A moment later, the gatekeeper came running back, panting. "Sir, the person...the person is gone!" he said, wiping the fine sweat from his forehead.
"Gone?" Xu Hui raised an eyebrow.
The doorman nodded vigorously, and Xu Hui waved for him to leave.
He slowly unfolded the letter, his expression growing increasingly grave. "Isn't this absurd? Why are they all coming to this desolate place to celebrate the New Year? The Empress of Chunsheng County next door did it, and now he... sigh!"
Xu Hui sighed, held the letter close to the candlelight until the flame almost licked his fingertips, then tossed it into a copper basin beside him. He paced back and forth in the room, muttering to himself, "Although Chunsheng County has the Cuiwei Palace for the Empress to reside in, my Yichun County has no palace."
He stepped out of his study, gazing at the prefectural government office, his heart heavy with worry. How could he allow that incomparably noble person to be crammed into this small office with his entire family?
Suddenly, he stopped abruptly, slapped his forehead, and exclaimed, "That's right, how could I forget about the Princess's residence!"
"Someone! Prepare the horses, I need to go to the princess's residence!" Xu Hui shouted loudly.
As night deepened, Xu Hui galloped through the streets and alleys of Yichun County on horseback. Lanterns along the street swayed in the night breeze, reflecting his anxious face. The sound of his horse's hooves echoed in the stillness of the night.
Soon, the outline of the princess's residence gradually appeared in the night. Xu Hui tightened the reins, and the horse neighed loudly, stopping in front of the gate. The gatekeepers, seeing it was Xu Hui, quickly bowed and opened the gate for him.
Xu Hui strode into the princess's residence and headed straight for the study. Inside, candlelight flickered, illuminating a table laden with books and maps. Shen Hanshan was engrossed in his work and was somewhat surprised by Xu Hui's sudden arrival.
"Lord Xu, what has happened that you're in such a hurry?" He glanced at the sky outside, put down his pen, and stepped out from behind his desk.
Xu Hui took a deep breath, and the two sat down at the coffee table. He picked up a teacup, dipped it in tea, and wrote a few words on the coffee table.
"Is he coming here to spend the Chinese New Year?"
Shen Hanshan propped his chin on one hand and tapped the tea table lightly with the other. He suddenly remembered that he had also received a letter not long ago, which he had intended to check later, so he casually put it aside.
Thinking of this, he walked to the desk, picked up the letter, read it carefully, and handed it to Xu Hui.
After Xu Hui finished reading the letter, both of them fell silent.
“Let’s do it at the Princess’s residence. He doesn’t want to make a big fuss, and we don’t want to cause too much trouble.” After a long silence, Shen Hanshan finally made the decision. “Your Highness is very insightful and far-sighted. I admire you. In that case, I will immediately begin the arrangements to ensure everything is handled properly and that His Majesty is not inconvenienced in the slightest.”
After Xu Hui finished speaking, he stood up and bowed, his expression showing more determination and composure.
Shen Hanshan nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes: "I have always trusted Lord Xu's work. However, this matter must be kept secret, and we must not let the news leak out, lest it cause unnecessary trouble."
"Your Highness, rest assured, I will act with caution and make arrangements overnight to ensure the safety of the Princess's residence."
Xu Hui agreed and turned to leave, but then seemed to remember something and turned back, saying, "I will have to trouble Your Highness to send someone to inform everyone in the manor that preparations for the welcoming ceremony should begin early tomorrow morning. Although we do not seek extravagance, warmth and elegance are essential to show our Yichun County's respect for His Majesty."
Shen Hanshan nodded in agreement, then summoned Su Mu and whispered a few instructions to him. Su Mu accepted the order and left in a hurry.
As night deepened, Xu Hui and Shen Hanshan walked out of the study side by side, the moonlight like water, spilling across the courtyard.
The two exchanged a glance, both seeing a heavy sense of responsibility and a silent understanding in each other's eyes.
"Lord Xu, you've worked hard tonight. Get some rest. There are many matters that we need to deal with together tomorrow," Shen Hanshan said gently, his tone full of concern.
"Your Highness, your health is of utmost importance. I will return to my residence now and begin preparations immediately. I will return to meet you again early tomorrow morning." Xu Hui bowed in farewell, turned around, and strode into the night.
His figure gradually blended into the darkness, leaving only a series of crisp hoofbeats echoing through the night sky, fading into the distance and finally disappearing into the night wind.
After Xu Hui left, Shen Hanshan quickly went to the bedroom and told Lanru, Feng Hong and others about the matter.
Although Chaoyan and the others did not know what was going on, judging from the serious expressions of their two aunts, Lanru and Fenghong, they guessed that a noble person must be coming to stay at the princess's residence temporarily, and that this noble person was definitely not their young lady.
"Besides my young lady, who else is qualified to live in the princess's residence and make everyone so nervous?" Chaoyang muttered to herself. After a moment, she suddenly realized, "Oh, I know, it must be—" She looked in the direction of Lingyang City, her heart pounding.
Nanxing had been sent back to the Zhao residence by her two aunts, Lanru and Fenghong, for speaking recklessly. She had to learn from Nanxing's lesson, be careful with her words and actions, and only take good care of the young prince and the little princess. As for the rest, she should not listen to, see, hear, or ask about them.
After explaining the situation, Shen Hanshan quickly changed into a black night outfit.
He then silently left the princess's residence and sped towards the Cuiwei Palace. His figure moved like a ghost through the night, incredibly fast, almost imperceptible to anyone.
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