On the way to Shuzhou, people were extremely nervous. Wangchuan Huangquan looked out the window from time to time, paying attention to the movements of the carriages.
Those carriages were sandwiched in the middle by Feng Yuheng's motorcade to ensure that they could be protected from the front and back. The secret guards on horseback also focused on protecting the sides of those carriages. Only Ban Zou followed Feng Yuheng's carriage on his horse, never leaving.
Xiangrong sat in the carriage with a look of resentment on her face. She couldn't figure it out: "If you want to find a military prostitute, even if you have to look for her in a faraway place, aren't those girls in brothels enough? Why kidnap girls from decent families? Second sister, the girl just now said that she was the concubine's daughter of the governor of Pengzhou. Could it be true? How brave must that group of old women be to dare to kidnap a girl from an official family? Isn't she afraid that the governor of Pengzhou will investigate and chop off her head?" Xiangrong became more and more angry as she spoke, and she stomped her feet in the car.
Wang Chuan and Feng Yuheng thought of the same thing. Seeing that Feng Yuheng didn't say anything, she took the initiative to answer Xiang Rong's question. She said, "Did Miss San forget what the old woman said? They are under the banner of His Majesty the Ninth Prince, and they are suppressed by His Majesty the Ninth Prince's name. Even if the governor of Pengzhou finds out, what can he say? She is just a concubine's daughter. If she were a legitimate daughter, she might go to the capital to make a fuss. It's not worth offending His Majesty the Ninth Prince for a concubine's daughter. But it is definitely difficult to kidnap a legitimate daughter directly. Generally, legitimate daughters of wealthy families are followed by guards when they go out, and the old woman doesn't have much ability. As for those merchant families, if the kidnapped daughter happens to be someone they love very much, this matter will probably go to the capital." She looked at Feng Yuheng and asked, "What do you think, Miss? Pengzhou is not far from Kyoto."
Feng Yuheng still didn't say anything, Huang Quan also analyzed at this time: "A kidnapped woman is equivalent to a ruined reputation. I'm afraid some families won't even look for her. Even if such a daughter is found, she will be a useless person. Not only will she not be able to get married, but she will also be pointed at at home, and the other daughters in the family will suffer. In my opinion, more than half of the families will choose to remain silent, just like a dumb person eating coptis, and swallow this bitterness by themselves."
"Think of a reason after we get to Shuzhou, at least don't embarrass those women." Feng Yuheng suddenly said this, then continued to close his eyes and said nothing more.
Wang Chuan understood what she meant and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, Miss. The governor of Shuzhou is on good terms with His Majesty the Seventh Prince. The two princes have already sent people to inform the provincial capitals, prefectures and counties we will pass through on the way to the fiefdom. They are all considered our own people. When the time comes, we will ask the governor of Shuzhou to come forward and say that those girls were invited by his wife to Shuzhou as guests. Then we will arrange for someone to notify their families and write a clear letter about the situation. Then, let their families take their daughters back in style."
"It must be clearly stated in the letter that it was the Eighth Prince's men who kidnapped their daughter and used the Ninth Prince's name to ruin his reputation. Our young lady is kind-hearted and rescued the person." Huang Quan interrupted, "In any case, we cannot let the Eighth Prince get away with it."
Feng Yuheng nodded, "That's a must." It seems that the war in the southern border will soon start. I'm afraid there has been some movement now, but the journey is too far and it has not yet reached the capital. However, Lao Ba must have known something in his mind. His contact with the small country in the desert should not have been interrupted when he arrived in the capital, otherwise he would not have come up with such an idea in advance. It's just that this black and fat woman is unlucky. I don't know what she was thinking when she met her, but she took this road. Didn't the Eighth Prince tell her that she might collide with her if she walked this way?
Feng Yuheng frowned, and suddenly had a bad premonition. She suddenly opened her eyes, which scared everyone in the car. Especially Shan Cha, who was pouring water for Xiang Rong, almost threw the copper pot away. Fortunately, Huang Quan helped her.
"Miss, what's wrong?" Wang Chuan asked quickly when he saw this, "Did you think of something?"
Feng Yuheng nodded, "It's not an accident that this woman ran into us, nor is it bad luck for them. This was deliberately arranged by the Eighth Prince. He wanted to use this to warn us, and it can also be regarded as a reminder that the battle between him and Xuan Tianming has officially begun. Whether it is openly or secretly, he will try every means to encircle Xuan Tianming, and there should be more than one team like that fat black woman transporting military prostitutes. Now the entire Dashun, there are probably such teams in action in all directions, all under the banner of His Highness the Ninth Prince, damaging His Highness's reputation. Then they will directly transport people to the South Realm, and then make a big fuss in the South Realm. When Xuan Tianming arrives in the South Realm, I'm afraid he will be collectively boycotted by the people." She rubbed her forehead, "It's good that the people in the South Realm resist, these people have picked so many officials, and it's possible that an official will file a complaint to the capital, and then the people of the Eighth Prince's party will deliberately exaggerate in the court..."
"Will His Majesty the Ninth Prince's reputation be ruined?" Huang Quan gritted his teeth in hatred, "Damn it, the Eighth Prince is only good at playing dirty tricks. If he has the ability, why doesn't he just come out in the open? Let's have a real fight!"
"How can the throne be won with real swords and guns?" Wang Chuan shook his head helplessly, but he had no way to deal with this matter. He could only put his hopes on Feng Yuheng: "Miss, what do you think we should do about this? Are we just going to watch His Highness the Ninth Prince take the blame?"
Feng Yuheng smiled bitterly, "What else can we do? I'm afraid that this matter has been secretly planned since the moment Lao Ba handed over the military power of the Southern Territory. We may be able to send people to stop one or two lines, but how can there be only one or two lines? I'm afraid there may be ten or eight lines, and we can't stop them all."
"What should we do?" Huang Quan was also anxious. "If it really doesn't work, let the ladies in the carriage behind serve as witnesses for His Highness the Ninth Prince?"
"How is that possible?" Xiang Rong said, "You just said that they were afraid of ruining their reputation. If they come out to testify, wouldn't it mean that they will be exposed to the public for being kidnapped? But..." She paused and looked at Feng Yuheng, "Second sister, if you give them some benefits, will they be willing to be witnesses?"
The carriage fell silent for a moment, and everyone was thinking about the possibility proposed by Xiang Rong. But what kind of benefits should be given? The daughter of an official family has no shortage of money, no shortage of status, no shortage of... No! Feng Yuheng blinked, is it really true that she has no shortage of money and status? Although they are daughters of an official family, they are only concubines of officials and legitimate daughters of merchants. Concubines lack status, and legitimate daughters of merchants lack a more noble identity and a higher-end social circle. Perhaps, she can do these.
Feng Yuheng knew what was going on, and told the driver to speed up, and they finally entered Shuzhou City in the evening.
Just as Wang Chuan said, on the way from Kyoto to Ji'an County, Xuan Tianming and Xuan Tianhua had already made arrangements with the prefects and governors of various places in advance. Basically, Feng Yuheng would receive the highest reception in every city, and even if she arrived in a small county, the county magistrate would come forward to make arrangements. When they entered Shuzhou City, the soldiers guarding the city recognized them very well, and after confirming their identities, they trotted back to report to the governor. The governor had been waiting for Feng Yuheng's arrival these days. When he heard that he had entered the city, he hurriedly took his subordinates and his wife out to greet him.
Feng Yuheng's carriage drove all the way to the government office gate. As soon as he got off the carriage, he saw a group of officials kneeling on the ground, greeting him in unison. The people around him also knelt down, and everyone came to see the elegance of Princess Ji'an.
Feng Yuheng didn't have the heart to greet officials and common people today. He just said a few simple greetings and followed the prefect, Mr. Song Tianqi, into the government office. The carriages carrying the girls were arranged to enter from the second gate. After getting off the carriages, the girls went to wash up first. Feng Yuheng had already told Song Tianqi what happened.
Song Tianqi was a man of the Seventh Prince Xuan Tianhua. He had followed Xuan Tianhua for many years and was considered a confidant. He frowned as soon as he heard about this and said, "The princess said that my wife should come forward and say that they were inviting the young ladies to be guests. This is fine, but if there are such teams in other places, then the reputation of His Highness the Ninth Prince will be in jeopardy!" He was so anxious that he kept spinning around and kept muttering, "What method should I think of to expose the evil deeds of His Highness the Eighth Prince?"
Feng Yuheng advised him: "Don't worry, Master Song. I have my own way to deal with this matter. You and your wife just need to do the previous things well. In addition, we are afraid that we will have to disturb you for a few days. I hope you will forgive us."
"What are you talking about, Princess?" Song Tianqi waved his hands. "These are what I should do." As he spoke, he seemed to remember something and looked at his wife. "I remember that my wife seemed to have a concubine sister who married to Pengzhou and became a concubine in the prefectural government of Pengzhou?"
Song Tianqi's wife Liu nodded, "Master is right. I have some dealings with that concubine sister, and we exchange gifts every year. She also gave birth to a daughter for the governor of Pengzhou, but I don't know if it's the one the princess rescued." She stood up and bowed to Feng Yuheng, saying, "But I'll go to the backyard first! If it's really her, I should be able to help with this matter."
Feng Yuheng also thanked him and said, "That would be great. Madam, don't worry. I will do my best to protect the reputation of those girls. If any girl is really a relative of yours, as long as she is willing to come out and testify for the Ninth Prince, I will naturally give her and her daughter a chance to succeed."
Liu hurriedly thanked Feng Yuheng again, and at the same time said: "Speaking of my concubine sister, what she cared about most since she was a child was her status as a concubine. It was precisely because she was a concubine that she could only be a concubine. Although I am not close to her, I have never treated her badly. She became a concubine and the daughter she gave birth to was also a concubine. This has almost become the most frustrating thing for her and her daughter. She doesn't want her daughter to follow her old path in the future, but there is no way to change it. If the princess can lend a hand in this regard, it should be the best starting point." After leaving these words, she hurried to the backyard with her maid.
Song Tianqi felt that this matter was actually a bit difficult, and wanted to explain it for his wife, but Feng Yuheng said: "It doesn't matter, it's just an identity. As long as she nods and agrees, this princess will have her own way. As for those people in the backyard, the old woman and a few big men will be sent to the capital tomorrow, directly to Jingzhao Yin Xu Jingyuan. I will send my secret guards to escort them all the way, just in case."
Song Tianqi nodded in response, and Feng Yuheng said, "Besides that, we need Lord Song to cooperate in a show..."
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