The Grand Court Meeting is an important annual day for the Guozhu and ministers of various subordinate countries to pay tribute to the court. Every day, envoys from various countries can be seen on the streets of the Sui capital, and the Crown Prince’s mansion is also bustling with people with the gates open.
Sui Heng was so busy that he couldn’t touch the ground, but Jiang Yun had a lot of free time. Firstly, Emperor Jiang waived this year’s court meeting of the Jiang Empire. Secondly, Fan Zhou and his subordinates were concerned that Jiang Yun’s old injury in the arm was prone to occur during the winter, and that he couldn’t write for a long time. They intentionally pushed back all kinds of affairs. And if they couldn’t be pushed back, they would first draft a rough constitution and then show Jiang Yun.
Jiang Yun’s most important daily agenda became staring at his own little boy practicing his calligraphy.
As usual, there was a small plate of cheese on the small table. The little one sat behind the table, drawing and writing carefully. After practicing a page, Jiang Yun picked up a piece of cheese and fed it to the little boy’s mouth.
“Does it taste good?”
“It tastes good!”
Xiao Jiang Nuo eagerly looked at the plate containing the cheese, hoping that Jiang Yun would feed the second piece.
Jiang Yun rested his cheeks on one hand and pinched the little boy’s chubby cheeks with the other as he always does, saying, “You’ve grown so fat already, you can only eat one at a time.”
This made the little boy’s pupils tremble and almost drop his brush.
“Fat-fat?”
“Yeah, recently, Gu couldn’t even carry you, chubby little guy anymore.”
Sui Heng came in from outside and happened to see this scene. He chuckled and walked over directly, grabbing a piece of cheese and throwing it into his mouth. Glancing at the words practiced by the little troublemaker, he praised, “It’s not bad.”
Jiang Yun stepped on him.
“He only managed to practice one word all morning, either losing the horizontal or missing the vertical, and it’s still not bad?”
Sui Heng remained calm and said, “At this age, being able to write a rough outline is already quite good. Sui Zhang, that little, was said to haven’t even learned how to hold a brush, and his masters has run away several times. By comparison, our little boy is already a genius. Rongyu, you can’t always demand this little thing based on your standards.”
Jiang Yun doesn’t think he’s strict.
“So by whose standards?”
“Gu’s.”
His Highness the Crown Prince is quite capable of flexing and stretching and quickly dodges before receiving the second kick.
There was his cousin who was at the bottom, so the little troublemaker was encouraged. He laid out a new piece of paper and was about to continue writing when he suddenly saw Sui Heng reaching out to the cheese plate again and immediately frowned.
“Stinky Father.”
“Stealing things.”
The little troublemaker exclaimed in anger.
Sui Heng’s forehead veins twitched, thinking to himself, This little troublemaker is really stingy. He had just spoken up for him too. Jiang Yun took the cheese plate away directly and said, “Why would you compete with a little kid for food? Aren’t you ashamed?”
“Isn’t this convenient? By the way, Gu has something good for you.”
“What?”
Sui Heng mysteriously took out a box from his pocket.
“Look, do you like it?”
It is a box with an antique appearance but intricately carved patterns.
Jiang Yun glanced at him suspiciously, wondering what this guy was up to. Upon opening it, he found a headband inside. Light green in color, made of precious lake silk, and embroidered with delicate dark patterns in silver thread.
“Do you like it?”
Sui Heng asked in a rare and somewhat nervous manner.
This is the most desirable hair accessory he has chosen after running through all the hair accessory shops in the Sui capital city.
Jiang Yun didn’t answer. He looked up, his eyes bright, and asked with a smile, “Why did you suddenly want to give me this?”
Headbands are intimate items that are only given between lovers and have the meaning of secret communication and expression of love.
Sui Heng said, “Can’t we just give gifts without a reason? Gu wishes that he could give you gifts every day. First of all, do you like them? If not, Gu will just go with a different pattern.”
“Or Gu can take you directly to the store to try it out another day.”
Jiang Yun smiled and put the box away.
Sui Heng thought he didn’t like it, and his heart immediately froze.
Then he saw Jiang Yun leaning over and whispering in his ears while covering it with his sleeves. “I like it.”
That breath was warm and soft, with a unique, tempting, and trendy atmosphere, making Sui Heng’s ears itch. If it weren’t for the presence of the little troublemaker, he really couldn’t resist but immediately took the person into his arms already.
“Good that you like it.”
Sui Heng’s adam apple rolled, and he whispered back.
“Tomorrow, Gu will put it on for you.”
The two were talking when they suddenly felt a strange gaze fall on them. When they turned their heads, they saw the little troublemaker who had been sitting behind the table practicing calligraphy, tilting his head and staring at them without blinking.
Sui Heng inexplicably had a feeling of being caught in the act of adultery. He cleared his throat and said sternly, “Write well, don’t be lazy.”
The little troublemaker moved his brush and lowered his head proudly.
He said in his heart, Stinky Father.
Secretly taking advantage of my father again.
Two days later, Meng Hui sent the first batch of ointment developed from Zilong Gu over. On the basis of the original formula, this Divine Physician also added some precious medicinal herbs that are useful for repairing bone injuries.
After Jiang Yun applied it, the effect was indeed significant. Unless he did something particularly laborious, he could hardly feel the dull pain caused by the old injury to his arm.
Sui Heng personally applied the ointment to Jiang Yun every day. After applying it, he also spent half an hour using his internal force to push and rub the ointment away, allowing the medicinal properties to be absorbed to the maximum extent.
Sometimes, when Jiang Yun had already fallen asleep, he could still feel the warmth of the ironing internal force wrapped around his arms. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Sui Heng was not asleep yet, he was still meticulously helping him massage the old wounds and ointment.
“What, woke you up?”
Jiang Yun shook his head, leaned closer, and gently rested on his leg, saying, “It doesn’t take that long. The ointment has been absorbed long ago, so you should also go to bed earlier.”
Jiang Yun didn’t have a headband, his silky black hair spread between his legs, making him look sleepy, like a lazy kitten.
Sui Heng couldn’t help but reach out and touch the kitten’s hair, saying, “It’s fine, Gu is not tired.”
Jiang Yun opened his eyes and said, “You have been busy with so many things during the day and need to apply ointment to me at night too. How come you’re not tired?”
Although this guy always has amazing energy on weekdays, Jiang Yun is still afraid that he works too hard.
Sui Heng raised his eyebrows and said, “How could it be the same? Business is business, and you’re the little wife that Gu has worked so hard to marry back. Even if Gu doesn’t sleep, Gu still has to take good care of you. How do you feel? Are you feeling any better?”
Jiang Yun nodded.
“Then it’s good.”
Sui Heng’s confidence doubled.
“Gu will give you a little more rub, Divine Physician Meng already said. Even if the Zilong Gu is ground into powder, there is still a protective shell on the outside. It takes ten percent of patience to gradually grind open these shells so that all the ‘Zilong Gu’ inside can penetrate into your old wound and repair the bone injury.”
That sounds like a handful of things to do.
But Sui Heng was able to do it with the perseverance and determination of training the soldiers.
Before, Jiang Yun was alone, and even if he could massage himself, he couldn’t be too meticulous. Now that he is by his side, he naturally needs to work hard and strive to get rid of his old injuries as soon as possible.
Jiang Yun knew he felt guilty about this matter, so he didn’t say anything anymore. He rested his head on his lap with peace of mind and squinted his eyes again. On the small bed outside, the baby was also wearing a nightgown and sleeping soundly.
Candle flames swayed, and a room was warmed.
Although the cold wind was blowing outside, at this moment, Sui Heng looked at the person embraced in his arms and listened to the rhythmic breathing of the little troublemaker not far away, feeling more at ease than ever before.
Before the age of fifteen, he devoted himself to achieving success and getting rid of the Yan family, struggling for his own voice in the court. He had been fighting for a long time on the battlefield, thinking that he would spend his entire life with swords and spears, never considering getting married and having children. He can’t even imagine sharing a bed with another person and living under the same roof all day long. What a tiresome life it would be when it was rumored on the streets that he was the Evil Lone Star, he even found it quite appealing. But at this moment, he truly felt the happiness of being with his beloved for life, accompanying each other day and night. It was a kind of happiness that was full of worldly fireworks that only belonged exclusively to ordinary people’s families.
Now that the Zilong Gu has been found, the only thing that worries Sui Heng is the two Tonghe cranes in the backyard.
The most significant effect of the crane food brought by Meng Hui is to help the two ancestors restore their beautiful hair. Whenever the sun rises, the two ancestors walk elegantly in the grass, stretching their wings. The red color is like the color of a burning fire, which does have a bit of the demeanor of a divine bird.
However, Divine Physician Meng Hui was able to improve the diet of the two ancestors, but he could not change their temperament.
The two cranes have been living together in a bird enclosure for several months, not only showing no signs of growing affection over time but also becoming increasingly dissatisfied with each other due to their familiarity with each other’s personalities. When they met, they were like mortal enemies, ranging from cold wars to fierce battles, causing the Crane Garden to become increasingly chaotic.
In order to solve this matter, Sui Heng personally took charge and tried various methods to help the beasts fall in love. He even imitated the real living environment of Tonghe and dug a small artificial lake in the Crane Garden to help the two ancestors cultivate their relationship.
Because according to the information found by Sui Heng, when male cranes seek love from their desired female crane, they usually choose to be by the lake with abundant water and grass. Male cranes will tidy themselves up, spread their wings, and show their heroism to the female crane. Sometimes, they will also pick up some delicious fish and shrimp from the lake to please the female crane.
The process of seeking love is as meticulous as that of humans.
But this turmoil clearly failed to influence the two ancestors because they wanted to seize territory, and the frequency of their fights was higher than before. One afternoon, Sui Heng came over and saw the domineering female crane snatching a large shrimp from the male crane’s mouth from a distance. The fight between the two cranes reached a fever pitch because of this shrimp feud.
The only ones who are excited are Xiao Jiang Nuo and Xiao Wangjun, Sui Zhang. The two little dumplings went to the Crane Garden every day to watch the Tonghe fight and sometimes even brought the group of young nobles with them. A large group of children were divided into two groups, some supporting the female crane, some supporting the male crane, and sometimes even setting up a lottery to bet on the success or failure of the crane. Xiao Junwang, Sui Zhang, is a staunch supporter of the male crane, and sometimes when he saw that the male crane did not have the upper hand, he wished he could get his hands and personally step down himself.
Sui Heng had a headache, and his heart was pounding. He decided to bring a group of imperial physicians from the Imperial Medical over and ask them to prescribe medicine.
The two elderly Imperial Medical’s heads turned green and thought it was absurd: “This-this-this, how can this be positive? Not to mention that people and cranes have different constitutions, ordinary invigorating drugs may not necessarily be effective on the sacred cranes. Most importantly, Your Highness must not disrespect sacred creatures.”
“Moreover, if the medicine damages the body of the sacred creatures, causing them to not be able to lay auspicious eggs, wouldn’t it be a case of saving a little only to lose a lot?”
Sui Heng didn’t pay much attention to the previous principle, but the latter one raised some concerns for him. He traveled a thousand miles to Shahu and bought back these two ancestors with a heavy sum of money in order to let one of them lay eggs. If he really accidentally injured the root cause, it would be a big deal.
During the Great Court Meeting, a group of subordinate states’ Guozhu and ministers heard about this matter and also came up with ideas.
“Your Highness, in my opinion, it would be better to have a male competition!”
The Guozhu in a small country in the Northern Kingdom said confidently.
Sui Heng asked what it meant.
The Guozhu chuckled and said, “There is an unwritten custom among the men on our grassland when they are seeking to marry their beloved girl. That is, on the night before their courtship, they lay all their rivals on the ground, demonstrating their abilities and strength. Although this sacred creature is different from humans, the principles behind it are similar. At present, the two sacred creatures are unwilling to reconcile because they lack the existence of a third party rival. Let’s give him another one, making him feel threatened, and he will naturally take the initiative to seek love.”
“Or female competitors, find a beautiful white crane and put it in the crane garden.”
Although this method was simple and crude, it made sense. The next day, Sui Heng personally went to the Rare Birds Garden in the palace and brought a strong and handsome male white crane over, which he placed in the crane garden of the Crown Prince’s mansion.
When the white crane saw the beautiful female Tonghe, he truly adored and admired her. Within half an hour of entering the Crane Garden, he began to tease and show off his pure white wings in front of the Tonghe. But this method also did not work, as the white crane was pecked by a male red crane on its wings the next day and was thrown out of the Crane Garden.
Although the White Crane is also robust, its combat effectiveness is far inferior to that of the Red Crane, which is said to have Phoenix bloodline. In a situation where one side’s strength is absolutely overwhelming the other, the so-called fierce competition cannot be carried out at all.
In order to prevent the innocent crane from getting involved in the struggle between the two ancestors, Sui Heng had to give up this idea.
Early that morning, Jiang Yun was sleeping in a daze when he heard rustling sounds around him. When he opened his eyes, Sui Heng was quietly groping for his clothes. He couldn’t help but frown and ask, “Where are you going?”
To avoid disturbing the little troublemaker sleeping inside, Sui Heng whispered, “When Fan Qi was reclaiming land on Qifeng Mountain, he came across a divine bird that was said to have combat power comparable to that of Tonghe. Gu planned to throw it into the crane garden again and give it a try.”
Jiang Yun has sobered up now.
He said, “You guys are just messing around.”
“How is that messing around? Gu had the animal trainer from the Rare Birds Garden look at it, and it’s also a crane species, too.”
Jiang Yun said, “The cranes that grow up in the mountains are like wolves. They fight to the death. What if they hurt those two ancestors?”
Sui Heng smiled and said, “Don’t worry, Gu had already thought about these things a long time ago, so Gu specifically asked people to put holsters on that wild crane’s claws. Even if they really fight, nothing big will happen.”
“Alright, Gu will go and take a look first. You can sleep a little longer.”
When Sui Heng finished packing and arrived at the front yard, Fan Qi was already waiting with the wild crane pulled by a cart. The wild crane was indeed wearing holsters on its claws, with bright and lively eyes, giving it a wild and unrestrained appearance.
Fan Qi chuckled and said, “What does Your Highness think? The brothers have put in a lot of effort in order to catch this beast.”
Sui Heng looked around with his hands behind his back and said, “You’ve done a good job. If you succeed this time, Gu will give you a big reward.”
When Jiang Yun woke up, it was already bright outside.
Before he could even open his eyes, he felt something fluffy moving on his face, like a little caterpillar.
Jiang Yun pretended not to know, but when the “caterpillar” moved again, he quickly grabbed it and then grabbed the little boy’s hand.
“Hehe.”
Xiao Jiang Nuo, dressed in a snow-white jacket, lay on the edge of the bed, holding a clean brush in his hand, and said, “Father, sleep in.”
Jiang Yun pinched the little boy’s nose and asked, “Have you read your morning book?”
The little troublemaker instantly transformed into an obedient and innocent little rabbit.
Jiang Yun got up, put on his clothes, tied up his hair, and took Xiao Jiang Nuo to the front hall for breakfast. Just halfway through, Sui Heng returned with a dark face.
Jiang Yun asked Ji An to serve him a bowl of congee and asked, “How is it?”
“Don’t mention it, it’s not worth it. It’s not worth it at all. Within ten moves, he was knocked down by those two ancestors together.”
Due to the fierce nature of the wild cranes, the two red cranes directly regarded this new resident as an external enemy. It was rare for them to unite and fight on the same side, once again perfectly disrupting the Crown Prince’s plan.
After finishing his meal, Sui Heng entered the palace and went to the morning court. Jiang Yun assigned the homework for the little dumpling and still went to the southern council hall to discuss matters. Today, both Luo Changqing, the Guozhu of the Luo Kingdom, and Yun Hao, the Guozhu of the Yun Kingdom, came to visit Jiang Yun on the eve of the Lunar New Year and also to discuss the construction of a bridge on the Yellow River next year.
Luo Changqing was proficient in knowledge of water conservancy and civil engineering, and this time he was called upon by Jiang Yun. Luo Fengjun also arrived in the Sui capital with his father. After the meeting was over, Luo Fengjun took the initiative to speak and ask Jiang Yun for advice on his zither skills.
Luo Changqing has always been worried about his son’s obsession with music skills, lack of interest in national affairs, and unwillingness to engage in daily social activities with other aristocratic children. Seeing this, he naturally became happy and only instructed his son to be cautious in his words and actions, not to speak too recklessly.
After listening perfunctorily, Luo Fengjun went to the water pavilion and sat opposite Jiang Yun to play the zither.
Jiang Yun only listened to half before putting down his tea cup, saying, “The Crown Prince Luo, if you have anything to say, why don’t you just say it directly? In front of Gu, there’s no need to beat around the bush.”
Luo Fengjun was stunned.
Then he smiled and asked curiously, “How do you know that I have something else to say?”
Jiang Yun said, “The world-renowned Prince of Music is so obsessed with the zither skills and has such strict requirements for music techniques. Gu just know it, in just a short piece of music, your pitch has been messed up in three places. There is something very hard to let go of in your heart.”
Luo Fengjun was truly convinced. He had always had a straightforward temper, so he no longer concealed it and said, “That’s right. Today, I was indeed entrusted by someone to come over.”
“Who is it?”
“Wei Yun.”
Nowadays, the Guozhu of the Wei Kingdom, Wei Lian, is bedridden, and the domestic struggle is fierce. Wei Lian’s three sons are all waiting to rise to power, and the noble forces in the country are also divided into three factions. Although Wei Yun is the Crown Prince, he is deliberately isolated by Wei Lian, and as a nephew, he does not have much advantage in the competition for the throne.
Jiang Yun said, “I’m a bit curious. You never like to participate in these struggles, why would you agree to be a lobbyist for Wei Yun?”
Luo Fengjun rarely showed a hint of helplessness and said, “To be honest, I wasn’t interested in passing on messages for him, but he has a rare music sheet in his hand that I’ve been searching for for a long time. There’s nothing I can do, I can only agree.”
Of course, there is another reason. Since the Spring Banquet, Wei Yun has been clinging to him like a plaster on a dog skin, making him very annoyed.
Jiang Yun nodded and spread his sleeves to invite Luo Fengjun to drink tea.
Luo Fengjun asked, “You haven’t said yet, will you see him or not?”
Jiang Yun said, “Then please bother Crown Prince Luo to ask him a question for Gu first.”
“What question?”
“What can he give Gu?”
Luo Fengjun asked what the meaning was.
Jiang Yun said, “The Wei Kingdom is now a subordinate kingdom of Jiangbei. It is against the rules for him to cross Jiangbei and come directly to me. Secondly, governing the country is not about charity. He must prove his value so that Gu can give him a chance. You don’t have to think too much, just tell him what Gu said, and he will understand.”
Luo Fengjun directly said, “Jiangnan and Jiangbei are now one family. It’s only a matter of time before Wei returns to Jiangnan. What? Do you have to consult with him when you make a decision to use your own people?”
“Public affairs are public affairs and private affairs are private affairs, they can’t be mixed up.”
Luo Fengjun was indeed not interested in these twists and turns and said, “Don’t worry, I will be a qualified messenger.”
After discussing Wei Yun’s matter, Luo Fengjun asked, “How is the old injury on your arm?”
Jiang Yun said, “It’s much better now, and I can also play some short songs in my free time.”
Luo Fengjun’s eyes lit up as expected, but he immediately thought of something and said, “Let it pass, it doesn’t matter if it’s just for a little while. There’s always time. When your arm injury is completely healed, we’ll have another showdown.”
“It was said that you’ve composed a new song lately?”
Luo Fengjun frowned, showing a dissatisfied expression, and said lightly, “Don’t listen to those people spreading rumors. What new songs? It’s just a useless song I made in my free time.”
As the two were talking, Ji An walked in holding a petition and reported, “Your Highness, there is a guest who claims to be from Dongzhou and has brought this item outside.”
At night, when Sui Heng returned, he saw that the main hall was dark and found it strange. He heard Ji An say, “His Highness Rongyu and Xiao Huangsun are brewing wine in the backyard.”
“Brewing wine?”
“Yes, His Highness Rongyu said that the Chinese New Year is approaching, and we are preparing to brew some medicinal wine to expel cold and ward off evil spirits to reward the soldiers.”
Sui Heng searched in the backyard and saw two figures, one big and one small, printed on the window of the illuminated room next to the dining room. From time to time, the clear sound of a little troublemaker could be heard.
“This is Tusu.”
“This is perilla…”
The little troublemaker was identifying herbs.
Gao Gong also brought two palace attendants in and out to help.
Sui Heng asked the palace attendants to remain silent. When he entered, he saw Jiang Yun, dressed in a green robe, sitting on a chair by the window, directing the little troublemaker to put medicinal herbs into the wine jar. The little troublemaker ran back and forth, taking the prescribed herbs according to Jiang Yun’s name, and his forehead was already sweating.
The whole room was filled with a pungent fragrance, it was somewhat familiar.
Sui Heng leaned over and asked, “What are you doing?”
The little one mysteriously covered the mouth of the wine jar and didn’t show it to him.
Getting closer, the pungent and fragrant smells become more familiar. “What kind of wine is it anyway? Why hasn’t Gu ever had it?”
Gao Gong happened to come in holding a pile of herbs and smiled, saying, “It’s Tusu wine, it is commonly used by the people to ward off evil and eliminate disasters. Even His Majesty prepares a batch of it in the imperial kitchen every year and rewards it to the courtiers.”
Sui Heng suddenly realized that he had a fondness for strong wine since childhood and had never had much medicinal wine. He looked at the wine jars all over the room and asked, “Which one is for Gu?”
Jiang Yun raised his eyelashes lightly and looked at him, saying, “There’s none.”
Sui Heng was puzzled. “Why?”
Jiang Yun said, “How can these vulgar things I brew catch Your Highness’s eye? Your Highness should hold onto your snowy mountain Shaodaozi, and drink it slowly.”
Sui Heng suddenly remembered something in an instant.
His mind froze for a moment, and for a moment he felt extremely regretful. He awkwardly touched his nose and said, “You also know, at that time, Gu did it on purpose to piss you off. If Gu knew that the wine was brewed by you, how could Gu be willing to share it with others?”
“But you rated it as worse than horse urine at the time.”
“…Those are all nonsense, you even believe it!”
“Then I also can’t do anything about it. There’s none for you this year.”
“No, you must leave a jar for me.”
When the time to share the wine comes, all the soldiers in the army have it, but only he doesn’t. How humiliating.
“What if I just don’t leave it?”
“Shibi1My bad, idk how it translates.”
“You give it a try.”
Sui Heng gritted his teeth and directly hugged the person. “You deliberately want to make Gu lose face, don’t you?”
Jiang Yun pinched his nose.
“Drinking strong wine is so awesome, how can you say it’s embarrassing?”
Sui Heng didn’t expect Jiang Yun to hold such a grudge. He was so stubborn that he softened, “Then you say, how can you forgive Gu?”
Jiang Yun said, “Let me think.”
Sui Heng clenched his waist and said, “I see you don’t want to get out of bed again tomorrow.”
Jiang Yun gave him a precise bite.
“Then you don’t even think about going to court.”
Sui Heng let out a hiss and said in disbelief, “In front of so many people, you still…”
“You threatened me first.”
Gao Gong understood and quickly led Xiao Jiang Nuo and the palace attendants to brew wine in the courtyard so that it would be convenient for the two Crown Princes to express their affections in the dark room. Sui Heng didn’t know what was on his mind, so he smiled and said, “Rongyu, I really didn’t expect you to have such skills.”
“I would like to thank Your Highness for his insightful guidance.”
The more he said this, the more unpleasant it became. Sui Heng raised his eyebrows and said, “Why don’t we learn a new course today?”
Jiang Yun wanted to bite him again but was stopped by Sui Heng.
This is unseemly for people outside to see. Jiang Yun said, “Put me down.”
“Won’t let go unless you leave Gu a jar.”
“You wish.”
“You also wish.”
“Actually, there is something that Gu would like to ask your opinion on.” The two of them had a childish argument for a while, but Sui Heng suddenly cleared his throat and said.
His tone suddenly turned serious, and Jiang Yun, who was laying on his shoulders and playing with his hair, asked, “What’s it?”
Sui Heng said, “He has also come to this grand court meeting. Do you want to see him?”
Jiang Yun’s movement paused slightly.
Sui Heng noticed this slight change and said, “The situation in Dongzhou is special. He came secretly and did not make a statement. But Gu thought that Gu should tell you the truth about this.”
Since the last time they parted ways in the Qi capital, Jiang Yun has never mentioned the people and events of the Qi capital again, but there are still relatives connected to him by blood in that place. Not mentioning it does not mean it does not exist.
Jiang Yun smiled, knowing that he was thinking for him, and said, “I already know.”
“You already know?”
Sui Heng was surprised.
“En.”
Jiang Yun took out a petition from his pocket and said, “Today, he had someone bring this over.”
“Did he come personally?”
“I don’t know, from Ji An’s description, it’s a bit like that.”
Sui Heng then understood.
Jiang Yun said, “Since we’re going to discuss the matter of Dongzhou, let’s go to the inn together tomorrow.”
Sui Heng had no choice but to make up his mind and immediately asked Ji An to prepare the gift.
The importance of gift-giving lies in its importance, whether it’s big or small. Ji An was not aware of the situation and respectfully asked what specifications should be prepared according to. Sui Heng said, “Just prepare the gifts that Gu usually personally prepares for Emperor Father and Empress Mother during festivals.”
Ji An didn’t ask much about what he shouldn’t have asked. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Then the old servant will prepare according to the elders’ etiquette.”
Jiang Yun and Xiao Jiang Nuo dug up a jar of medicinal wine that had been buried in the backyard since last month.
Sui Heng followed behind, watching the two of them being busy. Seeing that Jiang Yun had mud on his hands, he was afraid that his arms would not be able to handle it. He quickly squatted down and took the initiative to take over the job. He said sourly, “You’ve secretly hidden so much wine, but there’s none for Gu. Rongyu, aren’t you too biased?”
Jiang Yun asked the little troublemaker next to him, “Nuo Nuo, say, will you give him the wine?”
The little troublemaker’s face was also covered in mud, like a small supervisor, squatting on the side, staring at his stinky father’s doing the job. Upon hearing this, he arrogantly said, “Won’t give.”
“Why?”
“Stinky Father said he didn’t like it.”
Jiang Yun’s eyes curved and he pinched the little boy’s face.
“Really, Father will feed you cheese later.”
“Ah ya.”
The little troublemaker clapped his meaty palms and cheered.
Sui Heng, aware of his wrongdoing, worked tirelessly to dig out the wine and carefully wipe off the mud on the jar before letting Gao Gong lead the palace men into the house and decorate it well.
The next morning, Jiang Yun and Sui Heng left the Crown Prince’s mansion with gifts in the carriage. The carriage rolled along, turned a few long streets, and stopped in front of a secluded mansion. Jiang Yun said, “Didn’t you say it was at the inn?”
Sui Heng smiled. “Look at what you’re saying. After all, he’s an elder. How could Gu really let him live in the inn? This was originally an inn, but it was abandoned and bought by a wealthy man. It was converted into a private courtyard with a decent environment and a clean location.”
Jiang Yun didn’t expect him to consider this matter so thoroughly.
Approaching him, he gently kissed him and said, “Thank you.”
Sui Heng couldn’t help but touch his cheek and said sternly, “Alright, between you and me, what are you being so polite for? Let’s go out and take a look.”
The two of them got off the carriage together and unexpectedly saw a group of people gathering in front of the gate of the courtyard. The leader, dressed in white clothes and holding a zither, stood proudly in the middle of the open space, and it was actually Luo Fengjun.
Behind stood a group of musicians of different ages, male and female, all carrying various musical instruments.
The people around them were pointing.
A young Young Master stood at the door and advised, “Everyone, the person you are looking for is really not here. Please go back.”
Immediately, a musician retorted, “Impossible. We have received accurate information that Marquis Duan is staying here.”
Marquis Duan of Qi is a legendary musician who created the song “Feng Qiu Huang”. These musicians all came from admiring the reputation of Marquis Duan. But Marquis Duan lived in seclusion and never showed his face, so the musicians gathered outside the courtyard to wait.
The arrival of Luo Fengjun undoubtedly confirms this news.
After all, the only person who could make the Prince of Music, Luo Fengjun, so condescending and honored to visit was this Marquis Duan.
Sui Heng said, “I miscalculated.”
After finishing speaking, he asked Shi Fang and the Crown Prince’s soldiers to politely ‘invite’ the musicians. Only Luo Fengjun had a special status and did not accept the repulsion of his soldiers, still standing arrogantly in the same place.
Qi Ziqi, who was guarding outside, had already seen Jiang Yun and ran over excitedly, saying, “You’re here.”
Luo Fengjun looked at the two with strange eyes and said, “Are you guys very familiar?”
At this moment, the tightly closed mansion door slowly opened from inside, and a man in black clothes walked out and looked at Jiang Yun. After a while, he smiled slightly.
“Come in.”
Luo Fengjun showed a rare surprise expression. He stared at the elegant man standing alone under the mansion door blankly.
Luo Fengjun dared not approach lightly because, although he had a gentle demeanor towards the other party, his overall demeanor was cold, giving people a feeling of inviolability and awe inspiring.
Jiang Yun and Sui Heng went over together, saluted as juniors, and then whispered a few words to the man. The man looked up and looked towards Luo Fengjun.
Marquis Duan asked, “Are you the Crown Prince of Luo, the world-renowned Prince of Music?”
Lou Fengjun nodded.
“It’s the younger generation.”
“The visitor is a guest. I have prepared tea and snacks. If Crown Prince Luo has nothing to do, come in and have a cup of tea.”
Luo Fengjun was excited, and his palms were slightly sweating.
Marque Duan came low-key this time, only bringing some personal guards. The old servant in charge of sweeping and sprinkling in the house was temporarily arranged by Sui Heng. The tea was set up in the tea room dedicated to entertaining guests. The door was open, and some winter flowers and trees were planted outdoors. Five people sat down together, and Qi Ziqi was responsible for pouring tea. After chatting for a while, Marquis Duan asked about Jiang Yun’s stomach disease, and Sui Heng talked about those two red cranes.
Marquis Duan pondered for a moment and said, “Perhaps we can use music.”
“Use music?”
“That’s right. Music starts with the five senses and ultimately returns to them. The world’s best song can even make a hundred birds face the phoenix and scrape the bones of people to forget their pain. This marquis has heard that some birds and beasts even sing when seeking love.”
The music that can make the two fierce and hostile Tonghe let go of their old grudges and become lovers is no less difficult than scraping their bones to forget the pain. The first reaction of an ordinary person would be that this matter is simply a fantasy, but this statement comes from Marquis Duan’s mouth, so it needs to be considered.
Luo Fengjun entered the tea room and drank tea silently without saying a word. Upon hearing this, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is there really such a clever tune in the world?”
Marquis Duan said, “Maybe you can give it a try.”
That means composing a new song now.
Luo Fengjun immediately asked, “Can I participate?”
Marquis Duan said, “Naturally, what kind of musical instrument does the Crown Prince Luo specialize in?”
Luo Fengjun answered the zither.
Marquis Duan nodded and said, “The sound of the zither is too clear. When making joyful music, it lacks some charm. If we add the sound of the flute, the zither and flute will be combined, and the effect will be better. Would Crown Prince Luo be willing to cooperate with this marquis?”
After pondering for a moment, Luo Fengjun said, “Of course, the junior is eager for it. However, even if we play a combination of qin and flute, the sound of the zither still occupies a very important part, and I’m afraid I’m not capable of it yet.”
Although Luo Fengjun has a somewhat aloof temperament, he takes music very seriously and has a clear understanding of his current level of zither skills. He doesn’t want to rashly agree to things he can’t do.
“No problem, this matter can be done casually, there’s no need to pursue too sophisticated techniques.”
“If not, I’ll just watch and study.”
Luo Fengjun endured regret and refused to speak.
As Marquis Duan was about to speak, a clear and gentle voice interjected, “The flute’s sound is an aid, maybe I can give it a try.”
Luo Fengjun looked at Jiang Yun unexpectedly, “You’re also good at playing the flute?”
Jiang Yun said, “I can’t say I’m good at it. I studied under a Grand Tutor for a while before.”
Although Sui Heng was not proficient in music, he was also somewhat proficient in music theory. Upon hearing this, he said, “I thought it was feasible. In this way, two people can play the zither and one person can play the flute.”
Three days later, the first snowfall drifted in the Sui capital.
Sui Heng specifically asked people to tidy up the pavilion in the backyard, set up the zither tables, and light a smoking stove. Marquis Duan and Luo Fengjun arrived one after another with the zither, while Jiang Yun also held a bamboo flute and waited in the pavilion. Snowflakes were falling one after another, plum blossoms were scorching red, and the three of them were playing the zither and flute in the heavy snow. The joyful and lingering melody echoed throughout the entire Crown Prince’s mansion. Upon hearing the news, musicians eagerly gathered at the entrance of the alley where the Crown Prince’s mansion was located, with some even willing to climb over the guards and walls.
After finishing a song, the two bright cranes in the crane garden, which were constantly fighting, all gathered their sharp claws and snuggled up by the lake to enjoy the snow.
This matter was once rumored to be a beautiful topic.
Many famous scholars specialize in writing articles to promote and praise the extraordinary beauty of music.
It is said that Marquis Duan also named this song “Feng Qiu Huang”. However, this song, “Feng Qiu Huang” was not written after ancient music scores or a sad song, but a truly pure ensemble that describes love.
Luo Fengjun is a music enthusiast, so he stayed in the Sui capital and would occasionally run to the Crown Prince’s mansion to practice this song with Jiang Yun, brainwashing the two ancestors day after day.
Thanks to the efforts of this Prince or Music, in the deep winter one month later, the two ancestors broke through natural laws and mated. The male crane, in order to take care of the female crane, specially built a beautiful bird’s nest for her to live in.
The Crown Prince’s mansion was filled with joy, and the daily pleasure of Xiao Jiang Nuo and Xiao Junwang, Sui Zhang, shifted from watching Tonghe fight to waiting for Tonghe to lay eggs. Xiao Junwang even stole a whole precious fox skin from Lan Guifei’s palace and spread it in Tonghe’s nest to help the female crane stay warm. Xiao Jiang Nuo was also unwilling to admit defeat. Taking advantage of Sui Heng attending the court, he secretly sneaked into the study and revealed a black mouse skin cloak worn by Sui Heng, stacked on top of fox skin.
In another month, the female crane successfully hatched two crane eggs overnight.
Sui Heng only took one and gave it to Jiang Yun to take, while the other stayed in the crane nest for the female crane to hatch the little crane.
The days passed peacefully until one morning, when Jiang Yun suddenly told Sui Heng that he wanted to eat plums.
“Plums?”
Sui Heng showed a strange expression.
“Are you sure you want to eat now?”
Jiang Yun nodded.
Sui Heng was originally feeling a bit sleepy, but now he completely woke up and said, “It can’t be… that you really have it, right?”
Jiang Yun firmly said no, it’s just a craving.
“Are you going or not?”
“Go, will go immediately.”
Sui Heng personally went to the dining room to pick up a portion of sugar pickled plums. Jiang Yun tasted them and then left them unsatisfied, saying, “They’re too sweet.”
Sui Heng’s expression became increasingly peculiar.
He picked one up and tasted it, it was so sour that he let out a click.
“This is sweet?”
“It’s not sweet?”
“Sweet, sweet, Gu will have people send a new one over at once.”
It’s not the plum ripening season right now, but the Crown Prince’s mansion still stores a lot of plums of various flavors, some sweet and some salty, and it is guaranteed to be enough. However, the sign of his little wife suddenly falling in love with eating plums made Sui Heng feel a little apprehensive.
Because Sui Heng remembered that during the period when Jiang Yun left without saying goodbye two years ago, he had a special love for eating plums.
Sui Heng dared not be careless. Although he had not personally witnessed the little troublemaker’s production before, he also knew that it was a very dangerous and arduous task. Although the truth is not yet known at the moment, if Jiang Yun really does get pregnant again, he must be fully prepared and take good care of him.
Once Sui Heng arrived at the study, he wrote an urgent letter to Meng Hui, requesting the Divine Physician to come to the Sui capital as soon as possible.
