North Stream Village, Xinyu County
Thirteen blocked Su Mian, preventing her from leaving.
Su Mian knew he wanted to stop her so the Prince could see the little County Princess.
If he was going to block her, he could at least give a reason. Then she would have a graceful way to stay. But to block her without a word, wasn't that awkward?
"Thirteen, you're utterly foolish."
Thirteen had endured two years of frustration, so this scolding was familiar. He appeared indifferent, but he still wouldn't let her go.
Su Mian still sided with the Prince. She had witnessed the Prince's affection for her mistress over the past two years. However, she couldn't go against her mistress's wishes either, so she chose to turn a blind eye.
She estimated the time, thinking she would go over when it was about right.
Meanwhile, Nan Xing ran around in the wild, pulling up one plant here and plucking a flower there, muttering to herself.
"Sheep's wool grass, bitter, cold, non-toxic, clears heat and detoxifies, relieves itching."
"Rabbit's umbrella, must be pulled up by the root, stops pain, soothes the heart and invigorates blood."
...
The small figure was very focused, with two pigtails, cute and pretty.
Feng Shihao watched for a long time before stepping forward.
"Nan Xing."
This was his daughter. He had held her briefly, kissed her. She was so small then, unable to even call out to people. Now she could recite so many things fluently.
Nan Xing tilted her head, looking at Feng Shihao. Their phoenix eyes were identical. She felt an inexplicable urge to get closer.
Mother said this was her father.
She said she would send her to Father soon.
But she wouldn't go with her.
Because she wanted to be with Uncle.
Nan Xing also wanted a father, but she wanted to be with Mother even more.
So, don't pay attention to him, don't separate from Mother.
"Nan Xing, I am your father." Feng Shihao followed her, his voice gentle, afraid of scaring her.
Father.
Nan Xing really wanted to call him that. The children in the village all had fathers, only she didn't. But their fathers didn't dress as well, look as good, or sound as pleasant as the person in front of her.
She truly liked this father.
"Nan Xing, your mother's face is injured, isn't it?"
Feng Shihao had already asked the villagers. Linglong had been rescued by an elderly couple from the village who were visiting relatives. She had fallen to the bottom of a cliff and was severely injured. Nan Xing was protected in her arms and was not seriously harmed. Because she was unconscious, the old couple could only take her back to North Stream Village.
She had woken up, but her face was disfigured.
He guessed that this was why she refused to return to his side.
Nan Xing thought of her mother's face, and her small face changed instantly.
She didn't like playing with the village children because they would call her mother an ugly monster.
"Nan Xing." Feng Shihao's eyes reddened. He tentatively reached out and slowly hugged the little figure.
His daughter seemed not to be very happy.
Although the clothes she wore were made of soft material, they had been washed many times, and the edges were somewhat worn.
This was his only daughter, who should have been cherished and carefully protected, yet she had lived in this impoverished mountain village for two years.
It was his fault for coming too late.
Nan Xing did not resist. She sniffed gently with her little nose.
Father smelled so good, fragrant.
"Daddy..." She called out unknowingly, like a kitten's meow.
Feng Shihao looked at her with surprise. "Nan Xing, call me again."
"Daddy, can you take Mother with us?"
...
Su Mian felt that the time was about right. She needed to take the little County Princess back. She wondered how the father and daughter were getting along.
She felt the little County Princess was not very talkative, quiet, and liked to follow her mistress to learn. What if she was afraid of the Prince...
"Thirteen, can you move aside now?"
"No, it's not time yet. Master hasn't whistled."
Damn it! Always so foolish. Why did the Prince choose this idiot as his hidden guard? What good was high martial skill if he was stupid and stubborn?
Fine, if the direct approach didn't work, she'd try the indirect one.
"Thirteen, actually, I like you. You're skilled and handsome, and you've been diligently searching for our mistress everywhere for the past two years. You don't get angry even when I scold you. I've fallen for you without realizing it. Do you like me?" Su Mian looked at Thirteen tenderly.
Thirteen was stunned.
His eyebrows twitched rapidly.
He had never encountered this situation before.
"I, I, I don't know."
"Then you should think about it carefully now."
Su Mian bypassed him, walked a few steps, and looked back. As expected, Thirteen stood there like a pillar, completely unfazed!
Su Mian hitched up her skirt and ran.
Through little Nan Xing's words, Feng Shihao had confirmed that Linglong had lied to him because of her disfigurement. He had investigated. Du Ling had only recently applied to be transferred back from the border to be the Xinyu prefect. He had encountered Linglong in North Stream Village while visiting the parents of his fallen comrades. This had only happened in the last few days. There couldn't be any deep feelings between them.
The child was a fabrication. He didn't even know what was being stuffed into her belly.
As for what Thirteen said about sleeping in the same bed,呵呵, she had gone to great lengths to deceive him.
This woman, he would see how he punished her.
Didn't she know what a blow those heartless words were to him? He had almost felt like life was meaningless.
"Bad woman, you were the one who said you wanted me, and you were the one who said you didn't. Why do you get to decide everything?"
Nan Xing hugged his neck, blinking in confusion, "Daddy, what are you talking about?"
Feng Shihao kissed her little face, his phoenix eyes narrowing into a slit.
"I'm saying your mother is an idiot. She didn't bring Nan Xing back to find Daddy for so long, making Daddy very sad."
"Daddy, don't blame Mother. Mother is also very sad."
"Sad about what?"
"I don't know. Once in the middle of the night, I woke up and saw her crying. I asked her why she was crying, and she said her eyes had gotten something in them. She was lying. She was crying."
Feng Shihao's eyes reddened again at Nan Xing's words.
This woman was truly foolish to the extreme.
It was just a face, was it that important? She hid for two years, making him search everywhere, unable to eat or sleep well. She was truly heartless.
Now he would go and ask her if she would leave with him. If not, he would never see her again.
This heartless woman.
"Linglong!"
Du Ling's voice came from the thatched hut.
This scoundrel, what was he doing here again!
Anger flashed in Feng Shihao's eyes. The gloomy aura made Nan Xing a little scared, and she squirmed uncomfortably.
Su Mian ran over, panting, and took Nan Xing.
Then she looked at Feng Shihao with trepidation.
The Prince's expression was terrifying. Would he harm her mistress?
"Take Nan Xing out for a walk again."
His gaze remained fixed on the thatched hut as he said coldly.