Chapter 70: First Release Then you are really blessed...
When Zhao Changning turned around and saw the person coming, his eyes suddenly shrank like needles and his expression was uncomfortable for a moment, but he quickly recovered.
She stood still, already exhausted and weak, and now under the sun, she felt her heavy clothes soaked with sweat.
The visitor had a bright smile, dressed in a crimson official robe embroidered with peacock patches on the front and back. His face was filled with surprise and curiosity. "Is it really you? Miss Changning, why are you in Hangzhou? Aren't you in the palace?"
He looked at the official robes on Zhao Changning, and the shock in his eyes was beyond words.
Zhao Changning's heart shuddered slightly, and he avoided his gaze for a moment, smiling faintly as he said, "Mr. Qiao, it's been a while since we last met."
"Isn't it?" Young Master Qiao was very happy. "I haven't seen my brother since he married Xiao Ning. I wonder if they don't know you're coming to Hangzhou? I have to tell them. They'll definitely be happy."
"Really? They're also in Hangzhou?" Zhao Changning said with a hint of sarcasm, "Perhaps Sister Xiaoning no longer wants to have any contact with her old friends in the palace. Master Qiao, please don't bother her."
Young Master Qiao's eyes flickered, and he evaded the topic by asking, "Why are you wearing official uniform? Could it be that the Imperial Clerk mentioned in the palace newspapers is really you?"
Zhao Changning curled his lips and straightened his back, "That's probably it."
She saw that her old friend was the same as before, with the same smile on his handsome face, seemingly unchanged. Her mind was moved by the past, and when she thought of her current appearance, the hustle and bustle, and the blood on her hands, she didn't want to say more.
"I'm here to attend to a troublesome matter, so I won't reminisce with you, Mr. Qiao. Goodbye."
"Hey, Changning..."
Without waiting for Master Qiao to speak, Zhao Changning hurriedly entered the Ministry of Civil Affairs with Yunsheng and Anyi, not even daring to turn his head.
After entering the room, she suddenly stopped and said in a hoarse voice, "Yunsheng, do I look very embarrassed now?"
Yunsheng looked at his aunt's slightly pale face and bloodless lips. Because he had been vomiting all the way on the boat, his aunt had become even thinner. Now she was sweating profusely, and her forehead was slightly wet. She looked indeed a little disheveled.
He was thoughtful and shook his head instinctively, "Aunt, you are not embarrassed at all."
After Zhao Changning stood firm, he straightened his clothes and his hair that was messed up by the wind, and looked at Anyi.
Anyi nodded immediately. "Aunt, we've been in a hurry on this journey, riding in a boat and then in a bumpy carriage. It's normal to be a little disheveled. I'm sure the Minister of State won't mind. Once this is settled, you can take good care of yourself for a few days and you'll recover."
Zhao Changning was silent for a moment, a bitter look in his eyes. He sneered and muttered, "Yes, but it's so embarrassing right now."
Her straight back bent slightly, and she walked forward with her head down in silence.
Led by the clerk, the three of them waited in the hall for only a short while, like a cup of tea, before they heard someone walking towards them with heavy footsteps.
Zhao Changning quickly stood up. Her official position was much lower, and this person was willing to see her, it must be Mingxuan who mentioned it.
"Female Scrivener?" Zhou Mi strode into the hall and looked her up and down. "Are you the Imperial Female Scrivener Zhao Changning that Brother Ming mentioned?"
Zhao Changning saw that he had a square face, thick eyebrows and big eyes. He should be in his thirties, with a solemn expression and looked very upright.
"Changning pays his respects to the Governor."
Zhou Mi waved his hand and sat at the head of the table with a majestic look. "Brother Ming told me something. We brothers should be grateful to you."
Zhao Changning never thought that she was just a small variable back then, but she could have such an impact today. It was really strange.
"Your Excellency, the Governor, is too serious. This is what Changning should do."
Zhou Mi asked Zhao Changning to sit down and had new tea served.
He was very direct and didn't hold back. "Although you and Brother Ming have a history, and you are following the emperor's orders, the warship is a serious matter, and I cannot be partial. Even if I can give it to you, I have to wait until you get the emperor's order. Otherwise, I dare not give it to you."
Zhao Changning expressed her understanding, but she became a little excited after hearing a sentence, "Does the lord really have a boat?"
Zhou Mi nodded. "Speaking of which, this ship was captured by Mingxuan. He was quite skilled in the fight against the Japanese pirates back then. But now that the Japanese threat has subsided, warships are no longer as useful. This ship hasn't been incorporated into the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War for a while. Nv Shu Ling, you need to hurry."
There was something meaningful in his eyes.
Zhao Changning understood that this was a reminder for her to act faster. It seemed that many people in the court were also working hard.
She smiled and said, "Did Lord Ming greet you?"
"That's right, but he has experienced a lot in his childhood, and his mind is complicated. I think he obviously wants to help you, but for some reason, he is unwilling to speak up." Zhou Mi pointed outside and suddenly laughed, looking quite helpless.
"He's actually here, but he doesn't want me to tell you. Nv Shu Ling, is there any misunderstanding between you? Mingxuan is an honest and selfless person, but he has only one bad point: he always keeps things to himself."
Zhao Changning was silent after hearing this.
She hadn't expected Mingxuan to come to Hangzhou in person. If he stopped teaching, how would he support his sister?
However, these were not her concerns.
It would be great to have a boat, and it would be even better if the boat had nothing to do with the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of War. Before coming to Hangzhou, she had already submitted a memorial to the emperor, hoping for a good result so that she could return to Jiangxi with the boat as soon as possible.
"Thank you, sir, Changning. I have gained a lot from coming here today. I am very grateful."
Zhou Mi smiled and said, "Now that you're here, doesn't the Scrivener want to meet Mingxuan?"
Zhao Changning was surprised and said, "Didn't Lord Ming tell you not to tell me? If I see you now, won't I let you out too? Lord Zhou is a dignified governor, so he can't go back on his word."
Zhou Mi looked at her slender back as she left, smiled and shook his head, then shouted outside, "Alright, come in."
Mingxuan came in dressed in plain clothes, with bright eyebrows and eyes, and an upright posture.
"You and her are very similar in one way." Zhou Mi commented affirmatively, "You're both very stubborn and won't give up until you get what you want."
Mingxuan smiled bitterly, "You don't understand her. She's extremely cautious and can't be easily trusted. She's tough on both her words and her heart. Otherwise, how could a woman like her rise to power in the imperial court, dealing with so many men like her? Brother Zhou, don't underestimate her, or you'll get hurt."
Zhou Mi sneered nonchalantly and said sarcastically, "Then you are truly blessed."
He said this very deliberately, especially the word "blessed".
Mingxuan didn't care. He just looked in the direction she left, sighed, and there was worry in his eyes.
"How come you've lost so much weight?"
After Zhao Changning returned to the post station from the Ministry of Civil Affairs, she developed a high fever. This time she suffered so much that she never wanted to take a boat again.
Yunsheng cried worriedly, "Aunt, Lord Ming is also in Hangzhou. Why don't I go find him? He is the former governor of Hangzhou, so he should be more informed than us."
Zhao Changning's cheeks flushed abnormally, his eyes were watery, and he shook his head almost imperceptibly.
"If he doesn't want to show up, that's fine. He's already helped me a lot this time, and it would be bad to trouble him again. News will come."
Yunsheng puffed his lips and wiped his tears, "Aunt, I'm afraid those oral decrees will be delayed again. We can't afford to waste time."
Zhao Changning panted a few times, his voice gradually becoming deeper, as if he was about to fall asleep. "That's fate..."
She murmured, "It's fate..."
The fact that the female secretary was ill was no secret. The Qiao family was the first to send people to visit her, but when they didn't see her, the matter was reported to the provincial government.
It's already the end of June, and Hangzhou is so hot that cicadas are chirping and frogs are croaking. It seems that this summer will not be easy.
Zhou Mi looked at Mingxuan in front of him with sweat on his forehead and said with a headache: "Mingxuan, I am just a small governor who is restricted everywhere. I am not a big shot. Don't go too far."
Mingxuan's face was stern, and he said loudly, "You clearly have the power to dispose of that ship, so why don't you give it to her? Besides, you know very well that what she did was by no means a bad thing. The court is currently plagued by corruption, emptying the treasury and leaving the people destitute. Raising money from outside is much better than creating chaos within."
"Yes, you are right, and your idea is good, but have you ever thought about why it is so difficult for her to get that ship?"
Zhou Mi said angrily, "You took a risky move last time. If it weren't for Zhao Changning, I would have suffered the same fate as you. Mingxuan, I'm different from you. I have a family and a career, and I can't act recklessly anymore. You should stay out of this matter. This woman is so audacious that she wants to participate in politics. You will be implicated by her."
Mingxuan was stunned for a moment, but he finally softened and said, "I'm sorry, I was too anxious."
Zhou Mi sighed and patted his shoulder.
"The imperial court is not something a woman like her can handle. Those corrupt officials have joined forces to fight against them, and no one can shake them. This is the result of years of accumulated problems in Dayong, not formed in a day. One move can affect the entire body. Even the emperor is being checked and balanced by this. Let alone others, even the current Prime Minister Gao Yun, we have found many tricks, but what's the use? Seeing that the old ministers of two dynasties are entitled to be enshrined in the Taimiao, who can shake the Prime Minister who has so many disciples everywhere? You should also persuade her that there is nothing wrong with going with the flow. She has affected the interests of too many people, and sooner or later, something will happen..."
Mingxuan turned and left, obviously not wanting to listen any further.
Zhou Mi was so furious that he almost jumped up and down. "What are you doing? Come back here. I said I can't give it to you, and that's it. Mingxuan, you bastard, I really misjudged you..."
Mingxuan suddenly stopped and looked at Zhou Mi from afar across the corridor in the fragrant scent of wisteria flowers, his eyes as firm as they had been back then.
He said, "What if she is the breakthrough point? You and I both know the current emperor's temperament. He never trusts anyone, but she did it, even becoming a fifth-rank imperial female secretary, receiving the emperor's order to do great things. Zhou Mi, we are already deeply trapped in the court, unable to escape from the rites, integrity, and relatives and friends. But she can mediate and counter the things we can't shake. Zhou Mi, we talked about our respective ideals at the beginning. What is the purpose of being an official? Have you forgotten?"
Zhou Mi looked at Mingxuan's back as he strode forward, feeling both angry and furious, but after calming down, he smiled bitterly.
How could he forget those enduring ideals and the fire in his heart?
Looking at the cloudless sky, he sighed deeply. When will the sky in the court be bright again?
The night is clear and dust-free, and the moonlight is like silver.
The scorching heat of the day finally dissipated, the evening breeze blew gently through the hall, accompanied by the sound of frogs croaking, and the cool summer night finally arrived comfortably.
Zhao Changning vaguely felt someone approaching, and a gust of cool breeze blew. She thought it was Yunsheng, but when she opened her eyes, she found it was Mingxuan, who was gently waving the fan in his hand.
"Lord Ming?" She suddenly became much more sober, revealing a pale and frail face, her black hair scattered like clouds, her eyes blurred and watery like a silver color, making her beautiful face look like a vampire spirit in the mountains.
Mingxuan pressed her shoulders through the tent to prevent her from moving. She looked so skinny, with many mosquito bites on her hands, and sweat all over her head.
He sighed, "Don't blame me, Yunsheng. I had to come here. Zhejiang is not like Yujing. There are too many mosquitoes, insects, rats and ants. If I don't sleep well, this illness will be even harder to recover."
Zhao Changning looked at the table weakly.
Mingxuan immediately understood, brought the teapot and fed her two bowls of water.
"Don't worry. If there's any news, I'll tell you right away. Just take good care of yourself, okay?"
Zhao Changning breathed a sigh of relief, nodded weakly, and fell asleep soon after.
"……elder brother……"
Mingxuan heard her mumbling and turning over, so he asked quietly, "What did you say?"
But Zhao Changning fell asleep again, very quietly and without moving.
He just stared at the quiet and beautiful face under the veiled lamp, unable to take his eyes away. She was intelligent, clever, steadfast, yet slippery and extremely difficult to grasp.
I felt it the first time I saw her.
He couldn't help but pursed his lips and smiled, without stopping the fan in his hand.
Zhao Changning slept very well that night.
When she woke up, it was already bright outside. Through the latticed window, she could see that it was another sunny day and the room was already a little hot.
The aroma of mugwort wafted through my nose, probably to kill mosquitoes and flies. Before, the postmaster had insisted that he would not burn it.
Zhao Changning stood up by holding the bedpost, pushed open the window, and saw wisps of green smoke rising from the yard. Some soil was pressed on the pile of wormwood, and the smoke kept rising.
Mingxuan was wearing shorts, holding a fan in one hand and a tea bowl in the other. He looked not like a scholar at all, let alone a top scholar.
When he looked up, he saw Zhao Changning with her black hair as smooth as satin and a white middle-length robe. The loquat tree was tall and majestic like a canopy, and its green branches and leaves stretched to the window. The beauty in the window was like a painting. He tried hard to look away.
"Don't get caught in the wind." Mingxuan felt that the inn was crowded and full of people, so he rushed upstairs in two steps and pulled Zhao Changning back. "You're feeling better now, so you need to be more careful."
Zhao Changning sat down obediently and smiled weakly.
Mingxuan shouted outside again, "Yunsheng, where's the meat porridge I cooked? Your aunt is awake."
"Hey, here they come." Yunsheng's footsteps came closer and closer, and a big painted face appeared. "Oh my god, the Xiang Niang here is really too big, she seems to have grown wings and is flying. Those big wings are so scary that my soul is about to fly away."
Zhao Changning was a little frightened when he heard what Xiang Niang said, and he looked around quickly.
Seeing her like this, Mingxuan couldn't help but laugh and said, "That's how it is in the posthouse. The postmaster also likes to be lazy. Why don't you stay at a big inn? The innkeepers there will get rid of insects in the summer, which will make it a little more comfortable."
Zhao Changning shook his head and said calmly, "The posthouse is safer."
Mingxuan didn't try to persuade her any further and handed over a bowl of fish porridge with juicy green onions, as well as a plate of finely chopped ham, a plate of eggplant with sesame oil, and a plate of boiled pumpkin vine tips.
"Are you hungry? Come and eat something. This Jinhua ham tastes good. Come and try it."
Zhao Changning stared at him blankly, his pale lips curved up, "Thank you so much this time."
Maybe it's because he has become much paler, a little more fragile, and no longer as distant and cold as before.
Mingxuan's expression suddenly became as if he had drunk a large bowl of cool ice drink. His handsome eyebrows stretched out, his peach blossom eyes glowed with a strange light, and his thin lips curled up.
"You are welcome."
He really put a lot of thought into saying these four words.
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The author has something to say: Lady Xiang is a mantis. I don’t know how many of them have been killed this summer. [Angry] [Angry]
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