Yuan Yunzhong looked a bit like a mischievous child caught by his parents in the act.
Song Jiyun couldn’t help but purse her lips and smile, leaning in to ask him, "Confess and you’ll be treated leniently, resist and you’ll be dealt with strictly. Spill it now."
"It’s not much," Yuan Yunzhong said, a glint of cold light flashing in his eyes, "I’ve been frequently visiting the Emperor to discuss Prince Ning, suggesting that it was time for him to return. He managed to gain an audience with the Empress Dowager and constantly visited her to show filial piety. If we didn’t send him back, he’d shamelessly stay in the Capital City, insisting on discussing brotherly love with the Emperor. So I said to the Emperor, since he’s so keen on staying in the Capital City, let him stay. After all, Prince Ning has many brothers; the Prince of Ruichang can manage his fiefdom in his stead."
Song Jiyun was taken aback.
Even emperors want to send their brothers far away from the Capital; how much more so a Vassal King?
She asked, "Is the Prince of Ruichang not on good terms with Prince Ning?"
Yuan Yunzhong nodded with a smile, "If Prince Ning wasn’t known as the rightful senior heir, who would be Prince Ning is still up in the air!"
Song Jiyun burst into hearty laughter and said to Yuan Yunzhong, "You are really something! Strike the snake where it’s vital. I like that."
Even though Yuan Yunzhong was often praised by others, he couldn’t stand such direct compliments. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎
His ears grew hot.
Song Jiyun expressed her concerns, "Considering Prince Ning’s character, I’m afraid the Prince of Ruichang will suffer. We can’t just let others bear the brunt in our fight against Prince Ning. If the Prince of Ruichang were to incur Prince Ning’s hatred, that would truly be a loss greater than the gain. We must find a way to clear his name."
"Of course," Yuan Yunzhong said, "When I made those remarks, the Chief Historian wasn’t even there. Besides, I merely expressed my feelings; it was the Emperor who made the decision. Moreover, the Emperor is aware that the Prince of Ruichang has been wronged, and he plans to summon him to the Capital City once Prince Ning returns to Nanchang Prefecture, to find him some employment. As long as he stays out of trouble, not only can he enjoy a century of peace, but even his descendants might be able to register as residents of the Capital City."
Song Jiyun was well aware of how difficult it was to get registered in the Capital City.
Today’s retiring cabinet elders must return to their hometowns to live out their years, with very few able to stay in the Capital City.
She nodded repeatedly.
Yet Yuan Yunzhong changed the subject, saying, "However, I think it’s better to let Prince Ning stay in the Capital City. This way, he’ll stop dreaming about returning to Nanchang and making various plans, and it will also spare the Prince of Ruichang from being in a dilemma. It’s just a pity; the Prince of Ruichang will probably have to stay in Nanchang indefinitely."
He spoke with a hint of mockery in his tone.
Song Jiyun was slightly taken aback but then sensed something, suspecting that he might know about the words Prince Ning had once said to her.
She looked hesitant.
Seeing this, Yuan Yunzhong hastily reassured her as if to comfort her, "Don’t worry, these are trivial matters. Prince Ning has always been suspected by the Imperial Family, and he’s not been keeping his peace; no one else is to blame for that."
When Emperor Yongle went south, he promised Prince Ning’s branch that they would "administer their lands across the river" and be "kings shoulder to shoulder," but Emperor Yongle eventually went back on his word. Although Prince Ning’s branch had always stayed out of trouble, it couldn’t help that the emperors themselves felt guilty!
That matter was quite a messy affair.
Song Jiyun nodded, feeling that Yuan Yunzhong had handled things well.
The two of them, coordinating their efforts, had indeed made progress in their respective roles.
She mentioned the order from Kunning Palace, "I guarantee that once it’s delivered, it will take the palace by surprise. If it could even win over the Empress Dowager’s heart, that would be even better. Didn’t Cining Palace initially order only twelve designs but then ended up ordering twenty-four? This goes to show that nothing is immutable; if Cining Palace could change its mind after seeing what I bring to Kunning Palace and give us a few more orders, that would be perfect."
As for the Wei Family’s affair, she didn’t even ask.
Ill deeds will bring about one’s downfall. It was their own fault for reaching out first, otherwise it wouldn’t have been so easy to expose the Wei Family’s excessive tax levies.
The two of them sat under the grape arbor in the courtyard, sipping tea, eating pastries, and chatting away.
"What’s the weather like at Mount Tai? Should you bring more mosquito repellent?" Song Jiyun cautioned him, "Is the road there easy to travel? How many days will it take to go there and back?"
Yuan Yunzhong gazed at her radiant, glowing face with a bit of infatuation.
He seemed to like Song Jiyun like this, as if she had endless energy, and regardless of any adversity, always had the courage to forge ahead.
He even recalled the first time they met.
At that time, he had looked down on her behavior.
But who could deny her vibrant vitality?
That was probably when he had been attracted to her.
He just didn’t know it at the time.
Otherwise, with his temperament, he surely would have reported it to the authorities long ago.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but bow his head and chuckle to himself.
Then his shoulder was poked, and a crisp female voice rang in his ear, "Talking to you. Where are you drifting off to? Are you hiding something from me again?"
Yuan Yunzhong looked up, his eyes and brows full of an irrepressible smile.
"No," he said, his gaze fixed on Song Jiyun, "it’s just that you asked a bit too much, and for a moment I didn’t know which question to answer first or last!"
Song Jiyun’s face flushed with a silent curse. This guy was definitely not thinking about how to answer her.
His gaze was so intense, like the scorching sun, that it almost burned a hole through her.
However, she liked it very much.
Such focus, such deep affection, as if she were the only person in the world to him—he wanted to keep her in his eyes and in his heart.
She secretly smiled.
Yuan Yunzhong replied to her unhurriedly, "These past few years, the Emperor has often sent people to Mount Tai to offer sacrifices to heaven. As a result, the road there has been well maintained; it’s not only direct, but can also accommodate a four-horse carriage and has room for thirty-six bearers to carry a palanquin. They’re all hoping the Emperor will personally visit Mount Tai one of these times... The round trip from the Capital City to Mount Tai takes about two to three months. It’s not that the road is difficult to travel, but along the way, there are many local officials to meet... After all, it’s on behalf of the Emperor offering sacrifices to heaven, some of it is ritual, some of it networking... My maternal grandfather has presided over two imperial examinations, my grandfather one, and my father one as well. Wherever we go, we’re among acquaintances—it’s incredibly troublesome... That time I went to Jiangxi, I didn’t travel with the official fleet, specifically to avoid these matters..."
The cicadas’ chirping intensified, underscoring the stillness, the vastness, and the length of the afternoon.
*
In the Siyi Pavilion, where Prince Ning had temporarily lodged, porcelain and jade ornaments were shattered all over the floor.
"That motherfucker Yuan Yunzhong dares to scheme against me, to set a trap for me," Prince Ning’s eyes were bloodshot, his face twisted with rage, "I will make sure he doesn’t get away with it!"
He loudly called for his personal Colonel, "Isn’t he heading to Mount Tai? You go, arrange some men for me. I want to ensure he never returns!"
The Colonel hesitated, clearly not in agreement with such a course of action.
Prince Ning exploded with fury, like a nest of hornets had been disturbed, and pulled out a whip, lashing it towards the Colonel, "What, can’t I even command you now!"
A welt instantly swelled upon the Colonel’s face.
The Chief Historian hurried forward to stop Prince Ning and gave a meaningful look to the Colonel, signaling him to comply with Prince Ning’s decision. Turning to Prince Ning with a smiling face, his tone gentle and soothing, he said, "Your Highness, don’t be angry; anger can harm your health. Yuan Yunzhong, representing the Emperor at Mount Tai, will certainly have plenty of Guards with him. He’s just a mere Colonel — even if he is willing, he might not have the capability. Without clear instruction, he might be at a loss about what to do, right?"
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