Chapter 2: The Uighur Prince
The corner beside Longwei Road was a secluded and deserted spot. Although the noise outside was loud, not even the setting sun could penetrate here, making it perfect for her to be alone for a while.
Unfortunately, just as she took a few deep breaths to calm her chest, she heard someone ask above her head, "Xianzhu... So your name is Xianzhu?"
Qiandeng looked up in surprise, only to see a muscular young man leaning on the handrail of Longwei Road, looking at her with interest.
The heart-shaped golden crown could not hold back his thick long hair, half of which was slightly curled and draped behind him. The setting sun set against his amber eyes, and the tough temperament unique to this alien race could not be concealed.
It was the rude man who had stared at her in Qifeng Pavilion before, and he was also the Uighur she had met the day before when she went to the Uighurs to rescue Uncle Qing and the others.
Qiandeng was still wondering what the "immortal pearl" was, but he had already raised his hand to support himself on the railing, climbed over the Longwei Road, and landed beside her.
"I heard those men call you Xianzhu. It's a nice name." He pointed at himself carelessly. "My name is Mingjiu. I'm from the Huihe people."
Qian Deng then realized that this foreigner did not understand that "County Princess" was her title, and actually heard it as her name, with the wrong tone.
She didn't want to be alone with a strange man, so she took a step to leave, but he lifted his long legs and placed them on the palace wall, blocking the narrow corner tightly. "What are you afraid of? I'm not familiar with Chang'an, so I want to ask you something."
Qiandeng looked at him warily without saying a word.
"Hey, weren't there a bunch of men surrounding you just now? Why are they all men? You don't even dare to say a few words to me?"
Qiandeng listened to his awkward Chinese, wondering if he wanted to say "show courtesy", and was speechless for a moment.
Mingjiu leaned down, got close to her, and asked, "There are so many men. It seems you're still single, so they all want to marry you?"
Qiandeng stuck to the palace wall behind her, trying to stay as far away from this aggressive man as possible: "What does my business have to do with you?"
他在日光的背后笑了笑：“汉人真没劲，我们草原上的汉子，有了意中人就把其他男人统统揍翻，再堵在她家门口唱三天三夜情歌，不行就七天七夜，再不行就九天九夜，哪有姑娘不捅心的？”
"That's really heartbreaking." Qian Deng wanted to remind him that it was called being moved, but suddenly she remembered that her grandfather had sung love songs outside her grandmother's house for days and nights, and finally persuaded her grandmother to marry him, who was a small soldier at the time. They went through more than 40 years of ups and downs together and finally grew old together.
The bitterness in her heart made her forget the rudeness of the man in front of her for a moment, and she only asked, "What do you want to ask me?"
"Um..." Seeing her expression relax, he found it difficult to speak. He scratched his head and asked, "Do you know the granddaughter of Prince Changhua?"
Qian Deng didn't expect that he would ask her this. She was slightly surprised and asked, "Why?"
The eagle-like man before her actually showed a hint of shyness. "Yes, my Huihe people want to marry into the Tang Dynasty. The emperor has already agreed. Since there are no suitable princesses, everyone says they will find the children of the various princes to be princesses and marry them, just like they did with Pugu Huai'en's daughter. I support Prince Changhua... Since you are here today, I guess your family is also an official. Are you familiar with her?"
Qian Deng felt it was ridiculous, so she glanced at him and replied, "You've asked the right person. I'm indeed familiar with her, and we're even together every day."
Mingjiu was overjoyed when he heard this and asked hurriedly, "How does she look? Is her spleen and stomach in good condition?"
"Her temper isn't very good," Qian Deng corrected his erroneous Chinese. "Her face was disfigured when her father and grandfather passed away, and she's stayed home ever since. She's also stubborn and has a bad reputation. Everyone says she's keeping a dozen men in her backyard. Would you, the Huihe people, be willing to marry such a woman?"
"What? Is that really the case..." Mingjiu was very disappointed and raised his hand to hold his forehead. "Forget it then. If I marry such a mediocre person, won't I be laughed at for the rest of my life?"
Qian Deng didn't bother to correct the "crooked melon and cracked jujube" and calmly pointed at his kicked-out legs: "That's all, can I go now?"
He lowered his legs and moved sideways to make a path for her to pass through.
Just as she passed by him, he saw her profile close at hand. Her face, dyed golden by the dusk, was bright and radiant, just like the snow-capped mountain goddess sung by wandering singers on the grasslands. It was breathtaking and unforgettable.
He suddenly raised his hand and grabbed her wrist.
Qian Deng turned to look at him in astonishment, only to hear him ask, "What about you? Miss Xianzhu, where are you from?"
Qian Deng shook her hand violently, trying to get rid of him, but he held her hand tighter instead, even pulling her closer to him, staring at her, his eyes fixed on the scar on her eyebrow: "It's okay if you don't tell me, I've already remembered you."
Sliding down her wrist, he turned her palm over and took a look, a pleasant smile on his face: "There are marks on your palm from riding a horse and using weapons. It's obvious that you are the tigress in the general's family."
Knowing that he was talking about "a general's daughter", Qiandeng pulled his hand back fiercely and turned away.
"Hey, don't you want to go to the northwest?" He chased her out of the corner and asked behind her, "What's so good about Chang'an? I saw the way you rode here the other day and I knew you would love the desert grasslands! I'll take you to see the best place in the world!"
"Of course the Northwest is great. Countless passionate men guard it, so it's naturally the best place in the world." Qian Deng turned around and glared at him. "But if I want to go, I'll go by myself. Why do I need you to take me?"
He followed her and asked, "So where are you going first? Tuci River or Tianshan Mountain?"
"Kucha." She said without hesitation.
He clapped his hands and said excitedly, "I've wanted to see Prince Changhua's house for a long time! Then let's go to Kucha together!"
Qian Deng listened to him talking more and more outrageously, and was too lazy to pay attention to him anymore. He quickened his pace and walked towards Qifeng Pavilion without looking back.
Qifeng Pavilion was where the women were staying, so Mingjiu naturally couldn't follow her. He could only gaze at her back with a sense of loss, muttering, "There's no point in running away. I've already got my eyes on you!"
A soft laugh came from behind, and a woman's voice said, "There's no point in targeting them. There are too many wolves in Chang'an who want this piece of fat mutton. How can a newcomer like you have a chance?"
Mingjiu turned around and saw a middle-aged woman with a head full of pearls and jade, looking elegant and graceful. Puzzled, he asked, "Who are you?"
Seeing his recklessness, the woman sneered and did not answer.
The female official beside her announced, "Don't be rude. This is the Grand Princess of Gao State!"
"What slap princess?" Mingjiu looked Princess Gao up and down, muttering, "You start talking about fat mutton, how unpleasant."
Princess Gao secretly gritted her teeth, but the Tang Dynasty was now on good terms with the Huihe people, so how could she possibly offend them? Pointing at Qiandeng's back, she gloated, "Don't you want to know who she is? Speaking of which, she'd be a perfect candidate for your marriage."
Mingjiu's eyes lit up and he asked, "What do you mean?"
"Her grandfather and father were both famous generals with distinguished military achievements. Her family tradition has been passed down, so riding and archery are no problem for her. She is also a descendant of a county prince. If she is canonized as a princess and marries into the family, she will definitely not bring disgrace to the Huihe people."
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