frightfiction Chapter 699 My Family 17
Chapter 699 My Family 17
...Time flies, and another year has passed in the midst of despair and struggle.
When the first snow of the deep winter of the fifty-eighth year of Tai'an quietly covered the ruins of Kangdu, a silent yet earth-shattering tidal wave was brewing and erupting in the deepest part of the imperial city.
When the dust settled, sitting atop the majestic nine-tiered palace, on the golden throne symbolizing supreme power, was none other than the seventh prince, Zhao Yan, whom everyone had once regarded as "dust" and had no chance of ascending to the throne!
His mother was indeed just a lowly palace maid in the laundry department. While the princes lived in luxury and were watched by countless eyes, he grew up like a shadow in a corner of the deep palace, silent and humble, as if he were just a dim symbol on the emperor's huge list of offspring.
The three princes, the most popular candidates among the court officials and nobles, had already been severely injured in the previous chaos and infighting, either imprisoned or killed.
Zhao Yan's ascension to the throne shattered everyone's expectations. He changed the era name to Anzhao!
As the New Year's bells, carrying the reign title "Anzhao," echoed for the first time in the clear sky of Kangdu after the snow, an edict concerning the central structure of the new dynasty, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, stirred up an even more violent tremor.
Gu Ting!
This name, like the most dazzling star, was suddenly elevated to the highest peak of power at the very beginning of the new emperor's reign, and was promoted to the rank of Grand Chancellor, a first-rank official, in charge of all important matters!
The former seventh-rank county magistrate, who once surveyed fields and adjudicated cases in Qing County, now stands at the head of all officials, adorned in a purple-gold robe and wearing a jade pendant with a gold fish ornament. His deep eyes remain calm and serene, as if they can see through all the complexities of power struggles, leaving only his unwavering commitment to the country and its people.
Countless gazes were fixed on him, filled with complex emotions: inquiry, awe, flattery, and jealousy... The atmosphere in the court was thick with these complex emotions.
People were all shocked: the young emperor had just ascended the throne and immediately made such a swift and decisive move to promote talented people from humble backgrounds. The underlying meaning was far from ordinary!
A consensus has quietly spread among the people: the reason why the seventh prince, born to a palace maid, was able to calmly seize the imperial crown amidst this earth-shattering bloodshed is that Gu Ting, the young top scholar, is the mastermind behind the scenes, strategizing and making moves!
This merit of following the emperor is as high as heaven and as deep as earth.
Another imperial decree directly affected the nerves of the Chang Le Prince's Mansion—Tang Yunlian, the once-famous "idle prince" of Kangdu, was appointed by the new emperor as a second-rank imperial censor!
Holding the power of the censor, one can remonstrate with the emperor and impeach officials.
When the imperial edict was delivered, Tang Yunlian was attending to affairs at the Prime Minister's residence with the newly appointed Prime Minister Gu.
When he received the appointment document with the imperial approval in vermilion ink and the magnificent jade seal, his face, which had been tempered by the winds and frosts of Jiangnan, instantly flushed with an uncontrollable blush.
He suddenly looked up at the familiar, mountain-like figure beside him—Gu Ting nodded slightly, his eyes filled with brotherly satisfaction and encouragement.
Tang Yunlian took a deep breath and bowed deeply towards the direction of the Zichen Palace, her shoulders trembling slightly from the barely suppressed excitement.
He knew that this was not only a reward from the new emperor for the help he had given to the Tang family, but also the highest recognition of the calm, capable, loyal and courageous character he had honed under Gu Ting during the famine in Qing County!
Those spoiled brats who used to curse "jinxes" under the willow trees on the eastern outskirts of Kangdu City probably wouldn't even dare to look up at those official robes and gold belts now.
At the beginning of the first year of Anzhao, the old capital of Kangdu was covered in snow, but a brand-new power structure was being reconstructed beneath the snow and after the bloodshed in a way that no one could have imagined.
***
Late autumn of the second year of Ansho
Tang Mansion Inner Warm Pavilion
Outside the window, the autumn wind whistled, swirling the last few withered leaves and pattering against the carved window frames. Inside, however, the warm room was cozy and inviting, with the silver charcoal in the brazier burning brightly and making soft crackling sounds.
Two years have passed since the new emperor ascended the throne. Although Kangdu is slowly recovering from the trauma of the earthquake and flood, the solemn atmosphere that hangs over people's hearts has not completely dissipated.
The Tang family mansion gained an air of prestige due to Tang Yunlian's newly acquired status.
Du Feiqin sat in a round-backed chair covered with thick brocade cushions, holding a warm, jade-like white porcelain teacup in her hands, the aroma of tea wafting through the air. Her well-maintained face now carried a hint of maternal concern and a subtle anxiety.
Her gaze fell on Tang Yunlian, who was sitting somewhat awkwardly at the lower seat.
Her son was now dressed in the scarlet robe of a fourth-rank imperial censor, his posture upright, his brows showing more official authority and the composure gained through experience. But at this moment, his hesitant expression, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the hem of his robe, made her feel as if she were seeing that boy who needed her care and attention again.
“Lian’er,” Du Feiqin put down her teacup, her voice gentle yet unyielding, “you’ve achieved great success and are no longer young. While the affairs of the Censorate are demanding, your marriage can no longer be delayed. Your mother has taken a liking to the eldest daughter of Vice Minister Wang; she is virtuous, well-educated, and quite compatible with you…”
“Mother!” Tang Yunlian suddenly looked up, interrupting Du Feiqin.
A distinct blush quickly spread across his cheeks, and his eyes held a mixture of panic, urgency, and an indescribable blend of persistence and shyness.
He opened his mouth, but the words he had practiced countless times caught in his throat under his mother's earnest gaze. He managed to squeeze out, "Son...son...I don't feel like it right now..."
Yun Chu, who was standing nearby, had seen everything. She was sitting on an embroidered stool by the window, playing with a jade hairpin. When she heard this, she looked up, her gaze shifting between her mother and brother.
She understood. Over the past three years, she had already discerned the bond between her brother and Brother Gu that went far beyond mere friendship.
That tacit understanding, that unspoken trust, that gentleness and tolerance that others couldn't perceive when Gu Ting looked at his brother... She sighed softly. It was time.
“Mother,” Yun Chu put down the hairpin and spoke in a clear, melodious voice, “I recently acquired a box of South Sea pearls of excellent quality. Please come and take a look.” She stood up and said in a coquettish tone, “Let’s go, Mother.”
Du Feiqin was incredibly astute and immediately realized that her daughter was trying to get her away from the situation by helping her son out of a predicament.
She glanced at Yun Chu with suspicion, then at Tang Yunlian, who seemed both relieved and even more nervous, and a sense of unease crept into her heart. Suppressing her doubts, she agreed with Yun Chu, saying, "Alright, let's go take a look first." She then stood up.
Yun Chu took her mother's arm and led her outside, but stopped when they reached a secluded corner of the corridor. The lanterns under the corridor illuminated Yun Chu's clear eyes, and her expression suddenly became solemn.
“Mother,” she said in a low voice, with a kind of intimate understanding that only a mother and daughter could share, “don’t look at the beads yet. There’s something more important that I feel I can’t keep from you anymore.”
Du Feiqin stopped in her tracks, looking at her daughter's unusually serious expression, and her heart skipped a beat: "What is it?"
Yun Chu took a deep breath, as if carefully choosing her words: "It's about my brother... and Prime Minister Gu."