Chapter 1113
The Kings Move Upon Hearing the Sound
Chapter 1113 The Kings Move Upon Hearing the Sound
The sun sets in the west.
A refreshing autumn breeze brought a touch of coolness to the capital city, which had been baking in the sun all day. News of what had happened at the Meridian Gate had already spread throughout the entire city.
Especially within the Court of State Ceremonial,
The princes' faces were ashen, their faces practically dripping with sweat. A perfectly good gift had been ruined by a mere brat.
Around the octagonal table, expensive ambergris incense burned in the incense burner, but it couldn't dispel the anxiety that filled the room.
King Zhou Changde of Zheng slammed his teacup onto the table, the celadon lid making a sharp clang as it struck the surface. His anger deepened the wrinkles around his eyes.
"This is simply outrageous! That brat from the Western Prince's Mansion dared to break the rules. The princes are supposed to present their congratulatory gifts tomorrow morning, but now it's a day early, and the whole capital has already heard about it."
"Yes, Second Brother, this brat has no respect for the court and is arrogant and domineering. He clearly wants to steal the limelight, and this is an open scheme. That old fox, Xi Wang Gong Ze, turned back halfway and had his son offer birthday greetings on his behalf. There is a lot of meaning behind this."
King Zhou Jiansheng of Song stroked his beard, his brows furrowed. He had been worrying about presenting congratulatory gifts, but unexpectedly, when it was their turn, someone else had beaten them to it. How could they possibly succeed?
Even the usually mild-mannered King Zhou Desheng of Wu appeared extremely displeased.
"My brothers, please calm down. The matter has already occurred, and it happened suspiciously. We received news around noon that the Western Prince's caravan had just returned to the capital. Unexpectedly, the caravan immediately headed straight for the Meridian Gate. It seems that someone instructed us to do this. Everyone says there has been a change in the Northwest, so it seems that the Western Prince's Mansion had a plan in place."
"Hmph, I see he's just feeling guilty. The Xianbei are making trouble, and with the two governors of the northwest prefectures in trouble, I think his birthday greetings are a pretense, and his real intention is to apologize."
Sitting at the lower end of the table, Chen Wenzhou and Qi Wu snorted coldly. If anyone present knew the Western Prince's Mansion best, it was him.
"Last year there were rumors that the Liangzhou Corridor was filled with dust and smoke. In addition, the Western Regions kingdoms were unwilling to submit to the Xianbei, so they were constantly making small moves. Unfortunately, the Xianbei Khan's uncle died suddenly. After the royal court stabilized, those who made small moves panicked."
"That's true."
After thinking about it, everyone agreed that it was largely true. The Xianbei people were not benevolent men and women. Even though their Khan uncle had seized power, the royal court still managed to transition smoothly. Moreover, the Khan had moved the royal army to the Western Regions. Even if the land where the dragon rose was in turmoil, the power of the royal court had never been dispersed and had gradually grown stronger.
The key issue is the three prefectures in the northwest. The prefects have run into trouble one after another. This time, they have shown their loyalty. But if the two of them show their loyalty, wouldn't that leave the others to suffer in the heat of the moment?
suddenly,
Just as everyone was discussing this, there was a knock on the door. A minor official from the Bureau of State Affairs rushed in and bowed.
"Your Highnesses, Lord Wu has sent me with a list of gifts from the Western Prince's residence. Furthermore, Lang Lin, the heir of the Southern Prince's residence, has already presented a congratulatory message at the Meridian Gate. The list of gifts has been copied here. He also said that Your Highnesses should make preparations in advance."
I haven't finished speaking yet,
The princes in the room were already ashen-faced. Sure enough, once something happened, something else followed. Prince Zheng snatched the gift list and quickly scanned it. The more he looked, the more unnatural his expression became. When he saw that the Southern Prince's residence had sent two coral trees, a pair of jade vases, and twelve batches of brocade, while the Western Prince's residence had sent mostly thirty treasures from various Western Regions kingdoms, he slammed the gift list heavily on the table.
"What a sly Prince Langyun of the South! Everyone says he's a hypocrite, a master of pretense. He says he 'dares not overstep the bounds,' but then he brings all the treasures from the South. The gifts on this list are 30% more than what the Prince of the West sent. Is he trying to outdo all of us?"
Looking at the gift list on the table, King Wu felt somewhat surprised. He got up, walked over, picked it up and looked at it carefully. His brows furrowed even more, and he replied somewhat uncertainly.
"Gentlemen, as far as I know, the southern lands suffered from floods this summer, and the battle with the three southern kingdoms was extremely fierce. Although I don't know the extent of the damage, the troops from the prefectures near the interior have been gradually withdrawn, which is obviously not a good sign. However, this gift list is extremely valuable, so it seems that the Lang family has other plans."
This whole mess was made for no reason. If we're talking about true loyalty, none of us here are three-year-old children. How could we be so easily fooled? If the Western King's Palace family deliberately did what happened today because of the Western Regions Xianbei, then could the Southern Lang family be doing the same thing? Thinking about it this way, everything became clear.
Only the King of Han was somewhat resentful. After entering the capital, he encountered setbacks at every turn. Those noble families were not to be trifled with. He asked the King of Wu for a list, and indeed, the treasures were countless.
"Look at these gifts. They've put a lot of thought into them: pre-Qingming Longjing tea, Suzhou embroidery screens, and even the Southern Court Pearl. These are things that the Empress Dowager and the Dowager Consort like. The Lang family has really put a lot of effort into this. They haven't neglected anyone in the inner palace."
The more elaborate the gifts, the more clumsy they seemed, since the other women in the harem didn't receive many, and even fewer were given to His Majesty.
The hall fell silent instantly, with only the ash from the incense burner falling softly. The princes knew that the Emperor Emeritus's birthday banquet was about two things: first, the congratulatory messages; and second, the gifts presented by everyone. Whoever presented the best gift would be the one to show their loyalty to the Emperor Emeritus and the court.
King Zheng took a deep breath, his knuckles tightening slightly, and paced back and forth in the hall several times.
"We can't wait any longer. The gift presentation scheduled for tomorrow was disrupted by the Western King and the Southern King. Now they have seized the initiative. If we continue to proceed step by step, it will only appear that we are being negligent."
Therefore, if we want to regain face, we need to make it even bigger. Fortunately, there are quite a few people who are going back to the capital with us. King Wu swallowed and pondered.
"Second Brother, you mean we should also present our gifts in advance? But we are currently at the Court of State Ceremonial, and if we rush over, each of us will appear even more isolated, not to mention Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, and Prince Dong Ping, Mu Shi, who may have already left one after the other."
“Yes, Second Brother, there is still the ceremony of the princes presenting gifts tomorrow. If we continue as we are today, how will we handle this ceremony tomorrow? What will become of the court’s reputation?”
King Zhou Jiansheng of Song was also in a dilemma. Many things had to follow the rules of etiquette, and tomorrow was the first day of his birthday banquet. If these things were done in advance, he was afraid that the palace would make another change.
"Even if we can't prepare in time, we still have to prepare. If the palace can accept theirs, it can accept ours too. Accepting one is the same as accepting two. Even if it's something for tomorrow, let the palace figure it out themselves."
"That's a good idea,"
The King of Han finally agreed, thinking that their group's meticulous preparations might not be inferior to those of the "Four Kings".
"In that case, immediately have someone prepare the carriages. We five princes must arrive at the Meridian Gate within half an hour."
Once they arrived, their imposing presence would surely overshadow the other princes. However, Prince Chen, Zhou Qiwu, hesitated.
"But second brother, isn't it too obvious that we're rushing there like this? What if His Majesty and the Emperor Emeritus think we're just following the trend? That wouldn't be appropriate."
There's an old saying that goes, "The first is mighty, the second is glorious, and the third is just ordinary." When it comes to competing in presenting congratulatory messages, falling behind even slightly is not a good thing.
"What you say makes sense, but right now, we don't have no choice. It's always better to be deliberate than to fall behind. Or rather, going ahead of the other two kings can help us win some favor. Besides..."
King Zhou Chang of Zheng spoke with absolute certainty.
"What the Emperor Emeritus hates most is the imperial family members who hold positions without contributing anything. Both the Western Prince Gong family and the Southern Prince Lang family have broken the rules of etiquette to claim credit, so why can't we? Going is better than not going."
Seeing that King Zheng's words made sense, the others nodded in agreement, and even the usually timid King Wu lost his inhibitions.
"Second Brother is right. We should not only send these rare items, but also send more money. It is said that the Emperor Emeritus's cultivation of Taoism consumes a lot of resources and he spends money like water. We should show our filial piety. Also, we should have the staff rewrite the congratulatory message immediately, with less empty politeness and more sincere greetings."
"Yes,"
Just as everyone in the hall was brainstorming, the chief secretary of Prince Zheng's residence came in and reported;
"Your Highness, news has just arrived from the Meridian Gate that the head steward of Chang Le Palace personally visited the two heirs and brought gifts from the Empress Dowager and the Dowager Consort. Furthermore, the Office of Transmission has already copied the gift list and sent it to the Hall of Mental Cultivation. It seems His Majesty has already seen the gift list."
"Okay, this is just the right time."
A glint of light flashed in King Zheng's eyes, and he said "Good".
"Gentlemen, now that the gift list has been sent to the Hall of Mental Cultivation, it means that the Emperor is also concerned about the gift presentation. It is just the right time for us to go now. Men, prepare the carriage and head to the Meridian Gate."
"Yes, Your Highness." All the servants inside responded and went down the mountain to prepare. The entire hall was bustling with activity, especially the villas of the various princes down the mountain, where unloading and reloading had begun. A quarter of an hour later, a long procession had started outside the Court of State Ceremonial. Leading the procession was the entourage of Prince Zheng, with sixteen guards in bright silver armor carrying flags and escorting an eight-bearer sedan chair. The curtains were embroidered with the Qilin and cloud patterns of Prince Zheng's mansion. Following closely behind were the processions of the remaining princes, with carriages carrying heavy boxes that were very conspicuous.
And so, the entire convoy set off from the Honglu Temple in a grand procession, heading straight for the Meridian Gate. Along the way, crowds of people stopped to watch and discuss the spectacle.
"Isn't this the royal carriage of several princes from the Court of State Ceremonial?"
"Yes, we're carrying these things, and we don't know where we're going."
"Hey, you lot, how can you be so ignorant? A prince from the capital is presenting a congratulatory letter, presumably for the birthday banquet."
Those who were well-informed couldn't contain themselves any longer and proudly announced it, attracting a large crowd of people from the surrounding area.
that's it,
The closer the convoy got to the Meridian Gate, the more somber the atmosphere became. Especially when they passed the intersection of the North Street of the Central Market, there were almost no people along the way, and it was completely quiet. Prince Zheng had already squinted his eyes and sensed that something was wrong, so he asked.
"Mr. Fan, why is it so quiet here?"
Outside the sedan chair,
An old man, disguised as a servant, was already sitting in front of the carriage. Hearing the prince's question, he glanced around and noticed the scattered armor and weapons among the shops along the street. He immediately understood.
"Your Highness, the troops are all taking shelter from the heat in the shops, so there's nothing to worry about. Even the Imperial Guards are resting on the north street of the Meridian Gate. It seems that things are getting hot inside the palace."
Fan Wenhai smiled slightly. These days, he had been working hard for the prince among the court officials and had gained a lot, especially from the Wu family, who had contributed a lot. Today, he had come back because the Wu family had sent him a list of gifts from the Ministry of Justice.
"Yes, the wind has risen, but unfortunately, it's too weak to withstand the blow. Sir, if you come to the capital this time and have no chance at all, what will you do?"
King Zheng was filled with unease. One reason was that the capital had changed too much, while the fighting strength of the various garrison units remained the same. Another reason was the attitude of the four kings and eight dukes. There were too many variables, and he had almost no chance of winning.
“Your Highness, if you ask for something, you will get it. If this is the will of Heaven, then we can only go back and discuss it further. If we gain something, we can at least go back and help. The world has already changed. The main forces of the Taiping Sect and the White Lotus Sect have not yet been wiped out. Everything is still uncertain.”
Or rather, some things are still open to discussion, and there might still be an opportunity to talk to the White Lotus Sect and the Taiping Sect. Most importantly, Fan Wenhai is no longer as resolute as he was when he came. He fears there is no chance in the capital, or rather, after the great victory in the south of the capital, the prince will have no chance. But how could he dare to tell him the truth?
Perhaps sensing the meaning behind the gentleman's words, Prince Zheng's expression remained somewhat dejected. If only he had known this would happen, why did he do it in the first place? And where is his elder brother, Prince Yizhong?
After walking to the intersection of North Street and turning north, you will see the Meridian Gate ahead.
The convoy drove by,
On the east and west streets of the North Street intersection, Lord Wu and Lord Nan of the Military Command were rather helpless. The presentation of gifts was supposed to be tomorrow, but with several princes present today, even the "Four Kings and Eight Dukes" of the capital wouldn't be spared. The old master had instructed them to come here temporarily to observe, not to actually guard the gate. Now, even if they wanted to leave, they probably couldn't.
“Brother Wu, if all these princes come, then Prince Bei Jing and Prince Dong Ping will certainly not lag behind. What if the dukes’ mansions also can’t hold back? Should we leave the streets tonight or not? If we don’t leave, I will have to rush back to the west gate to stand guard.”
Recalling the old man's instructions at the Military Affairs Office that morning, he was told to guard the city gates carefully. He had already lingered there long enough. Fortunately, the weather was still warm and it wasn't as scorching as it was at noon. After leaving this place of trouble, he entrusted Lord He with delivering his congratulatory letter and gifts.
Upon seeing that Lord Wu was about to leave, Nan Wenyi was unwilling to let him go.
“Brother Wu, since you’re here, why rush to leave? Besides, we rarely get together. Since we have the opportunity, why not have a drink together? It’s my way of entertaining guests. And the more lively the Meridian Gate is, the better we can at least take a look.”
Since the elders sent you to deliver a message, they will surely ask about what happened here. It would be inappropriate to go back and not report.
As if they could see right through each other, Lord Wu could only nod.
"Oh dear, my brother, you are too kind to refuse. I am truly sorry to trouble you. Please, let us have a drink together."
He gave an awkward smile and decided to stay. Upon seeing this, Nan Wenyi didn't hesitate and immediately gave instructions.
"Guards, set up a banquet right here. I want to have a good drink with Lord Wu."
"Yes, sir,"
As the South University student laughed heartily, a captain went down to find the restaurant manager. Before long, the manager personally brought up the finest sake, along with his servants and waiters, and went upstairs to rearrange the tables, smiling apologetically.
"You two have arrived at just the right time. The restaurant has stewed some excellent mutton, served with my secret sauce. It's absolutely the best in the capital. If you two don't mind, I'll bring it to you."
Upon hearing that there was mutton to eat, Lord Wu immediately became interested. The weather was hot, perfect for mutton soup. He slammed his hand on the table...
"Alright, since the shopkeeper is so kind, then bring it up. We'll also stir-fry a few more dishes to go with the wine. Go ahead."
"Thank you, sir."
The innkeeper dared not delay and quickly went downstairs to prepare. After a short while, the waiters, personally led by the innkeeper, brought up the food from downstairs, filling the table with dishes and wine. Seeing that the two gentlemen did not speak, he knew that they had important matters to discuss, so he quickly called out and led his men downstairs.
Thus, only the deputy general and captain of the Imperial City Guard were in the room. At this time, Wu Shiqi had already seen that the carriages of several princes had arrived in front of the Meridian Gate and began to present congratulatory messages in turn. The eunuchs in the city and the officials of the Court of State Affairs had begun to count the congratulatory gifts. It seemed that the palace had also tacitly approved of this.
“Lord Nan, since the palace has already made its own arrangements, it’s none of our business. Let things be as they are. The two of us should just enjoy our drinks and food.”
Further discussion was pointless; some matters were beyond their control. If it weren't for the elder's instructions, they wouldn't have come to this place. Nan Wenyi nodded in agreement.
“Brother Wu is right. We should talk about what’s happening outside the window. The two of us should drink and reminisce. I wonder how Marquis Luoyun is passing the time over there. This mutton stew is so tender and delicious, hahaha.”
Perhaps because they were tired today, and thinking that Marquis Luo Yun was unyielding to both soft and hard approaches, they felt extremely comfortable after taking a bite of mutton. So the two of them put down their wine and started eating.
Amid the bustling activity in front of the Meridian Gate
Zhang Jinyu wasn't idle in the teahouse either. He'd drunk so much tea that his stomach was full of water, and he was already feeling uneasy. Then he noticed the endless stream of people presenting congratulatory letters outside. Especially after several princes from within the Great Wall arrived, Kang Mengyu beside him became extremely tense, afraid that the Marquis's hand might tremble.
"What's wrong, kid? Why are you so nervous? I know what's important, why would I make things difficult for them?"
Zhang Jinyu muttered to herself in annoyance. It was such a joyous occasion, how could she be so tactless as to give the Emperor Emeritus a hard time and make a fool of herself?
Kang Mengyu gave an awkward smile, realizing that the Marquis had immediately seen through his predicament.
"My lord, please don't overthink it. It's hot today, and you must be hungry after waiting for so long. How about I treat you to a meal? There's a Yuelai Inn at the north end of the street, and their snacks are the best in the area. How about we have a drink?"
Full of expectation, Zhang Jinyu stared blankly at the Marquis's face. At that moment, her stomach was full of nothing but water, and she could no longer hold back. She nodded.
"Alright, let's have a drink here and see who else comes to offer gifts,"
"Very well, thank you, Lord Marquis!"
(End of this chapter)