Chapter 1045 - 1047 Trusting the Employed_1
Bai Ruozhu understood but still felt a tinge of desolation. After all, Princess Diao Bin was to be married off and couldn’t know too much of the Emperor’s secrets, not because the Empress Dowager and the Emperor didn’t trust her, but because it was simply the way things were done.
But did she really have to marry into the Turkic Country? The people there were fierce, and the environment was far from as good as in Danliang Country. Could Princess Diao Bin, such a frail girl, really endure such conditions?
The Empress Dowager found an excuse to send Princess Diao Bin away and did not remind Bai Ruozhu to pay extra attention, clearly believing that Bai Ruozhu was smart enough to handle herself.
"You, child, are starting to make me feel embarrassed," the Empress Dowager shook her head, feeling like she was taking advantage of the younger generation.
Bai Ruozhu smiled and said, "In business we speak of business. Our personal relationship is one thing, but business is another. I willingly offered my shares in exchange with the Empress Dowager, which is also akin to lending a hand to the Emperor."
The Empress Dowager chuckled and patted the back of Bai Ruozhu’s hand, saying, "You are a sensible person, but I can’t let you be at too much of a loss either. Forget about thirty percent, twenty percent will be enough."
Bai Ruozhu thought to herself, she had easily given away a 20% bonus of Beiyu City’s branch to Fusa back in Beiyu City. If she gave less to the Empress Dowager, she herself would feel embarrassed to even mention it.
Of course, she never regretted giving things away, because she knew she could earn them back. But while she was happy to provide for those around her, she certainly did not take pleasure in being coerced by Princess Huilan.
"Later, I will send someone to find Huilan and tell her that I am your backstage supporter. Knowing that Yingkelai belongs to me, and with me mentioning Yingkelai, she should have no further suspicions," the Empress Dowager said.
Bai Ruozhu felt worried, "Won’t this affect the Emperor’s affairs?"
The Empress Dowager shook her head, "You see, even the princess knows how to make money on the side. Can’t I, as the Empress Dowager, make some personal profits as well? Even the former Empress Dowager had her private business in the Capital." The Empress Dowager smiled contentedly, and Bai Ruozhu felt reassured.
Speaking of the Empress Dowager helping the Emperor raise funds, Bai Ruozhu had had a private discussion with Jiang Yichun. Jiang Yichun said that although the Emperor’s ascendancy to the throne was legitimate and inevitable, the former emperor had passed away early, and, having ascended the throne at the age of twenty, the Emperor’s power was not yet consolidated. He was always under the scrutiny of people like Duke Duan, and even former Prince Rui had intended to compete with him for control over Danliang Country. In the years since the Emperor’s accession, the political situation had been unstable, with old ministers and military nobles holding onto power, and the Emperor had very few elite troops under his direct control. Hesitant to act rashly and provoke unrest among the hundred families, he had difficulty in regaining military authority, which could destabilize the overall situation in Danliang Country.
Because he was being closely watched, it was not easy for the Emperor to use the treasury funds rashly. Hence, the Empress Dowager had been secretly supporting the private expenses of his troop training.
Bai Ruozhu had some criticisms of the Emperor at first, as on their first audience, the Emperor had tried to push her sister as a match for Jiang Yichun and even said that she was not fit to be Jiang Yichun’s official wife. But since then, the Emperor did not continue to trouble her and treated her fairly in rewards, so her dislike for the Emperor had faded. Reflecting on it, the task of being Emperor was not an easy one.
At that moment, Princess Diao Bin returned, a smile on her face. "Mother, the National Master has sent his accomplished disciple to treat your daughter, and he is now outside the Main Hall. Shall we ask him to come in now?"
A sharp throb went through Bai Ruozhu’s heart. There couldn’t be many disciples of the National Master, right? Was it Ning Yu, who had almost sent her soul off for transcendence?
The Empress Dowager stood up abruptly, "Hurry and invite him in. You are an unmarried princess, so it is naturally not proper for him to go to your Palace for the examination. It’s fine to have it here in the presence of your mother."
The Empress Dowager’s voice trembled slightly, showing her urgency to cure her daughter.
Bai Ruozhu did not want to encounter Ning Yu again and immediately said, "Since the Empress Dowager and the princess have matters to attend to, Ruozhu will take her leave first."
"Don’t rush off, Ruozhu. We can rest assured with you watching over us. You must help ensure Diao Bin is well taken care of," the Empress Dowager’s tone carried a plea.
With that, Bai Ruozhu could no longer insist on leaving and could only step aside, making herself less conspicuous.
The palace maid led someone in, it was Ning Yu whom Bai Ruozhu had met once before.
"This humble Ning Yu pays his respects to the Empress Dowager and the princess," Ning Yu said, dressed in a cotton blue shirt of utterly common design, with his eye color somewhat faded, truly resembling a plain-clothed scholar.
However, having followed the National Master and lived in the Astrology Tower for years, he carried an air of ethereal detachment, almost resembling a cultivator.
"Master Ning, there’s no need for formalities. Please help Princess Diao Bin and tell us the truth about the result of the inspection, no matter what it is. I shall be very grateful," the Empress Dowager said with urgency in her voice.
Ning Yu quickly performed a courtesy, "Your Highness is too kind. I will now conduct the ritual to examine the princess."
To check whether Princess Diao Bin was cursed, mere eyesight was inadequate; one had to properly conduct a ritual to know for sure.
Ning Yu took out incense ash and talisman paper, starting to draw the Array in the spacious Main Hall of Cining Palace. Bai Ruozhu watched with curiosity, wanting to see the patterns he was drawing, but then remembered that time when she listened carefully to the spell he was chanting and nearly had her soul depart her body.
Thus, Bai Ruozhu quickly averted her gaze, not daring to look any further.
Ning Yu drew very meticulously, constantly muttering spells. His drawing took half the day, and both the Empress Dowager and Princess Diao Bin, anxious, dared not sit down but stood beside him, craning their necks to watch.
Bai Ruozhu naturally couldn’t sit either and simply stood behind the two.
Suddenly, the Empress Dowager turned to Bai Ruozhu, her gaze questioning whether they could trust Ning Yu’s ritual.
Bai Ruozhu, clueless about these matters, remembered seeing Ning Yu save Tiger, with his clear eyes and simple mind, and mouthed to the Empress Dowager, "Trust the one you employ."
The Empress Dowager paused, then a determined look crossed her face, and she nodded at Bai Ruozhu.
It was much like when Bai Ruozhu treated the sick. If the patient trusted her and cooperated, the recovery was naturally quicker. If the patient doubted her, often disobeyed her advice, and was restless with suspicion, the illness naturally became harder to cure.
"All done, thank you for waiting," Ning Yu finally stopped, wiping the sweat from his forehead, looking towards Princess Diao Bin, only to notice Bai Ruozhu.
"Oh, you’re here too; that’s really great!" Ning Yu said, somewhat happily.
Bai Ruozhu’s mouth twitched. He hadn’t noticed her until half the day had passed, had he? And what did he mean by "that’s really great"? She didn’t think seeing him was any cause for celebration.
"Bai Ruozhu pays her respects to Master Ning," Bai Ruozhu said, giving a nod as a sign of respect.
"Come stand at the Kan position, just standing is fine. Your soul is unique, standing on the Kan position aids the success rate of the Array," Ning Yu said, smiling foolishly, his expression looking very guileless, "How did I not think of this before? Thank goodness I saw you in time."
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Mouka is sick again... but I’m too ashamed to explain to everyone, I can only try to update more as an apology.