"Chapter 189: The Ways of the World—How Much is True Heart? Loving Others Less Than Loving Oneself (Part 1)"
In just a few days, Minglan had heard four or five different versions of the incident regarding the Marquis's wife facing danger during childbirth. Some said that Concubine Zou, seeking to replace the legitimate wife, plotted against her; others claimed that the Marquis neglected his wife, causing Zhang Shi to fall ill due to accumulated resentment. There were even rumors that the loyal servants left by the former Madam Zou, fearing that Zhang Shi's son would threaten their own master's status, secretly took action... With all these scattered rumors, Minglan was left feeling utterly perplexed.
However, the general public opinion leaned in favor of the Zhang family.
This was a time when the influence of family reputation became apparent, as half of the capital was connected to the Zhang family through marriage or old ties.
On one side stood a family that had been established for several generations as founding ministers of the nation, renowned for their military achievements and esteemed for their virtue (they distributed porridge to the needy on a regular basis). On the other side was a newly wealthy family that had risen through palace connections and had done few good deeds since arriving in the capital (with Zhang Shi being reclusive and Concubine Zou lacking proper standing), but had committed no shortage of misdeeds (thanks to the Zou family's actions). Minglan reflected inwardly: when an average person first hears of a domestic dispute between these two families, what would they think?
Gu Tingye told Minglan that the Emperor had recently been cold toward the Empress and had reprimanded the Crown Prince and Second Prince for neglecting their studies in favor of frivolity.
Minglan was surprised and said, "Hasn't the Duke of Ying fully recovered and returned to court? The Emperor is still not letting it go—could it be the Zhang family...?"
Although the Emperor had taken a few concubines, he had always considered the Empress his wife through thick and thin, frequently visiting her chambers. The relationship between the Emperor and Empress remained strong. Now that those who needed to be punished had been punished, those who needed to be demoted had been demoted, Concubine Zou was still in confinement, and relations between Zhang Shi and her brother Shen Guojiu had eased. So why was this still happening...?
Gu Tingye replied, "It's not that. The old Duke hasn't expressed the slightest intention of pursuing the matter further. On the contrary, he advised the Emperor not to dwell on it."
When the Duke of Ying recovered and returned to court, the Emperor noticed how much the old man had aged, his body hunched over and looking as if he'd aged more than ten years. The Emperor, feeling guilty, intended to offer him some comforting words. However, the Duke said, "Your Majesty is the ruler of the land. If you asked the Zhang family to shed their blood on the battlefield and fight to the death, which of the young men would even frown at the task? At any time, wherever Your Majesty's will points, my sword will follow—this is simply the duty of a loyal subject. Moreover, minor matters such as the marriages of sons and daughters should not disturb Your Majesty with the tears of women."
These words were spoken with unyielding loyalty, which moved the Emperor deeply. He repeatedly said, "You are the cornerstone of the nation and my great fortune."
After being deeply moved and returning to the palace, the Emperor slowly started to reflect on those words.
The same marriage—while the Zhang family wasn't pleased, they still dutifully fulfilled their obligations. The legitimate daughter of the Duke of Ying's household was overshadowed by a concubine, yet the Zhang family didn't utter a single complaint and endured it all silently. Why? Because they were being loyal!
The Shen family, on the other hand, was the complete opposite.
The marriage with the Zhang family was the Emperor's decision, while repaying the favor to the Zou family was the Shen family's idea. But now, you and your siblings consistently elevate the younger Madam Zou and neglect Madam Zhang. What does this mean? Are you dissatisfied with the Emperor's wishes? Since you can't openly defy them, are you taking revenge in secret?!
"… The old Duke, what a skillful move..." After a long pause, Minglan finally muttered.
Gu Tingye said, "Old ginger is spicier." Look at the Duke of Ying, with his image of a benevolent and loyal elder, kind and gentle—yet he managed to say something so sharp. He directly elevated the issue of family matters to a question of loyalty. Now, this is truly troublesome.
Neglecting the Empress and reprimanding the Crown Princes seemed like a signal, and soon enough, numerous imperial censors pounced on the opportunity. They accused Shen Congxing of "lacking personal virtue, disorder within the household, violating the rules between legitimate and concubine-born children, and harming moral and ethical principles." Some clever officials bypassed Shen Congxing entirely and went straight for his in-laws, accusing the Zou family of over a dozen crimes, including "seizing civilian property and oppressing the common people."
Once again, dark clouds gathered over the Wei Bei Marquis's household.
Gu Tingye frowned deeply. He, along with Shen, Duan, Zhong, and Geng, were all long-time ministers of the Emperor, sharing intertwined fates. With such intense accusations against the Shen and Zhang families, there was likely something more behind the scenes...
While the capital was abuzz with discussions about the Shen and Zhang families, Wang Jiufu and Lady Hai returned to the capital, one after the other. Lady Hai was carrying a chubby baby boy in her arms—their newborn son, Chun-ge'er.
"Why hasn't Big Brother arrived yet?" Minglan looked around but couldn't see Changbai.
Lady Hai smiled and said, "The canal in the county is almost finished in a few days, but your older brother is worried and insists on personally overseeing the final sealing of the soil. So, he had me and your nephew return a few days earlier."
"Building a mountain nine-tenths of the way through, one must not fail in the final effort. Very good, it's good that Bai'er is so diligent," Sheng Hong felt proud but didn't let it show.
"Your elder brother's governance has been exemplary this time. Not only are the people under his jurisdiction living in peace, but he also successfully completed a canal stretching dozens of miles. I heard the Ministry of Personnel has already rated his performance as 'excellent,'" said Gu Tingye.
Minglan beamed, "Big Brother is really impressive. So... will there be a 'People's Umbrella' for him?"
[In this context, "万民伞" (People's Umbrella) refers to a ceremonial honor or recognition for someone who has made significant contributions to the welfare of the people. It symbolizes protection and support from the populace, typically given to officials who excel in their duties and serve the community well.]
"Ah, that's just an empty honor, nothing worth caring about," Sheng Hong shook his head with a smile. "For a local official, the most important thing is to bring benefits to the people. To lighten the Emperor's burdens from above and to relieve the common people's suffering from below—this is the true purpose of reading the teachings of the sages."
Minglan glanced at her father in silence; it had been a long time since she'd heard such dignified and righteous words from him.
Then her mind automatically translated it into the truth: "The People's Umbrella is all just empty talk, not worth worrying about"—this was sincere, and what followed should be: "As an official, the most important thing is to achieve excellent results, to be promoted to higher positions, and to increase wealth and production, so that the ten years of hard study are not in vain."
Recently, the Wang family was the happiest. They had just joyfully reunited with their long-absent elder brother, and immediately afterward, they were overjoyed to hold their little grandson. Unfortunately, just a few days later, their spotlight was snatched away.
On June 4th, the Liu family gave birth to a girl. Because the first child was not a son, she was somewhat displeased. However, Chang Feng was very fond of the baby girl, continuously praising her and boasting about her to everyone he met, which moved his mother-in-law, Madam Liu, to tears.
Mr. Liu patted Chang Feng on the shoulder and said affectionately, "Good son-in-law, study hard. Next spring, strive for a degree for your wife and children."
As the baby girl's features gradually became more defined, everyone noticed that she looked very much like Hualan, sharing the same thick eyebrows and big eyes, exuding a spirited charm. Even her temperament resembled Hualan's as a child—she didn't cry or fuss and loved to smile at others, even resembling Hualan three times more than her biological daughter, Zhuangjie.
During the washing ceremony, Hualan was very fond of the child, which softened her longstanding grievances with Concubine Lin. She even gifted Liu Shi two generous presents, which inevitably displeased Wang Shi, who coldly remarked a few times, "What's so great about a little girl?"
Old Madam Sheng noticed that she was being petty again, so she privately said to her, "Just think about how it was when Hualan was born. Didn't her father treat her the same way? To be honest, he probably pampered her even more back then."
Wang Shi fell silent. At that time, Sheng Hong adored Hualan so much that he couldn't bear to part with his babbling daughter. He even brought her to the yamen (government office). Remembering those idyllic times from their early marriage, she couldn't help but feel a sense of loss—if only Concubine Lin hadn't existed, how much better it would have been.
As Chang Feng gradually reconciled with Hualan, his biological sister, Mo Lan, felt neglected. She only blamed Liu Shi for her cunning schemes, coaxing and fawning to create discord among the siblings. This led to yet another quarrel with Zhang Feng, after which she angrily left and refused to visit again.
National affairs and family matters seemed to ebb and flow in this way. While Minglan felt the fifth milk tooth of the little chubby boy breaking through his gums, the court's discussion on "the case against Shen" had reached a conclusion.
The Zou family was in serious trouble this time; two lives were lost, and they were found to have encroached upon many plots of land belonging to the common people. The censors insisted on demanding life for life, while Duke Shen wanted to intervene on their behalf. However, upon hearing that the ancestral hall had detained him regarding the report on his eldest son's succession to the title of heir, he hesitated.
Empress Shen initially went to the Dowager Empress Sheng'an to cry, but when word spread that the emperor intended to suspend the memorials from the Central Palace, she suddenly realized that her husband was now the revered emperor, not just a prince in a feudal territory.
However, Empress Shen was quite resourceful. Once she sensed the gravity of the situation, she quickly put aside her royal garments, removed her phoenix crown and phoenix robe, and dressed in plain clothes to kneel at the gate of the Qianqing Palace to ask for forgiveness, saying, "I am unable to manage my natal family; all of this is my fault."
The emperor was actually quite sentimental; after all, they had endured hardships together. Seeing his first wife weeping like this reminded him of the difficult times they had faced, and his heart softened. That very night, he stayed at Kun Ning Palace. Soon after, Duke Ying submitted a memorial, recommending two renowned scholars of the time to be tutors for the eldest and second princes. The emperor gladly approved the memorial and promoted Duke Ying to the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince, while the son of the Zhang family was promoted to the rank of Second-Class Commander of the Imperial Guards.
The direction of public opinion shifted once again.
In the end, the compromise resulted in the Zou family's elder uncle being exiled three thousand miles to the southwest, the second uncle receiving thirty lashes, and the confiscation of half of their family assets as compensation. Duke Shen received a reprimand from the emperor, had his salary suspended for a year, and was ordered to reflect on his mistakes in seclusion for three months.
During this time, Minglan visited Xiao Shen twice and saw that she was as frightened as a bird startled by an arrow. Her belly was large, but her body had become extremely thin. Madam Zheng was very anxious, fearing that the delivery would be difficult in the future.
With all this in mind, when Zhang's son turned two months old, the Zhang and Shen families intended to hold a grand banquet to celebrate the full moon, both to dispel any bad luck and to boost morale. At the same time, they wanted to signal to the outside world that the two families had reconciled.
A few days before the banquet, Zhang invited Minglan to their residence to discuss the details of the celebration. After a pause, the visitor added, "We haven't seen each other for a while; the Duke has been thinking of Lord Gu," and then presented two jars of aged Huadiao wine.
Gu Tingye smiled bitterly and turned to Minglan, saying, "Shen is probably bored to death at home. He has been ordered to reflect on his mistakes and his old friends can't visit too often. Well, I'll go with you today."
As the mistress of the Wei Bei Marquis's residence, Zhang had decided to organize the banquet herself after a long period of seclusion, hoping to reintroduce herself to the public. She understood most of the arrangements for the food, drinks, and how to host the guests, thanks to the guidance of her mother, Madam Zhang. However, she was unfamiliar with the families of Shen Congxing's brothers, so she invited Minglan in advance to help her with the details.
Minglan explained one by one: the background of the Duan family, how Madam Duan hails from a prestigious family in Sichuan, how Young General Duan is in the midst of marriage negotiations, the differing views between Madam Zhong and Madam Geng on the issue of being "virtuous," and why the ladies of Master Liu Zhengjie's household appear so old. It wasn't Madam Liu; it was actually Madam Liu, as she was taken in as a child bride—married at eighteen to a groom only three years old...
Madam Zhang listened attentively, occasionally chiming in with a few words, recalling old stories from the capital, creating a conversation that flowed naturally. Madam Zhang, being from a noble background, was skilled at subtly discussing sensitive topics without leaving any traces, while Minglan, as the student of Old Master Zhuang, was adept at weaving in difficult-to-hear matters using classical references and scholarly language. The two were well-matched, and they exchanged smiles when the conversation grew interesting.
As they were speaking, a maid came in respectfully and said, "Madam, the Marquis would like to drink with Lord Gu and asks for two jars of the Bamboo Leaf Green that was sent from Japan earlier."
Madam Zhang responded, "The Marquis mentioned that the longer the wine is stored, the more fragrant it becomes. It's buried underground in the storeroom. Have Mama Fan call someone to dig it up carefully so that it doesn't get broken."
The maid curtsied and added, "The Marquis also mentioned that he wants to show Lord Gu the newly acquired Longquan sword."
Madam Zhang replied, "The Marquis practices swordsmanship every morning. It's probably hanging in the boy's room again. I'll have someone send it over."
The maid acknowledged and left.
Madam Zhang turned to give a few instructions, and two maids came out of the adjacent nursery, carefully holding the treasured sword, and quickly exited the room. Madam Zhang turned back and saw Minglan quietly observing her, which caused her to blush slightly. Trying to find something to say, she remarked, "The wine is indeed good—its color is a jade-like green, with a rich aroma, and it doesn't cause a headache. I'll send you home with a couple of jars later."
Minglan simply replied with an "Oh," continuing to watch her. Zhang appeared healthy, with a rosy complexion. Although her brow still faintly carried a trace of worry, the pale frailty she once had was now replaced by a poised, capable demeanor.
Madam Zhang feigned anger, saying, "If you want to say something, just say it! Why are you staring at me like that?"
Minglan replied, "Oh, nothing. I just think that it's a really good habit of the Marquis. The child being familiar with swords from a young age will definitely become a little general in the future. How wonderful, truly wonderful."
Madam Zhang glared at her, but Minglan returned her gaze with an innocent expression. Zhang quickly gave up, smiling bitterly, "Even if you were the Celestial Goddess of the Nine Heavens, once you descend to this earthly world, I'm afraid you wouldn't remain a goddess for long."
On the fourth day after giving birth, her husband entered the room for the first time. It was as if they had both survived a brush with death—exhausted in both body and mind. The couple sat silently together for a long time, and ignoring the nanny's warnings, she threw herself into her husband's arms and cried bitterly. She wasn't sure if she was mourning her own helpless compromise or lamenting the fate of all women.
Minglan was silent for a while before she softly said, "Yes, in this world, there are no real goddesses."
...
After leaving Madam Zhang's quarters, Minglan walked slowly outside, feeling heavy.
In the brief exchange between Madam Zhang and the maidservant, a wealth of information was revealed—Shen Congxing now spends every night in Madam Zhang's room. In the mornings, he practices swordsmanship in the courtyard, then heads to visit his son, playfully coaxing him while casually hanging the sword on the wall in his son's room. The couple is harmonious, the father-son bond is strong—everything is as it should be.
Compared to withering away in stubborn defiance, it seems better to survive well through smooth compromises.
Minglan felt a bitterness in her mouth, unsure what exactly she was feeling so depressed about.
As she approached a decorative archway, a loud argument and angry scolding could be heard in the distance. The voices sounded somewhat familiar. The maid walking beside Minglan, feeling a bit awkward, smiled and said, "There's some trouble up ahead; let's take another path."
Minglan nodded, not wanting to get involved.
Just as she turned her heel, a chaotic group of people rushed toward her. Leading the pack was a disheveled young woman who seemed intent on charging forward, while a group of older women and maidservants were desperately trying to restrain her.
"...Anyone who dares stop me, I'll die right here...!" The young woman held a hairpin to her throat, letting out a piercing scream. "I want to see the Marquis, and none of you are allowed to stop me! ...Let go... let go of me..."
Minglan focused her gaze and realized that the woman was none other than Xiaozhou.