Chapter 4 The Prince's Failed Rebellion 4
Zhang Xiaojia brought the eldest prince and a group of carpenters back to the palace.
Zhang Xiaojia asked the carpenters to make an extra-large carriage, but this carriage was to be pulled by her. She also asked the carpenters to work as fast as possible to make a wheelchair with a toilet.
She hurried to find food, two hundred kilograms of rice, potatoes, salt, oil, and dried shrimps would be enough.
She had to bring the medicinal herbs with her, as she wanted to make the antidote before the Queen. She had all the herbs and could make the nutrient solution.
She also needs to make hemostatic powder, so she needs to prepare it quickly. Tomorrow she will be working as a horse to pull a cart, and she will definitely be sweating. What should she do if the wound on her face gets inflamed? She will have to cut off the rotten flesh in the inflamed wound.
Zhang Xiaojia worked until the early hours of the morning to prepare the nutrient solution and hemostatic powder for ten days.
Looking at the hemostatic powder in her hand, she called for white peony to sprinkle it on her wound. Zhang Xiaojia bit the white cloth and waited for her skin to heal for three minutes. She was in so much pain that she wished she could die.
Seeing the scar on his face, Zhang Xiaojia bandaged his face with gauze.
Looking at He Fei's schedule for going to the toilet, he knew that he had to go at the last minute of the Chen hour. Zhang Xiaojia only slept for two hours.
When Zhang Xiaojia stepped into the carriage, she saw the various boxes of supplies she had carefully prepared, as well as a wooden bed specially made for He Fei, with 30-centimeter-high guardrails on both sides to prevent him from falling. After everything was ready, Zhang Xiaojia carefully carried He Fei onto the fully loaded cart.
With the best craftsmen in the country, her four-wheeled cart can be said to be the best made, ensuring safe arrival at the destination.
Although the space inside the car is limited, she has arranged it in an orderly manner.
Once she leaves the palace, no one will be able to help her, because no one dares to take a gamble. What if she helps someone and the queen finds out and refuses to give her the antidote?
When Zhang Xiaojia pulled the cart out.
Eunuch Mai holds the imperial edict.
"Zhang Xiaojia receives the order," Eunuch Mai shouted.
Zhang Xiaojia knelt down and said, "I accept your order."
"By the providence of Heaven, the Emperor proclaims:
I have heard that the relationship between Zhang Xiaojia and Prince Jing is no longer sustainable, and I am deeply concerned. Considering Zhang Xiaojia's past contributions and character, I grant the following decree:
If Zhang Xiaojia agrees to divorce Prince Jing, he will be exempted from the drudgery of guarding the Imperial Mausoleum. Knowing his exceptional talent and noble character, I grant him special permission to remain in the capital. I also grant him freedom, allowing him to live in peace wherever he chooses, without anyone daring to harm him.
This decree shall take effect immediately.
Zhang Xiaojia knew what the emperor meant. This was a show to allow her to gain a good reputation and become someone willing to share the sufferings of the down-and-out prince.
Acting? She's good at it.
Zhang Xiaojia's eyes remained firm, unwavering after hearing the imperial edict. She slowly raised her head and spoke in a clear and forceful voice, "Eunuch Mai, please inform the Emperor on my behalf that I appreciate His Majesty's grace, but I cannot divorce Prince Jing."
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Mai's face lit up with surprise, as if he hadn't expected Zhang Xiaojia to refuse this rare favor. He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Zhang Xiaojia, you know, this is a special favor from the Emperor. If you refuse, you'll probably never get another chance like this again." (Zhang Xiaojia looked at Eunuch Mai and curled his lips, acting her heart out.)
Zhang Xiaojia nodded firmly and said, "I naturally understand the emperor's good intentions, but Prince Jing and I have a deep love for each other and have been through thick and thin together. How can I abandon him because of a temporary difficulty? I am willing to go with Prince Jing to guard the imperial mausoleum and overcome the difficulties together."
After hearing this, Eunuch Mai sighed, seemingly helpless at Zhang Xiaojia's stubbornness. He put away the imperial edict and said, "Since you have made up your mind, I will report the truth to the Emperor. However, the hardship of guarding the imperial mausoleum will be severe, so you must be mentally prepared."
Zhang Xiaojia smiled slightly and said, "Don't worry, Eunuch. Since I have made this decision, I will not regret it. Please thank the Emperor on my behalf."
Can you get out of here now? The show is over.
Eunuch Mai took out a small wooden box and handed the token of a first-rank county lady to Zhang Xiaojia, saying softly, "The emperor asked me to tell you that this is the tiger token of the mausoleum guards. From now on, it belongs to you. The county lady is a second-rank official, but you are the only first-rank county lady in the Zhou Dynasty. The emperor asked me to take the eldest prince to him. Don't worry, the eldest prince will leave for the imperial mausoleum the day after tomorrow."
Zhang Xiaojia nodded to indicate that the eldest prince would follow His Majesty's instructions, and she put the tiger card away.
She pulled the cart and walked straight towards the city gate, followed by the constable.
Zhang Xiaojia's body is worth a lot of money, and she has been served by someone since she was a child.
When she reached the city gate, her shoulders and feet ached.
The emperor and the prime minister watched Zhang Xiaojia pulling the cart on the city wall.
"Military Envoy, I forbid anyone from causing trouble for the Lady of the County on the road. Order the post station staff to pave the road smoothly for me. Tell everyone at the post station to prioritize the Lady of the County. Anyone who dares to cause trouble will be sent directly to the Dali Temple prison. Have someone clear the way ahead and clear all danger for me."
The Wudesi Envoy received the order.
During the Zhou Dynasty, prisoners were escorted an average of 25 kilometers a day.
During the Zhou Dynasty, roads were mainly divided into two types: post roads and ordinary roads.
Post roads are official roads built and maintained by the government, mainly used to transmit military intelligence, transport military supplies and for officials to travel.
These post roads were usually paved relatively smoothly, with post stations along the way providing food, accommodation, horse-changing and other services to passers-by.
Ordinary roads are built and maintained by the public themselves, and are mainly used for private trade and daily travel of the people.
Zhang Xiaojia looked at the yellow soil, which was bumpy and had some gravel. She had disliked the cobblestone roads in the capital city. She was really ungrateful.
Zhang Xiaojia walked about five kilometers and really couldn't walk anymore.
Put the cart steadily, get on the cart, give He Fei some water, and turn him over, massage him, and clear his muscles and bones.
Looking at the blisters on her shoulders, she simply pricked them with a knife, sprayed them with hemostatic powder, and watched the wound scab over.
During the quarter of an hour's rest, Zhang Xiaojia munched on some naan. Naan can be kept for ten days or half a month without going bad. She asked the kitchen to make two kinds, sweet and salty. Both were made of the best wheat flour. They were not bad, just a little hard.
Zhang Xiaojia got off the cart and continued pulling it. She had no time to look at the scenery as she still had 20 kilometers to go.
A distance of 25 kilometers may not be far in modern times, but in ancient times, the roads were rugged and uneven, there were no modern means of transportation, and people had to rely on walking. You can imagine how difficult it was.
The carriage could only travel 35 kilometers a day. She had said that 125 kilometers could be covered in half a day. I forgot that the horses couldn't handle it and the post road was difficult to travel.
Unable to bear it any longer, she could only drink a simple nutrient solution and walk quickly all the way to the post station.
The postmaster had been standing at the door waiting for this little ancestor. The people from the Wude Division had already made it clear that if anyone dared to displease her, all the people here would be thrown into prison.
Arriving at the posthouse, Zhang Xiaojia took out the token of the first-rank county lady and said, "One of the best suites, two tables of fine wine, one of which will be delivered to my room."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com