Chapter 18

 Chapter 18 - Black Clothes

    ───※ ·❆· ※─── 

"Since the title has been mentioned, the fief should also be mentioned " The queen had always been respected by her majesty, so she could speak for non-political occasions like this, "It's better to add one thousand and two hundred households, what does His Majesty think?"(1)

"What the queen said is reasonable," Emperor Yun Qing responded right away.

The Emperor and Empress's importance to Ban Hua attracted countless people's attention. His Majesty had always been stingy in giving titles to them. The di daughters of Jun Wang had a low title, and some royal family members don't even have a title. They rely on the silver taels distributed by the province of the palace every year to get food and cloth to survive. 

Although on one hand, the courtiers felt that the Emperor loved the granddaughter of the eldest princess too much, but on the other hand, they did feel a faint sense of peace of mind.

Why did his Majesty take care of the Ban's family in this way? It's because the princess once helped him.

Following a gratitude full emperor always makes people feel at ease. Who wants to follow an emperor who burns down the bridge after crossing the river?

His majesty benevolence will be recorded in future history books.

Just by participating in hunting, Ban Hua's title had risen, and the fief household were also increased. It was a good thing. So, the next day after returning home, all four of the Ban's family went to the Grand Princess mansion and told the Princess about this.

"His Majesty is in a good mood lately. He actually upgraded me twice in a row," Ban Hua stood beside the eldest princess, and made tea for the elder princess himself, "Even the fief has been promoted."

"A higher grade is a good thing. "The princess took the tea made by her granddaughter and with a smile on her face asked "Why are you running to me these days? Is it because the dim sum(2) here is better than the HouFu's?"

"This granddaughter missed you, so came to see you." Ban Hua hugged the princess's arm and asked, "Why don't you come live in Hou Fu for a few days?"

"I dare not live with you two naughty monkeys. It must not be quiet for even a while," Dae Chang The princess refused without thinking, "The servants in the princess mansion are very dedicated. If your family misses me, you can come and see me. We are not far apart."

Nine years ago, after her husband had died of illness, she lived alone in the Grand Princess's Mansion in the name of missing her deceased husband.

She was reluctant to part with her son, but she had to.

The emperor today is a conflicting person. He always hopes that others will treat him well, but he also loves suspicion. He wants people all over the world to praise him for his benevolence. She watched that child grow up, and although he thought that no one could understand his mind, but how she could not know people closely after experiencing two generations of throne change..

"Mother..." Yin Shi's respect for the princess was sincere. When she first married Ban Huai, she had always been grieving because of the influence of rumors outside. Her family didn't care about her, and there was a distinguished mother-in-law on the other side. She really thought she had no hope in her life.

She did not know that although her mother-in-law was distinguished, she would be very good to her. Although her father-in-law was a military commander, he would also be very reasonable and generous with her. Since her birth mother died of an illness she did not feel the joy of life. It was only after she married in to the Grand Princess's house that she gradually felt the joy of life.

In the year when her father-in-law passed away, she saw her mother-in-law sad for the first time. Soon afterwards, her mother-in-law let them move into the Hou Mansion and started living alone in the Grand Princess's Mansion. She always felt that there was something mysterious about the events that year. But she didn't dare to mention it, she didn't even dare to think about it!

After her daughter had that strange dream, she actually felt a sense of ease as if the dust settled.

The title is not important, as long as the family is well, the future should not be so difficult.

It's just that mother-in-law... 

Her daughter's dream did not show her mother-in-law, but she had always been running here these days. Yin Shi had a vague guess in her heart.

"Daughter-in-law, you have been worrying about Shuiqing and the two children all these years. You are tired." The princess held Yin Shi's hand and gently patted the back of her hand, "If it wasn't for me, you could marry a better man than Shui Qing."

"Mother, I'm your own son, the biological one!" Ban Huai looked at the princess with a helpless look. Other mothers were protecting their sons. When it got to him, why did he became an outsider?

"If you were not my son, Ling-hui's such a good woman, how could you even dreaming about marrying her?" Grand Princess stared at her son,  It's our talk of women, you are a man, why interrupt?"

Ban Heng gloated at his father's misfortune. As one of the two men with the lowest status in Ban-jia, did his father still not see the reality clearly?

"Mother, how can you say that Lord Hou treats me very well. There are many good men in the world, but there are a few people who can think about what I like to eat and what I use," Yin Shi's heart grew more uneasy, "My biological mother died young and you treat me like a daughter. In my heart, you are not a mother-in-law, but a mother. You don't say such things in the future, I feel uncomfortable listening to it."

"I don't have a daughter. After you married in, you have become my daughter," The princess smiled gently and continued, "Even if I really had a daughter, I'm afraid she would not be as good as you in  any case." "Well, I don't say these things to make you sad," The princess stood up with help of Yinshi and said, "Let's go, let's go for lunch. Two new cooks have recently arrived, they are very good, you guys try it too." "

"Okay." Yin shi smiled. Looking at the rosy cheeks of the princess, she thought, maybe, she is thinking too much.

The four members of the Ban family stayed in the princess's house for two days before heading back to the house.

Ban Hua and Yin shi were riding in the same carriage. Seeing her mother in a trance, Ban Hua was even more straight in her sitting posture and sat honestly without speaking a word.

"Ban Hua," Yin Shi suddenly began, "Why do you go to the Grand Princess Palace a lot recently?" 

"Ah?"

Ban Hua was stunned for a moment, and then honestly shook her head, "I do not know, I just wanted to see Grandmother."

 "Then ... it's okay if you come here more often," Yin Shi smiled, "Your grandmother stays alone in the princess's mansion and is deserted. She will definitely be very happy when you go to her place ."

The yard they live in has been cleaned up as if they had never left in the past nine years. The 1st-Elder Princess was very lively at that time. Father-in-law also liked to teach boxing and kung fu. The grandchildren always made their grandparents laugh.

Now father-in-law has long since passed away, and the four of them have also moved out, leaving only the mother-in-law alone in the wide and lonely princess house.

"Okay." Ban Hua nodded immediately, "I'll take Brother Heng with me too."

"Okay." Yin Shi smiled and said nothing else. Since her daughter had that strange dream, she had worried that her daughter would not be able to bear it, so now she doesn't want to restrict to her to following the rules. It's a good thing if she can live a day happily.

"Something's wrong!"

 Suddenly the Ban's carriage went to stop at a side, and a middle-aged woman rushed out in front of them. Behind her were two small and poor looking children, crying and sobbing.

"What's the matter?" Ban Huai opened the curtain of the carriage. He watched as she knelt in front of his carriage and shouted injustice. She was kowtowing to him. He suddenly felt that his head got bigger. The guards of the Hou Mansion stepped in front of the carriage as the three suspicious-looking figures approached the carriage.

"My lord, I have suffered injustice, I ask the Lord to avenge me and my family !" She raised the paper in her hand, with a big injustice written on it. Don't know if the word was written in human blood or animal blood. It looked a bit oozing.  Ban Huai couldn't help but step back, "What's going on?"

"Master Qingtian, please avenge the husband of this civilian woman, the county magistrate Cao Jian took his life, the officials protect each other. My husband has died unjustly!"

Ban Huai coughed dryly. With a shout, the attendant was invited, "Where is this county?"

"Master Hou, the county is in Xuezhou," the attendant whispered, " The governor of Xuezhou is Zhao Zhong."

"Zhao Zhong..." Ban Huai He narrowed his eyes and thought for a while, "Isn't that the second son of the Zhao family ?"

 Changsui: "It is the second son of the Zhao family."

Speaking of this, their family and Zhao family also have a lot of ties. Back then, it was Zhao Saburo who had an engagement with Ban Hua. It was a pity that Zhao Jia Saburo died . After his death, this marriage was naturally no longer mentioned. Over the years, Ban Family and Zhao family still had some contacts, but their relationship was not as good as before.

"My lord!" The middle-aged woman cried even more miserably when she saw that Ban Huai didn't pay attention to her. "My lord, please show me compassion and help a bunch of innocents !"

 "Wait!" Ban Huai was stunned by the crying of the woman. "If you are wronged, you should go to the Criminal Ministry or Dali Temple."

 The middle-aged woman was stunned for a moment, she didn't expect that the other party would not even say any polite words and would simply reject her.

"I'm just an idle Houye, I have no real power, and my words don't work. Even if I take you to the Yamen, no one will care for me." Ban Huai waved his hand. "Rather than wasting time with me, it is better to knock at the door of Dali Temple."

After finishing speaking, without waiting for the middle-aged woman to react, he asked the guards to lift the three people aside and swayed away in the carriage.

The woman who cried out injustice: ...

The onlookers: ....

For the first time, they heard a nobleman who said he had no real power and didn't use his words.

Ban Hua raised the curtain and looked at the middle-aged woman who was put aside by the guards.The women looked like she had yet to react. Ban Hua felt that something was wrong.

"What are you looking at?"

"Looking at the person who just called for injustice." Ban Hua thought for a while, "I think she is a little strange."

"Of course, weird," Yin Shi sneered, "A woman who is calling for injustice for her dead husband, in order to get to the capital, must have hurried, so shouldn't she look worn down and tired. The two children who lost their father must be sad. Do you think they fit these?" 

Ban Hua put down the curtain: "Then she lied to us?"

"It doesn't matter what she does," Yin Shi's expression was very calm, "The important thing is that we know it in our hearts."

"Oh." With a face of being taught, Ban Hua opened the curtain again. Then, she saw someone on the other side coming over on a horse.

Jade crown bundled with hair. Black robes on their body added a mysterious aura to the person. The corner of their robes was floating. And on the corners of the robe, could be seen a beautiful blossoming cloud. 

Note:

1. Under the Chinese feudal system, the Emperor could award land and the farmers who worked on it to favored courtiers or relatives. Those who received this land could levy rent and taxes on a certain number of families/households living on that land. So, the Emperor gave Ban Hua the right to levy taxes on households along with the title making it more than an empty rank.

From- Whynotsmiletranslations (previous translator)

2. I can't even express how nice they look. Just wanted everyone to this.

T/N:
How many of you were affected by the "Google services shutdown"?

Yes, I was. It's almost twelve and I am still here due to it.

 I put the whole chapter in one post. It was easier this way to post.

But there are more chances there are mistakes. So, do let me know if there are.

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