Part 2
The resentment was only because, for sons who both needed to take the imperial examination, he only sought famous teachers for that illegitimate son Zhao Shunian, while ignoring his legitimate son.
But after the anger passed, she felt that this fit his nature perfectly.
Whatever, fortunately A-Chen didn’t yearn for his father anyway. Now that he was older, it didn’t matter how well he treated the Xu mother and son.
As long as they didn’t try to get benefits for the Xu family from her.
A sheet of paper was already ruined, and Zhao Yiyi immediately lost interest in continuing to practice. After dropping the brush into the water basin, she wiped her hands casually with a handkerchief and said flatly, “Has the Directorate for Imperial Manufactories carved out the style yet?”
The Directorate for Imperial Manufactories was responsible for the construction and supply of palaces and government offices. Everything in the palace, from buildings to furniture and decorations, was the responsibility of the Directorate. Therefore, there were countless craftsmen in the Directorate, and there were also those who knew how to make zithers.
Although Zhao Yiyi planned to make a zither herself for practice, she was worried about damaging the two cedar boards, so she didn’t dare to carve the style herself. Instead, she sent them to the Directorate for Imperial Manufactories and asked the craftsmen there to polish them for her.
Yunzhu replied, “When it was sent that day, the master craftsman in the Directorate heard it was for Your Highness and said it would be carved in two days. Calculating the days, it should be ready for retrieval.”
In the bright afternoon sunlight, by the window, Zhao Yiyi turned her head to glance at Yunzhu and slowly revealed a smile.
“Good, then let’s go fetch it tomorrow.”
The spring scenery outside was lovely, and she actually wanted to go see it too. But thinking that once she went out, it was extremely likely she would run into that person, and also likely see the people outside. The movements between the Emperor and Empress had always been watched by the entire court.
She didn’t want to go out and meet everyone’s searching, pitying, or curious gazes.
It was quite fine to stay in Jiaofang Palace for the time being.
“How is Cousin?” Zhao Yiyi asked. She knew her brother was implicated by Zhao Weimin, but as for her cousin’s matter, she didn’t even know the beginning or end of it, let alone plead for mercy.
Therefore, she could only inquire secretly and ask about the progress.
Yunzhu replied, “This slave was just about to tell Your Highness. This morning, His Majesty just issued a decree releasing Master Xiahou from the Grand Court of Revision and pardoning him.”
Zhao Yiyi had just laughed twice and said “That’s good,” when Yunzhu hesitated and said, “Although he was pardoned, His Majesty ordered Master Xiahou to be dismissed from office and reflect at home.”
A bitter taste suddenly spread in her mouth. After taking several deep breaths, Zhao Yiyi responded, “I know.”
Thinking of past events, she suddenly sighed and whispered, “It would be nice if I could go back to Chang’an sometime.”
Luoyang was wonderful, prosperous and bustling. Jade towers and golden palaces, noisy markets, everywhere displayed the grandeur and magnificence of Luoyang City. But she felt that ever since she came to Luoyang with her grandfather that year, everything had become terrible.
Father had a new wife and children, and among father’s family, they became the superfluous ones instead.
After seeing the young man she longed for at the Winter Solstice banquet, she thought Luoyang was a treasured land. Who knew that all of this would become the source of her pain.
“Chang’an is the Western Capital after all. Maybe one day His Majesty will go there on a western tour,” Yunzhu comforted her gently. “At that time, Your Highness can naturally go along with His Majesty.”
Zhao Yiyi didn’t answer, just looked up out the window, her gaze finally resting on a swallow. Recently, a pair of swallows had come to build a nest in front of the corridor of Jiaofang Palace. Zhao Yiyi felt it was a good omen and didn’t have anyone drive them away.
“Is that so?” After a long time, she replied faintly.
She couldn’t help but think, if she hadn’t liked him, she wouldn’t have to be sad because of his attitude, nor would she have to be heartbroken by his cold words.
If she hadn’t treated him as a husband, but just as a monarch, would everything be a little different?
At the Grand Princess of Runan’s estate, looking at her son who had just returned from the Grand Court of Revision and was helped into the inner room to rest, the Grand Princess’s expression suddenly darkened.
After rounds of interrogation by the Grand Court of Revision, the Grand Princess could clearly sense that her eldest son’s expression was actually a bit trance-like.
After several days of interrogation, it was finally ascertained today that Xiahou Jin had merely failed to report in time and had not participated in the shocking corruption case in Henei. Because he had also tried his best to investigate the matter privately, the Emperor issued a decree allowing him to atone for his crimes with his merits. He was merely dismissed from office, not punished.
“Fortunately, the Young Master is fine!” An older servant woman sighed and put her palms together, “Fortunately, the Bodhisattva blessed us.”
The Grand Princess’s expression didn’t soften in the slightest, she just ordered someone to call a doctor.
Dismissing the attendants, she called for the estate officials and gritted her teeth, saying, “His Majesty is deliberately beating me!”
Thinking of that Emperor nephew, the Grand Princess couldn’t help but secretly think, when he was Crown Prince before, why hadn’t she discovered he had such ruthlessness? He had learned all of her Imperial Brother’s methods.
The official whispered, “Regarding this matter, why doesn’t the Princess go to Her Highness the Empress and ask her to beg His Majesty? Master Xiahou is Her Highness’s cousin after all, she will care.”
“Tell the Empress?” The Grand Princess raised her eyebrows slightly and looked sideways at the official, “What use would that be?”
Meeting her eyes that seemed to be smiling yet not smiling, the official paused for a moment and gradually understood the Princess’s meaning.
The Empress was not favored by the Emperor, and now the Zhao family had also fallen. Both her father’s and mother’s clans had lost power; the Empress was probably unable to even fend for herself.
The Grand Princess rubbed her temple and said flatly, “She couldn’t even keep the Zhao family safe. How could the Emperor let her intervene in A-Jin’s matter?”
She couldn’t help but feel a little irritable. If the Xiahou family hadn’t lacked a suitable daughter back then, and those clan daughters were too far away, she wouldn’t have recommended this niece to be the Empress, praising her outstanding virtue in front of her Imperial Brother.
Until now, the Grand Princess couldn’t understand. With that face of hers, and no one else in the harem, how could she fail to coax His Majesty?
After thinking for a moment, she felt increasingly annoyed, so she put the matter aside and asked instead, “Is there any news from Shannan Circuit?”
“Princess rest assured, everything is going smoothly,” the official replied.
The Grand Princess paused for a moment, revealing a hint of satisfaction: “That’s good. Remember to be thorough in your actions.”
After several days of planning, along with the groundwork laid by the late Emperor, the matter of attacking Rouran had already taken shape.
Therefore, this afternoon, key ministers were summoned to Zichen Palace to discuss matters.
“At the end of last year, there was a plague among the animals in Rouran. Countless cattle and sheep died or were injured. This year must be difficult for them.” Hearing the Emperor suddenly call his name, Prince Yan hurriedly stood up to respond, adding, “Their surplus grain probably won’t last long. In a while, I’m afraid they will go south to plunder.”
Hearing this, the ministers all felt a chill in their hearts.
The disaster of Rouran plundering the south had never ceased since the establishment of Great Chu. The attending ministers were all pillars of the court and had read history books countless times. They remembered that when the world was first pacified, the Rouran Khan saw that the Central Plains were not yet fully unified and bullied Great Chu for its unstable foundation, threatening to make the Emperor of Great Chu his son-in-law.
Such rampant remarks aroused public indignation throughout Great Chu. Later, Emperor Taizu personally led troops to sweep across Mobei, causing Rouran to gradually settle down and shrink back into the grasslands, not daring to move.
Since then, whenever a monarch of Great Chu wanted to establish prestige, they would start with Rouran.
“Rouran now shows signs of reverting to its old ways.” A man with a long beard in a purple robe stepped forward and said, “If we let them plunder the south, the people on the border will probably suffer again.”
Rouran would not only plunder property but also slaughter cities along the way. Every time they went south, the border cities of Great Chu would become much emptier. And these were things that a ruler of a country could not tolerate.
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