Chapter 100: Wind Rising

To make up for last time’s delay, Emi worked on this chap fast ^^ Happy 100th chapter to everyone ;w;

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A brewing storm was gathering once again.

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Gu Yun was still immersed in Li Feng’s broken leg and the Man’s envoy. He momentarily did not realize and answered in confusion, “Miss Chen? I can’t say I’m close to her – she doesn’t talk to people very much, why?”

Shen Yi said with discontent, “She doesn’t mind exhaustion serving as a military doctor for you in that godforsaken Northwest area for so long, yet you can only say one line of ‘not very close’?”

The words ‘coldhearted and fickle’ were vividly visible on Governor Shen’s face.

Gu Yun: “… Huh?”

Shen Yi looked at him angrily.

Two people – one with his thoughts on the clouds, one furious – did not understand one another, staring at each other for a long time, Gu Yun finally reacted a little, giving Shen Yi a strange look: “What do you mean?”

The usually chattering Shen Yi in the past suddenly closed his mouth, his cheeks were tight, appearing like a martyr who would rather die than speak up. He met Gu Yun’s hostile eyes with greatvigorr and became a mouthless gourd.

Gu Yun raised his eyebrows innocently, stretched out a finger and poked Shen Yi’s chest: “I said, Lord Shen, did the wisemen not teach you not to ask about improper things? In broad daylight, you and me, two single men, gathered together to inquire about the affairs of a grown woman from another family, where is your dignity?”

He remembered Shen Yi’s rude and merciless remarks from just now, immediately taking the opportunity to give him a stab in return: “Despicable!”

Shen Yi: “…”

Gu Yun managed to catch a large weak point of Shen Yi from out of nowhere. He was in a very good mood, his waist was no longer sore and his back was no longer painful. He ushered his horse forward, whistling a tune that sounded not much different than his flute playing ability.

“Gu Zi Xi!” Shen Yi gritted his teeth, catching up with him. “You… You…”

You bastard!

In broad daylight, to avoid insulting his superior on the open street, Shen Yi used all his strength to suppress the latter part of the sentence.

After Gu Yun had entertained himself enough using Shen Yi. They had already dismissed their family guards and walked to the Imperial City together. Only then did he say with seriousness: “Miss Chen’s character is not bad, she also has a lot of ability – as for the likes of you, I guess she should have no problem beating three or five at a time.”

Although this sentence asked for a beating of its own, yet Shen Yi did not feel offended at this moment, he listened with relish – especially when Gu Yun talked about the first time he met Chen Qing Xu on the traitor’s ship many years ago, Shen Yi sighed with grief and regret, wishing that he could insert himself into that moment.

“As for her temperament, likes and dislikes… I don’t know very well either. Maybe Chang Geng is even closer with her.” Gu Yun said, “But there is one thing, I need to tell you about her family background.”

“Chen family of the Shanxi manor, I know,” Shen Yi answered. “With many generations of doctors, practicing medicine to save people. Their family style is very clean and honest.”

Gu Yun gave a slight huff: “You investigate so thoroughly, are you planning to come and ask for her hand in marriage?”

Shen Yi said, “Three letters and six etiquettes*, of course, cannot be lacking.”

*traditional Chinese pre-wedding custom

Gu Yun: “…”

This brother of his was an odd person. In his early years, he read a basket of books and was deeply poisoned by the family traditions. However, people only teach etiquette to outsiders, proper and decent towards outsiders. After closing the door, they each showed their dirty side only to themselves, not affecting anyone, they all understood each other’s false image of decency.

Only this Shen was different. From an outsider’s point of view, he abandoned Han Lin to enter Ling Shu, and later degenerated into the rank of soldier, infamous for ‘deviating from the classics and betraying the Tao’. But inside, he was a true upright and proper man of ‘see no evil, hear no evil’, to the point of even though he had been mingling with a group of veteran soldiers all day long, he was not stained with their mud for over ten years.

During this period, Chen Qing Xu stayed in the capital, experienced both great and minor disturbances together, Miss Chen of Lin Yuan Pavilion probably had a lot of contact with Shen Yi. However, throughout all these interactions, this Shen did not dare to say anything to her in person, he could only dare to come and inquire Gu Yun about it behind her back.

It seemed that he might not even understand the involvement of the Chen family and Lin Yuan Pavilion and still feel that Chen Qing Xu was simply dedicated to serving the country!

Gu Yun sighed. Shen Yi, this type of wooden block truly did not have the manners of being his underling for even the slightest.

“Then let me tell you something you don’t know, don’t tell anyone. Chen’s family in Shanxi is not an ordinary doctor family. They are the strong beam of Lin Yuan Pavilion,” Gu Yun whispered. “I heard Old Zhong mention once that Miss Chen is the head of Chen’s family in this generation. If that’s the case, she’s unlikely to be able to marry you as a governor’s wife.”

Shen Yi was stunned immediately.

Gu Yun thought for a moment: “Otherwise, I’ll go and find someone to express it on your behalf, to see what she thinks inside…”

“No, don’t,” Shen Yi said quickly. “That is too abrupt!”

Gu Yun: “…”

He felt that he was like a eunuch in a rush while the emperor remained leisurely. According to Shen Yi’s character, he probably could not get a wife in this lifetime, thus with his vast experience, he gave advice: “This kind of thing can not be done without hurry, brother Ji Ping, if someone else were to come before you, at that point, you would have no room left to talk.”

But Shen Yi thought for a moment and shook his head and said, “Let’s not. I’ll think about it again.”

Gu Yun shook his head after hearing this, he knew too well that if a man hesitates after hearing the identity and background of the woman, it most likely means he was just ‘a little interested’, not to the degree where it has to be her. However, it was not convenient for him to comment on how the involved parties felt. He only said, “Alright, you can think about it first, whatever you need my help with, just say a word.”

But this sentence did not enter Shen Yi’s ears. He was still immersed in his own thoughts and seriously analyzed to Gu Yun. “I really didn’t know of this situation before, but after hearing you said so, I also felt that it’s not appropriate.”

Gu Yun nodded: “Mm.”

Shen Yi: “Then, there’s no other choice. I have to wait until this battle is over. I will then resign and no longer serve as a general.”

Gu Yun: “…”

He almost fell head first off his horse.

Shen Yi looked sorrowful, “But proposing before the battle is finished, I feel that it is quite unlucky. People like us, if we are too concerned for someone, we would easily tie our hands and feet on the battlefield. On the contrary, it’s even more dangerous this way. In case something happens, won’t we waste a lady’s lifetime?… but I’m afraid after the war, both the flow of time and her will no longer wait for me. It’s really a dilemma. Zi Xi, do you have any way to keep those miscellaneous people far away?”

“… You don’t have to worry about that. As far as I know, Miss Chen herself possessed this ability.” Gu Yun paused for a moment, narrowed his eyes slightly, and suddenly laughed.

Shen Yi wondered, “Why are you laughing?”

Gu Yun: “Laughing at you, graduated in literary, but running against the way of Han Lin in the next day to enter Ling Shu. After making some achievements in the Ling Shu Institute, just as some people were speculating that you will be the next successor of Master Feng Han, you bade farewell to Ling Shu Institute and entered the Black Iron Camp as a mechanic. Now, step by step, you have achieved great military achievements. In the end, you are ascending into the sky in the eyes of others. Relieving the siege of the capital city and saving the Emperor, there’s a chance you will achieve higher ranks. Others think you have made very thorough calculations, but you are different, you’d rather resign for the sake of marrying a wife.”

Shen Yi continued to grin in sorrow. He had no ambition. He had been following his heart of a wet nurse all these years, watching over this, taking care of that. He was only following Gu Yun around. Unfortunately, there was too much bloodshed in Gu Yun’s life, causing him to accidentally become famous. What he got was not what he wanted, hence why it was nothing that he couldn’t let go of.

Some people were easily changed, becoming entirely different in only a few years. While others resembled quiet waters, going through a hundred and eighty thousand miles yet their hearts remain the same.

Gu Yun looked at him and suddenly felt emotional. The feelings accumulated after hearing about the court affairs all vanished. He affectionately grabbed Shen Yi’s shoulder and gave a pat.

“In the future, whatever you need Miss Chen for, you can ask me.” Shen Yi did not realize the ups and downs of the mood of the Marquis of Order. Still immersed in his worries, he unconsciously started his routine of endless chattering. “But… I have no status, keeping on seeking her out like this, is it alright? Would she end up thinking that I am improper in the future? Zi Xi, tell me – no, you don’t need to say anything, you’re originally not very proper in the first place, I feel that…”

General Shen had entered the process of repeated self-argument and self-doubt.

Gu Yun: “…”

Although his heart need not be changed, this habit of endless nagging would be better if it could be changed.

Gu Yun felt his head ache with Shen Yi’s chatter. Unable to bear it for any longer, he whipped Shen Yi’s horse’s buttock and took this opportunity to run away.

At the same time, the news that ‘Yan Wang was invited into the palace as soon as be arrived in the suburbs’ grew wings and quickly flew into the perked up ears of the capital. Fang Qin was at home, a few of his staff and confidants were sitting around him. With the Jiangbei upheaval this time, Fang Qin had the feeling his action was all for the profits of someone else.

For Fang Qin, the Lu-Yang’s party was a bit like a rotten tooth. Although it grew in the same mouth, it suffered from inflammation and caused pain from time to time. Not only did it cause difficulty in chewing, but it was often a hindrance. It was not a bad thing to have it pulled out. But he did not expect that Yan Wang would have so many tactics ready, the aftereffect of the pulled-out rotten tooth was too wide. Although Yan Wang was not in the capital, he had taken advantage of when Fang Qin had not come back to his senses to gather the canal into his own pocket.

Now the Canal Office had been set up, factories were sprouting like mushrooms everywhere, it was already an irreversible fact. With the senses that the old fox Fang Qin honed after going through ups and downs for many years, the next step would be a series of reforms, such as farmland tax, civil and commercial trading, so on and so forth.

He was about to use the tactic of ‘the mantis caught the cicada, but the bird was preying from behind’. Unexpectedly, when struggling with him, Yan Wang had already ‘built a warehouse in the dark and built a warehouse in the open’. Thinking ten steps ahead before moving, in the end, Fang Qin still made a wrong move.

Before, when he had just taken office as the Minister of Housing, they once had a honeymoon period with the Grand Council. At that time, when the rivers and mountains fell into captivity, it was difficult to move, a pile of rubble waiting for someone for it to be rebuilt once again, no one had the mind to fight with anyone. The entire court withstood this disaster together, they were once anxious to find the slightest hope and a way out for the nation, they once respected and admired each other’s talents. Who would have known that their moment of separation came so fast?

Fang Qin sometimes couldn’t help but admire and envy Jiang Han Shi. If they were to switch places, he thought he would be much more talented and dependable than that Jiang Chong and Xu Ling bunch. If he didn’t bear the surname Fang, even if he was only a student who had been painstakingly studied for ten years to achieve a lowly official position…

But life had many ironies – it’s no use thinking about such things now. Yan Wang was determined to exterminate the old forces. After the upheaval in Jiangnan, this butcher knife was already revealed. Now, they resembled water and fire.

An aide opened his mouth carefully: “Sir, I heard that when foreigners invaded, the Emperor once mentioned the matter of passing on the throne to Yan Wang. This time, he called him into the palace in such a hurry… even after the country was at peace and the Emperor no longer had this intention, still, the position of being an important subject to support the young prince remains. Perhaps we should think of a plan to deal with this?”

Only now did Fang Qin come back to his senses and squinted.

Another said, “Last time Yang Rong Gui rebelled using the name of Yan Wang, the Emperor must undoubtedly have had this thorn in his heart. But Yan Wang played the victim like this and took advantage of the injuries to temporarily avoid danger. Staying silent for so long… now the Emperor’s doubts seem to have all been dispelled, he also took this chance to return to the capital to resume his position, I’m afraid he will soon make a big move.”

In fact, Fang Qin was still a little hesitant. He stroked his beard lightly. “The Man sent their messengers, Jiangnan is still ready for war. We will still need to go out to battle for the next two or three years. The canal is on the path of growth and refugees all over the country have settled down. If we were to touch Yan Wang at this time, would it affect the country’s fate? If that’s the case, I will become a sinner who will be denounced for generations.”

The chief executive laughed, “The Master’s loyalty towards the court is as clear as day, inspiring admiration in others. But it is not certain that the court could no longer function if it left Yan Wang. Lowly businessmen, even the bunch calling themselves merchants will not be able to escape their greedy nature for profit. As long as it does not affect their profits, there is no need for them to care about whose hands the court is in?

With Master Fang’s love for the country and the people, even if Yan Wangis absent, we can still smoothly settle the refugees and continue to go out to battles as usual – you must think carefully. Yan Wang‘s ambition is as clear as day. With his high status, sooner or later, he will try every method to oppress us, planting his own people in. If we continue to let him run rampant, eating and devouring, one day, you and I, and all of our families will be in danger of losing our lives.”

The crowd immediately echoed this sentiment.

“Yan Wang, though talented, acts too radically. If he is allowed to go on like this, I’m afraid it will be a disaster to the country and the people.”

“Master Fang cannot be lenient anymore. If he is allowed to take office once again, I’m afraid he won’t be able to tolerate us…”

Fang Qin sighed, stretched out his hand to suppress the murmur of the whole room, turned to the trusted confidant beside him and said, “Go and fetch ‘that man’.”

A brewing storm was gathering once again.

Completely unaware of this, Chang Geng left the deep palace and returned to the Marquis Manor. It was unknown what Li Feng had said to him, but he looked to be in a good mood. As soon as he got home, he found Gu Yun to glue himself to, refusing to let go and delightfully eat dinner.

Gu Yun did not ask him what Li Feng said when he invited him into the palace. He could guess from his observation. He knocked off Yan Wang‘s hand that wasn’t paying attention to carrying his bowl and chopsticks but climbed on his thigh. He inadvertently said, “When are you going to return to the court to work?”

Chang Geng rubbed the back of his hand and pick up more food for Gu Yun in an effort to please him. He looked at him absently and said, “I will after a few days rest. The Emperor said that he does not have much energy right now and wants me to return to my position as soon as possible. Zi Xi, you should eat more.”

Gu Yun waved his hand: “It’s already too late, only have a few bites. It would be uncomfortable to eat too much. Have you heard about Jia Lai Ying Huo sending someone?”

“Mm,” Chang Geng nodded. He stopped him from fetching the teacup and gave him a bowl of soup instead. “How to negotiate, it still needs Marshal Gu to have the final say.”

“When a beast is seriously injured, it often pretends to be dying, luring the enemy to lay down their defense, then deliver a violent attack. Be careful.” As Gu Yun said this, he looked at Chang Geng, blowing the vegetable bits in the soup bowl away and drinking it.

Chang Geng was stunned, he suddenly felt that Gu Yun’s words were not only about the barbarians but also seemingly wanted to warn him about something else.