Transmigration: A Farm Girl’s Brocade
Chapter 669 - 328 Search_3

Chapter 669: Chapter 328 Search_3

Liang Jinzhao hurriedly clarified, "Yixiu doesn’t act silly at all when she’s having fun. Otherwise, I certainly wouldn’t have lost so many chess games just to see her happy."

With their conversation turning in this direction, Qian Yixiu no longer felt the elegant urge to play chess and pushed the chessboard aside.

The next morning, they arrived at Dabao Jetty. Liang Gao and others, who had arrived earlier, welcomed them off the boat. After eating a vegetarian meal, they continued their journey by horse-drawn carriage.

Along the way, Little Master Hongji and Liang Jinzhao both joined Qian Yixiu in her carriage to talk, sending Zi Zhu and the others off to another carriage. As they needed to find an inn to rest at night, traveling by carriage was much slower than by boat.

The further north they went, the more unrest they felt on the roads, as if a major event was unfolding. According to Liang Jinzhao, one of these days, an army of hundreds of thousands would appear around the Capital City. By now, some troops from distant places had already begun to secretly converge towards the Capital City. Naturally, this could also include people from other princes.

Qian Yixiu exclaimed in surprise, "With such a big commotion, wouldn’t the Emperor know about it?"

Liang Jinzhao sighed, "The Emperor’s health is very poor now; many messages may not reach his ears. Perhaps even if he knows, he is powerless to do anything about it."

Fifteen days later, or the 24th day of the first lunar month in the afternoon, when they were still about ten miles from the Capital City, the Old Monk and Little Monk headed directly west to Baoguo Temple. At the time of their departure, Little Monk’s eyes reddened again.

Qian Yixiu speculated that the Old Monk insisted on keeping Little Monk away from the old Emperor, partly to completely cut off the old Emperor’s obsession and partly to protect Little Monk, preventing others from learning about the old Emperor’s thoughts. In this way, if Little Monk returned to secular life, the next ruler would not harbor any suspicion or displeasure towards him.

Liang Jinzhao knew that the Dragon Ball was hidden in a small clamshell, so he entered the city gate openly with Qian Yixiu.

The city gate was rigorously inspected; even after Liang Jinzhao showed his token, revealing his identity, the gatekeeping soldiers still lifted the curtain of Qian Yixiu’s carriage for a thorough search.

Shortly after entering the city gate, several guards and eunuchs emerged from a nearby tavern, stating that the Fifth Prince had requested their presence. Liang Jinzhao recognized the eunuch as indeed one of the Fifth Prince’s men.

With no other option, Liang Jinzhao led Qian Yixiu to a private room in the tavern.

This was Qian Yixiu’s first encounter with the Fifth Prince. The Fifth Prince Zhu Xiang’an was around thirty years old, tall and straight with a commanding presence. He was dressed in an apricot-yellow five-claw python robe with a purple inset jade mink hat on his head. He sat upright in the official chair, sipping tea from a cup. Upon seeing them enter, he set his cup down.

Liang Jinzhao bowed with his fist, "I report to Your Highness, the Fifth Prince."

Qian Yixiu also bent her knee in a curtsy, "This servant pays respects to Your Highness, the Fifth Prince."

The Fifth Prince didn’t immediately respond to Liang Jinzhao but smiled at Qian Yixiu, "You are Cousin Zhen Yue’s daughter, so we are relatives. Your family has also taken in Prince Ning’s Heir, and I am truly grateful to you and your family. What is it? Only you have returned, where are the others in your family?"

Qian Yixiu replied, "My mother is pregnant again, and traveling by boat and carriage is not advisable at the moment, so I returned alone first."

"By the calendar, your family seems to spend each year on the road. What is so urgent?" the Fifth Prince asked further.

Liang Jinzhao took over the conversation, "Your Highness, we were tasked by His Majesty to go to Daci Temple to fetch my junior fellow monk, Hongji. Miss Qian’s family didn’t want to leave General Qian alone in the Capital City, so they allowed Miss Qian to return with us."

The Fifth Prince then looked at Liang Jinzhao, "If my imperial father ordered you to fetch Little Master Hongji, where is the person you were supposed to fetch?"

Liang Jinzhao replied, "My master and junior brother have also come to the Capital City, but they have already gone to Baoguo Temple. My master said that since the Emperor had already ordained my junior brother as a monk, we should not disturb those who have renounced worldly affairs, allowing him to practice Buddhism peacefully."

"If he is to practice Buddhism peacefully, couldn’t Daci Temple provide for that? Why should he go to Baoguo Temple?" the Fifth Prince asked.

Liang Jinzhao exhaled heavily, his expression turning solemn, "My master is here specifically to perform rituals for the departed spirits."

The Fifth Prince seemed momentarily taken aback, "Who would it be that the Old Fairy would travel such a long distance to Baoguo Temple to perform rituals for?"

Liang Jinzhao shook his head, "My master did not specify."

The Fifth Prince nodded, and then said, "I am here under my imperial father’s orders to wait and search anyone suspicious. I have received secret reports claiming you carry items detrimental to the Imperial Court. Therefore... ahem, both of you and your servants, as well as your belongings, must be searched. I apologize, but I am simply following orders."

He raised his hand, and two matrons came over to escort Qian Yixiu to another room, while two eunuchs approached to search Liang Jinzhao.

PS: Thank you for your rewards and monthly votes, I am grateful~~ There will be an extra release tonight.