Joy of Life: Starting by clinging to the eldest princess's coattails!

Chapter 60 Chen Pingping Blocks the Way

Wu Feng was unaware of what was happening in Kyoto.

The official boat sailed north along the Grand Canal, its bow breaking the calm surface of the water.

Wu Feng stood on the deck, watching the fields and villages on both banks slowly recede into the distance.

Shuying and Ling Shuang, holding their swords, stood quietly three steps behind him.

Three days later, the official ship docked at the Yangzhou wharf to replenish supplies.

The dock was bustling with activity. Porters carried their cargo bags back and forth on the gangplanks, and the shouts of vendors drifted over on the river breeze.

As soon as Wu Feng stepped off the deck, a man in a light blue short shirt quickly approached him.

"Lord Wu," the man bowed, lowering his voice, "I am here to wait on His Highness's orders."

Wu Feng paused, "What are your orders, Your Highness?"

The man took out a small bamboo tube and a letter sealed with wax from his pocket: "His Highness sent this message by carrier pigeon, instructing me to deliver it to you, Lord Wu."

Wu Feng took the letter and tore it open.

The handwriting on the letter was delicate and beautiful; it was indeed Chunmei's handwriting.

"It's urgent, return immediately."

There are only four characters.

Wu Feng frowned slightly and looked at the man: "What happened in Kyoto?"

The man shook his head: "I don't know. Our orders were only to contact Lord Wu and convey His Highness's decree."

Wu Feng crumpled the letter in his palm.

There are only two major events in Kyoto recently.

The news of Emperor Qing's coma could no longer be kept secret, or perhaps the auction of the sales rights of the three major workshops by Qingyutang had caused some kind of ripple.

But neither of these things seemed to warrant Li Yunrui's urgent urging for him to return.

Without further hesitation, he turned to Shuying: "Shuying, you continue back to the capital on the official ship. Ling Shuang, you come with me by land."

"Yes," Shuying and Ling Shuang replied simultaneously.

Wu Feng and Ling Shuang mounted two fast horses in Yangzhou and left Yangzhou that same day, galloping north along the official road.

Even the fastest horse wasn't much faster; despite traveling day and night, it was already noon eight days later when they arrived in Kyoto.

The outline of Kyoto's city walls gradually became clear on the horizon ahead.

Wu Feng reined in his horse and let out a long breath. Both he and his horse were exhausted from the continuous journey.

Ling Shuang wiped the dust off her face: "My lord, we'll be in the city in about ten miles."

Wu Feng nodded, and was about to urge his horse to continue forward...

Suddenly, more than a dozen figures darted out from the woods on both sides of the official road.

They were all dressed in black, with standard-issue longswords at their waists, and instantly blocked the middle of the road.

Their movements were synchronized and swift, clearly indicating that an ambush had been planned in advance.

Ling Shuang's eyes turned cold, and with a "clang," she drew her sword and placed it in front of Wu Feng's horse.

The members of the Overwatch Council also drew their swords at the same time, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Wu Feng sat calmly on his horse. He glanced at the men in black and gestured to Ling Shuang, "Sheathe your sword."

Ling Shuang hesitated for a moment, but still slowly sheathed her sword.

Upon seeing this, the members of the Overwatch Council also lowered their swords, but their eyes remained wary.

At this moment, a middle-aged man dressed in a dark black official robe emerged from the woods. He was about forty years old, with a thin face and a shrewd and sinister look in his eyes.

He walked up to Wu Feng's horse, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "I am Zhao Heng from the Censorate, and I greet Lord Wu."

The First Division of the Censorate.

Wu Feng knew about this department.

They focused on officials in the Six Ministries and Temples of Kyoto, investigating corruption, factionalism, and dereliction of duty, and strictly controlling the two lines of personnel selection in the Ministry of Personnel and finance in the Ministry of Revenue.

Their influence extended to the outskirts of Beijing, where they set up spies at various post stations and canal wharves to monitor the private interactions between officials leaving Beijing and officials from other parts of the country entering Beijing.

Wu Feng looked at Zhao Heng, a smile playing on his lips: "Lord Zhao, did you wait for me here specifically?"

Zhao Heng did not answer directly, his voice calm and even: "Professor Wu, our dean invites you."

Chen Pingping?

Wu Feng was slightly taken aback, but then he understood.

It seems... Chen Pingping already knows about Ye Qingmei's appearance in Suzhou.

A cryptic smile appeared on his face: "Lead the way."

"Please." Zhao Heng mounted his horse.

The officials from the Censorate made way, and Zhao Heng led Wu Feng and Ling Shuang off the main road, heading towards a desolate mountain area.

Ling Shuang followed closely beside Wu Feng, her hand always resting on the hilt of her sword.

About fifteen minutes later, the group arrived at a pavilion halfway up the barren mountain.

The pavilion was old, and most of the paint on the pillars had peeled off.

Chen Pingping sat in his wheelchair, waiting in the pavilion. The shadow of the Sixth Bureau of the Overwatch Council stood silently behind him like a sculpture.

Upon seeing Wu Feng, Chen Pingping's fingers, which were resting on the armrest of her wheelchair, twitched slightly.

He suppressed his excitement and tried to keep his face calm, but his eyes involuntarily scrutinized Wu Feng.

Wu Feng dismounted, walked into the pavilion, and sat down directly on the stone bench opposite Chen Pingping.

He picked up the teapot on the stone table, poured himself a cup of tea, and drank it all in one gulp. Finally, he could have a cup of tea.

"Dean Chen," Wu Feng put down his teacup, "no need to pretend to be profound. Speak, what do you want to see me about?" After saying that, he poured himself another cup.

Chen Pingping did not respond immediately.

He watched silently as Wu Feng finished his tea before slowly asking, "Aren't you afraid this tea is poisoned?"

Wu Feng chuckled lightly: "My lord is now a regent minister of the imperial clan. Dean Chen shouldn't be that stupid."

"That's not necessarily true," Chen Pingping said. "If I kill you and the Princess blames me, my Supervisory Council can also pledge allegiance to His Highness. Do you think you can compare to the Supervisory Council?"

Wu Feng remained amiable, smiling as he said, "The Overwatch Council is indeed very important. However, in His Highness's eyes, I am probably more important."

"So confident?"

Wu Feng gave Chen Pingping a deep look: "There are some things... you'll never understand."

Chen Pingping felt that Wu Feng's words had gone a bit too far. He stopped arguing and waved his hand: "All of you, step back."

Zhao Heng and the other members of the Supervisory Council bowed and stepped back, their shadows disappearing into the woods.

Chen Pingping looked at Ling Shuang.

"Ling Shuang, you should also step down," Wu Feng said.

Ling Shuang glanced at Chen Pingping, then at Wu Feng, and finally bowed, saying, "Yes." She retreated to a spot several dozen meters away from the pavilion, her back to it, her hand still resting on the hilt of her sword.

Once everyone was out of sight, Chen Pingping leaned forward and asked directly, "I want to know, did you see Ye Qingmei in Suzhou?"

really.

Wu Feng nodded: "Yes."

Chen Pingping could no longer maintain his composure.

He gripped the wheelchair armrests tightly, his voice trembling with barely suppressed urgency: "What did she tell you? Do you have a way to see the young lady?"

Wu Feng's expression was somewhat amused: "You want to see Ye Qingmei?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Pingping became even more certain that Ye Qingmei was not dead!

"Where is Miss?" Chen Pingping asked urgently.

Wu Feng did not answer.

He turned his head and glanced around the desolate mountain.

The afterglow of the sun gilded the rocks and vegetation with gold, and the outline of Kyoto in the distance appeared and disappeared in the twilight.

What a coincidence. Ye Qingmei is buried on this very mountain.

"Ye Qingmei is dead." Wu Feng turned back to look at Chen Pingping. "But... it's not impossible for you to see her. However, I can't help you see her."

Sure enough... did Ye Songnian and the others see the young lady's ghost...? A wave of sadness washed over Chen Pingping.

He asked, "Then how can I see the lady?"

"I don't know either." Wu Feng stood up. "We can only wait for her to show up."

He dusted off his robes and walked out of the pavilion. "Alright, Dean Chen, if there's nothing else, I'll be going now. His Highness is still waiting for me."

Ling Shuang immediately followed.

Chen Pingping did not stop them. He sat in his wheelchair, watching Wu Feng and Ling Shuang ride down the mountain on horseback, remaining motionless for a long time.

A shadow emerged from the darkness: "Dean?"

Chen Pingping slowly raised his hand, signaling the shadow to be quiet. He turned his head and glanced at the desolate mountain one last time.

Just now, Wu Feng glanced around... Could it be that Miss has just appeared?