Now I really have to marry the princess.

Chapter 78 Lord, Don't Listen to Her Nonsense

It was already past midnight.

After Yang Zhengdao and his two companions retrieved the horses, they continued toward the blacksmith's shop.

"Big Brother, I—" Su Hongyi followed beside Yang Zhengdao, her voice barely audible, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

Yang Zhengdao turned around, his handsome face beaming with a warm smile in the slanting sunlight.

For a moment, Su Hongyi was somewhat dazed.

That face is beautiful, whether in the sunlight now or in the moonlight that night.

Thinking of that night, she felt her ears burning.

Yang Zhengdao stopped and gently pressed his index finger against Su Hongyi's lips.

His voice was very soft: "Red dress, I understand—"

Su Hongyi's eyes immediately reddened.

From that night until now, for three days, she has been suppressing all her anxiety, helplessness, and fear.

As a Qing Shanying, she broke the rules, and the person she broke was someone favored by Prince Chang Le.

Yang Zhengdao gently lifted her chin and laughed, "You are the bell and I am the wind, you are the duckweed and I am the insect."

Su Hongyi was immediately amused by Yang Zhengdao's witty doggerel, and then her eyes reddened again, and her voice became soft and sweet.

"Big Brother, you're so good to me."

this----

Yang Zhengdao's smile froze slightly. What a boomerang!

Naza, who was leading the horse ahead, walked more than ten steps before suddenly realizing that the two people behind her had stopped and were whispering to each other.

She was immediately annoyed, puffed out her cheeks, crossed her arms, and hugged the two pomelos to her chest.

Yang Zhengdao walked over and saw Nazha's adorable appearance, so he pinched her cheek.

"Oh dear, Master!"

Naza gave a reproachful look, and her anger dissipated.

She stayed by the side of the woman in red this time. It seemed that ever since Dalang stayed overnight in Pingkang, the woman in red had started to act strangely.

When she realized no one was around, the woman in red would secretly laugh, and she would blush easily.

Oh no! My cool and aloof sister in red is gone!

Huh!? What's going on?!

Naza blinked, looking surprised. "Sister in red, were you crying?!"

Su Hongyi was startled, and then her cheeks flushed red.

She quickly denied it: "No."

Naza smiled slyly: "Tell me honestly, did your master do something to you?"

Su Hongyi immediately panicked and said urgently, "Don't talk nonsense."

"Uh—" Nazha trailed off, "I understand, you did something to Master!"

Su Hongyi was startled again, then lowered her eyes, murmured softly, and said something against her will.

"I don't."

Yang Zhengdao listened to the conversation between the two women behind him, who were completely on different wavelengths, and couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile.

The icy beauty was ultimately defeated by the energetic girl.

When the three arrived at the blacksmith's shop, they only saw Xi Junmai and Aba squatting on an open space by the door with their backs to them.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out that the two men were each holding a blade of grass and teasing a nest of ants on the ground.

Xi Junmai stood up, scratching his head sheepishly. He felt incredibly embarrassed to have been caught teasing ants with Aba.

He leaned closer to Yang Zhengdao and lowered his voice, saying, "Master, everything is ready. None of the blacksmith shops Uncle Zhong used last time!"

Yang Zhengdao nodded and patted Aba on the shoulder.

Aba then reluctantly got up.

After he stood up, he suddenly noticed that an ant was crawling on the back of his large, fan-shaped hand.

He squatted down again and carefully blew the ant gently onto the ground.

He stood up again, mimicking Yang Zhengdao by stroking his chin in thought.

This sight made the others chuckle, and even Su Hongyi couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile.

Aba, however, didn't care at all. He frowned and asked seriously, "Ado, how do I release the ants?"

Releasing ants?!

this----

Yang Zhengdao immediately had an idea.

"Abba, wait!"

"Mmm!" Aba nodded emphatically, rubbing his hands together happily.

Yang Zhengdao asked Xi Junmai to fetch horseshoes, while he gave instructions to his blacksmith apprentice.

Make a square wooden box, then dig out the entire ant hole, put it into the box, and send it to Xingdaofang.

Yang Zhengdao and his entourage had just left.

The old blacksmith rushed up and snatched the money bag from his apprentice's hand.

"Master!" the young apprentice muttered in dissatisfaction.

The old blacksmith hesitated for a moment, then finally counted out three coins and tossed them to his apprentice.

Then he shook his head in the direction Yang Zhengdao and his group had left: "You bastard, fifty coins for a nest of ants."

Yang Zhengdao was unaware that he had once again become the target of gossip among the people of Chang'an.

He was still smugly telling Xi Jun why he had paid fifty coins.

That's because if you pay fifteen coins, the apprentice won't get a single penny.

Now that he has paid fifty coins, the old blacksmith will at least leave ten coins for the young apprentice.

Naza and Aba wholeheartedly agreed; in any case, they believed whatever Yang Zhengdao said.

Su Hongyi also felt that Dalang was a really good person, thoughtful and kind.

Only Xi Junmai secretly pursed his lips, thinking that the old blacksmith was being incredibly kind by leaving his apprentice three coins.

Just then, Nazha tilted her head, frowned, and said, "Ama, why are you pouting?"

"I—I didn't!" Xi Junmai's ears burned with embarrassment, and he hurriedly explained to Yang Zhengdao, "Master, don't listen to her nonsense!"

After entering the imperial city, the group waited outside Chang Le Gate.

Yang Zhengdao, carrying two sets of horseshoes, followed the eunuch into the palace.

Upon arriving at the Imperial Horse Garden, they found that Eunuch Cao was already waiting at the entrance.

Yang Zhengdao quickly apologized: "Eunuch Cao, thank you for keeping me waiting."

"It's alright, Young Master Yang, please follow me."

He nodded and led his men inside with the eunuch.

After passing through several courtyards, we finally arrived at a secluded side courtyard.

This is naturally for the purpose of secrecy.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed, and two guards stood at the entrance. Upon seeing Eunuch Cao, they did not ask any questions and simply pushed the gate open.

The courtyard was small, paved with blue bricks, and several locust trees were planted in the four corners, their shade covering most of the courtyard.

Two people were already standing in the courtyard.

One was Xu Shiji, the Duke of Cao.

The other one was surprisingly Li Jing, the Duke of Dai.

He was thin, with gray hair and beard, dressed in casual clothes, and stood with his hands behind his back.

Yang Zhengdao felt a chill run down his spine.

The original owner had a very deep impression of Li Jing.

To some extent, the original owner was still Li Jing's prisoner, and the original owner's aunt, Princess Yicheng, was also forced to death by Li Jing.

Although Princess Yicheng could be considered half a mother to the original owner of this body, Yang Zhengdao, who had transmigrated here, was still able to view this matter objectively.

After all, Princess Yicheng was a staunch anti-Tang figure who single-handedly supported the Later Sui dynasty and incited the Turks to oppose the Tang dynasty.

After being captured, he chose death over surrendering to the Tang Dynasty.

Yang Zhengdao greatly admired the integrity of this princess of a fallen kingdom, but he could not emulate it.

The integrity of modern model youth is fully preserved in the two volumes of modern Chinese history.

Yang Zhengdao stepped forward and bowed: "Zhengdao greets the Duke of Dai and the Duke of Cao."

Li Jing simply nodded slightly.

Xu Shiji nodded with a smile.

He naturally knew more about the rumors than Li Jing, who kept his doors closed to visitors all day.

In addition, after having lunch at the Liangyi Hall yesterday, he became much closer to Yang Zhengdao.

At this moment, Li Jing's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he asked in a deep voice, "Son of the Sui Dynasty, horseshoes are of vital military and national importance. Why haven't you submitted a memorial to the throne to address this matter?"

What the heck?! What's going on?!