Chapter 942 The Arrival of the Prince

The next day at noon, the sun was shining brightly.

Long Yuan was placed horizontally on two stones, with Da Niu sitting on him.

Her small hands touched her stomach, conveying a clear message:

This princess is hungry again.

Zheng Lin, his face still bruised, lay sprawled nearby.

With his elder brother here, the two of them, or rather, he, could finally rest.

During the morning's journey, Tian Tian casually caught two wild rabbits. After skinning and cleaning them by the stream, he set up a grill and skewered them for roasting.

While cleaning the rabbits, he also caught two fish from the stream and boiled them in a pot for fish soup.

For the staple food, they had fried noodles, which were standard rations for the J晋东 army soldiers. To make them more flavorful, Tian Tian turned the fried noodles into a paste and stuck it to the edge of the iron pot, making a flatbread.

They had all the necessary seasonings.

Plus, Tian Tian was truly skilled in the kitchen, making everything taste delicious.

"Alright, time to eat."

"Yay!"

Da Niu immediately got up and came over. Zheng Lin burped; the sweetness of the Sachima was still stuck in his throat, so he wasn't really hungry.

But facing this elder brother, he didn't dare act too presumptuously.

In reality, the children in the Prince's Residence were mostly left to their own devices. They understood the rules but didn't pay too much attention to them, mainly because their father had always been a very easygoing person.

But Zheng Lin knew that his elder brother always adhered to the principle of doing what he was supposed to do at the right time: eating when it was time to eat, sleeping when it was time to sleep, doing schoolwork when it was time for schoolwork, and practicing his saber when it was time to practice his saber.

"Brother, I'll just have some fish soup. Elder Sister, you eat more."

"Okay," Da Niu replied.

Since running away from home, this was the best meal Da Niu had eaten, and her appetite was indeed astonishing.

This wasn't surprising. A Spirit Child who could gain strength beyond that of ordinary people in their youth would inevitably need to absorb more nutrients.

However,

During the meal,

Da Niu sat in front of the pot, eating heartily.

Tian Tian and Zheng Lin, on the other hand, were squatting, each facing a different direction, with their backs to each other.

"Brother, how's it going in the army?" Zheng Lin asked while drinking his soup.

"It's good," Tian Tian replied. "I'm learning a lot by following Commander Gou."

Da Niu said, "Mother says Uncle Gou's greatest skill is knowing how to treat people."

Although Gou Mo Li had been stationed in Fan City for many years, he had returned to Feng Xin City several times. Each time, he would take the initiative to play with the children. As a senior commander under the Prince, he had even let Da Niu ride on his back like a horse.

This wasn't demeaning himself or anything; Gou Mo Li genuinely liked Da Niu. Perhaps, he saw a shadow of the late Princess in her.

Not in a lewd way.

He remembered being struck in the face with a whip by the Little Princess when he was at the Zhenbei Marquis's Residence, leaving a scar. At that time, she was high above, while he was just dust on the roadside.

Now, he could play with the Little Princess, and she would smile at him, offer him food and drink after riding him for a while, and call him "Uncle Gou."

Gou Mo Li felt truly at ease.

The former Barbarian King had acted like a grandson to everyone in order to rise to power, always referring to himself as a lackey or a little dog, seemingly an extremely "mercenary" person. But deep down, he had rich and delicate emotions.

"Brother, is there fighting here?" Zheng Lin asked.

"Just small skirmishes. Compared to when I followed Father on expeditions in the past, it's nothing worth mentioning."

Tian Tian had been held by Zheng Fan during those campaigns.

Zheng Lin curled his lips. He actually wanted to experience something like that himself, but whenever anything involved asking his biological father as a "son," he always felt a bit awkward.

At this moment, Da Niu, gnawing on a rabbit head, said:

"Little Brother, when we see Father, I'll help you ask him to take you to the battlefield too."

At times, the elder sister still acted like an elder sister.

Tian Tian smiled. "Little Brother can start as a personal guard for Father."

"What do personal guards do?" Zheng Lin asked curiously.

Tian Tian pointed to the iron pot in front of him.

"Make this, and make it delicious."

"..." Zheng Lin.

"Actually, you can learn a lot by staying by Father's side in the central command tent. Brother Xianba also served as a personal guard in Father's command tent for several years."

Chen Xianba, the current vanguard general of Zhennan Pass, commanded three thousand elite cavalry. In name, he was responsible for clearing out the Chu's tentacles and dealing with the Chu's scouts, but in reality, he often boldly led his troops across the Wei River to raid the other side.

"By the way, Da Niu, I haven't asked yet, why did you want to leave home?"

Da Niu blinked, seemingly deciding whether to say she missed "Uncle Da" or "Uncle Gou."

Zheng Lin, as the younger brother, spoke directly:

"Elder Sister missed you, Brother."

Da Niu immediately blushed, instinctively wanting to pinch her younger brother's soft flesh, but Brother Tian was right in front of her, so she was embarrassed.

"Is that so? Brother missed you too," Tian Tian replied. "After we eat, we'll continue onward this afternoon. There's a ferry ahead. Do you want to continue to Fan City or go straight back?"

"I..." Da Niu looked at her younger brother. Say something!

Zheng Lin sighed helplessly and said, "Go to Fan City."

"Okay."

At this time, Da Niu again "considered the big picture" and said, "If we don't go back soon, will Father worry?"

Zheng Lin really wanted to say:

Did you think Brother Tian came all the way to this forest to take a stroll without even riding a Pixiu?

"It's alright. Your father and mothers are relieved when you're with me."

"Okay!"

"Da Niu, you eat this rabbit leg too."

"Okay, thank you, Brother Tian."

The three finished their lunch and continued south along the riverbank. At dusk, they arrived at the ferry wharf. With Tian Tian's arrangements, the three boarded a ship heading south to Fan City and arrived at the Fan City wharf several days later.

On the deck, Tian Tian led the two children, preparing to disembark.

Just then,

A voice called out from the wharf ahead:

"Yo, yo, yo, let Gou Zi see who's here, who's here. Ah ha, it's our most beautiful, most adorable, and most gentle Little Princess!"

"Uncle Gou!"

Da Niu ran towards Gou Mo Li.

Gou Mo Li stepped forward and picked up Da Niu, spinning her around twice.

"Aiyo, I've missed you so much, Uncle! Did you like the toy Uncle sent you last time?"

"Yes!"

"That's good, that's good."

Gou Mo Li put Da Niu down.

Then,

He carefully straightened his clothes and knelt down to Zheng Lin:

"This humble general kowtows to the Heir Apparent. Long live the Heir Apparent!"

"Get up, Uncle Gou."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

Immediately afterward,

Gou Mo Li prepared to greet Da Niu.

Da Niu pulled on Gou Mo Li's clothes and said, "Uncle Gou, I'm hungry."

"Alright, alright! The food has been prepared long ago. I personally chose the menu, guaranteeing our Princess will be satisfied."

"Uncle Gou, I want to ride horsey."

"Come, come!"

Gou Mo Li squatted down, Da Niu climbed onto Gou Mo Li's back, and Gou Mo Li carried Da Niu towards the city gate.

"Uncle Gou, I missed you."

"Uncle missed you too, hehe."

Tian Tian followed behind with Zheng Lin. There were many knights around the wharf, but they didn't leave just because they disembarked.

Zheng Lin turned his head to look at the waterway they had come from, saying nothing.

"Brother, it's so prosperous here," Zheng Lin said.

"It's still much worse than Feng Xin City."

"Feng Xin City is too cramped," Zheng Lin said.

Tian Tian smiled without saying a word. Feng Xin City was now the largest city in Jin.

His younger brother was just tired of staying in the city.

"Little Brother, when you get older, I'll suggest to Father that you follow me in the army for training."

"I'm already grown up."

"You're still young."

The group entered the city and arrived at Gou Mo Li's Grand Marshal's Residence.

Gou Mo Li prepared a lavish welcome banquet, and Da Niu ate very happily.

After the meal, Gou Mo Li instructed the maids to come in and take the children to wash up and rest.

"Little Brother, I'm so full,"

Da Niu said as she walked ahead.

"Mm."

"Little Brother, why are you so absent-minded?" Da Niu asked curiously.

"Elder Sister, are you going to take a bath now?"

"Yes, I haven't bathed in days. If I were at home, Mother would definitely scold me."

"Then go ahead, Elder Sister."

"Okay!"

Da Niu entered her room and said to the maid beside her:

"Serve me while I bathe. I want to be all fragrant when I see Father later."

...

Zheng Lin was led by a maid into his room.

"Your Highness, we..."

"You may leave. I want to be alone. I don't need any service."

"But Your Highness..."

Zheng Lin raised his head and said coldly:

"Get out."

"This humble servant takes her leave!"

"This humble servant takes her leave!"

The maids immediately left the room.

Zheng Lin didn't rush to take a bath. Instead, he lay down on the bed first.

After lying down for a while, he got up again, pushed open the back window, and silently observed his surroundings.

Then, he climbed out the window and very nimbly climbed onto the roof.

Elder Sister had been safely delivered here.

Now,

It was time for him to truly run away from home.

Yes,

If Da Niu's running away from home was just out of a child's most innocent naughtiness, then Zheng Lin, the Heir Apparent of the Prince's Residence, running away from home was a kind of...whim.

But this whim also had its inevitability.

"Uncle Gou and Brother Tian should be at the wharf to welcome Father. Master should also be by Father's side. Leaving at this time is the most appropriate."

Zheng Lin's movements were very agile. In fact, the Grand Marshal's Residence was heavily guarded, but this defense had a major problem: it could very effectively prevent outsiders from entering, but when people inside wanted to get out, it became a blind spot.

In addition, Zheng Lin's movements were inherited from Xue San, who was a true master of concealment.

"Plop!"

Finally,

After avoiding a series of patrolling guards, Zheng Lin jumped down the outer wall of the Grand Marshal's Residence. He then immediately entered the nearby houses, and when he came out, he had already changed his clothes and even done some "disguise."

"Mother's disguise cream is really useful. No wonder Father wants to learn it too."

Zheng Lin knew that his father was a very vain person.

So he often had his mother disguise herself at night so that he could learn from her.

After coming out,

Zheng Lin's gaze became slightly dazed, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly. He looked no different from the Chu refugee children on the road.

Not daring to delay any longer, Zheng Lin immediately hitched a ride on a convoy transporting supplies to the military camp outside the city. Relying on his small size and nimble hands, he lay under the carriage, avoiding the search and leaving the city!

After leaving the city, Zheng Lin broke away from the convoy and began to run frantically.

He knew that once they discovered he was missing, they would definitely mobilize a large number of people to search for him.

Now,

He should be safe.

Unless... the person accompanying Father this time was Third Father.

"Ah-choo!"

A very familiar sneeze came from behind.

Zheng Lin opened his mouth, feeling a little helpless, but he had to turn around.

"Third Father, Father is really too unkind. You're already so busy, but he still made you come with him."

Xue San shook the scissors in his hand,

While trimming his nose hair, he said:

"Isn't that nonsense? Da Niu's fine, but the problem is you, you little monkey. If your godfather didn't come, who knows where you'd run off to?"

"Hehe, I knew Godfather was coming, so I wanted to show you the skills I learned from you. How is it? Did I embarrass you?"

"I've been tailing you all the way. How dare you say that?"

"I'm definitely not as good as Godfather now."

"That's right, so you shouldn't be anxious. You're still young."

"I'm not young anymore."

"Come on, let's compare!"

Third Master spread his legs and swayed his hips.

"..." Zheng Lin.

"You haven't even grown any hair yet, and you dare to talk to your godfather about comparing sizes?"

"Even if my hair grows out, I probably won't be able to compare to you, Godfather..."

"Alright, alright, enough nonsense. You've played enough, you've made enough trouble, come back with me."

"Godfather, can't you just turn a blind eye? Let me wander around by myself. When I'm done wandering, I'll come back?"

"What do you think?"

"Godfather has always been the most doting on me."

"Lin, you don't understand. The outside world is very dangerous."

"Godfather, you should say that to Elder Sister."

"Sigh."

Xue San rubbed his hands, took out two daggers, and sharpened them:

"Godfather will ask you one more time. Are you going back with me or not? You can say no, and then Godfather will sever your tendons and carry you back.

Anyway, you have a good body, and your mother can sew you back up. Then, have your Ming Father replenish your blood. It's no big deal."

Zheng Lin raised his hand.

He knew that

Third Master could do it.

All the godfathers doted on him very much. He was very clear about this.

They treated him differently from how they treated Elder Sister.

But the godfathers weren't all kind fathers...

In comparison, his biological father, who liked to beat him sometimes, was the most tolerant. And the methods of punishment and the cruelty of the process when the godfathers taught him skills were unheard of.

Xue San walked up to Zheng Lin, reached out, and touched his head:

"In the blink of an eye, our Lin is as tall as me. Sigh, time waits for no one."

Zheng Lin smiled,

And patted his shoulder.

"Hehe."

Xue San climbed onto Zheng Lin's back.

Zheng Lin reached out and supported Xue San's legs, carrying him back.

"Lin, don't blame your godfather. It's not the right time for you yet. With your speed of progress, after a few more years, there's nowhere in the world you can't go.

If something unexpected happens to you now,

Your biological father and your biological mother would be fine,

They should be able to think it through."

"..." Zheng Lin.

"But we can't think it through. The few of us are all counting on you."

"I know, Godfather."

"Be good. When you get older, we can all come and travel the world with you, just like we did with your father back then.

Well, accompanying you should be much more interesting than accompanying your father."

"Godfather, I've always been curious. Godfathers are obviously so powerful, why did you all follow my father...this person?"

"Lin, I know you've always looked down on your father a little. But just as there would be no you without your father, similarly, there would be no us without your father."

Zheng Lin smiled. "Can that be compared?"

Xue San nodded very seriously:

"It can be compared."

Zheng Lin carried Xue San and continued walking.

"Also, I can understand why you look down on your father. In fact, we were the same at first. Your father is a person who has a lot of things going on and is also pretentious. No matter how you look at him, he's not pleasing to the eye and always makes you want to use..."

"An axe."

"Yes, an axe...huh?"

Xue San gave Zheng Lin, who was carrying him on his back, a chestnut on the back of his head:

"You brat, is that something you can say?"

"Ouch..."

"Do you know how much suffering your Father Li had to endure for that sentence?

But your father is still a charismatic person.

The few of us initially followed your father out of necessity. There was a debt of gratitude, and...in short, we had to follow him.

But your father was able to get to where he is today. We helped, yes, but we only helped about half the way. The other half of the foundation was actually earned by your father himself. Without your father, we wouldn't have been able to go so smoothly.

Also,

Don't blame your father for liking Da Niu and not liking you since you were little. You should be a little sweeter too. You should say some nice things to him too. Tian Tian was so well-behaved and sensible when he was a child. You're just making it yourself."

"You want me to lick up to my father?" Zheng Lin shook his head. "I can't do it. Only a despicable person would do something like that."

"Kid! Give me your tendons!!!"

After a series of scuffles,

Zheng Lin had to beg for mercy and carried Xue San up again.

"Godfather, when will the seal on my forehead be removed?"

"Heh, it's still early. Now that you have this seal, you still get sick from time to time. If it's gone, would you say you're a human or a demon?"

"I don't think being a demon is bad."

"Godfather thinks so too."

"I also think it sounds better to be called Mo Lin than Zheng Lin."

"Godfather thinks so too."

"So..."

"But, Lin, a real demon isn't a mindless madman. That's a beast.

A demon isn't a stupid creature that loses control of its power and goes berserk. The true meaning of a demon is freedom."

"I was going to pursue freedom, but I was stopped by you, Godfather..."

Xue San suddenly pinched a dragonfly that had just flown by,

With a "snap,"

He crushed it to death,

And asked:

"Is it free?"

He paused,

And asked again:

"Is it free?"

...

The large ship docked.

The deck was already covered with carpets. A group of Jinyi (Brocade-clad) guards disembarked from the ship in orderly rows, looking solemn.

Then,

A figure in a white python robe stood on the carpet.

Immediately,

Gou Mo Li, the Grand Marshal of Fan City who had been waiting, and his generals, as well as the surrounding guards, all knelt down in unison, shouting:

"Welcome, Prince!"

----

My wife just had appendectomy surgery, so coding has been delayed, but the issue is not serious. I'm simply informing everyone.

Also, the extra chapter "Tian Wu Jing" has been published. Everyone can see it by clicking on the chapter list, but it seems like you need to have the full order. Well... then full order it. Thank you everyone for your support. Hugs to everyone!