Chapter 130: Transition
Soon, Fu Tingyun realized she had misunderstood Shopkeeper Ye San.
On the very day after Shopkeeper Ye San's visit, the emperor who had reigned for forty-one years passed away. The scheduled scholarly candidate examination set for three days later was postponed indefinitely. Following the late emperor's will, Prince Zhuang ascended the throne.
The mournful tolling of bells from temples across the capital resonated through heaven and earth as they performed rites for the departed emperor.
The Ministry of Rites convened with the Grand Secretariat and Hanlin Academy officials to draft mourning protocols for the new emperor, discussing the duration of national mourning, the timing and ceremonies for the enthronement, composing the accession proclamation, and posthumous honors for the deceased imperial couple. High-ranking officials above the third rank and their wives donned mourning attire to wail twice daily outside Sishan Gate, entering through Xihua Gate. Ordinary citizens hung white drapes and lanterns before their homes, causing a sudden surge in prices for white fabric and lanterns across the capital, with some shops even running out of stock.
As Shi Family Alley predominantly housed official families, the mourning atmosphere was particularly solemn there.
Fu Tingyun naturally followed custom, instructing Zheng San and his wife to purchase white drapes and repurpose old lanterns from storage by covering them with white paper—a task she completed with A Sen before hanging them outside.
Zheng Sanniang returned chuckling: "Everyone's saying they haven't witnessed an imperial funeral procession in over forty years! When the late emperor's coffin is carried out, we must secure a good viewing spot!"
Her tone was purely that of an excited spectator.
Fu Tingyun could only smile wryly at this.
But her amusement was fleeting. Her greater concern lay with Yu Wei's task: "Still no luck encountering my brother?"
Yu Wei nodded, brows furrowed. "Could it be that with the emperor's passing, young master has been granted leave? They've even canceled the scholarly candidate examination, after all."
Those who passed the imperial examination typically began as county magistrates or even lower-ranking clerks. But scholarly candidates were different—they remained at the Hanlin Academy for three years of political training under experienced mentors before being assigned to ministries or censorates. Their elevated starting positions often led to rapid promotions, hence the saying: "No cabinet minister without Hanlin experience." Even underperforming candidates could expect prefectural postings if sent to the provinces.
Canceling the examination meant this year's Presented Scholars would miss their Hanlin opportunity.
Having heard the rumors, Fu Tingyun pressed: "Is this information reliable?"
"Absolutely," Yu Wei confirmed. "They say the Ji family's second son had staked everything on becoming a scholarly candidate to bring honor to their house. When the examination was canceled, he fell into such despair he refused food for days. Only after Madam Ji's repeated coaxing and a countryside retreat arranged by their steward did he recover."
Such was fate's whimsy.
Fu Tingyun sighed in sympathy before returning to the matter of contacting her brother: "We'll just have to wait for another opportunity."
Yu Wei bowed in acknowledgment.
Zheng Sanniang entered cheerfully: "Miss, the Dragon Boat Festival gifts you instructed me to prepare are all ready."
Celebrating her first festival in the capital, Fu Tingyun had prepared lavish gifts for the Duke of Fu's household—and another set for Four Happiness Alley.
These would be her first festival offerings to her family.Fu Tingyun immediately stood up with great enthusiasm upon hearing this and called out cheerfully to Yu Wei, "Come, let's go take a look!" She then led the way out of the inner chamber.
Yu Wei let out a long sigh as she watched Fu Tingyun's retreating figure, her heart heavy with sorrow.
The truth was, she had already seen the young master.
However, upon hearing her purpose for coming, not only did the young master refuse to accept the letter from the young lady, but his words also implied that since the young lady had been abducted by the migrant bandits, she should have preserved her chastity by taking her own life. His harsh words weighed on her heart like a heavy stone, and she dared not repeat them to the young lady.
Yu Wei could only delay like this, hoping for good news from the madam.
Thinking of this, she quickly composed herself and hurried after Fu Tingyun with a smile.
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Master Lu had gone to the Duke of Fuguo's residence to deliver festival gifts. In return, the Duke's household presented two bottles of imperial wine, two boxes of plain rice dumplings, two boxes of pastries, two baskets of assorted fruits, and rewarded Master Lu with two silver sycees, each weighing eight fen.
Yu Wei, however, returned from Four Happiness Alley with the festival gifts untouched.
Fu Tingyun sneered, "Since he is heartless, don't blame me for being unfilial." She then instructed Zheng Sanniang, "Put these things away. We'll use them ourselves for the Dragon Boat Festival."
Zheng Sanniang, unaware of what had happened, nervously took the items away.
Fu Tingyun stood under the eaves, taking deep breaths to calm her anger.
Master Lu, smiling, began to share news from outside: "...I overheard the stewards of the Duke of Fuguo's residence whispering that the late emperor had intended to name the Prince of Qin as his heir. However, the eunuch Hong Du, who held the brush in the Office of Ceremonial, bore a grudge against the Prince of Qin. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the late emperor bestowed mooncakes upon the officials, Hong Du, knowing the Prince of Qin couldn't eat sugar, deliberately instructed the eunuch delivering the mooncakes to replace the plain ones meant for the Prince with sugar-filled ones. He then used an imperial decree to force the Prince to eat them immediately. As a result, the Prince fell ill after consuming them..."
Fu Tingyun was horrified and immediately signaled Master Lu to follow her into the main hall before he could finish.
"How did you hear this?" she asked in a low, grave voice after having Yu Wei close the door.
Master Lu was surprised by her seriousness and replied, "When I went to deliver the gifts, the chief steward of the Duke's residence happened to be seeing off the steward from the Marquis of Zhuangsuhou's household. I overheard the two stewards murmuring about it."
Fu Tingyun trembled with fear. "They were discussing this openly as they walked?"
Only then did Master Lu realize something was amiss. His face turned pale. "Miss Fu, what do you make of this...?"
"Go out quickly and find out what others are saying about this."
Master Lu hurried out in a fluster.
Fu Tingyun paced back and forth in the hall.
Her thoughts turned to Zhao Ling.
The Marquis of Yingchuan was the brother-in-law of the current emperor, and his ancestors had once produced an imperial consort. How could the stewards of his household dare to discuss such matters privately?
Not long ago, she had also heard that the eunuch serving by the late emperor's deathbed was none other than Hong Du, and that the late emperor's will had been sealed with the imperial seal by Hong Du himself, who then personally delivered it to the Grand Secretariat... He was a eunuch entrusted with the emperor's final decree.
The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became.
What on earth was happening?
Her thoughts turned to the Mo family and to Li Rujin, the commander of the Shaanxi Regional Military Commission...Fu Tingyun called out urgently to Yu Wei, "Quick, go to the street and find me a geographical record! I need to see which provinces one must pass through from Sichuan and Huguang to reach the capital!"
Yu Wei didn’t know what had happened, but Fu Tingyun’s flustered expression made her heart tighten with anxiety. She hastily agreed and, calling Zheng San along, hurried out the door.
By dusk, Master Lu returned to Shi Family Alley, his face tense and weary.
"People outside are saying all sorts of things," he said, the wrinkles under his eyes suddenly seeming deeper, making him appear years older in an instant. "The gist is that Hong Du formed factions for personal gain, deceived the late emperor, disrupted court affairs, not only caused the death of the Prince of Qin but also directed Tengji Guard Commander Shi Wenbin to falsely accuse the Prince of Shu of crimes while the late emperor was gravely ill, leading to the prince’s demotion to commoner status and the execution of Songpan Governor Liu Ruihao... As for the ministers framed, there are even more—from the early dismissal and execution of Minister of War He Hui to the recent execution of Censor Du Qianwen for impeaching the Tengji Guard Left Commander and Hong Du’s godson Liu Hu—all were supported or tacitly permitted by Hong Du."
Fu Tingyun was drenched in cold sweat.
Others might merely be shocked at how many incidents were pinned on Hong Du, but she knew there was also the Sixteenth Master involved.
Xiang Zhuang’s sword dance was aimed at the Duke of Pei!
She said urgently, "Quick, go and fetch Shopkeeper Ye San."
Master Lu was taken aback, but though the curfew was near, he immediately turned and headed for the Datong Company branch on Zhengyangmen Outer Street.
No sooner had he left than Yu Wei returned, sweating profusely and carrying a stack of geographical records.
Without a word, Fu Tingyun gestured for Yu Wei to place the records in the western study. She lit a lamp herself and sat at the desk, flipping through them.
Yu Wei watched silently, not mentioning dinner, and began grinding ink beside her.
From Sichuan to the capital: 10,771 li, passing through Shaanxi, Shanxi, and then Beizhili before entering the capital. From Huguang to the capital: 5,170 li, passing through Henan and then Beizhili before entering the capital.
Fu Tingyun’s heart pounded wildly.
Zheng Sanniang’s voice came from outside the door, "Miss, Shopkeeper Ye San is here."
Fu Tingyun stood up, only to suddenly feel the world spin around her.
Yu Wei hurriedly supported her. "Miss, what—what’s wrong?" Her eyes flickered with concern.
"It’s nothing, nothing," Fu Tingyun murmured. "Just been reading too long." Glancing at Yu Wei’s somewhat sallow face, she realized with a start that Yu Wei had been attending to her without rest.
"Go and rest now!" she urged. "You haven’t had dinner yet, have you?"
"Neither have you," Yu Wei said, still supporting Fu Tingyun. "Shall I accompany you to see Shopkeeper Ye?"
Very well. Without resolving this matter, there would be no peace—not for eating, sleeping, or even sitting.
Fu Tingyun didn’t refuse and went with Yu Wei to the hall in the southern wing.
Shopkeeper Ye San stood as soon as he saw Fu Tingyun.
With no one else in the hall, Fu Tingyun wasted no time on pleasantries and got straight to the point. "Where was Ninth Master’s letter to you sent from? And who delivered it to you?"
On the way, Shopkeeper Ye San had already learned from Master Lu why Fu Tingyun had summoned him. Given her sharp intellect, offering evasive answers now would be nothing short of disrespectful.Despite this, Shopkeeper Ye San gazed at her youthful face and remained silent for a moment before whispering, "It was entrusted to me by the Ye family's merchant convoy... brought from Huguang."
Fu Tingyun felt her vision darken, and she would have collapsed if not for Yu Wei's quick reflexes catching her.
That scoundrel, that absolute scoundrel...
Tears streamed down Fu Tingyun's cheeks.
No wonder he had disregarded propriety, pulling her into his arms and whispering sweet nothings when she left.
No wonder he had rushed her off to the capital, lying about needing her to pave the way and persuade her parents to approve their marriage.
No wonder he had insisted she sell the lands in Lujiacun and Xihuaicun.
No wonder he had urged her to buy property in the capital.
That bastard, that utter bastard...
Choking back sobs, she asked Shopkeeper Ye San, "What else did he tell you?"
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Sisters, brothers... wipes sweat ... Due to limited skills and the extensive research required, this update came much later than expected...
(End of chapter)
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