Chapter 53: The Emperor's Love Letters - Full of Dramatic Moments: Love Letters, Imperial Tutor, and General's Rivalry...

This is the second letter Ying Xi wrote to him. He still keeps the first one close at hand.

The previous letter was brief, simply reporting that he was safe and had returned to the palace. Although Xie Qianli didn't know how he replied, he didn't feel comfortable asking. Finally, his anxiety subsided, and he read the second letter.

The second letter was clearly written with much more composure.

The emperor ordered the delegation to return home and arranged their tasks for the journey back.

The banditry in the north has been largely eradicated, and bandits in various places are now surrendering to the court and voluntarily requesting amnesty. These people are of varying character, and the local authorities may find it difficult to manage them. The mission must conduct a second review upon its return. We must not allow a situation like the one in Luo County where they deceived their superiors.

His words were brief and all concerned official business, befitting the emperor's status and character.

These kinds of mission assignment letters inevitably end with a greeting, wishing you a safe journey.

But Yingxi left him with two seemingly unrelated sentences: "The peonies are fading, and spring is almost over," meaning that spring was about to end and the peonies of Chang'an would soon wither.

Xie Qianli read the letter several times, but still couldn't understand it. What did the withering or fading of the flowers have to do with his return journey?

After patrolling the streets, he carried the letter, intending to subtly inquire about Zhuzhao's whereabouts.

Since Mr. Zhu taught Yingxi to read and write, he would surely be able to guess the source of the allusion.

Zhuzhao was located in the county government office.

Xie Qianli dismounted before entering the county government office, and entered the main hall with his silver helmet tucked under his arm. From a distance, he appeared as a tall, imposing, and outstanding figure. Upon approaching, he bowed and said, "Greetings, Chief Envoy, Mr. Zhu."

Zhu Zhao quickly returned a half-bow, wondering if it was just his imagination, but Xie Qianli was always cold to everyone else, yet he had always treated him with the respect due to a teacher since childhood. Clearly, he had never taught Xie Qianli a single word.

A strange feeling crossed Zhu Zhao's mind, but he didn't delve into it. He casually remarked, "After Gao Mingyang's death, the work of registering the mountain bandits into the local community will be handled by us. I also plan to hold a ceremony to celebrate the mountain bandits returning to their fields, mainly to let the people recognize them and accept supervision from now on."

Xie Qianli cupped his hands in greeting: "Sir, you are truly wise."

Zhu Zhao said, "The ceremony of returning to the fields also needs the Dragon Martial Army to be present, which serves as a deterrent."

Xie Qianli: "Okay."

Zhu Zhao then said calmly, "Gao Zhixian's actions harmed Luo County, and he ultimately died for Luo County. His merits and demerits cancel each other out. His Majesty did not hold him accountable and even compensated his family with several times the amount of pension money, which can be considered an explanation."

Xie Qianli nodded.

Because he was preoccupied with the relationship between the blooming flowers and his return journey, he secretly slipped away, not paying close attention to the whispered words of the candlelight, his fingertips caressing the letter.

Zhu Zhao sighed and said, "His Majesty just wrote to us instructing us to carefully analyze the follow-up situation of the amnesty in various places on our return journey, and not to whitewash the situation like in Luo County..."

"—Sir, you also received the letter!?"

Xie Qianli suddenly raised his eyebrows. He tried his best to control himself and not show his shock and disappointment. He always had a calm and cold face and was good at concealing his emotions.

However, how could he deceive himself? Xie Qianli's teeth ached.

After all, Zhuzhao was both the chief envoy and the teacher. It was perfectly normal for him to write a letter to arrange official business, and emperors also respected their teachers.

Xie Qianli calmed down a bit.

He straightened his chest: "His Majesty wrote me two letters, and the content was largely the same."

Zhu Zhao's brow twitched at this moment, and a strange feeling spread again. In addition to the strangeness, he also felt a sense of loss. He even had the thought of competing with the junior. Zhu Zhao said casually, "Coincidentally, His Majesty and I have exchanged two letters."

Xie Qianli: "..."

Xie Qianli pursed his thin lips, and after a long while, he finally managed to utter a probing question: "Besides official business, did His Majesty have any other instructions in the letter?"

It depends on how you analyze that statement.

Xie Qianli didn't think it was wrong to pry into other people's privacy. Ying Xi always liked to accept small, inexpensive gifts; on their return journey, they collected many local specialties.

On the surface, this question is asking whether the emperor has asked you to bring anything.

In reality, he wanted to determine whether the emperor had spoken privately, just as he couldn't understand the flowers and the way home.

Xie Qianli awaits the answer.

The general, with his stern face, was actually quite anxious inside.

The truth is that Ying Xi did write something to Zhu Zhao outside of official business, which was to forgive Zhu Zhao for having literary friends in the Jiangnan army and frequently corresponding with them—this is how the emperor characterized the matter of treason.

Upon receiving the letter, Zhu Zhao was overwhelmed with emotion and immediately destroyed the tokens of the Jiangnan Army's intelligence agents.

Mr. Candle was thus relieved.

With his eyes lowered and a refined smile on his face, Zhu Zhao was in a good mood, but he couldn't share it. He shook his head slightly and said, "Your Majesty only speaks of official business."

Xie Qianli finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The Duke of England was also in a very good mood. Xie Qianli's brows relaxed, and he straightened his back with more confidence, his tone rising unconsciously: "Sir, I heard that the flowers in Chang'an are almost withered."

Zhu Zhao squinted, then gently understood: "Yes, we've been away from the capital for several months. We must hurry back to Chang'an, or we'll miss the last blooming season..."

Xie Qianli was stunned. In that instant, he seemed to have lost his soul, repeatedly struck hard by the last eight words of the letter carried by the wild goose:

—The peonies are fading, and spring is drawing to a close.

It turns out this is a literary way of expressing oneself, a riddle that Ying Xi often used.

It was Yingxi who said, "Come back soon."

Xie Qianli gripped the letter tightly!

The veins on the back of his hand were bulging, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up.

When his palm touched the floral stationery, he seemed to suddenly connect with Ying Xi, and images of the blood-red sunset, the camp entrusting the carrier falcon, the misty spring rain crossing the river, the dim candlelight under the corridor, and the rain of arrows flying from the bandit camp appeared before his eyes... every smile and every anger of Ying Xi.

He called me back, but he just glared at me.

Was he injured? How did he take Dong Gu away? Why does he always do things that cause unease?

Xie Qianli was overjoyed. Despite wearing heavy armor, he felt light as a feather, as if he were floating on clouds.

He became so eager to return home that he didn't even remember how he said goodbye to Zhuzhao, and returned to his unit in a daze.

Back at camp, the Longwu Army soldiers moved their garrison to a threshing ground on the outskirts of Luo County.

It was a sunny day. The soldiers who weren't assigned to patrol duties were doing their daily drills on the field. Lian Qing was in charge of guiding the drills. The soldiers were lined up in neat formations, and Lian Qing moved around among them.

Although Lian Qing is unreliable, his tactical maneuvers are barely acceptable.

He was demonstrating and explaining to a soldier how to use a knife to break a spear. The knife flashed like a silver shadow in his hand, and Lian Qing skillfully completed the move.

As she sheathed her sword, she caught a glimpse of Xie Qianli returning and patrolling. His gait appeared normal, but his complexion was flushed, a faint red that even his skin couldn't conceal.

Lian Qing was shocked; the knife nearly pierced the back of his hand. "Mother!"

Lian Qing rushed over, rubbing his hands awkwardly, and asked, "General, have you taken a liking to any girl in the city? Would it be convenient to bring her back to Chang'an?"

"..."

***

Shanglin Garden, Yichun Palace.

All the officials were busy making room for the upcoming audience with the barbarian king.

But the barbarian king was in such a hurry that he had barely sent out his letter of credence before rushing to Chang'an.

The barbarian king was the first to present the gift list, which included elephants, peacocks, famous flowers, jade... without exception, all of which should be arranged to be placed in the Shanglin Garden, and a peacock performance was also arranged.

Therefore, the reception for the barbarian king was held in Shanglin Garden, and the same venue as the flower-viewing banquet was in Yichun Palace.

This time, the Southwest has taken precedence over other countries, and Ying Xi cannot lose the demeanor of a great nation. She must meet the Barbarian King this time.

Just then, Ying Xi returned from her incognito visit, so she decided to start by receiving the Barbarian King and officially announce the resumption of work.

"Be careful, the peacocks from other places might fight with the peacocks in the park. It would be unseemly if they suddenly started fighting when foreign guests come."

"Should peacocks have their wings clipped? The peacock flies southeast, pausing every five miles. If clipped to the size of a free-range chicken, what's the point of watching it?"

"Elephants are not allowed in Shanglin Garden; they must be led away at a distance!"

The spring sun shines warmly, and birds chirp merrily.

Within the Yichun Palace grounds, Yu Jing directed the palace officials while Ying Xi enjoyed the scenery.

Compared to the vibrant blooms during the flower-viewing banquet, the garden is now lush and green, exuding a different kind of vitality. Had he not seen it with his own eyes, he would never have known that the peonies in the garden had already faded.

"The blooming of flowers is fleeting; time truly flies," Yingxi thought to herself.

When peonies are mentioned, Tian Tong remains silent.

What happened?

The system has been silent lately, neither posting any updates nor assigning any tasks. Yingxi felt it was acting suspiciously and suspected that the system might be deceiving her.

But this also means it doesn't have to be forced to do anything strange, and Ying Xi certainly had no intention of forcing it. They continued to enjoy the scenery.

"Your Majesty, please take a look and tell me, is this camellia plant suitable for this spot?"

Ying Xi snapped out of her reverie. She saw Yu Jing supporting a potted camellia and the Eighteen Scholars, who were teasing her. The emperor, of course, didn't need to worry about such trivial matters.

He nodded slightly and replied, "All is well. The camellias in the south are blooming beautifully."

Yu Jing, ever the smooth talker, replied with a smile, "Whether it's the south or the north, it's all His Majesty's land. Even the finest camellias must be presented to His Majesty."

The north was unified and internal strife was quelled, but Li Yilong still held sway in the south.

Although Ying Xi had some free time, she had not put aside state affairs, so even when looking at a potted flower, she could naturally bring up the south.

He chuckled softly and said to the jade mirror, "You're so clever."

In that instant, the emperor's smiling face shone brightly in the soft light of late spring, dazzling the eyes of those in the jade mirror.

The chief eunuch finally guessed the emperor's intentions correctly, and felt a sense of accomplishment. He wasn't blamed, so it seems the emperor is in a good mood today.

The chief eunuch would also take advantage of the situation: "These kinds of camellias are all called the Eighteen Scholars. This pot is certainly beautiful, but I'm afraid it doesn't reflect the elegance of the camellias in the palace. This servant dares to ask for a reward for the flower. Please give this pot a name."

Ying Xi scoffed lightly. He had always maintained a neutral attitude towards the eunuchs and did not completely trust them, but he still appreciated it: "Bring me a pen."

This was a great honor for Yu Jing. Yu Jing quickly handed over a pen and summoned two eunuchs to unfurl the gold-flecked scroll.

Ying Xi dipped his brush in thick ink, and without thinking, the name immediately came to mind. He was about to pick up his brush and write the two characters "Tu Nan".

The pen tip had just touched the paper and started to slide down when suddenly the pen tip became unsteady! The emperor's wrist trembled slightly, and Ying Xi, with great concentration, managed to write a hook at the trembling point.

The emperor couldn't bear to look: "..."

At the end of the lush, green imperial path of Yichun Palace, several female members of the imperial family walked by, all having heard that the emperor had just recovered from his illness and came to pay their respects. Princess Huachao was among them.

Ying Jia was once caught red-handed by Ying Xi; she is a fierce and assertive woman.

He already understood Ying Jia's true nature, so Ying Jia naturally wouldn't need to pretend to be a refined lady in front of him in the future.

No longer pretending, Ying Jia was dressed as a nun, wearing a gray-blue monk's robe.

Her face was ashen and pale, as if she had been starved for days. When the other women approached and bowed in unison, Ying Jia stood out like a lone weed among flowers.

"Your Majesty's recovery is a great relief to us. We wish Your Majesty continued good health and lasting blessings."

--"Amitabha."

Yingxi: What's wrong with her?

The memory of meeting at Yunyong Tower is still vivid in my mind. Princess Huachao, who once clamored to see an unparalleled handsome man in the restaurant, has suddenly become calm and detached.

The girls chuckled and laughed.

Princess Jinxiang was petty and narrow-minded. Because of Huachao's outstanding beauty, she was always overshadowed by her.

Now that Ying Jia is deliberately making herself look ugly in public, Jin Xiang has finally seized the opportunity to turn the tables.

After exchanging a few words, Jinxiang seized the opportunity and said in a high-pitched voice, "In the past, when the sisters came to pay homage, His Majesty always gave us silver. This time, my sisters and I don't want it. We request to pool our resources to build a nunnery so that we can send flowers to the temple as soon as possible."

There are many young women in Jinxiang, among whom are some with ulterior motives who exaggerate minor issues and deliberately magnify them.

Another woman said, "Hua Chao has acted improperly before the Emperor, and is obsessed with wearing demonic clothes. I think she is trying to spoil His Majesty's mood. His Majesty has only just recovered, and she can't bear to see him get better!"

Princess Jinxiang played along, her eyes crinkling with a smile, but her words carried a hidden meaning: "Hua Chao's clothes are too plain, they're rather unappealing. We should teach Hua Chao a lesson."

Even among princesses and noblewomen, there is their own world of intrigue.

But Hua Chao is not someone to be trifled with, Ying Xi thought.

If Hua Chao were to be judged by her true temperament, even if she didn't retaliate on the spot when faced with deliberate provocation from Princess Jinxiang and others, she should at least show a slightly dissatisfied expression.

Her eyes were round and bright.

When they first met at Yunyong Tower, Ying Xi was able to quickly evoke the emperor's sympathy and remain steadfast in her decision not to send her lively and clever younger sister to the barbarian king for torment. Her quick wit played a crucial role in this.

But Hana-chan avoided eye contact, not daring to look at him.

Only when their eyes met by chance would she seem hesitant to speak, her red lips trembling slightly, and her eyes widening slightly.

This is the younger sister I want to protect in this life.

Ying Xi couldn't stand that expression, so she waved her hand, telling Jin Xiang and the others to shut up: "Why are you dressed like this? Hua Chao, you can tell me yourself."

"My sister..."

She tilted her head back and took a deep breath.

She saw everyone, even the eunuchs and maids doing odd jobs in Yichun Palace, staring at her quietly, waiting for her answer.

Princess Hua Chao let out a long breath and said loudly, "I, Hua Chao, have behaved improperly before the Emperor, my appearance is disheveled, and this greatly damages the dignity of the court. I humbly request that my brother, Your Majesty, imprison me in the Imperial Clan Court for punishment!!!"