Chapter 370 Probing

Chapter 370: Testing the Waters

"Does your knee hurt?"

The first thing Song Tingzhou did when they got back to their seats was rub Meng Wan's legs. The low table shielded his movements from others, but the intimate posture between the two was unmistakable—they weren't even trying to hide it.

"Can you rub them when we get home?" Meng Wan whispered, then noticed a gaze among the many subtle glances directed at him—one that was particularly blatant.

Looking up, sure enough, it was Luo Jining's familiar handsome face.

He sat with Yi Hongfei among the military officers across the hall, and Meng Wan couldn't make out his expression from across the great hall. In truth, Luo Jining's features were somewhat contorted, his eyes full of complicated feelings.

So the one who'd gotten the "main character's script" wasn't him—it was Meng Wan...

Didn't that make him nothing but a side character!

A male side character who still had to get married.

Yi Hongfei noticed him staring at Meng Wan. "...?"

Luo Jining sensed it and asked irritably, "What's with that look?"

Yi Hongfei seemed reluctant to speak. "That's Lord Song's husband—surely you know that?"

"I'm not stupid, I've known forever!" Luo Jining snapped. "Long before you did!"

Yi Hongfei rested his forehead on his hand, desperately wanting to wipe his face. He hissed through his teeth, "Then stop staring so hard just because he's good-looking!"

His household was already full to bursting—what more did Luo Jining want? Was he now coveting someone else's spouse?

Luo Jining had no clue what he was going on about and ignored him, staring at Meng Wan until his eyes ached before finally lowering his head.

He hadn't gone to the inner hall today because of the military honors. Yi Hongfei was being sent off to war by the emperor, so he'd gotten his commendation, and Luo Jining had been bumped up a rank along with him.

Besides Yi Hongfei, Ge Quan also sat among the military officers, expressionless—his body was there but his mind was elsewhere, regretting that he hadn't followed Fang Jinrong's example and feigned illness.

Seeing the musicians and dancers from the Music Bureau file in, about to start their show, Ge Quan finally got up. "Your Majesty, I'm worried about the patrols under my command—I'd like to step out and issue a warning."

The emperor shook his head, looking resigned. "Go on, then."

Meng Wan had watched the whole thing and smiled. "Brother Ge's steps are lighter on his way out."

"He's not the type to be stuck in the capital, and His Majesty knows it." Song Tingzhou was still rubbing his leg—if it weren't for how thick the ceremonial robes were, Meng Wan's earlier "thump thump" of kneeling would surely have bruised his knees.

Meng Wan asked quietly, "What's up with Qin Jiao? Why is he still kneeling?"

From the moment Meng Wan walked in, Qin Jiao had been kneeling in front of the dais, and after all this time, he was still there.

Song Tingzhou glanced over. Qin Jiao wasn't kneeling properly either—he kept sneaking glances at the emperor, then looking toward the side hall.

"The moment he came in today, he knelt down and begged His Majesty to grant him a marriage."

Just sitting around talking was boring, and the hot dishes on the table had gone cold. Meng Wan picked up a bean paste roll. "...?"

As expected of you, young lord—you really have no sense of the occasion.

With the Empress and the Marquise of Zhongyi both opposed, you still come begging His Majesty for a marriage decree. Real smart move there.

"Is His Majesty really going to make him kneel all night?" Meng Wan took another bean paste roll. He'd only eaten breakfast at home because he was afraid he'd have to pee during the ceremony, and it had long since digested—he was getting hungry.

The palace pastries came on jade plates and silver bowls, two of each kind. Seeing Meng Wan liked them, Song Tingzhou leaned over to Lord Ran. "Lord Ran, are you going to use your bean paste rolls?"

The old man was quietly drinking his wine and got startled by the sudden question.

"No, take them if you like." Lord Ran thought to himself, puzzled—Lord Song usually seemed so steady, could he really be such a foodie? Ah, to be young.

Song Tingzhou calmly grabbed the untouched pastries from Lord Ran's table and put them in front of Meng Wan.

Then he used the same trick on Wang Zan to his left. "Lord Wang, are you going to use your plum blossom cakes?"

Wang Zan had watched the whole show of Song Tingzhou begging for food for his husband. "..."

Without a word, he handed the jade plate of plum blossom cakes to Song Tingzhou.

Song Tingzhou, sure enough, delivered them to Meng Wan too. "Try these—they're pretty good too."

Meng Wan pinched the flesh at his waist under the table. "Act normal—any more of this and Lord Kou will come over to bring me pastries too."

Song Tingzhou caught his wandering hand and looked aside—sure enough, Lord Kou was holding a plate of pastries, looking eager.

Meng Wan had brought in revenue for their Ministry of Revenue; a plate of pastries was nothing. It wasn't even from their own house.

The dancers from the Music Bureau left, and Nie Zhiyao was called up too. Le Zhengqi brought him forward to receive the emperor's commendation—officially, it was said that because of his imperial bloodline, he was given the title of Earl Huien.

In truth, everyone knew: Le Zhengqi's imperial lineage had never been recognized by the late emperor. He was being rewarded for helping His Majesty take the throne.

The emperor tried to give Le Zhengqi a higher official position, but Le Zhengqi firmly refused. He was sincere—he'd keep his seventh-rank post. In the end, the emperor didn't push it and let him have his way.

Watching this, Meng Wan felt something was off. Le Zhengqi had spent the most time at the Crown Prince's side and knew the current emperor's temperament best. He was deep—he was probably making plans for the younger generation. After seeing Qin Jiao and Yi Hongfei both get promoted to important positions, he'd suddenly chosen to step back, planning to live out his days with just a noble title.

A man with foresight and clarity—who else could so easily give up the trappings of glory right in front of them?

Meng Wan's gaze met Le Zhengqi's from the upper seats. He raised his cup in a toast, and Le Zhengqi, with his deep-set eyes, seemed to give a faint smile before toasting back.

"Wan'er, the wine's gone cold," Song Tingzhou said quietly.

Meng Wan turned back to soothe him. "I only had a tiny sip."

Song Tingzhou pressed his lips together, radiating bad vibes.

This meant he was upset. Meng Wan sensed Song Tingzhou's mood right away but didn't dare be too bold in the Hall of Supreme Harmony. He just put his hand in Song Tingzhou's. "Remember? When we get home tonight..."

Song Tingzhou's handsome, upright face shifted slightly, a thin flush creeping up his neck. He gripped Meng Wan's cool fingertips tightly, and his bad mood vanished in an instant.

The New Year's banquet was winding down, and Qin Jiao still hadn't been told to get up. If a civil official had knelt this long, they'd definitely be unable to stand, but he was still as nonchalant as ever, amusing himself by counting the golden bricks on the floor or staring blankly at the pillars.

From his elevated seat, the Marquis of Zhongyi stared at the unrepentant Qin Jiao kneeling before the hall, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper, his knuckles white around his wine cup.

The veins at his temples bulged—he wished he could personally go down there and strangle that unfilial son.

Across from him sat the steady, reliable Song Tingzhou, who had climbed up on his own; below sat Yi Hongfei, entrusted with a vital mission by His Majesty and about to head off to the battlefield; beside him was the calculating Le Zhengqi, who had voluntarily stepped back at the height of his prospects.

A hall full of outstanding young men—every one of them accomplished, living in harmony with their husbands...

The Marquis of Zhongyi's eye caught the elegant Luo Jining, who was secretly pounding at Yi Hongfei's hand resting across his waist, and he choked on his wine, coughing heavily.

"Does the Marquis have something to say?" the emperor asked, concerned.

Marquis Zhongyi hurriedly knelt to beg forgiveness: "Your Majesty, my son is reckless and has disrupted the peace of this palace banquet. I beg Your Majesty to punish him severely!"

The Emperor let out a heavy sigh, and all the ministers set down their cups and sat upright, not daring to overstep.

This was not the late Emperor. This one had civil and military officials who were both brave and resourceful, with no interference from maternal relatives and no threats from powerful clans. Within half a year of ascending the throne, he had already taken down a slew of arrogant nobles and royal relatives.

Before the new year, the Emperor had ordered the establishment of gray powder workshops along several border regions of the country. Any court official who dared to obstruct was ordered home to reflect on their misdeeds, and to this day they had not been released. When the morning court resumed, who knows what things will look like.

There were only a few who still dared to speak in court now, and the rest of the clever ones were keeping their heads down, afraid that the Emperor would take the opportunity to replace them.

"Qin Jiao, you dared to petition for a marriage decree for some xiaoge of unknown origins. Do you dare to wager with me?" Wen Zhao still softened his heart, since this was a younger brother he'd watched grow up, one who'd been even more loyal to him than his own flesh and blood brother.

Qin Jiao carried a fearless, headlong vigor, the confidence that came from being the heir to Marquis Zhongyi.

"Your Majesty, I dare!"

---

Someone had come into the side hall. Pei Anyuan, who'd been left cooling his heels for a long while, looked up at the woman before him, dressed in a bright yellow court robe and an ornate phoenix crown.

The female official snapped coldly, "How dare you! Kneel and pay your respects to Her Majesty the Empress!"

Pei Anyuan snapped out of it, and his numb heart suddenly started to stir. He knelt clumsily on the ground, "This commoner pays his respects to the Empress."

Though the Empress loathed him inside, she didn't let it show, only asking in a flat voice, "You want to marry into the Qin family?"

Pei Anyuan raised his head to meet her gaze, "This commoner won't be a concubine, and I won't be a kept mistress either."

The Empress nearly sneered. The Qin family didn't necessarily need an equal match, but the other party had to measure up. If Qin Jiao could find someone as exceptional in every way as Meng Wan, she'd personally officiate the wedding as Empress to raise his status. What would be the harm in that?

Too bad her younger brother was blind.

"He's already engaged. The young lady is the legitimate daughter of Grand Secretary Gu—from a respectable family, talented and beautiful, a proper match."

Pei Anyuan lowered his head, his long lashes casting a shadow beneath his eyes, his expression unreadable. Only his clenched fists betrayed a trace of emotion, "Is Her Majesty mocking me for being ignorant? He brought me back to the capital and went to the Gu house to call off the engagement. It's been over half a year now."

The Empress took in his reaction, her tone still calm and even, yet carrying a faint hint of scrutiny, "Without the Gu family, there's still the Wangs, the Lis, the Zhaos. The capital isn't short on well-born young ladies and xiaoge with talent and beauty. If you know what's good for you, you should understand that some things can't be forced. Cut off this hope now—it'll be better for you and for him."

Pei Anyuan was quiet for a moment, then gave a faint smile, "Shouldn't Her Majesty be telling Qin Jiao this? He's the one who brought me to the capital, he's the one who promised me a lifetime."

His attitude wasn't exactly deferential, and his words lacked humility and propriety, but the Empress did not grow angry. Instead, she suddenly asked, "If I were to let you enter the palace, would you be willing?"

"Enter the palace?"

Pei Anyuan's pupils shrank sharply. He knew what those words meant—it wouldn't be as a palace attendant, which meant she was offering him up to the Emperor...

His expression flickered for a moment, and certain thoughts crossed his mind. His resolve really seemed to waver for a second, but out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed the main hall had gone strangely quiet.

The mother of the nation, Qin Jiao's own sister—would she really send someone to the Emperor's bed just because her little brother had taken a common xiaoge as a lover?

"I'm not willing."

Next to the main hall was a small changing room, separated from the side hall by just a wall. Eunuch Xi had taken Qin Jiao in there for quite a while, and when Qin Jiao came out, his expression was very strange.

It didn't look like he'd gotten what he wanted, nor did it look like he'd lost his beloved. Meng Wan studied him for a while before Song Tingzhou turned his head back, "Wan'er, have some cake."

...

After leaving the palace and heading home, it was already the third watch. As usual, they told the kitchen to fix up some food. Meng Wan had stuffed himself with pastries, so he wasn't all that hungry, but he wanted something hot, so he had the kitchen cook up some wontons and rice noodles.

Song Tingzhou was hungry too. The couple changed into their lounging clothes and sat at the kang table slurping their noodles.

For some reason, even with the same steps, Meng Wan felt it didn't taste as good as Chang Jinhua's.

"Master, young master, we've got guests—General Yi and his husband."

Song Tingzhou put down his chopsticks, "Yi Hongfei? What's he doing here?"

Meng Wan pushed the rice noodles over to Song Tingzhou and ate his wontons instead, "Maybe his husband's got business with me. You go to the front courtyard to see Yi Hongfei. Zhifan, bring Yi's husband in."

Song Tingzhou finished off the rest of the noodles in a few quick bites before getting up and heading to the front courtyard.

Meng Wan ate slowly and didn't treat Luo Jining like a formal guest. By the time the man walked in, he was still taking his sweet time eating his wontons.

"You're really taking it easy, aren't you? Unlike me, whose eyebrows are practically singed off." Luo Jining said sourly.

The wontons had been brought from the kitchen and were freshly cooked on the stove in Meng Wan's sitting room. Meng Wan had Zhifan ladle out a fresh bowl and pushed it over to Luo Jining, "Your eyebrows are on fire? What's that supposed to mean?"

Although the Song family's young cooks couldn't make fancy dishes, their home cooking was pretty good. The wontons came in pork and lamb fillings, with thin wrappers and meatballs just the right size. Just a light sheen of oil floated on the soup, topped with green scallions. Before even tasting it, you could smell the savory aroma of meat.

Luo Jining had just come from the palace banquet and was starving too. Tempted by the Song family's wontons, he sat down and dug in. After downing one wonton, he even asked, "Got any vinegar?"

Zhifan and Zhimao couldn't quite figure out where Luo Jining stood. The two of them clearly didn't seem to have much of a connection—they didn't even visit each other during holidays—but when they got together, there was a strange, wonderful ease between them, a demeanor and expression the young master didn't even show around Nie Fulang and the others.

"Zhifan, get him a bowl of vinegar." Meng Wan ordered the servant to bring vinegar for Luo Jining, then sent them all outside to stand guard, leaving just him and Luo Jining to eat and chat.

With no one else around, Luo Jining said without any preamble, "Yi Hongfei's going to fight at the southeastern border, and I'm going with him."

"Southeast? Fusang? Why's he taking you?" Meng Wan shot off three questions in a row.

Luo Jining bit into a wonton like it owed him money, swallowed it, and only then said darkly, "If I don't go, he's going to take Little Sixteen."

"Little Sixteen?" Meng Wan's expression turned strange. He didn't expect Hongfei to be such a player—he'd taken sixteen concubines?

"That's not the point." Luo Jining slammed the empty bowl down hard, "Big shot, can you help me out?"

Meng Wan was even more confused.

"Help you with what?" he asked.

Luo Jining's eyes lit up looking at Meng Wan, "I know the Luo family's doomed. They're not my real parents anyway, and I don't care. Can you help me get a new identity and settle somewhere else?"

Meng Wan let out a soft sigh, "Alright, let me give you some hypotheticals. Listen up."

Luo Jining sat up straight and nodded eagerly, "Shoot."

Meng Wan held up one finger, "First, I give you money. You leave the city and get targeted by mountain bandits, captured and hauled to their stronghold, where you're raped to death."

Luo Jining: "..."

Meng Wan held up a second finger, "Second, I give you money. You leave the city and get targeted by human traffickers, sold to a remote mountain village to be some fool's wife. You live a life worse than livestock for thirty years, pop out eight kids, and then die of exhaustion."

Luo Jining: "!!!"

Meng Wan held up a third finger, "Third, I give you money. You leave the city and get targeted by a con man. You cleverly outwit the con man and successfully make it to a small town. However, you find that everyone is pointing and whispering about you. You try to open a shop, but the only customers who come in are local thugs. They threaten you with protection money, and in the end, you get beaten to death by the mob, and the shop gets divvied up among them."

"Fourth. I give you some money..."

Luo Jining's mouth twitched, "...Okay, stop."