Chapter 19: No one can restrain this king

On a spring day in March, the carriage was moving very fast on the forest road, heading all the way to the city.

Inside the car, Aunt Zheng Luo held Luo Qingling's hand, her eyes red as she carefully observed her niece. Then, she turned her face to the side, trying to hold back the tears that were welling up in her eyes. Unable to bear it, she said, "Qingqing rushed to the capital, and before she could rest, something like this happened... It's Aunt who has implicated you."

"Aunt, what nonsense are you talking about?" Luo Qingling hugged her and whispered in her ear, "Aunt, you must be terrified when you see the monster. It's Qingqing who came a step too late and failed to protect you. I hope you won't blame me."

Recently, upon hearing that the demon had vanished, the ladies who had been transformed into human figurines after the demon had sucked their fetuses away at Xiangshan Temple were restored to their original forms. However, since Young Prince Qin Yanheng hadn't given the green light, everyone could only wait in the temple. Fortunately, the demon and the true culprit had been apprehended, and Qin Yanheng issued an order to release them overnight. Luo Qingling then rushed to Xiangshan Temple to take her aunt back home.

As for Luo Qingling and Qin Yanheng, due to the unresolved bond over the Golden Dragon Sword, they still couldn't be more than ten miles apart. So today...

"Qingqing, your aunt has something to ask you." Zheng Luo gently lifted the carriage curtain and glanced at the young man sitting on a tall horse slowly following them. She whispered in Luo Qingling's ear, "What is your current relationship with Prince Rong'an?"

How could she have heard that the two of them had been inseparable for the past half month? Regardless of what Prince Rong'an thought of Qingqing, as a young lady, Qingqing could not be so casual.

"Aunt," Luo Qingling shook Zheng Luo's hand with both hands, her face serious, "Qingqing only followed Prince Rong An to solve the case because she was anxious to save you. Now that your aunt has returned home safely, Qingqing will naturally no longer have anything to do with that man."

"Then why did Prince Rong An come with you to pick up my aunt today?" Zheng Luoshi looked incredulous. "Don't try to fool my aunt!"

How should she explain to her aunt that she and Qin Yanheng could not be too far apart only because of a sword, and it took half a day to walk from Xiangshan Temple to the capital. If Qin Yanheng did not come with her, she was afraid that she would not be able to come to Xiangshan Temple.

Luo Qingling's hesitant expression caught Zheng Luoshi's eye, but it didn't mean what she meant. Zheng Luoshi looked at her niece's hesitation, and her heart sank.

Prince Rong'an was a young and ambitious man, commanding the Three Departments at a young age. He was also the Taoist's only disciple in the world. Such a virile young man was naturally the dream of every noblewoman in the capital. Furthermore, with the Crown Prince having passed away three years ago, Prince Rong'an was the only remaining prince in the Sage's family. It was only a matter of time before he ascended to the Purple Pavilion.

Thinking of this, Zheng Luo looked at Luo Qingling silently. The latter was eating tea and snacks, with innocence in his eyes, which made Zheng Luo's heart tighten again.

Qingqing had always been innocent, having been pampered by the Luo family for so many years in the frontier. She was their only child. If such a pure child were to marry Prince Rong'an and become a concubine in the palace, who knows how she would be bullied.

As for why she wasn't crowned Empress, Zheng Luo knew it all. Although her brother had been banished to the frontier in his early years, it was only because the Emperor had spared him out of pity that the Luo Mansion was spared. Although General Luo was no longer a criminal, his reputation within the court was already...

Therefore, if Qingqing wants to marry Prince Rong'an, she will definitely not be able to become the principal wife.

Zheng Luo suddenly sighed deeply. Seeing this, Luo Qingling put down the cake and sat down beside her aunt. She put her arm around her and said affectionately, "Aunt, why are you worried again? Are you still thinking about father?"

"That's right," Zheng Luo tapped Luo Qingling's forehead and smiled gently, "You are still young and there are many things you don't understand. I'm afraid you won't be able to find anyone to help you with your father's transfer back to the capital for a while."

The sound of horse hooves continued as wheels rolled over the mountain road, which was covered with dead leaves. Now that spring was approaching, green buds appeared on the trees, and the road seemed to have regained some vitality.

The next morning.

Everyone at the Luo residence had risen early and was currently sorting several large wooden boxes in the courtyard. Luo Qingling, dressed simply in white, wore no makeup, but her fair skin was tinged with a faint blush. She picked up a tea cake on the table, which she had specially sent from Jiangnan.

"Uncle Zhao and Aunt Zhao, is the carriage ready?"

Luo Qingling asked loudly, heading outside. Not long ago, she had someone contact several of her father's former colleagues in the capital. She heard they had a very good relationship with her father back then, often meeting up for drinks at restaurants. Those uncles were now considered influential figures in the imperial court, so she had prepared a few things to visit them today on her father's behalf.

After a stick of incense had passed, the carriage stopped in front of the Zhao Mansion. Hearing the sound, the servant stuck his head out.

"Excuse me, is Zhao Shiyi in the mansion?" Luo Qingling got off the carriage, handed the invitation and brocade box to the servant, and asked him to take them to Zhao Shiyi.

After a while, a servant appeared behind the half-open door. Luo Qingling hurried forward to inquire about the situation. Before she could speak, the servant stuffed the invitation and the brocade box into her hands, said "My master is not at home", and closed the door heavily, leaving Luo Qingling standing alone outside the mansion.

"My lady, Zhao Shiyi was just a minor official under General Luo back then. Now that he has climbed to the top, he has become so ungrateful..." Aunt Zhao snorted coldly and walked over, cursing as she went.

"Okay, Aunt Zhao, stop talking," Luo Qingling calmed down and pulled Aunt Zhao into the carriage, "Let's go to the next house."

One day passed, and it was quite chilly at dusk. Luo Qingling gathered the crane cloak on his shoulders, glanced back at the closed door, and left with a wry smile.

The carriage was filled with brocade boxes, all of which contained expensive items. She had thought that as long as she was sincere enough, her father's former colleagues would at least receive her. However, she didn't send out a single brocade box the entire day, and all the invitations delivered to the mansion were returned - everyone in the capital avoided the Luo family like a ferocious beast.

I never thought that after the Luo family got into trouble, my father’s old and good friends would behave like this, including some of the people my father had helped before... It’s true that people become cold when they leave!

The carriage entered the Luo Mansion in the darkness, without noticing the man and horse following behind.

Prince's Mansion, Study.

Qin Yanheng had a black and gold robe draped over his shoulders, his black hair casually tied up with a jade hairpin, half of his black hair falling on his shoulders. He was standing at the table, writing something with a pen. His long eyelashes were reflected on his face in the candlelight, and his expression was not as smiling as in the daytime, but rather a bit sad.

"Your Highness."

Xuanying, dressed in night clothes, appeared behind Qin Yanheng. After receiving Qin Yanheng's approval, he said, "Madam Luo went to the residence of Zhao Shiyi and others today. Before she even entered the residence..."

"I understand, please withdraw."

Qin Yanheng suppressed his emotions and forced himself to calm down. He hadn't intentionally sent someone to keep an eye on Luo Qingling; it was simply because the Golden Dragon Sword was still in her hands. Before he could figure out the true nature of the force that bound them together, he wouldn't let Luo Qingling down.

after all……

Qin Yanheng took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the heat welling in his eyes. After all, his closest brother, the current Crown Prince, had been murdered in the Eastern Palace precisely because he was too credulous. The murderer remained missing to this day, and everyone except him believed the Crown Prince had died violently in his bed—the murderer had made such thorough preparations before killing his brother that there was no trace of a single clue.

If he hadn't been hanging out with his brother all day and knew that his brother was definitely not the kind of person who was greedy for worldly things, how could he have died suddenly in bed? This is simply slandering the prince!

In the three years since the death of his brother, the Crown Prince, he has never stopped looking for the real murderer. He does not believe that his brother died suddenly, and believes that someone must have killed his brother and deliberately spread the news of his sudden death. However, he does not know what means that person used to make several imperial doctors diagnose this cause of death.

Because of this, in the past three years, Qin Yanheng has transformed from a rebellious young man into a man who is good at disguise. After all, the real murderer is still watching him in the dark, so how can he let his guard down?

If the Golden Dragon Sword had deliberately recognized Luo Qingling as its master, regardless of her motives, he would not let her go. Qin Yanheng would never follow in the footsteps of his brother, the Crown Prince, and must not let his guard down against anyone around him!

Now that the monster that sucked the pearl fetus has been captured, the Golden Dragon Sword cannot remain with Luo Qingling forever. He must quickly get his sword back.

Thinking of this, Qin Yanheng just wanted to drag Luo Qingling to the Taoist temple overnight and try the Taoist magic in the ancient books one by one. He didn't believe that there was no magic in the world that could break the shackles of the Golden Dragon Sword!

"Your Highness, do you want me to continue keeping an eye on Madam Luo at night?" Xuanying suddenly spoke, bringing Qin Yanheng back from his thoughts.

Qin Yanheng glanced back at Xuanying and said, "Why are you staring at the young lady so late at night? Let's talk about it in the daytime! Besides, even if something happens at night, the Golden Dragon Sword will naturally call me over. You don't need to worry about it."

Qin Yanheng was really puzzled. He had lived for twenty years, and this was the first time he had seen such an outrageous thing. Not only did the Golden Dragon Sword he carried with him inexplicably recognize a young lady as its master, but it also bound him all the time and did not allow him to leave her more than ten miles away. How could this be!

Moreover, he was about to embark on a southern tour for the Saint. If the two of them still maintained this kind of contact, how could he leave the capital?

You can't... take Luo Qingling with you.

Besides, he was not in a hurry to get his sword back. If the Golden Dragon Sword was just an ordinary sword, it would be fine, but this sword was an object connecting the yin and yang worlds, and those evil creatures had been eyeing it covetously.

The sword was fine in his hand, as he had powerful Taoist skills and the evil spirits didn't dare to approach him easily. But it was not the same for Luo Qingling, as he didn't have any magic power.

Qin Yanheng sat on the bed, kicked his feet, and his shoes fell to the ground. He suddenly fell into the quilt, buried his face in it, and let out a long sigh.

"We must untie this fetter as soon as possible!"

Once he was freed from the Golden Dragon Sword's shackles, he would be "free" again. No one would be able to control him, and he could go wherever he pleased. As for Luo Qingling, Qin Yanheng had no business dealing with her. The two of them shouldn't have been involved in the first place, and now they were forced to be together because of the Golden Dragon Sword. Once the shackles were broken, then...

"Then no one will be able to restrain this king anymore!"

Qin Yanheng's thoughts gradually drifted away, and he fell into a dream. In the dream, he turned into gold and stone, and stayed close to a piece of warm jade all day long, unable to separate for a long time...