La vida perfecta en la dinastía Song

Capítulo 21

Zhu Sanhuai quickly turned around and bowed; the person who came was none other than Prime Minister Zhu.

Prime Minister Zhu said, "You may leave now."

Zhu Sanhuai immediately withdrew.

Zhu Yu was somewhat surprised to see his father return home overnight, even though the capital was nearby.

Prime Minister Zhu looked at his son intently for a few moments: "After you returned from Sichuan, why didn't you go straight back to the Prime Minister's residence?"

"I have some things to do."

Prime Minister Zhu stared at his son: "What do you want?"

Zhu Yu did not answer, and Prime Minister Zhu's voice became even sterner: "Today Tang Zhen hosted a banquet for military officers, why didn't you come? Suhecha personally sent generous gifts to invite Junyu, but he put on airs and refused outright. And you, you actually went to join the Wang family's flower festival. You have no connection with Wang Junsu, so why did you go there because Junyu was there?"

Zhu Yu had never heard his father speak to him in such a tone before, and he instinctively avoided his father's stern gaze.

Prime Minister Zhu suddenly said, "Come with me."

Zhu Yu dared not disobey and followed behind his father. Prime Minister Zhu went straight to a large study in the main courtyard, where Zhu Yu hesitated and stopped. This study was the private residence of his eldest brother, the eldest son of the Zhu family, who had passed away before he was born. After the eldest son's death, Prime Minister Zhu ordered that no one was allowed to approach it. Although more than twenty years had passed, it had been kept as clean as it had been during the eldest son's lifetime because someone cleaned it regularly.

The old servant in the study was also a little surprised to see Prime Minister Zhu and his son. He had just called out "Master" when Prime Minister Zhu immediately said, "Open the door."

The door opened abruptly, and although the room was brightly lit, a pervasive sense of desolation filled the air.

This was the first time Zhu Yu had ever entered this large study since birth. The study was very tidy. On the left were rows of bookshelves, but instead of the Four Books and Five Classics, they were filled with all sorts of martial arts manuals, from obscure works by various sects to those from famous martial arts schools—almost every type of martial arts manual was present. On the right side of the study were displayed the eighteen kinds of weapons, with swords being the most numerous. Zhu Yu recognized several of them as famous swords that had been lost to the martial arts world for a long time.

In front of the desk hung a small, exquisitely framed portrait of a woman. The artist was not particularly skilled, and the woman in the portrait was not exceptionally beautiful. However, Zhu Yu was stunned upon seeing it.

He recognized those eyes; they were extraordinary eyes that could be easily distinguished even among millions of people. The painter must have been very meticulous, depicting each stroke with fine brushwork, and even using flower petals and morning dew to mix the cinnabar and powder. Even after many years, the eyes in the painting still looked fresh and vibrant, so much so that they seemed to still faintly emit a light like dark jade.

On the desk, there was a thin book with a gold-leaf cover, on which were prominently displayed the words: "Playing the Five Strings."

He heard his father's voice filled with grief: "Your eldest brother died because of this woman."

Zhu Yu remained silent. Prime Minister Zhu said, "Let's go. To your study."

Zhu Yu didn't understand what his father meant, so he could only follow behind him.

Zhu Yu's study was even larger than his elder brother's. Unlike his elder brother's study, his study was divided into two parts. The first part contained not only various martial arts classics, but also the Four Books and Five Classics, military strategies, historical records and anecdotes, and even unofficial histories.

Of course, what's truly captivating in his study isn't the books, but rather another section showcasing beautiful paintings. On the front wall are portraits of the Eight Great Beauties: Bao Si, Xi Shi, Diao Chan, Zhao Feiyan, Wang Zhaojun, Zhen Fei (the Goddess of the Luo River), Feng Xiaolian, and Yang Guifei. These portraits are arranged in pairs, perfectly representing the four seasons. On the walls flanking these eight beauties are portraits of the most renowned beauties of the past twenty years, from Fang Gege, Fang Pianpian, and the "Love Demon" to the famous courtesans of Qinhuai, a dazzling and overwhelming sight.

Next to these portraits of beauties was a screen depicting Lady Huarui, which Pang Ban and his companions had brought back from the secret passage in Sichuan.

Prime Minister Zhu's gaze swept over the numerous portraits of beauties and he said, "None of these portraits are fake; they contain all types of beauties from all over the world."

Zhu Yu naturally knew that these portraits of beauties were all painted by outstanding painters of all generations, depicting the most beautiful women at the peak of their beauty.

Prime Minister Zhu stared at his son: "After you turned 16, I found you several concubines who were in no way inferior to the beauties in these paintings. From then on, no matter how much you indulged in prostitution, no matter how dissolute your behavior was, even if you indulged in drinking, gambling, whoring, and other debauched acts like those idle playboys, I never interfered—I just hoped that you would be influenced by what you see and hear from a young age and not become like your elder brother."

Zhu Yu said coldly, "Do you think these people are beautiful?"

Prime Minister Zhu angrily retorted, "What did you say?"

Chapter 49: Killing the Pregnant Woman in One Shot (1)

Zhu Yu took out a painting from his person, unfolded it, and hung it in the center of the Eight Beauties painting. Even when facing his father, he gave a somewhat mocking smile: "Look at this painting."

Suddenly, all the paintings of beautiful women in the room lost their color. Prime Minister Zhu stared at the man in the painting for a long time, his expression full of surprise and doubt: "Is this Junyu?"

“Junyu is even better than his father.”

Prime Minister Zhu angrily said, "Is this why you abused your privileges to dispatch the Chengdu Prefecture guards and forced Pang Ban to stay in Shu?"

"Of course not, because I owe him my life."

Prime Minister Zhu shuddered and closed his eyes briefly. It was the first time Zhu Yu had seen his father so frail and aged. Just as he was about to reach out to help him up, Prime Minister Zhu staggered and sat down on a chair in the study.

After a long while, he opened his eyes and stared at his son: "Why did you treat that kid as a friend?"

Zhu Yu chuckled self-deprecatingly: "I'm afraid he never thought I was worthy of being his friend."

"What are you saying?" Prime Minister Zhu was furious and slammed his fist on the chair. "What right does that brat have to look down on you like that? I should have killed that bastard back in Qiansi Academy."

"You did try back then, and with Young Master Nongying around, could you have killed him? What's the use of regretting it now?!"

Prime Minister Zhu was so angry that his face turned ashen. He said sternly, "From now on, I forbid you from having any contact with this bastard."

Zhu Yu gave a cold laugh and stood to the side without saying a word.

Prime Minister Zhu sighed and said, "Your elder brother was exceptionally intelligent from a young age, far surpassing many of the wealthy young masters who only knew how to eat, drink, and have fun. As he grew up, he became even more insightful and became my best assistant. He was not interested in women, and his only hobby was his obsession with martial arts. By the time he was twenty, his martial arts skills had already surpassed those of Zhu Sanhuai."

Zhu Yu was somewhat surprised when his father suddenly mentioned his deceased elder brother, whom he had never met. Zhu Sanhuai's martial arts skills far surpassed Pang Ban's, making him the top expert in the Prime Minister's mansion. Zhu Yu considered himself to be only on par with him, but his elder brother's martial arts skills had already surpassed Zhu Sanhuai's when he was 20 years old.

"At that time, I was extremely proud to have such a skilled son. Even my political enemies envied me for having such a son. But what good was it? Your elder brother met Lan Xisi at Hanjing Garden and suffered his first crushing defeat. After that, his personality changed drastically. I was afraid he would become ill from being so depressed, so I searched all over the country for beautiful women, hoping he would settle down and stop being obsessed with martial arts. But he really stopped being obsessed with martial arts and instead worshipped that ordinary woman like a goddess!..."

Zhu Yu had always believed that her older brother was killed by Lan Xisi. Now, hearing about the entanglement from back then from her father for the first time, she felt extremely nervous, and her palms were sweating.

"Six months passed in this way. Your elder brother went through great lengths to find Lanxisi, but this woman couldn't even remember who your elder brother was, let alone look at him. After returning home, your elder brother secluded himself for seven days and drew that portrait. From then on, he was bedridden, and no matter how many famous doctors I consulted, it was to no avail."

Prime Minister Zhu said bitterly, "At the martial arts tournament that same year, Lan Xisi was injured and went missing. Your elder brother's condition worsened after hearing the news, and he soon died of depression. At that time, there were still three days left until his 25th birthday... Your aunt was overwhelmed with grief and also fell ill, passing away in less than two months. From then on, I hated Lan Xisi to the bone and was determined to kill her to appease your elder brother's spirit in heaven..."

The old servant at the door suddenly knocked softly. Prime Minister Zhu angrily asked, "What is it?"

The old servant said in a trembling voice, "Zhu Sihuai said he has important matters to report to the Prime Minister."

Prime Minister Zhu said, "Let him in."

Zhu Sihuai strode in. He and Zhu Sanhuai were brothers, both retainers of the Prime Minister's residence. Just as Zhu Sihuai was about to bow, Prime Minister Zhu immediately waved his hand: "Sihuai, you've come at the right time. Tell the young master the details of the pursuit and killing of Lan Xisi back then..."

Zhu Sihuai was the leader of the group that participated in the covert investigation and pursuit of Lan Xisi back then. Years had passed, and those who participated were either dead or scattered, with the survivors remaining tight-lipped about the pursuit. Zhu Sihuai hesitated for a moment, but dared not disobey, saying, "After the eldest young master passed away, we searched everywhere for Lan Xisi's whereabouts. Two years later, we finally found her trail in a small town in Guizhou… At that time, Lan Xisi was about seven or eight months pregnant…" Following Zhu Yu's gaze, Zhu Sihuai suddenly saw the portrait of the man hanging in the center and exclaimed, "That man is Lan Xisi's husband, Jun Sheng…"

Prime Minister Zhu nodded, and Zhu Sihuai continued, "At that time, we had already found out about Lan Xisi's situation. She and her husband had no relatives in this remote town. However, Lan Xisi was too formidable, and we dared not act rashly. One of the elders suggested waiting a while and striking on the day she gave birth. He said that the moment a woman is about to give birth is the most dangerous moment in her life, and only by striking at that time can we ensure that nothing goes wrong..."

Zhu Yu clenched his fists. These top-notch fighters from the Prime Minister's mansion didn't dare to make a move even when Lan Xisi was six months pregnant. They even planned to kill her when she was about to give birth. There was nothing more despicable and cruel than this. He felt a chill run down his spine and broke out in a cold sweat.

Chapter 50: Killing the Pregnant Woman in One Shot (2)

Zhu Sihuai, oblivious to Zhu Yu's unusual expression, continued, "About half a month passed, and somehow Lan Xisi sensed something was amiss. That morning, she and Junsheng hurriedly set off. We had been searching for them for nearly two years; how could we let her leave so easily? We couldn't wait for a perfect opportunity any longer, and immediately intercepted the couple..."

More than 20 years have passed since this incident, but Zhu Sihuai's face still turned pale as he recounted the events of that year: "At that time, we saw that Lan Xisi had no sword in her hand, only a tree branch as thick as a finger, and we all breathed a sigh of relief and immediately attacked her..."

He suddenly pulled open his shirt, revealing a long gash. "After three moves, all thirteen of us had one of these wounds on our bodies. We collapsed to the ground, unable to get up for a while. Lan Xisi threw away the branch, sighed, and Jun Sheng helped her up. The two of them then walked away..."

Those who participated in this incident back then were all local heroes recruited by Prime Minister Zhu. None of these notorious bandits had the face to mention this despicable siege. Except for Zhu Sihuai, the others did not return to the Prime Minister's residence and dispersed.

Although Zhu Sihuai was certain that Lanxisi, who was six months pregnant, couldn't have gone far, there were countless remote towns like this in the three southwestern provinces. Searching for her would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, and there was no further news of Lanxisi.

Zhu Yu stared at her father for a long time before letting out a long breath: "My brother's death had nothing to do with Lan Xisi. Why are you telling me that you did such a despicable thing?"

"You beast! What are you saying? If it weren't for Lanxisi, would your elder brother have died?" Prime Minister Zhu stood up abruptly. "Now that the Emperor is critically ill, the Seventh Prince is trying to win people's hearts everywhere. If Junyu is recruited by him, I will have another powerful enemy. Not only do you not share my burden, but you also turn your enemy into a friend. I have raised you, you beast, for nothing."

Zhu Yu saw the fleeting look of resentment on her father's face, but could not utter a sound. Her face was flushed and her breathing was rapid.

Seeing the father and son arguing, Zhu Sihuai stood there awkwardly with his head down.

Prime Minister Zhu glared at Zhu Sihuai: "What important matter do you have to report now?"

Zhu Sihuai glanced at Zhu Yu, hesitant to speak, his expression very strange. Prime Minister Zhu shouted, "Speak quickly if you have something to say, what are you doing, sneaking around like this?"

Zhu Sihuai immediately replied, "Yes, I will report immediately. During my recent trip, I happened to run into an acquaintance. This person is a nominal disciple of the Kongtong Sect who participated in the Heroes' Gathering more than 20 years ago and saw Lan Xisi from afar. Later, he retired from the martial arts world and made a living as a merchant. Eleven years ago, he went to an unnamed town in the southwest border region to purchase a batch of mountain products and saw a woman who resembled Lan Xisi. He guessed that Lan Xisi had lived in that unnamed town under an assumed name before her death. When he went to that unnamed town again the following winter to purchase mountain products, he inquired and learned that the woman had already passed away. He said that the woman who resembled Lan Xisi only had one daughter and no son, and shortly after the woman's death, her daughter disappeared..."

Junyu attended Qiansi Academy ten years ago that winter.

As if struck by lightning, Zhu Yu stood there dumbfounded, feeling as if stars were flashing before his eyes.

Prime Minister Zhu was stunned. After a while, he suddenly saw his son run out like a madman. He opened his mouth to call out, but Zhu Yu had already disappeared.

Zhu Sihuai carefully stepped aside, not daring to breathe.

Chapter 51: The Seventh Prince (1)

Junyu's decision to leave early was prompted by receiving the latest intelligence from Dongfang Jiong. That evening, a carrier pigeon brought news of a major incident in the stronghold. Since the battle at Dafengkou at the beginning of the year, Phoenix Stronghold's reputation had soared, attracting heroes from all directions, and the stronghold's elite troops had immediately expanded. However, many of these newcomers were outlaws and gangsters from the northern desert regions. These men, confident in their martial arts skills, refused to submit to anyone else, disobeyed the instructors' orders, and acted independently, even causing trouble, drinking, and fighting in Phoenix City, resulting in several serious incidents.

The Yue kiln porcelain transaction was completely finalized, and Junyu had no intention of lingering any longer. Lu Ling and Bai Ruhui had already visited some of the larger merchants in Jiangnan and made all the necessary arrangements. Therefore, Junyu decided to set off for the village immediately the next day.

She had already bid farewell to Wang Jun and the others, and also sent a message to Meng Yuanjing. Everything was ready by noon. Suddenly, the waiter announced that Wang Jun had come to visit.

Wang Jun, who was always straightforward, looked somewhat hesitant at this moment, which surprised Jun Yu. Wang Jun said in a low voice, "Someone wants to see Young Master Jun. What do you think?"

Junyu smiled and said, "Since you are Brother Wang's friend, please come in for a chat."

Wang Jun was overjoyed and, without replying, immediately ran downstairs. A moment later, Wang Jun returned with a young man in brocade robes. The man looked extremely surprised upon seeing Jun Yu.

Seeing his surprised expression, Wang Jun quickly said, "Seventh Prince, this is Jun Yu, the Flying Marshal of Fengcheng."

The Seventh Prince came to his senses and bowed deeply: "I have long admired the name of the Flying Marshal of Fengcheng. He is indeed such a handsome young man. All the people I have ever met in my life cannot match half the brilliance of the Flying Marshal. Meeting such a worthy man today is a great comfort to me."

Junyu smiled faintly and returned the greeting: "May I ask what brings the Seventh Prince here?"

The Seventh Prince looked at her carefully for a few moments and said, "I have always enjoyed making friends with heroes and great men. Upon learning that General Fei had appeared in Jiangnan, I came to pay him a visit. I hope I have not disturbed your leisure time, young master."

Junyu smiled slightly. The Seventh Prince's courteous manner towards scholars must be for some purpose, so he remained silent, glancing at him. Sure enough, the Seventh Prince sighed and frowned: "Currently, Shandong and Hebei are suffering from severe locust plagues and droughts. Crops have failed in recent years, famine has led to displacement, bandits are rampant, and several rebel groups are gaining momentum. On the border, the Chijin tribe and the Hu King's army are eyeing us covetously. Add to that the harassment from Japanese pirates along the southeast coast, and we are truly beset by internal and external troubles. The court's civil officials love money, and the military officers are afraid of death. If something really happens, we can't count on them..."

Junyu had already discerned his intention to accept him, but felt disheartened. It wasn't that there were no capable people in the court, but Prime Minister Zhu held immense power and eliminated dissidents. Even someone as outstanding as Meng Yuanjing ended up being demoted to a commoner and living in obscurity.

She couldn't help but take a closer look at the Seventh Prince. It was rare to find such a clear-headed person among the royal children who indulged in wine, women, and song. Even a hero like Wang Jun had been recruited by him. This man must have some extraordinary abilities.

The Seventh Prince was the most martial of all the princes, having distinguished himself in border wars and been appointed Grand Marshal of the Armed Forces. However, in reality, more than half of the military power was controlled by Prime Minister Zhu's loyalists. The current emperor had been bedridden for some time and had not yet designated a crown prince; Prime Minister Zhu and the Third Prince were close, so the Seventh Prince had been secretly cultivating his own power base, especially within the military. Last year, both he and Prime Minister Zhu sent trusted confidants to win over Peng Dong, only to discover that Jun Yu was the true mastermind.

Chapter 52: The Seventh Prince (2)

The Seventh Prince said, "Currently, Prime Minister Zhu holds absolute power in the court and controls more than half of the military. However, he has suffered repeated defeats in the wars against the Hu and Chijin tribes. The Phoenix Army, led by the 'Flying General of Phoenix City,' is renowned for its military achievements. Given its current military merits, if Young Master Jun were willing to serve the court, it would be a great fortune for the nation. If Young Master Jun agrees, I will immediately report to the court so that you can receive the rewards and military merits you deserve, instead of letting a mediocre talent like Peng Dong receive everything for nothing..."

"I am lazy by nature and do not wish to restrain myself for the sake of official title. I appreciate Your Highness's kindness."

Seeing that Junyu's voice was calm but his attitude was firm, the Seventh Prince said, "I heard that General Meng and you are close friends. At the beginning of the year, General Meng was hindered and suppressed by Tang Zhen. I have already reported to the court and reinstated General Meng to his original post and send him to the southeast front to wipe out the Japanese pirates."