AWB Chapter 121: Clanging
Chapter 121: Clanging
A gleam of brilliance flashed in her eyes, and she chuckled, "Fourth Prince's little mouth is as sweet as honey."
Hongli raised his eyes, his little face full of seriousness, and his heart became more and more anxious: Concubine Duan doesn't seem to refuse, I need to try harder.
So he hurriedly said: "What I said is all true, not a single word is false."
The emperor watched quietly from the side, deep in thought, without interrupting. Concubine Jing, on the other hand, observed the emperor's expression silently.
After a long moment, Concubine Duan touched him and said gently, "I see your filial piety, and the Emperor won't bear to see such a well-behaved son wandering around. But now is not the right time, so you should study hard first so that the Emperor can see your diligence in the future."
The emperor didn't listen anymore and walked in another direction with an expressionless face, and Jingpin followed closely.
In the end, the emperor said nothing and focused all his energy on the affairs of the previous dynasty.
Prince Guo traveled between the Old Summer Palace and the capital every day, and only half a month later he went to Sichuan and Shaanxi.
On July 20th, the emperor returned to the palace.
A line of carriages and horses stretching for hundreds of meters stopped in front of the Old Summer Palace.
The concubines entered one by one. Looking at Su Yingzai, who was surrounded by Guo Changzai and the concubine, Xin Guiren sighed and said, "I'm not used to it without Chun Changzai making a fuss."
Jingpin stepped on the footrest and looked back. "Yes, Chun Changzai is really sincere to Wanpin. I just hope that her best years will not be wasted in the remote Penglai Island."
Her gaze lingered on the direction of the light above and below.
After the hustle and bustle of carriages and horses left, the popularity of the Old Summer Palace completely faded.
At dusk, the sky was dyed by the twilight into a colorful oil painting.
The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky a golden red, a color so intense and fiery that it burned across the horizon. The lake itself was also reflected in a fiery red, and ripples formed in the evening breeze, like dancing flames.
The glass cup exuded magical colors, and Jiang Ruyin's gaze fell on the distance with an ambiguous meaning.
The mountains in the distance were only silhouettes in the twilight, contrasting with the water and sky. Gradually, the night spread, the stars twinkled, and the skylight turned into deep blue and quiet black. Only the silver light from the moon covered the sky and earth at night with a layer of thin frost-like coldness.
Fu Qiu walked over silently and covered Jiang Ruyin with a thin blanket.
"Where were the Baiyi people distributed at the beginning?" Jiang Ruyin suddenly spoke.
"Yunnan Province." Fu Qiu answered quickly.
Jiang Ruyin remained silent.
Several things about the family relationships of the concubines that he had carefully studied flashed through Fu Qiu's mind.
She thought for a moment, "Wanpin's father passed the imperial examination and was relegated to serve in the remote Jingdong County. This is also one of the gathering places of the Baiyi people. When Lord Zhen first arrived, he suffered a lot, but later he made a great success, and the local Baiyi people gradually settled down. Lord Zhen was therefore transferred back to the capital to serve as an official."
Jiang Ruyin smiled and said, "I see you've been very busy lately. Don't exhaust yourself."
Fu Qiu shook his head. "Her Majesty is in need of help right now. Suo Chun can help Her Majesty with her worries. Naturally, I have to remember more about her so that Her Majesty has nothing to worry about."
"Who is calling me?" Suo Chun came out from the alley and said with a smile.
"I feel much better after a short rest. Let me do it!" Suochun held the bowl and handed it to Jiang Ruyin, and said to Fu Qiu.
Fu Qiu did not refuse. Although those booklets looked few, each one recorded only one person, and there were dozens of them, which was really exhausting.
Jiang Ruyin scooped a spoonful of the warm and fragrant soup into her mouth, and Suochun looked at her with her chin in her hand.
"Master always said that chicken soup should be consumed while hot to be fragrant and nourishing."
Jiang Ruyin casually retorted, "Mother said that drinking it cold won't kill you."
Suo Chun curled her lips, "That's why the queen had fever every now and then when she was a child."
The days with daylight were very comfortable. Jiang Ruyin received a secret letter and became more and more fond of staying in the main building of Hanyue Tower on the floating bridge by the lake.
Leaning on the railing, a magnificent picture of water and sky connected suddenly unfolds before your eyes.
The lake's waters are crystal clear, as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the sky and clouds. Where water and sky merge, a crimson sun immerses, tinging the world with a rosy glow. A gentle early autumn breeze ripples the lake's surface, shattering the sky and clouds in the water into countless shimmering specks of light, like stars falling to earth. Waterfowl soar close to the surface, their figures tracing graceful arcs between water and sky, sometimes disappearing into the clouds, sometimes skimming across the lake, a vibrant embellishment to this magnificent scene.
Only the dark shadows hidden in the dense forest by the water destroyed this peacefulness.
Jiang Ruyin looked down, his dark pupils also soaked with blood.
Amid the noisy sound, Suochun walked up the stairs with a solemn expression.
"My Lady, there's the clang of weapons outside. Yuan Beishan has surrounded the lake with his men. Several people are guarding the pontoon bridges on either side, armed with knives and clubs."
Jiang Ruyin laughed inappropriately, and when she lowered her eyes, a hint of solemnity appeared in them. "I understand. Give the boxes of hairpins to the palace maids. Tell them to use them for self-defense. If they are safe, I will reward them."
Suochun nodded and quickly carried the box down. Inside were countless pointed hairpins, made of gold, silver, cow and sheep horns, brass and chalcedony, with all kinds of gemstones and pearls on them. All the hairpins from ancient times to the present had been collected.
The spacious and magnificent first floor was crowded with people. When they saw Suochun coming down with a box of hairpins, the noise quieted down and everyone became even more panicked. Even the Empress and Miss Suochun took things to protect themselves. There must have been a real trouble.
Some people shed tears in panic, and some even fell down to the ground in fear.
Suo Chun secretly memorized the appearances of those people and said loudly, "Come and grab one or two for self-defense. Although we don't know what happened, the royal gardens have their own guards, but it's always better to be careful. Everyone remember to take care of yourselves. The Queen will reward you."
Fu Qiu carefully asked the names of the missing palace maids in front of the door. After confirming who the four people who didn't come were, he squeezed through the crowd to Suo Chun's side.
After all the hairpins were distributed, the palace maids scattered against the wall. Jing'er suddenly appeared with her arms folded and holding a spatula.
Fu Qiu frowned and asked Suo Chun, "Is there nothing left?"
Suochun touched his bald head and gave Fuqiu a helpless look.
Fu Qiu walked over quickly and handed the golden hairpin he was holding tightly to Jing'er. The handle of the hairpin was smooth, and the iron wire hidden at the head of the hairpin bound a golden lotus tightly to the hairpin. When it was tightly grasped, the golden lotus was stuck in the tiger's mouth.
Jing'er gripped the spatula tightly and wanted to refuse, but Suochun had already pulled Fuqiu away.
On the stairs,
Suo Chun asked, "I've been asking for that hairpin for so long and you didn't give it to me, so you just gave it to someone else?"
Fu Qiu was helpless, so Suo Chun pulled out a dagger from his waist and put it into Fu Qiu's hand while hiding behind his figure.
"The queen is still waiting for me, take it for self-defense." Then he hurried upstairs.