Chapter 43 Chapter 43 12

He deliberately took a less traveled path; otherwise, it would be hard to explain why a eunuch like him would be driving a carriage in ordinary clothes.

Ruo Ruo quietly opened a corner of the carriage window, feeling a sense of novelty about everything outside. Even though the path was deserted, she was still quite interested in enjoying the scenery outside.

Nan Xu occasionally turned his head to look at her like this, and the corners of his lips curled up, and there was a rare different look and vitality in his eyes.

As the carriage ran farther and farther, it gradually turned from the small alley to the main road. Nan Xu found a place to stop the carriage, and then carefully helped Ruoruo down.

There were some middle-aged ladies who were passing by in groups of three or four to buy things on the roadside. When they saw this scene, they all smiled knowingly.

Only after Ruoruo got off the carriage did she truly feel the bustling atmosphere of the place with people coming and going.

Some vendors were just hawking their wares on the roadside, while some middle-aged men and women were seriously bargaining with the vendors.

When Ruoruo saw some candied haws on the roadside, she remembered that she didn't have any money on her. She should have exchanged her banknotes for some silver.

When she entered the Jiaofangsi that day, she was fortunately not searched because of Murong Bo, otherwise, the banknotes she had hidden would have been confiscated.

Now, she knew very well that Nan Xu indulged her, so she was not afraid to give out even a little bit.

"Why, you want to eat? Do you want to pick a bunch?"

"Is it okay?" Ruo Ruo looked up at him, feeling a little embarrassed.

Nan Xu was extremely helpless about her appearance. Sometimes she was bold, and indeed she was very bold. But at other times, she was extremely reserved and shy.

"But I don't have any money..."

"Why would you need to bring any silver? Aren't you carrying me?"

Ruoruo finally picked two strings, one for herself and one for Nanxu.

When she encountered other food on the way, she couldn't help herself.

To preserve the girls' looks, the Jiaofangsi (Chinese Music Bureau) always prepared light meals. While the cooking was excellent, eating them for a while would tire you of them.

Nan Xu followed her quietly, one step behind her, and repeated the action of taking out the silver and putting it back into her purse.

Because Ruoruo was wearing a veil and it was inconvenient for her to take it off, after Ruoruo had thoroughly selected everything, Nan Xu found a restaurant, ordered some dishes, and went into a private room.

"Okay, eat it quickly. If you don't eat it now, the candied haws will melt and some of the food will get cold."

As he said this, he picked up the candied haws that Ruoruo had just handed him and put it to his mouth.

So sweet.

Nan Xu doesn't like sweets, but he thinks this candied haws is so delicious that he is reluctant to finish it quickly.

Ruoruo didn't care how he ate at this moment, she just tasted all kinds of delicious food quickly but not vulgarly.

Of course, some of them are really delicious, but there are also some that are mixed in and not as satisfactory as expected.

.

Also in the South City District, someone rode a tall horse and led soldiers here in a serious manner.

"Cousin, is that person's description accurate? Can the Fourth Prince really hide in a place like this?" There are all kinds of people here, and it's not that dirty or messy, but for the Fourth Prince who has always lived a life of luxury and even likes luxury, it is still a kind of grievance.

Qi Ruiyi sat on his horse with an expressionless face and did not respond to Murong Bo's words.

Since he came here in person, he naturally wouldn't let his trip be in vain.

It was wrong that Fourth Brother ran away last time.

"Go search."

"yes!"

When the soldiers received the order, some went to search for hidden places, while others went around asking questions with the portrait.

The Fourth Prince's rebellion at the time was so loud that it could not be concealed even if one wanted to.

The people have no rights, but they won't allow themselves to be deceived. Even if some things are known to the people, it won't matter.

More importantly, it was Qi Ruiyi who was in charge of this matter.

His father's condition was getting worse, but the more it became, the more he refused to give up his imperial power. Looking at the young and strong princes, he enjoyed making things difficult for them more and more.

But at the same time, it is easy to sympathize with the weak.

For him, his fourth son, whose rebellion failed and he was left like a stray dog, was now the weakling. Even though he spat out blood in anger when he heard the news. Even though he was utterly devastated when his fourth brother led his soldiers into the palace. Even though he had injured his right arm while trying to protect it, and it hadn't fully healed to this day.

But all this could not change the emperor's final softness before his death.

Qi Ruiyi naturally didn't want to give the emperor another chance to be soft-hearted.

He is obviously the most ruthless person, but he has to pretend to be soft-hearted and hesitant at times.

In this case, let’s completely prevent the Fourth Prince from being spared.

It is said that if a prince breaks the law, he will be punished just like a commoner. But how many princes’ crimes are actually known to ordinary people?

It was only now that Qi Ruiyi made up his mind to execute first and report later, and make the Fourth Prince's rebellion public.

.

Qi Ruiyi actually didn't really want to be emperor, but being born into a royal family, there were some things he couldn't decide just because he wanted to or not.

None of his brothers are easy to deal with. If he doesn't fight, he will be at the mercy of others.

Killing and accusing one's own brothers of crimes would be a bad reputation for any new emperor, but why would someone in power need to do it themselves, and why would they really need to find fault and blame? There are many ways to kill someone with a borrowed knife. If he doesn't fight, he will only become the one killed.

Just like his father's brothers, they were given the throne and fiefdoms, but the only one who was able to survive safely, receive the fiefdom and live safely until now was Prince An, who was born to the same mother as his father.

The rest of the princes were either dead, crazy, or had no descendants.

Moreover, he had been battling the other princes for years, and even if he hadn't wanted to get involved at first, he had been forced into it early on. The current situation between him and the other princes was not simply a matter of power, but also of hatred and even human lives.

What's more, just saying that the Fourth Prince had used those despicable means against him meant that Qi Ruiyi was destined not to let his good fourth brother go.

Murong Bai has been very busy these days. After all, as the Sixth Prince's most trusted cousin, he can be said to be the Sixth Prince's other arm. Some things usually need to be done by him personally so that the Sixth Prince can feel at ease and he can also feel at ease.

.

So, while Ruoruo was having her meal, someone knocked on the door again in a hurry and with great force.

Nan Xu frowned when he heard the knock on the door.

Now that the food has been served, and he also said that this private room does not need much attention from the waiter, why is there suddenly such a loud knock on the door?

Nan Xu's attention was always on Ruoruo, so naturally he noticed that she was frightened.

"Who is it? What's the matter?" Nan Xu asked through the crack in the door.

"Open the door! Open the door! The government is searching!" They said while knocking on the door, extremely anxious.

Ruoruo had almost finished eating, so she quickly put on her veil, stood up and followed Nan Xu.

They knocked on the door urgently and checked very quickly. After looking around and checking all the places where people could hide, one of them stared at Ruoruo's veil for a few seconds and decided to rush to the next room with the others.

"Excuse me, big brother, what are you searching for?" Ruo Ruo suddenly spoke.

His words startled Nan Xu who was standing beside him, but he still didn't say anything. He just half-blocked in front of Ruoruo as a protector.

The officer who had been staring at Ruoruo for a moment stopped and looked at Nanxu and Ruoruo for a moment before nodding with great satisfaction and explaining, "Of course, they're searching for a criminal who committed a rebellion. Although he's a prince, he committed a heinous crime, and that's why he looks like this."

As he said this, he took out a blueprint from his arms and showed it to Ruoruo and Nanxu.

"See? Remember this. If you encounter this, report it to the government immediately. You will be rewarded handsomely!"

All of them had been instructed by Master Murong that if they were asked by the people, they should tell the truth.

If there were no such concerns, it would have been better to put the Fourth Prince's portrait on the city wall. Unfortunately, someone suggested it, but the emperor was unwilling.

He actually couldn't understand the emperor's thoughts. After all, his son didn't consider his father's feelings when he rebelled. Why did the emperor have to hide and clean up the mess for him after causing such a storm?

No, the emperor is lying in bed and can't even get up, so it's not his job to deal with it. He can only talk and order others to do it.

His brother was hacked to death by the Fourth Prince's men in order to protect the master in the palace on the night when the Fourth Prince forced the emperor to abdicate.

Many people died that night, so why did he want to maintain a semblance of peace now? What about his brother's death? What about all the people who died that night?

He was unwilling to do so, so he was always the last one to leave during each search, eager to announce to the world that they were searching for the Fourth Prince Qi Ruiyu.

"Okay, do you remember it?" he asked Ruoruo.

Ruo Ruo nodded hesitantly.

He turned around and was about to follow her to the next room, but after taking two steps, he quickly turned back and said, "Forget it, I'll give you one!"

He fished out the portrait he had just taken out from his bosom and stuffed it into Nan Xu's hand. "Remember, if you find anything, you must report it to the government office immediately!"

He looked at these two people and they didn't seem to be troubled by life. Their situation was completely different from that of other people here. Maybe he would be lucky and meet them by chance?

Even if he didn't meet two more people who would remember what Qi Ruiyu did, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

Only after the officers and soldiers left did Nan Xu close the door.

"We have to go back quickly and come out again next time. How could it be such a coincidence that we encountered such a thing today?" he said worriedly.

Since the officers and soldiers are searching, it is naturally impossible for them to simply search this inn. It is probably not appropriate for them to go out and stroll around again today.

"Okay, let's go back." But Ruo Ruo couldn't help but wonder, is the Fourth Prince really hiding in this South City District?

The memories of her past life were still vivid. He was so arrogant, so insolent. Until her death, he just coldly told people to be careful with the bloodstains and not let her be discovered by others. He held his sister in his arms and comforted her softly.

Ruo Ruo couldn't help but retching when she thought of that scene. It was a nightmare that had been recurring in her mind since her rebirth.

It would be great if the Fourth Prince could be caught.

It would be great if the Fourth Prince could be caught.

Ruo Ruo couldn't help but think so.

If she was caught, maybe she wouldn't continue to have nightmares.