I nodded, feeling increasingly uneasy as I listened. It would be better to go back to the manor. We paid the bill and were about to leave when we saw a carriage speeding by. It hadn't stopped, but a girl of about fourteen or fifteen years old ran out and blocked its way.
The horse driver was startled and quickly stopped the carriage. The girl shouted, "Get on the carriage quickly!" Two dirty children, a boy and a girl, ran out. Their legs were fat and short, and they were wearing tattered shoes. They tried to climb on, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't get up.
The onlookers were watching the commotion. I tugged at Xie Yuancheng's arm, wondering what was wrong with this situation. The two little ones were jumping up and down, unable to reach the carriage, and were cursing on the ground.
“You begged me for food earlier, and I kindly gave it to you. You have the audacity to claim that this carriage is yours, and that my young master is the husband of this ugly woman in front of you. How shameless!”
This time, the people around started to jeer. The girl blushed slightly. Her eyes were very clear, as if she could see all the filth in the world, but she was a liar.
“I can do everything, sweeping, feeding chickens, butchering pigs, these are all small jobs. You men all need to get married, what’s wrong with choosing me?”
The driver immediately retorted, "Choose you? I wouldn't even choose an old hen. An old hen can lay eggs and make soup. The three of you are just beggars, and your conduct is not even proper. My young master is not running a charity."
"Get down, this is our carriage," the chubby little girl called out. Her voice was soft and sweet, but the words she spoke were unpleasant. She was also barefoot and jumping on the ground. When she saw someone watching, she actually started rolling around, her fat hooves thumping loudly on the ground.
"Look at these three wild children who came from who-knows-where. They were pitiful just a moment ago, but now they've turned into shrewish women. Do you think they can afford this carriage?"
"Can't afford it!" The onlookers started to jeer: "Are you refugees? Instead of begging for food to survive, you come up with such a dirty trick to seduce men. You're ugly, so you like to act strangely, haha."
"That's right. We were just talking about how this 'stinky girl' trend has been making life miserable for everyone in Da Zhao, and today we have this guy trying to scam us by marrying a rich man."
"Young master, I truly like you. Look at you, so handsome and delicate. You must need my help. I only have these two younger siblings, and they are very well-behaved."
As soon as they were told to be good, the two little ones started rolling around in front of the carriage, shouting that the carriage belonged to them and that they had been robbed.
"Haha, talking nonsense in broad daylight! Do you know who's in the carriage? He's the Tenth Prince! With your looks, you'd be rejected even by a beggar, let alone a prince."
A scholar came over, and the carriage curtain was finally lifted. He was indeed a very handsome man, and what the person next to him said was true.
"Your Highness!" The girl immediately knelt down: "Your Highness smiled at me just now. You must like me to do that. Don't worry, I can do anything. I'm almost sixteen and I can still have children."
The Tenth Prince shook his head. "Little Yang, just drag him away and let my brother investigate. I kindly offered you food and drink, and you not only didn't appreciate it, but you also stopped my carriage and slandered me. This is unforgivable."
He spoke very softly, but the two little ones rolling on the ground were immediately frightened upon hearing his words. They didn't even bother to pick up their broken shoes, and instead ran away with a bag of dirty things in their arms.
"Grab them!" Someone nearby saw it and spoke to the constables behind him. The constables stretched out their hands and grabbed the two younger ones back.
"Wow~ Help! Adults are hitting children! So what if we're beggars? We're still human! You can't bully us!"
I stood next to Xie Yuancheng. It was all because the people above were too greedy for pleasure, causing the people below to live in poverty, which made them all lose their minds.
"Ying'er, let's go." Xie Yuancheng pulled me through the crowd, and I heard the sound of constables carrying out the execution, followed by cries and screams. He confessed on the spot.
The people around were still discussing and watching the spectacle, really hoping that the old emperor would come out and experience it for himself. He would surely know what it means to have unfathomable filth hidden beneath brocade robes.
If these matters are not handled properly, the capital will fall into chaos. Sigh, I'm really worried about the future of the Great Zhao Dynasty. I wonder when the edict to divide the land among the princes in Linyang will be issued.
Xie Yuancheng led me forward, around a corner, and into the inner area. Just as I was about to ask a question, I heard the sound of horses' hooves. Xie Yuancheng then led me through a small alley, and soon we were back in the carriage.
"Brother Yuancheng, I knew it was you." The Tenth Prince should be eighteen or nineteen years old, a little younger than me, but his words are much more pleasant than those of the Crown Prince and the Second Prince.
"What's wrong with you guys? Why did you have to provoke others?"
"It's not like I wanted to provoke them! As you know, I've been a lay disciple for many years. I came down from the mountain to cultivate and just arrived in the capital today. We were walking along peacefully when suddenly a girl jumped out and stopped our carriage."
Then two loud cries and shouts came from the other side. They said they were very hungry and had no good clothes to wear, so I gave them twenty taels of silver. If they were careful with their money, it would definitely be enough for them for several years.
"Alas, who knew they were so malicious? I've witnessed it firsthand. No wonder you always said we shouldn't trust people too much."
"It's not too late for you to know now. The Crown Prince is nearby. Go back to the palace with him in a bit."
"Aren't you coming to the palace with me?" The tenth prince's eyes widened.
"No, we're going back to the manor. See you later."
The tenth prince looked over and nodded repeatedly when he saw me: "That's great. I also want to find a beautiful woman with such a photographic memory to follow me. She can be my brother and make my bed."
If I had a bad temper, I could have beaten him up. Xie Yuancheng just laughed. When the carriage slowed down, he grabbed my hand and quickly got off the carriage.
"Ying'er~ that's just how he is, don't take it to heart~" Xie Yuancheng really knows how to find a place. There are fewer people here, so we walked to the alley behind and ended up on another street.
"Hmph~" I tapped his head with my fan: "I'm your brother, I'll make your bed, does that mean I have to have another baby for you?"
"No~" Xie Yuancheng said innocently, "How could I say such things to others? He has been cultivating outside for a long time, so it's inevitable that he has some bad habits."
"Tch, I can't be bothered with you." I walked forward, and Xie Yuancheng followed beside me with a forced smile. I deliberately walked fast and slow at different times, and he reacted quickly.
"I want to shop by myself, I don't want to go with you."
"How can I do that? Didn't you see how silly the Tenth Prince is? If I leave you alone, what if you get fooled too? Wouldn't you be heartbroken?"
"I won't." I had just taken the fan and started walking forward when I saw the three beggars, each of them dragging their feet and rubbing their waists and backs.
I quickly pulled Xie Yuancheng to the other side. These guys are just trying to extort money from people; it's better to stay away.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
