Chapter 65
The imperial court operates with six powerful departments: official, household, ritual, military, criminal, and industrial. Each one is commanded by a minister, all of whom are responsible for the country's military affairs and report directly to the Emperor.
These six ministers come together nearly every day, and regardless of their personal dynamics, if one throws a wedding banquet, the other five are always invited.
In the midst of some ruckus in the front courtyard, Guo Hong, the no-nonsense Minister of Punishment, stepped forward to investigate with his colleagues.
After last yearâs scandal with the Chang Garden case, the late emperor grew disillusioned with the Ministry of Punishmentâs handling of affairs, which led to the demotion of the previous minister. Guo Hong, who had been governor of Shanxi at the time, was summoned to the capital. During his time in Shanxi, Guo not only managed to turn the political tides in his favor but also solved several high-profile cases, which earned him the respect and trust of the capitalâs elite.
When he arrived in the capital, Guo Hong didnât waste time looking to make friends with any of the city's high-ranking officials. Instead, he kept his eyes firmly on his duties as the Minister of Justice, steering clear of anything that might distract him from his work.
The ministers, each sporting their own well-groomed beards, commanded a powerful presence that stilled the chatter among the guests.
On her knees, clutching a spiritual tablet, the woman dressed in white spotted Hu Bochang, the Minister of War, dressed in red. With a glance, she could tell that Guo Hong and the others held lower ranks than Hu. In a state of distress, the woman began to cry even harder.
Although Hu Bochang had once considered locking these people up in the firewood shed, the opportunity passed when they were in front of the crowd, and now any action would only look suspicious.
With her emotions taking over, the woman in white finally spoke up. She introduced herself as Liu, and her husband, Tang Changhe, had served as the commander of the Dinghai Guard in Ningbo, Zhejiang, seven years ago. At that time, Hu Bochang was the governor of Zhejiang, and the region had been suffering constant attacks from Japanese pirates. In response, Hu had enlisted local maritime bandits, including a notorious leader named Chu Xiao, whose skill earned him respect for his success in fighting the invaders.
But while Chu Xiao was a hero in battle, he was a tyrant in his own right, flouting military regulations and terrorizing the local population. Liuâs husband, Tang Changhe, couldnât stand it. He didnât just confront Chu Xiao for his abuses, he also went to Hu Bochang repeatedly, trying to expose Chu Xiaoâs crimes and put an end to the terror.
Liu knew the truth, and she wasnât about to keep it quiet. She boldly accused Hu Bochang of accepting bribes from Chu Xiao and of turning a blind eye to the chaos that followed. It was all part of their twisted conspiracy. When the Japanese pirates attacked, they seized the chance to murder Tang Changhe, framing the pirates for it in the process. After that, Chu Xiao didnât stopâhe became a relentless predator, repeatedly breaking into the Tang family estate, all for one thing: Liu. At first, she was ready to end it all, but her son, her precious boy, kept her tethered to life. She couldnât let go, not yet.
As Tang Zi grew, the weight of his mother's torment became too much to ignore. His rage boiled over and he tried to kill Chu Xiao, but it nearly cost him his life. The Liu family spared no expense, calling in the finest doctors, but even they couldnât save him. Tang Zi died, heartbroken and full of pain, just after losing the will to live. Thatâs when Liu, in her deepest despair, thought about ending it all with her enemiesâHu Bochang and Chu Xiaoâbeside her.
But when Hu Bochang faced her accusations, he remained calm, his voice dripping with feigned sympathy.
âIâm sorry for your suffering, Liu,â he said softly, almost too softly. âBut in my three years as governor in Zhejiang, I never heard of any wrongdoing by Chu Xiao. Tang Changhe was a hero, a martyr in the war. And after moving to Beijing, I havenât heard of any vendetta between you and him.â
Liu wasnât buying it. âDonât feed me that, Hu. Chu Xiao has been a tyrant in Ningbo for years. It was only because of your protection in Beijing that it never came to light. You were his partner in crime, accepting bribes and covering for him.â
Hu Bochang shook his head, an almost playful smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. âIâve had no contact with him since returning to Beijing. Your allegations are baseless. Now, please, today is a joyous occasion for my granddaughter. I ask that you leave.â
The Hu family's servants were quick to escort Liu and her group out, but Liu was unfazed. She had her own plans.
Guo Hong, the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, had been watching from the sidelines, and he wasnât about to let this go unnoticed. âLiu shi has come all the way from Ningbo to seek justice,â he announced, his voice cutting through the tension. âWhether or not she has evidence, as Minister, I canât ignore her claim. Itâs my duty.â
Hu Bochangâs face tightened. âWhat are you implying, Mr. Guo?â
Guo Hongâs gaze was unyielding. âI will escort Liu shi to the Ministry of Punishment. Letâs make sure no one disturbs your celebration.â
Hu Bochang knew when to back down. His smile was tight, forced. âVery well. Let the investigation begin, Mr. Guo. Clear my name.â
Guo Hong nodded, his tone firm. âThatâs how it should be.â
With that, Guo led Liu and her companions away. As they left, the mood in the mansion shifted. Guests whispered, unsure of what had just transpired. Xi Niang tried to rally the crowd with her excitement, but Chen Dingzhi, the top scholar, couldnât quite mask his discomfort. He wanted out, more than anything.
*
The music was still playing, loud and pulsing, as the top scholar picked up the bride effortlessly, cradling her in his arms with a smile. Around them, a crowd of dignitaries feigned ignorance, pretending to be too wrapped up in their food and drink, enjoying themselves as if nothing of importance was happening. They kept their composure until the wedding banquet finally came to an end, slipping out one by one.
Hu Bochang saw off a few ministers, including Cao Xun. Despite Cao Xun's high official rank, he was still considered lower than most of the others and trailed behind them. As he walked out, he couldn't help but notice Hu Bochang bidding the ministers farewell, his eyes lingering on the courtyard where his young lady was waiting.
Cao Shao stood just behind his brother, watching closely. Then, Pan shi and some other female relatives emerged from the crowd.
Cao Xun looked around, eyes searching, and casually asked Pan, âWhereâs Yunzhu?â
Pan, not even pretending to be surprised by his ignorance, just shrugged and said, âDu shi spilled tea on her. She left early. Thereâs no need to make a fuss about it.â
With so many people around, Pan couldnât exactly bad-mouth her daughter-in-law in front of them.
Cao Xun seemed to accept the explanation, but Cao Shaoâs expression darkened. He knew all about the tension between Yunzhu and Du shi. He could tell it wasnât an accidentâDu shi had done it on purpose. He didnât want Yunzhu to suffer in silence, so on their way back home, he quietly reminded his brother to check on her and make sure she wasnât holding onto any lingering resentment.
Cao Xun just nodded, âI understand.â
Back at the house, Cao Xun slipped into a jade-white brocade robe and headed straight to the backyard to find Yunzhu. She was already in her undergarments, preparing to rest. He sat beside her bed, his eyes soft as he studied her.
"Why didn't you let someone know you were leaving early?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Yunzhu gave him a playful smile, a flicker of mischief in her eyes. "Even if I had told you, what could you have done? And it's really not a big deal."
He leaned in closer, his tone becoming more serious. "Was the tea hot? Did it hurt?"
Yunzhu raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised that he'd picked up on it, and then realized he'd only heard part of the story. âItâs fine, really.â
Cao Xun paused, a thoughtful silence hanging between them, before he reached out, his fingers brushing her head lightly. "I promised Iâd take you to see my father. Why are you still lying down?"
Yunzhu hesitated, then replied, âYou must be tired from all the socializing. Why not take a rest first before we go?"
He glanced at her, his eyes flicking to the robe she wore and then back to her face. âGet up, or youâll have to wear it again."
Yunzhu had no choice but to call for Lian Qiao and Shiliu to help her change. Once dressed, they left for the carriage, the evening unfolding as they made their way out.
It was one of those hot summer days, and the carriage was sweltering. The air was thick, but there was always a round fan kept inside to ease the heat. Cao Xun casually picked it up, giving it a few practiced flicks to create a cool breeze, sweeping the air around her like it was second nature.
Yunzhu, her eyes fluttering closed, leaned back, letting the soothing motion of the fan lull her into a peaceful doze.
Cao Xun, with a sly smile, asked, "Want to lean on me?"
Yunzhu, barely lifting her eyelids, responded with a soft smile, "No, it's not that long a ride."
He nodded, his eyes lingering on her for a moment before the fan continued its rhythmic dance, the air swirling around her with every flick.
When they arrived at Duke Ningâs mansion, Gu Min was waiting for them, looking every bit the part of a gracious hostess. She greeted Cao Xun with a nod before turning to Yunzhu, her smile bright. "Fatherâs recovering," she said, "But heâs still not able to move around much."
Yunzhu exhaled, a soft sigh of relief escaping her lips.
The three of them made their way inside, where Meng shi was assisting Li Yong, who was carefully walking along the corridor, taking slow, measured steps. Cao Xun raised an eyebrow, noticing the scene. "Theyâre being too considerate," he remarked casually. "It should be our turn to take care of things. Your father needs rest, itâs not right for him to be up and about."
Li Yong chuckled, shrugging off the concern. "The shoulderâs fine, these steps are nothing. You were at the Hu wedding today, werenât you?"
Cao Xun, as composed as ever, answered, "I stopped by home to change clothes."
Meanwhile, Yunzhu, who had been supporting her father from the other side, shot a playful wink at Gu Min, who quickly slipped out of the room.
Turning to her father, Yunzhu said, "Take off your robe. I want to see your shoulder for myself."
Li Yong hesitated, clearly uncomfortable. "Weâre all adults hereâwhatâs the need for this?"
Yunzhuâs voice grew a little firmer, a touch of frustration creeping in. "Youâre my father, Iâll look if I want to. I donât care about anyone else."
Cao Xun just smiled, leaning casually against the wall as the family drama unfolded.
After a moment of resistance, Li Yong gave in, having his wife untie his robe to reveal the injury. The wound had healed, but it was still a painful sight to behold.
Not wanting his daughter to get upset, Li Yong tried to steer her away. "Letâs go somewhere else, Yunzhu."
As they left the room, Cao Xun casually mentioned the events from the Hu household, his tone light but with a sharp edge. "The details are a bit unclear, but it was all quite the spectacle, apparently."
Li Yong, not too familiar with the Hu family, raised an eyebrow. "Is that true?"
Cao Xunâs smile was a little darker now. "The truth? Who knows. Mr. Guo took everyone away before anything could be figured out."
Outside in the garden, Gu Min caught up with Meng shi and Yunzhu, their conversation turning quickly to the previous banquet. Meng shiâs concern was clear, but Yunzhu, unbothered, relayed how sheâd taught Du shi a lesson, making sure to emphasize how it was the perfect way to handle things. Gu Minâs eyes widened in shock.
Meng shi muttered bitterly, "Thatâs how it should be. Letâs see who dares to challenge us now."
Gu Min gritted her teeth, a sharp look on her face. "She used to speak badly of you, but now we see whoâs really the fool."
Yunzhu laughed lightly, teasing her. "Good thing my sister-in-law didnât believe those rumors, or my brother would be angry with you instead."
Gu Min, unable to argue, simply fell silent.
Gesturing toward the front yard, Meng shi remarked, "You didnât give Du shi any faceâwhat will Fushan think?" She worried that her son-in-law would think Yunzhu too headstrong.
Yunzhuâs smile was unwavering. "He actually praised me for handling it the right way."
What Meng shi didnât know was that Yunzhu hadnât even bothered to tell Cao Xun the real story. Sheâd handled it all on her own, and heâd never even heard a word about it.
After half an hour at Ningguo Mansion, Yunzhu followed Cao Xun back, the heat of the afternoon wrapping around them like a heavy cloak.
Theyâd moved around a few times, and now Yunzhu was ready to unwind. As she lay down, Cao Xun slipped in behind her, his body pressing gently against hers. His arms surrounded her with quiet possessiveness.
Her lashes fluttered as she let herself relax into him, feeling the weight of his presence. Despite sleeping in the back house for the past few nights, Cao Xun had kept his distance, never forcing himself on herâalways careful, always seeming like the gentleman. He thought she was still upset with him. What he didnât know was that Yunzhu wasnât trying to push him away at all.
When theyâd first married, she hadnât wanted to fall in love with him. She wanted their marriage to be more practical, focused on being a loving couple, but now things were different. She could feel his desire for her, and though she knew his love for her had its limits, the allure of it still ran deep. In return for his protection and care, Yunzhu gave him kindness, no strings attached.
She thought he might make his move, but instead, Cao Xun simply kissed the soft curve of her ear and sighed in frustration. "The Emperor gave you a chariot, and you didnât flinch. You didnât feel wronged or scared, and you never thought to tell me. But at the banquet today, someone dared to mistreat you, and you kept it from me. Are you trying to push me away, Yunzhu?â
Yunzhu gave him a soft smile, her voice low, teasing. "What else can I say? Itâs my fault. If Iâd been more dignified earlier, maybe she wouldnât have gotten the wrong idea and thought I was trying to steal her man."
Cao Xun stiffened behind her, his breath hot against her neck. She didnât budge, maintaining her composure.
After a tense moment, he sighed deeply, his breath warming the nape of her neck. As she was about to respond, he tightened his embrace, holding her even closer. His voice was thick with emotion. "Frivolous or not, I love you exactly as you are."
"I was wrong," he whispered, "I shouldn't have said that."
Her smile deepened, the warmth of his words settling over her like a seductive blanket.
"Tell me, how can I make you feel better? How can I make you truly at ease?"
âââTN:
"Another 5 chapters retranslated, hell yeah!
And for those quick to judge Yunzhe for her so-called childish behavior around her husband, just take a moment. Read the damn description of this novel. The author never painted the female lead as some flawless, one-dimensional character.
Get over it."