The empressput her teacup down, both hands folded over her knees, her back slowly leanedback, her expression exposing some dignity: “We are the empress, the modelwoman of the world. Xia Fen is a child of the Dayan, a person of this dynasty,we us the mother of the nation, naturally can judge him.” She paused a bit, hernext words slightly sharper: “Xia Fen is your son, not your ancestor.”
Xia LingMei’s eyes widened, she only felt a sudden clap of thunder struck the top ofher head, for a while she was muddled, unable to speak for a long time.
“Lord w.a.n.gfeels he has failed him, because he is a child he unexpectedly gained. Heunconsciously pampered and spoiled him, because he lacks confidence.”
“You as amother, because you accidentally brought about that child’s future, you dote onhim, coo over him, and indulge in him. Because you feel you’re not a goodmother.”
“And theXia family, from start to finish have mediated between you husband and wife. ToXia Fen, Xia family won’t gain from him, or lose anything because of him.Therefore, all his teaching, cannot be imposingly meddled with. Too muchindulgence, that is how his temper is undisciplined and out of control. Tellme, if this child will be your blessing when he grows up, or a disaster?”
“He holdsthe Xia family’s name, he doesn’t respect the princes, unfilial to his parents,inadequate respect and love to the family, for what reason can he strut aroundBailu academy and not be punished at all? Does the Xia family have such anarrogant and despotic child? Can the crown prince really endure someoneexchanging blows with him?
Does the emperor really only want to nurture him?Are you sure, if he continues as always, Bailu academy, Xia family, and themonarch would allow him to smoothly grow to adulthood?”
Xia LingMei was already deathly pale with fright, she suddenly understood, the treasureon the bottom tip of her heart, maybe it was worthless in other people’s minds.
The empressshook her head: “Xia Fen’s conducts and deeds, are all because he is completelyunafraid.” And the monarch, cannot tolerate such a daring child.
Xia LingMei faintly already knew what the empress intended.
Xia LingMei and w.a.n.g Yun Feng, and even the Xia family and w.a.n.g family were unable to
control Xia Fen. Since the crown prince was interested in training with XiaFen, in that case, Xia Fen cannot return home for a while.
Theempress’ words, also held the meaning of teaching Xia Fen on Xia Ling Mei’sbehalf.
Xia LingMei still struggled: “Empress, I’m not an imperial concubine of the palace. Youcan’t keep my child in the palace.”
“We havealready consulted with the emperor, allow Fen Er to be the crown prince’scompanion.”
Xia LingMei’s lower body completely weakened, falling into the wide chair. On the tablenext to it, the green tea had already turned cold.
It was anenormous honour for the children of the influential families to be thecompanion of the princes, and the crown prince’s companion, when they grow upas long as the crown prince smoothly succeed the throne, any companion wouldabsolutely be a member of the emperor’s inner ministerial circle, glory andfavour does not necessarily last forever.
T
o XiaFen’s cruel and uncooperative temper, being a companion can give him riches andhonour, glory and splendour, and can make him dance on the edge of the sword,at any time his head could separate from his body.
Xia LingMei only felt a sharp pain in her heart, in her alarm she felt, maybe sheshouldn’t have allowed Xia Fen to come home from the start. This sort of child,should only be allowed to move unhindered in the world, and not trapped in thisgorgeous and deadly cage of Beiding city.
A the sametime, the imperial court had just pa.s.sed an imperial edict, the third ranksenior imperial censor official w.a.n.g Yun Feng was to be degraded to fifth ranksupervisor imperial censor, to leave for the flooded area to supervise thedisaster relief, simultaneously accompany around ten imperial physicians, aswell as fifty carts of medicinal ingredients grandiosely depart from Beidingcity together.
All the wayback to the residence Xia Ling Mei’s head did not clear, she was flittingbetween anger and calm, when she saw the main entrance of the w.a.n.g residence,again hearing the news from the old w.a.n.g housekeeper, those emotions were againburied.
She triedhard to control her shaking hands, exerting all her strength she blinked,forcing back her grieving tears.
After courtwas finished w.a.n.g Yun Feng was immediately called to discuss official businessby the emperor, only informing the people at home to pack things at once, heneeded to leave three days later.
Fifty cartsof medicinal ingredients could not be gathered in a short time, the oldhousekeeper guessed w.a.n.g Yun Feng would leave first with the imperialphysicians, when the horses and carts were fatigued, w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s officialposition would be removed, he didn’t have enough power in his hands, when he arrivedpeople would definitely cause problems. The most important thing is of coursethe stricken area, the flood still overflowed the banks, the dead and injuredmust be falsely reported, after that it would be…an epidemic situation.
Xia LingMei unconsciously thought of many years ago, the empress’ father died ofillness after a disaster relief, that year, the empress and the Zhao princessdidn’t even go to celebrate the new year, protecting that tiny courtyard,grieving cut off from the rest of the world.
“Mistress,the master is bringing so many imperial physicians, they will definitely lookafter the master’s health. Don’t worry.”
“I know.”Xia Ling Mei said, in pa.s.sing taking out the list of medicines in the medicineroom looking over it carefully, “the imperial physicians are there to see thevictims, at most one will be left by the master’s side to treat the victims inthat area, the other imperial physicians will definitely be allocated to otherareas, they cannot surround the master himself to treat only him. Just in case,let us get a few more physicians for this journey, and prepare some medicinesfrom the residence to be taken with him. Whether it’s for the master, or forthe victims, it would still be considered the w.a.n.g family’s good deed and charity.”
The oldhousekeeper nodded: “The mistress has considered this thoroughly.” Hurriedly hecalled for people to find physicians to explain the situation, if they werewilling to go, half the reward will be paid in advance, afterwards they stillneeded to pack up, three days seemed long but was not.
With thebustle, Xia Ling Mei also calmed down, on one hand getting people to sort outw.a.n.g Yun Feng’s clothing and personal items, on the other hand asking the maidsto also pack some of Xia Fen’s clothes to be delivered to the palace. Thengetting someone to grind the ink stone, personally writing a letter, warningXia Fen repeatedly of various things slipping it amongst the clothes beforeleaving.
At noon,w.a.n.g Yun Feng had still not returned, he had been an official for many years, thew.a.n.g family was also a well-known name, the news from the palace must have beenspread a long time ago, not knowing why, unexpectedly not a single persondropped by to pay a visit.
The othercourt councillors aside, they were benefiting from it anyway, but why not evena single person from the other w.a.n.g family branches come to inquire, so much sothat even the clan leader did not send someone to give a few comforting words.To know if w.a.n.g Yun Feng made a mistake, the w.a.n.g family would also not dowell. Usually she only took a walk around the rear courts of the influentialfamilies, all she saw were women of influential families, she actually felt forthe first time the coldness of her own front courtyard.
“Over theseyears the master gradually had less contact with the people in the family, hesaid he dreaded too many rumours, causing disaster for the family. As animperial censor, social relationships are usually quite rare, one is to avoidganging up for personal interest, the other is having offended too many people,on the face of things whatever the case it makes life difficult. Even if thereare several colleagues, because the mistress wasn’t at the residence, themaster also rarely invited them over, at most he drank a pot of tea with themin a teahouse, exchanging a few words before dispersing.”
Xia LingMei faintly felt strange: “From what you’ve said, why does it feel like themaster is becoming more and more anti-social?”
The usuallylong-winded old housekeeper suddenly became silent, only a while later did hesay: “Mistress, the suffering shown on the face of things may not be the realsuffering.”
Xia LingMei couldn’t help turn her head away, bitterly laughing: “Who in this worldisn’t suffering, rather it depends on whether you can endure it.”
The oldhousekeeper laughed heartily: “Right, didn’t the master still return with themistress in his arms!” He moved closer, stroking his two strands of goat beard,“mistress, you need more supplements, to again add a son to the w.a.n.g familyah.”
Xia LingMei’s face was red, resentfully calling Xiu Yu over, prudishly asking the otherperson to note down the medicinal ingredients needed to be bought again, nolonger listening to those indecent words from the old housekeepers.
Aftereveryone had packed w.a.n.g Yun Feng’s belongings, Xia Ling Mei opened the cases
examining one by one. w.a.n.g Yun Feng was going to disaster relief, naturally hecouldn’t wear too ornate clothes, anything glamorous was basically taken out. Atmost only three outfits with plain inner materials remained, for him to wearwhen he met officials. A few more of the common cotton and hemp clothes wereactually added, the weather was turning cold, some more warmer clothes had tobe added, fur lined clothes of dark colours not easy to dirty were also chosen.The less respectful clothing were of cosy materials, she again chose from theseveral bolts of clothes conferred from the palace a green blue to make intoseveral outfits by people rushing through the night, also with shoes and socksand hat, white jade and jasper were chosen for jade ornaments and other suchthings, small bags of fragrance were all changed into medicinal bags.
w.a.n.g YunFeng this sort of scholar, had a little bit of martial arts to use to strengthenhis
body’s health, but he thought too much, repeatedly meeting a.s.sa.s.sination,his old wounds were likely to flare up, his spirit instead was even weaker thanthe ordinary person by half.
Xia Ling Mei personally chose a hundred years oldginseng giving it to Juan Shu herself to pack away carefully, telling him tosteep several flakes for w.a.n.g Yun Feng every day, and there were big packetsand small packets of medicine to strengthen the body, when they arrived at thestricken region he must drink one once a day.
Even lateron in the day, someone came to report, no physician in the city was willing togo with the master to another part of the country, they said there were toomany patients in the stricken region, no one dared to go when there was no wayof returning.
Xia LingMei hearing this almost broke her mouth of steel teeth. These flourishingpeople, used to living like princes, treating their lives as even moreimportant than anything else. Not just going to the stricken regions, evengoing onto battlefields, there were minimal physicians, even less weremedicines which could save lives.
She toldpeople to say, if a physician was willing to go along to the stricken region togive medical treatment to the victims, they only need to nod their head, thew.a.n.g family will immediately give two hundred silvers as a gift. With this, atlong last two had nodded their heads, it was a.s.sumed their medical expertisewhere not the most brilliant.
As she wasworrying, the Xia family unexpectedly sent someone to deliver two middle agedphysicians, asking cautiously, they were surprising the people who had gonewith the third master to stricken regions. The physicians looked over themedicinal ingredients Xia Ling Mei had asked people to prepare, again writing aprescription to add a few more ingredients.
Xia Ling Mei was ever moregrateful, inviting them to stay or the time being.
At night,w.a.n.g Yun Feng returned to the residence completely exhausted, Xia Ling Mei restrainedherself again and again, in the end she didn’t ask anything unnecessary,personally picking up food for him.
Tonight,there was no moon.
Faintlywarm candle light decorated the wide wooden long hallways, with a sky full ofstars replying. In the most hidden place of the courtyard the cicadas could befaintly heard, occasionally a bubble or two could be seen on the surface of thepond, everything was quiet and still.
Xia LingMei leaned on a wide and solid pillar, staring at the still black night withoutblinking.
w.a.n.g YunFeng quietly came in, holding her ice-cold hand, softly saying: “Don’t worry.”
Xia LingMei sighed: “Fen Er is in the palace.”
“I know,the crown prince took him to see me today, he said he’ll look after his youngercousin. When I’m not here, go visit the palace more often, whatever Fen Erlacks you take it to him. The emperor’s thoughts are secretive, let Fen Erdistance himself from him, if there’s something wrong you take responsibilityfirst, put everything off until I return.”
Xia LingMei listened to him prattle on, she couldn’t help think of the empress’ sayinghis indulgence in Fen Er was from his own deficiency, at first she didn’tbelieve it. After all when they first met, w.a.n.g Yun Feng was extremely strictwith Xia Fen, after returning to Beiding city, every day Xia Fen was in oneplace but did acknowledge him, probably to torment him. Because he doted onthis child, as a result even if he wanted to scold him it always felt likethere was no force behind it.
Xia Fen didnot consider him to be his biological father, but w.a.n.g Yun Feng had alreadyplaced Xia Fen in his heart, it was the most important scar on his heart.
Xia LingMei also held his hand, she couldn’t help but move closer, biting viciously onhis lips.
w.a.n.g YunFeng was stunned, in a blink he grasped her firmly, kissing her back.
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T/N: The couple are to be apart again >_