Chapter 21 Spring Hunt

Chapter 21: Spring Hunt

After several days of the biting cold from the late spring chill, the wind finally softened its edge.

The shy new leaves on the willow branches finally unfurled, and under the sun's rays, a soft, downy warmth spread through the air.

The sky was clear and bright, so everyone shed the extra layers they had added over the past few days, returning to lighter attire.

Young ladies and gentlemen were already planning outings to enjoy the greenery and flowers, eager to enjoy the scenery and have fun.

Only Jiang Yanzhou remained bundled in his heavy cloak, not daring to reduce his layers.

Since arriving in this world, he hadn't had a proper chance to appreciate the folk customs and sights of the capital. His few glimpses had been fleeting, caught through the carriage window while passing by.

The Lantern Festival had been so lively. If he hadn't been poisoned or met with misfortune, he could have caught the tail end of the festivities after leaving the palace.

It was a bit of a regret.

But not a major one.

After all, compared to strolling the streets for fun, helping Xiao Yunlang was undoubtedly more important.

The former was merely icing on the cake; the latter was something he genuinely delighted in.

Still, if he had free time, Jiang Yanzhou would be quite happy to take a stroll around town.

However, the past couple of days weren't suitable.

Firstly, because the King of Wuzi's reply had been ambiguous, clearly trying to haggle with the Qi Dynasty. During this back-and-forth, someone had pushed Jiang Yanzhou, the victim, back into the spotlight. The court had bestowed a few more items upon him to demonstrate their stance on the matter.

Under such circumstances, it was best for Jiang Yanzhou not to go out alone for a stroll.

Secondly, because the weather was pleasant, the Spring Hunt was about to begin.

While the Wuzi delegation was detained at the post station, other delegations were preparing to depart. Before they left, the Spring Hunt needed to be held promptly.

On the day of the hunt, they had to set out early. As dawn's first light barely touched the sky, Jiang Yanzhou was forced to leave his warm bed.

He peeked out with half his face, his thick lashes still damp with sleepiness, fluttering as he remained drowsy and utterly unawakened.

Whether it was the attendants helping him dress or tie his hair, Jiang Yanzhou remained in a hazy, bleary-eyed state, his eyes half-closed.

Because he was good-natured and easygoing, the attendants had grown bolder from their initial caution. Seeing Jiang Yanzhou's state, they suppressed smiles and whispered among themselves.

"Young Master isn't awake yet."

"Indeed, but he looks quite handsome like this!"

"I know, right? Ah, it makes my heart melt."

After melting, they felt a pang of sympathy.

If the Young Master weren't in poor health, he wouldn't be so constantly sleepy. Usually, he seemed less energetic than others.

However, recently, with the Young Miracle Doctor helping to nurse his health, his complexion had improved, and the rosy hue on his lips had become much more pronounced.

Jiang Yanzhou felt as if he were still dreaming, drowsy and lethargic, letting himself be dressed and groomed. He ate his meal and took his medicine in a daze, then shuffled out with unsteady, bewildered steps.

It wasn't until he reached the front courtyard and saw that tall, slender figure that he finally stirred.

Xiao Yunlang had tied his hair into a high ponytail with a golden crown today, wearing dark martial attire. A four-clawed dragon woven with gold thread coiled upon it, looking majestic and imposing.

Arm guards bound his sleeves, and a leather belt inlaid with jade cinched his trim waist. Beside it hung his black-and-gold long horizontal saber. His long legs were clad in boots, and his gaze, sharp in the morning light, resembled a newly unsheathed blade. The young Crown Prince stood tall and graceful, brimming with spirited ambition.

One must know the lofty aspirations of youth, once vowing to be the foremost under heaven.

Jiang Yanzhou felt his heart skip a beat twice, jolting him fully awake.

In elegant robes, he was a noble young master; in martial attire, he was a dashing general. Changing clothes seemed to shift his aura, but what remained unchanged was how utterly pleasing he was to the eye.

So, who on earth spread the rumor in the history books about Emperor Wu being a barrel-shaped figure with broad shoulders and a thick waist?!

It was simply outrageous.

Jiang Yanzhou used Xiao Yunlang's heroic bearing to refresh his mind, unaware that the moment he stepped onto the corridor, Xiao Yunlang had already looked over.

The depths of the corridor were shadowed, but perhaps the pearl in Jiang Yanzhou's hair was too bright. Through the thin morning mist, it instantly caught Xiao Yunlang's eye.

Little Young Master Jiang clearly wasn't fully awake yet; he looked incredibly soft in this state. Just as Xiao Yunlang was about to smile, he saw Jiang Yanzhou come to a stop.

Then, without blinking, Jiang Yanzhou stared at him, seeming to wake up completely in an instant.

Xiao Yunlang's hand resting on his saber paused.

He now knew that Jiang Yanzhou found many people fascinating upon first meeting them. But really, could someone he'd seen countless times still warrant such an unblinking stare?

Was his attire today at least passable?

So thought the Crown Prince, who usually paid little attention to his own appearance.

Xiao Yunlang stood straight as a pine, hand on his saber, and gave Jiang Yanzhou a composed nod. "You're here. Let's go."

Even as he turned away, he could still feel Jiang Yanzhou's gaze lingering on his back.

The Crown Prince's shoulders and back probably wouldn't relax today.

The carriage was equipped with tea, pastries, and a charcoal brazier. As soon as Jiang Yanzhou boarded, he leaned against a soft pillow, let out a small yawn, and closed his eyes to catch up on sleep.

Xiao Yunlang, who had previously felt restless and irritable from the heat of the charcoal fire in Jiang Yanzhou's room, now found he could sit calmly in this narrow, stuffy space.

Everyone needed to gather outside the palace gates first to accompany the Emperor's procession to the hunting grounds.

Upon reaching Chengde Gate, the door of the Crown Prince's carriage opened, but the curtain remained drawn to block the wind. Xiao Yunlang lifted the curtain and alighted with swift efficiency, allowing almost none of the damp, heavy dew from outside to seep in.

While the family members of the princes could remain in their carriages, the princes themselves had to stand outside awaiting the Emperor.

Almost simultaneously, the Prince of Jin's entourage arrived.

The Prince of Jin dismounted, first offering a casual, almost disrespectful salute to Xiao Yunlang, then wearing his usual arrogant, provoking smile. "Crown Prince, why did you come by carriage? Feeling unwell? If you can't participate in the hunt, remember to say so early. Your elder brothers are here, after all."

Xiao Yunlang couldn't be bothered to look at him, his voice colder than the mist in the air. "Even if I walked here, what business is it of yours?"

"As for hunting..." Xiao Yunlang's words were sharp as a blade, "Last year, what kind of pitiful game did your guards hunt for you? Still not ashamed enough?"

But the Prince of Jin was a tough nut to crack and could still smile. "Not ashamed at all. Whatever it is, if it dies under the arrows of the Prince of Jin's residence, it's my prey. The more, the merrier."

Although Xiao Yunlang and the Prince of Jin were targeting each other, their veiled barbs swept over a wide range. The other princes nearby kept their eyes downcast, not daring to get involved in the verbal sparring between these two formidable figures.

The two most powerful princes in Daqi were these two. Of course, in the past, there had been others who tried to rise to prominence.

The ones who stuck their necks out got them chopped off, so everyone became much more subdued.

After all, their father the Emperor wasn't a pushover either.

The easygoing eldest prince originally wanted to say something to mediate, but upon seeing the Crown Prince’s stone-cold face and the Prince of Jin’s smirk, he silently stuffed his hands into his sleeves and swallowed his words.

Although Jiang Yanzhou had his eyes closed to rest, he wasn’t really asleep. Hearing the Prince of Jin’s voice, he opened his eyes.

Exactly when Prince Xiao Fengjin established contact with the Northern Barbarians isn't recorded in the history books, but there’s no doubt that every time foreign envoys entered the capital was a good opportunity.

However, with many people around and eyes everywhere, keeping tabs on people became a hassle.

The Emperor didn’t keep everyone waiting long. Soon, the imperial procession filed out through the palace gates.

Under the nine-dragon canopy, the imperial carriage and entourage emerged. The morning mist gradually dispersed, golden dawn light broke, streaming through the palace gates as all officials bowed.

Jiang Yanzhou lifted the carriage window curtain slightly to look out. The grandeur of a great nation seemed to melt into the golden light, majestic and imposing.

Once the ceremony was over, the Emperor’s carriage led the way, heading the massive procession toward the Fenglin Hunting Grounds in the eastern suburbs.

With the Emperor present, Xiao Yunlang did not return to the carriage. With a long stride, he swung himself onto his horse.

Xiao Yunlang reined in his horse, tilted his head and glanced over, and saw Jiang Yanzhou staring blankly at him. He dug his boot into the stirrup, raised the hilt of his sword, and knocked it against the window, snapping it shut with a click.

—What are you spacing out for? The morning wind is still chilly. Aren't you afraid you'll catch another cold, sitting in a draft like that?

And why does he keep staring at him like that… Jiang Yanzhou doesn’t seem to look at others this way?

Xiao Yunlang was starting to think Jiang Yanzhou’s supposed liking for him was a misunderstanding, but if he keeps looking like this, he might start overthinking again.

Jiang Yanzhou withdrew his fingers.

The youthful appearance of Emperor Wu was something you saw one day less than the last, especially on such a grand occasion. If he could look, he was going to look his fill. What’s the problem?

However, the morning was still a bit cold. He hadn’t stayed by the window long before his face felt chilled.

Jiang Yanzhou opened the food box beside him. Inside were various pastries, still warm.

He snacked while listening to the surrounding sounds of hoofbeats and rolling wheels, carrying him along.

Fenglin Hunting Grounds was one of the royal hunting grounds. In spring, when everything came back to life, animals also entered their most active and restless season.

Temporary camps and tents had long been set up around the hunting grounds. Everyone found their seats, and only then did Jiang Yanzhou notice that Emperor Yonghe was also wearing riding attire today.

Old but still vigorous—so he intended to take part in the hunt too.

Moreover, today he hadn’t only brought Empress Jiang and Imperial Concubine Wei, but also two other consorts, both stunningly beautiful.

They hadn’t appeared at the Lantern Festival banquet, so Jiang Yanzhou didn’t recognize them. Judging by their attire, their rank probably wasn’t very high, not among the four principal consorts.

The Emperor held a wine bowl, using his aged yet still resonant voice to deliver an impassioned speech, full of the bold spirit of an old man recalling youthful vigor.

However, after drinking, his movements when mounting his horse were clearly not very agile.

Emperor Yonghe held his breath as he mounted, then exhaled. As he straightened his posture, he heard a very soft, derisive snort from beside him.

It was Xiao Yunlang.

Emperor Yonghe: “…”

His eyebrow twitched slightly. He pretended not to hear his rebellious son’s mockery, gave the order, and whipped his horse forward.

In the blink of an eye, horses kicked up dust and vanished into the vast forest; the figures of the hunting party were soon out of sight.

With the hunters gone, the grounds became noticeably quieter.

In the Qi Dynasty, the separation between men and women wasn’t overly strict. At events where the womenfolk attended, they were seated together with their families.

The imperial family’s seats were naturally grouped together. Now that the Emperor and princes had gone to hunt, only Jiang Yanzhou and a group of female relatives remained.

Empress Jiang and Imperial Concubine Wei were seated above, slightly farther away. Those closer to Jiang Yanzhou included the Princess Consort of Jin and the wife of the eldest prince, the Prince of An—the Princess Consort of An.

The Princess Consort of An also had an imperial grandson with her, around five or six years old.

Speaking of the Prince of An and his consort, they had ties to Xiao Yunlang.

Xiao Yunlang had no biological sons. His future successor would be chosen from the clan, and the chosen one was the younger son of the Prince of An.

Not the five- or six-year-old eldest son here—the future little emperor probably hadn’t been born yet.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yanzhou couldn’t help but take a few more glances at the Princess Consort of An and the little heir.

But the moment the Princess Consort of An met his gaze, her hand trembled. She then forced a smile, barely maintaining her composure.

Jiang Yanzhou: Hmm?

She seems afraid of me. Probably… not my imagination.

The Princess Consort of An quickly lowered her eyes. She was indeed somewhat afraid of Jiang Yanzhou.

Both she and the Prince of An were of a non-confrontational nature and not particularly capable. She was much older than Jiang Yanzhou. In her early years, before she was married, she had once followed her father to visit the Prime Minister.

That was her first time seeing Jiang Yanzhou.

Jiang Yanzhou had been good-looking since childhood, but back then he was only a few years old—so small, not even as tall as an adult’s leg—yet his face already showed clear shadows of malice and cruelty.

The Princess Consort of An, then a young maiden, witnessed the child pour a pot of scalding water over a servant. The servant shrieked in agony, and the young maiden screamed too.

After returning home, she was haunted by nightmares for days, unable to imagine what such a child would grow up to become.

Later, Jiang Yanzhou became ill and was a recluse for years. Just as the Princess Consort of An had almost forgotten about him, he suddenly reappeared.

And, as a man, married into the imperial family.

The Princess Consort of An made up her mind that, aside from meeting at royal banquets during festivals and formal occasions, she would absolutely avoid any further contact with Jiang Yanzhou.

A five- or six-year-old child is at a mischievous age and can’t sit still. After sitting for only a short while, the Princess Consort of An led him away to play elsewhere.

Others also drifted off in their own directions. Jiang Yanzhou originally didn’t want to move, but when he looked up, he saw Jiang Linque—who hadn’t gone hunting—heading toward Empress Jiang.

Once the Prime Minister and the Empress started talking, he would be dragged back into the whirlpool of the Jiang family.

So Jiang Yanzhou immediately stood up as well and, taking Feng Lan with him, turned and walked away.

He saw Jiang Linque frown.

Jiang Yanzhou’s response was to walk even faster.

It had been a long time since he moved this fast. With his head down, he covered a good distance. When he stopped, panting heavily, he nearly slid to the ground, grabbing onto a tree trunk for support.

Lack of physical stamina is a real issue.

"Your Highness," when they were outside, Feng Lan and the others still had to address Jiang Yanzhou as "Your Highness." He supported Jiang Yanzhou as he said, "We are already far from the hunting grounds. There's no need to hurry."

Jiang Yanzhou leaned on his arm, taking deep breaths for quite a while before finally calming down. He looked around; the forest was dense, quiet, and deep.

The morning mist, which should have cleared, seemed trapped by the tall trees. Light and shadows filtered through, dreamlike and ethereal.

Jiang Yanzhou exhaled softly, his breath forming a faint mist.

He withdrew his hand and pulled his robes tighter. "Where is this in the hunting grounds?"

"The northern outskirts. This area is rarely visited."

Jiang Yanzhou was puzzled. "Why? The scenery looks quite nice."

Not everyone who comes to the hunting grounds is here to hunt. Surely the others would want to stroll around? The event lasts three days; they can't just sit around the whole time.

There are lively areas for walking on the outskirts, so why is this particular spot so deserted?

Feng Lan parted the branches for him and pointed to a path. "Your Highness might not be aware, but further along that path, deep in the woods, there is a temple from the previous dynasty."

"It is said that when the previous dynasty fell, many remnants of the imperial family set fire to the temple and died in the flames. Afterward, some said the abandoned temple seethed with resentment, haunted by unquiet spirits, and others claimed to have heard spectral wailing."

Feng Lan, afraid of scaring him, added, "Of course, our sagacious Founding Emperor was wise. Knowing that some were using tales of ghosts and gods to stir trouble in the early days of the new dynasty, he had a few executed to put a stop to it. However, the stories spread anyway... Over time, people came to see it as even more unlucky, so aside from patrols, almost no one comes here."

Instead of being scared, Jiang Yanzhou's interest was piqued. "Well then, let's go see it!"

"We should just walk... Huh!?"

Feng Lan stared, dumbstruck, as Jiang Yanzhou had already bent down to avoid a dead branch and started down the stone-paved path.

"Your Highness, wait! You—"

Jiang Yanzhou carefully avoided the stones, unfazed. "I don't believe in ghosts or gods. I've never seen a temple from the previous dynasty. I want to see it."

The dynasty that preceded the Qi wasn't very prosperous and did not last long, leaving almost nothing for later generations. To this day, not even their tombs have been found. Now that there's a chance to see their temple, why not look!

Spooks and specters might frighten others, but Jiang Yanzhou neither believes in nor fears them.

If a ghost really appeared before him, he'd be the type to calmly figure out where it came from.

As for someone like Feng Lan, while he doesn't quite believe either, he tends to avoid things many consider inauspicious, which is how most people would act.

However, since his master wanted to see, he naturally had to follow.

The path wasn't easy going.

After a stretch, the neatly laid stone slabs became broken. The smooth path turned into a muddy trail all but swallowed by wild grass, desolate and lonely.

Jiang Yanzhou had to stop and rest every now and then. Truth was... he was nearly spent. But stubbornly pushing his sickly body onward, having come this far, he really wanted to see this ancient site that would be lost to future generations.

After walking a while longer, he stopped to catch his breath when Feng Lan's eyes suddenly sharpened, and he stepped in front of him.

As Jiang Yanzhou was puzzling it out, he heard Feng Lan whisper in a low voice, "Someone's here."

Feng Lan didn't think many people would share Jiang Yanzhou's interest in strolling here, so he was extra vigilant.

They stood still for a moment, and Jiang Yanzhou finally heard voices—a woman... crying?

The sound was faint, mournful and pitiable, echoing through the forest that blocked the sky, enough to make your hair stand on end.

The atmosphere was downright spooky.

Jiang Yanzhou: Hmm.

Anyone with sense would've turned tail and run by now, but instead of retreating, he moved forward, edging closer to the source of the weeping. After a short distance, through the trees, they caught sight of a woman in elaborate robes and... a man.

Alright, not a ghost. The woman was clearly one of the two unfamiliar consorts who had accompanied the emperor today.

Feng Lan was somewhat surprised and whispered, "Consort Li?"

Jiang Yanzhou put a name to the face: so that was Consort Li.

Feng Lan didn't recognize the man standing before Consort Li, but judging by his attire, he was from the Imperial Guard.

Consort Li cried for a while before finally stopping, wiping her tears. "His Majesty always says that Jiu'er is his true intended heir. But in the palace, I live in fear under the Empress and the Noble Consort. At court, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Jin have firmly established themselves."

"They are now increasingly powerful. The Emperor even entrusted the Spring Examinations to the Crown Prince. My son is still in swaddling clothes. If something were to happen to His Majesty in the future... Brother, how can our family compete with them?"

The Imperial Guard man sighed, but a flash of ruthlessness crossed his eyes. "Don't be afraid. Your brother has made proper arrangements this time and will surely succeed!"

Consort Li stopped crying and looked at him expectantly.

The man smiled and, though knowing no one was around, still lowered his voice. "In the Imperial Guard, I may only be a mere Company Commander, but a low position has its advantages."

"The Commander has assigned trusted men to tamper with the temporary palace this time. I can tell this must be the Jiang family's idea, aiming to deal with the Wei family!"

Feng Lan: "!"

Jiang Yanzhou: "..."

Such a small temporary palace, coveted by so many people—it's truly bustling.

Jiang Yanzhou gently waved at Feng Lan, signaling they should leave quietly. However, just as he turned, something silently rolled toward his feet.

Looking closely, it was a small ball.

Following the ball's path, he saw the Princess Consort of An, holding her son and staring in shock, along with one of their guards.

It was unclear how long they had been standing there or how much they had heard.

Jiang Yanzhou: ...Well, it's quite lively here too.