"Your Highness, aren't we transporting grain? Why is it just a few of us? Where is the grain? And why have the others traveling with us changed into plain clothes too?" Once they exited through the side palace gate, Ping'an couldn't help but voice the questions on his mind.
Thwack.
"Oww... that hurts, Your Highness, why did you suddenly knock my forehead?" Ping'an looked wronged, rubbing the spot on his forehead that Li Jin had tapped while gazing at him with a pitiful expression.
"Call me Third Young Master."
Before their departure, Li Jin had instructed them to address him as 'Third Young Master' from then on, and to call Ying Yuan 'Seventh Young Master'. They would be posing as brothers traveling to Zhuzhou to visit family.
"Uh... I... I forgot for a moment... Your... Young Master... I'm sorry..."
Reminded by Li Jin, Ping'an finally realized why he had been tapped on the forehead. His face instantly flushed red with embarrassment. He subconsciously shot a glance at Zhou Yunting, his eyes seeming to accuse Zhou Yunting of failing to save him and not reminding him in time.
Zhou Yunting shrugged innocently.
He had wanted to remind him, but Ping'an spoke too quickly. He simply didn't have time to stop him.
"Be more careful from now on. Remember, once we reach Zhuzhou, you must not make this mistake again," Li Jin warned. "As for why our carriage has so few people, just know it is His Majesty's intention."
Hearing Li Jin mention Ying Zhengjing, Ping'an didn't dare ask further and quickly nodded in agreement.
Some time ago, as the death toll in Zhuzhou rose higher and higher, the initially small-scale unrest there had escalated into large-scale riots. The local magistrate was so frightened he fled overnight. Therefore, while their mission appeared to be about delivering grain, their true task was twofold: to provide disaster relief and to secretly investigate the cause of the common people's uprising in Zhuzhou on the Emperor's behalf.
Furthermore, they were splitting into two routes for this operation. Additionally, as a precaution, Ying Zhengjing had also arranged for two people within the grain transport team to impersonate Li Jin and Ying Yuan.
"Third Young Master, it's about time. You should take your medicine now."
Shi Weixu, who was posing as the accompanying physician, saw that the time was right and promptly handed the medicinal pills to Li Jin that Wang Quande had given him, insisting that Li Jin must take them on time.
"Thank you."
Li Jin smiled, said his thanks, took the pills, and swallowed them without another word.
"It's my duty," Shi Weixu replied with an embarrassed smile. "I'm responsible for Third Young Master's illness this time, I cannot afford any mistakes."
Li Jin looked at Shi Weixu and said unexpectedly, "By the way, Physician Shi, I see the quantity of these pills is not large. It would be troublesome if they were accidentally lost. So, could I trouble you, in your spare time, to examine the pills and try to make a few more as backup?"
"No problem."
Shi Weixu patted his chest and agreed.
Although Wang Quande had told him the pills were sufficient and warned him not to study them, Li Jin's words also made sense. After all, this journey to Zhuzhou was long, and having more life-saving supplies was naturally better.
It seemed Ying Zhengjing was still wary of Shi Weixu; otherwise, he wouldn't be unaware of the significance behind these pills.
After seven years of recuperation, Li Jin's health was already fine. But to prevent others from becoming suspicious, Li Jin had continued using the medicine given by the physician from his previous life, allowing the side effects to persist so that Wang Quande, who regularly checked his pulse, would not detect anything amiss.
At the same time, the dosage of Li Jin's medicine had been gradually reduced over the years and the formula had been changed into pills. It was unclear if the person behind Wang Quande was doing this because they did not want Li Jin to die too quickly.
"Third Brother, your health isn't great, and it's still a bit chilly now. You should wear more." Having said this, Ying Yuan took off his own cloak and draped it over Li Jin's shoulders.
Li Jin looked at Ying Yuan reproachfully. "Seventh Prin... Seventh Brother, you just said it's cold outside. How can you disregard yourself and give your cloak to me?"
"My constitution is strong."
Ying Yuan's single sentence blocked anything else Li Jin intended to say.
Indeed.
All these years, Li Jin had given others the impression of being sickly and weak, clearly seeming to need the cloak more than Ying Yuan.
Shi Weixu also nodded in agreement. "Seventh Young Master is right. Third Young Master, you should just keep it on."
"Alright," Li Jin replied, the corner of his mouth twitching in resignation. Realizing he was trapped by his own pretense of illness, he said nothing more and accepted the cloak.
___
Elsewhere.
Shen Ningyu, using the pretext of visiting Shen Qianxue, secretly went to the side gate from which Li Jin and the others were departing today, hoping to see Li Jin once before he left for Zhuzhou. Who would have thought she would arrive too late, only running into her father.
Shen Ningyu couldn't help but walk up to Shen Chaoyan and ask repeatedly, "Father, where are Heir Li and the others? Weren't you supposed to see Heir Li and the others off today? Why aren't they here?"
"Ningyu, how did you know Heir Li and the others were departing from this gate today? Were you listening in on my conversation?"
Shen Chaoyan's expression immediately darkened.
Yesterday, after returning home, Shen Chaoyan had been in a relaxed mood. After drinking a little wine, he had carelessly mentioned to his wife that he would be seeing off Li Jin and the others at a specific side gate the next day. Shen Ningyu must have overheard their conversation.
Thinking of this, Shen Chaoyan didn't know whether to be angry at Shen Ningyu for eavesdropping, or to feel relieved that—although he had spoken carelessly—he had at least not revealed the exact time of departure.
"Father, you're stingy. I'm always very careful, even if I know, I wouldn't talk carelessly. I... I just wanted to bid farewell to Heir Li, that's all."
Shen Ningyu lowered her head, feeling wronged.
"You have feelings for Heir Li."
Shen Chaoyan's tone was matter-of-fact, not questioning, because he had never seen his daughter wear such a heartbroken and disappointed expression before.
"I... yes... I admire Heir Li deeply," Shen Ningyu stammered, momentarily stiffening at Shen Chaoyan's blunt words. She initially thought to deny it out of shyness, but suddenly remembering that Ying Xichen also liked Li Jin, she admitted it, even emphasizing the phrase 'will marry no one but him' to let Shen Chaoyan know her determination.
Li Jin is mine. I will never yield him to anyone, not even Ying Xichen.
"..."
Hearing Shen Ningyu's answer, Shen Chaoyan's expression became indescribably complex. During several previous palace banquets where both Li Jin and Shen Ningyu were present, Shen Chaoyan had vaguely sensed Shen Ningyu's interest in Li Jin, but he never expected it had reached the point of vowing to marry no one else.
Shen Chaoyan tried to dissuade her. "Ningyu, you are still young."
"It's already too late." Shen Ningyu shook her head, her eyes filled with infatuation for Li Jin. "Ever since your daughter first laid eyes on Heir Li, she has fallen irrevocably in love with him. If I cannot marry Heir Li in the future, I'm afraid... I'm afraid I will die of a broken heart."
Shen Ningyu's words were utterly resolute, she simply would not listen to Shen Chaoyan's dissuasion.
Startled by Shen Ningyu's words, Shen Chaoyan said helplessly, "Ningyu, the path between you and Heir Li is not easy. His Majesty will not agree. Besides, can you be sure Heir Li also likes you?"
If Shen Chaoyan were still the Minister of Revenue, the obstacles between Shen Ningyu and Li Jin might be less significant. But the fact was, Shen Chaoyan was now the Right Chancellor. If he were to form a marriage alliance with the Prince of Dingbei's mansion, it would surely arouse Ying Zhengjing's suspicion, a situation Shen Chaoyan absolutely did not wish to see.
"Heir Li must like me." Without a second thought, Shen Ningyu was convinced Li Jin liked her. She then continued deliberately, "Father, I will personally speak to His Majesty about this matter and ask him to bestow the marriage. If His Majesty disagrees, I will kneel until he does."
"You, a young lady from a respectable family, going to say such things to His Majesty—are you trying to anger me to death?"
Shen Chaoyan was furious, but since it was his own daughter, he couldn't bear to strike her and could only fume inwardly.
Thud.
Disregarding the shocked palace guards, Shen Ningyu suddenly knelt before Shen Chaoyan.
"Ningyu, what are you doing? Get up quickly."
Shen Chaoyan was startled by Shen Ningyu's sudden kneeling and hurriedly told her to rise.
"Father, I truly love Heir Li and wish to marry him. I beg you, Father, to grant your permission for Heir Li and me." Shen Ningyu did not get up. Instead, she kowtowed vigorously to Shen Chaoyan.
"Ningyu..."
"Father, please grant us your permission."
Shen Ningyu was ruthless to herself, kowtowing with great force. In no time, her forehead was bleeding from the impact.
"Father agrees. Now get up quickly." Seeing his daughter, whom he had raised so delicately, go to such lengths for Li Jin, Shen Chaoyan's heart softened, and he couldn't help but agree.
"Thank you, Father."
Shen Ningyu was overjoyed.
With Shen Chaoyan's agreement, Shen Ningyu's wish to marry Li Jin was undoubtedly half-fulfilled.
Shen Chaoyan sighed silently. "Don't thank me too soon. Heir Li has already left by carriage. Your marriage with him will have to wait until Heir Li returns safely."
Shen Chaoyan having said this much, Shen Ningyu didn't dare push her luck further and quickly replied, "Yes, your daughter will certainly wait for Heir Li's return."
"By the way, Ningyu, have you had a falling out with the Fifth Princess?"
This matter was reported to He Danyan, Shen Ningyu's mother, by a young maid assigned by He Danyan to serve Shen Ningyu. Upon learning of this, He Danyan brought the matter to Shen Chaoyan's attention. Thus, Shen Chaoyan felt it necessary to know the reason, especially since the maid had said that Shen Ningyu's estrangement from Ying Xichen began from the time of the Longevity Banquet.
"Those who have different principles cannot make plans together."
Shen Ningyu spoke lightly of the conflict between her and Ying Xichen, not mentioning a single word about Ying Xichen also liking Li Jin.
"Ningyu, what kind of talk is that?"
"I'm just speaking my mind."
"Ningyu..."
"Father, the issues between me and the Fifth Princess, we can resolve them ourselves. Please don't interfere. Also, your daughter should go to Noble Consort Chun's place now. That's all." Shen Ningyu, displeased, said this and ran off.
"This Ningyu..."
Shen Chaoyan shook his head speechlessly.
___
Ying Zijun was enraged as he looked at the person who had come to report. "What? You said Lao Qi and that Li Jin are not in the grain transport team? Then who were the two people we saw in the carriage earlier?"
The spy who came to report tearfully said, "Fifth Prince, spare me... this servant... this servant also doesn't know what is going on..."
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