Chapter 877 – Northern Overlord (14)
The situation trembles, chaos unfolds.
Zhong Zhao harbored ambitious thoughts, intending to seize the opportunity amid the ongoing war between Nan Sheng and Dongqing to expand its territory.
But alas, they had their share of troubles, with internal strife reaching unprecedented heights, making life increasingly difficult for the common people.
Perhaps fate was closing in; just like Nan Sheng and Zhong Zhao, several waves of peasant armies attempted to rebel against Zhong Zhao.
Yet, the size of these rebel forces was too small; before they could stir up any real trouble, they were brutally suppressed by the officials.
Civil groups stirred restlessly, and the local noble families, heavy with their own worries, hinted at the risk of a potential division among princes.
In this sensitive period, news broke from the Zhong Zhao Palace that was utterly shocking—
Empress Du was a wooden doll turned demon!
The ambitious lords couldn’t contain themselves and used this as an excuse to condemn the current emperor’s backward actions, claiming he was actually allowing a mere demon to wreak havoc in the palace, broadcasting such news everywhere. Who knows if the emperor, princes, and princesses in the palace were even human anymore?
This rumor spread rapidly, further weakening the already frail imperial authority.
Of course, the royal family would never admit to such a rumor, vehemently denying it.
However, with Empress Du deceased, the royal family’s show of pretense raised suspicions, and the common people increasingly believed in the tales of that wooden demon.
The emperor ordered that after Empress Du’s death, she was not to be buried in the royal tomb, nor be honored with offerings, recovering all the royal seals and golden records issued during her coronation.
While not explicitly stating she was to be discarded, this treatment was indistinguishable from that of a deposed consort.
In Zhong Zhao, which common person did not know of Empress Du’s deep affection from the emperor?
If she hadn’t been so favored, how could the “Nü Si Shu” she authored circulate widely and be hailed by scholars across Zhong Zhao?
Now that Empress Du had passed away, one would be hard-pressed to believe that there was no ulterior motive behind this; how could the emperor treat the woman he once loved so cruelly?
With their imaginations running wild, the people’s speculations were alarmingly close to the truth.
Empress Du was out of luck, and the Du clan bore the brunt.
The Du family had begun to decline, yet unexpectedly produced the revered Empress Du, whose “Nü Si Shu” had been widely praised and even established as a benchmark for women, lifting the reputation of the Du clan temporarily, making it feel like they were floating and light as a feather.
Now, with that support gone, they had irritated numerous powerful noble families, and it was only a matter of time before they were reckoned with.
Thus, life was tough for the Du clan at present.
When fortunes were good, everyone sought to benefit from their glory; in times of misfortune, even the most insignificant person could kick them while they were down.
Faced with such a drastic turn of events, many in the Du clan voiced discontent towards Empress Du.
However, the empress had passed away, and with her body missing, their grievances had nowhere to go, forcing them to unleash their anger towards Du Wuniang.
Du Wuniang was the original wife of Feng Gui, the elder brother of Feng Jin, previously a member of the Du clan.
After her separation from Feng Gui, she was safely sent back to Zhong Zhao.
According to the increasingly twisted customs of Zhong Zhao, as a woman cast aside by her husband, she was supposed to be dragged away to be sunk in a pond.
However, she possessed a release certificate given by Feng Gui, and her escort was carefully chosen by his trusted confidant.
After some maneuvering, Du Wuniang managed to barely retain her life, being arbitrarily dispatched to a Buddhist hall to become a nun.
Filled with hatred for Feng Gui, she constantly thought about how to exert pressure on him through her maternal family to have him kneel and welcome her back. But cruel reality struck her hard; let alone borrowing her family’s influence, if not for the confidant sent by Feng Gui who assisted her, she would have long been bound and taken for submersion. Even so, she felt not a shred of gratitude or repentance.
Du Wuniang emulated Empress Du’s methods and climbed over others to win herself a virtuous reputation.
With Empress Du dead and the Du clan implicated, Du Wuniang’s situation in the Buddhist hall could hardly be termed good either.
While her life was spared, she faced daily humiliation from house maids, coupled with ugly male servants forced to witness her disgrace.
According to the “Nü Si Shu,” at this juncture, Du Wuniang should have been so humiliated that she committed suicide to preserve her honor.
Yet, just as Feng Gui mocked, she was always strict with others while lenient toward herself—her own life was far too precious for her to throw away so easily! She could bind others with the “Nü Si Shu” and suppress her opponents, but never would she use it to punish herself.
While Du Wuniang lived in torment, her ex-husband Feng Gui surprisingly found happiness.
Since Jiang Pengji took over Shiyang County, the lives of the common people there had become secure, allowing Feng Gui to no longer toil away, absent for years.
With more free time, he delved into reading, occasionally visiting friends and attending elegant gatherings, personally teaching his two children how to read.
Having learned from Du Wuniang’s past, he took a keen interest in the daily lives of his children.
One day, after returning from outside, he found someone waiting for him at the gate.
Feng Gui felt a sense of curiosity and followed the person to meet his father, Feng Ren.
“Huizhang, come take a look at this.”
Upon entering the room, Feng Gui saw his father, Feng Ren, seated on a mat, carefully sorting through a stack of books.
Unlike the familiar scrolls he was used to, these books were bound with white thread.
“Father… what is this?”
Feng Gui stepped forward to pick one up; the texture was delicate and cool. Upon opening the cover, he instantly recognized a familiar name.
Flipping through, the profound thoughts inside piqued his interest.
Hailing from a prestigious family with nearly a thousand years of heritage, Feng Gui’s family had amassed no less than one hundred thousand volumes of books.
While he couldn’t claim to have read them all, he had a rough idea of what they contained, yet these books felt entirely foreign.
In other words, they were likely newly published.
Newly released books on exceptionally luxurious paper, it was simply extravagance to the extreme!
“Sent from Wanzhou not long ago,” Feng Ren explained.
“Is it from Second Brother?” The first thought that came to Feng Gui was of his brother.
Feng Ren shook his head. “Not quite; these were gifted by the shepherd of Wanzhou, Liu Xi. Not only for your father, but also for other scholars.”
Upon hearing this, Feng Gui’s expression cracked a bit.
Forget the content of the books, just the paper alone must be worth at least two hundred thousand guans.
Even if Liu Xi owned a paper workshop, his family was wealthy, but how could they afford such extravagance?
Sending one set wasn’t enough; he even gifted others to fellow scholars?
Feng Ren said, “Take a look at the contents.”
Feng Gui complied, quickly becoming engrossed in the reading.
With a sneer, Feng Ren remarked, “Liu Xi has laid a vast chessboard, and the bait she threw is too enticing.”
Feng Gui nodded in agreement, clearly understanding that the potential value of this set of books was immeasurable.
Feng Ren then dropped a bombshell that left Feng Gui utterly dumbfounded.
“The shepherd of Wanzhou, Liu Xi, not only generously sent books, but she also indicated her willingness to author works for scholars across the land.” Feng Ren stated, “Remember the Golden Scales Pavilion from the previous dynasty? In her letter, she mentioned her desire to rebuild a Golden Scales Pavilion to offer free resources to poor scholars… This letter was received solely by your father, while others only received the books.”
Feng Gui lowered his gaze. “Liu Xi is…”
Feng Ren smiled. “She has her eyes set on the Feng family’s collection.”
