Tan Hua - Chapter 101: Who Are You...?

Chapter 101: Who Are You…?

 

Hu Yue’er easily dealt with an enemy, feeling quite happy. After having lunch, she dressed up and happily made her way to the main hall.

 

The Crown Prince had returned to the manor this time, and she hadn’t had the chance to meet him and serve him properly.

 

But just as she reached the gates of the main hall, Hu Yue’er saw the substitute for the former Crown Princess, who had been sent inside by two guards.

 

Hu Yue’er quickly hid to the side.

 

“This fool… caught so quickly? I told you he wouldn’t get far.”

 

Hu Yue’er hid behind the hall and pressed against the window, trying to listen to the sounds inside. She maliciously wondered how the Crown Prince would deal with this runaway.

 

“With the Crown Prince’s temper, this fool will be lucky if he’s not skinned alive!”

 

She heard two guards reporting inside the hall.

 

“Your Highness, we’ve brought him back, safe and sound.”

 

“Mm?”

 

Jun Qiyu raised his head. Though his eyes were covered with a dark cloth, his movements were hardly obstructed. Except for needing to be a little careful while walking, there wasn’t much difference from a normal person.

 

“Li Qing, where did you go today?”

 

Song Liqing stood in the center of the hall, clearly having failed to escape.

 

“I wasn’t running away. I just went out to buy some things, and then I got lost in the city. Luckily, I bumped into these two guards, and they brought me back.” Song Liqing paused and emphasized, “I wasn’t running away.”

 

At this moment, Song Liqing felt quite frustrated. He had carefully planned his escape route from Wangqing Tower, only needing to turn a few corners to successfully leave the city. But when he actually got to the street, everything was completely different from what he had seen from the tower!

 

He started getting dizzy; every intersection looked the same! With buildings blocking his view, he couldn’t distinguish directions, and not only did he forget the way he had come, he couldn’t figure out where to go either.

 

“Ah, I see. Is there something the manor doesn’t have? Why did you have to go out yourself and almost get lost?” Jun Qiyu said sternly. “Someone, call the steward here, I need to ask how he’s been doing his job!”

 

“Hey, hey, hey! No need for that.”

 

Song Liqing quickly stopped him.

 

“Don’t blame the steward. It was my idea to go out.”

 

“Fine.” Jun Qiyu relented. “But next time, don’t run off like this. Let me know, and I’ll go with you.”

 

Song Liqing pursed his lips and said, “No need, no need. You should spend more time thinking about how to rescue Brother Xingxu.”

 

“If I’m too busy, I’ll send someone with you.”

 

“Oh.”

 

Song Liqing covered his growling stomach. After running around all morning, he had wanted to eat two big white buns to fill up, but he discovered they had gone stale after two days.

 

“Well, since you’re here, stay and have lunch with me?”

 

Jun Qiyu smiled slightly and ordered food to be brought in.

 

After Song Liqing ate his fill, Jun Qiyu kindly persuaded him to go back.

 

“You did well. Go collect your reward later,” Jun Qiyu said contentedly. “Was he hurt?”

 

“No, with us around, no one in the Northwest manor dares to harm the Crown Princess.” The guard could barely hold in his laughter. “But when she was climbing the wall… she hurt herself.”

 

“What?” Jun Qiyu’s expression changed, and he hurriedly asked, “Where did she hurt herself? Is it serious? Send for the royal physician immediately!”

 

“Your Highness, don’t worry. It’s just a scrape. Nothing serious.”

 

“What do you mean, ‘nothing serious’? Doesn’t it hurt when you scrape your skin? Don’t you have any empathy? You two, next month’s salary is deducted.”

 

“I…”

 

The guard stood straight, accepting the scolding, thinking that although this task was easy, it always ended up with them being the ones blamed. The Crown Princess clearly hurt herself, but they were the ones being punished.

 

Jun Qiyu scolded them for a while before letting them go.

 

“By the way, next time, try not to be so obvious. If Li Qing finds out I had you secretly follow him, he won’t be happy.”

 

The two guards looked awkward. One of them said, “Your Highness, it’s not our fault that our movements were exposed. The Crown Princess was wandering around for a dozen circles, and we really couldn’t stand it. If we didn’t bring him back, he would’ve gotten lost.”

 

“Tsk.” Jun Qiyu reprimanded, “How are you speaking?”

 

The guards laughed and slapped their own mouths. “My apologies. The Crown Princess is noble and intelligent, how could she ever get lost?”

 

The other one chimed in, “Yes, yes, she couldn’t get lost. If she got hurt, it’s our fault. Next time, if she falls again, we’ll lie down first to cushion her.”

 

Jun Qiyu clearly heard their sarcasm and threw a book at them.

 

“Still daring to talk back? Hurry up and get out.”

 

The two guards quickly scurried out of the door.

 

“Your Highness, if the Crown Princess runs away again, should we stop her or not?”

 

Jun Qiyu waved his hand. “As long as she doesn’t leave the city, let her run. Consider it a break for her.”

 

At this moment, Song Liqing, feeling down, had just walked out of the main hall when Hu Yue’er called out to him. She pulled him aside to ask.

 

“How come you’re fine?” Hu Yue’er asked suspiciously.

 

“Fine? What’s wrong? Do you have a problem?”

 

Song Liqing had just eaten and burped.

 

“You secretly ran away and got caught. The Crown Prince didn’t punish you? I thought the Crown Prince would either break your legs or give you a beating.”

 

“I told him I went out to buy things,” Song Liqing explained.

 

Hu Yue’er exclaimed, “He believed it?!”

 

“Yeah.” Song Liqing nodded.

 

Hu Yue’er opened her mouth, shocked. “The Crown Prince is that easy to deceive?”

 

Song Liqing imparted his experience. “You don’t know. He doesn’t read much, and other than being strong, he’s not very sharp. He’s easy to fool.”

 

“Really?”

 

Hu Yue’er followed him into Wangqing Tower. Last time, she had inadvertently offended him and nearly had her life strangled by Jun Qiyu. Now, Song Liqing had openly run away and been caught, but the Crown Prince hadn’t done anything to him and even had a meal with him?!

 

“I get it,” Hu Yue’er hummed. “The Crown Prince only tolerates you because he’s just got you. Once the novelty wears off, if you defy him again, he won’t let you off.”

 

Song Liqing didn’t respond to her, as he had taken out ink and paper and was standing by the window, sketching.

 

“I’m talking to you!” Hu Yue’er walked over angrily.

 

Song Liqing was sketching the street map of his escape route.

 

“I’m drawing a map. Next time, I won’t get lost!”

 

“You’re still planning to escape?”

 

Hu Yue’er later learned that Song Liqing wasn’t joking. For five consecutive days, he kept trying to run away. Though he was brought back by the two guards every time, by the end, she wasn’t even surprised. She just waited by the manor gate, and within a few hours, Song Liqing would appear covered in dust.

 

The key was that not only did the Crown Prince not get angry, but it seemed like he actually enjoyed it…

 

Hu Yue’er doubted life every day.

 

Song Liqing, likewise, couldn’t understand it. He had prepared well, but something always went wrong, and he ended up failing and returning to Qilin Manor.

 

“Where did I go wrong… Ah! I know!”

 

Song Liqing stood up, slamming his fist on the table.

 

“I knew it! Every time I run, I just happen to run into Qilin Manor’s guards. It must be Jun Qiyu who had someone follow me.”

 

“You just realized that?” Hu Yue’er mocked. “You can’t escape from the Crown Prince’s palm.”

 

“What a despicable man!”

 

Song Liqing slammed his fist on the table, thinking of a plan.

 

“So this is how I got the Crown Prince’s attention…”

 

Hu Yue’er suddenly realized.

 

The Crown Prince liked to play these games of capturing and releasing. The more he tried to escape, the more excited Jun Qiyu became.

 

It was like how some cats, after catching a mouse, didn’t rush to eat it. Instead, they let it go repeatedly, enjoying the thrill of being the hunter and the one in control.

 

So, the next time Song Liqing tried to climb the wall, Hu Yue’er also followed him.

 

This time, Hu Yue’er wandered around all day, nearly getting sunburned, but she never saw the shadow of a secret guard following her to bring her back to the manor.

 

Hu Yue’er waited outside until the moon was high and returned to Qilin Manor, feeling faint from hunger.

 

A figure stood at the door, seemingly waiting for something.

 

It was the Crown Prince… He was waiting for her!

 

Hu Yue’er’s nose tingled, and with red eyes, she walked up.

 

“Your Highness!”

 

“Mm.” Jun Qiyu nodded.

 

“I… I’m back.” Hu Yue’er’s eyes filled with tears. “Please forgive me for leaving the manor without permission.”

 

Jun Qiyu furrowed his brows and turned to Hu Yue’er.

 

“You are…?”