Chapter 1114
His Highness's Gift Tomorrow
Chapter 1114 His Highness's Gift Tomorrow
The sun sets in the west.
The afterglow of the setting sun had enveloped the entire capital, illuminating the auspicious clouds in the sky with dazzling light and turning the vermilion palace walls into a shimmering, glassy hue. The clouds, like auspicious omens, hung in the sky, and the people of the capital were abuzz with discussion.
Even Zhou Xianzhe, the councilor of the Court of Transmission, carried a gilded tray and hurried through the white marble steps of the Meridian Gate. His boots made a clear sound as they stepped on the stone platform. Two colleagues followed closely behind him. The peacock embroidered patches on the three men's official robes shimmered in the rosy light. On the tray was a list of bright red gifts.
Upon arriving at the Hall of Mental Cultivation,
He headed straight for the imperial study, but was stopped by eunuchs at the door.
"Please wait a moment, Lord Zhou. His Majesty is currently reviewing memorials."
After stopping the person, the head eunuch dared to gently knock on the vermilion door frame from outside the door, and the voice of the old ancestor immediately came from inside the hall;
"come in."
Zhou Xianzhe took a deep breath, his face full of gratitude, and carefully carried the tray as he pushed open the door. He immediately saw the Crown Prince standing by the window, his moon-white robes embroidered with mountains and rivers, their patterns subtle and flowing. A jade belt hung loosely at his waist, and the profile of his face softened in the afterglow of the setting sun.
Looking further inside, the ancestor Dai Quan, dressed in a bright red official robe, was staring at him and asked;
"Has the gift lists from the princes arrived?"
"Your Majesty, and Chief Eunuch Dai."
Zhou Xianzhe walked quickly to the center of the hall, bowed and knelt down, and then, with two colleagues behind him, raised the tray in his hand.
"Your Majesty, the five princes, Zheng, Han, Song, Chen, and Wu, have presented their memorials and congratulatory messages, saying that they are grateful for Your Majesty's kindness and are offering congratulatory gifts to the Emperor Emeritus. At this moment, the sun is setting and the sky is filled with colorful clouds. The people of the capital are all discussing that this is an auspicious omen."
As soon as he finished speaking, Dai Quan walked over slowly, took the tray, and placed the commemorative document and congratulatory letter on the imperial desk. The Empress nodded, lightly touched the vermilion seal on the gift list with her fingertips, paused slightly when her gaze fell on the words "Prince Zheng", picked up the top gold-flecked gift list, and spoke in a calm and even voice.
"It turns out that Prince Zheng arrived first. He's always been very proper, but I didn't expect him to make an exception today. What's on the gift list?"
"Your Majesty, the Western King's Mansion sent treasures from various Western Regions countries, as well as a pair of luminous pearls, which are said to be able to illuminate the sound of water three feet deep. The Southern King's Mansion sent coral and jade, a hundred bolts of brocade, and a painting of the vast landscape."
Zhou Xianzhe replied fluently, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Dai Quan winking at a young eunuch. Immediately, new sandalwood incense was poured into the bronze incense burner in the corner of the hall.
Then he walked closer and took the memorials presented by the other princes and placed them on the imperial desk. In this way, apart from Prince Bei Jing Shui Rong and Prince Dong Ping Mu Shi who had not yet arrived, there were only three princes who did not move. However, Prince Jin stopped and watched with great interest and chuckled.
"Your Majesty, the princes are all of one mind and have chosen this auspicious time. However, with the officials paying homage tomorrow, the ceremony where the princes were to present their gifts will be left empty. I just checked the almanac, and tomorrow morning is the auspicious time. We can't leave the Imperial Palace empty."
In particular, all the envoys from various countries will come here to present congratulatory gifts. Without the princes leading the way, those noble families would probably not be able to maintain their position.
Little did they know that the Empress did not care about these things. She touched the list of gifts presented by the princes, picked up her pen, and wrote a reply on the memorial.
"Their advance gift demonstrates commendable loyalty and may not necessarily be a bad thing,"
Thinking that her three sons had not yet been presented as tribute, she thought it best to have them lead the way tomorrow, with the cooperation of several dukes' mansions, to complete the presentation. As soon as this thought came to mind, a smile instantly appeared on her lips.
"Xi Wang Gongze has guarded the border for many years and has made great contributions. However, due to the turmoil in the Western Regions, he has not had the opportunity to return to the capital. Issue an imperial edict to commend his merits."
"Your Majesty is holy."
Dai Quan bowed slightly, leaned closer, and lowered his voice;
"This servant has received word that after the princes returned to the capital, they contacted many court officials. Now that the investigation into the Jiangnan case is intensifying, they are sending gifts at this critical juncture."
"understood."
The Empress interrupted him, placing the vermilion brush on the brush holder. Gazing at the brush holder, she thought of that person, Xu Changwen, the magistrate of Chunyang County.
"Tomorrow's gift-presentation ceremony will be led by the Prince of Jin, the Prince of Wei, and the Prince of Chu, with the cooperation of the Duke of Zhenguo and the Rongguo Mansion. Let's make the gift-presentation a success, so that the eight descendants of the Duke's Mansion can enjoy this honor. Also!"
He raised his head and looked at the officials from the Ministry of Justice, then gave them instructions.
"You will be in charge of the gift presentation tomorrow. Make a loud announcement, Dai Quan, draft an imperial edict, and say that the princes are giving their congratulatory gifts in advance, and that the Duke's Mansion is specially permitted to assist the three princes in presenting their gifts. Make sure the details are clear."
"Yes, Your Majesty,"
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
Zhou Xianzhe readily agreed, overjoyed. He hadn't expected to stumble upon such a wonderful opportunity. The two men behind him looked on with envy. Just as they were about to take their leave, Dai Quan called them back.
"There is another matter I would like to trouble Lord Zhou with. Since you are in charge of presenting the gifts tomorrow, you will also be in charge of conveying the imperial decree. In particular, the etiquette of the Rongguo Mansion should be changed where necessary. Make sure that the family understands and makes preparations in advance so as not to delay the time. As for the other families, Xiaomingzi will arrange for someone to convey the decree."
"Yes, Steward Dai,"
Zhou Xianzhe bowed again before leading his men out. Once they were gone, the Prince of Jin could no longer contain himself.
"Father, aren't the Prince of Beijing and the Prince of Dongping going to present gifts in the future? How can we three be made to lead the way tomorrow?"
On such an important day, and for the first time for the three of them, they couldn't help but feel uneasy and had some concerns.
Perhaps sensing the Prince of Jin's thoughts, Dai Quan spoke up first to comfort him;
"Your Highness, the presentation of gifts this time is all in accordance with the procedures prepared by the Ministry of Rites of the Imperial Court. You only need to follow the procedures step by step. There is nothing else to do. Originally, these were the tasks of the other princes. Please take care of things according to their urgency."
This can also be seen as an explanation of the etiquette involved. Of course, the Emperor's good intentions were also to let the three princes, the court officials, and the people of the world see this.
The Prince of Jin understood, nodded, and looked at his father, the Emperor, behind the imperial desk.
"Your subject obeys the decree and will certainly not tarnish the dignity of the royal family tomorrow."
"Alright, go back and prepare. You can present the congratulatory letter first. As for Prince Bei Jing and Shui Rong, don't worry, they will definitely present their congratulatory letters and gifts today."
Emperor Wu nodded with satisfaction. Regardless of whether the two of them came or not, he had issued an imperial edict and they could only come today. Prince Jin bowed and withdrew. Then, Emperor Wu sat on the dragon throne, sighed softly, and suddenly asked.
"Has there been any movement from the Rongguo Mansion lately?"
"Your Majesty, the Rongguo Mansion is still gathering manpower to repair the Imperial Residence. After Jia Zheng was appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, he is now going to review the accounts and progress of the mausoleum. However, Lou Xiaoruo, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works, wanted to thoroughly investigate the mausoleum's accounts, but he has been blocked by Prince Zhongshun, so the accounts have not yet been checked."
Dai Quan's heart skipped a beat. The incident at the mausoleum was quite serious. He wondered if the matter with Prince Zhongshun had been properly dealt with. Upon hearing that it was about the mausoleum, Empress Wu became extremely annoyed. She couldn't even get things done properly, so why all the excuses? She frowned as she recalled Prince Zhongshun's promise from that day.
"Let's put aside the Ministry of Works' audit for now. Let Prince Zhongshun focus on repairing the mausoleum to avoid any criticism from the court. As for the Jia family, let the Dowager Lady take on the Ningguo Mansion's share as well. The two families can send the money together, so there's no need to be too formal."
With four kings and eight dukes offering gifts, one couldn't be left out. Considering this, Dai Quan understood and nodded.
"Yes, Your Majesty, this old servant will pass on a message to Lord Zhou."
And so, the eunuchs who left the Hall of Mental Cultivation immediately dispersed to deliver messages.
The commotion in front of the Meridian Gate had subsided considerably. After receiving the news, Prince Bei Jing and Prince Dong Ping chuckled bitterly to themselves and then instructed their stewards to arrange the congratulatory gifts. Reluctantly, they went to the Meridian Gate to present their congratulatory memorial.
Back and forth for another hour or two, Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, was the last to finish. At this moment, the sun was setting, and night was hanging in the sky.
Seeing the quiet surroundings, a sense of helplessness appeared on the water's surface.
"Your Highness, we have suffered an undeserved calamity. Who would have thought that the Western Prince's Mansion would dare to disregard etiquette, and with several vassal kings accompanying them, Your Highness had no choice but to come."
Seeing that the prince was not in high spirits, Elder Leng followed by his side, trying to comfort him, but Shui Rong waved his hand.
"It's not about those things, but rather I feel refreshed. In the past, the Northern Prince's Mansion always stepped in to handle things, but now that the Western Prince's Mansion is at the forefront, many problems are easily solved." He lifted the carriage curtain and looked towards the southern market street entrance. Everything was quiet, but the taverns and teahouses were already lit.
"By the way, why is the south street corner so quiet?"
"Reporting to Master, the South Street intersection has been occupied by the Imperial Guards, the Military Command, and the troops of Marquis Luoyun, as a resting place, solely to guard against the White Lotus Sect and the Taiping Sect thieves. After all, many people died in the Jiaofangsi, including the Prefect of Anyang, which is truly suspicious."
Old Master Leng was in charge of intelligence gathering for the Prince's Palace's Shadow Guards, so these things couldn't be kept from him. Shui Rong smiled, lowered the curtain, and gave the order.
"We should turn our horses around and thank Marquis Luoyun. In addition, we also want to sound him out. Xihe County is a vast area with a lot of arable land, especially those martial arts sects. I heard that Marquis Luoyun has already taken in many people as his retainers. Have any messages come from these marquis's mansions?"
Thinking of the chaos in Xihe County, Shui Rong couldn't help but feel frustrated and agitated. All the arable land was controlled by powerful families and various factions, and the rest was occupied by roving bandits. After General Qi and General Yun led their troops back to their fiefdoms, only about 30,000 wounded soldiers remained in his army. Otherwise, how could they have failed to reach an agreement after so many negotiations?
"Your Highness, in Xihe County, everyone is holding on tightly to what they have. Furthermore, the martial arts sects are completely unyielding, neither to soft nor hard tactics. If the smaller sects are like this, the major sects are even more arrogant. According to reports from the Shadow Guards, the Tiger Roar Sect, the Xuanbing Palace, and the Iron Palm Gang have all submitted to Marquis Luo Yun. As for Qingfeng Village, they have been entrenched in the mountains for many years and are extremely difficult to eradicate. Therefore, apart from the area around the county seat and Yangping Stone Island, which are temporarily under our control, the rest..."
Old Master Leng shook his head. They should hold off for now. Even setting aside the possibility of annihilating these people, those small sects weren't pushovers. It would be better to focus on developing the county town and allowing it to recuperate.
Shui Rong understood these simple truths, but unfortunately, he still felt a sense of unease.
"Let's stop at the street corner for now. I'd like to catch up with the Marquis. If things go well, we can cooperate."
"This is, Your Highness."
Old Master Leng sighed and had no choice but to agree, but he felt that the chances were slim. Xihe County had been in chaos for so many years, and he had never heard of anyone being able to completely control it. Not to mention the martial arts sects, how many hands in the imperial court were stirring things up inside, wasting a lot of effort and energy? He should make a choice.
And so, the car fell silent again.
With the creaking of the wheels, it drove towards the south street intersection.
Street-side teahouse
Second floor,
Zhang Jinyu's face was slightly flushed from drinking. The table was nearly empty, and even Kang Mengyu was hiccuping from the alcohol, constantly urging others to drink more.
"My lord, I am here. Let me offer you another cup. The battle south of the capital was a resounding success."
"Haha, that's good. It's all thanks to the brothers' bravery that we were able to suppress those traitors of the Taiping Sect. We won't drink anymore today."
At this moment, Zhang Jinyu felt dizzy and lightheaded. He grabbed a bowl of water, drank it, and felt much better. The imperial guards who had come with him, as well as his personal guards, had already eaten at the tavern, so it wasn't too late.
"My lord, I have official duties to attend to today and haven't been able to drink to my heart's content. When we have more time, I'll invite you to drink to your heart's content."
Perhaps realizing she had drunk too much, Kang Mengyu shook her head and poured the tea directly on her face, which sobered her up considerably. Looking at the mess on the table and the sky outside, her face flushed.
"My lord, I was presumptuous,"
"There's no need for such formalities between us. Go back, wash up, and get some rest. Tomorrow is the birthday banquet, so be careful in everything you do."
Fueled by alcohol, Zhang Jinyu leaned in and offered a reminder, which immediately sobered Kang Mengyu up. He said in a deep voice,
"Rest assured, my lord, I understand."
Then, pretending to be drunk, he clasped his hands in farewell and took his leave.
"Brothers, we're going back, we're going back!"
He staggered to his feet, and with the help of his personal guards, he left the restaurant. Just as he stepped outside, he spotted the carriage of the Prince of Beijing's residence, paused, and then pretended to be drunk again.
"What are you all standing there for? Come on, let's go back and have another drink,"
It seemed like he was shouting orders, and the adjutant beside him, seeing this, looked panicked and quickly called out;
"What are you all standing there for? Quickly help the general back, hurry!"
A group of imperial guards, their steps faltering, helped the general into the carriage and hurriedly departed. This scene was witnessed by Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, who was sitting inside the carriage.
"It's actually Kang Mengyu from the Imperial Guard. I never expected him to come here to drink with Marquis Luoyun. In this situation, he actually dares to get completely drunk."
What kind of logic is this? Aren't they worried about the situation of the Imperial Guards on the left and right?
“Your Highness, it’s not just General Kang who’s like this. When we passed by the street corner just now, I took a look at the restaurant on the west side. On the third floor, I vaguely saw two officers from the Military Command sitting upstairs having a drink. It seems that it’s not unacceptable for Marquis Luo Yun to have a drink here as well.”
The more this explanation was given, the more interested Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, became. From the outside, the gathering of generals at the Meridian Gate seemed tense, but the situation inside appeared quite different. It seemed the news from the palace might be true, and that they were indeed taking precautions against the treacherous cult.
"Whether it's true or false, once we get there, we should go and see for ourselves. Let's get off the bus."
The carriage curtain was lifted, and Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, dressed in royal robes, slowly stepped down from the carriage and entered the teahouse. Immediately, someone announced his arrival.
"Prince Bei Jing has arrived,"
This shout also jolted Zhang Jinyu, who was dozing upstairs, awake.
"Ningbian, who just shouted that someone is coming?"
"Reporting to Your Excellency, it is Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong,"
Ningbian quickly had the table removed and replaced with a new one, and instructed the innkeeper to set out teacups. Just as this was done, Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, slowly ascended the stairs and entered the second floor of the teahouse. At a glance, he spotted Marquis Luo Yun, his face flushed from drinking, sitting by the window pretending to be asleep. He smiled, cupped his hands, and bowed.
"Oh dear, my lord, I've come at an inopportune time; I've disturbed your drinking pleasure."
One doesn't hit a smiling face; since he's a guest, Zhang Jinyu immediately stood up and returned the courtesy.
"Your Highness, please forgive me. Meng Yu came and insisted on having a drink with me. Who knew the wine would have such a strong aftereffect? I'm a little drunk. If I feel I haven't been hospitable enough, please forgive me. Please."
Ning Bian gestured for them to sit down, and Shui Rong calmly walked over. After the two were seated, Ning Bian brought out some pastries and placed them on the table.
Shui Rong looked around and saw that many of Luo Yunhou's personal guards were gathered inside the teahouse, and the downstairs area was even more crowded. He realized that he hadn't seen a single soldier on the street, so these people were hiding in the shops along the street, perhaps to avoid the scorching sun during the day.
"You're too kind, Lord Marquis. I've come to pay my respects and say hello. In the battle of Xihe County, it was thanks to you, Lord Marquis, that we were able to hold off the White Lotus Sect's reinforcements. If it weren't for your intervention, I'm afraid I would have met with dire consequences in the battle in the county seat."
He didn't know the specifics of many places, and he only learned about the events in Shizhou City after the war. If Marquis Luoyun hadn't relentlessly pursued these traitors, the consequences would have been unpredictable if they had surged towards the county seat.
Zhang Jinyu remained silent, picked up his teacup and drank another cup to sober up. Hearing Prince Bei Jing, Shui Rong, mention Xihe County, he felt a pang of curiosity. Had he not returned after delivering the congratulatory message, but instead come here to probe for information? His mention of Xihe County was undoubtedly a sign that he was eyeing the profits there.
"Your Highness is too kind. The battle of the county city was mostly due to Your Highness's wisdom and bravery, which ended in one battle. It had nothing to do with me. On the contrary, I should thank Your Highness. If it weren't for the news of Your Highness's great victory, how could the remnants of the White Lotus Sect in Shizhou City have abandoned the city and surrendered? This is unprecedented."
He sighed, then cupped his hands in a gesture that made it impossible for outsiders to discern his sincerity. Even the old man Leng, who was serving him, narrowed his eyes and looked over. Shui Rong was momentarily taken aback, then smiled.
"My lord, let's not stand on ceremony. I've come today to discuss something with you. Xihe County is in dire need of rebuilding. The fleeing people have already returned to their hometowns, but apart from the county seat and Jinzhou, Yangping and Shizhou are already devastated. I wonder what your opinion is on this, my lord?"
Upon hearing this, Zhang Jinyu was somewhat confused.
"Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"
(End of this chapter)