Chapter 24 : Please Help Me, King Xuan

“Mother?” The big man’s step faltered.

Xue Qingyin nodded, trying to make her voice sound convincing.

She gently said, “Yes, I am your mother.”

Compared to the clever ones, fools really are much more adorable.

The big man struggled to open his fatty hands and stared at Xue Qingyin, blankly smiling, “Yes, yes, mother, mother eat cake.”

As he said this, he raised his hand.

Look how easy it is to deceive him!

The big man opened his palm.

In it was a lump of mud, mixed with weeds, sticky and slimy.

Anyone else might have been disgusted and frowned, but Xue Qingyin grew up in the countryside and played in the dirt often as a child. So, she blinked, feeling it wasn’t that bad.

She simply said, “I’m not hungry.”

“…Oh.” The big man replied, his eyes drooping as he sadly withdrew his hand.

“Since you’re here, just stay calm.”

Xue Qingyin patted her chest, and her panicked heart began to calm.

She softly said, “Mother will test you.”

The big man looked up, looking puzzled, “Test?”

Xue Qingyin nodded, “Do you remember your name?”

“Remember! I remember,” The big man grinned foolishly, “A Feng is me, I’m A Feng.”

“Afeng! Afeng!” He shouted.

Xue Qingyin quickly stepped forward, stood on tiptoe, and gently patted his shoulder, “Don’t speak so loudly.”

If someone hears them, they won’t come to rescue her.

Once the door opens, with all eyes on them, a man and a woman alone, it would be hard to explain!

The big man quickly raised his hand and covered his mouth.

His palm was large and fat, and with a little force, it made a crisp sound.

Along with the dirty mud, it was all smeared on his face.

He muttered behind his hand, “Yes, yes, no shouting. Bad people, bad people chasing us. Must protect mother.”

Xue Qingyin couldn’t help but chuckle.

He was indeed fat and large, quite intimidating, and still a bit foolish.

But he was a filial son!

“Mother is happy, not crying anymore.” The big man smiled too, though softly.

As long as he listens, that’s enough.

Xue Qingyin let out a sigh.

This was much easier to handle than those ruthless, lecherous men.

She knew this man was called “A Feng,” but still didn’t know who he really was.

Xue Qingyin thought for a moment and then continued, “A Feng, do you remember your father?”

“Remember! Yesterday, father… father fed me candy, candy, sweet, mother eats too.” He said, lowering his head to rummage in his pocket.

He searched around.

He pulled out two grass-woven crickets.

He angrily tossed them to the ground and started getting agitated, “Candy! Candy!”

Xue Qingyin quickly tried to calm him down, “Candy is for A Feng, mother won’t eat it.”

“Why?”

“Because A Feng is the best, the obedient child of mother and father.”

The big man immediately smiled again, his cheeks trembling with the motion, “Mother is the best!”

“Do you know how others address your father?” Xue Qingyin seized the opportunity to ask the main question.

“Others?” He seemed confused by the question, frowning as his facial fat bunched up.

He thought for a while, then squeezed out a word, “Gong.”

Then he squeezed out another word, “…Gong.”

Xue Qingyin: ?

Gong Gong???

That was a bit far-fetched, wasn’t it?

How? The egg came first, and then the chicken was cut?

Xue Qingyin gave up on asking him further.

But the big man suddenly plopped heavily on the ground, starting to play the fool, “Mother, it hurts.”

Xue Qingyin thought to herself, this ignorant fool, he wouldn’t have been drugged in advance, would he?

Well, if he’s in pain, that’s his problem, nothing she could do about it.

Xue Qingyin took a step back.

The big man, seeing this, hurriedly lunged forward, crashing to the ground and shouting in pain.

“Mother, don’t go, mother don’t go.”

Xue Qingyin whispered, “I’m not going, not going.”

She walked around the abandoned courtyard.

Though the courtyard appeared dilapidated, it was clear that it had been newly built. The furnishings were still in place, and there was even a well in the yard.

Xue Qingyin walked to the well, looking down into it.

It was dark, but she could faintly see ripples of light from the water.

Her heart sank, and a sense of fear crept over her at the thought of the narrow, pitch-black, and bottomless well.

Xue Qingyin took two steps back and quickly waved her hand to the big man, “A Feng, come here.”

…

Meanwhile.

King Xuan  and his deputy slowly walked out of the back room.

The deputy exclaimed, “Where is Miss Xue?”

A palace maid nearby answered, “Sister Hongzhu came just now, saying the princess wanted Miss Xue to go to the front.”

King Xuan  lowered his gaze, glancing at the mess nearby.

The chess pieces were still on the board, the leaf cards scattered, and the tea cup was still intact, the tea that had scalded her untouched.

… She really left quickly.

She even dared to say she was keeping him company?

The deputy looked regretful, though it wasn’t clear what he was regretful about.

The deputy asked, “Your Highness, should we return now?”

“Yes, let’s go back.”

“Farewell, Your Highness.” The palace maids hurriedly knelt and bowed.

As King Xuan  walked out of the courtyard, his personal guards immediately approached and silently followed behind him.

Their presence exuded an aura of authority, and the atmosphere was so oppressive that even the servants of the princess’s manor stepped aside, not daring to look up.

Just as they were about to reach the gate, King Xuan  suddenly stopped.

“Your Highness?” The deputy raised his head in confusion.

King Xuan  turned around, “Go immediately to find Princess Jinque and inform her to secretly arrest a palace maid named Hongzhu.”

He paused and said coldly, “I’ve lost something, and I want the entire princess’s manor searched.”

The deputy was stunned.

What could have been lost so suddenly?

What exactly was lost?

Why arrest a palace maid?

Why secretly?

The deputy couldn’t follow King Xuan ’s train of thought, but military orders didn’t require questions, just obedience.

Used to this, the deputy quickly turned around, bringing a personal guard to go find Princess Jinque.

Since it was a secret arrest…

The commotion must be kept low!

If the people in the princess’s manor couldn’t handle it, they would step in, ensuring the capture was swift and decisive.

“You go look for Miss Xue, she’s likely in a secluded spot, somewhere few people go. Once you find her, don’t panic, quietly bring her to me.” King Xuan  ordered coldly to the remaining people.

The guards didn’t ask why and immediately took the order.

Most of them had seen Xue Qingyin before.

Once the orders were given, only one guard remained with King Xuan .

He paused for a moment, seemingly in thought.

After a while, he started walking in a particular direction.

Meanwhile, the deputy arrived in the garden to find Princess Jinque riding a horse, holding a staff and competing in a game of ball.

The deputy thought about how to inform her quietly.

After some thought, he decided to simply walk up and gave a sharp whistle.

The galloping horse slowed down.

The deputy walked directly to Princess Jinque, grabbing the reins and leading her away.

Everyone stood frozen.

Even Princess Jinque was taken aback, intending to get angry, but seeing it was King Xuan ’s deputy, she suppressed her anger, grinding her teeth and barely managed to say, “What are you doing?”

The deputy said, “Please dismount, or listen to me quietly.”

Princess Jinque scolded, “How dare you!”

The deputy quickly said, “It’s nothing, nothing, forgive me for the offense. King Xuan  instructed that you must hear this matter in person.”

Princess Jinque’s expression changed as she got off the horse.

The deputy then leaned in and explained.

Princess Jinque’s face quickly turned grim, her body slightly trembling.

“Damn it, damn it!”

The deputy was still confused.

Meanwhile, the others watching their retreat whispered, “Who is that person? So close to the princess.”

“Could it be that a new husband is coming?”

“That’s General Fang, the deputy of King Xuan . You don’t recognize him?”

“Oh, then he probably doesn’t want to be a prince consort.”

The Fourth Princess, overhearing, felt irritated. She had no idea what was happening…

King Xuan  walked through the winding corridors, and finally came to a dilapidated courtyard.

He stopped. He

looked up.

He saw Xue Qingyin lying on the wall with difficulty, breathing lightly.

Then he turned his head and saw him.

The two looked at each other.

Xue Qingyin was surprised and happy.

How did King Xuan happen to come here?

She licked her lower lip. Because she was out of breath, her voice sounded delicate and weak: “…Excuse me, King Xuan, can you catch me? I can’t hold on any longer.”