Ch. 88 - Zhong Yansheng: I don't want that, aunt!

Zhong Yansheng tried his best to make his expression look sincere.

The eyes of the few secret guards who stayed behind trembled, but they said nothing.

Pei Yue looked at Xiao Nong with something strange in her eyes.

Because Zhong Yansheng had just proposed to go out alone to lure away the barbarians, Xiao Nong now had one hand tightly around his waist, concentrating on protecting him and not letting him leave. Everyone had a strange look on their faces, but he was the only one who looked calm. Even when he heard "six hundred thousand taels", the corners of his mouth seemed to slightly curl up, revealing a faint smile.

It just flashed by, and I don’t know if it was due to my eyes playing with it.

After a while, Pei Yue didn't say anything. Zhong Yansheng's heart was pounding with nervousness. "Aunt?"

His Royal Highness Prince Ding is so handsome, and six hundred thousand taels sounds... quite reliable.

The broken house was leaking everywhere, and the light from the torches of the barbarians who followed outside shone through, dimming the young man beside the bed. However, his pair of black and clear eyes were extremely bright. His fox fur was wrapped in a mess, and his hat had fallen off. His fluffy and soft black hair was scattered, making him look like a bird that had been rubbed into a mess.

Pei Yue's heart softened and she glanced at the man next to Zhong Yansheng again.

Noticing her gaze, the man glanced over nonchalantly, his misty deep blue pupils were cold, revealing the same expression as the snow leopard on the ground that was staring at her hungrily.

Cold, vigilant, bestial.

Meeting that look, Pei Yue had no doubt that if she tried to take Zhong Yansheng away from the other person's arms at this moment, he would ruthlessly break her neck.

Protect him so tightly?

Pei Yue smiled at the tense Zhong Yansheng and said, "I see. Don't be nervous. Your cousin also has these habits."

Zhong Yansheng choked up: "..."

He doesn't have any weird habits!

As soon as he met this rumoured aunt, he was forced to distort his image. Zhong Yansheng felt a little depressed. He sat up straighter and asked tentatively: "Then, can we leave now?"

Pei Yue looked at him with a faint smile, then shook her head.

Several secret guards clenched their knives silently.

When my aunt came over just now, a barbarian outside asked her in a whisper, "Is the person you are looking for here?" Pei Yue came here specifically to find him.

Zhong Yansheng could be slow at times, but he was extremely sensitive to some things, so he naturally noticed that Pei Yue had gone to great lengths to bring people to find him, not just to see him.

The third princess and the late crown prince were as close as siblings, but that was almost twenty years ago.

Zhong Yansheng's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he asked softly, "Do you want to take me back as a guest?"

Pei Yue nodded.

Zhong Yansheng felt a little depressed, but outside there were only barbarian cavalry, and they were too few in number to resist.

Either he could delay time and wait for reinforcements to arrive, but that would be too obvious, or... he could let the secret guards hold his aunt hostage.

Zhong Yansheng pursed his lips for a while, then lowered his eyelashes and said, "I'll go with you."

Excluding Prince An, Prince Jing and the old emperor, his aunt might be his only blood relative in the world.

He didn't want the situation to become too ugly, nor did he want Xiao Nong and his aunt to get hurt.

At least he didn't sense any malice towards Pei Yue. The look the woman gave him was very similar to that of the Marquis's wife, gentle. He shouldn't get hurt if he left with her.

Xiao Nong is awake now. Although he is a little dazed, he can go back to the camp with the secret guards.

Zhong Yansheng thought about it and reached out to pry Xiao Nong's hand away.

It didn't move.

Zhong Yansheng: “…”

Under Pei Yue's faintly smiling gaze, Zhong Yansheng's ears turned red and he tried hard to pry open Xiao Nong's fingers that were pressing on his lower abdomen.

Not moving at all.

Zhong Yansheng was extremely embarrassed. He secretly glared at Xiao Nong and lowered his voice: "Let me go."

Xiao Nong put his chin on his shoulder, half-closed his eyes, and sniffed him: "Don't let go."

Zhong Yansheng was embarrassed and anxious at the same time: "You go back first..."

"No return."

Zhong Yansheng's forehead was sweating. He argued with Xiao Nong for a long time, and heard Pei Yue's calm voice coming from the front: "Child, it seems that your male favourite can't leave you."

Zhong Yansheng understood what she meant and felt a chill in his back.

The barbarian soldiers outside the house suddenly knocked on the door and said a series of words. Zhong Yansheng couldn't understand, but he could hear the three words "Yada Gan", probably asking Pei Yue something.

Pei Yue listened, turned around, and said tolerantly: "We should go now, so let him come with us."

Zhong Yansheng: “…………”

Xiao Xianwei is such a big fool!!!

Zhong Yansheng was feeling itchy all over, not knowing what to do, when he saw Pei Yue raise her hand, touch the back of his neck, and look at him kindly.

Understanding her hint, Zhong Yansheng reacted suddenly.

The poison that the old emperor had put on him and Xiao Nong was a secret technique of the barbarian tribe. His aunt was a Yadagan of the barbarian tribe, specialising in witchcraft and sacrifices. Did she... know something about the poison on him and Xiao Nong?

She came out specifically to divine to find him, not just to see him, she might even have come to help him.

Zhong Yansheng immediately felt guilty for his previous suspicion and looked at Xiao Nong hesitantly.

The last time Xiao Nong was mentally unclear, he got better after drinking his blood as a medicine. But this time, Xiao Nong only woke up after drinking his blood, and his consciousness was still confused.

If what Lou Qingtang said is true, every time Xiao Nong suffers from a headache, his mental state will be damaged. In Xiao Nong's current condition, perhaps only his aunt who understands the barbarian witchcraft can help him.

There are always some risks in this world that have to be taken.

The pain on his wrist was sore, and Zhong Yansheng's mind was clear at the moment: "I understand, aunt, we will go with you."

After hearing the decision made by Zhong Yansheng, several secret guards subconsciously looked at Xiao Nong.

Xiao Nong acted as if he didn't hear anything and just looked at Zhong Yansheng intently.

Master, do you have any objection?

After hesitating for a while, the secret guard slowly bowed and put away his sword at Zhong Yansheng's signal.

The hand on his waist was still there. Feeling Pei Yue's vague gaze sweeping over him, Zhong Yansheng felt a little embarrassed. He secretly kicked Xiao Nong and threatened him in a low voice: "If you don't let go, I won't take you away."

Xiao Nong felt threatened.

Perhaps he felt the situation was tricky, and after hesitating for a while, he slowly loosened his hand, but he still stared at Zhong Yansheng without blinking, as if he was afraid that he would get lost or hurt himself again if he wasn't paying attention.

Zhong Yansheng faced those dark blue eyes and had no choice but to take out a cloth to cover his face, then stretched out his hand to him.

Compared to Xiao Nong's palm, his hand seemed a little small, and his slender fingers were slightly red from the cold: "Hand."

Xiao Nong then got off the kang bed. His tall and slender figure almost covered Zhong Yansheng. The difference in strength was obvious at a glance, but he was like a docile beast and obediently held Zhong Yansheng's hand.

Zhong Yansheng felt that Pei Yue's gaze towards him and Xiao Nong became even stranger, and he felt uneasy in his heart.

Should, should, they haven’t been discovered…

Pei Yue said nothing.

A moment later, several people followed Pei Yue out of the shabby house.

A group of barbarians were quietly waiting outside. It was the first time that Zhong Yansheng faced barbarians. As expected, each of them was tall and strong, like an iron tower, and extremely brave.

Seeing Pei Yue coming out safely, the leading Mongolian cavalryman was obviously relieved, and then he glanced warily at Zhong Yansheng and Xiao Nong and others behind him.

Xiao Nong took off the black armour on his body and covered his face, leaving only a pair of dark blue eyes exposed.

In the border areas, eyes of all colours can be found, and blue is not uncommon.

Apart from his unusual height and temperament, there is nothing special about him at first glance.

Zhong Yansheng was not tall, and even though he was wrapped thickly, it couldn't hide his thin inner body, making him look non-threatening.

The group of barbarians looked at each other for a few times, obviously relaxed their vigilance, and then spoke something in Mongolian to Pei Yue at a very fast speed.

Pei Yue signalled a few cavalrymen to give up some horses, pulled the reins of the horses, turned around, and said in a gentle tone: "Child, how do the couple of the Huai'an Marquis call you?"

The wind was so strong outside that every breath was as cold as ice going into his lungs. Zhong Yansheng carefully covered his mouth and nose with his scarf and answered obediently, "They call me Yuan Yuan."

“Yuan Yuan, can you ride a horse?"

Zhong Yansheng nodded.

Pei Yue looked at him carefully, picked out the shortest pony and brought it over, then handed the reins to him.

Zhong Yansheng choked up, feeling a little aggrieved, and raised a small suggestion with a sullen face: "...Aunt, I can ride a big horse."

Pei Yue looked at Xiao Nong beside him again, as if thinking for a while, then waved his hand and brought another big horse: "They have detected traces of cavalry from other tribes a few miles away. This is not the place to talk. We should go back to the tribe. Follow your aunt."

After saying this, he climbed onto the horse by himself.

The Third Princess was obviously a gentle yet strong, decisive and swift person. Zhong Yansheng responded quickly and mounted his horse. Before he could sit firmly, Xiao Nong quietly jumped on the horse, sat behind him, grabbed the reins and pulled, and the horse quickly caught up with the barbarian cavalry.

Xiao Nong was wearing a black suit under his armor, so it was hard to tell if there was any blood on his body. However, Zhong Yansheng could smell blood on him and turned around to look at him with some concern: "Are your injuries serious?"

His hair was soft and fine, rubbing against his neck and cheeks like the soft down of a bird. Because we were so close, his scent could reach me unobstructed, and the orchid fragrance soaked my lungs, soothing the severe pain in my head bit by bit.

Xiao Nong hugged him, his dark blue eyes half-closed comfortably, and through the cloth covering his face, he rubbed his ear with his lips: "Lick it, and it won't hurt."

The person in his arms is more effective than any medicine prescribed by Lou Qingtang.

Zhong Yansheng misunderstood and blushed. After holding it in for a long time, he made up his mind: "Then, wait until we get to a safe place, and I'll let you lick."

The arms around him suddenly tightened, Xiao Nong's eyes became more intense, and he quickly replied, "Okay."

The snowfield is covered with white snow, with glaciers in the distance and snow weighing down the branches in the distance. It is so vast that there is no end in sight.

But Zhong Yansheng leaned in Xiao Nong's arms and was not as scared as when he first came out.

Although the current situation is not much better than when Xiao Nong was not found.

The horse team followed Pei Yue. They didn't know how long they had been walking. Similar snowy scenery kept being swept behind them. Zhong Yansheng's bones were sore and painful all over. He was extremely tired. He leaned crookedly in Xiao Nong's arms and dozed off slightly. He was suddenly awakened again. This happened several times. When the sky was bright, he finally saw a felt tent in the distance.

The group of barbarians nearby did not show any signs of fatigue. Instead, they seemed very happy and laughed loudly while communicating with each other. As some of them were talking, their eyes swept towards Zhong Yansheng, and their tone was unscrupulous, as if they were discussing Zhong Yansheng.

Then Pei Yue glanced at him and said something in Mongolian in a heavy tone.

The group of barbarians immediately lost their temper and didn't dare to refute Pei Yue.

Zhong Yansheng blinked in confusion, remembering that Xiao Nong seemed to understand Mongolian, and asked curiously in a low voice: "What did they say?"

Xiao Nong glared at those people coldly, lowered his head and rubbed his hairy head with his chin: "They said you look like a little tit."

What are you talking about!

Zhong Yansheng glared at those people unhappily.

The pile of felt tents looked very close, but in fact it took us a long time to ride on horseback to get there.

This was obviously a large tribe of barbarians. It was broad daylight and there were many people there. Men and women wore strange Mongolian robes. Many women had pearls and agates hanging on their heads in bright colors. Their belts were red and green. Almost everyone wore a gorgeous knife. When they saw Pei Yue coming back with a group of people, everyone saluted and greeted Pei Yue with awe.

When they saw Taxue coming with the horse team, the herdsmen were not afraid at all. They just let out a small exclamation. Their expressions became more and more awed, and they looked at Taxue with extra respect.

He walked through the snow and entered the barbarian territory with his head held high and his chest held high.

The attire of Zhong Yansheng, Xiao Nong, and several secret guards was completely different from theirs, but the people in the tribe didn't seem to care. They could even be said to be used to it and didn't show much disgust.

The barbarians and Dayong have been enemies for generations. After fighting for so many years, the two sides become jealous of each other whenever they meet.

Seeing that the Han people were still so calm, they must be a tribe that rarely participated in wars, and such a large-scale tribe...

Zhong Yansheng's heart skipped a beat.

The barbarians have three major tribes, namely Aluko, Khoshut and Aohan. The main force attacking Dayong this time is from the Aluko and Khoshut tribes.

He had heard from Xiao Nong before that those who liked to harass the border in the past were mostly the Aluko and Khoshut tribes. The Aohan tribe was the most low-key of the three major tribes and rarely caused trouble.

There was no news of his aunt after she left Dayong. He hadn't asked around in the capital before. Could it be that the one his aunt married was...

Zhong Yansheng spoke out his inner guess and lowered his voice: "Brother, could this be the territory of the Aohan tribe?"

Xiao Nong nodded readily.

Zhong Yansheng glanced at him hesitantly: "Do you know?"

Xiao Nong nodded again.

Zhong Yansheng: “…”

Yes, Xiao Nong is a little confused in this state, but he is not a fool.

No wonder Xiao Nong did not react after hearing his aunt introduce herself. He had been in Mobei for many years and should remember which tribe the third princess was marrying into.

The other barbarian cavalry returned to the tribe and dispersed on their own, leaving only Pei Yue and Zhong Yansheng and a few others in front of a felt tent.

Zhong Yansheng didn't know how long he had been sitting on the horse. He had no feeling from his thighs to his buttocks, and he moved a few times with difficulty.

Xiao Nong jumped off his horse and raised his hands to catch him: "Yuan Yuan, jump."

It was common for barbarians to ride horses. Pei Yue had been in the tribe for decades and had long been accustomed to it. She dismounted and glanced at Xiao Nong who was holding out his arms to receive Zhong Yansheng. As she passed by, she suddenly said, "I have heard of your great name for a long time. I thought Your Highness was a gentleman."

Zhong Yansheng was originally hesitating, but when he heard this, he was so scared that he fell down and was hugged by Xiao Nong.

Pei Yue shook her head, lifted the thick door curtain and stepped into the felt tent: "Come in."

Zhong Yansheng was almost dead with a guilty conscience.

My aunt knew it.

He hesitated for a while, turned back and told a few secret guards to rest for a while, then pulled Xiao Nong in.

He peeked at taxue and then came in.

The felt tent was very warm, with soft and gorgeous bedding. Something was bubbling in the middle. Pei Yue sat on the felt blanket beside him, glanced at Xiao Nong who was clinging to Zhong Yansheng, and said something that startled Zhong Yansheng so much that he almost stumbled: "It seems that this poison is indeed extremely evil."

Fortunately, Xiao Nong had been paying attention to Zhong Yansheng and raised his hand to grab him, so he didn't really trip.

Zhong Yansheng's heart beat faster and faster: "Aunt, do you really know something?"

Pei Yue poured a bowl of hot milk tea and pushed it towards Zhong Yansheng. Her features softened a little. Even though she had been through a lot, one could still vaguely see her youthful beauty and sharpness: "Sit down and talk."

Zhong Yansheng obediently pulled Xiao Nong to sit down, and Taxue followed him with a clattering sound, crawling to Zhong Yansheng's side, squeezing together, with no awareness of their own body size and strength, and squeezed Zhong Yansheng so hard that he almost couldn't sit still.

To Zhong Yansheng's left was Xiao Nong, and to his right was Taxue. The man and the beast squeezed him in the middle, and neither of them was willing to move aside, making him feel so hot that he had to pick up the silver bowl and blow into it with difficulty.

The light was good during the day, and his features were clearer. Pei Yue looked at him, and a little nostalgia rose in her eyes: "I have never had a mother since I was young, and there was no palace maid to discipline me when I was young. It was my brother who taught me how to write and read."

Zhong Yansheng listened carefully.

"When I was five years old, on the anniversary of my mother's death, I wanted to sneak out of the palace to pay homage to the imperial mausoleum, but I got lost in the palace. I was tired, sleepy, and cold, so I huddled in a corner of the courtyard. It was my brother who found me in the middle of the night and carried me back to the palace. He asked me in a gentle voice why I was running around so late at night. When he learned that I missed my mother, he comforted me for a long time."

Zhong Yansheng thought that his father also had no mother at that time.

So he can especially understand his sister's pain of missing her mother.

"Not long after that, my brother asked His Majesty to take me to pay respect to my mother. I was young at the time and didn't know much. Later I learned that my brother's mother passed away earlier than my mother, and he was only eight years old at the time."

Pei Yue whispered, "My brother pitied my background and treated me like his own sister... or rather, he treated everyone well and had a kind heart, but not too kind and weak. He taught me that if someone dared to bully me, I could not tolerate it once, nor did I have to be polite, but I had to fight back."

This is how Pei Yue developed her tough personality.

Zhong Yansheng had heard some things about his father from Wei Ling and other former members of the Crown Prince’s family, but this was the first time he heard it from a “relative”. His eyes widened slightly: “Aunt, do you know… my mother?”

"I didn't like being in the palace at that time, and I often sneaked out."

Pei Yue looked at Zhong Yansheng and smiled: "My eldest brother is the master of the Eastern Palace and is under strict supervision. He rarely has the opportunity to leave, but he will protect me from leaving the palace and let me deliver a letter to your mother."

"Your mother is the daughter of a great scholar. She is very intelligent and has been to many places. She has a broad vision and taught me a lot... Later, my husband was sentenced to death, and I was forced to come to this barbaric land. Thanks to what she taught me, I was able to quickly gain a foothold here."

Zhong Yansheng's mother was not the old emperor's choice for Crown Princess, so naturally he did not allow them to have any contact.

However, the old emperor had not yet revealed his true face. He still had the look of a kind father, and only tried to stop them vaguely.

When she was a young girl, Pei Yue served as a secret messenger between the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess. She was very proud to receive benefits from both sides and looked forward to her elder brother and sister-in-law getting married soon.

"But after my brother married Sister Yin, he distanced himself from me and we rarely interacted. In the first two years, I didn't understand and was angry that he and Sister Yin had broken their relationship."

Pei Yue's voice gradually lowered: "It wasn't until something happened to my brother's mother's family that I realised something was wrong."

Zhong Yansheng knew everything that happened later.

The former crown prince was a disciple of a famous family since he was young. He was handsome and elegant, and as gentlemanly as an orchid. He only did two extraordinary things in his life. The first was to fall in love with Zhong Yansheng's mother and marry her as the crown princess. The other was to force the emperor to abdicate.

Pei Yue's hand holding the wooden spoon trembled slightly, and her voice was a little hoarse: "Royal brother really... was just one step away from success."

Zhong Yansheng's fingers were shaking as he gripped the silver bowl, and he suddenly felt that the old emperor, who was almost rotting on the couch, was not miserable enough.

A thousand cuts would not be enough.

Pei Yue took a deep breath, pulled herself away from her emotions and past events, and talked about the main topic: "I believe you have already found a way to find out about the poison from the old immortal."

Zhong Yansheng nodded softly.

Pei Yue's face became serious. "I have been in the tribe for many years. I heard that the Aluko tribe once presented a secret technique to the emperor of the Central Plains. After years of careful investigation, I was sure that the old man planted the poison in you and Prince Ding. This poison is an ancient recipe of the three major tribes. I have collected fragments of the ancient recipe. It is difficult for me to decipher it in a short time."

Zhong Yansheng's heart was in a state of ups and downs, and he suddenly thought of someone: "Aunt, there is someone who may be able to help you."

"oh?"

"That man is Lou Qingtang. On the surface, he is a businessman who travels around, but in fact, he is a doctor with outstanding medical skills. I will find a way to send someone to find him!"

Pei Yue thought for a moment: "Lou Qingtang?"

Zhong Yansheng looked at her thoughtful expression and felt nervous: "What's wrong?"

Pei Yue called out to the outside, and a moment later, a middle-aged woman in tribal clothing walked in: "Yadagan."

"He came to the tribe to deliver goods a few days ago, and was arrested for his suspicious behavior. He claimed to be Lou Qingtang," Pei Yue said leisurely, "bring him here."

Zhong Yansheng: “…………”

The middle-aged woman bowed and turned to leave the felt tent.

After everyone left, Pei Yue suddenly glanced at Xiao Nong who was quietly leaning against Zhong Yansheng, and suddenly asked: "Yuan Yuan, do you like Prince Ding?"

Zhong Yansheng almost knocked over his milk tea and his ears turned red.

Pei Yue could see his expression, so she said bluntly: "I have studied the fragments of this secret art of poison. The mother poison can calm the child poison, so people with child poison will often rely on the person carrying the mother poison."

Zhong Yansheng immediately understood what she meant.

Pei Yue said calmly, "Prince Ding is not a good person. His attitude towards you may be related to the poison. If the poison is removed, he may not like you so much. Even if he likes you so much after the poison is removed, people's hearts are fickle. Over time, he may not love you so much in the future."

Zhong Yansheng's lips moved: "I..."

He did think about whether his birth was a constraint for Xiao Nong, and whether Xiao Nong liked him because he could soothe his headache.

If the poison was removed, would Xiao Nong still like him so much?

“Yuan Yuan, Auntie wants to say."

Pei Yue said calmly, "There's nothing good to go back to in Dayong. You might as well stay here with your aunt. If you really like him, your aunt will help you remove half of the poison so that he can live. But from now on, just stay in this state of confusion. I guarantee that he will never have other thoughts and will treat you wholeheartedly."

Zhong Yansheng was shocked by Pei Yue's casual words.

Xiao Nong beside him seemed to have not understood what Pei Yue was saying at all. He stared at Zhong Yansheng intently. His deep blue eyes were like the most beautiful lake on the summer grassland, drowning people in warmth and depth.

Zhong Yansheng couldn't resist his gentle gaze.

After a while, he bit his lip and shook his head vigorously: "I don't want that, aunt."

Zhong Yansheng didn't want to see Xiao Nong live his whole life in such an insane state.

Rather than Xiao Nong being good to him, he hoped that Xiao Nong would be well.

If Xiao Nong no longer liked him after the poison was removed, he would let Taxue bite off Xiao Nong's legs.

Then he was locked up with the golden shackles that Xiao Nong had placed in the palace.

Pei Yue looked at him for a moment, smiled faintly and shook her head: "Silly child, how can you be more kind-hearted than your parents."

Zhong Yansheng suddenly felt a little embarrassed.

Suddenly, footsteps were heard outside: "Yadagan, Lou Qingtang is here."

((I am translating through phone, thus can't do much, like after further chapters, Yuan Yuan would be called tiao tiao, i want editing it to yuan yuan, but due to problem in my laptop, i can't do much….))

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