Red Mansion and Crimson Pearl

Chapter 255 Waiting for work

The next morning, Prince Beijing and his entourage were no longer in a hurry. They got up, washed, checked the carriages and horses in an orderly manner, and ate breakfast leisurely.

He then politely thanked the monks of Qinpu Zen Temple and said goodbye.

Then they borrowed a shovel and a pickaxe from the temple, and the guards went to fill up the big hole first. The driver drove the cart and tested it and found that there was no problem.

Respectfully invite Prince Beijing to return to Suzhou.

The journey was smooth and peaceful.

Prince Beijing discussed with Liao Changshi and Cao Yu in a very calm and rational manner the issue of how to remotely control this place after leaving Jiangnan and returning to Beijing.

There was also the question of whether he should get involved in the big event that Zhongshun and Yucun had done in Suzhou.

Regarding the previous incident, Cao Yu was tactful enough to remain silent.

After all, it involves the relationship between Prince Beijing and the Four Families of Jinling, as well as the layout in Jiangnan. It would be better for him, an outsider who has only served for a few months, not to listen.

Seeing that he was trying to avoid suspicion, Prince Beijing laughed dumbly: "I was counting on you to stay in Jiangnan and take charge of the company for me. Why are you hiding so far away?"

Cao Yu was shocked: "Me?!"

Liao Changshi laughed and said, "Kuang Ru is a smart man, sober and insightful.

“The prince has a great general like you, great things can be expected!

"There are hundreds of officials in Jiangnan who are incompetent, but Kuang Ru is the most powerful among them. If you don't take charge, who will?"

Prince Beijing also laughed: "No matter who I replace him with, will you obey him? Will he dare to keep you?

"This is a job you should take on, don't refuse it, Kuang Ru!"

Cao Yu stammered for a long while before saying, "But I am still young..."

"Seniority is something that is used to silence people when nothing is going on; when something really big happens, naturally whoever is more capable will take the lead."

Prince Beijing’s smile makes people feel like spring breeze.

Cao Yu stared at him blankly, then suddenly stood up from his seat and was about to kneel down in the carriage: "Your Majesty!"

There was actually a crying tone in her voice.

Prince Beijing hurriedly pulled him with his own hands, and signaled Liao Changshi to come over to help.

"What are you doing?! There are so many people on the carriage and outside!"

Cao Yu raised his head, his face already covered with tears: "Since I was young, I have known that my status is embarrassing.

"When I wanted to exchange my success in the imperial examination for a vast world, my eldest brother had already taken all the glory.

"If you barely enter the official career, you will only be a small official.

"If it weren't for the support of Your Majesty, how could this humble subject be so free and easy now?

"I don't want to be the chief, nor do I want to stay in Jiangnan. I want to resign and follow the prince!"

After saying that, he lowered his head and wiped his tears.

Prince Beijing glanced at Liao Changshi.

Liao Changshi smiled and kicked him: "The prince gave me a job, so I just did it. How dare you be so picky?

"Why? Are you interested in my position as the Chief Secretary? You can only take the position after the prince assigns me other tasks!"

Cao Yu hurriedly said "No", thought for a while, and then muttered: "I am following the prince's orders.

"When I go back to Beijing, I can't avoid being bothered by my family. With my temper, I'll get into a big fight over just a few words.

"By then, I won't be able to do my job for the prince with peace of mind.

"I'd better stay in Jiangnan."

The three of them discussed the next matter in a low voice along the way and returned leisurely.

He never went to the Suzhou prefectural government office, nor did he go to the Lin family's old house to inquire about the crime. Prince Beijing went straight back to his ship.

Just as he boarded the ship and announced that he would return directly to Yangzhou, another excited voice popped up:

"That's right! I wanted to say this before! Why come to Suzhou? Can't you just wait in Yangzhou?

"That... Princess Lin, if she wants to return to the capital, she must go through Yangzhou, no matter by land or sea!

"Your Highness, all you have to do is wait in Yangzhou for her to fall into your trap!"

Cao Yu and Liao Changshi's faces turned cold at the same time. They turned around and saw that it was Bing Meilin.

Prince Beijing's eyebrows twitched slightly and he looked at Bing Meilin coldly.

He only saw the guy stand up tremblingly, then fall to his knees with a thud. Then Prince Beijing turned his eyes away and looked at Liao Changshi.

Liao Changshi understood and bowed slightly. He first pulled Cao Yu, then Ouyang Bao, and the people around him, and they all retreated.

When the door closed, Cao Yu and Ouyang Bao clearly heard the gentle voice of King Beijing from inside:

"Why didn't Merlin give me this idea earlier..."

Cao Yu then looked at Ouyang Bao.

Ouyang Bao snorted, pulled Liao Changshi, and complained in a low voice:

"...He was almost going to run rampant in Gusu City under the banner of the prince!

"Last night, when the prince didn't come back, he took it upon himself to squat outside the gate of the Lin family's old house for half the night.

"He was mistaken for a thief, and only by bringing out the prince could he escape. I'm afraid many people in the Suzhou prefectural government are making fun of this now!"

Liao Changshi and Cao Yu's faces darkened at the same time.

Liao Changshi was still able to grit his teeth and keep silent, but Cao Yu was so angry that veins popped on his forehead and he blurted out:

"Whose spy is he? He is smearing the prince's reputation like this! Let me go, I want to go in and beat him to death!"

Liao Changshi and Ouyang Bao hurriedly grabbed one of his arms each, dragged him horizontally and vertically, and finally pulled him away.

Prince Beijing in the room naturally heard it, and still looked at the useless man kneeling and trembling below with a gentle look, and said with a smile:

"Why, what did you do for me yesterday?"

Bing Meilin reported in a stammering voice: "I saw that the prince had not returned, and I felt uneasy, so I went to the Lin family's old house.

"When I was guarding outside, I heard people coming in and out say that Princess Lin came back just before the city gates closed.

"I also heard that she went to swim in Taihu Lake early this morning and it's uncertain when she will be back.

"I thought those people might be talking nonsense, so I decided to wait until this morning to see if she would really go out.

"But it was too cold in the second half of the night. When I saw no one was around, I rubbed my hands and stamped my feet. Who knew I would be caught as a thief..."

As Bing Meilin spoke, he recalled the howling cold wind last night and couldn't help but shiver again.

Prince Beijing looked at him and raised his eyebrows: "Then, did Princess Lin go to Taihu Lake?"

"I went! I went!" Bing Meilin said hurriedly, "After I came back, I asked a few guards left on the ship to take care of me.

“Ask them to keep watch around the Lin residence early this morning before the city gates open.

"At about the last minute of the morning, they came back and one of them told me that they had indeed left. Two carts and four horses."

Prince Beijing pondered for a moment, then asked warmly, "If I still want to take Princess Lin back this time, does Merlin have any strategy to teach me?"

Bing Meilin naturally didn't know what happened the day before.

But after Prince Beijing had been away for a day and a night, he changed from being high-spirited and vigorous to being calm and indifferent. It was obvious that something had happened that made it impossible for him to reverse the situation.

His eyes rolled, he stepped forward with a smile, leaned forward and whispered, "Your Highness, why don't you make a feint to the east and attack the west, and wait for the enemy to tire themselves out?"

"Oh? How do you say this?"

"But you can still send someone to search Taihu Lake on horseback. Princess Lin will definitely think that the prince is still using the same strategy as yesterday.

"In fact, the prince disguised himself and went to the restaurant outside the Lin Mansion to sit and relax, drink and eat, listen to music and books, and enjoy the day.

"By evening, before the city gates are closed, Princess Lin will definitely come back.

“When the time comes, right outside the mansion, can’t we just ask Princess Lin to board the ship with the prince?

"Our ship is not under the jurisdiction of Suzhou. We can just get on board, untie the ropes, and go straight back to Yangzhou!

“As for the servants, let them wait in the Lin family’s old house.

"Now that the prince and Princess Lin have gotten married, it won't be too late to clean up this place later!"