Marquis Chijian's Manor.
Qu Dubian also saw this piece of paper.
He had Yi Shier smell it.
Yi Shier said, Judging by the smell, it is ordinary joss paper.
Joss paper...
Qu Dubian pondered, For ordinary writing paper, the raw materials and pulp vary depending on the region of production. Since we sell storybooks, we are very familiar with the operations of the bookstores in the capital and their paper purchasing channels. As long as we are careful, we can trace the source.
But if joss paper is used, there are far too many potential sources.
Yi Shier: Your Highness has been back in the capital for less than two days, yet the joss paper has already been scattered all over the city. It could not have been prepared in such a short time; it must have been readied well in advance.
Qu Dubian: To be so certain that I was harmed, and to claim that a member of the royal family did it... Logically speaking, it is either an insider who is indignant, or a participant who has betrayed them.
The former is highly unlikely, Yi Shier said.
Why?
Yi Shier: If it were an indignant insider, they would not write your name on joss paper, which represents coldness, ominousness, and death.
Writing a name on joss paper, was this a righteous cry for justice, or a curse announcing a death?
What Liuliu said made some sense.
Qu Dubian folded up the joss paper. I had originally planned to investigate secretly after entering the capital. I did not expect that in just two days, the capital would be thrown into chaos.
He wanted to quietly watch the water flow, but the stormy waves would not cease.
Once the incident of crying for justice with joss paper broke out.
The capital was gripped by paranoia and high tension.
Almost everyone's eyes were fixed on the four powerful princes in the imperial court.
The Second Prince, the Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, and the Sixth Prince.
The joss paper mentioned a member of the royal family, and were not those four the most likely suspects? Not to mention the unambitious Fourth Prince, even the Third Prince, who had lost an arm, was dragged out and suspected for a moment.
Having lost an arm for a long time, it would make sense if his mind had grown dark enough to take revenge on his brothers.
Before they even had the time to visit their younger brother who had just returned from the war, they were already being roasted over a fire.
The Second Prince's Manor.
The Second Prince held a stack of joss paper, his brows deeply furrowed. Who exactly scattered these...
Mr. Deng: Indeed. Tang Yisu has already entered the capital, and he was supposed to proceed according to the plan tomorrow. But with things turning out like this, another storm is bound to erupt during tomorrow morning's grand assembly.
Tang Yisu has entered the capital? He is a whole day early. Didn't I tell him to come at night?
Mr. Deng: Well... it does not make much of a difference. The main purpose was to sneak in with a merchant caravan so the Fifth Prince would not notice anything amiss.
Proceed according to the plan, the Second Prince said. The more chaotic it is, the faster we must act. The arrow is already on the bowstring and must be fired. Old Fifth has been ready for a long time.
He tossed all the joss paper onto the table.
I originally agreed with Old Fifth and Old Sixth to go see our Seventh Brother. Now it seems that before tomorrow morning's grand assembly, no one will be able to see him.
The Xi Manor.
Xi Zixing washed up, got dressed, left the manor, and took a trip to the Ministry of Personnel.
When he returned, he was followed by two petty officials holding official robes, topped with an official hat, a letter of appointment, and other items.
As he entered the gate, he bumped right into Xi Shiqiu.
Xi Shiqiu looked at him as if he had seen a ghost. When did you go out? Aren't you unwilling to leave the house?
I went out early in the morning. Father, you must have been so worried about Eldest Brother's future and distracted by the main wife's fussing that you did not notice me, Xi Zixing pointed behind him. I went to the Ministry of Personnel, resigned from the Hanlin Academy, and received an official post.
Xi Shiqiu: ?
He took two steps forward and looked at Xi Zixing's appointment document.
Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice. He had entered the Six Ministries. Although it lacked the noble prestige of the Hanlin Academy, this position held significant authority despite its relatively low rank. It carried the power of judicial supervision and the right to attend the daily morning court assemblies.
Xi Shiqiu: Why the Ministry of Justice? I am the Minister of Justice. If you work in the Ministry of Justice, won't it cause people to gossip behind our backs? Besides, this does not conform to the rules, does it?
At the time, the Minister of Personnel told me that he wanted to transfer you to the Ministry of Personnel. That is where the Heavenly Officials belong.
Moreover, the speed was too fast. The seal was stamped by the Minister of Personnel himself, and the official robes had already been collected. After reporting to the government office in the afternoon, he would be able to attend the morning assembly tomorrow.
Xi Zixing: Father, rest assured. It is just that the Minister of Personnel appreciates me. I did not use your name to throw my weight around.
With that said, he had his servant give the officials who delivered the clothes some tip money, and he prepared to carry the clothes into his room.
Xi Shiqiu grabbed him and frowned. You suddenly figured things out. Could it be because of the joss paper crying for justice that is widely spreading in the capital right now? What are you planning to do at the court assembly tomorrow?
Xi Zixing smiled. What can I do? Lying around at home is still just lying around. I am just going to do my job properly, just like you, Father. Others will absolutely not gossip.
Xi Shiqiu: ...You had better really mean that.
In the afternoon.
Marquis Chijian's Manor.
Qu Dubian directed the manor's guards to build him a small pushcart specifically for street vending.
These guards had all come down from the battlefield. They had followed Xu Jin to kill enemies and, having been left homeless after sustaining injuries and disabilities, stayed in the Xu Manor ever since.
They worked extremely quickly and nimbly, and they never refused any request from the young master of the manor.
Qu Dubian still had to pretend to be blind, feeling around as he gave instructions, Oh... under this iron griddle, make a pull-out compartment to hold the charcoal briquettes.
Leave some space underneath as well to store the ingredients.
Ye Xiaoyuan: Your Highness, the pushcart you want is different from those on the market.
Qu Dubian: Once it is made, this little cart will take the capital by storm.
Teppanyaki, grilled sausages, and various other snacks were all born on this kind of pushcart.
The street stalls in the Great Zhou Dynasty nowadays mostly sold things like sesame flatbreads, tea drinks, porridge, steamed buns, and meat pies. There was very little deep-frying or pan-frying, let alone skewers.
Ye Xiaoyuan said helplessly, Don't tell me you actually want to go out and set up a stall.
Qu Dubian snapped his fingers: The one who knows me best is Banban.
Ye Xiaoyuan: ...
Did he want to experience a different kind of life?
He began to consider finding a sheltered spot from the wind, and then arranging for a few unfamiliar faces to buy food from His Highness's stall. Otherwise, if no one patronized it, His Highness would be depressed.
Qu Dubian: Tomorrow's morning assembly will definitely be very exciting.
Ye Xiaoyuan nodded: Does Your Highness want to go?
Qu Dubian: If I go, I will definitely get a headache listening to everyone arguing back and forth. In the end, they might even force a half-crippled person like me to step forward and explain in detail exactly how I was crippled. So, I am not going.
He patted the small cart. I am going to set up a stall at the palace gates and watch others go to court.
Since his older brothers would not come to see him, he would go see them.
The next day.
At three-thirty in the morning.
Around the Thousand-Step Bridge outside the palace, various small vendors had already begun setting up their stalls.
Thick, swirling steam dissipated into the night air.
A spacious horse carriage slowly came to a halt. The vendors took a glance, assuming it was some high-ranking official arriving early, and unconcernedly lowered their heads to continue preparing their food.
Today was the grand assembly, so more officials would come, meaning their business would be even better.
However, after a while, the high-ranking official who had arrived in the carriage did not find a stall to sit at. Instead, only a man who looked like a butler stepped down and directed some people to start setting up a stall of their own.
He placed the small pushcart to the side and had people build a temporary windbreak shed around it. Woven straw mats lined with cotton cloth hung down on all four sides, and there was even a warm charcoal brazier placed inside the straw shed.
The iron griddle pushcart sat right inside the shed.
After everything was prepared, a person finally stepped down from the carriage. Wrapped in a fox-fur cloak with a fleece hat covering half of his face, he took a few steps before being stopped by someone who looked like a guard.
The guard pushed over a wheelchair, and the person sat down on it, being wheeled under a wind-shielding thatched pavilion.
Someone whispered, "Which official is putting on such a grand display?"
The "grand official" rolled up his sleeves and used a brush to spread lard over an iron griddle. In no time, the griddle sizzled, releasing a savory aroma of oil.
The street vendors: "?"
The owner of the neighboring soy milk stall could not help but ask, "Brother, what are you doing?"
Qu Dubian looked puzzled. "Can you not tell? I am making pancakes. We are colleagues."
He clapped his hands. "Almost forgot."
"Liuliu, go hang up the thing I brought."
Yi Shier took out a blue banner from his clothes and hung it on the thatched pavilion. It read:
Jianbing guozi for five copper coins each, six with an egg. Flaky scallion pancakes for three copper coins each, four with an egg. New items in the capital, affordable prices, honest to young and old alike.
The soy milk stall owner said, "You really do not look like someone who is here to set up a stall."
Qu Dubian replied, "Whether I look like it or not, the stall is here anyway. Boss, do you want a taste?"
The soy milk stall owner hurriedly shook his head.
The vendors who frequently set up stalls at the palace gates were the most perceptive. He sensed that this young master setting up a stall was no simple character. Not knowing who he was targeting, it was best not to provoke him.
"If you do not eat it now, you can still have it later."
Qu Dubian slowly and unhurriedly made his pancakes.
In less than a quarter of an hour, the officials gradually arrived here one after another. After all, it was winter, so everyone woke up a bit late and appeared in groups.
Upon arriving, they unanimously found stalls to sit down at, wanting to eat something and drink something hot to warm their bodies.
Qu Dubian's luxurious stall was very eye-catching.
Xie Jingshan saw Ye Xiaoyuan, hesitantly walked over, and looked into the pavilion.
Ye Xiaoyuan said, "Your Highness, Lord Xie Jingshan is here."
Qu Dubian raised his head and smiled, "Uncle Jingshan, do you want to eat a pancake?"
Xie Jingshan was astonished, "It really is you, Seventh Highness."
"Little Seventh???"
The Sixth Prince, who was walking by, came to a sudden halt, took two steps back, pushed Xie Jingshan aside, and widened his eyes, "Why are you setting up a stall here!"
His voice was much louder than Xie Jingshan's. With that one shout, almost all the surrounding officials stopped eating and looked over.
The Second, Fourth, and Fifth Princes, who had just arrived, caught wind of it. After a moment of bewilderment, they also lifted the hems of their robes and hurried down from the Thousand-Step Bridge.
They stood in front of the stall, glanced at the banner above, and then looked at their younger brother in the wheelchair.
Blindfolded, he was swiping the small brush in his hand back and forth across the scorching hot iron griddle. Several steaming hot pancakes were already beside his hand, yet he showed no fear of being burned.
Ye Xiaoyuan was helping to spread the sauce and roll the vegetables into the pancakes.
He looked the very picture of someone physically disabled but strong-willed, working hard to support himself.
"..."
It really was him.
One of the great heroes who annexed the Northern Frontier and prevented the chaos of war, the dignified His Highness the Prince of Yong, the first among the princes to be granted a princely title, was setting up a stall here.
The point was that he looked quite professional at it—except for the fact that because he could not see, the brush would occasionally go out of the bounds of the iron griddle.
The few of them remained silent for a while.
The Sixth Prince said, "Little Seventh, if you are short on money, your brother will send you some."
Qu Dubian replied, "Sixth Brother, you do not understand. After going blind, my sleep schedule has been completely reversed, and my body aches. I cannot sleep at night, so I came out to find something to do and earn a little money while I am at it."
He paused and added vigilantly, "You guys have to pay for your food too." He pointed to the banner above, "Not a single copper coin less."
The Fifth Prince put down a silver ingot. "Your Fifth Brother will have a jianbing guozi. I have never heard of it, so I will try the taste. Little Seventh, just let Eunuch Ye do it; do not burn yourself."
The Sixth Prince: "I will have the same as Old Fifth."
The Fourth Prince: "Then I will have a scallion pancake."
"I will have the same as Fourth Brother," the Second Prince took out some broken silver and placed it in the money basket.
Qu Dubian: "Alright, please wait a moment."
The smoke curled up in the air.
He raised his head and looked at the four brothers sitting together at the same table in front of the stall. They all looked like blurry little bean figures to him, with basically the same expressions; he could not tell who had a guilty conscience or who had an abnormal look.
They knew about the matter of the paper money reporting grievances, and he knew it too, but none of them brought it up because there was no need.
Today's imperial court would surely see a shocking thunderstorm; this was just the final peace.
He wondered how many people would be left sitting at the same table playing this game after today.
