mtlumby2d Chapter 1857 - 1845: Farewell
Chapter 1857 - 1845: Farewell
The young couple frolicked in the room for half a day before Song Chongjin finally had the lunch that had been reheated several times.
At this moment, their minds were connected, filled with tenderness and affection, almost sickeningly sweet.
Song Chongjin didn’t press further about the valley, and Wang Yongzhu only mentioned at the end that some things were unclear and that they might only become evident after meeting Qi Le.
With these words, Song Chongjin said nothing, but he began to quicken his pace the next day.
Initially, he had thought to test Qi Le’s patience, but now realized it was unnecessary! Since they were bound to meet anyway, it was better to meet quickly and see what kind of person Qi Le truly was!
Following Song Chongjin’s orders, everyone below became busier.
Lee Changnan not only had to verify qualifications but also manage his and Wang Yongzhu’s business, almost wishing he could split himself into three.
It was fortunate that Wang Yongzhu returned, and he simply delegated these matters to Wang Yongzhu.
Zhang Yinbao received confirmation and shared a quota with Jinhoo, which was already quite impressive.
Because the goods and personnel of each caravan were fixed, and quotas limited, those with insufficient strength had proactively collaborated, with alliances ranging from seven or eight powers to three or four people.
Only very powerful merchants could have a quota to themselves, and for someone like Zhang Yinbao, sharing a quota with Jinhoo was already extremely rare.
Even Lee Changnan and Wang Yongzhu shared a quota, with Lee Changnan’s trusted aide leading on one side, and Shitou managing on the other. They were all familiar and trusted each other, which was fine.
Other caravans, due to the distribution of shares, quarreled endlessly, using all sorts of tactics.
Yet, these were internal matters; outwardly, they appeared harmonious.
Song Chongjin naturally didn’t concern himself with this, and once his pace quickened, Qi Le’s spies quickly relayed the news back.
Before long, once everything in Great Chu was ready, the Imperial Court had already established a pretext and dispatched Song Chongjin and his group to the Grasslands for friendly exchanges.
The Grasslands also issued a formal document, expressing their welcome.
Auspicious day was chosen, and on this day, the gates of Chicheng County were adorned with red silks, and within the city, it was bustling with excitement.
This was considered a formal diplomatic mission led by Song Chongjin, with the deputy envoy being a court officer named Fu Jian from the Ministry of Rites, who had a face resembling a Maitreya Buddha, always smiling, knowing his place, and always putting Song Chongjin first.
Even upon seeing Wang Yongzhu among the mission’s ranks, he remained unflustered and pretended not to see, truly a talent.
With Song Chongjin and Fu Jian leading, followed by officials from the Ministry of Rites, and those appointed to assist Song Chongjin as an Inspector, and of course, guards for their safety.
This was within Great Chu’s territory, so they only had guards; upon reaching the border, escort troops would be waiting to join the mission and escort them.
Behind the mission were the merchants’ caravans. Besides their goods, they had employed many armed escorts since, if anything were to happen on the journey, the escort troops would naturally prioritize the mission, leaving merchants and goods vulnerable. Therefore, hiring personal protection provided peace of mind!
Jinhoo and Zhang Yinbao’s caravan included their subordinates and armed escorts hired by Zhang Yinbao.
Of course, Wang Yongzhu didn’t forget to arrange guards for Jinhoo, selecting them personally, and naturally, the cost was covered by Jinhoo.
Jinhoo knew Wang Yongzhu and Song Chongjin’s guards were handpicked, elite former soldiers, more reliable than ordinary armed escorts.
There was no need to select randomly as everyone was an expert, so he appointed a familiar squad, promising fifty taels of silver per person for the journey, and another fifty upon a safe return.
Since Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu were heading to the Grasslands, Old Granny Zhang was left in Chicheng County alone. Without needing many guards, they willingly accepted the task, knowing their employer approved, bringing them joy.
At the city gates, red carpet laid out, the newly appointed County Magistrate Cui, along with officials and citizens of the county, gathered to send them off.
Song Chongjin and deputy envoy Fu Jian bid farewell to County Magistrate Cui at the front, the ceremony lasting half a day.
Wang Yongzhu discreetly boarded a carriage.
Inside the carriage, Old Granny Zhang’s eyes were filled with tears; it was her first time separating from her daughter and son-in-law.
Had they been going elsewhere, Wang Yongzhu would have taken her without Old Granny Zhang asking.
But going to the Grasslands, despite the signed documents and Qi Le having other intentions, which seemed to ease relations between the two countries, Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu knew the journey to the Grasslands would be perilous.
They hadn’t even figured out the result of meeting Qi Le or tackled the Emperor’s task of finding a woman named Bi Zhu.
This journey to Wang City was destined for unrest.
Both adept in their skills, they could likely escape if necessary.
Bringing Old Granny Zhang would require constant watchfulness; if relations soured, she couldn’t keep up in a thousand-mile escape.
For her safety, it was better to stay in Chicheng County.
Even though most guards seemed to leave with Song Chongjin and Wang Yongzhu, enough protection was covertly in place for Old Granny Zhang.
The people from the Duke’s Mansion had taken on new identities, settling into the Song Residence as part of this relocation, all well-disguised.
At the Song Residence now, aside from a few old-timers, newcomers, from the gatekeeper’s young helper to cleaning woman, were secret agents.
Though they hadn’t endured the harshest tests of the secret agency, they were more than capable of dealing with regular guards.
Among them were specialists in various fields, medical techniques, poisons...
Master Jian and Wu Zhongbao were also promptly informed; as long as Chicheng County remained secure, Old Granny Zhang would be safe.
Although everything was well arranged, seeing Old Granny Zhang in such a state made Wang Yongzhu feel uneasy.
Gratefully, Old Granny Zhang stayed sensible, not causing trouble for her daughter, and instead reassured her, "Go forth in peace, my dear, I’ll take care of the home; wait for your return!"
Wang Yongzhu had earlier exchanged for a protective charm from Chen Xing, and given her aid to the Alliance, got one immediately. It appeared like a small Jade Pendant and could defend against physical attacks, changing color upon exposure to toxins as a warning.
It truly was the best defensive equipment for home and travel.
Taking advantage of an empty carriage, Wang Yongzhu helped Old Granny Zhang wear the Jade Pendant and whispered in her ear to never take it off while pretending to act coy.
Old Granny Zhang nodded knowingly, tucking the Jade Pendant into her garments.