Whom did she marry?
Zhe Qing never married throughout her entire life, devoting every ounce of her blood, sweat, and tears to the imperial court.
Zhe Qing carried her mother’s surname; her mother was Zhe Min, and her grandmother was Zhe Hui.
Her father was not a matrilocal husband who married into the family, but he had allowed their daughter to take the Zhe family name. Back in the day, the Zhe family wielded immense prestige and influence in the imperial court, their clan’s official ranks far surpassed those of even imperial relatives and nobles.
Eighteen years ago, the entire Zhe family clan perished in Lingnan. Later, rumors circulated that Zhe Hui had surrendered to the enemy, leading to the execution of every single member of the Zhe family. At that time, Lin Huaijin knelt before the throne for a day and a night, managing to save only Zhe Qing’s life.
Zhe Qing grew up under the care of her mentor within the Lin residence, and later, with the backing of the Empress Dowager, she stepped onto the political stage step by step, ultimately ascending to her current position as Prime Minister.
To this day, people still gossiped about the Zhe family’s alleged treason, looking down upon Zhe Qing.
According to historical records, Zhe Hui had led an army of 100,000 troops, suffering 80,000 casualties before finally surrendering to the enemy with the remaining 20,000 soldiers. When the news reached the capital, the Emperor and Empress were sent into a furious rage and immediately ordered the execution of the entire Zhe family.
As for the true circumstances of that battle, Luo Tang had no way of knowing.
Noticing her silence, Zhe Qing cast a cool, detached glance her way before withdrawing her gaze. “Have you run out of divine diviner pretense?”
Luo Tang turned her gaze back toward Zhe Qing.
Feeling her stare, Zhe Qing looked back.
Luo Tang remained composed. A single touch of cinnabar rested between her brows, vivid and bright against her skin, accentuating the soft, pale-pink blush blooming across her cheeks. She smiled radiantly, looking as warm and bright as the spring sun.
Even if she was a fraudulent diviner, this particular diviner was undeniably stunning, her appearance nothing short of breathtaking.
Luo Tang pressed her lips together into a firm line, pondered for a moment, and asked sincerely, “Did you choose not to marry simply because you wanted to follow your mentor’s example?”
Lin Huaijin had never married, remaining single and companionless past the age of forty.
Historical texts always painted Lin Huaijin in a positive light; she had willingly resigned from official service just to save the last remaining descendant of the Zhe family. Later, when her own student began abusing her political power, Lin Huaijin personally stepped forward to expose her, before returning to active service and rising to the rank of Prime Minister, truly an exceptional and irreplaceable talent.
Zhe Qing took a sip of tea, the fragrant warmth lingering in her mouth. Hearing the words of the self-proclaimed divine diviner, she let out an unbidden chuckle and remarked, “You are quite clever.”
She could see the subtle signs before they fully manifested. Yet the original Luo Tang she remembered had always been well-mannered but timid and weak now, she seemed like an entirely different person.
The tavern keeper personally brought out their dishes, placing three delicate desserts in front of each of them. Luo Tang’s eyes lit up. Picking up her spoon, she took a bite; it wasn’t overly sweet and carried a rich, milky fragrance.
Once the keeper stepped away, she asked Zhe Qing, “If I come back to eat here next time, can I get it on the house?”
Completely captivated by the dessert before her, A-Gui paid no attention to their conversation, practically burying her face inside her bowl.
Glancing at Luo Tang, Zhe Qing offered proactively, “I can help you. First, you need to produce the inventory list and account books for your family’s assets. From what I know, the person who handled your family’s affairs back then was a imperial scholar-bureaucrat who is currently serving as a magistrate somewhere around the Jiangnan region. His official post was secured through connections arranged by your maternal uncle, so he may not necessarily be willing to help you.”
Three or five years had already passed. Furthermore, the man was far away from the capital and had already benefited from the Grand Commandant’s estate, why would he ever go out of his way to help an orphaned girl?
The matter would be exceptionally difficult to resolve.
Luo Tang fell silent, while Zhe Qing remained completely composed. “The day I returned to my estate, I dispatched people to investigate. The Grand Commandant’s estate is currently renovating its gardens and living in extreme luxury, yet your uncle only holds a sinecure post within the Rites Ministry. How could he possibly support the living expenses of such a massive household?”
She didn’t even need to mention that while the Grand Commandant’s estate was visibly declining in political influence, its outward appearance remained as glamorous as ever, with family members traveling in lavish carriages accompanied by hordes of arrogant servants.
Luo Tang smiled, lifting her brows slightly. “You know, and I know, but we lack the concrete evidence.”
“I’ve sent my men to track that individual down. Wait patiently for a while, and once you return to the estate, do not make any reckless moves. Understand?” Zhe Qing kindly cautioned. Luo Tang was only fifteen or sixteen, and her thoughts were remarkably straightforward; if she accidentally exposed her hand, the Xiao family might resort to murder just to secure the wealth.
Pausing for a moment, Zhe Qing’s gaze softened considerably as she murmured, “Do not reveal your intentions prematurely, little divine diviner.”
“I am not a divine diviner,” Luo Tang muttered, her head aching slightly as she focused intently on Zhe Qing’s eyes. She noticed they were slightly elongated, remaining calm and ripple-free at rest, yet whenever she looked at someone, the outer corners would tilt up just a fraction, revealing a subtle spark of emotion.
Such a breathtaking beauty was truly a feast for the eyes.
She whispered, “If you encounter any difficult trials, you can come find me; perhaps I can help you. Also, in the spring of the eighth year of Mingcheng, the river dikes around the Qin County region are going to breach…”
Zhe Qing’s heart skipped a beat. That crisis was indeed a looming possibility, though the tense political situation meant it had not yet been made public knowledge.
She probed, “Are you trying to figure out a solution? I mean, are you trying to work out a way to resolve the crisis?”
Luo Tang lowered her voice to a near-whisper. In the historical records, this specific achievement had been credited entirely to Lin Huaijin’s name.
Zhe Qing narrowed her eyes. “What on earth are you implying?”
“What I mean is… the brilliant solution you painstakingly sweat over will be stolen by someone else, presented to the Empress Dowager, and make that person’s reputation skyrocket. If you trust me, use this incident as your test case and sit tight without making any hasty moves. This is my sincerity, do you understand?”
Luo Tang expended a great deal of breath, her face growing flushed with nervous tension, yet her eyes reflected Zhe Qing’s cool, poised, and reserved visage.
Zhe Qing did not immediately reply. To Luo Tang, her silence served as tacit confirmation.
Having finished her own pastry, A-Gui set her sights on Zhe Qing’s bowl. Without missing a beat, Luo Tang slid her untouched portion across the table. “I haven’t touched this one yet.”
“Thank you! You’re only the second person in the world who’s ever shared their food with me. Elder Sister, you’re so nice!” A-Gui happily accepted it, then turned to look at Zhe Qing. “Sister, your midnight friend is wonderful.”
Midnight friend…
The two of them stared blankly at A-Gui. Zhe Qing’s face flushed completely crimson, while Luo Tang tilted her head to look at her, a broad smile blooming in her eyes.
After finishing their meal, the three of them parted ways outside the tavern. Zhe Qing bade farewell to Luo Tang, instructing, “If anything comes up, come find me at the Lin residence.”
A-Gui waved happily at Luo Tang. “Goodbye, midnight friend!”
Midnight friend.
Luo Tang was escorted back to the Grand Commandant’s estate in the tavern’s carriage.
She first made an obligatory appearance in the Dowager Elder’s courtyard. Coincidentally, all the young misses of the household were gathered there, along with the maternal female relatives of the Grand Commandant’s wife.
Since Luo Tang lived as a dependent in the Grand Commandant’s estate, the maternal niece of the Eldest Aunt (the Grand Commandant’s wife), Guo Mingying, was also present. She shared an exceptionally close bond with Xiao Sese, and the two were currently seated together chatting away. As Luo Tang approached, Xiao Sese pulled her over and said, “Consort De sent someone over with some pearl hairpins. I kept you in mind and saved two for you.”
With that, a maidservant handed over a small decorative box containing two white pearl hairpins.
If she were the original owner, she probably would have accepted them without a second thought. Amused, Luo Tang asked, “Are these really meant for me? I almost thought they were intended for some kitchen maid. Thanks for keeping me in mind, you must have put real thought into this.”
Leaving her with the leftovers and claiming she was being “thoughtful”?
Accepting the hairpins, Luo Tang picked one up, turned around, and pinned it straight into the hair of a nearby maidservant, flashing a sweet smile. “It suits you wonderfully.”
The entire room fell into a dead silence at the abrupt spectacle. Xiao Sese’s expression shifted dramatically, and Guo Mingying spoke up first: “What has gotten into you, Cousin? Did someone upset you today, so you’re coming here to vent your frustrations on us?”
“How would I ever dare take my frustrations out on you? I merely thought the hairpin suited her very well. Shall I check out your hairpins as well, Eldest Cousin?”
Luo Tang smiled brightly at Guo Mingying, her gaze crystal clear.
Looking deeply aggrieved, Guo Mingying protested, “Why must you twist my words around like that? Sese genuinely thought they suited you, which is why she saved them for you.”
“Oh my, I appreciate my cousin’s kind intentions. It’s just that… I simply don’t care for the color white,” Luo Tang let her smile fade. Catching sight of the Eldest Aunt and Madam Guo out of the corner of her eye, she stopped talking, took a seat on her own, and couldn’t be bothered to waste any more energy on them.
While the elders chose to turn a blind eye to the petty squabbles between the younger generation, the pearl hairpins instantly became unwearable after all, no noble lady wanted to be seen wearing the exact same accessory as a domestic maidservant.
This subtle maneuver left the girls who had already picked out their hairpins secretly seething with annoyance. Gifts bestowed by an Imperial Consort were naturally precious treasures, but now none of them could bear to wear them out in public.
Originally, the nine daughters of the three branches of the Grand Commandant’s household both legitimate and concubine-born had each happily selected a hairpin, but thanks to this disruption, everyone’s good mood was instantly ruined.
Luo Tang, however, couldn’t care less about their feelings. If I’m going to be unhappy, nobody else gets to be happy either.
After the brief flare-up, the room lapsed into an awkward silence until the Dowager Elder finally noticed something was amiss. “Why has everyone suddenly stopped talking?”
Xiao Sese burst into aggrieved tears, while Guo Mingying patted her sister’s hand and reported to the Dowager Elder, “We were just joking around, discussing some poetry earlier.”
Naturally, the Dowager Elder chose not to probe any further.
Tilting her head, Luo Tang studied the assembled crowd. So this was how the original owner always swallowed her grievances and let things slide.
Suddenly speaking up, she asked, “Grandmother, what happened to that official named Du who used to serve under my mother? He was the one who helped settle my family’s estate when I came north, is he still in the capital?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, the Grand Commandant’s wife (Madam Zhu) jerked her head up in sudden shock.
Luo Tang flashed a gentle, innocent smile, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Given her tender age, the question was delivered with an air of pure, childlike naivety.
“Why are you suddenly bringing him up?” the Dowager Elder asked, perplexed.
Luo Tang replied innocently, “When I went out of the estate last time, I happened to run into someone from his hometown. We exchanged a few words, and he mentioned that Du later moved down to the Jiangnan region, where he purchased a massive estate and plenty of fertile land.”
The Dowager Elder laughed warmly. “He could never afford such a thing, he had no money to his name. Why, back when he was preparing to leave, I was the one who personally handed him a hundred taels of silver out of my own pocket.”
“Is that so?” Luo Tang drew out the ending syllable, her eyes gleaming like clear water beneath long, slender eyelashes.
The room grew dead silent. Abruptly turning her gaze toward Madam Zhu, Luo Tang remarked, “Eldest Aunt, your complexion looks rather poor today.”
“I didn’t sleep well last night,” Madam Zhu sighed heavily, massaging her temples. “I have a headache coming on. You young ones carry on playing; I’m heading back to rest.”
Luo Tang smiled, her smile clean and innocent, as though she were merely making an idle observation.
When she stepped out of the Dowager Elder’s quarters, Xiao Sese came chasing after her, grabbing her by the arm. Shrugging her hand off with a playful chuckle, Luo Tang teased, “What’s wrong, Cousin? Did someone bully you?”
“A-Tang, even if you don’t like those hairpins, you shouldn’t have given them to a maidservant, they were bestowed by my aunt the Consort!” Xiao Sese’s eyes were red-rimmed. “If you have a grievance, take it out on me! Why did you have to make the other sisters feel so humiliated?”
Having encountered countless beauties and fools alike throughout her life, this was the first time she had witnessed such a specialized brand of idiocy. Giving her a contemptuous look, Luo Tang retorted, “Cousin, did you forget to bring your brain when you walked out today? Even if you’re free to wander around the estate, you should at least remember to pack some sense.”
What an absolute idiot.
Xiao Sese burst into tears on the spot.
By then, Luo Tang had already walked far away, heading straight back to her courtyard and instructing her maid to bolt the front doors shut against all visitors.
Today’s probing had yielded moderate success, Madam Zhu was clearly starting to panic.
Climbed back onto her bed and lying down comfortably, the image of Zhe Qing involuntarily flashed across her mind.
Rising back up, she decided to imitate the historical text and compose her own journal entry. Taking up a brush, she wrote across the blank sheet of paper:
In the spring of the eighth year of Mingcheng, I encountered an old acquaintance…
An old acquaintance?
Pausing her brush, Luo Tang reflected on the phrase. To her, Zhe Qing was like a single ray of piercing light breaking through total darkness.
She is indeed an old acquaintance.