Elder Crown Princess Consort

ECPC Chapter 8: Dongyu Mystery

Although those people were from Dongyu, they were definitely not sent by the King of Dongyu, Ji Mao. Who sent them then?

Ji Weiming did not think that the current emperor would have the leisure to write a script and organize a group of actors to perform. After all, Ji Xiao was busy with listening to politics, managing state affairs, pacifying the harem, and arranging marriages for Ji Weiming.

So, is it Wang Xuan or Wang Ruyan? According to Ji Weiming, Wang Xuan has always viewed singing, dancing, and drama as lowly entertainment for seeking pleasure, and a noble prime minister like him would never bother to sing or choreograph a play. As for Wang Ruyan, first of all, he would need to possess the artistic appreciation ability.

As for what was sung in this play, it was partly true and partly false. Seeing someone eating noodles, Ji Weiming thought of Ruan Su.

While speaking, they arrived at the mansion, but Ji Dong had not returned yet. Ji Nan opened the door and brought Ji Weiming and Ruan Tangling in.

Ruan Tangling stretched lazily and returned to Qiao Mu Pavillion. As soon as she entered the room, there was the sound of tiles being stepped on the roof. Ruan Dazhuang arrived just in time.

"Tangling, did you have fun?"

Ruan Tang sighed leisurely and said, "You always say that I'm uncultured. How can a crude person like me appreciate the elegance of opera?"

“Forget it." Ruan Dazhuang grew up with Ruan Tangling since childhood and knows everything about each other. "What do you think of that play?"

"Did Father go crazy to arrange such a play?" Ruan Tang Ling actually knew early on that this was arranged by Ruan Su. Who else besides Ruan Su could sing a tune with flour in this world? But exposing herself like this in front of everyone, wouldn't it go against Ruan Su's original intention of remaining hidden in the city?

"Boss has always been crazy. You didn't just find out today that he's your father," Ruan Dazhuang lay on the roof and looked at the stars, feeling very comfortable. "Now a group of people is running under the moonlight to investigate Boss's background in Luming Lane. You know, the more they can't find out, the more suspicious it becomes. Even if Ji Weiming can't find out, it’s because he doesn't have any power in his hands. If the emperor and the court officials can't find out, then not only Ji Weiming, but we also won't be able to leave the capital!"

"So, did Father deliberately spread rumors to divert people's attention to Black Desert?" Ruan Tangling lay on the bed and looked at the ceiling. The roof that had been crushed by Ruan Dazhuang these years can be connected around the Capital. She hoped that the Crown Prince's Mansion would be sturdy enough so that he wouldn't fall from above. "Father is so mysterious. If he is really caught in a loophole, even Xihuai territory will suffer!"

Ruan Dazhuang sighed and shook his head, saying, "Tangling, your father is also my father. Why do you always distrust him?"

Ruan Tangling’s relationship with Ruan Su is very good. After thinking for a moment, she probably had only one reason. Ruan Tang Ling said indignantly, "Who asked him to always look down on his daughter!"

……

Ruan Su's idea is very good. By using the title of Dongy to target the Black Desert in Xihuai, whether it is true or false, the current dynasty will pay more attention to Dongyu. However, the King of Dongyu was not randomly pulled in by Ruan Su for no reason.

Wang Xuan's people knew that Ruan Su loves to eat noodles as soon as they stopped at Luming Lane. How could he be so foolish as to take on the title of the former leader of the Black Desert?

These people's minds are as twisted as the bends and turns of the Yellow River, and they can't believe anyone could be so foolish.

The next morning, there was explosive news at Chong Er Theatre. Someone was provoking the Peach Blossom troupe, saying their skills were not refined and ruined the taste and beauty of that noodle dish. They insisted on dragging people into a competition.

When the challenge letter reached the Xihuai Crown Prince's mansion, Ji Weiming was suddenly surprised. Isn't this Ruan Su?

If the father-in-law has caused trouble, can the son-in-law just sit and watch?

Immediately, Ji Weiming pulled Ruan Tangling and rode a horse all the way to Chong Er Theatre, where a crowd of people had already gathered.

The onlookers at Chong Er Theatre were all high-ranking officials and dignitaries. Ji Weiming was not a powerful figure among them.

Ruan Tangling was frightened by the crowded crowd, which shows that the people of the capital of Great Ji are idle and anxious just to fight a tune!

"Ji Weiming, is it a daily routine for the officials in the Capital to join in the fun?"

Ji Weiming pulled Ruan Tangling with a smile on his face: "Wife, you should call me Husband when we're outside."

He said it lightly, but the noisy voices drowned out his words. Ruan Tangling stretched out her hand to pinch him and grabbed Ji Weiming’s arm the moment someone turn around, "You're such a deadbeat!"

In front of a large crowd, Ji Weiming reached out and grabbed Ruan Tangling, saying, "Excuse me, excuse me, I'm going to see my father-in-law!"

Onlookers knew that Ruan Su was Ji Weiming's father-in-law, and they spontaneously cleared a path. Ji Weiming greeted others as he walked as if he was just there to join in the fun, but his heart was even more anxious than Ruan Tangling.

Getting a wife is like getting a troublesome father-in-law. He didn't know what Ruan Su was thinking.

In the crowd, a green figure flashed by. Ruan Tangling looked in that direction and saw Qin Fuyu's smiling eyes, which were as alert as hers.

Chong Er Theatre’s entrance hall was filled with a crowd of people. The stage was large, with not only the Peach Blossom troupe standing on stage but also a middle-aged man in his fifties with a strong physique. He stroked his beard and glared at the audience below, spotting Ji Weiming and Ruan Tangling at a glance. If it wasn't Ruan Su, who else could it be?

Since Ruan Su came to make trouble for the Peach Blossom troupe, he naturally brought his weapon.

Looking at the Peach Blossom troupe with their array of props and instruments, Ruan Su has nothing but one thing that is exquisitely surprising - and that must be the flour, undoubtedly!

Looking at Ruan Su on the stage, Ruan Tangling felt speechless. How could her father be so eager to not only give away his daughter for free but also love to be in the spotlight?

After all, he was her own father. Ruan Tangling knew Ruan Su well enough, but she didn't know what he was up to.

Seeing Ruan Tangling's speechless expression, Ji Weiming guessed what was going on and said, "Wife, I think my father-in-law..."

Ruan Tangling silently rolled her eyes at him, while Ji Weiming smiled faintly and said, "He has a unique personality!"

It was indeed unique, seeing him now with his facial expression. The Peach Blossom Troupe was in their full makeup and costumes, while he had a face full of flour to save money. She didn't know how he could sing those folk tunes, but just based on the visual effect, it was like peaches encountering a weed, how embarrassing!

“Do you really want to flatter my father?” Ruan Tangling saw through it at a glance.

Ji Weiming had a face that showed "My wife knows me too well".

"Don't try to flatter and fail, or you'll end up hurting yourself," Ruan Tangling replied.

Ji Weiming pondered for a moment. "And so?"

"He'll torture you mercilessly!"

Ji Weiming suddenly realized: "So you were habitually abused by your father since childhood, which is why you have this unbeatable thick skin?"

If there weren't so many people around, Ruan Tangling would have slapped him into the ground and sent him back to be remade!

……

The show has already started on the stage. The Peach Blossom Troupe is famous. It has made everyone angry when encountering a challenge from someone like Ruan Su, who is acting alone.

On the surface, Ruan Su thinks that their folk singing skills are not good and they are wasting flour. But in the end, they are actors in the Peking Opera, not chefs in the kitchen. They are in the business of performing, not in the business of cooking. Saying that they are wasting flour or not skilled in folk singing would only damage their reputation, and who would be willing to have their reputation unjustly tarnished?

Ruan Su came forward, and Ruan Su was not polite at all: "My daughter said that you sang 'The Secret History of Xihuai' yesterday. It doesn't matter what song you sing, whether it's 'The Secret History of Dongyu' or 'The Secret History of Xihuai', even if it's 'The Secret History of Daming Lake', I don't mind. But if you use flour to perform, I will never tolerate anyone ruining delicious food!"

……

"Wife, did you sneak back home behind my back last night?" Even though Ji Wei knew that Ruan Su had extraordinary means and that Ruan Tangling could not have run back home to tell Ruan Su about the performance at Chong Er Theatre, there must be someone who acted as a go-between for Ruan Su and Ruan Tangling. However, he still pretended to be nonchalant and said, "My father-in-law really loves flour!"

Isn't that the truth? Ruan Tangling secretly thought to herself that Ruan Su's priority was flour in his heart, and there was no one who dared to be first!

"You don't know!" Ruan Tangling raised her foot and pretended to whisper mysteriously in Ji Weiming's ear, "My dad has a skill."

"What skill?" Ji Weiming asked with a smile, lowering his head. In the eyes of others, it seemed like they were publicly flirting.

My dad is known as the flour expert. Whenever someone within a 10-mile radius starts cooking flour, he can smell it and identify the person. He's so good that I won't even tell the average person about it!

If he really has such a good sense of smell, then does Ruan Su's nose ever get a break when Chong Er makes dough every day?

Ji Weiming smiled without saying anything, already having a conclusion in his mind.

The board on the table started to play, and Ruan Su sat solemnly on the side. Yesterday, the Peach Blossom troupe performed "The Secret History of Xihuai," and today he chose to play "The Mystery of Dongyu."

Since the Peach Blossom troupe can recall the details of Xihuai, how could they not know some information about King of Dongyu, who claims to be from Dongyu?

At this moment, Ruan Su was not taken seriously. The actor, without any introduction, rolled up his sleeves and began to sing: "The King of Xihuai has a broad face, and he is on good terms with the King of Dongyu. Yesterday he sang a tune of Xihuai, and today I will sing a tune of Dongyu!"

Give me a cornmeal cake... sift the flour and stir it, the relationship between Dongyu and Xihuai is good... Ji Zhou went to Dongyu to find Ji Mao, saying that the thieves in the Black Desert escaped. I don’t know where they escaped to, but they probably picked up some land in Dongyu... Stir in some water, pour the dough into hot oil... Dongyu’s territory is vast, and it doesn’t border Xihuai at all. The Black Desert doesn’t match Dongyu, so what can Ji Zhou do if he can't catch the thief leader? Saying that the leader of the thieves went to Dongyu is a rumor. It's just that someone wants to stir Dongyu together... This flour is stirred together quickly, and it's better than beauty... What to do? Only sealing can cover the people... Later, the relationship between Xihuai and Dongyu was not good. In fact, the leader of the Black Desert tribe was causing trouble on both sides... Fry the cold water in the pan, and the fragrance of the corn cake floats... Who can you trust with a fickle heart? It’s better to eat noodles and dissipate the sorrows of the world.

"Great!"

There was a cheer in the crowd. This question was just released and the words were just put together. Ji Zhou’s Xihuai and Ji Mao’s Dongyu had a good relationship before, but after Ji Zhou pacified the Black Desert tribes, the relationship suddenly broke down. As for the reason why, there are various opinions, but no one can come to a conclusion.

Chong Er Theatre served the guests with cornmeal cake, which was very appropriate. Ruan Su kicked his feet and made a few disdainful noises. He waved his hand and Ruan Dazhuang came over with a pot and a spatula.

It turned out that they moved the stove over!

Ji Weiming's calm face showed a hint of thought. After a while, he pushed Ruan Tangling aside and whispered, "I know about the quarrel between Xihuai and Dongyu is because of the Black Desert."

Ruan Tangling turned her head and asked, "Is it because of the Black Desert?"

"To reach the edge of the Black Desert from Dongyu, one must also go around Beiyou. The King of Dongyu must be out of his mind to have a falling out with his own brother over a tribal leader he didn’t even know." Ji Weiming couldn't say much as there were too many people around and it was difficult to avoid being overheard, no matter how softly he spoke.

There must be some hidden reason behind this, and it has nothing to do with the Black Desert.

Why does the Peach Blossom Opera Troupe sing this way? After all, they are just a theater troupe. How could they possibly be involved in the grudges and conflicts between the royal families?

Since Ruan Tangling knows that this Peach Blossom Troupe was arranged by Ruan Su, then the lyrics must have also gone through Ruan Su's hands. What's true and what's false, false and true, the people of the Ji family are the clearest about the things between Dongyu and Xihuai. With just one listen, it's clear that no matter how good their singing is, the lyrics of the Peach Blossom Troupe are just one word: nonsense!

On stage, Ruan Su rolled up his sleeves and started kneading flour. He was skilled in this area and kneading the flour had a unique flavor. Since he was going to sing about flour, he had to sing while making it, just like in a play where singing alone is not enough, there must also be a performance.

I saw Ruan Su mixing flour and salt, adding some boiling water to form a crumbly texture. After kneading the dough, he rolled it into long strips and pinched small pieces all at once: "Roll the dough into small pancakes, the Peach Blossom Troupe will come to me to compete. Regardless of west or east, sing only sing, the delicious and unique Steamed Gluten Pancake. Fry the pancake skin into small golden pieces, and the fragrance floats around the neighborhood. Nowadays everyone comes to watch the show, gossip business is booming. The Great Ji is millions of miles wide, and the world is under your rule. Brothers are harmonious and the dragon and phoenix sing, sighing only sighing, but it is only the same surname but different hearts!"

Despite its many flaws, the only good thing about the Great Ji is freedom of speech. Many scholars and poets have used their writing to criticize the court, but they were not necessarily targeted. However, it was still bold for Ruan Su to speak out publicly like this. He knew that Ji Weiming was being watched by Ji Xiao, and as a result, he himself was also under scrutiny. As soon as the words left his mouth, the emperor could hear them.

Ji Weiming looked displeased. "This..." Before Ruan Tangling could react, Ruan Su's soup noodles and pancakes were ready on the stage, filling the entire floor of Chong Er Theatre with a sweet and savory aroma.

He came to show his skills, Ruan Su showed his culinary skills.

Suddenly, someone in the audience interrupted and said, "Mr. Ruan's singing isn't great, but he's got great skills. If we're talking about winning or losing, I still bet on Mr. Ren!"

Everyone turned their heads at the sound and saw a middle-aged man with a folded fan and a small melon lying on a bench, looking relaxed and leisurely. "It's not that the singing is good, it's that the Peach Blossom Troupe made a mistake themselves," he said.

"Where did they go wrong?"

The person replied, "The leader of the Black Desert, Liu Zhongtian, died more than ten years ago. His remains were buried in the Black Desert, witnessed by many. How could he stir up trouble between Dongyu and Xihuai and cause discord because of him?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. The death of the leader of Black Desert, Liu Zhongtian, was once the headline of various official news outlets. The lyrics sung by the Peach Blossom Troupe were indeed fabricated.

Ji Weiming glanced at the person and then took Ruan Tangling's hand and wrote a word on her palm: "Xiao!"