Becoming the Emperor’s Greatest Woe - Chapter 53

Chapter 53

 

The official road to Zherou was filled with sand and gravel blown by the fierce wind.

 

The carts laden with silk and herbs moved slowly, now crawling like snails across the ground.

 

It was early summer on the grasslands, but outside the window was a gray expanse devoid of any scenery.

 

However, Jiang Yuxun kept staring out the window, observing the surroundings intently.

 

By noon, the group finally arrived at the borders of Zherou.

 

Tang Yimeng, who was sitting in the same cart as Jiang Yuxun, had slept since they got on and only woke up now.

 

Seeing Jiang Yuxun still gazing out the window, he couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Lord Jiang, what have you been looking at all this way?”

 

He then yawned widely.

 

Jiang Yuxun turned back and smiled at him, saying, “I wanted to see what the environment was like along the way.”

 

Tang Yimeng focused his gaze out the window and recalled, “I really didn’t pay much attention to the scenery. I only remember that the area around the royal court is mostly grasslands and meadows, very convenient for raising horses and herding.”

 

The Zherou royal court was separated from the surrounding cities of the Great Zhou by a long stretch of sandy land.

 

Beyond this sandy area lay the vast Yiyan Grassland, where the Zherou royal court was located.

 

After the wind and sand, the sky was a clear blue, and from where Jiang Yuxun and the others were, they could see the royal court standing at the horizon, with a low mountain behind it.

 

Jiang Yuxun nodded and added, “To the north of the royal court, there’s also a forest. Most of the wood used by the Zherou people to make bows and arrows and to build tents comes from there.”

 

In addition, archaeology in later generations discovered an iron mine near the royal court’s ruins.

 

The establishment of this city was probably closely related to those resources.

 

Once they moved away from the sandy area, the road underfoot became significantly easier to navigate.

 

While they spoke, the cart arrived outside the royal court.

 

Tang Yimeng, who had been here before, immediately lowered his voice: “The Yi people are very fond of the east. Unlike our Great Zhou, which sits north facing south, the Zherou royal court is oriented west to east. Livestock and horses are kept in the outermost circle of the royal city.”

 

At this point, his tone turned serious: “It is said that the walls of the Zherou royal court are extremely sturdy, and one can even sharpen knives against them…”

 

Although the Great Zhou and Zherou were currently on friendly terms, both sides secretly regarded each other as enemy states.

 

As “envoys from enemy states,” they naturally couldn’t roam freely in the royal court, and what Tang Yimeng said had been told to him by Princess Lian Yi, who had lived here for over twenty years.

 

While they were talking, the white rammed earth city walls came into view.

 

Tang Yimeng didn’t know how these walls were built, but modern archaeologists had already found the answer during excavations.

 

The walls before them were made of clay, sand, and lime, with straw and other materials mixed in. They were the earliest surviving examples of “three-in-one” construction.

 

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but take another look through the gap in the window.

 

—

 

Once the cart passed through the city gate, Jiang Yuxun’s ears were filled with noise.

 

The Zherou royal court was bustling with trade, and many people were seen herding cattle and sheep for transactions along the streets.

 

In addition, Jiang Yuxun spotted several shops selling horse bits, reins, and saddles at the street corner.

 

Just as he wanted to take a closer look, he raised his eyes only to see that everyone on the street was staring at them, openly scrutinizing the occupants of the cart.

 

The Zherou people’s carts had no coverings, so they immediately recognized that the owners of the cart were from a foreign land.

 

Jiang Yuxun and Tang Yimeng exchanged glances and quietly lowered the curtains of the cart.

 

With a soft creak, Tang Yimeng lowered his voice and said, “Did you see that, Lord Jiang? Half of the buildings in this city are similar to our Great Zhou’s wooden structures and terraces, while the other half are tents.”

 

Jiang Yuxun suddenly seemed to think of something and said, “It appears that the people of the Zherou royal court are quite easily influenced by the customs of the Great Zhou.”

 

“Yes,” Tang Yimeng replied. “Although Zherou is insular, apart from nomadism and plundering, they sometimes conduct trade with us in private. Many people in the city make a living this way,” he continued, pulling back the curtain slightly to show Jiang Yuxun, “These houses are built by those people imitating us.”

 

“I see…” Jiang Yuxun slowly sat up straighter, his eyes lighting up.

 

This could be easily managed!

 

According to the original plan, “spirits” would soon be introduced to the Zherou border along with the immigrants.

 

Jiang Yuxun had previously worried about whether the alcohol could quickly become popular in Zherou.

 

But now it seemed there would be no problem at all.

 

The city wasn’t large, and soon the cart reached the end of the long street.

 

The sounds of bargaining in the market gradually faded, and suddenly a horn sounded from a distance, reaching Jiang Yuxun’s ears through the cart curtains.

 

Tang Yimeng reminded him quietly, “We’ve arrived.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, the cart came to a slow stop.

 

The strong winds swayed the cart curtains, and the atmosphere suddenly grew tense.

 

The Zherou guards responsible for the city’s defense approached to question them.

 

After a while, the accompanying soldiers were left at the outer perimeter of the royal court, and the cart moved forward again.

 

Accompanied by the mournful sound of the horn, the envoys from the Great Zhou finally stepped a little into the heart of Zherou.

 

—

 

There were no trees planted inside the Zherou royal court.

 

With the yellow sand no longer obstructing their view, the sunlight shone down mercilessly on the land.

 

The Zherou people didn’t care about this “routine diplomatic activity,” which was good for Jiang Yuxun, who was too lazy to deal with people.

 

The open space inside the royal court was quiet, with only a few soldiers waiting there.

 

They were tall, wielding long knives, with sharp and cold gazes.

 

After getting off the cart, Jiang Yuxun looked up at the eagle circling in the sky and walked towards the tent ahead under the soldiers’ watchful eyes.

 

However, just as he took a step forward, he suddenly heard the sound of hurried hoofbeats nearby.

 

“Dede de——”

 

The strong wind blew in from the west, and the gravel and dust on the open ground instantly danced into the air.

 

Jiang Yuxun instinctively turned his head to avoid the dust storm.

 

“Be careful, Lord Jiang!” Tang Yimeng’s voice came from behind him. When Jiang Yuxun turned around, he saw—

 

On the other side of the dust storm, a black-maned stallion was galloping toward him.

 

It seemed there was a person on its back…

 

Jiang Yuxun instinctively wanted to raise his hand to shield himself or let out a scream, but a deep-seated subconscious instinct held him back.

 

The horse was moving too fast; there was no time to evade!

 

Jiang Yuxun’s heart raced wildly.

 

Realizing this, he forced himself not to close his eyes and gritted his teeth, standing still as he looked up at the ghostly black-maned stallion.

 

Ten meters…

 

Five meters…

 

One meter.

 

The hooves were raised high, and the gravel flew wildly.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s heart sank heavily.

 

“Whoa—”

 

Just as the horse was about to trample him, the rider suddenly yanked on the reins, pulling the horse to a stop.

 

After a moment, as the wind and dust settled, more than a dozen horses followed suit and stopped nearby.

 

The rider glanced at Jiang Yuxun, then the group began to chatter excitedly among themselves.

 

They were speaking in the Zherou language, which Jiang Yuxun couldn’t understand at all.

 

But the disdain, disappointment, and contempt in their tone clearly reached Jiang Yuxun’s ears.

 

He could hear mocking laughter from atop the horses.

 

The owner of the fiery horse looked to be only seven or eight years old, with dark skin and sharp features.

 

After laughing, he mumbled a few words in Zherou before urging his horse to gallop away, followed by the laughter of a dozen others.

 

The wind stirred up the dust again, and this time, Jiang Yuxun could no longer hold back his cough.

 

The scene unfolded too quickly; by the time the other envoys reacted, the group had vanished without a trace.

 

Tang Yimeng gritted his teeth and lowered his voice, “That kid is the new king of Zherou. The last time I was here, he couldn’t ride such a tall horse. Now that he can ride… he’s come to intimidate us!”

 

The other envoys chimed in:

 

“He’s just a nominal king, yet he dares to treat our Great Zhou envoys like this.”

 

“That kid is deliberately trying to intimidate us!”

 

“Indeed, all rudeness can be explained away by ‘being too young.’”

 

After saying this, someone glanced nervously at Jiang Yuxun: “Are you okay, Lord Jiang? Why didn’t you dodge just now?”

 

Jiang Yuxun’s heart was still racing.

 

He took a deep breath, gently brushing the dust off his robe.

 

The tension hadn’t yet dissipated; his fingers were still slightly trembling.

 

However, Jiang Yuxun stood tall, his back straight: “He doesn’t dare to kill us; he just wants to see us panicking and fleeing in disgrace. If I had dodged, wouldn’t that have played right into his hands?”

 

If he were truly frightened into a pathetic retreat, the story would spread throughout Zherou within months.

 

Who knows, it might even be recorded in history, allowing others to mock him for thousands of years…

 

Such a thing he could not afford to lose!

 

Furthermore…

 

Once, the era of “Zhou” felt incredibly distant to Jiang Yuxun.

 

However, from the moment he stepped into Zherou, hearing the unfamiliar language, the identity of “Zhou person” suddenly imprinted itself deeply in Jiang Yuxun’s heart.

 

“If I were here alone, I could naturally dodge. But as an envoy representing Great Zhou, how could I run away?” he said softly.

 

“Yes, yes…” The officials beside Jiang Yuxun were momentarily stunned and nodded repeatedly.

 

He brushed the dust off the hem of his azure robe.

 

With a smile, he turned back to the crowd and said, “Let’s go; we shouldn’t keep His Highness waiting.”

 

Before the dust on the open ground had settled, Jiang Yuxun was already spotless.

 

This group of officials were not professional diplomats; they were all subordinates of the Minister of the Imperial Household.

 

Yet at this moment, they suddenly understood the meaning behind Jiang Yuxun’s words.

 

“Yes, Lord Jiang—”

 

There were no welcoming ceremonies in the courtyard of the royal court, only a few scattered soldiers on guard and eagles circling in the sky.

 

But the envoys of Great Zhou stood tall and firm, stepping toward Princess Lian Yi, who had been away from Great Zhou for twenty years.

 

※

 

Before seeing her, they heard her voice.

 

“It’s been over a year since we last met, and Master Tang’s demeanor has become even more composed.”

 

Zherou did not have as many formalities as Great Zhou. After the envoys completed their greetings, Princess Lian Yi, dressed in a red gown, emerged from behind the screen.

 

She first smiled and returned the greeting to everyone, finally setting her gaze on Jiang Yuxun, who looked the most unfamiliar.

 

Princess Lian Yi, slightly curious, asked Tang Yimeng, “Master Tang, who is this beside you?”

 

As she spoke, Jiang Yuxun also raised his eyes to look ahead.

 

Princess Lian Yi was in her early forties but appeared to be in her thirties due to her well-maintained looks.

 

Although she was within the royal court of Zherou, she still wore the attire of Great Zhou.

 

Princess Lian Yi was the aunt of Ying Changchuan.

 

Thinking of this connection, Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but look her over carefully.

 

The princess was tall with striking features… however, aside from their similarly smoky gray eyes, there seemed to be no resemblance between their features.

 

The princess was tall and had striking features… Yet, aside from sharing the same ash-gray eye color, their facial features didn’t seem to bear much resemblance?

 

Upon seeing the newcomer, Tang Yimeng hurried forward to greet her, saying, “Your Highness, this is Jiang Yuxun, Minister of Rites, who also serves as a palace attendant for His Majesty.”

 

Princess Lian Yi couldn’t help but repeat, “Palace attendant?”

 

Her tone held a mix of doubt and a trace of shock.

 

Clearly, word of Ying Changchuan’s “record” of killing three palace attendants had already reached Princess Lian Yi, far away in Zherou.

 

Guessing her confusion, Tang Yimeng quickly explained, “Master Jiang is highly regarded by His Majesty, a true pillar of the Zhou dynasty.”

 

“Anyone favored by His Majesty must be exceptional,” Princess Lian Yi looked at Jiang Yuxun with some surprise, then glanced up at the time of day outside. “It’s getting late. Let’s start lunch first.” She then smiled and invited everyone inside the tent.

 

“Yes, Your Highness.”

 

Unlike in Zhou, the people of Zherou practiced “communal dining.”

 

A maid by Princess Lian Yi’s side led everyone to the back of the tent, where a carpet covered with gold and silver utensils was spread out.

 

After the princess was seated, everyone sat around the carpet with her.

 

They had been delayed on the road, so after a few polite exchanges, they began their lunch.

 

It seemed that Jiang Yuxun was the only one among the envoys who was visiting Zherou for the first time.

 

Worried that he might not know what to do, the maid who accompanied Princess Lian Yi on her journey explained carefully, “Master Jiang, the plate contains cheese. You can soak it directly in the bowl to eat.”

 

“Thank you for the reminder, madam.” Jiang Yuxun nodded quickly.

 

The languages of Zherou and Zhou were not mutually intelligible, and their customs differed greatly.

 

As they ate, Princess Lian Yi laughed, “The people of Zherou eat with their hands. After twenty years, I still can’t get used to it, so I just decided not to follow local customs.” There was a hint of regret in her words.

 

Tang Yimeng quickly responded, “You will always be a princess of Zhou, so your dining customs are naturally unique.”

 

They had also brought strong liquor for the journey, and after speaking, Tang Yimeng called for the wine to be opened and poured for Princess Lian Yi, asking Jiang Yuxun to recount the story behind it.

 

As they spoke, a strong wind blew outside the royal court.

 

After midday, the surroundings no longer seemed as hot.

 

Princess Lian Yi took a small sip, her eyes lighting up as she said, “I have never tasted such a strong liquor.”

 

Then she murmured, “Its fragrance is rich and sweet; it truly is a rare drink.”

 

Jiang Yuxun smiled and told her, “There are many different types of strong liquor. What Your Highness just tasted is only one kind. We brought an entire cartload of strong liquor for Your Highness, so you may try it barrel by barrel in the future.”

 

Before coming, he had heard from Lord Tang that Princess Lian Yi had a cheerful and outgoing personality. Though a foreign woman, she had integrated smoothly into the royal court of Zherou.

 

The Zherou nobility enjoyed feasting and festivities, gathering every few days, and the princess never missed these occasions.

 

The liquor he had prepared wasn’t solely for Princess Lian Yi to drink herself.

 

Rather, it was for her to invite other Zherou nobles and even guests from the Western Regions to taste together.

 

Princess Lian Yi seemed to understand Jiang Yuxun’s intention.

 

After a few moments of silence, she suddenly chuckled lightly, saying, “Master Jiang is very considerate.”

 

Perhaps it was because she had seen an old friend and had a bit of wine.

 

As lunch drew to an end, Princess Lian Yi sighed, “When I first came to Zherou, His Majesty was only three or four years old. In the blink of an eye, so many years have passed… Not only my parents but even all my siblings have passed away.”

 

She paused for a long while, then let out a heavy sigh. “Now, in this world, His Majesty is the only family I have left.”

 

A breeze lifted her long hair, revealing the strands of gray hidden beneath her hairpins.

 

Twenty years had indeed left their mark on her.

 

Perhaps from spending so long in Zherou, Princess Lian Yi’s words were more direct than those of the noble families of the Central Plains.

 

She raised her golden cup, paused, and then suddenly asked, “I’ve always been curious, what does His Majesty look like now?”

 

The next moment, everyone’s gaze fell on Jiang Yuxun in unison.

 

Wait… Why are you all looking at me?

 

Haven’t any of you seen the emperor before?

 

Before Jiang Yuxun could throw the question to someone else, Princess Lian Yi also turned to look at him, saying, “As His Majesty’s palace attendant, Master Jiang must know him best.”

 

Since he had been named, Jiang Yuxun had no choice but to put the cheese in his hand back on the plate. “To answer Your Highness, His Majesty is now—”

 

As a minister who intended to keep his position, Jiang Yuxun naturally wanted to praise Ying Changchuan at this moment.

 

But just as he was about to speak, he found himself at a loss for words.

 

…Damn, this is too hard!

 

With a significant mental block, Jiang Yuxun instinctively glanced back at the tent.

 

Only after confirming that Ying Changchuan would not suddenly appear did he carefully choose his words under everyone’s watchful gaze. “His Majesty now has an extraordinary bearing, mature and composed, calm in the face of any situation.”

 

Heaven knows how hard Jiang Yuxun tried to pick out a few flattering yet not overly exaggerated words.

 

Hearing this, Princess Lian Yi frowned slightly.

 

Jiang Yuxun thought she was dissatisfied with his vague response, but in the next moment, he unexpectedly heard…

 

“Mature and composed…” Princess Lian Yi, having drunk a fair amount, couldn’t help but chuckle. “It really has been twenty years. When I left home, His Majesty didn’t have a hint of steadiness in him.”

 

Jiang Yuxun: “!”

 

Before Lian Yi, the princesses in history who married into foreign lands all lived out their days far from home.

 

Perhaps feeling she would never return to Zhou, Princess Lian Yi spoke without reservation.

 

The other envoys exchanged glances but tacitly refrained from responding.

 

But Jiang Yuxun, after a couple of drinks, couldn’t resist his curiosity.

 

He gripped his wine cup tightly and asked, “Why does Your Highness say so?”

 

Princess Lian Yi took a small sip of the strong liquor and spoke in a slightly raspy voice, “Before coming to Zherou, I had a white cat. His Majesty often came to my courtyard to see it.”

 

…Ying Changchuan showing interest in an animal?

 

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but be puzzled, but thinking about his age back then, it didn’t seem entirely out of the question.

 

“That cat loved eating meat. Usually, I’d let it eat as much as it wanted. But whenever His Majesty came, he’d always tease it with the meat. Just when it was about to bite, he’d lift the meat high, leaving it biting at thin air.”

 

As she recalled the past, Princess Lian Yi’s voice held a hint of unconcealed amusement.

 

Through her words, Jiang Yuxun seemed to be transported back, seeing that scene from twenty years ago.

 

“He got scratched by the cat a few times because of it, even leaving scars, but he never stopped teasing it.” Princess Lian Yi sighed helplessly after speaking.

 

Jiang Yuxun: “?!”

 

Though it sounded absurd, it was indeed something Ying Changchuan would have done in his youth…

 

Seeing his odd expression, the princess couldn’t help but ask, “Does Master Jiang have any doubts?”

 

Jiang Yuxun paused, then casually replied, “To answer Your Highness, I have never seen any scars, hence my surprise.”

 

He thought the conversation would end there, but misunderstanding his words, Princess Lian Yi began to ponder.

 

“Well… It’s been so long, I can’t quite recall where the scars were,” she sighed regretfully, then casually suggested, “If Master Jiang is curious, you could always ask him when you return.”

 

You must be joking—is that something I could ask?!

 

Princess Lian Yi’s suggestion was truly absurd.

 

—She’s probably been away from Zhou so long that she still sees Ying Changchuan as a child, just like before.

 

Not wanting to shatter this notion, Jiang Yuxun quietly griped to himself while giving a polite response, “Yes, Your Highness.”

 

After reminiscing, Princess Lian Yi finished the strong liquor in her hand, chuckling and gently shaking her head. “To love it so much, yet constantly tease a little cat—what else could that be but childishness?”

 

As Tang Yimeng mentioned before their arrival, while the people of Zherou didn’t place much importance on this event, they still kept a close watch on the envoys, giving them no chance to roam freely.

 

It was only around three or four in the afternoon after lunch.

 

Jiang Yuxun and his group were escorted to their accommodations by Zherou soldiers and wouldn’t be able to leave again.

 

With nothing to do and a bit of liquor in him, he could only sleep to pass the time.

 

When he woke, it was deep into the night.

 

The region around the Zherou royal court received very little rain throughout the year.

 

The tents they stayed in were also different from those in Zhou.

 

—For instance, the top had a skylight for ventilation.

 

Tonight was clear, and lying on the bed, he could see the stars scattered across the sky.

 

Jiang Yuxun rubbed his eyes and, unable to resist, began counting the stars through the skylight.

 

“Ah…” he thought to himself, “if only I had a phone right now.”

 

I wonder what Ying Changchuan is doing at the moment?

 

…He’s probably reviewing memorials to the throne.

 

Lying on the bed in a daze, Jiang Yuxun’s mind began to wander.

 

The ancient world had a serious lack of night-time entertainment.

 

If you didn’t sleep, there really wasn’t much else to do.

 

At this thought, Jiang Yuxun’s eyes suddenly lit up, “I get it!”

 

Ying Changchuan sleeps so little, probably just spending the nights on official work to pass the time.

 

—No wonder he went down in history as a workaholic!

 

Though the night was deep over the grasslands, the water clock had only just reached the hour of Xu (7-9 p.m.).

 

In modern times, dinner hour had barely passed.

 

After inspecting the chariots with the Northern General, Ying Changchuan returned to his military tent.

 

Diligent as ever, the memorials had not piled up much.

 

In just the time of an incense stick burning, he had completely dealt with the matters at hand.

 

Seeing this, the soldier standing guard inside the tent finally stepped forward, saluted, and said, “Your Majesty, before leaving, Master Jiang recorded the situation of the county’s military farms. He said that when you had a free moment, you could take a look.”

 

Hearing that familiar name, Ying Changchuan felt a stir in his heart.

 

“Alright.”

 

As soon as he spoke, the soldier presented the booklet with both hands, bringing it before Ying Changchuan. “Please review it, Your Majesty.”

 

The oil lamp in the tent flickered, illuminating the familiar signature of “Jiang” on the cover.

 

Ying Changchuan took the booklet, and the soldier saluted again before stepping back into the corner of the tent.

 

Under the lamplight, Ying Changchuan casually opened the booklet.

 

However, upon seeing the content of the first page, he couldn’t help but furrow his brow.

 

“February 6th, morning—go see His Majesty to retrieve the memorial he has finished approving, and bring it to the Master of Horse.”

 

“February 11th, remember to write and inquire about the distillery.”

 

“February 12th, dinner at Master Zhuang’s house.”

 

The emperor’s fingers paused, and he couldn’t help but turn a few more pages.

 

“Still not dismissed at this hour?”

 

“=-=”

 

“I’m starving…”

 

Seeing this, Ying Changchuan finally couldn’t hold back his laughter.

 

Jiang Yuxun’s desk was piled with booklets, and the soldier, unable to read, had accidentally picked up Jiang Yuxun’s personal schedule, complete with random doodles, and brought it before the emperor.

 

Unlike the orderly writing usually seen on memorials, the words on this paper were not only wild and messy but also missing strokes, making Ying Changchuan squint to decipher what Jiang Yuxun had written.

 

After realizing what the booklet was, Ying Changchuan stopped flipping further.

 

But just as he was about to close it, his eyes unintentionally caught sight of the adjacent page, which was filled with the names of various palace dishes.

 

In his idle moments, Jiang Yuxun hadn’t just recorded his meals each day but had also left notes and marked his likes and dislikes with check marks and crosses.

 

Seeing this, Ying Changchuan paused.

 

… In the end, he couldn’t resist reading it line by line.