coobybook Chapter 500: Meeting the Queen Mother
Chapter 500: Meeting the Queen Mother
The Grand Empress Dowager was standing in the hall in a moon-white Taoist robe. Amid the green smoke from the alchemy furnace, she actually looked a bit like an immortal.
Seeing Chao Ge'er in Fu Jinyuan's arms, the Empress Dowager's indifferent smile deepened, and she smiled, "Chao Ge'er has grown so big!"
I haven't seen Chao Ge'er for half a year. He has become much stronger. Now he can stand up with the help of adults and is learning to speak.
"Long live the Empress Dowager." Fu Jinyuan and Shen Suian bowed.
The Empress Dowager asked them to waive their formalities, "This is a Taoist temple, there is no need for so many empty formalities."
Fu Jinyuan carried Chao Ge'er forward and allowed the Empress Dowager and her little great-grandson to get closer.
Chao Ge'er was a likable child. Even though he had no impression of the Empress Dowager, he still grinned, revealing four rice-like teeth, and laughed so hard that his saliva was flowing out.
Shen Sui'an explained helplessly, "Grandmother, Chao Ge'er has been teething recently and is always drooling."
"He's so fair and tender. Regent Princess, you've taken good care of Chao Ge'er." The Empress Dowager took Chao Ge'er from Fu Jinyuan.
"Oh, it's so heavy." The Empress Dowager's face was full of kindness.
Chao Ge'er took the opportunity to grab the whisk that the Empress Dowager had placed next to her.
Shen Sui'an quickly took it away from him, "You can't grab everything."
"It's okay, as long as you don't put it in your mouth." The Empress Dowager said with a smile.
Fu Jinyuan whispered, "Grandmother, I'm here to take you to Suzhou."
Although the Empress Dowager had heard Fu Jinyuan say before that he would take her to Suzhou, she didn't actually have too many expectations.
Even if he was willing, Queen Mother Ruan might not agree.
"Have you... discussed this with your mother?" asked the Empress Dowager.
"Of course I did. Although my mother is worried that you will have a bumpy journey, she also told me to take good care of you." Fu Jinyuan said.
The Empress Dowager felt warm in her heart, knowing that Empress Dowager Ruan would agree, and it must be Fu Jinyuan's credit.
"I'm very happy that you have this intention, but... if you let me go to Suzhou, will the court officials talk about you?" asked the Empress Dowager.
"Others can say whatever they want." Fu Jinyuan frowned, "Is it wrong for a grandson to want to show filial piety to his grandmother? Is it hindering them in some way?"
Shen Sui'an also acted coquettishly: "Grandmother, you promised me that you would help me take care of Chao Ge'er."
The Queen Mother finally put aside her worries and said, "Okay, okay, okay."
Fu Jinyuan and Shen Suian looked at each other and smiled.
They stayed in Wudao Mountain for two days, and Shen Sui'an finally met Taoist Master Bu Xuanfeng, whom he had only heard of but never seen.
Taoist Master Bu Xuanfeng already has a head full of white hair, but his face and skin are smooth and fair, and his age is hard to tell.
He greeted Fu Jinyuan and knew that the Empress Dowager was going to Suzhou with them, so he didn't say much, but just gave Chao Ge'er a golden amulet.
The Empress Dowager said, "This amulet was consecrated by Taoist Master Bu Xuanfeng himself. It is the only one in the past ten years. When I asked to give it to the late emperor, he declined, saying that he wanted to give it to someone who was destined to receive it."
"When the little grandson of the emperor went into the mountains, I was able to gain enlightenment and come out of seclusion. This is fate." Bu Xuanfeng said in a calm voice.
Shen Sui'an took the amulet for Chao Ge'er and said, "Thank you, Taoist Priest."
The Empress Dowager practiced Taoism in the Wusi Hall, which was a short distance away from the Taoist temple.
There are hundreds of female Taoist priests here practicing Taoism with her.
In fact, the Empress Dowager is not depressed here at all.
But it certainly doesn’t compare to living with my grandchildren and little great-grandchildren.
They set out from Wudaoshan in sunny weather. Chao Ge'er had been with the Empress Dowager for two days and had become completely familiar with each other. He held the whisk in his left hand and the golden tiger head given by the Empress Dowager in his right hand and had a lot of fun playing with it.
With the Empress Dowager joining the trip, their journey slowed down even more.
Not only do you want to see the beautiful scenery, but you also want to taste all kinds of delicious food.
……
After the spring rain, there is a clear blue sky and the sun is shining brightly.
Chao Ge'er was lying on the window frame, looking at the scenery outside with curiosity through his eyes like glass beads.
I don't know what I suddenly saw, and I jumped up excitedly.
Shen Sui'an looked out the window, equally excited, "Why is it still snowing?"
Fu Jinyuan explained, "That's not snow, it's salt."
"We have arrived in Salt Lake City, which has the largest salt lake in the entire Southern Dynasty."
The salt fields in the morning mist glow with tiny silver lights. Barefoot salt workers walk among the crystal clusters as if they are stepping on the Milky Way. The salty wind brings a long song: "In July, the grass is cut and in August, it is dried. In September, the Dragon King marries a new bride—"
Fu Jinyuan's eyes swept across the newly built dam outside the salt field. The flood control wall, which should have been surrounded by granite, was instead piled with dark blue gravel.
These sheens... shouldn't be in Salt Lake City.
"What a beautiful lake." Shen Suian suddenly exclaimed.
The sunlight falls on the salt lake, which reflects a emerald green color, like the finest jade.
"Let's go into the city and take a look." Fu Jinyuan said.
Following Fu Jinyuan's instructions, their carriage was already heading towards the gate of Salt Lake City.
The carriage, which was moving smoothly, was suddenly forced to stop.
There were several shouting voices coming from outside.
"What happened?" Shen Sui'an asked.
Shi Qing came over and reported, "My Lord, my Princess, some soldiers are investigating the fugitives in the city and want everyone to get off the carriage."
"What fugitive?" Fu Jinyuan asked coldly.
"It is said that she was a woman who sold illegal salt." Shi Qing said.
Just as the words fell, a soldier came to the front of their carriage and knocked hard on the shaft of the carriage with the handle of the knife in his hand, "Who is in the carriage? Get out quickly!"
Fu Jinyuan had been hiding his identity all the way and had not revealed his identity as the regent. He was about to arrive in Suzhou, and he did not want to be recognized in Salt Lake City.
He glanced at Shi Qing.
Shi Qing understood what he meant.
"Our master is an official appointed by the imperial court and is going to Dongning to take up his post. Please allow passage." Shi Qing took out the pass that he had prepared long ago.
That's right, they prepared several identities along the way just in case.
In several places outside, they only traveled as merchants.
When the soldiers heard that it was an official appointed by the imperial court, they immediately put away their knives, looked at Shi Qing suspiciously, and then looked at Fu Jinyuan and his carriage.
"Dongning garrison?" The soldier's face changed when he saw it was the garrison.
"Please wait a moment." He hurried back to find his boss.
Fu Jinyuan lifted the curtain and looked at the crowded people outside who were blocked outside the city gate.
There were nine major salt supervision agencies in the Southern Dynasties. In addition to the salt lakes that could produce a large amount of salt every year, there were also salt wells that could extract high-quality salt.
Other countries such as the Yong Dynasty even needed to purchase official salt from the Southern Dynasty.
It can be said that salt merchants were extremely wealthy in the Southern Dynasties.
If I remember correctly, in addition to the salt lake, Salt Lake City also has the largest salt well in the Southern Dynasties.
Compared with the price of grain, the official salt should be more likely to be embezzled. Didn't Prince Heng ever think about the official salt?
Probably I can't help.
After a while, a middle-aged man who looked like a city garrison commander strode over and said, "Sir, thank you for waiting. I am Chai Wang, our lord, please come into the city."