Chapter 85: Tearful Plea

Pear Moon stood holding the lantern, caught in a dilemma, unable to advance or retreat.

She was a maid of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, yet she could not enter the Main Chamber, let alone speak to the Duke.

Seeing Miss Ning’s brows tightly knitted and Miss Tan’s face streaked with tears, Pear Moon knew something serious had happened.

The sky had turned completely dark—she couldn’t let the young ladies stand at the courtyard entrance.

Pear Moon hurriedly turned back with the lantern and, following etiquette, first led the two young ladies into the Reverse-Seat Guest Quarters.

The inner courtyards of Ningguo Mansion also followed official-style regulations.

The Reverse-Seat area was arranged with three small parlors. Unless they were close relatives, guests were first led to the guest quarters to be seated and served tea.

Because Shen Shi had observed three years of mourning and later feigned illness to avoid visitors, these guest parlors had often remained empty.

The small parlor was formed by connecting three rooms, its walls plastered white like a snow cave, with an eight-panel folding screen set up in the center.

In the middle was placed a Jade Bamboo Cool Couch, draped with a Moon-White Embroidered Gauze Canopy, flanked on each side by a Floor-Standing Gauze Lantern.

Below were four Rosewood Chairs paired with Red-Lacquered Plum Blossom Footstools, with Tall Side Tables holding Plum Vases filled with fresh flowers.

A maid helped Miss Tan to sit down, while Pear Moon went to the tea room to fetch two cups of Sweet Bean Water.

Miss Ning softly advised, “Sister Tan, don’t worry. Have a sip of bean water to calm your nerves.”

By the lamplight in the room, Pear Moon could finally see clearly.

Miss Tan’s face was drenched in tears, her limbs limp and weak.

Recalling the rules of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, Miss Ning beckoned her own maid and instructed her to quickly find someone to deliver a message.

“Xiao Yue is young, and people might not heed her words. Miaotong, you go to the gatehouse and call for a matron. Say it’s the eldest young lady’s message: tell my brother to come out quickly. Miss Tan has an urgent matter and needs his advice.”

Miss Tan, having finally sat down, kept her head lowered, weeping incessantly, her handkerchief already soaked through.

Miss Ning sat beside her, fanning gently and urging her not to worry.

Since meeting Miss Tan, Pear Moon had always seen her spirited and lively; she had never seen her like this before, and it was somewhat startling.

Unfortunately, after serving the tea, she could not remain in the parlor. Pear Moon had no choice but to quietly retreat to the corridor.

Under the warm glow of the lanterns, the message-carrying matron reluctantly led Miaotong into the Main Chamber.

After waiting for quite some time, the Crystal Bead Curtain of the Main Chamber was finally lifted, and Ning Yuanjun emerged with Miaotong.

Just as he was about to descend the steps, Shen Shi lifted the curtain and stepped out, catching up to him at the foot of the steps to dissuade him.

“It’s already lantern-lighting time. For a young lady of the inner chambers to visit guests at this hour—I’ve never heard of such etiquette. If word gets out, it will give people grounds for gossip. Husband, listen to me: it’s best to decline and not see her. Your elder sister is also being thoughtless. Doesn’t she understand the principle that men and women should keep their distance? Since ancient times, there has been a distinction between inner and outer spheres for men and women. Let’s avoid giving people reason to gossip about us.”

Ning Yuanjun stopped and waved his hand. “General Tan is my deputy. We share the bond of comrades-in-arms; his sister is no outsider. I’ll go ask what the matter is.”

The young couple had just finished their evening meal, which had been rather pleasant and harmonious.

Shen Shi was in a relaxed and cheerful mood, still hoping to keep him tonight so they could consummate their marriage and complete the rites.

Seeing her husband unwilling to heed her advice, she felt displeased but dared not show it. She could only grab hold of him and force a smile.

“Although General Tan is your deputy and colleague, he is, after all, a petty man of the Eunuch Faction. His uncle is also of merchant background, hardly an upper-class family. The Ning family holds a hereditary first-rank dukedom, and the Shen family holds the position of Chief Grand Secretary in the Grand Secretariat. Why entangle ourselves with him? Not only is the Tan family of low status, but they also have some unsavory background. I’m afraid you may not be aware of this, husband.”

“My family told me that the Pepper Case has been causing an uproar lately, and the Tan uncle and nephew are definitely involved. Someone will impeach them in a few days. Besides, that Miss Tan is frivolous and unreliable—I can’t stand her. Listen to me, husband, you should stay away from them from now on, so as not to get entangled with the Eunuch Faction.”

Shen Shi spoke without much thought, but Ning Yuanjun took her words to heart and couldn’t help but stop in his tracks.

“Does the Pepper Case involve the Tan family? Did your father tell you that?”

Thinking he was heeding her advice, Shen Shi smiled joyfully and said:

“My servants mentioned it in passing. Not only does the case involve the Tan family, but it might also implicate Eunuch Lu. The Censorate has been keeping an eye on it for a while. Censor Tang, who is investigating the case, is my father’s student. My father knows about these matters and certainly wouldn’t scare you for no reason. I’m giving you sincere advice—don’t just brush it off!”

Tonight, Shen Shi was overly delighted and failed to notice the expression on her husband’s face.

Ning Yuanjun didn’t listen to her and hurriedly walked away.

At the entrance of the guest parlor, Miaotong rushed to lift the curtain, and Ning Yuanjun entered with his head bowed.

Miss Ning eagerly greeted him: “Sister Tan came to our home crying, and she wouldn’t answer no matter how much I asked.”

Ning Yuanjun brushed past his sister and hurried over to Tan Leyao in two steps.

He saw her pale little face, her thin robe slightly wrinkled from rubbing, and two strands of hair slipping loose.

When Tan Leyao saw him enter, it was as if a living dragon had descended from heaven. She knelt before him, sobbing uncontrollably.

“Duke, please save my brother! Even if you don’t care for me, please save my family’s lives!”

Ning Yuanjun hurriedly helped her up, instructing his sister and the maids to support her and seat her in a chair.

“Sister Tan, speak slowly. I know nothing about what has happened to your family!”

Tan Leyao refused to rise, kneeling before Ning Yuanjun’s knees, clutching the hem of his robe in panic.

“This afternoon, officials from the Censorate barged into our home, demanding to arrest my uncle. My sister-in-law sent someone to reply, saying my uncle had already returned to his hometown in Beiguan. But those people wouldn’t relent, claiming my brother and uncle were involved in a major case at the Censorate, and they were about to seal off our home!”

Seeing her unwilling to rise, Ning Yuanjun couldn’t sit down either, so he leaned over and asked, “Did your brother not return home after his duty?”

Tan Leyao looked up, crying: “He left for duty this morning and never came back. His servant ran back, saying he was taken by the Censorate right after his shift ended, without leaving a single word. My sister-in-law was so frightened she fainted and is lying in her room, unconscious. As a young woman, I’m like a crab without legs—I had no choice but to come to your residence and beg you, Duke.”

She crawled forward and threw herself into Ning Yuanjun’s arms, weeping loudly.

Without further thought, Ning Yuanjun bent down and lifted her up, hurriedly comforting her.

“Sister Tan, set your mind at ease. No matter how serious the matter, I will stand up for you. Don’t kneel on the ground—get up and listen to me.”

Tan Leyao knelt on the floor, her body weakened from crying, unable to rise.

Ning Yuanjun didn’t care about propriety and picked her up from the ground, placing her on the bamboo couch in the center.

Witnessing this scene, Miss Ning was immediately astonished and quickly signaled Miaotong and Miaoyun with her eyes. The two maids quietly withdrew.

Ning Yuanjun then brought a chair himself, sat down beside the bamboo couch, and gently comforted her for a while.

Tan Leyao was only a sixteen-year-old girl from a boudoir, who had never experienced such things before.

Seeing that he was truly willing to intervene, she finally managed to stop crying, wiping her tears with a handkerchief.

Ning Yuanjun asked softly, “Don’t be afraid, sister. Let me ask you, how do you know the people who came were from the Censorate?”

Tan Leyao sobbed through her tears, “The leader claimed to be a Censor from the Censorate, surnamed Tang, wearing a blue robe with a mandarin duck rank badge. He led a hundred or so men, all fierce and imposing. The servant who returned said my brother has also been taken to the Censorate.”

Upon hearing that it was the Censorate’s doing, Ning Yuanjun knew it was related to his father-in-law’s Shen family.

Grand Secretary Shen and Eunuch Lu had been locked in a power struggle over the Pepper Case for many days.

It must have been Grand Secretary Shen who instructed his protégé, Censor Tang, to use this matter to implicate General Tan.

Ning Yuanjun pondered for a moment before calling for the servant Er Shun.

Er Shun, who had not yet left the entrance of Phoenix Ripple Courtyard, hurried to the corridor to receive his orders.

Ning Yuanjun then went to the inner room, sat at the table, and personally wrote a note, handing it to him.

“Take my note to the Vice Censor-in-Chief. Tell him General Tan is the Commander of the Imperial Guard, and the Censorate has no right to detain him. Have him release the man to me immediately. If I don’t see him by midnight tonight, he’ll have to answer for it at tomorrow’s morning court!”

Seeing Ning Yuanjun’s stern expression and tone, Er Shun dared not delay and dashed off as if flying.

Tan Leyao rose from the bed, knelt on the floor, and wept with gratitude, her tears falling like pear blossoms in the rain.