As soon as the sky brightened, Huayang's carriage and her three hundred personal soldiers appeared outside the city gate.
Commander Ling Rucheng came over and saluted her.
Ling Rucheng was a Jinshi, from the same class as Chen Tingjian, but Ling Rucheng was older, now 58 years old.
Ling Rucheng had been familiar with military books since childhood. After serving as a civil servant for several years, he began to show his talent in leading troops. He had pacified mountain bandits in the southwest, fought against Japanese pirates in Fujian, and intercepted the Oirat cavalry in the north. He was a fierce general of this dynasty, and his reputation was second only to General Qin.
Huayang respected all talented people and treated Ling Rucheng with great courtesy.
While the two were talking, there was a movement above the city gate. It was Empress Dowager Qi and the Young Emperor who had arrived, to lead the army to quell the rebellion.
Huayang stood slightly forward between Ling Rucheng and Chen Jingzong, looking up at the city wall.
The young emperor, wearing a dragon robe and a white crown on his head, looked at his sister, then looked solemnly at the vast army.
Empress Dowager Qi first announced Prince Yu's crimes, and then told all the soldiers that she would send Princess Huayang to negotiate with Prince Yu, hoping to persuade him to stop fighting.
At this point, the young emperor took over the conversation and threatened that if Prince Yu still refused to repent, all the soldiers would capture the traitor Prince Yu for him to comfort the late emperor's spirit in heaven!
The most noble mother and son in the world, Empress Dowager Qi's voice was as soft and delicate as a woman's, while the emperor's voice was as clear and immature as a thirteen-year-old boy's. However, the royal majesty in their words was consistent and clearly heard by every soldier.
All the soldiers shouted in unison: "Capture the rebels! To comfort the late emperor!"
The shouts were like thunder and lightning, reaching the sky.
Now that the oath has been taken, the army will set out immediately! .
During the march, the Princess Huayang's carriage walked in the middle with the central army led by Ling Rucheng.
It was only the tenth day of July, the sun was scorching, the ground was dry and not a drop of water could be seen, and wherever the army passed, they trampled up clouds of dust.
Huayang stayed in the carriage, out of the sun, but the dust still seeped in through the door gaps and the gauze curtains, making the carriage stuffy and dry, and from time to time there was a strange smell, probably what Chen Jingzong said about horse manure everywhere. After all, only humans would find a place to solve the problem, while those horses pulled wherever they went.
Chaoyun and Chaoyue took turns fanning the princess, with worry on their faces, fearing that the princess could not endure such hardship.
Of course Huayang felt uncomfortable, but when she thought about how many soldiers were running around outside under the scorching sun without any protection, wearing more clothes than her and carrying heavier loads, what right did she have to complain
"Princess, would you like some water?"
Chao Yun wiped the sweat off his forehead and tried to persuade him.
Huayang shook his head: "Drink less during the day, and we'll talk about it after we set up camp at night."
There were soldiers all around, and they were on the road. If they drank too much water, where would the three women, the master and the servant, go to relieve themselves later? Even if they sent out a clean bucket, it would not look good.
Noticing that the two maids were sweating, Huayang told them to stop fanning and just take a rest.
At noon, the army settled in a wild forest, rested for half an hour, ate some dry food and drank some water, and took a nap. They only had a hot meal in the evening.
The soldiers hid under the shade of the trees.
The horse pulling Huayang's carriage needed to rest, so she also wanted to get off.
Chao Yun took out his hood.
Huayang is useless. She doesn't want ordinary men to see her appearance when she goes out to play. However, the soldiers have to fight for the court on the battlefield and are willing to risk their lives. So is her face, a princess's, so precious
Huayang got off the car openly and found Ling Rucheng standing not far away waiting for her to get off. The ten commanders were also there. Huayang said hurriedly, "My Lords, there is no need to be like this. Just pretend that I am not with you. You should discuss military affairs. If you delay anything because of me, I will become a sinner."
Ling Rucheng really didn't have the time to argue with the princess about formalities. After hearing what the princess said, he nodded and went to another place with the ten commanders.
Chen Jingzong looked at Huayang deeply before following the commander.
Wu Run had already spread out the coarse cloth under the shade of a tree. The princess said that this trip should not be ostentatious, and that all items that were not used personally should be kept as simple as possible.
After Huayang finished eating the food in the lunch box, Wu Run gave Chaoyun a look.
Chaoyun leaned close to Huayang's ear and whispered, "Princess, Eunuch Wu told you not to worry about washing your hands. If you want, he will ask Zhou Ji and the others to escort me to find a place to clean the bucket and ensure that no one else will do it."
Huayang glanced at Wu Run who was talking to Zhou Ji not far away.
Huayang felt even more awkward when she thought about these two confidants worrying about her hand washing.
"Let's talk about it in the evening." Huayang still said the same thing.
The soldiers were tired of walking, but Huayang was tired of sitting, so she slowly circled around the trees beside her.
Ling Rucheng and other officers were not far away. After they dispersed, Chen Jingzong and Qi Jin walked towards Huayang together.
Hua Yang kept walking. When the two approached, she spoke first, "I'm fine. You don't need to worry about me. Just do what you need to do. I don't want Ling Shuai to waste his energy on me. You guys should do the same. I don't appreciate your asking about my well-being at this time."
Qi Jin laughed: "Okay, then cousin, I will obey your command. Princess, have a good rest. I will take my leave."
The first sentence is spoken from the perspective of a cousin, and the honorific used in the latter part has a more teasing tone.
Huayang watched his cousin leave with satisfaction, and his eyes fell on the prince consort who was sitting on the piece of coarse cloth.
Fugui unfailingly brought over his master's dry food and water bags.
Chen Jingzong leaned against the tree trunk, taking a sip of dry food and a sip of water, his narrow black eyes fixed on Huayang.
Huayang couldn't do anything about him, so he gave Chaoyun an order and then walked to Chen Jingzong.
Before she sat down, Chen Jingzong reminded her, "I'm sweating all over, Princess, you'd better stay away."
Huayang glared at him at this familiar sarcastic tone and sat down opposite him.
The continuous exposure to the sun made Chen Jingzong's handsome face appear two oily red patches, and his lips were a little dry.
Chaoyun took a lunch box from the car and brought it over. In it was Huayang's unfinished lunch, which she brought from the Princess's Mansion. The bottom layer had been kept chilled with ice. That was the only piece of ice Huayang brought on this trip. She would also have to eat dry food at noon tomorrow.
Wu Run and the others avoided him. Chen Jingzong looked at Hua Yang and smiled, "If I am not allowed to care about you, why do you still care about me?"
Huayang: "I'm full. It would be a waste to throw these away. I might as well feed you."
Chen Jingzong had put down his dry food, took out a small white porcelain bowl from the food box with one hand, and picked up some food with chopsticks with the other.
Huayang quietly looked around.
Although the other soldiers were far away, if they looked carefully, they could clearly see what she and Chen Jingzong were doing.
"Forget it this time. Don't come over again during the day when we rest." Huayang said softly.
Chen Jingzong raised his eyebrows: "Are you dissatisfied with my appearance and disgrace and think that I am not worthy of being with you?"
Hua Yang glared at him: "I am afraid of damaging your military prestige. Other commanders are with their soldiers, but you like to run to my side."
Chen Jingzong: "Those are just empty talk. This is not a battlefield. Besides, the soldiers in our garrison already know that I can't leave you. What's the point of me talking to you for a few minutes now?"
In broad daylight, with so many people around, Huayang felt slightly embarrassed by his straightforward words and asked in confusion, "Why can't you leave me? And how do they know?"
Chen Jingzong: "Think about it, I always run to the city when it snows in winter. If it's not for you, then is it to go home and be filial to my mother?"
Which man would believe this
Huayang: …
She ignored him.
Although Chen Jingzong was talking, he ate very quickly. After finishing his meal, he looked Huayang up and down and asked, "Do you want to wash your hands?"
Everyone came to care about this. Huayang didn't even want to explain. He said with a stern face: "After eating, go back to your guard post to rest."
Chen Jingzong did not move: "You asked to suffer this, why should you be embarrassed now? There are fewer people over there, I will take you there to dig a pit..."
Huayang: "If you don't leave, I'll ask Zhou Ji to take you away."
Chen Jingzong understood that she really didn't need it now. Looking at her peony-like little face, Chen Jingzong got up and left.
The resting places of Daxing Zuowei and Jinwu Qianwei are adjacent to each other.
When Chen Jingzong came back, Gao Dazhuang and other soldiers all showed a tacit smile, and a few of them even made a few bold noises.
The more than 5,000 members of the Jinwu vanguard leaned against the tree trunks, taking the time to close their eyes and rest.
Only Qi Jin glanced at Chen Jingzong.
Chen Jingzong didn't look at him. He sat down against the tree and closed his eyes.
After half an hour's rest, the army continued its march.
This time, except for a brief rest of two quarters of an hour, the army did not set up camp near a river beach until the first watch of the night.
The days are long in summer and it is still daylight at this moment. The cooks are fetching water, washing rice, and their work is busy and orderly.
Chen Jingzong came to look for Huayang again, and then the couple took Chaoyun and Chaoyue and walked upstream along the river bank. When they passed a small woods, Chen Jingzong went in to check first, and after making sure there was no danger, he called the master and servants in.
When Huayang walked out of the grove, he saw Chen Jingzong squatting by the river, splashing water to wash his face. His sleeves were rolled up high, and water droplets were winding down his strong arms.
Huayang walked up to him.
Chen Jingzong looked at her and asked, "The water is still warm, do you want to take a bath here?"
Huayang: "If you want to wash, wash it yourself. We are leaving first."
Chen Jingzong grabbed her hand and said, "Why are you in such a hurry? Stay with me for a while."
Huayang refused: "Come to my tent for dinner later, and we can talk then if you want."
Chen Jingzong: "That won't work. When we're together during the day, everyone knows that we behave properly. But if I enter your tent at night, even if I only stay for a cup of tea, they will start to have all sorts of wild thoughts."
Huayang: …
She sat down next to him.
Over at the military camp, smoke was rising higher and higher, and in the distance the sky was gradually darkening.
"Do you regret it?" Chen Jingzong suddenly asked.
Huayang disdains to answer.
A buzzing sound was heard, and Chen Jingzong quickly slapped the tender mosquito to death that was flying towards Huayang.
Huayang had no leisure time at all and just wanted to return to the tent which had been sprinkled with insect repellent.
Chen Jingzong washed his hands, stood up, and followed the master and servant.
After returning to the military camp, Chen Jingzong went back to Daxing Zuowei and had dinner with the soldiers. After dinner, he went to talk to Ling Rucheng and others, then went into his own tent without even looking at the princess.
(End of this chapter)