Chapter 196: Better to Replace the Grand Astrologer
Although Prince Pingxi's defiance of the imperial decree hadn't spread widely,
For prominent first-rank officials' families like the Yun household, obtaining such information wasn't difficult.
"The Fang family was the best choice within Prince Pingxi's capabilities," Yun Ze spoke calmly. "Rather than marrying a daughter of the Fang family, he chose to defy the imperial decree. What is he trying to achieve?"
Yun Chu shook her head.
Neither the former Second Miss of the Tan family nor the current Miss Fang had caught that man's eye. She didn't know what he was planning either.
However, in her previous life, he had remained unmarried until his thirties, so his defiance of the decree didn't seem particularly surprising.
"I think he must have someone else in mind for his Princess Consort," Liu Qianqian said while stroking her pregnant belly. "It must be for Chu'er's sake."
"Impossible!" Yun Ze sneered. "If he truly wanted to marry Chu'er, he wouldn't have committed such despicable acts... Let's not discuss this further. During today's morning court session, the Grand Astrologer divined the national fortune, and there's bad news."
Yun Chu looked up: "Is it about the Southern border region?"
Yun Ze nodded: "The divinatory symbols indicate that rebels have emerged in the Southern border region."
"The Grand Astrologer is truly remarkable," Liu Qianqian remarked. "Isn't Father going to the Southern border region precisely to eliminate the rebel General Cheqi?"
"The divinatory symbols also showed white clouds passing over the land, leaving nothing alive, directly pointing to our Yun family," Yun Ze's expression darkened. "Most court officials aren't aware that Father has gone to the Southern border region, so no one dared to explicitly connect it to the Yun family. However, the Emperor knew perfectly well. After the court session ended, he summoned me to the Imperial Study and asked whether Father had written home recently."
Yun Chu took a sip of tea from her cup.
In her previous life, as a woman confined to the Xie family's inner quarters, she only knew the outcomes of such major events but not the detailed processes.
Only now did she realize that the Grand Astrologer had actually been an important part of it all.
Her father's disappearance was expected. Even without her rebirth-assisted efforts, her father would have returned safely, so there was nothing to worry about.
But if this Grand Astrologer were left unchecked, future divinations and further defamation of the Yun family would inevitably bring more trouble.
Was the Grand Astrologer ultimately the Empress Dowager's person or Gong Xi Prince's?
It didn't matter.
"Let's just replace the Grand Astrologer."
Yun Chu's words shocked Yun Ze greatly: "Chu'er, what did you say?"
The Grand Astrologer was a first-rank senior official in charge of the Imperial Observatory, a highly trusted favorite of the Emperor.
For a Grand Astrologer to reach such a position required at least ten to twenty years of experience—it wasn't something that could be lightly replaced.
"Elder Brother has forgotten that the scenes from my dreams have all come true," Yun Chu smiled. "The Emperor values the Grand Astrologer because he can see the future. Other qualifications are secondary. In other words, anyone who can see the future can gain the Emperor's trust."
Worry showed on Yun Ze's face: "Is this feasible?"
The Yun family had always advocated maintaining a low profile and avoiding involvement in court disputes. Replacing the Grand Astrologer with their own person—if exposed, would mean immediate destruction for the Yun family.
"The current Grand Astrologer's divinations directly point to the Yun family. Where there's a first time, there will be a second. Keeping him is a disaster," Yun Chu said calmly. "Of course, such important matters should ultimately be decided by Elder Brother."
Yun Ze didn't hesitate for long.
He made a prompt decision: "Alright, we'll do as Chu'er says and replace the Grand Astrologer."
After the siblings finished their lunch, they went out onto the streets.
Their carriage stopped at the entrance of a dilapidated temple outside the city walls.
Yun Chu gently lifted the carriage curtain: "Let's wait here first."While constructing the shelter, she traveled to every dilapidated temple and rundown house in the outskirts of the capital, encountering many destitute and disheveled individuals.
One of them left a deep impression on her.
He seemed quite suitable in appearance to be selected as the future Grand Astrologer.
Moreover, this person had a weakness.
The carriage stopped under a large tree opposite the ruined temple, watching from a distance.
Before long, a man emerged from a small path. He was dressed in rags, with an unkempt beard, and entered the broken-down temple.
After sitting for a while, cries of pain echoed from inside the temple.
The one howling in pain was the man with the full beard. His name was Ding Yiyuan, a scholar who had spent most of the day searching for food for his wife and child, only to have it snatched away by others in the temple. He fought back but was outnumbered, surrounded and beaten by seven or eight people. Not only did he fail to protect the food, but he also ended up covered in injuries.
"Stop hitting him, please stop!" His wife, clutching their child, rushed over. "If this continues, he'll die. Please, have some mercy..."
The group wasn't entirely heartless; after seizing the food, they dispersed.
Ding Yiyuan held his wife and child, weeping bitterly. "It's my fault. I'm useless, too cowardly..."
His family had fallen into decline, yet his wife had stubbornly married him despite it all. He felt utterly worthless—after studying for so many years, he had achieved nothing, while his wife had fallen ill from the hardships of supporting their family.
He sold all his books to pay for her treatment. Hearing that physicians in the capital were more skilled, he brought his wife and child to the capital seeking medical help.
But along the way, bandits robbed them of all their money. They had to beg their way to the capital, arriving penniless and without a place to stay, so they settled in this ruined temple.
Every day, he tried to find ways to earn money, but his travel documents had also been stolen by the bandits. Without any proof of identity, he couldn't find work.
Thus, the family of three had been living in the broken temple for half a year...
With winter approaching, if he couldn't find work, he and his family might freeze to death in this temple.
They say men don't shed tears easily, but only when their hearts are truly broken. As Ding Yiyuan reflected on their plight, he wept in anguish, and his wife and child joined him in crying.
Amid their tears, they suddenly caught the scent of food.
Ding Yiyuan looked up and saw Yun Ze.
"Take it," Yun Ze offered a meat pie. "Eat something first."
Ding Yiyuan eyed him warily, shielding his wife and child. "Who are you? What do you want? What are your intentions?"
His suspicion was understandable—over the past six months, many men had approached them with ulterior motives, all seeking to take his wife away.
He would rather starve to death than let his wife be humiliated.
Yun Ze was both amused and exasperated.
He considered himself a gentleman—how could he possibly do such a thing?
He had no choice but to let Yun Chu step forward.
"Whatever we do, we must fill our stomachs first," Yun Chu's voice was gentle. "This child is too thin. If he continues to starve like this, he may fall ill."
The wife was Ding Yiyuan's weakness, and the child was the shared weakness of both parents.
Mentioning the child, the couple exchanged glances and reluctantly gave in, accepting the meat pie to feed their child.
"Adults can eat the meat pie, but the child should have porridge," Yun Chu handed over a bowl of steaming pumpkin porridge. "He needs to nourish himself with porridge before eating meat. There's no need to rush."
The woman repeatedly expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, madam, thank you..."
While the family of three ate, Yun Chu and Yun Ze learned about their experiences and couldn't help but sigh with sympathy.Yun Ze spoke up: "I'll take care of the travel documents for you."
The woman wept with joy: "Thank you, thank you, sir..."
With travel documents, they could enter the capital, find work, and no longer suffer from hunger and cold.
But Ding Yiyuan said calmly: "Why don't you two speak plainly—what are your true intentions?"
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