Wasn't he supposed to be beaten to death? Why did this powerful cousin love him so much?

Before the boat entered the Yangzhou dock, local officials had already prepared by splashing water on the streets and clearing away all civilian boats from the waterway.

Once the canal boats were anchored, the shore was lined with a dense crowd of Yangzhou officials.

There were salt transport commissioners and salt inspectors from Lianghuai, as well as the prefect of Yangzhou, along with his subordinate officials, the magistrate of Jiangdu, river inspectors, and garrison officers. The common people were kept at a distance in the streets and alleys by soldiers, and were not allowed to approach and make noise or spy.

"So many people?" Jiang Sese glanced at them, then turned in surprise to Xie Jue, who was adjusting his cuffs behind him. "How long have these people been standing in the sun? I hope they don't get heatstroke."

Xie Jue reached out and adjusted the brim of her veiled hat for her: "The dock has prepared tea and people take turns. It's not the height of summer, so how could you get heatstroke? We'll stay at the Xie family's old house tonight, and you can go wherever you want tomorrow."

The guards on the ship first went ashore to patrol the area. After confirming that the surroundings were safe and there were no unauthorized persons, Xie Jue and Jiang Sese went ashore together. All the civil and military officials along the shore bowed in salute.

"Welcome, Princess Chenjia! Welcome, Lord Xie!"

Jiang Sese was wearing a veiled hat.

The officials on the shore kept their heads bowed quietly, not daring to even steal a glance at the princess's skirt.

Jiang Sese followed Xie Jue, but saw Xie Jue's gaze suddenly fall on a certain spot in the front row, his eyes becoming cold and deep.

Jiang Sese followed his gaze and saw that there was an extra person at the very front of the officials' procession.

The man was dressed in the robes of a prince, holding a folding fan in his hand. He had a fair complexion and a slight smile on his face.

The man stood at the very front of all the officials, looking up slightly at them. His gaze lingered on Jiang Sese for a moment before shifting to Xie Jue.

Jiang Sese couldn't help but whisper, "Who was that person?"

It feels like unlocking a new character.

Xie Jue: "Chen Jingang is a collateral branch of the Yangzhou princely family, and a hereditary prince."

Jiang Sese responded with an "oh".

Have not heard.

Without Xie Jue needing to say more, she could already sense something unsettling beneath that man's smile.

At this moment, Chen Jingang stepped forward, a friendly smile on his face, his voice deliberately gentle: "My sister, you must be tired from your long journey, thank you, sir. It's been a long time!"

Chen Jingang cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Xie Jue, but his eyes were fixed on Jiang Sese, who was wearing a veil.

Through the white veil of the veil, only a small section of her fair chin could be vaguely seen peeking out from under the curtain, its curve as exquisite as a fine brushstroke.

He had long heard from people in the capital that this Princess Chenjia was exceptionally beautiful, and His Majesty had bestowed upon her the title of "Chen" as an exception. Xie Jue even dismissed his personal maid, whom he had used for more than ten years, in order to marry her.

Today, although I couldn't see her full face through the gauze curtain, her figure and aura alone were beyond the reach of ordinary beauties.

Xie Jue's tone was flat and emotionless: "Prince Duankang, thank you for coming all this way to greet me."

Under her veil, Jiang Sese, following proper etiquette, gave a slight curtsy towards Chen Jingang, her voice coming through the veil: "Greetings, Your Highness."

Seeing Xie Jue's lukewarm reaction and Jiang Sese's unapproachable demeanor through the veil, Chen Jingang's smile stiffened slightly. He then continued, "I heard that my sister has returned to Yangzhou to pay respects at her ancestors' graves, so I came to welcome her. Yangzhou is near my fiefdom; if my sister has any needs, or wishes to travel and relax, please feel free to give the order, and I will certainly..."

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness." Xie Jue interrupted Chen Jingang's eagerness directly, "My wife and I are here on private business to pay respects to our adoptive parents and to fulfill our longing for them. We do not wish to disturb the local area, and we would not dare to trouble Your Highness."

After speaking, Xie Jue turned his gaze to the Prefect of Yangzhou and the others: "As I just said, this trip is for private business, so all official formalities are unnecessary. Gentlemen, please return to your offices to attend to your business. Your Highness, please also return to your residence to rest."

Xie Jue specifically named Chen Jingang, which was tantamount to issuing a direct order to leave.

Chen Jingang's expression instantly turned somewhat unpleasant.

As a prince, he was already showing him great respect by coming to greet him in person, yet Xie Jue dared to be so disrespectful!

Face is a matter of mutual respect, and in the past, Xie Jue wouldn't have humiliated Chen Jingang like this. However, Chen Jingang's smug expression was truly unpleasant to behold.

But Chen Jingang didn't dare to show his anger in front of Xie Jue.

Chen Jingang could only force a smile and said, "I've long heard that Lord Xie is considerate of his subordinates, and now I see that his reputation is well-deserved. I won't disturb you and my sister any longer."

The order of the welcoming procession was clearly defined: Xie Jue was in front, accompanied by an official sedan chair and guards clearing the way, followed closely by Jiang Sese in a princess's phoenix sedan chair, with a group of maids surrounding the chair to block the view of outsiders.

Once Xie Jue and his party had gone far away, Chen Jingang put away his folding fan, a hint of annoyance flashing in his narrow eyes.

A trusted aide leaned closer and whispered, "Master, should we...?"

Chen Jingang shook his head and said, "No rush, let's talk about it after Xie Jue leaves."

The messy debt of the canal construction fee hasn't been settled yet, so provoking Xie Jue at this time would be tantamount to courting death.

Chen Jingang turned and walked towards his sedan chair. The suppressed interest in Jiang Sese in his heart was like the water of a canal, seemingly calm on the surface, but the undercurrents beneath were growing stronger.

The sedan chair slowly made its way from the dock along the bluestone path to the Xie family's old residence, with thick gauze curtains covering all sides.

As Jiang Sese sat in the sedan chair, her mind was still on the piercing gaze she had received at the dock.

The feeling of being peered at through the gap in the curtain made her very uncomfortable, like a slippery snake crawling across the back of her foot.

Jiang Sese thought for a moment, then shifted her body to the left and leaned towards the left side of the sedan chair curtain, asking, "Fuyun, do you know anything about that Prince Chen Jingang at the dock just now?"

Upon hearing this, Fu Yun's body tensed up almost imperceptibly for a moment.

Fu Yun glanced down at Jiang Sese, a hint of hesitation and difficulty flashing in her eyes. The past of the Qianlin Guard had revealed many secrets to her, and Chen Jingang was no exception.

But, can I really tell those things to the young mistress?

Fuyun hesitated.

Jiang Sese saw her concerns and said, "Okay, Fuyun, just tell me. I feel like that person... is a bit strange, and I'm not at ease with him. If you tell me, I'll have some peace of mind."

Jiang Sese's eyes were clear, filled with trust and reliance.

Fu Yun also recalled Chen Jingang's undisguised scrutiny at the dock earlier, and her initial reservations were finally suppressed by her concern for Jiang Sese.

Fu Yun lowered her voice, making sure only Jiang Sese in the sedan chair could hear: "This Prince Duankang has a terrible reputation among the imperial clan. The old files of the Qianlin Guard contain many records about his... private conduct."

Jiang Sese immediately became excited, looking at Fuyun with a gossipy expression: "Private morality?" Quick, quick, I want to know more!