Chongfei Manual - Chapter 153.1

The carriage wasn’t as fast as a well-trained warhorse. Yang Zhen quickly caught up to the domed umbrella-like carriage.

Yang Zhen stopped his horse in the carriage’s path and looked at the light green curtain embroidered with golden thread.

The driver quickly tightened the reins and hurriedly called out to stop the carriage’s horse.

“Your Highness, did you come here to see me?” Yang Zhen slowly and quietly asked. A curtain separated them.

Zhao Liuli was very angry at the moment. When she heard these words, teardrops fell from her eyes. She didn’t know who she was angry with. Was she angry with Yang Zhen and those two captives? Or, was she angry about the words that Sir Zhou had said? Although Yang Zhen hadn’t accepted those two young women, he had been in Guang Dong for so long. Who knows if he had touched other women or not? Moreover, Sir Zhou had said that all of the women in Guang Dong were beautiful. What if Yang Zhen hadn’t been able to stop himself from having an affair with another woman? As soon as she thought of this, Zhao Liuli felt even worse. She used her fingertips to wipe away her tears.

Without lifting the curtain, she told the driver, “Who told you to stop? I want to return to the palace.”

The driver didn’t dare to disobey her order. He could only raise the reins to direct the horse to go around Yang Zhen and continue going down the road.

However, just as the carriage past by Yang Zhen, he leaned his body over and seized the reins from the driver’s hands. Using only a little bit force, he steadily stopped the carriage on the road.

Zhao Liuli felt the carriage stumbling and was finally willing to lift the curtain to see Yang Zhen. “I said I want to go back to the palace.”

Yang Zhen didn’t move. His eyes were stuck on her small, delicate face as if he couldn’t see enough of it.

Zhao Liuli was a princess after all. When she decided to act lofty, she wasn’t the slightest bit lacking. She asked, “Have you decided to not listen to my words anymore?”

Yang Zhen looked at her and persistently asked, “Your Highness, did you come here to see me?”

Zhao Liuli’s eyes turned red. She turned her head away and said, “I didn’t. I just passed by here with Ah Luo.”

Who would pass by the barracks’ entrance without any reason? Yang Zhen kept silent. His hands were tightly clenched around the carriage’s reins as he stared at Zhao Liuli. He had recently seen her at Emerald Restaurant. In that single moment, his agitated heart had finally calmed down. In the past three months, there had only been one thought in his mind. Accomplish meritorious service so that he could return to marry Liuli. He had treated himself as an ice-cold blade. He never felt tired as he went with the other soldiers to put down the revolt without stopping to sleep or rest. It was only when he saw Zhao Liuli that he felt he was a human that could feel happiness, anger, sorrow, and joy and be concerned about emotions. He had done all of this for her.

Zhao Liuli saw that he wasn’t responding and looked at the reins that he was holding. She ordered, “Let go.”

Instead of listening to her words, Yang Zhen leaned over, wrapped his arm around her waist, and overbearingly carried her onto his horse.

Zhao Liuli widened her eyes in surprise. She wanted to get off the horse. “What are you doing?”

Yang Zhen tightly held onto her waist and wouldn’t let her move. “I have words I want to say to Your Highness.”

Then, he pulled on the reins and the horse ran towards the forest.

Wei Luo watched this entertaining show from beginning to end. Just as she was considering whether or not to sneak into the forest to continue watching, she heard the sound of horses from outside. Wei Luo lifted up the curtain and she saw a group of people riding horses towards her. Zhao Jie was at the front of the group. He pulled on the reins and steadily stopped in front of her.

Wei Luo asked in surprise, “Why are you here?”

Zhao Jie carried her onto the horse, pinched her waist, and asked, “I should be the one asking you. Why did you come here?”

As Wei Luo sat on Zhao Jie’s horse, the soldiers, who wearing silver zhao jia armor and had been riding behind Zhao Jie, got off from their horses and saluted her one after another.

“Liuli wanted to come here to see Yang Zhen, so I came here with her.” Wei Luo moved closer to Zhao Jie and asked, “These people are?”

Zhao Jie said, “These are all people from Shen Ji Barracks. After I finished my work, I heard that you came to the barracks and was worried that a mishap might happen, so I brought them with me.”

Wei Luo nodded after hearing his answer. She look towards the forest and said, “Big brother, nothing will happen to Liuli right?”

This forest seems strangely overgrown as if no one had entered it in a long time.

Zhao Jie narrowed his eyes. He knew about Yang Zhen and Zhao Liuli’s relationship. Previously, he had looked the other way because he believed that Yang Zhen was skilled and would definitely become a great talent one day. But right now, he had kidnapped his younger sister in broad daylight. His courage was too excessive. He ordered two people from Shen Ji Barracks, “You two, stay here and keep guard. When Yang Zhen comes out, escort him to see this prince.”

The two of them acknowledged their order in unison.

——–

In the depths of the forest, Zhao Liuli felt they had run very far. But, Yang Zhen didn’t seem to have any intention of stopping. The surrounding trees became denser and denser. The trees hid the sky and covered the earth in a disorderly mess. The sound of the horse’s hooves running over the soil sounded exceptionally clear. The surrounding environment was so quiet that she could even hear the sound of a babbling brook. It was if they were the only two people left in this vast world and only the sound of their breathing remained.

The tears in Zhao Liuli’s eyes had dried up and most of her anger was gone. But, she continued to show a taut expression. She wasn’t willing to be the one that gave in first.

Yang Zhen eventually stopped at a clear stream. The spring water made a tinkling sound as the stream zigzagged down from the hilltop. The water was so clean that they could clearly see their inverted image in the water. Yang Zhen slowly moved along with the stream. When Zhao Liuli unintentionally lowered her head, she saw two people reflected in the water. A tall, valiant man was holding a slender, delicate girl. Yang Zhen’s arm was placed over her waist and their close embrace was very intimate.

Zhao Liuli’s cheeks turned red. She looked away, but she couldn’t resist sneaking glances of Yang Zhen’s reflection. He had changed a lot. He was previously a reticent young man. Now, he was a silent and composed man. Zhao Liuli was spellbound by his reflection, but then she thought of that previous scene and couldn’t help pursing her lips. He had experienced the taste of young women, so of course he had become a man.

Her heart felt unwell once she thought of this.

Seeing her lowered head, Yang Zhen didn’t know what she was thinking. He looked at the top of her head as he tried to figure out what to say to coax her. He had never been an eloquent speaker. Before he could think of something, Zhao Liuli said, “Older brother Yang Zhen, if you met someone that you like in Guang Dong, then just marry her. We’re not fated to be together anyways.”

Yang Zhen’s arm tightened and his body slightly trembled. He hoarsely said, “I didn’t touch any woman in Guang Dong.” He didn’t want to marry another woman. He only wanted to marry her.

Zhao Liuli still didn’t look at him. Her head was drooped as she said, “You told me to marry someone else in that letter.”

She clutched the horse’s mane as she sulkily said, “Didn’t you have the intention of parting ways? If I marry someone else, then it’ll be convenient for you to marry another girl.” The more she spoke, the more likely this possibility seemed.

Feeling wronged, she rashly said, “That’s fine. Imperial mother is helping me select a husband. There are many candidates with good moral conduct and family backgrounds. If I agree, imperial mother will quickly arrange a marriage for me.”

Parting ways. Selecting a husband.

After hearing these words, Yang Zhen turned Zhao Liuli around and tightly hugged her against his chest. He hoarsely said, “You can’t.” Select another husband.