After Becoming the Hero's Ex-fiancée

Awakening from a Dream (2)

“Why does Third Lady Jiang seek me?”

“At court assembly this morning, His Imperial Majesty appointed a new State Preceptor4; the Senior Grand Secretary seemed to be at odds with this State Preceptor, and raised objections; as punishment, His Imperial Majesty has ordered him to kneel at Anju Gate.”

Kneeling at Anju Gate was a punishment for ministers who had committed grave offences; if he weren’t discarded by the Emperor, a Senior Grand Secretary would never be sent there to kneel.

Third Lady Jiang thought of the news she had just relayed, and couldn’t hide the gloating smile creeping at the corners of her mouth. Maybe… this future Crown Princess would not be able to hold on to her position either.

“State Preceptor?”

To her surprise, other than becoming just a touch paler, Zheng Wan showed no change in expression. With a clear, steady gaze, she asked, “What State Preceptor?”

Since the founding of the Liang Dynasty, there had never been an official with such a title.

Overcome by her aura, Third Lady Jiang obediently replied, “…It is said that this State Preceptor Cui has great fortune and ability, and is different from those phony priests who are only after fame… His Imperial Majesty trusts him very much.”

Zheng Wan was not as calm as Third Lady Jiang thought.

The two words, “State Preceptor”, fell heavily into her ears; as if they were like large, rolling boulders, they pressed painfully upon her heart. Zheng Wan knew that her angina5 had recurred.

She suffered from this ailment since she was a child. They sought out the imperial physicians several times, but the cause of her illness could not be found, and they always left saying, “Lady Zheng is in good health and has no deficiency.” Coincidentally, every episode of angina came in relation to events in her personal life.

According to her mother, the earliest episode could be traced back to when she was three. Her father had planned to go on a trip for official duties, but because of her sudden angina attacks, the worried father decided to postpone his trip for a month. And it was precisely in that month that a sudden avalanche occurred outside the city, wounding and crushing many people to death. If he had been on his trip as planned, her father would probably be among the casualties.

Her mother was afraid, but her father doted on her even more from then on, often hugging her and calling her “Lucky Star”.

Zheng Wan subconsciously gripped the jade pendant at her waist.

“Where is my father?”

“…the Senior Grand Secretary is still kneeling outside the Anju Gate. I heard that his punishment was to kneel there for ten whole hours…”

Ten hours? Doesn’t that mean that he would have to kneel till night-time?

The warmth of the jade travelled upwards from her palm, and her pain began to ease. This jade pendant has been with her since Zheng Wan could remember; whenever her angina recurred, the only way she could feel better was to hold onto it.

Unwilling to be further involved with Third Lady Jiang, Zheng Wan called her maid to her, and headed immediately towards Anju Gate in her carriage.

Anju Gate was located at the second entrance of the Imperial City; it connected the inner and outer palaces. The offender kneeling in front of this prominent gate could be seen by all the officials passing through. It was a deeply humiliating experience even for an official of the lowest rank, not to mention the Senior Grand Secretary of the country.

Another two hours had gone by since the carriage made its way from the west city to Anju Square, then finally arriving at Anju Gate.

The rain had stopped, but the snowfall was becoming increasingly faster and heavier. Zheng Wan’s carriage had been kept warm with a stove; even though she had a thick down shawl on, she shivered when she was greeted by the cold wind when she got off.

The guards checked the imperial token and let her through.

The snow on the bluestone pavement had been shovelled away; as Zheng Wan walked on the wet path from Zhengxuan Gate to Anju Gate, her pearl silk shoes became increasingly soaked, allowing the frigid cold air to seep in.

But when she saw the man kneeling in front of the gate, her eyes became wetter than her feet.

All six red-lacquered, copper-studded doors of the grand Anju Gate were open; officials came and went; no one spared more than a glance towards the entrance.

Her father, who’s spirit had always been indomitable, knelt hunched over on the wet pavement; his deep purple court robes were thoroughly soaked through and clung crumpled to his body; his sideburns were frosted with snow, and made him look as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Swords, spears and halberds were all around, in the hands of heavily armed imperial guards who stood on either side.

Zheng Wan hurried forward.

“Father——”

In a daze, Zheng Zhai seemed to hear his daughter’s voice. He looked up and saw his delicate daughter standing in the snow, the hems of her skirts completely soaked. He quickly put on a serious expression.

“Wanwan, hurry back home!”

“I won’t,” Zheng Wan refused. “Father is still suffering; how can your daughter go back home with peace of mind?”

“Nonsense! This is no place for young ladies to be!”

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Zheng Zhai was still trying to chase her away when he saw his daughter, who was usually brought to tears with the slightest knocks and bumps, fall straight to the ground on her knees; a clear sound rang out as her knees collided with the ground.

“Wanwan!”

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Footnotes:

4 State Preceptor: Granted to scholars or religious leaders of the state religion by the monarch for their high morals and ethics.

5 Angina: A type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart; it is often described as squeezing, pressure, heaviness, tightness or pain in one’s chest.