As Emperor Guangwu's imperial edict was announced, Song Yinghuai and Lan Jinqin's gazes met in the air.
Lan Jinqin's heart skipped a beat as she recalled what Xiao Rencheng had said that night:
"His Royal Highness, the Prince of Yan, is good at gauging people's hearts. He knows that Empress Ma is kind - hearted by nature. Usually, her harshest punishment is to confine someone for self - reflection and ask them to write a self - examination letter... After all, this matter of divorce is a family affair. If you angered the Empress and made her faint, the Emperor would surely be angry, but he would also have to consider Empress Ma."
"So in the end, Wen Zilong will surely have to write a self - examination letter... As long as we get this imperial edict, the rest will be left to us."
Lan Jinqin tightened her lips and lowered her head.
Things were really going as smoothly as they had expected.
She just wondered... What method would they use to make Wen Zilong write this self - examination letter with his left hand?
Hearing such an imperial edict, Song Chengyuan actually let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed that Father still took the face of important officials into consideration... Half of the family property was nothing.
Wen Zilong's public property was not much. Taking half of it would not hurt much. As long as he still had his official position, this property was nothing.
Master Guangzhi walked out of the inner palace.
Thanks to the master's miraculous medical skills, Emperor Guangwu's trust in this eminent monk had deepened unconsciously. Seeing him, the emperor hurriedly asked:
"Master, how is the Empress's health?"
Buddhists never tell lies. Master Guangzhi also told the truth. "Her Majesty the Empress is temporarily out of danger, but her body is on the verge of exhaustion. Even if the old monk does his best, he can only extend Her Majesty's lifespan by a few months at most."
Although the imperial physicians had repeatedly reported to Emperor Guangwu this year that Empress Ma would not survive this autumn, and now that autumn had arrived, upon hearing this, Emperor Guangwu still seemed to be hit by frost.
Suddenly, he looked much older.
The straight back that symbolized the dignity of an emperor seemed to be crushed by this news.
Master Guangzhi said, "Amitabha. Your Majesty, please don't be overly sad. Our Buddha believes that passing away is like extracting oil from hemp and butter from milk. Death is just the end of this life, but the beginning of another.
"As the saying goes, facing death to live. Her Majesty has just entered another cycle of reincarnation."
Song Yinghuai asked, "Master, you can observe the six realms and see all sentient beings. Mother is the empress of the world. How can she avoid falling into the six realms of reincarnation and ascend to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss?"
Song Yinghuai's question really hit Emperor Guangwu's heart.
If he couldn't keep Empress Ma's life, he naturally hoped that his beloved wife would not suffer the pain of the six realms of reincarnation, but would ascend to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
Master Guangzhi lowered his kind eyebrows, and his face seemed to be shining with holy light. "Her Majesty has done many good deeds and accumulated a lot of blessings in her daily life. Your Majesty and Your Highness don't need to worry too much... However, if you really want to find a mascot to guide Her Majesty to ascend to the immortal world, it will be even better. The old monk has heard that a lucky nine - colored deer has appeared in the Mulan Mountain area. If it is hunted and used to add blessings to the Empress, Her Majesty's affinity with the Buddha will surely be deeper."
The nine - colored deer...
No one knew whether the legendary divine deer really existed in this world, but Emperor Guangwu definitely believed it.
After Song Yinghuai and the others left the palace, Song Chengyuan said to Emperor Guangwu beside him, dissatisfied:
"Father, that old monk is so mysterious. It's just some quackery. Father, don't believe him. Fourth Brother, he..."
"Enough." Emperor Guangwu was extremely upset because of the news that Empress Ma didn't have much time left, and Song Chengyuan was still saying things he didn't like to hear.
Emperor Guangwu looked at him, and a sense of frustration that his son couldn't live up to his expectations welled up in his heart.
This was his only son with Empress Ma. Why was he so disappointing?
"Master Guangzhi's medical skills are obvious to all. If it weren't for your fourth brother bringing him into the palace today, your mother wouldn't have woken up. The imperial physicians said that your mother wouldn't survive this autumn, but the master can still extend her lifespan by a few months..."
"Yuan'er!" Emperor Guangwu said earnestly, "Your mother doesn't have much time left. She values the relationship between you brothers the most. These days, pick fewer faults with your fourth brother and be more filial in front of your mother's bedside!"
Song Chengyuan watched Emperor Guangwu's back striding away, his eyebrows stained with malice.
He felt that Father's attitude towards him was getting colder and colder.
He would never know that the plan he instigated the court officials to delay Song Yinghuai's return to Yan had been defused and taken advantage of by Song Yinghuai, leaving a thorn in Emperor Guangwu's heart.
Outside the imperial city of Shangjing, when Lan Jinqin got on the carriage, her lips moved for a moment and then she said:
"Your Highness, the Prince of Yan, I'll leave the matter of the Lan family to you."
Song Yinghuai slightly bent down and saluted. "I will surely go all out to clear the Lan family's name, let the third young lady regain her good name, and let you sisters reunite as soon as possible."
The man stood in the wind, with the majestic imperial city of Shangjing behind him. The solemn city wall set off his nobility and dignity perfectly. Although he was gentle when talking to her, he was still so noble that one couldn't resist.
He was truly a dragon among men, worthy of her younger sister's following.
Lan Jinqin didn't say much. She just nodded slightly and left directly.
Xiao Rencheng was always efficient, especially when it came to counting Wen Zilong's family property.
As soon as Eunuch Cen finished reading the imperial edict, the Censorate entered Wen's mansion first and began to count the property.
Wen Zilong, who was ordered to stay at home for self - reflection for a month and write a self - examination letter, had his handsome face distorted like never before:
"Lord Xiao, we agreed that if I divorced her, you would end this matter!"
Xiao Rencheng stood with his hands behind his back. His sharp face looked leisurely as he watched the officials bustling around. He smiled gently and said:
"I've done nothing. It's just that my wife is so stubborn that she insisted on seeing the Empress... I dote on my wife. Whatever she likes to do, I'll just let her do it."
"You..." Wen Zilong was so angry that his face turned red.
Not long ago, she was still the woman in his bed. Now, in the blink of an eye, she had become someone else's wife, and these two people were even joining hands to provoke him in front of him.
A great humiliation!
A great humiliation!
However, this was still a minor matter.
The most urgent thing was the Emperor's attitude towards him.
He had been in politics for many years, and this was the first time he had been demoted by Emperor Guangwu.
Not to mention that half of his family property was taken away. Just this one - month self - reflection... It meant that he couldn't go to court for a month.
The situation in the court was ever - changing. In one month, no one knew how many earth - shattering events would happen.
Wen Zilong angrily flung his sleeve and left, then returned to his study to write the self - examination letter.
However, being extremely upset, he had no idea at all. So he threw the pen away and swept all the rice paper on the ground.
Time passed through this noisy and complicated situation for one night, and it was soon the 16th.
Early in the morning, Song Yinghuai knocked on the bedroom door.
Caiyu opened the door. Song Yinghuai quickly supported her before she could bow, and said helplessly,
"Yu'er, there will be a hunting activity in Mulan Mountain today. I'll take you there for fun, okay?"
Caiyu was naturally lively and loved horse - riding and hunting.
Hearing that she was going hunting, her face finally showed less resistance.
She just nodded obediently and said, "This servant will follow the Prince's order."
Song Yinghuai's thin lips moved, but he finally didn't correct her angry words. After a pause, he remembered to remind her:
"This hunting activity is organized by the Princess of Nan'an. All the people going are the children of noble families. The hunting ground is very large. I may not be able to take good care of you. If someone bullies you... You must bear it. Wait for me to come back and avenge you."
Caiyu looked up at him in surprise.
It was rare to see the overbearing Song Yinghuai give such a reminder in advance.
Caiyu still replied coldly and obediently with her head down: "This servant doesn't dare to trouble the Prince to support me."
It would be best if you don't bully me.
Song Yinghuai had been rebuffed for many days. The anger that had been aroused by her before had long been extinguished. He just wished that she would calm down and return to her previous willful and naughty self.
After breakfast in the morning, a street in Shangjing became lively. Countless noble children set off in a mighty way towards Mulan Mountain.
For a moment, there were flying eagles and running hounds. Hunting small dogs for rabbits was extremely lively.
Song Yinghuai wanted to take Caiyu on horseback, but Caiyu refused on the grounds that a servant couldn't overstep her position. So they sat in the carriage.
The Mulan Mountain hunting ground was located in the northwest of the capital. It would take about a whole day and night to reach the Mulan Mountain palace by land.
Caiyu was bored in the carriage. When she lifted the curtain, Song Yongzhen, wearing a ghost - face mask, bent down and came in with a plate of grapes.