Chapter 73
Chapter 73
The Black-Robed Guard stationed on the roof of Chengyi Hall seemed to hear the faint thud of impacts from inside.
But when they listened carefully, there was nothing. It must have been their imagination.
Zhao Yixing, personally standing watch at the door, heard even less.
Great-Grandmother’s “sparring session” lasted about the time it took to drink a cup of tea.
Zhu Yin had returned to her former chair. Her breathing was even, and only the healthier flush in her cheeks differed from before.
The emperor was also standing where he had been. Aside from his slightly pale face, he did not appear any different either.
Zhu Yin lifted her teacup and took a small sip, the corners of her mouth curling in a fine mood. “Your Majesty, you are still young. How can you be so frail? Emperor Gaozu may have been a scholar, but he could still carry a saber onto the battlefield. He was nowhere near as bad at taking a beating as you are.”
The emperor: “…” From the sound of it, Emperor Gaozu had taken quite a few beatings back then too.
He had nothing to say. Silently, he walked toward his chair, his clothes brushing against one bruise after another as he moved… He drew a sharp breath.
By the time he sat down, his face had visibly gone another shade paler.
She had shown absolutely no mercy!
When the emperor first heard her challenge, he had not taken it seriously.
He had always been quite confident in his martial skill. Children of the imperial clan trained under renowned masters from childhood, and his own martial instructor had praised his talent ever since he was young.
Then came that interminable cup of tea’s worth of time.
The emperor felt as if he had become a lump of dough in a master chef’s hands.
If the chef wanted him round, he was kneaded round. If the chef wanted him flat, he was slapped flat.
He had been utterly incapable of resisting. All he could do was take the beating.
For the first time, he truly understood the weight behind the history books’ description of his venerable ancestor: “brave and martial from youth,” “a match for a hundred foes,” a woman who had followed Emperor Gaozu in rebellion, commanded armies alone on many occasions, and earned the posthumous title “Wu” for her martial achievements.
The price of that understanding was merely a little steep.
The corners of the emperor’s eyes were red with pain.
Nor could he call for help. If the attendants and guards outside rushed in, what was he supposed to tell them?
That the emperor and one of his consorts had been sparring inside the hall, and the emperor had been beaten until he rolled across the floor?
If word got out, the Radiant Consort would likely lose her life, and he, the emperor, could throw away what remained of his dignity as well.
Seeing that the emperor said nothing, Zhu Yin’s mood improved further.
She warned him, “I beat you this time because you deserved it. Even if your parents knew, they would have no choice but to stand by obediently and watch. Understand?”
The emperor: …
She was right. He himself had to call this woman his ancestor. If his late imperial father and mother were still alive, would they not have to address her the same way?
He continued to say nothing.
Zhu Yin took his silence as understanding. Knowing when to stop, she changed the subject. “Let us return to business. Ever since I awakened, I have occasionally dreamed of certain scenes when I sleep at night. I see people and events.”
The emperor did not understand. Even if she was his ancestor, he had no interest in her dreams.
Then Zhu Yin continued slowly, “I realized they were not dreams, but things that may happen in the future.”
The emperor whipped his head around, heedless of the pain the movement sent through his injuries. “What did you say?”
The plot had mentioned one event. Not long after the female lead gained the emperor’s favor, torrential rain fell across many parts of Jin and Liang Prefectures for days on end, and the rivers burst their banks.
The plot primarily concerned the female lead’s experiences in the inner palace, so it did not describe the disaster in Jin and Liang in much detail. It only mentioned that the situation was extremely dire. His Majesty was in a foul mood throughout that period, and when one consort tried to curry favor, the enraged emperor stripped her of her title and cast her into the Cold Palace.
After the flood finally ended, a plague broke out.
At that time, the female lead presented antidote pills infused with spirit-spring water and saved countless lives. As a result, she received a promotion that skipped several ranks and became known among the common people as a “living bodhisattva,” praised far and wide by untold numbers.
Zhu Yin was not especially noble, nor did she need to accumulate merit.
She certainly would not expend endless effort to save people, but all she needed to do here was speak and offer the emperor a few “hints.” He would naturally take the matter seriously.
If the court prepared in advance, perhaps this natural disaster could be averted.
Then those people might not have to die.
So many humans, their bodies warm and their blood warm.
Once they died, they would grow cold.
Zhu Yin told the emperor, “In my dream, torrential rain fell over Jin and Liang Prefectures for twenty consecutive days at the end of the tenth month. The rivers burst their banks, and countless people were swallowed by the flood.”
The emperor’s brows knitted tightly. “Jin and Liang Prefectures?”
The two prefectures bordered each other. Their climate was mild and remained warm even in the tenth month, and they had always been prosperous.
It was already the end of the eighth month.
“Neither Jin nor Liang has suffered a flood since the founding of Great Yong. Are you certain you remember correctly?”
Zhu Yin said, “Precisely because there has never been a flood, the officials there will be as unwary as you. Had this happened elsewhere, they would have begun discussing countermeasures and reported to the court as soon as the rain continued for several days.”
After hearing her out, the emperor nodded. “I will send people there to monitor the situation.”
There were still more than two months left, enough time to make extensive preparations.
Her claim would also be easy to verify. She said the rain in her dream had lasted twenty days without stopping. That was almost impossible in Jin and Liang.
If it proved false, they would merely waste some material resources.
But if it proved true, who knew how many lives advance precautions might save?
Zhu Yin saw from the emperor’s solemn expression that he had clearly taken the matter to heart, and her mood improved considerably.
She decided to offer the young emperor a little consolation. “Your Majesty, do not think I struck too hard when I beat you just now. It was actually good for you. You will understand when you wake tomorrow.”
Zhu Yin had faced more opponents than she could count in her previous job and collected all manner of bizarre objects. Aside from the item she used regularly, which Barbara jokingly called “the mysterious pocket that can produce anything,” she had another spatial artifact sitting idle. Several mountains’ worth of trophies and miscellaneous junk were piled inside.
She had once skimmed a few manuals on meridians, acupoints, and the like. Finding them useless to her, she had tossed them aside, but her powerful soul had retained much of their contents.
Today’s beating had not been entirely gratuitous; she had used a few techniques along the way. The emperor might hurt more than someone who had received an ordinary beating, but in the long run Zhu Yin had helped loosen his sinews, invigorate his blood, and open those… Governing and Conception Vessels, or whatever they were called.
The emperor nearly laughed from sheer anger. “So I should thank you?”
Zhu Yin blew across her tea and replied leisurely, “You are my descendant. It is only proper that I look after you. As for thanks, I do not care much either way.”
The emperor: “…”
For one moment, he truly wanted to fling his sleeve and storm out.
But before he could take a step, he realized that if he actually did so, the palace would not even wait until tomorrow before rumors began to spread: “His Majesty went to Chengyi Hall for lunch. Radiant Consort Yu enraged him, and His Majesty left with a livid face.”
Then, to keep this ancestor’s daily life from being disturbed, he and the empress would have to rack their brains for a flawless explanation, all to prove that he, the emperor, truly had not tired of Radiant Consort Yu.
…How exhausting. Perhaps We shall keep Our sleeve to Ourself.