Seeing Yu Jin approach, Dou Shuwang curtsied slightly and took her leave.
Jiang Si turned her gaze back and asked Yu Jin, “What did Father Emperor summon you to the palace for?”
Yu Jin took Jiang Si’s hand and walked with her.
Several silk tree flowers floated down with the wind, landing on the bluestone path in front of them. The man’s black boots stepped over them, leaving red marks on the path.
Yu Jin spoke, “Father Emperor ordered me to accompany the Crown Prince to Qianhe County for disaster relief.”
Jiang Si stopped, frowning, “Qianhe County?”
In her previous life, during the 20th year of Jingming’s reign, she and Yu Jin were still in the south and hadn’t been affected by this earthquake at all.
But she had some impression of this earthquake.
The Great Zhou Empire was vast, with frequent natural disasters like droughts, floods, and earthquakes. The reason she remembered this one wasn’t because it occurred in Qianhe County, which was the closest to the capital and had a significant number of casualties, nor was it because of the epidemic that followed. It was because of the second earthquake.
Yes, in the fifth month of Jingming’s 20th year, the Emperor sent the newly reinstated Crown Prince to Qianhe County to comfort the victims. The Crown Prince, too afraid to enter the city, stayed in a large town not far from Qianhe County.
One night, a second earthquake struck this town. Because people were asleep, the casualties were extremely heavy, and the entire town was almost reduced to ruins.
Incredibly, the Crown Prince miraculously survived this disaster, while apart from a few lucky attendants, almost all the disaster relief officials staying with the Crown Prince in the town perished.
Jiang Si’s face gradually turned pale, becoming completely bloodless.
In her previous life, A Jin hadn’t been among the people on this trip. How could she ensure A Jin would be one of those few lucky ones?
This risk couldn’t be taken!
Seeing Jiang Si’s awful complexion, Yu Jin tenderly stroked her pale cheek, “Don’t worry. The South is full of miasma, and all kinds of epidemics are common. I have some experience in preventing and treating diseases, I won’t let myself fall into danger. But I’m more concerned about you, as you’re about to give birth…”
As Yu Jin spoke, he became increasingly frustrated with his bad luck.
How did he end up drawing that peony lot?
In the imperial study, Emperor Jingming also brought up this topic: “I didn’t expect the Seventh Prince to draw the peony lot. Pan Hai, to be honest, among all of them, I feel most at ease with the Seventh Prince drawing the peony lot. They’ve all grown up in the capital, living lives of luxury, inexperienced in hardship. Unlike the Seventh Prince, who learned some skills in the South, he can keep his composure in a chaotic place like Qianhe County.”
This would also help support the Crown Prince.
Pan Hai smiled and flattered, “It seems Your will aligns with Heaven’s will.”
Emperor Jingming was stunned for a moment, then laughed, a rare moment of genuine joy in recent days.
Pan Hai secretly sighed, thinking his efforts hadn’t been in vain, hoping only that Prince Yan would never find out.
In Pan Hai’s view, although accompanying the Crown Prince to Qianhe County was a difficult task, it could improve the Emperor’s impression of Yu Jin and allow him to network with officials. On deeper reflection, it wasn’t too much of a setback.
Yes, he was doing this for Prince Yan’s benefit.
Pan Hai comforted himself, and his slight guilt dissipated.
Under the silk tree in Yuhe Garden, Jiang Si stood still and looked up slightly, asking, “A Jin, there’s something I haven’t asked you before.”
“Go ahead,” Yu Jin reached out to catch a petal about to fall on Jiang Si’s shoulder, gently flicking it to the ground.
The ground beneath the tree was lightly covered with a layer of pink silk tree flowers, like a sparsely woven, gorgeous floral carpet.
“The year I came of age, when you returned from the South, why did you stay and not think about going back?”
The trajectory in her previous life wasn’t like this. A Jin had attended her wedding to Ji Chongyi back then and left the capital soon after. It wasn’t until she ended up among the Wu Miao that they truly met for the first time, from her perspective.
Yu Jin smiled, “I was originally planning to go back, but before I left, didn’t you break off your engagement? So I stayed.”
Jiang Si gently pursed her lips.
So he had indeed stayed because of her.
But because of this change, despite her rebirth, she was now completely in the dark about A Jin’s fate.
Jiang Si went to bed with something on her mind, sleeping somewhat restlessly.
Yu Jin placed his hand on her waist, “A Si, you really shouldn’t worry about me. Your worry makes me concerned… How about tomorrow I find an excuse to tell Father Emperor I can’t go, and let him send someone else instead.”
Jiang Si gave him a reproachful look, “How can you just say you won’t go when it’s already been decided? Do you think the Father Emperor is an ordinary father? Moreover, you drew the lot, there’s nothing to be said.”
Yu Jin was at a loss for words, sheepishly saying, “My luck was a bit off.”
Jiang Si moved closer, nestling into the man’s broad chest, speaking softly, “Alright, let’s sleep. You have to leave early tomorrow morning.”
“Mm, let’s sleep. Don’t overthink things, or I won’t be able to sleep.”
“I know.”
The voices in the bed curtains gradually quieted.
The next day, as dawn was breaking, Jiang Si suddenly sat up, gasping for air.
Yu Jin quickly got up and embraced her shoulders, “A Si, what’s wrong?”
Jiang Si’s eyes darted around as she slowly came back to her senses.
Her pale face in the dim bed curtains was like white jade, still bearing traces of undiminished fear.
“A Si?”
Jiang Si tightly grasped Yu Jin’s sleeve, whispering, “A Jin, I had a nightmare.”
“What did you dream about?” If it had been anyone else, Yu Jin would have surely rolled his eyes and scoffed a bit.
It was just a dream, why make such a fuss?
But it was Jiang Si speaking, so of course it was different. What a great opportunity to comfort his wife.
Yu Jin pulled Jiang Si into his embrace, gently patting her back, “Don’t be afraid. If it’s a nightmare, speaking it aloud will prevent it from coming true.”
Jiang Si lay in Yu Jin’s arms, her eyelashes trembling.
She hadn’t had a nightmare; she was just using this pretext to prevent Yu Jin from falling into danger.
“I dreamed that when you all arrived near Qianhe County, you stayed in a nearby town. Then one night, an earthquake suddenly struck that town, and everyone perished in it…”
She didn’t mention that the Crown Prince survived.
It was irrelevant… well, that’s not quite right. Mainly, if she gave too many details, it would be hard to explain as just a dream.
“An earthquake? A Si, you must be too worried, that’s why you’re dreaming about your concerns—”
Jiang Si pushed Yu Jin away slightly, her expression serious, “A Jin, don’t dismiss this just because it was a dream. Have you forgotten about my understanding of the Wu Miao language? I’ve never been to the South, how do you explain that?”
Seeing Jiang Si so serious, Yu Jin couldn’t bear to see her worry and quickly said, “I believe you. When we get to Qianhe County, we absolutely won’t stay in that town. Are you less worried now?”
Only then did Jiang Si show a smile, reminding him once more, “You mustn’t just humor me, agreeing now but forgetting my words as soon as you leave, treating them as nonsense.”
If she weren’t heavily pregnant, she would surely insist on going with him to set her mind at ease.
“I promise I won’t. A Si, which town in your dream had the earthquake?”
Jiang Si froze for a moment.