Chapter 26: The Capital

Three days later, two men wearing leather hats and leading horses arrived at the northern gate of the capital. After undergoing a round of questioning, they were permitted to enter.

Once inside the city, they made their way toward the imperial palace in the west. Half an hour later, they reached the Xuanren Gate outside the Forbidden City. Seeing them approach, a guard shouted, "This is a restricted area of the imperial palace. Keep back, you idlers!"

"Brother Tiande, it's us!" one of the men said, removing his leather hat to reveal his face.

"Li Hua? Zhou Shun?" The guard, known as Tiande, recognized them and asked in surprise, "Didn't you accompany His Highness, the Prince of Yan, to his fief in Yan City? Why are you still in the capital?"

"Brother Tiande, please do not misunderstand. We did indeed accompany the Prince of Yan to his fief. His Highness is now settled in Yan City, but after some time, he inevitably grew homesick for His Majesty and the Noble Consort. He sent us to deliver a letter, and we ask for your assistance in announcing our arrival." As Li Hua spoke, he quietly slipped a ten-tael silver ingot from his sleeve into the guard's hand.

"Brother Li Hua, what are you doing?" Though Cheng Tiande spoke with a feigned tone of embarrassment, he did not refuse the silver.

"It is but a small gesture from the Prince of Yan; we must trouble you, Brother Tiande."

"His Highness is too polite. Very well, wait here. I will go and announce you myself." With that, Cheng Tiande turned toward the palace gate. After exchanging a few words with the other guards, he disappeared inside.

Movement within the imperial palace was strictly regulated; there were specific requirements for which gates could be used. Furthermore, the palace was vast. It would take at least two quarters of an hour to walk from the east gate to the Qingxin Palace, where Noble Consort Ding resided—a round trip of nearly an hour. Having served guard duty in the palace many times, the two men were well-acquainted with the surroundings and lacked interest in the scenery. They waited in the open area beside the gate.

Half an hour later, a plump palace maid dressed as a senior lady-in-waiting emerged from the gate, accompanied by Cheng Tiande. Li Hua and Zhou Shun exchanged a glance, both thinking, "Just as Ling'er said, she really is quite stout."

As Cheng Tiande and the maid approached, the two men bowed hurriedly: "Greetings, Lady Liu'er!"

The stout maid returned the gesture and asked, "Are you sent by the Third Prince?"

"Yes. His Highness, the Prince of Yan, is doing well in Yan City, but he misses His Majesty and the Noble Consort dearly. He specially sent us to deliver this letter and some gifts for the Consort." Li Hua took a letter from his robe and presented it to her. Zhou Shun removed an exquisite wooden box from the side of his horse's saddle and held it up with both hands.

The maid took the items and asked, "Her Ladyship wishes to know if the Third Prince is eating and sleeping well in Yan City. Has he lost weight?"

Li Hua grinned. "Please set your mind at ease, Your Ladyship. His Highness is living very well. The Prince's mansion is the former imperial lodge used during His Majesty's personal campaigns. He eats well, too—beef, mutton, and seafood every few days. Not only has he not lost weight, but he has even gained a little."

Hearing about the frequent consumption of beef and mutton, the maid frowned slightly. "Her Ladyship also instructed me to tell the Third Prince to prioritize the welfare of the people, perform more virtuous acts, and take care not to lose the hearts of his subjects."

"Please rest assured, Your Ladyship," Zhou Shun replied. "Since arriving in Yan City, His Highness has not harmed the people in the slightest, and the citizens love him dearly."

"Here is a manual on swordsmanship," the maid said. "Please deliver this to the Third Prince. It is one he studied as a child. Her Ladyship says the border is dangerous and wishes for him to practice when he has time so he may defend himself in case of trouble."

Li Hua accepted the manual and bowed in gratitude. "I thank the Noble Consort on behalf of His Highness."

"Very well, there is nothing else. You may go now. Travel safely."

"Thank you, Lady Liu'er."

The maid turned and headed back toward the palace gate, and the two men prepared to leave.

Halfway to the gate, the maid suddenly remembered something, turned back, and asked, "How did you know my name was Liu'er?"

"Er, well... Ling'er mentioned it before we left."

"What did she say?"

"This, this... oh, she said there was a very lovely and beautiful lady by the Consort's side named Liu'er. That was it, right?" Li Hua glanced at Zhou Shun.

Zhou Shun hurriedly chimed in, "Yes, yes, that is exactly what she said!"

"Pah! That wretched girl couldn't say anything decent to save her life. Only a fool would believe her. Tell her to serve the Third Prince well. If anything happens to His Highness, I will have her skin!" With that, she turned and marched into the palace.

The two men wiped the cold sweat from their brows. Thankfully, they hadn't told her the truth, or they would have been the ones losing their skin.

After leaving the palace, the two headed toward the Northern Market, still carrying a letter for a girl named Xing'er. Since they did not know where she and her group were staying, they had to search the Northern and Yashi markets. Zhao Bin had instructed them before they left: look for any shop undergoing renovations and inquire within.

Heading east, they passed through two districts and reached the entrance of the Northern Market, which was bustling with people. The market consisted of three main streets. The two split up, agreeing to meet at the far end.

Half an hour later, they reconvened, both shaking their heads. They hadn't seen any shops under renovation. They tried the third street, but the only shop being repaired turned out to be the wrong one. By the time they left the market, the sky was darkening; with winter approaching, the days were growing shorter.

"What now? It's getting dark. Shall we find an inn and continue searching tomorrow?" Zhou Shun suggested.

"That's all we can do," Li Hua said, leading his horse forward.

In the Great Xia Dynasty, there was no curfew, especially along the riverbanks where the night markets were exceptionally lively, filled with singing, dancing, and bustling crowds. They turned down an alley and arrived at an inn where Xing'er had previously stayed, only to find that she and her group had checked out a few days prior, moving to the back courtyard of a tavern in the Yashi Market.

Inside the Qingxin Palace, the maid Liu'er placed the letter and the wooden box on the table beside Noble Consort Ding.

"Have they left?" the Consort asked softly.

"Yes, Your Ladyship," Liu'er replied.

"Did you find out how the Prince of Yan is doing?"

"The messengers said His Highness is living comfortably. He eats beef, mutton, and seafood every few days. They said he has actually gained weight," Liu'er recounted.

"Mutton is one thing, but where would he get so much beef? He is likely just saying that to keep me from worrying."

The maid pondered for a moment. "I cannot be certain if it is true, but they did not seem to be lying. They even looked quite proud when they mentioned it."

Consort Ding did not pursue the matter further, instead opening the letter. After reading a few lines, a joyous look appeared on her face. She whispered to herself, "Bin'er seems to have grown up and become much more sensible. This puts my heart at ease. I only hope he can live a peaceful life as a wealthy prince."

Remembering the instruction at the end of the letter, the Consort pulled another smaller envelope from the original. It was sealed with red wax and folded inside the first.

Zhao Bin had instructed her to deliver it personally to the Emperor, without mentioning its contents. Recalling the tone of the letter she had just read, the Consort smiled faintly, assuming it also contained sentiments of concern and longing.

"How long has it been since the Emperor last visited?" she asked.

"He came once shortly after the Third Prince left, but not since then."

"Have the kitchens prepare some imperial dishes. The Emperor should be coming by today."

"Yes." Liu'er retreated to the kitchen.

Consort Ding was correct. As soon as the Prince of Yan's letter arrived, the news was reported to Liu Zhi, the Emperor's chief eunuch.

In the Zhengde Hall, after the morning court session, the Emperor, Zhao Wuji, was busy reviewing memorials at his desk. Liu Zhi walked up quietly and whispered, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Yan has sent someone to deliver a letter."

Zhao Wuji stopped his brush and looked up. "Was it delivered to the West Court?"

"Yes, and there was a wooden box as well."

"Then I shall visit the West Court tonight."

"Shall I notify them in advance, Your Majesty?"

"No need."

More than a month ago, Zhao Wuji had received a secret report that Zhao Bin was trading salt for beef, mutton, and horses with the Xianbei people. At the time, he had been furious that such a major matter was not reported. However, upon hearing that Zhao Bin had distributed the livestock to the people and handed the horses over to the city guard, he had refrained from holding him accountable, deciding to let the court handle it once he had resolved his own affairs.

Meanwhile, the Zhang, Xue, and Dai families—who controlled the salt trade—had also received word. While the Zhang and Xue families pushed for impeachment, the Xue family suggested waiting to let the situation escalate, hoping to strike a fatal blow against Zhao Bin later.

Thus, with everyone harboring their own hidden agendas, no one dared to mention the matter openly, and Zhao Bin successfully solved the labor shortage in Yan City.

At dusk, a voice rang out outside the Qingxin Palace: "His Majesty has arrived!"

Inside, everyone scrambled to set aside their tasks, rushing out to kneel.

"We humbly welcome Your Majesty."

"No need for such formalities, rise," the Emperor said.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"I had the kitchen prepare some small dishes today, intending to send them to you, but I did not expect you to arrive first," Consort Ding said with a smile as she rose.

"Is that so? I have just finished with the affairs of the court and am indeed quite hungry," Zhao Wuji laughed.