Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The sound of the river slapping against the cabin's sides was intermittently loud and soft.

Dizzy, Jiang Yuxun's thoughts also slowed down by half a beat.

Before he could react, the Son of Heaven slowly bent over, frowning as he looked at him.

Hesitating for a long moment, he gently pressed the back of his hand against Jiang's forehead.

The cool touch eased some of the dizziness.

The barge gently swayed, and in his haziness, Jiang Yuxun unconsciously raised his forehead, rubbing against the back of the Emperor's hand.

The stray hairs on his forehead brushed lightly, bringing a faint itch.

...Ying Changchuan's movements momentarily froze.

At the other end of the cabin, Eunuch Sang, who attended the Emperor, widened his eyes in shock.

This, this... His Majesty, born of a noble family in the previous dynasty and now the Emperor, has never lowered himself so!

Eunuch Sang, who normally didn't get seasick, felt a buzzing in his ears, almost losing his balance and falling over in fright.

By the time he regained his composure, the two young eunuchs standing behind Jiang Yuxun had already stepped forward quickly, gently helping him up as he was too dizzy to stand.

However, just then, a wave struck the ship heavily.

The massive barge swayed accordingly, and the young eunuchs, instead of steadying Jiang Yuxun, stumbled themselves.

Eunuch Sang: !!!

He, standing at that end of the cabin, instinctively moved forward, but before he could take a step, he saw—

The Emperor raised his hand, gently catching the person who was about to fall.

Their bodies pressed closely together in an instant.

Ying Changchuan involuntarily stiffened.

A gentle breeze brought a faint whiff of dragon's saliva fragrance.

Jiang Yuxun's world spun before his eyes, and by the time he regained his senses, Ying Changchuan had already removed his hand from around his waist.

The startled young eunuch immediately stepped forward, supporting him out.

-

Jiang Yuxun, already dizzy and disoriented, was helped back to his room and promptly lost consciousness as soon as his head hit the pillow.

He had no spare energy to ponder what had just happened.

He slept for a long time.

In the end, it was a gust of cold wind that woke him.

"…What time is it."

Jiang Yuxun pressed his brow hard, involuntarily shrinking back into his bedding.

A few seconds later, the sound of water reached his ears.

Only then did Jiang Yuxun belatedly remember that he was on a barge.

！！！

If I'm not mistaken, I think I just saw Ying Changchuan.

...What was his response after I mentioned feeling unwell?

A chill ran down Jiang Yuxun's back, causing him to instantly open his eyes.

But to his horror, upon opening his eyes, he discovered something even more terrifying—

This cabin was not the one he was originally staying in.

Compared to modern cruise ships, the barges of this era were not only cramped in space but also had only a few cabins with small windows for ventilation.

However, the cabin Jiang Yuxun was in now was not only spacious but also had large windows on both sides, allowing for complete air circulation.

At this moment, both windows were wide open.

It was the wind from here that had woken him up.

...Where am I?

Seeing no one around and unsure who to ask, Jiang Yuxun instinctively held his breath.

He then cautiously pushed off the blankets, tiptoed out of bed, and walked around the room.

This cabin had not only large windows on both sides but also similarly sized doors at the front and back.

Jiang Yuxun paused, then headed straight for the thin partition door at the front.

Finally, he clenched his hand, quietly peeking through the crack of the door—

Inside, in a bamboo-patterned incense burner, burned fragrant herbs for clarity and alertness.

This cabin was not only more spacious than the one he had been in before, but its decorations were also much more luxurious.

"…Is anyone there?" Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but call out softly.

The cabin remained silent, with no one responding to his question.

Jiang Yuxun hesitated for a moment before slowly widening the crack of the door, peeking inside.

Although the cabin was luxuriously decorated, a closer look revealed nothing too extraordinary.

It was unclear whether it had ever been inhabited.

After a short while, Jiang Yuxun finally withdrew his gaze.

He then closed the partition door, planning to check the other door he had seen earlier.

However, as soon as he turned around, Jiang Yuxun saw—

The other partition door had been opened by someone at some unknown time.

Four imperial attendants sat at both ends of the corridor, eyes downcast, maintaining absolute silence.

Most importantly... Ying Changchuan, clad in dark robes, stood at the doorway, looking at him with a half-smile.

His sneaky behavior just now had been completely observed by Ying Changchuan!

"Is My Minister feeling alright?"

Jiang Yuxun’s complexion was still pale, and the dizziness hadn’t completely subsided, but on hearing this, he reflexively stood up straight: "Your Majesty, I feel somewhat better."

...Yet I wish I were still dizzy.

The Emperor nodded and walked in slowly.

Eunuch Sang immediately hunched over, stepping forward to open the inner partition door for Ying Changchuan, and then quietly placed the unfinished memorials on the desk.

Jiang Yuxun took a deep breath, closing his eyes in despair.

No wonder the view and ventilation here are so good... it turns out to be Ying Changchuan's quarters!

So the place I was just looking around was his sleeping chamber?

...Damn, why am I here?

-

Jiang Yuxun had become seasick in the morning.

He had slept for most of the day, waking up just in time for dinner.

After his nap, Jiang Yuxun's condition had improved significantly, and his complexion wasn’t as bad.

Therefore, before he could recover from his confusion and shock, he followed the Emperor out of the cabin.

The barge was named for its resemblance to a pavilion.

The topmost level, besides a wooden pavilion, also had a fairly large deck.

As a workaholic, Ying Changchuan never wasted a single minute.

Before the barge entered the southeastern three provinces, the governor of one of the provinces had already boarded early to report on state affairs.

In early autumn, the southern lands were still not very cold.

At dusk, a group of people slowly ascended to the top level of the barge to have dinner together.

"...Your Majesty, Tao Yan Province has four large granaries, totaling over a hundred smaller grain pits, each capable of storing about three thousand bushels of grain."

As he spoke, fine beads of sweat appeared on the forehead of the governor of Tao Yan Province.

Ever since he heard of the Emperor's journey southward, he had been diligently counting the number of warehouses, mouths to feed, and able-bodied men and women in his jurisdiction.

He memorized everything thoroughly before Ying Changchuan's arrival.

While the governor spoke, an imperial attendant stepped forward to fill everyone's cups with the local traditional Tian wine.

Jiang Yuxun, who was watching from the side, quietly raised his cup to his lips and took a sip while the other spoke.

The sweet taste spread instantly between his lips and teeth, without any hint of spiciness.

—I really am more suited to this kind of wine.

From his seat, Ying Changchuan casually asked, "How much grain is currently stored in the warehouses?"

The governor couldn’t help but wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Your Majesty, approximately one-tenth..." he quickly added, "but there will be more once the late rice harvest is collected."

While speaking, he sneakily glanced up, carefully observing Ying Changchuan's expression.

The Emperor remained noncommittal: "What about the elderly, the weak, officials, scholars, and the supplies for horses, oxen, hay, and straw?"

"This, this..." The governor of Tao Yan Province shifted his gaze nervously, looking somewhat guilty, "Your Majesty's visit was sudden, and, uh... we haven’t compiled these statistics yet." As he spoke, his face turned even paler than Jiang Yuxun's had been from seasickness in the morning.

The Great Zhou Dynasty had faced continuous warfare over the years, affecting Tao Yan Province and resulting in a large number of refugees.

The details Ying Changchuan asked about were somewhat difficult to tally.

But as the head of a province, he couldn't use such excuses.

At this point, the meal hadn’t started yet. Hearing this, Jiang Yuxun put down his wine cup, turned sideways, and quietly called over a eunuch standing behind to fetch ink and paper.

—His head still somewhat dizzy, but out of professional habit, Jiang Yuxun intended to take note of the items the governor of Tao Yan Province had yet to account for.

Before the eunuch could move, the Emperor raised his hand to stop him, and softly instructed, "There’s no need to take notes on board."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Jiang Yuxun hurriedly complied.

At the same time, he looked towards the Emperor in slight surprise—how did Ying Changchuan notice this corner while talking to the governor?

As they spoke, the barge continued forward, passing by a lake.

The scenery on both banks had begun to change subtly.

Zhuang Yue, seated at the same table, exclaimed in surprise, "Why does the landscape outside look so strange?"

Seeing this, everyone instinctively turned to look at the shores.

Someone followed up with a comment: "Fields within the lake? I’ve never seen such a thing."

The governor of Tao Yan Province finally breathed a sigh of relief, suddenly standing up to bow to Ying Changchuan:

"Your Majesty, what you see before you is not ‘fields within the lake,’ but a unique reclamation method specific to Tao Yan Province and its vicinity."

With this explanation, he gained confidence and finally straightened his back.

This governor had once been a military general who fought alongside Ying Changchuan to conquer the realm.

Although he was not in the capital, he had many colleagues in the capital city he could contact.

Therefore, the governor was already aware of the Emperor’s recent intentions to initiate farmland development projects.

Thinking of this, he eagerly shared the information he had prepared earlier:

"Your Majesty, the fields you saw just now are called ‘polder fields’. By building earthen dykes along the lake and draining the water, fertile new polder fields are created!"

"I see..." Xue Kejin, sitting not far from Jiang Yuxun, suddenly understood.

Ying Changchuan hadn’t explicitly stated why he brought Xue Kejin on the southern tour.

But the court officials had already guessed—likely, he intended for Xue Kejin to lead people in developing farmland in the southeastern three provinces.

From this, it seemed that Jiang Yuxun’s earlier proposal was very promising.

The more the governor spoke, the more intrigued Xue Kejin became: "Polder farming is not only simple and time-efficient, but the mud from the lakebed is also fertile and suitable for cultivation. If it can be widely implemented, the southeastern three provinces could produce a large amount of grain."

The governor of Tao Yan Province readily agreed: "I can accompany Your Majesty to inspect the polder fields up close first thing tomorrow morning."

He then continued to elaborate enthusiastically.

Jiang Yuxun: !!!

This won’t do!

Hearing this, he was so startled that his head no longer felt as dizzy as before.

Instinctively, Jiang Yuxun pursed his lips tightly.

His hands clenched tightly together.

The governor of Tao Yan Province, evidently well-prepared, spoke fluently and rapidly, leaving no room for interruption.

Just as Jiang Yuxun was pondering how to interject, Ying Changchuan suddenly fixed his gaze on him.

"Does My Minister have something to say?"

"Indeed," Jiang Yuxun finally exhaled in relief, standing up without hesitation, "Your Majesty, I believe what the governor of Tao Yan Province proposes is utterly impractical."

"You—" The governor immediately glared at him with wide eyes.

Catching a glimpse of the Emperor, he forcibly suppressed his anger and gritted his teeth, "What do you mean by this?"

Jiang Yuxun ignored the governor of Tao Yan, looking directly into Ying Changchuan's eyes as he spoke:

"These lakes originally served to regulate the floodwaters of the Chen River. If we extensively convert them into farmland, future floods will have nowhere to drain, leading to catastrophic consequences. Therefore, I do not agree with the governor's proposal."

This logic is understood by modern people.

But at this time, the method of 'polder fields' had only been in practice for a short hundred years, and its scale was still limited, so people had not yet realized its potential dangers.

Hearing this, Xue Kejin's expression suddenly changed.

"How can you make such baseless claims..." The governor looked around as if seeking support from his colleagues in the capital to condemn Jiang Yuxun.

Unexpectedly, everyone started avoiding his gaze.

Most importantly, the Emperor completely ignored him.

"What disaster?" Ying Changchuan directly asked Jiang Yuxun.

"Setting aside the potential for flooding," Jiang Yuxun paused before continuing, "The polder fields are level with the lake surface. If the local people rely solely on these fields, any significant flooding would instantly submerge the crops, leading to severe famine. The consequences are unimaginable."

As he spoke, Jiang Yuxun's heart raced abnormally fast.

Unlike the sudden breach of the Yi River in one night.

Historically, the area around the Chen River had become chaotic gradually, bit by bit…

Jiang Yuxun's alarming words made Zhuang Yue worry about offending the Emperor, so he couldn't help but interject sharply, "Minister Jiang! You must not make such baseless claims."

Yet, Jiang Yuxun continued as if he hadn't heard the interruption.

His expression was extremely serious: "The southeastern three provinces are newly incorporated territories of the Great Zhou Dynasty. The people’s loyalty is already fragmented. Should a disaster occur, it will certainly incite rebellion."

Fragmented loyalty, inciting rebellion...

Although Jiang Yuxun's words made some sense, the terms he used were overly frightening.

It was uncertain how the Emperor would perceive this.

The top deck of the barge was silent as a graveyard.

Even the attendants who were about to serve the meal stopped in their tracks, not daring to come forward and disturb.

At this moment, everyone was observing Ying Changchuan's expression.

The sun slowly set in the west.

Glistening golden ripples spread across the Chen River, resembling a dragon gliding through the water.

Ying Changchuan narrowed his eyes slightly.

He slowly put down the wine jug in his hand, his gaze no longer casual as usual: "What does My Minister suggest we should do?"

※

Jiang Yuxun felt a great sense of relief.

He raised his hand to his forehead, bowing solemnly towards the highest seat: "The southeastern three provinces must engage in farming, but we must not build more polder fields. In fact…"

Jiang Yuxun slowly lowered his hand, looking earnestly into Ying Changchuan's eyes: "We should even dismantle the existing polder fields."

"…How can this be justified?" The heart of the governor of Tao Yan Province ached with distress.

Is Jiang Yuxun deliberately opposing me?!

"You can’t cut off the livelihood of millions in Tao Yan Province over a so-called ‘great disaster’ that hasn’t happened yet," the governor glared at him, full of anger, "Minister Jiang, Tao Yan Province is unlike any other place; it is all shallows and marshes. Once you disembark, you will see how hard the people’s lives are!"

Both personally and publicly, he couldn’t abandon his proposal.

Jiang Yuxun stood his ground firmly: "I too am a southerner, and I am well aware of this."

Whether it was the original owner of the body or Jiang Yuxun himself, both had grown up in the south.

Jiang Yuxun had even seen vast developed polder fields in his childhood.

"Then you still—"

The governor’s face turned ashen, instinctively rolling up his sleeves, ready to argue.

But just as he was about to make his point, he was interrupted by Ying Changchuan, who spoke with a smile.

"Pour the wine," the Emperor said softly.

"Yes—"

The attending eunuch hurried forward, filling everyone's cups with Tian wine, and the dishes were served on the table before they cooled down.

The banquet had officially begun, and the governor of Tao Yan Province, no matter how dissatisfied, had no choice but to swallow his remaining words.

He glared fiercely at Jiang Yuxun, eating his meal without tasting a thing.

-

The atmosphere of the banquet, due to the dispute before the meal, had become particularly chilly.

No one dared to speak during the meal.

In less than half an hour, everyone had dispersed, leaving the scene completely empty.

The entire barge became quieter than usual.

In the end, only Jiang Yuxun and Ying Changchuan were left on the deck.

The sky had completely darkened, but it was coincidentally a full moon night.

A bright moon hung alone at the end of the Chen River, illuminating the flowing river and the fields along the bank.

At this moment, Ying Changchuan was standing at the railing, quietly gazing at the riverbank.

The deeper the barge moved into Tao Yan Province, the more polder fields there were.

Standing at the top of the barge and looking towards both shores, one could feel a sense of awe.

However, away from the lakeshore, fields were rarely seen.

The Emperor had not expressed his stance earlier, and after everyone left, Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but slow down his steps and approach him.

Objectively speaking, the southeastern region of this era indeed lacked grain.

Jiang Yuxun was worried that Ying Changchuan might seriously consider the governor’s suggestion to encircle lakes for farmland.

Jiang Yuxun boldly stated: "…Your Majesty, rest assured, even without constructing polder fields, I can find a way to cultivate ten thousand acres of fertile land in Tao Yan Province. By then, the people of the southeastern three provinces can be free from the threat of famine."

"Ten thousand acres of fertile land, are you certain of this?" Ying Changchuan raised his eyebrows, eventually turning to look at the young man.

Jiang Yuxun, who had intended to seize the opportunity, had to honestly reply: "…I can’t be completely sure."

Farming, after all, depends on the whims of nature, and he had indeed exaggerated a bit earlier.

"Then why did My Minister say so earlier?"

Jiang Yuxun: !!!

The rare time he boasted, and the Emperor caught him.

The bright moon over the Chen River shone in the depths of his eyes.

The sorrow in Jiang Yuxun's eyes was unmistakable.

Unable to maintain eye contact, he eventually confessed with guilt: "I was... planning to... draw a pie in the sky for Your Majesty."

Draw a pie?

After a few moments, Ying Changchuan realized—Jiang Yuxun was making empty promises.

After a pause, the Emperor couldn't help but laugh softly.

Jiang Yuxun, whose attempt at metaphorical 'pie-drawing' failed, lowered his head in slight dejection.

The art of speaking is indeed too difficult to master...

The people living along the banks of the Chen River had already drifted into slumber.

Across the vast expanse of hills and plains, not a single light was visible, and even the waves of the Chen River seemed gentler.

In a daze, it seemed as if only two figures remained under the moonlit river.

Ying Changchuan often spoke ambiguously, intentionally leading others to speculate.

But this time... catching a glimpse of the expression of the person beside him, he suddenly said, "Let's discuss this matter after visiting the riverbank."

Jiang Yuxun's eyes lit up instantly: "Yes, Your Majesty!"

This 'pie-drawing' wasn't a complete failure after all.

-

It was inconvenient to review memorials and official documents on the barge.

Ying Changchuan, who usually liked to work overtime into the night, also took the rare opportunity to rest early.

At the hour of Xu (around 7-9 PM), the Emperor slowly walked down from the deck.

Moments later, Jiang Yuxun followed behind him, stopping outside the cabin they had been in earlier.

Seeing the familiar partition door, Jiang Yuxun finally realized a serious problem—where exactly should I sleep tonight?

As he stood there, indecisively rooted to the spot,

The Emperor had already walked slowly into the cabin.

It’s best to stay in a well-ventilated area when feeling seasick or carsick.

Apart from the deck, Ying Changchuan's quarters were the most airy place on the barge.

...This morning, I must have looked so pale and been so dizzy that I lost consciousness, which is why Ying Changchuan brought me here.

After all, he still needs the Minister to assist with official duties; it wouldn’t be appropriate to just leave me to fend for myself.

Now that I've recovered quite a bit, tonight then—

"Why does My Minister stand unmoving?"

Just as Jiang Yuxun decided to go downstairs to his own cabin, Ying Changchuan suddenly spoke, interrupting his thoughts.

He was momentarily startled, involuntarily responding, "Your Majesty, I was pondering where to stay tonight."

Ying Changchuan didn’t directly answer his question but instead asked with a smile, "Where would My Minister like to stay?"

As they spoke, another breeze from the river wafted by, bringing with it a faint scent of dragon's saliva fragrance.

Is that even a question?

Given the choice of a luxurious mansion, who would opt for a dormitory?

Especially one that’s poorly ventilated and makes you dizzy after staying too long.

—But that’s under the assumption of not having the Emperor in the “mansion.”

Jiang Yuxun should have politely declined, saying that as a court official, he dare not disturb the Emperor, and with the barge being well-equipped, there was no difference in where he stayed.

But... things don't always go as one wishes.

The barge was enveloped in silence, with only the occasional sound of waves breaking the stillness.

Jiang Yuxun's voice, along with the hidden anticipation and nervousness in his words, was distinctly audible to everyone.

He asked softly, "May I stay here, Your Majesty?"

Ahh!

Jiang Yuxun clenched his fists as he spoke.

No matter how one heard it, it sounded like I was actively seeking to flatter and stay close to the Emperor.

If Ying Changchuan refuses at this moment, it would be extremely awkward.

Once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back.

To salvage some dignity, Jiang Yuxun gritted his teeth and added, "I seem to suffer severely from seasickness, Your Majesty. Here... it’s well-ventilated. I mean no other implication."

Inside and outside the cabin, several eunuchs listened intently, holding their breath.

Minister Jiang is being too bold!

—In the Great Zhou Dynasty, even the nobles and princes have attendants by their side, even when sleeping.

This cabin is divided into inner and outer chambers, the outer chamber being prepared for this purpose.

From this perspective, it's perfectly normal for Minister Jiang to stay here.

But... unlike other nobles, His Majesty usually prefers not to have attendants around.

It's uncertain whether His Majesty will be displeased with Minister Jiang's request.

Thinking of this, a few eunuchs couldn’t help but silently worry for Jiang Yuxun.

Ying Changchuan, at some point, turned to look inside the cabin.

A full moon hung just outside the window, illuminating both the inner and outer chambers of the cabin.

He paused for a moment, then the corners of his lips slightly lifted, and he finally said softly, "Of course."

Author's note:

*From "The Book of Lord Shang"