Chapter 97
Although Lu Xiaobai had expected Li Yuan to appear, he was surprised to see him wearing a snow-white robe, holding a stool, standing at the kitchen door, his eyes fixed on the dishes on the table.
He looked like a beggar who hadn't had a hot meal for ten days or half a month, except that he was a good-looking beggar.
Lu Xiaobai was stunned, his chopstick hand paused in the air, and after a while he shook his head: "It doesn't look good, it's very ugly."
Li Yuan: ...
Didn’t you praise his stool for being comfortable before?
Don’t you like it now?
Brother's words are deceiving!
The smile on Li Yuan's face froze, but he still said awkwardly: "This is Beili's unique stool. I'm giving it to you now. How about exchanging it for a chance to have dinner with you?"
Because Li Yuan was here, Ling Yi and the others couldn't eat together due to their status. So, Ling Si was giving the secret guards lunch boxes and told them to eat outside later.
When he heard Li Yuan's words, his eyes almost popped out and he looked back at Li Yuan in surprise.
What's going on?
Aren’t you going to invite Beili people to have dinner together?
Why is Emperor Beili so humble now, and he is begging Master Xiaobai instead of the master?
Then, can I not serve food to Beili's secret guards?
Ling Si looked at the pot and began to hesitate, while Li Yuan smiled on the surface but clenched his teeth tightly.
It's not that he wanted to beg Lu Xiaobai, but he knew that if Lu Xiaobai acted recklessly, He Qin would let him do it. Lu Xiaobai became so bold that he didn't even take him, the King of Beili, seriously.
But as an outsider, Li Yuan had no way to deal with this and was not allowed to interfere in other people's family affairs.
Looking at Li Yuan's appearance, Lu Xiaobai happily took the chopsticks, picked up a piece of fried lean meat, smelled it, opened his little mouth, and stuffed it into his mouth.
He shook his head while eating, puffing his cheeks and said vaguely: "It's nothing, He Qin said that he will make anything I want, and I don't need you to send it to me."
Seeing Lu Xiaobai's provocative gesture, Li Yuan gritted his teeth and said, "The candy I gave you yesterday was so precious that it's enough to buy you a meal!"
Lu Xiaobai was stunned for a moment, then turned to look at He Qin, who was trying to suppress his laughter. After thinking for a moment, he nodded and said, "Suantang is very precious. It is more than enough to buy this meal..."
Can it be offset?
Li Yuan's eyes lit up and he immediately went into the house, put the stool in front of the table and sat down.
Before Lu Xiaobaihua finished speaking, Li Yuan sat down and started to pick up the meat with chopsticks.
Frightened, Lu Xiaobai stretched out his hand to wave Li Yuan away, shouting anxiously, "But I picked it up, you didn't give it to me!"
Li Yuan: ...
You really dig your own hole and choose it yourself!
Thinking about the past few years, except for the matter of Han Xiao, he has been like a fish in water and no one has ever dared to disobey him.
He was full of strategies and could convince people even if they were disobedient or dissatisfied, except Lu Xiaobai.
In order to avoid falling out with He Qin, he couldn't hit, scold, or be violent. All his schemes would vanish into thin air if used on Lu Xiaobai. It really made him mad!
Li Yuan frowned, looking at the scarred little hand in front of him, and said mercilessly: "Your hand is so ugly!"
Lu Xiaobai was stunned, then retracted his right hand and looked at the irregular scars on the back of his hand. They were very faint and could not be seen without careful observation. How dare this guy say that he was ugly?
Lu Xiaobai subconsciously pulled up his clothes to cover the scar. Just as he was about to argue with Li Yuan, he saw that Li Yuan had already snatched away the porridge that Lu Xiaobai had not touched, and started eating it with the meat.
Lu Xiaobai: ???
“You, you…”
Li Yuan didn't care about him. Although he ate elegantly, the food in his bowl had already piled up into a small mountain. He smiled and nodded to Lu Xiaobai: "Thank you, my dear husband, for your help."
Lu Xiaobai looked at the empty space in front of him, with only a pair of chopsticks left. His eyes instantly turned red. He turned around and grabbed He Qin's clothes, choking and saying, "He Qin, he stole my food..."
He Qin raised his hand and touched Lu Xiaobai's hair, saying softly, "Xiaobai, be good. He has come a long way from me, and I guess he didn't have a good meal on the way. Let him eat."
Li Yuan's hand that was eating stopped instantly. Although he hadn't eaten properly during the whole journey, why did he always feel something was wrong when He Qin said that?
He looked up and saw Lu Xiaobai pouting unhappily. He asked aggrievedly, "What about me? I'm so hungry. I haven't had breakfast yet..."
He Qin stood up and took out a bowl of rice from the pot that was left for Lu Xiaobai. Then he took some green vegetables and an egg and fried them together with Lu Xiaobai: "You eat this."
"good."
Smelling the delicious rice cooked by He Qin, Lu Xiaobai immediately became happy. He stopped making a fuss and sat down with He Qin to eat obediently.
Watching the two of them, one quarreling and the other coaxing, and finally sitting together to eat in love, Li Yuan suddenly felt that he was not that hungry anymore, and even his eating movements became slower...
After a meal.
Ling Si appeared and collected the dishes. After thinking for a while, he decided to serve the leftover rice in the pot to Beili's secret guards.
It's really hard work to see them go up the mountain to hunt after planting the rice seedlings.
After reporting to He Qin, Ling Si left with the lunch box.
Although Li Yuan was full, he was not very happy. Just as he was about to leave, He Qin stopped him.
He Qin: "Brother Li, please stay."
Li Yuan turned around and immediately smiled: "Brother He, have you figured out the answer?"
He Qin nodded: "Yes."
Lu Xiaobai looked at He Qin curiously, wanting to ask him what he was thinking about, but was worried about making mistakes, so he could only lie on the table and play boredly, listening to the two people talking about business.
But he was too bored, so he asked Lingyi to get the crispy candies he had hidden in the cupboard and ate them while listening.
Li Yuan looked at Lu Xiaobai eating candy. Although he felt a little uncomfortable, he was not angry. After all, He Qin's answer was much more important than the candy.
He Qin looked at Lu Xiaobai, shook his head and said, "Regarding General Han Xiao's affairs, as the King of Nanhe, I should avoid suspicion and should not interfere. I hope Brother Li will forgive me."
Upon hearing this answer, the smile on Li Yuan's face instantly disappeared. Unlike his previous dark face, this time, it was filled with murderous intent.
Lu Xiaobai was so frightened that he froze while eating candy. He Qin quickly reached out and hugged him in his arms. Then, suppressing his anger, he said, "Brother Li, are you trying to kill someone?"
Li Yuan came back to his senses instantly, smiled helplessly and said, "How dare I? It's just that I don't understand. The Fourth Prince He Zhou is still in Beili, in Han Xiao's hands. Brother He, are you really not worried?"
Hearing that the atmosphere had eased, Lu Xiaobai climbed out of He Qin's arms and continued to eat candy and watch the fun.
As for He Qin, he was of course worried about He Zhou.
After all, he was his most beloved younger brother, and He Zhou had been in poor health since childhood. He had been in Beili for so long, and he didn't know how he was doing.
However, if he killed Han Xiao, he would be putting the entire Nanhe in danger.
Millions of people in Nanhe trust him so much. He cannot let the entire Nanhe fall into an irretrievable situation for his own selfish desires.
So, he nodded and said, "Of course."
Lu Xiaobai didn't understand, and looked at He Qin in confusion with the candy in his hand. He Qin couldn't explain to him for a while, so he could only touch his head and hope that he would wait.
But Li Yuan paused, and said in disbelief: "As long as you help me kill Han Xiao, He Zhou can return home safely, and you don't have to give the 100,000 kilograms of food that Bei Li asked for in exchange for him!"
He Qin glanced at Li Yuan unhurriedly, then asked calmly, "If I help you kill Han Xiao, then when you return the Fourth Prince, will you also return the 30,000 kilograms of harvested grain to Nan He after deducting the labor cost?"
He Qin sneered, "Whether it's the grain seeds or the finished grain, you, Beili, used the Fourth Prince He in the south as a threat to force them to come. This is blatant robbery! So, please, Brother Li, don't pretend to be a good person!"
If they can exchange He Zhou for food, then that's fine. Nan He just needs to be more diligent and he can ensure He Zhou's safety.
After that, I will find an opportunity to return the insult!
But if he has to take risks with the entire Nanhe to get He Zhou back, then he can only give up He Zhou!
Hearing He Qin's words, Li Yuan was stunned for a moment. Returning the food to Nan He? How could this be possible?
Who would spit out something intact after eating it and give it back to others? It's impossible!
Li Yuan waited a long time before asking, "So, have you given up on the Fourth Prince? Do you no longer care whether he lives or dies?"
He Qin felt a pang in his heart, and his fists tightened under the table, but he nodded gently. "He is a royal family member. He has had the best food, clothing, housing and transportation since he was a child. Since he has enjoyed the offerings of the people of Nanhe, he should give back to Nanhe, even at the cost of his life."
Although he had already guessed the result, Li Yuan still sighed helplessly.
Lu Xiaobai also lowered his head, looking at the candy in his hand, his face full of tears.
Although he knew He Qin's helplessness, when he heard that he was going to give up He Zhou, he still couldn't help but want to cry. His heart ached...
On one side is my younger brother, and on the other side is the country.
He Qin chose the country.
Li Yuan didn't reply, and He Qin lost his patience. He took a deep breath and said, "Now that things have come to this, please consider it carefully. If you have any ill intentions, I will ensure that your life remains in Lujia Village forever, even if it means going to war between the two countries!"
Li Yuan was helpless and turned back with a smile: "That's not necessary, I'll leave in the afternoon."
"But you can leave, I have a request."
Li Yuan calmed down and said with a smile, "Before the New Year, I will find a way to get He Zhou back safely. Then, I will send someone to propose marriage with He Zhou, offering 300,000 kilograms of grain and several treasures as a betrothal gift. I ask for the Fourth Prince's hand in marriage!"
He Qin raised his eyes: "Why?"
Li Yuan smiled and said with longing, "Of course I admire the Fourth Prince."
He Qin wanted to refuse, after all, it was He Zhou's lifelong event, but Li Yuan had expected this. He reached out and gently tapped the table and said, "Brother He, didn't you just say that the Fourth Prince is a member of the royal family and is destined to sacrifice everything for Nan He? In that case, how about we make a deal? As long as you marry He Zhou to me, I promise you that as long as I, Li Yuan, am alive, Bei Li will never violate Nan He in the slightest!"
He Qin gave up He Zhou for the country. Lu Xiaobai was heartbroken and in tears, but fortunately, He Zhou was not in danger of his life and would be back at the end of the year.
But, I want to marry this Li Yuan?
Although he didn't know whether He Zhou would like this man, he felt that it would be best to let He Zhou go home first. If He Zhou didn't want to marry, he could secretly change him.
Lu Xiaobai wiped her tears and looked up at He Qin. It was obvious that He Qin thought the same, so she nodded and said, "Okay."
"Then it's a deal. If the one who comes to marry is not the Fourth Prince He Zhou, I will break my promise."
Li Yuan raised the corner of his mouth and took out a letter with the seal of Beili from his pocket and said: "I know Brother He will not carry the seal of the country when he is outside, so it is okay to seal it privately. Brother He, please!"
Finally, Li Yuan left with his secret guards.
He Qin looked at the letter in his hand, which was stamped with the seal of Beili Kingdom and He Qin's private seal. It listed the conditions for the marriage proposal. The person to be proposed to was He Zhou.
Lu Xiaobai wiped her tears, sat next to He Qin, and asked quietly, "Did Li Yuan know that you wouldn't agree to kill Han Xiao, so he came here to marry Zhou Zhou from the beginning?"
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