Chapter 62: Jiangnan Journey, Why Are You So Far Away From Me?
We drove through the bushes and onto the official road. In the distance, we saw the heavily guarded city gates and soldiers with swords patrolling on the city walls.
At the front of the team, Qin Yanheng sat atop his tall horse, letting the warm breeze caress his face, ruffling his high-bound hair. A few strands fell across his forehead, fluttering in the breeze. Perhaps because his hair partially obscured his vision, Qin Yanheng blew a light breath, and his forehead softened for a moment.
After learning from the monster last night that Luo Qingling was the jade stone that could subdue him, Qin Yanheng tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep all night. Before dawn, he dragged Xuanying to the royal palace for a sparring match to help suppress the heat that surged in his heart from time to time. Otherwise, he would be restless at night and unable to fall asleep.
Qin Yanheng was well aware that Luo Qingling was a piece of jade. When the two met for the first time and the Golden Dragon Sword recognized Luo Qingling as its master, he had already felt something was wrong - after all, his Taoist master had told him that the Golden Dragon Sword was a treasure from the fairyland and could only be used by people from the fairyland.
He was a piece of gold and stone from the fairyland, so naturally he could control the Golden Dragon Sword. However, the fact that a young lady he had never met could also control this fairyland sword like him was suspicious.
Later, Qin Yanheng would always dream of Yue Lao and his master discussing the golden jade marriage stone in heaven, and he felt more and more that Luo Qingling was the jade stone that fell into the human world with him.
But guessing is one thing, and being pointed out to your face is another. Qin Yanheng suddenly recalled what the monster said last night, and the heat surged up again, and in the blink of an eye, his cheeks flushed red.
"This kind of low-level illusion is only useful to the party that is moved." The monster said to Luo Qingling while facing his face.
Qin Yanheng still can't forget the heartbeat at that moment.
The entire capital could see that he loved the young lady of the Luo family, which was why he had sought an imperial decree of reward for her and accompanied her south to investigate General Luo's injustice. The whole world knew this, but he was the only one who didn't know!
But he knows now.
But what good would it do to know? What if… what if Lady Luo didn't like him, or if she already had someone else she loved? What would he do then? Would he pester her all day, begging her to accept him?
He was the dignified Prince Rong'an, and if the news got out, he would be laughed at. However, compared to being laughed at, losing Luo Qingling still made him feel more uncomfortable, well... more than a little.
Qin Yanheng thought about the days without Luo Qingling, and suddenly felt that the future was dark. Even his favorite jade dew dumplings tasted bland.
Speaking of Yu Lu Tuanzi, I heard that Luo Qingling came to the palace to find him this morning. At that time, he was in a period of confusion and didn't know how to face her, so Xuan Ying found an excuse to get away with it.
But it has been almost half a day, and I don’t know what Yu Lu Tuanzi is doing right now.
Qin Yanheng couldn't resist the urge to meet Luo Qingling, so he tightened the reins and turned around to walk towards the middle of the team.
There were waves of horse hooves and the surrounding soldiers held knives in their left hands and whips in their right hands.
A group of people and horses were walking on the official road. One of the soldiers caught a glimpse of the fluttering skirt of a girl riding a high horse. He raised his voice and asked, "Where are you going, Miss Luo? Why don't you take a carriage?"
Luo Qingling, wearing a veil, looked up at the soldier and casually replied, "Do you know where the young prince is?"
The soldiers shook their heads, indicating that the young prince's whereabouts were not something they could know at will. Luo Qingling understood in his heart and walked straight ahead past the soldiers.
She had been searching for him all morning, but couldn't find any sign of him, not even a scrap of his clothing. It was truly suspicious. Normally, Qin Yanheng would have been right there by this time, so why was he acting so strangely today? Even Qiulai's expression flickered when he talked about last night...
Qin Yanheng definitely came last night!
Luo Qingling straightened her clothes with an unnatural look on her face. She didn't believe that she was tired from traveling and soaking in the hot springs, and that she fainted due to the excessive blood circulation.
She remembered clearly that after encountering the monster in the hot spring last night, she saw Qin Yanheng rushing towards her. At that time, she was only wearing a small piece of clothing and sitting in the hot spring. She still couldn't forget the embarrassment she felt.
Lost in thought, she saw a young man on a tall horse ahead, his features as picturesque as a painting. A jade crown crowned his dark hair, which shone golden in the bright sunlight. He seemed to have spotted Luo Qingling long ago, and now he was running towards her, against the flow of people, his eyes a smile, twinkling with stars.
"Madam Luo, you are here to see me? Why don't you take a carriage?"
Qin Yanheng stopped beside Luo Qingling, leaned over from his tall horse, stretched out his hand toward her, and said with a smile, "If you don't want to ride in the carriage, then get on and ride with me."
Seeing that he looked fine, Luo Qingling suddenly couldn't say the words that were on the tip of her tongue. She was about to refuse Qin Yanheng's request to ride on the same horse, but she saw Xuanying riding a horse towards her not far away.
There were soldiers hurrying along all around, and only she and Qin Yanheng stopped in the middle. The carriage she had just ridden in had now moved to the front, and now she could neither walk nor sit.
Thinking of this, Luo Qingling couldn't help but glance at Qin Yanheng, who was sitting on a tall horse, looking down at her with a smile, maintaining the same posture as before. Seeing her puzzled look, Qin Yanheng deepened his smile.
"If you have anything to say, just sit down and talk." Qin Yanheng tilted his head and smiled, bending his fingers towards her.
Luo Qingling's mind raced, and she raised her hand to cover his palm, using Qin Yanheng's strength to keep her seated on the horse. The young man behind her had thin shoulders but a very strong chest. His slightly warm breath pounded on the top of her head, and Luo Qingling could only hear the throbbing of his own heartbeat.
"Your Highness," said Xuan Ying, who had returned from scouting the area ahead, "Not far away is the Si'an Prefecture capital. The last traces of Scout Gao's son and the others were found here."
High scout?
Isn't this the important official her father had accidentally killed? Could it be that Qin Yanheng is also investigating this matter? Luo Qingling looked up at Qin Yanheng, who didn't notice her movements and simply waved his hand to signal Xuanying to leave.
The city gate was right in front of them. The sentry standing guard on the city wall saw the flag with the word "Qin" from afar and ordered the gate to be opened. Before everyone reached the city gate, a leader had already led a group of city guards to line up on both sides.
The leader stretched his neck to take a look. After he saw Qin Yanheng on the high horse and Luo Qingling in his arms, he looked a little hesitant.
The leader exchanged a glance with the soldiers beside him, thinking that the saint only said that Prince Rong'an was on a southern tour, and did not mention that he brought a woman with him. Should they call her princess or madam now?
Fortunately, Qin Yanheng didn't care about these etiquettes. He raised his chin as a greeting, and then led everyone into the city.
On this trip, Qin Yanheng did not go south along the coast, but chose to go all the way down from Shannan Road to the Jiangnan area, in order to pass by Si'an Prefecture - the last place where the descendants of Gao Scout appeared.
"Rest in the city for a few days. I will make a decision after I have thoroughly investigated the whereabouts of Scout Gao's descendants."
The voice appeared above her head, and the warm breath hit Luo Qingling's hair, making her feel a little itchy. Before she could ask everyone where they were going to stay, she saw a carriage stop by the roadside with a "creak". A slightly fat man walked out of the curtain and walked straight towards Qin Yanheng, with a warm smile on his face.
But Luo Qingling could always see some reluctance in the man's smiling expression.
"Sui Anzhou Governor Su respectfully welcomes Prince Rong An—"
When he was two or three steps away from the two men, the man suddenly stood at attention, then clasped his hands together and bowed solemnly to Qin Yanheng. He raised his eyes slightly to look at Luo Qingling in Qin Yanheng's arms, revealing the same confusion as the leader of the city defense.
Perhaps because the governor was a third-rank official and one of the few important officials in the court, Governor Su boldly raised his doubts.
"Is the lady beside Prince Rong'an the future princess consort?" Governor Su asked anxiously, not knowing what to do.
Hearing this, I thought Qin Yanheng would turn cold and reprimand him, but unexpectedly, the rumored unruly little prince twitched the corners of his mouth and revealed an incomprehensible smile: "Prefect Su has been talking too much."
"It's my fault," Governor Su apologized repeatedly, then turned sideways and raised his hand to welcome everyone into the city. "The Governor's Mansion has already prepared rooms for the two nobles. Your Highness, please follow me."
Governor's Mansion.
Servants filed into the hall carrying plates, but the hall was empty at the moment. There was only a table in front of them filled with glass plates, on which were various kinds of fruits and cakes.
"Xi'er, what do you think Prince Rong'an looks like?" Su Luning, daughter of Governor Su, sat to one side, watching the servants serving the dishes. She whispered to the maid beside her, "I heard he's the most handsome young man in the capital. I've never seen anyone like him!"
"My lady, don't worry. The governor should have received Prince Rong'an by now. I'm afraid His Highness will be able to meet you soon. Do you want to put on some more rouge?" Xier said with a smile.
While they were talking, they heard the sound of horse hooves outside the house, and the figure of his father, Governor Su, appeared at the door.
Su Lu Ning was startled and stood up quickly to adjust the gold hairpin on her head. Xier beside her was busy brushing her wrinkled sleeves. The master and servant stood at the door, one in front and one behind, with their heads lowered to welcome Prince Rong'an.
The young man stepped over the threshold in long boots. The hem of his clothes was embroidered with black and gold patterns. The style was precious and he must be extraordinary.
The young prince blatantly entered Su Luning's field of vision, her heart pounding. Prince Rong An truly loved wearing black and gold brocade robes, just as the rumors said. He was truly worthy of being the Saint's most beloved youngest son—the young prince of a golden branch and jade leaf.
Before Su Luning could figure out what to do next, he heard the young prince speak with a smile. Su Luning suddenly felt as if a basin of cold water was poured over his head, extinguishing his fiery heart.
"Luo Qingling, why are you so far away from me?" Qin Yanheng patted the stool beside him and waved to Luo Qingling who was standing not far away. "Don't you usually sit next to me? Why are you sitting so far away today?"
Who is this Miss Luo? Why have I never heard of her?
Su Luning and his father, Su Shishi, looked at each other from a distance, and both saw some doubt in each other's eyes.
No one has ever mentioned who Prince Rong'an is engaged to before. Logically speaking, if he were to travel with an unengaged woman, he would not be so high-profile. But seeing how familiarly His Highness Qin and Madam Luo get along with each other, it must be that Madam Luo must be His Highness's cousin!
Thinking of this, Su Luning felt a little comforted. She was now nineteen years old, only one year older than the young prince, a perfect age match. Last year, the queen said she wanted to see a young prince, and her father hurriedly sent her portrait to the palace, but there had been no news since then.
Instead of waiting for a response from the palace, it is better to take the initiative and keep the little prince in the mansion for a few days. Once the matter is settled, she will be the only prince's consort in the capital.
Su Luning smiled secretly, but did not show it on her face. Following the instruction of Governor Su, she walked slowly into the main hall holding a glass plate, half-knelt beside Qin Yanheng, and served him the food without saying a word.
"Your Highness, would you like some pastries first?"
Su Luning raised her fingers and brought the jade dew dumplings on the glass plate to Qin Yanheng. The latter looked at the juicy jade dew dumplings on the plate, raised his eyebrows and chuckled.
Prince Rong An smiled at her. This must be a good thing! Su Luning thought.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
