Chapter 71: This Summer’s Floods, the South…

This summer brought great floods. In many places in the South, embankments collapsed. That autumn, the court began allocating funds to repair and build dams.

Although winters in the South were also cold, the rivers did not freeze, so construction of dams did not have to stop even in winter.

Su Yunting did not follow the river route. Instead, he mapped his path directly to the site of a breach he remembered from his past life.

He had long since studied the ins and outs of embankment construction in his previous life. Passing by the dam under construction now, he already had a rough idea of the tricks being played there.

As for how to solve the problem, he had long since thought of a way.

Su Yunting said to Lu Yide, “Brother Lu, we have been traveling for over a month now. Why don’t we take a few days’ rest here?”

These days had been spent hurrying along. Though they had paused here and there, it was only for a day or two each time. Lu Yide had long wanted a break, so as soon as Su Yunting suggested it, he agreed.

After settling down in the city, they rested one full day, and then went out to experience the local customs. Naturally, they also heard about the great clans of the area.

After several days of learning, Su Yunting set his sights on a prominent family surnamed Zhang.

Officials embezzling funds for embankment repairs, after a few years would be transferred elsewhere, and whatever became of this place afterward had nothing to do with them.

But it was different for local clans. Their ancestors had lived here for generations, their roots were here, and this was their home. If the dam at their doorstep had problems, how could they possibly let it slide?

……

That day, the Zhang family patriarch received a visiting card from a scholar who had come to “travel and study.”

The patriarch had a reputation for virtue and placed great importance on education within his clan. Since a scholar was visiting, he ordered his servants to bring the guest in directly.

Su Yunting had come alone to meet the patriarch. He had not revealed the tricks at the construction site to Lu Yide; not because he distrusted him, but because the matter was too grave. Keeping Lu Yide in the dark was, in fact, a way of protecting him.

When the Zhang patriarch saw Su Yunting, he immediately thought to himself how refined his bearing was.

After exchanging a few polite words, Su Yunting spoke of what he had observed along his journey, gradually steering the conversation toward differences between North and South.

There was endless to say about food, clothing, housing, transport, etc. everything differed.

From their exchange, Su Yunting realized that the Zhang patriarch was not only well-read, but also well-versed in practical affairs.

Since he understood, Su Yunting began speaking of the construction he had seen outside the city, pointing out how northern and southern methods of building dams differed.

He explained in detail how dams were built in the North, and compared this with what he had observed at the construction outside the city.

At first, the patriarch also thought that the differences were simply regional. But as he listened to Su Yunting describe the situation outside the city, he gradually became more serious.

He asked several pointed questions, and Su Yunting answered each one carefully.

The patriarch’s expression grew solemn.

Seeing his face change, Su Yunting also adopted a look of sudden realization.

The patriarch rose and gave Su Yunting a deep bow. Su Yunting quickly moved to help him up.

The patriarch said, “If not for you, young sir, in a few years’ time this place would surely become a vast floodplain!”

Su Yunting said, “Patriarch mustn’t say such things. You have been busy with clan affairs, so you simply overlooked the progress of the dam construction. Once you go to the site yourself, you will naturally see what is wrong.”

The patriarch sighed inwardly. He truly had been busy, but he had been paying attention to the dam. He had even sent a clever youth from the clan to monitor the quality and progress.

He had not expected that clever youth had likely gone astray!

His heart burned with anger, but such family disgrace could never be let slip to outsiders.

The patriarch first said to Su Yunting, “This matter is of enormous consequence. I already understand what must be done. But once you leave here, please do not mention it again, lest someone take the chance for revenge.”

Su Yunting also put on a look of nervousness and said quickly, “The imperial exams are next year, and I must make an early journey to the capital. I will take my leave now.”

The patriarch did not press him to stay. “Then I wish you success in the examinations, young sir.”

Su Yunting cupped his hands, “Many thanks.”

Leaving the Zhang residence, his southern journey could be considered complete.

Whether or not the patriarch could improve the quality of the construction, Su Yunting had already done all he could. Any more would be too dangerous. Better to wait until he entered officialdom next year, and then submit a memorial to the court regarding the situation of these dams.

Preoccupied with such thoughts, he nearly bumped into someone at a turn.

Fortunately, both were quick and stopped in time, each stepping back half a pace.

Su Yunting looked up at the man opposite him and almost lost control of himself, nearly saluting at once.

He restrained his actions but not his eyes.

When he saw the other man’s gaze sharpen, Su Yunting knew the man had begun to suspect.

The person he had nearly collided with was none other than the future emperor, the current Prince of Chang.

The Prince of Chang had grown up in the palace. For him to be chosen as heir among so many capable princes, he could hardly be a simple figure.

Since suspicion had already been aroused, Su Yunting deliberately cast another doubtful look at him before saying, “Apologies.”

Prince of Chang said, “It’s nothing.”

Su Yunting cupped his hands in a gesture of respect, then, as if unable to resist, glanced at him once more before preparing to move on.

But he was stopped by one of the prince’s attendants, “Does young sir perhaps know my master?”

Su Yunting shook his head at once, “I have never met him before.”

The man wanted to press further, but the prince said, “Zengxing, don’t pursue it.”

Zengxing gave Su Yunting another look but could only let him pass.

Watching Su Yunting, accompanied only by a single servant boy, walk away, Zengxing said to the prince, “Master, that man did not look as though he had never seen you before.”

The Prince of Chang thought it doesn’t matter. His outings were not top-secret, and besides, the encounter was already over. Whether or not the other knew him was irrelevant.

That was how he thought of it then. But later that evening, when he returned to his inn and entered his rented courtyard, someone happened to be coming out of the courtyard next door…

The Prince of Chang turned his head and once again came face-to-face with the man he had nearly collided with earlier that day.

Su Yunting: ……

What a fated encounter this was!

With a smile, he said to the prince, “So Brother also lodges at this inn.”

The prince returned the smile and replied, “Yes.”

They nodded to each other, and then one went in, the other out, passing by without further words.

Once inside, this time the prince did not wait for Zengxing to ask, but directly ordered him to investigate.

A chance encounter on the road might be coincidence but staying at the exact same inn, in neighboring courtyards, could that also be coincidence?

The results of the investigation forced him to admit that it truly was.

Su Yunting had already checked in here five days earlier. Five days ago, no one could have known whether the prince himself would be lodging here.

Back in his room, Su Yunting also sighed inwardly at their fated meeting. In his previous life, the first time he had met the Prince of Chang was only after he had taken first place in the exams.

At that time, he had merely heard that the prince had just accomplished something that greatly pleased the emperor. The details were unclear then. Only later, after the prince ascended the throne and reorganized the Maritime Trade Office, did Su Yunting, by then an official, fully understand what mission the prince had undertaken during that journey.

Su Yunting knew what the prince had gone to do, but he did not know the route he had taken.

Now, having run into him twice in a single day, it was likely he would encounter him many more times because both were headed toward the capital.

Indeed, the next day, the two entourages set out almost simultaneously. Once outside the city, they followed the same road, their convoys nearly joining into one.

Knowing that those raised in the royal family were deeply suspicious by nature, Su Yunting had his own convoy stop early to rest.

Unexpectedly, once he stopped, the prince’s convoy also halted.

Since that was the case, Su Yunting decided to take the initiative and pay a visit.

The prince had already learned yesterday that Su Yunting was a juren traveling for study. Seeing him depart today for the capital after checking out of the inn seemed normal enough. Yet, when the other stopped early, he could not help but order his own convoy to stop as well.

The reason he had done so was that this youth he had met by chance stirred in him a strange, unaccountable sense of closeness.

After Su Yunting came over, they exchanged courtesies, introduced themselves. The prince, twenty-five years old, gave the surname Wang when speaking in public and also claimed to be traveling for study.

Since he was older, Su Yunting addressed him as “Brother Wang,” and directly remarked on how fated their meeting was.

They rested together for half an hour. In that short time, the prince felt that this newly acquainted scholar was wholly to his liking. No matter what he said, the other could follow his line of thought and even offered insights of his own.

That faint sense of closeness he had first felt; just two parts out of ten suddenly leapt to five!

In his heart, the prince simultaneously felt warmth toward Su Yunting and amazement at himself.

How could he, after only meeting a man a handful of times, and conversing for less than half an hour, feel such rapid intimacy?

Back in his own carriage, Su Yunting began preparing how to dispel the prince’s doubts.

In his previous life, he had only met the prince after becoming an official. At their first meeting, they had felt as if they had long been destined to know each other.

But in this life, their encounter had arisen out of sheer coincidence. To ordinary people, that was fate. But to the royal family, who had experienced too many “chance coincidences,” any so-called accident must surely conceal some hidden necessity.

Yesterday’s encounter, so close at hand that the prince had seen his uncontrolled reaction. That was why Su Yunting had deliberately cast him extra glances.

After visiting today and exchanging words, at noon in a certain town, while dining, Su Yunting wrote a letter and had his page boy secretly deliver it.

In the afternoon, they continued on their journey.

Inside the prince’s carriage, Zengxing presented a letter with both hands.

The prince stared at the copied text on the table for a long while before picking it up.

Toward Su Yunting, he felt suspicion in his heart but deep down, he still wished their meeting truly were heaven’s arrangement.

Unfortunately, the letter Su Yunting had “secretly” sent off at noon shattered that hope.

The prince unfolded the letter. At the very first line, he froze.

It was a letter Su Yunting had written to Qiu Yurou. The opening read, “To my beloved wife, with personal seal.”

Prince of Chang: ……

Zengxing lowered his head, not daring to meet his master’s eyes.

The prince thought: Could such an opening phrase be some kind of coded signal?

He continued reading, “A month and more since leaving home, without your company I find no peace on my pillow at night. Only after dreaming of you yesterday did I finally sleep soundly.”

The prince shot Zengxing another look. He himself might be suspicious of Su Yunting but must his attendant really copy out even such love letters written to his wife?

He, a dignified prince, forced to read another man’s letter of longing to his spouse….how utterly…

Yet Zengxing, most perceptive of attendants, still kept his head bowed low.

The prince thought: Very well, surely the later parts will reveal some clue.

So he kept reading.

Beyond the opening expressions of yearning and affection, the letter shifted to accounts of sights and experiences in the previous provincial city. Turning the page, he finally saw mention of himself.

In the letter, Su Yunting wrote of almost colliding with someone yesterday. At the time, he felt sure he knew the man, yet in all his twenty years of life, he had never actually seen him!

Then he wrote of their several chance encounters, now both headed for the capital. Conversing on the road, he felt a sense of close kinship with the man, just like the feeling of companionship he’d had in youth with Sun Ruimin.

By this point, the prince’s severe expression had already softened into a knowing smile.

He kept reading. Su Yunting wrote further: If not for the fact that the man was not from Miao territory, he would almost suspect the other had used spell on him!

At this, the Prince of Chang finally could not help bursting into laughter…

Cultural Notes:

• Reference to miao people: in folklore, a type of poisonous sorcery said to be used in southern China (especially among Miao people), involving venomous creatures or spiritual bewitchment.