Chapter 1111
The Western Prince's Mansion Takes the Lead
Chapter 1111 The Western Prince's Mansion Takes the Lead
The scorching sun shines brightly,
The commotion in front of the Meridian Gate attracted the attention of people from all walks of life.
Inside the teahouse,
Zhang Jinyu, who was still chatting with several military officers, gradually fell silent. The two military officers even stood by the window, their eyes fixed on the carriage of the West Prince's Mansion in front of the Meridian Gate.
They originally thought that today would pass by with tea and conversation, but unexpectedly, before Marquis Luo Yun and his group could make any noise, the heir of the Western Prince's Mansion presented a congratulatory letter at the Meridian Gate, a day early, which was against etiquette.
Wu Shiqi stroked his beard, somewhat bewildered, and asked:
“Lord Nan, speaking of which, the Meridian Gate was quite lively today. The heir of the Western Prince’s Mansion only entered the city around noon. It seems he didn’t even have time to rest before hurriedly delivering his congratulatory letter and gifts. I don’t quite understand his actions.”
The men from the South Gate beside him were also somewhat bewildered. Lord He had instructed them to keep an eye on the North Street of the Market and not to make any mistakes, but he hadn't reminded them that there were still people violating etiquette in front of the Meridian Gate, so they didn't know how to answer for the moment.
Only Zhang Jinyu came to the side with great interest and saw the situation in front of the Meridian Gate on the north side. A large group of people were kneeling there, dressed so formally despite the hot weather, as if they were not afraid of the heat.
"Oh my, my lords, look at this! The Western Prince's Mansion is truly impressive, with its elite cavalry all clad in black armor. And that young master of the Western Prince's Mansion is an exceptional individual, being the first to present his congratulatory message today. The whole world knows about it."
Zhang Jinyu spoke calmly, indicating that this heir of the Western King's Mansion was no pushover. His actions were bold and proactive, and given that the Western King had just returned to Liangzhou in the Northwest, the palace would certainly not treat him poorly.
Nan Wenyi shook her head and replied:
“My lord, matters in the palace have always been matters of the court, and there are established rules of etiquette. Even if the heir of the Western Prince’s Mansion is still loyal, the rules of etiquette cannot be abolished. If everyone follows this rule, the laws of the court will inevitably be destroyed over time. Therefore, this action should not be used to embolden him.”
With righteous indignation, a hint of surprise flashed in Wu Shiqi's eyes, then he smiled and said:
“What Lord Nan said makes sense. The imperial court has its own laws. If everyone disregards etiquette, and the Western Prince’s Mansion can come, then the Eastern Prince’s Mansion can come too. So, can’t others also come?”
Zhang Jinyu turned her head and looked at the two faces. She was surprised that these words could come from their mouths.
"What you two gentlemen say is absolutely right. Etiquette is etiquette; how can one arbitrarily transgress it? Why don't you two go and reprimand him to prove the court's etiquette?"
Zhang Jinyu put down his folding fan, not to test the waters, but to test the waters at the opportune moment. The Western Prince's Mansion had become so powerful that it was impossible to shake it off, and among the many officials in the court, countless held a grudge against it.
Fortunately, the two men simply smiled. This matter was none of their concern; even if Lord He himself were here, he would likely give way. Wu Shiqi picked up his teacup to conceal his smile.
"Your Excellency is joking. We are merely minor officials in the Military Affairs Department. How could we possibly do anything that would exceed the prescribed limits? Besides, the Censorate and the officials of the Six Ministries are on duty right here in the palace."
This excuse was perfectly legitimate, and Zhang Jinyu didn't probe further; it was better than nothing.
As they were talking, a commotion suddenly arose downstairs, startling everyone inside. A moment later...
Zhao Wu, the personal guard deputy general, hurriedly went upstairs:
"My lord, I have something to report. My brothers have had a minor conflict with the Imperial Guards."
His face was slightly flushed, and even Lord Wu and Lord Nan became interested when the topic of the conflict with the Imperial Guards came up.
The three of them got up and walked to the window, where they saw two groups of soldiers at the north intersection of the street to the east, their swords drawn.
The captain of the Right Guard of the Imperial Guard, his eyes wide with anger, shouted:
"Gentlemen, this is the capital city. Why are you allowed to rest in the shade of this tree?"
Before anyone could tell what had happened, Marquis Luo Yun's men surrounded them, with the leading captain showing no sign of weakness.
"I was here first, so this place belongs to us brothers."
His arrogant and domineering attitude made the Imperial Guards glare at him angrily, but they sensed something was amiss and remained unmoved.
This scene was witnessed by Wu Shiqi, who was inside the teahouse. He quickly instructed his attendants, saying:
"It's all a misunderstanding, quick, make them disperse."
Nan Wenyi also gave a wink to the guards. The deputy general of the military command saw this and quickly led his men over. Only Zhang Jinyu didn't care at all, looking at the street on the east side with a smile in his eyes. The Imperial Guards really don't learn their lesson.
They were still thinking about whether to give the two commanders a gift when they saw the soldiers from the Military Command rushing between the two groups of soldiers. They didn't know what they were saying, but the Imperial Guards retreated. Their quick retreat made everyone in the room wonder.
Returning to the private room through the window, Zhang Jinyu didn't think much of it. Since the other party had conceded, she let it go and smiled:
"Please excuse our poor behavior, gentlemen. The brothers are hot-tempered and have been quite unruly."
"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter."
Wu Shiqi seized the opportunity to back down, laughing it off.
"My lord, it's perfectly normal for soldiers to be hot-tempered. Speaking of which, the autumn hunt is just a few months away, and the hunting grounds in the western suburbs have been expanded to the south. If there is a grand competition on that day, would you be willing to participate?"
The autumn hunt was a major event in the capital. After the autumn harvest, the hunting grounds in the western suburbs of Anhu Camp would be led by the Military Command and the court would be responsible for the hunt. All civil and military officials could participate, but after the emperor ascended the throne, he never participated, so the generals of the Imperial Guards never participated.
As a result, most of the generals and sons of noble families in the capital came here for a banquet, and there was no hunting atmosphere at all. They mostly brought their own food and entertained themselves.
Zhang Jinyu was naturally aware of this matter. Without the palace's rewards, the hunt organized by the Military Command was mostly seen as a joke.
"Of course I'll accompany you, Lord Wu. Rest assured, if I have free time after autumn, I will certainly accept your invitation to the hunt."
Nan Wenyi's face lit up with joy. If Marquis Luoyun led his troops, many talented young men from the capital would surely go, which might change things. He solemnly thanked him:
"Thank you, Your Excellency. I will remember this kindness forever."
"Ah, Lord Nan, please don't overthink it. The autumn hunt is a major event for the imperial court, how could I not help?"
Zhang Jinyu also offered kind words, and the atmosphere inside the room was harmonious. Just then, another captain from the military command arrived, sweating profusely. After entering, he performed the proper courtesies.
"My lord, the side gate in front of the Meridian Gate is wide open, and eunuchs and palace attendants have come out to accompany you. Someone else heard that the Crown Prince of the West was bowing and offering congratulations, saying that he was willing to use the taxes from the three northwestern prefectures to fund his birthday banquet."
At first glance, it didn't seem like much, but upon closer reflection, something was amiss. The taxes of the three northwestern prefectures had always been under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War. Now, the Western Prince's Mansion was actually using the taxes from the three prefectures as funds for his birthday banquet—it was utterly outrageous.
The three men, puzzled but intrigued, felt something was amiss and got up again to go upstairs and watch from the window.
As the sun sets,
The golden afterglow bathed Beidao Street, and the scene in front of the Meridian Gate was now visible at a glance.
Within the deep palace,
The messenger eunuch rushed towards the Hall of Mental Cultivation, barely managing to put on his shoes properly, leaving a trail of hurried footsteps on the bluestone path until he reached the Emperor.
Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation at this time,
The Empress was reviewing memorials by the window when a corner of the bright yellow curtain was lifted by a gentle breeze, revealing a string of pearl beads on her wrist. Each bead was round and full, gleaming softly in the morning light.
On the table lay a secret report on the canal transport in Jiangnan. A vermilion pen hovered in mid-air, not yet falling. This time, the memorial submitted by Song Zhen, the Minister of Justice, was shocking. In addition, the canal transport involved water transport in both the north and south. Shen Xueshi had just taken over the case. If another major embezzlement case were discovered, the court would definitely not be able to support this year's revenue.
Just then, the Grand Eunuch Dai Quan tiptoed in, dressed in a dark blue eunuch's uniform with python patterns. His hair and beard were all white, but he was still very energetic, and he spoke in a very low voice.
"Your Majesty, it's time for lunch. Today, the Empress has specially prepared ginseng soup for His Majesty to nourish his body."
As he spoke, he instructed the eunuchs serving behind him to bring in the food box, set the meal on the east table, and then sent everyone back home.
The Empress didn't even raise her head; the red-tipped brush remained motionless.
“Dai Quan, you said the convoy from the Western Prince’s residence just entered at noon today. Why didn’t they come to present their invitation beforehand? Instead, they’re rushing to present a congratulatory letter and birthday gifts now. According to the rules, this is not proper etiquette.” The young eunuch who had just announced the arrival was still waiting outside. The Western Prince’s residence’s actions this time were quite intriguing.
After setting the table, Dai Quan bowed and returned to his desk. His trusted eunuch had already reported what had happened outside. He was somewhat surprised that the heir of the Western Prince's residence had presented a congratulatory letter at the palace gate; it seemed the prince had ulterior motives.
"Your Majesty, the heir of the Western Prince's Mansion, Gong Huaiyu, has been studying at the Qinglian Academy. Now, the Gong family's convoy is returning to the capital without delay, heading straight through the Meridian Gate. Perhaps this is to show their loyalty to the court and to fulfill the favor between the emperor and his subjects."
No sooner had the words been spoken than hurried footsteps sounded outside the hall, and a young eunuch tumbled in, his knees hitting the gold-brick floor with a dull thud.
"Your Majesty, something terrible has happened! There's been an incident at the Meridian Gate!"
Dai Quan frowned and rebuked sharply;
"What's the panic? Be careful not to startle His Majesty."
The young eunuch, panting heavily, immediately shrank back and repeated what Li Dequan, the guard at the Meridian Gate, had said. The Empress Wu's vermilion brush finally stopped, and she slowly raised her eyes, her gaze sharp as an eagle's.
"What audacity! Gong Huaiyu is shouting congratulations at the Meridian Gate? And he's even carrying a bright yellow congratulatory letter!"
"Your Majesty, this servant dares not conceal anything. Steward Li said that the young master is holding up the congratulatory letter and refuses to leave, and the guards dare not move!"
The young eunuch lay prostrate on the ground, not daring to breathe. There must be someone watching what was happening in front of the Meridian Gate. If he said the wrong thing, he might be in trouble.
Dai Quan's expression changed slightly. Such actions smacked of a coup. He stepped forward and whispered:
"Your Majesty, the birthday banquet tomorrow will be attended by all the officials. Today, they submitted their memorial at the Meridian Gate with such fanfare. It is clear that they want everyone to know their intentions. It seems that the Western Prince's Mansion is a bit anxious."
The Empress put down her pen, her fingertips gently stroking the jade thumb ring, and sat upright on the dragon throne, smiling:
"It's good that you're in such a hurry. I thought that the Western King Gong Ze was indifferent to worldly desires and never wanted to enter the pass in this lifetime. As for their intentions? The Western King's Mansion has guarded the northwest frontier for thirty years. Since I ascended the throne, he has never said a word, but he has never been this 'enthusiastic' before."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked into the depths of the palace walls. The Qingyang Prefect was currently imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice, and last night, the Imperial City Guard sent an urgent message that the Anyang Prefect had died in the Jiaofangsi. How could these events be so coincidental?
“Last month, Gong Huaiyu went to the palace to report on his father’s duties and told me that the Northwest border army was short of food and fodder and the Ministry of Revenue was dragging its feet on approving it. Now this congratulatory letter… comes at just the right time.”
Dai Quan followed closely behind Empress Wu, and upon hearing the Emperor's words, he was also startled.
“Your Majesty is wise. The heir of the Western Prince’s Mansion, Gong Huaiyu, has submitted a memorial on behalf of his father and entered the Grand Secretariat three times. This servant guesses that the Western Prince’s Mansion wants the harvest of the three northwestern prefectures, which is why the Grand Secretariat is dragging its feet. As for today’s matter, this servant believes that the heir is afraid that there will be too many people and too much attention tomorrow, and that the congratulatory memorial will not be as meaningful. Therefore, he deliberately chose today to come and make a scene so that everyone will know about it, just to let Your Majesty see their ‘submission’.”
"humble?"
The Martial Emperor chuckled softly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.
"If they are truly obedient, why are they shouting congratulations loudly in front of the Meridian Gate? Whose obedience is this? They are forcing me to make a statement. If I accept this congratulatory letter, it means I acknowledge their intentions; if I don't, it would seem that I cannot tolerate a prince who is fulfilling his filial duty to his father."
The hall was quiet for a moment. The ambergris incense in the incense burner rose gently, condensing into fine wisps of mist in the sunlight. This should be an open conspiracy. The Western King turned back halfway, which was already a taboo. Now he is acting without any scruples, which shows the arrogance of the Western King's Mansion.
Dai Quan observed the Empress's expression and cautiously said:
“Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, this congratulatory letter should be accepted. The Emperor Emeritus has been remembering the kindness of the Prince of the West in protecting him back then, and yesterday he even inquired about the congratulatory gifts from the Prince of the West’s residence. Accepting the letter will not only fulfill the Emperor Emeritus’s wishes but also calm the Prince of the West’s residence down. As for the rules of submitting the letter… just consider it as the young prince’s ignorance, Your Majesty, please forgive him.”
Although it was a way of smoothing things over, the matter between the Gong and Lang families remained a thorn in the side of the court and the emperor.
Empress Wu paused, turning to look at Dai Quan:
"You old fool, you're actually saying nice things. It's true you can't hit a smiling face. Giving Gong Huaiyu a way out is fine, but..."
But they showed absolutely no manners, truly demonstrating the weakness and vulnerability of the imperial court.
“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is young and impetuous. He may not have thought about so many complicated matters. He is just eager to express his feelings on behalf of his father. If Your Majesty accepts the gift gently, it will not only show the Emperor’s great benevolence, but also put the Northwest frontier at ease. It is a win-win situation. If you do not accept it, with all the civil and military officials in the capital present, there will surely be officials who will impeach him at tomorrow’s birthday banquet, causing trouble that will be difficult to handle.”
Speaking of censors, Dai Quan and Empress Wu had many concerns. Perhaps it was the great deeds of Yan Cong and Cao Guangzheng, but almost all the censors in the Six Ministries were eager to try their luck and make a name for themselves. All the civil and military officials knew this. With these concerns, some things in the court became much more orderly. However, censors are a double-edged sword. If they were to write to the Western Prince's Mansion and act arrogantly, it would be really hard to get out of trouble.
The Empress remained silent for a moment, gazing at the setting sun outside the window, before finally nodding.
"What you say makes sense. The northwest frontier must not be in chaos, and the Western King's Palace must not be disheartened. The Xianbei people's unusual movements must be part of a scheme."
He picked up a gilded token from the table and threw it on the table.
"Issue my decree that Li Dequan accept the congratulatory letter from the Prince of the West's residence, comfort the Crown Prince, and tell him that the Emperor Emeritus and I know his intentions."
Dai Quan accepted the token, bowed, and replied:
"The slave obeys the order."
Then, silence returned to the hall.
Outside the Meridian Gate,
Li Dequan was so anxious that his clothes were soaked with sweat. The young master was too talkative and ignored him, so he could only stand there. Then he heard a sound from the side door and saw the eunuch who was with the old master walking quickly towards him. He hurriedly went to greet him.
"Father-in-law, what did the Ancestor say?"
"Manager Li, the ancestor said to accept the congratulatory letter and gifts and register them."
"Yes, yes, this servant obeys."
Upon hearing the Emperor's decree to accept the congratulatory letter, Li Dequan breathed a long sigh of relief. His legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground. The eunuchs rushed over to help him up, and Li Dequan regained his footing. Without saying a word, he turned around and personally took the congratulatory letter from Gong Huaiyu's hands. When his fingertips touched the cool brocade, he realized that his palms were already soaked with cold sweat.
"Receive the congratulatory letter from the Prince of Xi's Mansion and register it."
A hoarse, hoarse voice rang out, followed by the sound of drums in front of the Meridian Gate.
Gong Huaiyu watched as the congratulatory letter was solemnly accepted, a perfectly measured respectful smile appearing on his face. He immediately handed over a hundred taels of silver.
"Thank you very much, Eunuch Li. I will remember this forever."
"No need for you to worry about it, Your Highness. This is simply what I should do."
Even so, Li Dequan dared not refuse. As the silver notes entered his pocket, he directed the eunuchs behind him to check each of the presented gifts and register them. In his pocket was the congratulatory letter from the Western Prince's Mansion, as if he were carrying a thousand-pound burden.
"Then thank you for your trouble, sir. I will not dare to disturb you any further and will take my leave now."
He cupped his hands in a respectful bow, waved his hand, and turned to board the carriage. Thus, the West Prince's convoy slowly departed from the house, leaving without the slightest hesitation. A breeze blew by.
The bronze bells on the eaves finally resumed their gentle ringing, but the hearts of people inside and outside the palace walls were quietly stirred by this unexpected congratulatory message.
the other side,
The young eunuch Li Dequan sent to Chang Le Palace to deliver a message, wearing soft-soled boots, darted around the inner palace, took a shortcut through the Meridian Gate, bypassed three corridors, and crossed the Taiye Pond in the Imperial Garden. The mist from the pond dampened the bluestone path, making it slippery; he slipped and fell several times.
Chang Le Palace is located in the northwest corner of the imperial palace. It is a separate hall, and because it was built on a high platform, it occupies a large area.
The young eunuch dared not stop along the way. As he passed through the arched gate, he saw several palace maids sweeping and deliberately avoided them. It wasn't until he entered the courtyard of Chang Le Palace that he was stopped by the old eunuch on duty in the corridor.
"What are you doing? So rude!"
This man was a trusted confidant of Chief Eunuch Xia, specifically in charge of the palace gates of Chang Le Palace. The young eunuch quickly stopped and took out his communication token.
"Manager Li of the Meridian Gate has sent this servant to deliver a message,"
The old eunuch stepped closer, verified the token, and, after confirming its authenticity, led the man into the inner chamber of the palace. Passing a sandalwood screen, they saw Chief Eunuch Xia of Chang Le Palace standing in the corridor, dressed in a Taoist robe, holding a gold-threaded whisk in his hands; wherever the sunlight touched, it shimmered with gold.
Upon suddenly seeing that it was Chief Steward Xia, the young eunuch, panting heavily, knelt down.
"Steward Xia, this servant has come to report that the Crown Prince of the Western King has loudly presented a congratulatory memorial at the Meridian Gate to wish the Emperor Emeritus a happy birthday!"
"what!"
(End of this chapter)