Chapter 48

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Various sounds came from both sides of the street: hawking, calling out to people, arguing. Gu Jun couldn't hear any of it. The noise seemed like a stream of air, rushing past his ears in an instant.

He put the money pouch into his sleeve pocket and came to the street surface.

It was getting a bit late. To seize the time before the curfew, he couldn't finish walking the main street, branch streets, and some lively alleys.

He just casually browsed a few shops, bought some exquisite knick-knacks, and headed back.

The next day, the weather was just right. Gu Jun got up early to carry out his grand ambition—to walk all over the main street, branch streets, and some lively alleys. These places didn't seem like much added up, but if one really wanted to walk them all, it still took quite some time.

Gu Jun spent nearly three days finishing walking these places, which could be considered thoroughly mapping out the county town's terrain and which places sold goods that couldn't see the light of day.

Actually, the time could have been even shorter, but to avoid arousing the attendants' suspicions, he deliberately played while walking, even going through some bustling sections no less than twice.

After three days, his legs were sore from walking, but his knees were still fine. After the county town fire incident, he applied medicine and took medicine on time every day. The wound on his back still couldn't have the gauze removed, so he didn't know how it was, but it was somewhat itchy; presumably, it was developing in a good direction.

He rested at home for half a day, also took the time to visit Magistrate Gu's wife and son. That noon, after having lunch at the restaurant, he used the pretext of going shopping to go out on the street, intending to go to those unsavory places and buy some unsavory things.

He had just reached the threshold of the wing room when someone stopped him.

Gu Jun put on an innocent look and turned back to look at the person who stopped him: "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Chao Yan beckoned him over.

Gu Jun hesitated for a breath, then shuffled over in small steps, arriving beside his seat: "Your Highness." He called softly.

"Is the money still enough?" Chao Yan rinsed his mouth with tea and asked leisurely.

"Enough."

"Then have you had fun these past two days?"

Gu Jun's expression was radiant, his eyes sparkling with life, and he said, "Yes, I had fun."

Today, he was wearing a light green short jacket in patterned silk, a grey-blue satin sleeveless jacket, a light pine-flower-colored pleated skirt with plain satin knee-cover trousers, a waist sash of mugwort-green cotton-linen blend, and a pair of grey-blue plain satin flat-toed shoes.

It wasn't as nice-looking as that lotus-root-colored outfit, somewhat dark and dull, but still good, making his complexion appear very fair, exceptionally elegant.

Chao Yan's gaze was as calm as still water, slowly flowing over Gu Jun's entire body. He opened his mouth and asked: "And the gift you said you'd buy for me?"

Gu Jun thought: Wasn't that just something I said casually when asking for money? How come it's being taken seriously? He thought this in his heart, but didn't show it on his face. Opening his clear, bright eyes, he smiled and said: "I did buy it for you. It's in the cabinet in the room."

Anyway, this scouting trip had resulted in a bunch of odds and ends; he didn't have any particular need for them. If you want them, go get them yourself.

Chao Yan asked: "What did you buy me?"

Gu Jun murmured for a moment. If this question wasn't answered well, the other party would press him, since he hadn't asked beforehand what the other party wanted. He came up with a clever answer: "You'll know when you go back and look. It's something I like very much. I believe you will also like it."

Chao Yan smiled: "Alright."

Gu Jun asked: "Can I go now?" He was somewhat restless.

Chao Yan said: "Come back early. We leave for the capital tomorrow morning. I also don't know which of those things you use and which you don't. To avoid mistakes, come back early and take someone to pack your own belongings properly."

Gu Jun, upon hearing this, became even more restless. He answered vaguely and hurriedly left, almost bumping into someone coming in on the way.

The people coming in were precisely Meng Zhao and Ning Fu. Behind them also followed the prefectural troop general Gu Jun had seen that day.

"Madam, this is..." Ning Fu knitted his brow, looking at Gu Jun's hurriedly departing figure with puzzlement.

Meng Zhao said: "I'm afraid she has some urgent matter to attend to."

The three entered the wing room one after another. Chao Yan ordered the leftovers to be cleared away and asked if they had eaten lunch. All answered they had, so he invited the three into the wing room's partition.

The wing room was relatively large. A folding bamboo screen with several panels was used to partition the room into two spaces: one for dining, one for resting. Inside the partitioned area, there wasn't much seating, so two chairs were added.

Once seated, Meng Zhao reported to Chao Yan: "The border garrison troops Zhang and Zhao returned to their station early this morning."

Three days ago, at noon, Chao Yan had hosted a feast for the reinforcement troops. After the feast, the border garrison unit led by Zhang (Commander Zhang) and Zhao (Commander Zhao), after two days of rest and reorganization, set off to return.

The return journey was not like the rush of coming; they slowed their pace and arrived back at their station early this morning.

Meng Zhao continued: "At Yanlin County, Chief Clerk Bi has been ordered to coordinate with County Deputy Lin to handle all affairs within the county office.

"According to our covert scouts, Magistrate Wang indeed had a group of men who took hostages outside, but not as many as he described—roughly eight or nine households. Entrusted with Your Highness's far-sighted plan, these people have already returned home. All members of those eight or nine households are unharmed.

"Additionally, our scouts also discovered that the bandit leader did not personally participate in the raid. He is currently hiding in a village under Yanlin County's jurisdiction. Although this matter should be handled by the people His Majesty sends, I feared he might harm the village. I have already captured him. He now has his collarbones pierced and is locked up in the main prison of Zhuyang County..."

... raised a cup of clear tea, toasting Meng Zhao. "Sanlang, your handling of affairs always puts my mind at ease."

Meng Zhao...

Chao Yan...

The prefectural troop general's surname was Huang. Seeing Chao Yan smile as he looked at him, his heart felt a bit guilty. He rubbed his nose and stood up.

"Not calling me 'Your Highness' anymore?" Chao Yan asked, not a trace of anger visible.

"My brain is just good for remembering things about leading troops and fighting. Other things just pass through my mind and disappear. Young Sir, don't quibble with a rough fellow like me." General Huang bowed with cupped hands. "I hope I haven't caused you any trouble."

That night he had asked the lady if His Highness was home. Seeing the lady's expression change, he immediately knew he had spoken wrongly. He then recalled His Highness's instruction that they should address him as "Young Sir" here, whether outside or inside.

A spoken word is like water spilled—how can it be taken back?

He was so angry that night he kicked a hole through his blanket. But it was still good; from His Highness's manner, it seemed he wouldn't hold it against him?

Indeed, His Highness didn't hold it against him. He said to him: "It did cause some trouble, but still within a solvable scope. I must trouble General Huang with a matter."

General Huang said: "Your Highness, please speak."

Chao Yan said: "I heard you brought two hunting dogs on this rescue mission?"

General Huang stammered an "Uh" and said: "I did indeed bring two hunting dogs. At the time, I feared that upon reaching Zhuyang County, relying solely on manpower, I might not find Your Highness."

Chao Yan said: "Lend me those two hunting dogs of yours for two days."

General Huang said: "Your Highness, just take them."

Just at that moment, a knocking sound came from the window side. Chao Yan walked to the window. The wing room was on the second floor, not too high. A paper ball flew up from below. Chao Yan raised his hand to catch it, unfolded the paper ball, discarded a small stone inside, scanned the writing on the paper, and smiled helplessly.

"Knockout drug."

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"How much?" Gu Jun asked the sneaky old man across from him. The other party gestured a number with his hand.

"Twenty taels?" Gu Jun thought, so expensive, why don't you just go rob someone? He hesitated for a moment, but still counted out the silver and gave it to the other party. Thus, only a tiny silver ingot remained in the money pouch. Gu Jun squeezed the pouch and sighed.

The old man stuffed the small oil-paper packet containing the knockout drug into his hand: "The effect is excellent. It doesn't just contain datura; it also has Chinese azalea, henbane, and more. Add a bit extra, and it can knock down an ox with no problem."

Gu Jun took the paper packet, put it into his sleeve, and went along the back door of the rouge shop, returning to the shop interior.

The attendants were waiting inside the shop.

This rouge shop was a family workshop—men were responsible for purchasing raw materials, women for making and selling the goods.

Earlier, he had knocked over some rouge and stained his clothes. Using the excuse of changing clothes, he had ordered all attendants not to follow, to avoid the shop owner suspecting they were spying on the trade secrets of rouge making.

After that, he took clean clothes and went to the rouge shop's backyard alone to change. Finding the shop owner's daughter, he gave her money to let him out through the back door and to handle any urging from the attendants.

He himself then quickly followed the small alley, found a place selling goods that couldn't see the light of day, and bought a drug that could knock a person out.

Now, back in the shop, the two attendants hadn't noticed anything unusual. They only asked if he still wanted to look at rouge.

Gu Jun replied, "Not looking anymore." Pointing to a few boxes of rouge on the upper shelves of the shop, he said, "Wrap these to take away."

The attendants assented.

Having achieved his goal, Gu Jun didn't shop further. He led the attendants back to the rented house. Chao Yan had already returned and was looking through the so-called gifts he had bought for him. Seeing him come in, he smiled and said, "You have quite a lot of things you like." Ranging from exquisitely crafted wooden hairpins and wood carvings, down to various snacks.

Gu Jun asked, "So, do you like them?"

Chao Yan said, "I guess I like them." He turned his head, fiddling with those items.

Gu Jun shuffled over to the table. He lifted the teapot lid; inside was warm tea, recently brewed. He felt for the paper packet, quickly unfolded it, wanting to pour some powder into the tea.

Just as the powdered drug was about to fall, he abruptly pulled it back. He looked up towards Chao Yan; the other party wasn't paying attention to this side.

He turned and walked to the bamboo cabinet, took out a box of pastries from inside. Using the cabinet door as cover, he broke the pastries into small pieces, then surreptitiously sprinkled the drug onto the pastry pieces. Shaking it evenly, he took it out and offered it to Chao Yan.

"Your Highness, would you like to try some?"

Chao Yan glanced sideways: "No need. Too sweet and too dry."

Damn Crown Prince, now you're getting picky. Gu Jun picked up a piece and brought it to his mouth: "It's very delicious. It crumbled on the way back; I didn't even throw it away."

Chao Yan asked, "Is that so?"

Gu Jun pushed the pastry into his mouth: "Yes!" Watching the other party chew and swallow, he offered another piece. "How is it? Tasty, right?"

Chao Yan said, "I don't really like..." Before the words finished, Gu Jun, with the audacity of a dog under heaven, stuffed the offered pastry into his mouth.

Gu Jun said righteously, "If you eat more of it, you'll get to like it." Chao Yan stared at him quietly. Gu Jun stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek: "Once you get used to it, we can eat it together later. Isn't that nice?"

Chao Yan didn't express agreement or disagreement; he just ate the pastries fed to his mouth. Gu Jun immediately fed him several more pieces. Only when Chao Yan refused did he stop. The drug he had eaten should be enough by now, right?

Chao Yan said, "Stop fooling around. Pack your own things."

Gu Jun agreed readily, put down the pastries, and started packing with his hands, while secretly observing the other party out of the corner of his eye. A moment later, seeing the other party's steps become unsteady, he immediately went forward to support him. "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

"A bit dizzy." As soon as the words left his mouth, he lost consciousness.

Gu Jun was overjoyed in his heart. He dragged and pulled, getting the person onto the bed, and even, thinking himself considerate, covered him with a blanket. After doing all this, he rushed to the doorway and shouted, "Someone, come quick! Something's happened."

The attendant immediately stepped forward and asked, "Madam, what's wrong?"

Gu Jun lowered his voice and said, "His Highness has fainted. I don't know what happened either. I helped him onto the bed."

The attendant was greatly alarmed. Entering the room to look, sure enough, His Highness was lying on the bed, unconscious.

Gu Jun said gravely, "Everyone, come out. There's something I need you to do!"

Without suspecting anything, they all came out. Gu Jun took a look: not counting those attendants who followed him openly or covertly, there were still five more people. He couldn't help but think, it's a good thing he hadn't rashly escaped.

He sent a few people to find Meng Zhao and Ning Fu, a few more to fetch several doctors, and the last two remaining, he sent off to boil hot water.

Once everyone was occupied with their tasks, he grabbed a piece of cloth, packed two outfits—still not as he himself had told everyone earlier—stayed there watching over Chao Yan to prevent anything from happening to him. Then, lightening his steps, he climbed out through the window, opened the back door of the courtyard, and left.

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Relying on his familiarity with the county seat's terrain, he evaded the prefectural troops within the county and left Zhuyang County in one breath.

By now, the sky was dark. He found a patch of woods, gathered some dry firewood, lit a fire, and planned to rest.

As for that damn Crown Prince... once the drug's effect wore off, he'd wake up on his own. If he couldn't wake up, well, there were doctors.

"Who wants to go back to the Eastern Palace with you? I'm not going." Muttering to himself, Gu Jun suddenly spotted two eyes glowing with a faint yellow light in the distance.

Wolves...? Wolves?!