CH 12

Actually, Prince Ying didn’t want to meddle in people’s business. Especially after last time, when he had stuck his nose into Tian Ruidong’s business, causing him to be attacked by all sorts of rumors. Now, he only needed to see people quarreling and he would turn around and leave.　　

Originally, he was going to do the same today. But after he had heard Jiamin yelling, he couldn’t help but turn back around. His mother intended to pull Princess Shunan to their side. If he just left, and word of his action traveled to Princess Shunan’s ears, it’d be very unfavorable for him. His cousin Jiamin was straightforward with her words, her conduct carefree. Not to mention, she had a bad temper. If she provoked someone or someone provoked her, it would be troublesome. 　　　　

Walking through the doors and seeing Hua Liuli, who stood in a corner anxious and stressed due to Jiamin, Prince Ying furrowed his brows. “Jiamin, County Princess Hua is unwell. It’s windy here. If there’s anything you want to say, find a place shielded from the wind to talk.”

These words did not imply that she was bullying Hua Liuli. Despite this, Jiamin was unhappy. “She’s the one who came here. I didn’t bring her to this place.”　　

Since Jiamin didn’t give him any face, Prince Ying’s expression darkened. Especially since there were people with lower statuses than him around, he was less able to tolerate someone with a lower status talk back to him. “Jiamin!”　　

Seeing Prince Ying angry, Jiamin dared not talk out of turn, regardless of how unwilling she was. She turned to Hua Liuli, glaring at her hatefully. She couldn’t understand why men liked protecting such seemingly weak women who were actually full of schemes.

Under Commandery Princess Jiamin’s indignant gaze, Hua Liuli revealed a blossoming innocent and naive smile. “Your Highness, Commandery Princess, if the two of you have nothing else to say, this official’s daughter will take my leave.” Although she didn’t like these two people much, Hua Liuli felt they were a good match. That way, those two won’t harm others.　　　　

Truly a match made in heaven. Perfection.　　　　　　

“Why has County Princess only brought along one servant girl?” Prince Ying’s gaze fell upon Hua Liuli’s fair face, her slender waist, very concerned that she would encounter an accident on her way back. At that time, when his imperial father dispatched people to search for her, and found out that before this, she had met with him and Jiamin, what could he do then?

“There’s no need for more escorts. Shoukang Palace is closeby.” Hua Liuli truly did not want to disturb Prince Ying and Commandery Princess Jiamin. If she broke up such a well-matched pair, she would feel guilty.　　　

“Since County Princess is staying in the imperial palace, you are a guest of the imperial family. I…”　　

“That’s why, I will escort you back.”　　　　

All three people glanced back, catching sight of the crown prince sitting on a sedan. As the winter sun fell upon his gold-embroidered cloak, it seemed as if his whole body were shining.

The court eunuchs placed the sedan onto the ground. The crown prince disembarked. Slowly, he made his way before the three people. His gaze swept past the Jiamin who was saluting him, falling on Hua Liuli. “Come.”　

Hua Liuli curtsied to Prince Ying, before following after the crown prince. Once they reached the side of the sedan, the crown prince stopped in his tracks and looked at her.　　　　

Hua Liuli blinked.　　

“Nevermind.” A sigh left the crown prince’s lips. “I am five years your senior. You can sit on this sedan.”　　

“How could this be done?” Hua Liuli shook her head. “This official’s daughter appreciates Your Highness’ kindness. However, this official’s daughter cannot sit as Your Highness walks.”　　　　

The crown prince smiled lightly. “What I mean is to let you sit first. And we will wait for the eunuchs to bring another sedan.”　　

“In that case, many thanks to Your Highness.” Hua Liuli smiled as well, full of joy. She went and took a seat on the sedan. Inside was a light fragrance. She raised her head. Looked at the slender crown prince. And she remembered something from her youth.　　　　

When she was young, she would act like a spoiled child, unwilling to take medicine. And her mother would mention the crown prince who had sent her the wooden horse. She would say that he had always been sick in his youth. But in order to get better, he would drink ten bowls of bitter medicine every day.　　　　

“Then what happened?” asked her young and ignorant self.　　

“After that, he slowly recovered from his illnesses,” said her mother as she held her and poured bitter medicine down her throat. Then her mother would stick a piece of candy into her mouth. “Not only was he smart and quick at picking things up, he also became skilled in the bow and arrow and the sword.”　　　　

Back when she was very young, Hua Liuli truly thought there was a pitiful person in the imperial family. Every day, he would have to drink ten bowls of bitter medicine, and even had to study and practice the sword. As such, she sympathized with the crown prince to an immense degree. To the point where she carefully stored away the little wooden horse he had sent her.　　

Compared to this pitiful person, she only needed to drink one bowl of medicine every day. Her parents and brothers all doted on her. She truly was too fortunate.

Then she grew up and no longer needed to drink such bitter medicine. And she realized that it was impossible for a young child to drink ten bowls of medicine a day. As the second most noble man in the world, the crown prince could not be as pitiful as she had thought.　　　　

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As such, grown-ups shouldn’t lie carelessly to young children. They’d actually believe it.　　

As Jiamin watched the crown prince yield his sedan to Hua Liuli while he stood himself, she rolled her eyes inwardly. Sure enough, men love things like this.　　　　　　

Shortly after, a few eunuchs carrying a sedan rushed over. Then Hua Liuli stood from the sedan and said, “Many thanks to Crown Prince.”

The crown prince lazily boarded his sedan again. “Come. I’ll accompany you back.”　　　　

Hua Liuli had lived in the palace for ten days. Although she wanted to leave, she was clear on the fact that before the Dali Temple caught the assassin, she could not.　　

It wasn’t that the imperial family was making things difficult for her. Rather, they were giving the Hua clan face.　　

However… it truly was too boring at the palace.　　　　　

Watching the crown prince leave, Prince Ying snorted coldly with a dark expression. “He’s the crown prince, yet only knows how to enjoy life.”

Although his destination was merely a few steps away, he still had to use a sedan. It was evident he was putting on airs in front of his brothers.　　

“Rest assured, Your Highness,” said Jiamin, currying favor due to the knowledge she had upset Prince Ying. “The closer Crown Prince and Hua Liuli are, the more disadvantageous it is for him.”　　　　

Prince Ying stayed silent for a good while. The at once, he said happily, “You’re right.”　　　　

As the emperor, his imperial father would not tolerate the crown prince and the Hua clan getting too close. The Hua clan commanded a few tens of thousands of troops. No matter which imperial prince grew closer to the Hua clan, it would arouse his imperial father’s suspicion, much less the crown prince.

A crown prince who has lost the emperor’s favor was a toothless tiger. Not a bit threatening.　　

“Word has it that you gave the Hua clan’s daughter your sedan yesterday,” said the Emperor Changlong in the imperial study. He placed an annotated folding booklet to the side. Noticing that the crown prince was actually drinking tea and eating light refreshments calmly, he couldn’t help but say, “Yuansu, We invited you here to study governmental affairs, not to drink tea and goof off.”　　　　

“Imperial Father, you are still very young.”　　　　

“What do you mean by this?”　　

“That’s why, you shouldn’t put your hopes on me. Son-Official is still young.”　　

“What do you mean young?!” Emperor Changlong threw a folding booklet at the crown prince. “Someone from the imperial clan sent a memorial to Us asking for Yingting’s military power to be stripped. What do you think?”　　　　

“You already call General Hua Yingting, so why are you still asking for Son-Official’s opinion?” The crown prince glanced at the memorial, too lazy to even flip it open. “Remove his military power and then give it to the imperial clan members?　　

“These people can’t even do their own duties, yet sure can dream big.” The crown prince pushed the memorial farther away from him. “If your honored self wants me to look through these, it’s better for me to just head for Shoukang Palace and have a nice chat with Imperial Grandmother.”

“You’re truly useful!” Emperor Changlong was so angry that he laughed. Among his five sons, the crown prince was the most intelligent and the most to his tastes. The one he was most fond of. Everything about this child was good, except that he had spoiled him too much. The crown prince had lived in the palace since young, yet didn’t know how to deal with palace intrigue at all.　　

Unlike Emperor Changlong’s own youth, where in order to inherit the throne, he had to wrack his brains.　　

The other imperial princes respected the Hua clan yet kept their distance. Only the crown prince did as he liked, not resembling Emperor Changlong in his youth the slightest bit.

“This is all a product of your own doing.” The crown prince looked up in a lazy manner. “If your honored self absolutely must have Son-Official’s opinion, Son-Official can only say that this memorial is full of nonsense. Although the entire Great State of Jin has thrived under your reign, and there can’t be terrible things happening every day, these people can’t even curry favor properly in their memorials, bland and dull. This points to their incompetence.”　　　　

Emperor Changlong was speechless.　　

Nevermind. What could he do to the son he had personally raised? He could only pretend he never saw this.　　

“Imperial Father mentioned the Hua clan’s young daughter just a while ago. And Son-Official recalled something.” The crown prince lifted his head, looking at Empero Changlong. “Previously, your honored self wanted to confer Great General Hua the noble rank of duke, yet this was rejected by him. So how about raising the noble rank of his young daughter?”　　　　

Indeed, Emperor Changlong had wanted to make Hua Yingting a duke. After he had rejected his offer, however, Emperor Changlong conferred him the noble rank and title of Marquis Zhongyong. Moreover, he conferred his eldest son the position of heir. As for the other two sons, Emperor Changlong had wanted to look for an opportunity to stuff a noble rank on them.　　　　

From time immemorial, famous generals would meet wise rulers. Emperor Changlong felt that Hua Yingting was a famous general seen once every hundred years. And he himself was a wise ruler seen once every millennium. 　　

“Looks like you are truly fond of that little girl from the Hua Clan,” said Emperor Changlong, appearing pensieve. “Could it be…”　　　　

“Imperial Father, stop overthinking it.” One glance at Emperor Changlong’s expression, and the crown prince knew he had misunderstood. “That little girl is the daughter of Great General Hua and has grown up to be lovely. It’s hard for Son-Official to avoid her, but Son-Official only sees her as a younger sister. In this world, could there be elder brothers who see their younger sisters as women? Son-Official is not a beast.”　　

“Then let’s go with what you want and increase her noble rank.”　　　　

“Not just that. Give her a title as well.”　　　

“Then…”

“Son-Official has a good title in mind. How about Fushou?”　　

“It’s a bit tacky.” Emperor Changlong furrowed his brows, not too happy with this title.　　　　

But the crown prince only arched a brow. “Those with cheap names grow up easily. That title contains the characters for good fortune and longevity. Just hearing it and it’s very auspicious. A bit tacky though.” 　　　　

The crown prince who never liked handling things actually felt a sense of satisfaction from raising a younger sister from this matter.　　　　

Could this be the joy received from an investment?

Choosing a title wasn’t the same as choosing a name. So why follow such a guideline? But when Emperor Changlong recalled that the Hua clan’s daughter truly was in poor health, and that the title Fushou actually suited her well, he could only nod in a helpless manner. “Alright.”　　　　

Since his son treated her as his younger sister, if Emperor Changlong rounded to the nearest integer, then he just received an extra daughter.　　　　

Then they’d just go with this.　

A hiss left Hua Liuli’s lips. At that moment, she covered her left eye with a hand. “My left eye is twitching so quickly.”　　　

“Is it the left eye or the right eye?” Yuanwei was a bit agitated, bringing a hot towel for Hua Liuli to use as a hot compress.　　

“The left eye.” Pressing the hot towel over her eye, Hua Liuli lay down on her bed, not moving.　　　　

“If your left eye is twitching, it’s a good thing.” A smile graced Yuanwei’s lips. “County Princess, something good definitely happened.”　　

Hua Liuli pulled the towel off her face. She sat up. Looked at Yuanwei expressionlessly. “The last time you said this, Mother found out I was reading novels in secret. After that, I was punished into copying texts for one month.” 　　　　

Yuanwei said softly, “That’s because the novel you read was titled ‘The Exceptional Romance Between the Overbearing General and His Loveable Wife.’”　　

Hua Liuli was speechless.　　　　

The author really liked writing that the general’s wife smiled through tears, covering her face as she cried softly. Clearly the opposite of her mother’s personality. How could she have known that this novel was talking nonsense about her parents?