Heirate einen Beamten der Nördlichen Song-Dynastie

Kapitel 5

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The three arrived at the Craftsmen's Office, where Master Huo, the head of the department, led them to see the set of puppets.

"Your Excellency, I am incompetent. Although I have made some progress these past few days, it is still far from the spirit of the puppet show back then!" Master Huo was one of the few people who had seen the puppet show back then, so what he said must be true. Hua Lian frowned upon hearing this.

Just as Jiu Ru was about to offer some words of comfort, she noticed Ye Xing intently examining the puppets, his eyes gleaming with a sharp light, and her heart skipped a beat. Then she saw Ye Xing look up and give her a confident smile, and she understood, nodding slightly in agreement.

Xingge, having received permission, turned to Minister Jiang and said, “Minister Jiang, I studied crafts for a few years. My master highly praised this set of puppets and used it as the model for teaching. Therefore, I know quite a bit about it. Could someone show me the original puppets? Perhaps I can improve them.”

Seeing Ye Xing's serious and sincere expression, and knowing he was one of Prince Qing's men, Hua Lian figured he must have some skill. Since there was no other way, he decided to give it a try. He sent someone to take Xing Ge to see the old puppet show, while he invited Jiu Ru to have tea in the courtyard.

In the dimly lit warehouse, the puppets stood silently, their silk robes worn and their paint faded, yet their eyes remained alluring and their figures still graceful… It was only because that handsome young man had escorted them to the capital that they had entered into that tragic love affair! Seeing the familiar imprint on the puppet's base, Xingge felt a pang of pain in her heart! An indescribable pain… She turned and hurried out!

About an hour later, Jiu Ru and Hua Lian saw Master Huo leading Xing Ge to them.

Master Huo looked relieved and happy. “Your Highness, Minister, this Young Master Ye is truly a genius. I just improved one part according to Young Master Ye’s method, and it is indeed much more agile and skillful. I believe it will be completed in less than three days.”

Xingge stood silently with a smile on his face.

Jiang Hua looked at the young man with newfound respect and said with delight, "Then we really must reward Brother Jiu Ru and Young Master Ye handsomely. Brother Jiu Ru, how can such a talented person be kept hidden in your household? The Ministry of Works is in dire need of such capable people!"

"Thank you for your kind words, Vice Minister. I only know a few minor skills, and this was purely by chance. How could I compare with the masters of the Ministry of Works? Besides, I just asked Master Huo to make some small toys for me, so I have already accepted his reward."

Seeing Ye Xing's polite refusal, and Jiu Ru remaining silent, Jiang Hualian could only smile and let it go. After finishing their tea, he personally escorted the two back to the Qing Prince's residence.

The study felt like sitting with Xingge, yet also like the day we first met.

"Only know a few minor skills?! Young Master Ye knows quite a few minor skills. May I ask who or where you learned them from?" Jiu Ru smiled and stared at Xing Ge.

After a long silence...

Xingge looked up and stared directly into Jiuru's eyes, then chuckled and asked, "Has Your Highness considered your wish?"

Silence again...

Seeing that the prince did not answer, Xingge asked to leave the study later.

Back in the South Courtyard, the two sisters had already distributed the gifts they brought and were happily trying on their new clothes and accessories, occasionally asking Xingge for advice. Xingge couldn't help but sigh; at the same age, if it weren't for that old fox, she would surely be traveling freely all over the world, instead of having to scheme and worry about the prince's mood! She then realized that she seemed unusually sentimental today, so she could only laugh self-deprecatingly and go off to play with the girls.

9. Gradual Understanding

The New Year arrived in the blink of an eye, and on New Year's Eve, the princes all went to the palace to keep vigil with the Emperor. It was late when one of them returned, and Uncle Shen was attending to him. The south courtyard was still brightly lit and filled with lively chatter. Fearing the prince's displeasure, Uncle Shen tried to smooth things over, saying…

“Young Master Ye and his maids and servants are young and playful. I will go over and talk to them.”

"Fine, let them be!" Jiu Ru looked at the lights in the south courtyard and suddenly felt a warmth for the first time in nearly ten years of living in the Qingwang Mansion.

As is customary, the court is closed from the first to the fifteenth of the month. Longing to read in his study, he looked out the window at the clearing sky after a light snowfall, and his mood was exceptionally good. He then called for Ziying.

Why are you staying here so obediently today?

"Young Master Ye has been busy in the kitchen these past few days; I don't like going there."

"oh?"

"Busy trying to appease our head chef, Chef Xie!"

"Want Chef Xie to give you special treatment?"

"Of course not. Oh, the Prince wasn't at his residence on New Year's Eve, so I don't know where he is. Everyone was having a lively New Year's Eve banquet, and Young Master Ye made a dish for everyone called 'Heavenly Treasure Hibiscus Chicken.' It was so delicious! Chef Xie asked to have a friendly competition with Young Master Ye. As a result, after a few days, Young Master Ye had almost mastered Chef Xie's skills, but Chef Xie still couldn't make 'Heavenly Treasure Hibiscus Chicken.' So Young Master Ye had to go to the kitchen to help every day!"

"Ye Xing is cheating again!"

"No, because Master Xie only sighed, he didn't curse anyone, haha!"

"Go and invite Young Master Ye over."

"Ah? Oh!" Zi Ying regretted her loose tongue. If Young Master Ye offended the Prince again, she would be in for a world of trouble.

Jiu Ru quietly observed Ye Xing before her. He was probably out in the kitchen, wearing a light purple, tight-fitting outer robe. Sitting on the large sandalwood chair, he appeared petite and frail. Frail! Jiu Ru immediately dismissed this ridiculous thought. She narrowed her eyes and suddenly said:

"For dinner tonight, I'd like to have 'Heavenly Treasure Hibiscus Chicken'."

Xingge was taken aback! It must be that Ziying who was being nosy! But she also sensed that the prince seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood, and her playful nature was aroused. She widened her eyes and feigned surprise.

"Your Highness, so this is what you've always wanted!"

Jiu Ru actually rolled her eyes at Xing Ge, as if to say, "You wish!" This made Xing Ge burst into laughter.

"Since it doesn't count as my wish, I can't just eat it for free. Let me see that treasure." After saying that, he looked at the wall.

Xingge held the Xuan Tie sword in his hand. The sword was as black and shiny as lacquer, with a slightly subdued light. He pressed his finger against the blade, and blood seeped from his fingertip. In an instant, the entire sword emitted a dark red light, as if a red dragon was swimming in the sword.

"It likes my blood!" Xingge's eyes gleamed with admiration as he gazed at it intently for a long time...

"But mine is still prettier, hehe!" Xingge carefully wiped the blood off the sword and placed it back on the wall. She curtsied to Jiuru and said sweetly, "This servant will now prepare 'Heavenly Treasure Hibiscus Chicken.' Your Highness, please wait here for dinner!" Then, amidst Jiuru's awkward gaze, she laughed loudly and left the study. Jiuru, behind her, was also amused and chuckled softly.

After taking a midday nap in her study, Jiu Ru, seeing the bright sunshine outside, decided to take a walk alone in the courtyard. Such a relaxed day was a rare treat! Most people in the manor were taking their afternoon naps, and the only sound was the wind. Turning a corner in the corridor, she suddenly saw a figure in light purple bustling about inside, realizing she had wandered into the kitchen's side courtyard. The person inside wore a men's robe with an apron tied around their neck, their hair wrapped in a strangely shaped towel, their slender figure bustling about at the stove… It was as if many years ago, she, at five years old, sat on the kitchen threshold, watching her mother remove her imperial concubine robes and prepare longevity noodles for her at the stove. Only then was her usually aloof mother truly close. Jiu Ru's eyes suddenly stung with tears, and she turned and hurried away.

At dinner time, in the dining hall, the servants stood quietly. Jiu Ru sat opposite Xing Ge, and only the broth of the "Heavenly Treasure Hibiscus Chicken" on the table remained. Xing Ge looked up at the prince, who was engrossed in eating, and finally couldn't help but put down her bowl.

"Your Highness, if you are in a bad mood, I can accompany you to compete in lightness skills, swordsmanship, and poetry, but there's no need to compete in who can eat the most!"

Jiu Ru did not answer immediately. After a moment, she swallowed the last spoonful of soup, elegantly wiped her lips with a handkerchief, and then spoke.

Why didn't Master Xie learn it?

"Um?"

"Why didn't Master Xie learn how to make 'Tianzhen Hibiscus Chicken'?!"

Xingge hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Because Master Xie can't learn the 'Dislocating Tendons and Bones' palm technique."

"Tang Clan?"

"A few years ago, when I was traveling, I met the old master and mistress of the Tang Clan who were also traveling. They helped me a little and taught me." This time, Xingge answered very honestly.

"You actually used the Tang Clan's 'Dislocating Tendons and Bones' Palm to kill a chicken?!" Jiu Ru was both amused and exasperated. She thought that if the old master knew that the world-renowned Tang Clan's divine palm technique was actually used to kill a chicken, he would definitely be so angry that he would vomit blood and die!

Xingge rarely showed a look of shame. "Ahem, alas! I know it was cruel killing! If I hadn't been so greedy for the sword, how could I have let the lovely chicken suffer so much! I am guilty!" Then, a mocking smile appeared on his face. "But Your Highness, you just finished eating it. How can you have the nerve to question me?!"

Jiu Ru was speechless, and only smiled sinisterly, "Didn't you want to fulfill my wish? Why don't you become a cook in the Prince Qing's mansion!"

Xingge feigned pain, saying, "I am so handsome and talented, Your Highness must not waste such a gift!"

"Hehehe-----hahaha-----" Laughter filled the dining hall.

The prince's smile was so similar to that of Aunt Wan in the painting of the beauty, yet it felt more real! Like spring flowers in bloom, a strange feeling stirred in Xingge's heart. Such a face should always be smiling like this!

What puzzled Xingge was that after that day, the prince seemed to have lowered his guard against her, not only coming to spar with her but also subtly seeking her opinion on matters of state. Could that chicken really make someone so approachable?!

10. Advising against Taxation

By February, the spring chill still lingered, but the leaves had already sprouted tender buds. Jiu Ru returned to the courtyard early in the morning, only to suddenly see a huge windmill rising above the south courtyard, spinning rapidly in the wind. Assuming Ye Xing had concocted another strange contraption, she went to the south courtyard to investigate. The courtyard was empty, but cries of pain and laughter came from inside the house. Jiu Ru coughed loudly in the courtyard, and the sounds inside abruptly stopped. People rushed out of the house—Zi Juan, Zi Ying, and several maids from the south and north courtyards—and surprisingly, Uncle Wu was there too! Everyone greeted the prince and went about their business. As Uncle Wu left, he didn't forget to remind her, "Young Master Ye, you promised to give this old woman one, don't go back on your word!"

Xingge smiled and bowed to the prince, "Your Highness has come at the perfect time. Would you like to try out the new gadgets that the Craftsmen's Office made for me?!"

Jiu Ru smiled and followed Ye Xing into the house, with Zi Juan and Zi Ying following behind. This was Jiu Ru's first time entering the courtyard since Ye Xing moved in. The first room was the living room, with a side hall and a small bedroom on one side, presumably Zi Juan's room. On the other side was a large room, likely Ye Xing's bedroom. The hall was simple and tidy, with a desk and bookcase in one corner. Several large scrolls lay on the table, the ink still wet in the inkstone, giving the room a faint ink fragrance. It was completely unlike the unrestrained and indulgent master of the house.

Upon hearing Ye Xing call her, Jiu Ru noticed a strangely shaped reclining chair in another corner of the hall, with several slightly raised bumps on the backrest cushion.

"What? Doesn't Your Highness want to come and give it a try?"

Jiuru sat down in a chair with suspicion and saw Zijuan and Ziying looking at him with expectant eyes.

"Don't move, we need to adjust according to Your Highness's body shape... We're about to begin, Your Highness, please don't panic----"

Before Ye Xing could finish speaking, Jiu Ru suddenly felt something hard pressing against her back. Startled, she was about to jump up when Ye Xing reached out as if to stop her. Without thinking, Jiu Ru grabbed Ye Xing's hand and held it tightly.

"Hehe...see, not only us, even the prince would be frightened," Zi Ying said with a pout.

Xingge Renjiuru grabbed her hand and laughed as she scolded Ziying, "The prince is much better than you, isn't he? You and Uncle Wu almost jumped on me back then!"

Then, almost gently, she said to the person in the chair, "Your Highness, lean back comfortably. I'm held by you; I can't escape!"

As I gripped that hand tightly, I felt much calmer. Leaning back in the chair, I noticed the object behind me was still moving, gently and rhythmically, a comfortable sensation slowly washing over my back. Suddenly, I realized this chair was for massage!

Seeing that the prince's expression was gradually softening, Xingge said, "Your Highness, you don't need to keep clinging to me as a cushion anymore!"

She stared blankly at the hand that gave her a sense of security; it was slightly cool, slender yet elastic, like the hand that had once made longevity noodles for her…

Her delicate hand casually withdrew, "I'm activating the mechanisms in my waist and legs now, get ready!"

Jiu Ru laughed helplessly, "Why did you make such a scary thing? If you want to relax your muscles, you can just have someone massage you."

"I'm not like a prince, born into a noble family. I come from a poor background. When I was a child, I used to practice martial arts and my back and legs ached. How could I not get some massage to soothe them?"

"This thing can move on its own?"

"There's a windmill on the roof, driven by joints and controlled by a mechanism. The craftsmanship of this workshop is truly excellent; it's much more comfortable than the one I use at home!"

After a while, Xingge gave the two sisters a wink and got up to go outside.

"Don't go, tell me your opinion on the current agricultural tax." Jiu Ru still had her eyes closed, but her words were clear.

Seeing that the prince wanted to discuss matters, Zijuan pulled her younger sister out.

Xingge pondered for a long time, then whispered, "Is it going to be another tax increase?"

"Tell me your thoughts."

"During the Spring and Autumn Period in ancient times, various states implemented the well-field tax system. At that time, the State of Lu was weak, but in the fifteenth year of Duke Xuan of Lu, despite the pressure of not conforming to the rites and laws, it implemented the initial tax per mu system, that is, it levied a tax of 1/10 of the mu on private fields that were previously not taxed. Sure enough, the national treasury gradually became full, and other states followed suit. The reason for this was that the state levied taxes on private fields that did not require the state's attention to management."

Seeing that the prince remained unmoved, Xingge continued.

"In the early Han Dynasty, due to years of war, a light tax policy of 1/15 was implemented in order to restore the prosperity of agriculture among the people. May I ask Your Highness what the tax rate is in our current dynasty?"

"1/13"

"During the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, the country was at its most prosperous and powerful, but the tax rate actually decreased instead of increasing, to only 1/20. What do you think is the reason for this, Your Highness?"

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, "because the cultivated land had increased nearly tenfold compared to the early Han Dynasty!"

Xingge smiled and said, “That’s right. It took nearly 150 years during the Han Dynasty, and our dynasty has been around for 70 years. But as far as I know, the cultivated land has only increased threefold, and most of it is public land!”

"So the current dynasty should vigorously develop private land? If the court does it, wouldn't it still be public land? And it would require expenditure from the national treasury."

"Our population has increased nearly fourfold, and we have a considerable surplus of labor! What is the difficulty for private individuals to cultivate farmland? It lies in irrigation! This is a project that private individuals cannot complete, which is exactly what the court is going to do. I believe that as long as the court builds the basic irrigation canals, the farmers will be eager to do the rest of the work, and the court can just collect taxes!"

“In this way, not only will we not have to increase the tax rate, but the people will also praise us!” Jiu Ru narrowed her phoenix eyes, her eyes shining as she looked at Xing Ge.