The princess regretted it.

Chapter 356 Zhang Hengrui leaves the city

At the same time, in the Grand Tutor's Mansion outside the palace, Zhang Hengrui walked out of his father Zhang Shangshu's study with a serious expression, called his followers and said in a hurried tone: "Go quickly and prepare the horse for me!" After that, he strode towards his room.

A moment later, he reappeared, now dressed in a different outfit. His usual ornate attire, which signaled his status, had been replaced with a simple, understated casual outfit, resembling an ordinary young man in the marketplace. He hurried out of the mansion, his steps hurried, devoid of his usual leisurely demeanor.

At the gate, attendants had already led a sturdy black horse to the gate, saddled and bridle-tied, and anxiously paddling its hooves. Zhang Hengrui reached out to take the reins from the attendant, tapped his toes, and with a swift, steady flip, he was firmly on the horse's back. He clamped his legs against the horse's belly and raised his whip. The horse neighed, its hooves whistling as it galloped out of the city, kicking up a cloud of dust.

On the street nearby, two seemingly ordinary vendors exchanged glances, a subtle tacit understanding flickering between their eyes. One of them nodded slightly, then quietly and stealthily departed, blending into the bustling crowd without alerting anyone, as if he had never been there.

Not long after, on another street, General Mu Zixuan and several young masters rode out of the city gate, chatting and laughing.

Mu Zixuan was wearing a light riding suit. Although the complexion on his face had not fully recovered to its previous state, the slight wheat color made him look more manly and heroic. He casually waved the whip in his hand and joked with the young men around him from time to time. His hearty laughter broke the dullness at the city gate.

Outside the Duke of Huguo's mansion, an ornate carriage slowly pulled up. His Majesty's newly appointed First-Rank Marquis of Zhenbei, Mu En, gently extended his hand to help his wife, Zhong Wenqing, disembark from the carriage.

Mu En had only recently returned to the capital, but the rough marks on his face, etched by years of wind and sand, had faded considerably since his arrival. He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, his beard long shaved, revealing his handsome and heroic features. His brows shone with the resolve and courage of a battlefield general, his eyes deep and piercing, as if able to see through the heart. His well-tailored marquis's robes, their gold embroidery gleaming in the sunlight, accentuated his imposing demeanor. Every gesture exuded both dignity and composure.

He stood there motionless, the composure and confidence of a battlefield. Even amidst the bustling capital, the awe-inspiring air he carried from the frontier remained undimmed, blending with the capital's nobility to create a unique aura. Mu En possessed the boldness of a military commander and the dignity of a marquis, inspiring awe in his followers.

Pedestrians on the street glanced sideways, whispering about the newly promoted First-Rank Marquis of Zhenbei. He simply nodded, his expression impassive, as if he'd long since grown accustomed to such glances. Only when he glanced at his wife, Zhong Wenqing, beside him did his gaze soften, revealing a rare warmth.

When the doorman saw that it was the uncle and aunt who had returned, his eyes widened instantly, his face full of smiles, and he hurriedly turned around to report to the backyard: "Quick, go tell the master and mistress that the uncle and aunt are back home!"

After getting off the carriage, Zhong Wenqing tried to withdraw her hand, but it didn't move. She looked at Mu En with a smile. Mu En's smile deepened. He held his wife's hand, showing no intention of letting go. He led her hand and steadily climbed the steps to the entrance of the Protectorate Mansion. Behind him, the attendants held several exquisite gift boxes, tied with bright silk ribbons. At a glance, they were clearly carefully prepared gifts.

Seeing this, the guards at the door saluted with their postures straight. Mu En raised his hand slightly, indicating that they didn't need to bow.

Just then, a burst of rapid, powerful footsteps echoed from deep within the mansion. Duke Protector Zhong Jing, with his swift, vigorous strides, emerged to greet them. His face was filled with an undisguised smile of joy as he exclaimed, "Sister, brother-in-law, you're finally back! We've been waiting so long for you."

Upon seeing this, Mu En and Zhong Wenqing quickly released their hands, straightened their clothes, bowed respectfully, and said in unison, "Greetings, brother."

"Hey~" The Duke of Huguo frowned slightly and raised his hand to stop their greetings. His tone was filled with intimacy and anger, "We're family, why are you going through so much formality? Come with me in, Father and Mother are eagerly waiting for you."

Amidst the laughter and chatter, they exchanged a few pleasantries before heading back inside the palace. As they reached the winding corridor, the Duke of the Protectorate slightly sidestepped and led them towards the old Duke's study.

Zhong Wenqing tilted his head slightly, with a hint of doubt in his eyes, and asked his brother, the Duke of Huguo, softly, "Brother, is mother also in father's study?"

"Oh, no, mother and your sister-in-law are in mother's yard." The Duke of Protector of the Country replied casually without stopping.

"Then brother, you accompany your husband to see father, and I will go to see mother." Zhong Wenqing stopped and said to the Duke of Protectorate and Mu En with a happy smile on his face.

Mu En nodded slightly, his eyes full of tenderness and understanding, "Okay! I'll go greet my father-in-law first, and then come over to greet my mother-in-law later."

The Duke of Protectorate always doted on his younger sister and did not care about her behavior. After all, his younger sister was used to doing whatever she wanted in her own home.

Zhong Wenqing bowed with a clever smile, then turned lightly and led the maid towards the backyard in small steps.

The Duke of Huguo watched his sister leave, smiled fondly and shook his head, then made a gesture of invitation to Mu En and said enthusiastically: "Brother-in-law, come with me to see father."

Mu En quickly bowed and said humbly and politely, "Brother, please!"

The two of them walked along the winding corridors, through several exquisite courtyards, and soon arrived in front of the study. The door of the study was half-open, and a faint light from inside could be seen.

When the two arrived at the study, the old Duke was already waiting there.

As soon as Mu En entered the study, he immediately bowed respectfully to the old Duke: "My son-in-law pays homage to my father-in-law."

The old Duke smiled and nodded, motioning him to stand up, his eyes looking at him lovingly. The Protector of the Country closed the study door, and the others sat down.

Mu En's expression gradually grew serious, and he got straight to the point. "Father-in-law, brother, to be honest, I came here today to tell you something important. Zhang Hengrui suddenly left the city in a hurry, and his attire was very low-key. After receiving the news, my father analyzed that he might have left the city to make contact with someone over there."

Upon hearing this, the old Duke's expression froze. He sat up straight and asked, "Really? Why would he suddenly leave the city? Did he discover something?"

Mu En frowned slightly, his eyes filled with worry. "It's not clear yet, but Father is worried that if Zhang Hengrui discovers that the private soldiers he's secretly cultivating aren't from the Zhang family, but are being operated by Chuzhou, then Chuzhou will be in great danger. Furthermore, this could very well affect the plans we've carefully planned with the Emperor."