Chapter 266 Planning an Escape Route

Chapter 266 Planning an Escape Route

One load of brocade was carried in through the gate, a thousand bolts carried in a hundred loads, filling the entire front yard.

The Minister of Rites took the box from the messenger and handed it to Meng Qing. “Lady Wu, this is a mansion bestowed by the Empress Dowager. The Ministry of Works has completed its renovations, and your son also participated in the renovations. He knows the location.”

Meng Qing was overjoyed. Wang Zhou had also participated in the renovations? Had he taken up a position in the Ministry of Works? Or had he been personally appointed by the Empress Dowager?

"I'm sorry to trouble you, Minister. Please come to the main hall for a cup of tea." Meng Qing accepted the wooden box and extended the invitation.

"It's getting late, and we must return to the palace to report. We dare not linger any longer. We'll visit again another day for tea," the Minister of Rites declined.

Upon hearing this, Meng Qing stopped being polite. She and Du Min went out to see her off, saying, "Please pass on a message, sir, that I will go to the palace tomorrow to express my gratitude."

The Minister of Rites nodded. "Lady Wu, please wait. Minister Du, please wait."

Watching the procession carrying the imperial decree disappear into the distance, Meng Qing and Du Min turned and returned to their residence. Just as they entered, a carriage pulled up outside; it was Du Li bringing Wang Chuan back. Du Li had gone directly from the ferry to his residence. Upon arriving home, he learned that Wang Chuan had gone with his classmates to pay New Year's respects to their teacher. Having nothing to do at home and eager to see his son, he hurriedly got into his carriage and, with servants, went to fetch him.

"Mother!" Wang Chuan jumped off the carriage with great strides. He ran quickly into the mansion, stopped two steps away, and bowed with a joyful expression. "Your son greets Lady Wu."

Meng Qing grabbed his elbow and pulled him closer to her, looking him up and down with a smile in her eyes. "How did you grow so fast? You're taller than me now."

“Mother, I’ve been away from Wu County for three years now. In a few months, I’ll be seventeen. If I’m still not as tall as you, it would be a disgrace to you. The elegant Lady of Wu has a short son; it’s hardly presentable.” Wang Chuan teased, then twirled around, arms outstretched. “How about it? Isn’t your son handsome?”

"Handsome, handsome." Meng Qing nodded with a smile. Wang Chuan looked like Du Li, but with a more dashing appearance. Today, he was wearing a red robe, and his vigorous youthful spirit soared like a raging flame, making him look very spirited.

"With your good looks, do any girls from prestigious families have taken a liking to you?" Du Min teased.

"There are so many, but I just won't agree. If I did, all the gifts my mother received in this courtyard would be used to pay my betrothal tomorrow." Wang Chuan rambled on.

Du Li slapped him on the shoulder as she passed by, saying, "You're really shameless."

"Come on, let's go inside and talk," Meng Qing said. "Where is your brother? Does he work at the Ministry of Works?"

“Yes, he only took office two months ago as the Assistant Director of the Imperial Workshops. He was appointed by the Empress Dowager, and my brother benefited from your appointment.” Wangchuan confessed, “When news of Xu Jingye’s uprising came, the Empress Dowager ordered people to dig up his father’s grave, open the coffin, mutilate the corpse, confiscate his property, and exterminate his entire family. The Xu family was implicated, and the Duke’s mansion was also sealed off. In mid-winter, the Empress Dowager instructed the Secretariat to draft an edict, bestowing upon you the title of Lady of Wu and granting you a mansion. The former Duke’s mansion is now the Lady of Wu’s mansion. It was also at this time that my brother was appointed by the Empress Dowager as the Assistant Director of the Imperial Workshops, responsible for overseeing the renovation of the Lady of Wu’s mansion.”

After listening, Du Min clicked his tongue twice and said, "That kid is lucky; his career started as a sixth-rank official."

Just then, Wang Zhou returned. Like Wang Chuan, he ran back in long strides. As soon as he passed the Haitang Gate, his joyful voice rang out, "Mother, Father, Third Uncle, you're finally back!"

"Supervisor Du, are you off duty?" Du Min teased with a smile.

"You know?" Wang Zhou laughed heartily. He stood outside the hall and bowed deeply. "This humble official greets Lady Wu and Minister Du."

"Come in quickly." Meng Qing beckoned, "Isn't the government office closed today?"

“We were on holiday until after the Lantern Festival before we went back to work. I didn’t know you would be back today. Wangchuan and his classmates went to pay New Year’s respects to the teacher, so no one was home. I had nothing to do, so I went to check on the mansion bestowed by the Empress Dowager to see if there was anything that needed to be changed,” Wangzhou explained. “Where is my third aunt?”

“She went back to her parents’ home. She came back with me. She learned that Ximei and Wangshan were at the Yin family’s house, so she went to pick up the two children,” Du Li replied.

"Xi Mei and Wang Shan aren't home for the New Year either? So it's just the two of you brothers living here?" Du Min looked displeased.

“After the Imperial College closed for the holidays, Wangchuan brought Ximei and Wangshan back home, and the four of us spent the New Year at home. Yesterday, we went to the Yin residence to pay our respects. After dinner, Wangchuan and I came back, while Ximei and Wangshan stayed at the Yin residence,” Wangzhou explained. “Wangchuan only comes back once every ten days at the Imperial College. Before I went to the Ministry of Works, I lived in a temple every day, and I often only came back once every seven or eight days. Since we were all away from home, we didn’t feel comfortable leaving Ximei and Wangshan at home, so we let them stay at the Yin residence. Every month when Wangchuan has his holidays, I also come down from the mountain and bring Ximei and Wangshan back then.”

Du Min's expression softened slightly. "That's more like it."

Du Li snorted coldly, "You're getting more and more arrogant. I never see you worrying about these little things or making any arrangements before. But as soon as something doesn't go your way, you immediately put on a grumpy face. Who are you trying to scare?"

"When did I ever have a sour face?" Du Min denied it. "Do I have to give instructions for such a small thing? Xi Mei and Wang Shan should understand that their two older brothers are the ones they should be closest to."

"You're so annoying." Wang Chuan didn't like his tone. "Third Uncle, it's a good thing you're not my father, so you don't meddle too much."

“That’s absolutely right!” Wang Zhou agreed.

Meng Qing nodded, "Of the four children, Ximei and Wangshan are the youngest. They were separated from their parents at a young age and have been separated for three years. It's a good thing that they have relatives to take care of them and give them something to confide in to ease their longing. Instead of being considerate of the children and grateful to your family, you're criticizing them."

After listening to her analysis, Du Min realized that his thinking was indeed problematic. "Oh, it's my fault. It's getting dark, why haven't the mother and the three of them returned yet? I'll go and meet them."

"That's more like it." Meng Qing waved for him to leave.

Wang Zhou walked over and sat down next to Du Li, saying affectionately, "Fortunately, my father isn't like my third uncle."

"Did you visit your maternal grandparents and uncle in Huaizhou?" Du Li asked.

“We went before the New Year. After the government offices closed for the holiday, Wangchuan, Ximei, Wangshan, and I went to Huaizhou together and stayed for six days before returning,” Wangzhou replied.

“Mom, my maternal grandparents are still in great health, so you don’t need to worry. My aunt gave birth to another baby boy this year, and my brother went to celebrate the baby’s one-month birthday. I didn’t go because I missed the Imperial Academy’s holiday,” Wangchuan said.

"I'll go back to my parents' house for a while in a few days," Meng Qing said.

“I’ll go with you,” Du Li said.

"Of course you need to come with me." Meng Qing remembered something. "Wangzhou, only my reward came down today. Do you know what arrangements the court has made for your third uncle and your father? And what about those who responded to the call to aid Yangzhou? What rewards has the court given them?"

"The Empress Dowager wanted to grant official titles to the heroes who responded to the call to quell the rebellion, but this was opposed by several prime ministers. Firstly, there were too many people, and secondly, no battles were fought during the recapture of Yangzhou. The prime ministers believed that the people who responded to the call had only contributed lives and had not made any contributions, so they were not worthy of being rewarded," Wang Zhou recounted. "Mother, my grandfather Yin is also a prime minister now. He was granted the title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin. Although he still serves as the Minister of Personnel, he has the same political power as the prime ministers of the three provinces."

Meng Qing smiled and said, "That's great. I hope he can enter the Secretariat in five years."

Why five years? And why the Secretariat? Wang Zhou found it strange, but felt there was no need to press the matter. He continued, "I saw him yesterday and asked him if my third uncle's achievements in Yangzhou could qualify him for the position of prime minister. He said that if the Empress Dowager was willing, it would be possible, but the problem was that the Empress Dowager's attitude was rather ambiguous, and he wasn't sure. As for my father, the Empress Dowager mentioned wanting to bestow upon him the title of county baron, but the decree has not yet been issued, and the situation is unclear."

"I don't care whether I get a reward or not," Du Li said somewhat awkwardly. "I haven't done anything special."

"You'll know when you see the Empress Dowager tomorrow," Meng Qing reassured her.

Footsteps sounded outside the Begonia Gate. The family of four looked over and saw another family of four walking in.

"Auntie, Second Uncle!" Xi Mei ran up.

Meng Qing and Du Li stood up, and Meng Qing went to the door to greet Xi Mei and put his arm around her, saying, "It's been three years since I last saw you, Xi Mei, you've grown into a beautiful young woman."

"You've grown up and don't look so much like your dad anymore, that's a good thing." Du Li was genuinely happy.

"Hey!" Du Min exclaimed, "What do you mean?"

Du Li ignored him and bent down to look at Wangshan. "Wangshan has grown taller and more handsome. Does he miss us?"

Wang Shan nodded emphatically.

"You poor things." Du Li patted her nephew's head. "Come on, let's go inside and eat."

At the dinner table, Yin Caiwei told her the news she had received from her father: Commander Xu had been promoted to Left Guard General and joined the Imperial Guard, responsible for palace guards and patrols of the capital, and also commanding the soldiers of twenty Zhechong Prefectures. "Second sister-in-law, congratulations on developing another useful connection."

"I figured that if he obeyed me, I could at least make up for the risk he took," Meng Qing said.

“Once he’s tasted success, he won’t refuse you again if you approach him in the future,” Yin Caiwei asserted.

Meng Qing shook his head with a smile, "He's already joined the Imperial Guard to protect the palace. How could I possibly need him, and I wouldn't dare to use him? Sigh, I hope I never have the chance to use him again."

After a few moments of silence, everyone tacitly changed the subject and started talking about other things. When the topic turned to the unresolved reward for Du Min, Meng Qing asked, "Third brother, are you going to change your previous ambitions?"

Du Min looked troubled. He put down his chopsticks and said, “I’m not sure. When I left the palace, I impulsively decided to continue the land survey after the mourning period. First, I was truly unwilling to accept being forced to flee. Second, I wanted to reinstate myself so that the Empress Dowager wouldn’t forget me. Third, I wanted the position of Prime Minister, hoping to accumulate political achievements in this job and rise to the top. Now, with the merit of suppressing the rebellion in Yangzhou, I should be able to enter the Council of State Affairs. Even if I can’t become the Prime Minister of the Three Departments, I can still get the title of Third Rank Official of the Secretariat-Chancellery or the title of Chancellor. I have both reinstatement and the position of Prime Minister. I can deal with the matter of reporting back slowly. But the Empress Dowager’s words are ambiguous, and she has been delaying issuing an edict. I guess she intends for me to fulfill my promise from back then.”

"Third Uncle, you made a pledge to the Empress Dowager before you left the capital? How come we didn't know?" Wang Zhou asked in shock.

“It’s normal that you don’t know.” Du Min didn’t explain. He looked at Meng Qing and asked, “Second Sister-in-law, do you have any insights into this matter?”

Meng Qing's face was grave. She looked at the four children, hesitated several times, and finally made a decision. "The eldest of you four siblings has already entered officialdom, and the youngest is almost ten years old. You will all enter officialdom in the future, or find a husband who is an official or scholar. Sooner or later, you will face a choice. I'm taking a risk today and not kicking you out. I'm letting you stay and listen. What I say tonight concerns the lives of my family of eight, and even the eight members of the Meng family and more than twenty members of the Yin family. You must be extremely careful. Once you leave this house, you are not allowed to mention this topic again."

Du Min frowned. He looked at Xi Mei and Wang Shan, feeling very uneasy about the two children.

"I'll go out." Wang Shan stood up.

"Don't you believe in yourself?" Du Li asked. "Don't look at your father. If you believe in yourself, then sit down."

Wang Shan sat down, tears welling up in his eyes.

Du Li kicked Du Min hard under the table. Du Min was in pain, but he didn't dare to utter a sound. He was once again grateful that Wang Shan was raised by Du Li, who was like a father to him.

Meng Qing glanced around, his gaze lingering on Yin Caiwei for a couple of seconds before continuing to wander. "Everyone here knows why Du Min and I are trusted and valued by the Empress Dowager. She wants to ascend the throne, and we know this and work for her. Du Min's stance is clear to everyone, and as for me, my stance was also clearly exposed during the Yangzhou rebellion. The rebels' 'Proclamation Against Wu Zetian' was weakened by my advocacy of 'Maitreya's Reincarnation.' In the next three to five years, perhaps the negative impact of this proclamation can be eradicated, and it might even become a breeding ground for 'Maitreya's Reincarnation' to take root in the Tang Dynasty. This has earned me rewards, but it also contains a weapon that could take my life. The Li Tang imperial family hates me. Once imperial power returns to the Li family, if the rulers hold a grudge against me, I will suffer a terrible death."

The four children turned pale.

Meng Qing stopped talking and looked at Du Min, "Third brother, do you have any thoughts about staying in the court? Are you thinking that instead of finding fault with aristocratic families and clans in the provinces, you would rather stay in the court and be the Empress Dowager's henchman, doing whatever she tells you to do?"

Du Min nodded, "I have had that thought."

"Being a powerful minister is certainly enjoyable. You're shrewd and calculating, you have me by your side, and you have a powerful backer. You can do whatever you want in Luoyang, but you have to think about the long term. If the Li family succeeds to the throne after Empress Wu, will you be buried with her? Or will you continue to vie for imperial power? You'll be walking on the edge of life and death." Meng Qing shook his head. "There's no need. It's only a matter of time before you become prime minister. This is the peak of your career. What you need to do is stay stable and build a safety net halfway up the mountain so that if you fall, you won't die."

"Second sister-in-law, do you want me to persist in the path of investigating the land?" Du Min understood.

Meng Qing nodded, “Investigating the land, re-registering the land across the country, and even reclaiming wasteland and stockpiling distributable land are unparalleled achievements. Although they may incur the hatred of aristocratic families, powerful clans, and landlords, they will be loved by the common people and favored by the emperor. In this process, even if you offend the hidden dragon, when he emerges from the pool, his stance will change, and your actions will be in support of his rule. He will not target you.”

Du Min nodded. "I understand. I will stick to the path of being a capable minister, to gain a good reputation for myself. I am not afraid of being hated, but I am afraid of being feared."

"Yes, do you want to adopt this?" Meng Qing nodded. She wanted Du Min to emulate Di Renjie, work diligently, make good use of talented people, and build a good reputation among the people.

"Second sister-in-law is absolutely right, I will listen to you." Du Min readily accepted the advice.

"Mother, what are you going to do?" Wangzhou asked anxiously.

"I'm also trying to gain a good reputation for myself. I'm already the Lady of Wu, so I have a lot of room to scheme." Meng Qing wasn't worried about herself. "What I said tonight is to advise your third uncle, and also to you. After you enter officialdom, you need to know what you can and cannot do, and you need to make your own judgments."

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Author's note: Goodbye, it's 2026! I wish all my readers a new year filled with blossoming success, just like Meng Qing, and may our days be filled with ever-growing hope.