It was the early morning of June 14th when Xiao Zimu's letter arrived in Xia Chu's hands. At that time, there were only six or seven days left before they arrived in the capital.
After counting the days, he arrived at almost the same time as Xiao Zimu.
Xia Chu didn't expect Xiao Zimu and his party to be so slow. According to his estimation, they should have returned to the capital by this time.
"Guess who will return to Beijing first, us or them?" Xia Chu chatted with Xiao Mubai as he hurried on.
"Is there any benefit to guessing it right?" Xiao Mubai asked with raised eyebrows.
In fact, he didn't care who returned to Beijing first. If it wasn't to accompany Xia Chu, how could he come back to attend Xiao Yanjun's wedding in person.
Xia Chu clicked his tongue when he heard this: "His Royal Highness King Mo is really utilitarian, but I just want you to guess that he still wants to ask for benefits."
"I don't care about other people's benefits. Could it be that you are afraid of losing?" Xiao Mubai looked provocative.
However, Xia Chu still followed this trick and raised his head with a sigh: "What benefits do you want?"
"If I win, I would like to warmly invite the young Marquis to stay in Prince Mo's Mansion after returning to the capital." Xiao Mubai smiled slyly.
Xia Chu's complexion instantly turned crimson.
Xiao Mubai saw that his face was like a peach, but he kept silent and couldn't help but provoke him: "Why, are you afraid that I will eat you?"
Xia Chu was naturally not afraid. He was just a little shy because of his straightforward words. At the same time, he was also considering that he would have to go to the mountains to pick up Meng'an after returning to Beijing.
If he loses, will he have to take Meng An to move into Prince Mo's Mansion? But then he thought that the bet hadn't been made yet, so he might lose, so he replied to Xiao Mubai: "When have you ever been afraid of me? What if you lose?"
"If this king loses, it's up to Ah Chu to speak." Xiao Mubai didn't care.
"Okay, then..." Before Xia Chu finished speaking, Xiao Mubai continued: "I guess we will go back to Beijing first."
Before Xia Chu finished his cruel words, he was interrupted by Xiao Mubai. He was stunned for a moment. After he came to his senses, he stopped Chiyi and said he was a little tired from walking, so he rested on the spot for a while.
After Xia Chu finished speaking, he raised his chin in protest at Xiao Mubai, looking like you were destined to lose.
He disapproved of Xiao Mubai's behavior of guessing the answer first. The speed of the trip was not in his hands.
Since Xiao Mubai guessed that they would return to Beijing earlier, he just walked slower.
Although Xiao Mubai saw through it at a glance, he didn't blame him at all for cheating. Instead, he smiled fondly and stopped with him.
Han Sa followed, but he didn't know what happened ahead. He had just set out for an hour, but why did the young master and the prince stop, untie the reins of Chi Yi and Zang Hong and let them run and play happily? went.
Raven didn't take it seriously. Seeing them stop, he immediately got off his horse and sat next to Xia Chu.
Han Sa was not as casual as him. He stepped forward and stood behind them to ask for instructions: "Is there any order for you to stop suddenly?"
Naturally, Xia Chu had no instructions, he just wanted to walk slower.
Xiao Mubai lightly glanced at Raven, who was sitting on the other side of Xia Chu. Han Sa immediately understood and walked to Raven to invite him to stand up.
But the raven paid no attention to him, not even raising his head to look at him.
Han Sa saw Xiao Mubai's indifferent peripheral vision glance at him again, then gritted his teeth and suddenly stretched out a palm to strike at the raven.
This attack was definitely not able to hit the raven. On the contrary, the raven finally got up and caught the running Han Sa and gave him a slap.
As the wails spread, even Bian Ding, who was hiding in the tree, showed a look of intolerance...
At this time, there were two teams of people waiting outside the north gate of the city stretching for dozens of miles.
The four people standing in the ten-mile pavilion are His Royal Highness King Yu, Lord Xiahou, Admiral Huo and Lord Ju, the Minister of Rites.
Now in the court, except for the emperor who allowed these four to go out of the city early in the morning to greet them, only General Zhao, who had been guarding Han Yang all year round and had not returned for many years, could still enjoy such an honor.
The last time General Zhao returned to Beijing was for a funeral, and he personally gave his daughter Zhao Lansheng a ride.
Since then, Xu was afraid of being moved by the situation, so General Zhao never came back once.
Time flies, and I didn’t expect that it would be fourteen years before I returned to Beijing again.
The emperor knew about the return date of General Zhao, so he naturally had to send someone to come out of the city to greet him, and King Yu Xiao Yanjun became the most suitable candidate.
As his son-in-law, Mr. Xiahou set out early in the morning without the emperor's orders.
Admiral Huo was actually the child that General Zhao watched grow up. He joined the Zhao family army with the emperor back then. The emperor was only fourteen that year and he was only sixteen.
They were all brought out hand in hand by General Zhao and Zhao Shuangquan.
Therefore, Huo Tianxiu respected General Zhao very much.
Although he was afraid that he would propose marriage, he still went out of the city early in the morning to greet her.
As for the last Lord Ju, he was the Minister of Rites, so it was his duty to go out to welcome General Zhao when he returned to the capital.
Leaving aside this layer, this time it was also thanks to Zhao Xingwen who saved Xiao Zimu's life in Guwan.
Both emotionally and logically, he should greet him personally and express his gratitude.
In the pavilion at this time, although the four people were gathering together to drink tea and wait, the only two people who knew each other well were Xiahou Ye and Admiral Huo.
The two of them bickered from time to time. For Xiao Zimu's sake, Mr. Xiahou would occasionally give Mr. Ju something to chat with. At this time, His Highness Prince Yu, who had the highest status, was completely ignored. .
Xiao Yanjun's handsome face, which had greeted everyone with a warm smile from the beginning, had completely darkened by now.
He is now considered a popular prince in the court, and he can be said to be prosperous and prosperous.
Although the emperor has not appointed a heir apparent, all the Chinese, civil and military officials in the court have acquiesced that he is the one who has the best chance of inheriting the throne.
Whoever sees him doesn't nod and bow, for fear of neglecting him.
But in this pavilion, the other three people flattered him, and even when he took the initiative to say hello with a smile, no one responded.
If Mr. Ju doesn't want to see him, it's because he had squeezed Zheng Zhongguang and Xiao Zimu in court some time ago, and he can understand.
As for Lord Xia, he may have treated him coldly because of his relationship with the young Lord, but he had never provoked Admiral Huo, so why was he excluded by the three of them.
Huo Tianxiu, on the other hand, was purely a helper but not a helper. Seeing that Mr. Xiahou was lukewarm towards Xiao Yanjun, he naturally did not give Xiao Yanjun a good look.
Although the two of them quarreled the most, they also had the best relationship.
Anyone who has stayed in the Zhao family army has never turned their elbows outward.
So, just when Xiao Yanjun couldn't hold on anymore and thought about it for the eight hundredth time, he walked away.
General Zhao has finally arrived...
(End of chapter)