After turning several street corners, Prince Jing finally stopped at the entrance of a quiet alley.
He gently pushed open a weathered wooden door and went inside. Li Xi and Qin Xiaolin exchanged a glance and followed him.
Inside the gate was a dimly lit courtyard, where moonlight streamed through the gaps in the eaves, illuminating the ancient locust tree in the courtyard.
Prince Jing stood under the tree, seemingly waiting for something.
Li Xi and Qin Xiaolin quietly approached, holding their breath and focusing intently, afraid of missing the slightest movement.
Just then, a gentle breeze blew by, rustling the leaves.
Sure enough, a short while later, the old woman, walking with unsteady steps, came out of the house.
Upon seeing this, Prince Jing immediately stepped forward to support her and said softly, "Master, why did you come out?"
The old woman raised her head slightly, looked at Prince Jing, her eyes full of affection: "I heard footsteps, and I knew it was you who came."
She patted Prince Jing's hand, indicating that he didn't need to worry.
Then he turned around, took a deep breath, as if trying to draw some life from the breeze.
"Master, it's late at night and the dew is cold. Be careful not to catch a cold." Prince Jing helped the old woman into the house.
The candlelight in the room was lit, instantly warming the entire space.
Prince Jing settled the old woman on a soft cushion and covered her with a thin cotton quilt, afraid that she might feel even a little cold.
The old woman smiled slightly; her face was etched with the marks of time, but her eyes remained as bright as stars.
She looked at Prince Jing and slowly asked, "Xuan'er, did you come from the music hall?"
Prince Jing nodded silently. "Master, in another half month, you will regain your freedom."
Upon hearing this, the old woman was speechless for a moment, a look of astonishment and disbelief flashing across her face.
Time seemed to freeze. After a long while, she slowly opened her lips and said in a slightly trembling voice, "It must have been hard for you. As a prince, you have to go to such a brothel to perform in place of an old woman like me."
He recalled the past and answered softly, "Master, without you, Xuan'er probably wouldn't have survived that cold winter."
He should have enjoyed endless wealth and honor, possessed an enviable noble status, and lived a carefree life.
However, fate, like a cruel and merciless joker, shattered his bright future.
Because of a prophecy from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau, he was like a discarded pawn, ruthlessly sent out of the palace and to Xiangguo Temple on the outskirts of Beijing.
From then on, he was forced to separate from his family and spend every day alone in the temple.
Despite the monks' careful guidance at Xiangguo Temple, his heart remained restless.
He deeply longed for the warmth and care of his family, and the lack of that affection caused him immense pain.
Those brief moments of reunion each year became the most precious moments of his life.
However, the winter when he was seven years old was the coldest year of his life.
Perhaps it was due to physical discomfort, or perhaps it was the overwhelming longing for his mother that overwhelmed him, making it impossible for him to suppress.
So he made a bold decision—to sneak away from Xiangguo Temple.
He had only one goal in mind: to head towards the palace and find his mother's warm embrace.
He staggered, struggling to walk on the cold ground.
The biting wind was fierce, and the piercing cold penetrated his thin clothes, stinging his skin.
But he didn't stop; instead, he quickened his pace, as if he could get closer to his mother with just a little more effort.
But gradually he felt his body getting heavier and heavier, and finally he collapsed in the snow.
Snowflakes fluttered down, covering him as if draping him in a white coat.
He lay in the snow, his consciousness fading, with only his mother's warm face lingering in his mind.
Just then, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar.
He struggled to open his eyes and saw a simply dressed woman riding a horse toward him.
Upon seeing him in the snow, the woman immediately dismounted to check on him.
"Whose child is this? How did he end up here?" the woman muttered to herself, then lifted him onto the horse's back.
He had already lost consciousness by then, and when he woke up, he found himself lying in the woman's arms. It gave him the feeling of being in his mother's arms.
Seeing that he had woken up, the woman asked him, "Child, you're awake? Come and drink a bowl of ginger soup to warm you up."
He opened his mouth slightly, but his voice was so faint it was almost inaudible: "Thank you."
She gently patted his back: "Don't worry, I'll take you home once you're better."
Two days later, the woman sent him back to Xiangguo Temple.
The monks in the temple, fearing punishment, chose to remain silent and did not inform the palace of his disappearance.
However, after that, he often went away for several days before returning home.
Although the monks in the temple were somewhat worried, they did not interfere much and let him do as he pleased.
Thinking of these past events, Qi Xuan felt a pang of unease.
"Alright, don't dwell on the past. Now that you're back in the palace, things will be better from now on," the old woman comforted him. "Go back soon, I'm fine."
Prince Jing summoned his servants, gave them a few instructions, and then left.
Li Xi and Qin Xiaolin, their faces covered, followed after them.
Seeing that he had already walked to an empty street, they nodded to each other in tacit agreement.
Immediately afterwards, Li Xi flashed forward, wielding his long sword, and charged towards Prince Jing.
Prince Jing sensed someone behind him, dodged to the side, and asked in a terrified expression, "Who are you?"
She lowered her voice and said, "Someone has offered a reward of ten thousand taels of gold for your life."
Prince Jing was startled. He took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down: "I have never made enemies with anyone. Why do you want to kill me?"
Li Xi sneered, "If someone makes a bid, I'll naturally accept it. Prince Jing, your life will end here today."
After saying that, Li Xi once again drew his sword and attacked Prince Jing.
He managed to parry a few blows before he could no longer defend himself. The sword was about to pierce his throat, but no guards came to his rescue.
Qin Xiaolin could only rush out from the shadows to block Li Xi's attack, and sneered: "This is my order, how dare you steal it?"
Li Xi sneered, "Whoever takes his head gets it!"
Qin Xiaolin's eyes narrowed, and the fan in his hand transformed into a sharp short sword.
It clashed with Li Xi's longsword, producing a clanging sound of metal striking metal.
The two exchanged blows, their moves sharp and neither giving an inch.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Prince Jing hurriedly fled to the other end of the street and ran back to the palace without stopping.
Seeing this, the two stopped what they were doing. Li Xi looked puzzled: "Didn't you say he had profound internal strength? He's almost dead, you're not trying to hide your strength, are you?"
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