Before Yu Nanqing and Su Wanyan could speak, Emperor Yuanhe smiled and said, "The Imperial Observatory has given the date for the spring hunt as three days from now. Considering my third brother's health, I have decided that I will personally send people to the Prince's residence to pick you up in three days. Several imperial physicians will accompany you in the procession to prevent any unforeseen circumstances."
"In addition, I will personally select the palace maids and eunuchs to serve my third brother, so that he can travel safely and return safely this time."
Su Wanyan knew that Emperor Yuanhe couldn't have come without preparation when he invited people.
Since she had already said that, there was no point in pretending to decline. She lowered her eyes and said, "His Majesty has made such thoughtful arrangements, so there shouldn't be any problems."
"So that means you agree?"
"Your Majesty's hospitality is too kind, and neither I nor the Prince can refuse."
"Hahaha!" Emperor Yuanhe seemed to be in a good mood. He looked at Yu Nanqing and laughed, "I was worried that I wouldn't be able to invite my third brother to the spring hunt. To be honest, my third brother is really not very considerate. The palace sent invitations to Prince Gong's mansion one after another, but I have never seen you respond to a single one. Third brother, you are weak. You should go out more. Otherwise, lying in bed like this will really ruin your health."
"..." He's quite the talker.
Su Wanyan inwardly grumbled.
They don't have that many lives to mess with, and they still want them to attend the palace banquet? They're dreaming.
Emperor Yuanhe said to himself, "It is my fault. I have been too busy with state affairs and have neglected you. This spring hunt is also to allow you to get some fresh air and not stay cooped up in this mansion every day. Don't blame me for making this decision on my own."
"..." How should I put it?
Su Wanyan felt that Emperor Yuanhe was talking a lot today. Shouldn't he have left after delivering the invitation?
Does he also have such close relationships with court officials?
"His Majesty seems to have a lot to say today." Just as Su Wanyan was thinking this, Yu Nanqing said it aloud.
Emperor Yuanhe's majestic eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled twice: "Normally in the palace, I am the emperor, and I must be careful with my words and actions. What? Now that I'm at my third brother's house, am I not allowed to relax for a moment?"
Yu Nanqing turned his eyes slightly away, looking at the canopy above the bed: "It's just a pity that I'm not feeling well and can't keep Your Majesty company for long."
"Alas, it's all my fault," Emperor Yuanhe said with a sigh.
If Su Wanyan didn't know what he had done, she would have believed him just by looking at him like this.
Emperor Yuanhe stood up and said, "Alright, I can't stay any longer. There are still many things in the palace that I need to deal with. Third brother, you should rest well. I will send a carriage to pick you up in three days."
After saying that, he looked at Su Wanyan and said, "I'll leave my third brother in your care, sister-in-law."
Su Wanyan curtsied and said, "Respectfully seeing off Your Majesty."
Only then did Emperor Yuanhe leave with his hands behind his back.
Once outside Prince Gong's Mansion, Emperor Yuanhe, who had been all smiles just moments before, suddenly turned cold.
He calmly ascended the imperial carriage and ordered, "Send men to keep an eye on Yu Nanqing these next few days, and make sure he doesn't run away at a crucial moment."
Although Yu Nanqing was lying in bed just now, judging from his complexion, he didn't look like a patient at all.
Moreover, his breathing was very steady when he spoke, which was not the tone a patient should have.
Thinking of everything he had just witnessed, Emperor Yuanhe's face darkened even further. He could not delay any longer; this time, he would make sure Yu Nanqing died without a burial place!
After seeing Emperor Yuanhe off, Su Wanyan closed the door.
She walked to the bedside, looked at Yu Nanqing for a moment, and couldn't help but laugh.
Yu Nanqing asked curiously, "What are you laughing at?"
"It's nothing." Su Wanyan sat down on the edge of the bed and placed the invitation in her hand on Yu Nanqing: "I just guessed that Emperor Yuanhe would make some moves during the spring hunt, so I'm happy."
This way, they won't be so passive, and they can take precautions in advance.
Yu Nanqing then propped herself up, picked up the invitation card that was placed in front of him, opened it, glanced at it, and then closed it again.
Su Wanyan asked, "He said he would send someone to pick us up in three days. Will he make a move on the way?"
"If the people he personally selected were to make a move on the street, wouldn't that let everyone know that his men are all worthless and incompetent?"
Moreover, he personally arranged the people involved, and taking action on the way would undoubtedly make all the blame point at him.
“That makes sense.” Su Wanyan sat back down on the cushion in front of the bed and picked up the bowl she hadn’t finished eating from. “Never mind then, we’ll deal with it later.”
The royal hunting grounds are about a hundred kilometers from the capital. It takes most of the day to travel there by carriage from 7 a.m.
Besides the nobles and officials of the capital, several concubines who had given birth to princes and princesses were also on the trip to the hunting grounds. The empress, of course, was to accompany the emperor.
On the morning of the ninth day of the third month, Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing had just finished their breakfast when Wang Zhang came to report that the palace carriage had arrived.
Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing were not in a hurry. They ordered Qiuye and Huangye to load everything needed for the next seven days onto the carriage. Once everything was ready, Su Wanyan pushed Yu Nanqing onto the carriage.
As Emperor Yuanhe said, their procession included several imperial physicians, soldiers who escorted them from the front and back, and palace maids and eunuchs who served them personally.
The carriage was also equipped with a heater, cushions, blankets, and seasonal fruits for the journey, all prepared perfectly for them.
The winter snow has melted, and the sun is shining brightly.
The weather in March had warmed up considerably. Those who went with Su Wanyan included Qiu Ye, Huang Ye, Xiao Bu, and Tanaka; none of the other guards were brought along.
However, after they set off from the capital, another team, under Wang Zhang's command, also quietly left the city.
The royal hunting grounds were neither too far nor too close, but the carriage ride was quite tiring. At first, Su Wanyan was reading a book, but after a particularly bumpy stretch of the road, she simply stopped reading and lay down on the cushion to rest.
Unexpectedly, she fell asleep as the carriage swayed slightly.
She didn't know how much time had passed when Su Wanyan felt someone touching her face. She frowned and opened her eyes. Through the curtain, she saw Yu Nanqing's face, which was very close to hers.
He was sitting in his wheelchair, leaning over to stroke her face.
She yawned and slapped her hand away, saying, "Don't touch me, it tickles."
Yu Nanqing didn't mind and laughed, "We've arrived."
"Um?"
Su Wanyan was half asleep when Qiuye lifted the carriage curtain: "Your Majesty, we've arrived at the hunting grounds."
"So fast?"
Qiu Ye was taken aback for a moment, then reported, "Your Majesty, it is already late afternoon."
To accommodate the prince, this group was the slowest of all.
It was 5 PM, the hour of the Rooster. Su Wanyan exclaimed in surprise, "I slept for so long?"
The autumn leaves nodded repeatedly.
During the break, she came over to check on her, intending to offer her mistress something to eat, but seeing that she was fast asleep, and since the prince forbade her to wake her, she had no choice but to give up.
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