Chapter 14 Yu Yan Yuwen Shu, unplug their internet cable! Yes! Two...

Changsun Qingjing has recently taken to walks on the high ground of Nanshan Mountain, hoping to see a white falcon carrying a letter fly over the mountains.

Although the hawk carries many letters, each one is unique.

Beside Changsun Jingqing was a gurgling spring, cascading down from a crevice in the cliff face and hanging on the black jade-like cliff. The sound of the water was murmuring, sometimes like the clinking of jade pendants, sometimes like whispering, echoing the occasional birdsong from the mountains, gently flowing through the girl's troubled yet sweet heart.

Changsun Qingjing found a smooth, upright rock that had rolled out from the mountainside, its surface gleaming warmly against the backdrop of sparse, interwoven branches. She brushed away a few golden leaves from the rock and gently sat down.

She took out the letter from her bosom, which carried the scent of eupatorium that the girl loved, removed the wax seal, and carefully unfolded it. The rattan paper made a slight rustling sound, and with the undulating sunlight, it seemed to tell of the letter writer's fluctuating thoughts.

I have been away from the path for ten days, and my longing for you is endless.

Since the current emperor ascended the throne, Luoyang has become an even more luxurious place than Daxing. It's just a pity that I can only move between the old residence of the Li family in Jishanfang, the Mangshan villa and the Ziwei Palace on weekdays, and rarely have the opportunity to travel around.

I still haven't had the chance to become an advisor to any prince.

At first, His Majesty tested me quite a bit, with some of his elite soldiers feigning closeness to me in an attempt to elicit my and my father's complaints about His Majesty's fickle nature. Unfortunately, I sternly rebuked them all. Recently, such tests have gradually become less frequent, and His Majesty's interest has clearly shifted to other nobles.

As you described, His Majesty is indeed surrounded by those three types of people.

Pei Ju, while flattering His Majesty, presented the "Illustrated Record of the Western Regions." Unfortunately, His Majesty only loved his flattery and found the record lacking in literary beauty. He offered a few perfunctory words of praise and then shelved the record. Every time I saw Pei Ju kneeling disappointedly before Yang Guang, I longed to snatch the record and read it myself.

I think Pei Ju, as a person of slightly inferior intelligence, is somewhat different from those who were of superior intelligence. Compared to the decadent pleasures of the Eastern Capital, he misses even more the experience of serving as the deputy of the Right Valiant Guard General decades ago, risking his life in the Turkic lands, and the era when men could achieve unparalleled feats.

Of course, His Majesty did not want to find out his true thoughts.

Yu Shiji, a man of mediocre intelligence, was practically a scoundrel like Jiang Zong of the Southern Chen Dynasty. Even Xue Daoheng, in the afterlife, would be ashamed to have worked with such a quintessential "playboy." The Vice Minister of the Imperial Secretariat spent his days pondering how to wittily mock the poems and essays of his subordinates, such as criticizing his own poems for having only the honorific title of "King" on them. Of course, even more difficult than mocking everyone was how to ensure that His Majesty always outshone him during poetic exchanges without the Emperor noticing.

Yuwen Shu and Yun Dingxing were probably the most brilliant minds in legend. These two kept a close eye on the movements of the court officials, hoping to find something amiss before the Emperor. When the Emperor wanted to punish someone, he would often send Yuwen Shu to announce the decree, so the young, valiant men in the palace secretly called him "the Night Owl." Because this harbinger of doom had just been released from prison by the Emperor, he had been particularly efficient lately.

In my eyes, Yun Dingxing was ten times more detestable than Yuwen Shu. Not only did he present His Majesty with outlandish clothes and chatter like a gossipy woman, but he also frequently argued with Lu Shangfu about whose men's clothing was more aesthetically pleasing and appropriate. His Majesty actually allowed them to engage in these verbal battles in front of him, even acting as arbitrator. When the two sides were truly unable to reach an agreement, His Majesty would summon me to try on those strange clothes with their completely revamped styles and patterns.

Fortunately, Yun Dingxing was given a new post outside the capital and would be leaving the Eastern Capital soon. The handsome young man who was now working in the palace secretly rejoiced that he would only suffer from Lu Shangfu's torment from now on.

My cousin still thinks I dress in a country style.

These were the "national affairs" that I witnessed. Of course, sometimes urgent reports of rebellions would arrive like snowflakes, but His Majesty would ignore them or prefer to listen only to Yu Shiji's side of the story; sometimes, on a whim, His Majesty would behead several remonstrating officials, and Pei Yun would certainly have played a part in this; sometimes, when a concubine who had never seen the Emperor hanged herself in the Tower of the Lost, His Majesty would be inspired to write poetry, leaving a group of young people who couldn't understand a word he was writing to lean on the railing and weep with him in the wind; sometimes, when Yuwen Shu raised his arm and shouted, it would stir up public sentiment, and people would talk about recovering the four prefectures, which would please His Majesty greatly.

I spent my days among these people and even learned a few phrases of Wu dialect to please His Majesty.

Everyone is tight-lipped about Husi Zheng's disappearance, and Wang Shangyi advised me not to inquire about it. I should ask Yuwen Fuma in detail after I've become more familiar with him.

I haven't seen Yu Shinan recently. I'll continue to inquire.

Aside from that, Luoyang has consistently enjoyed sunny weather. There's a kind of unidentified flower at the White Horse Temple, introduced from Hanzhong; it's quite lovely. I wonder if most of the buds were damaged during the journey in the letter. Please let me know if you don't like it.

Have you already undergone the coming-of-age ceremony? If so, could you please tell me your newly chosen name?

Li Shimin bowed again and said

At the end of the unfurled letter, a peony bud, already withered, fell into Changsun Qingjing's arms. Her heart skipped a beat, her breath quickened, and she hurried away from the scenic spot, riding back to her Zhongnan Villa, eager to pick up her brush and ink.

I received your reply and was sent to the capital, but several weeks have passed since then. Autumn has come, and I cannot help but feel anxious and longing.

As the young master said, the men here talk most about current affairs and the conquest of Liaodong. The young men's arguments revolve around three points: whether it is necessary to reclaim the four prefectures, how to reclaim them at the lowest cost, and whether the exploitation of the people's labor in recent years has reached its peak.

Wuji has been rather idle lately, but fortunately he still has the young men of the same age from the Xue and Yan families to travel with. He will surely have a long talk about it in his letter, so I won't go into details.

The flowers you sent were quite novel and beautiful, but I couldn't find their name despite asking around. Fortunately, my knowledgeable friend Yan Xihe told me they were tree peonies, common peonies, and wild leeks, which grew in Hanzhong in earlier years and have only recently been cultivated by flower lovers. These flowers are proud and will only bloom when the weather is cool; if one petal withers, the entire flower is ruined, refusing to compromise. This temperament is quite remarkable.

I've recently acquired a new lynx, and my uncle insists I take it with me when I go for a walk in the South Mountain, just in case. If you don't mind, may I name it "Kuzhi"?

Please give my regards to the "General".

Do not inquire further about matters of state; your priority is to protect yourself.

No characters selected.

Do not dwell on what has been abandoned; strive to eat more and stay healthy.

Changsun Qingjing respectfully submits this message.

She breathed on the paper a few times, carefully folded it, and handed it to A-Cai: "Give it to Xiao Zhi of the Li family along with my brother's letter, and then have her pass on a packet of centipede powder to my aunt Li Longyue. Tell her that my sister-in-law Gao said it has a miraculous effect in treating qi ailments."

Looking up at the blue sky, several birds are taking flight.

Wuji wrote to say you were slightly unwell; are you still recuperating?

After several days of uneventful events, it was unexpected that Sima Dekan, a mere military man, had also developed a deep and cunning mind, and joined forces with a group of sycophants.

During a hunting trip, His Majesty ordered the two of us to compete in archery and horsemanship, and he was defeated by me in all three battles. I suppose it was because I was too young and impetuous, and I did not consider the consequences of the Tiger General losing face.

Alas, how did a dignified military man learn such scheming and backstabbing among the women of the imperial harem! It's utterly disgusting. His Majesty merely laughed heartily and praised the Tiger General for his unwavering loyalty.

His Majesty then bestowed a reward upon me. Since Yuwen Shiji was the son of Yuwen Shu, Sima Dekan could only let him tease him without daring to defend himself.

Of course, the prince consort and my father were close friends, which was somewhat different from the rest of the Yuwen clan.

The good news is that His Majesty has finally decided to cease the campaign against Goguryeo.

Pei Ju privately said that as long as the emperor could stay in the Eastern Capital for three years without doing anything, just eating, drinking and writing erotic poems with Yu Shiji and Yuwen Huaji, the country's chronic illness would be cured.

I appreciate his kind words.

A few days ago, I was ordered to inspect the Forbidden Garden. I saw falcons imprisoned in cages, so I chatted with the official in charge of falcons.

The official in charge of falcons said that the originally excellent falcons, having eaten and plentiful food all day long in the palace with nothing to do, had lost their untamed wildness. As a result, they either died or fell ill. Fortunately, tributes continued to arrive from all over the country, and His Majesty did not care much about the falcons that died of illness.

I stared at the falcons for a long time, then found a quiet place and cried my heart out. I don't know if it was for the falcons or for myself.

I have never been so heartbroken in my life. Even when I was nine years old and contracted the plague, lying on my sickbed, I overheard the doctor telling my parents that I wouldn't survive a month. I have never felt so desperate!

This is utter nonsense, completely inappropriate. I only dare to tell you this; you won't laugh at me, will you?

The letter included several seeds of deer leek flowers obtained from Lady Qu, a female lay Buddhist from Gaochangzong who lived in Dongdu. It was said that they could be tried planting.

I met Yu Shinan. I should have known better than to compete with Sima Dekan. He probably not only thinks I'm too young, but also considers me a combination of a brute and a sycophant, and wouldn't want to pay me any attention. I'm considering whether to visit him directly as the son of a duke or to ask Yu Shiji for a favor.

If you choose a character, please remember to specify it clearly.

Take good care of yourself; there's no need to reply.

Vidyah bowed again and said

Qingjing leaned against the lynx "Kuzhi's" back, sometimes smiling, sometimes looking sad. She poured out a bunch of deer antler flower seeds from the envelope, held them in her hand, and rubbed them for a moment. Thinking of the boy who had been idly crying in the forbidden garden of Luoyang, her heart clenched, and she couldn't help but feel saddened.

"Why are you crying like this?" Lady Xianyu, startled by the sobbing, hurriedly pushed open the door and entered. "Have you been bullied?"

"Kuzhi" was so frightened that he pulled away from Changsun Qingjing's back and fled outside...

"I told you not to read supernatural tales at dusk. Now you've scared yourself, who can you blame?" Lady Xianyu said reproachfully as she tidied up the messy scrolls on the table.

Recently, Gao Shilian had been repeatedly questioned by the Censorate and the Court of Judicial Review about her association with Hu Sizheng, which had already bothered her enough, so she rarely inquired about matters at home.

Given Changsun Qingjing's personality, neither her brother nor her nephews Dazhi and Dahui, nor her niece Wang Wan, could possibly make her behave so poorly. Her crying today should have nothing to do with them.

Lady Xianyu never resented her husband for treating his nephews and nieces as his own. On the contrary, she thought that her eldest grandson, Qingjing, was clever and capable, and could help her manage the family's official and private lands, calculate wages and rewards, making him a valuable assistant.

But this child has been acting strangely lately. She seems to prefer being alone and has a poor appetite. Every time the elders enter her room, they look at her as if they've seen a ghost, wondering what she's reading.

"Aunt, I was wrong, I will never read supernatural tales again..." Changsun Qingjing sobbed incessantly.

Xianyu felt somewhat guilty, feeling that ultimately it was because she had caused trouble for her husband's career setbacks and had been too harsh on the children.

She stepped forward and patted Changsun Qingjing on the back, saying, "It's alright. When I was young, I also loved watching these kinds of exotic things, like ghost women running away at night, amorous fox spirits, and the love between souls. I enjoyed them all. Everything in moderation..."

Intuition prompted her to ask when the child last had her period and whether she had been experiencing intermittent lower abdominal pain recently. If the irregular menstruation was causing irritability and depression, it would be better to consult a doctor to avoid overthinking.

The distress caused by uncontrollable physical pain intertwined with unnecessary feelings of inferiority and shame is something every growing girl must experience.

Lady Xianyu was no exception; she wanted to tell her niece that this was a transformation, as common as a silkworm breaking free of its cocoon or a fledgling molting. She suddenly realized that the child's recent changes were the result of the family's neglect. She suddenly felt an urge to overstep her bounds and guide her niece.

Lady Xianyu fled the girl's bedroom, abandoning any further probing or questioning.

The wet nurse waiting under the eaves blocked Changsun Qingjing's pursuit and smiled, "My lady, you don't need to worry about these things. You can go and inquire after Lady Xianyu's condition has improved a bit."

Changsun Qingjing returned to his bedroom and wrote a reply.

I am fine.

When the lone wild goose cries out and the tumbleweed drifts alone, I think of you.

My uncle has been frequently summoned by the Censorate lately. He and Hu Sizheng only have some interaction in terms of classical studies, and their relationship is neither close nor distant. Therefore, the Censorate has not been able to obtain any information from them. Fearing that his family would be alarmed, my uncle always goes alone.

My mother and I decided to move back to Lizheng Lane from Nanshan Villa. Although we couldn't offer any specific advice, my uncle needed family around, otherwise he would be driven crazy by their rude questioning and traps.

The Great Xing City has been forgotten by His Majesty. Rumor has it that one evening, crows gathered above Renzhi Palace, and the palace servants could not disperse them; then they flew directly to Taiji Palace, calling to each other, pressing down on the roof of the palace like a black net. What omen this is, no one knows.

My brother's coming-of-age ceremony has been postponed. The whole family was hoping he would get married this year. Now we can only wait until everything is settled before making any plans.

You must protect yourself and return safely.

I respectfully submit this letter on your behalf.

Guanyin's maidservant bows again and says

The subtle dark purple hue of dusk spread across the horizon, flowing into the magnificent sunset in the west.

The twilight seemed like silt suspended in a turbid stream, settling down drop by drop at the foot of the mountains and the bottom of the valleys.

Finally, even the pale blue sky suddenly went out.

A note from the author:

My online relationship started today. Just a little setup.

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