Chapter 642: Haitang Hairpin

Chapter 642: Chapter 642: Haitang Hairpin

Upon hearing this, Long Jiu immediately stood still and bowed his head respectfully. "Yes."

The next moment, the curtain was drawn aside.

A man dressed in indigo brocade robes sat quietly inside the carriage.

He appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six, with an ordinary face, but his eyes were open and gentle, making one feel an immediate sense of warmth toward him.

However, his lips were somewhat pale, and he looked rather frail.

Especially...

The guard’s gaze fell upon the man’s legs, which were covered by a thin blanket, and he frowned.

"I am Xun Cheng, a resident of Louyang. I have indeed come to visit friends and relatives." He smiled, his tone calm and unhurried, carrying the air of a refined scholar. "Unfortunately, I have difficulty walking and cannot get out of the carriage to greet you gentlemen. I hope you will forgive me."

Though his clothes were plain, anyone with eyes could see he was no ordinary man. An aura like his meant he was either rich or noble.

The guard weighed this in his mind for a moment and became much more polite.

"I see. We don’t mean to cause you any trouble, but we are just following orders. We can’t let anyone slip by, whether they’re coming in or going out."

"It is only right for you to carry out your duties impartially."

Xun Cheng nodded with a faint smile,

"There is nothing else in my carriage. Please, feel free to inspect it."

Just as he said, the carriage was empty, save for a cup of tea, a book, and nothing else.

The guard raised his hand, and two men immediately came forward. They inspected the inside and outside of the carriage, then both shook their heads at him.

The lead guard also gave it a cursory look, chuckled, and waved them on.

"Go on!"

Xun Cheng gave a slight smile and a nod. "Thank you, Officer."

Long Jiu leaped onto the carriage and grabbed the reins.

"Hya!"

The horse flicked its ears and continued forward.

...

"It’s a shame. The last horse was run to death. This one is obedient, but it’s still young and hasn’t traveled long distances before. It’s a bit of a struggle."

Xun Cheng poured a cup of tea and sighed leisurely.

Long Jiu chuckled. "Heh, at least it didn’t mess things up, right?"

Xun Cheng smiled.

"You have a point. But that boy is clever indeed, to have come up with such a thorough plan in just a few days."

Thinking of the roguish-looking young man, Long Jiu couldn’t help but nod. "Isn’t he? I originally thought, what could a teenage brat possibly accomplish? I never expected he’d actually manage to rescue the person!"

Xun Cheng took a sip of tea. The refreshing fragrance filled the air, making him feel much more comfortable.

He hadn’t left home in a long time, and this trip to Long City had certainly been trying.

Fortunately, his legs had improved a lot in the past two years. Otherwise, he would have had to endure much more hardship.

Hearing Long Jiu’s words, he gave a casual smile. "He was taught by her, after all. Of course he’s outstanding."

He leaned back, seemingly lost in thought.

"I remember the last time I saw him, he was still a reckless, impulsive brat. I never imagined he’d grow into the person he is today."

Long Jiu had only met Ye Yunfeng once, while delivering a letter.

He hadn’t been by his master’s side when the accident happened two years ago, so naturally, he had never met Ye Chutang—the one who had treated his master—or her younger siblings.

But from the looks of things now, those siblings were all anything but ordinary!

"Master, are we heading straight back to Louyang now, or..." Long Jiu hesitated.

After all, the situation in Long City was still grim.

A fierce, life-or-death struggle was bound to erupt here!

Xun Cheng pondered for a moment. "Let’s not be hasty. Since we’re helping, we should see it through to the end. She entrusted this person to me, so naturally, I must be more attentive."

Long Jiu wasn’t surprised by his decision, but...

"But your legs—"

Xun Cheng chuckled. "It’s not like I’m going onto the battlefield. No need to be so nervous. Besides, it’s still unknown how this battle will play out."

Long Jiu thought about the situation in the city and was still worried. "These Southern Hu people came prepared. I’m afraid... they won’t be easy to deal with!"

Xun Cheng set down his teacup, unable to hold back a sigh of admiration.

"This tea is truly excellent; no wonder her business in the Capital City is flourishing... Actually, there’s no need to worry too much. Tuoba Yu may have seized the initiative once, but can he really keep on winning? If nothing else, someone was swapped out from right under his nose. He must be furious enough to spit blood right now. As for who will emerge victorious... it’s still too early to tell."

He gently tapped his legs. The areas that had been completely numb for years could now feel a faint ache.

It was a sign of improvement.

"I’m rather curious to see if that boy can achieve great merit this time," Xun Cheng said with a smile. "If he returns in triumph, perhaps I can go back to the Capital City with him and get these legs checked again."

Hearing this, Long Jiu’s spirits lifted.

"Your legs will definitely heal, Master!"

In the past, Xun Cheng would have taken those words as mere comfort.

But...

The face of a graceful, gentle young woman appeared in his mind.

’With her around, it might not be impossible...’

"Well then, let’s just wait and see!"

...

「Capital City, the Imperial Palace.」

Ye Chutang was brewing medicine for Emperor Muwu as usual.

Eunuch Li hurried in from outside. Seeing Ye Chutang was present, he hesitated for a moment before speaking in a low voice, "Your Majesty, Yaohua Palace has been cleaned. How... do you wish for it to be handled?"

Emperor Muwu slowly opened his eyes, his expression unreadable.

Had it been any other hall, such caution would not have been necessary. But Yaohua Palace had, after all, been Jiang Qingmei’s residence. Although she had long since passed away, no one dared to say that Emperor Muwu no longer held any lingering affection for her.

Having been by his side for many years, Eunuch Li could guess some of his thoughts, which made him all the more cautious.

After a long moment, Emperor Muwu finally spoke in a heavy voice, "Lock the gates. From now on... there is no need to send anyone there again."

Eunuch Li respectfully complied.

A thought stirred in Ye Chutang’s mind, and she stood up.

"Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask."

Emperor Muwu was somewhat surprised. "Speak freely."

Ye Chutang seemed a little embarrassed. "This... It was my own carelessness, but when I went to Yaohua Palace the day before yesterday, I seem to have dropped a hairpin. It’s not anything valuable, but it was a birthday gift from my third younger brother and is very precious to me. So... I wanted to ask Eunuch Li if he happened to find it during the search?"

Eunuch Li was taken aback. "A hairpin? What does it look like?"

Ye Chutang held out her hand to indicate its size. "It’s a small, exquisite hairpin made of white jade, carved into a Haitang flower. It’s so small and delicate that I didn’t notice when I dropped it. I only realized it was missing after I returned home."

Eunuch Li thought hard for a long time, then gave a troubled, helpless smile. "I... this servant truly did not see it. However, everything from the palace has been packed up. Aside from the clothing and shoes that have already been burned, there are indeed many pieces of jewelry and other items collected in one place. I wonder if it might be there? Perhaps you could go and take a look yourself?"