Chapter 984 Your Highness, the Heir Apparent

"Auntie, one serving of tofu pudding, please."

"Alright, young master. Here you go. Just bring the bowl back when you have time; I won't charge you a deposit."

"Thank you, Auntie."

The tofu pudding vendor looked at the exquisitely dressed and adorable little girl in front of her and, in a rare moment of generosity, didn't charge her the bowl deposit.

In the early years, everything in JIndong belonged to the Prince's manor. If you traced any industry back far enough, the owner was always the Prince's manor.

In recent years, the Prince's manor had deregulated some industries to allow commoners to participate and manage them.

Among these, snack stalls were the most common. Because the ethnic and immigrant makeup of JIndong was significant, there was a wide variety of flavored snacks.

After all, no matter which dynasty it was, the food and beverage industry was the easiest for the common people to get started with, but also the easiest to fail at.

But regardless, with more street vendors hawking their wares, Fengxin City, which had once seemed too serious, had gained a lot of down-to-earth charm.

Da Niu held a bowl of tofu pudding in her hand, handing her half-eaten candied hawthorn to the maid next to her. She picked up a spoon, scooped up some tofu pudding, and put it in her mouth.

"Mmm~"

After swallowing the tofu pudding, Da Niu smacked her lips.

"It's awful."

Immediately, another maid next to her reached out, took the bowl, and started eating.

Da Niu's father was a foodie. Many of the popular foods on the market now were said to have been created by her father.

Therefore, the Prince's manor's kitchen was definitely top-notch in the world.

And they didn't demand delicacies like fish, meat, or seafood. They often made snacks to suit the Prince's taste.

For Da Niu, who had eaten the tofu pudding at home, the tofu pudding sold outside looked the same, but the taste was completely different.

But the Prince's manor had strict rules against wasting food, so if Da Niu didn't eat it, the maid next to her would immediately take it and finish it, and return the bowl.

"Adi, Adi."

Da Niu called out to Zheng Lin. Zheng Lin was walking in front, and behind Zheng Lin stood a tall man dressed in black and wearing a cloak.

Zheng Lin turned around and looked at his older sister.

"Let's go have tea."

Da Niu stepped forward and took her younger brother's arm.

"I heard them say earlier that Aunt Hong and her husband had a fight because her husband went to a gongdian (old men's teahouse) for tea."

Zheng Lin rolled his eyes at his older sister.

He said,

"If Er Niang (Second Mother) knew I took you to that place..."

"My mother won't hit you."

"She'll tell my father."

"Father won't hit you."

"Father will tell my mother."

"Umm..."

Some of the industries that the Prince's manor deregulated also included red tents (brothels).

Although the most high-end red tents in Fengxin City were still managed by the Prince's manor behind the scenes, some small workshops had started to operate independently.

However, because the truly beautiful and talented women still preferred the red tents with the Prince's manor background, the small workshops outside were basically run by older, less attractive women.

Because doing business in Fengxin City required going to the relevant government offices for licenses, and the licensing process for red tent properties was relatively long, many small workshops skirted the issue and existed under the name of "teahouses."

Because there were mostly old women inside, many of the customers attracted were also elderly, so these teahouses were also jokingly called "gongdian (old men's teahouses)."

Aunt Hong was a laundry maid in the Prince's manor. The women privately gossiped and chewed things over, and the Prince's princess overheard it.

Zheng Lin knew that if his family knew he had taken his older sister to that kind of place, his older sister wouldn't be in trouble, but he... would be in big trouble.

"Then, let's go have proper tea, listen to stories, it's lively there too."

Zheng Lin frowned. He didn't want to go to improper teahouses, and he didn't really want to go to proper teahouses either.

Because the storytellers there liked to tell stories that the tea drinkers liked to hear, which were often stories about his father.

Hearing too much of this made him inexplicably feel that they seemed to know his father better than he did.

He even had the illusion of wondering if he had two fathers?

One father, lying in a rocking chair at home;

The other father, constantly fighting outside, and always fighting with reclusive experts for three days and three nights, causing mountains to collapse and rivers to flow backward.

Da Niu saw that Adi (younger brother) didn't want to go, and pouted.

"That won't do. I finally got permission to come out for some fresh air, I can't just go back like this."

Zheng Lin really wanted to remind his older sister that the reason why they were having so much trouble getting out of the Prince's manor now was because someone had run away from home last time, wasn't it?

At the thought of this,

Zheng Lin looked up at the existence standing behind him.

According to seniority, he was his grandfather.

Once he left the residence, Grandpa would wake up from his coffin and follow him every step of the way.

Zheng Lin had tried to secretly climb over the Prince's manor's courtyard wall, and after Grandpa followed, he tried to escape again with his own movement technique.

Then,

Grandpa raised his fist and directly smashed him away. Even though he had an extraordinary physique since childhood, he still vomited blood from that punch.

Zheng Lin experienced the love of a grandparent for their grandchild.

In the end, he could only dejectedly go home to heal his wounds.

As for his older sister, Er Niang's instructions to her were that if she ran away from home again, all the maids and nanny who had served her since childhood, as well as their families, would be implicated and executed.

Even his older sister herself didn't dare to challenge her mother's bottom line.

So, the two children could only obediently stay in the Prince's manor for so long, and finally managed to beg for a chance to go out for some fresh air.

This was only because their father had won a battle, and Er Niang was very happy, so they were able to get this concession.

"Then let's go to the Gourd Temple, and play with paper figures."

"Okay... then."

Da Niu immediately instructed a maid next to her. The maid nodded and went to inform them.

After a while, the maid returned, bringing an affirmative reply.

"Let's go, Adi (younger brother)!"

Da Niu pulled her brother and left through the north gate.

Before that, a team of city patrol guards had already moved out in advance and cleared the Gourd Temple.

When the two young masters arrived at the temple gate, many people had gathered on both sides of the temple.

Normally, the two children would have been used to this kind of clearing of the way. Their father would sometimes "rejoice with the people" and sometimes need to be alone and quiet.

But today, it was different.

Because many of the people blocked outside by the city patrol guards were wearing plain clothes.

"Ask what's going on."

"Yes, Princess."

After a while, the maid returned to report, "Reporting to Your Highness, the list of soldiers who died in battle last night has been sent to Fengxin City."

The news of the great victory had actually come down a long time ago. After all, the connection between Fengxin City and the front line was basically unbroken every day, but the statistics of the soldiers who died in battle had a certain lag. They needed to be confirmed and sent back after more than two rounds of statistics. At the same time, before the statistics, the army had many other things to do, such as garrisoning and settling in the camp.

Da Niu pursed her lips and looked at her younger brother, saying:

"Adi (younger brother), what should we do?"

Those who came to the temple today were all commoners from the Fengxin City area whose families had soldiers who died in battle. It was considered an early incense offering. The real grand ceremony would be a collective funeral held after every major battle, according to Jindong customs.

"I don't think it's good to stop them," Zheng Lin said.

"Yeah, I think so too, but since we're already here..."

"You decide, older sister."

"Good Adi (younger brother)."

"His Highness the Heir Apparent, Her Highness the Princess, have arrived!!!"

In fact, the people outside the temple had long guessed that someone from the Prince's manor had come.

Because this Gourd Temple was only visited by people from the Prince's manor would soldiers clear the area to maintain order. No matter how high the official was, they didn't have this qualification.

However, after hearing that it was His Highness the Heir Apparent and Her Highness the Princess who had come, the people's eyes revealed excitement.

In Jindong, the Prince was the "Emperor", and the Heir Apparent was the "Crown Prince."

"Greetings to His Highness the Heir Apparent, may you live for ten thousand years! Greetings to Her Highness the Princess, may you live for ten thousand years!"

Everyone knelt down.

Da Niu and Zheng Lin walked side by side to the temple gate. Da Niu stopped and instructed the people around her to fetch incense and candles.

After that,

His Highness the Heir Apparent and Her Highness the Princess stood on the right side of the temple gate, holding incense in their hands.

After ordering the soldiers to lift the cordon and let people in, anyone wearing white could take three incense sticks from the hands of the Heir Apparent or the Princess.

In this era, this was a great honor.

Many people with tears in their eyes took the incense, then entered the temple and inserted it into the incense burner to complete the incense offering.

Because they had to line up when entering and couldn't delay the people behind them, after completing the incense offering, the people would kneel down and kowtow to the two noble figures after coming out from the other side of the gate.

Crying, they still had to cry. Sadness, they were still sad.

But the people of Jindong, especially the registered households, had a sense of detachment from death that surpassed that of other places.

Because the land of Jindong was conquered through fighting. In the eyes of other people in Zhuxia, the Yan people were martial and therefore called barbarians. Then, Jindong, which was almost entirely rebuilt by outsiders under the leadership of the Prince, had the most martial spirit in Great Yan.

In addition, Jindong had a very mature system for the compensation and arrangement of those who died in battle. Their families didn't have to worry about their livelihoods in the future.

Therefore, the three incense sticks had an unusual meaning after passing through the hands of the two young nobles.

To put it simply, this was probably "a scholar dies for his confidant."

The people of Jindong were not afraid of dead people. If there were no battles, they would not be used to it. War was supposed to be a part of their lives, especially the registered households.

Many old people brought their children to offer incense, wiping away tears while signaling their grandsons to kowtow with them.

The words they spoke were only two or three sentences, simple but exceptionally sincere.

It was probably, "Child, your father died in battle following the Prince. He was not a coward. When you grow up, you will follow the Young Prince to fight, and you must not be a coward either."

Because there were many people, this incense offering lasted from noon to dusk.

After it was over,

The Gourd Temple closed its doors.

Da Niu shouted loudly that she was hungry. The monk Liaofan personally brought vegetarian food, a large bowl of white rice covered with green vegetable leaves.

Da Niu stirred it with her chopsticks and found that it was covered with braised pork, lion's head meatballs, and diced chicken.

She looked up at the monk Liaofan, and the monk Liaofan smiled slightly.

Da Niu ate very quickly. When she was really hungry, she didn't care what she ate, and everything would taste good.

Zheng Lin was also eating, but he ate much more restrainedly than his older sister.

He looked at his older sister. Her physique was much worse than his, which was innate.

Moreover, his older sister had been carrying the Long Yuan sword since she was a child, and she would inevitably take the path of a swordswoman in the future, so there was no need to rush to temper her body.

Therefore, standing for most of the day and having to bow slightly when offering incense was a great burden on his older sister's body.

Zheng Lin knew that his father had always favored his older sister the most since she was a child.

People would not look for reasons in themselves. Zheng Lin would not think about how unlikable he was as a son.

However, Zheng Lin had never been jealous of his older sister for being able to receive his father's favor.

What his older sister didn't know was that he was outside when she asked Er Niang for leave.

Then, because he had recently been promoted by one rank, his hearing was better than before. Although he was separated by the courtyard wall, he also heard the conversation between his older sister and Er Niang.

His older sister said that there would definitely be many people going to the Gourd Temple today to offer incense to their relatives who died in battle. She wanted to take Adi (younger brother) with her. Adi (younger brother) was the Heir Apparent and would inherit his father's title in the future, so he should go.

Er Niang, who had always been reluctant to let the two children go out, agreed after hearing this.

After all, no matter what, she had no reason and could not stop the Prince's manor's Heir Apparent from gathering the hearts of the people.

In order to help him gather the hearts of the people, his older sister accompanied him and stood for most of the day.

In fact, Zheng Lin had no attachment to the throne or anything like that.

He had also told Uncle Bei about his inner thoughts.

Then, Uncle Bei used his mind power to overturn him more than twenty times, and then used his mental power to shock his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose until they overflowed with blood.

Finally,

Uncle Bei approached his face and said to him kindly:

You will be very strong, you will definitely be very strong in the future, but can you be stronger than thousands of troops?

Although Zheng Lin was still unconvinced in his heart, he didn't dare to say that he didn't care about the throne.

In the eyes of outsiders, and even in the eyes of his older sister, Er Niang, and San Niang, the teachers in the Prince's manor were "particularly fond" of him.

But this kind of "love" was really not something that ordinary people could bear.

However, Zheng Lin had never hated or complained about them. After being tortured, beaten, and taught, he could still eat and drink with them while spitting blood and drinking wine.

The uncles had said that he and they were the same kind of people, and he also thought so.

The old monk Kong Yuan brought soup, saying it was tofu soup.

The soup was very delicious, and the tofu was very tender, but there were not many pieces, and there was a little more fish as a side dish.

After eating and drinking his fill,

Zheng Lin wanted to ask his older sister if she wanted to go home. After all, Grandpa was still waiting outside the temple.

But Da Niu seemed to be in high spirits, saying that she couldn't make paper figures today, but she could still play with them.

Paper figures were toys for the two children. What the common people called making paper figures was to make paper figures, but the two children really used them to stab.

From the time their parents took them to the temple when they were very young, they had a... inexplicable sense of disgust for the moving paper figure.

Later, every time they had the opportunity to enter the Gourd Temple, they would use it for fun.

This can't really be called cruel, it can only be said that good is rewarded with good, and evil is rewarded with evil. It's a cycle of cause and effect.

After all, the Taoist priest took advantage of their impending birth to enter Fengxin City and try to do something back then. Now they were just repaying the debt.

But today,

The paper figure had changed its body. It looked like a very delicate and expensive model. The Gourd Temple itself had taken in many disabled soldiers to do odd jobs, and in their spare time, they would also make and sell gold ingot paper figures and the like.

But the real good ones were made by the funeral shops in Fengxin City.

This body of the paper figure was very spirited. It was the image of an official, and it was sitting in a chair in a lifelike manner.

"The Chu Kingdom has been defeated. Unless your father suddenly decides to rebel against Yan, the power of the Yan Kingdom has already been achieved."

The two children picked up a stone and a small wooden stick and didn't react to what the paper figure said.

Every time they came to stab paper figures, this paper figure always liked to scream while saying some dubious things. They were already used to it.

Seeing that his opening remarks couldn't stop the rhythm of the two children,

The paper figure panicked.

He hurriedly said:

"I know those animals. They think they have窥觑了天机 (peeked at the heavenly secrets). Now that the general trend is like this, they probably don't have the courage to stand in front to stop this general trend, but they will probably do some despicable things!

For example,

You!

For example, your older sister!"

Zheng Lin reached out and stopped his sister.

The paper figure's body swelled up and then shriveled, as if it had breathed a sigh of relief.

"There is a group of people who live in the shadows but call themselves the light and uphold the will of Heaven. They can't do anything to your father. Your father now has Wangqi (kingly aura) blessing him. Even ordinary monarchs don't have as deep an aura as your father.

Just like the Tibetan Fuzi back then, he couldn't attack the Emperor, but he could...

So, you may become their target."

Zheng Lin smiled,

Saying:

"We are very safe."

"Not necessarily."

"Aren't you an example?" Da Niu asked back.

"They have many of me."

Da Niu said in surprise: "So, we'll have many paper figures to play with in the future?"

"..." The paper figure.

The two children didn't feel anything about this warning.

They had known since they were young that they were very noble, and they also knew since they were young that they were very dangerous, but at the same time, they had also been stronger than their peers and even ordinary people since they were young.

The protection they received was enough to make them feel at ease.

"I foresee that they will attack you." The paper figure almost "roared."

"Then I won't run away from home," Da Niu said.

"Do you want to hide for the rest of your lives!"

"Father won't let them hide for the rest of their lives," Da Niu said firmly.

"I can protect you," the paper figure said.

Da Niu smiled,

Zheng Lin smiled,

Even the monk Liaofan, who was standing behind them, couldn't help but smile along with them.

"I really can!" The paper figure felt insulted.

Then, it seemed to have deflated a little,

Whispering:

"I can help your father find them."

"Crash!"

A large hole was smashed in the paper figure.

The next moment,

Another paper figure lying next to it suddenly moved. Obviously, the Taoist priest had changed his body again, and he shouted angrily:

"What are you doing! What are you doing!"

Zheng Lin tilted his head,

Looking at the new paper figure,

Saying:

"If they are found out in advance, wouldn't that be boring?"

"I can promise you."

At this time, a woman's voice came.

Da Niu turned her head to look and immediately showed a smiling face and ran over, shouting:

"Da Niang (First Mother), I miss you so much."

"Good girl."

Si Niang (Fourth Mother) picked up Da Niu and reached out to pinch Da Niu's cheeks.

"Da Niang (First Mother), you're back, where's Father?"

"Your father is still on the front line. I came back first to hand over some matters and ask your mother if she wants to go back to her mother's house to take a look."

"Um, really? My mother said that the road back home used to be difficult to travel."

"The road has been repaired now," Si Niang (Fourth Mother) said.

At this time, Zheng Lin, who was standing there, also tried to stand a little straighter, trying to imitate Da Niu on his face, showing a happy smile,

Saying:

"Mother, you're back."

Si Niang (Fourth Mother) hugged Da Niu and walked to her son.

"Bang!"

Her son was kicked away and smashed against the well.

"If they are found out in advance, wouldn't that be boring?"

Si Niang (Fourth Mother) walked forward again,

Zheng Lin subconsciously straightened his body, wanting to escape, but a string of silk threads was released from his mother's hand, tying his ankle and dragging him back.

"Bang!"

His mother stepped on his face,

Looking down, she spat and scolded:

"Do you know how much you sound like a villain with too much exposition?

Do you know how they died?

Just like you,

Dying stupidly!

I worked so hard to give birth to you,

I would rather you drown in the well now than watch you die stupidly!"

"Da Niang (First Mother), younger brother knows he was wrong," Da Niu pleaded.

"Buzz!"

The silk thread yanked,

Lifting Zheng Lin up and suspending him in front of Si Niang (Fourth Mother).

"Mother..."

"Do you know you were wrong?"

"I didn't..."

"Slap!"

Si Niang (Fourth Mother) held Da Niu in her right hand, and slapped her son's face with her left hand, directly causing blood to come out of the corner of her son's mouth.

This was not corporal punishment, and it could not be considered domestic violence...

After all, ordinary people's children were very delicate, but the Zheng family's children could tear apart cheetahs as soon as they could walk.

Da Niu understood and immediately said:

"Da Niang (First Mother), younger brother is imitating Father. Father also likes to say these kinds of opportune words. Younger brother is imitating Father."

When Zheng Lin heard this explanation,

He immediately became anxious,

Saying:

"I'm not."

"Slap!"

"He doesn't even deserve for me to..."

"Slap!"

"I was wrong."

"Slap!"

"..." Zheng Lin.

Poor child, both sides of his face were covered with palm prints.

Da Niu closed her eyes. Although this was a common scene in the family over the years, she still couldn't bear to watch.

Moreover, Da Niu felt that Da Niang (First Mother), who had just come down from the battlefield, seemed to have hit a little harder than usual this time.

This last slap seemed a bit undeserved.

But in fact...

"You've become more capable. I almost got fooled and didn't notice. You little brat actually took advantage of us all going to the front line to erode the seal on your body?"

A look of horror immediately appeared on Zheng Lin's face. He knew that what had happened earlier was just a daily familial interaction game between mother and son.

But after this matter was discovered, it was very likely that it would really...

"Mother, the seal loosened by itself. I just advanced to one rank and it loosened."

"Bang!"

Zheng Lin was overturned to the ground, facing down, extremely miserable.

Si Niang (Fourth Mother) turned her head to look at the paper figure, saying;

"I let you linger on until today and only then did I realize that you actually have a little use. If you do the next thing well, we'll find a way to reshape your body. If you don't do it well, you'll disappear completely."

"Understood, understood," the paper figure immediately agreed.

Then,

Si Niang (Fourth Mother) carried Da Niu and walked in front,

Behind her, silk threads dragged her son along the ground,

When passing through the temple threshold, her son would be flipped over;

When they reached the door and saw Shatuo Queshi, who was standing there in a black robe, Si Niang (Fourth Mother)'s tone softened a little,

Saying:

"You're lonely living alone. Starting today, this kid will live in the same room with you, just to relieve your boredom, until his father and his uncles come back from the front line."

Shatuo Queshi reached out,

A mass of aura condensed, and Zheng Lin on the ground was pulled up, grabbed in his hand, and then thrown onto his shoulder.

Then, he turned around and walked towards the city gate.

Entering the city,

Entering the Prince's manor,

Then to the backyard,

Then into the underground secret room.

Shatuo Queshi placed Zheng Lin on the coffin,

Zheng Lin, who was already bruised and swollen, actually sat up at this time, which showed that his physique was indeed strong.

"Grandpa, don't worry, I'm very loyal. I will never tell my mother and the others that you used evil energy to help me erode the seal.

But you also heard that my mother has already discovered it. When Uncle A Ming and Uncle Bei come back, they will reinforce the seal for me again.

Please try harder tonight and completely erode the seal for me, so I can take advantage of them not coming back to..."

Shatuo Queshi reached out behind him,

"Rumble!"

The large iron door of the secret room crashed down, and under the traction of the Qi energy, it was locked from the outside.

"Heh heh..."

A hoarse sound came from Shatuo Queshi's throat.

Obviously, it was okay for Grandpa to love his grandson and help him erode the seal to give his grandson more freedom to play.

But judging from what the paper figure said and Si Niang (Fourth Mother)'s reaction, the nature of the matter was suddenly different.

The large iron door fell, isolating everything inside and outside;

Unless someone opened it from the outside with great force, Zheng Lin's strength could not open it from the inside. Even Shatuo Queshi himself could not open it, because he lived here, but at the very bottom, there was a guy being suppressed.

Zheng Lin sighed,

Knowing that Grandpa would not help him,

But he still asked with concern:

"Grandpa, how much tribute do you have left here?"

"Uh..."

Shatuo Queshi's figure froze for a moment. He realized that he seemed to have forgotten something very important.

Because Zheng Fan and Tiantian used to come to offer tribute and talk to him, but now this father and son were both on the front line, and his place was the forbidden area of the Prince's manor, so no one had come to offer tribute to him for a long time.

Realizing that something seemed wrong, His Highness the Heir Apparent immediately rolled over and got off the coffin,

From a large pile of candles and incense burners,

He found a plate of dried tea that had turned black.

"Grandpa, what do I eat?"