Yun Ye couldn’t see any difference between the Emperor entering his home and bandits entering his home. The same chickens flew and dogs jumped, the same chaos of demons dancing. Anyway, after they entered your home, your home was no longer your home. The master of the house became someone else.
So when Yun Ye saw the Emperor and Empress strolling through his greenhouse, he felt uncomfortable. Such good kumquats—how could they bear to pick them and hold them in their hands to play with? What did the Empress mean by carrying a vegetable basket? Playing at being a peasant woman? Cabbage was a high-end item that he had gone through great effort to have merchants bring over. If you don’t know how to cook it, why cut down two heads? They were only fist-sized now—couldn’t you wait until they grew to head-size before cutting them?
“The Yun Family’s vegetable garden is well tended. Everything else is just average. I really like these red radishes. Pull some more. When drowsy, eating one or two is quite good.”
Zhangsun listened to Li Er very obediently, so she pulled out two more finger-thick carrots from the wooden trough. Thinking it wasn’t enough, she got ruthless again. It looked like she was also setting her sights on the eggplants that had just started growing.
Zhangsun couldn’t cook—Yun Ye was too clear about this. She only knew how to stew white fungus and lotus seed soup, and she had practiced this one skill to perfection. Even Yun Ye had to admit that the white fungus and lotus seed soup Zhangsun stewed was truly the finest of foods. She was just such a woman—she only learned what she absolutely must know. She never bothered to spend extra thought on useless things.
If she wanted to eat vegetables, naturally the best chef would cook for her. If she wanted to wear good clothes, naturally the best tailor would sew them for her. But when Li Er was reviewing memorials and becoming irritable from the reviewing, there was always a bowl of warm lotus seed soup that nourished the lungs and regulated qi quietly placed on his desk. Whether it was the temperature of the soup or the timing, both were grasped extremely well. Zhangsun never let others handle this bowl of heartwarming white fungus and lotus seed soup—she always did it herself. Yun Ye suspected that Zhangsun might have captured Li Er’s heart relying on just a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup.
The imperial harem had countless beauties. Yang Fei and Yin Fei were both more beautiful than Zhangsun. Especially Yang Fei—the crown of having beauty that surpassed all under heaven sat firmly on her head. Add to that the currently very young Xu Hui, and Zhangsun could be said to have countless formidable rivals in the palace. Hoping for the Emperor’s lasting affection was like hoping for a sow to climb a tree. In such an environment surrounded by powerful enemies, the wife Li Er recognized in his heart from beginning to end was only Zhangsun. So much so that in the twenty years after Zhangsun’s death, the rear palace had no mistress.
Two more women carrying baskets came out from the inner room. Who else could they be but Yang Fei and Yin Fei? Their whole family had formed a group to ravage the Yun Family. Yang Fei liked to eat watermelon, so she picked a basket of watermelons. If they were ripe watermelons, Yun Ye would accept it. Ripe watermelons were meant to be eaten—who you gave them to eat wasn’t the same? But could fist-sized watermelons be eaten? When they got back and discovered they were unripe, Li Er wouldn’t blame Yang Fei. He would only scold Yun Ye for not making the watermelons ripe before placing them in the greenhouse.
At least Xiao Ya was beside Yin Fei, so the strawberries they picked were very good—bright red and attractive no matter how you looked at them. These were wild strawberries that academy teachers had dug from Qinling and continuously domesticated to have their current appearance. They were to be planted on a large scale next spring. Who would have thought they’d be taken out now? This spendthrift sister, upon seeing her mother-in-law, threw her brother outside the wall. She was still murmuring to Yin Fei about four-gilled perch transported from Songjiang in the pond behind…
The four of them, Li Er and company, were treating the Yun Family as a leisure farm. Add to that Xiao Ya, who ate from inside while helping outsiders, and the Yun Family would have great difficulty keeping their secrets.
Taking advantage of Li Er not discovering the watermelons were all unripe melons, Yun Ye bowed to Yang Fei and said, “Your Majesty, these watermelons you picked don’t look good. This subject will pick some better ones for you.”
Yang Fei had grown up in the imperial palace since childhood and continued living in the imperial palace after marriage. One could say the world she saw was just that square of world enclosed by red walls. So Yun Ye naturally wouldn’t mock her for not understanding these things. If it were Xu Hui, Yun Ye would give her the most acidic words in the world. He didn’t know why, but whenever he thought of Xu Hui, Yun Ye’s heart felt sour. Perhaps this was the common mentality after good cabbage was taken by a pig.
Who said big watermelons were definitely ripe? Li Er also picked watermelons with great interest. He found the biggest one, patted it with his hand, picked it, and had Duan Hong hold it. It looked like he planned to eat it himself.
When Yang Fei saw Yun Ye pour the melons she picked into the basket for withered leaves beside them, she understood the watermelons she picked were wrong. She had simply thought those watermelons looked pretty.
Yun Ye had few reservations when together with Yang Fei and Yin Fei. He considered these two to be elders. Li Er and Zhangsun also thought so. If Yun Ye dared to get this close to Xu Hui, it would be strange if Li Er didn’t flay his skin.
Yang Fei really liked these things and also liked listening to Yun Ye talk about the habits of watermelons. Even Li Er pricked up his ears to listen to Yun Ye’s explanation. When he talked about how to select a ripe watermelon, Li Er looked suspiciously at the big one Duan Hong held in his arms, but he didn’t plan to change it.
“Your Majesty, watermelons are just like this. Since you enjoy these farming matters, why not also build such a greenhouse in your palace? During leisure time, tending to these melons and fruits inside can absolutely play a role in cultivating the mind and character. It would also be greatly beneficial to your health. My family’s grandmother is already over seventy, but her body remains robust, which benefits from these small farming tasks.”
Li Er nodded and said, “Not bad. This way of cultivating the mind and character is better than those songs and dances, and also better than vegetarian meals and Buddhist chanting. The saying ‘flowing water never stagnates and door hinges never get worm-eaten’ speaks of this principle. Yang Shi, your temperament is quiet—tending flowers and plants suits you perfectly.”
Yang Fei hurried to express thanks. Zhangsun glanced at the Yun Family’s greenhouse and said to Yang Fei, “Just build it according to his family’s model. When the time comes, have the Yun Family transport seedlings into the palace.”
Yun Ye looked at Zhangsun resentfully. She only said transport into the palace, completely not mentioning costs, let alone the fees for utilizing academy teachers. Now who didn’t know that Xu Jingzong was black-hearted?
After drinking a cup of tea, Li Er and his three wives returned with a full load. The carriages and horses continued rushing toward Yushan. At this time, the roads to Yushan were already overcrowded. If it weren’t for the Emperor’s carriage, quickly passing through would be completely impossible.
Cheng Chumo, bringing Qinghe, mixed in the crowd pointing at the dejected Yun Ye and laughing with his mouth wide open. Zhangsun Chong wore flowing blue robes. The short beard under his chin had already taken on some scale. Riding a horse with Yuzhang, the man was handsome and the woman charming, drawing countless envious gazes. Yuzhang herself was steady, but unexpectedly Zhangsun Chong had forcibly lifted her onto the horse’s back. Being pointed at by everyone, she couldn’t help but feel greatly embarrassed. One hand subtly fell on Zhangsun Chong’s ribs. Those unfamiliar couldn’t discover his face was slightly contorting.
Gao Yang completely didn’t care. Wearing a bright red jacket, she sat astride on Fang Yi’ai’s horse’s back, excitedly shouting. If Fang Yi’ai hadn’t tightly held her waist, she would have fallen off long ago.
Actually, these scenes all had a strong performance quality. Li Er also very much enjoyed watching. Through the carriage window, he continuously pointed at his sons-in-law laughing and cursing. Zhangsun also smiled broadly. Those who came to Yushan today were all Great Tang nobles. Within such a crowd, Li Er’s safety had no problems. In personnel screening, Yan Song had almost achieved excellence, almost achieving watertight security.
Li Gang sat in a cart, being pulled by the panda called Dashuan as he appeared at the mouth of Dongyang River. Even if you gave Pang Yuhai a thousand times the courage, he wouldn’t dare open his mouth to ask the Emperor and those nobles for money. But this year’s funds had long been arranged for use and couldn’t be free. Although those monks and Daoists strongly urged and expressed they could subsidize a portion, Pang Yuhai was unwilling to be controlled by others. So Teacher Li Gang planned to guard the river mouth collecting money. The old teacher believed that since the children had put in effort, having no reward was very improper. Even if you’re the Emperor, you must respect others’ labor results. Moreover, the old teacher believed that since he, a person of high virtue and prestige, had run out to be a gatekeeper, one silver coin was really too cheap. Thus, the ticket price became two silver coins.
The Emperor and Empress naturally had to be the first to enter. The lantern-lighting ceremony still required them to preside. Yun Ye hurriedly gave the Emperor and Empress two silver coins each. Li Er was frowning and about to scold when he saw Yun Ye pointing at Li Gang lying drowsily in the bear cart and shaking his head. Zhangsun smiled sweetly and said to Li Er, “You’ve encountered a holdup.”
Li Er couldn’t help but laugh. A literary master of the generation acting as gatekeeper—only the academy could pull this off. This face had to be given. Xu Jingzong, for some reason, had chased away the student guarding the money box and personally guarded it himself. Moreover, his gaze was sharp. It looked like tonight he didn’t plan to exempt anyone from tickets.
Li Er had never done such a thing. He found it very novel. He knew these were the academy’s old teachers amusing themselves with him, wanting to make tonight’s atmosphere even livelier. He strode over with great strides, personally handed the two silver coins to Li Gang, and said loudly, “This is my money for viewing lanterns. You count it.”
Li Gang grinned and said, “This is a good method the children thought up for their meals next year. Your Majesty’s bestowal naturally must be properly received. Xu Jingzong, this old man’s eyes are dim and can’t see clearly. You count.”
Xu Jingzong hurriedly took the money from Li Gang’s hand and specially glued it to the bottom of the box with adhesive, smiling at Li Er and saying, “With Your Majesty’s two coins at the bottom of the box, next year the students can eat two more meals of braised pork.”
Li Er laughed heartily and, under Pang Yuhai’s respectful welcome, walked directly toward a small platform. Zhangsun slapped the money into Li Gang’s hand with no good humor, saying, “They all say the higher one’s learning, the more indifferent to material things. You’re fine—the more profound your learning, the stingier you become.”
Li Gang rolled his eyes and said, “This old man has over two thousand children waiting to eat meat. Can’t afford to be generous.”
Yang Fei and Yin Fei also smilingly put the money Yun Ye had given them into the money box. Xu Jingzong pretentiously counted it over, causing the nobles behind to roar with laughter.
Yun Ye, with a dark face, continuously distributed money. When Duan Hong stretched out his hand toward him, he decisively tied up the money pouch and put it away. Why should I pay for your lantern-viewing money too? No way!