Yan Ge nodded, “Okay, too many people will only attract attention anyway. Let’s handle it that way.”
Huangfu Yuchen immediately gave the order, “Summon Lu Fei and Jun Xiang.”
Ah Fei and Jun Xiang were on duty in the palace, and they arrived quickly. They kneeled down and saluted respectfully, saying loudly, “Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Yan Caiqing!”
“Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty!”
Yan Ge said, “These soldiers are different; even their salutes are so imposing. That’s how soldiers should be.”
“Thank you for your praise, Yan Caiqing,” Ah Fei and Jun Xiang responded in unison.
“Yuchen, what do you think about me going to the military camp for a few days of training in the near future?” Yan Ge suddenly had the idea.
Huangfu Yuchen had no objections. “Okay, when I have time, I’ll accompany you.”
He then turned to Deng Mande and said, “Deng Mande, brief Lu Fei and Jun Xiang on the matter.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. General Lu, General Jun, it’s like this…”
Upon hearing about the Maifan stone, Ah Fei and Jun Xiang were equally delighted. “It’s an honor for us to serve Your Majesty and Yan Caiqing in this matter.”
Yan Ge spoke seriously, “I believe that besides us, no one else knows about the existence of the Maifan stone. Therefore, you must ensure utmost secrecy during this mission.”
Gao Feng said, “Please rest assured, Yan Caiqing. If someone asks, we will simply say that we are collecting these stones for ornamental purposes.”
Yan Ge nodded. “Once you arrive at the designated location, inquire about past volcanic eruptions in the area from the locals. Then search within that region to narrow down the search area.”
“Yes!”
Jun Xiang asked, “How can we identify the Maifan stone?”
Yan Ge took out a Maifan stone he had bought from the system’s store and handed it to Huangfu Yuchen. After examining it, Huangfu Yuchen passed it to Gao Feng and the others to take a look.
Yan Ge explained, “This is the Maifan stone. It has several characteristics. First, it is porous, and if you look closely, you can see numerous tiny holes. Second, its surface is rough and uneven, resembling grains of rice. And third, Eunuch Deng, bring a white porcelain bowl and fill it halfway with water.”
“Yes!”
After the water was brought, Yan Ge squeezed two drops of ink into the bowl with a pen and stirred it with his finger. The water immediately became cloudy.
Yan Ge placed the Maifan stone in the water and said, “Wait patiently.”
After about an incense stick, everyone was surprised to find that the water in the bowl had become clearer than before.
Yan Ge then explained, “This third characteristic is that Maifan stone has purification and adsorption properties. If you can’t determine whether a stone is Maifan stone based on its appearance, you can use this method to test it. If the water becomes completely clear after one or two hours, that means it is the Maifan stone.”
Gao Feng, Gao Yun, Ah Fei, and Jun Xiang listened attentively and remembered the instructions.
“Have you all remembered?” Yan Ge asked.
Gao Feng and the others responded, “We have remembered.”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “You should go back and hand over the work, then depart as soon as possible.”
“Yes!”
After Gao Feng and the others left, it was Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen’s private time. Deng Mande brought tea and snacks and waited outside the door.
“I noticed your serious expression earlier. Is something the matter?” Yan Ge asked.
“I received intelligence that there have been some unusual activities in the palaces of other kingdoms recently. The New Dynasty grand celebration is approaching, so several monarchs from different kingdoms will come to personally congratulate me. I believe we will receive diplomatic letters soon,” Huangfu Yuchen said, holding a simple gray gemstone ring in his hand. With a flip of his hand, a red apple appeared. He peeled it with a fruit knife and handed to Yan Ge. This was the storage ring that Yan Ge received from the system, he had sworn not to give to Huangfu Yuchen, but he ended up giving it anyway.
The storage ring was quite advanced, equipped with insurance functions. The apple inside had been stored during the New Year but it still retained its juiciness.
His system space had not upgraded to activate the freshness function yet.
He took a bite of the crisp and sweet apple and smiled casually, “The congratulations is false, but the curiosity is real, right?”
Huangfu Yuchen nodded, “It’s good for them to come in person, it will be an opportunity to showcase the might of our Great Han Kingdom.”
“It seems like you’ve already thought about how to receive them,” Yan Ge said, taking a bite of the apple and running his hand through Huangfu Yuchen’s hair. He had absolute confidence in Huangfu Yuchen’s ability to govern the kingdom and was not worried at all.
“I was just from discussing this matter with the ministers,” Huangfu Yuchen smiled proudly. “It’s a rare occasion for them to come here in person, so I will make sure they don’t leave disappointed.”
“On the tenth day of the third month…” Yan Ge pondered, “It seems that my sister-in-law is due to give birth around that time. Yesterday, my mother sent someone to the company to relay a message, asking me to come back as soon as possible to check on my sister-in-law’s condition. It’s funny because I just examined her pulse a few days ago.”
Huangfu Yuchen chuckled, “This will be the first grandchild for my father-in-law and mother-in-law, so it’s no wonder they’re so concerned.”
Yan Ge nodded and looked at the sky. “I think I should pass by today while I have the time.”
Huangfu Yuchen said, “Gao Feng and Gao Yun have left, so you’ll be short of assistants by your side. I will assign Lin Zhang and Jiang Ting to accompany you. They are both smart individuals.”
“Okay.”
Lin Zhang and Jiang Ting came forward, and Yan Ge left the Imperial Study with them.
It was a warm spring day, and the sunlight felt pleasant on their bodies. As they passed through the Imperial Garden, Yan Ge couldn’t help but slow his pace and casually admire the vibrant flowers. His mood was as radiant as the sunshine.
Lin Zhang and Jiang Ting were also infected by his mood and felt quite good.
Consort Rou, Consort Zhao, Consort Zheng, and Consort Li were playing with Consort Rou’s three-year-old Princess Huifu, also known as Princess Huiya, in the garden. When they saw Yan Ge, they all stood up.
As Caiqing, Yan Ge had equal rank with the five of them and they greeted each other.
Yan Ge took out a colorful bracelet from his pocket and handed it to Princess Huiya, saying to Consort Rou, “This is made of unique colored stones from Nanrun City. It’s not worth much, but it’s interesting, and the little princess might like it.”
Because Princess Huiya was a girl, Yan Ge didn’t have to be as deferential to her as he would have been if she were a prince.
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Yan Caiqing,” Consort Rou thanked him with a smile.
Princess Huiya had been well-educated by Consort Rou, she thanked Yan Ge in her sweet and childish voice, which was very cute.
Yan Ge said, “I still have some matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave.”
Just as he took a few steps, Consort Zhao suddenly spoke, “Wait.”
Lin Zhang and Jiang Ting immediately became vigilant, their eyes filled with caution as they focused on Consort Zhao.
Consort Zhao gave them a cold glance, and their gazes became sharp, their momentum imposing.
Consort Rou, Consort Li, and Consort Zheng’s expressions changed slightly, anxiously watching Consort Zhao, afraid that she might say something inappropriate and anger Yan Ge.
Yan Ge remained indifferent. “May I ask what instructions Consort Zhao has?”
Concubine Zhao threw off her cloak, gave him a glance, and said expressionlessly, “We have nothing to do all day. You find a way to keep us entertained.”
Yan Ge: “.…”
Consort Zhao raised her eyelids with a touch of nobility and charm. “This is what you should do.” In the past, the four would compete for favor, scheme against each other, and vie for attention. But now, Huangfu Yuchen treated them as if they didn’t exist. What was there left for them to fight over? Unconsciously, they had become friends, and now they often helped Consort Rou, whom they used to be jealous of, to take care of her daughter. However, Consort Rou only had one child, while there were four of them, and the attention was insufficiently divided.
Yan Ge was momentarily speechless. However, he didn’t sense any malice from Consort Zhao.
Consort Li and Consort Zheng exchanged a glance and also said, “To be honest, Consort Zhao’s words reflect our thoughts as well. Yan Caiqing, you always have many ideas. I wonder if you could…”
Consort Rou stepped forward with the little princess in her arms and knelt before Yan Ge, saying, “We are grateful for your assistance, Yan Caiqing . If you can truly help us find something to do, the four of us will have some purpose.”
Yan Ge understood the implied meaning in her words. If he could really give Consort Zhao and the others something to do, their thoughts about Huangfu Yuchen would fade more quickly. It would be beneficial for him, Huangfu Yuchen, and them.
He pondered for a moment. “I can’t think of any good ideas at the moment. However, there will likely be many monarchs from other kingdoms coming to offer congratulations during this year’s New Dynasty Day celebration. It will be necessary to entertain them with performances such as songs. If you are willing, I can inform His Majesty and the Minister of Rites and delegate this task to the Empress and the four of you. What do you think?”
Consort Zhao and the others showed some joy on their faces. On one hand, they would have something to occupy their time, and on the other hand, this year’s grand celebration was a major event. If they were in charge of arranging the entertainment, they could showcase their abilities. If they succeeded, it would bring honor to their families.
Consort Li said, “The four of us are willing, but will His Majesty really trust us, a few women, with such a big task?”
Yan Ge smiled dismissively and asked, “Do you have confidence in carrying it out?”
“Of course!” Consort Zhao said, “No matter what, we were all famous talents before entering the palace.”
Yan Ge nodded. “In that case, I will discuss it with His Majesty.”
Consort Zhao said, “Thank you in advance, Yan Caiqing . However, after the celebration, I hope you can find something more long-lasting for us to do.”
Yan Ge smiled faintly. “Consort Zhao, do you know that even the servants who do menial tasks in my company have a probationary period? I don’t expect them to have great abilities, but at the very least, they need to be responsible or clever enough. I hoped to use the grand celebration to understand each of your strengths. If you can successfully handle this matter, we can discuss other things later.”
These words expressed Yan Ge’s principles while still being polite. Consort Zhao, Consort Li, and Consort Zheng all nodded without objections. It was their first direct contact and understanding of Yan Ge, and they couldn’t help but appreciate his way of handling things.
“Well, I will go back and mention it to His Majesty,” Yan Ge said.
Consort Zhao and the others were pleased. “Thank you, Yan Caiqing.”
