Chapter Eighty-Nine: What the Heart Desires

Just as Zhao Yu had expected, there was nothing a good barbecue could not settle.

After trying these two novel ways of eating, the Heavenly Blessing Emperor was already feeling thoroughly captivated.

Especially as night deepened, all the lights set within the ice sculptures were lit, and he sat in the pavilion grilling meat while admiring the scenery. The feeling was so exhilarating that no words could truly describe it.

Knowing the emperor had arrived, the new band of dubious friends Zhao Yu had recently made ate and drank for a while, then tactfully took their leave.

Taking the silk kerchief handed to him by a maid and wiping his mouth, the Heavenly Blessing Emperor said with lingering relish, “I had long heard that the delicacies of the Central Plains are the finest under heaven. Today, I have truly seen it for myself.”

Zhao Yu smiled faintly. “Your Majesty, there is no need to hurry. Later, I will send men to the Shu region to invite a few master chefs from Sichuan. The flavors there are even more extraordinary.”

“Good! You are thoughtful indeed. But, my young brother-in-law, you are still in the prime of youth. You ought to think more of serving the state. You must not lose yourself in idle amusements.”

At those words, Zhao Yu’s heart gave a sharp jolt. He thought bitterly, I’ve put on such a strenuous performance and it still isn’t enough? You have to probe me again?

“Your Majesty, the people regard food as heaven. If I spend some thought on matters of eating, surely that cannot count as sinking into frivolity.”

Shameless old fool. When it comes to pleasure, you’re more reckless than anyone. If I hadn’t found a way to kill Aguda and Wuqimai, who knows where you’d be hiding now? And yet you lecture me.

Just as Zhao Yu had expected, the emperor’s next sentence exposed his true intent at once.

“Brother-in-law, that football match you mentioned before—can it truly be that interesting?”

Zhao Yu chuckled. “Interesting? It is far more than that. Your Majesty may not know this, but beyond the seas there is a kingdom where a great war was on the verge of breaking out. Yet when news came that a match was about to begin, everyone laid down their weapons and went to watch it. Only after the match did they resume fighting. Tell me, is that not proof enough of its irresistible allure?”

The northern lands were sparsely populated. Even if he organized football matches, they could never reach the scale of those in Bianliang, much less be used as a way to amass wealth. The real reason for promoting such a thing was just as the emperor had said—to make people believe he was a man with no great ambitions, one who only knew how to enjoy himself.

“Such a thing happened? Very well, I leave this matter to you. If you need anything, tell me, and I will send men to assist you.”

“Then I thank Your Majesty in advance. Only, with the land frozen solid in this bitter cold, it is impossible to prepare a proper field. We should wait until the weather grows warmer before beginning construction.”

The Heavenly Blessing Emperor thought it over and found the reasoning sound. Then a sudden inspiration struck him. “When the time comes, we can invite the Song court to send people to participate as well. In that way, it will deepen the friendship between our two realms and, at the same time, serve as a warning to the Jurchens.”

Zhao Yu laughed softly. “If Your Majesty truly has such a thought, why not invite the Jurchens as well?”

The emperor stared, then blurted out, “Invite those Jurchen barbarians too? Would they even know how to play?”

It had to be said that the emperor’s idea was rather inventive. But from another angle, it also showed just how deeply the Jurchens had frightened him.

“Your Majesty’s words just now have reminded me of something. If the Jurchens do not know how, we can teach them. Aguda and the others, those old slaves, have only just died. They certainly would not dare launch another attack rashly at present. This would be our best chance to tempt them into amusement and blunt their edge.”

The Jurchens had already become a nightmare to the Khitans. The Heavenly Blessing Emperor dreamed day and night of wiping them out, but lacked the strength to do so. Fortunately, Aguda was dead.

After pondering for a moment, he stood, patted Zhao Yu on the shoulder, and said, “You are very capable.”

Then he turned to Xiao Yiyi beside him, his expression growing stern. “It is getting late. Come back to the palace with me at once, or the Empress Dowager will begin worrying again. Just look at you—after only a few days, how have you already grown so plump?”

Xiao Yiyi stuck out her tongue mischievously, waved to Zhao Yu, and then took the emperor’s arm as they walked out.

“Your servant respectfully sees Your Majesty off. May Your Majesty walk carefully.”

Zhao Yu escorted the imperial party all the way to the gate before finally turning back.

As evening deepened, the lively clamor within the residence gradually faded away. Strolling through the courtyard with Yan Qing at his side, Zhao Yu suddenly felt a wave of loneliness rise in his heart.

“Brother Xiaoyi, do you miss home?”

Yan Qing replied, “Your Highness, in the past, Master Lu’s household was Xiaoyi’s home. Now that Your Highness is there, that is Xiaoyi’s home.”

“There are no outsiders here. You and I are brothers; there is no need to be so formal. I can see that Wanyu has a good deal of affection for you. How about I give her to you in marriage?”

Yan Qing had not been by Zhao Yu’s side for just a day or two. No one knew better than he did how Zhao Yu treated the two maids around him. That was why Zhao Yu could say this without the least burden on his conscience. Besides, he had already sounded Yan Qing out indirectly before and knew that Yan Qing had no such feelings for Li Shishi.

“This... Wanyu is one of Your Highness’s people, while I am merely—”

Before he could finish, Zhao Yu waved a hand to cut him off. “First, Wanyu is not mine; you should know that. Second, for those who stay by my side, I hope they can all find happiness. My heart already belongs elsewhere, so I cannot delay them any longer. That settles it. Later, I will have Yiyi make the arrangements.”

They spent every day together. Wanyu was young and lovely, while Yan Qing was the kind of handsome that could leave one stunned. Zhao Yu himself had no such intentions, and if he still refused to help fulfill others, that would make him far too despicable.

Though it was already dark, one could still tell that Yan Qing had been talked into a deep blush by Zhao Yu. Just then, however, Yan Qing’s sharp gaze suddenly swept to one side, and he barked in a low voice, “Who goes there?”

At his quiet shout, a thin, wiry figure slipped out from behind a snow sculpture. It was Shi Qian.

After arriving in the Supreme Capital, Shi Qian had been sent away by Zhao Yu and had only now returned.

Zhao Yu signaled to Yan Qing and Shi Qian with his eyes, then the three of them went to the study. After Zhao Yu and Shi Qian entered, Yan Qing remained standing guard outside the door.

“You have worked hard, brother.”

As he spoke, Zhao Yu personally poured a cup of hot tea and handed it to Shi Qian.

Shi Qian gave thanks and accepted the cup with both hands. Before he had even taken a sip, he said, “Following Your Highness’s instructions, I went to Huning. From what I could see, the Jurchens will not launch any large-scale war for the time being. But somehow a rumor is now spreading in Huning that the deaths of Aguda and the others were the work of the Han. After withdrawing from Yellow Dragon Prefecture, the Jurchens brought back all the Han people there with them. I do not know whether this rumor came from their mouths.”

Zhao Yu nodded. He knew well enough that there were no real secrets in this world. Though Gongsun Sheng had acted covertly, that place was not a city of the Central Plains. A Han Daoist appearing there repeatedly might not have aroused suspicion at the time, but afterward it would certainly be investigated.

The reason Zhao Yu had sent Shi Qian to Huning was to find out whether the Jurchens intended to launch another attack on the Supreme Capital, so that he could make preparations in advance if necessary.

Now it seemed that killing Aguda and Wuqimai had indeed slowed the Jurchens’ advance. But the delay was only temporary. Once the Jurchens produced a new leader, they would surely attack the Liao realm again.

After asking a few more simple questions about other aspects of Jurchen affairs, Zhao Yu had Yan Qing take Shi Qian away to rest.

It was not that Zhao Yu felt any profound loyalty to the Liao state. He simply did not want to become the slave of a fallen nation. Besides, with Liao still standing, there would remain a buffer between Great Song and the Jurchens.

The war had only paused for the moment. What means was there to make the Jurchens truly submit and stay quiet for good?

Outside the window, the winter wind howled. Inside, a lone lamp flickered like a bean of fire. Cradling a teacup in his hands, Zhao Yu sat motionless, lost in deep thought.