CHAPTER 677: CHAPTER 657: OLD RESENTMENT

To release river lanterns and seek blessings is often to pray for smooth romance, so the riverbank is filled mostly with unmarried women. Amidst the fluttering snowfall, the young ladies, dressed in winter attire of vibrant hues, create a picturesque scene. Fengyu chose a secluded spot and requested two lotus-shaped river lanterns, lowering her gaze as she earnestly wrote down her wishes.

Xie Xun stood by Fengyu’s side, spreading his cloak to shield her from the falling snow. Like a guardian spirit, he remained steadfast beside her, protecting her within a peaceful cocoon. Fengyu lifted her head and smiled at him, asking, "Do you want to release a lantern?"

Xie Xun pondered briefly and then replied with great sincerity, "This lifetime’s wishes have already been fulfilled by the gods and Buddha. To ask for anything more would be greed."

Ayu being healthy, their companionship enduring till old age, and Beining’s eventual peace and tranquility—all were already within his grasp, leaving him with nothing more to ask for.

Xie Xun gently shook his head.

Fengyu tilted her head slightly, her eyes lingering on her written wish. She did not want Xie Xun to read it. Xie Xun, fueled by a strong urge to know what Fengyu had written, controlled his curiosity with difficulty. He had promised her not to peek but could more or less guess her intentions.

His Ayu lowered her gaze to watch the lanterns drift further and further away, her expression tranquil. Xie Xun, observing the subtle sorrow in her radiant yet tinged-with-melancholy eyes, felt a pang of heartache mixed with helplessness.

The matter of children truly depends on fate—he had already tried his best!

He also knew that nothing he said could ease Fengyu’s inner burdens. Thus, he chose silence, secretly instructing others to modify Fengyu’s prescription. The medicines she now took were merely for replenishing energy and nourishing her blood, enhancing her health. The fertility-enhancing drugs were no longer part of it.

Xie Xun was unwilling to risk losing her for the sake of a child.

After releasing their lanterns, the two strolled hand in hand along the riverbank, admiring the lights reflecting off the water. Countless flickering illuminations sparkled within Fengyu’s eyes as she tentatively asked, "Truly, you wish for nothing?"

Xie Xun gripped her hand tighter and chuckled softly. "Ayu, everything I wish for rests in the palm of my hand."

She was the greatest desire of his life. As long as she was healthy and safe beside him, he needed nothing more.

They exchanged a smile, and Xie Xun said, "Come, let’s go to the pleasure boats!"

Tonight, the river teemed with flower boats amidst festive revelry. Though Xie Xun and Fengyu’s boat was sizable, it did not stand out. There were no announcements from the palace regarding the Empress and Emperor’s presence, so the river was packed with flower boats, creating a peculiar congestion.

Surrounded by swirling snowflakes, Fengyu wrapped herself in a thick cloak, gazing at the crowded river with a hint of amusement. "It seems none of them are afraid of the cold," she remarked.

Those able to afford a pleasure boat were mostly the gentry of the capital or wealthy merchants. For common families, securing a flower boat during New Year’s Eve was no easy task. Thus, both the riverside and river itself buzzed with activity. Xie Xun, enveloped in smiles, pulled her close as he was just about to speak, and then suddenly tightened his lips. "Isn’t that Second Brother and Ruyi? Why are they aboard Fang Family’s boat?"

The Fang Family’s flower boat bore their emblem and was easily recognizable even among nearby vessels. On the deck, Marshal Fang, Fang Chuning, and Xie Jue sat drinking and enjoying the lantern display. Alongside them was a middle-aged stranger. Inside the boat, music and singing resonated from performances by Mrs. Fang, Xiaoqi, Fang Lingjun, and a noblewoman of similar age to the Princess. There were also two young ladies of captivating beauty.

Fengyu recognized the noblewoman inside the boat as Second Mrs. Li, who was Marshal Fang’s sister. Consequently, the man drinking outside must be Assistant Minister Mr. Li from the Ministry of Revenue.

"That’s right, it’s him. Mediocre abilities, but it’s inconvenient to dismiss him—so annoying!" Xie Xun muttered without restraint with his trusted circle on the boat. "I initially wanted to transfer him to the Ministry of Industry or Guanglu Temple. Yet, on account of the Fang Family, I reconsidered and let it go."

After Xie Xun ascended the throne, the cabinet underwent minimal changes. It had been reorganized by Lin Helin, with a fresh group of young officials taking over. Xie Xun retained the arrangement as everything operated smoothly, prioritizing seamless coordination with Lin Helin without replacing members.

The six ministries underwent significant reshuffles, particularly the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue, where trusted allies took prominent positions. In the wake of reformist policies, the Ministry of Revenue became the most critical department, necessitating reliable personnel.

Minister Gong, who had previously clashed fiercely with Xie Xun, frequently resorted to avoidance when demands for funds arose. Despite being the sole surviving Chief of Staff from the previous dynasty’s six ministries, he was not removed. Though Xie Xun switched out one of the Assistant Ministers beneath him, Mr. Li was retained partially for the sake of the Fang Family, and partly due to the precarious balance with the Li Family—already heavily suppressed by Xie Xun. Overdoing it risked backlash. So reluctantly, Mr. Li kept his position, despite objections to his competence, leaving Xie Xun to rely on Minister Gong for managing substantive matters.

"I heard from Junjun that their siblings and their aunt’s family share a rather distant relationship, seldom visiting each other. This year’s reunion on New Year’s Eve is certainly unusual." Fengyu spoke with a touch of irony.

Xie Xun led Fengyu to sit beside him, where a warm stove boiled water and roasted fragrant fruits on the deck. After feeding Fengyu a piece of fruit, he offered a light chuckle. "The Fang and Li families have deeper old grudges. To speak behind their elders’ backs—is that unseemly?"

Fengyu’s clear eyes glimmered as she gazed at him, clearly eager to hear more. Xie Xun doubted Fang Lingjun hadn’t divulged details of this to her, but Fengyu’s tight lips suggested she was now fishing for his version of the story. Xie Xun laughed softly, "I overheard the concubines talking about it. Apparently, the main house of the Li Family did not get along with Mrs. Fang. When Emperor Jianming ascended the throne, Mrs. Fang’s station and influence diminished significantly. Elder Li’s status grew increasingly secure, while Marshal Fang, stationed far away in Jiangnan, remained inscrutable in his allegiances. As Second Mrs. Li is both Fang Chuning and Fang Lingjun’s aunt, her loyalty to Marshal Fang runs deep, though she cannot afford too close an alliance with the Fang Family. Their interactions remain occasional, like normal relatives, without excessive frequency. Even the Li children avoided mingling with the Fang siblings during their upbringing."

Fengyu made an exaggerated expression of sudden awareness.

Xie Xun could tell it was insincere, "Fang Lingjun must’ve already explained all this to you. You probably know more than me and are simply fishing for gossip. To defend Second Mrs. Li, the Li Family operates under the supremacy of its main house, while the second, third, and fourth branches rely heavily on the first for survival. Without division, living under their thumb prohibits bold actions. Second Mrs. Li, a fierce lady from a noble regiment, was far from tempered back then. Only after enduring hardships did she learn to rein herself in. And so Mrs. Fang refrains from inviting trouble and discourages ties between the Fang siblings and the Li Family."

Fengyu related deeply to this; grand households might sparkle outwardly but carried suffocating intrigues behind closed doors. To this day, perhaps they had finally endured the worst of it.

"What is Marshal Fang really thinking? Years of subtly favoring the Li Family—Mrs. Fang must feel utterly stifled," Fengyu, as a woman, sympathized with Mrs. Fang’s plight. Even royal status as a Princess failed to guarantee harmony.

"One life—responsible for endless calamities," Xie Xun clicked his tongue.

"How do you know?" Fengyu questioned; Xie Xun had not even been born then, and no one dared discuss it openly afterward.

Xie Xun sighed. "It happened one year when Mr. Li and his wife had some altercation with Mrs. Fang within the palace. First Mrs. Li slapped Mrs. Fang across the face. Mrs. Fang, seething in humiliation, grabbed the Jinyi Guard’s whip and struck Mr. Li directly on his back, sending him tumbling down sixteen festival steps—nearly killing him. Back then, Mrs. Fang had the support of the late emperor and empress. Marshal Fang intended for Mrs. Fang to apologize formally, but instead, she defiantly brought Fang Chuning to stay at the palace. Fang Lingjun wasn’t born yet at the time. The late emperor doted on her and smoothed things over, but the Li Family launched an unrelenting campaign of revenge, putting immense pressure on the Ministry of Revenue. The late emperor, forced by noble factions, tried extending goodwill, yet the Li Family persisted—not stopping until they brazenly interfered with the Marquis Zhenbei Mansion’s military grain. My father stepped in, and only then did the Li Family retreat."

Fengyu, "..."