The next morning, as Zhao Douan stepped into the dining room, the steaming at buns were just being served.
"Eldest son, you've arrived just in ti; breakfast is freshly made."
You Jinhua smiled radiantly, picking up a brown wooden chopstick and clamping a pearly white bun.
Cupping it with the palm of her other hand, she puffed up her cheeks and gently blew a few breaths, handing it over to his bowl.
The stepmother seed in an exceedingly good mood today.
"Um," Zhao Douan, preoccupied with matters on his mind, was not very focused.
As he sat down, he grabbed a at bun and took a bite, curiously asking,
"Zhao Pan is missing again?"
Eh, why did he say "again"?
You Jinhua bit her lip, delicately saying, "She's not feeling too well."
Complaining of a bloated stomach yesterday, and unwell again today... Zhao Douan glanced at her slightly embarrassed expression, his own mind stirring, and asked,
"Could it be her 'monthly water' has co?"
"Monthly water," also known as the tide, is another term for 'Aunt Flow.'
You Jinhua, although of an age where she had raised children, still blushed and stumbled over her words, unable to reply.
Despite the relatively liberal customs of the Great Yu Dynasty, as an aunt, she still couldn't let go of her modesty to openly discuss such topics with her stepson.
It seems I guessed right... Zhao Douan smacked his lips and said no more.
At the dining table, the two ate in silence.
After a while, You Jinhua erged from the awkward atmosphere, rembering sothing delightful to say,
"Eldest son, there's sothing I ant to tell you. It turns out saltpetre can indeed make ice."
You Jinhua had experinted yesterday with a nervous heart and had actually succeeded.
Though only a thin layer ford due to the heat in the room,
it was undoubtedly a real block of ice.
With more production and lowered room temperatures, the thickness of the ice would surely increase.
She had wanted to tell Zhao Douan the previous night, but since he went straight to sleep upon returning, she had waited until now.
"Is that so, not bad."
Zhao Douan was not surprised; after all, he had already seen the process through the "Fengyue Treasure Mirror."
You Jinhua was overjoyed,
"Auntie did so calculations; buying saltpetre would be far cheaper. Now, our house won't be stuffy throughout the dog days of sumr."
Zhao Douan laughed,
"Is Auntie satisfied with just that?"
You Jinhua was taken aback, perplexed.
Zhao Douan didn't explain further, instead carefully contemplating in his mind.
You Jinhua's success confird the formula was indeed feasible, but due to its simplicity, "industry barriers" were hard to establish.
They had to take advantage of this hottest period of the year and make a quick fortune.
This would require the support of a sizable comrcial entity, but Zhao Douan was only interested in quick profits, not in running a business.
With whom to collaborate?
With his standing, finding a rchant with the formula wasn't difficult, but finding a reliable and trustworthy one was.
After all, it was a lucrative business with low barriers to entry...
"Enough, we'll discuss this later."
Zhao Douan had to go to the Imperial Palace today, awaiting the latest news after the court eting.
To confirm the fate of Marquis Xiajiang and Princess Yunyang.
Ma Yan had said there was no need for Zhao Douan to worry, but he couldn't be at ease without seeing for himself.
He quickly filled his stomach and with a curt "I'm finished," dressed neatly, picked up his sword, and walked outside.
Upon reaching the hanging-flower gate, he hesitated briefly then turned towards the wing room.
...
...
Zhao Paner's bedroom was in the western wing.
Overnight, the room had accumulated stuffy heat.
The windows were already open, mixing the white belly of the eastern sky with fresh air, dissipating the mugginess within.
"Whoosh—"
Inside the room, Zhao Pan stood at the washstand, scooping water from the basin to wet her face.
The girl, who had impeccably inherited her mother's looks, with her almond-shaped face and eyelashes fluttering like little brushes, had water droplets rolling down her delicate neck.
Her slightly untidy and fluffy raven hair, yet to be combed, added a touch of languor.
The girl's slender figure, wrapped in a white undergarnt, now exuded a sense of frailty.
"Sigh."
Zhao Pan dried her face, one hand covering her abdon, walked to the window and furrowed her brows.
Looking towards the front yard, she thought that at this ti, her mother and that man should be eating.
She didn't really want to join them, not only because she felt unwell.
But also because every ti the family of three ate together, her mother would always attentively tend to her "brother."
It was enough to make her feel like an outsider.
Zhao Pan certainly understood her mother's intentions.
After all, as Zhao Douan had said, the food they ate, the clothes they wore, everything they used... all ca from him.
Including the ability to live peacefully without the malice of the outside world, all depended on him.
So, what right did she have to bla anyone?
But the sourness and grievance in her heart were not easily dispelled.
In her blurred mories, she still rembered when she and her mother first ca to the Zhao family.
That "brother" of hers, who also had a stern face, was actually not that bad.
She was young at the ti and didn't understand much; perhaps it was instinct, but she really liked to play with her born-beautiful brother.
Although he always looked annoyed, Zhao Pan was tireless, even after being sent away ti and again. With a child's forgetfulness, she would soon run back gleefully.
Once, when Mr. Zhao ordered Zhao Douan to take her out to buy pastries, he found her botherso and left her alone by the roadside.
Little Zhao Pan sat confusedly in place, not daring to leave, eagerly waiting for her brother to return. This only attracted a group of beggars who ca to snatch her longevity lock. When she refused, they turned violent.
Zhao Pan still rembered how Zhao Douan, returning with the pastries, plunged into the crowd like a mad dog and rescued her, taking a beating that left his face bruised for nearly a month.
At that mont, Zhao Pan felt it was great to have a brother.
But that was the only pleasant mory left; afterward, as Zhao Douan entered his rebellious phase, the relationship between the siblings grew increasingly cold, turning into strangers once he moved out.
Then, once Zhao Douan rose to power overnight, his temperant drastically changed, turning into the "evil wolf" she saw him as now.
Wrapped in her thin clothes, Zhao Pan lost herself in thoughts of the past.
Before her eyes, she seed to see that "brother" whom she once adored and now despised just as much.
Wait... it wasn't a fignt of her imagination!
"Hehe, standing here so foolishly, what are you trying to do? Acting like soone looking out for their husband?" Zhao Douan, wearing an official robe and carrying a long sword, ridiculed her.
Zhao Pan was stunned for a mont, her soft cry caught in her mouth.
Then her face suddenly turned red, and she stretched out her arms to shut the window—she was only wearing her undergarnts!
"Bang!"
However, Zhao Douan's large hand held the window panes in place, glancing at her: "What, you really don't want to see that much?"
"You... let go!" Zhao Pan exerted all her strength, but the window didn't budge.
Zhao Douan sighed: "Shouldn't you be crossing your arms instead?"
Zhao Pan was stunned once again, then, belatedly like an electric shock, she released her hands and wrapped her arms around herself, warily asking, "What are you going to do?"
But she saw Zhao Douan move as quick as lightning, patting her shoulder, a pure martial artist's energy poured in, and he turned to leave: "Bringing so warmth."
He muttered to himself: It's baffling, she's dressed so properly, what is there to be afraid of being seen? Whatever happened to the open-minded customs...
Bringing warmth?
Zhao Pan stood there, dazed, seemingly not understanding what had happened.
Only when she felt her lower abdon warm and cozy, as if an energy was coiling inside, no longer painful, did she suddenly realize and looked towards the direction her "brother" had left, unable to snap back to reality for a long ti.
"Is he... concerned about ?"
Outside the gate.
Zhao Douan, who casually delivered warmth, felt refreshed and stepped into his carriage.
He said to the coachman, Little Wang, who had been waiting outside earlier: "To the palace."
By this ti, the rising sun had already leaped above the horizon, enveloping the entire Capital in sunlight.
Another clear sunny day... But for so reason, Zhao Douan had the inexplicable feeling of dark clouds overhead.
...
...
Outside the ridian Gate of the Imperial Palace.
As early as dawn, a multitude of officials arrived in the spacious square.
For an ordinary court eting, the number of participants was rely a few dozen, but now, they were grouping together in twos and threes, drawing a clear line between them.
Many officials whispered amongst themselves, glancing in tacit understanding at two people in the crowd.
Minister of the Ministry of Justice: Zhou Cheng
Lord of the Imperial Court: Ma Yan
Obviously, the conflict that occurred in the two governnt offices last night had already spread throughout the circles; every official, civil and military, knew there would be excitent to watch this morning.
"Clang—"
As the ridian Gate bell chid, the officials fell silent as if by mutual agreent.
Following the lead eunuch, they stepped into the Golden Throne Hall and took their respective places.
Then, the Empress of Great Yu, having changed into her Dragon Robe and her head adorned with a crown, arrived leisurely, sat on the dragon throne, and looked down upon her ministers: "Does any lord have a report?"
"I have a report!"
As expected, the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, dressed in a scarlet official robe, his face square and with the distinct "Suan" character between his eyebrows, strode forward.
He walked to the front of the hall, holding his report: "Your subject, Minister of the Ministry of Justice Zhou Cheng, impeaches the Lord of the Imperial Court, Ma Yan, for allowing his subordinate, Master Zhao Douan of Lihua Hall, to act violently, breaking into the Ministry of Justice with ard force, forcibly taking Marquis Xiajiang, and injuring thirteen officials including Zhou Cheng from the Ministry of Justice. He disregarded the law and acted recklessly..."
Zhou Cheng's voice was loud and powerful, like a steel blade, each sentence laced with a murderous air.
Describing the conflict that had occurred the previous night.
Although the officials had already heard about it, the details remained unclear.
Now, hearing the impeachnt brought fear, and their looks towards Ma Yan were imdiately filled with hostility.
United in their enmity!
For the Ministers, the Imperial Court was already a common enemy.
Given that even the high-ranking Minister of the Ministry of Justice had now been attacked, it was easy to arouse their empathy.
On the throne above, the Empress listened quietly, her dignified and calm countenance hidden behind a string of pearl curtains.
Had Zhao Douan been there, he would have seen another side of Zhenbao, compared to her white-clothed state, Xu Zhenguan now seed more like a sovereign with the power of life and death.
"Ma Yan, how do you explain this?" the Empress looked down, turning her gaze to him.
The stern-faced Grand Eunuch, his eyebrows ssy, remained calm and took out a report from his sleeve, presenting it with both hands: "My report contains everything I wish to say."
A eunuch beside him presented the reports from both individuals.
Seeing this, Minister Zhou Cheng raised his voice: "Your Majesty, the situation is clear, and there is no room for refutation. I only want Lord Ma to answer one question: did you indeed break into the Ministry of Justice and arrest the criminals whom we had already detained?"
Xu Zhenguan, holding the two reports she hadn't yet opened, looked towards Ma Yan.
The ministers also turned their eyes to him.
Facing the hostile gazes of so many, Ma Yan calmly nodded: "Yes."
Whoosh—
Instantly, the entire court erupted in uproar.
…
The pressure was heavy, and it took an entire afternoon to squeeze out this chapter. Head in hands.
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