Chapter 424: You Understand Too?

The Hongwu Emperor’s display of such magnanimity naturally brought great relief to Yin Zhaoxian, his subject. Yet, for anyone else, an imperial command would necessitate an immediate audience. But the person in question was Ji Yuan.

Truth be told, in Yin Zhaoxian's mind, Ji Yuan's wishes carried more weight than the emperor's.

Simply put, who was Mr. Ji? An emperor's prestige wasn't something he needed to overly concern himself with.

However, Yin Zhaoxian believed that based on his understanding of Ji Yuan, asking him as a friend to meet the Hongwu Emperor as a favor would certainly be met with agreement. But Yin Zhaoxian himself was somewhat reluctant to do so. After a moment of careful consideration, he spoke to the Hongwu Emperor.

“It is a rare honor for Your Majesty to wish to meet a commoner, and it would naturally be an honor for my friend. I am also deeply moved by Your Majesty’s graciousness, but… Mr. Ji is rather peculiar. Perhaps, I could teach him some basic etiquette later, for proper decorum must not be neglected, to prevent any inadvertent offense to Your Majesty’s presence.”

Upon hearing this, the Hongwu Emperor grew even more curious. Why was Prime Minister Yin acting so unusually? Was his friend truly so difficult to meet?

If it were anyone else, Emperor Yang Hao, the Hongwu Emperor, might suspect jealousy of talent or fear of being overshadowed, or even that the friend was ill-intentioned. But this was Yin Zhaoxian, making such possibilities utterly impossible.

The Hongwu Emperor actually harbored a small secret he had never shared with anyone, not even with his closest consorts like the Empress or Consort De. This secret involved two peculiar dreams he had experienced around the time of his ascension.

The first dream was about his father, the late Emperor Yuande.

This dream was relatively simple, occurring before the funeral rites, shortly after Emperor Yuande’s passing.

At that time, Yang Hao was mostly in a state of excitement, with only a minor degree of sadness. And even that sadness wasn’t solely for his father; a considerable portion was for the passing of his revered teacher.

The dream's content involved Yang Hao sleeping in his bed, then being woken by a push. He opened his eyes to see his father sitting by his bedside. Although he had momentarily forgotten that his father was deceased, seeing his father watching him in his private chambers still made Yang Hao a little uneasy, and he was about to get out of bed to pay his respects.

However, Emperor Yuande’s demeanor in the dream was markedly different from his usual impression; he appeared incredibly benevolent. He spoke only a few brief words to Yang Hao, saying he was leaving for a very distant place. He then admonished Yang Hao to take good care of the Great Zhen, this family, and to frequently consult Yin Zhaoxian when faced with difficult decisions. He also reminded Yang Hao not to forget the words spoken at his sickbed.

As soon as Emperor Yuande departed, Yang Hao woke up from his bed. It was just dawn. Emperor Yuande's dying words, spoken by his sickbed, in which he had urged Yang Hao to ensure Yin Zhaoxian was not harmed by treacherous officials, now came back to him clearly.

The second dream took him back to his childhood, to the time after he left Hongwen Academy when he was apprenticed to Li Mushu as his junior tutor and gained a mentor who was both deeply caring and far-sighted.

That day, in Li Mushu's study, a young Yang Hao, likely around fourteen or fifteen years old, was reading. Li Mushu listened with his eyes closed nearby, periodically highlighting important passages from the book. One hand consistently tapped a stack of books on the corner of Yang Hao's desk.

As Yang Hao read a passage about the conduct of a ruler, Li Mushu, still with closed eyes, suddenly interrupted him. He leaned closer to Yang Hao and spoke.

“Your Royal Highness, I am advanced in years, and one day I will depart from you. I will not fall victim to treachery or hidden dangers, but succumb to age and illness. However, your path ahead is still very long, Your Royal Highness; you are destined to ascend the throne and wield imperial power!”

“Teacher, I also feel I can become emperor, it's just a feeling,” Yang Hao replied with a smile.

The strangeness of the dream lay in the fact that Yang Hao had almost forgotten the matter of becoming emperor, feeling as though he was still the young boy he once was. Yet, even so, he still possessed a clear awareness and a strong premonition of his ascension.

Li Mushu nodded, removing his right hand from the stack of books.

“Your Royal Highness, the author of these books is a great talent and sage, unparalleled since the founding of Great Zhen. When Your Royal Highness ascends the throne, though I may not live to see it, you must have him witness it. This person is loyal to the nation and to all people, possessing a magnificent righteous spirit that even spirits and deities hold in reverence!”

Li Mushu pushed a stack of books towards the young Yang Hao. These included "Discourse on Birds" and "On Understanding Righteousness," among others.

“Read these books carefully, and revisit them often in the future. I must return!”

“Understood, Teacher!”

The young Yang Hao nodded in assent. As he opened the book, he had a sudden realization: he was in his teacher’s study, at his teacher’s home, so where would his teacher be returning to?

Looking up, he saw the doorway appeared somewhat blurry, and a shadowy figure stood there. His teacher bowed to it before departing.

Yang Hao then woke up. Every detail of this dream was vivid in his memory, clearly indicating it was quite possibly a dream message from his deceased mentor.

These two dreams, occurring one after the other, deepened Yang Hao's already high regard for Yin Zhaoxian, and he developed an even deeper concern for the Yin family. Thus, even though Yin Zhaoxian was already well aware of the emperor's trust in him, in reality, Yang Hao's trust in Yin Zhaoxian ran even deeper than Yin Zhaoxian himself imagined.

Yin Qing led Princess Changping out of the living room and down the corridor toward the garden. Yin Qing was always a smooth talker; even with a princess before him and despite the unusual nature of the Emperor's visit, he remained relatively composed.

“Your Royal Highness, let us simply stroll along the corridor and through these two gardens to admire the scenery, and then proceed to the dining hall to await our meal. Our Yin manor cannot compare to the Imperial Palace; there's not much more to see after a brief stroll. If we return too early, His Majesty and my father will likely fault me.”

Princess Changping looked at Yin Qing.

“Does Vice Minister Yin not enjoy strolling with me?”

Yin Qing hastily explained.

“Of course not! But His Majesty and my father most likely wish for us to have some time alone. It’s quite cold outside, and my mother still suggested this stroll. Wouldn’t it be far more comfortable to sit by a warm stove in the dining hall and chat? We could even ask the kitchen to serve us some delectable refreshments.”

Princess Changping paused, then she, too, chuckled. She didn’t particularly fancy Yin Qing; though she didn’t dislike him, they were still largely strangers.

However, a woman awaiting marriage often has little agency, especially one born into the imperial family. Even if she was her father’s favorite, her most important life decision could not be hers alone.

Fortunately, while Yin Qing was not as prominent as his father, Prime Minister Yin, he did possess some scholarly reputation. At the very least, Princess Changping had seen Yin Qing’s paintings, and his painting skills were indeed impressive.

“Then I shall follow Vice Minister Yin’s suggestion. Let’s simply stroll for a bit and then proceed to the dining hall. However, I would also like to see the Yin manor’s study, which is rumored to possess the strongest literary aura in the land.”

“Certainly, I shall be glad to fulfill that request, Your Royal Highness, please follow me.”

Yin Qing, with his characteristic grace, led the way, guiding Princess Changping on a tour of the Yin manor, primarily exploring the gardens and visiting the study that had piqued Princess Changping’s interest.

The Yin manor had multiple studies. Yin Qing and Yin Zhaoxian each had their own. Yin Qing could not take Princess Changping to his father’s study, but showing her his own was acceptable.

The moment she stepped into Yin Qing’s study, Princess Changping was utterly captivated.

The room was adorned with numerous paintings: scenes of rural life, majestic mountains and serene waters, small courtyards nestled under grand canopies of trees, animals such as golden dogs and foxes, scholars holding writing brushes, some bearing a resemblance to Prime Minister Yin, and even ethereal immortals soaring through the wind.

Each painting was remarkably lifelike, far surpassing the works circulated outside the manor. Princess Changping could discern a unique artistic sensibility emanating from each piece.

Observing the bookshelves and desk in the study, she saw them piled high with tomes, numerous books lying open on several tables, their pages filled with circles, dots, and extensive annotations, revealing the owner's profound dedication to study.

After seeking Yin Qing’s permission, she randomly selected a book, eager to see Yin Qing’s annotations. What she discovered went beyond the typical interpretations of scholars; it included both insightful elaborations and sharp satires, yet it seemed to seize the core essence instantly, unveiling the very substance of the text's content.

Books, completed paintings, unfinished artworks, incomplete writings—all of this should have made the study appear cluttered, yet it possessed a peculiar sense of organized harmony, a distinct charm amidst the faint scent of ink.

Princess Changping, being an intelligent and well-read woman, felt a ripple in her heart.

'This doesn't seem like what many people claim, that he simply rose under his father's shadow...'

She looked at Yin Qing, who, for once, seemed a little flustered.

“Vice Minister Yin, your painting skills are truly exceptional. Will you paint a portrait of me sometime?”

“As Your Royal Highness commands, I shall naturally obey. Right, we’ve lingered in the study longer than anticipated, so there’s no need to head to the dining hall prematurely. Your Royal Highness, we really must go now, or we’ll miss dinner.”

“Yes, yes, I understand!”

Princess Changping carefully replaced the book, ensuring it was turned back to its original angle, then rose with a smile.

The two took a different path to the dining hall, passing by Ji Yuan’s guest lodging from a distance. As Princess Changping glanced about, she caught sight of a white-robed man sitting at a stone table in the courtyard, arranging pieces on a chessboard. She then asked Yin Qing, with whom she had grown a little more familiar:

“Vice Minister Yin, who is that person? He doesn’t appear to be a servant of your household.”

Yin Qing glanced at Ji Yuan’s profile and explained as they walked with the Princess:

“That is an elder from our ancestral village. He rarely visits the capital and is currently staying with us as a guest. He prefers peace and quiet, so we won’t disturb him.”

“Mmm.”

As the two passed by, Ji Yuan’s thoughts were, in fact, no longer on the chessboard; he was merely holding the pieces as a pretense. The same applied to a fox crouching beneath the table and a paper crane perched on his shoulder.

Hu Yun poked his head out, gazing into the distance with a curious expression.

“Mr. Ji, who is the woman with Yin Qing?”

“She must be a princess. Given how she’s being privately escorted around, the Emperor’s true purpose in visiting the Yin mansion becomes quite intriguing.”

Hu Yun paused, momentarily bewildered, looking up at Ji Yuan.

“Is that woman going to be Yin Qing’s wife?”

Ji Yuan was momentarily taken aback by this remark, looking down at the fox.

“You’re a fox who cultivated in the mountains, how do you know so much about such matters?”