Seeing that Shu Moyun also looked blank, Qin Hao explained to her:
"At that time, the Marquis of Pingyang hadn't been enfeoffed yet. He was just the deputy envoy of the Grain Transport Department. If I mention his title, Her Highness may not remember, but if I mention Su Shian, the second-place finisher in the imperial examination in the 27th year of Mingzhen, Her Highness may have an impression."
Shu Moyun suddenly realized, "So it was him. I remember now. In that imperial examination, you were the top scholar and he was the second-place finisher."
Meeting Cang Xuan's gaze, Shu Moyun said, "I did have several encounters with the Marquis of Pingyang regarding grain transport in the past. He, as the deputy envoy of the Grain Transport Department, was also among those attending that palace banquet and witnessed the whole process."
This really surprised Cang Xuan.
He didn't expect that the Marquis of Pingyang, whom he thought was the least useful, had such a connection with Shu Moyun.
Thinking that the legitimate eldest daughter of the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion was right beside them, Cang Xuan gently tapped the table with his fingers.
Could it be that the rebel army the Marquis of Pingyang's Mansion encountered outside the city back then was not an accident? Was that incident related to the fact that he had attended the palace banquet and seen Shu Moyun back then? After losing his legitimate eldest daughter, the Marquis of Pingyang would naturally focus on the rebel army and his missing daughter and have no time to care about other things.
However, this was just his speculation. He still needed to probe the Marquis of Pingyang further.
Playing with his black jade fan, Cang Xuan said, "I agree with Lord Zhuo's proposal. The case needs to be reopened, but we still need to find a suitable opportunity. During this period, please Lord Qin make more efforts to find out those poor and old court officials who experienced that palace banquet back then. I will send people to secretly protect Lord Qin's safety."
"Lord Zhang and Lord Zhuo, I'll trouble you two to sort out the files from 21 years ago and try your best to find out the maids and eunuchs who attended that palace banquet and served in the Eastern Palace and the Prince Shou's Mansion."
The three of them stood up and accepted the order, "Yes. We will follow Your Highness's order and will surely do our best to serve Her Highness and Your Highness."
After discussing some more details, Zhang Wentao and the others left. Not long after Zhang Wentao and the others left with their daughter, a noble guest came to the Prince Qing's Mansion.
"My lord, Eunuch Bao has come with His Majesty's oral edict and rewards!"
In the study, upon hearing the servant's report, Su Qing and Cang Xuan both instinctively looked at Shu Moyun. Hearing the two titles "Eunuch Bao" and "His Majesty", Shu Moyun's expression didn't change. Instead, she said gently,
"The oral edict and rewards should be for you two and Yuanbao. It's not convenient for me to show up, so I won't go out."
Su Qing said considerately, "Before Yunjian and Yuanbao left the capital, we had already prepared a residence for Her Highness. It's in the Worry-Free Pavilion in the mansion. I'll ask the servant to take Her Highness there."
Cang Xuan said, "Mother, please rest well in the Prince Qing's Mansion these days. The servants in Father-in-law's mansion are all former soldiers from the northern border. They are highly skilled in martial arts, so Mother will be extremely safe here."
Shu Moyun said with a smile, "Okay, I know. You can go."
The three of them walked out of the study. Shu Moyun followed the servant to the Worry-Free Pavilion, while Su Qing and Cang Xuan rushed to the front hall to receive the edict. Su Yuanyuan, who got the news, also rushed to the front hall in a hurry. By the time she arrived, the whole family was already there.
Seeing Su Yuanyuan, Eunuch Bao showed a very kind smile. "The princess is here. Then this one will announce the edict."
Except for Cang Xuan, everyone in the Prince Qing's Mansion on the scene knelt on the ground. Eunuch Bao cleared his throat and said, "His Majesty's oral edict. Princess Fubao showed great courage and wisdom in the palace examination of the special imperial examination and was meritorious in protecting the students of the special imperial examination and the people of the Great Chu. She is specially rewarded with two South Sea night pearls, a pair of South Sea red corals, a pair of jade ruyis, a set of flower-wrapped agate teacups..."
As Eunuch Bao spoke, the palace servants behind opened the wooden boxes in their hands, revealing the rewards inside.
The people in the Prince Qing's Mansion still remembered that the last time Eunuch Bao came to the Prince Qing's Mansion to announce an edict was when Su Yuanyuan was adopted by the emperor as his goddaughter and was enfeoffed as Princess Fubao. The rewards at that time were also incredibly precious.
With such favor, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Su Yuanyuan was the emperor's own daughter!
After announcing the edict, Eunuch Bao said to Cang Xuan, who was standing quietly on one side, "Lord Cang, His Majesty has another oral edict for you. His Majesty said that since you have returned to the capital, you should find some free time to enter the palace to meet him. He has many things waiting to discuss with Lord Cang."
Knowing that Eunuch Bao was referring to the special imperial examination and the official enfeoffment ceremony, Cang Xuan nodded slightly, "Understood. This prince will enter the palace to meet His Majesty now."
Learning that Cang Xuan had entered the palace to meet the emperor, in the Worry-Free Pavilion, Shu Moyun raised her head, looked in the direction of the palace through the window, and quietly clenched her fists.
Celong, after so many years, we are finally under the same sky in Shengjing, breathing the same air again.
I just wonder what you look like now?
In the palace, Cang Xuan walked calmly on the palace path. Wearing a starry robe that seemed to have stars surging on it, with a tall and outstanding figure, a handsome and demonic face, and an awe-inspiring and inviolable aura, he made people secretly sigh in admiration and feel submissive.
It was as if he was born to belong to this palace.
Eunuch Bao lagged two steps behind. Looking at the man in front of him, he increasingly felt that the other party was unfathomable.
Cang Xuan had always been favored by the emperor. Now that the Wang family was in trouble, the imperial court situation might fall into his hands. Even he, an old eunuch, couldn't see through what the future situation would be.
When they arrived at the emperor's bedroom, Cang Xuan stopped outside the door and looked back at Eunuch Bao behind him. With just one glance from him, a cold sweat broke out on Eunuch Bao's back. He quickly said, "Lord Cang, please."
He didn't move an inch, and Cang Xuan withdrew his gaze in satisfaction and stepped into the bedroom.
As soon as Cang Xuan entered the hall, a smell of medicine assailed his nostrils. Occasionally, he could hear a few suppressed coughs. He instinctively frowned. As he walked forward and bypassed a screen, he saw the emperor sitting up with the help of a young eunuch and putting on his clothes.
Hearing the footsteps, the emperor looked up in his direction. After not seeing each other for a month, the emperor was a bit thinner than when he left Shengjing. Maybe because of the illness, his face was no longer as rosy as before but had become a bit dull.
The emperor was also observing Cang Xuan, whom he hadn't seen for a long time. The man's sharpness was even more prominent than before. Standing there, he made everything around him pale in comparison. One could imagine that during this trip out of the capital, he must have accomplished something that helped him let go of his knots.
The emperor showed a big smile and got up enthusiastically to greet him, "Lord Cang, you're finally back. So, how was your journey rescuing Princess Fubao? Was everything smooth?"
Cang Xuan withdrew his inquiring gaze, bowed and saluted, "Your subject pays homage to Your Majesty."
"There's no one else here. Why do we still care about these formalities? Come, come here. Quickly tell me what happened during this journey."
The emperor pulled Cang Xuan and excitedly walked towards the tables and chairs on the other side. But after only taking two steps, as if he had taken a wrong breath, he suddenly coughed violently.