Chapter 1036: Chapter 256: Huangzhou Prefecture Is Mine Now
Wang Baobao’s departure is an unexpected joy for Chen Jie.
As long as Wang Baobao is present in Huangzhou Prefecture, Chen Jiusi can’t call the shots. Once Wang Baobao leaves, his maneuvering space will greatly expand.
Thinking of this, Chen Jie stood up and said, “Quick, prepare a sedan chair and carry me to Darugachi Mansion.”
Sedan chairs are typically used by civil servants, women, or capital officials who can’t ride through the streets on horseback, preferring to sit in sedan chairs to flaunt their status.
However, Chen Jie is a Jianghu person, and Jianghu people rarely use sedan chairs.
This would make the owner seem frail, and Chen Jie’s current intention was to appear ill, weakened, and non-threatening.
Thinking about this, he asked Xiao Hu to prepare a sedan chair.
Xiao Hu hesitated, “Jiu Si, we don’t have a suitable sedan chair at our residence.”
Chen Jie disliked sedan chairs, so they hadn’t prepared any at the residence. Primarily, Chen Jie had recently changed his residence. In the old home at Mianshui, items like sedan chairs, although seldom used, were always available.
But in Huangzhou Prefecture, they’ve only been here for a little over a month and have been too busy with conflicts to prepare such things.
Chen Jie asked, “Not even one?”
Xiao Hu hesitated, “Mrs. Huang has one, but it’s a floral sedan chair made for women.”
Chen Jie thought for a moment and said, “Alright, use this floral sedan chair; go and borrow it from Mrs. Huang.”
“Yes!”
Soon Xiao Hu returned, accompanied by Huang Wan’er’s close maid, Du Juan. Du Juan respectfully bowed to Chen Jie and said, “Master, Madam said that this is a woman’s sedan chair. It’s inevitable that a man riding it might be ridiculed, so please, Master, drape this blue cloth over the sedan chair for some cover.”
Looking at the blue cloth brought by Huang Wan’er, Chen Jie smiled and said, “Go back and thank Wan’er, but today, I aspire to stand out.”
Hearing this, Du Juan looked at Chen Jie with some surprise and after a while, said, “Then, I will report to Madam this way.”
Chen Jie replied, “Alright.”
After saying this, Chen Jie instructed Xiao Hu to arrange bearers to carry him to Darugachi Mansion.
Soon, they arrived at Darugachi Mansion, where Huo Bima was standing at the gate. From a distance, he saw a small floral sedan chair typically used by women and laughed, “Which lady is visiting our Darugachi Mansion?”
Thinking this, the sedan chair arrived at the gate, and Huo Bima was stunned to see Chen Xiaohu standing by it.
Huo Bima said, “Eh, Commander Chen, whose Madam is this?”
“Cough, cough… Commander, it’s me, cough, cough…”
Chen Jie coughed and got out of the sedan chair. Seeing this, Huo Bima was bewildered. How could it be Chen Jiusi!
“Commander Chen!”
Huo Bima addressed Chen Jiusi, and Chen Jie said, “Oh, no need for formality, Huo Bima.”
“Commander, how did you end up like this?”
Huo Bima looked at Chen Jie and asked. Hearing this, Chen Jie coughed twice and said, “Ashamed, ashamed, I don’t know what’s wrong with my body. I feel very unwell, couldn’t ride a horse, and could only find this small sedan chair at home, which made Huo Bima laugh.”
Huo Bima replied, “Oh, it’s nothing, it’s nothing.”
Chen Jie looked at Huo Bima and asked, “By the way, Huo Bima, why did Lord Darugachi summon me so early and for what purpose?”
…
Meanwhile, inside the mansion.
Wang Baobao looked at the Turtle and Crane Elders and asked, “Do we really need to leave in such haste?”
The Turtle and Crane Elders replied, “Young Prince, we must leave promptly. Yesterday, we saw a massive Buddha figure towering in the direction of Yong’an Prefecture. According to eyewitness reports, this Buddha could be seen from fifty miles away, and everyone thought something miraculous was descending.”
Hearing this, Wang Baobao asked, “A Buddha visible from fifty miles away, who could it be?”
He Yishou replied, “It’s Laughing Buddha Peng Yingyu. Among the world’s practitioners of Buddhism, only he can have such a Dharma Form.”
“Laughing Buddha Peng Yingyu!”
Upon hearing He Yishou’s words, Wang Baobao was shocked and said, “The Laughing Buddha Peng Yingyu of the Zoroastrian Three Venerables?”
He Yishou replied, “Who else could it be but him?”
Wang Baobao’s expression changed, “Given the current state of Huangzhou Prefecture, why would Peng Yingyu come here?”
Gui Yannian said, “It certainly isn’t good; moreover, if Peng Yingyu intends to do something, neither I nor my junior brother could stop him, nor do we even qualify to attempt it. He is not Han Miaozhen.”
Wang Baobao said, “Such important intelligence must be swiftly reported to the foster father.”
Gui Yannian said, “There’s nothing to be done. Even if the Prince knew, he couldn’t do anything. Most of his troops are stationed up north, making westward progress very difficult. Therefore, we must leave quickly, not allowing Peng Yingyu an opportunity to get at us.”
At this time, Zhao Ya interjected, “Both Masters, I’m aware of Peng Yingyu. He’s here in Mianshui County searching for the Medicine King Treasure. I saw him in Mianshui and he didn’t do anything to me.”
“Medicine King Treasure; that was nearly three months ago. Since he hasn’t left Huangzhou Prefecture yet, it’s evident he has other intentions.”
“Last time, he didn’t harm you, but it doesn’t mean he won’t this time. Yaya, as the chaos of the world is imminent, we absolutely cannot allow you to venture into dangerous places. You should return to the Prince Mansion with us.”
Zhao Ya frowned and said, “I don’t want to go back.”
Gui Yannian said, “This cannot be left to your whims, Yaya. If you don’t return, Ah He and I will have to bind you and take you back.”
“Ah, Master Gui, you can’t, I’m not going, I…”
He Yishou said, “Yaya, don’t be willful. A major conflict is imminent, and the Prince certainly won’t allow someone as precious as you to be left outside. This time, you must come with us; don’t make it difficult for your masters, okay?”