Looking at the Sword by Lamplight (Twenty-Nine)
After Bian Hongqiu returned to the ship, he was still considering how to write a letter to ask the prefect of Daohai City to meet him first. Unexpectedly, as luck would have it, the prefect of the city, Lin, came to the dock in his usual clothes to inspect whether there were any goods that should not be smuggled. He took the time to look around the ship parked on the shore and saw the flag of Prince Liang's Mansion.
He was startled. News of Zuo Dan's Eighteen Continents' recapture had already spread throughout Dayu. So many important figures had gathered in the Western Territory before the battle. Now that peace had been restored, they would surely have gone their separate ways. But a man of the Liang Palace's stature should have had messengers dispatched to deliver the news. Yet, he had received no news of the Liang Palace passing through Haicheng from Xiliuhai. Even if he had been completely unaware of such a prominent figure's passage, it would have been a gross oversight.
So he put aside the things at hand, immediately stated his identity and asked to go on board to meet King Liang.
Bian Hongqiu's invitation was still blank when the prefect Lin took the initiative to visit. He took advantage of the few steps he took to board the ship to ask Song Jingyan and Mr. Liu about some things about the prefect Lin—things that would be enough for them to use as a favor. Logically, he didn't need to go through anyone. After all, it seemed like a good excuse, just like spending a fortune to win a beautiful woman's smile.
However, with so many people waiting to be served, there are still many unknowns when trying to guess the new emperor's intentions. He certainly cannot make decisions on his own and use his power or the huge intelligence network built by the Prince of Liang's Mansion over the years to achieve his goals.
Song Jingyan first asked him, "How big a piece of land do you want?"
She knew, of course, of the "Su Jian" story of Canglin Mountain, but she only knew about the founding of the mountain, where the nobles and lords fought heartily and relentlessly, taking revenge on each other. She had no idea what happened afterward, especially the people and events on the mountain that were lost in the murky struggles. She had no idea what happened to "little people" like Meng Shizhuang. According to the reports from those who had gathered, the fighting on Canglin Mountain was so intense that it was no exaggeration to say that rivers of blood flowed all the way from the top to the bottom.
Among so many people, how many of them would be moved by Meng Shizhuang's emotions and make arrangements for their funeral?
Bian Hongqiu was very clear about it, whether it was Meng Shizhuang's past that she never mentioned or her reaction when he gave her the sword. "There are only two people, one of whom is Ju Shu... Well, Ah Shi meant that they should be buried together."
He wasn't the reclusive "Butterfly" who had arrived in Daohai City ten years ago. Ordinary families might purchase a piece of prime land from a nearby clan, perhaps spending over ten taels of silver. For the Liang Palace, that amount was barely a drop in the bucket. But the price was small. Upon returning to the ship, he had asked Qiuhe to go to the prefecture as a commoner to inquire about proper regulations. He discovered that the announcement that Canglin Mountain had been designated a public mountain had only been posted a month earlier, and the specifics of what was designated had yet to be officially announced.
At this time, he had to speak as the King of Liang, and what he was buying was obviously a favor that could be big or small.
But he also had to speak up for himself, with the mighty Liang Palace standing behind him. As long as the Liang Palace was safe, this stele would be able to withstand wind and rain even if it was thousands of miles away.
Things had settled down a bit these days, and Song Jingyan's sense of relief was palpable. She didn't even frown at Bian Hongqiu's response. The sound of Prefect Lin and Yan He talking outside the cabin grew closer, so she decided not to offer a lengthy explanation, hoping to use this incident to clear herself of the bad luck. "It's such a minor matter, Your Highness, don't worry. It's easy to get the prefecture to relent."
She walked around the desk to Bian Hongqiu's side and said, "Tell this Magistrate Lin to present it to you within three days."
Mr. Liu, relying on his age and inconvenient legs, sat still and reminded: "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall. Don't be too presumptuous."
As he finished speaking, Yan He entered with his guests, and the three men behind the desk greeted the newcomers with smiles. Prefect Lin sensed something amiss, but was quickly dispelled by the three identical, friendly smiles: "Hey, this Prince Liang is quite friendly with everyone around him."
This feeling deepened as he continued to talk with the three people. The more he talked, the more he felt that he had met a confidant. From greetings to heart-to-heart talks, from official business to personal matters, from sea transportation and firewood cutting in the mountains to the scratching tabby cat in his own backyard... The sun was shining brightly, and the lunch at Prince Liang's Mansion, which was not a delicacy, made Lord Lin feel full and satisfied. He left with a heavy head and a reluctant farewell, and repeatedly asked Prince Liang not to condescend to the ship and to stay at his mansion.
Bian Hongqiu refused with a smile, and ordered Yan He to personally escort Lin Zhizhou back home.
Song Jingyan already knew a lot of things, and the intentional conversation made her feel more confident. She always felt so relaxed and weak during the days of rest, and now she felt an urge to fight with others. She wanted to pry open the tablets of Lin Zhizhou's eighteen generations of ancestors and see how each word was written on it.
Before he could even say goodbye to Bian Hongqiu, he heard General Qi say in a puzzled yet pitiful tone, "Why is Your Highness unhappy? Weren't you chatting happily with Lord Lin just now?"
Song Jingyan turned around and swept away Bian Hongqiu's chopsticks that had not touched many dishes, feeling embarrassed.
Why else? My husband, who was supposed to come home for dinner, stood me up.
She took a good look at Bian Hongqiu's expression and found that her prince's face was full of grievances... He was really going backwards. When he was young, he could always save face no matter what, and refused to let others see his vulnerability. Now, after more than ten years of experience, the biggest improvement is probably his thick skin.
But Song Jingyan didn't feel the need to listen to "slanderous words" or feel any pangs of discontent. Although she had never married, she had seen many people get married. The most vivid example was the late king and his wife. Even though the old prince had personally asked for the wife's hand in marriage, they never had a happy life.
The most peaceful time was during their early wedding days. Back then, the Liang Palace was still in the capital, and the situation there was tense. The old prince was busy appeasing his former subordinates and planning his departure, while the princess was doing everything she could to show off her rapidly rising status to her friends. The couple separated from each other in the mornings, perhaps only seeing each other at night after the lights were turned out. They didn't discuss or ask about their worries or joys, but they would always ask thoughtfully if they were tired and if their meals had been good.
Later, the old prince asked to go to Shangyang, and the relationship between him and the princess plummeted.
Until the old prince died in battle, he and the princess lived in two separate courtyards. No one of them ever took the initiative to knock on the other's door. When they occasionally met in the mansion, they would politely call each other "Prince" and "Princess".
The vivid image of a "resentful woman" like Bian Hongqiu has never been seen in a prince or princess.
This wasn't a bad thing. Song Jingyan, not completely lost in love, believed that acting like a spoiled child was a natural part of a couple's lives. Besides, as they sailed north along the coast, no matter how big their ship was, it couldn't compare to a proper house. They'd see each other every day. Ah Shi was probably being too indulgent to His Highness, and he'd be bothered to talk and coax her if she couldn't control her mouth—and His Highness, even more so, wouldn't feel comfortable without Ah Shi's barbed words.
Bian Hongqiu waited and waited, initially forbidding anyone to clear away the leftovers, forcing Meng Shizhuang, who had arrived late, to coax them. As the kitchen staff began preparing dinner, he began to worry that Meng Shizhuang wouldn't have eaten on her way out. His desire to act like a spoiled child faded, and he decided to send someone to look for her. Someone rushed to the gangway, and Qi Ziyu, who was about to follow him, said with a sly, "Your Highness, you look like a wife whose husband ran off with someone else."
The "young wife" turned around and said coldly: "General Qi, please don't send me off!"
General Qi was still confused, "What to give..."
Just when Bian Hongqiu was angry and had no place to vent, Meng Shizhuang, who had disappeared for most of the day, came back by himself, covered in blood and with a broken scabbard, revealing a piece of the snow-white sword that could cut through iron like mud.
Bian Hongqiu's heart suddenly rose to his throat: "What's going on! Who hurt you?!"
Meng Shizhuang was still dazed, but when she came back to her senses, she forced a smile, picked up her sword, and used the hilt to stop Bian Hongqiu from charging at her. "Don't worry, it's all someone else's blood... Wait, I'll go change my clothes, so you don't want to get blood on your hands."
He looked tired, suppressing his emotions as he spoke softly, "I got stuck at noon and couldn't make it back for lunch with you. Did you finish your meal properly? After I change my clothes, I'll pick a flower for you to apologize, okay?"
Bian Hongqiu stopped.
He stood still, "Okay, go ahead. I'll wait for you in the study." He watched Meng Shizhuang dragging her sword back to the boat, and the blood in his body ran cold. Qiu He stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, do you want to..."
"No," Bian Hongqiu replied, "He always tells me what he wants to tell me. Don't chase him."
He and Ah Shi have already broken through that layer of window paper, and all inquiries and suspicions should be open and honest.
So Bian Hongqiu did as he said, went to the study and waited quietly, and asked the kitchen to send a stomach-warming soup.
A quarter of an hour later, Meng Shizhuang came with a bunch of jasmine flowers. They were snow-white, small and cute, and exuded a sweet fragrance. He used his bandaged right hand to protect the flower buds that had not yet bloomed and were covered with water droplets. He found a suitable angle next to Bian Hongqiu's temples and inserted them diagonally into his hair.
Meng Shizhuang didn't beat around the bush: "Your Highness, can you get the land I want?"
He said, "I'm a little anxious. It would be best if it could be done within two or three days."
Bian Hongqiu leaned back in his chair. Meng Shizhuang, who had put the flowers in his hair, came around and leaned over to hug him. He felt a coldness in her body he had never felt before. She wasn't shivering, but it was icy cold, piercing through his ironed clothes and pricking his bones. He hugged Meng Shizhuang with his backhand, almost angrily, "Why? What's the rush? Did you sign a life and death agreement with someone?"
He had only said it as an example, but he had never expected the person holding him to reply very gently yet solemnly, "Yes, signed. In three days."
Bian Hongqiu froze and looked up from his arms.
Meng Shizhuang covered his eyes, lowered her head and kissed his lips and earlobes several times: "I said I would go with you, and I won't break my promise..."
Bian Hongqiu interrupted him rudely: "Do you want me to follow you just like you took Uncle Ju's ashes with you?"
After he finished roaring, he felt resentful and distressed: "Who did you meet? Tell me..." Tell me about your past.
Meng Shizhuang still didn't let go of his hand covering Bian Hongqiu's face, answering Bian Hongqiu's questions one by one: "Meet... um, an enemy? Not really. Rival? Probably not. Anyway, he's wronged me, and I've wronged him too... We didn't have a deep entanglement, and we haven't exchanged more than a few words."
His lips were still warm as he slid down Bian Hongqiu's earlobe to her neck, then pressed his face against the side of her neck. "Listen to me, I won't break my promise. I didn't die before, and I won't die now... I'm just not sure if I can keep my other hand. I dug a shabby grave for someone before, and now I want to build this grave for him and Lao Ju myself."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
