Chapter 104 "Still want to eat?"

Swish—

The bright, cold light shone dazzlingly in the sunlight.

"Who says that just because I can't see, I can't go into battle and fight?"

Baili Xunzhou drew the sword from the guard's waist with a backhand motion. In the next instant, a cold light pierced the air, and the wind from the sword swept past a withered tree ten steps away. A branch as thick as a bowl snapped in two with a clean, sharp cut.

"Even if my eyes are forever closed," he sheathed his sword, his voice ringing out, "the Baili Xunzhou will still be the Baili Xunzhou. The Dingbei Army will always be here, and will surely protect the peace and tranquility of the people. What petty villain dares to invade our territory!"

A moment of silence fell over the crowd, followed by an even more enthusiastic response.

"Your Highness is right! With Your Highness and the Dingbei Army here, no one will dare to invade! Your Highness must take good care of your health. As for those gossipy people, we don't believe them at all. If we see them again, we'll deal with them on Your Highness's behalf!"

The previously boisterous young boy buried his head in the woman's arms, not daring to utter a sound.

"Exactly! If those northern barbarians dare to come, I'll be the first to grab a hoe and fight them to the death!"

Looking at the excited crowd, Feng Mian smiled slightly and nodded, saying, "The eternal peace of the Northern Frontier also depends on everyone working together. His Highness the Crown Prince and I would like to thank you all for your understanding and support."

"Your Highness is too kind!" "I dare not accept such praise!" "Your Highness, please go and attend to your business with the Prince. We are truly sorry..." The people waved their hands, bowed, and dispersed.

Feng Mian then helped Baili Xunzhou into the library and said softly, "I will tell Ninth Brother about this later. He is better at dealing with rumors."

“Alright. Remember to tell Ninth Brother that once everything is settled, I will send someone to escort him to see the Holy Maiden of the Canglang Tribe,” Baili Xunzhou said with a smile.

The library was filled with the faint scent of ink, and a maid sweeping the corridor was reciting the Three Character Classic in a low voice.

"The three powers are Heaven, Earth, and Man. The three cardinal relationships are loyalty between ruler and subject..."

"You've got it wrong. It's 'The Three Powers are Heaven, Earth, and Man. The Three Luminaries are the Sun, the Moon, and the Stars,' and then comes 'The Three Cardinal Guides are the relationship between ruler and subject,'" a maid tending to withered branches outside the corridor turned around and whispered a reminder.

"Is that so? Let me take another look." The maid paused, took out a small booklet from her bosom, and was about to open it when she caught sight of the approaching figure out of the corner of her eye. She quickly put the booklet back and hurriedly bowed, "This servant greets Your Highness the Princess and Your Highness the Prince."

"No need for formalities. Where are the teachers?" Feng Mian gestured for her to rise.

"In the backyard, Your Highnesses, please follow me." The cleaning maid stood up excitedly, and as she turned to lead the way, her gaze curiously flew to Feng Mian's face, secretly getting a good look at this legendary princess.

She was a maid who had just been assigned to the study from the estate. When she heard the news, her roommates were quite sympathetic, saying that once she left the estate, she would have fewer opportunities to serve her masters, and if she didn't see them, she would have no chance to get ahead or be rewarded, and would be stuck as a cleaning maid for the rest of her life. She just thought of it as changing places to serve and didn't think this trip would be any different.

But after arriving, she found it wonderful. The academy was quiet and peaceful, and the teachers were all well-mannered and good-tempered women who never scolded or beat the servants. Most of the people who came to the academy were common women, regardless of age, and they were all treated with great kindness. Compared to the days on the estate when she was always scolded by the stewards, it was truly a much more comfortable place.

Most importantly, she was now able to read as well. Every day, as she swept the corridor, she could hear the girls reading aloud from inside. In the past, when she saw her younger brother being sent to school, she had no envy, after all, girls and boys were different. But now, seeing so many girls sitting upright in the hall reading, she gradually began to wonder if she could also read.

One day, she was listening intently under the eaves while holding a broom when she was spotted by Master Wang. She waited anxiously for a reprimand, but instead, the Master gently took her hand and led her into the house, asking her to sit down and listen. He also said that if she encountered a lesson that interested her in the future, she could stop working and go inside to listen.

And all of this was thanks to the princess. As she turned into the side gate leading to the backyard, she slowed down and fell behind the princess, secretly glancing at her back again. Her gaze then slid to Baili Xunzhou, whose eyes were covered with black silk ribbons, and she thought to herself: The princess is beautiful and has accumulated such great blessings. Heaven will surely not bear to let the princess be sad and upset. His Highness's eyes will definitely be restored to their sight soon!

Before even entering the backyard, a cheerful laugh could be heard from afar.

In the backyard grew an old plum tree, its trunk as thick as two people could encircle. A few drops of blood lingered on its withered branches, which had not yet blossomed. Beneath the tree, the unmelted snow had been piled into several adorable little snowmen.

Five female teachers, each wearing a cloak of a different color, were brewing tea around a stove. Poems and snacks were scattered on the stone table, and everyone looked very interested. When they saw Feng Mian and Baili Xunzhou approaching, they quickly got up to greet them, and a small red clay stove beside them bubbled and steamed.

"No need for formalities, everyone please sit down and make yourselves at ease." Feng Mian smiled and waved his hand, first helping Baili Xunzhou to sit down on a small stone stool next to the tree trunk, then, worried that sitting too close to the tree would soil their clothes, he dragged the small stone stool closer to himself.

Baili Xunzhou was completely at her mercy, showing no trace of his usual murderous aura. He appeared remarkably gentle and good-natured, and the silk ribbon covering his eyes further softened his otherwise tense and sharp gaze. The crowd, who had been somewhat reserved because of his arrival, breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing his submissive demeanor before the princess.

Tang Yushi chuckled and teased, "The princess and the prince are truly a perfect match. The rumors we heard in Jiangnan were indeed all false."

"What rumor?" Baili Xunzhou suddenly raised his head and turned towards Tang Yushi, following the sound.

Tang Yushi realized her words were inappropriate as soon as they left her lips. "Street gossip is not to be believed. Your Highness should just treat it as a joke."

She first tried to find some excuses before continuing, "It's nothing but the same old clichés: rumors say the Crown Prince is a ruthless and bloodthirsty man, and the Princess is a delicate noblewoman who was treated coldly as soon as she arrived in Yunzhong County and was almost kicked out. Later, when the Princess went to open a trade market, rumors spread that she and the Crown Prince had a falling out, which is why the Princess left in anger..."

Baili Xunzhou's brow twitched upon hearing this. He knew that most of the rumors about him were not pleasant, but he had never cared. However, hearing Feng Mian's name mentioned together with him and being speculated about so unfoundedly, with stories of a broken relationship fabricated, made him furious.

The slender-browed and beautiful Cui quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Now we have all seen it clearly, and the rumors are all unreliable. When we write home, we will definitely clear His Highness's name."

"Yes, Your Highnesses are so deeply in love, they should be the model of a couple in the world."

A few words brought Baili Xunzhou's mood back to normal, and his tightly pursed lips softened. He turned his head toward Feng Mian, his hand holding her wrist under the stone table. "In that case, I thank you all in advance."

Ms. Yuan, with her round face, poured tea at the right moment, and wisps of steam rose, filling the air with a delicate aroma.

Wang Yuanqing pushed over a stack of dusty pastries. "These were brought over by a student this morning. He said they were homemade wheat cakes. Although they're a bit rough, they have a unique flavor. Would Your Highness like to try some?"

Feng Mian picked up a piece of wheat cake, broke off a small piece and handed it to Baili Xunzhou, then broke off another piece and put it in her own mouth. She chewed it slowly, the rich wheat aroma spreading between her lips and teeth. A smile appeared in her eyes, "It is indeed sweet. I came here today to see if anyone had any problems that needed help, but it seems I've made a wasted trip?"

Wang Yuanqing smiled and sighed, "To be honest, when I first came here, I was worried that my family would be deserted and I would fail to live up to your dowry. I didn't expect that when the neighbors heard that it was you who encouraged girls to study more, they all rushed to send their daughters here. Those little girls even said that they wanted to become like you, Your Highness, in the future."

“It’s more than just talk!” another teacher, Ms. Cui, chimed in. “On the day of the heavy snow, they were busy shoveling snow and preparing firewood at home, running around like crazy, but they still managed to squeeze out half an hour or an hour to come and listen to the lessons and read. Their hard work is truly admirable.”

"If you ask me, what's most precious is their kindness," Tang Yushi added with a smile. "Even though we've repeatedly emphasized that we don't need to pay tuition, these children still sneak over every now and then to bring us some fruit and snacks. When they see that we won't accept them, they leave them under the window and run away. Sometimes we don't even know who sent them. We can't return them, and we don't want to waste them, so we have no choice but to accept them."

Ms. Yuan took out a silk handkerchief embroidered with hibiscus from her sleeve, her eyes gentle: "The other day, a maid gave me a handkerchief. She knew I liked hibiscus, so she embroidered it on. I haven't been able to bear to use it."

The female teachers were all beaming with satisfaction. In the past, they had been employed by wealthy and powerful families, receiving a salary to teach the daughters of their employers how to read and behave. This was the first time they had taught so many female students like teachers in a school, and they all found it very novel and chattered about it.

While listening, Feng Mian picked out some snacks and fruits and stuffed them into Baili Xunzhou's hands so that he could eat them slowly and not be bored.

Bai Lixunzhou could only helplessly curl the corners of his lips and accept it all.

They sat until dusk before taking their leave.

The carriage rumbled along the cobblestone road. Feng Mian lifted the curtain and looked at the lights gradually coming on. "What would you like to eat for dinner? Should we eat at the manor or eat out? I heard from Ninth Brother that there are a few good restaurants..."

"Still eating?" Baili Xunzhou looked slightly distressed, took Feng Mian's hand, and pressed it against his stomach through his clothes. "You kept feeding me at the library, and I never stopped eating. Now my stomach is probably about to burst."

Feng Mian raised an eyebrow and gave his abdomen a rough pat with his palm, only to feel firm, hard muscles. It wasn't that exaggerated.

"Where is it about to burst? Let me feel it again." She smiled, her eyes narrowing, her fingertips lingering on her taut abdomen.

"Okay, okay, stop touching me." Baili Xunzhou pleaded, his ears burning red, and held her hand in his palm.

Feng Mian didn't move again, thinking that he had indeed eaten a lot of small bits of food in the afternoon, and that if he ate any more, he would probably get indigestion.

“It’s my fault. I was just thinking about not neglecting you.” Feng Mian said with distress, “But if you only eat snacks and don’t eat meals, it’s not good for the patient’s recovery.”

"How about the kitchen cooks some yam and barley porridge? It's very good for the spleen and stomach. I'll have some with you."

"Just some with me?" Baili Xunzhou frowned, feigning difficulty, then leaned close to Feng Mian's ear and whispered, "Can't you feed me?"

Feng Mian gave in after his shoulder was bumped by a chin, saying, "I'll let it slide since you're a patient."