The Salted Fish’s Political Marriage - Chapter 11

 

When Song Mingzhi was born, the world was already in chaos.

 

In Chongjing, the livelihoods of the people were withering. The Zuiying Pavilion had not been maintained for a long time, and the four walls inside had been blackened by smoke from the charcoal braziers used for heating, making it look utterly dilapidated.

 

It was very different from how it appeared now.

 

A Hu woman pushed open the wooden lattice door and said to him, “Young Master, this way.”

 

As she spoke, she led him to the living quarters where the people of Zuiying Pavilion went about their daily lives.

 

Song Mingzhi hurried to keep up. “Thank you.”

 

At the same time, he could not help but glance around at his surroundings.

 

Although Song Mingzhi was born here in his previous life, his memories from before he was seven years old had long since become blurred.

 

He only vaguely remembered that the Zuiying Pavilion used to be covered everywhere with soft carpets and hung with bright red gauze curtains. Even though there were some worn-out areas, it was filled with sweet fragrance in every corner.

 

It was not until he was seven years old that the rebel army first stormed into Chongjing. Not only did they plunder everything in the place, but they even used a fire to burn the wine shop to the ground. In the panic, Song Mingzhi’s mother only had time to use a dagger to carve a deep, bone-exposed wound onto his face, then used all her strength to push him out of the Zuiying Pavilion.

 

After that, he never saw her again.

 

This was entirely unremarkable in such chaotic times.

 

The Hu woman in the scarlet dress stopped outside a door. “The boss is inside. Young Master, I will not go in.”

 

Song Mingzhi bowed in return. “Thank you.”

 

After finishing, he pushed the door open and walked inside.

 

Song Mingzhi saw that beside the Hu-style couch near the window, a man was standing with his back to him, casually feeding a parrot.

 

Hearing the sound, he slowly turned around. Then, looking at Song Mingzhi with a puzzled expression, he said, “Oh, Ana just came over to tell me that a friend had come to Zuiying Pavilion to look for me.”

 

As he spoke, he put away the rice grains in his hand.

 

He walked up to Song Mingzhi and asked curiously, “But, if I am not mistaken, it seems that I have never met you before, Young Master?”

 

The boss of Zuiying Pavilion looked to be about thirty years old. He had his chestnut-colored long hair braided casually and draped over his shoulder. He was covered in gold, silver, and gemstones, making him look almost dazzling under the lamp.

 

Song Mingzhi placed his hand over his chest and bowed. “This is indeed my first time at Zuiying Pavilion. However, when I was in Shulan, I once heard the name of Zuiying Pavilion at the Liyan Pavilion.”

 

When Song Mingzhi was young, he often heard his mother talk about the Western Regions. Among those topics, the Liyan Pavilion, which specialized in selling rare treasures from the Western Regions, was a common subject.

 

Song Mingzhi’s words dispelled most of the man’s suspicions.

 

The boss patted the parrot in front of him and said, “Oh, I see. Please, take a seat, Young Master.”

 

Zuiying Pavilion mostly conducted business for Western Region people in the shadows.

 

Although he had never met Song Mingzhi before, the appearance of the person in front of him and his fluent Shulan language could not be faked. Song Mingzhi did not look like someone who would bring Central Plains soldiers to the South Market to search Zuiying Pavilion and seize forbidden goods.

 

By the time he finished speaking, the boss had already raised his hand to pour tea for Song Mingzhi. “My name in the Central Plains is Jialuo. I do not know how to address you, Young Master?”

 

Most Shulan people only have a single-character name, so Song Mingzhi directly replied, “Just call me Ah Zhi.”

 

Jialuo nodded and got straight to the point. “What would you like to buy at Zuiying Pavilion, Young Master?”

 

Song Mingzhi did not engage in any more polite pleasantries with Jialuo.

 

He took the tea and asked, “Boss Jialuo, have you ever heard of a type of gu-insect that feeds on wine?”

 

Jialuo paused and muttered, “Feeds on wine.”

 

He remained silent for a long time, as if lost in memory.

 

Seeing this, Song Mingzhi’s heart immediately jumped into his throat.

 

Although the Miao region is more famous for gu-insects, due to its closed terrain and unique culture, the insects are almost never brought out of the area to appear in the Central Plains. The gu-insects of the Western Regions are different. Although they are not as famous as those from the Miao region, many have been brought into the Central Plains.

 

In his previous life, the gu-insects used by the palace to control the secret guards came from there.

 

After a long while, Jialuo finally nodded slowly under Song Mingzhi’s gaze. “I have indeed heard of it.”

 

Song Mingzhi thought, Just as I expected.

 

His heart sank heavily.

 

He immediately asked, “Then, Boss Jialuo, do you have a gu-mother on hand?”

 

Jialuo immediately shook his head and said firmly, “I do not have one. Furthermore, I am the only person in the Central Plains who does this kind of business. As far as I know, this type of gu-insect has not been brought into the Central Plains.”

 

The gu-insects have not been brought to the Central Plains? Then why did His Highness…?

 

Now was not the time for deep thinking.

 

Compared to tracing the source of the gu-insects, detoxification was clearly more important. Song Mingzhi asked immediately, “Could you take a trip to the Western Regions for me and find this gu-mother?”

 

Jialuo laughed immediately and shook his head lightly. “You surely know how far away that is, don’t you? To be honest, I have been in the Central Plains for less than a year. I do not think I will be going back within the next three years.”

 

The candle flames flickered beneath the lotus lamps.

 

Song Mingzhi suddenly lowered his gaze, taking advantage of the candlelight to examine him: silk fabrics embroidered with pearls, a jade Pixiu, agate necklaces, gold bracelets.

 

The man had his weaknesses written clearly on his face.

 

Jialuo said warily, “You, what are you doing?”

 

Just as his voice trailed off, Song Mingzhi raised his hand and gently placed a night-luminescent pearl on the table. “Within these three years?”

 

Jialuo’s eyes widened immediately, unblinking. “Although this night-pearl is priceless, but…”

 

A hint of a smile flashed in Song Mingzhi’s eyes, and he shook his head with the attitude of someone wealthy and powerful. “This is the money I am using to buy information from Boss Jialuo.”

 

Jialuo stared in shock. One night-pearl, just to buy some information?

 

Song Mingzhi took out three more night-pearls. “This is the down payment.”

 

What is there to hesitate about?

 

Jialuo silently averted his gaze. “To be honest, I have been in the Central Plains for so long that I have been missing my parents and old friends back home. Exactly! A month from now, once spring is fully here and the roads are easy to travel, I will return to Shulan to visit my parents and find this gu-mother for you, Young Master.”

 

As he finished speaking, Jialuo had already tucked the night-pearls from the table into his chest and shouted loudly toward the door, “Ana! Quickly, go bring the dried fruits and flower tea I brought from Shulan! Give them to the Young Master to take home and taste!”

 

Then, he turned to Song Mingzhi and smiled. “You are thousands of miles away from home, Young Master, so you must miss these flavors.”

 

Song Mingzhi silently weighed his money bag. The night-pearls clinked inside, creating a crisp sound, and Song Mingzhi’s mood suddenly became incredibly pleasant.

 

So this is what it feels like to spend His Highness’s money?

 

He smiled and said, “Thank you, Boss Jialuo.”

 

Ana pushed the door open and delivered the dried fruits and flower tea. She was also carrying a pot of milk wine.

 

Seeing this, Jialuo immediately waved his hand at her. “Leave the flower tea here; swap it for a pot of good wine later.” He finally stood up and said to Song Mingzhi, “I am entertaining my best friend in the Central Plains!”

 

At the hour of Xu, the Prince of Qi’s manor.

 

The sound of stomping footsteps broke the silence of the courtyard.

 

Three or four dissolute nobles ran into the manor in a panic. Upon entering, they did not stop for tea as they usually did, but instead ignored the guards’ obstructions and headed straight for the Huiming Hall. “Your Highness, the Prince of Qi, something terrible has happened!”

 

Liao Wenbai, who was leading them, could not stop himself. He fell to the ground with a thud and bowed deeply to Mu Yanzhou.

 

Seeing this, Yuan Jiu immediately stepped forward to help him up. “Master Liao, what is wrong? Why are you in such a hurry?”

 

Liao Wenbai, who had drunk quite a bit of wine and run the whole way, was still panting. “Something, something terrible has happened!”

 

At the cloud-patterned long table, Mu Yanzhou, who was writing with a brush, felt a flash of annoyance in his eyes after smelling the strong scent of alcohol. A moment later, he set down his brush and asked Liao Wenbai casually, “What is it? Why are you all so hurried?”

 

Today’s events were truly not decent enough to speak of. Thinking of the Prince of Qi’s temperament and status, even this group of usually unrestrained nobles did not know how to start. Liao Wenbai repeated “something terrible” for a long time without being able to form a complete sentence.

 

Behind him, You Jianan, who was even drunker, said dizzily, “What is Your Highness writing?”

 

“Oh, this?” Mu Yanzhou suddenly smiled. He picked up the paper, looked at it for a moment, and said to them, “This is the Strategy for Governance. Have you seen it?”

 

Strategy for Governance? The nobles stared at each other. A moment later, someone asked, “What is that?”

 

Mu Yanzhou smiled and flipped through a book, looking troubled. “My beloved consort made me copy this. I originally did not want to, so I tossed it to the servants below and let them imitate my handwriting. Who knew… my beloved consort could recognize at a glance that it was not my writing. Tell me, the servants clearly imitated it extremely well, so how did he recognize it?”

 

Because he cares about you? The nobles all thought the same thing.

 

They felt heartache for the Prince of Qi! He had already arrived at the Zuiying Pavilion, and His Highness was still sitting here copying books?

 

Liao Wenbai finally could not hold back and blurted out, “Your Highness, we went to Zuiying Pavilion today!”

 

Mu Yanzhou replied perfunctorily, “And then?”

 

You Jianan finally recovered his senses. “And then, we saw the Prince Consort!”

 

Mu Yanzhou fell silent. He slowly gripped the book in his hand tightly.

 

The Huiming Hall fell into absolute silence. A moment later, everyone heard Mu Yanzhou lower his voice and mutter to himself, “You say that you met him today at Zuiying Pavilion…”

 

The group nodded.

 

Yuan Jiu, who was just helping Liao Wenbai to the table, felt his body tremble. A thin layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his back. He had just followed the Prince’s orders to strengthen the guards around the Zhuohua Courtyard. Logically speaking, if there had been the slightest disturbance in the courtyard, the Prince would have received word immediately. How could one person disappear in broad daylight without anyone noticing?

 

Moreover, this person was a spy!

 

Mu Yanzhou swept a calm gaze over Yuan Jiu. Then, he set down the Strategy for Governance and shook his head. “Impossible. You must have seen wrong.”

 

At the same time, he questioned, “Besides, why would he go to Zuiying Pavilion?”

 

This group of dissolute nobles never had the ability to read the room. Now that they had drunk too much, they were not using their brains at all. Seeing that the Prince did not believe them, someone immediately said, “Impossible! We all saw with our own eyes that he followed a Hu woman all the way to the deepest part of Zuiying Pavilion!”

 

They no longer had any intention of considering his feelings. If the Prince Consort was sneaking around, he must be plotting something.

 

On the other side of the Huiming Hall, Yuan Jiu gritted his teeth tightly.

 

He saw that the more the Prince of Qi pretended not to believe them, the more indignant those few nobles became. At this moment, they had completely cast aside all respect for status and rank. They stepped forward, grabbed the Prince of Qi, and headed out of the Huiming Hall. “It is getting late. He certainly would not dare stay out all night. We will go to Zuiying Pavilion now. Your Highness must catch him in the building tonight! Catch him!”