Sui Sui never expected that the villa of the King of Qi would be so desolate.
The garden covers a large area, about half the size of a block. However, it has been uninhabited for a long time and no one has taken good care of it. Grass and trees have grown randomly, and the weeds are half a person tall, almost covering the road.
The dilapidated pavilions and terraces are hidden among the yellow leaves, looking indescribably desolate and bleak.
Even in broad daylight, as soon as I walked into the garden, I felt a chill on my back.
She even believed it was a haunted house.
Chunjo's eyes widened, and he blurted out: "This... Is this place habitable?"
She then realized that she had said something wrong: "That's not what I meant, please don't be offended, old man."
Uncle Fu was also a little embarrassed and touched the back of his head: "No one has lived in this garden for some time."
He led them inside, introducing the origin of the garden: "This mountain and pond garden was originally the manor of Princess Shou'an during the reign of Emperor Shizong. Our prince made great military achievements at the border, and His Majesty was very pleased and specially rewarded it. It is unique among all the princes."
The old man could not hide his pride when talking about his master, and even his rosacea turned redder.
"Princess Shouan?" Chun Tiao's face turned even paler when he heard the princess's name.
The princess was known for her extravagance and arrogance, and she did not have a good end in the end. She and her husband were involved in a conspiracy case, and hundreds of people in her family were executed.
Sui Sui glanced at her sympathetically. As far as she knew, Princess Shou'an was sentenced to death in this mountain pond courtyard, and her twenty-eight lovers were also hanged to death.
Fortunately, she didn't know about these things, otherwise she would not be able to sleep.
The old man said, "Originally, His Majesty wanted to allocate money from the treasury to repair it, but Your Highness is kind to the people and loves things, unlike those rich and powerful people in the city. He said that no one lives there anyway, so there is no need to waste this money."
Isn’t there someone living here? Chun Tiao couldn’t help but complain in his heart.
Sui Sui smiled and said, "Your Highness is a very good person."
The imperial court was short of money and there was a great chaos during the Yongguang period. Guanzhong was devastated and nine out of ten houses were empty. The court never recovered.
The roads and rivers destroyed during the turmoil were not repaired, and rice, grain and silk from the south were difficult to transport to the capital. Warlords in Hebei were also separatist and opposed the imperial court. Tax grain could not reach Chang'an, and there were occasional storms on the border.
No one knew better than Sui Sui how much the court needed money.
Uncle Fu apologized, "I didn't know that my lady was coming to stay here. I should have repaired it. I will report to Your Highness some other day and ask someone to come and repair it."
Sui Sui looked at the peeling red paint on the columns and the thick spider webs under the eaves, and said with a smile: "Don't bother. I am a rough man and can sleep in the wilderness. It's good enough to have tiles above my head and walls around me."
He is a decent man, thought Uncle Fu.
"Don't worry, my lady," he said with a little more sincerity in his tone, "Your Highness never mistreats those around him."
Sui Sui nodded.
She didn't think Huan Xuan was deliberately torturing her. He might not have even been to the garden. At most, he would give instructions. It was impossible for him to take care of such trivial matters personally.
But the servants would of course try to figure out their master's intentions. His attitude determined her situation - a woman who was exiled to this place was naturally not worth worrying about.
The further you go in, the longer Chun Tiao's face becomes.
Sui Sui was very satisfied. It was common to have to eat wind and drink dew while marching and fighting. It was really good to have a roof over his head now.
Besides, compared to being restricted everywhere in the palace and being watched all the time, it is more comfortable to live here.
Although the garden is in ruins, it covers a large area and it is quite difficult to walk around.
The entire mountain and pond courtyard is a large garden, with pavilions and terraces scattered throughout the garden.
Uncle Fu arranged the master and servant in a small courtyard deep in the maple forest.
The paint on the plaque has peeled off, and the three words "Qixia Pavilion" can be vaguely seen.
In autumn, the grass and trees have withered and the early plum blossoms have not yet bloomed. This is the only scenic spot in the garden that is still worth seeing.
This building has another advantage. There is a path leading directly to the back garden of the main courtyard, Qinghan Courtyard, which makes it convenient for the King of Qi to summon people to sleep with him when he stays there.
If he wasn't in the mood, the noise there wouldn't disturb him, which was very thoughtful.
Qinghan Courtyard was newly built. The emperor probably felt that it was inappropriate to give his son a haunted house, so he demolished Princess Shouan's original residence and rebuilt a three-courtyard compound at a new location as the main courtyard.
Naturally, without the King of Qi's order, Sui Sui could not step into Qinghan Courtyard.
I walked along the path in the forest through the maple forest. It was sparsely tended, and the maple trees in the forest grew wildly. The red leaves were like fire, as if they were about to ignite the weeds on the path.
Uncle Fu brought the people in, handed the key to the courtyard gate to Chun Tiao, and said to Sui Sui: "I, the old servant, will not disturb you from resting. I, the servants, and the guards all live in the front. If you need anything, just ask them to come and get it."
He paused and continued, "The small kitchen is to the east, just across the forest. Firewood and water are readily available. Every morning someone comes to deliver food. You can also tell me what you want to eat."
Meaning that there is not even a cook in this place, and she has to light the fire and cook?! Chun Tiao opened her mouth in surprise, but this time she managed to hold back and didn't say anything.
But Uncle Fu understood what she meant at a glance and said awkwardly, "His Highness has given the order suddenly, and we are not able to hire all the staff in time. Thank you for your patience, madam."
Sui Sui was very calm: "It's okay."
Chun Tiao was as sad as if she had lost her parents. She silently opened the gate and waved to the servants to bring the suitcases into the house.
Wandering around the yard.
The courtyard is divided into two parts, with a front hall and a back room, three rooms wide, and the top of the gable roof is covered with black green tiles.
Originally it had red railings and white walls, but now both are mottled.
There is an old plum tree with twisted branches planted in the courtyard. It has not yet bloomed and I don’t know what color it is.
The house was cleaner than I expected.
The tables, desks and cabinets were all newly moved in, and the bamboo curtains, draperies, and mats and mattresses were all brand new. Although it was not luxurious, it was at least clean and tidy.
Chun Tiao's expression eased a little, but she still couldn't hide her disappointment. She was willing to take out all her savings because she was ambitious.
She spent all the money she saved, but it wasn't in exchange for a future like this.
Sui Sui felt a little guilty. Chun Tiao was originally a slave in the governor's mansion. She was treated even more pampered than the ladies of small families. Although she didn't have to wear fine clothes and eat delicious food, at least she didn't have to make fire and cook for herself.
As a result, she followed such a hopeless master, and even Sui Sui herself couldn't help but feel sympathy for her.
The master and servant put away the boxes and crates they had brought, washed their hands and faces, and changed their dusty clothes.
Chun Tiao has also recovered: "I will go to the kitchen to take a look."
Sui Sui hadn't slept most of the night before, so he was very sleepy. He yawned, took off his clothes and got into bed: "I'll take a nap first."
Normally, whenever she was lazy, Chun Tiao would always be dissatisfied and would try to persuade her to be more motivated.
This time, for the first time ever, she said nothing.
Because even someone as ambitious as her could see that it was impossible for His Royal Highness the Prince of Qi to come to such a place.
Even if Lu Suisui was really a celestial being, it would be impossible.
But this time she was wrong.
…
The sky was clear, and the warm autumn sun shone on the green glazed tiles of Huiyou Hall, flashing bits of golden light like the surface of a sparkling lake.
When I left Beijing three years ago, it was spring, and the weather was nice and breezy.
Huan Xuan got off the carriage in front of the palace and changed to a sedan chair. Halfway through the journey, a familiar yet unfamiliar figure appeared in the corridor.
The emperor was dressed in his daily clothes, with a fox fur coat on his shoulders and a black gauze hat on his head. Even from several feet away one could see that his temples were gray, his steps were unsteady, his face was sallow and haggard, and it was obvious that he was suffering from illness.
If not for the bright yellow forbidden color of his clothes, Huan Xuan would have almost failed to recognize the middle-aged man in front of him. He turned out to be the burly and extraordinary father in his memory.
He didn’t seem as tall as I remembered. I didn’t know if it was because his back was starting to hunch or because he had grown taller.
Huan Xuan ordered the eunuch to stop the sedan chair, got off, quickly climbed the stairs, walked to the emperor, bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty, your son greets you."
The emperor hurriedly helped his son up, his eyes reddened, "Finally you came back."
The father and son had a very unpleasant quarrel when they parted, but the emperor seemed to have forgotten it all. At this moment, he was like all fathers who love their sons in the world, with only deep love for their children.
Even though Huan Xuan knew that this had a lot to do with his several great victories at the border, he still couldn't help feeling sad.
"Your Majesty, I am an unfilial son and have not visited you regularly for a long time. Please punish me, Your Majesty." As he said this, he was about to bow again.
The emperor held his son in his arms and said in dissatisfaction: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, you don't even call me Aye, but you are still complaining about Aye in your heart?"
"I dare not." Huan Xuan said.
The emperor patted him on the back and said with a wry smile, "What are you afraid of? You went to Anxi to get angry with me."
He walked to the palace with his son, sighing: "But the battles you fought in Anxi were really brilliant, and you lived up to the reputation of our ancestors. I am very pleased to have a son like you."
"Aye Miu Zan."
The emperor said earnestly, "Now the governor's mansion of the three towns of Heshuo is in turmoil, bandits are rising up, and border troubles are frequent. It is difficult to find a general in the court. My country will have to rely on you in the future."
The prince asked him to hand over the tiger talisman, but the emperor wanted him to continue commanding the troops. This is somewhat intriguing.
Huan Xuan's eyes moved slightly, and he bowed and said, "Father, your words are too serious. I am terrified."
The two men walked into the palace. The emperor pulled his son to sit on the couch and ordered the eunuch to set the table and serve tea: "I should have had a few drinks with you, but the doctor told me not to drink, so I had to use tea instead of wine."
Huan Xuan asked, "Is your wind disease getting better?"
The emperor smiled bitterly and said, "I've gotten used to it after so many years. After your brother's wedding ceremony, I will move back to the Hot Spring Palace."
As they were talking, palace servants walked into the hall carrying plates, bowls and food tables.
The emperor said, "Let's eat first. There's no one else here today, so let's just have a good chat, father and son."
After that, he personally picked up the gilded honeysuckle wine pot and poured wine for his son: "This is a new tribute this year. Even though you are in Anxi, I am afraid you can't drink such good wine. Try it."
The finest Western wine is poured into a glass cup, and it looks as crystal clear as a ruby.
Huan Xuan took a sip from the cup and praised, "It is indeed sweet."
The emperor smiled and said, "If you like, take a few jars back."
"Thank you, Aye." Huan Xuan said.
The father and son drank several rounds together. The emperor put down his teacup and said thoughtfully, "You were in the north. Have you heard any news about Xiao Ling? Is she really dead?"
Huan Xuan gently put down his wine glass, a trace of regret in his eyes: "I have also sent people to inquire about it. Xiao Ling was hit by a stray arrow and died on the spot. There is no chance of survival. Many people can testify to this."
The emperor frowned, shook his head and sighed: "It's a pity that Prince Dong'an was loyal and brave throughout his life, but he had no sons, only one daughter. Who would have thought that God would not give him a long life, and his bloodline would be cut off. It's really sad and lamentable."
Having said that, there was a look of relief in his eyes.
After the great rebellion more than 20 years ago, the imperial court was weak and in a state of deterioration, while the power of the Jiedushi was growing. On the surface, they were subject to the imperial court, but in reality, they were not much different from the princes who were granted fiefdoms.
Among them, the Jiedushi of the Three Towns of Heshuo had the greatest power, with an army of 200,000 under his command. Seven years ago, King Xiao Yan of Dong'an died, leaving behind a mediocre and incompetent younger brother and a daughter. All the civil and military officials in the court breathed a sigh of relief.
Who knew that Xiao Yan's daughter Xiao Ling was a genius, even better than her father. When the Xi people were disturbing the border, she volunteered to lead the troops, and with only 3,000 soldiers she defeated the 20,000 Xi cavalry. At that time, she had just come of age.
This great victory shocked the government and the public at the time, but it was nothing compared to her victories in the following years.
With such a god of war in charge of Heshuo, the border was peaceful, but the emperor felt like there was a sword hanging over his head and he could not sleep well at night.
It is unbelievable that the most dazzling general on the border of Dayong suddenly fell, and died so easily in a battle where he was sure to win.
But once Xiao Ling died, there was no one who could lead the three towns of Heshuo. Her uncle Xiao Tongan could not hold on to this position securely. The Heshuo army would split up sooner or later, and the imperial court could only sit back and watch the fight.
Having solved his biggest worry, the emperor could finally rest easy.
Huan Xuan knew it well, but he had mixed feelings. Xiao Ling was two years older than him and became famous before him. He secretly regarded her as his only rival, hoping that one day he could stand shoulder to shoulder with her.
Now he no longer has the chance to compete with her and can only regret it for the rest of his life.
As young generals, they always have a certain degree of mutual admiration.
"Come to think of it, your elder brother and the Xiao family's lady were engaged when they were young, but now both of them..."
When he arranged a marriage for his eldest son to the daughter of the Xiao family, it was also an intention to maintain control over the relationship.
Unfortunately, Xiao Yan died early, and Xiao Ling suddenly appeared. Their marriage should have ended in failure, but who knew...
Thinking of his eldest son's disobedience, the emperor's eyes darkened, and then all those complicated emotions turned into a sigh: "Forget it..."
Now that the person is gone, none of that matters anymore.
Thinking of his elder brother, Huan Xuan felt a little uncomfortable. He lowered his eyes and pondered for a while before saying, "The deceased is gone. Father, please don't be too sad. Please take care of your body."
The emperor nodded and said, "Your return to the capital is a happy event, let's not talk about this anymore."
Neither of them had any interest in talking and finished their lunch in silence. The emperor then ordered the palace servants to clear the table.
Seeing that the emperor looked tired, Huan Xuan stood up and took his leave.
The emperor said, "Your mother may not say it, but she is definitely thinking about you. Go and see her."
Huan Xuan's expression darkened: "Yes."
The emperor sighed lightly, ordered the eunuchs to prepare the sedan chair, held his son's hand, insisted on sending him out of the palace, and watched him get on the sedan chair.
After leaving Huiyou Palace, he walked north on his sedan chair. Just as he passed Yongxiang, he suddenly heard footsteps and the sound of jewelry coming closer.
Huan Xuan looked up casually and saw a young woman walking slowly in the alley opposite, surrounded by several palace maids and servants.
His heart suddenly sank.