Chapter 15: 15

To Shangjing

Mu Fulan was in Junshan picking herbs in Yaoweng’s medicine garden with A’da on the day the imperial edict arrived in Yuecheng.

It has been more than half a year since Yaoweng went down the mountain, and the weather was getting colder. The last batch of herbs must be collected before the snow falls.

The most bitter cold of the year is coming soon.

Although she is a princess, but here, everything is done by Mu Fulan herself, no different from A’da.

Since she was a child, she liked to stay in the medicine garden, following her master to identify different herbs.

After collecting the last bed of herbs, while picking up the bamboo basket, her finger accidentally scraped by the thorns on the side of the basket.

The thin bamboo thorns penetrated deeply into her delicate fingers.

A bright red bead of blood slowly seeped out from her fingertip.

“Princess! There is a message from the city! The Queen asked the princess to return, there is a messenger from Shangjing Palace looking for you!”

At this moment, A’da hurried in from outside and shouted loudly.

Mu Fulan’s hand paused slightly, pulled out the thorn that injured her, washed her hands, and left the rest of work to A’da before leaving the mountain.

It has been more than a month, and the previously agreed matters were advancing in an orderly manner.

Zhang Ban approach is right. When Xie Changgeng came, Mu Fulan deliberately did not stop her brother from “acting with anger” and his “recklessness” has become a protection for Changsha. Just a few days ago, there was a secret report that Zhang Ban’s persuasion was successful, and Empress Liu would not immediately attack Changsha.

Good news also came from Yuan Handing. After surveying the terrain, he was very excited and said that the veins in the mountain were not only abundant, but also buried shallowly, so it was easy to dig. The population in the few villages scattered outside the mountain was low and Yuan Handing had already relocated them. Thousands of soldiers and craftsmen have began to secretly enter the mountain in batches.

The chief supervisor sent by the imperial court was not a concern, the information he can get is nothing more than public matters. And he had also discovered the man named Zhu Liuhu left by Xie Changgeng. He snuck into the city as a hauler and settled in an alley not far from the palace, carrying a load every day and wandering the streets and alleys of Yuecheng. After a few days, a little widow named A’jiao moved into the neighbourhood and became neighbours with him.

These days, on the pretext of patrolling the waters, her brother was also busy looking for a suitable island on Dongting Lake to build a military base.

After it is built, it will be surrounded by water on all sides and far away from the public. Even if there are many people and it was noisy, outsiders would not be able to notice, and it would be impossible to get close to it.

Changsha will have a perfect place for a training ground.

These things were all carried out quietly and in extreme secrecy so the possibility of being noticed by outsiders is very small.

At this time, how could Shangjing suddenly send an emissary from the palace? What is the purpose?

Mu Fulan entered the city with doubts, returned to the palace, and soon understood.

The palace envoy brought Empress Liu’s edict, as well as rewards and an imperial physician.

After reading Empress Liu’s edict, the man said with a smile, “Mu shi, the Empress Dowager heard from Xie Jiedu earlier that your health is not well. If you are really not well, the Empress Dowager will not force anything. The imperial doctor will stay behind to take your pulse, prescribe medicine, and wait until your health is better.”

Mu Fulan knelt on the ground and bowed in thanks.

“Thank you Empress Dowager for your kindness. My health has already recovered, and I’m honoured for the Empress Dowager’s remembrance. I can leave for the capital at any time.”

The palace emissary smiled, “Good, that’s good. As this is the case, we do not want to make the Empress Dowager wait too long. How about we leave early tomorrow?”

“I am at your disposal.” 

Lu shi arranged for the palace emissary accomodations. After hearing the news, Mu Xuanqing hurried back to the palace. As soon as he saw his sister, he immediately said, “Sister, you can’t go! Tomorrow morning, I will say that you fell ill again at night, so you can’t go!”

Mu Fulan did not respond, but only asked about his progress in finding the location for the military base.

Mu Xuanqing said that he has chosen a place today. It is located on Zheshan Island in the east of the lake. It is surrounded by water and is sheltered by Junshan. The round-trip boat journey takes about an hour. 

Mu Fulan said, “That’s good. Brother, you should build the military base as soon as possible. You are the king of Changsha Kingdom, remember to guard against arrogance and impatience, and listen to sister-in-law’s advice. Brother Yuan is a trustworthy person and is extremely capable. In the future, you can be at ease to leave the military training to Brother Yuan, and discuss the rest of the matters with Prime Minister Lu.”

Mu Xuanqing gritted his teeth, “You can’t go! The Empress is taking you as a hostage! If you go, it’s no different from falling into a tiger’s lair!”

“If that’s the case, I have to go there. If I find an excuse not to go, the Empress will harbour suspicions towards us. Even if If it doesn’t happen on the surface, she will definitely keep an eye on us. In that case, all the previous arrangements will not be able to be carried out smoothly.”

“A’mei!”

“Brother, I know you have been good to me since I was a child, but don’t forget that you are a king first, then my elder brother! If we can’t defend ourselves and always rely on others, how can we talk about revenge for our aunt? Now is our only chance, no matter what, we can’t risk of losing!”

Mu Xuanqing clenched both his fists tightly and the blue veins on his forehead throbbed.

Lu shi’s eyes were red, and she stepped forward and held Mu Fulan’s hand.

“A’mei, after you go there, you must be more careful. You are alone, and it is nothing like your own home. The Empress has always harboured ill intentions towards you and we became hostile with Xie Jiedu When you see him this time, remember to be patient. Don’t offend him again.”

Mu Fulan smiled and nodded.

“Brother, sister-in-law, you don’t have to worry too much. After I leave, as long as the Changsha can improve, this is my greatest support. I will be fine. I will definitely find a way to come back as soon as possible.”

That night, Lu shi was busy organising gifts for the palace emissary and packing Mu Fulan’s luggage for the capital. Mu Xuanqing also spent the night preparing the tributes, selecting envoys, and arranging the escorts for his sister. 

While her brother and sister-in-law were busy working on her behalf, Mu Fulan’s heart was tossing and turning and she had trouble sleeping.

Just when she thought that everything was slowly getting better, she didn’t expect that things would suddenly take another turn.

This was an accident she hadn’t expected before.

For Empress Liu to bring her into the capital in this way, she had no good intentions.

And what role did Xie Changgeng play here?

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There is no longer any prior knowledge to be based on, and the people to face are more vicious than the next.

She has to be tenacious and deal with it carefully every step of the way.

Early the next morning, Mu Fulan, Mu mama and maid boarded the warm carriage, left Changsha with the palace emissary, and embarked on the road to the north. After half a month on the road, on the twelfth lunar month of this year, they arrived in Shangjing.

When she arrived, the sky was drifting with snow, dark and heavy, and the clouds were so low that it seemed to be pressing on the top of the distant imperial city. The carriage ran over the muddy snow-covered road outside the city that was trampled by passers-by, carriages and horses. They passed through the tall southern gate of the capital and entered the capital of the Emperor.

Xie Changgeng left the city the day before yesterday for an errand and had not yet returned. After Mu Fulan was sent to his mansion located in the north of the city, just two streets away from the palace, the accompanying Changsha emissaries went to the palace with tributes to pay respect to the Emperor and Empress Liu without stopping.

The steward of the mansion did not know that Madam was coming and he had never seen Mu Fulan before. He was stunned for a moment before figuring out what was going on and he hurriedly led the servants of the mansion to pay respects to her, then led Mu Fulan to the main room where Xie Changgeng lived.

The room is very large, but there are not many furnishings. In addition to the bed and tables, there is also a bookshelf. Beside the bed, there was a man’s winter robe hanging on the shelf, and a scabbard engraved with clouds of a long sword. There was nothing else, making it look a bit empty.

There was also no fire in the room and it was cold.

It’s also ridiculous to mention.

In her previous life, Mu Fulan married Xie Changgeng at the age of sixteen and died at the age of twenty. Almost all of her four or five years were spent in the Xie family’s ancestral home in Xie County, Kuizhou.

This was the first time she stepped into his house in the capital.

She glanced around, her eyes suddenly fixed.

The steward knew that she was the princess of Changsha and needless to say, she was beautiful in appearance. The maids who accompanied her were also exquisitely dressed. Thinking that she thought the place was shabby, he quickly asked someone to start the fire while explaining, “Madam, don’t be surprised. The governor stays in the capital a few times throughout the year and he never asked for additional things so the place is a bit shabby. This time, the Empress Dowager invited you so there was no news in advance, I have neglected Madam.”

Mu Fulan didn’t hear what the steward was saying.

Her eyes fell on the long sword hanging by the bedside, and for almost an instant, her whole body was stiff, and she couldn’t even breathe.

Even if it is burned into ashes, turned into powder, and ground into dust, she could still recognise it.

This cloud-patterned sword that was hanging quietly at the head of the bed at the moment was the one that Xie Changgeng gave to Xi’er in the past.

It was also this sword that Xi’er used to kill himself in front of her longevity tablet.

Mu Fulan stared at the sword, felt a twinge of pain in her heat and could hardly stand up.

Seeing her face suddenly turn white, Mu mama hurriedly supported her and had her sit on the nearby couch.

“Princess, what’s the matter with you?”

Mu Fulan closed her eyes and said in a low voice, “I’m fine. I’m just a little tired, I’ll be fine after resting.”

Mu mama hurriedly asked the steward to bring the maid to the place where the water was boiled for cooking. She helped Mu Fulan lean on the couch. Feeling that her palm was cold, she covered her with the quilt that she brought, and told her to rest first. She and the rest of the people unpacked the things, busily putting things away.

After a while, a eunuch came from the palace and conveyed Empress Liu’s words to Mu Fulan.

Mu Fulan got up to welcome him.

The eunuch was still very young, only in his twenties, with a long face, slender figure, and looked very friendly, said with a smile, “My name is Cao Jin, and I am here to deliver a message to Madam on the order of the Empress Dowager. The Empress Dowager said that the journey must have been hard and it is snowing in the capital again. Princess should take a good rest, and when you have recovered your energy, it will not be too late to enter the palace.”

Mu Fulan lowered her eyes to thank her, and Mu mama handed him money for his hard work. The eunuch did not take it. He waved his hand and said with a smile, “I am just sending a message to the madam, how dare I ask for the madam’s reward. Xie Jiedu is not coming back today, but I’m sure he will return tomorrow at the latest. I’ll leave you to rest.” After saying that, he cupped his hands and withdrew.

Mu mama hurried to see him off.

Mu Fulan walked to the window, slowly pushed it open, and stared at the young eunuch’s back fading away in the snowy courtyard.

This young eunuch was the one who strangled Qi Lingfeng to death on Xie Changgeng’s order.

The sky was getting dark, the lights were on in the house, and the stove was burning warmly.

After eating hastily, bathing and changing clothes, Mu Fulan sent Mu mama and the maids to rest early, knowing that everyone was tired from the journey.

The snow is reflected in the window and all sounds are silent. A candle flickered silently in the room. She sat alone on the edge of the bed, staring at the sword hanging on the head of the bed. Shestood up and walked towards it step by step.

She stopped in front of the sword, tilted her head, looked at it for a long time, stretched out her hand, and took it down.

The sword is heavy, and weighed down.

Holding the hilt in one hand and the scabbard in the other, she slowly pulled the sword out of the scabbard, inch by inch.

The sword is cold and sharp, reflecting the light of the candle behind her, like the eyes of a poisonous snake, blue and white with red.

After staring at it for a long time, the sword seemed to come to life, turning into a pool of flowing blood.

The blood seemed to gather more and more, from the sword, from the four corners of the room, slowly gushing towards her, engulfing her whole body.

She closed her eyes and the hand holding the sword became tighter and tighter.

A hand suddenly stretched out from behind and took the sword away from her palm.

Mu Fulan froze, opened her eyes suddenly, and turned her head.

Xie Changgeng had come in at some point and stood behind her, but she hadn’t noticed him.

He took the scabbard from her other hand as well. With a sound of “clang”, the long sword was sheathed.

“The sword is a weapon, it’s not your plaything, so don’t touch it.”

He said this and hung the sword back in its original position.

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