Zhao Mian felt the thickness of the family letter in his hand and could already sense the anger of his fathers.
He first read his father's letter. His father's handwriting was larger than usual, and it was obvious that he wrote it in a hurry, as if he wanted to possess his consciousness on the letter and express his overwhelming emotions in person.
[No, we clearly agreed to go home for the New Year, why are we going to Beiyuan again? ? ? ]
[Why don't you let someone else go to get the money? Why do you have to go there yourself?]
[Mianmian, tell the truth to your father. Were you deceived by the man surnamed Wei? ]
[It must be. When I saw that guy before, I felt that he was full of bad intentions.]
[Mianmian, wake up! Even if it's just to get rid of the poison, you can still bring Wei Zhenfeng back home. ]
[Mian, you may not believe it, but at the time of writing this letter, your father has become the calmest one among the four people in the family. Your brother is clamoring to go to Beiyuan to pick you up. The Prime Minister stood by the window, facing north, and did not speak for half an hour.]
[That being said, Father still believes that you have a sense of propriety and will not mess around outside. I will find a way to stabilize the Prime Minister's situation for you, so just do what you want to do with peace of mind.]
[Come back right away when you’re done, you know!]
[Come back soon, I can’t handle it alone...]
As for the prime minister's letter, the prime minister did not write back to him at all, which was enough to prove the seriousness of the problem.
Once the Prime Minister gets angry, he will definitely take action. If his action is not to write a letter like his father did, then what will it be...
Zhao Mian held the letter in his hand, opened the window of the carriage and looked outside.
They were on the official road leading to Shengjing, and in front and behind them were people with carriages and horses, caravans, messengers, ordinary people visiting relatives and friends, and officials coming to Beijing to report on their work, with a line of people as far as the eye could see.
Zhao Mian couldn't see anything unusual among the pedestrians he saw.
That’s right, even if the Prime Minister wants to do something, he won’t do it so quickly.
Wei Zhenfeng was originally accompanying Zhao Mian in the carriage, but after a few days he could no longer sit still. The carriage was too stuffy, and it was even more stuffy with a beauty in it. The wound on his arm was almost healed, so he simply rode his horse to protect the carriage.
At this moment, Wei Zhenfeng saw Zhao Mian sticking his head out of the car window and looking around, so he rode over and asked, "What's wrong?"
"The Prime Minister is quite dissatisfied with my sudden change of schedule," Zhao Mian said in a deep voice, "I think he will send someone to arrest me."
Wei Zhenfeng put on a surprised expression: "Is it so serious?"
Zhao Mian's face was solemn: "Yeah."
Wei Zhenfeng smiled and said, "What should I do? I will take you home now, and then go to the Prime Minister's Mansion to apologize to Prime Minister Xiao in person?"
"Now that you're here, why are you talking to me?" Zhao Mian said, "Besides, you won't be able to see my father when you go to the Prime Minister's Mansion. He basically lives in the palace."
Even though he had heard about it and had seen with his own eyes how the Nanjing royal family was different, Wei Zhenfeng still found it incredible: "Does he live with your father?"
Zhao Mian raised his eyelids and looked at him: "Or else?"
"They are so respectful and dignified, it's really enviable." Wei Zhenfeng sighed sincerely, "I think the Nanjing Palace will definitely have another little princess to fulfill His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's dream of having a younger sister."
When mentioning his sister, although he knew the possibility was slim, Zhao Mian's eyes softened a lot.
Wei Zhenfeng said again: "Or maybe there will be another disciple like the Second Prince..."
With a bang, Zhao Mian slammed the car window in Wei Zhenfeng's face.
As long as he didn't hear it all, nothing would happen.
Shengjing is not only the capital of Beiyuan, but also the largest city among the Three Kingdoms. People come and go every day, and there are countless post stations along the official road, one every thirty miles. The closer you are to Shengjing, the more you can feel the grandeur of the capital of Beiyuan.
Unlike the prosperous and colorful Shangjing in Nanjing, Shengjing is dominated by monotonous cold colors, which is extremely solemn and dignified. In the middle of winter, Shengjing had several heavy snowfalls, and the city towers were covered with snow. From a distance, they looked like crystal clear white dragons.
The roads in the city are wide, and patrolling guards can be seen everywhere. People come and go on the streets, but in an orderly manner. The emperor's majesty is awe-inspiring.
If Nanjing's Shangjing is a phoenix with every feather glowing with brilliant light, always shining brightly regardless of the season, day or night, attracting thousands of birds to pay homage to it, then Shengjing is a snow-covered silver dragon, hovering over Beiyuan all year round, looking down at all living beings, quietly and low-key showing its inviolable pressure.
Before entering the city, Wei Zhenfeng specifically warned Zhao Mian not to say bad things about Shengjing in front of him after entering the city, otherwise he would not listen to a word Zhao Mian said on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, and he would retaliate in his own way.
The original words of the young prince were: "I like you very much, but if I hear you say something bad about Shengjing, I will still be angry with you, understand?"
When Wei Zhenfeng said this, many of their subordinates were present and listening. When they heard the words "I like you very much", except for Zhou Huairang and Shen Buci, everyone else took a deep breath, looking at each other, not quite able to grasp the situation.
What is the little prince doing? Is this considered expressing your true feelings? Just... so casual? At least find a place where no one is around and give some treasures as a token of love.
Zhao Mian didn't really take the first half of Wei Zhenfeng's words to heart. It was obvious that the focus of Wei Zhenfeng's words was on the second half. Zhao Mian mocked, "I haven't said anything yet, and you're already anxious."
Wei Zhenfeng raised his eyebrows: "Then can you speak it?"
Zhao Mian said indifferently: "No, I won't do that in front of you, but I will tell you secretly."
Even so, when Zhou Huairang got into the carriage and asked Zhao Mian if he wanted to tell him bad things about Shengjing, Zhao Mian still refused: "There's nothing to say."
Beiyuan’s name of “Wu State” is well-deserved.
Zhao Mian was puzzled for a long time. Wei Zhenfeng was obviously a jerk in private, but why was he never inferior to others in the formal world of fame and fortune? He now understood that the local environment and soil nurtured the local people.
Only a capital city like Shengjing can raise a young man like Wei Zhenfeng.
Zhou Huairang said, "We can say that the food in Shengjing tastes bad, Your Highness. This is recognized by everyone!"
Thinking of this, he felt much more balanced.
The carriage stopped at the city gate. Yu Lin, who was sitting in the prisoner's carriage, slowly raised his head and looked at the two words "Shenyang" hanging high on the city wall, his expression gloomy.
The most excited people to be back in Shengjing were Yun Yong Hua Ju and others. Most of them were born and raised in Shengjing, and had been away from home for a year or two, and today they finally returned. In the midst of the jubilation, only Ji Chong had a bitter face, missing his wife far away and sighing, until someone slapped him on the shoulder.
"Brother Ji, look who that is!"
At the foot of the city wall, a young woman, supported by her maid, looked at him eagerly. It was Ji Chong's newlywed wife whom he had been thinking about day and night.
In an instant, Ji Chong's face was almost broken with laughter. He didn't even bother to say hello to the little prince and ran away. His speed was so fast that afterimages appeared in front of everyone's eyes. Hua Ju said that he had never seen Ji Chong run so fast when the sandstorm came.
Seeing the affectionate couple, Zhao Mian asked, "Did you arrange this?"
Wei Zhenfeng said leisurely: "I'm not that kind."
Zhao Mian nodded: "That's right, you are the kind of person who will tear up other people's umbrellas when you get caught in the rain."
Wei Zhenfeng said modestly: "I don't deserve it."
Zhou Huairang joked: "Anyway, Brother Ji finally doesn't have to drink herbal tea every day."
Zhao Mian and Wei Zhenfeng looked at each other in silence, and then looked away tacitly.
At this time, the court official Peng Ou found Wei Zhenfeng and said, "Your Majesty, I will take the remnants of the Imperial City Division to the court for trial."
Wei Zhenfeng glanced at Yu Lin, who was also looking at him. A strong hatred burst out from his eyes that had been numb all the way. If this hatred could be transformed into a blade, Wei Zhenfeng would have been riddled with holes long ago.
This is true hatred.
Wei Zhenfeng retracted his gaze and laughed, "Go ahead." After that, he turned to Zhao Mian and said, "I'm going to the palace. You go to the palace and wait for me first?" He had been away from Beijing for a long time, so the first thing he had to do when he returned was naturally to report to the emperor.
Zhao Mian said: "Okay."
Wei Zhenfeng's palace is only half a street away from the Beiyuan Palace. Just by looking at the grandeur of the gate, one can tell the noble status of its owner.
When Zhao Mian stepped into the palace gate, Hua Ju suddenly sighed: "For so many years, the prince has never..."
Zhou Huairang had been with the Crown Prince through thick and thin for a while, and he thought he had grown a lot. He could answer quickly, "Are you trying to say that in all these years, your prince has never brought outsiders back to the palace, and my son is the first one?"
"That's not the case." Hua Ju said honestly, "Whenever our prince is in Shengjing, he often brings relatives and friends to the palace for a small gathering. The palace is very lively every day."
"Is it lively every day... Ha." Zhao Mian repeated Hua Ju's words, "Then he must have kept a lot of actors and dancers in the palace."
"No, the prince sent all those dancers to the palace."
Zhao Mian nodded slightly and said with satisfaction: "Take me around."
Wei Zhenfeng ordered Yun Yong and Hua Ju to entertain Zhao Mian well and treat him as they would themselves, which meant that Zhao Mian could come and go freely in the palace and go wherever he wanted.
Accompanied by the girls, Zhao Mian took a general tour of the palace. Wei Zhenfeng's palace was much larger than his East Palace, with pavilions, flower ponds, waterside pavilions, winding corridors, and corners of the house, each step was a scene.
This standard is almost catching up with the imperial palace in Dongling. Zhao Mian has seen many young princes who eat and sleep in the wild, sleep on the ground, and eat cakes with relish. Now he truly realizes that Wei Zhenfeng's status is not much inferior to his.
However, it would be considered an act of usurpation for a prince to live in such a house.
He did not think that this was Wei Zhenfeng's initiative to usurp the throne. Wei Zhenfeng had never been interested in luxury things, and all the things on his body combined were not as valuable as his jade pendant.
Before dinner, Zhao Mian found a guest room to take a nap. Suddenly, he felt a familiar breath. When he opened his eyes, he saw Wei Zhenfeng sitting beside his bed. "Are you back?"
"Your question is useless." Wei Zhenfeng said seriously, "No, I haven't come back. I'm still in the palace."
Zhao Mian was too lazy to argue with Wei Zhenfeng, so he asked, "What did Emperor Yuan say to you?"
"What can I say?" Wei Zhenfeng lay down on the bed, pressing on Zhao Mian's legs through the quilt, with his hands behind his head. "Of course I'll say something nice first. You've worked hard all the way, found the Xixia treasure, and wiped out the remnants of the Imperial City Division. I'm very pleased... and so on. Today is just a formality, the real show is still to come."
Zhao Mian lowered his eyes and asked, "Do you have a plan to deal with this?"
"No," Wei Zhenfeng said simply, "things will work out when the time comes."
Zhao Mian thought of Yu Lin who was taken away by the Jinzouyuan: "I don't think things will be easy. You'd better be prepared in advance."
Wei Zhenfeng thought for a long time and said half-truthfully: "If something bad happens to me, can you not sleep with anyone else for a year?"
Zhao Mian choked for a moment, and said expressionlessly: "For people like you, I have nothing to say except 'strange'." He kicked Wei Zhenfeng away, lifted the quilt and got out of bed, "Since Emperor Yuan has not bothered you for the time being, I will leave first."
Wei Zhenfeng was stunned: "Where are you going?"
"Nanjing Embassy." Zhao Mian said coldly, "You don't think I have no place to stay in Shengjing, so I have to stay at your house."
Wei Zhenfeng crossed his arms and looked at him: "Why do you always look like you don't need me? Isn't it better to stay in the palace? I want to introduce you to my friends in Shengjing, and I also want to take you to my grandparents' home."
Zhao Mian asked curiously, "Why?"
"No reason." Wei Zhenfeng said frankly, "I just want to do this."
(End of this chapter)