Chen Chang suddenly laughed out loud: "Hahahaha... Sikong, Sikong, do you really think I'm a three-year-old child?"

"You said that it was my brother who insisted on bringing me back. Then I want to ask you, when the previous emperor was alive, he had sent envoys to Zhou many times for my affairs. Why did they agree to release me after my brother succeeded to the throne?"

Hou Andu said hurriedly: "Your Highness, Jingzhou fell, Your Highness moved to Guanyou, the previous emperor ascended the throne, and frequently sent envoys to ask for the Zhou, the Zhou people agreed, but they were not sent away. The Zhou people are cunning, they must have the idea of ​​letting Your Highness and the emperor compete for it, you and the emperor see this clearly, you will definitely not let their evil plan succeed, right?"

"Besides, Wang Lin was stuck in the middle, so this Lingdian has been living in Anlu and has not been able to return."

He answered Chen Chang using Chen Chang's own words, which felt like he was using one's own spear to attack another's shield.

"Well, even if what you say makes sense, I will not ignore others just for the sake of the throne."

"Let me ask you again: I have been so angry all along the way, why did assassins appear so frequently in Jiangling and almost wanted to kill me?"

"This, this, this I cannot say... I have been thinking hard about who sent this assassin. Your Highness, I have said before that I will definitely protect your safety."

"Although the Later Liang was a vassal of the Zhou, the Chen replaced the Zhou, and the people of Liang hated me to the core. It is understandable that some people in the court and among the people wanted to kill me."

"But I'm afraid there are people who want me dead more than they do! There are so many chapters here, do you think I can't read them?"

"Don't think that you only have so few people to protect me, but I dare say that you must have secretly sent people to follow me around. My itinerary is constantly reported to my brother in Jiankang City. I don't know how many people are waiting for news from me like ants on a hot pot."

"Also, I heard from Zhou Jun soldiers that Yangjia Ferry was attacked by bandits for no reason, and many people were killed or injured. If I remember correctly, we should have passed by Yangjia Ferry yesterday. Humph, fortunately I changed my mind at the last minute, otherwise wouldn't I have died in the chaos?"

The more he spoke, the more excited he became. Suddenly he stood up and ran to the window. He grabbed the window frame and shook it vigorously. His piercing eyes seemed to penetrate the darkness outside.

In the past few years, he has been wandering outside, living in other people's cages, suffering from internal torment, and he always wanted to return to Jiang as soon as possible to reunite with his father and mother. However, he did not expect that his father would pass away and his cousin Chen Qianqing would die. That day, he could not sleep all night, his hair turned white suddenly, and he could not stop muttering to himself.

"Father, I am your only son. Why didn't you arrange this matter in advance?"

"Mother, what have you done in Jiankang? Why can't you wait until the child returns?"

"Now that my father has passed away, what should I do when I return to Jiankang?"

"He already has a wide network of contacts, and now he has been on the throne for a year, his influence is growing. How can I shake the throne with my own strength?"

"This damned Hou Andu, how can you consider me on the surface, but everyone knows that you are Chen Qian's concubine, and everyone knows that you 'coerced' Chen Qian to ascend the throne. Even if my cousin intends to let me go, what about you, the ministers who supported him to be the emperor for your own glory and wealth?"

"Since I regard you as my enemies, why don't you regard me as a thorn in your eyes! I am the legitimate heir to the throne. As long as I am alive, you will feel uneasy. How can I live in Jiankang?"

Chen Chang thought about it over and over again in his heart.

Facing Chen Chang, whose emotions were volatile, Hou Andu didn't know what to say for a moment.

This seemingly arrogant prince is sometimes pedantic and sometimes shrewd. Which one is the real him?

Although the emperor said nothing before leaving, as a subject, how can I not share his worries when I eat his salary?

Here Hou Andu was twirling his beard in deep thought, while over there a trace of inexplicable melancholy and anger attacked Chen Chang's head at the same time.

Each of them had something to do. Chen Chang slammed the window frame hard, turned around abruptly, and stared at Hou Andu. Just as he was about to get angry, he heard a faint groan coming from the direction of the bed. He turned around and saw that it was the girl they rescued who woke up.

Hou An was very perceptive and immediately sent someone to invite a military doctor.

Without waiting for the doctor to come, Chen Chang walked to the bedside and felt her pulse, and found that her pulse was stable.

Chen Chang helped the confused woman up and gave her some water. The woman opened her eyes and looked at everyone blankly: "Am I... am I... dead?"

Hou Andu said: "Girl, you are talking nonsense. This is still a disaster! The assassin kidnapped you, but our husband saved you, and you survived the disaster..."

Chen Chang felt even more annoyed when he heard him speak, and said, "Okay, you go first. I want to be quiet for a while."

Hou Andu bowed and winked at Liu Ming who was standing beside him, and the two of them took their leave.

When they returned to Hou Andu's residence, Liu Ming saw that there was no one around, so he whispered, "Master Sikong, the woman's background is unclear, I'm afraid..."

Hou Andu sneered: "Whether she has a clear background or not, what does it have to do with you and me?"

Liu Ming was startled at first, but then he was relieved and gave Hou Andu a thumbs up: "Master Sikong, you are really smart!"

On the table, a small oil lamp was burning with a tiny flame, and the room was dimming.

The woman on the low couch had a pair of big eyes that flickered. She stared blankly at Chen Chang in front of the couch, as if she had not yet recovered from the kidnapping scene.

Chen Chang saved this woman not just because of her beauty, but because he thought they were both like floating duckweed, with nowhere to go, so there was a strange feeling of sympathy between them.

Suddenly, the woman seemed to realize something and struggled to get up to salute Chen Chang.

Chen Chang saw that there was still sweat on her forehead and knew that she was weak. He gently pressed her shoulder and said softly, "Forget it, there is no need to get up. Gu... cough, cough, I don't care about these false ceremonies."

The woman looked at Chen Chang shyly and said, "How can I do this? My dear, you are my lifesaver, I must pay you homage."

Seeing that she was still insisting, Chen Chang said, "Since you want to worship, it won't be too late to do so after you have recovered."

The woman's beautiful eyes flickered and she nodded obediently.

Chen Chang asked, "What's your name? Where are you from? Why did you come to this Wutou Station and hang out with bandits?"

The girl replied respectfully, "My dear, I am from Xiangzhou, my name is Ning Jingrong. My family was killed in a war, and I am the only one left alive."

"I have an uncle in Jiankang, so I went to seek refuge with him. But when the boat reached the river, it leaked. I struggled desperately and drifted with the river. Later, I was rescued by the postmaster. The postmaster saw that I was pitiful and arranged for me to do some odd jobs in the post station."

"Unexpectedly, a group of villains came from nowhere, they killed the post guards, and seeing that I was a woman, they intended to do something unfaithful to me. At this time, the young master and others came, and you know everything that happened later..."

Chen Chang said: "Xiangzhou Governor Wang Lin led his troops but did not obey orders. This man is shallow-minded and has low intelligence. He violated the rules and brought trouble upon himself. Many ministers and gentlemen have been implicated by him, especially the Wang family."

"Your family was destroyed because of him. This man was executed because of fate. This time, I am going to Jiankang. Are you willing to go with me?"

Ning Jingrong looked at him and said, "Thank you, my lord. I would like to go, but I am afraid of causing trouble for you! I, I..."

"Alright, alright, stop talking. Since we have met, it is fate. We are all just sailing along the same path, so you are no different."

Chen Chang looked at Ning Jingrong. She was wearing a cloth dress with a buttoned skirt, her hair was like clouds and scattered on her shoulders. She had no makeup on her face, her eyebrows were like distant mountains, and her eyes were like autumn water.

Her narrow and charming eyelids were carefully drooped, her cherry-red lips were free of the traces of sorrow and grievance that had faded away, her face was slightly pale, yet she looked more delicate and graceful. Her pure and elegant temperament made all those heavily made-up noblewomen he had seen before pale in comparison, and he could not help but be moved.

Ning Jingrong blushed slightly when he saw him staring at him.

Chen Chang coughed a few times and said, "I'll send you some clothes in a while, change them for now. When we get to Jiangling tomorrow, we'll go to the tailor shop to buy some new clothes. It's getting late, go to bed early!"

Ning Jingrong looked at Chen Chang's back as he left. The shyness on his face gradually faded away, and his expression suddenly changed, as if covered with a layer of white frost. He thought to himself, "This person really has a good impression of me, but that old fox Hou Andu seems to still have some doubts about me. Listening to their conversation, I'm afraid that the old fox has bad intentions towards Chen Chang. I need to take precautions and deal with it early."

"Your Highness, if you have any problem, please call me. I will guard outside the door tonight." Zhou Hong said loudly when Chen Changmi walked into the house.

Chen Chang glanced at the one-eyed general and said nothing.

Even the guards around him did not dare to trust them easily, let alone those who came to pick him up from Jiankang. The captain named Liu Ming was obviously Hou Andu's confidant. As for Zhou Hong, he might be the only person he could trust.

Chen Chang entered the room and closed the door. He saw the two concubines hiding on the couch and shivering, which made him feel even more depressed.

He lay on the couch with his clothes on, tossing and turning.

Listening to the chirping of insects outside, his mind gradually sobered up. Now that the situation has been settled, if I act rashly, I will be like a moth flying into a flame and destroying myself.

He knew very well that if he was not careful, not only Hou Andu and Liu Ming, but even the soldiers guarding outside would not let him go easily!

Chen Chang, Chen Chang, you are really ridiculous. You can't even protect yourself, and yet you still want to sympathize with a woman in distress. Aren't you afraid of hurting her?

He thought about it and felt a little regretful that he shouldn't have easily asked Ning Jingrong to go with them.

After some thought, he decided that after arriving in Jiangling, he might as well give her some money so that she could hire another boat.

…