Night, Duke of Chu's Mansion.
Chu Ruoyan had just returned when her father summoned her to his study.
Nanny Zhou, worried about her health, forced her to drink a small bowl of rice porridge before letting her go.
"Father, what is it?"
Under the lamplight, Chu Huaishan's brows were tightly furrowed as he handed her a letter: "The Chief Minister sent this back. Take a look."
She opened it and saw, to her shock, that it was a letter urging surrender, signed at the end with the names of the Mei father and son.
She exclaimed immediately, "Father, this can't be right, can it? Yan Zheng analyzed it for me. General Mei's entire family, young and old, are in the capital. How could they possibly defect to the Southern Barbarians? It's even less likely they would write such a letter. Could they be framed?"
Chu Huaishan said with deep concern, "That is precisely what worries me. What you don't know is that as soon as Xiao Pass fell, the Emperor ordered the arrest of the entire Mei family, including married daughters. Fortunately, it was the Chief Minister who carried out the order, so they were treated with some decency. But even so, once this surrender letter is delivered to the palace, the Emperor will likely fly into a rage and order their execution, wiping out the whole clan..."
Chu Ruoyan understood instantly: "This is a vicious scheme by the Southern Barbarians! If the Emperor is truly enraged by this letter and exterminates the Mei family, then General Mei and his son would have no reason to return to Great Xia. They might actually surrender!"
The Mei father and son had been stationed at Xiao Pass for a long time and knew Great Xia's military affairs and defenses inside out.
If they truly turned traitor, it would be a fatal blow to Great Xia!
"I think the same as you," her father said. "So I've already had a copy of the letter sent to the Rong residence for Grand Tutor Rong to verify the handwriting. However, I fear that may not be enough. Once our Emperor loses his temper, he listens to no one..."
"Really? What about the Dowager Noble Consort?" Chu Ruoyan interjected. Chu Huaishan was taken aback. "You mean?"
"If I remember correctly, back when the Emperor was selecting an heir for the Dowager Noble Consort, he chose the eldest Mei daughter, Mei Fangru. It was only because the Dowager Noble Consort insisted on caring for Princess Roumin that the matter was dropped!"
Chu Huaishan's eyes lit up: "An excellent point! The Dowager Noble Consort is kind-hearted and has always felt guilty towards the Mei women because of that incident. If I explain the stakes to her, I believe Her Highness will intervene for the Mei family!"
He finished speaking and hurried to the palace. Chu Ruoyan's brow remained furrowed.
The Southern Barbarians' scheme to sow discord was truly ruthless, leaving the Mei family no room at all!
The thought of Yan Zheng facing such wolves and tigers made her heart ache!
The next day, at the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
Upon seeing the surrender letter, the Emperor indeed flew into a rage. He immediately summoned the Minister of Justice, Minister Dou: "So Mei Sheng wants to urge surrender, does he? Fine! I'll let him! You go and cut off all fifty-seven heads of the Mei family and deliver them to him!!"
Grand Tutor Rong hurried forward: "Your Majesty, the handwriting in this letter does not match. I fear it was not written by Mei Sheng..."
"So what!" The Emperor slammed his hand on the table. "Didn't Mei Sheng defect with his son? How else was Xiao Pass lost? I promised the Chief Minister I wouldn't act rashly against the Mei family, but now this beast has insulted me to my face! Do you expect me to play deaf and dumb?"
Grand Tutor Rong and Chu Huaishan exchanged a glance, seeing mutual helplessness.
Fortunately, a eunuch announced from outside the hall: "The Dowager Noble Consort has arrived—"
The Emperor was startled and quickly came around the imperial desk to greet her: "Why has Your Highness come?"
Half an hour later, at Ning Shou Palace.
Princess Roumin's maid, Huarui, hurried in: "Princess, terrible news! The Dowager Noble Consort went and persuaded the Emperor. Now they won't execute the Mei family!"
Princess Roumin's fingers, which had been sewing a padded jacket, paused: "How did the Dowager Consort learn of this?"
"It was the Duke of Chu! I heard he rushed to the palace last night! The Dowager Noble Consort has always felt guilty about that incident from years ago. She must have agreed to help because of that!" Huarui said anxiously. "If this Mei Fangru doesn't die, what if she reveals what happened back then..."
Princess Roumin smiled faintly: "Back then? Since she could be sent away once, naturally there can be a second time."
Huarui was taken aback. Then she heard the Princess continue: "Mei Fangru is just an insignificant pawn. Never mind her for now. Piaoxu, what is the reaction from the Bai Xiao Pavilion?"
Piaoxu, who had been named, stepped forward: "Princess, the Bai Xiao Pavilion says that as long as the Mei father and son do not rebel, the Southern Barbarians may not be a match for Chief Minister Yan."
If Yan Zheng cannot be removed, the south won't fall into chaos.
And they won't get the chance to rise up and take action.
Princess Roumin sighed softly: "Forget it. Since we can't rely on the Southern Barbarians, we can only hope they delay him a while longer... Now that he's not in the capital, it's time to act."
Both maids assumed a serious expression: "Yes!"
Time flew to the eighteenth day of the second month, the day of the wedding in the second branch of the Chu family.
After being busy for so long, Chu Tingfeng and his mother finally welcomed Lin Yunshi into the family with great fanfare, their faces beaming with joy.
After the newlyweds completed the wedding ceremony, they specially came before Chu Ruoyan: "Elder Cousin, Yunshi and I owe our happiness today to you. Please accept our bow!"
Back then, when the Lin family wanted to give this concubine-born daughter to Vice Minister Yuan as a concubine, it was she who intervened to stop it.
The pair knelt down solemnly. Chu Ruoyan quickly had Nanny Zhou help them up: "On this joyous day, no need for kneeling. Yunshi is a good girl. Cousin Tingfeng, you must cherish her."
As she spoke, she took off a gold bracelet from her wrist and gave it to Lin Yunshi.
Lin Yunshi said apprehensively, "I cannot accept this..."
"Take it," Chu Ruoyan said. "You, a concubine-born daughter, dared to defy your entire family for a great-aunt you had never met. It is Cousin Tingfeng's fortune to marry you, and our Chu family's fortune as well."
Only then did Lin Yunshi accept it. She and Chu Tingfeng bowed once more before leaving.
Xue Ling, who had come for the banquet, teased from the side: "A married cousin is different indeed! You speak with all the authority of a mistress of the house now!"
Chu Ruoyan glanced at her: "Shouldn't I be the one saying that to you, Cousin? I heard that after you entered the Earl of Nanping's household, your brother-in-law directly obtained the authority to manage the household from Old Madam Xie for you. Now the entire Earl's household is in your hands. It must feel quite good, no?"
At this, Xue Ling fell silent.
Her maid, Chan, muttered, "Where is it good... Old Madam uses this as an excuse to summon our young mistress for 'guidance' every few days. Sometimes she has to stand for two or three hours at a time..."
"Chan!" Xue Ling interrupted. "Grandmother has her considerations. Don't say such things outside in the future."
Hearing this, Chu Ruoyan knew Old Madam Xie was still causing trouble.
"Haven't you spoken to your brother-in-law about it?"
Xue Ling shook her head: "My husband is busy with court affairs. His workload has doubled since the Chief Minister left. How can I bother him with such trivial matters?" She took a deep breath. "Don't worry, cousin. I can't rely on him for everything in the inner household. I must learn to stand on my own to manage this household well. Let's not talk about these vexing matters. Did you know my mother is about to give birth?"
Chu Ruoyan was delighted: "Aunt is about to give birth? When?"
"Probably within the next few days. I've already discussed it with my husband and will return to my maiden home to look after her. My mother is having a child with my father at such an age. I just hope everything goes smoothly and safely..."
