Ansheng's instruction of A Mei in literacy was earnest and thorough; from how she held the brush to her sitting posture, he demanded precision, teaching her, stroke by stroke, the horizontal, vertical, left-falling and right-falling strokes.
A Mei looked at the two books, "Thousand Character Classic" and "Three Character Classic," which her husband had instructed someone to deliver. She flipped through them, her whole face scrunching up as she said with difficulty, "Husband, there are so many characters. Does A Mei have to learn them all?"
Ansheng glanced at her sideways. "These are foundational texts. If you can't even master the simplest ones, then there's no point in learning at all."
A Mei immediately straightened her attitude. "I'll learn, I'll learn! A Mei will learn!"
It was noon, with the sun blazing high. Ansheng lifted the carriage curtain, and sunlight streamed through the window, shining upon A Mei, who was bent over a low desk, utterly absorbed.
Fine beads of sweat dotted A Mei's forehead, and the fingers clutching the brush trembled slightly.
The light was glaring. She squinted, her lips parting slightly as she looked up at Ansheng in a daze.
"Husband, it's too bright. A Mei can't see clearly anymore."
A flicker passed through Ansheng's eyes. Gazing at A Mei's bright, clear pupils, the corner of his mouth lifted in a barely perceptible smile.
"If you keep writing, you'll turn into a little smudge-faced kitten."
A Mei let out a soft "ah," then, understanding, took out a small bronze mirror.
She saw two streaks of ink now smudged on her forehead. Blushing deeply, she muttered in a small voice, "Why didn't Husband remind A Mei?"
Ansheng raised an eyebrow, unsparing. "To manage this just learning the character for 'one'... you truly have a unique talent."
A Mei naturally understood her husband was mocking her, but she wasn't angered. She found a handkerchief, dampened it with water, and carefully wiped her face while looking into the mirror.
Just then, movement came from outside the carriage.
"Eunuch An, Lord Cui requests your presence."
Ansheng lifted his gaze. "Have we reached the borders of Minzhou?"
"In reply to Eunuch An, we have indeed entered Minzhou territory."
Ansheng gave a cold humph, understanding dawning in his heart. He turned his gaze to A Mei, who was looking on with curiosity. "If you're tired from writing, rest for a while. Don't wander off. This humble servant has some matters to attend to and will return later."
Seeing A Mei give a soft acknowledgment, Ansheng rose and stepped down from the carriage.
Once Ansheng left, A Mei leaned against the carriage window, peering outside. She saw Ansheng lead a few men towards a sizable gathering of people not far away.
When imperial envoys of this dynasty traveled, they had a formal procession—not only numerous in personnel, but when passing important checkpoints or towns, thirteen gong strikes would sound, signifying that all civil and military officials, soldiers, and civilians should make way and keep their distance.
However, welcoming an imperial envoy involved many more unwritten rules. Previously, the large procession had stayed on the main official roads. Now, having entered Minzhou territory, they saw the local officials, who had long received the news, already waiting outside the city walls.
This was also the reason Lord Cui had summoned Ansheng.
By the time Ansheng arrived, Minzhou's key officials had already exchanged pleasantries with Lord Cui. When Ansheng approached, the crowd fell silent for a moment.
The chief envoy this time was Lord Cui, so naturally everyone clustered around him. Although Ansheng was a close attendant of the Emperor, rumors of discord between the two had long been circulating.
This... was rather intriguing.
Fortunately, the crowd was not lacking in smooth operators. Seeing Eunuch An's unfriendly expression, they naturally fell into flattery without hesitation.
From the carriage, A Mei could clearly see the undisguised impatience and disdain in her husband's eyes. Her husband's stature was slender compared to the others in the group, yet A Mei simply thought he was the most handsome, especially when others piled on smiling faces to speak to him and he responded with indifference. A Mei thought her husband was incredibly capable.
Regarding the officials' invitation to a banquet, Cui Guda waved his hand in refusal.
Perhaps having anticipated this, the leading official had someone bring forward two wooden boxes. "Your subordinates naturally understand that Lord Cui and Eunuch An currently shoulder a heavy responsibility and have no leisure to grace us with your presence. We deeply regret this and can only prepare modest gifts to express our regard. We hope Lord Cui and Eunuch An will do us the honor of accepting them."
When the boxes were opened, Cui Guda's face immediately darkened.
The reason was none other than this: Cui Guda was famously upright and incorruptible as an official, rigidly honest and unyielding. He detested bribery, corruption, and preying on the common people above all else, and the corrupt officials he had brought to justice under his command were countless.
Although currently serving as Vice Minister of Justice, with the Minister of Justice above him, the Minister was now advanced in years. Court whispers had long suggested that Cui Guda was the Emperor's chosen successor for the position of Minister of Justice; otherwise, His Majesty would not have entrusted him with such an important mission.
Cui Guda was aware of these unofficial customary "tributes," but that was the extent of it. A commoner who had risen to his current post by imperial grace, he relied neither on connections nor flattery, but solely on his loyal heart devoted to his sovereign and country!
All previous imperial envoys had, without exception, been princes, dukes, high ministers, or frontier governors. Even within the Ministry of Justice, sending an official as an envoy was the first in nearly a century. Cui Guda could more or less fathom the Emperor's intention; he was willing to be the sharp blade in His Majesty's hand!
However, now these two boxes of jewels and treasures were presented so blatantly. Lord Cui's expression truly could not hold.
Not only was Lord Cui uncomfortable, but the officials under Minzhou were also uneasy. These were unwritten rules, always followed. They had naturally long inquired about Lord Cui's unyielding, inflexible style from the Ministry of Justice. But, one knows a man's face, not his heart. Others had given gifts; they couldn't not give them here either. They dared not take that risk.
The atmosphere fell into a stalemate.
"Heh heh." A sharp, piercing voice broke the silence. It was Ansheng.
"My, oh my, my wife simply adores these glittering, golden treasures."
Ansheng curled his lip, accepting the box before him with utmost naturalness, his smile full of sarcasm. "Since this is the esteemed gentlemen's regard, then this humble servant won't stand on ceremony."
Seeing Ansheng's shameless demeanor, Cui Guda's face turned as black as the bottom of a pot. He snorted coldly, his expression resolute and stern.
"Colleagues, this official has served for over twenty years, always maintaining integrity and self-restraint. I appreciate the sentiment behind this gesture, but please take these items back."
Once something entered Ansheng's hands, it would absolutely never be returned. Ansheng maintained his skin-deep smile. "Lord Cui, you are mistaken. These items represent the esteemed gentlemen's regard. By accepting them, this humble servant acknowledges their goodwill. How is it that coming from Lord Cui's mouth, it sounds to this humble servant like the meaning has changed?"
Cui Guda's expression was cold and severe. "Eunuch An understands perfectly well what this means!"
In front of so many people, Ansheng naturally wouldn't continue arguing with Cui Guda. He gave a cold humph and said to the official with a sardonic smile, "Sir, since Lord Cui is unwilling to accept everyone's regard, then take his back. This humble servant is willing to accept it, so this humble servant's portion will stay. This humble servant and Lord Cui—he is he, and this humble servant is this humble servant. Everyone should understand this clearly."
The official immediately broke into a sweat, stammering dryly, "Your subordinate understands, your subordinate understands."
Upon hearing this, Cui Guda immediately flung his sleeve and left.
The officials present were left with their own separate thoughts.
...
A Mei couldn't hear the conversation from that distance. After watching for a while, she returned to practicing holding her brush, writing and pausing. She waited for quite some time, but still Ansheng did not return. Lifting the carriage curtain again, she couldn't see her husband's figure either.
Driven by curiosity, she rose and stepped down from the carriage.
A servant waiting by the carriage sidled up to A Mei's side, his expression respectful.
"Madam, do you have any instructions? You can just give your orders to this servant."
The speaker was the maidservant arranged for her by Ansheng, named Hehua.
Having grown up in poverty, A Mei was not used to being waited on. However, remembering her husband's previous words, she pondered for a moment before speaking softly, "Hehua, accompany me to find my husband."
"Yes, Madam." Hehua responded, then glanced at A Mei as if wanting to say more. After a moment's thought, she spoke up, "Madam, this servant heard that Lord An and Lord Cui seem to have had a dispute."
Hearing that her husband was in an argument, A Mei grew anxious and couldn't stay put any longer.
A Mei's carriage was in the middle part of the procession, while Lord Cui's carriage was towards the front. As it was currently a rest break for the group, A Mei took Hehua and went searching for him.
This expedition was almost exclusively men; even Hehua accompanying A Mei was dressed as a young servant boy. Only A Mei was different. Previously, Ansheng had given A Mei a sum of silver, saying at the time it was for her to buy some clothes so as not to embarrass him. A Mei had taken this to heart and soon went to a tailor's shop to have several fashionable new dresses made. Naturally, she had packed them all for this journey. Wearing her new dress, her figure slender, her face rosy and delicate, she naturally drew frequent glances from people in the procession.
Some who were in the know understood she was the eunuch Lord An's family member. Soon, word spread from one to two, from two to ten, creating quite a stir.
A Mei naturally felt the peculiar looks cast her way—some sympathetic, some mocking—and more or less heard the pointed, teasing comments. But suddenly, A Mei didn't care anymore.
A Mei walked and walked, finally reaching the front of the procession, but she didn't see her husband.
Just as A Mei was feeling somewhat at a loss, she heard her husband's uniquely sharp voice coming from a nearby tent!
"Hmph! I know Lord Cui looks down on this castrated servant of mine, but this journey is by His Majesty's decree! What, does Lord Cui intend to defy the imperial edict?"
A Mei heard another cold laugh. The speaker was likely the Lord Cui her husband mentioned.
"This official has a clear conscience. How can there be talk of defying an edict? Lord An, don't think you can pressure me with His Majesty's name."
"Well, I also have a clear conscience! What of it? Just because Lord Cui himself is pure and upright, you think everyone else is as black as crows!"
"When did I ever say such a thing! You! You!!"
"Ah!"
A sudden woman's cry rang out.
"Who's there?!" someone in the tent immediately shouted!
At the same time, hearing the commotion, Ansheng's eyebrows jumped, and he promptly strode out!
His eyes immediately fell upon A Mei and Hehua, who had fallen to the ground...
It turned out that during each rest break, a temporary tent was specially set up for the imperial envoy to rest.
This time, the tent happened to be on a slope. Hearing her husband's voice, A Mei had moved closer to take a look. Unexpectedly, her foot slipped on a loose stone, causing both her and Hehua to twist their ankles and fall.
She seemed to be in pain. A Mei's lips were slightly parted, her eyes red, and she stared pitifully and aggrievedly at Ansheng, who had emerged from the tent, looking on the verge of tears.
Ansheng's mouth twitched, feeling both a pang of heartache and a sense of helplessness. Finally, keeping a stern face, he asked, "Why aren't you in the carriage? What are you doing here?"
"Husband..." A Mei had indeed sprained her ankle. Seeing many people looking at her, she felt both embarrassed and in pain. Hurriedly, with Hehua's help, she struggled to stand up, gazing at Ansheng with a pitiful expression.
"I told you not to run around!" Ansheng looked at A Mei with apparent disdain, then turned to instruct someone nearby to fetch the physician.
Just at that moment, a group of officers came rushing over noisily, each armed with cold steel blades, surrounding the area.
An officer shouted loudly:
"Protect His Lordship!"
"Capture the assassin!"
A Mei had never seen such a scene before and was instantly frightened, her face turning deathly pale.
Seeing this, Ansheng strode over to A Mei's side, wrapped an arm around her, his eyes slightly narrowed as a venomous gaze swept over the surroundings. In his sharp, thin voice, he roared, "What assassin? Are you all blind?! Scram at once! If you've frightened my wife, I won't let any of you off!"
The men looked at each other, then glanced back at Lord Cui, who emerged unharmed with his attendants, and realized it was a false alarm.
The leader of the guards immediately ordered his men to sheathe their weapons and cupped his hands towards Ansheng. "So it's Madam An. We were overly zealous in protecting our master and have offended the madam. We beg Lord An and Madam An for your magnanimity."
Ansheng's face was dark, and he was about to erupt when he heard A Mei beside him call out softly, "Husband."
Ansheng looked down to see A Mei's eyes still red. She pursed her lips and said to him quietly,
"With my husband here, A Mei isn't afraid. It's all A Mei's fault. A Mei finished practicing her characters and saw my husband hadn't returned yet. A Mei missed my husband, and then heard my husband had argued with someone. A Mei was worried about my husband, so I took it upon myself to come find him."
A Mei felt some regret in her heart. She knew she had inadvertently caused trouble. She had indeed been a little scared just now, but with her husband by her side, she knew he was protecting her. Feeling moved and joyful at the same time, A Mei spoke her mind.
A Mei's voice was neither too loud nor too soft, and those nearby could still hear it.
For a moment, the looks directed at A Mei from those nearby held a bit more surprise, their expressions varied.
Hearing A Mei declare without reservation in front of others that she had missed him, Ansheng's expression softened. A powerful feeling of satisfaction surged from the depths of his heart.
Feeling pleased, Ansheng no longer aimed sarcastic remarks at Cui Gudao, who had followed him out. Instead, his words took on a tone of boasting.
"Lord Cui, please excuse us. My wife has always been rather clingy. I've only been out for a short while, and she insisted on coming to find me. I must take my leave now."
Cui Gudao's expression beside them was also unwell. Having just quarreled with Ansheng, he was in no mood to listen to the affectionate exchanges between a eunuch and his wife. He snorted coldly, "Lord An, take care. I won't see you out!"
