Un corazón puro en una vasija de jade

Capítulo 23

Yongye took the jar and went to sweep the snow off the plum blossoms. Yihong said hesitantly, "Young Master never used to smile."

“I didn’t know there were so many fun things to do outside. Now that I do, I’m so happy.” Yongye filled a jar with snow, picked some plum blossoms and put them in, then handed the jar to Yihong: “Let it cool for a couple of days. Once the snow melts, I’ll brew some tea for you.”

Yi Hong was flattered and exclaimed "Oh!" before carrying the precious item into the room.

Just before mealtime, Yin'er brought in another food box, saying that the princess had specially ordered the kitchen to prepare it.

"The princess dotes on the young master so much!" Yihong said with a smile.

Yongye's fondness for Yihong increased even more, and he patted the stool next to him, saying, "Sit down and eat with me."

The maids covered their mouths and laughed, refusing to listen.

Yongye didn't force her. He picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks and gestured for Yihong to come over. He fed her, and then fed Lancui and Yin'er one by one. Seeing their helpless and adorable expressions, he felt extremely pleased. The meal was very enjoyable.

After dinner, Yi Hong smiled and said, "The hot soup is ready. Let me serve you, young master."

Yongye was startled and shook his head, saying, "I'm an adult now, I'll wash myself from now on. You're not allowed to peek!"

"Young Master is only nine years old. He won't be ten until spring. He's still a child," Lan Cui teased from the side.

Yongye straightened his face and said, "Who said I'm a child? Also, from today onwards, I will sleep alone at night, so don't bother me!"

Seeing that he was unhappy, Yihong and Lancui thought that the young master was unhappy because he was neglected by the princess today and wished he could grow up sooner, so they agreed understandingly.

Yongye was relieved. He chatted with the two of them for a while before returning to his room.

He had grown accustomed to staying in the stone chamber, and his spirits were high in the evening. He practiced his skills alone for a while and was quite pleased to find that his abilities had improved again. He then relaxed his whole body and quietly sensed the atmosphere inside and outside the chamber.

After midnight, Yongye got up, put on his cloak, and gently opened the door.

The moonlight shone like water on the snow, and all around was utterly silent. Yongye sighed as he recalled the promise he had made to Li Yannian in front of the Prince's mansion. If it were a date with a beautiful woman, he would surely run faster than a rabbit. But now, even though it was the season when water could freeze instantly, what harm was there in letting Li Yannian freeze a little longer?

He strolled to the artificial hill, and Li Yannian slipped out.

Yongye smiled gently: "Actually, Master doesn't need to be in such a hurry. It's dangerous to come out like this on the first night."

Li Yannian, dressed in black and masked, stood in the shadows and said softly, "You saw it?"

"What do you see?"

"The prince and princess are not close to the heir."

Why didn't you tell me sooner?

Li Yannian laughed: "Do you think we can't do anything to you now that you've become the heir? You have to earn everything yourself. If you want to truly gain the prince's favor and future power, you have to do as I say. I've always thought you were a smart man, and you won't refuse this task. It won't do you any harm either."

"Master had kept this from the valley all along. That was brilliant!" Yongye admitted Li Yannian was right. If they didn't carry out this mission, they could be killed at any moment; if they accepted it, their future would depend on their own fate.

"A master should always do his best. Have you learned it? You can't give your whole heart to anyone. If a person is no longer useful, he won't live long."

"Thank you for your guidance, Master. If the Valley finds out that you are still hiding some things from them, how will the Valley of Wandering Valley treat you?"

Li Yannian looked at Yongye meaningfully: "You're even going to betray your master?"

"If my disciple isn't bad, my master won't love him!" Yongye laughed innocently.

This smile made Li Yannian's mouth taste a little bitter. He wondered if he had taught Yongye too well.

"One last question: if Master dies, who will the people in the valley contact to get in touch with me?"

Li Yannian's eye twitched, and he said coldly, "Want me to die?"

“How could Master be dead? Yongye is worried about what to do if he can’t find Master in an emergency.”

"Kyoto Peony Garden." Li Yannian said, then quietly left.

Yongye looked at his retreating figure with some frustration, realizing that he still needed to practice for some time before he could reach Li Yannian's level of skill.

He sat by the artificial hill, gazing at the moon. Why were the Prince and Princess so distant from the Crown Prince? Were they really such good parents? What was the hidden reason behind this? Li Yannian clearly assumed it was because the Crown Prince refused to speak, causing him to become estranged from the Prince and Princess. But even now that he was willing to speak, the Princess still kept her distance, never even stepping into the room. Yongye couldn't understand.

It was getting a bit cold standing outside. He looked at the footprints in the snow, and sensing that no one was around, he carefully used his inner strength to erase the traces. Only then did he feel at ease and go back to his room to sleep.

It's also difficult for the young husband.

Yongye actually had a very good foundation in Chinese, thanks to the teachings of his father, who was obsessed with seals in his previous life. His father often said with pride, "No matter how good the painting is, the seal is the finishing touch."

His father believed that authenticating calligraphy and paintings often relied on the seals and markings on them. Growing up surrounded by this knowledge, Yongye developed his own understanding of calligraphy and painting. If he hadn't become an assassin, he would have been a member of a counterfeit goods production and distribution gang.

But Yongye particularly disliked writing poetry and calligraphy. When his maternal grandfather, Zhang Xiang, learned of his return, he sent someone to deliver a collection of his newly written poems. Logically, Yongye should have memorized all the poems so he could recite them offhand to please his grandfather. However, he disliked this rote memorization and cramming style of education and casually tossed it aside.

Yi Hong thought he was in a bad mood because of the prince and princess's attitude, so she didn't say anything. It wasn't until a few days later that she saw the poetry collection lying unattended in the pile of books that she asked in surprise, "The prime minister is the person the young master admires the most. In the past, apart from reciting the prime minister's poems, I have never seen the young master utter a single word."

“I used to stutter, and I only spoke fluently when reciting poetry, which is why I would speak up then. Now I don’t need to anymore,” Yongye said confidently.

"So that's why the young master won't speak!" Yi Hong seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

Yongye glanced at her and laughed, "What? Are you afraid I'll be angry with my parents? My father is a powerful figure, but his son is so weak he can't even fart. Of course he doesn't like him."

"With the New Year approaching, His Highness is busy with social engagements almost every day. In his spare time, he will naturally be close to the young master. After all, the father and son haven't spoken for ten years, so it's understandable that they are not used to it for a while. Young master, please don't worry."

Seeing that Yihong was always thinking of him, Yongye felt warm inside and smiled slightly: "Yes, it's almost the New Year. Is Yihong worried that I'll be unhappy if I don't even look at his poems when I see my grandfather? I'll write down some good lines to please him."

Yi Hong smiled, quickly found the poetry collection, and then went to make tea.

Yongye grabbed her arm and said, "I've just learned how to make tea. I just happened to have that jar of plum blossom snow tea, so I'll make some for you."

These days, Yihong has gradually become familiar with Yongye, and she knows that he is more willing to be close to people after his illness has improved. Not wanting to spoil his mood, she brought out the utensils to serve Yongye tea.