A shop assistant greeted them with a beaming smile.
Hongyu glanced at the princess, then nodded to the shop assistant inside.
“Give us a detailed introduction to the finest things in the shop.”
“Yes! This way, honored guests. Mind your step. Take a look at this glass cup…” The assistant hurried over, standing beside them as he began his introductions.
Wherever Rongyao went, he followed, explaining each item along the way.
According to the assistant, a single glass bowl cost fifty taels.
An entire tea set cost three hundred taels.
A delicate glass lantern cost five hundred taels.
The cheapest item in the shop was a glass spoon. Though fragile and exquisite, it still cost ten taels.
Bracelets and hairpins made of glass sold best. Many noble ladies from the capital came here to purchase them, and demand far exceeded supply.
Because of their intricate and exquisite craftsmanship, a single glass hairpin cost seventy taels.
This shop made money only from the wealthy.
Rongyao gazed at the dazzling array of glassware, feeling that something about it was both right and wrong. In her previous life, Princess Shengping had never possessed such ingenuity.
“Where is your shopkeeper?”
The assistant did not think much of it and went to call the shopkeeper.
Before long, a man approached. He wore silk garments and had a slightly protruding belly. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits.
“I am the shopkeeper of this establishment. Might the young lady have taken a fancy to one of our glass pieces?”
Rongyao studied the shopkeeper, whom she had never seen before, and asked, “Are you the owner of this glassware shop?”
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment before replying, “I am.”
“Then who makes all this glassware? I would like to meet the talented person behind it.”
The shopkeeper smiled. “I am merely a merchant who travels south to purchase goods. How could I have met such a skilled glassmaker? The person who makes these items refuses to reveal their identity, sending different representatives to meet and trade with us each time. You are truly making things difficult for me, honored guest.”
“Is that really so?”
“Of course. I am telling you the truth. Merchants have become increasingly active these days. I heard that this kind of item appeared in the south as early as two years ago. I happened upon a fortunate opportunity to purchase a shipment there, which allowed me to open this shop in the capital.”
“Have you found anything you like? Every piece here is unique. Once it is bought, who knows when we will be able to bring in new stock?”
“No need.” Rongyao gave the shopkeeper a long, searching look before declining. She then left the glassware shop with Chu Mingyi and Hongyu.
Once they were outside, Chu Mingyi asked in a low voice, “Are you looking for the person who makes the glassware, Princess?”
“Yes.”
“I have a feeling that man was not telling the truth. Shall I have someone investigate his background?”
Rongyao nodded. “Keep an eye on him. I will also find someone to look into him.”
“All right.”
After visiting the glassware shop, Rongyao did not return to the palace. Instead, she went to the Fan residence.
It was the home of Lord Fan—Fan Xiuwen.
They took a long, winding route before finally arriving at Lord Fan’s residence.
It was… a small courtyard with only one section.
It could hardly be called a residence, much less a manor.
It was simply a place to live.
Hongyu knocked on the door.
A fair-faced young servant opened it.
He eyed them suspiciously. “Whom are you looking for?”
“We wish to see Lord Fan, Fan Xiuwen,” Hongyu replied.
The servant sized them up and said irritably, “My lord accepts neither gifts nor marriage proposals.”
“…”
“We have come neither to offer gifts nor to propose marriage. We only wish to see a friend.”
The servant looked entirely unconvinced. “Nonsense. My lord has no friends in the capital.”
“…”
“If you wish to see my lord, state your names first.”
Hongyu hesitated and glanced back at her mistress. After seeing the princess nod, she said, “Tell your master that the princess has come to see him.”
The fair-faced servant’s eyes flew wide. He stared incredulously at the people behind Hongyu, then ran inside as if possessed.
As he ran, he shouted, “My lord! An honored guest has arrived!”
The Fan residence was so small that it took only a moment to run from one end to the other.
Soon, everyone saw Fan Xiuwen hurrying toward them.
Lord Fan was not wearing his official robes. He had on only a simple, pale-white shirt. He must have rushed over, for his face was flushed. Standing before Princess Fuxi, his eyes shone brightly.
He gave a proper bow and was about to speak when Rongyao stopped him.
“I came today only to see a friend. There is no need for formalities…”
“Yes! Princess, please come inside.”
Everyone entered Lord Fan’s home.
Although Lord Fan was a fourth-rank official of the imperial court, his residence was merely a small, single-section courtyard. There were pitifully few servants inside—only one young attendant.
Lord Fan had no wife or concubines, nor any parents. It was said that he had only a younger brother living in the countryside.
Seeing how excited her mistress was whenever she met Fan Xiuwen, Hongyu could not help smiling.
The official her princess had taken a liking to was naturally a man of the highest caliber.
When the princess had left the palace that day, she had brought along many pastries unique to the imperial kitchens. Hongyu had assumed the princess intended to eat them on the road. She had not expected them to be gifts for Lord Fan.
Though Lord Fan was still young, he had already experienced much. As he drank tea, he told the princess about what he had seen and experienced during his journey from north to south.
Not only the princess listened, completely absorbed, but the others did as well.
Lord Fan was learned and talented. Whatever the princess asked, he was able to answer.
From mountains and rivers to agriculture and cultivation, from Lingzhou to Xinghua County, from the people’s grievances to local ruffians…
Only then did Hongyu understand why the princess liked Lord Fan so much.
Lord Fan was unlike the other officials.
When it came to making lessons interesting, he was even more engaging than Grand Tutor Gao.
In front of the princess, Lord Fan never emphasized the rules women were expected to follow. Nor did he lecture her that, as a princess, she should not ask about matters of state. Questions that Grand Tutor Gao was unwilling to discuss with her, Lord Fan was happy to answer.
Lord Fan truly was an excellent official.
He was also extraordinarily patient.
He seemed to enjoy discussing such matters with the princess just as much as she enjoyed listening.
The two of them went back and forth for a full hour, yet neither seemed willing to stop.
But the palace gates would soon close.
It was time for the princess to return to the palace.
They had no choice but to bid each other farewell.
They agreed to meet next time at Hundred Fragrance Pavilion outside the palace.
…
These past few days, the officials of the imperial court had been trembling with fear.
Especially those who had done things they could not bear to have exposed.
All because the court now had Assistant Censor Fan Xiuwen!
On his very first grand court assembly after returning, Lord Fan impeached two men!
No—if one counted everyone implicated, there were ten in total!
Assistant Censor Fan Xiuwen first impeached Vice Minister Xu, Xu Zhenyi.
Vice Minister Xu was in charge of matters concerning the promotion of officials. Once the investigation was conducted, eight court officials were found to have been connected to him.
All eight officials who had bribed Vice Minister Xu were dismissed and placed under investigation. The case was to be tried and handled by the Court of Judicial Review, the Censorate, and the Ministry of Justice.
Besides those eight, there was also the Minister of Works, who had spoken in defense of Vice Minister Xu at court.
As it happened, Minister Han Xuan was simply unlucky.
It was Minister Han’s wife who had bribed Vice Minister Xu. Minister Han himself had not known that his son’s official position had been purchased with money given by his wife.
His son, Han Ting, had abducted a commoner’s daughter and brutally murdered her. His crimes were beyond pardon, and he was sentenced to be executed in public.
As Han Ting’s father, Minister Han Xuan was dismissed for failing to raise his son properly and was imprisoned, forever barred from public office.
And with that, the matter came to an end.
Yet everyone in court grew even more wary—and fearful—of Assistant Censor Fan Xiuwen.
No one dared seek his favor or associate with him, afraid that a single memorial from Assistant Censor Fan Xiuwen accusing them of forming factions for personal gain would ruin them.
Nor did anyone dare show him disrespect, for fear that Lord Fan might harbor a grudge and make baseless accusations against them.
Thus, whenever the court officials heard Fan Xiuwen’s name, they were filled with a greater sense of dread and no longer dared make the slightest mistake.
Once again, Rongyao left the palace.
She had arrived at Bai Xiang Tower early to wait for Fan Xiuwen. They had agreed to meet here.
But an hour had passed, and it was already time to eat. Fan Xiuwen still had not arrived.
Hongyu said, “Lord Fan is on leave today. Perhaps something has detained him.”
As soon as Hongyu finished speaking, someone knocked on the private room door.
“It must be Lord Fan.” Hongyu went to open the door with a smile, but when she saw who was standing outside, she froze.
