HCB Chapter 51 was unfortunately short-lived.
Chapter 51 was unfortunately short-lived.
The carriage arrived at the Governor's Mansion.
Jun Ce lifted the carriage curtain and saw that Ji Chang, the head of the Ji family, was already waiting at the door.
Upon seeing Jun Ce, he stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Your humble servant Ji Chang, along with my young son Ji Rufeng, respectfully welcomes the Regent."
Jun Ce's eyes turned cold, and he ignored him.
His decision to change his route to the Governor's Mansion was impromptu, but Ji Chang was waiting at the door, as if he already knew.
It seems he was the one who fired that sneak attack.
But what exactly was his intention in going to such lengths to trick himself into coming to the governor's mansion?
A sharp glint flashed in Jun Ce's eyes.
He got off the carriage, turned around and reached out as if to help someone inside.
The carriage curtain was lifted again, revealing the face of a spirited young girl.
Zhai Rongyu crawled out of the carriage and saw Hua Ying leap off her horse to the side. She was seized by a playful impulse and spread her arms to imitate Hua Ying's posture as she jumped off the carriage.
【Yay!~】
[A great roc spreads its wings!]
Jun Ce withdrew his hand and shook his head helplessly.
Ji Chang stepped forward and asked, "And who is this?"
"This is the legitimate daughter of the Minister's family, Miss Zhai the Second," Jun Ce said calmly.
"I have met Miss Zhai."
"You're too kind, Governor Ji." Zhai Rongyu looked up at Ji Chang, slightly surprised.
This person's complexion is poor, suggesting that misfortune may befall them.
She opened her third eye and took a look, and understood immediately.
"Has anything unexpected happened to Governor Ji recently?"
Ji Chang was taken aback for a moment, then asked, "What makes you say that, Miss Zhai?"
Zhai Rongyu said, "Judging from your appearance, there is a change in your Illness Palace, and you are facing an empty calamity. I'm afraid you won't live for many more days."
"What did you say?!" Ji Rufeng stepped forward, both shocked and furious. "You dare to curse my father!"
Ji Chang stopped his son and said sternly, "How dare you! How can you be so disrespectful in front of the Regent!"
He clasped his hands in apology to Jun Ce.
“My son has been disrespectful; I hope the Regent will forgive him.”
Seeing that Zhai Rongyu didn't seem to care, Jun Ce said, "It's alright, Commander Ji, there's no need to be nervous."
Ji Chang breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Zhai Rongyu, saying, "Miss Zhai, I am a man who wields swords and spears, and I do not believe in these superstitious beliefs."
Zhai Rongyu shrugged and didn't say anything.
Since no one else cares, why should she go out of her way to be disliked?
She walked over and stood beside Jun Ce.
Jun Ce tilted his head slightly and looked at her with gentle eyes.
Seeing this, Ji Chang asked, "Your Majesty, I have prepared rooms for you to rest in. Would you two like to stay in one room?"
[Wow! How presumptuous of you!]
Zhai Rongyu was startled.
A hint of a smile appeared in Jun Ce's eyes.
“Two rooms, of course!” Zhai Rongyu replied hastily.
She was somewhat surprised.
[This Ji Chang is just the governor of Yangcheng, yet he's not afraid of Brother Huai Xu.]
[How dare you ask him such a question.]
[How come I remember everyone in the original book being terrified of the Regent?]
This season, the governor is remarkably composed and dignified.
Unfortunately, it was short-lived.
Jun Ce's deep eyes swept over the girl's pensive face.
Just as the two were about to follow Ji Chang into the governor's mansion, a carriage sped up, raising a cloud of dust.
A chubby man tumbled out of the car in a flustered manner.
"Oh dear! Your Majesty, please forgive me! I am late in welcoming Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"Prefect Jiang?"
Jun Ce sized up the person who was apologizing before him.
Magistrate Jiang wiped the sweat from his brow, gave a fawning smile, and a red dot appeared on his fleshy nose.
"The Regent is wise! He recognized me at a glance!"
Zhai Rongyu pursed her lips, suppressing a laugh.
That's right, that's the attitude of an ordinary official.
Magistrate Jiang fawned, "When I heard you changed your route at the last minute, I rushed over without stopping!"
We had just decided to change course when the Commander-in-Chief was already waiting at the door.
Prefect Jiang also rushed over without stopping.
[Are all these people so well-informed?]
This Yangcheng is truly interesting.
Jun Ce stared intently into Zhai Rongyu's eyes, his gaze deep and unfathomable.
Zhai Rongyu seemed to sense something, and raised her gaze upwards, meeting the man's eyes.
Why are you looking at me like that?
She was a little confused.
Jun Ce smiled faintly and looked away.
Governor Jiang clasped his hands together, bent down slightly to get closer to Jun Ce, and his two small eyes narrowed together with his smile.
"I have prepared wine and food in the city. I would like to ask Your Highness to do me the honor of visiting the city lord's mansion."
"Mr. Governor!"
Ji Chang seemed somewhat angry and stepped forward, saying, "The Regent has decided to stay at the Governor's Mansion today. Prefect, please return."
"What does the Governor mean by this?"
Prefect Jiang straightened up, somewhat displeased, and said, "Do you think your haunted governor's mansion is as comfortable as my city lord's mansion?"
"The Regent has been on the move all day; what if he doesn't get a good night's sleep?"
Ji Chang's face darkened, and he clenched his fists, suppressing his anger.
Ji Rufeng, however, could not bear it.
He stepped forward and said, "What nonsense are you spouting! How could my house be haunted!"
[Haunted?]
Zhai Rongyu was excited, her almond-shaped eyes shining brightly.
[Such a good thing!]
Catching a ghost once is a good deed!
She could almost see her spiritual power growing vigorously!
Prefect Jiang snorted coldly and said, "If your house isn't haunted, how come all your maids suddenly died?"
"That's because Mother sent them home!"
"Hehe," Magistrate Jiang chuckled, his fleshy nose twitching slightly, his lips sliding down his right cheek. "You actually believe this kind of nonsense?"
"Then let me ask you again, if it's not haunted, why is your father's mental state getting worse day by day?"
Ji Rufeng glanced at his father, whose face was displeased, and thought of what Zhai Rong had just said, unable to refute it for a moment.
He gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Ji Chang said with a stern face, "Prefect, my family affairs are none of your concern."
Governor Jiang wanted to say something more.
Jun Ce's indifferent voice silenced everyone.
"Stop fighting."
He said to Prefect Jiang, "I have been traveling all day and I have to go to the city early tomorrow morning to inspect the disaster situation. I just want to rest as soon as possible. You should go back."
Inspecting the disaster situation?
Prefect Jiang and Ji Chang exchanged a glance.
He smiled apologetically and said, "Your Highness is right. I was mistaken!"
"This humble official will return immediately, will return immediately!"
He hurriedly got into the carriage and left. Before leaving, he gave Zhai Rongyu a meaningful look, as if he had just noticed her.
After Magistrate Jiang left.
Ji Chang led Jun Ce and Zhai Rongyu into the Governor's Mansion.
As Zhai Rongyu walked through the courtyard, she smelled a strange burning odor.
She glanced around and saw several braziers in the courtyard that had just been lit, with some parts still burning, which looked like women's clothing.
"What is Governor Ji burning?"
[Prefect Jiang just said that all the maids in this courtyard are dead. Could it be that the clothes they burned were theirs?]
Seeing Zhai Rongyu's curiosity, Ji Chang said to her and Jun Ce, "To be honest, a few days ago, the maids in my courtyard suddenly fell ill one after another and died within two days."
"What was burned in the courtyard were their belongings after their deaths."
【really. 】
"However, you two need not worry. What Prefect Jiang said about the haunting is pure nonsense."
As they talked, they arrived at two side rooms on the east side.
Ji Chang said, "Please forgive any shortcomings in our hospitality for the day."
Having said that, he pushed open the door to one of the rooms and invited Zhai Rongyu inside.
"As for you..." He looked at Huaying and Zhiying, intending to lead them to the west wing to rest, but Huaying said, "No need to trouble yourself, we don't sleep in beds."
Ji Chang nodded; he did not wish to concern himself with the matter of the guards.
Ji Rufeng was somewhat puzzled.
Not sleeping in a bed? Where will you sleep then?
Ji Chang glanced at Jun Ce, as if he had something to say.
"Your Majesty, please come in."
Jun Ce walked up to Zhai Rongyu, a hint of tenderness in his eyes: "You must be exhausted today, get some rest."
"Okay." Zhai Rongyu nodded and pushed him out of the room. "You should go now."
[Chang's hesitant remarks this season suggest there's some big news to come!]