‘Jin Qinwang’, carrying ‘Jin Wangfei’, directly headed for the city gates on horseback. Majority of the accompanying people all didn’t appear all that presentable, yet right now, didn’t utter a single word, the atmosphere appearing considerably heavy, especially those guards, with a great majority all drenched. It was clear, they’d gotten thoroughly splashed with water, thus resulting in this current situation. To have not protected wangye well, they were unable to escape the blame. If not for wangye’s personal bodyguards being vigilant, and wangye’s own capabilities also out of the ordinary, don’t know what kind of outcome that would’ve been, just thinking about it……….one just trembled in fear, and the anger inside also wasn’t just a tiny bit, hating that they can’t have those people all chopped into minced meat.
Just, at the moment, wangye wants to board the boat to wash up, so no matter how angry they were, they still could only endure.
‘Jin Qinwang’ wanting to exit the city, wanting to board the boat, what did night curfew count as, and the dock that was closed in the evening similarly needed to open immediately.
And not long after this party of theirs exited the city, another party of people appeared, yet just that coincidentally, outside the city gates, there wasn’t a single guard. Thus, they just that effortlessly accomplished their goal.
Jing Wan similarly rode together on one horse with Li Hong Yuan, cuddling in Li Hong Yuan’s embrace, knowing that these guards at the gate most likely got ‘led’ away by the people in front. Just, in that case, leaving the city gates like this, this is confident that Kaiming Fu city definitely won’t have problems arising? Or was it that Jin Qinwang’s infamy was truly too great, and at this time, while currently pissed off, no one dared to do something unlucky.
“Ah Yuan, right now, where are we going to go? Are we going to take the land route?”
“Jiangnan’s four prefecture and twenty-eight fu this time, regardless of whether it’s the courtyard exam, or the salt administration, the scope of involvement is all quite broad. The courtyard exam involves at least half of the twenty-eight fu, and the salt administration, further don’t need to be mentioned. There’s just not a single fu that isn’t involved, just the difference between whether it’s serious or not. After laying the groundwork in the early stages, as well as the long term investigation in the past, more or less can bring to an end. Those people, each and every one, all think I’ve been enjoying myself too much in Kaiming Fu, all forgetting what their surnames are anymore, thinking of every possible way to erase the evidence, even wanting to lead the disaster water eastward, letting these people of Tong Prefecture carry the pot. And for the people of Kaiming Fu to dare try to kill me, how was it not necessarily because of them. Just, when they think that they can sleep peacefully, one should at least let them know what ‘failing at the last minute’ means, letting them know, even something that has already reached a final conclusion can all be overturned, let alone something that still hasn’t come to a final conclusion.
And the next destination is also the administrative city originally after Kaiming Fu, Chongzhou Fu. However, we will only be stopping in Chongzhou Fu for at most one or two days. The Chuanzhou Fu afterwards is the main act.
When nearing Chongzhou Fu, we will continue taking the waterways, but before that, Wan Wan you might have to endure a little, riding together with me on horseback for majority of the time.”
“This isn’t considered anything, I’m really not that delicate.”
The side of Li Hong Yuan’s face rubbed against the top of her head. “Once this matter is over with, let’s stay a little longer in Jiangnan, and nicely play around. If you want, we can also continue south. Has Wan Wan seen the ocean before? Heard it’s wide and vast, the waves majestic, and when facing it, one can’t help but produce an extremely grand feeling.”
Heard? No, Li Hong Yuan has gone to the coastal regions before, and not just once. Of course that was in his past life, and based on the timeline, it was even in the future.
And has Jing Wan seen before? Of course, having been on yachts and cruise ships, even having gone diving before, personally witnessing the beautiful scenery underwater before. “Saw in a dream once.”
Li Hong Yuan almost instantly understood inside, “Then let’s just go confirm whether or not it’s the same.”
“Once the official business is taken care of, to be able to stay for a period of time is already not bad, but to want to continue south? Don’t daydream. If by chance his Majesty is angered, having us restrained in the capital, no longer giving the opportunity to leave the capital, then that will really be ‘the gains not making up for the losses’. Everything else, it’s better to wait until you’re able to make the decisions completely. It’s not too late then.”
“Wan Wan is just this considerate. Clearly you can be arrogant by relying on favor, yet how come you just refuse to be willful for once.”
Jing Wan was helpless, “It’s not like it’s something one insist on doing, and by not doing, one won’t feel uncomfortable and uneasy all over either. As such, why the need to be willful, practically just looking for trouble, alright. Think I’m a three year old child? Don’t continuously think about indulging me with a bunch of bad habits. When it really comes to that step, you will definitely headache, so don’t think about these useless things all day.”
“Wan Wan’s meaning is I’m a three year old child? After all, I’m known for being willful and reckless, doing whatever I want.”
“En, you really have self-awareness.” Jing Wan smilingly nodded her head.
“Can a three year old child have a bridal night with you? Can a three year old child perform the rites of Duke Zhou with you anywhere anytime?”
Jing Wan subconsciously turned her hand and pinched him. This man’s mouth being dirty from time to time was also quite something, “Shut up, stop misinterpreting my meaning.”
“Eh? Then what is Wan Wan’s meaning? Then let me change the wording, can a three year old child take you weaving on horseback, strolling through the mountains and rivers? Can a three year old……….”
“Alright, you win, pretend I didn’t say.” This mouth war, Jing Wan forever can only end in defeat. “————-For us to not take the waterways, is it because there are still dangers?”
“Obviously. Don’t look at how Su old dog right now is this diligent in saving us. That’s just because as long as we are still in the Tong Prefecture’s territory, regardless of big or small matters, as long as something happens, they all won’t be able to escape the blame. And the officials of Jiangnan’s four prefectures, after learning that ‘we’ left Kaiming Fu in such a sorry state, who knows whether or not they will suddenly produce wicked thoughts, and can even appropriately shift the blame onto Kaiming Fu. That’s why, on the canal, this section of waterway prior to reaching Chongzhou Fu, that is the real killing opportunity.”
Jing Wan’s heart tensed, carefully contemplating. It was indeed like so, “Then the people on the boat………”
“Don’t worry, they can deal with it. All the corresponding arrangements have been made, so regardless of what kind of situation suddenly comes up, all won’t have problems.”
“Then that’s good.” Jing Wan believed him. If he says there’s no problem, then there certainly won’t be any problems. Her mood also slightly relaxed a little, “That’s why previously told you to not bring that many things, now great, never mind burning a portion, the rest most likely will be ‘fed to the fishes’.”
“That fish still doesn’t have that ability. The things on the boat, I’d long let someone move away. Thirty li outside of Chongzhou Fu, a new boat has long been prepared. However, it’s not a government boat, but rather a private boat. This prince was originally working towards building a flower boat that can smoothly swim the waterways. The previous government boat, that was for letting that one on the throne shut up. If altered too much, making one feel it has lost its prestige, he will probably nag nonstop. Now that there’s the chance, naturally it’s going along with my idea.”
Jing Wan admired his flawless planning, having long made arrangements. At the same time, should she also admire his ability to still not forget to enjoy himself to the extreme while in a perilous situation?
And not long after Jing Wan and them left, the various officials that were originally paying close attention to the Governor-General’s villa, regardless of whether they had actually been drunk or pretending to be drunk, this while, all sobered up, hurriedly rushing to the docks.
T/N: Flower boats are sort of like houses on boats, they are much smaller than large vessels, but can also be pretty big.
Li Hong Yuan’s previous boat was a luxurious three deck large vessel, this is my best guess as to what it might have looked like. This is a model boat in our living room made from wood, I had to climb on the shelf to get this picture.