Chapter 79 She's not dead!
"I heard that Governor Zhou lied about the number of warhorses and embezzled more of the horse feed allocated by the imperial court."
Yao Shisan was stunned for a moment, "I'm not an official sent by the imperial court..."
She paused for a moment. "Was it Zhou Congxian who seized it?"
Zhou Congxian came for the warhorses, but wasn't he just looking to embezzle them?
Shuang'er: "I don't know, anyway, Sister Wenxi said to just pretend I didn't hear it."
"Now the people are saying that even an official like Governor Zhou is a corrupt official. He really is a master of deception."
"The entrance to the governor's mansion was littered with eggs and vegetable leaves by angry people."
Her brows furrowed slightly. "Zhou Congyu has been arrested. Will we still be unable to get the road map...?"
Shuang'er said, "Then we should rest more. The journey has been too tiring..."
No sooner had she finished speaking than Madam Chen rushed in, knife in hand.
Startled, Yao Shisan turned and hid behind the screen.
She didn't know if Chen still remembered her, but for safety's sake, it was best to hide.
Chen was stopped by the guards at the door. She gripped the door frame tightly and only caught a glimpse of a corner of her clothes as she hurriedly hid behind the screen.
She bit her lip twice.
What Madam Yao? She's nothing but a lowly concubine!
She was the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Chen family; she had never suffered such injustice before.
But her husband was taken away, and Zhou Congxian couldn't even see him.
With nowhere else to turn for help, she had no choice but to turn to the guesthouse.
"Madam Yao, I was not hospitable enough yesterday! But please, for the sake of my young child, allow me to see His Highness!"
Yao Shisan did not show himself; only a slightly hoarse voice came through.
“Mrs. Zhou has come to the wrong person. I am not an investigator.”
Chen tried to struggle to get up, but she was held firmly to the ground.
It had rained lightly last night, and the ground was still damp. Her face was pressed against the cold ground.
Even my carefully maintained nails broke.
Her former pride and self-esteem were now completely crushed.
She couldn't help but burst into tears, "I'm truly at my wit's end..."
Yao Shisan listened to the crying outside, but his heart remained completely unmoved.
Don't say she has no right to plead for others.
Even if she were qualified, she wouldn't want to plead for someone who fawns over the powerful and bullies the weak.
When Wenxi walked in, she saw Chen Shi being held down on the ground and unable to move.
“Take her down here, and explain how she got here.”
"yes."
When there was no more movement outside, Yao Shisan slowly peeked out from behind the screen.
"Have they left?"
Wenxi: "According to the plan, we will set off the day after tomorrow. Steward Qing will be going to purchase supplies later. Is there anything you need to take?"
Yao Shisan shook his head. "No."
Fu'er poked her little head out and said, "I want chestnut cake."
She hadn't eaten chestnut cake in ages since she'd been away!
Wenxi bent down and picked her up. "Little Fu'er is such a good girl, of course we have to buy chestnut cake!"
"Great!" Fu'er immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling!
Hezhou has many mountains and fruits. Now that it is summer, the shops still have many kinds of chilled cakes made from fruits that are not available in the capital.
Wenxi made a point of buying a little of each flavor.
She ran into Zhou Congxian as soon as she stepped out of the shop.
Her smile faltered. "Greetings, Your Highness."
Zhou Congxian's gaze swept over the pastries in her hand.
He paused for a moment, then called out to Wenxi, who was about to leave.
"Miss Wen."
"She...she often goes to Yubaolou. Did she say anything to you?"
Wen Xi stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at Zhou Congxian with a calm expression.
She knew perfectly well who he was talking about, but she still couldn't help but deliberately mock him.
"Her? Who is Your Highness asking about? There are so many guests at Jade Treasure Pavilion."
Then, with a look of sudden realization, she asked, "Your Highness, are you referring to Miss Song?"
Zhou Congxian saw mockery in her eyes.
He pursed his lips slightly and gave a self-deprecating laugh. Why was he asking what a complete stranger was doing?
"Sorry to bother you."
He turned and left.
"Prince Zhou".
The voice behind him called out to him.
He paused, but did not turn around.
Wenxi's voice was somewhat soft, "She never said anything; all I ever saw was a deep, unyielding sorrow in her eyes."
"sad?"
Zhou Congxian couldn't help but turn around.
What's troubling her?
Wen Xi was taken aback at first, but when she saw that he was still asking her questions, the sarcasm on her lips deepened.
"Shouldn't the Crown Prince ask him himself if he wants to know?!"
"Oh right, Lady Jiang is no longer here. If the young master wants to know, he should pray to the gods and Buddhas."
For some reason, Zhou Congxian still couldn't help but think of Madam Yao's eyes.
He had already seen it at the hotel last night, so what was he still hoping for?
His jawline was taut as he said in a deep voice, "She's not dead!"
Wenxi simply scoffed, offered no further response, and turned to get into the carriage.
She didn't know what had happened, but what people see in others' eyes doesn't lie.
Zhou Congxian stood at the door, watching the carriage depart into the distance, his knuckles cracking as he clenched his fists.
"grown ups."
A servant boy walked out of the shop.
"A letter has arrived from the capital."
Zhou Congxian then withdrew his gaze and turned to walk inside the shop.
*
After leaving the study, Jiang Xingyao always felt that someone was following him.
His brows were furrowed, as if someone had been following him ever since he left Chuzhou.
He stopped and looked back.
The crowd disappeared, and nothing could be seen.
Jiang Xingyao narrowed his eyes slightly and quickened his pace to walk forward.
The two middle-aged men behind them quickly put down what they were holding and chased after them.
But as soon as he turned the corner, he disappeared!
"We lost them again!"
The bearded man almost started swearing.
This is the seventh time I've lost track of them since leaving Chuzhou!
The other clean-faced man merely glanced at him.
"He has been in the capital for three or four days, and we still haven't found out where he lives. The general has urged us three times. General Guo, you should go and explain yourself."
General Guo hissed, "When it comes to claiming credit, you're the first to run away, but now it's all my fault?!"
"Why are you following me?"
While the two were still arguing, Jiang Xingyao, who had disappeared, reappeared behind them.
Before he even entered the capital, he was worried that he would be outnumbered and had to avoid being overwhelmed.
Now that we're in the capital, right under the emperor's nose, these people are still relentlessly pursuing us.
General Guo and his strategist Guo turned their heads at the same time.
The two looked at each other again at the same time.
It was delivered to my door.
Guo Junshi snapped open the folding fan in his hand.
Jiang Xingyao only felt a faint fragrance before losing consciousness.
General Guo caught him and began to mock his brother of many years again.
"I thought you were reluctant to part with your medicine, making me chase after him for so long!"
Guo Junshi smiled and said, "Didn't you say you hadn't had enough of pursuing Miss back then? Now you can pursue Miss's son properly and fulfill your last wish."
General Guo, "..."
Although they both share the surname Guo, they are not related by blood.
Over the years, they've had so many arguments and quarrels that they've practically lost all ties with their own brothers.
The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.
It has been vacant for many years, with only an old steward guarding the mansion.
The Meng family line dwindled, leaving no sons or daughters.
Everyone said that Meng would have no descendants.
Only the Meng family knew that after Meng Qinglian ran away from her arranged marriage, she was actually caught and brought back with a little boy who was over two years old.
However, she took advantage of the border incident and secretly ran away with her child.
General Meng has never given up searching all these years, actually because he was looking for this child.
Outsiders all thought it was a girl.
Therefore, all those girls sent to the Meng family to impersonate others over the years have been young women.
The two Guos stayed by the bedside, and unusually, there was no quarrel.
"Does she look like a young lady?"
"Yes, a little bit..."
"Maybe the child looks like his father."
"We haven't come to the wrong place, have we?"
General Guo glared at Strategist Guo, "Can you please stop jinxing things at a time like this!"
If he makes another mistake, he can forget about ever returning to the camp!
When Jiang Xingyao woke up, he opened his eyes and saw two enlarged male faces!
He was so frightened that he shrank back sharply.
General Guo immediately smiled and said, "Young master, don't be afraid."
“We are General Meng’s deputy generals, and we are your maternal grandfathers.”
“Grandfather? I don’t have a grandfather. You’ve got the wrong person.”
Jiang Xingyao's brows relaxed, and he pushed the two away to leave.
General Guo immediately stopped him, "Whether it's right or wrong, please come with us to see the general first."
Jiang Xingyao was merely a scholar; how could he possibly be a match for a military general?
“Our family is dirt poor! Where would we get a general as a maternal grandfather?”
"If my sister hadn't sold herself into servitude as a maid, I would have starved to death long ago."
"younger sister?"
The two men looked at each other in bewilderment. "How many children did Miss have back then?"
"Looks like one? Could it be a later birth?"
Seeing that the two were about to start arguing again, Jiang Xingyao seized an opportunity and darted out like an eel!
General Guo didn't move, but reached out and grabbed him by the back of his collar.
His mustache twitched. "Young master, you can't leave yet."
*
After two days of rest, Yao Shisan's voice was much better.
Fu'er was fiddling with a little wooden trinket that Wenxi had someone make for her.
These little pieces of wood have such magical properties; the little girl can handle them without them causing any trouble for at least an hour.
Shuang'er packed up the last things and put them on the carriage.
These days, they didn't have much stuff to begin with, but Wenxi added a little here and a little there, and now they have a small trunk.
Fu'er has the most things.
"You can get on the bus now."
Yao Shisan led Fu'er into the carriage.
The little girl was still engrossed in her little gadgets.
"Your Highness, I, Zhou Congxian, request an audience."
A clear sound came from outside the window.
Fu'er looked up, somewhat bewildered, "Father?"
Yao Shisan immediately covered her mouth and whispered in her ear.
"It's a man-eating bear."
Fu'er's eyes widened, and she buried her head in her mother's arms, no longer daring to speak.
Shuang'er had told her the story of the man-eating bear, which could impersonate the voices of fathers and mothers to deceive children!
A hint of confusion flashed in Zhou Congxian's eyes as he looked out of the car.
He thought he heard his daughter's voice.
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