Chapter Seven: Journey South (I)

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  Xinyuan Teahouse, which suddenly changed its owner a month ago. The new boss of this old teahouse next to the Beizhen Fu's government office is Zhou Huai'an, the former hundred households of the Jin Yiwei. The most dangerous place is also the safest place, and the headquarters of Dark Shadow Beijing is set right under the nose of the Jin Yiwei. Zhou Huai'an really has a big nerve.

  Zhou Huai'an used to be a hundred households, although he had a disagreement with the left thousand households and resigned. Now he has started a business and is doing well, his tea house is prosperous and he receives a lot of useful information from the Jin Yiwei guards who come to drink tea and chat. However, this has its advantages and disadvantages, as the left thousand households is jealous of Zhou Huai'an's success after leaving his post and opening a tea house that is making a lot of money. The left thousand households is normally cruel to people and his subordinates are afraid of him because of his high position, except for a few loyal followers, most people prefer Zhou Huai'an who is generous and righteous. As a result, whenever the left thousand households' men cause trouble at the Xinyuan tea house, they end up being defeated and the resentment between the two sides grows deeper.

  After Zhou Huai'an left his position, several Jin Yiwei who were close to him also left and are now core members of the Dark Shadow. Zhou Huai'an has not dared to recruit new members from among the active Jin Yiwei for the time being. The Eunuch Party still has considerable reservations about his sudden disappearance for several months and then sudden reappearance, which is also a miscalculation on Zhu Yinglong's part. If he had directly kept Zhou Huai'an in the capital, the Dark Shadow organization might have already infiltrated the Jin Yiwei by now.

  The teahouse gradually became deserted in the afternoon, Zhou Huai'an ordered his partner to close up shop, came out from the back door of the teahouse, looked around and saw no one, only then did he leave with a sense of relief.

  The thing that has been hidden in my bosom for a month now, the king ordered to think of every possible way to deliver it, but until now the thing is still in my hands, I feel guilty about the king's entrustment and cannot delay any further, today I must find a way to send it out.

  The sky suddenly became dark and gloomy, with dark clouds swirling above, as if hinting at something. Zhou Huan raised his head to glance at the mysterious cloud layer, when suddenly a strong gust of wind blew, sending sand and stones dancing wildly, stinging his face coldly. He quickened his pace involuntarily, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished into the end of the street.

  Yesterday's spring snow was so big! The weather in Beijing changes suddenly, and Empress Zhang Yan sat quietly in the warm pavilion of Kun Ning Palace, closing her eyes and thinking deeply.

  "Your Majesty, the Emperor said he won't be coming today, and told you not to wait for him." A palace maid suddenly came in and knelt down to report.

  Zhang Yan opened her phoenix eyes and took a glance at the kneeling palace maid, Zi He. She said lightly, "This palace understands, you can get up now, the ground is cold."

  Zi He nodded and said "yes", then lowered his head and stood aside.

  "Your Majesty has gone to see Holy Ancestor Grandma," Zihe whispered.

  Zhang Yan's expression didn't change, as if she was already used to this kind of thing and had heard it all before.

  Just then, the eunuch at the gate announced that Zhang Guoji, the Duke of State, had arrived to pay his respects. Zhang Yan's body shook with surprise as she hastily ordered, "Quickly invite him in!"

  "Your Majesty, I, Zhang Guoji, pay my respects to you, may you live for a thousand years, ten thousand years!" Due to the aftermath of the deposed empress, in order to avoid suspicion, Zhang Yan had not seen her father for nearly a month. When she saw her father kneeling before her, shouting "Long live Your Majesty", she suddenly couldn't hold back tears and rushed forward to support Zhang Guoji, catching sight of his grey hair at his temples, choking with sobs: "Father, your daughter is useless, letting you suffer unjustly!"

  "It's all because of your useless father, almost fell into their trap." Zhang Guo Ji was also filled with emotion when he saw his daughter.

  "By the way, Father, how did that eunuch allow you to enter the palace to see your daughter?" Although Zhang Guo Ji was not punished in the end, he was ordered by Emperor Tian Qi to reflect on his mistakes at home for half a year. How could he suddenly enter the palace to see her? Zhang Yan naturally wanted to ask clearly.

  "Yan'er, have you forgotten that today is your birthday?" Zhang Guoji asked in surprise.

  "Birthdays?" Zhang Yan suddenly remembered that she had been feeling somewhat off all day, as if she had forgotten something. She even personally went to the imperial kitchen to order more dishes from the chefs and asked Zihua to invite the emperor to her Kun Ning Palace for dinner.

  "Your Highness, you went to the imperial kitchen early this morning and ordered the royal chef to make a few dishes that you and the Emperor love to eat. You even wore the phoenix hairpin that the Emperor gave you. I thought you knew it was your birthday today!" Zihe whispered.

  Seeing the cold dishes on the table next to him, Zhang Guojie suddenly understood everything. In previous years, when his daughter had her birthday, the Emperor would always come over in person to accompany her, but this year...

  "Zihe, tell everyone to warm up the wine and dishes, I'll accompany Father for a few cups!" Zhang Yan said with a forced smile.

  Zihe obeyed and withdrew the wine and dishes, taking them to the imperial kitchen to be reheated.

  "Dad, are you okay outside?" Zhang Yan asked as they sat back down.

  Zhang Guoji sighed and said: "I, Zhang Guoji, have lived for more than half of my life before I knew what human feelings are like!"

  "Dad, you can use some of it, I still have some savings here." Zhang Yan hurriedly said.

  "No, no." Zhang Guoji hastily waved his hand and said, "Dad has been living off your glory all these years, has some savings, doesn't lack anything. Moreover, the expenses in this palace are not small either, how can Dad take your money?"

  "Dad, I know you're used to being generous, what savings do we have? My money is yours too, Dad. Don't worry about me, I'm a princess after all, they won't dare to mistreat me." Zhang Yan said with tears in her eyes.

  Zhang Guoji shook his head repeatedly and resolutely said: "Yan'er, you don't have to worry, your father won't starve to death."

  Zhang Yan saw that her old father's words were evasive, and he insisted on not accepting his own support. There must be a hidden reason for this. Her face turned serious, and she asked sternly: "Father, are you hiding something from me?"

  Zhang Guo Ji glanced around at the palace maids surrounding Zhou, and Zhang Yan immediately understood, asking all the palace maids and eunuchs in the warm pavilion to leave, leaving only the father-daughter pair.

  Zhang Guo Ji mysteriously pulled out a large cowhide envelope from his bosom and handed it to Zhang Yan, whispering in her ear: "Yan'er, this letter was given to me by Wang Ye to pass on to you. The messenger also told me to tell you..."

  Zhang Yan's face suddenly turned pale after hearing this, and she asked in a trembling voice: "Father, is what you said true?"

  Zhang Guoji nodded slowly towards him.

  "Your Ladyship, the wine and dishes have been reheated. Shall I bring them in now?" At this time, Zi He's voice came from outside the warm pavilion.

  Zhang Yan hastily hid the cowhide envelope in her bosom and regained her composure, saying: "Come on in!"

  Zihe rearranged the wine and dishes, Zhang Yan said to her: "Zihe, I have a few family matters to discuss with my father, you don't need to serve here anymore, go down and rest."

  Zi He looked at Zhang Guo Ji with a hint of surprise, but still followed orders and left.

  Zhang Guoji looked at the distant figure of Zihe with a profound gaze, while Zhang Yan looked at the receding figure of Zihe and felt a silent pang of sorrow. She turned to Zhang Guoji in disbelief and asked: "Father, is it really her?"

  Zhang Guoji shook his head and said, "There's no one else!"

  "My daughter doesn't believe!" Zhang Yan lowered her head, and a crystal tear rolled out of the corner of Feng Mudi's eye.

  "Yan'er, you can't let emotions cloud your judgment. If you fall, the Zhang family will be finished. And think of Prince Xin, he has always treated you like a younger sister!" Zhang Guo's words were filled with concern and sincerity.

  Zhang Yan, after all, is the mother of a country. She still has decisiveness, wiping away the tears from her eyes, and shooting out confident glances from her phoenix-like eyes. Calmly, she said: "Father, rest assured, I have my own measure!"

  "That's all right, Father," Zhang Guojie said anxiously. "But from now on, Father can't come to the palace to see you. You must be more careful in your actions and never let them find any fault with you."

  Zhang Guoji hastily finished his wine and dishes in the warm pavilion and left the palace to return to his residence.

  After Zhang Guo left, Zhang Yan hastily opened the cowhide envelope. Inside, in addition to Zhu Yinglong's handwritten letter, there were also twenty one-thousand-tael silver notes.

  Zhang Yan excitedly unfolded the letter with the fragrance of orchids, and the familiar handwriting appeared before her eyes. The letter revealed the plot of Wei Zhongxian's conspiracy to eliminate both himself and Zhang Yan together, and the deep longing emotions were deeply embedded in every sentence, every word. As Zhang Yan read, she was overwhelmed with emotion, tears streaming down her face. Although the lotus root had been broken, the silk threads still connected them. She never expected that her little brother, whom she needed to take care of in the palace, would now be able to take care of her instead. Looking at the signature and date, it was actually written half a month ago. This letter must have gone through many hardships to reach her hands. Although she didn't want to destroy the letter, she finally burned it into ashes. She couldn't afford to take this risk.

  Although she rarely uses silver while living in the palace, its importance is no less than that of the common people. Zhang Yan is naturally clever and must know the subtleties involved. With these 200,000 silvers, she can secretly buy off some people, as well as those reclusive consorts who, although powerless and without influence, still have connections with many people in both the imperial court and outside it. No one dares to offend them within the palace. With their support, she might be able to suppress Wei Zhongxian's and Madame Ke's arrogance within the palace.