Chapter 3: 3

The flow of people on the street gradually thinned, with the occasional officers and soldiers patrolling. When they saw a group of people squatting on the ground laughing uncontrollably, they came forward to ask what happened.

Zhong Yuehong pointed to the only one standing, but the man with the sad face said: “It’s nothing, it’s just that a short while ago……our elder brother was mocked.”

Yan Mingting rubbed his face, shook them off, and strode forward. Those people hurried to catch up again.

“I’m sorry, I promise I won’t laugh.” Zhong Yuehong wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes, and then patted the other brothers. “You stop laughing too.”

The group of people laughed and laughed for a long time without calming down. Zhong Yuehong said with emotion: “This Zhao Yelan can’t tell good from bad, how can he tell blatant lies? As for the General’s heroic face and appearance, the King of Lanling might feel ashamed when he sees it. How dare he say that you are the reincarnation of a pig spirit, pff –”

Yan Mingting turned around and glared at her. She immediately covered his mouth and laughed nonstop.

The others laughed again, and He Cuizhang said: “General, why didn’t you just go in and let him have a good look? Has he really seen you? Was he talking nonsense?”

“He’s seen me,” Yan Mingting replied.

Everyone went quiet, and then immediately scrambled to ask when did they meet, why did they meet, why didn’t he say anything?

Yan Mingting also did not expect that the person whom he met once when he was young would marry him in the end.

Ever since he could remember, he had been taken to the frontier with his father and almost never stayed in the capital.

There was only one time when his body was badly poisoned, his face was abnormally swollen, his eyes black and blue, and he had difficulty walking and needed support. The military doctor was at a loss, so his father took him back to Beijing to find an imperial doctor. While he was being treated at the mansion, he heard that the third prince had come to talk to his father.

In those few days, the princes all came to look for his father and win him over, but the situation was still unclear and there were constant wars at the border, so his father was very worried.

He was curious. Among the few princes, the third prince was not favored by the emperor, and his mother, an imperial concubine, passed away early. There was no support from any forces at all, so why come to grab that seat?

So he asked his servants to help him have a look, but just as he walked into the courtyard, he met a frail young man, his face as white as snow, who coughed three times for every two steps. He couldn’t stand watching it, and called for the person to stop. “Who are you? Why did you come to the general’s mansion alone?”

The young man saw his appearance and was taken aback for a moment, then replied: “This one is Zhao Yelan, he came with the prince.”

“Zhao Yelan.” Yan Mingting said this name once, spoke a few more words, and was urged by his servants to go back to the room and take medicine. He glanced at the man again, and ordered someone to catch a chicken from the courtyard and stuff it into Zhao Yelan’s hands. “Look how skinny you are, you would be blown away by the wind before you reached the battlefield.”

“I don’t go to war.”

Yan Mingting ignored him and walked to the end of the corridor. When he looked back, the young man was stiffly holding the flapping chicken wings, not sure what to do, brows almost knit together. He happily went back to his room.

“I don’t know if the chicken was fried or stewed in the end,” Yan Mingting muttered.

“What chicken? You ate so much just now, aren’t you full, General?” He Cuizhang asked.

“It’s nothing,” Yan Mingting said seriously, remembering that there was still proper business to address. “Go back early to rest and recharge your spirits. Remember to be careful when you go to court tomorrow, don’t bring those vulgar words to the court and make people laugh.”

These people had fought many battles with him, and the Emperor wanted to reward them for their merits, so they had returned to Beijing with him. There were still some of his subordinates who would continue to be stationed at the frontier, and he would also accept their rewards and make arrangements for their families.

“Then can we see Zhao Yelan’s true face tomorrow?” He Cuizhang eagerly said. “I want to see what the person who dared to make fun of our General looks like!”

Zhong Yuehong was not very happy: “I don’t like him, didn’t you hear what those common people said just now? How many bad things has he done? How can he be worthy of the General? Furthermore, the Emperor’s arrangement was aimed at the General just to trap him.”

Yan Mingting cast a stern glance at her: “This is the capital city, so be careful when you speak.”

Zhong Yuehong pouted: “I hate the capital city. I still have to finish visiting relatives before I go back to the barracks. I’ll be home soon, farewell, everyone.”

The next day, Yan Mingting got up before dawn, changed his clothes, shaved his beard, and took in his image in front of the bronze mirror. He didn’t look like a pig spirit at all. Only then did he go to court triumphantly. He not only wanted to see if Zhao Yelan’s appearance had changed, but also wanted to show him that he surpassed the King of Lanling’s attractiveness!

That was what the soldiers said!

Who knew that there were hundreds of civil and military people in the dynasty, and Zhao Yelan alone was the one he didn’t see. It was said that he was on leave due to illness.

Tsk, as expected, he was still the guy who coughed three times every two steps. He hadn’t improved at all.

The emperor lavishly praised the officers and soldiers, and also gave out promotions and rewards. It lifted people’s hearts, and the subordinates all looked excited.

When it was Yan Mingting’s turn, the Emperor was stumped for words for a moment, his eyebrows squeezed together. Then he smiled and said: “General Yan seems to be different from the rumors.”

At noon, the sun finally did something to dispel some of the chill. Zhao Yelan was bored lying in bed, so he went to sit in the courtyard and bask in the sun.

Xiao Gao had just come back with a basket on his shoulders, which contained freshly picked melons and fruits. He washed them and put them aside, picked up a pear and peeled it, and told him about the outside world: “Several people at the restaurant had their tongues pulled out last night, and the government is investigating this matter.”

Zhao Yelan took the pear calmly and asked, “What did you find out?”

“Somebody traced us here.”

“The person?”

“Gone.”

Zhao Yelan sneered: “Knowing perfectly well that the mastermind was here, they didn’t dare to come in and investigate?”

Xiao Gao laughed: “How could they have the courage? By the way, the emperor rewarded some more medicines, which have already been put into the treasury.”

“En.”

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“The treasury is a bit bright today.”

“The night pearl.”

“Is it also a reward from the emperor?”

“En.”

“His Majesty treats you very well.”

Zhao Yelan smiled meaningfully. A worthless handkerchief was exchanged for a night pearl, was there a more cost-effective business than this?

Xiao Gao chose a few trivial things to say, and hearing that Zhao Yelan was drowsy, he was very worried: “I know you want to hear something about the court, but my ability is small and I can’t find out.”

“It’s fine, someone will come to talk.”

“Who?” Xiao Gao asked curiously.

“I don’t know, I also want to see who comes first.” Looking at the deserted courtyard, Zhao Yelan leisurely asked Xiao Gao to prepare some snacks and hot tea.

Xiao Gao naturally prepared them according to his preferences, and when he came out with a plate of snacks, he saw that officials had already come to visit in the parlor. He put the things down carefully and left. His lord was very clever!

“Zhao-daren, did you catch a cold today?” The visitor asked in concern.

“It’s just an old problem, Chen-daren. Please take a seat.” Zhao Yelan sat on the main seat and exchanged perfunctory greetings with him, a little impatient.

Over the years, he had been laying down plans for the emperor’s great cause, and he naturally also got to know a lot of people. After the emperor ascended the throne, he was deeply favored and trusted, and they more or less followed his example.

The gift of marriage in the past few days had made this group of people a little scared, suspecting that he would completely fall out of favor, so they were all watching the situation and waiting.

But this morning, the emperor said that Yu Junliang had died in prison, and the officials were surprised. He should have been executed in public according to law, but he had died quietly in prison like this. It was also rumored that Zhao Yelan had met him in the imperial prison, and once the two were connected together, it was known that this was Zhao Yelan’s good deed. But not only did the emperor not punish him, he also cared about Zhao Yelan’s health.

In this way, how could they not know that Zhao Yelan had not fallen out of favor, and that the emperor was constantly concerned for him?

It was reckoned that even if he was married to the great general in the future, he would still have influence inside the court.

So as soon as he came to court, Chen-daren from the Ministry of Officials came to visit him with a small gift.

“Why did Chen-daren seek me out?” Zhao Yelan was too lazy to pretend at politeness with him, and got straight to the point.

“Well……since Minister Yu died, the position of Minister of the Ministry of Officials is vacant……” Chen-daren hinted.

“Chen-daren is already an official. According to regulations, is it your turn to take office?” Zhao Yelan said flatly.

“There are quite a few people who are greedy for this seat, ah. Although I am the left official[1], there is also the right official. What’s more, the right official has been contradicting you at court meetings. If you let him take the position, it would be a great disadvantage to you……Zhao-daren, you must speak a few words for this old minister in front of the emperor, ah.” Chen-daren cupped his hands. “If there is anything I need to do in the future, just ask me to do it.”

The corner of Zhao Yelan’s mouth twitched: “I’m well aware of the situation and will naturally intercede for you, but this is still the emperor’s decision and I don’t know what will happen in the end.”

“Of course.” Chen-daren wiped the sweat from his forehead. “As long as you give me a few good words, this matter will probably be settled. At that time, I will definitely prepare a big gift and visit in person.”

Xiao Gao sent the left official away, and welcomed the person from the Ministry of Revenue. He refreshed the teacups again, and before leaving, he heard his lord say: “I’m well aware of the situation and will naturally intercede for you, but this is still the emperor’s decision and I don’t know what will happen in the end.”

Several distinguished guests came to the house that afternoon one after the other. Xiao Gao was accustomed to it and kept busy, not stopping until it was time for dinner. He couldn’t help squatting beside Zhao Yelan and giggling: “My lord, you are really good at talking. If you keep running circles around these people, I will be able to recite that sentence.”

Zhao Yelan glanced at him, then knocked him on the head. “If you can’t speak, you mustn’t speak.”

Xiao Gao covered his mouth with a smile.

After eating, Xiao Gao carried over a basin of hot water for him to wipe his hands. Zhao Yelan was taking a stroll in the courtyard, devising plans while digesting food, when he suddenly thought of another thing: “Why hasn’t the person from the general’s mansion come yet?”

“Ah?”

“Didn’t they come to discuss the marriage proposal yesterday? Where are they?”

“Oh, the old housekeeper sent someone to deliver a message, saying that the general is busy with household affairs, so he would not come over, and it’s better to keep things simple when the time comes.”

Xiao Gao wrung out the handkerchief and was about to hand it over, when Zhao Yelan stepped forward angrily and kicked the basin over.

“Simple? Why should it be simple?”

Half the water poured out and the basin was still spinning on the ground. Xiao Gao hurriedly supported it, and said weakly: “Maybe he doesn’t want the publicity?”

The basin was kicked over by Zhao Yelan again. He took the handkerchief and wiped his hands vigorously, his cold eyes narrowed: “How dare he disdain me as if I’m an ugly person? I, Zhao Yelan, have a big household and great influence. It is my first marriage, how can it be casual? Prepare the sedan chair, let’s go to the general’s mansion to see this old pig spirit!”

– – – – – – 

The author has something to say:

Yan Mingting: I am heroic and valiant, surpassing the King of Lanling!

Zhao Yelan: You old pig spirit.

Yan Mingting: Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat! Retreat!

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