Chapter 562 - Real Self
Xiao Zhan reached Xiandong Village with a group of soldiers. The Village Headman fetched them after his assistant informed him about the same and also made the arrangements for their stay.
Xiao Zhan told the Village Headman that he would come back after giving the Emperor's order to the Fourth Prince. He left on his horse to Nianzu's house, where he was living with his wife and Huo Jin.
Xiao Zhan soon arrived at the house of Nianzu. The people who were going for work stopped upon seeing the General. He hopped down from the horse and went straight inside the house.
Chuntao came out of the kitchen as she heard the galloping of the horse. She was stunned to see the General. She lowered her eyes and bowed deeply.
"Where is the Fourth Prince?" Nianzu asked and looked at the scroll in his hand. The people behind him were shocked to find that the person living in the house was none other than the Fourth Prince of the Empire. They started to whisper among themselves. A few of them left to tell the people about the Fourth Prince.
The soldiers had also come by then and stopped people from coming forward.
The way Xiao Zhan formally addressed her husband assured Chuntao that the Crown Prince had done his work. "General Xiao, he is inside the room. Please wait here," Chuntao said humbly.
Xiao Zhan nodded his head and looked around the house. He wondered where Huo Jin could possibly be gone.
Nianzu quickly came out of the room with Chuntao and descended the two stairs to reach the ground. Xiao Zhan bowed his head and greeted him. "The Emperor has given the order to bring you and your wife safely to Luoyang," Xiao Zhan informed Nianzu, who was glad to hear that.
Xiao Zhan forwarded the Royal Scroll to Nianzu, who opened it and started to read. A smile formed on his lips as Han Wenji had revoked his previous verdict.
"What about the Court Ministers? Did they support the decision of the Imperial Father?" Nianzu asked.
"Yes. They unanimously supported this decision. They also think that the Fourth Prince shall return. Also, everyone is happy to see that the Fourth Prince topped the Civil Services exam," Nianzu asserted. Chuntao looked outside and saw how people had flooded to meet them.
Huo Jin, who had gone to the neighbor's house, returned. He saw the crowd in front of the house and also a few soldiers. Pushing the people away, he came forward and asked one of the soldiers about the commotion.
He saw Xiao Zhan and told the soldier to let him inside. "Stay here! You can not go in," asserted the soldier.
Huo Jin shouted Nianzu's name. Both Nianzu and Xiao Zhan turned to look towards the door from where Huo Jin was waving at them. "Let him in," Xiao Zhan ordered the soldier.
Huo Jin walked in and greeted General Xiao. "So, we are going back. I am so happy," asserted Huo Jin with a smile.
"Yes. We will leave in the evening. Your Highness, the arrangements have been made in the Village Headman's house. We will stay there till the evening and then leave for Luoyang," asserted Xiao Zhan.
"What about the things here?" Chuntao asked.
"The necessary things will be packed and dispatched to the Capital," Xiao Zhan replied.
"Your Highness, the carriage is ready," a soldier informed them. Xiao Zhan looked at Nianzu, who told Xiao Zhan that he would like to stay longer in that house.
It confused Xiao Zhan and Huo Jin. "Pardon me, Your Highness but staying here would only increase your difficulties," Xiao Zhan advised him.
"No. I would like to hear the grievances of people. Since I am here for only a few hours, I shall listen to them," Nianzu stated and looked outside. He found how desperate the people were to meet him.
"General Xiao, you shall take some rest. Come inside. This house is a good place," Nianzu suggested to him.
"The soldiers are tired too, Your Highness. If we stay here then the soldiers need to guard this place well. You are no longer an ordinary person," Xiao Zhan pronounced.
"I have an idea for that as well," Nianzu stated and went outside. He urged the people to calm down. The people got quiet upon the request of the Fourth Prince.
"Forgive me for lying to all of you and hiding my identity. As you all know that I had chosen a simple life, a life of a commoner, and requested the same with my father, who announced his decision on this. I was told not to show my real identity to anyone, and I did so.
However, in the past, my wife was being molested by the previous Village Headman. Because I did not have any authority as a commoner, I could not stop that. But then General Xiao saved us and punished the wrongdoers. That day I decided to go back to my real place, not because I could not bear the life of a commoner. But because I found that for a commoner, it gets difficult to open his or her mouth in front of an upper-classman.
I decided to take the Civil Services Exam and also qualified for this exam with the top rank. This is all I did as a commoner. I want to work for the people of Han. I will leave this village in the evening with my wife and my friend. But before leaving, I want you people to come forward with your grievances. I assure you that I will solve those problems before leaving," Nianzu announced.
"Also, if you can make the resting arrangements for the soldiers of Han, then that would be great. A few of the soldiers are in the house of Village Headman and the soldiers present here cannot rest in this small house mine, so I want the support of you all," Nianzu requested humbly.
"The Fourth Prince does not need to request us. We surely will help the soldiers," one old-aged man among them said and looked at the others, who agreed with him.
"We will prepare the afternoon meals together for everyone and provide our resting place to the great soldiers of Han," asserted a middle-aged man.
"Thank you for this help," Nianzu stated and turned to look at Xiao Zhan, who came to him.
"Why did His Highness do this?" He whispered in Nianzu's ear.
"Because that would be best," Nianzu replied. Huo Jin came forward and took General Xiao to his room. Nianzu, on the other hand, conversed with people for the resting arrangements of the soldiers. After they were done, the groups of two soldiers went to each person's house in the village.
The Royal Inspector and a few other low-rank police officials reached Nianzu's house. The Royal Inspector had received the official order from Jian Guozhi.
"Your Highness, the news about you has spread in the entire village," the Royal Inspector informed him. "Also, I am happy that you are returning to your original identity. I hope His Highness has found his real self," he stated.
Nianzu nodded his head and looked at Chuntao and Huo Jin. They both were conversing with two people regarding the lunch arrangements. "They showed me my real self," he said and smiled.. "I will work for my people and support the Crown Prince as his left-hand man," he affirmed.