Chapter 1578: Chapter 1585: Zhao Gui’s Determination (1)
Convincing Nangong Yi to agree to let her go to Lingbei was no easy task. Not to mention the three little milk buns who still needed her care, just the precedent of her disappearance last time was reason enough for him to reject all her travel plans. Therefore, this matter couldn’t be rushed; she had to wait for the right opportunity and plan gradually…
Before she could even come up with a strategy, the opportunity suddenly presented itself, as the annual autumn hunt had arrived. The Emperor was set to lead the Empress Dowager, the Eldest Princess Zhao Yue, and other imperial relatives, along with civil and military officials from the court, to the Royal Hunting Ground for three days, as per tradition.
Three days would be enough for Cai Wei to make a trip to Lingbei. So, she claimed that she had to stay behind to take care of the little prince and princess, avoiding travelling with Nangong Yi. Although Nangong Yi was reluctant to leave them, he had no choice but to separate from them. He hesitated for a long time and gave countless instructions before finally parting reluctantly from them as mother and children.
As soon as the man departed, Cai Wei ordered Chun Liu, Xiao Zhi, and the others to pack their things and secretly took the three little milk buns and their nannies back to the Mu Mansion for a visit.
Her plan was simple: leave the children at the Mu Mansion and make a quick trip to Lingbei to collect the glass there before rushing back. Although parting from the babies filled her with reluctance, over a million pieces of glass were already piled up in Lingbei, and several glass shops across multiple prefectures had run out of stock and were urgently calling for her to restock!
Mu Zhongqing and Lady Du were overjoyed when they saw their daughter returning with their grandchildren. They couldn’t contain their excitement as they cuddled their grandson and granddaughter, showering them with affection.
Jin’er, Yu’er, and Bright Pearls, the three little milk buns, were just over four months old, plump and fair-skinned. They had already learned to roll over, and their cuteness was irresistible! Lady Du placed Die’er alongside the three milk buns, and the four little ones played together happily. Their big eyes met their smaller counterparts with curiosity and joy.
Die’er, who could just barely toddle, seemed intent on showing off her newfound skill in front of the smaller milk buns. She wobbled across the kang, her short legs stumbling as she walked, but after only a few steps, her legs tangled together, and she fell with a “thud.” The three milk buns responded with bursts of ‘hee hee hee’ laughter, while Die’er, possibly hurt or embarrassed, closed her eyes, opened her mouth, and started bawling loudly. Her crying sent everyone into fits of laughter…
During dinner, Cai Wei addressed Lady Du and Mu Zhongqing, saying, “Father, Mother, later I’ll head to the hunting ground to accompany the Emperor. Please take care of the children at home during these days!”
Mu Zhongqing quickly replied, “If you’re going, I’ll have a few guards escort you. Or perhaps we could send someone to the palace to bring out the guards for you!”
Cai Wei responded, “No need, I can ride there alone. I want to surprise the Emperor!”
Although Mu Zhongqing and Lady Du didn’t entirely approve of their daughter’s decision, they were aware of her capabilities and felt confident in her. Thus, they agreed.
After dinner, Cai Wei dressed casually and rode out of the mansion. At that moment, she finally understood the emotions of the man earlier in the morning. Her heart had never felt so unyielding, and even before parting, she was already starting to miss her three little milk buns!
Leaving the Mu Mansion, she urged her horse toward the outskirts of the city. On the bustling streets crowded with people coming and going, there were not only those traveling on horseback like her but also others in carriages, on foot, and surprisingly, riding bicycles!
Bicycles were invented by Liu Xi, who ran a bicycle factory specializing in their production. The price of a bicycle varied, ranging from several hundred to thousands of taels depending on the amount of gold, jade, and jewels used in its decoration.
This novel invention created a sensation in the Great Jin Nation. Noble families and the younger generation of aristocrats took pride in owning a bicycle. Everyone scrambled to place orders and pre-book bicycles at Liu Xi’s factory. Workers were incredibly busy, and Liu Xi was raking in profits by the basinful!