4 Encounter
◎The dream surged into my mind, just like the movements of the person on the couch.◎
The sky brightened.
A set of blue official uniform was folded on the edge of the couch, with a piece of cloth for binding the chest on top.
Gu Ningxi stepped barefoot on the ground, which lacked the elaborate and ornate silk carpets of her dreams. A cool breeze brought her back to consciousness.
She looked at herself in the mirror. Her black hair was hanging down and her jade-white nightgown was tied neatly.
The woman in the dream was undoubtedly her. As for the person on the body...
Gu Ningxi has finished sorting out the official documents that need to be sent to the Eastern Palace at 9:00 today. As she also serves as the Prince's Assistant, she has to go to the Eastern Palace to work two or three days every ten days.
The weather had been fine for the past few days. In front of the East Palace study, Chief Steward Yao An said with a smile, "Your Highness is busy with government affairs. Sir Gu, please go in and wait for a while."
Gu Ningxi took the official document from the attendant and nodded in agreement.
Entering the study, she followed the proper etiquette and said, "I pay my respects to Your Highness. May Your Highness live long and well."
Although Crown Prince Lu Heng did not raise his head, his tone was gentle: "Yuan Le is here, please sit down first."
"Yes, thank you, Your Highness."
Gu Ningxi had been here many times and was not as reserved as before.
The current Crown Prince, Lu Heng, is the eldest son of His Majesty and Empress Yao. He possesses both civil and military skills, earning him the high regard of his father and emperor. He has served in the imperial court for many years, achieving nearly flawless success and earning unanimous praise from court officials. He was undoubtedly the impeccable Crown Prince of the Jin Dynasty.
Although he was a brilliant official, the crown prince had always been guarding the status quo in the capital. His composure was usually praised by others, but now, especially in front of King Zhao, who had returned to the court with great military achievements, it seemed a little lacking.
As the legitimate son of the Empress, some people say that His Royal Highness Prince Zhao lost out on the position of Crown Prince because of his seniority.
But some people also said that although His Royal Highness Prince Zhao came from a distinguished family, his biological mother, Empress Zhen, died young, and now it is Empress Yao who is in charge of the harem and the mother of the country.
A prince who has lost his biological mother always suffers some losses in the harem.
Furthermore, Empress Yao and Your Majesty were married in their youth, and have shared a deep affection for each other for many years. Empress Yao had two sons: the eldest, crowned Crown Prince, and the second, Lu Chen, the sixth, crowned Prince of Huai. Needless to say, the Crown Prince and Prince of Huai share the same mother and are closely related.
What Gu Ningxi reported today was not a major matter and there were no mistakes or omissions. After Lu Heng reviewed it, he handed it over to his subordinates to implement.
He said, "You look pale, are you unwell?"
Gu Ningxi hurriedly said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I'm fine, I just slept a little late last night."
Lu Heng nodded and said, "Tomorrow is a day off. If you don't have any other business today, you can go home early and rest."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Just then, the steward of the Eastern Palace came to report on the arrangements for the banquet, and Gu Ningxi took the opportunity to take his leave.
The young eunuch led her out of the palace. Everyone in the Eastern Palace was doing their job, everything in perfect order. Upon Prince Zhao's triumphant return, His Majesty hosted a welcoming banquet in Taiji Hall, and as the elder brother, the Crown Prince couldn't afford to neglect the proper etiquette. Regardless of his feelings, this small banquet in the Eastern Palace on February 19th was all about brotherly love and respect, showcasing the magnanimity of the crown prince.
Although there were not many court officials attending the banquet, Gu Ningxi, as the Prince's Assistant, naturally had to attend.
She sighed. It had been three years since they last met, and things had changed. Now serving under the Eastern Palace, she didn't know what to say to him upon their long-awaited reunion.
Now, with those difficult dreams added to the list, she really didn't want to meet King Zhao any more.
…
It was rainy on the day off, so officials naturally stayed away from their homes unless necessary.
Around 9:00 a.m., the long-awaited guest finally arrived at the elegant room on the third floor of Wangyun Teahouse. This elegant room occupied a full half floor, and from the windows one could take in the bustling street scene.
This teahouse is one of the private properties under the name of King Zhao and has always been managed by someone specially assigned to the palace.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects to you."
Wei Fan bowed deeply to several colleagues, his tone full of excitement.
When His Highness was banished from the capital, all of his former subordinates who remained in the capital, led by Wei Fan, went into hiding.
Wei Fan maintained a neutral stance on the surface, but the Eastern Palace had repeatedly tried to recruit him over the years. When this failed, they sometimes suppressed him. He took no notice, using a combination of kindness and force, a tactic the Crown Prince often employed to control his subordinates.
"Everyone, get up."
The main seat had long been reserved for His Royal Highness Prince Zhao, and all those present today were Prince Zhao's trusted confidants in the capital.
Xie Qian followed behind His Highness and took the first seat at the lower right. He had met Wei Fan and the others before. Although they had known each other's identities for a long time, this was their first formal meeting.
Of the three generals of the Black Armor Army, only he followed His Highness back to the capital, while the other two were to clean up the battlefields in Henan and Hebei respectively, to prevent incompetent people with ulterior motives from dividing up the spoils of war.
The atmosphere in the elegant house was full of joy, even Wei Fan, who was not good at drinking, drank two or three cups of wine.
He smiled and said, "I thought the war would drag on for years, but I never imagined Your Highness would wipe out both Zheng and Xia in one fell swoop. When the news of victory reached the court, His Majesty said 'good' three times in a row, and then immediately issued an edict to inform the ancestral temple."
The scene in the court was still fresh in everyone's memory. Another person said, "But the expressions of some people are not good no matter how hard they try to hide it."
Xie Qian listened to every word and felt very happy.
Lu Jing played with the wine cup in his hand. This jar of Puzhou tribute wine was indeed quite famous.
Over drinks and conversation, Xie Qian quickly became acquainted with his colleagues. He held his liquor well, and with a shrewd smile, he said, "These battles have certainly been spectacular, but I've suffered a lot following His Highness."
Before a battle, His Royal Highness Prince Zhao always personally scouted the terrain, no matter how much he tried to dissuade him. He followed His Royal Highness deep into enemy territory, often being surrounded and intercepted by the enemy, but then fighting his way out.
He had been submitting to King Zhao for three years. His Highness trusted him and entrusted him with important tasks. He had been with His Highness through thick and thin.
Secret guards stood guard outside the door; today's gathering was naturally not just for celebration. Wei Fan had compiled a summary of the important events that had occurred in Kyoto in recent years for His Royal Highness Prince Zhao to review at any time.
In the afternoon, the clouds disappeared and the rain stopped, and the wind blowing in our faces was particularly refreshing.
"Who is that?"
The private room was still bustling, but as soon as Prince Zhao spoke, everyone suddenly turned their attention.
Xie Qian had excellent eyesight. He followed the line of sight of His Royal Highness Prince Zhao and soon saw a green figure in the crowd.
The sixth-rank official of the Ministry of Works, Gu Ningxi.
Although Xie Qian had only met him once, it was hard not to be impressed by Mr. Gu's character and appearance.
Pedestrians hurried to and fro on the street, but he walked among them, umbrella folded, calm and composed. Looking out from the railing, one inexplicably felt as if he were appreciating a painting.
However, the prince was asking about a man beside Gu Ningxi. Xie Qian took a few glances and vaguely guessed that he was also a soldier.
Wei Fan said, "Your Highness, that is Lord Gu's mother's cousin, the fifth-rank Ningyuan General Meng Ting, and also General Sun's favorite disciple."
He briefly recounted the story of the relationship between the Gu and Meng families. Mrs. Meng's family was not prominent, but General Meng, after making military achievements, supported the Meng family and built a mansion.
Kyoto is full of powerful people, and famous generals emerge in troubled times. The fact that this young general from the Meng family can show his talent shows that he has some ability.
Wei Fan said, "When Your Highness was besieging Luoyang, the Southern Liang nobles were in rebellion. Our main forces were stationed in the Central Plains, and we had to reserve troops to guard against the Turkic invasion from the north. I heard that General Meng led a special force deep behind enemy lines, and together with the main general, they suppressed the rebellion in three days."
General Sun praised him highly and even personally asked the empress for a title for him.
Wei Fan smiled and said, "Of course, his military achievements cannot be compared with your Highness's."
This is not a flattery, but more like an exclamation.
Xie Qian smiled brightly: "Whose military achievements are worthy of showing off in front of His Highness?"
Everyone in the private room laughed and the atmosphere was relaxed.
Wei Fan said, "Mr. Gu has been very close to General Meng in the past two years. I wonder if General Meng has already joined the Eastern Palace."
Lu Jing didn't comment, but watched the two of them walk into the restaurant across the street together, their familiarity evident in their conversation.
He drank the wine in the glass and suppressed the inexplicable unhappiness in his heart.
…
It was a rare day off, and Gu Ningxi had some important matters to discuss with his cousin.
Now that the country has finally settled, the court and the people can rest and recuperate. Chang'an is the capital of the Jin Dynasty, and land prices are bound to rise steadily in the future. Now is the best time to buy a house or land.
The Meng family had only moved to Beijing for two years and their financial resources were limited. It would be difficult for them to buy a house or land in addition to the house they currently lived in.
Although Gu Ningxi was born into a marquisate, all his food, clothing, and expenses came from the public treasury, but he still didn't have enough money to spend. Fortunately, he had been an official in the court for many years and had been able to save some salary.
However, no matter how much they saved, they probably couldn't keep up with the fluctuations in land prices. Gu Ningxi had already discussed with his cousin that if their salaries could be combined, purchasing a house would be much easier. Meng Ting thought this made sense, and as for the elders of the two families, they tacitly agreed to keep it a secret, so that they wouldn't have to be even more frugal.
My grandmother and aunt had suffered for most of their lives, so of course they had to live comfortably in Kyoto. As for my mother, Gu Ningxi sighed. Life in a large mansion was never easy. My mother had no power over the household, and she didn't have a generous dowry. If the monthly allowance wasn't properly managed, the servants inside and outside Qinlan Courtyard would become even more lazy.
The two of them selected several streets and alleys, agreeing to first look at the houses on their own. Meng Ting handed the bank voucher to Gu Ningxi and instructed, "If I'm not in the capital and there's a suitable house, you can make the decision yourself."
Gu Ningxi took it and nodded: "Okay."
Meng Ting had to rush to Xishan Barracks to change guard tomorrow, so he went back early to pack his boxes.
Gu Ningxi smiled and said, "It won't rain tonight, I'll sit for a while."
"Okay."
Gu Ningxi watched her cousin leave. She really didn't want to go back to the Marquis' Mansion too early.
Initially, the Gu family, reluctant to prematurely intervene in the court, yet unwilling to relinquish their loyalty to the emperor, sent her to assist the Crown Prince as a token of their loyalty. This had already incurred the displeasure of the Eastern Palace, and once the Crown Prince secured his position as heir apparent, the Gu family hurriedly declared their allegiance to the Eastern Palace. This seemed like a prudent course of action, but Prince Zhao's return to the capital embroiled the entire Gu family in the turmoil of the succession struggle. Extricating themselves was a challenge, and they were forced to continue following the Crown Prince.
One can imagine the current atmosphere in the Gu family. If his mother was not still at home, Gu Ningxi would not want to go back often.
After sitting for half a day with a pot of tea, Gu Ningxi saw that a familiar snack stall had been set up on the street. He called the waiter, paid the money, and got up to leave.
Gu Ningxi had heard her reminisce about the thousand-layer pastry cakes sold on the street several times. When her mother first met her father, he had mentioned the flavors of his hometown to her, and he couldn't forget them.
After my mother came to Beijing, my father did take her there a few times to try it. The aroma of the pastry filled the streets, just like the beautiful memories, which often brought back memories.
Even though his father had forgotten such trivial things, his mother still missed the taste of the pastry. So when Gu Ningxi grew up, he would bring it back for his mother himself.
The puff pastry still tastes the same. Since my mother likes it, why should I wait for anyone else?
…
Authentic thousand-layer pastry is crispy but not brittle, fragrant and delicious. It must be freshly fried to be delicious.
The stall owner remembered this old customer and happily continued to fry the pancakes.
Gu Ningxi waited beside him, looking patient.
The sun sets in the west and the sunset glows brilliantly.
She took the oil-paper package and went to look for her carriage, but found that it was no longer there.
She looked around and saw that it was King Zhao who was traveling, so people kept out of the way.
Gu Ningxi took a few steps back, first catching sight of a corner of a dark blue brocade robe with cloud patterns out of the corner of his eye. Then, when his eyes leveled with hers, he saw a pair of bony hands grasping the reins.
The dream surged into her mind, just like the movements of the person on the couch. The curtains hung low across the dimly lit bed, and there were also hands gripping her waist, pushing and stroking as they pleased.
In broad daylight, Gu Ningxi felt a heat behind her ears. She pursed her lips tightly, trying hard not to think about these inappropriate things.
"Hmm?" Lu Jingru pulled the reins as if he had sensed something, and looked back in the direction of her gaze, with a hint of inquiry in his eyes.
He looked down at her.
【Author’s words】
The hero doesn't know the heroine's identity yet, so sometimes "she" is used for convenience.
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