Four Seasons Brocade – CH 087

Chapter 87 ☆、

After the tea arrived, Ah Wu slowly sipped it. “I still prefer Wuyi Rock Tea.” Wuyi Rock Tea, from the breathtakingly beautiful Wuyi Mountain, had a rich aroma, with honey and floral notes, and a fresh, sweet aftertaste. Back in Jiangsu, Ah Wu loved to drink this tea, but in the capital, she had to adapt to local customs. Even with money, she dared not buy any, fearing it would attract attention. She always had to be discreet, even wearing a veil when walking around the house, which was extremely inconvenient.

“Father, if only we had Da Hong Pao,” Ah Wu said with a smile.

“You wish! There are only six Da Hong Pao trees left on the Jiulongke stone wall of Tianxin Rock. Even the Emperor might not be able to drink the genuine article,” Master Rong chuckled.

“Yes. But if we do not have Da Hong Pao, Tie Luo Han, Bai Ji Guan, and Shui Jin Gui will do.” These were the four famous Wuyi rock teas. “But if we stay in this mansion, I am afraid we will never be able to drink them in our lifetime,” Ah Wu said meaningfully.

“Alright, does your father not understand your thoughts?” Master Rong smiled helplessly.

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Ah Wu then continued, “Which family in this capital is clean? Why is the Emperor singling out our family for his attention?”

Third Master Rong nodded. To put it bluntly, the Eldest Master’s affair was with a concubine that Third Master Rong no longer wanted, not his wife. It was not something that could reach the Emperor’s ears or require imperial judgment. Although Third Master Rong had connections and a group of friends backing him up, submitting impeachments, whether they were approved, depended entirely on the Emperor. Third Master Rong had not actually expected the Emperor to grant the request and even strip his eldest brother of his title of heir apparent.

For Ah Wu, however, this was merely a test.

“In my opinion, His Majesty’s health is gradually deteriorating, suggesting he may be considering entrusting his son to another official. At this critical juncture, His Majesty’s most important task is to select loyal and capable ministers. Father, as an official, you are honest, diligent, and competent. Our test has revealed His Majesty’s intentions. If His Majesty did not value Father, why would he support you?”

“Oh, what does this have to do with entrusting the son to another official?” Master Rong pressed.

Ah Wu drew a circle on the rim of her teacup before saying, “With the throne still uncertain, no one can fathom His Majesty’s thoughts. But one thing is certain: His Majesty is cultivating capable individuals for his successor.” Almost all Emperors, unless they died suddenly, prepared a group of capable men for their sons before their death, whom they would select and appoint as trusted confidants.

“And the Emperor, fearing his intentions would be discovered, would surely have chosen impartial figures in court. But now, Empress Tian and Consort Xiang have gained power, and the court is rife with intrigue, each with their own agenda. Father had his share, but now, with the Emperor’s furious outburst, that’s gone.”

The Duke of Anguo’s family had a marriage alliance with Empress Tian, ​​so to outsiders, Third Master Rong naturally appeared to be on Empress Tian’s side. However, the powerful figures in court knew he was not on anyone’s side. That was why Emperor Longqing intended to employ him; otherwise, how could he have risen so quickly, being sent to the prosperous Jiangsu province and returning to serve in the Ministry of Rites?

Third Master Rong looked at Ah Wu with a sense of pride. He never expected to encounter such a highly capable person as his daughter. If she were a man, she would certainly be a sought-after advisor.

“If Father uses this opportunity to sever ties with the Duke of Anguo’s mansion, if I am not mistaken, the Emperor will surely issue an edict.”

Third Master Rong had a rough idea of ​​what the Longqing Emperor meant, but he was not as clear-headed as Ah Wu. He had almost been blinded by the Duke of Anguo’s title and ruined everything. If he could serve the Emperor well, even if he could not become a first-class duke, he could still be ennobled and appointed prime minister—that would all depend on his own abilities.

Thinking of this, Third Master Rong felt a surge of excitement, wishing he could immediately drag his father out of bed and urge him to separate the family.

“Father, this matter needs someone to embellish it for it to succeed; otherwise, the Old Master might not let you go,” Ah Wu said.

Third Master Rong confidently stroked his beard again. He always stroked his beard, whether he was hesitant or triumphant. Looking at his thick beard, Ah Wu wondered how much grime it concealed. She thought that if she insisted on marrying, she would forbid her future husband from growing a beard; otherwise, she would shave it off in the middle of the night, making him think it was a case of alopecia areata.

With this plan in mind, for the sake of his future, Third Master Rong decided to strike while the iron was hot. For the next few days, he returned home very late every night, visiting and hosting banquets for many relatives and fellow students.

Even those who were not suspicious become suspicious, let alone those who were prone to distrust.

“What have you been so busy with these days? You are never home, always drunk, and smelling of perfume,” Lady Cui complained, wrinkling her nose as she took off Third Master Rong’s shoes.

Third Master Rong was in a good mood and pinched Lady Cui’s nose. “Do not worry; no matter how good those prostitutes are outside, none can compare to the charm of my wife.” This was not Third Master Rong flattering Lady Cui; in truth, Lady Cui, now middle-aged, had become increasingly uninhibited in the bedroom after her encounter with Concubine Wang. At that age, she was like a tiger in heat, and her relationship with Third Master Rong was like a second spring, their days filled with sweet intimacy, clinging tightly to each other like a parasitic vine.

“What charm?!” Lady Cui seized on the topic, scolding, “Prostitutes, you say?” Lady Cui pretended to hit Third Master Rong with her shoe.

Third Master Rong quickly begged for mercy, pulling her close and kissing her on the lips. “It’s the afterglow that lingers so beautifully.” His voice trailed off, finally becoming almost a sigh. “Have not been close to you for days; has your period been clean?”

Lady Cui turned away, muttering, “You old rascal,” but did not pull away, letting Master Rong grope her.

While the third branch of the family was enjoying a blissful spring, the Old Madam was in a state of utter despair.

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“Mother, you’d better make a decision quickly! The third son has been scheming outside all day for the past two weeks. Others might not see it, but can we not see what he’s up to? Someone already gave me a heads-up; he’s thinking about it too.” The Second Master wanted nothing more than to jump up, grab the Old Madam’s head, and shake her awake.

“He will not get it! Unless I, this old woman, am dead!” The Old Madam stomped her dragon-headed cane angrily. Her anger stemmed from the fact that the third son was very likely to succeed, at least that was what they thought.

“Oh, that’s not necessarily true. He’s now currying favor with the Imperial Concubine. The Imperial Concubine is always at odds with the Empress, so it’s hard to say what will happen; a whisper in her ear could change everything…” the Second Madam chimed in from the side.

“That’s right, Mother! If you are going to wait a few more years to get an official title for my eldest brother, what if the third brother beats him to it? It’s better for your son to get the title than for him to get it. Am I not your own son? You always think of my eldest brother, always looking out for him. He was born before me, so I will not say anything, but this time he angered the Emperor. It’s his own fault for being so irresponsible. Are you expecting me to tolerate this?” The Second Master became more and more agitated, tears welling up in his eyes. “Mother, am I some kind of adopted child? You’d rather the third brother benefit than help me?”

The Old Madam was both angry and anxious, but she had to patiently explain to the Second Master, “Do you not think about things for your mother? As soon as I noticed the third brother’s wrongdoing, I mentioned your situation to your father.”

“What did Father say?” the second master asked repeatedly.

“You still have the nerve to ask? You good-for-nothing! That Wang woman confessed everything in the nunnery; it was you two brothers who forced her. Back then, when you caused trouble at home, your wife wanted to kill her. She ran away and has been resentful of you ever since. Your eldest brother was reprimanded, and you cannot escape either. At this point, even if we were to request an official title for you, it would only be rejected. There’s no turning back now. We can only watch our third son smugly frolic.” The Old Madam grew angrier as she spoke, picking up her cane and striking the Second Master. “It’s all your fault! You good-for-nothing! It’s one thing to touch the head maid and servants, but to go and touch that kind of whore!”

The Second Master, hurt from the beating, begged for mercy, “Mother, who knew my eldest brother would be seduced by that harlot too?”

After all, he was her son, and the Old Madam could not bear to hit him too hard. She turned and spat in the Second Madam’s face, “It’s all your fault! You brought that jinx into the house, saying she’d cause trouble for the third branch, and look what happened… look what happened…”

The Second Madam also began to cry. The Old Madam had agreed to this in the first place, and now she was being blamed.

“Mother, are we just going to watch the third son cause trouble?” the Second Master said, still unwilling.

The Old Madam remained silent, her face cold.

At this moment, Nanny Lei, who had served the Old Madam for many years, spoke up: “It’s not without a way to put the Third Master’s hopes to rest.”

The Old Madam and the Second Master, desperate and grasping at straws, hurriedly asked, “What way?”

Nanny Lei weighed the five hundred taels of silver notes from the Three Yuan Bank, valid nationwide, in her inner pocket, and then considered the future of her beautiful granddaughter. She did not want her granddaughter to be trapped in the filth of the Duke of Anguo’s mansion, to be ruined by the First and Second Masters.

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So, early that morning, Nanny Lei’s granddaughter had entered the Third Branch as a maid, claiming to be an inside agent. But now, fortunes had turned, and the maid had pledged her loyalty to Ah Wu.

“Divide the family property, and separate the Third Master from the family. That way, no matter what happens to our Duke’s Mansion in the future, they will never be able to benefit from it again,” Nanny Lei said.

The Second Master chuckled sinisterly. “Yes, divide the family property. Once he’s separated, he will not have any grounds to compete with us anymore.”

“At this juncture, should we not…” The Old Madam hesitated for a moment; after all, she had more experience than her clueless second son.

“Old Madam, I think you are too kind. Even when people are bullying you, you still think of them. The Third Master and his wife are just trying to curry favor with you now, hoping to arrange marriages for the sixth young lady and the fifth and seventh young masters. Once they’ve separated, I wonder what good marriages they will find. He’s just a third-rank official. There’s no shortage of officials in the capital; a third-rank official is nothing. There are even officials above the first rank. We are a first-class duke’s mansion, a hereditary title bestowed upon us since the founding of the dynasty.” Every word Nanny Lei said struck a chord with the Old Madam.

The Old Madam immediately nodded. “Alright, divide the family. But you cannot mention it to your father yet. You should quietly visit the clan elders first.” This was to arrange things beforehand so they would all be on the side of the legitimate son.

The Second Master and Second Madam went happily. Although they had not managed to secure the title of heir apparent, apart from the third son being a stumbling block, the second branch was practically guaranteed success. Someone like the eldest son probably would not even catch the Emperor’s eye.