Chapter 73 A Family of Three
The two of them stayed up all night and didn't get up until it was already broad daylight the next day.
After Chu Jiu woke up, she first checked herself to make sure she was lying still with her hands properly placed in front of her chest and hadn't touched anything she shouldn't have before slowly opening her eyes.
The first thing you see is a gray-white wall.
He slowly sat up, turned around and saw that Qin Xiao was still asleep, lying straight, just like before he went to sleep yesterday, as if he hadn't moved at all.
"System, perform a check," Chu Jiubian said in his mind.
[Host, the patient's wound has not reopened and is currently healing.]
Chu Jiubian was relieved. He would change the dressing every day for the next two days, and by the 30th, he should be able to attend the palace banquet normally.
He suddenly remembered a passage he had read in the original work—
Prince Ning, Qin Xiao, led his army to a great victory over the Western Regions border kingdom, but was seriously wounded and took three months to recover.
Qin Xiao is still seriously injured, even more so than described in the original novel, but after surgery and the use of futuristic medical technology, he is recovering faster than before.
However, it takes a hundred days to recover from a broken bone. Qin Xiao's injury is still internal, and even if he can get out of bed, he will still need to rest for a longer period of time.
It is estimated that he will not be able to fully recover until the imperial examination after the New Year.
Chu Jiubian carefully examined Qin Xiao's complexion. The man's complexion was better than yesterday; he was not so pale, and his lips had regained some color.
A bluish stubble was sticking out on his chin, quite noticeable.
Chu Jiubian touched his own; he could only feel a little bit of it, and he couldn't even see it unless he looked closely.
Qin Xiao is tall, so how come his beard grows so fast?
For some reason, Chu Jiubian reached out and gently touched the man's chin.
The short stubble was a bit stiff, and it pricked my fingertips, making them itch.
The man's prominent Adam's apple suddenly moved, and Chu Jiubian realized the inappropriateness of his behavior and immediately withdrew his hand.
Looking up, she saw that the man's eyes were still closed, as if he hadn't woken up yet.
But Chu Jiubian could tell at a glance that the other person was definitely awake, but didn't open their eyes, perhaps because they were afraid of making things awkward for both of them.
Chu Jiubian felt that the room was a bit hot.
He got up and, just as he had done the day before, crawled over the man's body to get off the bed.
He put on his boots, turned around and saw that Qin Xiao still had his eyes closed, so he got up and went to the outer room.
He put on his cloak and went out to relieve himself.
Pushing open the door, a chill swept over me.
He then realized that the wind had stopped, and that the courtyard was covered with snow.
Qin Xiao had already met with Qin Chaoyang and Baili Hong yesterday, so two more palace servants were reassigned to serve him in the west courtyard.
The snow on the ground is about one centimeter thick, but the snow on the rooftops and walls is an inch deep. It is clear that the palace servants have already swept it once, but the snow is still falling.
Chu Jiubian summoned the palace servants and instructed them to help Qin Xiao get up and change his clothes. Only then did he put on his cloak and step out of the corridor, leaving a trail of footprints on the pure snow.
Actually, there are separate restrooms in the hall, similar to modern toilets.
But Qin Xiao was still inside, and Chu Jiubian felt something was off, so he went outside.
Meanwhile, at the city gate.
When it was time to open the city gates, An Wuji ordered them to be opened.
Last night, the King of Huguang and the King of Dongjiang were unable to enter the city. In such cold weather, they could not really sleep outdoors, so they went to the nearest village and found a few houses to stay in.
Knowing that they were royalty, the villagers were terrified. They offered them their best houses, killed chickens, and prepared the most sumptuous meal.
The two princes looked down on these things, but for the sake of their reputations, they still acted relatively amicably.
Before leaving this morning, each of them left some money for the village. It was just a few loose coins that slipped through their fingers, not even enough for a meal, but the villagers were all very grateful.
Before they even entered the capital, their good reputation for kindness had already spread.
After the city gates had been open for more than half an hour, and many shops had opened on the streets, and many people had come, the two princes' entourage finally entered the city.
The people quickly made way for them, and just as they were about to kneel in worship, they saw An Wuji and the Imperial Guards.
As everyone knows, An Wuji is also half a member of the Qin family, so wherever he is, he never asks the people to kneel and worship.
So the crowd simply hid in shops or stood behind stalls, but did not bow.
Even when the princes' entourage entered the capital, An Wuji raised his hand but did not order anyone to kneel.
The snow on the ground was an inch deep; if you knelt down, your clothes would definitely get wet, and it wouldn't be good to catch a cold.
An Wuji himself stepped forward and led his troops to meet the prince's procession.
After the two groups met, they stopped. An Wuji then loudly proclaimed in front of the surrounding people, "This humble official welcomes Your Highnesses. Last night, the gates were opened too late. It was my duty that I did not invite Your Highnesses into the city."
"However, Your Highnesses are kind and generous, and are willing to abide by the rules of the capital just like the common people. I truly admire them."
With just a few words, Baili Yue and Baili He were put on a pedestal.
If they show displeasure, it means they are not kind and do not follow the rules like ordinary people, which makes them no different from those powerful and wealthy people who bully the weak.
But if they are magnanimous and don't hold a grudge, they won't be able to get over it.
However, the two were not pushovers either, and naturally they could not be so easily subdued by An Wuji.
A few muffled coughs came from the carriage where the Prince of Dongjiang was. His attendant hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please drink some water to moisten your throat. Once you enter the palace, we will have the imperial physician examine you."
His response was still two coughs.
The servant looked anxious and even angry.
He stepped forward, glaring angrily at An Wuji, and said, "General An, please don't make sarcastic remarks. Our Highness has come from afar, barely resting to see His Majesty as soon as possible. We thought we could arrive before the city gates locked yesterday, but we were still too late. Last night it was so cold, we had nowhere to stay, and His Highness caught a cold. This morning..."
"Alright!" A slightly hoarse male voice came from inside the sedan chair; it was the Prince of Dongjiang.
"My servant is ignorant, I hope General An will not take offense." The Prince of Dongjiang did not show himself, coughed a few more times in the sedan chair, and then said, "Please lead the way, General An, I also want to rest a bit before seeing His Majesty."
The King of Dongjiang never blamed An Wuji, but he always portrayed him as cold-hearted.
The prince who had come from afar wanted to see the new emperor as soon as possible, but he was unable to enter the city before the gates were locked. In order not to break the rules, he searched for a place to stay in the middle of the night and accidentally caught a cold.
Although An Wuji was conscientious in his duties, the situation was special, so it wouldn't hurt for him to make an exception.
But now his actions seem somewhat rigid and inhumane.
Even the surrounding common people felt that An Wuji had done something wrong. After all, those two were vassal kings, the current emperor's uncles. Even if they had opened the city gates and entered, the common people would not have thought there was anything wrong with it.
This is the nature of ordinary people: they naturally worship and fear the powerful and wealthy, instinctively elevating those who are already in a high position to an even higher level, while neglecting their own rights.
Even if these high-ranking people have no idea who they are, and would never share any of their power and wealth with them, they will still fawn over them.
And this is something they themselves have never noticed or cared about.
An Wuji may not be as intelligent as Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, but he was able to reach this position not only because of his friendship with Qin Xiao, but also because he was indeed capable.
Among military generals, he was also superior in both strategy and intellect.
Therefore, he could clearly see what the Prince of Dongjiang was planning, so he showed a nervous expression and said, "Your Highness has caught a cold, which is really my fault. If I had known this would happen, I should have made an exception and granted Your Highness this privilege that the common people do not have."
He emphasized the word "privilege".
The common people, who were used to the privileges that the powerful and wealthy possessed and used, were as if they had been suddenly awakened.
Yes, General An's actions are to ensure that the powerful and wealthy follow the same rules as ordinary people. This shows respect for them, so how can they feel that General An is doing something wrong?
"General An, what are you saying?" The voice of the Prince of Huguang came from another carriage. "I have never thought of asking for any special privileges. Now, am I waiting for the city gates to open before entering the city, just like the common people?"
At this point in the confrontation, neither side has gained an advantage.
Even the Prince of Huguang had a feeling that if they continued arguing, they would lose to General An.
This is a military general, yet he possesses such eloquence and intelligence.
Baili Yue's fondness and desire for talented people deepened. He lifted the carriage curtain, looked at An Wuji, and said with a composed expression, "Please lead the way, General An."
Seeing the expressions on the faces of the people around him, An Wuji knew that not many people had been misled, so he did not want to argue any further and said, "Your Highnesses, this way please."
He escorted the two to their respective residences and handed them over to others before preparing to return to the palace.
But Baili Yue got out of the car and called him to a stop. He walked up to him and said with a smile, "I have long heard that General An is a promising young man. Now that I have met him, I can see that he is indeed extraordinary."
An Wuji remained expressionless and bowed, saying, "Your Highness is too kind. You are the one with great talent and extraordinary power."
Baili Yuelang laughed and patted his shoulder, saying, "I haven't been back to the capital for a long time. I wonder if there are any good places to visit in the capital?"
"Is Your Highness looking for a restaurant?"
Tomorrow these vassal kings will go to the temple outside the city to fast and practice rituals, so it's understandable that they want to eat and drink something today.
Baili Yue said, "Yes, do you have any recommendations?"
"His Majesty has a restaurant in Jinxiufang, where the food and drinks are excellent. Your Highness may wish to try it." An Wuji did not forget to promote business to the emperor.
Baili Yue then said, "I wonder if General An has time to drink with me tonight? We hit it off immediately and get along very well."
General An had long heard that Baili Yue had many talented people under his command, and he also enjoyed searching for all kinds of talents.
This person is clearly extending an olive branch, wanting to befriend him.
If it were Chu Jiubian, he would definitely agree right now, and see what conditions the other party could offer in order to gather some information.
However, An Wuji knew that although he was somewhat intelligent, he was no match for the Prince of Huguang, so he politely declined the invitation. He then said that he had other things to do and left quickly, heading towards the palace.
Baili Yue stood there watching his departing figure and sighed deeply.
What a pity.
If a talented person cannot be used by him, it is better to destroy him directly, so as not to benefit others.
Inside the palace, in the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
When Chu Jiubian returned from relieving himself outside, he saw that Qin Xiao had already gotten out of bed.
Inside the room, two washstands were already placed side by side, along with a bucket for changing water, soap pods, and willow twigs for brushing teeth.
The palace maid was pouring hot water into a basin.
Chu Jiu unfurled the cloak hanging on the rack by the door and looked up to meet Qin Xiao's gaze.
The two looked at each other in silence.
The two palace maids knew that neither of them liked being served, so they put down their things and quietly withdrew.
The door was closed, leaving only the two of them in the room.
Chu Jiubian then took a step and stood two steps away from Qin Xiao.
"Are you cold?" Qin Xiao asked.
"It's not cold."
The snow fell into my hair and melted into water as soon as I entered the house.
A few strands of hair clung to Chu Jiubian's face. Qin Xiao twitched his fingertips, but Chu Jiubian had already raised his hand to brush the strands away.
Qin Xiao rubbed his fingertips and smiled silently.
Chu Jiubian no longer avoided Qin Xiao, nor was he afraid of revealing his extraordinary abilities. So, he directly took out his toothbrush and toothpaste from his spatial storage right in front of Qin Xiao.
Of course, just in case, Chu Jiubian had previously changed the toothpaste container and bought a toothbrush with a wooden handle.
Qin Xiao held the willow branch and looked at him sideways, saying, "This thing looks useful."
Chu Jiubian had already bought a set of toiletries from the mall, including a razor, long before he even spoke.
Therefore, as soon as Qin Xiao finished speaking, Chu Jiubian handed over a brand new set of dental tools.
Qin Xiao was taken aback and said, "That's not what I meant."
Even so, he still reached out and took the toothbrush and toothpaste, asking, "Did you conjure all of these up?"
"Hmm." Chu Jiubian couldn't possibly explain how to use the system shop and space to him, so he just gave a vague reply.
Following his example, Qin Xiao dipped his toothbrush in toothpaste and put it in his mouth.
The refreshing lemon and mint scent instantly reminded him of that rainy night when the young man tasted the same flavor on his lips.
Sweet and soft.
His expression changed slightly, and he looked down at himself. His robes were loose, so he couldn't see anything unusual.
It was early morning, and the room was hot. Having shared a bed with Chu Jiubian all night, Qin Xiao felt that he was a bit too hot-tempered.
After brushing his teeth, Chu Jiubian squeezed some more shaving foam onto his face.
The young man originally had a somewhat aloof and distant appearance, but after squeezing a ring of soft foam around his face, his aggression was neutralized, making him look younger and cuter.
Qin Xiao found everything about him novel and was about to ask what it was when Chu Jiubian turned to face him and said in a cold voice, "Don't speak yet."
Qin Xiao swallowed back the words that were about to come out.
Chu Jiubian raised his hand and squeezed some shaving foam around his lips as well.
Since shaving foam couldn't be stored in any other bottle, Chu Jiubian didn't give the bottle to Qin Xiao but instead put it back into his spatial storage.
I'll buy some shaving cream later; you can put that in a ceramic jar.
"This is for shaving; it softens stubble," Chu Jiubian explained.
Qin Xiao nodded and did not ask any further questions.
Chu Jiubian knew why he gave Qin Xiao these things, and why he explained them to him.
In other words, he was aware that he had a desire to share with Qin Xiao.
But he deliberately avoided delving into it, remaining remarkably calm.
He calmly accepted the subtle change in his relationship with Qin Xiao; he didn't reject it, but he also didn't intend to respond.
After waiting for a while, Chu Jiubian took out a razor and a small mirror to shave off his stubble little by little.
Qin Xiao watched him from the side, and only after he finished scraping did he speak, "This mirror is nice, can you make it?"
"Yes," Chu Jiubian said after washing his face and applying lotion. "But we need to make the glass first."
"Glass?"
Chu Jiubian chuckled, took out a new razor, looked up at Qin Xiao, and said, "Don't move."
"Um."
Chu Jiubian then raised his hand, one hand supporting the man's neck, and the other gently shaving him.
Qin Xiao lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze slowly moving over the young man's delicate and flawless face. When their eyes met unexpectedly, Chu Jiubian casually looked away, not wanting to "entangle" him any further.
As the last bit of shaving foam was shaved off, Chu Jiubian gently moved his fingers that were resting on the man's neck, causing the man's Adam's apple to bob beneath his fingertips.
Chu Jiubian withdrew his hand, and Qin Xiao quietly washed his face.
Before long, the palace servants came in and took all the things away, but Qin Xiao put the toiletries on the table and didn't ask anyone to take them away.
About 15 minutes later, there was another sound outside. Someone had brought breakfast, but it wasn't a palace servant who came; it was Baili Hong and An Wuji.
It turned out that An Wuji had just returned to the palace after settling the two vassal kings, and came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation along the way.
He wasn't in the palace yesterday, so he didn't know Qin Xiao had woken up and went directly to the main hall.
He was thinking of talking to Eunuch Hong or Qin Chaoyang about the two princes, and reviewing whether he had said anything wrong at the city gate.
But as soon as he entered the main hall, he saw Baili Hong shuffling out, almost bumping into his leg.
Upon asking, I learned that Qin Xiao had actually woken up yesterday.
An Wuji immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and the invisible pressure that had been weighing on his head for the past few days instantly dissipated.
Upon learning that Baili Hong was going to see his uncle, he followed him, and even took the tray from the palace servant at the west courtyard gate.
After placing the food on the table, I turned around and saw that Baili Hong had already moved to the bedside.
Qin Xiao sat on the bed, and Chu Jiubian reached out and picked up the child, put him on the bed, took off his shoes, and told him to sit next to Qin Xiao.
"Thank you, sir." Baili Hong said sweetly, then turned and carefully hugged Qin Xiao's arm, tilting her chubby little face up to ask, "Uncle, are you feeling better?"
"Much better," Qin Xiao said. "You didn't cry last night, did you?"
"Of course not," Baili Hong said smugly. "I wanted to cry, but I held back."
He stopped crying only after his uncle was cured by the doctor.
Qin Xiao chuckled softly.
Chu Jiubian washed his hands and smiled upon hearing this.
An Wuji's gaze swept over the three of them, thinking to himself that this family of three was living in harmony and happiness. Although the adults and the young master had no children, with such a well-behaved child as the young emperor, it was no different from raising their own child.
"Uncle, are you going to eat while sitting on the bed?" Baili Hong hadn't forgotten that his uncle hadn't eaten yet.
Qin Xiao then looked at Chu Jiubian.
He had been standing on the ground for a while and moved around for a bit, and he had only just sat down.
Chu Jiubian actually wanted him to get down to eat, because he himself couldn't accept eating and drinking in bed, but moving around was not friendly to the patient.
He figured he could just change the bedding later, so he said, "Let's eat in bed."
An Wuji immediately and perceptively picked up the bedside table from the couch, placed it on the bed, and then put a portion of food on the table.
Chu Jiubian also helped carry a glass of water over and placed it next to Qin Xiao, then turned around and went to the table to eat.
Qin Xiao glanced at the teacup, then looked at An Wuji and asked, "Is this yours?"
An Wuji poured water for everyone, including himself, so this cup should be his.
An Wuji glanced at it and said, "Yes."
Qin Xiao pushed the cup towards him: "Take it away."
"Is my lord complaining about me?" An Wuji picked up the cup and said casually, "Young Master has never complained about me."
Qin Xiao paused, then looked up at him: "What do you mean?"
Chu Jiubian paused for a moment as he picked up some food.
Baili Hong blinked his bright eyes, looking at this and that.
An Wuji took the water cup and walked to the couch by the window, where he sat down. He said, "When we first met, you drank water from my water pouch."
Qin Xiao turned to Chu Jiubian and saw him eating his meal as if nothing had happened.
"When did this happen?" Qin Xiao asked.
Qin Xiao spoke calmly, but An Wuji still sensed something subtly off. Realizing belatedly that he might have said something wrong, he silently took a sip of water.
Chu Jiubian felt the man's gaze on him and looked up.
Their eyes met.
Chu Jiubian smiled wryly and said, "You almost strangled me back then. I would have died if I hadn't drunk water."
Qin Xiao recalled the scene of their first meeting, his expression changed slightly, and his jaw tightened.
There was silence for a long while.
Chu Jiubian scoffed lightly and resumed eating.
How dare you ask? Wasn't it Qin Xiao himself who almost strangled him to death back then?
However, Chu Jiubian wasn't angry. The situation back then was different from now. It would be normal for Qin Xiao to really kill him.
But something else caught Chu Jiubian off guard.
Qin Xiao had drunk plenty of the tea he had drunk before, used his cup, and even the handkerchief he had used to wipe his hands...
Only now did Chu Jiubian finally realize that Qin Xiao was not rough or lacking in cleanliness.
He wasn't like that with everyone; even with An Wuji, his subordinate and friend whom he knew very well, he wouldn't share a cup of tea with him.
The atmosphere inside the room was strange.
An Wuji dared not linger and quickly composed himself to recount what had happened last night and this morning.
“You did a good job,” Qin Xiao said. “Spread the word that His Majesty has ordered you to be fined three months’ salary as an explanation to the Prince of Dongjiang. Also, have Hong Fu give them both some rewards, and that’s the end of it.”
"As for the invitation to drink, it's best not to go. You can't handle them, and you might fall into their trap."
An Wuji naturally shared the same idea and nodded in agreement.
With the princes of the vassal states entering the capital, the defense of the city became of paramount importance. An Wuji was already quite busy and could not stay any longer.
Having nothing more to say, he got up and took his leave.
Chu Jiubian and Qin Xiao had already finished their meal and asked someone to clear it away.
A new table was set up on the couch by the window. Chu Jiubian and Baili Hong sat facing each other on the couch. On the table were children's paper and pens and a stack of folded papers.
Qin Xiao sat on the bed, where a new low table was placed, with an even thicker stack of folded documents on it.
As the year draws to a close, countless memorials and petitions of greetings arrive.
Fortunately, Baili Hong could approve these kinds of memorials himself. He would only show the ones he didn't understand or wasn't sure about to his uncle and teacher.
Chu Jiubian then took out the exam papers from students in various places and looked at them one by one.
If he came across something good, he would show it to Qin Xiao.
He didn't specifically look for Lu Yao's test paper. If Lu Yao's answers were just average, he might need to put in more effort to teach him. If Lu Yao's answers were good, he might be dissatisfied with other people's test papers.
So let's just leave it to fate.
The snow has stopped falling outside, and the palace servants are cleaning up, making rustling sounds. Inside the house, the floor is warm and cozy from the heating.
The three of them sat quietly, each doing their own thing, creating a warm and cozy atmosphere in the room.
The two princes naturally entered the palace and went to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.
However, Baili Hong also "caught a cold" and was unable to meet them. He sent them back after receiving their reward.
It was approaching evening.
Before the city gates were locked, the remaining four vassal kings finally entered the capital.
When they entered the capital, the reputation of the Huguang King and the Dongjiang King for their "benevolence"—staying in villagers' homes and leaving behind a lot of silver before leaving—had already spread throughout the streets and alleys.
Prince Dingbei, Baili Yu, sat in his carriage, closed his eyes, chuckled softly, and ignored him.
The other three vassal kings naturally pretended not to hear.
Si Tu Zhaoling and Si Tu Zhaoyao sat in a carriage, following behind their parents' carriage.
She quietly lifted the car window curtain and looked out. She saw the stalls and people on the convenience street, and the red walls and gray tiles, with upturned eaves, which were completely different from those in southern Xinjiang.
Everything was so new and exciting.
Si Tu Zhaoyao also lifted the curtain on the other side, shouting "Wow!" all the way, and exclaiming "Wow!" whenever she saw a candied hawthorn.
After the carriage passed through the convenience street, it arrived at the most bustling and prosperous main street.
The wide main road divides the city into east and west sides. Although the eastern working-class area is lively, it is far less prosperous than the western area.
Along the road to the west, there are many restaurants, brothels, and all sorts of miscellaneous shops, all of which are two- or even three-story buildings.
Si Tu Zhaoling watched all this with curiosity. Suddenly, as she passed a restaurant, she looked up as if she had a premonition and saw a pink figure by the second-floor window.
He was a handsome man with long, slightly wavy hair and fox-like eyes that slanted upwards at the corners. He was looking over with a smile.
It's Wang Qichen!
Si Tu Zhaoling's eyes lit up, but she didn't greet him; she just looked at him with delight.
Wang Qichen opened his fan to hide the smile on his lips and slowly winked at her.
The carriage drove away until it was out of sight, then Si Tu Zhaoling lowered the curtain and sat back down, stamping her foot excitedly.
"Sister?" Si Tu Zhaoyao tilted her head to look at her. "Did you run into a friend?"
My sister gets this excited and happy every time she goes out with her close friends. But this is the capital, and they've never lived here before. How could they possibly know anyone here?
"Brother," Si Tu Zhaoling said with a smile, "after you pay your respects at the palace, come out for a stroll with me."
Her family didn't know she also had a shop in Beijing, and neither did her younger brother.
She would go to the shop herself later to take a look, and her brother would definitely find it unbelievable.
Of course, she would definitely see Wang Qichen there as well.
Although she had met Wang Qichen many times in the Divine Realm, for some reason, the thought of them meeting in reality made her incredibly excited.
News had already spread that the young emperor in the palace had caught a cold, but the King of Southern Xinjiang and his entourage still had to make a show of it by entering the palace first to meet the emperor.
After all, they would all be leaving for the temple tomorrow, and their next meeting would be at the New Year's banquet, which would be very impolite.
And they all wanted to meet this three-year-old little emperor.
As for Qin Xiao and Chu Jiubian, the news they received was that the two were still in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, and there was no new information. It seemed that Qin Xiao had not yet recovered.
Some are even saying that Qin Xiao's illness is so severe that even a reincarnated immortal like Chu Jiubian cannot save him.
They also learned the reason for Qin Xiao's injury: his most trusted deputy had betrayed him and stabbed him, nearly killing him on the spot. It was a miracle that Qin Xiao was able to return to the capital alive.
As for why the other party betrayed Qin Xiao, there was no specific information. It was only said that no matter what severe torture was used, the other party did not utter a single word.
Of course, Qin Xiao had this message deliberately spread to lull the person behind it into a false sense of security.
King Baili Hao of the Southern Frontier entered the palace with four other vassal kings, and he also brought his wife and daughters with him.
Outside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, they did not see His Majesty. After staying for a while to express their gratitude, they left.
Xiao Yuzi, the eunuch who served Baili Hong, personally led several vassal kings out of the palace. On the way, Xiao Yuzi stayed by Baili Hong's side the whole time.
After leaving the palace, everyone boarded their respective carriages.
Baili Hao and his wife Si Tuanli also got into the car.
The carriages gradually moved away from the palace. Including the carriages of Si Tu and his sister, a total of five carriages slowly headed towards their respective residences.
Upon reaching the main street, Si Tu Zhaoyao got out of the car and caught up with her parents' car ahead, saying she wanted to go out for a stroll with her sister and return later.
The siblings were both intelligent and precocious, and of noble status. They also possessed deadly poisons and Gu worms that could save their lives, so they were naturally very safe.
So the two of them felt reassured and told them to go out and have fun, only reminding them not to stay out too late and not to drink alcohol.
After agreeing, Si Tu Zhaoyao returned to the carriage to find her sister. Their carriage did not turn with the other carriages, but continued straight ahead towards Jinxiufang in the West Market.
Baili Hao and Si Tuanli went straight back to their residence in the capital.
After arriving at the main courtyard and confirming that everyone there was one of their own, Baili Hao took out a note from his sleeve.
The letter, written in sharp, forceful handwriting, read: "It is suspected that Cheng Shuo is controlled by a Gu worm. We request the assistance of the King and Queen of Southern Xinjiang to identify him. A generous reward will be offered."
It also listed the location where Cheng Shuo was imprisoned, and the signatory was Chu Jiubian.
"A letter from Grand Tutor Chu?" Si Tuanli frowned.
Baili Hao nodded. This was secretly given to him by Xiaoyuzi, and he didn't show any unusual behavior the whole way.
They knew Cheng Shuo; he was the deputy general who had injured Qin Xiao.
They had previously discussed this privately and felt that Cheng Shuo's sudden betrayal was either due to coercion or inducement, or he was likely controlled by external forces.
Now it seems that Chu Jiubian thought the same thing.
Why would Chu Jiubian believe them? Shouldn't they have been the first to suspect them?
Or is the other side testing them right now?
"My lord, we should go." Si Tu Anli grasped Baili Hao's hand, and the little green snake poked its head out from her hair and flicked its tongue.
Baili Hao nodded: "Wait until it's late."
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