Chapter 12 Twelve Unbearable Gifts

The shopkeeper turned around and smiled, "Sir, we are closed for the day. If you wish to have your jewelry made, you will have to come back tomorrow."

After he finished speaking, he took a closer look at the newcomer—he had tanned skin, a strong back and shoulders, and looked like a trained fighter.

It was Jing Ye. He bowed to the shopkeeper, slightly out of breath, and said, "Shopkeeper, could you do me a favor and make earrings in the shape of pomegranate seeds?"

As he spoke, he took out a few pomegranate seeds to show the owner.

The host smiled gently; who doesn't recognize a pomegranate?

He pondered for a moment before replying, "I can, but you'll have to come tomorrow. Firstly, the furnace has gone out, and secondly, my masters have already left. I need to discuss this pendant with them. Tomorrow morning... at 9:00 AM, that's just right."

Jing Ye's expression froze for a moment, and he stammered, "I only get off work at this time every day."

As expected, he was a constable. There was nothing the employer could do. He sighed, "Sir, please come back on your day off."

We were about to evacuate with our crew.

Jing Ye blocked their way. He bowed again to the owner of the shop: "I'm so sorry, please help me. I wonder how long it will take to make a pair of pendants like this? I have a day off on the 16th of this month and would like to pick them up before Qixi Festival. Is that in time?"

The owner pondered for a moment, then slowly parted his lips: "The project should take about a month, mainly because the materials are hard to find—"

"Please! I've asked several places and only yours can make it," Jing Ye interrupted urgently, staring intently at the owner, his pleading tone no longer concealed. "Can you help me? Please, I can pay more."

After a long pause, the landlord asked slowly, "Sir, are these pendants for your wife?"

Jing Ye bit his lip and nodded emphatically: "Yes, these pendants are for my fiancée. This is the first time I've formally given her a gift, so it's extremely important to me."

"What a devoted gentleman!" the owner exclaimed. Wanting to help, he ordered his assistant to reopen the shop. Seeing this, Jing Ye stepped forward to help, going inside to inquire about the details, finalize the paperwork, and complete the transaction in one smooth motion. Grateful to the owner, Jing Ye paid the full amount.

Finally, when it came time to agree on the delivery date, the employer said, "This pendant will take at least a month to make. Do you also have a day off on the 16th of next month?"

“No, it’s the fourth day of July,” Jingye immediately informed him.

The owner stroked his beard: "This dynasty celebrates the Qixi Festival, so the curfew is lifted three days early. Our Linglong Pavilion will be open until 7:45 PM on the sixth and seventh days of the month, as usual. Sir, would you like to come and collect it on the sixth day, or during the day on the fourth?"

"What about the evening of the fifth day?" Jing Ye asked back. He wanted to go down the mountain with Wang Yuying for a stroll on the fourth day, which was a day off.

The shopkeeper lowered his head and smiled: "On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, during the celebration, everyone in the shop will be taking their wives and children out to play, so the shop will be closed for the day."

Jingye laughed upon hearing this: "If you're having a good time, then let's make it the sixth day of the month. I'll come to pick it up tonight. Thank you for your help."

The landlord nodded.

Jingye thanked them and said goodbye, then mounted his chestnut horse and rode slowly out of the city, no longer in such a hurry as when he came. Some houses were asleep, and another street lamp went out.

The Jade Rabbit sets, the Golden Crow rises.

Time flies. Yesterday, the cicadas chirped and the frogs croaked, and the air was sweltering. Today, a rain shower has brought coolness.

On the fourth day of the seventh lunar month, the Beginning of Autumn, the rain stopped.

On a clear autumn day, with a bright and clear sky, the emperor led his officials to the altar in the western suburbs to worship the Five Emperors and pray for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

The officials of rites stood solemnly, the chief priest held the jade tablet, and the emperor, in his ceremonial robes, bowed, his sash slightly drooping. The master of ceremonies lit the incense to begin the sacrifice, and a plume of blue smoke rose and drifted northward with the autumn wind, but suddenly the wind changed direction, howling southward, bringing with it billowing thick smoke. Xu Heng turned to the side, but was still caught off guard and choked, coughing twice while covering his sleeve.

"His Majesty!"

"Your Majesty, cough cough!"

Although the officials were also choked by the smoke, they were still concerned and protected Xu Heng as he retreated.

Xu Heng looked somewhat embarrassed. After descending from the altar, he paused for a moment and then asked his ministers with concern, "Are you all alright?"

The officials unanimously assured the emperor that everything was alright and thanked him for his concern.

Xu Heng nodded and walked back. After a short while, he said casually, "The wind is a bit strong today."

“It’s the beginning of autumn,” Li Ying replied. “It’s when the cool breeze arrives and the white dew appears.”

Xu Heng smiled. The wind continued to blow, and the sounds of the emperor and his ministers' conversation faded away in the wind.

Within a mile of the altar lies an imperial garden, Fanglin Garden, built by Emperor Gaozong of this dynasty. Seeing this, the Minister of Rites suggested, "Your Majesty, why don't we rest at Fanglin Garden for a while?"

Take shelter from the evil wind for now.

Xu Heng pondered for a moment, nodded in agreement, and then fell into an even longer silence—Fanglin Garden was the smallest of the imperial palaces, truly just one garden. In terms of scale, the largest was the Biyi Palace, built by the late emperor for Empress Yuan, located on Baozhu Mountain, with a total of sixteen gardens, combining the ruggedness of the northern garden with the elegance of the southern garden, representing the pinnacle of garden construction throughout the land.

During the years when the late emperor and empress were deeply in love, they lived here for a long time.

Since ascending the throne, Xu Heng has neither gone hunting nor sought refuge from the summer heat, but has only stayed in the palace. Now he regrets not having visited the Biyi Palace with Wang Yuying.

Fanglin Garden was not large, and carriages were not allowed to enter; only the emperor and his close ministers could enter. After they sat down, the eunuchs served tea, and the ministers picked up their porcelain cups and took a few sips. Xu Heng watched from afar, his hands resting on his knees the entire time.

He was silent for a moment before speaking: "With the autumn harvest approaching, there is no rush to return to the palace. I would like to take a stroll in the outskirts of the capital to see the people and conduct a private inspection of this year's harvest."

Before Li Xiang could speak, Xu Heng interrupted, "There's no need to make a big fuss. We can go incognito to avoid disturbing the people and also prevent the local governments from making preparations in advance, covering up the truth."

Xu Heng blinked. He said he was visiting the farmland, but secretly he wanted to go see Wang Yuying.

After a brief silence, Prime Minister Li spoke first: "Your Majesty's words are reasonable."

"The most important thing for the people is agriculture, and agriculture is the foundation of the world. Your Majesty cares about the crops and is wise and loves the people." Vice Chancellor Zheng Yangzhi, who had not spoken until now, slowly spoke up, "However, a wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall. Even if Your Majesty is powerful, you should still guard against unforeseen events. If something goes wrong during the private visit, we will be eternally sorry!" He stood up and cupped his hands to Xu Heng, "Therefore, I dare to recommend myself to accompany Your Majesty on the private visit and follow you from a distance! Firstly, to protect Your Majesty and ensure your health, and secondly, to take care of trivial matters."

"Prime Minister Zheng is right!" As soon as Zheng Yangzhi finished speaking, the ministers echoed his sentiments. Xu Heng was instantly lifted up; to refuse again would be awkward and unreasonable, but not refusing... Zheng Yangzhi utterly despised Wang Yuying; they were irreconcilable enemies. With him accompanying him, Xu Heng could no longer ascend Fuyou Mountain.

The emperor was in a dilemma, agonizing over the decision. Finally, he thought that if he didn't go up Fuyou Mountain, he might just run into Wang Yuying on the way. Today was the beginning of autumn, and the weather was fine; perhaps she was out for an autumn outing?

So he agreed to the ministers' request: "It is good to have Yang Zhi by my side."

The empty imperial carriage returned to the capital. After it had gone far away, a small group of men emerged from Fanglin Garden, all on horseback. Xu Heng removed his crown and used a wooden hairpin to tie his hair up. He also changed his robe into a dark brown round-necked robe.

Ahead, the road forked into two, one going north and one south. Xu Heng reined in his horse and stopped, thinking: Fuyu Lake is located north of Fuyou Mountain, the only scenic spot near the mountain. If Wang Yuying goes out, she will most likely visit the lake.

"Giddy up!" He flicked the reins and galloped onto the fork in the road leading north.

Zheng Yangzhi, Qingfu, and the guards followed immediately, and the horses galloped, their robes billowing and dust rising.

Soon everyone saw the yellow wheat fields, stretching as far as the eye could see, with the ears of wheat swaying in the wind and rustling in the breeze.

Although the purpose of this roundabout way was to see Wang Yuying, Xu Heng did not neglect his inspection, otherwise he would feel ashamed before his people. He first looked around from his horse and saw that the wheat fields all around were growing well, and he couldn't help but smile slightly.

Zheng Yangzhi rode closer and said, "This year, the capital region should have a bumper harvest."

Xu Heng suppressed his smile: "Yang Zhi has not seen the whole picture, so you cannot make a judgment based on just one glance."

Zheng Yangzhi bowed his head and said, "Your Majesty's teachings are correct; it was I who was reckless."

Xu Heng laughed again, dismounted, and his entourage quickly followed suit. Xu Heng walked towards the farmland, and Zheng Yangzhi helped the emperor hold the reins.

Farmers and farmers were busy in the fields. Xu Heng walked around and talked to five farmers, young and old. He asked them about their lives and the ownership of their farmland. He learned that the self-cultivating farmers were wealthy, the tenant farmers had a surplus after paying rent and could support their families, and the hired farmers were not mistreated. He couldn't help but feel gratified.

Xu Heng had a clear idea of ​​last year's and this year's estimated harvests. After comparing them, he smiled contentedly.

During this time, Xu Heng was sweating profusely. Zheng Yangzhi offered him a handkerchief, but Xu Heng waved it off. After asking all the questions and walking through the wheat field, Xu Heng went to a secluded spot, took out his own handkerchief to wipe his sweat, and covered up any rudeness with his sleeve.

They traveled along the way, stopping frequently, until it was nearly noon. Zheng Yangzhi said, "Your Majesty, it's getting late. Why don't we find a restaurant to have a meal first, and then we can continue our inspection?"

Xu Hengyu's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she gently declined, "Let's go down a bit further."

He took a deep breath as he spoke. They were not far from Floating Cloud Lake. He was looking forward to meeting Wang Yuying and having lunch with her, so he had been starving... After not seeing each other for three years, having lunch together would be a good excuse and a good start.

Xu Heng stared ahead, as if being drawn along by the Floating Jade Lake.

As he drew closer, he gazed upon the deep reds and pale yellows amidst the verdant green of Fuyou Mountain, and thought to himself: Autumn has already arrived there too.

Xu Heng quickly scanned the lakeside. There were seven or eight tourists, none of whom were Wang Yuying. His heart sank, and he anxiously looked towards the lake, pinning his hopes on the only tourist boat on the lake.

The boatman rowed at the stern, but no one was in the cabin. So Xu Heng began to stroll along the lake, seemingly to observe the local customs, but in reality, his eyes never left the boat.

I could not see any passengers in the cabin.

Xu Heng grew increasingly anxious. As the ship approached the dock, his heart pounded like a young boy's. He stared intently at each passenger disembarking, experiencing waves of tension followed by disappointment.

Even after all the passengers had disembarked, Xu Heng still refused to believe it. He insisted on strolling across the dock under the pretense of a patrol, glancing at the empty cabin before he could finally give up.

"Your Majesty," Zheng Yangzhi suddenly called out.

As if suddenly tapped on the shoulder, Xu Heng's heart skipped a beat, and he looked at Zheng Yangzhi with a hint of guilt in his eyes: "What's wrong?"

"It is past noon, and I fear Your Majesty is suffering from hunger. Your Majesty should have a meal in time."

Xu Heng sighed inwardly, but his gaze toward Zheng Yangzhi remained warm, and he smiled, "Alright."

The group headed toward the only restaurant by the lake.

When they were about ten steps from the restaurant entrance, Zheng Yangzhi suddenly stretched out his arm and said, "Your Majesty, please wait."

Xu Heng, seeing that he was worried he wouldn't be able to get used to farm-style food, shook his head and chuckled: "Yang Zhi, you're overthinking it. I don't eat delicacies every day. Everyone can eat simple meals, and so can I."

"Your Majesty, I am not being picky, but I fear that the noise and commotion in the marketplace will disturb Your Majesty."

Xu Heng then realized that the reason was to protect his safety, and immediately composed himself: "Yang Zhi, I said I was traveling incognito, so there is no need to invite you to a grand banquet."

Unwilling to allow Zheng Yang to clear the area, the emperor did not feel that dining with the common people was a disturbance; on the contrary, he was worried that mobilizing a large force would disturb the people.

Zheng Yangzhi said, "I do not wish to investigate further, but I fear that the truth may be mixed in. I must go in and take a look first."

Before Xu Heng could refuse again, and before the chief eunuch Qingfu, who was supposed to do this kind of thing, could react, Zheng Yangzhi strode into the restaurant. After confirming that it was safe, he came out to invite Xu Heng in.

After a bowl of wheat porridge and several side dishes, the group hastily finished their meal and remounted. Xu Heng subtly guided the horse's head towards Fuyou Mountain, and they rode slowly and cautiously.

He would dismount when he encountered farmland and chat with the local people.

After exploring the farmland surrounding Floating Mountain, another hour or so passed, and by 5 PM, the sun had set.

Xu Heng glanced at Fuyou Mountain out of the corner of his eye, his expression unreadable.

The area ahead became lively, with tea stalls, taverns, and people's homes replacing the farmland, and wisps of smoke rising from their chimneys.

One of the taverns, with a sign that read "I'm drunk and want to sleep," was particularly noisy. You could hear the drinking games and finger-guessing festivities coming from half a street away.

In the tavern, Wang Yuying and Jing Ye drank together, devouring roasted mutton and kidneys to accompany their drinks—she wasn't a real nun, so she didn't abstain from meat and still loved it.

The waiter brought over a plate of roasted quail and a large bowl of fish soup. Wang Yuying had just taken a bite of mutton from the skewer when she frowned as she chewed: "Did you bring the wrong thing? This is what we ordered too?"

The waiter pointed at Jing Ye with his right hand, fingers together, and said, "This is exactly what this gentleman wanted."

"It's me." As soon as Wang Yuying turned her head towards Jingye, he replied with a simple smile.

Wang Yuying didn't say anything more. After the waiter left, she complained, "We ordered too much! How can we possibly eat this?"

The quail at this shop is served whole. Jing Ye took out a clean pair of chopsticks, first broke off two quail legs, and gave them to Wang Yuying: "You need to eat more to prepare for the autumn season. You've had a long and arduous summer, so you need to nourish yourself properly."

Suffering from the sweltering summer heat?

Wang Yuying didn't find it bitter. She took another sip of wine and asked with a smile, "Are you really going to make it up for me?"

Jingye nodded solemnly.

Wang Yuying nudged him with her elbow: "Then let's exchange this fish soup for mutton soup!"

Jing Ye instantly understood that Wang Yuying was craving mutton soup, and quickly called out, "Waiter!"

The tavern was noisy and the busy waiters didn't hear him, so Jingye raised his arms and shouted, "Waiter! Waiter!"

Outside the shop, Xu Heng and his entourage had already passed the tavern when Xu Heng slowly reined in his horse and stopped.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Zheng Yangzhi then pulled on the reins.

Xu Heng recalled the words on the carrying pole he had just seen and smiled: "'I am drunk and want to sleep, you may leave now; if you wish, bring your zither tomorrow.'"

This is a poem that Wang Yuying likes; it reflects her style.

Xu Heng turned around and smiled at the tavern, clearly wanting to go in and have a look around. Suddenly, he seemed to hear a familiar voice, raised his eyebrows slightly, but couldn't remember it for a moment.

"I'll go take a look." Zheng Yangzhi dismounted and, just like at noon, quickly entered the tavern before anyone could react. Just then, a waiter carrying mutton soup passed by the door, and the aroma wafted into Zheng Yangzhi's nose. He couldn't help but glance at the large bowl; the meat was fresh, the soup was clear and slightly milky white, and there were some scallions floating on top.

Zheng Yangzhi's gaze followed the waiter as he passed through tables of diners. This bowl of mutton soup was placed on the second table from the southwest corner. The woman who had been drinking and eating skewers had stopped long ago and was staring intently at the mutton soup. As soon as the soup was served, she picked it up and took a big gulp.

A note from the author:

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