Chapter 13 Tacit Agreement
1991 Words
6 pm at Yongning Palace.
When Leng Qingtang came over to pay the visit, Wan Yunyao, the Imperial Noble Concubine, was having dinner in the Palace. Wearing a red dress and a golden crown with nine phoenixes on top, she sat in front of a table full of delicious food. She looked like a magnificent and gorgeous picture. The servant at her side was eunuch Ming Lan, who visited the Eastern Depot in the morning.
"Master Leng, how long was it since you last came to visit?"
Wan Yuyao said with her eyes looking down. She picked up a piece of fresh bamboo shoot from the golden plate into her mouth. She chewed carefully without looking at him.
"I have been investigating an important case with the Eastern Depot recently and couldn't get back in time. Please forgive me, Your Grace."
Leng Qingtang saluted with his eyes looking down. He smiled faintly, looking prepared.
"You are a busy person. That explains why I've sent Ming Lan to ask you to come so many times, and you never showed up. I've heard that you brought a handsome apprentice from outside this time?"
News spread fast in the Palace.
Leng Qingtang laughed lightly and saluted again,
"That's true. I took Yun Guaner as my apprentice a couple of years ago. He is a bit timid but really cautious and careful. He has been serving in the Garden. Now that Eastern Depot has a lot of affairs, I got him by my side to help me."
"Really? So that means he is a eunuch...."
Wan Yunyao said to herself. She raised the jade glass and drank all the wine in it.
Ming Lan held up the jade mandarin duck flagon and poured more wine into Wan Yuyao's glass. He raised his bright eyes a bit and secretly glanced at Leng Qingtang, who was standing across the table. He crushed right into Leng Qingtang's sharp eyes.
He felt like being cut by a knife or being stung by some venomous insects. One look from those sharp and ghastly eyes, Ming Lan felt his skins tightened and hurt painfully.
He bent over in a panic. He used the serving chopsticks and picked a sugar-stewed bird tongue into Wan Yuyao's gold plate.
"Your Grace, this bird tongue today is quite delicious. I'll get it for you to try."
Wan Yuyao tasted it in a careless way. She picked up the handkerchief and wiped her mouth. She then raised her eyes, looked at Leng Qingtang and said,
"The Eastern Depot is not like anywhere else. You should be careful with who you use. But since that little eunuch is your apprentice, I don't think I have to worry. The Emperor has asked us to take care of all the affairs in the court and harem. He trusted us, so I don't want anything to go wrong and let him down, and have those who envy me get the power."
"I understand, Your Grace."
"Don't you want to come over and have a drink with me? I have something important to discuss with you today. Have a seat!"
Wan Yuyao slightly nodded her head at the rose chair that was closest to Leng Qingtang. The long tassel on the pearl lotus hairpin on her head made some slight noise during the movement.
"Thank you, Your Grace."
Leng Qingtang understood. Smiling faintly, he walked to the table slowly and sat down.
Ming Lan served him new bowls, plates, and silver chopsticks, and poured him a glass of fine wine.
"Please, Master."
Ming Lan smiled while serving Leng Qingtang. Afterward, he stood behind Wan Yuyao and waited for orders.
"Qingtang, I don't want to hide it from you. But I have heard some news lately that some meddling officials in the court have advised the Emperor to establish a Western Depot. Now it seems like they are thinking for the Eastern Depot. You guys investigate cases and catch suspects while watching those treacherous court officials at the same time. It's quite some trouble. This time the Emperor is really thinking about using the Western Depot to share some of your troubles."
Share troubles or share powers.
Leng Qingtang knew well about the balancing policies that the Royalty of Dayi played with. He didn't say anything but listened to Wan Yuyao continuing her speech.
"I think since the Emperor is going to establish the new squad anyway, we should have someone of our own to be the Master of Western Depot. So we can rest assured."
Wan Yuyao paused for a second. She raised the glass and drank all the wine. She looked back at Leng Qingtang,
"Qingtang, do you have anyone trustworthy to take the position?"
"Do you have any, Your Grace?"
They looked at each other and smiled, exchanging a tacit look.
Wan Yuyan looked sideways at Ming Lan. She curled up her red and soft lips, and had a meaningful smile,
"You've seen Ming Lan. He's been with me for many years. He is reliable and cautious. I think that if the Commanders-in-chief of both Depots were my people, you should work better together in the future. What do you think?"
Finishing speaking, Wan Yuyao squinted her beautiful eyes and looked directly at Leng Qingtang. A thousand kinds of charm hid within her watery eyes.
It turned out things were just like what Cheng Wanli said.
Leng Qingtang smiled and lowered her eyes,
"Since Your Grace has this idea, how would I have any objection? I will surely comply."
Wan Yuyao turned her head calmly and gave Ming Lan a hint.
Ming Lan immediately understood. He picked up a piece of fine and smooth fish meat from the back spine of the Sour Dragon Boat Fish with the serving chopsticks and placed it into Leng Qingtang's plate. He smiled obsequiously,
"Master, please! From now on, I need to rely on your prestige. Speaking of seniority, I can't even compare to you...."
Leng Qingtang didn't look up but smiled. His eyes hid behind his long eyelashes and blocked all his emotions. He sat straight, hiding his hands under the loose sleeves and didn't touch any food or drink on the table.
Ming Lan stood awkwardly for a while. He then smiled again and said femininely,
"The end of this month is the annual maneuver of Eastern Depot's squads. I was wondering if Master could let me have the pleasure of going to see it as a learning opportunity."
"If Lord Ming is interested, suit yourself."
Ming Lan sensed from Leng Qingtang's indifferent look that he was trying very hard to hold the anger. Yet he wasn't satisfied after some quick thinking, so he pursed,
"In your opinion, when the Western Depot is established, the Imperial Guards that we need..."
"It will be assigned from my Eastern Depot according to the military's establishment!"
Leng Qingtang stood up abruptly and saluted at Wan Yuyao,
"It's quite late, and Your Grace should get some rest. If there's nothing else, I should excuse myself. The Eastern Depot still has something I need to tend to."
"Go ahead."
Wan Yuyao smiled at him and watched him leave.
The towering sight of Leng Qingtang's back disappeared in Wan Yuyan's view. She held her sharp chin by one hand and squeezed the chopsticks in the other. She looked bored.
Reminiscing that handsome and charming look, Wan Yuyao had a sense of loss in her heart for no reason.
"Such a shame for that kind of handsome man to be a eunuch." Wan Yuyao thought.
In Leng Qingtang, Wan Yuyao saw a sense of restraining and profoundness that Ming Lan lacked at his age. This charm made Wan Yuyao wallow.
Yet he treated her sometimes well and sometimes not. This made her suffer from the worry about her gains and losses each time she saw him. The more she worried, the more she was obsessed with him. A strong feeling of conquering and possessing him grew each day.
Ming Lan put away the obsequious smile. He coldly looked at the delicious food and drinks on the table that Leng Qingtang didn't touch and said harshly,
"Your Grace, Leng Qingtang is not taking you seriously! He didn't taste any of the food and drink you rewarded him. He's not respecting you at all! I watched him closely. He looked so unhappy about the Emperor's decision to establishing a Western Depot!"
Hearing Ming Lan's voice, Wan Yuyao stopped thinking. Looked a bit tipsy, she threw away the golden chopsticks lazily,
"He is in the high position as the seal keeper of the Imperial Ceremony Office, and he has done a lot for me. It's unavoidable that he is a bit indifferent and arrogant. I just asked you to flatter him so that it would be easier for you to do things in the Western Depot. After all, Leng Qingtang, the Master of the Eastern Depot, was already here when I haven't come. I'm giving him some leeway to buy you time to grow. I know that you are truly my people."
Ming Lan was thrilled. He kneeled on the ground and saluted.
"My loyalty to Your Grace can be witnessed by the earth and sky. It's my biggest honor to be valued by you. I will spare no effort in the performance of your duty to repay this great kindness!"
...
Leng Qingtang walked in the Palace with Chiliarch of Penalty, Cheng Wanli. He didn't want to miss such beautiful moonlight. The sedan and escorting guards followed, keeping a distance from the Master.
"My Lord, you did so much for the Imperial Noble Concubine, and she still couldn't believe you! Establishing the damn Western Depot! I guarantee it's her who gave this idea to the Emperor!"
After hearing what Leng Qingtang encountered in the Yongning Palace, Cheng Wanli clenched his fists tightly and ground his teeth hard with anger.
"Hum! Now Wan Yuyao's idea is our Emperor's idea. They want to use the Eastern Depot, yet they are afraid of the Eastern Depot."
Leng Qingtang walked straight ahead peacefully. He talked quietly at a fine pace,
"Ming Lan is a scheming servant. He just used Wan Yuyao's name to ask for Imperial Guards from the Eastern Depot to fill his Western Depot. I can see right through him. If I gave him the Imperial Guards, he would want to be the Commander-in-chief of the Imperial Guards!"
"Ming Lan climbed up from the Service Center. He is not good at martial arts. Master, let's wait and see how long his Western Depot can last...."
...
While talking, they came to the place that brought out Leng Qingtang's memories. He stopped subconsciously, tilted his head, and looked into the near distance.
Cheng Wanli was extremely familiar with Master's long-formed habit. Every time he stopped at this place, Cheng Wanli always watched him with sorrow in his heart.
Lowering his eyebrows, Cheng Wanli said quietly behind Leng Qingtang's back,
"You've taken a load off your mind by bringing Yunxi back. That girl really looks like chief cook, Pei. In the unseen world, the god finally repays you..."
Leng Qingtang stood in silence with his hands behind his back. It seemed that he didn't hear what the Chiliarch said.
Cheng Wanli frowned and suddenly got emotional,
"Master, for so many years, I understand your worries! Yunxi, she..."
"I have always understood, Pei is Pei, and Yunxi...is Yunxi!"
Leng Qingtang said abruptly, cutting off Cheng Wanli's sentence.
In the dark night, Leng Qingtang's quiet voice showed hints of sorrowfulness. The cold white moonlight shone on his handsome and pale face, making it even weaker and more tired.
"Wanli, I own the whole Zheng family. I can never repay the Lord Protector Zheng's kindness, even spending my whole life! Now, I just want to protect her. Hold her in my hands and watch her grow up. This is the only way I can pay them back."
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