Chapter 260

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Protagonists:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

The spring light of March was in full bloom, just the time for an outing. Once the party set out, Shaowei's heart and eyes grew wild; once the carriage window was opened, it was rarely closed again.

The Spirit Pivot Marquis had a bestowed private carriage, its regulations could be called luxurious. Shaowei often used asking about official business as an excuse to coax her elder sister into sharing the ride to enjoy it, while she herself often slipped in and out, frequently running off to Mother and Eldest Mother's carriages.

In Qingwu's eyes, her younger sister was like a civet cat, for the first time traveling far with family and friends, leaping up and down, looking left and right, never idle for a moment.

Lacking experience in such outings, Shaowei's heart was not without vigilance. While enjoying the scenery along the way, she also did her best to keep everyone around her under watchful protection.

Liu Qi was relatively the busiest but also the most self-aware. If he could not free himself, he would always have Deng Hu convey to Shaowei what he was doing and when he would finish.

Shan Gu, as a Cavalier General, always sat spiritedly on horseback, leading the most splendid Imperial Guard ceremonial procession, clearing the path for the Son of Heaven and the Heir Apparent's carriages.

Ji Jin rode with his colleagues, handling official business along the way. He did not find it bitter but rather joyful—having just entered the Imperial Court, to be able to participate in grand events such as the Mount Tai Fengshan Sacrifice was enough to make him suddenly open his eyes in excitement at night after finally closing them. Office work was his duty, and also a necessary means to keep his mind clear.

Every time they reached a place, Ji Jin would write a poem to commemorate it. He wrote poems with great regularity: after a heroic poem expressing emotion and ambition, there would always follow a work full of introspection, repeating endlessly.

Under Shaowei's daily appreciation of new works, she felt that the poet had a sense of self-regulation of "burning repeatedly yet not allowing oneself to burn too much," possessing a very strong sense of moral awareness of adversity.

Ji Jin wrote poems too frequently and gradually lacked material. From scenery to events, and then to people. This day Shaowei even read the trace of Yan Chu playing the flute in his new poem.

Yan Chu and Ji Jin were already relatively familiar. Ji Jin praised him without ceasing.

In the carriage stopped midway, Shaowei put down this new poem and looked out through the opened window, catching sight of Ji Jin's figure who had just come to deliver the poem. She saw her elder sister walking toward Ji Jin, handing him a waterskin.

Traveling was hard, so Qingwu would often brew some drinks in Shaowei's carriage stove along the way. The recipes were all obtained from Jiang Fu. This time she brewed perilla and tangerine peel water to regulate Qi and strengthen the spleen. She sent one pot to Shan Gu, then filled another pot for Ji Jin.

Ji Jin took it. The two stood side by side and spoke quietly for a while. Ji Jin pointed forward toward Luoyang City. Qingwu listened with great longing.

At this moment, Ji Jin suddenly called out to Yan Chu not far away. Yan Chu walked over with hands clasped behind his back, smiling. After Ji Jin offered his respects, he looked at Qingwu: "This is my aunt's family elder sister, now in the Shen Ci Shrine..."

Yan Chu smiled and raised a hand, interrupting Ji Jin's words: "I have known Prime Minister Jun Guan for a long time."

Ji Jin was surprised: "How come I have never heard my elder sister mention this matter?"

When he was at home, he had also mentioned the sons of the Prime Minister's residence. In his impression, his elder sister seemed to have never responded to the topic.

Qingwu felt somewhat awkward. Yan Chu laughed heartily and feigned a lament: "It seems that I, Yan, am too ordinary and unworthy of mention."

"No, no..." Ji Jin smiled and took up the conversation. Qingwu also lowered her head and smiled it off, not raising her head to look at Yan Chu.

Shaowei, watching the three shadows through the window, looked at her elder sister, then at Ji Jin. A trace of thought never before seen appeared in her eyes.

During the rest stop, voices were noisy all around. While Shaowei was lost in thought, a teasing smiling face suddenly appeared outside the carriage window. The absent-minded Shaowei was frightened, her eyes widening and her hair standing on end. She reached out to strike, but Liu Qi grabbed her hand and stuffed a golden fruit into her palm instead.

Through the carriage window, Liu Qi stood with hands clasped behind his back, bowing slightly. His smiling face drew closer: "Tribute fruit, named Golden Pill. Try it."

Shaowei looked at it seriously. It was shaped like a yellow apricot. She bit into it; it was fresh and juicy.

Upon entering the Luoyang Xing Palace, various tribute fruits and seasonal fresh flowers were dazzlingly abundant. Luoyang had special political significance. The Emperor would stay here for seven days, receiving officials and inspecting the surroundings.

Liu Qi, who was acting as administrator, had been busy for the past few days and could not free himself. Thus Shaowei took Qingwu, Ji Jin, and Xiao Yu to tour the city, experiencing Luoyang's local customs and sentiments.

The city streets were lively and prosperous. Seeing all kinds of delicacies, Shaowei always felt there was a lack of a civet cat to feed nearby. She regretted that many foods could not be stored and carried for long.

And when she saw a beauty passing by, Shaowei thought of Jiang Fu again. Jiang Fu naturally loved beauty, but although beauties could be kept for long, they ultimately could not be brought back as local specialties.

Along this journey, Shaowei had not collected few things to bring home. She wanted to buy any local product she had never seen before. Seeing her hoard more and more, Qingwu tactfully reminded her to restrain herself and make selections, otherwise even two spare carriages might not be enough to hold them all.

Unable to bring everything she saw, Shaowei thought of another method. She entrusted Ji Jin to write more poems recording their experiences. After returning to the capital, they would be presented to Jiang Fu together as a travelogue.

Thus, Ji Jin accompanying her on shopping trips had an arduous task. Physical labor was secondary; his head was almost emptied out. In the end, he was forced to give up the quality of his poems, seeking only to achieve the recording purpose and complete Shaowei's commission.

This day, the group returned to the Xing Palace. Just as they got off the carriage, they saw many commoners kneeling outside the Xing Palace to kowtow and thank the Emperor's grace. They wept in gratitude for the favorable weather and timely rain this spring, and for no longer being displaced due to the governance of the Huang He floods.

During the Emperor's tour, there were always people presenting various auspicious omens. Under the arrangement of local officials, there were also no shortage of such kowtowing programs, used to highlight that the Son of Heaven had the people's hearts and the Mandate of Heaven.

The Son of Heaven rarely personally received these commoners. It only required some officials to come out and respond, and scribes would record the matter.

But these commoners were simple and sincere. Their faces showed true sincerity and reverence. Especially those who had indeed suffered from the Huang He floods before, they wept with tears on their faces while kowtowing.

Shaowei and the others wished to enter through the Side Gate, but were recognized by an official walking out of the Xing Palace. That official deeply believed in ghosts and spirits and had a particularly deep impression of the Spirit Pivot Marquis. At this moment, he said to the commoners: "This Marquis is our dynasty's heavenly secret. Initially, it was precisely because the Marquis received a dream from the Grand Ancestor that urgent flood control measures were taken!"

The commoners immediately erupted in an uproar. They all kowtowed fiercely. Qingwu, who was brought along, retreated in fear. Xiao Yu also hid behind the Young Master. Although she had been ennobled as a Princess, she was indeed a new Princess and had not yet done any deeds worthy of others bowing to her.

Shaowei subconsciously reached out and grabbed the back of Ji Jin's robe beside her, making him stand to her front-left side—she paid attention to the Huang He flood matter because of Ji Jin's influence, and Ji Jin had once risked his life for flood control. He was the most deserving of this bow.

Ji Jin was suddenly subjected to this bow. Tears welled up in his eyes instantly. After a moment, he straightened his robes and sleeves, bowed deeply, and returned the salute to those commoners.

Shaowei looked at such a Ji Jin, then looked at those weeping Farmer commoners. After returning to the Xing Palace, she still dwelled on this scene. She couldn't help but reach out and pinch the flesh of her own arm, then raised her sleeve to examine her clothes and skirt. Suddenly, she had an intuitive understanding of the two words "fief."

She was now also supported by these commoners. It truly fulfilled the old saying of the household slaves: "eating the food of a hundred families."

As Shaowei walked, she felt her flesh and strength becoming increasingly abundant and warm. It should be put to even more use.

In the following days, Liu Qi gradually got some leisure time. Shaowei not only toured the markets with him but also rode horses out of the city to inspect farmland and patrol the city defenses.

The two rode horses out, both wearing veiled bamboo hats. They galloped and chased outside the city, and led their horses slowly within the city. That day, under the setting sun, they sat side by side at a stone bridge by the Luoshui River, covered in golden afterglow. They ate cakes while watching fishing families on the water paddling flat boats to solicit customers, and the Female Monarch's scholars riding painted pleasure boats for entertainment.

The two horses were tied by the old Willow Tree, grazing with their heads down. One horse carried two baskets of peonies on its back. The other horse had several stacks of baked cakes hanging on its back.

The peonies were bought by Liu Qi when he saw a young flower-selling child was weak and frail, so he bought them all and gave them to Shaowei.

The baked cakes were bought by Shaowei when she saw two vendors arguing. She pricked up her ears in the crowd and listened intently for a long time, feeling that one was clearly bullying and making things difficult for the other. In anger, she bought all the baked cakes of the bullied cake-selling widow.

Shaowei and Liu Qi sat by the bridge and finished eating the cakes. The Sky Canopy also devoured the setting sun. The two then led their horses in the twilight, carrying flowers and cakes as they left.

Zhan Zhan lay in the peony flower basket all the way, serving as a fresh flower cradle, sleeping very peacefully and comfortably.

When they returned to the Xing Palace, Shaowei distributed the baked cakes lavishly. The late meals of Shan Gu, Ji Jin, and others were all forcibly dominated by these righteous cakes. The two baskets of peonies were carried by Shaowei to Mother's lodging. Feng Zhu spent an hour or two just arranging them in vases.

Shaowei lived very fulfilling days every day, but she often thought of Jiang Fu, Mo Li, and the household slaves, thinking that if they were also here, this trip would surely be even more worthwhile.

The Imperial Carriage left Luoyang, exited Hu Lao Guan to the east, and continued eastward. The days grew warmer day by day. When traveling at noon, even wearing thin clothes, they inevitably still broke into a sweat.

After passing Xing Yang, the large entourage switched to water travel, proceeding along the Jishui River.

As dusk approached, boats of various sizes docked one after another. On the tall tower ships, guards patrolled up and down, and eunuchs entered and exited in order. Ordinary boats were much noisier. Princes and royal clans came out of their boats to move about. Shamans also came out to get fresh air and enjoy the scenery. On the several large ships of the Xian Tai Gong, children's voices were deafening, figures jumped up and down, listening to a chorus of "wah ah," keeping the Taoists responsible for managing these young girls and boys busy.

Shaowei had already gotten off the boat at the first opportunity to stretch her tendons and bones, going to the water's edge of the shallow shoal; at this moment she was just crouching down to scoop water to wash her hands when Qing Wu came over, stopping her movement, first wanting to help her carefully roll up her sleeves.

Shaowei herself did not mind her sleeves getting a little wet at such a time, but Qing Wu liked to serve her earnestly, so she obediently complied, extending both hands to let A Jie properly manage the layered sleeves, before going to scoop water to wash her hands and face.

Halfway through washing her face, when Shaowei went to scoop water again, suddenly water splashes flew into her eyes and wetted her lapel; she instantly turned her head, locking onto the source of this "hidden weapon," only to see Liu Qi smiling as he crouched and knelt not far ahead, that slanting stone skip having been thrown by him.

Qing Wu smiled and soothed her younger sister: "Your Highness is just playing around..."

Shaowei turned her head back and continued washing her face.

Seeing this, Liu Qi lowered his hands to wash as well, but the next instant, Qing Wu saw Shaowei turn around, pick up a stone the size of an incense burner, and relying on great strength and aim, hurl it out; with a loud "Clang" it struck the water, cool water splashes drenching Liu Qi all over his body and face.

Liu Qi spat out a mouthful of clear water, raised a hand to wipe his face, eyebrows and eyelashes both hanging with water droplets, looking at Shaowei who was smugly pleased, revealing her small arms with one hand akimbo.

Ji Jin, who had just followed along, had witnessed the scene of that giant stone smashing toward the Crown Prince, his heart nearly stopping; the next moment he saw the soaking wet Crown Prince already splashing water and frolicking with Jiang Sister.

Xiao Yu, who had run over close behind, without a word immediately joined the battlefield, wading into the shallow water, teaching Uncle a lesson together with the Young Master.

Shan Gu was just about to join in when Ji Jin grabbed him tight, forcefully stopping him from offending his superiors.

The person responsible for bringing men to guard this stretch of shallow shoal was Deng Hu; he could distinguish clearly who should be allowed near, so he did not block Shan Gu and Ji Jin, but seeing the Princess had no help, he proactively called out to Yan Chu who was passing by, forcibly letting him through.

Yan Chu and Liu Qi had been quite close in childhood; when Liu Qi first returned to the capital, his temper was fiercely bad and very stable, and he distanced Yan Chu as well. Now the situation and positions have changed, all those frozen relationships are gradually thawing and reconciling.

Yan Chu, let through the back door by Deng Hu, naturally joined Liu Qi's camp; and seeing Yan Chu make a move, Shan Gu no longer heeded Ji Jin's obstruction, after all the Xiang Gong's son's official post is far inferior to A Jie, and he took the lead in offending his superiors.

The originally calm shallow shoal was stirred into a lively pot of porridge; Xiao Yu accidentally slipped and fell, and Qing Wu who went down to rescue was also forced to join the battle; only Ji Jin remained on the water's edge running about urgently calling out, powerless to stop them.

The two camps gradually became indistinguishable between friend and foe; Liu Qi had already defected to Shaowei's side, and the isolated and helpless Yan Chu had to surrender, but suddenly his face changed and he shouted loudly: "Careful! There's a snake!"

Ji Jin was greatly alarmed and hurriedly ran over urging: "Jiang Sister, A Jie, quickly get ashore!"

Qing Wu responded busily; Liu Qi had just reached to grab Shaowei's wrist but was instead flung behind her by her; Shaowei spread her arms wide, protecting all her own people behind her, eyes wide open as she urgently patrolled in the water.

"Over there!" Yan Chu shouted, lunging toward where Qing Wu was, and then let out a cry of pain, collapsing face-down into the water before her.

Qing Wu went pale, thinking he had been bitten, just about to risk going to help him up, but saw Yan Chu prop up his upper body with one hand and fling out a long green thing with the other; Qing Wu was scared into covering her face and dodging, but heard Xiao Yu shout loudly: "Liar! It's water grass!"

Qing Wu lowered her hands, let out a breath of relief, and couldn't help feeling both annoyed and amused.

On the Young Master's orders, Xiao Yu lunged at Yan Chu who was laughing heartily, pressing him into the water and beating him, splashing countless water droplets.

A large handful of water splashes scattered toward the water's edge, like icy arrows; Yan Mian, who was supporting Feng Zhu as they walked over, hurriedly turned sideways, blocking that string of water droplets.

Feng Zhu raised her sleeve to wipe the water hanging on his ear, then looked toward the riverbank where the youths were frolicking to their heart's content, sprinkling their natural disposition; capturing the ringleader first, she called out to the leader: "Shaowei, quickly come up, the sun has set, the water will get cold."

Hearing Mother's voice, Shaowei hurriedly answered "Okay," one hand leading Qing Wu, one hand carrying Xiao Yu ashore.

"Only now do I know how precious peace and liveliness are..." Yan Mian's eyes held a smile, he looked at this scene cherishingly, and said in a low voice like a soliloquy: "From now on, everything will be left to these children."

Feng Zhu smiled and instructed Pei to go fetch towels for wiping water.

On the tall and majestic tower ship, the Emperor wearing a black robe leaned on the railing gazing into the distance; his gaze withdrew from the broad Jishui river channel and finally also turned toward that lively scene on the shoal.

Amidst a chorus of laughter, scolding, and blame, the evening sun was about to set, pieces of rosy clouds at the sky's edge like cinnabar, each stalk of reed grass in the wind like crossed blades.

When the sky color grew late, bonfires on the water's edge took over from the evening glow; the Imperial Guard patrolled with blades.

Several dozen paces from the encampment, before two black steeds, Liu Qi fastened the extra black cloak he had specially prepared onto Shaowei, and finally also put the wind hood over her properly.

Having done all this, Liu Qi cupped Shaowei's head and suddenly lowered his head to kiss her forehead seriously.

Shaowei didn't have time to react, blinked and asked: "What's wrong?"

"Couldn't hold back." Liu Qi bent over and brought his face close: "Shaowei, things like this are all very sudden; you come back, alright?"

Shaowei then kissed his forehead, the corner of her mouth curved, and nimbly vaulted onto the horse.

The beaming Liu Qi followed closely onto his horse; the two people, two horses, rode off first into the night color, going to visit an old friend fifty li away.

?? Shaowei goes on an outing, daily life along the way, arriving at Taishan tomorrow~

? Good night everyone.