Chapter 22

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Zhou Ji’nan frowned and was about to speak when Li Baojia pulled him and said, “I am so sorry for that. We will move immediately.”

The princess was shocked when she came out to see the two of them. Her eyes were lit up with amazement. She also noticed that Li Baojia’s attitude was very good. He actually just moved. She did not know what to say because she had wanted to make a scene here.

“Then move.”

Li Baojia asked the coachman to move his way. When Zhou Ji’nan saw this, he also stepped back to make way.

Princess Min’an turned around and went in. The carriage started. When the curtain opened, everyone saw another person in the carriage.

It was a young man. He was only fifteen or sixteen years old. He wore a jade crown. His clothes were made of white, precious, and rare, and their patterns were gorgeous and complicated. He looked frail and leaned against the inside of the carriage.

His skin color was morbidly white and looked kind of transparent. Under the thin and slightly raised eyelashes were a pair of eyes as clear as morning dew. His eyes were bright, and there seemed to be stars shining in his eyes. The corners of his eyes were morbidly red, which made him too delicate to look like a real person.

What a weak beauty!

Several people were shocked by this young man. Even Li Baojia, who did not care much about people’s appearances, was stunned.

When their carriage rolled up a gust of dust and left, those people finally came out of their trances. Zhou Ji’nan then said, “Is that the crown prince of Prince Liang? He looks gorgeous and is much more beautiful than his sister.”

Li Baojia blinked. In terms of appearance, the crown prince of Prince Liang and his sister Princess Min’an were different.

Princess Min’an was a decent-looking lady with a certain profundity of the frontier fortress. Her skin was not as fair as the noble daughters in the capital. She was just a little bit beautiful.

She was much less beautiful than the crown prince of Prince Liang.

Zhou Ji’nan asked, “Why did you make way for them just now? It’s just the crown prince of Prince Liang. Are you scared of him?”

He said this naturally and with confidence. He was also a crown prince. There was no difference in the level between a crown prince of the Duke and a crown prince of a Prince in this dynasty. Besides, Prince Liang was the brother of the emperor today. Prince Liang went to the fief decades ago when he failed to seize the throne, so his power and status were inherently inferior to Zhou Ji’nan, who was born and raised in the capital.

Prince Liang was super powerful in his fiefdom with high prestige. He was almost the local emperor. The emperor today had tried many ways to suppress Prince Liang but failed. Therefore, the emperor was a little afraid of Prince Liang.

However, no matter how mighty Prince Liang was in his fief, there were rules he had to follow in the capital.

It was better to be self-restrained when they came here. However, they seemed to be not low-key at all. They were so arrogant, as if they wanted everyone here to know that they were powerful and wealthy.

Remembering the end of the two of them in their last life, Li Baojia replied, “Well, we should never get ourselves into unnecessary trouble. Why not move a little?”

Li Baojia saluted Zhou Ji’nan and thanked him once more. Then he got on the carriage and planned to go back.

Zhou Ji’nan shouted when Li Baojia was in the carriage, “Come and thank me tomorrow.”

When Li Baojia had gone away, Zhou Ji’nan was still standing where he was, and the guard beside him came up and said, “Sir, that’s the girl from the Li family. She seems to be going to be sent to the prince.”

Zhou Ji’nan took a fan, hit the guard’s head, and said, “Do you think I don’t know?”

He slowly folded his fan and said, “They haven’t decided yet. Besides, I heard that the prince doesn’t like her. I like her anyway. I might as well save the prince from that.”

The guard murmured, “Why are you so sure that Miss Li will like you?”

Zhou Ji’nan turned around, slapped him on the forehead, and said, “Stop talking now.”

In the carriage of Prince Liang.

Zhao Min’an was somewhat helpless. She said, “The people in the capital city are all timid like that? I was so provocative, but they just made way for us.”

Zhao Qiong, leaning against the carriage, said, “There’s always something wrong. We will find another opportunity.”

Zhao Min’an looked kind of worried. She said, “You are in the capital now. It’s better to be careful.”

Zhao Qiong lowered his head when he heard the words of Zhao Min’an. He hid his casualness and replied, “I will be okay.”

Zhao Min’an sighed heavily.

The current relationship between the Liang Rief and the Zhao Dynasty was not so bad. However, it was not so good.

They came to Imperial City seemingly because they had to go back to Imperial City to visit their relatives. In fact, the emperor just invited them back to see what the future Prince Liang would be like.

The emperor wanted to be sure whether the future Prince Liang was a threat to the Zhao Dynasty or not.

Therefore, the more self-restrained and cautious they were, the more dangerous they would be. It was better for them to be as arrogant as possible and offend all the aristocratic families, which would satisfy the emperor.

In the East Palace, Zhao Yi sat in front of the desk with a pen. There was a piece of rice paper in front of him. He used the pen to draw. After a while, a stunning beauty appeared on the paper.

The beauty was smiling. She was sitting on a boat, with one hand picking the lotus seed and the other waving in the water.

Zhao Yi casually drew the beauty’s red lips on the paper and asked, “Did the crown prince of Prince Liang come to Imperial City today?”

Huang Gao nodded and said, “Yes, his sister Princess Min’an is also here. She is expected to stay in the capital to marry someone. Prince Liang seems to be very generous.”

In that way, Princess Min’an would be a hostage of the imperial court.

Zhao Yi sneered and said, “Do you think he will let his crown prince get married here? I don’t think so.”

Huang Gao said, “It’s said that the crown prince of Prince Liang is not in good health. He has to take medicine every day.”

Huang Gao did not know if Zhao Yi believed this. Zhao Yi just went to hang the painting to dry and said, “Send some tonics to him.”

“Yes.”

Huang Gao looked at the painting twice before he left. He felt the woman in the painting was familiar. However, he could not remember who she was.

The woman in the painting was so charming, but Huang Gao had never seen her around the prince.

At the gate of the mansion of the Li family, Li Baojia just got off the carriage and ran into Li Mingxuan, her second brother, who had just returned.

Li Mingxuan saw her and shouted, “Baojia.”

Li Baojia was surprised to see that he was still wearing the green robe of the school. “Mingxuan, you have your vacation today?”

Li Mingxuan smiled and said, “Well, the vacation is one day earlier this year than in previous years. The Lantern Festival is coming, right?”

“How are you doing in school recently? Are you satisfied with your food?”

Li Mingxuan patted her head and said, “You don’t need to worry about it. They will not mistreat me.”

“Next year, you will take the highest imperial examination, right?. You should work hard, pass the examination and bring a beautiful wife back.”

Li Mingxuan shook his head and smiled at Li Baojia. “You’re just making fun of me. I still don’t know if I will pass the exam.”

Li Baojia smiled sweetly and said, “Don’t worry too much. You will definitely pass the exam. Well, congratulations on your success in the exam in advance.” After all, he won second place in his previous life.

Although Madam Qin and Li Baojia’s mother did not have a good relationship, Li Mingxuan and Li Baojia were close in age. Li Mingxuan was raised by Li Wangde when he was young. Therefore, he had a good relationship with Li Baojia.

Li Baojia’s mother, Huang Ru’er, often told her to stay away from Li Mingxuan for fear that he might have evil intentions. Qin Ke also told his son not to get too close to Li Baojia.

When Li Mingxuan was a child, he secretly took Li Baojia out to watch the river lanterns without telling his parents. And he would be beaten after he went back home.

When the two people exchanged greetings at the door, Madam Qin’s first-class maid, Xixi, came over. Seeing that Li Mingxuan was with Li Baojia again, she was a little nervous. She saluted him and said, “Mr. Mingxuan, Madam Qin is waiting for you. Mr. Li said you would go home today and have a family meal.”