Fish Meat – Chapter 184
by Little PandaThe Fourth Year of Zhao Wu
Secrets in the Sleeve (4)
Ah Xin left in an inexplicable hurry. At first, Li Yanyi had no idea where she went, and even Ah Lie lost track of her.
“Lost track?”
Everyone in the Zichen Palace had been dismissed. At the top of the high stone steps sat a furnace cauldron, behind which twelve massive dragon-carved stone pillars were arranged in a fan shape. Previously, Zichen Palace was open-air, mostly used for officials’ celebratory feasts and banquets.
Now it had become an alchemy chamber.
Li Yanyi ordered people to cover the top of Zichen Palace with a thick cloth covering, making it impossible to see the activities inside from the outside.
Li Yanyi stood between the stone pillars and the furnace, her gaze falling on a small hole in the opened round lid of the furnace. Heat occasionally emerged from the small hole, and she maintained her distance without getting too close, lest the heat might damage her eyes.
Through this small hole, she could see her “Yellow Dragon Pill” slowly taking form. In another month, she could take it together with Ah Xin, but unexpectedly, at this crucial moment, Ah Xin had disappeared. Li Yanyi was angry, and her tone towards Ah Lie wasn’t pleasantβeven though Ah Lie’s entire body was covered in red, swollen bumps from stings.
“Yes…” Ah Lie knelt on the ground, not daring to look at Li Yanyi, “That morning, Miss Ah Xin called for a carriage to let Ah Wen leave. This servant followed to see if Ah Wen truly left Runing, wanting to confirm her true destination before reporting back to Your Majesty. Who knew that just as Ah Wen’s carriage left Runing city, this servant was swarmed by wild bees descending from the sky.”
“Wild bees?” Li Yanyi finally turned her gaze toward Ah Lie.
“Those wild bees came from nowhere. Although this servant traveled quickly, I hadn’t encountered any beehives. How those wild bees managed to catch and sting this servant so viciously, I truly don’t understand. This servant had to throw myself into a muddy marsh to escape. When this servant crawled out of the marsh to look for Ah Wen again, I discovered that Ah Wen’s carriage had fallen off the cliff, and Lady Ah Xin had also arrived to witness this scene.”
“Did Ah Xin see you at that time?”
“No, Miss Ah Xin was in a hurry to descend the cliff to confirm Ah Wen’s whereabouts, and did not discover this servant.”
“Ah Wen is truly dead?”
“Yes, Miss Ah Xin found her corpse, then bought a coffin and headed north with her remains. This servant followed for a day but ran out of strength, with poison breaking out throughout my body, making it impossible to continue walking, so I returned to Runing. Before entering the city, I fainted by the roadside. Fortunately, a passing Hu tribe merchant caravan rescued me. I just woke up today and came immediately to report to Your Majesty.”
“Has your poison been cleared?”
“This servant is fine now, but regarding Lady Ah Xin…”
Li Yanyi showed no urgency: “Ah Xin must have taken Ah Wen back to her hometown in Mengliang for burial. It’s nothing, she will return after some time.”
Ah Lie was still uneasy: “In this case, might Miss Ah Xin think that this servant killed Ah Wen? And thus misunderstand Your Majesty?”
“It’s not really a misunderstanding,” Li Yanyi said, “I couldn’t tolerate her from the start. If she had left Runing half a day later, she would have died within Runing city. Now she merely died in a different place.”
Ah Lie said: “However, when Ah Wen knew of Your Majesty and Lady Ah Xin’s relationship yet is still thick-skinned and clingingly stayed in Runing, Your Majesty killing her for that reason, versus her choosing to withdraw yet Your Majesty still killing her – in Lady Ah Xin’s eyes, these are very different matters.”
Li Yanyi gave a cold laugh: “Speaking of how Ah Wen could find Ah Xin’s whereabouts, it turns out someone was guiding her from behind.”
“Your Majesty means… all this was arranged by Wei Zizhuo?”
“She didn’t need to arrange everything, just needed to tell Ah Wen the location of Ji Xue Mansion. The curtain drawn, lights set, characters appearing one by one, only needing to guide the bees at the end for misdirection, and when water flows, a channel is formed [ζ°΄ε°ζΈ ζ | shuΗ dΓ o qΓΊ chΓ©ng | meaning things happen naturally]. Hmph, Wei Zizhuo, if only you’d put that mind toward assisting rivers and mountains, and altars of soil and grain [ζ±ε±±η€Ύη¨· | jiΔng shΔn shΓ¨ jΓ¬ | meaning the state and its people].”
Li Yanyi ordered Ah Lie to go to Mengliang to search for Ah Xin’s whereabouts and continue protecting her secretly.
After Ah Lie left, when Li Yanyi came out of Zichen Palace, she saw You Changshi had been waiting for her outside for some time.
“Your Majesty, you haven’t been to Changning Palace for ten days. The Empress Dowager misses Your Majesty, worries about your health, and has specially ordered the imperial kitchen to prepare dinner, inviting Your Majesty to Changning Palace tonight.”
Just as Li Yanyi was about to speak, You Changshi added: “The two young princes have recently started writing poetry and have some questions about the classics they wish to consult Your Majesty about. They miss Your Majesty dearly.”
Speaking of which, it had been as long since she’d seen Mu’er and Gong’er as it had been since she’d visited Changning Palace. Actually, these two young princes were merely tools to appease Empress Dowager Geng, not being her own flesh and blood, she felt no attachment. She didn’t believe that in this vast world there wasn’t a true secret art for women to bear children together – the “Yellow Dragon Pill” was her new hope.
Li Yanyi made an “mm” sound, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and left You Changshi’s side. A group of Zhuiyue army soldiers quickly followed, protecting her tightly.
You Changshi watched the magnificent procession of the imperial army disappear, smiled and blinked slowly, then returned to Changning Palace.
At Yaoxing Mansion in Chongwen District.
Wei Tingxu descended from the carriage, with Xiaohua and various Wei family servants carrying dozens of gift boxes following behind. The mansion guards saw Wei Tingxu and all bowed to her.
She passed through a screen wall inscribed with “Pearl tassels dazzle and turn as stars sway, flower garlands battle in thickets where dragons and snakes move” [Classical poetic couplet], walked into the courtyard through layers of dreamlike lotus flowers, and finally saw the corridor by the pool. The mansion’s owner Ah Liao was sitting by the corridor passing a handkerchief to Ah Zheng, accompanying her in crying.
“Precious Ah Zheng, please don’t cry anymore, it breaks my heart to see this. Those star-like eyes are beautiful even when crying, but I really can’t bear to see you cry. Those bees cannot be kept, I know you spent much effort raising them, burning them must be killing you…” As Ah Liao spoke, she cried even more sorrowfully than Ah Zheng, causing Ah Zheng to comfort her instead.
“Why are you crying so sadly? They’re not even your bees.”
“If they were my bees, I wouldn’t cry at all. I’m upset precisely because they’re yours.”
“Alright, alright, your mouth is sweeter than honey.” Ah Zheng looked at the fire box by her feet, where all the bees were confined. Just stepping on the pedal would ignite a fierce fire, and all traces would vanish completely.
Ah Zheng sighed, steeled her heart and stepped down – in an instant, all the bees were burned to death.
Ah Liao covered Ah Zheng’s eyes, preventing her from watching. The two flirted and bantered for as long as Wei Tingxu had been standing at the end of the corridor waiting, until Ah Zheng saw her and pushed Ah Liao away.
“Pardon my interruption,” Wei Tingxu said.
“It really is an interruption…” Ah Liao picked up her folding fan with great dissatisfaction, opening it with a “hua-la” sound, fanning her flushed face. Wei Tingxu first apologized to Ah Zheng about the bee-burning matter, then called Xiaohua to bring the gifts for Lady Ah Zheng to choose from, saying that after she finished selecting, the remaining gifts could be given to other ladies of the mansion.
Ah Zheng chose several step-sways [ζ₯ζ | bΓΉ yΓ‘o | type of traditional hair ornament] and rouge that she liked best and left. Wei Tingxu had the servants deliver gifts to the other ladies, while Xiaohua followed her and Ah Liao to the tea pavilion to brew tea and chat.
Xiaohua’s movements were quick and skillful, and she soon had the tea prepared. When she served it to Ah Liao, Ah Liao stared at her for a long time.
“Once Lady Xiaohua’s poison was cured, not only is her appearance completely different, even her body shape is entirely changed. Was her previous robustness all due to swelling from the poison throughout her body?”
Xiaohua ignored her, and Wei Tingxu tapped her head: “Let’s discuss important matters first, Wenjun has gone to Nanya.”
“Oh?” Ah Liao glanced once at Wei Tingxu and three times at Xiaohua, “Nanya? What’s she doing in Nanya?”
“She must be continuing to acquire land and stockpile grain, then selecting suitable people to bring back to Runing.”
“That Bu Jie and Ah Xi have both been arranged by her into central positions. Though their official ranks aren’t high, they’re all crucial central positions. Wenjun has a keen eye.”
“Isn’t that disadvantageous to us?”
Wei Tingxu nodded with a smile.
“Now Li Yanyi has sent you to the Secretariat to focus on historical compilation, and Sister Wenjun is also opposing you. Not to mention the traditionally powerful Zuo family and Lin family, even the Bo family is growing stronger by the day. You’re not worried at all? Or do you have complete confidence in getting Sister Wenjun back to your side?”
Wei Tingxu shook her head.
“Then you…”
“Nothing can be established without destruction, but now Wenjun increasingly has her own ideas. She’s now methodically preparing for future contingencies, she has become someone I cannot control.”
“Cannot control…” Ah Liao swayed her fan, “When you cannot control something, don’t you feel uneasy?”
As Xiaohua handed the brewed tea to Wei Tingxu, she heard her say: “The unease and unpredictability is where the pleasure lies.”
Zhen Wenjun indeed went to Nanya, and after witnessing the prosperity of the Path of Ten Thousand Directions, she met Zhu Maosan in Sudu. She brought him to Nanya, and after a big meal at the finest restaurant, told him to get his affairs in order over the next few days, as they would depart in three days.
“Depart? Where to?” Zhu Maosan asked his sworn sister, still holding an elbow joint [pork], his mouth greasy.
“To Runing, naturally.” Zhen Wenjun had drunk a bit too much, her face slightly flushed, leaning on Zhu Maosan’s shoulder.
“Runing?”
“Yes, Runing,” Zhen Wenjun said, “Hasn’t Brother Zhu always wanted to return to Runing? This Sudu is like a furnace every day, killing people with heat. Even though the Path of Ten Thousand Directions has brought some prosperity, it still can’t compare to Runing.”
Zhu Maosan immediately dropped the elbow joint and grabbed Zhen Wenjun’s hands, tears falling instantly. Sniffling, he sighed for a while before speaking: “Brother heard that sister is now the Bandit-Quelling General, a favored one by the Emperor’s side! Brother thought you had long forgotten about me… Never expected… truly never expected that old Zhu would have a day to leave Sudu!”
Zhu Maosan’s hands, greasy from the elbow joint, now gripped Zhen Wenjun as he cried so hard the roof trembled. Zhen Wenjun showed no disgust, even offering her personal handkerchief to Zhu Maosan to wipe his tears: “Brother, what kind of talk is this? Since little sister has sworn brotherhood with you, we are siblings of different surnames, naturally sharing fortune together! Little sister has struggled in the capital for years and finally accumulated some connections. Though this Bandit-Quelling General position is a miscellaneous rank, it’s still a general position and carries some weight. However, brother will have to endure some hardship.”
“Hardship?”
“Brother has been serving well as the Nan’an General in Sudu, but returning to Runing, you can only serve as a colonel under little sister first…”
Before Zhen Wenjun could finish, Zhu Maosan immediately prostrated himself on the ground, forcefully kowtowing three times until blood splattered from his forehead. Zhen Wenjun hurriedly went forward to help him up: “Brother, what are you doing!” Bu Jie beside them and other diners in the restaurant were startled by Zhu Maosan’s sudden action.
“Sister, don’t laugh at me, but old Zhu has only one wish in this life – to see Runing, the capital of Da Yu. Old Zhu is nearly fifty this year, and though I hold the title of Nan’an General, I’m ultimately just a butcher banished to the frontier. No matter what achievements I made, Emperor Ming looked down on me, keeping me in Sudu for twenty years. This worthless title means nothing to old Zhu! Old Zhu only wants to leave this comfort nest in my lifetime, return to the battlefield and kill some Hu! Never mind being a colonel, even being a suicide soldier would be fine, sister…” Zhu Maosan looked up at Zhen Wenjun, then kowtowed several more times forcefully, “Sister, you are old Zhu’s benefactor! Old Zhu will always remember sister’s kindness and repay it with my life!”
Zhen Wenjun felt her heart burning with passion from his words, quickly helping him up and wiping away the blood: “Brother, you and I share the same aspirations and are closest friends, speaking of repaying kindness would only invite mockery! From now on, crossing mountains and fording rivers, wielding spears on horseback, we siblings will live and die together!”
Zhu Maosan finally released all his years of frustration and resentment in Sudu through tears. The next day, he was energetic, seeming ten years younger, climbing mountains early in the morning until drenched in sweat, saying he needed to reduce his belly first.
Zhen Wenjun, Ah Qiong, and Bu Jie went together to inspect Sudu’s land and granaries, counting the stored grain, which exceeded expectations.
Saima Fei had been stored in exactly one hundred vats, and Zhen Wenjun was very satisfied after testing its efficacy.
With abundant granaries and silver aplenty, Zhen Wenjun felt fully confident as she closed the private warehouse doors. When she initially bought fifty thousand qing of poor fields in Sudu, she only wanted to leave herself a backup plan, never expecting it would become her greatest support, making her extremely grateful.
This southern journey was requested under the pretense of taking her mother to see a doctor, and Li Yanyi had specially approved one month’s leave. Seeing the leave about to end, she brought Zhu Maosan and others back to Runing, returning to that chaotic center gathering countless ambitions.
As evening fell, Li Yanyi arrived at Changning Palace, dismounting from her carriage and walking across the floating bridge.
Speaking of Mu’er and Gong’er, Li Yanyi was troubled. If the Yellow Dragon Pill still couldn’t allow her and Ah Xin to have children, which of Mu’er and Gong’er should be chosen as crown prince? After all, Gong’er was more clever than Mu’er, and was also a girl. After her generation of female emperor’s thousand autumns [εη§ | qiΔn qiΕ« | long reign], reasonably speaking, another female emperor should consolidate women’s position, making Gong’er the better choice.
But if so, wouldn’t people think she was shouting slogans of equality while actually suppressing males?
Li Yanyi was lost in thought, her eyes glazed over, when children’s laughter interrupted her thoughts.
From a distance, she saw two children playing, a boy and a girl. The girl was Gong’er, and the other was a small boy wearing servant’s clothes. The servant boy pounced wildly with force, causing Gong’er to shriek and jump away to safety.
How could there be such a young servant in Changning Palace? Li Yanyi had never seen him before.
Li Yanyi focused her gaze and saw the little servant stand up, brushing dirt off himself, then grinned – a grin that made Li Yanyi’s heart thunder and her face suddenly turn pale.
The little servant had two mouths, one horizontal and one vertical. When he smiled, the vertical lips revealed pink flesh and stark white teeth. His deformed face showed excitement as he stared at Gong’er with an eerie smile, as if wanting to devour her.
“Here I come!”
The little servant charged toward Gong’er again, who ran screaming. Li Yanyi rushed forward and kicked the cleft-lipped child, sending him flying.
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