The Pingjiang Hou’s horse carriage arrived before the Anguo Gong household was fully prepared to receive them. A maid helped the Pingjiang Hou furen off the carriage, and Mdm Wei quickly came forward to welcome her. After exchanging greetings with the Pingjiang Hou furen, Mdm Wei led her to the inner residence.
Xu Che leapt off his horse. He took the spear out of its holster on the saddle, then spun it in a flashy manner. He did not seem to have any intention of leaving his weapons at the door.
Lou Jianyu hurriedly plastered a smile on his face and went forward to welcome Xu Che. Lou Jianyu’s third brother, Lou Jiannan, couldn’t help shrinking in fear when he looked at that sharp silver-tipped spear. He instinctively hid behind his second brother.
The second brother, Lou Jianzhang, also started having palpitations on seeing the practiced ease with which Xu Che handled the spear. The men of the Pingjiang Hou family were all highly skilled martial artists with short fuses, who were only too eager to settle disagreements with their fists. It was obvious from Xu Che’s manner that he didn’t come in peace today.
Xu Che did not acknowledge the people around him. He simply strode forward with a dark look on his face. Left to his own devices, he wouldn’t bother trying to discuss matters with Lou Jianyu any more – he’d just give Lou Jianyu a good sound beating. However, he had been strongly reprimanded for even suggesting this; the Pingjiang Hou furen had told him to hold his tongue today, and let Lou Jing be the one to lead the conversation.
As the Pingjiang Hou furen entered the inner residence, Lou Jing’s paternal Second and Third Aunts came forward with their unmarried daughters and daughters-in-law.
“Saosao, it’s been too long since you last visited us,” the paternal Second Aunt said, smiling. She pushed the newest daughter-in-law forward.
The Pingjiang Hou furen smiled faintly in a reserved manner, then gave that daughter-in-law a pair of rose gold bracelets. The paternal Third Aunt quickly pulled her own daughter forward to greet the Pingjiang Hou furen, and obtained a hairpin set with a lovely South Sea pearl.
Mdm Wei gripped a handkerchief in her hands tightly when she saw the people crowding around the Pingjiang Hou furen, doing their best to curry favour with her. When her Saozi, the Yongning Bo furen, came to visit, these concubines had not been the least bit enthusiastic about trying to win her favour. At the end of the day, it was a slap in her face; they clearly looked down on her family for not being well-off.
The Pingjiang Hou furen didn’t stand on ceremony and simply seated herself directly on the host’s seat, as she was entitled to do as the highest ranked woman present. “Zhuoyu’s mother passed away before her time, and we should have been here to attend Zhuoyu’s wedding in her place. Unfortunately, we were unable to make it in time due to the great distance we had to travel. Furen, I hope you didn’t take that to heart,” she said.
If Lou Jing’s other maternal aunts were the ones present today instead of the Pingjiang Hou furen, Mdm Wei would not be forced to yield so easily. The Pingjiang Hou furen, however, was a superior first-ranked furen of a Hou peerage, and Mdm Wei was only a second wife. Even though she was the Anguo Gong’s furen, she was only a first-ranked furen, and the Pingjiang Hou furen outranked her.
“Saosao is too courteous. Lingnan is three thousand li from the Capital. Getting here as quickly as you did was already no easy feat,” Mdm Wei said. She forced herself to smile, suppressing her annoyance.
“Zhuoyu’s mother, my sister-in-law, has already passed on, and Zhuoyu has also been married off. I can’t say too much about this,” the Pingjiang Hou furen said, directing a piercing look at Mdm Wei. Having been the Lingnan Hou’s principal wife for many years, she had a very imposing air about her. “There is one thing though. I heard that someone in your family has wrongfully taken my sister-in-law’s dowry.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
At this, the paternal Second and Third Aunts both sucked in a breath and exchanged looks with each other. Regardless of whether the family assets had been split or not, when the principal wife passed on, her dowry rightfully belonged to her eldest son. Who could have wrongfully taken the first furen’s dowry? They all couldn’t help but look toward Mdm Wei, whose expression was now grim. She was the one who managed all of the Anguo Gong’s household affairs and accounts. Other than her, who else could it be?
Mdm Wei couldn’t keep the smile on her face any more, and her expression darkened significantly. “Saosao, I find what you said to be very strange. Mdm Xu’s dowry is all in the Shizi’s hands, and no one can touch even a cent of it,” she said.
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“The Empress said that it’s rare for the Pingjiang Hou furen to return to the Capital, and because it’s not convenient for her to meet a male Empress, she has specially asked the Crown Prince Consort to pass the following gifts to her: a pair of red gemstone dangling hairpins, two jade bracelets, a platter of pearls, ten bolts of silk…” the eunuch next to Lou Jing said, reading out the list of gifts in a loud voice. This eunuch was from Fengyi Palace, and had followed Lou Jing home to assist with presenting the Empress’ gifts to the Pingjiang Hou furen.
The Pingjiang Hou furen knelt in thanks, and everyone else followed suit. Mdm Wei was so angry that she felt her head throb in pain. Wasn’t Lou Jing deliberately rubbing his First Aunt’s high rank in their faces by specially asking the Empress to bestow gifts on her?
In the past, a superior first-ranked furen had to call on the Empress whenever they entered the Capital. It was only after the Emperor Shizong instituted the practice of marrying a male Empress that the furens were unable to do so, precisely because the Empress was a man. This eventually became a mere formality; if the Empress happened to hear that a superior first-ranked furen had entered the Capital, then he would give some gifts to acknowledge her presence, and if not, nobody really bothered about it. That the First Aunt had received more lavish gifts than average was really primarily because the Xu family was now related to the Imperial family by reason of Lou Jing’s marriage.
“First Aunt, Father Empress asked me to greet you on his behalf,” Lou Jing said, smiling at her as he rewarded the eunuch who followed him home. He helped the Pingjiang Hou furen up.
“When you return to the palace, you must kowtow to the Empress on my behalf,” the First Aunt said, beaming from ear to ear. She was very pleased by the Empress’ gesture, and clapped Lou Jing on the back.
“What are you back for?” Lou Jianyu snapped. The Crown Prince Consort was usually not allowed to leave the palace for no good reason, especially when he was not accompanied by the Crown Prince. Lou Jing had also invited the Third Old Master over, and Lou Jianyu smelt a rat.
Lou Jing raised his head, smiling breezily at his father. “I’m here to get my mother’s dowry back,” he said genially.
Back in the Imperial Court, Xiao Chengjun looked at the Taoist priest standing in the centre of the main hall. He suddenly felt like laughing; this was such an important matter of state, and the outcome now hung on the words of this Taoist priest with dubious origins. This was such a joke!
The Taoist priest’s name was Tao Miao, and his Taoist title was the Piaomiao Zhenren. Tao Miao was the person the Imperial Oracle spoke of earlier – the one who didn’t need to read the stars to divine Heaven’s intent from the Heavenly omens.
Tao Miao wore grey Taoist robes and had a sparse, snow white beard. He held a long horsetail whisk in his hand, and at this time, his chin was lifted slightly, a faraway look in his eyes. His facial features were arranged into an expression of utmost compassion and patriotic concern. “Taishan is the place where the qi of Heaven and Earth meet; where the Son of Heaven can commune with the Heavens. The mountains are shaking, and the Imperial Court is in turmoil. Please allow this old Taoist priest to divine the meaning of these portents,” Tao Miao said.
“Then do it quickly,” one of the officials in the crowd of ministers said. That official didn’t step forward to speak.
Xiao Chengjun looked around at the people around him. Some had disdainful expressions, some fixed their eyes firmly on the floor and maintained their silence, and still others started whispering amongst themselves excitedly. These scholars in this hallowed hall were all senior officials of the Imperial Court, and were all at least third-ranked ministers. They were now no better than a group of mindless cattle and superstitious villagers, ready to move heaven and hell based on the supposedly divine pronouncements of a Taoist priest.
“Father Emperor, erchen has a submission to make,” Xiao Chengjun stepped forward, interrupting the Taoist ritual that the Piaomiao Zhenren was about to perform.
[Back in the Anguo Gong Mansion]
“When your mother passed away, her dowry was all given to you! What do you mean you want to take back her dowry now?” the Anguo Gong Lou Jianyu asked angrily. He strode forward quickly and glared fiercely at Lou Jing.
“I’m not that clear myself either. Father should ask the furen, really,” Lou Jing said, still smiling a genial smile. Mdm Wei started to shake in anger. This accusation that she had stolen Lou Jing’s mother’s dowry was a really serious one to make.
“Crown Prince Consort, I have never even laid eyes on this dowry you speak of! Kindly refrain from making baseless accusations!” Mdm Wei retorted. She scanned the family’s accounts in her memory, and was very certain that there were no problems there. The last few days, she had asked Cheng Xiuru for the Zhuque Hall’s account books; the Shizi had married out of the family, and so these account books rightfully should be returned to the main residence for management… Wait. Zhuque Hall had always refused to give her its account books. Why had Cheng Xiuru handed over the account books this round in such a pliant manner?
Mdm Wei couldn’t stop herself from raising her head to look at Lou Jing. Her eyes met Lou Jing’s beautiful eyes, which were tilted upwards in laughter, but held not an ounce of mirth or warmth. The sight sent cold shivers down her back.
“Given this, why don’t we clear the air on this today? If there’s any misunderstanding, it would be best to clear it up, or it will negatively affect the family’s harmony,” the Pingjiang Hou furen said, smiling at everyone present.
“Yes, yes, indeed! It’s best to get everything cleared up. Otherwise, our furen’s name will be tarnished by this wrongful accusation. That would be terrible,” Lou Jing’s paternal Second Aunt said, gleefully adding oil to the flames. The Third Aunt didn’t have a mind of her own and always followed the Second Aunt, so she nodded her head in agreement.
Lou Jianyu glared even more fiercely at Lou Jing. This bastard was obviously here to kick up a fuss. “Everyone, go to the front hall,” he said tersely. He was going to see what this asshole son of his came up with.
Everyone moved to the main hall of the Anguo Gong mansion. A brocade screen was placed in the centre of the hall so as to separate the men from the women.
“Come, tell us all who stole your mother’s dowry,” Lou Jianyu said in acidic tones. He drank a mouthful of tea to try and suppress the fury building in his chest. “If you can’t show us any proof, I will not have any regard for your status as the Crown Prince Consort – I will report you to the Emperor for this insolence!”
[Imperial Court]
After the Crown Prince spoke, the entire Imperial Court plunged into a deathly silence. Everyone’s eyes were trained on the Crown Prince kneeling before the throne.
Xiao Chengjun was wearing the apricot-coloured formal Court robes, and his back was ramrod straight as he faced the Emperor.
As the Crown Prince, he had the right to stand on the raised platform on which the throne was situated, and also had the right to receive the respects paid by the hundred officials of the Imperial Court. The only person he was subject to was the Emperor. However, he had never used this privilege. In the beginning, his Father Emperor praised this behaviour, saying that it showed his humility. Later on, the Emperor thought him weak for not exercising this right. Now, the Emperor thought that he was trying to make himself look pitiful, as if he were being done a great injustice by the Emperor.
This sounded ridiculous, but this was precisely what was written in the submissions piled up in the Emperor’s study. Even lies could be turned into “truth” if they were repeated enough times, and the Emperor had never been known for his intellect to begin with. He was easily swayed by the submissions of his ministers, and believed the contents wholeheartedly.
“What did you say just now?” the Chunde Emperor said slowly, holding the bamboo scroll that the Crown Prince had submitted.
“Erchen is unworthy of being the Crown Prince, and has failed to live up to Father Emperor’s expectations. I ask that Father Emperor depose me as Crown Prince, and select another in my stead,” Xiao Chengjun said in clear, carrying tones. His face was calm. He had not said this yesterday in the Emperor’s study as the Chunde Emperor might have interpreted it as something said in anger and spite. Saying this in front of the whole Imperial Court was entirely different; it showed he was dead serious. These words, once spoken, could never be taken back.
The Imperial Court was stunned. Even the Minister of the Right Chen Shichang was mindblown. Tao Miao hadn’t even said anything yet. Why was the Crown Prince throwing in the towel without a fight?
“I have studied the principles of governance since I was a child, but I am dull-witted, and cannot hold a candle to your Majesty,” Xiao Chengjun said. He spoke in a strong, resonant voice, every word striking deeply into the hearts of those present like the sonorous chime of a large bell. “Erchen did not know that the Qinghe matter would turn into this fiasco. As the Crown Prince of this country, I am embarrassed that I am not even as good as one of the ministers of this Court. I am unable to contribute to this Court or lighten Father Emperor’s burdens, and I am unworthy of being the Crown Prince. I feel ashamed towards the Xiao family ancestors. Father Emperor, please depose me as Crown Prince!”
When Xiao Chengjun finished speaking, he prostrated before the Emperor seated on the dragon throne and kowtowed three times, each kowtow slower and more deliberate than the last.
At this very moment, in the Anguo Gong residence, Lou Jianyu looked at the account book in his hand, and was as thunderstruck as the hundred officials in the Imperial Court.
Shops situated in the prime real estate districts of the Capital, 580 mu of fertile farmland in Fan County, glazed jade horses, necklaces made of pearl and Kirin jade… all these were his first principal wife’s dowry, but they had been recorded in what his second wife called the “Accounts of Zhuque Hall”!