Chapter 317

Because they were traveling on the official road, the carriage did not bump along.

Liu Rushi, who was gazing at the scenery outside with Su Qiao, smiled upon hearing this. "I didn't feel it before, but since returning from Jingcheng, I actually feel somewhat out of place."

As for whether the pace of life is slow, actually, it is not slow.

It depends, relatively speaking, or rather, it depends on who you ask.

At the canal transport docks, during the busy farming seasons in the fields, and so on, the north and south are almost the same.

However, the southern scholars lack a bit of masculinity and possess a bit more femininity, and there are many nobles who enjoy life.

The extravagant and dissolute life has caused many 627 people to fall into it; as for matters like national retribution and so on, most have been worn away.

Why is it that members of groups like the Donglin Society, various party scholars, and young masters are so sought after?

One reason is their high reputation and loud slogans.

The other is that they form a sharp contrast with other scholars.

Su Qiao withdrew his thoughts. "Alright, we can only play for another two days. I estimate it won't take long before Grand Secretary Sun receives news and sends someone to urge us."

"As long as we don't delay official business, why don't we go see Grand Secretary Sun first, and then go play after we finish?"

Liu Rushi said understandingly.

Su Qiao shook his head with a chuckle. "One or two days won't delay anything. Moreover, once we finish, I estimate there will be even less time to play. Your Majesty would prefer I stay in Jingcheng constantly. If not for the fact that one cannot just live in the Imperial Palace, he would have arranged for me to stay there."

Liu Rushi covered her mouth and laughed lightly. "It is simply because Your Majesty trusts you."

"Indeed!"

A day later, Su Qiao and Liu Rushi's group did not go to Jin Ling City, but instead arrived at the famous Qinhuaihe.

Su Qiao and Liu Rushi and the others had changed their attire.

Liu Rushi and her maid Qing'er were still disguised as men. The Embroidered Uniform Guard had taken off their Flying Fish Robes and were traveling in plain clothes; even the embroidered spring daggers in their hands were concealed by something and held in their arms.

Su Qiao and Liu Rushi each held a folding fan and wore scholar caps.

Although there were many guards beside them, they still looked like traveling scholars and did not attract much attention.

Looking at the very familiar Qinhuaihe, it had only been a few months since they last saw it, yet it felt as if several years had passed.

Their state of mind was also completely different.

Just as Su Qiao and Liu Rushi were discussing by the river embankment whether to rent a painted boat to tour the lake,

suddenly, sounds of frolicking and noise came from a distance!

The noise was chaotic, and it did not sound like a single person; rather, it sounded like a large group of scholars and Confucian students playing and making noise together.

"Zhao Yu, you are truly interesting today; you actually recited the 'Mencius' as the 'Great Learning'. No wonder the teacher punished you!"

"I didn't do that!" The person being mocked spoke with a lack of confidence.

Su Qiao only heard them speaking and thought to himself: Could Zhao Yu be a poor scholar being mocked?

Su Qiao and the others turned to look and found that the scholar Zhao Yu being mocked was not shabby at all.

One could see that the clothing of this group was all magnificent brocade garments, plus jade pendants for gentlemen and so on.

Just from this point, one could see that the seven or eight students walking over from a distance were of no ordinary status.

Su Qiao curiously sized them up.

Seemingly sensing the gaze of Su Qiao and the others, this group stopped not far from Su Qiao and the others.

They obviously saw Su Qiao and the others as well.

Their gaze swept over, and when two of them saw Liu Rushi, their expressions paused, showing signs of excitement.

"You... You are Liu Rushi!"

Do not think that because Liu Rushi was disguised as a man and had left Qinhuaihe for more than half a year,

she was still the famous courtesan of Qinhuaihe back then, with a very great reputation.

Many famous young masters hoped to meet her.

Many scholars had also seen her.

Among the group they met today, two people had seen Liu Rushi, and not just once.

So even though Liu Rushi's attire was different, her face still revealed her identity.

Liu Rushi, having been recognized, suddenly looked somewhat panicked, but fortunately, Su Qiao beside her stepped forward.

"May I ask who you gentlemen are?"

Seeing a strange man block his view, he could not see Liu Rushi at all.

The faces of the several Confucian students were not good.

Their status and position were no ordinary matter!

Even within the Imperial Academy in Nanjingcheng, no one was willing to provoke their group.

Because this group of people were all young masters of high officials in the Nanjing court.

Their status and position were no ordinary matter; they could be called second-generation officials. No one was willing to provoke them, nor did anyone want to.

After all, you might not fear the son of a particular Minister.

But do not forget that they are a gang; offending one might be like poking a hornet's nest and offending the whole group!

So ordinary people seeing this group of prodigal sons basically avoided them.

"Boy, move aside quickly. I want to speak with Master Liu. Do not block the way!"

With the temper of a prodigal rising, several people glared at Su Qiao with ill will and shouted angrily.

Su Qiao's originally kind smile suddenly vanished.

If it were a normal greeting, Su Qiao would not bother getting angry with a few spoiled fools.

But their eyes and their domineering attitude made Su Qiao very unhappy.

Su Qiao and Liu Rushi had brought Ma Kui and over a dozen Embroidered Uniform Guards as escorts; they had no intention of playing the game of pretending to be weak to strike the arrogant or seeking face-slapping drama.

After all, when going out to stroll with so many escorts, even a fool would know their status was extraordinary.

Yet the second-generation scions of the Nanjing officialdom had grown accustomed to running rampant.

With them banding together as a group, even the heir to the Duke Prefecture was unwilling to provoke them.

This made them feel somewhat untethered, believing that in the lands of Jin Ling, no one could deal with them; they could be said to act with absolute impunity.

Liu Rushi fell silent, having caught the change in expression on Su Qiao's face.

She knew clearly in her heart that Su Qiao was definitely angry.

She dared not speak, fearing she might provoke Su Qiao.

Su Qiao gazed calmly at the several prodigal sons before him and said, "Rushi has now reformed and is a member of my inner household; for you to act this way in public seems rather inappropriate, does it not?"

"Hmm?"

The several prodigal sons had initially been clouded in their minds, or perhaps seeing Liu Rushi had made their heads hot; like seeing a celebrity, they had not considered this point.

Now, reminded by Su Qiao, they remembered.

May peace reign throughout the four seas.

174, Huang Taiji commits suicide!

Having sat on the Dragon Throne for a long time, Huang Taiji rose with trembling steps.

His hair, originally black as ink, had somehow acquired a single strand of white.

"Hehehe, it cannot be saved, it cannot be saved..."

Dorgon and others were so frightened that their faces changed drastically.

They had always seen the spirited and high-spirited Huang Taiji, yet now they saw Huang Taiji in a state where all his spirit and vitality were utterly lost.

On his head, a single strand of white hair had appeared at some unknown time.

Could this be the so-called turning white overnight?

Dorgon took a deep breath and closed his eyes in pain.

Since the Battle of Linghe, everything seemed to have changed.

The battles where Great Qing had gone smoothly and favorably were gone; the appearance of Great Ming as weak and incapable had changed!

And now?

They were even forced by Great Ming to chop off Fan Wencheng's head.

Even the old banner people who were veterans of the Great Ancestor could no longer be suppressed!

My elder brother has also become decadent.

Can Great Qing continue?