"I dare not!" Feeling the coldness in Chu Feiyang's words, General Hu Wei immediately bowed his head and admitted his mistake, but he was extremely dissatisfied in his heart!
Who could have imagined that during the time he was in Youzhou, Chu Feiyang was actually promoted from Left Prime Minister to King of Chu!
Such a leap instantly made him superior to General Hu Wei. Even though Chu Feiyang had made great military achievements, he was so young and not the heir of the previous emperor, yet he sat on the throne. How could General Hu Wei be convinced?
However, the hierarchy in Western Chu is strict. Even though General Hu Wei secretly resents Chu Feiyang, he has to bow to him, otherwise he will be taken advantage of when he returns to Kyoto in the future. Wouldn't that be adding to his guilt?
General Hu Wei suppressed his resentment and said solemnly, "Your Highness and Princess, please enter the city!"
After he finished speaking, he led the Youzhou officials behind him to stand on the left and right, respectfully welcoming the King of Chu's convoy into the city!
Chu Feiyang narrowed his eyes slightly, taking in General Hu Wei's unwilling but unexpressed look, then he squeezed his horse's belly and rode slowly into the city gate of Youzhou!
Xiahou Qin looked at General Huwei standing at the city gate with great interest. He felt that such a person actually dared to compete with Chu Feiyang. He was really overestimating his own abilities!
Han Shaomian was riding a horse to protect the end of the convoy. Although he was far away, he also saw the scene with his sharp eyes. Although it did not cause any controversy, General Hu Wei's move was really ill-considered!
The King of Chu originally came here to help him deal with the incident caused by him, but now he still refuses to behave himself. I'm afraid that when he returns to the capital in the future, General Hu Wei will have a hard time!
"Princess, we are entering the city!" Yuan Dong gently lowered the curtain of the carriage, then turned around and reported to Yun Qianmeng in a low voice!
Yun Qianmeng nodded slightly, her beautiful hands gently holding the jade token of "Yu Family Pawnshop". Her delicate fingertips lightly brushed the lines on the jade token, and then she put the jade token into her arms!
After entering Youzhou, this jade token will be useless. From now on, they can only rely on themselves to collect and inquire about all the information bit by bit. I am afraid this will be a tough battle!
"Yuandong, lift the curtain!" Putting the jade token into her lapel, Yun Qianmeng began to order Yuandong!
With clear eyes, he looked out along the corner of the opened curtain, and saw that the towering city wall was full of city defense soldiers. His sight slowly moved down, and he saw that there were also patrolling soldiers standing respectfully at the city gate. Each of them wore a sword at his waist, and they were conducting strict inspections on the passing vehicles of the people!
I'm afraid it wouldn't be easy for someone with ill intentions to take advantage of the opportunity to sneak into Youzhou. This is enough to show how rigorous and careful Chu Peisu is in managing Youzhou. No wonder people outside know so little about Youzhou. Under such strict jurisdiction, Youzhou has long been impregnable and indestructible!
When General Hu Wei saw that several carriages in the convoy had entered the city, he immediately jumped on his horse and trotted after Chu Feiyang. However, he was smart enough not to take the initiative to decide what to do next for Chu Feiyang!
As a convoy of over a thousand people suddenly entered Youzhou, the people passing by looked at the guards holding long swords and knives, and saw the people riding on horseback with dignified appearance, solemn expressions, and bright and noble clothes. They immediately gave way in front of them without saying a word and retreated to both sides of the road to let the convoy pass first!
Chu Feiyang was riding on the horse. Although his eyes were calm and seemed to be looking straight ahead, he was actually looking around at Youzhou in front of him!
The people of Youzhou were all dressed neatly, most of the women wore silver hairpins on their heads, and the men wore long robes and satin. It was obvious that under Chu Pei's management, the people of Youzhou had enough food and clothing!
Just look at the goods sold by the small vendors on both sides of the road. There is a wide variety of goods that are dizzying, and there are countless restaurants and teahouses around. You can get a glimpse of the wealth of Youzhou!
However, among these people, there are some who are wearing foreign clothes. I am afraid that in addition to the people of Western Chu, there are also people from Nanxun living in Youzhou!
While Chu Feiyang and others were examining the situation in Youzhou, Yun Qianmeng was sitting in the carriage, carefully observing everything on the streets of Youzhou!
Although Chu Pei was too indifferent to Chu Feiyang, it must be said that he managed Youzhou in an orderly manner, which could be seen from the clothes of the people!
"Princess, the skin color of the people in Youzhou is so dark and yellow!" Yingxia leaned against the car window, staring at the scenery outside. After discovering something different, she immediately said something like offering a treasure!
Yuan Dong, who was standing beside her, was much calmer. She raised her right hand and gently tapped Ying Xia on the head, then reminded her, "Shouting and yelling is unbecoming! If the people outside hear it, won't they talk about the princess?"
Listening to Yuan Dong's accusations, Ying Xia shrank her neck slightly, immediately lowered her eyes and admitted her fault to Yun Qian Meng, "I know I'm wrong!"
However, Yingxia's discovery reminded Yun Qianmeng. She immediately turned her attention to the pedestrians outside the carriage. She saw that the skin of the people in Youzhou was really as dark and yellow as Yingxia said. Compared with the slightly white skin color of the people in Kyoto, she could instantly distinguish the places where the two came from!
However, what caught Yun Qianmeng's attention even more were the passersby who were clearly not wearing Western Chu clothing. Their skin was darker and yellower than that of other Youzhou people. Although they were slightly shorter than the people of Youzhou, their bronze skin color made them look healthy and full of vitality!
This made Yun Qianmeng's eyes flash with understanding. No wonder the "Yu Family Pawn Shop" had not found out the identities of the brother and sister before. It turned out that the answer was in Youzhou!
In the entire Western Chu, only the heavily guarded Youzhou does not have a "Yu Family Pawn Shop". From the inspection just now, it seems that it is extremely difficult for outsiders to enter Youzhou!
Now seeing this scene, Yun Qianmeng was almost certain that the siblings were most likely from the Nanxun Kingdom, and their appearance in front of her and Chu Feiyang was definitely not a coincidence!
General Lu Xin followed Chu Feiyang through most of Youzhou's market, but seeing that Chu Feiyang showed no sign of stopping, he frowned slightly and said, "Your Highness, I'm sure the princess must be tired from the long journey. Why don't we go to the inn and let her have a good rest!"
After saying that, Lu Xin observed Chu Feiyang's expression, feeling somewhat worried that the King of Chu would take advantage of the situation again!
After hearing his suggestion, Chu Feiyang withdrew his gaze from all around, and glanced at Lu Xin with a sharp look, but his lips were tightly pursed and he did not speak!
Seeing Chu Feiyang like this, Lu Xin's heart couldn't help but tighten, and he immediately changed the topic and said, "Is Your Highness worried about Master Chu? Or is Your Highness and the Princess planning to live in the Chu Mansion? I will send someone to arrange it right away!"
"No need!" Little did he know that Lu Xin's self-assertion did not win Chu Feiyang's praise, and the unusually cold reply made Lu Xin feel unhappy!
"Xi Lin!" At this moment, Chu Feiyang called Xi Lin behind him and ordered, "You escort the princess back to the inn to rest first. I have something important to discuss with General Lu!"
"Yes!" Upon hearing this, Xi Lin immediately stopped and reined in the horse, then turned his horse's head and walked to the carriage, whispering, "Princess!"
"What's the matter?" Yun Qianmeng gestured to Yuan Dong to lower the curtain before asking!
"The prince has ordered me to escort the princess back to the inn. Please take a rest first! The prince has important matters to discuss with General Lu!" Xi Lin tried to slow down his speech so that Yun Qianmeng in the car could hear clearly!
"Got it!" A faint reply came from the carriage. Yun Qianmeng knew in her heart that Chu Feiyang would start to get busy after entering Youzhou!
The convoy immediately split into two, with Lu Xin's adjutant leading Yun Qianmeng and others to the posthouse, while Lu Xin himself led Chu Feiyang and others to the general's posthouse where he usually handled government affairs!
After driving for a while, the carriage stopped steadily. The four girls got off the carriage first, then put the footstool in place, and then carefully helped Yun Qianmeng out of the carriage!
"Servants come to see the Princess of Chu!" At this time, the entrance of the inn was already full of servants and maids. When they saw Yun Qianmeng walk out of the carriage, they all saluted!
"Everyone, get up!" Yun Qianmeng said calmly, but his eyes passed through the maids and servants in the front row to the guards guarding outside the inn. He saw eight guards standing at the gate of the inn alone. A sneer flashed in Yun Qianmeng's eyes, and then he led the maids behind him into the Youzhou inn!
"My surname is Guo. I am the maid sent by General Lu to serve the princess. I greet the princess!" At this time, a gray-blue figure flashed in front of Yun Qianmeng. The maid, who was about forty years old, lowered her eyebrows, bent over and whispered to Yun Qianmeng about her identity!
However, her sudden appearance and blocking of Yun Qianmeng's way made Xi Lin furious. He was about to draw the long sword at his waist, but was stopped by Yun Qianmeng!
Yun Qianmeng signaled Xi Lin to step back with her eyes. Then she slowly walked up to Madam Guo. Seeing that Madam Guo had fair skin and a slender and tall figure, she must have been a beauty in her youth. She smiled and asked, "Madam Guo, are you from Kyoto?"
"In reply to your princess, I am indeed from Kyoto! The general was worried that the servants at the Youzhou Posthouse would not be able to serve you well, so he specially ordered me to come and serve you!" Hearing Yun Qianmeng's question, Nanny Guo spoke very carefully. Seeing her calm expression, she knew that this woman must be a person who has experienced many hardships!
When Mu Chun and the others heard that Madam Guo had confessed that she was General Hu Wei's servant, they all glared at her with hostility. Only Yun Qianmeng remained calm and continued to smile faintly. Her voice was as clear and melodious as a lark in a valley. "Since Madam Guo is General Hu Wei's servant and is from Kyoto like me, how come she doesn't understand the etiquette of respect and inferiority? What is your crime for blocking my way?"
Yun Qianmeng's words weren't sharp, and her tone wasn't harsh either, but it still made Nanny Guo's originally calm expression pale. She fell to her knees in front of Yun Qianmeng and kowtowed, admitting her fault. "I know I'm wrong, please calm down, Princess!"
"That's enough! Go down and receive the twenty lashes of the cane!" Seeing that Madam Guo quickly admitted her mistake, the faint smile on Yun Qianmeng's face slowly disappeared, and he calmly spoke of her punishment. However, his eyes swept over all the servants in front of him, and seeing a trace of fear flashing in their eyes, he nodded to Xi Lin and led Mu Chun and others into the inn!
Youzhou has a warm climate with spring-like weather all year round. Yun Qianmeng and the others had already changed into light dresses before entering Youzhou!
Because the climate is excellent and there are rarely cold winter days, when Yun Qianmeng and his group stepped into the Youzhou Posthouse, they smelled the fragrance of fresh flowers!
As everyone walked through the lobby of the posthouse, they saw a variety of colorful flowers. The entire garden of the Youzhou Posthouse was filled with flowers. At this time, butterflies were seen dancing in the garden, adding a touch of vitality to the originally static garden!
"Princess, please come this way!" Nanny Guo was taken away by Xi Lin to be punished, and another nanny who had been serving in the inn led Yun Qianmeng to the south side of the garden!
"This is the South Garden. The servants have cleaned it. Please come in, Princess!" With the precedent of Nanny Guo, Nanny Shi, who was leading the way at this time, seemed much more honest. She just followed Yun Qianmeng's lead, doing her own thing, and never dared to have any improper thoughts or intentions again!
"Apart from the South Courtyard, are there any other courtyards in this inn?" Yun Qianmeng asked slowly as he looked at the one-meter-high wall covered with wisteria flowers!
"In reply to Princess, there are four gardens in the posthouse, namely, the east, south, west and north! Princess's South Garden has the best view in the posthouse!" Nanny Shi immediately answered when she heard Yun Qianmeng asking the question!
"Yingqiu, Yingxia!" Yun Qianmeng was standing at the archway of the South Garden, calling out to her two personal maids!
"I'm here!" Yingqiu and Yingxia immediately stepped forward, waiting for Yun Qianmeng's instructions!
"You go with Doctor Nie to the West Garden to see if there is anything we can help you with! By the way, tell Doctor Nie to take good care of Deputy Commander Xia!" Yun Qianmeng gave orders quickly, and when he saw Yingqiu and Yingxia leave, he set foot in the South Garden!
The courtyard of Nanyuan is as fragrant as the garden outside. The only difference is that there is a crystal clear lotus pond in the courtyard. Water lilies of various colors float on the emerald green water, which makes people who see this beautiful scenery for the first time linger in it!
There was a banyan tree planted beside the lotus pond, and under the banyan tree there was a swing. It was noon at this time, and the temperature was the hottest in the day. Everyone looked at the swing under the shade of the tree, and their restless hearts couldn't help but calm down!
"If Madam Guo's punishment is over, bring her to Nanyuan to see me!" Walking into the main house of Nanyuan, the colorful flowers and bonsai inside were still as gorgeous and dazzling as those outside. Yun Qianmeng spoke in a deep voice to Madam Shi who wanted to follow in, and then walked straight into the inner room!
"Yes, Princess!" Seeing Yuan Dong standing in front of her, Nanny Shi tactfully bowed to Yun Qianmeng's back, then turned around and walked out of Nanyuan!
"Princess, since you have punished Madam Guo, you can just send her back to General Hu Wei. Why do you still want to see her?" Mu Chun and Yuan Dong were busy putting the clothes, dresses and jewellery that Yun Qianmeng would wear in Youzhou carefully in the closet. However, the two maids did not understand what Yun Qianmeng had done just now!
That Madam Guo must have relied on General Huwei to boldly block the princess's way!
However, since Nanny Guo was General Huwei's subordinate and the princess was looking for faults in her, why bother meeting her again? Wouldn't it be better to just send her out of the post house directly? This would also prevent someone from monitoring their behavior in the post house all day long!
Yun Qianmeng, on the other hand, took the round fan Yuandong handed over and sat by the window, gazing calmly at the cool and soothing scenery within the courtyard. Noticing that Xi Lin had already sent people to guard the entrance to the South Garden, she spoke calmly, "Without Madam Guo, I'm afraid there are others! Instead of keeping the enemy in the dark, or even guessing who the enemy is, it's better to keep them under our noses. Wouldn't that save us a lot of effort? Besides, that beating just now not only made Madam Guo remember what to do and what not to do, but also served as a warning to the others, sounding the alarm for the servants in this inn!"
"But, I'm afraid that General Hu Wei will feel dissatisfied. If he does something bad, I'm afraid..." Mu Chun took out the tea set she brought from Prime Minister Chu's residence, poured a cup of tea for Yun Qianmeng and handed it to her, with a hint of worry on her face. After all, it's impossible for the prince to stay by the princess' side all day long!
Moreover, after being with Yun Qianmeng for a long time, Mu Chun naturally knew that the big clans would use any means to win favor. It was really hard to guard against and it made people tremble with fear!
Yun Qianmeng, however, held up the teacup with a frank expression, lifted the lid, blew away some of the steam, and whispered with a faint smile, "He is the prince's business. I only need to take care of the affairs in the backyard and not let the prince worry too much!"
No matter how General Hu Wei reacts, it was Madam Guo who was wrong in today's incident. As a princess, do I need General Hu Wei's approval to punish a madam who doesn't know etiquette?
Moreover, General Hu Wei was naturally clear in his mind what was the intention of arranging Madam Guo to enter the post station. Even if he ordered his men to beat Madam Guo to death with sticks today, he was afraid that he would not react!
However, if he really did that, the reputation of Princess Chu's cruelty would spread throughout Youzhou in an instant, which would bring inconvenience to Chu Feiyang's subsequent actions!
Secondly, it also gave General Hu Wei a handle. I am afraid that after returning to Beijing in the future, he will make a big fuss about this matter to divert everyone's blame from him!
However, General Hu Wei is still a military commander. How could it be so easy for him to interfere in the affairs of the backyard?
Did he think that if he arranged for a Madam Guo to work in the post house, she would be grateful for his thoughtful consideration and let Madam Guo take charge of the daily life of the post house?
Little did he know that she had a way to turn the chess piece he had painstakingly arranged into a discarded one!
"Princess, Nanny Guo and Nanny Shi want to see you!" Just as they sat down and took a breath, they heard Xi Lin's voice outside the house!
"Come in!" Upon hearing that, Yun Qianmeng stood up and walked to the main room and sat down. She looked at Madam Guo, who was holding her hips with one hand and her waist with the other, and walked in staggeringly despite the pain!
Meanwhile, Nanny Shi, who had entered the main room at the same time as her, walked straight to Yun Qianmeng without even glancing at her. She knelt down and bowed respectfully, "This servant greets the princess!"
When Madam Guo saw that this native-born Madam Shi had actually bowed to the Princess of Chu before her, a hint of anger flashed in her eyes, and she immediately knelt down heavily. "This servant greets the Princess!"
"Get up!" Seeing the two people not getting along with each other, but feeling even more at odds with each other, Yun Qianmeng spoke in a calm manner!
"Thank you, Princess!" Seeing Nanny Shi standing up faster than her, Nanny Guo gritted her teeth and got up from the ground. She stood in front of Yun Qianmeng with Nanny Shi, waiting for Yun Qianmeng to speak!
"I have just come to Youzhou with the prince, and I don't understand many things very well. I will need your advice in the future!" Looking at the two people who were competing with each other, Yun Qianmeng spoke calmly. She did not embarrass Madam Guo again because of her previous collision, nor did she look at her differently because of Madam Shi's kindness. Her equal behavior made the two people who were comparing themselves feel a little uneasy. They were not sure what the Princess of Chu was planning at this moment!
However, since Yun Qianmeng was so polite, they, as servants, naturally could not let their master's words fall on deaf ears!
Nanny Guo reacted very quickly and said, "It is my great honor to serve the princess. How dare I take on the responsibility of giving her a warning! Please don't embarrass me, princess!"
Nanny Shi, who was a little slow to react, immediately spoke up, "Princess, please tell me what you need. I will go through fire and water to help you!"
Seeing the two of them eager to express their opinions, Yun Qianmeng let a faint smile appear on her face. She turned the round fan in her hand for a moment and then spoke again, but her tone suddenly turned cold and cautious. "In that case, then this concubine is relieved! However, there are a few things I want to remind you. The prince has always disliked being disturbed by outsiders. Therefore, the only ones who can enter and leave the South Garden are the maids I brought with me. If you have anything to report, just inform Xi Lin! Secondly, Xia Ji, the deputy commander of the imperial guard, lives in the West Garden. However, Deputy Commander Xia was injured while protecting the prince and me. Now is a critical time for him to recuperate. On weekdays, except for delivering meals and a change of clothes, you are not allowed to disturb Deputy Commander Xia! Otherwise, if something goes wrong and the emperor blames you, I am afraid that everyone in the Youzhou Posthouse will be buried with him! And don't rely on the people behind you to have any bad intentions and provoke the emperor's wrath. No one in Xichu can bear the responsibility!"
The two listened to Yun Qianmeng's words. Although their expressions did not change, their lowered eyes had already changed into several different lights. But in the end, they calmed down and replied softly, "Yes, this servant will obey the princess's instructions!"
Seeing that both of them had taken her words to heart, Yun Qianmeng finally relaxed her tone and spoke with a hint of warmth, "Then I'll have to trouble you two to take care of the affairs of this inn. As for the scope of your jurisdiction, please discuss it thoroughly and then report back to me!"
Just when the two thought that Yun Qianmeng's tone had softened and there were no more problems, they didn't expect Yun Qianmeng to throw a bigger problem at them in an instant!
One is Nanny Shi, who was personally selected by Chu Pei and has been in charge of the Youzhou Posthouse for many years!
One is Nanny Guo, who was brought from Kyoto by General Hu Wei. After Chu Pei was injured, she was sent by Lu Xin to Youzhou Posthouse to take power!
The two men represent different masters, and they are fighting endlessly for the same rights!
Yun Qianmeng instantly saw the contradiction between the two and easily provoked a deeper prejudice between them. She believed that in the days to come, these two would not only try their best to spy on all the whereabouts in Nanyuan, but would also go to great lengths to frame their opponents!
As soon as Yun Qianmeng finished speaking, a hint of competition emerged between the two of them!
But Yun Qianmeng ignored it and moved on to the next topic, "How far is the Youzhou Posthouse from the Chu Mansion?"
Upon hearing this, Nanny Shi smiled and replied, "Princess, it takes an hour's drive from our Youzhou Posthouse to the Chu Mansion! And the other posthouse where General Lu currently resides is only a quarter of an hour's drive from the Chu Mansion!"
I don’t know whether it was intentional or not, but after answering Yun Qianmeng’s words, Nanny Shi actually added one more sentence!
"Princess, the inn chosen by General Lu only has one courtyard! At that time, the general did not want to trouble Lord Chu, and also wanted to make it convenient for him to discuss matters with Lord Chu, so he moved in!" Nanny Guo immediately explained, her smiling eyes slightly turning towards Nanny Shi, and a warning look instantly shot out of her!
However, Yun Qianmeng listened to the two's answers with a faint smile on her face. She did not interfere with the fight between the two, but carefully collected information from their bickering!
"How far is it from the Xie family's main residence?" Yun Qianmeng asked with interest, remembering the look on Xie Shuyi's face that she really didn't want him to have any contact with the Xie family!
"Xie family? Which Xie family are you referring to, Princess?" Hearing Yun Qianmeng's question, Nanny Shi's heart suddenly trembled. She immediately put away her opposing look towards Nanny Guo and asked cautiously!
"Madame Shi, since you are the one chosen by my father to manage the Youzhou Posthouse, how come you don't even know about the Xie family that I mentioned? Are you derelict in your duty or are you trying to fool me on purpose?" But Yun Qianmeng would not tolerate her playing dumb. She immediately placed the round fan in her hand on the table and glared at Madame Shi, who was trying to get away with it. Her eyes were sharp and insightful, making Madame Shi feel as if she had been seen through by the Princess of Chu. She broke out in a layer of cold sweat even in the warm afternoon!
"I am confused, I am confused! But Princess, you don't know that the Xie family is the richest family in Youzhou. They are very wealthy and have a lot of land and property. I can't tell you how many houses the Xie family has in a short time!" Nanny Shi immediately lowered her head, and narrated everything about the Xie family with a clever smile, but she never got to the point!
Seeing these old maids bullying their own princess, Mu Chun's eyebrows immediately raised, and she sternly accused Madam Shi, who did not take Yun Qianmeng seriously, "How dare you! How can you fool around in front of the princess? Didn't you just hear that the princess was talking about the main house of the Xie family? Do you have to ask twice before you understand clearly? And you are still making trouble here, do you also want to be slapped with twenty sticks?"
Nanny Shi was naturally unhappy that her words were interrupted by a little girl like Mu Chun. She was about to look up to refute Mu Chun, but she found that Yun Qianmeng was just concentrating on drinking the tea in her hand. She was not angry at all because of the little girl's voice, and did not speak to stop the little girl. It was obvious that what the little girl said was exactly what the Princess of Chu was thinking, but she just told her through the little girl's mouth!
"Mu Chun, how can you talk like that?" After Mu Chun finished scolding, Yun Qianmeng swallowed a mouthful of tea. She glanced at the silent Nanny Shi from the corner of her eye. With her delicate and graceful hands, she gently wiped the tea stains from the corners of her mouth. Then she spoke softly, "If Nanny Shi can't remember these, then go back and ask clearly before answering! However, I don't need a servant with such a bad memory. After completing this task, I will report to my father and let Nanny return home!"
When Nanny Shi heard Yun Qianmeng's words, her expression suddenly changed. She knelt down with a pale face, begging for mercy non-stop, "Princess, please calm down, Princess, please calm down. It was my fault! It's hot today, and I was wearing so many clothes that I was confused for a moment! I remember now. The Xie family's main residence is south of Youzhou!"
After saying that, Nanny Shi didn't dare to speak carelessly anymore. If she had looked down on Yun Qianmeng, the little princess, before, she had now witnessed how powerful Yun Qianmeng was. She could strangle a person's vital point with just a few words. She was truly a terrifying person!
"In that case, you two can leave!" Yun Qianmeng waved his hand and asked the two to leave!
How could Madam Shi and Madam Guo dare to stay in Nanyuan any longer? Although the Princess of Chu had a gentle appearance, she was also a person of great means. Naturally, they had to hurry back to their respective masters to report everything that had just happened!
At this time, Yingqiu and Yingxia walked in. After bowing to Yun Qianmeng, they immediately reported, "Princess, I have heard some news! The Xie family's main residence is in the south of Youzhou City, closest to the route between Youzhou and Nanxun! And our Youzhou Posthouse is in the north of Youzhou. It will take at least three to five hours to travel south from here!"
Listening to Yingxia's report, Yun Qianmeng nodded. Seeing that Yingxia's forehead was already oozing with sweat, she smiled and said, "You two have worked hard. Sit down and rest for a while!"
"Mu Chun!" Yun Qianmeng called Mu Chun over, took out a visiting card and handed it to her, instructing, "Send it to the Chu residence and tell them that the prince and I will be visiting father at dinner time!"
At this time, Chu Feiyang and his companions, who had just arrived at another posthouse, were about to enter the office when they saw Xiahou Qin still sitting on his horse. He smiled brightly and said to Chu Feiyang, "Your Highness, I will not get involved in such a major military and national affair! I saw that the market was quite lively just now, so I will go for a walk and come back for dinner!"
After he finished speaking, without waiting for General Hu Wei to send someone to follow him, Xiahou Qin and several personal guards rode away in front of everyone!
"Your Highness, I will send someone to protect Prince Xiahou immediately!" Lu Xin frowned slightly and immediately bowed to Chu Feiyang and said!
"No need!" Little did he know that his statement was rejected by Chu Feiyang in an instant. Chu Feiyang turned around and stepped into the inn, forcing General Hu Wei to follow closely behind him!
"What's the situation in Youzhou these days?" Sitting in the first seat, Chu Feiyang asked General Hu Wei calmly!
"In reply to Your Highness, the situation has been relatively peaceful recently! There are no more soldiers from Nanxun provoking at the trade ports between the two countries. However, I have already dispatched additional troops to strictly guard the trade ports to prevent Nanxun from taking the opportunity to launch a sneak attack!" Seeing Chu Feiyang asking, General Hu Wei replied slowly with a smug look on his face!
Hearing this, Chu Feiyang's expression remained unchanged, but Han Shaomian frowned slightly!
This incident was caused by General Hu Wei, who not only caused the King of Chu's father to be seriously injured, but also almost caused a war between the two countries. However, he is complacent and unrepentant at this time. If he angers the King of Chu, he will be executed first and reported later. Even the emperor cannot save him!
"Oh? Then according to what General Lu said, we just need to maintain the status quo, right?" Chu Feiyang smiled lightly, with a smile in his eyes, but at the same time, General Hu Wei and Han Shaomian couldn't help but feel scared, not understanding what Chu Feiyang would say next!
"Minister Han, the emperor sent you here this time, naturally he wants to train you. So, in your opinion, what should we do now?" Sure enough, Chu Feiyang threw the question to Han Shaomian, his smiling black eyes flashing with deep light, like a deep pool with no bottom in sight, and like the vast ocean with no edge to be touched!
Han Shaomian, besides observing the King of Chu and his men, was also pondering what had happened in Youzhou. When Chu Feiyang asked him about this, he seemed unhurried. "To answer your Highness, I believe that General Lu's move cannot be implemented in the long run! Nanxun and Xichu were originally on good terms, and this incident was caused by a misunderstanding. If we concentrate our forces at the trade port, Nanxun will surely think we intend to attack. Wouldn't that be a betrayal of the Emperor's purpose in sending you here?"
Han Shaomian naturally had some complaints about the unrepentant General Hu Wei. He participated in the military examination in the hope that one day he could serve the court and defend his country!
But General Hu Wei actually ignored the people of Youzhou because of his defeat many years ago and for his own selfish reasons. It is really disgusting!
Hearing Han Shao Mian openly oppose the use of force, Lu Xin instantly slammed the table, pointed at Han Shao Mian and roared, "Minister Han, what do you mean by this? Are you blaming me for using force? Do you know how despicable those southern barbarians are? Lord Chu is still bedridden due to the poison he suffered! Your Highness, if you don't avenge this, won't the world laugh at you for being disloyal and unfilial?"
"This is just my family affair. When is it General Hu Wei's turn to point fingers? And General Hu Wei, don't forget, whose fault is it that my father was injured? Do I need to list all of this one by one? Minister Han, I think that your coming here this time should be more than just escorting me!" A sharp aura was reflected in his half-smile eyes, which immediately shot towards General Hu Wei. Chu Feiyang snorted coldly, then turned to Han Shaomian who was sitting quietly beside him, waiting for the moment when he would take out the imperial edict!
Han Shaomian's heart skipped a beat, amazed at Chu Feiyang's brilliant plan!
Han Shaomian nodded solemnly, looking at General Hu Wei with a serious look, then stood up and spoke loudly, "According to the emperor's oral order, General Hu Wei handled the Youzhou incident appropriately, so the King of Chu is ordered to go and quell the matter. General Hu Wei will assist you and must not make any mistakes!"
How could General Hu Wei have expected that Han Shaomian actually had such a trump card hidden? However, Han Shaomian's words were not only spoken in front of Chu Feiyang, but all the officials of Youzhou were present at the time, and everyone heard it clearly. This forced General Hu Wei to accept this approach even if he was unwilling in his heart!
"General, what else do you want to defend yourself?" Chu Feiyang spoke indifferently, looking coldly at the decadent appearance of General Hu Wei, and then turned his attention to the Youzhou officials sitting below!
"Your humble servant will follow the prince's orders!" The imperial edict has been issued, and General Hu Wei dare not disobey it!
Moreover, the emperor did not investigate and punish him immediately, but gave him the opportunity to redeem himself with merit. General Hu Wei would naturally not let go of such an opportunity, and he could only bow his head and admit his mistake in front of Chu Feiyang!
"You are all the officials of Youzhou. Now that Youzhou is in crisis, don't you have any good suggestions and ideas? You didn't even explain the current situation in Youzhou to me. Are you planning to abandon the people of Youzhou?" At this time, Chu Feiyang's attention had already turned to the officials of Youzhou. Looking at them sitting there with their heads down, Chu Feiyang spoke in a deep voice. Although it was stern, it carried a hint of encouragement, which made some officials raise their heads and look at Chu Feiyang!
"Your Highness, although Youzhou is still trading with Nanxun, General Huwei has sent heavy troops to guard the trading port, so many merchants from Nanxun have withdrawn to their hometown! As a result, Youzhou's tax revenue will definitely be affected. I am afraid that the silver required by the court will be in arrears this year!" An official spoke slowly, looking at General Huwei with a hint of hatred in his eyes!
"Yes, Your Highness. There are also intermarriages between the people of Youzhou and the people of Nanxun. When something like this happens this time, the people are full of complaints. I am afraid that as time goes on, the people will make trouble. By then, the people will be homeless. Who will bear the consequences?" Another seventh-rank official spoke boldly. His official rank was low, so he naturally came into contact with the common people at the bottom of society and naturally understood the suffering of the people!
Thinking about the prosperity and peace of Youzhou in the past, but the arrival of General Hu Wei caused chaos and even injured Lord Chu, how could they not be angry?
Chu Feiyang didn't really want to ask anything. After all, these Youzhou officials were of the same mind as Chu Pei. Even if he wanted to ask something, he could only ask things that everyone could see on the surface!
He just wanted to use this question to see the attitudes of these people so that he could come up with a strategy to deal with them!
"I understand everyone's worries, so leave it to me to handle now! As for all the affairs of Youzhou, I hope you can take care of them with all your heart!" After he finished speaking, Chu Feiyang stood up and left the inn without looking back, leaving the officials of Youzhou confused. They didn't understand why the King of Chu left after listening to just a few words!
"How is it?" Chu Feiyang asked with a faint smile when he met Xiahou Qin on the way back to the inn!
"This General Hu Wei is really powerful. The entire Youzhou City is under his control, and his soldiers are everywhere.