Chapter 77

Su Ci slept for half a day. When she got up in the afternoon, she was completely recovered. Her strength returned, and she had a good appetite. She ate a bowl of porridge with stir-fried vegetables and salted egg yolk, feeling full and completely revitalized.

Yang Yanzong was very happy and rewarded the small kitchen staff. He didn’t go out today and enthusiastically brought out the revolving lantern from last year’s Valentine’s Day on August 15th. Su Ci had stored it in a box lined with soft velvet, keeping it well-preserved. Seeing it, his mood visibly lifted. He carefully took it out, cleaned it with a fine cotton cloth, and lit the candle.

The revolving lantern spun around, and he held it in his hand, smiling as he looked down at it. After admiring it for a moment, he turned to look at Su Ci, who was sitting at the table, resting her chin in her hands, watching him. His lips curled up, and his fingers gently touched the side of the beautiful woman’s face depicted on the lantern.

Huh? Su Ci then realized that the woman looked familiar!

Yang Yanzong placed the revolving lantern on the table. She widened her eyes in curiosity and looked closely. Oh, it was her! Did he paint it?

The afternoon sun slanted across the corridor, casting a dim light in the room without lamps. The exquisite revolving lantern spun around, showing the blue-clad beauty playing with a fan, chasing butterflies, frolicking among the flowers, shyly looking back, and covering her face with a silk fan. The detailed brushwork of her raven-black eyebrows and eyes was lifelike, illuminated by the yellow candlelight, making her look as if she might step out of the painting.

Su Ci exclaimed, “Ah!” and turned to look at Yang Yanzong. He smiled, leaned in, and kissed her lips. He leaned against the soft couch, holding her by his side. They spent half an hour playing with the revolving lantern.

Yang Yanzong stroked her porcelain-white cheek, holding her hand in his palm, playing with her fingertips, and interlocking their fingers. He softly asked, “Do you want to visit the fief?”

“The fief?”

“Yes.”

He wanted to take her out for some fun, and they hadn’t visited their fief yet. After some thought, Yang Yanzong kissed her and said with a smile, “Tell them to pack up. We’ll leave tomorrow morning.”

To the fief?

Su Ci hadn’t been out for a while, and she got excited at the idea. “Great, great! Let’s go to bed early tonight!”

She became cheerful, smiling brightly. Yang Yanzong was very happy to see this. He kissed her and immediately got up to instruct the servants to prepare. He walked around the room, even personally overseeing Nanny Zhang and others as they packed their clothes and belongings, occasionally giving instructions and keeping everyone busy.

Despite the hustle and bustle, the entire main courtyard was filled with joy, including A Kang and A Zhao. Everyone was smiling and enthusiastic. The masters had reconciled, which was truly wonderful!

From top to bottom, everyone was happy, preparing for the trip the next day.

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Of course, Yang Yanzong had a fief. He was granted the title of marquis, and this newly assigned fief, Changyi, was located in Xiangzhou. It was pretty close, about 400 li (approximately 200 kilometers) west of Yangdu, across the Great Western Ridge.

According to Yang Yanzong, there was a mountain path through the Great Western Ridge. If they rode horses, they could reach it in a day with fast horses or a bit more than a day at a slower pace.

However, the mountain path was narrow and unsuitable for carriages. Usually, they would have to take the longer route around the Great Western Ridge via Rong’an Road, which would take several days.

Su Ci asked about the fief. Yang Yanzong smiled somewhat intriguingly and said, “The scenery is very nice.” That’s why he wanted to take her out for some fun.

They went to bed early that night and left at dawn the next day.

The weather was great, with a clear blue sky and a rising sun. The sky was covered with a thin layer of feather-like clouds, allowing the golden sunlight to gently spread over the land. It wasn’t cloudy or too hot. As they rode out of the city, the cool breeze carrying the scent of earth hit their faces, lifting their spirits.

The journey was indeed quite enjoyable.

The group took a small path, as taking a detour would waste too much time. Riding their horses, they enjoyed the beautiful scenery of the Great Western Ridge.

Yang Yanzong and Su Ci rode together, with him holding her as they slowly made their way along the mountain path, occasionally leaning down to kiss her gently.

Along the way, they didn’t rush. They tasted local snacks, admired the strange trees and flowing streams, and stopped to enjoy anything that caught Su Ci’s interest. Only after fully indulging did they continue their journey.

This leisurely pace was truly enjoyable, and Su Ci’s spirits soared. She looked around eagerly, and as they entered the mountains, the air became refreshingly cool. She took off her sun hat, laughing and looking around with excitement.

The mountain scenery was indeed beautiful, with rushing gorges, ancient pines, and breathtaking views of the great river. They sweated from all the fun, and Yang Yanzong wiped her face with a handkerchief. After passing through the mountains, they found a stunning cherry blossom lake near Changyi.

The lake, shaped like the character “吕,” was as smooth as a mirror, blending seamlessly with the sky. Wild cherry blossoms surrounded the lake, and in early April, the late cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The vibrant pink flowers covered the mountains and valleys, creating a breathtaking pink ocean reflected in the clear, endless water.

“Wow, wow!” Su Ci exclaimed several times, marveling at the natural beauty untouched by human hands. Yang Yanzong had said the scenery in Changyi was beautiful, and it truly was!

As she admired the view, a mountain breeze blew, causing the cherry blossoms to fall like rain. Su Ci reached out to catch them, feeling the soft petals brush against her cheek and land in her palm. It was a fantastic feeling!

They dismissed their guards and attendants, and Yang Yanzong led her through the blooming forest on horseback. The occasional flower rain made the scene incredibly beautiful and romantic.

They rode to the lakeshore, where short camellia bushes grew in clusters. The ground was covered with a thick layer of cherry blossom petals, which rolled like a pink carpet in the wind, creating a vibrant and stunning sight.

Yang Yanzong kissed her, and the two of them rolled off the horse and down the hillside, tumbling all the way down to the tea flower grove at the bottom of the slope. The lush tea flowers covered them, and thick cherry petals rose and fell around them. He took off his cloak and spread it on the ground, rolling with her on top of it.

Here we go again.

Since they reconciled a couple of days ago, Yang Yanzong has been almost inseparable from her. Their intimate moments have become very frequent, at least two or three times a day. This is still considering that she is a bit weak and he is holding back; otherwise, it would probably be more. He really wishes he could brand her with his mark. Su Ci is struggling to keep up with him; her endurance is about to be exceeded, but he is already on the verge of losing control. She pushed him away a couple of times, finally gasping, “No, don’t take off your clothes.”

It was outdoors, and she knew the guards would follow from a distance, so she always worried.

Yang Yanzong chuckled lightly, kissed her, and said, “Alright, then don’t take the clothes! I’ll do whatever you say!” He held her tightly, opened his outer robe to cover her, only unfastened his belt, and took off his lower garments, embracing her, muffling her moans with a deep kiss.

Petals fell like rain, and the wind brushing over the lake stirred the water. Two slender white legs were hidden beneath a robe while a heron flew by, preening its feathers by the lake. Pairs of them intertwined their necks, and the cherry blossom petals rolled and crushed within the tea flowers. The hair was scented with the rich fragrance of flowers. From the early morning until noon, it gradually stopped, and a gust of wind blew, scattering cherry blossom rain.

By the time they left Cherry Blossom Lake, it was already afternoon. The sun’s shadow was slightly slanted, and the sunlight was golden and bright.

Su Si was feeling a bit lazy, leaning against Yang Yanzong’s embrace. After resting for a while, she perked up again just as they were about to enter Changyi and began to look around eagerly.

Over the next two days, the two of them explored all the scenic spots inside and outside Changyi. They visited places like “Yongxue Pavilion,” “Little Tang Mountain,” “Hekou Waterfall,” and “Canglan Temple.” Not to mention, Changyi was indeed a beautiful place with simple folk customs, and they had a fantastic time .

Su Ci couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you need to meet the officials here first?”

They said they were out for fun, but since they were already here, it would be normal to handle some official business as well.

Su Ci tilted her head to look at him, but Yang Yanzong had spent the past two days just playing with her. They hadn’t even entered Changyi City, and he didn’t seem to intend to do so.

Yang Yanzong kissed her forehead, wrapped his arm around her waist, and let the big brown horse trot lightly. “No need; everything is arranged.”

“No need?” But Su Ci still felt something was off in his eyes. Not just now, overlooking the mountains and rivers of Changyi, but for the past two days. How to put it… his eyes seemed a bit distant. No, that’s not right either. He had been enthusiastic and interested in the surrounding scenery, but this interest was solely in accompanying her for fun, with everything else seeming unimportant.

But that didn’t make sense. This was his fief, his first legitimate territory. Yang Yanzong’s attitude seemed a bit off.

Su Ci, being sharp, quickly realized, “Is there something wrong with this fief?”

Yang Yanzong smiled. His Ci’er was indeed smart!

He loved her even more and kissed her soft cheek again. Then he straightened up. They had just come down from the waterfall and were now at the southern foot of Dayan Mountain, a branch of the Great Western Ridge, overlooking the entire Changyi and its surrounding areas. Yang Yanzong stopped the horse and showed Su Ci the terrain. “The Valley River cuts off the Great Western Ridge. The river abruptly ends the mountain range, and the southern bank’s terrain is far less steep than the northern bank.”

“The Valley River brings abundant water to the Changyuan Plain, which is great for irrigation but has a major drawback: too many tributaries make it easy to attack.”

Yang Yanzong pointed with his whip to a nearby spot and said, “Look, Changyi is backed by Dayan Mountain and faces Changyuan. Although it is surrounded by mountains and faces the plain, it is unfortunately a wide-open area with no natural barriers all the way to Jinzhou.”

Finally, Yang Yanzong concluded, “This place has mountains, water, and a rich population, but it has no defensive potential.”

It looked good, but this place could be abandoned directly if anything happened.

Yang Yanzong was indifferent, as it was not a place worth his effort to manage.

“Is that so?” Su Ci listened, half understanding, and looked around as he pointed. After hearing this, she couldn’t help but feel a bit disappointed and was silent for a while. “Do we have any other business to attend to?”

“No rush, we’ll go in the afternoon.” He touched her face, feeling a bit sunburned, and pulled up the thin hood of her cloak. He tugged the reins, turned the horse’s head, and headed down the mountain.

They first had lunch, eating mountain delicacies in a small town at the foot of the mountain. There wasn’t much meat, but it was very fresh. After filling their stomachs, they got back on their horses. Before setting off, Yang Yanzong went to meet Ji Yuanhao.

Ji Yuanhao had also come over. His fief was in the neighboring Yangyi, which was connected to Changyi. The two had casually chatted before, and since they were coming, Yang Yanzong sent a message to the Marquis of Yangyi’s residence. Ji Yuanhao happened to be free, so he came along.

However, Ji Yuanhao brought his family and took the main road, not traveling with them. One group took the mountain path, enjoying the scenery, while the other escorted the carriage slowly. The latter group arrived today.

Yang Yanzong first pulled the reins and galloped to the left side of the field. After about half an hour, they approached the road connecting to Rong’an Road. The wind blew across the field, and from a distance, Su Ci saw a line of carriages winding along the road.

Yang Yanzong stopped the horse on a gentle slope ahead, and soon, Ji Yuanhao’s group arrived.

“That fast?” Ji Yuanhao laughed heartily, riding his horse against the wind. As he reached the slope, the carriages and horsemen behind him followed, stopping at the foot of the hill.

Ji Yuanhao was also on a semi-leisure trip, bringing many family members along, including Mrs. Ren, Ji Chengtian, the young Ji Zimu, and several older boys Su Ci didn’t recognize.

Mrs. Ren lifted the carriage curtain, smiling as she got out and bowed to Yang Yanzong, who nodded in return. The children also gave their greetings.

As for Su Ci, she sat on horseback, cupping her hands to greet Ji Yuanhao and Mrs. Ren. She wore a fitted, deep purple modified Hu dress with sleeves tied up for convenience, her hair styled in two buns, looking both charming and spirited. She clasped her fists in salute.

Ji Yuanhao smiled at her and returned the salute while Mrs. Ren exchanged a smile with her. After their previous incident, they had formed a good sisterly bond. Although Su Ci hadn’t visited Mrs. Ren’s residence often, Mrs. Ren had come to her house, and they frequently exchanged nice things they found.

Ji Chengtian, riding beside his sister-in-law and nephews, glanced at Su Ci cautiously. Su Ci tried to ignore him, pretending not to see. He quickly looked away, not daring to look again, fearing the sharp-eyed man would notice.

Yang Yanzong didn’t pay attention to the women in the carriage, as staring at them would be impolite. After nodding to Mrs. Ren, he turned his gaze away, turned his horse, and looked towards the small hill to the west with Ji Yuanhao. “Shall we go?”

Ji Yuanhao nodded, “Let’s go then.” He turned back, walked to the carriage, and gave a few instructions. Ji Chengtian volunteered to escort his sister-in-law to the other estate, so he didn’t join them. However, he took the remaining children with him, as it was time for them to gain some experience.

Su Ci turned and saw Mrs. Ren standing on the carriage shaft, adjusting Ji Yuanhao’s collar. Ji Yuanhao held her hand, saying a few words, and she smiled, replying softly. The afternoon sun was hot, and the children had already put on light cloaks. Mrs. Ren also shook out a dark cloak, draping it over Ji Yuanhao and fastening it, carefully smoothing the ties. Then, she watched him ride away with the children.

Mrs. Ren’s movements were gentle, and when she looked up at Ji Yuanhao, her eyes seemed to shine with a tender and affectionate light. Although she was usually gentle, this moment felt entirely different, something that couldn’t be faked.

Su Ci was a bit stunned by this. After riding for a while, she couldn’t help but glance at Ji Yuanhao. This man, with his handsome and heroic appearance, was actually the epitome of a modern man. Although he didn’t care much and was devoted to his wife, Mrs. Ren, he had many people in his household. There were those he couldn’t refuse from the Fourth Prince in the past, gifts from superiors and subordinates over the years, and tribute girls from the Kun family. Some had children and stayed, while others were sent away due to issues, but Mrs. Ren managed all.

Mrs. Ren never disappointed him. They were a deeply affectionate couple, but of the four children Ji Yuanhao brought this time, besides Ji Zimu and his twelve-year-old second son, the other two boys, around ten and eight or nine years old, were not Mrs. Ren’s children, as far as Su Ci knew.

Mrs. Ren currently had only two children, but Ji Yuanhao had eleven or twelve children in total.

“What are you looking at?”

She had been staring at Ji Yuanhao for a while, and Yang Yanzong, feeling jealous, bit her ear lightly, grinding his teeth and asking in a low voice. He wore a sour expression, his jealousy almost palpable.

Su Ci rolled her eyes, “What’s there to look at?” She wasn’t interested in a man with a harem!

Su Ci glared at him, turned her head away in displeasure, and stared ahead.

Yang Yanzong, though blocked by her words, felt quite pleased. He adjusted her hood, hugged her, and spurred the horse into a gallop.

The group took a detour and went directly into the mountains, disguised in plain clothes, finally arriving at a hidden mountain ridge.

This place was sparsely populated but large. As soon as Su Ci entered, she noticed something was off. “Huh? What’s going on here?”

The vegetation on the slope and the area below was particularly sparse, with only short, scattered plants, unlike the lush surrounding mountains. In fact, it was quite different from the entire environment of Changyi.

In the past two days, Su Ci had seen that Changyi, with its abundant water and fertile land, was mostly covered in blooming flowers and lush vegetation.

Yang Yanzong didn’t dismount. He pointed with his whip to something grayish-white, resembling rock, exposed in the cracks of the brown soil not far away. “Kaolin, do you know? This is of tribute quality.”

Kaolin, the main raw material for making porcelain? Of course, Su Ci knew.

But unlike in later times, ancient kaolin was graded. The best, whitest, purest, and finest kaolin was of tribute quality, reserved exclusively for royal use. If commoners or lower ranks used it, the consequences were severe. However, this tribute-quality kaolin mine could be very profitable. By mixing a certain amount of top-grade kaolin into mid-grade kaolin, the resulting porcelain would be exceptionally fine and beautiful. In times of peace, porcelain and antiques were highly valued. The Da Qing dynasty greatly prized beautiful porcelain, especially in the Jiangnan region, where wealthy families were abundant. If they controlled these tribute-quality kaolin mines, they could become a significant source of wealth for Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao. At their level, the need for money would only increase.

Yes, there were several tribute-grade kaolin mines of various sizes distributed in the mountains of Changyi and Yangyi. The local people didn’t recognize them, and the area wasn’t suitable for farming, with no villages around. Hunters usually avoided this barren land, making it very easy to manage.

Ji Yuanhao chuckled, “How interesting.”

Giving them a fief and digging a pit for them, the Kun family really went to great lengths. However, Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao were not the kind of people who were easily trapped. Even if they didn’t care much about the fief, they still ordered a thorough investigation of the area.

Yang Yanzong calmly instructed, “Seal it back up and restore it to its original state.”

Pretend they didn’t know.

Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao rode side by side, leaving the mountain hollow. They stopped on a high slope, and Ji Yuanhao adjusted his sleeves, smiling, “I heard a rumor that they intend to make us regional governors.”

Regional governors, responsible for local administration and military command, would require them to handle both roles. Compared to their current positions, it wasn’t clear which was higher. However, the candidate locations were very far apart, almost one in the east, one in the west, one in the south, and one in the north. If it came true, it would separate Yang and Ji.

Yang Yanzong smirked, and Ji Yuanhao smiled without speaking; they understood everything without words.

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After inspecting and handling the kaolin mines, Yang Yanzong and Ji Yuanhao didn’t stay long. They soon parted ways, each heading to their own fief.

As for Yang Yanzong and Su Ci, he took her straight to the north. He had recently built a new villa in the north. When they arrived, it had just been finished and ventilated. They spent two days decorating it, and today they were going to see it. It turned out to be a hot spring villa. Changyi had geothermal resources, and Yang Yanzong had it built in the style of a Jiangnan villa, with green bricks and black tiles, flowing water, and light smoke. Su Ci sat barefoot on a large rock by the stream, looking up at the starry sky. The night was quiet, and the scenery was breathtakingly beautiful.

Yang Yanzong had gone down the mountain. He remembered seeing candied haws at the market, which Su Ci loved, so he went down to buy some for her.

Sigh.

Su Ci lay down on the big rock, feeling a bit dazed. After that night, the barrier between them had passed. Her moment of weakness softened his tough attitude a bit, and he agreed to wait for her, but not for too long.

Sigh.

Su Ci didn’t know what to say. At that moment, she was indeed moved. After all, she knew Yang Yanzong’s character very well, and it was rare for him to go to such lengths. But after the intense emotions subsided and reason returned, she found herself conflicted and unsure of what to do. She wanted to respond to him but knew she couldn’t do it without reservations. She rested her chin in her hand, thinking of Mrs. Ren and Ji Yuanhao. She remembered the light in Mrs. Ren’s eyes when she looked at him and the courtyard full of concubines at Ji Yuanhao’s place.

Tsk, how to put it? If he breaks his promise and sleeps with other women, it would be really awkward. Expecting her to pour her heart out seems a bit like forcing a duck onto a perch.

Moreover, Su Ci has little confidence in love.

For example, her modern-day parents were once passionate lovers who eloped to be together. They must have loved each other so much, but unfortunately, their marriage didn’t last ten years before it fell apart. They divorced long ago, hiding it from Su Ci, but she still found out.

Then there’s her uncle, who always had multiple women. Her aunt constantly fought with his mistresses for over a decade, which was exhausting to watch.

So, Su Ci always believed that moderate emotions were the healthiest.

In modern times, she was young, beautiful, and came from a good family. She had many suitors, but she never stopped to pursue love. This was the fundamental reason.

She didn’t find love in modern times, and now…

It’s really frustrating!

She had feelings for Yang Yanzong, she wasn’t dead inside, but she couldn’t meet his expectations.

His expectations were probably like Mrs. Ren’s—not that having concubines was required, but he needed her to be wholeheartedly devoted, with her entire focus on him.

When Su Ci’s rationality returned, she felt overwhelmed.

For some reason, she kept thinking of Empress Dugu these past few days. If she were Empress Dugu, she probably wouldn’t have died in sorrow. She would have stabbed Yang Jian directly, making the scumbag eat dirt and die!

Thinking about it, she couldn’t help but laugh at herself. She was really overthinking it.

Alright, back to the point! She was currently unsure of what to do. She could feel Yang Yanzong’s urgent and passionate emotions. No matter what the future held, he had indeed changed and compromised a lot for her at this moment.

This man and his feelings were incredibly intense.

She felt a bit confused. If she remained completely indifferent as before, she would feel some guilt. But she couldn’t just ignore everything either.

Ah, it’s so frustrating.

Su Ci rubbed her face. No, she needed to sort things out first and then make a decision!

“Xiao Ci?” Yang Yanzong called her. He had returned, dismounted, and held a bright red skewer of candied haws. Su Ci cheered, sat up, and eagerly took it, examining it for a moment before taking a bite.

Ancient candied haws were delicious, much better than modern ones. The sugar tasted pure and wasn’t cloying but sweet and pleasant. She held the skewer to his mouth, but Yang Yanzong didn’t eat from the stick. Instead, he wanted to taste it from her mouth, sucking on it and finding it sweet as honey.

They finished the skewer together, and the maid reported that the hot spring was ready. Yang Yanzong picked her up and smiled, “Let’s go!”

He was delighted. Yang Yanzong had long wanted to find a hot spring. Hot spring baths and medicinal meals would heal her injuries better. Unfortunately, the only geothermal area near Yangdu was in the Great Western Ridge Palace, which was off-limits. He had searched for a long time without success, but unexpectedly, Changyi had one. This unappealing fief had an unexpected benefit that pleased him. They undressed and slid into the hot spring. The pool was large, and Su Ci swam several laps before lying on the smooth white stone. Yang Yanzong embraced her from behind, kissing her back. He touched the scar on her abdomen and reminded her, “Remember to apply some pearl cream later.”

He cared more about this scar than she did, having specially ordered several types of scar-removing pearl cream, which he applied to her daily. Su Ci turned around, wrapped her arms around his neck, and leaned against the pool wall.

The hot spring was steaming, and there was also a cold spring. The water flowed from hot to cold, adjustable according to the season. It was indeed a wonderful place.

However, no matter how good the hot spring villa was, it couldn’t cover up the shortcomings of the fief. If she could choose, Su Ci would rather not have the hot spring. She couldn’t help but feel regretful, “Sigh, it’s such a pity. This fief is really too bad.”

Yang Yanzong heard this and let out a cold snort, indifferently saying, “Don’t worry; what’s mine can’t be taken by anyone.” He didn’t care much about this unimportant fief.

Huh? What did he mean?

Su Ci turned her head to look at him. He smiled, “Shall I tell you?”

Su Ci quickly covered her ears, laughing, “No, don’t say it. I don’t want to hear!” She pushed off the pool wall like a fish, but Yang Yanzong grabbed her back. He tickled her, making her laugh, and tried to speak, but she refused to listen, kicking him hard.

They played around, splashing water everywhere. Seeing her face turn red from the heat, Yang Yanzong finally stopped and lifted her out of the water.

After drying off, he knelt down to apply scar cream to her wound. Yang Yanzong examined it carefully, feeling satisfied that it had lightened a bit. He put the cream aside, and they went outside to sit on the large lounge chair in the courtyard, drying each other’s hair under the starry sky. It was cozy and comfortable, but Su Ci was still worried. She turned over and asked, “When are we going back? Aren’t you afraid of being away for so long?”

In fact, her impression of the Kun family wasn’t much better than that of the old emperor, perhaps even worse.

Yang Yanzong threw away the cotton towel, touched her hand, feeling it was almost dry, and draped her cloak over her. He smiled and said, “What’s the rush? We can stay a few more days. The Kun family probably can’t bother us now.”

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