Chapter 62: The Burly Woman Part 2

Wei Tingxia tilted his head curiously: “An imperial banquet—and you can dictate that?”

Yan Xinfeng smiled: “Not asking for anything else—just fruits. What’s the issue?”

He personally pushed open the door for Wei Tingxia and led him before the Emperor.

The banquet was already laid out.

Wei Tingxia moved to kneel in salute, but his legs had barely bent when strong hands supported him.

He looked up, seeing the ruler of this task world’s dynasty.

“No need for that, Physician Wei,” Li Yun said.

He had a kind and benevolent look in his eyes, unlike the fierce and sharp demeanor of his father and grandfather. Yet for the current Da Zhao, a merciful and tolerant ruler was preferable to one who ruled from horseback.

Wei Tingxia stood up and respectfully took half a step back. “Your Majesty is benevolent.”

“It is not that We are benevolent; it is that you have done a favor for Cai Yun,” Li Yun said. “We must thank you.”

With that, he waved his hand. “Sit down quickly.”

Wei Tingxia and Yan Xinfeng exchanged a glance before taking their seats.

Li Yun sat in the seat of honor and said, “Cai Yun mentioned that you like fresh melons and fruits. It just so happens that some fragrant melons and honey oranges have recently been supplied. We’ve given you his share as well.”

Wow, Wei Tingxia stood up and bowed. “Your Majesty’s favor is immense.”

“Sit down quickly; there’s no need for that,” Li Yun leaned back in his chair. “We have always disliked these tedious formalities. You saved Cai Yun’s life, so you are practically family. There’s no need for such talk between family—and besides, We are merely bribing you with these melons and fruits.”

Bribing?

Bribing him with what? Wei Tingxia did not recall anyone in the Imperial Palace currently being ill.

He instinctively looked toward Yan Xinfeng, only to find Yan Xinfeng’s face quite dark, his expression one of annoyance.

Interesting.

Wei Tingxia turned back to Li Yun, only to see Li Yun smiling teasingly. “We have heard that your marquis has found someone he fancies at the Northern Border. Has Physician Wei met her? What is her name? What does she look like? How much land does her family own? Are her parents alive? Does she have any brothers or sisters?”

The Yongkang Emperor had been born in the twelfth year of Chenghe, making him thirty-seven this year—exactly ten years older than Yan Xinfeng. Moreover, since Yan Xinfeng had been raised in the palace by the Virtuous Noble Consort from a young age, the two often met, and Li Yun was practically Yan Xinfeng’s elder brother.

An elder brother inquiring about his younger brother’s marriage prospects resorted to every possible means.

“This…”

Wei Tingxia hesitated a bit, but his mind was filled more with mischief. “Does Your Majesty remember anything else?”

“That girl must be quite valiant,” Li Yun said. “The kind who throws pillows at people.”

A crisp clink came from the side table.

The two looked toward the sound and saw Yan Xinfeng’s ears flushed red as blood. The wine cup in his hand had been crushed flat by him and tossed onto the table like a piece of scrap metal.

Li Yun, who had only been teasing for fun, burst into laughter. After laughing for a while, he panted lightly to calm his racing heart.

“If she can capture Cai Yun’s heart, then that girl has some skill. If We could meet her once, We would surely bestow a generous reward—as long as she deigns to accept it.”

Li Yun might not have truly intended to find out who this person of the heart was, but his intent to tease his younger brother was all too obvious. Seeing that Yan Xinfeng was about to lose his temper if prodded further, he ordered the meal to be served.

Once the banquet ended, the two took their leave from the palace. Eunuch Gao presented them with some clear tea.

“His Majesty was in high spirits today and ate a bit more during the meal. It seems the return of the Yunzhong Marquis to the capital has put His Majesty much at ease.”

Li Yun lifted his eyelids slightly, lost in thought. “Not entirely.”

“Oh?”

“Did you notice their reactions during the meal just now?”

Eunuch Gao thought back carefully. “The marquis was a bit embarrassed at first, but Physician Wei handled it appropriately and seemed quite open-minded.”

Li Yun chuckled lightly. “His ears turned red.”

“Indeed, the marquis has long garrisoned the Northern Border, so it’s no wonder he’s a bit thin-skinned.”

“You old thing, you don’t understand this?” Li Yun toyed with his teacup, his tone casual. “Who gets that embarrassed when chatting about their beloved with outsiders? Clearly, he felt shy in front of the person himself.”

The person of the heart?

Eunuch Gao was startled. There had only been three people at the table at the time—aside from His Majesty, the only one who could be the person of the heart was—

“Your Majesty, could it be…?”

He trailed off, not daring to speak it outright. Although the Yunzhong Marquis was not of the imperial clan, he shared the same fate as His Majesty. If he fancied a man and word spread, the imperial family would inevitably face some turmoil.

Li Yun had naturally considered this as well.

He set down his teacup and shifted into a more relaxed position, half-reclining on the throne, his gaze drifting toward the intricate carvings on the hall’s ceiling beams.

He pondered for a long time, various thoughts swirling in his mind.

“Never mind.”

Eunuch Gao, attending at his side, heard this and said, “Men are pretty good too.”

If Yan Xinfeng truly set his heart on that man, wholeheartedly for life, then the Yunzhong Marquis Mansion line would end with him. Without heirs in the mansion, there would be no shelter to rely on, new generals would be promoted in the Profound North Army, and military authority would return to the imperial family’s control.

After all, no matter how close, they did not share the same surname.

This would greatly benefit the state and the people. It was merely a matter of enduring a few idle gossips; nothing major.

Having thought this through, the emperor was just picking up his teacup for a sip when he heard Eunuch Gao probe cautiously, his voice lowered extremely. “However, Your Majesty, this old servant has also heard that during those years the marquis spent at the Northern Border, there was always a strategist by his side, said to be masterful in warfare and omniscient in strategy. Could it be…”

He did not finish his words, but Li Yun’s hand holding the teacup paused almost imperceptibly.

The sovereign thoughtfully rubbed the warm side of the cup, and after a long moment, he gently set the teacup down, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“Since Cai Yun refuses to say who that strategist is and only brought back a physician,” his tone was flat, betraying no emotion, “then We shall take things at face value.”

He lifted his gaze to the bright sunlight outside the hall and narrowed his eyes slightly.

“Why uncover it and invite trouble?”

……

……

On the carriage back to the mansion, Wei Tingxia hugged a large fragrant melon and yawned.

Yan Xinfeng sat beside him and tapped the surface of the melon. Hearing the solid thumps, he satisfactorily curled his lips.

This had been sent over by Eunuch Gao as they were leaving—an old man over fifty running quite fast while hugging the melon, chasing them all the way to the palace gates before stuffing it into Wei Tingxia’s arms, saying it was a greeting gift from the emperor to Wei Tingxia.

“There will be lychees from Lingnan in a while,” Yan Xinfeng said. “Newly planted this year; they’re said to taste decent.”

Even the capital could now grow lychees, thanks to the fruit farmers’ efforts.

Wei Tingxia nodded while hugging the melon. “I feel like his gaze was a bit off.”

“Whose gaze?”

“The emperor’s.”

Yan Xinfeng sensed something amiss and thus chose silence.

However, Wei Tingxia had something to say.

“I didn’t know the marquis had a girl he fancied at the Northern Border?”

He looked over playfully, his eyes curved in amusement, showing none of the shyness of having his private matters discussed—only the delight of teasing others.

“…Not at the Northern Border,” Yan Xinfeng’s voice was tight. “In the capital.”

Wei Tingxia laughed and leaned back against the soft cushion, glancing outside intentionally or not, his tone carrying a hint. “Is there such a valiant girl in the capital?”

“No,” Yan Xinfeng caught on and raised his voice. “People like that are rare—one in a few centuries. Now that one has appeared, gender doesn’t matter; they’re all good.”

“Indeed, not many can smash the marshal.”

Wei Tingxia shoved the melon into Yan Xinfeng’s arms for him to hold.

He lowered his voice back to normal conversational tone. “If the emperor sees through it, he should be quite pleased. After you, there will be no more Yunzhong Marquis, and the Profound North Army can get a new boss.”

Yan Xinfeng securely held what would be the future marchioness’s food for the next few days, his tone calm. “No one can fully control an army.”

If the Profound North Army only obeyed the Yunzhong Marquis, then disaster would soon befall the marquis.

So be it if there was none.

Back at the mansion, Yan Xinfeng handed the melon to the steward. After helping Wei Tingxia down from the carriage, he saw the medical officer who had returned with the army waiting obediently at the entrance.

“Marquis, Mr. Wei, it’s time for your wellness check.”

Wei Tingxia picked a chair and sat down languidly. “I’m fine; just check him.”

The medical officer said, “It’s still best to be careful. Both of you should be checked.”

Ever since Wei Tingxia had last said that his family’s ancestral remedy tasted like something one drinks after someone dies, the medical officer had consulted many others, and the conclusions were all the same. Thus, he always felt a bit guilty facing Wei Tingxia.

At this, Wei Tingxia rolled his eyes and placed his hand on the armrest. The medical officer quickly stepped forward and withdrew his hand moments later.

“No major issues at all. Even the previous chronic pains are mostly gone.”

Wei Tingxia: “That’s good, right?”

“Yes, but it’s very strange. Best not to mention it outside.”

The medical officer then turned to Yan Xinfeng. “Your turn, Marquis.”

Late at night in the imperial city, a secret message spread like wildfire.

The news originated from the Imperial Palace. Like birds with wings, it quietly flew into the princes’ mansions.

Prince Chen and Prince Jin received the message almost simultaneously.

Yan Xinfeng had entered the palace today and held a secret discussion with the emperor for half an hour, followed by lunch in Grand Brightness Hall.

Accompanying the meal was a medical officer, said to be highly skilled and capable of resolving the inborn yin poison Yan Xinfeng carried from the womb.

What surprised the two princes even more was a snippet of their conversation during the meal.

“Yan Xinfeng likes burly women?” Prince Jin repeated in a strange tone. “The kind who can wield a big hammer best?”

The messenger knelt on the ground, body pressed very low. “Yes, that’s what it sounded like from outside. The Yunzhong Marquis seems particularly fond of women from the Northern Border for their valiant temperaments and superior martial skills. His Majesty was greatly pleased upon hearing this.”

What was so pleasing about that?

Prince Jin scratched his chin, still feeling something off. “Anything else?”

“…”

The messenger fell silent.

Prince Jin had a fiery temper and hated this drawn-out way of speaking. Without a word, he stepped forward and kicked him.

Even after being kicked, the messenger did not dare make a sound. He gritted his teeth and endured before loudly declaring, “Yes, there seems to be more! The Yunzhong Marquis apparently mentioned to the medical officer in the carriage that if such women are scarce, men will do too!”