Chongfei Manual

Chapter: 040.1 out of 171

Soon after, Duke Ying came out. He shook his head when he heard her words and disapprovingly said, “Ah Luo, don’t say such nonsense.”

He and Zhao Jie had been discussing matters about the imperial court. Because the contents were top-secret, the two of them wrote out their discussion, so that they wouldn’t have to worry about someone eavesdropping on their conversation. Afterwards, they burned their writing papers using an oil lamp.

During the past two years, the Emperor had become increasingly harsher towards the Chen clan. If Empress Chen wasn’t in between them and the Emperor, perhaps the Emperor might have already eliminated them.

Zhao Jie had visited him because of this matter.

Duke Ying had always been upright and honest. He never participated in any political disputes. But, after their discussion, he thought highly of Prince Jing and started to waver. He was only a seventeen-year-old youth, but his mind was meticulous and his actions were decisive. He didn’t hide his thriving ambitions from Duke Ying. During the past two years after he had return to the capital, he had prepared well in established his own sphere of power and influence while concealing his own strength and biding his time.

If he were to support Prince Jing, it wouldn’t be a bad thing. Based on Prince Jing’s abilities, he would definitely become great in the future. At that time, Duke Ying’s family would also rise in power and status with him.

Wei Zhang Chun kept internally assessing whether or not he should stay neutral, so he didn’t pay attention to Wei Luo and Zhao Jie’s conversation.

Zhao Jie resisted smiling and patiently asked her, “Where do you want to go?”

Wei Luo glanced at Duke Ying, and then looked at him. She gestured at him to lower his head, and then gestured at him to lower it more. After he did that, she stood on her toes and quietly said into his ear, “Somewhere outside the capital.”

Zhao Jie was surprised by her words and couldn’t help looking at her directly. He had originally thought she would say a place in the capital. He didn’t expect that she would want to leave the capital. He didn’t agree, but he didn’t refuse either.

He turned towards Wei Zhang Chun, “Duke Ying, thank you for your hospitality today. This Prince will take his leave now. I’ll come back to visit another day.”

Wei Zhang Chun’s response was in accordance to customs, “Your highness is too courteous.” As he said, he prepared to send Zhao Jie off.

But Zhao Jie gracefully declined, “This Prince will leave by himself. It’s very cold outside and Duke Ying is advance in his years. It would be better if you stay here.”

He accepted the black satin cloak embroidered with cranes that Zhu Geng handed to him and draped it over his shoulders. Intentionally or not, he looked at the little girl before leaving the verandah.

Wei Luo couldn’t help feeling anxious. Did he agree or not? Taking advantage of when Wei Zhang Chun wasn’t paying attention, she ran off after Zhao Jie. She very naturally grabbed his hand and stopped in front of him.

She raised her head and impatiently asked, “Okay?”

Zhao Jie stopped walking. Snow had fallen off the top of the pine trees and a snowflake had landed on Wei Luo’s eyelashes. He used his other hand to gently wipe away the snowflake. “Why do you want to leave the capital?”

Wei Luo had already thought of a good reason in advance, so she answered naturally, “I have to go save someone.”

Zhao Jie couldn’t resist smiling, “Who are you saving?”

She held onto his hand a little bit tighter, “If big brother brings me out of the capital, I’ll tell you.”

Zhao Jie stared back at her. When he smiled, his eyes were gentle and soft. When he wasn’t smiling, it was difficult to tell what he was thinking from looking at his eyes. He looked at her for a while. His thin lips curved as he thought her question over, then he asked, “When do you want to go?”

Wei Luo counted the days. She couldn’t continue to wait. Based on what Ah Dai had said when she asked, Ah Dai would turn fifteen in the next few days. If she continued to wait, Ah Dai might be buried alive by that couple. “Tomorrow.”

By coincidence Zhao Jie was free tomorrow and would be able to help her. He didn’t know why, but he wanted to tease her a little bit, so he intentionally said, “It can’t be the day after tomorrow?”

Wei Luo repeatedly shook her head and begged with her limpid eyes, “Can’t it be tomorrow? Are you busy tomorrow”

The smile in Zhao Jie’s eyes deepened. He paused, “It’s not that tomorrow isn’t good…”

“Let’s agree to that then!” Wei Luo made the final decision. She took out a melon seed from her pocket and stuffed into his hand to express her thanks, “Thank you big brother. Big brother, you’re the best.”

After she said this, without waiting for his reaction, she brightly smiled at him, and then ran off to her room. Her small figure that was wrapped in a red cloak was especially noticeable in the world of snow and ice. Her steps were light and graceful. In a short time, she had disappeared form his sight.

The little girl’s actions were abrupt and had caught him off guard. Zhao Jie’s hand held the fragrant melon seed that she had given him. After he looked at it for a long time, he laughed involuntarily.

——–

The next day, Prince Jing’s carriage stopped outside in front of Duke Ying’s residence.

Wei Luo finished washing her face, rinsing her mouth, and putting on her clothes. Then, she told Wei Kun that Zhao Jie was taking her out of the capital. Wei Kun was originally doubtful, but after Prince Jing’s personal servant talked with him, he consented to let her go and repeatedly warned her to come home early and to not to go overboard with playing.

Before she left for her journey, at the front gate, Chang Hong disappointedly asked her, “Ah Luo, why I can’t come with you?”

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Wei Luo smiled as she patted his head, “What do you want? I’ll bring it back for you.”

Chang Hong didn’t want anything. He just wanted to go with her. In the end, he shook his head, “Be careful.”

Ah Luo nodded once, then she turned around after smiling.

She wasn’t going outside to play. She had to accomplish an important thing. If it wasn’t because of her past life’s experience, she could watch Ah Dai’s misfortune with folded arms instead of interfering. After all, there were too many tragedies in this world and she didn’t have to the free time to fix all of them.

But, she had suffered through this before and could sympathize. Also, Ah Dai had helped her in her previous life, so she couldn’t brush this aside. After she settled this, she would no longer be connected to Longshou village or that couple. She didn’t care if that couple lived or died.

After she sat down in the carriage, Wei Luo said to Zhao Jie, “I want to go to Longshou village.”

There was a basin of charcoal burning in the carriage. Although it was freezing outside, it was nice and warm inside the carriage. Zhao Jie was a holding a book titled “Canon of Supreme Mystery” that he had been reading. His eyelids were slightly hooded and his tall posture was dignified. After he heard her words, he asked the driver outside, “Zhu Geng, did you hear her? Go to Longshou village.”

(T/N: “Canon of Supreme Mystery” was a divinatory text written by a Confucian writer, Yang Xiong.)

Zhu Geng’s voice came from outside, “To respond to his highness, I heard.”

The carriage slowly started to move and started its journey. Zhao Jie didn’t ask what type of place Longshou village was or why she wanted to go. He went along with whatever she said. His indulgence towards her was to the point of excessiveness.

The inside of the carriage was the same as last time. On the small, lacquered table, there were pastries and dried nuts. At the first careful glance, walnuts and melons seeds had taken up most of the space. There were also some exquisite and cute snacks that had been made in the palace and were greatly liked by girls.

Wei Luo’s heart was filled with concerns. She didn’t have any interest towards the snacks, instead she kept look through the window. She didn’t relax until the carriage slowly left the capital’s gate.