"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 16

Rui Fu felt a burst of unease in his heart, unconsciously he opened his eyes, tossing and turning on his bed he couldn’t sleep, he just got up and put on his clothes, the young eunuch guarding outside Tong Hai was just dozing off, seeing Rui Fu up and about he jumped in fright, he busily stood straight saying, “Why are you up?”

“Xiao Hai ah, how can you sneakily sleep like this, certainly like raising a pig.” Rui Fu hmphed, reaching out to pinch Xiao Hai’s chubby cheeks, “Your adoptive father me body has been weak recently, should I stew you to supplement myself?”

Tong Hai laughed hehe, puffing out his cheeks he said, “Adoptive father, do you want to eat now? So long as you say it I will go to the meal room right away, quickly take off my clothes and allow the chef to stew me.”

“Little brat, getting more and more brazen!” Rui Fu looked at Tong Hai’s shameless manner, he couldn’t help laugh.

Tong Hai laughed hehe helping Rui Fu make himself presentable, and covered him in a thick grey fox skin overcoat, then did he follow behind to leave.

Just as they left they felt a peal of cold air assail their noses, Rui Fu covered his face as he walked, his mind still thinking about the emperor’s situation, recently His Majesty really wasn’t easy to get along with. First disregarding him indescribably making the left and right commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guards to go arrest women called Zhang Hong…, moreover last night he didn’t want them guarding him as he slept, sending out the hidden guards who were always in the shadows, every night the hidden guards secured the bedroom, no one was allowed in, even if he wasn’t allowed.

What confused him even more was, a person inevitably had to answer the call of nature, even if the emperor previously did not frequently get up in the night, but nevertheless he went once, but ever since he had sent the hidden guards outside, the bathroom has been clean, not used at all, it was like as if he already no longer needed to eat or drink, these things were like a riddle Rui Fu could not see clearly.

Rui Fu believed he was loyal and devoted to the emperor, but he also knew the emperor was distrustful, opening his heart to very few, but recently moving him outside of him it still made him have feel a bit of indescribable defeat.

“Who is it?” Rui Fu had just reached the doorway when he saw a person dressed in black dragon robes, a hidden guard wearing a gold long sword walked out with two palace Imperial bodyguards, he asked with a dignified gaze.

“Lord An, an eminent person has short memory, how can you not even recognise me.” Rui Fu asked in good humour.

“Oh, so it’s head manager Li.” An Wen Yao relaxed a lot seeing that it was Li Rui Fu, lacking a bit of precaution from just now, saying, “it’s so late why aren’t you asleep?”

At that moment, a sudden roar could be heard from the direction of the emperor’s sleeping quarters, shocking those present to pale in complexion, An Wen Yao reaction seemed to be immediate, Rui Fu only blinked and An Wen Yao had disappeared, like a shadow of a ghost, speeding towards the bedroom, his heart had still not settled down, when another bitter yell could be heard!

Rui Fu heart thudded, deathly pale, this voice was the emperor’s! He was absolutely certain!

***

The moon hung in the sky, emitting a round lustre, setting off in contrast the white snow making it feel as if it was daytime, a mule cart stopped at outside an abandoned temple on the outskirt of the capital city.

“Lady Zhao, I’ll go in with you.” Chen Rong helped Zhao Jin Yu down from the mule cart.

Zhao Jin Yu also knew this was not the time for her to be reckless, at first she had thought because it was night they couldn’t hurry on with their journey…, maybe Chen Rong saw her anxiousness, and had taken the initiative to reassure her, it was no more than a two hour journey, moreover this was near to the capital city, very few problematic bandits roamed about, as for the common thugs she was not concerned with them, that’s why there was nothing to fear, going as they pleased, Zhao Jin Yu seeing Chen Rong’s fair and reasonable mind was naturally happy, ten thousands thanks, hurrying all the way they returned to the small temple.

“Many thanks auntie Chen.” Zhao Jin Yu gratefully said.

Chen Rong vigilantly looked all around, hearing Zhao Jin Yu’s words, with no expression on her face, she said, “Lady Zhao don’t be courteous.” Then she even took the lead walking in front, ceasing with any more superfluous words.

Zhao Jin Yu smartly followed behind Chen Rong, however she discovered…, surprisingly  before she could give her directions Chen Rong had lead her directly to the dried up well, she was shocked, unable to not think, how does Chen Rong know about this place? Could it be she actually followed her that afternoon? She suddenly felt embarrassed having been exposed.

Chen Rong however magnanimously said, “Since I accepted this escort journey I have to ensure Lady Zhao’s safety, this place is desolate, better to be safe than sorry, that’s why when Lady Zhao came here during the day I took the liberty to follow here, however Lady Zhao please be at ease, I was only aware of Lady Zhao’s safety, I don’t know anything else.”

Zhao Jin Yu facing this magnanimous and righteous Chen Rong honestly did not know what to say…, her reasons were simply very adequate, going into this long abandoned broken temple by herself was indeed somewhat unsecure.

Now it was already very late at night, the caw of an unknown bird could be heard from not too far away, it was even more strange in this peaceful cold night, Zhao Jin Yu took a deep breath and used the moonlight to look into the depth of the dried up well.

Through the entire journey Zhao Jin Yu went through trains of thoughts, thinking of many scenarios when they reunite, the stone would immediately curse her in a loud voice, or cry from fear, or maybe a sorry appearance from restlessly move about in the jewellery box trying to escape but unable to succeed, only she never thought she would see a box, gnawed and bitten by rats, leaving behind only a frame, and there was no trace of the stone, her complexion immediately paled, somewhat unbelievingly she rubbed her eyes.

“It’s gone!”

Chen Rong’s face darkened, walking over to pat Zhao Jin Yu’s slightly shivering body, saying, 

“Someone has been here before.”

“Who? Why would someone come to such a desolate place?” Zhao Jin Yu was very frantic, thinking whether the stone had been sealed away by a Taoist priest? Such a feeble stone spirit…, a person could just move a finger and squeeze it to death, however seeing Chen Rong’s calm expression, a kind of calm that would not change even if Mount Tai[1] collapses before her eyes, unconsciously her mind also calmed down, saying, “Auntie Chen, can you find it? It is really important to me, really important!”

Chen Rong said, “Don’t worry.” Having spoken she began to look all around, she appeared to know qinggong,[2] thick layers of snow, she stepped on it but only left faint footprints, in a moment she looked at a large stone for quite a while, she immediately beckoned at Zhao Jin Yu, saying, “Lady Zhao, come over here and take a look.”

Zhao Jin Yu walked over to take a look, her face paled even more, there were many fragments beside the stone, even though they were very small, she however picked it up carefully sizing it then was certain this was the stone!

Could it be smashed to pieces by someone? It’s dead?

Chen Rong saw Zhao Jin Yu was about to cry, she faintly sighed in her mind, supporting her shoulder she said, “Lady Zhao, let us carefully look around, maybe something else can be found.”

Zhao Jin Yu held back the tears in her eyes with difficulty, crouching on the ground looking for the stone fragments, but searching for a while she only found bits and pieces, and no big pieces, a bit of hope again rose in her heart, with a somewhat hopeful gaze she looked at Chen Rong, saying, 

“Auntie Chen, can you find out where the people who passed by went?”

Chen Rong was only in charge of Zhao Jin Yu’s safety going down south, rushing back through the night to take back the thing was considered to be very hard, if they carried on it would be anything matter, she could actually directly refuse, only the moon was full, Zhao Jin Yu misty eyes were clear and bright, like it could penetrate your heart, she instinctively thought of the child she had lost many years ago, thinking if she was still alive, she would be Zhao Jin Yu’s age, whether she would have experienced such a helpless situation…, Chen Rong’s heart burst with sadness, the deep-rooted pain of being helplessly separated from her own flesh and blood rushed to her heart, unexpectedly she unconsciously nodded her head saying, “I can try.”

Two days later, at Tongzhou dock.

Zhao Jin Yu wore a white rabbit fur overcoat, Chen Rong following beside her, the two people each carrying something in their hands weaved through the crowd towards the tavern, they had arrived here yesterday, and agreed to go down south in a turreted junk ship tomorrow, she had come out to buy some essentials, after all later it would not be convenient to buy things on the ship.

“Selling sugar-coated Chinese hawthorns, lady buy one.” A young man came over carrying sugar-coated Chinese hawthorns on his back, seeing Zhao Jin Yu was extremely young he thought the young lady would like these, voluntarily stepping forward to peddle.

Zhao Jin Yu looked at the brilliant red sugar-coated Chinese hawthorns, she couldn’t help swallow down her saliva, but in a blink she gloomily shook her head saying, “I don’t want it.” Immediately she dejectedly walked away.

Chen Rong followed behind, her heart was like a mirror, two nights before the two of them had followed footsteps until they reached a small village outside of the depths of a mountain, sadly even though that village wasn’t very big, several tens of families lived there however, there was also the small road leading to Liaodong, that’s why even though the population was low, it was simply impossible to figure out who went to that rundown temple…, in the end they had to return without any achievements, after that Zhao Jin Yu seemed to feel very sad and blamed herself, not feeling like eating, and without a smile on her face.

The two people did not say anything all the way, but having set out a quarter of an hour later they saw a tavern, just as they were about to go in they saw a person suddenly flash past, almost bumping into Zhao Jin Yu, before you knew it, Chen Rong who followed beside reached out pulling her to her side, instinctively putting her in front, shouting, “Who are you?”

That person wasn’t tall, and of medium stature, wearing a grey semi-old cotton-padded clothes, looking thirty-five or six years old, at this moment he stood facing Chen Rong and Zhao Jin Yu smiling very politely.

“I mean no harm.” That man spoke up to here, rolling his eyes, showing bright and shiny, “I just wanted to ask the lady, whether or not you want to buy a talking stone as a pet?”

Zhao Jin Yu right away felt a ringing in her head, only a while later did it settle down, very quickly she felt happiness rush into her heart, thinking to herself, truly its looking for something sparing no effort, a feeling of getting something without trying, somewhat impatiently she asked, “What type of stone is it?”

Chen Rong at first glance thought he was a good for nothing scoundrel, and saying there was a talking stone…, clearly he had seen Zhao Jin Yu was young and innocent, wanting to swindle her, but once she saw Zhao Jin Yu’s face light up, all of a sudden she was not so sure, having known each other over the past few days, she noticed that although Zhao Jin Yu was an official’s daughter raised to stay at home, she was also gentle and good-natured, but she nevertheless acted properly, having her views, not seeming like a person easily deceived like this, could it be…there was something going on here?

That person had thought he would have to waste more words, in the end at Zhao Jin Yu’s interested appearance, his heart exulted, unconsciously he looked at Chen Rong, seeing that although her face was cold and stiff, but made no other movements, agreeing tacitly, he hurriedly said, “Young lady please follow me.”

Inside a guest room, that middle aged man took out a box from inside cabinet, smiling he said, “Young lady, you can take a good look, it really is a rare treasure”

Zhao Jin Yu was impatient, saying, “Quickly open it.”

That middle aged man seeing Zhao Jin Yu’s anxiety, felt more and more proud of himself, this time he must demand an exorbitant price, putting the box on the table he opened it up.

Inside was filled with black mud, a spotless white stone quietly inlayed in the mud, like an unique beauty, growing out of the mud unsullied, Zhao Jin Yu looked at it as a mist rose in her eyes.

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[1] The sacred Mount Tai was the object of an imperial cult for nearly 2,000 years, and the artistic masterpieces found there are in perfect harmony with the natural landscape. It has always been a source of inspiration for Chinese artists and scholars and symbolizes ancient Chinese civilizations and beliefs.

[2]  Martial arts technique for making the body extremely light in weight, by altering the distribution and flow of qi.