"My Lord is a Stone"《我家君王是石头》Chapter 52

No one could have imagined things would become like this.

Zhao Xing Kun saw Zhao Jin Yu’s confusion, rather distressed, he thought Zhao Jin Yu was still a child…, actually making her decide on such a difficult matter, wasn’t it a little too demanding? At her age, she ought to be sheltered under her parents’ wings living a content simple life, worried whether her clothes suited her or not, whether her pearl and jade hairpin was somewhat old and other such matters of a young girl.

With such a thought Zhao Xing Kun felt endless pity, his tone unconsciously softened, like coaxing a three or four year old child, he said, “If you don’t like it tell grandfather, grandfather will discuss it with grandmother on your behalf.”

Zhao Jin Yu shook her head, she actually was very much at a loss, that young master Bai San indeed had a list of faults, but he had some merits which couldn’t be overlooked, for instance his sense of responsibility, kind-hearted, honest, good moral character, at the very least he wouldn’t do anything to cast aside his wife.

In all honesty wasn’t this just an ancient marriage?

“What does it matter if the person changes?” Zhao Jin Yu sighed, completely lacking in interest she said, “At the start young love is always great, but with time there will be distance, when they are old and jaded he would definitely take a concubine? This isn’t the worse, by any chance what if I can’t give birth to a son? Wouldn’t I be discarded?”

Zhao Xing Kun’s face was somewhat unsightly all of a sudden, he knew Zhao Jin Yu’s words weren’t aimed at him…, but he felt, these words seemed to be talking about him, he sighed, saying, “Grandfather did wrong.”

Zhao Jin Yu hearing these words only then did she think her words just now appeared to scold him a little indirectly, 囧.

“Grandfather, if I don’t enter the palace, how do you plan to explain to them?” Zhao Jin Yu changed the topic, not wanting grandfather to be embarrassed again, “You want to give your position as main branch away?”

Zhao Xing Kun had originally planned to allow Zhao Rui Zhi to take Zhao Jin Yu’s place to enter the palace, but now knowing her plan how could he allow her to have her way? From this he saw Zhao Rui Zhi as a restless person, thus he could see through to her moral character, this type of person was in many cases wildly ambitious, not easily satisfied, if he guessed correctly, he reckoned in her eyes them bringing her up was what they were supposed to do…, again how could he send such an ungrateful wretch into the palace? Later if Zhao Rui Zhi flew up the branch to become a phoenix, wouldn’t she turn around and bite them? He was not master Dong Guo.[1]

That’s why he again changed his plan, look for a young lady born in the year of the rabbit from a distant relative, so long as the family agrees he would adopt her under his name, she would be considered a daughter of the main branch, truthfully this method wasn’t very proper, but right now there was no other way, and could be considered a last option, he said, “You don’t need to worry about that, in short grandfather can handle it, you should solely focus on your own matter.”

Zhao Jin Yu nodded, knowing Zhao Xing Kun did not want her to know this…, and did not ask any more.

Waiting until Zhao Xing Kun left, the stone which had not spoken at all was clearly very unhappy as he hmphed saying, “You’re still considering that pedantic bookworm?”

Zhao Jin Yu stuck her fingers into her ears, thinking she really had foresight, before she spoke with grandfather she had sent everyone out, that’s why even if the stone spoke loudly almost breaking through the sky no one else heard, she said, “Stop, can we not talk about this anymore? The kitchen made crystal sugar snow pear soup, do you want to drink some?” Recently Zhao Jin Yu and the stone both liked to eat desserts, never tire of it.

Disappointingly the emperor swallowed his saliva, but still very quickly he regained his rationality, he gravely said, “We are talking to you, don’t change the subject! Do you think we are very easily moved by food?”

Zhao Jin Yu moved a cracked ice patterned light green tea mug in front of the stone, saying, “You don’t want to eat?”

The emperor, “…”

Zhao Jin Yu adopted an attitude like she was going to finish it all by herself, regretfully saying, “Since you’re not drinking it, then I’ll finish it myself, it just so happens I’m also terribly thirsty, two cups may not be enough.”

“Hand ours over!” The emperor rather unwillingly gritted his teeth, “Wait until I’m finished, we will speak of this again.”

Zhao Jin Yu was amused by the stone’s gluttony, however she did not dare to laugh, afraid the stone would fly into a rage out of humiliation, saying, “Fine, we’ll eat first.”

The emperor had eaten to his heart’s content, belching a little from satisfaction, he then asked, “You still haven’t told us, what do you plan on doing?”

Zhao Jin Yu was vexed to find she could not carry on deceiving him, she helplessly propped her chin on one hand saying, “Actually I don’t know.”

“What do you mean you don’t know if you want to marry then marry, if you don’t then don’t! Isn’t this a very straightforward matter!” The emperor only felt the steaming anger rush forward, he said, 

“What is actually in that melon seed brain of yours? Is it straw?” Ever since the two people reconciled the emperor had not use this sort of tone with her for a very long time.

“I don’t like the young master Bai San, but would I like them if the person changes?” Zhao Jin Yu recalled what grandmother had said, “What grandmother said is right, Bai madam and grandmother are best friends, very close, with her protecting me, I won’t ever suffer hardship, and the Bai family only lacks a little to our family, they won’t dare to look down on me.”

Air seemed to stifle the emperor’s chest, nevertheless having nowhere to vent.

Zhao Jin Yu continued saying, “As for young master Bai, his nature is rather pedantic, but he is kind-hearted and honest, not cunning, so long as I treat him well, he also won’t treat me unfairly. Mutual respect between husband and wife for a lifetime, at least it’s considered finishing something once started.”

“Do you like him?”

“I don’t like him.”

The emperor said hatefully, “Then why won’t you try to enter the palace?”

Zhao Jin Yu shook her head, lowering her voice she said, “Because I’m a little scared.” Zhao Jin Yu showed a smidge of a bitter smile, “Even though I don’t know the Bai family, but grandmother does…, that’s why I can still make some preparations, but entering the palace? If I’m bullied, who can I rely on? It’s really one straight path, able to see the start but not the end.”

“Do you not care about your adoptive father?”

“I care.” Zhao Jin Yu twisted and tugged at the ends of her hair, “But even if I enter the palace, there are as many beauties in the palace as clouds, can I distinguish myself above others? Will the emperor like my character?”

“He certainly will!” The emperor said without hesitation.

Zhao Jin Yu nevertheless smiled in low spirits, saying, “Thank you for consoling me.”

“He really will like you.” This time the emperor wished he was in his body, that way Zhao Jin Yu would believe him, “Why won’t you believe us?”

“Because even though you call yourself we, but it doesn’t mean you’re really the emperor…, you’re only a stone spirit nothing more.” Zhao Jin Yu pitifully looked at the stone, finally saying the words always pushed down at the bottom of her heart.

The emperor, “…” The emperor almost couldn’t breathe, he only felt he was going to seethe in anger.

The next day, Rui Fu served the emperor’s food, who knew just as he was holding the chopsticks ready to distribute food for the emperor, he suddenly dropped the chopsticks onto the floor, somewhat unable to believe it he said, “Your Majesty, you want to go south to Hangzhou?”

The emperor felt a fire ignite in his heart thinking of Zhao Jin Yu’s calm manner, making him feel unbearably unwell from head to toe, he said, “Right, but to mingle with the people incognito.”

“That is too dangerous…” Rui Fu knew there was something the emperor had to do in Hangzhou, he had sent Su Qing Chen there for this reason, afterwards even the commander of the secret guards An 

Wen Yao was sent, recently even Qin Hong followed after. However it was truly too dangerous over there…, now only he dared to say these words, other people could not urge the emperor, that’s why he braced himself saying, “Your Majesty, that is the Tiangui sect’s old area, maybe they are hoping 

Your Majesty goes then they could…”

The emperor’s face was stoic, gaze sharp as a knife, saying, “Rui Fu, we are a bit tired right now, we don’t want to carry on ignoring it.”

Rui Fu shivered from head to toe, knowing he couldn’t sway him, he grudgingly said, “Then when does Your Majesty plan to set out? This slave will arrange it.”

***

The next day Zhao Jin Yu received an invitation from the young lady Gu of the Hangzhou prefectural magistrate, Zhao Jin Yu gently stroked the zanhua[2] calligraphy style, this familiar style made her involuntarily recall Gu Fu Ying’s cotton rose hibiscus appearance, she said to Zhao Rui Zhi who stood to one side with a flabbergasted expression, “Lady Gu is my best friend, I also wanted ot visit before, who knew she would actually be the first to write.”

Zhao Rui Zhi used all her effort to force down the sourness on her face, saying, “So it’s like that.” 

Her heart however out of jealousy thought…, in just a few days she had managed to get close to the prefectural magistrate’s young lady, indeed she remembers that Lady Gu is very arrogant, once the prefectural residence had hosted a flower appreciation banquet, all the young ladies of Hangzhou attended, unexpectedly she was not invited.

Later it was grandmother who deliberately went to inquire, that’s when she said she had forgotten, afterwards an invitation was sent over, but it actually made all the people of Hangzhou see that the prefectural magistrate’s young lady looked down on this adopted daughter of the Zhao family, simply making her hate her so much her teeth itched.

The madam was just worried she had forced Zhao Jin Yu too much recently, thinking it would better to allow her to go out and relax, she said to the nanny Li, “Go open the storeroom, bring me that set of red coral head ornament, and send several new trunks of cloth from last time to the eldest young lady’s house, make her choose some for clothes.”

The nanny Li knew the madam cherished Zhao Jin Yu, and did not say much more, only seeing Zhao Rui Zhi whose expression unconsciously change all of a sudden her expression was somewhat hesitant.

The madam also saw Zhao Rui Zhi’s artificial appearance, she knew she had neglected this girl a little, she hurriedly added, saying, “Isn’t there also a diamond hairpin? Bring it over for Rui Zhi, and send some cloth over.” Afterwards she smiled at Zhao Rui Zhi saying, “Girl, grandmother almost forgot in a rush, don’t be angry.”

Then did Zhao Rui Zhi’s expression look better, saying, “What is grandmother saying, older sister needs to go to the prefectural magistrate as a visitor, naturally she needs to dress nicely.”

---

[1] A naive person who gets into trouble through being soft hearted to evil people.

[2] A type of font/script very small and delicate reflecting the woman who wrote it.