Jinyi Spring

Chapter 175 Another Bad Thing

Empress Xue lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said in a light tone, "Now that you've said that, let's move on."

Eunuch Guo and Granny Sun immediately knelt down, repeatedly saying, "We didn't hear anything."

Xia Achan quickly added, "This humble woman has not said anything."

Empress Xue nodded in satisfaction and took off a pair of gold-inlaid bracelets from her wrist to reward Xia Achan.

"He's a bright child."

……

The candlelight flickered, casting intermittent light and shadow on the faces of the three generations of the Ming family men.

The old Duke Ming slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups jump.

“That bitch! With just one sentence, ‘I misspoke,’ she changed ‘woman’ to ‘son’ and ruined my second son and Xiao Wan’er’s lives, almost caused Chen’er to lose her life, and implicated so many other people.”

He never dreamed that this situation was caused by Xia Achan's manipulation of that prophecy. And Empress Dowager Xue and the Emperor, simply because they listened to one side, forced Xiao Wan into marriage.

His chest heaved, and his cloudy old eyes churned with more than twenty years of regret and hatred. If only his family hadn't taken in that venomous snake.

His thoughts involuntarily drifted back to that early summer twenty-one years ago.

He carried with him the birth dates and times of Ming Changqing and Xiao Wan, and personally went up the mountain to seek Master Yuhui to calculate an auspicious day.

The two children are both grown up; it's time to arrange their marriages.

The master took the invitation, looked at it for a moment, and slowly said, "Young Master Ming is of upright character and will live a righteous life. He may encounter some setbacks in matters of the heart, but his later years will be peaceful."

He picked up Xiao Wan's birthday invitation again, his gaze lingering on the paper for a long time.

The old Duke's heart leaped into his throat. "Is it because Xiao Wan'er's fate is bad?" He bowed again. "Please, Master, resolve this. She is a good child."

Master Yuhui clenched his fingers again, and after a long while, he said, “Amitabha, the cause of the past life leads to the effect of the next life... Flowers bloom and wither in their own time, and the moon waxes and wanes in its own time. Such is fate, and there is no need to resolve it.”

His gaze shifted slightly, as if piercing through the paper before him and landing in a very, very far place.

"Young Master Xiao's destiny is extraordinary. The daughter he will give birth to in the future will surely inherit the world's fortune and save the people from suffering. The auspicious day is the ninth day of the third month, which is very auspicious."

The first few sentences were cryptic and mysterious, and since the master had already said there was no need to resolve them, the old Duke didn't dwell on it. But the last few sentences were all very practical.

His granddaughter, Ming, will save the people from suffering in the future! What could be more real than that?

He played several games of chess with the master before excitedly returning home with the master's comments in his pocket.

After entering Furong Hall and dismissing the servants, he said with a smile, "Haha, the master said that our granddaughter will be extraordinary in the future! She will be the second Princess Yongning, the second female general!"

The old lady took the commentary, read it through, and then beamed with joy. "Master's commentary is probably more than that. In my opinion, she's even more formidable than Princess Yongning—she might even become a female commander-in-chief."

She put the post down and said, "Luckily it's a girl. Although her fate is good, she doesn't attract much attention. If it were a boy, I'm afraid some people would be restless."

The old Duke Ming nodded in agreement, secretly delighted. His wife was the most capable woman in the world, and his granddaughter would also be the most capable woman in the world.

The old lady knew her husband had a tendency to boast, so she instructed him, "Your granddaughter's fate is too good. Just tell this to Lord Xiao, but don't let it get out. It's never good if outsiders find out."

……

After a long while, the Duke of Ming sighed and said, "Empress Dowager Xue took it to heart and passed it on to the Emperor, who was then the Crown Prince. They were afraid that their son, who was to 'bear the fortune of the world,' would fall into our Ming family, so they staged that scene at the palace banquet."

The old Duke slowly began, “Empress Dowager Xue is shrewd and calculating, and never acts rashly. She first wanted to ensure that the person ‘who inherits the fortune of the world’ could not come from another family, so the Emperor had to marry Xiao Wan’er. But she also hoped that the next Emperor would still come from the Xue family, so she secretly supported Consort Xue in persecuting Xiao Shi.”

"Knowing that the Emperor also believes that prophecy, he will definitely protect the eldest prince in secret. Therefore, she will not harm him with her own hands, but instead ensure that he grows up smoothly in the palace. She wants the Emperor and the ministers to see how virtuous she is and how she is never of one mind with the Xue family. This virtue is her greatest bargaining chip."

The old man paused, his eyes growing even deeper. "Actually, her method for dealing with the First Prince was to use a diversionary tactic. First, she made the Emperor dislike Lady Xiao, then forced her to become a nun; then she let the Xiao family decline little by little, cutting off the forces the First Prince could rely on one by one."

"Once the eldest prince leaves the palace, without a powerful maternal uncle's family or a supportive in-laws, he'll be all alone. If something happens to him then, what will it have to do with her?"

Recalling the past, the Duke of Ming also said, "The Emperor ordered that Lord Xiao be flogged twenty times. Lord Xiao is the Emperor's father-in-law, so the executioner should have shown leniency and not beaten so severely. Now it seems that someone must have given the order in advance."

Ming Shanyue snorted coldly, "Consort Xue and Xue Jicheng are only concerned with the immediate future, wishing they could bring down the Prince Qin immediately. This is the knife in the open. If they fail to achieve their goal, it will be the turn of the Empress Dowager Xue, who is in seclusion behind the scenes, to make her move. She is not in a hurry; she is patient. Her plan is calculated over several decades."

Duke Mingguo nodded and said, word by word, "What Empress Dowager Xue wants is for Prince Zhao to become emperor. If he really can't defy fate and ascends the throne, he will have to remember her kindness in raising him for more than ten years and dare not touch the Xue family in the slightest. This is her real plan. She can advance or retreat as she pleases. No matter who sits on that chair, the Xue family will not fall. At most, Consort Xue and Xue Jicheng who are at the forefront will be sacrificed."

Ming Shanyue scoffed, "Unfortunately, she overlooked one thing: there are still loyal ministers in this world who would do anything to protect their master. Doctor Cai and Wang Tu saved the little princess, and our Ming family investigated this matter thoroughly."

The old Duke turned his gaze to Ming Shanyue, beaming with joy, "Back then, when Xiao Wan'er didn't become the Ming family's daughter-in-law, we all forgot about that prophecy. Now it seems that Chen'er is a divine physician, using her medical skills to save countless people from suffering—isn't she carrying on the world's destiny? Master Yu Hui's fortune-telling was accurate."

He stroked his beard, becoming more and more delighted as he spoke, "Haha, although Chen is not my granddaughter, she is my granddaughter-in-law, a member of the Ming family for life."

The Duke of Ming also showed a happy expression. "No wonder the master only said that the auspicious day was the ninth day of the third month, without specifying which year. This is the reason—regardless of the year, only the day matters."

Ming Shanyue said happily, "According to Master's words, perhaps Second Uncle and Qingxin Dharma Master can really rekindle their past relationship?"

He couldn't suppress the smile on his lips. Chu Chen's greatest wish was for "lovers to be united in marriage," and she was sure her wish would come true.

The old man laughed so hard his white beard trembled, and his voice became louder, "The second daughter-in-law of the Ming family will eventually be Xiao Wan'er, hahaha... Both she and her daughter can enter the Ming family."

Duke Mingguo hurriedly said, "Father, please keep your voice down."

Her father had a loud voice his whole life, and when Xia Achan heard this sentence, it was most likely because of her father's loud voice.

Ming Shanyue suddenly stopped smiling and asked seriously, "Grandfather, how could you have told Xia Achan about such an important matter back then? No matter what, she was an outsider."

The old man's laughter stopped abruptly, and his face darkened. "Back then, we really didn't treat her like an outsider; we saw her as our own daughter. However, we never said this to her—we only mentioned it to Lord Xiao, Changxiao, and Changqing. I don't know how she overheard it."

His fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his knuckles turning white. "That bitch, I wish I could tear her head off right now."

The Duke of Ming said in a deep voice, "Now is not the time. Go back and tell Mother to bear with it for now."

Ming Shanyue nodded, her voice low but cold, "I won't hold out for long. Once that matter is settled, it will be her death day."

By the time they finished their discussion, it was almost midnight. The bright moon hung high, and the cold stars were sparse.

Ming Shanyue went to the outer study alone, while the old Duke and the Ming Duke entered through the second gate.

Inside Fu Rong Tang, the candlelight in the corner was still burning.

The old lady leaned against the bed, lost in thought. The old man hadn't come home so late; something serious must have happened.

The old man came in and complained, "Why aren't you resting now? You'll be complaining of headaches again tomorrow."

"If you don't tell me, I won't be able to sleep at all," the old lady said, gazing at him expectantly.

The old man sighed, sat down by the bed, lowered his voice, and told him everything.

After hearing this, the old lady was stunned and remained silent for a long time.

“So,” her voice was so deep it seemed to be squeezed out of her chest, “the Emperor knew that Changqing and Xiaowan’er were a couple, yet he still forced them into the palace—was it all that little slut’s doing? She was only eleven years old then. That wicked child, our family is so unlucky, how could we have let her into our home?”

"That's right." The old man nodded. "Sigh, if it weren't for him, our family would be full of children and grandchildren now."

The old lady clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white, and a string of curses poured out of her mouth, hurling insults at Xia Shi from head to toe, and even dragging Empress Dowager Xue into it. She cursed for a long time before finally feeling a little better.

She leaned back against the pillow, her eyes shining calmly like the water in a deep pool.

"The Emperor's mind is unfathomable. Since the Emperor believes that prophecy, he will eventually make Prince Qin the Crown Prince. He seems to care the least about Prince Qin all these years, which is probably just for show."

The old man nodded. "Yes, it's to protect that child and to temper his character. The Emperor appears cold towards Qin Wang on the surface, but he's been protecting him secretly all along. It's quite a painstaking effort. It's just that others haven't noticed, and we've overlooked it."

The old lady breathed a long sigh of relief. "That's good. As long as the Emperor is aware of the situation, he won't suffer any losses by serving the Emperor. Now we just need to figure out how to make arrangements for Lady Xiao. As for that wretched woman, her good days are coming to an end."

The next day, Cai Yuxiu came to the maternal and child health clinic, bringing with her a pair of winter boots she had made herself for Feng Chuchen and four longevity peaches.

He handed it to Shaoyao and said, "It's the Wang family's grandfather's 70th birthday. Let Master and Buji share in his joy."

Her fiancé's grandfather, Wang Tu's father, celebrated his 70th birthday yesterday.

Very few people in ancient times lived to be seventy years old.

Feng Chuchen had also heard about it, but dared not send a gift.

Cai Yuxiu left her things at the house and went to the clinic, where she and Banxia stayed by Feng Chuchen's side to learn and help.

At noon, the two went to the house, and Cai Yuxiu began to scold Doctor Fan.

"That bitch, in her competitiveness, she ruined herself and the art of episiotomy. Before, no matter who was giving birth, they would hire me, thinking that if they couldn't have a natural birth, they would have an episiotomy. But ever since that incident, no one wants to hire me anymore..."

She was promoted to a seventh-rank official position because of an episiotomy. If there are no women in the palace or the imperial family willing to have an episiotomy in the future, she will most likely have to give up her position.

Seeing her reminds Feng Chuchen of Dr. Cai and Wang Tu.

He said, "Episiotomy is inevitable. It's temporarily setbacked, but it will be implemented again in the future. Read more gynecology and pediatric medical books when you have free time. If you don't understand something, come and ask me. I'll also teach you Feng's uterine contraction acupuncture. Practice more."

Cai Yuxiu cheered up again, hugged her arm and said coquettishly, "Thank you, Master. You are the best to me."

"You have such a sweet tongue."

Although the maternal and child health clinic is busy, it remains peaceful and serene.

Time flies and it's already the twelfth lunar month.

These days, Feng Chuchen hasn't seen Ming Shanyue again, but Guo Hei comes every few days.

Whenever he came, he would bring Feng Chuchen a bag of snacks and a few words overflowing with longing.

Not a single word was mentioned about the tense situation outside.

Feng Chuchen counted the days on her fingers. Ming Changqing should be on her way back to the capital right now. Although she didn't know the details, she knew that the journey would be fraught with danger and peril.

Meanwhile, things seemed calm in the capital.

The river surface was as calm as if covered by a thin layer of ice, making it impossible to discern its depth. Yet, those walking on it knew that beneath the ice, the water was still flowing, and quite swiftly.

On the night of the second day of the twelfth lunar month, a fierce wind howled and heavy snow fell, but the lights in Zhuyin Tower were still on.

The old Duke Ming and the Duke Ming sat facing each other, neither showing any intention of resting. The candlelight flickered, making the wrinkles on their faces appear even more deep.

Xu Hu and his family have been taken to another residence. Ming Shanyue will personally go there to interrogate them after the yamen.

Footsteps were heard outside the door at the very end of midnight.

Ming Shanyue pushed open the door and came in, took off his cloak and draped it over the back of the chair, and sat down.

He took a sip of tea before speaking, “Xu Hu and Tang were interrogated separately and subjected to severe torture. They both confessed. They not only admitted what they had done for Xia Achan and who they had killed, but also revealed something that none of us expected.”

Ming Shanyue stopped speaking at this point and looked at her grandfather and father.

The old Duke slammed his fist on the table in exasperation, "Speak quickly! Stop keeping me in suspense!"

Ming Shanyue put down his teacup, his voice deepening, "The trouble that befell the Kong family back then was also Xia Achan's doing."

The old Duke and the Ming Duke exchanged a glance, their expressions changing. Just who was Xia Achan? She had only been married into the Kong family for three years, yet she had managed to bring down a powerful family that had been established for hundreds of years across two dynasties without anyone noticing.

The key point is that it was her husband's family, and those people were her daughter's closest relatives.

Ming Shanyue continued, "Xia Achan hates that Kong Rui didn't treat her wholeheartedly, and hates that Madam Kong is mean. But then she also learned about an old story—before the rebellious King Shui Jin's incident, the Kong family secretly received a sum of money from Liu Changhe's mansion, as well as a lot of antiques and paintings."

Liu Changhe was Shui Jin's maternal uncle. When Shui Jin rebelled, the Liu family was raided and many others were implicated, but the Kong family, who had close ties with the Liu family, were not implicated. (End of Chapter)