Treating a gentleman requires the methods of a petty person. This approach may not be exactly honorable, but it's quite effective, isn't it?
She turned around and walked out in a good mood, but when she saw the silhouette on the door, she changed her mind.
"Young Master Zhuofeng, would you like to know the difference between a gentleman and a petty person?"
The burning anger behind him did indeed catch his attention.
“The reason why a gentleman cannot understand a petty person is because he has had a smooth life and has never learned to be despicable. To choose to be a petty person rather than a gentleman is a form of giving up.” With her back turned, she looked at the slightly stiff shadow on the door. “Abandoning family and abandoning responsibility is also a kind of courage.”
"A wise man does not understand, so why should a petty man speak of me? Farewell."
Pushing open the door, I saw that the person had their back to me.
"Senior brother, let's go back."
"Hmm." The voice was slightly low.
"Hey, when did you buy dried tofu, senior?" He picked up a piece and ate it. "Not bad, not bad. Give me the whole bag."
"Is it really that delicious?" Cong Luan asked, watching Yu Zigui leave satisfied, mistaking the stench for a savory one.
She was about to ask Xiao Kuang a question when she saw him writing furiously.
"How come you suddenly seem to have such inspiration when you write?"
Without even raising his head, Xiao Kuang wrote ten lines.
"God? If my uncle finds out about this letter later than that old scoundrel's memorial from the capital, even if Buddha himself appeared, I'd be dead for sure!"
…………
In early November, the winter solstice was approaching. On this day, which, along with New Year's Day and the Cold Food Festival, was considered one of the three major festivals, even the poorest people in the capital would scrimp and save, sometimes even borrowing money, just to buy new clothes, prepare food, and offer sacrifices to their ancestors. Therefore, the days leading up to the winter solstice were the busiest time for merchants.
In the west wing outside the Daming Gate, crowds thronged and jostled shoulder to shoulder.
The waiter at Yi Ya Guan was laughing so hard his face was twitching; business was just too good.
"Sir, please come in."
Just as he was about to lead the man to the seat of honor, he noticed a bone tablet hanging from the man's waist.
Anyone who has ever mingled outside the Great Ming Gate knows that the ivory token is the credential for entering the palace, and those who hold it are either court officials or...
Looking up, all I could see was a smooth jawline, like a woman's.
"Please come to the park. My host has been waiting for a long time."
Bypassing the bustling outer building and passing through the winding, secluded path, you will arrive at the private inner courtyard of Yi Ya Guan, the largest restaurant in the capital.
"Master, the father-in-law has arrived."
Pushing open the door, I saw Shangguan Yi standing up, with a half-opened letter beside her.
"We are late, we apologize for disturbing you while you read the letter, young master." Eunuch Fu bowed slightly.
"Not at all, it's just a family letter. Please take a seat, sir." With that, Shangguan Yi put away the letter and presented a gift. "I have relied on you a lot during my trip to the capital. This is just a small token of my respect."
Upon seeing the lacquer box with the wish of a hundred sons for longevity, Grandpa Fu's eyes immediately welled up with tears.
“Our family, being rootless, happens to share the same birthday as His Majesty, born on the winter solstice. How can a eunuch be allowed to celebrate His Majesty's birthday? In all my years in the palace, this is the first time I have received a birthday gift.”
"There's something inside, please open it and take a look, Your Excellency," Shangguan You said upon seeing this.
"This is!" Eunuch Fu's eyes widened.
"This is a treasure from the East, called Logan. After consuming it, it can strengthen yang and consolidate vital energy. Who knows, it might even 'spring back to life'," he hinted.
The value of a gift lies not in its monetary worth, but in the recipient's desire. Officials crave power, eunuchs seek patronage; he would never give the wrong gift.
Sure enough, the chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, who was in his fifties, was already in tears.
The reason he didn't befriend the top eunuchs in the inner palace, such as the Grand Eunuch and the Chief Eunuch, but instead connected with Eunuch Fu, was twofold: firstly, he valued Eunuch Fu's ability to transmit items to the inner court; secondly, Eunuch Fu had a brother who was a eunuch who wrote the daily records of the emperor's activities.
The Inner Daily Records documented the affairs of the emperor's inner court, covering everything from food and daily life to the visits of imperial concubines.
In addition, Grandpa Fu's mouth leaks air when he drinks—
"Something big is about to happen in the palace." After three cups of wine, Eunuch Fu became quite excited, and the wind seemed to be blowing in all directions.
"Your Excellency, it's best not to discuss matters of the inner court everywhere," Shangguan thoughtfully reminded him as he poured another cup of wine.
"Well, you're not just anyone, and this matter is somewhat related to you."
"oh?"
"It's Consort Liu. A month ago, His Majesty entrusted the eldest prince to Consort Zheng for upbringing. It seems that Consort Liu is nearing her end."
"This is nothing serious, Father-in-law," Shangguan said with a smile.
"Young master, you may not know, but in this Forbidden City, any concubine who has been deprived of her own child has no way to survive. Moreover, the eldest prince's adoptive mother is Consort Zheng, who is the niece of the Grand Secretary."
How could he not know? It was all his arrangement.
A cornered dog will climb onto the roof; unless Liu Wushuang is driven to the brink, why would she make a move? But once this woman makes a move, it will be tantamount to murdering her master and killing her own family—she will show no mercy.
"Then Consort Liu didn't react?" He asked, offering another cup of wine.
"How could there be no reaction? She came to the Qianqing Palace that very day and made a scene, throwing herself into His Majesty's arms, crying and hitting him. No matter how beautiful a woman is, if she's reduced to that, she's just a shrew, utterly repulsive." Eunuch Fu smacked his lips for a moment, "The strange thing is, His Majesty felt unwell that very night. The imperial physician said it was due to mental strain. But even after taking the medicine and retiring from court, His Majesty showed no improvement. Yesterday—"