Chapter 71 Chen Liangyu, you're too presumptuous with your sword dance!
Du Peisun's head was saved for the time being.
It wasn't that Chen Liangyu had gone back on her word and didn't want to take his head anymore, but rather that Jingming thought it was impolite to twist someone's head so casually. After much persuasion, he calmed him down.
The guest room where Chen Liangyu stayed at the inn was drafty. There was a hole in the wooden door of the guest room compared to when she left.
She kicked it herself.
It wasn't that she wanted to vent her anger on a door; it was just that when she returned from Qunfangyuan, all she could think about were the twenty-odd promising young men surrounding Xie Wenjun.
Perhaps the eldest princess really needs it, she thought.
Xie Wenjun is no longer the little girl who buried her face in Chen Liangyu's sleeve and cried. If it weren't for one thing after another delaying her, Xie Wenjun would have already found a good husband, become a wife and a mother.
At such a vigorous age, perhaps she really needs a man by her side?
Twenty-odd male concubines?!
Unless the palace holds a grand selection of young women to enter the palace, even if the emperor goes on a tour and asks local officials to gather so many young girls to serve him, he will be subjected to a barrage of insults from censors and remonstrators. They will hurl accusations at him, calling him a licentious fool, a gluttonous wretch, a debauched man, and saying that he looks like he has the face of a doomed nation.
If this matter were to spread, some would inevitably say that the Princess was arrogant, extravagant, and licentious. That would be the mildest criticism. If someone were to make a big deal out of it, accusations of promiscuity, loss of virtue, and debauchery would be leveled against her without any explanation.
Even though they themselves lacked "chastity" and "virginity," they had an extremely strong desire to control women's chastity.
Xie Wenjun is still young, and such a smear is enough to destroy all her foundations in the court.
But what should be done with those twenty-odd men?
Kill them? They were helplessly treated as objects by the government to be presented to the princess, and then lost their lives because of it; they were truly innocent. If we don't kill them and release them after Xie Wenjun leaves the northern border, what if these people go around spreading rumors?
There are only two options: either make them renounce worldly life and become a nun, or imprison them forever in the Garden of Beauties, never to leave.
Chen Liangyu's mind was in turmoil, and she momentarily forgot that the door could be pushed open by hand. All she saw was a wooden door blocking her way, so she kicked it.
The air in the North is dry, and the wood used for building houses loses moisture over time, becoming dry and brittle. One kick from her and it crumbled instantly, leaving a hole in the door.
When the wind blows in Wuzhou, there's a lot of sand; it's a constant whirlwind of dust. If the doors and windows aren't tightly closed, a layer of dust will accumulate on the bed, table, and floor in just half a day. The postmaster asked her to change rooms, and waited outside the door for a long time, but received no reply.
Jingming told him to prepare other guest rooms first.
He had recently come to a loss for understanding of many of Chen Liangyu's actions. She remained as calm and rational as ever in other matters, but when it came to the Eldest Princess, she became quite absurd! Just like today, after leaving the Eldest Princess's residence, Chen Liangyu went to the prefectural capital to punish a group of people. He was completely bewildered, and only understood what had happened from her few words.
Instead of offering advice, you're helping to cover it up?
Jinghe even said that the eldest princess stayed at Liangyuan for two nights. Liangyuan did not have a single spare room. Could it be that the two of them slept in the same bed?
He didn't ask many questions at the time. Now that Chen Liangyu was the commander-in-chief, he was her subordinate, and questioning her would be insubordination. However, he also treated Chen Liangyu like a younger sister, and out of obligation to Chen Yuanqing and Chen Linjun, he couldn't simply ignore it.
So he scanned the area inside and out, making sure there were no eavesdroppers in any corners, before walking up to Chen Liangyu and standing straight. "Miss, where is the iron-tipped letterbox?"
Chen Liangyu took out a letter tube and placed it on the table.
Jingming said, "I'm talking about your own."
There are four iron-tipped letter tubes. Yan Baizhang and Yan Nian share one, the second young master of Yongdu has one, and the one in Chen Liangyu's hand belongs to Chen Linjun. So what about her own?
Chen Liangyu frankly admitted, "I gave it to the Eldest Princess."
Jingming said solemnly, “She has been trying to get close to you before, perhaps for the sake of Crown Prince Yizhang, but why can’t you see that now? Power in the world is nothing more than money and military force, and land taxes are money, which is now in the hands of the Eldest Princess. What does the Eldest Princess want from you if she deliberately gets close to you? Will the Emperor really allow a mere woman like the Eldest Princess to control the nation’s agriculture, sericulture, and military affairs? The closer you get to the Eldest Princess, the more dangerous it is for you. You have placed the Eldest Princess’s spies by your side, and even gave her the Iron Chain Mailbox. If one day… either of these things could take your life.”
"I know," Chen Liangyu said calmly.
Jingming remained silent for a long while before finally saying, "Then you're truly insane!"
Zhu Ying returned with Chen Liangyu. She carried her luggage to find Chen Liangyu, just as Jingming, who was in a bad mood, came out of Chen Liangyu's room. There was a conspicuous hole in the door.
"What happened?"
Chen Liangyu didn't answer, but leaned back in his chair and said, "Get me some medicine!"
Zhu Ying asked, "What medicine?"
Chen Liangyu's eyes were lifeless, as desolate as death: "Whatever. Any medicine will do."
"Are you speaking human language?" Zhu Ying took his pulse and said, "You seem so restless?"
Chen Liangyu remained silent.
Zhu Ying asked, "These feelings are often accompanied by worry, fear, and longing. What is the cause of your distress?"
Chen Liangyu said, "Yes, we have them all."
Zhu Ying lowered her head silently and stopped asking questions. "I'll prescribe a calming and tranquilizing formula for you first." She thought to herself that this was a bit tricky and difficult to treat.
After Zhu Ying finished writing the prescription and went to the pharmacy to get the medicine, she returned to find that Chen Liangyu had disappeared.
Night falls early, and the temperature difference here is significant. It's still hot enough to drink iced drinks at noon, but as soon as it gets dark, you need to put on a light jacket.
Outside Qunfang Garden, Rong Jun saw a figure pacing back and forth at the base of a high wall, sometimes looking up and sometimes looking down, seemingly undecided whether to climb over the wall and cross the barrier.
The sound of military boots clashing and metal clanging could be heard not far away, drawing ever closer to her.
Chen Liangyu recognized the leader by the voice, but instead of drawing his sword, he straightened his back guiltily and coughed, "It is I, Lord Rong."
Rong Jun asked in surprise, "General? My men have been watching for a long time. They say there's someone acting suspiciously outside, like an assassin. What are you doing? Planning to steal something?"
"What are you stealing? I have something to discuss with the Princess. Is Her Highness in the Garden of Fragrances? I'll go now. Lord Rong, keep a good watch. See you later."
Chen Liangyu looked up at the wall, glancing left and right, trying to figure out which way to climb over it.
Rong Jun asked, "General?"
Chen Liangyu stood with his hands behind his back and asked solemnly, "Is there anything else, Lord Rong?"
Rong Jun asked, puzzled, "Why didn't you use the main entrance?"
Chen Liangyu thought Rong Jun was quite right, and in her heart she praised the people the late Crown Prince had trained for their intelligence. "Yes! Let's go through the main gate. Qunfang Garden has a main gate! It's good to have a main gate." After rambling on like this, she only wanted to draw her sword and commit suicide on the spot, leaving behind her innocence. She thought to herself, "What am I even saying!"
Rong Jun scolded his men, "What are you laughing at! No one is allowed to laugh!"
When Chen Liangyu's figure disappeared around the corner and was completely out of sight, Rong Jun staggered to the wall, pounding the wall with his fists and laughing so hard he almost fell over.
Candles were lit in Xie Wenjun's room, and a warm yellow light shone through the paper windows. A palace maid came forward, gracefully performed the palace curtsy, and said, "General, His Highness is bathing and washing up. Please wait in the courtyard for a moment."
The deer vine offered by Shitan sits on a stone table under the eaves, yet it has not yet bloomed. In the flowerbed, the myriad flowers sway in the wind, like waves of blossoms. These waves of flowers are divided by a path paved with blue bricks, and along the path are many small round wooden tables.
Time passes peacefully.
A group of people walked out from the depths of the flower garden along the blue brick path.
It's still the same group from the daytime dining hall.
Each person carried a tray, on which were either blue cups and bowls or white porcelain wine jars. Their clothes were no longer as dissolute and frivolous as they had been during the day; they had changed into formal attire, and their hair was neatly tied up.
Seeing Chen Liangyu standing in the courtyard, several people carried over a set of table and chairs, and placed several jars of wine on it. The one in the lead was still Lu Sutai, who bowed and said, "Greetings, General."
The others behind him followed suit.
Upon closer inspection, Chen Liangyu realized that these men were all young men who had not yet reached adulthood.
Seemingly having been reprimanded, Lu Sutai and the others not only changed their clothes, but their expressions also lost that seductive, alluring air. They all looked normal, even somewhat refined.
Lu Sutai said, "We have brewed some flower wine and fruit wine for the Princess to taste. The General has also happened to be here, so please have a taste as well. If there is anything wrong, please point it out to us."
Chen Liangyu had a special fondness for fruit wine. She agreed.
The wine jar was only the size of a palm, round and plump. She pushed away the wine cup, pulled out the cork from the mouth of the jar, took a small sip, and her mouth was filled with the aroma of fruit.
Sweet.
She uncorked each of the other wine jars in turn and tasted them one by one. They were all sweet. Before she knew it, she had drunk quite a lot.
She said, "The craftsmanship is quite good."
Having received approval, the group exchanged smiles and cheered with joy.
Lu Sutai said, "General, your eyes are red, you should not drink any more. My mother said that people whose faces and eyes turn red when they drink alcohol will develop rashes if they drink too much."
Chen Liangyu seemed not to hear her, continuing to gulp down her wine. After finishing the jar, she said, "Excuse me, could you please prepare some more so I can take it with me?"
Lu Sutai said, "Of course."
Chen Liangyu glanced at the group of young-looking people and thought to himself that since they were sent to Xie Wenjun's side, they should have a skill.
So she asked, "What can you do?"
Lu Sutai said, "Sword dancing is a family tradition, and I am skilled in swordsmanship."
The others also answered one by one.
"Mounted archery".
"Ritual music and dance music."
"Calligraphy and poetry."
"I am proficient in all nine disciplines of mathematics and arts."
"I have some knowledge of the Five Emperors."
...
Chen Liangyu said, "It's remarkable that Du Peisun managed to gather such a complete group of you! Among you, who is the most skilled?"
The other teenagers took a step back without prior arrangement, while Lu Sutai stood still and naturally separated himself from the crowd, standing at the very front.
He said, "He should be considered a petty person."
Chen Liangyu asked, "Skilled in swordsmanship?"
"Exactly."
"Bring me your sword."
Rong Jun, a patrolman, happened to be passing by and said, "I have one here." He tossed a sword over, and then the guards behind him lined up, surrounding Xie Wenjun's room. They wanted to watch the spectacle, but they couldn't ignore the safety of the Princess.
Lu Sutai had just caught the longsword that fell from the sky when, with a "clang," the Lancang Sword was drawn from its sheath. Chen Liangyu, still holding a wine jar, shakily pointed the sword at him.
Lu Sutai bowed with his sword in hand, saying, "General, please forgive me."
Having said that, she drew her sword and began to wield it. In an instant, the Garden of Flowers was ablaze with sword light, the shadows of swords and figures blurred and indistinguishable, the sounds of metal clashing incessantly filling the air. The sword light swept across vast expanses of flower branches, petals scattered like tattered brocade across the garden in disarray. Chen Liangyu sheathed her Lancang sword, drained the last drop of wine from the jar, and stretched her neck to loosen her joints. She tossed aside the empty jar, clutching a handful of flowers in her hand.
Lu Sutai got up from the still-splashed mud and said, "My swordsmanship is poor. Please forgive me, General and Lord Rong."
Rong Jun laughed and said, "You practice sword dancing, she practices martial swordsmanship, how could you be her match?"
Several teenagers rushed forward with laughter, helped Chen Liangyu to sit on a small chair, wiped his sweat, massaged his shoulders and back, and showered him with praise and admiration.
Lu Sutai flashed a row of white teeth, "Lord Rong, whose martial arts are superior, yours or the General's?"
Rong Jun said, "I've never fought him."
Chen Liangyu asked, "Why is it so cold? Lord Rong, are you cold?"
She had just drunk a lot of fruit wine and had even stretched her muscles with Lu Sutai; there was still a thin layer of sweat on her forehead. The chill came on rather strangely.
Rong Jun said, "A little."
The moonlight was bright and clear in the courtyard, but suddenly a wind arose, and the moonlight was gradually swallowed up by the black mist.
A group of people all looked toward the door behind Rong Jun.
Xie Wenjun loosely tied her dark hair with a ribbon, the ends of which were still slightly damp. Dressed in a clean, simple white robe, she stood on the high steps.
"Chen Liangyu, you've gone too far!"
Author's Note: Chen Liangyu: "There's a murderous aura about him! It's just teasing a child, why are you so angry? He's from your yard, and I haven't even said anything yet!"
Jiang Ning: "After all these years, you still like this pretty boy! Having so much fun in my yard, getting so close and shoving your way in?"
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