CH 161

The city of Anfeng was captured, and Han Lin’er did not escape in the end. The guards had yet to escort him two miles away when they were chased and caught.

He was sitting on a dilapidated horse carriage and disguised as a fleeing commoner. When he was halted, Han Lin’er heard the sound of fighting outside.

That couldn’t be called a fight, at best it was just a brief metallic clash, and then someone outside said, “Sinner Han Lin’er, come out!”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e ir on tr ee bl oo ms. c o m )

Han Lin’er didn’t know what to do.

His face was covered in sweat, and so were his palms, and his clothes were also all soaked through with sweat.

Even if he was just a little emperor living in a corner of the empire, he still had to follow palace etiquette. Even in summer, he had to wear several layers of robes. He couldn’t just wear a single shirt like ordinary people. There was ice in the palace and in summer, the palace servants would make an iceberg for him to enjoy the cool air.

He had never felt so hot before.

The heat made him panic, and the heat made him shiver.

“General.” The soldiers dismounted and walked to Chen Baisong’s horse.

Chen Baisong pursed his lips: “Go to the carriage and bring him out.”

There was only one emperor under the heavens, and there was only one master of everything, so they didn’t have to treat Han Lin’er politely.

In the competition for power, there were never winners or losers, just legitimacy belonging to the victor.

The personal guards jumped on the carriage and pulled the curtains open. A wave of heat rushed towards his face. Han Lin’er hadn’t even opened the windows. The curtain was so heavy and thick that he fainted from the heat inside. The smell of sweat also filled the enclosed space.

The personal guard pinched his nose and dragged Han Lin’er out. Han Lin’er didn’t wake up after such a big movement.

“Lock him up.” Chen Baisong said, “Keep a guard on him, no need to give him too much food, just don’t starve him to death.”

The personal guards quickly agreed, and Chen Baisong led the people back to the city.

He still had to search and confiscate the homes of Anfeng officials.

These officials, no matter how big or small, were quite wealthy, whether it was money or food, and owned many precious objects. Chen Baisong also seized and confiscated a bed made of red sandalwood from the mansion of a fifth-rank official.

Everyone did not expect that a fifth-rank official could live such a luxurious life.

Even Lin Yuan didn’t have a chair made of such precious wood yet.

After a busy day, Anfeng was surrounded by soldiers. Chen Baisong brought people into the palace. Tomorrow, he had to take inventory of the things in the palace. Everyone dared not go to sleep in the emperor’s palace. Although it did not belong to their own emperor, but as it was associated with the word ’emperor’ they didn’t dare to touch it, they only dared to sleep in the palace servants’ rooms.

Chen Baisong also only slept in the rooms prepared for the ministers who stayed overnight in the palace.

Chen Baisong couldn’t sleep. He was sitting by the window wearing only trousers. His personal guard brought him a late-night snack, which was just jerky and a pot of rice wine. He sat by the window and had a drink.

He wouldn’t be able to go back in a short time. He had to clean up and organize Anfeng and wait for the officials sent by Lin Yuan to take over before leaving.

Chen Baisong rubbed the wine cup with his fingers and pursed his lips lightly, but his eyes were extremely bright and alert.

He thought about it for so long, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt as if a hole had been opened in his heart.

After that night, he felt that he was no longer like himself, but he still couldn’t help thinking, why did Lin Yuan treat him like this?

His loyalty to Lin Yuan would not decrease, so Lin Yuan should not do such a thing to win him over after being aware of his feelings. Moreover, Lin Yuan had no shortage of people who could be used. Chen Baisong was even sure that if he had an accident, there were many people under his command who could be pulled up to take his place.

But apart from that, Chen Baisong couldn’t find any reason why he could make Lin Yuan treat him differently. Friendship since childhood could probably be counted as one, but it was not enough.

Chen Baisong thought for a long time, and after finishing drinking the pot of rice wine, his thoughts wandered in the most incredible direction.

How was he worthy? In terms of appearance, Chu Lin was the most beautiful man in everyone’s eyes.

In terms of the ability to lead troops to fight, he and Zhu Yuanzhang were in the same league.

Except for his faithfulness and sincerity, he was no stronger than others, and even faithfulness was not a rarity.

Was there anyone following Lin Yuan now who was not loyal?

Could it be that Lin Yuan really liked him?

Chen Baisong sat quietly, motionless.

If someone saw him at this time, they would probably not believe the scene in front of them.

The general, who had always been ruthless and decisive, sat alone at this time with a smile on his face.

It was not the usual polite smile, or a hearty laugh.

But a very gentle and lingering, foolish grin full of pink bubbles.

An Laosi and the others were still cooperating with the soldiers outside the imperial city seizing and confiscating homes. After operating in Anfeng for so long, An Laosi had finally come in handy. With someone like him who knew Anfeng well, it was much easier to seize and confiscate homes. Many things that used to need three or four months now used up less than a month to be finished.

Likely because there were really too few people, An Laosi also called his wife forward.

Although Lady An had always been dealing with female family members, but female family members were in charge of the inner house, and sometimes what women know may not be known by men. Towards which family owned which farmstead and shops, they knew better than anyone else.

Lady An was quickly called over for support, and she and her husband became very busy together. Both of them became swamped with work. They had to work the moment they opened their eyes every morning. So tired they were they barely had the energy to exchange a few private words.

But An Laosi had never felt so energetic!

He had achieved a meritorious deed, right? When he returned to Beijing, a position as a fifth-rank official couldn’t escape him.

Though the fifth-rank officials in Beijing were not that valuable, he would never be willing to go to other places to be a fifth-rank official.

An Laosi felt that before returning to the capital, he should go and pray to God and worship Buddha.

In the early morning of the next day, Hong Xiu was led to Chen Baisong.

Hong Xiu had changed into coarse clothes, the clothes of the palace maids. At this time, there were not many women’s clothes. She didn’t want to wear the clothes of Han Lin’er’s concubine. She would rather wear the clothes of palace maids. Pulling her hair into a braid, and with no makeup on her face, she looked much younger than before.

“Greetings to the general.” Hong Xiu saluted Chen Baisong.

Chen Baisong nodded: “Rise.”

“The things in the palace must be taken inventory, it needs you to look it over.” Chen Baisong said directly, “And Han Lin’er, go and see him when you have time, see if you can dig some information out from him. “

For example, the emperor’s private treasury was different from the national treasury.

If it could be asked directly, it would save them the trouble of searching around.

Hong Xiu nodded and said, “This is natural.”

She still remembered the promise Lin Yuan gave her before she came to Anfeng.

If she could go back alive, she would be able to become the first female official in the new dynasty with a rank high enough to enter the palace.

When Hong Xiu left, the only female official under Lin Yuan’s rule was Zhou Qiuniang.

After so many years, Zhou Qiuniang should also be promoted, right?

Hong Xiu didn’t want to be left in the dust by Zhou Qiuniang, she kept fighting her way upwards silently by herself this whole time.

Hong Xiu was led by the guards to the room where Han Lin’er was imprisoned. This room was originally for the eunuchs who did lowly labor such as cleaning the toilets. There was always a smell in the room. Han Lin’er was only locked for one night but he couldn’t bear it anymore.

When he was a child, his father was the leader of the White Lotus Sect. Although he couldn’t live too luxuriously, the offerings from the believers had never been lacking.

When he got older, his father rebelled again. Although he suffered some hardships in the years after his father’s death, he still never had such an experience before.

He didn’t want to take off his outer robes, he was still wearing three layers of clothes, his crown was crooked, and there was no expression on his face.

Only when he saw Hong Xiu walk in did he take a few steps forward with a look of excitement.

“Xiu’er…..” Han Lin’er was too excited at that moment, without thinking about anything closer, saying with a look of relief, “It’s great that you’re fine, just wonderful that you’re fine!”

“Zhen…..”

He stopped before he finished speaking.

Only then did he come back to his senses.

An Xiu shouldn’t be here…..

Why was she here?

Han Lin’er’s eyes reddened: “You are the Southern King’s person!”

Hong Xiu sat on the chair on the side, and said, “The title you should refer to him now is His Majesty.”

Han Lin’er’s face flushed red, and he pointed at Hong Xiu angrily: “You, you deliberately approached Zhen with ulterior motives!”

Hong Xiu nodded: “Exactly.”

Han Lin’er was trembling with anger: “Did Zhen treat you badly? Zhen gave you everything you wanted. There are so many people in the harem, but Zhen only loved you. Why?! Why?! Why do you treat Zhen like this!”

Hong Xiu looked at him strangely: “Do you think you are a good husband?”

Han Lin’er stopped talking, and even turned his head, unwilling to look at Hong Xiu.

Hong Xiu covered her mouth and chuckled: “Now that you are not the emperor, I shall  call you Han Gongzi, Han Gongzi, people must know to be self-aware, without your crown, you are not even a match for a hair on His Majesty’s head. “

Han Lin’er listened to Hong Xiu’s words, and the more he listened, the more angry he became. He didn’t understand why it suddenly became like this.

Liu Futong, who was protecting him, who knew where he was now.

The officials who had sworn loyalty by his side before also fled when Anfeng was captured.

Even his favorite woman turned out to be just a beautiful snake with hidden venom.

Han Lin’er covered his face. He took a deep breath and swept the candlestick on the table to the ground like a madman. He could only vent like this.

“Why did you do this to me?” Han Lin’er covered his face after venting, not wanting the tears on his face to be seen, “Why?”

Hong Xiu stood up and looked down at him with pity.

“Han Gongzi, if you are just a rich boy or an ordinary scholar, you wouldn’t be where you are today.”

Hong Xiu squatted down and handed over a handkerchief to Han Lin’er: “How many people are there in the world? How many people have been emperors? If you think about it this way, your life has been quite spectacular.”

Han Lin’er didn’t take the handkerchief. He wiped his face randomly with a sleeve, not wanting to let Hong Xiu see his tears, but his eyes were red, he couldn’t hide it at all.

Hong Xiu sighed: “Han Gongzi, we have a past together, as long as you tell me where the private treasury is located, I can save your life. If you go to Beijing City in the future, although you may not be able to leave the manor you will be living in, you will still live and your days won’t be too bad.”

“If you don’t say it, it’ll just delay some time for a while, but there will be no one out there who can save you.”

Han Lin’er raised his head: “Where is my Taibao?”

Hong Xiu smiled and said, “Liu Futong is also being detained now. Han Gongzi should consider it.”