Chapter 357 Entering the Palace

Chapter 357: Entering the Palace

Having slept during the day to recharge, the night was well-suited for more physical exertion. Song Tingzhou had put in more effort than Meng Wan, and the large bed in the bedchamber creaked all night long. As a result, Meng Wan ended up sleeping in again the next day.

The sky was overcast today, threatening snow—perfect weather for catching up on sleep. But fate had other plans as Huang Ye came rushing in to wake him.

"Fulang, the Empress has summoned you to the palace."

The household affairs were neither too many nor too few. Gui Qian kept an eye on Muquan Manor, and Huang Ye occasionally had to check in as well. Unless Meng Wan was going out, Huang Ye didn't usually attend to him closely.

This time, he came personally to fetch him, worried that the lower-ranking servants or maids might be unreliable—after all, the Empress was the most revered woman in the realm and absolutely not to be slighted.

Huang Ye's heart pounded as he shook Meng Wan awake beside the bed.

Meng Wan had been up with Song Tingzhou until the wee hours, tossing and turning repeatedly. Song Tingzhou was like a wolf that hadn't had his fill of meat, channeling months of pent-up energy into him. He'd gone to morning court without a trace of fatigue, full of vigor. Unlike him, his body ached all over, and he could barely keep his eyes open.

"Empress...?" Meng Wan repeated Huang Ye's words.

Huang Ye was frantic, already rifling through the wardrobe for clothes while urging Meng Wan to get up: "Yes! The Empress's chief eunuch brought a summons, and he's waiting in the reception hall! Fulang, get up quickly!"

It was neither a festival nor a major state occasion, so if the Empress sent a eunuch with a summons, it meant she wished to see Meng Wan privately.

Huang Ye rummaged frantically for ages but only pulled out a set of newly made thick undergarments. Meng Wan got up to change in the room, and watching Huang Ye's flustered state, he drawled lazily, "What are you still looking for? Go fetch my First-rank Dame formal attire."

Huang Ye slapped his forehead, his panic easing at Meng Wan's unruffled demeanor. "Right! I forgot!" One couldn't wear casual clothes when meeting the Empress. As a First-rank Dame, even for a private summons, he had to wear the formal attire of his rank.

He hurried off to the small storage room to find Meng Wan's First-rank Dame formal wear, not forgetting to order Zhifan and Zhimao to attend to Meng Wan's washing up.

The First-rank Dame formal attire of the Yu Kingdom was bright red: a red long gown underneath, a red long jacket over it, made of fine silk and silk gauze, with a wide green border at the hem.

The front and back were embroidered with gold-threaded cloud patterns and pheasant motifs. The sash, in red, green, and purple, bore the same gold-thread cloud and pheasant designs, while the green hem border featured gold embroidery in horizontal and vertical stitches of interlocking floral patterns.

Meng Wan wasn't accustomed to such vibrant clothing after washing up, but fortunately, the formal wear had been tailored to his exact measurements by the Imperial Household Department, making it more comfortable to wear than ceremonial robes.

He sat on a stool while Huang Ye combed his hair into a high bun, sweeping all his hair up to the crown of his head. A pearl-and-jade Qingyun crown covered the entire bun, secured with a pure gold top pin. It was held in front by a gold cloud centerpiece and supported in back by a larger ornamental piece—one high, one low, perfectly balanced.

Additionally, two pearl-and-jade pheasant ornaments studded with sapphires were pinned to the right side of the crown, while a gold pheasant hairpin holding a small pearl tassel adorned the left side.

After Huang Ye finished dressing him, he looked him over, sensing something was missing, when two sharp gasps came from both sides. On the left, Zhifan stood holding Meng Wan's washing supplies, lingering and reluctant to leave; on the right, Zhimao held two pastries, gawking at Meng Wan.

"What are you standing there for? Take those away!"

"Zhimao, put that tray down and bring out the makeup case from the inner room!"

Huang Ye scolded them one by one, shooing both boys off, then turned Meng Wan's face toward him to examine it closely. "Fulang, even if you skip powder and rouge, shouldn't you at least put on some lip color?"

That was exactly what was missing.

With such an ornate and noble outfit, a touch of lip color would make Meng Wan appear even more dazzling and radiant.

Meng Wan took a bite of a pastry. "No need. This is fine as it is—being too flashy isn't a good thing."

Zhimao fetched the makeup case, and Meng Wan took out two white jade bracelets to wear, toning down the vividness of his attire. "Alright, let's head out."

The palace attendant waited politely in the reception hall, not daring to hurry him in the least. Once Meng Wan appeared, he immediately set out to escort him into the palace. His manner was exceedingly deferential, and he refused even the pouch of silver Huang Ye tried to press on him.

On ordinary occasions when entering the palace, external maids and pages were not permitted inside, especially for formal events. Today, however, Meng Wan was permitted to bring Huang Ye and Chi Yu.

Shuanghua Lane wasn't far from the imperial city. They arrived at Donghua Gate's side entrance, where the chief eunuch presented the summons, and the guards verified it before letting them pass.

The chief eunuch knew the route well, leading Meng Wan all the way to the Empress's residence—Kunning Palace. Huang Ye and Chi Yu were not permitted inside and had to wait outside the palace buildings.

"Behave yourself, don't act rashly. Do exactly as Huang Ye does." Meng Wan warned Chi Yu before entering the hall.

The chief eunuch went in to announce their arrival, and shortly after, a lady official came out to receive them. Meng Wan followed her into the rear hall of Kunning Palace.

The warm chamber was carpeted with a whole piece of dark-patterned cashmere palace rug, soft and silent underfoot. In a blue-and-white porcelain vase on a flower stand sat fresh orchids still glistening with dew.

On a rosewood stand in the southeast corner, a gilt enamel incense burner with round pearls set into its edges sent wisps of smoke curling up through the openwork lid, drifting through the hall.

The scent of agarwood permeated the air, a rich, mellow fragrance lingering around Meng Wan. He lowered his gaze and caught a glimpse in his peripheral vision of a large rosewood-inlaid-with-mother-of-pearl couch at the far end of the warm chamber—about ten feet long and five feet wide, covered in thick fur blankets with purple satin tassels embroidered with the Eight Immortals pattern hanging from the edges.

Seated upright on the couch was the Empress herself, wearing a double-phoenix dragon crown and red-and-yellow casual court robes. She was also Qin Jiao's elder full sister, and seated across from her was their mother—the Zhongyi Marquis's Lady.

"Your subject kowtows to the Empress. May the Empress be blessed with peace and prosperity!"

Meng Wan bent his knees to perform the grand salute, but before his legs could touch the cashmere rug, a quick-handed palace attendant caught his arm.

"There are no outsiders today—why must Meng Fulang stand on ceremony? Come, sit." The Empress was only three or four years older than Meng Wan, her tone warm yet dignified.

The palace attendant placed a chair beside the large couch for Meng Wan to sit on.

Before sitting, Meng Wan gave a slight bow to the Zhongyi Marquis's Lady. "Greetings to the Marquis's Lady."

The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady was in her fifties, with a striking, heroic appearance. Both the Empress and Qin Jiao took after her. She was said to come from a military family, her father having been a formidable general at court.

Though this was her first time meeting Meng Wan, the Zhongyi Marquis's Lady was exceedingly warm. "We abstained from attending the New Year's Day banquet to avoid suspicion, but I've long wanted to meet you."

Meng Wan sat in the chair, relaxing somewhat at their cordial demeanor. "After the New Year's Day banquet, I imagine all the ladies and fulangs said I was ill-bred and spoke out of turn."

"Then you'd be guessing wrong." The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady had been discussing something with the Empress, a hint of worry in her brow, but it now eased considerably. "The words that reached my ears were all praise."

The Empress added, "His Majesty had many plans at the time, and I couldn't very well speak up during the banquet. I hope Meng Fulang won't hold it against me."

As Empress, she had already shown great humility by offering this explanation to Meng Wan.

Meng Wan quickly demurred. "Your Majesty is too kind. I had already heard about it from my husband at home, and Baroness Huaien's grudge with me is an old one—how could I possibly blame Your Majesty?"

The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady asked curiously, "Weren't you fellow disciples? Why the old grudge?"

"Calling it a grudge is a stretch..." Meng Wan recounted the petty quarrel between him and Lin Conghui in detail.

The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady was unsurprised. "That's just her temperament—a muddle-headed thing. Her son grew too close to Prince Lian and has been thrown into prison by the Ministry of Justice. His Majesty, mindful that Baron Huaien had guarded the border for decades and earned his title through distinguished service under the late emperor, did not strip the family of their barony. But when the baron petitioned to have another son named heir, it was rejected outright. The family knows exactly what's going on."

Not stripping the title was a courtesy to the late emperor. With a son aligned with the rebel faction, expecting descendants to keep the barony was nothing but a pipe dream.

If Lin Conghui hadn't schemed so tirelessly and raised her son to be so well-connected, the family could have enjoyed three generations of prosperity.

But now...

Meng Wan felt nothing for Lin Conghui—whether she rose or fell didn't matter to him. The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady, however, was more wistful. "You see? That's what happens when you marry a troublemaker. How could I possibly let your brother marry that xiaoge into the family!"

With the new emperor's ascension, the Qin family's rival, the Nie family, had fallen. The daughter sat on the throne as Empress, and even the usually wayward son had built a career, appointed by His Majesty as Commander of the Three Great Camps. Giving such an important position to Qin Jiao was a sign of the emperor's trust in the Qin family.

The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady had never been one for scheming like Lin Conghui. There was little she could complain about, except that her son's marriage prospects had been rather rocky.

At the mention of the xiaoge Qin Jiao had brought back from the Qinzhou border, the Empress's brow furrowed slightly. "Setting aside that xiaoge for now—him charging off to break off the engagement with the Gu family is a public insult to their reputation. Grand Secretary Gu may hold no real power, but he has lectured throughout the Jiangnan region many times, has countless students among the literati, and enjoys great renown. Even His Majesty shows him some deference."

"Those scholars cornering him on the street yesterday were likely instigated by the Gu family. Once or twice is tolerable, but if they keep hounding him, it'll become a real problem." The Zhongyi Marquis's Lady fretted.

The Empress slapped the armrest of the sandalwood chair inlaid with jade beside her, her voice tinged with a hint of anger, "He acts so recklessly, he deserves to suffer the consequences himself."

The palace attendants inside and outside the heated chamber knelt in a row, "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty."

Meng Wan understood now—the two of them were troubled over Qin Jiao's marriage. The reason they had summoned him was clear: among Qin Jiao's friends, only he and Song Tingzhou were reliable, and since Song Tingzhou had rendered meritorious service in supporting the new emperor and had a bright future ahead, he was considered one of their own. They wanted Meng Wan to persuade Qin Jiao.

Sure enough, the next moment, Lady of Marquis Zhongyi turned to Meng Wan and asked, "Meng Fulang, you and Lord Song looked after my son in Lingnan and are close to him. He's willing to listen to the two of you. There's no one else here in the Empress's palace, so I hope Meng Fulang can offer some advice."

The Empress had specifically summoned him, presumably not to hear him offer vague, wishy-washy platitudes. Meng Wan pondered for a moment, then said, "A woman's reputation is as precious as her life, and it is tied to her family. In this matter, the Second Miss Gu has indeed been wronged."

Lady of Marquis Zhongyi showed a look of shame, "This is my fault. To settle his mind, I took it upon myself to arrange a betrothal for him, and it delayed the Second Miss Gu."

The Empress cut off her mother's self-reproach, "There's no use dwelling on that now. What matters is finding a way to make amends. Does Meng Fulang have any good ideas?"

The new emperor was deeply calculating and never mentioned court affairs in the harem, yet he had mentioned the couple Song Tingzhou and Meng Wan twice in front of her, showing how highly he regarded them.

Meng Wan mulled over the incident from yesterday when Qin Jiao had been cornered in the street by a group of scholars, and it all fell into place. He said, "This matter still needs to be approached through the Gu family."

Lady of Marquis Zhongyi knew this well. She fretted, "The day after the palace rebellion was quelled, before we could even react, the boy went to the Gu family to break off the engagement. Now the engagement is dissolved and the people are offended. Besides, even if we forced Qin Jiao to marry the Second Miss Gu, that mule-headed fool wouldn't agree."

Meng Wan pressed his folded hands together, "I'll speak boldly, if I may."

The Empress, wearing a bracelet of pearls and kingfisher feathers on her left wrist, raised it lightly, "I've told you before, there are no outsiders in my palace. Speak your mind freely."

"The two families have been betrothed for many years, and the Second Miss Gu has indeed been delayed. Why not have Your Majesty bestow a favor upon her and adopt her as a sworn sister? That way, outsiders can say nothing more, and the two families can avoid further discord over the broken engagement."

Lady of Marquis Zhongyi glanced at the Empress and smiled bitterly, shaking her head, "That's exactly what Her Majesty suggested, but the Second Miss Gu is very stubborn and refuses."

Meng Wan was surprised, "The Second Miss Gu refuses?" After asking, he began to understand the young woman's thoughts—she was a girl with spirit. But then again, it was hardly her fault; the Qin family had indeed handled this badly.

But each of the three parties had their own grievances, and the Gu family was the most wronged. The Qin family had also wanted to find a good match for their son, with good intentions. Qin Jiao had been away for years and probably hadn't thought much about marriage at first, but then he met Pei Anyuan, the son of a military physician, and fell in love with him, vowing to marry no one else.

Entrusted by the Empress and concerning Qin Jiao, Meng Wan thought for a moment, "If Your Majesty and the Lady trust me, I am willing to visit the Gu family."

The Empress was deeply gratified, and Lady of Marquis Zhongyi was even more delighted, thanking him repeatedly, "Then we are most grateful to Meng Fulang."

After speaking with the Empress for a while, Meng Wan saw that the mother-daughter pair seemed to have more to discuss, so he tactfully took his leave.

After he had gone a short distance, Lady of Marquis Zhongyi still watched his retreating figure with regret, "Look at Lord Song's husband—so proper, quick-witted, and flawless in both looks and character. If only your brother could find someone like that, even if the family background were humble, I would accept it!"

The Empress shattered her fantasy, "Even with a third of Meng Fulang's qualities, he'd be a remarkable person."

"Who says otherwise?" Lady of Marquis Zhongyi frowned. In the end, the Second Miss Gu, no matter how good, was an outsider. What worried her most was the matter of Qin Jiao and Pei Anyuan.