Discuss with you

Chapter 713 Straw Man

Originally, Lu Qing and his group only had some dry flatbreads. They would roast them over a fire and eat them with water whenever they rested, just enough to fill their stomachs.

With Cao Tianbao and his team, who had just set off from the capital, joining them this time, the food was much more plentiful, including flatbread and dried meat.

As they were eating and chatting, a commotion suddenly came from afar. Several of Cao Tianbao's men were surrounding someone, looking troubled as they tried to stop him but dared not make a move, yet they couldn't leave him alone. They were moving toward them.

Then a clear voice protested loudly: "Am I in jail?! Who can stand being cooped up in such a small carriage all day?! Can't I even get out and stretch my legs?"

Cao Tianbao frowned. He didn't have much affection for the princess of Jie Kingdom to begin with, and now he felt even more troubled: "Princess Na Yi refused to ride in a carriage from the very beginning. She insisted on riding horses with us, saying it would be faster that way!"
Since leaving the capital, this has happened at least twice already.

Zhu Yu jumped up from the ground in a flash. Because of the sudden movement, she accidentally touched the abrasion on her leg again, and the burning sensation made her gasp.

The group of people also escorted Yan Shu to her side.

Yan Shu was dressed as a lady from a high-ranking family in the Jin Kingdom. Her dress was brightly colored and elaborately designed. However, her hair was not styled into a complicated updo, probably because there was no one to help her with her hair along the way.

A simple hairstyle, coupled with that impulsive and whirlwind demeanor, combined with that outfit, made her look incredibly strange.

Zhu Yu could tell at a glance that wearing such an outfit was definitely not her own choice.

She waved to Yan Shu, who was surrounded by those people. Yan Shu glanced at her with a puzzled expression, but did not recognize her, and quickly looked away.

However, Yan Shu soon stopped in her tracks, her expression showing disbelief.

Because Lu Qing also stood up and stood next to Zhu Yu, putting one hand on Zhu Yu's shoulder. At this moment, the fake skin on his face had been completely removed, revealing his original appearance.

Yan Shu blinked and looked at Lu Qing: "You...?"

Then look at Zhu Yu next to him: "So...you are...Zhu Yu?"

Zhu Yu nodded and smiled.

Yan Shu's eyes reddened, and she pushed aside the people blocking her way, rushed over, and hugged Zhu Yu tightly, sobbing, "You're not dead! You're not dead! You're really not dead!"

She spoke while crying, and then, with tears streaming down her face, she laughed again, pulling Zhu Yu around to look her over from all sides, her eyes brimming with tears as she laughed out loud.

"I thought I would never see you again in this life, that you had really been killed by bad guys in some remote mountain village! You have no idea how many times I cried in private!"

"I finally made a good friend, and now she's died so mysteriously. I can't accept it!" She shook Zhu Yu's hand, her joy barely concealed, as if she herself had survived the ordeal.

Cao Tianbao was somewhat dumbfounded. He looked at Zhu Yu and Yan Shu with a puzzled expression, and then at Lu Qing.

The last time Yan Shu escaped, it happened and ended quietly with Lu Zhang's assistance. Apart from Lu Qing and Zhu Yu, no one else knew about it, so Cao Tianbao was naturally completely confused. In his memory, anyone associated with Zhao Bi and Prince Yi, even if they couldn't be said to be irreconcilably opposed to the Xiaoyao Prince's family, was at least in a state of mutual non-interference.

So seeing Princess Yi and Zhu Yu acting like sisters, so familiar with each other, he was quite surprised.

"It's a long story," Lu Qing smiled as he met Cao Tianbao's gaze. "But now that we're traveling with you, General, you don't need to worry about the Princess being bored on the journey."

Yan Shu immediately heard Lu Qing's words, and her surprise and delight deepened: "Really? Are you going to Jiedi with me too?"

“Yes, we’ll join the escort team for you too.” Zhu Yu nodded to her.

"That's wonderful! This is truly a blessing from heaven. I was so bored that I almost died, so my best sister came to my side!" Yan Shu clapped her hands with joy.

"General, I wonder if you brought any extra clothes with you?" Zhu Yu asked Cao Tianbao.

Cao Tianbao glanced at the porters' outfits on her and Lu Qing and nodded: "Of course we have them. I'll have someone fetch two sets for you two to change into."

“Not two sets, but three sets.” Zhu Yu shook his head at him and pushed Yan Shu forward slightly. “I’ll trouble the General to have someone find a set for Princess Yan Shu as well.”

I was just thinking that among your group, Princess Yan Shu is far too conspicuous. Dressed in such gorgeous women's clothing, she moves with difficulty and attracts attention. If someone chooses to launch a sneak attack from afar, it's practically impossible to defend against—she's a perfect target.

Her words really struck a chord with Yan Shu, who nodded repeatedly in agreement.

"I know this is inappropriate, but what those civil officials said is that before returning to Jie territory, she is still the Princess Consort of our Great Jin, so she must maintain the proper decorum, lest word get out and people laugh at our dignified Great Jin, whose Princess Consort is dressed so inappropriately and improperly, making us a laughingstock..."

I despise those pretentious, affected mannerisms, but since His Majesty has given his approval, I have no choice but to adopt this approach to keep my men grounded.

"Right now, for both Jin Kingdom and Jie Kingdom, the safety of Princess Yan Shu is of paramount importance. Compared to that, what she wears or what she carries is of no concern."

Moreover, the people of Jie are known for their bold and unrestrained nature. As far as I know, Jie women would never dress like this, no matter how noble their status.

Therefore, I don't believe that once they arrived in Jie territory, the Jie king would care whether the princess's attire was appropriate for a queen.

After Zhu Yu finished speaking, he added, "At worst, we can have the princess switch back to see the King of Jie when we are close to arriving. That will be the same."

The important thing is the moment we meet King Jie; we don't need to worry about the rest. We can be flexible, which will also help protect the princess's safety.

Cao Tianbao thought what she said made a lot of sense, so he readily nodded and instructed the subordinate who had just come with Yan Shu: "Go and get three sets of clothes."

"Wait a minute." Zhu Yu stopped the soldier who was about to leave after receiving the order, and then said to Cao Tianbao, "I wonder if the general could find two skillful people to get some dry grass and make a straw man?"