Chapter 7

Liao Zhiyuan was momentarily taken aback and said, "Returning to the county princess, sending the princess off to marriage is also part of my official duties."

The border we are about to head to is Changyu Pass, which is built against the mountains, with steep and perilous cliffs rising a thousand fathoms high. The mountain range where Changyu Pass is located is called Changyu Mountain, extending east to west for several dozen miles, forming a natural barrier that separates the northern and southern regions.

The kitten, having eaten its fill of fish, licked its paws and washed its face, then began to scamper around the yard, surveying the terrain. Coincidentally, the blue pheasant that Jiayue had originally raised was also let out for a stroll after its meal. A cat and a chicken, meeting on a narrow path.

The uncles have come to pay their respects, and there is another important task, which is to deliver the meeting gift from the Emperor of Beiliang to the princess

General Cao only allowed the officials from Beiliang and ten guards to enter, accommodating them in the post station

Feng Zheng glared at me fiercely, his expression strikingly similar to that of my father. I thought to myself, what are you glaring at? You are not my father. If you are so fond of meddling in others' affairs, why are you in a position of authority? You should be selling vegetables in the south of the city instead

Only the blue phoenix spread its wings wide, stretched its neck, and pecked fiercely at Jin'er. Despite Jin'er's young age, he was agile, dodging left and right, and darted under the blue phoenix's belly, biting its claw and knocking the bird down to the ground.

Changyu Pass is located at the eastern end of the mountain, while the Changping Pass that was lost recently is at the western end. Originally, it would have been closer to travel from Changping to Beiliang, but Changping is a national disgrace, and marrying a princess at Changping adds shame upon shame, which is why it was changed to Changyu Pass

Under the Changyu Pass lies a county called Yitong, where we will take a brief rest for two days before meeting the officials from Beiliang who are coming to escort the bride at Changyu Pass

The wedding envoy from Beiliang, whose surname is Hu Lun or something similar, said that this cat is unique to Beiliang and is the most precious cat there.

The several officials are all middle-aged men, dressed in patched clothing, dignified and appropriate, and they show quite a bit of respect towards the princess. The people of Beiliang do not possess three heads and six arms; they are simply taller and have more rugged features.

Liao Zhiyuan was taken aback for a moment, then hurriedly lowered his head again and performed a proper bow

Later, the official came over to pay his respects to Jiayue, and I then realized that he was Liao Zhiyuan from Yitong County

A small cat with yellow fur, white-tipped ears, and eyes like sapphires, slightly larger than a palm, with soft fur and a milky scent, making a gentle, soft meow

The battle between the chicken and the cat has truly turned the courtyard into a chaotic mess, with decorations askew and every plant damaged. The maids and eunuchs are lamenting incessantly, hastily rushing to catch them

The arrival of the princess's carriage clearly caused a stir here in Yitong. As we entered the city, the common people flocked to us, gathering on both sides of the road. This area is located on the border between two countries, with a mixed population, and among the crowd were not a few tall and robust individuals from Beiliang, distinguished by their prominent features.

What is this gift

I got off the car and saw Feng Zheng in the distance talking to a young, fair-skinned scholar. The two of them were bowing and greeting each other, exchanging polite words and behaving in a sincere yet affected manner

General Cao, who is guarding the pass, is quite nervous. Naturally, an ordinary person would also feel anxious if their neighbor had just been robbed and a group of bandits appeared at their doorstep.

Whether it is precious or not, I cannot tell. No matter how valuable, it is just a cat

Yet, Jia Yue was there adding fuel to the fire, shouting: "Don't hurt them!"

A few days ago, the officials for the wedding procession from Beiliang had already arrived at the other side of the pass. It is said that not only did they bring officials, but they also brought along 2,000 strong warriors, fully armed and prepared, which made it seem less like a wedding procession and more like a raid to seize a bride

Feng Zheng was originally standing silently beside me, enveloped in a desolate autumn breeze. At that moment, he suddenly furrowed his brow, and two piercing gazes shot towards me.

In this situation, I need not speak; however, thinking of my father's heart that cherishes talent, I could not help but say a few words: "There are many people on this trip, and I must trouble Lord Liao to make proper arrangements. Has this delayed your official business?"

Oh, how could I forget

The next day, several officials came to pay their respects to the princess. Jia Yue had cried all night yesterday, and her face was swollen like a steamed bun. Fortunately, when the foreign officials came to pay their respects, a gauze curtain was to be hung, so no one could see anyone clearly

Liao Zhixian was a successful candidate in the imperial examination of the seventh year of the Tianfu era, and among his contemporaries, he could be considered quite accomplished at a young age. The residents at the border were largely mixed, and Liao Zhiyuan, a genuine man from the Southern Liang, appeared particularly refined when contrasted with the tall and robust men from the Northern Liang who filled the streets.

Jia Yue is quite fond of this little thing and has named the cat Jin Er

So when Feng Zheng introduced me by saying, "This is the daughter of Duke Wei, Princess Ruiyun," Liao Zhiyuan paused slightly and looked up at me

Liao Zhiyuan, upon seeing me, darkened his face and thought he had said something wrong, which was quite awkward

The reason for this, of course, is that young and passionate individuals like Liao Zhiyuan are all proponents of the main battle faction, viewing my father as a traitor. My father even personally wrote him a letter praising his achievements, but Liao Zhiyuan merely responded with a half-hearted, formal reply, which greatly angered my father

It is a cat

Before I left, my father specifically mentioned the officials I would be meeting during this trip, highlighting one individual in particular. He described this person as composed and perceptive, possessing a strong spirit of practicality, and lamented that he could not be utilized for our own purposes

If this were to be replaced by another female official, she would have scolded him as a rogue long ago. However, I am a tolerant and open-minded person, so I let him look as he pleases. Moreover, in order to leave a better impression of me on my father, I even smiled kindly.