Chapter 71: A Private Visit (2)

In the early morning, the sun rose from the horizon. When the first rays of sunlight fell on the top of Chang'an City, the bustling Chang'an woke up from the silence.

Li Chengqian took Cheng Wuting, Wang Fangyi and others, and went out of the city with the Minister of the Central Secretariat Yang Shidao to hunt.

In addition, Pei Xingjian, Qiu Shenji, Li Yifu and others did not go with Li Chengqian, but left Chang'an in two groups one after another.

This way, they would not attract other people's attention.

"Today's weather is good! It's just right for outing and hunting. These days we have been busy with government affairs. It's a good time to take advantage of the good weather today! Let's relax." When the group came to the forest outside the city, Li Chengqian said to Yang Shidao beside him.

"Your Highness is right! Today's weather is indeed good!" Yang Shidao said.

"Since we are here, we cannot return empty-handed. How about hunting with me, uncle?" Li Chengqian said.

"Your Highness! As a civil official, I only know how to read poetry and books. I am not very good at archery and horse riding. I'd better not participate." Yang Shidao said.

"Left Prime Minister, Your Highness is rarely happy today, and you rarely have such a leisure time. You'd better not spoil Your Highness's interest." Du He helped out.

"No! Your Highness and everyone just do your best. I'll wait here for everyone to return with a full load!" Yang Shidao said.

Asking him, Yang Shidao, to recite poems and write lyrics, he can do it easily, but asking him to bend the bow and shoot arrows is really asking too much.

"That's fine! Since uncle is unwilling to go with us, I won't force you. Then you'll have to wait for us here. Let's go! Let's see who can hunt more prey today." Li Chengqian said, and called the others to go into the forest.

"Jie'er, protect His Highness! Don't let His Highness have any mishaps!" Yang Shidao grabbed Zhao Jie and told him.

"Don't worry, father! I know what to do!" Zhao Jie smiled at Yang Shidao, and rode his horse to catch up with Li Chengqian and others in front.

Although Yang Shidao was Zhao Jie's stepfather, he always loved Zhao Jie and his brother as much as his own sons, treating them as his own children.

A man passed by Yang Shidao, riding a horse slowly into the forest, and Yang Shidao took a closer look.

Who else could that person be if not the Junior Official of the Dali Temple, Di Renjie?

"Junior Official Di, please stay!" Yang Shidao called out to Di Renjie who was passing by.

Wasn't Di Renjie also a civil servant like him? Why did he join in the fun? He said he was going hunting, but he didn't even have a bow or an arrow. How could he go hunting? Just rely on his mouth?

"Please," Di Renjie stopped, looked back at Yang Shidao and asked, "What do

you want, Left Prime Minister?" "Junior Official Di, are you going hunting?" Yang Shidao asked.

"No! I'm just joining in the fun and taking a look at the grace of His Highness." Di Renjie made up a sentence.

"There are many fierce beasts in the forest. I advise you not to take risks. If someone shoots an arrow by mistake and injures you, it will be bad!" Yang Shidao said earnestly.

In Yang Shidao's opinion, Di Renjie's words of admiring the prince's grace were just flattery.

He also advised Di Renjie out of good intentions. After all, no one knows whether fierce beasts will suddenly appear in the forest.

If you don't even bring weapons, it will be too late to regret if you really encounter one.

"Thank you for reminding me, Left Prime Minister, but I still want to go to the forest to see how the prince is showing off his power. If Left Prime Minister has nothing to do, I will leave first. Goodbye!"

Di Renjie bowed to Yang Shidao on his horse and rode into the forest.

Looking at the receding back, Yang Shidao did not speak to stop him. He had said what he should say. As for whether the other party listened or not, that was other people's business and had nothing to do with him.

"Why are you here now?" Li Chengqian and others who had already changed their clothes in the forest looked at Di Renjie who was late and asked.

"Just now, Left Prime Minister stopped me and said something, which delayed me for some time. I hope Your Highness and everyone will forgive me!" Di Renjie turned over and dismounted, took the clothes handed to him by Wang Quan and said.

"What?" Zhao Jie was surprised, "Why did he stop you? Did he find out something?"

Everyone was worried, fearing that Yang Shidao would find out and cause the plan to fail.

"No, if the Left Prime Minister found out something, it would not be me who came, but the Left Prime Minister himself who came to invite Your Highness!" Di Renjie said.

"Renjie is right! Everyone, hurry up and leave here." Li Chengqian said. Everyone

's suspense was finally put down.

After Di Renjie changed his clothes, he headed towards Fucheng.

Yang Shidao waited for a long time outside the forest, but did not see Li Chengqian and others. He thought they had a good time hunting and were unwilling to come out so early.

He ordered someone to build a awning nearby, and asked the servant to go back and fetch him some books. He sat in the awning and read while waiting for Li Chengqian and the others to come out. He

waited for most of the day, but still did not see Li Chengqian and the others. Master Yang was a little worried.

"Someone!" After thinking about it, Master Yang decided to send someone in to find out what was going on with the prince and the others.

"What do you want, Left Prime Minister?"

"Send someone into the forest quickly to check on the prince and the others. Don't let anything get into trouble!" Master Yang pointed to the forest and said.

"Yes!" The guards did not dare to neglect it, and immediately called a few people to go into the forest to check.

Not long after, the guards who went to check came back.

When Yang Shidao saw that only the guards had returned, but there was no sign of the prince and the others, he felt uneasy and thought to himself that something was wrong.

Yang Shidao stepped forward and asked hurriedly, "What's going on inside? Where is the prince? Why hasn't he come back?"

"Report to the Left Prime Minister! We didn't find the prince and the others in the forest. We only found a letter in the forest." The guard answered truthfully.

Yang Shidao was very anxious because he didn't find anyone.

If the prince was really lost by him, he, Yang Shidao, would be in trouble!

If His Majesty knew about this, he would definitely not let him off easily. Not to mention His Majesty, even Fang Xuanling and the others would fight him to the death.

It was Yang Shidao who went out hunting with the prince. Now that the prince is missing, he has an unshirkable responsibility.

"Where's the letter? Bring it here for me to see." Master Yang asked the guard for the letter.

The guard handed the letter to Master Yang. Actually, they didn't find the letter in the forest, and they didn't look for it.

The letter was written by Li Chengqian himself, and he handed it to the guard, asking him to give it to Yang Shidao.

Yang Shidao snatched the letter from the guard and opened it quickly. After reading it, he felt dizzy.

Li Chengqian explained clearly in his heart that he was leaving this time to visit the lower levels incognito and experience the suffering of the people.

He told Yang Shidao and others not to worry, and that after experiencing life, he would return to Chang'an safely, and all the political affairs of Chang'an would be entrusted to Fang Xuanling and Yang Shidao and others.

As for where he was going, there was no mention in the letter!