Chapter 59 Should we put His Highness in a cage after bringing him back? No…

The fox lay by the carriage window, the cool spring breeze lifting his veil and revealing a glimpse of the curve of his chin.

Through a thin veil, he used his powerful sense of smell to pinpoint the roadside stall selling fried cakes.

The fox turned around and tugged at Tinglan's sleeve, "I want to eat that fried cake."

Very well, the fox wanted it, and the fox got it.

He sat obediently beside Tinglan, crunching the fried cake in his mouth, and turned to Tinglan to mutter, "You know what? The first time I met you, I was eating this fried cake."

Tinglan chuckled softly, "Is it delicious?"

"It's delicious, I like it."

Thinking about it this way, His Highness has only been in the palace for half a year, and even the small stall where he used to sell snacks hasn't changed. Of course, they still have a very long time to go on together.

The fox is currently taking naps wherever he can, dozing off every now and then. He had just finished eating the fried cakes and was already feeling sleepy, so he drowsily leaned against Tinglan's arms.

Tinglan smiled and pulled a handkerchief from her sleeve to wipe the crumbs from the corner of his mouth.

"Is Your Highness tired?"

The fox stubbornly opened its eyes and protested, "No, I just feel a little uncomfortable in my eyes and want to close them for a while."

This was the fox's quietest outing yet; unlike before, it didn't look around and buy a lot of things to take back.

He obediently finished his fried cake, just like when he entered the palace, except now he had someone by his side.

The fox seemed to realize that it was different from before, and no longer had the energy to play, make a fuss, or deliberately cause trouble.

This feeling is really not good, and the fox doesn't like it, but because Tinglan is with her, she can barely bear it.

Tinglan silently looked at the young prince, but the worry between her brows remained.

The situation in the court is changing rapidly, and the Crown Prince's position is quite awkward. It is inevitable that he will regard Tinglan as a thorn in his side and cause trouble in court. The Crown Prince is cautious by nature and should not act easily... but we need to be more vigilant.

"When the Crown Prince came to see Your Highness, did he say anything strange to you?" Tinglan asked.

The fox shook its head. "He just told me to rest well and keep an eye on you."

"Paying attention to me?" Tinglan raised one eyebrow in surprise.

"Yes, the Crown Prince told me to keep an eye on you. He's doing quite well and still thinks about you," the fox said happily.

"And what was His Highness's answer?"

“I said, I’m watching, I’m watching all the time.” The fox crossed his arms proudly. “You agree, aren’t you? We’re together all day long, how could I not notice?”

Tinglan nodded helplessly. It was truly unexpected that the Crown Prince actually cared about the young prince.

The fox went for a stroll outside the palace, but due to exhaustion, it didn't get to play and returned to the palace in a carriage.

Fortunately, he managed to get a plate of fried cakes, which he bought from a roadside stall. They were ordinary, cheap, and delicious fried cakes.

He ate fried cakes when he first came here, and now that he may be leaving, he'll eat them again, so it can be said that he'll see things through to the end.

The fox squeezed Tinglan's wrist and whispered, "If I leave, will you miss me?"

Tinglan frowned, as if facing a formidable enemy. "Where is Your Highness going?"

"Maybe it's going home." The fox lowered its head and fidgeted with its sleeve.

"Didn't we agree that you would take me home with you? Doesn't Your Highness break your promise?"

The fox quickly shook its head, "No, no, I'll come back if I leave. I can't bear to part with you."

Upon hearing this, Tinglan finally managed a smile. "Why go back at this time? Can't you rest and recover in the palace first?"

He bent down and straightened Ji Qing's collar, then continued in a gentle voice, "If we go back, the long journey will be tiring and will affect the illness. Besides, there are many famous doctors in the capital and many precious medicinal herbs in the palace."

From Tinglan's perspective, even setting aside all personal motives, she couldn't understand why Ji Qing wanted to leave. If he left, his illness, which had been cured by numerous renowned doctors, would only make things worse.

The fox didn't speak again, but simply nodded and smiled at Tinglan.

He hoped his sister would arrive a little later so he could spend more time with Tinglan. It would be even better if he could bring Tinglan along, but given how busy he was, he probably couldn't get away.

"Sigh," the fox sighed softly, resting its chin on its hand.

*

As night fell, the agile Taoist priest quietly sneaked into Changqiu Palace and slipped into the fox's bedroom.

Zhou Yiqing stood in the room, the dog looking around furtively. "Hey, your husband isn't home, is he? If he bumps into me, I'm doomed."

If he were caught, the Taoist priest would be in deep trouble, no matter how hard he tried.

The fox shook its head. "He's not here. We haven't slept together these past few nights. He said he was afraid I would disturb my recovery."

The Taoist priest nodded and said in a serious tone, "Indeed, sleeping together depletes your yang energy, which is very bad for your current health."

After he finished speaking, he waved his hand and said, "Oh dear, you can't keep your mouth shut. I didn't come here to talk about that. I have something important to discuss."

The fox put down the storybook in his hand, and couldn't help but feel a little nervous. "Has something serious happened? Why are you coming over so late?"

"It's a big deal, related to your health." The Taoist priest became serious for once. "I did a divination tonight, and it's an ominous sign. I'm just kidding, but you have to leave, and you absolutely have to leave, the sooner the better."

The Taoist priest lowered his voice, deliberately exaggerating the situation to scare the fox away. "Tinglan is probably related to your tribulation. He will worsen your heavenly tribulation. You must stay away from him. If this continues, who knows what will happen? You might even die."

The fox was clearly frightened, its eyes wide, and it asked in a small voice, "Isn't there any other way?"

"Yes, if your cultivation level suddenly increases dramatically, then everything will be settled."

"If I leave, will I be able to come back?" the fox asked again.

"Why not? Go back and take good care of yourself. Try to take some pills to improve your cultivation and you'll be fine."

The fox nodded. "I talked to Tinglan about this today, and he won't let me leave."

The Taoist priest thought to himself, "It would be really strange if that jealous old man would let you leave."

“If he won’t let you leave, sneak away! Turn into your original form and slip into any carriage. Nobody will be able to find you. Then find a guest room to stay in and wait for your sister to come and pick you up.” Zhou Yiqing slapped her thigh, expressing her deep concern for this unlucky, honest boy.

"But Tinglan will be worried if she can't find me."

"Then... if you can't, just be honest with him. Tell him that you're a fox spirit. Anyway, you didn't harm him or absorb his yang energy. We're innocent and have nothing to be ashamed of. If he's afraid of you, then you can use this opportunity to break up with him."

Despite being a bachelor for many years and never having had any romantic experience, the Taoist priest can still analyze other people's emotions with great insight and clarity.

The fox nodded blankly. He felt that what Zhou Yiqing said made a lot of sense, but he still couldn't do it.

If he runs away now, he might be able to explain it later. But if Tinglan finds out he's a vixen and becomes afraid of him, everything will be over.

The fox lowered its head. "Thank you, I've made up my mind."

Zhou Yiqing's face showed a look of satisfaction, and he nodded with great satisfaction. "Then you should rest well. I'm going now. If Tinglan asks, don't say that this idea came from me."

Otherwise, the fox would be fine, but he would definitely be doomed.

After listening, the fox nodded solemnly.

*

The next day, Tinglan felt that the little prince seemed a little off.

"Tinglan, I'm leaving this for you. It glows at night. If you're afraid to get up at night, you can use it to light your way." The fox stuffed a large bunch of luminous pearls into Tinglan's arms.

"And this little bag, I sewed it myself. It's a little ugly, but it's very sturdy." The fox handed over a small pink bag covered in white fur.

"And this is my usual recipe for roasted chicken. It's delicious, you have to try it." The fox handed over another piece of paper with crooked and ugly handwriting.

Tinglan finally couldn't hold back any longer and interrupted Ji Qing, "What is Your Highness trying to do?"

It seems as if he is about to leave... or even as if he is... making his final arrangements.

Tinglan really didn't want to think about that, but the more he tried not to, the more uncontrollable the various thoughts became, drilling into his mind.

The fox bit its lip and didn't answer him, but continued, "If I leave, you must not forget me."

Tinglan grew increasingly uneasy. He put down what he was carrying and took the fox's hand. "Why are you bringing this up all of a sudden?"

The fox lowered its head and hugged Tinglan tightly, its voice muffled, as if it were about to cry, "Anyway, don't forget me."

Tinglan hugged the fox back and patted its back. "Your Highness is only slightly unwell. I have already found many famous doctors to come to the capital. They will surely be able to cure Your Highness."

The fox simply wrapped its arms around Tinglan's neck, without saying a word.

In the afternoon, Qiu Yuan, as usual, carried in the medicine she had prepared for the young prince and asked, "How is Your Highness feeling today?"

No one answered. Through the curtains by the bed, one could vaguely see that there seemed to be a person lying on the bed, with the blanket covering their head.

Qiu Yuan was at a loss. She hesitated for a moment and then placed the medicine on the table next to her.

It's best not to disturb His Highness's sleep. He can take his medicine later.

Qiu Yuan left quietly, gently closing the door behind her.

When Tinglan returned to Changqiu Palace, the little prince seemed to have slept for too long.

Tinglan walked slowly to the bedside, lifted the curtain, and said softly, "Your Highness should get up."

The blanket was bulging, as if someone was lying inside.

But Tinglan called out several times without getting a response. With a sigh, she had no choice but to lift the blanket.

"Your Highness, you can't sleep anymore, you'll really turn into a little pig."

There were only two soft pillows on the tatami mat, which had been covered with clothes and wrapped in a quilt, making it look as if someone was lying inside.

Tinglan was stunned. He straightened up and looked around the hall.

"Your Highness?"

He bent down and glanced under the bed. "Your Highness, please come out quickly. I brought your favorite grape syrup."

There was nothing under the bed, and even the hall was empty.

Tinglan strode out of the room and asked the Imperial Guard standing guard at the door, "Did you see the young prince go out today?"

The Imperial Guards answered in unison, "No."

Tinglan raised her head, gazing at the thin sunlight, a hint of confusion flashing in her eyes.

The young prince has gone missing.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot searched Changqiu Palace from top to bottom, even lifting the floorboards to investigate, but still found nothing.

"Is something missing from the room?" Tinglan asked.

From the moment the young prince was discovered to the present, his expression remained calm, only his reddened eyes betrayed his emotions.

"Reporting to the head of the palace, all the valuable items are still there, but according to Qiu Yuan, the young prince's maid, a floral bundle, a few pieces of clothing, and some snacks are missing."

“Alright, conduct a secret investigation in the capital, set up checkpoints and search the area. We must dig three feet into the ground to find His Highness.” Tinglan lowered his head and touched the jade thumb ring on his thumb, his eyes unfathomable.

He thought, "Your Highness is really naughty. He's not feeling well, yet he still runs around. Once I find him, I'll give him a good scolding."

Do we really have to lock people up in a golden cage to prevent them from running away...?

Tinglan raised her head and calmly instructed, "Bring him back safe and sound within three days."

At that moment, the fox was completely unaware that it was being chased, still plopping along with its little bundle on its back, its tail swishing back and forth behind it.

He had already made a plan: he would find a random inn in the capital to stay at, wait for his sister, who would surely have a way. Then, once he recovered, he would immediately go back to find Tinglan.

In this way, her body wouldn't continue to deteriorate, she wouldn't have to leave Tinglan for too long, and she wouldn't have to admit that she was a vixen.

Hehe, turning into his original form is really useful. Who would have thought he was actually a fox?

He turned around and touched the small bundle inside, which contained delicious snacks he had brought for his sister; she would surely love them.

The fox found a secluded corner, transformed into human form, and went out to knock on the door of an inn.

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Author's note: This kind of silly fox is very easy to catch and take back. (sigh)

The fox is about to block the sword, it's really almost here! [crying emoji]