Chapter 50: Che Liangchen
Qingzan did not delay her departure any longer. She walked past several carts and came to the front of the team.
Xu Delu was accompanying the carriage and had already informed the emperor before Qingzan made any move, "Your Majesty, Master Ying is coming here."
The emperor said nothing more: "I understand."
In just a few words, the meaning was very clear - there was no need for Xu Delu to ask about the situation. If the emperor wanted to know something, he would ask someone in person.
So as soon as Qingzan arrived, Xu Delu lifted the curtain for her.
At first glance, Qingzan actually saw a clean and bright atmosphere inside the carriage.
In the spacious little world, about ten feet square, the emperor was sitting on the main throne, resting with his eyes closed, his brows dark and furrowed, his lips slightly pursed, his expression calm and resolute.
Even when someone came up, he didn't open his eyes.
He just opened his thin lips and said, "What's wrong with it being your carriage?"
Qingzan was not surprised at all that he could guess it. The two were about to part before dawn, but she did not mention this to him last night. It was obvious that getting in his car was a sudden decision, and there must have been something urgent that could not be resolved until the return trip.
Qing Zan nodded. "Yes, it was Ming Zhaoyi who reminded me. But there's no need to bother investigating. People who pass through swamps don't deal with every crocodile. However, I'm not lucky enough to enjoy what Your Majesty prepared for me."
The convoy set off quickly, and Xu Delu handed over a pillow from somewhere for Qingzan to lean on.
The emperor said leisurely, "It sounds like this person has done more harm to me, while you, Qingqing, have suffered no loss."
"Why don't I have any?" Qingzan suddenly stopped talking when she realized that he was deliberately trying to tease her by saying something nice.
Although not exposed to anyone, Qingzan was still sitting very upright at this moment. The soft pillow was just to prevent the carriage from suddenly shaking and hurting her shoulders and back, but the emperor's carriage was particularly stable, so it seemed unnecessary.
Qingzan wasn't feeling reserved, and even had the leisure to joke, "Your Majesty, why don't you open your eyes and look at me? In ancient times, there was the virtuous Ban Jieyu who withdrew the chariot. It's said that a wise and virtuous ruler would not ride in the same carriage with his concubines. Have I damaged your Majesty's reputation today?"
The emperor's lips twitched slightly. "It's a little late to ask now." Qingzan looked at him, only then noticing the faintest hint of dark circles under his eyes. The emperor had risen at daybreak today. She knew he was always a light sleeper, but these days in the palace seemed even worse.
If it weren't for such a close distance, and if there was the solemn and majestic crown of the emperor between them, would anyone regard the emperor as a mortal body that could get tired and lack strength?
Qingzan couldn't help but think of the situation in the southwest: "Your Majesty, is the drought in the southwest due to too little rain or difficulty in storing water?"
It's no wonder she didn't know. For her, Southwest had always relied solely on fragmentary words from other people, and people's words always had their own biases and opinions, leaving very little truly useful information.
The emperor suddenly opened his eyes and looked at the people. There was a stern yet gentle light in his eyes, like a spring rushing out from between white stones.
"Both. In previous years, there was no rain for months, the trees suffered, and the people were forced to flee. Although we made preparations early this year to prevent disasters, the situation is only slightly better."
In fact, he did not mind the harem interfering in politics. Those who wanted to collude with the relatives of the emperor, even if they appeared to be upright, would secretly collude with them. Besides, all the subjects in the world had the qualifications to participate in politics.
But unexpectedly, the first person who talked to him about these political affairs with great frankness was her.
Unlike what we talked about yesterday, this time there is no temptation, it is just about the matter itself.
The emperor couldn't help but feel a little sorry. If she hadn't been a slave for fifteen years, but had grown up in a noble family, well-read and knowledgeable, would she really be able to discuss the history of the universe, laws, and calendars with him?
This is different from the simple love and sexual intercourse between men and women.
From this perspective, the Yongning Marquisate has indeed committed serious crimes.
Qing Zan didn't know what people were thinking at the moment, so she continued to ask, "How will the disaster relief silver sent to the southwest be effective?"
The emperor wanted to know what she could say, so he answered without hesitation: "In addition to distributing real money, we will also build water conservancy projects and purchase grain."
This was pretty much in line with Qingzan's conjecture. "That's right. Your Majesty must have done everything he could to achieve these goals, but droughts still occur from time to time. This shows that there are more solutions than just these. When I was in the Marquis's mansion, I did meet a wandering sorcerer who often traveled around the northwest. I thought my mother had gone there, and I was deeply fascinated by the region, so I asked him a lot about its customs and people."
The emperor motioned for the person to continue.
Qing Zan: "That gentleman mentioned that there is a kind of dry rice in the northwest, which can achieve one harvest a year in such a place with little rain all year round. I am thinking that if it were in the southwest, it might be possible to harvest two or even three crops a year."
Qing Zan didn't really understand much of this. In her years at the Marquis' Mansion, she'd never had the opportunity to interact with farmland, and most of her theories were just figurative constructs. But the border was vast and remote, and not everyone had the opportunity to learn a thing or two about it.
"upland rice."
The emperor leaned back, as if to consider her words.
"I've previously had people try to improve the crops grown in Jiannan Road, but unfortunately, the results were minimal. What you're suggesting is a promising approach. I've never seen upland rice, but I do know that the japonica rice of Kucha can still be harvested under difficult conditions."
At this point, he had a new understanding of her.
So he said with a smile: "Since we can't maintain the status quo, then let's break through the wall. Perhaps there will be unexpected results?"
Qing Zan: "Well, although I can't save them immediately, I might be able to help them in the long run."
It is definitely too late to plant upland rice this year, but the country's achievements are not at the moment.
The emperor wasn't overly optimistic, but simply considered it a trial run: "Oranges grown in Huainan are oranges. I'll have people import seeds to see if they work. If necessary, I'll send people to the southwest to test and improve them."
That would be enough. Qingzan thought, if she could do even a small act of kindness on her dark and deafening journey of revenge, wouldn't her mother be happier when she saw her in the underworld?
The emperor waved to people.
From the moment she got in the car, she chose to sit on the side seat instead of next to him.
"Because the previous emperor refused the chariot, you want to be a good minister, not a favorite?"
Qingzan just thought that the emperor was praising her for being a good minister.
As she was standing up with a smile, the wheel of the wheel hit a stone, causing a sudden vibration. The sole of her shoe seemed to be out of control as if it had stepped on oil, and Qingzan almost fell on the emperor. She only managed to avoid falling by holding on to the inner wall.
No matter how she stopped herself, this distance was enough for the fragrance of Lanbo to dissipate from her body. The emperor lost his mind for a moment in the fragrance, and then he remembered to grab Qingzan's frightened hand, and was surprised at the texture of the hand that was as soft as snow, a surprise that remained the same as before.
He asked her to sit down next to him, and when he saw that she was no longer frightened, he teased her, "I just said that you are a good minister, and you are so eager to pounce on me?"
Xu Delu swore that he really had no intention of eavesdropping on the movements in the carriage. But the windows were not fastened tightly, and now that he heard such imaginative and erotic dialogue, the crime was definitely not his!
Qing Zan glared at the emperor coldly and said, "I was sitting there quietly."
The emperor probably didn't deny it, so perhaps to compensate her, he said, "After we go back, I will give you something."
There were no more twists and turns along the way, except that when we went back we took another street that was not under construction. There were more shops lined up, it was more prosperous, and there were more pedestrians. It was inevitable to hear the exclamations of the people lining the street as they looked at the street.
Even though the ceremony has been simplified.
The carriage window was slightly opened, and Qingzan saw an enthusiastic child, attracted by the magnificent carriage, and regardless of the armed imperial guards, he wanted to get closer to take a look, but was hurriedly pulled back by his family members: "No, that's the emperor's carriage!"
The little boy had no choice but to look over, only to meet Qingzan's gaze. His expression of shock was exaggerated: "Mother! There's a fairy on the emperor's carriage!"
The people nearby were all intrigued by these words. The woman beside the child became even more terrified and covered his mouth with her hand, "Don't talk nonsense."
Qingzan reached out and closed the car window.
Now, after traveling through the mortal world and the nine streets and six markets, she has become an existence that others dare not talk about. How can people not be shocked?
The emperor pulled her to his chest and said, "Would you like to sleep with me for a while? I'll be there soon."
Qingzan agreed, and slowly closed her eyes while resting her head on the man's clothes. Her quiet brows faded again.
The emperor's claim of being nearly there wasn't a hollow insinuation; they were indeed very close to the Imperial City. The closer they got to the inner city, the more imposing and magnificent it became, until it was so heavy and majestic that even the wind couldn't shake it, and the clamor of the crowds faded away.
Qingzan knew that they had returned to the palace.
After entering the Wangxian Gate, you will reach the rear of the Forbidden Palace. It is not suitable for the carriage to go further inside, so all carriages stop here.
The concubines had heard people talking about it on the way, saying that someone saw Ying Ronghua getting on the emperor's carriage.
Now looking at it, Ying Ronghua's carriage was indeed not in the convoy.
Everyone now walked slower and stopped to see with their own eyes whether Ying Ronghua would get off the emperor's carriage.
If it's true, Ying Ronghua's behavior is a bit too coquettish!
Ming Zhaoyi also had something to ask Qingzan.
As soon as Qingzan got out of the car, she was met with many pairs of inquiring eyes.
Xu Delu knocked on the window: "Your Majesty...?"
"Don't worry about her." The emperor said, and then ordered the carriage to set off again and return to Taiji Hall.
After all, it was she who insisted on going down just now.
"I originally wanted to ask Ronghua in the car." Ming Zhaoyi came over and walked side by side with Qingzan.
No one dared to offend Zhaoyi, so they went back in groups of three or five, but they couldn't help whispering and discussing things.
At the end of August, the air between the embroidered doors and carved eaves was not as frosty and cold as in the valley, but there was still a chill.
The palace maids put cloaks on each of them. Qingzan lifted the cloak and looked at Ming Zhaoyi: "Zhaoyi, what do you want to ask me?"
Ming Zhaoyi was dressed in a rich crimson gown, but because it was not embroidered with gold, it gave off a certain air of arrogance and coldness. She paused slightly and said, "I heard that Zhao is coming out soon."
Ming Zhaoyi was undoubtedly one of the most well-informed people in the palace.
She turned her head and asked: "Is this the favor you asked for?"
Qing Zan said modestly, "I am just following the trend."
Although Ming Zhaoyi had some guesses, she still wanted to hear the person's own words, so she asked, "Why don't you bear grudge against the Zhao family?"
Qing Zan said: "If Zhao Cairen has changed her ways and turned to good, I think we should give her a chance; if Zhao Cairen remains the same, then being able to come out is not necessarily a good thing. What's more, the children of the Zhao family are now meritorious officials——"
"You are quite frank." Ming Zhaoyi laughed, but there was a hint of appreciation on her face.
Not only was he a meritorious official, but he also contributed to suppressing the Queen's power.
The Yongning Marquisate and the Zhao family are irreconcilable.
Ming Zhaoyi asked again, "Does your choice today mean you are rejecting my friendship?"
Qing Zan smiled and said, "I just don't want to be in a passive position before reaching a cooperation."
Seeing the place where they were about to part ways, Qing Zan bowed and said, "I can see that Zhaoyi doesn't want to be a close or best friend with me, but rather a trustworthy partner. Therefore, I must know what Zhaoyi wants to do, and Zhaoyi also needs to know what I want to do, before we can discuss whether to refuse or not."
"That's quite a thought." Ming Zhaoyi gave him a deep look and said, "I'm going to Ziquan Palace to pick up Huaixuan now. If you miss Huaixuan, come to Chaoyun Palace for lunch tomorrow."
When Qingzan and Doukou were about to arrive at Chengluan Palace, they saw the palace servants waiting outside from afar.
Just like subjects welcoming the triumphant royal army, they stood in neat rows, popping their heads out to look around from time to time.
Just as he was about to talk to them, a young eunuch with extremely fast steps came from Taiji Hall and intercepted Qing Zan first.
He presented a small square box, with a golden nanmu outer shell and a red velvet lining. "Your Majesty asked me to give this to you, my Lord."
Qingzan reached out to take it, remembering what the emperor had said in the carriage: he would give her something.
"key?"
Inside was a key with a red gold diamond pattern.
The young eunuch kept the secret and said with a smile:
"His Majesty said that if the master can't guess where the key belongs, he won't be able to accept the gift."
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