Chapter 56 Sharing Clothes: If One Truly Loves the Caged Bird
The night was quiet, and the wind had long since died down.
The imperial city was flat and empty, without a single tree, except for a bit of greenery in the palace on the other side of Guangyun Gate.
Looking up from here, the two tangerine trees in front of Jiafu Gate have drooping branches, their leaf tips curled gray, half yellow and half yellow, hanging there with a somber air.
Behind Jiafu Gate lies the Eastern Palace, but since the current emperor has not yet appointed a crown prince, the palace has remained vacant. The longer it sits idle, the more lifeless it becomes.
The junior officer straightened up, supporting his back. He heard voices and leaned out to look through the half-moon.
It was the Imperial Guard patrolling the night, passing by Guangyun Gate.
Patrolling the Imperial City is easier than patrolling outside. It's such a small area, and the Southern Palace Guards are stationed there. What major trouble could possibly happen? Besides, unlike outside, there's no need to arrest people who break the law at night. In the Imperial City, there are always officials who have endless work to do, staying up late into the night. If the Imperial Guards see them, they'll ask a couple of questions about their identities, glance at their tally, and that's it. They won't interfere much else.
Therefore, the Imperial Guards are more relaxed when patrolling the Imperial City than when patrolling the outer city. It's best not to patrol at all, as they can stay home and sleep comfortably. Patrolling the Imperial City is also nice; riding around on horseback a couple of times isn't a chore.
The guards chatted and laughed, and when they saw the lanterns hanging on Guangyun Gate, they waved to each other in a gesture of greeting.
"One more round and we'll be done for today," said the Jinwu Guard leading the way.
Someone grumbled and complained, "I'm on night duty and they won't give me a day off tomorrow. Even a wheelchair isn't as capable as me."
The person next to him laughed and said, "Alright, we don't have to patrol tomorrow anyway, we can take a break again after a few more days."
"Hey, my little girl is turning one year old on my day off, come over for drinks."
The guards burst into laughter, and amidst the commotion came the shouts of "Unforgettable!" "You've been talking about it since last month, telling everyone that my little girl is turning one year old, my little girl is turning one year old, even the horse remembers it. Let me tell you, if there isn't good wine that day, I won't let you off the hook."
A voice, younger than the others, asked, "Last time I had a day off, I saw a general wearing his regular uniform coming out of the capital. Don't they get a day off?"
The horses wobbled along the side street, and the man's loud laughter was especially loud in the night: "You, who eat soldiers' rations, are worrying about wearing purple clothes? If I could wear red and purple, I would be willing to work all year round."
The junior officer withdrew his gaze, stretched his arms and shoulders, and spun around in place on the city wall. Unlike the Imperial Guards, he wouldn't have to continue his duty after dawn; he could first go to Fenglefang to eat a bowl of hot steamed buns, and then go home for a good night's sleep.
As the Imperial Guards marched further and further away, the gatekeepers on the palace gates stood idly on the city wall, passing the time with nothing to do. No one noticed a figure sneaking out of the Southern Palace in the darkness and climbing into the quiet and spacious Right Spring Ward.
After searching through the list of people entering and leaving the case database for several days, Yue Shanling found nothing.
He had initially thought that some of these people might provide clues for his investigation, but it turned out that each of them had a reason for entering and leaving the case file, and their interactions were flawless. Even when he tried to probe them, no one responded. He himself began to suspect that the horse mobilization record book detailing Du Hui's itinerary was just a coincidence that it was there.
Whether by coincidence or design, Yue Shanling will not give up investigating the hidden truth behind Prince Jin's death. If no clues can be found on the person, then the search will turn to old cases.
The Right Spring Palace was responsible for receiving and reporting to the Crown Prince. There was a small storeroom on the west side of the Right Spring Palace’s office. After the Crown Prince’s affairs were copied and filed, the scribes would temporarily store the copies in this small storeroom.
In his youth, Yue Shanling had served as a military advisor in the Eastern Palace, so he was quite familiar with the officials under the Eastern Palace at the time, and he also frequently visited the Right Spring Palace. He moved along the stone-paved path between the houses, heading towards the small storeroom with ease.
With no crown prince yet established, the Right Spring Palace had long been abandoned, and apart from a few minor clerks, there was no one else around. These clerks dared not easily rummage through the old items in the storeroom, and if the current emperor had not cleaned up the Right Spring Palace, those old scrolls would most likely still be piled up in the storeroom.
Having been neglected for so long, the door to the small storeroom was tinged with a faded gray in the darkness. Yue Shanling pulled out two iron bars with hooks and protrusions, and carefully turned them to examine the large lock on the door.
"Click." The sound of the latch popping open was clearly audible in the silence. Yue Shanling pushed open the door, took out a candle he had prepared beforehand, lit it, and began searching the storeroom.
His prediction was correct; the innermost shelves in the warehouse were piled high with copies from the Jianwu era.
The warehouse door was closed, perhaps due to years of disrepair; the door and frame no longer fit tightly together, letting in a sliver of light that appeared intermittently.
A man dressed as a minor official emerged from a nearby room, stared at the sliver of light for a moment, then turned and disappeared into the tangled mess of office buildings.
As dawn broke, vendors delivering vegetables and fruits to dignitaries would drive their carts through the streets. The freshest, tender vegetable sprouts, picked early in the morning and still glistening with dew, would be delivered to the homes of these esteemed individuals.
Cheng Liwu would stand at the side gate for a while every morning.
A somewhat short and stout man led an old man over. The old man had ropes around his shoulders and was pulling a cart loaded with pumpkins.
This short, stout middle-aged man was a "middleman" who delivered vegetables to dignitaries, specializing in finding the finest fruits and vegetables for them. The powerful and wealthy in the capital usually settled accounts with these "middlemen" monthly, but they didn't care when or how much the "middlemen" paid the farmers.
The people in the kitchen were picking through the pumpkins.
Princess Yong'an was a first-class noble person in the capital. Any good vegetables would be brought to the princess's residence first for the family to choose from. Even the princess had to wait in line after Princess Yong'an.
The weather has cooled down, and even the breath we exhale is starting to turn white.
The old man was not dressed much, and he wore a pair of old single shoes.
Cheng Liwu watched for a while, then told the kitchen staff to give the old man a little more money.
The old man thanked him profusely, accepted the gift, put the cart back on, and followed the middle-aged man to the princess's residence with his hunched back.
Jiuru Lane is the most sought-after business in the eyes of various "brokers." The wealthy people living nearby are generous spenders, and a truckload of vegetables can be sold out in just one trip through Jiuru Lane, saving them the trouble of running around the east and west sides of the city. The old man was very happy to be chosen to sell melons here.
A small piece of silver, about the size of a fingertip, was tucked into his belt, but the old man found it heavy and uncomfortable wrapped around his waist. This was the first time he had ever touched silver, and he realized that silver could be so lovely.
The old cart creaked under its heavy load, but the old man didn't feel tired. With some money, he could perhaps buy some mutton so his children could taste meat.
After seeing off two groups of brokers, several large carts arrived. The fruits and melons brought by the brokers were only for fresh consumption; the real supplies for the more than one hundred people in the Princess's mansion were carried in these carts.
Cheng Liwu wandered around outside the side gate, but didn't see anyone. Just as he was about to go back, a porter dressed as a porter hurried past with his head down and accidentally bumped into Cheng Liwu.
Cheng Liwu didn't say much to the man. He patted his shoulders and chest, and returned to his residence as if nothing had happened. When no one was around, he opened his hand, and a small, sealed paper roll was lying in his palm.
As the sun rose high in the sky, the scroll was presented to Fu Sui intact. A short while later, a handful of grayish water appeared under the tree outside the door.
Just as Fu Sui finished giving his orders, a report came from outside that someone was coming. Cheng Liwu led his men out and happened to come face to face with the newcomer.
"What about that guy who came last time, what's his name? It's a weird name. What's he doing here again?" the tall, thin man asked.
"Mind your own business and get your job done," Cheng Liwu replied.
The man chuckled, not taking it to heart: "Don't worry, if anything goes wrong, I'll offer my head in return."
Cheng Liwu glared at him, but finally said in a low voice, "Safety comes first, whether it's you or the people over there. The princess said that things can be left undone, but life is more important. Go back and pack your things, and if you need anything, just say so. The money has already been prepared for you."
The tall, thin man answered in unison, "Should we also inform Master Cheng?"
Master Cheng refers to Cheng Liwu's father, Cheng Baoding.
“You’re a spy now, not a suicide squad,” Cheng Liwu said calmly.
The tall, thin man scratched his head and said no more.
"What are you doing here?" Not only was the tall, thin man curious, but Fu Sui was also surprised.
The seventh prince entered the room and plopped down in his seat. Only after sitting down did he realize that the princess had not invited him to sit, which was very impolite. He immediately stood up again and stood upright in the hall.
Fu Sui was too lazy to argue with him about these formalities; he only cared about the purpose of his visit.
"I've thought about what the princess meant by what she sent me last time, but I still can't figure it out," the Seventh Prince said bluntly.
Fu Sui paused for a moment before remembering that it was about the Double Ninth Festival. She glanced at the Seventh Prince; how did such a simpleton come to be chosen by Yanshan?
“The princess said that Yanshan would only marry Han officials, not foreign ones, but am I not a Han official now? Kule has submitted to the Celestial Dynasty, and I also serve in the Han court. There are countless foreign officials in the court, so how am I any different from them?”
Fu Sui did not answer the Seventh Prince, but instead told Kou Yun, "Go and serve the Seventh Prince tea."
The maidservant serving tea was already waiting outside the door. She didn't dare to go in since no one inside had told her to, and just waited outside with the tea. Kouyun agreed verbally, and after going out, she sent away everyone who was waiting around, and then carried the tea to the Seventh Prince.
The seventh prince accepted the teacup with both hands and thanked him repeatedly.
Kouyun chuckled to herself. The Seventh Prince's manners were a mess, and he was being far too polite. After putting down the tea, she didn't linger, saying, "This servant will go check on the fruit and snacks," and left.
The Seventh Prince accepted the tea but didn't drink it. He just waited for the answer with bright eyes, which made Fu Sui both amused and exasperated: "The Seventh Prince's surname is Chi Fu Lie, which is the surname of the Kule royal family."
"What does this have to do with my surname? If we're talking about the royal surname, Awusiji is also a Turkic royal, but didn't the Right Guard General marry a princess and become her husband?" The Seventh Prince really didn't understand. They were both foreign royal families, but the Turks were far more powerful and threatening than the Kule. It couldn't be that he couldn't marry a royal woman like the Right Guard General because the Kule were weak.
"General Awusiji led his troops to surrender, and all his former subordinates, regardless of age or gender, followed him into the pass and were registered as Han citizens." Fu Sui raised his voice slightly to emphasize, "Does the Seventh Prince know where General Awusiji's former subordinates are now? They have all been dispersed and settled in Henan Circuit, Jiangnan Circuit, Huainan Circuit, and Lingnan Circuit, and re-registered under the jurisdiction of local officials. These surrendered tribes no longer graze livestock or train horses, but instead cultivate farmland, tending their few plots of land year after year, working from sunrise to sunset."
"Did the Seventh Prince also come with his troops?"
"I..." The seventh prince stammered for a long time, not knowing what to say.
He certainly did not lead his troops to surrender. Although Kule claimed to have submitted to the Celestial Empire, his father, brothers, and clansmen continued to live as usual by the Tuhuzhen River, unrestrained and without anyone controlling them. His father remained the Kule King of the grasslands.
Fu Sui sighed softly.
From the moment she met Yanshan, Yanshan had always maintained a reserved and compliant demeanor. The noble ladies of the capital compared their clothes, family backgrounds, talents, and reputations; social status was ranked in different classes, and family lineages vied for superiority. Yanshan, however, never participated in these competitions. She was always seated on the far side, received only the leftovers as gifts, and strictly avoided speaking a word to the young gentlemen.
Outsiders who were unaware of the reason often compared Fu Sui to Yan Shan, but Fu Sui scoffed at this.
What about being obedient and gentle, what about being submissive and docile, what about being quiet and kind? Was Yanshan born taciturn and only willing to stay in her small courtyard? In the end, the biggest difference between her and Yanshan is that the Prince of Jin is dead, while the Prince of Peng is still alive.
Yanshan was probably happy when he was with the Seventh Prince. This rude and uncouth steppe barbarian, who was used to freedom on horseback, had he now learned the meaning of "shackles"?
"If the Seventh Prince wants to know what it means to be a Han official, just look at the powerful foreign officials in the court. The current Protector-General of Yanran, Hugeqi, is a Uyghur, but he has killed the most Uyghurs while guarding the border. The new Anxi Military Governor, Saguyan, was born in Tokharistan, but for him, the Western Regions are an unfinished journey, not his homeland."
The seventh prince lowered his head; in truth, he already understood. Although Kule had submitted, it was only in name, not in reality under the control of the court. As long as he remained Kule's prince, he would be a foreigner to the Central Plains.
He knew that Yanshan was a noblewoman, so he studied the etiquette and literature of the Central Plains to try and get closer to her. He thought that love between a man and a woman only required mutual affection, but he soon realized that this barrier of social status could make even the closest of people feel worlds apart.
The princess's voice hadn't stopped yet, interrogating him word by word.
"Although Kule has submitted now, who knows if he won't rebel in the future? If one day Kule joins forces with the Turks to invade, will the Seventh Prince be Kule's inside man in this dynasty, or an abandoned hostage, or a powerful general who can wipe out the border troubles for the Sage?"
What would he be? He didn't want to betray the saint, he didn't want to cause Yanshan grief. But he couldn't bring himself to fight his father, brothers, and clansmen. If only Kule and the Central Plains could live in peace forever, even for just eighty years, as long as it could last for eighty years, as long as he didn't have to choose between his clansmen and Yanshan.
"Even if Kule rebels, the Sage will not allow the Seventh Prince to fight against the tribe. As long as the Seventh Prince does not join forces with the old tribe, he can be considered loyal. In terms of being a subject, the Seventh Prince has already done very well, but he is far from being a husband of Yanshan."
Fu Sui decided to be frank: if this grassland Tartar was truly sincere towards Yanshan, helping him this once wouldn't be a bad idea; at least Yanshan's smile when he was with him was genuine.
"Seventh Prince, you are a bird that flies in the sky, while Yanshan is a bird kept in a cage. You are free in the world, but are you going to let Yanshan suffer alone in the cage, longing for you and shedding tears in secret? If the Seventh Prince truly loves that caged bird, then please fall into the cage yourself. At least let the bird keeper know that the Seventh Prince will never fly into the sky again in this life."
The Seventh Prince didn't quite understand the meaning behind Fu Sui's words, but he understood that a relationship with Yanshan wasn't entirely impossible. Whether he understood or not didn't matter; as long as there was a sliver of hope, he would do it. He asked urgently, "How do I get into the cage?"
Seeing the Seventh Prince's impatient look, Fu Sui couldn't help but laugh out loud. After a slight laugh, he didn't give the Seventh Prince an answer: "If the Seventh Prince wants to, he will always find a way, but he shouldn't ask the caged bird for a solution."
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