Chapter 217: Last Night, the Rain Dwindled and the Wind Howled — The Capital’s Upheaval Again (Version) · Part 1

Chapter 217: Last Night, the Rain Dwindled and the Wind Howled — The Capital's Upheaval Again (Version) · Part 1

Distracted by this matter, not only did it cause her to miss breakfast, but even lunch was something Minglan had no appetite for. She ordered Cui Mama to force her to eat half a bowl of winter bamboo shoots, shiitake mushroom, and chicken soup with fragrant glutinous rice, but it tasted like chewing wax.

Meanwhile, Madam Shao had learned that someone from the palace had come. She had expected Minglan to receive the imperial edict to enter the palace, but after waiting for half a day without any movement, she instead heard that there had been a commotion earlier. The two palace officials had been infuriated and left, threatening to bring charges and confiscate the family assets. This immediately startled her. Ever since she had been forced to handle the old lady's matters previously, she had grown fearful of Minglan and had only sent one of her trusted servants to inquire.

Cui Wei patiently explained for a long time that it was all just a misunderstanding. However, the servant still hesitated and muttered something about "to avoid angering the nobles in the palace, it would be best for the second madam to bear a little grievance and go to the palace once." Cui Wei's face immediately turned cold, and she replied unkindly, "What should be done and what should not be done, our madam knows best. The eldest madam is unaware of the situation outside; she can just enjoy her comfortable life."

Seeing the servant's hesitant and uncertain demeanor, as if she was both afraid of offending Minglan and worried about the trouble it might bring to herself, Cui Wei felt a sneer in her heart. She thought that Madam Shao was truly a person without courage, lacking in integrity and responsibility.

Hastily sending the person away, Cui Wei turned and walked back through the courtyard. As she passed by the porch outside the main house, she saw Lv Zhi standing by a small red clay stove, gritting her teeth. The faintly glowing charcoal emitted a sweet fragrance. Cui Wei laughed, "What are you roasting, girl? It's barely been time for lunch; aren't you afraid of indigestion?"

Lv Zhi used a small purple-gold copper tong to stir the charcoal, cursing under her breath, "That little wench, Xiao Tao, has disappeared again! She treated a few chestnuts like treasures, saying these were the last ones of the year, and insisted I watch the fire. She didn't even consider the weather, with the rain drizzling. How can anything taste good with this weather!"

Cui Wei couldn't help but chuckle and asked, "Is the madam still resting?"

Lv Zhi shook her head. "Cui Mama told me to keep watch at the door and not let the courtyard get noisy, so the madam can take a nap. But I've been listening, and there's been no break in the talking inside."

Cui Wei nodded and walked quietly into the inner room. As she lifted the curtain, she heard Cui Mama's gentle, soothing voice, "Everything is still uncertain, madam. Don't overthink it, and don't rush; we don't want you to strain yourself." After a moment, when she no longer heard any sound from inside, Cui Wei stepped in, knelt, and paid her respects. She then reported, "The person sent by the eldest madam has already left."

Ming Lan draped a slightly worn moon-white brocade warm cloak over her shoulders, her black hair loosely cascading down her back. She reclined against the head of the bed, observing Cui Wei's expression darken when mentioning Shao Shi. She asked, "Did the messenger say something nonsense?"

Cui Wei, clearly upset, replied, "I did my best to send them away, but it's infuriating that, when the matter came to a head, they didn't ask a single thing about the madam's health, only worried about causing trouble for her, and insisted the madam should go to the palace! Hmph, even a stubborn stone would have warmed up after being covered for two years!"

Normally, Ming Lan wouldn't care about such comments, but today she was troubled, and upon hearing it, she frowned. "Tell Liao Yong to send a few more maids to keep an eye on the comings and goings over there. We don't want any trouble." Dealing with indecisive people was troublesome.

Cui Wei was pleased with this suggestion, smiling as she replied and left.

Ming Lan's mind was in turmoil, and not wanting to worry about her son, she asked Cui Mama to keep an eye on Tuan Ge'er. She lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind swirling with anxious thoughts. She couldn't help but hope that she was simply overthinking because she was well-fed, but deep down, she felt her unease was justified. She hated how outdated communication was in ancient times—what could be resolved in modern times with a group message was such a hassle here.

Exhausted from overthinking, Ming Lan dozed off and fell into a series of strange and jumbled dreams. First, Man Niang led the Golden Saints to her door, threatening her to hand over the Dragon Balls. She blinked and asked, "Don't you want Athena?" Then, a group of Xie Nu invaded the capital, planning to take her back to the grasslands to perform the "Huxia Eighteen Beats." However, they soon discovered she was tone-deaf, so they sent her off to wash horses and herd sheep. While doing so, a troupe descended from the sky, slaughtering the entire tribe just because of the fiery red eyes of the horse she had been washing. Before the shepherd collapsed, he grabbed her shoulder and whispered in a trembling voice, "…So you really…bring about blood and chaos…"

Wait, how could someone on the brink of death shake her shoulder so forcefully?

Ming Lan was jolted awake from the shaking, her vision blurry, and saw Luzhi's face looming above her. Luzhi urgently said, "Madam, Madam, wake up! The people sent by Manager Hao are back. Didn't you ask me to call you as soon as they return?"

Ming Lan snapped awake, steadied herself, and quickly called for Luzhi to assist her in getting up and changing her clothes.

Outside, the rain had stopped, and the sky was dim, tinged with a reluctant pale blue, while distant streaks of orange-red light cast a faint gloom over the courtyard. The leaves of the trees seemed to droop with a sense of decay, and a few late chrysanthemums, planted earlier in autumn near the pond, swayed gently in the breeze. It was like something from a poem—"The evening moon's shadow, withered chrysanthemums fall, while the autumn wind blows the calm, blue waves of the water."

Ming Lan, supported by Cui Wei, walked steadily ahead. The cool evening air revived her spirits. The side hall wasn't far, and within a few steps, they arrived. Manager Hao was already bowing and waiting under the eaves, with a few of his sweating servants behind him. As soon as Ming Lan sat down, she quickly inquired about the situation.

Manager Hao had sent out more than ten servants, and now several batches had returned. Ming Lan knew this matter was of great importance. If there was no issue later, she might be accused of instigating resistance to the imperial order. Therefore, she didn't ask for any written notices or tokens but simply instructed the servants to pass on a message: "If anyone from the palace comes to issue an imperial decree, please be extra cautious. My lady feels something is wrong."

The servants knelt to pay their respects, and Ming Lan gestured for them to stand and report.

The first servants to return were those who had gone to the Zhong family and the Duan family. It wasn't because these two families were nearby, but because when the messengers arrived, Madam Duan and Madam Zhong had already gone to the palace with their mothers-in-law and children. When the servants inquired, they found the families had already left and rushed back as quickly as they could.

Ming Lan's heart skipped a beat. Even these two families were involved? Could it be that her suspicions were correct?

Next was the Geng family. Because the Geng residence was far, the servant who had been sent on horseback arrived just ahead of schedule, out of breath. After delivering his message, the imperial procession arrived. Although Madam Geng was illiterate, she was quick-witted. She didn't dare fully trust Ming Lan's words, nor could she dismiss them outright. Fearing that resistance to the imperial order would implicate her husband, she made a quick decision. She sent her children out through the back door, telling the imperial messengers that they had gone abroad to visit relatives. Then, she herself followed them into the palace.

Ming Lan shook her head and sighed, but she couldn't fault Madam Geng.

Finally, the servant said, "Madam Geng also asked me to tell you that, given your past relationship, if anything happens to her, she hopes you'll testify for her. If she passes, please ensure that Lord Geng marries the second daughter of her maternal uncle's family to be his second wife, and forbids any other 'fox spirits' from entering the household."

Ming Lan: …

In contrast, the news from the Zhang and Shen families was far more encouraging.

During the "Shen Chen Rebellion," Madam Zhang had been one of the unfortunate hostages detained in the palace. Once bitten by a snake, she was forever wary. Now, with the situation in the capital changing, how could she not be cautious? As soon as she heard the decree, Madam Zhang immediately grew suspicious. However, she didn't confront the messengers directly. Relying on her noble status, she began to engage the two messengers in casual conversation.

Her family, both maternal and paternal, were top-tier aristocrats. Having entered the palace at a young age, she was far more familiar with the rules and subtleties of court life than Ming Lan. After a few exchanges, the two messengers slipped up and exposed inconsistencies in their story. Madam Zhang, who had been in charge of the Duke of Ying's household for decades, immediately took charge and had the messengers detained on the spot.

When the servant arrived, Madam Zhang was busy arranging to have the "thieves who falsely issued the imperial decree" sent to the authorities for legal action. She had the servant convey her thanks to Minglan and also sent four sharp archers along with the message.

"The Madam Zhang only said 'for precautionary measures,' and refused to say anything further," the servant thought puzzled, wondering if it was a preparation for war.

Minglan grew more anxious, suspecting that Madam Zhang might have sensed something, but without concrete evidence, she couldn't say anything. She continued to ask, "What about the Shen family?"

Another servant stepped forward and replied, "Madam Zhang has already sent a letter to the Duke's residence. Originally, the Duke's wife intended to take her children to her maternal home, but according to a maidservant by the Duke's side, Concubine Zou and the eldest son and daughter refused to leave. This caused Madam Shen to stay behind as well. When I went there, Madam Shen had already feigned illness to send the imperial decree bearers away and had closed the gates, locking down the mansion."

Minglan nodded, then turned to ask, "Has only these families returned, Steward Hao?"

Hao Dachen showed an expression of difficulty and cupped his hands, replying, "Madam, only these families have returned." After a pause, he added, "I intended to send someone to inquire further, but around noon today, there was a brawl at the Chongyang Gate. Now, Master Liu has ordered martial law in the capital."

Minglan's heart skipped a beat. Seeing this, Hao Dachen quickly added, "Madam, don't worry. I took the liberty of sending someone to the in-laws' residence to check. The third aunt said everything is fine at their house, and if possible, she asked if the old master could come out and visit you. Alas… I'm afraid he can't come at the moment. I had also planned to send a message to the Zhongqin Bo's residence to inform the eldest wife, but I ran into the curfew on the way and couldn't go."

Wen officials are fine, but what about the families of military officers…? Why does the situation seem so different from last time?

Minglan furrowed her brows, unable to make sense of it, and could only repeatedly instruct Hao Dachen to strengthen the vigilance at the gates, making sure not to let any lapses happen. Hao Dachen understood that the situation was dire, and the security was of utmost importance. He quickly agreed and went off to carry out the task.

Just as she was about to return to Jiaxi Residence, she suddenly heard a commotion outside, accompanied by the sound of a girl's surprised exclamation. Before Minglan could speak, a round, chubby, clumsy girl tumbled in, falling flat in front of her.

Minglan couldn't help but laugh and said, "Silly girl, where have you been all afternoon? You're so tired that Luzhi had to watch the stove for you. Be careful, she'll scold you when you go back!"

Xiaotao lifted her head, panic-stricken, and said, "Madam, it's bad! Second Brother Shi just came back from outside, and he said… he said…"

"What did he say?" Minglan's expression turned serious.

Xiaotao hurriedly said, "Liu, Liu Da Ren, he… he… was stabbed…"

"What…?!" Minglan's heart raced.

"But he wasn't seriously injured," Xiaotao swallowed and finished.

Minglan nearly screamed, "Finish your sentence in one breath!"

You almost scared me to death! — "What happened exactly? Where did you hear this from?"

Xiaotao quickly took a deep breath and began: "This noon, Brother Shi asked me to go to the outer courtyard to eat squab, and I said it's a pity there aren't any sour-sweet mulberries to go with it. He said he knew a shop that sells great northern and southern fruits. I said it seems like there's a curfew outside, and he said it doesn't matter; back when the Jianghuai military riots happened, he was still carrying his little niece around the streets…"

Looking at the silly girl's round face, which had turned bright red from holding her breath, Minglan closed her eyes, sighed, and said, "Speak properly, take a breath first."

Xiaotao gasped for air, barely able to continue: "So, Brother Shi changed into his servant's short outfit and went out. I waited for a long time before he came back. He said when he got there, the shop had already closed, but he remembered there was another shop nearby that sold good dried fruits, though the shopkeeper likes to cheat on the weight…"

"Don't talk about your dried fruits!" Minglan felt her blood pressure rising rapidly. "Get to the important part!"

Xiaotao felt wronged, as telling a story always needs context: "… Brother Shi had just left the alley when he heard people on the street shouting 'Assassin!' He hurried to the street and unexpectedly bumped into Xiao Chen, one of Liu Da Ren's guards. Xiao Chen said that around noon, there was trouble at Chongyang Gate, and Liu Da Ren had been looking for General Zheng Jun, but couldn't find him. Just as he was about to go to the Five Cities Military Command to hold them accountable, a group of masked men suddenly appeared on the rooftops and from all directions to attack. Liu Da Ren was injured, but fortunately, his life was saved."

Minglan exhaled sharply and said in a stern tone, "You fool! The outside is in chaos, and you still let Brother Shi go out? What if something happened to him? How would you explain it to his brother and sister-in-law? Where is he? Get him over here right now, you little brat, just wait until I teach him a lesson!"

Xiaotao stammered, "He… he… just suffered some minor injuries, and right now he's getting them treated by Master Tu Er."

Minglan suddenly raised her voice, "Didn't you say he wasn't involved in the assassination?!"

Xiaotao lowered her head sheepishly, feeling guilty, "The shopkeeper saw that Brother Shi was wearing shabby, worn clothes, and he tried to cheat him by passing off old goods as fresh. When Brother Shi went out to complain and asked for a refund or exchange, the shopkeeper suddenly got angry and had a few workers with sticks come out to intimidate him. Brother Shi couldn't take it, so he fought with them…"

Minglan lost all her anger and sighed deeply, "Very well, very well. But did you at least get the dried fruits?"

Xiaotao proudly replied, "Brother Shi knocked them all down, and the shopkeeper gave him several pounds of the finest candied fruits for free!" When she saw the girls behind Minglan secretly giggling, she awkwardly added, "I'll share some with the other sisters later."

Minglan sighed heavily, her mind swirling—while the capital was in chaos and bandits ran rampant outside, with noble families trembling in fear, these two fools were actually fighting over the quality of snacks? Such thick-skinned nerves!

Seeing that Cuiwei was almost laughing herself to death and the little maids behind her were all contorting their faces to hide their smiles, Minglan weakly waved her hand and said, "Enough, you help me back to my room, change my clothes, and then go check on Brother Shi. If his family finds out about this, I wonder if they'll still let you be their daughter-in-law…"

The silly girl actually blushed, twisting and fidgeting as she moved forward. With Cuiwei on one side and Xiaotao on the other, they helped Minglan slowly walk out. Along the way, Cuiwei kept teasing Xiaotao, which made Minglan laugh and somewhat eased the worries in her heart.

Suddenly, one of the little maids exclaimed, "Look! There's a flood over there!"

Everyone quickly turned around, following the maid's pointing arm, and saw a great cloud of thick smoke rising in the distance, with flames rolling up and reaching far into the sky.

The sky, just after dusk, looked like pale cloth covered in soot, dark and light in patches, with the dimming sun casting its last golden glow, and in the distance, the flames were shockingly bright.

"Madam, that direction… isn't it…?" Cuiwei asked, her voice uncertain.

Minglan silently nodded. "With such high flames, it must be a tall building catching fire… it's likely the palace."