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Ever since Chen Yun had retrieved the jade pendant, he proudly took it back to his hometown and admired it on the road. His smug smile was as if he had seen someone again after a long separation.
Li Lin put the ice cubes into the water bag and said, "Hey, don't show off your wealth. Hide the jade pendant quickly. And hide that creepy smile of yours, too."
Chen Yun also followed Li Lin's advice and hid. Then she took Li Lin's water bag. Chen Yun drank it all in one gulp. The pleasure was so great that she couldn't help but raise the water bag and scream with joy.
"Drinking ice water in winter is indeed the most refreshing."
Shoucheng took a bowl of noodles from the stall and said coldly, "Drinking ice in the middle of winter can easily cause a cold spleen and stomach. Women will also experience severe menstrual pain before their periods. Shop owner, please add some slices of ginger and star anise to his noodles!"
Chen Yun smiled and said, "Thank you, Master! But I'm genuinely happy. I'm happy that you two are so kind as to accompany me to my hometown!"
Chen Yun pulled Li Lin to sit down together and said, "Brother Li, try it! This is a delicacy from my hometown - beef offal skewers. You must try it."
Li Lin took the waiter's bowl and ate it outdoors in the middle of winter. It tasted delicious.
"Careful, spicy, oh."
Suddenly, a sweet female voice was heard. Li Lin frowned and looked at Chen Yun who was standing beside him. Chen Yun immediately looked away.
"I'm warning you, this young master hates the delicate, rotten sounds."
"Sir! Here comes your beef offal!"
Li Lin took the beef offal and a female voice came from the side, "Yeah! Thank you."
Li Lin's eyes flashed with gold. He turned around and grabbed Chen Yan's neck and pulled him aside.
"Brother! I was wrong! Stop pinching me."
Li Lin put down his bowl and chopsticks, loosened his grip, and said to Chen Yun unhappily, "Sister, I'm more scared than you! The hair on my hands is practically standing up."
Chen Yun puffed up his cheeks, forcing a smile. Li Lin noticed and held back his temper, wanting to scold him. After all, there was no point in continuing.
Li Lin put the food from his bowl on Chen Yun's bowl. "Let's each have half of this beef offal. It has ginger slices and star anise. Eat it early so you can get going early."
"Pooh, pooh, pooh. Don't say such unlucky words!"
Shoucheng said, "Do you want to take some beef offal home to honor your parents?"
Chen Yun looked up at Li Lin, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. Li Lin could only nod with a pained look.
"I'll pay for it."
Chen Yun was walking on the road in the small town with Shoucheng and Li Lin, when it started to snow heavily.
"Hasn't it arrived yet?"
When everyone was confused, Chen Ying pointed to the front to indicate that they were about to arrive.
A moment later, when Chen Yun arrived at a dilapidated house, she opened the door and found several people inside, a man and a woman she had never seen before.
"Who are you? Why are you occupying my house?"
Hearing Chen Yun's loud question, one of the men came over and said, "I have the official land deed. This is my house. What is your home?"
Hearing this, Chen Yun began to wonder. She turned around and walked out to the middle of the road to look around to make sure this was her home.
Chen Yun ran over again and said, "This is the Chen family. Why do you have the deed to this land? If you seize it by force, I can sue you!"
The man said helplessly, "Girl! I acquired this house legally. The previous Chen family owed Huang Gouzi a debt, and then sold it to me. Go find them yourself, go!"
Chen Yan was struck by the news like a bolt from the blue. Her eyes froze, her mouth agape, unable to accept the reality. She unconsciously took a few steps back.
Chen Yun muttered to himself, while Li Lin was helpless and unable to help, so he had to take a deep breath.
Just then, a strong bearded man came here.
The man pointed at him and said, "Girl! That man is Huang Gouzi. Huang Gouzi, this girl doesn't believe that it was sold to me from the front room. You have to prove it to me."
Chen Yun immediately walked over and asked, "Huang Gouzi, right? I'm from the Chen family in the front room, Chen Lu. Why did he move away? Where did he move to?"
Huang Gouzi hit Chen Qing in the face with one hand.
"I won't allow anyone to be so arrogant."
Chen Ying kicked Huang Gouzi's buttocks, causing him to flinch in pain. Chen Ying then used his arm to strangle Huang Gouzi's neck.
"I refuse to obey you, heaven or earth! Answer my question now!"
Huang Gouzi grabbed Chen Yin's arm, pressed down hard, twisted Chen Yin's hand, and kicked the food box out of Chen Yin's hand.
"Lick the food scattered under your feet and I will tell you."
Chen Yun didn't hesitate at all. She immediately knelt down and prepared to lick it. Shoucheng shook his head helplessly, but remained silent.
Li Lin pulled Chen Yan up with one hand.
Chen Yun wanted to push Li Lin away, "Li Lin, don't pull me!"
"Do you think that if you do as he wishes, you will be able to find your family?"
"I want to apologize to them! I was the one who abandoned them first!"
"They are nothing but mud! What's the point of them being here to hinder you?"
"They did nothing wrong! No matter how bad they are, they are still my family!"
The sounds were like tearing the earth apart, and the tears on his face were sparkling under the snow. The desperate and ferocious eyes made Li Lin harden his heart.
Li Lin wiped away her tears with one hand, then said gently, "Kneel to heaven, kneel to the earth, kneel to your parents, but you must not kneel to him. You will definitely find them in the future."
Chen Yun supported Li Lin, and with her lips trembling and tightly pursed, she leaned on Li Lin's chest to hide her weak side.
Seeing that he failed, Huang Gou Zi left alone.
Li Lin wanted to take Chen Ying away, but Chen Ying did not leave. Instead, he knelt in front of the house.
Under the heavy snow and wind, Chen Yun thought about his native home, the house where he had many years of feelings and memories, and kowtowed over and over again.
"Father, Mother, Big Brother, Little Sister. It's my cowardice that has led to the breakdown of our family. If I had found a job sooner, Little Sister wouldn't have to work in a brothel, Father wouldn't have to go into debt for medical treatment, Big Brother wouldn't have fought, and Mother wouldn't have run away in disappointment with us. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry."
Such a voice from the heart, amidst the howling wind and snow, sounded like a lament for past misfortunes.
Li Lin couldn't help but feel envious: "Even though her family is so broken, she still doesn't feel disgusted with her family. I really envy others. If I were in an ordinary family, maybe I could understand this kind of feeling."
This is a pond in the summer palace. Li Lin is holding a woman's hand while they are strolling in the garden to appreciate the flowers. This woman is Li Lin's white moonlight, named Lan Xixi.
When they reached a certain place, Lan Xixi let go of Li Lin's hand.
"Brother Lin, I will be going to another country to study tomorrow. I hope you can wait for me for five years."
"Lan Xixi, I have been waiting for you for five years. We have been engaged since childhood and have no grudges against each other. Why are you so determined to leave Qiankun Country? Is there no place suitable for you in Qiankun Country?"
Lan Xixi left without saying a word, leaving Li Lin roaring alone.
Li Lin was angry and hid alone on the bed in his bedroom. Even though people outside the door reminded Lan Xixi many times to leave Qiankun Country and hoped that he would keep her, there was no response.
When Li Lin's anger subsided, he was willing to go to Lan Xixi's mansion with everyone. However, he found that Lan Xixi had already married in a neighboring country.
At that moment, Li Lin collapsed, and then the next moment, he woke up in the dark night on his bed. Only then did he realize that he had been dreaming. He covered his eyes with his hands, feeling helpless: "Chen Yan, Chen Yan, your experience has made me recall the past unbearable."
The next day, the three of them left this sad place and went to the next town to try to find out about their families.
Soon, the two arrived at the new town.
Li Lin still couldn't forget the dream he had last night. He looked at Chen Yan, who was dressed as a woman, and couldn't help feeling inexplicably irritated.
"I'm going to the teahouse, you guys can do whatever you want."
Li Lin left in a hurry without waiting for Chen Yun to stop him.
"Do you want a young master from a prominent family to accompany you in searching for your parents?"
Chen Yun understood Shoucheng's words. After all, as the current Crown Prince, accompanying her back home wasn't his duty. He couldn't be so selfish as to constantly monopolize the Crown Prince's time. He decided to just go with the flow.
The two also went to the town to inquire about their families.
However, when they arrived at a place, they were surrounded by a noisy crowd.
Chen Ying asked one of the citizens: "What happened here?"
The townspeople explained, "It's said that he's the eleventh prince of Louhuang. He's arrogant and looks down on everyone. Furthermore, he has no respect for women and is always flirting with them."
When the Eleventh Prince saw Chen Yun in the crowd, he pushed away the struggling girl and approached her with lustful eyes.
Seeing the person coming, Chen Yan unconsciously shrank back, "What... are you going to do?"
Hearing Chen Yun's words, the Eleventh Prince raised her chin.
"Sure enough, I was right. She is a beauty."
Chen Yan pushed his hand away. "Please respect me. I don't like being picked on."
"I am Xiao Qizai, the eleventh prince of Louhuang. You are honored to be recognized by me."
"That's my nightmare."
Xiao Qi felt unhappy after hearing this, and pulled her hair with one hand and said, "Don't refuse a toast and then drink a penalty."
Chen Yun, however, was not afraid to question, "Did the Grand Tutor of Louhuang teach the heir to behave properly? You have Louhuang's blood in your body, so you should save some face for Louhuang. Otherwise, you, the Xiao family, will be the laughing stock."
At this time, Li Lin arrived at the scene and found that it was the prince of Louhuang Kingdom, so he did not go any further in.
Xiao Qi sneered and said, "Family members can be replaced at any time. I don't care about their feelings."
This remark struck a chord with Chen Yun. Yesterday, her family was shattered, and today, hearing such contempt for her family, a wave of anger welled up in her. She clenched her fists, but her face remained expressionless.
Chen Yun calmly asked, "May I ask, Eleventh Prince, aren't children in your country raised by their parents? How can you, a man who doesn't even acknowledge his own mother and father, be entrusted with the management of the world? Where will the people's sense of belonging be?"
"How can a mere untouchable discuss national affairs?"
"Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. National affairs are not the sole responsibility of one person."
Hearing that Chen Yun was not afraid of death, Xiao Qi approached and asked, "You are not afraid of death?"
"Why don't you fear death? I just don't want the world to be defeated by one person."
"Oh no! The Eleventh Prince is going to attack Chen Yun!" Li Lin hesitated again. He thought she wasn't important, so why bother standing up for her? But then he recalled his former love, Lan Xixi, and thought about Chen Yun's family. He felt a sense of empathy. "She and I both missed out on precious things because of our own choices. Now that she's lost her family, perhaps she needs someone to comfort and protect her, just like I did when I lost Lan Xixi."
After Xiao Qi put down his hand, he asked, "You speak so beautifully. How do you understand the art of governing a country?"
Without a second thought, Chen Yun explained, "I'm a humble woman, but I know a thing or two. I only know that since ancient times, those who are capable have held positions of power. For a nation to prosper, every citizen has a responsibility. A ruler must care about the world, be discerning, provide direction, and balance the forces of all parties."
"What about the minister?"
"As ministers, they should be loyal to their duties and assist the sovereign. They may offer advice and counsel in the court; they may be sent on diplomatic missions, mediating disputes; they may govern a region, rectifying its administration and ensuring its prosperity; they may share the sovereign's worries and make contributions to the country."
"What about the untouchables? I don't believe they can destroy our country!"
"Those who serve the people may seem humble and powerless, but when sand is gathered, a tower is built, and when feathers are gathered, a coat is made. The people's production provides the material foundation for the country. Moreover, the people's voice can reflect the good and bad of current politics. If corrupt officials are encountered, the people can report to the emperor and have the government rectified. Only when the monarch, ministers, and people each perform their duties and complement each other can the country prosper and enjoy lasting peace and stability."
After hearing this, Xiao Qi pondered for a moment and seemed to have realized something.
Li Lin, who was listening to the conversation, had a doting smile on his face.
Xiao Qi continued to ask, "Then how far is this prince from the position of crown prince?"
Chen Yun knew it was a trap as soon as she heard it, but she was not afraid. She took a step closer to Xiao Qizai with sharp eyes, and Xiao Qizai also took a step back.
"The position of Crown Prince is but a nominal one. Not to mention being a Crown Prince, let alone an Emperor, it's like being a canary in a cage. One must be wary of those around them, constantly being held accountable by civil and military officials. The same is true for a powerless Crown Prince. May I ask, Eleventh Prince, what do you think a Crown Prince is? And how close are you to the position of Crown Prince?"
Xiao Qi felt bored upon hearing this and said, "How dare you! How dare you discuss political affairs? Boring woman. I will help you rediscover yourself!"
After saying that, he pulled Chen Yan and tried to leave. Chen Yan struggled hard but couldn't break free, feeling powerless.
"Xiao Qi is here! Stop it!"
Xiao Qizai heard a shout and stopped to check who was coming. Li Lin quickly approached and pulled Xiao Qizai's hand away without saying a word.
"As long as I am here, you must not do anything harmful to the customs of our country's women in Qiankun Country. Especially you are not allowed to attack her."
Then Li Lin pulled Chen Ying to his side with one hand. Chen Ying looked at Li Lin in horror. She didn't know what she would be involved in next?
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