Chapter Fifteen: Drinking High Clouds Seven

  These past few days' updates have been a bit late, everyone please don't mind, Old Mo apologizes first, these days have been quite busy, but at least there will be guaranteed daily updates.

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  Yang Ziting had been waiting in the mansion of Huadu all day for Yun Qi, but he didn't see anyone for a long time and was secretly worried. Until evening, according to the servant's report, someone from the palace came to visit, Yang Ziting heard that something bad might have happened, fearing that Yun Qi might have made some trouble in the palace, so he hastily dressed up and went out to greet him.

  The newcomer was a eunuch serving by the crown prince's side, who had also seen him once in Sichuan. He was the same eunuch who had delivered a message to Yun Qi and accompanied him into the palace that morning. Yang Ziting was a high-ranking official of the first rank, so the eunuch paid his respects to him, and seeing that he had come to welcome him personally, he felt doubly honored and surprised, smiling and trying to curry favor with Yang Ziting.

  Yang Ziting ordered his servant to serve tea and led the eunuch into the inner hall. After taking a seat, he asked impatiently: "Is something wrong with Yun Qi in the palace?"

  The eunuch with a pleased expression, holding the tea cup, covered his mouth and smiled, saying: "Sir, what are you talking about? This time I came to report good news to you."

  "What's this about reporting good news?"

  Yang Ziting furrowed his brow, wondering in his heart if this official had not come because of Yun Qi's affair. But he did not know where the joy came from.

  The eunuch took a sip of the scalding hot tea, making a hissing sound with his mouth, and said "good tea". Seeing Yang Ziting looking anxious, he spoke in a gentle tone: "His Highness is quite fond of Yun Qi. That's why I was sent to inform Your Excellency that His Highness has invited Yun Qi to stay for dinner at the palace today. Please don't worry, the Crown Prince will send someone to escort Yun Qi back later."

  "What's there to be happy about in this matter?"

  Yang Ziting's expression eased, since it wasn't Yun Qi causing trouble in the palace, he felt a lot more at ease. Since the Crown Prince and Yun Qi got along well, staying in the palace for a meal was nothing to be excited about either.

  Taijian continued: "Hehe, sir, this Yun Qi is probably no longer suitable for being a servant."

  Yang Ziting hastily asked: "What?"

  The eunuch smiled and said, "From tomorrow on, our family will have to address Yun Qi as General Yun." The eunuch's words were mostly flattering, but Yun Qi had only become a low-ranking officer, a hundred-man commander, which was not worthy of the title of general. However, having been sent to serve in the Eastern Palace since childhood, the eunuch naturally knew that officials of the third rank and above would be treated with courtesy by the prime minister's family. Although Yun Qi had only become a hundred-man commander, he was still Yang Ziteng's man, so speaking kindly to him was also natural.

  The eunuch finished speaking and took another sip of tea, feeling parched from the journey. The superior tea was too enticing to resist, so he drank a few more mouthfuls. He didn't notice that Yang Ziting's brow furrowed even deeper, as he repeatedly pondered the eunuch's words in his mind, but couldn't make sense of them. Everything would have to wait until Yun Qi returned and asked again.

  He chatted with the eunuch for a while, took out five taels of silver as a reward, and sent the delighted eunuch away. He turned around and instructed Old Fu Sheng: If Yun Qi returns, let him come to the study room directly to find himself. Then he furrowed his brow, deep in thought, and walked alone towards the study room.

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  Yun Qi left the East Palace of the Crown Prince as night was approaching. He had drunk a lot of wine today, mainly because he thought the Crown Prince was a good person and also because he had been fond of drinking since his time in the army. The fine wines in the palace were countless, so he naturally drank more than usual. His brain reaction was somewhat slow, and he walked towards the gate with slightly staggering steps.

  Before long, Yun Qi saw a horse carriage parked outside the palace gate with a coachman dressed as a guard. Yun Qi took a glance and didn't think much of it, directly walking past the carriage. At this moment, the person on the carriage jumped down and ran to Yun Qi's front, respectfully asking: "Excuse me, are you Yun Qi, Cloud Husband?"

  Yun Qi was stunned, and the carriage was waiting for him? He began to feel grateful to Yang Ziting from the bottom of his heart. The old man did things quite thoroughly, knowing that he would drink too much, so he sent someone to wait here. "Is it true, is it Master who asked you to take me back to the mansion?"

  That person said: "It is His Highness the Crown Prince's order that I escort Yunfu back to the mansion."

  "Oh... it's the crown prince..."

  Some of the dazed Yun Qi were finally supported onto the carriage by the guards, inside was empty and there was a soft couch. The somewhat tired Yun Qi didn't think twice and directly leaned back on the couch, before long he started snoring. The driver also greeted the gatekeeper guard and then raised his whip, driving the carriage towards the Yang residence.

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  It wasn't long before the horse carriage suddenly stopped, and a sudden gust of cool wind blew in, making Yun Qi, who was sleeping soundly, shiver and become dazed. Squinting his eyes open, he saw that the curtain had been lifted and grumbled, "What's going on?"

  The man outside the carriage replied: "Master Yun, we've arrived!"

  "Alright, got it."

  Yun Qi, who had slept for about twenty minutes, felt much better than before. Although his head was still a bit dizzy, it wasn't as bad as the dizziness he felt when he first left the palace and almost fell over. He stretched his waist, loosening up all his joints, and with some difficulty climbed out of the carriage. Looking up, he saw that they had indeed arrived home. Just as he was about to thank the driver, he saw that the man had already walked ahead to the gate and was lightly knocking on it.

  Before long, the vermilion lacquered gate was opened from inside by a gap. Fusheng held up the lantern and first exposed his head, after inquiring about the visitor, he fully opened one of the large gates, and walked out with two young and strong servants following behind him. After thanking them, Fusheng instructed the two servants to support Yunqi on either side as they were about to return to the mansion, when suddenly the carriage driver called out to stop them.

  "This is the letter given by Your Highness to be handed over to Mr. Yang."

  The man who was in a hurry took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Fu Sheng. Then he didn't linger, got back on the carriage, cracked the whip in his hand and shouted: "Drive!", the carriage sped towards the imperial palace at a faster speed than before, he still had to return to the palace to report to the prince.

  Fu Sheng let the servants bring Yun Qi to the main hall and asked his wife to go to the kitchen to fetch some tea to sober him up. Since they were already back home, Yun Qi allowed the servants to support him. After drinking the tea and eating a few green bean pastries, he felt much better in his stomach and his head wasn't as dizzy. He blinked hard several times, rubbed his face with both hands, and felt much more spirited.

  At this time, Fu Sheng came in again and said: "The old master has been waiting for you for half a day, let you go to the study."

  Yun Qi was taken aback, had the old man been waiting for him all along? It was so late, couldn't whatever it was be said tomorrow instead? He just thought to himself and replied with a "got it" before getting up and heading towards the study. On the way, he saw the well and next to it was a wooden basin with some cool water in it. Yun Qi looked at it and thought it would save him the trouble of drawing more water, so he walked over, squatted down, scooped some water with his hands and washed his face thoroughly. After washing up, he saw that the well was right next to a flowerbed, so he poured the entire basin of water into it, wiped his hands dry on his clothes, and continued on his way.

  But before long, Fusheng's wife came to the well and saw the empty wooden basin. She muttered to herself in surprise: "Huh? Who was so kind as to pour away my foot-washing water?"