The Splendid Brocade of the Painting Physician – Chapter 143

Chapter 143: Farewell to Southern Chen, the Beginning of Northern Qi

The carriage drove onto the official road, and the city gate of Jiankang City gradually faded away. Xiao Jinyu felt a slight melancholy in her heart, but she quickly calmed down and looked at Gao Changgong.

“Prince of Lanling, I apologize, I might… cause you some trouble!” She said apologetically.

Just now, her veil fell, and she was completely unaware, only focused on saying goodbye to her relatives. When she came back to her senses, Yuwen Hui and Yuwen Zhi’s astonished and gloomy expressions suddenly caught her eye.

“Xiao Jinyu, you are now my Princess Consort, why are you still so polite? Since we are husband and wife, there is no need to talk about who is troubling whom.” Gao Changgong said, slightly angrily, stretching out his arm to embrace her, “It doesn’t matter, anyway, I have encountered many assassinations in my life, you don’t need to feel any guilt towards me!”

Suddenly embraced by him, she raised her eyes and saw his handsome face, and his slightly playful gaze. Xiao Jinyu’s face flushed red, like white jade dyed with rosy clouds. Coupled with her fiery red robe, the girl’s appearance at this moment was irresistibly charming.

Gao Changgong couldn’t help but feel his heart stir, and he couldn’t help but kiss her eyes, her cheeks, and then slide down her delicate skin, landing on her moist cherry lips. After savoring them for a moment, he became lost in their passionate play.

Feeling the girl’s soft moans and trembling, he finally woke up from his passion and looked at Xiao Jinyu’s flushed cheeks and slightly panting breath.

Almost abruptly, he sat up straight and apologized, “I’m sorry, I lost control again!”

He has always been a person with strong self-control, so he rarely drinks alcohol, for fear of becoming like those in the Gao family, losing his senses after drinking. Because of this, his rule is very strict, which is why he has trained his army so well.

He, who had never had much interest in women, repeatedly lost control when facing her.

Xiao Jinyu was also slightly shocked by his self-control and laughed, “Desire for food and sex is human nature, not to mention you just said that we are already husband and wife. Gao Changgong, if you want me, I will not refuse… and, I will also protect you…”

After a pause, she said seriously, “Protect you for this lifetime!”

Hearing the last sentence, Gao Changgong was a little surprised and amused.

“Shouldn’t it be me protecting you for this lifetime?” He asked back.

Xiao Jinyu didn’t argue with him and replied with a smile, “Since you say so, then so be it!”

As if afraid she wouldn’t believe him, Gao Changgong emphasized again:

“I’m serious, A’yu, I will protect you. No matter how difficult the road ahead, no matter what happens in the future, I will always be on your side. So, please trust me, don’t think you will bring me any trouble, I have never been afraid of trouble!”

These words were extremely sincere, completely from the bottom of his heart.

Xiao Jinyu also felt his sincerity and warmth. After a long silence, Xiao Jinyu nodded and replied, “Okay!”

“Along the way, we may encounter ambushes, we need to plan a suitable route to reach Yecheng in the shortest possible time!”

As Xiao Jinyu spoke, she called for Fenghuang.

Fenghuang always carried a map with him and was very familiar with the terrain of the Three Kingdoms.

“From Jiankang to Yecheng, there are four routes in total. Firstly, from Jiankang westward, crossing the river to Pukou, passing through Qiaozhou Xinchang Commandery, crossing Qingliu Pass, then passing through Guang’an, Chuanli, crossing the Huai River, then northward, from Baimajin to Liyang, and then to Yecheng. This is a land route, totaling over 1,600 li.

Secondly, from Jiankang eastward, crossing the river from Jingkou to Guangling, passing through Buqiu, entering Fanliang Lake, reaching Huaizhou, then entering the Huai River westward, reaching Zhongli Commandery, turning to Caishui, passing through Yangxia to Liangzhou. This is a water route, totaling over 2,300 li.

Thirdly, from Jiankang southward, going upstream along the river to Rushukou, then westward, passing through Dongguan, entering Chuhu Lake, reaching Hezhou, along the Fei River passing through Shouyang, entering the Huai River, from Baimajin to Liyang, and then to Yecheng. This is also a water route, totaling 2,500 li.

Fourthly, similar to the second route, first crossing the river from Jingkou to Guangling, passing through the Fuling Lakes to Huaizhou, then to Pengcheng, then taking Caishui, westward passing through Chenggao, Anyang, Liang Commandery, passing through Yangxia to Liangzhou, crossing the Yellow River northward to reach Yecheng. This is a water route, totaling 1,200 li.”

While Fenghuang was eloquently planning the routes, Lu Yu, who was listening outside the carriage, widened his ears in amazement.

Not only him, but Prince of Lanling also looked at the boy who was only eleven or twelve years old in surprise.

After finishing speaking, Fenghuang also offered his suggestion:

“Qing Gege, I think the fourth route is the most suitable! However, the waterway on this route connecting Guangling to the Yangtze and Huai Rivers is not very stable, and there are often blockages that prevent navigation. We need to be extra careful!”

Xiao Jinyu nodded and turned to Gao Changgong.

“Changgong, your guard is too conspicuous. I want to disguise ourselves as a merchant caravan, split into three groups, depart from Jingkou, take three different routes, and meet at Pengcheng. What do you think?”

Hearing this, Gao Changgong’s eyes lit up. He remembered when he first met Xiao Jinyu in Xuzhou Pengcheng, she and the Northern Barbarian boy appeared and disappeared without a trace, making it impossible to find them. Could it be that they also used this method of creating diversions and disguising themselves to escape the pursuers’ sight?

It was indeed a good idea for the two of them to use this plan, but it would be inconvenient with a larger group.

Therefore, it was necessary to split into several groups.

“I know you are not afraid of trouble, but we should try to avoid it as much as possible. Aren’t you in a hurry to return to Yecheng to see your grandmother one last time?” Xiao Jinyu explained, thinking that he disdained such a plan.

“No, A’yu, the idea you proposed is very good. I’m just a little surprised and a little distressed. Was this how you used to avoid the pursuit of Lady Lu of Qi?”

At the mention of Lady Lu, Lu Lingxuan, Xiao Jinyu’s face darkened slightly.

“You also know that it was Lady Lu who sent people to chase me?” She asked curiously.

✿✿✿

Gao Changgong nodded, “Yes, on the day I met you, I ordered people to investigate this matter. Lady Lu is now deeply trusted by Empress Hu and the Emperor Gao Zhan. When Gao Zhan was drunk during his entertainment, he rewarded her with a jade tablet. That jade tablet has the power to execute first and report later, it is also the Emperor’s exclusive killing order, specifically for assassination!”

Speaking of this, he looked at Xiao Jinyu apologetically, “However, I only investigated to this point and the clues were cut off. I don’t know why she wanted to assassinate you… Perhaps, it has something to do with your mother.”

Xiao Jinyu nodded in agreement.

Mentioning her mother, Gao Changgong was always worried that she would be sad, and comforted her, “A’yu, when we arrive in Qi, I will investigate this matter for you. If it is really Lady Lu who killed your mother, I will not let her live!”

“Okay! I believe you!”

They sped along the official road and soon night fell. Following Xiao Jinyu’s suggestion, Prince of Lanling ordered people to buy some clothes and dry rations at the market, then they split into three groups and set off, agreeing on a meeting place.

And just as they disguised themselves as a merchant caravan and continued towards Jingkou, another group of people were galloping towards them on the official road they had just passed.

✿✿✿

Not long after the Qi embassy left, Chen Xu ordered people to investigate everything about Prince of Lanling, Xiao Jinyu, and “Xie Zhen”. After three or four hours, General Fan Yi of the Left Guard presented a seal of the Commander of Personal Troops to Chen Xu’s table.

“Your Majesty’s guess was correct. This seal of the Commander of Personal Troops of the Lanling Xiao Clan was indeed in Xiao Yun’s possession. I have retrieved it for Your Majesty!”

“This is a small matter. The personal guards who are truly loyal to Crown Prince Zhao Ming, loyal to Lady Xiao A’luan, are definitely not in this group of personal troops. Those who remain are just a bunch of good-for-nothings recruited by Princess Yunyin.”

Speaking of this, Chen Xu looked at Fan Yi and asked, “What I want to know is another matter!”

“Yes! I have found out that on the day of the debate at Miaofa Temple, when Xie Zhen was fleeing from the pursuit of those monk soldiers, someone did see that it was Prince of Lanling who took him away, and Prince of Lanling also killed quite a few monk soldiers. Afterwards, when Dai Wen led troops to capture Xie Zhen, he went to the embassy where Prince of Lanling was staying. The soldiers he brought with him saw an extremely beautiful woman in the Prince of Lanling’s residence, so beautiful that people couldn’t bear to use weapons against her.

Therefore, those soldiers only briefly searched the embassy and then left!

I asked the painter to draw a portrait of that woman based on the soldier’s description!”

As he spoke, he handed a portrait to Chen Xu.

“It is this woman in the painting, who looks very much like the former General of the Right Guard, Han Zigao!”

As soon as he heard the name Han Zigao, Chen Xu looked up in shock and stared coldly at Fan Yi.

As if he had realized something, the Emperor, who was always calm and collected, underwent a drastic change in his expression.

So, Xie Zhen is her! Xiao Jinyu is also her!

No wonder he felt that these two people looked so much like her!

No wonder that on the day of the debate at Miaofa Temple, when he was about to faint from his illness, she reached out her hand but quickly withdrew it.

Reaching out to support him was her instinctive reaction as a physician, but she quickly withdrew it, probably to conceal her identity.

“It’s all her! I have searched for so many years, found so many similar people, but it turns out that I let the real her go!”

Seeing Chen Xu mumbling excitedly, his expression was quite pitiful, strange, and even obsessive.

Fan Yi was a little confused and scared.

“Your Majesty, are you suspecting that Xie Zhen is Xiao Jinyu? But who is ‘she’?”

Chen Xu suddenly turned around, looked at Fan Yi, and asked, “How long has the Qi embassy been gone?”

“It’s been four hours!”

“Send someone to chase that Xiao Jinyu back!”

“Ah?” Fan Yi was stunned, “Didn’t Your Majesty give her in marriage to the Qi envoy, Prince of Lanling?”

“I did give her to him, but giving is one thing, snatching is another. I have already fulfilled his wish in front of everyone, but whether he can keep this woman depends on his own ability!”

After saying that, afraid that Fan Yi wouldn’t understand, he added,

“A Xiao Jinyu can be considered a beauty who brings disaster, but a Xie Zhen is a rare talent who can support the country!”

“Yes, I understand!”