Chapter 7: The Emperor Prefers a Princess Carry
Zhao Linxu took the book, crossed his legs on the lounge chair, and began to read slowly.
He had been reading this book for over a decade, but only today did he learn that the author was a noble and elegant woman, which truly surprised him. Although her appearance…
Anyway, he had originally thought the author was a magnanimous general, or at the very least, a heroic man full of ambition, active on the battlefield or in the imperial court. But no matter who the author was, Zhao Linxu’s heart was still filled with joy. He had finally met the writer he so deeply admired.
In the past, after his mother consort was murdered, he, Jiangxue, and his imperial brother had languished in the Cold Palace. Later, his imperial brother was also murdered. He had chanced upon this book from a servant and was immediately captivated. The maids didn’t like this book; they preferred storybooks about love between men and women, ghosts and humans, or scholars and young ladies, so they had casually given it to Zhao Linxu.
After that, Zhao Linxu treasured it like a precious jewel. The difficult, bullied days in the Cold Palace were made bearable by this book, which he used to regulate his mind, learn, and strive to become stronger.
The protagonist in the book also went from being a mere martial artist who could be casually humiliated and bullied to becoming the master of all under heaven. The process was full of ups and downs, thrilling and perilous.
He didn’t know why the author stopped writing this type of book. Could it be because it didn’t sell well and wasn’t popular?
Zhao Linxu thought for a moment, then summoned Chen Zhishu.
“What?”
In the study of the City Lord’s manor, Li Jianyu’s brows were furrowed so tightly they could crush a mosquito. He looked like he was about to roll up his sleeves and shake Meng Qingshu by the shoulders.
Meng Qingshu, who had just returned from Luoye Garden, was holding several fluffy rabbits and staring blankly at Li Jianyu. “That’s what General Chen said…”
Li Jianyu felt a splitting headache coming on.
Zhao Linxu had summoned Chen Zhishu and told him to find the sorceress in the mountains. He even had an artist draw a portrait of her for the search.
The person in that portrait was clearly him in his woman’s disguise.
Thankfully, Zhao Linxu hadn’t mentioned the phoenixes, but…
Why was Zhao Linxu so curious about his secret identity?
Did he have to search so hard for both of them?
Was it really okay to trouble the Imperial Guard like this?
Li Jianyu took a deep breath. In any case, the Harvest Festival was approaching, and he had to be busy with preparations in the city. Although Erbao was sick, phoenixes were strong and long-lived mythical beasts. The spirit mushroom hadn’t bloomed yet, so there was no use in rushing. As long as the baby was born, it would be out of danger. He had to reduce his trips up the mountain.
The Harvest Festival would last for four days and three nights. During this time, long tables would be set up by the fields, laden with rice, glutinous rice balls, pastries, and all sorts of food made from grain, for people to eat as they pleased.
In addition to the most important sacrificial ceremony, there would be singing, dancing, and martial arts competitions to entertain everyone. Many people even chose to get married during this festival, symbolizing a prosperous future.
This was Luoye City’s busiest season with the most outside guests.
Now, everyone was in full swing preparing for the Harvest Festival. Zhao Linxu also followed Li Jianyu around, watching how Luoye City bustled with activity for this grand celebration.
At this moment, Li Jianyu was inspecting ingredients by the fields, and Zhao Linxu was beside him, eating a piece of glutinous rice cake.
“Lord City Lord! Lord City Lord, come with us quickly!”
Li Jianyu was pushed and shoved by a group of aunties to a high platform not far away. This platform had been temporarily set up for dance performances.
But at this moment, a large red banner hung on the stage, with several large characters written on it:
City Lord’s Wife Selection Contest.
Li Jianyu: “…”
Auntie Liang, the most energetic and efficient of the bunch, had been chosen by everyone as the organizer. She now held Li Jianyu’s hand and smiled. “Lord City Lord! This is a token of everyone’s goodwill!”
“That’s right! Last time, the City Lord insisted on marrying that pockmarked woman. It really scared us all. So, we’ve found all the most beautiful girls in the city for you!”
“Our most handsome City Lord deserves the best person!”
Li Jianyu wanted to cry but had no tears. They made him sound like a fool with no sense of normal aesthetics.
“We understand the City Lord’s urgent desire for a wife. The City Lord is busy with a thousand tasks every day. It’s not good to not have someone by your side to care for you!”
“Don’t worry, City Lord! We will definitely fulfill your wish!”
“…”
I’m not, I don’t have one.
Behind him, Zhao Linxu let out a laugh.
“No, I…”
While Li Jianyu was entangled with a group of enthusiastic and simple folks, Zhao Linxu saw Chen Zhishu’s deputy hurrying towards him.
“What’s wrong?”
“Her Highness the Princess, she…”
Zhao Linxu raised an eyebrow. “Is she causing trouble again?”
“Her Highness seems to have found the letters with Prince Anding in Your Majesty’s study and learned that the marriage alliance has not been canceled…”
Zhao Linxu’s head began to ache.
“Where is she.”
“Just nearby. She says she’s going to… going to throw herself into the river to commit suicide. General Chen is already trying to stop her.”
“Stop her, my foot.” Zhao Linxu rolled his eyes. “It would be nice to just let her jump and show Us.”
Li Jianyu, standing nearby, felt as if he had found a life-saving straw. He quickly said, “That’s not good. This subject will accompany Your Majesty to have a look.”
“Fine.” Zhao Linxu pulled Li Jianyu out of the crowd of old men and women, mounted Yuefeng, and headed in the direction the deputy had indicated.
When they arrived at the riverbank, they could hear Zhao Jiangxue’s shouting from a great distance.
“This Princess doesn’t want to live anymore!! Don’t you dare stop me!”
“Waaah, this cruel world—”
On the bridge, Chen Zhishu was restraining a flailing Zhao Jiangxue, who was waving her hands hysterically, trying to break free from his grasp.
It seemed Chen Zhishu didn’t dare to use too much force to hold her down. Besides, the position was awkward; if Chen Zhishu were to grab her, he would have to grab her chest. As a result, half of Zhao Jiangxue’s body was already hanging over the side of the bridge.
Meng Qingshu had been getting close to Chen Zhishu recently and was also there, trying to persuade her with a troubled look on his face.
Zhao Linxu: “…”
It was an eyesore.
He really didn’t want to admit she was his sister.
Zhao Linxu walked onto the bridge, his lips twitching, and crossed his arms. “What is it this time?”
“Imperial Brother, you lied to me!” Zhao Jiangxue cried in anger.
“Stop making a scene here. Come back with Us first.” Zhao Linxu glanced at the surrounding commoners who had stopped to watch and were even praising the princess for being cute and true to her nature. “If you’re not embarrassed, We are.”
“I won’t!”
“Your Highness, this water is actually…” Li Jianyu walked up to Zhao Jiangxue, but before he could finish, Zhao Linxu said angrily, “Fine. Chen Zhishu, let go.”
“Ah?” Chen Zhishu was stunned.
“Let go!”
The loyal and upright General Chen didn’t have time to think. Yelled at by Zhao Linxu, his body reacted subconsciously, and with a whoosh, he let go.
“Ah!” Zhao Jiangxue’s eyes widened. Her body tilted forward, and in her fear, she randomly grabbed onto Li Jianyu, who was standing closest to her. Li Jianyu quickly steadied her.
The soldiers standing behind them immediately rushed forward to grab the two of them.
However, Li Jianyu, a City Lord with no strength to even truss a chicken, and Zhao Jiangxue, a slender woman, were naturally no match for gravity and fell together.
Chen Zhishu only managed to grab Zhao Jiangxue, who was in front of him.
“Lord City Lord!” Chen Zhishu’s outstretched hand only brushed against the corner of Li Jianyu’s clothes.
Zhao Linxu, watching Li Jianyu fall, was shocked and quickly vaulted over the railing and jumped down after him.
“Your Majesty!”
“General…” Meng Qingshu tugged on Chen Zhishu’s sleeve, his expression complicated. “Don’t be nervous. It’s fine.”
Under the bridge, Zhao Linxu sat in the middle of the river, looked at the water that didn’t even reach his waist, then at Li Jianyu, who was staring at him with a blank expression, and froze on the spot.
Li Jianyu said helplessly, “This subject hadn’t had time to say… this river flows down from the top of Mountain God Forest and has divine power. Drinking it often can strengthen the body and ward off illness. Because of this, it appears a murky green, and you can’t see the bottom, leading people to mistake it for being very deep… Achoo!”
“Achoo!”
Li Jianyu sneezed several times in a row, his nose turning red.
It was already late autumn, and the water was very cold.
“Let’s get up first.” Zhao Linxu awkwardly rubbed his nose and moved to help Li Jianyu up.
“Hiss…” Li Jianyu let out a nearly inaudible gasp.
“What’s wrong?”
Li Jianyu frowned.
He had sprained his ankle when he fell.
On the bridge, Zhao Jiangxue and the soldiers stared blankly as their emperor carried a man in red robes ashore, leaped onto Yuefeng, and galloped away in a cloud of dust.
Meng Qingshu said blankly, “His Majesty… does he like our City Lord?”
He had jumped faster than anyone.
Oh my god, the City Lord is going to become the Empress. Just thinking about it is exciting.
Chen Zhishu didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It’s probably not love, but the City Lord is so beautiful, smart, and capable. It’s natural for His Majesty to develop a good impression after spending some time with him.”
“Oh…” Meng Qingshu lowered his head in disappointment. “The City Lord is naturally wonderful. General Chen must admire him very much too…”
But the clueless Chen Zhishu naturally didn’t notice Meng Qingshu’s mood and turned to escort Zhao Jiangxue back to the manor. On the other side, after taking Li Jianyu back to the City Lord’s manor, Zhao Linxu didn’t leave immediately. He sat to the side and watched the doctor apply medicine to Li Jianyu’s injury.
“The City Lord is fine. A few applications of medicine and it will be better by tomorrow,” the doctor said with a chuckle.
“Thank you for your trouble.”
“Since the City Lord has an injured foot, you don’t need to accompany Us up the mountain.”
Li Jianyu asked, “When does Your Majesty plan to go up the mountain?”
The spirit mushroom had already bloomed, yesterday in fact, but no one had successfully picked it yet.
“Tonight.”
“This subject can go,” Li Jianyu said. “This subject has traveled through various forests with my uncle since childhood and is familiar with the mountain roads and shortcuts. With this subject present, it will be more convenient for Your Majesty to act. Otherwise, how can we arrive before everyone else and gain the upper hand?”
Zhao Linxu glanced at Li Jianyu’s foot.
“This subject will not cause trouble for Your Majesty.” Those three troublesome phoenixes were his phoenixes. He had to go with them to ensure that Zhao Linxu could really get the spirit mushroom. If they really encountered any problems, he could endure it.
“Fine.”
As Zhao Linxu was leaving, he seemed to remember something and asked curiously, “Can the City Lord tell me what you need this for?”
Li Jianyu was stunned.
“Naturally, it’s…”
Li Jianyu’s face remained calm, but his mind was racing, searching for the best answer.
“…a gift for someone.”
“Such a precious gift. I imagine it’s not just an ordinary relationship?”
“Ah…”
Zhao Linxu smiled and turned to leave.
“Prepare to go up the mountain.”
