Chapter 4 Many thanks to my lord for his help in the first month of the lunar year.
Just as Yue Shanling took off his outer robe, a young man barged in with a grin. Yue Shanling glanced back at him and continued unbuttoning his robe.
The young man didn't mince words, casually finding a chair to sit down, putting his arms on the table, and leaning his body towards Yue Shanling: "Third Brother, it's Lantern Festival today. We finally made it back to the capital, aren't you going home to visit?"
He hung up his official robes after crossing the mountains. There were still a few clothes piled in the basket next to the clothes rack. He had been traveling non-stop from the border to the capital. As soon as he arrived in the capital, he hurriedly washed up and went to the palace to report to the emperor. He hadn't had time to clean up his dirty clothes yet.
He went to his trunk and found a clean outer garment, saying, "Today is a festival. If I go back now, it will inevitably disrupt my original plans. It won't be too late to go back tomorrow."
The young man reclining in the chair was about twenty years old, with tanned skin. He was shorter and thinner than Yue Shanling, and had a pair of very bright eyes that gave him a clever look.
He wore a brand-new pink persimmon-patterned round-necked robe, a fashionable style in the capital, with a pair of old black leather riding boots peeking out from under the robe, which were completely out of place with the robe. He also wore a half-new, half-old cloak over the round-necked robe.
Early spring in the capital was not warm, and the chill of winter still lingered. His clothes were rather thin, but the young man did not feel cold.
His name was Yan Tianqing. He was originally a beggar who worked odd jobs to make a living, even daring to travel with caravans. Once, the caravan encountered a sandstorm and lost its camels. Seeing that supplies were running low, the caravan leader abandoned him and several slaves outside the pass.
He struggled to climb into the pass, and by chance encountered Yue Shanling, which saved his life.
Yue Shanling had only been stationed at the border for a short time when he found Yan Tianqing during a patrol. Seeing that he was still a child and was so thin that he was skin and bones, he took him back to the barracks and gave him some food.
Later, Yan Tianqing stayed by Yue Shanling's side as a messenger soldier. Later, he followed Yue Shanling to fight in various battles. The boy who was just skin and bones back then has now become a warrior with a body of steel.
Yue Shanling invited, "Would you like to stay for dinner? I'll ask Sister Zhou to cook more."
The residence where Yue Shanling lived consisted of only two courtyards plus a stable in the backyard, which he purchased when he returned to the capital for the first time after being stationed on the frontier. Because Yue Shanling had been constantly on campaigns over the years, he rarely stayed in the capital for more than a few days at a time, so the house contained only a few simple pieces of furniture. There were no servants to attend to him; only the Zhou family looked after the house. Zhou Zhuang was responsible for tending the horses and driving the carts, his wife managed the cleaning and kitchen, and their two young sons watched over the house and ran errands. As for chores like washing clothes and making beds, Yue Shanling did them all himself.
Zhou's sister-in-law's cooking skills were quite ordinary. Although Yan Tianqing wasn't picky, when he was stationed on the border, having flatbread to eat was considered a good meal, and pickled vegetables and dried vegetables were rare treats that could be offered to his superiors. During battles, even grabbing a handful of snow to eat could count as a meal. Having hot soup and hot food was like living in paradise. But today was different.
"There's a lantern festival today. I heard that a street has opened up in the West Market, which is full of food stalls. I want to go there to eat."
Not only is there a lantern festival, but there are also young ladies watching the lanterns. Yan Tianqing grinned, showing off his nice teeth, "Third brother, why don't you go too? What's the point of staying at home during the festival? Besides, it's been so long since we've been back to Beijing. If we don't go out for a walk soon, we won't recognize the roads anymore."
Yue Shanling thought about it and it made sense. He didn't particularly want to see the lantern festival, but the two boys from Zhouzhuang would definitely want to see it.
He fastened his belt, went out and told Sister-in-law Zhou that he wouldn't be eating at home. He also told Sister-in-law Zhou not to tidy up for the evening and to let Zhou Zhuang take her out for a walk. Then he took Yan Tianqing with him.
As dusk approached, lanterns were already lit in front of the shops. The lantern riddle stalls had just been set up, and the stall owners were hanging up the riddle slips. Several young women traveling together gathered around the stall, watching the stall owner hang up the slips and chattering about the riddles.
Yan Tianqing squeezed through the crowd to ask the stall owner what prizes were available. Before Yue Shanling could follow, he nimbly slipped out of the crowd and ran over in a few steps: "Third Brother, I saw one, there's a shrimp lantern that's really nice, fat and big, and it even moves. Let's guess after we finish eating."
Yue Shanling jokingly teased him, "If you want to play with the lanterns, guess for yourself."
Yan Tianqing just chuckled: "I can recognize a few characters written on military orders, but I can't understand any of them written on those little signs. It's more practical to just buy one than to expect me to win a lantern by guessing riddles."
Although he was talking, his feet didn't stop. Yan Tianqing was born in a poor area and couldn't even get a full meal before crossing the mountains. Even though he went to the capital from time to time in recent years, he could only stay for a few days before leaving. He had never properly celebrated a festival in the capital. At this moment, he looked around and took a look at anything new and interesting along the way.
They didn't rush him when they crossed the mountains; they just waited for him when he stopped.
After wandering around for a while, Yan Tianqing came to a mutton soup shop. She looked up at the sign, ducked inside, and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Sister Cai, Sister Cai!"
A man who was clearing the dishes straightened up, turned around, and exclaimed in surprise when he saw who it was: "Xiao Qingzi!"
Yan Tianqing, who was peering over the stove, looked in the direction of the sound and saw a burly man dressed in coarse cloth clothes, with the hem of his clothes tucked into his waist and half of his sleeves rolled up, revealing a knife scar on his arm.
Yan Tianqing ran happily towards the man: "Brother Qi!"
Just as he was feeling happy, Zhao Qi saw Yue Shanling following behind him. He quickly pulled down his sleeves and patted them with his hands. Feeling that it wasn't too improper, he happily but also a little reservedly called out, "Third Brother."
Zhao Qi's grandfather was a poor scholar who failed the imperial examinations repeatedly and became a schoolteacher in the countryside. Zhao Qi was also literate and worked as a letter seller and an accountant. Later, when famine struck, even writing materials were scarce, and Zhao Qi, having nowhere else to turn, joined the army.
There weren't many literate soldiers in the army, and even fewer literate officers. The recruiters noticed that he knew a lot of characters, so they assigned him to the garrison to help his superiors write official documents and check rosters. Over time, he became acquainted with Yan Tianqing, who often roamed around the various camps.
Yan Tianqing was worried that Yue Shanling was forcing him to learn to read and write every day. When he saw Zhao Qi, he saw him as a lifeline. He tried every means to get Zhao Qi to join Yue Shanling's camp to help him cheat. From then on, Zhao Qi followed Yue Shanling for several years.
Yan Tianqing put his arm around Zhao Qi's arm and asked, "Brother Qi, what are you doing here? Aren't you on duty today?"
“I’m not on duty. There are too many people today, so I’ll lend a hand to A-Cai.” Zhao Qi is no longer the weak scholar he once was. The wind and sand of the border have roughened his features and left scars on his body.
A Cai was a girl Zhao Qi met while suppressing a rebellion. Her father was a peddler, but after his death, A Cai, being a woman, could not work as a peddler and could only do sewing and washing jobs.
The army that quelled the rebellion passed through A-Cai's village and stopped to rest. The cheerful and hardworking A-Cai went with the village women to help take care of the wounded soldiers. Zhao Qi was in charge of recording the casualties at the time, and that's how the two met.
A-Cai endured several years of hardship with Zhao Qi at the border. Once, when they returned to the capital to report on their duties, Zhao Qi accompanied them. They scraped together money from various sources to buy three tiled houses and settled A-Cai in the capital.
This mutton soup shop was opened by A-Cai. She started by selling it from a wooden cart in the neighborhood. Later, she saved some money, and with the money Zhao Qi sent back, she took over this half-shop. Two years ago, Yue Shanling helped Zhao Qi get transferred to the capital to work as a gatekeeper. Zhao Qi and A-Cai officially settled down in the capital.
Seeing Zhao Qi clearing the table, Yan Tianqing wanted to join him. Zhao Qi chased after Yan Tianqing, saying, "You're all greasy; it'll ruin your nice clothes."
"What nice clothes?" Just as they were talking and laughing, A-Cai came in carrying a basket of green vegetables.
Seeing the group of people standing there, A-Cai exclaimed in surprise and delight, "Brother Yue, Xiao Qingzi, what brings you here?" She quickly put the vegetable basket into the kitchen and scolded Zhao Qi, "You didn't even offer them a seat, and just made them stand?"
Zhao Qi then belatedly said, "Sit down, have you eaten yet? Why don't you eat something here? A-Cai's mutton soup is good, and her steamed buns are also quite nice. On this cold day, a hot bowl of soup will warm you up."
Yan Tianqing was still thinking about the food stalls in the West Market, and repeatedly declined, pulling Yue Shanling along as they tried to run away. Seeing this, Zhao Qi didn't linger, telling them to come visit sometime before letting the two leave.
By the time they reached the West Market, it was completely dark. Yan Tianqing found the street specializing in food and ate his way from one end to the other, indulging in a hearty feast until his stomach was bloated. He then bought a bag of candied hawthorns to slowly nibble on and aid digestion.
He held a hawthorn berry, licking the sugar coating off it bit by bit, and looked at Yue Shanling walking in front of him, asking, "Third Brother, look at Qi Ge, he's a year younger than you, and his son is already running around everywhere. When will you see any sign of a wife?"
The man in front didn't turn his head, and said as he walked, "If you're in a hurry to drink, you might as well find one yourself."
Yan Tianqing chuckled and caught up in a few strides: "It's different, Third Brother. You're from a wealthy family, so you'll definitely marry a noblewoman. It's nothing like marrying a commoner like us. I remember when the county magistrate got married, the dowry alone was over thirty pieces, and the jewelry was all gold—it was so beautiful. The procession to welcome the bride was accompanied by music and scattering lots of fruit and coins. Half the county was there to watch. Third Brother's wedding will definitely be even more spectacular."
Yue Shanling turned his head to look at Yan Tianqing, who was crunching on a hawthorn, and smiled, saying, "Nothing's different."
Yan Tianqing mumbled something, but then he saw a magician performing something in front of him, which startled the crowd, who hurriedly retreated.
Pedestrians were jostled and pushed by the scattering crowd, quickly becoming a jumbled mess. Yue Shanling and Yan Tianqing also stepped aside a few paces. But once a crowd gets congested, it's impossible to avoid it in just a few steps. A woman in elegant attire passing by was caught off guard and pushed aside, stumbling back several steps, only to trip over the hem of her skirt and lose her balance. Yue Shanling reached out to help her.
Princess Fu Sui of Yong'an also came out to visit the lantern festival today.
Her maid, Dai Ling, went to buy dried peaches. She felt the fruit stall was a bit crowded, so she waited a few feet away.
When she noticed the commotion in the crowd, Fu Sui knew that being caught in the crowd was probably bad news. She wanted to get away as quickly as possible, but she was bumped into after only a few steps. Seeing that she was about to fall to the ground, she didn't care about anything else and reached out to grab the clothes of the person next to her.
With a tug and a pull, Fu Sui lunged at a slightly hard chest.
Both the style of the clothes in front of her and the solid feel under her hands clearly told Fu Sui that this was a man. However, the crowd behind her not only did not allow her to leave, but also pressed the contact between the two of them even tighter.
Fu Sui placed her hand on the man's chest, feeling the full, undulating flesh beneath her skin even through several layers of thick clothing. This was the first time she had been so close to a grown man, and the texture and scent of his body, so different from those of women and eunuchs, made her ears burn.
Yue Shanling was also taken aback by the sudden appearance of the petite figure rushing into his arms. Noticing the crowd surging towards him, he didn't have time to think. He protected the person in his arms and took a few steps back, then turned around to separate the crowd.
The commotion came and went quickly; after a brief moment of panic, people realized nothing was amiss and gradually dispersed. Yue Shanling released the woman from his arms, took two steps back to create some distance between them.
Yan Tianqing, preoccupied with ensuring his own red fruit wasn't knocked off, only then noticed the extra person on his third brother's back and quickly peered over. He saw a woman wearing a half-beaded veil, revealing only a pair of eyes as clear as autumn water. A snow-white fur collar framed a delicate face, and the fabric of her clothes and the pearl hairpins in her hair were all of considerable value.
Fu Sui was also sizing up the man before him. He had sharp features, tanned skin, and wore plain black clothes without any accessories. His tall, muscular build was faintly visible beneath the robes. The person beside him, who appeared to be traveling with him, looked younger and was dressed in a rather unusual style. Fu Sui guessed that the two were probably soldiers; scholars and intellectuals wouldn't dress so inelegantly.
However, he was quite handsome. She glanced at the man's tightly bound waist without making a sound.
They were out for a stroll, strangers to each other. Although Fu Sui had a reputation for being arrogant and domineering, that reputation was reserved for nobles and aristocratic families; she didn't actually have a habit of bullying commoners. Besides, she was the one who bumped into him first, so she didn't intend to reveal her identity. Instead, she simply acted like an ordinary young lady and gracefully curtsied to the man in black: "Thank you for your help, sir."
The man returned the greeting, saying, "It was nothing, madam, no need for such formalities."
Yan Tianqing's eyes darted back and forth between Yue Shanling and the unfamiliar woman. Before he could figure out how Yue Sange suddenly had another person on him, or how they were suddenly three feet apart, he heard the two saying goodbye.
Yue Shanling said, "Please go ahead, my lady," and stepped aside to make way for Fu Sui.
Yan Tianqing's eyes followed Fu Sui all the way back, when suddenly a slap landed on his face. Yan Tianqing pushed Yue Shanling's hand down and then grabbed his arm, leaning closer, his tone a mixture of excitement and disappointment: "Third Brother, why didn't you ask her whose daughter she is?"
"Why ask those questions?" Yue Shanling pushed Yan Tianqing's face, which was practically right in his eyes, away with disgust.
"How would I know who she is if I didn't ask?" Yan Tianqing showed no awareness of the need to maintain proper decorum in public, gesturing excitedly with her arms and legs, her light brown eyes shining brightly, making the dark eyes of the person next to her appear even more indifferent in comparison: "I think she must be beautiful. Her eyes, just like Old Zhang said, are like hooks that can steal your soul..."
Yan Tianqing kept rambling on, but Yue Shanling frowned as he listened. These words didn't sound like they were spoken by a respectable young lady; he wondered what Yan Tianqing had learned from those old soldiers.
"From now on, avoid drinking with those people; they just spout nonsense."
Yan Tianqing was scolded and realized that what he said might not have been proper, so he awkwardly agreed.
Looking through the countless lights and shadows, Fu Sui saw that the person was quite tall and stood out in the crowd. The colorful lanterns on both sides of the street blurred the outlines of people, and the golden light made their clothes bright and warm. The dark color blended into the bustling prosperity and gradually disappeared.
She opened her arms, then bent them slightly. He was dressed coldly, but felt warm to the touch.
Confused, Dai Ling leaned closer, peeking and looking around. Fu Sui lightly flicked her forehead: "Have you bought it?"
Dai Ling, her arms bulging with several large bags, nodded eagerly, "I bought so much! This is dried peaches, this is plums, and an old lady said her family's new Xinjiang raisins are also delicious..."
The two chattered and laughed as they walked back. Dai Ling chattered incessantly, and as they strolled along, her arms swelled with even more food. After walking two streets, they saw a figure leaning against the carriage shaft in the distance, with a slender waist and long legs.
Fu Sui quietly walked to the carriage, put his hands behind his back, squinted his eyes, and said mysteriously to the people in the carriage, "Guess what I bought?"
Qin An was positioned higher than Fu Sui, and Fu Sui was afraid of getting his hands dirty, so he stretched his hands back as far as he could, and Qin An could see him with just a slight peek.
While he was still wavering between lying and being honest, secretly lamenting that as expected, eunuchs would eventually have to follow the path of bewitching and flattering the emperor, Fu Sui had already handed him the items in his hand: "Two big glutinous rice balls, don't they look like them? I bought them especially for you."
Qin An looked at Fu Sui's smiling face, then at the two particularly full circles drawn with sugar on the stick, and silently repeated three times in his heart that this was the Prince of Jin's biological son before he convinced himself to swallow some of the harsh words and squeeze out a gratified smile of a child who had grown up.
Fu Sui was completely oblivious to Qin An's inner turmoil, only concerned with stuffing the sugar painting into Qin An's hand: "I'm going to eat the oil painting pearl, why don't you go and have a look too? It's so boring sitting here." As she spoke, she grinned and put her arm around Qin An's shoulder, whispering in his ear: "I saw a bead vendor on the street ahead. He had a really beautiful agate bracelet, and a lot of people wanted to buy it, but it was a bit too expensive, so he didn't sell it to anyone."
She winked at Qin An, then turned around and pulled Dai Ling towards the street, not forgetting to turn back and remind Qin An, "It's especially beautiful!"
A note from the author:
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