Why Not Finish What You Were Saying? (Part One)
Returning to Marquis Gu’s Manor, a group of palace servants was gathered outside.
They were all carrying gifts into the manor. Seeing Yu Fu return, Eunuch Chi came over to greet her and pay his respects.
“This servant pays respects to Princess ZhenJiang. Where did princess go on a snowy day like today?”
Eunuch Chi was previously a member of the second prince’s manor. Now that the second prince was the emperor, he became the new head of palace staff.
As for the previous head of palace staff, Eunuch Gao, because he had testified in court that the late emperor had intended to appoint the second prince as crown prince, he had also been rewarded, with large quantities of gold, silver, and silks being sent to his hometown.
Yu Fu still preferred Eunuch Gao. The two eunuchs both treated Yu Fu very kindly, but Eunuch Gao did not toady up to her like this eunuch. She just found this to be distasteful.
It did not matter how much she disliked him. Yu Fu understood that the subject would be like their ruler.
“So it was Eunuch Chi. Did you come to deliver new year’s gifts on His Majesty’s behalf? I didn’t go anywhere in particular. I just went out for a stroll.”
Yu Fu summoned some energy to deal with him, and Eunuch Chi smiled and said: “Princess has guessed wrong. This servant did not come to deliver new year’s gifts on His Majesty’s behalf but to deliver gifts to the princess. His Majesty said that the princess is so beautiful that only the best accessories in the world suit her. That’s why all of the best accessories from the tributes sent by the small islands and countries nearby were delivered to the princess!”
Yu Fu looked at what the palace servants were carrying. Each and every item was some sort of accessory. When piled together, they would form a small hill.
She forced a smile and said: “His Majesty orders gifts to be delivered to me every few days. In the end, I am not His Majesty’s true sister. How could I dare to act like I am? His Majesty should pay a little more attention to Princess DanYang. She is His Majesty’s true younger sister.”
Eunuch Chi suddenly smiled. His shrill laughter made Yu Fu’s head hurt.
He covered his mouth with a handkerchief, “What is princess talking about? Princess was personally conferred the title of princess by the late emperor. Who would dare to say that you are not his true younger sister?”
If you were his true younger sister, His Majesty would not dote on you this much!
Eunuch Chi quietly examined Yu Fu. Seeing her dressed in plain clothes with a white fox fur cloak, she looked like a deity who had descended. It was no wonder His Majesty could not stop thinking and talking about her.
“In truth, His Majesty also worries about Princess DanYang. it’s just that Princess DanYang does not like going into the palace, and even if this servant was to go and deliver her gifts, she would not come and see this servant. It’s because of this that His Majesty gradually lost interest and just started giving gifts directly to Prime Minister Yin. That’s not all. After this servant finishes delivering the gifts to princess, I will need to go and deliver new year’s gifts to the prime minister’s manor!”
Yu Fu complained to herself. Whether it was Princess DanYang who did not want to go into the palace, or was it Yin Shuo who did not allow her to go into the palace, Ning ChengZhi had never actually questioned it.
He actually trusted Yin Shuo to such a degree.
“New year’s gift?”
Yu Fu was a little surprised, “That’s right. It’s already the 15th of the twelfth month. His Majesty has always given new year’s gifts to the esteemed officials early. This is a tradition that has been kept from the late emperor’s rule. In previous years, Marquis Gu’s Manor would receive their new year’s gifts the earliest.”
She subconsciously looked toward the plaque next to the gate. No matter how prestigious Marquis Gu’s Manor might be, in the end, it was part of the previous regime, and it was now shrouded in a haze.
The current ruler favored the prime minister’s manor the most and not Marquis Gu’s Manor.
Eunuch Chi seemed to pick up on Yu Fu’s feelings. After looking around, he lowered his voice, “Your Highness, there’s no need to be sad. The new year’s gift to Marquis Gu’s Manor this year is a little late, but the gifts to princess have never been delayed! Marquis Gu’s Manor is Marquis Gu’s Manor, while princess, you are a princess. You two are unrelated, so it won’t get in the way of His Majesty’s favor for you!”
Unrelated.
How could they be unrelated?
Yu Fu faintly smiled, “Eunuch Chi, please bring my thanks back to His Majesty. When it comes time for the new year’s banquet, Yu Fu will personally thank His Majesty for his generosity.”
Eunuch Chi reminded her: “Your Highness, forgive this servant for my indiscretion and speaking out of turn, but it has been two months since His Majesty’s enthronement, yet the position of empress remains vacant. All of the officials have turned a blind eye to it. You should understand best what His Majesty is waiting for…”
He looked up at the beautiful girl before him. Amidst the falling snow, her clear skin was even paler than the snow itself.
None could blame His Majesty for yearning for such a beautiful person, even leaving the position of empress open for her.
Yu Fu was stunned. The eldest prince’s words about Yin Shuo wanting to marry her were still ringing in her mind, and now Eunuch Chi had come to her with this information.
She was not stupid. She could understand what Eunuch Chi meant. It was just that she was not thinking about that at all.
“Eunuch Chi, it’s snowing heavily outside. I am truly exhausted and will be going in to rest first. Please do as you wish.”
Eunuch Chi seemed to want to say something else, but Yu Fu had already turned around and started walking toward the manor. He had no choice but to let out a sigh, as a nearby palace servant vaguely heard him mutter something about a national beauty.
The Western Wing was currently buried under the pile of gifts sent by His Majesty. Yu Fu was a little resistant to this and walked over to the main hall.
Gu HuaiJiang, Gu ShuBai, and Gu WenQing were sitting and drinking tea. Yu Fu entered the room and removed her cloak, “It’s rare for head general to have not gone out. Even eldest brother is sitting here idly.”
Gu ShuBai smiled and said: “Father returned part of his troops to His Majesty and is now very relaxed. This year, our family will finally be able to celebrate the new year together.”
Gu WenQing also smiled, “That’s right. If it was like in previous years, father wouldn’t even be able to rest during the new year. Returning a portion of the troops is also fine. Last year, half of the manor’s members were in Changzhou. This year, the family will be able to celebrate together.”
They spoke relaxedly, but Yu Fu could hear the bitterness in their words.
Gu HuaiJiang had served on the battlefield for decades, and he had never neglected his duties because of his exhaustion. There was only one possible explanation for him acting like this…
That would be to avoid the suspicions of the one in power.
It was the case with the previous ruler, and it was also the case with Ning ChengZhi. The difference was that the previous ruler did not allow Gu HuaiJiang to resign even if he was suspicious; however, Ning ChengZhi was very happy to agree.
Yu Fu thought back to what Eunuch Chi had said and started feeling more and more unhappy. Forcing a smile, she said: “That’s right. This is also good. This year, we will finally be able to celebrate with the entire family.”
Gu HuaiJiang said: “I heard from the servants that you went to the eldest prince’s manor?”
The sign at the eldest prince’s manor had been removed two months earlier. The so-called eldest prince’s manor was now just a manor of criminals. Every person living there could be bullied.
The eldest prince’s title had also been stripped. Nobody in court dared to mention him, and he would only occasionally be brought up in private conversations.
Yu Fu nodded, “With my status, it’s better that I go than if my elder brothers went. First, it’s to show consideration for past interactions, and second, it was related to Yin Shuo.”
She looked up at the others and spoke in a stern tone, “Yin Shuo knew that the eldest prince poisoned the late emperor, and he used that to threaten the eldest prince into assassinating the late emperor. Yin Shuo is the one who instigated the whole thing. Our speculation was correct.”
Gu ShuBai said: “A dying man’s last words are often true. The eldest prince has no reason to try and lie to us. Yin Shuo is a truly sinister person. With how much His Majesty favors and trusts him, I fear that our Marquis Gu’s Manor…”
Gu HuaiJiang let out a sigh and said: “There have been signs of Yin Shuo opposing Marquis Gu’s Manor since long ago. Now that he has taken away all of the cabinet’s power, he wields even more influence and power than with the late emperor. This is the reason for me relinquishing part of my power. We can oppose Yin Shuo without giving an inch, but we can’t do the same with His Majesty.”
As the saying went, if a ruler wanted a subject to die, that subject had no choice but to die. He was not that blindly loyal, but if the ruler wanted to take away his power, he would happily comply.
Power was never something that he wanted. Trading it for some peace of mind was worth it.
Gu WenQing said: “Father, blindly making concessions is not the best way of doing things. Despite clearly knowing that Yin Shuo is the one who planned the late emperor’s assassination, do we have to allow him to act as he pleases in court?”
Gu ShuBai glanced at him and motioned for him to stop talking about this topic.
If there was a way of revealing Yin Shuo’s true character, they would have used it, but after two full months of looking for evidence of Yin Shuo’s participation, they could not find anything.
He had acted too quickly. Targetting the time when they would be fighting at the border with Western Kun to carry out the plan then erasing all of the evidence while they were rushing back to the capital.
All of the blame was placed on the eldest prince, while Yin Shuo kept himself completely clean.
He changed the topic, “Yu Fu, what was the cause of the commotion outside just now? Did the palace send another gift?”
“Un.”
Yu Fu slightly nodded with an absent-minded look.
Yao Lan waited on her from next to the door and suddenly poked her head in, “Young miss, why didn’t you tell them everything? Right before leaving, the eldest prince said something important. Why didn’t you tell Lord Marquis and the others?”
Yu Fu did not have a chance to stop her when Gu ShuBai said: “What important thing did he say?”
Yao Lan ignored Yu Fu’s gestures, “Young miss, don’t try to stop me. This matter is too important. Everyone must be told! The eldest prince said that Prime Minister Yin’s condition for working with the eldest prince was to marry the young miss!”
Why Not Finish What You Were Saying? (Part One)
Returning to Marquis Gu’s Manor, a group of palace servants was gathered outside.
They were all carrying gifts into the manor. Seeing Yu Fu return, Eunuch Chi came over to greet her and pay his respects.
“This servant pays respects to Princess ZhenJiang. Where did princess go on a snowy day like today?”
Eunuch Chi was previously a member of the second prince’s manor. Now that the second prince was the emperor, he became the new head of palace staff.
As for the previous head of palace staff, Eunuch Gao, because he had testified in court that the late emperor had intended to appoint the second prince as crown prince, he had also been rewarded, with large quantities of gold, silver, and silks being sent to his hometown.
Yu Fu still preferred Eunuch Gao. The two eunuchs both treated Yu Fu very kindly, but Eunuch Gao did not toady up to her like this eunuch. She just found this to be distasteful.
It did not matter how much she disliked him. Yu Fu understood that the subject would be like their ruler.
“So it was Eunuch Chi. Did you come to deliver new year’s gifts on His Majesty’s behalf? I didn’t go anywhere in particular. I just went out for a stroll.”
Yu Fu summoned some energy to deal with him, and Eunuch Chi smiled and said: “Princess has guessed wrong. This servant did not come to deliver new year’s gifts on His Majesty’s behalf but to deliver gifts to the princess. His Majesty said that the princess is so beautiful that only the best accessories in the world suit her. That’s why all of the best accessories from the tributes sent by the small islands and countries nearby were delivered to the princess!”
Yu Fu looked at what the palace servants were carrying. Each and every item was some sort of accessory. When piled together, they would form a small hill.
She forced a smile and said: “His Majesty orders gifts to be delivered to me every few days. In the end, I am not His Majesty’s true sister. How could I dare to act like I am? His Majesty should pay a little more attention to Princess DanYang. She is His Majesty’s true younger sister.”
Eunuch Chi suddenly smiled. His shrill laughter made Yu Fu’s head hurt.
He covered his mouth with a handkerchief, “What is princess talking about? Princess was personally conferred the title of princess by the late emperor. Who would dare to say that you are not his true younger sister?”
If you were his true younger sister, His Majesty would not dote on you this much!
Eunuch Chi quietly examined Yu Fu. Seeing her dressed in plain clothes with a white fox fur cloak, she looked like a deity who had descended. It was no wonder His Majesty could not stop thinking and talking about her.
“In truth, His Majesty also worries about Princess DanYang. it’s just that Princess DanYang does not like going into the palace, and even if this servant was to go and deliver her gifts, she would not come and see this servant. It’s because of this that His Majesty gradually lost interest and just started giving gifts directly to Prime Minister Yin. That’s not all. After this servant finishes delivering the gifts to princess, I will need to go and deliver new year’s gifts to the prime minister’s manor!”
Yu Fu complained to herself. Whether it was Princess DanYang who did not want to go into the palace, or was it Yin Shuo who did not allow her to go into the palace, Ning ChengZhi had never actually questioned it.
He actually trusted Yin Shuo to such a degree.
“New year’s gift?”
Yu Fu was a little surprised, “That’s right. It’s already the 15th of the twelfth month. His Majesty has always given new year’s gifts to the esteemed officials early. This is a tradition that has been kept from the late emperor’s rule. In previous years, Marquis Gu’s Manor would receive their new year’s gifts the earliest.”
She subconsciously looked toward the plaque next to the gate. No matter how prestigious Marquis Gu’s Manor might be, in the end, it was part of the previous regime, and it was now shrouded in a haze.
The current ruler favored the prime minister’s manor the most and not Marquis Gu’s Manor.
Eunuch Chi seemed to pick up on Yu Fu’s feelings. After looking around, he lowered his voice, “Your Highness, there’s no need to be sad. The new year’s gift to Marquis Gu’s Manor this year is a little late, but the gifts to princess have never been delayed! Marquis Gu’s Manor is Marquis Gu’s Manor, while princess, you are a princess. You two are unrelated, so it won’t get in the way of His Majesty’s favor for you!”
Unrelated.
How could they be unrelated?
Yu Fu faintly smiled, “Eunuch Chi, please bring my thanks back to His Majesty. When it comes time for the new year’s banquet, Yu Fu will personally thank His Majesty for his generosity.”
Eunuch Chi reminded her: “Your Highness, forgive this servant for my indiscretion and speaking out of turn, but it has been two months since His Majesty’s enthronement, yet the position of empress remains vacant. All of the officials have turned a blind eye to it. You should understand best what His Majesty is waiting for…”
He looked up at the beautiful girl before him. Amidst the falling snow, her clear skin was even paler than the snow itself.
None could blame His Majesty for yearning for such a beautiful person, even leaving the position of empress open for her.
Yu Fu was stunned. The eldest prince’s words about Yin Shuo wanting to marry her were still ringing in her mind, and now Eunuch Chi had come to her with this information.
She was not stupid. She could understand what Eunuch Chi meant. It was just that she was not thinking about that at all.
“Eunuch Chi, it’s snowing heavily outside. I am truly exhausted and will be going in to rest first. Please do as you wish.”
Eunuch Chi seemed to want to say something else, but Yu Fu had already turned around and started walking toward the manor. He had no choice but to let out a sigh, as a nearby palace servant vaguely heard him mutter something about a national beauty.
The Western Wing was currently buried under the pile of gifts sent by His Majesty. Yu Fu was a little resistant to this and walked over to the main hall.
Gu HuaiJiang, Gu ShuBai, and Gu WenQing were sitting and drinking tea. Yu Fu entered the room and removed her cloak, “It’s rare for head general to have not gone out. Even eldest brother is sitting here idly.”
Gu ShuBai smiled and said: “Father returned part of his troops to His Majesty and is now very relaxed. This year, our family will finally be able to celebrate the new year together.”
Gu WenQing also smiled, “That’s right. If it was like in previous years, father wouldn’t even be able to rest during the new year. Returning a portion of the troops is also fine. Last year, half of the manor’s members were in Changzhou. This year, the family will be able to celebrate together.”
They spoke relaxedly, but Yu Fu could hear the bitterness in their words.
Gu HuaiJiang had served on the battlefield for decades, and he had never neglected his duties because of his exhaustion. There was only one possible explanation for him acting like this…
That would be to avoid the suspicions of the one in power.
It was the case with the previous ruler, and it was also the case with Ning ChengZhi. The difference was that the previous ruler did not allow Gu HuaiJiang to resign even if he was suspicious; however, Ning ChengZhi was very happy to agree.
Yu Fu thought back to what Eunuch Chi had said and started feeling more and more unhappy. Forcing a smile, she said: “That’s right. This is also good. This year, we will finally be able to celebrate with the entire family.”
Gu HuaiJiang said: “I heard from the servants that you went to the eldest prince’s manor?”
The sign at the eldest prince’s manor had been removed two months earlier. The so-called eldest prince’s manor was now just a manor of criminals. Every person living there could be bullied.
The eldest prince’s title had also been stripped. Nobody in court dared to mention him, and he would only occasionally be brought up in private conversations.
Yu Fu nodded, “With my status, it’s better that I go than if my elder brothers went. First, it’s to show consideration for past interactions, and second, it was related to Yin Shuo.”
She looked up at the others and spoke in a stern tone, “Yin Shuo knew that the eldest prince poisoned the late emperor, and he used that to threaten the eldest prince into assassinating the late emperor. Yin Shuo is the one who instigated the whole thing. Our speculation was correct.”
Gu ShuBai said: “A dying man’s last words are often true. The eldest prince has no reason to try and lie to us. Yin Shuo is a truly sinister person. With how much His Majesty favors and trusts him, I fear that our Marquis Gu’s Manor…”
Gu HuaiJiang let out a sigh and said: “There have been signs of Yin Shuo opposing Marquis Gu’s Manor since long ago. Now that he has taken away all of the cabinet’s power, he wields even more influence and power than with the late emperor. This is the reason for me relinquishing part of my power. We can oppose Yin Shuo without giving an inch, but we can’t do the same with His Majesty.”
As the saying went, if a ruler wanted a subject to die, that subject had no choice but to die. He was not that blindly loyal, but if the ruler wanted to take away his power, he would happily comply.
Power was never something that he wanted. Trading it for some peace of mind was worth it.
Gu WenQing said: “Father, blindly making concessions is not the best way of doing things. Despite clearly knowing that Yin Shuo is the one who planned the late emperor’s assassination, do we have to allow him to act as he pleases in court?”
Gu ShuBai glanced at him and motioned for him to stop talking about this topic.
If there was a way of revealing Yin Shuo’s true character, they would have used it, but after two full months of looking for evidence of Yin Shuo’s participation, they could not find anything.
He had acted too quickly. Targetting the time when they would be fighting at the border with Western Kun to carry out the plan then erasing all of the evidence while they were rushing back to the capital.
All of the blame was placed on the eldest prince, while Yin Shuo kept himself completely clean.
He changed the topic, “Yu Fu, what was the cause of the commotion outside just now? Did the palace send another gift?”
“Un.”
Yu Fu slightly nodded with an absent-minded look.
Yao Lan waited on her from next to the door and suddenly poked her head in, “Young miss, why didn’t you tell them everything? Right before leaving, the eldest prince said something important. Why didn’t you tell Lord Marquis and the others?”
Yu Fu did not have a chance to stop her when Gu ShuBai said: “What important thing did he say?”
Yao Lan ignored Yu Fu’s gestures, “Young miss, don’t try to stop me. This matter is too important. Everyone must be told! The eldest prince said that Prime Minister Yin’s condition for working with the eldest prince was to marry the young miss!”
