CH 47

Ban Heng glanced at the door, why did Cheng’an residence send a guard at this moment? By now the news that Yan eldest son coming to apologise must have spread over the Capital. Sending someone at this exact moment, not afraid that Yan family would think he was sent to watch a humiliation?

Du Jiu followed behind the steward. Once inside the main hall, he saluted Ban family members and then Yan Ming as if he hadn’t known that Yan Ming would be there.

Du Jiu was Rong Xia’s closest guard so anyone familiar with Rong Xia knew Du Jiu as well. Yan Ming was even more surprised than the Bans to see him here, but it wasn’t because he thought Du Jiu came to see a humiliation, rather that Rong Xia had contact with Ban family.

“Guardsman Du, please sit down.” Ban Heng saw the two boxes in Du Jiu’s hand. The boxes were not too big or too small, they were like boxes for books or stationaries.

This morning his sister sent some gifts under his name, so this should be the return gifts? Only this morning and the return gifts were here already, wasn’t this a bit too hasty? Ban Heng soon lost interest as he thought the content must be some brush, ink, or inkstone. In their family, apart from Grandmother and Mother who dabbled in poetry, none of the others were any scholarly materials.

“Zaixia dares not.” Du Jiu saw Yan Ming the gongzi of a minister family was standing so naturally a small guard like himself shouldn’t sit. “The gift from Shizi is too precious, Master Count is both joyful and uneasy. Thankful of Shizi’s kindness, Master Count prepared this small gift for Shizi, hopefully Shizi doesn’t mind.”

“Count Rong is too polite, it is just a worthless toy, there is no need for a return gift.” Ban Heng waved his hand nonchalantly. “Master Count doing this is treating us like strangers.”

Du Jiu’s hands that were holding the box shook, just a worthless toy? That was <<Frosty Mountain Gazing the Moon>>, and a genuine one! Who would think of such precious thing as a worthless toy?! Du Jiu had been by Rong Xia’s side ever since he was taken up by Rong family as a child. He had seen many good things, but never had he seen a family like the Bans who did ‘not bothering with trinkets’ this way.

“It’s only like strangers if Shizi doesn’t accept,” Du Jiu smiled, “The painting that Shizi sent never left Master Count’s hand, he said it’s something a thousand gold can’t exchange.”

“Ahem, you are welcome.” Ban Heng side-eyed Ban Hua, what did she send Rong Xia using his name?

Ban Hua ignored him, she ordered the housekeeper steward to accept the gifts brought by Du Jiu. Now Du Jiu was more convinced the painting must have been from Ban-junzhu.

Du Jiu said his farewell after the return gift was handed over, Yan Ming saw that Du Jiu really came just to deliver a gift. The two families’ relation didn’t seem to be particularly close. Why did Ban family send a thank you gift to Rong Xia?

Yan Ming remembered a few days ago Rong Xia praised Ban Hua in front of the scholars. What he said had totally ruined Yan family’s reputation. At first he was enraged, but after a few days with his father sick at home while Rong Xia was given a promotion, he suddenly realised that Rong Xia wasn’t speaking for the Ban family, he did it for His Majesty. His Majesty was suspicious of their family.

Otherwise there wouldn’t have been so much movements at the Court. Some officials close to Yan family had been relegated to destitute areas, and some supporters of the Crown Prince had been censured. Even Shi family didn’t know they were secretly supporting the Crown Prince, so how did the Emperor know?

T/N – (Refresher) Shi Chonghuai was the Right Minister. Yan Hui was the Left Minister.

The most frightening thing was Rong Xia likely also knew of their secret support for the Crown Prince, but he stood up to defend Ban-junzhu’s reputation even if it offended their family. It was ridiculous that everyone thought Rong Xia was an honest and straightforward gentleman, did they know that in his bones he was nothing but a despicable man who never missed a chance to benefit?

* 汲汲营营 = rushing in pursue of good name

“Young Yan-daren,” Ban Hua looked at Yan Ming, “I have listened to your apology, please go back.”

The corner of Yan Ming’s lips moved, looking at that alarmingly alluring beauty, he thought of the younger brother who was lying sick in bed. He gave Ban Hua a deep salute, “Zaixia takes my leave.”

“Goodbye, not seeing you off.”

Outside Jingting residence gate, Yan Ming got on his horse. People coming and going around him, he was somewhat frightened. Being suspected by His Majesty, what should Yan family do next?

A little further on, he came across the eldest son of Chen family by chance. A few days ago this person was still his brother-in-law, but now the two families had changed from in-laws to enemies. The brother-in-law looked at him like he was the most hated person on earth.

“Brother-in……”

“Please Yan-daren do not claim relationship with us. Our Chen family is a small family, zaixia can’t afford being called brother by you.” Chen eldest son’s face was distorted like mad, he turned around to leave unwilling to talk to him.

“Brother Chen, your sister….. how is her health?” Yan Ming thought of Chen-shi and couldn’t help himself asking.

“Heh.” Chen eldest son laughed coldly, “What is it to do with you?”

Yan Ming watched Chen eldest son’s back, he felt the world was large but there was no place where he could be at ease.

—

Ban Heng placed the two boxes from Count Cheng’an in front of Ban Hua. One box contained an inkstone, the other one was full of red blood jewelleries. Not sure where he got these from, there was not the slightest imperfection on the jewelleries, the brilliant pieces in red blood colour were so beautiful and bewitching.

“Count Cheng’an is…. quite generous too.” Ban Heng thought for long time and could only come up with this description. This box of jewelleries was something that money couldn’t buy, and the workmanship was exceptionally fine, these couldn’t be ordinary items.

“Beautiful.” Ban Hua took a piece of bracelet and put it on. The crimson red jade set off her wrist, made it fairer and dewy.

Ban Heng played with the inkstone with a disdainful expression, “This inkstone must be just whatever he picked up to make up the number.”

They sent something that suited his style, but received an inkstone in return. He didn’t like writing, what good was giving him this toy? As the heir of a Marquis, Ban Heng felt his dignity had been challenged. So angry, but he dared not complain.

“Wasn’t you going to buy The Invincible Grand Marshall last time?”

Ban Hua was in a very good mood for getting beautiful jewelleries, she gave Ban Heng 500 liangs to buy the grand marshall he wished for. The Invincible Grand Marshall was the name of a valiant fighting cockerel.

Ban Heng instantly turned happier and the inkstone was forgotten. He heaped praises on his sister, this side of hers was pretty, that part was beautiful, Ban Hua was coaxed enough to add another 100 liangs.

The inkstone they dismissed could fetch at least 800 liangs outside, pity that it met this ignorant pair and was reduced to worthless.

—

Five days after, Chen eldest son was promoted to fill a position departed by a Yan clan member. In the next half month, many of Yan clan members were suppressed and the vacant posts were quickly filled by other people, only Yan Hui’s position as the Left Minister was left untouched.

The third day after Yan Ming personally came to Ban residence to apologise, the Emperor sent Yan family some rewards and spoken some encouraging words. Just when noone was able to figure out His Majesty’s stance, Yan Hui dragged his sick body to attend the Court and submitted his resignation to His Majesty.

Emperor Yunqing didn’t agree, and he treated Yan Hui with even more care. In the end Yan Hui didn’t leave the Left Minister post, but the once influential Yan family in the Capital had crumbled just like that.

Yan family’s prestige collapse and all the glory now belonged to Shi family. In the Court the officials still called Shi Chonghai as Right Minister, but outside the Court, the ‘Right’ word was dropped either intentionally or not.

—

The first snow fell in a flurry, the whole Capital plunged into a world of white.

Ban Hua’s mood was very good, the fox fur she ordered had finally delivered. A plain coloured palace skirt embroidered with red peonies, the snowy arctic fox fur, the red blood jewelleries from Count Cheng’an.

Sitting in front of the bronze mirror, she fell in a drunken state at her own reflection. How could there be such a beautiful woman in the world?

“Sis!” Ban Heng yelled from outside the door, “It’s snowing heavily, we’ll be late if we don’t leave soon.”

Ban Hua caressed the bright red forehead pendant, and again traced the blooming red lotus in the middle of her forehead. The pendant looked like a red pearl growing out of the red lotus, beautiful and seductive.

—

The sixth day of the twelfth lunar month was the celebration of the Emperor’s birthday. Important officials of the Court and titled ladies of third rank and above were going to the Palace to congratulate. This was also the day the officials could publicly present gifts to the Emperor.

In their efforts to please Emperor Yunqing, miracles suddenly appeared left and right. Nothing was spared in obtaining the auspicious harvest, the magical stones, the divine dragon incarnations, the strange beasts. The stories to go with the miracles had became more and more bizzare.

After so many miraculous stories year by year, Emperor Yunqing was no longer interested as he knew those were all lies told to ingratiate himself. He would smile and say ‘good, good’ at stories that were well made-up. Stories that weren’t interesting or miraculous enough, he was too lazy to continue listening. The officials were not yet bored at making up stories, but he the listener was already fed up.

“Your Majesty, the snow falling on time is the omen for a prosperous year. Today is a good day.” Wang De looked at the sky outside, the snowing was falling heavily. It must have been uncomfortable for those waiting inside and outside the Palace Hall.

“En.” Emperor Yunqing looked at the sky outside, nodded, “Go, have a look.”

“His Majesty sets out.”

—

As a highly favoured Junzhu, Ban Hua was treated like a star everywhere she went. The guards at the Palace gate didn’t stop them once they saw the insignia on her Junzhu carriage, they stood respectfully while she passed.

The carriage travelled a little further after passing the gate, the welcoming momo assigned by the Palace had been waiting outside.

* momo 嬷嬷 = (ancient times) court ladies of certain age and position.

“Nubi greets Fule Junzhu.”

The two momo’s were from the palace of the Empress, they were there to show how much the Empress valued Fule Junzhu. In the palace, whom was received, and received by who, was the matter of face.

“Have troubled the two momo‘s.” Ban Hua’s personal maids saw snowflake speckles on two momo’s eyebrows, she curtseyed with two purses for each momo in her hands, “Thank you for waiting so long.”

“Not at all, not at all.” The momo’s dared not making things big. After returning the salute, they bowed and went forward to lift the curtain of the carriage, prepared to help Junzhu alight from the carriage.

The moment the curtain was lifted, the two of them gasped for breath. What a beauty this person was. Her snowy white dress, her crimson hairpin, especially that red lotus in the middle of her eyebrows that was dazzling brightly like fire.

Like a red plum blossom in the snow, nothing in the world could compare.