"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 24

Thinking about it in the twenty-six years the emperor has been alive, he has never wasted a thought on women, firstly he was the empress’s first son, an esteemed status, secondly, he was handsome, even the eldest prince formerly admired by thousands could not deny it, the emperor’s small face was very good, if it wasn’t for him always pulling his face, without any patience for anyone, a ruthless temper, perhaps the most popular person in Hanzhen would be him.

His honourable status, outstanding appearance, made the emperor successful in every endeavour, since young he was surrounded by flocks of women, at first it was those imperial concubines of the former emperor, seeing such a good-looking child of the emperor they always felt like pinching his cheeks, loving him dearly, later it was those women from influential families chosen into the palace by the empress as companions, like Guo Shi who almost became his sister-in-law, and had before held some affection for him, but people are like this, the more unobtainable a thing is, the more you keep thinking about it, conversely, the more a thing actively approaches you, the more you don’t see it as a rarity, Guo Shi is a smart woman, seeing the emperor treat her with the same coldness as others, she considered the advantages and disadvantages, very quickly she changed her target to the gentle and cultured, generous eldest prince.

At that time the emperor was in the prime of his youth, what he thought about was how to improve his martial arts, how to complete his literary works well, how to surpass his talents then make emperor father look at him more, also how to…the eldest prince resolutely left him behind, allowing him to be recognised as superior to him, make empress mother praise him a few times, simply without effort, and did not have a desire to think about romance.

That’s why Zhao Jin Yu was considered very novel to him, he did not want Zhao Jin Yu to be dead set on him, only he somewhat vaguely thought…he only wanted her to be happy right, not always crying, every time a tear fell, that teardrop seemed to fall into his heart.

After the emperor ate, had a bath, he said to Zhao Jin Yu, “Let’s go outside.”

Zhao Jin Yu stayed at the tavern, a brazier had been in the room, warm and comfortable, right now she was lying under the quilt not wanting to move…, it had snowed again this afternoon, it was extremely cold outside, she shook her head saying, “What are we doing outside?”

“Admire the snow.” The emperor directly and efficiently said.

Seeing such forcefulness of the stone Zhao Jin Yu did not have the strength, comforting herself she said, raising a dog also requires taking it for a walk, besides isn’t this a stone spirit? It nevertheless has to be taken outside to take in fresh air right? Grudgingly she said, “Fine, wait for me to get dressed.”

After a short while, one person and one stone left the tavern doors, because it was snowing no one was walking on the path, snowflakes drifted restlessly in the air, similar to fairies scattering flowers, eye-catching, Zhao Jin Yu expelled a cold breath, but raised her head to watch the snow filled sky, only thinking her mind was very calm, she asked, “Where are we going? Do you have something you want to eat? Sugar-coated tangerine sticks?”

“Admire the snow.”

Zhao Jin Yu, “…”

After an hour, Zhao Jin Yu walked back and forth down a path countless of times, only because the stone liked to watch the snow, did she not complain.

The person and stone remained silent for a long time, practically not communicating at all, after a while, the stone suddenly said, “Snow like plum blossoms, plum blossoms like snow…” The emperor glanced at Zhao Jin Yu after he finished reciting the poem, she covered her face reddened by the cold, directly facing the haggis soup shop opposite and swallowing saliva from the smell drifting over.

All of a sudden the emperor felt he had not thought it through, it would be better to give her bowl of haggis soup than recite a poem at a woman like this, in the end an eunuch is a eunuch…, what did Qin Hong also say, taking a stroll with a woman amongst the snowy scenery, recite a verse filled with affection, and they will bashfully throw themselves into your arms, it really was too much for him to believe in an eunuch.

Moreover the emperor had simply not thought, Qin Hong basically did not know he had changed into a stone, Qin Hong’s method was very simply and blunt, but was effective, because based solely on the emperor’s incomparable appearance, so long as he is a little amiable towards a woman, naturally they would willingly accept him, only sadly…, what effect can a stone’s friendliness do?

“Go drink soup.” The emperor decided not to treat his stomach unfairly, aside from Zhao Jin Yu, even he restrained himself for a while, who knew, the smell of haggis soup wafted even higher than snowflakes.

These words went straight into the middle of Zhao Jin Yu’s heart, happily she bounced over, loudly saying, “A bowl of haggis soup please, with a little bit more chilli.”

“Fine.” The shop owner quickly replied, in a mere moment he carried a bowl of piping hot haggis soup over, Zhao Jin Yu glanced at it, it appeared there were two additional meat balls in the bowl, she blinked with some confusion, the shop owner was very nice, saying in a low voice, “I saw the young lady has been standing outside by our shop for almost an hour, my haggis soup, has ample ingredients, honest, without anything missing, that’s why the price cannot be lower, otherwise this business cannot continue, but I added two extra mutton meatballs, if the young lady doesn’t mind eat more, root us on.”

As it turns out Zhao Jin Yu admiring snow with the stone, was actually the person and stone walking around the haggis soup shop for an hour, two gluttons, they really are incorrigible, =.=

Zhao Jin Yu thanked the shop owner, while it was hot she ate half a bowl, again using her back, facing the corner, not allowing people to see, she dropped the stone into the bowl…

The woman and stone ate their fill before coming out, Zhao Jin Yu’s face was bright red, looking like a ripened apple amongst the snow, extremely charming, looking at her it made people want to take a bite…, the emperor pushed down his thoughts, closing his eyes he thought, he must be longing to eat an apple.

What the two people did not know was, at the mouth of an alleyway far away, a person was hidden in the shadows, looking over here with a somewhat complex expression.

In the evening they returned to where they were staying, Chen Rong had also returned earlier, informing Zhao Jin Yu that the ship Su Qing Chen is on had already left, this made Zhao Jin Yu relax, seeing this Chen Rong couldn’t help laugh, asking, “If Su Qing Chen’s intentions haven’t faded, and secretly ordered someone to follow you?”

Zhao Jin Yu blinked at Chen Rong, saying, “Having an Embroidered Uniform Guard protect you, isn’t this something people would wish for?”

Chen Rong finally couldn’t held laugh heartily, saying, “You…I still thought you couldn’t let it go, it seems that I was overthinking, you are right, even though he is an Embroidered Uniform Guard, in an important position, but after all he is an official, some things cannot be forced, if he wants someone to follow us then fine, anyway we are doing nothing wrong, and not afraid of people following.”

Zhao Jin Yu understood the meaning behind Chen Rong’s words, in other words even though Su Qing Chen is not happy they left without saying goodbye, but he was still someone who needed to save face, in every case it wasn’t good to unreasonably follow after her, granted that if he wanted to follow her he could only secretly do so.

After repeatedly warning Zhao Jin Yu to close her window’s properly when she went to bed Chen Rong then returned to her own room, she again booked another ship, it was a ship for the day after tomorrow, tomorrow the two people had another day to spend, Zhao Jin Yu had heard there was a temple nearby that was very effective and wanted to pay a visit, pray for blessings for her adoptive father, before she naturally did not believe in these things, besides the fact that her soul had travelled through time, and had come across a stone that can talk, then later she felt a lot of things cannot be certain.

The stone was even more excited hearing they were going to play at the temple, he asked a very crucial question, “Is the food given to Buddhist monks nice?”

Zhao Jin Yu, “…”

Later the journey went smoothly, this time there wasn’t a Su Qing Chen Embroidered Uniform Guard meddling, the stops the ship made were very regular, and what’s more because it was close to the end of the year, wanting to reach their destination sooner, the route this ship took was a lot quicker than before.

When Zhao Jin Yu started her journey it was already the eleventh month (Chinese lunar calendar), travelling by ship it usually required forty-five days, almost straddling the end of the year, the closer they got to their destination, the more people seemed to be unable to sit or stand still, a lot of the people on this ship conducted business away from home, going home to celebrate New Year, or to visit their parents, in any case not many were like Zhao Jin Yu…, still going away over the New Year.

However Zhao Jin Yu did not feel dejected, on the contrary because the letter will almost be delivered and felt a sort of joy at accomplishing an aspiration, adoptive father was like a second parent to her, she had never really done anything for him, this time it could at least be considered her doing something within her filial duty.

That evening, the ship arrived at Haicang only five or six days journey from Hangzhou, but they were held up unable to continue, Haicang had a huge river called River Cang which crossed with a canal, many ships lined up in a row on River Cang, also blocking up the canal, after asking around Chen Rong then found out the Tiangui sect was holding their yearly sacred lotus festival, worshippers from all regions came pouring over, in a few days it had turned Haicang into a blaze.

Although Zhao Jin Yu had heard of this Tiangui sect, this was still the first time she had personally seen it, she was extremely curious, Chen Rong said, “Since you haven’t seen it before, go take a look tomorrow, maybe you will receive the Xianjun’s blessing.”

“What is the Xianjun?”

“It is said it is a person chosen from heaven and earth to convey the Heaven’s will.”

Early next morning, Zhao Jin Yu saw in the town believers dressed in red clothing, or clothing with a large embroidered red lotus flower, even children would have a ribbon on their head embroidered with a red lotus.

It was nevertheless the first time Zhao Jin Yu participated in such a grand activity, she was also somewhat excited, joining in the fun and watching the ceremony…, the highlight was actually in the evening, the boat at the river bank adorned with a huge lotus flower would open up to reveal the Xianjun, throwing fortune papers representing blessings to the believers on the shore.

At noon it was already impossible for people to get onto the shore, luckily Zhao Jin Yu’s ship was docked near the shore, at night, standing on the deck she could watch it.

It was especially cold that night, the wet cold wind was like a knife, scraping at the body like it was carving flesh, Zhao Jin Yu wrapped herself up generously, only revealing a pair of eyes, like a cicada pupa, Chen Rong stood behind her, standing to the side were many people who found an excuse to board in order to see the Xianjun.

There were two young girls wearing the red lotus believer’s outfit standing beside her, one of them said with excitement, “Lord Xianjun is the handsomest man I’ve seen.”

The other girl added, “You’re utterly without shame, no wonder you wore so little today, so you want the Xianjun to see, and not scared of freezing to death.”

“We are believers of Tiangui, it is a gargantuan privilege wanting to serve the Xianjun, how can it be so shameless as you say?” The girl pouted not resigning.

“Humph, what is Lord Xianjun’s existence? How can mere ordinary dust like people like you and me pollute him?”

That girl lost her will from what the girl beside her said, somewhat crestfallen she lowered her head, saying, “What you said is true, supposedly the previous Lord Xianjun had over tens of maids to solely serve him, but this Xianjun has actually never taken in anyone.”

Hearing this Zhao Jin Yu who stood to the side basically understood, apart from this so-called affectionate Xianjun is a man, he can also use believers as maids to use?

What sect is this? How is it the more she heard about it the more it seemed like an evil sect?

Zhao Jin Yu couldn’t help mutter in her mind, what does that Xianjun priest look like, is he really that handsome? It ought to be a magnificent oddity that the believers blindly worship right?

Maybe this Xianjun truly is protected a little by the heavens, after the sky darkened it began to snow, the snow filled sky made the believers who surrounded the shore even more frantic, together they shouted the sky and earth are one, my sect thrives.

The young girls beside her were so moved their eyes had reddened, facing the lotus flower vessel they kneeled, emotionally saying, “Lord Xianjun, you really are an envoy assigned by the heavens from the gods, otherwise why would it snow now?”

Zhao Jin Yu, = . =

The believers shouts became louder and louder, shaking heaven and earth, rushing over in waves, finally the lotus flower vessel lit up, against the dark green water it appeared to be a lotus flower floating over from the edge of the world, picturesque, dreamlike, nothing more beautiful can be imagined.

Zhao Jin Yu was also moved, stroking the stone around her neck, quietly saying, “Little thing, don’t sleep, there’s something good to see.” If the two people beside her were extremely moved from being able to see the Xianjun, Zhao Jin Yu’s reason was because at last there was something lively worth seeing!

The emperor did not say anything, in the dim light of night, he watched those extremely crazy believers, the lotus flower which represented magnificent purity…, a mood rolled about in his gaze which people could not see clearly, that sort of ice-coldness, antisocial, chilliness.

Zhao Jin Yu saw the stone did not reply, thinking the stone had yet to awaken, or she had spoken too quietly for him to hear, outside she was always very careful afraid that people would find something out, as a result even though he did not reply she also did not mind, rather she placed all her attention on that pretty lotus flower shaped vessel.

As people looked forward to it, the lotus petals made of cotton suddenly blossomed, at the same time, the firecrackers at shore sounded, a large amount of fireworks brightened up the entire sky, contrasting against the man dressed in red sitting in the middle of the lotus like an immortal, pure and holy with divinity.

When Zhao Jin Yu saw that Xianjun’s appearance it was like she was struck by lightning, she paled, the crowd’s cheering seemed to threaten to split the earth open from the vibrations, directly rushing into the skies, in this enthusiastic atmosphere, the lotus flower vessel slowly drew up against the shore, beginning to throw and spread good fortune slips of papers, most of the good fortune slips of papers were thrown to the shore, but there was a small portion which fell into the river water.

A man holding a red-purple good fortune paper happily screeched, yelling, “Lord Xianjun, I got a personal good fortune paper, I got it!”

At the side there was someone who used a small boat to deliver that man to the Xianjun, the man immediately fell to his knees, the Xianjun lightly placed his hand on that man’s forehead…, so it turns out if you get a red-purple good fortune paper you can get the Xianjun’s blessings!

Zhao Jin Yu suddenly saw a red-purple good fortune paper floating on the water, she was like a possessed woman, she simply could not control herself…, undoing her cloak, throwing away her gloves, with a splash, she jumped into the water, swimming with all her might towards that good fortune paper.

The emperor shouted, “Do you want to die?”

Zhao Jin Yu felt the penetrating coldness of the water, it was like a bone scrapping, heart wrenching, lung tearing pain, the cold water rushed into her eyes, both cold and numb she almost was unable to open them…, tears actually flowing extremely violently, not knowing whether it was because of the cold or the heartache.

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T/N: Cliffhanger! What is ZJY doing!? And why is the emperor so cute >_<