Since she started attending court sessions, this was the first time Qian Xingzhi had witnessed such a scene.
The ministers were bickering endlessly. It started with the Minister of Rites harshly criticizing Liang Shi'an for advancing the wedding date. Soon, the Third Prince Faction and the Crown Prince Faction began fiercely attacking each other, and even a few veteran officials who had remained neutral jumped in.
"Censor Liang's action is utterly preposterous! Observing mourning is an ancestral custom; how can one disregard ethical principles for personal sentiment? If this precedent is set, and others follow suit, will Nansheng not descend into ritual collapse and moral decay!"
"Your Majesty, Censor Liang's insistence on this actually puts Your Majesty in an unfavorable position. Your Majesty's bestowal of marriage was a great honor, but now, because of Censor Liang, it will be criticized as favoritism. Your subject believes he should be severely punished!"
Qian Xingzhi listened with her heart pounding. What was going on today? Everyone seemed to have swallowed gunpowder! Looking at Jun Anche's gloomy expression, he was probably regretting it bitterly. Perhaps knowing he was in the wrong, he let the ministers criticize and scold him, merely frowning and fidgeting with his thumb ring in irritation.
"The Liang family has few descendants!" Liang Shi'an suddenly began to plead with tears and snot. "My wife said she would not rest in peace unless she saw Luming married. I could not bear it, so I resorted to this measure. I am willing to bear all the blame! Why must you all be so harsh and urgent?"
The ministers fell silent for a moment upon hearing this, then immediately started cursing again, paying no heed. A few military officers who happened to be in the capital were even more foul-mouthed, dragging out every ancestor of the Liang family. Liang Shi'an, at his advanced age, had never been scolded like this; he was so angry he stammered and couldn't speak clearly.
Although the leaders were all displeased with the Liang family, they didn't want to scold them like this either. Who could blame them, when last night a red-clad male ghost had forced them to do as he demanded? Lu Yu was as irritable as if he'd eaten gunpowder. No one knew what had gotten into the Liang family to offend that great Buddha Lu Yu.
Jun Anche hadn't seen such a scene in a long time. After the princes had quieted down recently, he thought he could finally enjoy a few more peaceful years. Who would have thought that bestowing a marriage would stir up so much trouble? Although the Liang family's matter was indeed easy to criticize, the Empress had spoken for Lady Liang, and Lady Liang had contributed to the state. What harm was there in granting a special favor just once?
"Enough!" the Son of Heaven finally spoke. "You're giving me a headache! The Liang family are meritorious officials, as you all well know. This matter is settled, and there will be no further discussion! After Lord Qian's wedding, the couple will observe mourning together for one year. That's final."
Qian Xingzhi immediately knelt down. "Your Majesty is wise!"
With her taking the lead, all the ministers seized the chance to back down, each one starting to praise Jun Anche's wisdom and Liang Shi'an's deep love for his wife, as if everything just now had been a collective, temporary loss of reason.
Jun Anche waved his hand repeatedly and announced the dismissal of the court.
On the way out of the palace, Lu Yu quietly walked to Qian Xingzhi's side. "Since you're to observe mourning for a year, you have an excuse not to get too close to Liang Luming. You can decide after you get to know her better."
"Thank you, Lord Lu," Qian Xingzhi's heart, which had been hanging, finally settled a bit. "But with such aggression just now, aren't you afraid His Majesty might become suspicious?"
"Don't worry about that; I know my limits. But that little spy you sent out seems to have his own plans. If he goes back on his word, what do you intend to do?"
Qian Xingzhi was in a good mood. "It was just an attempt. Besides, don't I rely on Lord Lu for everything?"
The usual glib tongue. Lu Yu gave a light snort and no longer walked with her.
In the chaotic court of Nansheng, which was like a mess of porridge, Qian Xingzhi gambled every day. Yin Tan was merely another of her bets. Besides, she hadn't staked her life or family on this gamble; whether to stay or leave was up to him.
Fortunately, Qian Xingzhi's luck had been good. On the ninth day, Yin Tan actually returned to the Qian residence.
"I selected several suburbs of Shengjing with many refugees, and after successive investigations, I found fifteen households scattered around Shengjing. Although we're not yet close, we've become acquainted. What do you wish me to do next, my lord?"
Qian Xingzhi was willing to believe the truth of Yin Tan's words. "Good. Next, I need you to subtly reveal some information about the court's movements in the capital, mainly focusing on the Third Prince and the Crown Prince's corruption and bribery during the disaster relief in Nanchuan. Further gain their trust. If you're confident, stir up their disgust toward these two."
Yin Tan accepted the order and was about to withdraw when Qian Xingzhi called him back.
His impression of Qian Xingzhi was still that of a greatly benevolent lifesaver. The single act of pulling him out of his cage was enough to make him risk his life for her.
Yet his lifesaver was still saying things that made him utterly devoted. "From now on, aside from reporting your tasks, you need not confine yourself to the Qian Mansion. I won't interfere with other matters. In other words, I'll give you as much freedom as possible. If you need money, just ask. Although I'm not extremely wealthy, I have more than enough to support you. Would you like to learn to read and write?"
Yin Tan stood frozen in place, as if these words had sucked his soul away.
Puzzled, Qian Xingzhi patted his head. "Why are you standing there dumbfounded?"
"My lord..." Yin Tan stammered. "Why exactly did you save Yin Tan? Why do all this?"
Qian Xingzhi said seriously, "Of the children who were taken to Full Moon Tower back then, only you survived. Consider this a reward for your effort to survive. You've already suffered all kinds of grievances in the past; from now on, everything will go well."
He was only a child of sixteen. Qian Xingzhi's soul, however, was over thirty. If Yin Tan were a few years younger, he could have been her son.
"Yin Tan has no way to repay you except to entrust my life to you. I would die ten thousand deaths without regret!" Yin Tan said and knelt down.
"Listen carefully, from now on you are not allowed to kneel. That is also an order."
When she said this, Yin Tan immediately stood up. "Yin Tan understands."
"Still ten days," Qian Xingzhi instructed. "If you're confident, you don't need to report back after ten days. Quietly mention the Seventh Prince's great achievements among them. I want this news to spread to the city."
In Yin Tan's eyes, this task was just playing around in a few places. Dealing with those refugees was very easy, and besides, it was just chatting and casually leaking information; it was extremely simple for him.
Once this news spread into the city, someone would naturally stir up trouble between the Crown Prince and the Seventh Prince. Such a small matter was easy for Lu Yu to handle with a few instructions.
There were probably many more dramas to come; she only hoped that not too much fire would burn herself.
The effect of Yin Tan's work was much faster than expected. The refugees had long been dissatisfied with the Crown Prince. Under comparison, switching to praise the Seventh Prince was only natural. Soon, the effect was almost too good; after it spread to the city, there were even many voices calling for deposing the Crown Prince and installing the Seventh Prince.
Except for the fermenting public opinion in the shadows, the various factions remained calm on the surface. After all, the grand wedding of the Liang family's legitimate daughter and the new court darling was coming soon. The commotion of that chaotic court session had firmly overshadowed all other minor squabbles.
Jun Anche generously bestowed lavish gifts on Qian Xingzhi again, favoring her to the point of making her tremble with fear. Money flowed into the Qian Mansion like water. She was puzzled as to where Jun Anche's favor and trust came from.
As the wedding day approached, Qian Xingzhi found time to meet the Third Prince.
He was very satisfied with Qian Xingzhi's efficiency. "I knew Lord Qian was exceptionally capable. With your wedding drawing near, I have prepared a small gift; Lord Qian must not refuse."
Perhaps it was because Jun Anche had finally agreed to see him recently, Qian Xingzhi clearly noticed the Third Prince was beaming again. His food, clothing, and expenditures had become extravagantly luxurious again, as if his earlier disappointments had nothing to do with him.
Truly strange. Qian Xingzhi realized that although the Third Prince had controlled several departments in the past, he hadn't been able to win over the leading high officials there. A few rounds of rewards and punishments from Jun Anche could completely sway the Third Prince's influence. In contrast, although the Crown Prince was not favored, a few followers remained steadfast. Even after being severely punished before, now that he was released, he still occupied the top position among the princes.
As for the Seventh Prince, she hadn't had much contact with him and dared not jump to conclusions. Qian Xingzhi was certain that Jun Anche had never considered the Third Prince as a candidate for the throne; instead, he was just a convenient pawn. When he needed to balance the princes' power, he would shower him with favor; if he became too powerful and arrogant, he would mete out minor punishments as a warning.
This was a good thing for Qian Xingzhi. As long as the Third Prince showed signs of breaking away from Jun Anche's control, he would be suspected, suppressed, and find it hard to recover. If Qian Xingzhi could bet on the next successor, then when the Third Prince was purged, she might take the opportunity to fulfill Yan Zhaoshuang's wish.
However, ever since she scared the Third Prince and provided him with three hundred thousand taels of silver, he no longer said any frivolous or reckless words. This was probably the only improvement in her interactions with the Third Prince during this period.
What must come will come.
On the sixth day of the sixth month in the forty-third year of Yong'an, Qian Xingzhi, Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, was wed.
The Qian Mansion had never been so lively. Lanterns and colorful decorations, guests filling the seats. People came and went with hypocritical masks of flattery, meeting Qian Xingzhi's polite formalities. A ceremony that was tedious, lengthy, dull, and filled with absurdity.
Today, they celebrated two strangers joining in matrimony, hoping they would produce deformed offspring of a twisted system, day after day burning away their own thoughts and freedom to serve as nourishment for eternal oppression.
At least they acted as if the guests were having a good time.
When bowing with Liang Luming, Qian Xingzhi even lost focus for a moment.
This distraction quickly brought immense shame and discomfort.
She should have taken this ceremony more seriously. At least Liang Luming would want that. Probably?
But Qian Xingzhi did not love the woman before her, and she would never be the good husband Liang Luming wished to rely on. Aside from giving Qian Xingzhi a feeling of nausea and disgust, this wedding left only guilt and unease toward Liang Luming.
Liang Luming was taken to the bridal chamber, while Qian Xingzhi continued moving among these hollow people.
Then she saw Lu Yu, who had completely missed the entire ceremony and arrived late.
"You're probably not happy," Lu Yu handed Qian Xingzhi the congratulatory gift from Yuan Bai's hands. "So I won't congratulate you on your wedding."
"You know me well, Lord Lu," Qian Xingzhi's smile at this moment was barely more sincere. "But it's also hard on Miss Liang."
"Today, we are all heartbroken people," Lu Yu raised his cup. "Shall I make an exception and share a cup of wine with Lord Qian?"
What are you sad about? Qian Xingzhi raised an eyebrow. "I would be rude to decline."
The guests drifted away in twos and threes, and the Qian Mansion returned to calm.
Qian Xingzhi paced back and forth in front of her own chamber, unsure how to face it.
Actually, she could completely pretend to be drunk to skip the so-called wedding night, and later use the mourning period as an excuse to slowly get along with Liang Luming.
To be left aside on the wedding night and from then on face a cold husband and trivial household matters—this was probably the kind of marriage Qian Xingzhi hated most.
She wouldn't do that to her new wife.
Qian Xingzhi stepped into the room.
Beneath the red silk curtains sat a pitiful, innocent bride. Qian Xingzhi could not be her husband.
Qian Xingzhi was a gambler.