Chapter 19: You Like

No one answered, but Shu Yu did not mind, remarking with a sigh, "There are more people on the streets today than ever before!"

"Because tomorrow is Qingming," Nan Xueyin replied.

Xiao Youlan looked sideways, "Tomorrow is Qingming, so it's already this lively today?"

Nan Xueyin nodded: "Because some families go out for spring outings and ancestor worship early to prevent too much congestion from everyone going out on the same day."

Such matters, precious as the Crown Prince and young masters of noble families are, naturally they would not know.

Shu Yu was very curious: "How do you know?"

Nan Xueyin thought to herself that because killing people also requires choosing the right day, she smiled lightly on the surface: "I come from the countryside, so naturally I know."

Shu Yu suddenly understood.

"Move! Everyone move!"

At this moment, a burst of noise suddenly came from ahead.

Hooves struck the ground with a clattering sound, and a sturdy date-red horse came charging wildly down the long street; the youth on its back wore an unrestrained and arrogant smile, issuing a startling threat.

"Those who don't move, if you get trampled or killed, this young master won't be held responsible!"

Shu Yu only took one look before frowning and saying to Xiao Youlan, "It's that one from the Yan Family."

Nan Xueyin roughly knew who it was; one of the noble families of Fengdu, the Yan Family, had a young master who had been raised with excessive doting, Yan Xunhuai.

Because he was a son born in his father's old age and an only son at that, he was indulged and spoiled in daily life, and he gradually developed an arrogant and willful temperament.

Xiao Youlan signaled: "Stop him, don't let him hurt the commoners."

"Yes!"

The usually slacker-like Shu Yu put on a serious expression, unexpectedly appearing somewhat heroic and fierce.

"Watch out for the child!"

With a cry of alarm, everyone saw a child standing by the side of the street; the child did not know what was happening and could not react in time to what to do.

The date-red horse closed in, and it looked as though the hooves were about to step on the child's head.

Shu Yu approached rapidly, scooped up the child, and rolled on the ground, avoiding the trampling of the hooves.

The child was terrified and wailed loudly; Shu Yu handed him over to an adult woman to look after for the moment, took a few large strides forward, grabbed the reins, and shouted sternly: "Stop!"

The date-red horse was reined to a halt, rearing its front hooves and neighing.

The commoners were frightened; those in front retreated one after another, while those in the back did not realize what was happening, becoming panicked and confused for a moment, colliding into a mass.

Nan Xueyin and Xiao Youlan were separated by the crowd.

Although Xiao Youlan knew some horsemanship and archery and was not frail, he had always been protected extremely well by palace servants and personal guards, and this was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

There were innocent commoners everywhere who were unaware of the situation, and the personal guards in the shadows could not rush up rashly.

Xiao Youlan was carried along by the flow of people.

"A cart is coming!"

Someone in the crowd issued a warning; Xiao Youlan looked over to see a donkey cart that had somehow snapped its rope, losing its restraint, and the entire carriage was rolling down from the slope, faster and faster, directly toward his direction, and he could no longer dodge it.

Suddenly, he heard a clear, cold voice: "Your Highness."

She did not know where she had come from, her figure like the wind, agile as a swimming dragon, pushing aside the men and women who were huddled together in confusion one by one to clear a spacious area for him, then she grasped his wrist, gently pulling him behind her, while her other hand reached out to brace against the carriage.

This cart was fully loaded with goods and weighed ten thousand jun, yet she caught it with ease; a shallow handprint sank into the wooden railing of the carriage.

Xiao Youlan was stunned for a moment, his gaze landing on her, feeling only as if he were looking at a drawn silver sword, cleaving through the misty fog and the blood-stained wind, flashing with a sharp edge amidst the interplay of light and shadow.

This did not seem to be her, yet it was precisely her.

In short, it was a look he had never seen in his twenty-some years, making his heart tremble uncontrollably.

Xiao Youlan stared at her without blinking, emotions surging in his dark eyes, as if he could hear the sound of his own heartbeat.

Nan Xueyin, on the other hand, only felt regret after the fact once she had finished doing all this.

Protecting the Crown Prince was an instinctive action; thinking about it carefully, it was very easy to invite suspicion.

"My cart! This is the only cart my family has for hauling goods!!"

The owner of the donkey cart had just been knocked to the ground, and the cart had also lost control.

At this moment, he scrambled up from the ground, not caring about his scraped palms and knees, crying without even having tears.

"Young Master."

Shu Yu had dragged Yan Xunhuai over.

Yan Xunhuai was being dragged and pulled by him, stumbling and shouting in pain: "Brother Shu, take it easy! Take it easy! It's not like anything major happened! They didn't dodge themselves, who can you blame!"

Shu Yu kicked him: "Shut your mouth!"

Yan Xunhuai was kicked until he fell to his knees with a thud, and looking up, he saw Xiao Youlan's face.

He was startled at first, as if unable to believe it, rubbing his eyes to confirm that this was indeed the precious Crown Prince, and his complexion changed instantly.

Offending others was one thing, his father could smooth it over for him, but this was the Crown Prince, the future Emperor; if his father found out, he would surely beat him to death!

Yan Xunhuai looked at the Crown Prince's soiled and crumpled robes, his face turning ashen: "I... I know I was wrong!"

Everyone looked over.

This young master of the Yan Family was arrogant and domineering, who didn't know that? Yet here he was kneeling and admitting his mistake; who on earth was this person?

Xiao Youlan also understood this point; he could not stay in this place any longer.

He said in a deep voice: "All losses today shall be borne by you alone."

Yan Xunhuai nodded like a chicken pecking at rice, "Understood! Understood! As for the frightened child, I will give his family silver, and whatever else is broken, I will pay for it all!"

Xiao Youlan nodded slightly and gave Shu Yu a look.

Shu Yu understood, patted the back of Yan Xunhuai's head, and scolded: "You useless little beast, if you dare to do this again, I'll have your father lock you in the courtyard!"

Yan Xunhuai was also terrified, crying and saying: "That fierce horse, I'll have it slaughtered when I get back! I won't dare to do this again in the future!"

Shu Yu ignored him and came over to clear a path for Xiao Youlan.

The three of them went to buy pastries.

"Which kind is the most delicious?"

Nan Xueyin was somewhat absent-minded; hearing Xiao Youlan's question, she was half a beat slow before replying, "Almond Crisp."

Xiao Youlan gave an "en" sound and said to the shop assistant, "One bag of each kind, and two bags of Almond Crisp."

The shop assistant beamed with joy and went to wrap the pastries.

Nan Xueyin was puzzled: "Why is Young Master buying so many?"

Xiao Youlan said calmly, "You like them."

Nan Xueyin was stunned for a moment: "But... I can't eat that many."

Isn't this just sending silver to Xiao Mingyu?

Xiao Youlan remained composed, "I will eat them too."

Nan Xueyin was somewhat confused.

Shu Yu leaned in with a grin: "I'll eat them too! The three of us will eat them together!"

Xiao Youlan swept a cool glance at him, and the urge to gag him grew a bit more intense.

The pastries were wrapped and carried by the shop assistant to the carriage outside.

Shu Yu found an opportunity at this moment to ask Nan Xueyin: "Are you really that amazing? You even stopped that carriage with your bare hands."

Nan Xueyin glanced at Xiao Youlan; he must also want to know this.

She explained: "My lord may not know, but I come from a humble background and was not doted upon; my father and brother always forced me to do farm work. After doing that work so much, my strength became a bit greater than that of ordinary women."

Shu Yu was half-believing and half-doubting: "I heard them say, that father and brother of yours..."

"You go help carry the pastries too."

Xiao Youlan suddenly spoke up to interrupt.

Nan Xueyin replied "Alright" and started to walk away.

Xiao Youlan:?

Xiao Youlan: "I wasn't talking to you. Come back."

Shu Yu realized belatedly and pointed at himself, "Me?"

Xiao Youlan glanced at him: "Otherwise, should I go?"

Shu Yu laughed out loud; the Crown Prince just loves to joke, and he lifted his legs and left.

Xiao Youlan's gaze fell upon Nan Xueyin, its meaning unclear; after a long while, he said, "Your hand."

Nan Xueyin's face showed confusion.

"You stopped that carriage, were you not injured?"

Nan Xueyin paused for a moment.

Naturally, she had been injured at the time, but her constitution was special, and it had long since healed on its own.