Chapter 334 The Reward
With his worries at ease, Sui Yu wanted to look around on the way out of the palace, but the palace wall blocked his view. Beyond the ancient palace wall, he could only see the inverted houses. What made Sui Yu more curious were the palace maids and eunuchs walking on the palace road.
Walking along the long palace path, Zhao Xiping saw Sui Liang holding the little boy and talking to someone. He touched Sui Yu and said, "I saw Sui Liang and the little boy."
Sui Yu looked in the direction and as she got closer, she recognized the man standing opposite Sui Liang.
"That's Zuo Duhou. He had a lot of acne on his face a few years ago. He bought our honey and it seems to have healed."
"Did he also buy the black horse?" Zhao Xiping had an impression of this person.
"Madam, isn't that Zuodu Hou? Last year, His Majesty promoted him to work in the Yulin Army, and now he is the Yulin Lieutenant General." The eunuch walking beside kindly reminded.
A few people not far away noticed the people coming, and Sui Liang and Xiaozai excitedly went to greet them. The two of them looked at the rewards held by the eunuchs and were so happy that they couldn't stop smiling.
"Let's go, we're leaving the palace." Sui Yu waved.
Sui Liang and Xiaozai said goodbye to General Hu. Xiaozai said enthusiastically, "Uncle Hu, we'll be staying at the post station. If you have time, come find me and I'll show you our quilt."
Sui Yu couldn't help but laugh, "General Hu, it's been ages since we last met. Have you been promoted?"
"Thanks to you, I am able to appear before the Emperor." Hu Zhonglangjiang bowed and said, "I will visit you another day."
Sui Yuying is good.
After leaving the palace, Sui Liang and Xiaozai felt relieved. In the palace, they didn't dare to speak loudly or ask random questions. Only after leaving the palace did they couldn't wait to ask what reward the emperor had given them.
Sui Yu pointed at Zhao Xiping and said with a smile, "We have a General of the Central Army in our family now too."
The cub's eyes widened in shock. He looked at his father in disbelief and murmured, "How amazing!"
"Your mother is amazing," Zhao Xiping corrected. "It's thanks to her that I was able to get promoted."
The little boy rubbed his hands together, then excitedly took his mother's hand and asked, "What about me? Do I have any reward?"
"Is the son of a General of the Central Army not enough? What other reward do you want?" Sui Yu asked with a smile, "Your Majesty has given you 500 gold coins, and I will give you a gold ingot later."
The boy understood that the emperor didn't think of him.
"Sister, what about you?" Sui Liang asked, "What did you get?"
"Your Majesty has named me Lady Jianhua. From now on, all the people of the Han Dynasty will know that it was Lady Jianhua who brought the cotton seeds back from outside the Great Wall." Sui Yu was extremely proud. "So what do you think? One of you is Lady Jianhua's brother, and the other is Lady Jianhua's son. Don't you feel particularly proud?"
Sui Liang and Xiaozai nodded repeatedly.
"My mother is the best." The kid flattered her sweetly.
"What is cotton flower? Is it cotton?" Sui Liang didn't understand.
"Yes, cotton flowers are cotton." The eunuch walking behind stepped forward to explain. He walked to the side and inquired, "Madam, have you and General Hu been friends for a long time?"
"We've dealt with him twice. About four years ago, our caravan encountered bandits on the way back to Chang'an from Taiyuan County. We couldn't defeat the bandits, so we tied them up and brought them to Chang'an. When we reported to the authorities, the General of the Household led us into the inner city. But at that time, he was the Marquis of Zuodu, and he had a lot of acne on his face. I sold him some honey to help him treat his facial acne. Then, two years ago, my brother led a caravan into Chang'an to sell horses, and the Marquis of Zuodu bought a Ferghana horse named Wuzhui." Sui Yu explained. She looked at Sui Liang and asked, "Did he recognize you when you were walking around the palace?"
"Yes, he changed into official uniform and I almost didn't recognize him." Sui Liang nodded.
"Madam, you have captured bandits before? You are really brave." The eunuch complimented.
Sui Yu smiled and said, "I also received a bronze sword as a reward from His Majesty. Although this is our first meeting today, we already had an encounter four years ago. I was so nervous in the palace today that I forgot to build relationships. When you return to the palace, please speak a few good words for His Majesty so that he will have a better impression of me."
Eunuch: ...
This was the first time he heard of someone trying to establish a relationship with the emperor, and it really opened his eyes.
When they arrived at the post station, the reward was delivered. Sui Yu asked Sui Liang to give the eunuch five hundred coins and ask him to deliver it on her behalf. She collapsed on the bed as soon as she entered the room. She was exhausted from going to the palace.
Zhao Xiping sat on the couch, not wanting to move. He saw the kid fluttering around like a moth, busy looking at the gold and jade rewards, and asked, "Where did the eunuch take you and your uncle?"
"We just walked around outside the palace, and then he took us to a side hall to eat cakes. My uncle and I finished two plates. They were so delicious..." At this point, the kid took out a cloth bag from his arms and said proudly, "I also packed two pieces and brought them back for you. Dad, you and Mom should try them."
Sui Yu sat up after hearing this and said excitedly, "Give it to me and let me try it. I haven't even had a sip of tea since I came to the palace."
The two pastries have different flavors. The boy split them into two halves by himself so that his parents could taste both flavors.
Zhao Xiping chewed the jujube paste cake he had stuffed into his mouth and asked blankly, "Why did you take it back secretly? You're not a little beggar. Did the eunuch see it?"
"I asked him before I took it." The little boy was unhappy. He walked to Sui Yu's legs and asked expectantly, "Mom, is it delicious?"
"It's delicious." Sui Yu nodded. "You remember to bring back delicious food for me and your father to try. You are such a good child. Don't listen to your father. I am so happy."
The kid gave his father a sidelong glance and snorted.
Zhao Xiping: ...
After Sui Liang sent the eunuch away, he quickly ran back, opened the door, and quickly closed it, rubbing his hands together and saying, "Let me see what good things the emperor gave me."
"It's all on the ground, you can see for yourself. The words on the plaque were written by the emperor himself. It will be so prestigious to hang it up. Now that our guesthouse is outside Dunhuang, I don't have to worry about anyone causing trouble." Sui Yu was delighted. She said to Zhao Xiping, "What did Geng Zhongcheng say to the emperor? The emperor thought I was fond of fame."
"On the day he first arrived in Dunhuang, didn't you tell him that it was your luck to leave your name in this dynasty? Geng Zhongcheng said he would report this to the emperor." Zhao Xiping still remembered these words.
Sui Yu had really forgotten. After all, that wasn't what she meant when she said this. She was just sighing casually. However, getting the title and the plaque was really what she wanted.
"Next year, when the cotton harvest is good, I will send two more pieces of cotton cloth to Geng Zhongcheng to thank him for his good words on my behalf."
"Sister, are there any other rewards besides these?" Sui Liang asked. The most valuable of these things was five hundred gold, which he felt was a little too little.
"The tax of strings of money will be exempted for twenty years. Based on the amount of strings of money paid last year, it will be 600,000 strings of money in twenty years, which is not a small amount," said Sui Yu.
Sui Liang thought this was pretty good.
Sui Yu's stomach growled, and Zhao Xiping stood up and walked out, saying, "I'll go see what food is available."
"I'll go with you." Sui Yu walked out. She found the postman and asked if they could stay here until February next year, and received a positive answer.
"Madam, please wait. Someone just brought a visiting card. I'll give it to you."
Sui Yu thanked him after receiving the card and was about to return to her room when she saw a postman hurried over. He said, "Madam, there's someone outside who wants to see you. It's the owner of the Jinyi Pavilion in the West Market."
Business came to her door, and Sui Yu called Zhang Shun and Xiao Chunhong and asked them to go and entertain them. She told them not to give in for the time being and to inquire about the price first, as there should be a lot of people coming to her door in a few days.
After dinner, Sui Yu took off her troublesome quju skirt and asked someone to bring her two buckets of hot water. She washed off the sweat she had sweated in the morning, changed into clean clothes and lay down in bed.
Zhao Xiping walked in with a chill in his face. Sui Yu asked, "Where's your son? Why didn't I hear his voice?"
"Sui Liang took him to the city to play." Zhao Xiping took off his shoes and washed his feet.
"You want to sleep too?" Sui Yu moved to the side of the bed.
Zhao Xiping put on his shoes and went out to fetch some water. In a moment, he came back empty-handed. He took off his outer robe and sat in bed. He hugged Sui Yu and said, "Are you sleepy? If you're not in a hurry, let's talk."
Sui Yu perked up and said, "I was too nervous in the palace. I'm still a little excited and can't sleep. Tell me, what do you want to tell me?"
"I thought you'd gotten over what happened long ago. I didn't realize your experience as a criminal slave still bothered you. Why didn't you tell me?" Zhao Xiping held her face and examined her closely, accusing her of being too secretive and pretentious. "Why do you still not trust me?"
Sui Yu denied, "Don't accuse me, when did I stop trusting you?"
"I never knew you were trying to help the camp prostitute escape. Aren't you afraid I'd stop you?"
Sui Yu was silent for a moment, then argued, "I didn't stop you from reading the bamboo slips I brought from Dunhuang. It was you who didn't read them."
Zhao Xiping stared at her with a dark look in his eyes.
Sui Yu felt guilty, and she tried to squeeze into his arms, but he wouldn't let her and pushed her away.
"Speak nicely, I won't buy it."
Sui Yu gave him a secret look, are you kidding me?
"I didn't mean to hide it from you, but I didn't know how to say it. This idea came to me suddenly, and I didn't have a perfect plan. I just mentioned it a few words on the bamboo slips. You see, it was only after Your Majesty saw it and mentioned it that I explained the specific implementation method." Sui Yu explained, "I originally had some ideas in mind. If it succeeds, I will get what I want. If it doesn't, it doesn't matter."
Zhao Xiping didn't say whether he believed it or not, but said, "I remember that before you went on business, you were asking the caravan about the whereabouts of cotton. Did you have this plan at that time?"
Sui Yu lowered her eyes, and the next moment she felt a heavy pinch on her waist. She cried out in pain exaggeratedly, and the man beside her pillow looked even uglier.
"Ouch..." Sui Yu pushed him down rudely. She lay on his chest and complained, "If you strangle me to death, you will be left without a wife, and your son will be left without a mother. Strangle me to death."
"If you want to piss me off to death, forget it. Take your son and marry him to an honest man."
Sui Yu laughed. She cupped the man's face and kissed him. She rested her head on his neck and said, "If I don't marry you, no one can compare to you."
"You're full of lies. You've hidden everything from me. I can't stand your words." Zhao Xiping pushed her away. "Get off. Don't blame me. Let me be alone for a while."
Sui Yu didn't do what he wanted. She stood up and glared at him. Seeing that he was so angry that he closed his eyes and didn't look at her, she leaned over and kissed him little by little, moving slowly from his jaw to the corner of his eyes.
Zhao Xiping was like a stone. Even though he was about to be licked to pieces, he held on and ignored everyone, not asking any questions, and not even moving an inch.
"You have guts." Sui Yu praised him. She fell into his arms, looked at the roof and said, "I had this idea when I first went looking for cotton, but it's a fantasy to me, even more absurd than me saying 'the law is unfair'. I'm afraid you'll laugh at me for being stupid."
"Nonsense." The man opened his eyes and scolded her, "When did I ever laugh at you..."
After saying this, a guilty look emerged on his face, obviously thinking about how he had bullied Sui Yu when he first brought her home.
"Don't you feel ashamed to laugh at me?" Sui Yu teased him. Now that she had the upper hand, she turned the tables and said, "Do you still blame me for hiding it from you? Is this your fault?"
"When was that? Ten years ago, right? Don't you understand me? I risked my life on the battlefield for you, and you still don't trust me?" Zhao Xiping grew angrier as he thought about it. "Don't talk to me. I know you, but you just don't trust me."
It wasn't that she didn't believe it; it was that her obsession stemmed from her past life's experiences. Zhao Xiping had a good attitude towards slaves, but Sui Yu's compassion for them was unusual in that dynasty. If she said everything she did was to free the slaves, to prove the law was unfair, she herself felt hypocritical. She was in business to make money for herself and her family, and the search for cotton seeds was just a side job. If she could find them, she would be willing to make some plans, but if not, she wouldn't force it.
"Are you asleep?" Zhao Xiping asked, "Why aren't you talking?"
"I don't want to talk about it." Sui Yu kicked him. "It's all your fault. It's all your fault for not wanting to take me home. I was so embarrassed in front of you. I rushed to be your wife, which was so shameless. I get angry every time I think about it later, but you're not wrong. I can't blame you. I can only make you look at me with new eyes and prove to you that I was rash when I said the law was unfair, but I wasn't stupid."
Zhao Xiping was silent. What was the root cause? Was it him?
Sui Yu leaned close to his ear and whispered, "You see, the law can be shaken by interests."
Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside the door, and then there was a knock on the wooden door: "Master, someone is coming from the palace. His Majesty has sent some more rewards to the young master."
Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping were puzzled, but then they realized that the boy's request for reward must have reached His Majesty's ears when he left the palace.
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