Chapter 37 (Revised)
As the sky gradually darkened, Wei Yan returned from the Jiang residence and went straight to Cheng Zi's courtyard. As soon as he entered the courtyard, he saw Wei Zhi waving his short arms and legs, frantically performing a set of punches.
"Tsk tsk, it's like Ah Zhi's limbs aren't his own."
As soon as Wei Yan came in, Cheng Zi walked up to her. After hearing this comment, Wei Zhi stopped what he was doing and looked at Cheng Zi with a pout.
"I'm not wrong, why are you unhappy?"
"Brother Azi only did it once, and I didn't even write it down." Wei Zhi felt aggrieved.
"Stop talking nonsense and fight hard."
Wei Zhi had no choice but to continue trying to tame his little arms and legs.
Cheng Zi turned his head to look at Wei Yan: "Are you here to see Ah Zhi, or are you here to see me?"
"I have something to talk to you about." Wei Yan looked at Cheng Zi seriously, "How many masters does Luosha Valley have in the capital?"
Cheng Zi was stunned: "What's wrong?"
"Xiao Jiang's second brother needs some experts." Wei Yan said, "I'll take the job for you."
Cheng Zi folded his arms and looked at Wei Yan with interest: "You are quite straightforward in answering my question."
"Three hundred taels per person."
"make a deal."
Cheng Zi stopped being arrogant and immediately agreed.
Wei Xi nodded and said, "They will be waiting for you at Shuiyunjian in Taiheju at 3:15 pm tomorrow." After saying that, he turned around and was about to leave.
"Hey, you—"
Cheng Zi hurriedly called out to Wei Yan, who turned to look at him: "Anything else?"
"Why did you agree on my behalf?"
Wei Yan was puzzled: "You don't want to make money?"
"That's not the case. I'm just curious as to why you agreed so readily." Cheng Zi narrowed his eyes. "After all, I'm the Young Master of Luosha Valley. Who are you?"
Wei Xun then understood that Cheng Zi thought she was meddling in his affairs and had accepted a job for him without asking him first. This was a warning to her.
"Well...if anyone needs me to make a connection in the future, I will definitely ask Young Valley Master for his opinion first."
Wei Yan didn't say any more and turned to leave. Cheng Zi stopped her anxiously: "No, that's not what I meant!"
"So what do you mean?" Wei Yan sighed silently, using up his remaining patience. "I still have to memorize the text, so if you have something to say, just say it."
Cheng Zi carefully observed Wei Yan's expression and asked tentatively, "Then you weren't angry just now, were you?"
Wei Yan tried hard to suppress the irritation welling up in his heart: "If you don't say it, I will really be angry."
"I just wanted to ask—"
Cheng Zi, who has always been cheerful and generous, seemed a little embarrassed for some reason, and Wei Zhen frowned at his awkward look.
"In what capacity do you take on this task for me?" When Cheng Zi said this, his eyes shifted elsewhere, as if he didn't dare to look Wei Yan in the eye.
"What identity?" Wei Yan thought Cheng Zi's question was really baffling. "The Valley Master of Luosha Valley is my great-aunt, and the Young Valley Master is my uncle. Is it not okay for me to take orders for my elders and make money?"
This answer made Cheng Zi feel like his chest was blocked and he couldn't breathe. What made him most angry was Wei Yan's eyes that seemed to be looking at a fool.
"As a middleman, I didn't ask you for a commission, which is already very good."
Cheng Zi was completely speechless. He waved his hand weakly and said, "Go, nephew. Go and recite your books."
"Uncle Master, I'm taking my leave." Wei Xun even gave a fake salute, turned around and left in a leisurely manner.
She had just walked out of the yard a short distance when she heard Cheng Zi's excited voice coming from inside: "Azhi! Don't think I didn't see you just now, you missed a lot of moves! Do it again! Don't call me 'brother' and act like a spoiled child. I'm your uncle! Uncle!"
Wei Yan smiled slightly, with a hint of cunning in his eyes.
*
Five days passed in the blink of an eye, and the day had arrived for Wei Zhen, demoted to a commoner, to leave the capital. Many had sought to curry favor with Wei Zhen in the past, but now that he was in trouble, those who sought to curry favor with him had all vanished, fearing the slightest association with him would displease the other powerful. Therefore, the only ones who came to see him off today were Jiang Weiqiu, Xu Zizheng, and Wei Xuan. Wei Xuan's appearance, in particular, caught Wei Zhen quite by surprise.
However, the person he most expected to see did not show up.
"Be careful on your journey." Jiang Weiqiu patted Wei Zhen's shoulder. "If you have any problems, please write to me and Xu Zizheng. I will definitely help you wherever I can."
Xu Zizheng also nodded.
"Okay." Wei Zhen was not polite to them.
"Have you decided where to go after leaving Beijing?" Wei Lun asked.
"I don't know, but the Yong Dynasty is so vast. Apart from the capital, where can't we go?" Wei Zhen smiled with relief and bowed to the three people in farewell. "From today on, the mountains are high and the rivers are long. I don't know when we will meet again. Take care."
The three nodded and watched Wei Zhen mount his horse and ride off, raising a cloud of dust. Only when Wei Zhen was no longer visible did the three turn back and head towards the city gate.
"This time, four people are arranged to follow the prince, and five people are arranged to follow the exiled Duke of Ye and others. They won't be discovered along the way, right?" Jiang Wei Qiu seemed a little worried and asked Wei Yan.
Wei Yan glanced at Jiang Weiqiu and said, "If you're worried, why are you looking for Cheng Zi? Why don't you contact some martial arts masters yourself?"
"My Lord, you were wrong." Jiang Weiqiu quickly apologized, "That's not what I meant. I just hope that things can go smoothly and the Crown Prince can be restored to his status as soon as possible."
"Those are all masters who are good at hiding their auras. Just wait patiently for news."
After Wei Yan finished speaking, he boarded the waiting carriage from Prince Yu's mansion and headed straight for the Bailu Academy.
Looking at the departing carriage from Prince Yu's mansion, Jiang Weiqiu shook his head and said, "The princess seems like two different people when she talks to my sister and us."
Xu Zizheng didn't know where to start with this.
"When he spoke to my sister, he spoke softly and gently, with a smile on his face, and he never said anything to her." Jiang Weiqiu said, "Look, I was just worried about the prince today, so I asked one more question, and he scolded me so much that I was speechless."
Xu Zizheng smiled and said, "If you employ someone, trust him. If you doubt him, don't employ him. Don't blame the princess."
Jiang Weiqiu and Xu Zizheng walked away, talking while leading their horses, and each returned to their residence to wait for the next news.
On the other side, Wei Zhen rode alone on horseback. When he reached the outskirts of Beijing, he saw two people standing on the official road.
Wei Zhen couldn't help but smile when he saw that familiar figure. He had been disappointed when he didn't see her at the city gate, but he didn't expect her to be waiting for him here.
Wei Zhen pulled the reins, stopped the horse, turned over and walked in front of Chu Miaomiao, looking at her with a smile.
When Chu Miaomiao saw him approaching, she took a large bag from Chu He's shoulder and threw it into Wei Zhen's arms.
She glanced at the small bag on Wei Zhen's back and said, "You're leaving the capital, and you only have such a small bag with you?"
Wei Zhen replied, "Travel light. Carrying too much can easily lead to trouble."
Chu Miaomiao felt as if these words were pointing at her, so she decided to take back all the "good intentions" she had prepared in the past few days and reached out to grab the big bag in Wei Zhen's arms.
Fortunately, Wei Zhen reacted quickly and moved aside, looking at Chu Miaomiao with a smile on his lips: "Why should I take back something I gave to someone else?"
"Didn't you say that being too big a target can easily lead to disaster? Then I have to consider your personal safety." Chu Miaomiao said righteously, "Give it back."
Wei Zhen shook his head, meaning that it was still impossible to pay it back.
"You're back now. Don't take anything else with you. Just take the banknotes."
"This is filled with your love for me. How can you only bring banknotes?"
Wei Zhen put the heavy bag on the saddle, took off the small bag on his body, took out several volumes of legendary stories that Chu Miaomiao had sent to Dali Prison last time, and handed them to her.
"Now, it's returned to its original owner."
Chu Miaomiao stared at the scrolls for a while, but didn't reach out to take them. "They're quite well written. Keep them for yourself. I have quite a few more."
Wei Zhen seemed to see through Chu Miaomiao's thoughts: "If you want to use this as a parting gift, isn't it a little too light?"
"The gift may be small but the sentiment is great." Chu Miaomiao looked up at Wei Zhen and smiled.
There was a lustrous green jade hairpin stuck in Chu Miaomiao's black hair. Wei Zhen reached out to take it off, and a strand of hair fell down with it.
“Hey you——”
Chu Miaomiao was startled and grabbed Wei Zhen's wrist, trying to snatch the hairpin back. She stared at the hairpin with wide eyes.
"You're robbing me!"
"A farewell gift like this is a bit sincere."
Wei Zhen smiled and inserted the green jade hairpin into his hair. In order to comfort Chu Miaomiao who was grinding her teeth, he took out an ink-colored jade seal from his pouch and placed it in Chu Miaomiao's hand.
Chu Miaomiao picked it up and saw that Wei Zhen's name was engraved on the seal.
"You still say I'm insincere." Chu Miaomiao glared at Wei Zhen. "Not only did you give me a seal, but you also engraved your name on it? If you were truly sincere, you should have engraved my name on it, right?"
"That's what I thought."
Wei Zhen looked at Chu Miaomiao and thought her angry expression was quite adorable. "I'm going far this time, and I don't know if I can come back. I think since I can't be by your side, it's good for my name to accompany you."
The strand of black hair that had fallen when the hairpin was pulled out fluttered in the breeze. Wei Zhen reached out and wrapped his slender, snow-white fingers, like scallions, around the strand of hair.
Wei Zhen twirled his fingers, his black hair entwined around his fingertips, contrasting with the snow-white hair, adding an indescribable ambiguity.
"I am really a selfish person. I want you to see my name every day and remember me day and night."
Although Wei Zhen was no longer the crown prince, he had been a prince for many years, and his noble aura and intimidating power remained. Chu Miaomiao looked up at him, meeting his calm dark eyes, and was transported back to the snowy day when he had cornered her when she first entered the palace.
At that time, she was blocked by Wei Zhen and had no way to escape. Today, she seemed to be in the same situation again.
The nervous Chu Miaomiao subconsciously took a step back, and her black hair slipped from Wei Zhen's fingertips.
"Miaomiao."
Wei Zhen smiled warmly, but Chu Miaomiao felt that there was something else behind it.
"You can't escape."
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