Chapter 88 What happened?
The aroma of tea wafted through the air in the private room of Tianxiang Tower. The finest silver charcoal burned in the room, making only a slight crackling sound. Chen Yujiao sat by the window and pushed it open a crack. The cool air that rushed in made her feel much more awake.
To be fair, if it weren't for Consort Rong's illness, she would never have come out to see Jiang Yu.
Officially, she was the Crown Princess and a political enemy of Prince Huan's household; privately, after gaining a more comprehensive understanding of the past, she feared that she would unconsciously sympathize with Jiang Yu if she saw him again.
Shen Yujiao is not Shen Yujiao, so it was unfair to Jiang Yu for her to meet with him.
The steam from the teacup met the cold air, forming wisps of mist on Shen Yujiao's eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered slightly, and soon they became damp.
"Ah Jiao".
The door to the private room was pushed open, and the person who entered was dressed in a dark blue brocade robe. His breathing was slightly unsteady, and his chest rose and fell slightly, indicating that he had run all the way here. When she met his sincere and worried eyes, Shen Yujiao unconsciously lowered her head, and she gripped the teacup in her hand even tighter.
"Please sit down."
"Okay," Jiang Yu was somewhat flattered as this was the first time Shen Yujiao had spoken to him so calmly since arriving in Beijing. But as soon as he sat down, the light in his eyes dimmed a bit. "Do you prefer Lushan Yunwu tea now?"
He had no idea that Ah Jiao had changed her tastes.
"Hmm, perhaps it's because I'm getting older, my tastes have changed a bit. What would you like to drink today? I'll have Mulan prepare it for you."
"Then let's have a cup of Lushan Yunwu tea."
Upon hearing his reply, Shen Yujiao showed no emotional fluctuation. She turned her head and instructed Mu Jin to brew Huan Wang a cup of the same tea as hers, before turning back to face Jiang Yu.
Mu Jin's tea-brewing skills are now considered to be superb. The sound of flowing water and teaware gently clattered in the private room before a cup of fragrant Lushan Yunwu tea was placed in front of Jiang Yu.
"Please have some, Your Highness."
After serving the tea, Mu Jin left the private room, leaving the small space for the two of them to talk.
In an instant, the room was filled with silence, with only the aroma of tea flowing between the two. Jiang Yu raised his teacup, took a light sniff, and then brought it to his lips for a sip. The aroma of Lushan Yunwu tea was like that of a secluded orchid, and its taste was mellow and sweet, quite different from the misty, bean-scented flavor of West Lake Longjing tea.
People who don't drink tea often might not be able to taste the difference, but Jiang Yu only drinks West Lake Longjing tea every day. The best pre-Qingming tea each year is either for imperial tribute or sent to the Huan Prince's mansion. His taste buds have long been accustomed to the aroma of Longjing tea.
Suppressing the sense of loss in her heart, Jiang Yu asked softly, "You sent someone to find me today, is something wrong?"
“Yes,” Shen Yujiao lowered her eyes and head, avoiding those worried eyes. “I met with Your Highness today for two reasons. First, I wanted to thank Your Highness for finding a renowned doctor to help me when I was seriously ill. If it weren’t for Your Highness’s help, I might not have survived that time.”
Hearing Shen Yujiao mention her serious illness in person, Jiang Yu unconsciously tightened his grip on the teacup. Sitting in front of Shen Yujiao, he still felt a lingering fear: "How are you now?"
Jiang Yu wasn't surprised at all that Shen Yujiao had guessed he was the one secretly helping her; his question was full of worry.
"Thanks to Doctor Luqiu's help, I am now safe and sound."
"That's good..." Jiang Yu's furrowed brows slowly relaxed. "Finding a doctor for you is the least I can do, and you don't need to thank me specially."
"I still... should thank you..."
When Shen Yujiao faced Jiang Yu, she found it extremely difficult to utter the words that should have been spoken fluently. After much deliberation, Jiang Yu came to her rescue: "Do you have anything else to ask me today?"
“Yes,” Shen Yujiao finally looked up and looked directly at him, “Now that Consort Rong’s condition is critical, I would like to ask Your Highness if it is still possible to contact Doctor Lüqiu?”
Upon hearing that Shen Yujiao had come today for someone else, and specifically for this matter, Jiang Yu couldn't help but turn his head away and give a self-deprecating smile. When he spoke again, the expectation in his tone was gone: "Unable to contact her."
“Your Highness,” Shen Yujiao frowned, “No matter how much the court and the harem fight, Consort Rong should not lose her life for it. Besides, I am here today only for Yong’an. Your Highness also has a sister, so I think you can understand me to some extent.”
A bitter smile appeared on Jiang Yu's lips: "I can't understand you."
He never treated Yongjia as his sister, just as Consort Yao never treated him as her son. Their relationship was always one of mutual exploitation.
"Do you know what the price is for getting Doctor Lüqiu to come out of seclusion for a consultation?"
Seeing the sorrow in his eyes, Shen Yujiao's heart trembled. Then Jiang Yu shook his head helplessly: "Don't think about it. What happens to Consort Rong is none of my business. If you came here today only for this matter, then I will take my leave."
With that, Jiang Yu stood up and walked towards the door, his movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation. Watching his retreating figure, Shen Yujiao subconsciously called out to him, "Jiang Yu—"
After his heart pounded violently, Jiang Yu's mind went blank. He had thought that A Jiao would never call his name again in his life.
"Can you tell me why there's a consultation fee?"
"You..." he began, his voice strained, forcing a smile, "Don't ask..."
The door to the private room was quickly closed, leaving Shen Yujiao alone inside. She stared at the closed door, feeling a mix of indescribable emotions.
Doctor Luqiu's medical skills are superb, perhaps even surpassing those of ordinary doctors. Shen Yujiao knows her situation better than anyone. What did Jiang Yu offer in exchange to persuade Doctor Luqiu to come out of seclusion?
Throughout the journey, this question lingered in Shen Yujiao's mind. Huan Wang's reaction made it difficult for her not to care about this matter. She was very clear at this moment that, as Miss Shen, she probably owed Huan Wang a great favor.
"You're back?"
She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she was walking absentmindedly. Jiang Chen's voice sounded behind her, and Shen Yujiao realized that she had returned to the main courtyard of the East Palace.
“Yes,” Shen Yujiao turned and walked towards Jiang Chen, “I went to see Prince Huan today.”
Jiang Chen took Shen Yujiao's hand and noticed that it was a little cold. "Did something happen?"
Unlike her previous reaction, Shen Yujiao couldn't help but ask, "You don't mind if I go see him?"
"I did mind before, because I didn't know your feelings then. To be fair, Jiang Yu is an extremely outstanding young man, and I was afraid you would develop feelings for him. But now..."
Upon entering the inner room, Jiang Chen casually closed the door and said in a low voice, "I know Jiao Jiao only has me in her heart, so what am I worried about?"
Hearing him say that, Shen Yujiao smiled helplessly, but her heart was filled with even more sweetness. She was held in Jiang Chen's arms, and the two sat side by side. As soon as she sat down, she couldn't help but sigh. Then she told Jiang Chen about her meeting with Prince Huan that day.
After listening to what Shen Yujiao said, Jiang Chen comforted her, "You don't need to feel guilty. It's not that you owe him anything, it's that I owe him a favor."
Thinking of the news Zhu Yu had sent back during the day, Jiang Chen's eyes darkened. He had left the banquet to Prince Zhao and abandoned a group of high-ranking officials, assuming something had happened at Prince Huan's residence. It turned out that Prince Huan was only concerned about Jiao Jiao...
Seeing Jiang Chen lost in thought, Shen Yujiao wrapped her arms around his and asked softly, "What's wrong?"
"Nothing much, I just remembered that I have to deliver muskets to the emperor today."
"You finished it?"
"Almost there, we can start mass production, but if we want to use it on the battlefield, it still needs further improvement."
The musket barrel has finally come into existence, but whether this is good or bad for the Great Xia Dynasty remains to be seen.
Jiang Chen created the musket barrel because of his experience in the northern frontier. He knew very well that this was a weapon born for war. There were no grand words to it; this was the sharp blade that the Xia army would use on the battlefield in the future.
The Xia army is currently unable to become strong and powerful in the short term. The emperor has always held military power and is unwilling to make good use of military generals. As a result, the Xia army will inevitably be constrained on the battlefield. However, whether it is based on what He Zhiju said or after personally meeting General Qi, Jiang Chen felt that the military territory that the emperor wanted to gradually expand would never be achieved.
The Northern Barbarians are poised to strike, and it's uncertain when war will break out in the north. By then, it will be too late to select capable generals.
But he never expected that this day would come so soon.
Ten days after the muskets were presented to the emperor, an urgent report came from the northern frontier—the Northern Di army was marching south to formally attack the Great Xia. At this time, the snow had not yet melted, and the Xia army was weak while the enemy was strong and well-equipped. Liu Qin, the general guarding the northern frontier camp, was defending Baihe City to the death, but faced with the fierce attack of the Northern Di, the northern frontier garrison was afraid that it would not be able to hold out for more than a few days.
That afternoon, officials of the third rank and above, as well as officials from the Ministry of War, hurriedly entered the palace. The Crown Prince and several princes also arrived and began a court discussion on how to deal with the war in the northern frontier.
"Your Majesty, in my opinion, the Northern Barbarians are coming with great force this time. Such a battle situation requires a seasoned general. I recommend Commander Liu of the Palace Guard. Commander Liu is a veteran general who has fought on many battlefields. Although he has now retired from the front line, he has rich experience in leading troops and is the best choice."
Jiang Chen stood at the head of the crowd. Upon hearing this, he lowered his eyes. The Minister of War recommended the King of Thailand's father-in-law right off the bat. He made no attempt to hide it. It seemed that the banquets held at the King's Palace these past few days had indeed won the hearts of these military officers.
"Your Majesty, I believe that General Liu is indeed a good general, but the situation at the front is unclear. If the old general goes to the front and his strength fails, it will not be good. I think that Lord Qi has been stationed in the capital area for many years and is very good at training and commanding troops. Moreover, the Qi family is a family of generals. Your Majesty would like to send Lord Qi to the expedition."
The Qi official mentioned was the younger brother of Consort Qi. Jiang Chen saw that after he finished speaking, he immediately looked at the King of Thailand and sneered inwardly. It seemed that although the King of Thailand had the help of the Liu family, he did not want the Liu family to surpass the Qi family.
"Your Majesty, I recommend..."
Inside the main hall, voices from all sides and factions made recommendations. Jiang Chen stood in the crowd, silent and not uttering a word. He coldly watched as the hall resembled a bustling marketplace, with everyone vying for power and profit, each wanting to seize this opportunity to turn the tide for the Great Xia Dynasty and establish their reputation.
But no one considered that the border was in dire need of attention, and every hour they wasted here meant countless soldiers would shed their blood on the battlefield.
"Your Highness," the Emperor asked, seeing Jiang Chen standing there expressionless and silent for a long time, "what are your thoughts?"
Jiang Chen met the Emperor's eyes. The emperor and his son locked eyes. Jiang Chen could see the scrutiny in the Emperor's slightly cloudy eyes, and the Emperor saw for the first time a sharp determination in the Crown Prince's eyes.
"Your Majesty, I humbly request that you grant me permission to appoint a seasoned local general to lead the troops, with General He Zhiju of the Cloud Cavalry accompanying and escorting them. I am willing to personally lead the troops to the northern frontier to bolster the military might of our Great Xia."
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