After the whole family was swept away, I lay down flat

Chapter 724 Golden Autumn
Chang'an in October has a blue sky, golden ginkgo trees and bright red maple leaves. Outside the city is a gorgeous autumn scenery. It is a good time to go out of the city for a trip.

Haitang took the excuse of taking her little cousin Xiao Shitou out of town to enjoy the autumn riding, and also took the opportunity to relax. Although Xiao Shitou is young, he has learned horse riding in the past few years and his skills are very good. As long as he is not riding fast, he can ride alone. Ma Changnian also rode a horse and followed him, not too far away from him, and could give him some pointers from time to time. With him watching Xiao Shitou, Haitang felt much more relaxed. She could hold the reins and control the horse to stroll along the river bank at a leisurely pace. She was dressed warmly today and wore a veil to block the wind and sand, so she didn't feel cold at all.

Another horse slowly approached, and seeing the half of her face exposed behind her veil, the young man on horseback smiled: "Sister Hai, you are also in Baqiao today? What a coincidence!"

What coincidence? When she said she was coming yesterday, Jin Jiashu was a guest at Hai's house. It's impossible that he didn't hear her talking about today's travel plan. When Haitang saw the expression on Jin Jiashu's face, she guessed that she might meet him today, and now it turned out to be just as she expected. But Jin Jiashu, everyone is so familiar with each other, who doesn't know each other? Now pretending to claim that today's meeting was just a coincidence, isn't it too much of an underestimation?

Haitang squinted at him and said, "What's so coincidental about this? You don't have to go to your cousin's class today, so you're free. You came here because you heard me saying I was going to take Xiao Shitou out of town to play, right? If it was in front of others, you would just make excuses, but can't you tell me the truth?"

Jin Jiashu touched his nose awkwardly. He coughed, "I am indeed idle... I feel a little depressed, I can't read books, and I can't concentrate on writing articles, so I want to go out of the city to relax... I remembered that Sister Hai said that you would bring Baoyan to play today, so I thought of coming here to try my luck and see if I can meet you. It's better to have someone familiar to accompany me than to wander around alone."

Haitang looked behind him and said, "Are you alone? Didn't Ma arrange someone to follow you?" A weak scholar who had learned some fancy martial arts and whose riding skills were mediocre, would be at a disadvantage if he met any half-grown child in Chang'an, where martial arts prevailed. If he was in the city, it would be fine. But if he wanted to leave the city, how could Ma Shangyi not send someone to protect him? At least she should send one of Zhou Xiaojian or Lu Ga Wa over.

Jin Jiashu probably knew that he was a weakling, so he told the truth with some embarrassment: "Gawa came with me, riding a horse behind me."

Haitang glanced not far behind him and found a familiar face standing under a willow tree by the river, leading a horse.

She said no more, just raised the whip in her hand and showed him the dagger stuck in her boots: "It's okay. If you really encounter danger, I'm not just for fun."

Jin Jiashu laughed twice, thought about his performance over the years, sighed secretly, and accepted the reality that he needed protection from the girl he liked.

He whispered to Haitang: "Sister Hai, have you been angry with me these past two days? I go to talk to Grandma Hai every day, but you are never in the West Wing Study. I want to discuss something with you, but I can't find you."

Grandmother Ma has already said that unless there is something urgent, you should meet and chat privately under the old lady's nose. Do you want to be scolded?

Haitang did not answer, but said, "If I hadn't heard grandma joking with me when Big Brother Jin came to our house that day, it would have been great. Grandma complained about Aunt Cui. She had clearly welcomed the guests in, but how could she let you go to the main courtyard by yourself just because the guest was Big Brother Jin, whom she knew well, and then she ran away? It was too neglectful! Even if the family was short of manpower, it shouldn't be done this way. It's okay that it was Big Brother Jin who came this time, because you have always been familiar with us and you won't care about these things. If it was another guest, wouldn't it be embarrassing to show it to others?"

Jin Jiashu lowered his head and said softly, "I was wrong. I should have said hello earlier after entering the main courtyard. I really didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Haitang said, "It's okay for Brother Jin to hear those words. My grandmother was just a little embarrassed, afraid that you would hear my outspoken jokes and misunderstand me. Were you scared that day? I never revealed my true nature in front of you. You probably thought I was a very well-behaved and obedient little sister." "How could that be?" Jin Jiashu said hurriedly, "I know Sister Hai is a very smart and clever person, but she is used to hiding her shortcomings in front of others. Outsiders may think that Sister Hai is just a gentle and elegant official lady, but I But I know you are far better than this. There are many elegant ladies in the world, but how many of them can save me from danger time and time again, and always solve my problems? What I said to you, Brother Hai and Sister Hai, was so shocking, but you never showed any strangeness. Now you are just joking, how can I take it to heart? "After a pause, he added, "Really, Sister Hai, if you are worried about your future marriage, when Brother Hai is not at home, you can just rest assured to discuss it with me. As long as I can, I am willing to help Sister Hai."

Haitang couldn't help but glance at him sideways again: "How can Brother Jin help me with this matter?"

Jin Jiashu hesitated for a moment: "If you want to find out about someone... I am more convenient than others, and I can ask Ma Ma..."

Haitang rolled her eyes and said, "Then I really have to thank you very much. Thank you for caring so much about my marriage!"

Jin Jiashu intuitively felt that there was something wrong with this sentence. Did he... say something wrong?

Haitang has already changed the subject: "You just said that you were in a bad mood, so you went out of town to relax... What are you upset about? But what about that thing you mentioned to me before? Is that why you wanted to talk to me these two days?"

Jin Jiashu shook his head: "No. I already have an idea about that matter, and I have discussed it with Mammy. She agreed with my idea and sent someone to deliver a letter to the capital. Next, I just need to wait for news at home. I was worried that you, Sister Hai, would be concerned about this matter and want to know the follow-up news, so I wanted to find you, but this matter is not that urgent..."

Haitang blinked: "What's the urgent matter?"

Jin Jiashu was silent for a long time, as if he was hesitating about what to say. When he finally opened his mouth, it was about another irrelevant topic: "Brother Hai seems to be arriving in Beijing soon? I wonder if his trip is going well?"

Haitang stared at him for a few seconds and simply didn't ask any more questions: "He followed General Tu, how could it be that he didn't go smoothly? Is there anyone in this world who dares to stop General Tu? Even if Lord Sun is extremely powerful, he can't directly attack General Tu, right?"

Jin Jiashu whispered, "The situation in the capital is unpredictable, and no one knows what the outcome will be... Although everyone thinks that the Eighth Prince will definitely be the crown prince, as long as the emperor has not issued an order, the matter will remain uncertain. The Sun family is eyeing them covetously, and Prince Ji is unwilling to calm down. It is rumored that the emperor is seriously ill, so he urgently summoned General Tu to the capital... General Tu left in such a hurry. He left immediately after completing the transaction with General Zhou. I am really worried that something will happen in the capital, and my aunt and the Eighth Prince will be in danger. And I am far away in Chang'an, but I can't do anything..."

Haitang was silent for a moment. She had learned about her past life from her reborn brother Haijiao, and was certain that the Eighth Prince would become the new ruler and that the Sun family was doomed to fail. However, many things had changed in this life, and they might not develop the same way as in the past life. It was natural for Jin Jiashu to worry since he did not have the intelligence advantage that they did.

She softened her tone, "It's okay. General Tu is the emperor's confidant. If the situation was really critical, he would not have stayed in Chang'an to handle the handover with General Zhou. Besides, the emperor is seriously ill, but the empress dowager can still take charge of the overall situation, and there are still loyal ministers in the cabinet. No matter how powerful Lord Sun is, he dare not act rashly without a title and military power. Just rest assured, things are not the worst yet."

(End of this chapter)