The Marquis of Zhenxi froze for a moment. Staring at the smiling emperor before him, he asked urgently, “Your Majesty, are you saying that my family…”
Dantai Ji spoke solemnly. “Lord Gu’s entire family is safe and sound. They have been settled at Noble Consort Cui’s estate outside the city.”
The Marquis of Zhenxi suddenly fell to his knees, tears flooding his eyes. His voice was hoarse. “Is… is that truly the case? Your Majesty, please don’t deceive me simply because I’m a dull man.”
Dantai Ji let out a hearty laugh. “I am the Son of Heaven. How could I speak falsely? It was merely a fortunate coincidence. When Lord Gu’s family was attacked, they happened to encounter Noble Consort Cui and Princess Fuxi, who were passing by. Noble Consort Cui and Princess Fuxi rescued them and settled them at the estate.”
“Since I also suspected that there was something amiss with the accusation that you had colluded with the enemy and committed treason, I had them pretend to be dead and remain in the capital.”
The Marquis of Zhenxi trembled all over with excitement.
He seemed unable to believe that everything he had heard was true.
The Grand Secretary and the others nearby were equally stunned.
No one had expected things to turn out this way.
The entire family of Marquis Gu had actually been saved by Noble Consort Cui and Princess Fuxi.
The Minister of Revenue was the first to speak. “Your Majesty is wise and discerning!”
The others hurriedly echoed him.
The Marquis of Zhenxi knelt before the emperor and knocked his head heavily against the floor. “This subject thanks Your Majesty for seeing through the truth, clearing my name, and protecting my family!”
Dantai Ji smiled. “If we are speaking of the greatest contributors, that honor should go to Noble Consort Cui and Princess Fuxi.”
The Marquis of Zhenxi turned and bowed deeply to Rongyao, his eyes filled with gratitude.
How could he not know that if Princess Fuxi had not done everything in her power to help and protect him at the city gates today, he would likely have lost his life?
Zhu Yue had constantly provoked him. Even though he had seen through the man’s intentions, he had been unable to control the grief and fury in his heart.
It was Princess Fuxi who had helped him calm down.
If he had acted foolishly in his desperation and died outside the city, would his wife and children not have been forced to hide for the rest of their lives?
And he would have carried the accusation of treason for the rest of his life.
Fortunately, his efforts had not been in vain. Fortunately, he had fought with all his might to escape…
After bowing to Rongyao, the Marquis of Zhenxi fainted.
The hall descended into chaos as everyone hurried to summon the imperial physicians.
When the physicians arrived and examined the Marquis of Zhenxi, they all looked grieved.
He was covered in injuries. Even the bones in his hands had been broken, and his legs had suffered severe wounds. The fact that he could still walk was entirely due to his sheer willpower.
It was said that the Marquis of Zhenxi remained unconscious for two full days before finally waking.
After he awoke, the emperor issued an imperial decree, elevating the Marquis of Zhenxi to Duke of Zhen, making his wife a First-Rank Imperial Lady, and naming his eldest son, Gu Bo’an, the heir to the Duke of Zhen’s residence.
By then, Prince Rui and the other traitors had already been beheaded and their heads displayed in public.
With that, the matter was considered settled.
At Changle Palace, Noble Consort Cui and Princess Fuxi were rewarded handsomely for their great contributions. Even the Empress Dowager and the empress sent gifts.
The palace servants all said that if Noble Consort Cui were promoted again, the emperor would probably elevate her rank once more.
But to everyone’s surprise, the emperor did not raise Noble Consort Cui’s rank this time. Instead, he elevated Princess Fuxi’s title.
The emperor issued a decree naming Princess Fuxi a Grand Princess.
From then on, Princess Fuxi was more honored than the other princesses in the palace.
One had to know that even the emperor’s own younger sister had only been made a Grand Princess after he ascended the throne.
For a time, Noble Consort Cui and Princess Fuxi were both at the height of their influence.
Not only were they favored by the emperor, but they had also won the support of the newly appointed Duke of Zhen.
One leisurely day, Rongyao went to her father’s Wen Yuan Pavilion to borrow a book.
After obtaining it, she was about to leave when she suddenly thought of something. She turned back, walked over to her father, who was reviewing memorials, and stood on tiptoe to ask earnestly, “Father, have you found the relief funds you mentioned a few days ago?”
Dantai Ji glanced at his daughter, set down his brush, and smiled helplessly. “How could they be so easy to find? How could the culprit expose himself so readily?”
Rongyao lowered her head, her long eyelashes fluttering. Then she raised her head and gazed at her father with bright eyes. In her childish voice, she said, “A few days ago, Yaoyao went out to learn about the people’s lives on Father’s behalf. Not only did I bring back the Duke of Zhen, but I also heard something among the common folk that Yaoyao can’t figure out.”
Dantai Ji raised his brows and lifted his daughter onto his lap. “Oh? What did Yaoyao hear?”
Rongyao said, “I heard that Vice Minister Zheng dug a well in his residence a month ago. It took a full two months to finish. I wonder what kind of well it was, and why it took so long when other people can dig one in no more than ten days. Why did his well take so long? I want to go see what’s different about his well compared with everyone else’s.”
Dantai Ji’s body stiffened. He seemed to realize something, and his expression darkened completely.
“Guards! Prepare the imperial procession. We are leaving the palace!”
…
A major event occurred in the capital that day.
The emperor and Grand Princess Fuxi left the palace and went to Vice Minister Zheng’s residence—apparently to admire a well.
No one knew what had happened. Princess Fuxi claimed that she had seen a light inside the well, and because the emperor doted on her, he ordered his men to dig up the well at Vice Minister Zheng’s residence to investigate.
Vice Minister Zheng tried desperately to stop them, but he was unable to prevent the emperor from having the well excavated.
No one expected the mouth of the well to grow wider and wider as they dug. In the end, they discovered a cellar beneath it.
The cellar contained more than a dozen chests of gold and silver.
It was the disaster-relief money that had mysteriously disappeared two months earlier.
The truth was revealed at last.
The person who had embezzled the relief funds for Duzhou was none other than Vice Minister Zheng!
Moreover, the amount of money Vice Minister Zheng had embezzled over the years was incalculable. All of it was confiscated and deposited into the imperial treasury.
Vice Minister Zheng was taken to the Ministry of Justice, where the Three Judicial Offices—the Grand Court of Review, the Ministry of Justice, and the Censorate—conducted a joint trial.
The Vice Minister of Revenue was sentenced to death and would be executed in the autumn.
His entire family was exiled to a bitterly cold land.
Afterward, the emperor praised Princess Fuxi before all the civil and military officials at court, proclaiming that Princess Fuxi was the very lucky star of Great Zhou.
No one in the court dared to object. After all, everything Princess Fuxi had done had benefited the country and its people. She had saved the imperial court a great deal of trouble and could indeed be called a lucky star.
Princess Fuxi loved wandering about, whether in the inner palace or the outer court.
Even the officials often saw her presence.
The emperor doted on Princess Fuxi so much that he even permitted her to enter the outer court, whether it was the Wen Yuan Pavilion where the emperor reviewed memorials or the offices where the various Grand Secretaries worked.
The emperor had even once declared that Princess Fuxi did not need to announce herself before entering the Wen Yuan Pavilion.
Just like on this day, when Grand Secretary Zhang Jianming, the Minister of Revenue, and the newly appointed Vice Minister of Revenue were reporting to the emperor in the Wen Yuan Pavilion.
A little girl of six or seven, dressed in pink, quietly pushed open the door of the Wen Yuan Pavilion with her short legs. Without anyone noticing, she slipped into the inner hall.
At that moment, the Grand Secretary was discussing the important matter of establishing schools in every county with the emperor.
The Grand Secretary spoke passionately. “Your Majesty! Establishing schools is a matter of great importance! Throughout history, reading has taught people propriety and helped them distinguish right from wrong. Only through education can the common people understand right and wrong, know honor and disgrace, and learn what it means to be loyal to the sovereign and love their country!”
“If schools are established in every region, the children of every household will be able to study. Through reading, they will learn proper conduct, understand right and wrong, and grasp the principles of etiquette, morality, integrity, and shame! They may even be able to read books on agriculture and thus farm more effectively. This is a policy that will benefit both the nation and its people!”
The Grand Secretary spoke with such clarity that one could not help but find his arguments convincing.
At last, he finished speaking. His shoulders relaxed slightly, but then his gaze accidentally fell to his right. He immediately straightened his back. There, beside him, was a little girl with enormous eyes—no, not a little girl, but Her Highness, Princess Fuxi.
The princess was dressed in pink, looking as lovely as a flower, and was gazing up at him with her large, round eyes.
He instinctively took two steps to the side and patted his chest. Then, after realizing what he had done, he bowed to Princess Fuxi. “This old minister pays his respects to Her Highness, Princess Fuxi. His Majesty and the rest of us are discussing matters of state. I fear it is against the rules for Her Highness to be here.”
Princess Fuxi obediently nodded, her soft voice murmuring, “Oh, all right. Fuxi won’t disturb you, sir.”
With that, Princess Fuxi toddled over to the chair at the far right and began climbing onto it.
After considerable effort, she finally managed to settle herself in the high-backed chair. Then she simply sat there quietly, blinking her innocent, wide eyes as she looked at the several officials and her father on the imperial throne.
Dantai Ji suppressed the urge to laugh. He coughed and put on a solemn expression as he said to the Grand Secretary, “It is a minor matter. Please continue, Grand Secretary. Do not let her presence delay important affairs.”
The Grand Secretary’s mouth twitched again. He seemed about to say something, but when he saw the princess sitting obediently over there, silent as a little ball of glutinous rice, he swallowed his words and continued speaking to the emperor.
“In short, this old minister believes that establishing schools in every region cannot be delayed.”
Dantai Ji nodded. “And how does the Grand Secretary propose that we proceed?”
The Grand Secretary drew a breath and began, “First… each county should establish a school. Any law-abiding commoner may attend. As for the teachers, they can be selected from among the scholars and successful examination candidates in each county. Once the children of every household have the chance to study, they will understand propriety. Those with talent may continue their education and sit for the imperial examinations. Those without exceptional talent will still be able to read and write, distinguish right from wrong, and understand that diligence and honesty are the foundation of a respectable life.”
Dantai Ji nodded. “Then proceed according to the Grand Secretary’s proposal. Let the Ministry of Revenue and the Grand Secretariat draft a plan as soon as possible.”
“We obey, Your Majesty!”
“This old minister obeys!”
As the several officials responsible for the matter finished speaking, a child’s clear, childish voice suddenly rang through the hall.
“If these schools are established, will the children of every household be able to attend?”
The Grand Secretary frowned, but he still answered Rongyao’s question. “Of course! I am establishing these schools so that every child in the realm will have a place to study, learn to read and write, and understand propriety!”
Rongyao’s eyes lit up, and even her voice was filled with delight. “That’s wonderful! Surely many people will be grateful to the Grand Secretary and Father for giving them the chance to study!”
The Grand Secretary’s brows relaxed slightly. “This old minister seeks no thanks. I only hope that Great Zhou will enjoy favorable weather, that the people may live and work in peace, and that everyone may lead a happy life.”
Yaoyao nodded vigorously, her eyes shining as she said, “Yaoyao once had a good friend in Zhou County, Huangzhou. Her parents wouldn’t let her study, so she secretly came to read with me every day. She was happy every time she got to read! If the county schools the Grand Secretary mentioned are established, she’ll finally be able to study properly. She’ll be so happy that she’ll jump for joy.”
The Grand Secretary cared deeply about the lives of the common people. Upon hearing this, he immediately frowned and asked, “Why wouldn’t her parents let her study? Reading teaches a person propriety. Since she loves learning so much, she would surely grow into an excellent person if given the opportunity. Was it because her family was too poor to afford the expense?”
