Chapter 188: The Three Madams
Translator: Antonia
The Emperor could save no face for others, but not Mr. Jia.
Mr. Jia, as the First Academician of the Imperial Academy, had served the country for three generations and held an unshakable position in the minds of all scholars. His one single opinion would exert a huge impact, so the Emperor always tried to gain his support.
Mr. Jia’s speaking up caught The Emperor by surprise.
Mr. Jia hadn’t cared about political affairs for many years. Although there were many tongues at court controlled by the Xie family, the tongues were scholars after all. No scholars didn’t long for entering the Academy and becoming Mr. Jia’s disciple. If Mr. Jia criticized someone of bad virtues, then this person’s future was ruined.
The Emperor thought for a second. Ethics was one of the most important values of the Academy, while Mr. Jia was the representative of ethics.
There was no personal relationship developed between Mr. Jia and Mo Tianfang the Founder. Not only so. They had even had a bad time. Years ago, Mo Tianfang didn’t save face for the then master Mo in public, so Mr. Jia accused him. However, Mo Tianfang not only refused to apologize but also argued harshly against Mr. Jia who then fell ill from anger.
Mo Qianxue was terrible in terms of female virtues. Hence, the Emperor believed Mr. Jia was standing out, partly to revenge and partly to warn people of the lack of a good example. Either way, it would benefit him without any harm.
Thinking of this, the Emperor was less raging, trying to make his voice gentle and majestic, “Please, Mr. Jia.”
Gaining his consent, Mr. Jia looked up and said sternly, “Yesterday, I was invited to the peach blossom party as the judge of the painting and poetry session. Therefore, on the way back, when this scholar surnamed Ning stopped the carriage of Miss. Mo on the street, I happened to be around and saw clearly the whole story.”
“Oh?”
“No offend, but I should say, if Miss. Mo is guilty, then Princess Yuhe is guilty too. Your majesty, you would seem bias towards your daughter if only Miss. Mo is punished.”
Mr. Jia didn’t intercede for Mo Qianxue but started with Princess Yuhe.
The Emperor was used to flattering, and now his face turned awful on hearing Mr. Jia’s debunking words, so his tone began to carry warning and rage, “This is what you’re here for, Mr. Jia?”
“Exactly!” Mr. Jia was not to be swayed and remained the same look, his tone even harsher than before, “The female members of the imperial family shall not intervene in political affairs. Even the Empress Dowager doesn’t have the right to put a person in jail directly. Princess Yuhe ordered Miss. Mo into jail without the Emperor’s oral edict. This is her first crime. Yesterday, I heard Princess Yuhe promised to invite Three Madams to check on Mo Qianxue, but now she didn’t keep her words. As the legal eldest princess, her words and deeds represent the imperial rituals, yet now she failed to fulfill her promise. This is the second crime. She easily believed in a man’s words without investigation and indulged him in slandering a lady. The third crime…”
Nobody ever expected that Mr. Jia began upon speaking to impeach Princess Yuhe, the eldest legal princess of this generation. Even the Emperor felt a little embarrassed by his accusation and became dumb.
Nanny Mo had told Mo Qianxue about the cough coming from Mr. Jia’s carriage yesterday and analyzed the intention for her.
Mr. Jia stood out exactly on the moment when she was about to be dragged away. On the face of things, he accused Princess Yuhe, but actually he was helping her out. Mo Qianxue hadn’t expected an old pedant having no relationship with her should speak for her. She was touched, frankly.
Mr. Jia lived up to his fame as the first academician of the Academy. None of his words was pleading for Mo Qianxue, but every of them justified her.
This was where his wise lied in.
As long as the flaws of Princess Yuhe were paid attention, the Xie family would be in vein. Then, its tongues would request the presence of Three Madams, who could prove her innocence.
As long as her innocence was proved, the fake testimony of those three people would be self-evident, then things would turn around.
As expected, hearing Mr. Jia’s words, the censors of the Xie family panicked. But they didn’t think as deep as Mo Qianxue. What they had in mind was to excuse Princess Yuhe.
“Your majesty, Princess is still younger than fifteen years old. It’s understandable that she made a slip in connection to rituals.”
“Your majesty, Princess is kind and benevolent. How could she tolerate others to slander a lady? It must be her simple nature and just heart. She simply wasn’t considerate enough and made a wrong decision…”
“Your majesty, Princess always keeps her words and Three Madams are waiting in the wing palace for your majesty’s summon…”
“Your majesty, Princess Yuhe…”
Implied by the Prime Minister, the censors tried all means to justify Princess Yuhe’s deed.
The Emperor didn’t want to now turn the spearhead at Yuhe who was his daughter after all, although she was also a daughter of the Empress and had deep relations with the Xie family. She also represented his face, so he wouldn’t take it out on her unless it was the last resort.
The censors’ words made sense, so the Emperor readily agreed with them, “Since Three Madams are already waiting in the wing palace, then take Mo Qianxue there. Let Three Madams take a check whether Mo Qianxue is too bold or the three people are talking nonsense!”
Then, a ridicule fleeted by on the Emperor’s face. The Empress’s scheme was well-designed. According to his eyes, the men successfully carried out the plan.
Since Mr. Jia wanted to revenge and embarrass Mo Qianxue at court, then he’d like to do him a favor. Several guards stepped forward on his order to capture Mo Qianxue.
As they approached, Mo Qianxue suddenly stood up and took a step back to avoid the guard’s reaching hand, “Please lead the way.”
Her voice was polite but cold, making them shuddering immediately.
The guard thought to himself that it wasn’t proper to pull her here. Very likely, he would be somehow accused of offending a lady. Hence, at once, his catching hand gestured forward, “Please, Miss. Mo…”
Then, he turned around and led the way. In the palace, under the eyes of the Emperor, he didn’t fear she might run away.
Two guards led the way in the front, and another two followed behind her, face cold, murderous. The other people who kneeled and begged the Emperor to calm down already stood up.
However, as they got up, the originally freaked-out faces instantly turned arrogant and complacent as they looked at Mo Qianxue.
Mo Qianxue despised them inwardly but remained the same look. In the previous life, for a better turnover, except her duties, Mo Qianxue had also learned various other skills, among which etiquette and manner was the most important one.
When I don’t panic, the enemy will!
Although she was sandwiched in between, she strode forward, pace steady and shoulders square.
As she waved her arms, she put the hands folding before the belly, solemn and majesty, as if she was taking a road to a throne instead of somewhere to have her chastity checked.
Her eyes intentionally or unintentionally swept over the official, as if she had seen through all of their thoughts, but also as if she had never seen them seriously.
For a time, the officials experienced a mixture of feelings.
Mr. Jia stroked his beard and nodded secretly. It wasn’t a wrong choice to have showed up. Her bearing and demeanor was indeed extraordinary. If she had been a man, it would be another world-known hero.
The so-called wing palace was a smaller one next to the Jinluan Palace. Mo Qianxue followed the guards out and quickly entered into the smaller one.
There were altogether six noble madams sitting in there and several servant girls and nannies serving tea. Seeing Mo Qianxue, the servants retreated to the side.
Two nannies closed the door, while the several maids retreated automatically to guard the door.
Mo Qianxue didn’t stop but stepped forward, all smiles, “Nice to meet you, your majesty, madams.”
The wife of a prince was at the same level of an imperial concubine, and Mo Qianxue certainly recognized her uniform. If she wasn’t wrong, this woman was Princess Jing, Junzhu Susu’s mother.
She must be present because of Susu. She would definitely pay her back someday.
Princess Jing watched Mo Qianxue walking over gracefully, without any trace of discomfiture of staying in jail for a night or the frustration after fight a war at court just now. She looked a little tired, but it only made people feel sorry for her.
She was indeed someone.
She would protect her, just because of the calm demeanor!
Made up her mind, Princess Jing let her get up and smiled, “Susu mentioned to me many times that Miss. Mo is a gentle courteous lady. Now, I can tell she is right. You’re truly extraordinary.”
The way she talked to her didn’t slightest suggest to treat Mo Qianxue as an outsider.
However, another madam sitting on the right and wearing a red dress said, “A pretty girl truly. But lacks virtues. Otherwise, based on her performance in yesterday’s party, she should be known as the first talented lady in Tianiq.”
After commenting, she put her handkerchief around her mouth to cover the sneer.
Another noble madam said, “You’re right, madam Xie. The best virtue for a woman is lacking talents. In my view, it’s unnecessary for us women to know too much, as long as we learned female virtues.”
This woman was trying to embarrass her with female virtues. Now just smile brightly in irony. Later, there would be time for you to shut up.
Mo Qianxue could also be an actress. She remained smiling, “You’re flattering me, madams. I don’t dare to call myself the first talented lady, but I’m afraid I can’t agree with you. There’s also saying goes, women are the other half of the sky. We are all women, but how could madam think so little and cheap of yourselves?”
Upon these words, the expression of the two madams changed instantly.