Wish You All the Best - Chapter 39

Chapter 39

On this day, while Pei You'an was on his way to the capital having just experienced a life-and-death assassination attempt, thousands of miles away, the Zhen family in Quanzhou was destined to face a day that was anything but ordinary.

Over the past year, many regions caught between Yunnan and the capital had been affected by the chaos of war. Farmland lay largely barren, and commoners fled in droves. Though Quanzhou still retained its former appearance, it was not entirely untouched. War required money, and the imperial court naturally set its sights on prosperous places like Quanzhou. Within a single year, the local government had forcibly increased levies and taxes three times in succession. Adding on the layers of corruption and extortion from officials above, by the time the burden was distributed down to each household, large families were heavily assessed, and small ones were not spared either. The people complained incessantly, and the tax collectors wailed in misery. Initially, the public had watched with a spectator’s curiosity, fervently debating whether the Emperor or the Third Prince would win. As time passed, however, this turned into a desperate hope for the war to end quickly. Regardless of who won, restoring their peaceful days had become the only thing that mattered.

In the afternoon, Zhang Da heard the gatekeeper shouting all the way as he came to report that officials had arrived. Thinking it was just another visit to collect their quota—a routine that had occurred countless times over the past year—Zhang Da cursed inwardly, frowned, and scolded: "So what if they're here? Why the yelling? You'll frighten the Old Madam." To his surprise, the gatekeeper added: "It’s Governor Gao himself! He says he’s here with an imperial decree!"

Zhang Da was stunned: "What did you say? The Governor? An imperial decree?"

The gatekeeper nodded rapidly: "He says he’s here under the Emperor’s order and that everyone must come out to receive the decree!"

The Governor was the administrator of an entire province, usually standing high above the common folk. Although Zhang Da often dealt with government offices, his interactions were limited to the Quanzhou prefectural level; how could he have ever met a top-tier regional official like the Governor? Hearing that such a man had personally come to his house today, he was greatly alarmed.

Some time ago, rumors had been circulating in Quanzhou that the Third Prince was about to take the capital. Zhang Da, just about to ask which Emperor was being referred to, shook off his distraction and grabbed the gatekeeper: "Did they say what it was for?"

The gatekeeper shook his head. Zhang Da immediately ordered people to inform the Old Madam and the others. He straightened his clothes and rushed out. When he reached the entrance, he saw a line of ten or so official sedans parked there. In the middle was a large square palanquin, flanked by prefectural officials and a crowd of yamen runners holding ceremonial regalia. The display was imposing and solemn, drawing the gaze of many passersby. Not knowing if this was a blessing or a curse, he suppressed his anxiety, rushed out, and knelt on the steps: "I was unaware of the arrival of Governor Gao and the other lords. I have failed to welcome you in time; I deserve death!"

The curtain of the official sedan was lifted, and Gao Huaiyuan, the Governor of Fujian, revealed his face. With a beaming smile, he said: "Rise. I have come on imperial order. Your family is about to receive a great honor!"

……

Old Madam Hu, accompanied by Zhen Yaoting, soon emerged and respectfully led Gao Huaiyuan and his party into the main hall.

Gao Huaiyuan stated: "The Prince of Shun'an acted against the natural order and has now been executed. Our dynasty has a new Emperor, and all things are being renewed. I am here by special edict to proclaim this to the world and to pacify the hearts of the people. I have already ordered the authorities of all prefectures under my jurisdiction to post the诏书 (imperial proclamation) at the city gates. As for you, I have an additional imperial decree. The Zhen family, listen to the decree."

The Old Madam hurriedly led the entire household to kneel and listen as Gao Huaiyuan read the decree with dramatic cadence. The gist was that the Zhen family had been a prominent local clan for generations, having built roads and bridges, provided famine relief, and constructed granaries over the years. Their virtuous deeds had reached the ears of the Emperor. To punish the wicked and reward the good, the court was specially bestowing a plaque upon the Zhen family, along with a sum of imperial silver. Furthermore, the daughter of the Zhen family was summoned to the capital immediately to attend upon the Emperor. Other rewards would be issued at a later date.

Once Gao Huaiyuan finished reading, the Zhen family was stunned, followed by a surge of overwhelming joy. Old Madam Hu regained her composure, kowtowed in gratitude, and felt a mixture of joy and apprehension, unsure of what to make of it.

Since Pei You'an’s departure, the Old Madam had spent the last year following news from the outside. A while ago, she had finally heard that the Prince of Yunzhong was about to enter the capital. She had breathed a sigh of relief and began counting the days, waiting for the eldest young master of the Pei family to come and propose marriage. She had worried, however, that if he attained wealth and power, he might go back on his original promise. She never expected that instead of waiting for a proposal from the Pei family, she would be waiting for an imperial decree like this today.

Even having been shrewd her entire life, Old Madam Hu could not fathom the true meaning behind this decree from the new Emperor. She vaguely knew, however, that some noble person in the new court must have taken a fancy to her granddaughter. As for who this noble person was, or how they had come to know of her granddaughter, she was completely in the dark.

Suppressing her doubts, the Old Madam thanked Gao Huaiyuan and, feigning confusion, asked why the decree specifically pointed out that her granddaughter had to enter the capital.

As a high-ranking regional official, Gao Huaiyuan was particularly sensitive during such times of dynastic transition. He sensed the intent behind the decree, which was why he had spared no effort to travel personally to the Zhen family in Quanzhou to deliver it. Hearing the Old Madam’s inquiry, he set aside his official tone and laughed: "Old Madam, please do not be so formal. In my presence, there is no need for such excessive courtesy in the future. In my view, with the new dynasty comes a new atmosphere. It must be that the Emperor has heard of your manor's reputation for virtue and has rewarded you with special favor. Your family is likely to produce a person of great status. In the future, I hope the Old Madam might lend me a helping hand."

The Old Madam responded with modest affirmations. Gao Huaiyuan added: "The decree is very clear: your family’s young lady must enter the capital immediately. This matter cannot be delayed. I am about to head to the capital to pay respects to the Emperor. Once your family is prepared, I can travel with you. I will ensure you are well cared for on the road. The Old Madam need not worry."

The Old Madam offered profuse thanks. After seeing them off, she immediately called for Madam Meng and Jiafu to explain what had happened.

Madam Meng was utterly confused. She spoke with the Old Madam, hoping that Pei You'an had petitioned for this grace in front of the Emperor. Jiafu, standing to the side, said nothing, but a faint intuition began to grow within her heart.

It could not possibly be Pei You'an.

Even if he wanted to marry her, given his personality, he would never do something so ostentatious.

It had to be related to Xiao Yintang.

Just as she knew, the Prince of Yunzhong had finally become the Emperor, and Xiao Yintang was now one man above all others, with ten thousand beneath him. And, quite obviously, although more than a year had passed, he still refused to let her go.

This was the proof.

In the past, whenever she thought of Xiao Yintang, Jiafu would feel fear and revulsion from the depths of her soul. But now, perhaps from numbness or indifference, even facing such bad news—which counted as a bolt from the blue for her—she did not feel it was all that terrifying. She simply listened quietly as her grandmother and mother discussed the matter. Naturally, the result of their discussion was that she would accompany the Governor to the capital and wait for further news.

Besides this, what else could they do?

The person who had issued this command was the newly ascended Emperor.

The next day, under the Old Madam’s thousand entreaties, Jiafu, accompanied by her mother Madam Meng and Zhang Da, followed Governor Gao Huaiyuan and embarked on the road to the capital.

As she left Quanzhou behind her once more, Jiafu knew that the peaceful life she had enjoyed for the past year—like something stolen—would likely depart from her forever and never return.

And this day was one year and twenty-three days since Pei You'an had last left.

……

In order to arrive in the capital before the new Emperor’s enthronement ceremony, Gao Huaiyuan had pushed their journey as if their tails were on fire. They finally arrived that evening, with only three days left before the ceremony. After changing into his official robes, he didn't even have time to catch his breath, nor did he want to wait until the next day; he immediately went to the Ministry of Rites to report on the Zhen family affair. Jiafu, meanwhile, followed her mother to their home.

Before they left the capital after the failed marriage negotiation last time, the Zhen family had left an elderly servant couple to look after the house they had purchased. For more than a year, the old couple had maintained the property well. During the few chaotic days when the Prince of Yunzhong breached the capital, the old couple had kept the doors and windows tightly shut, suffering no losses. After the chaos ended, they hadn't dared to open the doors, until just these past few days when they heard people everywhere saying that a new Emperor had taken the throne. Aside from the night curfew, the daytime in the capital remained bustling, looking no different from before, so they had finally breathed a sigh of relief. They hadn't expected their masters to arrive today. They welcomed them in with great joy and busied themselves with arrangements. By then, it was already dark. The next morning, someone arrived from the palace. The leader was a young-faced eunuch whom Jiafu recognized. This eunuch was named Cui Yinshui, the foster son of the great eunuch Li Yuangui. He was very capable, skilled at guessing the intentions of those above, and somewhat snobbish. However, he was loyal to Li Yuangui and Xiao Lie. In her previous life, during the years Xiao Lie was Emperor, he had been at the height of his influence in the palace. Later, however, Xiao Lie died of a sudden illness before the age of fifty. After Li Yuangui followed his master to the grave, Xiao Yintang, who became the Emperor, seemed to harbor a deep hatred for this eunuch, and before long, he found a pretext to have him beaten to death.

The current Cui Yinshui had just stepped into the palace with his foster father and had a bright future ahead of him. How could he know his own fate? At this moment, he was all smiles. After ordering the little eunuchs who followed him to bring in the rewards, he stood before the kneeling Madam Meng and Jiafu and read an imperial decree, stating how virtuous the Zhen family’s daughter was—possessing the grace of the historical figures Ban Jieyu and Xie Daoyun. It stated that once the Heir Apparent was named Crown Prince, she would be made a secondary consort. After offering some encouragement, he concluded by telling her to remain in the capital for the time being, awaiting the subsequent ceremony of conferment.

Madam Meng had long believed in her heart that Pei You'an was her son-in-law, and she only wanted her daughter to marry him. Throughout the journey, although she had been filled with worry, she had held onto a glimmer of hope, wishing that the Emperor would betroth her daughter to Pei You'an. She had never expected to hear such news immediately, and she stood frozen, unable to move.

Cui Yinshui thought she was stunned by joy and smiled: "Madam Meng, why haven't you led your daughter to receive the decree and thank the Emperor? Your family is about to produce a person of great status. This is a joyous and congratulatory occasion."

Madam Meng could not speak and looked at her daughter. Jiafu, however, said: "Many thanks to Eunuch Cui. May I trouble you, Eunuch Cui, to convey a message for this commoner? I know my own talents are base; how could I dare to sully the imperial family? I earnestly request that the Emperor rescind the order."

Cui Yinshui was stunned, hardly believing his ears: "This is a heavenly favor. You actually refuse?"

Jiafu said: "Eunuch Cui, it is not that I am unwilling, but I dare not accept a reward without merit, especially such a heavenly favor. I dare to ask, Eunuch, could you please tell me what virtue or ability I possess to deserve such profound grace from His Majesty?"

Cui Yinshui glanced at her.

Cui Yinshui naturally knew why the new Emperor, despite his busy schedule, had issued such a decree; it was surely because the Heir Apparent had taken a fancy to this Zhen family girl and had gone to great lengths to beg the new Emperor. He had been curious before coming here, wondering what kind of beauty she would be. Upon seeing her just now, she indeed possessed arched brows and green temples, a precious appearance and a flower-like face, exquisite and painting-like, difficult to describe in any way. He became even more certain of his deduction, but these words were not easy to speak. Hearing the tone of this Zhen family girl, who was actually unwilling—and not knowing if she were truly without desire or merely feigning reluctance—he could not be sure for a moment. He sank his face: "Young Miss Zhen, do you know what you are saying? If you do not accept, it is an act of resisting an imperial decree. Have you thought clearly?"

Madam Meng’s heart pounded wildly. She was about to stop Jiafu, but she saw her kowtow: "How would this commoner dare to resist an imperial decree? As I said just now, I know my own coarseness and am truly unworthy of such imperial grace, hence I earnestly request the Emperor to rescind the order."

Cui Yinshui was bewildered. He thought for a moment and said: "Forget it. This is the first time I have seen such a thing. Since you insist, I will go back and convey the message and see if you..."

He had originally wanted to say "see if you have the fortune," but swallowed the words back. Without even drinking tea, he turned and led his men out the door.

Once the eunuchs left, Madam Meng immediately led Jiafu into the room, closed the door, and said: "A'fu, do not be afraid! The last time the Eldest Young Master came, he gave your grandmother a piece of jade, saying it was left to him by his father on his deathbed. He left it with your grandmother as a token. Before we left this time, your grandmother gave me the jade, telling me that if it was not needed, I should find an opportunity to return it to the Eldest Young Master. Although his whereabouts are unknown now, with this token, I will go find the Old Madam of the Pei family and ask her to intervene. That might be enough to stop this matter."

Madam Meng was flustered and turned to leave, but she was stopped by Jiafu, who shook her head: "Mother, the Eldest Young Master was only speaking casually at the time. So much time has passed now; who knows if he has changed his mind? Do not involve the Pei family in this matter, lest we drag others into the mud. I am not afraid either. The words have been spoken; let us see what happens. I merely do not wish to marry his son; surely he will not take my head for it?"

Madam Meng looked at her daughter, stunned to see her expression so calm. She tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. The next day, more people came from the palace. This time, in addition to Cui Yinshui, who had come yesterday, there was a middle-aged eunuch with a kind face. Madam Meng heard he was the great eunuch surnamed Li who served the current Emperor, so she hurriedly paid her respects. Seeing his attitude was quite amiable and that he did not seem to be looking for trouble, she finally steadied her heart.

Li Yuangui allowed Madam Meng to call Jiafu over, then cleared the room until she was alone. He observed her for a moment and said: "My foster son told me everything about your situation. I was afraid you were ignorant, so I didn't report it immediately, but came myself to ask you. What is the meaning of this? You are so daring! Such a good thing that countless people seek but cannot get! How dare you defy it?" His tone was neither light nor heavy, revealing no anger or joy.

Jiafu knew that this great eunuch who served Xiao Lie had a reputation for being upright, not a villainous person. Steadying her nerves, she said: "Many thanks to Eunuch Li for your concern; this commoner is profoundly grateful. In the Emperor’s decree, there was not a word mentioned as to why such a heavenly grace was bestowed. I have thought about it over and over, and I recall one incident. Once, the Embroidered Uniform Guard came to Quanzhou, sealed the entire city, and was arresting people everywhere. A noble person broke into my home, and in the end, I was taken by that person into a carriage and helped him get out of the city. The situation was extremely perilous, and I still remember it clearly to this day. This commoner dares to guess that the noble person that day might have been the current Heir Apparent."

Li Yuangui remained silent.

Jiafu knelt before him: "Eunuch Li, when the Emperor was purging corrupt officials previously, I also heard in Quanzhou that the Emperor’s army, throughout their journey, did not infringe upon the people in the slightest and loved the commoners like his own children. All under heaven praise him, and this commoner respects him deeply. I told Eunuch Cui yesterday that I know my own coarseness and dare not sully the imperial family. If the Emperor bestowed this grace upon the Zhen family because of that incident years ago, I beg Eunuch Li, could you please convey a message on my behalf and earnestly request the Emperor to bestow a different grace instead?"

After finishing, Jiafu pressed her forehead to the ground, kneeling for a long time without rising.

Li Yuangui watched Jiafu, a hint of surprise gradually appearing in his eyes. He pondered for a moment and said: "Forget it. Originally, I thought you were ignorant and speaking wildly, which is why I came to take a look. It seems you are well aware of the situation. Since that is the case, I will speak for you when I return. As for whether it will be successful, it depends on the Emperor’s will."

……

Li Yuangui returned to the palace. Xiao Lie was still busy. In the evening, when he had a moment of rest, he finally remembered and asked: "That Zhen family girl—did you go take a look for me? Although the Zhen family did save Yintang that day, since she is to be made a secondary consort, her background and character must be reasonably acceptable."

Li Yuangui said: "Reporting to the Emperor, the Zhen family’s daughter’s character is not an issue, but there is one matter, and I do not know if I should speak of it."

Xiao Lie was flipping through a memorial in his hand: "Speak."

Li Yuangui said: "This slave went to see that girl and heard a few things she said. I will repeat them to the Emperor." He then recounted the words Jiafu had said to him, word for word.

Xiao Lie had been flipping through the memorial at first, but gradually he stopped. A slight displeasure appeared on his face, and he hummed: "So, she is not pleased with this arrangement of mine?"

Li Yuangui said: "This slave does not know; that is why I conveyed all her words to the Emperor. The Emperor is wise; you may handle it as you see fit. She is just a girl from a merchant’s family; how much insight could she have?"

Xiao Lie pondered for a moment and said lightly: "Forget it. She is unwilling, and it is a burden to even bestow such high praise upon me, so I should not force her. Tomorrow, you go again, bestow some other items, and send her away."

Li Yuangui laughed: "The Emperor is wise. This slave understands."

"Emperor!"

Suddenly, a woman’s voice came from the palace entrance. Li Yuangui looked up and saw the Princess of Zhou, dressed in magnificent palace attire, walking toward them in a leisurely manner. Behind her, a palace maid carried food. Li Yuangui put on a smiling face, walked up to meet her, and called out "Princess."

The Princess of Zhou arrived at Xiao Lie’s side, stood still, and glanced at Li Yuangui. Li Yuangui hurriedly retreated. The palace maid placed the bowls and dishes down and also bowed her head and left.

With no one else around, the Princess of Zhou said softly: "Emperor, you did not return to the sleeping palace last night. I heard from Yintang that you were reviewing memorials until dawn. I was worried, so I came to see you. Please rest for a while and have some food, would you?" As she spoke, she went behind him and began to slowly knead his shoulders.

Xiao Lie laughed: "I trouble you with my concerns. The new dynasty has just been settled, so matters are inevitably more numerous. Once I am busy with this period, I will be free. You should return to the sleeping palace first. Later, after I finish reading today’s memorials, I will return."

The Princess of Zhou slowly let out a breath, pulled back her hands, and laughed: "Then I will return first. Emperor, you must not overexert yourself too much."

Xiao Lie nodded with a smile and watched her figure gradually leave. As he lowered his head, the Princess of Zhou suddenly stopped in her tracks, turned around, and said: "Emperor, it is not that I intentionally eavesdropped, but I happened to arrive before the palace hall and unintentionally heard a few things. That Zhen family girl is truly lacking in manners. Relying on the fact that she sent Yintang out of the city that day, she actually holds you, the Emperor, in such low regard! Why does the Emperor still indulge her?"

Xiao Lie looked up, glanced at her, and said lightly: "Then in your opinion, what should be done?"

The Princess of Zhou said: "She is resisting an imperial decree! There is no need to make her my son’s secondary consort. If she won't do it, there are plenty of people who want to. Throw her into the Laundry Bureau; let's see after a few days. I do not believe she would still dare to be so bold and defiant."

Xiao Lie frowned: "Forget it. A girl from the common people, ignorant of the rules—why bother arguing with her? Let this matter be as it is; you may go down now."

"Emperor!"

Just as the Princess of Zhou was about to speak again, Li Yuangui hurried in, bowing: "Emperor, the Old Madam of the Duke of Wei’s mansion has arrived and requests an audience with the Emperor."

Xiao Lie was stunned and said: "Where is the Old Madam?"

"She is still waiting at the gate of the Huayang Palace."

Xiao Lie immediately put down his brush and stood up: "Quick, welcome her inside!”