Chapter 46: Zhongnan

On the streets of Luoyang, peonies are in full bloom, and people are everywhere admiring the flowers. Some people even come from thousands of miles away just to see the peonies in Luoyang. For a time, the inns and shops in the capital were packed with people.

Ming Huachang sat by the window on the second floor, staring at the scene of the capital in a trance. Pagodas rose from the ground one after another, like ripples gathering strength, and when they reached the center of the city, they surged into the sky, forming the majestic Vientiane Temple, while soft petals surrounded the pagodas and streets, majestic yet gentle, cold yet lively.

As she was distracted, she caught a glimpse of someone holding a gun in the shadows of the flowers, walking towards her. Ming Huashang quickly waved to the people downstairs: "Sister Ren, here!"

Ren Yao looked up and saw the girl smiling and waving at him from the window. Ren Yao quickly went upstairs. Ming Huashang had already asked the waiter to serve tea. Ren Yao saw it and asked, "Have you been waiting for a long time?"

"No." Ming Huashang smiled, "There are so many people these days, I was afraid there would be no seats, I came too early. Fortunately, I am familiar with the shopkeeper of this store, otherwise, the seats on the second floor would not be available. Their purple bamboo shoot tea is well brewed, you can try it."

Ren Yao was not so elegant and particular. She put her rifle on the table, sat down opposite him, raised her teacup and drank it all in one gulp. In fact, she didn't taste any difference, but still said, "Good tea."

Ming Hua Shangsi didn't care about Ren Yao's attitude. She glanced at the gun and bag beside Ren Yao, paused, and asked: "Sister Ren, what are you going to do..."

Ren Yao did not intend to hide his feelings and said, "The Empress is going to move the capital to Chang'an. It's just right. I have already stayed in Luoyang long enough. I plan to go to Chang'an to visit famous teachers, learn martial arts, and carry forward my father's ambitions."

Ming Huashang raised her eyebrows. She certainly admired Ren Yao's courage, but she couldn't help asking, "Does Madam Ren agree?"

Ren Yao was silent. Ming Huashang knew from her expression that she would definitely disagree. Ming Huashang sighed, "Sister Ren, personally, I support you very much and sincerely hope that you can inherit the Pingnan Marquis Mansion. But as a younger generation, I have to remind you that you are the only relative left by the old lady. If you have anything to say, please speak up."

Ren Yao sighed, and a petal fell onto the table. He crushed it and said, "I appreciate your kindness, but this matter cannot be resolved by talking. My grandmother wants me to get married, and after I get married, she will submit a memorial to ask for the title of Marquis of Pingnan to my uncle. If I don't fight back now, will I protest by going on a hunger strike after I marry into my husband's family?"

Ming Huashang was silent. Ren Yao poured a cup of tea and drank it in one gulp. He said, "I had an argument with my grandmother yesterday. She punished me by making me kneel in the ancestral hall in front of the tablets of my father and brother. I was told to come out when I had thought it through. I thought about it all night and I still think I was right."

"My name is Ren Yao. I am not someone's wife, nor am I someone's mother. If men can do something, why can't I? So I left her a letter and ran away. I don't care about marriage. If I delay my age and can't get married in the future, I will be more than happy."

Ming Huashang sighed softly, patted Ren Yao's hand, and said: "Since you have thought it through, I support you unconditionally. If you have any inconvenience, just tell me..."

Ming Huashang paused as she spoke, because she thought that she was about to be taken to a secret base by Ming Huazhang for training. If Ren Yao wanted to find her for something, how could he contact her?

Thinking about it this way, Ming Huashang felt that it was a bit too much for her to go to Chang'an to "cultivate Taoism" and for Ren Yao to run away from home at this time...

What a coincidence?

Ming Huashang wanted to test whether Ren Yao had received any orders, but Ming Huazhang had clearly told her not to reveal her actions, so Ming Huashang could only ask politely, "Sister Ren, what are you going to Chang'an for? Do you have any plans now?"

Ren Yao said without hesitation: "Chang'an is full of hidden talents. I plan to seek advice from famous martial arts masters one by one. When my martial arts skills are solid enough, I will apply for the Wuju exam. If I fail once, I will take it again. I don't believe that there is no path for me, Ren Yao, in this world."

The ambition was very ambitious, and the plan seemed to be well-planned. Ming Huashang's guess was shaken. She did not give up and tried again: "Although the Wuju exam is open to the whole world, no woman has ever participated. Sister Ren, why did you want to take the Wuju exam?"

"An old friend of my father advised me," Ren Yao said. "He will find a way to register. When you get to that point, there will naturally be a solution."

Ming Huashang pursed her lips. Could it be that she really guessed wrong? Was she the only one who passed the Wei family's assessment because she made the greatest contribution?

This is so embarrassing. Ming Huashang couldn't help but feel guilty towards Ren Yao and Jiang Ling. She originally thought that according to the wishes of the superiors, the more manpower the better, so she boldly proposed a win-win cooperation method.

Unexpectedly, in the end, it was her teammates who sacrificed themselves to achieve her success.

In front of Ren Yao, Ming Huashang couldn't mention that she had officially become a Xuanxiao Guard and was about to go to Chang'an to take up her post. Ren Yao had already lost the election, but she still mentioned it in front of him. Wasn't this deliberately stabbing him in the wound?

Ming Huashang said nothing about the mission, and smiled and said to Ren Yao: "Okay, Sister Ren, take care on your journey. I will be able to see you in Chang'an after the capital is moved."

Ming Huashang felt very guilty after saying this, but fortunately Ren Yao just agreed generously and did not make an appointment with her. Ming Huashang felt a sense of melancholy, she looked at the scenery of Luoyang outside the window and said, "Everyone says Chang'an is good, but I really don't want to leave Luoyang."

Ren Yao sighed as well. Ming Huashang knew that it would be difficult for her to see Ren Yao in the future. She didn't want the farewell to be sad, so she smiled and said, "By the way, Sister Ren, have you made any progress on the Su family that I asked you to inquire about before?"

Ren Yao remembered what she said, and she said, "I almost forgot that I came here today to talk to you about this matter. Last time you asked me to do it, I sent someone to Taiyuan.

After a long search, they found a nanny named Su who had been a slave of Wang's family and later retired to her hometown. However, Su had died of illness.

"Dead?" Ming Huashang was very surprised. "When?"

"Two years ago."

Ming Huashang clenched her hands. She thought of many possibilities, but she didn't expect that when she found Nanny Su, she was already dead. Ming Huashang asked, "Where are her family members?"

"She had only one son, but his son and his wife died young. She has been living with her grandson and granddaughter for the past few years. Two years ago, she contracted typhoid and died. Her grandson took care of her funeral and then moved away. No one in the village knew where they moved to."

Ming Huashang's eyebrows were tightly knitted. If she guessed correctly, then the grandson and granddaughter should be her real brother and real daughter. Ming Huashang originally wanted to ask Su Mama in person what happened in the past, but unexpectedly, she was still a step too late.

Nanny Su died, and her only two remaining relatives are missing. Where can Ming Huashang go to find out about the time when Wang Yulan gave birth in Zhongnan Villa?

Ming Huashang still did not give up and asked, "Why is there so few people in Su's family?"

Aunt Su died of illness, her son and daughter-in-law died young, and even her grandchildren moved away. Was this an accident or man-made?

Ren Yao replied, "When Su Ma was young, she served in the Wang family. She was rarely with her family and could not have children, leaving only a son. However, people in their village said that Su Ma saved a lot of money. Not only did she build a new house inside and outside, but she even had some money left to support her grandson's education. In recent years, they have not worked in the fields for a long time. They rented the land to others for farming, and their family lives a very prosperous life."

"How much did it cost them to build the house?"

"The Su family didn't say, but the villagers estimated it." Ren Yao held up five fingers and said, "At least this number."

Ming Huashang raised an eyebrow and said, "Five guan of money? That means your family is indeed quite wealthy."

"Not only that, the money spent on building the house is visible, but there is also a lot of money that is not visible. The neighbors said that their family spent a lot of money to support their grandson's education. Not to mention that, but they also support their granddaughter. I don't know how much they spend every month on pens, ink, paper and inkstone. People in the village said that Su Ma raised her granddaughter like a young lady and will send her to a noble family in the future. When the time comes, if one of the Su family's children passes the imperial examination and the other child becomes a wife or concubine in a wealthy family, the Su family may be able to change their status and become a family of officials from then on."

Ming Huashang responded in a low voice. It was true that serving in a wealthy family was more profitable than farming. Perhaps the master's reward was enough to compensate for a year's hard work, not to mention that Nanny Su's son and daughter-in-law had helped Wang Yulan manage the business. She believed that Nanny Su had saved the money to build a house, but she was not sure that she could spend money continuously in the future.

How dare you be so extravagant when you have already eaten up all the resources?

After Ren Yao finished speaking, he saw Ming Huashang's serious face and asked, "Huashang, why do you care so much about the Su family?"

Ming Huashang's eyes moved and she smiled, "Nothing. Nanny Su was my mother's wet nurse. She retired and returned home many years ago. I want to know if she is doing well."

Ren Yao had no doubts and said, "Then you can rest assured. Their family is doing well. If Nanny Su's grandson is lucky, you may see him in Chang'an in the future."

Ming Huashang curled her lips and smiled faintly.

As the two were talking, a shocking voice came from downstairs: "Ming Huashang, Ren Yao, is that you?"

They both lowered their heads and saw a familiar figure standing not far away, dressed in flashy clothes and glittering gold.

With this attire and this style, no one else in the capital could think of him except the great playboy Jiang Ling.

Without waiting for Ming Huashang and Ren Yao to greet him, he had already clattered up the stairs and sat down at the table with alacrity, not feeling at all that he had come uninvited. "Did you hear that I was nearby and deliberately wait for me here?"

Ren Yao sneered. Ming Huashang was speechless and said tactfully, "I'm drinking tea with Sister Ren."

"You even ordered a pot of tea to wait for me." Jiang Ling's eyes were even more moved. "I'm just going to Chang'an to play for a few days. I'll be back in the future. There's no need to be so reluctant to let me go."

Obviously Jiang Ling misunderstood something, but Ming Huashang did not ask further questions because she heard another important point.

"Are you going to Chang'an too?"

"Yes." Jiang Ling said in astonishment, "The capital is so well-informed about my movements. Has it spread?"

"You think too much." Ren Yao said coldly, "I am going to Chang'an to learn martial arts."

Ming Huashang silently replied in his heart, and she. That strange feeling came up again, and Ming Huashang asked: "What are you going to Chang'an for?"

"Help my father with work." Jiang Ling said, "The palace in Chang'an has been empty for too long. Princess Taiping was afraid that she would have nowhere to live after the capital was moved, so she asked my father to repair the princess's mansion and the temporary palace in the suburbs of Beijing. My father has official business and can't leave, so he asked me to keep an eye on it."

They said he was asked to keep an eye on things, but in fact he was just a figurehead. There were special people in charge of purchasing supervision, and Jiang Ling only needed to take the credit in the end.

Since the empress ordered the relocation of the capital, the major families in Luoyang have sent people to Chang'an to build properties and repair houses. It makes sense that Jiang Ling took advantage of his family's fame to go to Chang'an and live a life of luxury. Ming Huashang saw that no one was paying attention, so she lowered her voice and asked, "After the case of the Wei family was concluded some time ago, did General Han look for you?"

Ren Yao shook his head, and Jiang Ling sneered "No" with disdain. Ming Huashang looked into their sincere and frank eyes, and her guilt grew even worse.

It was a sin. She was the only one who passed the test among all of them, and she had to keep it a secret because of the mission. When she returned, she would eat one less meal to atone for her sin.

Out of guilt, Ming Huachang took the initiative to pay when the bill came, but Ren Yao and Jiang Ling also rushed to pay. Finally, the waiter couldn't stand it anymore and said with a smile: "Why don't you three guests chat first, and I will come back later?"

In the end, they ended this fierce competition for the bill by boxing. Jiang Ling paid the bill, and the three of them walked out of the teahouse. Ming Huashang now liked Jiang Ling very much, and reluctantly said, "Then we will meet again if we are destined to do so."

Ren Yao held the spear and clasped his fists: "Goodbye."

Jiang Ling was quite moved. You see, he said that they couldn't bear to part with him, but he still refused to admit it.

The three of them said goodbye and went their separate ways. Until Ming Huashang followed Ming Huazhang on their journey, she felt quite sad.

Because Ming Huashang was nominally going to "cultivate Taoism", she left the capital alone without her maid. Zhaocai Jinbao and Jixiang Ruyi cried for several days, but Ming Huashang felt that she had hands and feet and was able to stand on her own, so what was there to worry about?

Her courage completely collapsed half a minute after she climbed up Mount Zhongnan.

"Brother." Ming Huashang said with a tearful face, "Should we climb up?"

Ming Huazhang said calmly: "What else?"

Ming Huashang was speechless, she thought there was at least a carriage.

Ming Huazhang arranged the entire trip. The Ming family's carriage stopped at the foot of Zhongnan Mountain and did not move. Ming Huachang thought that her second brother was soft-hearted and could not really torture her. They pretended to do it in front of the Ming family and would get on another carriage after turning a corner. They never expected that Ming Huazhang was serious.

Ming Huachang usually walks but never runs, and lies but never stands, so she had never experienced such a severe hammering. The deep mountains and old forests that Ming Huazhang described were not exaggerated at all, they were really just lumps of earth in the ravines, there was not even a road, only a narrow path made by footsteps.

Ming Huashang couldn't remember how long they had been walking, but finally, they passed through a canyon and the view suddenly opened up.

At the very center is a stretch of houses and palaces, surrounded by dense forests, gurgling springs, and steep cliffs. It is like a fairyland with beautiful scenery.

But the scenery was too good to be true. Ming Huashang looked around quietly and even thought there was a bear here.

Ming Huazhang showed his identity token, and the people on the watchtower lowered the drawbridge and saluted Ming Huazhang. Ming Huazhang took Ming Huashang to the floating bridge and said to her, "Take a closer look now. Once you enter this door, it will be difficult to get out. Anyone who leaves without a token will be considered a traitor and will be shot with arrows."

Ming Huashang's breathing stagnated, and for a moment she almost said, "Can she go back on her word?"

Will he be shot on the spot?

The door slowly closed behind her. Ming Huazhang turned around and saw her looking depressed. He smiled and said, "I thought you would back out."

Ming Huashang didn't want to talk. She had already hit him, she just didn't dare to say anything.

Ming Huashang originally thought that she had been abducted by her brother and taken to a mountain ravine, but after entering, she found that the environment inside was unexpectedly good, with pavilions and terraces. If Han Jie had not been standing in front of her, Ming Huashang would have thought that she had come to the palace of a princess or a royal grandson.

Han Jie smiled and glanced at Ming Huashang, then walked up to Ming Huazhang and bowed, "Congratulations, General Ming, you have been promoted to the Tianzi level at the age of sixteen. You are a young talent, and young people are to be feared."

Ming Huazhang bowed his hands indifferently, not feeling happy about it. Then, Han Jie turned to Ming Huachang with a smile: "Second Madam is here too, I thought I would never see you again. I heard that you made great contributions in the last mission. You are worthy of being the twin sister of the Ming Zhonglang Jiang, you are extraordinary!"

Ming Huachang forced a smile and said, "General Han loves me so much. I am not even one ten-thousandth as kind as you are."

Han Jie smiled, without saying whether it was right or not, and said, "Let's go, everyone else is here, we're just waiting for you."

Ming Huashang became nervous when she heard this, knowing that she was about to meet other spies of Xuan Xiaowei. She secretly arranged her clothes, but it was a pity that her legs were weak and she was tired like a dog, and her clothes were wrinkled.

Ming Huashang was quietly wiping the mud off her sleeves when Han Jie had already opened the door in front of her. She subconsciously looked up and met the eyes of the person inside.

Ming Huachang paused, her eyes widened. When the people inside saw her, their faces showed various expressions of surprise, surprise, and embarrassment.

Han Jie turned around and said, "What are you still standing there for? Find a place to sit."

Ming Huashang no longer cared about the mud on her sleeves. She walked into the room and sat down expressionlessly, staring at the person in front of her: "What a coincidence."

Jiang Ling chuckled: "Yeah, what a coincidence."

The two men who claimed to go to Chang'an to learn martial arts and help their father renovate the princess's mansion were seen sitting in the secret base of Xuanxiaowei. The three of them looked at each other and felt a little embarrassed.

Xie Jichuan propped up his chin and sat in the second seat on the left. He asked with interest, "No way, you didn't know that the other party was going to come here? As friends, don't you even have this little trust and sincerity?"

Ming Huachang felt a pang of regret. She had felt guilty for so long, but it turned out that those two people were playing her that day in the teahouse?

Ming Huazhang and Han Jie walked to the front, and Ming Huazhang extended his hand and said, "General Han, please take a seat."

"No, no." Han Jie declined, "You are their leader, so you should take the seat."

"The general is of higher rank than me."

"That may not be the case once you pass the imperial examination."

The two of them pushed and shoved for a while, and finally Ming Huazhang went to the left and sat down, while Han Jie sat opposite him. Ming Huazhang said calmly, "Congratulations, you have passed the first test. As a Xuanxiao Guard, the most important thing is to keep it secret. Not to mention friends, you must never reveal your whereabouts even to your relatives or your bedmates."