Chapter 122

Chapter 122

The palace servant continued, “After the officials pleaded for mercy, His Majesty, considering the Second Prince's merits in saving the Emperor and Empress Zheng’s non-involvement, showed leniency. Empress Zheng has been demoted to a Noble Lady and relocated to Yujing Palace. She is fined three years’ salary and forbidden from attending any palace banquets for the same period. Any further misconduct will result in doubled penalties.”

Xiao Yu waited a moment, and when the palace servant said nothing more, he asked curiously, “Is that all?”

The palace servant confirmed, “That’s all.”

Her rank was lowered, and she was fined, but there were no restrictions on her interactions with Xiao Yuanping. Clearly, Emperor Yongxi was truly magnanimous and compassionate, much more than Xiao Yu had expected. He felt relieved and joyful.

Xiao Yuanping, not fully understanding, turned and asked, “Royal Brother, what does it mean?”

The prince happily explained, “Your mother won’t die.”

Minghe nodded, “Right!”

Over these days, Xiao Yuanping, with explanations from his mother and royal brother, understood that his uncles had attempted to harm him, his father, and his royal brother, committing heinous crimes, which led to his mother considering suicide as atonement.

But he, along with Xiao Yu and others, hoped his mother would choose to live. After his mother reconsidered, she too harbored this wish. Now, their hopes were finally realized. Overjoyed, he asked, “Is it true?”

“It’s true,” Xiao Yu affirmed.

“Then I’ll go tell Mother!” Xiao Yuanping turned and ran out.

The prince said, “Royal Brother, I’ll come with you.”

“Me too!” Minghe exclaimed.

Not sure if Xiao Yuanping could explain it clearly, Xiao Yu let Minghe and the prince accompany him. He then asked the palace servant, “What about the Zheng brothers? What punishment did they receive?”

“I don’t know about that,” the palace servant said.

“Alright, I’ll ask General Pei later,” Xiao Yu turned to Xiao Zhongzi, “Xiao Zhongzi, give the messenger a tip for his trouble.”

“Yes,” Xiao Zhongzi handed some silver to the palace servant.

“Thank you, Master Xiao,” the palace servant said as he trotted away.

Xiao Yu waited in the Eastern Palace, but Pei Yanli didn’t show up.

He then went to the kitchen to prepare the last dish for lunch, sour cabbage chicken. He took the pickled cabbage from the jar, sliced it, stir-fried it in a wok to remove moisture, and set it aside. Then, he heated oil in the wok, added spring onions, ginger, and garlic for aroma, followed by the cabbage again to enhance the flavor.

He added more oil to the wok, put in fresh chicken pieces, continuously stirring until they turned slightly golden and fragrant. He then added water to cover the chicken.

Once it boiled on high heat, he reduced it to a simmer for a quarter of an hour. He then added the fried cabbage, stir-fried for a bit, seasoned with a little salt, and served it in a big bowl. Garnished with Sichuan peppercorns and green onions, he drizzled hot oil over to release the aromas of the spices.

A delicious sour cabbage chicken was ready.

“That smells amazing!” said Pei Yanli.

Xiao Yu turned to see Pei Yanli in his official uniform, “How did you get in here?”

Pei Yanli smiled, “Am I not allowed to come?”

Xiao Yu replied, “It’s all smoky in here.”

“But you are here.”

Looking around and seeing no one else, Xiao Yu accepted Pei Yanli’s sweet words, then took his hand and asked, “What about the punishment for the Zheng brothers?”

“They will be executed next month,” Pei Yanli replied.

Xiao Yu, unsurprised, asked, “What about their family?”

“Anyone involved in corruption, conspiracy, and such crimes, regardless of age or gender, will be executed; those guilty but not involved will be exiled; women and children with no involvement will be permanently banished from the capital,” Pei Yanli explained.

“What about Xu Da?” Xiao Yu asked.

“His punishment is almost the same.”

“And what about Nanyue Kingdom?” Xiao Yu inquired. “Dajing has always had tensions with Nanyue, with continuous minor conflicts.”

Pei Yanli replied, “Nanyue has infiltrated many areas of Dajing. This time, the Emperor can no longer tolerate it and is preparing to attack Nanyue in the autumn.”

Hearing this, Xiao Yu tensed up and asked, “Are you going?”

“Lu Ming is handling it alone this time,” Pei Yanli said.

“Is he confident?” Xiao Yu asked.

Pei Yanli, caressing Xiao Yu's hand, reassured, “Nanyue is a small country, and he has fought alongside me many times. There shouldn't be any problems.”

Xiao Yu nodded, “That’s good.”

“Uncle Xiao! Uncle Xiao!” The voices of Minghe and the prince came from outside.

Xiao Yu looked at Pei Yanli, “The kids are back. Have you had lunch yet?”

Pei Yanli answered, “Not yet.”

“Let’s eat together.”

“Let’s go.”

The two left the kitchen, calling for the palace servants to serve the meal.

Xiao Yu and the prince ran over, “Uncle Xiao, oh, Uncle Pei is here too.”

Seeing the two children with flushed, chubby faces and beads of sweat on their foreheads, Xiao Yu hurriedly said, “Come inside quickly. Look at how hot you two are, you’re about to get sunburned.”

The two children scampered into the room.

Xiao Zhongzi and other palace servants quickly went to wash their faces.

Xiao Yu and Pei Yanli sat at the dining table waiting.

Minghe and the prince, already starving, washed their faces and quickly took their seats.

“Uncle Xiao, I knew it was your cooking as soon as I smelled it!” Minghe exclaimed.

The prince added, “Uncle Xiao’s cooking is the best.”

“Uncle Xiao, I’m so hungry, I’m going to eat first, then we can talk,” Minghe proposed to Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu smiled, “Go ahead and eat.”

The two children eagerly picked up their chopsticks and started eating.

Xiao Yu had prepared sour cabbage chicken, thinking that the hot weather might affect the children's appetite. Contrary to his assumption, they couldn’t stop eating.

Pei Yanli commented, “This sour cabbage chicken is excellent, the cabbage is crisp, and the chicken tender and smooth.”

“Then have more,” Xiao Yu offered, serving more to Pei Yanli.

Soon, everyone had their fill.

Only then did Minghe and the prince start talking about Noble Lady Zheng’s situation.

Minghe began, “Lady Zheng, formerly Empress Zheng—”

“Brother, the imperial edict has been issued, we should call her Noble Lady Zheng now,” the prince interrupted.

Minghe nodded, continuing, “When we went to Fufang Hall with the Second Prince and told Noble Lady Zheng about her punishment, she cried with joy.”

The prince added, “She held the Royal Brother and cried so hard!”

“We couldn’t comfort her,” Minghe said.

“Then, when the imperial edict arrived, she stopped crying,” the prince noted.

“What are they doing now?” Xiao Yu asked.

“Moving,” both Minghe and the prince answered.

The prince further added, “They are really happy about it.”

The Zheng family heavily favored sons over daughters. Zheng Weirong and his brothers had taken so much from Noble Lady Zheng since they were children, and even more so as adults, sending her to the palace to gain favor and fortune.

Noble Lady Zheng, out of familial love, had always treated them well until her son, Xiao Yuanping, nearly died from Araceae flower poisoning. That was when she completely gave up on them and believed they got what they deserved.

Now facing such grave crimes, being able to escape unscathed with her child naturally made her happy… Xiao Yu understood Noble Lady Zheng’s joy and smiled at the children, “Why didn’t you help with the move?”

“Noble Lady Zheng didn’t let us,” the prince said. “She told us to come back for a meal, then take a nap, and study.”

“So, we came back,” Minghe added.

“Then go take your nap,” Pei Yanli suggested, wanting to spend some time alone with Xiao Yu.

Minghe and the prince, unaware of his ulterior motive, actually went to take their nap.

Xiao Yu gave Pei Yanli a disapproving look.

Pei Yanli pulled Xiao Yu to sit on his lap, kissed him for a while, then played with Xiao Yu's slender fingers, saying, “I forgot to mention something just now.”

“What is it?” Xiao Yu asked.

“I'm not going to attack Nanyue because I have something else to attend to.”

Xiao Yu inquired, “What is it?”

Pei Yanli looked deeply into Xiao Yu’s eyes, “It’s about us.”

Xiao Yu, looking back at Pei Yanli, asked, “About us? What about us?”

“At Master Pei's fiftieth birthday, the Grand Princess wanted to discuss our marriage, but then Minghe was kidnapped. Six months have passed, isn't it time to talk about it now?” Pei Yanli asked.

Xiao Yu, somewhat shyly, asked, “How do we discuss it?”

“In a few days, Master Pei will have a rest day. You could visit my home again as a formality, and then I will ask the Emperor to grant us marriage,” Pei Yanli suggested.

“Grant us marriage?” Xiao Yu suddenly felt the concept was so distant, but the idea of marrying Pei Yanli seemed very near and easy to accept.

Seeing Xiao Yu lost in thought, Pei Yanli’s expression grew serious, “Are you unwilling?”

Xiao Yu snapped back to reality, “What did you say?”

Pei Yanli, with a touch of hurt in his voice, said, “You’ve kissed, touched, and slept with me. Don’t you want to take responsibility?”

Admitting to the kissing and touching, Xiao Yu retorted, “When did I sleep with you?”

“In Yuyang County and Zhuyang County, we slept together.” Pei Yanli mentioned, although at that time, they were preoccupied with searching for Minghe and didn't do anything else.

“…” Seeing Pei Yanli’s expression growing darker, Xiao Yu quickly said, “I’ll take responsibility, I’ll take responsibility for you.”

Pei Yanli's expression softened.

Xiao Yu hesitated, “It’s just that—”

Pei Yanli gripped Xiao Yu’s hand tightly, a bit anxious, “Just what?”

Xiao Yu stated plainly, “Minghe and the prince are still young. After we marry, where will I live?”

Knowing that Xiao Yu couldn’t bear to leave the children and was also worried about them, Pei Yanli had already thought it through, “That’s easy to handle. You can live wherever you want, and I can stay with you in the Eastern Palace.”

“You living in the Eastern Palace? Would the Emperor agree? Isn’t he wary of you?”

Pei Yanli smiled, “In all these years of his reign, there were many crises where my mother and I could have taken power, but we never did. He knows the Pei family desires a peaceful and prosperous Dajing, not sole power, so he trusts us.”

Indeed, in the book "Emperor’s Dream," Emperor Yongxi entrusted the prince to Pei Yanli on his deathbed, and Pei Yanli did not disappoint him.

Pei Yanli asked, “So, will you visit the Pei residence in a few days?”

“Okay,” Xiao Yu agreed.

Pei Yanli, smiling slightly, kissed Xiao Yu again, this time with added joy and patience. The kiss lasted long, and inadvertently, the loose, thin summer clothes slid open, revealing Xiao Yu’s smooth, rounded shoulder.

“Wait a second,” Xiao Yu, feeling a slight chill, quickly pushed Pei Yanli away.

Pei Yanli caught sight of a small mole on Xiao Yu’s shoulder, uniquely enticing. His eyes darkened, and he suddenly lifted Xiao Yu, his voice husky, “Help me with something.” He then strode into the bathroom.

Much later, Xiao Yu emerged with flushed ears and sore arms.

Pei Yanli, looking refreshed, suggested, “Xiao Yu, next time we—”

“There won’t be a next time!” Xiao Yu glared at Pei Yanli sternly.

Pei Yanli, in a great mood, laughed.

Xiao Yu, pushing Pei Yanli away, said, “You better go to your duties.”

“But I—”

“Go now!”

Pei Yanli turned back and gave Xiao Yu a quick kiss on the cheek, “Visit me at my house in a few days.”

“Got it.”

Pei Yanli left.

Xiao Yu tried not to dwell on what happened in the bathroom… he couldn’t think about it, or he might get a nosebleed. He went to wake up Minghe and the prince for their lessons, and then checked the imperial kitchen. On his way back, he overheard many discussions about the downfall of the Zheng family.

The plan hatched by Pei Yanli and Lu Ming to sway the ministers worked perfectly, eliciting sympathy for Noble Lady Zheng and the Second Prince. Everyone agreed that the Emperor’s decision was just, and that Zheng Weirong and his brothers got what they deserved… Indeed, a satisfying outcome.

The next day, Emperor Yongxi finally had time to reward those who had shown merit.

Xiao Yu, Minghe, the prince, Pei Yanli, and Xiao Yuanping, all of whom performed admirably in the recent events, received various rewards.

Xiao Yuanping joyfully gave all his rewards to Noble Lady Zheng, ensuring she would have no financial worries for the next three years without her stipend. Xiao Yu and his nephews, now wealthy, learned of a flood in Dajing and donated half of their rewards to the relief efforts.

The day for Xiao Yu to visit the Pei residence arrived.

Taking advantage of the children being in class, he left the palace alone.

As soon as the carriage stopped at the Pei residence, the Grand Princess, Master Pei, and Pei Yiyang came out to greet him.

Xiao Yu, feeling honored, quickly performed a formal bow.

“No need for formalities,” the Grand Princess helped Xiao Yu up.

Pei Yiyang explained, “My brother was originally waiting for you at the gate, for over half an hour, but Lu Ming suddenly had something urgent to discuss, so they are busy in the study.”

Xiao Yu, smiling, entered the residence with the Grand Princess and others.

After waiting for quite a while, Pei Yanli still didn’t appear.

Pei Yiyang then suggested, “Mother, let me take Xiao Ziqing to find my brother.”

The Grand Princess, worried Xiao Yu might be anxious, agreed, “Go ahead.”

Curious about what Pei Yanli and Lu Ming were doing, Xiao Yu followed Pei Yiyang.

“Brother, Xiao Ziqing is here!” Pei Yiyang called out from a distance.

Pei Yanli, who was writing something, hurriedly put down his pen to greet Xiao Yu.

Lu Ming greeted with a smile, “Xiao Yu, you’re here.”

Xiao Yu, smiling, asked, “What are you busy with?”

“Checking the officials' roster,” Lu Ming replied.

Pei Yanli pulled Xiao Yu to sit beside him, then sat back down and resumed writing. While writing, he explained, “The Zheng brothers' case is extensive. Since three months ago, we’ve had to remove quite a few officials from Beijing, Chuanyang Town, Zhuyang County, and Yuyang County.”

Lu Ming continued, “Fortunately, Dajing doesn’t lack talent. There are many scholars and graduates waiting for official positions. Each department has made many recommendations, and they have now assumed their posts. The Emperor, wanting to be cautious, asked us to review them, and if there are any issues, let Kong Shaoqing investigate.”

“Oh,” Xiao Yu nodded.

“Wait for me a little,” Pei Yanli said.

“No rush, take your time,” Xiao Yu said while watching nearby. Admiring Pei Yanli's calligraphy, he noticed a familiar name, Yu Hui, and suddenly thought to ask, “Is this Yu Hui from Qingshi Town?”