Qi Leyun’s brain wasn’t working well, and her eyesight wasn’t good either.
These were clothes she had specifically selected, makeup she had carefully applied, creating an effect of someone who had suffered hardship yet remained imposing, maintaining a low-key yet dazzling heroic image.
How could she possibly look like an escaped convict being escorted!
Chu Tang glanced resentfully and reproachfully at the girl upstairs.
Fortunately, the other girls finally realized.
“She’s not sitting in a prison cart!”
“That fabric pattern is a new style that just came out this spring!”
“She’s wearing peach blossom powder on her eyes, which only came out in the capital this spring. How could a prisoner use that?”
“Her—her father is actually recovered from his illness.”
The girls’ gazes shifted from Chu Tang to another person beside her, wearing a brand-new scholarly robe, a scholar’s cap, with a short beard, square-featured face, gripping the reins and gently swaying. He seemed to want to look straight ahead, but his gaze still unconsciously wandered from side to side, greatly diminishing his scholarly air—
Although many girls had never seen Chu Lan, walking together with Chu Tang, their father-daughter resemblance was immediately recognizable.
Chu Lan was actually riding a horse in the procession as well. Previously, when Chu Zhao was made Empress, Chu Lan hadn’t gone out, claiming to be ill, but judging from how happy Chu Tang was every day, everyone knew he was definitely faking illness.
Now the arrest warrant posted by the authorities still hadn’t been taken down, yet Chu Lan was brazenly riding a horse into the city—
Some girls deliberately leaned out to look down—Chu Lan’s feet had no shackles.
“Not a prisoner.” Qi Leyun finally came to her senses, pointing at the layer of Imperial Guards and layer of officials beside Chu Lan and Chu Tang. The officials were even smiling and talking with Chu Lan. “What’s going on here!”
The common people on the street were also attracted by the father and daughter, Chu Lan and Chu Tang. Many didn’t recognize them, but when they heard the names, they all knew—Chu Lan’s name was quite famous in the capital.
“The Empress’s uncle!”
“That escaped convict!”
“Did he collude with Prince Zhongshan and escape?”
“He’s been captured and brought back!”
The clamor of discussions filled the air. Compared to the true dragon Son of Heaven, the despicable Grand Tutor who had gained power through petty means, the elegant young gentlemen, or the disgraced heir apparent, the Empress’s family members, both ordinary and extraordinary, were topics people loved to discuss even more.
Those blocked behind others couldn’t see and only heard fragments—escaped convict, the Empress’s uncle—both thrilling and terrifying. They anxiously tugged at people in front asking questions: What did the prison uniform look like, how big were the shackles, how badly beaten was the criminal—
However, people in the crowd quickly provided explanations—there were elderly men, old women carrying baskets, even children holding sugar figurines watching the excitement.
“Stop talking nonsense, Master Chu is not an escaped convict.”
“Master Chu was following the court’s orders, tarnishing his own reputation to deceive Prince Zhongshan’s heir—”
“This time, Prince Zhongshan’s heir was captured by Master Chu’s own hands!”
The street became even more clamorous. What a legendary tale!
The girls couldn’t be bothered to crowd by the windows anymore. Maids ran up and down, breathless, bringing the latest news from the street.
“It’s true, they say it was Chu Lan who captured Xiao Xun.”
“Actually, it was Miss A’Tang who personally made the move.”
“With one blade—”
A little maid suddenly made a drawing motion, startling the girls who were listening intently.
“—Miss A’Tang raised the blade and held it against the heir’s neck.” Another maid took over, even raising her voice to imitate Chu Tang’s voice. “You traitor, Her Majesty the Empress commands me to capture you—”
Qi Leyun laughed heartily: “Is that real or fake? Did she say that to make Heir Xiao give up seeking revenge from Chu Zhao and stop pestering her?”
The originally tense girls all burst into giggles at this.
This really was something Chu Tang would do.
However, that Chu Tang could do such a thing was still unexpected. The girls turned again to look at Chu Tang in the surging crowd on the street.
The girl sat on her horse, swaying like a tender willow.
The always timid, cautious Chu Tang who was best at self-preservation could actually do such a thing.
Many men couldn’t even accomplish this.
“So she didn’t flee, she went to be a hero.” Qi Leyun murmured. “She can actually be this formidable.”
A girl beside her sighed: “The Empress is so formidable, naturally her older sister is the same. After all, they’re family.”
Qi Leyun cleared her throat lightly: “Actually, as a tenant living in the Empress’s family home, I think I’m quite formidable too—”
The girls burst into laughter again.
Zhou Jiang suddenly said: “Scatter flowers for Miss Chu Tang!”
Hearing this, the girls in the hall looked at the flower baskets. These flowers had been freshly picked this morning, originally prepared for the Empress, but now—
Chu Tang deserved them too.
“Scatter—” everyone shouted with laughter, picking up flower baskets and tossing handfuls out the window.
“Congratulations to Miss Chu Tang on her heroic return!”
“Congratulations to Miss Chu Tang on her heroic return!”
The girls’ clear voices were like celestial music.
Countless petals fell down. The common people looked up, shouting and laughing. Children jumped trying to catch them. The street erupted in even greater clamor.
Chu Tang lifted her head and caught an apricot blossom in her hand, placing it by her temple with a radiant smile.
Being a hero felt truly wonderful.
……
……
The Emperor, important ministers, imperial clan members, and heroes gradually moved into the distance. The girls watched them off from afar, then gazed toward the city gate with somewhat regretful expressions.
“It’s a pity we didn’t see the Empress.”
The maids had already inquired on the street earlier—the Empress hadn’t returned and was currently in Zhongshan Commandery handling the aftermath. She would only return after finishing her work.
Miss Ning waved her hand grandly: “No matter. When the Empress returns, we’ll spend lavishly on a rain of flowers filling the sky to celebrate her.”
……
……
Entering the courier station, the street’s clamor was shut out.
Xiao Xun got out of the carriage and looked at this familiar place. The courier station he had previously massacred was now filled with officials again.
“Heir, please.” An official said coldly.
Several minor officials made no effort to hide their hatred. On that chaotic night, everyone at the courier station had been killed. Originally they thought it was the Third Prince’s people causing trouble, but at this moment it was crystal clear who the murderer was.
Xiao Xun paid no attention to the officials’ hostility. He walked past them with his attendants—only Tie Ying and Ning Kun.
As Xiao Xun entered, the courier station’s doors were locked layer by layer. Inside and out, two layers of soldier guards patrolled. Unauthorized persons were not permitted to approach.
Tie Ying looked at the cold and cheerless room. There wasn’t even hot water. He kicked over a bronze basin.
“Are they really treating Your Highness as a prisoner?” he cursed.
Xiao Xun sat down in a chair, completely indifferent to the dust on it, chuckling lightly: “Victors become kings, losers become bandits. What courtesy should bandits expect?”
Not mentioning this would have been fine, but bringing it up made Tie Ying’s eyes turn red. Originally it should have been the Heir making a grand entrance into the city! The Heir should have been enjoying the people’s cheers!
It shouldn’t have been stones and earth thrown at him, shouldn’t have been a tide of curses!
All because of!
Chu Zhao!
Chu Zhao used the Heir as a threat, forcing the Prince to withdraw his troops, failing at the last moment. Tie Ying gritted his teeth: “But rest assured, Heir, the Prince said that even so, no one in the capital can harm or humiliate the Heir!”
“I know.” Xiao Xun said with a smile. “Otherwise how could I sit here calmly? I’d have truly been thrown into a prison cell.”
He waved his hand as he spoke.
“Without servant girls, I’ll trouble you, Tie Ying, to go boil water so I can wash up.”
“In the past it was always me accompanying the Heir on travels. We never needed servant girls.” Tie Ying said. “I alone can ensure the young master eats and sleeps well.”
Having said this, he gripped his blade and stomped out.
Xiao Xun smiled: “Our Tie Ying truly fears neither hardship nor fatigue.”
Ning Kun said in a low voice beside him: “It’s because the Heir has a peaceful mindset and composed temperament.”
Xiao Xun leaned back in his chair and laughed heartily: “When I first entered the capital I was the Heir of Prince Zhongshan, and now entering the capital again I’m the Heir of Prince Zhenguo. This could be considered rising step by step—also a joyous occasion worth celebrating.”
Ning Kun said: “If the Heir can think this way, the Prince will be at ease.”
Xiao Xun looked at him and suddenly said: “However, there’s one matter I’d like you to help me investigate, Advisor Ning.”
Ning Kun quickly said: “Please speak, Heir.”
“How exactly did Chu Zhao negotiate with my father the Prince?” Xiao Xun said slowly, his hand resting on the table, drawing a mark through the dust, his eyes slightly downcast. “Besides threatening father with me, what other threats were there?”