Ask the mountains and rivers

Chapter 62 Cousin
A few days later, the Zhang siblings from Bohai arrived in the capital.

Prince Zhangwu personally greeted him outside the palace gates, showing him the utmost courtesy.

My maternal cousin, Zhang Yun, is nineteen years old this year. He is tall and handsome. My maternal cousin, Zhang Jingwan, is slender and beautiful with gentle features and no air of arrogance.

Zhang Yun visited the palace every year to present gifts and was fairly familiar with Prince Zhangwu. This was Zhang Jingwan's first time traveling far from home. Upon seeing the noble and handsome Prince Zhangwu, her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly curtsied, saying, "Jingwan greets Your Highness."

“Cousin, there’s no need for such formalities. Please rise.” Prince Zhangwu’s voice was gentle and clear. “My mother has been thinking of you often these days. Please come with me to the East Palace to see my mother.”

Zhang Jingwan responded softly. She lowered her head slightly, moved with light steps, and her skirt swayed gently.

The Crown Princess was overjoyed to see her nephew and niece from her maternal family. She held Zhang Jingwan's hand and praised her, saying, "My brother often mentions you in his letters. Seeing you today, I can confirm that you are indeed exceptionally beautiful, virtuous, and gentle."

Zhang Jingwan smiled slightly, "I've looked up to my aunt since I was little. My parents often said that it would be enough if I could imitate even a fraction of her features."

The Crown Princess's brows relaxed, and she smiled, "If you stay in the Eastern Palace for a year or two, accompanying your aunt every day, you'll not only learn a fraction of her appearance, but you'll also be able to imitate eight or nine tenths of her."

Aunt and niece are blood relatives. The Crown Princess was delighted to meet her own niece for the first time, and they talked for a long time before she gave her a generous gift.

Zhang Jingwan's anxious heart was calmed, and her eyes secretly drifted towards Prince Zhangwu.

Prince Zhangwu was chatting with Zhang Yun, his handsome face smiling, his demeanor gentle and refined. Whether out of courtesy or simply unaware of his cousin's gaze, Prince Zhangwu kept his eyes fixed straight ahead, truly a model of gentlemanly conduct.

After lunch, Zhang Jingwan and her brother went to settle in.

The Crown Princess was in a great mood and asked Prince Zhangwu with a smile, "Ali, what do you think of Jingwan?"

Prince Zhangwu thought for a moment and said, "My cousin is a girl who has been carefully raised by the Zhang family. She is gentle and well-mannered." She is like a flower in a greenhouse, beautiful and fresh.

Such a compliment upon first meeting is already a good start.

The Crown Princess smiled with satisfaction: "Jingwan will be staying in the palace for a while from now on. When you have free time, talk to her more. You are her own cousins, don't be estranged."

Prince Zhangwu nodded in agreement.

Getting along with my cousin Zhang Jingwan was certainly not difficult. A beautiful and gentle girl cautiously approaches you, gazing at you with tender affection, listening intently to your voice. What young man could resist such admiration?

After spending more than a month together, the two teenagers gradually became familiar with each other.

The Crown Princess saw this and was secretly pleased. She privately smiled at the Crown Prince and said, "Ali and Jingwan are compatible and get along very well."

The Crown Prince glanced at the Crown Princess, remaining noncommittal: "Ali is still young, let's talk about marriage in two years."

The Zhang family of Bohai is indeed quite good. However, since the Crown Prince is both the son's maternal and in-laws' family, a marriage alliance with the Zhang family would only benefit the Zhang family. It wouldn't bring any real benefit to the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince would much rather his eldest son marry into a powerful court official's family, which would bring more support to the Crown Prince's family.

There's no such thing as unwavering love that lasts until death in this world. More often, it's about weighing the pros and cons and making choices.

The Crown Princess sensed the slight dissatisfaction in the Crown Prince's tone and felt somewhat guilty. It was indeed her idea to send her niece from her maternal family to the capital.

For her, the natural hope was to continue the kinship ties with her maternal family. With her own niece as her daughter-in-law, the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law would be of one mind.

“Your Highness is right. Ali will only be fifteen after the New Year, and his temperament is not yet settled. There is no rush to arrange a marriage for him.” The Crown Princess said gently, “Ali is the eldest son of the Crown Prince. His marriage should be approached with utmost care.”

"It's getting late, Your Highness, let me help you change your clothes."

"I still need to review memorials. You can rest now, there's no need to wait."

Major affairs of the dynasty were decided by Emperor Xiaowen. The daily, mundane government duties had fallen to the Crown Prince two years prior. The Crown Prince didn't find it difficult; staying up all night reviewing memorials was a common occurrence for him.

Tonight, I'm reviewing memorials until the third watch of the night. The officials, including the Grand Tutor Pang, are all in the study, ready to consult with His Highness the Crown Prince at any time. The Prince of Zhangwu is attending to his needs, silently listening and learning how to handle government affairs.

Commander He, who had been away on a business trip for more than a month, suddenly appeared.

The crown prince calmly ordered everyone to leave.

Prince Zhangwu couldn't help but look up, but his father had no intention of letting him stay and listen in. He had no choice but to leave the study with Grand Tutor Pang.

The thick door was closed very tightly, blocking out all prying eyes.

Prince Zhangwu couldn't help but whisper, "Commander He has been out of the palace for more than a month. I wonder what important business he has gone on to."

Pang Zhanshi, that old fox, clearly guessed something, but he remained tight-lipped: "This subject is also unsure. Your Highness can ask His Highness the Crown Prince privately."

He wouldn't have the guts.

Prince Zhangwu shut his mouth.

Pang Zhanshi glanced at Prince Zhangwu and suddenly chuckled in a low voice, "Your Highness, good things are about to happen. I would like to offer my congratulations."

It was no secret that the Crown Princess had brought her niece to the palace for a short stay. Pang Zhanshi, who worked in the Eastern Palace, had also seen Zhang's female companion by Prince Zhangwu's side.

Prince Zhangwu's expression was indifferent, much like the Crown Prince's unpredictable mood: "Patriarch Pang is joking. What good thing could I possibly have?"

You're still too inexperienced to emulate His Highness the Crown Prince's demeanor and bearing.

Pang Zhanshi chuckled inwardly and casually said, "His Highness the Crown Prince instructed me to write a letter to Youzhou today."

Upon hearing the mention of Youzhou, the composed Prince Zhangwu suddenly turned his head, his voice revealing urgency: "Is it a message to the Pei family?"

"It's a message for General Meng of the Beiping Army." Pang Zhanshi said meaningfully, "General Meng wiped out a band of bandits two months ago. With the Beiping Army here, the bandits can't run rampant and can't harm the Pei family. Your Highness can rest assured."

Prince Zhangwu nodded slightly, his mind wandering.

Commander He came out: "Your Highness requests that Supervisor Pang come into the study for a discussion."

Pang Zhanshi accepted the order and entered the study, the door closing once more.

Prince Zhangwu sighed again, feeling quite frustrated. He was already fourteen; when would his father finally take notice and allow him to truly participate in the Crown Prince's schemes?
……

A few days later, at the grand court assembly held every two weeks, Imperial Censor Cao submitted a memorial requesting that the adult princes be enfeoffed in their fiefdoms.

Emperor Xiaowen had five sons. Apart from the crown prince, the second and third princes had already been enfeoffed, and the fourth prince died young. The only adult prince who had not yet been enfeoffed was Prince Wei.

His Highness the King of Wei stared at Imperial Censor Cao with hostility.

Emperor Xiaowen was tyrannical and capricious. He glanced at Imperial Censor Cao with a gloomy expression and said, "My family affairs are none of the business of a mere imperial censor. Guards, throw Imperial Censor Cao out of the Golden Palace."

The unfortunate Imperial Censor Cao was thrown out, and then demoted and transferred out of the capital. A few days after leaving the capital, Imperial Censor Cao was assassinated.

The assassin killed Imperial Censor Cao, but failed to escape. After being captured and severely interrogated, he confessed that the mastermind was His Highness the Prince of Wei.

When this news spread, the entire court was in an uproar, and memorials impeaching the Prince of Wei for his arrogance, cruelty, and bloodthirstiness flew to Emperor Xiaowen's desk like snowflakes.

(End of this chapter)