On their way back to the capital, Pei Jihuai was worried that their group might be ambushed by assassins from the Xie family or pursued by people sent by Prefect Wang. Consequently, he couldn't get a good night's sleep for several consecutive nights.
Every morning, when he saw Hua Changkong, who was energetically indulging in local delicacies and thoroughly enjoying himself, Pei Jihuai couldn't help but wonder if they were here on a mission or simply on an expense-paid trip for food, drinks, and entertainment.
"Pei Daren, I've heard that the pan-fried dumplings here are exceptional. I've prepared a few portions for our brothers from the Ministry of Justice," Hua Changkong smiled warmly and said, "Everyone, please come and have a taste."
The officials of the Ministry of Justice never sought pleasure while working on their cases. They traveled far and wide, but never indulged in culinary desires. Seeing Hua Changkong's carefree demeanor, Pei Jihuai couldn't fathom that this seemingly extravagant young man had once accompanied his parents onto the battlefield.
Quietly reminding himself that Hua Changkong was the future brother-in-law of the Crown Prince, Pei Jihuai sat down beside him with a stern expression. Hua Changkong pushed the bowls and plates of dumplings toward Pei Jihuai and said, "Here, even though it's not as grand as in the capital, these dumplings should be passable."
Pei Jihuai remained calm as he responded, "I'm not picky. As long as it's edible."
"I understand. After enduring difficult times on the borderlands for so long, I've grown to appreciate good food since returning to the capital and experiencing a more comfortable life," Hua Changkong's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the nearby diners to hear his words.
Once the neighboring customers left, the smile on Hua Changkong's face faded, "It seems that the Xie family and Prefect Wang are still suspicious of us. They actually sent people to follow us all the way here."
Pei Jihuai's expression slightly changed, "Their ambitions know no bounds." Surprisingly, Hua Changkong and his entourage were even more vigilant than the officials of the Ministry of Justice.
Observing how well Hua Changkong slept every night, Pei Jihuai had thought that he genuinely didn't care about anything.
"No need to be nervous. With me, a pampered young nobleman who has received favors, as long as they believe my words, they won't intentionally make things difficult for us. They might even hope for our safe return to the capital," Hua Changkong took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of his mouth, "With all the benefits I've received, I have to speak a few good words on behalf of others."
"Hua Changkong, please forgive me for asking a somewhat offensive question, but are all members of the Hua family so covert?"
Hua Changkong lowered his eyelids slightly and sighed, "All of them?" Then he continued, "My younger sister has always been fragile and kind-hearted. Furthermore, what I possess are merely superficial skills, and they cannot be considered covert."
Kind-hearted?
Pei Jihuai sensed that there might be some discrepancies in the understanding of that term between himself and Hua Changkong.
"And please don't worry. The situation has become so significant that His Majesty kept us in the capital for several days before allowing us to depart. It indicates that His Majesty already had an inkling and sent us to Changyao Province solely to confuse the enemy."
As the Deputy Minister of Justice, Pei Jihuai was well aware that he, as a court representative, was merely the visible part of the investigation. In reality, there were others conducting an in-depth probe of the Xie family and Prefect Wang. However, he hadn't disclosed this information to Hua Changkong, yet Hua Changkong had managed to piece it together.
Truly deserving of a person who hailed from a military background and achieved the top rank in the imperial examinations. With such an individual as an assistant to the Crown Prince, it was akin to adding wings to a tiger.
Pei Jihuai smiled, "Even so, Hua Changkong, you still managed to find some witnesses. I admire that."
"Pei Daren, you jest. It's all just a matter of coincidence, mere coincidence," Hua Changkong resumed his appearance as a carefree young man.
Pei Jihuai looked up and coincidentally saw a middle-aged man dressed as a traveler entering the establishment with a bundle on his back. As he picked up the watery porridge and took a sip, Pei Jihuai couldn't help but admire the Hua family's vigilance, which surpassed that of many others.
Pondering about this Hua family's vigilance that was possibly developed on countless battlefields, Pei Jihuai couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration.
The capital had been calm for the past few days, and no major cases had occurred. Even news of Elder Xie being imprisoned hadn't spread.
Only the servant by the side of Xie Fuma noticed that something was amiss after several days passed without receiving any messages from Elder Xie. Helplessly, he fed Xie Fuma an antidote.
After Xie Fuma regained consciousness, he looked at the soiled outer robe he wore and casually tossed it aside. "It's been so long. Any news from the Princess?"
The servant replied, "Princess has remained secluded in these past few days, only visiting you. I'm unaware of the Princess's thoughts," He then proceeded to recount all the recent events in the capital.
"We must find an opportunity to leave the capital," Xie Fuma smashed the flower vase on the table, picked up a shard of porcelain, and deeply cut his own arm, "Inform the Princess that I've gone mad and harmed myself."
As he watched the fresh blood dripping onto the floor, Xie Fuma's face turned cold, "Now, my only way out lies with her."
The servant nodded with a pale face and rushed to the door, shouting, "Help! Fuma is harming himself!"
As the weather grew hotter, Hua Liuli became less inclined to go out. To entice her to visit the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince instructed the palace chefs to prepare numerous refreshing and thirst-quenching foods. Only then was he able to coax her to come visit him.
The officials at the Zhanshi Mansion of the Eastern Palace were somewhat dissatisfied with the Crown Prince's excessive attention to Fushou Junzhu. In their opinion, a qualified monarch should not have too many emotional attachments.
However, due to the saying, "The Zhanshi Mansion is as solid as iron, while the officials come and go like running water", no one dared to voice their opinions. Yet, with every Fushou Junzhu's visit, they enjoyed delicious and refreshing iced dishes, and their inner views gradually changed.
To capture someone's heart, one must first please their stomach. It was practical at all times.
Furthermore, they noticed that the Crown Prince scolded them less and even took the initiative to discuss political matters with them in the presence of Fushou Junzhu, almost moving them to tears.
During a break, one official sighed, "A man needs a woman he likes to look after him in order to become more mature and stable."
The other officials understood that he was referring to the Crown Prince, but no one dared to explicitly say it.
"As the saying goes, the harmony of yin and yang leads to smooth sailing in all matters," Another official chimed in, "Otherwise, why would our ancestors say 'establish a family before building a career'?"
"I wonder if Fushou Junzhu will visit tomorrow?" a young official who had just joined the Zhanshi Mansion of the Eastern Palace asked straightforwardly.
The other officials turned to look at him. The newcomer was still too young, daring to ask such questions.
However, they also eagerly anticipated Fushou Junzhu's visit to the Eastern Palace tomorrow.
As Hua Liuli, who was eagerly anticipated by the officials of the Zhanshi Mansion, had just left the Eastern Palace and was not far from the palace gates, the Crown Prince arranged for a sedan chair to escort her to the palace gates, where she would then take a carriage back home.
The several consorts and concubines in the palace were aware of Fushou Junzhu's delicate health, so no one considered this act inappropriate. They only privately marveled at the Crown Prince's careful attention to Fushou Junzhu, despite his irritable disposition that could offend all women in the world.
It was truly a rare sight.
Even Consort Xian, who used to mutter about Hua Liuli behind her back, didn't say anything this time. Since the incident involving Ying Wang, where Hua Liuli had uncovered the conspiracy against him, Consort Xian wore a slight smile whenever facing Hua Liuli, without uttering a single unpleasant word.
As a mother, faced with her son's lifesaving benefactor, Consort Xian couldn't bring herself to say anything hurtful. Consequently, it had been peaceful for the past few days, allowing Emperor Changlong to enjoy some tranquility.
Understanding the reason behind Consort Xian's recent calmness, Emperor Changlong had Zhao Sancai send many valuable gifts to Hua Liuli. After all, giving them to his future daughter-in-law was equivalent to giving them to his own son. He didn't mind parting with good things as long as Consort Xian could remain calm for a few more days.
In a good mood, when Emperor Changlong learned that Xie Shizi had requested to stay temporarily at Princess Leyang Estate, he readily agreed.
Upon learning that he could return to Princess Leyang Estate for one night, Xie Shizi didn't feel happy. Instead, he had an indescribable sense of fear. He was afraid that what his second sister had said would come true.
If Father was truly pretending to be insane, did Mother know?
If Mother didn't know, then the tears she shed for Father and the efforts she put in would be nothing more than a pitiful joke.
He walked slowly on the palace road, feeling suffocated by the towering walls. Footsteps sounded behind him, and when he turned his head, he saw several eunuchs carrying a sedan chair approaching. Sitting in the sedan chair was Fushou Junzhu, dressed in a splendid gown reminiscent of moonlight.
Facing Fushou Junzhu, he always felt a pang of indescribable guilt and embarrassment. He took two steps back, allowing the sedan chair to pass first.
"Xie Shizi?" Hua Liuli almost didn't recognize him. This young man wearing a gray-blue brocade robe was the same Xie Shizi who had seemed somewhat naive before. But after not seeing him for half a month, he appeared much more gloomy, with an instinctual frown on his forehead, a hint of melancholy in his appearance.
"Fushou Junzhu," Xie Shizi bowed and saluted, devoid of the youthful vigor he once had.
"Your complexion doesn't look good, did you suffer from heatstroke?" Hua Liuli noticed his pale face, covered in sweat. She took out a small bottle from her brocade pouch and said, "This is a remedy for heatstroke. If you feel unwell, you can take one pill."
"Thank you, Junzhu," Xie Shizi realized that he felt weak all over, his head spinning. He accepted the heatstroke remedy that Hua Liuli handed to him and took a pill without hesitation.
The refreshing scent of mint instantly reached his brain, gradually clearing his mind. He thanked Hua Liuli again, "Thank you."
"Xie Shizi, there's no need to be polite. This kind of heatstroke remedy is commonly available in the army and nothing extraordinary," Hua Liuli chuckled. This Xie Shizi was still simple-minded, daring to take the medicine she offered without hesitation. Wasn't he afraid it might be poisoned?
Due to Xie Shizi's awkward status, Hua Liuli didn't want to make things more difficult for him and found an excuse to leave.
"Take care, Junzhu," Xie Shizi watched as the sedan chair departed. He took another pill from the bottle and consumed it.
Savoring the minty fragrance, he seemed to regain the courage to face everything when he returned home. He raised his head and walked briskly towards the palace gates.
The entrance of Princess Leyang Estate was still splendid, but Xie Shizi felt an indescribable desolation as he looked at the closed doors. Instead of entering through the main gate, he took a detour and entered through the eastern corner gate.
There were some fallen leaves on the ground that the servants hadn't had time to sweep away. As Xie Shizi passed through the courtyard, he heard the commotion of the servants.
"Help! Fuma is harming himself!"
"Princess, what should we do?"
He ran all the way and arrived at the courtyard where his father resided. He saw his father covered in blood, being attended to by several servants who were applying medicine to his wounds. His mother looked at his father with anguish, crying uncontrollably.
"Fuma," Princess Leyang choked with tears, "I will find a way to send you back to the south for recuperation, I promise."
Hearing his mother's words, Xie Shizi forced a bitter smile. How could they go back to the south? His mother still didn't know that Elder Xie had been captured, the Emperor and the Crown Prince had long been suspicious of the Xie family.
The Xie family had long been unable to protect themselves. Even their good reputation had been completely destroyed.
Their family was destined to never return to the south.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Hua Changkong; the idle wanderer.
Hua Liuli; gentle and kind-hearted.
The Crown Prince; tolerant and magnanimous.
Consort Xian; virtuous and amiable.
Ying Wang; wise and intelligent.
On their way back to the capital, Pei Jihuai was worried that their group might be ambushed by assassins from the Xie family or pursued by people sent by Prefect Wang. Consequently, he couldn't get a good night's sleep for several consecutive nights.
Every morning, when he saw Hua Changkong, who was energetically indulging in local delicacies and thoroughly enjoying himself, Pei Jihuai couldn't help but wonder if they were here on a mission or simply on an expense-paid trip for food, drinks, and entertainment.
"Pei Daren, I've heard that the pan-fried dumplings here are exceptional. I've prepared a few portions for our brothers from the Ministry of Justice," Hua Changkong smiled warmly and said, "Everyone, please come and have a taste."
The officials of the Ministry of Justice never sought pleasure while working on their cases. They traveled far and wide, but never indulged in culinary desires. Seeing Hua Changkong's carefree demeanor, Pei Jihuai couldn't fathom that this seemingly extravagant young man had once accompanied his parents onto the battlefield.
Quietly reminding himself that Hua Changkong was the future brother-in-law of the Crown Prince, Pei Jihuai sat down beside him with a stern expression. Hua Changkong pushed the bowls and plates of dumplings toward Pei Jihuai and said, "Here, even though it's not as grand as in the capital, these dumplings should be passable."
Pei Jihuai remained calm as he responded, "I'm not picky. As long as it's edible."
"I understand. After enduring difficult times on the borderlands for so long, I've grown to appreciate good food since returning to the capital and experiencing a more comfortable life," Hua Changkong's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, just enough for the nearby diners to hear his words.
Once the neighboring customers left, the smile on Hua Changkong's face faded, "It seems that the Xie family and Prefect Wang are still suspicious of us. They actually sent people to follow us all the way here."
Pei Jihuai's expression slightly changed, "Their ambitions know no bounds." Surprisingly, Hua Changkong and his entourage were even more vigilant than the officials of the Ministry of Justice.
Observing how well Hua Changkong slept every night, Pei Jihuai had thought that he genuinely didn't care about anything.
"No need to be nervous. With me, a pampered young nobleman who has received favors, as long as they believe my words, they won't intentionally make things difficult for us. They might even hope for our safe return to the capital," Hua Changkong took out a handkerchief and wiped the corners of his mouth, "With all the benefits I've received, I have to speak a few good words on behalf of others."
"Hua Changkong, please forgive me for asking a somewhat offensive question, but are all members of the Hua family so covert?"
Hua Changkong lowered his eyelids slightly and sighed, "All of them?" Then he continued, "My younger sister has always been fragile and kind-hearted. Furthermore, what I possess are merely superficial skills, and they cannot be considered covert."
Kind-hearted?
Pei Jihuai sensed that there might be some discrepancies in the understanding of that term between himself and Hua Changkong.
"And please don't worry. The situation has become so significant that His Majesty kept us in the capital for several days before allowing us to depart. It indicates that His Majesty already had an inkling and sent us to Changyao Province solely to confuse the enemy."
As the Deputy Minister of Justice, Pei Jihuai was well aware that he, as a court representative, was merely the visible part of the investigation. In reality, there were others conducting an in-depth probe of the Xie family and Prefect Wang. However, he hadn't disclosed this information to Hua Changkong, yet Hua Changkong had managed to piece it together.
Truly deserving of a person who hailed from a military background and achieved the top rank in the imperial examinations. With such an individual as an assistant to the Crown Prince, it was akin to adding wings to a tiger.
Pei Jihuai smiled, "Even so, Hua Changkong, you still managed to find some witnesses. I admire that."
"Pei Daren, you jest. It's all just a matter of coincidence, mere coincidence," Hua Changkong resumed his appearance as a carefree young man.
Pei Jihuai looked up and coincidentally saw a middle-aged man dressed as a traveler entering the establishment with a bundle on his back. As he picked up the watery porridge and took a sip, Pei Jihuai couldn't help but admire the Hua family's vigilance, which surpassed that of many others.
Pondering about this Hua family's vigilance that was possibly developed on countless battlefields, Pei Jihuai couldn't help but feel a bit of admiration.
The capital had been calm for the past few days, and no major cases had occurred. Even news of Elder Xie being imprisoned hadn't spread.
Only the servant by the side of Xie Fuma noticed that something was amiss after several days passed without receiving any messages from Elder Xie. Helplessly, he fed Xie Fuma an antidote.
After Xie Fuma regained consciousness, he looked at the soiled outer robe he wore and casually tossed it aside. "It's been so long. Any news from the Princess?"
The servant replied, "Princess has remained secluded in these past few days, only visiting you. I'm unaware of the Princess's thoughts," He then proceeded to recount all the recent events in the capital.
"We must find an opportunity to leave the capital," Xie Fuma smashed the flower vase on the table, picked up a shard of porcelain, and deeply cut his own arm, "Inform the Princess that I've gone mad and harmed myself."
As he watched the fresh blood dripping onto the floor, Xie Fuma's face turned cold, "Now, my only way out lies with her."
The servant nodded with a pale face and rushed to the door, shouting, "Help! Fuma is harming himself!"
As the weather grew hotter, Hua Liuli became less inclined to go out. To entice her to visit the Eastern Palace, the Crown Prince instructed the palace chefs to prepare numerous refreshing and thirst-quenching foods. Only then was he able to coax her to come visit him.
The officials at the Zhanshi Mansion of the Eastern Palace were somewhat dissatisfied with the Crown Prince's excessive attention to Fushou Junzhu. In their opinion, a qualified monarch should not have too many emotional attachments.
However, due to the saying, "The Zhanshi Mansion is as solid as iron, while the officials come and go like running water", no one dared to voice their opinions. Yet, with every Fushou Junzhu's visit, they enjoyed delicious and refreshing iced dishes, and their inner views gradually changed.
To capture someone's heart, one must first please their stomach. It was practical at all times.
Furthermore, they noticed that the Crown Prince scolded them less and even took the initiative to discuss political matters with them in the presence of Fushou Junzhu, almost moving them to tears.
During a break, one official sighed, "A man needs a woman he likes to look after him in order to become more mature and stable."
The other officials understood that he was referring to the Crown Prince, but no one dared to explicitly say it.
"As the saying goes, the harmony of yin and yang leads to smooth sailing in all matters," Another official chimed in, "Otherwise, why would our ancestors say 'establish a family before building a career'?"
"I wonder if Fushou Junzhu will visit tomorrow?" a young official who had just joined the Zhanshi Mansion of the Eastern Palace asked straightforwardly.
The other officials turned to look at him. The newcomer was still too young, daring to ask such questions.
However, they also eagerly anticipated Fushou Junzhu's visit to the Eastern Palace tomorrow.
As Hua Liuli, who was eagerly anticipated by the officials of the Zhanshi Mansion, had just left the Eastern Palace and was not far from the palace gates, the Crown Prince arranged for a sedan chair to escort her to the palace gates, where she would then take a carriage back home.
The several consorts and concubines in the palace were aware of Fushou Junzhu's delicate health, so no one considered this act inappropriate. They only privately marveled at the Crown Prince's careful attention to Fushou Junzhu, despite his irritable disposition that could offend all women in the world.
It was truly a rare sight.
Even Consort Xian, who used to mutter about Hua Liuli behind her back, didn't say anything this time. Since the incident involving Ying Wang, where Hua Liuli had uncovered the conspiracy against him, Consort Xian wore a slight smile whenever facing Hua Liuli, without uttering a single unpleasant word.
As a mother, faced with her son's lifesaving benefactor, Consort Xian couldn't bring herself to say anything hurtful. Consequently, it had been peaceful for the past few days, allowing Emperor Changlong to enjoy some tranquility.
Understanding the reason behind Consort Xian's recent calmness, Emperor Changlong had Zhao Sancai send many valuable gifts to Hua Liuli. After all, giving them to his future daughter-in-law was equivalent to giving them to his own son. He didn't mind parting with good things as long as Consort Xian could remain calm for a few more days.
In a good mood, when Emperor Changlong learned that Xie Shizi had requested to stay temporarily at Princess Leyang Estate, he readily agreed.
Upon learning that he could return to Princess Leyang Estate for one night, Xie Shizi didn't feel happy. Instead, he had an indescribable sense of fear. He was afraid that what his second sister had said would come true.
If Father was truly pretending to be insane, did Mother know?
If Mother didn't know, then the tears she shed for Father and the efforts she put in would be nothing more than a pitiful joke.
He walked slowly on the palace road, feeling suffocated by the towering walls. Footsteps sounded behind him, and when he turned his head, he saw several eunuchs carrying a sedan chair approaching. Sitting in the sedan chair was Fushou Junzhu, dressed in a splendid gown reminiscent of moonlight.
Facing Fushou Junzhu, he always felt a pang of indescribable guilt and embarrassment. He took two steps back, allowing the sedan chair to pass first.
"Xie Shizi?" Hua Liuli almost didn't recognize him. This young man wearing a gray-blue brocade robe was the same Xie Shizi who had seemed somewhat naive before. But after not seeing him for half a month, he appeared much more gloomy, with an instinctual frown on his forehead, a hint of melancholy in his appearance.
"Fushou Junzhu," Xie Shizi bowed and saluted, devoid of the youthful vigor he once had.
"Your complexion doesn't look good, did you suffer from heatstroke?" Hua Liuli noticed his pale face, covered in sweat. She took out a small bottle from her brocade pouch and said, "This is a remedy for heatstroke. If you feel unwell, you can take one pill."
"Thank you, Junzhu," Xie Shizi realized that he felt weak all over, his head spinning. He accepted the heatstroke remedy that Hua Liuli handed to him and took a pill without hesitation.
The refreshing scent of mint instantly reached his brain, gradually clearing his mind. He thanked Hua Liuli again, "Thank you."
"Xie Shizi, there's no need to be polite. This kind of heatstroke remedy is commonly available in the army and nothing extraordinary," Hua Liuli chuckled. This Xie Shizi was still simple-minded, daring to take the medicine she offered without hesitation. Wasn't he afraid it might be poisoned?
Due to Xie Shizi's awkward status, Hua Liuli didn't want to make things more difficult for him and found an excuse to leave.
"Take care, Junzhu," Xie Shizi watched as the sedan chair departed. He took another pill from the bottle and consumed it.
Savoring the minty fragrance, he seemed to regain the courage to face everything when he returned home. He raised his head and walked briskly towards the palace gates.
The entrance of Princess Leyang Estate was still splendid, but Xie Shizi felt an indescribable desolation as he looked at the closed doors. Instead of entering through the main gate, he took a detour and entered through the eastern corner gate.
There were some fallen leaves on the ground that the servants hadn't had time to sweep away. As Xie Shizi passed through the courtyard, he heard the commotion of the servants.
"Help! Fuma is harming himself!"
"Princess, what should we do?"
He ran all the way and arrived at the courtyard where his father resided. He saw his father covered in blood, being attended to by several servants who were applying medicine to his wounds. His mother looked at his father with anguish, crying uncontrollably.
"Fuma," Princess Leyang choked with tears, "I will find a way to send you back to the south for recuperation, I promise."
Hearing his mother's words, Xie Shizi forced a bitter smile. How could they go back to the south? His mother still didn't know that Elder Xie had been captured, the Emperor and the Crown Prince had long been suspicious of the Xie family.
The Xie family had long been unable to protect themselves. Even their good reputation had been completely destroyed.
Their family was destined to never return to the south.
Krish728
Author's Note:
Hua Changkong; the idle wanderer.
Hua Liuli; gentle and kind-hearted.
The Crown Prince; tolerant and magnanimous.
Consort Xian; virtuous and amiable.
Ying Wang; wise and intelligent.
