Chapter 5, The Audacious Young Master

An Jing opened his mouth, wanting to say something but hesitating. This expression did not escape the notice of Jing Guo Su Jiao, who raised her eyebrows and asked, "If you have something to say, just say it..."

This sudden turn of the head was of no consequence, yet it inadvertently caused one's lips to collide with the soft, red lips of Madame Yasukuni. Both individuals were taken aback simultaneously, feeling guilty as they turned their heads away at the same time. Coincidentally, this scene of their lips meeting under the moonlight was witnessed clearly by Huairui, who was supporting Her Majesty the Empress from behind. Huairui thought to herself: This young man is likely unable to escape from this situation.

Ah? An Jing's heart trembled, wow, the queen's younger sister? This time, it really is someone close to her, "I understand, I understand; just let the lady decide..."

In a position of lowly rank and humble speech, how could one dare to rashly comment on the high officials of the court? Indeed, An Jing should not speak carelessly, not only for his own sake but also for the sake of his 'parents and family' in this world. A single word from him could bring about a catastrophic disaster that could annihilate his entire family. If he were merely a solitary individual, it would be one thing.

Madam Yasukuni also detected the resentment in An Jingyan's words. At this moment, as she was in a hurry, she could no longer intimidate him. "You have indeed contributed to the protection of the emperor, but your earlier frivolous actions are also a fault. Let us not discuss this matter publicly for now. I will seek an explanation from you in the future. For the time being, let it pass, but you must take good care of me."

At this moment, An Jing also felt somewhat guilty. He had only just arrived in the Great Song for less than a day and had already caused such a "great disaster"? This beautiful woman claimed to be a lady and shared a carriage with the empress; she was certainly not an ordinary character. Was I too careless? How could I have kissed her? However, this beautiful woman's lips were soft, warm, and truly enchanting!

Jingguo Sujiao, accustomed to the faces of officials who rise and fall in the political arena, also understands their concerns. She curled her lips and said, "You speak frankly, this lady does not blame you"

Madam Jingguo endures solitude and books, yet does not compromise her principle of 'better to be lacking than to be excessive.' This is something that greatly impresses Huairui. If it were herself, she would have likely already embraced her beloved in dreams. The earlier scene of 'joining lips' must have been the ultimate desecration for Madam Jingguo. Given her temperament, it would be surprising if she let this An Jing go unpunished.

The dawn was dim and gray, and a disheveled group finally emerged from the canyon, no longer hearing any unusual sounds behind them. It seemed that the high captain had killed all the pursuing bandits. Even so, no one dared to stop and rest for a moment, as at this point, Empress Zheng and the others were already exhausted from their flight

"To tarnish my innocence, is it something that can be forgiven with just a single sentence? You must know that I am the younger sister of the current Empress Zheng, the Lady of Jingguo. Do you understand the gravity of this?"

At this moment, Jingguo Sujiao interjected: "The original itinerary was to cross the Yellow River and then enter Leshou, before transferring to a boat to head north to Hejian. However, the Empress has always been prone to seasickness and does not favor traveling by water. After leaving the capital, Grand Minister Gao had suggested to the Empress whether to change to the water route to Leshou... By the way, sister, was it you who suggested changing to the land route at that time?"

An Jing rolled his eyes and said as he walked, "Madam is truly heartless. One must know that I, An, am merely a scholar, with not enough strength to even bind a chicken. How could I endure a hundred heavy blows? I fear that before reaching the count of one hundred, my soul would wander to the underworld. Is this desperate act of risking my life to protect and rescue not merely to exchange for those one hundred blows..."

The reason for such concern regarding this young man is primarily due to Lady An mentioning the matter of the two families' connections to her own mother. Lady Gao often hears Gao Chong speak of this young man, which does not sit well with her. However, Lady An hails from the Yang family, which has deep ties with the Gao family, making it difficult to refuse outright. Yet, she is well aware of her daughter's prideful nature and that she is a disciple of the extraordinary figure, the Holy Mother of Penglai. How could she possibly agree to marry a man of such lowly character? Thus, she remains indecisive in her heart and has not verbally agreed to Lady An's proposal. Gao Yingmei's request for her brother to disguise himself actually carries the intention of escaping from the marriage. If her mother were to consent to this union, she would flee to Penglai and never return to the world. As she contemplates this, she feels an immense sorrow, knowing that her own unfilial actions will bring her mother's heartache, which leaves her unable to make a firm decision.

At this moment, the Empress and Huairui approached, and Jingguo Sujiao took a step back. When her sister arrived, she would convey this conversation to her. A flush of color swept across the pale face of Empress Zheng, clearly indicating that she was suppressing the resentment in her heart. Her phoenix eyes glanced at Anjing, who was supporting her sister, and as they walked, she said: "An Wengong, feel free to speak. You may not be aware of the matters in court, but I am not afraid for you to know a little. You seem to be a clever person, so let me explain a thing or two for you. The head of the Privy Council, Zheng Juzhong, is my cousin, and he appears to be in collusion with the likes of Grand Minister Cai. Is this attack related to the high-ranking officials in the court?"

Uh... Wen Gongding is indeed tight-lipped, and Madam Xie has shown her mercy... An Jing is taking advantage of the situation; since she has said this, it means she will not hold it against me, right

"How far is it to Leshou County Town from here?" Leaning on Anhui's support, Jingguo Sujiao, who was stumbling, could no longer walk and turned her head to ask him

An Jing could not help but smile wryly. The beautiful woman spoke with a hint of shyness but without any anger, clearly showing her affection. The strength with which she pinched her own flesh was gentle, causing no pain, which eased his mind. With these two observations, he quickly grasped the thoughts of the beautiful woman. He then softly and gently explained, "Wen Gong's unintentional mistake, I hope the lady can forgive me."

Madam Yasukuni is not in a much better situation; her lips, apart from being touched by her deceased husband, have never been treated so lightly by anyone else. To think that in the perilous journey of escape, she would be subjected to such indignity. Could it be that heaven has bestowed upon me such a handsome young man as Zheng Sujiao, who is full of vigor and masculine spirit? Oh, how warm his lips are!

Upon mentioning Gao Qiu, Jing Guo Sujiao could not help but lower her charming face, "This shameless old dog, fleeing in the face of danger, I shall definitely settle this score with him..."

In a moment of surprise and indignation, feeling that a tremendous advantage had been taken from her, how could she let him off easily? In her thoughts, Su Su, with her delicate fingers, quietly reached to the side of An Jing's ribs, pinching a piece of flesh through his thin clothing, and with a voice like a mosquito, she reproached, "You are quite bold, how dare you treat me this way? Do you know who this lady is?"

An Jing smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "Wen Gong is unaware; there is likely still some distance to cover. There is no need to worry; if General Gao has come to a decision, he will certainly return to provide support."

Thus, Wen Gong has become presumptuous... Currently, the powerful ministers in the court who dominate everything are none other than Cai, Tong, Gao, and Liang. These individuals are intertwined in their interests, colluding with each other, and there is indeed a risk that pulling one thread could unravel the whole fabric. Grand Minister Gao has always looked up to Grand Master Cai, and he himself is greatly favored by the current Emperor. In Wen Gong's humble opinion, it is not appropriate to openly confront Grand Minister Gao at this time. Regarding the recent incident where Her Majesty the Empress was attacked while visiting her family in Hejian, it is feared that there may be hidden conspiracies. However, since Wen Gong is not in the court, he is unaware of whom the Empress favors or neglects, thus it is inconvenient to make baseless conjectures... He stopped speaking at the critical point, and Jing Guo Su Jiao, who usually does not concern herself with such matters, could not help but be astonished... He stopped speaking at the critical point, and Jing Guo Su Jiao, who usually does not concern herself with such matters, could not help but be astonished

No one understands Lady Jingguo better than Huairui. Over the years, they have interacted the most, and their friendship is very close. The gates of Lady Jingguo's residence in Bianliang are always bustling with visitors, and there are many sycophants, as numerous as the flood of the Yangtze River. Among them are not a few talented and charming young men. It is rumored in Tokyo that there have been over a hundred guests who have entered Lady Jingguo's inner circle. However, Huairui knows that to this day, no one has truly become a guest of this lady. The reason is that she pursues perfection too much, and being a privileged noble herself, she does not regard commoners with any importance. Those young men who enter the residence must undergo strict screening by the palace maids. They are scrutinized thoroughly, and even a single flaw can lead to their elimination. Other detailed examinations go without saying.

Empress Zheng furrowed her brows and said, "At that time, I was hesitant and undecided. However, Zheng Shumi suggested that it would be prudent to travel north by boat, as there had been reports from Zheng Shiyuan in Hejian Prefecture stating that there were bandits and mountain thieves gathering in the vicinity of Xiaofengkou, fearing they might startle the imperial entourage. But the esteemed General Gao did not take this seriously, merely stating that with the elite Longwu Guards protecting the emperor, the bandits would surely flee at the sight of us, and there would be absolutely no cause for concern. Who would have thought that Xiaofengkou would indeed encounter a strong bandit attack? And what of our elite Longwu Army? Were the ones fleeing in fear the bandits or was it Gao Qiu?"

Walking ahead, Gao Yingmei was particularly attentive to the gentleman behind her, An Yanei. Although she had only interacted with him for a day, she found that he was nothing like what her brother had described as 'disgusting.' Especially during the chaos of battle, his calmness and composure earned her great admiration. After all, did not the likes of General Gao, Chief Zheng, and the elite Longwu Army also flee in panic? Compared to these more despicable characters, An Yanei faced the threat of weapons without fear, offering strategies that resolved the crisis with just a few words. It seemed that this seemingly frail scholar possessed a wisdom and boldness beyond that of ordinary men, as well as the spirit of a true man. Could it be that her brother had misjudged him this time?

Madam Yasukuni let out a soft hum, staggering as she leaned even closer to An Jing. "Who does not deserve punishment? Even if you saved my life tonight, it merely spares you from the death penalty. How could I let you off for your living crime? At the very least, I must strike you, this audacious scoundrel, with a hundred heavy slaps as a token punishment to alleviate the resentment in my heart"

You shall not be spared; this matter must not be made public. You know, I know, Heaven knows, and Earth knows. If you dare to let it slip, you will be elevated to the palace to serve as a eunuch

An Jing had long contemplated this issue, but he had no substantial evidence. Historically, there had never been a precedent for a queen visiting her family. She was originally from Kaifeng, with her ancestral home in the Kaifeng Prefecture, so how could she have traveled to Hejian Prefecture in Hebei for a family visit? This single variable was beyond An Jing's comprehension, so at this moment, he could only analyze the ambush incident based on his understanding of those few individuals. He organized his thoughts and said: "To inform Her Highness, Wen Gong believes that the news of Her Highness's visit to Hejian was leaked before she left the capital. A significant portion of the bandits encountered here are disguised Khitan people from Liao, indicating that they were well-prepared. If they were unaware of Her Highness's northern route, how could they have set this ambush? Traveling north to Hejian is not limited to land routes; the waterway of the Huotuo River is also navigable..."

At this point, Empress Zheng's expression grew even darker, but after this exchange, she began to formulate her own plans. She glanced at An Jing and fell silent.

An Jing secretly smiled, and naturally responded verbally. Hearing her tone, it was clear that she was not truly blaming him. At that moment, he did not think too much about it and quietly assisted this lady as she devoted herself to her work

Little did she know that this journey would introduce Gao Yingmei to a different kind of "official son." It was hard to articulate whether her feelings were of joy or sorrow, but it dispelled her thoughts of running away to Penglai. She even found herself unwilling to deny that this unsavory official son had some appealing qualities; at the very least, she decided to stay and observe the situation further