Chapter 70: Nalan Yujin is Shocked, The Coolest Guy in the Entire Capital City
Chapter 70: Chapter 70: Nalan Yujin is Shocked, The Coolest Guy in the Entire Capital City
Celestial Capital, Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion.
Nalan Yujin was in her bedroom, nursing her child.
Her hair was coiled into the intricate bun of a married woman, adorned with pearl hairpins and fine jade. A maternal glow shone on her fair face. Her lavish purple robes were parted and slightly disheveled, and one side of her crimson bodice was untied, hanging loose in front of her.
Watching her son suckle greedily, she couldn’t help but smile as she reached out to stroke his cheek.
"Eat up and grow up big and strong. You’ll be a general just like your grandfather and your father. But you must never, ever be like your second uncle—that good-for-nothing scoundrel."
She was glad Pei Shaoqing had been driven out of the family.
’What if my son learns his bad habits?’
The mere thought of her son growing up to be like Pei Shaoqing sent a shiver down her spine.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! Suddenly, a sharp rap came from outside, followed by a maidservant’s urgent voice. "Madam, have you finished feeding the young master? Someone has come from the palace to announce an imperial decree."
"Prepare the incense table at once! I’ll be right there. Get some silver taels ready for a tip, and tell the wet nurse to watch the child." Nalan Yujin’s expression changed. She set her son down and hastily got dressed.
The baby, his meal abruptly interrupted, burst into tears, his little arms and legs flailing wildly.
As a mother, Nalan Yujin’s heart ached to hear him, but there was nothing she could do. Once the wet nurse arrived, she instructed her to watch the baby carefully and then hurried to the front courtyard to receive the decree.
She had already braced herself for the worst on the way there.
She guessed it was most likely that her scoundrel of a brother-in-law had been found guilty of deceiving the Emperor, and the Emperor was now issuing a formal decree to reprimand the Pei Family.
She sighed inwardly.
As long as they didn’t rebel, deceiving the Emperor wouldn’t truly affect the Pei Family. But Pei Shaoqing’s continuous troublemaking was causing the Emperor’s dissatisfaction with their family to build up. Sooner or later, something bad was bound to happen.
The one announcing the decree was a eunuch from the Ritual Department. Upon seeing Nalan Yujin, he squeezed a brilliant smile onto his face.
"Congratulations, Madam! Felicitations! Your esteemed household has gained another lord. What a blessing to have two nobles in one family!"
Nalan Yujin froze at his words.
Utterly bewildered, her mind began to race.
’Could it be? Did war break out in the north?’
’Did my husband perform a great service and get ennobled?’
At this thought, she was overcome with ecstasy. Her face flushed a visible red; after all, nobles like her knew better than anyone how difficult it was to obtain a title in the Great Zhou.
Though overjoyed, Nalan Yujin did her best to maintain the composure of a noble lady from a Marquis Mansion. "You’ve gone to a great deal of trouble, Eunuch," she said calmly. "On behalf of my husband, who is far away on the Northern Border, I thank you for making this trip."
"Er..." The eunuch paused awkwardly, realizing she had misunderstood. He quickly corrected her. "Oh, no, no, Madam, you’ve got it wrong. It’s not the Heir. It’s the Second Young Master."
"What?" The smile on Nalan Yujin’s face froze instantly, her beautiful eyes widening in disbelief.
Seeing her reaction, the eunuch quickly explained, "The Second Young Master first inflicted a heavy blow on the Profound Sect’s Tongzhou Branch, and then he killed the Kaiyang Saint Heir. His merits have been verified. His Majesty has promoted him to Acting Hundred Households Commander and ennobled him as the Pingyang County Marquis, with a fief of three hundred households."
Nalan Yujin stood rooted to the spot, her gaze vacant.
The words ’Pei Shaoqing has been ennobled’ echoed in her mind.
’He really killed the Kaiyang Saint Heir!’
’And he even crippled a branch of the Profound Yellow Sect!’
’No, wait. Are they sure it was Pei Shaoqing who did this?’
’Could he have been possessed by some demon or monster?’
Nalan Yujin was completely unwilling to believe it, but everything happening before her eyes told her it was all true!
Then she remembered how she had just used her brother-in-law as a bad example in front of her child. Though no one else knew, Nalan Yujin was still mortified. Her face flushed crimson and burned with embarrassment.
"Madam? Madam?" the eunuch called out twice.
Nalan Yujin snapped back to reality. Despite the complex mix of emotions in her heart, she quickly composed herself and offered a small smile. "The sudden news was a bit of a shock. I’ve made a fool of myself, Eunuch. Can we begin the proclamation of the decree now?"
"It’s understandable, quite understandable. After all, who would have thought the Second Young Master was hiding his talents so deeply!" the eunuch remarked sympathetically. Then, his expression turned solemn. He raised the imperial edict and announced in a loud, drawn-out voice, "The imperial decree is here—"
Nalan Yujin and the others immediately knelt.
"By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims: I, having received the celestial mandate to rule all lands, reward the loyal and punish the treasonous to manifest the might of heaven. Hereby, Jing’an Guard Standard-Bearer Pei Shaoqing, in his loyalty and valor, struck down the Profound Yellow Sect traitor, the Kaiyang Saint Heir...
...is hereby specially promoted to Acting Hundred Households Commander of the Jing’an Guard, gifted one thousand gold and ten bolts of Ice Silk, and ennobled as the Pingyang County Marquis with a fief of three hundred households, a hereditary title to be enjoyed in perpetuity through the grace of the nation.
The Pei Family has a tradition of loyalty and righteousness. Marquis Weiyuan has raised his son well, nurturing him into a pillar of our nation. For this service to the country, We specially bestow a golden plaque with the Imperial Handwriting of ’Loyalty and Valor for the Nation,’ to be hung in the main hall of the Marquis’s Mansion to bring glory to the family name...
We hope that you, father and son, will work together with one heart, remain devoted to your duties, secure Our empire, and bring peace to Our people. Respect this imperial command!"
Nalan Yujin’s head was spinning.
Only when the decree was finished did she come to her senses. "This servant receives the decree! Thank you for Your Majesty’s immense grace! May the Emperor live ten thousand years!"
"Men, hang up the plaque," the eunuch ordered the people behind him. He then turned to Nalan Yujin. "If there is nothing else, Madam, this one will take his leave."
"Please wait," Nalan Yujin said. She solemnly handed the imperial edict to a servant, took a money pouch, and stuffed it into the eunuch’s hand. "To come all this way to announce a decree in such hot weather... you have all worked hard. Please, take this for some tea."
Ultimately, this was a joyous occasion for the Marquis’s Mansion. No matter how much she loathed Pei Shaoqing, she could not neglect the proper courtesies in this matter.
"Then I thank you, Madam," the eunuch said, his face breaking into a grin as he subtly weighed the pouch in his hand.
After the eunuch left, Nalan Yujin tilted her head back and stared at the gleaming golden plaque, her heart unable to find peace.
She could already imagine the expressions on her father-in-law’s and her husband’s faces when they received the news.
"Was he really just pretending to be incompetent all this time?" she murmured suspiciously, but her gaze quickly hardened again. "Even if he was, he’s still no good."
When a person is prejudiced against another,
then even their breathing is considered a mistake.
The imperial decree shook the Capital City.
"Why is the Emperor being so generous to the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion? Ennobling Pei Shaoqing for this achievement alone... Even if it’s the lowest rank of baron, it’s still a genuine title!"
"It’s just bizarre. When that guy Pei Shaoqing was in the Capital City, all he did was bully people, womanize, and waste his time on debauchery. How did a trip to Tongzhou suddenly make him a master of both pen and sword?"
"Comfortable environments make people complacent; harsh environments make them grow. I’ve decided! When I get back, I’m telling my dad to send me to the harshest place possible! I want to be ennobled too! I fucking want to bring glory to my family name, too!"
"Come on in, sirs! Our Miss Cui Liu is the one who slept with the new Lord Pei! For just ten taels of silver, you can soak up some of his good fortune. What are you waiting for?"
Pei Shaoqing wasn’t in the Capital City, but his presence was everywhere. Today, he was undoubtedly the talk of the town.
Some were still unconvinced, suspecting something fishy was going on.
Others mused that Pei Shaoqing was a prodigal son who had returned to the right path.
Everyone had their own opinions, but they all agreed on one thing: the Emperor’s favor toward the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion was immense. After all, two nobles in one family!
In the Pingxi Marquis’s Mansion, Jiang Xiaoyun, the second younger brother of Noble Consort Wan, remarked with a sigh, "For the time being, His Majesty won’t have to worry about Marquis Weiyuan having any traitorous thoughts. With such a great honor bestowed upon them, the Pei Family will surely repay it with their lives. If they dared to rebel now, the entire world would condemn them. They would lose the people’s support and be swiftly defeated."
"Second Young Master, Her Highness sent a letter saying she suspects there was a hidden motive behind Pei Shaoqing beating Young Master Bai to death. What is your assessment of the man?" asked Butler Li of the Marquis’s Mansion, his curiosity piqued.
"To be honest, I can’t see through him." Jiang Xiaoyun shook his head and let out a breath. "The man’s cunning is terrifying. He fooled everyone. For twenty years, he laid dormant in the capital. He remained silent, only to shock the world with his first move.
How could I possibly fathom the actions of such a person? After all, he was the Marquis Weiyuan’s hostage-son who was only *pretending* to be useless. I, on the other hand, am the Marquis Pingxi’s hostage-son who is *truly* useless!
Forward our third sister’s letter to Father. Let him and Eldest Brother worry about this. After all, Little Bai was Eldest Brother’s son. I don’t worry about things, I just fuck people."
"Yes, sir." Butler Li smiled faintly. He felt the Second Young Master was being too self-deprecating. While he certainly wasn’t as exceptional as Pei Shaoqing, he was definitely not as bad as he made himself out to be.
Jiang Xiaoyun frowned. "Also, tell Third Sister to write home less often. It’s not good for a favored imperial consort to have such close correspondence with a powerful, command-holding marquis. I’ve heard she’s even more arrogant and spoiled in the palace than she was at home."
"But doesn’t that just prove that His Majesty dotes on her exclusively?"
Jiang Xiaoyun shook his head and sighed, a worried look in his eyes. ’That kind of favor is not a good thing.’
’True affection is never about indulgence.’
The Pingxi Marquis’s Mansion was even more powerful than the Marquis Wei Yuan’s Mansion.
Their family was large and prosperous, they commanded a hundred thousand soldiers, and a woman from their house was a favored consort in the palace who had even borne a Prince.
To outsiders, it looked like a scene of unparalleled prosperity.
But to him, it looked like oil being cooked over a raging fire.
Therefore, Pei Shaoqing’s ennoblement was actually a good thing for the Pingxi Marquis’s Mansion. It would cool things down for them, who were at the center of the storm, and divert everyone’s attention.
...............
For the moment, the events in the capital had nothing to do with Tongzhou.
That afternoon, Liu Yuheng finished her tasks and returned to her room, intending to take a short nap. But just as she had taken off her outer skirt and trousers, a sudden knock came at the door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK! "Madam, may I come in?"
Hearing Zhao Zilan’s voice, Liu Yuheng, who had been about to get dressed again, put her clothes back down.
"Come in. And close the door properly."
Zhao Zilan pushed open the door, closed it behind her, and walked to the bedside. There, she saw Liu Yuheng wearing only a pair of embroidered slippers, a moon-white bodice, and moon-white under-trousers.
The mature, beautiful woman exuded an alluring charm.
"Madam, your figure is truly beautiful." Zhao Zilan couldn’t help but sigh in sincere admiration every time she saw her.
Liu Yuheng rolled her eyes at her. Pacing in her embroidered slippers, she went to pour her tea and asked, "What is it?"
The thin bodice could hardly contain her bountiful assets, which swayed from side to side as she walked, threatening to spill out at any moment.
"The Young Master is coming to sleep in my room tonight. Madam, what should I do?" Zhao Zilan asked, getting straight to the point.
"What?" Liu Yuheng started, forgetting about the tea. She turned back to face Zhao Zilan. "Did he tell you directly that he intends to sleep with you tonight?"
"Yes." The tips of Zhao Zilan’s ears turned bright red as she looked at her pitifully. "What should I do, Madam?"
"That little lecher. He wants to have his prize before you’re even officially part of the family. Isn’t humiliating you on a daily basis enough for him?" Liu Yuheng spat, then took her beloved disciple’s hand reassuringly. "Don’t worry. Madam has a plan."