CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

But, he was very hungry, soon his legs might be too weak to continue his journey, the only valuable things he had were his hairpin, too, his jade hanger, as well as his necklace, his bracelet, all of them, were valuable because they were all given by the person he loves, there’s no way he can sell it for food right? But, how can he arrive safely to CuiAn? At this rate, he might die from starving before being crushed to death by the CuiAn city landslide.

As BaiYing walked languidly holding his stomach, there was loud galloping of horses from the direction of the highway, BaiYing’s eyes widened, terrible, it’s the troops from XinHua Palace, are they searching for him? He had to leave immediately.

Drap Drap Drap Drap!

The head of the cavalry troupe seemed somewhat recognizable to BaiYing, if he’s not mistaken he’s one of FaLu commander’s best men, apparently the palace is moving fast, did they start searching for him?

Luckily BaiYing was wearing a very long robe covering his body and clothes, otherwise, he would have been taken back to the palace before he could even reach CuiAn.

In the end, BaiYing managed to get away from the main street, and just sat pensively near the sellers in the increasingly crowded market, he had to find a way to get to CuiAn, sneaked into the carriage like he did when he came out of PaiHua? But, he haven’t found a merchant who seemed to be heading to CuiAn, he could only eavesdrop because no one would give him a ride for free if he didn’t sneak up.

“Heh, this is really bad” BaiYing sighed as he put his hands on his chin, his stomach was already starting to hurt from hunger, and the smell of beef jerky from afar, made him even more tormented, should he just give up and go back to the palace? Why is it so difficult to live outside? Unlike what he had been experienced before.

The rumble of the worms in his stomach is getting louder, he is starving, what should he do now?

.....

As BaiYing’s heavy sighs appeared from his also descending shoulders, something stuck out in front of him, jerky! There is a jerky that is now stretched forward.

BaiYing’s eyes went wide, but, who handed him the jerky? BaiYing raised his head, seeing someone who was already smiling while thrusting two skewers of jerky in front of him.

“Here you are,” said SuLang with a smile on his face.

“Eh,,,” Quick, BaiYing lower down his head again hide from the person’s eyes, he is young master Su, who unexpectedly was already in front of BaiYing, thrusting the very delicious food in front of him, the youth swallowed hard, at this rate, who could refuse it? His favourite food, when he was starving.

But, that person is suspicious, what does he mean by chasing him and handing him food, according to his brother, he couldn’t trust people who is suddenly being nice to you, whether they know you or they must have another purpose behind that.

Seeing that BaiYing hesitated a bit, SuLang finally lowered his body and sat beside the young man, he was still thrusting the jerky and enjoying his own jerky until his mouth rounded.

“Emm this is delicious, unexpectedly the food sold on the street is quite delicious too, wow the meat tastes so good”

BaiYing subconsciously saw the beef jerky until his mouth opened, his saliva started to drip, not thinking long he took the beef jerky that was offered to him earlier.

“Thank you”

Without hesitating he eat it, he will not be able to stand the thing called food when he is hungry, let alone his favourite, he would rather give up the war than the food.

SuLang smiled, seeing the little beggar in front of him eating with his face down as if he was actually covering his head even deeper under his hood. He lowered his head to peek at BaiYing’s face, realizing that BaiYing hastily turned his head in another direction.

“Hey why, is your face that ugly that you feel ashamed to show it?” asked SuLang.

BaiYing who was enjoying his meal just nodded his head, of course, he couldn’t answer because his mouth was full of food.

SuLang took a deep breath, enjoying the beef jerky again while looking far ahead, they sat on the overhang of the road facing a small river across the road, with a small bridge which been full of passerby since then. The young man looked up, the sky slowly dimming its light as if it was going to rain.

“Heh, it looks like it will rain soon, a new journey begins, because young master Shi has to be delayed”

BaiYing didn’t answer, he didn’t care about the young man, after eating they would part ways, but, the young man, doesn’t seem so bad, he was better than his two friends who spilt noodles that he hadn’t even touched, those two people, lucky they didn’t manage to become young officials, imagine how dilapidated the newly awakened XinHua palace would be if the young officials were like that, surely it would bring the new country no respect by its citizens.

“Erm, forgive the two young masters earlier, and also Young Master Shi, they do have mental disorders, they love to disturb other people, especially that Young Master Shi, he is the only child of his family, since kid he has always been spoiled, so maybe he doesn’t think it’s his business if other people are being bullied or whatever, heh, what a shame, he managed to become a Junior Minister, you must have heard of that too right? In this SuiLian who doesn’t know that the young master of the SuiLian, silk merchant family Shi, will become a young official, especially the Junior Minister in XinHua”

BaiYing was getting interested, even though he didn’t ask anything, but it seems the young man sitting beside him can’t help but let his feeling out.

“Em, is that person really is that bad?” Bai Ying asked.

SuLang frowned, hearing the little beggar speak, his voice was not what he expected, he sat back up again trying to peek at BaiYing’s face, but the young man quickly dodged again.

“Erm, bad, well, you could say it like that, I don’t know how much worse it is, but, I don’t think he considers to be good either, um, let me think about it, that young master Shi, is a player, gambling, likes hitting people, taking indiscriminate taxes, um, lastly, he slept with the daughter of a poor merchant on the outskirts of the city and paid the girl to keep her mouth shut, but, because the girl was unable to contain her disgraced and for being pregnant with young master Shi’s child without getting married, in despair she finally jumped to the river”

BaiYing opened his eyes wide, somewhat surprised by the story from SuLang.

“Is that true? Did something like that happen?”

SuLang looked around, then get closer to BaiYing’s face and whispered.

“Don’t tell anyone, okay, this is actually a secret, not many people who know, my father happened to know one of the SuiLian city officials, and I once overheard their conversation”

“Isn’t there an officer who tried him? How could he do that without getting any punishment at all? That’s called breaking the law, a-and, why is his record so clean? No flaws at all” BaiYing’s voice rose, he realized he had spoken rather loudly and excitedly so he lowered his head again.

“Eh pardon me” just continued eating, but, if young master Su’s story is true, then they have just put wolves into their house right? He had to go back and tell advisor Pai about this matter, they had to know.

Young Master Su seemed to be holding back his smile, BaiYing’s excited voice just now made him even more curious, as he had expected, the beggar might not be a beggar like his appearance, he realized that when he saw the shiny shoes with gold embroidery and gemstones adorning them, which was that beggar wearing, those are no ordinary shoes.

“So, what made you run away from home?” asked SuLang.

BaiYing who was enjoying his beef jerky almost choked on SuLang’s question, who now turned his head to stare at him waiting for his answer, BaiYing hastily swallowed his food.

“Em”

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