Chapter 84: Playing the Game of Chess

Chapter 84: Playing the Game of Chess

Upon returning to the residence and stepping out of the carriage, Yuan Jun was greeted by the pungent aroma of fried food.

Entering the courtyard, he noticed the drying racks in the small courtyard filled with various dried vegetables, radishes, salted fish, cured meats, and sausages. Lanterns hung from the eaves, and paper cutouts adorned the windows, giving off a festive atmosphere of New Year's celebrations.

Hong Ying emerged with a smile, ready to welcome them for lunch. The scent of the fried dumplings grew stronger, and the table was brimming with New Year's delicacies – dumplings, fried meatballs, and date cakes were all prepared.

Yuan Jun appreciated this warmth and vitality that belonged to ordinary people.

Rong Yi brought down the live chickens and ducks he had bought, handing them to Hong Ying with a laugh. "These things can be quite messy; young ladies like you shouldn't touch them." He then called out, "Third Master Rong! Come out and help! What are you doing cooped up inside? Let the young lady do all the work?"

Hong Ying hurriedly smiled. "Third Master is studying. Yesterday, the Marquis Cheng'en's residence sent over some books. The exams are coming after the New Year, so it's quite urgent, isn't it? There's no need for you to be polite about this little chore. It's nothing."

Rong Mo quickly emerged from inside, saying, "I'm here, I'm here. Lord Shen is truly kind-hearted, sending past examination papers with annotations. I thought the Shen family was a military lineage, but it seems they also pay attention to scholarly pursuits."

Yuan Jun casually added, "Although the Shen family has a tradition of military service, they are actually a scholarly family at heart. Although the Wu Xing Shen family may not be as prominent as the Langya Wang family, they are still considered a distinguished lineage."

Rong Mo took the chicken cages from Rong Yi's hands, placing them near the courtyard wall as he said, "Sis knows these things better than I do. I've heard that the Shen family has produced two empresses and married into the imperial family five times in our dynasty alone. But when I look at them, they seem so humble and their residence is simple. They have fewer servants, and their carriages and conveyances are modest compared to other aristocratic families."

Yuan Jun smiled. "After the late Empress passed away, the Shen family only left one branch in the capital. The other family members had already retreated to their ancestral homes one after another. These prominent families have their own ways of protecting themselves." It seemed now as if they were distancing themselves from the royal family to preserve their clans and split into smaller factions. Though they appeared to be quiet, their hidden power should never be underestimated.

He was surprised that his uncle was willing to take the risk and use his secret connections within the prison system. But on second thought, perhaps it was because of the Northern Jing's great victory, the birth and ennoblement of the young princess, and the fact that his sister hadn't utterly failed but rather seemed to be gaining ground.

As for himself, he had managed to secretly leave the palace to meet his uncle without the Shen family's help. His uncle naturally would worry that he held resentment towards the Shen family, creating a rift. In reality, he didn't blame his uncle. With the vast Shen clan, they needed to protect themselves. But if he and his sister could turn their desperate situation around, the Shen family would surely support them wholeheartedly again.

Sure enough, the Shen family intervened to persuade Master Wuwang, working in tandem with Zheng Changyuan's influence to propagate the legend of the fox spirit. Then, Chong Xiao, that opportunist, made a last-ditch effort for survival, playing his part in this carefully orchestrated plan. As a result, the Emperor had stepped precisely into the path he had laid out.

With the entire game now in his grasp, he, as the player, saw everything clearly.

Suppressing his myriad thoughts, he said to Rong Mo, "The main examiner for this year's exams is Academician Zhu Juli. He doesn't favor flowery language but values practical knowledge. Third Brother should focus on how your essay can benefit the country and its people."

Rong Mo's eyes lit up. Together with Rong Yi, they carried a tank of fish from the carriage and placed it in the courtyard. Wiping his hands, he hurried over and said, "Marquis Cheng'en also mentioned this to me. I've been trying my hand at a few essays, but I'm not quite sure about them. I don't want to bother the Marquis with such trivial matters, but Fourth Sister seems skilled in this area. Could you take a look?"

Yuan Jun replied, "Of course, there's no rush for lunch. I'll wait for you in the main hall."

Overjoyed, Rong Mo quickly ran inside to fetch his latest writings. Meanwhile, Yuan Jun sat down in the main hall, and Bai Ying brought him a bowl of medicine, saying, "The medicine has boiled for a while, so it might be bitter. Dear wife, perhaps you'd like some honey to sweeten it."

Yuan Jun drank the medicine in one go, noticing its bitterness. He couldn't help feeling a twinge of guilt towards Rong Bi. When Rong Mo returned with the essays, he indeed read through them carefully, underlining and commenting on each passage, and even suggesting new approaches. He pointed out areas that needed improvement and helped Rong Mo reframe his thesis.

Rong Mo observed her sister's endless flow of words, narrating the essence of "The Great Learning" in one breath, clarifying its philosophical principles for him. She then promptly listed books for him to read, instructing Bai Ying to purchase them. He listened intently, perspiring profusely, feeling increasingly insecure about his own knowledge and simultaneously filled with admiration for his younger sister. Despite years of studying, his scholarly attainments paled in comparison to this industrious palace-bound sister.

This same sister had once sacrificed herself to enter the palace for his future. With such remarkable intelligence and resilience through adversity, she was both literate and skilled in martial arts. How could he, in good conscience, call himself a man of virtue?

Overwhelmed by a sense of shame, he vowed to cherish every word his sister spoke as gospel truth, engraving them deeply in his mind. Determined to excel, he swore to bury himself in books, studying tirelessly, for how could he face his sister without completing the reading list she had given him?

Yuan Jun considered this and added a cautionary note, "The current emperor is fond of Daoism, aspiring to immortality. If you encounter topics related to this, it's best to be vague. Your foundation isn't solid, and you rely on the civil service exams for fame and protection for your family. Avoid being stubborn and uttering phrases like 'not caring about the people but seeking divine intervention.' Instead, subtly align your opinions with the emperor's, lest you bring calamity upon yourself with your words."

Rong Mo chuckled, reassuringly, "Don't worry! As ordinary citizens, we have no right to comment on such matters anyway. Besides, who can truly comprehend the power of the supernatural? Our family reunion is proof enough of its mysterious workings."

Yuan Jun: "..."

Well, seems like the Rong family members are resourceful and adaptable. There's no need to worry too much about them.

Observing this, Rong Mo believed that his sister was solely concerned for their family, causing the corners of his eyes to turn slightly red. "Sister has suffered for the family all these years. How could I possibly risk bringing calamity upon our family for the sake of a little reputation? If I succeed, that would be ideal; if not, I'll find a tutor and continue my studies at home. That way, I won't have let Sister down."

Yuan Jun's heart warmed, and Rong Mo continued, "Regarding the matter of opening a shop that you mentioned earlier, I've also asked someone to look into available storefronts."

When the dishes were all served, Bai Ying came to invite them for lunch. As Yuan Jun walked over, he said, "The docks are a chaotic mix of all sorts, with members of the river gang lurking about. You must inquire thoroughly about the shopkeepers before making any purchases. Don't blindly buy into an unsavory establishment, lest you unwittingly become entangled in some dispute."

Rong Yi was startled. "The Salt and Grain Gang?"

Yuan Jun settled himself at the table. In truth, he wasn't hungry, but for this woman's sake, he needed to take care of her properly. Thus, he picked up some ginger plum shreds to stimulate his appetite first.

Seeing that Rong Yi seemed genuinely clueless, he explained, "Now that you're also an instructor in the Imperial Guards, you can inquire around a bit. The Salt and Grain Gang is also known as the Grain Ship Gang. Although they're mostly dockworkers and sailors who originated from North Zhili, their influence now spans the entire length of the Yangtze River. You... We'll need to pay our respects to them if we want to open a shop by the docks. Otherwise, we won't be able to operate."

Rong Yi's expression turned serious. "That's true. Now that you mention it, I vaguely recall hearing about them in the military. But since they didn't dare to interfere with us in the army, I never had any direct dealings with them. So it seems that this is indeed the case."

He looked at his sister in surprise. "I never would have expected that although you were in the palace, not only are you skilled in both literature and martial arts, but you also have a deep understanding of the tricks of the trade in the jianghu and marketplace."

Yuan Jun was at a loss for words, replying, "I've merely picked up bits and pieces from casual conversations between the princes and princesses, as well as the guards' everyday chatter."

Rong Mo sighed, "I thought those noble scholars were oblivious to the lives of common folk."

Yuan Jun equivocated, "In the halls of power, one must be aware of the happenings beyond, or else one might fall prey to deception and commit the folly of not knowing the struggles of others."

For lunch, they had sausages stir-fried with garlic sprouts, radish in mutton soup, and egg custard. Yuan Jun made an effort to eat more but, concerned about Rong Bi's frail constitution, he still took a stroll in the courtyard afterward, contemplating their next move. As the sun began its descent, he realized the time was drawing near for the daily reports to arrive. He didn't wish to burden Rong Bi with worries, so he returned to his chamber, jotting down the day's arrangements before settling into meditation.

Clearing his mind of distractions, his consciousness void of all thought, Yuan Jun's spirit became as pure as a bright hall. Focusing his concentration, he instantly re-entered his physical body.

He lowered his gaze to see that indeed, the day's memorials had been delivered to the desk. Li Dongfu, that sly old fox, still kept his head bowed, meticulously grinding the ink.

He couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, wondering if Rong Bi was also pondering how to switch back, thus making their return to their own bodies so swift today. If he could one day speak with Rong Bi face-to-face and experiment, he might grasp the secret.

Lost in thought, he picked up the stack of memorials, took a red inkbrush, and began to annotate them.

Li Dongfu watched as the Crown Prince, who had initially sat focused for half a day without touching the documents, eventually closed his eyes to meditate. His heart raced, yet he dared not urge the prince. Instead, he cautiously ground the ink, anxiously contemplating how to protect the prince from blame should he suddenly refuse to work again.

The Emperor had been in high spirits these past few days. After consuming his daily dose of elixir, he would meditate and contemplate Zen, exuding an otherworldly aura of tranquility.

But if the Crown Prince suddenly became indifferent to his duties, would the Emperor start to suspect again?

Fortunately, after a brief meditation, the Crown Prince finally opened his eyes and, just like before, began annotating the memorials with the red inkbrush, just as swiftly as before. In no time, he had nearly finished the thick stack.

Seeing the end in sight, Li Dongfu let out a long sigh of relief. At this crucial moment, he prayed the Crown Prince wouldn't revert to his previous stubbornness. It was evident that the officials in the court had regained their composure since the Crown Prince's handwriting reappeared on the memorials.

Of course, some were pleased while others were not by the Crown Prince's renewed involvement in the affairs of state. He couldn't help glancing in the direction of the Lingming Palace, where it was rumored that Empress Luo had recently disciplined numerous palace servants and eunuchs...

Ah... It's either the east wind prevails over the west wind, or the west wind prevails over the east wind.

Lost in his thoughts, the Crown Prince put down his brush and glanced at him. Suddenly, he asked a question that startled everyone, "I've heard that Master Chong Xiao has been alchemizing within the palace for quite some time now?"

Li Dongfu struggled to conceal the shock on his face.

The news about Master Chong Xiao alchemizing within the palace was strictly confined. The Crown Prince had been imprisoned in the Han Palace; how could he possibly know about Chong Xiao's alchemy activities? Did the Crown Prince have alternative sources of information?

Or perhaps, the incident of the wandering soul was indeed true?