Chapter 26: The Beginning of Court Turmoil

However, the Empress did not have any intention of marrying Li Ning’an to Yan Ziqi.

Originally, Shui Qi, who was a good match, was already betrothed to the third son of the Zhongyong Marquis’s residence.

The wedding feast is set for next month.

Fortunately, it would be next year before Ziqi reaches his coming-of-age ceremony, so there was still time to make other arrangements.

Li Ning’an stopped explaining and chatted with her mother for a while before saying, “I am going to visit Father.”

The Empress looked at her as if she were still a child, never seeming to grow up.

She wondered what Li Ning’an was busy with outside the palace, as she no longer seemed preoccupied with Assistant Minister Fu.

Speaking of Fu Minglang, he had both luck and misfortune.

He was promoted to the fourth-rank assistant minister, a step closer to the Chancellor and Chief Minister.

However, when news of his promotion reached the old residence, his family, fearing they might not benefit, moved to the Fu residence.

According to the family hierarchy, Fu Mingying would now be known as Mrs. Fu San.

The inept second cousin was still covered by his older brother, who filled in the gaps. Even after being punished with thirty strikes, it was only enough to support for a month and a half.

Now he was as energetic as ever, pondering what business ventures to pursue next.

The older brother had originally planned to open a restaurant but couldn’t find a place with both a reasonable price and a good location.

Recently, the new Fuxuan Building looked promising, but unfortunately, it had already been taken.

The old man of the Fu family brought his entire household to live there, and Fu Mingying had to visit her grandmother daily to pay respects and chat.

Not long ago, her fourth and fifth cousins had asked for many pieces of jewelry.

Among them, three were gifts from Princess Ning’an.

Since Princess Ning’an had not visited for a long time, she had not added any new jewelry, and giving away what she had left meant it was all gone.

Mrs. Fu’s life was not much better. She had to give up the main house to her parents-in-law.

After moving to the capital, she originally only needed to send some silver to the old residence each month and occasionally avoid social obligations. This allowed her to reduce the amount she sent.

Now, all the money had to be turned over to the family.

It was all managed by her mother-in-law, with the second and third branches of the family and their relatives also living in the Fu residence.

Fortunately, the yard was barely sufficient, but they had to add more maids and servants to take care of each household.

Mrs. Fu greatly missed Princess Ning’an’s generosity.

Ever since Princess Ning’an took those contracts, the family’s finances had suffered considerably.

Every bit of money spent was painful for Mrs. Fu.

Moreover, people from the old residence thought she was hoarding wealth and not willing to share it with everyone.

For this Mid-Autumn Festival, she had to bring two more ladies.

They had not even learned the palace rules and needed additional training, which cost a significant amount of money.

Fortunately, due to Princess Ning’an’s closeness to the Fu family over the past three years, finding a tutor for etiquette was not too difficult.

Fu Minglang, however, was not concerned with these domestic issues. He had only heard that His Majesty had summoned several high officials today.

He didn’t know what they were discussing.

He needed to find a way to follow in the footsteps of Grand Tutor Wen.

The lack of information left Fu Minglang quite passive.

Fortunately, he could inquire about things during tomorrow’s morning court.

Yan Ziqi, however, had no such concerns as Fu Minglang. He returned to the Duke of Xiang’s residence, lounging on the soft couch by the window.

He played with his personal seal.

Qing Yan promptly brought the seasonal fruits.

“The servant had someone keep an eye on the study. Besides Princess Ning’an, someone else did go in.”

However, no one else dared to steal anything during the daytime like Princess Ning’an did.

That personal seal was displayed for people to see.

Even though the master and mistress had passed away, the spies from Northern Yue had not given up on watching the heir.

It was still the heir’s acting skills that were impressive.

He could leave the personal seal in the study, letting it gather dust.

He clearly had no interest in taking official positions.

But if it were truly a bad person who took it, they would have already set up an ambush and wouldn’t let the person take it away.

“Don’t let those people suspect her.”

She was indeed bold to trust a groom bought from a horse dealer to deliver messages.

Her trivial tests were more suited for a three-year-old child.

Fortunately, Yan Ziqi had thoroughly checked, and the man was indeed loyal to the country.

Qing Yan nodded, “Everything has been handled. The situation over there was quite serious; if it weren’t for Princess Ning’an’s letter, we would have suffered considerable losses.”

The Iron Cavalry was built up and refined over generations by the Yan family.

Giving it to the Tong family would not have been desirable. Even if General Tong were truly capable, he had rather low standards.

He could only see wealth and power, with no hint of the steel and heroism expected of a warrior.

If it weren’t for Uncle Ge’s incompetence, they wouldn’t have allowed General Tong to gain power.

After all, the situation was too distant, and their influence was limited.

“Next month, the third son of the Zhongyong Marquis’s residence is getting married. He is already on his way back to the capital.”

This Young Master Ling was a fifth-rank Zhaowu Captain, with his two older brothers serving in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Personnel.

The Zhongyong Marquis had retired early and sent him to the border, where he served as a sort of apprentice under the master.

He had corresponded with the heir and knew that Princess Ning’an’s letter was not from him.

“With this incident, I’m afraid I won’t have the chance to attend his wedding. Have the steward prepare a gift to send in secret.”

They needed to maintain their discreet relationship.

The next day, some court officials criticized General Tong and felt that he had achieved nothing over the years.

Such matters should be dealt with swiftly, capturing the person and bringing them back.

It was not like children fighting and running to tell their elders.

If they went back later, the person might have already escaped.

Naturally, one could run from the monk, but not from the temple.

Northern Yue was still there.

Arrogant, overbearing, slippery, and mocking, they were waiting.

Some people might have received benefits or felt that the Tong family was truly struggling.

They said Northern Yue was cunning and deceitful, and that General Tong had misjudged the situation. They hadn’t really seen the dangers.

It’s possible that the enemy could defeat hundreds with just one person.

There were also those who believed that the general should be fought back and retrieved.

But within the court, there were military officers who either hadn’t been to the border, had been recalled, or had read many military treatises.

They all thought that the opportunity had already passed.

The soldiers’ anger had been delayed by the reports and the forthcoming imperial decree.

General Tong truly did not know how to fight a war.

Even when the Duke of Xiang was alive, he never experienced such humiliation.

Even if he might have lost, not a single soldier was captured.

A small faction even suggested that General Tong should commit suicide to avoid causing trouble for the Great Qi.

Waging war for just one person was unnecessary.

Although Great Qi had been nurtured for five years, Northern Yue was the same.

Various factions were arguing fiercely.

Li Ning’an had received no news the previous day and came to deliver pastries today.

She couldn’t go to the Zhengzheng Hall and waited at the Qian Kun Palace.

“Oh, what wind has blown the Fourth Princess here as well?”

Li Ning’an saw Li Ningyi personally carrying a bowl of soup and glanced at Xing’e behind her.

Xing’e was holding a brocade box with two layers of pastries, which were not made by the princess herself.

It seemed like it lacked a bit of sincerity compared to the Fourth Princess’s gesture.

But Xing’e still proudly carried the brocade box, as she didn’t believe the soup was made by the Fourth Princess.

Li Ningyi spoke, “Father has been working hard lately, so I made some ginseng soup to show my filial piety.”

She didn’t want to come, and her uncle didn’t know what kind of trouble he had stirred up, having the second prince of Northern Yue captured.

This news had come out last night.

Li Ningyi was relieved to have gone to bed early, starting her worries only today.

Unlike their mother, who, upon hearing the news, stayed up half the night, applying powder early in the morning to avoid drawing attention from the Empress.

“It is indeed tough; with a minister like your uncle, how could Father not suffer?”

Li Ning’an revealed this without mercy.

She didn’t care whether it was appropriate; she first threw the water before considering the consequences.

Li Ningyi suppressed her temper, “Do you remember the bet we made, Third Sister?”

“That’s naturally arranged by Father. How could I have the ability to directly appoint him as a general?”

Listening to Father’s words, she was making efforts in secret.