Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 1130 Spending the Night with the Princess
In the hall,
The atmosphere suddenly turned somber. If anyone understood Luo Yunhou's character best, it would be none other than them. This was not the first or second time that Luo Yunhou had come to cause trouble. If it weren't for Grandmother Jia's kind words of persuasion and the involvement of the marriage agreement between the Lin and Xue families, things might have already escalated to a point of no return.

The Ningguo Mansion incident had tarnished the Jia family's reputation. If they were to try and persuade them, who could possibly do so? Jia She still harbored deep resentment.

Only Jia Zheng hesitated, thinking that he was not good at speaking, and that he also had to check the various accounts and the list of craftsmen at the Ministry of Works, so he didn't have time.

"What's wrong? No one answers when a question is asked?"

Grandmother Jia glared at everyone, somewhat disappointed.
“Nowadays, the atmosphere is tense, and even the smallest thing could be seized upon by others. Unless absolutely necessary, no one in the manor is allowed to leave. As for Baoyu, those who serve him must return daily to report. All social engagements should be put on hold and postponed. Feng’er, you are the steward. You could go and talk to Madam Wang about things at the Marquis’s manor.”

This was considered to be using some kinship as a pretext, and at least they managed to strike up a conversation. It was assumed that Wang Xifeng would readily agree, but after a long while, there was no response. Turning to look at the person beside her, Wang Xifeng pondered for a moment and then paused.
“Grandma, we need to be more cautious about this matter. Putting aside those in the court, why didn’t the Duke of Zhenguo go to Marquis Luoyun in person to advise him? Instead, he sent a letter to our mansion. There are some things that can be said, but we need to ask who will say them. As our matriarch said, we should be careful these days. It’s just a matter of removing the stage and all that. If we really go to the Marquis’s mansion, the Marquis might be in a bad mood and take it out on us.”

She couldn't understand the major affairs of the court, but she could see through men's thoughts. After the Marquis came to the capital, he probably didn't suffer such a great loss.

These words made Grandmother Jia frown deeply. What she said made sense; that old geezer Niu Qing wouldn't have sent this letter without a reason. He must have some concerns.

“What you say makes sense. In that case, let’s wait for now. You need to keep a close eye on things at home, and have Ping’er keep a close eye on them personally. As for those who are talking nonsense, quickly give the order to send them to the estate. There will be no leniency.”

"Yes, old lady."

Wang Xifeng quickly agreed, which finally put her at ease. However, Jia She then stepped forward with a plan.

"Mother, I have an idea. Our Rongguo Mansion has been loyal and virtuous for generations. Why don't we have my second brother write a memorial to express our loyalty? He could say that the memorial submitted by Master Xu has nothing to do with our mansion, but we are willing to share the burden of the court. This way, the higher-ups can feel more at ease."

Upon hearing Jia She's words, everyone in the room felt it was inappropriate. The matter was not yet settled, so how could they take the initiative to act? Jia Zheng shook his head.
“Brother, that’s not a good idea. If we submit a memorial now, it will only make us look guilty and obsequious. The Emperor Emeritus is in a bad mood and won’t listen to anyone. If we go up to him now, we’ll only get ourselves into trouble. In my opinion, we should wait and see, close our doors to guests, and wait until things calm down before making any moves.”

"The second son is right. Let's not make things worse. Let's do it this way. The old woman is tired too. Let's all go home."

Grandmother Jia waved her hand and began to shoo people away. Everyone in the room still had many questions to ask, but seeing the old lady like this, they could only bow and leave.

After everyone else left, Wang Xifeng was the last to leave. As she stepped out of the courtyard, her face showed a hint of worry. Ping'er followed silently behind her, offering quiet words of advice.

"Grandma, there's no need to worry. It's just a minor clerk who made a mistake; how could it involve the Marquis's mansion?"

"What do you know, you little hussy? There's a saying, something about a thousand miles, a collapse or something, anyway, it can't be underestimated. Keep a close eye on things at home, and make sure Jia Yun's side prepares the goods quickly. When your second master comes back, we'll have to ask him about it."

"Yes, Grandma, I remember."

Wang Xifeng walked at the front, muttering to herself. But in the end, she was still worried about the merchant caravan's business trip after the autumn harvest. If something else delayed them, this way of making money would be gone. She thought of the idea of ​​discussing with the eldest mistress about opening a restaurant together, and she had some ideas in mind. Maybe she should talk to the eldest mistress about it tomorrow.

Having made up his mind, he quickened his pace.

After dawn,
The clapper sounded three times.

In the Princess's bedroom, still bathed in a hazy, warm light, Zhang Jinyu lay on a soft couch, propped up by one hand. When she opened her eyes wearily, the soreness in her shoulder, mixed with the slight intoxication of a hangover, rushed up. Her head was dizzy, and she felt dry-mouthed. What happened last night?

Suddenly feeling something amiss in his arms, he looked down at the familiar woman still fast asleep in his arms, his fingertips unconsciously brushing against the strands of her hair scattered on the pillow—the hair was as soft as the finest Suzhou silk, yet last night he had held it in his palm, and it trembled along with the golden hairpin at her temple, shattering the candlelight in the room.

Coming to her senses, Zhang Jinyu was startled to see the Princess. Looking around, she saw the same soft couch from yesterday's banquet, with two beautiful women lying beside her. Only then did Zhang Jinyu remember that she had accepted the Princess's invitation to dine here last night, and she didn't know when things had turned out this way. No wonder she felt a little sore and weak in her waist and abdomen.

Zhou Xiangxue seemed startled by his movement; her eyelashes trembled, and the rouge at the corner of her eyes had not yet faded. With a languid, just-awakened voice, she said:

"You're awake already?"

The princess opened her eyes, reached out and hooked her arm around his waist, pressing her cheek against his slightly cool shoulder.
"You're so lucky. I've been serving you all night, and it's only the early morning. Aren't you going to get some more sleep?"

Zhang Jinyu's body stiffened instantly, her mind went blank. Everyone says that as long as you're not embarrassed, it's others who are embarrassed. But now, she at least had some sense of shame; she'd gone to someone's house for drinks and ended up taking the food and drinks home with her. Her Adam's apple bobbed, her voice still tinged with lingering passion:
"If I sleep any longer, I'm afraid I'll miss breakfast at dawn. I imagine the Ministry of Justice will be holding court today."

"A long night can lead to many unforeseen events, and anyone would be in the same situation," he said, yet he tightened his grip on her, pulling her closer into his arms.

"However... I have offended Your Highness."

Now that she has been accepted, Zhang Jinyu hasn't figured out what to do next. After all, a princess is different from a woman from an ordinary family, so she can only plan for the long term.

Perhaps sensing his worry, Zhou Xiangxue chuckled softly, a ticklish sensation in her laughter, a feeling she had never experienced before in her heart and body:

"Oh dear, is the Marquis afraid? Are you afraid that the threshold of my Princess's residence is too high, and you won't dare to recognize me once you enter? Or are you afraid that I will implicate you?"

She looked up, and the morning light streamed in through the carved window lattice, falling directly into her eyes, shining as if filled with stars.

"Who was it that held me in their arms last night and said, 'I will marry no one but Xiangxue in this life'? I couldn't push them away."

Thinking about the absurd things that happened last night, Zhou Xiangxue couldn't help but feel a little scared. She vaguely realized that she had such a shameful side to her.

The effects of last night's wine, her flushed cheeks in the candlelight, the only breaths left between them in the inner palace... those images rushed into my mind, and for a moment I forgot how to respond, only feeling my ears burning.

Although Zhang Jinyu was young, she was a seasoned womanizer and naturally had no fear.

"Of course I acknowledge it, Your Highness. There are a few things to attend to, as well as these two people. Please take care of them."

Zhang Jinyu composed himself, cupped her face in his hands, and traced the dimples at the corners of her lips with his fingertips. These two women were exactly to his liking, but their special status prevented him from bringing them back to his residence; they had to remain here.
Perhaps it was because her gaze was too serious, but the smile on Zhou Xiangxue's face slowly faded, replaced by a solemn expression.
"You're quite chivalrous; I agree to this."

He replied softly.

"But the court is unstable right now, and the case of your student Xu Changwen... I'm afraid it won't be so easy to resolve. I originally wanted to invite you here to talk about the affairs of the inner palace, but who knew that this mess would happen."

Just as the two were talking, the two women, who had been fast asleep, woke up. Seeing the mess in the room, they blushed instantly. Without even greeting their master, they put on their clothes and went outside to serve their master tea.

Wei Shuyun, who was originally a bit stubborn, had a unique charm as a newlywed. Zhang Jinyu didn't care about these things, but when Xu Changwen's matter was mentioned, her expression darkened.

It is said that one should consider the owner before beating a dog. This student was the top scholar in the special imperial examination. He is upright, acts without regard for consequences, and is incorruptible. Now he has become an upright official and a remonstrating official. Or rather, some people have been officials for their entire lives, but no one has ever dared to submit this memorial. He sighed and said.

"There's no rush. There should be a summons for a court hearing today, and I will be one of the presiding judges. I want to see how this case is handled. I'm afraid that Eunuch Chen from the Directorate of Ceremonial is eyeing the position of Grand Eunuch."

A thought flashed through his mind: perhaps he wasn't overthinking things, but rather that the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs was asking for too little. Who would willingly remain in the second-in-command position forever? Dai Quan and Xia Shouzhong had been in that position for far too long. Zhou Xiangxue nodded, withdrawing her hand to straighten her clothes.
"It's getting late. Have the servants prepare breakfast. After we eat, the letters that are due should arrive. As for the Su family in Jingnan, we thank you, Marquis, for suppressing the rebellion."

The matter concerning the Su family has finally been settled. Zhang Jinyu moved, and whether she heard him or not, she changed her clothes and washed up with the help of Wei Shuyun and Liu Yue.

An urgent report arrived suddenly, foreshadowing an impending storm.

After washing up, breakfast was laid out on the pearwood wooden table in the side hall, consisting of four delicate side dishes and two bowls of bird's nest porridge, steaming hot.

Zhang Jinyu was eating heartily, filling her stomach, when Ning Bian rushed in, his face pale, clutching a waist token in his hand.

"Master Hou!"

Ningbian walked up to him, his voice trembling with rapid breathing.
"The Imperial City Guard has arrived. They say...the Emperor is in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, summoning his ministers. We need to go to the palace immediately!"

Zhang Jinyu's hand holding the chopsticks suddenly paused, and the steamed bun she was holding fell into the bowl. She knew that time was of the essence, but she didn't expect that they weren't in a hurry, but the palace was.

Seeing the Marquis's reaction, Ningbian looked up and said again:
"The person who came said it was the Emperor Emeritus's will, and also said... and also said that in addition to Eunuch Chen, the presiding judges also included Minister Song of the Ministry of Justice and Grand Secretary Gu, and many officials from the Six Ministries had already gone to the Hall of Mental Cultivation."

Zhang Jinyu's brows furrowed. The Emperor Emeritus's intention, along with the Grand Eunuch Chen Hui, the Minister of Justice Song Zhen, and the Junior Grand Secretary Li Chaosheng... it was no coincidence that these three had come together. However, he was somewhat puzzled. The Grand Secretariat already had Gu Yichen and Song Zhen, and now the eldest son had also joined in. What did this mean?

The Grand Secretary is now delegating power, but he values ​​rules above all else and will not tolerate any suspicion of "not conforming to etiquette".

Chen Hui is now a power-hungry eunuch in the palace, and he is bound to be at odds with the civil official group. Song Zhen is the most cunning person, and Grand Secretary Gu is now trying to avoid suspicion. Therefore, during the trial, it was clearly a setup, but a message was sent from the palace.

"I understand. No rush. Prepare the carriage."

Zhang Jinyu put down her chopsticks, drank the porridge in her bowl in one gulp, stood up, and fastened the jade pendant at her waist.

"Your Highness, I shall take my leave now."

Zhou Xiangxue also stood up, took a black martial arts uniform from the maid, and handed it over.

"I will not keep you here. If there is any news in the harem, inform the Marquis immediately."

Suddenly she stood on tiptoe and whispered in his ear,
"We had a good time together. No matter what you hear today, don't act impulsively. As the saying goes, as long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn."

Looking at the stunningly beautiful woman before him, Zhang Jinyu felt a warmth in his heart. He nodded, squeezed her hand, and strode out of the side hall.

Ningbian followed closely behind, and just as he reached the gate of the mansion, a black carriage stopped at the foot of the stone steps. The curtain was lifted, revealing the obsequious face of Li Yun, the commander of the Imperial City Guard:
"My lord, please get in the carriage. The Grand Eunuch said today that he must invite you here."

"Hehe, so it's Commander Li. You've risen to this position quite quickly. What, Commander Li, are you afraid I've run away?"

Zhang Jinyu stepped onto the carriage, bent down, and followed Ning Bian inside. The sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the bluestone pavement was particularly jarring. Peering back a corner of the curtain, she saw that the pedestrians on the street were all hurrying along.
Li Yun sat carefully by the car door, a wry smile on his face.

"Your Excellency is complaining about me, how dare I speak nonsense? As for the matter of Zhao Jian, the Commander of the Northern Garrison yesterday, he is under Eunuch Chen's command. I happened to be on duty yesterday, how could I not go?"

He sat down dejectedly. Many things were beyond his control. He had reported the situation to the Commander of the Southern Garrison, but unfortunately, the Commander was far away. What could he do?

It was nothing more than a series of tasks that would offend people, all of which were placed on his shoulders. It was tough for him. As the carriage moved, the Imperial Palace, particularly the Hall of Mental Cultivation, became even more silent.
Inside the gilded bronze incense burner, benzoin, a tribute from the Western Regions, burned. Wisps of smoke curled around the dragon pillars, adding a hazy, dreamlike atmosphere to the room.

Empress Wu sat upright on the bright yellow soft dragon throne, her fingers lightly tapping the sandalwood armrests. Her gaze swept over the bowing officials below, but finally settled on the brocade on the table. Xu Changwen's congratulatory letter was copied verbatim on it, the ink still wet, and the handwriting was clearly Empress Wu's own.

"Someone, bring a table so that Chief Minister Li can begin, starting with the Cabinet."

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a power that pierced through the smoke. Dai Quan nodded and had Xiao Yunzi bring a table to be placed in the center of the hall. He then laid the brocade flat on it, and the people from the cabinet, starting with the Grand Secretary, began to look at it one by one.

The handwriting on the brocade was powerful and vigorous, each stroke exuding strength. The opening words carried immense weight, exactly the same as those read aloud in the imperial court. However, everyone was familiar with this handwriting, and a sense of unease ran through them as they wondered what the emperor meant. A subtle atmosphere permeated the air among them.

It was at this moment that Zhang Jinyu entered and saw a large group of court officials gathered there, looking at things. He stood quietly to the side, not in a hurry.

“You should all go and see what’s written, so you know what’s going on and don’t end up saying you knew nothing about it.”

Whether intentional or not, when the Empress spoke these words, her gaze swept over the assembled officials. Many of those being stared at quickly shrank back, fearing they might get caught in the crossfire.
"Yes, Your Majesty, we have observed it carefully."

The first to finish reading was Song Zhen, the Minister of Justice. His fingers, gripping his sleeves, turned white. His Adam's apple bobbed as he recalled how Xu Changwen had looked just a few days ago during his interrogation. He hadn't expected him to dare submit such a memorial; it was a rare occurrence in the world.

Looking at the officials of the Censorate, it was unclear when, but Lord Zhong's attire had changed considerably. In particular, his official robes looked as if they had been specially sourced from an old mansion, with worn-out patches and faded from washing. Even his cloud-patterned boots had been replaced with cloth shoes with multiple layers of soles. Standing among the officials in their crimson robes, he seemed quite out of place.

So, he kept quiet, read it, and then returned to the queue, closing his eyes.

Several other Grand Secretaries continued to watch, with the Junior Grand Secretary Li Chaosheng walking at the very back, slowly reciting the text. The Grand Secretary, however, sat at the very front, motionless, as if he had already seen it and didn't care at all.

After entering the palace, Zhang Jinyu looked at the situation in the Imperial Study and understood it all. It seemed that His Majesty wanted to stir up trouble in the court, but he wondered how the Emperor Emeritus would handle the situation, or whether the Emperor Emeritus was right here watching.

With that thought in mind, Zhang Jinyu immediately raised her head and looked around, but no matter how she looked, she couldn't find anything strange.

As time passed, after the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet finished reading, it was the officials of the Six Ministries' turn to read. Just then, the Empress Wu spoke.

"Yesterday was the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet, a time for all the civil and military officials to enjoy themselves together. However, Xu Changwen showed no respect for his superior and presented treasonous words, which enraged the Emperor Emeritus and caused the banquet to be interrupted. This is unforgivable in terms of both morality and reason. But the Emperor Emeritus is so benevolent. Xu Changwen wants to be like Bi Gan, but I still have the Emperor Emeritus. I will never be like the foolish King Zhou."

The Empress tapped the table and continued;

"He wants to be remembered in history, but he's disrupting my empire. The Emperor Emeritus reigns supreme over the four seas, his fame is far-reaching, how could his memorial possibly disrupt it? I've figured it out. The case needs to be investigated. After you've seen that document, you can figure out a solution yourselves and discuss how to handle it. I and the Emperor Emeritus are waiting."

He waved his hand as if he had thrown away a matter of utmost importance. After Gu Yichen finished reading the congratulatory letter, he was deeply shocked. Every word written by this person was true. How could he possibly interrogate him?

She returned to the group quietly, glancing at the people around her out of the corner of her eye, but couldn't find any clues.

Even the Minister of Personnel muttered to himself after reading it;
"This is unbelievable! How could a mere county magistrate dare to do this? Could it be that Marquis Luoyun ordered it? But that doesn't make sense."

(End of this chapter)