Ye Xiu and Wei Tiande were stunned. None of them expected Ban Jian’s first words to be so outrageous, claiming he had missed the Wangfei. Didn’t he realize his highness was sitting right there? Did he think the Regent was deaf?
Mingzhu, however, was used to Ban Jian’s personality. She was delighted to see him too, “I’ve missed you as well. You’ve done an excellent job these past two years. His Highness always praises you.”
Ban Jian laughed, “If I’ve done well, it’s because of your guidance, Wangfei. Otherwise, how could I have achieved so much so quickly?” Noticing the two curious children staring at him, he took a large bag from his waist and produced a jumping green frog, performing tricks for them. Then he showed a pecking chick and a walking puppy, quickly captivating the children’s attention completely.
“I heard Wangfei had children, so I thought of making something nice for them. I don’t have much money, and your family doesn’t lack money, so I made something money can’t buy…” Ban Jian animatedly explained, making Mingzhu laugh. The two of them were engrossed in conversation, as if no one else was around.
Yuwen Chu suddenly stood up, “You two chat. I have matters to attend to upfront.” With that, he strode off without even taking an umbrella. Wei Tiande and Ye Xiu, knowing him well, didn’t intrude by offering one, accompanying him through the rain instead.
Donghui nudged Mingzhu, bringing her back to her senses. She quickly grabbed an umbrella and chased after him.
With the two masters suddenly gone, Ban Jian scratched his head, “I still have matters to report to his highness, but he left without a word. Where will I find him after talking to Wangfei?”
Donghui and Xiaxue, unfamiliar with Ban Jian, maintained their dignity and didn’t make things difficult for him. Caiyun, however, wasn’t so polite, “You remember you have matters to report to his highness? I thought you’d forgotten your main task.”
Ban Jian replied, “I am doing my task. His Highness asked me to pay respects to Wangfei and speak with her first. How am I wrong?”
Caiyun smiled without saying more. Ban Jian, unable to figure it out, decided not to bother, happily going to play with Zhuang Zhuang, still having things to discuss with Mingzhu.
Yuwen Chu frowned, “The rain isn’t heavy. Why are you so worried? No need for the umbrella; I’m very healthy.”
Mingzhu smiled, “That’s what you think, but I’m always concerned.”
Yuwen Chu, pretending to be generous, said, “You haven’t seen Ban Jian in years. Go back and talk with him.”
Mingzhu tried to persuade him, “We can talk slowly. What if you catch a cold?” Actually, meeting an old friend is exciting and joyous, but it’s only a short moment, not more than a quarter of an hour. But some people are just so petty. If they are petty, that’s one thing, but pretending to be generous is another.
Yuwen Chu smiled, took the umbrella, and said, “Tell Ban Jian he has half an hour; otherwise, he’ll be in trouble for delaying my important matters.”
“Yes…” Mingzhu drawled, “Sending off Your Highness.”
Yuwen Chu escorted her back, explaining, “You didn’t take an umbrella either. If you get sick, what will happen to me and the children?”
Ye Xiu and Wei Tiande looked up at the sky, thinking they were all useless stone people. They couldn’t even fetch an umbrella. The master and mistress had to rely on themselves.
Ban Jian didn’t dare stay long this time. With a shameless smile, he asked Mingzhu for some good wine. Mingzhu laughed and said, “I’ve been saving it for you. Didn’t I go on a long trip last year? I brought back some good wine for you. I’ll have it sent to your place later, but on one condition: no messing up any tasks.”
Ban Jian joyfully bowed to her, and while Donghui and the others weren’t paying attention, he quietly slipped her a note and then walked away with a serious demeanor.
After returning to her room and settling the two children, Mingzhu dismissed Donghui and the others before taking out the note to read. It was a simple sketch of a ship’s design. The drawing was basic, but it outlined a large ship, and it was clear that this was a super large vessel.
Mingzhu was puzzled. If Yuwen Chu wanted to build a ship, it must have been planned for a long time, and Ban Jian would have received this task earlier. So why did he suddenly give her this drawing? Could it be that he wanted her to come up with some special feature for the ship?
She wasn’t that skilled. The ballista she had before was just a lucky find. Building this large ship was beyond her. Mingzhu casually burned the drawing—keeping it without understanding Ban Jian’ intent could lead to trouble. If Yuwen Chu saw it, it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings, and if others saw it, it would be a security leak. It was better to burn it.
She originally thought Yuwen Chu would return very late, but surprisingly, he came back before midnight. His brows were furrowed, and he didn’t look pleased. Mingzhu probed, “Did Your Highness gather Ban Jian and the others to discuss building a large ship?”
Yuwen Chu replied, “Indeed, it’s about the ship. And also gunpowder. I want to equip the ship with cannons, so gunpowder is crucial.” He had previously given up on Jiang Shanshan’s gunpowder formula and firearm manufacturing methods, choosing instead to work with craftsmen to develop more advanced gunpowder and firearms. However, it seemed he hit a dead end, with progress always reverting to square one. Even the most experienced craftsman was accidentally killed in an experiment, which was a constant headache.
So, Ban Jian really hoped she could come up with a good idea for them? Mingzhu couldn’t sleep that night. The next morning, it was still raining. Yuwen Chu rarely slept in, and Mingzhu invited Caiyun to go pick lotus leaves with her.
Caiyun, who had lived deep in the mountains with Shi Jiujing, was fascinated by these water plants. Especially in the misty rain, boating to pick lotus leaves was a leisurely and elegant activity. She even recited a poem: “Lotus leaves are five inches wide, lotus flowers are charming. The boat sways with the waves, but does not disturb them; in the fragrant summer breeze of June, they can still hide a beauty’s waist.”
“Caiyun can write poetry too,” Mingzhu laughed, handing her a lotus flower. “But this poem doesn’t quite fit the scene; the lotuses are already blooming.”
Caiyun took off her shoes and socks, soaking her white feet in the water, and said contentedly, “I didn’t write it; my master taught me.”
Mingzhu thought for a moment, realizing she had never read this poem in any book. It must have been composed by Shi Jiujing or learned from his master. She then naturally brought up the topic of ships with Caiyun: “Mr. Shi Jiujing is very knowledgeable. Has he ever mentioned a large ship?”
“What kind of large ship?” Caiyun smiled at her, and Mingzhu smiled back, saying, “To be honest, we need a sturdy large ship that can carry cannons to reclaim the defensive line at Tailwater.”
