Just then, the Crown Prince, who was also the Second Prince, walked into the Assembly Hall and saluted the Emperor in an unhurried, composed manner. The ministers all rose to salute the Crown Prince in turn.
"There’s a saying in Zhongyuan: reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles. I am determined to lead Fusang to beco richer and stronger, so I hope to seize this chance to go out and learn more, so that in the future I can better treat the Country and bring blessings to the common people." The Crown Prince said slowly.
"But this is too dangerous," soone said anxiously. "Perhaps we can send people to Zhongyuan to invite so teachers back to instruct the Crown Prince. There’s no need for His Highness to go to sea in person."
The Crown Prince smiled. "The Zhongyuan mission has already charted this route. They’re not afraid, and I, as Crown Prince, am protected by the gods—what is there for to fear? In future our sea route with Zhongyuan will be even more convenient, with rchant ships traveling back and forth every month. Going to sea will no longer be sothing dangerous. Please set your minds at ease."
So people still wanted to dissuade him, but the Emperor said with a smile, "I, as his father, can already let go and allow my child to fly out on his own. How is it that you’re all still so hung up on this?"
Only then did the ministers quiet down, and this matter was considered settled.
Originally, everyone knew Fusang was sending people to Danliang Country, and many had no interest. The sea voyage was long and perilous, and on top of that they’d be away from ho too long. If they ca back and the Emperor had forgotten them, wouldn’t that be a huge loss?
But now it was different. The Crown Prince was going to Danliang Country. The accompanying mission would be attending the Crown Prince, attending the future Emperor—surely they’d beco the powerful ministers at the Emperor’s side in days to co.
All at once, plenty of people started requesting posts in the mission, and the Court grew lively and noisy.
Yaxi’s father was a bit anxious. Under these circumstances, could he still compete for a place? Wouldn’t his daughter end up disappointed?
Just as he was fretting, the Emperor had soone read out the drafted list of nas, and he turned out to be the lead, the chief officer of the delegation!
Yaxi’s father hastily kowtowed to give thanks for the grace, and inwardly he understood. It had to be that Lord Bai from Danliang Country who had spoken on his behalf; otherwise things wouldn’t have gone so smoothly.
Very quickly the news spread outside the Palace and reached Bai Ruozhu’s ears.
"The Crown Prince is going too?" she asked Sa Tian in surprise.
Sa Tian nodded. "I heard it was His Highness who requested it himself. The Emperor is no longer in a hurry to devote himself to Buddhism, and he agreed to let the Crown Prince go to Danliang Country to study for a while. He even hopes the Crown Prince can form a marriage alliance with Danliang Country."
"Marry the Danliang Princess?" Not far away, Jiang Yichun suddenly spoke up.
"If it’s an alliance, it should be that way. For a Danliang Princess to beco the Empress of Fusang is quite a fine match," Sa Tian said happily.
Bai Ruozhu curled her lip. "Danliang Princesses aren’t that easy to co by. At most he’ll marry so minister’s daughter."
Sa Tian laughed. "That’ll depend on what the Crown Prince wants."
Jiang Yichun’s face was full of displeasure. "Go report to the Emperor and have the Crown Prince and his people prepare their own ship. It’s inconvenient for them to take our ship. When they co back, are they planning to borrow Danliang’s official ship again?"
Bai Ruozhu heard the rejection in his tone, and suddenly rembered that incident from before. She quickly lowered her head and stopped talking.
Anyway, none of this had anything to do with her. If it doesn’t involve her, she hangs it high and minds her own business. This was sothing she absolutely could not comnt on.
Jiang Yichun secretly glanced at her. Seeing that she had no objections at all, his mood improved considerably.
Back then, in order to save soone, she had actually treated the Crown Prince when he was stark naked. Even if she hadn’t seen anything, he still felt very upset—extrely upset.
So that whole day Jiang Yichun wore a dark, thunderous expression. By the ti they went back to their room that night, his face was so black it looked like soone owed him a mountain of silver.
"Hey, that’s enough from you," Bai Ruozhu couldn’t help shouting. "Do you have any idea how I studied as a dical student before I ca here?"
Jiang Yichun slanted her a look. "You also said that was before you ca here. Now you have your habits here and now."
Bai Ruozhu was so angry she was grinding her teeth. She stretched out both hands to knead his face and pinch his cheeks. She really couldn’t stand him icing up the room with that cold face of his.
He didn’t stop her, letting her bully him as she pleased. Very soon his cheeks were pinched red, and if you ignored his frosty aura, that flushed face actually carried a hint of seductive charm.
"Listen to finish." She gritted her teeth, determined not to be bewitched by his looks.
"When we studied dicine, we didn’t distinguish between n and won. In front of us there were only patients. We even had to do dissections on corpses—stripped bare, lying there for us to study. So can’t you just treat that ti as if it was a corpse? Besides, he was practically dead back then—there was basically no difference between him and a corpse."
"A corpse?" Jiang Yichun’s expression eased a bit. "What do you an by dissecting corpses?"
"Uh, it ans taking a scalpel and cutting them open in all sorts of ways to study the structures inside, including the organs and so on." Bai Ruozhu started laughing. "Scared? In your eyes that must be utterly inhuman, sure to bring heavenly retribution, right?"
"Not really. Coroners do that too," Jiang Yichun said.
Bai Ruozhu nodded. "From another angle, it’s about the sa as what a coroner does, but he’s doing it to find evidence, while we’re doing it mainly to learn, so that we can better treat patients in the future."
"If it’s a corpse, that’s fine. As long as he’s a corpse in your eyes, I’m satisfied." The chill around Jiang Yichun completely dissipated. He was clearly no longer angry, even in rather good spirits.
Bai Ruozhu pursed her lips and thought for quite a while before she finally figured sothing out.
"So you’ve taken him as a love rival, and now you’re thinking your love rival was treated by as a corpse, so your mood has improved?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Jiang Yichun gave a bewitching little smile. "He’s worthy of being my love rival?"
Bai Ruozhu ground her teeth. "Since you already know that, what the hell are you still mad about?"
He scooped her up in his arms. "Which is why I’m not mad anymore. Sleep!"
"I’m not sleeping, I’m mad!" The words had just left her mouth when her lips were sealed by a searing hot kiss, and she couldn’t get another half-word out.
An entire night of tangled passion later, early the next morning Bai Ruozhu’s back ached and her waist was sore; she didn’t want to get out of bed. Outside, Yizi ca to announce that the Crown Prince was asking for an audience.
Bai Ruozhu ground her teeth. "I’m not seeing him!"
Damn it, it was all because of him that she’d been ground down again and again last night. When n get jealous, sotis they’re especially energetic in that regard, terrified they can’t prove themselves.
Who knew that not long after Yizi left, she ca back again and said, "Master, the Crown Prince says he ca too early, that he just wants to freeload a breakfast. He says he’s fine with waiting until you’re not busy to see him."
"He is not allowed to eat!" Bai Ruozhu said through gritted teeth. How co everyone was turning so shaless, one after another?
"Ah? I already had Teng Ya bring him a tray. I didn’t know he’d upset you," Yizi said cautiously.
Bai Ruozhu doted on Yizi normally; how could she bear to frighten her little girl? She hurriedly said, "If he’s eating, he’s eating. I’m not blaming you. If anyone’s to bla, it’s him for having such a thick skin. All right, go on with your work. I’ll see him when I have ti."
Jiang Yichun had already gotten up and dressed. The corners of his mouth were stretched almost to his ears with his smile. "Now I believe what you said."
"Huh?" Bai Ruozhu had only just woken up; her Head was still wooden.
"Who’d want to see a dead corpse first thing in the morning on an empty stomach?" Jiang Yichun burst out laughing.
The corner of Bai Ruozhu’s mouth twitched. Fine, he could think whatever he liked.
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