Cheng'er was silent for a long time before he spoke: "Brother Song, if I tell the truth, will you hand me over to the bad guys?"

Song Lin and Shen Xu looked at each other. Shen Xu squatted down and said softly, "Don't be afraid, Cheng'er. Brother Song is a constable. We will protect you."

Cheng'er loosened Song Lin's trouser leg, pulled Song Lin's sleeve, frowned and said, "Brother Song, will you really protect me?"

Song Lin responded calmly: "Well, don't be afraid, tell us so we can help you."

Cheng'er sat down on a chair and pulled out a jade pendant from his bosom. He gently stroked it with his tender little hands and began to speak, "My name is Xiao Mingcheng, and I am the thirteenth prince of the current dynasty. My father was obsessed with alchemy and believed the slander of State Master Hua, who deposed my brother, the Crown Prince. Later, the State Master tricked my seventh brother into killing the emperor and usurping the throne. All of my brothers died within the palace walls."

Shen Xu and Song Lin's expressions changed slightly. They only guessed that he might be a royal relative who had escaped from the capital. They didn't expect that the young man in front of them was actually a prince.

"My mother risked her life to help me escape the palace and told me to go to Jiangling Prefecture in the south to seek the protection of my grandfather, General Yang Jie. But before reaching Jiangling Prefecture, the convoy was caught up by assassins sent by Master Hua. All the guards were killed. If Brother Song hadn't saved me, I would have been killed too."

As the young man spoke, he couldn't help but burst into tears. "Yesterday, I heard on the street that my grandfather had been summoned to the capital and had been sentenced to public execution for treason. Now, Imperial Master Hua must have sent people everywhere to look for me. As long as the princes are dead, the entire Haoyue Kingdom will fall into his hands."

He nervously hugged Song Lin's arm and begged, "Brother Song, I've told you the truth, please don't hand me over or drive me away!"