Chapter 182 |
The farcical scene, brought about by the First Prince's sudden whim to play matchmaker, was finally brought to an end by Shu Wenxin.
She dragged the First Prince away from Qu Dubian's small courtyard by his ear.
According to her, when she first walked in, she saw the Seventh Prince lying across Eunuch Ye's lap while the First Prince held the Seventh Prince's hand, weeping bitterly and wailing, "You can't do this! You can't!" Her heart had nearly leapt out of her throat in fright.
Given the scene, she had assumed the Seventh Prince was unwell or that his frail body had given out, causing him to faint.
Once she cleared up the misunderstanding, she grabbed the drunken, foolish First Prince and hauled him back to their quarters.
When Qu Dubian woke up the next morning and learned how the previous night had ended, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
They stayed in Lingbei for twenty days.
It was not until the end of the second month that they bid a reluctant farewell to the First Prince and his family.
In his capacity as the Seventh Imperial Uncle, Qu Dubian gave his two young nephews grand parting gifts—each received a solid gold figurine of a small dog.
When he was a child, he gave small pieces of gold as gifts; now that he was grown and his family fortune was deep, he gave large pieces of gold. It was a very sincere way of gift-giving.
The Prince of Yong, who was certainly not short on cash, successfully captured the hearts of his two young nephews.
Once the carriage was restocked with supplies, they continued their journey. The First Prince waved to them from a distance, calling out, "Safe travels! Watch out for yourselves on the road!"
Qu Dubian replied, "I know!"
He pulled his head back into the carriage. "We'll come back to play in a year or two. We'll pick a warmer season next time. Big Brother says foraging for mountain delicacies in the hills here is quite fun."
Yi Shier thought for a moment. "The mushrooms in the south are delicious."
Back when he was traveling everywhere to set up the secret intelligence network, he had eaten them in the south.
Qu Dubian said, "If we take the long way around to the south, we should arrive just in time for mushroom season, right? We can go into the mountains and pick them ourselves then."
Dreaming of the warm south, they traveled at a leisurely pace, stopping and starting until they reached the even colder northern borderlands.
They had seen their fill of winter scenery and snowscapes along the way.
-
The border was vastly different now.
At the site where the Royal Court once stood deep in the grasslands, a new city was being built, connecting Central City One and the Main City.
There had been no road before, but as more people, cattle, sheep, and horses passed through, a path had formed.
The Northern Frontier Protectorate had only recently been established, and everything was still in the early, awkward stages of operation.
The establishment of a Protectorate could not follow the exact same operational model as other prefectures within the Great Zhou; it had to be navigated step by step based on the actual conditions of the border.
After Prince Ming was recalled to the capital, Er Sen and Lang Qing stepped up to take his place. The imperial court also dispatched officials drawn from various departments to help handle government affairs, which prevented Xia Fuyang from being crushed under the weight of tedious paperwork.
Having extricated himself from administrative duties, Xia Fuyang was now only responsible for defense and soldier-related matters.
With his lieutenants and Ye Lianyang as assistants for the garrison, he didn't have to worry too much.
Upon hearing the news that Qu Dubian was coming, Xia Fuyang looked forward to it every day. He and Xu Jin stood atop the rear gate of Central City Three, checking the horizon six times a day.
When the leisurely carriage finally came into view, Xia Fuyang leaned over the battlements and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Xiao Qi—!"
The curtain of the moving carriage was pushed aside, and Xi Zihang stepped out. He leaned against the frame, standing on the outer beam of the carriage, and waved with a smile.
"Long time no see."
"..."
Xia Fuyang’s smiling face instantly collapsed, and his wildly waving hand dropped to his side.
-
The Northern Frontier could be considered half of Qu Dubian's home turf.
After settling in, they moved into the Main City.
Xia Fuyang muttered under his breath, "You didn't mention in your letter that he was coming too." He pointed at Xi Zihang's back.
Qu Dubian asked, "I didn't?"
Xu Jin testified with a chuckle, "You certainly didn't. You just said you were coming to the North to play and would take your grandfather back with you. Little Xi, did you resign from your post to come here?"
Xi Zihang glanced at the certain someone named Xia who was talking behind his back. "I did."
Xu Jin said, "Isn't that a pity?"
Xi Zihang replied, "Not at all."
The cost of his resignation was not as high as others imagined. Because he had placed first in the imperial examinations, he was already a "Student of the Emperor." Having passed his period of character-tempering in the Hanlin Academy and possessing administrative experience, re-entering officialdom would be simple.
As long as one possessed true talent and learning, people would seek you out even in the deepest forests to invite you back to service, regardless of whether you sat for the exams again.
Take the current Minister of Revenue, Lin Zongping, for example; he hadn't come up through the traditional civil service examinations, yet he sat as one of the three Grand Secretaries and was heavily relied upon by the Emperor Chongzhao.
However, one couldn't quite say that in front of an elder.
Xi Zihang said, "I am still young. It is no bad thing to travel, broaden my horizons, and increase my experience. As the saying goes, 'Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles.' As an elder, you surely understand this better than a junior like me."
Xu Jin praised, "Well said."
His grandson’s friends were all quite impressive.
While he and Xi Zihang were talking congenially, Qu Dubian pulled Xia Fuyang to the side.
He asked in a low voice, "How is Grandfather's health?"
He was worried that if he asked in person, his grandfather might not tell the truth out of a desire to leave with him.
Xia Fuyang said, "Rest easy. Physician Yang returned to her secluded residence a few days ago. Before she left, she said Marquis Xu's body is recovering well. He just needs to avoid martial arts and overexertion as much as possible from now on."
"That's good then."
Xia Fuyang then asked, "And what about you?"
Qu Dubian said, "Very well," finding an excuse, "Physician Yang's skills are excellent. In a few more years, I should be fully recovered." The fourth brother should also ascend the throne by then.
When evening came.
Old acquaintances from the Northern Frontier all gathered here for a meal.
This was no time for the refined, poetic lamentations about the frontier's bitter cold. They chose a large tent and cooked a big hot pot to eat.
The spicy broth bubbled, with thinly sliced beef and lamb ready to be dipped, cooked in a flash, and fished out to eat.
Qu Dubian sat with Xia Fuyang on his left and Xu Jin on his right.
Xi Zixing sat next to Xia Fuyang, the two of them side by side.
Next to Xu Jin was Ye Lianyang, who kept calling him "old chief, old chief."
Ye Xiaoyuan had originally wanted to sit by Qu Dubian's side, to help him pick food. After all, when Qu Dubian fished for items from the pot, the pixelated visual field projected in his mind rather affected his judgment, making it hard to distinguish what he had scooped up.
However, after watching for a while, he felt his efforts were completely unnecessary.
Since his Highness arrived at the Northern Frontier, he had been receiving the highest level of VIP treatment. Soldiers he met on the road would practically carry him if they could.
Now, during the meal, his Highness's bowl was never empty.
Xu Jin would occasionally add a morsel of blanched vegetables for him. The Northern Frontier had no fresh greens; in winter, they ate stored Chinese cabbage, frozen solid.
Xi Zixing had an internal timer, able to precisely fish out meat cooked to the perfect tenderness.
Qu Dubian buried his head in eating, his forehead sweating from the spice. "I'd like some chilled water."
Ye Lianyang said, "Yes, yes, I'll get it."
Xia Fuyang said, "You sit. I'll go. I have something good."
Ye Lianyang laughed, "Alright then."
Xia Fuyang ran out to his own tent, squeezed the juice from thawed frozen pears into a bowl.
This was a custom from Lingbei, not found in the Northern Frontier. As soon as he heard Qu Dubian was coming, he had asked traveling merchant caravans to bring pears.
He carried the bowl into the large tent, sat down, and handed it to Qu Dubian. "Try it."
"You came from Lingbei. If you've had it there, you should recognize the taste."
Qu Dubian took a sip. "Huh? Frozen pear juice."
Xia Fuyang smiled. "Mhm."
Qu Dubian hadn't drunk it in Lingbei. His eldest brother's household didn't keep such things; the cold energy was too heavy, and his eldest brother and sister-in-law feared children eating too much would fall ill.
He could recognize the taste because he had tasted it in his past life.
Ye Lianyang pretended to fuss. "General, you're playing favorites now. The rest of us don't have any, not even Lord Xu. Lord Liuliu, Young Master Xi, and Young Eunuch Xiaoyuan are all watching."
Xia Fuyang said, "Go on, go on. I think it's just you who's craving it. There's plenty more in my tent. Go fetch it."
Ye Lianyang beamed with joy. "Right away!"
Qu Dubian held the bowl, drinking slowly.
Xia Fuyang asked, "Is it good?"
Qu Dubian replied, "I like it."
Xia Fuyang turned his head to look at him. "This little sweet drink is the real deal this time."
Qu Dubian paused.
Xi Zixing asked, "What real or fake? Have you had fake sweet water before?"
Xia Fuyang raised an eyebrow. "Yes, given by a certain someone. Bitter as hell, wouldn't want to drink a second time in this lifetime. But then, he didn't get to drink the sweet water either, so I'm making it up to him now, aren't I?"
Qu Dubian gave a light cough and silently raised the bowl towards him. "...Would you like some too?"
Xi Zixing narrowed his eyes. What had these two been up to in the Northern Frontier?
Coincidentally, Ye Lianyang came in, carrying a large basin of frozen pears.
"No need to ration! There's plenty here, come on, come on."
Xu Jin also wanted more, but was sanctioned by Qu Dubian, who only allotted the old man one pear. Though sanctioned, the old gentleman was overjoyed, repeatedly saying it was good.
Xia Fuyang hooked an arm around Xi Zixing's shoulder and whispered, "Don't understand what Xiaoqi and I are talking about, do you?"
Xi Zixing smiled and also whispered, "In a few days when we leave, you'll still be here handling official duties, won't you?"
Xia Fuyang felt his heart struck by an invisible arrow.
Having finished sanctioning his grandfather, Qu Dubian's ears twitched. "Are you two whispering?"
Actually, back when they were kids, or rather half-grown youths, those two only chatted openly when he was around. He hadn't expected they'd evolved to whispering now.
He glanced at the two of them; both had over fifty favorability points towards him.
He figured the favorability between Xia Fuyang and Xi Zixing for each other probably wasn't much different.
Xu Jin sighed with feeling. "Young Xia and Young Xi get along so well. When they first arrived, these two hardly spoke. I thought they weren't very familiar."
Qu Dubian understood and explained, "They are also the closest of friends. Not speaking is because they're too familiar; it's not really necessary, they just know in their hearts."
Xia Fuyang: "..."
Xi Zixing: "..."
Ye Lianyang looked suspicious. "Is that so?"
Xi Zixing said with a smile, "Of course. When we leave in a while, General Xia will have to see us off personally."
Xia Fuyang took his hand off Xi Zixing's shoulder.
Talking to Xi Zixing really was infuriating.
Their life philosophies were similar yet not the same. Xi Zixing was the type who, once he had chosen his lord from his little booklet, would loyally follow that person, no matter where they were.
Xia Fuyang was loyal to his own ideals: to guard the realm, defend the borderlands, and gallop across the battlefield. Though he wished to serve a wise sovereign, what mattered more was the common people in his heart.
If Qu Dubian had harbored such an intention, he would have raised the banner and lent his full support. But Qu Dubian did not.
Now that the treacherous court officials had been purged and the Great Zhou Dynasty was stable, Xia Fuyang chose to guard his corner of the world well, waiting for his ideal to run its course before venturing into the vast world.
It was a boon for Xi Zixing.
Xia Fuyang gave a light humph. "Anyway, you all have to stay here a while longer; you can't just come and leave. Xiao Qi, many brothers in the army haven't seen you yet. We'll go visit the Protectorate later."
"The weather warms up quickly here. Head south once it gets warmer."
Qu Dubian said, "That's all fine."
Outside the tent were the cold wind and a frosty moon—the eternal winter hues of the Northern Frontier for millennia, desolate and stretching across this vast land. The bones and blood buried here had settled into a unique, profound solitude.
Inside the tent, it was like a breath of spring—simple, yet warmly content.