Chapter 4 His Royal Highness the Crown Prince
“…”
Song Lingyi stared at the dark figure in disbelief. Although she was smelly and dirty, this man was too rude!
"Xiaoqi, ahem... little girl." Xuanfeng rode his horse to the girl's side and handed her the reins. "This horse is for you."
Song Lingyi turned her eyes to look at the reins, then looked at Xuanfeng, and forced a bright smile: "How can this be so embarrassing? Thank you very much, thank you very much."
He was polite in words, but his hands honestly took the reins.
They actually let her ride a horse alone. If she escaped secretly during the journey, they shouldn't be able to find her, right?
As he was thinking this, he suddenly saw Xuanfeng put a rope around the saddles of two horses, and then he jumped onto the horses nimbly.
He turned his head to look at the girl and said calmly, "Why don't you get on the horse quickly?"
“…”Song Lingyi.
Sure enough, there is no such good thing in the world. How could the captured cattle and horses be let go so easily?
The girl climbed onto the horse clumsily.
Without waiting for her to sit firmly, Xuanfeng whipped his whip and both horses galloped out at the same time.
Song Lingyi had never ridden such a fast horse before. She was so scared that she hugged the horse's head with both arms and looked extremely embarrassed.
…
When we finally arrived at the mountain village, it was already time for lighting.
Torches lit up throughout the village, a cacophony of light and darkness. Along the way, many strong, ferocious-looking bandits sized up the "outsiders," their gazes blatant, strange, and terrifying.
Song Lingyi was extremely frightened. She quietly huddled close to Xuanfeng and whispered, "Brother, I'm a little hungry and a little sleepy..."
Xuanfeng lowered his head and saw the pitiful look of the girl looking at him timidly. He felt sorry for her and led her to a small room next to the kitchen.
As soon as the door was opened, heavy dust blew in her face, choking Song Lingyi and making her cough.
Xuan Feng fanned the dust with his hand and said, "No one lives here, so you can stay here temporarily. There's a boiler room next to it, so you can boil some water and clean it up yourself."
The east and west buildings were occupied by the brothers in the village, so there was no room for the little girl, and even if there was, it would be inconvenient. The eldest brother lived alone in the main building, but he was a mysophobe and would definitely not want to take in a little beggar. Only this woodshed was empty and could be used as a makeshift place for someone to live.
Song Lingyi pursed her lips and frowned.
This village looks big, but I didn’t see any female animals along the way, let alone women.
Living among men was too inconvenient. Furthermore, each of these thugs was stronger than the other, their muscles more exaggerated than those of fitness bloggers who had taken protein powder. They could crush her to death with one punch.
It seems I have to find an opportunity and run away early!
Xuanfeng settled Song Lingyi and left.
The firelight in the kitchen yard was dim. The girl boiled a pot of hot water, cleaned the woodshed, and took a long hot bath. She felt much refreshed.
Before going to bed, Xuanfeng came to the woodshed and brought her some meat buns and some clean women's clothes.
Song Lingyi was very moved. Among this group of bandits, only Xuanfeng had some humanity and was good-looking. He was much better than the bandit leader!
"Brother, what's your name?"
Xuanfeng smiled, revealing a small canine tooth: "My name is Xuanfeng, what's yours?"
"My name is...A-Li."
Song Lingyi was not blinded by lust, so she would not easily tell the bandits her real name.
Coincidentally, the original owner's name is exactly the same as hers, but "Ali" is not a name she picked randomly, it is her nickname in her previous life.
Different from the ancient people’s view on marriage, modern people’s love comes and goes quickly, and they come together and part ways without caring about other people’s opinions.
Her parents divorced when she was young, and she lived with her grandparents from the age of four.
My grandfather lived in the countryside, and behind the old house stood a vast grove of pear trees. In the spring, when the pear blossoms were in full bloom, she loved to hide in the grove, often disappearing for half a day. My grandfather didn't like to call her by her name, so he nicknamed her Ah Li.
Song Lingyi lay on the wooden bed in the woodshed, looked out the window at the bright moon, and sighed deeply.
It has been almost half a year since I came to this strange dynasty. I don’t know how my grandparents are doing. They must be very sad.
I don't know how much compensation the dog owner will give me, I hope it's a little more, just enough for my grandparents to take care of them in their old age...
As she thought about it, the girl's consciousness became increasingly heavy, her eyelids began to droop, and soon she fell into a deep sleep.
On the other side, Xuanfeng returned to the East Building after delivering the clothes and buns.
When passing by the main courtyard, he was hit on the shoulder by a small stone. Looking up, he saw his eldest brother sitting with legs bent on the second-floor windowsill, looking down at him in a lazy posture.
"Where have you been?" His tone was as casual as ever.
Xuan Feng said, "Send a few sets of clean clothes to the little girl. You have a mysophobia, don't you? You can't let her serve in the main building dirty."
"No need."
Xiao Mingyi was wary and disliked being served closely. He brought the little beggar back to the village simply out of pity for her, who had to live on the streets at such a young age, sleeping rough. The village was well-fed, and as long as she behaved herself, he would leave her a sum of money to support herself before leaving for Beijing.
"I understand." Xuan Feng nodded in agreement and asked, "Is your injury better?"
Xiao Mingyi lowered his eyes, his emotions unclear as he said, "There is no Crown Prince here."
Xuanfeng realized that he had said something wrong and scratched his head in annoyance.
"The injury is not serious, but after we get rid of that group of people today, my second brother will definitely notice it. Give orders that no one is allowed to go down the mountain during this period." Xiao Mingyi said in a deep voice.
"Yes!" Xuanfeng clasped his fists and accepted the order, then went to the east building.
Under the bright moonlight, the figure in the black robe was still sitting on the second-floor windowsill, his whole body seemed to be covered with frost and snow that had not melted for thousands of years.
Your Highness the Crown Prince?
Xiao Mingyi snorted coldly with disdain in his heart.
The emperor doted on Concubine Shu and her son. If it weren't for the fact that his maternal grandfather's family held a large number of troops, his position as crown prince would have been abolished long ago.
His mother always taught him to be friendly and respectful to his brothers, so during the 17 years in Kyoto, he never thought of competing for power with his brothers.
But the tree wants to be still but the wind does not stop.
Three years ago, his grandfather passed away, and his father sent him to Danyang County to suppress pirates. He said it was to suppress bandits, but in fact it was to remove him from the center of power so as to give his second brother the opportunity to build up his own faction.
During these three years, my father repeatedly forced my uncle to hand over his military power, and his life was in danger many times while he was fighting bandits.
Last year, pirates invaded Danyang County again and requested support from the court, but the news was withheld outside the capital by my second brother. If it were not for the timely support of Huaizhou officials and soldiers, Danyang County would have fallen long ago.
Recently, there have been frequent reports in Kyoto of "deposing the heir apparent and enthroning the virtuous". How could he allow them to do as they wish?
The evening breeze blew, the candlelight flickered, and Xiao Mingyi's lips were lightly curled like a hunter's, and there seemed to be a faint flame in his dark phoenix eyes, gorgeous and cold.
People can't teach people, but things can teach people. What about fatherly love and filial piety, brotherly friendship and respectful younger brothers? They are all empty talk! Only by holding power in your hands can you have majesty and inspire awe!
If he fails to turn Kyoto upside down, how can he be worthy of his mother and the soldiers who sacrificed their lives in Danyang County?
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