Chapter 39 (2/2)
“Has any of the womenfolk been frightened?” Jin Yang lifted the curtain and asked gravely.
“Your Majesty, the womenfolk are all fine and were not frightened.” Hu Yun Qi knew who His Majesty was asking about. But due to the location, he could not say so. So he said, “Do not worry, everything is fine.”
“That is good. Zhen is assured.” Jin Yang nodded slightly and put down the curtain. He did not mention Miss Sima, as though he had forgotten this person.
Hu Yun Qi lowered his head and thought, you are reassured about Little Sister Gu, right?
Empress Dowager Zhou’s carriage was ahead of the imperial carriage. She heard the report from a servant and said, shaking her head, “This Miss Sima does not appear to come from an aristocratic family. In the future, if there are banquets like this, do not let her attend.”
Matron Liu nodded and said, “You are correct. This family doesn’t know how to raise their children. Their son raced horses and killed someone, their miss is scheming. If someone like this entered the palace and had children, I fear they would raise them badly.”
Empress Dowager Zhou thought for a moment and suddenly smiled. “It is good that the Sima Family produced a branch like this.”
Matron Liu looked with puzzlement at the empress dowager. Seeing she had no intention to explain, she was too embarrassed to ask and said, “Speaking of these aristocratic family misses, this servant feels that County Princess Changyan is lively and makes people happy to see her.”
When the superior had a preference, the inferior had to welcome it. Matron Liu managed to serve the empress dowager for many years. She naturally knew what to say to make the empress dowager happy. County Princess Changyan was the empress dowager’s darling. If she mentioned the county princess, the empress dowager would grow happy.
As expected, Empress Dowager Zhou had a faint smile. She nodded and smiled. “The Gu Family raises their children well. Not just Jiu Jiu, the two sons are also very good. But they are young, and they cannot be put into important positions. If they gain experience, they will have great accomplishments in the future.”
Matron Liu gently kneaded Empress Dowager Zhou’s shoulders. She said hesitantly, “This servant fears…”
“Fears what?” Empress Dowager Zhou leaned back into the cushions and closed her eyes. “Fears that the emperor will use the Gu Family, causing them to dominate and give rise to instability in the court?”
Matron Liu’s expression changed slightly and she hurriedly said, “This servant has not thought of this, just worried that if His Majesty has thoughts about County Princess Changyan, the Gu Family will not bear to let their miss enter the palace.”
“If His Majesty mentions this matter to me, I will have to talk to the Gu Family.” Empress Dowager Zhou sighed and said, “But he has not spoken now. I will naturally pretend ignorance.” She and Jin Yang were not blood mother and son. The young emperor was growing up and she had to pay more attention to her actions and speech to avoid any separation between them that other people could take advantage of.
“This servant sees that His Majesty cannot suppress for much longer,” Matron Liu said with a smile. “Just watch.”
Empress Dowager Zhou smiled and did not refute Matron Liu’s words.
##
Two days later, the two old commandery princes entered the palace to see the empress dowager and once again mentioned the matter of the empress.
This time, Empress Dowager Zhou did not refuse and said directly, “This Grieving One has ideas in mind. But the Sima miss you previously mentioned is likely not suitable.”
The two old commandery princes had heard of how Sima Xiang had been frightened by a black cat and lost her composure in public. So when the empress dowager said this, the two were unable to argue. Even the eldest and second branch of the Sima Family were no longer mentioning the matter of the empress, so they did not plan to pay attention.
“Which young noblewoman does Empress Dowager want?” Commandery Prince Ping was slightly curious.
“This Grieving One has some idea, but has not yet asked for marriage from the girl’s family. After the matter, this Grieving One will tell Uncles. What do Uncles think?” Empress Dowager Zhou saw the two commandery princes had given up on asking and knew they would not persist on this matter.
“This is natural, this is natural.” The two commandery princes perceptively said that this was most suitable. If the matter did not succeed, it would not be very awkward. While no aristocratic family dared to refuse the imperial family’s marriage proposal given its current status, they could not say those words so baldly.
They remembered how their Jin Family ancestor wanted to marry the miss of a certain family to the crown prince when he just ascended the throne, and then was ruthlessly refused. The ancestral emperor had generously said it was fine at the time. But in a few years, all the members of the family in court positions had been demoted out of court for various reasons. A century ago when they re-established the aristocratic families genealogies, the surname of that family was no longer present.
The Jin Family had no great shortcomings–they were just petty-minded.
The heir to the petty-minded family was not feeling well when he heard the empress dowager had a candidate in mind. After sitting anxiously in Qiankun Palace for half a day, he finally could not control himself and stepped towards Kangquan Palace.
“Your Majesty, how is it that you have come here?” Empress Dowager Zhou had a palace attendant go out to make tea and then said, “Do you miss having dinner here?”
“Mother-Empress’ food is delicious, and this son naturally desires it.” Jin Yang smiled and started chatting idly with Empress Dowager Zhou. Even after dinner started, he showed no intentions of leaving.
After dinner finished, Empress Dowager Zhou unhurriedly spoke. “I see that Your Majesty seems to have a matter on mind?”
“This son is worried and wants Mother-Empress’ help.” Jin Yang stood and bowed deeply to Empress Dowager Zhou. “This son heard that Mother-Empress has a candidate in mind for empress. Could this son ask which miss Mother-Empress has selected?”
“Where did Your Majesty hear this rumor?” The empress dowager looked wryly at Jin Yang and allowed him to stay down in his bow. She slowly said, “As an emperor, you cannot be anxious. Your conduct right now is not that of an emperor.”
Jin Yang’s body froze. He said after a moment of silence, “This son understands that as an emperor, one should not be so anxious. But I am only a man concerned about my future wife.”
Hearing this, the empress dowager’s expression changed slightly. She stood up and helped Jin Yang stand up. Her tone gentled. “Your Majesty thinks that if I really was selecting the empress, I would not discuss it with you?”
Jin Yang stilled and then bowed again. “This son thought incorrectly.”
“You did not think wrong. This Grieving One has a suitable candidate but has not yet told you.” Empress Dowager Zhou walked to a nearby chair and sat down. “The daughter of Duke Yang has been the most suitable empress candidate in my mind. They are high in status, have reputation in the Feng Dynasty but cannot pose a threat to the imperial family. They have brought up their daughter well–she is as gentle as water, and detail-minded. If she enters the palace, she will take good care of you.”
“But this son already has someone he admires, “Jin Yang said, “and has no intention of marrying Yang shi.”
“If the girl you like is a woman of an aristocratic family, you set her as empress, and welcome Yang shi as the noble consort.” Empress Dowager Zhou looked at Jin Yang and carefully observed his expression. “What do you feel?”
The room grew quiet. Jin Yang looked directly at the empress dowager. “Mother-Empress, I am not willing to have her slighted.”
“Absurd! How many emperors did you ever hear of without a consort?” Empress Dowager Zhou scolded. “You say you are not willing to have a consort now; if you regret this in the future, does the imperial family still want their face?”
“In history, most emperors liked having three palaces and six courtyards, but there were also emperors who only had one empress and the two went through life together. This son is willing to copy them.” Jin Yang bowed and said, “Mother-Empress, please help me.”
“This Grieving One cannot help you.” Empress Dowager Zhou grew silent. A beat later, she spoke again. “You are the only one who can do so.”
Jin Yang looked at Empress Dowager Zhou and didn’t speak.
“You are not a puppet monarch without any power. There naturally would not be any subjects forcing you to take a consort by threatening with their own deaths.” Empress Dowager Zhou looked down and said coolly, “So if you want to grow to old age with your future empress or to have three palaces and six courtyards, that is all up to you. This Grieving One cannot control you, and will not.”
“Thank you, Mother-Empress.” Jin Yang bowed and said, “But there is still another matter that Mother-Empress has to help this son with?”
“What is it?” Empress Dowager Zhou took a sip of tea and asked slowly.
“The matter of empress.” Jin Yang bowed deeply. “Mother-Empress, please help this son propose to the Gu Family.”
Empress Dowager Zhou’s hand stilled. Seeing this child bowing from the waist, she asked in a low voice, “Your Majesty, your words are true?”
“Everything this son said today is from the heart. This son only hopes that Mother-Empress can say more good things for this son in front of Teacher Gu.” Jin Yang looked up at the composed empress dowager and said, “This is this son’s regard; Junior Sister doesn’t know.”
“If she does not know, then how do you know she is willing to be your empress?” Empress Dowager Zhou threw out the words and continued directly without waiting for Jin Yang to respond. “This Grieving One will try, but it is late, and you should go rest.”
Jin Yang opened his mouth, wanting to say something. But seeing the empress dowager clearly not willing to talk anymore, he could only say, “Thank you, Mother-Empress, for your work. This son will leave.”
Leaving Kangquan Palace, he exhaled deeply. He hoped that Jiu Jiu would not hate him in the future.
##
But before Empress Dowager Zhou had the time to mention this matter to the Gu Family, the Yang Ducal Establishment had requested Mistress Hu to be the matchmaker to propose marriage between their only son, Yang Chui Wen, and Second Miss Gu.
When the news reached the palace, Jin Yang immediately flipped the teacup in his hand and blurred his page of words. The hot tea steamed on the table, and dripped to the floor as it spread across the table.
But Jin Yang could not care about this now. He glared at Hu Yun Qi, saying in a hoarse voice, “The Gu Family, did the Gu Family agree?”
He was both anxious and regretful. He crossed the imperial study in a few steps to reach Hu Yun Qi. “What did the Gu Family say?”
Hu Yun Qi just wanted to speak when Jin Yang started coughing violently, his face flushing red.
“Your Majesty.” Hu Yun Qi saw him like this and changed expression in fright. He turned, wanting to call the eunuch to summon the imperial doctors, but Jin Yang pulled him back.
“Tell Zhen—how did the Gu Family respond?!” Jin Yang glared at Hu Yun Qi, his eyes about to seep blood.
Translator Ramblings: The empress dowager is likely my favourite character from the old generation in this novel. She knows what to do to every time.