Chapter 18 Wen Xian

The disciple’s talent far surpasses ordinary people, composing poetry comparable to a Tribute Scholar’s level. Yet in just a few days, his skills have regressed so much—how can he live up to the Eldest Grandson’s high regard?!

Lord Wang was so furious he nearly blew his beard, barely restraining his urge to scold due to the occasion, his already gloomy face growing even longer.

Facing that dark expression, Yang Bai trembled so much he nearly knelt. Just then, voices rose one after another in the courtyard—

“Excellent poem!” “Truly remarkable!”

Who in the world doesn’t enjoy praise? For scholars who lack no wealth, poetry and calligraphy win their hearts even more. This gift combined both—elegant yet subtly flattering—hitting right at their sweet spot.

The Eldest Grandson is truly brilliant, and the Crown Prince is indeed a ruler who values talent!

“This humble official thanks the Crown Prince and Young Master for your generosity. Who would have thought the Eastern Palace harbors such hidden talents? The younger generation is truly formidable.” Zhang Tingyu grew fonder the more he read the poem and couldn’t help but glance at Yang Bai. “Young friend, have you taken a master? Though I may lack talent…”

The turn of events was so bizarre that Yang Bai stood frozen.

Before Lord Wang could explode, Hong Yan smiled and said, “My apologies, Lord Zhang. Brother Yang already has a teacher.”

That “Brother Yang” made Yang Bai shiver and also melted Lord Wang’s anger, filling him with quiet pride. He glared at his disciple—how could a subject be so careless when the Eldest Grandson treated him with such sincerity?

“Ah, then I’ve arrived too late.” Zhang Tingyu sighed regretfully but still couldn’t hide his admiration. “Young friend Yang, staying by the Young Master’s side promises a bright future. What a fortunate path.”

The officials nodded in deep agreement.

Hong Yan’s masterstroke had won everyone over, even the notoriously stubborn Lord Wang softened, thinking Yang Sheng had finally done something right.

Before departing, the Han officials gazed at the Crown Prince with unspoken emotion in their eyes.

This was their wise and virtuous heir apparent!

The Crown Prince was more startled than flattered, shuddering deeply.

When only father and son remained in the courtyard, the Crown Prince gave Hong Yan a complicated look. “Since when did I know about this gift?”

“Well, Yang Bai worked so efficiently. The poems were just sitting there—why not use them to bolster your noble image? Perfect, isn’t it?”

Hong Yan continued like a salesman, “See the results? Not disappointed, right? In a few days, I plan to compile a *Pengyin Poetry Collection* and include all these. As proof of the court officials’ integrity, it’ll surely sell well, and Yang Bai will gain fame in the capital!”

Though the Crown Prince had braced himself, he was still caught off guard.

So *this* was why Yuanbao wanted people.

His hand trembled slightly. “You’ve thought of everything.” Then he pressed, “Don’t tell me every debtor gets a poem from Yang Bai?”

“Of course not!” Hong Yan waved his hands solemnly. “Only those with good character qualify. Corrupt officials are exempt. Fourth Uncle said confiscating their assets is their ultimate fate.”

The Crown Prince kept a straight face, once again resisting the urge to smack his son, when Hong Yan suddenly added, “Though there are exceptions.”

The Crown Prince didn’t want to hear more, stewing in sour jealousy.

How could his own child share such rapport with Fourth Prince? Always going on about confiscations—what’s so great about that icy-faced man?

He could only console himself—Yuanbao still cares for me. Look, even Wang Shizhen’s opinion of me improved. Not even Father could manage that.

The Crown Prince had learned to console himself effortlessly. Meanwhile, news of Zhang Tingyu and others repaying their debts spread, causing another uproar in the capital.

The efficiency of the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince was truly unprecedented—how many days had it been?

Even Mingzhu, who knew the Han ministers had borrowed very little, snapped his beaded bracelet in half and remained silent for a long while.

Da Age paced back and forth beside him, his brow furrowed with agitation. “Uncle, are we really going to let Yinreng succeed? You stopped me from seeking an audience with Father earlier, and now it seems like a grave mistake!”

Da Age’s temperament had remained unchanged for years. Mingzhu’s face darkened with anger. “When will Lord Prince learn patience? I anticipated the Crown Prince had a mastermind guiding him, with impure motives and cunning methods, but we lack concrete evidence. Should we bluntly tell the Emperor that Concubine Hui’s spies provided accurate intelligence?”

Da Age stiffened, reluctantly halting his steps.

Father doted on Yinreng above all. If this continued, his mother would surely face repercussions, perhaps even suffer the same humiliation as the downgraded Consort De.

Seeing his understanding, Mingzhu softened his tone. “Impatience is natural, Lord Prince. You need not worry. With progress in the Ministry of Revenue and the Eighth Prince diligently assisting you…” Mentioning the Eighth Prince, a glint of admiration flashed in Mingzhu’s eyes before he smiled. “Tong Guowei and others are exceedingly cautious. Even a hint of suspicion is enough to turn the tide.”

“Prince Jian’s Heir is reckless, and Prince An pledged his support for you because of the Eighth Prince. There are plenty of disgruntled imperial clansmen—the Crown Prince’s troubles are far from over.”

With a shrewd gleam in his eyes, he added, “Lord Prince need only compile a secret memorial listing the officials’ names and faults, then be the first to present it to the Emperor for judgment—that is your duty. Why dirty your hands with confrontations?”

In his view, the Emperor was merely testing his sons’ tactics and intentions this time. The Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince were too sharp and unrestrained. One confiscation was harmless, but what if it became a habit?

That would be overstepping their bounds.

As Mingzhu analyzed the situation meticulously, Da Age grew increasingly invigorated, his earlier despair vanishing entirely.

“Exactly!” Recalling the success of yesterday’s banquet, Da Age laughed heartily, his spirits lifted. “I’ll wait for the Crown Prince to take a hard fall. And as for that brat Hong Yan, he should stick to his studies—what business does he have meddling in court affairs?”

The child understood nothing yet reaped undeserved merits, making their uncles seem irrelevant. It was infuriating. He muttered a promise, “I’ll avenge you, Uncle. You can count on me.”

Though the Empress Dowager in the Palace of Compassionate Peace remained aloof from affairs, whispers still reached her ears as the debt collection progressed.

The scandal involving the Imperial Household Department, which led to Consort De’s demotion and a debt of over a hundred thousand taels, had the entire rear palace buzzing. While most reveled in schadenfreude, some worried their own families might be implicated. The only one unperturbed was the Empress Dowager herself. A Borjigit from the Khorchin grasslands, the treasury reforms had nothing to do with her.

Listening to operas, tending flowers, and enjoying the spectacle in the Palace of Compassionate Peace made for a rather colorful life. With Wu Age soon moving out of the palace, the Empress Dowager had even more leisure. Her only concern now was the marriage of the Ninth Princess.

Ninth Princess was conferred the title of Wenxian Princess, and the imperial decree betrothing her to the Tong Family had been issued, with the wedding scheduled for October this year. The groom, named Shun Anyan, was the eldest grandson of the Tong Family’s main branch. Handsome and talented, he had no interest in officialdom, staying far from the family’s political center and yearning instead for the beauty of distant landscapes.

This marriage was requested by the Empress Dowager, who said Shun Anyan’s temperament was well-suited to Wenxian. The Emperor could bestow favor without worrying about the Tong Family gaining undue influence, as the groom had no ambition for political power.

The Emperor allowed Wenxian to remain in the capital for multiple reasons. The family and candidate to receive imperial favor had not yet been decided, and with the Empress Dowager’s request, the Emperor deliberated and agreed.

The Empress Dowager was kind and virtuous. Though she was his stepmother, their bond was deep. After so many years, this was the only favor she had asked for, and she had insightfully considered his interests in every aspect. The Emperor had no reason to refuse.

In the palace, the Noble Consort was merely a figurehead, yet the Tong Family never voiced complaints or secretly contacted the Fourth Prince. Given their tactfulness, the Emperor felt obliged to offer some reassurance.

As long as Tong Guowei remained clear-headed and avoided meddling in the succession struggle to his own detriment, the Emperor was happy to bestow favors upon his maternal family.

With Wenxian’s marriage settled, the Empress Dowager should have felt unburdened. That day, however, her attendant Momo, trying to amuse her, recounted Wang Shizhen’s repayment of debt in a storytelling manner. Lord Wang was famously indifferent to fame and fortune, treating money as dirt, yet he had borrowed thirty taels of silver from the National Treasury.

“Thirty taels?” The Empress Dowager burst into laughter. “Oh my, did the Emperor force him to borrow it?”

After a pause, she turned to see Wenxian Princess forcing a smile and sighed. “Ninth Child, if you have something to say, speak openly to me. Why hide it?”

Wenxian pursed her lips before finally gathering courage. “Imperial Grandmother, my mother…”

The Empress Dowager had long guessed her concerns. The girl was too pure-hearted; though not raised by Consort De, she still cherished maternal affection.

The Empress Dowager usually stayed out of palace affairs, but now she shook her head and unexpectedly countered, “Do you think your Fourth Brother was wrong?”

Wenxian was stunned. Her delicate features showed panic, her lips trembling without words.

“You share the same mother as Yinzhen. You see him upholding justice at the cost of family ties but fail to understand his pain. In my view, Yinzhen cares more for your mother than you do—so why did he act this way?” The Empress Dowager didn’t elaborate further—how Consort De was misguided, or how the Emperor might dislike her.

After painstakingly analyzing Yinzhen’s plight, the Empress Dowager said slowly, “For Consort De, for Fourteenth, and for you.”

“An uncle guilty of a capital crime, a reckless maternal family—is that honorable? Without punishing Consort De, the Emperor would surely be furious. Ninth Child, you are about to marry—what would others think of you then? Your Fourth Brother acted for your sake.” She spoke earnestly before hesitating.

Those hundreds of thousands of taels… Hmm, what reason could she give?

It had been too long since she had to think so hard.

Before she could improvise, Wenxian burst into tears. “It’s all my fault! Fourth Brother endured so much hardship, and I didn’t understand—I even thought Mother was suffering! Imperial Grandmother, Fourth Brother has suffered so much! I was wrong…”

The Empress Dowager leaned back in shock.

Was my persuasion really that effective??

That night, Consort De waited and waited before finally asking, “Did Ninth Child not react?”

Jiu’er had a kind heart and still cared for her mother. As long as she followed her mother’s advice, the Emperor would likely show mercy for the child’s sake.  

Lüwu was also anxious. She said, “Your Highness, allow this servant to go out and gather some information.”  

A quarter of an hour later, Lüwu returned in a daze, as if greatly shocked, and murmured, “Princess Wenxian… Princess Wenxian went looking for the Fourth Prince while crying, muttering something like ‘I’ve wronged Fourth Brother’… This servant… this servant also heard that the Emperor’s eldest grandson is in the prince’s residence.”  

Consort De’s vision darkened, and she collapsed.  

Two hours after sunset, the Fourth Prince’s eldest son, Honghui, suddenly developed a low-grade fever. A child of one year old could not be neglected, so upon hearing the news, the Crown Princess immediately sent people to the prince’s residence—all elderly Momos carrying medicinal herbs, except for one: Hong Yan, who had slipped in among them.  

As luck would have it, the moment Hong Yan entered the inner chamber, Honghui’s fever subsided, and he was able to eat again.  

The fever had been brief, and the Fourth Princess Consort heaved a sigh of relief, casting a gentle gaze at Hong Yan. The Fourth Prince, needless to say, relaxed his furrowed brow and smiled faintly.  

Honghui was still young and lived in the main courtyard with the Fourth Princess Consort, while Hong Yan, now five years old, had no reason to avoid him. Once Honghui moved his little lips and drifted sweetly into sleep, the Fourth Prince beckoned to his nephew. Understanding the signal, Hong Yan quietly retreated.  

No sooner had the uncle and nephew entered the study than someone reported that Princess Wenxian had arrived.  

The messenger’s expression was strange, and Yinzhen froze—Jiu’er?  

At such a late hour, would the Empress Dowager even allow it?  

Still, she was his most beloved younger sister, so Yinzhen hurried out to greet her, with Hong Yan following closely behind. Neither of them expected to hear heartrending sobs from afar: “Fourth Brother, I was wrong! I didn’t understand your hardships—I’ve wronged you!”  

Yinzhen: “…”  

Hong Yan: “…”  

The Crown Prince had just finished his duties when he turned around and realized his son was missing.  

Hadn’t the boy gone to the main courtyard to pay his respects? Quickly learning the reason, he stormed into the prince’s residence with a dark expression, heading straight for his fourth brother’s study. Moments later, he heard a woman’s choked sobs—unnervingly eerie in the dead of night.  

The Crown Prince shuddered and turned suspiciously—  

Princess Wenxian was sobbing uncontrollably, her eyes red from crying.  

Wiping her tears, her delicate face filled with resolve, she declared, “Yuanbao is right—this matter is Mother’s fault. Those hundred thousand taels of silver must not only be repaid but done so openly and as quickly as possible. At the first opportunity, I’ll go to the Palace of Eternal Harmony and urge her!”  

Yinzhen listened numbly beside her, while Hong Yan praised sincerely, “Auntie, you are as beautiful in heart as you are in appearance, always considering the greater good. Your future husband will surely be utterly devoted to you, with room in his heart for no one else.”  

Wenxian waved her hands bashfully, her cheeks flushing as she asked shyly, “Then… should I go and urge her tomorrow morning?”  

Hong Yan nodded earnestly. “An excellent idea.”