Chapter 73: Linger
The small portrait treasured by the King of Nanyue was copied by Fu Chen, brought to the Imperial Cavalry Department, and spread out in front of his desk.
The woman in the small statue is wearing Nanyue clothing, but her features are clearly those of Yao Niang when she was young.
"What does Prince Zhao mean?" Tang Ying always felt that it was not a good thing for Zhao Ji to rashly ask the Imperial Cavalry Division to help him find his mother.
Yao Niang stepped into the government office and showed a worried look, which was rare for her: "Maybe someone did it on purpose."
She had just returned from the Grand Princess's residence, but her meeting with the Grand Princess was not very pleasant.
Seeing her now, the Grand Princess pressed her even harder: "You just said a few words to Gan Jun. I've been waiting for you for such a long time, but there's not even a bit of news." She was very impatient now: "What is your majesty thinking?" She also wanted to take advantage of the Emperor's birthday festival to beg for mercy again, maybe she could get Huan Yanbo back.
Yao Niang had already stopped caring about her own ups and downs many years ago, but she couldn't bear to drag Gan Jun into it: "I took advantage of the preparations for the Emperor's Birthday Festival to go to the palace and ask Gan Jun questions, but he was very secretive about the matter of Your Majesty and said that everyone serves their own master. His attitude was very cold, and I couldn't do anything about it."
The Grand Princess snorted coldly, clearly not believing her words: "You are still protecting Gan Jun? Are you afraid that the news he passed on would leak out in the future and make His Majesty wary?"
Yao Niang said, "Princess, you worry too much. I believe that the news will stay with you and will not spread out. But Gan Jun won't say it, so I really can't do anything." She suddenly raised her head and hesitated to say, "But——"
"But what?"
"But I heard some news from the people in the Shadow Department who stayed in the palace. His Majesty once talked about Prince Huan with someone and seemed to be dissatisfied with Prince Huan..."
When the Grand Princess heard this, her heart suddenly sank, and her brows suddenly became sharp: "Yao Niang, you should know that if you help me with this, then I will also help you deal with the troubles in Nanyue. Otherwise..."
On her way back, Yao Niang was thinking about the past. At this moment, she was standing in front of Fu Chen's desk, looking at the portrait, and she couldn't help but feel a lot of emotion.
The portrait was taken when she was just pregnant. The King of Nanyue was smiling happily and specially invited a court painter to paint it. The year, month and day were also inscribed on it. He was obsessed with her at that time and said that he would paint a portrait of her every year.
But since the Grand Princess brought up the "trouble in South Vietnam" to threaten her, it meant that her patience had run out and she could no longer hold back.
"Let's postpone it for a few days." Yao Niang's red-dyed nails gently stroked the young eyebrows and eyes of the woman in the portrait, as if she had returned to the summer in South Vietnam.
There were still ten days before the Wanshou Festival. Important officials of the court and princes from all over the country had gathered in the capital. There were young men in fine clothes and riding horses everywhere. The Emperor of Southern Qi summoned important officials and princes from all over the country to bring their sons and nephews into the palace every day. Seeing the young men of the new generation might have evoked his memories. As it happened to be snowing, he suddenly mentioned the winter hunting three days later.
When the Forbidden Cavalry Division mentioned the news, everyone from top to bottom became busy.
Fu Chen dispersed the Feng tribe's personnel. Some were assigned to guard the Emperor's safety, while others were sent to the Hunting Palace to investigate potential hazards. Yao Niang also sent secret orders to the spies stationed in various important officials and princes' mansions, ordering them to pass on the message urgently. Everyone from top to bottom became busy.
The emperor had a sudden inspiration and almost worked his subordinates to the point of breaking their legs.
When they set off three days later, Tang Ying actually brought Fu Yingjun along as well.
Fu Chen's forehead twitched: "We are going to carry out a mission, not to go winter hunting."
Tang Ying touched Fu Yingjun's big head with pity: "Tengyun is in poor health, so stay in the mansion to take care of it. It's not good to take it out in the crowd. Fu Yingjun hasn't been out for a walk for a long time. My Lord, please have pity on it?"
"Nonsense!" Fu Chen always takes his work seriously, but when faced with Tang Ying who is always playful, he can only let her do what she wants: "Don't let it run around and bump into people."
Tang Ying assured again and again: "Fu Yingjun is very smart, he won't run to a crowded place."
Yao Niang and the people from the Shadow Department were going to set off early. The emperor had not yet left the palace, but they had already set out on the road to the Hunting Palace.
Hongxiang and Wanyu saw her riding a horse with another horse following her, and they couldn't help but talk about it.
"Is that the wild horse king?" Wan Yu wanted to get closer, but Fu Yingjun snorted at her and forced her mount to retreat.
Hong Xiang was very concerned about Fu Chen's affairs. She had been building relationships with Liu Zhong and others for a while, and even knew about this matter: "I heard that it was Zhang Ying who tamed her, so she stayed in Lord Fu's house as a groom." She looked at him with contempt: "In order to please Lord Fu, she really didn't care about her dignity!"
Wanyu: "If others want to please her, they have to have her abilities."
Hongxiang suspected that she was making fun of her. She was so angry that she didn't want to say a word. She turned around and rode her horse forward.
Wan Yu: "...Why did you turn against me for no reason? What did I say?" I just told the truth.
She didn't care about Hongxiang's little thoughts. She looked at Fu Yingjun running around Tang Ying's mount with envy, muttering to herself, "No wonder Master Fu looks at Zhang Ying differently."
The people from the Shadow Department entered the Hunting Palace first. Tang Ying locked Fu Yingjun up alone in a stable, and followed Yao Niang and others to check the security of each palace in the harem one by one, and contacted the people from the Phoenix Department who had arrived earlier.
It was a huge project for the emperor to go out of the palace for hunting. Coupled with the powerful ministers and princes in the capital, the carriage in front had already gone ten miles out of the city, and the carriages behind were still waiting in line in the imperial city.
The Grand Princess also said that she would attend the event despite her illness. The Emperor sent an eunuch to convey his order: "Your Majesty is worried that the Grand Princess is not feeling well. The Hunting Palace is not as warm as the Imperial City. You are worried that the Grand Princess will not be able to bear it. Let the Princess recuperate at home and don't have to accompany the Emperor."
The eldest princess cried and asked, "Is my brother tired of me?"
The eunuch returned to the palace to report the decree and brought greetings from the Emperor. The siblings communicated several times through the eunuchs and finally reached an agreement. The eldest princess got the chance to accompany the emperor. She packed her things for hunting the day of the hunt, she did not sleep all night. She was even more excited than when she was fifteen years old and accompanied the late emperor on the winter hunt. She had to ask questions to the people around her every half an hour.
"Your Majesty, have you set out?"
"It's still early, Master."
"Has the vanguard team set out?"
“…”
From the time it was dark until the sun rose, the emperor left the imperial city, and the carriage of the Grand Princess's mansion finally stepped out of the gate. She sat in the carriage, wrapped in her fur coat, full of hope: "I hope I can find a chance to ask His Majesty to let Yan'er come back during this winter hunt."
Xinniang and Yunniang were by his side.
Yunniang has always been considerate: "Your Majesty will definitely agree to let the young master come back because of the master's motherly heart!"
Xin Niang remained silent as usual until the Grand Princess looked at her inquiringly. Then she said, "Young Master is actually much safer outside now than in the capital. A while ago, Wang You and a group of mad dogs were biting you to death, but they stopped after they left the capital. After a few months, when everyone has almost forgotten about it, it may be better for you to ask His Majesty again."
The eldest princess missed her son madly and couldn't bear to let him leave the capital for a moment, but Xin Niang always spoke like this. She never pretended to be flattering in front of her. She said whatever was on her mind, even if what she said was unpleasant to hear. However, she was loyal and talented. She had relied on her for many years and was not like other servants who could be scolded at will.
"I know what you said makes sense." The eldest princess couldn't help shedding tears. "How can a mother not be merciful? Ever since Yan'er left the capital, I've been thinking about him day and night, fearing that he has been wronged outside. He has lived a life of luxury since he was a child, how could he have suffered such a great injustice? As long as there is a glimmer of hope, I will never give up."
Huan Yanbo, who had suffered a lot of grievances in the mouth of the Grand Princess, now felt that the sea was wide and he could jump freely. Away from the sight of people in the capital and the nagging of the Grand Princess, he stayed at home for a few days at first, but after only four or five days, he became restless, beating chickens and scolding dogs. Even the pair of maids serving him could not escape the fate of being scolded and beaten by him.
"Mother sent you to serve me, not to monitor me. You block the door every day and don't let me go out. Is it your family's money that is being spent?"
Two maidservants blocked his way and refused to move, no matter how hard they tried to beat and scold him. "Sir, before we left, the Grand Princess told us that you must not leave the mansion no matter what. She told us that you must be kept in the mansion. When this matter is over, you can play however you want."
Huan Yanbo was not the type to listen to advice: "I'm stuck in this shabby little house with no one to play with or sleep with. How about..." He looked at the two maidservants with a lewd look: "How about you two warm my bed?"
The two maidservants retreated .
Huan Yanbo also felt that they were very corrupt: "Forget it, forget it. With your looks, you are not even worthy of carrying my shoes. If you don't get out of my way, I will die in front of you." He took advantage of the Wu maids' unpreparedness, drew the long swords at their waists and was about to slash his neck with them.
The two maidservants were so frightened that their faces turned pale. They knelt down in front of him and said, "Master, you must not do this!"
Huan Yanbo walked past the two of them and threw the sword at their feet: "Idiots! How could I commit suicide?" He walked forward with his hands behind his back, but the two maids were so scared that they dared not stop him.
He successfully left the house and first went for a stroll around, then he went straight into the local gambling house, where he played until the lights were turned off. However, the silver he brought with him was gone , so he was persuaded to go back by two maidservants.
"Sir, why don't you go back first?"
Baozi and Guzi followed their carriage outside for a day, and the next day they caught up with him and found that he had gone to the blockhouse again. They couldn't help but laugh: "How can he be exiled? Let's send a message to the second brother quickly."
It wasn't just Baozi's group that was keeping a close eye on Huan Yanbo. There were also people sent by the Second Prince. Not only were they keeping a close eye on him, some even squeezed into the table where Huan Yanbo was gambling and tried to get close to him: "Young Master is generous and has a noble bearing. He must be a nobleman from somewhere, right?"
Huan Yanbo laughed: "You have good taste!"
