Pampered Poisonous Royal Wife Chapter 157

Chapter 157: Jingling City Again?

On the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, common households swept their homes and began offering sacrifices to the Kitchen God. Within the imperial palace, the Emperor sealed his imperial brush for the year and held a banquet, sharing the festive joy with his officials and people.

Just as the banquet reached its liveliest point, the inner attendant Xu Li entered with two guards carrying scrolls. “This servant pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Mm?” The Emperor looked toward the guards behind Xu Li and immediately straightened, delight appearing on his face. “Those two guards—were they sent by Grand Princess Yide?”

Xu Li quickly bowed and answered, “Replying to Your Majesty, they are people from Her Highness the Grand Princess’s side. Today, she specially sent them to present Your Majesty with a gift.”

The joy on the Emperor’s face deepened. He even rose and personally descended the steps. “The Grand Princess has always kept Us in her thoughts. Now, while residing at Huguo Temple to pray for the Dali Dynasty, she still does not forget to send Us a gift. It truly moves Us.”

The officials in the hall hurried to echo him. “Indeed. Grand Princess Yide and Your Majesty share deep affection as siblings. Naturally, she thinks of Your Majesty at all times.”

“Grand Princess Yide personally prays for the nation. She is truly a model for all women under Heaven!”

The Emperor’s heart grew increasingly pleased as he listened. Grand Princess Yide was his elder sister by blood. Before he ascended the throne, she had saved his life more than once, and the bond between them had always been deep. Later, after he took the imperial seat, he wished to grant her supreme honor and glory. Yet, she had withdrawn at the height of favor, spending her days burning incense and worshiping Buddha, no longer involving herself in worldly affairs.

“What gift has the Grand Princess sent?”

The guards hurriedly and carefully unfurled the scroll in their hands. The painting was about seven chi long and four chi wide, filled with figures of all kinds. On closer inspection, the houses and buildings were all in the Jiangnan style. The scenery followed a single street as its main thread, depicting the distribution of porridge. There were more than a thousand people in the painting, each with different clothing and bearing. Their expressions were lifelike, yet almost all carried some measure of a smile. Even through the painted scene, one could glimpse the harmony and warmth of that moment.

The Emperor was deeply shaken as he looked at it. “Jingling City Laba Porridge Distribution Painting? Li Chong… This… this is Master Li Chong’s work?”

One guard quickly presented a letter. “Replying to Your Majesty, this is a handwritten letter from Her Highness the Grand Princess.”

The Emperor immediately took the letter and read it carefully.

The officials at the side, however, grew anxious. Recently, if one were to speak of which name had appeared most frequently in court, it would certainly be Jingling City. First, at the Emperor’s birthday banquet, Cao Yunnian’s wife had sincerely prayed for the Emperor, drawing butterflies to dance around her. His Majesty had been pleased and promoted Cao Yunnian because of it.

After that, Jingling City spread embroidery techniques among the people, which counted as a great merit in educating the populace, and the Emperor personally bestowed rewards. Later, the embroidery workshop that had spread the techniques was burned down, and the Emperor once again bestowed his own calligraphy, thereby causing Niyun Pavilion and Buxian Tower to become famous. Even now, the tea His Majesty drank still came from Buxian Tower.

And now, they had produced a Laba Porridge Distribution Painting. In their view, on the eighth day of the twelfth lunar month, which city did not have someone distributing porridge? Why was Jingling City’s porridge distribution the one painted and sent before the Emperor? If this painting had not been by Master Li Chong, they would have suspected Jingling City’s officials of deliberately using this trick to show their faces before the Emperor.

The Emperor had already finished reading the letter Grand Princess Yide had sent. When he looked again at the painting, his feelings deepened further. “Beloved ministers, come forward and have a look as well. The people do not ask for much. If they can live and work in peace, then the hearts of the people will naturally submit. Many merchants do things for the people, yet so many officials occupy their positions and do nothing. It truly pains Us.”

“This subject is guilty.” Hearing these words, the officials immediately knelt and confessed their faults, fear tightening within them.

The Emperor pondered for a moment and gave a faint sigh, carefully putting away Grand Princess Yide’s letter. “Elder Sister Yide is reminding Us that We must always remember the duties of a ruler. Xu Li, take the gifts We prepared, and add ten hu of pearls, ten pieces of jade, ten bolts of brocade, as well as the pigeon-blood gemstones, rhinoceros horn, and agarwood that were recently offered as tribute. Send them all to the Grand Princess. Wait—We will also write a letter. Take it to the Grand Princess and ask whether she lacks anything there. When you return, report it to Us in detail. We will personally choose more things to send her.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” Xu Li’s heart surged with excitement, though he firmly restrained it from showing on his face. He knew this was his moment of fortune. In the past, whenever His Majesty sent things to the Grand Princess, he would always dispatch Chief Eunuch De. Xu Li had not expected that today, this blessed errand would fall to him.

The officials below remained kneeling, not daring to make a sound. People often said there was no kinship in the imperial family, yet all these years, the sibling bond between the Grand Princess and the Emperor had clearly only grown deeper. On ordinary days, if there was something delicious, His Majesty would have someone send a portion to the Grand Princess. Now that the New Year was near, the gifts he prepared nearly emptied the palace storehouses. It was truly difficult for others to understand.

The chief eunuch had already ordered people to clear most of the table before the Emperor, then brought over a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone for His Majesty to write the letter. Once the letter was finished, the Emperor finally looked at the officials kneeling below. “Enough. Rise. Go forward one by one and look at the painting and calligraphy that the Grand Princess has sent. Reflect upon yourselves. Only then will you understand the duties of a minister.”

“Yes. This subject respectfully obeys Your Majesty’s teachings.”

The officials below hurried forward, according to rank and position, to admire Master Li Chong’s painting. After seeing it, each felt moved to some degree. The painting was extraordinarily vivid; the longer one looked, the more easily one was drawn into the scene.

However, although those censors who had always wielded their brushes like blades were likewise stirred, they also worried that the matter might not match its reputation. One after another, they thought that tomorrow they ought to submit memorials, preferably urging His Majesty to send an imperial envoy to investigate the true circumstances in Jingling City. If the matter was indeed real, then Jingling City should naturally be rewarded properly. If not, this inflated and frivolous style must be suppressed.

Then again, this painting had been sent by Grand Princess Yide. With that lady’s temperament and conduct, there was a ninety percent chance the matter was true. Alas, other officials had to rack their brains to achieve even a little in politics. In contrast, the officials of Jingling City seemed to do almost nothing before merit and reputation leaped straight into their arms. It was enough to make one’s heart itch with envy.

Mu Yunyao had no idea that a thoughtless act on her part had once again stirred waves in the capital.

As the New Year approached, each day had its own customs and sayings. Mu Yunyao simply had Niyun Pavilion and Buxian Tower close their doors. A group of people gathered lively and noisily in Jinxiu Garden, spending their days calculating what things ought to be prepared for the New Year.

Over the past half year, Mu Yunyao had taken every step with utmost caution. Su Qing had seen it all and ached for her in silence. Now that Yunyao had become much livelier these past few days, Su Qing urged Jin Lan, Jin Qiao, and the others to accompany her to play all sorts of games.

Everything was proceeding smoothly according to her plans, and Mu Yunyao’s heart was also exceedingly light. She simply let go of her usual restraint and played to her heart’s content—swings, archery, pitch-pot, cuju, ice games… The whole of Jinxiu Garden was filled with laughter.

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