Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 235 Cannot Be Hidden

However, Huang, the eunuch, held back his words.

This cannot be said carelessly, especially since Prime Minister Wang is very strict in managing his household, and his eldest son is well-known. If he were to mention any women... it would inevitably lead to bad rumors if overheard.

Moreover, he hadn't figured out the woman's identity yet, and he hadn't even mentioned it to the officials.

Unbeknownst to Huang, his shifty gaze had not escaped Wang Bingchen's notice. Wang Bingchen pretended not to see it and did not inquire further, instead leading the group to thank the Emperor for his reward.

When the eunuch Huang left, Wang Bingchen went out and called him back: "Did the eunuch have something he wanted to say to me just now?"

The eunuch Huang was taken aback. This father and son were indeed clever men. He couldn't let his guard down in the slightest, or he would definitely be caught red-handed.

"It's nothing," said Eunuch Huang. "I just noticed that Minister Wang has lost a lot of weight, and I wanted to say a few words of advice. Minister Wang is loyal to the country and has many supporters. He will surely be safe and sound."

Wang Bingchen stroked his beard: "Is it hard to say about the eunuch, or are you just being cautious for fear of making a mistake?"

These words were neither too harsh nor too mild. Huang, the eunuch, had finally managed to establish some connection with the Wang family, and he didn't want to ruin it like this. He hurriedly said, "My lord, you are too kind to me. My life was given to me by you, my lord."

The eunuch Huang changed his way of addressing Wang Yan, and immediately became much more intimate with him.

“From the moment I left Daming Prefecture, I thought that, apart from the Emperor, the person I should respect the most from now on is my young master. If my young master had abandoned me and ridden out of Daming Prefecture on his own, he would have been safe long ago. He gave me his way out.”

Huang, the eunuch, spoke with heartfelt sincerity: "Don't underestimate me just because I'm a nobody. I know right from wrong, and I will always remember your kindness. I would never do anything to harm you, young master."

Having said that, Wang Bingchen nodded and said, "Don't take it to heart, eunuch. He is an imperial envoy appointed by the emperor. How can he return to the capital on his own when the case in Daming Prefecture has not been investigated? These are all things he should do."

Huang, the eunuch, dared not say too much, lest he invite Wang, the angel, to impeach him.

Wang Bingchen watched as the eunuch Huang left. Wang Bingchen's younger brother, Wang Bingcheng, who was waiting nearby, stepped forward and asked, "Brother... what did that eunuch say?"

Wang Bingchen said, "I didn't say it, but I did say it."

Wang Bingcheng was not as clever as his elder brother and could never see through these things.

Wang Bingchen said, "He has many things he doesn't want to tell us because it might be detrimental to Yan Ge'er." Otherwise, he wouldn't have kept changing the subject and repeatedly mentioning Yan Ge'er's life-saving grace.

Wang Bingcheng said, "Then there's nothing to worry about. Yan Ge'er has always been steady and reliable, and there's no way anyone could find fault with him." He felt that when his elder brother retired, Yan Ge'er would be able to smoothly enter the cabinet.

They've only been in Daming Prefecture for a short time, yet they've uncovered such a huge case. Who else could have done that?
Wang Bingchen said, "Don't think he's good. If he wants to do something, no one can stop him."

Wang Bingcheng always felt that his elder brother was too strict with Yan Ge'er. If he could have a son like Yan Ge'er, he would be laughing in his dreams.

“If he were truly obedient,” Wang Bingchen sighed as he looked at his younger brother, “he would have agreed when the Empress Dowager first bestowed the marriage upon him, and he wouldn’t have made up the story of encountering a fairy.”

Wang Bingcheng's eyes widened: "Isn't it true that Brother Yan encountered a fairy? He even said something that didn't happen."

Wang Bingchen never believed in immortals; perhaps it was just a dream, or perhaps it was a coincidence.

“This time it was a bit too fast,” Wang Bingchen said. “Someone in Daming Prefecture helped him, but he didn’t mention it at all in the letter he sent home.”

In addition, the official just mentioned "those who have the Way will receive much help," but what does this "much help" refer to?
Wang Bingchen was overjoyed that his son had uncovered the case in Daming Prefecture, but he was also worried, fearing that Wang Yan might stray from their planned path.

……

Huang, the eunuch, wiped his sweat and headed towards the inner palace. He had been too talkative and almost caused trouble, but fortunately he stopped there, and Prime Minister Wang did not pursue the matter further.

As they were walking, they heard footsteps. The eunuch Huang quickly stepped aside and looked towards the approaching people. Palace servants were holding lanterns and surrounding a female member of the household.

The woman appeared to be sixteen or seventeen years old. She wore a lotus-colored dress with a silver fox fur cloak over it, and her hair was adorned with a gilded filigree hairpin. He had seen this hairpin from the Empress just last month, so it was clearly a gift from the Empress.

The eunuch Huang roughly guessed who she was; she was Xie Shumi's daughter, Xie Erniangzi.

The palace maids who came out with Xie Erniangzi greeted Eunuch Huang. Eunuch Huang did not want to speak and was about to leave with his people when he raised his eyes and was taken aback.

Oh my, I almost cried out in surprise.

Huang, the eunuch, suddenly remembered. No wonder he felt that the woman looked familiar when he saw her in Daming Prefecture, and he always felt that she resembled someone. Now that he had met the master, he naturally remembered.

She and Xie Erniangzi had strikingly similar features.

It took Eunuch Huang a long while to recover. What was wrong with him today? He almost made one mistake after another. Isn't it said that those who survive a great calamity are destined for good fortune? He didn't see any good fortune, but instead, he was constantly frightened.

"Slow down, slow down, don't break what you're holding, the Emperor still needs to see it."

When Eunuch Huang saw Eunuch Jiang leading a young eunuch, he quickly headed towards the elegant study, where the Emperor would be handling official business that evening.

"What is this?" the eunuch asked.

As Jiang, the eunuch, walked, he said, “His Majesty has summoned a scholar named Wen to the capital. It just so happens that he once passed through Daming Prefecture, and His Majesty would like to ask him about the situation in Daming Prefecture.”

"That Lord Wen said that 'small newspapers' and 'Buddhist charcoal' are popular in Daming Prefecture, so he specifically asked us to bring them here so that the Emperor can see them."

That Lord Wen described these two things in an incredibly eloquent way.

They even felt that the fact that they were able to investigate the matter of Daming Prefecture this time was inseparable from these two things.

The other prefectures and counties of Daliang should also have these two items: tabloids and lotus root charcoal.

"The Emperor didn't care at first, but Wen Daren spoke eloquently, praising the articles in the 'tabloids' so highly, and even saying that all the scholars who wrote the articles were capable talents. He also described the mud furnace incident in Daming Prefecture as thrilling and dramatic."

There were a few other things that Jiang Neishi didn't remember very clearly, but in short, he said the "tabloids" were good.

"That's why the Emperor wants to see it."

I can't wait until tomorrow.

Huang, the eunuch, wanted to ask some other questions, but they had already arrived at the entrance of the elegant study.

The curtain was lifted, and Jiang, accompanied by a young eunuch, presented the items in his hands to the Emperor.

Huang, the eunuch, heard the emperor exclaim "Eh!" and then said, "These four characters must have come from the hand of Minister Wang."

After saying that, the Emperor looked at Wen Zhengchen and asked, "Didn't you say that the person running this tabloid was a woman?"

Wen Zhengchen said, "That's right."

The image of the person who wrote the note immediately flashed into Huang's mind.

It's over. He didn't say it, but it seems like he can't hide it anymore.