dognovel Chapter 301 What is the use of the two baskets of stones?
Chapter 301 What is the use of the two baskets of stones?
Long Chuqing was puzzled as to why the bandits did not choose to escape on the way back to the capital, but instead went through the trouble of escaping after being imprisoned.
Perhaps we'll get the answer after Xiao Yue interrogates him!
Long Chuqing did not ask Xiao Yue about the bandits' prison break. After all, these were matters for the government, and the pursuit was likely being carried out in secret. As an outsider, she didn't need to know so many details.
The fact that so many bandits escaped from prison overnight must have had a significant impact on the government office. Its reputation and prestige, as well as its management practices, would be criticized and questioned, and it would inevitably face accountability.
Many things must have happened during this time, and there may have been injuries or deaths among the prison guards.
I just don't know how many people escaped. Are these eight the entire group?
Have all the other escapees been apprehended and brought back?
No wonder there were several more guards when we left the city, and the search was much stricter.
Lan Feng had already commanded his troops to tie up all eight bandits and take them away.
Long Chuqing and the others also left the shore and walked forward.
When they reached the intersection, Xiao Yue asked, "Miss Long, you've done the government a great favor by capturing the bandits this time. I'll report your merits when we get back, and then..."
"Stop, stop, stop..." Before Xiao Yue could finish speaking, Long Chuqing interrupted him.
"Forget about any awards or commendations. You'd better not mention me. I don't want to get involved in this. I was just trying to save myself. It doesn't count as helping you."
Xiao Yue was initially puzzled, but he quickly figured out the reason.
He smiled gently and said, "Alright! Since Miss Long doesn't want to take the credit, I won't force you."
"Are you planning to return to the city? If so, we can travel together."
"Excuse me, I still need to go to the herbal medicine shop! My purpose in coming to the dock is not to take a cruise, but mainly to buy some things at the herbal medicine shop. Your Highness has important matters to attend to, so why don't you go ahead and do your work? I won't disturb you any longer."
Seeing that his brows were not as relaxed as usual, Long Chuqing guessed that the prison break must have had a significant impact, and it was not advisable to delay his business at this time.
He was indeed going to return to the city with the group escorting the bandits; this time, he couldn't let them escape again.
Xiao Yue nodded: "Yes, it's windy at the dock. Miss Long, you should head back to the city as soon as you've bought what you need!"
"Okay, let's go first."
Long Chuqing waved goodbye to Xiao Yue and walked towards the side streets with Ziguang and Uncle Chen.
Watching Long Chuqing's departing figure, Xiao Yue turned back to look at the small boat on the river, and many thoughts arose in his heart.
If he had no mission today, if it were just an ordinary afternoon, could he go boating with Miss Long?
If he invites Miss Long to go boating with him, will she... agree?
can you?
He sighed deeply, then strode forward.
Following the address given by Doctor Yuan, Long Chuqing found the shop of Boss Hu, the herbal medicine merchant.
Outside the shop, there were many large and small bags of medicinal herbs. She picked up a handful of astragalus from a burlap sack. Judging from its color and smell, it was of excellent quality and should have been recently harvested.
A shop assistant approached her, "Miss, are you here to buy medicinal herbs?"
He noticed the astragalus in Long Chuqing's hand and began to introduce it: "Miss, this batch of astragalus you see was just delivered yesterday, and its quality and appearance are excellent."
Long Chuqing put the astragalus back into the sack and patted the ashes off his hands: "It's really good. Let me take a look at the others."
"Okay, let me tell you what you need."
Long Chuqing casually looked at a few more medicinal herbs, all of which were of good quality. However, her main purpose this time was to buy saltpeter.
After asking the shop assistant, it turned out that the herbal medicine shop happened to have a batch of saltpeter, the quantity of which met Long Chuqing's needs.
After agreeing on a price with Mr. Hu, I bought it and also purchased some sulfur from his shop.
Boss Hu instructed a shop assistant to use a handcart to help Long Chuqing transport the saltpeter to where the carriage was parked.
It was almost dusk when they returned to the Prince's Mansion, and the sky was already darkening.
The guards helped Long Chuqing carry the saltpeter back to Qiushui Pavilion, filling two large baskets.
Xiao Han returned from the Grand Princess's residence after Shenshi (3-5 PM), half an hour earlier than Long Chuqing.
Upon learning that Long Chuqing had returned, Xiao Han went to Qiushui Pavilion and saw her sitting in the courtyard fiddling with something.
"Chu Qing, is this what you bought while shopping today?"
"Yes! It wasn't easy! It was transported back from the dock."
"You even went to the docks? No wonder you're back so late." Looking at the two baskets of saltpeter, Xiao Han asked with some confusion, "But what's the use of these two baskets of stones?"
Long Chuqing put down the saltpeter in her hand, thought for a moment, and said, "It's a secret... I'll give you a surprise later."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Han's eyes instantly brightened.
Good heavens... He must have heard right! Chu Qing actually said she was going to give him a surprise.
What could it be?
What can stones do?
engraving?
To assemble it into a decorative piece?
Never mind, if Chu Qing said it was a surprise, then it must be something special.
Happy, looking forward to it...
Xiao Han smiled and said, "Okay, I look forward to your surprise."
“By the way,” Long Chuqing asked, “what brings you here to see me?”
Xiao Han walked to the stone bench next to Long Chuqing and sat down.
"I'm going to the military camp tomorrow and may stay there for a few days. I came to let you know that while I'm away, please don't go off to do anything dangerous on your own."
Long Chuqing scoffed: "What dangerous things could I possibly do? Don't worry, I won't be leaving the manor for the next few days unless there's something urgent."
"Look," Long Chuqing pointed to the two baskets of saltpeter, "I need to process this saltpeter, so I probably won't have time to go out and play."
"Then I'm relieved. If you need anything, just go to Manager Zhong. If you get bored, you can have Ziguang accompany you for a stroll in the streets."
This... it feels like he's giving instructions to a child.
After a three-second silence, Long Chuqing nodded in agreement: "Okay."
"By the way, Chu Qing, I just instructed Steward Zhong to prepare dinner. Would you like to dine with me later?"
"Alright! But didn't you go to a birthday banquet today? Didn't you eat enough?"
Xiao Han shook his head, "The banquet was just a formality; I didn't eat much."
"Isn't this a loss?!" Long Chuqing said, "Since the gifts have already been given out, we should at least eat some of the gifts back!"
Xiao Han smiled: "Then next time there's a banquet, I'll take you with me, and you can eat your way back for me."
During dinner, Long Chuqing told Xiao Han about her encounter with Xiao Yue at the dock that day and the hijacking of the passenger ship by bandits.
He knew about the bandits' escape from prison. The bandits broke out in the middle of the night the day before yesterday, and his third brother had reported this to their father, the emperor, during the morning court session.
The reason why Third Brother did not attend the birthday banquet today is because he was searching for these escaped bandits.
Unexpectedly, Chu Qing ran into them at the dock and became their hostage.
Fortunately, she was not injured, all the hostages were safe and sound, and she even helped Third Brother capture all the bandits.
This is a great achievement!
Go boating? We can take Chu Qing out for a nice trip next time the weather is nice.
Xiao Han placed a piece of braised pork with alternating layers of fat and lean meat into Long Chuqing's bowl.
"Chu Qing, eat more."
"Yes, you should eat too!"