"Alright, Your Highness, let's go." Huo Baichuan didn't want to waste a moment, so he stood up and walked out of the front hall first.
Prince Yong, still worried, instructed Zhao Shu, "Ajun, since everyone says you're sick, you should just stay home and pretend to be sick. Don't go out, understand?"
"Yes, I understand, Father. Please do not be influenced by others on your journey. If anything happens, I will send someone to inform you." Concern can cloud judgment, and Zhao Shu was most afraid that others would take advantage of the relationship between her and her father.
If it were me today and I heard that my father was ill, I would also drop everything to visit him, no matter how difficult it was.
"Okay." He patted Zhao Shu's arm to show her not to worry, then turned and followed Huo Baichuan out of the front hall. Sun Yun was standing in the courtyard. After seeing Prince Yong leave, she came in, handed Zhao Shu a jade pendant, patted her shoulder, and said, "Don't worry."
After saying that, he waved and left the front hall.
Zhao Shu originally wanted to see them off, but she stopped abruptly and instructed Chu Chun and Sheng Xia, "Go to the palace and explain the reason. While I am not at the manor, keep the gates closed and do not let anyone in. If there are any problems at the manor, go to A Yun."
"Yes." The women accepted the order, knowing they couldn't go with the princess; their primary responsibility was to protect the palace.
"Little Zhu, while I'm away, send all the intelligence that comes later to the Sun residence. Have Fei Peng take the people there as well. A Yun knows what I'm going to do. While I'm away, no matter how others slander you, don't defend yourself or make any response. Whatever mudslinging you throw, just throw it back three times as often. If there are any problems with San Gu Zhai and Chun Yuan, go directly to Lord Huo or the Empress."
Too many people in the family is troublesome, and too few people is also troublesome. After explaining the main problems, Zhao Shu disguised herself again and took only Xiao Guozi and a few of Zhihai's disciples with her, and rode out of the city at high speed.
To get to Jiangnan, it would be faster to travel by water. After leaving the city, the group headed straight for Tianjin.
The Sun family had some influence in Tianjin Port. After receiving Sun Yun's token, Zhao Shu successfully found a cargo ship by the evening of the following day.
"Honored guest, please come in." Sun Benxian was Sun Yunxin's trusted confidant who had been transferred to Tianjin. According to him, when Sun Yunxin was young, he was her coachman and was very loyal. Later, he was sent to the estate by Sun Zhongshi. After Sun Yunxin took over the household, she transferred him to Tianjin to manage the horse-drawn cargo ships.
Extremely reliable.
Naturally, if he were unreliable, Sun Yun wouldn't let him manage such an important place as the horse's head.
It was already evening, and the ship wouldn't set sail until the next morning. After picking up Zhao Shu, he immediately arranged for her to rest in the best room at the dock.
Thank you.
Sun Benxian escorted Zhao Shu to the door but did not go in. Although he did not know Zhao Shu's true identity, he knew that she must be an extraordinary person, especially since she appeared in a place like Ma Tou. She was definitely not someone to be trifled with, and he knew what to do.
After bowing and taking his leave, he left the space to Zhao Shu and her servant.
"Princess, rest assured, I just checked and it's safe," Liang Xi said.
"Just take turns on duty to conserve your energy. We still have a long way to go. Let's get off." After riding for a day and a night, she was also extremely tired.
Su Xiu and You Ma were women. They originally wanted to help Zhao Shu wash up, but Zhao Shu stopped them, saying, "You two should go and rest too. Don't be too fussy. Have the shopkeeper bring up some hot water, and I'll wash myself."
They were disciples of Zhihai. Whenever they thought of this old man, and of how he had hanged himself in front of the Empress Dowager's tomb in his previous life and was still unable to escape the fate of suicide in this life, they felt depressed and had a feeling that they had not actually changed their fate.
Knowing her temper, the two men didn't insist and soon left, leaving only Xiao Guozi waiting for the shopkeeper to bring water.
Sun Benxian was reliable and efficient. He didn't keep Zhao Shu waiting long before bringing hot water. Although Xiao Guozi was a eunuch, Zhao Shu didn't have the habit of having him serve her bath, so she told him to leave and rest.
After taking a bath, she couldn't resist the drowsiness and lay down on the bed, sleeping soundly until midnight.
I woke up in the middle of the night and found something tied to my right hand. When I touched it with my left hand, I realized it was the Cloud Piercing Chain that I had been wearing for several years. I sat up with a start.
The room was very dark, and I couldn't see what was in my hand at all. Although I was already certain in my heart that it was the Cloud-Piercing Chain, I didn't want to believe it until I saw it with my own eyes.
He rolled out of bed, reached for the window, and opened it, hoping to use the moonlight to confirm if it was the Cloud-Piercing Chain. However, what he saw was Wei Tingsi drinking wine glass after glass on the opposite rooftop.
The entire courtyard was eerily quiet; not even the chirping of summer insects could be heard, as if someone had drugged it.
A full moon hung high in the sky. He sat casually on the rooftop in a white robe and jade belt, without a hair crown. His black hair cascaded down, exuding an air of leisure. It was hard to tell whether the moon or the moon enhanced the man. The gentle moonlight shone on him, making him seem to become one with the moon. This reminded Zhao Shu of the saying, "A gentleman of noble character is like jade being cut and polished, like carving and grinding."
However, under the moonlight, his figure looked too lonely.
Hearing the sound of the window opening, Wei Tingsi, still slightly drunk, turned his head and saw Zhao Shu standing in front of the window staring blankly at him. His heart ached, so he threw the wine pot aside, stepped on the roof tiles, and flew into the open window.
He was too fast, and Zhao Shu didn't have time to dodge before he grabbed her. She tried to struggle, but he grabbed her hand.
Slowly, slowly, Zhao Shu felt her hand being placed on his chest. "Shu Shu, it hurts here," he said.
The embrace was warm and comforting, making one feel intoxicated.
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