Chapter 8 and Guoxing
Zhu Yuhuan's willful little request was granted, and the mother and daughter lay on the bed. The palace servants who usually kept watch on nights were dismissed, leaving only the mother and daughter to sleep together.
Zhu Yuhuan hugged a corner of the quilt and secretly looked at Hu Shanxiang, who was lying motionless on the outside of the bed, and asked softly, "Mom? Are you asleep?"
She waited for a long time but got no response. She thought Hu Shanxiang had fallen asleep. Just as she was about to turn over, Hu Shanxiang spoke up, "Didn't you just promise me to get some rest? Why are you talking again? I heard your father say that you boasted to the Emperor about studying hard and living up to his expectations."
Zhu Yuhuan said confidently: "I said it all from the heart. Grandpa Zeng was so happy because he heard this."
Hu Shanxiang shook her head helplessly and said, "Look at your sweet talk. It's all thanks to the Emperor's love for you that he loves everything you say, even empty talk like this. You're just a little girl. All you need to do is take care of yourself, study needlework diligently, and cultivate your virtues. There's no point in worrying about anything else."
Zhu Yuhuan didn't care about his mother's blow. He just smiled and walked closer to Hu Shanxiang, put his arm around her, and asked curiously, "What about Mom? Did you think about what you would do in the future when you were little?"
Hu Shanxiang opened her eyes and stared at the bedside curtains in a trance for a long time. Suddenly, she laughed and said, "Before I was born, my family already had two older sisters and two older brothers. My family didn't care much about me. But when I was born, there was a fire in our house. The fire was so raging that even the storehouse was burned down. That's when my father looked at me for the first time. It was because I was 'unlucky'. My family was afraid that if others knew about my birth, it would be difficult for me to get married, so they said that there was red and white energy when I was born, which was a good sign. They also gave me the name 'Shanxiang'." Hu Shanxiang whispered, "Perhaps it was this name that led to what happened later..."
Zhu Yuhuan was stunned. He vaguely remembered that he seemed to have heard others mention Hu Shanxiang's "life experience". When they mentioned this matter, they said that she was a blessed person, which was why she was chosen as the Crown Prince's wife. However, he did not expect that this "auspicious sign" actually came about in this way.
"Originally, the rest of the family didn't believe the auspicious signs my parents were talking about. But one day, a Taoist priest with an air of immortality came to our house and said that I was destined to be bound by the mortal world and must never marry. When my mother found out, she actually came out with my father's knife to chase him away. The Taoist priest was so scared that he changed his words and said, 'This girl cannot marry into an ordinary family.' Then everyone started to believe the auspicious signs my parents had fabricated."
Zhu Yuhuan looked at Hu Shanxiang's self-deprecating expression, said nothing, but unconsciously clenched the corner of the quilt.
"Wherever I went, people called me 'the Hu family's auspicious sign.' I could no longer leave the house, so I spent my days playing the pipa at home. But news of what was happening outside still reached me. I heard that the emperor sent eunuch Sanbao south to sea, building a treasure ship a hundred men tall, to visit places many people could never imagine." Hu Shanxiang said this with a genuine smile on her face. "At that time, I thought, if only I were a eunuch, maybe I could go along with them."
Zhu Yuhuan couldn't help but burst out laughing, but fell silent when he met Hu Shanxiang's gleaming eyes.
Hu Shanxiang didn't mind her daughter's laughter. She just stared at the square bed frame and muttered to herself, "Such fantasies are impossible. Later, I thought, if I could get that Taoist priest to transform me into his disciple, it would be a peaceful life. Maybe I could visit other people's homes or travel to more distant places... But then I was chosen by the Emperor to marry the Crown Prince, and I no longer have the leisure to fantasize like this."
Zhu Yuhuan felt a little sad when he heard this and couldn't help but sniff.
What would Hu Shanxiang's wish mean if it were placed far in the future? Even if she didn't go out, she could still see people and things far away in various ways, instead of staying in this square little courtyard forever, not knowing when she could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Seeing that she was silent, Hu Shanxiang reached out and pinched her round earlobe, smiling and said, "Huanhuan, mother likes your name the most."
Zhu Yuhuan came back to his senses and asked doubtfully, "I heard from people around me that my name was given by my grandfather... Does it have any special meaning?"
"The Crown Prince gave you this name in the hope that you would shine like the stars in the sky and prosper with the country." Hu Shanxiang's fingertips traced the contours of her face. Her fingertips were still as cold as ever, but her voice was gentle. "But to me, you are the flame, the second flame given by God to change my life. I don't ask for this flame to illuminate everywhere, I just want it to burn forever."
Even if the fire no longer illuminates her, she is willing.
Zhu Yuhuan stared at her for a long moment before he spoke: "I don't ask for your so-called 'auspicious sign' to bless me. I just hope you can live happily, follow your own heart, and do what you want to do."
Hu Shanxiang looked at her but did not respond. She just said, "As long as you are well, mother will be happy."
Zhu Yuhuan's heart sank, but he didn't say anything in the end.
Although Hu Shanxiang's tone was relaxed when she told the story, she only heard one sentence from it, which was "Everything is determined by fate, and we have no control over it." However, this "fate" was a large web woven by humans. Hu Shanxiang was neither the weaver nor the caster of the net. She was just a piece of bait on the net.
——Becoming "Xiangrui" or marrying the crown prince, none of these were decided by Hu Shanxiang, so she could only place all her hopes on her daughter Zhu Yuhuan, and she herself didn't care even if she continued to decline.
Who can force the bait that has already sunk to the bottom of the river to do anything?
Zhu Yuhuan unconsciously reached out and hugged Hu Shanxiang tightly, muttering, "I want to sleep with my mother in my arms."
How she wanted to take her back to her time and show her places she had never seen before.
Hu Shanxiang laughed softly, hugged her tightly, and said, "Okay... go to sleep, go to sleep..."
The rise of the Lantern Festival in this dynasty originated with the current emperor, Zhu Di, who loved viewing lanterns, especially the towering Aoshan Lantern Tower. During the Lantern Festival of the seventh year of the Yongle reign, Zhu Di granted a ten-day holiday starting from the eleventh day of the lunar month. During the Lantern Festival of the first lunar month of the tenth year of the Yongle reign, Zhu Di even granted a banquet to all officials and his subjects went to the Meridian Gate to view the Aoshan Lantern Festival for three days.
Although the capital was later moved to Suncheon, the lively tradition of the Lantern Festival has never changed. The Lantern Festival is often called the "Lantern Festival" because of the bright lanterns.
Zhu Yuhuan took a lantern with the inscription "Taiping Youxiang" on it and looked at the lanterns hanging under the eaves that were almost connected in a line, and couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
If nothing else, how much money would it cost to have so many lights? Only a well-funded national treasury could afford such an elaborate design. It's a blessing that the Crown Princess could do it. If it were her, she would definitely not be willing to spend so much money on this. It hurts just thinking about it.
Seeing her curious look, Zhu Zhanji couldn't help but laugh and said, "Alright, what's the point of just looking at these few? You can see something new when you go to the previous dynasty."
Zhu Yuhuan responded, then carried the lantern and followed his father's steps, naturally holding his hand.
By the time father and daughter arrived at the front court, many ministers were already standing by. Zhu Di, dressed in a crimson robe emblazoned with a dragon and a winged cap, looked even more majestic, imbued with the air of a Son of Heaven. His every word intimidated the officials. Zhu Yuhuan followed behind Zhu Zhanji, listening to him while stealthily glancing around, taking in the ministers and foreign envoys. She marveled at the grandeur of the era, then cast her gaze towards the Jinyiwei guarding nearby.
At this time, the Jinyiwei not only performed ceremonial functions, but most of them had actually been on the battlefield. Just standing there was very majestic, which made people feel awe-inspiring.
When Zhu Di had some free time after giving his speech, the Crown Prince took Zhu Zhanji with him to give a speech to the ministers, so naturally he had no time to take care of Zhu Yuhuan.
Seeing his great-granddaughter engrossed in watching the guards, Zhu Di couldn't help but feel a little amused. He said to Liu Yongcheng beside him, "Ma'er, your apprentice hasn't greeted you yet, has he? Come, bring the young county lady here."
Liu Yongcheng hurriedly said: "How dare I accept the gift from the young master..."
Zhu Yuhuan vaguely overheard the conversation between the two, and then came back to his senses. He ran up to them with a smile, bowed and greeted them, and said, "Huanhuan was just watching the Jinyiwei so majestic that I was distracted."
Liu Yongcheng couldn't help but smile. "Young Master," he said, "those aren't the Embroidered Uniform Guards over there, but the Palace Guards, the tenth of the twenty-two Imperial Guards. They have five commanders, ten associate commanders, twenty assistant commanders, ten pacification officers, and five officers, totaling twenty-five in total. Most of these guards are young men who haven't yet inherited their fathers' official positions. They previously served the Crown Prince and, on weekdays, took turns carrying swords and guarding the palace with the other Imperial Guards. Naturally, they also served as ceremonial guards during festivals."
Zhu Yuhuan remembered quickly and said, "So they were assigned to serve as personal guards beside Grandpa Zeng." She counted on her fingers and said, "Twenty-two personal guards... and there are still twenty-one! Master Liu, what are the names of the other twenty-one guards?"
Seeing her interest, Liu Yongcheng patiently explained everything one by one, and then said, "If you are interested, when I return from this northern expedition, I will separate these twenty-two guards and explain them to you clearly."
Zhu Yuhuan nodded like a chick pecking at rice, wishing he could understand everything clearly right now.
Seeing her excitement, Zhu Di stroked his beard and said with a smile: "Why, our little county lady has someone she appreciates? Your father doesn't need these young people now. What do you think about asking your great-grandfather to ask them to be your personal guards?"
Zhu Yuhuan puffed out his chest proudly and said, "Don't worry, Grandpa Zeng. Huanhuan can protect himself now. If you don't believe me, ask Master Liu. Huanhuan is practicing horseback archery very hard."
Even if Zhu Yuhuan didn't say anything, Zhu Di had his own ears and naturally knew how diligent Zhu Yuhuan was. He smiled at Liu Yongcheng and said, "Ma'er, you have a good apprentice now. You must teach him well."
Liu Yongcheng bowed respectfully and said, "It is thanks to your majesty's appreciation of me that I have such a good disciple like the young master."
Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction. Seeing that his great-granddaughter's mind had already flown to the lanterns not far away, he was about to release her when the eunuch who usually served her stepped forward quickly and whispered, "Your Majesty, military reports say that Alutai led his troops to invade Datong..."
The peaceful atmosphere suddenly froze. Zhu Di's face had long since lost its kind and gentle expression. Instead, he said with a murderous look, "What a scoundrel! I haven't even looked for him yet, and he's already come to my door... Very well, very well! Pass on my decree. Summon the troops of the five military governorates of Shanxi, Shandong, Henan, Shaanxi, and Liaodong to gather in the capital and Xuanfu and wait for orders. This time, I will kill him and wipe out his entire clan!"
Liu Yongcheng immediately responded, "I will follow Your Majesty till death!"
The eunuchs beside him trembled with fear at the emperor's wrath, but Zhu Yuhuan was completely different. She even showed admiration and excitement. She looked up at Zhu Di and said, "Huanhuan, wait for great-grandfather to return victoriously!"
Zhu Di nodded with satisfaction and said, "Okay! Grandpa Zeng will bring you another Tartar knife as a gift when the time comes!"
Zhu Yuhuan nodded vigorously, but he knew that Zhu Di would probably never come back.
This expedition is the journey away from home.
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