Chapter 63: Has He Gone Mad?

Sunlight bathed the Imperial City inside and out, and Eunuch Du lazily stretched his body, waking from his siesta and walking out of the room.

The little eunuch outside hurried to greet him.

"Grandfather, won't you rest a moment longer?" he said. "The emperor has granted you a day of rest."

Eunuch Du waved his hands with a chuckle.

"The emperor's permission to rest is his grace, but we servants mustn't take ourselves too seriously," he said. "If you really take yourself seriously, then others will no longer do the same."

"Grandfather's lesson is well taught," the little eunuch said flatteringly.

The two turned a corner past the side hall and saw an eunuch running towards them from a distance.

"Eunuch Liu is back," said the little eunuch, his eyes sharp.

Eunuch Du stopped and watched the approaching eunuch.

The eunuch's pace was hurried, and as he drew nearer, the anxious look on his face became visible.

"Lucky for me I dodged quickly. Dealing with Heir Zhu peels off a layer of skin, without any benefit to gain," Eunuch Du said with a hint of schadenfreude. But then he frowned, "How come Heir Zhu didn't come with him?"

When the emperor heard the news that the Duke of Chengguo's heir and Lu Yunqi had fought at the Northern Administrative Court, he was very angry.

As for the reason they fought, the emperor understood clearly when he heard it was over Miss Jun of Jiuling Hall.

Lu Yunqi was intent on taking Miss Jun as his concubine. As for Zhu Zan, well, it seems he simply delights in making Lu Yunqi's life difficult.

The emperor was determined to teach Zhu Zan a lesson this time, so he sent an eunuch to question him in lieu of presenting himself, resolute not to let Zhu Zan appear before him again.

Once in the palace, on one hand, Zhu Zan always manages to argue and justify his actions, and on the other, the emperor would have to consider the face of the Duke of Chengguo, diminishing a major issue into a minor one.

This was something the emperor was reluctant to do.

This time, fortunately, it was a matter of male-female entanglements that had erupted publicly. Let them lose face in front of others. If the issue grows too big, becomes a laughing stock amongst the people, and leads to censure from the censor, the Duke of Chengguo cannot blame the emperor for not providing protection.

But if the emperor can think of this, can the wily Duke of Chengguo's heir not foresee it?

Just like how he evaded the Jinyiwei escorts and rushed straight to the emperor in the capital, he certainly would not give others the chance to humiliate him.

So, the distress of others does not equate to personal distress, Eunuch Du immediately found an excuse to slip away, lest he be entangled by the Duke of Chengguo's heir and unable to extricate himself, then be reprimanded by the emperor's anger.

Although Eunuch Liu appeared to have shed a layer of skin, he actually escaped from the Duke of Chengguo's heir's clutches? Eunuch Du was very surprised.

"Eunuch Liu, you handled your task smoothly, I see," he said, unable to contain his curiosity as he prepared to meet with sarcasm and stepped forward.

But Eunuch Liu just waved his hand tiredly.

"Smoothly my foot," he said, but did not mock Eunuch Du, seemingly lacking even the energy to do so.

"Is the matter resolved?" Eunuch Du asked. "Heir Zhu actually obeyed and didn't follow?"

Obedient? Eunuch Liu couldn't help but touch his own arm, which, although not painful at the time, now felt sore and weak—this was due to Zhu Zan grabbing him earlier.

"He doesn't need to follow anymore," he said, recalling the earlier events, his mind also feeling a bit weary. "Because this matter has nothing to do with him."

It has nothing to do with Zhu Zan?

Then who is it related to?

"It's related to the new Top Scholar Ning Chang," Eunuch Liu said, looking at Eunuch Du.

Eunuch Du looked astonished.

He naturally knew Ning Yunzhao, Ning Chang. Even if he weren't the top scholar, he knew who he was—the nephew of Ning Yan, a youth of the Ning Family of Beiliu, highly learned, who was summoned by the emperor at a young age.

But what does this have to do with him?

Inside the palace, upon hearing Eunuch Liu's report, the emperor held the petitions in his hands with an expression of surprise.

"His fiancée?" he asked.

Eunuch Liu bowed and affirmed.

"They say it was an engagement since childhood," he said, cautiously lifting his eyes to gauge the emperor's expression. "It's said to be a matter commonly known, because when the Fang Family met with disaster, in order to capture the enemy, a play was put on, pretending to break off the engagement. In truth, it was all an act, and they agreed to discuss the marriage again after the exams. Perhaps Thousand-Man Commander Lu misunderstood, but Heir Zhu knew the truth, so he was outraged by Thousand-Man Commander Lu's actions. It's all a misunderstanding."

Eunuch Du stood by, utterly dumbfounded.

These scholars sure know how to talk. Claiming it a matter 'many knew about' while Thousand-Man Commander Lu, a Jinyiwei, didn't know, how could this be? It's obvious they're implying that Thousand-Man Commander Lu knew yet still forcibly took another's wife, yet they phrased it so politely.

But, is Ning Yunzhao really engaged to this Miss Jun? Is it true or not?

Suddenly, the emperor laughed.

"It's true, I recall now," he said. "The storytellers of Yangcheng mentioned this story."

The storytellers of Yangcheng?

Eunuch Du exerted his mind, vaguely recalling that it happened to be reported along with the matter of the Fang Family's imperial decree; he didn't take it seriously since it was an exaggerated discourse among common folk, and he hardly believed those stories.

To his surprise, it was actually true.

"Since Ning Yunzhao says it's true, then it must be true," the emperor said with a smile that held profound meaning. "Who would've thought our new top scholar is quite the romantic."

Both eunuchs in the hall forced a smile, but their smiles looked somewhat ugly.

They all knew the emperor wanted to use this chance to teach Zhu Zan a lesson, yet they did not expect Ning Yunzhao to emerge out of nowhere.

A romantic.

For a new top scholar, this was hardly a compliment.

You could say that Ning Yunzhao did this to himself; after the debacle, he could have privately informed the emperor, but instead, he chose to do it in front of everyone.

Moreover, to have a dispute with Jinyiwei Lu Yunqi over a woman in front of a public audience, can't he care a little about face?

Now see what has happened, in three days when he parades through the streets adorned with floral headdresses on horseback, everyone would not be looking at the new top scholar for his outstanding essays, but at the top scholar whose fiancée was snatched by the Jinyiwei.

A fine mess this is.

This Golden Exam has now been turned into a joke.

The emperor threw the memorial on the table with a crisp snap, and the eunuchs in the hall couldn't help but shiver.

"A welcome rain after a long drought, an encounter with an old friend in a foreign land, a bridal chamber's candlelit night, a time when his name is emblazoned on the golden list," he said with a smile, "truly congratulations to Top Scholar Ning, and instruct Thousand-Man Commander Lu not to act in a way that disappoints."

.......................................................

Jinxiu paced restlessly within the Jiuling Hall.

"I'll go take a look," said Miss Jun.

"No need," Jinxiu glared at her," Your presence would only stir more chaos."

Miss Jun laughed.

"How much worse could it get?" she said.

Just as she finished speaking, hurried footsteps approached from outside, and Seventh Chen burst in.

"How is it?" Jinxiu immediately asked.

"He..." Seventh Chen began to speak.

Just as he started, someone pushed him from behind and stood in front of Miss Jun.

"Hey, how many husbands do you actually have?" Zhu Zan asked with a frown.

Jinxiu frowned and Miss Jun laughed.

"You've met one," she replied with a smile.

Zhu Zan huffed and stretched out two fingers.

"I met the second one today," he said.

The second one?

What was he talking about?

"Over at the Northern Administrative Court, Tenth Noble Son Ning claimed he has a marital arrangement with you," Seventh Chen elaborated concisely from behind.

Everyone present was sharp, immediately grasping what had happened.

They understood, but their faces were still full of shock.

"He has lost his mind," Jinxiu blurted out.

.......................................................

Within the Ning Family's residence, maidservants and servant girls stood anxiously in the courtyard, with joy still fresh on their faces, and Second Madam Ning along with several children also looked uneasily towards one room.

Just moments ago, Ning Yan and Top Scholar Ning Yunzhao, for whom they had been eagerly waiting a whole day and night, returned, but before they could joyfully present the prepared celebration, Ning Yan, with a stern face, stopped them. Without uttering a word, he took Ning Yunzhao into the study.

The study door shut.

What had happened?

Inside the study, Ning Yan looked seriously at Ning Yunzhao.

"Is it you who's gone mad, or is it me?" he asked.

************************************************************************

Just one update today, apologies.