Chapter 874: Chapter 518: The Third Letter from Great Li (Part 2)
Just after sending Xiao Qian’er to send a letter, he fully utilized his skills in time management and transportation, and after some hustle, he managed to send a ‘family letter’ before she returned.
A little fox demon prone to wild thoughts.
“I wonder if it has been received… Wondering, they shouldn’t crash into each other, right? Ugh, jinxing it…”
The young Confucian scholar muttered to himself, then shook his head, set aside his worries, and thought of ways to tease the ‘arrogant’ Xiao Qian’er…
About half an hour later.
Zhao Rong arrived at the forest where the imperial mausoleum was located with Xiao Qian’er.
However, he didn’t immediately go to the imperial mausoleum to rescue someone from the waterfall.
Upstream of the imperial mausoleum’s waterfall, in a part of the forest, Zhao Rong stopped and held back Xiao Qian’er, who wanted to run around and pick fruits.
He looked up at the sky.
Estimating the time.
According to the imperial mausoleum map left by the craftsmen he rescued yesterday.
Entering this Great Li imperial mausoleum isn’t difficult.
Even cultivators at the Tian Zhi realm find it hard to enter here, but as long as the mechanism technique is mastered, one can traverse it unimpeded.
This may be why Xue Cans and other string music Li women intended to silence the imperial mausoleum craftsmen as sacrifices.
Before the craftsmen left, they wrote down all these mechanism techniques for Zhao Rong.
Though they specially emphasized one point.
Due to the mausoleum’s confidentiality measures, entering requires not only the mechanism technique but also entering at specific times.
Those times are the Shen hour in daylight and Chou hour at midnight.
Before coming here, Zhao Rong carefully looked at the map twice.
Found the detailing was indeed meticulous, even parts of the mausoleum he doesn’t need to visit were marked with their functions and mechanism layouts.
Zhao Rong curiously glanced a few more times but then shifted his gaze.
Indeed, other tomb chambers are filled with gold and silver treasures, but he neither needs these nor is interested in tomb raiding…
Thus, later, when he brings Qian’er along, simply follow what’s written here.
He nodded, having somewhat grasped it.
Additionally…
“Though I must prevent Qian’er from being overwhelmingly curious and running around everywhere…”
Zhao Rong chuckled inwardly.
Retracting his gaze from the sky.
There’s still some time before the afternoon Shen hour, no rush to save people from the mausoleum, he decided to first go to meet his brother.
This was one of the two things Zhao Rong intended to do on this trip. After accomplishing them, he’ll return to think about moon fishing.
By the river upstream of the imperial mausoleum’s waterfall, within a bamboo grove.
There seemed to be newly erected buildings.
Uniform green bamboo cottage that stood out during autumn when bamboo leaves are sparse.
From the rooftops, faint smoke emerged, adding to the earthy aura.
Zhao Rong came here with a curious Xiao Qian’er.
His elder brother Zhang had brought family and servants to this location to guard the mausoleum of the Great Li former emperor, just not far from the waterfall’s upstream.
But Zhao Rong reckoned they didn’t know the mausoleum’s entrance, only generally the area.
Thus they settled here.
Currently, there are about a dozen houses in the bamboo grove.
Among them, at the edge of these structures, is a bamboo courtyard simply enclosed by a low fence.
The gate half-open.
A young Confucian scholar, in black robes, seemingly freshly bathed and clothed, with black hair draping over his shoulders, being lifted by the autumn breeze.
Sitting in a kneel position on the right couch of the tea table, holding a book with his left hand, supporting his temple with his right.
Eyes closed, head slightly bowed, half-asleep, half-awake.
His body swayed gently in the autumn breeze.
The tea mist from the cup beside him was wafting across his face.
The young Confucian scholar had a thin face and lips, with a determined outline like carved stone.
“Hui Zhi brother, you indeed steal half a day of leisure well.”
Zhao Rong loudly laughed and called.
The young Confucian scholar slowly opened his eyes, looked calmly.
A young Confucian scholar, arms folded, stood by the courtyard gate.
Smiling at him.
Alongside the young scholar who came as promised was a pretty little girl, with an ethereal presence, sticking closely by his side, at this moment she was observing the surroundings and occasionally glancing inside the courtyard at him.
Zhang Huizhi took his gaze off Zhao Qian’er and looked at Zhao Rong, whose smile was clear.
“Brother Ziyu, you have come.”
He smiled slightly, rose from the couch, lightly exhaled, eyes half-closed, seemingly not fully awake.
Body slightly shaking when standing.
A sense of post-nap daze and calm.
“I must come, otherwise how could I know there is such a leisurely spot like brother Hui Zhi’s bamboo grove near the Sacrificial Moon Mountain. Haha, would Brother Hui Zhi accompany me in stealing leisure?”
Zhao Rong jested.
Zhang Huizhi nodded lightly, standing before the couch, clasped his fists towards the young scholar outside the gate, greeting him.
“Brother Ziyu, please come in. I was hoping for this.”
Only then did Zhao Rong grab his Confucian robe’s hem, step over the threshold, leading Zhao Qian’er into the courtyard, arriving at the tea table.
“Did His Majesty not send for Brother Hui Zhi to attend the celebratory ceremony?”
Zhang Huizhi shook his head, “I serve, representing His Majesty and the Empress Dowager in guarding the former emperor’s mausoleum, not suitable for such lively events.”
He glanced at Zhao Rong, “Besides, Brother Ziyu hasn’t gone either.”
“I’m different.”
Zhao Rong smiled, took a look around the tranquil bamboo courtyard, sighed:
“Such a place, bamboo leaves and clear wind, mountain fog and bright moon, accompanied by tea, wine, poetry, and books, with family and loyal servants… Guarding the mausoleum for three years is also three years of cultivating the heart and character, fulfilling loyalty, propriety, integrity, and trust, perfecting self-cultivation and family harmony. When Brother Hui Zhi emerges later, it will indeed be time to govern the nation and pacify the world.”
Zhao Rong spoke jokingly.
Zhang Huizhi seriously shook his head, “I am but a foolish scholar, wouldn’t dare to harbor such dreams.”
At this time, the northern house door opened, a plain woman arrived with a fruit platter and wine jug, respectfully came to the tea table.
The woman carried herself with dignity, lowered her head, hands raised to serve, placing the wine and snacks on the table.
“Young Master Zhao, please enjoy.”
She respectfully greeted Zhao Rong.
Zhao Rong waved his hand, hurriedly reached out, trying to help with the platter, smiling helplessly:
“Sister-in-law, no need for formality, I’m Zhao Ziyu, just call me Ziyu.”
Zhang Huizhi didn’t look at the woman, sat kneeling with a straight back, calm face, at this moment reached out, pressing Zhao Rong’s assisting hand down.
“Let guests follow the host’s arrangements, these minor tasks are for my wife to handle, it’s not proper to let guests do them.”
Zhao Rong glanced at the rigid and serious young scholar, and the respectful plain wife, had no choice but to nod, withdrawing his hand.
Then, he secretly glanced at Xiao Qian’er beside him.
Eyes fixed on the newly served wine, the little girl caught the gaze and paused slightly, then understood.
Brother Rong’er was hinting for her to learn from ‘other people’s wives’.
Little Qian’er snorted softly twice.
Hmm, being a scholar’s wife requires going all out? Besides, it’s not like she is disrespectful, she and the young lady make you look impressive in public… Besides… why don’t you learn from scholar Zhang Huizhi, with just one plain wife and one child, how many do you want? Brother Rong’er, are you a flirt?
Little Qian’er didn’t concede, also glanced sideways, giving Zhao Rong a look about ‘other people’s husbands’.
Zhao Rong: “…”
As the young couple exchanged glances subtly.
Zhang Huizhi asked the plain woman: “Yun Niang, where is Fu’er?”
The woman replied meekly: “Fu’er napped a bit during noon, and then carried on with the tasks given by Master this morning for an hour, after finishing, practiced calligraphy quietly in the northern house, up till now, waiting for Master to provide more tasks…”
“Let him continue practicing calligraphy.”
“Yes.”
The plain woman responded and retreated.
…