Free Web NovelChapter 655: Chapter 655: A Scandal
"Lady!"
Liu Ji suddenly appeared from some corner, excitedly rushing towards Qin Yao.
He had seen her coming from the direction of the National Master Mansion from across the river, and given how long she had been gone, he guessed she had surely found out the location of her teacher by now.
"You’re done so early?" Qin Yao suspiciously asked, noticing that he seemed like he had been waiting for a long time.
Liu Ji nodded, handing her the pear ice drink he had been carrying for almost half an hour, "Lady, you’ve worked hard. Have a drink to quench your thirst."
The ice drink was contained in a bamboo tube, with two holes punched in the top through which a string was threaded, making it easy to carry and consume while walking.
The shop provided a long-handled wooden spoon, and Qin Yao signaled for Liu Ji to head home, talking as they walked:
"I found him. He’s alive, but sick. I didn’t get a chance to see him, but I’ve passed a message to him. Prepare some light, digestible food tomorrow morning, and I’ll see if I can get you in."
Hearing this, Liu Ji’s eyes instantly sparkled, and he nodded quickly at her: "Yes, yes, on the way home I’ll buy half a slice of pig liver and make pig liver soup for the teacher."
He then asked Qin Yao, "Is there anything you’d like to eat? I’ll pick it up along the way and make it for you tonight."
Qin Yao didn’t hesitate to request sweet and sour ribs, and Liu Ji noted it down. When they passed by a meat stall, he immediately bought the ribs and pig liver.
The couple gradually realized a convenience of living in the Capital City, which was the ample supply of pork, available for purchase from morning to night.
However, the meat in the evening was what was left from the morning sales, and of slightly lower quality. But since the price was also 10% lower, it was still worth it.
"What did you find out from your side?" Qin Yao asked.
She didn’t immediately tell Liu Ji about meeting the Crown Prince at the National Master Mansion that day because he was quite timid, and knowing too much would frighten him.
If he knew the Crown Prince might suddenly appear, or that the National Master had already detected their whereabouts, he would certainly be too nervous to even climb over a wall with her into the mansion the next day.
Thinking of this, Qin Yao glanced at the self-satisfied Liu Ji and clicked her tongue twice, "He’s really good-looking."
There was a sudden exclamation, "Oh my!" from the street side. Qin Yao turned to see two women selling vegetables staring at the smiling handsome gentleman at the market; they were so absorbed in their gaze that they accidentally bumped into each other.
"Tsk!" The two women glared at each other with disdain, snorted, and quickly returned to their respective stalls, yet couldn’t resist extending their necks to continue watching, reluctant to look away even after he vanished from sight.
Liu Ji belatedly turned back to look several times, muttering suspiciously, "Are the Capital’s vegetable vendors cannibals?"
Upon a second thought, he realized, "This is a testament to my charm," and grinned, exposing his white teeth, "I’m really dashing!" ƒreewebɳovel.com
Qin Yao: "..."
Perhaps her gaze was too cold, for someone quickly put away his toothy smile and confessed everything he had inquired about at the brothel today.
"Lady, I had such good luck today. I met someone named Lu Xiaofeng, whose uncle is the Capital Prefect. Others call him Little Government Officer, and he also works inside the Capital Governor’s office. He knows a lot, blah blah blah..."
There was nothing in the Capital City Lu Xiaofeng didn’t know. He was born and raised in the Capital, having lived here for over a century, even before the Baili family entered the city. His family seemed to be one of those prominent noble families, the Lu Family.
However, the truly influential ones were his uncle’s family. His own father was quite useless, holding a sinecure post and spending his days serving the elders at home.
"As you would say, Lady, he is leeching off the elders!"
Second Master Lu leeches off Old Master Lu, and Lu Xiaofeng in turn leeches off Mr. Lu, perfectly inheriting the family tradition of leeching.
Spending half a day in the teahouse, Liu Ji confidently told Qin Yao that he had grasped half of the old aristocratic family secrets from Lu Xiaofeng.
"And about the Xiao family, how Mr. Ding married into the family with Widow Xiao. Tsk tsk tsk~, last month Mr. Xiao secretly set up a mistress, which was discovered by Madam Xiao, Mrs. Wang. Lady, can you guess what happened next?"
Without waiting for Qin Yao to respond, Liu Ji continued with an exaggerated tone: "Turns out the mistress was caught fooling around with Madam Xiao’s brother by Madam Xiao herself, making the Xiao and Wang families the biggest laughingstocks in the Capital City, hahaha uh—!"
His laughter was silenced by a cold glare from Qin Yao. She admitted the gossip was explosive, but!
"What does this have to do with the National Master, I ask you?!" Qin Yao seethed.
If looks could kill, Liu Ji would already be facing execution.
Swallowing nervously, Liu Ji quickly replied earnestly, "Lady, it’s related, it’s a big tangled mess, let me explain in detail......"
Qin Yao: "Get to the point."
Liu Ji: "Alright."
"The National Master’s mother comes from the Wang Family. That Madam Xiao, in terms of rank, is an aunt to the National Master, and that Mr. Wang who got caught with the mistress is considered the National Master’s uncle. Madam Xiao and the National Master’s mother, Madam Wang, have completely different personalities. The National Master’s mother, the elder Mrs. Wang, was known in the capital for her kind and gentle nature."
Liu Ji deliberately emphasized the phrase ’kind and gentle’, implying she was so kind that she would smile even when bullied.
"But the elder Mrs. Wang passed away six years ago, and the National Master gradually grew distant from the Wang family, no longer having such close ties."
"However, the scandal became so sensational that it even reached the palace. Additionally, that Little Mrs. Wang has a fierce personality, and in her rage, she wanted to kill her own brother, the mistress, and even Mr. Xiao all at once. Fortunately, the Holy Empress intervened, sparing their lives."
"Back when the Holy Empress and the Holy Emperor led their troops into the Capital, it was the Wang Family who first opened the city gates to welcome them, which is why the Holy Empress paid special attention to Little Mrs. Wang’s affair, dispatching the Princess and the National Master to handle the matter between the Xiao and Wang families."
Qin Yao was getting a bit impatient, finally hearing the keyword National Master, but she tried to remain patient and wait a little longer.
Liu Ji continued, "In theory, since Little Mrs. Wang and Mr. Wang are relatives of the National Master, whether he should side with justice or kinship was difficult to decide. However, supporting both would be the proper approach."
"But the National Master strongly defended the Xiao family, while the Princess defended the Wang Family. Ultimately, following the laws of Sheng Country, the Capital Governor sentenced the unfaithful—fifty lashes for the man, thirty for the woman, and both were exiled to Lingnan. Mr. Xiao was also suspended from duty for three years."
That was a relatively good outcome, and neither the Xiao nor Wang families had more to say, since having their marital ties saved was already the greatest luck.
Yet the matter was far from over as it entangled many people; some pleaded for Mr. Xiao, some were dissatisfied on behalf of the Wang Family, and the mistress’s family spewed all kinds of shocking scandals.
For a time, various factions in the Capital City revealed themselves. freeweɓnøvel.com
Liu Ji looked around, ensuring there was no one nearby, then whispered, "Among the Capital’s four local noble families—the Xiao, Lu, Wang, and Si families—the Xiao and Si families lean toward the Eastern Palace, the Wang Family is a staunch supporter of the Princess, and the Lu Family is wholeheartedly loyal to Your Majesty."
"And out of the Three Ministries and Six Departments, over seventy percent support the Eastern Palace, while only the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Personnel remain undecided."
"But!" Liu Ji especially emphasized, "In the suburbs of the Capital, twenty thousand palace guards, forty thousand border troops in the Northern Territory, and two military governors in Hebei North Court—a total of one hundred thousand troops—are all under the control of the Princess."
"The remaining Northern Forbidden Army, military governors in Xi’an, Shuofang, Fan Yang, and five other locations, all owe allegiance to the Xu Family, where the Holy Empress resides."
In case of any eventuality, the Holy Empress could immediately mobilize all Northern Forbidden Army within the palace for defense.
Adding it all up, the Holy Emperor controls only a pitiful amount of Southern Forbidden Army stationed in each of the city gates and under bridges, as well as the Baili Family’s feudal forces in various regions.
The Eastern Palace boasts a Ten Commandments Army, and discussing the military forces that can be gathered within the vicinity of the Capital, they are neck and neck with the two thousand palace guards commanded by the Princess in the suburbs.
ps: (The above content references ancient military terminologies, but does not fully adhere to their historical usage. In this text, a "military governor" refers to a border defense commander. The Northern Army guards the Ziwei Palace, akin to the Royal Family’s personal bodyguards, while the Southern Army oversees the Inner Capital, representing the local public security system, including various armed police and patrol officers. This is a fictional setting, please do not criticize.)
