Yang Fan shook his head and said, "We can't go together. The Emperor has ordered me to escort the Princess, so during this journey, when to rest, when to hurry, the arrangement of security, the local officials, and other matters should be arranged by me. I have to hurry. You are pregnant and can't be bumpy. I'll let A 'Nu accompany you. "
Xiao Man knew something about the mess between Yang Fan and Princess Taiping. She sighed softly, agreed, and didn't say anything more. She was a smart woman and knew that her husband had a lot of troubles in his heart. She didn't want to add to his worries.
Yang Fan held her hand and said with a gentle smile, "Go to Chang 'an and stay there. There are still four months before you give birth. I will be able to go back before our baby is born and stay by your side."
Xiaoman was in a good mood at the mention of the child. She nodded and snuggled into her husband's arms. There was a gentle and sweet smile on her face.
At this time, Taomei called softly outside the door, "Ah Lang, we have a visitor at night. He is waiting in the front hall."
"What?"
When Yang Fan heard this, he felt very strange. It was already curfew. Who else could come to visit?
Yang Fan hurried to the front hall and saw a person sitting in the hall. He stood up as soon as he saw him. The candles in the hall were bright and reflected the person's face clearly. Yang Fan was surprised when he saw the person and said, "It's you!"
Yang Fan didn't remember his name, but he knew his identity. This person was Princess Taiping's coachman. Yang Fan had seen him more than once. Since it was him, it was not surprising that this person could visit after curfew. As long as there were rules, there must be people who could not abide by them. A waist token of the Princess's Mansion was not something that the patrolling Jin Wu and the patrolling Marquis Wu dared to offend.
"Doctor, can I have a word with you?"
Xu Houde said to Yang Fan and walked out of the hall without waiting for him to answer.
Yang Fan followed him to a big tree in the corner of the courtyard and asked, "Did Her Highness send you?"
Xu Houde didn't reply. Instead, he turned around and threw a heavy punch.
It seemed that this Xu Houde was also a martial artist. His fist whistled through the air, but unfortunately, it was still not enough in front of Yang Fan. Yang Fan's right leg, which had just taken a step forward, quickly touched the ground, and his body leaned back. The fist missed by a hair's breadth and flew past the tip of his nose. Xu Houde stepped forward and bent his elbow to strike Yang Fan's throat.
Yang Fan reached out with both hands, one clasped, one pulled, and the other flung. Xu Houde lost his balance, his body spun several times, and then he fell to the ground.
Mo Xuanfei and the other servants in the courtyard saw that the guest was attacking their master and immediately rushed over. Yang Fan shouted, "Stand down!" Then he took a step forward and said to Xu Houde in a deep voice, "This … is also what Her Highness ordered you to do?"
Xu Houde saw that his sneak attack was not Yang Fan's match, and now that Yang Fan was on guard, it was even more impossible. Xu Houde didn't try anymore. He got up and glared at Yang Fan, saying fiercely, "Do you always think you're so smart? In your eyes, Her Highness is a cold-blooded, ruthless, and shameless woman? "
Yang Fan raised his eyebrows and said, "So, you're acting on your own to fight for your master?"
Xu Houde said in a deep voice, "That's right! Her Highness doesn't know that I'm here today. If Her Highness knows, she will definitely punish me severely. Maybe she will even send me to Mount Mang to be a farmer. But I still want to come, I can't let a self-righteous fool like you treat the Princess' kindness as malicious intent again and again! "
Yang Fan frowned and didn't say anything.
Xu Houde said, "Do you know where we came from when you came back from the Princess' residence? We came from the palace! Are you going to think that Her Highness came back from the palace because she went to the palace and begged His Majesty to let you accompany her to Chang 'an to worship the ancestors?
Hahaha, I really don't understand why Her Highness favors you so much, you bastard! Do you think Her Highness is very idle as a Princess? That's right, Her Highness has schemed against many people, and it's all to scheme against them. If there's anyone in this world that Her Highness never schemed against, never schemed against, and wholeheartedly cared for, it's only you. Why do you have such a bad impression of the Princess!
Let me tell you, the Princess only entered the palace after receiving His Majesty's edict ordering her to go to Chang 'an to worship the ancestors. The reason why the Princess entered the palace was because the edict stated that you were to escort Her Highness to Chang' an. Her Highness knew that you had something important to do and didn't want to delay you, so she entered the palace to ask for permission for you!
Unfortunately, the Emperor had already made up his mind, and Her Highness couldn't convince her. Her Highness tried her best, but still couldn't change the Emperor's mind. Only then did she return to her own residence. In the end, halfway there, you came to denounce me! You're amazing. In all these years, Her Highness only cried when Prince Consort Xue starved to death in prison, but you made Her Highness cry over you again and again! "
Yang Fan was stunned. After a while, he asked, "Why … when I asked her, she didn't explain?"
Xu Houde said, "I don't know why the Princess didn't explain, but I feel that Her Highness really doesn't need to explain to you. Would someone as pretentious as you believe Her Highness's explanation? She won't be humiliated by you again! Surnamed Yang, what virtue or ability do you have? You're not worthy of the Princess! "
Yang Fan stood there in a daze. The stars were sparse, and the cold night reflected on his face. It was impossible to see what kind of expression he had on his face. His expression was even darker than the night.
Xu Houde patted the dust off his body and said to Yang Fan, "I came here today to tell you not to think so badly of Her Highness. Her Highness's heart is much cleaner than yours!"
He walked a few steps, then stopped and coldly said, "Also, it's not only me who is angry, the Eight Guardian Deities are even angrier! You better be careful! "
Yang Fan said in astonishment, "Eight Guardian Deities?"
Xu Houde said, "Haven't you already experienced their Startling Horse Martial Arts? When the Princess was married at the age of sixteen, they were the Princess's dowry and have always been the closest people to the Princess! Don't think that your martial arts are amazing. If you really fight, you're definitely not a match for the eight of them! When I came, the Eight Guardian Deities told me to pass you a message … "
"What message?"
"If you make the Princess sad again, I'll cut you into eight pieces! Don't worry, I won't even need a knife to cut you into eight pieces! "
…
The next morning, the convoy to the west began to assemble. It wasn't until the afternoon that the whole convoy appeared at the Shili Pavilion.
It wasn't deliberately delayed. Even the convoy of the Princess's Mansion was simplified, and many heavy things were not carried. But Yang Fan had to meet up with the Supervising Censor Hu Yuanli and the Imperial Officer Sun Yuxuan to meet up with Princess Taiping's convoy. This took almost an hour and a half.
Then people from all walks of life came to see them off. Who didn't have a few close friends? Although the people who saw off Yang Fan, Hu Yuanli and Sun Yuxuan were far less spectacular than those who saw off Xue Huaiyi and Taoist Shifang, there were still a lot of people. As for Princess Taiping, there were even more people from the royal family who came to see her off.
After leaving the Shili Pavilion, they first went to the Longwu Guards' camp to get the imperial edict and the commander's seal to mobilize the troops. Because Yang Fan was a general, the Longwu Guards' general was very friendly to him. He personally accompanied him to the camp to select the troops and let him choose the troops under his command.
Maqiao was in the Longwu Guards, but Yang Fan didn't want to choose him. Pasta was pregnant, and Maqiao was in the camp, so he could go home to visit. If he went south with Yang Fan, he wouldn't be able to take care of his family. But when Maqiao saw that it was Yang Fan going south, he was very excited and immediately volunteered to escort the imperial envoy to the south. Therefore, this task fell on his head.
Yang Fan's marching speed was very fast. Sun Yuxuan and Hu Yuanli didn't have any objections to his arrangement. Maqiao raised both hands in approval. Since it was his brother's order, he didn't need to ask for the reason. Princess Taiping also didn't make things difficult for them. When it was night time to rest, they had already traveled 60 miles.
Xiao Man's car didn't follow them. Although Yang Fan had prepared a good car for her, and Xiao Man had always been strong, Yang Fan still didn't dare to take risks. He was just worried that Young Master Jiang's people would notice his movements, so he let Xiao Man's car mix with their team at the beginning. Halfway through the journey, Xiao Man's car left the team and took a shortcut to Chang 'an under the protection of the people sent by A Nu and Zhao Yu.
A Nu was quite resentful that she couldn't accompany him to the south, but she also knew that it was not the time to be willful. She even guessed that Yang Fan made this arrangement to promote her relationship with Xiao Man to be closer. Compared to long-term peace and happiness, a short separation was naturally worth it.
There was still some distance between Princess Taiping's team and the Iron Gate Town in front of them. Because it was late, and the accommodation in the town might not be as comfortable as the Princess's own tent, the team set up camp at the foot of a low hill.
It was impossible to encounter any danger here, and even if there were three or five blind thieves, they wouldn't be a threat at all. But Maqiao still arranged everything according to the rules.
Princess Taiping's carriage and her personal attendants were all arranged in the middle of the camp. Surrounding it were the tents of the three imperial envoys, Yang Fan, Sun Yuxuan, and Hu Yuanli. They all had their own personal guards and squires, and the tents of the Dragon Guards were the furthest away.
Drainage ditches were dug in the camp and connected to a small river at the foot of the hill to prevent rain at night. Sentries were set up all around and on the top of the hill. The Dragon Guards were all cavalrymen, and they also arranged people to lead the horses to drink water and eat grass by the river, and feed them some bean cakes and salt.
Dozens of stoves were dug downwind in the tents to cook rice and vegetables. The Princess was a noble, and naturally had people to serve her. She couldn't eat such coarse food, so they didn't need to worry about it.
Marquis Yu kept a straight face, and with a knife in his hand, he patrolled the camp, checking if the arrangements were proper, such as the security, the tents, the flags, the drums and the trumpets.
The two brothers had their own encounters and opportunities. Yang Fan was no longer the same as before. The former ruffian shopkeeper in the Xiuwen workshop, after years of training in the army, had grown into a general.
Their love lives were also exciting. But now, Maqiao had come to fruition, while Yang Fan, who had a bumpy road of love, still had a long road ahead of him, and still couldn't see the end.
On this day, Yang Fan intentionally wandered in front of Princess Taiping. But unfortunately, the Princess didn't pay any attention to him, and didn't even look at him.
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