Chapter 157 The Liar, Pei Yuan Pursues Shen Chu
Sun Yan asked, puzzled, "Didn't we say we'd depart tomorrow? Why is Your Highness leaving a day earlier?"
Pei Yuan changed into a light blue long robe with arrow-sleeved sleeves. "Once the imperial edict sent by Father Emperor to inspect the salt production is issued, the news will reach Changsha Prefecture."
I went ahead incognito, and what I saw was the real thing.
Sun Yan asked, "Should we inform Lord Shen to depart with His Highness?"
Pei Yuan paused, his hand gripping the jade belt.
Jinbao smiled and said, "Of course we need to inform them. His Majesty wants Lord Shen and His Highness to go together."
Pei Yuan lowered his head to fasten his jade belt and let out a soft hum.
Seeing that he objected, Jinbao quickly said, "This servant will go and inform Lord Shen to pack his things and come to meet His Highness."
Pei Yuan picked up the jade fan and walked out. "No need. I'll go find him myself. I'll set off directly from the Marquis of Changning's residence."
Sun Yan hurriedly chased after him, "Your Highness, I will go with you."
"Hey, what are you going there for?" Jinbao grabbed him.
"I'll go with you to protect Your Highness and Lord Shen."
Jinbao couldn't help but stomp on Sun Yan's foot, calling him an idiot.
Sun Yan scratched his head, "Did I say something wrong again?"
Jinbao rolled his eyes. "His Highness's martial arts are just as good as yours, why would he need your protection?"
"Isn't there Lord Shen? Lord Shen looks frail, I can protect him."
Jinbao was speechless. "You deserved to be slapped. It's good that Lord Shen is weak, so that His Highness can have a chance to use his talents."
Think about it, two lonely men, traveling together, you take care of my daily life, and I protect your safety.
"And then feelings just blossomed, oh my, just thinking about it melts my heart."
Sun Yan was stunned. "But...but Lord Shen is a man."
Jinbao said confidently, "So what if I'm a man? I'm still a eunuch, and I want to get married and find someone to spend my life with."
Your Highness has had a difficult childhood, but Lord Shen can make Your Highness sleep soundly and feel at ease, and can also make Your Highness furious and smile like a spring breeze.
As long as it's good for His Highness and makes him happy, what's wrong with two men? How old-fashioned!
Anyway, you're not allowed to go and disturb His Highness and Lord Shen's efforts to cultivate their relationship.
Sun Yan... felt his thinking had been broadened.
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Pei Yuan rode swiftly to the Marquis of Changning's residence, only to be told by Hongxiu that Shen Chu had already set off half an hour earlier.
"You set off early?" He narrowed his peach blossom eyes and looked at Hongxiu with a sinister gaze.
Hongxiu chuckled dryly, her neck hunched. "Well, my young master said he wants to arrive in Changsha Prefecture ahead of us and travel incognito."
Pei Yuan's hand, gripping the reins, showed slightly bulging veins.
This liar agreed to wait for news and then ran away first.
very good.
He'd better pray he doesn't run into me on his journey, otherwise...
Shen Chu didn't meet Pei Yuan, but she met Luo Heng first.
She hired a carriage and soon after leaving the city, she encountered a caravan that was approaching at high speed.
Shen Chu instructed the driver to pull over and make way.
As the caravan passed by, Luo Heng, sitting on his horse, saw her. "Brother Achu?"
"Brother Luo?" Shen Chu was very surprised to see a long convoy of cars following behind him, loaded with goods.
"Brother, where are you taking these goods?"
Luo Heng said, "I've finished checking the accounts in the capital. I'm going to Jianning Prefecture to check the accounts and deliver some goods there as well."
He paused, then lowered his voice and asked Chen Chu, "Brother Chen Chu, are you going to Changsha Prefecture?"
Shen Chu raised an eyebrow, "Why would you ask that, brother?"
Luo Heng smiled, "You have official business to attend to, you don't need to answer me directly."
When I left the city, news had already spread throughout the capital that a salt farmers' uprising had occurred in Changsha Prefecture.
With such a momentous event occurring, His Majesty will surely dispatch an imperial censor to inspect the salt fields.
"My esteemed brother is an imperial censor favored by His Majesty, and his appearance outside the city now made my guess."
Shen Chu admired Luo Heng's keenness and insight, saying, "Brother is very clever and insightful, which is admirable."
Luo Heng suggested that Shen Chu travel with his caravan.
"The journey to Changsha is long and arduous, and it will be hard for you to travel alone, my brother. Jianning Prefecture and Changsha Prefecture are in the same direction, only a little over a hundred miles apart."
"My dear brother, you can travel with my family's caravan; we can look after each other. What do you think?"
After thinking for a moment, Shen Chu agreed, "...I am not good at horseback riding, so I can only take a carriage, which may delay your journey, brother."
Her horsemanship was naturally fine, but her baby was only two months along and not yet able to sit properly, so she dared not ride a horse and could only use the excuse that her horsemanship was not good enough.
Luo Heng didn't mind. "The caravan is transporting goods, so it can't move very fast. With my brother by my side, the journey won't be boring."
"But you, my dear brother, didn't sleep a wink last night. Take this opportunity to get some sleep in the carriage; your elder brother is keeping watch outside."
Shen Chu felt comforted by his thoughtfulness. At that moment, she was indeed exhausted and soon fell asleep.
When I woke up again, it was because my stomach was growling with hunger.
The aroma of stir-fried dishes wafted from outside, and she stretched and got off the carriage.
Luo Heng, dressed in white, with a gentle and refined demeanor, was squatting on the ground... stir-frying vegetables.
The makeshift pot was steaming with oil, and the green vegetables were fresh and tender, looking very appetizing.
He was stir-frying vegetables with one hand, and with the other hand he was still able to flip the chicken roasting on the fork next to him.
The movements were fluid and natural, pleasing to the eye, and Shen Chu couldn't help but glance at them a few more times.
"My dear brother, you're awake?" Luo Heng turned his head and saw him leaning against the tree beside him, smiling at him. "What are you laughing at?"
Shen Chu sat down next to Luo Heng. "It's nothing, I'm just surprised. I never expected that my brother, such a gentle and refined gentleman, could cook in such a pleasing way."
Such a gentle and humble young man is not only good at business but also at cooking. He is presentable in the living room and capable in the kitchen, and he is also meticulous and considerate.
Oh dear, what kind of fate do I have to have such a wonderful older brother?
Luo Heng's gentle face flushed slightly from his praise. "I'm not as good as you say. Please don't say that."
Chen Chu nodded earnestly, "Luckily, Big Brother is squeamish about blood, otherwise I would have thought you were an immortal descended to earth."
Luo Heng was both amused and exasperated. He served the dishes and tore off a chicken leg for him, saying, "Are you hungry? Eat up."
Chen Chu, who was starving, smiled and took the chicken leg, saying, "Then I won't be polite."
Luo Heng smiled gently, "There's no need to be so polite with your older brother. Eat slowly, don't choke."
He unscrewed the bamboo tube containing water, saying, "Have some water."
"Okay, thank you, brother." Chen Chu reached out, but didn't catch it properly, and the bamboo tube slipped.
The water from the bamboo tube spilled onto Luo Heng's sleeve.
She was a little embarrassed. "Sorry, my hand just slipped..."
"It's nothing, I'll just change my clothes in a bit." Luo Heng didn't care, casually rolling up his sleeves and wringing out the water.
Shen Chu's gaze inadvertently swept over Luo Heng's left arm, and her expression changed slightly.
There was a scar on Luo Heng's left arm near his elbow.
Those are bite marks; you can still vaguely make out the teeth marks.
Brother Zhan also has a scar in the same spot, from where she bit him.
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