Chapter 47047 Ruins
Chapter 47
The familiar temperature and familiar plants made Meng Yuning feel very at home. She was full of joy and looked at Qi Jingyan with curved eyebrows, waiting for his reply.
Qi Jingyan replied gently, "Yes, I entered Lingnan last night."
After receiving a positive answer, Meng Yuning laughed happily.
Unable to contain her excitement and joy, she covered her mouth with her hands, making a trumpet shape, and shouted towards the distant mountains: "Lychee~, longan~, mangosteen~, durian~, dragon fruit~, jackfruit~, here I come~"
The guards riding near the carriage were infected by her joy and couldn't help but burst into laughter. Su Yang and Mu Feng, young and cheerful, also shouted, "Yoho~, here we come!"
The girl's sweet, crisp and pleasant voice was filled with joy, and Qi Jingyan felt happy when he heard it.
He supported himself on the table with one hand and on the wall of the carriage with the other, and moved to the seat next to Meng Yuning. He sat down next to her and, taking advantage of his height, looked out the window over her head.
His brows relaxed, and he asked in a gentle voice, "Have you ever eaten these fruits, An Ning?"
"Eat..." Meng Yuning was in a state of excitement after finally returning to her hometown. She was about to say "I've eaten" but as soon as she said it, she realized she shouldn't have eaten and changed her mind in time: "It's impossible that I've eaten."
Seeing her speaking so strangely again, Qi Jingyan chuckled, "Did you also recognize An Ning from that book 'Lingnan Food Notes'?"
Meng Yuning: "Yes, it's the book 'Lingnan Food Notes'."
She had thought it all out, and once she was settled, she would go look for similar books and buy one to fool him. If she couldn't find any, she would compile a book called "Lingnan Food Notes." He seemed very interested in the book and kept asking questions.
Yi'er had just woken up and was sitting on the bed in a white nightgown, staring blankly with her big eyes.
Hearing An Ning happily shouting outside, her brother also sat over. He then got off the bed, climbed onto the chair, squeezed to the other side of An Ning, stuck his little head out, and shouted in his baby voice: "Lychee~, longan~"
Uh~, Aning called too many times and Yier didn’t remember.
Yier paused for a moment and called out the last one: "Potato~, Yier is here too~"
The baby's babyish voice was really funny, making Meng Yuning laugh so hard that she fell backwards. In a moment of carelessness, the back of her head hit Qi Jingyan's nose behind her, causing him to groan.
Hearing the noise, Meng Yuning's laughter stopped abruptly. She turned around and saw Qi Jingyan covering his nose with his hand, looking at her with some resentment in his eyes.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Meng Yuning quickly pulled his hand away and leaned in to take a closer look. "Is your highness okay?"
Qi Jingyan: "Nothing serious."
Even if it wasn't a big deal, there was still something wrong. Meng Yuning knew how much force she had used when she leaned back. She was afraid that she had broken his nose, so she reached out and touched it lightly, "Does it hurt?"
Qi Jingyan: "It doesn't hurt."
Meng Yuning touched up again: "Where is this?"
Qi Jingyan: "It doesn't hurt."
His nose was so small, she touched it almost all over, and since it didn't hurt, it meant it wasn't broken.
Meng Yuning felt relieved: "Fortunately, nothing happened. But Your Highness, don't get so close to me next time. It hurts so much when you bump into me."
Qi Jingyan: “Yeah.”
Seeing that he didn't move at all, Meng Yuning pointed behind him with her chin and said, "Your Highness, please move back a little."
Qi Jingyan lowered his eyes and looked at his legs: "It's inconvenient."
Meng Yuning was speechless. She thought to herself, "Just now, you were able to move directly from the bed to this chair. Now it's inconvenient to move to the side?"
But seeing him looking down at his legs, looking somewhat pitiful, she couldn't bear to chase him away. Okay, okay, sit wherever you like.
She turned around and moved forward holding Yi'er to create some distance between them. Unexpectedly, Qi Jingyan supported himself on the seat with both hands and moved forward as well.
Meng Yuning glared at him: "Your Highness, aren't you afraid that I'll bump into you again later?" Yi'er also touched his nose and warned seriously: "I'll bump into you later."
Qi Jingyan put his arm on the windowsill and glanced out the window: "This is my first time back in Lingnan, I want to take a look too."
Only then did Meng Yuning notice that the place where he was sitting was a little too far inside. If he wanted to see the scenery outside the window, he had to lean forward, which was indeed not very convenient.
Oh~, it turned out that she misunderstood. What he said about inconvenience actually meant that it was inconvenient to enjoy the scenery.
"Then your highness, please come closer." Meng Yuning smiled a little sheepishly, pulling Yi'er to lie down by the window, and together with Qi Jingyan, they looked out at the lush green scenery. Meng Yuning enthusiastically introduced the plants they saw on the roadside: "This is a banana tree, the one in front is a banana tree. Look, it's already bearing bananas. The one with big leaves is a weeping angel. It looks very similar to taro leaves, but weeping angel is poisonous. Don't eat it..."
---
In Yu Xiao's carriage at the back, Cai Yuezhao's cheeks were flushed with heat, and she used her hands as a fan, fanning herself desperately.
She was very puzzled: "This shabby place in Lingnan is so hot in the middle of May. I don't know why Sister An Ning is so happy."
Yu Xiao stretched out his long legs and sat across from Cai Yuezhao with his arms and legs spread wide. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, his collar was loosened a bit, and he looked lazy and relaxed. "How should I know?"
We walked for over an hour under the sun which had just risen, and everyone was exhausted from the heat.
Ah Zhao, who was always tough, couldn't stand it at all. After riding for a while, he quickly got off the horse, got into his carriage, and complained endlessly.
Only this Miss Meng was different from everyone else. She didn't complain at all and excitedly shouted to those fruits that she didn't know where they were, "She's here."
Cai Yuezhao saw that he was disheveled and sitting in an awkward manner, and she disliked him so she raised her foot and kicked him on the leg.
Yu Xiao glared at her: "Why are you kicking me again for no reason?"
Cai Yuezhao glanced at his strong, wheat-colored forearms, said nothing, and turned to look out the window.
When she turned around, Yu Xiao could see her face clearly. He was a little surprised and reached out to touch her face: "A Zhao, why is your face so red? Are you sick?"
Feeling the heat from the rough claws, Cai Yuezhao's face turned even redder. She raised her hand to push his hand away and said perfunctorily, "No, it's just hot."
Yu Xiao was worried and leaned over to take a closer look: "When you are out and about, if you feel unwell, please don't hide it from me. Otherwise, I'll call Doctor Tang to take a look at you."
Cai Yuezhao looked at the face that suddenly enlarged. She suddenly felt angry. She gritted her teeth and slapped his face with a neither light nor heavy slap: "I said no."
Yu Xiao was stunned by the slap. After a moment of shock, he reached out and pinched the back of Cai Yuezhao's neck, forcing her to face him. He gritted his teeth and said, "Azhao, this is the second time you've slapped me in the face for no reason. I'm afraid you've forgotten that your brother Axiao also has a temper."
In the whole Daxing, apart from the old man in their family, no one else has ever slapped him, but this little girl actually slapped him twice recently.
Yes, last time, he was the one who wronged Yuan Qing. She protected him and was so angry that she hit him. He knew he was in the wrong, so he didn't mind and didn't argue with her.
But today he suddenly attacked again, and the force didn't hurt, and he wasn't angry.
But if he doesn't teach this damn girl a lesson, what if she gets used to beating him and doesn't restrain herself in front of outsiders? That would be a loss of face for him.
Besides, a girl would not hit a man for no reason. If someone with ulterior motives took advantage of the situation, it would be bad for her reputation.
The two people's faces were very close to each other. Cai Yuezhao's heart was beating wildly and it became difficult for him to breathe.
She tilted her head slightly and muttered softly, "This isn't the second time. I don't know how many times I got beaten when I was a kid."
Yu Xiao used force on his hands to straighten her face: "You also said that was when we were young."
Although the force was strong, it would not be a problem for Cai Yuezhao to break free, but she did not struggle. She just said, "You behaved improperly. What's wrong with me hitting you?"
Yu Xiao looked suspicious: "How did I behave improperly?"
Cai Yuezhao was silent for a moment, then deliberately said, "You just touched my face and looked at me so closely."
Yu Xiao was so angry that he fell backwards, with a look of disbelief on his face: "Oh my God, is this all?"
The two of them grew up together. He had held her in his arms and carried her on his back. During the period of defending the city, their father went out to chase the enemy and disappeared. Their mother guarded the city day and night. During those life-and-death years, the two of them slept in each other's arms at night.
Now she was slapping him just because he cared about whether she was sick or not? He was afraid that he had really spoiled this girl.
Looking at the man in front of her like a fool, Cai Yuezhao was annoyed and angry.
I really don't want to pay attention to him anymore.
But when she thought of An Ning's heroic cry to the mountain just now, and the way An Ning held her arm and told her openly that she loved her, she suddenly regained her courage.
Now that she has arrived in Lingnan, this is her last chance.
For some things, you have to take that step. Even if it fails, there will be no regrets, right?
At least when you are old and gray, you will not regret your past cowardice.
Thinking this in her heart, she took a deep breath and looked directly into Yu Xiao's eyes: "Brother Xiao, how old am I this year?"
Yu Xiao blurted out: "Seventeen, what's wrong?"
Cai Yuezhao: "Then I am considered a grown-up girl, right?"
Yu Xiao: "Of course it counts."
Cai Yuezhao: "So is it appropriate for us to be like this now?"
Yu Xiao looked at those sharp eyes and was stunned for a moment.
After a while, as if his hands were burned, he suddenly loosened his hands that were still pinching Cai Yuezhao's neck and clenched his fingers into a fist.
"A Zhao, you..."
An idea suddenly came to Yu Xiao's mind. He wanted to ask her, but when he said it, he stopped.
If he guessed wrong, wouldn't it be embarrassing for Ah Zhao, a girl?
Cai Yuezhao felt that everyone was a smart person, and some things only needed to be said briefly and there was no need to make them so clear.
She glanced at Yu Xiao twice and saw that the usually calm and composed Young Marquis Yu seemed confused and at a loss for what to do. She wanted to say something but stopped herself and turned to leave the carriage.
Looking at the swaying door curtain, Yu Xiao's expression was gloomy.
Cai Yuezhao didn't even call for the carriage to stop. He jumped to the ground easily, returned to his own carriage, rested his head on his hands, and lay down on the bed.
Seeing that she was unhappy, Fudong took a palm-leaf fan, sat down beside the bed, and fanned her: "Miss, did you quarrel with Prince Yu again?"
Cai Yuezhao: "Fudong, I told him."
Fu Dong was stunned for a moment, then said in surprise: "You finally said it, what did Prince Yu say?"
Cai Yuezhao: "He hasn't said it yet."
Fu Dong stamped his feet in anger: "Hey, Prince Yu is a man, whether it will work or not, why don't you give me a definite answer?"
Cai Yuezhao sighed: "Fudong, he and I are probably not going to be together."
Her father and Uncle Yu both command large armies. How could His Majesty, who is so suspicious, allow their two families to marry?
In fact, she understands all these principles and has always understood them.
But the heart that likes someone is so disobedient that she cannot control it.
A tear rolled down Cai Yuezhao's eye, and she raised her hand to wipe it away.
Fudong grabbed her hand, looking distressed: "Girl, don't cry."
Cai Yuezhao smiled again: "I didn't cry, Fudong, I was very happy, really, after telling him, I was very happy."
Fu Dong felt uncomfortable watching this: "As long as the girl is happy, it's fine. If it can't work out, it can't work out. Our girl is so good, there's no need to hang herself on a tree. There are many men in the world who are better than Prince Yu. We can just look for another one."
Cai Yuezhao nodded: "Fudong, after An Ning and the others are settled, we will not return to the capital with Prince Yu. Let's go find my father."
Fu Dong smiled: "Okay, when the time comes, the master will be very happy to see the girl."
Cai Yuezhao also laughed.
---
In the minds of the guards, it was a humiliation for His Majesty to exile His Highness to Lingnan, a hot and humid place with wild smoke and rain, and rampant insects and snakes.
When we were on the road earlier, we deliberately avoided thinking about these things.
But now that they have actually set foot on this wild land, those problems that everyone had previously deliberately put aside are now before them again.
So everyone was in low spirits, their faces were grim, and the atmosphere in the whole team was a bit depressing.
But Meng Yuning was immersed in the fantasy of starting a beautiful new life after arriving at Prince Shen's Mansion. She was in an excited state and told Qi Jingyan and Yi'er about what she had read about Lingnan in "Lingnan Food Notes".
The two listened with great interest, asking a few questions from time to time, and Meng Yuning became more and more excited.
When he talked about something happy, he would laugh out loud, and Qi Jingyan and Yier would laugh along with him.
Hearing the laughter coming from His Highness' carriage, the guards' heavy moods were unconsciously relieved.
So when the group arrived outside Canghai County in the evening, everyone was in high spirits.
Lord Chen, the prefect of Canghai County, who had received the news early, was now leading all the officials and people in the city, standing solemnly outside the city gate waiting.
Ever since he received the imperial edict that demoted the crown prince to King Shen and granted him the title of Canghai County, he has been feeling uneasy.
But the eunuch who delivered the imperial edict smiled and handed him a secret letter from the third prince.
Since that day, he has been like an ant on the hot pan, unable to sleep or eat. A string of blisters has formed on the corners of his mouth, which have not healed yet. It hurts whenever he eats or speaks.
The day before yesterday, someone from Young Marquis Yu came to deliver a message saying that His Royal Highness Prince Shen would arrive today.
He originally thought that he would be waiting for a team full of hostility, and there was no guarantee that His Royal Highness Prince Shen would cause trouble for him when he arrived, and take out his anger on him, a small fry.
But he never expected that what he was waiting for was His Royal Highness Prince Shen with a smile on his face. Even the hundreds of strong men around him were unusually stable. The leader even smiled and bowed to him, saying, "I've long admired you."
Could it be that his reputation had spread to the capital? County Magistrate Chen was flattered and shocked at the same time. Could it be that Prince Shen and his men had no dissatisfaction with their Canghai County, a wild and desolate place?
But no matter what he thought in his heart, he still welcomed the dusty group to his residence.
He trotted along beside His Royal Highness Prince Shen's carriage, explaining breathlessly, "Your Highness, please excuse me. The imperial edict arrived only a few days ago, and the silver allocated by the Ministry of Revenue has not yet arrived. Therefore, construction on your mansion has not yet begun."
After taking a breath, he continued, "Your Majesty is wise and has long considered this matter. He has specially designated an unoccupied house for Your Highness to temporarily reside in. However..."
His voice gradually trailed off, beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "It's just that the house has fallen into disrepair and hasn't been renovated yet. I hope Your Highness will forgive me."
Qi Jingyan didn't say anything and glanced at Mu Yun. Mu Yun knew that his Highness didn't want to hear him beat around the bush, so he asked, "Just tell me where we live."
County Magistrate Chen raised his sleeve and shakily wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. His voice trembled slightly, "I have already ordered the County Magistrate's Mansion to be properly cleaned up. I originally wanted to invite His Highness Prince Shen to stay in the mansion temporarily..."
He paused, then continued, "But the eunuch who delivered the decree said that the emperor's will is difficult to disobey, and Your Highness...must still live in the mansion designated by His Majesty."
Before he could finish his words, his knees softened and he fell heavily to the ground. His body beneath his official robes trembled uncontrollably, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down his cheeks, pattering onto the ground and creating small mud puddles.
Qi Jingyan glanced at Mu Yun, who grabbed the Chen Jun Shou's arm and lifted him up: "Don't kneel so often, our Highness doesn't like it."
When the governor of Chen County thought of the prince who had always had a reputation for kindness, he felt sympathetic and increasingly guilty and uneasy.
Meng Yuning asked curiously, "Your Highness, why is he so scared?"
Qi Jingyan: "I guess that house isn't very good."
Soon, everyone arrived at the east of the city.
The moment she walked through the mottled gate and stepped into the courtyard, Meng Yuning finally understood why County Magistrate Chen was so out of control.
How could this be a house? It was clearly just a pile of broken walls and ruins.
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