WCPR 46

Chapter 46

 It Might Explode

To put it bluntly, Jiuque froze stiffly on the spot. This was no ordinary little eunuch. This was a man who had been on the battlefield, who had lived and died through life-and-death situations with Emperor Jingtai. It was only due to an unspeakable injury suffered in battle that he had entered the palace. Emperor Jingtai held him in the highest esteem. For a Chief Steward of his position to refer to himself as ‘this old slave’ before her?

Ying Jiuque had already begun soul-searching, trying to recall if she had committed any heinous acts or harmed any loyal subjects.

Unexpectedly, Chief Steward Jiufu amiably, and without quite touching her, gestured to take her arm and guide her into the palace.

Unless someone in the capital was deaf and blind, who wouldn’t know about tonight’s commotion? This was especially true for Jiufu. Now a eunuch, residing in this centuries-old palace, he often encountered issues that couldn’t be solved by common sense. Consequently, the maids and eunuchs of the imperial palace tended to be more superstitious than those outside.

Tonight’s radiant light was nearly blinding, and the tremendous noise was like the fury of the Thunder God in heaven, shaking the very earth!

Having received the news early, Jiufu had accompanied Emperor Jingtai to the top of the tallest tower in the palace, gazing out over the capital shrouded in night. Thus, they were among the first to know the moment the anomaly occurred.

Jiufu still remembered it vividly, his body trembling slightly even now.

In the dark of night, first came a light intense enough to tear through the darkness, capturing everyone’s attention. This was immediately followed by an earth-shattering roar. Even from their distant position within the imperial city, they seemed to feel the vibrations. Jiufu, standing behind Emperor Jingtai at that moment, first thought it was an assassination attempt. But then, he saw the intense light that suddenly burst forth in Emperor Jingtai’s eyes—an expression of absolute ecstasy…

And fear.

How could it be? Even though he had lowered his head immediately, Jiufu could still feel the Emperor’s gaze upon him, cold and severe, like two sharp blades tearing into his very being. A long, long time passed before Jiufu felt that gaze shift away, allowing him to secretly breathe a sigh of relief, though the shock he had received remained immense.

Who could have caused such a huge commotion?
Soon, he learned the answer: it was actually that Ying Jiuque, the one the Emperor had been paying such close attention to!
At that moment, understanding dawned upon Jiufu. So this was why His Majesty valued a woman disregarded by her own family so highly? His Majesty was truly the Son of Heaven, possessing such discerning vision to recognize a pearl! This was a joyous occasion for the entire realm!

Not to mention anything else, the Northern Barbarians were still watching tigerishly, frequently clashing at the border. If such a powerful weapon could be mass-produced, wouldn’t crushing the Northern Barbarian royal court be just around the corner?

The Emperor likely thought the same, for he was visibly excited. In a high-pitched tone, he ordered Jiufu to wait and bring Ying Jiuque into the palace. He didn’t want to hear the news from anyone else; in other words, he only wanted Jiuque herself to explain whether that powerful weapon could be mass-produced! Even if it couldn’t be produced in large quantities, it could still be used as an unexpected tactical asset.

And so, having received his orders, Jiufu rushed anxiously to the palace gate. He waited there for a long time in the cold wind before finally managing to escort this esteemed young lady back.

“Please don’t worry, this old slave merely wishes to bring you before His Majesty. The events tonight were far too perilous. His Majesty is deeply concerned for your safety. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have sent me here to wait. This way, please, mind the steps…”

Jiuque was practically supported by Chief Steward Jiufu all the way to the Emperor’s Hall of Nourishing Life. Throughout the journey, he was exceedingly careful and made polite conversation, making Jiuque feel extremely uncomfortable. She couldn’t shake the feeling that the Chief Steward regarded her as some kind of lofty, ineffable being…

Perhaps a deity or something similar?
Jiufu truly tried to control himself, to avoid being too obsequious or curious. But humanity’s innate yearning for the divine is inherent. Holding it in the entire way, he finally couldn’t restrain himself and cautiously asked:

“County Lady Ying, do you think… do gods truly exist in this world?”

Jiuque paused, her tone slightly peculiar.

“Gods? It’s hard to say…”

Although she didn’t explicitly confirm it, Jiufu acted as if he had received some profound oracle, becoming even more reverent. Jiuque had initially considered explaining things to him, but seeing his state, she gave up. Forget it, forget it. Respect others’ beliefs; don’t force it.

Upon entering the Hall of Nourishing Life, Jiuque found that everyone else had already arrived, all present and accounted for. Chunyu Shuang even gave her a reassuring look at that moment, while the others also seemed somewhat concerned.

As for His Majesty, after Jiuque performed the ceremonial greetings, he straightforwardly had a chair brought for her, saying it was to accommodate her after a long day of running around.

After a moment of silence, Emperor Jingtai finally spoke, a slight hint of laughter in his voice.

“Official Ying, you’ve worked hard today. The greatest credit for finding Qi Zheng’s son today belongs to you!”

Ads by Pubfuture

[Qi Zheng’s son? Ah, if I were to say now that I was only running around all day, getting myself covered in dust and grime, to save Granny Lin’s grandson, would His Majesty think I’m ungrateful? After all, many officials in the court seem to look down on commoners…]

Jiuque looked up at the taciturn General Qi but didn’t see the child behind him, feeling a bit regretful.

For some reason, Emperor Jingtai’s expression seemed somewhat twisted. He forcibly suppressed the roar in his heart, maintaining a peaceful demeanor.

“Official Ying is truly a lucky star. First, you saved Us, then you saved the child of Our sworn brother, and you even captured the enemy leader alive. You are not to be underestimated. We see that your position as Patrol Censor is due for another promotion.”

“Your Majesty flatters me.”

[Feels like I’m just here for formalities. I’m not close with the old Emperor; he definitely wants to reward his own brothers and close aides. Maybe he’s just using me as a shield against dissenting voices? Yikes, the official circles are dark. Maybe I’ll be impeached within three days. I’m so pitiful, wailing… But then I could resign and retire! The old Emperor gave me so much gold and silver. I could take Xiao Niba and the others to somewhere warmer south of the Yangtze River for fun. ‘Setting off for Yangzhou in the third month of spring amidst blooming flowers’ – beautiful scenery, beautiful people, delicious food… the great joys of life, oh ho ho ho…]

“……”

Emperor Jingtai rubbed the space between his eyebrows. Alright then. No need to worry about her achievements overshadowing the sovereign, because that particular string simply isn’t strung in her mind!

“Ahem! Ahem!”

At that moment, Qi Zheng coughed slightly into his fist and gave the Emperor a meaningful look. Understanding, Emperor Jingtai asked with some excitement:

“Official Ying, those two weapons you handed over to Qi Zheng’s guard tonight, did you make them yourself?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, yes, I did.”

[Uh, did I break some kind of taboo? I think making loud noises after dark is forbidden in the capital? But it wasn’t intentional…]

“…How difficult are they to make? Are the costs high?”

“Replying to Your Majesty, somewhat difficult. The cost… well, shouldn’t be too high? It was my first time making them, and I wasted some materials. In the end, it cost about one tael of silver.”

“Can they be mass-produced?”

“This…”

[I haven’t tried. Making these things is too dangerous. If you’re not careful, they might explode!]

It might explode!

Knowing the weapon’s formidable power, Emperor Jingtai’s pupils contracted sharply! So dangerous?!