Chapter 664 - Chapter 664: Collision

Chapter 664: Collision

Editor: Atlas Studios

Qi Haoran thought for a moment before writing a memorial to request for the conferment of his heir. After sealing the memorial, Fei Bai came over to invite him. “Master, we’re done packing in front. Her Highness said that we’ll set off now.”

Qi Haoran kept the memorial and nodded. “Got it.”

Everyone returned in a carriage. Because she had let it all out by crying earlier, Mu Yangling was feeling quite alright. She was hugging Little Bear and letting him lean against the window to look at the scenery outside.

Perhaps Little Bear felt that his mother was easy-going today, so after hesitating for a moment, he excitedly stuck half of his body out and waved at the outside. He even wanted to reach out to grab the leaves sticking out of the roadside. But when he realized that his mother didn’t smack him and only pulled him back before gently persuading him not to do this, Little Bear’s eyes darted around. He broke free from his mother’s arms and climbed out of the carriage, insisting on sitting on the shaft.

The coachman was sweating profusely and almost fell off the carriage. Seeing this, Qi Haoran asked the coachman to stop the carriage and send him off to ride a horse. Then, he carried his son and sat on the shaft of the carriage to personally drive the carriage.

Mu Yangling could only sit outside.

Pleasantly surprised, Little Bear clenched his fists and cried out excitedly. Seeing that Qi Haoran was about to drive the carriage, Mu Yangling took the initiative to take her son into her arms. Seeing that he was squirming left and right and still wanted to go crazy, she gently patted his butt and threatened, “If you don’t behave, get into the carriage.”

The child instantly became obedient and sat obediently in his mother’s arms, his big black eyes rolling around. How could such a smart child not know how to speak?

Mu Yangling hugged him slightly and pointed at the things along the way. “These are trees. There are so many trees. Does Little Bear like them?”

“There are flowers there. Red flowers. Aren’t they pretty?”

…

As the breeze blew, Qi Haoran saw that his son was indeed looking at those things according to Ah Ling’s guidance. Although he was still babbling, Qi Haoran felt satisfied. Smiling, he slowed down the carriage, letting the horse slowly move forward.

From time to time, he would reach out and pull off two branches for his son. Little Bear excitedly patted the horse’s butt with those branches. The horse only shook its tail gently twice before continuing to move forward slowly.

However, Little Bear found it interesting and wanted to reach out to grab the horse’s tail. Knowing just how strong their little boy was, the couple didn’t dare to let him grab it. What if the horse started sprinting forward in pain if he accidentally exerted too much strength?

Hence, Mu Yangling quickly grabbed his small hand. Displeased, Little Bear pouted as he shouted at his mother, insisting on having intimate contact with the horse. Mu Yangling said, “Don’t grab the horse’s tail. The horse will hurt…”

Just as Mu Yangling was lecturing, a guard suddenly shouted, “Who is it?”

Mu Yangling instantly protected Little Bear in her arms and looked up. When the guard shouted, Qi Haoran reached out to protect his wife and children behind him. His left hand quickly made two gestures, and the guards split into two groups. One half protected Fan Zijin’s carriage from the back, and the other half stood in front of Qi Haoran’s carriage.

Qi Haoran looked ahead and asked, “What’s going on?”

Although it was just a simple trip, they had brought many guards with them. The route of the convoy had been scouted in advance, so they could eliminate ordinary dangers beforehand.

At the thought of this, Qi Haoran’s body tensed up slightly. If the guards only alerted him now, did that mean that it was a different kind of danger or an emergency?

No matter which one it was, Qi Haoran, who had a child with him, didn’t like it. His aura couldn’t help but become fierce.

Little Bear was so frightened that his face turned pale. Mu Yangling hurriedly hugged him tightly and shouted disapprovingly, “Haoran.”

Qi Haoran hurriedly restrained his aura and patted his son’s back in a flurry. He looked at Fei Bai, who was running over on a horse. “Your Highness, it’s an injured Miao citizen. We don’t understand what she’s saying.”

Fei Bai added, “It’s a woman who suddenly ran out of the mountains. She has knife wounds on her body. The guards who scouted the route previously didn’t discover her. Your Highness, should we escort her over?”

Qi Haoran frowned slightly and glanced at the child, then waved his hand and said, “Bring her back to the General’s Residence. There’s no need to bring her here.”

As soon as he finished speaking, there was a commotion in front. A Miao woman shouted something in Miao language. Mu Yangling suddenly looked up and said to Qi Haoran, “Bring her over. I think I heard her say something about Dali just now.”

Qi Haoran immediately ordered, “Protect that Miao woman and send her over.”

Fei Bai immediately ran over. Only then did Qi Haoran turn around and ask, “How much of the Miao language have you learned?”

“Not much, but I can handle some basic conversations. Last time, I heard Jinhua mention that her brother-in-law had business dealings with Dali, so I asked a bit about that. The word she said just now sounded a lot like ‘Dali’ in the Miao language.”

The Miao woman who had collided with the convoy was quickly brought over. She was wearing the clothes of a married woman, and her headdress was also that of a married woman. Clearly, she was married. When she saw the high and mighty Qi Haoran and Mu Yangling, she cowered a little. However, she seemed to have thought of something and still knelt on the ground. She looked at them pleadingly as she explained the situation in Miao language.

Frowning, Mu Yangling said in Miao language, “Slow down.”

Seeing that she actually knew the Miao language, the Miao woman’s eyes lit up. She pounced forward and grabbed the shaft of the carriage. Qi Haoran almost kicked her. It was only when Mu Yangling held him back that he stopped.

Although the Miao woman was agitated, she still tried her best to speak as slowly as possible. “Please save my husband. He’s locked up by the second prince of the tribe. Please save him.”

Mu Yangling asked, “Why was he locked up by the second prince?”

“Because he overheard the second prince saying that he wanted to cooperate with Dali. Furious, the second prince took him away with his men and even wanted to kill us. Luckily, my in-laws and I managed to escape. Please, you’re the Prince and the Princess Consort. You’re good people. I beg of you to save him.”

Mu Yangling whispered a few words into Qi Haoran’s ear. Qi Haoran nodded and said, “Don’t worry. If the situation is as you said, we will save your husband.” Qi Haoran glanced at the wounds on her back and said, “Follow us back to treat your injuries first. I still have some questions to ask you.”

Mu Yangling hurriedly translated Qi Haoran’s words for the Miao woman. The Miao woman fell to the ground and cried softly.

Mu Yangling gestured for the guards to bring her to the spare carriage at the back. Then, she ordered people to protect her and asked Spring to treat her wound.

No longer in the mood to travel back slowly, Qi Haoran returned the coachman’s seat to the coachman and carried his son into the carriage. He ordered, “Return to the city at full speed.”

He then asked the two guards to secretly return to the city and quickly bring reinforcements to pick them up, afraid that the other party would cut off their means of retreat and leave them stranded outside the city.

Qi Haoran felt that if he were the other party, this was most likely what he would do.

However, he had clearly overestimated the other party. Although they sensed that they were being watched, the other party did not take any action while they returned to Ju Prefecture City.

Qi Haoran pursed his lips and said disdainfully, “What a coward.”

“Maybe we misunderstood. Perhaps it’s not a rebellion, but ordinary smuggling.” Mu Yangling said in a low voice, “Don’t rush to conclusions. If it’s not a rebellion, let it go if you can. It’s not appropriate to start a war now.”

Qi Haoran nodded.