Di Mu Yang finally returns! Chu Xun is so lewd at the second half of this chapter.
Chapter 53 – Emergency from the Northern Border Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator"s hard work. Don"t think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)
Di Mu Yang followed General Di to suppress a riot for quite some time. When he returned and saw Chu Xun again, he kept feeling there was something different about Chu Xun.
Where was the difference?
He couldn"t say it out.
At that time, Chu Xun was standing outside the city gate to welcome Di Mu Yang for a triumphant return yet His Highness Crown Prince who had never been to a battlefield had sandstorms filling his eyes.
Hence, Di Mu Yang secretly asked Mei Qian Deng, "Little Young Master, did His Highness Crown Prince encounter some attacks when I was not around? Or is it a mishap? Or is it something that is not proper to be known by outsiders?"
Mei Qian Deng seriously pondered and shook her head, "Other than there"s an extra child inside the palace, there seems to be nothing else happened around Crown Prince."
"What?! Where does the child come from?!" Di Mu Yang had just returned so he didn"t know Xiao Jian"s existence. Now that he heard of it, he nearly jumped up. He had just left for a few days yet His Highness Crown Prince already had a child. It must be because the way he returned was wrong.
Mei Qian Deng told him about Xiao Jian"s appearance in a very simplified version and hid about the Yue family. Di Mu Yang took quite some time to force himself to accept this matter. He really couldn"t understand how a child could drop from the sky. He asked Mei Qian Deng further, "Little Young Master, do you notice how the Crown Prince is less talkative than in the past? And he seems to be more sedate a bit. His temper is no longer as impetuous as in the past and restrained himself more. Are you really sure it"s not due to receiving some sort of stimulus to have such changes?"
Is there any changes in Chu Xun?
Mei Qian Deng carefully compared the past and current Chu Xun but she didn"t notice any obvious change. Furthermore, Crown Prince was always with her, if it was not in the palace then it was when they went to visit Mei Zi River Islet but he didn"t receive any stimulus there. Could the last time when Senior Official Song pretended to be a ghost and scared the Crown Prince to tears incident consider as a stimulus? However, recently the number of times Chu Xun lost his temper did decrease. Then again, when a person lived, he would definitely grow up. This was not a weird thing.
Mei Qian Deng asked instead, "Crown Prince has such changes, it"s towards the good side. Shouldn"t it be something worth happy about? Why is Little General Di anxious?"
Di Mu Yang felt it was true after some thinking. It was possible that Chu Xun woke up one day and suddenly had an enlightenment.
It just that the Little General interacted with the Crown Prince from childhood. He clearly aware of Chu Xun"s temper. To make the narcissist Crown Prince to see and accept his shortcomings and improve from them, His Highness Crown Prince must had experienced a huge twist and turn deep in his heart.
"No, no, no. His Highness Crown Prince must have some sort of secrets in his heart."
Mei Qian Deng: ……
In addition, when Di Mu Yang returned he brought a news that had yet to be revealed to the public.
Inside the Imperial Study, the father and son of Di family were standing in front of the imperial table. Chu Xun was there too. Chu Xun accepted a sabre from Old General Di"s hands and pa.s.sed it to his father. The Emperor"s face was imposing as he carefully examined that broadsword. He could see the surface of the sword was s.h.i.+ny bright as silver, thin like the cicada"s wings and the dazzling gleam radiated all around. Eight parts out of ten it could cut through iron as if it were mud[1]. Even though he was not an expert, with just one or two swings in his hands he could feel this was an excellent sword.
"This is the weapon you seized from the barbarian tribes?" The Emperor raised his head and asked Old General.
Old General Di had a heavy face as he nodded.
Chu Xun was dumbfounded. The nomadic tribes at the northern part were disunited throughout the year but when they encountered a natural disaster and their livestock were not enough they would cause a commotion at the border, savage without any restrain. However, these people never had any achievements. Even an overwhelming majority of them were illiterate blockheads. Their life was behind the time and primitive. Hence, previously even if they came over to plunder, their weapons were very inferior. The soldiers at the border could easily chase them away. They were nothing to be feared. This time Old General Di took along Di Mu Yang to the northern border to practise his skills. He had already took the point that these barbarians were inferior into consideration. It should have been an easy fight. Based on their intelligence, they shouldn"t have such exquisite casting weapon skill. In other words, this sword must had been brought by the nomadic tribes from another place.
"Your Highness, laochen is uneasy. This time when pacifying the northern border, at first we didn"t know practically all the invaders had such weapons. The group of vanguards laochen sent was the first to suffer heavy casualties."
The nomadic tribe men were all robust like cow, with unrivalled strength. When they had superior weapons, their destructive power skyrocketed a lot.
The Emperor frowned deeply. "Oh? Zhen is not even aware when these barbarians have such ability and wealth to use such weapons."
Chu Xun added, "If they have this much money to buy weapons, why would they need to plunder our border? Perhaps, they have some other secrets."
General Di gave Di Mu Yang a meaningful glance, "My son took the risks and sneaked into the enemy camp and even found some other things. Asking Your Highness to check them." Di Mu Yang immediately took out a coa.r.s.e handkerchief from his chest and carefully opened it before placing it on the imperial table.
The handkerchief had wrapped up some white powder. The Emperor reached out his hand and caressed it in his fingers. Then, he put it under his nose to smell and opened his mouth, "Saltpetre?"
"Chen found a h.o.a.rd of salt at their tents. Chen felt it was fishy and checked around it yet found this thing mixed with the salt," Di Mu Yang reported to the Emperor.
If it was only looking from the surface, the saltpetre and salt was easy to be confused. But the usage was a big difference. Troops used to fighting a battle was sensitive and vigilant towards saltpetre. With the saltpetre from the gunpowder smoke filling the air, adding some sulphur and charcoal, it would become a gunpowder. The barbarians who previously used rusted iron axes and stone tools to plunder, how could they in the short time have such sharp weapon as well as such dangerous raw material?
It was hard to not be suspicious of some secrets.
"Let the scouts keep a close watch." The Emperor"s face was tense and br.i.m.m.i.n.g with harshness.
"Yes."
After the father and son duo from Di family left, Chu Xun asked, "Is it possible it"s Imperial Uncle playing tricks at the back?" Even if the barbarians from the northern border used some methods to unite the scattered tribes, that force was not something to be trifled with. If this force-like sharp sword hacked at their Great Chu Empire, in about a year there would be no peace at the borders.
Thinking further down, once there was a disturbance, the imperial court would surely mobilise the military forces and upset the original garrison. The Emperor believed Di family the most, he would surely send away Old General Di to bring the army and suppress them. Their number would be several ten thousand military forces at least and several hundred thousand military forces at most. The armies at the three other borders couldn"t move, so the military forces could only be picked from various prefectures and imperial city. If this happened, the empire"s interior garrison would have a big hole. It would be extremely easy for the intentional people to make their way through, making the entire empire to be attacked from front and rear.
"Zhen had been too tolerant of him that right now he wants to fly high."
This time, the Emperor"s anger was not a light one as he slammed the imperial table three times with his whole face rose into a pork liver red colour. In these two years, the Emperor"s body was a far cry from previous. Chu Xun saw his father"s lips turned purple and seemed to have difficulty in breathing as he grasped his chest. He panicked.
"Xiao gonggong, Xiao gonggong! Quick, summon the imperial physician!"
The Emperor spared no effort to push down the uncomfortable feeling in his body and waved his hand as he looked down at Chu Xun, "Don"t make a fuss about nothing. You"re so loud that zhen"s head pains. Return first." He actually didn"t want to let Chu Xun see too much. As a father who was revered by many people, the Emperor probably wished to preserve his prestige figure forever in front of his only son.
Chu Xun didn"t even know how he returned to Ming Jue Palace. When his delayed mind returned, he instantly saw Mei Qian Deng feeding Xiao Jian food inside the room. Xiao Jian ate the food much slower, he liked to suck it in his mouth and didn"t swallow it. Mei Qian Deng would then patiently coax him.
Chu Xun suddenly remembered when he was very small, Imperial Father was like this too. While coaxing him, he would feed him. He would even perform conjuring tricks. Conjure once, eat once. Xun er eats lot and lot of rice, grows up quickly. Everything felt like it was yesterday yet in a blink of eyes he had aged.
"Crown Prince, you have returned." Mei Qian Deng called him, "Have you eat? Do you want to eat together?"
"Dada! Dada!" Xiao Jian stuttered unclearly as he energetically waved his arms at Chu Xun with his cheeks bulged and his mouth filled with food.
The unreasonable His Highness Crown Prince was touched again by this scene. People should live in the present. He disperse the depression in his heart. With quick steps, he went over and sat beside Mei Qian Deng. He thought, if he could eat food with Mei Qian Deng every day, it too was very good. He started went crazy, fanatically picked for Mei Qian Deng chicken thigh, red braised pork, fish stomach until it turned into a little mountain in the bowl.
Xiao Jian"s eyes were fixed on Chu Xun"s chopsticks as they moved back and fro. Finally, his eyes landed on that "little mountain" and shone. He couldn"t take his eyes off. Mei Qian Deng then smoothly try to feed it to Xiao Jian but she was stopped by Chu Xun, "Wei, these are what this Crown Prince picked for you to eat, there"s no part for him."
"I can"t finish them all."
"Then, after you can"t eat anymore, only then you can feed him."
Eating until the half, Chu Xun couldn"t stop himself from hara.s.sing Mei Qian Deng, "If, I"m just saying if, in another few years you will become an adult already, a man staying inside the palace with the empress and imperial concubines, it will definitely be not really convenient and easy to cause rumours. Then, Imperial Father or maybe I will help you to pick a courtyard and let you move out to live there. When the time comes, what sort of house do you want?"
Mei Qian Deng lowered her head and looked at her rice bowl for a while. She actually pondered carefully how to answer this question. "Best if the house faces the south and there is an open s.p.a.ce for me to sword practise. But I don"t want it too big. Young Master Zhao"s place, I see that there are several empty rooms. It"s fine too to move to his house instead."
Chu Xun silently raised his hand and ma.s.saged his throbbing forehead. He sourly said, "I ask you about house matter yet you can tell me until Zhao Mo Ran"s side. It looks like the two of you have a very good relations.h.i.+p."
Mei Qian Deng replied boldly and confidently, "In the capital city, the land is extremely expensive. I"m just me alone, I shouldn"t waste money if I can save up."
"This whole land belongs to my Chu family. As long as you"re loyal and do your work properly, always at my side, of course I will not treat you unfairly. So, don"t say only a small temporary lodging. Even gifting you a mansion is not impossible." Chu Xun peaked at Mei Qian Deng and following the topic, he asked further, "Then, if this Crown Prince gift you a mansion, you want to live at the mountain peak or beside the river? Or maybe beside the sea? People like you eight out of ten doesn"t like busy streets."
"I don"t need a big mansion. Crown Prince, you don"t have to consider gifting me one."
Chu Xun immediately threw away the chopsticks and straightened his neck, "Who say this Crown Prince really want to gift you one? It"s just idle chatting with you after eating. Can"t you make some imagination and simply say it?"
The female warrior blinked her eyes and silently sized up Chu Xun. When that clear eyesight landed on Chu Xun"s body, they stared until the diffident His Highness Crown Prince felt uneasy. It was as if in the next second he would be seen through by Mei Qian Deng. However, people like him, the more alarmed he was in his heart, the more he would flaunt on the outside. He returned a glare at Mei Qian Deng, "Just drop it if you don"t want to say, why dillydally like a girl."
Mei Qian Deng was thinking, Little General said Crown Prince had changed from his old self. She still couldn"t see the difference. Wasn"t it still hard to serve him, if he said wind, it would be rain. En, probably because it had been a long time since Little General last saw Crown Prince. After being separated for a long time, the sentiments had influenced the eyes which caused him unable to see the Crown Prince"s nature.
The room turned silent for a moment. Chu Xun thought Mei Qian Deng would not answer such a silly question and felt it was shameful. Just as he ponder whether to swing his arms and leave, he heard Mei Qian Deng said, "If Crown Prince wants to gift me a big mansion one day, just choose one at the Qi Yang City[2]. I heard the several mountains outside the Qi Yang City are filled with plum blossoms. When it"s New Year, I will bring over my six brothers, my six sisters-in-law as well as my parents for a plum viewing. The mansion can"t only be small, the area must be a good one too. My parents like bustling scenes."
Mei Qian Deng spoke so orderly that it made Chu Xun had nothing to say for a moment. Chu Xun had already came in contact with the whole Mei family. Especially Old Master Mei with his boldness and uninhibitedness with some endearingly silly big uncle revealed. It made Chu Xun felt extremely intimate. Now that he listened to Mei Qian Deng"s description, a scene appeared in Chu Xun"s mind. That whole family was lively in the Qi Yang City, with happy laughter and cheerful voices.
"……Alright. You just need to perform well before this Crown Prince, serves until this Crown Prince happy. By then, gifting your family this type of big mansion is not an impossible matter."
Chu Xun"s mood cleared up. Just as he about to take up again the chopsticks to eat, Mei Qian Deng put down her chopsticks. She stood up and carried Xiao Jian towards outside.
"Hey, hey, hey, where are you going?! This Crown Prince has yet to finish eating, why are you leaving? Do you know manners?!!"
"Xiao Jian is holding his crotch, I"m supporting him while he urinates."
Eh?!
"How to support him while he urinates?" Holding Xiao Jian"s little chicken to let him urinate? A scene appeared in Chu Xun"s brain and his face instantly turned black. He even remembered previously when he insisted her to urinate together at the mountain after he was shoved into the river and Mei Qian Deng saved him.
Chu Xun"s brain was buzzing with idea, if at that time Mei Qian Deng supported him to urinate, that small hand hold his little chicken……
By the time this filthy person who raised his eyebrows with his whole body comfortable and refreshed returned to his sense, there was no more shadows of Mei Qian Deng and Xiao Jian remaining in the room.
"Xiao Jing Zi! Next time when Xiao Jian wants to urinate, you support him to urinate, you"re not allowed to let Mei Qian Deng support! If this Crown Prince finds out she still support Xiao Jian to urinate, this Crown Prince will make you urinary incontinence!"
Xiao Jing Zi: ???!!!
[1] Exceptionally sharp sword
[2] Literally, City of Forked Sun
Translated by HaruOngy at Geniusly Plain (If you can see this line, you must have read this in the aggregator site which illegally steal various works. Be shameful of yourself for not appreciating the translator"s hard work. Don"t think only you want to have it the easy way. Support the fanbase and translator!)