Huan Xuan knew that Ruan Yuewei had a concubine sister who was four years younger than her. She had followed her mother into the palace several times when she was young. She was an ordinary little girl, a little shy, and stood timidly behind her sister, like a gray shadow.
The eldest princess continued, "That young lady is in her seventh year at home. Two years ago, there was a flower-viewing banquet at Qujiang Lake. Several women from the Ruan family came, and she was among them. She was shorter than the Crown Princess and their sixth lady, had a round face, was a little fat, was shy, and was timid when talking to people. Her face would turn red before she even opened her mouth... You probably don't remember."
After hearing what his eldest sister said, Huan Xuan seemed to have the impression that there was such a person, but the impression was still vague. He stood next to the sisters like a shadow.
He said calmly, "What's going on?"
The eldest princess said, "The Crown Princess has been married to the Eastern Palace for three years and has no children. Now she is bedridden and the two concubines are pregnant. The Ruan family intends to send the Sixth Lady to the Eastern Palace. You know their Sixth Lady. She is as beautiful and talented as the Crown Princess. After her father returned to the capital, he was promoted to the position of Zhongshu Sheren and Hanlin Academician. Although she is not a crown prince, she is in the emperor's heart. The Ruan family wants to send her to the Eastern Palace. Rather than being a helper for the Crown Princess, it is better to say that it is to be prepared for any eventuality."
"This is what the old lady of Ningyuan Marquis meant. The eldest branch of the family was naturally unhappy. The two concubines were of high birth, and they saw that the Crown Princess's health was getting worse and worse. If one of the concubines became the Queen because of her son, the Ruan family would have nothing to gain," she said while glancing at Huan Xuan's expression. Seeing that he still had no expression on his face, she continued, "The Crown Princess naturally refused, so she summoned my mother to the palace. Not long after, their family sent the illegitimate daughter, the Seventh Lady, to the palace to accompany the legitimate sister. They probably wanted the Seventh Lady to replace the Sixth Lady."
Ruan Qinnan was plain-looking and had a soft temper. Even if she was favored, she was not as favored as her elder sister Ruan Yuewei. If she gave birth to a boy, the Crown Princess would take him in and raise him as if he were her own child. She would not even need to bother to control her because her biological mother still had to live by the mistress's mood.
Such tactics were common in the palace and the inner courts of high-ranking families. Ruan Yuewei was taught by the Queen Mother Ruan, so she was naturally adept at using them.
In the past, Huan Xuan might have been surprised, but after what happened with Zhao Qinghui, no matter what Ruan Yuewei did, he would not be surprised.
"It would be fine if one was willing to fight and the other was willing to be beaten," the eldest princess sighed, "but the bad thing is that her concubine's sister is engaged. He is a Jinshi from a poor family. His surname is Wei and he is a regular official in the Ministry of Secretaries. Two years ago, he was ordered to serve at the banquet at the Lotus Garden. I think they fell in love at that time."
There was pity in her eyes: "The scholar's family background is a bit poor, but he is a Jinshi, and his family background is noble, so his future is limitless. Ningyuan Hou probably doesn't expect this weak and plain-looking daughter to bring much benefit to the family through marriage, so this marriage can be regarded as a promotion for the younger generation."
Huan Xuan could have guessed what happened later without her telling him. Ruan Yuewei had been married into the Eastern Palace for three years without giving birth to a child. The Ruan family needed another daughter to consolidate their relationship with the prince. The eldest branch of the family did not want to give way to the younger branch, and the princess consort did not want to be replaced by her cousin, so they wanted to let the docile and easy-to-control concubine sister enter the palace to bear a child through surrogacy.
As for the arranged marriage, for the Ningyuan Marquisate, it was effortless to cancel the engagement with a poor scholar and there was no need to consider it at all.
The eldest princess sighed deeply, "Who would have thought that Ruan Qiniang was gentle on the outside but strong on the inside, and had a hot temper. As soon as Ningyuan Hou called off the marriage, she hanged herself at home that night. It is said that when she returned home from the East Palace, the Crown Princess rewarded her with many gold and jade hairpins and silks and satins. She spread all those things on the couch, stepped on them and hanged herself on the beam. It is said that the palace silk she used was rewarded by the Crown Princess. Ningyuan Hou's Mansion only said that she died suddenly due to an acute illness, but the truth could not be hidden, and the news still came out."
She paused and continued, "Originally everyone thought that the poor scholar married into the Ningyuan Marquis's mansion in order to climb up the social ladder, but who knew that he was a foolish man. When he heard that his lover had died inexplicably, he went to the mansion to ask for an explanation. Ningyuan Marquis promised him a large sum of money and a bright future, but he refused and made a scene without caring about anything. Now he has been demoted to Lingnan to be a county magistrate. What was originally a good marriage has really become a sin..."
The eldest princess told Huan Xuan about this matter, but since it was related to Ruan Yuewei, she just let it go.
But the speaker may not mean it, but the listener does. After his elder sister left, Huan Xuan called his staff and said, "Recently, a secretary named Wei was demoted to Lingnan as a county magistrate. Go and find out which state and county it was."
…
The uproar caused by the King of Qi ended with his handing over the tiger talisman. After a period of discussion in the court and the public, the matter gradually subsided.
In a blink of an eye, it is Qingming Festival again.
In the East Palace, Ruan Yuewei handed the offerings and the scriptures she had prepared to Shu Zhu, and sighed deeply: "We are sisters, please go and hold a proper memorial ceremony for me."
As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes: "After all, I was the one who harmed her..."
Shu Zhu frowned and tried to persuade her, "Madam, you have treated Qi Niang with all your heart and you let her enter the palace for her own good. The Crown Prince's concubine is so noble, and many people would beg for such a blessing. Qi Niang insisted on marrying a poor ninth-rank official. Although she may be pitiful, she is also a fool. Madam, why should you worry about such a fool? It is not worth it if she ruins her health."
Ruan Yuewei wiped away her tears and said, "You can't say that. Although I did it for her good, she still died because of me."
Shu Zhu said, "Madam, how can you take this upon yourself? If Qi Niang doesn't want to do it, she should have said it clearly. She said that and everyone thought she was just half-hearted because she was shy. Who knows that she really doesn't want to do it?"
Ruan Yuewei sighed and said, "The dead are the greatest. Don't say anything. After all, I am the elder sister who is at fault. Open my small storehouse later and take out an extra fifty pieces of palace brocade and satin for her aunt."
Shu Zhu said, "Madam, you are just soft-hearted. You have already given me so much money last time, and now you are giving me more. That's fine, but you are the Crown Princess, and you are still ill. How many Buddhist scriptures have you recited and copied in the past few months? I can't even count them. Madam, you have done this much, please don't feel bad. I have to say something unpleasant, Qi Niang has such a sister, and she is still so willful. In the end, it is because she is unlucky."
Ruan Yuewei's face darkened and she frowned, "Don't talk nonsense!"
Shu Zhu quickly apologized: "My servant said something wrong, please punish me, madam."
Ruan Yue said softly, "I know you are outspoken. When you go to the Marquis's Mansion later, you must not say such hurtful words in front of her aunt."
Shu Zhu said, "I'll save that."
Shuzhu and two eunuchs went out of the palace for half a day to pay tribute to their master's concubine's sister's grave. It was dusk when they returned to the East Palace.
When Ruan Yuewei heard that she had returned, she called her to the bedroom, dismissed the other servants, and then asked, "How are grandma and mother?"
Shu Zhu said, "The old lady was also very angry about Qi Niang's matter. She even had a heart attack. Fortunately, she has gotten better in the past few days. Madam has also lost some weight. Fortunately, she is fine. Madam has repeatedly told me to take care of myself and serve the Crown Prince well. Don't waste your energy copying scriptures for Qi Niang anymore."
Ruan Yue nodded with red eyes. The only one who truly loved her was her mother.
She asked again: "How is Aunt Sun?"
Shu Zhu said, "She is sad, but you don't have to worry, my lady. She has no worries about food and clothing in the mansion, and she will get over it after a while."
Ruan Yuewei asked about the recent situation of everyone in the mansion, and then asked casually, "Is Sixth Sister okay?"
Shu Zhu covered her mouth with her sleeves and smiled secretly, "I heard from Lian Qiao from the Third House that Sixth Lady has been unhappy recently. She broke a set of Yuezhou kiln cups for a small matter the day before yesterday, and tore two paintings yesterday, leaving two servants behind. Today, she claimed to be sick and did not go to pay tribute to Seventh Lady with her sisters."
She lowered her voice and said, "After what happened with Qi Niang, the mansion can't send someone in right away. We have to wait at least a year or two for the matter to be over, right? Even if the old lady favors Liu Niang, she can't send her to the palace right away without considering the face of the mansion. Liu Niang is old, and if she continues to waste time, even if she is willing, Madam will not. I heard that Madam is already arranging a husband for her."
Although Ruan Yuewei had expected this result, she didn't feel relieved until she heard the exact news.
Although there are many daughters in Ningyuan Marquis's mansion, not many of them are suitable in age, appearance and talent, and only Ruan Liuniang can replace her. Although this incident has made the crown prince a little unhappy, at least Liuniang has no hope of entering the palace. After a year or so, when the storm has calmed down and the two concubines have reached the age of marriage, they can choose a suitable one to enter the palace.
Her sixth cousin was proud and arrogant, and had been like this since childhood. She always competed with her in everything. She originally thought that she could marry the King of Qi, but the marriage was delayed and the King of Qi turned around to conquer Huaixi. After the battle of Huaixi and returning to the capital, she thought that the hardship was over and happiness was coming. However, Huan Xuan only had his heart set on the woman from the outer house and still did not want to marry her. Now, the King of Qi has lost his military power and has become a rich and idle man. Now that the emperor is still in power, the prince cannot act rashly. When the prince ascends the throne in the future, one can imagine what will happen to him.
Ruan Yuewei still felt a pain in her heart when she thought of Huan Xuan, but when she thought about how he treated her, she felt a sense of pleasure as if she had gotten her revenge.
When a man is in high spirits, he has an aura that emanates from the inside out. Once the King of Qi's military power was released, the huge rock that was weighing on the prince's heart was finally removed. He looked so heroic that people ignored his appearance.
Although he was not as gentle and considerate as before, the more Ruan Yuewei looked at him, the more she felt that he was full of vigor and heroism, and her heart slowly turned back to him.
…
The incident at the Ningyuan Marquis' Mansion did not cause any waves. It was just a little concubine's daughter. If she died, she died. It was like a small stone thrown into a big lake, which could not cause any ripples.
In the blink of an eye, the city of Chang'an was already filled with the lingering beauty of spring and the beginning of summer.
The lotus flowers in the pond garden at Chang'an Fangshan are blooming silently, but unfortunately no one wants to take a look.
Huan Xuan stayed in the palace of Prince Qi all the time except for the occasional visit to the palace to pay respects. He originally held several positions, including the commander of the Divine Wing Army, but everyone from the emperor to the court officials seemed to have forgotten about it.
The Prince of Qi's Mansion, which used to be bustling with people, was now deserted. Apart from the eunuchs who came to inquire on the emperor's orders from time to time and the doctors from the Shang Pharmacy who came to take the pulse, only the eldest princess and Huan Minggui came to visit occasionally.
In just a few months, the King of Qi seemed to have returned to the situation when he had just left the palace to build his own residence - at that time he was only in his teens, neither favored nor noticeable, and there was nothing wrong with being a rich and idle man. But now it is different. He once had 100,000 elite troops under his command, pacified the four towns of Anxi, and suppressed the vassal states of Huaixi, making unprecedented achievements.
Anyone who has experienced the feeling of holding power would find it difficult to remain calm when falling from the peak to the bottom so suddenly.
Moreover, he had offended the crown prince before. If he dies one day and the crown prince ascends the throne, one can imagine what will happen to him.
That day doesn’t seem too far away.
In previous years, the emperor stayed in Penglai Palace in spring and summer, and went to Mount Li Hot Spring Palace for recuperation in autumn. However, this year he went to Mount Li as soon as May, ordered the crown prince to be regent, and handed over all government affairs to his son.
Even Gao Mai became secretly anxious, only Huan Xuan himself remained indifferent.
Ever since he came back from Youzhou and locked the mountain and pond courtyard, he seemed to have lost interest in everything.
He still got up early every morning to practice riding, shooting, swordplay, reading and calligraphy, playing chess with himself, and lived his life according to the routine. He even seldom drank, and only had a few drinks with guests when the eldest princess or Prince Yuzhang came to visit. He no longer had no food or tea, and no longer tossed and turned in sleep at night. The root of his pain seemed to have been completely uprooted from his heart, along with his heart.
He was like an old monk in meditation, or a lifeless puppet, as if he was pulled by an invisible string, and he moved whenever it was pulled.
It was not until the end of May, with a heavy rain, that a piece of news that shocked the court and the country spread from Heshuo to Chang'an, like a bolt from the blue - Xiao Ling was still alive.
When the news reached the Prince of Qi's mansion, Huan Xuan's dead eyes finally showed a slight ripple, but that was all.
Others were not as calm and composed as he was.
The emperor summoned the crown prince and a number of important ministers to the Lishan Hot Spring Palace for discussion overnight.
At this time, he finally remembered that his son had been recuperating in the mansion for several months and should have recovered from any illness, so he immediately sent a eunuch with an imperial physician to the palace to check on the pulse of His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi.
The pulse was indeed strong. The emperor immediately remembered that he still held several civil and military positions, so he summoned him to Mount Li.
The prince had not seen his younger brother for several months, and he was always reluctant to even take a second look at his defeated opponent.
However, when he saw Huan Xuan in Feishuang Palace, he was secretly surprised. His face no longer had the sickly look he had when he returned to the capital from Youzhou, and his physique had recovered as before. He looked restrained, calm and distant, which was completely different from the depressed and decadent person he had imagined.
The prince suddenly felt despair. He might be able to destroy everything he had, deprive him of everything, make him lose his power, lose the emperor's favor, and leave him with almost nothing. However, there were some things in his bones that he could never take away.
He calmed himself down immediately. It was only because he was still alive. When a person dies, everything is gone. No matter who they are, they will just be a pile of rotten bones. His elder brother was like this, and so was Huan Xuan. He just had to wait patiently for that day.
Huan Xuan bowed to the emperor and the prince, then stepped aside.
The emperor said to everyone, "I'm sure you've all heard about what happened in Heshuo. Xiao Ling is still alive."
This news was too unbelievable. Many people were still skeptical after hearing it, suspecting that someone was using Xiao Ling's name to start a rebellion. After all, her reputation in Heshuo Town was unmatched.
But now that the emperor said this, they knew it was true and they all looked at each other in surprise.
The emperor guessed what they were thinking and said with a wry smile, "Who else but Xiao Ling could have captured several cities in two months and forced Xue Zhi back to Zhenzhou without a single drop of blood."
He paused and said, "Gentlemen, please tell me how the court should deal with the situation in Heshuo."
Although he asked this, all the officials present knew that since Xiao Ling was alive, there was not much the court could do.
Xiao Ling is not Xiao Tongan, nor is she Xue Zhi. Her popularity in Heshuo Town is incomparable to ordinary people. In the three towns, she can be said to have a hundred responses. When they heard that she was alive, several generals defending the city surrendered without a fight. She was invincible.
The imperial court could use imperial decrees to control Xiao Tongan and Xue Zhi, but it could not use the same trick on Xiao Ling. Even without the imperial decree, her position as Jiedushi was as stable as Mount Tai - besides, Xue Zhi had not yet received the official imperial decree. In fact, Xiao Ling was the legitimate Jiedushi.
If the court sent eunuchs to supervise the army or secretly instigated internal strife among the generals of the three towns, it would be almost impossible to succeed.
The officials discussed it at once, but naturally could not come up with anything.
The emperor listened for a long time, rubbed his forehead irritably and said: "If you can't think of a good plan for the time being, you might as well go back and think about it carefully."
After all the ministers left, the emperor left behind the crown prince and a few trusted ministers.
Huan Xuan bowed and left, but the emperor said, "Sir, please stay."
The prince's expression changed slightly, but Huan Xuan remained calm. He just stopped, bowed, and said, "What do you want, Master?"
The emperor asked, "You have been recuperating in the palace for a long time. Is your health getting better?"
Huan Xuan said: "Thank you for your concern, I am fine now."
The emperor nodded: "You look much better than before."
He pondered for a long time, waved his hand and said: "There is nothing else here. You have just recovered from a serious illness, so go home early."
Huan Xuan did not look disappointed, he bowed and left.
After the prince left, the emperor rubbed his eyelids and said to his five confidants who stayed behind: "Xue Zhi has retreated to Chengde. It is only a matter of time before Xiao Ling takes over this town."
He looked at the Minister of War and said, "In your opinion, how long will it take to capture Chengde?"
The assistant minister of the Ministry of War frowned and said, "In my humble opinion, the result will be known before the end of the year."
The emperor shook his head and said dejectedly, "It won't take that long. We have been suppressing the rebellion for so long. The army and the people are stable and are all waiting for a strong general who can command the army. In my opinion, Xue Zhi will not survive until winter."
He paused and said, "The position of the commander-in-chief of the Divine Wing Army is still vacant, and we can't let the deputy general take over temporarily."
The prince's face darkened slightly.
Originally, the court could use the Jiedushi's imperial edict to control Xue Zhi, and there would be no need to worry about the situation in Heshuo. But now Xiao Ling will be restored to the throne in a few months, and the town will be under the command of a powerful general, so the court has to be extremely cautious.
The only general in the court who can compete with Xiao Ling is the Prince of Qi. The emperor must have begun to waver.
The emperor's eyes swept across the prince's face, and he calmly changed the subject: "It's just that Sanlang has not yet recovered, and he is also a little young. It was a fluke that he conquered Huaixi. In your opinion, which general in the court can take on this task?"
The appointment of the commander-in-chief of the Divine Wing Army concerned the country and no one dared to speak rashly. Everyone was silent for a while.
The emperor looked at his second son and asked, "Who do you think is qualified for this position, Prince?"
A chill ran down the prince's forehead. He calmed himself down and said, "I dare not speak nonsense."
The emperor said, "You raise it first. I and the ministers will make our own judgment on whether it is appropriate or not."
The prince secretly clenched his fists, then slowly loosened them, and finally made up his mind: "I personally think that Lord Wu'an has been on the battlefield for a long time and is mature and steady, so he may be able to take on this important task."