Chapter 43
A gentle breeze blew, and the green wheat waves rolled up.
Farmers came and went along the wide road in the middle of the field. Two young men rode their horses at a gallop, leaving only dust and sand kicked up by their horses' hooves.
Those who were taking a break by the roadside looked at the two men's backs with dissatisfaction, muttering, "Who are they? Are they running so fast? Are they rushing to be reborn?"
The two hurried men ran along the main road for a while and then turned into a small road. Soon, in addition to the farmland, a magnificent manor came into their sight.
“Ouch—”
The young man in brocade clothes, running in front, stopped his horse as he approached the manor gate. He looked at the manor with amazement and couldn't help but exclaimed in admiration, "Such a manor was built for only 1,800 taels of silver, including taxes. Chu Miaomiao is amazing."
The commoner following closely behind also dismounted and went forward to knock on the closed gate of the manor on his master's behalf. Soon, the vermilion lacquered gate slowly opened from the inside, and an old butler stepped out.
The old butler looked at the two people in front of him hesitantly and asked, "Who are you two? What's the matter?"
The young man in brocade clothes clasped his fists and saluted: "My name is Jin Ji. I come from Pingzhou and am a friend of Princess Pingyang. The man behind me is the servant who came to the capital with me."
Upon hearing that it was the princess's friend, the old housekeeper finally relaxed and a smile appeared on his face: "So it's the princess's friend. Excuse me, please come in."
It is a great pleasure to meet an old friend in a foreign land. Although Chu Miaomiao and Jin Ji's reunion lacked the surprise of a chance encounter, Jin Ji's appearance still made Chu Miaomiao very excited.
Jin Ji looked at Chu Miaomiao with amusement, her eyes filled with tears. In his heart, he felt secretly happy. He had not expected that Miaomiao would miss him so much. "There's no need to be so excited."
Hearing that Chu Miaomiao's friend in Pingzhou was coming to visit, the prince and his wife also came out to meet the guests, which made Jin Ji feel very honored. Everyone sat down and exchanged pleasantries, and at this time they inevitably talked about the current situation in Pingzhou.
"The situation in Pingzhou doesn't seem good."
When Jin Ji said this, Chu Miaomiao's heart suddenly tightened, and her ominous premonition became stronger. She asked for more detailed information, but in her heart she silently prayed that it was not the situation she imagined.
Chu Miaomiao: "Please speak carefully."
"When I left Pingzhou, the prefecture was recruiting soldiers," Jin Ji said with a wry smile. "It was called recruitment, but it was all voluntary. In reality, it was forced conscription. They required all men over the age of eighteen to join the prefecture's army. Fortunately, my family had some money, which was enough to cover the cost, so I was able to leave Pingzhou and come to the capital."
"Has Pingzhou been plagued by enemy invaders recently? Are there any refugees causing chaos?" Chu Canglang asked.
Jin Ji shook his head: "It's always calm."
The Chu siblings looked at each other, knowing in their hearts that their father was about to take action.
"So, are you coming to the capital to avoid disaster?" Chu Miaomiao asked.
"That's one reason." Jin Ji's smile returned as he explained his purpose for coming to the capital. "I'm planning to open a jewelry store here. The Pingzhou family business has already been slated to be inherited by my eldest brother. While I have a stake and can earn dividends from the family business every year, I can't just sit back and let my eldest brother support me. I wanted to come out and see what I could do. Maybe I can make it on my own."
Jin Ji is quite confident about the future prospects: "In the future, there may be a branch of my Jin family in the capital."
Seeing Jin Ji's optimism, the Chu family seemed to be infected by him and smiled at the same time. Chu Miaomiao even said with a smile, "Since you are so ambitious, as a friend, of course I have to help you. When you are free, I will take you to the city to check out the market."
Jin Ji was grateful and gave a thumbs up: "Our past was really not in vain, we are really loyal to each other."
Because Chu Miaomiao borrowed Jin Ji's name when he bought the manor, in a sense, Jin Ji was the owner of the manor. Therefore, Chu Miaomiao persuaded Jin Ji to stay here, so that they could move around together after they had rested.
Jin Ji declined again and again, but still couldn't resist Chu Miaomiao's hospitality, so he rested in the front yard.
When Chu Miaomiao led Jin Ji to the front yard, where they were alone, Jin Ji asked worriedly, "The King of Chu is probably behind Pingzhou's recruitment."
Chu Miaomiao paused.
"Do you remember the time you told me not to send anyone to follow Chu Xinxiu anymore?"
Chu Miaomiao remained silent.
"My men saw with their own eyes that it was a weapons forging place."
Seeing Chu Miaomiao's gloomy face, Jin Ji hurriedly explained, "Only that fellow and I knew about this matter. It's a serious matter, and we're afraid of getting killed, so we dare not reveal a single word. This time, Pingzhou suddenly wanted to recruit soldiers, and I felt something was wrong. I wondered if this was the intention of the King of Chu."
Chu Miaomiao turned to look at Jin Ji with a serious expression: "So? Why are you telling me this?"
Jin Ji smiled bitterly, realizing his friend was so wary of him. "Miao Miao, you misunderstood. I absolutely didn't mean to threaten you. I just... I was worried about you..."
Jin Ji's voice gradually became lower, as if he didn't dare to think about Chu Miaomiao's future.
"Wouldn't it be too dangerous for you to be in the capital? What would you do if something happened in Pingzhou?"
Chu Miaomiao pursed her lips, lowered her eyes, and sighed softly: "...Everyone has their own destiny. Whether they live or die, I have no say in it."
After saying that, Chu Miaomiao immediately put on a bright smile: "Alright, this is my family's business, don't worry about me. Instead of wasting time, you should think about how to open your own store in the capital, Mr. Jin."
Jin Ji couldn't bear to see his friend suffer, so seeing that she was deliberately avoiding the topic, he stopped pestering her and said, "If I want to gain a foothold in the capital, I'll have to trouble the princess for her support and take care of my business."
Chu Miaomiao smiled and agreed: "Okay, okay, we have such a close relationship, I will definitely not let Manager Jin down!"
The two seemed to have returned to the state they were in Pingzhou, as if the previous episode had never occurred.
After settling Jin Ji, Chu Miaomiao had Chu He take the others back to the warehouse to pack up some things for the pawnshop in the city tomorrow. She personally wrote visiting cards and sent them to the homes of Wei Yan, Jiang Yingyue, Jiang Huan, Xu Ling, Shi Yuanyuan, Liang Yu, and others, inviting them to meet at Guangyun Residence at noon tomorrow.
When Chu Miaomiao's men arrived at Prince Yu's mansion with the visiting card, they happened to encounter a group of people coming to announce the imperial decree. After the grand procession left Prince Yu's mansion and walked away, Chu Miaomiao's family members walked to the gatehouse of Prince Yu's mansion, handed over the visiting card, and left.
In the courtyard of Prince Yu's mansion, Prince Yu held the imperial edict and glanced at Cheng Zi with a raised eyebrow, his brows etched with unconcealed pride. Perhaps he didn't intend to hide it. Princess Yu, on the other hand, stared at him, half helpless, half speechless.
Cheng Zi, who was standing not far away, looked at Wei Yan beside him with a complicated expression.
"I'm just a commoner. How could the Saint think of letting me accompany Prince Yu on his salt inspection?" Cheng Zi complained, leaning unconsciously towards Wei Yan. "I had planned to stay in the capital for a while longer."
"I heard that Prince Huai's salt inspection trip wasn't peaceful, and he was even assassinated," Wei Yan said. "I don't know what my father will encounter along the way. With you by his side to protect him, my mother and I will feel more at ease."
Hearing Wei Lu's words, Cheng Zi was slightly startled, then pursed his lips and smiled softly: "Since A Lu trusts me so much, I will definitely not let A Lu down."
After hearing this, Wei Yan simply nodded to show that she understood. This indifferent reaction made Cheng Zi a little disappointed. Could it be that this girl didn't hear the hidden meaning in his words at all?
"Since this journey is dangerous, I will accompany you all the way to protect Prince Yu. How will you reward me, Ah Lu?"
Wei Xuan frowned upon hearing this and looked at Cheng Zi in confusion. "It was the Saint who ordered you to accompany him as a guard. What does that have to do with me? What do I need to reward you for?"
"I'm protecting your father, shouldn't you show some appreciation?"
"But I didn't invite you."
Wei Lu and Cheng Zi walked away while arguing. Wei Lu looked at the two people walking side by side and felt more and more depressed. The imperial edict in his hand did not make him happy as before.
Princess Yu couldn't bear to watch and couldn't help asking, "Do you really have to do this?"
"What else? Am I really going to watch Ah Lu and Cheng Zi get married?" Wei Qi gritted his teeth. "One is a princess with a real title, and the other is a commoner wandering the world. Do you think they are a good match?"
"Azi isn't as bad as you say." Princess Yu felt sorry for Cheng Ziming. "If his father hadn't been framed, would he have ended up wandering around? Besides, Luosha Valley has a certain status in the martial arts world. Azi is the young master of the valley, with high martial arts skills, excellent skills, handsome and elegant. What's not to like about him?"
"In short, the disparity in status between the two of them is not a good match."
"Then, in terms of status alone, is there anyone in the entire capital who can match A'lu?" Princess Yu asked a very sharp question, so sharp that Wei Li was stunned for a long time and could not answer.
Wei Qi was speechless and thought for a long time, but he couldn't come up with an answer that satisfied both parties.
"Among the young men of the same age in the capital, no one has a higher status than Ah Lu."
Wei Qi still refused to give up and insisted, "In short, while I'm away with Cheng Zi, you must quickly find a husband for Ah Lu. You can prepare as many banquets as you want, such as polo matches, flower viewing banquets, poetry competitions, etc. You must find an outstanding young man from an aristocratic family."
Princess Yu sighed helplessly: "Then please tell me your request."
"First of all, you must be outstanding in appearance and talent. You must be kind, gentle, and polite. Most importantly, you must be able to marry into the family."
Princess Yu gasped and looked at Prince Yu half speechlessly and half angrily: "Are you sure?"
"Sure." Prince Yu nodded.
Princess Yu finally couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Alright, you can find a son-in-law yourself, I won't accompany you."
Prince Yu quickly grabbed Princess Yu's sleeve, called her by her maiden name and coaxed her, "Ahan, you can't do this."
"I'd like to ask you to please stop doing this," Princess Yu said, unable to bear it any longer. "Looking for someone willing to marry into your family among the children of aristocratic families? What good son-in-law will you find? You'll only attract a bunch of spineless people who cling to the powerful. Do you want Ah Lu to spend her life with such a person?"
"But being the daughter-in-law of an aristocratic family is very hard." Wei Qi's face lost its joking expression, and a hint of guilt appeared in his eyes. "A-Lun has had a hard life since childhood. I think her life will be easier after she gets married."
Princess Yu was stunned, then she held her forehead with her hand, looking distressed and said, "Alright, alright, I'll try my best, but whether it will succeed in the end depends on Ah Lu's opinion."
While Prince Yu and his wife were discussing Wei Zhen's lifelong affairs, Wei Zhen received an invitation from Chu Miaomiao.
Cheng Zi came closer and took a look: "Princess Pingyang invited you to a small gathering at Guangyunju."
Wei Yan hummed softly, put the note into his sleeve, and walked towards his courtyard. Cheng Zi hurriedly caught up with him and asked, "It seems that you and Xiao Jiang have been very close to this Princess Pingyang recently."
Wei Yan still nodded slightly.
"Speaking of which, is Xiao Jiang getting married soon?"
Wei Yan remained calm: "Well, the marriage has been decided. We will get married after the man passes the imperial examination."
"Time flies," Cheng Zi sighed. "Back then, we were just kids preparing for the Bailu Academy entrance exam together, and now we've all grown up. Miss Jiang is already engaged. Ah Lu, what about you?"
"Me?" Wei Yan said nonchalantly, "Who knows?"
Wei Yu continued walking forward, but she felt someone pulling at her skirt. She had no choice but to stop and turned to look at Cheng Zi in confusion.
The path was winding and gravelly, and the tall, handsome boy was half-hidden by the green shade on the roadside, which just concealed the uneasiness in his eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"Ah, I—"
The young man seemed to be hesitant to speak, as if he had made up his mind to say something, but when the words came to his lips he swallowed them back because of some concerns.
Seeing Cheng Zi had no intention of continuing to speak for a while, Wei Yu made a move to leave, but his clothes were pulled tighter.
Wei Yan turned around speechlessly: "If you really like this dress, why don't I take it off and give it to you when I get back?"
"……OK."
"ah?"
The unexpected answer completely confused Wei Lu, and she was so shocked that she couldn't recover for a long time. She couldn't believe that she could hear such reckless words from Cheng Zi's mouth.
"Are you okay?" Wei Yan frowned slightly.
"Ah."
The young man beneath the green shade gazed at the beautiful girl calmly, as if he wanted to imprint her deeply into his eyes. His voice was gentle, and the girl's name flowed from his lips, tinged with ambiguity.
"I know that Prince Yu took me to inspect the salt industry to get me out of the way. And he got me out of the way because of you."
Wei Xi remained silent and looked at Cheng Zi silently.
"I want you to know that I didn't become Prince Yu's escort because of the imperial decree, but because of you."
Cheng Zi's hands unconsciously grasped Wei Yan's clothes tighter, and the protruding joints faintly turned white.
"Ah, I did this for you."
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