"Your Royal Highness, after Yunhan had been released from the prison dungeon of the Ministry of Justice and was on the way to the quarry, he accidentally encountered three pedestrians. There were also other prisoners who had contact with him. They are all under our surveillance," the personal attending eunuch hesitated and glanced at the Crown Prince, "Moreover, Fushou Junzhu handed him a plate of pastries, but it was snatched by other prisoners. For now, there doesn't seem to be anything suspicious. Should we send someone..."
"Fushou Junzhu is the daughter of General Hua and General Wei. There's no chance that she would be colluding with these unidentified rebels," the Crown Prince interrupted directly, "The Hua and Wei families have been loyal for generations and have made significant contributions to Great Jin throughout history. If they had any ulterior motives, they wouldn't have fought so fiercely to leave Jinpo defenseless. Suspecting Fushou Junzhu is denying the merits that the two generals have earned for Great Jin. Do not mention such words again in the future."
"Yes," the personal attending eunuch bowed down, touching his head to the ground, "I spoke out of turn. I beg Your Royal Highness for forgiveness."
The Crown Prince glanced at him with a faint tone, "In many matters, until there is evidence, refrain from self-righteous speculations about loyal ministers."
"Yes," the trembling eunuch replied.
"Your Highness," the guard outside the carriage called out loudly, "We have arrived at Yanlai Lake."
The Crown Prince lifted the curtain, stepped down from the carriage, and turned around. Coincidentally, Hua Liuli also descended from her carriage, her cloak fluttering gently in the wind.
"Junzhu," the Crown Prince approached Hua Liuli, "That's the Yanlai Lake ahead. Whenever it rains, the lake's surface would be shrouded in mist. If we take a boat on the lake, it will be as if we are roaming in the clouds."
Hua Liuli noticed a painted boat on the lake with eunuch attendants and several palace maids wearing colorful garments.
"Come, let's board the boat," the Crown Prince invited Hua Liuli as they stepped onto the boat, which swayed slightly.
Inside the boat, there were several kneeling musicians who quickly stood up and bowed when they saw the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli entering.
Smelling the faint fragrance of incense in the boat, Hua Liuli said, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"Benwang said Benwang would invite you to listen to the palace musicians' performance. How could Benwang go back on my word?" On the tea table, there was a teapot brewing some unknown tea, emitting a light and refreshing aroma.
"Benwang knows you can't drink tea, so Benwang had them make a floral infusion for you," the Crown Prince invited Hua Liuli to sit down, "Taste it and see if it becomes too cloying."
Hua Liuli lifted the teacup and took a sip. The subtle sweetness enveloped the tea aroma and tasted pleasant in her mouth. She smiled and said, "After drinking this tea, I feel like I'm perfumed all over."
"As long as Junzhu enjoys it," the Crown Prince raised his hand slightly, and the musicians began to play. The first piece they played was not a gentle Southern melody but an exhilarating battlefield tune.
Hua Liuli paused, then she turned her head to look at the musicians, listening intently.
Once the soldiers step onto the battlefield, their life and death are no longer in their own hands. Father had once said that as a general, he hoped that what he learned throughout his life would be put to good use, and he also hoped that there would be no more wars in the world.
The battlefield is ruthless. Behind every death is a person's life. The person who died may be yearning for someone from their hometown or may have someone waiting for them to return.
The only consolation is that His Majesty is a benevolent emperor who does not mistreat the soldiers. The soldiers can eat their fill, and if a soldier dies in battle, there will be a generous pension for their family.
Father often told her and her brothers that a great general meeting a wise emperor is the best start and end for a military commander. He was fortunate to have met Emperor Changlong. However, the Hua family won't have such good luck every generation, so preserving their strength and survival has become almost instinctual for every generation of the Hua family.
Compared to the wailing and howling of the frontier soldiers, the musicians' performance was more melodious and pleasing to the ears, but it lacked the carefree taste of the frontier.
"'Can I say that I have no clothes and share a robe with you?'" Hua Liuli followed the melody and hummed two verses, smiling, "Your Royal Highness, these musicians play such interesting tunes. Unfortunately, my talent in leading troops and fighting is not as good as my parents, so I can only listen to these tunes for my own amusement."
"In this world, there are no two completely identical people. General Hua and General Wei are indeed rare talents, but Junzhu also has her own charm. There is no need to compare yourself with others or elders," the Crown Prince said as he refilled Hua Liuli's cup, "In the eyes of those who love you, you are unique."
Hua Liuli smiled at the Crown Prince. "Your Royal Highness, if you want to praise someone, you can definitely make that person feel elated."
"Junzhu misspoke," the Crown Prince chuckled, "Benwang never flatters anyone; Benwang only speaks the truth from my heart."
Hua Liuli couldn't help but laugh.
Men, especially handsome men, can make their voices sound as beautiful as heavenly music when praising someone.
On one side, Hua Liuli enjoyed the company of the handsome Crown Prince as they boated on the lake. On the other side, Prince A'Wa, who was captured, could only sit in an empty prison dungeon, playing with a straw.
Today, many prisoners were taken to the quarry, but due to his special status, he was neither required to do hard labor nor participate in other collective activities with the prisoners. He could only spend his days in solitary confinement, lost in thought.
Although the other prisoners usually ignored him, at least he could listen to their conversations. Now, even the voices were gone, making it unbearably lonely.
If this continued, his mind would turn into mush.
"Prince A'Wa," Pei Jihuai walked up to the cell and looked at Prince A'Wa playing with straw, "It seems that Prince A'Wa is doing well in our Ministry of Justice. Your waist has gained two extra rounds."
Prince A'Wa glared at Pei Jihuai but didn't dare to retort. It was he who had caused Prince A'Wa to starve for several days.
Pei Jihuai raised his hand. The others who had accompanied him retreated, leaving him alone with Prince A'Wa.
"What... What do you want?" Prince A'Wa saw the others walk away, so he kept retreating until he pressed against the wall. Anxiously, he spoke, "If you have something to say, say it properly. It's not right to resort to torture."
"Prince A'Wa, you misunderstand me. Today is the Flower Festival, a lively festival in our Great Jin. I was afraid that Prince A'Wa would be bored, so I came here to accompany you," Pei Jihuai sat down on a chair, took off the sword at his waist, and placed it on the nearby table, "It's still early; why don't we talk about some of the interests and hobbies of your Jinpo royal family?"
Prince A'Wa stood firm, "I am the most beloved son of my father, the King of Jinpo. It is others who should remember my interests; I have no obligation to care about theirs."
"Oh?" Pei Jihuai raised an eyebrow. He placed his hand on the scabbard, tapping it with his index finger, producing a dull sound.
Prince A'Wa's heart was filled with anxiety due to the sound, "How about we talk about a topic I'm familiar with?"
"Sure," Pei Jihuai slowly withdrew his hand and leisurely said, "Let's talk about why you wanted to meet Fushou Junzhu."
Prince A'Wa's face turned extremely ugly. He gritted his teeth and spat, "The women of your Great Jin are all cunning and treacherous witches!"
Swish!
A shiny blade was drawn from the scabbard, reflecting a frosty gleam in the dim dungeon. Pei Jihuai tightly held the hilt of the sword and calmly looked at Prince A'Wa, "Prince A'Wa, I seem to have misheard you just now. Please say it again."
"I said that the women of your Great Jin are all intelligent and beautiful, like goddesses descended from the moon."
"Thank you for praising the women of our country. In this matter, my opinion aligns with yours," Pei Jihuai sheathed the sword, "Please continue."
Prince A'Wa expression changed several times. Though he treasured his life, he chose to continue discussing this topic.
"I met your Fushou Junzhu a year ago..."
A year ago, after General Tuka of the Kingdom of Jinpo died, causing unrest within the Jinpo royal family, Prince A'Wa took it upon himself to infiltrate the military camp of the Hua family army in Qinghan Prefecture to gather information.
Once he successfully infiltrated Qinghan Prefecture, he learned about Hua Yingting's beloved young daughter named Liuli. This young girl was innocent, kind-hearted, and adored by the local people.
As the most handsome person from the Kingdom of Jinpo, Prince A'Wa had a bright idea. He had planned to get close to Hua Liuli so that even if he couldn't obtain any military intelligence, he could at least deceive her and take her hostage.
Before executing his plan, Prince A'Wa made extensive preparations. He created a story about his mother being abducted by people from the Kingdom of Jinpo, becoming a slave, and ultimately dying from torture. So he came to this place and established himself as a merchant in Qinghan Prefecture.
In order to gain Hua Liuli's trust, he even gave away numerous medicinal herbs to the people for free, making Hua Liuli believe he was a kind-hearted person.
Prince A'Wa didn't want to share the irrelevant details with Pei Jihuai. After all, his plan ultimately succeeded. He deceived Hua Liuli and convinced her to leave the city with him, accompanied by a few maids.
However, on the same night when he brought Hua Liuli back to his own headquarters, a fire suddenly broke out in the military camp's granary. The Hua family army launched a surprise attack. Just as Prince A'Wa returned to the tent, preparing to change into his battle armor, he was bound by the maids beside Hua Liuli.
These women covered his mouth and hid him in a chest, while Hua Liuli pretended to disappear along with him in another chest, creating the illusion that they both had gone missing.
"The Second Prince and the newly acquired beautiful lady escaped!"
Someone shouted in chaos; the army's morale completely collapsed.
Someone entered his tent and saw scattered jewelry on the ground. The person wanted to take the valuable jewelry for himself and deceive others by saying that they were taken by the Second Prince while escaping, but he was soon discovered by other deserters, resulting in a chaotic scuffle.
Helplessly, Prince A'Wa watched as the troops he had brought with him were easily defeated by the Hua family army without any resistance. He himself became a captive.
"I didn't expect you to deceive me. So, you are the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Jinpo," Hua Liuli covered her face and sobbed, "Wasn't it you who led troops to launch a surprise attack on the borders of Great Jin, slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent civilians?!"
While crying, she picked up a smelly shoe that someone had dropped on the ground and began hitting him with it.
"Why are you so wicked? Waaah!"
"Do you have any humanity left? Waaah!"
Prince A'Wa couldn't understand what was going on with this woman. She was obviously weak and frail, gasping for breath after taking a few steps, yet when she hit him, she exerted extra strength. With just a few hits, he felt dizzy and disoriented, even losing two teeth.
"Xianzhu, you are weak and cannot be distressed. We will collect all the gold, silver, and jewels in this camp and establish a charity hall, alright?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Although Prince A'Wa deserves to be dismembered, it is said that the King of Jinpo values him greatly. We can use him as a hostage to extract more compensation when the Kingdom of Jinpo signs the surrender document. This will also accumulate blessings for the people."
As these maids spoke, they began searching for items, even using small knives to pry off the precious gems embedded in his shoes. They didn't leave behind a single valuable item.
In the end, under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of Hua family army soldiers, Prince A'Wa was tightly bound by several women and dragged out of the tent like a dead dog, devoid of any dignity befitting a prince.
This past event had become Prince A'Wa's shame and nightmare. Even now, he would dream of the scene where Hua Liuli hit him with a smelly shoe, waking him up drenched in a cold sweat.
Prince A'Wa explained the situation hesitantly, omitting many embarrassing details, but Pei Jihuai managed to piece together the general idea.
"So, you mean to say that you spent half a year in Qinghan Prefecture just to gain the trust of Fushou Junzhu?" Pei Jihuai glanced at Prince A'Wa's chubby face, which had lost its original contours. He wondered what misconception this prince had about Fushou Junzhu to make him believe that he could win her over with just his looks.
Not to mention others, even Third Young Master Hua, Fushou Junzhu's own brother, was very handsome, and she would look at his handsome face every day. Why would she be captivated by someone who claimed to have a tragic background?
Even if, for the sake of argument, Fushou Junzhu suddenly developed vision problems and truly believed Prince A'Wa's sweet words, she wouldn't casually leave the city with him.
She was kind and innocent, but not foolish, right?
What kind made him think that the daughter of a great general would abandon everything and follow him?
He felt he had calculated everything perfectly, but he had actually become a pawn in someone else's eyes. This Prince A'Wa was simply foolish enough to deliver himself on a platter; others would feel embarrassed not to take advantage of it.
"There's something you may not know, but it's not your fault. After all, it happened fifteen years ago," Pei Jihuai's face showed a hint of amusement, "Fifteen years ago, your country's spy infiltrated Qinghan Prefecture, but was discovered by General Wei within three days and executed on the spot."
Prince A'Wa was stunned, "What are you implying?"
"Your country's spy in Qinghan Prefecture lasted only three days before General Wei discovered him. How do you think you managed to stay in Qinghan Prefecture for half a year and take away the daughter most cherished by the two generals?" Pei Jihuai sneered, "Do you think you're clever enough?"
"She deceived me! She knew my identity from the beginning, didn't she?!" Prince A'Wa exclaimed angrily.
Pei Jihuai ignored Prince A'Wa's anger and calmly said, "Today's conversation has been pleasant. We'll talk again when we have the chance."
"Get lost! Get out of here!" Prince A'Wa couldn't believe it. He had fallen into Hua Liuli's trap from the very beginning.
When he first met Hua Liuli, she would use a handkerchief to bandage a wounded rabbit and would even put fish back into the water when it accidentally jumped ashore during heavy rain. How could a woman like her have such a clever mind?
Impossible, impossible!
"In Qinghan Prefecture, there's a river with a lot of fish. Sometimes after heavy rain, when the weather is humid, the fish jump out of the water on their own," Hua Liuli shared an interesting story from the border with the Crown Prince, "The soldiers would catch all those fish and bring them back to the camp to cook in big pots. Sometimes there are too many fish, so they would even share some with the people."
"In winter, when the river freezes over, the soldiers are worried that hungry wild beasts might harm the people, so they regularly search the mountains. Sometimes they hunt rabbits and other animals. The roasted meat there tastes especially delicious," Hua Liuli took a sip of water, "Unfortunately, due to my poor health, most of the time I can only smell the aroma. But Third Brother often mingles with the soldiers and has eaten a lot of game meat."
"Although Junzhu is weak, you can still eat some rabbit meat and deer meat, but not too much," the Crown Prince continued, "Someone happened to send us this meat. Tomorrow, Benwang will send someone to pick up Junzhu. Come to the palace and enjoy it."
"It's too troublesome for Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli declined.
"Actually, Benwang has some personal motives too," the Crown Prince smiled, "Imperial Grandmother keeps mentioning you all the time, and now that the first lunar month has passed, she wants to keep you in the palace for a few days. Let Benwang be the messenger to please her."
"That would be a bother," Hua Liuli chuckled, "I can see that the Empress Dowager really likes the Crown Prince. Even if Your Royal Highness doesn't act as the messenger, you're still the apple of her eye."
While the two were talking, ripples suddenly appeared on the surface of the lake, and a large fish jumped into the boat.
The attending eunuch bent over and caught the fish, "Your Royal Highness, you are the true Dragon Prince! This fish jumped onto your painting boat on its own. It's an auspicious sign, so..."
"Why not cook and eat it? This kind of fish is especially delicious when braised."
Attending eunuch: ???
"Junzhu makes a good point. It's a blessing from heaven. If we don't eat it, wouldn't it be a waste of the heavens' goodwill?" the Crown Prince instructed his attendants, "Benwang remember there's a chef who came along. Let him braise this fish and prepare a few side dishes to serve together."
"Yes," the eunuch carried the struggling fish and left the boat.
If it were any other prince, they might have taken it as a lucky fish and kept it. Unfortunately, he encountered the Crown Prince.
"It's your fortune to be eaten by His Royal Highness," the eunuch hopped onto a small boat, rode back to the shore, and handed the fish to the chef.
"His Royal Highness doesn't like fish, so prepare more dishes that he enjoys. Be quick, don't let His Royal Highness and Junzhu wait for long," the eunuch washed off the fishy smell from his hands, changed into clean clothes inside the carriage, and hurriedly returned to the painting boat.
He couldn't let other eunuchs curry favor in front of the Crown Prince.
The chef in the Eastern Palace not only had exquisite culinary skills but also worked quickly. Although the braised fish hadn't been served yet, the other dishes had already been brought out.
Hua Liuli enjoyed the delicious food and sighed, "Days like these are truly wonderful."
"That's why Benwang sincerely thanks the two generals," the Crown Prince clinked glasses with Hua Liuli and drank the flower dew in his cup, "Because of the two generals, the surrounding countries dare not offend our Great Jin. As the Crown Prince, Benwang can leisurely sit on a boat on the lake and enjoy the scenery with Junzhu while savoring delicious food."
"The Crown Prince's words are not entirely accurate," Hua Liuli shook her head, "My parents only know how to fight on the battlefield. The true ruler who ensures the people's peace and happiness without fear is His Majesty."
"Whether it's the Hua family or the people of the world, the luckiest thing is to encounter a wise sovereign who loves the people like his own children," She looked at the Crown Prince, remained silent for a moment, and continued, "I believe that the future of Great Jin will be just as good."
So, Your Royal Highness, even if your heart is burdened and you yearn for the deceased, please persevere for the sake of the people.
The Crown Prince's mind stirred slightly. In Hua Liuli's eyes, he saw trust.
"Junzhu, do you trust Benwang?"
"I trust His Majesty's judgment, I also trust the Crown Prince," the Hua family is forever loyal to the Emperor, and the Crown Prince is the heir whom the Emperor favors and trusts the most. Therefore, they will never stand against the Crown Prince.
"Benwang will remember that."
In the Imperial Palace, Emperor Changlong closed the last memorial and glanced at the gradually dimming sky outside, "Sancai, what time is it now?"
"Your Majesty, it's almost evening. Shall I light the lamps?" Zhao Sancai saw the Emperor nod and quickly had the palace attendants light the candles in the hall.
"Has the Crown Prince returned to the palace?" Emperor Changlong rubbed his eyes.
"Your Majesty, no one has reported from the Eastern Palace yet," Zhao Sancai replied tactfully.
If no one has reported, it means he hasn't returned yet. The weary old father, Emperor Changlong, sighed, "When Zhen was his age, Zhen never had it this easy."
Zhao Sansai smiled and presented a cup of health-preserving tea to Emperor Changlong.
Emperor Changlong took a sip and furrowed his brow, "This tea is really unpleasant."
"Your Majesty, this is a health-preserving tea specially prepared for you by the imperial physicians at the Crown Prince's request. Since it is filial piety shown by the Crown Prince, please have a few more sips," Zhao Sancai consoled in a low voice, "Otherwise, if the Crown Prince asks, it would be difficult for this old servant to answer."
"You old rascal," Emperor Changlong jokingly scolded, then picked up the tea and took a few more sips, "When he learns to govern and handle political affairs, he is always lazy. But when he goes out to play, he becomes so excited and doesn't want to come back."
"Your Majesty, may I speak out of turn? Please forgive this old servant in advance."
"Go ahead."
"Although this old servant has no children, I feel that children who are close to their fathers are like this in the world. Your Majesty, you are still young and vigorous. It's only natural for the Crown Prince to occasionally want to go out and have fun. Moreover, the Crown Prince has excelled in both literary and martial arts since childhood. Things that take others three days to learn, the Crown Prince can learn well in just one or two days," Zhao Sancai smiled, "I'm not good with words, and I don't know how to express it properly."
Emperor Changlong chuckled, "You old rascal, the way you say it makes it seem like the Crown Prince is not wrong to be lazy, and Zhen should be the one suffering."
"Your Majesty, that's not what this old servant meant," Zhao Sancai smiled and reassured, "Your Majesty knows what kind of person the Crown Prince is, don't you?"
Emperor Changlong expressed disdain for the Crown Prince in words, but if anyone actually said anything even remotely negative about the Crown Prince, he would surely lose his temper on the spot. As he listened to Zhao Sancai praising the Crown Prince for being filial and capable, the smile on Emperor Changlong's face never faded.
"Speaking of father-son relationships, this old servant heard an interesting story a few days ago," Zhao Sancai said, "During the recent Spring Examinations, while General Hua's son was answering the questions in the Imperial Academy, General Hua accompanied his son outside the Imperial Academy every day, even catching two thieves for the Prefect of Jingzhao."
"Poor parents' hearts, General Hua has never been nervous or afraid when he fought on the battlefield throughout his life, but when his son takes part in the imperial examinations, he accompanied his son outside the Imperial Academy hall every day," Emperor Changlong thought of Hua Yingting, such a big person, squatting pitifully at the entrance of the Imperial Academy, and smiled with emotion, "Being a father is not easy."
When the son goes out to play, the father works hard in the palace reviewing memorials.
When the son takes the exams in the Imperial Academy, the father waits outside to accompany him.
At that moment, Emperor Changlong unilaterally developed a sympathetic feeling toward Hua Yingting.
However, this feeling turned into uneasiness when the Crown Prince returned to the palace and said that he had spent the day happily playing with the young lady of the Hua family.
After all, when Hua Yingting returned to the capital, on the night they had a heartfelt conversation, he had told him that he didn't plan to let his weak daughter marry and only hoped that she could live a peaceful and simple life.
At that time, he had placed his hand on his chest and vowed to take good care of the young lady, not letting her suffer.
How long has it been now? His most beloved son happily tells his weary old father that he had a pleasant day playing with Hua family's daughter.
My son, have you ever considered your old father's feelings?
As an emperor who holds great authority, he cares a lot about his reputation, don't you understand?
"Your Royal Highness, after Yunhan had been released from the prison dungeon of the Ministry of Justice and was on the way to the quarry, he accidentally encountered three pedestrians. There were also other prisoners who had contact with him. They are all under our surveillance," the personal attending eunuch hesitated and glanced at the Crown Prince, "Moreover, Fushou Junzhu handed him a plate of pastries, but it was snatched by other prisoners. For now, there doesn't seem to be anything suspicious. Should we send someone..."
"Fushou Junzhu is the daughter of General Hua and General Wei. There's no chance that she would be colluding with these unidentified rebels," the Crown Prince interrupted directly, "The Hua and Wei families have been loyal for generations and have made significant contributions to Great Jin throughout history. If they had any ulterior motives, they wouldn't have fought so fiercely to leave Jinpo defenseless. Suspecting Fushou Junzhu is denying the merits that the two generals have earned for Great Jin. Do not mention such words again in the future."
"Yes," the personal attending eunuch bowed down, touching his head to the ground, "I spoke out of turn. I beg Your Royal Highness for forgiveness."
The Crown Prince glanced at him with a faint tone, "In many matters, until there is evidence, refrain from self-righteous speculations about loyal ministers."
"Yes," the trembling eunuch replied.
"Your Highness," the guard outside the carriage called out loudly, "We have arrived at Yanlai Lake."
The Crown Prince lifted the curtain, stepped down from the carriage, and turned around. Coincidentally, Hua Liuli also descended from her carriage, her cloak fluttering gently in the wind.
"Junzhu," the Crown Prince approached Hua Liuli, "That's the Yanlai Lake ahead. Whenever it rains, the lake's surface would be shrouded in mist. If we take a boat on the lake, it will be as if we are roaming in the clouds."
Hua Liuli noticed a painted boat on the lake with eunuch attendants and several palace maids wearing colorful garments.
"Come, let's board the boat," the Crown Prince invited Hua Liuli as they stepped onto the boat, which swayed slightly.
Inside the boat, there were several kneeling musicians who quickly stood up and bowed when they saw the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli entering.
Smelling the faint fragrance of incense in the boat, Hua Liuli said, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"Benwang said Benwang would invite you to listen to the palace musicians' performance. How could Benwang go back on my word?" On the tea table, there was a teapot brewing some unknown tea, emitting a light and refreshing aroma.
"Benwang knows you can't drink tea, so Benwang had them make a floral infusion for you," the Crown Prince invited Hua Liuli to sit down, "Taste it and see if it becomes too cloying."
Hua Liuli lifted the teacup and took a sip. The subtle sweetness enveloped the tea aroma and tasted pleasant in her mouth. She smiled and said, "After drinking this tea, I feel like I'm perfumed all over."
"As long as Junzhu enjoys it," the Crown Prince raised his hand slightly, and the musicians began to play. The first piece they played was not a gentle Southern melody but an exhilarating battlefield tune.
Hua Liuli paused, then she turned her head to look at the musicians, listening intently.
Once the soldiers step onto the battlefield, their life and death are no longer in their own hands. Father had once said that as a general, he hoped that what he learned throughout his life would be put to good use, and he also hoped that there would be no more wars in the world.
The battlefield is ruthless. Behind every death is a person's life. The person who died may be yearning for someone from their hometown or may have someone waiting for them to return.
The only consolation is that His Majesty is a benevolent emperor who does not mistreat the soldiers. The soldiers can eat their fill, and if a soldier dies in battle, there will be a generous pension for their family.
Father often told her and her brothers that a great general meeting a wise emperor is the best start and end for a military commander. He was fortunate to have met Emperor Changlong. However, the Hua family won't have such good luck every generation, so preserving their strength and survival has become almost instinctual for every generation of the Hua family.
Compared to the wailing and howling of the frontier soldiers, the musicians' performance was more melodious and pleasing to the ears, but it lacked the carefree taste of the frontier.
"'Can I say that I have no clothes and share a robe with you?'" Hua Liuli followed the melody and hummed two verses, smiling, "Your Royal Highness, these musicians play such interesting tunes. Unfortunately, my talent in leading troops and fighting is not as good as my parents, so I can only listen to these tunes for my own amusement."
"In this world, there are no two completely identical people. General Hua and General Wei are indeed rare talents, but Junzhu also has her own charm. There is no need to compare yourself with others or elders," the Crown Prince said as he refilled Hua Liuli's cup, "In the eyes of those who love you, you are unique."
Hua Liuli smiled at the Crown Prince. "Your Royal Highness, if you want to praise someone, you can definitely make that person feel elated."
"Junzhu misspoke," the Crown Prince chuckled, "Benwang never flatters anyone; Benwang only speaks the truth from my heart."
Hua Liuli couldn't help but laugh.
Men, especially handsome men, can make their voices sound as beautiful as heavenly music when praising someone.
On one side, Hua Liuli enjoyed the company of the handsome Crown Prince as they boated on the lake. On the other side, Prince A'Wa, who was captured, could only sit in an empty prison dungeon, playing with a straw.
Today, many prisoners were taken to the quarry, but due to his special status, he was neither required to do hard labor nor participate in other collective activities with the prisoners. He could only spend his days in solitary confinement, lost in thought.
Although the other prisoners usually ignored him, at least he could listen to their conversations. Now, even the voices were gone, making it unbearably lonely.
If this continued, his mind would turn into mush.
"Prince A'Wa," Pei Jihuai walked up to the cell and looked at Prince A'Wa playing with straw, "It seems that Prince A'Wa is doing well in our Ministry of Justice. Your waist has gained two extra rounds."
Prince A'Wa glared at Pei Jihuai but didn't dare to retort. It was he who had caused Prince A'Wa to starve for several days.
Pei Jihuai raised his hand. The others who had accompanied him retreated, leaving him alone with Prince A'Wa.
"What... What do you want?" Prince A'Wa saw the others walk away, so he kept retreating until he pressed against the wall. Anxiously, he spoke, "If you have something to say, say it properly. It's not right to resort to torture."
"Prince A'Wa, you misunderstand me. Today is the Flower Festival, a lively festival in our Great Jin. I was afraid that Prince A'Wa would be bored, so I came here to accompany you," Pei Jihuai sat down on a chair, took off the sword at his waist, and placed it on the nearby table, "It's still early; why don't we talk about some of the interests and hobbies of your Jinpo royal family?"
Prince A'Wa stood firm, "I am the most beloved son of my father, the King of Jinpo. It is others who should remember my interests; I have no obligation to care about theirs."
"Oh?" Pei Jihuai raised an eyebrow. He placed his hand on the scabbard, tapping it with his index finger, producing a dull sound.
Prince A'Wa's heart was filled with anxiety due to the sound, "How about we talk about a topic I'm familiar with?"
"Sure," Pei Jihuai slowly withdrew his hand and leisurely said, "Let's talk about why you wanted to meet Fushou Junzhu."
Prince A'Wa's face turned extremely ugly. He gritted his teeth and spat, "The women of your Great Jin are all cunning and treacherous witches!"
Swish!
A shiny blade was drawn from the scabbard, reflecting a frosty gleam in the dim dungeon. Pei Jihuai tightly held the hilt of the sword and calmly looked at Prince A'Wa, "Prince A'Wa, I seem to have misheard you just now. Please say it again."
"I said that the women of your Great Jin are all intelligent and beautiful, like goddesses descended from the moon."
"Thank you for praising the women of our country. In this matter, my opinion aligns with yours," Pei Jihuai sheathed the sword, "Please continue."
Prince A'Wa expression changed several times. Though he treasured his life, he chose to continue discussing this topic.
"I met your Fushou Junzhu a year ago..."
A year ago, after General Tuka of the Kingdom of Jinpo died, causing unrest within the Jinpo royal family, Prince A'Wa took it upon himself to infiltrate the military camp of the Hua family army in Qinghan Prefecture to gather information.
Once he successfully infiltrated Qinghan Prefecture, he learned about Hua Yingting's beloved young daughter named Liuli. This young girl was innocent, kind-hearted, and adored by the local people.
As the most handsome person from the Kingdom of Jinpo, Prince A'Wa had a bright idea. He had planned to get close to Hua Liuli so that even if he couldn't obtain any military intelligence, he could at least deceive her and take her hostage.
Before executing his plan, Prince A'Wa made extensive preparations. He created a story about his mother being abducted by people from the Kingdom of Jinpo, becoming a slave, and ultimately dying from torture. So he came to this place and established himself as a merchant in Qinghan Prefecture.
In order to gain Hua Liuli's trust, he even gave away numerous medicinal herbs to the people for free, making Hua Liuli believe he was a kind-hearted person.
Prince A'Wa didn't want to share the irrelevant details with Pei Jihuai. After all, his plan ultimately succeeded. He deceived Hua Liuli and convinced her to leave the city with him, accompanied by a few maids.
However, on the same night when he brought Hua Liuli back to his own headquarters, a fire suddenly broke out in the military camp's granary. The Hua family army launched a surprise attack. Just as Prince A'Wa returned to the tent, preparing to change into his battle armor, he was bound by the maids beside Hua Liuli.
These women covered his mouth and hid him in a chest, while Hua Liuli pretended to disappear along with him in another chest, creating the illusion that they both had gone missing.
"The Second Prince and the newly acquired beautiful lady escaped!"
Someone shouted in chaos; the army's morale completely collapsed.
Someone entered his tent and saw scattered jewelry on the ground. The person wanted to take the valuable jewelry for himself and deceive others by saying that they were taken by the Second Prince while escaping, but he was soon discovered by other deserters, resulting in a chaotic scuffle.
Helplessly, Prince A'Wa watched as the troops he had brought with him were easily defeated by the Hua family army without any resistance. He himself became a captive.
"I didn't expect you to deceive me. So, you are the Second Prince of the Kingdom of Jinpo," Hua Liuli covered her face and sobbed, "Wasn't it you who led troops to launch a surprise attack on the borders of Great Jin, slaughtering tens of thousands of innocent civilians?!"
While crying, she picked up a smelly shoe that someone had dropped on the ground and began hitting him with it.
"Why are you so wicked? Waaah!"
"Do you have any humanity left? Waaah!"
Prince A'Wa couldn't understand what was going on with this woman. She was obviously weak and frail, gasping for breath after taking a few steps, yet when she hit him, she exerted extra strength. With just a few hits, he felt dizzy and disoriented, even losing two teeth.
"Xianzhu, you are weak and cannot be distressed. We will collect all the gold, silver, and jewels in this camp and establish a charity hall, alright?"
"Yes, yes, yes. Although Prince A'Wa deserves to be dismembered, it is said that the King of Jinpo values him greatly. We can use him as a hostage to extract more compensation when the Kingdom of Jinpo signs the surrender document. This will also accumulate blessings for the people."
As these maids spoke, they began searching for items, even using small knives to pry off the precious gems embedded in his shoes. They didn't leave behind a single valuable item.
In the end, under the watchful eyes of tens of thousands of Hua family army soldiers, Prince A'Wa was tightly bound by several women and dragged out of the tent like a dead dog, devoid of any dignity befitting a prince.
This past event had become Prince A'Wa's shame and nightmare. Even now, he would dream of the scene where Hua Liuli hit him with a smelly shoe, waking him up drenched in a cold sweat.
Prince A'Wa explained the situation hesitantly, omitting many embarrassing details, but Pei Jihuai managed to piece together the general idea.
"So, you mean to say that you spent half a year in Qinghan Prefecture just to gain the trust of Fushou Junzhu?" Pei Jihuai glanced at Prince A'Wa's chubby face, which had lost its original contours. He wondered what misconception this prince had about Fushou Junzhu to make him believe that he could win her over with just his looks.
Not to mention others, even Third Young Master Hua, Fushou Junzhu's own brother, was very handsome, and she would look at his handsome face every day. Why would she be captivated by someone who claimed to have a tragic background?
Even if, for the sake of argument, Fushou Junzhu suddenly developed vision problems and truly believed Prince A'Wa's sweet words, she wouldn't casually leave the city with him.
She was kind and innocent, but not foolish, right?
What kind made him think that the daughter of a great general would abandon everything and follow him?
He felt he had calculated everything perfectly, but he had actually become a pawn in someone else's eyes. This Prince A'Wa was simply foolish enough to deliver himself on a platter; others would feel embarrassed not to take advantage of it.
"There's something you may not know, but it's not your fault. After all, it happened fifteen years ago," Pei Jihuai's face showed a hint of amusement, "Fifteen years ago, your country's spy infiltrated Qinghan Prefecture, but was discovered by General Wei within three days and executed on the spot."
Prince A'Wa was stunned, "What are you implying?"
"Your country's spy in Qinghan Prefecture lasted only three days before General Wei discovered him. How do you think you managed to stay in Qinghan Prefecture for half a year and take away the daughter most cherished by the two generals?" Pei Jihuai sneered, "Do you think you're clever enough?"
"She deceived me! She knew my identity from the beginning, didn't she?!" Prince A'Wa exclaimed angrily.
Pei Jihuai ignored Prince A'Wa's anger and calmly said, "Today's conversation has been pleasant. We'll talk again when we have the chance."
"Get lost! Get out of here!" Prince A'Wa couldn't believe it. He had fallen into Hua Liuli's trap from the very beginning.
When he first met Hua Liuli, she would use a handkerchief to bandage a wounded rabbit and would even put fish back into the water when it accidentally jumped ashore during heavy rain. How could a woman like her have such a clever mind?
Impossible, impossible!
"In Qinghan Prefecture, there's a river with a lot of fish. Sometimes after heavy rain, when the weather is humid, the fish jump out of the water on their own," Hua Liuli shared an interesting story from the border with the Crown Prince, "The soldiers would catch all those fish and bring them back to the camp to cook in big pots. Sometimes there are too many fish, so they would even share some with the people."
"In winter, when the river freezes over, the soldiers are worried that hungry wild beasts might harm the people, so they regularly search the mountains. Sometimes they hunt rabbits and other animals. The roasted meat there tastes especially delicious," Hua Liuli took a sip of water, "Unfortunately, due to my poor health, most of the time I can only smell the aroma. But Third Brother often mingles with the soldiers and has eaten a lot of game meat."
"Although Junzhu is weak, you can still eat some rabbit meat and deer meat, but not too much," the Crown Prince continued, "Someone happened to send us this meat. Tomorrow, Benwang will send someone to pick up Junzhu. Come to the palace and enjoy it."
"It's too troublesome for Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli declined.
"Actually, Benwang has some personal motives too," the Crown Prince smiled, "Imperial Grandmother keeps mentioning you all the time, and now that the first lunar month has passed, she wants to keep you in the palace for a few days. Let Benwang be the messenger to please her."
"That would be a bother," Hua Liuli chuckled, "I can see that the Empress Dowager really likes the Crown Prince. Even if Your Royal Highness doesn't act as the messenger, you're still the apple of her eye."
While the two were talking, ripples suddenly appeared on the surface of the lake, and a large fish jumped into the boat.
The attending eunuch bent over and caught the fish, "Your Royal Highness, you are the true Dragon Prince! This fish jumped onto your painting boat on its own. It's an auspicious sign, so..."
"Why not cook and eat it? This kind of fish is especially delicious when braised."
Attending eunuch: ???
"Junzhu makes a good point. It's a blessing from heaven. If we don't eat it, wouldn't it be a waste of the heavens' goodwill?" the Crown Prince instructed his attendants, "Benwang remember there's a chef who came along. Let him braise this fish and prepare a few side dishes to serve together."
"Yes," the eunuch carried the struggling fish and left the boat.
If it were any other prince, they might have taken it as a lucky fish and kept it. Unfortunately, he encountered the Crown Prince.
"It's your fortune to be eaten by His Royal Highness," the eunuch hopped onto a small boat, rode back to the shore, and handed the fish to the chef.
"His Royal Highness doesn't like fish, so prepare more dishes that he enjoys. Be quick, don't let His Royal Highness and Junzhu wait for long," the eunuch washed off the fishy smell from his hands, changed into clean clothes inside the carriage, and hurriedly returned to the painting boat.
He couldn't let other eunuchs curry favor in front of the Crown Prince.
The chef in the Eastern Palace not only had exquisite culinary skills but also worked quickly. Although the braised fish hadn't been served yet, the other dishes had already been brought out.
Hua Liuli enjoyed the delicious food and sighed, "Days like these are truly wonderful."
"That's why Benwang sincerely thanks the two generals," the Crown Prince clinked glasses with Hua Liuli and drank the flower dew in his cup, "Because of the two generals, the surrounding countries dare not offend our Great Jin. As the Crown Prince, Benwang can leisurely sit on a boat on the lake and enjoy the scenery with Junzhu while savoring delicious food."
"The Crown Prince's words are not entirely accurate," Hua Liuli shook her head, "My parents only know how to fight on the battlefield. The true ruler who ensures the people's peace and happiness without fear is His Majesty."
"Whether it's the Hua family or the people of the world, the luckiest thing is to encounter a wise sovereign who loves the people like his own children," She looked at the Crown Prince, remained silent for a moment, and continued, "I believe that the future of Great Jin will be just as good."
So, Your Royal Highness, even if your heart is burdened and you yearn for the deceased, please persevere for the sake of the people.
The Crown Prince's mind stirred slightly. In Hua Liuli's eyes, he saw trust.
"Junzhu, do you trust Benwang?"
"I trust His Majesty's judgment, I also trust the Crown Prince," the Hua family is forever loyal to the Emperor, and the Crown Prince is the heir whom the Emperor favors and trusts the most. Therefore, they will never stand against the Crown Prince.
"Benwang will remember that."
In the Imperial Palace, Emperor Changlong closed the last memorial and glanced at the gradually dimming sky outside, "Sancai, what time is it now?"
"Your Majesty, it's almost evening. Shall I light the lamps?" Zhao Sancai saw the Emperor nod and quickly had the palace attendants light the candles in the hall.
"Has the Crown Prince returned to the palace?" Emperor Changlong rubbed his eyes.
"Your Majesty, no one has reported from the Eastern Palace yet," Zhao Sancai replied tactfully.
If no one has reported, it means he hasn't returned yet. The weary old father, Emperor Changlong, sighed, "When Zhen was his age, Zhen never had it this easy."
Zhao Sansai smiled and presented a cup of health-preserving tea to Emperor Changlong.
Emperor Changlong took a sip and furrowed his brow, "This tea is really unpleasant."
"Your Majesty, this is a health-preserving tea specially prepared for you by the imperial physicians at the Crown Prince's request. Since it is filial piety shown by the Crown Prince, please have a few more sips," Zhao Sancai consoled in a low voice, "Otherwise, if the Crown Prince asks, it would be difficult for this old servant to answer."
"You old rascal," Emperor Changlong jokingly scolded, then picked up the tea and took a few more sips, "When he learns to govern and handle political affairs, he is always lazy. But when he goes out to play, he becomes so excited and doesn't want to come back."
"Your Majesty, may I speak out of turn? Please forgive this old servant in advance."
"Go ahead."
"Although this old servant has no children, I feel that children who are close to their fathers are like this in the world. Your Majesty, you are still young and vigorous. It's only natural for the Crown Prince to occasionally want to go out and have fun. Moreover, the Crown Prince has excelled in both literary and martial arts since childhood. Things that take others three days to learn, the Crown Prince can learn well in just one or two days," Zhao Sancai smiled, "I'm not good with words, and I don't know how to express it properly."
Emperor Changlong chuckled, "You old rascal, the way you say it makes it seem like the Crown Prince is not wrong to be lazy, and Zhen should be the one suffering."
"Your Majesty, that's not what this old servant meant," Zhao Sancai smiled and reassured, "Your Majesty knows what kind of person the Crown Prince is, don't you?"
Emperor Changlong expressed disdain for the Crown Prince in words, but if anyone actually said anything even remotely negative about the Crown Prince, he would surely lose his temper on the spot. As he listened to Zhao Sancai praising the Crown Prince for being filial and capable, the smile on Emperor Changlong's face never faded.
"Speaking of father-son relationships, this old servant heard an interesting story a few days ago," Zhao Sancai said, "During the recent Spring Examinations, while General Hua's son was answering the questions in the Imperial Academy, General Hua accompanied his son outside the Imperial Academy every day, even catching two thieves for the Prefect of Jingzhao."
"Poor parents' hearts, General Hua has never been nervous or afraid when he fought on the battlefield throughout his life, but when his son takes part in the imperial examinations, he accompanied his son outside the Imperial Academy hall every day," Emperor Changlong thought of Hua Yingting, such a big person, squatting pitifully at the entrance of the Imperial Academy, and smiled with emotion, "Being a father is not easy."
When the son goes out to play, the father works hard in the palace reviewing memorials.
When the son takes the exams in the Imperial Academy, the father waits outside to accompany him.
At that moment, Emperor Changlong unilaterally developed a sympathetic feeling toward Hua Yingting.
However, this feeling turned into uneasiness when the Crown Prince returned to the palace and said that he had spent the day happily playing with the young lady of the Hua family.
After all, when Hua Yingting returned to the capital, on the night they had a heartfelt conversation, he had told him that he didn't plan to let his weak daughter marry and only hoped that she could live a peaceful and simple life.
At that time, he had placed his hand on his chest and vowed to take good care of the young lady, not letting her suffer.
How long has it been now? His most beloved son happily tells his weary old father that he had a pleasant day playing with Hua family's daughter.
My son, have you ever considered your old father's feelings?
As an emperor who holds great authority, he cares a lot about his reputation, don't you understand?
