Chapter 113
Dongzi saw Li Jin and the others off with great reluctance. "Brother Jin, be careful on the road. Come visit us in Zhuzhou when you have time. Dashu and I will miss you."
Dashu, standing nearby, patted Dongzi's shoulder to comfort him. "Dongzi, Brother Jin and the others are just returning home. They'll be fine."
"Yeah."
Dongzi nodded in agreement, a trace of melancholy in his voice. He knew Dashu was right—after all, Li Jin and his companions were originally from the capital. Yet, knowing something and feeling it were two different matters. Over the past three years, Dongzi had often sought out Li Jin and the others, and having grown close as good friends, parting was inevitably difficult.
"Dongzi, we'll come back to see you," Li Jin replied, his own heart heavy with the reluctance to part from Dongzi and the others. Yet, no feast in this world lasts forever; Li Jin and his companions were never meant to remain in Zhuzhou for long.
Dashu gently stroked Dongzi's rounded belly, grinning goofily. "Oh right, Brother Jin, you haven't given our child a name yet."
Back when Dongzi first became pregnant, Li Jin had promised Dashu that once the child was born, he would choose a good name for their baby. However, an imperial decree urging Li Jin and the others to return to the capital had arrived, forcing them to depart ahead of schedule.
After thinking for a long while, Li Jin finally said, "Qingyue. How about the name Liu Qingyue?"
[清越 (Qīngyuè): clear and transcendent]
"Qingyue... Qingyue... Good, that's a wonderful name," Dashu murmured the name repeatedly, growing more and more pleased with it. "It works well whether the child is a boy or a girl. It would even sound lovely for a daughter. Good, very good. Thank you, Brother Jin!"
Dashu thought to himself how much better Li Jin was at choosing names. If it were left to him, he'd probably come up with something like "Tiezhu" (Iron Pillar), "Guihua" (Osmanthus), or "Cuihua" (Jade Flower).
"Thank you, Brother Jin."
Dongzi was evidently very pleased with the name and promptly expressed his gratitude to Li Jin.
At that moment, Zhou Yunting approached and reminded him, "Young Master, it is getting late."
"Mm." Li Jin nodded in acknowledgment. Then, turning to Dongzi and Dashu, he said, "Dongzi, Dashu, we must be on our way now." With those words, Li Jin and his companions turned and boarded the carriage.
"Brother Jin, all of you must take good care of yourselves."
Due to his pregnancy, Dongzi didn't follow after them, but called out loudly instead.
Ping'an, reluctant to part, shouted from the carriage, "We will! Dongzi, Dashu, you must take good care too."
This time, just like three years ago, only Li Jin, Ying Yuan, Ping'an, Zhou Yunting, and Shi Weixu traveled to the capital by carriage, while Lan Mingzhou and Tao Yichu remained in Zhuzhou.
However, there was one difference.
The people escorting them to the capital this time were all first-class palace guards, their strength exceedingly formidable.
To put it plainly, these guards were the ones who accompanied the envoy when Ying Zhengjing sent the imperial decree. Their purpose was to escort Li Jin and the others back to the capital, to successfully obtain the gunpowder.
Watching as the figures of Dongzi and the others slowly faded into the distance, Ping’an finally turned away, his spirits low. "Your Highness, Seventh Prince," he said sadly, "it really is too bad that Lord Lan and the others can’t come back with us this time."
In the three years Ping'an had been in Zhuzhou, aside from Zhou Yunting, he had gotten along best with Lan Mingzhou. So, when he first learned that Lan Mingzhou could not return together, Ping'an was despondent for a long time.
Shi Weixu shook his head with an amused smile. "That's something beyond our control. After all, Lord Lan is the county magistrate of Zhuzhou. Without an official transfer order from the court, he cannot leave arbitrarily."
Upon hearing this, Ping'an's expression immediately wilted.
"Alright, Ping'an." Li Jin gave Ping'an a disgruntled look. "With Lan Mingzhou's current achievements, it's only a matter of time before he's transferred back to the capital."
"Young Master, is everything you said true?"
"When have I ever lied to you?"
Li Jin's question, rather than answering directly, made Ping'an, who had just realized he was questioning Li Jin, blush instantly.
Oh my god, what am I saying?
Zhou Yunting suddenly interjected, "Ping'an, I'm not happy that you care so much about Lord Lan."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not..."
That's good.
Ying Yuan, watching Ping'an and Zhou Yunting playfully bickering, couldn't help but exchange a smile with Li Jin.
Time flowed like quicksand, slipping away rapidly.
Perhaps due to the presence of the guards sent by Ying Ziheng, Li Jin and the others encountered no hindrances along the way and returned to the capital smoothly, without spending too much time.
"Your Highness, did you take the medicine this official gave you yesterday?"
Just before Li Jin stepped out of the carriage, Shi Weixu unexpectedly asked.
"I did," Li Jin replied, then stepped down from the carriage and walked away without looking back.
Shi Weixu nodded and also disembarked behind Li Jin, not continuing the previous topic.
"Li Jin."
Ying Yuan, unable to suppress his worry, grabbed Li Jin's hand.
After three years of constant companionship day and night, how could Ying Yuan not have realized there was something wrong with the medicine Shi Weixu gave Li Jin? However, those medicines were explicitly ordered by his dear Imperial Father to be administered to Li Jin, who even went so far as to send someone thousands of li every month to deliver them, insisting that Shi Weixu must be present to watch Li Jin take the medicine.
"It's fine."
Li Jin initially wanted to reach out and tousle Ying Yuan's hair, but noticing the guards' gazes fixed upon him, he changed it to a slight smile directed at Ying Yuan.
"Li Jin, that medicine—"
"Shh." Li Jin interrupted Ying Yuan's unfinished words, smiling meaningfully. "That medicine is quite good. Truly worthy of being from the palace. After taking it for three years, my health is much better than it was three years ago."
"……"
Ying Yuan fell silent.
Because he understood the implied meaning in Li Jin's words, he could only temporarily suppress the unease in his heart.
The guard captain unexpectedly walked over, cupping his hands in salute. "Heir Li, Seventh Prince, please follow this subordinate. His Majesty is already awaiting you both."
"Understood. Seventh Prince, let us hurry."
"Mhm."
A short while later, led by the guard captain, Li Jin and Ying Yuan arrived at the Yanwen Pavilion where Ying Zhengjing was.
The Yanwen Pavilion was the palace's library. As soon as Li Jin and Ying Yuan entered, the first thing they saw were rows upon rows of neatly arranged bookshelves. The shelves were filled with rare and outstanding volumes, many of which were one-of-a-kind editions.
"Jin'er, Yuan'er, you have finally returned."
Ying Zhengjing, who had been reviewing memorials, suddenly looked up and smiled at the two.
Li Jin was the first to respond. "We have not failed Your Majesty's trust. We have thoroughly mastered the research on gunpowder..."
Knowing the purpose of Ying Zhengjing's summons, Li Jin directly and succinctly reported on the progress of the gunpowder research, which greatly pleased Ying Zhengjing, who was already interested in it.
"Good, good, good..." After listening to Li Jin's account, Ying Zhengjing repeatedly said 'good,' then meaningfully curled the corners of his lips. "Jin'er, Yuan'er, your journey to Zhuzhou has rendered an unparalleled service to our Da Xia. If there is anything you desire, speak freely. I shall grant it."
Ying Yuan replied with cupped hands, "Replying to Imperial Father, what Li Jin and I desire most is to see Da Xia unify the realm and receive tribute from all nations."
"Good. What you seek, I shall accomplish one by one."
Ying Zhengjing seemed very satisfied with Ying Yuan's answer. After praising both of them profusely, he bestowed numerous gifts and even permitted them to meet Gu Rushuang.
Times were different now.
Li Jin was now an adult, no longer the child permitted to freely enter and leave the inner palace. Thus, Ying Zhengjing's decree was truly undoubtedly a timely rain for them.
Li Jin and Ying Yuan spoke in unison, "We thank Your Majesty (Imperial Father)."
"Go quickly now. Don't keep the Empress waiting."
"Yes. This subject (your son) takes his leave."
Ying Zhengjing watched them leave with a smile, which vanished the instant their figures completely disappeared. "Tell me, do Li Jin and the Seventh Prince truly want nothing... cough... or do they have other designs?"
The guard hidden in the shadows slowly stepped forward and reported, "Replying to Your Majesty, Heir Li and the Seventh Prince spent their time in Zhuzhou solely researching gunpowder. Apart from occasional interactions with Zhuzhou's Magistrate, Lan Mingzhou, they did not specifically meet with anyone else."
Upon hearing this, Ying Zhengjing raised an eyebrow. "Lan Mingzhou?"
"Your Majesty, this Lan Mingzhou is from the maternal family of Consort Chun..."
The guard faithfully recounted all there was to know about Lan Mingzhou's situation. Ying Zhengjing listened, clicking his tongue in amazement.
That a son born of a concubine could be switched with the legitimate son for so many years without detection was certainly surprising to Ying Zhengjing.
"In that case, this Lan Mingzhou might be a usable person."
Ying Zhengjing had heard reports from spies about Zhuzhou's development over the years and was thus not unfamiliar with Magistrate Lan Mingzhou. However, at the time, Ying Zhengjing was primarily concerned with the progress of the gunpowder and did not pay much attention to Lan Mingzhou.
"Your Majesty means to..."
"Find a time to transfer him back to the capital. The Lan family's ambitions are too great; there should be someone to restrain them."
"Yes, Your Majesty. Regarding Heir Li, do we still need to..."
"Continue having people follow him. I am still not at ease. Remember, if Li Jin shows any unusual movements, report to me immediately."
"Yes."
Elsewhere.
"This subject pays his respects to His Majesty the Empress."
"Your son pays his respects to Mother-Empress."
Upon arriving at Gu Rushuang's palace and seeing him, Li Jin and Ying Yuan immediately performed the ritual greeting without uttering another word.
Gu Rushuang said calmly, "Jin'er, Yuan'er, there is no need for such formality. Rise, both of you."
Though outwardly composed, the moment Gu Rushuang saw Li Jin and Ying Yuan arrive, his joy was already evident. Yet, bound by his role as Empress, he maintained a calm demeanor.
Thank goodness, they are both safe.
Gu Rushuang secretly let out a sigh of relief.
For the past three years in the palace, he had been living in constant anxiety over Li Jin and Ying Yuan assisting Ying Zhengjing in developing gunpowder, fearing that if they failed, they would face the Emperor’s punishment.
Fortunately, they had succeeded in the end.
"We thank Your Majesty the Empress (Mother-Empress)."
Li Jin and Ying Yuan responded with due courtesy before taking the seats Gu Rushuang had specially prepared for them.
"Jin’er, Yuan’er, can you tell me what happened in Zhuzhou?"
"Replying to Mother-Empress…"
Ying Yuan glanced at Li Jin, then recounted to Gu Rushuang all the important events that had taken place in Zhuzhou—aside from matters concerning gunpowder.
Unlike the restraint they felt before Ying Zhengjing, the more Ying Yuan spoke, the more his tension eased. Without realizing it, he even mentioned their friendship with Dongzi and the others.
In fact, Gu Rushuang found their stories of camaraderie with Dongzi and the others far more engaging than the official matters Ying Yuan had described earlier.
"It seems sending the two of you away on this journey was the right decision."
No comments:
Post a Comment