CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

“Well, we were just passing through, thank you very much for the help earlier, if you may then we will continue our journey,” said Luo Xiang. The answer was enough to make the old man look at him for a long time, apparently, Luo Xiang’s way of talking was the cause, the old man clenched his two fists in front of his face.

“Apparently Young Master comes from Yue Yang. Em, this old man just wanted to remind you to take good care of your little brother, since the situation in this city is getting hotter, it would be better if Young Master left the city immediately and back to Yue Yang.”

The old man’s words made Luo Xiang stop his hand movement. In this era, even Yue Yang wasn’t a safe place for everyone. If this was indeed the time before his grandfather became emperor, then the country was also in chaos where uprisings occurred almost everywhere.

Luo Xiang held Bai Ying who had gotten on the horse. He couldn’t let the young man be outside much longer with his current condition. Right now the most important thing was to find a place to rest for a while to plan what they would do next.

“Even Yue Yang isn’t a safe place, old man, so can you tell us where we can stay for a while? At least for one and two nights for now.”

The old man stroked his chin and looked at Luo Xiang then at the young man who was already sitting on his horse.

“Hmm, that”

Left with no other choice, Luo Xiang finally followed the old man to his rest house which was not far from the border of the trading city and the capital. Their goal was the capital, finding Prince Yen Hui or even Prince Luo Wang, but for now, Bai Ying’s condition was more important than anything else.

.....

Luo Xiang’s malnutrition horses, the old man and young man who were probably his servants stopped in front of a large yard with a small house that was quite beautiful with various plants surrounding the house.

Crown Prince looked around. His eyes widened seeing many beautiful colourful plants that he had never seen before. But his sharp nose smelled something very pungent, were those plants poisonous?

Luo Xiang turned to Bai Ying who was sitting on his horse and asked him to tighten the veil over his mouth.

Seeing his guest’s behaviour, the old man chuckled while stroking his chin.

“Hehehe please pardon me, although some plants are indeed poisonous, as what this Young Master can guess. But, as long as you don’t touch them with your bare hands there should be no problem. Um, please, let’s rest inside, my wife must have prepared delicious food for all of us,” said the man who is actually not as old as he looked on the street earlier. He is probably around his fifties with a wise face and a sweet smile.

“Honey, I’m home!” he cried as he entered the small house.

The slightly round young man was still waiting for Luo Xiang to head towards the house.

“Eh please sir, you can give me the horse,” said the young man.

Luo Xiang looked around. Who is the old man really? Why did he feel he look quite familiar? Luo Xiang held onto Bai Ying’s hand, who had also been looking around carefully since earlier.

“Your Highness, will we rest here?” he asked.

Luo Xiang helped Bai Ying carry him off the horse. His nodded.

“Yeah, we’ll be staying here for a while, the old man said he has a bungalow behind his house, apparently, he’s not a bad person either. Although we still have to be careful of him, we’ll see what happens.”

Bai Ying nodded. Luo Xiang carried him and walked towards the stairs up the terrace of the house where the old man was waiting for him.

“Please Young Masters”

When he arrived at the terrace, a woman appeared from inside.

“My husband, you have come home, why are you walking around town, just looking for trouble, are you tired of living in peace?” cried the woman who at her age still looked very beautiful.

“Hehehe I’m just selling the crops dear, just ask A Niu if you don’t believe me,” said the old man.

“This old man”

Bai Ying widened his eyes at the beautiful lady’s face, and so did the Crown Prince. The woman smiled very beautifully, as if her face was shining when the evening sun hit her.

“Eh, sister, Mu Mu?” said Bai Ying.

That’s right, Crown Prince thought, that woman, at a glance resembled Ye Mu, although not exactly the same but, they had the same smile, very similar.

“Uh, you”

The old man and the woman look at Luo Xiang dan Bai Ying in confusion.

“Eh, who?”

Not long after.

On the round table in the kitchen at the front. Seated an old man who introduced himself surnamed Wang by the name Lu, and his wife by Xi Niang. Meanwhile, the rather stocky young man was A Niu, their housekeeper. Both are farmers and ranchers who have enough land to grow various vegetables and sell them in the market in exchange for others.

The sun had already set a while ago and Bai Ying’s stomach was so hungry that the worm screamed loud enough to make everyone turn to look at him just now. At last he could now enjoy the delicious food the hostess cooked with love.

There were six chairs, five people, one more chair was still empty even though there was already a bowl of rice there.

“This is very delicious sir, madam, thank you,” said Bai Ying who could not hide his happy face enjoying the most delicious food beyond all the food he usually ate in the palace, that is because he was very hungry.

Luo Xiang saw Bai Ying, put down his chopsticks and took the handkerchief from his waist.

“This child, don’t be impolite, look at you, your mouth dirty like this” whispered the Crown Prince helping the young man clean his mouth with the crumbs of food left.

Bai Ying smiled until both of his eyes disappeared in joy.

“Hehehe Your Highness, forgive me but this is delicious.”

Bai Ying’s adorable behaviour and Luo Xiang’s considerate attitude made the couple smile. Both of them made their own entertainment for him.

“Hehehe, you guys are so cute.”

The old man looked at Luo Xiang and Bai Ying in turn, obviously these two people were not the people they usually met on the street. The white and smooth skin of the younger youth’s hands and the beautiful clothes slightly protruded from the shabby robes of the other one. It was definitely not the usual cheap clothes.

The hostess squished another piece of fish into the plate in front of Bai Ying and Luo Xiang’s bowl.

“Come on, there’s still a lot, eat more, it just so happens that today’s sales are quite good.”

Luo Xiang reached into his small bag hanging from his waist. Takes out something that he put on the table.

Brukk.

The sound is quite loud and heavy. Old man Wang and his wife’s eyes immediately widened at what was in front of them.

“Wow, this” a handful of pure gold coins whose lustre made the eyes of both of them shine, never in their life had they seen such a large amount of gold coins.

Old man Wang and his wife looked at each other, and both of them looked at the Crown Prince who was looking at him with a serious look.

“T-this”

Luo Xiang looked at the two adults in turn.

“This is a down payment for rent for some time here, we don’t know how long it will be. This should be enough for living and also food. My brother is injured, we will rest until he recovers and continue on our way to Wah Ye palace. Do you know where we can get good horses and carriages?” he asked.

Hearing Luo Xiang’s question, the old couple swallowed their saliva whole. Until the two of them looked at each other.

“Eh, heading to the palace?” asked old man Wang.

Luo Xiang nodded.

“Right, we are going there, we have very important business to do.”

The old man saw the coins on the table and nudged his wife’s arm for her to take them. But the woman refrained from being overjoyed at the sight of the coins which she probably saw for the first time in her life.

“You take it” she whispered.

Luo Xiang continued eating. He raised his head to see the empty seat in front of them. It seemed that old man Wang Lu understood the meaning of the gaze of the man whose face was slightly covered by his headdress so that he and his wife couldn’t see their face clearly enough.

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