Chapter 320 Public Opinion
At dawn the next day, the guards moved boxes and cages out of Lanxue Garden and stacked them on the carriage.
Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi, wrapped in cloaks, came out of the mansion and saw dozens of well-trained guards standing at the door.
The leader stepped forward and said, "Second Master, Princess, I am Sun Wu, the Deputy General of the Flying Cloud Cavalry. By order of the Emperor, I will guard you from now on."
Zhao Yi's eyebrows moved slightly. The Feiyun Cavalry was an elite force under the King of Zhenbei, and they could fight one against a hundred.
Yesterday, Chen Du said he would ask the emperor to arrange for a few well-trained guards to protect their safety. However, he did not expect that this elite force would be assigned to them.
Zhao Yi said in a gentle voice, "Thank you all, soldiers."
Sun Wu clasped his fists and retreated.
Before Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan got on the carriage, they looked back at the Duke's Mansion shrouded in wind and snow. Except for two servants guarding the corner gate, no one came out to see them off.
Two people got into the carriage and it slowly drove away.
Shen Qingtan and Zhao Yi lifted the curtain of the carriage window and saw that the originally empty corner gate was now filled with people seeing them off.
Snowflakes as big as goose feathers fell on their bodies, covering their hair with a thin layer of white snow. As the carriage moved further and further away, their figures were stretched out and turned into blurred white dots.
Until he could no longer see them, Shen Qingtan was about to lower the curtain when he saw several figures riding on horses coming towards him.
She recognized that it was her brother's figure, who must have come specially to see them off.
Shen Qingtan waited for his brothers to come closer, but they never came to the carriage. Instead, they fell behind the carriage and followed the main force slowly.
After the carriage left the city, the carriages of the imperial teacher and the envoys from Northern Qi were already waiting at the city gate.
When Yan Yi saw Zhao Yi and Shen Qingtan coming, he lifted the curtain and reported to the imperial teacher: "Master, the prince is here."
The Imperial Master held a white jade chess piece in his hand. Upon hearing Yan Yi's words, he placed the piece on the chessboard. The deadlock on the chessboard was instantly reversed and brought back to life.
"Let's go."
The Imperial Master pushed the chessboard away.
Yan Er collected the chess pieces one by one.
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Northern Qi Imperial Palace, Imperial Study.
Concubine Shu held a bowl of soup in her hand and scooped a spoonful to feed the Northern Qi Emperor.
The Northern Qi Emperor opened his mouth and ate.
Concubine Shu pursed her lips and smiled, then scooped another spoonful and handed it over.
The Emperor of Northern Qi was about to open his mouth when he saw Eunuch Liu come in from outside the hall and raised his hand to push Concubine Shu away.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Preceptor will soon arrive in the capital. His Highness has led his men to Yingcheng to assist the Great Zhou in combating the plague."
Eunuch Liu said, "Your Majesty, rumors are circulating that a plague has broken out in Yingcheng. The Imperial Preceptor was unwilling to treat the people of Yingcheng, and so ceded the city to the Great Zhou. With the Imperial Preceptor's arrival in the capital, public opinion has intensified, causing widespread panic. This is especially true in the cities adjacent to Yingcheng, where the people, fearing the plague could not be contained, have fled."
He glanced cautiously at the Northern Qi Emperor and asked, "Your Majesty, do you want to suppress public opinion?"
"No need." The Northern Qi Emperor said sternly, "Once the plague is quelled, the rumors will be dispelled."
Eunuch Liu wanted to say something, but when he glanced at Concubine Shu beside him, he shut his mouth.
The Northern Qi Emperor saw this and held Concubine Shu's delicate hand: "My beloved, I have some political affairs to attend to. Please return to your bedroom first."
Concubine Shu's almond-shaped eyes were so gentle that they seemed to be dripping with tears. She said coquettishly, "Your Majesty, I am waiting for you in the bedroom."
After saying this, she left the hall slowly, carrying the food box.
The door closed behind her, and the tenderness on her face disappeared completely, reflecting the coldness of ice and snow.
Because of her words, the people below threw Yizhen into the Colosseum. His Majesty sat at the table and watched Yizhen being devoured with his own eyes, but did not say anything to stop it.
Who would have thought that more than 20 years later, Yizhen's deceased son came back to life, became a pawn in the hands of the imperial tutor, and returned to Northern Qi.
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