Chapter 12
The reason the He family chose the Qin family for a marital alliance was perhaps also related to the inherently low risk associated with the Qin family. Qin Tianzhu was honest yet timid—someone who surely would never engage in illegal or unruly activities.
However, Elder He knew he had to caution his son thoroughly; prudence was the key to longevity.
“I heard you’ve been spending quite a bit of time with that Miss Qin lately?”
Qin Xiangyi was an extremely cautious individual. After leaving the palace, she deliberately kept her distance from He Yanzhou. Though palace news rarely leaked outside, it still reached the elder’s ears.
He Yanzhou nodded in confirmation and added, “Father, since Miss Qin walks alone within the palace, I worry about her safety, so I accompany her for part of the way each day.”
The current state of affairs within the palace needed no explicit mention between father and son. The imperial treasury was adjacent to the inner palace, so his concerns were not unwarranted.
Indeed, Qin Xiangyi followed a carefully predetermined route every day, never letting down her guard for a moment.
He Wenxuan nodded knowingly. He understood his son’s nature and how He Yanzhou had been raised to be the epitome of an ideal young man—sincere, kind, courteous, honest. All the virtues a young gentleman ought to embody.
For the things his son willingly did, He Wenxuan merely asked once and refrained from further comment.
Even the daily walks He Yanzhou took with Qin Xiangyi went beyond what etiquette required.
All matters within the palace were firmly under the Elder’s control, and within his sphere of influence, he was willing to grant He Yanzhou sufficient freedom.
Moreover, everything He Yanzhou did was open, aboveboard, and without concealment.
On a misty dawn, with dew shimmering faintly and fog lingering in the air, it was Qin Xiangyi’s day on duty.
Before the sedan chair had fully stopped, she already spotted the young gentleman waiting at the palace gate, waving at her.
Their mutual greetings at the palace entrance had become a fixed routine, forming a scenic tableau from afar.
Then came their tacit companionship as they walked side by side.
“Aunt, did you sleep well last night?”
He Yanzhou suddenly noticed she had changed into a different underdress, unlike any before, still tightly fitted above the neck as always.
He was not well-versed in women’s attire or jewelry. Qin Xiangyi’s simple, unadorned appearance had made him wonder why, as the steward of the imperial treasury, she didn’t wear more ornaments—why she appeared so austere.
But upon closer observation, he realized every small piece she wore was undoubtedly valuable. The simple silver-inlaid jade hairpin on her head was worth more than the sum of others’ glittering jewels.
He Yanzhou thought quietly to himself that while she seemed the easiest to please, she was actually the hardest to flatter.
His respect for her partly stemmed from her own pride and self-respect. No matter how solitary or unnoticed her life was, there was not a single item on her that seemed careless or thrown together.
Though he could not decipher the significance of the objects she wore, He Yanzhou possessed a photographic memory and keen insight.
The underdress at her neckline revealed only an edge, woven with interlacing patterns of rippling water and waves—an expensive, elegant, and understated fabric known as “Washed Flower Brocade.”
Layers of overlapping collars cascaded down. Her hands rested gently before her abdomen, her pace neither hurried nor slow, her bearing solemn and dignified—so much so that no one’s attention would stray to her slender waist.
“Thank you for your concern, Lord He. I slept well last night. And you?”
Qin Xiangyi glanced sideways at him, as if expecting an answer.
He Yanzhou nodded, “Very well.”
The palace pathway stretched long, flanked on both sides by vermilion walls that vanished into the mist. On a foggy day like this, the path ahead was obscured.
Qin Xiangyi could feel the damp, chilly air in her nostrils. Though her eyes could not discern the reality of the path ahead, each breath sharpened her awareness.
Unnoticed, a drizzle began to fall. He Yanzhou opened the umbrella he carried and, almost imperceptibly, angled it over Qin Xiangyi’s head.
Their robes brushed against each other step by step, producing a soft rustling sound.
“By the way, Lord He, you must have put great effort into hunting that wild goose. My family has praised it for quite some time.”
He Yanzhou was momentarily stunned. Before he could respond, Qin Xiangyi stepped a few paces ahead. He hurried to her side, keeping a steady position beside her.
“Oh, that—apologies, Aunt, but actually I didn’t hunt it myself. My parents hired someone to hunt it and had it sent directly to the General’s mansion through a matchmaker.”
He lowered his head, feeling a touch embarrassed.
Had he known she would praise him for it, he would have personally hunted the mightiest wild goose he could find.
The thought left him slightly regretful, but he would never lie to her—he never told falsehoods.
He was a man of integrity; everything he did was above reproach.
Qin Xiangyi raised her hand lightly to her chest, pausing for a moment. It was not uncommon for the wild goose presented during the betrothal not to be hunted personally by the man. The He family’s approach was impeccable in terms of etiquette, and that wild goose was indeed a fine specimen.
She lowered her gaze and smiled, “Why so nervous? My family wouldn’t blame you for this.”
He Yanzhou bowed his head. It wasn’t fear of the Qin family’s reproach.
“Aunt, if I had hunted the wild goose myself, I would have caught an even bigger one.”
Before entering the imperial treasury, Qin Xiangyi heard this sudden, somewhat aimless remark and shook her head, quickly dismissing it from her mind.
As He Yanzhou turned to leave, he wondered whether she believed him. There was no further insistence from her for him to hunt another one.
At the entrance to the Hall of Supreme Harmony, the plaque bore three bold, rounded characters: “Hall of Supreme Harmony.” In the lower left corner, a dedication read, “Respectfully presented by Minister He Yuande.”
He Yuande was the venerable tutor who had served three generations of emperors. Now largely retired from court affairs, the emperor had excused him from attending court.
Though court sessions nowadays were little more than a pastime for ministers, barely keeping the government running.
Emperor Jingli paid no heed to court matters, but that did not mean he knew nothing. If anyone faltered in their duties, word would reach his ears, and they would be punished.
For example, the recent rumors circulating among the common folk directly criticizing the emperor would surely cost someone dearly.
He Yanzhou entered the Hall of Supreme Harmony. Zhu Yuqing was already standing before the emperor, and upon seeing him, his eyes flashed with hostility.
In the presence of the emperor, Zhu Yuqing snorted coldly at He Yanzhou.
He Yanzhou walked to the center of the hall, lifted his robe and performed a perfectly measured bow. After the emperor waived the formalities, he stood at the emperor’s side.
On the desk before the emperor lay the memorial He Yanzhou had submitted, accusing Zhu Yuqing.
As Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Metropolitan Censorate, it was his duty to supervise officials. Every detail regarding Zhu Yuqing’s misconduct was recorded there. Facing Zhu Yuqing’s cold glare, He Yanzhou had nothing to say.
Zhu Yuqing was the son of Zhu Yun. He dared not move against Zhu Yun, but surely he could start with Zhu Yuqing.
“Your Majesty, during my inspection of the imperial granary, I discovered that Zhu Yuqing instructed Zhuo Yuquan to embezzle grain meant for disaster relief in neighboring provinces. The lands around the capital and adjacent provinces have suffered months of drought, with not a blade of grass sprouting and the people without rice to eat. Zhu Yuqing and Zhuo Yuquan’s actions are outrageous, trampling on Your Majesty’s sincere care for the people!”
He Yanzhou spoke with righteous indignation and fervor. Emperor Jingli was not angered; this was the youngest scion of the He family, raised innocent and just.
Since He Yanzhou had laid out the matter, the emperor could not ignore it.
With that thought, Emperor Jingli cast a displeased glance at Zhu Yuqing.
The emperor’s mind was inscrutable. Zhu Yuqing lowered his head, unwilling to speak further.
Emperor Jingli disliked dealing with such matters but had his own unique way of handling them.
He faced He Yanzhou directly and said, “Then what do you suggest we do?”
Zhu Yuqing’s eyes fixed fiercely on He Yanzhou, like a wolf ready to strike back at any moment.
The Zhu and He families had clashed in court for years. He wagered that He Yanzhou would not dare openly declare war on him.
Every move between the two clans had to be carefully discussed among their members. He Yanzhou’s sudden memorial accusing Zhu Yuqing left Zhu uncertain if it represented the family’s unified intent.
But to oppose the Zhu family, one move alone was insufficient.
Each harbored their own thoughts. Emperor Jingli ignored court affairs, and the balance of power between the Zhu and He families maintained a semblance of order. He did not wish to truly punish the Zhu family, lest the He family think they had won this round.
Thus, He Yanzhou’s move was likely a wasted one, leaving the emperor to devise a way to placate him.
Yet He Yanzhou never intended to seriously deal a blow to Zhu Yuqing.
His purpose had always been clear—it was never about political power struggles.
Emperor Jingli observed as He Yanzhou lifted his robe and knelt properly in the center of the hall.
Zhu Yuqing’s eyes nearly shot sparks of fury, but fearing that He Yanzhou might indeed stubbornly strike him down, he hurriedly raised his robe and knelt as well.
Even as the emperor wished to protect him, he had to put on a proper show.
No one expected He Yanzhou to say the following:
“Your Majesty, the people outside the capital suffer terribly; it would not be an exaggeration to say the land is filled with their wails. I cannot bear to see Your Majesty’s virtuous reputation tarnished. When the people are restless, change is contemplated. For the stability of Your Majesty’s realm, I must extinguish any possibility of grassroots rebellion. Since Zhuo Yuquan has failed in his duties, I humbly request Your Majesty to promote last year’s successful candidate, Wang Tingyang, to take full charge of disaster relief.”
Zhu Yuqing was taken aback. Was this He Yanzhou’s strategy?
Although this criticism targeted Zhuo Yuquan, a member of the Zhu faction, it caused no real damage to the Zhu family. He Yanzhou did not demand punishment of the Zhu clan.
Emperor Jingli pondered for a moment. The disaster relief had been a task he casually assigned to silence gossip; he cared little about its execution.