Weak in body, he feared he could hardly bear the responsibilities of a husband.
On his first day back in the capital, Ji Hong did not rest at home but went directly to the palace to apologize to the emperor.
In a fit of anger, he had left a letter and walked out, which could be considered the most reckless act of his life. At that moment, he hadn’t thought he would return alive, and naturally, he didn’t wish to consider the situation of the Duke’s residence, the court, or how his departure would affect the already established three-power situation.
At that time, given the circumstances and feelings, leaving was merely a capricious choice made by him alone.
Who knew later that the Ji family chose to claim illness and not report his disappearance, and the Min family also opted to keep it secret? One layer after another, it piled up, and in the end, the emperor, for reasons unknown, not only kept it a secret for him but also widely invited renowned physicians, creating a grand performance of a wise ruler and loyal subjects, giving the Ji family enough face.
Now that he was back, he naturally had to make amends for everything he hadn’t considered before.
When Ji Hong entered, the chief eunuch Feng Jian was brewing tea. Dressed in crimson and purple, as they walked side by side, he quietly reminded Ji Hong that the emperor was not in a pleasant mood. Saying this, he glanced towards the north and then smiled and lowered his head to pass by. This high-ranking chief eunuch had smiled for decades, and the corners of his eyes were already creased with unacknowledged displeasure. He walked gracefully to the desk, gently placed down the teacup, and softly said, “Your Majesty, the young master has arrived, just outside the hall.”
The emperor set down his vermilion brush: “Quickly summon him.”
Inside the imperial study, the emperor, nearing the age of knowing the world, still maintained his steady and kind demeanor. At first glance, he appeared to have a hint of a smile between his brows, with only a few more wrinkles than before he ascended the throne. However, upon closer inspection, one could sense the authority behind those kind eyes, making it difficult to look directly at him.
The emperor summoned him today merely for small talk. The relationship between them was that of a wise ruler and a favored subject. The emperor could not openly discuss certain subtle matters in the court or burden Minister Min with them. Thus, he naturally sought Ji Hong, who had been claiming illness and staying away, under the pretext of visiting the imperial consort, but in reality, it was a private conversation.
Because Ji Hong was on the fringes of the court, not forming factions or parties, though his position was awkward, it made his actions convenient and trustworthy. All the officials in the court could neither co-opt him nor ignore him, which was a source of frustration for them.
So, although it was uncertain that one day he might lose the emperor’s favor, at present, he would not be summoned for accountability.
However, Ji Hong had to maintain the posture of “guilty of deceiving the emperor.” The more he could plan now, the more he could fight for that young man in the future. As for the matters in the south, the emperor had heard some news, including about that great fire. However, by the time this reached the emperor, all he knew was, “The situation at the fire scene was extremely perilous, the son of Duke Li escaped from death,” but he was unaware of the presence of Yu Jinnian behind it all.
The emperor was not yet at the age of being overwhelmed, but he was extremely fatigued by the chaos of the former dynasty and the harem. Thus, he did not speak much with Ji Hong, casually bestowing upon him a root of century-old ginseng, half-affectionately advising him, “When you have time, go visit your sister in the harem; she has been missing you.”
Ji Hong nodded in agreement, exited the imperial study, and deliberately waited a moment longer at the steps before seeing Feng Jian come out.
The old fellow wore a smile like a Buddha. Upon seeing Ji Hong standing there, he was neither hurried nor slow, taking what felt like dozens of steps to reach him. He stopped, cupped his hands, and smiled, “Does the young master have something to instruct this old servant?”
Instruct? In the imperial city, apart from the one in the imperial study at this moment, there was no one he could command. Ji Hong subtly furrowed his brow, yet did not show any impatience on his face, getting straight to the point, “Feng Gonggong, about the matters in the south…”
What major issues could there be in the south, other than those concerning Yu Jinnian?
Feng Jian also knew him, and his face twitched in a smile. He looked warm and kind, but who knew how many knives were hidden in those smiling wrinkles, just waiting to stab you when you were down? Not only did thousands of eunuchs in the Palace of Imperial Supremacy look up to him, but also in the previous dynasty, countless hands awaited to offer him gifts, aligning themselves with the likes of Lu Dang’s faction.
The chief eunuch squinted his eyes, adjusting his slightly thin yet still pleasant voice: “His Majesty has been troubled for days. This old servant is too foolish to alleviate any of his worries. For those trivial matters that are inconsequential, this old servant can still manage some, but I dare not bring them before His Majesty to trouble him.”
After speaking, he raised his eyes, examining Ji Hong and the precious ginseng he held in his hands.
This statement was fraught with hidden meanings; if it could be either significant or insignificant, it meant that it could indeed be both. Whether it was “there” depended on how Ji Hong chose to “have it,” either making a big deal out of it or trivializing it, all depending on how Ji Hong spoke and acted.
— The dog servant had his sights set on the Duke Li’s residence.
At this moment, Ji Hong was not yet at the mercy of a powerful eunuch but was genuinely unwilling to throw that young man into the spotlight so soon, needing to yield and lower himself a bit to gain a favor. Fortunately, he had done enough yielding over the years and did not feel humiliated by a mere servant. Since Feng Jian had chosen to conceal certain matters for him today, it was clear that he had already planned for a time when he could seek something from Ji Hong in the future. It was merely a matter of mutual benefit.
The century-old ginseng that had just come into his hands was soon to change ownership.
Feng Jian, satisfied, then asked curiously, “I heard that the Twelfth Prince arrived in the capital two days ago and submitted a memorial stating he would enter the palace today. It seems they should have arrived around the same time. Did the two lords not meet at the palace gate?”
Upon hearing this name, Ji Hong felt displeased. Before he could speak, he heard a voice behind him declare loudly, “What? Is Feng Gonggong planning to punish this king for being late?”
“Oh, Your Highness!” Feng Jian turned around and immediately bowed, smiling apologetically, “What the prince said is truly flattering to this old servant.”
Yan Chang stopped in his tracks and cast a glance at Ji Hong: “The young master is here too? I heard the young master renounced wealth and honor for half a year, running to that Jiangnan water town to live as a carefree wanderer. You truly live up to being the most cultured in the summer, making this king envious. I thought I would find you in the future to drink and appreciate poetry… But why do I see you here, feeling that dirt is indeed not as good as gold, and you returned to be that high mountain flower again?”
Drinking and appreciating poetry? It would be good if they didn’t get into a fight!
Feng Jian was accustomed to the tension between the two, but he did not know the exact reasons behind it. He only remembered that when the Ji family’s legitimate eldest son, Ji Yan, was still alive, he had studied alongside the Twelfth Prince. In just a few years, Ji Yan and the Twelfth Prince had fallen out, and neither could stand the other. Later, after Ji Yan’s death, the heir changed, and the animosity only deepened; had it not been for formal occasions, they wouldn’t have exchanged even a single kind word.
Feng Jian secretly observed the two, merely enjoying the spectacle without speaking.
Ji Hong coolly remarked, “It seems the servants below have been gossiping, causing the truth to be distorted. I was gravely ill before, and with no remedy in sight, my father decided to send me to the south for recuperation. Now that I’m better, naturally, I have to return… How it got to the prince that I’ve become a carefree wanderer is beyond me.”
What he said indeed aligned with the chaos of the Ji family, but someone had to believe it, right? Besides, the greatest “witness” was still hidden in the Duke of Li’s residence.
Since Yan Chang had Yu Jinnian in his grasp, he no longer quarreled over these trivial matters. Smiling, he said, “Then I must have misheard. It’s good that the young master is better. Speaking of which, my ungrateful younger sister has been asking about the Ji family’s young master. I actually have the intention to matchmake, but the young master always avoids meeting people and has even gone to the south, which really saddens us.”
Ji Hong was already unwilling to argue about this matter; with Yu Jinnian in the picture, he was even more inclined to stay away. Thus, he replied, “I, Hong, am weak in body and fear I cannot fulfill the responsibilities of a husband.”
This statement could be interpreted superficially or profoundly. On the surface, he referred to his lingering illness, indicating he lacked the ability to manage a household, rendering him an inadequate match. However, more deeply, he implied that he had no capability as a man, unable to be a normal husband. This was troublesome; if the women of the world infatuated with Master Qingluan heard it, their hearts would surely shatter across the Da Xia.
Even Feng Jian, that cunning old eunuch, couldn’t help but cast a sidelong glance at Ji Hong.
Yet, such words that undermined masculine dignity coming from Ji Hong sounded calm and upright, making it difficult for others to condescend and ridicule him.
Thus, Yan Chang found the Ji family most irritating; others were false and insincere, but they remained entirely self-aware!
The two exchanged glances, and unable to continue the conversation, they each turned away.
As they brushed past each other, the previously silent Feng Jian suddenly exclaimed in surprise, “Your Highness, how did you get a scratch on the back of your hand? Was it from some beast? You’ve been in Yue for a long time, and the Wang residence in the capital has been empty for too long. There are those wild cats and raccoons that sneak in to make nests; it’s best to have someone clean up before someone gets hurt!”
Ji Hong was lost in thought and turned back unconsciously. Yan Chang quickly concealed his right hand in his sleeve, saying, “It’s nothing serious; just a little unruly creature.”
The people of the Da Xia loved to raise guard dogs, while the nobility preferred cats.
Feng Jian naturally thought that the prince had raised a cat for fun, so he flattered, “Cats can be quite wild; they really need to be trained well.”
Yan Chang merely smiled and didn’t respond.
As Ji Hong exited the palace gates, Duan Ming was waiting outside for him. Upon seeing him come out, he stepped forward to report two matters. One was that the carriage carrying Qing Huan, Sui Sui, and others had encountered heavy rain in Feng County, and they would be delayed for a few more days; the second was that the ship that had kidnapped Yu Jinnian had been found at the now-abandoned Xingqing Dock in the capital, but it was already deserted.
“There isn’t much found; everything has been sent back to the residence.”
Ji Hong seemed to be listening but also appeared to be lost in thought, as if pondering something.
Returning to the residence by carriage, Ji Hong headed straight to the Kanghe Courtyard. He pried open the chest and hastily glanced at the items searched from the ship. The person had quietly entered the capital; with a ship so conspicuous, it was impossible for there to be no news. Yet, time and again, news about the ship had reached Ji Hong, either arriving two or three days late or taking a long detour, only to claim they had mistaken the ship, frustrating Ji Hong as he pursued it—clearly, the ship was not following a normal route; someone was suppressing the news.
Ji Hong’s fingers clenched around the chest rim, turning pale: “Those local officials who obstructed along the way, make a note of them; later, investigate one by one to see if they are guilty of corruption!”
Duan Ming thought it strange; wasn’t he supposed to be anxious about finding the young master? Why had he suddenly shifted to investigating the local officials? But he merely thought about it and didn’t dare to speak, instead noting it down to handle later.
Ji Hong withdrew his hand but felt a sticky sensation on his fingertips. Looking closely, he found it was a layer of something wet. He reopened the chest and carefully examined the edges; sure enough, he discovered some white powder in the grooves, tasting a bit with the tip of his tongue—it was salty.
His gaze gradually darkened: “Salt and iron office.”
He closed the chest, planning not to delve into the peripheral matters for now. After all, these issues would remain as long as no one disturbed the grass and startled the snake, and instead would only grow more rampant. Ji Hong returned to the table, picked up the freshly brewed tea, furrowing his brows tightly, not taking a sip for a long time. Thinking of Yan Chang’s hurried concealment of his hand, his unease deepened. After sitting down for less than a moment, he felt restless and unable to eat or sleep.
Duan Ming couldn’t understand him; just a few days before the little divine physician had been kidnapped, his master had still been worried and mentioned it a few times. Afterward, it took several days for him to speak about it again, and now, the name “Yu Jinnian” wasn’t even mentioned, as if he had lost interest over time. If he hadn’t been tracking the ship’s movements daily, Duan Ming would have thought his master had fallen for someone else.
Now that they had returned to the capital, and the ship was here, shouldn’t he be anxious?
Who would have thought that as he stood up again, Ji Hong still did not mention Yu Jinnian but instead asked him, “Is Yan Chang’s sister Princess Ru Yu?”
Duan Ming was baffled as to why he suddenly brought up that not particularly favored princess from both dynasties, stunned for a moment before answering, “Yes.”
Ji Hong placed the teacup on the table and said, “I heard she has been wanting to see me; then arrange for that.”
Duan Ming: … didn’t he just say he wasn’t falling for someone else???