Female General (10)
After handing over the imperial edict, the eunuch folded his hands and hung them in front of his waist. His voice no longer shrill, but deepened considerably: "The emperor didn't order you to go in person. Just find someone who is perceptive and capable to go. After all, the envoy's temperament is unknown. Why bother yourself?"
"I obey the order."
After sending the eunuch away, Gou Su stood in the hall, put away the imperial edict, scratched the back of his head, and muttered: "Choose a capable person, who should I choose..."
While Yu Gou Su was struggling, Xiao Lin suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.
Although this trip was an imperial decree and could not be avoided, it was not easy to make any mistakes.
Thinking about what Chu Mo said before, Gou Su died in the court dispute, but now the emperor has ordered her to send someone instead of herself, what else could go wrong?
Xiao Lin then took a half-step forward and kindly warned, "General... General, I think this trip won't be easy. We should send more people."
"Why do you say that?"
"Uh, just... just..." Gou Su asked bluntly, leaving Xiao Lin speechless for a moment. However, after going through so many hardships, she had made some progress in her verbal tactics. "You see, to reach the capital, the envoys have to take a road that leads out of the deep mountains. There are so many wolves, tigers and leopards there. If the items they carry attract wild animals, it is really not safe for one person to protect them."
Mu You understood and immediately added, "In this case, quantity is more important than quality. Sending more people will not only protect the envoys, but also let them see our sincerity, right?"
Perhaps it was because the two of them grew up together, and after singing the same tune with each other, Gou Su also became interested.
The three of them talked back and forth, but none of them could reach Ah Chou's heart.
He thought that Gou Su was probably still angry with him.
Indeed, even though the conversation at the moment was very lively, Gou Su still did not glance at Achou, but instead chatted enthusiastically with Xiao Lin and Mu You.
"In that case, I will listen to you two for once and send more people. At most, I will treat you brothers to a few more cups of good wine."
Yes, that’s right. With more people watching, it’s easier for something to go wrong.
There shouldn't be any unexpected problems this time.
Just when Xiao Lin was about to put his mind at ease, he was hit hard again.
"What?" She was stunned, unable to wipe away the sweat beads on her chin.
Gou Su repeated his words directly, "Mr. Huang said so. He told me that the envoy prefers quietness and doesn't want too many people to accompany him. Therefore, the Ministry of Rites discussed it and advised me to withdraw the guards and only keep three or two."
"But...but isn't it easy for something to go wrong?"
Unexpectedly, Gou Su raised his arm and scratched the back of his neck, somewhat troubled, but also somewhat calmly replied: "It should be... nothing serious will happen. I will choose a confidant with strong military power to go there. When the envoys come to the capital, they must be given priority."
"But..." As soon as Xiao Lin said this hesitant word, he retreated in silence.
She really had no excuse to return the money. The Ministry of Rites had already given the order, so how could she disobey it?
The chirping of cicadas outside the house made her heart even more restless.
After thinking it over for a while, Xiao Lin hesitated to speak, and finally called out to Gou Su just before she left.
With her cheeks burning, she stammered, "Ah... General Asu... please, please find a strong and capable man to go!"
At this, the usually straightforward Gou Su suddenly became interested. He twisted his ankle and turned back to face Xiao Lin, crossing his arms over his chest, his left eyebrow raised. "Why do you always get so flustered when you mention this? Do you know anything inside?"
"No, no," Xiao Lin waved his hands rapidly, denying the answer repeatedly, "I... I just have a bad feeling..."
"There's nothing to worry about." Gou Su turned around, kicked up his clothes, and strode out of the kitchen. "Everyone under my command is an elite soldier. Besides, with Young Master Huang coming with us, nothing will go wrong."
What? Huang Heng is going too?
That’s right, he is from the Ministry of Rites and should come forward.
Since he was there, Xiao Lin felt completely relieved, and then reached out to touch his beating heart in his chest.
This is very good, but on second thought, nothing will go wrong this time, so how did Gou Su fall into the trap?
Everything was obviously on the right track, the royal family came forward and followed the emperor's will, so how could they end up being framed by a conspiracy?
The more Xiao Lin thought about it, the more confused she became. In a moment of inattention, the boiling water in the pot immediately bubbled up and a drop fell on the back of her hand.
She quickly withdrew her hand in pain and slapped away the scalding water droplets.
If only Chu Mo were here, she muttered to herself.
At that time, Mu You trotted into the kitchen and took in her sad face. His breathing suddenly became heavy, and he slowed down his pace and walked forward slowly.
"What's wrong?" Mu You naturally took the wooden ladle from Xiao Lin and took her place. "Are you worried about something?"
"I was just wondering if it would be too hasty for us to resign from Chu Mo..."
"How do you say that?"
"Look, we have no clue about this final story right now. We really don't know anything, and there's no sign of a turning point..."
Seeing this, Mu You chuckled and immediately ladled the hot water from the boiler into the wooden bucket: "You are too impatient. Didn't we wait even longer for the princess and the others? We stayed in Fujue for several months!"
Xiao Lin remained silent, secretly peeling the barbs on his fingertips.
"Don't worry. I heard the envoy will arrive in the capital in the next two days. You won't have to wait any longer than three or four days."
"That's right..." Xiao Lin touched his fingertips with his fingertips, then patted the hem of his clothes, his eyes lonely, "I just hope nothing happens."
"Nothing will happen." Mu You gritted his teeth and took the heavy wooden barrel off the stove. "By the way, Brother Achou said we don't have anything to do tomorrow, so we can go for a walk."
"Walk around the streets? Why do you suddenly want to walk around the streets?"
For some reason, when Xiao Lin said this, Mu You hesitated, and a slight blush suddenly appeared on his cheeks.
Xiao Lin didn't understand, so he raised his lower lip and blinked his big eyes.
After a long pause, with Mu You occasionally humming and humming, he finally managed to utter a clear sentence: "It's just... I figured it out, your birthday is coming up in a few days, and there's no birthday cake here, so I thought, let's go to the street to eat a bowl of noodles..."
After he mentioned this, Xiao Lin came back to her senses - indeed, her birthday was after the Dragon Boat Festival.
She has been so busy these days, and with the transitions from one time to another in different times and spaces, she has really had no time to live.
But she didn't expect that Mu You remembered her birthday better than she did.
But it's true, I finally have some free time, and it's good to go out with Mu You. People always need to rest for a while.
"Okay! Have you found out which noodle shop is good?"
At this moment, Mu You suddenly became excited, his brows relaxed, and he answered hurriedly, almost biting his tongue: "Yes, yes, yes! There is a noodle shop in the north of the city that makes crab roe noodles that are so delicious! Every time I pass by, I am blinded by the smell! I will take you there to eat tomorrow!"
"Okay, okay!"
At that time, the two looked at each other, with great joy in their eyes.
The hot summer is suddenly replaced by a spring breeze, which blows through the treetops and blows away the heat.
It was a rare opportunity to have some free time this time. Xiao Lin had been here for so long, working hard and worrying every day, and his complexion had become much worse.
Mu You saw it and kept it in mind.
It was really unfair for her to come here, and he always held her back like a waste. The debt he owed her could not be made up even if he tried his best.
But he is not the hero who saves the world in the storybooks, nor does he want to be such a hero.
Because in his world, as long as he can protect Xiao Lin, it is enough.
So, he wouldn't forget Xiao Lin's birthday. How could he forget? Even the invitation he mustered up the courage to mention today was from a great place he had scouted several days in advance to find.
This time, he would never let Xiao Lin down.
Naturally, he did not disappoint her.
After finishing the chores in the mansion, Mu You excitedly pulled Xiao Lin's wrist bone and headed straight to the north of the city.
Maybe she was running too fast or what, but the wind was blowing all around her, so she couldn't feel any warmth at all.
Not long after, the two walked into the noodle shop hand in hand.
"Waiter! Two bowls of our signature crab roe noodles!" Mu You's resounding voice echoed throughout the first floor of the noodle shop before he even touched the bench. He then turned to Xiao Lin and raised an eyebrow, "Eat your fill. It's my treat today."
Xiao Lin smiled and looked around unconsciously after sitting down.
White smoke rising from the diners' chopsticks, wrapped in the aroma of crab, spreads in the air, and the edge of the table is stained with years of oil. It seems that the reputation of the restaurant is quite good.
The shopkeeper's hemp cloth shirt had long been soaked into a dark ochre color by sweat. The back of his hand with bulging blue veins was holding a long-handled copper spoon, stirring the golden crab oil in the copper pot in circles.
The waiters' shouts mixed with the rustling sound of silver noodles falling from the bamboo tray. Diners groaned in their throats as they bit into the crab roe, and the whole room was filled with the sound of slurping.
Soon, the crab roe noodles ordered by Xiao Lin and Mu You were served.
Xiao Lin stared at the celadon bowl in front of him filled with noodles doused in amber paste. The golden fat just taken out of the crab pot trembled and covered the noodles. The boiling soup steamed up white mist wrapped around the thin strips of ginger sprouts. The freshly poured Zhenjiang vinegar on the table broke the heat wave. He didn't care about the heat and picked up the chopsticks to pick up a bunch of noodles with crab roe.
"Wait, wait!" She had just swallowed her saliva when she was interrupted by Mu You's fingertips. "Make a wish first!"
Xiao Lin knew his intention very well, so he put down his chopsticks obediently, clasped his hands together, closed his eyes and made a wish in a serious manner.
The noodle shop was originally so noisy with the sounds of talking, laughing, slurping, and the footsteps of waiters and waiters, but Mu You felt that this moment was clearly quieter than any other time.
There was only Xiao Lin in his eyes, and her eyelids that trembled in the sunlight after she closed them.
"Okay." Under his gaze, Xiao Lin opened his eyes after a while and looked directly into his gentle eyes.
This was not the first time she had looked into his eyes, but she felt awkward for some reason and quickly looked away.
"Is it done? So soon?"
"Ah? Hmm..."
"It's okay, your wish will come true."
"Why?"
"Because I will make a wish for you too. Your wish has been made twice. Even if God was hard of hearing the first time, he should have heard it clearly the second time, right?"
Mu You continued to chatter as usual, and Xiao Lin burst out laughing: "You don't have any wishes yourself?"
"Your wish is more important." Mu You suddenly responded, his expression suddenly cold. "Xiao Lin, I told you that you are important. You are very important to me."
To be honest, this was not the first time Mu You said this, but before this, Xiao Lin had been avoiding it. She always felt that she was thinking too much.
But in the blink of an eye, he repeated it again, which made her panic.
Her mind was in a mess and she really didn't know how to answer.
So she loosened her chopsticks a little, and the silver noodles slipped from the tips of the chopsticks, but she quickly picked them up again.
"You too..." The words were bitten on the edge of her lips. Her technique of changing the subject was quite rusty. Her eyes flickered and she lowered her head to blow away the hot air. "Hurry...eat the noodles...the noodles are getting cold..."
Still unable to reply, she finally escaped.
It seemed that she didn't have that intention. Mu You finally faced the reality.
He, who normally could drown people with his saliva, was as quiet as a rabbit at that moment, biting off noodles one bite at a time, with only melancholy in his eyes.
Not only that day, but in the next two days, apart from the trivial matters that Ah Chou told him, he and Xiao Lin didn't say a word of nonsense.
Xiao Lin was a little panicked, but didn't know how to comfort her.
The two of them had a "cold war" for two days before they finally waited for a turning point -
That day, Gou Su was still sitting in the yard drinking, and Achou was watering the flowers. Xiao Lin passed by them with a broom. She could have just passed by them, but the sound she heard the next moment pulled her back.
Gou Su had just swallowed a mouthful of wine when he heard an urgent message.
A soldier, shivering all over and out of breath, rushed into the mansion. Without a word, he slammed his knee on the stone slab, his eyes full of panic: "General, this is bad! Envoy... Envoy..."
"Emissary?" Gou Su had sharp ears and immediately caught his breath. "What's wrong with the envoy?"
"The envoys... the envoys... encountered bandits on the way! They died unexpectedly!"
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