Chapter 78: Upheaval

No one in the entire Palace dared to obstruct Song Juguang, and as a result, she rushed into Rongfan Palace unimpeded. By the time she'd stopped properly, Liang Jiwen and Bi Yushuang's twin gazes were looking at her at a loss.

Song Juguang shot Bi Yushuang a glance, as if somewhat surprised that she was here. But she didn't think about it much, and in the next moment, opened her mouth in command. "You, leave."

How could Bi Yushuang not tell Song Juguang had arrived in an aggressive rush? Her gaze swept over Liang Jiwen and Song Juguang's figures. Finally, as if having made a decision, she straightened up. "I'm not leaving."

Liang Jiwen was equally at a loss, but the spirit of jianghu camaraderie she'd learnt of from the folk tales made her feel that, in this sort of situation, she couldn't drag her friend under the waters with her. So, she raised a hand and patted Bi Yushuang's shoulder. "Wangjun has something private to speak with me about, the sort others can't be allowed to hear about—go on, you should go."

Bi Yushuang's lips curled, thinking that, since Liang Jiwen had said so, it wasn't necessary for her to cling to it here. So, she turned and left with the maid, but when she was crossing the threshold, she still looked behind her, ill at ease.

"Wangjun, if you want to say something, you should just say it directly," Liang Jiwen said, spreading her hands, her mien that of one being taken advantage of.

"It's been a while since we've seen each other, yet you've grown quite a bit," Song Juguang said as she opened her hand in Liang Jiwen's direction. "Give the token back to this regent."

"The books all say that a noble's promise is worth a thousand gold; how could it be that Wangjun wants what's been gifted back, then?"

In order to prepare for taking the keju recently, Liang Jiwen had studied a not insignificant amount of books. Though she hadn't passed the exams, the knowledge had remained in her mind. Even when she spoke, she'd grown quite a bit more erudite.

But what sort of person was Song Juguang? How could she be so quickly intimidated? She merely smiled scornfully and said, "A noble's promise is worth a thousand gold, but this regent isn't any sort of noble. Giving you the token to let you leave the Palace was merely because I took pity on you, and to make you cause less chaos in front of her majesty and vex her. Who could have imagined that you'd speak without thinking like this, and tell all those rotten things from the common people for her majesty to hear. Since it's this way, there's no need for you to keep going out."

Liang Jiwen's expression, hearing this, chilled, and she felt a sense of great danger rushing at her. Bi Yushuang couldn't leave the Palace; the two lived in the same residence under the same eaves, and all of the novelties in their lives were things that Liang Jiwen had originally seen and heard when leaving the Palace. If in the future she couldn't leave the Palace, then those delights of life would leave and not return.

So, she didn't withdraw in the slightest, and in the flick of an eye, she said, "Her majesty cherishes all in the world, and so she isn't vexed by me. Well, as I see it, the one who's vexed is Wangjun. Vexed that I can live in the Palace, and vexed that I can appear before her majesty more frequently than you."

Song Juguang choked at these words of hers, and unexpectedly, for a moment, couldn't find anything to retort with. Her expression could only darken, and she reached out, wanting to grasp Liang Jiwen's wrist. How could Liang Jiwen be Song Juguang's match? No matter how she struggled, it was useless, and she could only kneel on the ground along the way.

Though she was kneeling wretchedly, she was still sharp-toothed and unwilling to concede defeat. "More than that, even if I did tell what I experienced in the capital to majesty, so what? Could it be that her majesty ought not to know about that? On what basis are you punishing me!"

The words were powerful and resounding, and Song Juguang's hand restraining Liang Jiwen grew harsher. "Her majesty has countless matters to deal with daily; these sort of trifles aren't ones that she needs to worry about, and more than that don't need to flow into her ears; this regent will deal with them. I'm not inclined to speak with you; return the token to this regent—in the future, you won't need to go out again."

"Then do you plan to hide everything from her majesty? Who gave you the right to do that? The people are the ruler's foundation; her majesty ought to hear the voices of the people. I didn't do anything wrong; the one who's done wrong is you! If you won't let me leave the Palace, then I'll go find her majesty, and have her majesty act as my guarantor."

"Who gave this regent the right?" Song Juguang, hearing this, laughed softly, as if having heard some sort of terrific joke. "This regent is the was conferred the title of Regent by her majesty herself, to aid in leading the affairs of the Six Ministries. If I wish to deal with a tiny group of demonstrators, who would dare say this regent has no right? You're not a citizen of the Great Li; even if you've studied some literature, you can't understand the true essence of them. To be an official is to share the difficulties of the monarch—not to spread all the filthy matters before her majesty."

Liang Jiwen scoffed, looking like she quite disagreed with the words Song Juguang had just spoken. "Humph, your words really are nice to listen to, but who knows what you're really thinking. Even if you really could deal with it all, could you really be able to keep all the news outside of the Palace for a lifetime?"

Yet Song Juguang, hearing these words, was, in a rare turn, startled, and even Liang Jiwen clearly felt the strength binding her lighten a few degrees. Song Juguang knew that she'd have to leave sooner or later, and that day was growing closer and closer. However, in this moment that flashed by, she had glimpsed the location of that token she'd given out, and so she simply loosened her hand and grabbed the token, about to leave.

Liang Jiwen was about to chase after, but she'd just stood up when she staggered unsteadily. Just in time, Qing Huai hurriedly came in, coming before Song Juguang. "Wangjun, Bixia is looking for you."

As a result, by the time Liang Jiwen stood up again, she could only see the two's retreating figures, and could only helplessly massage her aching shoulder and knees. But after not even a full incense's time, Xun Zhu came stealthily in.

Xun Zhu, holding a bright yellow scroll, stood before Liang Jiwen. "Liang Jiwen, Princess of Shejin, receive this decree—"

It was a pity that Liang Jiwen had just stood up when, once more, she fell to her knees with a thud. Her knees ached faintly, but it couldn't match the terror in her heart by far. She held her breath, watching with rapt attention, listening to the content of each word and phrase Xun Zhu spoke seriously.

"Liang Jiwen, Princess of Shejin, her skills are outstanding, and her words and bearing are all clearly a paragon…Our heart is quite pleased. We cannot bear to see her reside in the walls of the Palace for long, and be alone for a lifetime. From this day forth, she may leave and enter the Palace unrestricted by registering her name."

Liang Jiwen's eyes brightened, and after she took the edict, she looked it over from start to finish a number of times, not daring to believe it. Only once Xun Zhu congratulated her did it confirm that this was true. The next moment, she rolled the edict up carelessly, and rushed towards Bi Yushuang's personal quarters so quickly she was practically flying. "I'm free—"

But not everyone who was an official could be as happy as Liang Jiwen was. Prince Yu's manner had, recently, been enveloped in clouds of worry. One was that the memorial requesting Jiang Changbai confer Jiang Mingyou with the title of Prince Yu had once more been sent back, and the second was this recently re-started keju.

Liu Zihe was somewhat worried. "Ah, this Great Li is about to be in upheaval."

Yang Zhuofei scoffed. "There's been an upheaval for so long, and Liu-daren has only noticed it now."

Wu Dongmu slapped the table heavily, and even the teacups on the tabletop shook and swayed. Yang Zhuofei, hearing this sound, shot him a glance, and said, "What is Wu-daren doing this for? Even if the table is broken to pieces, her majesty will do as she wishes. With things having come to this, Mingyou ought to be allowed to take the title of Prince Yu and so be able to retake the fief of Boyang and establish his own power. Staying in the capital now, everything done is done with bound hands and feet."

Liu Zihe was disdainful. "Still about having an enfeoffment? Even the matters in the court can't be controlled anymore. Thousands of exam papers have all been given to Xie Qianbing alone to grade. Even a mosquito can't fly into there now, to say nothing of anything else. A few average years, and in the end, it was actually all in vain."

Yang Zhuofei raised a cup of tea and took a sip, laughing softly. "Isn't that Liu-daren's lack of skill? Her majesty doesn't trust in you."

"How smart is Xie Qianbing?" Liu Zihe's expression was still disdainful. "If I were to have been able to grow up together with the late emperor the same as Xie Qianbing, how could she be able to come to this position?"

"Ei," Yang Zhuofei's expression, on hearing this, grew cold. "There are some things which can't be said; Liu-daren, you'd best not tip over a boat in the gutter. Aright, this princess is a bit tired, you should all go home."

Grow up together with. By the time the two had left, Yang Zhuofei was still repeating the words Liu Zihe had just spoken to herself. Liu Zihe hadn't had the opportunity to grow up together with the Tai Emperor, but the people Jiang Changbai had grown up together with weren't only Xie Qianbing.

As if having thought of something, she waved a hand, summoning Han Yu. "Have you discovered where those refugees were sent back then?"

Han Yu shook her head. "Bixia, it really was too long ago. The old women who handled this matter back then have all died, and there truly aren't any clues."

"If there aren't any clues, then find some," the impatience in Yang Zhuofei's tone increased, "even if a rock were to fall into a water, there'd have to be a sound; with that many people, sent to our Prince Yu's manor, how could even looking not find her?"

"Understood," Han Yu murmured in response, head lowered.

Actually, Yang Zhuofei and Shen Yanyi's mother, Shen Wenlan, hadn't been close at all. It was just that, back then, with the droves of refugees from all parts of the country bubbling forth in the capital, Prince Yu's manor's estate had just happened to be lacking manpower. As a result, they'd snatched some refugees who'd been alone to come work there. After all, the death of refugees wasn't any sort of rare matter.

One day, Yang Zhuofei had suddenly thought to go make an inspection, and had happened to run into Shen Wenlan. Shen Wenlan had assumed that Yang Zhuofei was as benevolent as her appearance, and so had, crying, wanted her to let her leave. She'd said she still had a daughter whom she didn't know was alive or dead.

It was just a pity that, at the time, Yang Zhuofei hadn't known that Shen Wenlan's daughter would, now, become this accomplished, and had only taken it as an incidental event, and with a wave of her hand, had the servants drag Shen Wenlan away. It was only now, on hearing Shen Yanyi's name, that she'd remembered the incident of then.

However, things changed with the passage of time, and now when Yang Zhuofei once more wished to find news about Shen Wenlan, it was far too hard.

Han Yu hadn't taken many steps when she heard Yang Zhuofei speak again. "Never mind, go find the refugees from then and have them come to the manor. Remember, it has to be furtive; this princess has important matters to ask them."

"Understood."

Watching Han Yu grow distant, Yang Zhuofei sighed, and rose, heading to the rear courtyard. Jiang Changbai had been delaying and not allowing Jiang Mingyou to inherit his title, and now, if other senior ministers were to make insinuations, perhaps the title not be given, but someone's head would roll first.

Yang Zhuofei knew clearly that right now, the only person who could go make an entreaty of Jiang Changbai about this matter was herself.

It was just that when she'd go make the entreaty, or how to make it, still had to be thought on carefully.

Yang Zhuofei, one slow step after another, paced towards the bedroom. The sun had set and the moon risen, and even the flower buds, hidden by the leaves in the corner, weren't few in number. Finally, the room's door was pushed open, and a maid, carrying a medicinal decoction, carefully came to the desk, which had a lamp lit. "Daren, you should drink the medicine, don't ruin your health by staying up all night."

Xie Qianbing raised a hand and covered her mouth, coughing, but still waved her hand. "No matter—put it to the side for now, I'll drink it in a bit."

"That…" The maid was a bit hesitant. "But He-daren urged me, I can only leave once I see you've drunk it all."

With the maid bringing up He Leyong now, a forced smile rose immediately on Xie Qianbing's face, but she still said, "Just tell Laoshi that I drank it all. I'm aware of my own body; once I've finished commenting on all these papers, I'll definitely drink it all."

"How is it that now you're wanting to deceive even me?"

Before Xie Qianbing had even finished speaking, she heard He Leyong's voice come from outside the door. Seeing He Leyong come in, Xie Qianbing couldn't pay any mind to the papers before her. She set her brush thoughtlessly to the side, and hurriedly helped He Leyong to sit down.

But once they came to the chair, He Leyong insisted on standing. "First drink the medicine, and once you've drunk it all, I'll sit down."

A hint of a pained smile rose on Xie Qianbing's expression, and she took the tray from the maid, drinking the medicinal decoction in a single mouthful. Only at this did He Leyong sit down, and ask, "How is the progress?"

Xie Qianbing replied, "It's more or less done; only the selection of the zhuangyuan, bangyan, and tanhua haven't been made. How about, Laoshi, you help me take a look?"

"At my advanced age, my old eyes are infirm; what could you have me do?" He Leyong hurriedly waved a hand. "The people chosen, in the end, will be for her majesty to use. Pick four or five good ones, and tomorrow, send them to her majesty, and have her majesty decide. There have just been people who lost their heads for this; you can't cling stubbornly to your own course."

Xie Qianbing's heart, hearing this, warmed; she knew that He Leyong feared her following in the footsteps of those head examiners. But—

She hesitated a few times, and then said, "Laoshi, I don't think her majesty is that sort of person."

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