Chapter 122 An Unexpected Encounter in the Suburbs...
The scandal triggered by the corruption of officials in Yulin Prefecture over waterway fertilization... appears to have come to an end on the surface.
When the eldest prince fell from power, those who supported the third prince cheered. Even when attending court, they had to keep a straight face and not let their smug expressions attract attention.
As the Third Prince's study companion, Yu Zong had always been eligible to enter the palace. During this time, he personally witnessed how the First Prince became dejected and silent, eventually falling into complete silence. He also witnessed how the Third Prince's tone and mannerisms resembled those of the once gentle and refined First Prince.
Yu Zong was overjoyed, but he still remembered his father's words and kept a low profile. When he returned home that day, he saw a eunuch getting into a carriage and leaving, while the steward was exchanging warm greetings with him.
His frail old father had a complex expression, his face shifting between ease and heaviness. He was being supported as he stood at the door, staring blankly, looking somewhat unsteady.
"What's wrong?" Yu Zong asked hurriedly, his heart tightening.
"Your father..." the Minister of Rites began, his voice dry. Oh no, perhaps he should be called the former Minister of Rites from now on, "Your father is preparing to submit a petition to resign and return to my hometown to live out my remaining years."
"Was it the eunuch from the palace who just announced the decree? Father, why are you going back to our hometown? We didn't leave anyone there!" Yu Zong was flustered and confused.
Their hometown was a place they hadn't been back to for many years. Apart from some unfamiliar distant relatives, there were no familiar faces in their family there.
Is His Majesty trying to dampen the Third Prince's arrogance by punishing him? Or is His Majesty punishing Father to punish Senior Brother Shen, who caused the trouble? His Majesty's move is too ruthless; it strikes right at their core!
Yu Zong himself couldn't even support the main force. Without his father, what kind of Third Prince's faction was it? It was practically a disorganized mess!
Can't Father stay in the capital to retire? At least—at least I can give him some guidance in the future.
Caught off guard, Yu Zong was filled with confusion and extreme unease.
"Sigh..." The former Minister of Rites sighed wearily. "I've already sent your mother to the palace to pay her respects and tell your aunt about this, as a farewell. Zong'er, think about it again."
That's why he originally wanted to pass on his master's skills to Zhi'er. That kid, Zong'er, isn't very bright; he's suited for everything but officialdom and factional struggles. He'd be devoured without a trace.
Originally, the former Minister of Rites planned to drag his ailing body out for a while longer, but after Shen Shuzhi's incident, he knew that if he wanted to help the Third Prince get rid of the First Prince, a formidable enemy, the price would be to sacrifice this old man.
As long as he returns to his hometown far away... the Third Prince will be unable to manage a disorganized group, and at such a young age, he won't be preoccupied with factional struggles. Shen Shuzhi, as the leader of the Hedong faction, will also be spared from being implicated. These are all things His Majesty desires.
These past few days, the former Minister of Rites has been pondering what to do about Su'er.
Now that his last hope had vanished, he made up his mind and instructed, "Zhuang'er, after I leave, do not act impulsively. Do what the Third Prince tells you to do, and listen to and obey what your aunt says. She is the most intelligent and clever person in our family."
I just hope he can at least have a peaceful end.
Even if things go wrong, Sou'er still has a reputation for loyalty...
Yu Zong paused for a moment, recalling some past memories, and asked with difficulty, "Father, what if His Highness the Third Prince and Aunt's words contradict each other...?"
The former Minister of Rites gave his son a deep look, his lips moved slightly, but he swallowed his words, saying only, "...Use your own heart to discern. There is only one standard: it must never be a treasonous or crooked act. Do you understand?"
"Son understands." Yu Zong knew he was really stupid, and he answered earnestly with shame, repeating it to himself repeatedly.
A few days later, the Minister of Rites submitted a memorial requesting retirement, which was rejected by His Majesty.
After three attempts, the Minister of Rites, dragging his ailing body, shed tears in the court and tremblingly begged His Majesty to allow him to return to his hometown to live out his remaining years. This time, Emperor Hongren reluctantly granted his request. The two talked in the main hall for half an afternoon and had a meal before the minister was allowed to leave.
Thus, the former Minister of Rites departed in sorrow, and the former Prefect of Chang'an was transferred back to the capital to serve as the new Minister of Rites. He was promoted directly from the third rank to the second rank, enjoying a long and prosperous reign.
In an instant, the newly appointed Minister of Rites, who had not yet returned, became the hot topic of discussion. The attention of everyone in the capital quickly shifted, and when the current Minister of Rites left the capital by carriage, it was done so without a sound...
Chang'an.
The minor official who brought the good news on horseback had barely left when the news spread rapidly throughout the Chang'an Prefect's residence, creating quite a stir. Even the women working in the kitchen huddled together, their faces beaming as they discussed, "Our lord has been promoted…!" "Heh, he'll be going to the capital soon!"
"Is there something fishy going on here...? Our lord was appointed Minister of Rites right after he came up. Won't it be difficult for him to establish himself properly?" This was the concern of several retainers who were sitting and eating at the kitchen door, with some conspiracy theories in mind.
"Don't worry, our sir was originally a government official in the capital! He came from the Ministry of Rites. If it weren't for the urgency of things in Chang'an... he wouldn't have been sent here all these years." Master Xue, who was passing by, overheard this and revealed the secret with a smile.
Another young maid was eavesdropping at the door and relayed what she heard back to her older sisters. This caused a stir among the maids: "If our master returns to the capital... who will be left behind with such a large estate?"
The topic was also discussed at the kitchen doorway.
The two women looked enviously at a pale-faced, beardless man sitting not far away, with a young boy diligently massaging his back. "Ah, Eunuch Zhang is so lucky. He has a skill, so he won't be left behind." "Our master loves his taste!"
The man called Eunuch Zhang listened quietly the entire time, offering a modest smile without saying a word. Everyone knew he was taciturn, and he would change the subject after each exchange. No one noticed that Eunuch Zhang listened intently and quietly to every single word.
...
The fields were covered in a bountiful harvest, and the golden sunlight was so warm that it was almost suffocating.
Just looking at the scenery, the vast fields of grain and vegetables in Liuzhou are breathtaking. The bustling crowds and vibrant atmosphere rival those of larger county towns like Wuling.
Qi Chengming walked briskly along the road in the suburbs, carrying something in his hand. He had arranged to meet Hu Hong and the others at the foot of Xingjun Temple Mountain.
Yes, it's time for students to go home and rest again, and it's also time for Qi Chengming to call his friends and have some fun to relieve stress.
From afar, Qi Chengming could see two donkey carts and mule carts parked beside the teahouse at the foot of the mountain, or perhaps scholars and girls standing there. Those who had come to visit this time were all Hu Hong's classmates who lived nearby.
"Brother Hu, you also bought a scooter?" Qi Chengming looked around, extremely intrigued.
He saw several familiar young faces, each with their own vehicle—a bicycle, a scooter, a tricycle, or a four-wheeled vehicle. Tricycles and four-wheeled vehicles were the least common, because many businesses in the market habitually use them, and young people might find them tacky and not so cool.
Hu Hong straightened his hat, which had been knocked askew, and turned around, his eyes widening in surprise: "Brother Qi, why...why does your car have patterns painted on it?"
Hu Hong, who had finally saved up enough money to buy a scooter, cherished it dearly. He was finally able to invite his classmates to go scootering outside the city for a good time. He never imagined that Qi's scooter could be used for so many tricks—
Everyone else's cars were made of natural wood with intricate carvings. His car, however, was decorated with carvings of eagles, painted with several colors of paint, so lifelike that even the details of light reflecting off their eyes were exquisitely rendered.
Looking around, Brother Qi's scooter was the most amazing thing there!
The Zhou family girl and several acquaintances gathered around with envy, praising it endlessly. The Huang family's younger sister couldn't help but look at her cousin, her face full of lively anticipation: "...Why didn't we think of that? We could draw pictures on our carriage too!"
“I’m usually pretty good at drawing,” Zhang Ji stammered, trying to start a conversation. “If you—if you want, I can help.”
Huang's younger sister blinked, raised her chin, glanced at Zhang Ji again, and asked in a lifeless tone, "Oh dear, my brothers draw very well too, why do I need your help?"
Zhang Ji blushed deeply, and seeing the somewhat unfriendly expressions on Brother Huang Shi's and Brother Huang Lan's faces, he stammered and couldn't say a word.
Seeing his expression, Huang's younger sister covered her lips, turned her face to the side and smiled quietly, her eyes crinkling with laughter. Without mentioning what happened next, she changed the subject: "What are you usually good at drawing?"
The two actually started chatting!
The expressions of the two Huang students became even more subtle, their eyes darting towards Zhang Ji.
Hu Hong and Qi Chengming remained silent throughout, exchanging winks and making faces, looking at least ten years younger.
"Alright, let's go to the toboggan run." Brother Huang said in a rather unfriendly tone, raising his voice to attract the attention of the young people present.
Everyone had gathered. They had originally planned to ride their bikes together to the pavilion by the mountain for a race, with the prize being small amounts added by everyone over time.
The object. I don't know who was so clever as to suggest that the prize be kept in one place and kept secret until the person who is lucky enough to win it reveals it.
After much deliberation, Qi Chengming finally decided to add a jade pendant.
He presented himself as a merchant's son, which was neither too high nor too low a status. The pendant had no other markings; the jade ring was quite ordinary. If the prize ended up in the hands of a student from a poor family, it could be sold to tide him over in an emergency.
"See this? We'll start from here and meet at the pavilion. We have one hour. The last one to arrive... will be punished with a cup of fruit wine at mealtime!" Brother Huang Shi had intended to invite everyone to dinner, but after glancing at the few farmers, he abruptly changed his mind.
He thought to himself, "Farmers aren't as good at sledding as we are. I heard Brother Hu's sled was only recently bought. It would be embarrassing if he lost. It would be better to have a drink."
"Let's go!" The young man's command was earth-shattering, and the sound of wheels rolling over the cement road immediately filled the air.
A group of young people were eager to try and pedaled with all their might.
Qi Chengming has been playing with scooters since his past life, and he is very skilled at it. He laughs heartily in the wind, enjoying the scene of playing with his peers.
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have chosen this tricycle," the Zhao girl said, somewhat annoyed. She thought the tricycle was stable and elegant, much less risky than a scooter or bicycle. But actually, pedaling it... was much more strenuous!
The Wen family girl was riding a bicycle. She was a little out of breath and couldn't help but look at the people riding scooters on the field. She felt that scooters were the easiest.
Yes.
Tricycles and bicycles are faster, but they require more physical strength than scooters.
Qi Chengming had originally planned to pedal hard, but when he noticed that Hu Hong had fallen to the middle-to-back position, his heart skipped a beat. He also remembered that Hu Hong's bike was relatively new. So he slowed down slightly.
Unexpectedly, Hu Hong noticed this and looked up, saying, "Brother Qi, you keep skating! One of us three has to win!"
Qi Chengming turned to look at the other side, and sure enough, Zhang Jihua was also moving quite slowly, keeping a close eye on others.
"Alright, then I'll go to the front!" Qi Chengming chuckled inwardly. He couldn't see clearly anymore anyway, and at times like this, it should just be a pure competition!
Qi Chengming immediately exerted his strength, pushed off and went to the front, steadily maintaining his position in the first group.
The whooshing wind and creaking wheels filled the air. Qi Chengming, enjoying the ride on the flat concrete, lost track of time. Suddenly, he realized the laughter and chatter around him had subsided. He instinctively turned around—
Good heavens, the people closest to him are now quite a distance away, far behind.
Excellent advantages!
Qi Chengming gazed into the distance; the pavilion was not far away. He planned to maintain his advantage and charge forward in one go.
"thump……"
Just as Qi Chengming approached, he vaguely heard what sounded like water splashing coming from the pavilion. This was a desolate outskirts of Liuzhou, and the pavilion was empty, without even a tea stall, only scattered fallen leaves on the ground.
Qi Chengming had a bad feeling. He abandoned the car, panting, and jumped up the steps outside the pavilion to look back.
Behind that, in the dense thicket, not far away, was a river. At this moment, the river was not calm, with slight ripples, and there was not a single person in sight.
Qi Chengming: "…………"
etc.
Could someone have actually drowned?
-----------------------
Author's Note: This chapter features the return of a character who has been forgotten for many chapters—
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com