Chapter 079

Chapter 079

Dong Ling watched his master intently, then saw Lu Jingzhao slowly relax his grip.

The Emperor's expression was grim, but he said nothing and turned to go inside.

Dong Ling was certain the sachet was lost.

As soon as the sound of water was heard from inside, he hurriedly led a few attendants, searching with umbrellas within the inn.

The area was small, and they quickly searched it to no avail.

He then searched the vicinity of the inn, still finding no trace of the sachet.

Returning drenched from the rain, he looked like a drowned rat.

Observing the puddle forming at Dong Ling's feet, Lu Jingzhao commented flatly, "You didn’t find it."

Realizing his master knew what he had been doing, Dong Ling hung his head in apology, "I am useless."

The sachet couldn’t have been lost in the inn; it was small, and when he had entered, the courtyard was brightly lit, even in the rain, with over twenty people carrying lanterns. How could they not have seen something being dropped?

So, he didn’t instruct Dong Ling to search for it.

The sachet must have been lost on the road during the sudden downpour.

He had taken a handkerchief to wipe the rain off his face and then spurred his horse; perhaps it was then that he had lost the sachet.

Knowing this, he should have traveled by carriage.

Yet, on this northern inspection journey, the roads were rough, and traveling by carriage was far slower than riding a horse. So, what was the point in dwelling on such useless thoughts? Lu Jingzhao twirled the ring on his finger, resolving to have Chu Yin make him another sachet upon his return.

She wouldn’t be angry, would she?

It’s not like he lost it on purpose.

Despite these rationalizations, a sense of unease lingered in his heart.

That sachet had also contained the peace talisman Chu Yin had placed inside…

He looked out the window, the rain still falling unabashedly.

One hundred and twenty li north of the inn was Taizhou. To the southeast was Baiju Town, and to the west, vast plains. He hadn’t heard of the "desperate villains" Chu Yin had mentioned appearing in these areas, but he decided to instruct Sun Guang to heighten security for the night anyway.

Losing the sachet was one thing, but he had to return to the capital safely.

The Minister of War was also accompanying Lu Jingzhao on this trip.

As he was resting, he suddenly heard footsteps outside.

The imperial guards and soldiers, clad in raincoats and armed with swords, moved through the courtyard and then disappeared into the dark night.

Startled, the Minister of War, thinking there was some danger, rushed to seek an audience with the Emperor, only to learn that the heightened security was just a precaution. This reassured him.

The rain soon stopped.

However, the water accumulated on the rooftop continued to drip throughout the night.

The next day dawned bright and sunny. After breakfast, Lu Jingzhao did not rest and immediately set off for Taizhou.

…………

Lu Zhen claimed she wanted to learn shuttlecock kicking, but being somewhat lazy, she grew tired after just half an hour and slumped in a chair, refusing to move.

Chu Yin, hands on her hips, said, "I'm your teacher now. Get up. If you can't even kick the shuttlecock thirty times, how can you think of resting?"

Lu Zhen pouted and whined to her mother, "I'm so tired, Mother, let me sit for a while. If I kick more, I might faint!"

Chu Yin couldn’t help but laugh at her daughter’s exaggerated fragility.

"How about you teach me something else? I’m tired of shuttlecock kicking. Let’s switch to something less tiring," Lu Zhen pleaded, tugging at her mother’s sleeve.

That’s a good idea.

Chu Yin immediately thought of teaching her daughter music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but remembering her child's fondness for watching saplings and flowers, she asked, "Would you like to learn flower arrangement?"

Arranging flowers not only allows one to admire and smell the blooms but also to creatively combine flowers from different seasons according to personal preference and understanding, presenting a uniquely interesting display.

Having seen her mother arrange flowers before, Lu Zhen nodded enthusiastically.

Mother and daughter promptly went to the Imperial Garden by carriage.

At the junction of spring and summer, the garden was a riot of colors, with myriad flowers vying for attention, dazzling the onlooker.

Lu Zhen excitedly pointed now to the peonies for the palace maids to clip, then to the roses, and after that to the jasmines and poppies...

A large crabapple tree in the western corner, requiring two people to embrace, soon caught her eye. It was a pity that its blossoms had already begun to wither.

When the royal carriage had passed by here last time, the crabapple flowers were in full bloom.

Through the carriage window, she had seen a world bathed in pink.

Back then, she heard the man's deep breaths, while her body trembled intensely yet was suppressed to the extreme, her fingernails almost digging into his back.

Feeling her cheeks warm up, Chu Yin diverted her gaze.

The eunuch who had been sent to gather information returned to the palace and reported at the Imperial Garden that the Yu family was preparing to arrange a marriage with the Fu family of the Duke of Song. Yu Sizhang would likely marry into the Duke's household within the year.

Surprised and delighted, Chu Yin asked, "Are you certain?"

"I dare not err."

Hearing the affirmative answer, Chu Yin joyfully embraced her daughter beside her.

Lu Zhen, surprised at her mother's happiness, asked, "Mother, is there some great joy? Is it that Father is coming back?"

"…No," Chu Yin thought to herself, it's about your future mother-in-law and father-in-law getting married.

"Oh, then what's the happy news?"

"A lady named Yu Sizhang used to teach me horseback riding. You might know of her. She's about to get married."

Lu Zhen wasn’t very interested and nodded, quickly asking the palace servants to pick other flowers.

Chu Yin wanted to say more but restrained herself.

Her daughter's future was something she could only influence so far.

If the future was like her past life, where Lu Zhen liked Fu Yue at first sight, then everything would remain unchanged. If not, Chu Yin thought, she couldn't force her daughter to like someone. She just wanted to be there for her daughter.

Back in Kunning Palace, she practiced her martial arts and archery, sweating it all out in preparation for the challenges of the coming year.

Meanwhile, in Qingfeng Town of Jinzhou.

Princess Baocheng had found Cheng Mi Yuan's residence.

Looking around in disbelief, she asked her guard, "Is this really the place? Isn't he a renowned healer?"

How could a healer of such repute live in such a dilapidated hut!

"Indeed, this is it. Look, there are many herbs drying inside," the guard pointed out.

Princess Baocheng frowned and covered her nose as she walked into the courtyard.

Not only was the hut dilapidated, but it also reeked. Princess Baocheng suspected there might be chickens or pigs around as she stood in a relatively cleaner corner, signaling to her guard with her eyes.

The courtyard door was open; someone must be inside.

"Doctor Cheng," called the guard loudly, "Doctor Cheng, are you home?"

A man emerged leisurely, tall and broad-shouldered. His face, covered in dust, obscured his features, but his unruly beard was particularly striking.

"Who are you…" His voice was pleasant, reminiscent of a spring flowing through a forest, but carried a certain indolence and disinterest. However, his tone changed slightly, dropping an octave, as he looked at Princess Baocheng, "You are…"

"Before you stands Princess Baocheng, the Emperor's aunt. Kneel down at once!" the guard commanded.

Cheng Mi Yuan chuckled, "She's pretty, but to say she's a princess? That's far-fetched. Why would a princess come here? To seek medical treatment? Wouldn't she consult the royal physicians? Besides, she doesn’t look ill to me."

The guard's hand moved to his sword, "How dare you!"

Princess Baocheng disliked his gaze but was curious about his claim, "You can tell I'm not sick?"

"Of course."

"How can you tell without taking my pulse?" she stepped forward, intrigued.

"Forgive me, but I can't disclose that," Cheng Mi Yuan sat down cross-legged on the ground, fiddling with his herbs, "I only share that with my disciples."

"How many disciples do you have?"

"Three."

"What about taking me as a disciple?" Princess Baocheng crouched down, "Name your price, how about a hundred taels a year?"

At that moment, the mix of fragrances emanating from her overwhelmed Cheng Mi Yuan.

Pinching his nose, he said, "Stay back a bit."

Princess Baocheng: "..."

She hadn’t even complained about his smell!

Gritting her teeth, Princess Baocheng stepped back, "How about two hundred taels? As long as you can teach me your medical skills."

He dodged the question, "Are you really a princess?"

"You can ask the Prefect of Jinzhou if you don't believe me." She had first gone to the Prefect's office to confirm that Cheng Mi Yuan was a skilled doctor before coming to Qingfeng Town to find him.

"Strange things happen every day, but today seems especially full of them," Cheng Mi Yuan eyed Princess Baocheng, "I heard that Her Highness the Princess is divorced, is that true? Also, how old are you now?"

“……”

Princess Baocheng, feeling deeply offended, snapped sharply, "Don't push your luck! I kindly asked you to teach me, and you dare to speak so disrespectfully? Are you not afraid I’ll have the Prefect throw you into jail?"

"Anger damages the liver, and fear harms the kidneys. Your Highness, please calm down... I have a habit when accepting disciples: I need to thoroughly investigate their ancestry up to eighteen generations, to ensure they are of unblemished character, hence my question."

Compared to other doctors' requirements for accepting disciples, his were not particularly stringent.

Princess Baocheng: "..."

She wanted to turn and leave, but remembering the stories the Prefect of Jinzhou had told about this miraculous doctor, she realized his exceptional medical skills were too valuable to lose. She held back her impulse.

"My ancestors for eighteen generations are the same as the Emperor's. Do you really need to ask?" she said sternly.

"Then let me ask about Your Highness's matters, like why you want to learn medicine," Cheng Mi Yuan said with a slight smile, revealing teeth whiter than his beard, "As a princess, you lower yourself to learn from a commoner like me. I shall make some allowances."

…………

Before they knew it, a month had passed.

One day, Empress Dowager Jiang brought a letter for Chu Yin to read.

"Shan Hui really started learning medicine, but she really dislikes that Doctor Cheng. She says that apart from his medical skills, he has no other good qualities. It’s such a pity for Shan Hui. She has such perseverance to endure it."

Chu Yin: "..."

In her memory, Cheng Mi Yuan was not such a person.

Focused solely on studying medicine, indifferent to fame and fortune, how could he lack good qualities?

Or was it that Princess Baocheng's perception of Cheng Mi Yuan as a disciple differed entirely from what she knew?

Still, Princess Baocheng acknowledged his medical expertise, making it easier to recommend him to Lu Jingzhao in the future.

Speaking of Lu Jingzhao, she wondered when he would return to the capital.

After the rain that day, the weather had been clear and calm, without wind or rain. Logically, Lu Jingzhao should have already reached Tongguan by now. If that were the case, he would have sent a message ahead, both to ease their worries and to allow them time to prepare a welcome banquet.

Chu Yin struggled to sleep that night.

She experienced a series of bizarre nightmares.

In one dream, shockingly, Lu Jingrui ambushed Lu Jingzhao on the road.

But that was impossible since he was still in mourning.

Fortunately, good news arrived the next day, announcing that Lu Jingzhao had reached Tongguan and would arrive in the capital the following day.

Relieved, she shared the news with her daughter and son, who were overjoyed. As for Lu Yu, he continued his routine of eating and sleeping, his chubby face like a steamed bun. He was quite agile now, rolling around and occasionally uttering words like 'mother,' 'brother,' 'sister,' mimicking them like a parrot.

The next day, Chu Yin dressed carefully and took her two children to welcome Lu Jingzhao.

From a distance, they saw him approaching in the imperial carriage, still wearing the dark dragon-embroidered riding outfit he had on when he left.

Upon seeing his wife and children, he alighted from the carriage and lifted both kids, one on each side.

Lu Zhu was especially emotional, his eyes reddening, "Father, you're finally back. I’ve missed you so much... I’ve been studying hard and learning to ride with mother. I can ride a horse by myself now."

Eager for his father's praise, the child was on the verge of tears. Lu Jingzhao smiled, "I just heard Tao Shangshu praising you."

"Really?" Lu Zhu’s eyes widened in disbelief, "He praised me?"

"Of course, he did. You are diligent and eager to learn," Lu Jingzhao ruffled his son's hair, affirming again, "You've done very well."

Tears welled up in Lu Zhu's eyes, and he hugged his father's neck, "I’ll do even better in the future, Father. I won’t let you down."

"Yes, but don’t overwork yourself."

Lu Zhu's heart nearly melted, feeling that his father was exceptionally gentle today.

Lu Zhen watched her crying brother with a smile, then told her father, “I’ve been learning flower arrangement and playing shuttlecock with Mother.”

“Arrange a vase for me someday.” Chu Yin’s flower arrangements had a special charm, and he wondered how much his daughter had learned.

“Alright,” Lu Zhen agreed.

Setting the two children down, he turned to Chu Yin.

His first words were, “I have returned safely.”

He had not caused her any worry.

Understanding his meaning, Chu Yin stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, “Your Majesty’s word, as always, is unbreakable.”

Entering summer, she wore a plum red dress embroidered with crabapple blossoms, light and soft, accentuating her graceful figure. Her delicate, flawless face, with arched eyebrows, a straight nose, fair skin, and red lips, was breathtakingly beautiful.

Lu Jingzhao’s fingers rested on her waist, longing to kiss those cherry-red lips, to taste their sweetness.

But they were on the royal path, with their two children beside them, hardly an appropriate moment, especially as he feared losing control with a deep kiss.

Taking her hand, he suggested, “Let’s go pay respects to Mother first.”

Just about to board the imperial carriage, Chu Yin noticed something missing from his jade belt and couldn’t help asking, “Where’s the sachet I gave you?” It should have been tied to his belt.

Lu Jingzhao: "..."

Had she noticed so quickly?

He cleared his throat slightly, “I accidentally lost it.”

“What?” Chu Yin was displeased, “I told you to be careful with it... it had a talisman for safety inside.”

"It was raining heavily that day... you must know, I happened to be on the road."

Chu Yin slightly twisted her body, "I don’t care, it took me a long time to make that sachet. I’ve never been good at needlework, even pricked my fingers..." She didn’t really blame him, but wanted to act spoiled, "You owe me one!"

He didn't speak right away, just pulled her alone onto the dragon carriage.

Pouting, she gently tugged at his waistband, "Look, the jade pendant and everything are still there, they didn’t fall off."

Only the sachet was lost.

Did he really not cherish it? Chu Yin was genuinely a bit angry now.

"I was afraid of losing it, so I put it in my sleeve, who would have thought..." Lu Jingzhao embraced her, gently stroking her back and whispered soothingly, "But I have returned safely, how about I compensate you with myself?"

“……”

Why say something like that, it's so hard to refuse.

Chu Yin bit her lip, smiling gently.