Chapter 459

The son of the minister of ceremonies, Feng Heng, was a groom for Princess Lesu of the Qiang Tribe. The Dongli Imperial Clan did not have any princes of age, so in order to maintain a brief peace with the Qiang Tribe, the Tianqi Emperor agreed to marry Princess Lesu to someone in Bianjing to cement ties. Naturally, Princess Lesu chose Zhao Changdu of the Zhenguo Duke Manor.

But Zhao Changdu did not even show his face, directly refusing the proposal, angering Feng Heng who had fallen for Princess Lesu at first sight.

Feng Heng blocked the carriage of the Zhenguo Duke Manor in the middle of the street, attracting countless onlookers.

Su Huanfeng was riding on patrol when he saw the commotion at the city gates. He frowned. "Feng Heng, do you want to die?"

When Feng Heng saw Su Huanfeng, he mocked, "Su Huanfeng, it's not that I'm looking down on you, but your wife was stolen by your brother, and you didn't even dare to fart about it. And now you're here to be a groom for your righteous brother who has no sense of right and wrong! I feel embarrassed for you!"

Su Huanfeng sneered, "You bought a house in a gossip neighborhood, so you're speaking so sarcastically? Do you interfere so much that even the nightsoil carriage going through the city, you have to take a mouthful too?"

Feng Heng snorted coldly, "I'm sarcastic about you brothers. If you have the guts, go ahead and hack me!"

Su Huanfeng pointed at Feng Heng's nose, narrowing his eyes. "I'm warning you. If you want to keep your dog life, shut your mouth!"

Today, Feng Heng was determined to get justice for Princess Lesu. Why was Princess Lesu so fixated on marrying Zhao Changdu?

Zhao Changdu was just a widowed man raising a bawling burden. How could he be a fit match for Princess Lesu?

Hearing the cries of the baby in the carriage gradually soften, Feng Heng yelled hoarsely, "Zhao Changdu, get the hell out--"

The carriage curtain was blasted open by a powerful inner energy from inside.

Feng Heng shrieked as he tumbled off his horse into a thick pile of snow. The residual inner energy deterred the commoners watching so much that they retreated back two circles.

Zhao Changdu carried his child out of the carriage. His black brocade clothes fluttered in the wind, revealing the man's sharp, profound eyes. No one could see his icy expression, but the chill he gave off still made everyone who was watching shudder involuntarily. His tone was very indifferent, aloof and detached, yet a bit cold, seemingly nonchalant, but every word contained cold majesty.

"Who said A Ying died?"

Feng Heng crawled out from the ground, bedraggled as he said, "Who cares who said it, you have to stay and marry Princess Lesu, you cannot leave Bianjing!"

Zhao Changdu indifferently glanced at him. "You dare stop me?"

Feng Heng took out an imperial decree from his sleeve, eyes wide with fury. "The imperial decree stops you!"

Zhao Changdu expressionlessly glanced at the decree, then calmly turned back to the carriage.

Feng Heng could not believe that he, as a subject, actually dared defy an imperial decree. Furious, he lifted the decree and went to the black carriage, yelling, "Zhao Changdu, open your eyes. This is a decree written personally by His Majesty. You dare defy his edict for the sake of a dead woman?!"

"Noisy. Disturbing Nian's sleep."

As the words fell, a flash of white light shot out from the carriage.

Before the people could see what happened, they saw Feng Heng's eyes bleeding as he let out a miserable shriek.

The crowd paled in fright, truly not expecting that the crown prince would actually attack the grandson of the minister of ceremonies, and not even put the imperial decree in his eyes. Now, everyone felt more respect, adoration but also fear towards the crown prince.

Subsequently, the carriage rolled right over Feng Heng's body. Feng Heng's eyes rolled back and he lost consciousness.

Watching as the carriage gradually shrank into the distance, the corner of Su Huanfeng's eye twitched. He raised his hand and ordered, "Don't let Young Master Feng catch a cold lying in the snow. Quickly take him away. Afterwards, don't let the gossiping commoners bury this matter like dogs."

"Yes, young lord."

Su Huanfeng recalled the news he had received a few days ago. He walked atop the city walls, watching as the carriage became a black speck. He was extremely impatient, "He's so far away but he still brought Nian with him, isn't that troublesome?"

"The Crown Prince said, Nian has to see his mother the moment they reunite."

"Seeing his mother isn't urgent."

"You know nothing. Nian lost his mother, so he cries every day now. Only when his mother is found will he finally quiet down. Haven't you seen the little dumpling's eyes swollen like walnuts from crying? If this continues, I suspect he's trying to cry himself to death."

"How could I see? Adu won't let me go near the child. The two times I secretly took a peek, he almost kicked my ass hollow." "Well you were A Ying's former fiancé. Why does a former fiancé keep wanting to see his former fianceé's child? What, do you want to become Nian's father?"

"He promised to let me be Nian's godfather!"

"A man's word is a deceiving ghost. He also promised to give me a wife, but I don't see that wife yet."

"Wait, what are you doing here?" Su Huanfeng turned and saw Ye Zhuojiang standing leisurely beside him. He was shocked. "You didn't go with them?"

Ye Zhuojiang pouted. "There's so many people already. One less doesn't make a difference."

Achi and General Gu are almost at Taohua Town already. If not for Zhao Changdu's body not having fully recovered, he likely would have already set off.

Gu Ning and Gu Xun are also en route to Taohua Town. Especially Gu Xun. This lead was mostly thanks to him. If he hadn't secretly trailed A Ying after leaving Bianjing, he wouldn't have seen Jiang Yin's carriage taking A Ying away. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to so easily find the Taohua Town located half a month's travel from Bianjing.

Though Taohua Town had a nice name, it was actually an extremely dangerous place. Not only was the environment complicated, there were many venomous insects and forests where people often got lost.

The town once housed over 100 families, but later the mountain bandits killed everyone there. The town flowed red with blood, corpses covering the ground, becoming a ghost town that no one lived in afterwards.

The fact that Gu Xun could enter and leave showed he was a scout of rare talent.

Ye Zhuojiang crossed his arms over his chest. "I came back first. Lady Gu Jia has started regaining consciousness recently. I need to increase her medication to make sure she recovers quickly. When A Ying comes back, I want to surprise her."

...

Winter had arrived, and the cold winds grew more bitter by the day.

Three days later, when Jiang Yin returned to the Hidden Fragrance Courtyard, the night was pitch black, endless.

The heavy snow fluttered down, blanketing the world in black and white.

The skies roiled with dark clouds tonight, the winds howling. The snowfall was heavy, the cold piercing into one's bones.

Sensing something unusual about the weather tonight, Jiang Yin ordered Hanlin to strengthen the defenses as soon as he returned to the Hidden Fragrance Courtyard.

Hanlin said, "Other than Miss Ling coming by recently, there's been nothing out of the ordinary."

Jiang Yin said, "I see."

He had rushed back wearing a rain hat and rain cape, impatient to give A Ying the gifts he had brought back for her. He entered the inner residence.