Chapter 512: A Man Under the Burden of Guilt

Latest website: Yanzhou.

Just as the winds and clouds were rising at sea, the arrival of one person stirred up no small Bolan in Yancheng.

At noon that day, he finished his lecture at the Technology Academy and was about to return to the Prince's Mansion.

The city gate guard hurried over and told him the news of Yang Feng's arrival at the Nan Cheng gate.

Immediately, he turned his horse around and headed to the Nan Cheng gate.

"General Yang, I truly apologize for failing to welcome you from afar; it is my fault, my fault."

At this moment, a simple carriage was parked at the city gate.

An old man with white hair and beard stood beside the carriage.

Beside him was a young girl, who appeared gentle and amiable.

Beyond them, there was also a refined middle-aged man over fifty years of age.

"Your Highness Yan Wang."

Hearing the voice, Yang Feng turned his head.

He naturally recognized Yan Wang, but his last impression of Yan Wang remained from when he was insane.

Seeing him now, he could not help but feel a bit surprised in his heart.

Then, realizing something, he bowed to Zhao Xu, "Commoner Yang Feng pays his respects to Your Highness Yan Wang."

He then said to the young girl, "Susu, pay your respects to Your Highness Yan Wang."

The young girl stepped forward and also performed a graceful bow to Zhao Xu, "Commoner Yang Susu pays her respects to Your Highness Yan Wang."

"General Yang, this..." Zhao Xu only felt his face burning, as if Yang Feng were slapping him in the face.

It was not that he cared about Yang Feng bowing to him.

After all, he was an Imperial Prince, and Yang Feng ought to bow to him.

What left a bitter taste in his mouth was that Yang Feng referred to himself as a commoner, and Yang Susu referred to herself as a commoner woman.

In this war against the Northern Di, Yang Feng clearly had not only committed no crime but had actually performed meritorious service, yet he had ended up stripped of his rank and reduced to a commoner.

In his view,

this was the incompetence of the Imperial Clan.

As a member of the Imperial Clan, he naturally felt he had lost face.

"General Yang, please rise. To this Prince, you will always be the Duke of Yi of the Great Song. Since you have arrived in Yancheng, Old General, treat this place as your home and live here in peace. If there is any inconvenience, you may tell this Prince at any time," Zhao Xu said.

Yang Feng examined Zhao Xu carefully and nodded slightly.

When he was in Jingshi, he often heard about Zhao Xu's deeds in Yanzhou.

Seeing him today, this Yan Wang was indeed approachable.

Thinking again of the illustrious military achievements this Yan Wang had established, he grew even more respectful toward Zhao Xu.

It was just that he was now a man under the burden of guilt, and he truly did not wish to implicate Yan Wang or let that crowd in Jingshi wag their tongues.

Thus, he said, "I accept Your Highness's kindness, but I have fought on the battlefield for many years and am physically and mentally exhausted. I only wish to live a quiet life, and I hope Your Highness will grant this."

Zhao Xu's original intention was to let Yang Feng live comfortably in Yancheng and enjoy his twilight years.

Since Yang Feng had said so, he would not stop him.

"This Prince has never liked to force others. Since the Old General has said so, this Prince shall agree. However, if the Old General has any difficulties, you may come to the Prince's Mansion. I may not be able to protect the Old General in the imperial court, but at least I can let the Old General live freely in my fief," Zhao Xu said.

Having been in the Great Song for so long, the only military generals he admired were Mo Di and Yang Feng.

They were truly the pillars of the nation, yet alas, good generals do not always meet wise masters, and in the end, they all met a tragic fate.

"Many thanks, Your Highness." Yang Feng breathed a light sigh of relief.

To him, Yan Wang owed him nothing, and he did not want to add trouble to Yan Wang.

Then, thinking of something, he said to the refined middle-aged man, "Imperial Physician Shi, didn't you keep saying 'Your Highness Yan Wang' on the road? Why are you silent now?"

Hearing this, Zhao Xu looked at the middle-aged man, and upon hearing Yang Feng say he was an Imperial Physician, he smiled.

When Zhao Heng was in Yanzhou, he had deliberately said his brain ailment had not fully recovered to scare Zhao Heng.

At the time, Zhao Heng said he would send an Imperial Physician to him; he had not expected one to actually be sent.

"Subject Shi Zhengui pays his respects to Your Highness Yan Wang," Shi Zhengui said as he stepped forward, his expression neither humble nor arrogant.

Zhao Xu nodded. Those who could be sent to Yanzhou by Zhao Heng were naturally those who were not doing well in the Imperial Medical Academy.

It was just that he was not sick and did not need treatment; having this Imperial Physician serve as his personal doctor was a bit of a waste.

So he said, "You go to the Yancheng Medical Hall first and find Medical Officer Hu; stay with him for the time being."

"Yes, Your Highness," Shi Zhengui said.

Just as Yang Feng had said, throughout the journey, he had indeed often mentioned Yan Wang.

But he had always been focused on Yan Wang's Secret Medicine; he was not interested in Yan Wang's military achievements.

And this was his only consolation for coming to Yanzhou.

Zhao Xu nodded, then cleared the way and gestured for Yang Feng to enter the city.

After his offer to provide Yang Feng with a residence was refused again, he returned to the Prince's Mansion.

In this way, he would let Yang Feng wander around Yancheng and find a place for himself; in any case, in Yancheng, his safety was not a problem.

"General Yang has arrived, so General Yang's granddaughter Yang Susu has also come?"

In the bedchamber, Luan'er said this while serving tea to Zhao Xu.

"Mm," Zhao Xu nodded.

"What a pity," Luan'er said, leaving Zhao Xu feeling baffled.

Hearing this, Zhao Xu looked at her, "Why is it a pity?"

"If General Yang were still the Duke of Yi, I fear Yang Susu would be Your Highness's Imperial Concubine," Luan'er said. "Didn't the Imperial Concubine mention this in her letter?"

Zhao Xu had been busy with campaigns, so his mind had naturally never been on this, and he had long since forgotten it.

Only when Luan'er brought it up did he remember.

He could not help but recall the appearance of Yang Susu at the city gate.

Red lips and white teeth, a round oval face, skin like congealed fat, and a gentle temperament that made her approachable.

"One engagement was annulled, and another was almost established." Zhao Xu shook his head helplessly.

Naturally, one was Changle Junzhu, and the other was Yang Susu.

If Imperial Concubine Mi continued to select a princess for him, he reckoned she would only be able to choose from the influential clans now.

However, even if it killed him, he would not accept a princess from an influential clan.

He would rather grow old alone; in any case, having Feng'er and Luan'er by his side was not bad.

Luan'er mentioning this matter was merely a slip of the tongue in conversation.

She then began to tell him about some interesting things that had happened in Yancheng.

In the late evening, Xu Lie brought him news of Yang Feng.

"General Yang has bought a small courtyard in the West City and settled down," Xu Lie said.

Zhao Xu nodded; it was he who had ordered Xu Lie to send guards to keep watch.

"Since that is the case, do not disturb them. I fear the old General Yang does not want to bring trouble to this Prince."

He felt this was also fine; in truth, he only respected Yang Feng's character and had no intention of employing him.

After all, if Yang Feng were to join the Prince's Personal Army, Chang Wei's position would become very awkward.

He could not possibly place Yang Feng under Chang Wei.

In that case, the morale of the Prince's Personal Army would also become unstable.

Furthermore, to him, Yang Feng belonged to the traditional feudal generals.

The tactics he was most familiar with were still the tactics of feudal armies.

And compared to the Prince's Personal Army, these had already fallen far behind.

Therefore, letting him be an idle person in Yancheng was the best choice.

As the two were speaking, they saw Mi Wen walking over excitedly.

"Your Highness, the layout for the first Newspaper is ready, please take a look."