Chapter 61: Serving Wine

Yan Bei was being driven to distraction by fury.

From yesterday until this morning, he had prepared for so long and envisioned this moment countless times. He had wanted to be able to host her during her first official visit in a way that was both grand and dignified, hoping to slightly salvage the face he had lost when she had cast him aside. He never expected that she wouldn't give him even this small opportunity and would insist on coming here herself!

She had arrived first while he was still outside; having rushed all the way back, he felt somewhat disheveled and unkempt.

"Father! Mother bought me a little duck!"

Upon entering Yongfu Hall, Ali, who was leaning against Yue Tang's leg, raised the plush duck in his hands high the moment he saw him. His small face was flushed, his eyes were full of stars, and half of his body was nestled in his mother's embrace.

Yue Tang was leaning against the window-side couch, propping herself up with one elbow on a large pillow. Her posture was elegant, and her eyes were filled with tenderness as she looked at him with affection.

Yan Bei froze.

Looking to the side, he saw Lan Qin sitting in a chair folding small clothes, Yun Niang testing medicinal soup for Ali, and the little maids standing outside the curtain, occasionally stepping in to serve tea or water with extremely light footsteps.

For a moment, it felt as if he had returned to that simple village cottage; the three years of separation felt like a dream.

His reservoir of resentment vanished instantly.

He sat down, glanced at the mother and son once, then again, and said, "Ali, come to your father. Your mother's constitution is still weak; she cannot handle much commotion."

Ali was reluctant to leave, but Yue Tang reached out to pull him back. "He was playing happily; why did you call him away?"

Ali wrapped his small hands around his mother, twisting himself even more stubbornly.

Yue Tang stroked his head and took the medicine bowl handed to her by Yun Niang. "It's time for medicine."

Ali tilted his face up. "I want Mother to feed me."

Yue Tang smiled and scooped the medicine to his small mouth.

Their first meeting had been so sudden that it felt somewhat surreal; too many emotions had surged up at once, leaving no time to savor them.

It wasn't until this visit, when she could truly hold him and spend this half-day with him, that Yue Tang was able to sort through her thoughts. She believed that this was truly her Ali, that he truly existed, and that from this day forward, she would never let them be parted again.

Only then could she peacefully enjoy their time together.

Yan Bei's gaze remained fixed on her. Listening to the whispers between mother and son as he sat quietly, waves of emotion surged within his heart.

So, Ali's parents were both alive, and they looked like this now—he had never imagined it quite this way.

"You seemed in quite a rush just now. Did something happen with the Xu family?"

Unknowingly, Ali had obediently finished his bowl of medicine and taken the little duck back from Lan Qin's hands.

As Yue Tang handed the medicine bowl back to Yun Niang, she looked over halfway through.

"It's... nothing." Yan Bei cleared his throat. Realizing she had mentioned the Xu family, he knew Wei Zhang must have told her everything, so he said, "I happened to have business to attend to this morning and passed by the Xu residence. I thought you might not know the way to the Prince's Mansion, so I thought I'd give you a ride. Since you weren't there, never mind. I just came back on my own."

He picked up a cup of tea with a solemn expression and drank half of it in one go.

Yue Tang sat cross-legged, pulling little Ali in front of her. She then turned his small body over so he could lie flat across her thighs, supporting his neck with one hand while massaging his epigastrium with the other.

She then asked, "Then, on your way back just now, did you not hear any rumors?"

Yan Bei had been rushing all the way here and indeed hadn't paid attention to anything else. Regardless, the Prince's Mansion was equipped with specialized intelligence gatherers; news would always reach his ears eventually.

"I went to Guang'an Temple," Yue Tang said. "Last night, Wei Zhang followed Xu He to the Du residence and discovered that Du Yu intended to keep a close watch on Shen Li early this morning. So, I went there."

"And?"

"The Shen family must have made a move against the Prince of Duan's residence." Yue Tang looked at Ali, who had squinted his eyes in comfort, and said slowly, "Over the last four or five years, the Shen family has had people meeting with 'accidents' year after year. The timing of these accidents coincidentally falls around the anniversary of my brother's death."

Hearing this, Yan Bei straightened up and looked at the people in the room. "Everyone, withdraw."

In an instant, the room was cleared completely.

He then added, "All the attendants serving my son, from top to bottom, are loyal servants whose families sacrificed their lives for my father. Even the miscellaneous laborers were brought from Mobei; they all have clean backgrounds."

Yue Tang smiled. "There is no need to be so cautious. I am the Princess of Yongjia, bestowed by the late Emperor. I am a victim of harm, not a criminal bearing a disgrace. I have nothing to be ashamed of regarding my identity, so I do not fear being seen. Even if the Du family and the rest of the world were to expose my origins right now, I would have nothing to fear; I would simply lose the advantage of uncovering the truth first. Since I dared to come to your mansion, why should I be hesitant or fear this or that?"

Her words left Yan Bei feeling deeply ashamed. "I know you are fearless."

Yue Tang smiled as she took the three volumes of records from Lan Qin and briefly explained the information she had obtained.

She continued, "The late Emperor and Empress Mu were childhood sweethearts. Naturally, my father also knew Empress Mu from a young age. The deep bond between the three of them resulted in me receiving great favor from the Emperor and Empress. But precisely because of this bond, the Prince of Duan's residence would never be involved with Consort Shen's maternal family. Even after Empress Mu passed and Empress Dowager Shen took power, there was never any private connection between the Prince of Duan's residence and the Shen family. Since that is the case, I will not make any optimistic assumptions regarding the suspicious circumstances surrounding my brother's death anniversary."

At this point, she raised her head. "At the Du family's birthday banquet that day, I went to investigate Du Minghuan's study. I saw some evidence he had hidden regarding the Shen family's partisans, as well as a broken string of pearls worn by a woman. Originally, I only suspected that the person behind the Du family was not the Shen family, but after today, I am even more certain. Because when Shen Li heard that the people lying in ambush were from the Marquis of Guangling's residence, he not only immediately ordered them all to be arrested but also interrogated them publicly."

Yan Bei hurriedly took the records. "So you really did go into the Du family's study."

He then stood up and produced the evidence the guards had brought back from the Du residence that day.

"Is this what you saw?"

Yue Tang's eyes narrowed as she looked. "You actually brought it back."

Thinking about it, she understood. "The fact that the Du family hasn't openly suspected me in the days since suggests that is also your doing."

"It's nothing worth mentioning."

Yan Bei waved it off, took another sip of tea, and then looked at the three volumes he had already opened. He asked, "Although the dates overlap with your brother's death anniversary, making the Shen family highly suspicious, what is the reason for the accidents the Shen family has suffered? Who is targeting them?"

"I don't know," Yue Tang said honestly.

Ali rubbed his face against her stomach. "Mother, my bottom is itchy."

Yue Tang paused. "Where is it itchy?"

Yan Bei felt a bit awkward and took the child. "He's finished his medicine; he needs to urinate."

Yue Tang burst into laughter.

Lan Qin also stepped forward with a smile. "Your Highness, let me take the Young Master."

Yan Bei handed the child to her. "Just give him to Gao An."

The two in the room watched the large and small figures walk out, then withdrew their gazes one after the other.

Yue Tang said, "You have put much effort into raising the child so well."

"Don't say such things." Yan Bei's ears turned red.

Yue Tang smiled again and stood up. "Come, let's change locations to talk."

Yan Bei had the same intention and led the way. "There is a terrace next door; it is perfect for admiring the autumn scenery right now."

The terrace was located behind the Yangrong Studio, accessible by passing through the main corridor.

Yue Tang looked up at the characters on the plaque. "If I didn't know you, I would have to call you 'Old Prince'."

Yan Bei remained composed. "I am, after all, the head of a household and hold a position in the imperial court; it is only proper to cultivate my character daily. —Hurry, we'll be there after this turn."

The terrace was connected to a walkway on one side and enclosed by stone railings on the other three sides. Beyond the railings, several red maples were brilliant, interspersed with colorful Loropetalum trees, making it as beautiful as a painting. The terrace was clean and set with an eight-immortals table, complete with a tea stove and tea sets.

Yue Tang surveyed the area and sat in a guest seat.

Yan Bei sat in the main seat, inconspicuously picking up a fallen yellow leaf from under the table and hiding it in his sleeve.

He then called for servants to light the stove, brew tea, and prepare a sequence of twenty-four sweet and savory refreshments. He also ordered two performers to come up with lutes to serve them.

This was a textbook display of royal hospitality.

Yue Tang rested her left elbow lightly on the edge of the table, watching him make arrangements with a slight smile throughout.

When it was time for tea, she said, "Let's drink wine instead."

With that, she turned slightly toward the young eunuch who had been following and serving her since Jin Yu pointed him out. "Bring the wine."

Yan Bei was stunned. "What wine?"

"Peach Blossom Brew, specifically purchased." Once the wine arrived, Yue Tang slapped the seal off with her palm.

The fragrance of the wine immediately drifted out, making Yan Bei feel slightly lightheaded.

He grew wary. "What are you planning now?"

He had fallen victim to one of her cups of wine three years ago. Was it happening again?

"Just a small drink!" Yue Tang took two jade cups, placing one in front of each of them, then signaled the eunuch to pour.

The eunuch was very obedient and swiftly filled both cups to the brim.

Who, after all, was the master of this mansion?

Yan Bei's expression darkened. "Let's not play games. If you have an ulterior motive, just say it."

He didn't want her to pull another trick on him.

Yue Tang chuckled. "We were just talking about Wei Zhang's shout, and how Shen Li has already captured the Du family members. At this moment, I estimate the two sides should have already clashed. Although the Du family controls the Imperial Investigation Bureau, they are far from what they were when my father held power. As long as you, Your Highness, do not back the Du family, they will not be able to withstand the Shen family's accountability."

Just as Yue Tang finished speaking, Gao An hurried down the path, bowed to the two of them, and said, "Your Highness, the eldest son of the Shen family, Shen Li, just took several captured Du family guards to the Marquis's residence. He claims the Du family secretly sent people to assassinate him. The Marquis's residence has sent someone to ask for your assistance in speaking on their behalf."

Yan Bei was slightly taken aback.

Yue Tang smiled again. "Shen Li is quite capable. Even though it was clearly just surveillance, he insisted on calling it an assassination attempt. With the people in their hands, if Your Highness does not intervene, it will be impossible for the Du family to escape. Will Your Highness take action?"

Yan Bei looked at the wine before him, then at her. "Is this all you did this for?"

He was going to back the Du family? He must be crazy.

He turned to Gao An and said, "Let them resolve it themselves."

"Wait a moment."

Yue Tang called Gao An back and looked at Yan Bei. "I intentionally fanned these flames to use the Shen family to pressure the Du family. Although the Du family is currently struggling to cope, Shen Li may not necessarily be able to crush them completely. To put it simply, I feel the Du family hasn't suffered enough. If Your Highness truly intends to shake off the Du family, now is a good time."

Yan Bei understood. "You want me to kick them while they're down?"

"That's not how you put it," Yue Tang waved her hand. "Your Highness acts for the sake of the greater good. A pest like the Du family occupying key positions is certainly detrimental to the imperial court. If they are not eliminated early, they will surely become a future problem. You would be acting out of righteousness to cleanse the court!"

"Stop flattering me," Yan Bei said. "You just want me to take this opportunity to deal with the Du family."

It wasn't that he wouldn't agree. His wife and child had been harmed by the Du family; that debt certainly had to be settled.

"You don't have to do much," Yue Tang smiled faintly. "You only need to bring the suspicious points of the He and Zhang family cases to the attention of the court."

Yan Bei paused, then lowered his hand from his chin. "So, after setting the fire, you want to flip the table as well?"

Having lived together before, Yan Bei couldn't be entirely unaware of what kind of person she was.

Gao An also glanced at Yue Tang.

"Of course, it's not time to flip the table yet, so when you speak in court, you must be careful with the timing." Yue Tang's expression turned serious. "Once you have accomplished this one task, I will handle the rest. I guarantee you will be able to shake off the Du family's rotten tail."

Yan Bei stared at her for a long time.

After the He family incident, rumors had leaked from the Liu family in prison, which had terrified the Du family. If he, Yan Bei, personally brought it to the imperial court, wouldn't that be equivalent to sending the Du father and son directly to the executioner's blade?

After all this maneuvering, he hadn't expected his ex-husband to be used in such a way!

He picked up the wine and drank half a cup, his face solemn. "I am a dignified Prince Regent. Even if I am not a man whose word is law, I am certainly significant. You ask me to act, yet I have nothing to gain!"

"How could there be no gain?" Yue Tang personally refilled his cup.

Yan Bei squinted. "What gain?"

Reconciliation was something he could consider.

Yue Tang set the cup down. "On one hand, the Du family presents you openly, but on the other, they secretly seek patronage from others, acting as lapdogs for different masters. For such disloyal and unrighteous people, even if you were to kill them with your own hands, you would be restoring order and acting in the long-term interest of the Prince's residence. If that is not enough, I will remind you of one more thing. Do you know how much reward money the Du family gave to the He and Zhang families? They gave thirty thousand taels to the Zhang family. He Jianzhong was the main leader of the entire operation; his share was certainly no less than the Zhang family's. Just the increase in the He family's assets over the last three years, combined with He Xu's private property, amounts to at least forty or fifty thousand taels. Furthermore, there was the blood money for the Liu clan and those hundred or so assassins—the Du family couldn't have paid for all of that, could they?"

She had calculated all of this while she was with the He family. As for why she was worth a hundred thousand taels, that was another topic to be discussed later.

Watching Yan Bei's face gradually stiffen, she curled her lips. "I've done a rough calculation, and it totals about a hundred thousand taels. For someone to be able to produce so much silver just to kill me, how wealthy must they be? Since the Prince of Jingyang has resided on the borders since his ennoblement, you must know better than anyone the hardships faced by the thousands of soldiers in the cold North. The families of loyal officials who died for the country and fought for the Prince's residence are still serving you. Now that there is ready silver right before your eyes, does Your Highness not wish to dig it up to improve the lives of your soldiers and reward their loyalty?"