Bai Li’s Dream – Chapter 75

Chapter 75: News

Zhuang Li was awakened by the sound of conversation in the room.

Although her spirit was better, since Mama Xu was watching over her, she obediently went to bed and fell asleep while lying down.

“…She fell asleep after eating.”

“I was personally watching over her, Young Madam slept very soundly.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Mama Xu.”

“You’re welcome, Young Master.”

Hearing Mama Xu and Zhou Jingyun talking, Zhuang Li couldn’t help but prop herself up. Chun Yue, who was standing in the inner room with her back to them, immediately noticed and turned around.

“Young Madam is awake.”

Zhou Jingyun walked in and looked at Zhuang Li, who was sitting up: “Did we wake you up?”

Zhuang Li smiled and said, “If I don’t wake up now, I won’t be able to sleep again at night, and you’ll have to read to me.”

Zhou Jingyun smiled. In fact, he hadn’t read much before falling asleep himself, which showed that her spirit was still not good.

Mama Xu, listening behind them, clicked her tongue twice. The Young Master actually read to Zhuang Li to coax her to sleep, what’s the difference between this and coaxing a child?

“I was just about to wake you up,” Zhou Jingyun said. “I originally wanted to invite Imperial Physician Sun, but he’s busy in the palace, so I invited Imperial Physician Shen, he’s the most skilled in internal medicine.”

Zhuang Li hurriedly said, “Doctor Zhang is already very good, you’ve gone through so much trouble, Young Master.”

“Between you and me…” Zhou Jingyun glanced at Mama Xu, Chun Yue and the others standing behind him, and said, “There’s no need for such formalities.”

Mama Xu lowered her head and thought to herself, the two of them were being a bit nauseatingly polite.

Imperial Physician Shen came in, felt her pulse, and looked at the prescription written by Doctor Zhang, indicating that there was no need for additions or subtractions: “It’s just a depletion of vital energy, these medicines will be fine.”

Zhuang Li thanked him: “I had a serious illness last year.”

Imperial Physician Shen looked at her complexion and tongue coating, and nodded: “You can only recuperate slowly.” After saying that, he got up.

Mama Xu hurriedly said, “Please, Imperial Physician Shen, go see our Madam, she’s also concerned about Young Madam’s health.”

She’s concerned about whether she can bear children, right? Zhou Jingyun glanced at Mama Xu. It’s always a bit unsightly to ask an imperial physician about such things.

“The Imperial Medical Academy is very busy, Imperial Physician Shen has taken time out of his schedule, it’s better for him to return quickly,” he said, looking at Mama Xu. “I’ll go and tell Mother myself, I’ve heard everything just now.”

He smiled again.

“Mama Xu, you were listening too, if there’s anything I missed, you can add it.”

What else could she say? The Young Master was so fiercely protective of his wife. Mama Xu gave an embarrassed smile and said yes.

Imperial Physician Shen was used to the affairs of the inner chambers, his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart. Zhou Jingyun suddenly remarried, they had also discussed it privately, speculating that it must be a beauty, otherwise how could she make Zhou Jingyun’s heart flutter?

Imperial Physician Shen’s peripheral vision glanced over again. In the sunset, the woman was wrapped in the luxurious bed, dazzling yet making his vision blurry. He only felt that she was as beautiful as a flower, with a figure like a willow, delicate and timid.

The kind of beauty that all men like, but that the main wives don’t like.

No wonder there seemed to be some dispute between the Young Master and the Madam’s Mama. The Young Master was protecting his wife, preventing the Madam from inquiring about her illness, for fear that his wife would be disliked by his mother.

✿✿✿

…….

Zhou Jingyun left with Imperial Physician Shen, sending him back to the Imperial Medical Academy, then he went to bid farewell to the officials of the Imperial Academy.

After his audience with the Emperor that day, the arrangement for him had also come down. Because he had taken the initiative to mention that he wanted to go to the Ministry of Revenue, the Emperor readily agreed.

“Please stay, Director Wei.”

In the Imperial Academy, Zhou Jingyun and Wei Shouqian exchanged greetings.

Wei Shouqian said with a smile, “You’ll be Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue from now on. Although it’s rare for someone your age to reach this position, but Jingyun, you became famous at a young age, and you’ve been in office for ten years, you deserve this position.”

Speaking of this, he felt a bit of regret.

“I originally wanted you to go to the Ministry of Personnel, be an Assistant Secretary, and become an examiner in the future, selecting talented people for our Great Zhou.”

Although they were both civil officials, the Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue dealt with money and grain, it always had a bit of a worldly air, what a pity for Zhou Jingyun’s scholarship.

Zhou Jingyun said with a smile, “I will wholeheartedly gather wealth for the country and manage expenditures properly, so that the talented people of Great Zhou have no worries and can use their talents for the country and the people.”

Wei Shouqian laughed heartily: “Jingyun, you’ve been tempered outside for so many years, you’ve become more and more eloquent, no longer like the stubborn block of wood that Jiang…”

When he said this, he let out a violent cough, forcefully swallowing the name he shouldn’t have said, and finished his sentence while coughing.

“…that the late Emperor jokingly called you.”

Zhou Jingyun seemed to have not heard the name he swallowed, and stepped forward to pat him: “I was just shy when I was young.”

Wei Shouqian laughed again: “Shy? The things you did in the main hall of the imperial palace are not things that a shy person can do.”

Although the officials next to him were older than Zhou Jingyun, they hadn’t entered the court as early as him. When he entered the Imperial Academy, the late Emperor was already gone, and Zhou Jingyun was no longer a youth, so they didn’t know about the past events, and couldn’t help but ask curiously.

✿✿✿

Zhou Jingyun said with a smile, “It was youthful folly, let’s not talk about it.”

But Wei Shouqian couldn’t help but reminisce about the past, and said with a smile, “During the Lantern Festival that year, the thirteen-year-old Marquis Zhou’s Heir, didn’t sit at the main table, but sat on the railing, ignoring the late Emperor’s summons. The late Emperor personally walked over and asked if he was lost in thought watching the lanterns. Guess what our Marquis Zhou’s Heir said?”

The official thought, a good poem? Zhou Jingyun became famous at a young age, not only because of his good looks, but also because of his talent.

Wei Shouqian said with a half-smile, “He said, what’s so good about these lifeless things that waste money and manpower?”

The official was stunned. Although it was something that happened more than ten years ago, he couldn’t help but turn pale.

The late Emperor had a violent temper, especially in his later years, his imperial wrath was unpredictable, he killed princes and ministers at will.

“Then wasn’t the late Emperor angry…” he stammered.

How could Marquis Zhou’s Heir still be standing here at this moment?

Wei Shouqian smiled, “The late Emperor was angry.” He paused here, seemingly hesitant, and looked at Zhou Jingyun.

Zhou Jingyun also looked at him, and took over the conversation with a smile, “It was the Lantern Festival that His Majesty held for Beauty Jiang.”

The official’s face wasn’t just pale, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Beauty Jiang?

It was Empress Jiang!

Empress Jiang was the last beauty to enter the palace during the late Emperor’s later years. She was eighteen years old when she entered the palace, with outstanding beauty, she was able to sing and dance, and stood out from the crowd, gaining the late Emperor’s favor. The late Emperor was old and had no interest in governing, so she took his place in attending court and listening to government affairs, thereby gaining a group of supporters and immense power. Not only was she made Empress, she also wanted to replace the princes and truly sit on the throne.

She was an unprecedentedly crazy and terrifying woman.

The official still remembered the Lantern Festival that year, when the entire city was empty and everyone celebrated all night long. He counted on his fingers, although Empress Jiang was still Beauty Jiang at that time, she had already been in and out of the court, able to decide the life and death of the court officials.

These words were undoubtedly scolding Beauty Jiang for wasting money and manpower, which was even more terrifying than offending His Majesty.

Zhou Jingyun didn’t seem to find it terrifying, he smiled and said, “Beauty Jiang said, then don’t look at these lifeless things, look at this living thing, and punished me by making me stand there holding a candle.”

“He stubbornly held the candle and stood there for a whole night, until the next day, still standing motionless.” Wei Shouqian said with a smile, “In the end, the late Emperor couldn’t stand it anymore, scolded him as a stubborn block of wood, and let the Marquis of Dongyang take him back.”

That’s it? The official was stunned, and wiped his sweat again. Looking at Zhou Jingyun’s face, the late Emperor loved beauties, he doted on Beauty Jiang, and also doted on Zhou Jingyun, so he escaped disaster.

Zhou Jingyun smiled, “Let’s not talk about the past.”

These past ten years have been truly turbulent and ever-changing, with bloodshed at every turn, there were too many things that couldn’t be said. Wei Shouqian stroked his beard and nodded, wanting to change the subject, when an official came running in from outside.

“Have you heard?” he said with a strange expression, “Something happened in the imperial palace last night.”

Wei Shouqian and Zhou Jingyun were surprised.

“I didn’t see any unusual movements from the Imperial Guards.” Wei Shouqian said, “I was on duty last night.”

The official lowered his voice, “Xuanyangzi entered the palace this morning, saying that Empress Jiang’s ghost has returned.”

Wei Shouqian and Zhou Jingyun were astonished.

“What nonsense…” Wei Shouqian blurted out, then swallowed it back, “A gentleman does not speak of strange powers.”

He asked the official what exactly had happened.

But the official couldn’t say much, only that “His Majesty had a nightmare.”

Had a nightmare? Wei Shouqian shook his head, and muttered, “He’s probably using Xuanyangzi’s name to scheme something.”

After saying that, he saw Zhou Jingyun next to him lost in thought.

Was the young man scared?

He thought for a moment and reminded him.

“These matters have nothing to do with us. You’re going to the Ministry of Revenue, do your job well, this time you’ll gain a reputation for being young and promising.”

Zhou Jingyun smiled, and bowed deeply, “Thank you, Director. I will certainly live up to your expectations.”

Walking out of the Imperial Academy, Zhou Jingyun stopped on the street, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the imperial city not far away.

Empress Jiang’s ghost, has returned?

…

✿✿✿

“Inspector, why spread this news?”

Inside the Censorate, the attendant looked at Zhang Ze, who was standing on the corridor leisurely teasing the myna in the birdcage, and couldn’t help but ask.

It concerned Empress Jiang, and was also related to the supernatural, it should be kept secret, wasn’t it bad to spread it?

Zhang Ze smiled, and fed a spoonful of rice to the bird, “What’s bad about it? Let the remnants of Empress Jiang’s faction be happy, let them jump out and make trouble, so we can catch them.”