Chapter 171: Return to Kyoto

  Chapter 171 Return to Kyoto

  It took more than a month from Kyoto to Fuzhou, but only 22 days from Fuzhou to Tongzhou.

  All the way, entering the night and stopping at prefectures such as Zhenjiang and Huai'an, Pang Debao would often linger in a small wine shop for a while to see if there was any new news from the capital. But every time he brought back news that made Shen Muqing very disappointed.

  The Emperor has no news... The Mongols have broken through Xuantong... General-in-Chief Liang Yuan of Xuantong died in battle... Among the officials, only Lieutenant-General Dai Gui led 20,000 troops from Liaodong to retreat back to Huailai City...

  Calm and clear in mind, yet anxious like a burning fire, unable to sleep throughout the night.

  She never thought that Liang Yuan would actually die... She remembered the only time they met, the starry night when she and Liang Ji Min went to the Shen family for help... The quiet of the deep night, the sound of horseshoes trampling, the creaking sound of the sedan chair bearing weight, and the rustling sound of the attendants' clothes rubbing against each other, all were so clear, making her feel so anxious and uneasy...

  That fearful feeling surged through her body once again.

  When the boat had sailed more than forty li past Tianjin, Shen Muqing, who was sitting by the window, inadvertently discovered that a small boat that had just passed by theirs actually had Hu Xin's daughter-in-law on it.

  She was shocked and ordered Peng Debiao: "...As soon as we arrive in Tongzhou, buy ten or so horses and find a way to ride them back."

  Pang Debao nodded in response, but his face couldn't help showing a few hints of difficulty.

  Shen Mu's expression turned gloomy and he said loudly, "If there's anything that can't be done, say it quickly, so as not to waste time later."

  In some sense, Ponderosa is also a relatively pragmatic person.

  "He immediately said: 'At this time, I'm afraid it's not easy to buy horses.'"

  Shen Muqing also knew, and sighed: "Try to think of a way! I'm afraid the situation in Kyoto is not optimistic. Fortunately, Jingxuan sister was left in Fuzhou... I don't know how grandfather is doing?"

  She thought of Jing Xiu's wealthy family background at the time, fearing that she couldn't bear the hardships of traveling overnight, and strongly advised her to help herself go to Anxi to see the tea field, and only brought Ying Fen and Chang Hui and Pang De Bao hired a small boat to return to Kyoto.

  Time quietly pondered for a moment and nodded in agreement.

  "With fewer people, it's easier to get things done. I'll go to Anxi as planned... If there's any news from Kyoto, let me know right away."

  Shen Mu nodded quietly and left Ming Xia and a few others with Shi Jingxu, then rushed to the capital with Pang Debao overnight.

  Looking at the current situation, Kyoto may also be unsafe.

  Pang Debao could only comfort her: "Don't worry, milady. Good fortune will naturally find its way to those destined for it. Although Mr. Shen has been idle at home for a few years, if things had gone differently, perhaps his name would have been among the officials selected this time."

  Shen Mu smiled wryly with a hint of sadness and bitterness.

  It really proved the old saying "Good fortune often results from disaster, and vice versa."

  It is said that Zhang Ran has died for the country... Now, in Kyoto, Wang Shengyun is in charge of the overall situation... In this national crisis, if he succeeds, he will be honored in the Temple of Heaven, but if he fails, he will be cursed for eternity... The opportunities are half and half. Someone like Shen Zhen has indeed fulfilled the phrase "to retire with honor".

  Chang Hui heard this and hesitantly said from the side: "Why don't I help find the horse?"

  Shen Mu Qing was taken aback for a moment.

  Chang Hui stroked his head and smiled: "We are all from Jianghu, and we often come into contact with those horse traders..."

  Pang Debao's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled out a dozen silver notes from his sleeve and handed them to Chang Hui: "...... each one is worth 100 taels, totaling 3,000 taels. You take it first, if not enough, ask me for more."

  Shen Muqing looked at the stack of silver notes, his face very unsightly.

  Chang Hui saw it and thought Shen Muqing was annoyed that he had accepted the money, so he hastily said: "Miss, you don't know, this horse merchant has been waiting for an opportunity like this..."

  Shen Muqing knew that Chang Hui had misunderstood her. If it were someone else, she might not have gone to explain, but the person who said this was Chang Hui, who treated herself as a friend.

  "You don't know, Xiao Gongzi once told me that he was so tight-fisted, even the house in Bai Shu Hutong had to be sold." She looked at Pang Debao, "I didn't expect you people would casually take out a few thousand taels of silver... it's really my loss."

  Pang Debao smiled wryly: "Auntie, the young master's finances are really tight. This money was given by Cheng Shaoxia - our money has all been used to fill Third Young Master's hole! The courtyard in Bai Shu Hutong was also really sold!"

  Shen Mu Qing's face was full of surprise.

  Pang De finally told the truth.

  Young Master Tianjin had a shipyard in Tanggu, but he didn't want to ask his family for money, relying solely on the little money he made from small deals over the years. Young Master Cheng and Fifth Young Master were close friends, so when Third Young Master got into trouble, how could he possibly help him wholeheartedly? Third Young Master also understood that begging would only lead to losing face, so he asked our Young Master for help. You know that after the tsunami, when business was booming at the shipyard, our Young Master didn't even have enough money to buy wood, let alone lend some to Third Young Master.

  "Fourth Master doesn't want Fifth Master to rise up. Not only did he sell off all the shops in Guangdong, but also sold all his assets... Although I got 500,000 taels of silver from Eldest Madam for shipyard turnover, if it weren't for your 30,000 taels of silver, both sides might have had some difficulties turning over. If you don't believe me, you can ask Ren Xiang. The Tanggu shipyard is now under his management!"

  Shen Muqing was suspicious: "Then why did Xiao Cheng want to take out silver to give you guys a bribe this time?"

  Her words made Pondbao even more puzzled.

  "He said somewhat dazed: 'That's different. When there was no fixed master, brothers would have small fights outside, that was ability, that was skill. But now the young master is at a critical juncture, if he still doesn't care and even stabs in the back, that would be fratricide, wolf-like heartlessness.'"

  Serene and calm with a clear face.

  She was used to living alone in a small house, seeing the Liang family's people taking advantage of every opportunity to frame each other, and watching the Shi family use all means to ostracize Shi Jingyu...

  Pang Debao saw Shen Muqing's unnatural expression and thought that Xiao Sa had said something to her in private.

  Xiao Xiao grew up in front of him since childhood, what kind of personality she has, no one knows better than him.

  He thought of Xiao Xiao's mind on Shen Muqing, and his heart moved involuntarily. He said tactfully: "Miss, I was brought over by the eldest lady from Jinzhou Zheng's family, how the eldest lady married into the Xiao family, and why she married into the Xiao family, no one is clearer than us two brothers..."

  He said, "Xiao Xiao was raised by his grandfather since he was a child. I was sent to be by his side because of a personal maid who set the ancestral house on fire. The old lady thought that if things continued like this, he would become narrow-minded. So she sent me to accompany the young master, hoping that I could take him out to broaden his horizons and change his perspective. After that incident, I often took the young master on trips outside. He has a talent for business, just like the Zheng family, and at 13 years old, he made a deal worth 300,000 taels of silver for the Xiao family... But somehow, he always seems to have a fire in his heart, and nothing pleases him. When he's good, he's like a golden boy in front of Guanyin Bodhisattva, but when he's bad, it's as if he's possessed by a ghost... For so many years, I've had to carefully coax him."

  Quietly listening, feeling a sour heart.

  "How did that maid die?"

  Pang De Bao was taken aback.

  She hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice: "I heard from the eldest lady that it was probably Seventh Young Master who wanted to take her as his concubine, but the maid didn't want to, so she swallowed gold and died."

  In the eyes of many people, dignity is an insurmountable barrier. It's like Shen Zhen, who can use his sleeves to test the wind, but has never thought about what if... Where will the future of his sleeves be?

  For those children who live together day and night and still don't understand what is high or low, noble or humble, that person is their world, that person is their warmth...

  Is it because of this that Xiao Sa thought she was a little maid at the time and never thought that others would despise her like everyone else?

  Shen Mu Qing murmured: "That maid, have you seen her before? Do you still remember?"

  Pang Debao smiled wryly: "How could I forget? That maid was specially chosen by the eldest lady for the young master. She had a tall and slender figure, very fair skin, slightly plump, but looked gentle and quiet. Although she wasn't very skilled in needlework, she could recognize characters and read, and among the maids in the Xiao family, she was considered one of the best."

  What a pity.

  Shen Mu Qing also couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.

  She is of medium build and somewhat thin... The rustling sound of her needlework is quite impressive.

  After thinking for a moment, I feel quite bored with myself.

  At that time, Xiao Xiao was just a few years old...

  In a daze, the boat arrived at Tongzhou.

  Tong Hui went down the boat to find Ma, they spent a day and night returning to Kyoto.

  Kyoto was as bustling and noisy as usual, but Shen Muqing let out a quiet sigh of relief. However, Shen Zhen, who could see Shen Muqing, was shocked: "How did you come back? What are you doing back at this time? I sent someone to deliver the news to you, didn't they meet up with you?"

  Shen Mu Qing's face changed greatly: "What exactly happened? I even saw the young lady of the Hu family on the way. Has the situation become so chaotic that we need to escape? Has the Emperor been found? I heard that Xiao Sa and the Emperor were together, have you heard any news?"

  She fired off a string of questions in rapid succession, but only got a faint sigh from Shen Zhen.

  Shen Mu Qing suddenly felt as if she had fallen into an icy cave.

  She was about to ask in detail when a servant outside hastily said: "Master, Maru-sama has requested an audience?"

  "Come in quickly, come in quickly!"

  Shen Mu looked at Shen Zhen with a nervous and fearful expression: "You, you won't... again..."

  Thinking of Huang Chang and Xiao Sa, there is still no news to this day — everyone thinks it's more likely to be bad than good... Thinking of his daughter Duo Shuang's fate... Shen Jian stroked his daughter's head: "Don't worry, nothing will happen. Wang Daren came to find me, also wanting to discuss with me... The country is in trouble, everything prioritizes the people and the land."

  Shen Mu Qing looked at Shen Zhen's rare resolute expression and nodded lightly.

  She and Pong De Bao waited in Shen Zhen's study, hearing that Shen Mu Qing had returned, Chen Yiniang hurried over.

  "My aunt, why have you come back at this time?" She said with tears in her eyes, "I just sent Da She to Zhoushan yesterday."

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  Chapter 171 Return to Kyoto