tallest building

Chapter 215 Returning to the Capital

As they were talking, Wen Mingqian finally saw the emperor's true face.

He was around forty years old, with graying temples. Tall and imposing, he possessed a commanding presence. His eyes, in particular, were unforgettable.

"Your Majesty should reward her with something! After all, she has rendered meritorious service." The Empress smiled and spoke up for Wen Mingqian.

"Since it is the Empress's wish, she should be rewarded. Let's give her a few bolts of fabric and some gold and silver." The Emperor did not bestow any rare gifts upon Wen Mingqian.

Wen Mingqian naturally knelt down to express his gratitude, and then respectfully withdrew.

Meanwhile, Gong Chang'an and Zhang Ma received Wen Mingqian's letter and learned that she had entered the palace.

"Summer is almost over, it's time for us to go back to Beijing," said Zhang Ma, glancing towards the capital. "It's time to go back."

"I also want to go back as soon as possible. I miss my mother so much," Gong Chang'an said. "I'll go and urge the teacher again."

“Master Zhuge is always unhurried, so whether you urge him or not, he’ll probably be the same,” Zhang Ma said with a smile. “But you could tell him that the river delicacies in the capital are at their best right now, and it would be a shame not to eat them.”

"Understood!" Gong Chang'an jumped three feet high and hopped and ran towards Master Zhuge's courtyard.

He was stopped halfway by a group of senior students who said, "Where have you been? Why don't you take this opportunity to kick a ball around a bit?"

As Gong Chang'an crawled out from under his senior brothers' ribs, he said, "Spare me for now! I really don't have time right now."

"I heard you're going back to the capital?" Gong Chang'an was finally grabbed. "If you leave, who will we be fooling?"

"Don't let anyone hear you say that. They'll say you talented people who are supposed to save the world have wasted your studies and are not ambitious." Gong Chang'an slipped away like an eel. "I can't be a sinner for all time."

He was a mischievous little monkey, so young yet so clever and intelligent. All the teachers and fellow students here liked him.

Whoever catches him usually plays around with him for a while, but if he gets too out of line, Master Zhuge will definitely come out to stop him.

For example, once a senior brother named Zhu Qingping set up a trap and hung Gong Chang'an from a tree.

He was just joking, but the rope wasn't strong and broke halfway through. Gong Chang'an fell and scraped his forehead.

That time, Master Zhuge flew into a rage, his long white beard almost flying up, which frightened Zhu Qingping so much that he almost wanted to die to atone for his sins.

In the end, it was only after Zhu Qingping's teacher led him to apologize for three consecutive days and gave Gong Chang'an many gifts that the matter was finally resolved.

Everyone then realized that Gong Chang'an was the destiny of Master Zhuge.

Gong Chang'an rushed into the teacher's room. Teacher Zhuge said coldly, "Why are you acting like a wild horse all day long? I've already said you're nine years old, you should be more mature."

"Master," Gong Chang'an didn't care about anything else and rushed over, clinging to the old man Zhuge's back, "Didn't you say you were going back to the capital? When are we leaving? Zhang Ma said that if we leave now, the river fish will be plumper when we get to the capital. She's an excellent cook of river fish. Everyone who's tried it dreams of eating it again!"

If you ask where there are no fresh river delicacies, Sanjing Academy has mountains and water, so fresh river delicacies are naturally available. However, for some reason, the meat of the fresh river delicacies here is rather tough.

Master Zhuge was an old man and could not eat this.

Gong Chang'an then wrapped his arms around Master Zhuge's neck and recited the names of the dishes, making the old master swallow hard. "You little rascal, you're in such a hurry to go back to the capital that you've lost interest in your studies. You deserve a beating!" Master Zhuge said sternly.

"That's because my grandmother passed away suddenly, and as her grandson, I was unable to fulfill my filial duty at her grave. I just wanted to go back to her grave as soon as possible to pay my respects and fulfill my filial duty!"

The Master constantly instructed his disciples that the most important qualities for a person are loyalty and filial piety. A person who is neither loyal nor filial, no matter how much they have studied, will be of no use.

"Hmph! I know you too well!" the teacher sneered. "Don't try to shut me up with those high-sounding words."

"Seeing through things but not saying them out loud—that's contradicting myself, Master," Gong Chang'an said with a grin, repeating over and over. "Let's go! Let's go! Let's go quickly!"

There was one thing about Gong Chang'an that Zhuge Fuzi couldn't do anything about: no matter how sternly Zhuge Fuzi put on his face, Gong Chang'an was not afraid at all.

She just keeps snuggling into your arms and climbing on your back, constantly acting cute and affectionate.

Master Zhuge lived a carefree and unrestrained life, without children, wives, or concubines. Who would have thought that his later years would be marred by this little devil's entanglement?

“I have already promised you I would return to the capital, and I will certainly do so. Why are you urging me? Hurry up and come down,” said Master Zhuge. “Be careful or I’ll spank you.”

“If you set off tomorrow, I’ll spank you if you want. But if you don’t set off, I’ll secretly pluck your beard.” Gong Chang’an continued to play the fool. “You don’t know that people down the mountain want your beard to make folk remedies! They say that if you use it as medicine, your children will be smart, clever and long-lived.”

"You damned monkey!" Master Zhuge cherished his beard greatly, and he would feel distressed if even one of his beards fell out. He couldn't bear the thought of plucking it out.

Gong Chang'an chuckled mischievously, "Let's go! Teacher, let's leave tomorrow! While the weather is fine, we can enjoy the scenery along the way, wouldn't that be wonderful? My mother wrote to say she's gone to the palace."

Master Zhuge, exasperated by his nagging, finally said, "Fine, fine! Get down here quickly and have someone pack my things. I'll leave tomorrow."

Upon hearing this, Gong Chang'an jumped to the ground, cheering and leaping as he went out to find the person.

The next day, as expected, Master Zhuge set off with Gong Chang'an and Zhang Ma.

The teachers and students of the academy saw the carriage off at the foot of the mountain, reluctant to part with it as they watched it disappear into the distance.

Gong Chang'an sat in the car, gazing out the window in utter silence, as quiet as a little adult.

"Why are you unhappy again? Haven't you been saying you wanted to leave?" Master Zhuge glanced at him and said.

"I'm not upset, it's just that I was reminded of the time I returned to the capital from Shuangxi with my mother and Zhang Ma." Gong Chang'an turned his face from the window and said, "Master, if a road is very, very dark, but it is the road I am destined to walk, should I continue walking it?"

“If it is your destiny, you must continue on this path whether you like it or not.” Master Zhuge affectionately reached out and patted the back of Gong Chang’an’s head. “But even on the darkest road, I am willing to light a lamp for you.”

Gong Chang'an didn't say anything more. He reached out and hugged Master Zhuge tightly.

He knew that he wasn't the only one like the Master who wanted to light his way forward; there were also Zhang Ma, his mother, Lord Zhu…

As Zhang Ma drove, the wrinkles on her already fleshy face deepened with the marks of time.

She is no longer young, but her heart is as passionate as it was back then...