The banners of the Zhu Family's army were clearly visible. Shen Yuning saw them too. She even managed to make out that the man leading the troops was riding in a towering chariot, advancing all the way from the south to the north. He was getting closer, and then even closer.
Wan Yan put down the small spyglass. He was somewhat incredulous. Then he took out a more delicate and larger one, just like the small one, and put it up to his eye to continue observing. Perhaps his hands were shaking too much, for he always felt he couldn't see clearly.
Shen Yuning asked, "What do you see, Master Wan?"
Wan Yan turned to look at her. "Jiang Heng," he replied.
A fierce battle ensued, with blood flowing in great quantities. However, the casualties among the common people were few.
Among the common folk, a myth circulated. It was said that the Second Prince's rebellion had incurred the wrath of both heaven and man, and that Lord Jiang, the vice prime minister who had been beheaded in the street more than a decade ago, had summoned celestial troops to take the Second Prince's head.
Jiang Heng was Zi Du's adoptive father. Shen Yuning already knew that the man beheaded more than a decade ago was not the real Jiang Heng. She had thought that Jiang Heng, after raising Zi Du while leading a vagrant life, had died of illness in a foreign land. She never imagined that when Jiang Heng made his comeback, he had become the military advisor of the Zhu Family's army.
The Gao Family was defeated without a fight.
Shen Yuning returned to the Xue Family's residence in the capital. Since the Xue Family had always been loyal ministers, they didn't suffer much. However, Marquis Xue had been detained in the palace for three days. He had lost a lot of weight and looked haggard.
Seeing that her family was safe, Shen Yuning rushed to the Lady's Mansion. Uncle Zhang's family was also safe and sound, but Wei Rui was not there.
Zhang Rong explained, "Not long after you left, several people from the second branch of the Xue Family came to cause trouble. They insisted that the young master of the Xue Family had run away because you had lured him away, and demanded an explanation from us. Humph! I'd give them an explanation, my foot! They couldn't even keep an eye on their own son, and they still dared to blame us?"
Shen Yuning had already heard this news from Zi Du, so she wasn't surprised. She just smiled and asked, "Did Wei Rui go to the Princess Jiayang's mansion?"
Zhang Rong nodded and then shook her head. "That Xue Yujiao is really too much. She pointed at Wei Rui's nose and called her a lowly girl, saying that with her humble background, she should stay in the mud for the rest of her life. Coincidentally, the nanny from the princess's mansion came to pick up Wei Rui to play that day. When she heard those offensive words, the princess imitated Marquis Xue and went to the palace to cry to the emperor, asking to adopt Wei Rui as her granddaughter. However, she didn't ask Wei Rui to live there. It was a few days ago when the city was sealed off, and the Qiao Family sent people to surround the Lady's Mansion."
Shen Yuning asked in surprise, "The Qiao Family? What do they do?"
"We don't know either. Anyway, people from both the Xue Family and the princess's mansion came to pick us up. But you know my father's stubborn nature. He refused to leave, saying that this was home and that he would wait for you to come back. Wei Rui was afraid that the princess would be scared alone, so she went to the princess's mansion by herself."
Shen Yuning was in a daze for a long time. This was home.
She had gone to the Xue Family's residence first mainly because it was closer. More importantly, subconsciously, she thought that was home. But hearing Zhang Rong casually mention Uncle Zhang's words, a sense of guilt welled up in her heart.
Just as she had told Zi Du that besides the Zhu Family, they were also his family. In fact, subconsciously, she seemed to value her current father more. She never thought that there were also people who loved her waiting for her here.
Zhang Rong rambled on, mostly complaining about how excessive Xue Yujiao was. After getting it all off her chest, she spat forcefully and said, "Humph! A coward! Usually, she was always causing trouble, but during the days when the city was sealed off, she obediently stayed at home and didn't dare to come out and make a fuss!"
Shen Yuning asked, "Was it really hard for you during the days when the city was sealed off?"
Zhang Rong thought for a long time and then shook her head. "Not really. Except for the inconvenience of shopping, everything else was okay. No matter what was going on up there, our common people still had to live our lives as usual. We just hoped that we wouldn't get a tyrant and have a hard time."
This was probably the most sincere thought of ordinary people.
A few days later, definite news came from the palace. The emperor was seriously ill, and the crown prince was overseeing the country. The Second Prince had contracted a serious illness and was dead. The male infant born when the queen had a difficult delivery all those years ago had been living in the world and was raised by Vice Prime Minister Jiang. He was none other than the mysterious Young Master Zi Du.
At first, some court officials were still a bit skeptical. But when they saw Young Master Zi Du's face, which was similar to that of the crown prince, they all believed it.
The emperor issued an edict from his sickbed. The Third Prince, Yin Zidu, was named the Prince of Yu and was to assist the crown prince in overseeing the country. And Jiang Heng, the Third Prince's adoptive father, was named the Duke of Xiang and became the new prime minister.
The unjust case of the Jiang Family from that year was also dug out by the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review for a new investigation.
However, upon hearing this, Shen Yuning felt rather sad. She whispered to her elder sister, Xue Yuxin, "Even if the injustice of the Jiang Family is redressed, there are no descendants in the direct or collateral branches. Even if they are conferred the title of duke, there will be no descendants to inherit it. Jiang Heng is already over fifty. I'm afraid he won't be able to have any more heirs, right?"
Xue Yuxin felt that her younger sister had lost all the rules and etiquette she had learned from the teachers and nannies during her years in the countryside. She was actually bold enough to say such things.
Shen Yuning didn't know what her elder sister was thinking. She just thought for a while and said, "It is said that men can have children at any age. Now that he is a duke, I'm sure there will be women willing to marry him and bear his children."
Xue Yuxin pinched her younger sister's face and said, "Your skin is getting thicker and thicker. You dare to say anything."
Shen Yuning didn't care. "Why can't I say it? Why don't men get criticized for saying such things? Aren't we women just as normal as men? If we can think about it, we can say it."
Xue Yuxin didn't argue with her younger sister. She just nodded and said, "Since you insist on saying so, there's nothing I can do. Anyway, he is now a duke and the adoptive father of His Highness the Prince of Yu. Let's see how many young ladies in the capital are willing to marry him and become the duchess."
Hearing the words "Prince of Yu", Shen Yuning's eyes became a bit unfocused. Zi Du was now His Highness the Prince of Yu. Although he had a mansion outside the palace, in order to assist in handling the government affairs, the crown prince specially ordered the Inner Palace Department to set aside a palace south of the Eastern Palace and build the Xingmu Palace for the Prince of Yu to live in.
It was also said that His Highness the crown prince had ordered the Prince of Yu to study the way of governing the country with the eldest grandson of the emperor under the guidance of the grand tutor.
She thought that she and Zi Du were gradually drifting apart.
The emperor's health was completely ruined by this disaster involving his descendants. After just a few days, he passed away. The crown prince ascended the throne and appointed the Prince of Yu as the regent.
However, the eldest grandson of the emperor was only a prince for now. The new emperor had no intention of making him the crown prince.
During the national mourning period, all weddings were postponed for three months. The wedding of Zhu Bin and Xue Yuxin, originally scheduled for the middle of December, two months later, also had to be postponed. The Zhu Family chose a new date, which was in March of the next year.
Because of this great disaster, the capital had a very lonely winter. Wei Rui had gone to the country estate of Princess Jiayang in the suburbs early on and didn't come back even during the Chinese New Year.
Even the New Year's Eve palace banquet in the palace was cancelled this year.
It wasn't until the three - month national mourning period ended that the ladies of various mansions began to tentatively go out. Soon, an invitation from Princess Jiayang arrived, asking Lady Shen to visit her mansion.
Shen Yuning guessed that perhaps Princess Jiayang couldn't bear to part with Wei Rui, but Wei Rui wanted to go home. So the princess found an excuse to ask her to go to the mansion to pick her up. So early in the morning, she took Zhang Rong and Huzi with her and went to the princess's mansion to pay a visit.
However, when she arrived at the princess's mansion, she found that there were many guests. After the palace coup, although the capital seemed to be in good order on the surface, the wives of the officials in various mansions were mostly anxious and felt that everything was still a bit unreal. The princess's banquet today was actually a signal to let the ladies of various mansions relax, since the situation was now settled.
Shen Yuning took a look and noticed that there were many familiar faces missing and many new ones. For example, the wife of the Yuan Family, who used to be on good terms with the Xue Family, was not there.
It was also through this palace coup that Shen Yuning learned that Yuan Siqing, her grandfather's favorite student, had colluded with the Tang Family. The Tang Family had committed many misdeeds secretly, and it was Yuan Siqing who had helped them cover them up.
No wonder Yuan Siqing had deliberately made things difficult for Miss Cen's case at the end of last year. At that time, she had thought it was just because Lord Yuan was over - zealous in upholding justice. Now that she thought about it, he was just in cahoots with the Tang and Qiao Families.
Although Zhang Rong had been in the capital for almost a year, as she was not a noble lady, she rarely went out. Seeing such a scene today, she was really a bit scared. However, Huzi, who had studied in the Chen Family's school for half a year, had met many ladies and young masters. Especially when he saw the familiar elder brother from the Chen Family, he immediately went off to play with him.
Mrs. Chen was a gentle woman. She chatted with Zhang Rong for a while and said that Huzi was very smart, much more intelligent than her own naughty grandson.
After the polite greetings, she stepped forward and took Shen Yuning's hand. She asked a series of concerned questions and then sighed, saying, "Your Second Brother Chen and Fourth Brother Chen were sent out early this year. I'm afraid they won't be able to come back for the New Year again."
There was a hint of complaint in her words.
Shen Yuning quickly smiled and said, "Madam, you're blessed. Your Second, Third, and Fourth Sons are all very promising. Now that the court is short of people, His Highness the crown prince has his own considerations in sending them out."
Mrs. Chen nodded. Although her third son was already stationed outside, the fact that the other two sons couldn't come home still made her feel a bit disappointed.
Shen Yuning said some nice words to comfort her. She accompanied her around the mansion and then asked curiously, "Madam, didn't you bring Third Sister here today?"
The third daughter of the Chen Family was a concubine's daughter. Mrs. Chen shook her head. "She hasn't been feeling well these days, so I didn't bring her out. Moreover, I've already arranged a marriage for her. It's not very convenient to bring her out anymore."
Shen Yuning said happily, "Third Sister is engaged? Which family is it? Is the young man a good person?"
Mrs. Chen smiled. "He's my nephew from my natal family. He's definitely a good match. It's just that his family is not very close to the capital. Come and visit me at home later and accompany her."
Mrs. Chen was a kind - hearted woman. She had raised her concubine's son and daughter as if they were her own. The marriage she had arranged for her daughter must be a good one.
She looked up at the small girl from the Shen Family in the flower hall. After recognizing the princess as her grandmother, the girl had become more straightforward in her actions. Her way of dealing with people was no different from that of the girls who had grown up in the capital.
"Your niece looks so lively. She's very much like you when you were a child," Mrs. Chen said.
Shen Yuning laughed. "Madam, you're joking. My elder brother said that Wei Rui's stubbornness is exactly the same as mine when I was a child."
Mrs. Chen couldn't help but laugh either. Her gaze towards Wei Rui became even more gentle, and she really remembered what Shen Yuning had looked like when she was a child. At that time, she always felt sorry that Yuning's age didn't match that of her two sons. She was about the same age as her fourth son, but since he was a concubine's son, it was inappropriate to propose marriage to the legitimate daughter of the Xue Family.
But times had changed. Her concubine's son was capable and had won the favor of the late emperor. Now that the new emperor had ascended the throne, he also valued him very much. He was a good match for Yuning.
Mrs. Chen felt a bit regretful. It was a pity that the eldest lady of the Xue Family wasn't here today. Otherwise, she could have mentioned it in advance. She became even more affectionate towards Shen Yuning, just like treating her own daughter, and smiled gently.
After all, so many years had passed. There was no need to be in a hurry for these few days.