Chapter 70 The Lost Princess Bai Yueguang 1 The Little Princess

The wind in the dead of winter was biting and cold, mixed with fine snow particles that hit the car windows, making a rustling sound.

Several carriages slowly drove away from the capital. The outline of the city wall in the distance gradually shrank and finally disappeared from sight.

In one of the carriages, a seventeen-year-old boy leaned against the corner of the shaking carriage, clutching his coat with a pair of red hands that were frozen.

Ji Hanlin is the prince of Dayan, but in terms of status, his name is insignificant in the royal roster.

His mother, a humble washerwoman in the palace, conceived him after a single night of favor. However, her good fortune was short-lived. She passed away just a few months after giving birth, without even a proper funeral. Since then, few in the palace have truly taken him seriously.

Without a good background, or the protection of his family or mother, his father treated him with indifference. Aside from the imperial edict that bestowed his name upon him, he never showed him even a shred of compassion. Ji Hanlin grew up amidst the strife and violence of the imperial palace, his brothers arrogant and domineering, constantly bullying him.

Therefore, when someone proposed to send a prince to the neighboring country Xuanping as a hostage in order to curry favor and consolidate the alliance with the neighboring country, almost everyone's eyes fell on him at the same time.

Everyone knew that if the prince died in a foreign land, no one would truly grieve. If sacrificing Ji Hanlin alone could bring temporary peace to the entire country, it would be a sure win for Dayan.

So, he was sent out.

Ji Hanlin had a blank expression on his face at this moment. Although he was still young, he understood very well what "proton" meant.

I vaguely remember the cold and distant gaze of the Great Yan Emperor in the hall before we parted: "On this trip, you must behave yourself and not humiliate the Great Yan."

In his father's eyes, he was like an abandoned child.

Ji Hanlin lifted a corner of the car curtain and looked outside. The sky and the earth were vast and covered with white snow.

"How long will it take to get there?" Ji Hanlin asked.

The old eunuch sitting opposite coughed and replied, "It will be soon. Your Highness, please be patient. Once you cross the border, you will reach Xuanping State."

"Xuanping..." He chewed on the unfamiliar country name gently.

Rumor has it that it is the most powerful country in the current situation where there are many countries. Its cavalry has fought wars in the south and the north and annexed large tracts of land. Now, his hometown Dayan has sent him as a hostage in order to seek peace.

However, everything about Xuanping was too unfamiliar to him. No matter how independent Ji Hanlin was, he couldn't help feeling a little nervous about going to a foreign country alone.

...Yes, perhaps it was because he had always been single, without a family background or a mother, that this kind of thing happened to him. If it was a good job, it would have been snatched up by his brothers long ago, so how could he get a chance?

Thinking of this, Ji Hanlin's eyes turned cold.

At that moment, he probably anticipated that his life would not be good after he went to Xuanping as Dayan's collateral.

…

The convoy finally arrived at the capital of Xuanping State. The city gate was as tall as the clouds, and the heavy iron gate slowly opened, like a giant beast opening its mouth.

The palace of Xuanping State was majestic and solemn. A giant gilded dragon coiled above the vermilion lacquer gate. On the wide stone steps, the emperor, wearing a python robe, sat on the throne, looking down from above.

"Your Highness, long live the Emperor—"

Everyone knelt down together. Ji Hanlin looked around calmly. Even though Xuanping and Dayan had different etiquette, he was good at observing people's words and expressions, and he still performed an impeccable kneeling ceremony based on the actions of others.

"Is this the hostage sent by Dayan?" Emperor Xuanping's voice was low and cold.

"That's right." The old eunuch who was escorting the soldiers bowed and replied.

Ji Hanlin was led to the center of the hall, and everyone present looked at him. He felt at that moment like an animal placed on a table, being looked at by all the strange and indifferent eyes.

"Prince Dayan... Ji Hanlin?" Emperor Xuanping looked down at him, a faint sneer curling up at the corner of his lips. "Hmph, your eyebrows and eyes are quite handsome."

In the eyes of Emperor Xuanping, Ji Hanlin represented the Great Yan Kingdom. The fact that Great Yan was willing to use their prince as a hostage was proof of their cowardice. He didn't take Great Yan seriously, so naturally, he didn't think much of this unpopular hostage.

At this moment, a sweet and clear cry suddenly rang out in the hall.

“Don’t run!”

Accompanied by the sound of brisk footsteps, a petite figure hurriedly chased a white cat into the hall. The snow-white cat jumped onto the steps and dived to the side of the throne.

"Mimi! Stop right there!"

The young girl, chasing the cat without restraint within the palace, was about fifteen or sixteen years old, dressed in a pale pink winter palace dress. Though still tinged with childishness, she had already blossomed into a dazzling beauty, and one could tell at a glance how stunningly beautiful she would become when she grew up.

The girl has beautiful eyebrows and eyes like water, her long eyelashes fluttering, and a flower ornament on her forehead, which makes her skin look as white as jade, like a flower blooming in the wind in early spring.

Even though she was panting and her cheeks were flushed, she did not look embarrassed at all, and her face still showed an indescribable delicate and bright look.

If you look closely, you'll notice her skirt is covered in woven gold patterns, and the hem is inlaid with fine pearls, clearly from the finest weaving workshop in the palace. In Dayan, even the most favored concubine wouldn't receive such treatment.

The figure of this girl rushing into the hall was like a sudden flash of light. Ji Hanlin stared at her in a daze and couldn't help holding his breath for a moment.

The girl quickly rushed to the throne, grabbed the naughty white cat with both hands, and hugged it tightly in her arms. After being caught, the cat continued to struggle and made a few dissatisfied meows.

"I finally caught you!" The girl who caught the cat had sweat on her forehead, and she smiled like a flower with curved eyebrows.

She raised her head and her eyes happened to meet Ji Hanlin who was standing in the center of the hall.

The moment their eyes met, Ji Hanlin's heart skipped a beat. He saw the clear and bright light in her eyes, so clean without any dust.

Their eyes met briefly. Somehow, although it was the first time they met, Ji Hanlin inexplicably felt that this girl gave him a very familiar feeling.

"My little princess." On the throne, Emperor Xuanping's majestic oppression had disappeared, and his eyes looking at the girl were full of doting. "Are you exhausted?"

The atmosphere in the hall, which was extremely solemn just now, became relaxed because of the emperor's greeting.

So... this person is the little princess of Xuanping Kingdom? Ji Hanlin speculated in his heart.

Before he went to Xuanping State, he had already found out as much as possible about the situation in the country from the historical records of Dayan and palace rumors.

Emperor Xuanping's name was Wen Chengyan. He had four princes, all born to different concubines. There were always undercurrents in the palace and constant fighting in the harem. Therefore, the three princes of Xuanping each had their own support, and they fought openly and secretly with each other, and were as hostile as water and fire.

Yet, amidst this chaotic chorus of princes, there was only one little princess who had been the envy of countless adorations since her birth. Her name was Wen Qianning, and her title was Zhaohua.

Like Ji Hanlin, Wen Qianning lost her mother at a young age. Normally, she would have had a difficult time navigating the inner palace, but Emperor Xuanping treated her like a treasure, doting on her like a father instead of a mother, and pampered her to the utmost.

Therefore, Princess Zhaohua's temperament is completely different from that of other princes in the palace. She does not have to endure humiliation, nor does she need to be cautious and calculating. She grew up in luxury and pampering, and developed a bold and willful character. No matter whether it is the concubines in the harem or the powerful ministers and nobles, everyone who sees Princess Zhaohua has to bow their heads and please her.

Such a person seems to be a darling favored by fate, which forms a sharp contrast with his experience... Both lost their fathers at a young age, but their circumstances are very different. One is a pearl surrounded by thousands of adores, and the other is a chess piece abandoned like a trash.

Ji Hanlin's eyes darkened.

Wen Qianning stuck out her tongue, looking adorable and innocent. "I'm sorry, Father, Mimi was disobedient and ran around everywhere. I chased her and ended up running into the hall. I'm sorry to bother you."

"Don't disturb me, don't disturb me. As long as my little princess is happy, nothing matters." Emperor Xuanping laughed heartily, his tone doting.

All the palace maids in the hall lowered their heads, with helplessness in their eyes, but they were already used to it. After all... this was not the first time that the princess had been spoiled.

Amidst the laughter, the girl's eyes inadvertently swept across the figure of the young man in the center of the hall.

"Huh? Father, who is this person?" Wen Qianning blinked and asked curiously.

When he was mentioned, Ji Hanlin came back to his senses. He raised his head, bowed to Wen Qianning, and said in a neither humble nor arrogant manner:

"Greetings, Princess. I am Prince Dayan, Ji Hanlin."

There was a toughness in the boy's eyes that didn't match his age.

The white cat in his arms meowed and twisted its body. Wen Qianning looked at him deeply, the corners of his mouth slowly rising into a smile.

"It turns out to be Prince Dayan..." she said.

I'm afraid no one would have thought that the current Princess Zhaohua was a fast traveler who came in with a system, and the Dayan proton in front of her was exactly the target of Wen Qianning's mission in this world.

Seeing Ji Hanlin again, looking at his familiar handsome face, Wen Qianning couldn't help but feel a little moved.

Emperor Xuanping listened to their conversation with a faint smile. Wen Chengyan had noticed Wen Qianning's frequent glances toward Ji Hanlin, but he assumed this spoiled little princess, who had never seen a hostage from another country, was interested in the newly arrived people from Dayan. He didn't think much of it and waved his hand, "Alright, send the Dayan prince to his palace. Today is just a meeting."

After receiving the emperor's order, the attendant immediately responded and took Ji Hanlin out of the palace.

As the servant turned and left, Ji Hanlin couldn't help but look back.

At that glance, he saw Emperor Xuanping stroking his daughter's head lovingly beside the lofty throne, while the little princess was holding a white cat with a spoiled look on her face.

Princess Zhaohua's expression was bright and charming, with the unique spirit of a young girl. It would be a lie to say that she was not moved at all, but this scene seemed to be a silent reminder to him...

This is her world. Princess Zhaohua, who grew up in pampered care, received supreme respect and the love of her father.

And he was just a proton left in a corner and no one cared about him.

There is an insurmountable gap between Wen Qianning and him.

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