Trip to the Capital (Part 10)
Since autumn began, the temperature has been low in the mornings and evenings, so Mu Chuan now keeps a cloak in his carriage when he goes out.
The cloak was made of black brocade, and when it was taken off, the dark blue robe embroidered with gold thread underneath was made even more eye-catching.
Today, Mu Chuan not only wore a beautiful robe, but also a matching headband with a gold tassel chain. The end of the chain even had a bell hanging from it, a style that was very popular among young men these days.
It's obvious that she dressed up on purpose.
Wang Pan'er stared intently, circling him two or three times, admiring each frame.
"That's enough." Mu Chuan blushed slightly from being stared at and grabbed Wang Pan'er's collar to stop her. "You're acting like a lecher right now."
"How can you blame me? Everyone loves beauty."
Wang Pan'er lifted her hair ribbon, brought it to her nose, and smelled it.
Mu Chuan has a habit of scenting her clothes, and now she's chosen her favorite fragrance, making her feel like a walking perfume bag, completely captivating Mu Chuan.
Mu Chuan pulled back her hairband and glared at her coquettishly: "If all girls were like you, the whole capital would be in chaos."
This is just right, this is the perfect match! It's both sweet and spicy, I just want to kiss him to death! We're getting married in three days, I don't need to wait much longer!
Wang Pan'er straightened up, composed herself, and sat back down in her seat.
As soon as Mu Chuan arrived, three dishes and a soup were immediately served.
The private room the innkeeper chose for us was quite spacious, with a large dining table, but the three dishes and soup were laid out sparsely and looked unappetizing.
Wang Pan'er simply changed seats, snuggling up to Mu Chuan's side, and gathered all the dishes together: "It's too lonely with just the two of us. I can only enjoy my meal when I'm next to you."
The abacus beads were making a lot of noise. Mu Chuan, who was acting very serious, couldn't help but curl one corner of his mouth.
Wang Pan'er owns several food stalls and knows that farmers work hard for every grain of rice. She is never extravagant and cherishes her blessings. The food on the table is exactly what the two of them should eat.
Mu Chuan felt grateful, perhaps he must have burned enough incense in his past life to be able to become partners with a woman of Wang Pan'er's character and spend his life with her in this life.
The autumnal equinox is a wonderful time when river delicacies are plump and delicious. The shopkeeper specially arranged seasonal dishes such as crab-stuffed oranges, lotus seedpod fish dumplings, and braised cabbage with dried shrimp, along with two bowls of ham, bamboo shoot, and mushroom soup, and a pot of warmed yellow wine.
Crab-stuffed orange is made by stuffing crab roe and crab meat into an orange that has had its pulp removed, adding a little wine and vinegar, and then steaming it. It has the rich flavor of crab roe and the sweet aroma of crab meat, as well as the refreshing taste of orange, without any crab fishy smell, making it a truly wonderful dish.
The lotus seedpod fish dumplings are made by stuffing fish meat into the holes of a lotus seedpod. Although the lotus flowers have withered, the chef used radish to carve petals to decorate the area around the lotus seedpod and added color, which does not affect the exquisite appearance of the whole dish.
The ham, bamboo shoot, and mushroom soup and the braised cabbage with dried shrimp were not as amazing as the first two dishes, but they were still decent and considered excellent, living up to the elegance and style of Lanruoting.
Seeing that Wang Pan'er had tried everything, Mu Chuan asked, "Are you satisfied with your dowry?"
Wang Pan'er nodded repeatedly: "Not a single word of fault can be said about it."
The dishes were worth savoring. Wang Pan'er ate slowly, enjoying the rich flavors, and didn't bother chatting with Mu Chuan. Only when the table was almost empty did she put down her rice bowl and pick up her soup bowl.
Mu Chuan poured a cup of Shaoxing wine: "Crabs are considered 'cold' in traditional Chinese medicine. Shall we have a cup to counteract that?"
Hot wine is easy to get drunk on, and Wang Pan'er didn't know how much Mu Chuan could drink.
She asked, "Can you drink it?"
"Not really, but a little bit of drinking for fun won't hurt."
"Do we still need to attend court tomorrow?"
"Of course I want to."
If you're going to court, you can't use the wine jar to probe Mu Chuan's intentions.
Wang Pan'er was a little disappointed, and smacked her lips as she poured a small cup for Mu Chuan as well: "Then you should drink some to ward off the cold."
Mu Chuan chuckled: "You're holding back some mischief. Once the Ministry of Revenue matter is settled, we'll drink to our hearts' content."
"Ministry of Revenue?" Wang Pan'er grasped the key word, dismissed the maids guarding the private room, and asked, "Is the Ministry of Revenue really the force behind the Prefect of Jinzhou and the Liuyun Chamber of Commerce?"
Mu Chuan swirled his wine glass, and when the Ministry of Revenue was mentioned, he felt displeased and downed the wine in one gulp.
The burning sensation in his throat washed away some of the bitterness, and Mu Chuan said, "The Minister of Revenue's eldest daughter was the Second Prince's principal wife, and his nephew was the Second Prince's right-hand man. Both of them died in the struggle for the throne. The Minister of Revenue had no way to seek revenge, so he actually had the idea of colluding with the enemy and betraying the country. He joined forces with the Northern Di to launch a rebellion and framed the Ministry of Works, attempting to strangle the new emperor and overthrow the Great Xia."
Wang Pan'er's breath hitched: "I haven't heard of any changes in the Ministry of Revenue, so what's the current situation..."
Mu Chuan sighed repeatedly: "The Great Xia Dynasty may seem prosperous, but beneath the surface lies a turbulent undercurrent. The new emperor's foundation is unstable after his ascension to the throne. Any rash actions could easily provoke a backlash from various forces. The only option is to secretly trim its wings and balance the various forces so that they can wear each other down."
Just as in history books, no matter how fierce the battles or how upheaval the changes, in the grand scheme of things, they can only be briefly mentioned and glossed over. The words "secretly trimming wings and balancing the forces of all sides" sound simple, but the effort that went into it was unimaginable to Wang Pan'er.
Mu Chuan drank a cup of yellow wine quickly, and the alcohol started to take effect. He grabbed Wang Pan'er and began to chatter: "Tell me, how can people be so greedy? They have power, they have money, so why do they still continue to prey on the people?"
Wang Pan'er originally wanted to say that human nature has always been like this, but she couldn't bring herself to say a harsh word to this slightly tipsy young prince.
“You know, Yun Ji told me that this year’s autumn floods are severe, and many towns along the Yellow River have been affected. Of the relief funds and supplies allocated, only 50% or 60% actually reached the people. They are exploiting the people at every level, making a fortune off the national disaster. But we are weak and powerless, and can only watch as the people suffer this undeserved calamity.”
The snowflakes of the times weigh heavily on every ordinary person, like insurmountable mountains. Words of comfort seemed too light for Wang Pan'er to utter; she could only pat Mu Chuan's back.
Mu Chuan grew increasingly indignant as he spoke: "Even if Yun Ji has the full support of the Qingliu faction, it's only a matter of time before he can rectify the court. But in the meantime, how many common people will become their prey? Just thinking about it makes me..."
"The fault does not lie with you, and the current situation is not your doing, yet you are already making efforts to change it. Throughout history, any reform has its pains before the benefits follow. Moreover, with a good emperor like His Majesty who understands the people's plight, the people can see hope."
Mu Chuan raised his head and looked at Wang Pan'er seriously, listening to her continue: "Hope is a spark. As long as it falls on the grass, even a small spark can start a prairie fire."
"So you'll support my decision, right?" Mu Chuan asked.
Wang Pan'er nodded firmly: "What you did was the right thing."
Upon hearing this, Mu Chuan's mood finally brightened.
After letting out a long sigh, he propped his head up and said, "Our teacher once said that all our current status and power come from the support of the people, so we should naturally protect them so that they have enough to eat and wear, rather than letting them be fooled by the powerful and wealthy or invaded by foreign enemies. I will assist Yun Ji and make them suffer the consequences of their own actions as soon as possible."
Wang Pan'er originally thought Mu Chuan was just an innocent, kind, and upright young master from a noble family. However, after a heart-to-heart talk, she saw that he had a strong soul and bones, and his faith added a golden glow to him, making him shine brightly.
Wang Pan'er was moved: "Mu Chuan, you are truly dazzling."
Mu Chuan was already slightly tipsy and couldn't figure out why Wang Pan'er's gaze was more ardent than usual. He only heard his beloved's praise and his heart leaped with joy, and he broke into a big smile.
Wang Pan'er only noticed that Mu Chuan had a shallow dimple on his right cheek when he smiled so broadly.
She reached out to poke it, and when she did, Mu Chuan immediately grabbed her hand and gently rubbed it against his face.
Wang Pan'er didn't expect Mu Chuan to be so childish when he was drunk, and couldn't help but pinch his cheek.
Mu Chuan looked up and asked, "Have you finished eating? I want to take you to a nice place."
There was a small dish of snacks left on the table. Wang Pan'er was itching to eat them and couldn't sit still any longer. She took a handkerchief from Mu Chuan's arms, wrapped the snacks in it, and held it in her hand: "We're all full. Let's go, let's go."
Mu Chuan led her through all the private rooms to a small attic.
Inside the attic was a ladder to the sky and some tiles piled up.
Mu Chuan pointed to the skylight above and said, "The entire roof of the restaurant is covered with glazed tiles. If it needs repair, you have to go out from here. I was naughty when I was a child and climbed up there before I realized that. But it's a great place to stargaze."
They climbed up the ladder and poked their heads out from the manhole cover in the ceiling.
Looking up, there was indeed a dazzling starry sky.
Inside the Lanruo Courtyard, candlelight blazed brightly, while only starlight twinkled on the Imperial Street.
In this era, lighting was not cheap, so ordinary people tried to save money wherever possible. After nightfall, they would usually rest early, following the natural rhythm of working at sunrise and resting at sunset.
The roof of Lanruoting has become Muchuan's secret world.
He casually found a flat spot, lay down on the spot, rested his head on his hand, and faced the brilliant starlight.
Wang Pan'er followed suit and lay down beside him.
She rarely experienced such romantic moments, and could only vaguely identify the Big Dipper. Compared to Mu Chuan's eloquent explanation of the Three Enclosures and Twenty-Eight Mansions, she seemed extremely ignorant. She quietly watched Mu Chuan point out the star systems to her and listened to him explain what the Four Symbols and the divisions of the heavens were.
Mu Chuan rambled on for a while, but didn't hear a response from Wang Pan'er, so he turned to look at her with some confusion.
The two locked eyes.
After Mu Chuan said so much, it really seemed wrong for her not to react. Wang Pan'er blinked and exclaimed, "You know so much! You can even talk about astrology with such expertise."
"It's kind of a quirk of mine. When I was little, whenever my parents argued, I would feel upset and like to look at the stars. The universe is vast and ever-changing, and looking at it would make me feel much calmer."
Wang Pan'er dared not speak. Compared to her low-class ways of amusing herself, Mu Chuan's hobby was far too elegant.
Mu Chuan continued, "It's outrageous to say, but I've never really thought much of my father. He's not only power-hungry and vulgar, but he also kept a mistress behind my mother's back."
Wang Pan'er frowned upon hearing this: "Does Your Highness know about this?"
"He just never showed it. His mistress has already given birth to children, and his heart is no longer with the household. Mother is wise, and she must have been deceiving herself. Now that she is willing to divorce him, Lan'er and I are both very happy. Mother said that it was you who comforted her in Jinzhou Prefecture, which helped her escape from this terrible situation. Now she has something she wants to do, and she has been reborn. The kindness of your rebirth is as heavy as a mountain, and we don't know how to thank you enough."
Without Mu Chuan and the Eldest Princess, she probably wouldn't have had such a smooth life in this world.
Perhaps, as the high monk said, she was destined to be connected with the princess's family.
Wang Pan'er rolled half a circle, propped herself up, and rested her head on Mu Chuan's chest, saying, "The imperial decree for our marriage has been issued. We will be married in three days. From now on, we will be family. Family doesn't need to be so formal. There's no need for thanks or formalities!"
Mu Chuan patted her head and said, "You're welcome. Don't be so formal. I'll give you everything I have in the future."
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