Chapter 151 Trouble
Uncle Chen and his men carried the person onto the caravan. Su Mingshu looked back into the distance, seemingly worried about the safety of the guards.
Uncle Chen has traveled all over the country for many years and has never liked to meddle in other people's business, because many people die on the road because of meddling. If the young master of the family hadn't spoken up this time, he wouldn't have cared about the lives of these people.
Zhou Wanning clung tightly to the carriage, her hands trembling as she recalled Su Mingshu's words. She reached out and handed the hairpins and jewelry she was holding to Uncle Chen: "Thank you for saving us, brave man. All our valuables are in the carriage, and we have nothing to repay you with, except for the jewelry we have that's worth some money..."
Uncle Chen turned around and looked at He Sheng on another caravan, seemingly wanting to ask if he wanted to accept the goods. He Sheng leaned out and looked at the pitiful-looking girl with disheveled hair, just as he was about to ask Uncle Chen to refuse, when suddenly Chang Zhiyuan grabbed his sleeve.
He Sheng looked up, somewhat puzzled. Chang Zhiyuan turned his head and whispered something in He Sheng's ear. He Sheng nodded as if he suddenly understood: "Uncle Chen, keep it. Consider it a travel expense."
Uncle Chen nodded, took the jewelry from the girl, put it in his pocket, and spurred his horse to continue galloping forward to clear the way.
The two girls visibly breathed a sigh of relief. They were glad they had received the money; what they feared most was getting nothing in return.
Zhou Wanning hugged Su Mingshu tightly, the two of them huddled together, not saying a word, seemingly afraid that the convoy would abandon them.
Chang Zhiyuan frowned. Their caravan wasn't entirely covered by cargo in the middle of the carriage, and the eaves didn't provide much protection from the rain. So, he and He Sheng were dressed in thick clothes, raincoats, and straw hats.
Although it was still cold, at least he wouldn't lose his temperature. He Sheng had been sickly since childhood and had been pampered. Accompanying him to Daxing to find his older sister was the farthest they had ever traveled in their lives.
Chang Zhiyuan pursed his lips as he looked at the nighttime temperature and the relentless rain, and whispered in He Sheng's ear, "Give them the spare raincoats from the team. The rain isn't going to stop anytime soon, and it's chilly at night. If they keep walking like this, they probably won't be able to hold on until dawn."
He Sheng's ears burned from the breath, and he hurriedly leaned back: "I know, I know, why are you standing so close?"
He Sheng rubbed his ears and crawled into the caravan to search. In no time, he found a spare raincoat.
"This is the only set left, and it leaks a bit. How about we give mine to them, and Zhiyuan, can we squeeze in together?"
Chang Zhiyuan shook his head: "Use mine. You're the host, how can I let you suffer in the cold?"
As he spoke, he took off his raincoat and straw hat and handed them to Uncle Liu next to him: "Uncle Liu, put the raincoat and straw hat on them."
Uncle Liu hesitated for a moment when he saw Chang Zhiyuan's thin body before taking the coat: "There's a cloak in the cargo box. You two can squeeze in and you should get less rained on."
He Sheng quickly untied his raincoat, pushed the cargo box further inside, and then pushed Chang Zhiyuan in as well: "Let's wear the outer layer and stay inside, it'll be warmer and we won't easily catch a cold."
Chang Zhiyuan nodded, trying to shrink back a bit. He Sheng covered himself with his straw raincoat and bamboo hat, while he leaned against Chang Zhiyuan's chest.
Feeling the chill and dampness emanating from the person behind them, they grabbed the cloak their mother had prepared and wrapped it around themselves and Zhiyuan: "Come in, it's warm."
Chang Zhiyuan raised an eyebrow. He remembered that He Sheng did not like being touched, so he deliberately avoided him.
He Sheng pulled the two of them close, pressed his warm body against Chang Zhiyuan's chest, and breathed a deep sigh of relief: "This will warm you up a bit more."
Chang Zhiyuan nodded, feeling the warmth emanating from his body. He leaned against the cargo box, feeling that it was indeed much warmer than before.
The two young ladies in front of them were almost frozen solid. Their clothes were made of fine materials, such as brocade and fur, but they couldn't withstand the rain. Even though they had put on raincoats, they were still shivering from the cold.
Su Mingshu probably realized by now that the people in the convoy meant them no harm. After hesitating for a moment, she asked Old Liu beside her, "Brave man, have the people behind caught up? I can't hear any noise."
Old Liu turned his head to look at the dark road behind him, wiped the rain off his face and shook his head: "The rain is getting heavier and heavier. I haven't seen anyone chasing after us. The rain is muddy and it's not easy for horses to run."
Zhou Wanning breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him again: "Thank you for your rescue, brave warrior. Where are we going now?"
Old Liu clicked his tongue twice: "We're heading to Daxing. Ladies, please rest assured, we'll drop you off when we reach the town at dawn."
Su Mingshu nodded: "Thank you, brave warrior."
He then stopped talking, embracing Zhou Wanning and pressing close to her. Although he was somewhat puzzled as to why these people had gone to Daxing, he didn't dare to ask.
With the border troops of Daxing killed in battle and surrounded by rebels and Tartars, going to Daxing now would likely bring nothing good.
The more you know, the faster you die...
Chu King's Palace —
The midday sun slanted through the windows of Zhengsongyuan and shone on Qi Rong's chessboard.
Wearing a dark purple coat, Qi Rong propped his head up with his hand, looking with interest at Lin Changning, who was dressed in a bright red brocade robe, underneath his white undergarment.
After arriving at the Prince's Mansion, everything about Lin Changning's life—clothing, food, lodging, and transportation—was provided by the mansion. It was like Lin Changning had undergone a complete transformation, with a constant stream of tonics and medicines being sent to her and Old Ma's courtyard.
The rewards were also substantial; he received nearly a hundred taels of silver alone, all bestowed by the princes and heirs of the royal palace.
There were more than a dozen maids and servants in the small courtyard.
The maids who came and went were so busy that they almost fed them. They were injured, not disabled, and Lin Changning was really overwhelmed. After she changed into a bright red brocade robe, she asked someone to inquire about Qi Rong.
I don't know what those maids were thinking. They picked out all the robes—green, black, and brown—from Old Zhou and his two companions, leaving her with a red brocade robe. Old Ma said she was young and that red would be festive, so he forcibly took the last green robe from her.
Damn it, all she'll have left are two or three brightly colored clothes.
Lin Changning sat by the window, propping his head up with his hand. The bright red color did indeed make him look much better, and his handsome face became more radiant, making him even more outstanding in appearance, with his eyebrows and eyes flamboyant.
Because he was still young and had not yet reached adulthood, his dark hair was simply tied up casually, with a few stray strands falling in front of his forehead, adding a touch of languor to his angry face.
His sword-like eyebrows were as black as ink, with sharp, upward-pointing peaks. His phoenix eyes were slightly narrowed, with long, slender, and upturned corners. His pupils were as black as deep pools, and his gaze was full of unruliness and cunning.
Qi Rong placed the celadon teacup on the carved lacquer low table, lightly tapping the corner of the table with his knuckles: "Sixth Brother, what are you daydreaming about? It's your turn to make this move..."
Lin Changning didn't really understand Go. Qi Rong had taught her many times, but she still hadn't learned it. Right now, she was just resting her head on her hand, lost in thought.
Seeing that Qi Rong had called her back to her senses, she said "oh" and casually placed the black piece on the chessboard.
Qi Rong shook his head, picked up the white jade teacup, the amber tea soup rippled slightly, took a sip and asked, "You seem distracted. What's on your mind?"
Lin Changning scooped up the tea and drank it all in one gulp. He pointed to his clothes and said, "They're too flashy. Do you have any simpler clothes? I'm not used to wearing them."
Qi Rong chuckled and placed the teacup back on the table: "Is this really worth your trouble?"
Lin Changning blushed slightly, thinking that dressing too brightly would easily reveal her identity: "I've never worn nice clothes before, so I'm not used to it."
The main reason is that wearing bright colors makes her look even more feminine, and the maids were all staring at her in the morning.
Darker colors are better; muted colors suit her better.
"Second brother! I've come to see you!"
Qi Rong looked towards the door and saw a girl in a purple jacket and skirt enter with five or six maids carrying a wooden box.
Lin Changning suddenly stood up: "Should I hide? Second Brother? I'm a man outside the family!!!"
Qi Rong's eyebrows twitched: "Minghua! I have guests! Don't..."
Before she could finish speaking, the girl had already entered the room, her bright face showing a hint of embarrassment as she held the door open with both hands.
Seeing Lin Changning pause for a moment, she silently retreated from the steps she was about to take into the inner room, the pearl hairpin in her hair trembling.
"Second, second brother, do you have guests here?"
Qi Rong rubbed his temples: "So impetuous, why are you barging into the inner room? Never mind, let's go to the outer room."
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