Song Yanji was adept at feigning compliance and ruthless in his methods, yet he possessed an air of lofty elegance, like a jade tree in a celestial forest. Jiang Yuan didn't know how many spies he had; she only knew that he held the secrets of many officials in the court.
Cooperation is paramount, vigilance is secondary, and execution is the least desirable. Song Yanji's methods towards critics have always been simple and brutal. Coupled with his secret spies and the imperial guards on the surface, he can almost always find the evidence he wants.
Over time, the criticisms of him in the court decreased, and he was replaced by intentional or unintentional flattery and fawning.
Today is Li Sheng's thirty-sixth birthday. A small banquet was held in the court. Song Yan had just received a letter from Fu Zhengyan before arriving, informing him that he was now settled in Qi'an and had begun to deal with some internal matters. Song Yan felt somewhat relieved.
The hall was brightly lit, and the sound of silk music filled the air. The dancers had been rehearsing for this moment for more than a month, and their every move was full of charm, dignified yet alluring.
Perhaps Li Sheng was in high spirits and drank a little too much, becoming somewhat tipsy. Not wanting to spoil everyone's fun, he left early with the Emperor and Empress. Once he left, the atmosphere in the hall became much more lively.
Song Yansi had stayed there for too long. After declining a cup of wine, he left the hall to get some fresh air.
The main hall is surrounded by forests and water on all sides, with only one bridge leading directly to the pavilion, a perfect place to enjoy the breeze and admire the moon. The pavilion was empty. Song Yanji took a step out and then stopped, turning around and walking into the forest. The path in the forest was paved with thick bluestone, and because the palace staff often swept it, there were very few fallen leaves.
"Why doesn't Lord Song rest in the pavilion instead of coming to this cool place?"
Her slender, jade-like fingers glided out, her golden lotus-like steps graceful and delicate. Song Yansi turned his head and saw Gu Sijun not far away. Her eyebrows were delicately arched, and her wide sleeves trailed on the ground. One glance was enough to tell that a lot of thought had been put into her outfit.
"If I go, I fear I will offend the Empress." Do not enter deserted places, especially places where there is no way out.
"Why are you being so distant with me now, Brother Zhongli?" Gu Sijun covered her mouth with her long sleeve, looking safe and charming.
Song Yansi did not reply. Under the hazy moonlight, the two stood about two zhang apart, which to outsiders seemed to suggest a quiet and private rendezvous.
"Since Your Majesty is alright, I shall take my leave."
Song Yansi's departing figure once again pierced Gu Sijun's heart; so resolute, so merciless.
Once I have achieved success and fame, I will definitely come to marry the Gu family's daughter.
I am not a suitable match; you may choose one.
Gu Sijun felt her past ten years had been a joke. She wasn't born into a wealthy family, but the Song family was merely a merchant family, making them a suitable match. From a young age, she loved following him around. He said he liked women with delicate features, so she went without makeup. He said a woman's worth lay in her talent, so she forced herself to study the Four Books and Five Classics. She tried her best to dress in the way he liked, but in the end, he still abandoned her for his official career. How could Gu Sijun not hate him!
"Stop!" Her voice was no longer gentle; it was shrill and terrifying. She desperately wanted to find a reason, even carrying a hint of curse. "You think you can keep your insidious methods hidden under this skin forever? You think you can rise to the top by abandoning me? You're dreaming!"
Song Yansi frowned and turned to look at Gu Sijun. She was surrounded by resentment, and her features were distorted from excessive force. There was no trace of beauty left in her.
“I am grateful for your saving my life, and I also advise you to forget what happened back then.” Gu Sijun’s feelings for him had long since become morbid. Song Yansi stopped and looked at her calmly. “That was your nightmare, not mine. I don’t need a woman by my side who wants to drag me into an abyss at any time.”
“I forgot? How could I forget, Zhongli…” Gu Sijun’s voice gradually softened as she took light steps, her voice sounding like she was about to cry but not quite. “You said it back then, you said you would stay with me forever.”
The woman appeared lonely and helpless in the night. Song Yansi occasionally thought of the fire, and of Gu Sijun's small hands that pulled him back to the world. They were so young then, like two fledglings, filled with fear and terror, huddling together for warmth.
"Forget it." Song Yansi shook his head. He seemed too resolute under the moonlight. It wasn't that he hadn't thought about living a peaceful life with Gu Sijun, but the facts proved that he was far wrong. "You should have known when you killed Yingqu that there was no possibility between us."
"Zhong Li!" Gu Sijun suddenly stepped forward, tightly grabbing his sleeve, and urgently protested, "No, I'm doing this for you! You know perfectly well that keeping her around will only get her in your way!"
"But she is my sister after all! No matter how filthy the Song family is, it's not your place as an outsider to make such a drastic move without saying a word!" Song Yanji flicked his sleeve, and Gu Sijun staggered, looking at him incredulously. When Ying Qu was mentioned, Song Yanji lost his patience. "I will keep this to myself. No one will know. You can rest assured."
"Zhong Li!" Gu Sijun hurriedly hugged his waist from behind when she saw him about to leave. Tears wet her long eyelashes, and her voice was bitter yet strange. "You can't do this to me. We lived together, and we should have grown old and died together. No one in this world understands you better than me. You and I are the same kind of people."
Song Yansi frowned, decisively pried open the fingers wrapped around his waist, and after a moment, turned his back to her and said, "Sijun, out of consideration for the kindness you have shown me, I will never hurt you, and I hope you will stop bothering me and pushing me to the brink of despair every time you cross my line." After saying that, he left in a hurry without looking back.
Gu Sijun watched his figure gradually disappear, her fingertips digging fiercely into her palm.
Inside the magnificent hall, singing and dancing continued unabated, and no one paid any attention to the two figures or what had just happened.
While Song Yanji was making great strides in the imperial court, Jiang Yuan was also receiving a constant stream of guests, with poetry gatherings, tea parties, and flower appreciation parties, and invitations pouring in.
"Sister Jiang!" A clear voice rang out in the courtyard, and then a graceful figure darted in from outside the door. Jiang Yuan couldn't dodge in time, and her arm was grabbed tightly.
Here we go again! Jiang Yuan sighed inwardly. Ever since she married Song Yansi, she somehow caught Li Qingping's eye, and the little county princess would sneak into her courtyard every few days.
Li Qingping is now a local from Lin'an, and he follows the route between the Princess's Mansion, the Feng Mansion, and the Song Mansion every day, rain or shine.
"Sister, do you think Feng Xiuyuan will marry me?" Qingping tugged at her sleeve and sat down at the round table. She picked up a fruit, took a small bite, her brows furrowed slightly, and her cheeks puffed out, like a little squirrel stealing food.
"You stand there like a stone lion at the gate of the Feng residence all day long. I'm afraid no other young lady would dare to marry him except you." Jiang Yuan was telling the truth. No family would dare to marry their daughter to someone with an unclear relationship with the county princess. Li Qingping is Li Sheng's own niece. Just for that reason alone, the Emperor's heart should be on her side. Anyone with a brain wouldn't go looking for trouble.
To be honest, Feng Xiuyuan is quite pitiful. Based on Jiang Yuan's understanding of Qingping, Young Master Feng only has two paths to take now: either marry her or stay single and waste his time with her.
However, Jiang Yuan glanced at Li Qingping, who was slumped over the table in a state of confusion. His eyes were bright, and the corners of his mouth were upturned without him smiling. Although he was a bit willful and capricious, he was still a passionate person, full of energy, like a little sun in April. Paired with Feng Xiuyuan's maturity beyond his years, he might be a good match. At least, he was much better than He Tanhua in the previous life.
Chapter 22 The South Lake Murder Case
"By the way, sister, how are those vixens in your house doing!" Qingping glanced in the direction of Wen Yuyuan, her voice filled with disgust. She acted as if these concubines were not in the Song residence but in the Feng residence. Jiang Yuan couldn't help but chuckle, "Once you come, they wouldn't dare to come out even if they had the guts of a bear and the gall of a leopard."
"Hmph, they know what's good for them." Every time Li Qingping thought about how she was mocked by those vixens after mistakenly entering Wenyu Garden, her stomach ached with anger. If Jiang Yuan hadn't rushed over and pulled her away, she would have slapped those fox spirits' faces to pieces long ago. Thinking of this, she grabbed Jiang Yuan's hand and said with exasperation, "Sister is just too kind-hearted, feeding and spoiling them so much that they've forgotten who they are."
"You mustn't let anyone else hear you say that, or you'll be labeled as jealous before you're even married."
"They dare!" Li Qingping slammed his fist on the table and stood up. "I'll tear their mouths apart."
"Alright, if Madam Feng sees you like this, you'll never be able to enter the Feng family again." Jiang Yuan pulled her to a chair. Qingping's fiery temper really needed to be changed. Jiang Yuan then thought of Zhang Shi and shook her head. Zhang Shi and the Feng family were destined to be apart in this life.
"Sister, you know me. Even if he runs to the ends of the earth, I will chase him down and bring him back!" This really sounded like Qingping's personality. Jiang Yuan didn't care and peeled a fruit for her, stuffing it into her mouth. She said perfunctorily, "Yes, yes, even if he burrows underground, you can dig him out."
Years later, Jiang Yuan recalled this past event with a sigh. She never expected that such a pampered and noble royal would actually abandon everything and follow Feng Xiuyuan to the battlefield where war raged.
Qingping pulled Jiang Yuan aside and talked about something else, the topic always revolving around Feng Xiuyuan. Every time she mentioned Young Master Feng, she would blush like a shy young girl.
As the last rays of the setting sun began to fall, the princess's residence kept sending people to summon her, and Qingping finally left reluctantly.
"The county magistrate really likes you, Madam," Zhu Chuan said with a smile, massaging Jiang Yuan's back.
"Our Song residence is practically become her villa," Jiang Yuan said helplessly, then asked, "Is there anything else going on tomorrow?"
"Yes, Grandma Zhang invites you to her home tomorrow to admire the flowers," Bi Fan asked, flipping through the invitation in her hand. "Are you still going?"
"I'm not going!" Upon hearing the name of Grandma Zhang, Jiang Yuan felt a sudden, agitated headache, as if something was tugging at her nerves. She was truly afraid of those tearful, sorrowful eyes. Withered flowers and passing clouds always brought her a melancholy mood, which annoyed Jiang Yuan endlessly.
Where is the master today?
"We're having drinks at Huaguanlou, and we're going to Xiaonanhu to listen to music later," Zhu Chuan replied clearly.
“I’m surrounded by a bunch of middle-aged women who are all made up every day, while he’s having a great time with women on both sides.”
Jiang Yuan didn't intentionally inquire about Song Yansi, and besides, she didn't mind where Song Yansi went. She just needed to make sure she could find him when she needed to. When she made this request to Song Yansi, it didn't seem unreasonable to him, so he agreed.
At first, it was tough on Song Yanji's follower, Du Shui. After all, it wasn't appropriate for a man to discuss business only in restaurants and teahouses; he sometimes had to visit brothels as well. Initially, Du Shui hesitated and didn't dare to speak, afraid that his wife would blame him again. But after a while, he realized that his wife really only wanted to know where the master was; what he did there was not important at all.
"Two spoiled brats caused trouble and actually implicated the adults. That Wang fellow is going too far." The man paid no attention to the courtesans in the room, slamming his fist on the table. "His own son was beaten to death for drinking and robbing women, and he's not ashamed at all, but instead he's blaming us!"
"Alright, it's nothing to brag about." Song Yansi gestured for him to stop talking. "After all, it was a murder that happened in the capital, so I can't escape responsibility."
"That Lord Wei is something else. He's just a brother-in-law, why can't he let him go?" Captain Cheng tilted his head back and drank a cup of wine. "He's made us look bad to everyone."
To tell this story, we have to start with Xiaonanhu, which happened about two weeks ago.
That day, Wei Zhijing's brother-in-law and Wang Chude's youngest son were listening to music at Xiaonan Lake. Originally, they were each doing their own thing, but somehow they started fighting over a courtesan on a pleasure boat. As a result, Wang's son was pushed in the commotion, hitting his head on the boat beam and falling into the water. It was already late, and the lake was overgrown with weeds, so the rescue was delayed. By the time the boy was pulled ashore, he was already dead. This was terrible! Lord Wang only had two sons; one had left home perfectly fine that morning, and now he was gone. Madam Wang fainted on the spot from grief.
Logically speaking, murderers should pay with their lives, and debts should be repaid, especially since the man was merely Lord Wei's brother-in-law. It would be reasonable for him to die for Young Master Wang. However, Wei Zhijing was determined to protect him, and the two officials' discussion broke down in the blink of an eye. The next day, Lord Wang reported to Li Sheng, citing the abuse of power by a member of the imperial family and the lax security in Lin'an. This back and forth annoyed Li Sheng to no end, so he simply handed the matter over to Song Yanji to investigate.
A high-ranking official can be incredibly powerful and oppressive; it's a thankless and arduous task.
The atmosphere inside the room became somewhat heavy, and even the sound of the zither being played was deliberately suppressed by Qin Niang. Song Yansi didn't care, "Since we're going to investigate, then we'll act impartially and never tolerate anything. In this world, evidence is the law."
"But……"
"Don't say 'but,' we're here to have some fun, so let's not talk about these troubling things." Song Yanji interrupted him, "Change the tune, don't play these mournful and sorrowful tunes all day long."
"Alright, alright, let's drink." The people around quickly smoothed things over, and the previous tension dissipated, returning to their usual cheerful and playful state.
However, it seemed inappropriate to drink and make merry today. The small banquet had not lasted long when several women barged into the pavilion. Song Yansi held up his wine cup and slowly drank it down. He looked up at the people in the courtyard and asked, "Headache? Have you called a doctor?"
"This servant does not know. Madam only instructed this servant to come and invite the master." Zhu Chuan covered half of his face, stood straight, and was followed by four maids. His eyes were politely fixed on the ground three feet in front of him. He did not have the submissive manner of a maid at all. His face was full of the words "I will not leave until you are invited."
It's not uncommon for maids and servants to lead people to look for the master, but for Song Yanji to do so is truly a first for a young lady getting married.
Song Yansi casually tossed down his wine glass, the unfinished wine falling onto the carpet with a thud. Without lingering, he rose and bid farewell to the others, saying, "Since my family member is unwell, I should not stay any longer. I'll treat you another day."
"Not at all, please, sir." Since Song Yansi had already spoken, those present could not keep him any longer and rose to return the greeting.
Baihua Hutong was still bustling with activity at this moment. The shops on both sides illuminated the street brightly. Song Yansi's carriage was very elegantly arranged. He leaned against the cushion and occupied most of the space by himself. Outside the carriage, the light pipa music of a singer and the cheerful laughter of men could be heard. Zhu Chuan knelt in a corner, seemingly invisible and not disturbing him.
"How is Madam's mood today?" After a long pause, Song Yansi slowly spoke.
"Not so good. This morning I spent the whole morning feeding the koi with Madam Ming, and in the afternoon Princess Qingping was causing a ruckus in the mansion for quite a while." Zhu Chuan thought for a moment and then added, "This time she didn't go into Wenyu Garden."
When Wen Yuyuan was mentioned, Song Yansi couldn't help but chuckle.
Once, he was hastily summoned back to his residence by Du Shui, thinking something terrible had happened. But as soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Qing Ping glaring angrily at him. A group of people were kneeling on the ground, their faces covered in bloody welts, some of them sobbing softly, their features unrecognizable.
It was only later that they learned that Qingping had been admiring the beautiful garden in his residence and had somehow wandered into Wenyu Garden. Wenyu Garden was quite far away, so Jiang Yuan hadn't informed the people in the courtyard beforehand, resulting in her being mistaken for a new concubine. Several favored concubines in the courtyard were inevitably a bit arrogant, and they immediately put on airs and gave Qingping a good scolding, likely saying nothing pleasant.
Who was Li Qingping? She was Princess Yijia's apple of her eye. She'd never been treated this way, not even by the emperor's concubines, let alone by the empress and other imperial consorts. Enraged, she immediately untied the soft whip from her waist and lashed out. Her blow was ruthless; blood splattered everywhere. If Jiang Yuan hadn't arrived later, she probably would have killed him.
After some back and forth, the whole story became clear. Those who were disfigured were naturally not spared by Song Yanji; he sent someone to give them a sum of money and sent them away. The rest were also quite frightened, and because they had offended the county princess, Jiang Yuan immediately placed them under house arrest. The concubines' initial tendency to be arrogant and domineering was nipped in the bud.
The trouble was caused by those concubines, the beating was by Princess Qingping, and the incident occurred at Wenyu Garden. Jiang Yuan managed to extricate herself completely. She was quite adept at using someone else's strength without getting her hands dirty. It was just a pity about those beauties; he had originally planned to send them away as a favor, but now that Jiang Yuan had made her move, he would have to find someone else. Song Yanji's lips curled slightly, and he closed his eyes, remaining silent, seemingly absorbed in the music playing in the street.
The carriage traveled quickly, and when Song Yansi stepped into the room, Jiang Yuan was already sitting upright, waiting for him.
"Didn't you say you had a headache?" Song Yansi gestured for the servants to leave, smiled, took Jiang Yuan's hand, and sat down beside her.
Jiang Yuan has been married to Song Yanji for over a year now. Apart from the matter of Qi'an, which slightly displeased him, the two have generally lived in harmony. Although Jiang Li is far away and cannot access some important things, Fu Zhengyan treats him with respect out of respect for Song Yanji.
The only thing Jiang Yuan was dissatisfied with was his concubines. They were always making a ruckus, outwardly appearing virtuous and upright, but secretly engaging in mostly shady dealings. Occasionally, it was fine; she could listen to them for amusement. But after a while, Jiang Yuan began to feel annoyed. Having lived for so many years, she had seen all sorts of despicable tricks in the palace. To her, these methods of the inner quarters sounded exactly like a quack doctor showing off his medical skills in front of Xu Wenbo.
Every now and then, one or two of them would come to her crying and complaining, either trying to sow discord among this person or making things difficult for that person. Jiang Yuan was so annoyed by their constant crying that she finally decided to use Li Qingping to deal with them, and the results were quite good.
Chapter 23 Unexpected
She thought that the quiet of the inner quarters would bring her some relief, but unexpectedly, one problem after another arose. These days, because of the young master Wang's affair, the ladies of the city were almost divided into two groups: one group was the old officials of Lin'an led by Madam Wei, and the other group was the old faction of Mo Ze, who had a good relationship with Madam Wang. Jiang Yuan's status was special; she could neither take sides nor remain indifferent, so she could only pretend to be friendly with those few faces every day.
Jiang Yuan hadn't asked Song Yansi about this, but Madam Zhang was, after all, the young master Wang's maternal aunt. These days, every time she saw her, she would burst into tears and complain. Just thinking about going to Madam Zhang's residence tomorrow gave her a headache. Now, seeing Song Yansi's smiling face, her expression became even more gloomy. "You seem to be living a very comfortable life."
"You're really quick to anger." Seeing her change in expression, Song Yan knew that she had suffered a lot of entanglement between the Madam's faction. He smiled and played with her soft, boneless fingers, his tone as calm as ever, "You never mentioned it to me, so I naturally assumed you were handling it with ease."
"Then I'll bring it up now." Jiang Yuan grabbed his restless fingers and squeezed them hard. Seeing that he remained calm and composed, she felt a little frustrated. "So, what are you going to do about this?"
"He's got quite a bit of strength," Song Yan thought, pulling her into his arms and lightly pecking her cheek. He still smelled of sake, which made Jiang Yuan feel a little drunk. "We'll be married soon."
"Really?" Jiang Yuan's annoyance vanished instantly upon hearing his certain tone. However, this joy was short-lived, quickly replaced by suspicion. Always cautious and observant, she quickly regained her composure and noticed the difference in Song Yansi's words. He hadn't told her the process, only the outcome, so she asked, "How did it end?"
"It's a secret." After saying this, Song Yansi glanced out the window. There wasn't a single star in the sky. A cold smile crept onto his lips. "Do you want to hear it?"
Jiang Yuan, with her keen sixth sense, detected the danger signal and quickly shook her head like a rattle drum, "Fine, do whatever you want."