Chapter 134 That's the Road I Came From "Dog Egg, Cuihua, and Tiezhu..."
The two shared the candied hawthorns, each eating one of each kind. Mu Chuan went to get something, while Lin Daiyu asked for warm water to wash her hands.
"Third brother is so annoying, his hands are all sticky after eating a candied hawthorn."
Before long, Lin Daiyu finished washing her hands, and Mu Chuan brought over a rather large cloth bundle. When he opened it, he found a set of clothing from the Northern Li region inside.
The exquisitely crafted leather robe was decorated with brightly colored embroidery and fabric strips, along with headdresses made of red and green agate, coral, and amber, and finally, two exaggerated necklaces strung with large gold beads, dzi beads, and agate.
"Try it?" Mu Chuan laughed. "I always bought you clothes before we got married, and I can't forget to do the same now that we're married."
Although the marriage hadn't lasted long, only about half a year, Lin Daiyu truly understood what kind of person her third brother was. Her face flushed slightly, and she feigned a complaint, saying, "Before the marriage, you always dressed properly, but now that you're married, you've stopped pretending."
Mu Chuan said, “His Majesty also wears Western clothes. There’s a painting in the Imperial Study that depicts His Majesty with curly hair and wearing Western clothes. But this isn’t a Western painting. By the way, I remember last time we went to the Dianchi Guild Hall, you picked out a silver moon necklace. I’ve never seen you wear it.”
"It's strangely heavy," Lin Daiyu chuckled, then pressed on, "What's that on your face?"
“Last time we went to the Dianchi Guild Hall, we stood in front of a set of traditional silver wedding dresses. You said you wanted this, and I thought you were going to marry me.”
Lin Daiyu curled her lips, revealing a row of small white teeth: "You seemed so proper back then, who knew you were thinking these things?"
"Why is marriage between men and women improper?" Mu Chuan said, and was about to catch Lin Daiyu. But after trying to catch her so many times, Lin Daiyu became quite adept at dodging him. Besides, the fun of catching someone is that you can't catch them.
"Hurry up and get dressed." Lin Daiyu managed to grab Mu Chuan's outer robe while dodging him. "Let's go out to eat. Before I married you, you would come to visit me every few days, but now that I'm married to you, you don't go out at all."
Since the lady had said so, Mu Chuan naturally agreed. He quickly put on his outer robe and then asked, "Wu Yue Guild Hall?"
Lin Daiyu nodded: "It's been a long time since I've been there."
When you think about it, it really is true. I didn't go because it was hot in the summer, then the two of us got married. I went back to my hometown for more than half a month, he went on a business trip for more than half a month, and then spent some time at home. Plus, we moved to the north of the city, so the journey was indeed a bit longer. It really has been half a year since I last went.
Mu Chuan smiled and said, "Then let's go to the Wu-Yue Guild Hall."
Having not visited for a long time, the innkeeper personally came out to greet them, leading them to their usual courtyard, and said with a smile, "Congratulations, Lord Marquis, congratulations, Madam."
Having not been here for a while, Mu Chuan also missed their pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup, so he said, "Let's start with the pickled bamboo shoots and pork soup. Bring out whatever fresh food you have."
The innkeeper went to prepare the dishes, and Mu Chuan sat down next to Lin Daiyu.
Lin Daiyu was startled, then laughed to herself. Before, when they sat at this table, there was always some distance between them, and she was used to it. Now that they were married, her third brother was sitting much closer.
"What are you laughing at again?" Mu Chuan asked.
Lin Daiyu laughed even harder: "Guess? Don't guess, I won't tell you."
Mu Chuan thought for a moment: "You can't be laughing at me for eating too much, can you?"
Lin Daiyu immediately recalled the amount of food her third brother had given her that had made her sleepy last time. She shook her head and laughed, "No."
The two were playing a guessing game when the waiter brought over some snacks, fruit, and two kinds of porridge. The shopkeeper followed, placing the items on the table as he introduced them: "These are all fresh ingredients this year. This is porridge made with fox nuts and osmanthus flowers. The fox nuts are from Suzhou, the best fox nuts in the entire Wei Dynasty."
After the others went downstairs, Mu Chuan first brought over some water chestnut porridge: "Let me try the taste of my wife's family's local specialty."
Lin Daiyu said with a touch of pride, “Fresh ones are called water chestnuts, but unfortunately they don’t keep well and spoil on the way here. I used to love eating them when I was little, but after I came to the capital, I couldn’t find fresh ones anymore. The water chestnuts from the north don’t taste the same as those from Suzhou.”
"I'm sorry to have wronged you," Mu Chuan sighed. "After marrying me and becoming a Marquis's wife, and with me being the General of the Northern Camp, I'm afraid you won't be able to leave the capital."
"Can't I go back by myself?" Lin Daiyu retorted, then met Mu Chuan's "What are you talking about?" expression, and giggled again, "Third Brother, the capital is quite nice too. Although you can't get fresh water chestnuts there, you can get fresh—"
Think about it, think about it now!
Apples and pears? Suzhou has those too, what else?
Oranges from the south turn into trifoliate oranges in the north? This doesn't taste good.
“We can eat fresh Third Brother food in the capital,” Lin Daiyu said calmly.
Mu Chuan's "What are you talking about?" expression turned into a small question mark: "You've really wronged my wife."
"We're all family, what's there to feel wronged about?" Lin Daiyu said calmly. "Put this meal on my tab, it's the Marquis's treat."
As she finished speaking, she couldn't help but laugh. Mu Chuan then said, "Thank you for the reward, Madam. After dinner, how about I accompany you to see a play? A nighttime performance."
Who could have known that marrying him would lead to such a wonderful life? She did everything she had never done before, everything she dared not do, and even things that weren't always so refined. Lin Daiyu nodded: "I will go."
The next morning, while Lin Daiyu was still asleep, Mu Chuan got up.
Lin Daiyu instinctively reached out and grabbed the person: "Where are you going?"
"I need to earn money to support my family," Mu Chuan joked, then said seriously, "You go to sleep, I'm going to court."
Lin Daiyu then let go, and mumbled in her sleep, "It's cold in the morning, wear more clothes, and don't stand in the wind talking to people."
Mu Chuan actually listened to this, and wrapped a large fox fur cloak over his court robes. He was already strong, and now he looked even more imposing.
“Oh, my wife was afraid I would get cold, so she insisted that I put it on.”
hehe.
Fortunately, this kind of clothing is acceptable outside, but not for court audiences; only court robes are permitted.
By the end of the year, there were no major events in the imperial court. Although there were some floods, they were all within the normal range. This year could be considered a year of favorable weather, peace, and prosperity for the country.
The court session proceeded peacefully, and the emperor even mentioned the arrangements for the New Year.
After the court session, the emperor summoned Mu Chuan to the imperial study.
"The seed-planting instrument that Qiao Yue presented is very useful." The emperor patted Mu Chuan's broad back to encourage him, "Qiao Yue, you should also try the new grain from the imperial estate next year."
It's called sowing, but it's really about planting in a rush. You have to plant the crops within a short window of opportunity to ensure that there is enough temperature and moisture for them to germinate.
Even in the imperial estates, the planting and harvesting every year are highly competitive.
This year, we used a new and exciting device, which greatly improved efficiency. The emperor was very satisfied and decided to promote it vigorously next year.
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I have heard of varieties such as green rice and red rice, but I have never tasted them. The rice grown on my estate is all white rice."
"It's not red rice, it's rouge rice. It has a rich aroma and is even better than red rice. I'll have someone send you some rice seeds later. However, this rice is very precious. Even with careful tending, the yield per mu is only half a shi."
However, the emperor didn't summon Mu Chuan for this reason.
A few days ago, Jia Yuanchun died. Although the emperor did not miss her or feel any guilt, he thought of himself when he first ascended the throne.
In particular, Jia Yuanchun was found dead in the morning and was carried out of the palace in a thin coffin in the afternoon. There was no funeral, not even an outer coffin. As soon as the news spread, Consort Zhou and Consort Wu, who were visiting their families at the same time as her, wrote a letter expressing their desire to become nuns.
The emperor probably agreed, but of course, he felt no remorse towards the two men.
He was thinking of himself when he had just ascended the throne.
Lacking any foundation, with naive ideas and childish methods, I feel not only embarrassed but also somewhat ashamed when I think about it now.
He even ordered Jia Yuanchun to bring a maid into the palace. What was he thinking at the time?
However, even when facing Qiao Yue, the emperor couldn't ask directly. He changed his tone and said, "Qiao Yue is now the General of the Northern Camp, and he has a reputation in Beili for being able to stop children from crying at night. Has he ever made a mistake? Has he ever regretted causing you sleepless nights?"
Mu Chuan thought about it seriously for a moment and said, "There are mistakes. I know that many people call this a stain, and some people say that the past is too painful to recall. But I feel that it is the path I came from."
The emperor was stunned, silently reciting the route he had taken over and over again.
“When I first joined the army, I couldn’t keep up with the ranks and was slow in training. Later, when I was driving for my adoptive father, I lost my way on the battlefield.”
The emperor chuckled twice, relieved: "I know, you must have brought the Marquis of Dingnan back later."
The emperor relaxed, and Mu Chuan then told a joke in a serious tone: "I also have the title of First Scout. But actually—"
He lowered his voice and said, "I have been discovered by the Northern Li people, more than once, but as long as they are all dead, no one knows about it."
The emperor was stunned for a moment, then laughed: "Qiao Yue, Qiao Yue!"
Mu Chuan continued, “I come from humble beginnings. I feel that the mistakes and errors I have made along the way are no different in essence from misspelling words or adding too much salt to a dish. That is the path I have taken. The experience I gained from those mistakes has enabled me to become who I am today.”
The emperor patted Mu Chuan's back hard, so hard that his own hand went numb: "I know." The virtuous consort is also the path I came from, and the four kings and eight dukes will soon become the path I came from as well. In the future, he will write these things into his imperial annals.
"There's freshly made Laba porridge from the Imperial Kitchen at noon. Try it and see which one you like best. That's the one the palace will send out for Laba Festival."
To be honest, the head chef of the imperial kitchen was quite creative; Mu Chuan even got to eat sweet porridge with mutton soup as the base.
This combination is probably something even his wife wouldn't be used to.
“Hmm, this won’t do.” The emperor frowned. “Although the oil has been removed and there’s no muttony smell, the mutton soup needs some salt added; it’s really hard to make it purely sweet.”
After leaving the Imperial Study, the next destination is most likely the Daming Palace.
It was very hot inside the Daming Palace. When Mu Chuan entered, he took off his outer court robes, leaving only his inner soft armor. Indeed, the emperor's palms hurt from the shock. This was partly due to the excessive force he used, partly due to his delicate nature, and the remaining 90% was entirely due to the soft armor Mu Chuan was wearing underneath.
The Emperor Emeritus looked at Mu Chuan's strong and powerful body, especially his shoulders and arms.
"Sit down, and serve tea," the retired emperor ordered.
When Mu Chuan came before, he would always talk about things like "I am getting old" or "I am old."
But now he was unwilling; such topics always made Mu Chuan feel anxious. He now wanted to tell Mu Chuan: "I am old but still vigorous, and I can still eat."
"Did the Emperor ask you to taste the porridge?" the Emperor Emeritus asked with a smile. "In my opinion, the more traditional ones are better. Some are just too... I even tried a porridge made with lotus leaves and hawthorn today. It's supposed to clear heat, reduce internal fire, and detoxify, but it was sour and had an earthy taste. It was just too awful."
Mu Chuan was still thinking about the sweet porridge with mutton soup as a base; its effects were truly remarkable: "That's right, I'd rather take medicine. It'll help me recover faster, even if it's just a little uncomfortable. Why waste food?"
The Emperor Emeritus glanced at Dai Quan. What could Dai Quan do? It was only yesterday that the Emperor Emeritus complained about the taste of the medicine, and today he had replaced it with lotus leaf and hawthorn porridge.
However, taking advantage of Mu Chuan's presence, Dai Quan quickly ordered someone to brew the medicine. He kept his head down, not even looking at the Emperor Emeritus, and directly presented the medicine bowl. Next to the tray were not only water for rinsing the mouth, but also a small dish of candied fruit.
What should we do?
Before "My Great General," the retired emperor calmly forced the medicine down his throat, then added, "These people always treat me like a child. Take him away, why would I want to eat candied fruit?"
When Mu Chuan returned to the Marquis of Zhongyong's residence, it was almost time for dinner. As he took off his formal clothes, he instructed, "Don't let me see any mutton or anything sweet lately."
Lin Daiyu emerged from behind the screen, holding a robe in her hand: "How can you be so domineering?" But then she thought, "Must mutton not be made sweet?"
Mu Chuan didn't respond to that at all. He continued, "Today is the birthday of some kind of local goddess. They said there's a big market tonight. Shall we go check it out? It'll be quite lively."
Lin Daiyu liked the lively atmosphere of a bustling city. Although she didn't say it explicitly, Mu Chuan could tell that she liked going to places that were crowded but not too crowded.
"We might run into some pickpockets or child traffickers. You've never seen those before, have you? If we encounter them, we should arrest them. It would be a contribution to the stability and unity of the capital and the Great Wei Dynasty."
"Which pickpocket would dare to steal in front of you?" Lin Daiyu rolled her eyes at him, not very happy. "I can't go. The New Year is coming soon, and I haven't finished copying the family genealogy yet. I've only filled two calligraphy practice books, and there are still three to go. I haven't even started writing the most commonly used characters yet."
Mu Chuan thought for a moment. He still wanted to go out with Lin Daiyu, so he said, "It's all like this now. It's already December, and she definitely won't be able to finish writing this year. Besides, she didn't expect to get it this year anyway. Why don't I ask her for you? Even if the sky falls, I'll be there for you."
Lin Daiyu herself also wanted to go out, so she said, "You can't teach children like this; they'll definitely be spoiled."
Speaking of children, Mu Chuan suddenly asked, "It's not too early to start preparing now. Have you decided on a name for the child?"
Lin Daiyu's hand, which was reaching for the thick outer clothes, suddenly stopped, and her voice became somewhat flustered: "Why is it my turn to think about it?"
Mu Chuan sighed, pointing to his nose: "Me, Mu San; my younger brother, Mu Si; my father, Mu Dazhuang; my second uncle, Mu Daniu—these are all formal names. What kind of good names do you expect our family to come up with? Gou Dan (Dog Egg) is nothing special, Tie Zhu (Iron Pillar) is already an exceptional achievement. Do you want Cuihua (Cuihua) or Tie Dan (Iron Egg)? Or Gouwazi (Dog Child)?"
That little bit of panic and shyness has now turned into terror.
"No! Absolutely not!"
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