Chapter 137: The Youngest Son Rescuing the King

“Your Excellency! It is so late—what brings you here?” Madam Jiang, who was busy in the courtyard, hurried over to greet Yang Yaozong.

Only then did Yang Yaozong learn that Madam Jiang and the others had already erected numerous tents outside the Red Dust Drunk the previous day, and that everyone had been resting in them since last night.

“I had no time to come by during the day. I hope you will forgive me for arriving so late,” Yang Yaozong said apologetically.

“Your Excellency, how could you say such a thing? You bear the burden of every citizen in the capital upon your shoulders. Not only did you subdue the Prince of Qin’s rebel forces without bloodshed, you also saved countless people during such a terrible disaster. I hear that you have even taken all the Prince of Qin’s ill-gotten wealth and put it toward rebuilding the capital, beginning with helping the people construct homes. I fear the citizens of the capital would gladly enshrine you as a living Bodhisattva,” Madam Jiang said, visibly moved.

Yang Yaozong frowned. “Madam, where did you hear all this?”

Only then did Madam Jiang realize that she had misspoken. She hurriedly covered her mouth, but a woman’s voice came from behind her.

“I was the one who spread the news.”

The woman was Yin Ruyun.

When Madam Jiang saw Yin Ruyun emerge, she bowed, then turned and left.

Yang Yaozong fixed his gaze on Yin Ruyun.

She did not shy away from the anger in his eyes. Instead, she approached him and said softly, “Are you afraid of people knowing when you do good deeds? Do you realize that once the Prince of Qin’s wealth was confiscated, it all became the property of the state? It was not yours to distribute as you pleased. How could you not understand such a simple principle? I had no choice but to spread the news so that the people would be grateful to you and hold you in reverence. It also ensures that His Majesty will not dare blame you for this matter.”

Yang Yaozong smiled tenderly. “Hmm… I understand your concern now. But do not take matters into your own hands again.”

“Who said I was concerned about you?” Yin Ruyun snorted softly.

Suddenly, a child’s wailing came from one of the tents.

Yang Yaozong frowned and turned toward the sound. When he lowered his gaze to Yin Ruyun, he saw her eyes dart away.

He walked toward the tent. Yin Ruyun wanted to stop him, but she had no reason to do so and could only follow behind him.

Inside, Madam Jiang held a plump, rosy-cheeked infant in her arms, anxiously rocking the baby as she coaxed, “Don’t cry, don’t cry, little darling. My little ancestor, please stop crying.”

When Madam Jiang saw Yang Yaozong enter, she froze for a moment. Then she glanced at Yin Ruyun, bowed to Yang Yaozong, and said with a smile, “Have we disturbed Your Excellency?”

Yang Yaozong frowned at the infant in her arms. “Is the child hungry?”

Madam Jiang cast a bashful glance at the woman beside her. “He was just fed.”

Yang Yaozong nodded. “Come, let me hold him.”

Madam Jiang looked at Yin Ruyun and hesitated for a moment before handing the infant to Yang Yaozong.

Strangely enough, the moment the child was placed in Yang Yaozong’s arms, he stopped crying. Instead, he began to giggle happily.

Madam Jiang smiled. “This child truly seems to have a special bond with Your Excellency. No matter how I soothe him, he refuses to stop crying, yet the moment he enters your arms, he not only quiets down but starts laughing.”

Yang Yaozong smiled, then began humming a lullaby under his breath as he gently rocked the infant. Before long, the child gradually fell asleep.

Yang Yaozong returned the baby to Madam Jiang and left the tent with Yin Ruyun.

After walking silently for a while, Yin Ruyun called out to him. “Aren’t you curious where the infant came from?”

Yang Yaozong smiled at her. “If you do not wish to tell me, I will not ask.”

Yin Ruyun frowned anxiously. “If I tell you, how will you treat the child?”

Yang Yaozong had noticed that the infant bore some resemblance to the Prince of Qin, and had already guessed that he was very likely the prince’s youngest son. Hearing Yin Ruyun’s question only confirmed his suspicions.

He watched her with a smile. “What do you think?”

Seeing that she still looked hesitant, he frowned slightly, pulled her into his arms, and held her there with an exasperated smile.

“You hate the Prince of Qin so much. Why would you save his child?”

Yin Ruyun nestled obediently against his chest. “He is only an infant. Even if the Prince of Qin was guilty, the child should not be punished for his crimes.”

She lifted her head from Yang Yaozong’s arms and looked at him with concern.

Yang Yaozong smiled and nodded. “Indeed. When you took him away today, did anyone see you?”

Yin Ruyun shook her head. “No. He is safe here with Madam Jiang as well. She naturally knows how to handle such matters.”

Yang Yaozong teased her, “Do you intend for him to take my surname or yours? He will need a name, after all. And he certainly cannot use the imperial surname.”

Seeing Yin Ruyun’s bashful silence, Yang Yaozong smiled. “Let him take the surname Yang and give him the personal name Fan. I hope that when he grows up, he can live as an ordinary man and enjoy a peaceful life. Let him stay with Madam Jiang for the time being. Once you and I return to the capital, we will bring him with us. It would not do for him to grow up in a pleasure house, and it would be difficult for an unmarried woman like you to raise a child. As for his origins, we will say that I found him during the earthquake and adopted him as my sworn son.”

Yin Ruyun nodded softly.

Yang Yaozong said in a low voice, “I feel that you have changed greatly since we met again. I do not know what brought about the change, but I like it very much.”

***************

To the citizens of the capital, losing their homes was heartbreaking. Yet they had survived the disaster, and with the help of countless people, had begun rebuilding their lives. In their eyes, they owed all of this to Yang Yaozong, Grand Tutor to the Imperial Grandson. Thus, the people of the capital jointly proposed to Zhang Lie that they build a shrine in Yang Yaozong’s honor, so that they and their descendants might remember his merits forever.

After Zhang Lie mentioned the matter to Yang Yaozong, however, Yang Yaozong politely declined. He said that he was still so young and had no desire to begin receiving offerings of incense at such an early age.

Under the leadership of Yang Yaozong and Zhang Lie, relief efforts and reconstruction in the capital proceeded in an orderly fashion. Five days later, news of Yang Yaozong’s suppression of the Prince of Qin’s rebellion, along with the reconstruction of the capital after the disaster, finally reached the imperial palace.

After reading the urgent report in his hands, the Imperial Grandson said excitedly, “Prince Xian, Aunt, you must read this as well. Grand Tutor Yang Yaozong subdued the Prince of Qin’s army of one hundred and fifty thousand rebels without bloodshed. Moreover, even after the capital was struck by such a catastrophe as the earth turning over, he managed to save most of its people.”

Then he lowered his voice slightly. “Unfortunately, the Prince of Qin did not survive the disaster. He died on the spot.”

Prince Xian eagerly took the letter from the Imperial Grandson. After reading it, he sighed. “Heaven sees all that men do. The Prince of Qin brought this upon himself. Still, this has laid one of your Imperial Grandfather’s burdens to rest.”

The Imperial Grandson nodded, his eyes glistening.

Jing Yijun read every line of the letter carefully. At that moment, she was even more agitated than the Imperial Grandson.

With her eyes shimmering, she asked, “When can he return to the capital?”

Prince Xian laughed heartily. “What is it, Yijun? Are you longing for your husband?”

Seeing Jing Yijun’s embarrassed expression, the Imperial Grandson teased her. “Aunt is not merely longing for her husband. You are also worried that your husband will suffer while rebuilding the capital, are you not?”

Jing Yijun glared at the Imperial Grandson with annoyance. “When he serves Great Zhou, he is Grand Tutor to the Imperial Grandson and is working on your behalf. So you, not I, should be worried about your subject.”

The Imperial Grandson laughed. “Then I shall issue an edict at once, appointing Zhang Lie as Prefect of the Capital. I will also transfer several officials from the Celestial Capital to assist him in rebuilding the city. Once Grand Tutor Yang Yaozong receives the edict, he may return to the capital immediately. Aunt, what do you think?”

Suppressing her excitement, Jing Yijun bowed to the Imperial Grandson. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

Prince Xian smiled. “Have you decided how you will reward Grand Tutor Yang?”

The Imperial Grandson frowned. “With such an enormous achievement, he must of course be rewarded. But he is still a son-in-law by marriage, and deciding how to honor him is truly rather difficult.”

Prince Xian nodded. “Then wait until he returns and ask him what he wants.”

(To be continued.)

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