LF Chapter 80

Chapter 80: Carefree Fireworks

The vermilion walls and black tiles of the capital were once again dusted with frost, jade-like flakes of snow dancing wantonly over the eaves and painted ridges, the snowy weather adding a touch of tenderness to the towering Tai Zhang Palace.

Another New Year’s Eve had arrived.

Jiang Yinghua’s plum wine was brewed, but after so long, her skills were rusty, and it had only been sealed for four months, resulting in a green and tart taste. Only children would enjoy the sour flavor.

Ever since Jiang Jingche was buried in the imperial mausoleum, Ying Feng had been going there to keep watch during every festival, so naturally, she wasn’t present tonight either.

Only four people were at the table. Jiang Yinghua was taciturn, Yan Wanzhi was shy, and the Empress Dowager only focused on adding food to her little granddaughter’s bowl. They ate their reunion dinner in silence, lacking the liveliness of the past year, but it was still considered warm.

This little thing, the Crown Princess, didn’t resemble her father at all; instead, she had an eager and studious temperament. At such a young age, she followed Yan Wanzhi and was taught to be like an old pedant. Watching her shaking her head and reciting poetry and the rules of propriety, Jiang Yinghua deeply regretted her choice of tutor.

The Empress Dowager was considered to be of rare old age within the Forbidden City, but now her energy was waning, her head full of silver hair neatly arranged. After finishing her meal, she retired early.

Jiang Yinghua felt unsatisfied and dragged Yan Wanzhi back to Chengming Hall, only stopping after squandering three jars of aged wine.

Yan Wanzhi stayed overnight in the hall, not for any other reason than fear that this person wouldn’t be able to get up for the grand court assembly tomorrow, which would be a great embarrassment.

The next day, Jiang Yinghua issued an edict, changing the reign title to Yanxing, making it the first year of Yanxing. Due to the alliance between the two countries, the Liang Kingdom also sent envoys to offer congratulations, making the scene even more magnificent than last year.

In the third month of Yanxing Year 1, a small-scale disturbance occurred in the northern border, but it was quelled by the Zhenwei Army within a month. Jiang Yinghua subtly accumulated some prestige as a ruler for herself.

Yan Wanzhi fulfilled her duties as the Gentleman Attendant diligently. Everyone in the imperial court knew that this Scholar Yan was a capable person who had served two emperors and whose favor had not waned, so they vied to curry favor with her. Even more young scholars threw themselves at her feet, saying they wanted to become her disciples and serve her.

Jiang Yinghua had never taken back Yan Wanzhi’s residence outside, after all, she was an important minister of the country, and she had to put on a show for outsiders. But every time she read the secret reports from the secret service, hearing countless young men and talented women wearing down Yan Wanzhi’s doorstep, she felt a nameless fire brewing in her heart.

Therefore, in the autumn of that year, Jiang Yinghua issued an edict to strictly investigate the forming of factions and the pursuit of private interests, scaring all these people into disappearing. Yan Wanzhi, compelled by the situation, submitted three memorials of guilt, kneeling in Jiang Yinghua’s bedchamber surrounded by Go stones all night, secretly thinking this was an unexpected disaster.

Ordinary days were inevitably filled with minor quarrels and jealousy. In the blink of an eye, two years had passed. In the spring of the third year of Yanxing, Jiang Yinghua was seized by a whim and dragged Yan Wanzhi back to the former residence, the Prince Zhao Manor. This place was now called Zhaoming Palace. Only the name had been changed; the interior arrangement and furnishings were largely the same.

The magnolias in the mansion were blooming beautifully, their pure white petals unstained by dust, their elegant fragrance unconventional. Jiang Yinghua ruthlessly plucked a half-open bud and pinned it in Yan Wanzhi’s hair, “This magnolia’s temperament suits you, both are like immortals.”

Yan Wanzhi smiled, “When I first met you, it was also a spring day with swaying willows. I remember that you were dressed in red, slightly drunk after drinking, and the hall was filled with rolling wine pots. At that time, I thought you were a reckless little wastrel, but I didn’t expect to have my soul snatched away by you.”

Jiang Yinghua chuckled, also recalling the year she was sixteen, Shaozheng Year 1, so long ago.

Back then, Your Majesty was in her prime, Yan Wanzhi was full of vigor, and she was still a green and ignorant girl. Time mercilessly urged people to age. She glanced at Yan Wanzhi, remembering this person’s age, and suddenly said, “Three years, Wanzhi, our matter should also be put on the agenda. If we delay any longer, we’ll become old women.”

“Then how is the dowry that Your Majesty promised me being prepared? To marry the ruler of a country, the dowry must naturally be extravagant,” Yan Wanzhi examined Jiang Yinghua with a playful expression.

“All of my money is in the inner treasury, and there are people watching every penny I take. Your dowry won’t be much,” Jiang Yinghua pouted, finally understanding the bitterness of when Your Majesty knew she was ill and had to borrow money from Jiang Yinghua in secret to seek medicine. Being an emperor really isn’t freedom.

“Then I’ll prepare it myself, so I can be more assertive in the future, right?” Yan Wanzhi squinted her eyes with a smug look.

“Put on your ability, can you fly to the sky?” Jiang Yinghua didn’t think much of it, scoffing coldly, and turned her eyes to admire the flowers.

“Presenting the Western Liang to Great Chu, I wonder if Your Majesty is satisfied with this dowry I have prepared for myself?” Yan Wanzhi was confident, pulled the person back, and asked seriously.

Jiang Yinghua became interested, a flash of light in her eyes, “Tell me about it, that’s your ancestors’ territory, are you really willing to part with it?”

“In the past, when I first entered Western Liang, the people of my grandmother’s lineage were very supportive of me; later, when I went back to negotiate, we also met several times.

At that time, I promised that I would help them destroy the Empress Dowager and that puppet emperor, and they would be willing to enter Chu and become subjects. After all, Western Liang had actually exhausted its energy due to internal strife long ago, and if it hadn’t been for Great Chu’s protection over the years, it would probably have ceased to exist long ago. As long as the border slightly provokes some disputes, Great Chu deploys troops, without needing to go to war, half of the Western Liang military generals will defect and surrender.”

Yan Wanzhi lowered her eyes, seriously explaining her years of planning.

Jiang Yinghua listened attentively, her gaze lingering on Yan Wanzhi’s profile with a deep and gloomy look. This fox’s abilities have always been there. If she hadn’t firmly grasped this person’s heart, this wise and almost demonic prime minister would have truly frightened her, the emperor.

After hearing these words, Jiang Yinghua lowered her eyes and pondered for a moment, then said solemnly, “When is it set, what are the conditions?”

“Based on the current progress, this autumn will be the opportune time. Their condition is that Your Majesty promises to give them a hereditary title, and they are willing to guard the northwest and prevent the Xiongnu from invading,” Yan Wanzhi slowly revealed the conditions that had been privately negotiated before, somewhat guiltily glancing at Jiang Yinghua’s reaction.

Although they had been together for several years, Jiang Yinghua was now increasingly able to disguise herself, and she often misread this person’s emotions, for which she had suffered a lot.

Jiang Yinghua only lowered her eyes and looked at her, with her usual faint smile at the corner of her mouth. Only after staring at the person until her whole body bristled did Jiang Yinghua speak faintly, “As you wish. Then this winter, will you and I get married?”

“Anything is fine, we’ve been together for many years, these things aren’t important,” Yan Wanzhi was old, but she still couldn’t change her habit of being shy.

Jiang Yinghua’s eyes were deep, and suddenly she straightened her clothes, clasped her hands together, and bowed, saying softly, “I have been married once before, and now there should be something new, to marry you again, it’s only fair to you. Xueyan, marry me as your wife, would you?”

Yan Wanzhi was stunned on the spot, truly surprised. With Jiang Yinghua’s current status, the only person in the country who could receive her bow was the Empress Dowager. Today’s sudden move was incredibly flattering. Her eyes were instantly filled with smiles, and she bowed deeply, also gladly saying, “It would be an honor.”

In the tenth month of the same year, according to Yan Wanzhi’s plan, Chu and Western Liang merged into one without moving a single soldier. Since the founding of the country, the territory of Chu had reached an unprecedented peak. Jiang Yinghua fulfilled her promise, personally selected a person from Yan Wanzhi’s Western Liang distant relatives to be adopted into the name of the Marquis of Jiayi, inheriting his title of Duke of Xiangguo, to guard the northwestern border of Great Chu.

In the twelfth month of the same year, Jiang Yinghua and Yan Wanzhi, dressed in auspicious attire, held a private wedding under the witness of the Empress Dowager and Ying Feng. The two drank from the same cup of wine and made a vow to stay together for life.

In the first month of the fourth year of Yanxing, perhaps seeing the country at peace and Jiang Yinghua having a place to return to, the Empress Dowager had no worries and passed away peacefully in her sleep.

Three years of mourning after three years of mourning, Jiang Yinghua had been in mourning ever since she ascended the throne. Until, apart from Yan Wanzhi, there wasn’t a single familiar figure in the Tai Zhang Palace.

In the winter of the sixth year of Yanxing, Jiang Yinghua really didn’t want to stay in this vast palace filled with old memories. She expressed her feelings to Yan Wanzhi and forcibly kept Ying Feng in the Forbidden City. She issued an edict, abdicating the throne to her niece, who was fifteen years old, in January of the following year. With the issuance of the edict, Left Prime Minister Yan Wanzhi also resigned in the same year.

In the seventh year of Longqing, on the immortal island of the Eastern Sea, there were two female scholars with immortal-like bearings. No one knew where they came from, and no one knew where they would return to. All that was known was that in these seven years, the two had taught seven scholars who were firmly established in the court.

On the small island, more and more students came to seek advice, and the two’s small courtyard seemed likely to have its threshold broken. Jiang Yinghua lazily nestled in Yan Wanzhi’s arms, her black hair scattered on Yan Wanzhi’s lap, allowing that person to gently comb her hair.

“Hua’er, why don’t we run away? Leaving aside whether this small island can accommodate so many knowledge-thirsty scholars, if this continues, I’m worried about whether you can keep this head of black hair,” Yan Wanzhi looked at the dark crowd in the garden from the window with great anxiety, and spoke to discuss with her.

Hearing the person cursing her to go bald, Jiang Yinghua rose up in anger and turned to tug at her ears, when suddenly a gentle voice came from outside, “Where does Lady Mo want to run to? Is there a place more nourishing than my Eastern Sea?”

Hearing this, Jiang Yinghua rolled off Yan Wanzhi and quickly straightened her clothes, clearing her throat. Seeing Ying Feng in luxurious clothes approaching, she snorted coldly and said, “Your Royal Highness Regent, when did my fiefdom become your Eastern Sea?”

Ying Feng was a little annoyed, straightened her robes, and found a short stool to sit on in this small room, “You two are being so lovey-dovey, leaving me alone to be entangled by the court officials every day. It’s already too late for me to exchange for women’s clothes in this life, and now you even want to compete with me for my home?”

Jiang Yinghua belatedly realized and said seriously, “That’s right, I was just about to ask you, why are you here instead of sitting in the capital? You’re not allowed to slack off.”

Yan Wanzhi handed her a cup of tea, and Ying Feng took it with a smile, taking a sip and saying, “Her Majesty has ordered me to come here to greet the two female scholars and serve them well. If they really run away, the court will suffer a great loss.”

Jiang Yinghua slapped her thigh with her palm and said loudly, “Why don’t you just come with us, the little cub has grown up and should be able to stand on his own.”

Hearing this, Ying Feng raised her eyebrows slightly and joked, “Leave? I plan to set up a retirement home for myself here before this place becomes entirely your property.”

Yan Wanzhi smiled, her eyes full of crow’s feet, and joked, “You’re too late, there’s already no inch of land in the Eastern Sea that isn’t Hua’er’s.”

Before Ying Feng could recover, Jiang Yinghua smiled playfully and said with a smile, “Don’t count on this place, go back, Elder Sister always needs someone to accompany her, your retirement home isn’t far from the imperial mausoleum, I’ve already prepared it for you.”

Ying Feng’s face sank, well, these two had arranged everything for her clearly. She drooped her head, lowered her eyes and sighed, then said seriously, “The little cub said that she’s getting married this year, and invites the Retired Emperor and Aunt Yan to go back to attend the ceremony.”

“Hmph, wishful thinking,” Jiang Yinghua and Yan Wanzhi said in unison, even their snorts were exactly the same, their faces full of deep smiles.

The end of the full text.