Chapter 212: A Pleasant Conversation
Rolling water rushed into the teacup, and the tea leaves unfurled.
Unfortunately, the blood smell was the strongest in the world, overpowering the tea fragrance.
Mo Zheng picked up the teacup, nodded, and acknowledged Wei Cui’s words: “Only after getting familiar with him did we dare to entrust Miss Yang to him.”
After saying that, she explained seriously again.
“At that time, we carefully considered all the civil and military officials of the court, including His Majesty, and found that Wei Jiao was the most suitable to serve as Miss Yang’s guard.”
“He is His Majesty’s harsh official, with an eccentric temperament; no one in the world dares or can speculate on his actions.”
“He has no involvement with anyone; even if he learns of Miss Yang’s identity, it would have no bearing on his interests.”
At this point, she smiled at Wei Cui.
“So if we’re talking about assistance, General, you have already helped us long ago. If you hadn’t sent Wei Jiao to the Capital City, I would have had to personally step forward to serve as Miss Yang’s guard earlier, and I’m afraid I would have been caught by you all by now.”
So he hid away, they couldn’t find him, but it was because of them themselves?
He was wrong; compared to his son A Jiao, this Little Prince’s words were even more disgusting.
Wei Cui showed no anger at all, his expression one of sudden realization: “No wonder then. When I sent A Jiao to the Capital City at that time, my heart was like a knife being cut, with utmost reluctance, but subconsciously I was firm in that decision. It turns out this was Heaven’s way of having me assist the Young Master.”
Disgusting words—who couldn’t say a few?
Mo Zheng laughed heartily and raised her teacup to drink it all in one go.
Wei Cui also drank it all and poured tea for Mo Zheng again.
“When your people appeared in Longxi, I knew that the Young Master knew who I was.” He continued, “I still underestimated the Young Master. The Young Master is formidable, guessing who I am so quickly.”
Mo Zheng smiled: “Actually, this wasn’t hard to guess. Looking across the world under Heaven, not many have the ability and daring to do such a thing, and General, you are one of the outstanding ones.”
Wei Cui laughed heartily and lightly clinked teacups with Mo Zheng before drinking it all in one go.
Mo Zheng also smiled and drank it all.
The two looked at each other with mutual admiration. If not for the corpses lying on the ground and the blood smell assaulting the nose, it would truly seem like old friends meeting for the first time and chatting happily.
“Seeing the Young Master today, I truly regret it.” Wei Cui examined the youth before him and let out a long sigh. “If I had known back then that the Little Prince in swaddling clothes had such talent, I would never have left the Capital City no matter what. I should have endured humiliation and negotiated with Zhao the traitor, waiting for you to grow up, then together eliminate Zhao the traitor and bring prosperity to Great Xia.”
Mo Zheng shook her head and waved her hand: “General is joking. What talent? You and I were just lucky. If you hadn’t left back then, you would have died at Zhao Tan’s hands. If Deng Shan hadn’t entered the Capital City back then, I would have died at Zhao Tan’s hands too. How could we be sitting here drinking tea today?”
Wei Cui nodded: “Yes, I was lucky to survive from Zhao the traitor’s hands, to live until now with strong soldiers and sturdy horses, and to encounter the Young Master. And you, Young Master, are even more blessed with fortune; after so many years of displacement and hardship, you survived and even encountered Deng Shan’s daughter who was wandering outside.”
As he spoke, he poured tea again and pushed it over.
“So next, you and I can’t waste this good luck, right?”
Mo Zheng reached out to take the tea and nodded: “Of course not.”
Wei Cui did not loosen his grip on the teacup, looking at him: “So what does the Young Master plan to do next?”
After saying that, he let out an “oh” as if remembering something.
“Right, on my way here, I did one thing: I sent a troop of soldiers to suppress the bandits in the Yun Ling valley where the Young Master was originally hiding.”
Although the youth before him showed no change in expression, the force gripping the teacup suddenly increased.
Fine cracks instantly spread across the white porcelain teacup.
Wei Cui’s smile also spread across his face.
“By my calculations, it should have been reported to His Majesty’s desk by now.”
……
……
“Wei Jiao! You waste!”
The Emperor’s roar came from the Hall of Diligent Governance, accompanied by the sound of documents being smashed to the ground. The eunuchs standing outside the hall hurriedly retreated further, and the ministers originally waiting in the corridor for summons did not feel joy at the Emperor berating Wei Jiao; instead, they grew even more nervous.
Who was going to be investigated and confiscated this time?
“It is I—my home has become someone else’s!”
The Emperor looked at the two characters “Yun Ling” just marked on the map, his gaze shifting.
“Beyond this ridgeline is my old home.”
He let out a “heh.”
“The place they chose is indeed suitable. I took the Mo Clan’s home, and they occupied my old home.”
Wei Jiao said beside him: “Bandit suppression is the duty of the local government. This minister has always been investigating officials and clans… Only they would have selfish motives and the ability to support these people. Who would have thought that the Mo Clan descendants would actually become bandits.”
As he spoke, he smiled and bowed again.
“The victor is king, the loser is bandit. Congratulations, Your Majesty; the Mo Clan has acknowledged you as the lord of the world under Heaven.”
The Emperor glared at him, his gaze turning to the booklet scattered on the ground, under which were pressed some clothes and a flag.
Bright yellow.
“Although the bandits had fled in advance, a great deal of… evidence was found on site,” the Emperor said flatly. “Besides the Previous Dynasty clothing and flags, there were also maps of the world under Heaven, and letters exchanged with rebels like Sun Shu in the past. It shows their hearts are unyielding.”
Even if their hearts were dead, it wouldn’t do.
That Little Prince carried the blood of the Previous Dynasty emperors.
He must be utterly destroyed, body and soul, to sever the restless hearts under Heaven.
“Your Majesty, although they became bandits hiding in the deep mountains, they inevitably had to interact with people.” Wei Jiao said, “Besides mobilizing troops for pursuit, we must also inquire in nearby towns and villages, summon portrait artists to sketch the appearances of suspected bandits, to facilitate capture everywhere.”
The Emperor nodded and looked at Wei Jiao: “Go personally.”
Wei Jiao hesitated: “It wouldn’t be convenient for me to go out now, would it?”
The Emperor was stunned: “What inconvenience do you have?”
Wei Jiao’s expression was slightly shy: “My father just sent someone to ask Your Majesty to arrange a marriage for me and Miss Yang. If Your Majesty sends me away now, won’t others think it’s a cover-up, that Miss Yang and I truly are not innocent…”
“You dog thing!” The Emperor scolded in shame and anger, “Get out, get out—”
After saying that, he wanted to pick up something to throw, but helplessly, everything on the desk had already been overturned to the ground.
Wei Jiao walked out in two or three steps: “Your Majesty, don’t be anxious. This minister accepts the order. For Your Majesty’s sake, this minister doesn’t care about his reputation—”
Watching Wei Jiao’s figure disappear into the hall, the Emperor spat, “What reputation do you have!”
After scolding, he let out a breath.
However, besides feeling more at ease having Wei Jiao investigate personally, it was indeed also to keep him away from Miss Yang, lest Wei Cui come coveting his daughter again!
Although the disheveled one with Wei Jiao was a maidservant, she was nominally A Luo after all.
Even for reputation’s sake, he couldn’t bear for A Luo to suffer more grievance.
The Emperor withdrew his gaze, looked at the map, paused on the two characters “Yun Ling,” his expression somber.
Since they are thieves, they must be executed.
……
……
Wei Jiao walked out of the Imperial City and looked at the Embroidered Uniform Guards waiting outside.
“Go to Yun Ling,” he ordered.
The Embroidered Uniform Guards responded and brought over the horses.
Wei Jiao took the reins and asked: “Can the portrait from Mengzhou be drawn?”
From the clues previously obtained from Jiang Wangchun, Jiang Wangchun had a student with suspicious identity, and this student seemed to have interacted with Wang Zaitian. Then from Ling Yu’s mouth, the clue first appeared in the place where Wang Zaitian lectured in Mengzhou.
Thus, he sent Embroidered Uniform Guards to Mengzhou to inquire. Near the school where Wang Zaitian taught, civilians mentioned “…the young child nearby squatted outside the window every day to listen. Mister Wang even wanted to take him as a disciple; that young child was truly lucky.”
But among Wang Zaitian’s disciples, there was no such young child; the youngest was Ling Yu.
So where was that young child?
“Don’t know.”
“It seems when Mister Wang left, they disappeared too.”
Wang Zaitian left, and this young child disappeared—not locals, appearing and vanishing with Wang Zaitian, with unusual behavior; there must be something strange.
Hearing Wei Jiao’s question, an Embroidered Uniform Guard stepped forward and said: “It was too long ago, and that young child’s family appeared for a very short time. Moreover, when neighbors recalled, they seemed not to have clearly seen their faces; in the end, they could only describe their builds.”
After saying that, he took out a painting scroll.
Wei Jiao reached out to take it and unrolled it, seeing two figures roughly sketched in hasty lines.
One was clearly an old man, the other a young child.
No faces, and the builds had nothing special; alone, this wouldn’t lead to anything.
But now…
Wei Jiao put away the painting scroll, mounted his horse: “Let’s go, identify them in the bandits’ lair; maybe someone there has seen them.”
After saying that, he urged his horse forward, and the Embroidered Uniform Guards followed.
“Captain, shall we go home first?” an Embroidered Uniform Guard asked.
Wei Jiao said lazily: “No need.”
That wasn’t really home, just a residence; he didn’t return there daily.
However, Wei Jiao hesitated for a moment.
“What is Miss Yang doing?” he asked.
“Miss Yang and the maidservant have gone to Baoyue Tower,” an Embroidered Uniform Guard said. “Zhang Sheng You and the Imperial Guards given by His Majesty are all following.”
Because of the Imperial Guards bestowed by His Majesty following, they Embroidered Uniform Guards stayed away.
Baoyue Tower—Wei Jiao curled his lip; it was under that dog thing’s control. Now that the enemy was in hand, he had gone for a big feast to celebrate, huh.
Wei Jiao glanced toward the bustling market in the city, reined his horse, and turned toward the City Gate.
“Let’s go.”
