Chapter 104 Dragon Boat Race (Part 2) It's been a long time since I've been promoted, and I'm still a little unaccustomed to it...
Lin Daiyu blushed, feigning composure, and rambled on, "I saw they'd all reached the island in the middle of the lake, so I can't see them anymore. I heard there's a bridge arch ahead, and I hope the Earl of Zhongyong is the first to arrive; I hope he doesn't bump into it."
She regretted it as soon as she said it. How could Third Brother have rammed the boat?
Seeing her annoyed and regretful little expression, the Empress laughed more happily than anyone else. She deliberately teased, "Don't worry, crashing into the bridge arch is not the fault of the Marquis of Zhongyong. The one in charge is a child from the Marquis of Dingnan's family."
Lin Daiyu was about to ramble on again.
As they spoke, the dragon boat had already rounded the island in the middle of the lake and was heading back towards the dock. Although it was difficult to see clearly from the front, Mu Chuan's figure was so impressive that even if one mistook the emperor or the retired emperor for him, they wouldn't mistake him; he was still in first place.
Still far ahead in first place!
Lin Daiyu laughed.
The crowd was in an uproar, and at a time like this, no one cared that the emperor and the retired emperor were even there.
"The dragon boat from the Northern Camp is number one!"
"Lord Zhongyong is truly—"
Li Taijiu laughed so hard his mustache stood on end. His nephew was in the Northern Camp, so if the Northern Camp was doing well, he was doing well too.
The emperor was also very nervous. After he struck the gong, he kept the mallet tightly in his hand and did not let go.
The emperor didn't notice, but the eunuch did. He just leaned closer, and the emperor waved him aside, saying, "Don't block my view."
Anyway, this thing isn't heavy, His Majesty will have to put it down eventually. The eunuch stepped aside, glanced at the dragon boat race, then glanced at it again, and then glanced at it once more.
It's so moving and exhilarating to watch.
Alas... No wonder His Majesty favors the Marquis of Zhongyong.
As they approached the finish line, Mu Chuan's dragon boat was already leading by at least two boat positions.
The emperor waved his gong and laughed heartily, then said to the retired emperor, "I always said Qiao Yue was number one!"
The retired emperor glanced at the gong mallet. What? If I say no, are you going to commit patricide?
"Hmph," the retired emperor turned his head and ordered Dai Quan, "bring me the reward I gave to the general."
Dai Quan then took a rather large tray from the eunuch following behind him. When the red cloth on it was lifted, there was a wooden lid inside.
The emperor chuckled: "What is Father Emperor planning to give him? Why is it being kept so well hidden?"
The retired emperor gave a signal, and Dai Quan lifted the lid, revealing a pure gold dragon boat inlaid with various gemstones.
And it was quite large; Dai Quan bent over even more as he took it.
The retired emperor boasted, "When he sees this in the future, he will remember the first time he participated in a dragon boat race and won first place."
The emperor suddenly realized that what he had prepared was not very good, especially the five battalions of the Beijing Garrison. Even if they came in last, they would still receive a reward. It was as if the Emperor Emeritus's things were only given to Mu Chuan, while everyone else received his things.
How can this make anyone happy?
The emperor, somewhat gritted his teeth, retorted, "What if Qiao Yue didn't get first place?"
"Are you worried he won't get first place?" The Emperor Emeritus glanced at his son with disdain. "I think he'll definitely be number one."
The emperor immediately felt that he had been outdone, but seeing that the dragon boat was about to reach the finish line, the emperor could not say anything more, and only muttered to himself, "Qiao Yue does not like pure gold things, he thinks they are heavy."
Mu Chuan was nearing the finish line. Although he didn't turn his head to look, as that would be somewhat insulting, he could tell from the surrounding sounds, the enthusiasm of the spectators on the shore, and the splashing water that the North Camp was in first place, and with a huge advantage at that.
He smiled broadly. If he had been beating the drum honestly before, now that he had added some fancy moves, the cheers from the shore became even more enthusiastic.
The emperor even glanced at the retired emperor, and taking advantage of the retired emperor's inability to walk, he went down from the high platform to greet Qiao Yue.
As the dragon boat crossed the finish line, Lin Daiyu clutched her chest and slumped back into a chair, the deafening roar filling her ears and the sight of fireworks exploding before her eyes.
"Third Brother," she called softly, her face beaming with unprecedented joy.
"Truly worthy of being my Qiao Yue!" the emperor exclaimed.
Upon hearing the emperor call him, Mu Chuan jumped off the ship.
His large size caused the dragon boat, which had just docked, to be pushed off the pier.
“Lord Zhongyong is really—” Li Taijiu subconsciously took two steps forward, then chuckled, “He dared to jump even when he was still quite a distance away? I was afraid he would fall.”
"Oh dear!" an official exclaimed. "Lord Zhongyong... this is a bit too bright."
In previous years, after the dragon boat races, we would row directly to the dock and change our clothes before coming here.
Although dragon boat racers wear short-sleeved clothing, it's still proper attire. However, since it's a water sport, getting soaked is inevitable, which is rather impolite.
How did the Marquis of Zhongyong train?
"His legs are thicker than my waist." The man paused for a moment after saying this, then laughed. It was a double entendre, and both the literal meaning and the metaphor made sense.
“I’m no good anymore. I want to send my son there. I’m a military officer, after all. Compared to him, I’ve become a civil official.”
"Hey, we're all still here. But his shoulders are really strong; he must not have any arm pain from staying up all night writing memorials."
"Is this what they call a broad back and a wolf's waist?"
Minister of Revenue, Lord Mo, smiled with satisfaction: "How is the gate of my Ministry of Revenue not sturdy? That gate is not as thick as the Marquis of Zhongyong's! Besides, although that gate can't stop the Marquis of Zhongyong, it can stop you."
Everyone around burst into laughter.
There was also Lord Meng, who, when he went to the banquet at the Marquis of Dingnan's last residence, worried that his daughter might see him beating the drum when the Earl of Zhongyong was beating it. Now—
Lord Meng was so frightened that he glanced at the Empress again.
Great! Quite a few people with titles have come today. His official rank isn't high enough, so his daughter definitely isn't in the first five rows. His little daughter is hidden in the crowd, and even he can't find her.
Lord Meng breathed a sigh of relief and muttered to himself, "One should not look at what is improper; it would be an insult to scholarship."
The Empress laughed too; the Emperor truly didn't play by the rules.
"Alright," the Empress said with a smile, "turn around, everyone, and stop looking."
The ladies and young women stood up and turned around.
The Empress glanced at Lin Daiyu, who was sitting next to her, and said, "Why are you spinning around? That's your husband. Look at yours and don't mind us."
People around chuckled softly.
The two girls from the Song family called each other "Third Uncle" and "Fourth Aunt," respectively.
Let alone burning it red, Lin Daiyu felt like she was about to explode.
She was so emotional that tears welled up in her eyes, and she turned away somewhat blankly, while the Empress laughed even louder.
Lin Daiyu, in a fit of despair, said, "We're sitting too far away; we can't see anything."
Mu Chuan had already walked up to the emperor and knelt on one knee, saying, "Your subject has returned, and I have not failed in my mission!"
The emperor felt his heart pounding.
Grandpa Quan remained quite calm. He stepped forward and whispered a reminder: "The Earl of Zhongyong is not properly dressed. Let's ask him to change his clothes before questioning him."
Given the occasion and the emperor's mood, how could he possibly listen to such things?
He laughed loudly: "Having Qiao Yue is my good fortune, and also the good fortune of the Great Wei!" Seeing that the retired emperor was being supported by two eunuchs and was about to come over shakily, the emperor hurriedly said, "The Earl of Zhongyong is hereby granted the title of Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince. He will come to the palace tomorrow to teach the prince martial arts. It is tentatively scheduled to be once every five days."
The emperor reached out to pat Qiao Yue again, but Qiao Yue was too stubborn and didn't know how to bend his knees. In public, it wasn't appropriate for the emperor to stand on his tiptoes. In the end, the emperor could only pat him hard on the arm.
Mu Chuan had been drumming all the way, and his arm muscles were still engorged with blood, making them feel stiff.
The emperor exclaimed in surprise, "Truly worthy of being my Qiao Yue! Quickly go and change your clothes, lest you catch a cold."
Before the retired emperor arrived, the emperor assigned Mu Chuan away.
Seeing Mu Chuan leave, Lin Daiyu knew she didn't need to say anything, since there were still maids and eunuchs serving her. But she felt not only shy but also a little eager to show off and share: "Your Highness, the Marquis of Zhongyong has left and can turn around."
The Empress chuckled twice, then turned to look at Lin Daiyu and exclaimed dramatically, "Why is your face so red? Quickly bring me an ice-cold handkerchief and some cool tea, lest the Earl of Zhongyong sees you and thinks you've been wronged."
"Your Majesty," Lin Daiyu called out.
"Alright, sit down quickly." The Empress gently pulled her down and smiled, "You can't see anything standing here."
The Empress truly had no intention of letting her go, and Lin Daiyu's face was burning with embarrassment, which she had somehow grown accustomed to.
"After you get married." The Empress suddenly sighed, her expression turning serious. Lin Daiyu thought she was better, but her next words were, "Next year when there's another dragon boat race, you can go and help the Marquis of Zhongyong change his clothes."
"I..." I stammered for a long time but couldn't get the words out.
Lin Daiyu, afraid that the Empress would see the smile on her face, quickly covered her face.
The Empress took her hand: "Alright, alright, I won't say anymore. How could such a fine young lady have caught the eye of the Marquis of Zhongyong?"
Mu Chuan went to change his clothes, while the generals of the other four battalions were already waiting below the stage for the emperor's reward.
The temperature wasn't low during the Dragon Boat Festival, and Mu Chuan was as healthy as an oven, so he only wore two layers of clothing, one inside and one outside. He quickly got dressed, then put on another layer of armor, and he was all set.
As he came out, the third-ranked general of the Central Camp sighed to the second-ranked general of the Eastern Camp next door, "We look strong in our armor, but look at the Marquis of Zhongyong, he looks thinner in his armor."
"Who says otherwise? It's something to be envied. I once heard that he could draw a bow with a draw weight of four stones, but now it seems that was an understatement."
"What's so special about that?" The general of the Southern Camp joined in the gossip. "I heard that he can draw a siege crossbow by himself."
"Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
"What do you think?" Someone nudged the general of the Western Camp.
The general of the Western Camp remained silent, his mind filled with thoughts of how the Western Camp was still in last place, which meant that the Earl of Loyalty and Bravery had been appointed general of the Northern Camp in vain.
"Huh?" He was nudged twice, and then he realized what was happening. He sighed, "He can't personally participate next year, can he?"
The group fell silent.
"Probably not," General Qi of the central camp pondered. "The first time could be excused as a newcomer, but what's the point later? To beat the drums?"
Despite saying that, General Qi was already planning to ask the spies he had placed in the northern camp how the Earl of Zhongyong trained his troops, so he could get some serious advice.
The general of Dongying is also preparing to abandon his long-held insistence on traveling light and plans to select some strong soldiers to row the boat next year.
The general of the Western Camp also pondered this. Their Western Camp was relatively close to Linjia Village, so he asked his strategist to think about how to establish a relationship with them, as he also wanted to advance his career.
The general of the Southern Camp was troubled. What should he do if they were too far away?
Mu Chuan arrived quickly, and several generals stood with their heads bowed before the emperor. The emperor first gave a set of standard remarks, then bestowed various rewards, and finally offered a few words of encouragement.
Not far away, among the group of civil officials, Minister of Revenue, Lord Mo, laughed and said, "The first time I met the Marquis of Zhongyong, I felt that he was exceptionally brave. He has a special connection with my Ministry of Revenue. What are you laughing at? The gate belongs to the Ministry of Revenue."
The people around him laughed. Li Taijiu sighed that such a good ally had actually come to him on his own; no one would believe it if he told them.
Although the position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince is not an actual job and is considered a nominal title, once one has this title and has a teacher-student relationship with the princes, they may change their officials with each new emperor. However, the Earl of Loyalty and Bravery will not.
His position as Crown Prince's Grand Tutor will be smoothly promoted to Grand Tutor, and he will continue to be the new emperor's confidant.
What should we do? Should we send one of our sons there too? We're not going to become the top scholar anyway, so rather than be a minor official, we might as well follow the Earl of Zhongyong. At least that would guarantee us several decades of peace.
After the awards ceremony, it was time to prepare for lunch.
Mu Chuan still remembered Lin Daiyu's promise: "If I win first place, I'll give you something."
He strode towards her, and Lin Daiyu panicked immediately. For some reason, she didn't even dare to look at him.
Mu Chuan bowed to the Empress and then said, "I would like to say a few words to Miss Lin."
The Empress laughed quite happily, but Lin Daiyu, despite being laughed at several times, was still not used to it. She was at a loss and followed Mu Chuan out with her head down without saying a word.
"Why do you have to say it now? Didn't you hear them laughing at me?" Lin Daiyu complained, but her tone clearly betrayed her inability to stop laughing.
"Where's what you promised me?" Mu Chuan feigned a pitiful look. "You lied to me and said you got first place, doesn't that count?"
"Since everyone says it's a lie, how can it stand?" Lin Daiyu's eyes crinkled with laughter as she looked at him slyly. "Lord Zhongyong is an expert in military strategy; surely he knows this much?"
"Daiyu," Mu Chuan sighed, "we're getting married soon, and then—"
He didn't say what would happen then, but only raised his eyebrows, his expression full of threat.
Lin Daiyu wasn't afraid of that at all. She smiled and asked, "What will happen then?"
You'll find out then.
Lin Daiyu snorted again, untied the small purse from her waist, and handed him a folded piece of paper: "Here you go."
Mu Chuan was a little puzzled. What could this be? It was definitely not a silver note; it was clearly a piece of Xuan paper.
He took the item, opened it, and saw two characters written on it: "Things".
Mu Chuan looked puzzled, while Lin Daiyu was laughing so hard she was crying, and because she was laughing so hard she could barely stand up straight.
"It really is true... I have something for you if you get first place. Not a single word is different." Mu Chuan said helplessly, but when he thought about how Lin Daiyu had been holding back her mischief yesterday, thinking about how to tease him, and how her mind was completely on him, he felt quite sweet.
What opportunities would a young lady have to develop her skills? Especially someone as frail as Lin Daiyu from childhood.
She looked at Mu Chuan with teary eyes: "Third Brother, my stomach hurts, I can't stand up."
Mu Chuan extended an arm to her: "Hold on."
Just as Lin Daiyu was about to stop laughing, Mu Chuan said, "Things, things."
How could she bear it? After several bouts of this, tears were clinging to Lin Daiyu's eyelashes.
"Third Brother is so annoying!" Lin Daiyu glared at him, took a few breaths to catch her breath, and then took something out of her purse, a slightly smaller purse.
"This is for you." Lin Daiyu saw him take the gift and was about to put it away, so she quickly added, "Look inside, it's a clasp for you."
When Mu Chuan opened it, he found four pairs of exquisitely crafted buckles inside, two pairs of dark-colored ones and two pairs of light-colored ones.
"Daiyu, I also want a sachet. Everyone else has a sachet for the Dragon Boat Festival, but I don't."
Lin Daiyu looked him up and down, then smiled and complained, "You used to say you wouldn't make me do any work, and that you had a lot of embroiderers at home. But before you even got married, you've already shown your true colors."
She untied a red embroidered ball-shaped sachet with gold thread from her waist, dangling it back and forth as she asked, "This is all I have. Do you want it?"
Mu Chuan answered her with his actions.
He took the sachet and hung it around his waist.
Lin Daiyu was a little happy, but then she suddenly realized something.
Her third brother wore armor with a red sachet hanging from it, so the first thing anyone noticed was the sachet.
She was laughing so hard she almost died.
"Give it back to me." Lin Daiyu chased after him. "I'll make you a gourd one later. This one doesn't suit you."
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