The Glory After Rebirth [ɇÇ”Ÿä¹‹Å°Šè£] Chapter 542- 543

Chapter 542: The Tenth Wedding Anniversary Celebration and a Scheduled Around-the-World Tour

Everybody present witnessed what could be called a genuine grand occasion at the celebration when Ling Zhang played the tune that attracted countless birds to the palace to pay homage to him. Also, what happened on this day arrested the attention of residents in the capital city. After they came to know that it had been a melody played by the empress that had drawn the birds, the festivity in the city was taken to a new level.

The empress was capable of having birds come to heel, which meant that even providence had acknowledged him as the empress of the Great Wen. What could they possibly take more pride in than this?

If previously some had had a sneaking suspicion that Ling Zhang was not fit to be an empress, none of them dared utter another word about it after seeing this scene.

This scene was also called a propitious omen, a bounty bestowed by divine providence. When Ling Zhang finished the tune, the birds lingered in the palace, unwilling to leave. Officials of all descriptions had got on their knees and started chorusing “Long live the emperor! Long live the empress!”

From this day on, Yuwen Tong’s and Ling Zhang’s positions as the emperor and the empress respectively were further consolidated, their identities having a deeper meaning in people’s sight.

…

During the remainder of the celebration, envoys from various foreign countries presented the anniversary gifts they had prepared for the imperial couple. The most enthralling one was from the envoy of a mini-state located in the Western Regions, who a few days ago had lost the tribute and had a hard job recovering it. It was two pieces of jade, which matched and were very special, transparent on the outside and milky white on the inside. When placed with a distance in between, they looked no different than common jade, but when one of them approached the other, the milky white parts of them were slowly drawn to each other like two clouds of gas.

“Our king, by very rare luck, found them on a sacred mountain in our country. They’re sentient jade. They not only make their bearers feel warm in winter and cool in summer but also share some kind of special bond. Our High Priest said that these two pieces of jade are a gift for true lovers from providence, that they have sentience and the power to save two lovers from a life-threatening danger. Our king, after obtaining them, decided to gift them to Your Majesty and Your Highness.”

Actually Ling Zhang’s curiosity was indeed piqued. He did not know whether or not the two pieces of jade could really save people from life-threatening danger, but the amazing reaction they showed when approaching each other struck him as entrancing.

When he and Yuwen Tong took the two pieces of jade respectively, Ling Zhang did not know whether it was an illusion or not, but he felt that their reaction became more obvious – their milky white parts moved faster, their color growing deeper, giving off a soft faint glow, as though they had come alive.

The others present also observed the change and spontaneously started whispering to each other in awe. Even Ji Yanlai whose eyes had beheld numerous rare and precious items couldn’t help but curiously cast another few glances at them.

Ling Zhang liked the jade so much he could barely take his eyes off it. He could feel that the jade was mild and harmless. On top of that, the vexation that had been smoldering in him during the past few days dissolved the moment he took the jade in his hand.

‘This is a real treasure.’

This was the most heartfelt and most direct thought in Ling Zhang’s mind at this moment.

Yuwen Tong also liked the gift very much, and even more so when he observed that Ling Zhang couldn’t wrench his gaze from it. He not only handsomely rewarded the envoys from the mini-state in the Western Regions who had gifted him and Ling Zhang with the jade but also offered them a wish, one that he would grant as long as it was within his powers to do so.

Overjoyed, the envoys from that mini-state kowtowed to Yuwen Tong several times to express their gratitude, their faces glowing with rapture.

…

The daytime part of the celebration, with Ling Zhang’s tune which had drawn countless birds to the palace and the precious jade from the Western Regions being the highlights, was boisterous from start to finish. The whole city was filled with animated discussion, hearty laughter and intermittent cheers all day long.

After night fell, colorfully decorated lanterns were lit one after another, their radiance making the palace and the capital look as though they were still bathed in daylight.

On this night, the jubilation lasted until very late. Apart from the sea of lighted lanterns, the glaring showers of fireworks in the sky also added to the festive atmosphere. Even members of the Millennium Pavilion put aside their vexations and enjoyed the occasion with the residents for a whole night.

Ling Maomao and Ji Xiaocong, along with Ling Xuxu, Ling Xiaobao, Yuwen Qi, Yuwen Lin, Yuwen Yue and other children of the imperial clan, such as Yuwen Yi, the eldest trueborn son of the Marquess Huaiwen, and the children, nephews and nieces of the Marquess Fuan, were scampering around in the imperial garden.

The children, who seemed to have inexhaustible energy, wanted to go out when they saw the fireworks outside the palace.

As all streets outside the palace were seething with jubilant residents, the guards did not dare let them exit the palace for fear of accidents.

Yuwen Yue pleaded with her father to let her go outside.

Yuwen Tong, not daring let her go out at this point in time either, gave it some thought and then, along with Ling Zhang, took the kids, invited some courtiers, and went to the top of a palace wall to watch the jubilation outside.

It was their wedding anniversary that the residents were celebrating, so Yuwen Tong felt obliged to put in an appearance and share his joy with his subjects.

As a result, a large group of people ascended a palace wall and saw the jubilant crowds outside.

Soon some residents noticed them and started screaming, their voices making the welkin ring.

“AAAAAAARGH! HIS MAJESTY AND HIS HIGHNESS!”

“My goodness. I’m seeing the imperial couple with my own eyes. I’d have no regret even if I die right away!” someone wailed.

“His Majesty is so imposing and handsome!!!”

“His Highness is even more charming! He’s so attractive!!!”

“The two princes are there too!”

“Oh, dear. Who’s that man standing beside our young master? The one with a scarlet mole in the middle of his forehead? He looks like an immortal!!!”

The citizens outside, probably too excited to see Yuwen Tong and the others, did not get on their knees right away but began screaming uncontrollably, and it was some girls who took the lead. All those on the palace wall were astonished at the screech. Ling Zhang didn’t even know how he should react on this occasion.

After a while, a group of spunky young men, probably unconvinced that a bunch of girls’ voices were drowning them out, started yelling enthusiastically as well.

“LONG LIVE OUR VALIANT EMPEROR!”

“YOU’RE A ROLE MODEL FOR ALL OF US, YOUR MAJESTY!”

“YOU’RE INVINCIBLE, YOUR MAJESTY!”

“YOU’RE THE HERO OF THE GREAT WEN, YOUR MAJESTY!”

At first these people were just expressing their admiration for Yuwen Tong, but after someone yelled a question, the contents of their shouts gradually changed.

“YOUR MAJESTY, MAY I ASK HOW YOU GOT SUCH A BEAUTY AS HIS HIGHNESS?!”

“YOUR MAJESTY, MAY I ASK HOW YOU’VE BEEN PRESERVING THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN YOU AND HIS HIGHNESS SO WELL FOR SO MANY YEARS? AND PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU NORMALLY DO TO DISSOLVE HIS HIGHNESS’S ANGER WHEN HE’S MAD AT YOU!”

“YOUR MAJESTY … “

Those on top of the palace wall lapsed into a silence which soon spread. Everybody else was amazed, trying hard to keep from bursting into laughter, their eyes flashing in the direction of Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang, waiting to hear Yuwen Tong’s reply.

Ling Zhang was even more astounded. It had never crossed his mind that these daredevils would be so bold as to ask such questions. Him? A Beauty? Did none of them know another word? Did these people want to meet their ends?

Were they taking liberties with him?

What with his bewilderment, Ling Zhang’s face darkened. He looked on the verge of losing his cool.

Yuwen Tong standing beside him, however, were in an exceptionally good mood. He gave a little cough and decided to make a reply. Apart from anything else, it was the tenth wedding anniversary that they were celebrating on this day, and Yuwen Tong felt obliged to answer his subjects’ questions concerning marriage and set an example of what a marriage could be.

Ling Zhang beside him, sensing that something was not quite right, immediately twisted his head aside to look at him. “Don’t you dare say anything!” he hissed.

Yuwen Tong looked at him, a faintly injured expression on his face, as though asking, ‘Why?’

Why? Didn’t this strike him as … as terribly embarrassing?!

Yuwen Tong, at the sight of Ling Zhang’s impassive but flushed face, was in even higher spirits.

“Because my daddy’s a very good person. He’s the best daddy in the world, so of course my father married my daddy. My father would never dare anger my daddy, because if he does, he’ll have to sleep in the imperial study at night.”

A silvery voice answered all the questions for Yuwen Tong.

Everybody quieted down. S–Sleep in the imperial study?

Dismayed, Ling Zhang wheeled around to look at Yuwen Yue, narrowly avoiding cricking his neck. “What are you talking about, Crescent?!”

Yuwen Yue blinked her eyes. “I’m not lying.”

Ling Zhang gnashed his teeth, looking so angry as though he was about to spank her.

Right at this moment, Yuwen Tong suddenly scooped up Ling Zhang and said to the crowds down below, “Because of love. All right, you may continue celebrating. His Highness and I have to go now.”

With that, carrying Ling Zhang in his arms, he abruptly took a flying leap and disappeared from the palace wall in a whirling of his cloak.

This scene sent a ripple of exclamation through the crowd down below, everybody looking up in the direction the imperial couple had gone.

The next moment crazed shriek and cheer burst forth.

The torrents of sound were such as though they were about to break through the palace wall.

Ling Zhang was so annoyed at the hysterical screams from behind he couldn’t even speak fluently. “What do you think you’re doing, Yuwen Tong?! Why did you do that in the presence of that many people?! Th–That was utterly unbecoming of an emperor!”

“Come on, it’s not that bad. Otherwise the cheer wouldn’t have been that loud,” replied Yuwen Tong.

Ling Zhang stared fixedly at him. After a while, he thundered, “YUWEN TONG!!!”

…

The empress’s roar was so loud that everybody vaguely heard it. ‘Why am I suddenly anticipating His Highness having His Majesty sleep in the imperial study tonight as a punishment when I know very well I’m not supposed to have such thoughts?’ wondered the officials gloatingly.

Even the most curious ones of the outsiders had no way to find out whether or not the emperor had to sleep in his study tonight. The uproar of this night picked up in intensity even further after that interlude. The streets were teeming with tumultuous crowds almost all night. People cheered about the happy marriage between the imperial couple, discussed with relish what had happened on top of the palace wall, envied the strong chemistry between the imperial couple which had not waned a bit during the past decade, and at the same time celebrated the great prospects of the Great Wen. Everybody had some good wishes and hoped that their lives would get better and better.

It was not until shortly before dawn that the revels came to an end and silence reigned over the whole city. Except for the guards on patrol, almost everybody was asleep.

In the imperial bedchamber, the emperor and the empress, having indulged themselves all night, were also still sleeping.

The milky white parts of the two pieces of jade on the pillows were softly whirling inside like two clouds of gas, shedding a dim glow over the imperial couple’s faces, looking miraculous and entrancing.

For the moment this proved only one thing – the emperor had not been banished to the imperial study to sleep.

…

After the celebration, the capital city was still abustle and astir. The officials from provincial cities and the diplomatic corps would stay in the city for another few days before they set off to return.

As regards the matter of making a journey to the South Ocean, Ling Zhang had taken Yuwen Tong’s advice and decided to go there with him.

Ji Yanlai, after being informed of it, was very grateful. “Don’t worry. I’ve performed divination and the results suggest that there will be some difficulties during the journey but we won’t be faced with any dangers. All of us will come back safe and sound,” he said.

Ling Zhang’s mind was even more at ease after he heard these words.

There would be a large group of people heading for the South Ocean. Apart from members of the Millennium Pavilion and Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, Mr. Mu had also decided to go there, intending to find out whether there were really some medical books on that island that he had never seen before.

They met a lot of acquaintances during their journey to the south …

It took them almost three months to finish that journey of theirs. Just like Ji Yanlai had predicted, they experienced some swashbuckling moments but none of them got hurt. Their horizons were greatly broadened and they also made quite some friends during the process.

All aspects of the Great Wen were on the upgrade. Yuwen Tong, having come to know about the situation in the South Ocean, invested heavily in maritime trade afterward, causing the reputation of the Great Wen to spread wider and further, making preparations for the trip around the world that the two of them would make many years later.

The Great Wen was slowly entering its prime as the story of the imperial couple continued to unfurl.

Chapter 543: Spin-Off – A Journey to the South Ocean (1)

Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, having made up their minds to make a journey to the South Ocean, made a lot of preparations for it.

Ling Zhaowu, after being informed of that legendary island on the South Ocean, found his interest piqued and decided to go with them.

Jiahe Chamber of Commerce had also been trying to expand into maritime trade in recent years, but the major maritime trade routes were between the Fangcun Kingdom and the Great Wen, and the one through the South Ocean was still exploratory. Ling Zhaowu planned to take advantage of this opportunity and finalize all the details of this trade route while voyaging south with the Great-Wen navy.

As usual, the intelligence network of Jiahe Chamber of Commerce would be expanded with its network of trade routes. At the end of the day, it was Ling Zhang that the intelligence network served, which meant that it served the imperial household, so Yuwen Tong naturally had no objection to helping them open a trade route, which was a favor he could do them without extra effort.

Leaving aside the intelligence reports and the dividends Jiahe Chamber of Commerce paid the imperial court on a yearly basis, the present owner of Jiahe Chamber of Commerce was his father-in-law, and anybody except for those incurably insensible ones knew that Ling Zhaowu was not a person to be trifled with.

And Ling Zhaowu had always had a very good sense of propriety. After all, Ling Zhang was the real boss of Jiahe Chamber of Commerce. He had never done anything against the best interests of the Great Wen behind Ling Zhang’s back. He always let Ling Zhang make all the big decisions, and letting Ling Zhang be the decision-maker meant that Yuwen Tong also had a say in important affairs.

…

Aside from Ling Zhaowu who would go with them because he wanted to open a trade route on the South Ocean for Jiahe Chamber of Commerce, Ling Maomao and Mr. Mu would also be joining them on the journey.

Ling Xingzhong naturally became apprehensive as it came to his knowledge that his eldest son and his two grandsons were all going to the South Ocean.

The purpose of this journey was to rescue Ji Yanlai’s father, and the Millennium Pavilion had very close ties with the Ling family, so he felt it inappropriate to try to dissuade them. He just cautioned Ling Zhaowu in private that the latter must take good care of his two grandsons and make sure that they would come to no harm.

“Don’t worry, Father. We’ll be traveling on naval vessels, which are the strongest. Also, we’ll be in the company of the best swimmers. Nothing could go wrong. I guarantee you I’ll bring them back safe and sound.” Ling Zhaowu made his birth father a promise.

Ling Zhang also promised Ling Xingzhong that he would take good care of Ling Maomao.

Compared with the worried Ling Xingzhong, Ling Zhaowen was much more relaxed and merely cautioned them that they must be cautious, pay heed to experienced sailors and must not do anything risky. Even Fu Caiwei believed that it would do them a power of good to go on a voyage and see the world, and she went to a Buddhist temple where she prayed to the Buddha and got some lucky charms which she then gave to Ling Zhang and the others.

Ji Yin, Ji Yanlai and Ji Xiaocong also got a lucky charm apiece.

Ji Xiaocong was very thankful to Fu Caiwei when she gave him an amulet. “Thank you, Mrs. Ling.”

Ling Maomao fastened the amulet around Ji Xiaocong’s neck for him.

Smiling, Ji Xiaocong looked at him. “Brother Maomao, I learned some amazing swimming skills during the years when I was on the island. I’ll protect you if anything happens.”

Ling Maomao did not find Ji Xiaocong’s words hurtful at all. “Okay. I’ll take your word for it,” he said.

While saying this, he gently tucked the amulet into Ji Xiaocong’s collar, believing it’d be safer there.

Ji Xiaocong smiled happily, stroking the amulet inside his robes on his chest.

Ling Zhang, watching this on the side, was surprised that the friendship the two of them had struck up with each other in their childhood had not changed a bit during the past so many years.

…

When the Ling family began to make preparations, some people in the Marquess Fuan’s residence also got busy.

Yuwen Jin, ever since he had come to know that Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang were going to the South Ocean with the navy, had been bent on joining them, but he had got married not long ago, so Yuwen Tong did not agree.

Yuwen Jin had been badgering Yuwen Tong for days. “Please take me with you, cousin. I promise I’ll follow your every order and won’t do anything you don’t want me to. I can protect you and Brother Zhang!”

With a disapproving face, Yuwen Tong sniffed, “It’s been only a couple of months since your wedding. Stay at home and keep your new missus company.”

Yuwen Jin’s face crumpled up. “She’s the last person I need to keep company.”

Yuwen Jin had been delaying getting married for years before his wedding was finally held earlier this year, and the series of events that had eventually led to their marriage were such that everybody who heard about them pulled a wry face. In short, it had not been for romantic love that they had married each other, and it wasn’t an arranged marriage. In a sense, they did have feelings for each other, but the most important reason for their marriage was a bet they had made.

Ling Zhang had burst into laughter when he had first heard about the bet the two of them had made. That had been his first time hearing of people getting married to honor their bet. Originally he had wanted to persuade Yuwen Jin to think twice, because getting marriage was no joke, but Yuwen Tong had stopped him, saying that that bet the two of them had made suggested there was indeed some chemistry between them, that otherwise Yuwen Jin wouldn’t have compromised like that, considering he had been insistent on staying single for so many years. Ling Zhang had felt that Yuwen Tong had a point and thus had stayed out of it.

In fact, over the past few months, though Yuwen Jin and his new wife had always been bickering about something or other, people could tell that they did see each other as marriage partners, that their bickering was actually an unconventional method to spice their marriage up.

However, though outsiders saw it this way, Yuwen Jin himself felt otherwise. It struck him that he had married a real dragon. On top of that, the two of them quarreled all the time, so Yuwen Jin believed that his wife would be very happy to learn that he was going to the South Ocean.

Yuwen Tong looked at him and inwardly shook his head, finding it difficult to talk sense into his second cousin’s thick skull.

Yuwen Jin kept pestering Yuwen Tong to let him join them on the journey, but the latter refused to budge an inch on the issue. Apart from Yuwen Jin being a newly-wed, Yuwen You’s health which had not been very good during the past half a year was also part of the reason, and Yuwen Tong was not inclined to worry the old man.

Having realized that trying to convince Yuwen Tong wouldn’t get him anywhere, Yuwen Jin returned home to plead with his grandfather. Nobody knew what he had said to Yuwen You, but the old man actually went to the palace with the intention to persuade Yuwen Tong into agreeing.

“Sire, please allow that mulish guy to go with you. I’d be worried if you have nobody you feel close to in your company during the journey except for His Highness and your bodyguards. Obstreperous as Yuwen Jin is, these years you’ve seen with your own eyes what he’s capable of. I’m sure he’ll prove helpful if anything happens,” said Yuwen You.

As Yuwen You had come in person, Yuwen Tong naturally relented.

Just like this, Yuwen Jin’s name was added to the list of people going south. The matter was rather urgent, so Yuwen Tong and Ling Zhang, after making arrangements for things to be handled properly in the capital city, immediately departed, heading south with the others.

They traveled south on fast horses along an overland national road, which was a quicker way to get to the naval base in the south than traveling by boat.

After the Great Wen subjected the other two countries to its rule, the coastline of the Luohai Kingdom had been incorporated into that of the Great Wen. There were in total five major naval bases along the new coastline. This time around it was the one in Haizhou that they were heading.

Haizhou navy, after receiving an order from Yuwen Tong, had got everything ready as quick as they could. When Yuwen Tong and the others had arrived, the large fleet soon set sail, voyaging south.

One of the reasons why Yuwen Tong had specially designated Haizhou navy to provide protection for him during his journey to the island was that he wanted to test the naval force. Owing to the arrival of the envoys from the couple of southern mini-states, Yuwen Tong had come up with the idea of devoting major efforts to developing maritime trade, and to do that, he needed his naval forces to protect the merchant ships, because when maritime trade started booming, pirates were guaranteed to show up, and those exiled people from island countries in the south or further east would try to rob merchant ships passing by. Therefore, the naval forces must be strong enough to protect them and serve as a prop of the government, ensuring steady development of maritime trade.

As a result, this time Yuwen Tong planned to test the navy’s strength and see if they were competent to carry out the duty of protecting merchant ships.

Ling Zhang knew what Yuwen Tong was trying to do, so after boarding, he accompanied Yuwen Tong to different parts of the vessel to take a look.

The vessel they were on was one of the largest and strongest. In total, there were three such vessels among this fleet, and all others were medium-sized ships.

“Earlier this year some caravans of the Chamber of Commerce got on a ship of another trading company and traveled south. They said that the first half of this southward route is pretty safe, but the nearer to those island countries on the South Ocean, the more dangerous it gets. Apart from undercurrents, we also need to watch out for pirates infesting those waters. These days hardly any merchant ships dare go south unaccompanied. They always sail in groups for fear of encountering pirates,” said Ling Zhang, walking with Yuwen Tong on the vessel.

Both of them were wearing close-fitting casual clothes, which were rippling constantly in sea breeze. Yuwen Tong said, “Those pirates are exactly what I’m worried about. Presently our first priority is still to foster better relations among our people who used to be subjects of three different countries. And then there’s also the matter of further improving their livelihood. If the issue of piracy is too difficult to tackle, we’ll have to shelve the plan of developing maritime trade and bide our time.”

After all, it had been merely five years since the unification of the Great Wen. The major task facing the imperial court was still to help the people restore their lives, encourage them to develop agricultural production, rebuild their communities and nurse the wounds caused by war. Though Jiahe Chamber of Commerce had been secretly funding the government, it did not have enough money to support the whole country. There was no way they could develop maritime trade without investing a large sum of money in it, and eliminating the pirates and maintaining a navy certainly required money as well. In a word, they were in dire need of money.

Right now their top priority was to rebuild strength and make money.

Ling Zhang understood what Yuwen Tong meant. Actually he did not expect Yuwen Tong to figure out a way to have the maritime trade of the Great Wen start booming during this journey. “The Chamber of Commerce will join hands with the merchants living in coastal areas and go south with them. Even if we don’t have what it takes to rid these waters of pirates in the near future, we must not be kept in the dark about the situation here. It’s best if we keep abreast of all the latest developments of it.”

Yuwen Tong inclined his head. “It pains me to see you and your father go to such trouble.”

Ling Zhang glanced at him, wondering why he was being so courteous. Then he twisted his head back and found his father walking towards them. No wonder Yuwen Tong had suddenly become so glib.

…

Ling Zhang understood what Yuwen Tong meant. Actually he did not expect Yuwen Tong to figure out a way to have the maritime trade of the Great Wen start booming during this journey. “The Chamber of Commerce will join hands with the merchants living in coastal areas and go south with them. Even if we don’t have what it takes to rid these waters of pirates in the near future, we must not be kept in the dark about the situation here. It’s best if we keep abreast of all the latest developments of it.”