LF Chapter 4

Chapter 4: General or Minister?

Jiang Yinghua, who had been soundly thrashed by her mother three days prior, was curled up in her warm, cozy blankets, indulging in the fleeting pleasures of her dreams while nursing the mottled wounds on her back.

Who would have thought that before dawn, her own mother would personally drag her to stand in the ranks at the Chongzheng Hall’s morning court session?

The overcast sky had cleared, and the morning sun was rising, casting a dazzling glow upon the white jade stone steps. The officials attending court were like carps crossing the river, walking from the palace gates in a long, orderly queue.

Even more eye-catching than the morning glow was the purple and gold official robe inside the main hall.

As the group entered the hall, they were all surprised to see the young Prince Zhao already waiting below the steps. How had the usually dissolute young prince changed his ways in just a few days?

Despite their doubts and the lack of genuine respect for this little girl who had obtained her title through Your Majesty’s favoritism, everyone respectfully stepped forward to pay their respects, mindful of her status.

Jiang Yinghua’s head was still groggy, and the wounds on her back ached. Seeing these two-faced officials with their insincere smiles popping up one after another, she felt as annoyed as if she were looking at grasshoppers jumping out of the farmland. She was thoroughly displeased.

However, since the Chongzheng Hall was not the place to throw a tantrum, and out of fear of her mother and older sister, she obediently nodded in return, nodded in return, nodded… repeating the action dozens of times like a marionette.

This first hurdle of entering the court was already making her weary. Jiang Yinghua thought of her mother’s earlier instructions and felt a headache coming on.

The Empress Dowager had said that it was not easy for Your Majesty to be a female Emperor, and since Hua’er was her only biological younger sister, she should become her right-hand man and wholeheartedly assist her. She instructed her to observe in the court for some time before deciding whether to become a general leading troops or a minister governing the country.

Jiang Yinghua wanted neither.

Her intuition told her that her older sister was a true femme fatale, ambitious, with the ability and ruthless determination to achieve her goals. Entering the court and grasping power would mean she could no longer be an ordinary sister, living in constant fear, suspicion, and defensiveness, which was too painful.

Just as she was thinking this, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts: “This humble subject greets Prince Zhao, may Your Highness be blessed with eternal peace.”

Jiang Yinghua grumbled inwardly, *Peace my foot! My current miserable state is all thanks to you.*

“Scholar Yan, you are too polite.” Jiang Yinghua raised her eyes, looked at the pale-faced scholar in his scarlet official robe, and deliberately replied in a loud voice, a smirk on her lips. This special treatment immediately drew the attention of the court officials to Yan Wanzhi.

The person in front of her felt the gazes of the crowd, and a blush spread across his fair face, all the way to the roots of his ears and down his neck. Even the morning glow outside the hall could not compare to this sight.

Jiang Yinghua thought, *Still a young man with a thin skin. I’ve got you now, and I’ll make you pay later.*

As the morning court session ended, Jiang Yinghua turned to slip away.

Before she could take two steps, a Gentleman Attendant from Your Majesty’s side trotted over to deliver a message: “Your Highness, please wait. Your Majesty summons you to her study for a discussion.”

Jiang Yinghua gasped inwardly, forcing a more or less decent fake smile, and allowed herself to be led away.

As soon as she entered the inner chamber, she saw Yan Wanzhi already sitting properly at the desk to the right and below her older sister. He was truly in favor, never leaving Your Majesty’s side.

Before Jiang Yinghua could offer her greetings, Your Majesty pointed to another desk to the left and below her, and said, “Go there. Today, as I deliberate on matters, you will observe and record them. Also, be prepared for questioning. If you misrecord a single word or say a single wrong thing, beware of your hide.”

Very well, Your Majesty was truly impartial, and now this “favor” had fallen upon her.

Hearing these threatening words, Jiang Yinghua felt extremely uncomfortable. Forced by Your Majesty’s authority, she dared not refuse, and timidly walked over and sat down. When she looked up, she saw the person opposite her trying to suppress a smile, and her teeth itched with anger.

A full two hours passed, and ministers entered and exited the study.

Jiang Yinghua was already sitting on pins and needles. As a prince, she was acting like a little scribe, repeating the same tasks as Yan Wanzhi, and had to be ready to answer questions from the person at the head of the room. It was like a trapped mouse that had fallen into a cat’s den.

She wondered how she could avenge Yan Wanzhi for his tattling and mockery, without angering her older sister or making a scene to deal with this popular little scribe.

Lost in thought, Jiang Yinghua did not notice the new arrival in the hall. The pen in her hand dripped with ink, showing the writer’s fatigue.

A purple projectile flew swiftly towards Jiang Yinghua’s forehead and hit it with a dull thud.

Her face stung, and she came back to her senses, looking down to see a grape rolling near her hand. Following the trajectory of this “uninvited guest,” Jiang Yinghua met Your Majesty’s phoenix eyes, half icy and half angry as they stared at her. She couldn’t help but shiver.

Jiang Yinghua knew in her heart that wherever she encountered Yan Wanzhi, there would be no good.

It was nearly noon, and Your Majesty rose to take a short rest.

Jiang Yinghua was afraid that her older sister would really skin her alive, so she suppressed her dissatisfaction and walked to Yan Wanzhi with a sweet smile. Her smile reached all the way to her ears as she said softly, “Scholar Yan, I am new to recording and don’t know the rules. May I borrow your records to study them?” As she spoke, she leaned over and reached out to take them.

Unexpectedly, Yan Wanzhi was prepared. He pressed his arm directly on the manuscript and said with a smile, “Your Highness, my recording is rough and may not be detailed. If there is a mistake, and Your Highness is blamed by Your Majesty, I cannot bear the responsibility.”

Jiang Yinghua’s smile gradually froze on her lips. She pretended to turn and leave, but taking advantage of his unpreparedness, she turned back and grabbed Yan Wanzhi’s wrist, and with a little force, pulled the manuscript from under him.

With the manuscript in hand, Jiang Yinghua quickly scanned the record of her absent-mindedness, looked it over, and memorized it.

She had to thank her older sister for the strict, skin-crawling teachings of her childhood for this hard-earned skill of photographic memory.

Having obtained what she wanted, Jiang Yinghua remembered how weak and powerless his wrist had felt and found it amusing. She suddenly became interested and decided to tease him.

She was tall and slender, even more upright than the average man. Yan Wanzhi had no advantage in this regard.

She held the manuscript high above her head and shook it, smiling as she said, “You didn’t want to give it to me just now, so I took it myself. Now I don’t want to return it. Why don’t you try to take it yourself?”

Yan Wanzhi was not flustered. With a calm and collected expression, he clasped his hands and said seriously, “Your Highness, there is a difference between ruler and subject. Please do not make fun of me, or Your Majesty will surely blame you if she sees it.”

Seeing his upright demeanor, as if he were not afraid of boiling water, Jiang Yinghua’s face turned cold. “You’re such a boring blockhead. Here, take it back.”

Day after day, Your Majesty dragged her to the palace to serve. Finally, the day of rest arrived. Jiang Yinghua thought it was time to quickly please her mother so that she would let her return to her manor and avoid Your Majesty’s torment.

As luck would have it, just as Jiang Yinghua came out of the Dining room and walked on the palace road, she ran into Yan Wanzhi, dressed in his official robe and looking hurried.

When Yan Wanzhi saw her, he respectfully stepped aside, lowered his eyes, and paid his respects.

Jiang Yinghua tossed the food container to a palace attendant, clapped her hands, and asked, “Scholar Yan is truly favored by Your Majesty, so much so that even on your day off you can’t have a moment to yourself?”

“This afternoon there is an urgent military matter to discuss, and I am ordered to enter the hall to record the proceedings.”

“Oh? You don’t have to tell me about such important matters. But it’s only noon, and I suppose you rushed to the palace without having eaten? You work so hard, how can you serve on an empty stomach? I just made some chestnut and osmanthus cakes. If you don’t mind, why don’t you have some?”

As she spoke, Jiang Yinghua personally took out a piece of cake from the food container.

Yan Wanzhi quickly raised his hands to accept it, thanking her respectfully.

“What, aren’t you going to try it? Are you afraid I’ve poisoned it? I made it myself for my mother.”

Jiang Yinghua stood with her hands behind her back, looking down at Yan Wanzhi. This person was truly amusing; even this made him blush to the tips of his ears.

“How would I dare? Thank you for your gift, Your Highness.”

Yan Wanzhi covered his face with his sleeve and swallowed the delicate cake in one bite. Perhaps he ate too quickly, he choked and coughed incessantly, and tears welled up in his eyes.

Jiang Yinghua couldn’t help but cover her mouth and giggle. “Why are you in such a hurry? No one’s going to snatch it from you.”

Barely suppressing his cough, Yan Wanzhi glanced away and took half a step back, replying, “Your Highness has great skill. I should take my leave.”

“Wait. Since you like it, take it all. You can eat it slowly on the way.”

Jiang Yinghua took the food container from the maid and shoved it into Yan Wanzhi’s arms.

On the long palace road, Yan Wanzhi carried the food container, feeling that something was not right.

The little prince was clearly speaking gently and smiling; the cake was also sweet and soft, but why did he feel such a chill down his spine?

After he had walked far away, the palace attendant who was attending to her master looked at her with a puzzled expression:

“Why is Your Highness so warm to that young man?”

Jiang Yinghua stared absently at the scarlet official robe in the distance, gradually merging with the vermilion palace walls. “Hmm?”

“You usually don’t react to those officials at all. Could it be…?”

Jiang Yinghua turned and glared at the maid, and said coldly, “Slap yourself.”

She had added quite a bit of mung bean flour to this box of osmanthus cake. She had originally intended to relieve her mother’s internal heat, but she didn’t expect that you would benefit from it. Her older sister placed great emphasis on etiquette, so the taste of impropriety before Your Majesty should be quite good. Bookworm, you should pray for your own good fortune.

Jiang Yinghua’s lips curled slightly, a hint of triumph flashing in her eyes, and she swept away her sleeves and left.