Chapter 13: This Prince Consort receives the order from the two of us...
The glances between the two were full of ambiguous temptations, and every glance they made carried an indescribable meaning.
I really envy him as a single person.
"Your Highness, your change of clothes."
Chuntao trotted over, just in time to break the awkward situation.
Song Youning looked towards the imperial study, smiled, and put the package into Li Funing's arms: "What are you waiting for?"
"The prince consort?..."
Then he stepped on the carriage step and pulled Chuntao along, "We should be three hundred miles away before the emperor changes his mind! Hurry up, my prince consort!"
Li Funing was startled when he heard him call him "Prince Consort". A smile spread across the corners of his eyes: "Prince Consort, I obey your order!"
He caught the package she threw to him steadily, turned around and nodded to the servant standing on duty:
"Please tell His Majesty..." He deliberately raised his voice.
"Just say that the Prince Consort has been ordered to take His Highness to the people to understand their sentiments. If Your Majesty needs to consult me, you can send a letter by carrier pigeon."
Before he finished speaking, the man had already jumped onto the carriage, startling a flock of birds in the trees.
Half an hour later
Just as the carriage was ten miles out of the city gate, dust suddenly rose up from behind and a team of Yulin Guards came galloping towards them.
Song Youning lifted the curtain of the car and saw the leading commander holding a flag high and driving towards them.
“It’s broken, it’s broken!”
She grabbed Li Funing's hand, her expression panicking, "Father must have changed his mind..."
"Princess, don't panic." Li Funing put his hand on hers, and the warm palm made her feel a lot more at ease.
In the distance, the cavalrymen all stopped their horses and carried out three wooden boxes from the rear of the team.
"In compliance with His Majesty's order!" the commander shouted, suppressing his laughter.
"The princess went on a diplomatic mission to Lingnan on my behalf to understand the people's sentiments. I have specially granted her some useful items."
Then three wooden boxes opened with a bang. The first box contained a light gauze skirt that the Shangyi Bureau had hurriedly made overnight.
The second box was filled with all kinds of pills and powders from the imperial pharmacy, red, yellow, for treating wind-cold, damp-heat, and everything in between.
The third box... contained her favorite purple-hair brushes and pine soot ink for writing travelogues, and also Li Funing's favorites! A whole box.
Song Youning was moved: "Father really still loves her!"
The commander in the distance took advantage of the moment when their carriage stopped, rode his horse and caught up with them, and took out a secret letter from his arms.
"Princess, this is a secret letter from His Majesty."
Song Youning unfolded the letter suspiciously. "You little bastard! You didn't even tell your father before you left... You really thought your father would snatch someone from a little girl like you? If you want to go out and play, why don't you just go out openly? Why are you sneaking around like that? Do you really think I'm an unkind and incompetent emperor?"
"I will announce to the public that the princess is out observing the people's sentiments on my behalf. If there is anything, please go to the local officials. Don't carry it all on your own. Your father is the ruler of a country. If he can't even satisfy his own daughter, then wouldn't I be emperor in vain?"
Song Youning held the letter in her hand, and two tears suddenly flowed out of her eyes.
Li Funing silently handed over the handkerchief, but she pulled his sleeve and wiped his face.
"Damn it..." She sobbed and wiped away her tears.
"Father must have calculated it correctly... hiccups...I would be moved by this...so I specially put on this sentimental scene."
On the distant palace wall, a bright yellow figure can be vaguely seen looking towards this side with a telescope.
"Hey! Before these two leave, I wonder if they remember to bring me some local specialties..." Song Luoshu snorted, his tone three parts complaint and seven parts mischief.
The morning breeze blew the sachet on the eaves of the carriage, and the fragrance spread throughout the carriage. Song Youning fell into a deep sleep in the fragrance.
When the carriage drove into the Yuzhou city gate, it was already late at night and there was silence and no one around.
"Princess, guest..."
Chuntao looked at the sleeping Song Youning and was about to wake her up, but was stopped by a hand.
"Shh..."
Li Funing raised his index finger to his lips, signaling her not to make a sound.
He tucked in Song Youning's cloak that had slipped off, bent over and picked her up sideways.
The girl rubbed herself unconsciously in his warm arms, seemed to have found a satisfactory posture, and fell into a deep sleep again.
"Master Li! This, this is against etiquette..." Chuntao hurried forward anxiously, wanting to take over her master.
Li Funing held the person in his arms even tighter.
"No problem."
He whispered, his eyes falling on Song Youning's sleeping face, the corners of his lips slightly raised: "It is natural for a husband to hug his wife."
Li Funing carried Song Youning straight to the front hall and winked at the shopkeeper at the door. The shopkeeper tactfully led them into the room.
Li Funing held the sleeping Song Youning in his arms, walking steadily, fearing that he would disturb her sweet dream.
The shopkeeper led the way in front, and Chuntao followed behind with a lantern to provide light.
"Lord Li, the princess's residence is just ahead." The shopkeeper led them into a luxuriously decorated bedroom and gently opened the door. The soothing incense in the room wafted out, and the fragrance calmed the mind.
"Um."
He responded, stretched out his foot and used his toes to make the gap in the door wider.
Song Youning was sleeping very soundly, her breathing was long and even, and her cheeks were slightly flushed from sleeping, like a ripe peach on a branch, with a bit of cuteness.
As if she smelled a familiar scent, she unconsciously leaned into Li Funing's arms, with a faint smile on her lips, as if there was something worth being happy about in her dream.
Li Funing lowered his eyes to look at her, a hint of doting in his eyes.
Suddenly, Song Youning frowned, perhaps because she felt a little cold in the night wind, and subconsciously shrank into his arms.
Li Funing paused, gathered her cloak, and protected her tighter.
Chuntao saw it all and wanted to persuade the two not to get married, but seeing how much Lord Li loved his master, she finally just pursed her lips and followed silently.
Li Funing gently placed Song Youning on the bed, tucked in the quilt for her feet, adjusted the jade pillow, and was just about to take off her shoes and socks.
"Lord Li, why don't you let me do it?" Chuntao wanted to take the muddy embroidered shoes from his hand.
"No problem"
He took off her stockings, revealing her small feet as white as jade. He lifted them up with his palms and put them into the quilt, then tucked it in, fearing that even a trace of wind would leak in.
After everything was ready, he stood up and looked at the sleeping Song Youning, and repeatedly instructed Chuntao.
"This calming incense is what she is used to using on a daily basis, but the heat in Yuzhou is very severe, and she might have trouble sleeping in the second half of the night due to the heat. You have to pay attention to her and tuck in the corners of the quilt for her when appropriate." He smoothed the edge of the quilt with his fingers, and instructed: "I am in the next room. If there is anything wrong, please report it to me."
After saying this, he gazed at the face sleeping peacefully on the couch, then flicked his sleeves and turned to leave.
"How did Lord Li know that there would be the princess's calming incense in this Yuzhou Inn?" Chun Tao was puzzled.
I suddenly woke up with a start and suddenly remembered that the inn always had the same calming incense ready when I went out.
Although the princess was used to using this incense, it was extremely rare and only a small box was provided to the palace every month.
Unfortunately, the princess was away from home for many years, and to conceal her whereabouts, it was inconvenient to send anyone back to the palace to fetch it. Chuntao still vividly remembers the princess's sleepless nights and tossing and turning.
Until a few years ago, they accidentally discovered that every time they went to an inn, the inn would prepare it early. Chuntao originally thought that the princess spent a lot of money to buy it from the black market, but now she thinks.
Those transit stations and those unexpected soothing incense were probably prepared by someone long ago.
She used to wonder why there was freshly boiled water waiting for them wherever they arrived, and why whenever they passed by the official road blocked by bandits, their journey would be smooth.
Even the muddy places after rain would be cleaned up before they passed.
Even the locals were jokingly saying, "Even though the Golden Branch Young Master's evaluation was unsuccessful, her travel routes were the safest... Wherever she went, the bandit problem was eliminated!"
Chun Tao looked at the sleeping princess and couldn't help but sigh: "Princess, you really don't know how to appreciate your blessings..."
Yuzhou is a good place with simple folk customs and rich resources. When Song Youning woke up, he decided to have a good time in Yuzhou for a few days.
The afternoon sun shone obliquely on the grass, and the grass beside the house was curled up by the scorching sun.
Inside, Li Funing held the official documents Song Luoshu had brought him, his expression as calm as ever. Bronze vessels filled with ice were placed around him, providing a pleasant coolness. Song Youning lazily swayed in a rattan chair, his notebook spread across his lap, not a single word written in.
"Li Funing..." She drawled out her words. This was the tenth time she called him today. "Just go out for a walk."
The man didn't even raise his head, and gently turned a page of documents with his fingers: "The sun is too hot."
"I am wearing a veil hat!"
“It’s easy to get heatstroke.”
"Then wait until evening?"
“The night market is crowded.”
Song Youning glared at him angrily and slammed the notebook aside. She stood up on tiptoe and leaned over to see the documents in his hand. "Are you deliberately using these documents to fool me?"
He lowered his eyes, holding the red pen in his slender fingers, and drew on the official document with great concentration.
Without even raising his eyelids, he said, "No."
Being ignored, Song Youning narrowed her eyes and tiptoed closer. She wanted to see what he was looking at so intently.
She held her breath, staring at his fingertips turning the page. Just when the page was about to be turned, she rushed over and grabbed the page.
She pulled those "official documents" over and scanned the paper. They were secret letters from her father, ordering the two of them to investigate the salt and iron matter in Yuzhou.
Her father was indeed a thief! She knew he wouldn't be so kind as to let them go. She asked how she came to Yuzhou the moment she woke up, and why he came all the way to investigate the case.
She actually thought that he had a change of heart and told him a bunch of heartfelt words, but in the end she gave him a sweet date and then slapped him in the face?
Li Funing paused and looked up at her.
He knew what Song Youning was going to do, so he predicted her next behavior in advance.
"Princess,"
He said calmly, "Your Majesty's memorial, I tore up the text and copied the Book of Rites thirty times."
Song Youning paused as he was about to tear the paper and snorted in disdain.
Li Funing slowly picked up the tea beside him and took a sip: "I will personally supervise the work."
Song Youning: ...
She slowed down her movements. She was certain and certain that he could do it, so she raised her eyes, slowly rolled the document into a tube, tucked it behind her, and raised her chin.
“Who wants to tear it up?”
He held his head high, looking proud and confident like a crowing rooster: "I just brought it here to take a look."
She leaned forward and met his eyes. "How about this, if you go out with me today, I'll give it back to you..."
Li Funing tilted his head to look at the scorching sun outside and shook his head: "...Your Highness, tear it open..."
"no!"
Seeing that he wasn't buying it, Song Youning grabbed his sleeve and pulled him out, acting like a rogue, "I'll give it back to you if you go out with me today..."
"Otherwise, I will give this memorial..." He suddenly pulled out a rolled-up paper from behind and slapped it.
"At once......"
"What does Princess want?" Li Funing leaned back in his chair and looked at her playfully.
"Just, just tear it off...tear it off." Song Youning was like a deflated ball, wilting down. He thought for a long time but couldn't find any handle on him.
"You wouldn't dare..."
"Forget it, forget it." He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, his tone helpless yet indulgent: "I just accompanied His Highness to visit the rouge shop the day before yesterday, and yesterday we went to the teahouse to listen to a story."
He tapped her forehead with his fingertips, "The princess will get mad again if she gets tanned."
Song Youning smiled and took his hand, walking towards the door: "How about we go to the East Market?"
Li Funing let her pull him and followed her out, smiling and shaking his head.
"Wait..." Song Youning suddenly stopped, snapped her fingers crisply, turned around and hid behind the screen.
The screen reflected her figure changing clothes swiftly, and her movements of tying her hair could be vaguely seen as her clothes fluttered, but only for a moment.
A handsome young man walked out, waving a folding fan.
The turquoise brocade gown accentuated her skin's creamy whiteness, and her tied-up bun accentuated her heroic spirit. She unfurled her fan with a swagger and walked out.
"Brother Li, shall we go?..."
He looked like a young master from a noble family who had sneaked out to play. Li Funing smiled but said nothing.
The East Market was bustling with people, and the vendors' shouts could be heard one after another.
Song Youning pulled Li Funing forward, looking around.
Suddenly, the crowd in front became agitated. A disheveled, one-legged old beggar was surrounded by several children who were making a fuss about him.
The two followed the crowd and walked over. The moment the man looked up, Song Youning suddenly stopped.
"This is not..." She widened her eyes.
"Zhang Tiezui...the princess's vest fell off..." Li Funing said it first for her.
Li Funing gathered his sleeves slowly and said, "The one who pretended to be an immortal master in the capital and cricketed the late emperor..."
"Your Highness, what a coincidence..."
Song Youning: ...
The beggar felt someone approaching and looked up. When he saw Song Youning, he was so angry that his whole body was shaking like a cat with its fur standing on end. The broken bowl in his hand fell to the ground with a clang.
The tips of Song Youning's ears turned red instantly.
Oh no, I ran into someone I know.
"You! You you!"
Zhang Tiezui trembled the black iron crutch and pointed it at Song Youning, his face flushed red.
"Me! Me, me, me, what me?"
Song Youning slapped the black, broken cane away with his fan, and put his hands behind his back, looking like a playboy.
The old beggar was furious and cursed, "Back in the capital, it was you who first said, 'The late emperor took raising crickets more seriously than reviewing memorials.' How come I was the one who was exiled in the end?"
When Zhang Tiezui saw Song Youning, his eyes were full of anger and he wished he could tear her into pieces.
The sun in Yuzhou was very scorching, and the sweat rolling down the old beggar's forehead washed away the coal dust on his face, leaving grooves.
He leaned on his shiny iron crutch and stomped his feet on the ground, "You little girl made me beg for food in that malaria-ridden place for three years, and you..."
"Uncle Zhang..."
She suddenly called out in a sweet voice, startling the old beggar so much that he staggered and almost fell over.
The last time she called him that, he was exiled to Lingnan...
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