Tangli Fried Snow

Like any woman in love, Ding Lan's eyes were only for the man she loved.

Although Jin Cheng left after the marriage and didn't come back often, he was always good to her. Whenever he was with her, he was polite and caring, giving his wife all the face and consideration she deserved.

Women are usually perceptive and sensitive; they can usually tell whether a man likes them or not.

His eyes clearly showed that he didn't like her.

But Ding Lan didn't mind at all.

In this era of arranged marriages and blind marriages, being able to marry the man you love is already a blessing beyond measure. How can you expect him to love you back? Before marrying him, before the red veil was lifted, he may not have even seen her once, and may not even remember ever seeing her when he was a child.

Life is long, and perhaps things will get better in the future, she often comforted herself.

The two strolled around chatting, and even played chess for a while after returning to their villa. Ding Lan's chess skills came from a prestigious family, and Jin Cheng was no match for her. Fortunately, she was willing to save face for her husband, often winning two games and losing one, thus giving Jin Cheng ample face and a way out.

Jin Yan rarely came home in the evening, and even his elder brother and sister-in-law, who rarely appeared, made an exception and had dinner together in the main room. The whole family enjoyed a harmonious meal together.

During the meal, Ding Lan and her mother-in-law brought Jin Yan a list to review. In a few days, it would be the Empress Dowager's birthday, and the Jin family had prepared many luxurious and valuable gifts to present to her.

Jade Guanyin from Hetian, jade cabbage, Dongjin pearl, goat milk tangerine, wine dates, pink jade longevity peach, jade wine worth a thousand gold pieces, as well as famous paintings from the previous dynasty, such as "Nine Elders Playing Chess in Yingzhou" and "Palace Maids of the Tang Dynasty".

After carefully examining it, Jin Yan asked Lin Shi, "Isn't it too extravagant and conspicuous?"

Lin said with a smile, "Oh dear, these are all carefully selected by my two daughters-in-law and me. They look like a lot, but we need to prepare three sets of gifts. If each family receives one, then we will only have three sets. It's not much, not much at all."

Jin Yan looked at it for a long time, then removed the last two paintings and the pink jade peach, leaving only six items to be sent over.

They exchanged glances but remained silent. Since their lord had spoken, no one would dare to object.

It was already past 7 PM when they finished eating. The eldest brother wasn't feeling well, Ding Lan was pregnant, and Madam Liu didn't like staying up late. After dinner, the group chatted for a while before everyone went back to their rooms to sleep early.

Jin Yan and Jin Cheng exchanged a glance and called him to the study. Jin Cheng carefully examined his father's face; his expression was grim, so it seemed that what he was about to say was not good news.

Sure enough, Jin Yan sat in the chair with a heavy expression, the deep wrinkles between his brows betraying his inner turmoil. After a long while, he finally said, "I recently heard a bad rumor." He couldn't finish his sentence.

Seeing his father's stern face and weary expression, as if he had aged several years in an instant, Jin Cheng realized that this matter was quite serious and couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "What is it that makes Father so worried?"

Jin Yan said with a somber expression, "I heard that Shen Shibai has hired a tutor for the emperor to teach him horsemanship, archery, and swordsmanship."

Jin Chengqi asked, "This is a good thing, is there anything wrong with it?"

Jin Yan said helplessly, "I heard that this person is handsome and has a lot of masculine charm, and he spends half a day in the palace every day."

Jin Cheng's gaze turned cold: "He'll only stay for half a day every day? Wouldn't that mean the Empress Dowager can see him every day?"

You should know that men from outside the palace can only enter the palace by being summoned and dispatched by a special person. After I was dismissed from my post as the commander of the imperial city this year, I need the Empress Dowager's permission to enter the palace.

Jin Yan said with a headache, "I heard that the Empress Dowager values ​​him highly. He has been there for two months and has already received three rewards. She also gave him an imperial token that allows him to freely enter and leave the inner palace."

Jin Cheng was shocked and exclaimed, "What?!"

"Could it be that the Empress Dowager... towards him, towards him, heh!" He slammed his fist on the table, unable to utter the rest of his words.

Jin Yan was so angry that he smashed the teacup beside him and shouted, "It must all be that treacherous minister's doing!"

Jin Cheng was so shocked by the news that he couldn't say a word. Overwhelmed with mixed feelings, he slumped into his chair, lost in thought.

My elder sister entered the palace at the age of seventeen and was immediately favored by the emperor. It could be said that she was the most favored concubine in the palace. She was very capable and resolute. She even managed to send the famously beautiful Huang Wanqing to the cold palace.

My elder sister had always had a good relationship with the late emperor. After he fell ill, she cared for him day and night, worrying about both state affairs and her children. Last year was a year of great upheaval and exhaustion. She was deeply saddened after the late emperor's death. Jin Cheng, fearing she would be upset, often made time to visit her and her nephew.

Although she is now arguably the most powerful person in the Song Kingdom, she is still a young woman, only twenty-five years old, which is the best age for a mature woman. To be honest, she is at the age when she has strong desires and needs a man's care. It is truly pitiful that she is living a life of widowhood at such a young age.

My sister is relatively well-off during the day, busy with official duties at court, but the nights are unbearable. The long nights are sleepless, and I can only imagine her suffering. Years of this monotonous, repetitive life must have made her sick.

Now, things are really messed up. A handsome and skilled tutor is always under her nose, and they talk about it from time to time for the sake of her son's "studies." Even if that dead brother-in-law were still alive, she would still have an affair.

Jin Cheng didn't know what to say, but Jin Yan said with a heavy heart, "If something that shouldn't have happened really happens, losing face is secondary. What I'm most worried about is that she will be controlled by someone with ulterior motives, and the entire Song Kingdom will be ruined in her hands. Then I, as her father, and our Jin family will truly be infamous for eternity."

"Who in the Song Kingdom isn't indulging in a life of debauchery, wine, and beautiful women these days? They rouse themselves only when the enemy is at the gates, but revert to their old ways as soon as the enemy retreats. I've heard that rice prices in the city are only going up, not down. All the rice in the country is being hoarded by the powerful and wealthy, who can set the price at whatever they want. How are the common people supposed to survive?"

"I heard that the biggest freeloader is owned by Shen Shibai!"

"If the Empress Dowager is really so immoral, disregarding the lives of the people, indulging treacherous officials in stirring up trouble, and even becoming infatuated with that Grand Tutor, letting him control her body and emotions, and letting that man surnamed Shen control the court, then the Song Dynasty will belong to Shen, not Zhao!"

"If we send troops to besiege the city again, the Song Dynasty will surely be destroyed!"

Jin Cheng asked in a deep voice, "Did Father investigate the background of that Grand Tutor?"

Jin Cheng said, "I already sent people to investigate. The man's name is Song Yaochen. He is the nephew of one of Shen Shibai's mistresses. He acts all high and mighty in public, but when he sees Shen Shibai, he's like a mouse before a cat, fawning and obsequious beyond belief. I think he's a deep and cunning man, not at all like the upright and honest man he appears to be. I'm afraid the Empress Dowager was just seduced by his sweet talk and good looks. He really doesn't seem like a good person."

Jin Cheng couldn't help but ask, "Then what should we do?"

Jin Yan, breathing heavily, thought for a moment and said, "The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet is in a few days. Although it won't be a grand affair, there will definitely be a banquet to celebrate. At that time, we'll invite that Grand Tutor as well. I'll try to find a way to get some prizes and have everyone compete in swordsmanship to add to the fun. Ideally, we should kill him on the spot."

Jin Cheng asked in surprise, "Wouldn't it be bad to kill him in public? How will we explain it to the Empress Dowager?"

If my sister really fell in love with Song Yaochen, and he died tragically on the spot, wouldn't my sister suffer a heart-wrenching blow?

Jin Yanteng stood up, staring into Jin Cheng's eyes, his gaze flashing with cold light. He lowered his voice and said coldly, "Court disputes are not like military battles. All schemes and tricks are not as effective as open strategies. Only by killing him on the spot can we make everyone understand that the face of my Jin family is the face of the Song Kingdom."

"If anyone disgraces the Jin family and leaves a bad name for eternity, even if they hold great power, they cannot save their own lives! Xi'an is already the emperor now, and in a few years he will be an adult. In a few more years, he can continue to be the emperor even without his mother."

Upon hearing this, Jin Cheng felt a chill run down his spine, and cold sweat broke out. He couldn't help but say to his father, "Father, don't forget, although the emperor is young, he is surnamed Zhao, not Jin! If my sister is gone, our family's good days will be over!"

Jin Yan took a deep breath, then slumped back into his chair, covering his face and sighing.