'll have a filial stepson. If it's a bad one, what can be done..."

Deng Empress, hearing this, though she didn't speak, felt a sourness at the tip of her nose, and tears had already flowed from her eyes.

She tilted her head, soaking her tears into the pillow, and said, "I'll choose for the Emperor..."

Deng Empress hadn't finished speaking when a hand came groping up, first touching her eyes, then covering her mouth, finally returning to her eyes, helping her wipe away the newly fallen tears.

"Wait two more years, we'll wait two more years—I'm not in a hurry, why are you? That day hasn't come yet!"

Zhao Yu finished speaking, then suddenly remembered something and said, "All well and good, but the Lu Wang family is raising his grandson—why ask you to give a name?"

Deng Empress forced back her tears, but didn't answer that, only saying, "Starting tomorrow I'll eat a vegetarian diet, and see if Heaven will take pity..."

Zhao Yu sighed, wanted to persuade her, but finally felt powerless. After a long while, he said, "Better to eat some meat after all..."

Deng Empress had actually been eating vegetarian off and on for two or three years. This time, rather than believing vegetarianism accumulates merit, it was more like giving herself some comfort.

She didn't agree, only returned to the earlier topic, saying, "If the day of adoption truly comes, anyone else is fine, but not the Lu Wang family!"

She added, "Back then the Retired Emperor didn't favor him either. Plant melons, get melons; plant beans, get beans. I just don't believe bad bamboo can produce good shoots!"

It turned out Lu Wang disliked reading as a child, often feigned illness to take leave, and when people weren't on guard, took his reading companions to smash bird nests and pour water into ant holes.

There were often stray cats and dogs in the inner palace. He caught them to torment, plucking their feathers and drowning them.

Cats and dogs have claws and sharp teeth. The palace servants feared trouble and quietly reported it to the Empress of that time.

The Empress summoned her son and gave him a stern lecture.

Lu Wang was obedient when lectured, but afterward found the palace servant who had secretly reported him, bullied and scolded him, and threatened him to be careful, or next time he'd drown him.

The Imperial Palace couldn't hide even half a secret.

Such conduct soon reached the old emperor's ears.

Rumors in the palace said that originally the throne was something Lu Wang could contend for, but the old emperor saw how he acted from childhood and felt the boy was mean. He treated innocent cats and dogs this way, and as for palace servants, they were people too. Always thus—how could he treat commoners well in the future?

Such conduct was unfit to be emperor, so in the end he was excluded, and the previous emperor, of loyal and honest nature, was chosen.

Deng Empress, saying this, seemed to suddenly think of something, and quickly asked, "I heard there are some unpleasant rumors outside the palace, saying you... thinking it over, it couldn't be Lu Wang spreading them, could it?"

Rumors about the inner court among the common folk have always been many—today this, tomorrow that—and the palace has never paid them much mind.

But these past couple of years, all sorts of talk has risen in a clamor, and they've been very unpleasant.

Recently she heard rumors about the imperial household's heirs, told with convincing detail.

One says that because the current ruler's accession was illegitimate, the Zhao ancestors are deeply dissatisfied and unwilling to let this line occupy the throne, so they specially prevent him from having children—otherwise why, when both emperor and empress are in their prime, can they bear nothing?

——Otherwise why, among those surnamed Zhao, do certain clansmen have many children, while Lu Wang has so many heirs?

Two says that when the emperor was young, he lived poorly outside the palace. Once, while relieving himself outside, a wild dog bit at his buttocks. Though it didn't bite him, he was greatly frightened, and ever since has been unable to—therefore he cannot have children.

There were many more besides, all spread with utter abandon.

When Deng Empress first heard it, she was so angry she nearly cursed.

Thinking about it now, who would keep fixating on the matter of the imperial heirs?

Upon closer analysis of those rumors, Lu Wang had always been the one with a positive image.

Having done things to this extent, it was hard not to make associations.

Zhao Yu sighed and said, "People have mouths on their own bodies—what can be done? Send people to watch them? That would only stir up commoner discontent. To be honest, there's nothing for it but to let them talk."

As for Lu Wang—"After all, he is an elder, and a brother of the late emperor. Without solid evidence, it's never good to say anything. If I were to summon people to reprimand them over such a small matter, how could I win the people's approval? How would the annals record it in the future?"

"This can't be managed, that can't be managed—must we always let them have their way in every instance?"

Deng Empress didn't even want to sleep.

The Emperor was good in every way, and his temper was fine, but he was too indecisive in his actions, dragging things out and being vague.

She was so angry listening to it she could die.

Zhao Yu could not fail to notice his pillow-side companion's mood, so he could only say, "I'll have the Imperial City Office investigate in detail. If there's anything improper, we can deal with it later without rushing."

Deng Empress actually didn't believe it in her heart, but she could only agree.

To speak fairly, whether it was the Capital Prefecture Office or the remaining ministers at court, they all gave Lu Wang so much face; Zhao Yu's vague attitude bore a great deal of responsibility.

It was even because of Zhao Yu's conduct that many people would privately discuss, thinking that perhaps the current emperor truly could not have children, and that in the future they would have to consider adopting a child from his uncle's family.

For the sake of his own reputation, the Emperor only showed an indulgent attitude. Officials saw this and would only feel they could not lightly touch this hot potato, naturally giving him a few more points of face.

For example, Qin Jie, for example, Zheng Boqian.

Would they not think—the Censorate's lips would be worn thin, their brushes worn bald, many memorials impeaching Lu Wang were withheld from the emperor. My subordinates captured people; if nothing was found, they would surely offend people to death, and if something was found, they would offend people even more to death.

If in the future it truly was his child adopted to the emperor, and that person ascended the throne, what would be done if they sought trouble with me?

On the same afternoon, inside the Song Family Eatery at the end of Sanzao County Alley, it was very lively.

Today Song Ji closed up especially early.

Song Miao accepted Cheng Erniang's favor and gave herself a day off.

She returned to her room and heard people coming and going outside, washing and scrubbing, chopping and cutting, and speaking in low voices to each other. She did not find it noisy at all; instead, she felt a familiar sense of comfort. She slept a lazy nap very comfortably, and when she woke, she felt all fatigue had vanished completely, feeling refreshed and clear-headed—it was only mid-morning then.

The weather was very fine. She carried a small woven grass bag and went out the door.

At this time the autumn air was crisp and clear. Song Miao wandered east, wandered west, and leisurely left Sanzao County Alley.

Along the way, neighbors and old acquaintances kept calling to her, asking about the construction progress of the house opposite, and asking where "Young Lady Song" was going now, and so on.

Song Miao just smiled and answered casually as she walked out.

She did not call a mule cart, but walked at her leisure, listening to the vendors' cries by the roadside. Seeing pretty moha le and small bamboo knives, she asked the price; they were very cheap. She didn't even haggle and just bought them all, feeling very generous, as if she were the hand of the greatest merchant under heaven.

After walking another half street, she smelled a strong fragrance—it was nearly the Mid-Autumn Festival, and a roadside vendor had set up a large pot selling sugar-roasted chestnuts.

She went over and bought half a pack.

On the road she successively encountered sellers of chrysanthemum cakes, fried fish pieces, and fresh fruit. She didn't care about the taste first; she bought some of each. Seeing a shallow alley ahead, its tail planted with several very beautiful ginkgo trees whose leaves had turned yellow, blown by the wind and falling all over the ground—just opposite a tea house had opened, with several tables and chairs set up outside.

Song Miao carried her small woven grass bag and went in, ordered a pot of tea, confirmed that outside food could be brought in, then took the snacks out of the bag one by one and placed them on the table. While drinking tea, she picked up a hot chestnut to shell, and slowly watched the leaves fluttering down in the air.

The sugar-roasted chestnuts were easy to shell. The vendor didn't use much sugar when roasting them; the outermost layer, less than a grain of rice in thickness, was slightly hard, but once bitten into, the inside was powdery and the texture was good. It was a pity there wasn't much sweetness, only four or five points of fragrance.

But such a scene of yellow leaves everywhere—even with only four or five points of fragrance, relying on the beautiful scenery, it could add another four or five points of deliciousness.

As for the chrysanthemum cake, it was very sweet. The flavor was boiled out with licorice and osmanthus, then mixed with rice flour and glutinous rice flour and steamed.

Song Miao hadn't bought much. With eyes full of yellow ginkgo leaves, she finished a few snacks, then peeled a fruit to eat.

The fruit was a banana. It was completely ripe and yellow, small and slender, with very thin skin, very fine flesh, and very tender, but not immaturely tender. It was clearly fully grown and fully ripe, thus precipitating a very rich fragrance. When the teeth bit down, the banana flesh would slowly melt in the mouth into a very fragrant cream-like substance, bringing out a very comfortable sweetness, with not a hint of astringent aftertaste.

Song Miao ate one, still felt it wasn't enough, took another, and was about to peel it when she heard the people at the table behind, who had just sat down, speaking.

They were two merchants.

One said, "Yesterday I went to procure goods and saw pigs and sheep being driven into the gate outside Nanxun Gate. That pig was huge—who knows if the meat will be gamey, or if it will be tough when cooked!"

The other said, "Pork should still be simmered to eat—large pieces of meat, with suan pa cai!"

"No, stir-fry is better. I have a brother who knows how to make a kind of stir-fried pork shreds. Oh, it's so delicious. You haven't eaten it; I can't describe that flavor to you!"

"I also saw geese. The geese were also huge!"

The two spoke here, and Song Miao listened, but she was slightly lost in thought.

She had previously said she had a secret sauce. The goose would be marinated through, and by then the goose skin would be extremely crispy. No need to dip in other seasonings, no need for sour plum sauce. Just use the meat juices from the marinated and roasted meat to dip the meat in...

—"By then I'll let the Young Master have a goose leg. If he wants to save face, he can hide and catch it, skin and meat, and tear it with his teeth. If he doesn't eat it gritting his teeth, he doesn't deserve that fragrant leg..."

Nowadays large geese were easy to buy, goose legs were easy to get, but the Young Master...