Chapter 157: A Mother's Reproach

On the official post-road outside the west gate of Wu'an City, the sound of horse hooves thundered as a troop of nearly a hundred cavalrymen galloped forward.

After bidding farewell to Chen Xu, Wei Wuji immediately gathered his men and hurried toward Wu'an City.

Concerned for Wei Wuji's safety, Wang Xiu insisted on sending an escort. Unable to sway Wang Xiu's resolve, Wei Wuji had no choice but to comply.

Consequently, Liu Xuanba led seventy or eighty cavalrymen to escort Wei Wuji all the way to the outskirts of Wu'an City.

However, mobilizing a nearly hundred-strong military force, especially near populated areas, was a deeply sensitive taboo.

It easily drew suspicions of staging a coup or rebelling, which kept Wei Wuji on edge.

"Alright, escorting me this far is enough. You should head back immediately!" Slowing his horse down, Wei Wuji said to Liu Xuanba at his side.

At Wei Wuji's signal, the entire troop reduced its speed.

Liu Xuanba let out an awkward laugh before speaking in a low voice, "Young Master, Military Advisor Wang specifically instructed that this subordinate must escort you all the way into Wu'an City before returning."

Hearing this, Wei Wuji could not help rolling his eyes. How could someone capable of holding the rank of a commandant be so utterly lacking compared to someone like Chen Xu?

Did this fellow not realize how much trouble bringing an army right up to the gates of Wu'an City could cause him?

"You listen to Wang Xiu's words, but you choose to ignore the Young Master's commands?" Wei Wuji asked with a flash of annoyance, his hand itching to crack his riding crop again.

"Naturally, the Young Master's orders must also be obeyed!" Liu Xuanba replied with a sheepish grin.

Of course he was not a complete fool; sometimes, displaying loyalty to Wei Wuji through such stubbornness was actually a clever move.

Yet it could also be quite dangerous. When Wei Wuji's grip on his riding crop tightened, Liu Xuanba could not help feeling a bit nervous.

"Then that settles it. Take your men and turn back right now!" Wei Wuji rebuked angrily, then spurred his horse straight toward the west gate.

Left behind in the dust, Liu Xuanba watched his young master ride away, caught in the awkward dilemma of whether to follow or retreat.

"My Lord Liu, you should head back. The Young Master has us to guard him!" After dropping these words, Zheng Dali quickly spurred his mount to catch up, paying no more attention to Liu Xuanba.

Watching Wei Wuji and his guards recede into the distance, Liu Xuanba finally pulled on the reins and halted his horse in place.

"The Young Master has been safely delivered, so we can return!" Once Wei Wuji had almost vanished from sight, Liu Xuanba gave the order to his soldiers.

His mission was accomplished, yet the trials awaiting Wei Wuji were still fraught with danger.

***

Riding into Wu'an City, Wei Wuji and his men headed straight for the inner imperial city, as Consort Dan had already urged him to return several times.

Unlike when they first departed, they were now nine men short.

During that bizarre assassination attempt, those loyal guards had been left behind forever outside Wu'an City.

Fortunately, Wei Wuji handled the aftermath reasonably well. Aside from the official severance compensation from the Bureau of Clan Affairs, he provided substantial additional relief to the families of the fallen guards.

Such an act undoubtedly brought great comfort to the remaining guards, but it also severely depleted Wei Wuji's personal purse. The wealth confiscated from the Gu estate was now virtually exhausted.

Yet Wei Wuji remained unconcerned. Money was meant to be used, after all, and wealth only gained true meaning when it was spent.

Riding through the bustling crowds, Wei Wuji noticed that despite the lingering summer heat and the sweat beading on people's brows, their enthusiasm remained undiminished.

Every conversation centered around a single, shared topic: the Marquis of Wei was returning.

Returning to Wu'an City in the wake of a resounding victory, the Marquis of Wei was naturally a subject of endless fascination for the common folk.

In an instant, praises for the Marquis flooded the streets.

Wherever Wei Wuji went, he could hear the townspeople boasting of the Marquis's martial prowess and eagerly anticipating the sovereign's return.

Through this, Wei Wuji gained a deeper appreciation that the Marquis of Wei genuinely possessed the capability to rule this nation.

If Wei Wuji himself wanted to gather a following, he would have to put in an immense amount of effort. But his dear old father? He did not need to lift a finger, yet his devoted followers outnumbered anyone else's.

Passing slowly through the West City, Wei Wuji entered the inner imperial city. Because the streets here were less congested, he was able to pick up his pace.

Nearly thirty military steeds galloped down the avenue, their thunderous hoofbeats echoing far down the long street.

Before long, imperial guards intercepted them to conduct a routine inspection.

Once cleared, ignoring Zheng Dali's warnings, Wei Wuji continued galloping recklessly through the inner city.

Predictably, he was intercepted again, and the cycle repeated a few more times.

Though it seemed foolish, Wei Wuji had a distinct purpose: he wanted to create a commotion, letting those who wished him dead see that he had returned safe and sound.

"If this can provoke those people into making another move, that would be even better!" Wei Wuji thought to himself, though he had little confidence in this strategy of drawing the snake out of its hole.

After a short while, Wei Wuji finally arrived outside Consort Dan's courtyard, where he could hear her anxious voice from within.

"Sigh... I wonder when Wuji will return. He has been gone for nearly a month!" Consort Dan's voice was laced with deep anxiety as she worried over her prolonged absence.

"Now His Majesty is about to return, yet he is still wandering outside. It's enough to drive someone mad with worry," she muttered incessantly.

Perhaps hearing the hoofbeats outside the gate, Consort Dan abruptly stopped speaking.

Indeed, a mother's love is a child's greatest sanctuary. Wei Wuji's heart swelled with warmth.

Dismounting in a single fluid motion, Wei Wuji strode toward the main gate.

Gesturing to halt the guards who moved to open the door, Wei Wuji stepped forward himself and slowly pushed the panels apart.

Creak!

The gates swung open, connecting the courtyard to the outside world, and Consort Dan's gaze instantly locked onto him.

Wei Wuji also saw Huan'er and Lan'er standing on either side of the courtyard path.

"Mother, your son has returned!" Despite the turbulent emotions churning within his chest, this was the only sentence Wei Wuji managed to utter.

Similarly, though Consort Dan had been complaining moments ago, now that her son was truly back, her grievances vanished without a trace.

"It's good that you're back. These past few days have worried your mother sick!" Consort Dan stared at Wei Wuji for a moment before speaking with a trace of feigned displeasure.

"Hehe..." Wei Wuji let out an awkward chuckle. Being scolded by one's mother was, in truth, a wonderful kind of happiness.

Consort Dan, however, did not see it that way. Seeing Wei Wuji's unserious expression, her face instantly turned stern.

"You're still laughing? You've been gone for so many days without returning. Have your wings grown stiff?" Consort Dan asked "severely." Because Wei Wuji had deliberately kept the matter under wraps, she knew nothing of the assassination attempt against her son.

"Mother, how could that be? Your son was merely commanding troops in the military camp! You must know that if an army is left unattended for too long, it easily falls into chaos," Wei Wuji blurted out, concocting a hasty excuse to brush the matter aside.

Naturally, Consort Dan knew little of military affairs. Though she vaguely sensed that things were not quite that simple, she could find no grounds to refute him.

"In the past couple of days, your father is returning!" Consort Dan said solemnly, knowing this was undoubtedly a matter of utmost importance to Wei Wuji.

"Your son is aware!" Wei Wuji nodded, as this was precisely why he had hurried back.

Consort Dan nodded in approval before continuing slowly, "Over the next two days, you will stay with me and diligently practice your decorum, lest you disrupt the proper rites during the welcoming ceremony!"

Ah? Wei Wuji cried out inwardly. He still had to practice etiquette? It turned out things were not as simple as he had hoped.

Rubbing his rumbling stomach, Wei Wuji sighed inwardly, "But Mother, I'm starving. Can we please prepare a meal and fill my stomach first?"