Chapter 13 Thirteen Bodies in This Mountain

Wang Yuying craved the spine bone in the soup the most. The bone tube was filled with creamy broth. She couldn't wait to pick it out with her chopsticks, tested it to make sure it wasn't too hot, and immediately took a big sip. Because she was in such a hurry, she made some rather unrefined noises.

Jingye reminded him worriedly, "Be careful not to burn yourself!"

Wang Yuying sucked the grease out of the bone tube before replying, "Don't worry, it's fine!"

She unconsciously raised her head and suddenly met Zheng Yangzhi's gaze. The bright smile on Wang Yuying's face vanished instantly.

Zheng Yangzhi's gaze pierced through the vast crowd, remaining fixed on Wang Yuying's face. He bit his lip, his expression was gloomy, and his eyes were deep, making him appear even more effeminate.

The two stared at each other in silence, the atmosphere growing increasingly somber and suffocating.

Jing Ye was completely oblivious to anything amiss. He was only thinking that if Wang Yuying liked to eat, she should eat more: "Then how about a few more spine bones?"

Wang Yuying withdrew her gaze, turned to Jing Ye, and smiled again: "Okay, add one more, but don't order too many, or it will get greasy."

Zheng Yangzhi turned away with a cold look in his eyes.

When Wang Yuying glanced back, Zheng Yangzhi was nowhere to be seen at the bustling entrance. She stopped looking and instead asked Jing Ye, "Would you like one too?"

"I'll try some too." Jing Ye had actually wanted to try Wang Yuying's favorite food for a long time. He raised his arm again to call the waiter, his wheat-colored cheeks flushed slightly from the mutton soup.

The guy didn't hear it.

Jing Ye kept calling out, and Wang Yuying smiled gently: "Don't worry, he will come."

Separated by a wall, Zheng Yangzhi was taking the reins from a guard, while Xu Heng, on horseback beside him, leaned slightly forward and asked, "Why did it take you so long?"

He almost let Qingfu go in and take a look.

Zheng Yangzhi mounted his horse, his face serious: "There are too many courtesans inside, and the atmosphere is too filthy. Your Majesty cannot go there."

Upon hearing this, Xu Heng's expression changed, and he solemnly said, "Then let's go."

Without looking back, he left the tavern and continued his journey towards Mount Fuyou.

Wang Yuying ate more and more slowly, not leaving the tavern until dark. Jing Ye was off duty during the day and on night duty at night. Wang Yuying urged him to go back, but he said, "I'll take you back to the temple first before I leave."

It was pitch black, and I was worried about her walking alone at night.

He boldly grasped Wang Yuying's wrist and led her along the road. Passersby hurried by, paying no attention to them. As they climbed the mountain, it grew darker and quieter, and they encountered no one else besides the two of them. Wang Yuying remained silent, and Jing Ye did not speak either, but they felt incredibly at peace and content. He secretly slid his hand down, slipping it between her fingers, and they intertwined tightly.

Wang Yuying did not let go.

Instead of entering the mountain gate, the two continued climbing until they reached a cliff and looked down at the back of the Taoist temple, where the monastery was only the size of a palm.

Jing Ye let go of her hand and instead put his arm around her waist: "Hold on tight."

Wang Yuying smiled and said, "I can get down by myself."

She pried Jing Ye's hand off her waist, and with a light leap, she jumped down first. Jing Ye quickly chased after her, and the two landed in the courtyard one after the other.

"Alright, you can go back now," Wang Yu said in a relaxed tone.

Jing Ye refused: "I'll take you in first."

Wang Yuying didn't insist any further, opened the door, and let him in. She sat on the edge of the bed, and he immediately sat next to her. There was so much space on both sides, yet he insisted on squeezing in close to her, their bodies pressed together.

"Alright, alright, if you keep being so affectionate, you'll really be late!" Wang Yuying pushed him away, but tilted her head towards Jing Ye. "Do you still remember what my father taught you? 'A general must set an example for his soldiers.'"

Upon hearing this, Jing Ye buried his head in Wang Yuying's shoulder, remained silent for a while, and then separated.

He gazed at her and said, "Then I'm leaving."

Wang Yuying nodded.

Jing Ye placed a gentle kiss on Wang Yuying's forehead, then quickly pulled away.

He got up and couldn't help but look back again before opening the door: "Get some rest."

Wang Yuying nodded again.

Jing Ye then closed the door, leaped away, left the Taoist temple, and descended the mountain along the path.

After walking for a while, I noticed something was wrong—I could hear someone breathing next to me!

Jingye skillfully disappeared into the roadside bushes, weaving through trees and thorns, using the thorns as cover.

Before long, Jingye saw a carriage parked at a bend in the mountainside through the gaps between the tree branches.

He immediately furrowed his brows, narrowed his eyes, and observed for a while like a tiger eyeing its prey—it was the same carriage he had encountered last time, and the driver hadn't changed.

Jingye became increasingly convinced that they were a pair of merchants and servants who rested on the road to save money. They wanted to lead their own armies into battle, and their conditions were often even worse than the two of them, with no carts and sleeping under the open sky.

Jingye descended the mountain and returned to camp.

Inside the room, not long after Jing Ye left, Wang Yuying stopped smiling.

Her expression turned icy, a hint of solemnity in her eyes. She sat there for a while, seemingly lost in thought, but her eyes gleamed with a sharp light.

After a long while, Wang Yuying slowly opened her mouth and let out a long yawn.

She spread her arms and fell backward onto the bed.

I closed my eyes, preparing to fall asleep.

But a quarter of an hour later, he suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and cold, like that of a hawk.

Jingye was not here tonight, and Wang Yuying did not draw the curtains. Her silhouette fell on the window, and she looked like a man, but her waist was incredibly thin.

Soon, a hoarse, deep male voice came through the window: "He didn't go up the mountain, it was just me."

Wang Yuying completely ignored the visitor, instead turning over to sleep facing inwards, with her back to the window.

The noise she made when she turned over was much louder than usual; any man outside the window who wasn't deaf could hear it and understand that she wanted to see him off.

The man still said, "You should restrain yourself; attracting unwanted attention is never a good thing."

Wang Yuying remained motionless, turned her head back, and sneered at the window, her face full of mockery: "What, are you going to teach me to be a virtuous woman?"

The man outside the window fell silent, even holding his breath, plunging into a deathly stillness.

Wang Yuying didn't care how long he stood outside the window, and closed her eyes to sleep.

A gentle breeze blew in, causing the curtains, which hadn't yet come undone, to flutter at their ends. There was no one to be seen on the window paper, and the green mountains were serene and verdant in the night.

A new moon shone on Fuyou Mountain and the Forbidden City, its light spilling onto the square in front of the Chuigong Hall.

At cockcrow, they rose and went to court before dawn. By the third quarter of the hour of Yin, all the officials were already waiting outside the Chui Gong Hall for the regular audience. Prime Minister Li, along with the Grand Tutor, Grand Commandant, and Commander-in-Chief, all looked back—the Vice Prime Minister's seat was empty. Why hadn't Prime Minister Zheng arrived yet at this hour?

Everyone was on good terms with Zheng Yangzhi's father, and although they didn't say anything, they all cared about him silently.

When the eunuch announced that the officials were to ascend the steps to the Chuigong Hall, Zheng Yangzhi arrived late, dressed in a crimson official robe and wearing an ivory token.

Many ministers turned around, and Grand Commandant Feng couldn't help but urge, "Yangzhi, hurry up!"

The junior guard in the first row behind Zheng Yang deliberately turned to the side to make it easier for Zheng Yang to insert himself into the team.

"Why are you only arriving now?" Grand Commandant Feng couldn't help but inquire about the reason.

"Thank you for your concern, Uncle, but I had something to attend to at home."

"Is your father alright?" Grand Commandant Feng immediately asked, while Prime Minister Li, who was in front, also glanced back.

Zheng Yangzhi said softly, "My father is well."

With only three steps remaining, everyone fell silent and respectfully entered the hall.

The emperor sat on the dragon throne, and the various departments presented their reports in turn. The emperor responded to each report, and then, as usual, the Court of State Ceremonial announced the conclusion of the reports, after which the emperor withdrew from the court.

As Xu Heng descended the steps, he exchanged a glance with Zheng Yangzhi. Zheng Yangzhi knew this meant he was being summoned to the Imperial Study after noon for a political discussion. This was a common practice between the emperor and his ministers, an unspoken understanding that had become a habit.

Zheng Yangzhi slightly lowered his chin in response.

Xu Heng smiled faintly, withdrew his gaze, and left the Chuigong Hall for the Imperial Study.

As we walked through the covered walkway, we suddenly saw that the cosmos flowers under the walkway had not yet withered in autumn, like a group of pink and white butterflies dancing in the wind.

Xu Heng's pace slowed unconsciously. In fact, the palace was still filled with Gesang flowers, even though it was far from the imperial garden. He didn't dig up a single Gesang flower, but Wang Yuying was no longer there.

Xu Heng was preoccupied. After changing his clothes in the back cabinet of the study, he still looked gloomy.

He sat down in the armchair behind the desk, thinking that the reason he hadn't returned to Funing Palace but came directly to the Imperial Study was to have more time to handle state affairs. If he indulged in personal feelings and melancholy now, wouldn't he be wasting all the time he was trying to save?

As the emperor, he must not engage in superficial work or deceive himself. Only by being consistent in word and deed can he be at peace with himself. With this in mind, Xu Hengqiang perked up and opened the memorial.

At the same moment, Zheng Yangzhi also quietly turned to a page of drawings presented by the Ministry of Works in the Vice Chancellor's office.

"The Prime Minister is working inside. Please allow me to inform him—Sir, sir, you cannot force your way in!"

Amidst the commotion outside, Zheng Yangzhi slowly lowered his hand. At that moment, Ma Yingxing, the Vice Minister of Works, also stepped across the threshold, shook off his guards, and hurried forward two steps, bowing to Zheng Yangzhi: "Greetings, Prime Minister!"

Zheng Yangzhi nodded.

As Ma Yingxing straightened up, he glanced at the blueprints on the table and saw that they were the Yuyang River project plans. He couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile: "The funds for the dredging of the Yuyang River were approved by the Prime Minister, yet Zhang Yezhuo accused me, Ma, of embezzling funds and being greedy for fame!" He became more and more indignant as he spoke, "Therefore, I, Ma, have come here to seek justice from the Prime Minister and clear my name!"

Zheng Yangzhi remained silent, and a guard ran in from outside the door: "Prime Minister, Minister Zhang of the Ministry of Works is outside requesting an audience."

“Oh, he’s here to complain too!” Ma Yingxing immediately interjected.

The guard, who had just been rebuked by Ma Yingxing, immediately fell silent. Zheng Yangzhi's expression remained unchanged: "Please invite Lord Zhang in."

The guards responded and reported back. Shortly afterward, Zhang Yezhuo, the Minister of Works, entered, lifted his robe, and bowed: "Zhang Yezhuo, Minister of Works, pays his respects to the Vice Chancellor."

“Heh—” Ma Yingxing interrupted again, snorting coldly.

Zhang Yezhuo ignored Ma Yingxing, straightened his neck, and looked at Zheng Yangzhi: "I suppose the Vice Prime Minister already knows that the Yuyang River project far exceeds the river channel budget of previous years. I hesitated for a moment, not daring to waste the people's hard-earned money."

"You dare not squander the people's hard-earned money?" Ma Yingxing shouted as he approached Zhang Yezhuo. "How have you slandered me, Ma Yingxing? I am upright and honest, unlike you who are petty and only talk about thrift! The Yuyang River is the lifeline of our country's shipping. It has been silted up for years, and the waterway is not smooth. There have already been many delays for those traveling north and south. If the delays continue, it will surely lead to disaster!" Ma Yingxing's chest heaved. "If the house collapses, you can only repair it; if the sheep are lost, you can only mend the fence. It will be too late to regret it then! The cost at that time will be far more than 500,000!!"

In his eyes, Zhang Yezhuo, who was spewing slander, was the real parasite. Ma Yingxing couldn't help but curse, "Only when you have a headache do you realize that the doctor who treated your head was a quack! Some people are just occupying positions without doing their jobs!"

Zhang Yezhuo then turned to Ma Yingxing and solemnly said, "Lord Ma, if you disagree on political matters, you can discuss them on the issue, but don't attack me personally. You don't need to attack me. My promotion to Minister was due to His Majesty's favor. If you want to take this position, you can demonstrate your abilities."

Ma Yingxing twitched the corner of his mouth, neither confirming nor denying.

Zhang Yezhuo continued, "Your report only mentions a huge allocation, without specifying the details. I don't know if the project has undergone surveying, nor have I verified the drawings and budget with you, confirmed the construction period, or mitigated risks. I only raised one question, and you immediately turned around and complained, completely ignoring what I had to say."

Ma Yingxing pursed his lips—he had indeed been furious, having rushed all the way from the Ministry of Works to the Vice Chancellor's office. Now that he had calmed down a bit, he realized he was in the wrong, but he still spoke defiantly: "This was scouted in advance by dozens of skilled craftsmen from the Ministry of Works, and unnecessary expenses have already been eliminated. Don't worry, every penny will be used wisely." He blinked, "I forgot to include it in the report, but you don't need to nitpick."

Zheng Yangzhi understood immediately upon hearing this. Ma Yingxing had acted impulsively again, turning a small matter into a big one. This man was talented but rash, so he could only ask Zhang Yezhuo to be more tolerant: "Both of you are thinking about the people's livelihood. Money, grain and projects are both important and neither should be neglected."

Liu Sheyu, the Minister of Revenue, was also involved in the allocation of funds for the Yuyang River, and his wife and Ma Yingxing's wife were sisters, making them brothers-in-law. Upon hearing that the Ministry of Works was embroiled in a dispute that had reached the Vice Minister, he immediately dropped everything and rushed to the yamen, fearing that Ma Yingxing might cause trouble, both to stop him and to cover for him.

As soon as Liu Sheyu entered, he heard Zheng Yangzhi's words and quickly said with a smile, "This matter is actually my fault. It's not that Lord Zhang refused to approve it, but that I was holding back at the Ministry of Revenue and keeping a tight grip on the purse strings."

Upon hearing Liu Sheyu defend Zhang Yezhuo, Ma Yingxing immediately retorted angrily, "Why are you siding with him?"

How can you not distinguish between close and distant relatives?

Liu Sheyu's lips parted, both hating this blockhead and finding it difficult to explain in front of so many people. Zhang Yezhuo, on the other hand, smiled and said, "Lord Ma." He called softly, "You don't know, but when some nice guys are in the middle of a dispute, they often try to dissuade the person they are closer to first. Don't wrong Lord Liu, it's him—he's really good."

"It's not an injustice, not at all." Liu Sheyu quickly smiled apologetically at Zhang Yezhuo, then quietly moved to Ma Yingxing's side and gave him a sharp elbow nudge. Ma Yingxing finally understood his good intentions and fell silent.

Logically, Zheng Yangzhi, who was seated at the head of the table, should have said a few words to take charge of the overall situation and turn hostility into friendship. However, after listening to Zhang Yezhuo's last sentence, Zheng Yangzhi fell into deep thought, his eyes lowered and his long eyebrows furrowed.

“Lord Zhang,” Zheng Yangzhi suddenly looked up at Zhang Yezhuo, “You must never let His Majesty hear what you just said.”

A note from the author:

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