The Wife Is First

Chapter 37

Ch37 - Summons

In the sixth month of the 13th year of Hong Zheng, the imperial court sent Fan Jie, the Imperial Censor, to the southwest fiefdom to read out the imperial edict on the demotion of the vassal kings. The Southwest King refused to accept it, and wrote a petition to justify himself. 

In the seventh month, the Southwest King beheaded Fan Jie, the special envoy from the imperial court, and named himself king, shocking all of society! Emperor Hong Zheng finally decided to send troops to subdue the southwest!

“I heard my father-in-law say that the southwest terrain is arduous: easy to defend but hard to attack. Moreover, the Southwest King is very cunning and skillful. He’s good at using ambush strategies, with his troops appearing suddenly, which is very difficult to deal with,” Duchess Mao whispered to the Empress. 

　　　　　

Empress Wu continued to gaze upon the pomegranate flowers blooming in front of her and frowned slightly, “This time, the Emperor wants to send 100,000 soldiers. If he has Cheng Wang go, I’m afraid it would be inappropriate.”

“It’s not easy to win a battle in that miserable place in the southwest,” said Duchess Mao, recalling her husband’s words carefully. “Once withdrawing the vassal states begins, I’m afraid we’ll have to withdraw all three. When we have to fight the King of Huainan, have the fourth prince go then. The terrain in Jiangnan is flat; as long as there are enough soldiers and horses, then the attack should be successful.”

When the Empress heard these words, she nodded slightly.

　　

Duchess Mao inwardly sighed with relief. The southwest was easy to defend and difficult to attack. They didn’t know how long this war would last. Her daughter was betrothed to the fourth prince; she would have to stay at home if her husband went to war. By the time the fourth prince came back, her daughter would have become an old and yellow pearl. At that time, the fourth prince would likely acquire a few concubines of high birth, and in the future, even if her daughter became Empress, she wouldn’t pass her days easily. 

　　　　

“There is one more thing; Qie doesn’t know if it’s appropriate to speak of it or not.” Duchess Mao hesitated a little as she clasped her hands together.

“There are no outsiders here; don’t worry about it being proper or not.” The Empress raised her hand to pick a bright red pomegranate flower, a sneer on her lips. At that time, she had also cautiously and solemnly served Empress Yuan, saying things like “Chenqie doesn’t know if it’s proper to say or not”. But it was because she wore a pomegranate flower that she was accused of violating the rules.  

Empress Yuan had punished her by having her kneel in front of Fengyi Palace during the hottest period of summer for two hours!

　　

“Qie heard that Cheng Wang sent a concubine to the fourth prince last month,” said Duchess Mao, looking carefully at the Empress’s expression. Seeing that she wasn’t angry, she continued, “Naturally, Qie shouldn’t be meddling in these matters, but the fourth prince is officially getting married next month. However, there are rumors in the capital that the fourth prince really dotes on that woman.” 

　　

No one knew how this news had gotten out. In any case, the North Marquis had found out. Everyone gossiped about how the fourth prince had yet to be officially married but was already spoiling a lowly concubine, and they jeered that even after the Duchess’s daughter married the fourth prince, she wouldn’t be able to live a good life. The woman who had lost face because her daughter hadn’t been chosen to be Wang Fei once again mingled with the noble wives with a celebratory air, angering Duchess Mao so much that she couldn’t stomach two meals.