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Unclear
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
To put it more specifically, Empress Wen didn’t just coincidentally fall ill on the same day as Xun old madam. In fact, even the cause of illness was the exact same———–having gotten overly frightened.
Probably, at the exact same moment, when Chai Guangyi personally led along four guards, and in front of Xun old madam’s face, broke the legs of all the servants involved in this scheme against Yu Lingxin and the child, and then had them all sent to the Capital Magistrate Office under the crime of conspiring against the masters, that Li mama that was once treated as a ‘gold medal bestowed by the imperial family’, who’d been comfortably living in luxury in the Wen’an Marquis Manor for more than half a year, also got strangled to death in front of Empress Wen by the imperial guards under imperial orders, dying in Zhaoyang Hall.
Empress Wen although can also be considered to have resided deep in the palace for decades, but because she was aware that in terms of beauty and imperial favor, she truly was unable to win against Li Consort, that’s why, the great majority of the times, she has always strived for a gentle, benevolent, virtuous, and dignified stance. Even if going into hibernation and keeping a low-profile, it was always better to not leave any dirt behind. As such, in reality, the times where she openly fought were extremely few. Even though she also has blood on her hand, whether it was directly ordering or secretly indicating, it ultimately wasn’t carried out in front of her face, and definitely not like the devastating state of watching Li mama getting strangled to death three steps away from her.
Furthermore, Xuan Emperor even issued a decree, ordering the imperial guards to have Li mama put to death in Zhaoyang Hall. The warning and condemnation in this was extremely severe. Even just based on this bit, it was more than enough to make Empress Wen become bedridden from the fright.
However, Empress Wen’s illness this time although occurred practically at the same time as the Xun family’s affair, it still took a few days before this matter passed on to the outside. By the time the court officials and nobles heard the news, learning that the day the empress suddenly fell ill was actually the same day as Xun old madam, it was already the twenty-fourth of the sixth month.
Naturally, everyone all thought of the connection this had with the Xun family’s matter. Just, even more will also have this matter linked with the increasingly intense dispute in court that was happening at the same time regarding the establishment of the heir apparent———-is it establishing the di or establishing the virtuous?
Since the founding of Great Sheng, there has been many wonderful stories of the emperor and empress being in loving harmony. As such, the successor to the throne have mainly been the di eldest. But, in reality, when Great Sheng was founded, Chengtian Empress once personally presented a memorandum to the Great Ancestor, Yuan Emperor, strongly arguing, for the passing of the throne in the later generations, absolutely must establish the virtuous as a priority in order to preserve the stability and peace of Great Sheng’s mountains and rivers throughout the ages.
That’s why, under the current state of Xuan Emperor’s imperial court, there were very many arguments regarding the heir apparent. Moreover, every faction all can quite the classics. The arguments for establishing the di naturally have been around since ancient times, but the method of establishing the virtuous also have historical proof, also having precedence in the current dynasty. Debating between establishing the di and establishing the virtuous was one case, while among the officials that supported establishing the virtuous, there were naturally also disputes towards exactly who was more virtuous between Qin Wang and Wu Wang.
Previously, Qin Wang had voluntarily requested to leave for the northwest. In the three months, there weren’t many news. However, in the capital, Wu Wang had frequently went around, not only taking care of the bedridden fourth prince Zhao Wang in many ways, he even visited and attended to Xuan Emperor and Empress Wen, who’d both wasted away more and more each day because of worrying about Zhao Wang, several times. Additionally, during the several visits to the temple to pray, using Qi Ke to get in touch with and become acquainted with quite a few scholars, his reputation of respecting the wise and being filial and benevolent also spread all over.
And now that Qin Wang has returned to the capital, clearly having obtained great results in the thorough investigation of the northwest’s military affairs and border defense, at the same time amplifying the disputes among the officials that support establishing the virtuous, it also put even more pressure on the di faction that support the fourth prince, Zhao Wang.
Empress Wen suddenly falling ill at this time, even related to the Xun family’s internal affairs, as well as having rumors saying that Xuan Emperor had also ordered someone to reprimand Changchun Palace and Wu Wangfei, ordering the imperial consorts of the imperial harem and the womenfolk of the imperial princes that they should strictly abide by the way of a wife, assisting one’s husband, educating the children, and taking care of the household affairs as one’s priority, not allowed to intervene in the domestic affairs of the subjects.
Just, this statement was very vague, unlike the remaining orders or open decrees, able to be looked into, instead just having a bit of rumors, just like Empress Wen’s illness. Although, in regards to Li mama getting put to death, as well as after someone from the palace visited Wu Wang Manor, an imperial physician was also invited that very night, in the imperial decree on the surface, there weren’t any records left behind. This instead made this seemingly not that complicated matter become ambiguous and unclear, and the influence it brought about towards the disputes in court regarding the establishment of the heir apparent was also subtle and vague.
Then, very naturally, the more unclear the information or matter was, the more it would make people want to discuss or even pry into, wanting to understand clearly. And on this bit, it wasn’t just limited to the women of the back manor. In fact, it also included the honest and sincere old father, Yu Bocheng, that went to visit his daughter.
During her one month confinement period after childbirth, Yu Lingxin’s complexion was particularly rosy. Even without applying rouge and powder, her face was bright and glowing. Facing her old father suddenly asking such a question amidst his long-winded concern, Yu Lingxin first blanked, and then shortly after, actually had a bit of ‘gratification’, the feeling just like seeing Xun Ying becoming enlightened, or seeing Yu Zhengshan and Xun Cong grow up.
However, thinking it over, she still didn’t have ‘father you finally can see the state of affairs clearly’ said out loud, instead just simply smiling, “The imperial family’s honor and glory is naturally important. His Majesty is kindhearted. Some words related to family affairs said to his own madam and daughter behind closed doors, we, as the subjects, naturally won’t be able to hear about it.”
“How can this be said as a family affair?” Yu Bocheng at this time nevertheless became honest again, “The outside all say that the empress had planted a spy in your manor, spurring your family’s old madam to plot against you and An’er, how can this be considered talk behind closed doors!”
“The outside ‘all’ are talking about the express?” Yu Lingxin smiled, “Sure enough, Li Consort is able to grasp his Majesty’s heart all these years for a reason. Clearly, it was Wu Wangfei that sent in the person, yet as soon as something bad happens, it all gets drawn towards Zhaoyang Hall. I originally thought that there would at least be two different sayings outside.”
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Yu Bocheng looked at his daughter’s expression, seemingly very indifferent, even somewhat mocking, as if completely not having this matter taken to heart. Clearly, her face was still very young, yet her expression was filled with experience. Yu Bocheng’s heart suddenly clenched, “Ling’er, tell daddy the truth, after you married over, have your days been very difficult, thinking about how to be on guard everyday, living very exhaustingly?”
“Cough, cough, father-in-law, drink tea.” Hearing these words, Xun Che’s hand nearly slipped. He originally went to personally brew a pot of high quality Hainan tea to curry favor with his father-in-law. Who knew that as soon as he returned, he would hear Yu Bocheng say this, both heartaching and sighing, even concealing a bit of regret, thinking ‘I knew I shouldn’t have let my precious daughter marry this stinky brat’.
However, for Xun Che who has just became a father, aside from awkwardness, he was also able to comprehend his father-in-law a bit more. Never mind that Yu Lingxin gave birth to a son now, if in the future, they were to obtain a daughter, he would also hope for his own daughter to be carefreely happy everyday, not needing to calculating, not needing to worry.
“Shenzhi, cough, cough, how come you even personally brought it over.” Seeing his son-in-law, who has now already gotten promoted up to a low third rank Councilor of the Central Secretariat, his official post even a rank higher than his, deferentially entering the door, personally offering up the tea, Yu Bocheng’s old face actually also had that bit of embarrassment, so hurriedly mended his words with an amiable look, “About that, you all don’t have it easy, indeed not easy.”
Yu Lingxin looked to Xun Che’s still deferential face, seemingly calm and tranquil, just like not having heard what Yu Bocheng had said just now. She immediately burst into laughter, “Father, don’t worry about it, we’re great.”
After Xun Che sat down next to Yu Lingxin, he also bowed once again, “Father-in-law, no need to worry. At present, our family have already had all the unrelated people and matters taken care of. Huijun and An’er will both be safe and sound. Previously, pretending to be unwell and resting behind shut doors, it was also for the sake of being safe. As for the matters in the palace, it’s not completely the same as the rumors outside. Currently, the fourth prince’s body is occasionally good and occasionally bad, so it’s normal for her Highness the Empress to be worried and concerned. If anyone were to ask you, just say that our family is entirely in good health and well, wholeheartedly loyal and deferential, and nothing else.”
Yu Bocheng couldn’t help but once again furrow his brow slightly, “This……..isn’t this the same as not saying.”
Yu Lingxin also couldn’t help but laugh, and at the same time, reached out to lightly touch her son’s little face. In fact, she was even too embarrassed to look at Xun Che’s expression, just hoping that her little son in the future better not be like his maternal grandfather, that honest.
The ambiguity and obscurity of the current state of affairs was precisely what Xun Che wanted. If to insist on a public trial, just like back then when pursuing the Cheng’en Duke Manor to the end over Xun Yan’s death, it will inevitably lead to Zhaoyang Hall, Changchun Palace, as well as Wu Wang Manor, passing the blame to one another and mutually framing. Actually, towards this, the Empress and Li Consort probably both made preparations. When time comes, how things will turn out exactly, it was very hard to say.
Just think back to that time when Li Consort encountered assassins, even able to be ruthless to the point of injuring her own face, and then to Empress Wen’s resolve to ram against a pillar and seek death. What kind of changes and counterattacks will come up in an open trial, it was actually very hard to say. Based on Xuan Emperor’s personality, once it sinks into a stalemate, it was instead more likely for the matter to be reduced in severity. Perhaps, in the end, it will result in Li mama having personal grudges, and such, becoming the scapegoat and taking all the blame.
Rather than that, it was better to voluntarily request Xuan Emperor to not look into too deeply. The excuse naturally was also readily available. The imperial court was currently debating over the establishment of the heir apparent. Although for the princes’ education, they have renowned teachers, not just relying on their mothers to teach knowledge and moral character, but the mother ultimately will influence the son.
And Xuan Emperor, even though never cared for the fourth prince that much previously, the sudden illness that broke out in the past few days still more or less awoken a bit of Xuan Emperor’s fatherly love. It can be said, towards the saying of establishing the di, it’s not like he completely didn’t consider before.
That’s why, when Xun Che entered the palace to meet the emperor, he directly expressed that he didn’t dare to question the imperial honor, but he was also truly terrified. This mama originally was bestowed from the palace. Wu Wangfei’s kind intentions, their family didn’t dare to decline, but for things to reach this point now, they truly didn’t dare to keep.
And Qin Wang, who ‘just so happened’ to be present, also expressed his agreement, believing that it wasn’t suitable to thoroughly investigate. For the sake of the Empress’s and Li Consort’s face, if this matter were to be made public, afraid it will bring about animosity between the two palaces. Especially considering the current discussions regarding the heir apparent, he still support the fourth prince, as the di son, proper and legitimate, so at this very moment, they can’t add more stains on the empress, and so on.
For Xuan Emperor, he was already endlessly headaching over the northwest’s military affairs and border defense crisis to begin with, truly hoping that the imperial court and inner palace in the capital can be a bit more stable, so that he can properly take care of the problems in the northwest and Chen province. Thus, there was that discreet decree and punishment.
And it was precisely this seemingly ‘not looking into too deeply’ way of handling that made the Empress, Li Consort, and Wu Wang Manor all have no leeway of defending themselves, just adding another layer of haze in Xuan Emperor’s heart.
But, this set of plans, how it can be explained clearly to the wholeheartedly honest and open Yu Bocheng was just another problem.
“The imperial family’s affairs originally shouldn’t be discussed too much in private either. His Majesty although is the esteemed son of heaven, he’s ultimately also a husband and a father. Presumably, he cherishes the second prince and also care for the fourth prince. The feelings in his heart, father-in-law, you’re a compassionate father, you probably can also understand.” Xun Che just smiled, his handsome face refined and courteous as usual, gentle and harmless. He probably also didn’t have any intention of explaining too clearly with his father-in-law, instead directly changing the topic, “Is everything still well at home lately? How’s brother Shan’s studies?”
Yu Bocheng seemingly also understood a little, but seemingly also even more confused. However, in the end, he still went along with his son-in-law’s words, sighing again, “Everything is still well at home. Shan’er is also studious in his studies, just lately, a bit close with Gentleman Qi, sigh.”
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