"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 31

The emperor felt the Zhao Jin Yu in front of him was similar to the first time he had spare ribs stewed with potato, delicious, tasty, enticing people to move their fingers quickly, with such a thought, the agitation in his heart become more and more distinct, in a flash it sparked off a raging inferno in his heart, burning him to an unbearable parched fever, he took in a deep breath, immediately turning his body…, was he possessed?

Zhao Jin Yu habitually wanted to stroke the stone, the stone this time however violently reacted by jumping away, chiding, “Don’t touch us, didn’t we tell you before we are a man? Do you not understand words or are you actually an idiot? Maybe you are naturally loose in morals and cannot be far from men?”

Zhao Jin Yu stared at the emperor with wide eyes, watery dark brown eyes hid a disbelieve, so much so that the undercurrent of hurt came rushing forth, the stone’s words this time were too hurtful, a long time later did she then respond, saying, “How can you say such things?”

After the emperor had spoken he was somewhat regretful, but there was no reason to retract words once they have been spoken, in a rather low voice he hmphed, “It’s just as it is.”

It was extremely quiet for a short while, no one said anything…, a stifling atmosphere filled the room, the emperor did not dare to look at Zhao Jin Yu, even though he was unyielding, but his heart still felt rather nervous, she couldn’t really be angry right?

Who knew, after a moment a sort of helpless sound came from Zhao Jin Yu, your character is so bad, if you left my side what would happen?” Zhao Jin Yu’s gaze lingered on the stone, thinking why should she be so serious with a stone? What did he know?

“Where are you going?” The emperor’s voice unconsciously became gentle.

“Where am I going?” Zhao Jin Yu laid back down, withdrawing her gaze, both hands pressed under her head, releasing a breath she said, “I don’t know, but I can’t afford to support you. That’s why I should give you away.”

“We don’t eat that much!” After the emperor finished speaking he regretted it! What was he saying, as if he was expressing he didn’t eat much, very easy to raise, anyhow he did not want to be discarded by Zhao Jin Yu, this wasn’t the current problem…, it was that this woman had the audacity, to go as far as to give him who reigned supreme away? “Brazen, we ask you, how dare you give us away as you wish?”

“Once I finish the task given to me by adoptive father, I won’t return to the capital.” Zhao Jin Yu watched the hazy candle flame outside of the curtains, a sort of sadness hidden in her eyes, “When the time comes I have to support myself, you eat so much for one meal, and is very fussy, I really can’t support you, in the future having a steamed bun might not be the worse thing…, however don’t worry, I will definitely find someone suitable, I won’t allow you to suffer.” While the home was desolate and empty, it didn’t however mean Zhao Jin Yu did not have a copper coin on her, a person always had some emergency money, only she had spent quite a bit of money on this journey, right now adding it up there wasn’t much, she has to meticulously plan and carefully account her life from now on.

“Just because of steamed buns? You really are foolish?”

Zhao Jin Yu smiled, only that smile did not reach her eyes, “You don’t understand, when you truly am not able to eat, how precious a steamed bun is, don’t use such contemptuous manner to talk about a steamed bun, how many starving people it has saved?” It was like in a flash she again returned to the days before she was adopted, every day she waited for someone to give her a mouthful of leftover food, at that time a steamed bun was even more luxurious and was looked forward by people.

“We would deprive you of a mouthful of steamed bun?” The emperor understood Zhao Jin Yu’s meaning, but it wasn’t good to say such words to anyone, saying it to him was the most satirical, he as an emperor could deprive her of a mouthful of steamed bun?

Zhao Jin Yu smiled, this time it really was without restraint, she couldn’t help touch the stone, saying, “Little thing, your words are really considerate.” Following a pause, she again said, “In truth it isn’t that bad, I naturally have made plans.” Again how could she not have thought of a way out on this journey? But she felt somewhat miserable thinking of being genuinely alone.

Her only handkerchief was delivered to Gu Fu Ying, who was just fortunately in Hangzhou, once the Gu and Zhao family were close, several years before Gu Fu Ying’s father Gu Jin was delegated to the Hangzhou prefectural magistrate, so the two people then separated, she actually didn’t want to freeload, she only wanted to find support, it was very difficult to be a woman in this era, even if she wanted to earn a living by herself, if she didn’t have any support how would she be able to carry on in the long term? Common local ruffians would bully you for being a woman, that’s why tomorrow after delivering the item she wanted to directly find Gu Fu Ying, also thinking at that time she would have to lodge under another person’s roof, at the start she would not have much freedom, raising such a spirit stone, she was afraid people would get suspicious, therefore she had said such words.

“Humph.” The emperor sneered, saying, “If we are to leave, it would be out of our own accord, you have no right to decide whether we stay or go…, remember, serve us well, or you’ll suffer.”

Zhao Jin Yu proudly raised her eyebrows, saying, “Just now you called me a loose moral woman, why would you now pester me again and again unwilling to leave? Don’t you feel your honour is lowered staying with such a cheap woman like myself? Or…” Zhao Jin Yu felt the anger gradually rise from the stone’s body, continuing fearlessly she said, “You actually hate to part with me?”

Zhao Jin Yu had originally thought her words would make the stone unbearably angry, who would have thought having spoken for a while she did not see the stone react, she couldn’t help push it, asking, “What is it? Are you really angry?”

“No.” The stone’s voice was somewhat calm, at the same time it held some resentment, like he needed to admit something, to him it was rather difficult, “You’re right, we truly hate to part with you to an extent.”

Even if Zhao Jin Yu’s skin was even thicker, this moment would still be quite embarrassing, she said, 

“Truthfully I also don’t want to part from you. However I’m worried I won’t be able to look after you in the future…, make you suffer, that’s why I want to send you off.”

A warm air permeated the room, joining the person and the stone together invisibly.

Early next morning, after breakfast Zhao Jin Yu and Chen Rong left, Zhao Jin Yu needed to deliver the letter to a friend of her adoptive father, that person was called Liu Ba Yan, supposedly he was a schoolmate of her father when they studied.

When Zhao Jin Yu arrived at the Liu residence it looked like a funeral was taking place, plain white clothes hung from the doorway, inside it was actually absolutely empty without a person, thinking about it a funeral was the best way to see what the master’s usual family circumstances were like, as long as it wasn’t beyond what was proper, then at a moment like this it wouldn’t be so desolate like this.

The two people had entered the courtyard for a quarter of an hour before a young maid came over to enquire if they were paying their condolences, Chen Rong said, “My young lady is the daughter of an old friend of your master.”

That young maid stared bewildered for a while, finally she reluctantly welcomed them to the hall, but her expression was still rather grave.

When the young maid went to call for someone, Zhao Jin Yu said to Chen Rong, “Auntie Chen, why do I feel this is somewhat strange?”

Chen Rong expression was profound, looking all around she said, “I’m afraid this isn’t a happy funeral.”

Zhao Jin Yu nodded, and did not speak, only when the tea turned cold did they see a thin and pallid middle aged man come over with hurried footsteps, seeing the two people in the hall he was clearly distracted, immediately he cupped his hands in greetings and said, “I am Xiu Ba Yan, may I ask who this young lady is…”

“My father is Zhao Chang Chun.” Zhao Jin Yu bowed.

“You say your father is Zhao Chang Chun?” Xiu Ba Yan rather incredulously looked at Zhao Jin Yu for quite a while, “You are the child he adopted?”

“Precisely this girl.”

Liu Ba Yan’s eyes dimmed, sighing he said, “I’ve also heard of your father’s case…, sadly I’m only a commoner, I really cannot help.” Speaking to here and seeing that the tea had turned cold, he yelled, 

“Xiao Yu, steep tea for the guests.”

Xiao Yu was the young maid who had just welcomed them in, somewhat clumsily she came over to pour tea, because she did not pay attention she nearly overturned a teacup, Xiu Ba Yan however remained impassive.

The two people spoke for a while, when Zhao Jin Yu was certain the man in front of her was the Xiu Ba Yan her father spoke of did she then take out the letter hidden in her bosom, handing it over solemnly, she said, “My father told me to deliver this to uncle.”

Liu Ba Yan released a long breath after reading the letter, a kind of pity in his gaze, giving Zhao Jin Yu a kind of feeling far from reassuring, “Have you read the letter?”

Zhao Jin Yu shook her head.

“Pity on the hearts of parents in the whole world.” After Liu Ba Yan finished he said, “Jin Yu, your father asked me to return you to your birth parents.”

Zhao Jin Yu abruptly stood up, asking, “Uncle, you’re talking about my birth parents?”

Liu Ba Yan softly said, “Take a seat first, I slowly tell you, actually I can understand why your father has done this, he is already behind bars, he’s afraid of implicating you….”

Zhao Jin Yu stood stumped for a while, tears suddenly rushed out.