Chapter 138: The Path to Ascension (4)

Chapter 138: The Path to Ascension (4)

Marquis Wei Wu was the noble whom Zhao Jiaze, the Crown Prince, paid the most attention to. Upon receiving his invitation, Zhao Jiaze happily attended the banquet.

"This humble servant greets the Crown Prince." Xie Yuan's attitude was extremely respectful, with no trace of the previous disdain.

"Brother-in-law, no need to be so formal," Zhao Jiaze said with a smile. "I heard that your esteemed wife is expecting? I haven't had the chance to congratulate you yet."

Hearing the term "brother-in-law," Xie Yuan's smile grew even wider as he replied, "Yes, my humble wife is with child. Recently, she has often felt tired and has become very particular about her food. She refused to eat outside, so the other day when the Crown Princess invited her to the Eastern Palace, she declined the invitation. Fortunately, the Crown Princess showed understanding towards my wife and did not take offense."

"When a woman is with child, she is often uncomfortable. It's better for her to stay at home where she is more comfortable. After all, they are sisters, so it’s natural for the younger sister to be considerate of her family."

"Before Baozhen married, her personality was quite domineering. She was spoiled and could be quite willful. The Crown Princess is generous and does not hold it against Baozhen," Xie Yuan said gratefully. "I must not take the Crown Princess’s kindness for granted..."

Taking advantage of the previous day's events, Xie Yuan presented a generous gift.

This gift had two parts. The first part was for Lin Yingxue. It included rare spices, gemstones, and Shu brocade fabrics that were originally intended for Concubine Chen. Now, they were handed over to the Crown Prince.

The second part of the gift was truly for the Crown Prince. Concubine Chen was highly favored by the Emperor, and there was a time when the Emperor gifted her an iron mine. Xie Yuan was in charge of the mining operation, and most of the profits were given to Concubine Chen. However, this year, all the profits, including those that had been privately retained in the past, were handed over to Zhao Jiaze.

Zhao Jiaze was shocked. Although he had guessed that the gift would be substantial when he received Marquis Wei Wu’s invitation, this effectively exposed all of Concubine Chen’s resources.

Being young, although Zhao Jiaze had made great progress in hiding his emotions, at that moment, he could not conceal his joy.

Zhao Jiaze raised his cup. "Allow me to propose a toast to my brother-in-law..."

Seeing Zhao Jiaze’s joy, Wei Wu Marquis finally felt relieved.

The Crown Prince’s side was like a warm hearth, attracting too many people trying to curry favor. Xie Yuan couldn't help but feel uneasy. By presenting these gifts, he was merely seeking a future for the Wei Wu Marquis Mansion.

And the fact that the Crown Prince called him brother-in-law and accepted these gifts also put Xie Yuan's mind at ease.

Due to the favor from Wei Wu Marquis, Zhao Jiaze drank a bit more than usual.

When he returned to the palace, the first thing he did was to hold Lin Yingxue in his arms.

"Why did you drink so much?" Lin Yingxue asked softly, holding the person who had buried his head in her neck.

"Wei Wu Marquis sent a significant amount," Zhao Jiaze said with a smile, gesturing with his hand. It amounted to half of the Ministry of Revenue's salt tax.

"With money, we can..."

Zhao Jiaze didn't finish his sentence, but Lin Yingxue wouldn't let him continue. Talking more at other times was fine, but it wasn't appropriate when he was drunk.

Although everyone in the Eastern Palace was their own people, they couldn't afford to be complacent. Just like Concubine Chenxi's palace, it used to be as secure as a fortress, but now they had people inside, didn't they?

"Get some rest early," said Lin Yingxue. "No more talking."

"No, let's talk about our child, Hong'er," said Zhao Jiaze. He had much to say. Unable to speak of Xie Yuan, he turned to speaking of Hong'er.

At the mention of Hong'er, Lin Yingxue smiled. She had a lot to say.

His progress, from lifting his head, to turning over, to sitting steadily by the railing, each milestone brought joy.

"You only love Hong'er and don't love me anymore," Zhao Jiaze said, resting his head on Lin Yingxue's shoulder, he said this teasingly.

If others saw him like this, the Crown Prince's dignity would be ruined.

With no one around, Lin Yingxue still felt slightly embarrassed. It was acceptable in the Wei Lin Mansion, where few people were present in the rooms.

But now, with attendants both inside and outside the room...

"Stop fooling around," said Lin Yingxue, trying to push him away. "You are still Hong'er's father."

"Yes, yes, I am still your husband," Zhao Jiaze said, a bit drunk. "Let me freshen up, and then I'll join you."

After freshening up, having washed off the smell of alcohol, he would fulfill the duties of a husband.

Outside the window, the snow fell continuously, entering the coldest time of the year, while inside the room, it was warm, filled with sweetness and affection.

The servants in the palace looked worried, hoping the snow would stop soon. They needed to clear the snow before it froze, or the paths would become icy.

For the farmers, this heavy snow had been long awaited. The snow would kill the pests in the frozen soil, and with fewer pests, the next year would be a bountiful one.

·

In the twelfth lunar month, officials from distant regions had already started heading towards the capital. By the first lunar month, nearby officials had also arrived in the capital.

Usually, inns experienced their slowest business during the first lunar month, but this time, business was thriving.

Due to this reason, the officials from Weilin Prefecture felt inevitable anxiety upon arriving in the capital. Their arrival was considerably delayed. Previously, the magistrate had arranged for lodging in the city, but they were held up by ten days. Would the inn still have rooms left for them?

The Crown Prince had once served as an assistant officer in Weilin Prefecture. The matters he dealt with there needed to be wrapped up, and he had worked on many old cases. Organizing the records was a significant task. They had departed late and were delayed on the road for ten days due to snowstorms, arriving in the capital just before noon on the fifth day of the first month.

As they entered the inn, they were surprised to see the innkeeper himself come out to greet them.

The innkeeper bowed and said, "Honorable sirs, I originally reserved rooms for you, but a few days ago, the Crown Prince came and instructed me to give the rooms to others. He said that the officials from Weilin Prefecture should go to Qingyun Inn, where rooms have already been prepared for you."

When they heard the word "but," everyone's hearts sank, but upon hearing the words "Crown Prince," they felt relieved and pleased. This was a great fortune for Weilin Prefecture to have established a connection with the Crown Prince.

The prestige of Qingyun Inn was much higher than that of the inn originally booked by Weilin Prefecture. Magistrate Chen was about to rest when he encountered the person next door.

It was the Governor-General of Liangguang. "Governor He," Magistrate Chen greeted him hurriedly and bowed.

Governor He looked at Magistrate Chen, puzzled. Qingyun Inn was of high prestige, and the people staying in the upper rooms were usually governors. Who was this person?

"This is Chen, the Magistrate of Weilin Prefecture, greeting the Governor-General."

Governor He was further confused. Although Magistrate Chen was a fourth-rank official, it was unusual for a prefectural magistrate to stay in the upper rooms here. It was like a quail egg among a bunch of chicken eggs.

"'Runhe,' whose calligraphy are you referring to?" Governor He asked.

Magistrate Chen bowed again as more officials arrived and greeted them. Someone recognized him and quickly understood the situation.

"This is the Crown Prince's former superior officer."

Magistrate Chen was surprised and quickly said, "I do not deserve such a title, but it is true that the rooms here were arranged by the Crown Prince."

Which minister wouldn’t want to meet the Crown Prince? Unfortunately, the Crown Prince was with Grand Tutor Mi, and his schedule was fully arranged. They couldn’t request an audience with the Crown Prince, lest it lead to unfounded speculation.

Now that they had met Magistrate Chen, one of the officials smiled and invited him, "It's exactly lunch time, Magistrate Chen, would you join us for lunch?"

Magistrate Chen ate the meal both nervously and excitedly. He knew what these officials wanted to learn. He spoke until his throat was dry, talking from noon well into the afternoon, while the other officials listened attentively.

Many reports circulated in the capital, but none were as thorough as Magistrate Chen’s information.

At dusk, Magistrate Chen returned to the inn with a group of high-ranking officials, only to unexpectedly encounter the esteemed Crown Prince.

All bowed and greeted the Crown Prince, wishing him well-being and prosperity.

"I had originally intended to speak with Magistrate Chen, but since you are all here, I will host a dinner and converse with all of you," said Zhao Jiaze.

Zhao Jiaze, as both Crown Prince and the soon-to-be-assessed Deputy Commissioner, hosted a banquet for everyone. During the feast, he announced his plan to attend the imperial court session on the ninth day of the first month of the lunar calendar.

The officials were suddenly enlightened by this revelation, as they all knew about the Crown Prince not yet attending court. They had not realized that the Crown Prince intended to enter the court through this evaluation.

This strategy was indeed brilliant!