Becoming the Emperor’s Greatest Woe - Chapter 59

Chapter 59

The early spring breeze still carried a slight chill.

It stirred the loose strands of hair across his forehead, causing a faint tickling sensation.

Jiang Yuxun raised his eyes to look at Ying Changchuan, and in that instant, their breaths intertwined.

In those ash-gray eyes, he saw his own reflection.

…Ying Changchuan’s gaze seemed somewhat different from usual.

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but be momentarily dazed.

Before he could react, Ying Changchuan suddenly released his hand.

Jiang Yuxun instinctively clutched the booklet in his palm and quickly stepped back two paces.

The wind stopped at that moment, and he couldn’t help glancing at the puddle behind Ying Changchuan.

Involuntarily, he ground the tip of his foot against the grass at the edge of the water.

The camp was unnaturally quiet.

Just as Jiang Yuxun hesitated over whether to say something, Ying Changchuan’s voice suddenly came from beside him: “Wouldn’t it be prudent for you to check if there’s anything missing?”

Jiang Yuxun instinctively wanted to flip through the booklet, but his hand paused on the cover.

Whether or not anything was missing wasn’t the issue…

The real concern was whether Ying Changchuan had already read the contents of the booklet!

He bit his lip and couldn’t help but ask, “Has Your Majesty finished reading it?”

Ying Changchuan raised an eyebrow lightly. “I have not.”

Had he not read it at all, or had he not finished reading?

Jiang Yuxun wanted to ask further but ultimately held himself back.

—Why court even more embarrassment?

Adhering to the principle that not asking meant it hadn’t happened, Jiang Yuxun finally managed to keep his mouth shut.

The camp fell silent once again, with only the faint sound of the wind in Jiang Yuxun’s ears.

Clutching the booklet tightly to his chest, he took a deep breath and feigned calmness as he said, “Then, then may I take my leave?”

“Very well.” Ying Changchuan nodded slightly.

Jiang Yuxun exhaled deeply and immediately turned to leave the camp.

Preoccupied with recalling the contents of the booklet, he wasn’t watching his step and almost walked straight into another puddle nearby.

“Watch your step.”

Ying Changchuan suddenly reached out to steady Jiang Yuxun by the shoulder. By the time he realized it, he had already been gently guided to the other side of the puddle.

The contact was fleeting.

Jiang Yuxun gripped the booklet tightly in his hand. “Thank you, Your Majesty—”

“No need to be so formal, my dear minister.”

Ying Changchuan’s voice, accompanied by a faint chuckle, reached Jiang Yuxun’s ears.

He froze for a moment, then abruptly quickened his pace, fleeing the camp.

—

Jiang Yuxun and his party finally returned to Zhao Capital before the Qingming Festival.

After several spring rains, the Yi River Plain was now lush and green.

Following the journey to the northern lands, everyone was utterly exhausted.

Yet Jiang Yuxun chose not to rest at this time. Instead, he accompanied the Xuanyin Bureau to deliver the hard-won wheat seeds to the Fulin Army camp, entrusting them with the task of spring planting and seed cultivation.

At noon, Jiang Yuxun and others, along with Xue Kejin, who was in charge of agricultural matters, rode out to inspect the fields.

These fields were adjacent to the Fulin Army base, flat and fertile.

Before Jiang Yuxun’s arrival, the soldiers had already begun planting in earnest.

—Wheat diseases and pests often occurred in the damp mid-mountain areas.

The current fields had been carefully chosen for their suitability after weighing various factors.

Riding ahead, Xue Kejin explained to Jiang Yuxun, “The snowfall this winter was nearly double that of previous years, so the soil moisture is better this year as well.”

Jiang Yuxun listened while nodding lightly.

He had spent time learning about wheat cultivation from laborers in the Northern Frontier Army.

—The “soil moisture” Xue Kejin mentioned referred to the soil’s water content.

If the “moisture” was insufficient, overly dry soil would delay wheat germination, thereby affecting its growth and development.

Hearing this, one of the subordinates from the Ministry of Revenue accompanying Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but ask curiously, “How exactly is this ‘moisture’ determined?”

Xue Kejin hesitated, pondering how to explain, when Jiang Yuxun dismounted and walked straight into the field.

He crouched down and touched the freshly turned soil.

His actions startled those behind him. “Sir Jiang, why are you touching it with your hands?”

“It’s fine,” Jiang Yuxun replied with a smile, then turned to show the soil in his hand to those behind him. “The soil is brownish, which is ideal for planting. If it were whitish or gray, it would require immediate watering.”

“Exactly!” Xue Kejin nodded repeatedly, looking at Jiang Yuxun with approval. “Sir Jiang grew up in the south, studying the classics and never working in agriculture. A few months ago, I remember he didn’t know much about farming. Who would’ve thought he’d learn so much now!”

As he spoke, he couldn’t help but marvel, “Truly remarkable youth!”

“General Xue flatters me,” Jiang Yuxun replied humbly, shaking his head in embarrassment. “These are simply things I ought to know.”

Half of the field was still unplanted, but the soldiers had already leveled the land, broken up the clumps, and made the soil soft and fine, loose on the surface but firm below.

Once he confirmed that the seeds could be sown on time, Jiang Yuxun used a silk handkerchief to clean his hands and stood up from the field.

Seeing that the main task was complete, Jiang Yuxun glanced around briefly and then followed Xue Kejin to have lunch at the camp.

Along the path to the Fulin Army camp were a few willow trees.

By now, their branches were budding with tender green leaves, swaying gently in the breeze.

As they neared the camp, Xue Kejin suddenly said, “Your birthday is in a few days. Though court affairs have been busy lately, don’t forget this important day.”

His tone unexpectedly softened, a stark contrast to his burly appearance.

“…My birthday?”

Jiang Yuxun paused, recalling that the original host of his body shared the same lunar birthday as his own: the twelfth day of the third month.

This time, Xue Kejin addressed him as “nephew” rather than “Sir Jiang,” clearly speaking from the perspective of an elder concerned about the younger generation he had watched grow up.

“Yes.”

The original host’s parents and family had all passed away, and most of his acquaintances were far away in Lanzhe.

If Xue Kejin hadn’t mentioned it, Jiang Yuxun might have forgotten entirely.

He smiled faintly and nodded. “Thank you for the reminder, General Xue.”

—

With the spring planting work done, Jiang Yuxun rested for a few days at the estate before returning to work at Xianyou Palace.

By chance, he ran into Xing Zhi, responsible for selling wine, at the palace gate.

Though winemaking had shifted from the Xuanyin Bureau to the Jiang family estate, selling the wine still required periodic coordination with the bureau.

—Since taking on this task, Xing Zhi had become a frequent visitor to Xianyou Palace.

To Jiang Yuxun’s surprise, Xing Zhi’s appearance startled him.

“Xing Gongzi… What happened to your face?”

Opposite him stood a man dressed in elegant emerald green robes, but his face was covered in dust, with bruises at the corners of his eyes and mouth, making him look particularly disheveled.

Xing Zhi instinctively touched the corner of his eye. “Hiss…”

He quickly withdrew his hand, bowed deeply to Jiang Yuxun, and gritted his teeth. “To tell the truth, these injuries… were from a beating. Alas, it’s truly laughable.”

“A beating?” Jiang Yuxun instantly grew concerned. “What happened?”

Walking alongside Jiang Yuxun toward the Xuanyin Bureau’s quarters, Xing Zhi spoke with great resentment, “Word has spread in Zhao Capital that I made a fortune by selling strong liquor. Added to my usual flamboyant ways, I ended up targeted by some scoundrels.”

He hissed again as if the pain was unbearable. “Ah, the ancients were right: never flaunt your wealth.”

Recently, Xing Zhi had sold a jar of freshly brewed rice wine at an exorbitant price under his father’s name.

Not only did this further boost the reputation of strong liquor, but he also made a substantial profit himself.

Unexpectedly, this made him the target of certain individuals.

Jiang Yuxun nodded lightly, patiently listening to Xing Zhi’s account.

“That night, while walking home late from a tavern, I was dragged into the woods and beaten!” Xing Zhi gritted his teeth. “Not only did they take my silver, but they also stole my hairpin and jade pendant.”

His exaggerated expressions inadvertently pulled at his injuries, causing him to grimace again.

The “home” Xing Zhi referred to wasn’t the family’s main residence but a Jiang estate in the suburbs of Zhao Capital.

Jiang Yuxun was taken aback by Xing Zhi’s words. “What happened afterward?”

“Thankfully, there were sentries,” Xing Zhi said, smiling at last. “My shouting was loud enough to draw the soldiers from the sentry post, who subdued the culprits on the spot.”

Jiang Yuxun nodded slightly in response.

Xing Zhi, still shaken, added, “If not for the timely arrival of the soldiers, I fear I’d have suffered far worse injuries.”

The ruffians had taken Xing Zhi for an ordinary playboy and had not only robbed him but also attacked him viciously.

Hearing this, Jiang Yuxun finally sighed in relief alongside him. “That’s truly fortunate.”

The “sentry posts” had originally been proposed and established to prevent banditry during the southern tour.

After Jiang Yuxun was attacked near Zhao Capital, hundreds of such posts had been set up along both banks of the Yi River.

Jiang Yuxun hadn’t expected the posts around Zhao Capital to prove effective so quickly.

“Where are those ruffians you mentioned now?” he asked Xing Zhi.

Relieved at having his revenge, Xing Zhi smiled and bowed. “They’ve been taken to the Xuanyin Bureau’s quarters.”

Finally, he winced in pain again.

The “Zhou Code” was strict; even if not handed over to the Xuanyin Bureau, the ruffians would undoubtedly face punishment through hard labor or exile.

“Aside from the injury on your face, are the others serious?” As they walked, Jiang Yuxun asked Xing Zhi while entering the Xuan Yin Bureau’s premises.

“Thank you for your concern, Lord Jiang,” Xing Zhi replied nervously, “I was beaten and rolled on the ground a few times, during which my left arm also sustained some injuries, but it has mostly recovered now.”

“That’s good,” Jiang Yuxun shared his advice casually, “Next time, it’s better to take more people with you when you go out.”

“Lord Jiang is absolutely right!”

As soon as Xing Zhi finished speaking, the two stepped into the Xuan Yin Bureau.

To Jiang Yuxun’s slight surprise, Zhuang Youli was also there.

The moment Zhuang Youli saw Jiang Yuxun arrive, he immediately stood up from under a tree. “Ah Xun! You’re finally back.”

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Yuxun asked, somewhat puzzled by Zhuang Youli’s excitement. “Were you looking for me?”

Before Zhuang Youli could respond, several others sitting under the tree chimed in, “Young Master Zhuang wants to hear about Lord Jiang’s experiences in Zherou.”

“Yes, yes!” Zhuang Youli’s eyes sparkled. “How did you uncover the Zherou King’s schemes, Ah Xun?”

Although Zhuang Youli hadn’t accompanied Jiang Yuxun to Zherou, he’d heard various accounts of what had happened there over the past few days.

—The stories had been retold several times, and many details had become blurred.

So, Zhuang Youli took advantage of his free time to visit the Xuan Yin Bureau, hoping to get a detailed account.

To his surprise, he ran into Jiang Yuxun, who had just returned from the Fulín military camp.

Jiang Yuxun sat down under the tree with Zhuang Youli.

The next moment, all eyes were on Jiang Yuxun.

Seeing this, Jiang Yuxun raised an eyebrow. “Do you really want to hear it?”

“Of course!” they all exclaimed in unison.

A moment later, one of the bureau members handed a plate of dried fruit to Jiang Yuxun.

Even Xing Zhi, bruised and battered, joined the crowd.

—This was absurd!

—

The Xuan Yin Bureau hadn’t accompanied the emissaries to Zherou, so they knew little about what had transpired.

That afternoon, everyone gathered around as Jiang Yuxun recounted his experiences in Zherou in vivid detail.

Only when the sun set did they reluctantly let him go.

Jiang Yuxun and Zhuang Youli then walked together toward the other side of the Xiangyou Palace.

The evening breeze skimmed across the lake, carrying a hint of warmth in the air.

Jiang Yuxun unconsciously paused to listen to the birds chirping in the mountain streams.

After a while, Zhuang Youli let out a soft sigh. “If I’d known Zherou would be so interesting, I would’ve tried to go with you.”

He seemed to have grown taller since the last time they met, but his youthful demeanor remained unchanged.

Jiang Yuxun stretched lazily and replied, “Zherou wasn’t all that exciting, to be honest. Most of the time, we were confined to the tents, unable to go out. If it weren’t for official duties, I’d much rather have stayed in Zhao Du and rested properly.”

Zhuang Youli shook his head lightly. After spending the entire afternoon listening to the stories, he couldn’t help but exclaim, “You’re a hero of the Great Zhou now!”

His exaggerated tone startled Jiang Yuxun. “Cough, cough… Stop! I can’t bear such a title.”

“Someday, if I could become a hero like you or His Majesty,” Zhuang Youli suddenly looked skyward, his voice filled with longing, “I’d finally stop being afraid of my mother!”

Jiang Yuxun: …

I knew it.

The Xiangyou Palace wasn’t very large, so it didn’t take long for the two to reach the front of the Liuyun Hall.

As Jiang Yuxun was about to enter the hall, Zhuang Youli called out to him.

Taking advantage of the night, he tugged Jiang Yuxun’s sleeve and lowered his voice. “By the way, while you were away from Zhao Du, I learned something.”

His expression was unusually serious, as if he was about to reveal something significant.

Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but feel nervous as well. “What is it?”

“Do you remember the Shuiyue Tower?” Zhuang Youli asked, glancing over Jiang Yuxun’s shoulder to ensure no one from the Xuan Yin Bureau was eavesdropping. “We were blocked at the entrance back then.”

Recalling that day, Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but mutter, “…I wouldn’t forget it even as a ghost.”

Zhuang Youli: ?!

He silently took a step back, creating some distance between himself and Jiang Yuxun, who now seemed slightly unhinged.

After ensuring he was safe, Zhuang Youli continued, “I recently heard during a gathering that you don’t actually need an invitation to enter the Shuiyue Tower. You can just walk in!”

The burly man from that day had left a significant psychological shadow on Jiang Yuxun. “Is that true?”

“Absolutely!” Zhuang Youli nodded vigorously. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Xing Zhi. He definitely knows about it.”

“Alright…” Jiang Yuxun replied with some difficulty.

Zhuang Youli had no reason to lie about this.

But if no invitation was required to enter the Shuiyue Tower, then what exactly had happened that day?

Jiang Yuxun wanted to ask Zhuang Youli more about it, but before he could, Eunuch Sang appeared in the distance, greeting him from afar.

Seeing this, he exchanged a look with Zhuang Youli before parting ways in a hurry.

—

After a brief exchange with Eunuch Sang, Jiang Yuxun returned to the rear hall.

By now, night had fallen, and the corridors were unlit, shrouding everything in darkness.

Jiang Yuxun pushed open the hall door gently and groped his way toward the copper lamp in the corner of the room.

It had been a while since he’d stayed there, and the room’s layout felt unfamiliar.

Before he could reach the lamp, he accidentally stubbed his foot on a low wooden table.

“Hiss—” Jiang Yuxun gasped sharply, instinctively bending over to clutch his ankle while straining to hear if there was any movement next door.

When he entered earlier, he hadn’t noticed whether there were lights in the adjoining room.

…Was Ying Changchuan in the next room or not?

Holding his breath, Jiang Yuxun silently counted to ten where he stood.

Once certain that there was no sound from the other side, he cautiously straightened up.

But fate has a way of defying expectations.

Just as he was about to reposition the wooden table and light the lamp, a familiar voice pierced through the thin wall and reached Jiang Yuxun’s ears. “Why is my beloved minister only now leaving the Xuan Yin Bureau?”

Every movement within the Xiangyou Palace was within Ying Changchuan’s grasp, including Jiang Yuxun’s.

…By now, he was used to it, so he wasn’t surprised in the slightest.

“To answer Your Majesty, I was recounting the events in Zherou to Zhuang Youli and the others,” Jiang Yuxun replied while tiptoeing to the copper lamp and lighting it.

The room instantly brightened.

Candlelight flickered softly, illuminating the plush tapestries.

Taking advantage of the fact that Ying Changchuan couldn’t see him, Jiang Yuxun changed into more comfortable attire, then quietly lay down on the couch, burying his face in the blanket for a deep inhale.

—The blanket had been aired out that afternoon, carrying a faint, warm fragrance.

Tsk, Eunuch Sang is surprisingly thoughtful.

“Zherou?” Ying Changchuan seemed intrigued. “What did you see in Zherou?”

“The young king of Zherou,” Jiang Yuxun replied, now lying on his side but feeling no drowsiness. “Arrogant, rude, and utterly lacking the demeanor of a king.” His tone was full of disdain.

On the other side of the wall, Ying Changchuan set down the memorial he was reading and listened quietly.

At the same time, he reached out to gently touch a peony flower that had passed its bloom.

—Tang Yimeng’s report detailed the events in Zherou thoroughly, including the Zherou King’s attempt to lure the Zhou soldiers into an illusory realm.

But Ying Changchuan wanted to hear it from Jiang Yuxun himself.

“Were you not afraid of him?”

Afraid? How could I be afraid of a brat?

“Of course not,” Jiang Yuxun’s eyes widened as he replied, “The young king of Zherou is nothing but bluster. The moment I exposed his schemes and mentioned the ‘Three Kings of Zherou,’ he immediately backed down.”

If he wasn’t mistaken, the boy had even trembled twice on his horse.

From midwinter to early spring, ever since leaving Zhao Du for the northern territories, Jiang Yuxun had grown accustomed to chatting with Ying Changchuan through the wall from time to time.

When he got to the exciting parts, Jiang Yuxun couldn’t help but sit up on his bed.

“How do you know?”

Ying Changchuan didn’t believe him?

Hugging his knees, Jiang Yuxun recounted, “I saw it with my own eyes… Your Majesty wouldn’t know, but after we returned to the royal court, it was another two or three incense sticks’ time before the Zherou King finally came back, looking completely different from his previously arrogant self.”

Recalling this, his tone grew more animated.

Although Jiang Yuxun knew Tang Yimeng had submitted a report, he hadn’t read its contents.

So he added, “When we first met, the Zherou King tried to intimidate me. He charged toward the royal court entrance on horseback, his horse’s hooves lifting high, stopping just this close to where I was standing—”

Jiang Yuxun unconsciously gestured as he spoke.

Then, pausing, he realized Ying Changchuan couldn’t see his hand movements from the other room.

“About two feet away,” Jiang Yuxun clarified.

After speaking, he clenched his fist tightly.

Jiang Yuxun had been hit by a brat and transported to ancient times.

Thinking of this, he felt a surge of indignation.

In the Liuyun Hall’s front hall, Ying Changchuan absentmindedly picked up flower shears and began trimming the peony’s leaves.

Jiang Yuxun’s voice carried through the thin wall, crystal clear: “The young king of Zherou barely reached my elbow in height, yet he dared to ride such a fierce horse. His overconfidence is astonishing.”

After a brief silence, he bit his words with frustration.

Ying Changchuan couldn’t help but chuckle along with him.

Perhaps it was too early for sleep, or perhaps Jiang Yuxun’s need to vent about that brat was overwhelming; either way, he talked a lot that night.

A cup of tea’s time later, Ying Changchuan suddenly set down the flower shears.

Fixing his gaze on the wall, he casually remarked, “Why don’t you come over and tell me in person?”

The emperor’s tone was as composed as always.

Yet, as he spoke, his fingers unintentionally landed on a flower stem.

Before he realized it, he had crushed a petal in his hand.

The emperor frowned and let the mangled flower drop.

Jiang Yuxun: …

This—this didn’t seem appropriate.

An unfamiliar sense of unease crept into Jiang Yuxun’s heart.

Logically, Jiang Yuxun should have maintained proper boundaries and politely declined Ying Changchuan’s suggestion.

But he couldn’t bring himself to refuse.

Still caught up in the excitement of his storytelling, Jiang Yuxun instinctively clutched the pillow in his arms and agreed with surprising ease, “Alright.”

—Hopeless!

—

The spring night had lost its chill.

A lone shadow appeared on the window lattice of the Liuyun Hall’s front chamber.

Jiang Yuxun hesitated for a while before cautiously pushing the hall door open a crack.

The next moment, he peeked his head through the gap, glancing nervously into the room.

The spring breeze slipped through the door, causing the lamplight in the back chamber to flicker slightly with a faint creak.

His half-loose hair fell from his shoulder, slipping into the slightly open collar of his robe.

The Liuyun Hall was eerily quiet.

Jiang Yuxun hesitated, then softly called out, “Your Majesty?”

As he spoke, he bit his lip nervously and looked toward Ying Changchuan.

Their gazes met at that moment.

The candlelight reflected in his dark pupils wavered slightly.

Ying Changchuan’s heartbeat seemed to soften in that instant under Jiang Yuxun’s gaze.

The hair framing his temples glimmered warmly under the lamplight.

Unbidden, Ying Changchuan recalled their reunion amidst the northern deserts and yellow sands.