Chongfei Manual - Chapter 152.3

When Wei Luo arrived at a private room in Emerald Restaurant, Zhao Liuli had already been waiting for a long time.

Zhao Liuli was currently leaning out the window to look. The army hadn’t passed the capital’s moat yet, but she was already impatient enough that her neck was extended pass the window frame.

Wei Luo asked, “How did you get Her Majesty to allow you to come outside?”

Zhao Liuli said matter-of-factly, “Imperial father has been pestering imperial mother every day and she hasn’t been able to get away, so she hasn’t been watching over me as much.”

Zhao Liuli’s words didn’t seem improbable. Wei Luo thought of how attentive and solicitous Emperor Chong Zhen had been toward Empress Chen on that day.

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About an hour later, the army that had put down a revolt slowly came through the capital’s gate and the common people enthusiastically welcomed them. Multitude of people came out from everywhere to celebrate. This time, the army had put down the armed rebellion and saved Guang Dong’s common people. Since ancient times, it was always easy to feel respectful towards heroes. The common people were lined up in the streets to welcome the army.

Wei Luo and Zhao Liulie saw Yang Zhen sitting on a horse from a distance.

He had obtained first class merit by capturing the rebel army’s leader alive and had advanced from an insignificant garrison guard to a second-ranked commander. Only a few months had past, but it seemed as if he had changed his face. He had become thinner and his skin had darkened, but he also looked more mature and radiated a heroic aura with his imposing appearance. Yang Zhen was wearing silver-white body armor and a helmet and riding on a Qinghai horse.

(T/N: Qinghai is one of China’s northwest provinces.)

Zhao Liuli clutched Wei Luo’s hand and her eyes didn’t even know how to move anymore. “Ah Luo, I… I saw older brother Yang Zhen.”

Wei Luo felt that the situation was very humorous, glanced her, and said, “Don’t cry.”

To be honest, Zhao Liuli actually did want to cry a little bit.

As Yang Zhen rode past the window, he felt something and raised his head up to look. His eyes met Zhao Liuli’s eyes.

Suddenly startled, Yang Zhen even forgot how to ride a horse. He stopped in place.

The two of them looked at each other. She looked at him and he looked at her. Only three months had passed, but it felt as if they hadn’t seen each other in three years.

Finally, someone from behind urged, “Sir Yang, why did you stop?”

Yang Zhen returned to his senses. He took a long look upstairs, then he urged the horse forward.

When the army had walked far away, Zhao Liuli pulled Wei Luo’s hand to go outside. “They’re going back to the barracks. Let’s go there too.”

Wei Luo was really pitiful. Her waist and legs felt sore, but she still had to scoot about with Liuli.

A carriage was parked behind Emerald Restaurant. It was the carriage that Zhao Jie had arranged for Wei Luo. The two of them took the carriage to the barracks. Because they were dressed too conspicuously and the barracks were full of rough men, it wouldn’t be good for them to enter. So, they could only wait at the entrance.

An hour later, Yang Zhen and the other military officers came out of the barracks.

It wouldn’t be good for Zhao Liuli to show her face, so she could only sneakily lift up a corner of the curtain. She wanted to wait until everyone else had left and give Yang Zhan a surprise.

By chance, she heard their conversation.

One of the people fawningly said, “We captured many prisoners while putting down the revolt. It’s all thanks to Sir Yang’s effort.”

She hadn’t seen Yang Zhen in a while, but he didn’t change much and still had a reticent temperament. It was only that the bloody nature of battle had sharpened his tenaciousness. He only said, “Without everyone working together, I wouldn’t have been victorious by myself.”

The over-the-top bootlicker wasn’t discouraged. He had had probably seen stubborn people like Yang Zhen. “Some of the captured prisoners are first-rate beauties from Guang Dong. Sir, you stayed in the south for a few months. You probably experienced the delicate and exquisite women there. These prisoners are the highest quality. They’re voluptuous beauties with snowy white skin. Sir, if you like, this subordinate can send them over for you to taste.”

Men, who had lived in the barracks for a long time, spoke about vulgar topics without any scruples or hesitation.

Inside the carriage, Zhao Liuli’s smile gradually dimmed.

Yang Zhen said, “No need. I have other matters to attend to. I’ll be leaving for now.”

But, that military officer wouldn’t let him go. He blocked Yang Zhen’s path. “Sir Yang, wait. At least look at them first…”

As it turned out, soldiers had already brought two of the captives over. They were two plainly dressed young women. It seemed like this had already been prepared in advance. Although the two young women were dressed simply, their clothes were very clean and their hair was combed into two glossy braids. Their appearances were pretty good and they seemed to only be fourteen to fifteen years old with inexperienced appearances. They had probably suffered a lot of torment on the way to the capital. When they saw Yang Zhen, they were somewhat afraid and obediently called out, “Sir Yang…”

That military officer thought Yang Zhen was bored of pampered seductress and would definitely be interested in these two timid, young women. Unexpectedly, Yang Zhen furrowed his eyebrows and said, “Sir Zhou…”

Before he could finish speaking, a carriage curtain was suddenly lifted up from the carriage across from them. A small, beautifully adorned face was revealed. Zhao Liuli angrily said to the driver, “Return to the palace!”

Yang Zhen turned his head to follow the sound of the voice and was shocked stiff at the sight of the exquisite girl. For a moment, he thought he was seeing a mirage.

Previously, the domed umbrella-like roof carriage had stopped at the barracks’ entrance with its curtain hanging down. Yang Zhen and the others had thought the carriage belonged to one of the other officer’s family. But when the curtain was lifted up, it had been the person he had been missing day and night.

He didn’t recover from his shock until the carriage had turned around and traveled far away. He hurriedly jumped onto a nearby fine horse and urged it forward.