Chapter 43 Magnolia

Chapter 43: Magnolia

"Ah, spring really is lovely~"

Jiang Wang watched the little bird that had just flown over to the imperial garden and the willow trees sprouting tender buds, heaving a contented sigh.

Compared to the winter that chilled his hands and feet, the gentle warmth of spring brought him a greater sense of comfort.

Having never seen the entire imperial garden before, he decided to take a stroll today as he passed by, since he had a moment and the weather was pleasant.

To be honest, he hadn't expected to see any particularly beautiful scenery. It was still early spring, with everything just beginning to sprout—the colors not yet at their most vibrant, the foliage not yet at its most lush.

But as he approached an arched stone gateway, he was drawn in by a faint, delicate fragrance. Following the scent, his eyes fell upon a magnolia tree in full bloom!

The white magnolia blossoms unfurled their large petals, leaning against the courtyard wall as they bloomed freely. Amid the otherwise gray and dreary scenery, this magnolia tree alone stood out as the most dazzling sight.

"So beautiful..."

Jiang Wang was entranced for a moment. It seemed like a long time since he had set aside the overwhelming flood of information from the modern era to appreciate the scenery around him so wholeheartedly.

If he had encountered someone behaving this way in his past life, he would have surely found them rather affected.

But now he realized that the simplest, most unadorned form of nature is the most captivating.

Jiang Wang spent a good fifteen minutes here, meticulously admiring the magnolia from all sides—observing the structure of its flowers, inhaling their fragrance. In short, he found every aspect of it beautiful.

It was only when Changle brought up Xiao Yan's name that Jiang Wang reluctantly tore himself away.

"Young Master, if you don't leave now, His Majesty will be kept waiting!"

Oh, right, right. He was just passing by and popped in for a quick look. His final destination was Chonghe Hall, where an Imperial Council meeting was about to begin.

Jiang Wang slapped his forehead, picked up the pace, and hurried out.

Xiao Yan had been treating him fairly well these past couple of days, but if he were late, who knew if Xiao Yan would revert to his old ways.

No sooner had Jiang Wang left than two more people passed by the imperial garden.

Chang Ying, spotting the magnolia blossoms peeking over the wall, excitedly tugged at Chang Wenji's sleeve and pointed them out to him.

"Father! The magnolia in the palace has bloomed. I want to go in and see!"

Magnolias weren't uncommon plants, but she loved them. Her family even had one planted back home.

She had been eagerly anticipating its bloom since the start of spring, but until now, there hadn't been the slightest sign—not even a tiny bud—leaving her feeling quite on edge.

So, upon seeing this magnolia in the imperial garden, even with just a few blossoms visible over the wall, Chang Ying was overjoyed.

However, when she reached the garden entrance, hoping to go inside for a closer look, she was stopped by the imperial guards on duty.

"Greetings, Your Ladyship. Without His Majesty's written decree, outsiders are not permitted to enter."

What? She couldn't go in?

Chang Ying couldn't believe it. She, the daughter of the Three-Dynasty Veteran Prime Minister, bestowed with an official title even before marriage, was being denied entry to just an imperial garden?

Being denied entry was one thing, but to be labeled as "outsiders"?!

Chang Ying had been doted on by Chang Wenji since childhood, essentially getting whatever she wanted. If she didn't have something, Chang Wenji would scour the ends of the earth to obtain it for her.

It wasn't as if she was asking to pluck the moon from the sky right now. She merely wanted to take a stroll in the garden. Could such a simple request not be granted?

Chang Ying's entitled temper flared up, and she naturally refused to back down.

Having grown up never wanting for anything, she was determined to go inside and see today.

If word got out that she had been stopped by two mere guards, her friends would surely laugh at her. How could she ever show her face again?

"Do you know who I am?"

Chang Ying's attitude was forceful, showing not an inch of concession.

Yet the imperial guards remained respectfully polite, their stance unwavering.

"Your Ladyship, please calm your anger. We are merely following orders. We beg you not to make things difficult for us."

Her usual tactic of leveraging her status proved utterly ineffective this time. It felt like punching cotton, only fueling her frustration further.

"What about him?" Chang Ying pointed at Jiang Wang's retreating figure, nearly vanished in the distance. "Why could he go in?"

She had clearly seen someone walking out from inside earlier. Why could that person enter while she couldn't? Could that person's status be higher than hers?

If it truly were higher, how come she had never heard of such a figure?

The two guards exchanged a glance but said nothing more.

Lord Jiang was allowed in, of course, on His Majesty's orders. Moreover, Commander Fang had specifically instructed them that Lord Jiang had the right to access any place within the palace.

But they couldn't say this to Her Ladyship. They had heard a thing or two about Chang Ying's temper. If they spoke up, it might cause trouble for Lord Jiang.

In the end, they might displease both Commander Fang and His Majesty, and they themselves wouldn't fare any better.

Ultimately, the two guards simply repeated, "If Your Ladyship wishes to enter, we must trouble you to present His Majesty's written decree."

Seeing this approach was futile, Chang Ying simply turned to Chang Wenji for help.

"Father~" She grasped Chang Wenji's hand and gave it a gentle shake, putting on a pitiful expression. "I just want to go in and take a look."

When his precious, darling daughter acted coquettishly with him, he naturally couldn't refuse.

But this wasn't the Chang residence; this was the imperial palace. There were some matters even he couldn't control.

"Be good, Ying'er. Father will plant another magnolia tree for you when we return home. I'll find the most beautiful one in all of Zhaojing for you."

Chang Ying initially refused to relent, but after Chang Wenji coaxed her some more, she finally conceded when she saw her father truly had no other way.

She said sullenly, "Fine."

Having placated his daughter, Chang Wenji could finally turn his attention elsewhere.

Jiang Wang's figure had long since walked far away, even disappearing from his sight, yet Chang Wenji continued to stare intently after him for a long time.

"Father?"

Chang Ying called softly, suddenly feeling her father's gaze was somewhat frightening.

"Hmm?" Chang Wenji snapped back to reality and smiled at Chang Ying. "Ying'er, go home first with the steward. Father still has an Imperial Council to attend."

"Alright, then I'll go back with Uncle Chang first and wait for Father to pick out that most beautiful magnolia tree for me."

Chang Wenji handed his daughter over to Chang Tong, telling him to take Chang Ying home. As Chang Ying turned away, Chang Wenji shot Chang Tong a meaningful look.

Chang Tong gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Chang Tong was the steward of the Chang residence and Chang Wenji's most capable assistant. He handled every matter in the Chang household, big or small. It could be said he understood the Chang residence even better than Chang Wenji himself.

The two burly men who had nearly thrown Jiang Wang into the icy pond were Chang Tong's two sons, Chang Da and Chang Er.

They usually served as guards at the Chang residence, but whenever trouble arose, they could transform into enforcers to remove any obstacles in the Chang family's path.

As Chang Tong led Chang Ying to the palace gate, they happened to encounter Fang Fengshi, who had just returned from patrol and was idly sitting by the entrance.

Fang Fengshi greeted Chang Tong as usual, but Chang Tong ignored him, walking straight past with Chang Ying.

What was this? The servant disrespecting his master?

No matter how powerful the Chang family was, the imperial family was still surnamed Xiao.

How dare a mere steward of the Chang family give the Imperial Guard Commander the cold shoulder? Did they really think he was some ignorant fool?

Although he already knew they had their own schemes, now was not the time to move against them.

But this arrogance was going too far. If he didn't put them in their place, they might forget who the emperor was.

It so happened that Xiao Yan had an Imperial Council at Chonghe Hall. After the council ended, he would go and bring this up with Xiao Yan!

＊

Inside Chonghe Hall, incense smoke curled continuously from the central burner, filling the air with the faint scent of sandalwood.

All the ministers stood neatly in the hall, except for one vacant spot in the front row.

It was the position of Chancellor Chang Wenji.

Xiao Yan did not speak, so naturally, none of the ministers standing below dared to either.

Moreover, Xiao Yan's expression was grim, leading the ministers to speculate about what had happened—perhaps it was related to Chancellor Chang.

Each was lost in their own thoughts, and the entire hall was enveloped in an eerie silence.

Jiang Wang wasn't late; he had arrived in the hall just before the Imperial Council began. If Changle hadn't pulled him aside in the imperial garden, he would certainly have been late.

Holding a brand-new daily record book, he still stood behind the coiling dragon pillar, quietly catching his breath.

His secret meeting with Chang Da a few days ago had been an act, but today's hurried journey was genuine. He had indeed run from the imperial garden, as the fine beads of sweat on his forehead could attest.

Once he had composed himself, he also sensed something unusual.

In the past, Chang Wenji had never been late for any meeting, big or small. What was going on today?

Moreover, Xiao Yan had always been carefree and nonchalant, but now, his serious demeanor carried a palpable pressure.

Was this the rarely seen majesty of the Son of Heaven?

Jiang Wang couldn't help but steal a few more glances, secretly wondering if Xiao Yan's demeanor was related to Chang Wenji's absence.

Had Xiao Yan detected Chang Wenji's ulterior motives?

Jiang Wang widened his eyes, a glimmer of anticipation hidden within.

He truly hoped Xiao Yan would discover it soon, so he wouldn't have to act so hard.

Although the Chang family had chosen him as a "spy" to plant beside Xiao Yan, he had remained completely clean, never leaking any useful information. If discovered, perhaps he could avoid punishment!

Jiang Wang silently prayed, "Discover it, discover it." But when Chang Wenji stepped into the hall, Jiang Wang knew his hopes were dashed.

Xiao Yan smiled!

So Xiao Yan's bad mood had nothing to do with Chang Wenji.

Not only was there no connection, but it also sent a message to all the ministers attending the Imperial Council.

Chang Wenji held an exceptionally high position in the Great Jing Dynasty—so high that arriving later than the emperor for an Imperial Council was of no consequence.

Jiang Wang's heart sank. It seemed he not only had to act but also had to act with utmost diligence and dedication.

He didn't need to please Chang Wenji excessively, but at the very least, he couldn't afford to displease him.

Now, not only could Xiao Yan decide his life or death with a wave of his hand, but Chang Wenji could as well.

Jiang Wang sighed, the joy he had felt after admiring the magnolia flowers now heavily burdened.

He just wanted to keep his little life safe. Why was it so difficult?!

With everyone present, the Imperial Council officially began.

This council was not a whim of Xiao Yan's; it was because Zhang Songyun's mansion fire case had made new progress.

After providing the clue about "hearing an argument" last time, Zhong He had made new discoveries following further investigation.

"Your Majesty, after questioning nearby residents, I learned that on that day, a burly man with a full beard entered the Zhang residence, but no one saw him leave."

A full beard?

Xiao Yan was startled. This clue coincidentally matched the one previously provided by Ni Lishen.

The mystery shrouding the Zhang residence fire case seemed to be gradually unraveling.

Author's Note:

Jiang Wang: I'm not familiar with full beards, but I'm very familiar with burly men...