lady, please calm down

In late June, a large fleet consisting of dozens of official ships sailed downstream along the Huai River from Caizhou, turned south through Huaiyin, and went straight into the Yangtze River via the Grand Canal.

The journey was smooth and it took only seven or eight days to reach Runzhou on the south bank of the Yangtze River.

Although they saved themselves the trouble of traveling by boat, Hu Tou and his companions, who did not receive any special care, were in a very bad state.
It was summer vacation and the weather was hot. Dozens of women were riding on one boat. They had to queue for half a day to wash up every day, and there were no conditions for bathing.

In the past, the school had organized social practice activities, but the number of people traveling was small at that time. The school would not only arrange all the logistical work, but also have life teachers accompany them, so they would go out in carriages and stay in inns.

It has never been as hard as it is now. I can't even take a shower for seven or eight days.

Under such circumstances, the differences between the girls' school students became apparent. Students from ordinary families, represented by Luo Xiangxiu, a good friend of Hutou School and the orphan of a martyr, did not find this little inconvenience unbearable, and their excitement to go south to Lin'an was not affected at all.

But Hu Tou, Zhou Zhiruo and others gradually became depressed.

On the evening of the 27th, the fleet docked at Guazhou Ferry in Runzhou.

Concubine Cai, who slept overnight on official ships and almost never went ashore along the way, rarely got off the ship in Runzhou.

Runzhou was able to have such a great honor because Sang Yanting, the governor of Zhejiang East Road, had come here to welcome him. When the Jiangning weavers demonstrated, Sang Yanting was the prefect in office.

He, and even Luo Ruji, who is now a favorite of the Emperor of Chu, all turned to the side of Great Chu at that time. Imperial Concubine Cai played a role in fueling the reform of the officialdom in Jiangning.

Now it seems that the trend of Great Chu unifying the world is inevitable, and Cai Huan has dealt with them before. Moreover, her status as the favorite concubine of His Majesty and the daughter of Prime Minister Cai is enough to be their backer in the new dynasty.

In particular, Sang Yanting was promoted from the prefect of Jiangning to the fourth in command of Zhejiang East Road because of his meritorious service in leading the city to surrender.

East Zhejiang Road has been prosperous since ancient times, and Sang Yanting was quite satisfied with his promotion. The only flaw was that the word "Quan" was added before his title of Director of Grain and Oil.

This means that this position is only a temporary arrangement and can also be called a temporary worker.

Sang Yanting naturally wanted to remove the word "power".

For this reason, today's ceremony was quite grand.
At the end of the You hour, the sun was setting, and the crowd to the north of Runzhou city to welcome Concubine Cai's carriage stretched for several miles.

On an official ship docked along the coast, Hu Tou, Sandra Ng and others looked out from the side and saw that officials of all ranks dressed in red and green official robes had already been waiting respectfully by the roadside. The ladies of each family, those who had official robes wore official robes, and those who did not also put on the most solemn clothes.

In addition, there are representatives of gentry and scholars representing all walks of life.

It seemed that some of the leading figures in the provincial capital near Runzhou gathered here.

Cai Huan's four-horse carriage had just been loaded with the frame at the ferry, and the maids were carrying ice jars, bamboo mats, incense burners, and soft couches into the carriage for cooling off.

Sang Yanting and others in the distance were looking forward to it. It was already midsummer, and even though it was still hot in the evening, none of them showed any impatience.

"The Imperial Concubine's pomp is really grand"

After sleeping in the crowded and damp cabin for a few days, Sandra Ng couldn't help but mutter something sour.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she finished speaking, a maidservant beside Cai Huan hurried over to the boat they were on and said, "My lord, please get on the boat and rest in the city tonight."

Zhou Zhiruo smiled as soon as she heard this. She could take a good bath tonight when she followed the imperial concubine into the city! It was inconvenient on the boat, and her body was almost going bad!
Sandra Ng was about to take a step, but she saw Hu Tou standing there motionless, so she couldn't help but say, "Xiang Yi, what are you standing there for? Hurry up and move!"

However, Hu Tou drooped his eyelids and said in a low voice: "If we hold on for a few more days, we will reach Lin'an. We are just common people, how can we have the face to bother the imperial concubine!"

"."

Zhou Zhiruo knew at a glance that Xiangyi was throwing a tantrum because she had been ignored by Cai Huan for seven or eight days.

Normally, she should have stood on the same side as her little sister, but the temptation of Mu Shen was stronger than loyalty. She hurriedly took Hu Tou's arm and whispered: "Hey, you and the imperial concubine are a family. Why would you bother with your own family? Let's go."

With the help of Zhou Zhiruo and Sandra Ng, Hutou reluctantly got off the boat.

Although Cai Huanfeng's carriage was reduced from six to four, the carriage was still quite large, like a small house.

The three of them felt refreshed when they entered. There was a hint of cool air coming out of the ice jar, and a plate of grapes was placed on top.

Cai Huan leaned against Ru'er, the newly appointed imperial concubine and former personal maid, on the soft couch. Ru'er picked the grapes one by one, carefully wiped the water stains on the skin with a towel, and put them back within Cai Huan's reach.

Cai Huan was talking to the Immortal Miaoyi, and from time to time she reached out to pick up a grape and put it into her mouth. She looked so contented that it was no wonder that Mao'er liked to call her the Landlady in his early years.

Concubine Cai was born in the Cai family. When she was in the imperial city of Tokyo, she lived in Cai Huan's Qingning Palace. Even when she returned to Caizhou, she still insisted on living in Qingpu Garden.

Whether in public or in private, Concubine Cai always regarded herself as a subordinate in front of the imperial concubine.

Seeing Hu Tou and the others coming in, Concubine Cai and Miao Yi greeted the three of them one after another. Only Cai Huan pointed casually and said calmly, "Sit down."

After saying this, Cai Huan turned to Miao Yi and said, "Please compile everything you have said to me in the past few days into a booklet. I will use it when I arrive in Lin'an."

"Yes." Miaoyi replied respectfully.

This scene made Hutou feel even more uncomfortable. Just from the conversation between the two, he could tell that Miaoyi should have been staying with Cai Huan these past few days, eating and living on the most spacious and luxurious ship.

Hutou was not jealous of being able to eat and sleep well on the big ship, but he was jealous that Cai Huan was close to this woman but ignored her.

After all, Cai Huan and the Queen are close friends. One is in charge of external affairs while the other is in charge of internal affairs. They have such a harmonious relationship that it is not an exaggeration to say that Cai Huan is Hu Tou's half-sister.

In everyone's eyes, when she was away from home, she should be close to Hutou. But after a few days since she left, Concubine Cai was only accompanied by Concubine Cai Jieyu and Miaoyi, as if she had completely forgotten about Hutou.

Hu Tou lowered his head and said nothing, but the loyal Sandra Ng was secretly angry. She didn't think too much about it, she just felt that Concubine Cai was pretending to be nice to Hu Tou before, and she deliberately bullied Hu Tou when she went out!

Knowing the face but not the heart!

"Your Highness, before we set off, Zhiruo and I were thinking about taking advantage of Xiangyi and letting her stay by your side so that we wouldn't have to endure the hardship of the journey. Unexpectedly, you actually forgot about Xiangyi, haha."

A person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree. Even though she was angry, Sandra Ng was very restrained and careful when she secretly accused others.

The last almost flattering laugh exposed Aru's lack of confidence and weakness.

Cai Huan, who was picking up a grape and putting it into her mouth, heard this and put the grape back on the plate with a smile, but said, "Xiang Yi is a living person, how could I forget about her?"

"." Saying 'forgot' is still an excuse, but Cai Hua said that she didn't forget. Sandra Ng didn't know what to say for a moment. After a long pause, she whispered, "Then the weather has been so hot recently, and the queen didn't ask Xiang Yi to go to your place. We haven't bathed for many days."

"Hehe~ That phoenix boat, that phoenix carriage. Do you think anyone can sit on it? Ru'er is a concubine appointed by His Majesty, and Immortal Miaoyi also made contributions to His Majesty when she was in Hebei. In short, they are all meritorious officials of the country and should be treated with preferential treatment. Ah Ru, what have you done?"

Although the tone was kind, the words were not polite. Sandra Ng's face immediately turned red. She said "I, I" twice and was unable to utter another word.

Hu Tou hurriedly and secretly pulled Sandra Ng's sleeve, asking her to stop talking.

"Ruer, open the curtain."

On Cai Huan's side, she gave another inexplicable order. Ru'er didn't understand why, but still stepped forward and opened the curtain halfway. The afterglow from the southwest side happened to enter the car. Cai Huan's well-maintained face was bathed in the golden evening sun, and a layer of light appeared.

Suddenly, she stretched out her slender finger, pointed at the crowd in the distance who were eagerly waiting to welcome the phoenix, and smiled, "Is it beautiful?"

No one answered.

Cai Huan waved her hand, and Ru'er lowered the curtain. Cai Huan then looked at the little girls and asked with a smile, "Do you know how to become the wife of a founding duke? How to become a queen or a concubine?"

“Must have virtuous and kind conduct”

Zhou Zhiruo, who wanted to ease the atmosphere, quickly thought of a panacea answer.

"Hehehe~" Cai Huan laughed at this and asked, "Valian, kind and virtuous, Zhiruo, which one do you think I have?"

"."

To be honest, the notorious Concubine Cai does not have any of these qualities.

Zhou Zhiruo looked embarrassed.

If Cai Huan didn't want to have a good chat, Hu Tou and the others wouldn't be able to follow her up at all due to their shallow cultivation.

It was not until then that Cai Huan looked around at the three of them and said mysteriously, "It's not difficult to be the wife of a duke or the empress of an emperor. You just need to marry them when the duke is still a hungry fugitive and when the emperor is still a white-robed messenger despised by the world. It's simple, right? Hahaha."

Everyone could tell that Cai Huan was using Huaibei Wuxun and the current emperor as examples. Sandra Ng felt that she was being teased by Cai Huan and blurted out, "When Concubine Cai entered the palace, your majesty had already secured half of the throne!"

Even though Ru'er was right beside her, Cai Hua did not shy away from saying, "So, she and Your Majesty are monarch and subject, not family members!"

Miaoyi seemed to hear some hidden meaning and glanced at Hutou casually.

Sure enough, Hu Tou seemed to understand something and lowered his head in silence.

As a bystander, Miaoyi knows best the mysteries of the Chu harem that can only be understood intuitively. The concubines have been decided. Even if the empress disregards her face and allows her sister to enter the palace to serve the king, what status should the latter be given?
Being named Beauty or Concubine is a bit too low.

But even if she was superior to Concubine Cai and Concubine Chen, and was given the title of Wanrong, Zhaoyi, etc., she still did not appear noble. At least, she was not as noble as she is now.

After all, when the Emperor of Chu ascended the throne in April, he initially planned to confer the title of Princess on Lady Zhao, but the plan was abandoned after the Queen's persuasion.

Why didn't she want to be a first-rank princess in the first place? Now Xiao Zhao is asked to be a fourth or fifth-rank beauty or concubine?
Furthermore, it is said that Miss Zhao has been doted on by His Majesty since she was a child. If she were to fall from being the apple of His Majesty's eye to being a member of the harem below the four concubines one day, would she be able to bear the gap?

Once her status changes, His Majesty will never be able to dote on her as unscrupulously as before. In Miaoyi's opinion, this deal is not worth it.

Unless the Queen dies early, Your Majesty, out of love for the Queen, will also make Xiao Zhao the Queen, following the example of the Southern Tang Dynasty.

With the mentality of just watching the fun, Miaoyi thought darkly.

After a night of rest, the team continued south along the canal before noon the next day.

On the second day of July, we arrived in Lin'an.

That afternoon, Chen Chu personally greeted Cai Huan at the dock.

In front of all the officials, Cai Huan was extremely respectful, with a serious expression and performed the ceremony meticulously.

But when the two of them were riding in a car on their way back to Lin'an City, the evil concubine revealed her true colors. She kept saying that she wanted to help Mao'er check whether His Majesty was keeping himself clean.

Recently, with Chen Chu ascending the throne, people around him have become more respectful. However, the contrast between Cai Huan, who is dignified in public and dissolute in private, is quite pleasing to Chen Chu.

Even Ru'er, who was in the car, secretly praised: There is a reason why His Majesty could stay in the Imperial Concubine's palace more than ten times a month when he was in the palace!

Look, this is the fun of couples!

However, the imperial guards were just a few steps away from the royal carriage, so no one would do anything reckless in the carriage.

Return to the palace at 3 p.m.

The two men went to the side hall where Chen Chu was temporarily staying, and did not stop fighting until the sun was setting.

At three quarters past the hour of You, the light in the hall had begun to dim.

Chen Chu stood in front of the dragon bed, and said as he dressed, "We're hosting a banquet tonight to entertain the students from Huaibei. Isn't Huan'er going with us?"

Cai Hua was lying naked on the bed, her long black hair flowing down the edge of the bed. Although her breath had calmed down, the lingering aftertaste had not yet completely dissipated, so she was too lazy to even open her eyes. She closed her eyes and said weakly, "My body is falling apart. I won't go anymore."

"Hey, is this still the Sister Huan who never admitted defeat?"

Chen Chu bent down to put on his boots and made a casual joke.

The speaker may not have meant it, but the listener took it seriously. Cai Hua slowly opened her eyes, and the setting sun outside the hall shone through the diamond-shaped window from behind, casting a ray of backlight on Chen Chu.

The figure was still standing tall, and although the gaze he gave her was much deeper than before, it was still tender.

Cai Hua sighed and said affectionately, "How can we compare to the past? I was 21 when I met you, and now 11 years have passed. I am old now, not like Chu Lang, who is still as young as a calf."

Age anxiety is something every woman has.

Chen Chu could hear the melancholy in Cai Huan's tone, and could not help but sit on the bed again, stroking Cai Huan's face and said, "How is Sister Huan'er old? Chen Xiaolang has liked long-legged big sisters like Sister Huan since he was a child. When he first met her in Tongshan, Chen Xiaolang had a lustful heart for Sister Huan'er. Unexpectedly, I really succeeded! The three things I am most proud of in my life are: occupying Caizhou with nothing, pacifying Liaodong, and taking Sister Huan home with me."

"Pfft~"

The love words, which were not particularly brilliant, made Cai Huan laugh out loud. She grabbed Chen Chu's big hand and interlocked their fingers for a moment.

Then he stood up, took off the jade belt hanging on the bedside, knelt on the bed and tied it around Chen Chu's waist. Then he helped Chen Chu to straighten his collar and said softly, "Your Majesty, please go. Don't stay here for too long. People will scold me for pestering Your Majesty and delaying important matters."

"Who dares? Catch him and give him a beating!"

Chen Chu joked and lowered his head to kiss Cai Huan on the forehead, but the latter raised her face, stretched out her arms and hooked Chen Chu's neck, and the lips that were kissing her forehead finally fell on Cai Huan's lips.

After a few breaths, the two separated. When Chen Chu turned to leave, Cai Hua suddenly called out, "Your Majesty."

"What's wrong?" Chen Chu stopped and looked back.

"The matter of Tiger Head was mentioned in Cat's letter, right?"

"Ah."

"Before coming here, I have discussed with Mao'er. How to deal with this matter is entirely up to your majesty. As long as it does not cause unbalance and chaos in the palace."

"Well, I will handle it properly." (End of this chapter)