Chapter 247 – Changing the Live Map (Part 2)
“How did my husband return from the morning court looking like this?”
Upon hearing that her husband, Feng Ren, had come back from the morning court, Mrs. Feng hurried out of the main room to greet him.
At just one glance, she saw that her husband had been reprimanded during the court session, and a wave of distress washed over her.
If he hadn’t been scolded, how could a well-dressed husband come back from the court with tea stains on his forehead?
“The Cangzhou Meng Clan had a civil disturbance a few months ago, and it’s only now that a letter reached the palace. It’s outrageous if the Official Master isn’t furious.” Feng Ren said nonchalantly, taking the handkerchief his wife offered to wipe his face as he sighed, “The civil unrest is hard to contain, affecting several nearby counties of Cangzhou. Common people are displaced, bandits are rampant, and the Northern border tribes are demanding unreasonable terms. Of course, the Official Master will vent his anger.”
Mrs. Feng’s expression turned serious as she angrily retorted, “My husband is a dignified Minister of the Central Secretariat! How can the Official Master fail to give him this little respect? If this spreads, how will my husband command the officials in the future? Not to mention, everyone knows about the civil unrest in Cangzhou Meng Clan; it’s not like anyone is deaf or blind! The Official Master only finds out now? Isn’t that his own fault? He just has to take it out on you!”
Feng Ren scoffed; he held little regard for the current emperor’s actions. However, seeing his wife so warmly defend him made his heart feel warm, and he couldn’t help but grasp Mrs. Feng’s exquisitely cared-for delicate hand.
“I’m fine, my dear. You really shouldn’t get so angry so easily. Anger harms the liver, and it pains my heart.”
Mrs. Feng shot him an annoyed glance, retracting her hand, “Our children are about to start families; how can you still be so unseemly?”
“It’s been so many years, and you still blush so easily, making me seem even more unruly.”
Feng Ren smiled gently as the couple walked hand in hand back into the main courtyard.
Mrs. Feng instructed the servants to prepare hot soup so Feng Ren could wash up comfortably and change into a clean spring outfit.
“Ah, that said…” Feng Ren sat down at the table where his wife was carefully embroidering a plum blossom on a hoop. “The Official Master’s actions really have disappointed many of the officials. Every day in the Upper Sun Palace, music and singing abound, showing no concern for the outside matters…”
What kind of emperor doesn’t dream of controlling the world by day and enjoying the company of beautiful women by night?
Now, the Emperor of Dongqing only indulges in the latter, the Upper Sun Palace truly housing thousands of beauties, and the emperor has even issued a decree commanding the women of the palace not to wear undergarments, allowing him to indulge at any time. Every time Feng Ren enters the palace, he doesn’t dare to look too long, for fear of encountering something too shocking.
If that was all, it would be fine. Unfortunately, this emperor enjoys visiting the homes of ministers, leading to countless ministers’ wives being toyed with.
It’s utterly absurd, barely any different from the previous emperor of Dongqing, Emperor Qingyang — who was no better.
Years have gone by, and the Official Master’s court attendance was counted on one hand!
Lost in pleasure, unable to extricate himself.
Feng Ren sometimes wonders, with such indulgences, will he not soon meet his demise in the embrace of a woman?
Although the aristocratic families hold power now, this has much to do with the emperor’s indulgence in sensual pleasures and neglecting state affairs.
The more power the aristocratic families wield, the more they oppress the emperor’s authority, leaving him unable to enjoy the pleasure of being sovereign. The more constrained he becomes, the more he seeks to indulge, forgetting state matters… and the cycle continues… until the power of the aristocratic families grows even larger… a vicious cycle.
Ambitious but unwilling to manage state affairs, he wishes to suppress the aristocracy to reclaim authority but lacks the capability.
Where in this world does such a wonderful thing exist?
Currently, the emperor of Dongqing can only produce offspring better than his brother and indulge in multiple beauties; he has nothing else to boast about.
Feng Ren maintained a calm demeanor, and even after being called to the emperor’s study and having a cup of tea thrown at him, he was still able to chat casually with his wife.
“Let it be!” Mrs. Feng replied dismissively, “They’ve been crazy for days now… Look at you, your forehead is scratched… apply some medicine, and you must avoid certain foods these days to prevent scars!”
Aside from the first generation emperor of Dongqing having some abilities and ambitions, the other few are nothing but useless drags.
If not for Feng’s family needing people in the court, she wouldn’t want her husband to be a Minister of the Central Secretariat.
It is often said that emperors come and go like flowing water, but aristocratic families are like iron; no matter what happens, the Feng family won’t fall far, whether the royal family wants to ruin themselves or not.
Long ago, her husband submitted several memorials reminding the Official Master about the civil unrest in Cangzhou Meng Clan, but the emperor has been too busy favoring his new concubine to bother with them; unless it was a major issue, he had no wish to see Feng Ren. The memorials from the previous year were still gathering dust; why would he read the memorials Feng Ren submitted months ago?
Now he is angry?
What use is that!
“I worry for Huaiyu. He is now serving the Fourth Prince; I don’t know if he’ll encounter any rioters on the way…”
“Our children have their own blessings, don’t you often say that? How can you worry so much after just a few months of separation?” Mrs. Feng put down her embroidery frame and took out a sealed letter from the table.
“This child Huaiyu is usually cared for too little…” Taking the letter, Feng Ren saw it was from Liu Zhi.
He recalled that he had only realized Feng Jin’s situation a few years back; by then, his character had already taken shape, and he was afraid of correcting it and making it worse. He only blamed himself and his wife for focusing too much on their eldest son while doting on the youngest, neglecting the second son caught in the middle.
“Our second son is already at the age to start a family; why are you worrying more than a servant… what did Governor Liu write?”
Feng Ren quickly skimmed the letter, lowered his eyebrows, and smiled, “You were just mocking me for being unseemly, but look at this person! This is the real unseemly. A perfectly good governor and he runs off to play matchmaker…”
Mrs. Feng didn’t shy away and picked up the letter to read carefully, her heart stirred.
“This Lady of Wei’s Residence… I haven’t heard of her before…” Since Feng Jin’s elder brother is already engaged, it’s now his turn, and Mrs. Feng has been looking at noble girls suitable for marriage over the past six months, unsure and hesitating, “I wonder what her temperament is like…”
“Finding out will be easy. If Liu Zhi finds her suitable, she probably isn’t too bad.” Feng Ren said, “The Hejian Wei family… might just fit with Huaiyu… If her temperament is good, and Huaiyu has no objections, she could be a suitable match.”
The Feng family was a prestigious household, and Feng Jin’s elder brother, as the legitimate eldest son, is destined to become the future head of the family, so they needed to be selective in choosing a wife with good family background, talents, and looks. Yet, for Feng Jin, the requirements were not so strict.
Not that they didn’t care for Feng Jin, but they feared that sisters-in-law of similar status could lead to rivalry within the family, which would not be beneficial.
So, for Feng Jin’s wife, social status became secondary; they placed more emphasis on character, talent, and temperament.
If she were aggressive, cunning, and ambitious, urging Feng Jin to fight for family assets against his elder brother, that would not be acceptable.
Family harmony and brotherly affection are the foundations for prosperity.
