Chapter 290: See You Again

Xiao Wu, who had squeezed out from the stable's secret passage, patted the straw on his body as he walked out. "Guest officer, why are you here alone?"

Chen Ji didn't answer but instead asked, "Where did you go?"

Xiao Wu's eyes darted around uncertainly. "I... I went down to see if there were any Jing Chao thieves still hiding in the secret passage."

Chen Ji knew he wasn't telling the truth, but only said calmly, "I brought the shopkeeper's corpse back. You should all bury him properly."

Xiao Wu was startled and immediately cupped his fist, saying, "Guest officer is benevolent. From now on, I will be the shopkeeper of this Longmen Inn. If you ever come to Guyuan again and have any instructions, Xiao Wu will not hesitate to go through fire and water."

Chen Ji's heart stirred. He sharply realized that the matter of Longmen Inn changing shopkeepers was absolutely not something Xiao Wu could decide on his own, and perhaps not even Hu San Ye!

He glanced at Xiao Wu and said casually, "No need to be so polite. I was acquainted with the shopkeeper once, and it wouldn't be right to see him dragged away by people on a cart! Right, did San Ye ask you to bring me a message?"

Xiao Wu shook his head. "No, San Ye didn't give any instructions!"

Chen Ji said casually, "What about the owner?"

Xiao Wu subconsciously said, "The owner didn't either..."

At this point, Xiao Wu alertly shut his mouth!

Chen Ji finally confirmed that Xiao Wu had just slipped out of the city through the secret passage to see the mysterious owner behind Longmen Inn!

The other party was also in Guyuan.

Chen Ji was about to try and extract more information, but then heard footsteps coming from outside the inn!

He turned his head to look and saw that it was the Crown Prince leading a crowd back to the inn. The Chen family members were with them, as were Zhang Xia and others. Zao Zao had returned to Zhang Xia's side at some point, and Dark Clouds was still lying on her head!

His gaze shifted again and he saw Liang Shi standing behind Chen Li Qin with a gloomy expression. When she saw Chen Ji looking over, she immediately turned her head away!

Wang Gui was behind her, dragging a simple cart. On the cart was Chen Wen Xiao wrapped in a straw mat!

Qi Jian Zhe saw Chen Ji and quickly waved his hand. "Master."

Xiao Man glared at him. "Shameless, does my young master even acknowledge you as a disciple?"

After speaking, she held the palm leaf wrapped around horse meat and ran to Chen Ji with small steps, whispering, "Young master, eat something. This is the horse meat I saved for you..."

Chen Ji hummed. He didn't take the horse meat but looked towards the Crown Prince!

The Crown Prince actually cupped his hands to him and said in a warm voice, "Now that the dust has settled, I finally have the opportunity to thank you, wise brother Chen Ji. If it weren't for you this time, I would have died several times!"

Chen Ji silently sized up the Crown Prince. There was no anger on the face of this national heir, who was treated as an abandoned pawn, as if nothing had happened. He was still that warm and gentle gentleman!

Only, the other party's self-address had changed from "I" to "lone"!

Chen Ji cupped his hands in return. "Your Highness, there is no need for such politeness. This humble official only did his duty... What are your plans now, Your Highness?"

The Crown Prince looked at Li Xuan. "What does Sir Li think?"

Li Xuan at the side cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, the Si Li Jian disregarded the life of the country's heir. After we return to the capital, we must impeach them and demand an explanation for Your Highness!"

The Crown Prince glanced at him and said with a smile, "Is it not possible to exchange the lives of all the elites of the Tian Ce Army for my own? Sir Li, after we return, absolutely do not mention this matter again. If someone asks, only mention the matter of Sir Li beheading the general and achieving merit."

Li Xuan's face stiffened and he quickly lowered his head. "This humble official was able to achieve merit because Your Highness taught me well!"

The Crown Prince smiled and did not continue speaking!

Chen Li Qin stepped forward and said, "Your Highness, our urgent matter is to leave Guyuan as soon as possible while it is still early, to avoid any further complications! If we walk fast, we can reach Tian Shui County by tomorrow night!"

However, as soon as these words were spoken, Li Xuan, Qi Jian Zhe, and all the Yu Lin Army actually looked towards Chen Ji!

Even the Crown Prince asked in a warm voice, "What does the Right Si Wei think?"

Chen Li Qin wanted to speak but hesitated!

Chen Ji lowered his head and thought for a moment. "What Sir Chen said makes sense. Perhaps there are still some Jing Chao spies hiding among the people. It is also a good thing for Your Highness to leave Guyuan early! In addition, Guyuan is waiting to be rebuilt. Arriving at Tian Shui County will also make it easier to settle down!"

The Crown Prince nodded. He did not ask Chen Li Qin again, nor did he ask Li Xuan and Qi Jian Zhe again, and immediately decided, "Then let's set off immediately as the Right Si Wei said!"

After speaking, he turned and walked out without any hesitation!

Liang Shi watched her husband from afar, seeing that all his authority in the East Palace was gone, and for a time she was silent.

When she looked at Chen Ji and Xiao Man again, her eyes were full of hatred!

Wang Gui was beside her and said grimly, "Madam, if you want to avenge the second young master, you absolutely cannot sit by and watch Chen Ji grow powerful! If he becomes powerful, the second young master might really have died in vain!"

Wang Gui said in a low voice, "Madam, accompanying a monarch is like accompanying a tiger. Ministers in court change one after another. Who can guarantee that one day the Crown Prince won't suspect Chen Ji? Furthermore, there is more than one prince in court. There is also Fu Wang..."

Liang Shi's eyes were gloomy and she slanted a glance at Wang Gui. "Shut up, is this something you can discuss freely?"

Wang Gui lowered his head. "This humble person was just speaking casually. I believe Madam has her own plans!"

Besides this, there is one more matter that needs to be handled as soon as possible!

Liang Shi said coldly, "Don't beat around the bush!"

At this time, Zhang Xia led Zao Zao to Chen Ji's side and whispered in a low voice!

Wang Gui looked at Chen Ji, then at Zhang Xia. "Madam, look at these two people!"

Liang Shi said calmly, "What about these two people?"

Wang Gui took a deep breath. "Madam, these two people seem polite and their behavior is all in accordance with etiquette, but Chen Ji has saved Second Miss Zhang more than once or twice, and they even shared a room in Longmen Inn... If he gets the help of the Zhang family, I'm afraid he will be like a tiger with wings! We must first break them!"

Liang Shi said calmly, "How to break them?"

Wang Gui said in a low voice, "Chen Ji is already of marriageable age. In the past, because he was an apprentice in the medical hall, his marriage was delayed. Now he is a positive sixth-rank official, exactly the time for a young man to achieve success and establish a family! Madam, as his birth mother, even from an ethical standpoint, you should arrange a marriage for him!"

Liang Shi said indifferently, "He is probably not going to comply!"

Wang Gui lowered his eyes. "Parents' orders and matchmaker's words. Where is the reason for an illegitimate son to decide his own marriage? Even if this matter is taken to court, it should be you who decides. If he doesn't follow, then he is unfilial! Master is not like Sir Zhang Zhuo, and I don't think he will obstruct it!"

Liang Shi fell into thought!

Wang Gui continued, "There are not a few young misses from high-ranking families in the capital waiting to marry officials. If Madam can find a marriage match for this illegitimate son from a high-ranking family's legitimate daughter, no one will be able to find fault with you. They will only think that you, as his birth mother, deeply understand the great righteousness!"

Liang Shi's eyes moved slightly. "Do you already have someone in mind?"

Wang Gui said certainly, "Yes, you will definitely be satisfied!"

At this time, the Crown Prince and others had already left the inn. Liang Shi followed suit, and Wang Gui dragged the cart behind her!

Before leaving the city, they saw that the border army infantry had already cleared the bricks and stones from the collapsed city gate tower, opening up a small path!

Outside the city, they piled up high haystacks and burned the corpses on the spot to avoid a plague!

Passing by the burning field, Liang Shi silently gazed at the raging fire for a long time, then said to Wang Gui, "Push Wen Xiao in!"

Wang Gui's face changed. "Madam, aren't we bringing the second young master back to the city?"

Liang Shi's expression flickered in the firelight. Wave after wave of heat from the raging fire rushed towards her, making her cheeks swell. "If we bring him back to the capital, and someone asks how he died, how should I answer?"

Wang Gui was startled. "But the Crown Prince also knows the truth..."

Liang Shi let out a cold laugh. "The Crown Prince was captured on the front line. How will he actively mention this matter to people? He wishes that everyone will forget everything that happened in Guyuan. Whoever dares to speak up will just get themselves killed!"

Wang Gui still hesitated, reluctant to push Chen Wen Xiao into the fire!

Liang Shi saw that he wasn't moving and immediately pushed the cart herself, gritting her teeth and pushing it into the raging fire, letting the tongues of fire sweep over it and swallow everything!

Outside Guyuan city, everyone walked on foot along the dirt road!

The Yu Lin Army armored soldiers were very tired, but no one complained anymore, not even Qi Jian Zhe!

At this time, the sound of horse hooves came from behind the crowd!

Li Xuan turned his head to look and saw that it was Zhou You leading several dozen riders, threading out from the gap in the city gate ruins and catching up to them!

Li Xuan's hand pressed on the hilt of his waist sword and he said in a deep voice, "What, General Zhou wants to leave us here?"

As he spoke, the Yu Lin Army armored soldiers together drew their swords from their scabbards, their expressions cold, not saying a word!

Someone licked their dry, cracked lips, ready to kill at any time!

Zhou You sat on his horse and circled around the Yu Lin Army, then laughed heartily, "When the Yu Lin Army arrived, they wore silver armor and were imposing. I, Zhou, never took you seriously! Now the Yu Lin Army is dusty and dirty, and I, Zhou, have a few more points of respect!"

After speaking, he jumped off his horse, led the reins to a nearby spot, and handed the reins to Li Xuan. "The road is long. It will be easier to walk with a horse. We will meet again later!"

Li Xuan and all the Yu Lin Army were stunned!

They watched the border army armored soldiers dismount together and hand the reins to each of them. "We will meet again later."

For a time, the Yu Lin Army didn't know how to respond. They only stiffly accepted the reins and subconsciously said, "We will meet again later!"

It turned out that the other side had specially come over just to give them horses!

The border army armored soldiers left their horses, turned around, and strode back into that desolate and magnificent Guyuan city, like a group of self-exiled prisoners!

Li Xuan flipped onto his horse, turned his head, and reluctantly looked for a long time before turning his horse to leave!

"We will meet again later!"