Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Zhou Linghuai nodded. âThat should be the case!â
Yu Zongshen took a deep look at Zhou Linghuai. âRecently, Li Qiguangâs case has also been overwrought. After the Great General of the Cavalry reported to the Imperial Court, in order to stabilize the Northern Region, the emperor will quickly get the cabinet to discuss the follow-up problems of King of Youâs case. Itâs imperative to restore his title, ancestral temple, achievements, and so on. Only then can Yin Huaixi inherit the title of King and head to You
Prefecture to prevent Ha Meng from causing trouble.â
After the battle in Shandong, everyone in the world knew that the emperor wanted Yin Huaixi to guard You Prefecture. Now that everything was set in stone, there was nothing the cabinet can do.
Zhou Linghuai chuckled. âThe situation in the Northern Territory is very unstable after the King of Youâs case. The war is secondary. Stabilizing the Northern Territory is the most important thing.â
The meaning was clear. No matter how difficult Li Qiguangs case was, the King of Youâs case has to be settled first.
The north was not stable, and the peopleâs hearts were not calm either.
Zhou Linghuai was not in the imperial court, but he could firmly control the situation.
The banquet at night was very sumptuous.
The entire family gathered around a large round table. Concubine Qiu and the other concubines, who had birthed many children for the Yu family, also had another small table set up for them.
Yu Zongzheng was not around. Zhou Linghuai sat in the seat that originally belonged to him, on Matriarch Yuâs left.
Madam Yang was also locked up in the Tranquil Heart Residence. The seat beside Yu Zongzheng was given to Yu Youyao.
This way, Yu Youyao naturally sat beside her cousin.
As people get older, they liked to be lively. Matriarch Yu said happily, âLinghuai brought back some wine from the north. Coincidentally, I have a set of luminous glasses in my storeroom. They complement each other.â
Yu Youyao picked up the small cup in front of her. It was dark green and as thin as an eggshell. It was thin and smooth to the touch. She raised it to take a look. The cup was smooth and transparent. âIt looks very much like serpentine jade!â
Zhou Linghuai turned to look at her. âThe luminous cup looks like Bi jade, so itâs often mistaken for serpentine jade. Actually, itâs made of a kind of jade called Jiuquan Jade. Itâs a tribute from the Western Region. The Great Zhou
Dynasty doesnât have it.â
Yu Youyao nodded. âThen will the luminous cup really glow at night?â
Zhou Linghuai shook his head. âThe luminous cup doesnât glow either. Itâs filled with wine. Under the moonlight, it reflects a bright ray of light that reflects the wine.Thatâs how it got its name. Moreover, the luminous cup has a strange texture. If you use this cup to hold wine, the fragrance of the wine will be extremely delicious.â
At this moment, a maidservant came over to pour wine.
As soon as the bright red wine entered the luminous glass, it was filled with the color of wine. Candlelight seemed to shine from it, and the wine colour was intoxicating.
Yu Youyao sniffed and smelled the fragrance of the wine.
âIt smells so good!â Her eyes lit up, and she eagerly picked up the wine and brought it to her lips. She did not dare to drink it directly, but stuck out her little tongue and licked it gently like a cat.
Yu Youyaoâs eyes widened. âItâs sweet and strong. Itâs better than plum wine.â
Wine is beautiful because it tastes mellow and sweet. When it enters the mouth, it is sweet and fragrant, and when it enters the throat, it is soft. When it is savored, it feels sweet and cool, and the aftertaste is endless.
Even when women drink it, they feel that it is sweet and delicious.
Zhou Linghuai was amused by her gluttonous appearance. âThis is the best wine. Itâs also very rare in Shanxi.â
Tribute wines, with leaven added to the wine, taste more like fruit wine than natural fermented grape juice, which is locally known as âreal wine.â
This kind of wine relied on skills. The product was rarer and more expensive. Not only was it not available on the market, but even the wine offered as tribute was inferior.
Yu Youyao held the small cup and narrowed her eyes like a cat stealing fish. From time to time, she would stick out her little tongue and gently lick the wine before smacking her lips, intoxicating her.
The wine was sweet and delicious, and everyone loved it.
Even Matriarch Yu couldnât help but drink a few more glasses. After the banquet ended, she was a little tipsy.
The next day, the palace sent someone over. They delivered the relevant documents for Teng libraryâs Documentary Scriptures that Zhou Linghuai is
participating in.
Zhou Linghuaiâs legs were disabled.
Matriarch Yu brought her entire family to thank them, and this matter was settled.
Yu Youyao was very happy. She picked out some cloth, silk, and other things that she could not use from her private stash and rewarded the servants in the residence.
Matriarch Yu looked for Zhou Linghuai. âTo be able to enter the Teng library is also because of the emperorâs kindness. Do you want to enter the palace to thank the emperor?
When Yu Youyao heard this, she became nervous. It was only with the emperorâs approval that âYin Huaixiâ dared to show her his mask.
In addition, âYin Huaixiââs face was severely damaged. If the truth was revealed, it would be an eyesore and would be disrespectful to the royal family.
No one in the court had ever seen âYin Huaixiâ in person, but the emperor had definitely seen him before.
Although his cousin had used the identity of âZhou Linghuaiâ, he still used his own face. Although he had slightly modified it, he definitely could not hide it from the emperor.
To thank the emperor, wouldnât this expose his double identity?
Zhou Linghuai looked at her comfortingly and said, âHis Majesty knows that my legs are disabled and that there are many rules and etiquette in the palace. Heâs afraid of offending the dignity of the royal family, so he specially allowed me not to enter the palace to thank him. Iâll write a poem another day to express my gratitude.â
Matriarch Yu was originally worried about this, but she was relieved now.
Li Qiguangâs case was under intense trial, and many people were implicated in it.
The situation in the north was unstable. Ha Meng was secretly spying on the Narrow Yu Pass. The emperor was worried and sent Chang Ningbo to the north to stabilize the situation. He summoned the Cabinet Grand Secretary, Xia Yansheng, to the palace for a meeting.
He asked Xia Yansheng to speed up the follow-up of the case of King of You.
Chang Ningbo seemed to have conveyed a certain message when he went to You Prefecture. The cabinet did not dare to be negligent. After another three days of discussion, they had already drafted the relevant draft.
Xia Yansheng didnât report the matter to the emperor immediately. âSend it to the Yin Residence first and show it to Yin Huaixi before making a decision.â
There was an old minister in the cabinet who was a little displeased. âThe emperor is waiting for the cabinet to discuss a decision. Why arenât you in a hurry at all? Why are you sending the draft to the Yin residence? Yin Huaixi shouldnât have been involved in this matter.â
Xia Yansheng didnât even open his eyes as he mumbled, âIf Yin Huaixi isnât satisfied, then this case isnât over.â
The cabinet needed to satisfy Yin Huaixi first.
Three days later, the Yin Residence sent the revised draft to the Xia Residence.
Xia Yansheng didnât say anything for a long time.
The few old officials in the Cabinet couldnât sit still anymoreâ¦
âBang!â Someone couldnât hold it in any longer and slammed the table. âYin Huaixi is too arrogant. He wants to hold a funeral for His Highness King of You again. Not only does he not want to inter King of You into the imperial mausoleum, but he also wants to bring his spirit back to You Prefecture for funeral ritesâ¦
âThe Emperor mentioned before that he wanted King of You to be interred in the imperial mausoleumâ¦â
âWhat should we do about returning the coffin to You Prefecture? We canât just carelessly bury it, right?â
âShould we discuss it with General Yin again?
In the blink of an eye, the cabinet started arguing again..