Chapter 473 Father's Feelings

When Chen Chu heard Little Potato's cry, she looked back.

Dozens of tall and strong young men jumped out of the bushes.

They were all dressed in plain clothes and carrying long swords, and they pounced on us with lightning speed.

Shen Chu's expression changed slightly, and she subconsciously hugged Little Potato tighter and gripped the sword in her hand.

She looked up and saw the plain-clad man leading the charge, and she was slightly taken aback.

He looks somewhat familiar.

Before she could react, those men drew their swords and charged at the masked guards.

With their involvement, the situation quickly reversed.

In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, almost all the masked guards were knocked to the ground.

The remaining few people fled in a sorry state.

As everyone watched them flee, their expressions varied.

Lu Zhong: "The emperor has abandoned all dignity. Our heir hasn't even left the capital yet, and he can't wait to send people to hunt him down."

Sun Yan said, "Your Highness, there is no time to lose. We cannot stay at Jingguo Temple any longer."

Shen Chu breathed a long sigh of relief and walked up to Pei Yuan with the little potato in her arms.

"I'll have someone ask my third senior brother what he thinks. If he doesn't want to leave with us, we'll leave the capital first."

Pei Yuan frowned as he looked at the men in plain clothes who appeared later.

"Why are you here?"

The group exchanged glances and simultaneously knelt on the ground.

“Your Highness, we were all personally selected and trained by you in the Flying Eagle Guard.”

"Please, Your Highness, do not abandon us in the capital. We only recognize Your Highness as our master."

Pei Yuan's eyes darkened slightly as he scanned the people kneeling on the ground.

He could name every single one of these people.

He personally selected and trained them all. When Shen Chu went to Yangzhou, he had thought of retiring with Shen Chu.

To ensure his safety after retirement, he carefully selected thirty-six men from the Flying Eagle Guard.

These are the people kneeling on the ground now.

"You should know that I am no longer His Highness. My true identity is Lu Zhan."

“I am Lu Zhan, the heir of the Duke of Zhenguo’s mansion, not Prince Rui.”

"I am about to leave the capital for Liangzhou. If you follow me, your future is uncertain, and you may even become fugitives pursued by the imperial court."

As soon as he finished speaking, the people kneeling on the ground spoke up without the slightest hesitation.

"We are willing to follow the Crown Prince to the death."

"We are willing to go to Liangzhou and follow the Crown Prince to protect our home and country."

Shouts echoed through the mountains and forests, the reverberations sending chills down one's spine.

Pei Yuan's eyes welled up with tears as he watched this scene.

He closed his eyes briefly, then opened them again, his eyes regaining their calm, but his voice remained strong and resonant.

"I, Lu Zhan, am grateful for your kindness. From now on, we will go to Liangzhou together and share joys and sorrows."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief, stood up from the ground, and greeted Sun Yan and Du Song.

The group headed down the mountain towards Huguo Temple.

Pei Yuan saw that Little Potato was nestled in Shen Chu's arms, his dark eyes constantly scrutinizing him.

He reached out to take the little potato.

"Let me hold him."

Chen Chu hesitated, thinking about Xiao Tudou's resistance to Pei Yuan, and was afraid that Xiao Tudou would refuse.

To everyone's surprise, Little Potato remained silent, pursing his lips as Pei Yuan carried him away.

Then she nestled quietly in his arms.

Shen Chu was surprised and secretly winked at Pei Yuan.

Pei Yuan also sensed that his son was less resistant to him, and a happy smile crept onto his face.

She reached out and ruffled Little Potato's hair, then asked in a gentle voice, "Were you scared just now?"

"No." Little Potato pursed his lips and blurted out, "I'm a little man, I'm not afraid."

One sentence made Pei Yuan laugh out loud.

"Yes, you are a brave little man, but you are also a child. It's not shameful to be afraid when you encounter something like this."

This was my carelessness; I won't let you encounter such danger again."

Little Potato played with his little hands and secretly looked up at Pei Yuan.

So this is what it feels like to have a father?

My mother's embrace is fragrant and soft, but my father's embrace is warm and broad. Nestled in my father's arms, I feel especially at ease.

He almost got stabbed through by the sword just now while trying to save me.

Little Potato twisted his fingers tightly and kept looking up at Pei Yuan.

Noticing his son's scrutinizing gaze, Pei Yuan smiled slightly and then reached out to ruffle Little Potato's hair.

"Come on, let's go back to the temple. Your father will personally cut potatoes for you. Tonight's vegetarian meal will be a potato feast."

Little Potato's eyes lit up slightly.

His mother called him Little Potato because his father loved to cut potato shreds.

He had never seen his father cut potato shreds before.

Little Potato was led by Pei Yuan to the kitchen of Jingguo Temple, full of curiosity.

Pei Yuan placed him on a chair, quickly washed the potatoes, rolled up his sleeves, and began slicing them with gusto.

The kitchen entrance was crowded with people.

The Flying Eagle Guard brothers were jostling and bumping into each other, leaving onlookers speechless.

"My goodness, I never expected Your Highness, no, the Crown Prince, to have such excellent knife skills."

"Look at those potato shreds, they're cut so thin and translucent, they're as fine as cow hair."

"I never thought I would be able to eat potato shreds cut by the Crown Prince himself in my lifetime. I am so touched."

Amidst the sighs of admiration, only Jinbao, Sun Yan, and Du Song stood quietly to the side, gazing at the sky with indescribably strange expressions.

His Highness's willingness to demonstrate his potato-cutting skills in front of them shows that he considers them one of his own.

So don't get too excited. You'll have plenty of opportunities to eat shredded potatoes in the future, enough to make you sick of them.

Pei Yuan was unaware of what everyone was thinking; his mind was entirely on Little Potato.

"How was it? Wasn't Daddy's potato-slicing skill amazing?"

Little Potato's eyes lit up, and he nodded emphatically.

"Yes, Father is amazing."

Pei Yuan's hand trembled, and he almost cut off his finger with a knife.

He looked at the little potato with excitement.

What did you just call me?

Little Potato blushed, tugging at his clothes, looking somewhat shy.

Little Apple suddenly appeared out of nowhere, clapping her little hands and shouting with a grin.

"I heard it! My brother called for Daddy just now."

Little Potato glared at her.

Little Apple made a face and insisted, "You're going to call me Daddy now."

Pei Yuan strode up to Little Potato, so excited that he even forgot to put down the kitchen knife in his hand.

It wasn't until he saw Little Potato's pale face that he realized what was happening. He quickly dropped the cleaver and scooped Little Potato into his arms.

"Son, can you call me 'Father' one more time?"

His voice was a little hoarse, filled with barely concealed excitement.

Little Potato hesitated for a moment, then softly called out, "Daddy."

"Yes," Pei Yuan replied excitedly.

Little Apple came running over with a smile and hugged Pei Yuan's leg, "Me too, Daddy, and Little Apple too."

Pei Yuan picked up Little Apple with one hand.

One on each side, looking at my son and then at my daughter, I felt my heart was filled with happiness.

Looking out the window at the scene of the father and his two sons embracing, Shen Chu couldn't help but smile happily.

I heard hurried footsteps behind me.

Silence has arrived.

"Chuchu, go quickly and see, your master...she..."