The First National Preceptor of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 329

Although Princess Jinyang was young, her tender face was full of the authority of a ruler. For a moment, the general of the Anxi Protectorate felt as if he were in the Golden Palace, and he kept shivering. The surrounding deputy generals and soldiers could not bear to watch.

Jin Yang then raised her voice and said cheerfully, "Get out of here! This princess is annoyed just looking at you."

Dongfang Tingyun stood up and went outside the courtyard, where she bumped into the general's wife.

The general's wife was also a bit dim-witted. Seeing that Dongfang Tingyun was standing outside the banquet and did not immediately go in to pay her respects to the princess, she instead came to Dongfang Tingyun's side.

"This must be Master Dongfang from Moxuan Academy."

Dongfang Tingyun immediately helped the person up.

"I am merely a teacher at Moxuan Academy. Madam is the wife of a general. How can I accept such courtesy from you? Please rise, Madam." The general's wife immediately wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and then smiled gently.

“What is there to complain about this time, Princess? Besides, I already heard from my general that the princess ran away by stealth.”

Dongfang Tingyun's expression turned solemn, then he nodded and said, "Madam is intelligent."

The general's wife, however, calmed down.

"Please advise me, Master Dongfang, on what I should prepare and arrange?"

Dongfang Tingyun nodded in relief, and after a moment's thought, said, "We have been traveling by boat and horse without stopping for a moment since we came from Chang'an. We are heading to the west to open an academy to recruit talents for the Tang Dynasty."

The general's wife trembled upon hearing this, and two maids immediately supported her, allowing her to continue listening to Dongfang Tingyun speak.

Dongfang Tingyun only said, "From daily necessities, clothing, food, housing and transportation, including clothing accessories and men's belts, I'm not afraid of being laughed at by you, Madam, this time it's not just me following Master Xu."

Needless to say, the princess is of noble status, and General Li even sent four men to protect Master Xu. I have no right to meddle in such matters.

The general's wife immediately beamed with joy, nodded, and said, "I can only do such trivial things. Chunhua, Qiuyue, and Zishan, go and prepare some clean clothes for the servants! As for the four generals... prepare a dozen or so sets of clothes for the grooms in our courtyard and include them in the luggage. The princess will surely be pleased."

The three people in front of them were the lady's dowry maids.

Zi Shan's lips twitched as she said, "Madam, why not give the old clothes that the general used to these four generals? Wouldn't the grooms' clothes be a bit too simple?"

The general's wife said calmly, "Although I am uncouth, I know a simple truth: if the general is dressed in plain robes and gauze, it would be quite a laughing stock if the soldiers around him were wearing dragon-patterned golden armor."

Zi Shan chuckled and retreated.

Seeing that many people were dancing and spinning around the banquet, making Jin Yang dizzy, he simply waved his hand, and the dancers withdrew, leaving only the musicians.

Jin Yang leaned closer to Xu Tian and asked, "Master Xu, where are we going tomorrow, or are we staying at the Anxi Protectorate?"

Xu Tian chuckled lightly, then said, "The northern protectorate is just south of the Anxi Protectorate. It wouldn't be right for me, the Minister of Military and Political Affairs, to show favoritism here; that would cause problems in the future."

Jin Yang suddenly tilted his head and said, "I wonder if Master Xu likes me more or Sister Tingyun more."

Before Xu Tian could speak, the four shrewish old women behind him stepped forward, one of them blocking Jin Yang's entire view.

"The princess should go back to her room and rest."

Another nanny stepped forward and helped Jinyang up.

"It's already past midnight. If you don't rest soon, your body might not be able to take it."

"But I'm hungry! The food at the Anxi Protectorate is really too coarse. I think Master Xu should be able to cook some food for me himself."