Chapter 62

Chapter 62: Chu Chaoci left the imperial palace accompanied by Eunuch Chen. After seeing Chu Chaoci off, Eunuch Chen returned to the palace to report back to Mu Yuye. Once Chu Chaoci boarded the carriage, the drunken haze vanished from his eyes, and he instantly became clearheaded. He had only been pretending to be drunk at the banquet. As the deep-minded sovereign of Ye Kingdom, how could he possibly have gotten drunk at a banquet? The carriage creaked along the road, and before long, it arrived at the guest residence. Chu Chaoci still appeared thoroughly drunk, allowing the accompanying Grand General Murong to support him inside. In the shadows, a pair of eyes watched until Chu Chaoci had entered the guest residence before returning to report to Mu Yuye. It turned out that Mu Yuye had not been at ease about Chu Chaoci. He had ordered a spy to watch until Chu Chaoci returned to the guest residence before he could relax. Perhaps Mu Yuye had also planted many other spies in the guest residence, silently watching Chu Chaoci. After all, relations between the two kingdoms had only just begun to ease, so it was perfectly normal for Mu Yuye to remain wary. Chu Chaoci allowed Murong Xi to help him into his room. Murong Xi had someone bring over a tub of hot water so that Chu Chaoci could bathe. Inside the room, Chu Chaoci pretended to be drunk and raved wildly, but he quietly asked Murong Xi, “Did you find out what I ordered you to investigate?” “Your Majesty, I did. At the border between Dayi and our Ye Kingdom, there is indeed a mineral deposit. If we can claim it for ourselves, it will bring immense benefits to Ye Kingdom,” Murong Xi said in a low voice. Upon hearing this, Chu Chaoci smiled. His arduous journey of a thousand li had not been in vain. He had come to Dayi this time precisely to make the soldiers guarding Dayi’s frontier lower their guard, allowing Murong Xi to investigate the matter thoroughly. After all, he was a cold-blooded man who could even scheme against his own principal wife. Once Chu Chaoci heard the news about the mineral deposit, he peacefully went to bathe and prepared to rest. His purpose in coming to Dayi had already been achieved. His next step was to consider how to make the mineral deposit his own. Not long after Chu Chaoci left the imperial palace, Mu Yuye released Ling Taian and allowed him to return home. With the matters of the day settled, preparations now had to be made for the peach-blossom banquet. Mu Yuye handed the peach-blossom banquet over to the Empress to manage, instructing Ling Taian to assist her. Night had already fallen. Ling Taian had spent the entire day in the imperial palace, and he hurried out at this late hour, boarding an official sedan chair to return home. Madam Liu had been waiting for him at home for a long time. When Ling Taian finally hurried back late at night, Madam Liu quickly welcomed him inside, served him as he removed his official uniform, and helped him change into his usual household clothes. “Master, you must be tired today. I’ve had the bathwater prepared. Let me serve you while you bathe, and then you can have something to eat,” Madam Liu said. “There’s no need. I won’t eat tonight. I’ll just bathe,” Ling Taian said tiredly. Madam Liu then instructed the steward matron to prepare the bathwater. With Madam Liu attending to him, Ling Taian enjoyed a comfortable bath, and only then did husband and wife retire for the night. The next morning, after Ling Jiayue had washed and dressed, she went to Madam Liu’s courtyard. “Greetings to Father and Mother.” Ling Jiayue bowed. “Good child, get up. How many times have I told you that you don’t need to be so formal with us? Why do you insist on performing this troublesome ritual every day?” Madam Liu said as she helped Ling Jiayue up. “Etiquette must not be abandoned. This is a reflection of your daughter’s sincerity. Mother, please don’t chide me anymore,” Ling Jiayue said. “Sit down and eat quickly. After we finish, we’ll go to the main hall. Your father has something to say,” Madam Liu said, personally ladling out a bowl of porridge and handing it to Ling Jiayue. Before long, Ling Jiayue, Madam Liu, Ling Taian, and the others had finished breakfast and headed to the main hall. Madam Wan and Madam Chen had already brought their respective children to wait for Ling Taian and Madam Liu. When they saw them arrive, they all bowed and paid their respects. “Greetings to Master and Madam.” Ling Jiayue, Ling Jiaxuan, and the others, meanwhile, paid their respects to Madam Wan and Madam Chen. After Ling Taian and Madam Liu took their seats, he said, “All of you, sit down.” Only then did everyone take their seats. Ling Taian began, “The peach-blossom banquet will be held soon. The young masters and young ladies of our family have all reached the appropriate age, so you will all attend. However, this year’s peach-blossom banquet is different from those of previous years.” Everyone wore expressions of understanding, but Ling Taian continued, “Sovereign Chu Chaoci of Ye Kingdom will also be attending. This man is extremely deep and calculating. At the peach-blossom banquet, all of you must be careful with your words and actions. Do not damage the reputation of the Prime Minister’s Residence. Is that clear?” “Your son (your daughter) understands.” “Remember to be cautious in both speech and conduct. Have you remembered?” “Your son (your daughter) has remembered.” “Very well, you may all leave.” After giving his instructions, Ling Taian dismissed Ling Jiayue and the others, then went to the study to attend to official business. Ling Jiayue accompanied Madam Liu back to her courtyard. Madam Liu sighed, “If the Emperor had not decreed that all unmarried daughters of the appropriate age must attend, I absolutely could not bear to let you go. Ye Kingdom is so far from Dayi. You’re a young woman—how could your mother bear to let you marry so far away?” Ling Jiayue said playfully, “Mother, don’t worry. Your daughter will absolutely never marry into Ye Kingdom. Even if there are no good men left in Dayi, I’ll cling to your side for the rest of my life and never leave.” “You, honestly!” Madam Liu scolded fondly. Mother and daughter chatted and laughed as they returned to the courtyard. At the guest residence, Grand General Murong hurried into Chu Chaoci’s room. His face was flushed red with excitement as he said, “Your Majesty, the mineral deposit we discovered this time is extraordinarily large. What we have detected is only a portion of it, and most of the deposit lies within our Ye Kingdom!” Chu Chaoci had been resting on the bed, but when he heard this, he sprang up. “Is that true?” “It is true, Your Majesty!” “Excellent! This journey to Dayi has truly been worthwhile! Murong Xi, I will record this as a great accomplishment for you. Once we return to the kingdom, you will be heavily rewarded! Heavily rewarded!” Chu Chaoci said, exceedingly pleased. Since Ling Jiayue’s death, he had not been this happy in a long time. Although Ling Jiayue was a woman he had schemed against to the utmost, she was also a woman for whom he had developed genuine feelings. The fact that Chu Chaoci could scheme even against the woman he loved showed just how cold-blooded he was. While Chu Chaoci and Murong Xi were celebrating in the room, Mu Yuyang was in the study, stroke by stroke, painting a portrait of Ling Jiayue. The corners of his lips kept turning upward. Feng Yan came in carrying tea and pastries. Seeing Mu Yuheng’s expression, he could not help but say disdainfully, “Master, do try to be more careful. Don’t let your drool fall onto Miss Ling’s portrait.” “Hmph. You dare make fun of your master now? Then you can continue doing the work of serving tea and water.” “If I don’t do it, who will? You won’t allow any maids to attend you personally, so naturally I’m the one who has to do it,” Feng Yan said miserably. Mu Yuheng ignored him and continued painting the portrait. That night, everyone in the Ling Residence had gone to rest. Suddenly, a dark shadow flashed past. From a distance, it was impossible to make out whether the figure was male or female. Yet the Ling Residence, which had enjoyed a brief moment of peace, seemed about to become restless once again.