The carriage and horse continued to move forward and entered the city of Xuzhou. After that, he turned left and right for half an hour, and finally stopped.

He Jiuxiao lifted the curtain outside and said to Xu Jizhong in the car: "Young prince, we are here, please get out of the car." ”

Xu Jizhong pulled Xu Pu out of the car.

By this time, it was already dark. Xu Jizhong looked to the side of the road and saw that he was standing outside the door of an inn, with a few red lanterns at the door of the inn, and four brocade guards in fishtail suits standing guard on both sides of the door. Seeing He Jiuxiao and the others, he hurriedly bowed and saluted.

He Jiuxiao waved his hand and said, "You go and report to the commander-in-chief, and say that the young prince has been invited." ”

One of them arched his hand and said: "Go back to the town to Fu Envoy, the commander-in-chief has already ordered, please go to the young prince and go inside to meet you, no need to report." ”

"In that case, young prince, let's go. He Jiuxiao said and stepped into the inn, Xu Jizhong followed behind, and Yuan Zhengqian and others followed.

Passing through the hall of the inn, I came to a courtyard behind, and there were also two brocade guards in the courtyard, standing guard at the door.

He Jiuxiao said: "As soon as you report it, you will say that the young prince has arrived." ”

Jin Yiwei said: "Please come in." The commander-in-chief commanded, and there was no need to report it. ”

He Jiuxiao nodded, and took Xu Jizhong and others to push the door into the house.

There were also two brocade guards guarding the outhouse, and He Jiuxiao came to the door of the inner room and said in a deep voice: "Lord Qiqi, the commander-in-chief envoy, the young prince has been invited." ”

I heard someone inside answer: "Hurry up and invite the young prince to come in." ”

He Jiuxiao responded, turned his head to Xu Jizhong and said, "Young prince, please come in." ”

Xu Jizhong didn't give in, pushed the door and walked into the inner room, and He Jiuxiao followed in, but Yuan Zhengqian and the others did not dare to enter the house.

There are two people sitting in the room, one is sitting in the main seat, wearing a python robe, a jade belt around his waist, a fine eagle eye, and a swallowtail and black beard. This person Xu Jizhong recognized that it was Han Jinhu, the concubine, and the commander-in-chief of Jinyiwei.

Another person sat on his side. The man was in his early forties, dressed as a commoner, with a square face, a straight nose and a wide mouth, three short beards, and a pair of sparkling eyes. Xu Jizhong didn't know him.

When Han Jinhu saw Xu Jizhong coming in, he immediately stood up, took two steps forward, and arched his hand: "Young prince, I haven't seen you for many days, don't come unharmed?"

Xu Jizhong also arched his hand and said, "There is a worry about the master of the horse." ”

He Jiuxiao knelt down on one knee and saluted Han Jinhu: "See the commander-in-chief." ”

Han Jinhu didn't look at him, only waved his hand, motioned for him to get up, and then said to Xu Jizhong: "Young Prince, please take a seat." ”

Xu Jizhong pulled Xu Pu and sat down on the side, but He Jiuxiao didn't dare to sit and stood on one side.

Han Jinhu sat down in his seat and said to Xu Jizhong: "More than ten days ago, the old prince died of a sudden illness, and the young prince was nowhere to be found. Because of this incident, the emperor was deeply worried and specially ordered Han to find out the whereabouts of the young prince. Now that the young prince is safe and sound, the emperor can finally rest assured. ”

Xu Jizhong said: If the emperor hadn't killed his father and wanted to hunt down and kill our family, we wouldn't have fled overnight. Naturally, he couldn't say this, so he asked bluntly: "There is a labor horse master to bother." What is the purpose of the master looking for Xu? Please make it clear. ”

Han Jinhu smiled and said: "The young prince doesn't have to be careful, long live the young prince is just worried about the safety of the young prince's family, lest the young prince be harmed by the wicked, or be bewitched by others and used by others." ”

"Why did the horse master say this?"

Han Jinhu said: "The young prince has been away from Beijing for many days, and he must have heard of it. Some people in the rivers and lakes maliciously spread rumors: that Zhang Wuji was forced by His Majesty to leave the Ming Sect at the beginning; they also said that His Majesty gave Hu Weiyong and Lan Yu to death, but in fact it was to eliminate the old Ming Sect forces; and some people said that the death of the old prince was really caused by His Majesty. What's more, some people even use this nonsense as a basis to recruit troops and buy horses everywhere in order to do things that are rebellious. His Majesty is worried that the young prince does not know the truth, is bewitched by people and bandits, and goes astray. ”

Xu Jizhong was indignant in his heart, when Zhu Yuanzhang poisoned the King of Zhongshan with White Horse Khan, he was on the spot, and Zhu Yuanzhang, who was the party concerned, flatly denied that there was such a brazen person in the world, but this person was still the emperor of the Ninth Five-Year Plan.

But at this time, he was in prison, and life and death were all in the hands of the other party, so he naturally didn't dare to attack. So he held back his anger and said to Han Jinhu: "Master Ma is too worried, Jizhong is loyal to His Majesty, and he doesn't dare to have two hearts." For those nonsense in the rivers and lakes, Jizhong never believed it. ”

"In that case, may I ask the young prince, why did you leave Beijing late at night with your family?"

Xu Jizhong was stunned for a moment, and said secretly: Leaving Beijing late at night was ordered by his father to avoid the pursuit of Jinyiwei, but naturally he can't say that. But how to explain it so as not to make the other party suspicious, but I can't think of it for a while. was stunned on the spot for a while.

Han Jinhu saw Xu Jizhong's flustered expression, and asked, "What is the young prince leaving Beijing late at night?"

Xu Pu on the side suddenly said: "We left Beijing late at night to go to Beiping to find my aunt." ”

Xu Pu suddenly spoke, Xu Jizhong was startled, and he was afraid that his words would be inappropriate and lead to an incident, so he reprimanded: "When adults speak, children can't interject." ”

Xu Pu listened to his father's reprimand and lowered his head.

Han Jinhu smiled slightly and asked Xu Jizhong, "Is that really the case?"

Frightened by Xu Puyi, Xu Jizhong suddenly blessed his soul and came up with a countermeasure: "Our family left Beijing late at night, one was to go to Beiping to report the funeral to my sister, and the other was also because of my father's illness. My father died of back gangrene. Before his father passed away, the doctor warned Xu that those who died of this disease would decompose very quickly, and even in the winter moon, it would only be five or seven days. Therefore, once a person dies, it must be buried as soon as possible. My father also instructed that after he died, he must return to his roots and be sent back to his hometown for burial. Fengyang is three or five days away from Beijing, to say the least, in order to prevent the body from decomposing, Xu decided to take his father's body, leave Beijing overnight, and send it back to Fengyang for burial. Then go to Peking and report the funeral to my sister. ”

Han Jinhu nodded, and asked again: "I see, but Han is too careful." Since the young prince is loyal to the emperor, he naturally does not dare to disobey His Majesty's will?"

Xu Jizhong was stunned: "The emperor has a holy decree for me?"

Han Jinhu nodded solemnly and said, "At this time, the stakes are very high, if it is known by outsiders, I am afraid that there will be chaos, for the sake of secrecy, Your Majesty ordered me to pass on a message to you." ”

Xu Jizhong listened, and hurriedly took his son to his knees.

Han Jinhu walked over, picked him up, and said, "There are no outsiders here, so the young prince doesn't need to be polite." ”

Xu Jizhong said: "The emperor's edict is also made clear by Han Yuma. ”