Chapter 202 - Red Lips
Wang Hao, Xiao Zhan, and Hu Jingguo changed their attire after they reached the town which was the second nearest to the Capital. Hu Jingguo gave them the veiled hat after putting makeup on their faces. "Please cover your faces with these," Hu Jingguo said while suppressing his smiles.
They put the hats on their heads, covering their faces, and stood up from their seats. Sheng Li started laughing as he put away their veils. Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan looked at each other, started laughing. Controlling his laughs, Sheng Li asked Hu Jingguo what he was trying to do.
Hu Jingguo had put lipstick on their lips, making them red. He used blush on their cheeks, but the amount used was more, which made them nothing less than jokers.
"I think we could have taken the disguise of old women such as mother and aunt. That would have been better than this," Wang Hao proclaimed and he looked at himself, wearing a high waist skirt. Sheng Li had put his fist near his mouth to suppress his laughter. Xiao Zhan also agreed with Wang Hao.
"I am afraid, but there's a reason for that," Hu Jingguo asserted. "We have become the wives of the Crown Prince because of a reason." Hu Jingguo saw how the Crown Prince was glaring at him when he said that statement.
"We don't have fake IDs of women except for the Crown Princess. If women from other states come into marriage, then it means they need to make a new ID so their IDs aren't checked," Hu Jingguo pronounced. Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan agreed with Hu Jingguo. "Since the merchant Hushu is married recently, no one will doubt our true identities," Hu Jingguo stated.
Hu Jingguo then wore the veiled hat and asked the Crown Prince how he was looking. Sheng Li did not reply and went outside the tent house where Ying Lili was waiting for them.
Wang Hao, Xiao Zhan, and Hu Jingguo came out of the tent house. Sheng Li removed the tent when Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan said that they would help. "It's fine," Sheng Li stated. Ying Lili looked at the three and saw how uncomfortable it was for them in those heavy clothes.
"It is so irritating," Xiao Zhan complained. "I do not know how her highness manages to wear such a heavy dress," Xiao Zhan asserted.
"General Wang will be the first wife, whose pseudonym is Lady Ji Rui; General Xiao is the second wife- Lady Xi Yu; I am the third wife- Lady Hu Jin, and the Crown Princess is the youngest wife," Hu Jingguo stated. Sheng Li had put the tent material inside the horse cart. Wang Hao and Xiao had arranged a horse cart with a coachman in the early morning.
The Crown Prince had listened to Hu Jingguo's conversation. "You three cannot talk since birth," Sheng Li said, looking at his Generals and Hu Jingguo.
"This is wrong. I can talk in a woman's voice but your first two wives cannot talk," asserted Hu Jingguo as he peeked through his veiled hat. Ying Lili smiled as she saw his face.
"Why are your lips so red?" Ying Lili asked Hu Jingguo.
"I thought the Crown Prince likes red lips so I put it like this," Hu Jingguo stated. Sheng Li scowled at him and then looked at Ying Lili. "Tell him to stop bothering me," Sheng Li told Ying Lili who gestured to Hu Jingguo not to stop.
"Get into the cart," Sheng Li told them. They all got into the cart. The coachman started moving the cart, and they left the forested area.
"Your highness, we will soon reach the forests near to the Capital but before that, we need to pass the security check," Wang Hao said, putting the veil from his face. Sheng Li nodded.
"Just don't speak. I will handle that in my own way. They will check our belongings as well. You have hidden the swords and daggers carefully, right?" Sheng Li asked him.
"Yes, your highness. They will not be suspicious," Wang Hao said and looked at Xiao Zhan.
"As soon as we arrive at the Capital, surround the entire forest and kill those assassins. Send a message to Weng Wei from my side then that her end is near," Sheng Li ordered his Generals.
In the late afternoon, they arrived at the First checkpoint to Luoyang. The cart had slowed down. Sheng Li got out of the cart and saw two soldiers coming towards him. One of them asked for the ID card from Sheng Li which he handed to him. The soldier looked at Sheng Li and asked, "Are you shifting to Luoyang?"
"Yes."
"Hey, come here!" Another soldier shouted at Sheng Li who turned and went to him. "Show us the identities of these four women," the soldier said and peered at Ying Lili when Wang Hao stood in front of her.
"They are my wives. I married them recently. We have decided to shift to the Capital. Here is the permit which I received from the Governor of Luoyang," Sheng Li pronounced and took out a permit paper on which Prince Jian Guozhi had put the stamp. Sheng Li heaved a relief as he took the stamp of Jian Guozhi on a blank paper before leaving for the Southern Province.
"So, you married all of them at once?!" the Chief of those soldiers came there. Sheng Li nodded when he felt someone's hand on his arm. He tilted his head and saw Hu Jingguo beside him.
"My husband fell in love with four of us at once, so he married us," Hu Jingguo said as he rested his head on Sheng Li's arm. Sheng Li clenched his fist and closed his eyes because of the anger developing inside him.
"Tell me their names," the Chief said, looking at Sheng Li who nodded and told them their pseudonyms. The Chief had noted then in a register that he was carrying in his hand. He checked the permit once again and told Sheng Li that he should pay some money to them.
"Money?!" Sheng Li queried.
"I am allowing you to enter the Capital so, you shall be thankful to me," the Chief stated.
"Dear husband, give the money to them. It is so hot here," asserted Hu Jingguo. Sheng Li took out a pouch, full of money, from inside his pocket and handed that to the Chief Soldier.
"Let them go," Chief said as he smiled, looking inside the pouch. They all were relieved to hear that. The soldiers went towards the other cart. The chief handed the permit to Sheng Li and moved ahead. Sheng Li pushed away Hu Jingguo and glared at him. They got into the cart and it started moving.
Inside the cart, Sheng Li scolded Hu Jingguo. "Who told you to intervene? Just because you are Lili's friend it does not mean that I will spare you every time," Sheng Li shouted at him.
"I was only helping the Crown Prince," Hu Jingguo replied. Sheng Li averted his gaze and looked outside the window. The carriage had entered the forest, and they were slightly feared if any attack could happen on them. If the assassins were keeping a check on the Security Checkpoint, then they would not suspect them and let go of the cart.
Wang Hao and Xiao Zhan had taken out the swords to be at the safe point. An hour later, the cart came out of the forest safely, which relieved them.
"Your highness, see how my plan worked!" Hu Jingguo asserted. Sheng Li gave a slight smile to him when he felt Ying Lili's head on his shoulder. Tilting his head, he saw Ying Lili had fallen asleep. Hu Jingguo was going to speak further when Sheng Li told him to shut his mouth.
"The Crown Princess is sleeping. She is tired from this journey," Sheng Li asserted as he held Ying Lili's hand. Hu Jingguo and the Generals smiled seeing that. Once again checking was done at the main city entrance of the Capital. Without any suspicion, the cart passed through the entrance and they had entered the Capital.
After some time, the cart was pulled in front of the Palace Gates. "Jingguo, go and show this Royal seal to the gatekeeper," Sheng Li stated as he took out the seal from inside the pocket.
"But, your highness, I cannot go in this dress," Hu Jingguo declared.
"Are you refusing the order of the Crown Prince?" Sheng Li asked.
"No," Hu Jingguo replied. Wang Hao said that he would go but Sheng Li stopped him. "Why? Don't you love to do such deeds? Go and show this seal," Sheng Li said while grinning. Hu Jingguo nodded and took the seal from the hands of Sheng Li. He stepped out of the cart and went towards the gatekeepers who were confused to see a woman coming towards them.
Hu Jingguo in his manly voice said, "The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are here. Open the gates for them." The gatekeeper checked the seal. Suppressing his laughs, he loudly said, "The Crown Prince and the Crown Princess are here. Open the gates." Hu Jingguo took back the seal and went towards the cart. Sheng Li asked for the seal first, which Jingguo handed to him.
Before he could enter the cart, Sheng Li ordered the coachman to drive it, leaving Hu Jingguo behind. Sheng Li smirked at him and waved at him.
"Your highness," Hu Jingguo shouted and ran behind the cart. The gatekeepers started laughing at him while Sheng Li felt happy. "Finally, I got rid of him," Sheng Li murmured.