The Ninth Year of Shenchu
Needle Tip versus Wheat Awning (Part 5)
Zhen Wenjun’s pitiful big eyes blinked, urgently longing for Wei Tingxu’s favor, but who knew favor would not come, and the curtain was mercilessly pulled up by Wei Tingxu.
Holding the quilt, Zhen Wenjun: “…”
Wei Tingxu put the curtain down, paused for a moment, then pulled it open again, still seeing the same scene; Zhen Wenjun had not disappeared, still lying there naked, it was not her imagination.
“What are you doing?” Wei Tingxu asked her.
Zhen Wenjun rolled over and got up, excited to speak, she wrapped the quilt around her body, like a Hu tribe man about to go wrestling.
“Sister, this matter is exciting! Don’t pull the curtain, listen to me!”
Without Wei Tingxu’s consent, Zhen Wenjun began talking rapidly on her own. Actually, what she said was mostly true, just slightly edited and rearranged the order of events, and incidentally reported the guard who kept staring at her.
“I originally wanted to help sister tidy up the room, but was driven out by that black-faced guard. He has doubted me since I started being by sister’s side; no matter what I do, he must strictly watch over me. However, this doesn’t matter, because my loyalty to sister can withstand the test. I can swallow my grievances, but he actually allowed an assassin to freely enter and exit sister’s residence; how can I endure this! I saw him as strong as bronze and iron, thought he was so powerful, so alert to protect sister’s safety, but in the end, such a big living person was placed in sister’s room, and he didn’t notice at all! Truly a showy but useless embroidered pillow! I thought he was dutifully loyal; turns out he just didn’t like the look of me!
“This matter was also a coincidence. I was just about to find Lingbi to bathe together, but that pool is outside the backyard, normally it takes a long walk, so to save trouble I took the corridor behind the house that hasn’t been cleaned yet, and just happened to see that villain sneaking into sister’s room. The design of this courtyard is really too dangerous; I secretly followed that person and found out the patio can actually hide people! Luckily discovered early, otherwise, if sister returned after nightfall, and another assassin sneaked in, wouldn’t sister be in mortal danger?”
“So that’s it.” Wei Tingxu supported her head, listening to Zhen Wenjun’s rapid speech, with a slightly surprised look on her face. After her thoughts turned a full circle, her eyebrows slightly raised, as if she picked out the tiny beginning of this “circle” she thought of, “It’s really thanks to sister’s agility that the eldest princess didn’t misunderstand, otherwise it truly would have been indefensible. But pulling the curtain and suddenly seeing this appearance, I thought sister wanted to…”
Zhen Wenjun felt her face heat up as she got out of bed wrapped in a quilt, putting on clothes while saying: “I was forced with no other way out; if it were just sister, it would be manageable, but the trouble is the eldest princess came along with sister. I didn’t want the eldest princess to see Xie family’s Ah Xin appear on sister’s bed, but I was too foolish, and for a moment couldn’t think of another way, so in a hurry, I thought of this bad idea. I figured the eldest princess would surely be too embarrassed to ask more questions and might discreetly leave, giving us more time to handle A Xin.”
Wei Tingxu nodded: “But I have a question, and I need sister to answer.”
“Mm?” Zhen Wenjun had already put on her clothes and narrow pants, tying her belt while looking at Wei Tingxu, waiting for her question.
“How did sister know the relationship between the princess and Ah Xin is unusual?”
“Sister doesn’t know?” Zhen Wenjun said with innocence, “Before, I saw Xie family’s Ah Xin in the market; didn’t she save Zhong Ji? At that time, I noticed her waist sachet with the begonia flower, exquisite and cute. Later, when sister took me to see the eldest princess, I saw the eldest princess also had exactly the same one, and the way both tied their hair was extremely similar. At that time, I had some thoughts, and today, seeing this scene, I realized the relationship between the princess and Xie family’s Ah Xin is unusual.” Saying this, she very worriedly held Wei Tingxu’s hand and said, “Sister, the reason Xie family’s Ah Xin appeared here is naturally to drive a wedge between sister and the eldest princess, but that Xie Fuchen wouldn’t even spare his own biological daughter? Really worse than beasts! If not for my coincidental exposure of this matter, and the princess truly saw Ah Xin on the bed, how terrible it would have been.”
Wei Tingxu gently lifted Zhen Wenjun’s chin: “But with sister guarding me, trouble won’t find me.”
Zhen Wenjun shyly smiled, called “sister,” and wanted to pounce into Wei Tingxu’s arms, but suddenly stopped halfway and said: “Sister! There is one more thing!” She dragged the unconscious Xie family’s Ah Xin out from under the bed and asked, “How should we handle this Xie family’s Ah Xin?”
Wei Tingxu joked: “You actually dared to knock out the eldest princess’s beloved and hide her under the bed.”
“I really had no choice! I didn’t want to! But I didn’t hit that hard, and Ah Xin is an expert; she shouldn’t be unconscious for this long.” Zhen Wenjun carried Ah Xin back to the bed, called a few times, and Ah Xin groaned in confusion, but her eyes couldn’t open, and the sweat on her body only increased.
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Wei Tingxu’s nose slightly moved, and she told Zhen Wenjun to come over and carry her over.
Wei Tingxu sat next to Ah Xin, lowered her head, and sniffed around her mouth and nose, concluding: “Furong Powder?”
“Ah?”
“She was force-fed Furong Powder, although not much, it is top-grade Furong Powder, and just a little can destroy a person’s mind. It seems it was also mixed with other substances to mask Furong Powder’s distinctive smell; without careful sniffing, you really can’t tell.”
Furong Powder was Zhen Wenjun’s tool for making money, and the twenty thousand taels of silver she used to build her fortune were earned using Furong Powder from the foolish daughter of a landlord, Ah Liao. She knew many disciples of noble families in Da Yu used this thing, but she had not seen with her own eyes what they become after using it.
“Turns out… using Furong Powder would actually be like this. Sister, could it be that Furong Powder and aphrodisiacs are similar in effect?”
Wei Tingxu shook her head: “Aphrodisiacs cannot compare with Furong Powder. Furong Powder can clear the eyes, stimulate energy, dispel cold, and relieve pain. Consuming a lot allows one to not feel cold even in the depths of winter without wearing a thread. Some even say Furong Powder can make the skin brighter and smoother, making it extremely sensitive, allowing one to enjoy unimaginable pleasure during intimacy.”
“So that’s why Ah Liao likes it so much?”
Mentioning Ah Liao, Wei Tingxu’s expression slightly darkened: “Furong Powder spread among the aristocrats of the Runing family and became fashionable for a time. Scholars everywhere imitated it to avoid being excluded during elegant gatherings or discussions. They praise Furong Powder’s miraculous effects, but few are willing to talk about its harm. It causes great damage to the body; with just a small amount of aphrodisiacs like epimedium or cnidium added, it can completely destroy even the most strong-willed person’s mind. Ah Xin is one of the few talented generals I’ve seen; it is said she could still take the head of a Hu bandit after being hit with six arrows on the battlefield, but now you see, brave as she is, she cannot resist Furong Powder’s poison. Besides, after Furong Powder’s effects pass, there are strong side effects; dizziness and nausea are certain, and more severe cases lead to vomiting, unconsciousness, or even death. Before when Ah Liao and I lived in Pingcang, she once got heartbroken, and that night, she smoked three pipes of Furong Powder in a row. In the middle of the night, she ran out alone and almost drowned herself in the lake, but my family’s guard noticed her abnormality and followed her to save her life. After saving her, she vomited for a whole day, and when she finally woke up, she completely did not remember this incident.”
“Heavens, this is too frightening.” Actually, Zhen Wenjun did not find it frightening at all; she was a little dragon who had seen big scenes, and the mere incident of Ah Liao almost drowning could not shock her. But Wei Tingxu spoke so seriously, she didn’t want to dampen the mood, so she made a face of indignation, letting Wei Tingxu continue.
“My father and sister both told me that Furong Powder is a highly toxic substance that destroys the mind and must not be touched. Once contaminated, it is extremely difficult to quit.”
“Extremely difficult to quit… does this mean Ah Xin will also find it hard to break free in the future?”
“This calamity, Ah Xin can only rely on her own determination to get through.”
These refined scholars today once again opened Zhen Wenjun’s eyes; she never expected that to execute a scheme of alienation, even a biological father would give his daughter poison to send her onto someone else’s bed… However, wasn’t Xie Taihang also like this? Back then, to coerce her into infiltrating Wei Tingxu’s side as a spy, he used all kinds of despicable means. If you really think about it, Xie Taihang is also her biological father… those with the surname Xie really are all one family.
“But sister, we can’t let her stay here with us forever.” Zhen Wenjun looked at Ah Xin, who seemed to be regaining consciousness, wanting to quickly get rid of this trouble. Remembering that Ah Xin once bluntly called Wei Tingxu a “witch,” it seemed she held great hostility towards Wei Tingxu. If she wakes up and finds out where she is, she might cause a scene.
Wei Tingxu was also pondering this problem, tapping her fingertips on her lips, then suddenly smiled: “Why not just do a favor by going along with the flow.”
Li Yanyi came out from Wei Tingxu’s residence courtyard, still thinking about the young lady she saw inside the curtain as she got into the carriage. It seems like she’s seen her somewhere before? This person appears to have been by Zizhuo’s side for a while, is she Zizhuo’s newly promoted capable assistant? She’s seen so many people that it all becomes a blur. Since she is Zizhuo’s strategist, why was she in Zizhuo’s room in that manner? Could it be that Zizhuo… Li Yanyi considered that Wei Tingxu is always accompanied by maidservants, with guards only responsible for safety, and no men close to her. Friends and acquaintances with any connection are all women, not to mention Zhangsun Ran. Speaking of Zhangsun Ran, she spends all day following beautiful ladies and causing trouble, making the head of the Zhangsun family worry sick about this daughter. It is said she also regularly uses Furong Powder? Wei Tingxu’s acquaintances are such people, so surely she is influenced by what she sees and hears.
Li Yanyi sat in the carriage, and from this, she thought of other troublesome matters that give her a headache.
Now, Da Yu’s men are fighting in the north, not seeing women for years, and in unbearable loneliness, there are countless instances of mutual copulation and comfort. And within the country, there are many women, besides some who originally have the habit of mirror polishing, more are left empty in deep boudoirs with nowhere to vent, and can only seek same-sex relief. Li Yanyi does not disapprove of the current domestic trend; during peaceful years, it is all well, but now soldiers cannot be recruited. If the same-sex trend rises greatly, Da Yu’s population will sharply decrease ten years later. By then, with the Hu tribe’s strong soldiers, Da Yu might not be able to resist.
Li Yanyi understands this point, but Wei Tingxu’s other words always linger in her mind:
“…Before becoming the first female emperor in history, the first thing to do is to vigorously promote women’s status, so that Your Highness’s path to power can be justified.”
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On one side are national affairs; on the other, power. Li Yanyi fell into deep thought, reaching the guest house before realizing it. It was only when an officer from the Huben Army came to inform her that she suddenly returned to her senses. Lifting the curtain, she found she had come back, yet she still needed to go find the Quxian magistrate, so she instructed her attendants to set off and return.
The Quxian magistrate had heard early on that the eldest princess had come to Suichuan. She had just caused chaos at Nanya, and now she had quickly come to Suichuan. The situation in Suichuan was extremely sensitive, and as a small county magistrate, he did not want trouble but was helplessly forced to meet her.
Li Yanyi asked him if he had work tomorrow, and Magistrate Hu froze for a moment, thoughts racing through his mind, then cupped his hands and said: “Reply to Your Highness, tomorrow I was to go to the fields to personally plow. Is it not already early spring? As they say, the year’s plan lies in spring, and Quxian is weak in labor and scarce in strong men. Although I am already old bones, I am also concerned for the grain problem of thousands of households in the county, I…”
Li Yanyi impatiently waved her hand, really not wanting to hear more of his dignified official tone: “You are going spring plowing? How many times can you hoe? Exempt spring plowing; tomorrow, you have more important matters to handle for me.”
“Respectfully obey the eldest princess’s order!”
“Come to the guest house at mao hour (5 AM to 7 AM) tomorrow to see me, and bring more young and strong ones from the county office who can carry heavy things. Follow me for a trip in Quxian.”
“A trip, a trip? Your Highness, what is it that you want to do?”
“You will know tomorrow.”
When Li Yanyi came out of the county office, the sky was already completely dark. Having gotten up too early today, on the way back to the guest house, drowsiness surged, and she couldn’t hold up and dozed off.
After arriving at her destination, she crossed over the high gate stone steps of the guest house, through the quiet small courtyard. The short trees on both sides were pruned extremely exquisitely, the same height as Li Yanyi, unable to hide people, but very graceful and lovely. Branches gradually grew out tender green buds, under the lanterns, presenting a scene of early spring beauty. Li Yanyi looked straight ahead, completely ignoring these intricate details, and stepped on the wooden walkway straight into the hall.
“Your Highness, someone has sent an injured lady.” As Li Yanyi stepped into the hall with the chill of the night, Lin Quan stepped forward to report. Li Yanyi very keenly sensed something from Lin Quan’s somewhat unspeakable expression and stared at his face, asking:
“Who sent her? Who sent her?”
“The sender is unknown. Old Xu, while fetching water in the backyard, saw Lady Ah Xin leaning against the well, and at that time, no one was beside her.”
“Ah Xin?” Hearing Ah Xin’s name, Li Yanyi paused in removing her fur coat, then immediately threw the coat aside and quickly went to the inner room.
Lin Quan followed up, with Zhonglang Liu Feng and several Huben Army members walking on both sides to clear the way for her. The guest house is the place for the eldest princess to rest, and idle people had long been cleared out, yet unexpectedly someone could silently bring a living person inside. Liu Feng gave all the subordinates a stern scolding, telling them to be careful. If anything happened to the eldest princess, everyone’s head would roll.
“Where is Ah Xin! What part of her is injured?”
When Li Yanyi asked this question, she surprisingly did not receive an answer and quite strangely turned back to look at Lin Quan. She discovered that both Lin Quan and Liu Feng, as well as the others, had very strange demeanors, with an awkwardness of wanting to speak but hesitating.
“What exactly is going on! Just speak freely!” With big and small matters chasing her all day, she really had no energy left to guess anymore.
Liu Feng stood straight, with no intention of speaking, so Lin Quan had no choice but to say: “Ahem, Lady Ah Xin seems to have inhaled Furong Powder and is currently… currently agitated, urgently needing relief.”
“Furong Powder?” This matter truly was beyond Li Yanyi’s expectations, as Ah Xin, in her life, most hated this harmful Furong Powder; how could she possibly have inhaled it?
“Who did this, who made Ah Xin become like this…” Li Yanyi angrily said, “Investigate this for me!”
Liu Feng and the others knelt, saying in unison: “Yes!”
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In Runing, at the Tai Ji Hall.
Li Ju fundamentally could not sit still, pacing back and forth in front of the dragon throne. Seeing Feng Kun finally arrive, he pointed at him, not knowing what to say.
“You, how can you do this!”
Feng Kun had just knelt down when Li Ju pointed at his forehead and angrily said: “I already told you, Xie family’s Ah Xin is Xie Zhongcheng’s daughter, so why did you still use Furong Powder to poison her? Now Li Yanyi is investigating the source of this matter everywhere, and even Xie Zhongcheng, far away in Mengliang, knows about it. But the truth will come out eventually, and the Xie family’s spies will soon inform him about Ah Xin! By then, instead of sowing discord, you’ve disrupted our own plans. How can you be so foolish!”
Facing the emperor’s questioning, Feng Kun, with an unchanged expression, said: “Under the foundation of a thousand years, corpses are everywhere, with many good families extinct and entire clans destroyed, all to protect Day Y’s throne from being taken by treacherous people. ‘Wise and strategic people must have foresight and clarity; without clarity, secrets cannot be illuminated. Capable people must be strong and upright; without strength, treachery cannot be corrected.’ Xie Zhongcheng will understand this reasoning. A mere daughter is not worth mentioning.”
“But Xie Zhongcheng…”
Feng Kun interrupted him: “Alienation is to divide hearts. Li Yanyi and Wei Tingxu have known each other since childhood and both possess unparalleled talent. To alienate them requires special means, and my plan today is the best strategy against capable ones. Today, I planted an evil seed in their hearts, and in the future, it will bear evil fruit. This is the axe of attacking the heart.”
LP: These old men are clowns