novelAbuy Chapter 16 Peach Blossoms Immediately Ask for a Long Spear
Chapter 16 Peach Blossoms Immediately Ask for a Long Spear
"This stuff is called chili pepper. It was brought back from Southeast Asia by Wang Tiqian of the Directorate of Ceremonial, at the behest of my elder brother," Zhu Youjian said, as he untied the rope of the cloth bag, revealing dark red powder inside.
A rich aroma of chili peppers immediately spread, carrying with it the smoky fragrance of smoke and the oily smell of mutton, filling the noses of everyone present.
Qin Yiming took a deep breath, as if savoring a bottle of fine aged wine.
"It took several steps to make it like this," Zhu Youjian said, pinching a small pinch of chili powder with his fingers and sprinkling it on the half-eaten lamb leg in his hand. He then took another bite, chewing it with a crunchy sound.
"It was transported back from Southeast Asia, and it still needs to be ground, stir-fried, and mixed with other spices... Anyway, the process is very complicated, and I don't know much about it. It was all done by the people in the Imperial Kitchen at the behest of my elder brother."
He chewed on his mutton and continued, his words muffled, "However, Wang Tiqian recently went to Southeast Asia for the second time, and judging by the timeline, he should be back in the next few days. This trip took a long time, so he should have brought back quite a lot. If you want some, you can write to the Emperor and ask him for some."
At this point, Zhu Youjian grinned and winked: "My imperial brother is always generous when it comes to anything that is useful to the court."
Qin Liangyu paused slightly in her teacup and glanced at Zhu Youjian.
She knew something about Wang Tiqian's trip to Southeast Asia.
That happened last year. At the time, it caused quite a stir in the court. People were saying that it was a waste of the national treasury's money for a eunuch to run off to such a far place instead of staying obediently in the palace.
Some people also impeached Wang Tiqian for abusing his power for personal gain, using public affairs as a pretext to pursue private interests.
However, Emperor Zhu Ming overruled the objections of many and insisted on sending Wang Tiqian.
When Qin Liangyu heard this news, she simply shook her head slightly.
She felt that the young emperor was probably being misled by the eunuchs around him. Wang Tiqian was a confidant of Wei Zhongxian and was capable, but she didn't really believe he could accomplish anything significant.
But what happened next forced her to re-evaluate the emperor.
First came the Tianqi Grand Military Parade.
The three battalions were reorganized, and Zhu's army underwent reorganization. The military spectacle on the day of the parade was so magnificent that she was still shocked when she heard people describe it at the Xiangshan Palace.
That was not something a 22-year-old could handle on his own, yet he managed to do it.
Then there was the earth-shattering explosion during the military parade a few days ago.
That day, she suddenly felt the ground tremble violently, followed by a muffled thud from the southeast, as if a piece of the sky had collapsed, and even the trees on the mountain were rustling.
She had served in the military for decades; what kind of battle hadn't she seen? Artillery fire, earthquakes, landslides—she had experienced them all. But the tremor that day made even this seasoned general, who was used to life and death, feel a chill in her heart.
It was only later that we learned that the Wanggongchang gunpowder depot had exploded.
The explosion occurred only a few miles from the Forbidden City.
Emperor Tianqi (Zhu Ming) not only stabilized the hundreds of thousands of people attending the grand military parade, but also boosted morale within the army.
It is evident that Emperor Tianqi (Zhu Ming) had a greater control over the court, the army, and the capital than she had imagined.
Although there are still occasional rumors that the Apocalypse Explosion was divine retribution, it still demonstrates that his methods were extraordinary.
Moreover, it seems that the emperor had anticipated the explosion and, in order to protect the safety of his heir, arranged for Prince Zhu Cijiong to be placed in the Xiangshan Palace a month in advance.
At the time, she felt that Zhu Ming was wasting his talents.
The Fragrant Hills Palace already had a garrison, and her White-Spear Army was merely resting there. The Empress's Phoenix Guard was a ceremonial force.
Is it really necessary to send so many people to look after a baby who is not even a year old?
Until recently, rumors have circulated that many children under one year old in Beijing died in the massive explosion, and the rumors have become increasingly outlandish.
Only then did she realize the gravity of her mission to guard the area.
Zhu Ming was afraid that someone might take advantage of the Forbidden City's weak defenses to harm the Tianqi Emperor's only son!
It now seems that this young emperor has thought further ahead than anyone thought.
Qin Liangyu thought for a moment, then her gaze fell on Zhu Youjian's face again.
This sixteen-year-old prince, seemingly talking about chili peppers and food, actually had a hook in every word he said—Wang Tiqian is coming back with a lot of goods, and you can write to him to ask for them.
The phrase "to petition for payment" sounds casual and insincere.
But Qin Liangyu had already discerned the implied meaning.
Moreover, Wang Tiqian returned at the same time as he was to escort Prince Zhu Cijiong back.
It's all happened in the last few days.
Is this a coincidence, or is there another purpose?
Are we about to open the seas?
Yes, the fishing season is starting!
The Tianqi Emperor wanted to follow the example of the Longqing Emperor and open up the seas!
This thought struck like a lightning bolt, cleaving through the scattered clues in Qin Liangyu's mind.
During the reign of the Longqing Emperor, the imperial court lifted the sea ban, allowing private merchant ships to go out to sea for trade, an event known in history as the "Longqing Opening of the Sea".
During those decades, silver flowed into the Ming Dynasty, and the prosperity of the southeastern coast reached its peak.
But later, the matter of opening the sea gradually faded away.
The officials in the court believed that "emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce" was the right way, and that maritime trade was just a "minor business" and not worth the court's attention.
In addition to the disturbances caused by Japanese pirates, foreign pirates, and barbarians, the maritime ban was gradually tightened. By the mid-to-late Wanli period, it had basically returned to the old path of "not a single sail could go to sea".
But now, Apocalypse wants to reopen the seas.
It seems that Zhu Ming's plans extended beyond the imperial court to the military.
Now, through Zhu Youjian's words, it's clear that the Tianqi Emperor wants someone to speak on his behalf.
Chili peppers, in a sense, are a condiment; in a sense, they are military supplies.
If someone were to petition the emperor to promote chili peppers in the army, he could readily agree to expand trade with Southeast Asia, open up sea routes, and bring out all the things hidden in Wang Tiqian's ship's hold: nautical charts, intelligence, information on foreign customs and trade routes, etc.
If the Qin family were to accept this offer, it would be tantamount to standing up for the emperor.
Qin Liangyu held the teacup and took another sip, her expression remaining calm and composed.
Supporting the emperor is not a bad thing.
The Qin family has been loyal and virtuous for generations, fighting for the imperial court their entire lives; one more time won't make a difference.
But Qin Liangyu, having navigated the treacherous waters of the imperial court for decades, knew one thing well: some positions are suitable for standing on, while others are not.
It's easy to get up, but hard to get down.
But this time...
Qin Liangyu's gaze swept over Zhu Youjian's smiling face and then landed on the outline of the Xiangshan Palace, which was faintly visible in the darkness.
A figure flashed into her mind, not Zhu Youjian, but that young emperor.
Emperor Tianqi of the Ming Dynasty.
This person has only been on the throne for six years and is only twenty-two years old this year.
In six years, this young emperor experienced the Liaodong war, court factional struggles, and the eunuchs' monopoly of power... Each and every one of these events would have been enough to cause trouble for any young emperor.
But he did not collapse. On the contrary, in the past year, he has kept Wei Zhongxian in his grasp, making the Donglin Party members both respect and fear him, and making all the civil and military officials in the court play their respective roles on his chessboard.
After the explosion, rumors spread among the people, saying that "a calamity has struck from the heavens and the emperor has lost his virtue."
But what about Zhu Ming?
"Let the rumors fly a little longer."
These were words that the emperor's secret guards had relayed to her through special channels.
When Qin Liangyu first heard this, she was stunned for a while, and then she smiled.
This was not an emperor who was terrified by natural disasters.
This is a fisherman waiting for a fish to bite.
And now, this fisherman is using Zhu Youjian's words to tell the Qin family whether she will take the bait or not.
Qin Liangyu's hand holding the teacup steadied completely.
She glanced at her nephew Qin Yiming, who was still happily gnawing on a lamb leg, and then at Prince Xin, Zhu Youjian, who was sitting opposite her, smiling and waiting for her reply.
The tea in the teacup had gone cold, and she didn't refill it.
"Your Highness,"
Qin Liangyu put down her teacup, her voice neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough for the three of them to hear, "This humble general has a request."
Zhu Youjian chewed on the mutton and mumbled an indistinct "Mmm!"
"On the day Eunuch Wang returns to the capital, I would like to send someone to welcome him," Qin Liangyu said calmly.
"While you're at it, see if you can get more of those things brought back from Southeast Asia."
She paused, her gaze falling on the flickering campfire. "The brothers in the White Spear Army want to pre-order anything they might need. Not just chili peppers, but everything else too. Things from Southeast Asia are rare here; perhaps we can find something useful."
"Alright!" Zhu Youjian raised his head and responded. Although he didn't understand what Qin Liangyu was thinking, it was just a matter of a word. "I'll talk to my brother later and ask him to leave some more for you."
Leave some more.
As soon as those words were uttered, everyone present could tell that this wasn't about chili peppers; it was about taking sides.
Although Zhu Youjian did not intend it that way, he unintentionally raised up a loyal army for the Ming Dynasty.
Meanwhile, Qin Yiming was gnawing on a lamb leg, his mouth dripping with oil, but the more he ate, the more something felt off.
He looked at his aunt, then at Prince Xin. He could understand what each of them was saying, but he couldn't understand them when they were put together.
Pre-order chili peppers? While they are indeed good, surely it's not something my aunt should ask for herself?
He instinctively felt that the atmosphere around the campfire had changed in that instant.
It's become...somewhat subtle.
It was as if something had quietly fallen in the darkness, or as if something had quietly opened up in the shadows.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was a feeling, a chilling sensation like being aimed at by an archer on the battlefield.
"I heard..." Qin Yiming felt the atmosphere was a bit awkward and wanted to find a way to change the subject, so he blurted out, "His Highness Prince Xin wrote a poem for my aunt."
He regretted it as soon as he finished speaking.
At this moment, Qin Liangyu's hand holding the teacup was as steady as a mountain, and her face showed no expression.
She knew that poem; Prince Xin had mentioned it when he came.
He mastered the Eight Trigrams Formation of Western Sichuan, and held the military tally in his sleeves.
Women have always been willing to endure hardship; why must a general be a man?
"I heard about this poem when I arrived; it has already reached the White Tiger Guards," Qin Yiming continued.
The campfire crackled.
"This poem!" Zhu Youjian slowly swallowed the mutton in his mouth, then grinned. "It was written by my elder brother. I saw it on his desk, and after meeting General Qin, I couldn't help but recite it."
He spoke of it casually, but who was Qin Liangyu?
Having navigated the treacherous waters of the imperial court for decades, he knew perfectly well what to believe and what not to believe.
Unconsciously?
Who would believe that?
But it is not important.
Importantly, the Tianqi Emperor Zhu Ming wrote her a poem!
It wasn't relayed verbally by Prince Xin, but was actually written down on paper and placed on the emperor's desk, where Prince Xin "accidentally" saw it.
This honor, if bestowed upon any subject, would be enough to bring glory to their ancestors for a lifetime.
Qin Liangyu stood up, straightened her armor, and solemnly clasped her hands and bowed towards the Forbidden City: "This humble general thanks Your Majesty."
"Of course," Zhu Youjian said modestly. "My elder brother said that General Qin fought for the court for most of his life, and a single poem is not enough to describe his achievements. I wholeheartedly agree."
These were beautifully said, so beautifully that Qin Liangyu's eyes welled up slightly.
It wasn't because of a compliment, but because of the "remembering" conveyed in those words.
The imperial court remembered her, the emperor remembered her, and the sixteen-year-old prince remembered her too.
"Your Highness..." Qin Liangyu opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but then felt that anything she said would be superfluous, and finally just nodded solemnly.
"Of course!" Zhu Youjian rubbed his hands together, his tone light and boastful, typical of a young man. "My brother wrote a poem for General Qin, and I've been working on one myself these past few days. It's not as good as my brother's, but it's still a token of my heart."
The Shu brocade battle robe was cut by myself; on horseback, I requested a long spear.
How many extraordinary men are there in this world, yet none are willing to travel thousands of miles to the battlefield!
The Forbidden City, Kunning Palace.
"What a fine poem! No wonder you're the fifth son!" Zhu Ming said happily as he listened to Zhang Yan recite the poem Zhu Youjian had written for Qin Liangyu. "You've really made something of yourself! Your literary talent has improved."
"Hasn't His Majesty noticed the problem?"
Zhang Yan took a deep breath, rolled her eyes at him, her gaze filled with the helplessness of men being so wooden. "Your Highness Prince Xin seems to have a fondness for female generals. Where am I supposed to find a woman of suitable age who matches General Qin's style?"
"?? The fifth prince doesn't want to get married because of this?" Zhu Ming had never heard that Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, had this kind of taste, and he was also completely bewildered.