good season

When Zhao Shiqing returned from the palace yesterday, she was accompanied by Deng Zheng and others, so she didn't have a chance to discuss what happened in the palace with Xiao Zhen. Therefore, early this morning, Zhao Shiqing didn't even have breakfast before taking Lingbo, Niqiu, Xiuxiu and Shen Wangxing to Ruyi Pavilion.

The reason we all went together was because there was an open space by the Ruyifang Lake that was perfect for flying kites. The autumn air was crisp and clear, making it the perfect time for kite flying.

Xiao Zhen didn't expect so many people to come so early in the morning. Hearing that they were all still hungry, she asked Da Zhuang to buy breakfast.

Zhao Shiqing: "No need, no need, we brought our own. We just need to use your kitchen."

The enormous Ruyi Boat only housed Xiao Zhen, Da Zhuang, Jiang Ping, and a few others; the master and servants together numbered only six.

As for the cooks, apart from Xiao Zhen, they are all cooks. As for the taste, as long as it doesn't kill anyone, it's fine.

If you say you brought it yourself, then you really did.

Da Zhuang stared wide-eyed as several people hurriedly unloaded things from the car: oil, salt, soy sauce, vinegar, whole pieces of cured pork and sausages, as well as prepared steamed buns, and even a jar of pickled vegetables and a jar of salted duck eggs.

All these things were moved into the kitchen at once. Today's head chef was Lingbo, the second chef was Xiuxiu, Niqiu was in charge of tending the fire, and Shen Wangxing was in charge of reading storybooks to them from the side.

Da Zhuang stared wide-eyed for a long time before finally managing to utter a complete sentence: "Is this how you usually cook?"

Lingbo: "There is a cook in the house."

Xiuxiu: "And Aunt Ji too."

Loach: "And Aunt Ruyi."

Shen Wangxing: "They won't let us into the kitchen."

Da Zhuang understood. In other words, these people usually wouldn't even go near the stove.

Zhao Shiqing was talking to Xiao Zhen about what she and the three little ones had seen in the palace yesterday.

Zhao Shiqing said, "What will happen to Princess Huiming? She shouldn't die, right?"

Xiao Zhen shook his head: "As long as she doesn't commit suicide, the royal family won't execute her. Her fate should be either Zizhu Temple or Ci'en Temple. Princess Jiarou often goes to Zizhu Temple, so Huiming will most likely go to Ci'en Temple, which is much more difficult than Zizhu Temple."

Zhao Shiqing knew without guessing that most of the concubines who left the palace in recent years went to Zizhu Temple. In addition, with Princess Jiarou, Zizhu Temple received far more royal offerings than Ci'en Temple.

If Princess Huiming went to Ci'en Temple, she truly went there to suffer.

Zhao Shiqing sighed; "Both grew up in the palace, but Zhao Tingluo has eight hundred tricks up her sleeve, while Princess Huiming is not even as clever as a ten-year-old child."

Xiao Zhen said calmly, "People are different."

Zhao Shiqing could tell that Xiao Zhen had no sympathy for Princesses Huixin and Huiming, which was probably related to what Consort Sun had done back then.

Zhao Shiqing said, "The next step is to depose the crown prince, right?"

Xiao Zhen nodded: "Even if the whole world knows about the Crown Prince and Huiming's affair, the Crown Prince will not be deposed in court because of it. He will most likely be asked to resign and give way to a more capable person."

Zhao Shiqing didn't know much about court affairs, but she trusted Xiao Zhen's judgment because she also felt that the purpose of this matter was to make the emperor decide to depose the crown prince. Now that the emperor had made up his mind, someone would naturally hand him the pillow.

The two chatted for a while longer, and naturally the topic turned to Yang Shengqiu. Xiao Zhen said, "Yang Shengqiu wants to ask Feng Yalan for a marriage proposal."

Thinking that Zhao Shiqing might not know Feng Yalan, Xiao Zhen explained, "She is Feng Jiahe's older sister and Feng Ke's illegitimate daughter. Although she is an illegitimate daughter, she is highly regarded by Feng Ke. However, she was not very lucky in that life."

Zhao Shiqing hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

“In that life, she married a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations).” Xiao Zhen paused here.

Zhao Shiqing looked at him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Xiao Zhen took a deep breath and slowly said, "I seem to have overlooked something."

Zhao Shiqing asked, "What is it? Is it important?"

Xiao Zhen: "It wasn't important before, but it's very important now."

He smiled and continued, "Feng Yalan's husband's surname is Lang, and his name is Lang Qiubai. He is Lang Jing's nephew. Lang Jing was the former magistrate of Hancheng. His father-in-law was an old friend of Feng Ke. After he was transferred to the capital, he also became Feng Ke's disciple. His nephew, Lang Qiubai, was a second-class Jinshi that year and married Feng Ke's illegitimate daughter, Feng Yalan."

After Xiao Zhen finished speaking, Zhao Shiqing still had something she didn't understand.

"Yang Shengqiu was a tutor in Lang Jing's household when he was in Hancheng. He came to the capital with Lang Jing's family. His family also had a daughter named Lang Yuyu."

You suspect that Lang Qiubai is actually Yang Shengqiu?

Xiao Zhen nodded: "It's a pity that I never met Lang Qiubai in my previous life, so I don't know what he looks like."

He continued, “One year, there was a flood in four areas of Tongzhou. Emperor Yongjia sent the Fifth Prince to provide disaster relief. At that time, the Fifth Prince and the Third Prince were the best of brothers. The Third Prince specially arranged for his brother-in-law, Lang Qiubai, to accompany him. Lang Qiubai was working in the Ministry of Works at the time, and he accompanied the Prince as an official of the Ministry of Works.”

The disaster relief efforts were riddled with errors; the funds were not used for river management and resettlement of disaster victims. The Fifth Prince was completely sidelined and ultimately took the blame. Tens of thousands of people died or were injured in the disaster, including Lang Qiubai. The Fifth Prince was stripped of his imperial status and demoted to a commoner for his ineffective disaster relief efforts. He then committed suicide in his residence.

After Lang Qiubai's death, Feng Yalan became a widow at a young age, which was already pitiful. But misfortune struck again when her only son was kidnapped. Heartbroken, she secluded herself at home and was never heard from again.

Zhao Shiqing was shocked. It was one thing that Lang Qiubai was Yang Shengqiu, but the other was that Lang Qiubai had died in the line of duty.

"Did you pay attention to this matter in that life?" Zhao Shiqing asked.

Xiao Zhen said, "I played a part in the Fifth Prince's demotion."

"What about Lang Qiubai? Is he really dead?" Zhao Shiqing asked again.

Xiao Zhen was taken aback, then shook his head: "In that life, he was just a nobody. Just like in this life, if he weren't the grandson of Doctor Yang, he would be just another nobody to me."

Moreover, in his previous life, Lang Qiubai was not even a top scholar in the imperial examination. He married a concubine's daughter from the Feng family and went to the Ministry of Works, the least respected of the six ministries. He was only a fifth-rank official until his death. Not only would Xiao Zhen not value someone like him, but no one else would either.

Xiao Zhen said, "The reason I still remember him is because of his son. Back then, the abduction of his son caused a great stir in the capital. The capital has always been very safe, and it is rare for child abduction to occur, let alone when the child was Feng Ke's grandson."

Feng Yalan took her child to Baiyun Temple to offer incense, but the child disappeared in the blink of an eye. A thorough search of the temple yielded no trace. Rumors spread like wildfire, even including one about using children's internal organs to make medicinal wine. The capital was gripped by fear, and for a time, children were nowhere to be seen playing in the streets.

Zhao Shiqing blinked her big eyes: "You didn't pay attention to Lang Qiubai in that life. Now imagine that Lang Qiubai is Yang Shengqiu. Why are the two lives different? In this life, he didn't become Lang Jing's nephew, and in the previous life, Lang Qiubai didn't become the top scholar. Think about it, why is it different?"

Xiao Zhen's gaze fell on Zhao Shiqing's face. Compared to when she was in Wu, the girl's features had matured a bit, she had lost some of her immaturity and gained some brightness.

"The variable between the past life and this life is you."

“In the previous life, you didn’t appear. The Liang Prince’s Mansion was gone, and so was my home. Yang Shengqiu, hiding in the shadows, saw only crisis and slaughter. He was afraid, so he found a backer for himself, which was the Lang family.”

I heard some news that the main reason why Yang Shengqiu was able to become a tutor in the Lang family at the young age of twenty was because he had saved Lang Jing's son.

It's likely that Lang Qiubai in his previous life was the same.

Although Lang Jing did not hold a high official position, at that time, he was the most powerful figure that Lang Qiubai and Yang Shengqiu could curry favor with.

In my previous life, my parents were murdered, the Liang Prince's Mansion was in crisis, and the war between the Liang Prince's Mansion and the Xiao family all occurred around the time of the imperial examination. Therefore, Lang Qiubai in that life was very careful and even had to hide his brilliance in the imperial examination. He only passed the second class and became a Jinshi, but he did not attract attention.

In this life, Yang Shengqiu has even higher ambitions. He is not content with simply getting close to Lang Jing by working as a tutor and carrying on the family line for Lang Jing's deceased younger brother. His goal is the capital city, a place he was forced to leave in his childhood but has never forgotten.

Thus, there exists the story of Lang Qiubai, who lived incognito in his previous life, and Yang Shengqiu, the top scholar in this life.

Zhao Shiqing gave Xiao Zhen a thumbs up, no wonder she had her eye on him.

The thought made the little girl's pointed ears turn red again. Oh dear, who would like him? With a fake face, who would like him?

The words of praise, once on the tip of his tongue, took a different turn: "No wonder he's my uncle, he's really amazing!"

Xiao Zhen:
Before Xiao Zhen could retaliate, Zhao Shiqing quickly changed the subject: "If Lang Qiubai is really Yang Shengqiu, I suspect that in that life, the Third Prince sent him to follow the Fifth Prince not to do anything, but to cause trouble. That huge loophole must be related to him!"

Think about it, isn't that right?

Xiao Zhen thought for a moment and said, "At that time, five people were found. All of them had gone to Tongzhou with the Fifth Prince. All five of them were involved. They deceived the Emperor, sidelined the Fifth Prince, embezzled repair funds, embezzled disaster relief funds, and even killed two local officials. These five people were all the Fifth Prince's confidants and trusted people. They were all executed by slow slicing. As for Lang Qiubai, the only person from the Third Prince's faction who accompanied him, he died in the line of duty."

Looking back now, because he died in the line of duty, no one ever doubted him or investigated him.

His death, however, completely absolved him of any wrongdoing.

Zhao Shiqing chuckled coldly: "Perhaps he didn't die, but just used death as an excuse to escape. And his son, maybe the real kidnapper is him, or someone he sent."

Xiao Zhen thought so too, but he was also puzzled: "Then what was the purpose of his actions? Was it for the Third Prince? But he is dead, whether he is truly dead or not, he is dead. Unless he believed that the Third Prince would bring him back to life after ascending the throne, but by the time I died, the Third Prince had not ascended the throne, and the Emperor was still alive and well."

Besides, if he truly intended to wait until the Third Prince ascended the throne, there was no need for him to take his son with him. His son could remain in the capital, protected by the Feng family; this was far better than him following him into hiding.

Zhao Shiqing was equally puzzled. Yes, why would he go to such lengths to take his son away?

Are you not planning to come back?

When the third prince ascends the throne and rewards are given for meritorious service, he will not return.
Zhao Shiqing couldn't understand it. She then remembered the letter that Dr. Yang had left for his grandson, and the strange map on the letter.

She tapped her head: "I'm still too stupid."

Xiao Zhen smiled and reached out to pat her head, but Ling Bo's voice rang out from outside the door: "Second Miss, dinner is ready!"

Zhao Shiqing immediately perked up. For Zhao Shiqing, who was still growing, nothing was more important than eating!
The steamed buns were pan-fried until golden brown on both sides, and there was also a pot of millet porridge that had been cooked until it was simmering with rice oil. Served with Wan Ruyi's pickled eight-treasure vegetables, Zhao Shiqing ate with great relish.

As Xiao Zhen watched her eat, he realized for the first time that watching others eat could also be a pleasure.

"You seem to have grown taller again," Xiao Zhen said sincerely.

Zhao Shiqing's eyes lit up: "Really? Then I'll eat more. I want to grow taller, like my sister."

People in the Wu region are generally not tall. Zhao Shiqing is considered tall in Wu, but she is still a bit shorter than Zhao Yunnuan. In her opinion, she should grow to her sister's height to be just right. Not only would she look good in clothes, but she would also look dashing on horseback. Unlike her, who is already of marriageable age, she is still seen as a child by others.

Xiao Zhen chuckled. In his previous life, before he turned eighteen, he was the same way, wanting to grow up and become taller, wanting to be majestic and the center of attention.

He never dreamed that after he turned eighteen, he would be met with mountains of corpses and seas of blood.

His youthful vigor and sharpness were all worn away in the endless killing and escape. Even if he were to be reborn, he would never be the same as he was in his youth.

Looking at Zhao Shiqing and her friends, Xiao Zhen often couldn't help but say, "It's so good to be young."

But he was actually only three years older than Zhao Shiqing.

He was still a teenager.

After Zhao Shiqing finished her own meal, she noticed that Xiao Zhen hadn't touched her chopsticks and asked, "Aren't you hungry?"

Xiao Zhen nodded: "Yes, I had breakfast before you came."

Zhao Shiqing: "Why didn't you say so earlier!"

She took the food from in front of Xiao Zhen and devoured it in a whirlwind.
Aside from a few pieces of cured pork, the group ate all the food they had brought, then, with their bellies bulging, went to fly kites.

Laughter drifted in from outside the window, occasionally punctuated by a whistle or two.

Suddenly, a smiling face appeared at the window: "What are you doing hiding in the house? Come out quickly, I'll teach you how to fly a kite!"

A hand as white as jade appeared in front of him. Xiao Zhen subconsciously reached out his hand, but as soon as he did, Zhao Shiqing grabbed it and pulled him out of the window.

The autumn air is crisp and clear, the sky is high and the clouds are light. The autumn wind rises, blowing down the leaves, lifting the kites, and also dispelling the gloom in our hearts.

Xiao Zhen thought he would always remember this autumn day: a day filled with food and drink, with friends, kites, and a lovely girl with reddish ears who stubbornly called him "uncle." (End of Chapter)