Jing Yan picked up the phone and the slightly tired voice of Jingyan appeared on the other end: “Qingqing, have you finished all your work?”
“Yeah, I'm done. What about you? You sound exhausted.”
“I'm fine. Meditating all night will help.” He was reluctant to say it, but Jiang Yuqing roughly guessed that something must have happened at court.
Under her repeated questioning, she finally learned that the Emperor had suddenly collapsed a few days ago, which really frightened the ministers.
Just then, bad news came from the east that Wo Country had actually attacked Liju. Liju sent envoys to Da Xia to ask for help.
A group of ministers argued about whether to save them or not for a full two days.
Jiang Yuqing said, "Neither one is a good thing. One less if one dies. When they have fought each other badly, we can just sit back and reap the profits conveniently and effortlessly.
It saves us from having one or the other jumping around all the time, annoying people."
Jing Yan chuckled lightly: "Great minds think alike."
Jiang Yuqing was also puzzled that little vagabond recovered so quickly.
The two forces on that wretched island were still fighting fiercely last year. Has it risen so quickly? She asked Jing Yan who was in charge on the small island this year.
Jing Yan said it was someone named Yamada. Jiang Yuqing immediately understood that the House of Ban and its rival fought each other badly but Yamada's third party took advantage.
No matter what the name, there are no good people from little vagabond. The blood flowing in their veins has never been peaceful.
The next day was the tea ceremony where the newlyweds offered tea to their elders. It was Jiang Yuqing’s first time meeting her fourth and fifth sister-in-law.
They did not look as alike as Jiang Yuqing had imagined. The fourth sister-in-law had a melon seed face while the fifth had a slightly rounder face. They must have been fraternal twins.
The twins had long heard of Jiang Yuqing’s fame. Although they already knew from their husbands that their little sister-in-law was very nice, their hearts were still a little nervous when meeting her for the first time.
Jiang Yuqing saw the sisters' caution and gave them a big smile to show her welcome and affection to them joining the big family.
After more interaction, the sisters found that this little sister-in-law, who was extremely prestigious, was indeed as amiable as the rumors said, without any pretentiousness.
They treated her with great respect, and finally let go of their guard completely.
On the political front, the envoy sent by Liju requesting troops had arrived in the capital.
Emperor Xia Jing was in poor health and needed peace and quiet to recuperate. He ordered Crown Prince Jing Yan to preside over state affairs on his behalf.
Jing Yan said directly to the Liju envoys, "You are not a vassal state of mine, nor do you pay annual tributes to my court. What right do you have to ask me to send troops to help you? Just because you buttered me up with some nice words? Or because you have a thick skin?"
The Liju envoy was left speechless.
However, they did not intend to give up. They ran around in the capital city, agitating some pedantic officials, trying to get them to help persuade Da Xia to send troops to help Liju.
There were always a few muddle-headed ones who were blinded by foreigners' sweet words and thought of themselves as the savior with the responsibility to save the civilians from water and fire.
So they kept sending petitions requesting the court to send troops.
This hit Jiang Wenyuan’s sore point.
He endured it for several days before finally losing his patience. He scolded those pedants loudly in the hall.
"What the hell is wrong with you all? Which country do you belong to? As soon as your upper and lower lips touch, you talk about sending troops. Are your ancestors buried in Liju? Or are you planning to bury yourself in Liju?
You think sending troops costs no money and fighting wars causes no deaths? You wanna provide the grain and fodder? Or send all your sons onto the battlefield?
You bastards are just armchair strategists. Han traitors!
If you dare clamor about sending troops again, I’ll go scold you right at your door. Spineless cowards!"
Wow, this wave of verbal fire shocked those pedants into silence.
It was widely known that although this Chief Minister came from a scholarly background, he was no softie but quite hot-blooded.
Although he usually smiled amiably at everyone, if you really irritated him, he would teach you a lesson in no time.
Even Jing Yan at the head laughed to himself. This future father-in-law of his didn't bother saving anyone's face when provoked, let alone these parasites. It would be strange if they were not taught a lesson right in front of his face.
With the noise gone in the hall, a harmonious atmosphere naturally returned.
At the same time, Jiang Yuqing was also packing up to return to the capital. The medicine of Doctor Qiu’s patient ran out and he was waiting for the medicine she had to save his life.
Before leaving, Jiang Yuqing went to Monkey Valley again to visit the lovely monkey troop. The monkeys still recognized her and showed extreme delight at her arrival.
Monkey King Da Jinsi had grown another circle from the last time she saw him. He looked more mighty and majestic.
He also bragged to her about getting more monkey queens and having many babies.
Alright, identified as scumbag monkey.
Da Jinsi took Jiang Yuqing to the tree cave again where she obtained another batch of monkey liquor.
Although not as much as last time, it was still an unexpected joy.
After all, such wild mountain liquor was a rare find.
She also secretly snuck into the gold mine.
She saw that although the miners were tired, they had smiles all over their faces. They were eating white rice, sweet potatoes, stir fries and meat.
While eating, they were calculating how much work they did this month, how much ore they mined, and how much they would earn.
Everything else looked fine, orderly and standardized. Jiang Yuqing felt relieved.
The day after she returned from the mountain, she bid farewell to her elders at home and went straight to the capital with Bai Xiaoshi.
When they were still some distance from the city gate, Jiang Yuqing’s sharp eyes caught sight of a large white animal running at high speed towards the city gate.
She quickly asked Bai Xiaoshi to land. She shouted, "Xiao Jiu!"
Hearing this familiar voice, Bai Xiaojiu immediately slammed the brakes.
Seeing the visitor clearly, the tiger's eyes were filled with tears. Only then did Jiang Yuqing see that Bai Xiaojiu's fur was covered in a lot of bloodstains.
"Xiao Jiu, what's wrong? How did you get like this?"
Bai Xiaojiu anxiously said, "Mistress, please save my mate quickly, she is about to die!" Jiang Yuqing was shocked and quickly let Bai Xiaojiu lead the way.
But it was too late. By the time Jiang Yuqing arrived, the yellow tigress was already completely dead.
It was shot through the head with a sharp arrow from its left eye, penetrating the entire head.
Bai Xiaojiu was utterly devastated. The whole forest echoed with its grievous roars.
Jiang Yuqing understood its sadness and kept hugging Bai Xiaojiu to comfort it while even the usually sharp-tongued Bai Xiaoshi fell silent and stayed by its side.
After Bai Xiaojiu vented its feelings, with its consent, Jiang Yuqing dug a large pit with a shovel on site and buried the yellow tigress.
As for its three cubs, Jiang Yuqing did not see any.
It was not hard to guess that after growing up, tigers would be driven away by their mothers to live alone.
With the yellow tigress dead, only Bai Xiaojiu was left on the hill.
Jiang Yuqing asked if it would continue living in this forest or go back with them. She actually hoped more that Bai Xiaojiu would go back with her.
Bai Xiaojiu thought about it and said it was willing to go back with her.
Now that its mate was gone, it did not want to stay in the heartbreaking woods any longer.
Bai Xiaojiu didn’t want to enter the spiritual space. It said it was too lonely inside and it preferred outside more.
Jiang Yuqing respected its decision.
The beloved daughter was coming home. It was something worth celebrating.
But when everyone heard about Bai Xiaojiu’s experience, they felt sad for the poor child again. In the Jiang family’s heart, Bai Xiaojiu was not a pet but one of them.
When a child feels wronged, the parents would naturally not feel good too.
Bai Xiaojiu was in low spirits for several days. The family worried along for days too. Especially Doctor Qiu who didn’t even go to his clinic but stayed home with it.
Fortunately, after a few days, it slowly cheered up again and gradually recovered to the previous lively and cheerful Bai Xiaojiu. Everyone finally felt relieved.
The arrow that killed the yellow tigress was picked up by Jiang Yuqing and given to Jing Yan on that very day.
Jing Yan looked it over and said, this was just an ordinary arrow. Hunters living around the capital used arrows like these when hunting.
It was probably that the yellow tiger ran headfirst into a hunter, and the hunter, in self-defense, had no choice but to injure it with an arrow.
And because Bai Xiaojiu discovered it too late, by the time Jiang Yuqing followed it to find the tiger, it was already beyond saving.
Not having seen each other for over two months, the young couple stuck together, naturally wanting to be lovey-dovey for a while.
Jing Yan asked her where she wanted to go play. He could make time and arrange a few days off.
For cultivators, traveling from north sea in the morning to Cangwu by night, they could go many places in just a few days.
As soon as Jiang Yuqing heard, she immediately became excited, counting on her fingers: “Yes, I want to go to Su Prefecture. First go to the grasslands to eat whole roasted lamb, then go pick goji berries. Then go sightseeing in Su Prefecture City, and then make a trip to Yumen Pass to pay respects to our martyred heroes...”
Jing Yan lovingly pinched her nose: “Anything you want, but I still can’t fly yet. I’m afraid I’ll have to trouble the fairy to take me there.”
Jiang Yuqing smiled radiantly and planted a fragrant kiss on his handsome face: “No problem, no problem!”
Since Jing Yan wanted to take Jiang Yuqing out to play, he naturally pawned off the tedious court duties again to Emperor Xia Jing, who had already mostly recovered from his illness.
At this moment, he was sitting in the imperial study, holding a memo. On it was written “Your servant XXX pays respects to Your Majesty. May you live ten thousand years.” This was a greeting memo.
There was a vermillion ink stamp on it reading “This Emperor is well.” He slapped it shut and tossed it aside.
This was much ado about nothing. This Emperor is perfectly fine!
He picked up another one and opened it. It was an impeachment statement.
It read “Your servant has matters to bring to Your attention. Someone from someone’s family galloped their horse recklessly in the fields, trampling the crops. Thus and so...” This was outrageous! Search! Daring to gallop and trample crops, this Emperor will send you straight to face the northwest wind!
He picked up another one, requesting money to build some temple to enshrine a certain bodhisattva. What nonsense, relying on worshipping bodhisattvas to gain political achievement?
You must be wishing you could eat shit!
He tossed it straight to the household department manager.
He wouldn’t approve money even if I wanted to build an imperial lodge. As if he would give you money to build a temple! If he actually approves your money, that would mean this Emperor has lost!
After just one day, Emperor Xia Jing already felt a bit weary of it. Clearly he had spent several decades of his life in this same way before.
Not only did he have to face the clamoring ministers packed in the full court during court sessions, there were also endless documents to review after court. The more he thought about it, the more unbalanced he felt.
Why should that little punk get to freely take his wife out to play? Why should he, at his age, still have to keep sitting on this dragon throne, working himself ragged?
He also wanted to take his wife out to play, to pass peaceful days like before.
Having to face these ministers every day, who would make a huge fuss over the smallest things, he was nearly annoyed to death.
He stroked his chin, and began seriously considering the idea of abdicating.
If he abdicated, he wouldn’t need to be shackled in this imperial palace anymore.
He could sleep in as late as he wanted, go wherever he pleased, leave whenever he liked.
He could even go tend the fields at the imperial estates, or go sightseeing in the mountains. That would be nice...
The more Emperor Xia Jing thought about it, the more wonderful it seemed.
It was decided then. When his son returned, he would tell him about this idea.
