Chapter 928: Chapter 738: Gu Taitian Enters the Capital
Since then, Gu Changsheng issued an order, instructing her female officials to use every ans possible to stop Zhou Mu from entering the kitchen, regardless of whose kitchen it might be!
As a result, for the past couple of days, the Capital City has been in utter chaos!
First, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wanted to borrow a kitchen, causing anxiety amongst the court officials; then the preparations for the Crown Prince’s wedding repeatedly encountered mishaps, from items being stolen to reports from the Ministry of Rites citing various discrepancies.
Moreover, these incidents were all perfectly tid to coincide with the exact monts when His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mu was borrowing kitchens to cook!
Furthermore, the entire court of the Great Zhou was becoming increasingly anxious. On one hand, they hoped the Crown Prince wouldn’t borrow their kitchens, and on the other, if he did borrow them, they hoped to send him off quickly. They feared the Crown Prince would leave halfway, which would definitely be due to another mishap with the wedding preparations. Such mishaps would certainly sour the Crown Prince’s mood, and not only would their kitchens suffer, but they themselves would also suffer…
What a contradictory and difficult situation to harmoniously resolve! It left the officials whose kitchens the Crown Prince intended to borrow in tears!
The officials were in tears, while the Minister of Rites repeatedly faced problems while seeing the high-ranking officials from the Southern Country seated before him, feeling utterly frustrated. Why were they caught in the middle of this dostic squabble, causing them so much trouble?
The Ministry of Rites, which he oversaw, was responsible for the preparations for the Crown Prince’s wedding. Now, under the pressure of the Southern officials, he repeatedly “ssed up,” and the Minister of Rites was terrified the Crown Prince would take his anger out on him. Who could save him now? After long years of diligent study, he finally achieved success and reached the position of Minister. His hair had turned gray from the stress; could he please have a peaceful end?
Gu Changsheng had been quite content these past couple of days as her little life was finally saved. Her household’s evildoer no longer plagued her with loving als!
Hallelujah!
Wasn’t it easy for her?
Every day as alti approached, she was on edge, dreading that her household’s evildoer would enter with a tray, a re thought of which was a nightmare!
Such suffering!
But because Zhou Mu insisted on cooking, everyone overlooked a crucial issue: the original party of Gu Taitian, supposed to reach the capital, still hadn’t sent any news!
That afternoon, with a warm breeze gently blowing and the sun shining brightly, a carriage slowly entered the still partially rebuilt Capital City gates.
Leading the horse was an aged yet refined middle-aged man, whose eyes were as comforting as the warm sun in March, making onlookers feel at ease. Behind him, two splendid horses pulled a rather luxurious carriage, its contents obscured by plain cloth, rendering them indistinct. Seated in front of the carriage, a little monk knocked on a wooden fish with his legs.
“So, it’s the officials from Liuzhou City who have co such a long way, surely for the wedding of the Southern Emperor and the Crown Prince,” the newly replaced defensive general at the Capital City gates remarked respectfully, handing the token back to the middle-aged man.
“Indeed, if I hadn’t co, your Crown Prince’s wedding would not have taken place,” the middle-aged man said, gently stroking the mane of the splendid horse, smiling and nonchalantly accepting the token.
The visitor was none other than Gu Changsheng’s biological father, Gu Taitian!
The city defending guard was montarily stunned by Gu Taitian’s words, then smiled slyly. To carry a Liuzhou City token into the city, one must have so standing in Liuzhou, yet this man carried himself so humbly, and despite his age, remained so pleasant on the eyes!
How odd!
The city defending guard, being part of Zhou Mu’s large army, looked curiously at the newcors from his general’s fief and spoke again, “Sir, the Capital Region is different from our Liuzhou Region, according to regulations, the carriage also requires inspection.”
Hearing this, Gu Taitian laughed and waved at the city defending guard, “No matter, it is just following procedure. I cannot ask for special treatnt. Go ahead and inspect, just be careful not to disturb my wife.”
“Of course, of course,” the city defending guard replied with a smile, leading two fellow guards to the carriage, lifting the curtain…
Then, their smiles quickly faded.
Inside the carriage, at the very front, sat a little monk of about ten years old. The city defending guards gulped nervously, clearly, the “wife” that the official referred to could not possibly be this serene, immovable little monk!
Therefore, it could only be…
It could only be the nearly decomposing coffin behind the little monk!
The coffin, while neatly maintained, was visibly rotting, undoubtedly buried underground for quite so ti!
Wife? Coffin? And an aged coffin at that?
How could they not disturb it?
Even for guards accustod to the battlefield, the sight at the city gates during the broad daylight was more chilling than expected, enough to startle a person!
Summoning their courage to open the coffin to check for contraband, they were halted by a barely audible voice, “Just examining is fine, do not touch it, spare my wife’s peace, you won’t afford the consequences!”
Gu Taitian, holding the reins, stood behind the inspecting city guards, worried that his wife’s coffin would attract attention if he entered the Capital with the formal welcoming procession, unnecessarily causing his daughter trouble, so he took this cautious, light approach to enter first.
“This…” A city guard murmured hesitantly, “but…”
“Look at how the nails on the coffin are rusted. It’s clear it hasn’t been touched for years. Why don’t we skip the inspection? Bringing a coffin into the Capital City suggests they’re relocating it to the hotown. It’s better to let them be in peace…” whispered another city defending guard.
“In ordinary tis, we could be lenient, but with the master’s royal wedding approaching, how can we be careless? If sothing were to happen, you and I could not bear the responsibility.” The leading guard furrowed his brow, clearly troubled.
The dead hold significant weight, but if firearms were hidden in the coffin, that would indeed be a grave issue!
“Are you Zhou Mu’s subordinates?” Gu Taitian asked with a slight surprise, smiling as he spoke.
“How dare you! To address His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mu by na…” exclaid the guard instinctively, but his expression froze in an instant.
Gu Taitian shook a token in front of him, “This, perhaps you recognize.”
Recognize!
How could they not recognize!
Wasn’t this their Three-Army Command Token?
It has always been in their master’s hand!
“This humble servant greets the General!” Imdiately, the guard knelt, startling the ordinary folks queuing to enter the Capital City.
General?
Little Monk Bu Jie, who had been reciting sutras, paused and glanced at Gu Taitian with a slight sneer at the corner of his mouth, his eyes plainly saying, What kind of general is that? rely a man wielding a chicken feather as an arrow, one only adept at digging others’ ancestral graves and detaining monks!
“Ahem!” Gu Taitian coughed awkwardly under Little Monk Bu Jie’s gaze, calling the kneeling guard to rise. While adjusting the ss caused by the inspection, he casually asked, “The Capital Region is a significant place, why is the City Gate under repair?”
“The General may not know, it’s because the Southern Emperor, disliking the narrowness of the Capital City Gate which made it difficult for the Imperial Carriage to pass, infuriated our master, who then tore down the gate in a fit of rage. General, you ca late; had you arrived earlier, this gate was still a ruin. Now, after several rushed days of repair, it’s barely passable!” The guard responded with growing respect upon seeing the Command Token.
“Nonsense!”
As soon as the guard finished, a voice filled with a stern yet timid edge ca from above.
The guard was stunned, his face showing a mix of uncertainty and suspicion. Was the “nonsense” referring to his master? Or the Southern Emperor?
This…
At a glance, the person holding the Liuzhou City Official Pass and the Three-Army Command Token for His Royal Highness had already led his horse and cart into the city.
“A truly strange person,” murmured the guard, scratching his nose with a puzzled look, before turning to continue searching the incoming guards.
In the wealth-laden Capital City, Gu Taitian’s horse-drawn cart wasn’t the most eye-catching.
The Southern Emperor’s traveling palace attracted all eyes effortlessly, so Gu Taitian knew the route. Along the way, he heard nurous rumors…
Publicly challenging the Forr Crown Princess Consort Madam Zheng, arrogantly refusing to attend the welcoming banquet, defiantly shutting doors on visitors, even refusing Emperor Zhoulin at the gates, rounding up handso, strong n to fill the Heavenly Palace, and setting the officials’ kitchen on fire…
His daughter hadn’t been in the Capital City for long, yet she had already beco the talk of the town, no, more accurately, the figure of endless gossip!
Sparking waves of rumors across the city, every corner and alley, everyone was talking about his daughter and her yet-to-be-wed husband!
Nurous events, too many to list!
Each rumor not escaping Gu Taitian’s ears, darkening his handso, weathered face!
With just one trip down the street, he heard so much about his daughter’s exploits. If he were to inquire further, who knows how many earth-shattering, ghost-weeping mishaps his wayward daughter had committed!
No wonder Elder Qi from the literary circle had sent several letters urging him to hurry. So this was the issue!
Gu Taitian’s chest heaved slightly, his expression unable to hide his growing anger. His family’s reputation was utterly tarnished by this undutiful daughter. Was she here for marriage or to cause trouble?
Finally, amidst the street gossip, Gu Taitian arrived at the Heavenly Palace Traveling Palace on Vermilion Bird Avenue, where his daughter’s residence in the Capital City stood!
Standing before the grand palace gate, reading the powerful “Heavenly Palace” inscribed above, Gu Taitian took several deep breaths.
“Why are you so angry? You know the temperant of Benefactor Changsheng…” As Gu Taitian tried to calm his anger, an unperturbed voice with a hint of mockery ca from the carriage behind him…
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