Chapter 488: Chapter 176: Romance
Shengjing’s Xia Miao ended so abruptly and unexpectedly.
Without the generous hunting rewards, without His Majesty’s commendations, the noble sons had no chance to show off their elaborate riding outfits, and a grand event came to an end just like that.
Xia Miao may have ended, but some matters were just beginning.
On Huangmao Hill, Crown Prince Yuan Zhen was suddenly attacked by a tiger, while the Third Prince Yuan Yao encountered an assassination attempt in the woods. The two had never gotten along, and the coinciding timing of these incidents was intriguing indeed.
Prior to the hunting festival, Ban Wei patrolled the hills year after year without incident. This year, a lapse in security during their watch led to chaos, angering Emperor Liang Ming greatly. He ordered a thorough investigation into the garrisoned troops, suspecting that a traitor had infiltrated their ranks.
Crown Prince and Third Prince each stuck to their own story, determined that the other harbored ill intentions. Amidst the political turmoil in the court, a romantic rumor emerged.
Commander of the Palace Front Office, Pei Yunmeng, seemed to have a deep relationship with a commoner female doctor from the Hanlin Medical Institute.
Once this news broke, it spread throughout the court, reaching the manors of the nobles and the conversations at their banquets.
Prince of Zhaoning, young in years and often seen at the Imperial Court, was graceful and charming in his demeanor. Even without the Pei family’s background, he alone, with his credentials and talents, was considered the most suitable match by many officials in Shengjing.
But Pei Yunmeng, now in his early twenties, had not yet settled on a matrimonial match. There wasn’t even a whisper of one.
Some said Pei Yunmeng was too selective, while others believed that Lord Zhao Ning wanted to choose a well-matched lady of quality for his son. Pei Yunmeng himself was approachable and polite, with a handsome and gentle appearance, and he lacked the frivolous arrogance of other wealthy young nobles. Ever since he was young, he had never been involved in any romantic scandals.
All the more so, people were curious about who this man with a clean reputation would take for a wife. Yet surprisingly, after just one trip to the hunting grounds, such a story had surfaced.
The palace maids of Huanhua Court gathered and animatedly discussed the events that had unfolded on the hunting field, as if they had witnessed it all with their own eyes—
"At that moment, Lord Pei immediately stood in front of Doctor Lu, staring down at Young Master Qi with rage: ’If you dare to harm her in the slightest, I will make you regret it for the rest of your life!’, and then, in front of everyone, he lifted Doctor Lu and strode off."
The young maids blushed deeply, heaving sighs and beating their chests as if they were the ones who had been saved.
"Why her, of all people? I heard she’s just a commoner medical officer with no family background. Even though she’s pretty, there are many beautiful noble women in Shengjing too!"
"Pah!" Another maid shook her head, "Lord Pei has never been one for snobbery. I once accidentally broke some porcelain in Huanhua Court, and he spoke up for me, preventing me from being punished by the nobility. He’s like this with all of us; he doesn’t judge people by their status."
"That may be true, but this way, he’s surely offended Young Master Qi..."
"Offended? Since when is it right to set a dog on someone? I heard Doctor Lu was bitten terribly, her face covered in blood, nearly beyond saving!"
"No wonder Little Lord Pei was enraged..."
Gossip and idle talk in the palace always spread quickly, and ordinary events, when exaggerated, became more convoluted than the most masterfully crafted romance plays in the pavilions of the immortals.
Lotuses bloomed in the pond outside Cining Palace, their flowers and leaves densely overlaying each other.
A lady adorned in a golden skirt and a splendid hairpin sat in a small pavilion in the inner part of the corridor, twirling shiny Buddha Beads in her hand, smiling as she watched the person below her seat.
"Marshal Pei, it’s unexpected that the palace is abuzz with your romantic tales," said the Empress Dowager with a hint of amusement.
The younger man seated below her bowed his head slightly.
"To have tarnished the Empress Dowager’s esteemed ears is my failing. I beg for your punishment, Your Highness," he said.
The lady smiled without answering.
The Empress Dowager was not Emperor Liang Ming’s birth mother.
The former Emperor’s actual son’s mother died early, and later, Empress Li was established as the successor.
Empress Li only had one daughter, who was gentle, noncontentious, and got along well with the other princes.
After the death of the former heir apparent and the former Emperor’s passing, Emperor Liang Ming ascended the throne. The Empress Dowager then often visited Wan’en Temple to worship Buddha, almost never involving herself in the affairs of the harem.
The summer breeze wafted through, carrying the lush scent of lotus across the pond. After a long silence, the Empress Dowager finally spoke slowly, "Some days ago, the Emperor inquired about your marital affairs."
"Miss Qi of the Qi Family is seventeen this year, and it is also time for her to choose a suitor," she continued.
"Originally, you two were considered a perfect match, golden boy and jade girl."
"Now..." Her voice trailed off before she added lightly, "I would like to ask you, what do you think?"
Pei Yunmeng performed the ritualistic courtesy as if he hadn’t heard the suggestion in her words, answering calmly.
"Miss Qi is refined and elegant, adhering to propriety. I am uncouth and impulsive; truly not a suitable match. I would not dare to aspire so high."