Chapter 45

Chapter 45

After the Emperor finished speaking, Eunuch Sang finally picked up the imperial decree again.

The old eunuch’s slightly shrill voice echoed over and over in the Liuyun Hall.

Meanwhile, several imperial attendants, each holding a lacquered tray, entered the hall in a single file.

The officials in the hall couldn't help but subtly lift their eyes to sneak a peek forward.

...Strange, why have so many people entered this time?

The imperial decree for rewarding officials was not long. After reciting various laudatory phrases, it finally got to the main point.

"…Therefore, a gift of one hundred taels of silver, in addition to carriages and silk money."

Accompanied by Eunuch Sang’s deliberately elongated tone, the attendants placed the lacquered trays on the tables, one after another.

Fei Jinyuan, sitting beside Jiang Yuxun, couldn't help but open his mouth in astonishment.

"One hundred taels of silver" was a common reward and nothing unusual, but the real significance lay in the "carriages and silk money" that followed.

If Fei Jinyuan's memory served him right, this was the first time since the Emperor's ascension that he had gifted an official something other than silver coins.

Silk, clothing, and carriages.

From now on, Minister Jiang will be able to use items bestowed by His Majesty for his clothing, food, lodging, and transportation.

This is indeed a great honor!

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but cast an envious glance at the person beside him.

……

After the court assembly, Jiang Yuxun wandered outside for half a day before returning to his residence at night.

As soon as he entered, he saw half the room filled with piles of silk and fabric.

Not just Fei Jinyuan, even Jiang Yuxun himself hadn’t expected Ying Changchuan to be so generous beyond imagination!

Riding horses is fine, but venturing out in winter is unbearably cold.

He had been in need of a carriage recently.

And the quality of the imperial silk far exceeded anything available on the market.

...Jiang Yuxun’s standard of living had suddenly improved!

Seeing this, instead of resting after being out and about for half a day, he excitedly started organizing the items bestowed by Ying Changchuan.

He even forgot for a moment that he was still recovering from his illness.

A small gap in the window of the side hall allowed a draft of cold air to slip in unintentionally.

A tickle suddenly arose in Jiang Yuxun's throat, and he instinctively covered his mouth with his hand, but still couldn’t help coughing: "Cough, cough, cough..."

The muffled sound of his coughing emerged from his chest and lungs, echoing in the side hall.

This place was separated from Ying Changchuan’s residence by only a wall.

Jiang Yuxun instinctively took a few steps back, distancing himself from that wall.

Finally, he sat down at the desk and poured himself a full glass of water.

After drinking it, the itchiness in his chest and lungs finally subsided.

However, Jiang Yuxun didn’t relax just yet but suddenly remembered a critically important question: How soundproof was the Liuyun Hall?

...I wonder if Ying Changchuan could hear my coughing from his side.

After the onset of winter, not only had the Liuyun Hall's walls been heated, but exquisite tapestries had also been hung on all four walls.

The true material of the walls was concealed behind these tapestries.

After pausing for a moment, Jiang Yuxun tiptoed towards the wall.

Finally, he stood next to the wall and gently pressed his ear against it.

Just as he settled in place, the wooden floor under his feet creaked embarrassingly loud.

“……！”

Jiang Yuxun instantly held his breath.

For a moment, the side hall was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

Seconds passed, but not a sound reached Jiang Yuxun's ears.

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, a few soft knocks suddenly echoed beside him.

Ying Changchuan’s voice followed, clearly reaching Jiang Yuxun’s ear: "What are you doing standing by the wall, my minister?"

He seemed somewhat puzzled, and his voice carried a rare hint of weariness.

Most importantly!

The voice sounded so close, as if it was right beside his ear.

...A misstep.

Jiang Yuxun looked at the floor beneath his feet with a sense of frustration and honestly admitted, "I wanted to test the soundproofing of the Liuyun Hall."

A light chuckle seemed to come from the other side of the wall: "What does my minister think of it?"

At this moment, Jiang Yuxun had confirmed that the walls inside the Liuyun Hall were made of wood, and their soundproofing was almost non-existent.

He bit his lip and said with a heavy heart, "I believe that from now on, I must be even more careful with my words and actions..."

It would be best to find something to cover my mouth while sleeping.

-

A dark carriage with gilded decorations slowly left the Xianyou Palace, heading towards the Yi River, accompanied by several Xuan Yin Monitors.

More than half a year had passed, and one-fifth of the diversion canal for the Yi River had been completed, faster than expected.

Accompanied by a harsh clanging sound, the carriage slowly stopped at a higher ground: "Minister Jiang, we have arrived at Hua Yuan Fort."

During this conversation, Jiang Yuxun had already lifted the carriage curtain and stepped out.

He then looked towards the Yi River in the distance.

The canal near Hua Yuan Fort was already fully excavated, and workers were now compacting the soil with stone tampers.

The "stone tamper," at first glance, looked like a round disc carved from a huge stone, surrounded by numerous small holes.*

Ropes were tied through these holes, connecting the tamper to one side, while the other end was held by the workers.

The workers were chanting rhythmically, working together to pull the tamper into the air before letting it fall freely onto the ground.*

They repeatedly performed the "tamping" action, gradually compacting the newly built riverbank.

After watching for a while, Jiang Yuxun wrapped his fox fur closer and said to the person beside him, "Let's go, it's almost time for lunch. We'll go ahead and take a look."

"Yes, my lord!"

……

On the embankment of the Yi River, the workers tamping the ground were casually chatting while working.

"What time is it now?"

"Almost midday! Look to the east; they've started cooking there."

The person beside him followed his gaze eastward and indeed saw wisps of cooking smoke.

Seeing this, he couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

These river workers were originally gathered from the Zhaodu area, refugees who had not yet been sent back to their hometowns.

Now, they had been organized together to be in charge of repairing and maintaining the Yi River's waterway.

Since its establishment, the Great Zhou had been busy with warfare and hadn't undertaken any major construction projects.

Initially, everyone thought they were brought in for hard labor.

It was only after arriving that they realized this job was different from what they had imagined.

Their daily work hours had been reduced from the six hours mandated by the previous dynasty to just four hours.

Even the conditions for food and lodging were far better than imagined.

As they were talking, a trumpet sound suddenly echoed from afar.

The workers tamping the ground put down their ropes and walked towards Hua Yuan Fort nearby.

"…Auntie, what's that smell? It's so fragrant!" A young man couldn't help but approach the large pot under the tree.

Before he could see what was in the pot, he was shooed away by a woman wielding a wooden spoon: "Go wash your hands first, don't forget the rules set by Minister Jiang!"

"Yes, yes!" The young man hurried to the well nearby to line up for washing his hands, and after that, he finally saw what was in the bowls of those who arrived early.

The coarse porcelain bowls were filled with milky white soup, dotted with bright green scallions.

The sweet aroma was now permeating through the steam, drilling straight into the nostrils.

"...This, this is meat?" he sniffed, disbelieving.

"Of course! Have you gone numb from the cold? Can't even recognize meat," the person holding the bowl swallowed saliva with a look of disdain, "If you want to eat, go line up and stop standing there dumbfounded."

"Eh, eh... yes!" The young river worker, as if in a trance, went to the end of the line.

The stew pot was perfectly placed upwind. The breeze coming from that direction carried not a hint of chill but was filled with the sweet aroma of meat.

This favorable wind finally awakened him, and the young man at the end of the line tugged at his companion's sleeve, asking in disbelief, "Is this meat really given to us by the government?"

"Of course!" The middle-aged man in front of him, a chatterbox, seeing the long line, turned around to talk, "Remember this summer, when His Majesty dealt with a group of officials who attempted a coup?"

"Remember, remember!" the young man nodded eagerly.

This summer, he was still a refugee, worried daily about how to get enough to eat, having no time to concern himself with court affairs.

The matter mentioned by the people around him was something he only learned about after coming here.

—The court stated that the reconstruction of Yi River would take three years.

If they could work here for three years, they would be granted a piece of land on the Yi River plains.

But earning that land required more than just earnestly reconstructing the Yi River.

After daily work, they also had to learn farming techniques and even listen to recent major court affairs.

The incident of someone attempting to force their way into the palace was something they learned about during that time.

The middle-aged man couldn't help but deeply inhale the sweet fragrance in the air, then said to the young man, “The properties of those convicted have been confiscated. The meat we are eating today comes from their farms!”

The young man immediately understood.

As the team moved forward, they reached the large pot.

"Auntie, please fill our bowls a bit more."

The woman standing by the pot, wiping the sweat from her forehead, said, “Don’t worry, everyone gets the same amount. I wouldn’t dare give you any less!”

Hearing this, the people around all laughed.

Restructuring the river channel meant that inevitably some people along the Yi River would lose their land.

As the new wastelands were not yet cultivated, the government hired these people to cook meals for the river workers during this period.

Not only did the river workers eat here, but the officials who came to inspect every few days also shared meals with them.

Fearing the loss of such a good job, no one dared to slack off at this time.

The wooden spoon stirred in the pot, scooping up a bowlful of soup with chunks of meat.

As she handed out the bowls of soup, the cooking auntie sprinkled a pinch of green onions on top, instantly whetting everyone's appetite.

She worried that one day an official might come to eat at the riverbank and find her cooking not to his taste.

The auntie responsible for cooking studied daily how to improve the flavors.

A sip of mutton soup not only drove away the chill of winter but also left a lingering taste on the lips.

Even the pot of millet rice nearby seemed less tempting now.

"...Delicious!"

"Even better than the food in the palace—"

At the other end of Hua Yuan Fort, in a village house.

Jiang Yuxun, still not fully recovered, ate quite elegantly, but the Xuan Yin Monitors accompanying him devoured their mutton soup like ravenous spirits, finishing a large bowl in just a few bites.

If it wasn’t for Jiang Yuxun's instructions not to compete with the locals for food, they might have lined up for another bowl.

Dining with Jiang Yuxun in the village house, besides the Xuan Yin Monitors, was Yin Songquan, the overall person in charge of the project.

Yin Songquan, who also finished his soup in just a few sips, stroked his beard and said, "The craftsmen from Lingtian Platform are indeed remarkable; their presence has significantly sped up the construction. If everything goes well, we might even finish half a year ahead of schedule."

After half a year under the sun and wind, Yin Songquan's face had more lines, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.

Having finished the last sip of mutton soup, Jiang Yuxun also set down his coarse porcelain bowl.

Although he had anticipated the craftsmen from Lingtian Platform to be skilled, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, "In what aspects are they particularly skilled?"

Contrary to Jiang Yuxun’s expectation, Yin Songquan didn’t mention the technical skills of these craftsmen.

Instead, after taking a sip of hot tea and warming his hands, he said, "They are very adept at organizing personnel and timely advancing the progress, ensuring the project continues without interruption and also allowing rest time for the river workers."

Jiang Yuxun nodded thoughtfully.

Yin Songquan added more hot tea to his cup and said with a sense of wonder, "As a result, not only has the daily working time been reduced, but we even took a break together during the recent snowfall."

Such a thing was unheard of in the past!

Jiang Yuxun nodded slowly, "This is all due to their accumulated experience."

In modern terms, the craftsmen from Lingtian Platform are very capable of rational organization and ensuring maximum work efficiency of the personnel.

"Exactly!"

Yin Songquan added, "Not just that, they are also methodical in deciding when to clear the earth and when to move on to the next phase of the work."

His tone was filled with admiration as he spoke.

Although Yin Songquan came from humble beginnings, he was an educated man.

The craftsmen from Lingtian Platform, being of slave status, initially did not receive much of his attention.

However, after half a year of collaboration, he had come to deeply respect these individuals who came from slavery.

Although Jiang Yuxun didn’t understand much about engineering, from observing the progress on-site and Yin Songquan’s reactions, he too could sense the impressive capabilities of these craftsmen.

Managing such a project was no easy task, and improving efficiency while ensuring the quality and safety of the work was even more challenging.

As Jiang Yuxun listened to Yin Songquan speaking, he silently thought to himself — the experience of these workers must be preserved. Once the Yi River project is completed, they should be asked to compile a summary of these practical techniques.

※

The cold wind whistled during the severe winter days.

Approaching New Year's Day, Zhao Du reached its coldest time of the year.

Every year at this time, even the Yi River would freeze for nearly half a month.

However, inside the greenhouse at a corner of Xianyou Palace, it remained as warm as spring.

This place was originally intended to provide vegetables for the royal family during winter.

But now, it had acquired a different purpose.

Jiang Yuxun pushed open the thickly felt-wrapped wooden door with effort and stepped into the greenhouse.

Upon seeing him, a woman in her thirties quickly turned around, accompanied by several palace maids, to bow to Jiang Yuxun: "This servant greets Lord Jiang."

She was dressed in an aqua blue robe, her hair neatly coiffed behind her head, looking exceptionally capable.

"Lady Zheng Yu need not be so formal," Jiang Yuxun hung his fur coat on a wooden rack and walked slowly into the greenhouse, looking up curiously, "I heard that some flowers have begun to bud?"

Peonies are delicate flowers that are usually moved to relatively warmer places in winter for temporary care.

Prompting them to bloom now is relatively easier.

Lady Zheng Yu smiled and nodded eagerly: "Indeed, Lord Jiang, this way, please."

"Good," Jiang Yuxun quickly followed her.

The small greenhouse, as Jiang Yuxun had once described, had shallow trenches dug inside, now emitting steam from the ground.

After walking a few steps, Jiang Yuxun saw a peony suspended in mid-air.

"Lord Jiang, this peony began to bud several days ago," Lady Zheng Yu said thoughtfully, "It's expected to bloom in another seven days. The other flowers have also gradually started to bud, just in time to bloom for the New Year’s Day feast."

Lady Zheng Yu, a former lady-in-waiting for the empresses of the previous dynasty, was the most knowledgeable in floriculture in the entire Xianyou Palace.

If she said the flowers would bloom in seven days, there would be no significant deviation.

Jiang Yuxun let out a sigh of relief and nodded with a smile, "That's good news. I'll go and inform Lord Fei today."

Although he hadn’t widely publicized this project, the renovation of the greenhouse in Xianyou Palace had caught the attention of many.

It would indeed be embarrassing if it ended up being a flop.

"Don’t worry, Lord Jiang," Lady Zheng Yu assured him.

Even though the peony was still just a bud, Jiang Yuxun felt as if he could already smell its faint fragrance.

The greenhouse had an abundance of flowers, but relatively few hands to tend to them.

As she spoke, Aunt Zheng Yu dipped her brush in water to wash the branches and leaves of the peonies.

Seeing her so busy, Jiang Yuxun didn't want to disturb her further.

He was about to say goodbye to Aunt Zheng Yu, but then he suddenly remembered something.

...Wasn't he supposed to send the first batch of flowers to someone?

Thinking of this, Jiang Yuxun couldn't help but ask, "Could Aunt Zheng Yu please notify me when the first batch of flowers bloom?"

Aunt Zheng Yu paused in her work, immediately understanding Jiang Yuxun's intention from her years in the palace: "Don't worry, Mr. Jiang. I'll remember."

-

The turquoise peony pavilion stood in a plain white pot.

The newly bloomed flowers hinted at their stunning, vibrant appearance in a few days.

The Xianyou Palace was bustling with people, raising concerns that the surprise planned for the New Year's banquet might be prematurely revealed.

Taking advantage of the night, Jiang Yuxun and the Xuan Yin Monitor moved the peonies back.

However, even after a considerable time had passed, Jiang Yuxun was still in his room, meticulously wiping the flower pot with a silk handkerchief.

In ancient times, it was customary to offer the finest things first to the emperor.

But Jiang Yuxun, who had never given a gift to a superior before, had to mentally prepare himself for a while.

After some time, he finally set the handkerchief aside, took a deep breath, and stood up resolutely, holding the flower pot.

—It was just presenting a potted flower to Ying Changchuan, what's the big deal? He had to hurry before the emperor went to bed.

With this thought, Jiang Yuxun finally slowed his steps and gently pushed open the door of the side hall.

Unbeknownst to him, snow had begun to fall again in Zhao Du.

The snowflakes, light as goose feathers, fell slowly, covering the peony’s branches like a thin blanket.

This flower was not easy to cultivate; Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but gently blow on the petals.

Only after the snow settled did he free one hand, knocking on the palace door as instructed by Ying Changchuan before, "…Your Majesty?"

The falling snow added to Jiang Yuxun's rare nervousness in seeking out the Emperor.

His heart pounded fiercely, and his hands holding the flower pot were covered in a thin layer of sweat.

At that moment, the palace door finally slowly opened.

The Emperor, dressed in dark robes, appeared before him.

Jiang Yuxun instinctively looked up, peering through the gaps in the peony branches.

Suddenly, a gust of cold wind dispersed the clouds, revealing a waning crescent moon.

The moonlight illuminated the snow-covered ground and the blooming peony.

But at this moment, they paled in comparison to the bright eyes of the person before him.

"Your Majesty!" Seeing Ying Changchuan, Jiang Yuxun instinctively shared, "I'm not sure if the Xuan Yin Monitor told you, but I had ordered the cultivation of peonies in the greenhouse of Xianyou Palace. The first peony bloomed today, and I thought to bring it for you to see."

The snow continued to fall.

Suddenly, a snowflake like a flower petal landed on Jiang Yuxun’s eyelashes, quivering with his movements.

Ying Changchuan, although aware of the peony, was seeing it for the first time in winter like everyone else.

He should have been concerned about the peony at this moment.

Yet, for some reason, his gaze fell on the quivering eyelashes of the man opposite him.

Ying Changchuan instinctively raised his hand, intending to brush the snowflake off Jiang Yuxun’s eyelash.

He ended up smiling instead and, breaking the norm, personally took the flower pot held in the arms of the man before him.

Turning around to enter the hall, he said, "Please, have a seat."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Jiang Yuxun tread lightly, walking into the hall alongside Ying Changchuan.

This was his second time in Ying Changchuan's sleeping quarters. Unlike the last time, the winter quarters were now draped with tapestries on the walls and even the floor was covered with a thick layer of woolen carpet.

In the Great Zhou, one must remove their sword and shoes when meeting His Majesty.

At this moment, the warmth of the hot air passed through the woolen carpet and thin socks, soothingly warming the soles of his feet.

Instantly, it dispelled the chill that had settled on him while waiting outside.

Unlike his first visit, Jiang Yuxun was much bolder during his second time in the Emperor's sleeping quarters.

After entering, he couldn't help but glance towards the west wall of the sleeping chamber...

He hadn't noticed during his last visit, but this time Jiang Yuxun realized that the Emperor's desk was placed just on the other side of the wall from him.

At the moment, there were no memorials on the desk, just a pot of wine being kept warm.

Jiang Yuxun couldn't resist taking a deep sniff — it was a strong liquor recently blended.

It was surprisingly fragrant.

Just as Jiang Yuxun was internally praising his own work, Ying Changchuan had already placed the peony on the desk and casually offered, "Would my minister like to have a cup?"

Jiang Yuxun: !!!

The incident of getting drunk in front of the Emperor a few months ago flashed through his mind again.

Without a second thought, Jiang Yuxun immediately shook his head.

Yet, what he said was, “May I try a sip?”

The Emperor chuckled softly.

While speaking, he had already poured a cup from the wine jug.

Jiang Yuxun, sitting opposite him, could only accept it and cautiously took a sip.

Meanwhile, Ying Changchuan gently brushed the snowflakes off the flower petals.

The rear chamber of the Liuyun Hall fell silent instantly.

For a moment, the only sound remaining was the snowfall.

Jiang Yuxun’s heart thumped heavily twice.

He felt that since the incident at Ling Tian Platform, his relationship with Ying Changchuan had become somewhat strange.

...But Jiang Yuxun couldn’t quite pinpoint what exactly was strange about it.

Perhaps feeling guilty for the trouble he had caused, Jiang Yuxun sometimes dared not meet the other's eyes as openly as before.

With this thought, he finally couldn't resist peeking through the peonies at Ying Changchuan.

Unexpectedly, he met those smoky grey eyes directly.

Jiang Yuxun tensed for a moment, then quickly shifted his gaze to the flowers before Ying Changchuan could speak.

He decided to break the slightly awkward silence by making conversation.

His dark, glossy eyes cautiously looked through the turquoise peonies. Jiang Yuxun blinked, both expectantly and nervously asking, "This peony hasn't been seen by others; I wonder if Your Majesty finds it beautiful?"

Author's Note:

*Sourced from the internet