Chapter 869 Hot Spring Palace
Around noon, someone came to inform them that Shang Ruyi was already dressed and followed Yuwen Ye to the Liangyi Hall.
Suddenly, a wind picked up, howling north and cutting like knives across their faces. Just as they reached the entrance to the main hall, a familiar voice swept past their ears on the wind, a voice chanting in a high-pitched tone—
Green mountains are perpetually frozen, and autumn is long; springs gurgle in Huazhou day and night.
Smoke from ten thousand households encroaches upon the gatekeeper's residence; clouds linger over the magistrate's tower throughout the four seasons.
The wind drives thunder and lightning to shake the river, and the crane leads the immortals to wander the moon.
On the mountaintop, where the medicinal herbs ripen, no frost or snow will fall on one's head.
Shang Ruyi paused, and Yuwen Ye stopped as well, just as they heard Yuwen Yuan's smiling voice say, "Good, good poem, good lines, good imagery!"
"Father is right."
The two exchanged a glance and silently walked in. Sure enough, they saw Yuwen Yuan sitting at the front of the main hall, while Crown Prince Yuwen Qian and Crown Princess Yu Mingyue sat to his left. Yu Mingyue had just finished reciting a poem and was now sitting back down next to the Crown Prince with a smug smile on her face. When she heard footsteps, she turned around and her smugness deepened.
Yuwen Yuan also saw them and said, "You've arrived."
Yuwen Ye immediately led Shang Ruyi forward to pay their respects, but Yuwen Yuan simply waved his hand and said, "No need for formalities, please sit down."
The two exchanged brief greetings with the Crown Prince and Crown Princess before taking their seats to Yuwen Yuan's right. As soon as they were seated, Yuwen Yuan smiled and said, "You're late. You didn't hear the Crown Princess composing a poem, but every word was a gem."
Although Yuwen Yuan held a prejudice against Yu Mingyue because of some of her absurd remarks, he still greatly admired her literary talent. He loved everything she wrote, from her poem "Wearing golden armor through a hundred battles in the yellow sands, I will not return until Loulan is conquered," to her poem "The palace gates open to the heavens, and the officials of all nations pay homage to the emperor," and even the line "The blood of heroes that has flowed for twenty years" that she recited at the Longmen Ferry on the Yellow River.
Upon hearing this, Shang Ruyi glanced at Yu Mingyue sitting opposite her and couldn't help but mutter to herself: "I wonder where this poem came from."
But his face was still full of smiles.
"Your subject has heard. The Crown Princess has always been exceptionally talented in literature, and your subject is ashamed of his own inferiority."
"Ruyi, don't underestimate yourself,"
Yuwen Yuan smiled and said, "I thought your previous poems were excellent. However, to write good poems, one must read and observe more, and only when one feels something can one produce fine lines. These days, Mingyue has been traveling around with Qian'er and has seen some beautiful scenery, so naturally, she has produced many fine lines."
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi looked up and stared directly at Yu Mingyue, smiling, "I wonder what beautiful place the Crown Princess and His Highness the Crown Prince went to."
Yu Mingyue smiled, her eyes sparkling: "Since Princess Qin heard the poem I just recited, can't you tell what place it refers to?"
Shang Ruyi thought for a moment and said, "Mount Hua?"
"The Princess Consort of Qin is indeed exceptionally intelligent."
"where."
At this moment, Yuwen Ye finally spoke, picking up where Shang Ruyi left off, saying, "Your Majesty truly has a leisurely and refined taste. Climbing Mount Hua in winter, you must have enjoyed the beautiful scenery."
He could tell that the other party was making things difficult for Shang Ruyi. Although this was no challenge for Shang Ruyi at all, he was still displeased because of his person, so he directly sided with Yuwen Qian. At this moment, Yuwen Qian smiled and looked up at him, as if he was just sitting there enjoying the warmth of a family dinner. It wasn't until Yuwen Ye spoke that he put down his teacup and said with a smile, "The scenery over there is quite nice. If you have some free time, Second Brother, you might as well take your wife over to see it."
After saying that, he smiled and said, "However, my second brother is always busy, so I'm afraid he won't be able to find any time to rest."
Upon hearing his words, Yuwen Yuan seemed to remember something and turned to look at Yuwen Ye: "I've heard that you've been going to the military camp every day these days, sometimes without even going home."
"……yes."
"Do you even know you're a married man with children? Your wife just gave birth a long time ago?"
"..."
"What exactly are you doing in the military camp?"
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Ye's expression changed slightly, and Shang Ruyi's heart sank. She immediately said to Yuwen Yuan, "That's right. Father, you've stood up for me today. Sometimes when Yuanzi cries at night, the wet nurses and the others can't soothe him. Only I can comfort him."
After saying that, she glanced at Yuwen Ye with a hint of reproach: "It would be good if someone could help me."
Yuwen Yuan frowned and said to Yuwen Ye, "From now on, you must return to the palace every night!"
Yuwen Ye stood up and said, "Your subject understands."
Yuwen Qian and Yu Mingyue on the opposite side exchanged a glance but said nothing.
Although the emperor seemed to be reprimanding the Prince of Qin, Shang Ruyi's "complaints" took on a familiar and intimate tone. Yuwen Yuan was not really angry, but simply said, "I'm so angry that I'm hungry. Let's have a meal."
As soon as he finished speaking, Eunuch Yu immediately gave the order, and soon the Imperial Kitchen staff brought up the wine and dishes.
Since Yuwen Yuan was not dining in the Hundred Blessings Hall, but only in the Two Elements Hall, the food and wine were naturally not so formal, but rather some home-style dishes. However, Shang Ruyi had an extra bowl of medicinal soup with a warm and fragrant aroma in front of her. She naturally understood that it was Yuwen Yuan's thoughtfulness towards her, so she smiled and looked at this kind father-in-law.
Yuwen Yuan said, "By the way, why didn't you bring Yuanzi over today?"
Shang Ruyi hurriedly said, "It's windy today, and I was worried the child would catch a cold, so I didn't bring him along. If Father wishes to see him—"
"No need,"
Before he could finish speaking, Yuwen Yuan immediately waved his hand to stop him, and then said, "I don't need to rush to see him. The weather hasn't been very good lately, so please take good care of the child. He's still young and mustn't catch a cold; he can't take it."
"yes."
As he spoke, Yuwen Yuan coughed lightly twice.
Yuwen Qian, who was standing to the side, raised his head and said, "Father, when I went to Mount Hua this time, I stopped at Tangquan Palace for a while. It has been fully renovated, and a new hot spring has been discovered. It is said to relieve fatigue, relax muscles and promote blood circulation. If you soak in it for a long time, it can also prolong your life."
"oh?"
Upon hearing this, Yuwen Yuan's eyes lit up.
Tangquan Palace was a temporary palace at the foot of Mount Li, not far from Chang'an. It was not only beautiful, but also had hot springs. Emperor Wen had built a temporary palace here for his travels in the early years. After Yuwen Yuan ascended the throne, he ordered the reconstruction of the place, but he was too busy with affairs at the beginning of his reign to have time to visit it.
Now that I've heard that a new spring has been discovered, and that it has the power to prolong life, I can't help but be tempted.
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