Yun Niang's Change of Heart (Seeking Follow-up Reads)

Chapter 28: Yunniang's Change of Heart (Please Follow)

The seditious poem was somewhat lacking in rhythm and rhyme.

Yet the boldness within it moved Academician Su despite himself.

"I'll take this poem with me."

"Lord Xu, the kindness of a meal... Su Che will remember it."

Before leaving, Academician Su fixed Xu Xing with a steady look and said those words.

Outside the imperial prison, Drums and music, pipes and reed instruments played.

The lively, festive melody continued without pause.

Zhao Yunniang, who had come to deliver food to the imperial prison, wore a face full of envy.

"Princess Anren's dowry could be called a bridal trousseau stretching ten li. Universal Aid Street in Benevolence Ward was packed full—all of it was Princess Anren's dowry. Rouge from Prosperity Harmony Tower, Flying Immortal embroidery from Jiangnan, fur garments from beyond the northern frontier, and more... every one of them was worth a fortune, yet His Majesty had cartload after cartload sent to Princess Anren..."

"The musicians playing pipes and drums in the streets are officials from the Imperial Music Office. Imperial Music Assistant Wang Mojie personally composed the music."

"And there are also lyrics Academician Su wrote for Princess Anren."

"Old folk who have lived many years all say that not even the Emperor and Empress's wedding had such splendor..."

When Xu Xing asked her about the grand spectacle of Princess Anren's marriage, she recounted it truthfully.

Word by word, she described the magnificent scene of the princess's wedding.

"Don't get too excited."

"You're carrying Zhang'er. Be careful."

Xu Xing gently patted Zhao Yunniang's fair hand and spoke softly.

More than a month had passed. With the medicinal effects of Musk Dragon Powder, Zhao Yunniang had "gotten her wish" and become pregnant.

Two days earlier, the physician had diagnosed Zhao Yunniang's pregnancy pulse.

"Yes, Husband."

"This servant understands."

Zhao Yunniang carefully sat down in the grand tutor's chair, her eyes brimming with tender affection as she looked at Xu Xing.

If she could, she hoped things would remain like this forever.

"Lord Han sent me this time..."

"To urge Husband to tell him the detailed steps for making glass."

"If this servant's guess is correct, his glassmaking has failed once again."

After a few sentences, Zhao Yunniang brought up the real matter.

"How could glass, worth more than gold, be so easily made successfully?"

"At the very least, the craft of making glass requires artisans who have steeped themselves in the trade for years."

"Lord Han is far too impatient."

Xu Xing shook his head.

His words were half true and half false.

Once one had grasped the detailed process of making glass, a few more attempts would be enough to produce acceptable glassware. The reason Han Sui repeatedly failed to make qualified glass was that several of the steps Xu Xing had given him contained slight deviations.

Those deviations would allow Han Sui to fire glass, but not qualified glass.

He could not stake his chance of getting out of prison on a single throw of the dice.

Plan A, Plan B... and so on—all had to be tried.

People's hearts were complex. Though he had served under Han Sui for two years, he still could not fathom Han Sui's thoughts. The day of his death was drawing ever closer. He was betting that, for the immense profits offered by glass, Han Sui might secretly have him transported out of the imperial prison to make glass himself...

Of course, if this method failed, he would try another.

He could not hang himself from a single tree.

Divine Capital, Han Residence.

Inside the study.

"That was what he said?"

"He does have a bit of scheming about him..."

The middle-aged man with graying hair looked deeply at the plainly dressed woman kneeling on the ground. He gave a soft laugh, then waved his hand, signaling for her to withdraw.

"My lord."

"Lord Xu refuses to readily reveal the key to making glass. In this subordinate's opinion, it would be better to kill him as soon as possible, lest the night grow long and dreams multiply."

The plainly dressed woman refused to leave. Raising her lovely head, she spoke.

If Xu Xing had been here, he would certainly have recognized this plainly dressed woman as Zhao Yunniang. And the "lord" Zhao Yunniang addressed was none other than Han Sui, Minister of the Imperial Stud.

"Kill him?"

"This is not something you need concern yourself with."

Han Sui's expression turned stern as he barked, "Withdraw!"

"Yes."

"My lord."

Zhao Yunniang's delicate body trembled at his words, and she slowly retreated from the study.

Once the study was empty, with only Han Sui left inside, he shook his head and muttered to himself, "I had meant to let Yunniang bear his child, seeing how respectful Xu Xing has always been toward me. Who would have thought... he had such a secret formula."

"He truly is a talent seen once in an age."

"Even the mathematical texts he wrote received high praise from the Director of the Imperial Astronomical Bureau."

"Given time, he might well have reached my position—or even gone a step further."

As his superior, Han Sui had always appreciated Xu Xing.

But unfortunately, Xu Xing's luck had been poor. With no powerful backer, he was the perfect man to take the blame. Han Sui had pushed him out to shoulder the grave crime of corruption in the Imperial Stud Directorate.

"As for Zhao Yunniang..."

He walked over to a bamboo rocking chair, sat down, and curled a finger against the tea table in a light tap.

"She has changed her heart!"

Han Sui let out a soft sigh.

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door.

"My lord, Commander Liu has come to call."

A servant spoke in a low voice.

"Commander Liu?"

"What business does Commander Liu have at my residence?"

Han Sui was puzzled.

But this was not the time for him to speculate.

The Commander of the Night Patrol Directorate stood beneath only one man and above ten thousand. He held the weaknesses of every official in his grasp. Even Han Sui himself had no idea how much of his dirty laundry had made its way into the Book of Impermanence kept by the Night Patrol Directorate's mounted agents.

He hurried to the reception hall and saw Commander Liu sprawled carelessly in the seat of honor. A trace of displeasure flashed through Han Sui's eyes, but by the time he reached Commander Liu, his face was already wreathed in smiles.

"Commander Liu, your presence honors this humble residence..."

"May I ask what brings you here?"

Han Sui cupped his hands.

In terms of rank, as Minister of the Imperial Stud, he was one of the Nine Ministers.

Yet at this moment, he had no choice but to humble himself.

"Minister Han, I have heard that the shortage of warhorses at the Imperial Stud Directorate was not Xu Xing's doing alone. There were others involved as well..."

Commander Liu said with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

He picked up an orange from the fruit tray, peeled it, took out a segment, and chewed it slowly, making no move to continue.

Han Sui immediately felt as though he were sitting on pins and needles.

He was not worried that Commander Liu knew the truth of the Imperial Stud Directorate corruption case.

Even the Chongming Emperor knew that the shortfall of three hundred warhorses was not caused solely by the Imperial Stud Directorate...

What truly worried him was that Commander Liu might have learned of the secret glassmaking formula.

The lid had not been kept shut!

The Imperial Stud Directorate corruption case was merely an excuse Commander Liu was using to make trouble.

"Please speak plainly, Commander Liu."

Han Sui gritted his teeth and cupped his hands.

"Gladly."

Commander Liu set down the orange.

He pulled a sheet of paper from his sleeve. Written on it was the treasonous poem Xu Xing had composed during the day.

"Xu Xing cursed you corrupt officials..."

"Heh heh, this Commander finds you quite unpleasant to look at as well."

"Glass is worth more than a thousand gold. Minister Han and the rest of you alone cannot swallow such a prize, can you?"

He smiled.

Han Sui had learned that Xu Xing possessed the secret method for making glass not from Xu Xing himself, but from the mouths of other court officials. The Night Patrol Directorate's mounted guards had cast their nets throughout the residences of court officials.

And the reason Han Sui had yielded profits to those officials was not because he was selfless. It was because Xu Xing's early death would suit most of the officials implicated in the corruption case. Now that Xu Xing was not dead, they would hold Han Sui accountable.

The Imperial Stud Directorate... was not truly a department with real power.

Though Han Sui was a high-ranking official, in the corruption case he was merely a prominent figure, not someone who truly held everything in his grasp.

Third update complete, please vote.