Chapter 1068
Naturally, There Was a Request
Chapter 1068 Naturally, There Was a Request
"Oh, oh."
With a loud crowing of a rooster, the night in the capital receded, and a milky white light pierced through the curtain in the east, casting its glow on the bricks and tiles of countless homes.
Early risers were still busy making a living, along with the laborers who rushed to the docks early in the morning. They gathered together, eating simple breakfasts, and occasionally chatted about interesting things in the capital. However, many remained silent, as the rare occurrences of the court were, after all, just idle talk and not enough to fill their stomachs.
Near the water bridge at the intersection of Nancheng Street,
There were few dignitaries, but plenty of commoners. Du Shuai, the White Lotus Sect's capital city leader, dressed in scholar's robes, led a few men to a street stall, eating wonton pancakes rolled with crispy pork, downing them in one go.
"Boss, you still prefer this kind of food. This stall in Shuiqiao has been around for over ten years, hasn't it?"
With a slurp, Hall Master Cui Yu swallowed a large mouthful of wontons. The scalding hot broth dispelled the morning chill.
"Of course, the food here is authentic. By the way, have you sent a message to the head of the household about things in the capital?"
The "big boss" here naturally refers to the leader of the sect. All letters in the capital are sent from Cui Yu of Zuixianlou. No matter how small the matter, everything can be reported. Only some special events are sent from his hands.
After taking a sip of soup, Cui Yu looked around and, seeing no one paying attention, whispered;
"Master, the letter was sent, the goods arrived early, and the reply said that Chu Minjun in Runan City, Chief Lü in Shizhou, and Chief Tian in Qinzhou have all changed employers."
These were the letters received last night. At the time, Cui Yu was full of disbelief, but after checking the secret marks and confirming that they were accurate, he finally believed them. However, how could Chief Lü, a fierce general under the Northern Chief, easily surrender to the imperial court? In addition, that Hall Master Tian was also quite famous within his sect. These things were hard to believe.
"Oh, I never expected there would be a traitor among us. Does the old boss have any instructions?"
Du Shuai raised an eyebrow, not surprised at all. The defeat of the Taiping Sect in Jingnan meant that the White Lotus Sect could not last long. Although Xihe County was good, the court acted too quickly, leaving the sect leader not enough time.
"My former employer didn't give me an explanation, but they told me to be careful in everything they did. They also said something like, 'The wild geese fly south, yet they still soar.' I don't quite understand what they mean."
Cui Yu was truly helpless. Although he had attended some private school and could read, he couldn't understand anything more complex. Seeing his leader deep in thought, he didn't dare to disturb him. He picked up a piece of naan bread, rolled it up with crispy pork, and took a big bite.
"It seems our old master is unharmed. The wild geese flying south mean our people have already headed south and are still soaring, which indicates that we haven't suffered a major blow from the court, and our main force should be safe and sound."
It should be said that the battle in Xihe County was deliberately orchestrated by the sect leader. I, however, suspect that the victory of the Prince of Beijing was both true and false.
Du Shuai's eyes lit up. The situation in Xihe County should, in theory, be able to hold out for a while longer. However, while Marquis Luoyun was besieging Weizhou, news of Prince Bei Jing's great victory arrived. This could only mean that the sect leader had disbanded the sect's elite forces and gone into hiding, leading to the collapse of the battle and benefiting Prince Bei Jing.
The current situation in the world is both real and deceptive. What a brilliant scheme to deceive everyone! It seems that even Marquis Luoyun has been fooled.
"I knew it! Our Right Protector, cough cough, Right Manager, has never lost money in business. How could he have lost all his principal in one go? And the boss and the others... that doesn't make sense either. I heard that Marquis Luoyun and several princes brought a lot of people from the Imperial City Guard. Didn't they notice anything?"
Touching the naan bread in his hand, Cui Yu was somewhat skeptical; those hawks and hounds had noses even more sensitive than dogs.
"You, I told you to read more books, but you wouldn't listen. The court has suffered huge losses in this war, how can it fight a protracted war? Besides, news from the capital is that after Marquis Luoyun took over the surrendered troops from Shizhou, he withdrew his troops from Runan. Yangping was seized by the Prince of Dongping, so the Prince of Beijing will naturally not go south. Xihe County is so big, where can't they hide? These things are not difficult for my old master."
He swallowed another mouthful of salty soup and said again;
"As for those people from the Imperial City Guard that you mentioned, even if they have a keen sense of smell, they still need their master to loosen his grip on the reins first."
"You're so thoughtful, Master. After the meal, are you still going to Tengshu Pavilion?"
Cui Yu suddenly realized, but unfortunately, the leader hadn't shown his face at all these days, staying entirely at Tengshu Pavilion.
"The affairs of the capital still need your attention. The imperial examination is approaching, and you are still having some trouble with the classics. You should study them carefully. If you can pass the imperial examination, you can become an official in the court."
After finishing the soup noodles in a few gulps, he got up, left a few copper coins, and turned to leave, leaving Cui Yu alone there, feeling rather desolate.
As the sun grew brighter, more and more people began to appear on the streets.
The stewards of each household also led their people to begin cleaning the courtyards in front of their gates.
Rongguo Mansion
Yesterday's events have spread throughout the manor. Steward Lai went to demand the person back, but was whipped by Marquis Luo Yun for no reason and is still lying in the side hall of the gatehouse. He hasn't been moved to another place. Yesterday, the Second Madam didn't come to inquire about him either. Some gossipy old women started gossiping about it while washing vegetables in the backyard.
"Have you heard? Butler Lai was beaten yesterday, and the master didn't even go to see him."
"Who says otherwise? I heard that not a single person went to Second Grandmother's place."
Another old woman made a mysterious shout, and after all that fuss, it turned out that the Lai family wasn't so highly regarded. Thinking about this, many of the old servants in the mansion began to have their own ideas. As for the East Mansion, there were only a few servants to serve them. Apart from the few people that the eldest mistress brought, and the servants from Madam You's courtyard, they didn't want a single more servant. This greatly disappointed many servants who wanted to go to the East Mansion.
They knew that while things were less busy at the East Mansion, the monthly allowances had never been reduced by a single penny. As for the Rongguo Mansion, for some reason, the monthly allowances had been frequently delayed these days, and they wondered if the Second Madam was doing it on purpose.
"What do you know? Even if you knew these things, what could you do? Your kid looks clever, but he's not good enough for his master. He's dreaming."
An old woman in another courtyard, who was washing vegetables, sneered, only thinking of good things. She thought the Lai family only owed their position to Old Lady Lai; as long as the old matriarch was alive, the steward's position wouldn't change. In the east wing, so many people had been dismissed, and Lai Sheng had even been beaten, but in the end, he was still the steward.
"What are you saying? There are quite a few elderly people in the household, especially the Second Madam,"
Suddenly, the old woman fell silent; she dared not discuss these matters any further. Just then, Sister Liu called out from the front.
"Hurry up and wash. We're still busy at midday. What are you gossiping about?"
"Yes, Sister Liu, that's good."
While the old women in the kitchen were washing vegetables, breakfast had already been prepared and was placed in the large steamer.
Not long after, maids from each courtyard came carrying food boxes. Following the usual order, each took their share from their own courtyard. Just then, Ping'er arrived with several maids, leading a dozen or so maids, and gave instructions.
"Clean up everything in Second Madam's room and Old Madam's room, and go to Rongqing Hall to set out the meal."
"Yes, Sister Ping'er."
Before Sister Liu could say a few words, Ping'er hurriedly left. Ahead, Wang Xifeng, with Laiwang, had already arrived at the door of Rongqing Hall. Just before entering, she asked again…
Has anyone from the Military Command replied?
"Replying to Grandmother, the Military Command Office has been keeping its gates tightly closed. Servants from various households have sent people to keep watch there. As soon as there is any disturbance, they will surely report it. Furthermore, the Military Command Office has blocked the street entrance in the back alley, presumably to facilitate the travel of you gentlemen."
Laiwang had already thought of these things, but these servants no longer dared to block the gate of the government office. If the military command followed the example of Marquis Luoyun, let alone a whip, a single beating would cripple a person.
"In that case, send two more clever men to keep watch around the government office. Report back as soon as there is any movement. Also, have the carriage from the mansion wait there, so that we don't miss the chance to pick up the people."
"Yes, grandma."
Laiwang quickly agreed, but Wang Xifeng was in a bad mood. These past few days had been filled with unpleasant events. She thought back to last night when Jia Lian returned home too late to sleep.
I had intended to say a few words this morning, but I left the mansion early again this morning. I wonder which lover is thinking of me out there.
"Did your second master say where he was going so early in the morning?"
"Uh, Grandma, the Second Master didn't mention it, but I heard yesterday that he's been busy these past few days arranging his affairs for his personal guards."
Laiwang dared not speak recklessly. These days, only Grandma could keep Second Master in check.
"A bunch of soldiers, just deliver the silver and that's it. Why hesitate? There are so many things to do at your residence."
Muttering these complaints, she entered the inner room and found the old lady on the kang (heated brick bed). She looked somewhat tired, and today, the second mistress was also there with her. She wondered when she had arrived and if there was something important they needed to discuss privately. The atmosphere was clearly tense. Hearing footsteps and seeing Feng'er enter, the old lady's eyes lit up, and she smiled.
"You monkey, you still know how to come here. What exactly happened at the Military Command? I heard yesterday that the people who went there were beaten up? Is there some misunderstanding?"
The old lady was anxious and spoke quickly, but Wang Xifeng was unhurried and took two quick steps to get closer. Since the yamen wouldn't let her go, there must be something fishy going on. Even if she asked around, the yamen officials wouldn't tell her.
“Oh dear, old lady, look at what you’re saying. The other day, we sent people to keep an eye on them and demand their return. There are as many as eighty students in the Imperial Academy, and it’s not just our family. But the Military Affairs Office is closed. There must be some rules going on. It’s just a normal thing for those people to fight with those people from Qinglian Academy. Why are you being so serious?”
Seeing that the conversation was going on and on, Wang Xifeng casually offered some words of comfort, saying that no matter the reason, even if it was punishment, it would only mean being locked up for a few days. If someone was guilty, someone would have already been sent to inform the mansion. But keeping someone locked up like this was neither painful nor effective.
The government offices remained closed and refused to provide an explanation, which was clearly unusual, so there was no point in rushing things.
The old lady, overwhelmed with concern, understood from Feng's explanation that something had gone wrong. This was a perfectly respectable government office, with the Shuntian Prefecture handling cases. In ordinary fights, it would simply be a matter of each side receiving fifty strokes of the cane. The fact that they wouldn't release the person clearly indicated something was amiss.
“What you said makes sense, but there is always a procedure. At most, they will be detained for three to five days and then released. Don’t worry, the second son’s family, the people are watching over them.”
He nodded towards the worried Second Madam, but she wouldn't listen. She couldn't rest easy if she didn't see Baoyu for a day.
"That's what they say, but the person is locked up inside, and we can't just not say a word or even see them. It's a matter of the family's reputation. Baoyu is always kind to everyone and never gets angry. He's meeting his classmates to celebrate this engagement, which should be a cause for celebration. There's no question of fighting. If the Meng family knew, I wonder what they would think."
The second wife, accustomed to being domineering, now faced with these events, setting aside the empresses in the palace and the Wang family, ultimately found herself in a critical situation where, looking back, none of her most capable helpers could offer any assistance.
Upon hearing this, Grandmother Jia's face became quite embarrassed.
“Feng girl, what you say makes sense. In that case, what do you think?”
Ultimately, it's a loss. Can she swallow it? Wang Xifeng's eyes flickered. She immediately thought, since the Military Command has arrested people, she has to intervene. If she can't sue the people at Qinglian Academy because of this, she still needs to find out the whole story.
“Grandma, it’s not impossible, but we need to find out the specifics first. Even if there’s a grievance, we need witnesses and physical evidence. Not to mention those people from the Imperial Academy, the fight happened at the entrance of Qinghu South Street. After we ask the shopkeeper, we’ll go to the Shuntian Prefecture government office to file a complaint and submit the case. There will be some resolution.”
Having dealt with Magistrate Xu before, she realized he was quite shrewd and that she should first send someone to deliver a message. Grandmother Jia hesitated.
"The Military Commandery arrests people, and you go to the Shuntian Prefecture to file a complaint? Is that appropriate?"
“Grandma, what’s inappropriate about it? You said yourself that he’ll only be locked up for three to five days at most. We don’t know how badly he was beaten yet. Once he comes out, he’ll be a witness, and the physical evidence is readily available—his clothes, and the tables and chairs that were smashed in the restaurant. If you ask me, we just need to pry a bit to see who did it, so we can have a plan for verification, just in case.”
Even if there are ulterior motives, whether it's to implicate the palace or something else, there must be a way to deal with it. Grandmother Jia's expression was grave as she slowly nodded. Perhaps that's not the case.
“What Feng’er said makes sense. Since the banquet was held under the guise of congratulating Baoyu, it’s a matter of face for the Rongguo Mansion. Do those old fogies from Qinglian Academy want to return to the court? But if it’s going to be a matter for the court, then these things need to be carefully planned.”
"Don't worry, old lady. Lord Xu of Shuntian is an old friend, so he will naturally go and sound him out first. Besides, the manager and waiters of that restaurant are all witnesses, so it shouldn't be difficult."
Wang Xifeng thought for a moment. If this matter was to be handled properly, then action should be taken quickly. Grandmother Jia understood this as well, so she no longer hesitated.
"You should arrange this matter first. If possible, submit the petition today. By the way, be sure to include the name of the leader from Qinglian Academy. No matter who it is, it's important to have someone in charge."
"Yes, old lady."
Seeing that the old lady agreed, Wang Xifeng did not dare to delay. When Ping'er led her maid and carried a food box in, she sent someone to tell Laiwang to go to the restaurant to inquire, then find a lawyer to write a petition and go to Shuntian Prefecture to beat the drum.
Upon receiving the message from his grandmother, Laiwang gathered a few servants, boarded a carriage, and hurriedly departed. He first went to a restaurant at the entrance of Qinghu South Street. As soon as he arrived, he jumped off the carriage, rushed into the courtyard, and dashed into the restaurant.
"Shopkeeper, shopkeeper, is he here?"
Inside, the place was still deserted. A few waiters and servers were cleaning the floor, and a few other staff were repairing tables and chairs. The entire hall was completely empty of customers. Hearing someone enter, a waiter quickly greeted them.
"Please come in, sir. May I ask what brings you here?"
The waiter had a sharp eye. Although the newcomer was dressed decently, his demeanor suggested he was merely a steward of a household. The two servants following behind him also exuded a certain arrogance.
"Please have your manager come here. I am the steward of the Rongguo Mansion. I have something to ask you."
After clasping his hands in a respectful greeting, Laiwang couldn't very well put on airs; he couldn't neglect his grandmother's instructions.
"You're too kind, sir. The manager is in the inner room. Please have a seat and rest for a while. Someone, bring some tea."
With a shout, the waiter brought over the tea, while the other waiter hurried to the kitchen. Turning back inside, he saw the old manager resting on a recliner and quickly went to him.
"Manager, manager, people from the Rongguo Mansion have arrived. They seem to have something to ask of us."
The old shopkeeper, who was resting with his eyes half-closed, opened his eyes upon hearing this and murmured;
"Did the people from the Rongguo Mansion have anything to say?"
"Oh dear, manager, how would I know about this? It must be because of what happened the other day. Wasn't Master Bao from the Rongguo Mansion here at our restaurant to celebrate his wedding banquet?"
The waiter was rather speechless; why were they asking him this now?
"Yes, yes, I slept soundly for a while and got all groggy. People from the Rongguo Mansion came, which means the Military Command hasn't released the people yet. That's strange. If they haven't released them, then there's something fishy about the leaders. Who was that person from Qinglian Academy again?"
She murmured to herself, suddenly remembering that student who frequented this place—what was his name again?
"The shopkeeper is Hua Congyuan from Qinglian Academy. I heard he's close to the headmaster of Qinglian Academy, so he's quite a celebrity there,"
Upon seeing the shopkeeper, they couldn't recall who he was, so they had to remind him, "If that's the case, then he must be from the Western Prince's Mansion."
"Yes, that's him. Let's go and see what the people from the Rongguo Mansion have to say."
"Yes, boss."
The waiter reached out to help the old manager, and the two of them stepped out of the kitchen and into the front hall. Sure enough, they saw a table by the door, where a man was sitting and sipping tea, followed by two servants.
"Oh dear, so it's the Rongguo Mansion that's in charge. Please forgive my poor hospitality."
They had initially thought it was a steward, but it turned out to be someone from the Rongguo Mansion's Second Madam's household. They quickly clasped their hands in greeting and smiled as they went to greet her.
"Shopkeeper, do you recognize me?"
Laiwang was somewhat surprised. The old shopkeeper looked unfamiliar, and he couldn't recall where he had seen him before.
"It seems you have a bad memory, Manager Lai. Back in the East Market, at the butcher shop, when I went to buy meat early in the morning, our two families were there and bought all the meat. Do you remember?"
Seeing that the manager couldn't remember, the shopkeeper could only point to the east and give him a hint.
Laiwang suddenly realized that his grandmother had instructed him to add more meat and vegetables to the work in the front yard that day, so he had taken a few servants to the East Market. He had met the butcher at the south-facing butcher shop at the very front of the market. He never expected that the butcher would be the shopkeeper.
"So it's Manager Xin. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Since they're acquaintances, that makes things easier.
"Oh, no, no, may I ask what brings you here today, Steward?"
Manager Xin was somewhat confused. If they were looking for someone, shouldn't they go to the Military Affairs Office?
"Haha, oh dear, of course I have something to ask for!"
(End of this chapter)