Chapter 105: Try Calling Me Sister Again? He Really Knows How to Indulge Himself

Zhu Biao came in with a pair of iron-eating-beast eyes and immediately began complaining to Zhang Yi:

“You’ve made the threshold of this little monastery too high, and now you’re even requiring visitors to announce themselves!”

Zhang Yi gave a sheepish laugh.

“I had no choice. Last time Miss Chang barged in, she turned the place upside down. So I asked Senior Brother Deng to add another checkpoint. It makes throwing people out much easier!”

Zhu Biao’s old face flushed. This brat actually dared mock him to his face. He was becoming more lawless by the day.

“Big Brother, you’re here so soon?”

“Enough nonsense. Take this.”

Zhu Biao shoved something into Zhang Yi’s hands. Zhang Yi stared at it in surprise. It was not silver, but a piece of jade.

Zhang Yi knew nothing about jade, but it was obvious that the piece Zhu Biao had given him was no ordinary article.

Though it had barely been carved, its crystal-clear quality alone made it extremely valuable.

“Dispose of it yourself, and don’t say I gave it to you!”

Zhu Biao was troubled as well. Finding a thousand taels of silver without alerting their father had not been easy.

He had searched through trunks and cabinets in the palace before finally finding an inconspicuous piece of jade. He had no idea when it had been acquired. So long as it could be sold for money, that was all that mattered.

Zhang Yi: “…”

Big Brother truly had it hard.

He accepted the jade pendant with a grin.

“Big Brother, don’t worry. I promise I won’t let your investment lose money!”

“Whether it loses money is unimportant. If you need more, come to me. But hurry up and develop that medicine!”

“All right!”

“Oh, and if you’re going to sell this piece of jade, wait until you’re on your way home from school before doing it. Understand?”

Zhu Biao knew that Zhu Yuanzhang had stationed inspectors near the Pure Heart Monastery, but no one was watching Zhang Yi when he went to the Imperial College.

So, in order to avoid alarming their father as much as possible, Zhu Biao offered that extra warning.

Zhang Yi gave him a slightly peculiar look, then nodded.

Now that he had money, naturally he would have to make a grand effort.

As for selling the jade, he would have to find a major merchant house and pawn it there.

Selling it for a little less did not matter. Safety was the most important thing.

“Leave it to me. You can rest easy! Big Brother, is there anything else you need to tell me?”

“Nothing else. My mother may come here to offer incense in a little while. We can have a gathering then… Do you have any extra pencils? My father wants Little Brother Zhang to draw a few portraits for us!”

“Portraits?”

Zhang Yi was startled at first, but then he understood.

When it came to resemblance, a pencil sketch could almost be mistaken for the real thing, reaching the level of photographs in later generations. To people of this era, such a novelty was certainly worth trying.

Zhang Yi also noticed something else: Zhu Biao had mentioned his mother.

“So Madam Huang has come to Yingtian as well?”

In Zhang Yi’s recollection, although the father and son of the Huang family had gradually shifted their business to Yingtian Prefecture, their true foundation remained in the lands of Wu.

Huang He’s family had also remained there and seldom came over.

Madam Huang had come to Yingtian. Could it be that they intended to move the entire household here?

Zhu Biao replied, “Mother came this time because she was worried about the two of us. I’ve told her about you, so she wanted to come to the Pure Heart Monastery to pay respects to the Three Pure Ones and meet you as well.”

“Big Brother, you should have told me sooner! When is she coming?”

Zhang Yi sprang to his feet. “Since Madam is coming, I should at least have Senior Brother Deng prepare some food and give her a proper welcome!”

“No need, no need. Mother has been exhausted by the journey and probably has no appetite…”

Before Zhu Biao could finish, Zhang Yi put on a solemn face.

“Big Brother, you can’t say that. Uncle Huang and you have always taken good care of me. Don’t worry about it. When Madam Huang arrives, I’ll make sure she enjoys herself!”

“Very well, then. I thank you in advance, Little Brother!”

Having conveyed the emperor’s instructions and delivered the item to Zhang Yi, Zhu Biao took his leave.

Zhang Yi turned and called out to Deng Zhongxiu:

“Senior Brother, have we used up all our ice? If so, make some more with saltpeter!”

…

Outside the palace,

a carriage moved slowly through the streets.

It was an unremarkable carriage, but anyone observant enough to look closely would notice that the seemingly ordinary commoners around it were subtly forming a protective ring.

As the carriage passed through the marketplace, a noblewoman lifted the curtain.

“It’s been so long since I left the palace. I’ve missed days like these!”

Seeing the endless stream of carts and horses, Empress Ma sighed with emotion. “After becoming empress, I ended up confined within the imperial palace as well. It feels good to come out and breathe some fresh air.”

Zhu Yuanzhang merely grinned foolishly. In Empress Ma’s presence, his imperial dignity had long since vanished, replaced by a relaxed ease that even Zhu Biao rarely saw.

Only when he was with Empress Ma could the old Zhu truly set everything aside and stop caring about anyone’s gaze.

The woman beside him had seen him at his most wretched, after all. There was no need for him to maintain any disguise before her.

“If you like it, my dear, I can bring you out more often from now on!”

Empress Ma shook her head.

“If it benefits you, I will naturally cooperate with Your Majesty. But as the head of the imperial harem, I must first set an example myself. Although I miss the days of old, they have passed. Today I shall indulge you once, but don’t expect me to be fooled again!”

“Hahahaha!”

Zhu Yuanzhang could not help laughing.

“How is drawing not a proper matter? My dear, believe me—if that boy’s paintings were not truly extraordinary, I would never have made you come all this way!”

He took Empress Ma’s hand.

“Since we’re already out, forget all those rules about carrying yourself as the mother of the realm. Just pretend that some poor young rogue has run off with you for the day!”

Pff!

Empress Ma burst out laughing and shot Zhu Yuanzhang a sidelong glance.

Before they knew it, the carriage had arrived outside the monastery.

The surrounding guards dispersed and vanished near the monastery, leaving only Gao Jianxian and a few other key attendants behind.

“This monastery is quite peaceful.”

After getting out of the carriage, Empress Ma looked around and smiled.

Zhu Yuanzhang was not nearly so gracious. He said bluntly, “That fellow Zhang Zhengchang was probably frightened by me. He was unwilling even to find his son a decent place. There’s hardly anyone around here to begin with, and that boy has no intention of managing the monastery. He’s counting on Zhang Zhengchang and me to keep him alive…”

Whenever he mentioned the matter, Zhu Yuanzhang still sounded resentful.

He knew exactly how much food, oil, salt, and other supplies came into the monastery. That boy’s life was probably better than his own in the palace.

At the very least, his food, clothing, and daily necessities were far superior to those of an ordinary well-to-do household.

Without Old Zhang’s silver and the five hundred taels he himself had given him, Zhang Yi would probably have been reduced to begging long ago.

Empress Ma smiled.

“But what Your Majesty has received from him is worth a hundred times as much.”

“Hmph!”

Though Old Zhu felt the pain of the silver, he had to admit that Empress Ma was right.

“Master Huang, you’ve arrived!”

Deng Zhongxiu came out of the monastery and was the first to notice Old Zhu and the others.

At that moment, Zhu Biao also got down from another carriage.

“Where is your junior brother?”

Seeing only Deng Zhongxiu, Old Zhu was somewhat curious. In his understanding, although that troublesome boy Zhang Yi was infuriating, he was not lacking in manners.

“My junior brother is still busy in the back. He said that since Madam Huang was coming, he naturally had to prepare something good to welcome her.”

“That brat has some sense after all!”

Only then did Zhu Yuanzhang’s expression soften slightly.

Led by Deng Zhongxiu, Empress Ma entered the main hall and paid her respects to the Three Pure Ones, placing five hundred copper coins into the merit box.

Just then, she saw a young Daoist priest walking out.

The moment the little priest saw Empress Ma, he cried out in exaggerated surprise:

“Where did this beautiful elder sister come from? Could she be Elder Brother Huang’s sister?”

The word “sister” immediately won Empress Ma’s favor. She covered her mouth and laughed.

“You must be Zhang Yi. My old man told me that you had a lively personality. Seeing you today, I find he was absolutely right!”

Zhang Yi’s words were a little slick, but given his age, others merely found him mischievous and clever.

Old Zhu, watching from the side, was displeased.

“He’s simply smooth-tongued!”

“Zhang Yi greets Uncle Huang, and Elder Brother Huang!”

“Don’t call me Elder Brother. By your logic, I ought to call you Uncle…”

Zhang Yi merely chuckled and said nothing.

Empress Ma took the initiative to smooth things over.

“This humble woman, Guo, greets the young Daoist priest. My husband often tells me that there is a true immortal at the Pure Heart Monastery. Ever since arriving in the capital, I’ve been thinking of coming here to visit. I hope I haven’t disturbed your quiet cultivation.”

Zhang Yi hurriedly waved his hands.

“You’re too kind, Elder Sister. I don’t have any real abilities. Uncle Huang has simply praised me too highly! He and my father are good friends, and Elder Brother Huang and I are practically sworn brothers. We’re all family here!”

“This is for you, Elder Sister!”

Zhang Yi called her “Elder Sister” so readily that he made Empress Ma laugh with delight.

She was not much younger than Zhu Yuanzhang and, in this era, was old enough to be a grandmother. But by the standards of Zhang Yi’s time, calling her “Elder Sister” was hardly strange.

Still, the sight made Old Zhu bristle and glare.

Then, quite suddenly, Zhang Yi reached into the air and pulled out a small dish from nowhere.

“Teleportation!”

Old Zhu and Zhu Biao had not expected the boy to perform a magic trick, producing a pastry out of thin air.

Everyone stared at him as though he were a divine being. This was not a later age in which atheism had spread everywhere; to them, Zhang Yi truly seemed to possess supernatural powers.

“Elder Brother Huang said that you must be tired and hungry after the journey, Elder Sister, so I made you some pastries to taste.”

“What is this?”

“Cream cake!”

Empress Ma accepted the small pastry and took a tentative bite.

“It really is unusual—and delicious!”

Sweets were the weakness of all women, and the women of the Great Ming were no exception, even centuries ago.

Empress Ma had tasted many kinds of pastries, but this was the first time she had encountered something so cool and creamy, yet carrying a hint of refreshing lightness.

“Thank you, young Daoist priest!”

“We were in a hurry this time. Next time, I’ll make more.”

Old Zhu watched Zhang Yi call her “Elder Sister” again and again, growing increasingly annoyed. At last, he could not hold back.

“Brat, call her Aunt! If you say ‘Elder Sister’ one more time, I’ll spank you!”

Zhang Yi froze, putting on a somewhat frightened expression. Then he tentatively addressed Empress Ma:

“Auntie Sister?”

Old Zhu puffed out his beard and glared. This little rascal truly had no fear of trouble.

“All right, you’ve frightened the child. How old are you, anyway, to be quarreling with a child? We’ll each use our own terms. Zhang Yi, take me around and show me the place!”

As she spoke, Empress Ma took Zhang Yi’s small hand and led him toward the rear.

The emperor could only laugh helplessly, while gnashing his teeth at Zhang Yi.

It was only today that he realized how irritating the boy could be—and yet, for some inexplicable reason, how naturally charming he was.

Whether it was that girl from the Chang family or his own wife, both had taken an immediate liking to him upon meeting him.

“Wicked Daoist! That brat must know some evil magic!”

The emperor muttered unhappily, then followed Empress Ma.

Zhu Biao shook his head with a wry smile and went after them as well.

When they reached the rear courtyard, Empress Ma took great interest in having Zhang Yi show her around the little monastery.

Zhang Yi had introduced many changes and ingenious little improvements to the place, and although Zhu Biao and Zhu Yuanzhang often visited, neither knew as much about them as she did.

Then she saw a porcelain toilet that could flush itself at Zhang Yi’s command.

The strange sight startled not only Empress Ma, but even Zhu Yuanzhang.

“That fellow certainly knows how to enjoy life!”

Old Zhu could not help feeling envious of Zhang Yi’s living conditions. This must have been another invention he had learned from the future.

“My husband was right. You truly are a divine immortal, young Daoist priest!”

“Hehe!”

Zhang Yi grinned. After Empress Ma had seen everything worth seeing, the group sat down.

Only then did Zhang Yi learn the emperor’s true purpose.

“A pencil sketch? Uncle, you want to draw a sketch of Sis—of Aunt?”

Zhang Yi had nearly called her “Elder Sister” again, but when he saw the murderous look in Old Zhu’s eyes, he hurriedly changed his words.

But when he turned toward Empress Ma, he said:

“Uncle is quite the romantic!”