Chapter 143
Emperor Jingxi's tour this time involved first heading south and then north, making a loop before returning to the capital.
Before setting off, Emperor Jingxi took something out of his private treasury and had it hung around Qin Su's neck.
Qin Su looked down at the full, round pearl and felt a sense of familiarity: "Father, why are you wearing a pearl around your neck?"
Emperor Jingxi's gaze was complicated: "This is the pearl you held in your hand when you were born. I was afraid you would accidentally swallow it when you were young, so I kept it in the storeroom. I never expected it to be as lustrous as it was back then."
Qin Su then remembered that Consort Shu had told her about this before.
She held the pearl in her hand, and whether it was her imagination or not, she felt a warmth in it. Curious, she examined it from all angles.
Looking at his daughter's focused expression, Emperor Jingxi recalled what the Imperial Astronomical Bureau had said years ago: the little princess was born with extraordinary signs, her destiny was incalculable, and she would have a crucial influence on the Great Yu Dynasty.
He didn't believe in these things at first, after all, as the emperor himself, he knew best whether the emperor had anything to do with Heaven.
But after raising his daughter by himself over the past few years, and thinking back to what the Imperial Observatory had said, he felt as if he were being guided by fate.
Since the trip was quite long, he decided to take out the pearl that had accompanied Qin Su since birth and put it on her head.
It is said that if a person is born with any external object, that object will have a significant effect on that person. It is hoped that this pearl will protect Qin Su and help her grow up safely and healthily.
...
Traveling from Beijing to the south during March and April is a beautiful and comfortable experience.
The trees in the north are still gray, while the willow buds and grass tips in the south are already lush and green. Flower buds tremble as they emerge from the branches, and swallows flap their wings, perching on the rocks on the shore and preening their feathers.
As the convoy passed by, one could see the river gradually transform from solid ice into a babbling stream, with the wind blowing across the water, carrying moisture and a gentle coolness.
Along the ten-mile stretch of Yangzhou Road in spring, from north to south, it's like walking from desolate barrenness to the revival of all things, giving one a wondrous feeling of witnessing the flow of time firsthand.
Qin Su leaned against the window, squinting as she enjoyed the beautiful spring sunshine.
But the view from inside the sedan chair was nowhere near as comprehensive as from the outside. Unwilling to give up, she lifted the curtain and shouted, "I want to ride a horse!"
Someone in front turned around and replied matter-of-factly, "Your Highness, His Majesty said that you can ride a horse tomorrow as agreed."
Qin Su puffed out her cheeks, reluctantly lowered the curtain, and complained to Ye Yan beside her, "Father is really unreasonable. It was clearly his unilateral decision, but now he's calling it an agreement between the two of us."
Ye Yan said helplessly, "It was Your Highness's lack of self-control that caused His Majesty to worry."
Qin Su covered his mouth and glared at him: "Don't talk about my embarrassing moments!"
Ye Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, but before he could say anything, Qin Su added, "And you're not allowed to laugh!"
"..." Ye Yan looked at her innocently.
On her first tour, Qin Su was so excited that she insisted on riding a horse not long after leaving the palace. As a result, after riding for a day, her thighs were chafed and covered in bruises. She was hugging her blanket and groaning in pain.
The palace maid who served him was terrified. After consulting the imperial physician, she dared not hide it and reported it to Emperor Jingxi.
Emperor Jingxi was furious and ordered Qin Su to stop riding horses. Qin Su refused and said, "I was injured because I was not skilled. That's why I should practice more. Father should not blindly spoil his children."
Emperor Jingxi was defeated by her fallacious reasoning and had no choice but to give in, allowing her to ride a horse once every two days, but not for the entire time; she also had to return to her sedan chair to rest.
Qin Su was still not very satisfied with the result, but there was nothing she could do, since Emperor Jingxi was her father.
Not only was she dissatisfied with the result, but she was also very proud and felt ashamed to get injured while riding a horse, so she didn't want anyone to mention it.
Ye Yan suppressed a smile and nodded.
Qin Su then released him.
She leaned back out the window, looking out like a left-behind child: "This is Yangzhou. The wind feels gentler than in the capital. It's just not as bustling as described in the poems."
Ye Yan found her appearance adorable and couldn't help but pat her head: "We've only just entered the Yangzhou region, and haven't reached the bustling areas yet."
Qin Su counted on her fingers: "Xuanling is just ahead, and Chunrong is next. Once we get to Chunrong, it should be a bustling area, right?"
Ye Yan smiled and nodded: "That's about it."
So when Qin Su was resting, she went to see Emperor Jingxi and said she wanted to stay in Chunrong for a couple more days.
Emperor Jingxi said that there are established procedures for imperial tours, and all the localities along the route have received the imperial decree in advance and are ready to receive the emperor. Staying a few more days would put pressure on the officials.
Qin Su said dejectedly, "Alright then."
Emperor Jingxi coughed and added, "However, if I am busy with other matters, it is not impossible for me to stay for two more days."
Qin Su understood the implication in his words, her eyes lit up, and she propped her little head up and snuggled into Emperor Jingxi's arms: "Father, is the possibility of this being true very high?"
Emperor Jingxi touched his throat: "I suddenly feel a little thirsty."
Qin Su poured him a cup of tea and placed it in front of him, saying, "Father, you are very busy with important matters every day. Please drink some water to moisten your throat."
Emperor Jingxi drank half a cup of tea, then frowned as she looked at him expectantly and said, "It seems my shoulder isn't feeling too comfortable either."
"Let me do it, let me do it." Qin Su stepped onto the chair and dutifully massaged his shoulders. "Is this pressure okay? Is it too light?"
Finally, after his daughter's tender concern, Emperor Jingxi relented, saying with a stern face, "If nothing unexpected happens, I will be very busy at that time."
Qin Su smiled and massaged his arm, saying repeatedly, "No accident, how could there be an accident?"
Emperor Jingxi glanced at her and thought to himself, "This little ungrateful girl plays with Ye Yan every day and doesn't even care about her father. She even hopes I'll be busy."
"While I am busy, you are not allowed to be idle. You must not fall behind in your studies while traveling. You must submit ten pieces of calligraphy every day. You have learned a lot along the way, so you should write two articles every month, which must be substantial. If you miss even one day, you can forget about seeing Ma again before you return to the palace."
Why do I have to write a reflection after going on an inspection tour? Qin Su's face fell, and she said sullenly, "Fine."
However, there is something in this world called Murphy's Law: the more you fear something going wrong, the more likely something will go wrong. Qin Su prayed that nothing unexpected would happen, and then something unexpected did happen.
When the imperial carriage arrived at Xuanling, it was evening and the sky was dark. The prefect of Xuanling, along with a group of officials, came to greet the emperor.
One of the officials was so flustered while performing the ceremony that he fell to the ground with a thud, looking quite disheveled.
When his subordinates behaved improperly before the emperor, the prefect of Xuanling turned pale and hurriedly apologized.
Emperor Jingxi frowned, his sharp eyes sweeping across the crowd, and everyone trembled with fear.
Qin Su whispered to Ye Yan, "Is Father's Chamber really that scary?"
Ye Yan noticed with his sharp eyes that someone in the back row of the Xuanling government office was trembling, causing his official robes to shake.
He found it strange, feeling that these people's behavior was too exaggerated.
Although the ancient hierarchy was strict and most people never saw the emperor in their lives, it was inevitable that they would feel excited and fearful when they saw the emperor's face. However, the people they had met along the way were mostly excited. Why did these people from Xuanling seem to be more fearful?
Ye Yan, wary, took a slight step to the right to protect Qin Su.
Emperor Jingxi, not noticing anything amiss and having no intention of pursuing the matter, let the minor official off the hook.
That evening, the prefect of Xuanling held a grand banquet, a scene of singing and dancing.
Qin Su had finished eating at the banquet and was impatient with their small talk. She made an excuse to go out for some fresh air and took Ye Yan for a walk in the back garden.
Before Emperor Jingxi moved in, his guards had inspected the palace thoroughly, digging three feet into the ground to ensure there were no dangerous factors. Therefore, Qin Su was not worried about anything and told the palace maids to stay away while she and Ye Yan strolled around leisurely.
The palace was meticulously decorated, with artificial hills, flowing springs, and exotic flowers and plants, making one feel as if they were in the height of spring, completely forgetting the season outside.
Qin Su and Ye Yan walked and stopped, and before they knew it, they had arrived at a secluded courtyard.
This place resembled the servants' quarters, secluded and simple. Qin Su had no desire to explore further and was about to leave when she caught a glimpse of the courtyard before turning around and instantly stopped.
She grabbed Ye Yan and said, "Wait a minute."
Ye Yan asked, "What's wrong?"
Qin Su pointed to the side courtyard: "I just saw someone carrying something out of the house, but they retreated when they saw us."
Before Ye Yan could speak, a servant from the Xuanling government office behind him hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, this is where the servants live. It's a mess. Let me show you somewhere else so you don't get your clothes dirty."
Ye Yan frowned, and Qin Su subtly tugged at his finger, then turned to the servant and asked, "What were they carrying out just now?"
The servant's eyes twitched very slightly, as if he couldn't help but want to look towards the side courtyard, but he forcibly suppressed it.
He said with a forced smile, "It's probably just some old wood and rags. What good stuff could a servant have in his room?"
Qin Su smiled slightly and said, "Is that so? Then let's go."
A glint of joy flashed in the servant's eyes. He was about to step forward to lead the way when Qin Su said, "Then let's go and see what kind of wood and rotten cloth it is?"
The servant was horrified when he saw her about to walk into the side courtyard. He rushed in front of Qin Su and blurted out, "Your Highness, you mustn't!"
"How dare you!" Qingmei stepped forward and shouted angrily, "Your Highness says you'll go wherever you want, how dare you stop the princess?"
Overwhelmed with surprise and then suddenly confronted with this shout, the servant could no longer contain himself and blurted out in a panic, "Sister, please forgive me. There are many people repairing the walls and windows in the side courtyard, and it's all dusty and dirty. I was afraid, afraid of disturbing Your Highness."
Qin Su looked down at him and repeated, "Afraid of disturbing me?"
The servant had previously sized up Qin Su and Ye Yan, noting that they were both quite young, just two children, and thought that serving them wouldn't be difficult. But now, meeting Qin Su's dark and deep eyes, a chill suddenly ran down his spine.
He suddenly realized that Princess Zhaoyang was quite famous.
The servant stammered, "This servant, this servant, this servant is afraid..."
Qin Su coldly interrupted him, saying, "I see you're afraid of this and that, but you're not afraid of my wrath. What? Do you think I'm too young to be bullied?"
She stared at the secluded courtyard, her doubts churning, and a layer of frost settled over her brows and eyes.
"Guards! Summon the Imperial Guards and surround this courtyard completely. Not a single fly is allowed to escape."
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