Zijin replied: "The legitimate daughter of Prince Huai, Princess Jingtan." After their last separation, she insisted on returning to Huaizhou, but now she suddenly appeared in the imperial capital.
For some reason, he had a bad feeling in his heart.
"The princess you are engaged to?" Xia Yue asked again.
He laughed: "I am not engaged to her."
After saying this, he restrained his expression and sighed: "In fact, Jingtan is also a pitiful person."
It was almost sunset when they arrived at Yunjian Temple to meet King Liang.
Yunjian Temple is named after the Yunjian Peak next to it, and the sound of the waterfall from Yunjian Peak can also be heard in the temple.
There is a row of dormitories in the backyard of the temple for lay Buddhists and pilgrims to stay temporarily.
Xia Yueru stayed quietly in the room where she was placed as she did in Zhou's house, writing medical records as soon as she arrived at the temple, and did not dare to disturb Zijin and King Liang. She knew that although Zijin spoke calmly in front of her, it would be difficult for him to escape from the imperial capital with his men.
The sun was setting and there was no ready-made light in the dormitory, so she put down her pen and wanted to go find the young master outside to borrow a lamp.
Xia Yue stood in front of the house and felt the sound of the waterfall was very loud, but she didn't know where the waterfall was. The young monk who was cleaning the yard saw Xia Yue's curiosity and enthusiastically introduced: "The stream in front of our temple is very beautiful, you can go and have a look." They had just entered Yunjian Temple from the back, so they didn't see the scenery in front of the front door.
Xia Yue passed by the guest room next door and saw Zi Jin still talking with King Liang, so she pointed outside the gate to Zi Jin from a distance.
Zi Jin guessed that she was going to see the waterfall, and nodded and agreed with a smile.
Upon seeing this, King Liang asked Zi Jin, "Why didn't you send the girl from the Min family to a safe place first?" Although their trip to negotiate was not dangerous, the future was uncertain. Since Wei Shangrui was able to capture Min Xiayue the first time, he knew that she was their weak point, and there would inevitably be no second time.
Zijin explained: "I want to stay with her, as close as possible. Rather than letting her go somewhere else, it's better for her to stay by my side so that I can protect her. But tomorrow's situation is special, I really can't take her with me, so I have to entrust her to Uncle Six first."
King Liang did not persuade him much: "How do you plan for tomorrow?"
"Chu Qin will contact Uncle Nine's people tomorrow morning. After I have negotiated with him, Uncle Six can be summoned to the capital to meet the emperor to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
"No." King Liang waved his hand, "Ran Yu, you don't know that Wei Shangrui is a man of meticulous mind and has a sharp tongue but a sharp heart. I'm afraid you can't handle him. I must accompany you."
Zi Jin disagreed: "If Sixth Uncle goes with me, and if Nineth Uncle really changes, then we will have no way out, not to mention that Sixth Uncle has to take care of Xia Yue for me. Apart from Sixth Uncle, I really can't find another person."
King Liang sighed and stopped arguing.
Zi Jin hesitated and said, "I met another person in the city today. I need Uncle Six to send someone to investigate him thoroughly."
"who?"
"Wei Jingtan."
"How come she is here?" King Liang was slightly surprised.
"I don't understand that either."
King Liang wondered, "Could it be that she failed to ask you for help, so she came to ask Wei Shangrui for help?"
Zijin thought thoughtfully: "I hope that's all."
When Xia Yue walked out of the temple gate, she heard the sound of flowing water suddenly increase, followed by a kind of dampness that hit her face. She followed the sound of water and walked around a small path. After turning the corner, she didn't have time to think about it before she was stunned by the scenery in her eyes.
A huge torrent of water came from nowhere and rushed down from the top of the mountain. The water fell down the cliff several dozen feet high. She slowly moved closer and finally stood on a protruding rock. The rock was exactly halfway up the waterfall.
The splashing water droplets were set off by the afterglow of the setting sun. Although there was no rainbow, the sparkling and leaping were very fascinating.
She only stood there for a while before she was wrapped in the thick mist and her whole body seemed to be wet, but she felt very comfortable.
She didn't know when Zi Jin had come behind her.
He reached out to cover her eyes, lowered his head and whispered in her ear: "Close your eyes."
She closed her eyes obediently.
Wet steam filled the air, and because I couldn't see, the sound of the waterfall became even more deafening. The exciting sound of the water seemed to wash over my heart, and my whole body was washed clean.
She moved his hand away, revealing her eyes, and smiled back, saying, "Listen, this voice is really..."
Halfway through her words, Xia Yue's voice suddenly stopped and she spoke out of turn.
He raised his eyebrows nonchalantly and said, "I've heard of it. It must be the same as before. It won't change."
Xia Yue smiled when she heard that, stretched out her fingers and pinched his face hard.
He frowned: "You bully me."
"What's wrong with bullying you?" Xia Yue smiled.
"Then I will definitely get it back with interest." Zi Jin replied.
When he said this, his eyes, as clear as a mountain spring, locked onto Xia Yue firmly, almost capturing her heart. Then, he lifted Xia Yue's chin with his hand, leaned down, and kissed her without hesitation.
This time was different from the previous times. His kiss was very passionate, but after successfully prying her lips open, he was a little stiff and disorganized.
Xia Yue was forced to retreat by him, but he pushed forward again, finally trapping her in the narrow gap between him and the stone wall.
She had nowhere to retreat and could only press her back against the wet stone wall.
Because the stone wall was right next to the waterfall and had trickles of mountain spring water seeping out of it, it was cold, damp, and prickly.
When he realized it, he quickly hugged her to his chest and switched the two of them.
This action interrupted the kiss, and she hurriedly buried her face in his arms, while subconsciously putting her arms around his waist.
He himself was confused and did not continue, but just let her hug him like this.
The two people maintained this posture for a long time without speaking.
Xia Yue put her ear against his chest, listening to the violently beating rhythm inside, and her heart suddenly softened beyond all meaning.
She took back her right hand and slowly wrote a few words on his chest with the tip of her index finger.
After she finished writing, he did not answer, but grabbed her hand and used her fingertips to write another sentence on the chest where she had just left the words.
She wrote: Start by tying your hair.
He replied: Until I am old.
These were the words he had carved on the desk that year.
three
The next day, Zi Jin received a reply from Chu Qin.
"Where did he ask you to meet?" Xia Yue asked.
"A tavern east of the Imperial Capital Road."
Xia Yue's expression changed slightly: "Is it not far from the Black Cliff?"
Zijin checked the blueprint in his hand: "Not bad."
Xia Yue paused and asked in surprise: "Why did you choose that place?"
"If Uncle Jiu wants to show his sincerity, he will naturally not choose to stay in the imperial capital or the imperial palace. That would be disadvantageous to me. Chu Qin has already checked it out. This inn is very busy and is located on the only way from the east to the capital. It is perfect for the occasion."
She looked at the map unfolded on the table and said hesitantly, "I've been to this store with him before." It was obvious who the "he" she was referring to was.
At that time, because she didn't plan to tell him about the pain she felt that night, she deliberately concealed this experience.
After hearing this, he did not curiously ask about the cause and effect of this sentence, but unexpectedly asked: "How do you think the food and wine taste after eating it?"
"Not very good." She shook her head.
"Should I suggest changing to another one?"
Xia Yue laughed, and then said angrily: "I'm talking to you about serious matters."
Before leaving, Xia Yue grabbed his reins and reminded him once again: "I said that if you die, I will not live alone." She did not insist on going with him. She understood that if she went, she might hold him back and restrict his actions.
What's more, she felt that there was no need to meet Wei Shangrui again.
Zi Jin, riding on the horse, nodded.
She ordered him dissatisfiedly: "Speak to me with your mouth."
He smiled: "Wait until I come back."
After leaving Yunjian Peak, the group rode their horses eastward and arrived at the inn just in time.
Chu Qin, who was lurking not far from the inn, secretly nodded slightly at Zi Jin.
Zi Jin received the signal and took Chu Zhong straight into the inn's door.
Yao Chuang came forward and recognized Zi Jin at a glance, and whispered, "Mr. Min, please follow me. My master has just arrived."
At this moment, Shang Rui, wearing casual clothes, was standing in front of the window of the private room he had stayed in last time, looking at the mountain view outside. He turned around after hearing Yao Chuang knock on the door.
When he and Zijin met, they were both stunned.
Chu Zhong and Yao Chuang both stayed outside. After closing the door, only Shang Rui and Zi Jin were left in the private room.
Zi Jin looked at the person in front of him silently without saying a word.
It was this person who caused him to lose his fortune at a young age, his family to be destroyed, and he became disabled. It was also this person who made the entire Yu family hide and hide, causing Xia Yue to wander and feel uneasy until now.
Even if all this was not Wei Shangrui's original intention, it was still caused by him.
It's easy to say that all grudges can be forgotten with a smile, but at this moment Zi Jin's heart is inevitably complicated and unbearable.
The first to break the silence was Shang Rui. He called out calmly, "Yu'er," with no emotion in his eyes. "You and I haven't seen each other for more than ten years."
Zijin lowered his eyes.
After Shang Rui sat down, he pointed to the round table and motioned Zi Jin to sit down.
Zi Jin lifted his coat and sat down, saying, "The last time we met was probably when Uncle Jiu saved my life from the pond."
Shang Rui poured him a cup of tea without commenting, and smiled faintly after a moment: "When you were little, you were the most obedient child in the palace, unlike the ones in your eldest brother's family, who were so annoying that even dogs hated them. So the late emperor loved you the most."
Zi Jin continued, "Ran Yu is unfilial and has never kowtowed in front of Grandpa Huang's mausoleum."
The reason behind this is well known to both parties.
Shang Rui said: "Someday, you can also go to Beiling to pay homage to him."
At this point, Shang Rui simply got straight to the point and opened the ebony box that he had prepared on the table. There were several papers in the box. He picked up the top one and handed it to Zi Jin, saying, "This is the posthumous title given to your father, the king, and your mother, the empress. I owe them. Below are several honorific titles that I asked someone to draft. As their son, you can choose the one that suits you best. Once it's ready, I'll announce it to the world along with your title."
"Thank you, Uncle Jiu." Zi Jin took it. When he stretched out his hand, a faint breath drifted out from his sleeves with his movement.
The smell was very faint, just a wisp of it, suspended in the air, exactly the same as what Shang Rui smelled from Xia Yue when he first met her. When he was close to her, it entered his nose without him having to smell it, but when he deliberately smelled it again, he felt that it had no fragrance, but was pure, ancient, and quiet, and it was completely unlike what ordinary women were used to.
Now that he thought about it, they even used the same perfume on their bodies. Shang Rui became inexplicably irritated.
After Zi Jin finished reading the memorial he had written, Shang Rui said, "The posthumous title also involves moving the tomb, which is very complicated. Once the Imperial Observatory sets a date, we can make a long-term plan..."
Shang Rui paused for a moment. From the moment he said the first word, he felt that something was wrong with Zi Jin, but he didn't notice the clue until now. Whenever he opened his mouth, Zi Jin would stare at him non-stop. Because not many people dared to look him in the eye, he was particularly sensitive to this. He thought of the secret reports and Xia Yue's obsession with Li Ji to treat her illness, and then he was sure that he really had an ear disease, and it was not a trick to deliberately lower people's guard to cover up his tracks.
Thinking of this, Shang Rui couldn't help but sigh: "You have suffered a lot outside these years. I neglected it."
Zi Jin knew what he meant, but he couldn't take it. How could he answer? Say that it was all thanks to him? Vent his anger or beg for mercy politely? The former was unnecessary, and as for the latter, he couldn't do it.
So he avoided the question and went on to the previous topic, saying: "I know that the matter of moving my father's tomb involves many things and cannot be rushed. Thank you very much, Uncle Jiu, for your kindness. If my father and grandfather knew about it, they would rest in peace." The words were a thank you, but the tone was not humble.
After saying this, Zi Jin picked up the teacup and took a sip calmly.
Shang Rui saw his movements and asked, "Aren't you afraid that I will poison you?"
Zi Jin said: "Uncle Jiu is a man of integrity, he is definitely not such a mean person."
Shang Rui smiled lightly. Yu Ranyu was indeed smart. It was not difficult to kill him now, but how to deal with the aftermath after killing him? Not to mention the soldiers who surrendered from the Huai King's tent, not to mention the people's hearts, I'm afraid he wouldn't even be able to pass that test. Comparing the two, it's better to keep him.
Shang Rui added, "You don't have to give up the land in Yunzhong. I've thought about giving it to you as a fief for King Ping of Yan. You and King Liang can look after each other in the future."
The topic turned to King Liang, and Zi Jin said, "I hope Uncle Jiu will show some mercy on King Liang's matter."
"You don't have to tell me that I would never equate him with the Huai Wang party. But you can still excuse him for watching the fire from the other side of the river and then sending troops privately. As for him, I am the king and he is the minister, but he openly disobeys me, and his crime is unforgivable." He said this lightly, but it revealed a sharp and murderous aura.
After a short pause, he changed the subject and continued, "However, apart from being a monarch and a subject, he and I are still brothers. I think he was eager to protect you, so he resorted to such a bad idea. I will fine him three years' salary and tell him to take care of himself."
"Then I, nephew, would like to thank Uncle Jiu for leniency on behalf of King Liang." Zi Jin knew that Wei Shangrui's words were not meant to punish King Liang but to warn him. He just wanted him to understand that although he was posthumously conferred the title of Xianchu and was rectified, if he had any other intentions in the future, he could change his mind with a flick of his hand.
The two people seemed to be talking calmly, but there were underlying waves.
Shang Rui faintly smelled Zi Jin's scent again, and the irritability in his heart began to stir again.
He got up from his seat impatiently, walked to the window and pushed it open a little, but he caught a glimpse of the soft couch in the corner out of the corner of his eyes.
Same room, same bed.
He was lying there, unconscious.
She takes care of him.
Almost killed him too.
Shang Rui regained his consciousness, turned around and looked at Zi Jin calmly, and said, "And Yu Sheng."
Zi Jin bent his fingers slightly, waiting for his next words.
"The Queen Mother once demoted him from his post and issued an order for his arrest. I checked before and found that the arrest order is still registered in the Court of Justice. Now he and his wife have died unjustly despite their crimes. I am worried."
As he spoke, he walked back and took out the decree that was at the bottom of the box.
"I heard that he adopted you as his son and raised you to adulthood, which makes me very happy. The court cleared his name for one thing, and he only has one daughter, named Zhaoyang. I want to adopt her as my adopted daughter, and treat her as your sister in the future. I want to include her in the Wei family's jade book. I have already written the decree. According to the previous order of the jade book, she will be named Princess Yanning. Take a look."
Shang Rui put one hand behind his back and handed the imperial edict to Zi Jin with the other hand.
Zi Jin glanced at Shang Rui's hand but refused to take it.
He knew that this journey would not be easy, and he also expected that Wei Shangrui would not let Xia Yue go easily, but he did not expect that he would do this. If Xia Yue was included in the imperial book and became his father's legitimate daughter, she would become his real sister. Although cousins and uncles and nieces could marry each other in the David Dynasty, it was absolutely impossible for brothers and sisters or sisters to marry each other.
Shang Rui raised his eyebrows slightly: "I heard that Yu Sheng treats you like his own son. How can I not repay such a great favor?"
Zijin didn't answer or move.
The two people were at a stalemate.
One person handed over the imperial edict, but the other person refused to take it.
Zi Jin clenched the hand under the table into a fist.
If he accepted it, how would his life obsession end
If he didn't accept it, Wei Shangrui would be furious, and the people of the Southern Region, King Liang... the consequences would be disastrous.
Shang Rui's eyes were sharp, and he called out calmly, "Yu'er."
At this time, Zi Jin stood up from the stool, took a few steps back, lifted up his robe, knelt on his knees and said: "Your Majesty, please take back your order."
Shang Rui had a hint of sarcasm on his face: "Which destiny did King Yan Ping refer to?"
Zi Jin knew that he said this on purpose, so he bent down and put his head on the cold ground. After knocking his forehead hard, he stood up and said, "I want to marry Yu Zhaoyang, the daughter of Yu Sheng. I hope the emperor will grant my wish."
Shang Rui became even more furious when he heard the word "marry", but he smiled and said, "You didn't kneel or bow when you saw me, and you didn't kneel or bow when I granted you grace. Now you have come to your senses."
Zi Jin ignored his ridicule, kowtowed again, and repeated: "I hope the emperor will grant it."