Chapter 59: Kunning Palace issues a warning...
Logically speaking, finding a livelihood for someone shouldn't be something a three-year-old child should be concerned with. Asking the Eighth Prince or the government would be more reasonable than asking Fusu.
But who could blame them when Fusu acted so reliably?
He seemed to be able to miraculously find a solution no matter what situation he faced. Su Shi, though he was used to joking around with people, secretly admired him. Whenever he encountered a problem, the first name that came to mind was Fusu's.
But this time, Fusu did not immediately come up with a solution as Su Shi had imagined; instead, he pondered for a moment.
Su Shi anxiously peered over and asked, "What's wrong? Is it not okay?"
If even Zhao Xiaolang is helpless...
Fusu came to his senses and asked in bewilderment, "How could that be?"
"Even if I really can't think of a solution, I can ask my father."
Su Shi, upon realizing who this person's father was: "..."
After enjoying Su Shi's speechless expression, Fu Su said seriously, "By the way, Apu, I was just about to ask you, was finding a way to make a living Ayu's idea alone, or did all three of you think so?"
"Although living in this Great Xiangguo Temple, with Master Jingjue bringing me vegetarian meals every day, I don't have to worry about food and clothing every day. But it's fine for a day or two, but in the future... I should at least have a skill."
Fusu nodded: That's very true.
Many people become complacent after taking a break from their jobs. Yet Apu was able to think about the future. This awareness of potential dangers even in times of peace is truly worthy of someone as ruthless as him, who managed to escape the Liao palace smoothly and arrive safely in the Song Dynasty.
After saying this, Apu smiled sheepishly: "It's just that in the past, we just listened to others' orders and did our work without thinking too much. When it came to making our own decisions, we just wandered around like headless flies."
"Don't worry, since I'm the one who brought you all together, of course I'll take full responsibility," Fusu assured him.
"However, your identities are somewhat special, so you probably can't do jobs that require you to show your face in public."
This is why Fusu was hesitant just now.
Otherwise, he would have outsourced the sugar painting stall business. It was a sure-fire way to make money, and the stall was located in the alley outside Xiangguo Temple, so he didn't have to worry about them being bullied.
Brother Jingjue just told him about this. He said that some pilgrims, missing the sugar paintings so much that they fell ill, went to the abbot to ask when it could be opened again.
Alas, what a pity. We'll have to think of another way.
Fusu stood up, shook the snow-white Xuan paper in the air; the ink on the paper was already dry. "However, this map is of great importance, so I must return to the palace first to give it to the Emperor. Apu, wait for my good news."
Although Fusu was small in stature and occasionally appeared childish in his behavior (especially when he was playing around with Su Shi), no one would treat him as a real child. Apu, reassured, felt as if she had taken a pill to calm her nerves. She called over San Niang and A Yu, and together they bowed to Fusu.
Fusu tried to turn aside, but Su Shi pressed him down on the spot.
"You'd better just accept it!" he said with a grin. "Weren't you just lecturing us like that?"
Su Shi was referring to the old woman selling sawdust who insisted on giving him copper coins. Fusu used the same rhetoric to persuade them to accept the coins.
Fusu was speechless. He glared at the man, but still did as he was told.
It was getting late. Fusu calculated that if Miaowu didn't return to the palace soon, the emperor would worry, so he bid farewell to Su Shi and the others. However, before leaving, he had one more thing he was curious about and wanted to ask Apu.
"You said you were sold into slavery to a family? What kind of family was that? In Bianjing?"
He noticed that Apu spoke in a refined, literary style, occasionally throwing in an idiom or two. Given that the Liao Dynasty's overall cultural level was far inferior to that of the Song Dynasty, it was unlikely that a palace maid would be literate; she must have learned to read and write after arriving in the Song Dynasty. Could she perhaps come from a family of scholars and officials?
Apu pursed her lips nervously: she thought Fusu was still questioning her origins and was probing her before leaving.
In fact, Fusu was just curious.
“That family lives in Bianjing,” she said. “You can check. I have never told them anything about myself.”
She told the owner's name.
"Who?" Fusu almost thought he had misheard: "Say it again."
"Wang Anshi".
Apu said, "It's the male owner's name."
-
Silence reigned in the carriage on its way back to the palace.
Fusu was still in a daze, clearly not yet back to his senses. He had long been curious about this renowned minister—his notebook was filled with information. Things like the stubborn prime minister, Sima Guang's number one nemesis, the Green Sprouts Recruitment System, and even his dislike of bathing…
Who would have thought that this connection would actually lead to this?
Apu's words echoed in his ears.
"Lord Wang is upright and honest, but he is new to officialdom and may not be able to... I originally thought that after he was promoted a few ranks, I would tell him everything. He would definitely report to the court. I didn't expect to meet Your Highness Prince Cheng first."
Ah Pu didn't expect this, and neither did he.
Fusu hadn't decided what to do with Wang Anshi yet. Should he let him know that his maid was a palace maid from the Liao Kingdom, and that she possessed firsthand information about the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun?
He was deep in thought when a dark shadow suddenly loomed over him, and he nimbly dodged it. Looking again, he saw Miaowu's regretful expression: what a pity he hadn't been able to touch Su'er's fluffy head!
"Sister, what are you doing! We're in the sedan chair!"
It's easy to crash if you're not careful.
Miaowu said innocently, "I didn't mean to do anything. By the way, Su'er, I have something to ask you."
Fusu, still wary, asked, "What is it?"
"Have you thought about how to make a living for them? Otherwise, how about we bring them into the palace to be my maids?"
"What do you think, elder sister? Will the Emperor agree to your request?"
Miaowu immediately deflated: "I... I don't know. And they definitely wouldn't want to; they wouldn't even want to stay in the temple."
Fu Su's brow furrowed slightly: "Oh? You've already asked them?"
Miaowu shook his head: "It's just a feeling."
When San Niang mentioned the embroidery she secretly saved to sell, the dandelions A Yu secretly planted in the shade by the wall, and how A Pu had traveled from the Liao Palace to the Song Dynasty and seen so many mountains and rivers, San Niang's heart swayed at the mere thought of it. Even the journey back to the palace seemed dull and uninteresting.
And then there's the Dongjun I touched today, the delicious drink, the old woman I met by chance… So many things have happened that have washed away Miaowu's understanding.
She said earnestly, "Su'er, I'm not going to talk to you now. My mind is a complete mess right now, and I need to sort it all out."
Fusu was inexplicably gratified; his journey leading his men across the country had truly been worthwhile. "Keep it up, sister. Be sure to tell me when you've made up your mind. I'm waiting to hear it."
"Also, whatever you do, I will support you."
The journey back to the palace was drawing ever closer, and Miaowu visibly grew listless, even considering reserving Fusu's next day off. Fusu thought for a moment and decided not to use the day off; he would wait until he had decided how to arrange the livelihood of the three women before taking Miaowu out again.
—Days off are very precious!
He wanted to stay in his dorm and sleep soundly!
"Okay, then it's a date."
The two returned to the palace together. Miaowu went back to her residence first, while Fusu still had the newly printed map in his arms. Just as they were about to go to Funing Palace, they were stopped by someone.
"Your Highness, please stop for a moment."
Fusu recognized her; she was a palace maid serving Empress Cao.
"Is something the matter?"
The palace maid said with a smile, "Your Highness, the Empress asked me to convey a message to you: 'Last time you returned to the palace, you went straight to Funing Palace. I wonder if today, the tables have turned and it's Kunning Palace's turn?'"
Fusu: "..."
Fusu: "…………"
Help! The smell of vinegar is so strong!
He immediately said, "I'm on my way to Kunning Palace."
The map is currently lying in my arms; I can hand it over to the Emperor whenever I want. More importantly, Empress Cao is about to get angry! That's right, last time I returned to the palace in a daze, I didn't even get to see the Empress before leaving. She probably only found out I'd been back later.
How could Empress Cao not be angry?
The palace maid's smile remained unchanged, as if nothing had happened: "What a coincidence! Let's go then. Her Highness has instructed me to prepare a sedan chair for you."
Fusu awkwardly boarded the sedan chair. From a distance, he could see through the curtain that Kunning Palace was brightly lit, with probably no fewer than a hundred candles burning. Empress Cao was by no means a person of extravagance; it was self-evident who she was putting on this show for.
After getting out of the sedan chair, he saw someone sitting in the central hall in the distance. Fusu walked straight over, his eyes fixed on his toes.
"Your Majesty..."
"He's grown taller." Empress Cao touched Fusu's face and sighed, "Has he also lost weight? Let your mother take a closer look."
She gestured with her knuckles towards Fusu's arm, saying nothing, but her eyes filled with even deeper heartache. Fusu's heart also warmed, melting into the loving gaze of Empress Cao reflected in the myriad lights.
He called out again, "Your Majesty."
Empress Cao smiled and replied, "Yes."
Fusu suddenly felt at ease: Empress Cao could have complained about the poor conditions at the Imperial Academy and then used the opportunity to persuade him to return to the palace, but she didn't say a word. She was obviously very considerate of her son and knew that he would definitely not be willing, so she didn't want to put him in a difficult position.
"You've lost too much weight, I'll give you some extra nutrition later."
"Um."
"Stay in Kunning Palace tonight. Your bedchamber has been cleaned and is just as it was before."
"Okay, I'll listen to my mother."
"So, is there something urgent that made my son rush to the Funing Palace, skipping meals and not even coming to see his mother twice?"
"..."
Fusu was sweating profusely.
He stammered, "It's a matter of state, an urgent matter."
Empress Cao waved her hand: "That's enough, you may all leave."
"yes."
The palace maids filed out one after another. With the crowds gone, even the most magnificent palace instantly became quiet and deserted.
"Now we shouldn't have to worry about anything." Empress Cao asked the same question again: "So, what is it? Can't you tell your mother? If you really can't tell me, then I won't ask."
Fusu glanced at Empress Cao's face and asked, "Didn't you come here to interrogate me?"
Was it out of curiosity and concern that you asked him?
Empress Cao: "What does Su'er think?"
Fusu avoided the question and answered the initial one: "The first time was when there was an emergency at the Imperial Academy, and I had no choice but to ask the Emperor for help."
Bar?
The first time was, after all, dishonorable, so he spoke briefly. But this time he could elaborate. Fusu carefully took out the map from his bosom, unfolded it, and placed it before Empress Cao: "Mother, look, what is this?"
Empress Cao took a closer look, and her eyes narrowed quickly.
She even stood up: "Map? How did you get this?"
Fusu: "...?"
He should be the one asking the question, shouldn't he?
Logically speaking, ordinary people are not qualified to access maps, let alone know what they look like. Only a select few in the entire country are qualified to see them; it is a top-secret matter. Even though Empress Cao came from a military family and was the mother of the nation, she was not among those qualified.
But she recognized it at a glance as a map.
Fusu was filled with questions, but Empress Cao acted even faster. Her gaze became ethereal yet sharp: "Su'er, your map depicts sixteen prefectures. Do you intend to reclaim those sixteen prefectures?"
Fusu: "???"
He exclaimed, "Your Majesty, how did you know?"
I clearly didn't tell anyone.
Empress Cao had already stood up: "Come with me to a place."
What could Fusu say? He could only obediently follow. While inwardly wondering if it was truly a case of "no one knows a son better than his mother," he also pondered why Empress Cao was so adept at recognizing maps.
Empress Cao led Fusu through a maze of turns to her bedchamber. She opened a drawer and pulled out a roll of Xuan paper: "This was painted when I was studying in my maiden home, and it has been hidden from the light of day for a long time. Since you have the ambition to recover the lost territories, today, I will give it to you."
Fusu took it and opened it to take a look.
As he expected, it was a large map.
"Did you draw this yourself, Mother?" Fusu asked.
"Yes, it was drawn by your mother when she was young and didn't know any better. It might not be accurate, but it was just to keep a memento."
No, it's very accurate.
It's frighteningly accurate.
The map shows not only the Song Dynasty, but also the Liao Dynasty, Western Xia, Dali, Jiaozhi, Champa, Japan... almost every country recorded by the Court of State Ceremonial appears on the map.
How could a daughter of a military family, a future empress, privately draw maps based solely on her husband's dictation, and depict the entire country so comprehensively? What was her purpose?
Fusu suddenly understood.
Why does the atmosphere in Kunning Palace quietly turn cold whenever the emperor mentions peace negotiations with Liao and Western Xia?
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