Xie Chang'an looked at Xie Shaoling in disbelief.
He didn't really want Black Wind, but Xie Shaoling's resolute tone made him very unhappy, extremely unhappy.
"For a warrior who gallops across the battlefield, his horse is his most loyal companion. Black Wind is my most important companion. We will accompany each other until the end of its life and never betray each other!" Xie Shaoling said as he lifted Xie Chang'an onto his horse, while affectionately patting Black Wind's head.
Xie Chang'an's lips twitched violently.
I wonder what my mother will think when she hears my father's heartfelt words.
"You'll meet your own friends in the future!" After patting the horse's head, Xie Shaoling patted Xie Chang'an's head with his hand.
"Get your filthy hands off me!" Xie Chang'an shouted in his heart.
Unfortunately, he was held firmly in Xie Shaoling's arms by one hand, unable to move, and could only passively accept his father's loving caresses.
At that moment, he sincerely felt that his importance in his father's heart was probably about the same as Black Wind's, or even less.
"Your Highness, riding horses is forbidden in the imperial city," the steward said to Hei Feng.
Xie Shaoling scoffed, "I've only been away from the capital for five years, it's not like I've lost my memory!"
The coachman drove the carriage back to the city, and Xie Shaoling rode his horse to the side of the carriage, running alongside it.
"Qingqing, when we have time, I'll take you horseback riding outside the city," Xie Shaoling said to Xu Qingqing in the carriage.
"Okay, when we compete, you can't deliberately throw the game!" Xu Qingqing said happily, leaning against the carriage window.
"But we have to keep this from Mother, otherwise she'll start nagging me again." Thinking of the Duchess, Xu Qingqing quickly reminded her.
“Of course, she nags me just as much as you do!” Xie Shaoling said.
"Speaking of which, it's been five years since I've heard my mother nag, and I actually miss her quite a bit!" he sighed again.
"And what about the old lady? I wonder if her dragon-headed cane is still as powerful as it used to be when she hits someone?"
Xie Chang'an thought to himself, "Wanting to be beaten is easy enough. I can help my father fulfill this wish."
“I haven’t had a chance to experience that,” Xu Qingqing said seriously. “The old lady dotes on us granddaughters-in-law and wouldn’t bear to hit us. But you can try it when you get back to the manor.”
Xie Shaoling: ...
He was just making a comment; the old lady's dragon-headed cane, apart from the dragon head being pure gold, was made of refined iron, with only a layer of gold plating on the outside. It hurt terribly when it hit someone; had he gone mad? Why was he so eager to get beaten up!
Seeing his father humiliated, Xie Chang'an felt a sense of exhilaration, as if he had finally avenged his father.
Soon, the carriage entered the imperial city.
The capital city is especially lively today, with many people on the streets, and everyone's face is full of smiles.
"Is today some kind of special holiday? Why are there so many people? And why is everyone so happy?" Xie Shaoling asked in confusion.
This question was quickly answered.
Because someone was shouting in the street that noon was approaching and the prefect's son was about to be beheaded and displayed to the public at the execution ground on West Street!
Upon hearing the shouts, pedestrians on the street rushed towards the execution ground on West Street.
The streets soon became somewhat empty.
Even some shop owners along the street closed their shops during the day so they could go and watch the excitement.
Although Xie Shaoling had just returned to the capital, he still had a general understanding of the situation there.
On his way back to the capital, he overheard some merchants who had left the capital talking about how the son of the prefect had committed many evils, bullied men and women, and caused havoc in the area. Fortunately, heaven had eyes, and the Crown Prince caught him forcibly taking a woman. The Crown Prince was furious and wanted to severely punish the boy, and even requested an imperial edict from His Majesty.
When he heard the news, he was somewhat dismissive. The capital city was a complex place with complicated relationships between various parties. Even with the emperor's edict, it might not be enough to convict him.
After all, their emperor lacks great talent and ambition, but he values immediate interests and might be easily swayed by the Minister of Personnel's petty gains.
I never expected that the son of the prefect would not only be convicted, but also sentenced to death, such a serious crime, and that it would be publicized throughout the city. Has the emperor changed his mind?
I don't know how things developed like this.
Xie Shaoling became interested and said to the steward, "The capital city hasn't been this lively in a long time. Let's go to West Street and join in the fun!"
"Young Master, the Old Madam and Madam are still waiting for you to return home!" The old steward was shocked and quickly brought out two mountains from the mansion.
Having not returned to the capital for five years, and now that he's finally back, instead of going home to pay respects to his elders, he goes to West Street to watch the commotion. What kind of behavior is that?!
"Anyway, we're already back in the capital. It's just a short walk home. If you're worried about the old lady and mother, why don't you take your men back to the manor to report? I'll take my wife and the young prince to see what's going on. Once we've seen the excitement, we'll naturally head back."
As Xie Shaoling spoke, he asked the Crown Princess in the carriage, "Qingqing, do you want to go watch the excitement?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Qingqing immediately lifted the carriage curtain and jumped down. "Let's go! This kind of excitement is a rare sight!"
Old Butler: ...
He knew that once this little devil returned, he would live a few years less.
"Your Highness, it's fine for you and your wife to go and watch the spectacle, but the young prince is still a child. How can we let him see such a bloody scene? If Madam finds out, she will be angry," the old steward earnestly advised.
"What's the big deal? Chang'an will be going to the battlefield in the future. It's good to get used to it in advance and build up his courage!" Xie Shaoling said nonchalantly.
"Chang'an, do you want to watch a criminal beheaded?" Xie Shaoling asked Xie Chang'an for his opinion after he finished speaking.
As someone who was behind this whole affair, Xie Chang'an naturally wanted to go to the scene to witness it.
He nodded.
"Then it's settled. It's inconvenient to bring Blackwind around in crowded places, Uncle Xie. Please take Blackwind back to the manor for me first, and make sure to take good care of it!" Xie Shaoling dismounted and said to the old steward.
After saying that, he patted Hei Feng's head, then carried Xie Chang'an in one arm and held Xu Qingqing's hand in the other, and walked quickly towards West Street.
"Young Master—" Xie Bo reached out to stop him again, but missed.
Xie Shaoling and Xu Qingqing were both martial artists, and their steps were light and quick. In just a few steps, they were far away from the carriages and horses of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion.
As noon approached, Xie Shaoling and Xu Qingqing, eager to see the excitement, started running as they walked, quickly overtaking many onlookers and getting ahead of them.
The execution ground, which pedestrians would normally avoid, was now surrounded by layers of onlookers because the prefect's son was to be beheaded there.
Every ordinary person who came to watch the spectacle had a beaming smile on their face, and the air was filled with laughter and joy, making it even more lively and festive than the Spring Festival.
Xie Shaoling and Xu Qingqing, relying on their martial arts skills, fought their way through the crowd, carrying Xie Chang'an to the front and securing the best view.
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