Dingyuan Hou thought about it seriously for a long time, and finally shook his head and said, "I don't remember. It was quite a rush at the time. After burying your mother, we immediately set off to return to Beijing. I didn't pay attention to such a small detail."
Zhao Jingyu's expectations were dashed. After a moment of stunned silence, he said with a dejected look, "Then do you know what's inside?"
"I don't know. The box is locked and you don't let anyone touch it." said Dingyuan Hou.
"Is that so?" Zhao Jingyu fell silent and walked forward with his head down.
He really had no impression of the little box. If Marquis Dingyuan hadn't mentioned it, he would never have remembered it in his life.
What was in the small box? Could it contain the half jade ring and the other marriage certificate
Is there something extremely precious to my mother
How did he lose it
He is so unfilial.
He was thinking about the small box, so he did not go to Zhiwei Garden for the banquet. He returned to the west wing alone and asked Yiyun to call the first group of servants who served him in the west wing and ask them if they had seen him bring in a small wooden box that year.
The servants said they had no impression, but he was unwilling to give up. He ordered people to search everywhere in the storehouse in the west wing, including his own room. He also asked Yiyun and Caiyun to search it thoroughly, but they found nothing.
This made him very frustrated
Xie Nanjia didn't see him at the banquet, so she went to the west wing to look for him. She saw him leaning on the couch, looking depressed, so she asked him what was wrong.
Zhao Jingyu then told him about the wooden box and blamed himself for being too careless and losing his mother's belongings.
Xie Nanjia also felt very sorry, but it was useless to regret since things had come to this point, so she comforted him gently: "Don't take it too seriously. Everything in the world has a destiny, just like Yunshu who suddenly appeared, and the jade ring that I suddenly found to be unusual. If the wooden box is destined to be with you, it will return to you in an unexpected way one day. If not, it is God's will. It's useless to think too much."
Zhao Jingyu nodded listlessly: "That's what I said, but I still feel a little uncomfortable."
"If you really can't let it go, why don't you take some time for me to accompany you back to the border and look for the house you used to live in. Maybe we can find it!" Xie Nanjia suggested seriously.
Zhao Jingyu smiled, "You've always been smart, why are you so stupid now? Can you just go back from the border? The mountains are high and the waters are long, the journey is dangerous, how could I let you take risks with me just for a box that is almost impossible to find? Even if I am willing, our families will not agree."
"What should I do? You keep thinking about it, and I'm afraid it will become a knot in your heart." Xie Nanjia said.
"No, I've been busy like a dog lately. I don't have time to think about it every day. I'll only think about it for a day or two at most. Don't worry!" Zhao Jingyu comforted her in return.
Xie Nanjia was half-believing and half-doubting, so he changed the subject: "Have you mentioned the matter between the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Nanzhao to the emperor?"
"Yes." Zhao Jingyu said, "The emperor has already made a decision. Song Jingxing and Song Huai will be exiled to Mobei. The Prince of Wei and the Prince of Nanzhao will be executed after the crown prince's enthronement ceremony. The rest of the people in the Prince of Wei's and Nanzhao's mansions will be sentenced at his discretion."
Xie Nanjia listened and didn't say anything for a while. After a while, he slowly said, "The emperor did this for you, right?"
Logically speaking, since the King of Wei and the King of Nanzhao were plotting a rebellion, their families would be implicated. Even if their entire families were not executed, they would still be exiled and forced to serve as slaves. Song Wanji was not a soft-hearted person, but he did such a kind act. The only possibility was that he did not want the enthronement of the new crown prince to be tainted with too much blood. In other words, he wanted to accumulate some blessings for Zhao Jingyu.
"I guess so!" Zhao Jingyu said, "He also planned to grant amnesty to the entire nation, but I didn't agree. I don't want some extremely evil people to be released because of me. This would be irresponsible to the common people."
"Oh!" Xie Nanjia was very surprised and joked, "Your Highness the Crown Prince hasn't even been officially crowned yet, but he's already thinking about the country?"
"I have the world and you in my heart." Zhao Jingyu looked at her seriously.
Xie Nanjia couldn't help but smile, and her heart felt warm, like a spring breeze.
A few days later, Song Wanji ordered the Imperial Astronomical Observatory to select an auspicious day and announced to the world that Zhao Jingyu would be officially canonized as the crown prince at noon that day.
As soon as the news came out, the whole country was jubilant. Officials from all over the country began to prepare congratulatory gifts in full swing. Neighboring countries also prepared generous gifts and sent envoys to Beijing to pay tribute.
Because the scene was grand and there were many spectators, in order to ensure that everything was safe, the emperor gave full responsibility for the security of the inner and outer cities to Xie Zhanting and his son, and ordered the Five Cities Military Department to fully cooperate.
As the day approached, more and more envoys came to the capital, and gifts were sent to the palace in carts full of large and small carts. Song Wanji and Zhao Jingyu held banquets to entertain the envoys almost every day.
As Zhao Jingyu said himself, he was busy like a dog all day long and didn't even have time to meet Xie Nanjia.
Xie Nanjia had nothing to do, and was afraid that he would hurt his body by drinking too much, so she often made some nourishing soups and delicious snacks for Su Jincheng to bring to him.
Because he and Song Wanji usually handle government affairs in the study, Xie Nanjia specially made more portions so that Song Wanji could enjoy it with him.
Every time Song Wanji drank the soup made by Xie Nanjia, he would always express his envy to Zhao Jingyu: "You kid don't know how many lifetimes of virtue you have accumulated to have such a clever and skillful daughter-in-law."
Zhao Jingyu boasted to him proudly: "You should say that Xiu'er must have accumulated virtue for several lifetimes to be able to marry a peerless good man like me."
Unexpectedly, Su Jincheng heard this and told it to Xie Nanjia after returning home. The next day, Xie Nanjia cut off his food supply.
Zhao Jingyu was eagerly waiting for Su Jincheng to come on duty. Seeing that he had nothing in his hands, he asked him why he didn't bring any food today. Su Jincheng said indifferently, "My sister said that the virtues you have accumulated have been used up, and you will not have any more blessings in the future."
"..." Zhao Jingyu was dumbfounded and questioned Su Jincheng, "Did you say something bad about me in front of her?"
"Yes." Su Jincheng admitted frankly.
Zhao Jingyu choked and said depressedly: "You should be thankful that you are my brother-in-law, otherwise I would definitely beat you to a pulp."
Su Jincheng said calmly: "Aren't you afraid that I will tell this to my sister?"
"..." Zhao Jingyu was startled and hurriedly put on a smile to please him. She also picked out a cart full of gifts sent by envoys from various countries and asked him to take it home to give to Xie Nanjia. This shut the brother and sister up and in return the soup was served as usual.
On this day, the father and son were sharing the cordyceps and pigeon soup carefully prepared by Xie Nanjia in the study room, when Si Fangzheng suddenly came in to report that an envoy from the Yuze Kingdom had arrived and was asking for a meeting outside the study room. It was Mu Yuan, the eldest prince of the current King of Yuze.
The current King Yuze is the second son of the old King Yuze. After the old King Yuze passed away, he seized the throne from his brother and became the new King Yuze. His eldest son is actually Zhao Jingyu's cousin.
When Zhao Jingyu heard the three names "Yu Zeguo", his hands trembled and the soup spilled on the table.
Si Fangzheng hurriedly called someone to come and clean up a few cases, and asked the emperor whether he wanted to see him or not.
Song Wanji asked him to bring the person in and asked Zhao Jingyu if he wanted to sit in the inner room.
Zhao Jingyu said no, "I'm still waiting for him to come and greet me!"
After a while, a young man with a sturdy build, thick eyebrows and big eyes, full of the tough aura of a grassland man, followed Si Fangzheng in.
He came in front of Song Wanji, knelt on one knee, folded his hands across his chest and saluted Song Wanji, his voice thick and rough: "Mu Yuan greets His Majesty the Emperor, long live the Emperor!"
Song Wanji sat in the main seat, smiled and nodded, but did not immediately ask him to stand up. He introduced Zhao Jingyu to him: "This is my prince, Zhao Jingyu."
Mu Yuan looked at Zhao Jingyu with his pair of copper-bell-like eyes, as if considering whether to salute him.
Before he came, he heard from his father that Zhao Jingyu was the son of his aunt who was expelled from the royal family. So, he should be his cousin. He was a little reluctant to salute his cousin.
Zhao Jingyu sat quietly, as if he would keep kneeling if he didn't salute.
Song Wanji didn't say anything, and Mu Yuan couldn't keep kneeling. He had no choice but to bow to Zhao Jingyu: "Greetings to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. May you live a thousand years, a thousand years, a thousand years."
Zhao Jingyu imitated Song Wanji and smiled and nodded to him.
Song Wanji then asked him to stand up and told Si Fangzheng to take a seat.
Mu Yuan thanked them for the seat, sat down opposite the two of them, and suddenly sniffed and asked, "What's that smell? It smells so good."
Song Wanji: “…”
Zhao Jingyu: “…”
In order not to appear rude, they had asked someone to put the pigeon soup away in advance. Unexpectedly, Mu Yuan had a sharp nose and could actually smell it.
"It's like this, before the eldest prince came, we were using soup..." Song Wanji explained awkwardly.
"What kind of soup is so delicious? I dare to taste it. People on the grassland are rude, please don't blame me, Your Majesty." Mu Yuan said.
Song Wanji: “…”
Now that you have said this, how can I blame you
At that moment, Song Wanji ordered someone to bring the soup and took out another bowl and chopsticks for Mu Yuan to taste it.
He and Zhao Jingyu both thought that Mu Yuan would at most drink one bowl to try it out, but they didn't expect him to drink three bowls in one breath and eat most of the snacks. He said that he had been traveling non-stop all the way and had not even had a hot meal, and asked His Majesty the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince not to blame him for being rude.
Zhao Jingyu wanted to curse as he looked at the empty clay jar, thinking what kind of person is this? He did something rude and expected others not to blame him for being rude. He was used to plundering on the grassland, so did it seem natural for him to run to other people's homes to steal food
Mu Yuan had a hearty meal and was still not satisfied. He patted his stomach and said, "The Great Zhou is indeed a great country. Even the food is so exquisite and delicious. I really want to bring a cook back to Yuze."
Zhao Jingyu's face darkened immediately upon hearing this, and he said coldly: "Prince, now that you have eaten and drunk enough, please go back to the inn and rest. We still have government affairs to deal with, so I'm sorry I can't keep you company!"
Mu Yuan was startled by his sudden sharp gaze and thought to himself that he didn't say anything excessive, so why was he angry
When Si Fangzheng saw that Zhao Jingyu was about to get angry, he hurried forward and politely asked Mu Yuan to leave.
Mu Yuan came back to his senses and felt quite unhappy. He felt ashamed that he was actually scared by a little cousin.
However, he had just arrived and had a mission assigned by his father, so he had to endure it for the time being and let Si Fangzheng send someone to send him back to the inn.
After resting for most of the day, in the evening, Song Wanji set up a banquet in the palace to entertain envoys from various countries, and sent someone to invite him into the palace.
Mu Yuan was still thinking about the pigeon soup he had in the morning. He thought that since it was a banquet, he would be able to taste such delicious food. However, when all the dishes were served, he did not taste the flavor he was thinking about.
Disappointed, he asked in front of all the guests whether the chef who knew how to make pigeon soup was not on duty tonight.
A minister knew that he had been to the study in the morning, so he smiled and told him that the pigeon soup was not something that ordinary people could drink. It was made by the Crown Princess herself for the Emperor and the Crown Prince.
Mu Yuan's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he blurted out, "Is it the legendary girl with the Phoenix destiny? Can you ask her to come over so we can see her beauty?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the whole hall fell silent.
Before Mu Yuan could understand why everyone suddenly became quiet, a wine glass flew over and hit him right on the nose, causing blood to gushed out instantly.
"Ah!" Mu Yuan screamed and covered his nose, saying in a muffled voice, "Who, who plotted against me?"
"It's me!" Zhao Jingyu slammed the table and stood up, saying coldly, "This time I hit you on the nose. If you dare to disrespect the Crown Princess again, I will make you go back home in a mess!"
(End of this chapter)