Chapter 46046 Strict Defense
Chapter 46
She had clearly told him when she returned to the room last night that he should call her when he woke up in the morning so that she wouldn't hold him back.
Before Qi Jingyan could say anything, Yi'er spoke first: "An Ning, my brother said that we'll be riding in a carriage all day today and it will be very tiring, so he wants you to sleep a little longer."
The carriage was bumpy and certainly not as comfortable as riding on a boat. Meng Yuning smiled gratefully at Qi Jingyan, "Thank you, Your Highness."
Without wasting any time, he quickly got downstairs, took out the clothes he would wear today from the closet, and went to the bathroom.
When she finished washing and combing her hair, she saw the two brothers busy packing their luggage in front of the cabinet.
Yi'er was a small kid. He grunted as he picked up a jewelry box from the cabinet and then struggled to hand it to Qi Jingyan.
Qi Jingyan took it and put it on his lap. In just a short while, there were already three boxes on his lap. If he put more, it would be taller than his lap.
"I'll do it, I'll do it." Meng Yuning quickly put the clothes she had taken back from the bathroom aside and reached out to take the box from Yi'er's hand.
There are so many jewelry boxes, made of solid wood, and they are all very heavy. One of the brothers is lame and the other is small, so don't let them fall.
She put the box away, picked up the three boxes on Qi Jingyan's legs one by one and put them on the bed, then went back to move the others.
Seeing that An Ning was indeed much faster than the two of them, Qi Jingyan didn't want to make things worse. He patted Yi'er's shoulder and said, "Go outside and call Mu Yun to come in and help."
"Okay." Yier responded happily and ran away.
Soon, Mu Yun brought Mu Feng and Mu Shan in. With help, the things in the house were quickly gathered together and tidied up.
Meng Yuning walked around the room twice as usual to make sure that she had not missed anything, and then she felt relieved.
When they came out of the mountains, they had very little luggage, and Meng Yuning had even less, with only a bag containing a few of her clothes.
But now there are a lot more, several new sets of clothes, and the jewelry bought at the market twice, plus Qi Jingyan and Yier's clothes and belongings, which fill up most of the bed.
Meng Yuning looked at the house where she had lived for several days, and she felt a little reluctant to leave. However, no matter how reluctant she was, this place would soon become a memory.
She looked around, put on her small bag containing her identity documents, travel permit, and banknotes, took Yi'er's hand, and looked at Qi Jingyan: "Your Highness, let's go."
Qi Jingyan nodded and turned his wheelchair to make way: "A Ning, go first."
Meng Yuning took Yi'er's hand and walked out first, and then Mu Yun pushed Qi Jingyan out.
After everyone left the house, Mu Shan called a few brothers to carry in a few large wooden boxes, put all the luggage in the house into the boxes, carried them out of the cabin, and carried them off the boat.
The guards were busy moving things under the boat. Yu Yan and the Yu family guards who had been waiting there for a long time met them under the boat, and then they carried the luggage directly to the shore and loaded it onto the carriage waiting there.
The three people who were captured alive during the previous attack were also tied up with ropes, their heads covered, taken off the boat, and handed over to Yu Yan.
Su Yang, Doctor Tang, Yuan Qing and Fu Dong also followed everyone off the boat first.
Meng Yuning, Qi Jingyan, Yi'er, Yu Xiao and Cai Yuezhao were still on the deck. They looked at the bustling crowd on the dock and didn't say a word.
After a long while, Yu Xiao cupped his hands and politely bowed to Qi Jingyan: "Your Highness Prince Shen, please."
Qi Jingyan nodded expressionlessly: "Thank you, young marquis."
Meng Yuning looked at the two serious people and knew that a performance was about to begin, so she restrained her expression and put on a serious look.
Mu Shan led the way in front, and Mu Yun pushed Qi Jingyan's wheelchair off the boat first.
Hiding under her sleeves, Meng Yuning secretly squeezed Cai Yuezhao's hand and whispered, "Sister Zhao, I'll go down first."
Cai Yuezhao shook her hand back and said, "Okay, I'll be there soon, right behind you."
Meng Yuning nodded, took Yi'er's hand and followed Qi Jingyan downstairs.
After they got off the boat, went ashore, and walked a distance away, Yu Xiao raised his foot and said, "Let's go too."
Cai Yuezhao followed him and asked in a low voice, somewhat gloomily, "Do we have to be so distant?"
Yu Xiao: "There are many people on the shore, so it's always better to be careful."
Cai Yuezhao: "Then can I still go talk to An Ning like I did on the boat before?"
Yu Xiao: "You two are the only two girls in the entire group, so it's okay if you walk closer. If others see you, they'll just think you're lonely on the journey and looking for companionship."
Cai Yuezhao smiled and said, "Then I'll go find An Ning now."
Yu Xiao grabbed her and scolded her in a low voice, "You reckless person! Even though it's nothing serious, you should at least pretend. Follow me first and we'll talk about it after we leave Lin'an City."
Cai Yuezhao said "oh" and had to follow Yu Xiao for the time being, but his eyes kept glancing at An Ning in front of him.
The group of people were tall and mighty, and each of them wore a weapon on his waist. Their imposing manner was so strong that the people on the dock looked at them sideways, and they subconsciously kept their distance.
Meng Yuning held Yi'er's hand and followed Qi Jingyan. When they got out of the dock, they saw a row of carriages waiting there, with a line of horses behind them.
The three of them got on the largest one. After they were seated firmly, the guards all jumped on their horses. At Mu Yun's command, Qi Jingyan and his party set off first.
After the team of more than 200 people left the dock, Yu Xiao and his group set off, following behind them not too far away.
Meng Yuning opened the curtains, glanced toward the dock, and waved to the boat still docked there. She silently said in her heart, "Goodbye, big ship."
Seeing her like this, Yi'er thought she was saying goodbye to someone, so he leaned over and asked curiously, "A Ning, who are you waving to?"
Meng Yuning held Yi'er on her lap and touched his little hand: "I'm saying goodbye to the boat."
Yier also stretched out his hand and waved at the big ship that was getting farther and farther away.
Qi Jingyan looked at the two of them quietly, the corners of his mouth slowly curling up.
Soon, the team left Lin'an City. Mu Feng rode his horse to catch up with their carriage and handed in a few oil-paper packages through the window: "Your Highness, Little Highness, Miss Meng, this is breakfast I just bought from the morning market. It's still warm."
Meng Yuning took it with surprise, put it on the small table fixed against the wall in the car, opened it one by one, and was surprised to find that there were fresh meat dumplings, thin-skinned steamed buns, and mutton fried dumplings.
Mu Feng explained, "The young marquis said that we will only have two meals today, and the afternoon meal will not be eaten until the evening, so we bought some extra."
As he spoke, he took a box of exquisite snacks from the guard beside him and said, "His Highness also specifically asked us to go to the snack shop to buy some snacks and fruits."
"Thank you for your hard work." Meng Yuning took it and turned back to put the snack box away. She smiled and said to Qi Jingyan, "Thank you, Your Highness."
She knew that he didn't like these sweet snacks very much, so she prepared them for her and Yi'er.
Qi Jingyan nodded and didn't say much.
Meng Yuning looked at the hot breakfast on the table and was about to ask Yi'er what she wanted to eat when Mu Jiu rode up on horseback and handed the food box in through the window: "Miss Meng, here are four bowls of tofu pudding, also warm."
Meng Yuning hadn't eaten tofu pudding in a long time. She laughed when she heard it, but she didn't forget to ask the key question: "Is it sweet or salty?"
Mu Jiu: "Two bowls of salty, two bowls of sweet."
"That's great." Meng Yuning said with a smile, and then asked, "Have all the brothers had breakfast?"
Mu Feng and Mu Jiu answered in unison: "We have everything." "We bought quite a few."
Meng Yuning nodded: "Okay, then you guys should go eat quickly."
The two agreed and rode away.
Meng Yuning opened the food box and took out four bowls of tofu pudding. She looked at Yi'er first and said, "Yi'er, what flavor do you want?"
Yier pointed to the bowl with marinade and pickles: "Yier wants to eat this one with the sauce."
After saying that, he pointed to the bowl with osmanthus honey sprinkled on it and said, "A Ning, what's this thing with flowers in it?"
Meng Yuning patiently explained: "This is made with osmanthus honey. It's sweet and delicious. Yi'er, do you want to try it too?"
She strongly recommended it to the little kid. Children don't have a fixed taste yet, so it's always good to try it more often. Besides, sweet tofu pudding is so delicious.
Yier happily accepted it: "Then Yier will also eat this flowery one."
"Okay, then Yi'er, try them all." Meng Yuning said yes with a smile. She brought a bowl of salty food and a bowl of sweet food, placed them in front of the little kid, and handed him a spoon: "Be careful, it's still a little hot."
Yier said okay, picked up the spoon, scooped a small mouthful of the salty one, tasted it, nodded his head, and said it was delicious. Then he scooped a small mouthful of the sweet one, tasted it, and said it was delicious again.
So she sat in her seat, dangling her little feet, and started eating alternately, one bite salty and one bite sweet.
Meng Yuning and Qi Jingyan were both amused and confused. How could anyone eat like that?
The two looked at each other for a while, and Meng Yuning asked Qi Jingyan again: "Where is His Highness?"
Qi Jingyan saw that the girl had secretly moved the bowl of sweet food towards her and even asked him which one he wanted. He felt a little amused and suddenly wanted to tease her, so he deliberately reached out to take the bowl of sweet food: "I've never tried the one with osmanthus honey."
Meng Yuning was so anxious that she held his hand down, but then she realized she was overreacting and smiled awkwardly: "Your Highness, why don't you just have the salty bowl?"
Qi Jingyan raised his eyebrows: "Why?"
Meng Yuning improvised, "This is sweet. I'm afraid you won't be used to it."
Qi Jingyan: "Didn't you just say it's sweet and delicious?"
Yi'er just finished a bite of something sweet and nodded: "It's sweet and delicious."
Meng Yuning reluctantly let go of his hand: "Okay, then try it. If you don't like it, don't force it."
Qi Jingyan's shoulders shook, and he laughed stiflingly for a while before stopping: "I'm more used to eating salty food."
Meng Yuning realized that he was teasing her, breathed a sigh of relief, and laughed too. She picked up the bowl of salty food with both hands and presented it to him attentively: "Your Highness, this is it."
Qi Jingyan took it with a smile, and couldn't help but rub her head with his hand: "Eat quickly."
"Oh, okay." Meng Yuning knew that he was treating her like a little corgi again, so she responded with a smile and picked up her bowl of osmanthus honey tofu pudding and started eating.
As someone who makes a living by cooking, she is actually very tolerant of all kinds of food. As long as it is not particularly strange, she will accept it well.
But the only exception is tofu pudding, she only likes to eat sweet tofu pudding.
Seeing the two people, one big and one small, sitting opposite him, swinging their feet and eating tofu pudding happily, Qi Jingyan smiled again.
Seeing that he seemed in a good mood, Meng Yuning asked curiously, "Your Highness, is there anything good?"
Qi Jingyan: “Yeah.”
Seeing that he seemed unwilling to talk more, Meng Yuning didn't ask any more questions, but just inquired: "Then how long do we have to walk?"
Qi Jingyan: "From Lin'an, through Hongzhou, and then over Dayu Ridge, you will reach Canghai County."
These place names were unfamiliar to Meng Yuning. She had no concept of distance, so she asked, "How many days will it take?"
Qi Jingyan: "We can arrive in ten days by traveling day and night."
Meng Yuning knew that now that she was back on the official road, she could no longer stop and go as before.
Qi Jingyan disappeared for such a long time. If something unexpected happened to him, Emperor Kangwen might have felt a little bit of fatherly love and regretted being too cruel to his eldest son.
But now Qi Jingyan is alive and well, and who knows what the old Emperor Kangwen is thinking of him, so it is better to hurry on with the journey and reach the fiefdom as soon as possible.
Fortunately, Yu Xiao had someone specially prepare this large carriage, which had a bed on it, large enough for Qi Jingyan and Yi'er to lie down.
She looked around carefully again. Actually, if she squeezed hard, she should be able to lie down, but it would be a bit crowded for three people to lie down.
Forget it, she decided to sleep on the floor of the carriage. She brought so many beddings with her, so if she spread them thicker, she would be able to sleep comfortably alone.
Yi'er finished the bowl of sweet tofu pudding, leaving half a bowl of salty pudding, which Qi Jingyan took and ate. Then they each had two steamed dumplings, and breakfast was complete.
Meng Yuning packed up the remaining breakfast and put it back into the lunch box, planning to eat it later when she was hungry.
---
After leaving Lin'an City and walking for about an hour, they saw a large group of cavalry waiting in an orderly manner on a wasteland. They were the ones brought by Yu Xiao.
A man who looked like a general came forward to greet Qi Jingyan, and Qi Jingyan asked everyone to stop.
Mu Yun and Mu Shan took the wheelchair off the carriage at the back and helped Qi Jingyan get off the carriage to get some fresh air.
Meng Yuning also took Yi'er out of the car, and they strolled around hand in hand to stretch their muscles.
Yu Xiao and his men also followed. He waved to the cavalrymen. The general nodded at him, and then with an order, all the cavalrymen dismounted to rest.
Yu Xiao brought Yu Yan to Qi Jingyan and bowed in a pretentious manner, "Your Highness Prince Shen."
Qi Jingyan nodded: "Young Marquis Yu is polite."
Yu Xiao reported the upcoming itinerary to him seriously. Qi Jingyan listened and nodded slightly: "Everything is up to the young marquis's arrangements."
While the two were talking, Cai Yuezhao also came over, first saluted Qi Jingyan, then walked to Meng Yuning and Yier. After they greeted each other, the two girls came closer and talked in a low voice.
Cai Yuezhao complained, "A Ning, it's really boring for me to ride in a carriage alone. How about you ride with me?"
Meng Yuning was silent. If she went to sit over, Yi'er would definitely follow, and then the disabled Qi Jingyan would be left alone sitting in the carriage. He would probably be bored being alone.
So he said with some embarrassment: "Sister Zhao, I have to look after our prince. You know, it's inconvenient for him to do anything right now."
Cai Yuezhao thought of His Royal Highness Prince Shen's legs and nodded, "That's right."
Then he invited me warmly: "What about tonight? Come sleep with me tonight. There is a bed in my car, which is just right for the two of us."
Before Meng Yuning could answer, Yi'er became alert and pricked up his two little ears to listen carefully.
Meng Yuning actually wanted to go, but when she thought about Yi'er's nightmare problem at night and wondered if it had healed, she embarrassedly refused again: "Sister Zhao, it's not possible at night. I have to take care of Yi'er at night."
Seeing that Aning did not abandon him and his brother, Yier was happy. He hugged Aning's hand and rubbed it against his little face.
Cai Yuezhao was a little disappointed, but there was nothing she could do. She held An Ning's hand, sighed, and said with emotion: "Alas, this is what it's like for a woman with a family. She has no freedom."
Meng Yuning was confused. "Has a family?" She was talking about. Where was her family?
Cai Yuezhao ignored her surprised expression and took her hand and walked forward: "An Ning, please teach me how to recognize wild vegetables. If I get stranded outside one day, I won't starve to death."
Meng Yuning agreed, and so the two girls took Yi'er and ran around in the wasteland to identify wild vegetables.
After about a quarter of an hour, everyone returned to their respective positions and set off again.
However, this time Cai Yuezhao did not take a car, but took Yuan Qing and Fu Dong on horseback, saying that they were going to explore the way ahead.
Meng Yuning leaned against the window with her hands on her cheeks, looking at the heroic figure of the man riding away from the crowd. She was so envious that her eyes sparkled with stars. "Oh, I want to go horseback riding too."
Qi Jingyan: "Go if you want to."
Meng Yuning sat up straight in surprise: "Really? Can I really go ride it?"
Qi Jingyan nodded: "Just don't run too far."
Meng Yuning thought about it and gave up: "Forget it, let's wait until we get to Lingnan before riding." The most important thing now is to travel safely.
Seeing that she was not going again, Qi Jingyan didn't say much, just nodded and agreed.
The scenery on both sides of the road was pretty much the same. Meng Yuning and Yi'er sat there looking at it for a long time and felt bored. They both drooped their heads.
Seeing this, Qi Jingyan reached out and patted the bed where he was sitting: "Are you tired of sitting? Come and lie down for a while."
Yi'er jumped off his seat, ran over first, climbed onto the bed, and then waved to An Ning: "An Ning, come too."
Meng Yuning glanced at the somewhat crowded bed and hesitated for a moment, but ultimately couldn't resist the comfort of lying down. She walked over, took off her shoes, climbed up, and lay down on the inside side.
Seeing that both of them were lying down, Qi Jingyan also moved his legs onto the bed one by one, then supported himself on the bed and lay down little by little.
After the three of them lay down, the bed was full, with no space left. Meng Yuning propped herself up and looked at Qi Jingyan with some concern: "Your Highness, how about I sleep outside? This is too crowded."
Qi Jingyan: "No problem."
Meng Yuning had no choice but to remind him: "Then be careful when you turn over, don't fall to the ground."
Yi'er also repeated: "Brother, don't fall to the ground."
Qi Jingyan reached out, pressed their foreheads, and pushed them back onto the bed one by one: "Okay, I understand."
The carriage swayed, and Meng Yuning and Yi'er gradually became dizzy and sleepy.
Meng Yuning asked again, "Your Highness, did you say before that we could reach Canghai County in ten days?"
Qi Jingyan: "Yes, ten days."
Meng Yuning yawned and closed her eyes: "That was quick, it was over in a flash."
Qi Jingyan: "Yeah, it was over in a flash."
---
The rest of the journey was dull and boring.
Apart from stopping to rest, cook and eat, every day, I just keep on moving, moving, and moving again.
However, this time on the way back, Qi Jingyan did not let Meng Yuning cook, but Mu Shan and the others took care of everything.
While eating the delicious food, everyone felt lucky to have learned from Miss Meng for so long.
When resting at night, Yu Xiao still followed the previous order of Emperor Kangwen and did not enter the city as usual.
When they could hold on any longer, they would travel through the night. After a day or two, they would set up camp in the wilderness to let everyone rest for a night.
Qi Jingyan found it troublesome to move around, so he just slept in the carriage.
The guards set up a simple tent and protected Qi Jingyan's carriage in the middle, while Yu Xiao's men were on the outside, forming another circle.
During the day, Yu Xiao would send out several teams to search for suspicious persons and clear the roads in advance.
In this way, with Yu Xiao and his three thousand cavalrymen guarding the area, Qi Jingyan had a safe and peaceful journey.
The original plan was to arrive in ten days, but because we stopped for a few nights on the way, we were delayed for a few days. It was half a month later when we entered the Lingnan area.
Gazing at the rolling hills in the distance, the lush green banana trees lining the roadside, and feeling the humid, warm weather, Meng Yuning couldn't contain her excitement. She almost wanted to lean out of the car window and ask, "Your Highness, is this Lingnan?"
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