On the other side, inside the palace.
The next morning, Yin Minglu stretched lazily and walked to the courtyard, only to strangely discover that the rope of his swing had broken. This swing had been made by a guard and was something he cherished and valued. Who would have thought that it would break all of a sudden?
Yin Minglu picked up the rope and examined it carefully. His delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his face took on a pensive expression. He recalled what a tall and dignified man had said to him the previous night after his rejection, “Well then, let it be. I’m not insistent on sitting.”
Then the next day, the rope indeed broke, and the corners of Yin Minglu’s mouth twitched uncontrollably. Finally, a hint of disdain appeared on his small face as he thought to himself that Emperor Jing was quite childish. He had to instruct the guards to create a new swing.
Time passed quickly, and it was now the Dragon Boat Festival. Not only were the streets filled with the fragrance of bamboo leaves and rice dumplings, but also the palace was adorned with mugwort leaves. Yin Minglu, with nothing much to do, organized the palace maids to make rice dumplings. He rolled up his sleeves, took two leaves, bent them into a conical shape, and then used a spoon to scoop a spoonful of glutinous rice into it. If it overflowed, he would use chopsticks to press it down.
After pressing, he continued to fill, and after filling, he pressed again. Finally, according to his preference, he added a lot of pork belly and mushrooms. He was excited throughout the process.
It wasn’t until Xiao Man sighed and said, “Wangye, if you put in so much, the dumplings will fall apart when boiled,” that Yin Minglu slightly reduced the amount of ingredients. He tied them with a string, making a long string of small, green, and exquisite dumplings that almost touched the ground when he lifted them.
When he picked them up, he couldn’t help but spin around in ecstasy. “Wow, I’m so talented!” He couldn’t resist applauding himself before putting the long string of dumplings into the boiling pot and instructing, “Once they’re cooked, send half of them to His Majesty.”
Xiao Man reluctantly wanted to refuse, saying, “Your Highness, we made them so ugly; it’s better not to send them. It’s fine for you to enjoy them yourself, but for us servants, it’s embarrassing.”
“Where are they ugly? I think they’re well-made,” Yin Minglu pouted unhappily. “If I ask you to deliver them, just do it without complaining.”
In the neighborhoods among common folks, it was customary to exchange rice dumplings as a sign of hospitality. Unfortunately, Emperor Jing had lived in the deep palace since childhood and probably had never eaten such local snacks. Even if he had, he surely hadn’t tasted dumplings personally made by a courtier. Otherwise, why would he have taken a liking to his cousin’s swing? On the surface, it was about the swing, but in reality, it reflected his inner loneliness. No wonder Qin Manman had once said, “I’m willing to have one person’s heart, never parting till old age,” and “I’m willing to settle down with Your Majesty in this lifetime, living as an ordinary couple, fishing and chopping wood by the river. We’ll be friends with deer and enjoy the dreams of fish and shrimp at night. Even though our life may be plain, our love will be profound.”
People often said that Emperor Jing might wish to be a woodcutter or fisherman in his next life, but he was truly moved by her words that depicted a simple love. Slowly, he also fell in love with her. After all, she was the only woman in his harem who expressed, “Even if you’re not the emperor, just an ordinary woodcutter, I’d still love you,” without caring about his status and position, loving him solely for who he was.
Ah, who wouldn’t know how to say sweet words? The Emperor, who had not seen the world, was really easy to deceive. He was easily moved by such sweet words. If it were him with the gender advantage, saying such things to the Emperor, wouldn’t the Emperor eagerly offer himself? Yin Mingluo took a bite of the meat dumpling, thinking wildly in his heart, but he did not rule out this possibility. Unfortunately, he was not Qin Manman. He did not have such a thick skin, and he did not want to gain anything through power. After all, living a life of ease and waiting for death was his highest pursuit in this life.
When Xie Yan received this string of rice dumplings, he was also quite surprised. After learning that it was sent by Yun Wangye, he unconsciously revealed a subtle smile, which was also caught by Wang Gonggong.
Seeing the Emperor’s expectant expression, Wang Gonggong quickly picked up the string of dumplings. He didn’t mention anything about checking for poison, just brought it over, unable to hide the expression of disdain on his face. He said to the Emperor, “Your Majesty, the appearance of these rice dumplings is really not good. Some of them are even falling apart. I’m afraid they were personally made by Yun Wangye.”
Emperor Jing shook his head, indicating that there was no problem. All of this was a gesture from Yin Minglu, that child.
Wang Gonggong rearranged a few dumplings and finally found one with a better appearance, quickly presenting it to the Emperor.
The Emperor wasn’t picky either. He pushed aside the fragrant rice dumpling leaves, took a shallow bite, and immediately showed a hint of surprise on his face. It wasn’t because the rough exterior of the dumpling was unexpectedly delicious. He took another bite, showing even more surprise, and even a hint of strangeness in his expression.
He had eaten dumplings before, but he had never tasted dumplings that were so full of meat. Each bite was filled with generous and fatty meat fillings, and he couldn’t even taste the glutinous rice. It seemed like the person who made these dumplings took “meat lover” to the extreme.
It seemed that even after going through difficult times in the past, he still had a strong craving for meat. Xie Yan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for him.
Soon, the day arrived when Emperor Jing was scheduled to make a disguised visit outside the palace, which was not entirely coincidental. It was purely because Yin Minglu had expressed his desire to leave the palace again, and after hearing that, Emperor Jing’s curiosity was piqued. Ignoring the advice of those around him, he also wanted to experience the bustling life of the common people.
“Absolutely not, Your Majesty! The area outside the palace is extremely dangerous, and there may be a risk to your life!” Wang Gonggong protested, inwardly criticizing the young prince for his influence on the Emperor.
Emperor Jing’s expression turned cold. “The late Emperor visited Jiangnan seven times and returned safely each time. I rarely have the chance to make a discreet visit. Why should there be concerns about my safety? If I were to encounter assassins, you, as the chief eunuch, should reflect on who may have leaked information.”
Since ascending to the throne, the Emperor had developed a habit of making unwavering decisions. Being confined to the palace for so long had taken a toll on him, and he often felt stifled. At times, he even envied the carefree and unrestrained life enjoyed by Yun Wangye.
Xie Yan went back to change into a different set of clothes, and what appeared before him was a handsome man dressed in splendid attire, adorned with a beautiful crown, and with eyes that shone like stars. When he lightly waved his folding fan, if it weren’t for the fact that it concealed a pair of sharp eyes, he would have appeared to be a noble and charming young gentleman in every way.
The man’s extraordinary beauty nearly left Yin Minglu in awe, but he couldn’t help but sigh. It was no wonder that Qin Manman could recognize this person at first glance without any prompting from the system. The royal bloodline had passed down generation after generation, resulting in a lineage of beautiful individuals, and the Emperor himself naturally possessed an exceptionally outstanding appearance and aura.
The group of people boarded a painted pleasure boat and sailed through the lotus-filled pond. Along the pond’s edge, there were poets and scholars leisurely enjoying a poetry banquet, reciting verses and composing music, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
Xie Yan stood at the front of the boat and noticed that, without him noticing, Yin Minglu had already boarded a small boat with his young servant and a few guards. They rowed gently through the lake, heading towards the center where the lotus leaves grew taller than themselves. When they reached a patch of lotus leaves, Yin Minglu extended his arms, which were as fair as lotus roots, and couldn’t resist the urge to pluck some.
Seeing the small basket and fishing gear carried by the person by his side, he knew that they had come prepared.
Yin Minglu was still imparting his insights to others while holding a fishing rod. He shook his head and said, “When fishing in the wild, you should cast your line near the edge of the lotus leaves; that’s where the fish bite the best. Look, I’ve already caught a yellowbone fish. If I catch a few more, we can have fish soup for dinner.” Or maybe grilled fish would also be a good option; the taste would be delightful.
The guards were initially skeptical but also baited their hooks and cast their lines near the lotus leaves. In less than a minute, a fish bit, and one of them quickly reeled in a palm-sized crucian carp, weighing about two taels.
Although it wasn’t a substantial catch, it could still fetch a couple of copper coins when sold. It would be enough for a simple celebration.
One by one, the others also began to catch fish, averaging about two fish per minute. Now they couldn’t help but give Yun Wangye a thumbs-up. Yin Minglu proudly claimed that when it came to enjoying food, drink, and leisure, he had experienced many lifetimes, and no one could surpass him. He hoped that Qin Manman would continue to be extravagant and bring out those iced desserts and hotpot. He was getting really hungry.
Seeing the lively atmosphere at another part of the pond, while the mood on their boat was quite dull except for the entertainers singing, Xie Yan couldn’t help but narrow his slender phoenix eyes and coldly ordered his guards, “Go and bring those people here.”
They dared to have fun without including him.
Before the guards could act upon the command, a small flat boat seemed to have wandered into their vicinity, weaving through the densely packed, lush green lotus leaves, and approaching the heavily guarded pleasure boat.
The guards fixed their gaze on it and found that the small boat was occupied by a young maiden dressed in a light blue robe. While her face was not clearly visible, her fair, snow-like complexion, ebony hair like satin, and an exceptionally ethereal aura suggested that her appearance was likely exceptional. The maiden rowed the boat with a pair of oars on the endless pond, occasionally brushing the broad lotus leaves with her fair jade-like hands, highlighting her delicate and slender figure.
Upon closer listening, they could hear the melodious sound of the maiden reciting a poem, “Intoxicated, I know not the way back. With joy spent, I return late in the evening, drifting into the depths of the lotus flowers. Competing to cross, competing to cross, startled by a group of gulls and herons.” After finishing, the maiden’s gentle tone was tinged with a hint of distress and helplessness, as if she had truly lost herself in this beautiful natural scenery, unable to find her way home amidst the flying white gulls and herons. It was truly moving, making people want to pity and adore this pitiful yet lovely young maiden.
“What a beautiful poem, what a beautiful poem!” The guards on the pleasure boat were excited, their eyes filled with admiration. Those who served as royal guards in the palace were mostly scions of prominent families, and they were well-versed in literature and poetry, naturally capable of appreciating such verses.
“I’ve never heard this poem before. It must have been inspired by the lady who accidentally entered this place,” one of the guards remarked.
“I recognize that lady; she’s Second Miss Qin from the Qin family! She’s the original author of ‘Shui Diao Ge Tou’1“Shui Diao Ge Tou” (水调歌头) is a famous poem by the Chinese poet Su Shi (苏轼), also known as Su Dongpo (苏东坡), from the Song Dynasty. The title can be translated as “A Tune of Water-Purification Plant” or “A Song of Water-Separation”, our girl here be copy pasting everything, she didn’t even think of changing the title😭. I’ve heard of her fame for a long time, and her literary talent is truly outstanding.”
Amidst the praises exchanged among the people, only Emperor Xie Yan had a peculiar expression. He had recently come across this beautiful poem in the book “Shuyu Collection.” He seemed to recall that the author of this poem was named Li Qingzhao?
Meanwhile, the young maiden in the boat blushed slightly, turned her back, and continued rowing, weaving through clusters of pink lotus flowers. She pretended to have encountered the pleasure boat, and as she heard the praises from the boat, her heart filled with anticipation. She whispered softly, “System, system, the people on the pleasure boat have heard my poem. Quickly check if the Emperor’s favorability towards me has reached one hundred. Can I unlock ‘Eyebrows like spring mountains, autumn waters cut by pupils’ again?”
The thought of regaining her previous beauty filled the young maiden’s heart with joy.
The system quickly activated its detection system and then exclaimed in disbelief, “There is no increase host! The Emperor’s favorability towards you has actually decreased, and it’s in the negative!”
“What?! How is that possible!?” The young maiden exclaimed in disbelief, momentarily forgetting to row the boat.
The author has something to say: Why does Jinjiang keep upgrading?
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