Fish Meat – Chapter 55

The Ninth Year of Shenchu

Attending a Banquet in Nanya (Part 2)

“Thinking quite beautifully, wanting to please Li Ju while also trying to flatter the Grand Princess.”

After Wang Jin left, Lingbi came out from the room, took a bowl of cool tea, leaned against the wooden platform, half sitting and half lying down, coldly chuckled and took a sip.

This bamboo-woven mat was both hard and pinched, very uncomfortable. With no one around, Zhen Wenjun lay together with Lingbi on the wooden platform.

The cool breeze blew by, refreshing and pleasant, as if it had been a long time since they had been this leisurely.

Zhen Wenjun looked at the small bowl spinning in her fingers and thought for a moment before saying:

“Now that the Grand Princess has come to the door, apart from pledging loyalty to her, the Wang family has no other good way to go. Otherwise, before this struggle for power comes to a conclusion, the Wang family will already be crushed. This is how the world is; whether it is imperial power or basic necessities, they are all for sale at a price. Do you think these aristocratic families support the Emperor or the Grand Princess? They support whoever has the better chance of winning. When the Wang family offers grain to the Emperor, they don’t say it’s a tribute to him; they claim it is a donation for disaster relief. In this way, the Emperor benefits, and the Wang family does not have to visibly take sides, which is the best outcome. However, now that the Grand Princess has personally come to collect grain, the Wang family has no choice but to stop watching from the sidelines and can only go all in.”

Lingbi turned her face to look at her and quietly asked, “In your opinion, between the Emperor and the Grand Princess, who has a better chance of winning?”

Zhen Wenjun did not expect Lingbi to ask her this, showing that she was completely unguarded. She chuckled and said, “Who wins or loses isn’t important; winning and losing is only temporary. What matters is who can make it to the end, who can ascend to power and control the world. Moreover, these matters are not something we can decide. We will support whoever Sister Tingxu stands with; right now, we naturally hope that the Grand Princess can gain the upper hand over the Emperor.”

Zhen Wenjun’s words left Lingbi in a daze for a while, forgetting to drink her tea and not knowing what she was thinking.

Zhen Wenjun abruptly got up and said, “Sister Lingbi, don’t think about these trivial matters for now. Since there’s nothing to do, we might as well go for a stroll in the city. I see that the horse market is lively, filled with beautiful horses we’ve never seen before. Besides, didn’t you also say that the girls from the Guqiang tribe are extremely beautiful? Their skin may not be as fair and tender as our Pingcang girls’, but they excel in having high noses and deep-set eyes, looking very charming. Why not go take a look? And there’s that sweet banana; I’ve heard it’s as white as milk and has a sweet, crisp taste. Don’t you want to taste it?”

Lingbi drooped her eyelids and said, “You must be greedy. This time there are still several tens of thousands left from the two hundred thousand taels, enough for you to squander.”

“No, no, no, definitely not enough,” Zhen Wenjun replied. “Buying things for Sister Lingbi costs several tens of thousands, how could that be enough?”

This small courtyard was near the most prosperous Jin Market in Fengxi City, with Wangjing Street being the central thoroughfare of Fengxi City. Wangjing Street leads directly to the Silver Market and the Horse Market, making it very convenient. Zhen Wenjun and Lingbi did not take a carriage; they brought only two attendants and walked out.

Fengxi City does not have a curfew, and vendors can set up stalls all night. The closer it gets to the night market, the livelier it becomes. Zhen Wenjun, facing the bustling crowd, eagerly pulled Lingbi as they weaved through the people. Accessories made of tortoiseshell, necklaces made of ivory, and all kinds of food they had never seen before excited Zhen Wenjun.

Silver flowed out like water, and she felt no remorse. This time, not only had she successfully completed Wei Tingxu’s task, but she also bought land and gathered people, with several tens of thousands still remaining. Zhen Wenjun never knew that spending money like water could bring such pleasure. Remembering that she owed Lingbi a lot of silver that she had not yet returned, now was the time to repay her. Whatever item Lingbi looked at or asked about, Zhen Wenjun bought it all, and Lingbi couldn’t hold her back. Zhen Wenjun also picked out several exquisite and rare pendants and ornaments to give to Wei Tingxu, and the gifts for Wei Tingxu would definitely be extremely expensive; she wouldn’t even consider anything under a thousand taels.

Zhen Wenjun picked up a cat’s eye gemstone step pendant and an amber ring, asking Lingbi which one Wei Tingxu would like. After thinking for a long time, Lingbi said both were quite good, so Zhen Wenjun bought both.

After strolling halfway down a long street, the two attendants’ hands were filled, and their shoulders were laden, almost needing to use their heads to carry more. They could not take anything else and had to return to the small courtyard to drop off their things before coming back to continue shopping. Lingbi wasn’t in a much better situation; she was holding a bunch of sweet bananas, with a string of roasted, fragrant, shiny frog legs in her left hand and a bag of honey-coated jujubes¹ in her right, not knowing whether to eat first or continue browsing.

Zhen Wenjun noticed a crowd ahead, bustling and lively, and wanted to pull Lingbi over to take a look.

Lingbi stepped back, spat out the pit of the jujube, and said, “If you want to go, go by yourself. I can’t squeeze through; my legs are about to break. I’ll stay here and eat while waiting for you, but don’t run around. There are so many people at this market; if I lose sight of you, I won’t be able to find you.”

Zhen Wenjun glanced at the noisy crowd and then at Lingbi, shaking her hand and saying, “Forget it, if you’re not going, then I won’t go either. I’ll keep you company.”

Lingbi rolled her eyes and said, “You can stop it. Do you think I don’t know you? If you really didn’t let me go take a good look, I wouldn’t be able to sleep soundly tonight. Go on, don’t annoy me.”

Zhen Wenjun sweetly replied with an “Oh.” “Sister Lingbi really cares about me.”

After seeing Zhen Wenjun’s figure disappear into the crowd, Lingbi suddenly put down the frog leg that she had brought to her mouth.

Was she really just letting her go alone? Since when did she become so trusting of Zhen Wenjun?

Recalling what Wei Tingxu said that night when punishing Xiaohua, the lady had already taken Zhen Wenjun as a confidante, wanting Xiaohua to fully accept her. It seemed the lady truly believed in her, which was not easy. Lingbi knew that Wei Tingxu was suspicious, and Zhen Wenjun had managed to lower her guard in less than two years. It was really thanks to Zhen Wenjun being clever and capable.

At first, the lady even had her keep a close eye on her, reporting every move she made. Fortunately, this child withstood the test and did not disappoint. Lingbi looked in the direction where Zhen Wenjun had disappeared, smiling with relief as she eagerly bit into the frog leg.

Zhen Wenjun glanced back from time to time; as soon as she was out of Lingbi’s sight, her excited expression faded, and she quietly walked through the crowded streets in search of the postal station. Given the bustling trade here, the postal station should not be hard to find. Sure enough, at the junction of the gold and silver markets, she spotted a banner embroidered with the character “邮” (post).

The postal station had a small canopy for shade, and both inside and outside the canopy were piled high with various goods waiting to be delivered. She went into the small canopy to borrow some ink and a wooden slip, writing down an ancient poem. After finishing, she rummaged through a basket of signs labeled with various states and prefectures until she found “Dongchun,” then wrote down the name of the district and “Mr. Ju’an,” tying the wooden slip and sign together and handing them, along with the silver, to the courier.

“May I ask how many days it will take to deliver to Dongchun?” Zhen Wenjun asked the courier as she paid.

“The fastest will take ten days.”

“Ten days… alright, thank you for your trouble.”

This “Mr. Ju’an” was the communication name left for her by Yan Ye, and it was probably a pseudonym. It had been nearly two months since she last contacted Yan Ye after their meeting. This time, the arrival of the Grand Princess to Nanya to collect grain was a huge secret; aside from the Wang family, she was likely the only one who knew. Once Xie Fuchen received this news, he would surely verify its authenticity immediately. She feared that by the time he got the message, the Grand Princess would no longer be in Nanya. It didn’t matter; if Xie Fuchen missed this opportunity, it was his foolishness. He would eventually find out, and being late wouldn’t threaten the Grand Princess. What Zhen Wenjun wanted was for Xie Fuchen to miss a good opportunity while realizing the importance of her being a chess piece, ensuring he would treat her mother well.

Even if Xie Fuchen arrived in time and tried to assassinate the Grand Princess or take other actions, Zhen Wenjun wouldn’t be worried. In fact, she even looked forward to Xie Fuchen arriving swiftly, leading to a fierce battle. War was a blessing for renowned generals, while the struggle between the Emperor and the Grand Princess was beneficial for Zhen Wenjun. She urgently needed to maneuver within this conflict to achieve merit and enhance her own value.

Come on, Xie Fuchen.

Zhen Wenjun looked back at the flag fluttering in the wind— I will make your family pay for what they have done.

Upon arriving at the horse market, Zhen Wenjun was almost dazzled by the options while trying to find a beautiful riding saddle for Xiaoxue. At first, she went to ask for prices, and the vendors, seeing a young lady dressed simply, treated her indifferently, responding with half-hearted answers. When Zhen Wenjun took out a stack of silver notes to hold in her hand, the sharp-eyed vendors immediately became enthusiastic, eagerly recommending their wares. In the end, she selected a gilded ruby saddle worth five hundred taels, imagining how impressive Xiaoxue would look wearing it.

After obtaining the saddle, Zhen Wenjun continued to stroll through the horse market, and several horse traders followed her, asking what kind of horse the noble lady desired, each enthusiastically recommending their options to the point of nearly coming to blows. Zhen Wenjun found it amusing and was about to refuse them all when she suddenly heard a familiar voice say:

“This young master wants this Frost Silk Horse! Where is the seller?”

The horse trader who had been following Zhen Wenjun immediately responded loudly and ran back.

Zhen Wenjun felt her neck stiffen upon hearing that voice. She did not turn around but slowed her pace, focusing all her attention behind her, waiting for that male voice to sound again.

“Truly an eye for talent, young master; this Frost Silk Horse is the only one in the entire Da Yu that belongs to the noble Tang Chenggong’s steed!”

“Oh? What’s the price?”

Indeed, it was him! How could she possibly forget that voice!

Zhen Wenjun quickened her pace and ran behind a wooden pillar of a pavilion, peeking back secretly. She saw that the person who had just spoken was dressed in an old robe, wearing a tall hat and a white jade belt, raising his chin at the horse trader as he bargained.

Zhen Wenjun was extremely puzzled. Why was Xie Suishan here? Wasn’t he supposed to be with Xie Taihang heading to Dongchun to find Xie Fuchen? Remembering what Yan Ye had said, Xie Fuchen was very dissatisfied with Xie Taihang’s actions, and it was quite possible he had expelled his entire family. That made sense, as Xie Fuchen was more hypocritical and cunning than Xie Taihang. Perhaps he had long since set up a plan to take advantage of the Wei family and eliminate the Grand Princess’s faction in one fell swoop. Meanwhile, Xie Taihang’s foolish act of sending assassins to kill Wei Tingxu was like stirring up the grass to scare the snake; it wouldn’t be surprising for them to turn against each other. Thus, where could the fleeing Xie Taihang go after escaping from Suichuan? He could only shamelessly follow his wife, Yao, back to Nanya.

How could she have forgotten that the matriarch of the Xie family came from the Yao family of Nanya? Zhen Wenjun knocked her foolish head hard, thinking she could avoid the eyes of old acquaintances by not going to Suichuan. Who would have thought that coming to Nanya would be falling into a trap! If she were recognized by Xie Suishan, with his dull mind, he would be unable to comprehend the stakes. Furthermore, she didn’t know whether Xie Taihang had told Xie Suishan about her disguising as Zhen Wenjun, so the most likely outcome would be that he would cling to her or even expose her identity.

The best plan was to leave Nanya immediately and keep as far away from the Xie family as possible.

Zhen Wenjun quickly lowered her head, hugging the Danglu² and walking back. As she passed a stall selling Hu clothing, she saw a set of skirts paired with a veil. She threw down some silver and grabbed the skirt before running off. When she returned to the gold market and found Lingbi, she saw that the attendants had already come back. Zhen Wenjun couldn’t tell if it was her imagination, but from a distance, she noticed Lingbi smiling at her in a rather strange way.

“You finally came back! Hurry and come with me,” Lingbi happily pulled her, mysteriously saying, “There’s a surprise when we get back.”

A surprise? Zhen Wenjun’s heart raced wildly; she hoped it wasn’t a surprise that turned out to be a house full of scares.

The group returned to the small courtyard and, from a distance, saw Xiaohua’s imposing figure standing in the small yard, comparable to a rockery. And beside her, on the four-wheeled cart, was none other than Wei Tingxu.

It’s over; there’s no way to escape.

Zhen Wenjun’s vision went dark, nearly fainting from anxiety. Internally, she was in turmoil, but her face bloomed with a brilliant smile. While calling out “Sister,” she dashed and leaped in front of Wei Tingxu’s legs, kneeling down and laying her head on her thigh:

“Sister, why have you come! Do you know how much I miss you!” Zhen Wenjun managed to squeeze out tears, feeling that her own emotional display was utterly insincere and disgusting.

Wei Tingxu kindly patted her head, smiling as she said, “I miss my younger sister too; that’s why I came to see you.”

Zhen Wenjun forced herself to appear overjoyed and in tears, but internally she was holding her head, crying out in despair—why did she come now, of all times, right when Xie Suishan was here causing a ruckus? Who could know if this old fox was being intentional, and what schemes he had this time!

1. Jujubes: Also known as Chinese dates, a type of fruit commonly used in traditional Chinese snacks and desserts.
2. Danglu: A triangular ornamental plaque for a horse’s forehead.