Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 342: Down-to-earth

Cao Yu's luggage filled half of the carriage.

Before entering the city, people were already approaching. By the time the soldiers at the city gate came forward to check, there were already more than ten people crowded around the carriage.

At this point, even the city gate guards felt something was wrong, and they held their swords and shouted at the people: "What are you doing? It's such a wide road, you are just blocking it! You want to rob us in front of us?"

The crowd then dispersed a little, but they still watched from afar and refused to leave.

The curtains did not move.

Chu Qian, the driver, had already jumped down and handed over his badge with a wooden face: "I have been ordered to return to the capital to report on my duties."

Seeing that it was a sign of a sixth-rank military academy, the guards looked nonchalant and asked in an official tone, "Which official are you from?"

Chu Qian glanced at him, still with a wooden face: "Jiangning County Magistrate Cao."

The guard holding the spear was a little confused and said "oh".

However, before the voice was finished, a nonchalant voice rang out from inside the city gate: "Cao Kuangru!"

Then, Feng Ziying, dressed in military uniform, strode over and lifted the curtain with his hand: "You kid! You still remember to come back!?"

In the car, Cao Yu was wrapped tightly in a mink hat and a mink coat, and was taking a nap on three stacked large bundles. Suddenly, a cold wind blew in, and he shivered, and without opening his eyes, he sneezed violently, right on Feng Ziying's face!

Feng Ziying's face, which was originally excited, suddenly turned colorful. After a long while, it stopped at a dark blue color. He reached out and grabbed Cao Yu's collar, gritting his teeth and saying, "The surname Cao!"

Chu Qian watched from the side, motionless.

Cao Yu was awakened at this moment, his face was confused, one eye was slightly open, and he mumbled incoherently: "Have we reached the place, pile?"

pile?

Feng Ziying was stunned.

When did I get such a nickname?

"Still at the city gate." Chu Qian replied coldly.

Feng Ziying raised his eyebrows and let go of Cao Yu. He wiped his face and looked at Chu Qian in surprise: "Pile? Chu Neiguan?"

"Trees! Cutting means harvesting. A cut tree is just a stake..."

Cao Yu finally came to his senses, rubbing his eyes and slowly climbing down from the car. He stretched himself, raised his chin towards Chu Qian, and snorted, "Besides, look at his face, it's like a wooden stake!"

Feng Ziying burst into laughter, put his hand on Chu Kai's shoulder, and kept repeating the word "pile".

Unexpectedly, Chu Qia slightly turned his body to avoid him, and turned to the guard coldly: "Have you finished the investigation?"

Before the guard opened his mouth, Feng Ziying remembered his mission and stumbled, but he didn't care about it and said hurriedly:

"His Majesty heard that you were returning to the capital today, so he specially ordered me to come here to tell you that you should consider it on your own and send your name card into the palace as soon as possible!"

Cao Yu listened while lowering his head to tidy up his clothes. When he heard the word "as soon as possible", his fingers paused and his smile faded slightly:

"How is Beijing?"

Feng Ziying looked around and hurriedly pulled him away from the main road: "Let's talk while we walk!"

When the guards heard Feng Ziying's words, they had already respectfully made way, and glared at the people watching from afar in a pretentious manner:

"What are you looking at?! You're colliding with court officials and snooping on other people's property. If any of you want to live in the dungeon of Jingzhao Prefecture for a long time, just say so!"

When Feng Ziying heard this shout, he couldn't help but look around and frowned.

Cao Yu didn't care and poked him with a finger: "Speak."

"Oh." Feng Ziying came back to his senses, and as he walked side by side with him, he asked him in a low voice, "Why are there so many people following you?"

Cao Yu raised the corner of his mouth and smiled faintly: "Since I returned to the capital, I was lucky to have someone following me; otherwise, these people would have killed me a thousand times."

"Kill you!?" Feng Ziying's tone suddenly rose.

Cao Yu glanced at him with disdain and snorted, "For a general on horseback or a guard of the emperor's carriage, killing and robbing is such a common thing. What's there to be surprised about?"

"..." Feng Ziying was choked by him and stared blankly.

"What's the situation in Beijing?" Cao Yu frowned and urged him.

Seeing that he was unwilling to discuss this topic, Feng Ziying could only go along with him and sighed softly, "The storm is about to come."

The two men walked forward side by side, talking in low voices.

Chu Kui followed behind the two of them, sat on the shaft of the cart, and drove the cart slowly and expressionlessly.

The route is straight and the steps are leisurely.

As the two were about to reach the palace gate, Feng Ziying's story came to an end:

"...Master Zhitong is now in charge of the Dali Temple. He has issued numerous arrest warrants and some have even been sent south. I don't know when they will be able to bring the person here."

Cao Yu pondered for a moment, then nodded and thanked him: "Thank you for clearing up my doubts."

"I am a rough man, and I can't really help much." Feng Ziying looked at the palace guards in front of him and sighed, "It seems that His Majesty is going to use you as a sharp knife.

“Once you enter the capital, it’s possible that Eunuch Chu will have to return to the palace to report, and your safety may not be any more secure than when you were in Jiangnan.

"If His Majesty is reluctant to grant you guards openly, and you don't have anyone suitable, remember to tell me."

This is a very thoughtful thing to say.

Cao Yu was finally moved. He smiled and nodded. He stretched out his arms from his sleeves and nudged Feng Ziying with his elbow. “Thank you very much.”

"Okay, come in quickly." Feng Ziying nodded at him and pointed at the carriage. "Hey, do you want me to help you get home?"

"You were smart for just two breaths, and you became stupid again." Cao Yu gave him a look of disdain and turned away.

Chu Qian said nothing and drove the carriage behind him into the palace.

Feng Ziying was completely confused by the scolding. He pointed at his back with eyes wide open and said “ah hey” for a long time, but he couldn't make any sense of what he was saying.

After finally watching the two people and their car enter the palace smoothly, he left angrily, muttering "a sour guy full of schemes".

Yanjia Palace.

As soon as Su Hong left the room, Aunt Meng came in with a fierce look on her face and ordered Daiyu to lie down and rest. Daiyu readily obeyed.

She slept until three quarters past noon and woke up because she was hungry.

Xiao Hong smiled and helped her get up, helped her wash up, and brought her some chicken noodle soup. Seeing that she was in better spirits, she quietly reported:

"Aunt Su asked someone about the princess's mattress before she left."

Daiyu was stunned: "Mattress?"

Both the master and the servant subconsciously focused their eyes on the clouded leopard skin mattress.

"I heard that this year, apart from the tribute to His Majesty's birthday, the palace did not receive any clouded leopard skins."

Xiao Hong whispered, "I remember that Princess Hongchang also stared at this mattress for a while. It seems that this thing has really attracted a lot of people's attention."

Daiyu frowned: "Have you checked it?"

"Yes. After we entered the palace, His Majesty sent a lot of gifts to us and Princess Yimin. This was there at that time.

“It’s just that Princess Yimin doesn’t have it.

“No one else in the palace seems to have it either.

"I just sent someone to quietly tell Master Shu about this, and Master Shu said: What's the big deal?

"It is said that Yuanzheng has something better to reward the princess!

"Keep your feet on the ground."