Chapter 186 – Imperial Palace

The night was deep and the crescent moon faint. Xu Chun, accompanied by his guards, galloped for about an hour before arriving at the spot by the Pure Water River where the imperial carriage was stationed. Along the way, they were stopped for inspection, but the Fengxiang Guards were able to pass through unimpeded since they carried the tokens of the palace guards.

The dragon ship, painted with golden dragons, was moored in the Pure Water River harbor. Dragon lanterns on the ship shone brightly, adorned with pearls and stars, exuding a majestic aura. The area around the dragon ship was under strict security, and countless palace guards were stationed on shore. Several large ships surrounded the dragon ship. These were the secondary vessels carrying the ministers and soldiers who had left the capital together. Altogether, the fleet consisted of approximately thirty to forty ships of various sizes.

As they approached the dragon ship, Fang Zixing hurried out to meet him. Seeing Xu Chun, he asked, “What’s the matter? Why have you come so late?”

Xu Chun knew that Fang Zixing misunderstood his urgent arrival during the night, so he quickly smiled and said, “Nothing serious, I just came a little earlier to greet the emperor.”

Fang Zixing’s sharp gaze swept over him, and he finally let out a sigh of relief. “His Majesty thought something urgent must have happened for you to come at this hour. Upon hearing the report, he had already retired for the night but got up to change his clothes again.”

Xu Chun: “…” He had only wanted to see Jiu Ge as soon as possible but hadn’t expected to alarm him. Feeling guilty, he apologized to Fang Zixing. “I’m sorry, I disturbed Brother Zixing.”

Fang Zixing replied, “When accompanying the emperor outside the capital, I can’t sleep soundly anyway. It’s alright, I was worried about you.” As he led Xu Chun onto the ship, he continued, “Didn’t your brother go to Jinhaiwei? Did you see him? He’s been acting strange lately, scolding people for no reason. Hasn’t he given you a hard time too?”

Xu Chun laughed. “No, Brother Zijing has been very kind to me and even helped me out significantly. What’s wrong with him? Now that you’re married and have your own residence, why does he still lecture you so much?”

Fang Zixing replied, “Who knows? Even his wife doesn’t know. She just says it seems like he’s fighting with himself and we shouldn’t pay him any mind. We were supposed to rest for a few years after returning from the war, but now that we’re back, he’s picking fights with me every day. He’s always criticizing me for this or that, as if I’m never doing anything right. This wasn’t the case a few years ago. Maybe he’s bored because there’s no war to fight?”

Xu Chun: “…” Fighting with himself, huh? Regardless, he was more concerned about Jiu Ge. He hadn’t seen him since last year when he returned to the capital to report on his duties for the New Year. He wondered if Jiu Ge had gained some weight. Unexpectedly, Fang Zixing pressed him with another question. “What about the batch of firearms I asked you for last time? I heard you gave them to Helan Jingjiang first! You also gave them horses!”

Xu Chun explained, “Brother Helan said that things aren’t peaceful in his area, the Tartars are constantly causing trouble along the border, and they desperately need military supplies.”

Fang Zixing retorted angrily, “He always tricks you like that! Last time, you also gave him medicine for injuries first, and you prioritized sending medical students to him! How could it be that urgent? He’s quite comfortable now! The Emperor favors him and has provided him with several deputies. You also favor him! No, this year, you must provide the palace guards with one hundred horses and one hundred firearms. It’s not like you won’t get paid!”

Xu Chun hurriedly appeased him. “Of course, Brother Zixing, what would I not give you? Those horses last time were Yunnan and Guangxi horses, known for their endurance and adaptability to food, but they weren’t particularly handsome. They were suitable for the frontier. Our palace guard attendants are tall and imposing, so I’ve reserved a batch of Yellow-eared horses for Brother Zixing. Each one is strong and beautiful, the finest of horses! These are the horses used by heavy cavalry! They’re extremely valuable! Feeding them alone could bankrupt me!”

Fang Zixing was finally satisfied. “That sounds about right. You remember your old friend.”

As they spoke, they arrived at the cabin door. Su Huai, accompanied by two young eunuchs, was waiting outside. Seeing Xu Chun, his eyes narrowed in a smile. “I knew there wouldn’t be any problems. You probably came personally to greet the emperor, right?”

Xu Chun chuckled. “Greetings, Lord Su. It’s been a while. Last time, I had someone send you some stones. Were any of them useful? I heard you adopted a son? I haven’t met him yet, when can I see him?”

Su Huai laughed. “They were useful, and since Marquis Hou hasn’t returned to the capital, I haven’t had the chance to let the child pay his respects to you.” He then winked. “Quick, go inside. The Emperor was startled to hear you came late at night. He thought something urgent must have happened. He changed his clothes and even had a horse prepared.”

However, Xu Chun lowered his voice and asked, “How has Jiu Ge been eating? Has he been sleeping well these days?”

Su Huai replied, “He’s been fine, sleeping soundly and eating well. Every day, he rides horses and shoots arrows.” He glanced at Xu Chun. Even in the dim candlelight, the marquis’s graceful and handsome appearance nearly eclipsed the moon’s radiance. No wonder the Emperor practiced diligently every day. Even upon hearing that Xu Chun was coming late at night, he was afraid he would look tired if he got up in the middle of the night, so he drank some tea to refresh himself.

But Xu Chun was unaware of Su Huai’s thoughts. In a few quick steps, he entered the room. Indeed, Xie Yi was sitting on the couch wearing his outer robe. Seeing him enter, he asked, “Why have you come so late?”

Xu Chun took a few steps closer and sat down next to Xie Yi. “I knew Jiu Ge was close, and I couldn’t bear to wait even half a day, so I rushed over. Love is unbearable, I couldn’t sleep.” As he spoke, he pulled out a flower branch from his sleeve and handed it to Xie Yi. “I saw it on the mountain road, it was so beautiful, so I brought it for Jiu Ge.”

Xie Yi didn’t expect Xu Chun to suddenly pull out a cluster of delicate flowers from his sleeve. Looking closely, they were unknown pinkish-white wildflowers. The branches were slender, and the leaves were slightly damp, but they had been warmed by his sleeve, leaving the dense, tender petals undamaged. He must have carefully held the flowers the entire ten miles he traveled. Xie Yi felt a subtle joy and casually inserted the flower into a vase on the table. “It’s getting late. Since there’s nothing urgent, let’s go to sleep. There’s plenty to do tomorrow.”

Xu Chun had already started undressing and removing his boots, handing them to the eunuchs serving nearby. He went to wash his hands and face at the gold basin stand, saying, “Jiu Ge, you should go to bed first. I’ll wash up quickly and join you. I’m sorry for my sudden whim, disturbing your sleep.”

Xie Yi replied, “It’s fine, it’s hard to sleep well on the ship anyway.” He then stood up, removed his outer robe, and climbed onto the bed. Xu Chun soon followed, slipping into bed beside him and immediately draping his limbs over Xie Yi, looking eager.

Xie Yi reached out to hold his waist, pulling him closer into his embrace, and laughed. “Rest. Tomorrow, we start with the army camp. I don’t want you to struggle to stay on your horse in front of everyone.”

Xu Chun remained silent. His bare feet, still slightly damp from washing, rested on Xie Yi’s feet. “Jiu Ge, don’t you miss me? Just once, it won’t interfere with riding horses.” As he spoke, his bare foot boldly climbed onto Xie Yi’s waist, and his entire body pressed tightly against him.

Xie Yi could feel Xu Chun clinging to him like a flame, his warmth enveloping him. During the journey, the ice on the canal had just begun to melt, and the wind along the banks was still cold. The scenery and mountains hadn’t regained their lush greenery, and his heart was as calm as water. Although he also longed for Xu Chun, he had spent a long time in the capital, where his dignity grew heavier each day. He refused to indulge himself in frivolity.

At that moment, however, his tranquil heart was stirred by the vibrant flower branch, causing warm spring waters to ripple within him.

He held onto Xu Chun’s mischievous wrist and laughed. “It’s you who’s acting recklessly. If you can’t ride a horse tomorrow, don’t blame me. I won’t be as lenient with you as before.”

Xu Chun’s eyes were moist as his lips kissed Xie Yi. “Jiu Ge, the night is short, stop talking nonsense.”

Xie Yi was both amused and exasperated. He held Xu Chun back, looked down at him, and pressed his ankle. “Are you tired of me nagging? You’re not allowed to cry or beg for mercy later.”

Before they knew it, dawn broke, and the red sun filled the windows. When Xu Chun woke up, he only heard the splashing of water outside the ship. He hurriedly got up and put on his clothes, seeing Xie Yi standing by the ship window, looking out at the glittering waves. He quickly asked, “Where are we? Have we reached the three-way junction? Let me off a little ahead, I’ll ride to the imperial palace to await the emperor.”

Xie Yi replied, “There’s no need to rush. I’ve already ordered someone to go ahead to the imperial palace to relay the message. To avoid extravagance, only local officials such as the commander of Jinhaiwei should greet the emperor. After I settle in at the imperial palace, I’ll summon the ministers. At that time, you can disembark with me and head to the imperial palace to inspect the river works. Let’s have breakfast first.” As he spoke, he ordered someone to bring water.

Xu Chun knew that Xie Yi’s consideration was clearly due to his reckless indulgence the previous night. His heart was filled with sweetness as he secretly reached out to touch Xie Yi’s fingers. Their fingers intertwined as they watched the scenery along the banks for a while before returning to wash up and have breakfast with Xie Yi.

The dragon boat sailed in a grand procession to the port near the Cloud Rest Imperial Palace and docked there. Xu Chun, dressed in his official robes, accompanied Xie Yi off the boat. Indeed, only Sheng Changtian, accompanied by his soldiers, was waiting on shore. Xie Yi boarded the dragon sedan chair, while Xu Chun mounted a horse and followed behind the sedan chair toward the imperial palace. The ministers on the secondary boats disembarked and headed to the imperial palace together.

Upon arriving at the Cloud Rest Imperial Palace, Xie Yi summoned the ministers to discuss matters in the Hall of Shared Joy. This hall was the largest in the Cloud Rest Imperial Palace, with a plaque above that read “Sharing Joy with the People.” Xu Chun quietly walked into the crowd of ministers from the side of the hall, but he was quickly noticed by the sensitive Fang Zijing, who turned to look at him and gestured for him to approach.

Xu Chun bowed and greeted him. Fang Zijing whispered, “Where have you been early in the morning? As the commander, you should act cautiously and follow etiquette. Don’t give others a chance to criticize you.”

Xu Chun hastily smiled. “I was nervous, so early in the morning, I brought people to await the emperor. However, the emperor said that there shouldn’t be too many officials greeting him at the port in a grand manner, as it would be too extravagant. He ordered the ceremonial guards to be withdrawn and told everyone to come to the imperial palace to await further instructions. So, I accompanied the emperor to the imperial palace.”

Fang Zijing noticed that Xu Chun’s lips were red and his eyes still carried traces of springtime passion. He could also faintly smell the scent of ambergris on him. With a sneer, he realized that the boy couldn’t resist and had likely gone to greet the emperor the previous night, inevitably ending up thoroughly satisfied. The emperor was steady and meticulous in his actions, fearing that Xu Chun might reveal something in front of the officials awaiting the emperor, so he simply withdrew the ceremonial guards at the port.

Fang Zijing couldn’t help feeling annoyed. He glanced at Shen Mengzhen and thought to himself, Clearly, this master had a reputation for being a womanizer in his youth, yet he didn’t teach him anything. As the saying goes, one cannot force a sale. Even if it’s the emperor, one should maintain some dignity and control the situation.

Seeing Fang Zijing’s seemingly annoyed expression but his reluctance to reprimand him, Xu Chun was somewhat puzzled. Recalling what Fang Zixing had said the previous night, he quietly said, “Brother Zixing is also accompanying the emperor. When he’s free and not accompanying the emperor, how about I treat both of you to a feast? What do you think?”

Fang Zijing replied, “Focus on accompanying the emperor. There’s no need to rush and have a feast right now.” He thought to himself, With your eagerness, do you think we’ll have the chance to see you these next few days?

Xu Chun chuckled, but he sensed someone’s gaze on him. He turned to look and was surprised to see He Zhiqiu and Fan Mukun conversing nearby. Several young scholars from the Hanlin Academy, all with elegant and refined appearances, were also present. When Fan Mukun noticed Xu Chun looking at them, he smiled and made a gesture of respect from afar.

Xu Chun was surprised but returned the gesture. Fang Zijing asked him, “Who are you looking at?”

Xu Chun replied, “Fan Mukun is back in the capital?”

Fang Zijing said, “Didn’t you read the gazette? His three-year term is over, and he has been performing exceptionally well. He has been transferred back to the capital and is currently overseeing book compilation in the Hanlin Academy.”

Just as they were having a private conversation, they heard Su Huai cough. “The emperor arrives.”

All the ministers accompanying the emperor promptly lined up according to their ranks. Xie Yi emerged, dressed in a light yellow dragon robe, and sat down. Everyone bowed to him, and Xie Yi said, “Rise. All of you may take your seats. Minister Xu, tell us about the itinerary for the next few days.”

Xu Chun hurriedly stepped forward and bowed to answer. He smoothly outlined the inspection schedule for the next half month.

Hearing that the original plan was to visit the army camp in the afternoon, Xie Yi thought for a moment and said, “I’ve been traveling by boat and carriage, and I’m quite tired. Let’s change the army camp visit to tomorrow. We’ll have a banquet at the imperial palace at noon, and in the afternoon, we’ll visit the Wanguo University Hall. In the evening, we’ll have a banquet for the teachers and students.”

Xu Chun quickly bowed in agreement, knowing that Xie Yi was still concerned about him and didn’t want him to ride a horse, which is why he changed the schedule.

However, Xie Yi asked, “First, report on the current situation in Jinhaiwei.”

Xu Chun hastily put aside his wandering thoughts and reported the conditions of the thirteen camps, detailing the number of soldiers and equipment in each camp, which he had memorized.

The ministers accompanying the emperor were all high-ranking officials. Seeing Marquis Linhai standing in the hall, graceful and poised, speaking clearly and concisely, and having a thorough understanding of the matters he reported, they all nodded inwardly, acknowledging that he truly lived up to his reputation as a capable young official who had risen to prominence in recent years.

However… It seemed that the emperor’s choice of personnel revealed some patterns. The talented young men sent to the provinces in recent years were gradually emerging as outstanding figures and being promoted. Looking at the ministers and generals in the hall, most were trusted by the emperor, all of whom were dignified and extraordinary, exuding a vigorous and ambitious atmosphere.