Chapter 320 Dowry
The sounds of the execution outside the tent were quite loud, and those inside could hear them clearly. At first, after a few blows, Xiahou Yin was still able to insist on escorting the body, but later, only muffled groans of pain and forbearance remained.
Of course, it's also possible that his mouth was gagged, preventing him from shouting.
Duan Wei and Xiahou Zhong were not surprised by this and continued to talk to Qi Yuxuan about the arrangements for tomorrow.
One hour later.
Duan Wei selected a squad of fifty elite soldiers to escort Princess Chang Le back to the inner city of Kuncheng.
Throughout the journey, Qi Yuxuan pondered the arrangements she had just discussed with the generals.
It is true that Kuncheng is the closest city to Yue, but the closest road to the border between the two countries is still nearly ten miles away. Along the way, one has to pass through a flat road and a valley. She stumbled down from the dilapidated temple on that mountain that day, and it was along that mountain that she passed by.
She told them everything she remembered about what had happened along the way, but for some reason, she still felt very uneasy.
I have a feeling that tomorrow won't go too smoothly.
It seemed like she had forgotten something very important.
With a headache, the carriage slowly came to a stop, and a voice outside, barely concealing excitement, called out: "Princess!"
Upon hearing the long-awaited voices, Qi Yuxuan shuddered and immediately stood up. She lifted the carriage curtain and saw several faces that were all too familiar to her.
Zheng Yanling, along with several of her personal maids, have all come to Kuncheng!
"Sister Zheng, Bihui, Lanxin..." Qi Yuxuan got off the carriage and held their hands, overjoyed. "Why did you all come?"
As soon as the words left their mouths, the smiles on their faces instantly froze.
They were glad that the princess was safe and sound, but they were also well aware of the purpose of their trip.
The Crown Prince had already issued an edict agreeing to the marriage alliance with Yue. However, the border was not close to the capital, and a round trip would take a lot of time. So, he simply allowed Princess Chang Le to stay in Kuncheng to await her marriage.
Zheng Yanling couldn't accept sending Qi Yuxuan away before she had personally confirmed that she was safe and sound. She begged and pleaded to come to Kuncheng to escort the bride, and promised the Princess that she would check Qi Yuxuan from head to toe to make sure that she was really safe and sound before... escorting her away.
Bihui, Lanxin, and the others were maids who accompanied the princess in her dowry. Before they came, they had already prepared to follow the princess forever.
Although they were a little sad at the moment, they were not as upset as Zheng Yanling because they thought that they would still be by the princess's side in the future.
Zheng Yanling blinked, forcing back the tears in her eyes, and rallied her spirits. She took the other person's hand and walked into the post station. "The carriage area is dusty. Come on, let's go inside and talk."
Qi Yuxuan responded and stepped inside, but after only two steps, she looked up and saw someone who shouldn't have been there.
He wore the same moon-white brocade robe he often wore in his memory. His face was as gentle and dignified as a bright moon and a clear breeze, like a gentleman. When he looked at Qi Yuxuan, there was a hint of expectation and relief between his brows.
Why is Xiao Jue here?
Noticing Qi Yuxuan's gaze, Zheng Yanling slapped her forehead, remembering the introduction:
"Lord Xiao has now been promoted to Vice Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies. He will be the official in charge of the ceremony and escort for the princess's marriage."
Qi Yuxuan nodded, her expression cold and distant. She gave a perfunctory bow to show respect, without saying a word, and then she and Zheng Yanling, along with several maids, brushed past Xiao Jue.
Xiao Jue slowly clenched his fists at his sides, his gaze following his sister's departing figure until it disappeared from sight before returning to his own.
Zheng Yanling took the initiative to show Qi Yuxuan the wedding attire and dowry chests for the marriage alliance.
Along the way, Zheng Yali asked again what had happened during the two months she had been missing.
Qi Yuxuan then repeated what she had said to Xiahou Yin before, adding some details.
Whether Zheng Yanling believed it or not, the two walked all the way to the small courtyard where the dowry was kept.
One hundred and eighty loads of dowry, containing everything a woman would need for her entire life, from clothing, food, shelter, and transportation to pots and pans, filling each large red lacquered chest to the brim. Moreover, every single item was exquisite and expensive, exceeding the standards for a princess.
In addition, there were Buddhist scriptures, medicinal herbs, tea seeds and other products unique to the Eighteen Kingdoms of Qi, hundreds of artisans, doctors, maids and guards who had mastered various skills... and even four experienced midwives.
After looking at the red lacquered chests that filled the two small courtyards, which were completely sealed off, and then at the complete dowry list, Qi Yuxuan remained silent for a long time.
“These are just the visible ones. Look at this…” Seeing that she was silent, Zheng Yanling thought that she felt that the dowry was too light. After looking around to make sure no one was passing by, she took out a carefully sealed letter from her bosom and handed it to her.
"Those things have been passed through the official channels, but what's on this list is something those old fogies absolutely cannot know. I'll tell you in secret, most of this list came from the Princess's private treasury, and the majority of the rest came from the Crown Prince's private treasury—of course, there are also some additions from us, but you know we can't compare to the Crown Prince and the Princess. Sigh, it's all from the heart, so don't complain that I gave too little, or I won't be friends with you anymore."
Zheng Yanling pointed to the items on the new list and talked on and on, mentioning things like a large purple pearl from the East China Sea, an ivory mat that could sleep three or four people, and a yin-yang dragon and phoenix jade pendant... She talked until her throat was dry, but the girl didn't utter a single "hmm." When she looked up, she was dumbfounded.
The little girl was silently weeping. On her fair and delicate face, streaks of tears, glistening with each drop, gathered at her pointed chin and fell down with a soft "plop, plop."
With her bright red eyes open and a smile on her full, rosy lips, she said very solemnly, "Thank you, Sister Zheng."
Zheng Yanling sighed inwardly, her voice becoming even softer:
"If you are bullied over there, don't suffer in silence. You must write to me immediately. I've trained a carrier pigeon, and I'll bring it to you tomorrow. I've been practicing my marksmanship diligently for the past two months and have made great progress. I'll personally volunteer to lead troops to fight my way over and bring you back!"
"Don't worry about us. Although the Princess has missed you a lot these past two months, the affairs of state come first. The Princess can understand the Crown Prince, and the Princess will also understand the Crown Prince and the Princess, right?"
Zheng Yanling was a little uneasy.
He was afraid of hearing the little girl sobbing and cursing them for sacrificing her life for the peace between the two countries; he was also afraid that she would pretend to be strong and consider the bigger picture, saying that she was willing to dedicate everything to the State of Qi.
Zheng Yanling had clearly made up her mind before coming.
If Qi Yuxuan really refused, she would just run away with her people.
These past two months have been filled with relentless training in martial arts and archery. Even if it's not enough to abduct someone right under the noses of those generals, sneaking away to a distant place should still be achievable.
When Yue becomes enraged, Qi will have no choice but to go to war, and there will be no need for Yu Xuan to go for the marriage alliance.
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