"Whoa! What a big golden carp, and it's a pair. Brother Xu, how's my luck?"
Zhu Huai'an exclaimed as if he had caught the fish himself.
Xu Qing looked at one carp hanging from the hook and the other bound to the fishing line with a cloth strip, completely speechless.
So Ascendant Fuluan's "meeting the dragon" referred to this dragon of a person, Zhu Huai'an.
Seeing the haul of the golden carp, Zhu Huai'an hurriedly called Eunuch Sun over to unhook the fish.
The act was thorough; to prevent any unusual scene on the water, the old Eunuch Sun didn't even use Gang Qi to shield himself but jumped onto the shore all wet. Upon the Emperor's call, he circulated his Qi to evaporate the water from his clothes and ran toward the pier.
"Eunuch Sun, what's with your clothes?"
Xu Qing glanced at the cloth strip binding the golden carp and then at the torn hem of Eunuch Sun's garment.
Eunuch Sun turned sideways to cover the torn fabric, lying blatantly in broad daylight, "Got caught on something, nothing serious."
Xu Qing chuckled, about to speak, when Zhu Huai'an quickly changed the subject, "Though I caught fewer fish than Brother Xu, this big golden carp is rare enough in any river."
"In contrast, Brother Xu's talent is like this golden carp in the river, unmatched. Yet, I have caught the golden carp; don't you think this is destiny, Brother Xu?"
Xu Qing's gaze was deep. If catching fish was destiny, then draining the entire Baishui River and catching every fish would be as well, wouldn't it?
"Brother Zhu, we don't cheat, right? Besides, our wager was on the number of fish caught. Your golden carp is impressive, but not as much as my hundred-fish haul,"
Zhu Huai'an, thick-skinned as ever, showed no embarrassment when Xu Qing saw through his trick. Instead, he instructed Eunuch Sun to fetch a fish tank, intending to take the pair of golden carp back to the Imperial City to be kept in the Palace Pond as a scenic delight, and as a royal omen of good luck...
Oh well! Xu Qing understood at a glance that these two golden carp's third tribulation involved the present Zhu Emperor!
"Your Majesty, these two golden carp are not ordinary but are spirit creatures nurtured by heaven and earth. Such beings possess profound nature and despise confinement..."
Ignoring the golden carps' silent pleading for help, Xu Qing continued, "Like the crane in the high mountains, aspiring to roam the sky; like the orchid in a secluded valley, longing for the breeze. Since Your Majesty cherishes their spirited beauty, how can you bear to imprison them within the palace walls, extinguishing their spirit?"
Zhu Huai'an raised an eyebrow, immediately sensing something was amiss; there was definitely more to Xu Qing's words!
"Are you saying, Brother Xu, that having caught these spirit fish, I should release them back?"
Xu Qing replied reluctantly, "You really have the nerve to say that! If not for our wager, would these fish be in any trouble?"
Seeing Zhu Huai'an's face turn red, Xu Qing finally gave the old Emperor a way out: "There is an ancient tale of 'releasing the crane from the cage' being a beautiful story. Your Majesty could follow the example of the ancients, release the spirits to the rivers and seas and let them roam freely. This act would align with nature, showcase Your Majesty's benevolence, and create a beautiful story to be told in the future."
Zhu Huai'an gave Xu Qing a sidelong glance and then looked down at the golden carp in the basket. Despite the reluctance in his eyes, he heeded his old friend's advice and released the golden carp back into the river.
Once the two golden carp vanished into the water, the previously anxious Zhu Huai'an surprisingly felt a sense of relief.
By the Baishui River, after Zhu Huai'an calmed down, he sat beside Xu Qing, holding a fishing rod, like two old buddies enjoying a quiet fishing trip by the river in their twilight years.
During that time, Zhu Huai'an talked about many court matters; to the Zhu Emperor, the court was his everyday life.
Xu Qing responded haphazardly, thinking that the troubles of this world ran too deep. Since the dawn of the Da Yan dynasty, only a few decades had passed, and maintaining peace and order in the land itself wasn't easy, let alone dreaming of a legacy like the founding ancestor's.
Zhu Huai'an, once full of ambition in middle age, with high hopes for the future, now found even the founding Emperor of the dynasty had to bow to the relentless passage of time as his body succumbed to age.
"Brother Xu's immortal demeanor is beyond ordinary old men. Should I someday follow my late father, I hope, Brother Xu, that at critical moments, you can look after the descendants of the Zhu Family..."
Xu Qing caught another fish, but this time it was just a small one, no bigger than a hand.
As he removed the fish from the hook and released it back into the water, he spoke, "The Zhu Family's descendants have spread far and wide over the years. In the future, they will be even more numerous. I can't protect them all, but I can promise Brother Zhu that if necessary, I can ensure one branch of the Zhu Family's bloodline endures..."
Seeing the small fish, Zhu Huai'an smiled broadly.
There has never been a thousand-year reign in history, and no one can guarantee how many years the Zhu Family can hold the throne. But with Xu Qing's promise today, Zhu Huai'an could return with peace of mind!
At the end of the second year of Fengjing.
The nearly seventy-year-old Zhu Emperor returned to the Capital City, leaving Xu Qing still tending to his own little realm.
By the Baishui River.
Xu Qing came alone to the pier.
He stood with hands behind his back, and sure enough, after a while, two golden carps leaped onto the pier, transforming into a boy and a girl.
With double pigtails, clad in attire resembling golden clouds, the two children were adorably charming, just like the images of children pasted on doorways during the New Year to wish for numerous descendants and blessings.
Seeing the children, Xu Qing grinned and took out the sugar figures and snacks he had bought, along with various pinwheel toys, though the smile was somewhat mischievous.
This pair of golden carp had twice encountered human tribulations and had been saved by him both times, and in return, they always rewarded him with rare treasures...