Chapter 182: City Gate Blocked
All along the way, as the Capital drew closer, Jiang Ruanxi’s heart grew heavier.
Fifteen days later, they finally arrived at the Capital.
They had just reached the City Gate outside the Capital when they were stopped by the guards.
Because Wei Chang’s identity was rather special, returning to the Capital naturally made him more sensitive.
He had returned in the identity of Second Master. The Crown Prince’s itinerary was still to come later.
“Do you have a token?”
“Do you know whose carriage this is? You dare to stop the Yu Family’s carriage?” the coachman said coldly.
Hearing the clamor outside, Jiang Ruanxi couldn’t help but slightly furrow her brows.
In the past, entering the City Gate was just a routine and not strict check before being allowed to pass, but now from the sound outside, it felt much stricter.
She had only been away from the Capital for a short time; could something have happened during this period?
“Today, without producing a token, not to mention the Yu Family—even Crown Prince cannot enter the City Gate.”
“What great arrogance; who gave you the courage?”
As soon as his words fell, Wei Chang’s cold voice came from the side.
Wei Chang’s voice was like shattered ice, coldly piercing straight to the heart.
Combined with the perennial imposing pressure from him, the guards had never seen a man with such an aura and were instantly scared stiff in place.
Amid the tense cold atmosphere, a deep voice rang out, “Second Master, do not be angry. The guards are only doing their duty.”
This voice felt somewhat familiar.
The wind gently lifted a corner of the carriage curtain, and Jiang Ruanxi looked over from this angle, seeing a man wearing a mask standing not far ahead.
She only saw his side profile and not his exact appearance.
Wei Chang merely looked down at him from above, not taking him seriously.
The man didn’t mind and continued, “These past few days, an assassin appeared in the palace and is now on the run. This official is acting on imperial orders to capture the assassin, so all carriages entering the City Gate, no matter who, must be inspected.”
“Heh, using a chicken feather as an arrow.” Wei Chang mocked, “Even if it’s capturing criminals, it should be those escaping; do you need to check those entering too? Could it be that the assassin leaves the city and then foolishly returns to court death?”
“Second Master is right to remind us; it is our negligence. We will let you pass right away.”
Jiang Ruanxi furrowed her brows even tighter.
Although that person’s voice was very hoarse, it felt like she had heard it somewhere before.
As the carriage slowly moved forward, her gaze fell on the man’s shoulder, and seeing that upright figure, Jiang Ruanxi couldn’t help but be startled.
Could this man be…
But she felt she was overthinking it, after all, that person had long died.
“Who was that person just now?”
Jiang Ruanxi heard Wei Chang ask the guard beside him.
“Master, this man is called Gongzi Su. It is said he belongs to Fifth Princess. They say Grand Tutor brought him back from the Northern Frontier, and after Fifth Princess met him once, she directly took him. Afterwards, Fifth Princess was like bewitched by him, liking him so much she couldn’t bear to have him only serve her in the Princess Mansion, and shamelessly schemed a job for him before His Majesty.”
A Northern Frontier person?
The doubt in Jiang Ruanxi’s heart faded quite a bit, feeling she had overthought it.
She had originally thought that man resembled Lin Ningkun very much, but he was even more robust than Lin Ningkun.
Lin Ningkun was a scholar and did not know kung fu, but that person just now was wearing armor, and moreover, he was from the Northern Frontier.
“She has truly become more and more outrageous, keeping a male concubine is one thing, but shamelessly giving him an official position.” Wei Chang’s face was full of coldness.
Fifth Princess was the child born to His Majesty’s most favored Imperial Consort.
From childhood, she was spoiled and willful; after marrying, she also caused unrest in her husband’s family, angering her consort to death in less than half a year after marriage.
Now she was a widow alone, and His Majesty pitied her, but she only became more excessive.
Keeping countless male concubines in the mansion was originally her own manor affair, and others merely despised it, but now actually bringing a male concubine out into the open—this was simply losing the Royal Family’s face.
Father Emperor was truly muddle-headed to the extreme.
The carriage continued to rock and sway forward, finally arriving at a manor with Ling Manor written on it.
Before Jiang Ruanxi could ask why they came here, they switched to another carriage and left from the back door.
In a short moment, they arrived at the back door of a residence.
“Xi Xi, we’re here.”
Jiang Ruanxi got off the carriage with some doubt, and Yushui said, “Madam, let’s go in first and talk.”
The vast residence appeared very cold and aloof.
At this time, Wei Chang was no longer wearing the mask, his expression cold and aloof, shining with the moon.
“This old minister has seen Crown Prince.” An elderly voice rang out, and only then did Jiang Ruanxi realize there was someone else present.
“Grand Tutor Ling, do you understand the matters I arranged?”
“This old minister knows.” Ling Yu said respectfully.
Wei Chang was very satisfied, “You may go.”
After Ling Yu left, Wei Chang explained, “This is the new identity I arranged for you.”
Jiang Ruanxi was full of shock, “Grand Tutor Ling’s daughter?”
“Right.”
Jiang Ruanxi frowned, and Wei Chang explained, “Surely you know that I originally had an engagement with Grand Tutor Ling’s daughter.”
This, Jiang Ruanxi knew.
“I know; I heard that at marriageable age, Miss Ling went mad, and afterwards seemed to disappear.”
“You are half right. Miss Ling did indeed go mad, but she has already died. Grand Tutor Ling was heartbroken and, in the years after Miss Ling’s death, kept saying publicly that Miss Ling had returned to her hometown to recuperate. Father Emperor also acquiesced to this matter. Now that you are back, arranging this identity for you is also reasonable.”
Jiang Ruanxi understood, but she was still a bit worried, “Although the identity is changed, my voice and appearance are known to many nobles in the Capital. If I see them, wouldn’t my identity be directly exposed, causing all previous efforts to be wasted?”
Wei Chang handed her a white bottle, “Take this, and they won’t recognize you.”
Jiang Ruanxi took the bottle, opened it, and found black pills inside, “What is this?”
“You only need to take two pills every fifteen days. This pill can change your voice and appearance; even if others suspect, they won’t find evidence.”
Jiang Ruanxi hadn’t expected there to be such a drug.
But thinking that he probably relied on these pills to switch between the identities of Second Master and Crown Prince all these years without anyone recognizing him.
But if it couldn’t be recognized, why did he wear a mask when in the identity of Second Master? Could it be…
Wei Chang seemed to see the doubt in her heart and smiled, saying, “This pill doesn’t completely change the appearance, only somewhat. If you want to know, why not take it and try.”
Jiang Ruanxi was also a bit curious.
Wei Chang poured her a cup of water, and Jiang Ruanxi took it with the water.
