Chapter 76: Not elopement but just business trip?
No matter how regretful and upset he felt at night, Dongfang Yan still had to calm down and go to court obediently the next day.
He was also thinking about going to the Xuanjing Division next morning to ask the two guards about the situation.
After the court session, Dongfang Yan was summoned again by Emperor Zhao of Qi.
Emperor Zhao of Qi gave him a cold look and said, "I heard you were making a fuss all night?"
Dongfang Yan didn't expect the news to reach His Majesty so quickly, and hurriedly said, "It's just a small matter, I dare not disturb the emperor."
Emperor Zhao of Qi said straight to the point, "I know you are looking for Deputy Envoy Lin. She and Xie Shouzheng have been sent by me to carry out a mission. They will return after the mission is completed. There is no need to worry."
"They're on a mission?" Dongfang Yan heard this, feeling inexplicably delighted. So, it wasn't an elopement, but a business trip? Indeed, how could Lin Qingyue possibly be attracted to someone like Xie Shouzheng, who came from a humble background and didn't value self-cultivation?
But then he thought again, a single man and a single woman leaving the capital privately, even if it was for official business, would bring disgrace to their reputation if it got out.
"Uncle Huang, why didn't you tell your nephew about this first? Besides, there are so many people in the Xuanjing Division, why did you only send your niece-in-law out on official business?"
"Those who are capable should do more work. As for why I didn't tell you—this matter was already decided a few days ago, but your wife didn't tell you. Shouldn't you reflect on this?"
Emperor Zhao of Qi was furious as he spoke, and he scolded her, "Don't think I don't know about your dirty deeds with the Second Miss of the Lin family! It would be fine if you were greedy, but at least you could find someone with a clean background who is worthy of you. Look at what you found! You've brought disgrace to the royal family!"
It was the first time that Dongfang Yan was scolded by Emperor Zhao of Qi. He quickly knelt down and said, "I have admitted my fault. Uncle Emperor, please calm down and don't let me make you sick."
After scolding him twice, Emperor Zhao of Qi waved his hand and said, "Go back and reflect on your mistakes. Except for attending court every day, you must stay at home and reflect on your mistakes! If you continue to act recklessly, go back to your fiefdom!"
He actually wanted to put me under house arrest? It was obvious that His Majesty was really angry.
Dongfang Yan's heart trembled. He didn't dare to argue anymore and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
Before leaving, he couldn't help but cautiously ask, "Uncle Huang, where is Qingyue going? When will she return?"
Emperor Zhao of Qi glanced at him and said only one sentence: "If everything goes well, I will return in a month."
If things don't go smoothly, there's a chance he might never come back. Thinking of this, Emperor Zhao of Qi felt worried, but he didn't dare show it on his face, lest Dongfang Yan notice anything.
Dongfang Yan really wanted to ask Lin Qingyue again where she had gone, but when he asked for the first time, Emperor Qi Zhao did not tell him clearly, so he naturally would not ask a second time.
So he retreated dejectedly, went back home to reflect on his mistakes, and waited for his wife to come home.
Lin Qingyue and her companions of three traveled for seven days and arrived at Fengnian County. They were exhausted and in urgent need of rest.
Because they were carrying out their mission secretly and were afraid of being exposed, they chose to stay in an inn instead of a post station.
The past few days have been smooth sailing.
But today was a bit strange. Fengnian was a small county town, but the inns were doing surprisingly well. I asked several inns and they all said they were fully booked.
It was not until they were directed by passers-by to the most upscale inn in the county, the Xilai Inn, that they found guest rooms.
Originally, the three of them wanted to book three guest rooms, but there were only two rooms left at the Xilai Inn.
Lin Qingyue couldn't help but ask, "Is business at all the inns in your county so good?"
The waiter said, "Fengnian County is located at a transportation hub, and merchants and travelers from all over the country have to stay here. In fact, business wasn't so good in the past. Many passers-by chose to sleep outdoors at night to save money. But recently..."
He glanced at the completely dark sky outside the gate and lowered his voice, saying, "In the past month or so, there have been many missing persons cases in the county. First, some wandering beggars disappeared, and then travelers who were sleeping outside disappeared. After counting all the cases, there are probably dozens of missing persons! They have been reported to the government office, but they have not been found yet!"
"The entire county is in a state of panic. No one dares to walk at night, let alone sleep outdoors. As a result, business has improved a lot for us inns. If you come any later, you will have to sleep on the floor in the lobby."
Xie Shouzheng became excited upon hearing this. "Is there such a bizarre thing? What do the county constables do for a living?"
The waiter whispered, "This matter cannot be solved by ordinary constables. I heard that a man-eating monster has appeared, and recently the county has sent people from the Xuanjing Division to stake out. I don't know if they can find the missing person - hey, guests, what would you like to eat? Sit down and order!"
Xie Shouzheng was already starving, so he put aside what he had just done and sat down. "Hey, mate, what good food and wine do you have?"
One of the main reasons why he liked to stay with the prince was that the prince was generous and never shortchanged him of food and drink.
Therefore, in front of the prince, Lord Xie was as heroic as if he had parents who provided him with food and clothing.
The waiter came over to greet us attentively and handed us the menu. "Our signature dish is chicken stewed with mushrooms. It's simmering on the stove. Could you please serve some?"
“Chicken stewed with mushrooms is also good…”
Xie Shouzheng's eyes suddenly widened, and he pointed at the menu and shouted, "What? A serving of chicken stewed with mushrooms costs 500 coins! The market price of a live chicken is only 30 coins, and after it's cooked, it can be sold for 100 coins at most. Ordinary restaurants often sell it for 50 coins. Are you ripping us off by charging such a high price?"
The waiter quickly explained, "The chicken soup we sell for 500 wen is made with free-range hens that have been carefully raised. It's completely different from the chickens that cost just a few dozen wen each in the market!"
Xie Shouzheng snorted coldly: "How is it different? Are your chickens raised on a diet of gold?"
The waiter proudly explained, "The chickens we use in our restaurant are raised in the orchard from a young age. During the day, they peck at wild fruits, catch insects and eat grass. When they are thirsty, they drink the mountain spring water, and when they are tired, they sleep on soft grass and pine branches. At dusk, the chickens return to the coop, and a special entertainer plays songs to keep them asleep. They have to be raised like this for a full 300 days before they are ready to eat."
Xie Shouzheng was surprised when he heard this: "There's actually such a method of raising a baby? Raising it like a master is indeed expensive. But... is it really necessary?"
"Of course it's necessary!" the waiter assured, patting his chest. "Sir, you'll know once you've tried it. The chicken is tender and sweet, rich in fat, and the mushrooms add a nice flavor. The two complement each other perfectly. Once you've tried it, you'll never forget it!"
"But 500 wen each is still a bit expensive..." He said, secretly glancing towards Dongfangqi.
Dongfang Qi said generously, "Have a try—give the menu to Miss, don't just focus on ordering for yourself."
When they were away from home, it was inappropriate to use the previous address, so Lin Qingyue and Dongfangqi addressed each other as brother and sister. When they went out to visit relatives, Xie Shouzheng was their housekeeper.
Lin Qingyue waved her hand again and ordered a few of her favorite dishes. Since the sponsor was paying, there was no need to be polite.
From this point of view, Dongfangqi is more useful as a human being than as a cat.
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