Chapter 290 Zhao Duan: Who said I was alone?
"Princess, be careful. When you and I talk, we should avoid such words."
Zhao Duan suddenly changed his expression. He looked like a gentleman and the empress was a loyal dog-licker. He took a step back and said seriously:
"I'm afraid your majesty will misunderstand!"
"..." Xu Junling, who had a sweet appearance and skin as smooth as satin, froze in smile.
Feeling the strange gazes from all directions, she took a deep breath, clenched her little hands hidden in her sleeves tightly, maintaining the elegance and grace of a "talented woman", and said with a smile: "Mr. Zhao is joking."
After Zhao Duan left these words, he didn't bother to pay attention to her and looked around.
After leaving the capital, the scenery was obviously much emptier.
A long official road running from north to south is surrounded by decaying scenes with withered and yellow leaves on both sides.
Although there are still small green patches left on the treetops, there is not much left.
The dusty "tea flag" of the tea stall was listless, hanging on a flagpole rooted in the loess road.
At this moment, as the small team stopped, the entourage also became busy.
Or feed the horses, or look for wooden posts to hitch the carriage.
Zhao Duan did not bring many people with him on this business trip, less than ten people in total, including the direct descendants of Lihuatang.
Qian Kerou, Shen Juan, and Hou Renmeng were the leaders, as well as several Jinyi captains.
As for Zheng Laojiu, he stayed in Beijing to look after the family.
In addition, there is also a censor from the Metropolitan Procuratorate who serves as the deputy of the imperial envoy.
He was a middle-aged man who had a female name, Chen Hong.
At this moment, the middle-aged censor Chen Hong poked his head out of the carriage, revealing a weathered old face with two silver dentures inlaid, and smiled brightly: "Master Zhao, please rest slowly. I won't be a lower official." The car is gone.”
As expected, Yuan Li's subordinates are all a bunch of cheaters... Zhao Duan nodded with a smile on his face and complained wildly in his heart.
The deputy censor was fine when he left the capital.
But one day, after the princess suddenly joined the team without anyone noticing, the old man caught wind and cold that day and reduced the number of times he got out of the carriage, as if he didn't want to get involved.
As for the remaining two carriages, they naturally belong to the daughter of the King of Huai'an.
Xu Junling and his maid Lushui were in a car.
The kendo master "Master Lu" raised by the royal family who competed with Mr. Hai that day was the same as the tall man and the mediocre heroine who were pretending to challenge each other in the ring that day.
At this moment, the owner and waiter of the roadside tea stall did not dare to be careless when they saw the group of people dressed.
He wiped the table and set up the stools obsequiously, greeting everyone with a smile.
Even more sharply, he wiped the best table twice and asked Zhao Duan and Xu Junling, who were the "masters", to sit down:
"Master, Madam, please."
Zhao Duan rolled his eyes, because he had been misunderstood too many times along the way and simply didn't bother to explain.
Xu Junling was dressed in brightly colored silk and satin clothes that looked very precious to him. He smiled and sat down opposite him. After the waiter poured tea and left, he whispered: "Aren't you afraid that the emperor will misunderstand this time?"
Zhao Duan, armed with a golden sword, sat on a stool, picked up the tea bowl and took a sip.
Blowing in the cool autumn breeze, he stared at her helplessly and sighed softly:
"Princess, you are playing with fire. This time I was ordered by the emperor to go out on errands. I didn't want to go back to your Huai River. I came out to follow us halfway. What's going on?
Fortunately, I still have Chen Yushi to testify for me, otherwise I would not be able to keep my reputation clean for the rest of my life. "
Qing Ming... Haha... The corner of Xu Junling's mouth twitched slightly, and he had become resistant to Zhao's shamelessness, and said with a smile:
"I, the princess, am just going home. When I return to the Huai River Road, I have to pass through Linfeng Road. Besides, I have finally made my way north. How can I miss the opportunity to discuss poetry and essays with a talented person like Mr. Zhao?"
Just talk nonsense...Zhao Duan didn't bother to expose her.
…
Xu Junling did often talk to him in the name of "discussing poetry" these days.
The reason given is high-sounding:
On that day at the Zhangtai banquet, Zhao Duan drank and composed poems, leaving behind famous poems that became a good story.
Others pay attention to the gossip behind the poems, but as a "talented girl from the south of the Yangtze River", Xu Junling is more interested in the talent revealed in the poem itself.
These days, every time I stop for a break, I discuss it with him.
She is just like an ancient version of a literary young woman.
But Zhao Duan was not stupid, and he could tell at a glance that this scheming little princess was using an excuse to get to know him better.
Xu Junling does not deny this.
From her point of view, she should have a good relationship with this powerful official who is bound to rise...at least to find out his character.
However, admiration and curiosity about his poetic talent do exist.
Xu Junling still can't figure out how the guy in front of him, who doesn't have much reading experience in his resume, can write such poems.
It's a pity that no matter how she tried to test him, Zhao Duan didn't reveal any more poems.
For a moment, she suspected that Zhao Duan was hiding everything.
It is still a poem that is bought in advance to gain fame and reputation.
"As long as the princess is happy," Zhao Duan shook his head and pointed forward seriously:
"However, the city of Taicang is ahead. I want to investigate a case here. When we enter the city, it's time to say goodbye."
Xu Junling said "Oh", not paying much attention, and said lightly:
"This is my first time to Taicang Mansion, and I am thinking of staying in the city for a few days to enjoy the autumn scenery. If you don't mind, Mr. Zhao, I am also quite interested in the silver mine."
Zhao Duan took a deep look at her:
"The princess wants to stay, so of course I can't stop her. However, the princess is not afraid of getting into trouble?"
Xu Junling smiled sweetly and said gracefully: "There is no ghost in my heart, so I am not afraid. I, the Prince of Huai'an, have never been in the silver mine business, let alone put my hand into Linfeng, so what's so scary?
What's more? "Sister Huang's business is my business. How can I sit idly by and ignore someone who wants to take advantage of my Xu family's money?"
In the small tea stall, the two of them sat opposite each other, looking away.
One frowns, one smiles.
Zhao Duan was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled brightly: "If the princess has this intention, your majesty will definitely be very happy."
He didn't mind that the scheming princess was joining in the fun.
It's better to blend openly and openly than to be sneaky in the dark.
What's more, he never underestimated the power this princess could mobilize.
Apart from anything else, the old man named Lu beside her was also a good helper.
As for the relationship of interest... there is a high probability that there is none. On the one hand, if the Taicang incident is related to the King of Huai'an, then the princess following him will only increase suspicion.
In addition, the wealthy King of Huai'an, who controlled several merchant ships, really looked down upon this petty corruption.
"What are you looking at?"
Xu Junling caught a glimpse of Zhao Duan taking out a book and flipping through it.
"Look at the local snakes in this territory, which ones are poisonous and which ones are not poisonous."
Zhao Duan said casually, a personal name appeared on the book in his hand.
Chief envoy, inspector envoy, commanding envoy... These are officials at the first level of "Tao", third rank or above.
Well, it corresponds to the "provincial" level feudal official he was familiar with in his previous life.
Then, there is Sun Xiaozhun, the prefect of Taicang City.
Here we should mention the division of Dayu. There are nine roads. Each "road" is quite broad, and there are many counties in it.
Because of the large area of "Tao", two "fu" cities will be divided into two, serving as the primary and secondary centers, roughly corresponding to the cities.
In this way, there is a saying of the Nine Paths and Eighteen Palaces... which does not cover the capital.
Linfeng Road is adjacent to the capital. To the south is the Huai River Road, and to the southeast is Jiancheng Road - where Prince Jing's Mansion is located.
To the west is Xiping Road - where Eugene's natal family is.
There are two prefectures in Linfeng, one is "Linfeng Prefecture" and the other is "Taicang Prefecture".
Taicang County, where the silver mine is located, is where Taicang Fucheng is located.
"The documents from the imperial court arrived many days before me, so at this time, the group of officials who were entrusted with the title must be waiting for me, the imperial envoy, in the city ahead.
Haha, the inn where we stayed last night sent out a message early again. At this time, the big officials are probably waiting in line at the city gate to welcome us. "
Zhao Duan said casually.
Xu Junling nodded lightly, not surprised.
From her point of view, when she was in Huai River, she often talked with officials at the chief envoy level, so she only felt that it was ordinary.
At this moment, he couldn’t help but raise the corner of his mouth and said teasingly:
"Then you have just bumped into someone else's lair. Even though you are an imperial envoy from the capital, you brought just a few people to someone else's territory... Haha.
The leaders of this group may be polite to you on the surface, but secretly, the enemy is strong and we are weak.
How about it? Have you figured out how to establish your authority? Otherwise, please beg me, my Huai'an Prince's Mansion is still..."
Zhao Duan raised his head, smiled strangely, and suddenly raised his finger to his lips: "Shh, listen."
Xu Junling was stunned.
Immediately, she suddenly caught a glimpse of the water rippling in the tea bowl on the table.
The ground was shaking.
At this moment, the earth roared without warning and the tea table shook.
The boss and the other guests in the tea shop opened their eyes wide, carefully picked up the tea bowls, and looked into the distance.
Xu Junling and others also raised their heads, and then froze.
I saw a group of cavalry rushing out from the distance, stretching into a black line that seemed to have no end.
Amidst the flying dust, armored cavalry were approaching fiercely. The general at the head, carrying a swaggering banner, wrote the word "Lin Feng" and hunted in the wind.
Zhao Duan held a rough tea bowl and smiled slightly:
"Who said I only brought so many people?"
(End of chapter)