Chapter 78: Judgment of the Situation

Liu Zheng and Liu Dahao looked at each other in dismay.

Who would have thought that Feng Sanniang's recent escort experience would be so miraculous? Speaking of his mother, Liu Zheng still found her to be far too extraordinary. Feng Sanniang was not a native of Liangzhou, but of Jiangnan. Born into a family of escorts, her father was the renowned escort Feng Zhenglin of the Longyan Dynasty, and the Yuanhang Escort Agency he founded was famous throughout the world. This Feng Sanniang had once been a Jiangnan lady, gentle and refined, a well-bred daughter who was proficient in Zither Chess Calligraphy and Painting; she had been the most beautiful woman in Jiangnan, admired by countless people.

Who would have thought that when she was sixteen, because Feng Zhenglin offended the powerful in Jinghua, the entire escort agency nearly collapsed. Feng Sanniang single-handedly charged into Jinghua to hold the Yuanhang Escort Agency together. What was unbelievable was that this young lady, who had cast aside her needlework to don martial attire, took the remaining escorts of the agency and made a trip to the Xiongnu territory, miraculously turning the tide and revitalizing the Yuanhang Escort Agency. From then on, Feng Sanniang's name became even more resounding than Feng Zhenglin's.

However...

How could such a person have married Liu Dahao?

It was while escorting that she met Liu Dahao in Liangzhou.

Liu Zheng could not figure it out, he really could not figure it out. Looking at the situation today, the Prefect, Chen Ping, also held considerable affection for his mother, and it was even possible that his constant targeting of Liu Dahao was because of this.

Furthermore, regarding Feng Sanniang, this escort mission was originally from Liangzhou to Jinghua, a very safe route. Who would have thought that upon arriving in Jinghua, the Yuanhang Escort Agency received another very important escort job. Feng Sanniang sent a letter to Liangzhou and set off without a moment's delay.

Liu Zheng listened for a moment; at that time, it was likely just when he had transmigrated back.

Feng Sanniang had originally thought this was just an ordinary escort job, only the destination was a bit dangerous, in the Xiongnu Grassland. However, she did not expect that along the way, various people would emerge one after another to rob the escort. Feng Sanniang felt more and more that something was wrong, but the escort code of this era included a non-disclosure agreement that forbade checking the goods, and the silver the other party gave was indeed enough for this level of risk.

Just as she was about to reach the Grassland and was about to heave a sigh of relief, there were robbers again. She took one look and realized this matter was huge. The ones coming to rob the escort were actually the Xiongnu's Small Chanyu, also known as the Little Prince!

This troop had a full two thousand men, and they were all Grassland Cavalry.

As for Feng Sanniang's side, there were only five hundred men. Feng Sanniang reacted extremely quickly and could no longer care about any non-disclosure agreement. She opened the goods to take a look and was instantly shocked; inside, there was actually a person lying there!

"Ah? What person?"

Liu Dahao was startled to hear this.

Liu Zheng was also listening with great interest, watching curiously.

Feng Sanniang glared at Liu Dahao and scolded, "Look at your lack of ambition. Heh, do you know about the recent marriage alliance between the Dynasty and the Xiongnu Small Chanyu?"

"Is it the Princess?"

Liu Zheng took a deep breath.

Feng Sanniang looked at her son with surprise and nodded, saying, "The poor Princess, who knows how she was even titled, was still delivered by me to the Xiongnu Royal Court... while the fake Princess who made such a grand display on the road was assassinated along the way."

Liu Dahao looked bewildered: "Why would that be?"

Before Feng Sanniang could speak, Liu Zheng laughed: "Old man, the Xiongnu are not of one mind either; there must be a pro-war faction and a Conservative Faction. This must be someone who did not want to see the marriage alliance bring about a ceasefire..."

When Feng Sanniang looked at Liu Zheng again, she was beaming with joy. She leaned over and gave Liu Zheng a fierce kiss on the face: "My son has truly improved quite a bit!"

And then, the rest of the story could be guessed.

To protect the Princess and achieve a ceasefire, Feng Sanniang lost five hundred brothers and even took the head of that Small Chanyu, finally successfully delivering the Princess to the Xiongnu Royal Court.

Only then was the ceasefire agreement truly reached.

Was this not a great achievement? It would be no problem to call it a meritorious service in protecting the nation. The Emperor was naturally overjoyed and bestowed various rewards.

Liu Zheng was left crying and laughing from Feng Sanniang's kiss. Afterward, Feng Sanniang felt heartache again, believing it was because Liu Dahao was too spineless that her good-for-nothing son had grown up like this. She grabbed Liu Dahao by the ear and went back to discipline him.

"Good heavens!"

Liu Zheng shook his head and smiled; his family was truly one more eccentric than the next. Listening to the exaggerated cries of pain coming from his father's room and Feng Sanniang's giggling, Liu Zheng suddenly felt that perhaps his father really was the best match for his mother.

This kind of family warmth, arriving so suddenly, made Liu Zheng feel somewhat unaccustomed to it.

Feng Sanniang's sudden return had completely resolved Liu Zheng's predicament. It served as the best balancing act.

However, for others, this was not a good thing.

Empress's Imperial Palace.

"Clatter, clatter!"

Empress Zheng Fu, with an icy expression, whipped her palace maid fiercely with a horsewhip and shouted, "A mere escort, how dare she humiliate me, how dare she humiliate me!"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty..."

The palace maid did not dare to dodge, tears streaming down her face.

"Your Majesty, this matter is indeed suspicious!"

The old Eunuch said from the side.

The Empress asked coldly: "What is suspicious? This Feng Sanniang is just lucky! If it weren't for the Imperial Edict, how would I have easily spared her?"

The old Eunuch smiled bitterly: "Your Majesty, have you still not seen it? Today's situation in Liangzhou, the Empress's faction and the Crown Prince's faction should have been fighting tooth and nail, but the Emperor suddenly sent an Imperial Edict. Regardless of whether it is Feng Sanniang or not, she came bearing the Emperor's will... Your Majesty, the Emperor's intentions are hard to fathom!"

Zheng Fu's delicate body trembled, her eyes shining: "You mean, this was the Emperor's intention? He doesn't want me and the Crown Prince to tear each other apart?"

The Eunuch nodded with a bitter smile.

Zheng Fu narrowed her eyes slightly, her pupils suddenly shrinking, and she took a deep breath: "The Emperor has never cared about the succession struggle, yet this time he actively mediated. Could it be, could it be..."

The two looked at each other in horror.

Could it be that the Emperor's time is running out? So he must stabilize all sides while waiting for the change of regime?

For a moment, Empress Zheng Fu's thoughts flew wildly, her face gloomy: "The Imperial Edict orders me to stay in Liangzhou and return to Jinghua only after the second day of the second month! It must be intentional to keep me stranded in Liangzhou! It seems there is a change in Jinghua!"

"At most three days, set off to return to the capital!"

"Yes!"

And at this moment.

Liangzhou Prefecture.

Chen Ping was also pondering this question.

He had been sitting in his study for an hour. Chen Ruoshi was by his side, several times wanting to speak but stopping, yet she never dared to disturb her father. She could only keep boiling wine for her father to ward off the cold.

Setting aside the question of how Feng Sanniang obtained the Imperial Edict, what did this Imperial Edict actually mean?

Suddenly, Chen Ping's expression changed drastically: "Someone come!"

"My Lord!"

"Go to the Post House immediately, keep the Liu family father and son under strict guard, do not let them leave Liangzhou for even a step!"

"Ah?"

Chen Ruoshi was startled, and the subordinate was also confused.

"Go quickly!"

Chen Ping said with a gloomy face, insisting.

Looking at it this way, the Empress certainly could not stay in Liangzhou for long! If she left, how could Chen Ping tolerate this father and son of the Liu Family? If Liu Dahao, who held the title of State Marquis, were allowed to return to Yinzhou, would that not be letting a tiger return to the mountains?

As long as they were forcibly detained, once the Empress left, he could just make up some charges; no matter what, he had to keep them in Liangzhou this time!

……

At this moment, Liu Zheng in the Post House also sat up abruptly and opened his eyes wide.

How had he not thought of this?

He had only been focused on the joy of his mother returning, but had failed to see the Great Trend hidden behind this matter! Thinking this, he had already rolled out of bed, first calling up Qin Zhangfeng and Jiang Xuan who were sleeping in the same room as him; the two were startled awake by Liu Zheng and asked one after another what was going on.

"We return to Yinzhou immediately!"

Liu Zheng said in a cold voice.

"Huh?"

The two did not know why their young master was so urgent, but they did not ask much and immediately went to assemble the team.

Liu Zheng thought for a moment before coming to the door of Zheng Yueru's room; to his surprise, it was so late and Zheng Yueru had not yet slept. A candle was lit in the room, and her graceful figure was stretched long under the candlelight, very distinct.

"Yue Ru?"

Liu Zheng knocked on the door and said softly.

Zheng Yueru's delicate body trembled; she seemed to ponder for a moment before opening the door.

Yet at this first glance, Liu Zheng was instantly stunned; Zheng Yueru's eyes were red and swollen, as if she had just had a good cry. Although she was trying her best to maintain her composure, she still dared not look at Liu Zheng for too long.

"Yue Ru..."

Even if Liu Zheng's heart were made of steel, he could not resist such deep affection from a beauty, and he could not help but call out. It seemed that his refusal of the Empress's marriage bestowal today had indeed caused her great harm.

Zheng Yueru turned around, facing away from Liu Zheng: "Brother Liu, have you come to laugh at Yue Ru?"

Liu Zheng gave a bitter smile: "I have no such thoughts; we must run!"

"What?"

Zheng Yueru's expression changed; she no longer had the heart to mourn over matters of romance and hurriedly tidied her attire, following Liu Zheng out.

"What is it, what is the panic?"

Liu Dahao and Feng Sanniang were also woken up by the noise.

Liu Zheng told them his thoughts, and their expressions changed drastically after hearing them.

Feng Sanniang looked deeply at Liu Zheng: "Zheng is right; this matter is indeed suspicious! Hmph, but I do not believe that Chen Ping dares to do anything to me. Go boldly, and Mother will fight a path out for you!"

As they were speaking, Qin Zhangfeng had already assembled the team. Sure enough, Jiang Xuan had gone to the street to scout for information earlier and ran back panting: "Young Master, the people from the Liangzhou Prefecture are coming immediately!"

Everyone was shocked, but fortunately, they were already prepared by this time.

Feng Sanniang said angrily: "Old man Chen Ping, he ignores our past friendship entirely; watch Mother go and deal with him!"

Liu Zheng had not expected Chen Ping's reaction to be so fast. Given the current situation, if Chen Ping wanted to seize them, the father and son, the Empress would certainly not intervene. This was the disadvantage of Liu Zheng's "playing both sides." As for why Chen Ping dared to ignore the Emperor's Imperial Edict, it was because he had calculated that the Emperor surely did not have much time left. He was single-mindedly following the Crown Prince; he could just find any excuse to detain the Liu Family father and son, and when the regime changed, wouldn't it be up to him whether to kill or spare them?

Ruthless!

How could anyone who managed to become an Inspector be simple?

"Split up and leave!"

Time waited for no one, Liu Zheng shouted.

In the night, the people of the Yinzhou Chamber of Commerce split into four directions, moving cautiously. Tonight was the Lantern Festival, and there was no curfew in Liangzhou.

The three members of the Liu Family, along with Qin Zhangfeng, headed toward the West Gate. There were many people in Liangzhou today; even now, most people were still immersed in the atmosphere of the Lantern Festival and the day's revelry, and the roads were packed. This also favored their escape.

Who would have thought that just as they approached the city gate, the sound of horse hooves rang out from that direction, accompanied by shouts.

"Liu Prefecture Marquis, it is so late; where are you going?"

Liu Zheng and the others' expressions changed upon hearing this.