A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City-Chapter 125

"Immortal Master, may I ask what you mean by the celestial signs and fate?" The Ming family listened with trepidation, yet feared that asking too much might bring trouble upon the two immortal masters. After hesitating for a long while, it was Shen Ying, the only other woman present, who finally gathered the courage to voice the question.

"Oh," the elder Daoist master lifted her gaze to the sky. "They are things that may change at any moment. Bending down to pick up a leaf or speaking an extra word—any of these could alter one's destiny."

The Ming family grew even more perplexed.

"In this life, one should simply do good deeds without obsessing over the future," the elder Daoist chuckled. "Life and death are both predestined and yet not—everything hinges on a single thought."

Realizing this was the wisdom of a true master—something they might never fully grasp—the Ming family took comfort in knowing that as long as Jiuzhu remained safe, nothing else mattered.

"The feng shui of the capital is unfavorable for our cultivation. We shall return to Lingzhou tomorrow," the elder Daoist said, performing a Daoist salute to the Ming family. "There’s no need for you to trouble yourselves with hospitality. Please rest."

"Immortal Masters," Ming Jiyuan spoke up as the two prepared to leave, "Jiuzhu misses you dearly. Won’t you stay in the capital for a few days so she may reunite with you? At dawn, I’ll send word to the palace to request her presence."

"Tomorrow’s matters can wait for tomorrow. For now, let us sleep," the elder Daoist yawned. Capital folk had one flaw—they stayed up far too late. It was already past midnight, yet everyone remained wide awake.

"We wouldn’t dare disturb your rest any longer. Please, this way." Ming Jiyuan felt relieved. Since the masters hadn’t outright refused, it meant they wished to see Jiuzhu.

At the first light of dawn, Jiuzhu jolted awake from her dream. Staring at the ornate canopy above her bed, it took her a moment to gather her bearings.

"Awake so early?" Yun Duqing drowsily wrapped an arm around her waist. "Sleep a little longer."

"Your Highness, I dreamed of my masters."

Hearing the longing and melancholy in her voice, Yun Duqing opened his eyes and sat up, pulling the blankets snugly around them both. "Do you miss them?"

"I dreamed they were chasing me with a giant pot of medicine," Jiuzhu shuddered. "The last time I had such a nightmare was when I secretly poured out my medicine as a child."

"Ah, Little Pig, you were quite the troublemaker, weren’t you?" Yun Duqing ruffled her hair affectionately, amused by her guilty expression. "Rest another half-hour. Later, I’ll accompany you to visit your parents."

"Alright." Jiuzhu drowsily curled against his chest and drifted back to sleep, though not before tugging the blanket over Yun Duqing’s exposed arm.

Her antics left him wide awake. Glancing down at the peacefully slumbering "Little Pig," he couldn’t help but laugh. True to her nickname, she fell asleep in an instant.

Quietly dressing, he instructed Yang Yiduo to prepare a carriage—he and the Crown Princess would be visiting the Ming residence.

"Your Highness," Yang Yiduo hesitated, "given your recent ascension as Crown Prince, visiting Minister Ming’s household so soon might give the impression that you favor your in-laws."

"Isn’t that the truth?" Yun Duqing retorted with unshakable confidence.

Yang Yiduo was momentarily speechless at his master’s bluntness.

True as it may be, some things didn’t need to be stated so plainly.

"Your Highness, the officials for the Household Administration have been selected. Will you meet them today?" Yang Yiduo changed the subject, mentioning the newly assembled staff.

By tradition, a few trusted advisors of the Crown Prince’s own choosing would be included. However, since His Highness had only recently become heir apparent and had never kept a retinue of strategists, the entire Household Administration had been appointed by the Emperor and the Ministry of Personnel. Yun Duqing himself hadn’t lifted a finger in the matter.

"Even without meeting them, I can guess they’re all familiar faces from the capital. Whether I see them now or later makes no difference—no need to trouble them with unnecessary formalities." Yun Duqing waved magnanimously. "They can report for duty in three days."

Most newly appointed officials sought to make an immediate impression, yet His Highness couldn’t even be bothered to light the customary "three fires" of authority?

"Understood. I shall relay your wishes to their households."

Far from feeling relieved, the newly appointed officials grew uneasy upon hearing the Crown Prince wasn’t in a hurry to meet them. Did his indifference signal dissatisfaction? Or did he doubt their capabilities?

Capital officials were prone to overthinking. Unable to decipher the Crown Prince’s intentions, they resolved to prove their worth once they assumed their posts.

Meanwhile, the subject of their speculation—Yun Duqing—had already arrived at the Ming residence by carriage with Jiuzhu. At the gate, they crossed paths with Ming Jiyuan, who was on his way to deliver a message to the palace.

"Sister, you’ve returned just in time!" Ming Jiyuan brightened. "Your masters are here. Go see them at once!"

Jiuzhu’s masters were here?

Yun Duqing instinctively checked his attire—was everything in order?

The moment she heard the news, Jiuzhu grabbed his hand and charged toward the inner courtyard, only to find him rooted in place.

"Your Highness?" She turned back, puzzled.

"Ah, nothing. Let’s go." After straightening his robes with dignified composure, he intended to make a graceful entrance—only for Jiuzhu to yank him along like a whirlwind.

"Elder Master! Second Master!" Spotting her teachers, Jiuzhu released his hand and flung herself into the arms of the two Daoists, who were mid-breakfast.

With practiced ease, each master raised a bowl in one hand while embracing her with the other, not spilling a drop of porridge. "Easy now, don’t knock over the food!"

"I missed you so much!" Jiuzhu nuzzled against them, heedless of the bowls.

Yun Duqing adjusted his hat and sleeves before stepping forward with a respectful bow. "This junior, Yun Duqing, greets the two masters."

"No need for formalities, Your Highness." The elder master settled Jiuzhu onto a chair, pressed a pastry into her hands, then nodded graciously at Yun Duqing. "Please, have a seat."

Though mountain-dwelling Daoists, they carried themselves with neither subservience nor arrogance, their warm expressions suggesting approval of the prince.

"Jiuzhu often writes of you in her letters," the second master said, handing Yun Duqing a pastry in the same manner she had just pacified Jiuzhu. "Seeing you in person confirms it—you carry yourself with noble bearing."

"You honor me with your praise." Yun Duqing dragged a stool beside Jiuzhu and began nibbling the pastry, looking every bit the contented disciple.

Exchanging glances, the Ming family quietly withdrew, leaving the four to their reunion.

"You’ve gained weight," the second master pinched Jiuzhu’s plump cheeks. "The capital’s cuisine must agree with you."

"Second Master, most elders tell their juniors they’ve grown thinner," Jiuzhu protested, hiding her face against Yun Duqing’s chest.

With a polite smile, Yun Duqing shielded her with his sleeve.

"Tch." The second master withdrew her hand and returned to her meal.

The Grand Taoist noticed how Yun Duqing shielded Jiuzhu without hesitation and set down her chopsticks: "Seeing you doing well puts my mind at ease, as well as your Second Master’s. We’ll set off back to Lingzhou in two days."

"First Master," Jiuzhu tugged at her sleeve, "could you and Second Master stay in the capital a little longer?"

"The feng shui here isn’t suitable," the Grand Taoist replied calmly, glancing at Yun Duqing. "Your Second Master and I aren’t accustomed to it."

"Did you come all this way just to see if I was doing well?" Lingzhou was thousands of miles from the capital—her two masters had traveled over mountains and rivers just to check on her.

"You think too highly of yourself," the Second Taoist raised a hand to poke Jiuzhu’s forehead but, noticing Yun Duqing’s poorly concealed concern, curled her finger and lightly tapped Jiuzhu’s head instead. "Someone paid us handsomely to perform a ritual, so we took the opportunity to visit you."

Jiuzhu didn’t believe it for a second—her masters were so lazy they wouldn’t even wash their own bowls. There was no way they’d travel this far just for money.

Still, she didn’t call them out. Instead, she gently took both their hands.

"Little Pig, you stay and talk with your masters. I’ll go keep Father-in-law company." Yun Duqing stood, bowed respectfully to the two Taoists, and closed the door behind him. Before it shut, he caught the warmth in their eyes—full of affection for Jiuzhu.

He didn’t go find Ming Jingzhou. Instead, he stood beneath a pomegranate tree in the courtyard, gazing up at the blooming flowers, and chuckled softly.

Ming Jiyuan, standing outside the courtyard, noticed this scene and hesitated before stepping in. After a moment, he turned and walked along the wall, calling over Ming Cunfu, who was buried in his books.

"Third Brother, make it quick. Don’t interrupt my studies—I’ve got the imperial exams to prepare for," Ming Cunfu leaned against the wall, eyes still glued to his book.

"Nothing ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‍important. I just wanted someone to stand with me."

Look how pitiful a man without a wife is—no one to keep him company.

"What’s that look for?" Ming Jiyuan raised an eyebrow.

"Admiration," Ming Cunfu replied, eyeing the chunk of wall Ming Jiyuan had absentmindedly crushed. He swallowed. "I envy you for having passed the exams. Unlike me, stuck here studying day and night."

"Tell me," Ming Jiyuan ignored his teasing, "what do you think fate is?"

"Fate?" Ming Cunfu’s mind was foggy from memorizing texts, so he answered without thinking. "It’s like waking up hungry and wanting dumplings, but only having buns—or wanting dumplings and getting them. The first is regret, the second is fulfillment."

"You’re right," Ming Jiyuan nodded, enlightened. "Wise words, Sixth Brother."

Watching him walk away, Ming Cunfu frowned in confusion. What had gotten into Third Brother?

"Mother, Du Qingke sent this," Prince Jing placed a book in Concubine Wei’s hands. "He claims yesterday’s incident was due to incompetent subordinates, not his intention. He says this contains what you seek."

Concubine Wei sneered. She wouldn’t believe a single word from Du Qingke.

Opening the book, she found it was a play script.

The story told of two descendants of the previous dynasty who became Taoists, raised a disciple, and used her to seduce a prince—all to overthrow the current regime and avenge their ancestors.

"What nonsense is this—"

She was about to toss it aside when a sudden realization struck her. Her expression twisted into excitement as she turned to Prince Jing. "My son, imagine if someone attempted to assassinate the Emperor and Empress, and all evidence pointed to Ming Jiuzhu. What then?"

Before Prince Jing could answer, she cut him off. "No—Du Qingke must be involved too. If I recall correctly, the Du family is an ancient lineage, nobles even before the previous dynasty fell."

A grand scheme where the head of a noble house and the Crown Princess conspired to avenge a dynasty dead for two centuries—now that would be a spectacle.

With Jiuzhu implicated, Yun Duqing would never inherit the throne.

"In a few days, it’s Grain in Ear. The Emperor and Su Meidai will attend the seedling-planting ritual in the outskirts," Concubine Wei tossed the book into a brazier, watching it burn to ashes. "Tell Du Qingke to arrange the assassins. I’ll ensure someone inside coordinates with him."

"Mother, the Emperor and Empress are heavily guarded. The assassination may not succeed."

"Success isn’t the point. What matters is that Jiuzhu and Du Qingke are framed as the masterminds," Concubine Wei poured tea over the ashes. "If Su Meidai dies by the assassin’s hand, driving a wedge between the Crown Prince and his consort, even better."

"I understand, Mother." Prince Jing’s ordinarily bland face hardened with cold ruthlessness.

Thanks to Jiuzhu’s relentless pleading, the two Taoists postponed their departure until after the Grain in Ear festival.

What convinced them? The festival’s lavish feast.

As cultivators, they didn’t indulge in gluttony—they simply savored the flavors of the mortal world.

The seedling-planting ritual on Grain in Ear was a grand celebration, praying for bountiful harvests and peace for the people.

Empress Su donned her phoenix robes and, while selecting jewelry, spotted the peachwood gourd Jiuzhu had carved for her.

The gourd was round and charming. She picked it up and tied it to her waist.

"Your Majesty, is it appropriate to wear that today…?"

"Why wouldn’t it be?" Empress Su stroked the gourd, smiling. "Today, we pray to the heavens for blessings. This gourd symbolizes fortune—it’s perfect."

Xiangjuan laughed. "Of course! Anything the Crown Princess makes is bound to be auspicious. Wearing it ensures protection from evil, turns misfortune to fortune, and brings endless blessings."

Everyone in Bright Moon Palace knew how much the Empress adored the Crown Princess, so the attendants joined in the laughter.

The atmosphere was joyous.

"Enough laughing. Go to Kirin Palace and check if the Crown Princess is ready," Empress Su said warmly. "It’s her first time attending such a ritual. Have the protocol officers arrange for her and the Crown Prince to stand behind me. With Yun Duqing and me nearby, she won’t feel nervous."

She absently traced the peachwood gourd at her waist. "Also, prepare an extra set of robes for them. After the ritual, newlyweds often join in the mud-fighting games. I have a feeling those two won’t miss the fun."