Chapter 436: Reunion, Abducting Someone

Chapter 436: Reunion, Abducting Someone

Liu Qingyun slightly lifted the curtain, revealing a pair of cunning eyes as she asked He Laosi and Li Laosan, "Is it really the Crown Prince?"

After all the effort to pretend to be the Crown Princess Consort, she had to face the real one?

How awkward could this be?

Calm down, don't panic.

What if he's also an imposter?

With this thought, Liu Qingyun maintained her composure and asked, "If you say you're the Crown Prince, why haven't I ever seen you before?"

Li Laosan and He Laosi were almost driven mad.

Madam, shouldn't this be the other way around?

They had seen bold people, but never one this audacious. Not only did she pretend to be a non-existent Crown Princess Consort, but she did it with such confidence.

If they hadn't personally brought her from Wushan, they might have been fooled by her.

Just what kind of eccentric was the Third Miss of Qianji Pavilion? No one had informed them of this when they accepted the task!

Li Laosan replied in a low voice, "Third Miss, this is the real Crown Prince."

Liu Qingyun raised her eyebrows. "How do you know he's the real Crown Prince?"

Li Laosan thought, Do you think everyone is like you, daring to impersonate royalty under the Emperor's nose? "Your Highness, it's just a misunderstanding. The one in the carriage is the Third Miss of Qianji Pavilion."

At this critical moment, Li Laosan finally remembered that this young master had a powerful backer.

Since the Crown Prince's Mansion was about to form an alliance with Qianji Pavilion through marriage, the Crown Prince shouldn't make things difficult for the younger generation of Qianji Pavilion.

He stood in front of the carriage, bowing respectfully, trying his best to appear like an upright person.

Even though he wasn't one.

He glanced at He Laosi with the corner of his eye and scolded in a low voice, "Laosi, why aren't you getting down to pay respects to His Highness?"

He Laosi snapped out of his daze and immediately jumped down from the carriage, imitating his brother's actions, and performed a clumsy salute to the Crown Prince.

However, Lu Zhaoyan's attention wasn't on the two men but was focused on the curtain that had been lowered once again. He asked in a vague tone, "Is that so? I heard that the Third Miss was recuperating at Wutai Mountain. I wonder if her health has improved?"

Liu Qingyun replied indifferently, "Of course, I'm healthy. Otherwise, how could I have come to the capital?"

He Laosi and Li Laosan covered their faces, not daring to look.

They had forgotten to align their stories with the Third Miss. Qianji Pavilion had publicly announced that she was recuperating at Lingshan, not Wutai Mountain!

No wonder he's the Crown Prince. His ability to see through people is unmatched by anyone else—

Lu Zhaoyan calmly said, "Get down from the carriage."

Liu Qingyun poked her head out from the curtain's gap and quietly asked Li Laosan and He Laosi, "Why should I get down?"

Li Laosan maintained his bowing posture and secretly whispered through clenched teeth, "You've been exposed..."

"What?"

Liu Qingyun didn't catch what he said.

Li Laosan took a step back and repeated, "You've been exposed."

This time, Liu Qingyun heard him clearly.

But she couldn't believe it was true.

After so many days of dealing with these two rogue bandits, she hadn't been exposed, yet after meeting the Crown Prince of Da Liang for only a moment, he saw through her?

If he was indeed the Crown Prince of Da Liang, and her son was conspiring with him, the situation was dire!

At this moment, Liu Qingyun was unaware that her son had already surpassed his wild father and directly climbed the Da Liang Emperor's family tree.

Liu Qingyun understood that she must not be captured by the Crown Prince of Da Liang.

Exposing her identity was a minor issue, but exposing her son along with her would be disastrous.

After much deliberation, Liu Qingyun decided that the best strategy was to flee.

"I'll get down! Watch closely, I'm coming down!"

Liu Qingyun, holding Baozhu Zhu, suddenly lifted the front curtain, but it was just a feint. Taking advantage of everyone's distraction, she broke through the back wall of the carriage and escaped.

Two highly skilled imperial guards immediately gave chase.

Liu Qingyun turned around and used Gu poison on them.

The imperial guards hadn't expected her to be a Gu poison expert, and in a moment of carelessness, they were poisoned and fell to the ground in disarray.

Their companions caught them and placed them on the ground before quickly taking their place to pursue Liu Qingyun and Baozhu.

The remaining three guards stayed by the Crown Prince's side, alert for any diversion tactics.

Li Laosan and He Laosi were stunned by this sudden turn of events.

Just now, the seemingly weak Third Miss had used her light body technique to escape right under the noses of the highly skilled imperial guards?

Not only that, but she had also taken down two of them before her escape?

"Third Brother, if I'm not mistaken, did she just use Gu poison on them?"

The reason He Laosi and Li Laosan dared to accept the Wushan mission was because they were from Miaojiang.

Their Gu poisoning skills weren't as powerful as the Third Miss's. How did she do it?

No, the question should be, how did the Third Miss of Qianji Pavilion learn Gu poison techniques?

Qianji Pavilion was indeed too versatile...

Li Laosan and He Laosi knew they couldn't escape. Not only had they lost the 20,000 taels of silver, but it would be difficult for them to even keep their lives.

"Your Highness, we..."

Just as Li Laosan was about to mention Qianji Pavilion and plead for mercy for himself and He Laosi, a jade-like, elegant man stepped down from the carriage.

His aura was powerful and indescribably noble.

There was no doubt that this person was the Crown Prince.

It was rumored that this Crown Prince was the only son of the Da Liang Emperor who couldn't cultivate martial arts. The Emperor valued strength, so this son wasn't favored by him.

The reason he became the Crown Prince was that he had given birth to a National Guardian Qilin for the Emperor.

They had thought he was ordinary, but the moment this person appeared, they felt their breaths catch in their throats.

Lu Zhaoyan ignored the two men and walked past them, stopping in front of the carriage.

Li Laosan was a clever person. He immediately knelt down and offered himself as a footstool for Lu Zhaoyan.

Lu Zhaoyan stepped onto the carriage, standing on the back of one of the men.

Li Laosan: This Crown Prince is different from the rumors... Why does he exude such a ruthless aura?

The carriage still carried her lingering fragrance and the faint scent of a baby.

He had just seen her leave with a two-year-old girl.

Her voice, compared to the past, had changed slightly, losing some of its petulance and gaining a deeper tone, but the sound and speaking style remained the same as his memory.

Could it be her?

Or was it just his imagination?

"Your Highness, should we execute them on the spot?"

Outside the carriage, a skilled Imperial Guard sought Lu Zhaoyan's instructions.

Li Laosan and He Laosi's bodies trembled.

Execute them right here?

Did they hear correctly?

What happened to the kind and benevolent Crown Prince they knew? Was he so cruel from the start?

Lu Zhaoyan sat down inside the carriage and casually raised his hand.

The Imperial Guard sheathed his sword and stepped aside, glaring at the two men with a fierce look, ready to slit their throats at the Crown Prince's command.

The two men's hearts trembled.

Lu Zhaoyan asked, "Are you from Qianji Pavilion?"

Li Laosan honestly replied, "We're not, sir. We were just following the Pavilion Master's orders to rescue the Third Miss from Wushan."

Lu Zhaoyan said, "Isn't Gongsun Changle at Lingshan?"

Li Laosan stammered, "That was false information. The Third Miss is actually held captive in the Liu family of Wushan. After much difficulty, we managed to rescue the Third Miss and bring her back to the Imperial City. Please, Your Highness, consider our hard work and spare our lives."

Lu Zhaoyan asked again, "Are there any other women in the Liu family of Wushan?"

"Other women?" Li Laosan was taken aback, unsure why the Crown Prince was asking this.

But it wasn't his concern; he simply answered honestly, "Your Highness, the Liu family of Wushan is full of women. I'm not sure which one you're referring to."

Lu Zhaoyan didn't pursue the matter of the Liu family further. Instead, he asked Li Laosan, "Have you seen her appearance?"

Li Laosan replied, "The Third Miss always wore a veil, so we never saw her true face."

Suddenly, He Laosi leaned closer to Li Laosan and whispered, "Third Brother, the more I think about it, the more I feel something is off. We never saw her face either. What if we captured the wrong person? Otherwise, why would she run away when she saw the Crown Prince?"

Li Laosan's body shook.

Could they have made a mistake?

"What else did she say?" Lu Zhaoyan asked.

Li Laosan decided not to mention the possibility of capturing the wrong person to the Crown Prince, especially since it was just a guess without evidence. What if they were right?

He said, "The Third Miss said she wouldn't go to Qianji Pavilion. She asked us to take her to the Crown Prince's Mansion and offered us a reward of 20,000 taels."

If only they hadn't been so greedy and directly sent her to Qianji Pavilion to earn 10,000 taels! Now, they might not get a single tael!

"Your Highness!"

One of the Imperial Guards who had gone to track them down returned to the alley.

Lu Zhaoyan opened the carriage window, and the man whispered something to him. Lu Zhaoyan nodded, "I understand."

Li Laosan and He Laosi exchanged glances.

Had they... found her?

Were they going to skin and disembowel them?

Lu Zhaoyan's gaze fell on Li Laosan and He Laosi, who were shivering in fear, "Take them to the Crown Prince's Mansion."

Li Laosan knelt down, pleading, "Your Highness, spare our lives! Spare our lives, Your Highness, spare us—"

Lu Zhaoyan said, "Give them the reward."

Li Laosan: "..."

He Laosi: "..."

---

"I'm going to throw up... I'm going to throw up..."

Bao Zhuzhu, held tightly in her arms, protested loudly after the bumpy ride.

Liu Qingyun: "No throwing up allowed!"

Bao Zhuzhu opened her mouth.

Liu Qingyun made a sudden stop, and her shoe soles almost sparked against the roof tiles.

With disgust, she held Bao Zhuzhu out, "Go ahead and throw up."

Bao Zhuzhu: "..." I can't throw up anymore."

Liu Qingyun planned to continue her escape.

Bao Zhuzhu: "I'm hungry."

"We'll eat later."

"No, I want to eat now!"

Ever since Liu Muyan had backed her up, Bao Zhuzhu had become incredibly bold.

Liu Qingyun: "Do you want me to beat you?"

Bao Zhuzhu looked at her innocently and opened her small mouth, "Waaah—"

A cry that shook heaven and earth and startled the birds on the roof.

Liu Qingyun quickly covered the little one's mouth, "Alright, I'll take you to get something to eat!"

Bao Zhuzhu stopped crying.

Treasure Piggy: "Big meat bun."

Liu Qingyun hummed, "You got one too?"

Liu Qingyun bought two large meat buns.

She had never been one to mistreat herself, and even while on the run, she would never allow herself to be in a pitiful state, hiding in a corner to eat.

Holding Treasure Piggy, who was holding the large meat bun, they entered the restaurant across the street.

She requested an upper-class private room and ordered a few exquisite dishes.

She couldn't go to the Crown Prince's Mansion, as it would cause trouble for her son.

She couldn't go to Qianji Pavilion either, fearing that the Crown Prince might be waiting for her there.

Thinking of the Crown Prince of Da Liang, Liu Qingyun couldn't help but feel a vague sense of deja vu, as if she had met him somewhere before.

"Have I met him before?"

Liu Qingyun picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks, "He's the Crown Prince, the young master of the old Qin Prince's Mansion. The old Qin Prince's Mansion did have dealings with the Bai family. Could it have been when we were young?"

"That's not right. I didn't even see his face just now, but his voice sounded familiar—"

As Liu Qingyun was deep in thought, a voice filled with hidden inner strength came from outside the main hall, "The Crown Prince has arrived—"

Liu Qingyun had just put the fish in her mouth when she choked.

"I didn't know the Crown Prince was coming, so I didn't come out to greet you, Your Highness—"

It was the manager.

Lu Zhaoyan said, "I'm looking for someone."

The manager quickly called all the waiters, "You there, guard the front and back doors of the restaurant. Don't let anyone in or out!"

Soon after, Liu Qingyun heard footsteps upstairs as someone searched each private room.

Liu Qingyun wanted to escape through the window, but when she turned around, Treasure Piggy was gone!

She looked again, and the little one was standing at the door, holding a large bun and watching the commotion!

"You come back here—"

Before she could finish speaking, Lu Zhaoyan had already reached the door.

Liu Qingyun quickly hid behind the curtain!

Treasure Piggy held the large bun with both hands and looked up at the middle-aged handsome man who had suddenly appeared, drooling slightly.

Lu Zhaoyan recognized the little one and glanced around the empty private room. He squatted down and asked the child, "What's your name?"

Treasure Piggy: "Zhaoshao."

"Who is with you?"

"Big Sister."

Lu Zhaoyan waved his hand, and one of the palace attendants accompanying him handed him two crystal-clear candied hawthorn skewers.

Treasure Piggy licked her lips.

Lu Zhaoyan shook the candied hawthorn, "Are you sure?"

Treasure Piggy immediately changed her answer, "Auntie."

Lu Zhaoyan: "Think again."

Treasure Piggy: "Mom."

Lu Zhaoyan glanced at the curtain, "Where's your father?"

Treasure Piggy blinked, "I don't have one."

Lu Zhaoyan asked, "What do you mean you don't have one? Didn't your mother marry?"

Treasure Piggy replied seriously, "This mom didn't marry."

Lu Zhaoyan's eyes flickered, and he asked again, "Then where did you come from?"

Treasure Piggy opened her mouth, "I was picked up."

Lu Zhaoyan: "..."

Lu Zhaoyan gave the candied hawthorn to the little one, and Treasure Piggy immediately gave her large meat bun to Lu Zhaoyan.

This was called reciprocity.

Lu Zhaoyan held the meat bun and walked towards the curtain with piercing eyes.

He was getting closer and closer.

Seven steps, six steps, five steps...

Liu Qingyun's heart was in her throat, and she dared not even breathe.

Just as Lu Zhaoyan reached out to lift the curtain, hurried hoofbeats sounded from downstairs.

"Your Highness, the Emperor summons you urgently—"

It was Ji Feng's voice.

Lu Zhaoyan withdrew his hand.

He stared deeply at the curtain.

Ji Feng quickly went upstairs, entered the private room, and reported to Lu Zhaoyan, "The State Tutor and the ministers are discussing the matter of the Crown Princess's appointment in the Imperial Study. His Majesty requests Your Highness to enter the palace immediately."

Lu Zhaoyan turned and left.

Liu Qingyun let out a long sigh of relief.

The Liang Emperor's summons couldn't have come at a better time.

What did that guard say earlier? About appointing a Crown Princess? No wonder she was found out!

This Crown Prince really, how could he not even have a Crown Princess?

Liu Qingyun listened to the sound of the little one eating the candied hawthorn while quietly approaching the window to look downstairs.

The Crown Prince's carriage had left.

The skilled imperial guards had also left.

The restaurant returned to normal business.

Liu Qingyun frowned.

How strange, for a moment when he approached, she seemed to have smelled a familiar scent.

But she couldn't remember whose scent it was.

"Forget it, it doesn't matter. He's just an unrelated man."

Liu Qingyun came out from behind the curtain, but when she saw the person eating the candied hawthorn, she was stunned.

She had determined that Treasure Piggy was in the room based on the sound of eating the candied hawthorn.

But the person eating the candied hawthorn was clearly the guard who had been tracking her!

Treasure Piggy had disappeared!

When Liu Qingyun looked at the carriage outside again, she saw that it had already driven far away.

She couldn't react fast enough to catch up.

She had fallen for his trick!

That guy had taken Treasure Piggy away!

In the carriage.

Treasure Piggy was sucking on the candied hawthorn in her hand, unaware that she had become a little hostage.

Lu Zhaoyan rubbed the little one's tiger-head hat, "Is it tasty?"

Treasure Piggy nodded repeatedly.

She sucked on one side and licked the other.

Lu Zhaoyan saw such a cute little one for the first time and couldn't help but laugh, "Aren't you afraid I'm a bad person?"

Treasure Piggy glared at him seriously.

Her mouth was too busy.

Don't talk to the baby!

Hahaha, how cunning is the Crown Prince's plan? Please vote for this chapter!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end