One by one, the people seated in the chairs rose to their feet.
Everyone present cried out in unison, “What?!”
Cui Huaiyin hurriedly crouched down, clasping her daughter by the arms as she anxiously asked, “Yaoyao, you must have gotten it wrong, right? You’re still so young. You couldn’t possibly know what exile means.”
Cui Huaiyi chimed in, “That’s right! You’re only a few years old. Don’t say things carelessly—you’ll scare the whole family to death.”
Rongyao’s little face flushed with urgency as she explained, “A lot of bailiffs came to our house and took away all Grandmother’s and my aunts’ jewelry. They were so fierce. If anyone tried to stop them, they would cut them down. There was blood everywhere… They put everything from the Cui family into boxes and carried it away. Everyone’s hands and feet were shackled with iron chains, and they kept walking north.”
Silence fell all around them, as though the air had been sucked away.
Everyone present knew that Yaoyao’s description was exactly what it looked like when an entire family was exiled.
After everything that had happened before, Cui Huaiyin trusted her daughter more than anyone. Trembling, she hugged the girl and asked, “Why would this happen? Does Yaoyao know?”
Rongyao stretched past her mother and pointed at her maternal grandfather. “They said Grandfather embezzled the money and grain meant for disaster relief.”
Every eye turned toward Cui Yeping. He pointed at himself in disbelief, his eyes widening. “I… embezzled disaster-relief funds?”
Rongyao nodded.
Cui Yeping said sternly, “Nonsense! I have served as an official for ten years and have never taken even a single grain of wheat from the people!”
Zhang Yingmei knew her husband best. He had always been an upright official and would never commit an offense worthy of losing his head. She quickly agreed, “Your grandfather would never do anything that harmed the people.”
Second Uncle Cui Huaihao added, “Our family has enough silver and has never been short of money. Your grandfather would never be foolish enough to take the people’s life-saving funds!”
Third Uncle Cui Huaiyi said, “Exactly! Father has always been stubborn to the core!”
Eldest Uncle Cui Huaiji frowned as he glanced at his father. Only then did he speak. “Father certainly wouldn’t do something so foolish. But you only recently transferred to the Ministry of Revenue and took up the post of clerk. Have you had any dealings with the accounts for the grain and funds assigned to a particular region?”
As though he had thought of something, Cui Yeping’s pupils suddenly contracted.
He had only just been transferred to the capital and appointed a clerk in the Ministry of Revenue. Normally, he would not be put in charge of the grain and financial accounts of any prefecture until he had undergone at least three months of training. Yet two days ago, a director above him had handed him the accounts for Duzhou.
He had heard that Duzhou was currently suffering from a harsh winter. Heavy snow had sealed off the city, and people there were starving and freezing to death. The accounts for Duzhou were certainly no easy matter to handle. Could it be that…
Cui Yeping’s expression changed. Since they were all family, everyone noticed that something was wrong with him.
Cui Huaiyin hesitantly asked, “Father, you…”
Cui Yeping raised a hand to stop her. “Huaiyin, it’s getting late. Take Yaoyao back and rest. Don’t worry about the Zhu family. Tomorrow, have your eldest brother take the divorce agreement to be stamped with the official seal. After that, you and Yaoyao will have nothing more to do with the Zhu family. From now on, Yaoyao will bear the Cui family name!”
“Your daughter understands.”
Cui Huaiyin glanced hesitantly at her parents before taking her daughter’s hand and leaving.
Before Rongyao departed, she looked back at her maternal grandfather and sincerely said in her childish voice, “Yaoyao wasn’t lying.”
Then she followed her mother away.
Grandfather was very clever—far cleverer than she was. Since she had spoken so earnestly, he would certainly become suspicious.
By the time they stepped out of the main hall, night had fallen.
Mother and daughter walked hand in hand, one step at a time.
The Cui residence was a large, three-courtyard estate, with covered walkways connecting one courtyard to the next and trees and ponds scattered throughout.
There was already a courtyard reserved for Cui Huaiyin. It was called Daiyin Court.
As soon as they entered the courtyard, the first thing they saw was a luxuriant tree. Since it was early spring, its branches were already tinged with green.
The mother and daughter returned to the courtyard, tidied away their belongings, and ate dinner together. After washing up, they went to bed.
The next day.
The head of the household, Cui Yeping, rode a carriage to the Ministry of Revenue on the southern side of the imperial city. He had only just signed in when Director Ma came toward him, his expression grave.
“Clerk Cui, organize the grain and financial accounts for Duzhou for the past year as quickly as possible. Your superiors want to review them.”
Cui Yeping’s heart jolted. He asked, “Director, why are you in such a hurry? Has something happened?”
Director Ma replied, “An urgent report has arrived from Duzhou. It has snowed heavily there for more than ten days. The city is sealed off, and the people are suffering terribly. Food and silver are in short supply. The higher-ups want this year’s accounts for Duzhou, and the reigning emperor has ordered us to verify how much relief money should be allocated to aid its people.”
Cui Yeping’s breathing quickened. He hurriedly said, “The grain and financial accounts for Duzhou were only delivered to me two days ago, and I haven’t organized them yet. I’ll bring them to you at once.”
Director Ma frowned slightly and merely gave a small nod.
After handing over the Duzhou accounts, Cui Yeping felt even less at ease.
The accounts for Duzhou were riddled with discrepancies, and distributing relief funds and grain could not be delayed. If he had become involved in the matter and something went wrong, wouldn’t it end exactly as Yaoyao had described?
At a quarter past four in the afternoon, Director Ma came again. Without giving him any room to refuse, he informed Cui Yeping that the relief funds for Duzhou had been assigned to him for auditing—and that his name had already been signed in the records of the case.
Cui Yeping felt as though a bolt from the blue had struck him, and a massive burden had crashed down onto his head.
Around him, his colleagues were congratulating him.
They congratulated him on being entrusted with such an important responsibility so soon after taking office in the capital, saying that his career would surely rise by leaps and bounds from then on.
Rise by leaps and bounds? He was afraid his head would roll—and that he would drag his entire family down with him!
With a deathly pale face, Cui Yeping left the government office and raced home on horseback.
At that very moment, Cui Huaiyin and Rongyao were sitting in the most popular restaurant outside the residence, Bai Xiang Pavilion, eating pastries.
Bai Xiang Pavilion was the finest restaurant in the capital. It had three floors and stood on the bustling East Street.
Early that morning, after washing up, Rongyao had tugged at her mother and brought her there, saying that she was craving Bai Xiang Pavilion’s sour red berries.
Cui Huaiyin could never refuse her sweet and clever daughter. She had the carriage prepared and brought the girl straight there.
Who would have thought that once they arrived, the child would sit in Bai Xiang Pavilion for most of the day, refusing to leave?
At first, Cui Huaiyin assumed her daughter was simply craving a treat, or perhaps had been cooped up in the residence too long after falling ill and wanted to come out for a change of scenery. But Rongyao had taken only a few bites of food and spent the rest of the time observing the diners coming and going.
Cui Huaiyin could not help but wonder about the true purpose of the visit. She was just about to ask when her daughter suddenly stood up, her bright eyes fixed intently on the floor below.
Following the girl’s gaze, she found that Rongyao was staring unblinkingly at an unfamiliar man.
The stranger certainly stood out in the crowd. He was tall and powerfully built, with a handsome, jade-like face. Though he wore only the simplest cloth garments, he was impeccably neat, and there was an indescribable air about him.
When she saw that stern, imposing face, Rongyao felt both frightened and excited.
He really was here.
Dantai Ji—the reigning emperor.
