Chapter 1060 – An Ordinary and Trifling Matter (2/2)
But perhaps because she had interacted with Chen Changsheng for a long time, Xu Yourong quickly understood what he was asking.
'If there was no Chen Changsheng, would you have become this sort of person?'
”Perhaps I would have become this sort of person. After all, the Empress did raise me.”
Xu Yourong thought some more, then added, ”But nobody can know the true answer, because… he already appeared.”
A faint smile was on her face as she said this. She seemed very calm, but she was actually concealing a hint of shyness, especially when she said the last part.
Yuren faintly smiled, somewhat relieved.
……
……
Today was the day after the Orthodoxy's diplomatic mission returned to the capital.
In one day, Xu Yourong had met many important figures, and late in the night, she had gone to the Imperial Palace and met with the young emperor.
When this nighttime conversation was slowly proceeding toward the main topic, the first person she had met during the daytime was already several hundred li away.
Eight Dragonhorses of the finest stock tiredly drooped their heads, the clear water and the soycakes placed before them completely unable to attract their interest. Beads of sweat the size of beans poured out of their glossy skin and dropped to the floor, where they were quickly frozen into dregs of ice by the cold wind blowing through the streets.
One had every right to believe that Luoyang should be a little warmer than the capital, but for some reason, Luoyang was unusually cold this year.
Prince Chen Liu gazed at the dark streets. In recalling the great battle of Daos that had taken place here three years ago, he began to feel rather strange.
After meeting with Xu Yourong in the Orthodox Academy, he left the capital and rode to Luoyang.
Only when he entered this most prosperous metropolis of the Great Zhou did he suddenly think that he might have come too quickly.
Prince Chen Liu ignored the hot towel offered by one of his attendants. He only quietly stared at the monastery before him.
This monastery was the famous Monastery of Eternal Spring.
A blue-clothed Daoist walked out. After thanking him for his troubles, the Daoist let him inside.
Prince Chen Liu drove away those thoughts and calmly walked forward.
At this point, Xu Yourong had already entered the Imperial Palace, and that person within the monastery presumably already knew.
To him, this was an excellent opportunity, or perhaps an excellent breakthrough point.
Upon arriving at a seemingly simple room deep within the Monastery of Eternal Spring, the blue-clothed Daoist silently retreated, leaving only Prince Chen Liu.
Prince Chen Liu took a deep breath to calm himself, then pushed open the door into the room.
Shang Xingzhou was in this room, organizing medical cases with an extremely focused expression on his face.
The most powerful expert of the Human race looked right now like the most ordinary but also most ardent doctor.
Prince Chen Liu walked up to the desk. By the light of the Night Pearl, he could clearly see the names of the medicinal ingredients on the paper.
His eyes slightly focused as he thought, if I'm seeing things correctly and remembering correctly, these are the ingredients the Tang clan analyzed as being used to refine the Cinnabar Pill.
Does the Imperial Court plan to use this method to weaken Chen Changsheng's prestige?
Shang Xingzhou gave him no explanation. He quietly and attentively wrote out a medical case, apparently unaware that he had arrived.
Prince Chen Liu knew that not much time had been allotted to him, so he did not hesitate or pause, immediately saying what he wanted to say.
For him to travel several hundred li in one night, from the capital to Luoyang, had been precisely so he could say these words to Shang Xingzhou, even though it was nothing more than a few sentences.
”His Majesty is the Divine Empress's son.”
Prince Chen Liu looked at Shang Xingzhou and added, ”But I am a descendant of Emperor Taizong.”
These words finally made Shang Xingzhou take his eyes off the desk and onto the prince's face.
Shang Xingzhou did not hide his admiration, although his admiration was mostly of Prince Chen Liu's stance.
”Xu Yourong has entered the palace, probably with the intention of allying with His Majesty.”
Prince Chen Liu continued, ”It is clear that she is going crazy.”
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1.This line, taken from the poem 贫交行 by Du Fu, refers to the impermanence of human relations, with people sometimes gathering together like clouds and other times as scattered as the rain and that they are treacherous and scheming.