Who Cares

Chapter 99 Posthumous Title

Zhao Luli took Ye Zhen to the inner courtyard to have a deep conversation, and the old madam also went in with them. Zhao Wangshu who was very eager for his biological mother, followed step by step, but Zhao Chunxi was very reluctant, fell at the end of the line with ashen face.

Perhaps because she thought that she would never go back to the Zhao family, Ye Zhen didn’t hide much in front of her daughter, she always told her what to do, and often instilled some climbing skills and tricks in her ears. Therefore, besides the old madam, Zhao Chunxi was probably the person who knew her true face best.

She had no sincerity towards others, even close relatives were only divided into two categories in her eyes – those who can be used or those who can’t be used.

Before, the Zhao family was obviously unusable, so the whole family was abandoned by her like a pair of old shoes; now she had no support, so she had to pick up that pair of shoes again. It’s really hard for her to endure humiliation and condescended to those of low status, is she not afraid wearing those shoes would give her rotten feet?

Zhao Chunxi was upset, but she couldn’t say anything to expel people. Ye Zhen was still her mother no matter how unbearable it was, and she had no reason to watch her mother live on the streets. Just take more precautions in the future, don’t let her harm the stepmother.

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While Ye Zhen made up her story in the inner courtyard, Guan Suyi presided over the sacrificial ceremony in the mourning hall.

She was wearing linen mourning clothes with a white flower on her head, and every time she finished reading a passage of scriptures, she kowtowed reverently. She already agreed to kowtow for seven, seven, forty-nine days, then she wouldn’t be careless about it. Mu Mu didn’t like to meet strangers, so he didn’t want to see Ye Zhen, and his little hand kept tugging at the corner of his adoptive mother’s clothes, following wherever she went.

At a young age, he had already recited the scriptures well. When kowtowing, he tried to imitate his adoptive mother. He bowed down slowly and solemnly. After touching his forehead on the ground, he paused for a while, then stood up again, his back was straight, and his every move had begun to show an elegant style.

The relatives and friends who were sitting around the altar were paying attention to the mother and son both overtly and secretly, and they were all in awe. What was the situation of the Zhao family at the beginning, they all saw it, Zhao Luli was confused; the old madam was mentally weak; Zhao Chunxi looked smart but was superficial and restless; Zhao Wangshu was simply a demon king; and this little Mu Mu could not even speak, but now he could serve tea and water to the guests, sensible and well-mannered.

Although the main house of the Zhao family had lost the title, everyone with discerning eyes knew that with the support of a good wife and loving mother like Madam their family would rise up sooner or later. Haven’t people seen that only after a few months Zhao Wangshu already has some literary reputation? There were so many literary giants standing behind the stepmother, and she was also an amazing talent. Not to mention a decaying wood, she could even extract water from a stone to irrigate the flower.

It’s a pity such a good scenery got disturb with Ye Zhen mixing in. Her face looked exactly the same as Ye Cainu, and it’s hard to find any excuse to deny it.

If it changed to ordinary person, they would be like an ant on a hot pot at this time, rushing around anxiously, but Madam Guan was really steady. Looking at her calm like water eyebrows, with pupils that was like ancient well with no waves*, and a good chanting sound and graceful demeanor, it created a good atmosphere for everyone!

Under her influence, the guests who were still a little distracted gradually calmed down and began to pray sincerely for Ruan shi.

There were several huge braziers placed around the hall, and servants kept throwing incense candle, paper money and other objects into it to burn, and the smoke kept billowing, running towards the sky. After a while, a lot of blue smoke also appeared outside the temple, and the more it gathered, the thicker it became, as if there was a fire somewhere.

Guan Suyi heard the commotion of the guests, and when she looked back, she found that something was wrong, so she hurriedly instructed Minglan to inquire. After a while, Minglan came back with tears in her eyes, she said while choking up, “Miss, your sacrificial eulogy has been spread all over the capital, and there are well-meaning people who admire the second madam for sacrificing her life to protect her son, and come here to offer incense to her. Because there are many nobles in the altar, they didn’t dare to disturb, so they burned paper outside the temple to pay tribute, and after they worship, they left. Now there are people coming and going outside, it’s an endless stream, so Master Xuan Guang ordered the monks to set up a few bronze pots for them to burn incense.”

“It’s good that nothing catch on fire.” Guan Suyi pondered, “They are willing to pray for sister-in-law, this intention is really precious. You ask the housekeeper to open the warehouse and carry the family’s surplus grain up the mountain, so in the future when there are good-hearted people who come to worship, each one will be given a handful of grain, although it’s not much, but it‘s enough to eat for a day, which is considered to be accumulating virtue for sister-in-law in the next life.”

Minglan complied again and again, and went down the mountain with the pair of cards.

When the guests saw her arranged everything, they were more and more in awe. A woman with such an outstanding temperament and virtuousness, it was a blessing to whoever family that married her. That Ye Zhen had been living outside for many years, and as soon as she came back, she wanted to occupy the position of the main wife, did she think too highly of herself? Really want to compare with Madam Guan one by one, apart from giving birth to a pair of children, she couldn’t do anything.

While thinking about it, the morning sacrificial ceremony came to an end unknowingly, Master Xuan Guang chanted a Buddha verse, and asked everyone to go down to eat vegetarian meal.

Zhong shi hurriedly dragged her daughter to the side room to talk, while Old Master Guan and Guan Father sent someone to inquire about Ye Zhen’s whereabouts over the years, and they followed up worriedly.

Reconciliation was certain, but Guan Suyi would not give in easily. Ye Zhen wants the Zhao family? Want to be the main wife? Want to pick up the affection that were once lost? If so, you can get for it yourself, just hope that you don’t end up with nothing or end up with ruined reputation. She was indeed not good with back house’s fighting and intrigues, but she was very good at digging holes and burying people. If Ye Zhen was honest, it would be fine, but if Ye Zhen insisted to make her jump into the pit, then she would push her hard instead.

She already made calculations in her heart, but Guan Suyi didn’t plan to ask her family for help. She only told Zhong shi to take it one step at a time and let nature take its course.

Ye Zhen had just returned home, nothing happened yet, and it would be futile to say more, so they could only take one step at a time. Zhong shi couldn’t help but sigh. Old Master Guan thought for a long time, and then made a final decision, “If you cannot stand it, then let’s reconcile. Fate has dictates, the emperor will not blame.”

Guan Father also nodded, “If it’s not a last resort, I don’t agree with reconciliation. However, now that it has come to this point, not reconcile afraid is impossible. The pearl in my, Guan Yunqi, palm will never be a concubine, let alone be an equal wife, under the control of anyone.”

Guan Suyi repeatedly promised that she would not wronged herself, and if she really couldn’t stand it, she would pack up and go home, so she consoled Zhong shi and others to leave first. As soon as they were out from the courtyard door, the next moment Jinzi came back and whispered, “Madam, this servant just went to the East Wing to inquire, guess what? Ye Zhen was so shameless, she said that she couldn’t forget her old feelings, she begged His Majesty for a few months, and threaten to die to force him, only then His Majesty release her. Now Zhao Luli is holding her while she’s crying bitterly. Old madam, Zhao Chunxi, Zhao Wangshu, and the others were all confused outside. Zhao Luli also said that he will help Ye Zhen arrange a proper story, and he will not make his family and outsiders look down on her. You see, what is this? This is the legendary love as deep as the sea!”

“Don’t be a blabbermouth, isn’t this drama arranged by your master?” Guan Suyi sneered, “Saying he was stupid, he immediately became shrewd and released Ye Zhen from the palace, but he never mentioned the dirty things from those year, it’s clear that he wants Zhao Luli to continue the relationship with her. And now I’ve become redundant, and I have to leave even if I don’t want to.” What’s more, she wanted to leave for a long time, but she couldn’t bear to part with Mu Mu and Xiao Huai’en.

All kinds of worries climbed the wall of her heart, which made her frown and depressed.

Jinzi scolded His Majesty secretly and persuaded her softly, “Madam, this servant is telling the truth, don’t think that this servant is helping the former master to swindle you. You shouldn’t stay with this Zhao family for too long. You like children so much, but that Zhao Luli is disgusting, so why don’t you hurriedly remarry while you’re still young and have one yourself? After all, other people’s offspring are other people’s, perhaps they can be casually provoked with a few words, or some disagreement occurs, or if there is a conflict of interest, they can be separated from you in an instant. Didn’t you see that Zhao Wangshu just sticks to his own mother?”

Then she poured a cup of hot tea and handed it over, “You are still young, you have a lot of time to waste, but how short is a woman’s youth? When you come back to your senses and want to change your way, I’m afraid there will be no road. To have children when you’re old, you should understand the dangers.”

Guan Suyi said calmly, “I have my own measure in my heart, you don’t have to worry for your master.”

“Where are this servant worrying for His Majesty? It’s clearly worrying for you. Besides, this servant have nothing to do with the dark guard now. His Majesty didn’t assign any errands to this servant, but instead added more people to protect you, so as not to let Ye Zhen try to harm you. Don’t you know that she bought a lot of poisons from the Miao people. Although they were all destroyed after the Ye family’s accident, she gave a lot to Zhao Chunxi earlier. So you should leave the Zhao family quickly, it’s dangerous here. ”

“Your poison skills are no worse than the Miao people, I feel reassured.” Guan Suyi unperturbedly drinking tea, and waited until Jinzi ran her mouth dry before going out to eat.

When the mourning ceremony was held in the afternoon, Ye Zhen was already standing beside Zhao Luli in a mourning clothes, holding Zhao Wangshu in one hand and Zhao Chunxi in the other, acting as the main wife. The old madam was furious in her heart, but she didn’t want to show the skeleton in the closet, she could only stand with her daughter-in-law and Mu Mu. On the left was a family of four, and on the right was a family of three.

It’s not good for the guests to get involved in other family’s business, so they could only shake their heads secretly, pretending not to know, and were about to sit back on the praying mat to recite the scriptures, when they heard a commotion outside. After a while, Baifu walked in with a scroll of imperial edicts in both hands, followed by many guards, carrying several heavy boxes.

When everyone knelt down one after another, he began to recite the imperial decree. It was the emperor who admired Madam Ruan for giving up her life for her son, to have kindness as heavy as mountain and affection as deep as the sea, and possessing great love and selflessness. He conferred her a posthumous title in second-rank order, bestowed her posthumous name of Madam Zhenlie*, and enjoyed sacrificial ceremony of the first-rank. He also said that Madam Guan’s heroic act had touch the heavens and earth, and gave the following treasures… as a reward.

Guan Suyi accepted the imperial decree calmly, but the guests murmured: “Posthumously conferred as second-rank order, enjoy the memorial ceremony of the first-rank, and even given a posthumous name, what kind of honor is this?” During her lifetime, Ruan shi didn’t dare to meet people because of her ugly appearance, and she didn’t dare to ask for an official order, but after her death, she bathed in such a mighty grace and found the strongest protection for her son. Even if she died a hundred times, she would have no regrets! Just didn’t know why the emperor paid so much attention to a woman, and the second-rank grant order actually got double-character posthumous name, which was really rare throughout the dynasties! Was it to elevate the second house of the Zhao family and appease General Zhao at the border?

Everyone had a lot of speculation, but Guan Suyi had already understood Emperor Sheng Yuan’s intentions. What he’s doing now was just building momentum for his mother. First lift her sister-in-law as Madam Zhenlie, publicize her righteous deeds of sacrificing her life for her son, and made the people admire and respect her, and then reveal a little bit about his life experience, and in an instant it would become a story that captures one’s imagination throughout all eternity and become a legend of the world.

After conferring Ruan shi, naturally it was also necessary to posthumously conferred the Empress Dowager, and afraid the wind and clouds in the palace would suddenly change.