Xin Liu stayed at Yu Shu's fu for a night. The next day, he was taken back by Xin er taitai. Yu Shu could see that Xin Ya had reluctantly agreed to the marriage between her and Gu Qi. Coincidentally, Pei Jing had sent her a letter early in the morning. It was a good thing that Gu Qi wasn't a second-generation rich kid. He had been traveling with his father's caravan since he was ten. Father Gu and Mother Gu had a harmonious relationship and the Gu Family was a simple family. Xin Liu definitely wouldn't be wronged if she married over.
After Xin Liu left, there were people from the Ministry of Rites who brought freshly made wedding clothes for her to try on. Originally, the wedding clothes had to be prepared by the bride's family, but the Great Commissioner had the Ministry of Rites prepare it according to the standards of the Imperial Family. So Yu Shu only needed to prepare a decent dowry and didn't need to worry about anything else.
The official marriage document for Yu Shu and Jing Chen didn't go through Kun Ling Bureau. The Great Commissioner directly approved it and sent it to the princess fu. Yu Shu didn't even get to see it. The wedding date was set on the sixth of the third month. She had to think of a way to drag it out for another two months. She couldn't let the Great Commissioner see that she was purposely stalling for time. This put her in a difficult position.
Just as she was about to doze off, someone sent a pillow. A few days after the one month banquet for the descendants of Xiang Wang, Jing Wang Fu sent an invitation to Yu Shu. Jing Wang Fei invited her to the outskirts for a walk on the day of the Flower Festival.
Yu Shu instantly had an idea. When she replied to the invitation, she wrote two long pages. In reality, it only had one meaning — — let's go on horseback. Xia Jiangmin very quickly sent someone to send a reply. It also wrote a bunch of nonsense, but the meaning was very simple — — okay.
So on the twelfth of the second month, the weather was clear and the sun was warm. Yu Shu changed out of her winter clothes and wore a sturdy Hu robe. Her hair was tied up high as she rode out the door in a heroic manner. Following behind her were her two armed bodyguards, Lu Hong and Xu Qing. In the shadows, there were also the death guards that the Great Commissioner had sent to protect her.
When they arrived at Jing Wang Fu, Yu Shu didn't enter. She had Lu Hong announce her arrival. A short while later, Xia Jiangmin came out with two maids. The wang fu had prepared comfortable carriages. There was also a coachman specially to lead the horses for Jing Wang Fei. There was also a team of bodyguards with spears on their backs. They were orderly and solemnly waiting outside the door, making Yu Shu and the rest look like outsiders.
Xia Jiangmin lifted the curtain hat and smiled apologetically at Yu Shu. Yu Shu saw her dazzling beauty and Yu Shu Shu., Yu Shu had hurriedly left. She walked out and Yu Yu Liu. so Yu Yu Shu had time time, Yu Yu Liu. Shu. he Shu.
"Yu didn.," Yu said., "Yu Liu, Yu," Yu Shu "," Shu "Liu,", "Yang," Ya, "Liu," Yi "Xia Shu" Ya "s Yan.," ","
"Wang Ye knows that I'm going out so he sent so many people to follow. Don't be offended." She didn't want Yu Shu to think that she was purposely putting on a show in front of her.
"En?" Yu Shu heard that something wasn't right. She pulled her hand and asked in a small voice: "Why are you like this?"
Xia Jiangmin mumbled: "Jing Wang Fu is going to have a new person." Yu Shu frowned: "The Emperor is seriously ill, Jing Wang still has the mind to take a qie?" Xia Jiangmin shook her head: "Not a concubine, a proper ce fei." Historically, the Emperor had to personally choose a marriage partner for the princes, but the ce fei could freely choose. Xia Jiangmin and Liu Tan had only been married for half a year and there was already a ce fei entering the door to fight for favour. It really wasn't a good thing. Liu Tan's identity meant that he couldn't be a couple with Xia Jiangmin for the rest of his life.
Yu Shu wanted to help but couldn't. She could only comfort her: "I think that Jing Wang isn't a fickle person. Even if there's a new person, he wouldn't be able to distinguish which is more important."
Xia Jiangmin bitterly smiled: "Do you know who the ce fei that is about to enter the door is?"
"Who?"
"It's the daughter of the Count of Zhong Yong's fu."
Yu Shu raised her eyebrows in surprise. According to what she knew, the Count of Zhong Yong's fu only had one young miss who was yet to be married — — "You're talking about Rui Zi Zhu?" This Rui Zi Zhu, she had almost been betrothed to Xue Rui. If Jing Wang really wanted to take Rui Zi Zhu as a ce fei, then it must be that the Zhong Yong fu and the Xue family had reached a secret agreement and Empress Rui had turned to support Liu Tan as the Crown Prince.
"That's her." Xia Jiangmin lightly bit her lips and asked her: "Even though I haven't seen this Rui xiaojie, but I've heard that she has the countenance of a flower and the moon. She's a beauty that's one in ten thousand, isn't that right?"
Hearing what she was worried about, Yu Shu laughed and patted her shoulder: "If she's one in ten thousand, then you're one in ten thousand." In terms of appearance, Rui Zizhu was on par with Xia Jiangmin a year ago, but after Xia Jiangmin got married, she was like a blooming crabapple flower, growing more and more beautiful by the day. After seeing Xia Jiangmin's outstanding beauty, seeing other women, even if they were extremely beautiful, wouldn't be breathtaking.
"Really?"
"Really, it's not like I haven't seen her before." Yu Shu smiled coldly: "That Rui Zi Zhu looks soft and weak and easy to bully, but in reality, she's not easy to deal with. When she enters Jing Wang fu, you just have to be careful."
"I know. You've mentioned it to me in your letters before. Last year at the Gentlemen Hibiscus Banquet, she and Xi Wen Jun Zhu's group failed to frame you and instead got a bad reputation for being a talkative person." Xia Jiangmin curled her lips, her face full of disdain.
Last year on the sixth day of the sixth month, in order to fight for the Golden Jade Hibiscus Lotus and obtain the right to decide their own marriage, all the scholars and beauties of marriageable age in Jing City were invited to the banquet to display their talents. Rui Zi Zhu took this opportunity to tell a story to frame Yu Shu. She accused her of causing the Ji family to be ruined and was an ungrateful person.
Yu Shu waved her hand and said: "It's all in the past, let's not talk about it."
After Xia Jiangmin complained to Yu Shu, her mood became a lot more cheerful. In reality, she had only heard a few days ago that Liu Tan was going to take a ce fei. At the time, she was heartbroken and had a few words with Liu Tan. In a fit of anger, she didn't care about anything else and sent an invitation to Yu Shu to invite her to go on an outing. Later, under the persuasion of her wet nurse, she took the initiative to admit defeat to Liu Tan and the two of them reconciled. In order to make her happy, Liu Tan didn't stop her from going out for a walk and only sent more people to protect her.
.....
When Yu Shu left in the morning, she was still fine. When she came back in the afternoon, she was limping on one leg.
During the day, on the outskirts, when Yu Shu heard that Xia Jiangmin's horse was the Qian Li colt that Prince Jing had gifted to her, her heart itched and she suggested swapping with Yu Shu. Of course, Xia Jiangmin didn't refuse. Who would have thought that after the Qian Li colt galloped for a while, it suddenly went crazy and threw Yu Shu off. Luckily, she fell into the bushes and only hurt her leg, she didn't hit her head.
Zhao Hui was in the rear courtyard checking Yu Shu's dowry list when she heard a servant report that Yu Shu had been carried back. In a panic, she sent someone to the medical hall to bring He Fangzhi back. When she rushed to the North Xiang and entered the door, she saw Yu Shu lying on the Luohan couch in the living room. Beside her, there was an exquisitely dressed matron who was pulling Yu Shu's hand as she spoke in a low voice. She only saw half of the glistening face and it made Zhao Hui stare in a daze. She then heard this beauty angrily say:
"Don't worry, when I return, I will definitely investigate today's matter thoroughly and give you an explanation. To dare to drug the precious colt that wang ye gifted to me, someone is deliberately trying to harm me! "
When Zhao Hui heard this, her heart jumped and she guessed the identity of this beauty. She quickly came forward to pay her respects: "This commoner, He Zhao shi, greets wang fei."
Yu Shu and Xia Jiangmin turned their heads at the same time. Yu Shu had just called out "Niang" when Xia Jiangmin got up to support Zhao Hui. She softly said: "Furen, quickly dispense with the formalities."
Zhao Hui complied and moved forward to take a look. Yu Shu was in a sorry state. One of her legs was stained with blood as it was stiffly placed on the soft pillow. It seemed that the fall wasn't light. Xia Jiangmin saw that her lips were trembling and repeatedly apologized: "It's all my fault, causing the lotus root to fall off the horse. The taiyi will be here in a moment, please don't be anxious."
Zhao Hui reluctantly nodded her head. She stroked Yu Shu's hair and softly asked her: "Where did you fall, how could you be so careless?"
Yu Shu endured the pain and smiled at her as if nothing had happened: "It's just a sprained ankle, nothing serious."
Zhao Hui couldn't ask too much in front of Xia Jiangmin. After waiting for a while, He Fangzhi ran back with a head full of sweat. Yu Xiaoxiu followed closely behind. When the two of them reached the door, they were stopped by the maids of Jing Wang Fu. They announced their arrival before they were allowed in.
Xia Jiangmin hid behind the screen. He Fangzhi didn't have time to pay attention to her. He first examined Yu Shu. The good news was that other than her leg injury, there were only a few scratches on her body. The bad news was that her left calf was fractured. She would need at least two months to rest before she could walk.
When Yu Shu heard his diagnosis, she was secretly delighted. Zhao Hui anxiously paced around, afraid that it would delay her marriage. She pretended to be regretful and said: "If I'm like this, I won't be able to leave the house next month. I can only delay the wedding."
Sometimes, being unlucky wasn't necessarily a bad thing. For example, today, when she suggested swapping horses with Xia Jiangmin, it wasn't on a whim. It was premeditated. Yesterday, she had An Bekui steal a bag of pepper powder and hid it in her sleeves to scatter it on the horse. When the horse got blinded, she would pretend to fall from the horse. This way, she could fool the eyes and ears of the Great Tidian. Even if the whole thing reached his ears, he would only think that she was innocent and wouldn't suspect that she was deliberately playing tricks.
Unexpectedly, before she could take out the pepper powder, the horse suddenly went crazy and rushed into the forest. She was quick-witted and fell off the horse's back with her hands on her head. She fell into a nearby haystack and happened to break her leg.
He Fangzhi went back to the room to get medicine for the bruises. Yu Xiaoxiu volunteered to clean Yu Shu's wounds. After she washed and changed, medicine was applied and a splint was put on. Seeing that it was getting late, the attendant that Xia Jiangmin had sent to Jing Wang Fu to find a taiyi finally came back, but he didn't bring a taiyi with him.
"Reporting to wang fei, nubi returned to the fu and couldn't find taiyi Zhou anywhere. After asking around, nubi found out that the Empress is ill in the palace. Early this morning, the people from the Imperial Hospital were summoned to the palace for a diagnosis. Our wang ye also brought taiyi Zhou into the palace and hasn't returned yet."
Hearing this, Xia Jiangmin's face darkened. She had a guess in her heart, but she didn't show it. She waved her hand to let them leave and then sat behind the screen in a daze. Yu Shu heard every word that was said. She thought about it and found an excuse to send Zhao Hui and Yu Xiaoxiu away. She had An Beikui stand guard at the door before calling Xia Jiangmin out to speak.
"Clearly, today's matter is very strange. What are you thinking? Why don't you tell me? Don't go back to fight with Jing Wang and fall into someone else's trap."
Xia Jiangmin gritted her teeth and said: "Do you think I'm stupid? What's there to think about? It's clear that someone dislikes me for blocking their path so they thought of a way to harm me. If it wasn't for you blocking the disaster for me, the one who fell off the horse today would be me. Breaking an arm or a leg would be a light punishment. It would be best if I fell to my death, that would be what they wanted! "
Just as it was said that Rui Zi Zhu was going to enter Jing Wang Fu as a ce fei, there was someone who wanted to harm Xia Jiangmin, the officially married Wang Fei. Coincidentally, Empress Rui had summoned the Imperial Hospital for a diagnosis today. How could there be such a coincidence in the world? Who wanted to harm Xia Jiangmin, the matter was clear.
Yu Shu furrowed her brows, feeling worried for Xia Jiangmin's situation. Even though the Xia Jiang Family was a noble family in the South, it was beyond their reach. They didn't have as solid a foundation as the Zhong Yong Count's fu and they had an Empress to keep watch. With that Rui Zi Zhu's background, she could be a proper wang fei. But now, she had to be a ce fei and be under someone else. How could the Zhong Yong Count's fu be satisfied? Their Rui Family was probably hoping for another Empress!
"Calm down and listen to me first," Yu Shu's fingers tapped on her numb knees as she slowly said: "Today's matter, Jing Wang definitely doesn't know about it. Don't dislike what I'm saying. Jing Wang's shrewdness is very deep. Even if it was for that position, he would be in cahoots with the Rui Family. He wouldn't let the Rui Family step on his head and act like a tyrant. You are the wang fei that the Emperor personally chose for him. Just based on this point, no matter what, he has to ensure your safety."
Xia Jiangying quietly let out a breath, some colour returning to her face. Yu Shu's words hit the bottom of her heart. She wasn't afraid of anything else, she was only afraid that Liu Tan, for the sake of the Crown Prince position, would allow others to harm her.
"So after you go back, you don't need to swallow your anger in front of Jing Wang. Just tell him everything that happened today in full detail and let him make the decision for you. Think about it, that horse of yours was given to you by Jing Wang and the horse driver is also someone from your wang fu. From the time we left in the morning until the incident happened, there were no outsiders that came close to the horse. But something happened. This means that someone has already stretched their hands into your wang fu. Such a taboo, Jing Wang wouldn't tolerate it. Even if he doesn't fall out with the Rui Family because of this, he would still remember it in his heart. You have to be smarter. Don't try to be strong in front of Jing Wang and only complain about your grievances. That way, he will feel guilty and be more considerate towards you. "
"I know," Xia Jiangmin nodded her head. Coming back to herself, she looked at her injured leg. Her eyes flashed and seemed to be brimming with tears. She swallowed a breath and held it back. She grasped Yu Shu's hand and said: "Ashu, it's a good thing that you helped me. Otherwise, I really wouldn't know who to discuss it with."
Yu Shu looked at her pretending to be strong and didn't feel good. She had always been loyal and Xia Jiangmin was no different from a sister in her heart. She could only blame herself for not being able to stand up for her.
Xia Jiangmin sat for a while more before leaving to return to the wang fu.
.....
At night, Liu Tan left the Palace. Once he returned to the wang fu, he heard the steward report that wang fei had met with danger today. Regardless of whether he was shocked or angry, he hurried to the houyuan. Xia Jiangmin's yard was quiet. He had originally thought that she had fallen asleep, but after entering the door, he detected that something was wrong. The room was cold and cheerless, the bed empty. He turned his head and saw a lonely figure curled up in the moonlight by the window.
"Min Min?"
Xia Jiangmin heard the voice and turned her head. Seeing Liu Tan, she hurriedly lowered her head and used her sleeve to cover her face. But she was still a step too late and he saw the tears in her eyes. He strode forward and lifted her chin without any explanation.
"Why are you crying?"
Xia Jiangmin shook her head. She wrapped a hand around his waist and buried her face in his chest. She said in a muffled voice: "I'm not crying, you saw wrong. I, I'm just a little scared."
Feeling that she was trembling, Liu Tan patted her shoulder with some heartache. He comforted: "I know what happened today. Min Min, don't be scared."
Xia Jiangmin whimpered in a low voice: "Ming Yue is the horse you gave me. I don't bear to ride it. Today was the first time I took it out to play and something happened. Wang ye, who really wants to harm me? I'm scared to death just thinking about it. You didn't see how badly Lian Fang fell. One of her legs was broken and there was blood everywhere. The doctor still hasn't arrived, so I don't know if she will be handicapped or not. I really don't dare think about it. If it wasn't for her, would I have broken my arms and legs today? Would I never be able to see you again? Wang ye, let's not ride horses in the future, alright? "
Hearing this, Liu Tan's heart turned cold and hot. The arm holding her couldn't help tightening. After a moment of silence, he said: "It was my poor arrangements that made you feel wronged. Don't worry, an accident like today will not happen again in the future. "
Xia Jiangmin bit her lips and stopped crying. Even if she had already expected that he would not pursue this matter, she still couldn't help feeling her heart turn cold for his fickleness. In order to fight for the position of crown prince, he would not have a falling out with Count Zhongyong's fu. He needed the support of the empress. The Rui family must have been certain of this, so they dared to make a move against her.
She lied. She wasn't afraid of breaking her arms and legs, she wasn't afraid of not being able to see him again. She was afraid that if she died today, he would marry someone else with a smile on his face. Without her, he would still be the high and mighty Prince Jing, but without him, she would be nothing.
"It doesn't matter if I feel wronged, but you have to be well." Xia Jiangmin whispered.
Liu Tan could not see the ridicule in her eyes. He only felt that the little woman in his arms was too sensible, making him feel guilty and pitiful. He bent down to carry her back to the bed and wrapped a blanket around her cold body. In a soft voice, he said: "Don't think too much, you'll be fine once you sleep."
"I can't sleep. Lian Fang's injury is so serious, I can't feel at ease. Your highness, can you send the doctor over to take a look at her tomorrow?"
"Alright."
"I won't dare ride a horse in the future. It's a pity about the thousand mile colt you gave me. It would be better to send it to the lotus room, otherwise I really wouldn't have the face to see her."
"It's up to you, go to sleep."
Only then did Xia Jiangmin obediently close her eyes. Liu Tan waited for her breathing to stabilize and fall asleep before he quietly left. Once he left the yard, his face became cold. He called for a personal guard and ordered: "Poison all the servants in the stables, break their limbs and throw them into the Northern Mountain Unmarked Burial Mounds."
Good Rui Family, good Empress. He hadn't even become the Crown Prince and they were already scheming for the position of the Crown Princess. They didn't put him in their eyes at all, so hateful!
He had to endure this first. There would be a long time in the future.
*
*
*
On the second day after Yu Shu fell off the horse, two taiyi came to the fu for a consultation. One was Zhou taiyi of Jing Wang Fu and the other was a rare guest. When the Great Tidian heard that she had met with an accident, he specially sent his son to "visit" her.
Zhu Qingjue didn't exchange greetings when he saw her. After sitting down, he removed the wooden plank that held her leg in place and threw it to the side. Ignoring Yu Shu's objections, he insisted that she wash off the medicine that He Fangzhi had applied. He took out a box of black ointment that he had brought and applied a thick layer of it. Then he wrapped it in a thin gauze. Finally, he warned her: "Don't touch water, don't go to the ground, and don't eat anything that smells like meat. I'll come every seven days to change your medicine. At most, after forty-nine days, you'll be alive and kicking."
Yu Shu had hoped to lie in bed for a few more days. Hearing him promise like this, she wasn't happy. Her mouth wasn't serious as she said: "Then I really have to thank you."
Zhu Qingjue's eyelids moved up as he said: "I heard that you're about to get married, why aren't you celebrating at all?"
"If you broke your leg before getting married, would you be happy?" Yu Shu had helped him before, so the two of them could be considered to be friends. Thus, she didn't speak politely to him.
Zhu Qingjue shook his head: "I'm afraid it's more than that. Xue Chengbi's whereabouts are still unknown. Do you still have the mood to get married?"
Yu Shu was too lazy to answer this question. She closed her eyes and waved at him to send him off: "Where did this gossipy woman come from? You're so noisy that my head hurts. Go, go."
Zhu Qingjue snorted coldly and stood up to leave. When he reached the door, he stopped and turned to her: "In fact, your injury is not serious. My father wants me to cure you as soon as possible. If I use the secret Bone Breaking Ointment of my sect to set your bones, you can walk in half a month. But I can see that you are unwilling. This time, I'll treat it as returning the favor. When I go back, I will cover for you in front of my father. He has never used his Great Insight Technique on me. You, take care. "
Yu Shu's lips moved. A soft "many thanks" was much more sincere than before.
So when Zhu Qingjue replied, the wedding date of Yu Shu and Jing Chen could only be postponed. Because the fourth month was the Yin Moon, the Yang did not exist alone, affecting the two's Eight Characters of the Eight Trigrams. So it was changed to the first day of the fifth month, before the Day of Sacrifice of the Divine Ancestor.
*
*
*
While Yu Shu was on leave to recuperate, several major events happened in court. The first was the recommendation of the Crown Prince by the officials. Among the princes, Prince Jing Liu Tan had the highest support. Of course, the Eighth Prince and the Twelfth Prince also had a few supporters, but they couldn't compare to the sinful Ning Wang.
On the third day of the third month, the Shang Si Festival, hundreds of scholars and guests gathered outside the Office of the Imperial Household. Among them were many commoners who came to watch the commotion. A few of the leaders shouted for Ning Wang, blocking the entire street. The crowd was so excited that they almost smashed the door of the Office of the Imperial Household. The commotion here was too big and alerted the patrolling Jin Wu Guards. Without a word, they tied up and gagged the loudest people and took them away on the spot. The rest of the people scattered and left.
Later, after an investigation by the Jin Wu Guards, they found out that the leaders of the troublemakers were the retainers of Ning Wang Fu. The commander of the Jin Wu Guards, Zhou Yede, threw them into jail without a word. He didn't beat or scold them. They were to be locked up for a few months first.
From the beginning to the end, Prime Minister Yin, as Ning Wang's maternal grandfather, didn't show up to support Ning Wang to be the Crown Prince, nor did he have the intention to clear Ning Wang's name. Instead, he closed the door and refused to see any visitors.
In the middle of the third month, the Grand Advisor brought a carriage full of memorials to Hua Zhen Garden to see the Emperor. Accompanying him was only the Empress' phoenix carriage. A few days later, the Grand Advisor accompanied Empress Rui back to Jing. At the same time, he brought back an edict from Emperor Zhao Qing — to appoint the Ninth Prince Liu Tan as the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace. His mother, Xue shi, would be promoted to Imperial Gui Fei. In addition, Left Prime Minister Yin TianHou would be appointed as the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor.
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