Le paysage est comme une peinture

Chapitre 26

Upon hearing this, You Tong also feigned concern. After thinking for a moment, she deliberately sighed, "Speaking of which, I've actually met more people. I usually travel with my second aunt and Wen Yan to various residences, and I've seen quite a few outstanding individuals. However, among all these people, the most outstanding one is still the eldest son of the Shen family. His appearance and talent are truly unique."

The Third Princess scoffed, "You're about to get married, why are you still thinking about other men? If General Xu heard this, he'd be furious."

You Tong blushed and murmured, "I'm only telling you this in secret. No one else knows, and naturally, he knows even less." Seeing that she was telling her even these private things, the Third Princess believed even more that she was thinking of her, and trusted her even more.

"What's the use of the eldest son of the Shen family being so outstanding? He's already married." The Third Princess sighed helplessly. The eldest son of the Shen family was much older than them, and not only was he already married, but he also had children. You Tong deliberately mentioned the eldest son of the Shen family, of course, not to encourage the Third Princess to make a move on him.

You Tong sighed regretfully along with her, and whispered in agreement, "You were born before I was born, what a pity. Otherwise, you and the eldest prince would have been a match made in heaven. Oh, right—" She suddenly seemed to remember something, her eyes lit up, then she frowned, hesitated for a moment, and stopped herself from speaking.

Seeing her like this, the Third Princess became somewhat impatient and said to herself, "Just say what you have to say, why are you beating around the bush?"

A hint of unease flashed across You Tong's face as she shook her head, saying, "I...I was just thinking about the third young master of the Shen family. He...he does look a bit like the eldest young master."

The Third Princess frowned, her face showing some displeasure. The marriage between the Shen and Cui families had caused quite a stir back then. Although the Third Princess was in the deep palace, she had heard about it. She only heard that Shen San had broken off the engagement with the Cui family for a mistress. At that time, she felt extremely disgusted with Shen San. She did not expect that You Tong would mention him. Even more unexpectedly, judging from the tone of her words, she seemed to have no hatred for him.

You Tong seemed to have guessed the Third Princess's thoughts and said with a wry smile, "It's no wonder the Third Princess dislikes him. Because of our two families' annulment of the engagement, the Third Young Master's reputation isn't very good. Actually, we can't entirely blame him. In truth, we were destined to be apart; we were both deceived by that woman..."

She then recounted to the Third Princess how Bai Ling had followed Shen San, cleverly omitting her own involvement. She added, "That young master Shen is a kind and compassionate man; he only took in a pitiful person. Who knew that Miss Bai would secretly come looking for me, and the whole neighborhood would know? My second uncle and aunt were afraid I would be bullied after marrying into the family, so they broke off the engagement. People outside don't know the truth, which is why such rumors spread."

Upon hearing this, the Third Princess was filled with righteous indignation and angrily said, "That shameless woman is utterly shameless! And Young Master Shen is also a fool. How could he let her run wild outside? Now look at the state of things. Putting aside everything else, what daughter from a decent family would want to marry him?"

"That's what I said too. But that woman did save him after all, and the Third Young Master values loyalty above all else; he'd ruin his own reputation to protect her." You Tong sighed, looking helpless.

The third princess fell silent, blinking her eyes, a hint of sympathy in them.

Seeing that she had taken the bait, You Tong was secretly delighted. With the Third Princess's personality, she would probably be pestering Shen San in a couple of days. Although she couldn't force Shen San to marry the princess, she could at least sow discord among him and prevent him from having a peaceful day.

53. "To speak frankly and openly"

She talked with the Third Princess for a long time until a maidservant serving the Third Princess came to say that Consort Mi had sent someone to look for her. Only then did the Third Princess take her leave. When she left, she had a heartfelt expression towards You Tong.

After she walked away, You Tong was about to return to Chongfu Palace when she suddenly felt something was wrong. She had been so focused on talking to the Third Princess that she hadn't paid attention to the commotion around her. Now that things had quieted down, she realized that someone seemed to be hiding nearby.

Crouching low, she tiptoed to the edge of the corridor and peered down. Sure enough, she saw the little emperor, covered in dirt, lying on the lakeside below, listening intently. Sensing the movement above him, the little emperor also looked up, his bright eyes wide open, gazing expectantly at You Tong with an inscrutable expression.

She had no idea when he arrived or how much he had overheard. You Tong suddenly felt embarrassed, as if she'd been caught in the act, and also had a headache. Putting everything else aside, if her rumors about Cui Weiyuan got out, he really wouldn't be able to find a wife.

While You Tong was still racking her brains trying to figure out how to coax the little emperor into not spreading rumors, the dirty child below suddenly grinned at her, revealing his pearly white teeth. Taking advantage of You Tong's momentary hesitation, he had already run far away. You Tong was about to call out to him when she suddenly heard light footsteps coming from the end of the corridor. She immediately fell silent and turned to look.

It was An Hui who came looking for her, saying that the Grand Princess had finished her business and was looking for someone. Her eyesight was sharp; she vaguely spotted a small figure running wildly in the distance. Her brows furrowed immediately, and she asked softly, "Is that His Majesty? Shouldn't he be in the Imperial Study right now?"

You Tong didn't reply to her.

Back at Chongfu Palace, Abbess Jingyi finally had some peace and quiet. Upon seeing Youtong, she quickly invited her to sit down, pointing to the sliced watermelon on the table. "These watermelons were just presented as tribute. I had two chilled; I'll take two to the Cui residence later." After a moment's thought, she shook her head. "Never mind," she said, "It's been terribly hot these past few days. You might as well stay in the palace. The side halls of Chongfu Palace aren't too sunny; they're cool at night, and you can keep me company. After you get married, it'll be difficult to have you around anymore."

You Tong thought it made sense and agreed with a smile. Seeing that she had agreed, Abbess Jingyi quickly instructed An Hui to send someone to the Cui residence to deliver a message. That evening, the master and disciple had dinner together and chatted intimately for a while, until An Hui came in and whispered something to Jingyi. Only then did her expression change, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes. She said in a deep voice, "Go and invite His Majesty over?"

You Tong immediately guessed that it must be because the young emperor's truancy that afternoon had been exposed. His pleading eyes and bright smile flashed through her mind, and she felt a pang of sympathy. Children of other families at this age are usually mischievous and playful, and seeing the young emperor's repeated escapes from the palace, she knew he was a playful and active person. It was truly pitiful to see him so confined to the palace.

Just then, the young emperor was brought in. He had already changed into clean clothes and was following obediently behind An Hui with his head down. As soon as he entered, he obediently called out "Aunt." When he looked up and saw You Tong there, he was slightly surprised and kept stealing glances at her restlessly. When You Tong saw this, she smiled at him, but he immediately turned his face away and refused to look at her, looking awkward.

Abbess Jingyi gave him a good scolding, and the young emperor admitted his mistake well, listening quietly the whole time, and showing a sincere expression of repentance. However, he seemed a bit over the top, making Youtong wonder if he was just putting on an act all the time.

Abbess Jingyi was at her wits' end with the young emperor. After scolding him for a while, seeing that he kept his head down and remained silent, she couldn't continue and helplessly waved for An Hui to take him back. But this time, the young emperor didn't run away as fast as he usually did. Instead, he stepped forward with a grin and pointed at You Tong, saying, "Who is this older sister? She looks so familiar."

They've clearly met several times before, yet they insist on pretending it's their first time. The people in this palace are extraordinary; they can act without batting an eye.

Upon hearing the name You Tong, Abbess Jingyi's expression immediately softened, and she smiled slightly as she said, "This is your You Tong—she is the ninth young lady of the Cui family, and the goddaughter that my aunt recently recognized."

"Hello, Sister Cui," the young emperor greeted obediently, a smile on his face. You Tong felt a sudden chill run down her spine, but on the surface she appeared trembling with fear and quickly said, "Your Majesty, please don't address Wen Feng like that, it's too much of a compliment."

The young emperor immediately turned to look at Abbess Jingyi, and asked in a low, aggrieved voice, "Aunt, is it wrong of me to call her 'sister'? Sister Cui looks just like my mother, and I felt an instant connection with her. Does Sister Cui dislike me, and that's why she doesn't want me to call her that?"

This little emperor is such a good actor! You Tong stared at him with wide eyes, but the little emperor didn't back down. Instead, he gave her a fawning smile, his eyes bright and his expression full of laughter. Seeing him like that, You Tong couldn't stay angry anymore.

The young emperor had never liked talking to people in the palace, so his sudden enthusiasm for Youtong surprised Abbess Jingyi, who was also unusually delighted. She smiled and said, "You are the emperor after all. You suddenly called Wenfeng 'sister.' She was just startled. How could she not like you?" After saying that, she winked at Youtong, signaling her to be kinder to the young emperor.

Helpless, You Tong could only force a smile at him and whisper, "Your Majesty is overthinking it."

The young emperor immediately seized the opportunity, his eyes crinkling as he stepped forward and said with a smile, "Aunt, isn't this Sister Cui the one who's engaged to General Xu? Sister Cui is so beautiful and kind; no wonder Aunt likes her so much. I like her very much too; she seems even more amiable than Third Sister and Fourth Sister."

You Tong didn't know what he was up to, so she simply kept quiet and just looked at him with a mysterious smile. The little emperor then pleaded with Abbess Jingyi, "Aunt, would you please let Sister Cui stay in the palace a few more days? I can't talk to my third and fourth sisters, but I feel a connection with Sister Cui."

They'd only exchanged a few words, how could they have become so close? You Tong looked at the young emperor and smiled sinisterly, while the young emperor looked back at her with an innocent smile. Abbess Jingyi also sensed something was amiss, glanced at the two of them, but did not object, replying, "Wen Feng will stay in the palace for a few days. You can come find her after you finish your studies."

The young emperor immediately beamed and agreed, tugging at You Tong's sleeve before reluctantly bidding farewell to Abbess Jingyi. After he left, Abbess Jingyi casually asked, "Did you meet the Third Princess during the day?"

You Tong raised an eyebrow, glanced at An Hui, and replied with a smile, "Yes, there was a misunderstanding with her last time, and it took a lot of effort to clear things up." Although An Hui was Master Jingyi's confidante, for some reason, You Tong was unwilling to bring up the matter in front of her.

Abbess Jingyi frowned and said, "The Third Princess has a terrible temper. I hope she didn't make things difficult for you. If you see her again, stay far away from her so she doesn't cause trouble again." She then shook her head, her face showing some displeasure, and said, "It was because the late Emperor spoiled her too much that she developed such an arrogant personality. Times have changed now, and she's become less sensible. I'm afraid she'll have a hard time in the future."

Aside from her struggles with the Empress Dowager, Abbess Jingyi got along quite well with the other concubines in the palace. Even when the Third Princess acted so arrogantly in the palace, she always yielded to her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have specifically instructed Youtong not to have any conflicts with the Third Princess.

You Tong smiled and said, "I understand, I won't do anything reckless." The Third Princess was completely charmed by her today, so she definitely wouldn't make things difficult for her in the next few days. Abbess Jingyi also knew that she was a woman of good judgment. Seeing her calm expression, she knew that she must be confident, so she didn't say anything more.

Early the next morning, the Third Princess surprisingly came to speak with You Tong, leaving all the palace maids in Chongfu Palace utterly astonished. Everyone knew the Third Princess had a bad temper; in this palace, apart from being respectful to her birth mother, Consort Mi, she had never been kind to anyone else. So, seeing her smiling at You Tong now, how could they not be surprised?

Although the Third Princess had a bad temper, she was very simple-minded and easy to coax. Coupled with You Tong's subtle flattery, she immediately felt that she had found a kindred spirit and began to confide in You Tong. But after a while, You Tong quickly guessed her purpose and was secretly delighted.

It was precisely her words yesterday that moved the Third Princess, who now came back to her for advice. Seeing her so anxious, You Tong quickly persuaded her, saying softly, "Third Princess, please don't be impulsive. You are currently in mourning. If someone spreads rumors, it will not only ruin your reputation, but it will also reach the ears of the Third Prince and cause him to misunderstand."

The third princess didn't take it seriously until she heard the last sentence, at which point she immediately wilted, her face showing anxiety and unease. She asked urgently, "What should we do?"

You Tong smiled and said, "Princess, don't be in a hurry. The Third Young Master won't be able to escape anytime soon. If you listen to me and take it one step at a time, I guarantee you'll catch him easily."

The Third Princess said, "Of course I will listen to you, but Shen Wenlang is not young anymore. What if the Shen family suddenly arranges a marriage for him?"

You Tong said, "Your Highness, the Shen family is a prominent family, and their engagement is no small matter. It cannot be settled in just a day or two. As soon as they propose, we should secretly devise a plan to ruin their good deed. Or we can spread some rumors in the capital to prevent them from succeeding."

Upon hearing this, the Third Princess felt much more at ease and became even more obedient to You Tong.

Meanwhile, Shen San's life wasn't easy either. As soon as the eldest son of the Shen family returned home, the house became lively. From morning till night, all sorts of people came to visit. Since the eldest son was too busy to entertain them, Shen San was conscripted to deal with these guests all day long.

After finally seeing off the last group of guests that day, Shen San had just returned to his room and taken a short nap when he heard a servant calling from outside, saying that the eldest young master wanted to see him. Shen San had no choice but to quickly change his clothes and go to the study to find him.

As soon as he entered, he heard the eldest son's cold voice, "Close the door."

Shen San's heart skipped a beat. He looked up and saw the eldest son sitting behind his desk, holding a scroll of documents and reading them. His face was hidden in the dim shadows and could not be seen clearly.

"Big brother—" Shen San felt a little guilty for no reason, called out softly, and stopped about ten steps away from him.

The eldest son slowly raised his head, his thick, dark eyebrows furrowing slightly. He glanced at him, his gaze indifferent. "I thought you'd grown up, but you've done something like this." His voice wasn't loud, and his tone was calm, but for some reason, it sounded like a thorn to Shen San's ears. He opened his mouth to argue, but couldn't find the words, and in the end, he just bit his lip and remained silent.

"What, you're not convinced?" The eldest son stood up, threw the document in front of him, and sneered, "Look at what you've done? Using a woman to gain merit? Fine, then go ahead and use any means necessary to the end. I'll consider you capable then, but you're too indecisive and leave some trouble behind, ruining your own reputation instead. How can you achieve anything with such indecisiveness!"

Shen San didn't dare to talk back, and kept his head down, so his expression was hard to read.

The eldest son was even more furious upon seeing this. He kicked the table in front of him away and said angrily, "Resolve that woman's matter within three days. If she causes any more trouble, don't blame me for interfering."

Shen San didn't say anything, turned around and left.

54. Rumors in Southern Xinjiang

As soon as the eldest daughter-in-law of the Shen family entered the courtyard, she saw Shen San emerge from the study with a sullen face. Upon seeing her, he forced a smile, greeted her, and then hurriedly left. The eldest daughter-in-law knew that he must have been scolded by her husband again, so she nodded kindly to him and quickly went inside to talk to the eldest son.

"Why did you fall out with your third uncle again?" The eldest young mistress scolded as soon as she entered the room. "Why can't you talk things out properly? Why do you have to make things so tense? If your mother-in-law finds out, she'll scold you again."

The eldest young master's face, which had been cold, softened upon hearing her voice, and he asked in a low voice, "Why did you come here? Where is Hao'er?"

The eldest young mistress poured him a cup of tea, and while tidying up the documents on the table, she replied softly, "He played for a while and got tired, so I asked Biyu to coax him to sleep first." As she spoke, she seemed to remember something and smiled, "He has grown another tooth, so he has seven teeth now. He babbles all day long, as if he can really talk."

Upon hearing this, the eldest son laughed and said, "I started talking late when I was young, but he is much smarter than me, unlike me—" He paused halfway through his sentence, a hint of unease flashing across his face. He gave a wry smile, shook his head, and said, "Tomorrow I'm taking Hao'er to pay respects at Master's grave. You should make preparations later."

The eldest young mistress was slightly taken aback, and asked in surprise, "Aren't you going to the yamen tomorrow?"

The eldest son shook his head dismissively, saying, "There are naturally people in the yamen who will make the decisions. If I go, I'll only cause trouble. It's better to take a break, and everyone will be more at ease." Although he said this, the eldest young mistress could still hear the resentment in his tone. After years of fighting, all he got in return was suspicion and distrust. Anyone would be unwilling to accept this.

"My husband—"

"Alright, alright," the eldest son laughed. "I've been away all these years, and I couldn't even be by your side when Hao'er was born. I owe you both the most. It would be a rare treat to be able to be with you every day and watch Hao'er grow up. As for the affairs of the court, let them do what they want. Even if I'm gone, there's still the third son."

Before he could say anything about Shen San, the eldest young mistress immediately thought of what had just happened and couldn't help but whisper to him, "You know what kind of person Uncle San is. He's the type who responds better to gentleness than force. Why do you always have to go against him and make the two brothers look like enemies? If word gets out, people will say that the Shen brothers are not on good terms."

The eldest son sneered, "People can say whatever they want. Once the war in the south is over, I will be sidelined sooner or later, and the Shen family will have to rely on him. If he continues to act as before, he will cause a huge mess sooner or later. It's one thing for him to suffer, but if he implicates the whole family, it won't just be his problem."

The eldest young mistress understood this perfectly well, but just thinking about Shen San's expression made her feel a little scared. Seeing her husband's helpless and dejected expression, she felt even more heartbroken.

The eldest son looked up at her, suddenly laughed, reached out and pulled her into his arms, gently comforting her, "Look at you, your eyes are all red. What's there to cry about? I foresaw this day when I went to war. It's already difficult enough to come back alive. Besides, no matter how much the court cares about me, they'll have to find a good excuse to put me on hold. I reckon the imperial decree will be issued in the next few days, and maybe I'll even get a title."

Upon hearing this, the eldest young mistress burst into tears, forcing a smile as she said, "That's wonderful! In the future, Hao'er will be able to inherit the title and avoid growing up like you, toiling away outside and ending up with nothing to show for it."

Before three days had passed, the eldest son sent someone to inquire about the situation in the alley again on the second day, only to find that the courtyard was deserted. As long as the person wasn't in the way of the capital, the eldest son didn't care how he was dealt with. Two more days passed, and finally, an imperial decree came down, granting him a title of First-Class Marquis and concurrently the title of Yunqiwei, with an annual salary of three thousand taels of silver and 2,500 dou of rice.

Inevitably, another round of celebrations ensued. Nobles and officials of all ranks from the capital came to offer their congratulations, but their faces lacked the previous obsequiousness. Everyone with discerning eyes understood the implications of this title; although the eldest son had been granted a marquisate, he had lost his military power and was no longer the man he once was.

Of course, none of the Shen family's affairs bothered You Tong in the palace. She stayed there for almost half a month and quickly became familiar with the various concubines and princesses. They chatted idly every day, enjoying a leisurely life. The Third Princess now trusted her greatly. Although she couldn't be said to blindly obey her, she clearly treated her differently from others.

What's even more unexpected is the young emperor's attitude towards You Tong. He seems exceptionally kind to her, always hovering around her, asking her all sorts of irrelevant or even laughable questions, leaving You Tong both amused and exasperated. She always felt that the young emperor had ulterior motives, but he never said anything, and You Tong never asked, so they just kept putting it off.

If there's one person in the palace who doesn't get along with You Tong, it's the Empress Dowager. If You Tong weren't now relying on the Grand Princess, the Empress Dowager would have already taken action against her. Now, she has some reservations and can't act on them, but every time she sees her, she doesn't bother to give her a friendly look. You Tong, on the other hand, always puts on a respectful attitude, leaving the Empress Dowager with no fault to find.

By the end of the month, You Tong could no longer stay in the palace, so she left to return to the Cui residence to prepare for her wedding. The Grand Princess had several cartloads of clothes, jewelry, and daily necessities sent out, which made everyone extremely envious.

The day we left the palace was beautiful. A light rain the night before had chased away the last trace of summer heat, leaving the air with the fresh scent of grass—clean and invigorating. The sun came out again early the next morning, though it wasn't strong, and its rays felt lazy on our skin.

Because the Grand Princess was busy with state affairs, she asked An Hui to escort You Tong out of the palace. You Tong did not want to trouble her, so she declined, saying with a smile, "It's not like it's the first time I've been here, why make it so complicated? You need a capable person to serve you, just find any palace maid to take me back."

The Grand Princess didn't stand on ceremony with her. Seeing that she said so, she agreed and selected two other trusted palace maids to escort Youtong to the Cui residence. On the way back, she rode in the Grand Princess's carriage, and no one dared to stop her. When she left the palace, Youtong listened intently for a while but didn't hear Xu Wei's voice. She felt slightly disappointed, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel a pang of longing.

The guards at the Left Gate were very diligent, checking the palace servants' tokens according to regulations before allowing passage. Another carriage was waiting to leave the palace; seeing the Grand Princess's carriage at the gate, they waited politely and silently. Once outside the palace, the other carriage started moving, quickly overtaking Youtong and rushing ahead.

They had only gone a few feet when they suddenly heard a horse neighing ahead, followed by a muffled thud, as if something had crashed hard into a wall. Immediately afterward, the carriage carrying Youtong came to a slow stop, and the coachman whispered from outside, "Miss, the carriage ahead is blocking the road."

You Tong frowned, refraining from lifting the curtain to look outside, and whispered, "Go and see what's going on."

After a while, the coachman came back to report that the horses pulling the carriage had somehow gotten spooked and suddenly stopped, causing the carriage to crash into the wall and damage the shaft. It was now immobile. He added that the young Marquis of Wu had already sent people to move the carriage and asked Youtong to wait.

Hearing that it was Young Master Wu's carriage ahead, You Tong frowned but remained silent. The palace maid and Hui Qiao, seeing her serious expression, also dared not speak. After a while, the coachman announced that the road was clear. Just as they were about to set off again, a voice came from outside, saying, "I'm so sorry to have delayed Miss Cui."

You Tong recognized the voice of the young master of the Wu family and immediately recalled the first time they met. After thinking for a moment, she didn't say anything, but asked Hui Qiao to reply on her behalf: "Young master, you are too kind. We are unable to help, and my young lady is very uneasy."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, You Tong, afraid he would recognize her voice, remained silent, letting Hui Qiao handle the conversation. Since it was only a chance encounter, Young Master Wu didn't want to say much. After a few polite words, he took his leave of You Tong. After walking for a while, You Tong whispered to the coachman, "Did you tell the young master I was in the carriage just now?"

The driver quickly replied, "How dare I gossip?"

You Tong understood and didn't ask any more questions.

Back at the Cui residence, there was another round of commotion, especially with Wen Yan. As soon as she saw her, she wanted to jump on her and cling to her. One moment she was complaining about how bored she was all alone in the residence, and the next she was excitedly talking about the latest happenings in the capital, without caring about the contradictions in her words.

The several cartloads of "dowry" that Youtong brought back made everyone in the Cui household quite envious. Wenyan, however, had no other thoughts; she just kept saying how beautiful this was and how fun that was. But the way others looked at her was inevitably a little strange, a mixture of envy, jealousy, and an indescribable sourness. Fortunately, Youtong was already used to it and didn't mind. Apart from picking out a few exquisite items to give to Wenyan, only the maids who served her received rewards.

When Cui Weiyuan returned to the manor for dinner that evening, he was slightly surprised to see Youtong there. He nodded politely to her without saying a word. Youtong noticed the exhaustion on both his and Cui Erye's faces, and considering that the Grand Princess had been extremely busy for the past few days, she vaguely felt that something had happened in the court again.

A few days later, rumors indeed began to circulate that the southern border was becoming restless again. The newly appointed General Zhennan had been assassinated on his way to the capital, and the second general sent out was ambushed more than fifty miles outside the capital, seriously wounded and his fate uncertain.

Although the Southern Frontier was thousands of miles away from the capital, this did not prevent the people in the capital from discussing it. In particular, the assassination attempt outside the capital quickly led some to connect it with the incident when the eldest son returned to the capital. They also said that the various tribes in the Southern Frontier were restless and ready to rebel, and that they feared that a rebellion would not be far off...

Just a few days after the news spread, news of a rebellion indeed arrived from the southern border. At the same time, the third General Who Guards the South was assassinated on the very night he received his appointment. Panic gripped the capital, and soon someone suggested inviting the eldest son of the Shen family to lead another southern expedition. However, by this time, the eldest son of the Shen family had already taken his wife and children to stay at a villa outside the city.