Chapter 319 - 100: Returning to Court

Chapter 319: Chapter 100: Returning to Court

On the day the Emperor returned to the Capital City in triumph, a spring drizzle had been falling for days, but it did nothing to dampen the public’s enthusiasm.

For three days prior, the roads were already packed with people. The court had to deploy soldiers to clear a path; otherwise, the officials would have had nowhere to stand.

In the Capital City, spots in the restaurants and teahouses along the main street of the Emperor’s procession were worth a king’s ransom.

Qi Leyun, however, had secured the best seat without spending a dime. She didn’t have to wake up early or travel far to stand in some field. Cradling her tea, she leaned against the window and looked out. She could not only see the street below but also the city gates in the distance. The moment the Emperor’s procession entered the city, she would see it.

This spot had been reserved by a young lady with the surname Ning.

The Ning Family wasn’t a prominent Aristocratic Family in the Capital City, and its members held only ordinary official posts, but as great merchants, they were extremely wealthy.

But no matter how rich a family was, one rarely heard of their young ladies spending lavishly on a whim.

"Ah Zhi, you’re usually so quiet. I never knew you were such a big spender," Qi Leyun said. "They say that in your Ning Family, even a newborn is immediately given a shop, raking in a fortune while still in swaddling clothes. It seems the rumors are true."

She glanced back into the room, which was filled with girls chattering and laughing.

"It’s just too crowded!" Qi Leyun said, tapping the windowsill in annoyance. "Why did you all come here? You could have gotten your own rooms."

A girl peeling pine nuts shot Qi Leyun a look. "What a thing to say! We’re all chipping in for this. Ah Zhi was the one who convinced her family to let her book it, but we can’t just let Ah Qi spend all her own money."

No matter how wealthy this young lady was, she could never have spent so much money just to watch the festivities without the approval of her family’s elders.

’It’s not just for fun and games that you need the elders’ permission,’ Miss Ning thought, sitting amongst the other girls. ’The legitimate daughter of the Ning family is indeed wealthy, but that wealth is her dowry. It’s meant to secure a good marriage, to make her future husband’s family think highly of her, to marry into a family of even better standing than the Nings. They say the money is yours, but at home, your father controls it, and after you marry, your husband does—’

’This is the first time I’ve ever made such a decision on my own.’

She didn’t know why, but that day, when she heard the posthouse soldier in the street shouting about the Empress’s great victory, she had been overcome with excitement. And when she heard that the Emperor was returning to the capital and everyone was going out to welcome him, she suddenly felt the urge to spend a fortune.

"The Empress has won a great victory, the Heir of the King of Zhongshan has confessed his crimes, and His Majesty is returning to the capital! I want to see it with my own eyes. I want to celebrate the Empress," she had run to her father and said. "I want to book the highest, largest private room."

Her loving mother was so shocked she thought her daughter had lost her mind. But her father, who was usually ill-tempered, had actually smiled.

"Celebrating the Empress, you say? It’s your money, you can spend it however you like." He waved his hand magnanimously. "Go on."

Sitting in this private room today, watching the other girls’ excitement, she felt incredibly excited herself.

She didn’t let it show on her face, though. Miss Ning just smiled faintly and thanked her "sisters" for their consideration.

"You’re too kind," she said. "It was my idea, but it is also my father’s—the Ning Family’s—wish to celebrate His Majesty and the Lady for suppressing the rebellion and bringing peace to the country."

The girls all praised Miss Ning, but Qi Leyun just spread her hands. "Well, I have neither money nor power. I can’t offer her any celebration."

"But our Miss Qi attended the Empress’s Chu Garden Literary Meeting, and she even gets to live in the Chu Garden," another girl said with a grin, linking her arm with Qi Leyun’s teasingly.

’That’s right. How many people got to live in the Chu Garden?’ Qi Leyun straightened her back. "That’s not all. The Empress and I, we’ve argued, we’ve even fought."

The room erupted in even louder laughter, punctuated by the girls’ voices. "What are you so proud of? Who here hasn’t had a run-in with the Empress?"

It was true. In the beginning, they had all treated Chu Zhao as a source of amusement. They never imagined a day like this.

That fierce girl who used to hit and curse people was, in fact, still just as fierce—competing with the Scholars, fighting her way out of a siege with the young prince, and now, leading troops against Western Liang and battling the King of Zhongshan—

Although they were the same age, that girl had, step by step, become someone they looked up to, someone they yearned to be—

"His Majesty is entering the city!" a girl by the window shouted.

The girls sitting inside immediately jumped up and rushed to the windows. Qi Leyun leaned so far out she was halfway out of her seat.

The entire Capital City was in an uproar. Or rather, the uproar had spread from outside the city walls to within. The Emperor’s carriage, the welcoming officials, and the escorting soldiers were like a procession surrounded by endless, colorful clouds, and with the bows of the people, it surged like a wave rolling through the sea.

The Emperor, however, was not on horseback. He was seated inside a carriage, his face obscured by a thin gauze curtain, revealing only the silhouette of a child.

This was a disappointment to the onlookers. Those who had seen the Emperor when he left the capital were even more thrilled, as they had been fortunate enough to see the Son of Heaven’s face in person—a stroke of luck worth boasting about for a lifetime.

Besides the Emperor not being on horseback, Third Young Master Xie was also not in the procession.

On the Emperor’s carriage was an official in red robes—the Grand Tutor, Deng Yi.

The common people rarely saw Grand Tutor Deng Yi. As the Regent, a minister of great importance, the Grand Tutor lived almost exclusively in the Imperial Palace. On the rare occasions he went out, the streets were cleared by soldiers.

This Grand Tutor came from a humble background. No one knew how he got so lucky as to be promoted by the late Emperor, ascending to the heavens in a single step.

Because of his low birth, no one in the city could dig up any stories about his past. He was a mysterious and inscrutable figure.

Seen now in the daylight, the Grand Tutor appeared to be around thirty. He didn’t have the dashing grace of a young master, but he had refined features. His thin lips, however, were turned slightly down, making him look ill-tempered—and indeed, the Grand Tutor was known for his bad temper. Ever since he took office, the prisons had been filled to the brim with convicted officials.

The people stole a few glances but didn’t dare stare. They much preferred to talk about Third Young Master Xie.

"Why isn’t Third Young Master Xie here?"

"His Majesty couldn’t stay away for too long. The Third Young Master stayed behind to handle the aftermath."

"It’s a shame. You all missed seeing the Third Young Master’s magnificent presence that night."

"I saw him! The Third Young Master was dressed in plain robes, a long saber in hand. He was like the god Erlang Zhenjun descended to earth."

Although they couldn’t see the Emperor clearly, didn’t dare look at the Grand Tutor, and couldn’t find Third Young Master Xie, the crowd still had other spectacles to enjoy.

The carriage of the Heir of the King of Zhongshan was right behind the Emperor’s, surrounded by the Imperial Guard, its curtains drawn low.

"I heard the Heir of the King of Zhongshan knelt bare-backed before the army with birch rods on his back to beg for forgiveness."

"I can’t believe the Princely Heir would do something like that!"

"Bah! A beast in human form! He’s all looks and no substance. How many people has he gotten killed?!"

"Look at all the refugees in the Capital City recently! He’s the one to blame for them."

"I heard the people were throwing stones at him before the army!"

"Why is he getting a carriage? Make him get out so we can throw stones at him too!"

"Get out!"

"Xiao Xun, get out here!"

But no matter how loud the uproar, the heavy curtain didn’t move an inch. When someone tried to throw something, the Soldiers surrounding the carriage drew their sabers—perhaps they were afraid of accidentally hitting His Majesty.

After all, His Majesty’s imperial carriage was right in front.

The crowd gave up on the idea of throwing things and just started cursing Xiao Xun even louder.

No matter how good their vantage point from the private room above, they couldn’t see Xiao Xun inside his carriage.

One girl said, "I remember the first time I saw the Heir of the King of Zhongshan. It was at the Chu Garden. He came to see Chu Zhao’s literary meeting and even saved a servant girl."

Her words sparked the girls’ memories. Whether it was the Princely Heir emerging from the water or the Princely Heir in a fresh set of clothes, he had been a dashing young gentleman, his looks and bearing no less impressive than Third Young Master Xie’s—

"I never would have thought he was that kind of person," a girl said indignantly.

Another girl said, "I thought he seemed two-faced even back then. Have you forgotten? He was hanging around the Third Prince at the time. Who knows what ulterior motives he had for coming to the Chu Garden Literary Meeting."

Qi Leyun clapped her hands. "Whatever his motives were, he couldn’t make any waves with the Empress around." She leaned out the window to look. "Is the Empress here yet?"

While the common people were excitedly waiting for the Emperor, the girls were waiting for Chu Zhao. Qi Leyun had even predicted that Chu Zhao would appear on horseback, saber held high, but that guess was wrong. Then they thought she might be in the carriage with the Emperor, but there was only one figure inside—

’Is she escorting the prisoner behind Xiao Xun’s carriage?’

From their high vantage point, the view was wide. They could see people on horseback behind Xiao Xun’s carriage. At first glance, they blended in with the Soldiers and were unnoticeable. But a second look revealed they were different from the Soldiers. They were ordinary people, not wearing armor or carrying weapons, and there were even women among them—

One woman was dressed in an apricot-colored gown, a spring blossom blooming amidst the dark sea of guards.

"It’s—" Qi Leyun’s eyes went wide. "Chu Tang!"

...

...

"Chu Tang!"

Amidst the clamor, countless high-pitched female voices exploded overhead, startling the people in the street, who all looked up.

Chu Tang looked up as well, her eyes landing on a group of girls blooming like flowers in the window of a building by the street. She could clearly see the shock on their faces.

Chu Tang pursed her lips into a smile and raised a hand to wave at them—

"Chu Tang!" Qi Leyun had already shouted. "Were you captured and brought back as a prisoner?!"

’What on earth is she talking about?’ Chu Tang’s raised hand froze.