Minister Meng also wrote in his letter that the one who had helped Concubine Meng escape from the Yan capital was the wealthy Great Zhou merchant Cui Fengnian. His wife had already confessed, and he later had someone bring this merchant before him. Cui Fengnian also admitted that because he was infatuated with Concubine Meng, when he heard about the Empress Dowager’s intention to arrange a marriage, he was unwilling to watch helplessly as Concubine Meng married the Regent, so he enticed Concubine Meng to elope. He had settled Concubine Meng in Feng County of the Great Zhou and even prepared a shop for her. If the Regent didn’t believe this, when he returned to the Yan capital, he could personally confront Cui Fengnian, or send someone to investigate Feng County in detail.
Minister Meng’s words in the letter were earnest and sincere, nine parts truth and one part falsehood. His devoted paternal love was quite moving.
What a pity that such a wise and shrewd man as Minister Meng had raised a daughter like Concubine Meng, possessing only beauty but empty-headed, yet believing herself to be incomparably clever and capable of manipulating others at will.
To say that Cui Fengnian was infatuated with Concubine Meng and enticed her to elope—why not say that Concubine Meng had exploited Cui Fengnian’s infatuation and begged him for help?
Although Xiao Rongyan had not been in the Yan capital during that time, he was neither completely deaf nor blind and truly knew nothing. Especially since Concubine Meng was someone the Empress Dowager valued, Xiao Rongyan’s people inevitably paid more attention to her.
After Xiao Rongyan finished reading the letter, he casually moved aside the glass lampshade on the table and burned the letter.
Wang Hanbing stood to one side without speaking, quietly waiting for Xiao Rongyan’s instructions, seemingly completely uninterested in the contents of Minister Meng’s letter.
“In the future, don’t get involved in receiving secret letters. Remember that you are a pure minister. If someone puts a letter in your hands asking you to forward it to someone, you must read it first and then tell His Majesty!” Xiao Rongyan watched as the letter was burned completely clean, then looked at Wang Hanbing and said, “During this period, don’t worry about other matters. Just think carefully about how to deal with the Great Zhou’s Minister of Rites, Master Liu, in a few days. Liu Rushi’s tongue is quite formidable! His Majesty employs you precisely because you are eloquent and broadly learned.”
Wang Hanbing quickly bowed to Xiao Rongyan: “The Regent can rest assured, this subor… this humble minister will certainly not fail His Majesty’s trust!”
After Wang Hanbing left Xiao Rongyan’s bedroom, remembering Xiao Rongyan’s instructions, he went back and wrote a secret report to Murong Li about Minister Meng sending a secret letter to Xiao Rongyan. In the letter, he said… because he was worried that the Ninth Prince would notice something, he had not opened Minister Meng’s letter to read it.
He was about to finish writing when he thought again and added to the letter about Xiao Rongyan being injured when he came out of the Great Zhou palace.
After finishing the letter, letting it dry, and sealing it, Wang Hanbing sent someone to rush it to the Yan capital on horseback.
Wang Hanbing watched the messenger ride away quickly, calculating that he could probably leave the city before the Capital City gates closed.
He still couldn’t quite understand something. Everyone said the Regent held overwhelming power in court and had designs on the young emperor’s throne.
Wang Hanbing also felt that the Regent was more suitable to be emperor than the young emperor, but… why had the Regent not yet replaced him? Given the Regent’s style, he shouldn’t care about public opinion.
Moreover, this world had always been one where the victor became king and the loser became a bandit. The common people didn’t care who would be emperor—they only cared about which emperor would let them live better. Wasn’t the former Empress Ji an example of this?
When Empress Ji was in power, everyone cried for her downfall. Later, when Emperor Yan came to his senses and killed Empress Ji, which of the Yan people didn’t remember Empress Ji’s virtues? Later, when Yan lost to Jin and the former Yan Emperor Murong Yu ascended the throne and moved out of the Capital City, the people, because Murong Yu was Empress Ji’s son and continued Empress Ji’s national policies, all carried their belongings and followed Murong Yu out of the Capital City to go to the new Yan capital.
The Regent had never given Wang Hanbing a definitive answer, so Wang Hanbing didn’t know whether the Regent wanted him to become the deepest-planted nail beside the young emperor, or… on the surface the Regent coveted the throne and controlled everything in court with one hand, but in reality… the Regent was loyal to the young emperor, to…
Wang Hanbing suddenly raised his eyes, his dark pupils gleaming brightly under the lamplight at the back door of the guest quarters.
The Regent’s tyrannical and domineering behavior was nothing more than to hide the young emperor behind him, doing all the despicable things for the young emperor, so that the young emperor could become a wise ruler with an unblemished reputation in the future.
His palms tightened. After understanding this, he felt a moment of relief in his heart.
If so, he wouldn’t have to become a traitorous minister alongside the Regent, but the Regent’s sacrifice was truly too great.
·
Xiao Rongyan sat under the lamp, repeatedly caressing the double-swallow embroidered pouch that Bai Qingyan had sewn for him, stroking the jade cicada that Bai Qingyan had carved, his features filled with gentle smiles.
Feng Yao entered carrying hot tea. Seeing that Xiao Rongyan hadn’t put the items away, he said in a low voice: “Are these gifts from the eldest young lady to the master?”
Xiao Rongyan nodded, not hiding the happiness and slight pride in his voice in front of Feng Yao: “Mm, I estimate this is the first time A’Bao has taken up an embroidery needle to sew a pouch. Looking at it… the work is inexperienced, but the stitches are quite even!”
“The eldest young lady is like the former Empress Ji—neither was skilled with needlework!” Feng Yao looked at the pouch, inevitably thinking of his own master. “Perhaps people like Empress Ji and the eldest young lady, who harbor great ambitions, are all unwilling to put effort into women’s work. After all, there are too many important matters waiting, and needlework takes too much time! But the eldest young lady was willing to put in the effort for the master—this shows that the master holds an extraordinary place in the eldest young lady’s heart!”
“I know…” The smile in Xiao Rongyan’s eyes deepened. He turned to look at Feng Yao and smiled: “Today I went in haste and didn’t bring Uncle Feng along. The eldest young lady said there will be palace banquets coming up, and then I’ll bring Uncle Feng along so you can see the two children!”
Upon hearing this, Feng Yao’s eyes lit up: “That’s wonderful! This old servant has also prepared meeting gifts for the two little masters. After seeing the two little masters… when I go to serve Empress Ji in the future, I can tell Empress Ji how adorable these two little grandsons are!”
Xiao Rongyan thought of the two little ones who looked like carved jade, with eyes like tribute black grapes, extremely long eyelashes, and when they slept in his arms, the chubby flesh on their faces and the way their fine hair shone in the candlelight—his heart felt soft again.
“If mother were still here, she would surely love the two children very much.” Xiao Rongyan lowered his eyes, stroking the jade cicada, then placed it inside the pouch and positioned it over his heart, gently patting it with his hand. “I only hope for the world to be at peace, and then I can take A’Bao and the children, along with Uncle Feng… to settle in Baivo City.”
“Good! Then this old servant will strive to stay alive to accompany the little master and the little masters to Baivo City!” The smile in Feng Yao’s eyes deepened, and the creases at the corners of his eyes became even more pronounced.