Chapter 48

Upon returning to the residence in Xinghua Fang, as soon as he entered the door, Cheng Chumo was seen sitting leisurely by the stove, a sand pot on it boiling mutton, bubbling with a 'gurgling' sound.

He was furious at the time, having been summoned to the palace early in the morning by Li Er, not even having a sip of morning tea, and then being tricked by the old rascal Wei Hui. Was it easy for him?

He pushed Cheng Chumo away and sat in his place, picking up the chopsticks and starting to eat voraciously.

He San, who had returned with Zhao Chen, watched and swallowed hard, looking like he wanted to eat but didn't dare to sit down and do so. Zhao Chen, chewing a large piece of boiling hot mutton, mumbled, "If you want to eat, go find your own bowl and chopsticks!"

He San immediately went to the kitchen to find a bowl and chopsticks, delighted!

"What's wrong?" Cheng Chumo, seeing He San leave, sat down opposite Zhao Chen, looking at his gloomy face and asked, puzzled, "You've been in a bad mood since you came in. Who upset you?"

"I was tricked by a scoundrel!" Upon hearing this, Zhao Chen raised his head in sorrow and anger, sighing deeply. He was almost on the verge of shedding tears of frustration.

"Who?" Cheng Chumo, upon hearing this, immediately slapped his thigh and stood up from his chair, his face full of anger, "Which bastard dared to trick my brother? I'll break his legs!"

"Sit down, sit down, what are you getting so worked up for!" Zhao Chen pointed to the chair with his chopsticks, signaling Cheng Chumo to sit down, and then said irritably, "It's that old rascal Wei Hui. Even Father can't do anything about him. What good does it do to get worked up?"

Cheng Chumo, upon hearing it was Wei Hui, immediately sat down obediently. Wei Hui was originally from the Eastern Palace of the former crown prince. Now that Jiancheng had been executed, Wei Hui's status had become sensitive, like a plague god. Everyone who saw him wanted to stay far away, fearing unnecessary trouble.

"Xiao Chen, how did you get involved with this plague god?" Cheng Chumo blinked and looked at Zhao Chen, not understanding how his brother had suddenly run afoul of Wei Hui, and even been tricked by him.

"Did I provoke him?" At the mention of this, Zhao Chen immediately became sorrowful and angry, throwing down his chopsticks and shouting, "It was that old rascal who jumped out and tricked me for no reason!"

He then recounted the events of the day in the court to Cheng Chumo in detail.

"Forget it, there's no avoiding this trip!" After finishing, Zhao Chen suddenly raised his head and sighed in sorrow and anger, standing up listlessly. He kicked He San's buttocks, urging him to hurry and make the sled.

It was freezing outside, with snow three feet deep on the road. Carriages couldn't move, and riding a horse would likely turn a person into an ice sculpture by the time they reached Lantian.

With a sled, it was different. Lying on the sled, wrapped in two furs, the journey wouldn't be too miserable!

"I'll go with you!" Cheng Chumo stood up quickly, shouting loudly, and rushed to get his winter coat.

"Enough, I'm the one who will suffer, so you stay in the house!" Zhao Chen grabbed Cheng Chumo, shouting in anger. It was already frustrating enough to go hungry and cold alone; if Cheng Chumo came along, both of them suffering together would drive him mad.

"Also, while I'm gone, someone needs to watch the house. And..." Zhao Chen suddenly pulled out several contracts from his chest and handed them to Cheng Chumo, saying, "These are the bets the old guys lost. As soon as I leave, go and collect them. If they try to default, paint their doors with lacquer!"

Zhao Chen felt extremely frustrated just thinking about those old rascals. It was because of their opportunistic behavior that he had been tricked by Wei Hui.

"Alright!" Cheng Chumo, who had already heard about the court events, understood that these old guys were the root cause. He took the contracts and nodded vigorously, saying, "Xiao Chen, go with peace of mind! I'll make sure they don't default on a single coin!"

Zhao Chen, upon hearing Cheng Chumo's grammatically incorrect words, rolled his eyes but didn't bother to argue. The thousands of people in Lantian were eagerly waiting for the imperial envoy. Since he couldn't avoid this trip, it was better to set out early.

He arranged for He San to hurry and make the sled and called for the seamstress from the old Qin family, who had been assigned to the Zhao residence.

In such cold weather, it wasn't enough to just protect the body; hands and head also needed to be well insulated. Handing a sheepskin to the seamstress, Zhao Chen explained the design of the winter hat and leather gloves, then went to the study in the back of the house.

The mobile phone was hidden in a secret compartment in the study. This trip to Lantian was uncertain, and Zhao Chen felt it was safer to carry the phone with him.

An hour later, He San had finished the sled, and the seamstress had made the winter hat and leather gloves. Though they looked a bit ugly, they were warm enough.

Comforting the upset seamstress, Zhao Chen had the sled harnessed, hugged Cheng Chumo tightly, and climbed onto the sled, wrapping himself in two furs. With a shout, the sled headed towards the Mingde Gate.

Wei Hui had arrived at the Mingde Gate early and was now huddled in the gatehouse, constantly looking down the Zhaque Street. Around him were over two hundred soldiers who were also going to Lantian.

"Attendant Wei, it's been almost an hour. Why hasn't the court physician arrived yet?" A soldier in a thick cotton robe walked up to Wei Hui, his eyes also following Wei Hui's gaze down Zhaque Street, and asked impatiently.

"Let's wait a bit longer!" Wei Hui withdrew his gaze, tightened his cotton robe, stomped his already numb feet, and sighed.

To be honest, he actually had a good impression of this young man. When the whole court was at a loss, this young man had solved the problem with a casual remark. Who wouldn't like such a smart child?

Unfortunately, he had a non-negotiable reason to go to Lantian. However, his current status was special. As the chief clerk of the Inner Palace, he couldn't leave Chang'an without the emperor's permission.

In desperation, he had resorted to this underhanded tactic, forcing Zhao Chen to go to Lantian, which in turn provoked Cheng Yaojin to say he would also go to Lantian!

The emperor must have guessed his intentions, or the cavalry wouldn't be part of the group!

"They're here!" Just as he was thinking this, he heard the soldier beside him exclaim.

Wei Hui, upon hearing this, looked down Zhaque Street and saw five fast riders. However, when his gaze fell on the last rider, his eyebrows couldn't help but furrow.

The last rider's horse was empty, but behind it was a strange wooden frame. The frame looked like a cart but wasn't, and it was running fast under the pull of the horse.

"Truly a brilliant young man, always coming up with ingenious ideas that surprise!" Wei Hui, after a moment's thought, understood the purpose of the wooden frame, his eyes brightening, and he couldn't help but admire him.

In a moment, Zhao Chen and his four companions arrived at the Mingde Gate. When the sled stopped, Zhao Chen's head emerged from the thick furs, and he smiled at the frozen Wei Hui, "Attendant Wei, you're here so early!"

Wei Hui, surprised, opened his mouth wide, looking at the completely unrecognizable Zhao Chen, and nodded subconsciously, too shocked to speak.

Zhao Chen was wearing a thick winter hat, a pair of snow goggles on his nose, lying in the sled, wrapped in a spotted tiger skin. If the tiger skin were lifted, a warm stove would be found in his arms.

He was truly armed to the teeth!

"Is Chancellor Changsun not here yet?" Seeing Wei Hui still staring at the tiger skin, Zhao Chen moved his body with difficulty and asked with a smile.

"Do you think Chancellor Changsun will come?" Wei Hui, upon hearing this, moved his gaze from the spotted tiger skin and couldn't help but laugh, looking at Zhao Chen on the sled.

"Did Chancellor Changsun suddenly decide not to come?" Zhao Chen, upon hearing this, looked at Wei Hui in surprise. In the hall, Changsun Wujie had agreed to go to Lantian in front of all the officials, and Li Er had also agreed. It couldn't be that he was standing them up now!

"Zhao Court Physician is also very smart. Why don't you recall what happened in the hall? Did the emperor ever ask Changsun to go to Lantian?" Wei Hui, upon hearing this, smiled again and reminded Zhao Chen.

Zhao Chen, upon hearing this, immediately recalled Li Er's words in the hall. At the time, Changsun Wujie had proposed that the matter should be handled by the Ministry of Revenue, and Li Er had said that Changsun Wujie would be responsible for it!

Responsible! How responsible? Sitting in the Ministry of Revenue, drinking tea, eating snacks, and warming himself by the stove was also being responsible! Running to Lantian County, suffering from hunger and cold, was also being responsible!

Thinking of this, Zhao Chen couldn't help but lower his head in disappointment. How shameless! It turned out that the only ones going to Lantian County to suffer from hunger and cold were Wei Hui and himself, while the others would stay in Chang'an, drinking tea and sleeping comfortably.

"Let's go! Don't call me unless it's necessary!" Zhao Chen sighed in disappointment, instantly burying his head in the tiger skin, his voice muffled.

Wei Hui, upon hearing this, couldn't help but laugh and shake his head, signaled to the captain, and then mounted his horse. The group left the Mingde Gate, heading into the white world outside.