Chapter 33
Zhuang Xing was at his wits' end. "You were just following orders, why is the young master punishing you?"
"Think quickly, could there be a mistake elsewhere?"
"Go apologize to the young master, so you won't get soaked in the rain."
Given Zhuang Xing's understanding of this matter, he wouldn't have thought of these things.
Mu Li rarely spoke much with him.
Seeing that Mu Li remained unmoved, Zhuang Xing continued to nag: "If you won't go, I'll go ask the young master why he punished you when you didn't do anything wrong?"
Mu Li sighed, looking at Zhuang Xing as if he were an idiot, and said, "If you dare to ask, then go ahead and ask."
Zhuang Xing glanced into the study, then chuckled, shrinking his neck, "I wouldn't dare."
"My master's mood has been unpredictable these past two days, so I'd better stay as far away as possible."
The next day, when Ning Shiyu went to the Prince of Qin's residence, he made sure his carriage took a detour via Qingyu Street.
We went to the place that Granny Yu had told us about.
Even Mu Li wasn't allowed to come along.
He walked to Fu'er's shop alone, but didn't go inside.
The shop was small, with only one employee serving customers.
When the two women asked when the pear blossom incense would be available.
Ning Shiyu strode inside.
As soon as he entered, his tall stature made the shop seem particularly crowded.
Most of the people who came to their shop to buy spices were ordinary women from the city.
Chen Qiao noticed that he was dressed in luxurious clothes from head to toe and had an imposing presence, making him seem nothing like a guest.
Just as I was about to ask, I saw him lift the curtain and enter the backyard.
The backyard was even smaller, barely big enough for a few people.
Chen Qiao hurriedly followed, "Sir, what can I do for you?"
Ning Shiyu stopped in front of the warehouse door and asked indifferently, "Are all the spices in the shop made by your manager himself?"
Seeing his cold demeanor, Chen Qiao knew she couldn't afford to offend him, so she answered truthfully, "Only the pear blossom incense was made by the shopkeeper himself."
"The rest are all imported goods."
Ning Shiyu remembered that Granny Yu taught Fu'er how to make many kinds of spices.
After learning it, she figured out the fragrance of pear blossoms on her own.
She rarely made other spices because the ingredients were expensive, but she had a particular fondness for the scent of pear blossoms.
I remember when she was showing off in front of him, she even said that she made it herself and that it wasn't stealing his recipe.
At the time, he took it as a joke.
Looking back now, opening the shop was something she had planned long ago.
Ning Shiyu glanced at the counter again and saw that the shop assistant wasn't lying. "Normally, only your manager makes incense. How can she manage?"
Chen Qiao was an honest man. Seeing that Ning Shiyu had only asked some unimportant questions and hadn't made things difficult for him, he smiled and said, "I'm just too busy. The shopkeeper said she'll buy as many as she makes."
"She doesn't want to be greedy; she doesn't want to ruin her brand."
A smile appeared on Ning Shiyu's usually cold face as she said softly, "That's just the kind of person she is."
Chen Qiao didn't hear clearly, "What did you say, guest?"
"You just mentioned that this pear blossom fragrance has a brand name, what's it called?"
Chen Qiao took a box from the shelf and handed it to Ning Shiyu, saying, "Sir, this is our brand."
The exquisite bamboo box was engraved with the words "Return Early".
Ning Shiyu's heart skipped a beat.
A poem about motherhood that he had taught Fu'er to recite flashed through his mind: "In the woods, wine drips, tears fall in vain; her earnest advice to return home early is nowhere to be seen."
At that time, Fu'er also said that if he missed his mother too much, he would name the incense for his mother "Early Return".
Ning Shiyu froze on the spot, his fingertips unconsciously curling up, and his eyes tightening.
It turns out that even though he didn't say it, Fu'er had always known about her protection of her mother's incense-making skills.
It is also another way of remembering his mother.
He remembers that when he was teaching this poem, he was only twelve years old and could not be as emotionally stable as he is now.
I couldn't help but feel sad and my eyes welled up with tears.
Fu'er was seven years old that year, and she also secretly wiped away her tears, and cautiously asked, "Young master, do you miss your mother?"
Ning Shiyu remained silent.
Fu'er then clung tightly to him, holding Ning Shiyu's hand, and said in a clear voice, "Young Master, don't cry. Fu'er will stay with you and think of Madam."
"Your wife will appear in your dreams tonight."
That night, he truly dreamt of his mother and father.
He himself couldn't remember how many lonely times he had had such a soft and gentle person by his side.
It seems like it will make a lot better.
When I was sick, she was always by my side, even though her purpose at the time was just to get a few pieces of pastry.
But her gentle inquiries could dispel the vexation in his heart and the coldness in the room.
When the teacher was instructing her, she would sit quietly on a low stool to the side, neither crying nor making a fuss.
When Ning Shiyu looks back, her bright, watery eyes form crescent moons.
She gave Ning Shiyu a sweet smile.
When her master taught Ning Shiyu martial arts and archery, she would follow him around like a little tail that he couldn't shake off.
If he doesn't take her along, she'll find out and ignore Ning Shiyu for days.
A piece or two of pastry won't appease her at all.
Unless it's cherry biscuits, which she loves.
She has been very well-behaved all these years.
It's unclear when exactly, but a rift slowly began to develop between the two.
Just as Ning Shiyu was lost in thought, Mu Li walked over in a panic.
He whispered, "My lord, the King of Qin has been assassinated."
One sentence completely pulled Ning Shiyu out of her memories, and she almost dropped the incense box in her hand.
After tossing a purse to the servant, the master and servant quickly boarded the carriage.
By the time Chen Qiao realized what was happening and walked out of the shop, the carriage had already disappeared.
The King of Qin was assassinated on his way back to his residence.
The dagger pierced straight into his chest.
When Ning Shiyu arrived, the King of Qin looked only slightly weaker than usual, with a white breast wrap around his chest.
The person was also very clear-headed.
Queen Wei and her three concubines were weeping in the King of Qin's bedroom.
The King of Qin was already annoyed, and when Ning Shiyu arrived, he took the opportunity to send the four of them away.
"Uncle, how are your injuries?"
Ning Shiyu rushed over, looking anxious.
When only the uncle and nephew were in the bedroom, the King of Qin immediately tore off his bodice, revealing his perfectly healthy chest.
Ning Shiyu was stunned. "Uncle, this..."
The King of Qin immediately sat up from his couch, put on his robes, and laughed, "Yu'er, didn't you say you needed to come up with a plan to not go to Lingnan to provide support?"
"What do you think of my plan?"
The war in Lingnan was in dire straits, and the garrison commanders were unable to withstand the Rong people, so they requested the imperial court's support.
The southern region has a harsh climate and is rife with miasma, making it impossible for generals who are not from the area to adapt to the environment.
One by one, the military generals in the court fell ill, and instead of providing support, they became a burden to General Liu.
With the city on the verge of collapse, no one dared to go to Lingnan again.
Some officials in the court even suggested that Lingnan should be ceded to the government.
Anyway, that place was considered a wild and undeveloped area of Western Chu.
Another group of people vehemently opposed the move, claiming that the territory of Western Chu should not be ceded, and then suggested that the King of Qin, who had been trained in Lingnan, should provide support.
The central government then dispatched another general to oversee the northwest.
While seemingly aimed at expanding the territory of Western Chu, the real purpose was to drive the King of Qin out of his northwestern base and strip him of his military power.
If the King of Qin had gone to Lingnan and then returned to the Northwest, there would be no place for him there.
However, if he does not fight this time, the court will question his loyalty to Western Chu.
This gave Cui Mingyou the opportunity to challenge the King of Qin.
This put the King of Qin in a difficult position.
When the news reached the court, the King of Qin and his advisors were furious, but there was nothing they could do.
Cui Mingyou now controls the government, and a crime has been pinned on him.
How could the King of Qin possibly withstand this?
Ning Shiyu's advice was that his uncle should not go to Lingnan, but he also should not refuse openly.
If the Cui family can use despicable means, so can they.
Unexpectedly, the King of Qin was planning a self-inflicted injury scheme.
Ning Shiyu smiled helplessly, "Uncle is brilliant, something I never expected."
The King of Qin had been assassinated more than once.
Since the northwest came under the control of the King of Qin, it has become a threat not only to the Cui family.
The princes of other counties also wanted to compete for this fertile land in the northwest.
"As long as my uncle stays in the Northwest, the Cui family sending people here is a last resort."
The King of Qin, being of royal blood, unlike Cui Mingxiu who prioritized his own desires, was concerned about the war in Lingnan.
Of course, he wouldn't stand idly by. Even before the court summoned him to lead troops to support Lingnan, he was already devising a plan.
His long-held idea was to have his eldest son lead troops to Lingnan to provide support.
Li Huijue followed his father in the army for many years and experienced many battles.
He was brave and skilled in battle, and had made many military achievements, earning him high prestige in the army.
However, he was too kind-hearted, not good at dealing with people, and his plans were unstable.
Even though he went alone to a complicated place like Lingnan, the King of Qin still dared not let go.
“Huijue and I have trained together in the military for many years. I have no worries about his martial skills and combat deployment.”
"The only problem is that he lacks composure in planning. General Liu is too rigid and inflexible in his actions."
“I really dare not let him go to Lingnan to take the risk.”
"Furthermore, since there is no imperial decree, I fear that Jue'er's departure would be illegitimate and improper."
Ning Shiyu had assisted his uncle for many years, and the tacit understanding between the two allowed Ning Shiyu to guess what his uncle was worried about.
"Uncle, would it be alright if Yu'er accompanied Cousin Huijue on this trip?"
The King of Qin's eyes lit up with excitement. "Of course, your uncle has every right to believe in your abilities."
“When my family was trapped in the fiefdom of Yunzhou, it was you who ran around everywhere to rescue us from our predicament.”
"Can……"
King Qin was naturally willing to have Ning Shiyu accompany him, and that was also his thought.
But privately, he hesitated.
His sister left him with only this one bloodline. If something were to happen to him, he would not be able to face his elder brother in the palace and his deceased sister and brother-in-law.
“You have done enough for your uncle, and he cannot keep pulling you into dangerous situations.”
“The climate in Lingnan is harsh; I’m afraid your health won’t be able to handle it.”
Ning Shiyu was well aware of these circumstances, and he said firmly, "Uncle, don't worry, Yu'er has already made preparations."
"The plum rain season in Lingnan this year started a month or two earlier than usual, and the drinking water was unclean. This should be the reason why the generals in the court fell seriously ill after going to Lingnan."
“These days I have prepared a large amount of medicinal materials, and I have also invited two doctors who have stayed in Lingnan for many years. They are willing to follow me back to Lingnan.”
The King of Qin said excitedly, "This method is excellent. In this way, Jue'er will have a legitimate reason to send medicinal herbs to Lingnan."
Ning Shiyu continued, "Judging from the reports sent back from Lingnan, General Liu probably won't be able to hold out for long. Once Lingnan City falls,..."
“Once the Rong people crossed the Dan River, they became difficult to drive away.”
The King of Qin was pleased to hear that he had made thorough preparations. "Yu'er, did you have plans to enter Lingnan from the very beginning?"
Even if the King of Qin was unwilling to send his son, Ning Shiyu was prepared to personally go to Lingnan to deliver the medicinal herbs.
"To be honest, Uncle, this is what Yu'er plans to do."
“When I was a child, my father mentioned that although the environment in Lingnan was harsh, there were ways to cope with it.”
“I have read his notes, which contain many coping strategies.”
Ning Shiyu's father joined the army in Lingnan when he was young.
Because his grandfather committed a crime, his family was exiled to Lingnan. General Ning saved the Ning family's fate with his superb martial arts skills and military achievements.
He only took over the Northwest Army after marrying Princess Zhaoyang.
"We must defend the territory of Western Chu. Yu'er is enjoying the royal gifts, and we cannot sit idly by and wait for her death."
"Please give the order, Uncle."
At such a critical juncture, the King of Qin naturally agreed after some deliberation.
Two days after agreeing, he permitted Ning Shiyu to travel to Lingnan with his eldest son.
Ning Shiyu returned to his residence to prepare. As soon as his carriage stopped in front of the Ning residence, he saw a woman who was six months pregnant waiting at the gate.
As soon as he stepped off the carriage, the woman slowly walked over, her eyes filled with anger as she looked at Ning Shiyu.
He sneered, "Young Master Ning, you seem quite carefree. Do you know that you caused Fu'er to miscarry?"
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