At the state banquet, the cups were raised in toast and the conversation flowed.
After three rounds of wine, Jiang Gan spoke up, “By the way, Fourth Prince, you only brought two attendants with you this time. The Prime Minister is genuinely concerned for your safety. Tomorrow, a large caravan is heading to Xiguan Pass. It would be advisable for the Fourth Prince to travel with them.”
The hall fell into an instant silence. It was obvious to everyone that the Prime Minister was trying to get rid of this guest.
Tulan Zhong and Tulan Yong’s faces turned pale, then red and white.
Hu Maiti deserved to be a prince, he remained calm despite the awkwardness. He said, “Prime Minister, forgive me for misunderstanding your intentions. I was quite captivated by the beauty of the capital and had intended to stay a few more days.”
Jiang Gan chuckled, “The Prime Minister has taken that into consideration as well. Come forward.”
A palace maid promptly approached, holding a wooden tray in her hands. On the tray were some rolled-up paper scrolls.
Jiang Gan said, “These are paintings of all the famous scenic spots in the capital. It might relieve the boredom of your journey, Fourth Prince.”
At this moment, Hu Maiti could no longer control his embarrassment, and a blush appeared on his face.
Jiang Gan continued, “Fourth Prince, please don’t misunderstand. We are all very welcoming of your presence in the capital. However, as you may have noticed, the capital is currently undergoing renovations. Not only the Emperor but all of us ministers are busy. We are afraid of treating the Fourth Prince poorly and affecting the relationship between our two kingdoms. Normally, it would have been our soldiers escorting the Fourth Prince back to his country. However, apart from the guards within the palace, almost all the troops in the capital are deployed to various construction sites to maintain order. Hence, the Prime Minister entrusted the caravan to take care of the Fourth Prince. The Prime Minister feels ashamed and hopes the Fourth Prince can understand.” Jiang Gan himself felt helpless as well. After all, Huangfu Yuchen was not only his close friend but also his superior. He would delegate any difficult matters to him.
This finally gave Hu Maiti a way out, and he smiled with a guilty look. “Prime Minister’s words are true. I spoke out of turn. Thank you, Prime Minister, for your thoughtfulness and efforts. I believe I will still remember today’s graciousness and thoughtfulness of the Prime Minister when I return to my kingdom. A toast to Prime Minister Jiang!”
Thousands of miles away, in the Mai Kingdom’s imperial palace…
The elderly Emperor Hu Mailong, who was nearing sixty but still energetic, was reviewing memorials in his study when a spy reported, “Your Majesty, the Fourth Prince has returned. He entered our kingdom’s borders just two days ago.”
“What?” Hu Mailong’s face darkened, and he waved his hand dismissively. “Leave.”
“As you command.”
“Summon the Grand Tutor!”
Hu Mailong’s trusted minister, the Grand Tutor He Buyan, hurriedly arrived to meet him.
“Your Majesty.”
Hu Mailong stared at him with wide eyes, and his voice thundered like a bell, “Grand Tutor, didn’t you say that the experts you dispatched were the best of the best? Why did the Fourth Prince manage to enter our borders so easily?”
He Buyan quickly bowed and pleaded, “I have just received this news as well, Your Majesty. It seems that the Emperor of Great Han Kingdom either took pity on the Fourth Prince or saw through our plan. They dispatched experts disguised as a merchant caravan, escorting the Fourth Prince all the way to the border. The people I sent nearly succeeded several times, but these individuals ruined everything. Please forgive me, Your Majesty!”
“Pity the Fourth Prince? Are you trying to deceive me?” Hu Mailong sneered. “If Emperor Huangfu Yuchen truly pities Hu Maiti, why didn’t he just keep him in the palace?”
He Buyan lowered his head, speechless.
Hu Mailong stood up abruptly, pacing behind his desk. His expression and words revealed a deep sense of resentment and malice. “Must we just watch as Great Han Kingdom grows stronger? Once their power becomes formidable enough, Emperor Huangfu will inevitably expand outward. At that time, where will our Mai Kingdom’s people find a way to survive?”
He Buyan’s eyes flickered, and he took a step forward. “Your Majesty, I have an idea.”
Hu Mailong turned his head, stared at him for a moment, and then let out a cold smile. He returned to his golden throne and sat down, “Speak. I hope this idea of yours truly has value.”
He Buyan said, “Since, we cannot do anything about Emperor Huangfu Yuchen with our own strength for the time being, why not join forces with other kingdoms to exert pressure on Great Han Kingdom? Does Your Majesty remember Great Han Kingdom’s ‘New Dynasty Day’?”
Hu Mailong nodded. “On the third day of the third month, over six hundred years ago, the founder of the Huangfu Dynasty held the New Dynasty ceremony, and to commemorate that day, the third day of the third month was designated as New Dynasty Day. A grand celebration is held every five years, serving as a reminder for future generations not to forget the grace of their ancestors. What is your suggestion?”
“That’s right,” He Buyan said. “It’s already November, and we just need to patiently wait for three more months until Great Han Kingdom’s grand celebration. At that time, we can join the monarchs of other kingdoms in congratulating the Emperor of Great Han Kingdom. Firstly, it allows other kingdoms to take the lead, giving us the opportunity to do many things discreetly. Secondly, Your Majesty can personally witness the current state of Great Han Kingdom. What do you think, Your Majesty?”
Hu Mailong contemplated for a long time. A sinister and resentful smile emerged. “Good, good, very good! Hahaha…”
…
Inside the palace stables.
Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen stood in front of the stable in riding attire. The stable housed over a hundred horses, each groomed meticulously and displaying a remarkable appearance. Just as modern men love cars, men in ancient times loved horses. Yan Ge could tell this from Huangfu Yuchen’s enthusiastic descriptions.
They approached a black steed. This horse had a robust physique, and was noticeably taller than the other horses in the stable. Its entire body was black, with a patch of pure white long hair above its neck, resembling a pair of wings. While chewing on grass, it raised its head, and its two flawless, clear eyes gazed quietly at the people, seemingly able to peer into their souls.
“What a magnificent horse!” Yan Ge sincerely praised.
Huangfu Yuchen caressed the back of its neck and said, “This is a horse bred from a combination of Xiguan horses and Nanluo horses. Xiguan horses are sturdy with well-developed tendons, and they are resistant to severe cold. Nanluo horses are relatively petite but agile, with incredible running speed. These two types of horses are commonly used in the military. This horse here is a breed that combines the advantages of both, and it even enhances those advantages. This horse is named ‘Bai Guan’ and is the offspring of Xiguan and Nanluo horses. However, perhaps because heaven couldn’t stand its perfection, it gave it a rather irritable temperament. Don’t be fooled by its docile appearance. Apart from me and the groom taking care of it, no one else has been able to approach it, let alone touch it.”
“Is that so? Let me try.” Yan Ge had taken a liking to the horse and didn’t want to back down.
Huangfu Yuchen nodded with a smile, and pecked his earlobe, “We are always together so we smell the same. Bai Guan should like you.”
Yan Ge narrowed his eyes at him, “Even so, if it likes me, it likes me.”
“Okay, okay. You try.” Yan Ge had martial arts, so Huangfu Yuchen was not worried that he would be hurt.
Yan Ge stretched out his hand to touch the white hair on Bai Guan’s head and Huangfu Yuchen was startled.
‘Baby, you should at least offer it some grass. It might bite you if you reach out your hand like that.’
He was about to stop Yan Ge when he saw Bai Guan glance at Yan Ge and then lift its mouth to lick his face. Then it calmly lowered its head and continued eating grass.
“Haha!” Yan Ge laughed happily. He leaned comfortably against the stable railing and rubbed Bai Guan’s white hair. He glanced at Huangfu Yuchen from the corner of his eye. “Isn’t this great? Even if it likes me, it’s because it likes me for who I am.”
“Alright, alright. Come and challenge me later.” Huangfu Yuchen pulled Yan Ge along.
“Afterward, Bai Guan will be mine,” Yan Ge asserted his ownership.
“Don’t worry, no one will compete with you,” Huangfu Yuchen reassured him.
The two of them looked at several more horses, but Huangfu Yuchen didn’t find any particularly appealing. They took a few steps forward, casually scanning the area, and then their gazes stopped abruptly on a chestnut-colored horse.
Huangfu Yuchen asked the stable attendant who was standing nearby, “What’s the story with this horse? I’ve never seen it before.”
The stable attendant replied, “Your Majesty, this horse was sent as a tribute just a few days ago. The people below thought it had wings, so they sent it to the palace, as wings carry an auspicious meaning.”
This horse was indeed exceptional, with a coat of pure chestnut color and two patches of white fur on either side of its abdomen, shaped like bird wings. At a glance, it looked like a pair of wings about to spread open.
Yan Ge marveled, “Impressive! Are you sure the white color isn’t painted on?”
The stable attendant responded, “My apologies, Yan Caiqing. I can assure you that it’s definitely not painted.”
Huangfu Yuchen carefully observed the horse for a moment and nodded approvingly. “This horse is indeed exceptional. If I’m not mistaken, it’s a Maishan horse, a breed from Maishan in the Mai Kingdom. Its physique may not be robust, but its body is slender and highly agile, capable of traveling long distances in a single day. It’s often referred to as the ‘Thousand-Mile Horse.’ Does it have a name?”
The stable attendant answered, “This horse was just delivered a few days ago, and I haven’t had a chance to name it yet.”
Huangfu Yuchen pondered for a moment and said, “Since it has white wings, let’s call it ‘Yunyi’.”
Yan Ge suggested, “How about ‘Baiyi’? It can be Bai Guan’s little brother.”
Huangfu Yuchen replied, “Baiyi doesn’t sound quite right. Let’s call it ‘Yunyi,’ which can also be Bai Guan’s little brother.”
The two of them selected their horses and were about to head to the riding arena when a palace maid hurriedly approached them. “Your Majesty, the Minister of War has an urgent report from the southwest.”
Huangfu Yuchen’s expression changed slightly. “Quickly announce it!”
“Announcing the arrival of the Minister of War!”
Luo Wei, who was in a state of anxious waiting not far away, approached with a stack of documents, almost running. “I have seen—”
“No need for formalities at a time like this.” Huangfu Yuchen took the documents directly from his hands and opened them to read closely. “There has been a minor conflict between our Southwest Garrison and the Youji Kingdom Garrison. Thousands of our soldiers disappeared without a trace after entering the Cuncao Valley. Later, when we sent people to search, those searching also disappeared. How is this possible? Where is this Cuncao Valley?”
Minister Luo Wei replied, “Your Majesty, Cuncao Valley got its name because no grass grows there. It is an extremely narrow and deep valley.”
“Is it within our borders or within the Youji Kingdom’s borders?” Huangfu Yuchen asked again.
Minister Luo Wei replied, “It is within our borders.”
Yan Ge, who was holding onto the two horses, listened nearby and found it increasingly strange. “Are you saying that Cuncao Valley truly has no vegetation at all?”
Minister Luo Wei replied, “Yan Caiqing, it’s absolutely true. As the Minister of War, I too have led troops in the southwest before. That place is indeed barren. It’s very peculiar, and the locals are extremely superstitious about it. We never go near the area.”
After pondering for a moment, Huangfu Yuchen said to Minister Luo Wei, “Convey my orders to the Southwest General. For now, they should refrain from sending more people to investigate. You will immediately lead an elite troop to the southwest to investigate the matter and, at the same time, inspect the training situation in the southwest on my behalf.”
“Yes!”
“Deng Mande.”
“Here, Your Majesty.” Deng Mande hurriedly approached with an empty imperial decree and writing materials.
Huangfu Yuchen wrote the imperial decree on the spot and handed it to Minister Luo Wei.
Once he had dealt with the official matters, Yan Ge signaled to Huangfu Yuchen, and the two of them walked to a distance.
“Yuchen, I suspect that the so-called Cuncao Valley probably hides a mineral vein,” Yan Ge said excitedly.
“Oh?” Huangfu Yuchen was very interested. “What makes you think so?”
Yan Ge explained, “Think about it, wild grasses are tenacious and hard to completely burn. They grow again with the spring breeze. If there is soil, there should be grass, but the Cuncao Valley has no vegetation. There must be something beneath the soil. If it really is a mineral vein, we’ll become prosperous!”
Huangfu Yuchen found his analysis reasonable after listening. “I will have Minister Luo Wei bring an experienced group of miners to investigate.”
Yan Ge suggested, “I want to go myself.” Even if ancient miners have extensive experience, it is still limited. He doesn’t feel at ease unless he goes to see for himself.
“Baby,” Huangfu Yuchen gently persuaded, “don’t you have many things to take care of in the capital? How can you leave? Those miners are experienced and will surely investigate thoroughly.” Once Yan Ge leaves the capital, Centipede will undoubtedly make a move again. With political affairs weighing on him, he doesn’t have the time to accompany Yan Ge to the southwest. How can he feel at ease leaving him alone?
Unaware of Huangfu Yuchen’s concerns, Yan Ge tried to persuade him, “The affairs in the capital are proceeding according to plan. Even if I leave for a while, there won’t be any issues.”
“But baby,” Huangfu Yuchen said, “I don’t want to be separated from you. Wait until I finish the current matters, and then I will accompany you. How about that?”
“I can go alone,” Yan Ge insisted. “There’s a more than eighty percent chance of a mineral vein there, and I—”
Huangfu Yuchen cut him off with a kiss, preventing him from continuing, to express his stance.
