Chapter 093: Great Courage

Winter rain fell, and the north wind blew.

There were already few pedestrians on the streets, and now it became even quieter.

The markets in the capital had few visitors, and shopkeepers and their assistants could only look at the sky and sigh.

But it wasn’t long before the silence at the end of the street was broken by the sound of horse hooves, heavy and continuous, mixed with shouts. Soon, a general with gray hair and beard, clad in armor, rode swiftly down the street with a group of cavalry, heading towards the garrison of the imperial guards at the city gate.

Everyone watched in fear.

After this menacing group left the street, the shopkeepers and assistants dared to breathe again, but they were all still frightened: “What happened this time?”

The north wind grew stronger, and the sky was filled with dark clouds.

The rain quickly turned to snow, and the first snow of the winter finally fell.

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Sometimes Jiang Xuening thought that heaven had shown her some mercy after all.

At least it let her meet Zhang Zhe again.

She took a shortcut by the waterside pavilion and soon reached the front hall. The light snow fell gently from the sky, and she felt a bit regretful: Zhang Zhe loved the rain the most, and now that it had turned to snow, he probably wouldn’t be very happy.

The front hall was already full of guests.

She intended to take her seat directly.

But as she walked to the corner of the corridor, she saw Jiang Boyou, who seemed to be talking to a colleague from the court.

Today was Yan Lin’s coming-of-age ceremony, and some officials had taken the risk to attend.

Jiang Boyou was naturally one of them.

He was wearing a stone-blue robe with a hundred blessings pattern, standing under a sturdy pine tree in the courtyard, frowning as he listened to the other person speak, shaking his head: “It’s one thing to offend other families, but offending this Xiao Mansion is troublesome. The Zheng family is really pitiful.”

The other person sighed, “Who says otherwise? Everyone in the West Market knows the Zheng family. I heard they even have a son working in the palace. They’re not a wealthy family, but they live a decent life. But encountering the Xiao family, who seized their land and forced them to move their ancestral graves, and now want to throw the whole family in jail, it’s too cruel.”

Just as he finished speaking, he looked up and saw Jiang Xuening.

So he swallowed the rest of his words and smiled at Jiang Boyou, “Minister, you’ve been talking about her for a while, and here she is.”

Jiang Boyou turned and saw Jiang Xuening, his frown easing a bit. He bowed slightly to his colleague, who didn’t mind and also bowed to Jiang Xuening before heading into the hall.

Jiang Xuening had overheard some of their conversation.

She approached and greeted Jiang Boyou, but couldn’t help asking, “Father, were you talking about the Zheng family in the West Market alley?”

Jiang Boyou replied, “Yes, do you know them?”

He remembered that the Zheng family had someone working in the palace and asked another question.

Jiang Xuening thought of Zheng Bao, who in her previous life was the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Everyone knew where he lived. She hadn’t forgotten “West Market alley.”

Hearing Jiang Boyou confirm, she kept it in mind.

Without Zheng Bao’s help during the Yangzhi Zhai incident, she might not have survived. She told Jiang Boyou, “This family likely serves under a steward eunuch named Zheng Bao in Kunning Palace. Father may not know, but during the Yangzhi Zhai investigation, I escaped danger thanks to his quick thinking. He is kind and loyal. Later, Master Xie told me that Wang Xinyi, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, intends to take him as a disciple and promote him to serve the emperor soon…”

As she spoke the latter part, she lowered her voice, so only Jiang Boyou could hear.

Jiang Xuening didn’t actually learn about Zheng Bao’s promotion from Xie Wei, but it didn’t hurt to use Xie Wei’s name.

Sure enough, Jiang Boyou’s expression changed slightly when he heard this.

Experienced officials often understood the implications behind words without needing much explanation.

The Zheng family had offended Xiao Ye, who was set to inherit the Xiao family estate. It wasn’t the Zheng family’s fault; Xiao Ye had taken a liking to a piece of land outside the capital and wanted to turn it into his hunting ground and summer residence, driving out the surrounding families.

The Zheng family’s ancestral graves and land were there.

They thought they could reason with the Xiao family, but taking it to the authorities only angered Xiao Ye, who wanted to throw the Zheng family in jail.

The person Jiang Boyou had been talking to was the prefect of Shuntian.

Such a matter was a hot potato, which was why he was complaining to Jiang Boyou.

These were turbulent times, and for civil and military officials alike, it was better to avoid trouble. The same was true for Jiang Boyou. But if Zheng Bao had helped Ning and Xie Ju’an said he had great potential, the situation was different.

He frowned in thought.

Finally, he said to Jiang Xuening, “I understand. Don’t worry.”

With the coming-of-age ceremony approaching, everyone went inside.

Jiang Boyou said, “You came with the princess, right? Let’s go in.”

Jiang Xuening knew Jiang Boyou had made up his mind, but she didn’t ask more. She simply said, “Yes,” and followed him into the hall.

Even though the Marquis Yongyi’s residence was no longer at its peak, the hall was still full of guests in their finest attire. From the entrance, she could see Xie Wei sitting in the seat of honor, next to the person who would officiate Yan Lin’s coming-of-age ceremony.

Jiang Xuening quickly scanned the room, recognizing many familiar faces.

In her previous life, many families who had been close to the Marquis Yongyi’s residence did not attend after receiving the invitation. Later, when Yan Lin returned to court and Xie Wei rebelled, these families were either purged or marginalized. Those who braved the storm to attend Yan Lin’s coming-of-age ceremony mostly became the new power core. Even those who criticized Yan Lin for assisting Xie Wei faced no retribution and remained safe, even if they didn’t gain high positions.

Life is often ironic: sometimes trying to avoid disaster brings it, and sometimes gaining something means losing more.

When Shen Zhiyi and the others arrived, they couldn’t find Jiang Xuening and were worried. Seeing her enter, Shen Zhiyi quickly waved, “Ningning, over here.”

Jiang Xuening walked over.

In the Daqian Dynasty, gender segregation wasn’t very strict, but usually, women didn’t attend men’s coming-of-age ceremonies except for close relatives. However, Princess Leyang Shen Zhiyi, being of high status and a close friend of Yan Lin, was naturally present and seated near the front.

The palace companions benefited from her presence, sitting nearby.

Shen Zhiyi pulled Jiang Xuening to sit beside her.

Someone lightly tapped a small bronze bell in the hall, and the room immediately quieted.

All eyes turned to the front.

Marquis Yongyi, Yan Mu, dressed in heavy formal attire, emerged from the back hall with the help of the old steward. Everyone quickly saluted. Despite his illness, Yan Mu, on this joyous day, gathered his spirits, showing some of his former vigor. After returning the salute, he even smiled.

“Thank you all for honoring us with your presence. My humble residence is truly graced by your presence.” His sharp eyes scanned the crowd, showing a mix of gratitude and emotion. “I, Yan Mu, have spent forty-five years in vain, fighting on the battlefield, only to be plagued by illness in my later years, making a fool of myself. Today, despite the cold and snow, you have not abandoned us, giving me and my son great honor. I will remember this forever. Thank you!”

With that, he bowed deeply.

He spoke of the “cold and snow” today, not mentioning the current political situation or the difficulties faced by the Marquis’s residence, but everyone easily understood the underlying meaning.

The Marquis Yongyi’s family had been loyal and heroic. Yan Mu had led troops in his youth, driving out invaders. Now, under the emperor’s orders, the residence was surrounded by heavy troops, with swords hanging over their heads, their fate uncertain. It was truly lamentable.

Such a grand gesture, how could they accept it?

Everyone quickly responded, “Marquis, you are too kind,” and returned the deep bow.

The coming-of-age ceremony then officially began.

The front hall was arranged like an ancestral temple.

Yan Lin, wearing a new plain robe, entered from outside, following ancient rites: first bowing to heaven and earth, then offering sacrifices to the ancestors, and finally bowing to his parents. The officiant read the prayers, and the crowning ceremony began.

The nobility had three stages of crowning.

Yan Lin opened his arms, allowing the heavy black robe to be draped over his shoulders, enveloping him. The wide leather belt was fastened around his waist by the officiant, with a round jade pendant engraved with a ruyi pattern hanging from it, pressing down the hem of his robe.

He bowed again.

The officiant called out, “Invite the honored guest!”

The most important part of the ceremony was the crowning.

The honored guest, often a highly respected person, would personally crown the young man and give him a courtesy name.

As the officiant spoke, all eyes turned to Xie Wei.

According to tradition, the honored guest should be in formal attire.

But today, Xie Wei was not in formal attire. He wore a plain white robe with a white crane cloud-patterned cloak, his wide sleeves giving him an ethereal, otherworldly appearance, quite out of place with the grand ceremony and the guests’ formal attire.