After leaving the East Palace, Shang Ruyi sat on the eaves carried by a few young eunuchs and walked out just like every time he left.
This time, no one stopped them.
After walking out of Xuanren Gate, the eaves slowly fell to the ground. When Eunuch Lu helped her out with a smile, she was still a little in disbelief. She got on the carriage and returned to Yuwen Mansion until she saw Tu Sheer, Wuxue and the others coming up to her. When she supported her and bowed and thanked Eunuch Lu, her heart finally fell back to where it was.
I couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
Eunuch Lu seemed to understand what she had been worried about, and said with a smile, "Madam, you can feel relieved now."
Shang Ruyi forced a smile and said, "I'm sorry for bothering my father-in-law on this journey."
Eunuch Lu smiled and said, "I don't dare. Madam has been working hard for a long time, so go in and rest quickly. Our family has to go to the city gate to pass a message, and tomorrow Madam can take people out of the city."
Shang Ruyi said gratefully: "Thank you very much, father-in-law."
Eunuch Lu just waved his hand, turned around, got on the carriage, and left.
As soon as he left, Tu Sheer supported Shang Ruyi and immediately asked: "Miss, are we leaving the city tomorrow?"
Shang Ruyi nodded.
Wuxue said, "Young madam, what are we doing out of the city?"
As Shang Ruyi walked in, he said calmly: "Didn't I say before that I have to go over and settle the people and things in Zhuangzi? When I first entered the palace, I mentioned it to the empress. I will leave early and return early so as not to be late in setting off with Your Majesty."
Wuxue said, "That's true. Zhuangzi is far away. It will take a day or two just to go back and forth."
Shang Ruyi said: "When you go in, pack your luggage as soon as possible. Don't pack big or small bags. Just have enough for these days. And there is - Chang Wan, tell them to go down and let them prepare the carriage."
Chang Wan immediately said: "Yes."
She turned around and left, and Wuxue also went to pack her things. Tu Sheer helped Shang Ruyi into the room and sat down to rest. He poured her a cup of hot tea to warm her hands, and then smiled and said, "I thought, Miss I wanted to ride a horse to Zhuangzi, but ended up riding a car instead."
Shang Ruyi held the tea cup and was silent for a moment, then smiled and said, "Why can't I take the carriage?"
Tusheer smiled and said, "That's right, Miss usually prefers riding a horse to riding a carriage."
Shang Ruyi said: "The weather is so cold, it's easy to catch a cold while riding a horse. The Queen just caught a cold accidentally, so she can't go south with Your Majesty this time."
"Ah...that's it."
"You guys should be careful, the weather has been getting worse recently."
"My slave knows."
So, that night, the few remaining servants of Yuwen Mansion worked hard to prepare for the young lady's upcoming trip. Early the next morning, Shang Ruyi set off after breakfast.
The carriage arrived at the North City Gate. There were many people coming in and out, and the soldiers guarding the city saw her carriage at a glance and immediately came forward to greet her.
One of the captains bowed to her and said, "Is this Mrs. Yuwen?"
Shang Ruyi lifted a corner of the curtain and nodded calmly: "Exactly."
The man said: "Madam went out to the city, why did she only bring these few people with her?"
Shang Ruyi smiled faintly and said: "I just went to Zhuangzi outside the city to have a look. I will be back in three to five days. It's not like moving, so there is no need to shout around."
….
The man also smiled and said, "Madam, you are so free and easy."
After saying that, he waved his hand: "Let's go."
So, the soldiers in front immediately moved the wooden fence. Just as the carriage was about to pass through the city gate, Shang Ruyi looked around and suddenly said: "It seems that there are a lot of people entering the city in the past two days."
The man also glanced around subconsciously - indeed, the wealthy people in Dongdu City left one after another before, and then came the common people, moving like ants. They even endured when the city gates were closed at night. He couldn't help but joke that if things continued like this, the Eastern Capital City would be empty, and even the city gates would no longer need to be closed.
However, in the past two days, somehow,
More and more people came into the city, and they were all young adults.
The man smiled and said, "Yes, the city is getting a little more lively."
Shang Ruyi smiled, looked around, then waved his hand, and the carriage staggered forward.
After leaving the city, they took the official road. Tu Sheer had walked this road once before. In order to inform Jiang Kesheng that they were going to Xingluocang to help Yu Wenye, she rode a horse back and forth in one night and one day, and this time she took a carriage. , it was easier than before, but looking at the surrounding scenery, no one felt relaxed.
Although he was taking the official road, the depression on both sides of the road was even worse than before.
After walking all day, I could hardly see any villagers.
Finally at dusk, under the afterglow of the setting sun, they saw the outline of a group of houses at the foot of the mountain in front of them. It was the village owned by Sheng Guogong. There was a river running across it. Amidst the gurgling sound of water, crows rose and fell from time to time, trampling on the houses. The snow on the dead branches fell rustlingly, and the noisy sound made the place even more silent.
Because they came over temporarily, they did not notify anyone at the village in advance. When Shang Ruyi sent an entourage in to report, Jiang Kesheng hurriedly came out with a few people.
They bowed their hands to Shang Ruyi respectfully and saluted: "Young Madam."
Shang Ruyi got off the carriage, looked at them, then smiled at Jiang Kesheng and said, "I came here suddenly, so I didn't disturb your rest."
Jiang Kesheng said hurriedly: "Young ladies don't dare to take what you say. We have just finished practicing and haven't rested yet."
Shang Ruyi said: "Do you also practice at this time?"
Jiang Kesheng said: "The Duke's previous instructions are to do it three times in the morning, noon and evening. I don't dare to slack off."
"..."
Hearing this, Shang Ruyi nodded slightly.
As expected, Duke Sheng Guo was strict in running the army. Even the ordinary followers in his own family maintained the habit of military training. Thinking about it, without such diligence and hard work, they would not have been able to attack the imperial court so easily last time in Xingluocang. The army rescued her and Yu Wenye.
So he said, "Okay."
After a few simple words, Jiang Kesheng welcomed them in. As soon as the sun set, the village became dark. Shang Ruyi could only hear a few dogs barking and roosters crowing in the distance, but there were no human sounds. It really looked like a well-disciplined military camp. Jiang Kesheng held a torch and welcomed them along the largest main road in the center of Zhuangzi to the entrance of a courtyard. He said: "Every time the Duke and the young masters come to the village, they stay here. Don't worry, young lady, there are always people here." Clean it up, it’s not dirty.”
….
Shang Ruyi smiled and said, "You worry too much."
She walked in. The place was indeed very clean, but also very simple, in line with the common appearance of Yuwen's homes from Taiyuan to Dongdu. Jiang Kesheng immediately asked people to go in to light a fire and incense. Tu Sheer and the others also went in with their luggage. Go to the courtyard to prepare Shang Ruyi's bed.
Shang Ruyi walked to the lobby, looked at the surrounding scenery, then sat down and said to Jiang Kesheng, "How many people are there here?"
Jiang Kesheng immediately said: "There were originally two hundred people. In the previous battle at Xingluocang, seven people died and twenty-five were injured. Twenty-two of the injuries have been healed. The remaining three can no longer practice martial arts and can only stay in the village." Work together with others. So, there are one hundred and ninety people available."
Shang Ruyi nodded.
Jiang Kesheng said: "Do you want me to let them come over to meet the young lady? Or - we can meet formally tomorrow?"
Shang Ruyi waved his hand and said, "There is no need for the virtual courtesy."
She took out a few banknotes and handed them to Jiang Kesheng and said, "This is where the dead and injured brothers are placed. You distribute them as usual. If you don't have enough, come back and ask me for more."
Jiang Kesheng didn't say much, and stretched out his hand to take it: "I would like to thank you Madam on their behalf."
Shang Ruyi nodded and said, "I still have something to ask you to do."
Jiang Kesheng didn't seem surprised and immediately said: "Young madam, please tell me."
Shang Ruyi said: "Now, of the 190 people under your command, you can allocate half of them and divide them into three branches to go south to Lingnan."
"Lingnan?"
Jiang Kesheng was slightly startled, but he immediately understood and said, "Young Madam, you want us to pick up Master Shen?"
Shang Ruyi nodded and said: "They have now received your majesty's pardon and are going back. But the road is not going well, so I want you to go and take care of it. But now, the situation in the south is also unstable, and His Majesty the Emperor wants to When touring Jiangdu, the situation there may be more complicated than in the north. So, you are divided into three groups, one by water, one by Tongcheng Trail, and one by official road."
Jiang Kesheng immediately understood what she meant and said, "Okay, I'll go down and give you instructions."
He just turned around, but after thinking about it, he stopped again, turned back to Shang Ruyi and said, "Young madam, if you receive the master and wife of the Shen family, where will you go next?"
"..."
Shang Ruyi's eyebrows frowned slightly.
In fact, this was a question she had been thinking about all along, and even now, the answer was still entangled in various thoughts and she could not get out clearly.
Jiang Kesheng thought for a moment and said, "Do you want to go back to Dongdu directly?"
Shang Ruyi immediately shook his head: "Liang Shide's men are not far from here. Even if they can't defeat them, the situation here will not be optimistic. My uncle and aunt finally left Lingnan, and I don't want them to be in danger again. .”
Jiang Kesheng said: "Then, going to Taiyuan?"
"..."
"After all, the Duke is still in Taiyuan."
But Shang Ruyi shook his head: "Dad, I won't always be in Taiyuan."
Jiang Kesheng glanced at her, a gleam of light flashed in his eyes, but he didn't answer the question. He thought for a while and said, "Or should we find a place to stay temporarily in the south?"
Shang Ruyi still shook his head: "As I said, the situation in the south is also unstable. Besides, when His Majesty arrives in Jiangdu, the situation there will become more complicated."
This time, even Jiang Kesheng fell silent.
In fact, these three places are already the safest places they can think of now. The rest of the places are either occupied by rebels or coveted by rebels. It seems that there is no place in the world for people to live in peace.
Just when the atmosphere in the lobby fell into an almost suffocating dullness, Shang Ruyi suddenly said: "Let's go to Daxing."
Leng Qingshan
