Chapter 415

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Protagonist:

Yan Qianqian

Upon hearing there was good food, Xiao Jing'er immediately clapped her hands happily and cheered, "Auntie is the best!"

It was getting late, so Qianqian and Yan Jie didn't linger any longer. They vaulted onto their horses, tightened the reins, then squeezed their heels hard into the horses' flanks. The two horses bolted like arrows loosed from a bow, leaving only a string of hoofbeats echoing through the air.

Shangguan Xingyu held Xiao Jing'er and stood in place, quietly watching them grow distant until they vanished at the edge of her sight.

"Princess Consort, the Young Miss and the Young Master have already left," Chunxi hurried up to An Wangfei and reported softly. An Wangfei gave a slight nod and answered, but then fell silent for a long while, and the whole room instantly sank into a stifling silence.

Just then, a clear, childish shout suddenly came from outside the door: "Grandmother! Grandmother!"

The sound was like the first birdcall of spring, shattering the stillness inside. Hearing it, An Wangfei reacted as if shocked by electricity, springing to her feet and striding quickly toward the doorway.

She saw a tiny figure toddling on unsteady little legs, stumbling as he ran toward An Wangfei. It was Yan Jingxi. His face beamed with an innocent smile, and a pair of large eyes sparkled like two black gems.

Seeing this, tenderness welled up in An Wangfei's heart. She hurried forward to meet him, calling out repeatedly, "Slow down, don't fall!"

Shangguan Xingyu stood to one side, silently watching the scene. She knew An Wangfei had always doted on Qianqian and Yan Jie, surely keeping track of their every move at all times.

Only, she herself dared not come out to see them off, because she feared she wouldn't be able to hold back her tears. So, after An Wangfei and Yan Jingxi left, she immediately brought Xiao Jing'er to the Princess Consort's courtyard.

Sure enough, the moment An Wangfei saw Xiao Jing'er, she was instantly captivated by his adorable appearance.

Xiao Jingxi was like a lively little rabbit, burrowing and wriggling nonstop in An Wangfei's arms, while saying the most irresistibly cute things that made one laugh despite oneself.

An Wangfei was amused into hearty laughter, and that trace of displeasure from before vanished in an instant.

Meanwhile, on the other side, Qianqian rode hard all the way. She galloped for half a day before realizing her younger brother was missing!

So, frantic with worry, she urgently whipped her steed and raced back like an arrow loosed from a bow. Hoofbeats thundered to the heavens, as if to shatter the earth.

However, after a good long while, she only caught sight of Yan Jie's figure in the distance. She saw Yan Jie panting like an ox, his face flushed red, clearly having run flat out the whole way.

The moment he saw Qianqian, Yan Jie acted as if he'd seen a savior, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Sister, slow down! I can barely keep up!"

Hearing this, Qianqian's face showed an apologetic smile, and she hurriedly said, "Aiya, I forgot you!"

Yan Jie was exhausted and gasping. He rolled his eyes and complained, "Sister, I nearly died chasing you!"

Seeing this, Qianqian quickly reined in her horse to a stop, then rode abreast with Yan Jie, soothing him, "Alright, alright. Ride slowly, don't rush."

Only then did Yan Jie let out a breath of relief, gradually slowing his pace, gulping down great lungfuls of air.

Once his breathing had steadied somewhat, Yan Jie finally asked, "Sister, where exactly are we going?"

Qianqian glared at him in annoyance and chided, "What are you shouting for?"

Yan Jie immediately realized his lapse and hastily corrected himself, "Eldest Brother, where are we headed?"

Only then did Qianqian nod in satisfaction and answer, "To Xishang Kingdom."

Hearing this, Yan Jie asked curiously, "What are we going to Xishang Kingdom for?"

The corner of Qianqian's mouth curled up, revealing a crafty smile, and she replied, "To go stir up trouble in Xishang Kingdom!"

At this, Yan Jie's eyes instantly lit up, and he said excitedly, "Great, great!"

Just like that, the two of them rode off toward Xishang Kingdom, chatting and laughing all the way.

And when night was about to fall, they happened to pass by an inn.

The two each took a superior room, and after eating their fill they went to rest contentedly. This trip was originally for sightseeing and pleasure, so along the way they walked and stopped at leisure.

Sometimes they paused to admire the scenery along the road; sometimes they discovered good herbs, and Yan Jie would casually dig up one or two. In this manner, although they hurried all day, the two did not feel overly fatigued.

Time flew; two days passed in a flash. On this day, the two passed a mountain range called Wuyi Shan. At the foot of the mountain there was an inn, and it happened to be midday, so they decided to rest here briefly and have lunch.

They ordered a few of this little shop's signature dishes, and just as they were preparing to feast, they suddenly heard voices from the next table.

At the moment there were only a handful of customers in the shop, and those two weren't speaking loudly. However, Qianqian was a martial practitioner, with sharp senses and hearing far beyond ordinary people, so she heard their conversation clearly and distinctly.

She only heard one of them laugh, "Yo, what's with the generosity today? You're actually treating me to a meal? Didn't you strike it rich recently?"

The other hurriedly replied, "Come now, it's just that I thought we haven't eaten together in ages!"

"Cut it out. Every time you treat, it's at your place. Who doesn't know your wife keeps you on a tight leash, giving you only a tael of silver for pocket money? You've got no money to take me to a restaurant!"

"Hehe, I'll tell you a secret — you absolutely must not spread it!" Finished speaking, the man lowered his voice, as if terrified someone else might hear.

Seeing this, the other man hurriedly leaned his ear over, face full of curiosity, waiting for the rest.

He spoke in a lowered, mysterious voice: "A couple days ago, I only planned to go hunt around the outskirts of Wuyi Shan, sell a bit of game to supplement the household.

But who knew, halfway there I actually ran into a rabbit. That rabbit was fast; I chased it all the way, and before I knew it I'd gone a good stretch into the mountain."

He paused slightly here, then continued in an even lower voice: "Just when I was about to give up, I suddenly saw the rabbit dive into a thicket. I figured the rabbit must be hiding inside, so I carefully parted the grass — and guess what?"

The other man stared wide-eyed and pressed urgently, "What happened?"