Chapter 97: Self-proclaimed Master
The eldest princess really fell ill this time.
Different from being "bedridden" half a year ago, when she could still enjoy flowers and perfume, listen to music and watch plays, and had endless entertainment activities after closing the door of the princess mansion, now she is truly bedridden, and can only have the energy to say a few words by drinking ginseng soup to cheer herself up.
Yuan Lang went to the Grand Princess's mansion more frequently, helping to prepare all kinds of things, as if he were another son of the Grand Princess.
The servants in the Grand Princess's Mansion gradually came to accept him, especially after hearing that Huan Yanbo had lost his life. They all discussed their future fate in private - who would inherit the Grand Princess's Mansion without the young master, and from whom would they beg for food.
As Yuan Heng waited day by day, the birthday of the Emperor of Southern Qi finally arrived.
Tang Ying, who was hiding in the courtyard to recuperate, had to go to the Forbidden Cavalry Division to take over the position of head of the Shadow Department with his injuries, and inevitably met Gan Jun.
She had heard of Gan Jun a long time ago. He was the emperor's shadow guard and one of the leaders of the Shadow Department.
When Gan Jun met her in the palace, he didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Since Yao Niang is your master, then I am your master's grandfather."
Tang Ying's jaw almost dropped in shock: "Does my aunt know?" Are there still people who are eager to become a master's disciple these days?
"She doesn't need to know, it's enough for you to know."
Tang Ying: "Do you think a master who doesn't have your aunt's consent is still a master?"
It would have been fine if she was pretended to be granted marriage, at least there was some reason behind it, but Gan Jun went behind Yao Niang's back without even saying hello and directly became someone's master. Tang Ying found it hard to believe that the head of the emperor's shadow guard was so unreliable.
Gan Jun didn't seem to think that being rejected by Tang Ying was a big deal, but he seemed determined to be Tang Ying's master, regardless of whether she agreed or not. He first told her about the internal affairs of the Shadow Department, and then assigned Tang Ying the responsibilities of this Wanshou Festival. Finally, he said: "There are many rules in the palace. This is the first time you are responsible for such a big thing. Send someone to inform me if there is anything."
Considering his care for herself, no matter how many twists and turns in Tang Ying's mind and how many guesses she had about Gan Jun, she kept smiling and was very tactful: "Master Gan, I will trouble you to take care of me in the future." In a society where human relationships are important, no matter what the relationship between Yao Niang and Gan Jun is, at least she should get through the current hurdle first.
The busyness of the Saint's Birthday Festival began three days in advance. All departments in the palace were busy. The menu for the imperial kitchen banquet had been discussed months in advance. The imperial painters went in and out of the palace for several days in a row. In addition to painting the portrait of the Saint, the Queen and the Imperial Concubine also had this honor. The new music composed by the court musicians had been rehearsing for several months, waiting to be performed at the palace banquet. The sounds of playing instruments and singing could be heard in the palace every day. Even the eunuchs in the flower room ran everywhere. They not only had to deliver newly bloomed flowers to the masters of each palace, but also had to prepare fresh flowers for the palace banquet... The usually quiet palace seemed to have suddenly become lively. There were new things happening every day, enough for the palace people to gossip about for half a year.
Tang Ying was patrolling the harem with a sword and a team of men. When they met a noble sedan chair along the way, they would move aside. After they passed by, Baoyi would whisper to her who was the master of which palace, which prince or princess she had, or... hinted in a subtle way that she was not favored.
Baoyi is a chatterbox. When they first met, he dared to take her, who was on duty in the palace, to drink and warm herself up. When they met again, she was in a higher position than Baoyi. This man didn't seem to have any psychological discomfort. He still took her around the palace happily. When he passed by the cold palace and heard the sad voice coming from there, he shook his head and said disapprovingly: "What a pity. She was beautiful when she entered the palace, but she became a crazy woman in just a few years. I don't know if it's worth it?"
How many people are striving for the highest wealth and power in the world, but it is just their own pursuit.
Tang Ying listened to her muttering with an expressionless face. She just felt that the newly scabbed wound was itchy and painful, and she wanted to find a place to scratch it seriously.
When she met Yuan Jian who was going to pay respects to her mother's palace, she was finally relieved temporarily. She ordered Baoyi to take others to patrol, as she had a few words to say to the Fourth Prince.
Yuan Jian looked worried after not seeing him for several days, and was startled when Tang Ying stopped him halfway.
"Has the Fourth Prince encountered any difficulties? He is even in a trance when walking."
Yuan Jian looked around, and Xiao Luzi, who was following him, cleverly walked away, leaving space for them to talk.
"Second brother, I was reading the files at the Ministry of Justice yesterday and found a case of someone who was paid without doing anything. The principal offender has been sentenced to temporary detention, and there is an accomplice in the prison who seems to be crazy. But I feel that there are doubts about the case. I went to the prison to talk to the accomplice, and I always feel that he doesn't seem to be really crazy."
"Eating a salary without working?" Tang Ying was very interested and asked repeatedly, "Whose salary are you eating?"
Yuan Jian mentioned a place name , which was a long way from Baicheng, but she immediately thought of Baicheng: "Does the Fourth Prince know whether the issue of eating empty salaries is an isolated case or a common phenomenon in the army?"
Yuan Jian: "I have never led troops, so I really don't know if this is a common phenomenon, but it seems that my father wants to take drastic measures to rectify the unhealthy trends in the army."
Tang Ying's eyes lit up as if she had heard some good news: "Your Majesty has such great ambitions, and we as subjects must of course cooperate. Unfortunately, without His Majesty's oral order, the Imperial Cavalry Division cannot intervene." If she could intervene to investigate the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, she didn't know whether she could find any clues and find the driving force behind the destruction of Baicheng.
Yuan Jian had not been in the Ministry of Justice for long and was still learning, but he had his own opinions. He leaned in and whispered, "There are some clues about this matter, but it's not clear yet. Maybe the Forbidden Cavalry Division will be needed later. Don't worry, second brother. There will always be a time for your Forbidden Cavalry Division to perform meritorious deeds."
He really didn't expect that Tang Ying was so keen on climbing up the social ladder. If he was still a nerd in the past, he would probably look down on those who were obsessed with fame and fortune. But the fact has proved that if a person has no ability to protect himself, he can only be bullied by others. Now looking at Tang Ying again, he feels that she is extremely motivated, better than many men.
Tang Ying patted his shoulder, leaned in close and said slyly, "Huan Yanbo died on the road. I heard that he will be transported back to Beijing for funeral. Then we can go together?"
The news blockade of the Grand Princess was very strict, and Tang Ying had to send people to keep an eye on him in person to get the first-hand information. It was the first time Yuan Jian heard about it, and he opened his eyes wide in shock, and he could even count his eyelashes: "You mean...you mean Huan Yanbo is dead? Really dead?"
Tang Ying : "The news is confirmed!"
Yuan Jian: "Will the eldest princess fall ill?" He was quite sympathetic: "She only has this one son, and she is in so much pain. She didn't expect him to die suddenly. She might go crazy." Then he began to worry about Tang Ying's situation: "Second brother, you better be careful, be careful that she will target you."
The two were very close to each other, and the Fourth Prince only then noticed that Tang Ying looked extremely bad. There was a little bit of blood on her lips, but her face was pale. It was even worse than the last time she had applied white powder in the barracks of the Forbidden Cavalry Division and then washed it off. It was as if she had suffered a serious illness in just a few days.
"Second brother, what's wrong with you?" He leaned closer to take a closer look with concern, still holding her shoulders tightly.
Tang Ying: "Nothing, I just...had a fight with a bunch of people. Even though I won, it was a very hard win."
Suddenly, a voice behind me said coldly, "What are you two doing?"
Yuan Jian and Tang Ying turned around at the same time. They were so close that they almost bumped their heads. But a few steps away, they saw Lord Fu looking at them unhappily, like a husband who had come to catch an adulterer. Fresh green hair almost appeared on his head.
The fourth prince looked at Master Fu, then at Tang Ying, and frowned: "I want to talk to Master Tang. I wonder what Master Fu means?"
Xiao Luzi ran over anxiously, fearing that he would be blamed by his master, and hurriedly explained: "Master, I have already told Master Fu that you have something to talk to Master Tang about, but you can't stop Master Fu."
When Lord Fu heard his words, it seemed as if he was adding fuel to the fire. He came over with an even more resolute attitude, and his eyes were like knives that seemed to want to cut people into pieces. Xiao Luzi couldn't help but shrink his head and step back, feeling that he would be cut into pieces by Lord Fu's eyes.
Tang Ying: “…” I always feel that Lord Fu seems a little strange. Does he have any misunderstanding about his identity?
It seems like... she didn't promise anything to Lord Fu?
"Sir, I was on duty when I happened to meet the Fourth Prince. Is there anything that has brought you to the harem?"
Fu Chen gritted his teeth: "Do I need to be so close to perform my duties?"
Tang Ying: ...Master Fu seems a bit unreasonable.
She patted Yuan Jian's shoulder and motioned him to go first: "Your Highness, aren't you in a hurry to visit the Empress? Go quickly, we can make an appointment another day."
Yuan Jian always believed what she said, so he didn't say anything more to Fu Chen and left with Xiao Luzi.
Tang Ying and Fu Chen looked at each other, one was full of grievances and jealousy, always feeling that her behavior with the Fourth Prince was too intimate, and there was also an old incident lingering in her mind, so she stole the flowers from his desk and gave them to please the Fourth Prince; the other was confused and innocent, completely unable to understand why Lord Fu's emotions were up and down like a roller coaster.
It was Tang Ying who broke the silence: "Your Excellency is wandering around the palace at this time, is there really nothing else to do?"
This year's Wanshou Festival was held with exceptional grandness. Not only were the people in the palace busy, but famous opera troupes and folk artists from outside the capital were also invited to perform in the palace. With so many additional people, the Imperial Cavalry and the Imperial Guards were naturally even busier, and safety became the primary issue.
Fu Chen is always busy, he just happened to bump into him as he passed by.
"I think you have nothing else to do, so you're just chatting with the Fourth Prince in the palace?" Lord Fu was furious today, his temper was extremely irritable, and he looked nothing like the friendly and friendly person he was in the past two days.
Tang Ying: "Chatting is also part of my official duties." She turned and left, not caring about Lord Fu's resentment. She estimated the direction Baoyi and the others were patrolling and took a shortcut to chase them.
