"Pack Zhouzhou's cloak and his favorite pastries. We can't let him get cold or hungry."
The Marchioness of Anping was directing the household servants as they loaded everything Xie Huizhou might need into the carriage. It was piled so high that anyone who didn't know better would have thought he was going away for three to five years.
"Bring out the Heavenly Steed Yuan'er brought back from the border for you last year. Our Zhouzhou deserves the best. If they dare bully you, come home and tell your father and me. I'll tear them apart!"
The people at the Spring Hunt were experts at fawning over the powerful and trampling the weak, so the Marchioness of Anping had to prepare in advance.
"When a son travels far from home, his mother has to make preparations for him."
She had already arranged to play mahjong with the Minister of Works' wife in the south of the city. Since she wouldn't be there to keep an eye on him, she had to prepare for every eventuality.
Looking at the mountain of things in the carriage, Xie Huizhou broke into a sweat. "Mother, I'm only going out for a day, and I'll still be near Capital City. I'm not traveling far."
He had simply spent too long cooped up at home and wanted to get out for a stroll, while sneaking off to find the Imperial Preceptor, Zhang Lanhe, along the way.
He was a grown man. He wasn't going to get lost.
Surely he wouldn't be so enchanted that he would willingly follow someone just because they crooked a finger at him?
"My son, you don't know how treacherous people can be. With a face as handsome as yours, you must be wary of sweet-talkers. They're the best at deceiving people. Be