◇ Chapter 72 (72) I will always be loyal to you
"No." Lianzhi said angrily, "I didn't see anyone from Daning before I left Qizhou!"
The guards outside were startled by his tone and didn't dare to provoke him again. After spending a whole night in the wilderness, Lianzhi was already tired and lay down to take a nap. When he was awakened by the knock on the door, he thought it was another guard or Bo Kang and cursed, "Don't disturb me!"
"Your Excellency, it's me." Da Ximi's faint voice came from outside the door.
Lianzhi suddenly regained consciousness and quickly opened the door for Da Ximi. Da Ximi was seriously injured, her left arm broken and slung in front of her arm. She leaned forward slightly and said, "I'm sorry, Prince, I can't salute you."
"Come in first." Lianzhi opened the door.
Da Ximi was aloof and distant, and he wasn't close to her. She must have come looking for him now because of something important. Sure enough, Da Ximi closed the doors and windows, sat down at the table, and her first words were, "The people of Daning are dishonest. Let's kill them and return to the North Sea."
"You mean... King Mu and the Minister of Daning?" Lianzhi was stunned.
"Where did these bandits come from? The people of Daning clearly want to wipe us out. Daning's minister is holding you hostage to intimidate you and extract information." Da Xi Mi's eyes flashed with murderous intent. "If he can kill us, we can kill them too."
Lianzhi subconsciously spoke well of Bai Kang: "Minister Daning saved me."
"That's because you're a member of the royal family, and they want to use you." Da Xi Mi frowned. "The Helan tribe is powerful, and they can easily capture Daning. You have an enemy in Daning, and our cavalry can crush him wherever he is."
The people of the North Sea only advocate the use of force, which is the consistent style of the people.
Seeing Lianzhi's troubled expression, Da Ximi left without saying anything. After a while, there was another knock on the door. Lianzhi thought it was Da Ximi who had returned, so she opened the door.
The guard carefully held up the medicine bottle and said, "Prince, this is the medicine sent by Minister Daning."
Lianzhi's mind was full of Da Ximi's words about using her. Seeing the medicine bottle in front of her, she frowned and didn't accept it. "I'm not familiar with the Minister of Daning, so why would I accept his things? Just send it back."
It seems like he is angry.
For two days in a row, Bai Kang had been delivering gifts. Initially, the Helan guards would help him deliver them, but seeing Lian Zhi wouldn't accept, they were unwilling to help, so Bai Kang had no choice but to give him more silver. These Beihai people were just as greedy for money as the Daning people, and they were taking advantage of the situation to rob him. The second time Lian Zhi offered him something, she refused, and the third time, she even charged him more.
They hadn't planned to stay in Qizhou for too long. Their original plan was to inflict heavy damage on the Helan convoy, then continue on their journey faster, using the excuse that someone was seriously injured and couldn't make it. Unexpectedly, Da Xi Mi, as if prepared, dodged the attack.
With her around, the people of the Helan tribe will obey her orders and must rest for a few more days.
Seeing that they had to leave on the third night, and by then they would have no time to talk to Lianzhi, Bo Kang was so anxious that he didn't care about his body. His legs and feet were still injured and he climbed through Lianzhi's window.
Before he could knock, the window flew open from the inside with a crash. Bo Kang hadn't anticipated Lian Zhi opening the window and nearly fell. Fortunately, he had enough strength to catch himself in time.
"Baby." Bai Kang looked at Lianzhi's frosty face and smiled ingratiatingly, "Can you let me in?"
"Why are you here now?" Lianzhi asked.
Bai Kang was a little confused.
Lianzhi was still blocking the window, complaining, "If I don't open the door for you, you won't come to see me for two days. Is your head hurt too? Don't you think you can climb through the window?"
I understand. This means she has been waiting for him to come. Bai Kang smiled without saying anything. His hands, which were holding the window frame, were shaking from the effort. Lian Zhi saw this and made way for him: "Come in."
As soon as Bo Kang entered the room, the smell of blood filled the air. He seemed unaware of it and took Lianzhi's hand to examine its palm.
The scrape on the palm of his hand hadn't healed completely, leaving a shallow scar. Bo Kang didn't know whether to blame Lianzhi for throwing a tantrum: "Why didn't you take the medicine I gave you? It's for swelling and scar removal. It's been two days, and it's still not fully healed."
"You're still talking about me? Let me see your injury." Lianzhi curled her lips.
Bai Kang did as he was told and took off his outer robe. His wounds had been treated and had already scabbed over, looking hideous. The excessive movement when he climbed through the window had torn them a bit, but they looked much better than the condition of Lianzhi's palm.
"Baby, it's not that I don't want to climb over the window. I just couldn't do it the past two days." Bo Kang said softly. Lian Zhi snorted coldly, "My injury is not serious. You said that the medicine is for swelling and scar removal, but I see your scars haven't healed yet."
"That medicine is precious, so of course I'll keep it for you," Bo Kang said. "Ordinary medicine will suffice for me."
Bai Kang's expression was extremely sincere. Lianzhi suddenly felt that she seemed to be able to trust Bai Kang more than Da Ximi?
"Let me apply the medicine for you." Lianzhi secretly wiped the corner of her eyes, "Don't you want me to take care of you? Go sit on the bed."
Now, Lianzhi no longer pretends to be clumsy and tortures Bai Kang.
He washed his hands and reapplied the medicine to Bai Kang. Suddenly, Bai Kang's body trembled. Lian Zhi immediately asked nervously, "Did I touch your wound?"
"No, baby." Bai Kang hurriedly grabbed his hand and cleared his throat, "Baby, I was wrong."
Lianzhi stopped and looked at him.
"I shouldn't have set up an ambush with the others without even saying hello to you." Bai Kang slowly spoke out the plan he had prepared in his mind over the past two days. "I shouldn't have kept everything from you, and I certainly shouldn't have wanted to take you back to Rongcheng without your consent..."
"Then tell me, why was I angry that you hid it from me?" Lianzhi asked again.
"Because you are now the prince of the Helan tribe." Bai Kang said.
As soon as he finished speaking, Lianzhi hugged his arm and snorted: "You only realized it now."
He helped Bai Kang change the medicine first, then put down the gauze in his hand and leaned on Bai Kang: "I said, I didn't hide it from you on purpose. I only found out not long ago that I was the prince of the Helan tribe. The reason I left without saying goodbye was that the people of the Helan tribe came too anxiously, and I didn't have time to tell you."
Bai Kang felt suspicious about this, but he couldn't immediately figure out what the problem was. Lianzhi continued, "I'm a member of the Helan tribe now. I have a responsibility to them. I can't just watch them die before my eyes. Even though I used to be from Daning, things are different now. Besides, if I side with the Daning people, Da Xi Mi will definitely become suspicious of me."
"I know everything." Bo Kang stroked his hair.
Bai Kang suddenly changed the subject and said, "But I don't regret asking you if you would like to elope with me."
Lianzhi looked up at him, and Bokang looked back, the intense love in his eyes almost burning Lianzhi. Lianzhi lowered her eyes in embarrassment, "We'll talk about it when we have a chance."
He no longer denied it directly. This answer was enough to make Bai Kang happy. After putting on his outer robe, Lianzhi was about to return the remaining wound medicine when Bai Kang suddenly knelt on one knee in front of Lianzhi.
"you……"
Lianzhi was surprised. Bo Kang kissed his palm: "Lian'er. I know you still doubt me. I will help you."
Lianzhi looked at him suspiciously. Bo Kang took out a dagger and placed it in Lianzhi's hand, holding it tightly. The cold iron dagger seemed a little hot. Bo Kang tightened his grip and moved the dagger forward a little.
"You want to spread rumors and accuse His Majesty? I'll help you," Bo Kang said. A glint flashed in Lianzhi's eyes. "Aren't you afraid of being exposed? This is a crime that could cost you your life."
Moreover, Bai Kang has always been an impeccably loyal minister. Even when he was suspected by the emperor, he was only heard to complain a few times.
Bo Kang shook his head and kissed his wrist gently: "I said, you are my majesty."
"I will always be loyal to you."
The hand wrapped around his palm tightened its grip, nearly piercing the not-so-thick official robe. Lianzhi loosened her grip and leaned close to his ear, "I have something to tell you, too. Da Ximi has figured out your plan and wants to kill you. I'll stop her."
The two looked at each other, and saw a tacit smile in each other's eyes. After a long while, Bai Kang gently kissed Lianzhi's face.
Bai Kang and Lian Zhi reconciled. Everyone except Arus was happy to see this. However, in the eyes of those who didn't know their relationship, the prince's rift with the Daning officials would definitely affect the alliance between the two countries.
Upon arriving in Qizhou, Lianzhi secretly went out to investigate and found that many rumors about Emperor Jianguang were circulating within the city. The imperial court's grain carts frequently passed through Qizhou on their way to the northern frontier, and the people's greatest hatred was not for the Beihai Territory, but for their own emperor.
By the time they left, rumors in the city had intensified, and it was clear that Bo Kang had been involved. A number of those who spread the rumors had been arrested, but where there is a wildfire that cannot be extinguished, there are always people who continue to spread their dissatisfaction.
Lianzhi even heard someone singing a ballad about "supporting the new king and beheading the old emperor," which was said to have come from somewhere else. Before leaving, he watched as Bo Kang sent another group of people to be captured and sent to the government office before the convoy officially set off.
"How do you know the ballad came from somewhere else?"
At night, after Bai Kang finished his shift, he handed the horse to Minister Du and returned to the carriage to rest. After a while, Lianzhi, who had made an excuse to come, also got into the carriage.
"The tune of that song sounds like the one I heard in Liangzhou, sung by a wizard," Bo Kang said. "Do you remember our first meeting in Liangzhou?"
Lianzhi certainly remembered. He was surprised that Bo Kang's memory was better than he'd imagined. "Liangzhou is close to Mobei, where the fighting was most intense. And with last year's drought, it's no wonder the people of Liangzhou are the most dissatisfied. Why are you asking this? Are you regretting helping me?"
"This is called a united mind between husband and wife." Bai Kang touched his nose.
The journey from Qizhou to Fancheng is even longer. It is estimated that it will take another ten days to reach Fancheng, and it will not reach the capital until the end of this month, which is barely enough to catch up with the time reported in their memorial.
When they stopped along the way, Lianzhi would send people to distribute food and medicine to the nearby disaster victims and common people. He no longer hid his identity, dressed as a Helan tribe member, and went directly to distribute food with his guards, carrying boxes, and a grand procession.
When they encountered injured victims, they sent people to help treat their wounds. The officials of the Ministry of Rites wanted to accuse them of being ostentatious, but Prince Zhulan truly did a good deed by saving people. If his public appearance had a negative impact, this prince was truly a man.
This went on for two days. Seeing that Minister Du, the most rigid and polite among them, did not say anything to criticize, the officials of the Ministry of Rites pretended not to see anything.
At first, the people nearby, seeing they were from the North Sea, were completely unwilling to accept their gifts. Even though a disaster victim who had previously entered Qizhou City with them vouched for them, saying they were good people from the North Sea, no one believed them.
Lianzhi was not in a hurry and continued to send people to distribute food every day. Until one day, Lianzhi used the medicinal herbs he brought to save a disaster victim who was really desperate and had no choice but to seek his help.
As the people saw that the patient's condition had improved, they gradually began to believe him. As time went on, the victims began to spread the word about Prince Zhulan's virtues. Even before their caravan passed through a place, the news of Prince Zhulan's kindness and relief to the victims had spread in advance.
On the sixth day after leaving Qizhou, light snow began to fall from the sky.
Lianzhi hadn't sent anyone out to distribute food today. The roads were difficult to travel in the snow, and Lianzhi herself was too lazy to move, fearing something might happen to her men. It just so happened that the Ministry of Rites was out distributing porridge, and the people knew this was the convoy for the marriage. When Bai Kang entered the carriage, Lianzhi was holding a bowl of hot dumplings and offering it to him, "Brother Kang, I saved this for you."
"You actually cooked dumplings?" Bai Kang was very surprised.
"It's almost the winter solstice, so of course we have to eat dumplings." Lianzhi picked up a steaming dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth. Bai Kang ate it, "This... is filled with rice?"
"This is all I have, and there's also bacon stuffing." Lianzhi pouted, "Arus and Yuyao don't eat dumplings. I secretly saved this for you."
Bai Kang was also hungry. Seeing only a pair of chopsticks on the table, he sat down and let Lianzhi feed him. Lianzhi didn't mind and stuffed him with two more dumplings. While eating, she said, "Why are you suddenly giving out porridge outside today?"
"You said it yourself, the winter solstice is coming soon. This is a tradition." Bo Kang chewed and said vaguely, "Aren't you going to show your face?"
"I don't want to. It's so cold outside, and today won't make a difference." Lianzhi said.
Bai Kang knew that Lianzhi's giving alms along the way, gathering information, and letting the victims spread rumors were secondary to her purpose, and her main purpose was to win people's hearts. Thinking about it, it was probably to improve her reputation and make her entry into the capital smoother. Lianzhi rolled her eyes and suddenly asked, "Brother Kang, what do you think of King Mu?"
"It's pretty good." Bai Kang said.
Seeing that he didn't seem very loyal to King Mu, Lianzhi asked directly, "What do you think of King Mu becoming the emperor?"
Bo Kang was so frightened that the hot water bottle in his hand almost dropped on his feet. He coughed twice and covered his mouth: "Don't say such nonsense!"
"You also know my purpose." Lianzhi blinked, "I thought you would think that Prince Mu would be a better emperor than Chen Fengke. After all, you used to be Prince Mu's guard."
Although he knew they were already on the same page, Bai Kang was still terrified when he heard this: "Baby, just do whatever you want to do. I will definitely help you, but don't ask me about this kind of thing."
Seeing that there was indeed no agreement in his eyes, Lianzhi smiled with satisfaction: "I'm just asking. Brother Kang, if you don't want to be the Shangshu, what do you want to do?"
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