Thank you to Crystal for the ko-fi~
The jerky fell to the ground, and even though Ming Jue and the others didn’t eat meat, they still felt a bit sorry.
While they were feeling sorry, the rescued young master over there blushed and shyly called out, “A’Yuan.”
Uh-oh.
They exchanged a glance, shivered together, shook off the goosebumps on their bodies, and Ming Xin said with a slight tremor in her voice, “Young Master, you can just call him Junior Master Zong.”
The young master smiled gently, looking very amiable. He tilted his head and said, “No trouble, this way is fine.”
Ming Ming was smiling like a flower, but Ming Xin felt a chilling sense of gloom coming from him. She awkwardly smiled and said, “That’s good, that’s good.”
Abbot! What’s this chilly feeling?! Could there be something strange in this forest?!
After Zong Yuan and Hua Chengyun finished their meal, the carriage had already been arranged. Zong Yuan lifted him into the carriage, covered him with a blanket, and said, “Sleep now.”
Reluctantly, Hua Chengyun held onto the hem of his clothes. “I’m a bit scared.”
Seeing his expression, Zong Yuan sighed. In this world, his lover was particularly timid and clingy. He wondered if it was related to the experiences he had been through, but with no memories, he was afraid he wouldn’t tell him.
Zong Yuan sat cross-legged beside him, patting the large turtle shell placed in the corner. “With this thing accompanying you, there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
Hua Chengyun pretended to be curious, reaching out from the blanket to touch it. The wide sleeve slid from his wrist to his elbow. “What’s this?”
“A turtle shell,” Zong Yuan said. “Dug up from under the ancient tree in Dabao Monastery. This trip is precisely to deliver it to the capital. In a few days, it should be handed over to the people sent by the capital.”
Hua Chengyun probed, “Are the people coming to take it from Sikong Temple?”
“Not only them,” Zong Yuan remembered the abbot of Dabao Monastery holding his hand, tears welling up in his eyes, reminding him to be cautious about the Third Prince’s matter. A smile appeared on his face. “I heard that even the Emperor’s Third Prince is coming.”
Here it comes!
Hua Chengyun’s hand inside the blanket was nervously sweating, and his face maintained a curious expression. “The Third Prince? What do you think of him?”
“I haven’t seen him,” Zong Yuan said honestly. “It’s not easy to evaluate.”
Hua Chengyun pursued the question, “Rumors say you always know about such things.”
Zong Yuan squinted his eyes, giving Hua Chengyun a deep look. After experiencing so many worlds, even if appearance and personality were different, there were always some small habits that wouldn’t disappear. “0046, what’s the name of the Third Prince?”
Due to the mission, 0046 had the entire royal family’s information sheet. It quickly flipped through it and said, “The Third Prince is named Hua Chengyun.”
What a coincidence, the rescued little angel is named Chenghua.
Zong Yuan hadn’t answered Hua Chengyun’s question yet. He remained silent for five or six seconds, but Hua Chengyun had already imagined many scenarios. Why would he go silent when talking about the Third Prince? What does A’Yuan think of him?
He suddenly regretted his reckless and carefree personality in daily life. Being willful, capricious, and unpredictable – he was rumored to be an image capable of soothing a crying child in the capital. Wasn’t that more impressive than what was spread in the capital?
Zong Yuan leisurely teased him, “There are some rumors, but they are not favorable to the positive image of the Third Prince. It’s better not to talk about it.”
Hua Chengyun’s heart sank. Just as he expected! But he couldn’t help it and continued anxiously, “What kind of rumors are there?”
Zong Yuan suddenly asked, “Why are you so concerned about the Third Prince?”
Hua Chengyun stiffened, trying to reply as naturally as possible, “Just curious.”
Zong Yuan nodded understandingly, looking like he had already believed him. Hua Chengyun breathed a sigh of relief, but then Zong Yuan said, “It’s not something unspeakable, but the rumor says…”
Zong Yuan suddenly lowered his head, locking eyes with Hua Chengyun. They were only separated by less than a hand’s span, breaths carrying warmth. He slowly said, emphasizing each word, “They say, the Third Prince likes men.”
!!!
After getting out of the carriage, Zong Yuan couldn’t help but laugh silently. Ming Jue and the others were still chatting, and when they saw him coming over, Ming Xin said, “At our current speed, coupled with the speed from the capital, we can complete the handover in at most five days. After giving them the turtle shell, we can return.”
Zong Yuan sat down, changing his previous reluctance. “I was told to go to the capital, right? I’ll go, but I won’t say anything in front of Chenghua.”
Ming Jue’s group didn’t ask why, they just smiled and responded warmly. They gave up their positions in the carriage for the wounded. These monks were not pampered individuals; after a simple tidy-up, they went to sleep in their robes.
Early the next day, Hua Chengyun woke up in the bumpy and swaying carriage.
His sharp gaze softened in the next moment. He opened the small window in the carriage, and conveniently, there was a bead-counting master beside him. “Master, where’s A’Yuan?”
Ming Jue smiled, “Take a look at the small window over there.”
Hua Chengyun climbed to the other side. He adjusted his messy long hair, straightened his clothes, and rubbed his lips until he felt warmth before letting go. Hua Chengyun always knew the charm of his appearance, but previously, he only felt disgusted when others stared at him. Now, he felt a slight joy. After grooming himself, he pushed open the small window.
On this side, facing the rising sun, Zong Yuan wasn’t wearing the attire of a monastery; instead, he was dressed in sturdy clothing with a long sword hanging by his side. With the carriage bouncing along, when he heard the sound of the window opening, he turned to the side, raised an eyebrow, and smiled.
Filled with a strong masculine aura.
Hua Chengyun was stunned. He stared at Zong Yuan blankly for a moment, then suddenly closed the small window, moved to the front of the carriage, and opened his arms towards Zong Yuan, “Hug!”
Others, “!!!”
What the heck!
Asking for a hug, damn!
Zong Yuan helplessly embraced Hua Chengyun with both hands, effortlessly lifting him onto his own horse. In a calm manner that seemed unimaginable to Ming Jue’s group, he said, “It seems Hua’er might find the carriage uncomfortable. I’ll ride with him for a while.”
Oh, so that’s the reason.
(｀皿´) !!! Do you think we’ll believe that? Do you think we’d say such a thing? How old are you? Who needs hugs?
Is this Young Master Chenghua actually a fox spirit from the woods? Is he?
Hua Chengyun nestled into Zong Yuan’s embrace, deeply inhaling Zong Yuan’s scent. After the impulse subsided, he realized the foolishness of his actions. However, the most pressing matter was his current predicament, “A’Yuan, I haven’t freshened up yet…”
Zong Yuan untied the bundle from the horse, handed him a willow twig, and poured out some green powder from a bottle, “Senior Ming Jue, you all go ahead. I’ll catch up shortly.”
Ming Jue said, “No, no… it’s fine.”
The entire morning, Ming Jue found it distressing to witness Zong Yuan and Hua Chengyun’s behavior.
Young Master Hua was exceptionally bold, sitting comfortably in front of Zong Yuan, cuddling up to him. His hands were constantly sticking to Zong Yuan, sometimes touching his chin, sometimes his eyes. Not to mention the incessant “A’Yuan, A’Yuan,” it was simply vulgar!
Ming Jue felt he needed to come up with a solution. Zong Yuan was a key figure in the Dabao Monastery, possessing the power to increase the temple’s influence several times over even before taking monastic vows. How could he let such a talent slip away?!
So, Ming Jue said, “Zong Yuan, when the people from the capital arrive, you should be careful not to provoke the Third Prince!”
Hua Chengyun frowned, “The Third Prince won’t be easily angered.”
He retorted, and Ming Jue wanted to say more, “Isn’t that so? The Third Prince is known for his unpredictable temper. I heard his attendants suffer from his outbursts in groups. Oh, Buddha, even though the Third Prince is handsome, he still needs to learn to be calm and composed.”
Zong Yuan, seemingly interested, asked, “The Third Prince’s appearance is famous?”
Hua Chengyun modestly replied, “It’s just average.”
Ming Jue chimed in again, “No, it’s quite extraordinary! His beauty is beyond words. In the entire capital, besides the Third Prince, no one can compete for the top spot when it comes to handsome men.”
Zong Yuan chuckled, pointing to the person in his arms, “Compared to Chenghua, who is more outstanding?”
Ming Jue had to say the Third Prince. He couldn’t let Zong Yuan be fooled by this Young Master Chenghua. He needed Zong Yuan to understand the abundance of beauty in the world, and once he understood, he would surely wake up. Ming Jue shamelessly praised the Third Prince, “The beauty of the Third Prince cannot be described by any words. Everyone in the world knows that whenever a man in the capital gains some fame for his looks, upon meeting the Third Prince, he weeps and cries, declaring himself ugly—such beauty cannot be captured by pen and paper.”
With Hua Chengyun being praised like this and Zong Yuan by his side, he felt somewhat embarrassed. “Ahem, Master Ming Jue, it’s not that exaggerated.”
Most importantly, in the capital, when those self-proclaimed handsome men wept bitterly, it wasn’t because of his beauty but because of his ruthlessness…
Ming Jue glanced at Hua Chengyun with reproach, “Young Master Chenghua, your appearance is indeed extraordinary, but you cannot deny the Third Prince’s reputation.”
“…Continue,” said Hua Chengyun.
“Well, um,” Ming Jue didn’t know what else to say. After all, he hadn’t seen the Third Prince, and all he heard about him was his temper; looks were just secondary. How could he describe it? He had a clever idea, “What does Junior Master think?”
Zong Yuan smiled meaningfully, “Such beauties should be properly befriended when the time comes.”
They were talking about the Third Prince, and the Third Prince was Hua Chengyun. Zong Yuan was talking about Hua Chengyun.
Hua Chengyun understood in his heart, but his expression turned melancholic. If he didn’t know that the Third Prince was himself, his heart would have been bursting with jealousy and resentment. He almost wanted to tear this “Third Prince” into pieces.
But then Zong Yuan asked him, “Hua’er, do you want to get to know the Third Prince?”
“Naturally, I want to,” Hua Chengyun forced a smile, “get to know him well.”
When he got back, he would find those who spread rumors about his beauty!
And he had to make Zong Yuan understand that there would be no one more good-looking than him in the world!
Zong Yuan smirked, “No hurry. In at most five days, we will meet this widely renowned Third Prince.”
Then it would depend on how this precious one in his arms would handle the situation.
The author has something to say:
Hua Chengyun: I am the Third Prince! I really am QAQ
