When the Eldest Master Yu returned from the Imperial Court, he followed the Grand Chancellor Yu into the study and asked, "Father, what's going on? The rebels are less than 10,000 strong, and Ji Xuan should have no problem suppressing the rebellion!"
Grand Chancellor Yu replied, "There is something strange about the failure of the campaign to suppress the rebellion in the Northwest." Usually, such a small rebellion would not be a problem, but this time the rebels had wiped out the entire 30,000-strong army sent to suppress them. According to the information received, this matter was not simple.
Grand Chancellor Yu suspected that Yun Qing and Han Shi were behind it. If so, Ji Xuan's campaign to crush the rebellion would definitely not be smooth sailing this time. And if something went wrong with Ji Xuan's campaign this time, the Northwest would be in chaos.
The Eldest Master Yu frowned. "Father, what should we do then?"
Grand Chancellor Yu pondered for a moment and asked, "Is there any news from Liaodong?" Grand Chancellor Yu had already sent someone to contact Yan Wushuang, but there was still no news.
The Eldest Master Yu shook his head. "No. But we have received word that Song Huaijin will return to the capital next month." They have also planted people on their opponents' side.
After Grand Chancellor Yu confirmed the news, he instructed, "Deliver this news to Yan Wushuang." It could be considered his sincerity.
The Eldest Master Yu nodded and asked, "Father, what about Yun Qing and Han Shi?" These two were also dangerous figures.
Grand Chancellor Yu shook his head. "Let's put it aside for now." They should see what the Emperor would do before making a decision. If the Emperor decided to make a move against Yun Qing and Han Shi, then he would sit on the sidelines. If the Emperor didn't make a move, then he would do the same.
On that day, Jing Wang1 returned to his wangfu2. He could hear the melodious sound of a guzheng📹 from afar. The music was erratic, winding, and just as Jing Wang1 was about to lift his foot to have a look, the music suddenly changed into a loud, forceful, and rhythmic tune, startling him.
He walked over and saw that Yuchen was about to put the guzheng📹 away. Jing Wang1 asked, "Yuchen, have you composed another new piece of music?" He had never heard this piece before.
Yuchen nodded and asked the maid next to her to show Jing Wang1 the new piece she had composed. She said, "I have just finished composing it. I was going to wait until it was perfected before I played it for Wangye3." Apart from teaching her son and managing the household, Yuchen spent all her other time on skills such as playing the qin📹 and qi📹.
Jing Wang1 didn't think much of it and said, "Then once you've perfected it, play it for me again." Since the Emperor's ascension, Jing Wang1 had not had a single day of proper rest, as he was constantly busy.
Yuchen smiled and replied, "Alright! By the way, Wangye3, the kitchen has sent up a basket of crabs. Shall we open a jar of peach blossom wine to go with them?" Crabs eaten with peach blossom wine tasted the best.
Seeing Yuchen's radiant smile, Jing Wang1 felt a stir in his heart. "Alright." It had been a long time since the couple had spent a tender evening together. Although his tireless work outside was for the sake of his wife and children, he could not neglect them.
Yuchen didn't resist Jing Wang's affectionate gestures, and that night, the couple shared a harmonious evening. However, the next day, after Jing Wang1 left for the Imperial Court, Yuchen soaked herself in a specially prepared medicinal bath.
After her bath, Yuchen went into the study to practise her calligraphy.
Momo Gui followed her and said, "Wangfei4, your health has now fully recovered. The Imperial Physician says it's time for you to consider having another child." With only one heir, it wasn't enough.
Yuchen replied expressionlessly, "We're still in the mourning period. Children will have to wait until the mourning period ends." The Emperor had shortened the official mourning period to twenty-seven days, symbolising twenty-seven months, but Jing Wang1 would still have to adhere to the full twenty-seven months. Getting pregnant before the mourning period ended was out of the question.
Having served Yuchen for so many years, Momo Gui could tell which of her words were sincere and which were not. She commented, "Your Highness, let bygones be bygones." If Yuchen continued to dwell on it, she would only be torturing herself.
Yuchen closed her eyes and didn't respond to Momo Gui's comment. In the past, when Jing Wang1 had favoured his concubines, she had managed to fool herself into believing that she still held a place in his heart. But after their two children contracted smallpox, she saw his true nature. If he could be so indifferent to his own children, how could she expect him to truly care for her as his wife? She had completely given up on him. All she wanted now was to raise her son well.
Sensing the knot in Yuchen's heart, Momo Gui tried to comfort her. "Wangfei4, life is full of obstacles. Once you overcome them, everything will be better."
Hearing this, Yuchen suddenly opened her eyes, looked at Momo Gui, and asked, "Momo Gui, why do you dislike Yuxi so much? She hasn't really done anything in all these years." On the contrary, Yuxi had overcome countless challenges to get to where she was today—it hadn't been easy.
Momo Gui paused for a moment before replying, "When I first entered the household, the Fourth Miss was only five years old. A child of only five, yet her scheming was so deep it was frightening! Even the royal children in the palace of her age didn't have such cunning minds." Having survived in such an environment, Momo Gui instinctively guarded herself against people like that.
Yuchen thought for a moment and then asked with a smile, "Then why does Momo Quan like Yuxi so much? I clearly remember you saying that Momo Quan was always very careful and cautious in the palace." If Momo Quan didn't like Yuxi, she wouldn't have taught her pharmacology.
Momo Gui couldn't understand this either, and said, "I also asked Momo Quan, and she took a liking to the Fourth Miss." After saying that, Momo Gui asked, "Niangniang5 addressing or referring to an empress or an imperial concubine), why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Yuchen replied, "I was just wondering. Yuxi has faced countless obstacles since she was a child, how do you think she overcame them?" Thinking about what Yuxi had gone through, and how she was still able to live so well now, Yuchen couldn't help but admire her! She felt that if she were in Yuxi's shoes, she would definitely not be able to do it.
Momo Gui really didn't know how to answer this question. Fortunately, Shiqin came to her rescue, informing Yuchen from outside, "Wangfei4, someone from the Imperial Palace has arrived." That person was Momo Lin from the Empress's side.
Yuchen was a little surprised, if it was something important, Momo Lin wouldn't have been sent over. Yuchen didn't change her clothes and met Momo Lin directly.
After hearing Momo Lin's words, Yuchen's expression was strange as she asked, "Qiao Guifei6 wants to see me? Why does she want to see me?" Qiao Guifei6 was the former Heshou Xianzhu7.
Many people knew that Heshou saved the Emperor's life. No matter what happened internally, the Imperial family must present a good face to the outside world. Therefore, after the Emperor ascended the throne, Heshou was appointed as his Guifei6. Despite being the Guifei6, Heshou was always been kept hidden away in a side hall, never seen by the public. All that was said to the outside world was that she was gravely ill and needed to recuperate.
Momo Lin shook her head. "Guifei6 "Niangniang5 is terminally ill, and the Imperial Physician said that she only had a few days left. Qiao Guifei6 begged Her Majesty the Empress, saying that all she wanted to do before she died was to see Wangfei4. The Empress couldn't bear to refuse, so she wanted to ask Wangfei4 to go to the Imperial Palace to fulfil Qiao Guifei6's wish."
Yuchen asked, "Qiao Guifei6 only had a few days left to live?" Yuchen scoffed at the Empress's *reluctance to refuse. If the Empress was really so kind and benevolent, how could she have suppressed Empress Dowager Song? Yuchen feared that Heshou must have offered something in exchange for the Empress to come forward and invite her to the palace! Yuchen hated Heshou to the extreme, but now that the Empress had come forward, she had to go to the palace whether she wanted to or not.
Momo Lin replied, "Yes."
Yuchen said, "Then you wait a moment, I'll change my clothes and go with you." She wanted to see what tricks Heshou was up to.
After changing into her formal attire, Yuchen followed Momo Lin into the palace. On the way, Momo Gui asked, "What is Heshou up to again?" That woman had never been content. Even at the brink of death, she still wanted to stir up trouble.
A sarcastic smile crossed Yuchen's face as she said, "If I'm not mistaken, she'll definitely tell me something about Yuxi."
Momo Gui asked, "About the Fourth Miss? What about her?"
Yuchen smiled and said, "For example, saying that Yuxi is a demon or something?" Speaking of which, Yuchen was a little curious. It was fine that Momo Gui didn't like Yuxi, but why did Heshou target Yuxi as well?
Thinking of this, Yuchen looked at Momo Gui and commented, "Previously, Master Liao Tong said that Yuxi had a bad fate, and I didn't take it seriously. But now it seems that there is some truth in his words."
Momo Gui quickly responded, "How could Master Liao Tong's words be wrong?" Fortunately, her Wangfei4 had a noble destiny and was not affected by the unfortunate Yuxi.
After entering the palace, Yuchen went to greet Empress Dowager Song.
In the past, Empress Dowager Song had always looked down on her. But now, knowing that Yuchen was going to see Qiao Guifei6, Empress Dowager Song smiled and said, "Since Qiao Guifei6 wants to see you, then you should go!"
Yuchen suppressed the strangeness in her heart and bowed to Empress Dowager Song, respectfully saying, "Your daughter-in-law will take her leave." Originally, as a daughter-in-law, Yuchen was supposed to enter the palace often to accompany and serve Empress Dowager Song. However, for some unknown reason, after the Emperor ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Song issued an order that Yuchen did not need to go to greet her. This was one of the reasons why Yuchen was able to live such a comfortable life.
After leaving Cining Palace, Yuchen went to Kunning Palace to meet the Empress. After bowing to the Empress, Yuchen asked directly, "Huang Sao8, I heard that Guifei6 is at the end of her life?"
The Empress looked very sad as she answered, "That's right. The Imperial Physician estimated that her life would end within the next few days. For some reason, she insisted on seeing you. As the Emperor's biaomei9 and his saviour, it's only natural and right to grant her dying wish."
Yuchen pointed out, "Huang Sao8, you know the grievances between me and Heshou. I really don't understand why she wants to see me?" The two of them were mortal enemies, so to be honest, she really didn't want to see her. She wanted to stay as far away as possible from an evil person like Heshou.
The Empress didn't understand either, but that was the condition that Heshou had proposed, and she had to fulfil it: "I also know that it's difficult for you, but for her sake, just go and see her." In fact, the Empress also wanted to know what Heshou would say to Yuchen!
Disgust flashed in Yuchen's eyes, but she still nodded. "Since Huang Sao8 said so, I will go and pay her a visit." This meant that she would go see Heshou for the sake of the Empress. Otherwise, she would definitely not go.
Footnotes Full List
- King
- wang=king, fu=residence
- wang=king, ye=lord
- >wang=king, fei=consort
- addressing or referring to an empress or an imperial concubine
- Noble Consort
- Princess of the Fourth Rank/usually granted to the daughter of a Junwang
- huang=imperial, sao=older brother's wife; sister-in-law
- younger female cousin via female line
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The Rebirth of Han Yuxi