Four Seasons Brocade – CH 138

Chapter 138 ☆、

Although Chu Mao was not exactly burly, his tall stature still made the carriage feel cramped and confined. And since he sat up straight as soon as he got in, Ah Wu could not even slouch a little before him. Instead of indulging in any romantic thoughts, she felt resentful.

Ah Wu sat awkwardly in the carriage, her hands rubbing against her clothes behind her back, feeling inexplicably uneasy, yet unable to pinpoint the source.

Chu Mao took a teapot wrapped in a cotton cloth from the tea container fixed to the carriage, poured a cup of hot tea, and Ah Wu stared blankly as he handed it to her.

“I can do it myself,” Ah Wu said, almost trembling with fear.

But Chu Mao did not retract his outstretched hand, and Ah Wu knew his nature—he would not tolerate refusal—so she accepted the teacup from Chu Mao with two fingers, somewhat rudely, without touching his fingers at all.

The hot tea instantly dispelled much of the chill. Ah Wu thought to herself, “It’s quite commendable that the servant could find hot water in the palace at this hour.”

In the cramped space, so close together, the occasional jolt could cause their legs to bump against each other. Silence seemed strange, but judging from Chu Mao’s expression, he did not seem inclined to speak. However, he was not feigning sleep either, so Ah Wu had to find a topic to talk about. She had no choice; she was under his roof.

“Your Highness, today in Consort Xiang’s palace, she said some strange things to me,” Ah Wu said.

Chu Mao turned to look at Ah Wu. “Oh? What did she say?”

Ah Wu thought it was a good topic, but then she felt a pang of regret—she’d shot herself in the foot. However, she had to speak the truth: “Consort Xiang is worried that Your Highness is childless, and she said the Emperor loves grandchildren the most. If Your Highness had a son or daughter, it would surely ease the father-son relationship.”

A clear sneer appeared on Chu Mao’s lips.

Ah Wu, of course, did not believe Consort Xiang’s nonsense; a grandson was not a panacea. “However, I think the matter of offspring cannot be rushed. Your Highness possesses such a magnificent bearing; surely the Goddess of Fertility is currently selecting the most intelligent descendant for you, which is why the blessing of a child is delayed.” Ah Wu was quite adept at exaggeration and flattery. Moreover, she clearly knew that Chu Mao already had an heir and that his only prince was of decent quality—a ruler suited to maintaining the status quo.

However, Ah Wu made a major mistake on this point: she never included herself in the equation. Therefore, she was not ashamed at all when talking about the Goddess of Fertility, but these words took on a different meaning to Chu Mao.

“Hmm,” Chu Mao responded vaguely.

“But at this critical juncture, it is indeed disadvantageous for Your Highness to be childless. I overheard Consort Xiang hinting that she wanted Your Highness to help the Sixth Prince.” Ah Wu’s words were entirely truthful, yet also tinged with a test.

Chu Mao’s reaction was not as Ah Wu had expected. She thought he would give her a sharp look, signaling her not to bring up such a topic.

However, in reality, Chu Mao looked at Ah Wu with gentle eyes, then patted his hand beside him, gesturing for her to sit down.

Ah Wu hesitated again. She had not expected that someone like Chu Mao would also enjoy such close contact when expressing affection. But Ah Wu really wanted to hear him continue, and, unable to resist the urge to sit down, she was again swayed by a hint of greed.

The two were so close that Ah Wu could almost smell the faint fragrance of plum blossoms emanating from Chu Mao, and the intoxicating aroma of wine mingled with his breath—a pleasant, mellow scent, devoid of the nauseating smell of food mixed with alcohol. It was then that Ah Wu suddenly realized that Chu Mao had not touched any food at the banquet that night, as if he had only drunk wine. She felt deeply ashamed, realizing she could not possibly be as “sincere” as Nanny Gong had described. What a sin!

“Ah Wu, do you think I should help Fifth Brother or Sixth Brother?” Chu Mao asked casually.

Ah Wu felt Chu Mao’s breath and the smell of alcohol on her eyelashes, making it hard to open her eyes. She was uncomfortable at such close range and could not help but lean back slightly, but her mind remained perfectly clear.

Chu Mao’s words were truly a trap. If Ah Wu had not had her past life experiences, she might have been fooled by his nonchalant attitude. But one thing Ah Wu was certain of: if she wanted to infiltrate Chu Mao’s side, she had to extract his true feelings and make him treat her as one of his own, letting his guard down.

Ah Wu imagined how she would answer if she were a naive person unaware of the future: “Your Highness is now the Emperor’s eldest son; surely you can…” Ah Wu’s question was bold and appropriate. She was not just anyone; she was Chu Mao’s wife. Naturally, she should ask this. Otherwise, it would seem insincere. After all, what woman in the world would not want to ascend to the Empress’s throne and become the most honored woman in the land?

Chu Mao quietly observed Ah Wu for a moment. “Your Highness, do you not know Father’s attitude towards me? How could you still harbor such fanciful thoughts?”

Ah Wu replied righteously, “I am not fanciful, nor am I encouraging Your Highness. It is simply the way of the ancients. To speak disrespectfully, even if His Majesty were biased and bypassed Your Highness to establish the Crown Prince, how could he silence the public’s discontent? Your Highness is neither foolish nor has any bad deeds; moreover, you are wise and decisive. If you could… it would surely be a blessing for the people.”

Ah Wu’s words sounded quite convincing, which only made Chu Mao seem narrow-minded, assuming she was speaking for her own selfish reasons.

“Your Highness, we have not known each other for very long, so how could you possibly see that I…” Chu Mao paused, perhaps a little embarrassed by his self-praise, “…am a blessing to the people?”

Praising someone, and praising them appropriately—that took skill. Not only could one avoid being sycophantic, but one must also ensure that the other did not feel like it was flattery. Ah Wu felt a headache coming on. In her previous life, she could easily list countless examples. Emperor Zhengyuan’s literary and military achievements would surely be revered even by later generations, and his temple name even included the character “Zu” ^{(祖, ancestor)}.

The posthumous honor of a deceased emperor with a temple name in the Imperial Ancestral Temple was extremely strict. Generally, only the founding emperor was called “Taizu” ^(太祖) or “Gaozu” ^(高祖), while the succeeding emperor was called “Zong” ^(宗). However, there were precedents where the succeeding emperor was called “Ancestor,” such as Emperor Chengzu, who was a wise and virtuous ruler who built upon the past and made great achievements. As for Chu Mao’s Emperor Zhengyuan, his ascension to the throne was illegitimate, yet he still received the temple name “Shizu,” demonstrating the affection and respect he enjoyed from court officials and the common people during his reign.

Ah Wu believed that for an Emperor who worked tirelessly day and night, with no leisure, reviewing countless memorials daily, never delaying their delivery, expanding the territory, maintaining peace on the borders for fifty years, and managing river works for the benefit of the people, Chu Mao truly deserved the title of “Ancestor.”

However, all of this occurred after Chu Mao ascended the throne. What had Chu Mao been doing during this period? Seeking out high-ranking monks to discuss scriptures, convers5ing with Taoist masters, and leisurely strolling with refined guests—brewing tea, discussing wine, composing poems, and writing essays—these were all elegant and secluded pleasures. The most renowned items of the Prince Qi’s mansion were its dancing girls, its decorative stationery, and its “Ten Friends of the Dragon” ink set—all mere playthings.

As for His Highness Prince Qi’s own actions in court, he was merely fulfilling his duties, neither achieving anything significant nor making any major mistakes.

So how did Ah Wu perceive Chu Mao’s “wise and decisive nature” and his “care for the well-being of the people”? This was indeed a difficult question. Of course, it would not stump Ah Wu.

Ah Wu believed that it was precisely the phrase “Zhengyuan” ^{(正元, meaning “legitimate origin”)} that reflected Chu Mao’s unequal accession to the throne. He was the eldest son of the legitimate wife and should have rightfully inherited the throne, but fate had other plans. Regardless of how righteous Chu Mao appeared in the end, Ah Wu was certain that deep down, he still desperately needed the approval of others. Judging from the subtle clues Ah Wu noticed, Chu Mao had already begun preparing to “purge the court of corrupt officials.”

“Although Your Highness is detached, I observe that Your Highness has the well-being of the people in your heart; you are not one to be content with a mediocre life.” This was a hollow statement, and Chu Mao raised an eyebrow. Ah Wu knew he did not believe her and continued, “Your Highness’s aspirations can be seen from the Shuangjian Tower.”

This time, the smile on Chu Mao’s lips finally faded. Ah Wu knew she had struck a nerve.

“But Your Highness is not one to act for personal gain. You are upright and honest, doing what everyone should do, and I am the same. If Your Highness is willing to shoulder the responsibility for the people, it must be because Your Highness has no choice but to step forward, because Your Highness is the most suitable candidate, not for the throne of life and death.” Ah Wu spoke with righteous indignation.

“Oh, how can you be so sure that if I were to act on my own accord, it would not be for that position but for the sake of all living beings?” Chu Mao asked casually.

Ah Wu looked at Chu Mao with deep affection and said, “I think Your Highness grew up in the deep palace. If you could, you probably would not want to set foot here again in this life.” Although Ah Wu did not know Chu Mao’s childhood circumstances, she could easily guess that he must have suffered a lot in his youth; otherwise, he would not love and care for Nanny Hao so much and thus be able to endure so much.

Judging from Chu Mao’s behavior today, Ah Wu felt that he must be heartless.

And indeed, Ah Wu’s prediction came true. Chu Mao silently stared at her for a long time.

Ah Wu had to steel herself to withstand his long, penetrating gaze. At this moment, she could not humbly bow her head. In truth, her words were half true and half false. She felt that Chu Mao’s ascension to the throne was both a blessing for the people and the best “tribute” he could offer to his father, who had ignored him throughout his life, to overturn his will.

Ah Wu looked directly at Chu Mao and said, “No matter what Your Highness chooses in the future, I will stand by Your Highness’s side without hesitation. I believe in Your Highness, and I believe Your Highness’s choice must have its reasons.”

“Even if the whole world despises you?” Chu Mao locked eyes with Ah Wu’s.

Ah Wu followed his words, slowly and clearly enunciating each word: “Even if the whole world despises me, I will never abandon you.” This slowness indicated that she was not speaking on a whim but after careful consideration.

Chu Mao placed his hand over Ah Wu’s, holding it firmly in his palm. Ah Wu felt a slight pain from his grip, but at this moment, she knew it was not the time to dwell on personal flaws. So, enduring the discomfort, she squeezed Chu Mao’s hand back. “Besides,” she said, “I believe that someone like Your Highness would never be despised by the world. Even if they do, it’s only because they are temporarily blinded by their own limited perspective.”

Ah Wu could naturally say this because she had decades more experience than others. If she were only the Ah Wu of this life, she thought she might not be able to “trust” Chu Mao so much.

Chu Mao smiled but did not speak.

Ah Wu sighed inwardly. Gaining Chu Mao’s trust was no easy feat. She had not expected to move him with just a few words, but naturally, she had to pry open a crack in his heart.

“Your Highness?” Ah Wu asked tentatively.

Chu Mao replied, “We’ve arrived.”

Only then did Ah Wu belatedly realize that the carriage had stopped.

A servant placed a ladder over the door, and Chu Mao alighted from the carriage to help Ah Wu down. The two entered through the second gate one after the other. Ah Wu glanced back at the coachman, unsure of his identity, as Chu Mao had spoken without any attempt at concealment in the carriage.

But then, in that brief glance back, Ah Wu saw the steward gesturing to the coachman. Ah Wu realized then that the coachman was deaf and mute; no wonder Chu Mao had used him as a coachman.

TN: Yes, “temple name” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_name