The Crown Prince Chases His Wife
Chapter 127 Delegations
According to the “Guoyu,” it is said that there are eight winds in a year. After the Tomb Sweeping Day wind, yang energy rises, and all things flourish.
In the third lunar month, during the peak of spring, the countryside was bright and clear, full of the vitality of the season.
In the capital city, due to the upcoming royal imperial and the Empress Dowager’s sixtieth birthday, there was a festive and harmonious atmosphere.
A few months ago, the Honglu Temple began preparations to receive envoys from various countries. They established routes for the envoys, arranged officials for their reception, and made necessary repairs to the guesthouses and lodgings in the capital.
Notably, according to tradition, when foreign delegations enter the capital, they are usually guided by the local prefecture after entering the territory. However, the Honglu Temple received instructions from the Taizi Mansion to make an exception for the Northern Liang delegation, which established diplomatic relations with the Great Xia for the first time.
The Honglu Temple dispatched two officials, leading various envoys, escorted by four thousand soldiers from the Longwu Army of the Southern Yamen to welcome the Northern Liang delegation at the planned entry point in Xuzhou, Yun Port. This was the highest level of reception afforded to any delegation.
Starting from the beginning of the month, various princes and congratulatory delegations from different countries arrived in the capital, with the Honglu Temple arranging their lodgings and banquets.
The Northern Liang delegation was arranged to stay at the Duting Post Station, the Turkic delegation at the Tongwen Hall, the Western Rong delegation at the Libin Courtyard, the Southern Border delegation at the Zhanyun Pavilion; the Goryeo and Eastern Yi delegations at the Huaiyuan Post Station, while other countries, such as Jiaozhi, Annan, Gebo, Sanfoqi, Danliumei, Yutian, Zhenla, and Dashi, were accommodated at the Banjing Pavilion.
The Southern Yamen Imperial Army was responsible for the security of various post stations in the capital. If envoys from different countries wish to go out, they must report to the Southern Yamen, and an Imperial Guard will accompany them.
Countries like the Turkic and Western Rong nations expressed strong dissatisfaction with this arrangement, which felt akin to surveillance. However, the commander of the Southern Yamen Imperial Army, Lu Chen, personally visited the post stations and dismissed their complaints with a single statement, “This is the arrangement ordered by His Highness Taizi.”
All the envoys were well aware of the decisive and ruthless nature of the Great Xia’s regent, Taizi Feng Zhan, who was not one to be swayed by anyone’s influence.
In truth, they also understood that once they entered the capital of the Great Xia, the presence of overt imperial scrutiny would be accompanied by covert monitoring.
It was clear that the Taizi, Feng Zhan, conducted himself in an exceedingly arrogant and domineering manner.
——
As soon as the Marquis of Guannei, Han Shiyan entered the capital, he stormed directly towards the Left Prime Minister Mansion, accompanied by his subordinates. Left Prime Minister Wang Xian knew full well that Han Shiyan had come to settle accounts regarding Han Shuangling’s recent misfortune. Wang Xian had already stationed people at every city gate in the capital, and upon seeing the Marquis’s carriage, they immediately notified the Prime Minister to return home.
In the front hall of the Left Prime Minister Mansion, Wang Xian and his eldest son, Wang Jingheng, both offered their apologies to the Marquis of Guannei. However, Han Shiyan remained silent throughout, his expression dark and clearly angered.
Han Shiyan glanced coldly at his son-in-law Wang Jingheng, who looked full of guilt, and said in a cold voice, “I want to see my daughter Han Shuangling.”
After Han Shuangling entered the front hall, Wang Xian asked Wang Jingheng to step outside with him, leaving the father and daughter of the Marquis of Guannei to talk.
Wang Jingheng felt a sense of unease. Knowing his father-in-law, the Marquis, he could tell that he was still holding in his anger. The fact that he hadn’t said anything made him even more anxious.
He exchanged a guilty glance with Han Shuangling before passing by her and exiting the hall.
Inside the hall, after his daughter Han Shuangling was seated, the Marquis of Guannei didn’t speak immediately but remained silent for a while.
After a moment, he looked at Han Shuangling and said, “Shuangling, it was your aunt, Imperial Concubine Jing, and the Third Prince who wanted you to marry into the Left Prime Minister Mansion. I thought the Left Prime Minister Mansion was a bit complicated, but since you agreed at the time, I didn’t insist further.”
“I had thought that Wang Jingheng would be a good match, but it seems he lacks decisiveness and is almost entirely obedient to his father, Wang Xian.”
“I’ve also learned about the situation. On the day of the winter hunt, it was your little sister-in-law, Wang Jingyan, who instigated you to race against the Taizifei. She had ulterior motives and ended up causing you trouble.”
“Daughter, I am a military general, so my words may be rough, but my reasoning is not rough.”
“Your mother and I are quite worried about your future. We won’t let you be a pawn for your aunt and her son Feng Yi. Let’s just divorce.”
“As a noble young lady from a prestigious family, what is there to fear about divorce? There are plenty of suitors lining up to marry you.”
“If you choose not to marry for your entire life, that’s fine too. As the only daughter of the Marquis of Guannei, even if you can’t inherit the title, the family wealth is enough to support you for several lifetimes.”
After saying this, the Marquis of Guannei fixed his gaze on Han Shuangling, waiting for her response.
If Han Shuangling nodded at that moment, this protective father would immediately go to discuss the divorce with Wang Xian.
After a moment of silence in the hall, Han Shuangling raised her eyes to look at the Marquis and spoke, “Father, please allow me to consider it.”
——
After the incident at Xiyuan, where the people of the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion had beaten the people of Prime Minister Qin Mansion, the gossip quickly spread throughout the capital, turning the Prime Minister Qin Mansion into a laughingstock.
Prime Minister Qin was bruised and battered, with internal and external injuries combined, forcing him to submit a petition to the Taizi Mansion, claiming to be suddenly ill and requesting to recuperate at home.
Taizi Feng Zhan was well aware of why Prime Minister Qin had feigned illness, given the ruckus that had erupted at Xiyuan that day.
Feng Zhan didn’t make things difficult for Prime Minister Qin and quickly approved his petition.
However, this approval was delivered personally by Lord Song from the Taizi Mansion, and handed to the bedridden Prime Minister Qin.
Song Zhi conveyed the Taizi’s well wishes, “His Highness Taizi wishes for Prime Minister Qin to take good care of his health. He also mentioned that if Prime Minister Qin is indeed of an age where his health can’t keep up, then he should consider resigning and returning to his hometown.”
After saying this, Song Zhi took his leave, while Prime Minister Qin was left both shocked and furious, nearly spitting blood from rage.
Resign?
Was this the Taizi’s way of dismissing him?
Ignoring any sense of propriety, Prime Minister Qin immediately sent away several local doctors and instead dispatched someone to the Imperial Hospital to summon the court physicians. He needed to recover quickly; otherwise, there would be plenty of people waiting to laugh at him.
——
On that day at Xiyuan, both Old Madam Qin and Song Mei also suffered some punches and kicks. However, protected by their servants, they weren’t seriously harmed. Yet, being elderly and frail, coupled with the shock and water exposure, both had to rest in bed for several days before they could manage to get up.
The old madam had just regained her strength and immediately sent someone to summon Prime Minister Qin over, opening with a demand to get even with the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion.
“How arrogant! You are a first-rank Prime Minister, and I am a first-rank lady. The Duke of Zhenguo Mansion thinks they can hit us whenever they please. This shows they don’t regard our family or the imperial family at all!”
However, Qin Wenzheng remained silent, not responding, which only fueled Old Madam Qin’s anger further.
“Wenzheng, you aren’t still thinking about that venomous woman, Shen Shiying, are you? Let me tell you, if she ever thinks about stepping into our Prime Minister Qin Mansion’s door again, she should forget it!”
Qin Wenzheng furrowed his brows. Given the resolute stance that Shen Shiying and the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion’s people had taken that day at Xiyuan, what chance was there left between him and Shen Shiying?
The old madam shouted angrily, “Wenzheng, if you don’t handle this, I’ll send someone to the palace to ask your sister, Imperial Concubine Shu, to take care of it. Under the emperor’s reign, the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion cannot go unchecked!”
As she was about to stand, Qin Wenzheng sighed and called for a servant to restrain the old madam.
“Mother, an acquaintance at the Imperial Censor Bureau has hinted to me that someone there is planning to use the incident of raising Song Mei to the status of an equal wife against me, under the pretext of favoring a concubine over a wife.”
The old madam froze in her tracks, a mix of shock and fear washing over her.
“Use that against you? Raising an equal wife?”
“Didn’t they think Shen Shiying was dead back then?”
Qin Wenzheng frowned and said, “The people from the Duke of Zhenguo Mansion have always claimed that Shen Shiying was missing. Now that she has returned, they are saying she has been out training all these years.”
“Given that Shen Shiying is indeed alive, our Prime Minister Qin Mansion has, under the circumstances of a legitimate wife being present, raised a concubine to the status of an equal wife. Furthermore, Song Mei wasn’t even a noble concubine before, how could those officials let this slip and not use it against me?”
Looking at Old Madam Qin, he said seriously, “Mother, if the Imperial Censor Bureau truly uses the pretext of favoring a concubine over a wife to impeach me, the outcome is uncertain, but it would undoubtedly have a significant negative impact on my career.”
“We must not escalate the situation regarding the Xiyuan incident. Otherwise, it will be difficult to handle later.”
Old Madam Qin fell silent, but her anger and unease remained.
Was she really going to suffer this silent grievance alone?
After calming Old Madam Qin, Qin Wenzheng turned to leave, feeling an overwhelming sense of despair.
He thought back to how his conflicts with Shen Shiying had started when he insisted that she bear him a son.
Later, due to that unexpected night with Song Mei, she became pregnant.
Considering the possibility of her carrying a son, he took Song Mei as a concubine. This led Shen Shiying to contemplate divorce, deepening the rift between them.
Eventually, to ensure his only son, Qin Ming, was recognized as the legitimate heir, he elevated Song Mei to the status of an equal wife.
Now, it seemed that Qin Ming might not even be his biological child, and the Imperial Censor Bureau had found a way to impeach him.
Qin Wenzheng felt as if he had been blinded by his own desires.
He dragged his feet forward, then suddenly halted.
After a moment, he turned to the steward beside him, Zhang Quan, and instructed, “Bring those two women back.”
He still needed to secure a son after all.
———
But Prime Minister Qin, oh Prime Minister Qin.
For the sake of having a son, you’ve stirred up so much trouble. Is your family vying for a throne to inherit?
Look at how perceptive the Marquis of Guannei is, pampering his only daughter without restraint.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Qin is so old-fashioned that it has brought him considerable trouble!
——–
Since arriving in the capital, Wang Yizhou, Ye Qinghe, has been summoned to the palace every day for discussions with the emperor.
As for Wangfei Song Yin, she has no close friends in the capital. Therefore, apart from visiting the palace to pay her respects to the imperial concubines, she often takes her attendants to stroll around the bustling West and South cities, returning each day with plenty of treasures.
Ye Qinghe allows Song Yin to spend lavishly, as long as she remains obedient and doesn’t cause trouble, he couldn’t be happier.
One day, after leaving a jewelry shop in West City, Song Yin casually walked into a silk store.
The shopkeeper, noticing a distinguished guest, hurried over to greet her, “What can I do for you, madam?”
Song Yin ordered the shopkeeper to bring out all the silk patterns for her to choose from, but as she browsed, her expression grew increasingly displeased.
“Is this the best quality the capital’s silk store has to offer? Are you trying to send me away? Bring your owner out here!”
The shopkeeper’s heart sank. Recently, due to the upcoming wedding of the Taizi and the empress dowager’s birthday celebration, there had been an influx of nobility in the capital, making it quite challenging for him to manage.
This lady before him seemed to be in a bad mood and might just be looking for trouble. He couldn’t afford to offend her, so he quickly decided to notify the owner, Wen.
————-
In the elegant reception room on the second floor of the Wen Silk Store in the West Market, Song Yin sat in a large chair. The long table in front of her was filled with various silk samples, some from this shop and others hastily brought in from other shops by Wen Luo before he arrived.
Wen Luo, standing across from Song Yin, asked, “Is there any silk that a noble might take a liking to?”
Song Yin casually flipped through the samples in front of her and replied, “There are quite a few patterns, but nothing particularly special.”
“I remember the last time I came to the capital, I saw a beautiful brocade robe on the taizifei in the palace. It was a design I had never seen in Yizhou before.”
“It’s a pity I’m not well acquainted with the taizifei, so I felt embarrassed to ask about that silk. Was it from the imperial workshop, or from some other silk shop in the capital?”
“Shopkeeper Wen, surely you experts know the answer?”
“Ha, how could Shopkeeper Wen possibly have seen the taizifei?”
As Song Yin spoke, she paused to take a sip of tea.
Hearing her repeatedly mention “taizifei,” Wen Luo’s pupils slightly contracted, even though he didn’t show it on his face.
Song Yin glanced at Wen Luo, set down her teacup, and reluctantly chose a few pieces of silk before leaving the shop.
In the carriage on her way back, she tucked away her nonchalance and let out a sigh of relief internally.
She had done her homework on Taizifei Qin Yan, and her investigation revealed that the Wen Silk Store was involved.
There were rumors that the real owner behind the WenTrading Establishment was connected to Taizifei Qin Yan.
In fact, the information Song Yin had gathered about the relationship between the Wen Trading Establishment and the taizifei was released by Wen Luo himself.
Ji Nanfeng had warned Wen Luo about the risks, but Wen Luo decided to leverage the taizifei’s influence. Being alone, he felt he might as well take the gamble.
Song Yin’s vague remarks earlier could easily have been dismissed if Wen Luo wasn’t connected to the taizifei.
But if he was, then it would be up to the taizifei to take the bait she had thrown out.
———–
At the Princess Mansion in Xishan, in the main hall, Wen Luo recounted his conversation with the noblewoman from the silk store to Taizifei Qin Yan, who sat at the head of the room.
Afterward, Song Zhi brought in a portrait from the Taizi Mansion, and Wen Luo nodded, “That’s her.”
Once Wen Luo left, Qin Yan went to the study.
Feng Zhan was still reviewing documents when Qin Yan chose a chair close to him and sat down.
“It seems the person sent back to Yizhou by His Highness is having an effect?”
Feng Zhan set down his brush and looked up at her.
Qin Yan spoke softly, “The Wangfei of Yizhou wants to meet with me, but I wonder how sincere she is.”
Feng Zhan stood up, picked up a memorial from the desk, and walked over to Qin Yan, pulling her onto his lap as he sat in her earlier chair.
“Take a look,” Feng Zhan said in a low, smooth voice, handing the memorial to Qin Yan.
Adjusting herself comfortably in his embrace, Qin Yan opened the document and quickly skimmed through it.
“The Turkic delegation includes Khan Ashina Qigu and Ninth Princess Ashina Mingzhu, from the Western Rong, there’s Wang Jiang Quyi and the eldest son Jiang Shang, and from the southern regions, we have Princess Shiyue, the regent’s daughter…”
“And Northern Liang…”
Qin Yan smiled ambiguously after reading about Northern Liang.
Feng Zhan lightly pinched her waist and continued, “The Northern Liang emperor’s entourage brought an entire ship full of gifts. To avoid damage, they unloaded in Yuzhou Yun Port and will continue by waterway through the canal to the capital. It will take a few more days to arrive…”
He chuckled softly, “An entire ship of gifts might not just be congratulatory tokens.”
“The Northern Liang emperor’s actions will certainly keep the neighboring countries of Great Xia and Northern Liang up at night.”
Both Qin Yan and Feng Zhan understood that if Northern Liang were to ally through marriage with Great Xia, it would disrupt the balance of power among surrounding nations, a piece of news that would send shockwaves through various courts.
Qin Yan chose not to pursue this topic further, “I personally interrogated the people that Song Zhi brought back today. Your Highness has quite the means; you managed to uncover leads on the Taiye Pool case even after so many years.”
Feng Zhan buried his head in the side of Qin Yan’s neck, with a voice husky, “How will you reward me tonight, Yan Yan?”
Qin Yan suppressed a shiver and continued with the matter at hand, “I need to inform you, Your Highness.”
“Hmm?” Feng Zhan slowly raised his head, desire flickering in his dark eyes.
Qin Yan spoke coolly, “I want that person’s life.”