Seeing the marriage party leave Kyoto, all those who saw them off breathed a sigh of relief. Eunuch Yu led the inner ladies back to the palace according to etiquette. By the time everyone arrived at the inner palace, it was almost the afternoon!
They had already been waiting in the cold wind for half a day, and then walked back and forth for nearly three or four hours. For the ladies who usually lived a life of luxury, this was more painful than taking their lives. Fortunately, there was nothing important to do next. As soon as they entered the inner palace, they were supported by the maids and servants from each family, and they boarded their own carriages listlessly and left the palace!
Yun Qianmeng and Ji Shuyu walked up to Old Madam Gu together, and the two of them carefully helped Old Madam Gu walk towards the carriage of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion!
"Meng'er, Prime Minister Chu has not been in the capital for some time, and it's New Year now. It will be boring for you to stay alone in Prime Minister Chu's mansion these days. You should come to the Marquis' Mansion often. With us all around you, time will pass faster!" Seeing the maids putting stools in front of the carriage, Old Lady Gu did not get on the carriage immediately. Instead, she turned around and discussed with Yun Qianmeng!
Yun Qianmeng smiled and said, "Yes, Meng'er has noted it! Grandma, please get in the car quickly. It's cold outside!"
The reason why Old Lady Gu said this was probably because she was worried that she would not be able to handle her father-in-law and Stepmother who had just returned from Youzhou!
When Old Lady Gu saw that Yun Qianmeng had agreed to her words, she smiled faintly and got into the carriage!
After Old Lady Gu got into the carriage, Ji Shuyu also stepped onto the stool. However, he slightly turned sideways and said to Yun Qianmeng, "Go back and rest early. You must be exhausted today!"
"Meng'er understands. Aunt, please get in the car!" Yun Qianmeng personally helped Ji Shuyu. Seeing that they were both seated, she asked the coachman to drive more steadily. She watched the carriage of the Duke of Fuguo's Mansion drive towards the palace gate, and then she walked towards the carriage of the Prime Minister Chu's Mansion with the support of Mu Chun Yingxia!
"Miss must be exhausted!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng had even lost the faint smile that usually hung on her face, Mu Chun spoke with heartache!
"This Northern Qi prince is really something. Why did he choose today when there are so many other times to go back? And it snowed yesterday. It's freezing cold outside, and our young lady has to suffer with him!" Yingxia saw that Yun Qianmeng's eyes also had a hint of blue in them, and she also complained in a low voice!
"Yingxia!" Hearing the two girls gossiping about Qi Jingyuan, Yun Qianmeng immediately scolded them in a low voice, "This is the imperial palace. Be careful with your words!"
Yingxia immediately closed her lips after being harshly rebuked by Yun Qianmeng. Her two lively eyes instantly looked around. Seeing that most of the wives of the officials had already left and no one had noticed her, she blushed slightly, stuck out her tongue, and whispered, "I know I was wrong!"
Yun Qianmeng saw that she knew she was wrong, so she didn't say anything else. After all, scolding her maid in the palace would only make those nosy ladies laugh at her. And if it got to the ears of the harem, they would probably find out why she scolded the maid. If she answered carelessly, she might even be killed!
The three of them walked quickly towards the carriage of Prime Minister Chu's residence without saying anything more. Yuan Dong, who was standing next to the carriage, had already prepared a stepping stool and was waiting for Yun Qianmeng!
"Meng'er!" At this time, Xie came over with a smile on her face!
Yun Qianmeng and the others had no choice but to stop. Seeing Xie approaching, Yun Qianmeng brushed off the maids' support without leaving a trace, and looked at Xie with her usual natural smile, bowing slightly, "Second Madam!"
Xie walked up to Yun Qianmeng, extended her hand to support her, and then said with a smile, "I just saw you chatting with Old Lady Gu and the Marquis's wife, so I didn't come over to disturb you!"
Seeing her politeness, Yun Qianmeng naturally smiled and replied, "Second Mother, what are you talking about? How could it be a bother? It's just that Grandma is old after all, so she will go back first! I just don't know what Second Mother wants to talk to Qianmeng about!"
Xie, however, carefully examined Yun Qianmeng's face, then said with some concern, "You must not have slept well last night! Look at your haggard face! Feiyang must be busy with official duties these days, and you must be lonely all by yourself. Why don't you come over for dinner? Jie'er and the others are here, so you won't be bored with company! Besides, the prince loves you very much, and he will surely be happier to see you. Isn't this the best of both worlds?"
Yun Qianmeng heard her say this, so she couldn't refuse, so she nodded and agreed, "Yes, Second Madam! After I take care of the affairs of the Prime Minister's Mansion, I will definitely go to the Prince's Mansion. Thank you for your concern!"
Seeing Yun Qianmeng being so polite, Xie took her hand and patted it, saying with some realization, "We're all family, there's no need to worry too much! Go back and rest quickly, don't tire yourself out!"
After saying that, Xie said no more. With the help of her maid, she turned around and boarded the carriage of Prince Chu's Palace!
However, after seeing Xie off, Yun Qianmeng didn't even have time to move a step when she saw Eunuch Qu, who was beside the Queen Mother, suddenly appear from nowhere. He bowed to Yun Qianmeng with a smile on his face and said, "Madam, the Queen Mother invites you to Fengxiang Palace for a chat!"
Looking at the person who suddenly appeared, Yun Qianmeng felt a little unhappy in her heart. She felt that the Queen Mother was too shrewd and calculating. She knew that everyone was exhausted today, but she summoned her at this time. She was afraid that she wanted to take advantage of her depressed spirit to set a trap!
Besides, Chu Feiyang was no longer in Kyoto at this time. Even if she wanted to make things difficult for herself, she must have calculated that she would not dare to resist at this time!
"Mu Chun Yingxia, ask Xi Lin to go back to the Prime Minister's Residence and deliver the gift I prepared early in the morning to Prince Chu's Mansion. By the way, tell Grandpa that after I return to the palace, I will go to Prince Chu's Mansion to have dinner with him!" Yun Qianmeng gave instructions to Mu Chun Yingxia behind him with a slight side glance!
Although the two girls were naughty, they were also very alert. Seeing Yun Qianmeng hinting at them, they immediately responded in a low voice and then quickly walked towards the carriage of Prime Minister Chu's Mansion, leaving Yuandong and Yingqiu to accompany Yun Qianmeng!
"Eunuch Qu, please lead the way!" After arranging everything, Yun Qianmeng spoke to Eunuch Qu with a smile!
Eunuch Qu was not a fool. Seeing Yun Qianmeng's arrangement, he could see how cautious she was. Although the wife of Prime Minister Chu was young, her decent and impeccable smile told Eunuch Qu that she was a powerful figure. Even a steward like himself who had worked in the palace for so many years could not see through Yun Qianmeng's thoughts for a while!
"Madam, please!" Following Yun Qianmeng's smile, Eunuch Qu also smiled, made a gesture of invitation, helped Yun Qianmeng into the sedan chair, and then led everyone to Fengxiang Palace!
Yun Qianmeng took advantage of this rare moment of rest to sit in the sedan chair and close her eyes to rest so that she could better deal with the Queen Mother later!
At this time, the palace had just sent Hai Tian away, and the palace servants were still cleaning up everywhere, which inevitably made some slight noises. But when the sedan chair was carried into Fengxiang Palace, it was unusually quiet inside. It seemed that the empress dowager was very strict in disciplining the palace servants in her own palace, and even did things much more efficiently than those in other palaces!
"Greetings, Madam!" Yun Qianmeng had just stepped out of the sedan chair when she saw Aunt Lan walking forward with a smile and bowing. Looking at Aunt Lan with a warm expression, Yun Qianmeng couldn't help but think of what happened in Fengxiang Palace last time. If Chu Feiyang hadn't appeared in time, she would have been in Ruan Yuxiao's trap long ago!
However, Yun Qianmeng was a little curious as to whether Aunt Lan, who had brought her into the side hall, was also involved in that incident. And whether Aunt Lan was as loyal to the Queen Mother as she seemed on the surface!
"Thank you for your courtesy, Auntie!" Yun Qianmeng is no longer the lady of a noble family without any rank, so when facing the favorites around the empress dowager, she does not need to return the courtesy. She can just smile and be polite!
Aunt Lan didn't argue, but said respectfully, "The Empress Dowager has already asked the Imperial Kitchen to prepare dinner, and is waiting for Madam in the side hall!"
"Thank you for leading the way, auntie!" Yun Qianmeng felt a little relieved after hearing about dinner. Fortunately, she had just brought Yingqiu, who knew medicine, and Yuandong, who was skilled in martial arts. If anything went wrong, no one would succeed!
Several people followed Aunt Lan through the snow-covered garden and stepped into the side hall on the north side of Fengxiang Palace. They saw that the palace was filled with a faint fragrance. Unlike the cold outside, even though it was just a side hall, it was warm like spring, which made people relax physically and mentally!
"Meng'er is here!" The Queen Mother was reading a book carefully at this time. When she heard the slight sound outside the door, her indifferent gaze turned away from the pages of the book. Seeing that Yun Qianmeng had walked in under the guidance of Aunt Lan, she handed the book in her hand to the little palace maid serving beside her and spoke lightly!
"Your servant pays homage to the Queen Mother. May the Queen Mother live a thousand years and a thousand thousand years!" Yun Qianmeng led Yuan Dong Yingqiu to the center of the side hall and knelt down in front of the Queen Mother. Her voice was as clear, loud and pleasant as the sound of pearls falling on a plate!
"Family, get up quickly! Don't kneel down and get hurt, otherwise Prime Minister Chu will come back to argue with me!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng was becoming more and more polite, a smile appeared on the Queen Mother's originally cold face!
"Thank you, Queen Mother!" Yun Qianmeng just carefully followed the palace etiquette and did not say a word more because of the Queen Mother's joke just now. The hearts of people in the palace are unpredictable and there are many people with many gossips. Saying one more word may put oneself in danger of death. Yun Qianmeng would rather be a person who cherishes words like gold!
"I thought you were tired today and should go back to rest, but I have something to tell you, so I asked Xiao Quzi to call you over to avoid you running back and forth another day! Let's have dinner first, I'm sure you're hungry!" The Queen Mother was supported by Aunt Lan as she walked down and slowly walked towards Yun Qianmeng. Seeing that she had a cold expression and bright eyes, but her face was a little haggard, she slowly spoke!
Yun Qianmeng, however, showed a look of panic, then bent down and replied, "Replying to the Queen Mother, the prince is waiting for me to return to the Prince of Chu's Mansion for dinner. I'm afraid..."
Only half of the words were said. If the rest were said, it would be against the empress dowager's order. Such words would naturally be left to the empress dowager to figure out. Yun Qianmeng was just expressing her own position and attitude!
As expected, after hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, the Queen Mother's face suddenly darkened, and a flash of displeasure flashed across her eyes for a moment, but then she returned to her normal appearance and said calmly, "It seems that Meng'er is very much in the King of Chu's favor. Even so late, she is still waiting for her granddaughter-in-law to have dinner! Meng'er is truly blessed. Being able to marry into the King of Chu's palace is a good fortune that not everyone can have!"
Yun Qianmeng listened quietly to the Queen Mother's sour words, knowing that if the Queen Mother hadn't really wanted to see her today for something, she probably wouldn't want to see her!
However, the title of Grandpa Prince Chu was still somewhat effective. At least after the Queen Mother heard the name of Prince Chu, although the aura around her became gloomy, she did not make things difficult for herself!
After going over the words she was about to say several times in her mind and making sure there were no mistakes, Yun Qianmeng slowly spoke, "Meng'er's blessings are all given by the Emperor and the Queen Mother!"
"Hmph, you're quite the talker! Well, if you insist on going back to eat, I won't force you. Lan'er, leave the few imperial meals I usually eat and clear away the rest! Let's have dinner after I've finished talking to Meng'er!" The Queen Mother was not overjoyed by Yun Qianmeng's compliments. She simply instructed Aunt Lan to clear away most of the dinner. Then she walked over to her previous seat, pointed to the seat below, and motioned Yun Qianmeng to sit down. Then she spoke again, "Meng'er, you and Fei'er have always had a good relationship! Now that you're married, have you ever thought about your cousin?"
Yun Qianmeng slowly sat down on the edge of the stool, listening to the Queen Mother's words with lowered brows. Then she spoke softly, "Queen Mother, my cousin has a grandmother, an uncle, an aunt, and a cousin. How can it be my turn to interfere in such an important matter? Moreover, since ancient times, marriages have always been decided by parents and matchmakers! I am only your cousin, but I have no right to dictate your decisions! Now, the Queen Mother is in the palace to make the decision for my cousin, so naturally, I only need to prepare the gifts!"
Yun Qianmeng pushed back the Queen Mother's words in a neither soft nor hard manner. She knew without even raising her eyes that the Queen Mother was quite dissatisfied with her at this moment. However, it was not her turn to make the decision on Concubine Qu's lifelong affairs. She was afraid that the Queen Mother had hit a wall with Old Lady Gu and others, so she turned her attention to herself. Unfortunately, her wishful thinking was still wrong!
"That's not entirely true! You're now married to Prime Minister Chu, so your status is naturally different! Even when it came to your cousin's marriage, you gave advice! Or rather, Meng'er doesn't want to see Fei'er marry well!" The Queen Mother was already quite dissatisfied with Yun Qianmeng's repeated rejections, but now Yun Qianmeng has Chu Feiyang and Chu Nanshan as her backers, which makes things really tricky. She must not be too soft or too hard. Being too soft would make the royal family seem weak, and being too hard would probably provoke their resistance. Especially since she was the only one who worried about Concubine Qu's affairs, if it got to Emperor Yugan, it would probably affect the relationship between mother and son!
Hearing the Queen Mother's threats, Yun Qianmeng frowned slightly, a hint of confusion and worry appearing on her face. She spoke softly, "The Queen Mother just said that I have a good relationship with her. Naturally, I hope my cousin can marry a man of her dreams! How could I not want to see my cousin marry well? However, how many people in this world are willing to treat you wholeheartedly? My grandmother and uncle are also extremely anxious. They have been looking for a good man for my cousin. Please give me more time, Queen Mother!"
Yun Qianmeng emphasized the word "single-minded", indirectly pointing out that Emperor Yugan has three thousand beauties in his harem, so how can he be single-minded?
The Queen Mother sneered upon hearing this, then sarcastically said, "Single-minded? In this world, finding a single-minded woodcutter who has enough food to eat every day, and that alone can make me happy? Meng'er, when did you become so naive? Do women in this world have no way of surviving without single-minded devotion? I think Prime Minister Chu has spoiled you too much, making you a little too ignorant of your own limitations. You don't even realize that you've committed one of the seven sins of jealousy!"
Seeing the Queen Mother's anger, Yun Qianmeng's face suddenly showed fear. She immediately slid down from the stool, knelt in front of the Queen Mother, and trembled, "I am terrified! I shouldn't have been so arrogant! However, I am a new wife, and my husband treats me with courtesy, so I neglected these things! I will definitely remember the Queen Mother's teachings today! The Queen Mother also knows that I am young and still learning many things. Naturally, I dare not interfere in my cousin's marriage. I hope the Queen Mother will have some understanding!"
After finally catching Yun Qianmeng's mistake and seeing her admit it herself, the Queen Mother felt a little proud. However, she didn't expect Yun Qianmeng to use her mistake to shift the blame for Qu Feiqing away. The Queen Mother felt a blockage in her heart and was speechless for a moment. She just stared at Yun Qianmeng who was kneeling in the hall. Her hands tightened slightly on the handle, and her eyes gradually narrowed with anger. After a while, she spoke, "Forget it, get up! I think you are a year younger than me, so it's inevitable that you will make mistakes! Be more careful in the future and don't lose face for the Fuguogong Mansion!"
"Thank you, Queen Mother!" Yun Qianmeng still looked respectful, but she felt a little tired in her heart. After all, she didn't sleep the whole night, and she walked in the cold wind for most of the day today. Even a strong person would find it a little exhausting. What's more, except for some breakfast in the morning, she really didn't eat or drink a drop of water. If she didn't have to cheer up to deal with the Queen Mother at this moment, she really wanted to go back to Prime Minister Chu's residence to have a good rest!
At this time, Eunuch Qu quickly walked into the side hall, knelt down in front of the Queen Mother, and reported in a sad voice, "Queen Mother, the old man of the Wen family is gone!"
"What? When did this happen?" The empress dowager was startled and immediately stood up and asked Eunuch Qu below in a stern voice!
"Just received the news! He passed away in just one or two hours! The Wen family's housekeeper just came into the palace to report that the Wen family has already started preparing for the funeral!" Eunuch Qu recounted the incident in detail, and the Empress Dowager's expression changed from initial shock to calmness, and finally returned to her usual composure. She calmly ordered, "Go to the front hall and ask Xiao Yuzi what the Emperor's plans are. Come back and report to me later!"
"Yes!" Eunuch Qu took the order and left. Just as he was anxious when he came in, he left very quickly!
"You go back first! Grand Master Wen is gone, you should go back and prepare to go to the funeral!" The Queen Mother waved at Yun Qianmeng and asked her to leave!
"I'll take my leave!" Yun Qianmeng was also quite surprised, but her face remained calm. She stood up and bowed to the Queen Mother, then led Yingqiu and Yuandong out of Fengxiang Palace!
At this time, the death knell had already sounded in the palace. Emperor Yu Gan must have issued an edict. The palace maids in each palace ran out of their respective palaces and rushed to the front hall, probably to inquire about the news!
"Your Majesty, be careful!" Although there were palace lanterns to signal the way, some dark corners were still hazy. Yun Qianmeng was about to sit in the sedan chair, but when she passed by the side hall of the Imperial Garden, she heard a low reminder!
"Stop!" Yun Qianmeng called for a halt softly, then lifted the curtain of the sedan chair and looked into the side hall. She saw two figures walking slowly in the courtyard inside the side hall. The direction was obviously the place where Qu Feiqing almost fell yesterday!
"Who is it?" The person in front obviously did not expect that someone from the palace would appear in the side hall at this time. The little palace maid who had just spoken shouted again, asking sternly in the direction of Yun Qianmeng!
Yun Qianmeng looked forward with the palace lantern in Yingqiu's hand. When she saw the person in front of her clearly, she immediately stepped down from the sedan chair and bowed to the person, saying, "Your Highness, I, Yun, greet you!"
Hearing Yun Qianmeng's voice, the figure in front paused slightly, and then a slightly cold voice rang out, "It turns out to be Madam Chu, please stand up!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Yun Qianmeng stood up straight, and at this time Concubine Rong also walked in front of her!
"Is Madam Chu going to leave the palace?" Looking at the direction of the sedan chair, Concubine Rong asked in a calm voice, with a hint of coldness between her brows, but there was no attacking tone in her words!
A faint smile appeared on Yun Qianmeng's face, and she replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I am about to leave the palace! I just don't know why Your Majesty is here. It's already late, and Your Majesty is only accompanied by a palace maid, so it's better to be careful!"
Despite Yun Qianmeng's kind reminder, Concubine Rong's expression remained unchanged. However, the look in her eyes was no longer as cold as before. "Thank you for your concern, Madam Chu. I just saw that the winter plum blossoms were in full bloom, so I came here to pick a few and put them in the palace!"
Following Concubine Rong's words, Yun Qianmeng saw that she was indeed holding a few winding branches in her hands. The fragrant wintersweets on them were emitting bursts of fragrance, just like the refreshing feeling that Concubine Rong gave people, blooming alone!
The palace lantern in Yingqiu's hand was originally used to guide the way, so its height was naturally close to the ground. Yun Qianmeng lowered her eyes slightly, looking at the place where the palace lantern illuminated, where people could clearly see the hem of Concubine Rong's skirt. She smiled and reminded, "Your Majesty, you should let the palace servants do this kind of thing! Look, there's some snow on your skirt. When you enter the charcoal-burning inner hall, the snow will melt on your dress. Your Majesty, be careful not to catch a cold! Fortunately, it's nighttime. If others saw it during the day, wouldn't they laugh at you?"
Yun Qianmeng's words had hidden meanings. After all, although it was already dark, the masters of each palace were unlikely to leave their respective palaces. However, the palace had always been strange, and there were countless ears behind the walls. Yun Qianmeng naturally chose words that would not be misunderstood but could still be understood by Concubine Rong!
Sure enough, after hearing Yun Qianmeng's words, Concubine Rong immediately lowered her head to look at the hem of her skirt, her face suddenly turned pale, and then she looked up at Yun Qianmeng. Seeing that she was smiling gently and politely, and there was no conspiracy or framing in her eyes, she couldn't help but feel puzzled!
"I'm taking my leave!" But Yun Qianmeng bowed and took her leave at this time, then got into the sedan chair and headed back to the gate of the inner palace!
"The young lady has been gone for a long time!" When Yun Qianmeng and the other two got into the carriage, it was already dark. Mu Chun immediately put the small heater that had been prepared long ago into Yun Qianmeng's hands. Yingxia took out the hot tea and pastries that had been prepared early in the morning and placed them in front of Yun Qianmeng, asking her to eat for a while!
"I just ran into Concubine Rong. It's so strange that she came out to pick wintersweets in the middle of the night! There are more than just the side hall of the Imperial Garden where wintersweets are grown. Why did she have to go around her palace to get there? It's really baffling!" Although Yuan Dong doesn't talk much, he is the most perceptive one. In addition, he has followed Yun Qianmeng for so long, so he naturally understands that her young lady would not say useless words. But he just can't understand why Concubine Rong did that, and why her young lady reminded Concubine Rong!
Yun Qianmeng took a sip of hot tea and ate one or two pieces of cake to fill her stomach as she was a little hungry, but she did not help the girls to answer their questions. Although Mu Chun and the other three were all her confidants, there were some things that she just needed to know in her heart!
"Miss, I just heard the palace guards say that the old master of the Wen family has passed away! Who is that old master Wen?" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng stopped eating, Mu Chun put the cakes on the small coffee table into the food box, and then asked in confusion!
Yun Qianmeng fell into deep thought, slowly thinking about the Wen family in her mind. As the funeral bells in the palace grew increasingly distant, she spoke, "Old Master Wen held the title of Grand Tutor! He was the teacher of the late Emperor Xijing, and the father of Empress Chengxianwen! I can't believe he passed away today!"
"But Miss, why do we servants rarely hear about the Wen family?" What things in Kyoto can escape the eyes of the public? As servants from wealthy families, they can know things that ordinary people don't know. But Mu Chun and the other three have hardly heard of the Wen family. It's really strange!
"What's so strange about this! Ever since the late Empress passed away, the Wen family has gradually fallen silent! Although Grand Tutor Wen was the teacher of Emperor Xijing, the late Emperor no longer needed teachers after he came to power. Grand Tutor Wen's position was just a title, without any real power! Grand Tutor Wen has been old these years and never leaves his house, so naturally we haven't heard any news about the Wen family!" However, in order to prevent Concubine Yuande from becoming too powerful, Emperor Xijing won over the Qu and Ruan families. After the Empress Dowager adopted Emperor Yugan, he did not make her Empress Dowager. This is a bit strange. Could it be that because Emperor Xijing was deeply in love with Empress Chengxianwen, he reserved the throne for Empress Wen? But the subsequent decline of the Wen family made it impossible to tell how Emperor Xijing treated the Wen family well. The emperor's heart is truly as unpredictable as a needle in the sea!
"Miss, a white lantern is hung at the gate of each mansion!" At this time, the carriage had slowly driven into the long street. Yingxia gently lifted the curtain on one side and looked outside, then began to report!
Hearing this, Yun Qianmeng nodded!
As the teacher of the late emperor, Grand Tutor Wen is a role model for students all over the world. His profound knowledge, rigorous family style and character are respected by students all over the world. The fact that each prefecture lights up white lanterns for him during the New Year is also a sign of respect for this Grand Tutor!
From this we can also see that although the Wen family has faded from the public eye for many years, it still has a certain influence in the court!
"Go back and prepare plain clothes, and go to the Wen family to pay your respects tomorrow!" Yun Qianmeng leaned tiredly on the cushion behind her and whispered instructions to the maids. Seeing that Yun Qianmeng was really tired, Yuan Dong took out the blanket stored in the low cabinet and gently covered Yun Qianmeng's legs. The four of them sat silently in the carriage and did not disturb Yun Qianmeng anymore!
"Let's go here first today. The Crown Prince, the Eldest Prince and the Tenth Prince must be tired. Let's rest here for one night and continue our journey tomorrow!" After traveling for a whole day, they finally arrived at the next post station at the time set in advance. Chu Feiyang spoke to Qi Jingyuan!
"Then I'll have to trouble Prime Minister Chu!" Qi Jingyuan looked at the post station that had been prepared in front of him. There was no ripple in his eyes. He just quickly jumped off the horse and led his personal guards into the inn, completely ignoring Hai Tian!
At this time, Qi Ling'er with a veil and Hai Tian in a wedding dress walked out from the two phoenix chariots that stopped behind. Both of them were supported by palace maids and walked into the post station to rest!
Chu Feiyang, Jiang Muchen and Hai Chenxi deployed their personnel separately, making sure to make sure everything was foolproof to avoid any mistakes at this critical moment!
"Prime Minister!" In the stable, Chu Feiyang was carefully feeding grass to his mount. A guard silently approached Chu Feiyang and whispered something in his ear. Chu Feiyang paused slightly while stroking the horse's head. His expression suddenly became a little sharp, but his voice was leisurely and lazy. "Got it, leave!"
At the same time, Jiang Muchen and Hai Chenxi also received the same news. Like Chu Feiyang, they calmly sent away the guards who came to report the news. After the three of them finished their own affairs, they met again in the lobby of the inn!
Seeing Qi Jingyuan domineeringly occupying an entire floor of rooms, even his Crown Princess Hai Tian was driven to the room on the next floor, Chu Feiyang raised the corner of his lips slightly, looked at Hai Chenxi and smiled, "Does Prince Hai need to comfort Princess Heshun?"
Hai Chenxi could not fail to hear Chu Feiyang's ridicule, but he did not show any anger. Instead, he smiled calmly, "Who is the princess's heart? I believe the Prime Minister knows it better than anyone else! If I go there, won't I make the princess unhappy? It would be better for the Prime Minister to go there, and we can see some results!"
Jiang Muchen watched the verbal battle between the two, then sneered and walked up the stairs, intending to go back to his room to rest. But Chu Feiyang would never let him go. A lazy voice suddenly sounded behind Jiang Muchen, "If you want to say who cares the most about the princess, it's still the prince! The princess went to Prince Chen's mansion many times in the past, but it's a pity that things have changed now, and the concubine's dream has been shattered!"
Jiang Muchen paused slightly as he climbed up the stairs, then turned sideways, looking at Chu Feiyang, who was laughing even more evilly, and said coldly, "If Prime Minister Chu and Prince Hai have nothing else to do, why don't you go back to your rooms and rest? If you can't sleep, then go out on patrol!"
"Now that Grand Tutor Wen has passed away, I believe the Emperor will, out of sympathy for the Wen family, allow the descendants of the Wen family to serve as officials again!" At this time, Hai Chenxi spoke lightly!
Chu Feiyang just smiled and said nothing when he heard this, while the expression on Jiang Muchen's face became even colder!
Grand Tutor Wen can be said to be a great scholar of literature. He had tens of thousands of disciples when he was alive. Although the Wen family has not served in the court for decades, half of the civil servants in the court today were once disciples of Grand Tutor Wen. If such a family is used properly, all the Confucian scholars in the world can be taken as one's own. If one turns against them, one will probably be drowned in the saliva of Confucian scholars all over the world!
But no one would have thought that Grand Master Wen would pass away at such a moment. It was really beyond everyone's expectation. I'm afraid that every family and every government office is watching Emperor Yugan's attitude at this moment!
Jiang Muchen's eyes couldn't help but glance at Hai Chenxi who had brought up the matter. He pondered Hai Chenxi's intentions and then sneered, "If Prince Hai has too much free time, he should go and care for Princess Heshun. Don't let her fall out of favor before she even becomes the Crown Princess. If that leads to another war between Western Chu and Northern Qi, isn't that the fault of the Prince Hai's Mansion?"
Hai Chenxi shrugged nonchalantly. Just as he was about to speak, the three men's expressions suddenly tensed up. They all drew their long swords, holding their breath and paying attention to their surroundings...
"Bang..." The wooden window of a guest room on the second floor of the inn was suddenly kicked open...
"Ah..." Suddenly, a palace maid's scream was heard from inside, but before she could finish, the sound stopped abruptly like a kite with a broken string. It was clear without any guessing that she was being silenced!
"It's the princess's room!" The guards on the second floor had already taken quick action. Chu Feiyang and the other two were also about to rush to the second floor, but they didn't expect that countless black-clothed warriors suddenly rushed in from all around the post station. These people were holding long swords and attacked the three people as soon as they broke into the post station. At this time, the guards who were patrolling outside the post station also rushed in after hearing the noise, and the two sides entered a state of combat for a while!
Although there were many guards, the men in black were all very skilled in martial arts, and for a while the two sides were in a stalemate!
"Your Highness, Prince, I'll leave the princess to you. I'll cover your retreat!" Chu Feiyang rushed to the stairs at this moment, blocking the way of the men in black, and spoke to Jiang Muchen and Hai Chenxi at the same time!
However, the two men's faces darkened when they heard this. They were unwilling to go but had to go, so they could only turn around and head to the second floor. At this time, the guards on the second floor were gradually losing the upper hand. Seeing that a man in black was about to pierce Hai Tian's heart with a long sword, Ning Feng suddenly threw the long sword and instantly pierced the chest of the man in black. Then he dodged and protected Hai Tian in front of him, preventing the man in black from getting close to her!
With the addition of Jiang Muchen and Hai Chenxi, the men in black returned the same way after fighting for a few rounds!
"Everyone, stay alert and keep watch from now on. What happened today must not happen again!" Chu Feiyang raised his eyes to look at the third floor where there was no movement, and ordered the guards who were cleaning the place in a cold voice!
"Prime Minister, those men in black!" At this time, the deputy commander of the imperial guard who was sent to escort Hai Tian asked!
"Don't chase the desperate enemy, be careful they may lure the tiger away from the mountain!" Chu Feiyang left this sentence and turned to go to the third floor!
"The prince is truly bold and careful!" Qi Jingyuan in the room was able to calmly read the military book in his hand despite the huge commotion outside, which made Chu Feiyang smile even more brightly when he saw this scene!
"What does Prime Minister Chu mean? I really don't understand!" Qi Jingyuan put down the military book slightly, raised his sinister eyes and looked at Chu Feiyang who had directly broken into his guest room, with a strong murderous look in his eyes!
"The prince's move is probably to test how many people we brought and how capable they are!" However, Chu Feiyang had a gentle look on his face and was not at all frightened by the ferocious look of the man in front of him!
"Oh? Why does Prime Minister Chu make such a judgment?" Seeing Chu Feiyang say this, Qi Jingyuan's eyes showed a hint of interest. He stared at Chu Feiyang closely, waiting to see how he would explain!
Chu Feiyang walked straight to the table and sat down opposite Qi Jingyuan. He then said shrewdly, "I'm afraid the mighty general is just a pretext for the prince to enter Kyoto with such openness! The one who is truly restraining the prince is probably someone else!"
Upon hearing this, Qi Jingyuan laughed. After laughing, the murderous intent in his eyes swept over him like an overwhelming force, and he rushed towards Chu Feiyang without any concealment!
Chu Feiyang, on the other hand, picked up the teapot on the table, filled himself with a cup of hot tea, took a sip, and then slowly said, "It seems that Benxiang's analysis is completely correct!"
Yun Qianmeng slept until noon. When she opened her eyes, it was already bright outside!
"Mu Chun!" Yun Qianmeng's throat was a little dry, so she called Mu Chun softly. Then she saw the little girl immediately sit down beside the bed with a teacup, helped Yun Qianmeng sit up, and put a padded jacket on her shoulders while Yun Qianmeng drank water!
"Are the plain clothes ready? Why did I sleep for so long?" After handing the teacup to Mu Chun, Yun Qianmeng got out of bed and walked straight to the copper basin to wash!
"Young lady was tired yesterday, so we didn't wake her up! Are you going to the Wen Mansion right away?" Putting down the teacup, Mu Chun took out the plain clothes she had prepared long ago and placed them on the table. She then helped Yun Qianmeng finish washing and dressed her in winter plain clothes, saying non-stop, "I heard the maids in our mansion talking about it. Many families went to the Wen Mansion to pay their respects last night!"
Yun Qianmeng did not say anything after hearing this. A family like that would naturally get more respect from others. This was not a rare thing!
Seeing that she was wearing plain clothes, Mu Chun combed a simple bun for Yun Qianmeng, picked out a few simple silver hairpins and inserted them in her hair, and put on a pair of white round bead earrings, and the dressing was complete!
"Miss, have some breakfast before going over! There must be a lot of people there now, and you don't know when you can come back. Don't go hungry!" Seeing that Yun Qianmeng's face was a little pale, Yingxia simply brought some light breakfast into the inner room and helped Yun Qianmeng sit down!
"Is there any movement at the palace?" Yun Qianmeng picked up the porcelain bowl in front of her and took a mouthful of hot porridge. She asked slowly, but in her heart she was wondering whether she should go to the palace first and go with Xie. Although Chu Feiyang had already separated from the family,
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com