The four arrived to find that His Majesty was already seated on the main seat in the garden.
He was wearing a black robe, sitting with his legs spread wide. His left forearm rested on his knee, the wide sleeves falling down, and he was tilting his head to admire a paper lantern hanging in front of him.
A short poem was written neatly on the paper, which someone had just added to the painting.
Tang Zhanglian was actually only twenty-six years old, still young, but years of being an emperor had given him a mature air. It was deep like mountains and still as water, showing no ripples. But from his eyes and movements, one could still see that his personality was not dull.
“Hmm.” Tang Zhanglian withdrew his gaze, nodded, and said sincerely, “Not bad.”
The young man who had been praised immediately beamed, stepped forward, and bowed, “Your servant will diligently study hard, not to disappoint Your Majesty’s favor!”
Song Chuzhao and the others had intended to sneak in from the side, but for some reason, the garden was very quiet, and the four of them appeared abruptly, attracting everyone’s attention.
Tang Zhirou was more familiar with Tang Zhanglian, being a member of the imperial family herself, so she stepped forward first and bowed to the Emperor.
Song Chuzhao and the others followed a couple of steps, but they didn’t go to the center, only standing to the side and bowing to greet him.
Tang Zhanglian tilted his head, looking at the four who were standing a little far away, his gaze first falling on Tang Zhirou.
He didn’t have much affection for Tang Zhirou. by carpreads.pages.dev
Back when the princes were vying for power, they had long abandoned the so-called brotherhood, acting without restraint, and all sorts of dirty or cruel methods were exposed. If not for his maternal uncle and Master He, the old general, risking their lives to hide him, he would have likely died in that political whirlpool at a young age.
After the fact, he had not pursued his brothers, which was already the greatest mercy. To expect him to have a close relationship with this even more unfamiliar niece was impossible.
For him, the Tang royal family, even those with the same surname, were not as close as his maternal uncle and adoptive grandfather.
Tang Zhanglian smiled amiably, putting on the appearance of a benevolent elder, and said, “County Princess Qingping has grown up quite a bit, already a dignified and composed young lady.”
Tang Zhirou forced a smile. She had just cried, her eyes were swollen, and her smile lacked any spirit.
Tang Zhanglian seemed not to notice, and without asking further, turned his gaze to the side, saying, “Third Miss Song, it’s been a long time since you returned to the capital. Are you settling in well?”
Gu Fengjian finally walked to the center and replied, “Your Majesty, all is well.”
Tang Zhanglian smiled again, “Are your father and mother in good health? I see the official documents sent by General Song, but he never reports any good news or bad news from home. He’s diligently guarding the border, and I wanted to call him back to rest for a while, but I couldn’t find an excuse.”
Gu Fengjian: “Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. My father and mother are both in good health, but they just can’t let go of their duties, fearing they might fail Your Majesty’s trust.”
“Good. It’s good that they are healthy.” Tang Zhanglian patted his leg, “Your parents should be able to return to the capital soon. If they see that you and Fifth Son Gu are getting along well, they will be very happy.”
Song Chuzhao: “…” It sounded a little strange.
Gu Fengjian didn’t know what to answer, so he raised his hands and bowed again.
Tang Zhanglian didn’t show any displeasure at his aloofness, nor did he think there was anything wrong with his way of bowing. He waved his sleeve, allowing the three of them to return to their seats first.
Everyone observed the Emperor’s attitude and immediately understood the implication.
The Emperor had only spoken one sentence to his own niece, but to Third Miss Song, he had asked many questions. This casual chatting, besides being a way to show concern for her return to the capital, also indicated that he was genuinely close to her.
Second Miss Song had lived in the capital for many years, but she had never received such preferential treatment. So it was still thanks to Master He and General Fu’s influence.
Could it be that the Emperor came to this literary and wine feast today for Third Miss Song?
The clever ones, upon reaching this thought, smiled on their faces, but their minds were already active. They lowered their gazes, concealing their emotions.
Although the Song family had been flourishing in recent years, they still couldn’t surpass the He family.
Tang Zhanglian picked up the wine cup on the table, and everyone immediately stood up, holding their cups with reverence and fear, and drank a toast with him.
Tang Zhanglian laughed twice, seeming to be in a good mood, his fingers tapping continuously on the table. Everyone thought he was going to continue hosting this literary and wine feast, but Tang Zhanglian unexpectedly turned the topic back.
Tang Zhanglian asked, “Why are Qingping’s eyes so red?”
Tang Zhirou quickly raised her hand and wiped her eyes, then replied, “The wind in the forest is strong. I stood there for a long time and it blew into my eyes.”
“Oh.” Tang Zhanglian turned to another direction, “Why does Second Miss Song’s face seem to be a little red?”
Song Shiwen had been ignored for too long, and her resentment was growing. When Tang Zhanglian suddenly called out to her, she couldn’t help but shiver. She quickly replied, “The road was dark at night, and I might have brushed against something.”
Tang Zhanglian understood and said, “Oh—you should be more careful.”
Song Shiwen said, “Thank you, Your Majesty, for your concern.”
Everyone looked straight ahead, their faces serious, but their hearts were filled with curiosity, just like Tang Zhanglian’s.
They all knew a little about the relationships and conflicts between the four of them. When Fifth Son Gu left, they hadn’t expected to see such a scene when they returned.
It was obvious that Second Miss Song had been slapped, and the County Princess clearly had been crying. The problem was that Fifth Son Gu had only been gone for a short time, and now he looked calm, as if it had nothing to do with him. No one believed that he would hit a woman in such a public setting.
Moreover, the little County Princess was always willful and capricious. With the Emperor present, if she had been wronged, she would definitely not have hidden it for anyone else.
Then the situation was strange.
At this time, Fu Changjun, who was standing nearby, bent down and whispered a few words in Tang Zhanglian’s ear.
Tang Zhanglian nodded.
Immediately afterwards, another Imperial Insignia Guard stepped forward and whispered a string of words in Tang Zhanglian’s ear.
Tang Zhanglian was clearly interested, nodding repeatedly and even saying “Hmm” twice.
Song Chuzhao watched as the soldier finished speaking, then stepped back with a dignified air and returned to his position in the ranks. She couldn’t help but twitch the corner of her mouth.
…Don’t think I don’t know you were the one eavesdropping just now.
Everyone forgot about their wine and their nervousness towards the Emperor. They were simply curious about the inside story.
They were so innocent…they had never participated in such an interesting literary banquet!
Tang Zhanglian did not disappoint them. He brought it up directly, “I have indeed heard some things about the Song family recently, but they are vague and unclear. Second Miss Song, you are Third Miss Song’s elder sister. You are always sensible and intelligent, and you are a few years older than her. It would be a hardship, but please take care of her. Third Miss has just returned to the capital and is not familiar with the people here. She also has a straightforward personality. If she makes any mistakes, please don’t hold it against her.”
Song Shiwen said, “Zhaozhao is my own sister. Of course, I hope she will be well.”
“Yes. So if there are any misunderstandings, you must clear them up as soon as possible and never let them fester into resentment.” Tang Zhanglian said with concern for the two of them, “I don’t know the details, but since General Fu is involved and you have doubts about him, I will have him explain himself to you in person.”
Song Shiwen’s face changed.
Tang Zhanglian turned his head and pretended to be angry at the person beside him, “General Fu, I thought your position as an Imperial Insignia Guard would be very busy. I didn’t expect you to be meddling in other people’s family affairs. Not only are you interfering, but you almost caused a misunderstanding between these two sisters. You explain yourself. I won’t speak for you. This time, I’m really angry!”
Fu Changjun said without changing his expression, “Your servant is terrified. I don’t know what Your Majesty is referring to.”
“Didn’t you explain things clearly to Miss Song when she moved out of the Song Mansion?”
Tang Zhanglian pointed at him and reprimanded, “I told you that you always like to put on a stern face to scare people. You act impulsively and forcefully. It’s because of your cold and rigid demeanor that the Song family misunderstood! Third Miss Song merely went to stay at Master He’s house for a short time. Their grandparents haven’t seen each other for a long time, and Master He recently contracted a cold. It’s normal for them to be close now. Master He simply asked you to pick someone up. How could you cause so much trouble? You should reflect on yourself!”
Fu Changjun said, “Your servant explained everything clearly that day, and the Song family had no complaints.”
“You’re still arguing! You’ve caused so much trouble, you…” Tang Zhanglian shook his head in disbelief, scolding him while saying, “General Song is the most filial son. Third Miss has always been raised by him, and she is naturally influenced by him. She must also be devoted to Old Madam Song. After she returned to the capital, the first place she went was the Song Mansion, and she stayed with Old Madam for a while. How could she harbor resentment towards her own blood relatives over such a trivial matter?”
Song Shiwen quickly said, “This humble girl has no such intention!”
Tang Zhanglian changed his posture and continued, “In any case, it was General Fu’s negligence that led to such absurd speculation. But I have to explain something about the appointment and deployment of officials for Third Miss. She has only recently returned to the capital and must be unfamiliar with the affairs of the court. How could she influence the affairs of the court? General Fu is only responsible for guarding the palace city. He doesn’t have that much power.”
Fu Changjun clasped his hands and said, “This official has always upheld justice and acted according to the law.”
“Well. Besides, matters of the court and the appointment of officials are not something that you, a woman of the Song family, should be concerned about. If you have any doubts, you can ask your uncle or your father to inquire at the Ministry of Personnel.” Tang Zhanglian patted the table and assured her, “If there is truly something fishy, I will uphold justice for General Song.”
The young men at the table were shocked when they heard this.
Although there were only a few words, the most important content could be deduced from the context.
The Song family must have been in discord, which was why Third Girl Song moved out. It seemed that after she left, something had happened to the Song family, and they thought that Third Girl Song had instigated General Fu and interfered.
This was truly… laughable and a bit absurd.
Fu Changjun was known for his fairness and strictness. How could he do such a despicable thing because of a young person’s complaints? Moreover, Third Girl Song was a delicate woman who had just returned from the border. How could she understand so much?
Not to mention, even if they were not getting along, Third Girl Song was still a Song by blood! Old General He had helped them for so many years without regard for his own losses. How could he turn against his own family because of a little trouble?
If the Song family truly thought this way, then their vision was narrow and shortsighted.
The few of them looked at each other and smiled, shaking their heads helplessly.
Song Shiwen was eager to explain, “This servant has not said such things, nor have I ever had such thoughts!”
Tang Zhanglian was surprised, “So it was a misunderstanding on Qingping’s part?”
Tang Zhirou was still angry and instinctively wanted to retort.
Upon closer thought, Song Shiwen had not explicitly said such things, but she had hinted and implied them in various ways. When Tang Zhirou said these things, she had never refuted them.
Tang Zhirou opened her mouth, but found that she had no way to explain. Her face became even more gloomy. She glanced sideways at Song Shiwen, who looked flustered and guilty, and winked at her. Unfortunately, this time Tang Zhirou no longer believed her, and instead glared at her forcefully.
She realized that she did not understand the Second Miss Song, whom she had always seen as innocent and kind. She had treated others with sincerity, but they had calculated her thoroughly.
Did she, Tang Zhirou, seem so stupid?
Tang Zhanglian became serious and said, “Qingping, I just praised you for your composure, but you are doing this again. It is difficult for an honest official to judge family matters. You should change your impulsive and nosy nature.”
Tang Zhirou gritted her teeth and finally conceded, “Yes.” From now on, no matter who begged her, she would not get involved anymore! She had gotten herself into a mess for nothing!
Not everyone was interested in those idle gossips. Many people present were scholars who were devoted to the pursuit of virtue. They had not known about the Song family’s inner turmoil, but when the Emperor mentioned it, they began to look around and ask others.
However, the Song family’s messy affairs could not be explained in a few words. So everyone condensed the story, using vague language to describe what they knew, which eventually became:
“Some time ago, Third Girl Song was taken to the He family’s residence by General Fu to stay for a while. When they went to pick her up, they discovered that Old Madam Song and Second Miss Song had kept the gifts sent by the He family, and they had deliberately placed her in a secluded courtyard where even the servants did not live. It is said that Master He and General Fu were very angry. I don’t know the specifics. From what the Emperor said today, there may be some exaggeration, but there must be some reason behind it.”
The young men were shocked and amazed! Their hearts were stirred.
Tang Zhanglian wanted to say more, but Fu Changjun glared at him, and he swallowed his words back in embarrassment.
The Song family’s reputation still needed to be considered. It would not be good to go too far.
Tang Zhanglian smiled again, “It’s good that it’s been clarified. I believe that Second Miss Song is virtuous and kind, and Third Girl Song is innocent and carefree. You two sisters will surely get along well. Anyway, today is a literary banquet, so let’s talk about relevant matters.”
Tang Zhanglian said half of it and left the other half unsaid. He was happy, but he left everyone with a lingering curiosity that felt like an itch.
Tang Zhanglian said with satisfaction, “Fifth Son Gu, Fangsheng has already composed a poem. Why don’t you also compose one?”