The Charm of a Powerful Woman Spreads Across the World

Chapter 164

"I'll go back to the General's Mansion. My parents are probably waiting for me." My grandfather told me yesterday that my parents and sister had already come to the capital to wait for me, so I must go back now.

Yu Xuan responded with a disappointed tone, although he hadn't held out much hope to begin with.

"By the way, where's your brother?" Ru Feng looked around but still couldn't see Yu Jue. Instead, she saw the seemingly gentle and honest Crown Prince smiling at her, but there was a chilling feeling about his smile.

As the wind trembled, out of consideration for his status as the Crown Prince, he politely bowed from a distance. The Crown Prince accepted the bow without hesitation and waved his hand in return.

Yu Xuan glanced at the Crown Prince before turning back to reply, "My brother has been ordered by the Emperor to go on business in another region. He won't be back until tomorrow at the earliest. He said he will come back to see you as soon as possible."

Ru Feng also turned her head and glanced at Yu Xuan, who had a sullen face. She was slightly disappointed, but she knew she couldn't force it, so she could only say, "Then I'll go back first. After these things are done, you and Brother Jue must take me to see the capital properly."

Yu Xuan then smiled and patted Ru Feng on the shoulder. Ru Feng smiled and quickly returned to his carriage under Zhou Qian's guidance. At this time, only Zui Yue and Zui Zhu were inside; Yi Han was said to have already gone back.

“So her family is also in the capital. No wonder she came back with me,” Ru Feng said with a smile, taking off his cloak and collapsing wearily onto the soft couch.

Zuiyue quickly poured out a pill and put it into Rufeng's mouth, while Zuizhu brought over a glass of water.

After drinking it, Ru Feng said with a smile, "You guys are so considerate. It's really not human work outside. You have to keep your back straight the whole time, and you walk so slowly." The emperor also seemed a bit scary. Ru Feng remembered that look in his eyes, which was so stern that it was frightening.

Zui Zhu chuckled and said, "Senior brother, you're just being sarcastic. I bet those women outside are crazy about you. You should be happy, not tired."

Upon hearing this, Zuiyue covered her mouth and laughed, "Senior brother has good fortune in women but doesn't know how to enjoy it. Besides, he hasn't completely cleared up the remaining poison, so of course he feels tired."

Ru Feng simply sat softly on the couch. After a while, Nan Shan also came in, and the carriage rumbled and slowly began to move.

Because there were so many people, Ru Feng felt bored, so he slightly lifted the carriage curtain to look at the outside world. Since he had been sleeping in the wild for the past ten days or so, and had not entered any towns even when he saw them, and because he had been marching and fighting on the frontier, this was the first time in more than a year that Ru Feng had seen such a lively scene. Although it did not have the prosperity of some modern big cities, it was still many times more prosperous than Yuezhou City. It was indeed worthy of being called the capital of the emperor!

The carriage traveled for a long time, passing through many streets and markets. Along the way, Ru Feng was even more amazed by what she saw. The capital city was the most prosperous city she had ever seen in ancient times. It seemed that this emperor was really capable.

Through the introductions from Zhou Hou outside the car window, Ru Feng gained a general understanding of Beijing.

The city walls are wide, and the rivers, ponds and canals are crisscrossed. The bridges are of various shapes, exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful carvings. The West Market, East Market and North-South Street are lined with shops, with silks and satins, jewelry and jade, and weaving, ironwork and glassmaking shops can be seen everywhere.

All of this caused Zuiyue and Zuizhu to exclaim in surprise, and Nanshan's face also showed amazement.

Ru Feng smiled slightly. Everyone here is a country bumpkin who used to live in the mountains. They've never seen such a prosperous city before. Zui Zhu was the most surprised. She and Nan Shan were the last to come down the mountain. They had almost always lived in a harsh and cold place, so when they saw such a thriving scene for the first time, they couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.

Ru Feng lifted the curtain again and continued looking around. He was bored anyway, so he might as well learn about the place. He didn't know how long he would be able to stay in the capital.

Looking around, most of the houses here were three or four stories high, a testament to the wealth of the capital. The streets were bustling with traffic, and one could see people dressed in clothing from different countries; Zhou Hou said they were merchants from the other three kingdoms. In a fleeting glance, Ru Feng even spotted one or two blue-eyed people, which reminded him of Mu Wenchen, whose eyes almost turned blue when he was angry or emotionally agitated.

Moreover, Ru Feng also noticed that the greening work in the capital city was quite good. Tall trees were planted on both sides of the streets, and low shrubs were used to separate the central areas. There were multiple wide streets, clearly distinguishing between them, so although there were many vehicles, there was no congestion.

At this moment, the Vermilion Bird Avenue was bustling with carriages. The carriages were decorated with intricate carvings, and the windows were draped with gauze. Occasionally, one could hear the delicate laughter of women, and the air was filled with the fragrance of perfume. There were maids riding horses beside the carriages, who were probably some pampered ladies.

Zhou Qian walked over and whispered, "Young Master, we're almost at the General's Mansion."

Ru Feng responded, noting that the noise had subsided considerably, presumably because they had entered the officials' residences. It was said that this area was inhabited by officials or wealthy merchants, hence the relative quiet compared to the bustling city center.

Although the Yuchi family resided in Yuezhou City year-round, they also possessed a general's mansion there. Unlike other general's mansions, the Yuchi family's mansion was not only bestowed by the emperor several generations ago, boasting a long history, but it was also the only one directly marked as a "general's mansion." In the capital, whenever "general's mansion" was mentioned, everyone knew it referred to the Yuchi family's mansion, while other general's mansions wouldn't directly display the words "general's mansion" on their plaques; they would simply refer to it as "so-and-so's mansion."

This shows the favor and honor the Yuchi family received, their past glory, and their current prominence.

But Ru Feng's heart sank. Alas, if her true identity as a woman were revealed, how disappointed her grandfather would be!

Under the protection of several personal guards, including Zhou Qian and Zhou Hou, Ru Feng and his companions rode in a carriage for what seemed like an eternity, turning through countless streets and roads before finally coming to a stop.

As the wind gently lifted the carriage curtain, one could see two vermilion gates before them, studded with gleaming bronze nails. Above the main gate hung a golden plaque bearing three powerful characters: "General's Mansion." Beside the gate stood two stone lions, their necks adorned with round, gleaming pendants.

The two vermilion doors slowly opened, and the people inside came forward to greet them. Upon closer inspection, Ru Feng realized that they were his parents and sister!

Zhou Qian lifted the carriage curtain and said, "Young master, please alight from the carriage!"

Ru Feng thanked them and quickly got out of the car, trying not to sway. Lin Yilan and Yu Chisong rushed over, both looking excited. Lin Yilan hugged Ru Feng tightly without hesitation, tears streaming down her face. Ru Xue stood to the side, tears streaming down her face, but her expression was joyful.

"Waaah... My poor Rufeng, your mother has finally been waiting for you to come back."

Ru Feng hugged Lin Yilan, who was a head shorter than him, and said with a smile, "Mother, don't worry, I'm back without missing an arm or a leg." As he spoke, he winked playfully at Ru Xue, making Ru Xue both laugh and cry.

Yu Chisong, who was standing nearby, quickly asked, "Didn't Father say you were injured? How are you now?"

Ru Feng shook his head and smiled, "Don't worry, it's all better now. You can ask Zui Yue if you don't believe me."

A single sentence dragged Zuiyue into the fray, leaving her no choice but to respond to Yuchi Song's "interrogation" with a wry smile.

While they were catching up warmly, a middle-aged man who looked to be no more than forty years old came up to them. He looked like the steward of the Yuchi family in Yuezhou City. Ru Feng knew that he was the steward here, as her parents had mentioned him before. He said, "Young master, young mistress, young master, young lady, distinguished guests, let's go inside and chat."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yilan quickly released Rufeng and said, "Yes, yes, Rufeng must be tired now and should rest. We can talk in detail after Rufeng has rested." Seeing that Rufeng was smiling but her face was pale and tired, she felt sorry for her daughter and quickly chimed in.

Upon hearing this, Ru Feng breathed a sigh of relief. What she wanted most now was to take a hot bath and get a good night's sleep, as she hadn't been able to rest well in the carriage these past few days.

As they spoke, Ru Feng and his companions entered the gate of the General's Mansion, surrounded by a group of people, with maids and servants following behind them.

The General's Mansion belonged to a powerful and aristocratic family. Unlike the mansions in Yuezhou City, this one was bestowed by the emperor. Therefore, throughout the mansion, one could see carved beams and painted rafters, artificial hills and flowing water, exuding both opulence and nobility, reflecting the owner's exceptional taste. The main hall was extremely spacious, with its doors wide open. The maids and servants all withdrew, leaving only the steward to accompany them into the main hall.

Upon seeing the tables and chairs in the main hall, Ru Feng said, "Father and Mother, I'm going back to my room to rest. Where is my room? Also, my junior brothers and sisters' rooms should be close to mine."

The butler smiled and said, "Young Master, don't worry, everything has been arranged."

So they went their separate ways.

Led by the butler, Ru Feng arrived at her small courtyard. There, she saw a cluster of lush bamboo in front of the door, exuding a cool and refreshing atmosphere. The courtyard was planted with seasonal bonsai, a main house, and two side rooms. The study was built on the artificial hill behind the house, where a tall banyan tree with intertwined branches and lush leaves provided shade from the sun. The wind rustled through the branches, bringing a gentle coolness. It was a very quiet place, perfect for reading.

Ru Feng smiled happily. It seemed that this was his father's idea. He still didn't want to wield swords and spears anymore, so he created this place suitable for studying.

I imagine my days in Beijing will be quite exciting.