CH 44.2

Chapter 44          Withhold (2/2)

An Yanxi was walking on the familiar palace road, with some unconcealable sadness in her brows.

Because of the last Double Seven Festival at the Qianshui Lake, she had offended His Highness Taizi. Since hunting was not An Yanxi’s strong point, An Yanxi didn’t go hunting in the western suburbs.

Yesterday, His Highness Taizi was assassinated in the paddock. She also heard that His Majesty and Qin Yan were also assassinated at the same time.

However, His Highness Taizi and Qin Yan went missing in the forest at the same time. The news from this morning was that His Highness Taizi and Qin Yan were found at the same time last evening.

An Yanxi felt very restless when she got this news.

Today, she went to the palace to visit Princess of Changle Feng Yunchao who was frightened in the paddock. She wanted to find out from Feng Yunchao whether anything happened between the Taizi and Qin Yan during hunting in the western suburbs.

——

An Yanxi was overjoyed when a carriage approached from far ahead.

There were not many people who were permitted to ride carriages in the palace, only His Majesty and the Taizi could ride a carriage in the palace.

Around the carriage were the guards of the Taizi Mansion. Was this His Highness Taizi?

An Yanxi moved to the side, straighten out her attire slightly, and waited for the carriage to pass by to greet His Highness Taizi.

When the carriage came close, An Yanxi frowned suspiciously.

This was not His Highness Taizi’s carriage.

She remembered very well that this was the carriage of the Princess of Zhaoren, Qin Yan.

And there was no Song Zhi beside the carriage who was always by His Highness Taizi’s side on weekdays.

Then, it must be Qin Yan in the carriage.

Was this the authority given to Qin Yan by His Highness Taizi? Was Qin Yan also permitted to ride a carriage in and out of the palace gate in violation of regulations?

Qin Yan was too arrogant.

This was too inappropriate.

——

An Yanxi looked unhappy, she took two steps forward and stood in front of the carriage.

The carriage stopped.

Today, Song Zhi went out to do errands and didn’t follow His Highness Taizi.

The guards of the Taizi Mansion recognized that the lady who stopped in front of the carriage was the eldest lady of the Grand Scholar Mansion and the younger sister of Lord An. She often went in and out of the Taizi Mansion, so they didn’t stop her.

“Princess of Zhaoren, with your identity, riding a carriage in the palace violates the regulations. You are so ignorant, have you considered that you will bring unnecessary trouble to His Highness Taizi?”

An Yanxi stood in front of the carriage and spoke out some dignified and appropriate words.

Seeing that there was no sound in the carriage, An Yanxi took another step closer.

But she was stopped by the guards of the Taizi Mansion.

“Princess…” An Yanxi’s words were interrupted by the guards in front of her who stopped her.

“His Highness has official business. Miss An, please step aside.”

An Yanxi was shocked.

His Highness?

Was His Highness Taizi in the carriage?

But this was obviously Qin Yan’s carriage, how could it be…

Just as the carriage was about to move on, An Yanxi took two quick steps forward and reached out to hold the shaft of the carriage.

“Your Highness Taizi…”

“Stop.” It was Taizi Feng Zhan’s voice.

An Yanxi…

Inside the carriage was really His Highness.

The carriage stopped, but the curtain wasn’t lifted.

Feng Zhan spoke with a cold tone.

“Have I not warned you before, it’s best not to misbehave. If you can’t remember, I will remind your father and brother to help you remember.”

The carriage left.

An Yanxi was embarrassed and anxious, His Highness and Qin Yan…

This was no good, she had to do something…

Empress, yes, Empress…

——

In the evening, Xie Changyuan came out of the Northern Yamen Imperial Army Camp. When he got on his horse and was about to return home, he met He Xiao who was waiting there.

When He Xiao met Shizi Xie in front of him who looked a little sad, he stopped joking.

“How about a few drinks? Just a few, it won’t delay your business.”

Xie Changyuan and He Xiao found a restaurant casually and went upstairs to the elegant room facing the window.

The wine this time was also in season, and the osmanthus wine was not too strong.

“I’m going back to the Ministry of War.” He Xiao said after drinking a mouthful of the warm wine.

Xie Changyuan raised his eyebrows and looked at He Xiao in front of him, who was in good spirits. This buddy of his didn’t have the same depression as he had a few days ago, and now he seemed to have a little more fighting spirit.

“During the autumn hunting at the paddock, I guessed that you must have figured it out after seeing you show off your skills.” Xie Changyuan picked up the wine jug and took a mouthful.

He Xiao also lifted the wine jug in front of him, bumped into the one in Xie Changyuan’s hand, took a sip, and sighed: “My old man has recently started to plan for my marriage. Oh, if I don’t fight, it will be like this for the rest of my life, but I don’t accept my fate.”

“I planned to take the top prize on the day of the Autumn Hunting Ceremony and ask His Majesty for a reward. Unexpectedly, the assassin happened, and the celebration dinner was canceled.”

He Xiao took another deep breath.

Seeing that his buddy in front of him was able to regain his strength, Xie Changyuan was happy for him. He smiled and said: “I have news for you, His Majesty is planning to hold a grand Longevity Festival. At that time, he will make up for the rewards for the Autumn Hunting’s meritorious officials.”

When He Xiao heard the words, he was mixed with joy and worry.

“His Majesty was assassinated just now. After such a big event, he still wants to hold a big banquet?”

Xie Changyuan didn’t answer, His Majesty and the Taizi wanted to lure the snake out of the hole, and even if he was a good buddy, he couldn’t speak mindlessly.

“I heard that after the Taizi and Princess of Zhaoren were assassinated in the forest, they went missing all afternoon and then reappeared at the same time. A lonely man and woman in the deep mountains and forests…”

He Xiao smirked.

Xie Changyuan took a big gulp of wine and didn’t answer.

Yes, judging by Taizi’s expression, something must have happened to those two yesterday…

——

When Taizi’s carriage arrived at the gate of the Taizi Mansion in Xishan at xushi*, Song Zhi, who had finished his work, was waiting there.

(xushi* ­ – 7 pm – 9 pm)

Song Zhi saw that His Highness was riding in the same carriage as Princess of Zhaoren’s yesterday, and was a little puzzled. Didn’t His Highness enter the palace today? Did he just use this carriage?

Song Zhi followed His Highness Taizi into the study.

After Feng Zhan sat down at the desk, he took the teacup handed over by Song Zhi and took a sip.

“Have you met the person?” Feng Zhan asked, picked up the memorial and information on the desk with his hand, and began to read quickly.

Song Zhi said: “I’ve met Master Yishan outside the city, and Master handed over a dwarf maple tree to me, saying that it was a gift for His Highness.”

“But Master said that he still has important things to do, and he will not enter the capital today, but Master said that he will definitely come back before His Majesty’s Longevity Festival.”

“In the passing, I simply asked Master if he has a disciple named Ah Yan.”

“Master just frowned when he heard the words. He didn’t admit it or deny it. He left a sentence saying that he has something to do, and he will talk about it when he comes back, and then left.”

Feng Zhan received a letter from Master Yishan a few days ago, asking Feng Zhan to send someone to meet him outside the East City today.

However, Yishan’s whereabouts had always been uncertain, and Song Zhi only received one tree, which was also like the old man’s usual style.

Feng Zhan wasn’t interested in Ah Yan’s affairs. At this moment, he was thinking about the upcoming Longevity Festival. People from all walks of life would gather in the capital. This was to lure snakes out of their holes, but the ensuing security pressure was also very great.

Feng Zhan thought for a moment and said to Song Zhi: “Notify Lu Chen that all the soldiers who have passed the test during hunting in autumn hunting will be transferred to the Longwu Army.”

“Tell him that there is no need to worry about Xie Zhao’s identity. If there is no problem with Xie Zhao’s character, he can arrange him as he pleases and strictly official business as usual.”

Song Zhi took the order.

Before leaving, Song Zhi asked the Taizi hesitantly.

“Your Highness, do you need me to return Princess of Zhaoren’s carriage?”

Feng Zhan, who originally glanced down at the memorial in his hand, looked up upon hearing this. He raised his head to look at Song Zhi who had specially come back to raise this matter.

Feng Zhan’s tone was slightly cold: “You have nothing to do?”

Song Zhi!!!

It seemed that he was meddlesome, and there seemed to be a knife in His Highness’s eyes.

“I made a slip of the tongue! I‘ll withdraw!”

Song Zhi quickly exited the study.

Was Your Highness going to withhold Princess of Zhaoren’s carriage?

How shameless!