HLnovel Chapter 284, Section 284: Prophecy
Chapter 284, Section 284: Prophecy
Chapter 284, Prophecy 284
Following Ye Yingrou's orders, Zheng Yan accompanied Gongsun Zhan back to the Gongsun residence. She had prepared herself for Gongsun Zhan to interrogate her thoroughly about the details of the case, but to her surprise, he didn't ask her a single question the entire way, as if he didn't care about the case at all. Since he didn't speak, Zheng Yan naturally didn't dare to take the initiative, so she could only keep her head down the whole way.
To keep a low profile, Gongsun Zhan did not bring Zheng Yan through the main gate. However, even though they entered through the side gate, the news that the master had brought a girl back quickly reached Old Madam Gongsun. When Old Madam Gongsun arrived at the study, she happened to see Zheng Yan remove her face mask, revealing her face, which had been burned beyond recognition by the fire.
In the study, everyone except Gongsun Zhan was startled by her appearance. Old Madam Gongsun gasped, and after finally regaining her composure, she stepped forward and hesitantly asked, "Master, this is…"
"I knew I couldn't hide it from Madam." Gongsun Zhan smiled helplessly and pointed to Zheng Yan, introducing her, "This poor girl is named Zheng Yan. She is an important witness in a bloody case. The case is complicated and involves many people. It could be life-threatening, so I brought her back."
"Is this the case handled by Magistrate Feng?" The astute Old Madam Gongsun immediately grasped the key point. The main culprit might not fear the Shuntian Prefecture, but they would certainly be wary of the Gongsun family. If even the Shuntian Prefecture couldn't protect this girl, then the case must inevitably involve court politics.
“Exactly.” Gongsun Zhan nodded.
"Rest assured, sir. In that case, I will certainly make sure to take good care of Miss Zheng."
Zheng Yanfu bowed deeply to Gongsun Zhan and Madam Gongsun, saying, "Thank you for taking me in, sir and madam. I am all alone and have nothing to repay you with, so I am willing to serve you as a servant in your household for the rest of my life."
Her voice was hoarse and unpleasant, and coupled with her disfigured face, it made her seem both terrifying and pitiful.
"Poor child, get up quickly. What are you talking about, being a slave or servant? You are a distinguished guest of our Gongsun family. We should take good care of you. How could we let you serve us?" Old Madam Gongsun sent someone to help her up. There was no disdain in her eyes, but rather a lot of affection.
"Look at your age, you're not much different from my precious daughter. How did you end up with such a calamity? But it doesn't matter. As long as you're alive, that's better than anything else. Come, let me show you the guest room I've prepared for you. If you need anything, just let me know. You can stay here comfortably for the rest of the time."
Zheng Yan, having been poisoned by Ye Yingrou's "blood puppet," had already lost her own consciousness. She only remembered that she needed to use this opportunity to get close to Gongsun Zhan, and immediately wanted to refuse: "But..."
"With storm brewing outside, it's not safe for someone of Miss Zheng's status to stay in either Shuntian Prefecture or the Prince of Nanping's residence. Only my humble Gongsun residence can shelter you from the storm. Go, rest well, and get better before considering anything else," Gongsun Zhan said with a gentle expression.
"Granny Yan, I'm afraid you'll have to take care of her these days." Old Madam Gongsun smiled and shook Zheng Yan's hand, leading her out without allowing her to refuse.
Zheng Yan was stunned for a moment, then returned to her normal self and obediently let Old Madam Gongsun do as she pleased.
After settling Zheng Yan in, Gongsun Zhan felt no relief. Instead, he felt inexplicably exhausted. He sat blankly in his chair, staring at the antiques on the shelf in front of him, the objects bestowed upon him by the emperor over the years, and lost in thought.
How many years has it been? Forty years, perhaps? From registrar to prime minister, he has served the current emperor through two dynasties, and has long since seen through the deceit and intrigue, and grown weary of the power struggles.
No matter how many mysteries are hidden in Zhao Chengde's case, it will all be left unresolved because of the emperor's protection of the crown prince. But because of this case, all the intrigues and power struggles that were once hidden beneath the throne will inevitably surface.
The crown prince wasn't truly incompetent; he was simply overly arrogant, easily swayed by slander, and eager to impress the emperor, which led to his repeated setbacks. But there are no coincidences in this world, only conspiracies, schemes, and cunning tricks. The emperor was growing old, his health declining day by day, and naturally, some people couldn't sit still any longer.
Recalling how the Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Sixth Prince had all asked the Emperor for his granddaughter Ye Pianran's hand in marriage yesterday, he couldn't help but sigh heavily again.
"Why are you sighing again for no reason?"
A gentle voice came from outside. He looked up and saw that Old Madam Gongsun had returned after settling Zheng Yan in.
She walked to the desk, lit an incense stick, then went behind him and began massaging his temples, murmuring:
“Look at you, you’re so preoccupied with politics all day long that your hair has turned completely white. Why do you still think about those things when you get home? You’re just making yourself miserable.”
Gongsun Zhan shook his head and laughed, "You, you, you have such a woman's view."
White smoke curled from the incense burner, and a refreshing fragrance spread out, gently entering Gongsun Zhan's nose. This instantly invigorated him, and he was no longer as tired and weak as before, nor as troubled as he had been.
"What is this incense made of? It smells wonderful," he asked.
Madam Gongsun smiled so much her eyes narrowed into slits: "These are incense pills that Ran'er sent over a few days ago. She said they were homemade and can refresh the mind and strengthen the body. What do you think? Do they suit your taste?"
"It's touching that she still cares about this old man like me. This child is truly thoughtful," Gongsun Zhan exclaimed.
"You still haven't told me why you sighed just now?" Old Madam Gongsun asked. "Was it because of that Miss Zheng?"
Gently patting her hand, Gongsun Zhan sighed, "Do you still remember when Ran'er was born, I asked Master Kongliao of Huguo Temple to analyze her fate? Master Kongliao said that she was born into a noble family and would marry into one. At the age of twenty-three, she would encounter a great calamity. If she couldn't overcome it, she might be rejected by others. It's a case of a beautiful woman having a short life."
Speaking of this, Old Madam Gongsun's expression also turned sour.
"Of course I remember. It was because of this prophecy that the Marquis's mansion insisted on Ran'er's marriage to the Ouyang family, which is why we didn't object. We thought Ran'er's fate could be changed, but who knew that the engagement with the Ouyang family would be broken off later. Master, what is your intention in bringing up this past event now? Could it be that His Majesty..."
Gongsun Zhan told his beloved wife what had happened in the Imperial Study the day before, but he couldn't help but sigh again, overwhelmed with worry.
"His Majesty made a promise to the Third Prince, the Fourth Prince, and the Sixth Prince: whoever wins the autumn hunt will be qualified to marry Ran'er."
"How could this be?" Old Madam Gongsun asked anxiously. "Is there any chance for this matter to turn around?"
Gongsun Zhan shook his head and said, "The princes are of such noble status. His Majesty's promise to let the three of them compete fairly is already the greatest concession of the imperial family. How can a subject have any reason to complain? Ha, if that bastard Ye Xingguan knew about this, he would probably be laughing in his dreams."
Speaking of Marquis Anshi, Gongsun Zhan gritted his teeth.
"If you had told Master Kongliao's prophecy back then, perhaps he would have done his best to facilitate this marriage with the Ouyang family?"
Gongsun Zhan snorted coldly: "I'm afraid that once he learns of that imperial edict, he'll be even more eager to send Ran'er into the imperial family. Compared to preserving the wealth and honor enjoyed by Marquis Anshi, what is the life of a daughter?"
He still clearly remembered that night, after Master Kong finished calculating Ran'er's fate, he looked at him deeply with a hesitant expression.
He knew that ever since he chose to assist the current emperor in the previous dynasty, he had been at the very center of the struggle for imperial power. Now, the emperor was old and frail, and although the crown prince was the legitimate heir to the throne, no emperor of the Great Xia Dynasty had ever been the legitimate son of the empress. This was like a curse, like a knife that could fall at any moment, hanging precariously over the heads of the Chunyu clan.
They all wanted to curry favor with him because of his high position, hoping to consolidate their own power in the court. But only he understood that it was precisely because of his high position that he could not afford to make any mistakes. Although he was trusted by the emperor, he was also deeply feared by him. Therefore, over the years, he had never shown any affection to any of the princes, including the crown prince.
But things are different now. Unable to get a response from him, they turned their attention to the Marquis of Anshi's mansion. At the autumn hunt, whoever Ran'er chooses will determine who Gongsun chooses. He now only wishes that the master had misjudged Ran'er's fate back then, so that the prophecy would not come true.
"If you are really worried, why not find an opportunity to have Lanzhi take Ran'er and Kang'er back to the Gongsun residence and ask them in person?" Old Madam Gongsun said softly. "The calamity that Master Kongle mentioned is not insurmountable. If Ran'er has her own choice in her heart, and that person can love and protect her after marriage, it may not be a bad match."
Holding his beloved wife's hand tightly, Gongsun Zhan said, "Madam, the situation in the capital is bound to change eventually. This time, we, the Gongsun family, may not have such good luck again."
"I have followed you all my life, from the wife of the registrar to the wife of the prime minister, enjoying all the riches and honors. I have many children and grandchildren, and I have no regrets. What is there to fear?" Old Madam Gongsun said with a smile.