Chapter 278: Capital City, They’re Back
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
The place they were staying at tonight was a courier station near Prince Ma City.
The officials at the courier station knew that Prince Qi was going to stop by and had already made preparations very early.
When they were traveling these few days, in order to shorten the journey, they did not rest at noon and sat in the horse carriage for the entire day. Su Ying’s bones had almost fallen apart from the jolting.
After Su Ying arrived at the assigned room in the courier station, she immediately lay down on the bed.
The children’s bones were soft, and they could lie down in the carriage, so they were not that tired. Instead, they became much more energetic after getting off the carriage.
Su Ying casually ate some food, washed up, and handed the children over to Aunt Zhao and the others before going to bed.
After Su Ying woke up, she heard Jiang Yang’s voice coming from outer room.
“Your Highness, Prince Ma has arrived. He said he was passing by the courier station and found out that Your Highness was here and came to pay a visit.”
“Please invite him in.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Su Ying had gone to bed early last night, and now, she had woken up early and was more energetic. She put the children to bed and covered them well with blankets. After washing up with cold water, she went downstairs.
There was a dining hall on the first floor. It was not big and was located inside a house.
Prince Ma looked at Xiao Jin with an unclear expression. There was more hostility on his face than before and a profound look flashed across his eyes.
“When I first heard that something had happened to Prince Qi, I was extremely shocked. Who doesn’t know that Prince Qi risked his neck and shed his blood for the Chu State? However, the generals who risked their lives outside somehow cannot be compared to those civil officials of the court with glib tongues. His Majesty believed their nonsense and wrongly accused His Highness. It is indeed disheartening,” Prince Ma lamented ruefully.
Xiao Jin only drank the tea in his hand with an indifferent expression. After Prince Ma finished speaking, Xiao Jin slowly said, “Does Prince Ma think that His Majesty can’t differentiate right from wrong?”
Prince Ma got a shock inwardly. His words were meant to sow discord, so how did they get interpreted to mean he didn’t think well of Emperor Kangze?
Although it was one thing to think about it inwardly, who would say it out loud?
“Prince Qi, you’ve misunderstood. 1 am just feeling it was a great injustice for you.”
Xiao Jin put down the teacup in his hand.” His Majesty will exonerate me.”
Having witnessed Xiao Jin’s power move, Prince Ma then chose to go with the flow and added, “Prince Qi, you are right. Then I must congratulate you first on having a gross injustice redressed. With great authority in your hands and the military power of 300,000 troops, even if someone wants to harm Your Highness, they will have to think twice.”
“I still need to return to the capital as soon as possible, so 1 won’t send you off, Prince Ma.” Xiao Jin stood up, making his intention to send his guest off extremely obvious.
The smile on Prince Ma’s face did not change. “If it wasn’t for the fact that Prince Qi is in a hurry, I would definitely have invited you to Prince Ma City for a chat. Then I will take my leave now.”
“I won’t send you off.”
Jiang Yang personally sent Prince Ma out of the courier station. When he returned, his face sank.
“This Prince Ma has more tricks up his sleeve than hair. He came here and said a few words, but not a single one of them wasn’t to test Your Highness.”
Jiang Yang turned around and saw Xiao Jin looking at him. He thought there was something on his face and reached out to rub his face.
“Your Highness, why are you looking at me?”
Xiao Jin asked, somewhat surprised, “You can actually tell that he was testing me?”
Jiang Yang choked. He seriously suspected that His Highness was looking down on him!
“Your Highness only has the military power of Jin City in your hands. Where did he get the figure of 300,000? He just wants to know if Your Highness will hand over the tiger tally of Yan City’s Western Pass to His Majesty. So what if he knows? Don’t me he wants to fight with Your Highness…” Before Jiang Yang finished his sentence, he realized that something was wrong and quickly shut his mouth tactfully.
Xiao Jin glanced at him icily. “If you do this again when you return to the capital, you can just wait for your tongue to be cut out.”
“Your subordinate deserves to die. Please forgive me, Your Highness.”
“Go straighten your tongue before coming to see me again.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
When Xiao Jin returned to his private room, Su Ying was preparing to eat breakfast.
Xiao Jin sat down on a chair, gathered his crockery, and started eating.
“You didn’t eat with Prince Ma?”
Xiao Jin didn’t even raise his head. “1 have no appetite when I see that face.”
Su Ying realized that this rascal’s tongue was quite venomous.
“Fortunately, his son is not like him.” Su Ying wasn’t afraid that Prince Ma would recognize her. If she didn’t admit it, who could prove that she was the one who had treated Princess Consort Ma back then?
Xiao Jin’s chopsticks paused, and he said expressionlessly, “What? You are still thinking about Prince Ma’s Crown Prince?”
Su Ying didn’t notice anything unusual. “I’m just curious to know if my breathing therapy is effective on his heart disease.”
Xiao Jin stopped what he was doing abruptly. “You even treated him?”
Only then did Su Ying realize that Xiao Jin’s demeanor somewhat resembled a storm that was brewing. “What’s the problem?”
Xiao Jin placed his bowl and chopsticks on the table. “Where did you touch him?”
“Why would 1 touch him?” Su Ying felt that there was something wrong with Xiao Jin, something seriously wrong.
Didn’t touch him?
Xiao Jin slowly picked up his bowl and chopsticks.
“I’m just asking out of curiosity.”
Su Ying frowned. Was that curiosity? Just from his stance just now, he would probably fling Prince Ma’s Crown Prince into the air if the latter was in front of him. Su Ying wondered what had gotten into his head to make him go berserk.
“Don’t flare up for no reason.” After Su Ying was done eating, she placed the bowl and chopsticks on the table and prepared to carry the two little ones to the carriage. If they hadn’t woken up, she would let them sleep a little longer. Since the carriage ride was boring anyway, they might as well sleep through it. They would arrive after a few more naps.
The group continued on their journey. After traveling for another ten days or so, they finally saw the city gate of the capital.
Su Ying looked into the distance through the curtains of the carriage. No matter how she looked at it, she felt that this city gate was still inferior to the city walls of Sky Alpha City.
“Mother!”
When they saw the city gates, the two little ones subconsciously threw themselves into Su Ying’s arms.
Su Ying hugged them tightly and comforted them softly, telling them not to be afraid.
Xiao Jin looked at the towering city gate, his dark eyes deep and profound.
He was back in the capital again.
Rightfully, when a military unit returned in triumph, the Emperor would send people to the city gate to welcome the victorious troops, and the commoners would cheer along the streets. However, when Xiao Jin and his group entered the city, there was no reaction to his arrival from inside or outside the capital.
Although they were traveling light and had few carriages in order to hurry to their destination while the big group was behind them, it was really unacceptable that there was not even a eunuch to welcome them.
After the group entered the city, the streets became lively. The sound of hawkers shouting could be heard everywhere.
Not surprisingly, compared to Sky Alpha City, the capital was much more lively.
After the initial fear of the naturally playful children was soothed, they leaned curiously on the carriage window and looked at the streets outside. Their two pairs of big eyes were filled with anticipation for everything outside the carriage.
Xiao Jin had not been reinstated by the Emperor, so they could not return to the Prince’s palace. When Prince Qi’s palace was searched and belongings confiscated, Xiao Jin’s publicly known private residence was also confiscated.
Now that they had returned to the capital, it still depended on Emperor Kangze’s wishes whether Xiao Jin’s family could establish themselves in the capital again.
Therefore, after the group entered the city, they did not stop for a moment and headed in the direction of the Imperial Palace.
When the group reached the palace gates, the Imperial Guards stopped them.
Xiao Jin and Su Ying alighted from the horse carriage. The children could stay on the carriage since there was no need for them to follow the adults into the palace.
After Jiang Yang and the others went to liaise with the Imperial Guards, one guard entered the palace to pass on the message.
They didn’t have to wait for long before Emperor Kangze summoned them into the palace..
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