Prince Bei Jing of the Red Chamber, starting from saving Qin Keqing

As the banquet at Fengtian Hall gradually ended, the music ceased, and the guests departed, the lingering undercurrents within the hall spread to every corner of the capital along with the dispersed crowds.

Whether they were the civil and military officials of the Great Yin Dynasty or the envoys from distant countries, everyone harbored their own ulterior motives.

The entire imperial city was shrouded in an unseen, treacherous atmosphere.

After the banquet, Japanese envoy Taro Yamaguchi did not return to the reception hall with the delegation.

Instead, he changed into ordinary clothes, bypassed the imperial guards on duty in the palace, and quietly went to the foreign merchants' restaurant in the capital where Batu and Esen were staying.

He walked hurriedly, a cunning ambition hidden in his eyes—if war broke out in the northern border of the Great Yin, his iron cavalry would march south.

The Great Yin Dynasty would inevitably draw upon its southeastern coastal defense forces, allowing Japan to seize the opportunity to expand its maritime power and even encroach upon the coastal prefectures and counties of the Great Yin Dynasty.

This secret meeting with the Tatars and Oirats was intended to secretly promise them supplies and intelligence, inciting the steppe tribes to rise up in rebellion as soon as possible, and using the barbarians to weaken the strength of the Great Yin Kingdom.

Meanwhile, Le Phung, the envoy from the Kingdom of Jiaozhi, followed the directions of the palace eunuchs and bypassed the crowd to find the side hall of Crown Prince Zhu Changyu.

He wore a humble smile, clutching a small sandalwood box about an inch long to his chest. He walked cautiously with every step, but his eyes concealed a sinister calculation.

Jiaozhi was impoverished and its national strength was far inferior to that of the Great Yin Dynasty. The annual tribute was an unbearable burden, so this time it presented "rare items".

The purpose was to curry favor with the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, so that when he ascended the throne, Jiaozhi could reduce its tribute, obtain trade privileges, and even use the power of the Da Yin dynasty to intimidate neighboring small countries.

"Your Highness, I have a rare national treasure of Jiaozhi that I have come to present to Your Highness in order to assist you in handling state affairs and recuperating your health."

Li Feng bowed deeply, his tone extremely obsequious, and respectfully presented the wooden box with both hands.

Zhu Changyu sat upright in the hall, lightly tapping the table with his fingertips, his expression carrying a hint of arrogance: "Oh? Jiaozhi actually has such a treasure, bring it here for us to see."

Li Feng quickly opened the wooden box and saw more than ten thin, tobacco-like objects neatly stacked inside.

The pole is wrapped in plain silk, with tiny coral beads at the end. It has a refreshing fragrance that instantly relaxes the mind.

"Your Highness, this is called Immortal Tobacco. It is made by using rare and fragrant herbs from the deep mountains of Jiaozhi, combined with dozens of nourishing Chinese medicinal herbs, and then blending them with the finest tobacco shreds."

"Daily use can relieve desk fatigue, refresh the mind, and also has the effects of tonifying the kidneys and replenishing qi, and making one feel happy. No matter how long one deals with government affairs, one will not feel tired."

Zhu Changyu's gaze darkened slightly. He had heard in his early years that Jiaozhi was a major producer of poppies, a poisonous plant that brought disaster to the country and its people. His face immediately turned cold, and he was about to rebuke them.

Upon seeing this, Li Feng immediately knelt down and kowtowed, repeatedly explaining himself:

"Your Highness, please understand! How dare I desecrate the Crown Prince with poison!"

"This incense contains absolutely no poppy seeds; it is made entirely from genuine fragrant materials and tonics, nourishing the body and posing no harm whatsoever. Your Highness may have your attendants try it first, and they will know that what I say is true."

Zhu Changyu pondered for a moment, then glanced at the eunuch Xiao Liuzi who was attending him, and casually instructed, "You may give it a try."

Xiao Liuzi stepped forward, took a cigarette, and Li Feng quickly lit it himself.

The moment the cigarette lit, a faint aroma of medicine and tobacco wafted out. Xiao Liu took a shallow puff and coughed lightly twice.

He then slowly exhaled smoke rings, a look of comfortable enjoyment gradually spreading across his face, and bowed in return:

"Your Highness, this substance does indeed have the aroma of tobacco and Chinese medicinal herbs. After inhaling it, one feels comfortable all over and refreshed, without the harshness of poison. It is a good tonic."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Changyu's cold expression vanished instantly, replaced by joy.

He had been preoccupied with the balance of power in the court and the position of crown prince, and was in dire need of something to refresh and relieve his fatigue. He immediately smiled and said:

"Good! Envoy Li is very kind. I am very satisfied with this item. Xiao Liu, put it away."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness!"

Li Feng bowed deeply, and after the Crown Prince's eunuch took away the wooden box, his face remained humble, but a sly smile of triumph flashed in his eyes—this "divine smoke" seemed to have a nourishing effect.

In reality, it was mixed with a trace amount of purified poppy paste. Initial inhalation would be invigorating, but prolonged use would lead to addiction. Once the prince became dependent on it, he would naturally grant all of Jiaozhi's requests.

As for whether they'll discover the small amount of poppy paste inside, it's something they've refined and purified using the resources of the entire nation, and it's undetectable unless one uses it long-term.

All of this was perfectly missed by Shui Rong, who had just left the Imperial Study.

As Shui Rong left the imperial study, his mind was filled with thoughts of the goddess of the north, sweet potatoes, and tribal conflicts.

His mind was filled with thoughts of returning to the Prince's Palace, marking the new situation in the north on the map of the world, and deducing the possibility of internal strife in the grasslands and the timing of crop introduction.

They hurried through the palace corridors, completely unaware of the secret meeting in the side hall.

He only caught a glimpse of the Crown Prince's eunuch, Xiao Liuzi, carrying a small sandalwood box, walking hurriedly and looking flustered. He didn't even see Shui Rong coming towards him, and hurriedly brushed past with his head down.

Shui Rong paused slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. What was the Crown Prince's eunuch doing acting so suspiciously?

But on second thought, the real threat lies in the changes in the north, the origins of the mysterious goddess, and the threat of the rise of the grasslands.

Far more important than the trivial matters of the Eastern Palace, he suppressed his doubts and planned to return to the Prince's Mansion to sort out the maps, without delving into the matter further.

In the brief moment he was stunned, he heard rapid breathing behind him, and an aged voice called out repeatedly:

"Your Highness! Your Highness, please wait! Why are you in such a hurry? This old minister has important matters to discuss!"

Shui Rong turned around and saw Qin Zhongxun, the Minister of War, panting as he caught up, leaning on a cane, his beard and hair slightly disheveled.

He had completely lost the composure he displayed in the imperial court.

Shui Rong quickly stepped forward to support him, her tone calm: "Elder Qin, what's the matter? Speak slowly. There are many people in the palace; be careful not to fall."

Qin Zhongxun caught his breath, looked around to make sure no one was nearby, then lowered his voice, his tone filled with barely suppressed urgency:

"My lord, you know that as the Minister of War, I am a close advisor to His Majesty, and it is inconvenient for me to meet with you in private."

"A few days ago, I had someone secretly investigate and finally obtained conclusive information: Qin Keqing, who was praying at Ci'an Temple, is most likely my long-lost daughter!"

"I wish to go to the temple in person to see her and reunite with my daughter. I implore Your Highness to grant my request."

Shui Rong nodded slightly and pondered for a moment:

"I naturally understand Old Master Qin's kind fatherly heart."

"But meeting you so abruptly at this moment, in the current situation, with my brother busy with many matters, will only bring trouble upon you."

"When the year draws to a close, you can privately petition His Majesty, on the grounds of kinship, to request His Majesty's permission for Keqing to leave the temple and meet with you. What do you think of this?"

Qin Zhongxun simply nodded. Shui Rong's words were apt; if it weren't for this troublesome matter for the Tatars, sigh...

The two walked slowly side by side, discussing Ke Qing's affairs in hushed tones, both with genuine sincerity.

Suddenly, Shui Rong changed the subject, asking, "Where is Chief Minister Zhang? He was nowhere to be seen after we came out of the Imperial Study. Why wasn't he with you?"

Qin Zhongxun sighed softly and shook his head: "Your Highness, you came out of the Imperial Study with the speed of the wind, and disappeared in the blink of an eye. You are young and strong after all."

"The teacher is still in the palace, continuing his secret discussions with His Majesty. He is probably discussing the details of troop deployment at the border and the transport of provisions. These trivial matters of military and civil affairs are the most exhausting."

After saying that, Qin Zhongxun suddenly leaned closer, lowered his voice, and spoke with a hint of childlike teasing:

"Your Highness, you and that child, Ke Qing, haven't consummated your marriage yet, have you?"

Upon hearing this, Shui Rong's cheeks flushed instantly, and he quickly waved his hands, saying, "Elder Qin, please stop talking nonsense! Your Highness is praying for blessings at the temple; propriety is paramount. How could I possibly do something so out of line?"

Qin Zhongxun chuckled, his eyes filled with a knowing, amused look:

"Hmph, if it were the gentle, refined, and self-disciplined Prince Bei Jing of the past, this old minister would naturally believe it."

"But today in the Fengtian Hall, Your Highness, you spoke the vulgar language of northern hooligans, and rebuked the barbarians."

"But this is completely different from his usual calm and composed nature. If he's capable of breaking all etiquette and hurling insults, what wouldn't he be willing to do?"

Shui Rong gave a helpless, bitter smile and could only offer an explanation:

"Today, those Oirat and Tatar envoys were far too arrogant, not only speaking disrespectfully but also bringing shame upon our Great Yin Dynasty."

"It even brought up my late father's achievements back then, which made me so angry that I lost my composure."

"As a prince of the Great Yin Dynasty, I am loyal to His Majesty and dedicated to protecting the country. Naturally, I cannot tolerate such insolence from barbarians."

Qin Zhongxun merely chuckled dismissively and did not reply.

In this conversation between the two, apart from Qin Keqing's private affairs being 100% sincere, all other words were a mixture of truth and falsehood—Shui Rong said he was loyal, but he was hiding his ambition to seize the throne.

Qin Zhongxun laughed at his sudden change in temperament, seeing it as a test of Shui Rong's true nature. They both understood each other implicitly, yet maintained a facade of politeness and tacit understanding.

Shui Rong, unwilling to dwell on the topic any longer, used the excuse of trivial matters at the Prince's residence to bid farewell to Qin Zhongxun.

He bowed to Li Fuquan, who was standing guard under the corridor, and said, "Eunuch Li, there are still many trivial matters to be dealt with at the Prince's residence, so I will not linger in the palace any longer. I would be grateful if you could put in a good word for me with my brother, the Emperor, so that I may excuse myself from this banquet."

Li Fuquan's eyes were smiling, his expression clear and insightful. He had already received His Majesty's permission. He bowed slightly and said in a low voice:

"Please take care, Your Highness. His Majesty instructed earlier that if Your Highness needs to return to your residence, there is no need for formalities; please feel free to do as you please."

Shui Rong understood that His Majesty was tacitly approving his early departure. He immediately took out a thick stack of silver notes from his sleeve and quietly slipped them into Li Fuquan's hand, speaking in a gentle tone:

"Thank you for your trouble, Father-in-law. This is just a small gift; please buy yourself a cup of tea."

Li Fuquan calmly slipped the silver note into his sleeve, bowed, and said, "Thank you for your generosity, Your Highness. Please take care on your journey."