Chapter 185 - The Night Before
Chapter 185: The Night Before
Translator: Antonia
After returning to his mansion, Mr. Jia hurriedly asked his wife to prepare the official uniform for the next day’s court.
Mrs. Jia was a virtuous madam and, seeing Mr. Jia’s expression, she urged the servants and then came personally to help him change casual clothes.
While changing, she asked with a smile, “This year’s peach blossom party was held by Princess Yuhe. You were invited by the Empress to be the judge and add a little glory for Princess Yuhe. I heard the Princess is wise and virtuous. I also heard there is a most talented lady. But why are you so angry now?”
Mr. Jia snorted heavily, “Wise and virtuous? I don’t think that’s true. The Princess put a lady to jail without interrogation or any evidence.”
Mrs. Jia’s hands paused for a second, and she was surprised, “Such a thing happened?”
“The most talented lady is Miss. Mo from the Founder mansion. Her two poems state clearly her desire for nothing, but the others randomly throw dirt at her out of jealousy.”
Then, Mr. Jia told his wife what had happened in the peach blossom forest and emphasized, “How could a writer of such poems want to struggle for fame and wealth? The connotation of her poems can barely understood by those mundane women. The scholar should accuse her of craving for power! She’s already the lady of Founder mansion. What power could she want? …”
Seeing her husband was so pissed off, Mrs. Jia patted on his back and comforted him, “Don’t be angry because of those shallow people. It’s not worthwhile to risk your health…”
Mr. Jia’s anger was mitigated by his wife and, thinking of the rumors that he had heard days ago, he looked pitiful, “Speaking of this Miss. Mo, she is really a poor girl. Her parents died, and she was attacked on the way back for the funeral. She couldn’t return before she hid outside for over six months.
Yet, on the first day she came back, she was first summoned to the imperial palace by the Empress and almost died there. On the way back, she was attacked by riots. On the second day at court, she made a narrow escape again. But she donated three years’ allowance and was grounded at home for seven days. This was the first day after it, and she was defiled.
She is a lady, but without hearing or asking, she was put into jail only because of a stranger’s accusation… They are bullying her because she’s alone without supporters!”
Mr. Jia got angrier as he narrated! The capital was safe all the time. How could the riots target no others but a lady who just came back to the capital?
Anyone with brain could figure the reason, let alone Mr. Jia who had been living in the capital for his whole life and had a bunch of disciples who were good politicians.
Mrs. Jia was also a kind person, and her eyes turned red at her hushand’s words, “Miss. Mo is really poor. Those people are such bullies!”
He thought of the two poems again and the firm voice he had heard behind the carriage curtain. It carried no fluster at all. Pissed off, calmed down, pitiful, Mr. Jia now also began to admire this young lady’s courage before a crisis.
He collected himself and said to Mrs. Jia seriously, “Dear, please get prepared. Princess Yuhe was going to invite Three Madams to check on Miss. Mo…”
He thought for a while and said, “Send a letter to the madam of Imperial Tutor, saying you go together with her tomorrow. She’ll do you the favor. Make sure don’t let Miss. Mo be wronged.”
The Imperial Totor was also one of Mr. Jia’s students. Naturally he would agree.
Mrs. Jia wiped her tears, “Don’t worry. I won’t let other throw dirt at Miss. Mo…”
**
In the Kunning Palace.
The Empress was sitting in the high chair, while the one sitting below was master Xie.
His eyes were full of calculation, “Your majesty. Is that matter done perfectly as Yuhe said? Do I need to send more people to the jail?”
The Empress sipped tea, saying in a soft voice, “Sure it is. Yuhe’s ability never makes me worry.”
She had planned to ruin Mo Qianxue’s reputation and forced her to death, so that Feng Qingyu in the hell could know who was the one smiled to the last.
But now, because of family interest, her plan must be changed. She couldn’t take Mo Qianxue’s life, which was a pity, but it was better. It seemed more fun to torture her little by little.
She hadn’t been in a better mood for long!
Master Xie nooded, “It’s be best. Princess Yuhe is indeed a capable child.” He was also so complacent that it all displayed on his face. The scholar surnamed Ning, but was ectually his hand.
Now the Xie family needed most was military power. He didn’t know why yet, but according to various news he obtained, the military power of the west still belonged to the Founder mansion.
If this matter was done, Mo Qianxue would become a joke in the whole world. Ning Shaoqing wouldn’t at all marry a woman without chastity, so that she could do nothing but swallow the broken teeth and marry the scholar surnamed Ning. If she refused, the public opinion would kill her.
Could a woman without chastity choose who she wanted to marry?
As for the sin of deceiving the Emperor, he would lead others at court to beg mercy for Mo Qianxue. Then, he would let the scholar move into the Founder mansion and become a real couple with Mo Qianxue.
A woman just gave up fighting in a marriage. By then, she would certainly give the military power to her husband who would transfer it to the Xie family. After that, the Xie family would never need to depend on the Emperor to live a good life. It would be at least equally important as the Su family.
The two were drinking tea, immersed in their own thoughts, when Princess Yuhe walked in.
“Mother.” Princess Yuhe curtsied to the Empress and to master Xie when she saw him, “Uncle.”
The master of a super family didn’t need to kneel before the Emperor, so he also didn’t have to bow to a princess, “I’m here waiting for your news.”
The Empress nodded. At this moment, her movements and speech were languid and graceful, “Do you get the oral edict?”
Princess Yuhe looked awkward, “Father didn’t see me.” She had believed as long as she went back to the palace and showed father the evidence that she took back, father would make an oral edict at once, since he loved her so much.
However, toady, the Emperor didn’t meet her, which caught her by surprise.
Hearing it, master Xie just smirked. The Emperor was really an old fox. He was afraid he was just contemplating how to gain benefit from this incident.
He had anticipated that Princess Yuhe couldn’t get an oral edict. Yet, it didn’t matter to him.
Slyness flashed in master Xie’s eyes. He comforted her with a smile, “Don’t worry, Princess. As long as we made Mo Qianxue convicted speedily, everyone’s eyes will be on her. They won’t think of your misstep of putting her in jail beforehand. Most tongues in the court belonged to our Xie family. Without my consent, no one dared to impeach you.”
The Empress thought about it and agreed with him, so her furrowing brows relaxed, “Thank you, master Xie.”
Master Xie laughed, “You’re welcome, your majesty. You’re good and our family is good.”
In reverse, only when the Xie family was good could the Empress maintain her status in the imperial palace. The tone of master Xie was both modesty and warning. He couldn’t afford a mistake made by his sister, the Empress, at this critical time.
**
In the Yanqing Palace.
“It’s so late, and the Emperor isn’t here yet. I’m afraid he won’t come today. You may leave now.” Concubine Yu waved her hand, and only nanny Ni left, “I heard Mo Qianxue scored the best and was thrown to jail by the stupid Yuhe?”
Her voice was enchanting and soft like spring breeze, even when the Emperor wasn’t around.
Nanny Ni answered carefully, “Yes. It’s said so.”
“Go notice Censor Wan to impeach hard Princess Jade tomorrow. We can’t miss such a good opportunity. As long as Yuhe fell, the noblest princesses in the imperial palace will be my Ningxiang and Ningzhi.”
Nanny Ni remined, “Then… should we help Miss. Mo?”
“It depends on the Emperor’s plan. If he still cares, let Censor Wan say something nice for her; if the Emperor ceased to care about the past, then leave her alone. Bad luck. Such a matter will completely destroy her life. She’ll be useless…”
Her voice was still pleasing, as if citing some great lines.
**
Inside the ancestral hall of the Ning family was silence. But outside, batches of dead bodies were dragged away.
This was for those people the last chance which they wouldn’t give up trying, even if it meant death.
Hearing the noise, Ning Shaoqing didn’t join in the fight. Father had asked the master of Shadow Pavilion to protect him personally. Shadow was out their too, while Ghost was guarding the door. He didn’t have to worry. He should just keep a peaceful mind and wait for tomorrow’s ceremony.
As soon as tomorrow, he would be the master of the Ning family. Only after he cleared away the mouthy tongues in the clan, there wouldn’t be challenges when he announced to marry Mo Qianxue.
By then, even the Emperor would think twice before calculating on Mo Qianxue. After all, the first lord and a master were poles different in terms of status.
The Ning family was already a nail in the flesh to the Emperor, so it didn’t matter if there was one more nail.
Ning Shaoqing wondered what Mo Qianxue was doing right now and whether she was missing him…
**
In the Prince Jing’s Mansion.
After hearing the news from nanny Zhang, Junzhu Susu went to her mother’s room immediately.
“Mother. Princess Yuhe is going to invite Three Madams to check on Miss. Mo. Do you know which three madams? Could you go with them together? Don’t let others wrong Qianxue. I just finally had this proper friend to talk to…”
Princess Jing thought about it and said, “Among the Three Madam, I have connections with the wife of the Imperial Couch. I’m sending a letter now and tomorrow I’ll go to the imperial palace with Mrs. Qin. Don’t worry, Susu. I won’t let others throw dirty water at Miss. Mo…”
She loved her daughter so much that she didn’t mind protecting a friend her daughter cared so much. Besides, she herself also wanted to see what kind of person Mo Qianxue was, and why she was in the center of so many troubles after she had just returned.