bestfiction Chapter 56 Arrival at He Town, Lucheng
Chapter 56 Arrival at He Town, Lucheng
A beautifully decorated carriage sped along the wide road, its hooves kicking up clouds of dust. The scenery outside the window rushed past, and before long, the carriage arrived at He Town in Lu City.
Located in the southern part of Lucheng, this place is still considered northern compared to the beautiful city of Jincheng. Perhaps due to this geographical difference, flowers are hard to find along the roads at this time of year, and even the leaves of some trees have begun to fall. The bleak autumn wind adds a touch of desolation and loneliness to this land.
Compared to the bustling city of Jincheng, Hezhen is much quieter. The streets are sparsely populated, and apart from shops, there are few vendors. Occasionally, a few children play in the streets, their clear laughter echoing in the quiet air, bringing a touch of life to the scene. Overall, however, this small town lacks the hustle and bustle typical of big cities, offering instead a sense of tranquility and leisure.
They had sent word in advance in Lucheng, so instead of staying at an inn, they cleared out a small, three-courtyard house on a relatively bustling street in Hezhen. Gu Changfeng's men were already waiting in the courtyard.
Their carriage slowly drove into the spacious courtyard and finally stopped in the outermost courtyard. Several of Gu Changfeng's capable subordinates lived here; they were all strong, healthy, and full of energy.
Walking further into the courtyard, you can see the residences of Dong Sheng, Han Zhi, and Zhao Fei. Although the three are boys, they are considered outsiders compared to the princess, so they were arranged to live outside.
Located at the deepest part of the entire courtyard is a separate courtyard with a main hall. Two rooms are symmetrically arranged on each side of the main hall, one of which belongs to Gu Changfeng, and the other is assigned to Ye Qingchen.
In the east wing, lived Dong Sheng's mother and the adorable and clever Xiao Yue'er. They had decorated the room warmly and comfortably, filling it with the atmosphere of home. As for the west wing, no one was currently living there. Gu Changfeng quietly told Ye Qingchen that since they were both dressed as men, they should appear to be living in separate rooms during the day, and he would sneak in at night. Ye Qingchen was amused; her husband really was like a child!
Ye Qingchen looked at Gu Changfeng with a serious expression and said in a low voice, "Gu Changfeng, given the current situation, your true identity cannot be revealed to others yet. So, let them continue to call you and me 'Young Master.' As for the supplies needed in the village, I will personally lead some people out to procure and arrange them later. As for you, just stay here in this house. After all, so many days have passed, and no one can be sure whether the enemy has discovered us or whether we have encountered any other unexpected dangers. As long as you stay safely in this courtyard, we will all have more protection and be relatively safer."
Upon hearing this, Gu Changfeng's heart stirred. He actually very much wanted to go with Ye Qingchen, but when he saw the firm and confident look in her eyes, he knew that what she said made sense. So, although he was still a little reluctant, Gu Changfeng finally nodded, indicating his agreement with Ye Qingchen's arrangement, and earnestly instructed her, "Qingchen, be careful in everything you do when you go out!"
No matter the task, it couldn't begin until after lunch. The journey had been arduous and exhausting. Therefore, their subordinates thoughtfully prepared a sumptuous hot pot feast for them. Normally, elsewhere, one would have to queue at a restaurant to enjoy such a meal. But for them, it was different; they didn't need to go through all that trouble. They simply packed the ingredients and brought them home, easily preparing the dish at home.
Although Dong Sheng and his wife had eaten quite well these past two days, this was the first time they had had the opportunity to try such a renowned hot pot. As soon as they gently picked up a slice of tender, delicate lamb and put it in their mouths, they were instantly captivated by its rich aroma. The bouncy, delicious meatballs, the sweet and plump shrimp, and the fresh, crisp vegetables, all paired with the flavorful chicken broth carefully simmered with Chinese herbs, and accompanied by various uniquely flavored dipping sauces, were simply a feast for the taste buds! Every bite was intoxicating, leaving them completely engrossed.
What's even more surprising is that this incredibly delicious hot pot seems to have a magical power. While enjoying the meal, all the fatigue I had accumulated on the carriage ride vanished without me even realizing it, and I felt refreshed and invigorated.
In reality, Ye Qingchen quietly added some magical spatial water. This spatial water has unique effects, helping everyone eliminate fatigue and restore energy. After doing this, Ye Qingchen carefully observed Dong Shengniang and Xiao Yue'er. Just a few days ago, these two were suffering terribly from illness, but now they were full of energy. And looking at how voraciously they ate, it was clear they had excellent appetites.
Ye Qingchen looked closely and suddenly noticed that Dong Shengniang seemed to have become even younger in just a few days. If no one knew her real age, judging solely by her appearance, many would probably think she was only in her early twenties! It must be said that Dong Nanxi's handsome and radiant appearance was a testament to his aunt's striking beauty; his mother must have been a stunning beauty in her youth. Therefore, it was only natural that she had won the heart of Prince Yi. It was a pity, however, that when Dong Nanxi was not yet six years old, his mother was murdered by Princess Yi. The jealousy of people in ancient times was truly deadly; killing one person wasn't enough, they killed an entire family! It was truly a tragedy! In the past few days, Gu Changfeng had also secretly inquired about Prince Yi's whereabouts. Prince Yi's wife had only given birth to two princesses, and of Prince Yi's many concubines, only the newly favored concubine had become pregnant. It seemed that none of the other children had survived to adulthood. The most regrettable case was, of course, Gu Nanxi, the heir apparent of Prince Yi, who went to the concubine's maternal home, encountered robbers, and died there! Of course, this was the information he had gathered. No one knew that Gu Nanxi was still alive, and no one knew that the one who committed the robbery was Prince Yi's wife, the woman who was said to be compassionate towards the world, who would occasionally go out to distribute porridge, and who also practiced vegetarianism and chanting Buddhist prayers.
Ye Qingchen thought to herself: Hypocritical! All the women in the palace are innocent and pure, and so are those in the Prince's mansion. Isn't it obvious that the other concubines' children have all been dealt with by the Princess? I wonder if Prince Yi knows this. That's right, this Princess doesn't even have a son of her own, yet she suppresses others like this. It's pitiful for these little lives!