Pingyang Fu of the Red Chamber

Chapter 683: Meeting Xiangyang Hou on the Way Back
In the Yangxin Hall,

It was quiet all around.

There was only the sound of the conversation between the monarch and his subjects. Wu Huang Zhou Shihong was suddenly surprised that Luo Yunhou actually knew about it. How did he hear it from? He asked again;

"How did you know? Where did you hear it?"

Seeing His Majesty's suspicious look, Zhang Jinyu calmly explained;
"Your Majesty, I escorted the Queen Mother to the North Mountain to pay homage. Along the way, I heard many noble ladies in the capital talking about this matter, saying that Her Royal Highness the Princess was too wronged. I have never met Her Royal Highness,
Therefore, I heard that Her Royal Highness Princess was living in seclusion here, but I didn't pay attention to it. Firstly, I didn't know whether the ambush troops had retreated or not, and secondly, I had to escort the noble lady from the capital back to the capital. The Queen Mother and the Empress didn't tell me that I needed to go there to deliver a message, so I didn't ask about it. After all, the palace in Beishan is still your majesty's summer palace."

The carefree look made Emperor Wu speechless. His doubts were gone. After thinking about it, it was true. Marquis Luo Yun was born outside the Great Wall and had nothing to do with the emperor's sister. Besides, if there was something wrong, Yu Qing would tell him after she came back. Obviously, they couldn't lie in front of everyone.

Besides, it happened that day that Jing'an Temple was only received by the abbot and his apprentice. The people from the Imperial City Department had already reported it. In this case, we still need to see his opinion on this matter. After thinking about it, he said,
"In that case, I want to hear your opinion. The emperor gave me a message today, wanting the princess and the princess Yongcheng to return to the capital. I have some doubts in my heart and cannot make a decision yet. Marquis Luo Yun, what do you think? Should we go back or not?"

Zhang Jinyu understood in her mind that the two princesses should have passed the message to the palace in advance. Someone in the palace must have taken action. The Queen should not say anything. After all, Queen Jiang had no intention of interfering in these things. Apart from her, the only other person in the harem was the Queen Mother. Since the Queen Mother had contacted the eldest princess, this was easy to explain. But why was there still the matter of Princess Yongcheng? Could there be someone else helping? The only person left was the old Concubine Zhen. So powerful!
"Your Majesty, it is not your turn to ask about the affairs of the royal family. Although I cannot answer your majesty's questions, I can also talk about the affairs of ordinary people. Ordinary people consider it a blessing to have children around them, especially the elderly. They generally like to have children around them. This is human nature. Since the two princesses are so filial and the emperor wants to see them, then in my opinion, let the emperor see them and talk before returning."

Zhang Jinyu explained nonchalantly, as if it were a game of house. What's the point of going back after watching? Do you think ordinary people go to their parents' home?

The words were not good, causing Emperor Wu's face to darken. Dai Quan, who was standing beside him, smiled bitterly and started to explain.
"My Lord, you are wrong. His Majesty's intention is not as simple as a meeting. The two princesses want to stay in the capital and not go back. That's why His Majesty is worried about how to arrange it."

Zhang Jinyu pretended to be surprised, thinking that it was the first time he heard it, and shook his head and replied;
"Ah, Your Highnesses actually want to stay in the capital. There is a deadline for returning to your parents' home. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you if your husband's family comes looking for you. By the way, why did Your Highnesses come back?"

"Well, my Lord, it's hard to talk about the inside story. It's inconvenient to tell."

Dai Quan's face turned pale. How could he answer this fatal question? How could he, a servant, dare to explain the affairs of the royal family? What the Marquis said was a bit too much. What a lie!

"You kid, you are just talking nonsense. What's the point of talking about that? When have you ever seen a prince consort causing trouble? Forget it, kid, let me ask you, what do you think about this matter?"

Emperor Wu hesitated again and again, still unsure whether the emperor was too impatient or who was involved. After all, not only was the imperial examination coming up, but also the convoys of tributes from the princes of various places were coming.
Seeing that the emperor was worried, Zhang Jinyu didn't say anything else. After thinking for a moment, he replied;

"Your Majesty, I think that the two princesses will come back if they want to. Since that is what the Supreme Emperor wants, then let the two princesses come back first. One princess can come back, and two princesses can come back too. If that is the case, Your Majesty agrees, which shows that Your Majesty is magnanimous, kind, and filial. Although I don't know what happened, I think it is too coincidental. Your Majesty should just make a backup plan.

Otherwise, if the eldest princess returns first, Princess Yongcheng will definitely write a letter to ask to come back as well, which will cause trouble and it will not look good. "

Zhang Jinyu paused for a moment, then continued;

"Your Majesty, I have also heard that the eldest princess was widowed at an early age. Taking this opportunity, why not let her come back to enjoy her life? This is also a sign of your Majesty's love for her. As for Princess Yongcheng, I have also heard some rumors that the two of them are restraining each other. This way, perhaps things will be better."

These words were spoken cryptically, and Emperor Wu immediately thought of the Empress Dowager and the old concubine in the palace. It should not be a coincidence that the two of them came back. Thinking of this, he understood everything. Even if someone did something, the retired emperor had intentions after all.

"Okay, you're so smart. Go back and have a rest. Remember what happened to Enko. Don't forget it."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take my leave."

Zhang Jinyu bowed, stepped back to the door, turned around and left, leaving Dai Quan waiting there.

"Dai Quan, draft an imperial decree to allow Yueru and Yongcheng to return to the capital to live and show filial piety. Send someone to watch over them. I want to see what the two sisters are up to. The capital is no longer what it used to be. There are also the princely mansions in various places. Now that we have taken them back, we don't have to give them away. Let the Minister of the Ministry of Rites clean up the Enshe. I will need it."

Emperor Wu looked out the window with a deep gaze. The princes of the noble families and the sons of the aristocratic families at that time had already established their own families and careers. How could they still cause trouble?
"Yes, Your Majesty, I understand."

Inside the palace,

Outside Chongwen Gate,

Zhang Jinyu was standing in front of the door, and bumped into Chu Nian who had just come in. Both of them were stunned. Chu Nian was the first to react, and he quickly bowed and asked;

"Greetings to the Marquis. Are you here to inspect the construction work at Hanyuan Palace?"

Chu Nian's face was also a little surprised. The construction had started for a day. Last night, the lights in the palace were brightly on. Two shifts of craftsmen were arranged to work all night. He could not stand staying up too late, so he ordered the steward to take over the shift and keep an eye on it. Then he went back to rest. He just woke up now. He was worried, so he hurried here after a quick meal at the mansion. Unexpectedly, he met the Marquis at Chongwen Gate, and he arrived first.

"Well, Lord Chu Nian, thank you for your hard work. I just had something else to do. I didn't go to Hanyuan Palace, but I'm relieved that Lord Chu Nian is watching over me. In addition, the time for the special examination is set for three days later. In two days, the examiners will enter the venue, which means it will be completed tomorrow. Lord Chu, do you think it's feasible?"

Zhang Jinyu thought about it and asked one more question. After all, it was a critical juncture and he had to not let down. He also felt guilty towards Lord Chu. Thanks to him for running around and taking care of everything, things could go so smoothly. Otherwise, he would definitely be at a loss, not to mention that fox Xiangyang Hou, who hadn't even been seen yet.

In this case, we can't count on him at all.

Chu Nian was shocked, his face was full of smiles, and he clasped his fists and said;
"Don't worry, my Lord. The main layout of Hanyuan Hall has been renovated. The only thing left is the beds in the side hall. It takes more materials, so it's a bit slower. It will be completed today. I took three days to be on the safe side."

"Okay, Master Chu, please bear with me. Master Chu is enough for us. Haha."

Zhang Jinyu laughed. Who would have thought that there would be such a talent among the civil servants? It was her fortune to meet him.
Chu Nian looked tired, rolled up his sleeves, clasped his fists and replied;
"Your Excellency, you are too kind. I will leave now."

"Master Chu, take care,"

Zhang Jinyu waved his hand and said nothing more.

Watching Master Chu enter the palace gate with a smile on his face,
After seeing people walking away,

Zhang Jinyu led the horse over, stepped on the stirrup, climbed on, patted the saddle, and said;

"Ningbian, let's go to the East Market and buy some cakes and snacks. Let's go to Rongguo Mansion. I haven't been there for a few days. I miss him a little bit. I don't know what's going on."

"Yes, Lord Marquis, but Lord Marquis, in Hanyuan Palace, how many personal soldiers do you plan to bring with you? You also need to prepare some food and daily necessities, and you also need to consider where to live."

Ning Bian agreed and asked again. The guards were all strong men and had to eat a lot. During the exam, they were not allowed to go out, so they needed to prepare a lot of things.
Zhang Jinyu touched his chin and thought about it. It was said that even the examiners only brought naan or something like that. They endured three days of suffering. These were the only things they ate and only plain water they drank. How did they swallow them?

"Well, buy more naan and other things, and then take a hundred personal soldiers to move the marching tent over there, buy more food and charcoal, and also go to the East Market to buy some yellow sheep and bring them over there." Zhang Jinyu's eyes lit up as he spoke. If the marching tent could be brought in, then other things could be done as well. Wouldn't it be wonderful to eat roasted mutton while the candidates were sleeping?

Ning Bian didn't understand why he had to lead the yellow sheep in.
"My Lord, you are going to supervise the Enke exam, why do you want to buy a yellow sheep?"

"Of course, for eating. Just remember to buy more. Then simply build a few fences and place them in the south garden. Also, find a few more big pots to bring with you. Don't forget the ones who are going to eat."

Zhang Jinyu didn't care about that at all. He had already arranged for the meals for more than a hundred people. Oh, and he also needed to bring a good cook with him. Who knows, those censors who were invited to come might just eat and drink for free.
"Yes, Lord Marquis, I will finally understand."

Ning Bian saw that the Marquis was getting more and more excited, so he quickly agreed. It would be better for the Marquis to have fewer ideas. It was not a battle, so it would be okay to eat dry food for a few days.

that's it,
The group of people on the road walked and stopped, bought a lot of snacks from roadside vendors, and walked towards Rongguo Mansion on Ningrong Street.

The capital city today is still as bustling as before. The shops, taverns, and teahouses at the street corners have long been surrounded by candidates, clamoring that the date of the special examination has been set, but it has been set too hastily, and there are only two days left for preparation. For a while, the flames of the stoves making naan in the places selling pancakes and restaurants were not extinguished at all.

Even at the houses of ordinary people, there were many people gathered around. It seemed that the examinees had gone to buy from other people's houses. For a time, paper was expensive in Luoyang. No, it should be dry food in the capital that was expensive.

When Zhang Jinyu and his party passed by the Qinghu River, they saw a carriage from the Marquis of Xiangyang Mansion driving in front of them. They didn't know who was sitting in it, but they said that the Marquis of Xiangyang, Bai Guangju, had not come to see them in the past few days. The exam was almost over, but he didn't even see them. He really didn't know the rules.

"Ningbian, this is a bit strange. What did Xiangyang Hou do these days? The exam will start in two days, but he didn't even meet him. This doesn't make sense."

"My Lord, I don't know. The Marquis of Xiangyang has been staying at home lately. I don't know what he is busy with."

Ning Bian shook his head. His secret guards were all keeping an eye on the princes and civil officials. There were fewer people keeping an eye on the nobles, but they could still find some information.
"Hehe, this is strange. Could it be that the Marquis of Xiangyang married a beautiful concubine and hid at home enjoying the happiness of having two wives, and forgot about the invigilation, haha."

Zhang Jinyu laughed and took off the water bag on the saddle. His mouth was dry, so he opened the bag and poured the water into his mouth without drinking any water.

Who knows,

A voice came from not far behind.

"Everyone says that Marquis Luo Yun is open and honest, but who would have thought that he would talk about others behind their backs? This is not what a gentleman does."

With a "puff", Zhang Jinyu sprayed out the water he drank. "Cough cough," he choked on the water and coughed a few times before he felt much better. His face turned red.
I cursed in my heart, who is the wicked one behind this?

Turning back, he saw that the Marquis of Xiangyang was riding a horse alone, following the team. Looking at the horse again, it seemed that he had given it to him.
"Oh, it's Brother Bai. I don't know if I'm a gentleman or not. I don't see many tricks like yours."

Zhang Jinyu retorted, "How many people would not ride in a carriage but follow behind on horseback?"

Xiangyang Hou shook his head, looking helpless. Luo Yun Hou was still of the same temperament. He rode his horse to catch up, clasped his fists, and said;
"The Marquis is still very harsh. I just bought some things in the back and asked the carriage to go first. Who knew I would meet the Marquis when I turned the corner."

Just as he opened his mouth, he looked down and saw that Luo Yunhou's saddle was also filled with various snacks wrapped in oil paper, some of which were still hot. Aren't they the same?

Zhang Jinyu seemed to have noticed this as well. As an ordinary person, her face turned slightly red, trying to cover it up.
"Don't you say that there is no coincidence in the world? Brother Bai, what have you been busy with these days? I can't even see your shadow. The date of the Enke has been set, but I haven't seen you go to Hanyuan Hall to help out."

Zhang Jinyu's tone was calm, and it was hard to tell whether he was happy or angry. But if it were anyone else, they would feel unhappy. How could Bai Guangju not know?

"Please forgive me, my Lord. I have no choice but to be held back by many things. Besides, those who are capable should do more work. With my Lord in charge, who can stop working?"

After a slight hesitation, Bai Guangju still had something in his mind, but he couldn't speak it out at the moment.
Zhang Jinyu looked thoughtfully at the Marquis of Xiangyang beside him. He had a kind face, was calm and generous. Among the noble old relatives, he was considered a figure. If something could hold him back, it was no small matter. What could it be?

"Then may I ask, Brother Bai, what is the big thing that could hold you back? Can you tell me?"

Bai Guangju hesitated for a moment, and suddenly had a bitter smile on his face. If it is a blessing, it is not a disaster. If it is a disaster, it is inevitable. There are some things that others can conceal, but he cannot. Not to mention that Luo Yunhou helped him before, the latter said that the person in front of him is in the limelight, and the other has already been declining. He can tell which is more important.

"It's not a big deal, it's just a family affair of Ningguo Mansion. I just came back from the clan house. Prince Zhongshun asked me today how many people are included in the direct bloodline of Ningguo Mansion. How would I know about this? Of course I don't know."

"Hmm? The Imperial Clan House? What does Prince Zhou want to do? I remember that he was confined to the palace by His Majesty. Could it be that the prince disobeyed His Majesty's order?"

Zhang Jinyu was startled, turned his head and asked, the old head of the clan house hardly cares about it now, but it is Prince Zhongshun who is confined in the house. It stands to reason that the confinement date has not yet arrived, so how dare the prince go to the clan house without permission?
"My Lord, you are too kind. The prince was confined by His Majesty, but a few days ago, His Majesty issued an oral order, asking the prince to go to the Zongrenfu to manage the Zongzheng and deal with the fights among the younger generations. There were also a few idle clan members who got into trouble, and they were also dealt with at the same time."

Bai Guangju had long seen through the agitation and privately asked the Duke of Zhenguo, but he only got the reply that the princes of the world were in a state of uncertainty and were eager to pay tribute to the capital.

This is not a tribute at all, it is clearly an attempt to test the imperial court. However, the affairs of the royal family involve the vassal states of the world, so how can one be impatient?

Zhang Jinyu was full of disbelief. The Zongrenfu was an idle government office. The clan members were in charge of their own affairs. However, Prince Zhongshun was the younger brother of the emperor. He must have had a deep meaning when he went there. Looking at Bai Guangju's face,

Zhang Jinyu said meaningfully;

"Oh, everyone says that Brother Bai is known for his honesty among the nobles and relatives. But today, I see that he is far from that. Why is it that Brother Bai treats people differently based on who they are, or is it because of me that Brother Bai is speechless?"

The words were full of sarcasm. Only Marquis Luo Yun could do this. If it were someone else, how could Marquis Xiangyang still talk to him here? Looking at Marquis Luo Yun's agile body, Bai Guangju suddenly felt that he was no longer the Marquis Xiangyang of his youth. He had too many concerns.
"My Lord, you are joking. I dare to treat others differently, but how dare I treat you differently? I am also very confused about this matter, so I asked the Duke of Zhenguo. The Duke of Zhenguo didn't say much, just one sentence."

"What?"

Zhang Jinyu suddenly felt strange. Whose words carried such weight and could make His Majesty change his mind? Looking at the mysterious look of Marquis Xiangyang, it was obvious that there was something going on.
"My Lord, come closer to my ear."

Bai Guangju did not dare to speak loudly. The two of them bowed their heads, and Xiangyang Hou whispered in a low voice;
"My Lord, the tribute teams from various vassal kings are already on their way. It is said that the princes of Zheng, Han, Wu, etc. will also come to the capital with them."

"What, so fast!"

(End of this chapter)