XuanRong traveled leisurely and enjoyed the scenery as they slowly marched back to the capital. She was currently resting inside the carriage together with her three maidservants. She had been traveling for days and she was not in a hurry. She still had an ample of time before XuanFei's birthday banquet. Idled and bored, she sat and stared at her maidservants who were sitting in front of her.
"XiaoJie, have some sweet loquats." YuYing gave her a small plate with candied loquats.
"Mmm.. thank you." XuanRong eagerly munched the small pieces of candied loquats while thinking of her master's last words. There were so many questions left unanswered for XuanRong. Her master had been with her for five long years, but she never told her about her son or even the location of the male Gu. If her master had told her sooner, wouldn't she be able to help her master find her son?
Although XuanRong's forces could only be counted in both hands and were not on par with other big organizations, she could arrogantly claim that her informants and spies were trained meticulously. Coupled with her own knowledge from her previous lifetime, she could say that her own way of gathering information was not inferior to them.
Did her master intend not to tell her about her son?
If so, why did she change her mind in the last minute and told her to find him before she died?
'Was master afraid to implicate her son and decided to stay away from him in order to save his life?'
XuanRong was mentally exhausted. No matter what she thought, no matter how many questions she asked, no one would be able to give her the answers. Yue Xiao Xiao was already dead and her son was missing since he was a child. Even if she finds her master's son, XuanRong was not sure whether he knew something or not.
Ai. It was already useless to think deeply since she could no longer see her master again and demand for an explanation.
"XiaoJie."
XuanRong stopped herself from overthinking things and turned her head to look at YuShen.
"Mmm..?"
"Someone is approaching."
XuanRong raised the curtain of the carriage and saw a horse, galloping from afar. On the back of the horse sat a burly man with a mustache.
XuanRong's eyes darkened.
She knew him.
He was the messenger XuanLi ordered to inform her about the upcoming Royal Banquet to celebrate the Emperor's natal day.
"Stop the carriage and intercept him."
"Yes, this servant understands."
YuShang opened the carriage's curtain and beckoned one of the guards who was riding a horse behind them to come closer.
"Go and approach that man, tell him that someone wants to meet him. Bring him here."
The guard nodded and maneuvered his horse to the man's direction.
Few minutes later, the man was brought outside the carriage.
"Who are you? Why are you trying to stop me from leaving? Don't you know who I am? I am a subordinate of the Left Prime Minister of Qian Zou, Prime Minister Xuan."
The man arrogantly used XuanLi's name in order to incite fear. Every time he uses his master's name, people would cower and would even avoid him. XuanLi was a first rank official of the court. He was above many and was under by few people. How could a normal citizen act arrogant in front of his subotdinates? Thus, the man uses his name very often to get whatever he wants.
When he did not receive any reply from inside the carriage, the man got angry and wanted to leave immediately but when he moved, the guard who brought him once again hindered his path.
"You---!!"
Suddenly, a soft and mellow voice echoed from inside the carriage.
"You are Left Prime Minister's subordinate? May This Lady ask why you are here?"
The man was enchanted by the soft voice coming from the carriage. It was clearly owned by a young woman. At first, he wanted to comply and answer her, but he changed his mind. He arrogantly refused to answer her.
"What has that got to do with you?" The man spoke rudely.
'Impudent!! Do you know who you are talking to? She's Left Prime Minister's Eldest Daughter of the First Wife. How dare you act arrogant in front of your master's daughter!"
The man froze.
What?
The person inside the carriage is the Eldest Di Daughter of the XiangFu[1]?
The person whom he had to deliver the message?
The man inwardly cursed his luck. It had been well known all over the capital that the Eldest Di Daughter was an arrogant person. She viewed people as dirt and would not hesitate to punish the servants inside the Prime Minister's residence.
He looked at the procession at the back. No wonder, the carriage was followed by many guards and servants. Who would have thought that the person inside the carriage was his master's Di[2] Daughter. Talk about luck.
The man immediately unmounted his horse and bent his knees in front of the carriage.
"T-this subordinate was lacking and was not able to recognize mount Tai. This subordinate asks Da XiaoJie's[3] forgiveness."
The man clenched his teeth and was preparing for a heavy punishment when someone spoke.
"YuShang, do not scare him. He is Father's trusted subordinate."
After the voice spoke, the curtain was raised by a woman wearing a maidservant outfit and a delicate young maiden went out of the carriage.
The man went into daze when he saw XuanRong.
He could not believe that the woman in front of him was the famous arrogant Di Daughter of Prime Minister Xuan, XuanRong.
XuanRong saw that the man was staring blankly at her and smiled.
Seeing the beautiful smile on XuanRong's face, the man was startled and could not help but blush.
"Rise. No need to kneel before me. May This Lady ask this gentleman the reason why you are traveling? This path leads to Lu Shan."
The man stood up and cupped his hand to salute at XuanRong. Thinking of the rumors circulating around the capital and the young maiden in front of him, the man sighed inwardly. Rumors were really not trust worthy.
"Greetings to Da XiaoJie. Prime Minister Xuan ordered this subordinate to leave the capital and go to Lu Shan to send Da XiaoJie a message."
The man pulled a small scroll inside his bag and offered it to XuanRong in both hands.
"Thank You."
XuanRong nodded and accepted the message. After reading the content, she smiled with happiness.
"Father wants me go back home."
She looked at the man standing in front of her and then signaled YuShang who was beside her. YuShang immediately understood XuanRong's gesture and pulled a small pouch containing silvers. She moved forward and gave it to the man.
"Please accept this small token from our Young Miss."
The man's eyes shone with delight. He loved money the most, but he still acted like he was reluctant to receive XuanRong's grace and even tried to return the pouch but XuanRong insisted.
She had already known that the man was just acting. XuanLi was a rotten man. It was common for his subordinates to act like a scoundrel since dogs reflect their masters.
"This Lady insists. It is only a small token."
"Then, this subordinate will not be polite."
The man hurriedly placed the small pouch inside his clothes.
XuanRong once again boarded the carriage and resumed traveling. Since the man's task was already done, he no longer needed to go to Lu Shan and followed XuanRong's group who were traveling back to the capital.
Days passed and XuanRong was now bored to death. Luckily, they were now near at the capital's gate. She could even see the long line of commoners in front of the capital's gate, wanting to enter.
XuanRong's group was still far from the gate but she was not in a hurry. The birthday banquet had not started yet. Today was XuanFei's thirteenth birthday. In her previous lifetime, XuanRong was still traveling, thus, she was not able to arrive on XuanFei's birthday. But in this lifetime, it was different. She would definitely 'attend' her beloved meimei's 'birthday' banquet.
'XuanFei.. my dear meimei… do you know how much I miss you?'
XuanRong mockingly smiled. She couldn't wait to see XuanFei's contorted face later.
XuanRong's group successfully arrived at the capital's gate. As the daughter of an affluent family and the Di Daughter of a high ranking official, she no longer needed to waste time by lining up together with other people and was granted an easy access.
The carriage just entered the capital when someone shouted, "Long live, Crown Prince Ji An!"
XuanRong froze.
'Xu. Ji. An.'
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[1]. Eldest Daughter of the First Wife of the Prime Minister's Residence [A/N: too long, psh.]
[2]. Legitimate daughter or Daughter of the first Wife while
[3]. Big Miss or Eldest Young Miss
[Unedited Chapter]