Jinting Han people

Chapter 68 A Carp (4k)

Early the next morning, Liu Xian quickly washed up, said goodbye to his wife A Luo, and hurriedly left home.

This was the day when he went to the Shiping Prince's Palace to accompany his studies as usual. It was also probably the hottest time of the year. The sun rose above the mountain early, piercing through the countless clouds in the night sky, leaving only a clear blue sky. The ground was also bright, and even the ants under the shadows were clearly visible.

However, precisely because of the intense sunlight, the streets were sparsely populated. Aside from a few vendors hawking their wares, the majority were beggars. The knights-errant, scholars, and students had all vanished in the scorching heat. Even the customary grand court meeting was canceled by the emperor due to the excessive heat.

In fact, the Shiping Palace also sent a message to Liu Xian a few days ago, saying that if he was not feeling well, he didn't have to come, but Liu Xian had an important matter to attend to this time.

Last night, he had discussed with Liu Yao and others that when he went to the Shiping Palace this time, Liu Xian must find a way to encourage Sima Wei to go to Jingu Garden.

As long as Sima Wei could visit Jingu Garden, Shi Chong would have to be extremely cautious in receiving the prince. Guards would have to be deployed to areas that didn't need guards, and the rest of the area would be affected, leaving defenses weak. This would create the conditions for muddying the waters and taking advantage of the chaos to start a rebellion.

The dazzling sunlight poured down, and Liu Xian squinted his eyes, thinking that it would not be difficult to persuade Sima Wei, but how to keep himself out of it without arousing suspicion was the key point of this trip.

He pondered for a while and unknowingly arrived at the gate of Shiping Palace. He found two familiar carriages parked at the door. He asked Qiu Hu at the door and found out that it was Princess Yingchuan who came to visit again.

After entering the palace, a servant came to lead the way for Liu Xian. They passed through the back hall and around two corridors on the east side, arriving at the palace's pond. As Liu Xian stood at the entrance to the corridor, a breeze blew, causing him to squint. When he opened his eyes again, he could see Sima Wei waving at him from the pavilion not far away.

"Oh, it's Huai Chong!" Sima Wei stood up and walked out of the pavilion, smiling and asking, "Why are you here today? Didn't I say you could rest?"

Liu Xian bowed slightly and jokingly said, "Your Highness, what you said is true. Is it really a hard job to be by your side?"

"Master Liu must be finding it tough work," Sima Wei said jokingly, waving his hand. "A few days ago, he came down with a summer illness and asked for a month's sick leave. I agreed, but he went on to say a bunch of nonsense, saying I should just calm down and study hard. He thought it would comfort him and make him feel better faster. It made it seem like I was making him sick."

"The royal tutor is concerned about Your Highness and has good intentions. Your Highness should be more careful with these words."

"Okay, okay, I won't say any more." Sima Wei pulled Liu Xian into the pavilion and said with a smile, "You've come just in time. We're enjoying some chilled melon here, it's so refreshing! Come and try a few pieces!"

In those days, there was, of course, no technology for making ice in the summer. Essentially, ice cubes were made in water grids in the winter, stored in ice storage, and then used in the summer. However, due to the time and effort required to build an ice storage, it was still a luxury, perhaps only affordable to the royal family or top figures like Shi Chong. When Liu Xian entered the pavilion, he noticed a three-foot-square ice jar. Cool air emanated from it, instantly cooling the temperature inside.

Qi Sheng, Gongsun Hong, Wang Cui, and the others were gone. Only a few guards remained, and there was also Princess Yingchuan, Sima Xiuhua. She was sitting beside the ice jar, holding a piece of melon, a melon seed stuck in the corner of her mouth, and observing Liu Xian curiously. This gave Liu Xian his first chance to examine this most favored princess closely.

To be honest, Sima Xiuhua is indeed a beauty. Although she is still young, she has most of the beauty that one should have: her eyes are crystal clear, similar to A'luo's, her nose is small and tall, her eyebrows are like distant mountains, and her lips are like peach blossoms with a smile. Although she is not as noble and arrogant as traditional beauties, she gives people a kind of innocent and cute feeling of closeness.

Liu Xian quickly bowed and said, "Greetings, Your Highness."

"You are...?" Sima Xiuhua looked at Liu Xian with a confused look for a moment. It was obvious that she didn't take Liu Xian seriously at all when she came to the palace last time.

Sima Wei smiled and rubbed her head, saying, "Little sister, you don't remember me again? The last time you saw him, he was the prince of Anle Mansion, Liu Xian, Liu Huai Chong, the study companion that my father arranged for me!"

Xiu Hua felt a little embarrassed when he heard this. He said nothing and tried to hide behind Sima Wei.

Sima Wei pulled her out like a kitten and said to Liu Xian, "My little sister has been staying in the palace all day, so she's a little shy. Please don't be surprised."

"How dare I offend His Highness?" Liu Xian said with a smile, "It is my fault. If I had known the princess was here, I would have brought a gift for Her Highness."

When Princess Yingchuan heard that she was going to give a gift, she finally got over her embarrassment and asked, "What can you give me?"

Liu Xian said, "I need to ask Your Highness before I can prepare."

Xiu Hua said as a matter of course: "I don't know either."

Liu Xian didn't know how to respond for a moment.

Seeing this, Sima Wei couldn't help but burst into laughter. After a while, he said, "Huai Chong, don't worry. My little sister has no other hobbies. She just likes music, pets, and painting. Aren't you a disciple of Master Ruan? If you are interested, you don't need to give her any gifts. Just play a song for her."

As expected, Sima Wei understood the princess. Upon hearing that Liu Xian was good at music, Xiuhua's eyes immediately lit up like fireflies and asked, "Can you play the flute?"

Liu Xian took out a bamboo flute from his bosom and said to Xiu Hua, "I have a basic understanding of it. If there are any mistakes or omissions, I hope Your Highness will not be offended."

After saying this, he sat upright with a dignified manner, placed the flute across his lips, and softly played "Mulberry Fields".

This is a famous three-part Yuefu song. The story recounts the story of a beautiful woman named Qin Luofu in the southeast. Her stunning beauty captivated everyone she met. Even the envoy, unable to maintain her composure, attempted to ingratiate herself with her. However, Luofu, steadfast in her loyalty, sternly rejected the envoy's offer, praising her lover as unparalleled and stating they would never let each other down. This song has been extremely popular among women for decades.

Xiuhua had naturally heard this before, but Liu Xian had his own twist. He raised the tune a half-tone and slightly sped up the tempo, making the music more upbeat than usual. This, however, came with its own risks: a slight misstep could lead to distorted notes and staccato performances. But for Liu Xian, who had received years of instruction from Little Ruan Gong, these minor changes were insignificant, and he easily completed the adaptation.

To those listening in the pavilion, the flute's sound was mellow and free, like the gushing water of a spring, or perhaps even the gentle chirping of several yellow orioles beside their ears. Even though the weather was sweltering, and the irritating chirping of cicadas and frogs still lingered, the music drowned them out, and their mood, like the melting spring snow, was unknowingly filled with joy.

When Liu Xian finished playing the piece and put down his bamboo flute, Sima Wei immediately clapped his hands and laughed, "Ah, Huai Chong, now I finally understand why Confucius said, 'When one hears Shao music, he will not taste meat for three months.' It's truly intoxicating."

Xiuhua was also very happy. If her eyes had been like fireflies before, now they were as bright as stars. The previous awkwardness and embarrassment were gone. She excitedly whispered, "Play another song! Play another song!"

Liu Xian had no choice but to play "Yan Ge Xing" again. After this song, the princess wanted to listen more, but the footsteps of a guard were heard outside the door. He came in and reported to Sima Wei: "Your Highness, Shi Taifu sent someone to deliver a gift. Look, do you want to see it now?" Shi Taifu? Isn't that Shi Chong? Liu Xian's heart moved and he looked up to see Sima Wei's reaction. Sima Wei asked nonchalantly: "There is a gift. What is it?"

"It's a big carp."

"Carp?" Sima Wei was a little puzzled. He said, "Then bring it over and let me see it."

The carp Shi Chong sent was no ordinary carp. When two guards arrived carrying a large bucket, everyone present was shocked. What a massive carp! Not only was the carp golden in color, but it also boasted a plump, long belly and a body that weighed a staggering fifty kilograms. At this size, its lips were thicker than a human's, and each scale was the size of a thumb. However, when a fish reaches this size, it can no longer be viewed as a pet; it more closely resembles a monster.

Sima Wei stood in front of the carp, quite confused: "What does the Imperial Household mean by this? Does he want me to eat it, or keep it as a pet?"

Liu Xian was also looking at the carp. The sunlight shone down, turning the carp's eyelids golden and sparkling, and the black pupils seemed to be staring at him.

He quickly understood what Shi Chong meant and was secretly delighted: I was just worried about not being able to find a reason to persuade Sima Wei to go, but Shi Chong actually came to offer him a way out! It was really strange and strange. Who would suspect me from now on?

Liu Xian pretended to ponder for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, I understand what the Imperial Household Officer meant."

"Oh, tell me about it?"

"A large carp like this, which is so rare to see, is no longer just a simple carp."

"Isn't this nonsense? Huai Chong, don't keep me in suspense."

"Don't worry, Your Highness! This is the Imperial Household's profound meaning!" Liu Xian explained, "If the carp isn't a carp, then what is it?"

For people in other places, this may be a mystery, but for those who live on both sides of the Yellow River and are familiar with the story of the fish leaping over the Dragon Gate, this question is immediately clear: if the carp is not a carp, then it is certainly a real dragon that has jumped over the Dragon Gate!

Shi Chong wanted to express this meaning through giving gifts: he had such an extraordinary "real dragon" carp in his hand, so naturally he had the opportunity to leap over the dragon gate and transform; and Sima Wei, as a prince, had not yet come to power, so he could be compared to a carp that had not yet transformed into a dragon; if Sima Wei was willing to make friends with him, he could leap over the dragon gate like this carp and transform into a real dragon.

After Liu Xian's explanation, Sima Wei finally understood. He circled the big carp twice and said with a smile, "Shi Taifu's gift is quite unique."

"Shi Chonggong was a scholar after all, and this was an elegant affair for scholars."

"What's the point of this? I just find it troublesome." Sima Wei reached into the water, patted the carp's head, and then stood up and said, "Huai Chong, you're alone here now, and there's no one else to give me advice. Tell me, how should I respond to the Imperial Household's gift?"

"Everyone knows that the Grand Coachman is the richest man in the world. He naturally doesn't expect Your Highness to reciprocate when he gives gifts. He simply hopes to establish a friendship with Your Highness. Could it be that Your Highness thinks he has too much money?"

"I'm talking about making friends," Sima Wei said slowly. "People like him appear unruly on the surface, but are too ruthless and cunning on the inside. It's really too troublesome to deal with them. I don't want to have anything to do with him."

Upon hearing this, Liu Xian could not help but glance at Sima Wei in surprise. The King of Shiping surprisingly had a similar opinion of Shi Chong to his own! This showed that if it weren't for the misleading advice from Qi Sheng and the others, this prince still had some wisdom and might have been able to walk the right path.

Liu Xian hesitated for a moment, then asked tentatively, "But the same logic still applies. The Imperial Household is, after all, a very wealthy man. By making friends with him, we can at least get a lot of financial support. These days, if you want to accomplish something, you need money. Could it be that someone would think they have too much money?"

Sima Wei thought for a moment and smiled, "That's true. Don't I want to be extravagant? It's just that I have to recruit subordinates from the Imperial Guards every month, and the expenses are stretched to the limit!"

At this point, he couldn't help but ask Liu Xian, "Huai Chong, tell me, how rich is Shi Chong?"

Liu Xian said calmly, "I've been to Jingu Garden before. In terms of beautiful scenery and majestic landscapes, even Xijia Pond in Xiangyang, though renowned throughout the world, is probably not as good."

"Oh?" Sima Xiuhua had been listening in, occasionally teasing the carp in the bucket. Upon hearing this, she couldn't help but ask, "Really? How's that for the West Garden Tour?"

Xiyou Garden was an imperial garden, and Liu Xian had never been there. He said truthfully, "I really don't know, but when it comes to private gardens, there's no one in the world that can surpass it."

But this was enough to arouse the princess's interest. She hugged Sima Wei's arm and said in a sweet voice, "Fifth brother, take me to see it! I'm tired of staying in the palace now. There's nothing to see in my brother's palace. It's so boring~~"

The princess began to act coquettishly, her slender neck swaying, and the hairpin on her head swaying with it, making a small sound. Sima Wei loved her the most, so how could he refuse her at this moment? He immediately promised, "Okay, okay, you go back tonight, and I'll tell His Majesty tomorrow. I'll bring you there in six days. How do you think?"

The princess burst into laughter and said sweetly, "I knew that Fifth Brother was the best!" Her pure eyes exuded a gentle aura, and her fair smile was as bright as a dream in the sunlight.

However, Liu Xian did not feel anything. Although the princess was beautiful and pure, she was far from being as stunning as Lu Zhu. Liu Xian just thought in his heart: If the princess had followed him, the chances of winning this time would be even higher.

Sima Wei smiled and invited him, "Huai Chong, do you want to come with me?"

Liu Xian politely declined, "Your Highness, the Grand Master of the Imperial Household loves to kill beauties and force me to drink. I can't handle the alcohol, so please don't spoil the fun."

Sima Wei frowned slightly after hearing this. This news clearly made him uncomfortable, but since he had promised the princess, there was no reason to go back on his word. He could only shrug his shoulders and said self-deprecatingly, "Then I'll have to stay the night there until I'm drunk."

At dusk, Liu Xian said goodbye to Sima Wei. After leaving the palace, he could hardly contain his excitement and let out a long sigh: "Things had developed to this point. The three advantages described in military books—the right time, the right place, and the right people—were all on his side. If he still couldn't succeed, it would be a great disappointment to God."

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(End of this chapter)