“This young lady—” Women’s voices called from ahead.
Chu Zhao turned to look and saw a tea shop at the street entrance with a table set up. Over a dozen young women either sat or stood there. Chu Tang was among them, but she didn’t speak. It was Zhou Jiang who spoke.
“This young lady,” she said.
Chu Zhao was still wearing her veiled hat.
These young women also pretended not to recognize her.
“We’ve brewed fresh tea,” Zhou Jiang continued. “Please taste a cup.”
Chu Zhao smiled and walked over to accept the tea.
Although Ding Dachui felt he should intervene, seeing Xiao Man’s reaction—Xiao Man had long since gone to stand among that group of young women—even though he was a country man entering the capital for the first time, he guessed what was happening.
All that earlier commotion—he turned back to look—it was all for the Empress.
“This young lady, what did you just see?” Zhou Jiang handed the tea to Chu Zhao and asked.
Chu Zhao accepted the tea, as if she hadn’t heard clearly, and asked: “What did I see?”
“This young lady, did you see singing and dancing in peacetime?” Zhou Jiang asked.
Chu Zhao nodded: “I saw it.”
“Did you see mortal prosperity?” Zhou Jiang asked.
Chu Zhao nodded again: “I saw it.”
“Young lady, did you see people living and working in peace?” Zhou Jiang asked.
Chu Zhao nodded: “I saw it.”
Zhou Jiang smiled: “Thank you, young lady. We toast this cup of tea to you.”
Chu Zhao said: “Thank you. It’s my honor.” She then drank it all in one gulp.
Zhou Jiang and the other young women also drank their tea in one gulp.
Chu Zhao removed her veiled hat. At this moment, everyone was attracted by the street’s liveliness—no one would look this way. She took the reins, mounted her horse, glanced once more at the street’s prosperity, smiled, and urged her horse forward.
……
……
Today’s great court assembly was different from other times. The hall was noisy like a marketplace, and the officials weren’t standing in their proper order either. Some gathered together speaking in low voices, while others leaned against pillars with their eyes closed, resting.
“How much longer has it been?” An official couldn’t help urging again. “Why hasn’t His Majesty arrived yet?”
“It’s rare for His Majesty to be lazy once,” another official said with a low laugh. “After the New Year, grown a year older, but less diligent in governance instead.”
Except for the period of the imperial campaign, the young Emperor had never once delayed court at any other time.
“Actually, it doesn’t matter much whether His Majesty is here or not,” yet another official frowned impatiently. “The Grand Tutor is here.”
But the Grand Tutor hadn’t come today either—he only said for everyone to wait a moment.
Someone sneered: “What has the Grand Tutor been busy with lately? Getting rich and organizing account books again? Prince Zhongshan—no, Prince Zhenguo—must have sent him quite a lot.”
“Maybe he doesn’t even need to send anything,” another person said coldly. “Grand Tutor Deng was originally sent up by Prince Zhongshan’s money. Now is the time to collect returns.”
“So does this court still belong to Prince Zhongshan after all?” someone sighed.
But immediately someone rebutted: “That’s impossible. With His Majesty here, with Third Young Master Xie here, Deng Yi can forget about having absolute power.”
There were officials full of hostility, and there were also idle officials who didn’t care.
“Just urge them. The sooner it ends, the sooner we can leave court,” an official yawned.
“Don’t urge. Wait a bit—it’s good news,” another official said in a low voice.
This comment made those around with closed eyes look over: “What good news?” “What private information?” “Where did it come from?”
Someone also joked: “Has Your Lordship attached himself to the Deng family or the Xie family? Your information is so well-informed.”
That official smiled: “My information came from attaching myself to my wife and daughter.”
What did that mean? Everyone was even more confused.
“Recently they’ve been mysteriously saying they want to celebrate the Empress,” that official said in a low voice. “The Empress should be returning.”
The Empress—several officials exchanged glances: “The Empress substituted for her father in the military, confronted Prince Zhongshan—her achievements are illustrious. If she’s returning, shouldn’t the court prepare in advance?”
Recently there hadn’t been any word at all.
Yet these women from the inner quarters knew definite information?
“I estimate they know,” that official said in a low voice. “Today my wife and daughter rose even earlier than I did for court. I didn’t even see them at breakfast. They said they were busy with important matters.”
The officials listened with amusement but also felt the same way.
“The women at home do seem quite busy lately.”
“Not just busy—they seem quite capable of spending money too. It’s a headache—”
As they chatted and laughed, Deng Yi walked in from outside. Seeing him, the noise in the hall immediately ceased.
“Grand Tutor, when will His Majesty hold court?” an official asked.