The moment she recognized the Crown Prince, Hua Liuli felt incredibly happy. With the Crown Prince around, she could finally sleep peacefully.
Seeing the Crown Prince approaching on his majestic steed, she climbed down from the donkey cart and waved at him, "Over here, over here!"
"Don't..." Jiamin Junzhu tried to grab Hua Liuli when she was rushing down from the carriage with her dirty countenance, but she was too quick, and Jiamin Junzhu only managed to graze the corner of her clothes.
It wasn't long ago when Hua Liuli claimed her legs were aching and couldn't move, but now her little legs moved swiftly. Jiamin Junzhu rolled her eyes and didn't bother to stop Hua Liuli from embarrassing herself.
Having been raised in an environment surrounded by brilliance, the Crown Prince held disdain for anything covered in dirt. Those who served him had to be clean and possess refined features. Hua Liuli was covered in dirt, her face still dusty and not cleaned. How could the Crown Prince let her come near him?
Of all the princes, the Crown Prince was the most difficult to handle. Although they were cousins, if Jiamin Junzhu violated any of the Crown Prince's taboos, he wouldn't give her any face. His temperament was so unbearable that if it weren't for the Emperor's excessive favoritism towards him, could anyone tolerate him?
With his behavior, the day would come when the Emperor grew dissatisfied with him, leading to a fate similar to that of the deposed crown princes in history.
Jiamin Junzhu remained seated steadily in the donkey cart, not wanting to make herself uncomfortable.
The Crown Prince dismounted from his horse and saw Hua Liuli still smiling at him. He took out a handkerchief and handed it to her, "Are you injured?"
Hua Liuli used the handkerchief to wipe her face haphazardly and shook her head, "We encountered ferocious beasts in the mountains. Jiamin Junzhu took me away during the chaos."
"Don't move," the Crown Prince grabbed the handkerchief from her hand and wiped away the dirt from her face, "As long as you're unharmed, it's good."
Hua Liuli looked up at the Crown Prince, who was wiping her face. His hair was damp and there were tiny droplets of water on his eyelashes. His eyes were like clear lakes.
He's really handsome.
Since childhood, the people in her family often took care of her like this, so she instinctively tilted her head and obediently allowed the Crown Prince to clean her face.
"Your Royal Highness, the carriage has arrived."
Compared to the shabby donkey cart, the carriage waiting beside the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli was much more splendid and spacious. Four magnificent steeds pulled the carriage, creating a grand spectacle.
The middle-aged couple riding the donkey cart were already stunned upon hearing Hua Liuli address the handsome man, who resembled a celestial being, as "Your Royal Highness". Looking at the luxurious carriage and the soldiers dressed in silver armor surrounding it, they understood that the two little girls they had given a ride to were not ordinary people.
The couple nervously disembarked from the donkey cart and stood in a corner, not daring to utter a word.
After cleaning Hua Liuli's face, the Crown Prince suddenly chuckled and reached out to ruffle her head. "Let's go, Benwang will accompany you back home."
"Your Royal Highness, could you please stop ruffling my head?" Hua Liuli covered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"En?" the Crown Prince raised an eyebrow.
"I haven't had a bath for two or three days," Hua Liuli whispered, "And with all this dust on my head, I feel really embarrassed."
The Crown Prince: "..."
He rubbed his fingers a couple of times, then plucked a small piece of dry grass from her head, "Benwang considers you a junior sister. Benwang doesn't mind."
Good-looking and gentle, the Crown Prince was undoubtedly the most perfect among the five princes!
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli turned her head and covered her mouth, coughing a few times, feeling somewhat embarrassed, "Your Royal Highness, did you bring silver notes?"
The Crown Prince turned to his attendant, who quickly took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket, "Junzhu, here they are."
Hua Liuli glanced at the denominations of the silver notes. The smallest one was fifty taels. She bit her lip, "Do you have smaller denominations?"
Seeing this, the Crown Prince's attendants hurriedly gathered a few notes with denominations of ten or twenty taels.
"Thank you," Hua Liuli took out these smaller-denomination silver notes and turned to the middle-aged couple who gave her a ride, "Thank you, brother and sister, for your help. Please accept these."
"No, no, no," the couple dared not accept and shook their hands repeatedly, "We can't take it, noble guests."
"Take it." Hua Liuli grabbed the woman's hand and forcefully stuffed the silver notes into it, "Those who are kind-hearted deserve good blessings."
The Crown Prince understood why Hua Liuli wanted these smaller-denomination silver notes. For common people, excessively large-denomination notes would be inconvenient.
This young girl from the Hua family seems to understand the ways of the common people better than the average noble girl.
After the couple accepted the silver notes, the Crown Prince turned to Hua Liuli and said, "Come, get on the carriage."
"En," Hua Liuli thanked the couple and walked to the carriage. Before she could step onto the footstool, a hand reached out in front of her.
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli placed her hand in the Crown Prince's palm and got into the carriage. The carriage was lined with soft cushions, emitting a faint fragrance, and it was spacious enough for her to want to fall asleep right away.
Spacious...
She opened her tired eyes and realized that Jiamin Junzhu hadn't followed her?
Forgotten, Jiamin Junzhu silently climbed out of the donkey cart and respectfully greeted the Crown Prince.
"Jiamin Junzhu, are you alright?" the Crown Prince looked at her with indifference.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Royal Highness. I am fine," Jiamin Junzhu dared not look into the Crown Prince's eyes.
"Mmm," The Crown Prince mounted his horse and looked down at her. Speaking in a low voice, he said, "You worked hard to bring Fushou Junzhu out."
"It's... it's nothing," Jiamin Junzhu bit her lip, burying her head, afraid that the Crown Prince would notice her guilty expression.
"Rest in the carriage for a while," the Crown Prince glanced at her and rode ahead of the procession.
Jiamin Junzhu let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly climbed into the carriage. She saw Hua Liuli lazily lying in the carriage, ready to sleep. Jiamin Junzhu reached out and pushed her, "Make some space inside."
"I haven't slept all night, so don't bother me," Hua Liuli grabbed a soft cushion and threw it on the ground, "The carriage is so spacious, find a place to sit, don't squeeze with me."
Jiamin Junzhu wanted to retort but suddenly stopped herself. She remembered the situation from last night and couldn't help but suspect that Hua Liuli might really not have slept all night.
Sullenly, she picked up the cushion and sat on the ground, crossing her legs. She looked at the gemstones embedded in the carriage wall and her anxious heart slowly calmed down.
Having lived for sixteen years, she had never experienced hardships or any grievances. These past few days had been a nightmare, but with the annoying Hua Liuli around, she was less afraid.
Could it be that in this world, it's the rival in love who gives people courage more than the villains?
Hua Liuli was awakened by the bustling noise outside the carriage. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Jiamin Junzhu staring at her intently. She discreetly adjusted her clothes and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Jiamin Junzhu rolled her eyes. "The carriage has already entered the city, you've been sleeping for two hours."
"No wonder I feel dizzy and stuffy. Turns out, I haven't slept enough yet," Hua Liuli sat up, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders, making her look incredibly pitiful.
Jiamin Junzhu didn't want to talk to her anymore. She turned her head and looked the other way.
"You mentioned last time that Ying Wangfei has been chosen. Who is it?" Hua Liuli seemed to find the atmosphere not lively enough, so she proactively brought up a topic that piqued Jiamin Junzhu's interest.
Jiamin Junzhu's face darkened, "Hua Liuli, are you doing this on purpose?"
"Jiamin Junzhu, how can you say that?" Hua Liuli innocently smiled, "I'm just concerned about you."
"I don't need your concern."
"Alright, then consider it me wanting to see some excitement," Hua Liuli sighed pitifully, "I don't have many friends in the capital, and I don't have any close friends to share secrets with. Since we have gone through hardships together, let's consider it a close bond. If there's anything that makes you unhappy in the future, you can tell me and let me comfort you."
"Hmph," Jiamin Junzhu sneered, "You mean to mock and make fun of me when I share my unhappiness, don't you?"
Shameless, we don't have a close bond! It's a bond formed almost losing our lives.
Hua Liuli smiled as the corners of her mouth curved, looking innocent like a fairy.
Seeing her like this, Jiamin Junzhu's anger subsided and she became calm. After a moment of silence, she spoke, "She is the eldest daughter of Lin Zhou, the Prefect of Yongzhou. Her father has been transferred back to the capital this month. There are rumors that the Minister of Justice displeased the Emperor with his performance, so her father will replace Zhang Shuo as the Minister of Justice."
"Lin Zhou, the Prefect of Yongzhou?" Hua Liuli remembered the civil official who accused her father, also surnamed Lin, "What's his relationship with Lin Huizi?"
"What relationship can they have?" Jiamin Junzhu asked in confusion, "Just because they have the same surname?"
Hua Liuli waved her hand and sat cross-legged in front of Jiamin Junzhu, "Continue speaking, don't stop."
"Lin Zhou is the uncle of the Fourth Prince," Jiamin Junzhu guessed the intention behind the Consort Xian's plan to marry the Prefect's daughter to Ying Wang, so she felt somewhat down, "Prefect Lin is a good official who treats the people like his own children. He is highly regarded in Yongzhou."
Ying Wang's reputation has not been good among the common people recently. He urgently needs a father-in-law and Wangfei with a good reputation to increase his popularity among the people. Combined with the Consort Xian's intention to win over the Fourth Prince, the Prefect's daughter became the most suitable candidate.
"That's a pity," Hua Liuli glanced at Jiamin Junzhu. She felt that Jiamin Junzhu was more compatible with Ying Wang. They matched in status, their minds and aesthetics were also a perfect match.
"Let it go," After the incident last night, Jiamin Junzhu understood it clearly. No matter how good a man is, he cannot be more important than her own life. She was able to abandon Ying Wang when her life was at stake, only hoping to save her own life, which meant that she didn't actually like him that much.
At this time, someone knocked on the carriage. Hua Liuli and Jiamin Junzhu exchanged a glance, quickly picking up the soft cushions and sitting down.
A maid lifted the curtain and entered, holding hot tea, pastries, and other items. After placing the items down and bowing, she respectfully retreated.
The two looked at the teapot and teacups, then looked at each other.
"Pour the tea," Hua Liuli lifted her chin at Jiamin Junzhu.
"Why don't you do it?" Jiamin Junzhu was unhappy. They were both Junzhus, why should she serve Hua Liuli?
"Cough, cough, cough," Hua Liuli covered her chest, "Because I'm not feeling well."
Jiamin Junzhu glared at her fiercely, poured herself a cup of water, and realized that it wasn't tea but sweetened water with honey.
She paused for a moment, suddenly realizing that it was prepared according to Hua Liuli's taste.
At this moment, she started to doubt if she was really the Crown Prince's cousin? Even if her mother was close to Consort Xian, the Crown Prince shouldn't be so blatantly biased, right?
She poured a cup of water and placed it in front of Hua Liuli, "Drink."
Men are all dogs. When they see a delicate and beautiful young lady, it's like seeing a bone. What family affection?
Jiamin Junzhu, who had always been very outspoken, had learned to silently curse in her heart.
"Liuli," Just then, the voice of the Crown Prince resounded from outside, "We're almost at your family's estate."
Hua Liuli put down the empty cup and opened the curtain, meeting the smiling Crown Prince's gaze, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"No need for thanks," The Crown Prince handed her a cloak, "Put it on, it's cold outside."
Hua Liuli obediently put on the cloak. The Crown Prince found a hairpin and jade comb from somewhere and handed them to her, "Rest well when you return. Leave everything else to Father Emperor and Benwang. Don't worry."
Hua Liuli tied up her hair, but the hairpin was crooked. The Crown Prince looked at it, then looked again, and finally couldn't resist reaching out to straighten it, "There you go."
The carriage stopped outside Hua Family Estate, where the servants of the estate were expressing gratitude and crying, driving Jiamin Junzhu's head to ache.
"Junzhu, you've suffered."
"Quick, call the physician. Junzhu's health is weak. We mustn't be careless."
Jiamin Junzhu still remembered this voice. It was Hua Liuli's personal maid, called Yuan Yi or something like that.
"She's gotten thinner, so much thinner," an old female servant from Hua Family Estate sobbed uncontrollably, heartbroken.
"Why is Junzhu's complexion so pale? Did Junzhu not take the Huolu Pill these past few days?"
"Quickly, quickly fetch the medicinal pills our Junzhu usually takes."
Jiamin Junzhu finally understood that it wasn't just Hua Liuli who was sick in the head, but the entire Hua Family Estate.
"Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli grabbed the cloak's belt and was supported by the maids. She turned her head to look at the Crown Prince, smiled at him, and gave a slight bow before slowly walking into the gates of Hua Family Estate.
The Crown Prince watched her figure and couldn't help but feel regretful. How good would it be if she were his own little sister?
The carriage continued on its way and stopped in front of Princess Mansion. Jiamin Junzhu opened the curtain and looked at the Crown Prince. Where were her cloak, hairpin, and comb?
It must be an inherited trait of the Ji family to be so biased.
"Ming'er!" Princess Shunan saw Jiamin Junzhu's figure and her eyes reddened. She held Jiamin Junzhu's hand and turned to thank the Crown Prince. The maidservants around them stood upright and proper, completely different from the Hua Family Estate servants who clung to Hua Liuli.
She looked at her father, who stood behind her mother with a dull expression and withdrew her gaze.
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"Imperial Aunt, no need to be polite," the Crown Prince remained on his horse and lazily said, "The person has been delivered, so Benwang should return to the palace."
"Take care, Your Royal Highness," Princess Shunan saw that the Crown Prince remained motionless on his horse and her expression turned sour.
After the Crown Prince left, she expressed her dissatisfaction, "The Emperor has spoiled the Crown Prince to the point that he is arrogant even in front of his elders."
Jiamin Junzhu raised her eyelids and said nothing.
Even during this moment of excitement when she had finally returned home after being abducted, her mother could still notice the Crown Prince's arrogant attitude. It was evident that she was extremely dissatisfied with the Crown Prince.
After complaining about the Crown Prince, Princess Shunan held her daughter's hand and walked towards the mansion with a tender expression.
"Quick, go freshen up and change your clothes. The Crown Prince, really! He didn't even think of letting you change your clothes."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
"Are you hungry? When the Crown Prince found you, did he let you eat anything?"
"Thank goodness nothing happened to you. If you hadn't returned, I would have had missing person notices posted. But that civil official on the Crown Prince's side said posting notices to find you wouldn't be good for you. In my opinion, he clearly doesn't want to find you properly."
"Thank goodness my clever daughter escaped from the hands of the villains."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
The next morning, the Princess's Estate received numerous generous gifts sent from the Hua Family Estate.
"This humble servant's younger sister is weak, it's my little sister's fortune that Jiamin Junzhu took care of her. Please accept these small gifts of gratitude, Princess and Fuma," Hua Changkong bowed to Princess Shunan and Fuma, "Thank you, Jiamin Junzhu, for saving my little sister's life."
Yao Fuma listened to the account of his daughter saving Fushou Junzhu and couldn't help but doubt his own ears. Did his daughter possess such remarkable martial arts skills and intelligence?
He turned to Princess Shunan and observed her closely.
"You're too kind, Third Young Master Hua. Fushou Junzhu is the daughter of a distinguished general, so it's only right for my daughter to save her," Princess Shunan's face showed a hint of satisfaction, thinking to herself that even though Fushou Junzhu was the daughter of a general, she still had to rely on her daughter to preserve her life.
Jiamin Junzhu, seated at the lower end, wore a look of despair. She earnestly wished to avoid any mention of how she had saved Hua Liuli. At present, her mind was consumed by the haunting image of Hua Liuli advancing towards her with a sword.
The mere thought weakened her legs, to the extent that she wished to avoid uttering Hua Liuli's name altogether.
"In truth, Fushou Junzhu also saved me. If it weren't for her, I would have been bitten to death by a venomous snake. It was a mutual act of assistance," she quickly threw back this favor.
"Oh," Princess Shunan felt a little disappointed. It would have been ideal had the scales not been balanced, but alas, it was not meant to be.
Yao Fuma: "..."
Can venomous snakes truly forsake their hibernation just to bite people in the cold of spring?
Soon, tales of "Jiamin Junzhu bravely rescuing the Hua family's daughter" began to circulate among the ladies of the capital. Young Misses who held a close friendship with Jiamin Junzhu hurriedly approached her, inquiring whether she intended to further humiliate Hua Liuli by exploiting this life-saving debt.
Jiamin Junzhu felt despondent as she listened to her companions plotting to make Hua Liuli bow down to her by using this life-saving favor. She quickly interjected, "Let's not create a fuss. Hua... Hua Liuli is, after all, the daughter of the Great General. It's only right for me to save her."
"What's the harm? The favor of saving a life should be repaid generously. She should be at your beck and call. In fact, she should be your maidservant to repay your life-saving favor," one of the Yao family's young ladies said, "Let's see if she still dares to act weak and pitiful in front of you in the future."
Jiamin Junzhu's expression was emotionless. Yes, be a maidservant to repay the life-saving favor, but it would be herself!
Sisters, please refrain from saying such things. She really doesn't want these words to reach Hua Liuli's ears, or she might come to teach them all a lesson one dark and stormy night, with a sword in hand.
They were all her sisters, so she really didn't want any harm to befall them.
"She's actually a nice person. Don't say such things about her," Jiamin Junzhu gritted her teeth and forced a smile, "Let's not mention these things anymore. Besides, she also saved me from a snake bite. It's a life for a life, so where's the life-saving favor?"
"Jiamin Junzhu?" the Yao family girl reached out and touched Jiamin Junzhu's forehead, "Are you feeling sick? Why are you talking nonsense? A few days ago, didn't you say you wanted to embarrass Hua Liuli during the Flower Festival?"
Before Jiamin Junzhu could speak, another young lady said, "Don't worry, with us here, we won't let you suffer."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
Sisters, life is so beautiful, why don't you cherish it?
Ying Wang pursued all the way to Nanzhou and upon learning that the two Junzhus had been rescued, he hurriedly returned to the capital. Although the two Junzhus had been saved, the suspicion against the Tian family had not been cleared, so he had to go to the palace and plead to the Emperor on behalf of the Tian family.
When he arrived at the Chenyang Palace, he saw Ji Yuansu was also there. He furrowed his brows in worry, afraid that the Crown Prince would obstruct him.
"Erchen greets Father Emperor," Ying Wang felt somewhat apprehensive.
"Take a seat," Emperor Changlong glanced at his foolish son and put down his brush, "You've been traveling for several days, go back and rest."
"Thank you, Father Emperor, for your concern," Ying Wang glanced at Ji Yuansu, glanced at Ji Yuansu, who remained silent, and knelt down on one knee before Emperor Changlong, "Erchen requests Father Emperor to thoroughly investigate the case of the two Junzhus abduction by assassins and clear the Tian family's name."
"Minghao," Emperor Changlong sighed helplessly, "Minister Tian has passed away, Zhen is deeply saddened. Zhen is also unwilling to make things difficult for the Tian family at this time. However, if Zhen doesn't investigate the incident of the two Junzhus disappearing from the Tian Family Estate, what would Princess Shunan and the Great General think?"
"But the Tian family is innocent," Ying Wang didn't understand, "Erchen pleads with Father Emperor to show mercy."
"As an emperor, Zhen cannot disregard the responsibility of holding someone accountable just because Zhen believes they are innocent," Emperor Changlong looked at his eldest son, who was filled with unwillingness, "Zhen has ordered a thorough investigation into this matter, you don't need to worry."
"But why did Father Emperor strip Erchen's uncle of his title?" Ying Wang kowtowed, "Erchen implores you to reconsider."
Emperor Changlong sighed, feeling that everything he had just said was in vain.
"Eldest Brother, if Benwang were your position, Benwang would go persuade Minister Tian to make amends to the two Junzhus," Ji Yuansu looked at his foolish older brother with pity, "Regardless of whether this matter is related to the Tian family or not, it cannot erase the fact that the two Junzhus went missing from the Tian Family Estate. Only when the two victims are willing to forgive the Tian family can they retreat unscathed, do you understand?"
Ying Wang looked at the Crown Prince suspiciously, finding it hard to believe his sudden display of kindness.
"Let's do that. You go back and instruct the Tian family to do as the Crown Prince suggested," Emperor Changlong waved his hand, "You may withdraw."
This child's intellect was not good, and as his father, he had a responsibility too. Scolding wouldn't help, so he could only turn a blind eye to it.
"Yes," Ying Wang suppressed the discontent in his heart and left the Chenyang Palace.
After Ying Wang left, the guards responsible for searching the mountain area returned. One of them hurriedly walked into the Chenyang Palace and reported, "Your Majesty, Crown Prince, we found some bones in the dense forest that had been gnawed by ferocious beasts. However, due to their deteriorated condition, it is impossible to determine the number of individuals. We also found snake-repellent herbs on a tree, as well as traces of climbing."
"Jiamin Junzhu and the little girl from the Hua family may have escaped using this opportunity. Those who climbed the tree should be them," Emperor Changlong nodded, "It seems that Jiamin Junzhu's skill in wielding swords has come in handy."
"Compared to her mother..." Emperor Changlong looked at the Crown Prince, not wanting to speak ill of his sister, Princess Shunan, in front of his son. He waved his hand to dismiss the guards and said to the Crown Prince, "Fortunately, the young girl from the Hua family is unharmed. Otherwise, how can Zhen explain it to Yingting?"
The Crown Prince smiled and changed the topic, "Why did Father Emperor arrange for Ying Wang to marry the daughter of Prefect Lin? Erchen heard earlier that Consort Xian seemed to intend for Ying Wang to marry Jiamin Junzhu."
"The daughter of the Lin family is well-read and intelligent. Zhen heard from the imperial physician that a child's intelligence is influenced by their parents," Emperor Changlong sighed, "To ensure that your brother has intelligent offspring, Zhen felt that the daughter of the Lin family is more suitable to be his Wangfei."
The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, "Erchen understands."
He personally felt that Jiamin Junzhu and his foolish brother were well-matched.
After discussing governance with his father, the Crown Prince left the Chenyang Palace as darkness fell.
Lounging lazily in the sedan chair, he was already accustomed to the respectful and fearful attitudes of the palace maids and eunuchs around him. The Crown Prince couldn't even be bothered to lift his eyelids.
In the darkness, the sound of a kitten's meow echoed from somewhere.
He sat up straight, "Go and see."
"Yes," several attendants quickly left and soon brought back a kitten. The kitten had a rope tied around its neck, with a golden bell hanging from it, indicating that it belonged to some important person in the palace.
The Crown Prince glanced at it for a moment and lost interest, "Set it free."
The attendants promptly placed the kitten nearby.
The Crown Prince confirmed that he wasn't truly interested in raising kittens. Lost in thought, he played with the jade pendant at his waist and said, "Have you been sending snacks to Fushou Junzhu recently?"
"No, Your Royal Highness."
"Send them over tomorrow."
Perhaps he wished to raise the girl who resembled a kitten.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The Crown Prince: Benwang wants to sneak into the Hua Family Estate and steal a kitten.
The moment she recognized the Crown Prince, Hua Liuli felt incredibly happy. With the Crown Prince around, she could finally sleep peacefully.
Seeing the Crown Prince approaching on his majestic steed, she climbed down from the donkey cart and waved at him, "Over here, over here!"
"Don't..." Jiamin Junzhu tried to grab Hua Liuli when she was rushing down from the carriage with her dirty countenance, but she was too quick, and Jiamin Junzhu only managed to graze the corner of her clothes.
It wasn't long ago when Hua Liuli claimed her legs were aching and couldn't move, but now her little legs moved swiftly. Jiamin Junzhu rolled her eyes and didn't bother to stop Hua Liuli from embarrassing herself.
Having been raised in an environment surrounded by brilliance, the Crown Prince held disdain for anything covered in dirt. Those who served him had to be clean and possess refined features. Hua Liuli was covered in dirt, her face still dusty and not cleaned. How could the Crown Prince let her come near him?
Of all the princes, the Crown Prince was the most difficult to handle. Although they were cousins, if Jiamin Junzhu violated any of the Crown Prince's taboos, he wouldn't give her any face. His temperament was so unbearable that if it weren't for the Emperor's excessive favoritism towards him, could anyone tolerate him?
With his behavior, the day would come when the Emperor grew dissatisfied with him, leading to a fate similar to that of the deposed crown princes in history.
Jiamin Junzhu remained seated steadily in the donkey cart, not wanting to make herself uncomfortable.
The Crown Prince dismounted from his horse and saw Hua Liuli still smiling at him. He took out a handkerchief and handed it to her, "Are you injured?"
Hua Liuli used the handkerchief to wipe her face haphazardly and shook her head, "We encountered ferocious beasts in the mountains. Jiamin Junzhu took me away during the chaos."
"Don't move," the Crown Prince grabbed the handkerchief from her hand and wiped away the dirt from her face, "As long as you're unharmed, it's good."
Hua Liuli looked up at the Crown Prince, who was wiping her face. His hair was damp and there were tiny droplets of water on his eyelashes. His eyes were like clear lakes.
He's really handsome.
Since childhood, the people in her family often took care of her like this, so she instinctively tilted her head and obediently allowed the Crown Prince to clean her face.
"Your Royal Highness, the carriage has arrived."
Compared to the shabby donkey cart, the carriage waiting beside the Crown Prince and Hua Liuli was much more splendid and spacious. Four magnificent steeds pulled the carriage, creating a grand spectacle.
The middle-aged couple riding the donkey cart were already stunned upon hearing Hua Liuli address the handsome man, who resembled a celestial being, as "Your Royal Highness". Looking at the luxurious carriage and the soldiers dressed in silver armor surrounding it, they understood that the two little girls they had given a ride to were not ordinary people.
The couple nervously disembarked from the donkey cart and stood in a corner, not daring to utter a word.
After cleaning Hua Liuli's face, the Crown Prince suddenly chuckled and reached out to ruffle her head. "Let's go, Benwang will accompany you back home."
"Your Royal Highness, could you please stop ruffling my head?" Hua Liuli covered her head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
"En?" the Crown Prince raised an eyebrow.
"I haven't had a bath for two or three days," Hua Liuli whispered, "And with all this dust on my head, I feel really embarrassed."
The Crown Prince: "..."
He rubbed his fingers a couple of times, then plucked a small piece of dry grass from her head, "Benwang considers you a junior sister. Benwang doesn't mind."
Good-looking and gentle, the Crown Prince was undoubtedly the most perfect among the five princes!
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli turned her head and covered her mouth, coughing a few times, feeling somewhat embarrassed, "Your Royal Highness, did you bring silver notes?"
The Crown Prince turned to his attendant, who quickly took out a stack of silver notes from his pocket, "Junzhu, here they are."
Hua Liuli glanced at the denominations of the silver notes. The smallest one was fifty taels. She bit her lip, "Do you have smaller denominations?"
Seeing this, the Crown Prince's attendants hurriedly gathered a few notes with denominations of ten or twenty taels.
"Thank you," Hua Liuli took out these smaller-denomination silver notes and turned to the middle-aged couple who gave her a ride, "Thank you, brother and sister, for your help. Please accept these."
"No, no, no," the couple dared not accept and shook their hands repeatedly, "We can't take it, noble guests."
"Take it." Hua Liuli grabbed the woman's hand and forcefully stuffed the silver notes into it, "Those who are kind-hearted deserve good blessings."
The Crown Prince understood why Hua Liuli wanted these smaller-denomination silver notes. For common people, excessively large-denomination notes would be inconvenient.
This young girl from the Hua family seems to understand the ways of the common people better than the average noble girl.
After the couple accepted the silver notes, the Crown Prince turned to Hua Liuli and said, "Come, get on the carriage."
"En," Hua Liuli thanked the couple and walked to the carriage. Before she could step onto the footstool, a hand reached out in front of her.
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli placed her hand in the Crown Prince's palm and got into the carriage. The carriage was lined with soft cushions, emitting a faint fragrance, and it was spacious enough for her to want to fall asleep right away.
Spacious...
She opened her tired eyes and realized that Jiamin Junzhu hadn't followed her?
Forgotten, Jiamin Junzhu silently climbed out of the donkey cart and respectfully greeted the Crown Prince.
"Jiamin Junzhu, are you alright?" the Crown Prince looked at her with indifference.
"Thank you for your concern, Your Royal Highness. I am fine," Jiamin Junzhu dared not look into the Crown Prince's eyes.
"Mmm," The Crown Prince mounted his horse and looked down at her. Speaking in a low voice, he said, "You worked hard to bring Fushou Junzhu out."
"It's... it's nothing," Jiamin Junzhu bit her lip, burying her head, afraid that the Crown Prince would notice her guilty expression.
"Rest in the carriage for a while," the Crown Prince glanced at her and rode ahead of the procession.
Jiamin Junzhu let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly climbed into the carriage. She saw Hua Liuli lazily lying in the carriage, ready to sleep. Jiamin Junzhu reached out and pushed her, "Make some space inside."
"I haven't slept all night, so don't bother me," Hua Liuli grabbed a soft cushion and threw it on the ground, "The carriage is so spacious, find a place to sit, don't squeeze with me."
Jiamin Junzhu wanted to retort but suddenly stopped herself. She remembered the situation from last night and couldn't help but suspect that Hua Liuli might really not have slept all night.
Sullenly, she picked up the cushion and sat on the ground, crossing her legs. She looked at the gemstones embedded in the carriage wall and her anxious heart slowly calmed down.
Having lived for sixteen years, she had never experienced hardships or any grievances. These past few days had been a nightmare, but with the annoying Hua Liuli around, she was less afraid.
Could it be that in this world, it's the rival in love who gives people courage more than the villains?
Hua Liuli was awakened by the bustling noise outside the carriage. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Jiamin Junzhu staring at her intently. She discreetly adjusted her clothes and asked, "What are you looking at?"
Jiamin Junzhu rolled her eyes. "The carriage has already entered the city, you've been sleeping for two hours."
"No wonder I feel dizzy and stuffy. Turns out, I haven't slept enough yet," Hua Liuli sat up, her long black hair cascading down her shoulders, making her look incredibly pitiful.
Jiamin Junzhu didn't want to talk to her anymore. She turned her head and looked the other way.
"You mentioned last time that Ying Wangfei has been chosen. Who is it?" Hua Liuli seemed to find the atmosphere not lively enough, so she proactively brought up a topic that piqued Jiamin Junzhu's interest.
Jiamin Junzhu's face darkened, "Hua Liuli, are you doing this on purpose?"
"Jiamin Junzhu, how can you say that?" Hua Liuli innocently smiled, "I'm just concerned about you."
"I don't need your concern."
"Alright, then consider it me wanting to see some excitement," Hua Liuli sighed pitifully, "I don't have many friends in the capital, and I don't have any close friends to share secrets with. Since we have gone through hardships together, let's consider it a close bond. If there's anything that makes you unhappy in the future, you can tell me and let me comfort you."
"Hmph," Jiamin Junzhu sneered, "You mean to mock and make fun of me when I share my unhappiness, don't you?"
Shameless, we don't have a close bond! It's a bond formed almost losing our lives.
Hua Liuli smiled as the corners of her mouth curved, looking innocent like a fairy.
Seeing her like this, Jiamin Junzhu's anger subsided and she became calm. After a moment of silence, she spoke, "She is the eldest daughter of Lin Zhou, the Prefect of Yongzhou. Her father has been transferred back to the capital this month. There are rumors that the Minister of Justice displeased the Emperor with his performance, so her father will replace Zhang Shuo as the Minister of Justice."
"Lin Zhou, the Prefect of Yongzhou?" Hua Liuli remembered the civil official who accused her father, also surnamed Lin, "What's his relationship with Lin Huizi?"
"What relationship can they have?" Jiamin Junzhu asked in confusion, "Just because they have the same surname?"
Hua Liuli waved her hand and sat cross-legged in front of Jiamin Junzhu, "Continue speaking, don't stop."
"Lin Zhou is the uncle of the Fourth Prince," Jiamin Junzhu guessed the intention behind the Consort Xian's plan to marry the Prefect's daughter to Ying Wang, so she felt somewhat down, "Prefect Lin is a good official who treats the people like his own children. He is highly regarded in Yongzhou."
Ying Wang's reputation has not been good among the common people recently. He urgently needs a father-in-law and Wangfei with a good reputation to increase his popularity among the people. Combined with the Consort Xian's intention to win over the Fourth Prince, the Prefect's daughter became the most suitable candidate.
"That's a pity," Hua Liuli glanced at Jiamin Junzhu. She felt that Jiamin Junzhu was more compatible with Ying Wang. They matched in status, their minds and aesthetics were also a perfect match.
"Let it go," After the incident last night, Jiamin Junzhu understood it clearly. No matter how good a man is, he cannot be more important than her own life. She was able to abandon Ying Wang when her life was at stake, only hoping to save her own life, which meant that she didn't actually like him that much.
At this time, someone knocked on the carriage. Hua Liuli and Jiamin Junzhu exchanged a glance, quickly picking up the soft cushions and sitting down.
A maid lifted the curtain and entered, holding hot tea, pastries, and other items. After placing the items down and bowing, she respectfully retreated.
The two looked at the teapot and teacups, then looked at each other.
"Pour the tea," Hua Liuli lifted her chin at Jiamin Junzhu.
"Why don't you do it?" Jiamin Junzhu was unhappy. They were both Junzhus, why should she serve Hua Liuli?
"Cough, cough, cough," Hua Liuli covered her chest, "Because I'm not feeling well."
Jiamin Junzhu glared at her fiercely, poured herself a cup of water, and realized that it wasn't tea but sweetened water with honey.
She paused for a moment, suddenly realizing that it was prepared according to Hua Liuli's taste.
At this moment, she started to doubt if she was really the Crown Prince's cousin? Even if her mother was close to Consort Xian, the Crown Prince shouldn't be so blatantly biased, right?
She poured a cup of water and placed it in front of Hua Liuli, "Drink."
Men are all dogs. When they see a delicate and beautiful young lady, it's like seeing a bone. What family affection?
Jiamin Junzhu, who had always been very outspoken, had learned to silently curse in her heart.
"Liuli," Just then, the voice of the Crown Prince resounded from outside, "We're almost at your family's estate."
Hua Liuli put down the empty cup and opened the curtain, meeting the smiling Crown Prince's gaze, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"No need for thanks," The Crown Prince handed her a cloak, "Put it on, it's cold outside."
Hua Liuli obediently put on the cloak. The Crown Prince found a hairpin and jade comb from somewhere and handed them to her, "Rest well when you return. Leave everything else to Father Emperor and Benwang. Don't worry."
Hua Liuli tied up her hair, but the hairpin was crooked. The Crown Prince looked at it, then looked again, and finally couldn't resist reaching out to straighten it, "There you go."
The carriage stopped outside Hua Family Estate, where the servants of the estate were expressing gratitude and crying, driving Jiamin Junzhu's head to ache.
"Junzhu, you've suffered."
"Quick, call the physician. Junzhu's health is weak. We mustn't be careless."
Jiamin Junzhu still remembered this voice. It was Hua Liuli's personal maid, called Yuan Yi or something like that.
"She's gotten thinner, so much thinner," an old female servant from Hua Family Estate sobbed uncontrollably, heartbroken.
"Why is Junzhu's complexion so pale? Did Junzhu not take the Huolu Pill these past few days?"
"Quickly, quickly fetch the medicinal pills our Junzhu usually takes."
Jiamin Junzhu finally understood that it wasn't just Hua Liuli who was sick in the head, but the entire Hua Family Estate.
"Your Royal Highness," Hua Liuli grabbed the cloak's belt and was supported by the maids. She turned her head to look at the Crown Prince, smiled at him, and gave a slight bow before slowly walking into the gates of Hua Family Estate.
The Crown Prince watched her figure and couldn't help but feel regretful. How good would it be if she were his own little sister?
The carriage continued on its way and stopped in front of Princess Mansion. Jiamin Junzhu opened the curtain and looked at the Crown Prince. Where were her cloak, hairpin, and comb?
It must be an inherited trait of the Ji family to be so biased.
"Ming'er!" Princess Shunan saw Jiamin Junzhu's figure and her eyes reddened. She held Jiamin Junzhu's hand and turned to thank the Crown Prince. The maidservants around them stood upright and proper, completely different from the Hua Family Estate servants who clung to Hua Liuli.
She looked at her father, who stood behind her mother with a dull expression and withdrew her gaze.
"Thank you, Your Royal Highness."
"Imperial Aunt, no need to be polite," the Crown Prince remained on his horse and lazily said, "The person has been delivered, so Benwang should return to the palace."
"Take care, Your Royal Highness," Princess Shunan saw that the Crown Prince remained motionless on his horse and her expression turned sour.
After the Crown Prince left, she expressed her dissatisfaction, "The Emperor has spoiled the Crown Prince to the point that he is arrogant even in front of his elders."
Jiamin Junzhu raised her eyelids and said nothing.
Even during this moment of excitement when she had finally returned home after being abducted, her mother could still notice the Crown Prince's arrogant attitude. It was evident that she was extremely dissatisfied with the Crown Prince.
After complaining about the Crown Prince, Princess Shunan held her daughter's hand and walked towards the mansion with a tender expression.
"Quick, go freshen up and change your clothes. The Crown Prince, really! He didn't even think of letting you change your clothes."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
"Are you hungry? When the Crown Prince found you, did he let you eat anything?"
"Thank goodness nothing happened to you. If you hadn't returned, I would have had missing person notices posted. But that civil official on the Crown Prince's side said posting notices to find you wouldn't be good for you. In my opinion, he clearly doesn't want to find you properly."
"Thank goodness my clever daughter escaped from the hands of the villains."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
The next morning, the Princess's Estate received numerous generous gifts sent from the Hua Family Estate.
"This humble servant's younger sister is weak, it's my little sister's fortune that Jiamin Junzhu took care of her. Please accept these small gifts of gratitude, Princess and Fuma," Hua Changkong bowed to Princess Shunan and Fuma, "Thank you, Jiamin Junzhu, for saving my little sister's life."
Yao Fuma listened to the account of his daughter saving Fushou Junzhu and couldn't help but doubt his own ears. Did his daughter possess such remarkable martial arts skills and intelligence?
He turned to Princess Shunan and observed her closely.
"You're too kind, Third Young Master Hua. Fushou Junzhu is the daughter of a distinguished general, so it's only right for my daughter to save her," Princess Shunan's face showed a hint of satisfaction, thinking to herself that even though Fushou Junzhu was the daughter of a general, she still had to rely on her daughter to preserve her life.
Jiamin Junzhu, seated at the lower end, wore a look of despair. She earnestly wished to avoid any mention of how she had saved Hua Liuli. At present, her mind was consumed by the haunting image of Hua Liuli advancing towards her with a sword.
The mere thought weakened her legs, to the extent that she wished to avoid uttering Hua Liuli's name altogether.
"In truth, Fushou Junzhu also saved me. If it weren't for her, I would have been bitten to death by a venomous snake. It was a mutual act of assistance," she quickly threw back this favor.
"Oh," Princess Shunan felt a little disappointed. It would have been ideal had the scales not been balanced, but alas, it was not meant to be.
Yao Fuma: "..."
Can venomous snakes truly forsake their hibernation just to bite people in the cold of spring?
Soon, tales of "Jiamin Junzhu bravely rescuing the Hua family's daughter" began to circulate among the ladies of the capital. Young Misses who held a close friendship with Jiamin Junzhu hurriedly approached her, inquiring whether she intended to further humiliate Hua Liuli by exploiting this life-saving debt.
Jiamin Junzhu felt despondent as she listened to her companions plotting to make Hua Liuli bow down to her by using this life-saving favor. She quickly interjected, "Let's not create a fuss. Hua... Hua Liuli is, after all, the daughter of the Great General. It's only right for me to save her."
"What's the harm? The favor of saving a life should be repaid generously. She should be at your beck and call. In fact, she should be your maidservant to repay your life-saving favor," one of the Yao family's young ladies said, "Let's see if she still dares to act weak and pitiful in front of you in the future."
Jiamin Junzhu's expression was emotionless. Yes, be a maidservant to repay the life-saving favor, but it would be herself!
Sisters, please refrain from saying such things. She really doesn't want these words to reach Hua Liuli's ears, or she might come to teach them all a lesson one dark and stormy night, with a sword in hand.
They were all her sisters, so she really didn't want any harm to befall them.
"She's actually a nice person. Don't say such things about her," Jiamin Junzhu gritted her teeth and forced a smile, "Let's not mention these things anymore. Besides, she also saved me from a snake bite. It's a life for a life, so where's the life-saving favor?"
"Jiamin Junzhu?" the Yao family girl reached out and touched Jiamin Junzhu's forehead, "Are you feeling sick? Why are you talking nonsense? A few days ago, didn't you say you wanted to embarrass Hua Liuli during the Flower Festival?"
Before Jiamin Junzhu could speak, another young lady said, "Don't worry, with us here, we won't let you suffer."
Jiamin Junzhu: "..."
Sisters, life is so beautiful, why don't you cherish it?
Ying Wang pursued all the way to Nanzhou and upon learning that the two Junzhus had been rescued, he hurriedly returned to the capital. Although the two Junzhus had been saved, the suspicion against the Tian family had not been cleared, so he had to go to the palace and plead to the Emperor on behalf of the Tian family.
When he arrived at the Chenyang Palace, he saw Ji Yuansu was also there. He furrowed his brows in worry, afraid that the Crown Prince would obstruct him.
"Erchen greets Father Emperor," Ying Wang felt somewhat apprehensive.
"Take a seat," Emperor Changlong glanced at his foolish son and put down his brush, "You've been traveling for several days, go back and rest."
"Thank you, Father Emperor, for your concern," Ying Wang glanced at Ji Yuansu, glanced at Ji Yuansu, who remained silent, and knelt down on one knee before Emperor Changlong, "Erchen requests Father Emperor to thoroughly investigate the case of the two Junzhus abduction by assassins and clear the Tian family's name."
"Minghao," Emperor Changlong sighed helplessly, "Minister Tian has passed away, Zhen is deeply saddened. Zhen is also unwilling to make things difficult for the Tian family at this time. However, if Zhen doesn't investigate the incident of the two Junzhus disappearing from the Tian Family Estate, what would Princess Shunan and the Great General think?"
"But the Tian family is innocent," Ying Wang didn't understand, "Erchen pleads with Father Emperor to show mercy."
"As an emperor, Zhen cannot disregard the responsibility of holding someone accountable just because Zhen believes they are innocent," Emperor Changlong looked at his eldest son, who was filled with unwillingness, "Zhen has ordered a thorough investigation into this matter, you don't need to worry."
"But why did Father Emperor strip Erchen's uncle of his title?" Ying Wang kowtowed, "Erchen implores you to reconsider."
Emperor Changlong sighed, feeling that everything he had just said was in vain.
"Eldest Brother, if Benwang were your position, Benwang would go persuade Minister Tian to make amends to the two Junzhus," Ji Yuansu looked at his foolish older brother with pity, "Regardless of whether this matter is related to the Tian family or not, it cannot erase the fact that the two Junzhus went missing from the Tian Family Estate. Only when the two victims are willing to forgive the Tian family can they retreat unscathed, do you understand?"
Ying Wang looked at the Crown Prince suspiciously, finding it hard to believe his sudden display of kindness.
"Let's do that. You go back and instruct the Tian family to do as the Crown Prince suggested," Emperor Changlong waved his hand, "You may withdraw."
This child's intellect was not good, and as his father, he had a responsibility too. Scolding wouldn't help, so he could only turn a blind eye to it.
"Yes," Ying Wang suppressed the discontent in his heart and left the Chenyang Palace.
After Ying Wang left, the guards responsible for searching the mountain area returned. One of them hurriedly walked into the Chenyang Palace and reported, "Your Majesty, Crown Prince, we found some bones in the dense forest that had been gnawed by ferocious beasts. However, due to their deteriorated condition, it is impossible to determine the number of individuals. We also found snake-repellent herbs on a tree, as well as traces of climbing."
"Jiamin Junzhu and the little girl from the Hua family may have escaped using this opportunity. Those who climbed the tree should be them," Emperor Changlong nodded, "It seems that Jiamin Junzhu's skill in wielding swords has come in handy."
"Compared to her mother..." Emperor Changlong looked at the Crown Prince, not wanting to speak ill of his sister, Princess Shunan, in front of his son. He waved his hand to dismiss the guards and said to the Crown Prince, "Fortunately, the young girl from the Hua family is unharmed. Otherwise, how can Zhen explain it to Yingting?"
The Crown Prince smiled and changed the topic, "Why did Father Emperor arrange for Ying Wang to marry the daughter of Prefect Lin? Erchen heard earlier that Consort Xian seemed to intend for Ying Wang to marry Jiamin Junzhu."
"The daughter of the Lin family is well-read and intelligent. Zhen heard from the imperial physician that a child's intelligence is influenced by their parents," Emperor Changlong sighed, "To ensure that your brother has intelligent offspring, Zhen felt that the daughter of the Lin family is more suitable to be his Wangfei."
The Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, "Erchen understands."
He personally felt that Jiamin Junzhu and his foolish brother were well-matched.
After discussing governance with his father, the Crown Prince left the Chenyang Palace as darkness fell.
Lounging lazily in the sedan chair, he was already accustomed to the respectful and fearful attitudes of the palace maids and eunuchs around him. The Crown Prince couldn't even be bothered to lift his eyelids.
In the darkness, the sound of a kitten's meow echoed from somewhere.
He sat up straight, "Go and see."
"Yes," several attendants quickly left and soon brought back a kitten. The kitten had a rope tied around its neck, with a golden bell hanging from it, indicating that it belonged to some important person in the palace.
The Crown Prince glanced at it for a moment and lost interest, "Set it free."
The attendants promptly placed the kitten nearby.
The Crown Prince confirmed that he wasn't truly interested in raising kittens. Lost in thought, he played with the jade pendant at his waist and said, "Have you been sending snacks to Fushou Junzhu recently?"
"No, Your Royal Highness."
"Send them over tomorrow."
Perhaps he wished to raise the girl who resembled a kitten.
Krish728
Author's Note:
The Crown Prince: Benwang wants to sneak into the Hua Family Estate and steal a kitten.
