Chapter 26
The flowers in the south of the Yangtze River are blooming under the warm spring breeze. The colorful flowers are piled together, attracting the newly born butterflies of the new year to dance here.
Chen Yi bid farewell to Zhang Hong and asked the attendants sent by the royal family to arrange the carriages and other items. He still asked Zhang Hong to stuff in some wine jars, flattering him to remember the beautiful scenery of Jiangdu. There was wine to get drunk on the way, and in just three days, he could reach Jinling after getting drunk and taking a nap.
He accepted all the gifts from Zhang Hong with a smile, and said frankly that he would write the complicated memorial according to Zhang Hong's instructions, which made Zhang Hong walk a few more steps forward.
Chen Yi lowered the carriage curtain, and only then did he put away the smile that had graced his face for the past few days as he watched the group gradually recede. He leaned against the carriage, and just as the sun rose, the secret letter he had intended for Xue Congzhi had already been sent out late at night. As for what his attendants did, he only noticed about 70% of it, and he had already secretly memorized any suspicious behavior.
Since he pretended to be carefree, he naturally shouldn't care about other things. He should just enjoy himself and temporarily delay the county magistrate and others.
In order to wait for a few more days, Shen Yi hid his sleeves and claimed to be sick, and temporarily rested at an inn on the way. The money and other things given by Zhang Hong were used to stay in the inn and to hire a doctor.
There were only a few doctors along the way—just some old doctors who could write a few prescriptions. Shen Yi didn't pick anyone out at this time, letting the old doctor take his pulse. Because of the presence of others, he covered his lips with a silk handkerchief and coughed a little more violently.
Seeing that he was coughing violently, the old doctor took a step back and waved his attendants to leave first. Then he hesitated and asked, "Excuse me, sir, are you coming from the north or the south?"
Shen Yi was puzzled by his reaction, but he answered truthfully, "I walked all the way here from Chang'an City in the north."
The old doctor then breathed a sigh of relief, moved closer and sat down to continue taking the patient's pulse and treating him. "According to what the old man asked just now, if I give a different answer, will the treatment method also be different?" The followers around him had just retreated, so Shen Yi stopped pretending to be sick.
The old man sighed and shook his head, "Sir, you have come a long way, I don't know your current situation."
As if recalling something, his voice lowered, "It's already the third year." The old doctor let go of his hand, and after making sure that the other party was fine, he talked about the old things.
"It was around this time that the epidemic began in Luzhou. It's been over two years now." He shook his head and sighed. "Although it's typhoid fever, there's no cure. Every spring and autumn, countless people die from it."
The old doctor picked up his pen and wrote a prescription. "I just heard that you have a severe cough, so I asked this question. But coming from the north, you are unlikely to be infected with such an epidemic."
Shen Yi sighed, "According to what the old man said, the government and the county magistrate have no other choice?"
The old doctor lowered his voice and said, "There are dead bodies everywhere, but the disease has not spread to the county magistrate's mansion. It seems that this epidemic will also choose its victims." He showed the prescription to Shen Yi and finished the last sentence.
"Now, only the guests from outside the city are unaware of this. If they come from the south, both the inn and the doctors will avoid them. Furthermore, I heard that if this continues this year, Luzhou City will have to close its gates to stop the source of the epidemic."
"Young Master, you've been exhausted from the journey, and you're just suffering from some acclimatization issues. You don't need to worry about any epidemics for now," he said with a wry smile, as if mocking himself. "Even if you want to go to Jinling, it's still some distance from Luzhou. People who are sick right now can't come..."
Shen Yi reached out and folded the prescription, paid double the consultation fee, and asked his attendant to send the old doctor out.
Three years? He drummed his fingers on the table. Even with the situation so serious, no one in Chang'an was talking about it. Jiangnan was a relatively isolated region, so it couldn't be so isolated. The royal family, preoccupied with consolidating power, had probably abandoned the matter.
Chen Yi swallowed his sigh. The prescription was of no use to him. He casually ordered the waiter to get the medicine. He opened the window to get some fresh air.
The moon outside the window is full again, and the starlight in the depths of the night peeks into the tranquility of this place, completely concealing the desolation and showing the prosperity of spring.
He kept making excuses all the way. According to the date, he should set off for Jinling City tomorrow. Shen Yi closed his eyes and lay on the bed, not thinking about the figures walking outside the door, nor about the secret letter he had received recently. As for the memorial to be submitted, he was afraid that he would have to wait until he left Jinling before he could pick it up.
It was indeed a sleepless night, so he finally got up and opened the wine Zhang Hong had given him, drinking it alone in his room. The mellow wine, mingled with the aroma of overripe fruit, had a sweet and sour aftertaste, perfect for drinking alone.
Chen Yi comforted himself, thinking that this was just an idle job and that he knew nothing about it and would not investigate anything.
He could not stay in Jiangnan for long, nor could he look at Jiangnan again - he had to go back home, so everything here was just a breeze that would blow away.
He couldn't catch it after all, and couldn't do anything about it. If he were to say he was a playboy, he would now readily agree.
Unconsciously, the wine jar was empty very quickly. Fortunately, the red sun replaced the new moon and the roosters crowed immediately. Shen Yi went into the carriage to continue resting and slept all the way to Jinling.
Jinling was even busier than Jiangdu, and he was stuck in the crowd before the city gate. When Shen Yi opened his eyes, the carriage had stopped for a while, slowly moving forward, and the driver had to pull the reins to barely control the horses.
He glanced at the attendants around him. He had become familiar with their faces over the past few days, and there were only a few people left whose names he couldn't tell. Shen Yi withdrew his gaze, paid the driver, lifted the curtain, and got out of the carriage.
He held a folding fan in one hand, on which hung a jade pendant he had just bought from Jiangdu, and smiled as he gazed at the gates of Jinling. He blended into the crowd and quickly entered the city, where redwood trees intertwined and dusk deepened.
The singing hall and wine shop in Jinling had just opened. Waiters were standing in front of the door to attract guests from afar, and singing girls with soft voices were escorting wealthy-looking guests into the hall.
Shen Yi threw his purse to his attendant and entered the singing hall alone. The madam was naturally understanding and pointed out a room upstairs with a good view for him, and then ordered the maid to take him upstairs.
He sat in a side room, listening to the courtesan's music through the screen, thrusting his folding fan into the maid's arms and asking only for more wine. The familiar scent of women made him feel somewhat at ease, and since Zhao Qing hadn't sent anyone to greet him, he decided to stay here.
Firstly, it was convenient for him to get some information, and secondly, it was enough to conceal his tracks. Only by seeking out flowers and asking about willows could the governor of Jinling not openly make trouble.
Perhaps because it was still spring, no incense had been burned in the singing hall. Besides the scent of cosmetics, there was also the sweet or light fragrance of flowers, which spread throughout the building on the spring breeze that slipped in through the window.
This wait lasted three days. When Shen Yi woke up from the couch, it was already the fourth day.
It felt like I was on a journey through the mountains and rivers. These past few days, I'd either been lingering in singing halls and taverns, or climbing bridges and boarding pleasure boats, drifting off into the night to the sounds of lotus flowers. Occasionally, I'd think of going to a famous shop alone to pick out some wooden hairpins and silk fabrics, most of which I gave to the dancers and maids in the singing halls.
He pushed open the door and invited the visitor in. The other party bowed and saluted first, "Young Marquis." Then he sat down opposite Shen Yi, but he did not flatter him like Zhang Hong did, as if it was just an ordinary meeting.
Regardless of their respective intentions and the underlying meaning, this encounter was indeed commonplace. "I just heard today that the young marquis has arrived. Logically, we should host a banquet at the prefectural governor's residence to entertain him."
He lowered his voice and paused, "It's just... it's the new year, and the Zhao County Magistrate is busy with official business. The young marquis has been appointed by His Majesty, so I'm afraid that too much contact will only arouse suspicion."
Chen Yi responded with doubt, "Then County Magistrate Zhao doesn't plan to see this prince?" He raised his eyebrows and looked at the official sent by Zhao Qing.
The man naturally stood up and bowed again, his tone somewhat anxious, "It is because he was worried that the young marquis would misunderstand that the county magistrate asked this humble official to come and inform the young marquis. I am Shen Zhiyan, and if you think about it, my ancestors may be from the same lineage as the young marquis."
He seemed to realize he had spoken out of turn. "Anyway, only after meeting the young marquis did I understand his divine talent. I didn't say anything I shouldn't have thought." His voice gradually softened. "But there's also the Luzhou epidemic, and the prefect is really busy. If the young marquis needs anything in Jinling, you can always send someone to see me."
As he spoke, Shen Zhiyan stood up and filled their teacups. "I hope Young Marquis will forgive me. The county magistrate had already prepared a banquet to welcome you, but he is unable to attend in person now."
He smiled with his eyes curved, and told Shen Yi about the famous singing houses and wine houses in Jinling one by one. Shen Yi's expression softened, and he listened with great interest to his talk about the romantic places in Jinling.
He conveniently tied the jade pendant given to him by Shen Zhiyan around his waist, leaned back in the soft chair and smiled happily, "Then I'd like to trouble Lord Shen to accompany me for the next few days. It's true that we are from the same family. Lord Shen and I really hit it off right away."
For several days, Shen Zhiyan stayed by his side, just as he had said that day. Shen Yi remained silent, answering every question he asked, drinking and enjoying himself, listening to music, and doing everything he was supposed to do.
It wasn't until midnight that Shen Zhiyan left. Shen Yi opened the window and looked out at the street. The crowds in Jinling were as bustling as those in Chang'an. There was also the sound of flowing water. There were small boats moored by the bridge, and the occasional boatman was returning home.
The distant lights illuminated the water city. Thinking of what Shen Zhiyan had shown him over the past few days, Zhao Qing was even more cautious and vigilant than Zhang Hong. Although Shen Zhiyan was his companion, he was practically inseparable, making it difficult for him to deliver messages or find time to himself.
Chen Yi blew out the oil lamp in the room. Seeing that there was no human figure reflected behind the screen, he stuffed the written code on the pillow and prepared to tell his followers to go into the room and clean up in the morning.
As for the secret report, the people from the Tian family pretended to be waiters delivering drinks and met with him without any hindrance. In detail, he had been in Jinling for half a month.
He closed his eyes and lay on the couch, letting the warm spring breeze blow into the room. He didn't care about Chen Zhiyan who was right next door, and fell asleep in the scent of cosmetics and flowers.
The flowers in the south of the Yangtze River were blooming luxuriantly, but he still missed the spring scenery in Chang'an and thought of his way home.
Since the Heavenly Family had almost finished investigating the mystery, the day for him to return was drawing near. Perhaps when the moon in the sky curved into a line again, he would be able to see the people he missed again: his mother, his sister, his grandfather.
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