Lu Yuanzhe knelt in the ancestral hall for a day and a night. During this time, apart from the dark-faced young marquis who came once, no one else visited.
In front of the ancestral tablet was a row of neatly arranged spirit tablets, surrounded by a pile of incense, candles, and offerings. Under the smoky light, the dim ancestral hall resembled a temple without devotees.
Luyuanzhe's eyes were cold, although his knees were already numb from kneeling, his back remained straight without the slightest bend.
To prevent him from escaping, a large bronze lock was hung outside the ancestral hall door, and no one dared to release him except for Lu Ruqing.
"Qingge, Qingge!" Suddenly, a series of knocks on the door were heard from outside, indicating that Shen Ran, who went to the mountain to collect goods, had returned to the city.
Shen Ran, with a disheveled appearance, stuffed a few buns through the door crack and with a teasing smile on his face, "What trouble have you gotten into again? When do you ever have a moment of peace?"
Lu Yuancheng took the still-warm buns, took a big bite, and glared at Shen Ran, pounding the door frame with his fist, "Just food without any wine? Hurry, bring me a pot of wine."
"We have it, look." Shen Ran took out a small white porcelain bottle from his bosom and stuffed it into Lu Yuancheng's hand through the door crack. After checking the surroundings, he approached the gate and asked in a lowered voice, "Landlord Lu Qingge, you have quite the romantic luck, when did you become friendly with the princess, not even telling me?"
Lu Qingge was Lu Yuancheng's original name, and he only changed it to "Yuanzhe" after entering the capital. Shen Ran stubbornly refused to change his name, still calling him by his original name.
Lu Yuancheng looked through the crack in the door at Shen Ran's fair face, which still had an undisguised look of Schadenfreude. He gave a wry smile; it seemed that Shen Ran just wanted to provoke him.
"Sss." Lu Yuancheng took a sip of wine, hugged the white porcelain bottle, and pointed at Shen Ran's face with his finger, "What have you been eating lately? Your skin is getting fairer and more delicate, tsk tsk, even more beautiful than those little ladies."
Lu Ran detested being complimented on his looks. Despite having a handsome face, if he were a woman, he would have been a disaster for the country and the people. However, he was a man, and a man who valued his image and loved money.
Prodded in a sore spot, Shen Ran coldly snorted and gave Lu Yuancheng a disdainful look, "You might as well kneel there, Uncle Lu, you really need to be straightened out."
Shen Ran left, and although Lu Yuancheng's eyes softened a bit, he hung his head and took another big bite of the buns, holding the wine bottle and continuing on his endless path of penance.
He was indeed quiet in the ancestral hall, but the days with Yan Ruoxu were not as peaceful as before.
Early in the morning, it was bustling outside Yan Ruoxu's bedroom.
With such a big commotion surrounding her, Yan Yuxuan would not miss the opportunity to see Yan Ruoxu's "plight" with her own eyes. Although she whispered gossip behind Yan Ruoxu's back, she had to see firsthand the "misery".
Zhui'er didn't give them a pleasant look and was kindly driven away. After a while, Suxin returned nervously to report, "Princess, the Crown Prince's consort is here and is waiting outside the palace gate."
At that moment, Yan Ruoxu was sitting by the window. There was a bowl of tonic soup on the wooden table below the window. The medicinal broth was bitter when sipped, so she took a piece of candied fruit, understanding that she couldn't avoid the one who had come today. She let Suxin take Xiaojiao into the inner room.
The Crown Prince's consort, six years her senior, was in her early twenties, a time of unique beauty for a maiden. Suxin wore a light purple ruqun dress, with a tilting hair ornament and jewelry swaying gently as she walked forward, radiating an air of dignity and grace.
"Ruoxu, you seem to be doing much better. I have been worried about you these past few days. A delicate woman like you needs to be well taken care of," Suxin's voice was gentle and soothing, truly pleasant to the ears.
Yan Ruoxu's heart was lifted by this gentle inquiry. She wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief and faced her sister-in-law with a clear understanding of her intentions today.
"I'm much better, no need to worry, sister-in-law," Yan Ruoxu softly replied, stirring the soup with a small silver spoon.
Suxin let out a sigh and glanced at the door. She then approached Yan Ruoxu as if wanting to have a private conversation at this moment when there were no other people in the room.
"Ruoxu, do you know about the nursery rhymes that are being spread around the capital now?" Suxin furrowed her brow, "Those rhymes are vulgar and I won't tell you. I don't know how the matter from that night became common knowledge."
Spread rumors? Yan Ruoxu sneered inside. This matter couldn't have spread so fast without someone deliberately fanning the flames.
"Hmph, let them spread. Tell the Grand Justice Department to thoroughly investigate the source of the rhymes. Any agitators found behind it should be thrown into prison. Am I right, sister-in-law?" Yan Ruoxu remained calm, and the slander and damage to the royal reputation must be thoroughly investigated by the Grand Justice Department.
Suxin smiled, "You're right. Those who spread such nursery rhymes are truly despicable."
As they spoke, Suxin's voice paused for a moment, and then she changed the subject, softly lamenting, "Ruoxu, I heard that the reputation of Master Lu is not very good in the capital. How did you come to know him? The western suburb is so remote, what were you doing there together?"
Yan Ruoxu's movements with the soup stopped, and she placed the bowl aside, turning to look at Suxin's apparently sincere face.
Yan Ruoxu immediately confirmed one thing after hearing this, that Suxin and the Xie family were indeed in cahoots. Her visit today was actually to solicit her opinions.
The only powerful families in the Great Yan Dynasty apart from the royal family, the Yan family, were the Xu and Xie families. The two families were long-established aristocratic families, and have always had hidden disputes. If someone from the Xu family had been present in the orchard that night, this matter would not have been so perplexing.
But the presence of Yan Ruoxu and Lu Yuancheng in the orchard puzzled the Xie family. The Lu family had risen to prominence recently through military exploits and had no dealings with the Xu and Xie families. Lu Yuancheng shouldn't have been there, and Yan Ruoxu shouldn't have been there either. She was the emperor's only legitimate daughter, a secluded woman. It was truly perplexing.
What Yan Ruoxu needed to do now was to seize onto their uncertain suspicions. She had to make this lie hold, and whether the Xie family finally believed it or not, she had to stick to her story and never waver.
"Your Highness," Yan Ruoxu lowered her eyes, as if a shy and innocent maiden, glancing at Suxin reproachfully, "You and the Crown Prince didn't know each other before, so how did you meet and sneak out to see the lanterns on that seventh of July and almost get separated in the crowd?"
This statement indirectly confirmed that Yan Ruoxu and Lu Yuancheng had mutual affection, and their presence in the orchard could be explained as a coincidence, be it sightseeing or accidentally stumbling upon it.
Suxin paid attention to Yan Ruoxu's expression and actions. There was no flaw in her every word and deed, but was this all just a coincidence? The possibility seemed too low.
"I remember I was only nine years old that year, and the anxious guards rushed into the palace to report that they couldn't find anyone. Father was alarmed and finally found you both down by the river, watching people set off fireworks. Haha, I didn't know how anxious your family was." Yan Ruoxu went on to recount past events. Many years ago, Suxin was also a naive girl and had experienced such excitement and nerves when meeting the one she loved.
"Yes, every year on the seventh of July, Luoyu Street holds a lantern festival. The night is filled with brilliant lights, truly beautiful." Suxin pursed her lips and smiled gracefully, whether she believed Yan Ruoxu's explanation or was reminded of her own heartwarming story, she didn't continue to pester about that night's events.
She reached out and felt the temperature of the medicine bowl on the table, "It has cooled down a bit. Let someone warm it before you drink it."
"Okay," Yan Ruoxu nodded and gestured for Zhui'er to take it to the kitchen for reheating.
Suxin exchanged a few more words with her before leaving.
Yan Ruoxu saw her off to the central courtyard and leaned against a crimson pillar, watching Suxin's figure walking away.
Zhui'er held the medicine bowl, peeked out, and said, "They say the crown prince's consort is pregnant, but looking at her slender figure, it doesn't seem likely."
"What?" Yan Ruoxu took the tonic, "Where did you hear that?"
"It seems to have been said by someone from the Imperial Medical Bureau. The crown prince's consort sent people to gather some herbs used for pregnancy support recently." Zhui'er glanced at Yan Ruoxu and seeing that she didn't blame her for gossiping, continued, "The crown prince's consort also went to the Guanyin Temple to make a wish last month, so this shouldn't be false news."
The emperor's brother had been married to the empress for many years, but they had not been blessed with any children. If she were to become pregnant, it would be a great thing.
Yan Ruoxu drank the medicinal soup, feeling a slight unease in her heart. Calculating the time, based on the previous timeline, the child should have been born two months after the new emperor ascended the throne. It should have been a celebration for the whole country, but the emperor's brother showed no joy. He did not bestow any favor, and the child was only given a name after a hundred days. A child without favor was truly pitiable.
The emperor's brother and the empress had always been very harmonious, deeply in love. How did they end up in such a situation? Yan Ruoxu laughed at her self-mockery. The conflicts between spouses were things that only she understood. It was like a fish in water, understanding its own warmth and cold. How could outsiders understand or empathize with it?
Late at night, the evening breeze lifted the lanterns hanging from the eaves of the study, causing them to gently sway and dance in the empty air.
There were many people coming and going in the study. The crown prince Yan Li and the head of the Xu family, Xu Xiao, had been there almost every day, and occasionally, the Empress Xu would come with a bowl of ginseng soup or bird's nest, staying for only a moment before leaving.
Emperor Qianjing was going to spend the night in the study again, as he had done for several days. As a young prince, he had been injured in battle and had been weak ever since, requiring careful care and nurturing.
Empress Xu sighed, looking at the brightly lit study in the night, worrying about the emperor's health.
This battle could not be avoided. Today, Emperor Qianjing had found the answer to his doubts and indecision. The war between Dayan and Di had already ignited. Even if he had intended to avoid the conflict, it was already too late.
Since the founding of Dayan, the wars had almost never stopped. The Di in the northwest, the Hu tribes in the north, the Yue people in the southwest, and the islanders along the coast, all eyed them covetously, constantly disturbing the borders. Dayan's warriors had sacrificed countless lives to defend their homeland.
Sometimes he even thought, perhaps the incursions of these foreign tribes were simply due to poor harvests or droughts, causing a lack of food and forage for livestock. If he could yield and offer them assistance, the crisis could be averted, without resorting to warfare.
Unfortunately, as an emperor, he couldn't afford to yield, as it would damage Dayan's pride. Human nature could not withstand such a test. If they helped these foreign tribes in need now, what about the next time? Their demands would be endless, and when they became more and more unreasonable, how would he respond then?
Emperor Qianjing gazed at the flickering candlelight before making his final decision. Moments later, he personally stamped the decree that had been written for a long time with a crimson seal.
"Xiao love, receive the decree," Emperor Qianjing said, then suddenly had a severe coughing fit, his cheeks gradually reddening as he struggled to finish speaking, "Yanchen, the border town is a crucial frontier for Dayan. Its stability is related to the entire country's situation. Every caution must be taken."
Xiao Yanchen knelt down and took the weighty edict with both hands, solemnly declaring, "I will receive the decree. Your Majesty, rest assured that I will be careful, and I will surely triumph."
On the last night of June, in the deep night, Xiao Yanchen, dressed in military attire, hurried to the military camp, heralding the beginning of the turbulent storm in Dayan.
The summer insects chirped incessantly, the nightly cries never ceasing. This was a sweltering summer night with not a shred of peace, leaving many sleepless.
The author has something to say:
Land Yuan: It's impossible to admit mistakes. Only being stubborn can maintain this kind of life.
Shen Ran: Alright, alright, continue to kneel, sir.
Land Ruqing: Hehe, are my whips not heavy enough? Come, bring me two more!
--------
Yan Ruoxu: The Land Family is really scared of being broad.
--------
Love to all the little angels reading this text. Writing makes me happy (*^▽^*). Kisses (？ω？)