Chapter 31: 29

Housekeeper Qin was cleaning the ancestral hall when he heard the commotion outside, and was so alarmed that he hurried out to inquire about the situation. He saw Yan Mingting running wildly through the courtyard, and finally fleeing to the old tree.

Zhao Yelan stood under the tree and shouted: “Yan Mingting, get out of there!”

“Climb up if you have the ability!”

“Yan Mingting!”

“That’s me!”

“……”

“Put down the broom first. If you have something to say, say it. What other wife hits like you?” Yan Mingting persuaded with good advice.

“How dare you mention the word ‘wife’?!” Zhao Yelan sneered. “Fine, you won’t come down. Xiao Gao, cut down this tree!”

“Yes!”

This was a hundred-year-old tree, which was not easy to grow. It would be a pity to cut it down so easily!

Housekeeper Qin was about to run and stop him, when he saw Yan Mingting leap through the air, stepping on branches and leaves to stand in place. 

Zhao Yelan smacked him with the broom several times and kicked his feet twice before the two went to the study one after the other.

Housekeeper Qin wiped off his sweat and dispersed all the servants who were watching the fun before returning to the ancestral hall to continue cleaning, muttering: “Master, old lady, don’t take offense, the General and Zhao-daren are in love. En, yes, hitting is kissing and scolding is love. You can rest assured, ba.”

On the other side, Yan Mingting walked into the study, muttering: “I lost all face.”

“Do you still know how to save face?” Zhao Yelan was furious and threw the broom back to Xiao Gao. “Does the shopkeeper know who you are?”

“Probably not, otherwise would he have dared to ask me to help?” Yan Mingting said.

Zhao Yelan was panting where he sat. After running around for a while, sweat was dripping from his forehead.

“Have some tea first.” Yan Mingting poured him a cup of tea as an apology, and then explained, “If I didn’t make up such a reason at the time, how could I have let you eat hot stuffed steamed buns?”

“So it’s my fault?”

“That’s not true.” Yan Mingting had just sat down when he was kicked again. “No, I mean that I didn’t go in vain last night. While I was doing it, I secretly learned the craft. In the future, if you want to eat buns in the middle of the night, you don’t have to bother others. I can make them for you.”

Zhao Yelan didn’t believe his words at all. He drank his tea angrily, calmed himself down, and then asked about business: “You found the doctor?”

“I found him. Thanks to your portrait, a doctor soon said he had treated this person.” Yan Mingting looked serious as he said in a low voice, “The doctor said that Bao Lun was suffering from a colorless, odorless poison, and that he didn’t notice any abnormalities at first, just felt dizzy and weak. The doctor and Bao Lun just thought that he had contracted a cold, and they didn’t realize something was wrong until long-term treatment was ineffective. The doctor couldn’t cure him, and was afraid of his reputation being ruined, so he didn’t continue to treat him.”

“He was poisoned…..”

“It was the same poison that was used on my father.” Yan Mingting’s face was somber. “I didn’t expect that he would end up harming himself after harming others, and that he would die of this type of poison in the end.”

Zhao Yelan was silent for a moment, then said: “Now we must discover the origin and effect of this poison. People at the hospital might understand it, but they may make it known.”

“Let’s see if there are any good doctors among the people.”

“I have someone to try.”

“Who?”

“Ruan Xian’s brother-in-law.”

“Ruan Xian?” Yan Mingting felt somewhat disgusted when he thought of that little white face’s appearance.

“He just said today that his brother-in-law once traveled with the former envoy of the Imperial hospital, returned from his studies, and is now preparing to be admitted to the Imperial hospital.”

“That’s okay, then. Do we just call him over?”

“No rush.” If Zhao Yelan went to find the person now, he would be asking for something from Ruan Xian, and there was no guarantee that the other party wouldn’t beat around the bush and make some demands. He didn’t want to fall into a passive position. “When Ruan Xian takes the initiative to send him to the door in a show of favor, the meaning will be different and we can better seal their mouths.”

Yan Mingting didn’t expect that a simple move would involve so many interests and benefits, so he gave him a sincere thumbs up: “It’s all up to you.”

After dinner, Yan Mingting said that he had something urgent to discuss with him and brought him to the courtyard. However, he still refused to say what was going on, and just walked quickly ahead with his head down.

At first, Zhao Yelan thought he was looking for a meeting place, so he followed along. It wasn’t until they had walked all the way around the General’s Mansion that he realized the other party’s intentions and stopped suddenly, saying in a heavy voice: “You did this on purpose.”

Yan Mingting turned around and smiled a little: “Yes, it’s good for your health to digest fully after meals.”

After this brisk walk, Zhao Yelan’s body was already a little hot. He turned to go back to the room, but Yan Mingting stopped in front of him and said temptingly: “If you go around again, you will have a long life.”

“Go on, keep talking nonsense.”

“Would I harm you?” Yan Mingting grasped his thin arm. “I’ve figured it out, it’s more difficult for you to walk than to reach the sky, so how about you change it up and run around first?”

Zhao Yelan remained motionless.

“Run slow, I’ll run with you.” Yan Mingting thought for a moment, and added another bargaining chip. “If you run a lap, I will promise you one thing.”

“What thing?”

“It’s up to you. As long as it’s not arson, killing, or looting, anything that doesn’t violate morality is fine.”

Zhao Yelan was silent for a time, pondering the pros and cons, and finally nodded. “All right, it’s a deal.”

Although it was only a lap, the area of the General’s Mansion was not small. Yan Mingting skillfully ran around each corner, and when he finally saw that Zhao Yelan was truly exhausted, he stopped at the gate.

Zhao Yelan leaned back against the post, gasping for breath, his forehead covered with sweat.

Gao Tan had seen them running one after another and also ran all the way with them with ease. He couldn’t help being curious: “My lord, what are you doing?”

“None of your business, go play on your own,” Zhao Yelan said.

Aggrieved, Xiao Gao complained to Housekeeper Qin: “I feel more and more that my lord doesn’t like me anymore. He used to take me with him everywhere, but now that he has the General, he thinks I am in the way.”

Housekeeper Qin comforted him: “Don’t be sad, he is not to blame for this, you really are in the way.”

Gao Tan: “ ? ”

After taking a bath that night, Zhao Yelan smelled himself carefully, only to feel that the stench on his body had disappeared. 

Yan Mingting brought him another bowl of medicine: “The Imperial exam banquet and the Spring Hunt are soon. You must recover as soon as possible to avoid any trouble.”

Zhao Yelan closed his eyes, drank the medicine in one go, and then lay down early to rest. He did not immediately divulge his condition for the run regarding what exactly he wanted Yan Mingting to do, but Yan Mingting knew that he would not let it go, so he must keep it in mind and wait for the day when he would be ordered to do something.

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After Qingming, it was rare to see a few days of clear weather. Zhao Yelan gradually recovered from the cold. 

The Imperial exam banquet was set up at night. Zhao Yelan changed into his official uniform and wore a sachet at his waist.

Yan Mingting sniffed it: “Is it jasmine?”

“A dog’s nose is quite effective.”

“You haven’t worn that sweetgrass sachet for a long time.” Yang Mingting was a little moved after thinking about it. “Are you worried about me sneezing?”

“I dislike you losing face.” Zhao Yelan rolled his eyes at him and got up to walk out the gate, seeing that the group of lieutenants had come. Everyone was joking around with Zhong Yuehong in the crowd.

Zhong Yuehong, who was usually in uniform, now wore an emerald green dress. As soon as she heard the jeering from her brothers, she couldn’t help but want to draw her sword, but when she touched her waist, she could only touch her purse.

“Say, Yuehong is really beautiful today.” When Yan Mingting came out, he was also taken aback for a moment, and then laughed.

“General, even you are making fun of me!”

Zhong Yuehong seldom showed a trace of shyness. She knew very well that she had an ordinary appearance. Even though she was skilled in martial arts, from the bottom of her heart, she was still a little envious of the dresses of those ladies, which were curious and novel.

Today, because the Emperor was hosting a banquet, her mother earnestly told her to change into this fairy dress. No matter how good the clothes were, they would only look good when they were worn.

“How is that making fun? Yuehong, you are really good-looking. It just so happens that all the officials are going to the banquet today, so you just look around and see if there is anyone you like……”

“General!” Zhong Yuehong blushed. “Stop talking nonsense! I don’t want to marry!”

“All right, I won’t say anything.” Yan Mingting got on his horse with a smile and said, “When the time comes, everyone will help to see if there is a man who is suitable for Yuehong. If he refuses, how about carrying him back to the camp and making him the camp husband?”

After speaking, he rode his horse and slipped away first.

Everyone laughed, and Zhong Yuehong got on her horse to chase after him in a fit of embarrassment, the others following suit one after another.

Zhao Yelan sat in the sedan chair and watched the group of people riding horses across the street, young and vigorous, and said: “Let’s go.”

After a while, he heard the unhurried sound of horseshoes next to him, opened a corner of the curtain, and looked at the person and horse outside: “Why are you back again?”

“I was afraid you would be bored by yourself.” Yan Mingting sat on horseback and gazed at him leisurely. “Do you want to ride together?”

This was a busy city. Not to mention how eye-catching the two men riding on a horse would be, their identities were enough to make the common people gossip over dinner, and even more so those officials and ministers.

“Get a move on. Don’t talk to me at the banquet today, I have something to do.” Zhao Yelan lowered the curtain mercilessly.

“Okay, ba.” Although he didn’t know the other’s plans, Yan Mingting was obedient and left quickly.

When the sedan chair arrived at Qionglin Garden, Zhao Yelan got out and immediately saw Yan Mingting and his group standing outside the door arguing and fighting, but they didn’t enter right away, as if they were waiting for someone.

“Zhao-daren is here.” Zhong Yuehong noticed him first, and waved to him.

Zhao Yelan stepped forward unhurriedly: “Why don’t you go in?”

“We’re all waiting for you,” Zhong Yuehong said.

“Okay, since everyone is here, let’s go in first.” After Yan Mingting gave his orders, he walked to the back and said in a whisper: “Sit with me later.”

Zhao Yelan: “I am rank seven.”

The banquet was set up according to rank, and the seventh rank could only be at the outermost periphery. They might not even be able to see the Emperor’s face.

“But you are my family. Those Imperial wives also came, and they sit at the same table as their husbands,” Yan Mingting said with conviction.

Zhao Yelan thought for a moment, but still refused: “It’s easier to deal with things separately. I have to go and meet Ruan Xian for a while.”

It turned out that he would be busy with Yan Mingting’s own affairs. Yan Mingting’s heart skipped a beat and he was almost overwhelmed with emotion, his eyes practically glued to him.

Zhao Yelan walked to his seat, which was next to Ruan Xian’s. They exchanged simple greetings, and after he sat down, he picked up a handkerchief and coughed continuously.

Ruan Xian asked: “Zhao-daren is still not in good health?”

“It’s an old problem, and it won’t get better. The Imperial doctor can’t help me.” After speaking, he coughed twice.

“Why don’t you ask my brother-in-law to come look at it for you, he traveled abroad and saw all kinds of difficult and miscellaneous diseases. My wife’s long-term incurable disease was cured by him,” Ruan Xian said.

“I fear it will delay your business.”

“It is no matter. Anyway, he is idle and has his hands free.” After several rounds of persuasion, Ruan Xian finally brought Zhao Yelan around. He secretly rejoiced, and only hoped that his brother-in-law could cure his illness, which would be considered a bridge between them.

After the matter was settled, the banquet also began. The Emperor and the Empress walked slowly into the scene and took the main seats. They looked down at the officials and conversed politely with everyone for a while, then brought forth the main topic of discussion and ordered the new scholars to come forward and receive their rewards and appointments.

Ruan Xian stretched his neck out curiously, then moved to Zhao Yelan’s side and muttered: “This year’s candidates are getting too much attention. The Emperor personally got official uniforms for them, unlike us last year.”

“Naturally.” Zhao Yelan smiled slightly.

The former Emperor was still alive in the spring of last year, and he didn’t care about the Imperial examination at all. But Zhao Xuan was in urgent need of talents, and couldn’t take it more seriously.

“That Wang Guisheng looks delicate and pretty,” Ruan Xian said. “Zhao-daren, take a quick look, he looks a bit better in an official uniform.”

Urged by him, Zhao Yelan had to raise his head to look, but caught Yan Mingting’s gaze unexpectedly. 

Candlelight illuminated the entire banquet hall, and everyone was scrambling to look at the new scholars who were bathed in grace. Only Yan Mingting looked away. He sat there with a rebellious posture, his facial features enveloped in light. They were obviously hazy and blurred, but it made people feel that his eyes were so clear and vivid.

Zhao Yelan was dazed for a moment and forgot what he was doing. He heard Ruan Xian’s voice faintly ringing in his ears: “How about it, isn’t he quite good-looking?”

“En,” he responded with a grunt, and hurriedly lowered his head to take a sip of tea, thinking that he was sometimes too childish.

After a while, he raised his head again. Before Yan Mingting looked away, he took another sip of tea and simply smiled back.

Yan Mingting’s eyes flickered for a moment, then he turned back abruptly to awkwardly pick up the wine in front of him. His hands trembled and he drank it in one gulp.

“My lord, what are you smiling at?” Ruan Xuan asked in a low voice.

“Nothing.” Zhao Yelan held the teacup in front of him and deliberately suppressed the curve of his mouth, but no matter what, he couldn’t keep it down.

Truly childish.

 

 

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