Shangguan Yun's face stiffened, and his big hand that had reached into Wu Luoluo's robe paused. It was already deep into the night. Every household had shut their doors and gone to rest. The inn had no business, so it had closed early. Who on earth could be knocking on the door at this hour? And they were being so cautious, as if afraid of attracting anyone's attention.
Wu Luoluo didn't hear the faint knock. Drunk and dazed, she looked at the pause in the young master's actions, puzzled. The young master had been in a bad state for the past few days. She almost thought he didn't want her anymore. That was why she mustered up the courage to take the initiative while drunk. She saw the lustful glint in the young master's eyes as he impatiently pounced on her to untie her clothes. Why did he suddenly stop halfway?
Shangguan Yun leaned over and kissed her earlobe, whispering in a low voice, "Luoluo, wait for me a moment." He grabbed the quilt and covered Wu Luoluo tightly, then got up and went to open the door.
Watching Shangguan Yun's straight back, Wu Luoluo's eyes were a bit hazy. The after - effects of the wine were kicking in, and her head seemed to be spinning even more.
Shangguan Yun stood still inside the door, concentrating and listening intently. Before long, there were three extremely soft knocks on the door again.
With a creak, the door opened a crack. Shangguan Yun glared at the person outside with a displeased look on his face.
The young man at the door was dressed in black. Standing in the dim light outside, he was inconspicuous. However, his face seemed familiar.
After exchanging a glance with Shangguan Yun, the young man knelt down with a thud. He said excitedly in a low voice, "Your subordinate pays respects to the Crown Prince! Thank goodness! You've returned safely!"
Shangguan Yun frowned as he looked at the person in front of him, unable to suppress the excitement on his face. There was a vague ache in his heart. This face looked so familiar, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember who this person was.
The young man whispered, "Today in the market, your subordinate caught a glimpse of your figure in the distance. I thought I was seeing things at first! But then when I passed by the inn at night, I saw your figure by the window again! Your subordinate hesitated for a long time before mustering up the courage to come and verify. Thank goodness! It's really you, Crown Prince!" As the young man spoke emotionally, he was almost in tears.
Shangguan Yun stood there like a wooden chicken and asked hesitantly, "Who are you?"
The young man looked stunned. Could it be that his Crown Prince had lost his memory? It was possible! Otherwise, why hadn't the Crown Prince contacted anyone for so long? After hesitating for a moment, the young man replied, "He Xiao, the secret guard of the Prince's Mansion, pays respects to Crown Prince Yun. Please follow your subordinate, Crown Prince!" He had to tell everyone the good news that the Crown Prince was still alive! Whether he had lost his memory or not, he had to take the Crown Prince back first and then figure out a solution.
"He Xiao?" Shangguan Yun frowned and thought for a while, then nodded and said, "Oh, you're the boy who has always been by Pin Hao's side?"
He Xiao looked constipated. Crown Prince, your subordinate is no longer a child! But the Crown Prince still remembered Pin Hao? He Xiao quickly replied, "Crown Prince! Lord Pin Hao was ordered by you to escort the Fifth Princess back to the capital. Please come with me..."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun's eyes widened in disbelief. He immediately grabbed He Xiao's robe and shouted, "What did you say? The Fifth Princess is still alive?!!!" His voice trembled with excitement.
He Xiao nodded and whispered, "Yes! Not only is the Fifth Princess alive, but on her way to Hanzhong, she led nearly two hundred thousand troops from our Tianchao soldiers and the Northwest Iron Cavalry to attack Jiangcheng. " They beat the Xiliang Prince Li Mingyang so badly that he was crying for his parents and bowed and scraped to offer a huge compensation. He and Lord Pin Hao were stunned and full of admiration!
Shangguan Yun stared at him in disbelief. Wei Dongling not only survived but also did such a remarkable thing? The Tianchao Xue Family Army and the Northwest Iron Cavalry had been at war for many years, constantly fighting over Hanzhong City. But she actually managed to unite these two armies and even led them to attack Xiliang's Jiangcheng? How did she do it?
"It's not convenient to talk here," He Xiao looked around and whispered, "Crown Prince, please come with your subordinate! Your subordinate will explain everything to you on the way."
"No," Shangguan Yun looked back at Wu Luoluo on the bed and found that the girl was already sound asleep due to her poor alcohol tolerance. He stepped forward to lower the bed curtain, then grabbed He Xiao and led him into the room. He gently placed He Xiao on the chair by the window and waved his hand, saying, "I'm suffering from a chronic cold and need daily recuperation. I can't go with you for now. I can't remember many things. Tell me everything in detail!"
He Xiao didn't dare to hide anything and told Shangguan Yun everything that had happened after they separated from the Crown Prince.
Shangguan Yun was stunned. Wei Dongling was really shrewd! She had the Northwest Iron Cavalry running around in circles and even led two armies secretly back to the capital? Was she going back to stage a coup and usurp the throne? Shangguan Yun felt a pang of uneasiness in his heart.
He Xiao replied, "That's not it! The Fifth Princess received a secret letter saying that the Emperor was seriously ill, and the Tenth Prince, Murong Yunqian, supported by the King of Rui, intended to usurp the throne. So she took the Ninth Prince back to the palace to compete for the position of Crown Prince."
The Ninth Prince, Murong Yuchen? Shangguan Yun frowned slightly. Yuchen was kind - hearted and quiet. He didn't seem suitable for the fight for the Crown Prince position. But in any case, he was much more reliable than the crazy Tenth Prince.
Shangguan Yun also heard that when Wei Dongling attacked Jiangcheng, she bought houses and properties there at half - price. After she left, she left the guard named Cheng Hao and He Xiao there to sell the accumulated houses one by one. Now, more than half a month had passed since the war. The more the King of Xiliang tried to revitalize Jiangcheng, the more smoothly the silver flowed into Cheng Hao's pocket. Shangguan Yun said with a smile, "That girl is still so cunning. If the Xiliang Prince knew about this, he'd probably be furious."
He Xiao replied, "Not only that! The Xiliang Prince doesn't know that the Fifth Princess is still alive. He not only emptied the Xiliang treasury but also signed an unequal treaty. He has to pay five million taels of silver to the Fifth Princess's relatives in the civilian world every year!"
Shangguan Yun: ...
Goodness! Wasn't that girl filthy rich?
He Xiao said excitedly, "More and more people have come back to rebuild Jiangcheng in the past few days. Your subordinate has been following Brother Cheng Hao around the market every day, selling the houses one by one. I'm really counting money until my hands go numb! By the way, Crown Prince, what are your plans for the future? Should I bring Brother Cheng Hao here to meet you first? If Lord Pin Hao and the Fifth Princess knew you were still alive, they'd be overjoyed!"
Shangguan Yun glanced at the carved wooden bed. Wu Luoluo was sleeping soundly at the moment. He was relieved to know that Wei Dongling was safe, but he didn't know how to explain things to her for a moment. He had originally intended to propose to Dongling, but now he had Wu Luoluo. Their mutual affection filled his heart with joy.
Shangguan Yun didn't know how to say these things to Wei Dongling. After hesitating for a long time, he sighed and said, "I won't meet Cheng Hao. Don't tell anyone about this for now."