Xie Xihai gave the scattered silver to Sheng Lin, feeling that he had bought the carriage and was about to become the owner. After spending a long time with Sheng Lin, all his bad habits had returned, making him more arrogant.
They traveled northeast for more than ten days. Xie Xihai sat in the carriage, occasionally emerging to talk with Sheng Lin. Sheng Lin didn’t respond, but Xie Xihai spoke happily on his own, and his mood remained good.
Except for the day they arrived in Mozhou, Xie Xihai had been sulking all the way.
This was because they were delayed on the road the previous day.
They encountered two groups of people outside the city. During the day, they were blocked by some bandits from the mountains, but Sheng Lin easily handled them.
As evening approached, Xie Xihai smelled the aroma of roasted chicken. Seeing villagers setting up a roasted chicken stall by the roadside, he insisted on getting off to buy some. Sheng Lin stopped the carriage, gave him some coins, and told him to buy it himself. Xie Xihai was not a naive child; buying a roasted chicken should be easy. He happily ran over, saying, “I want one.”
Unexpectedly, the villager turned out to be a subordinate of Duanlou. Handing him the roasted chicken, he concealed a hidden weapon laced with poison in his hand.
Just as a faint sound of a mechanism being triggered was heard, a short needle with a gleaming cold light flew towards Xie Xihai. Xie Xihai’s breath was almost stopped, but when the needle was about to hit, Sheng Lin swung the hilt of his sword somehow, causing the silver needle to fall to the ground. With the Lifesaving Sword half unsheathed, Xie Xihai covered his eyes. When he opened them, the assassin had been thrown behind the carriage.
Sheng Lin wiped the blood off the carriage and approached Xie Xihai, asking coldly, “Do you realize your mistake?”
Xie Xihai’s heart was still pounding, and the glint of the silver needle lingered in front of his eyes. Feeling ashamed, he replied, “I was just too hungry.”
“Xie Xihai, let me set a rule for you.” Sheng Lin took out paper and a pen, placing them on the carriage board, instructing Xie Xihai to grind the ink.
Obediently, Xie Xihai took the ink stick and ground it for a while. Sheng Lin dipped the pen in ink and wrote a single word on the paper: “Behave.”
Next, Sheng Lin gave him two lists.
The first list is the “Good” list, where examples of being good for Xie Xihai include keeping his mouth shut for two hours, not running around for a day, and making Sheng Lin happy. The second list is the “Not Good” list, with examples such as Xie Xihai being naughty by playing around and talking nonsense.
Each list has numerous items. After completing them, Sheng Lin waved for Xie Xihai to sign and seal the lists. Otherwise, he would have to travel on his own.
Xie Xihai realized something was off. Biting his lip and holding the pen, he looked at the horse, then at the carriage. Closing his eyes and setting his mind, he boldly signed “Xie Xihai” on the paper.
After collecting the lists, Sheng Lin established a reward and punishment system for Xie Xihai. Being good earned him a small flower, while being naughty resulted in the deduction of a flower. If Xie Xihai collected four flowers, he could write a letter to his mother. If he lost all four flowers, he would have to face the consequences.
Xie Xihai had no right to refuse. It seemed that whatever Sheng Lin said became the rule. He felt like a pet being teased and manipulated by Sheng Lin, losing all the dignity of being the prince.
Back in the carriage, Xie Xihai pondered for a while and realized that Sheng Lin must have known the villager was an assassin from the beginning. Otherwise, how could he react so quickly, like seeing through the roasted chicken with his eyes?
Sheng Lin had set a trap for Xie Xihai. The prince, the heir to the Ning Kingdom, had actually agreed to such a humiliating rule, signing a decree that deprived him of power and dignity.
Xie Xihai crawled out, patted Sheng Lin on the shoulder, and said, “You hypocrite! Daring to trick me!”
Without looking back, Sheng Lin grabbed Xie Xihai’s hand and threatened, “Deducting a flower.”
“That doesn’t count!” Xie Xihai forcefully pulled his hand back and sulked inside.
In the night, Xie Xihai was sitting in the carriage humming a mountain song he had learned from a child near the inn yesterday. Suddenly, Sheng Lin stopped the carriage and told Xie Xihai that they wouldn’t make it to a populated area tonight, so they would have to camp outdoors.
Xie Xihai was getting frustrated. The weather was getting hotter, and annoying little insects were buzzing around outside. He had spent the day cramped in the small carriage, and now he had to endure it at night as well, with the addition of the tall and imposing Sheng Lin. This was becoming unbearable.
He got out of the carriage but didn’t dare to go too far from Sheng Lin. He circled around casually, returned with a stern face, and intended to express his dissatisfaction with Sheng Lin. However, he couldn’t bring himself to do it and could only say, “Maybe if we walk a bit more, we’ll find some people?”
Sheng Lin gathered some wood and started a fire, replying, “We’ll reach Mozhou by early tomorrow.”
“I don’t want to sleep in the carriage…” Xie Xihai squatted beside Sheng Lin, playing the pitiful card. Seeing that Sheng Lin ignored him, he tried to kneel and sit, attempting to lean into Sheng Lin’s arms. “Hero Sheng…”
Sheng Lin raised his hand to push Xie Xihai’s head, but the force was gentle. Xie Xihai exerted some strength and pushed himself up, getting close to Sheng Lin. “It can’t be that there’s no sign of human habitation along the way. Let’s find a place to stay for the night.”
After trying to persuade Sheng Lin for a while, and with Sheng Lin remaining unyielding, Xie Xihai became upset. He huffed back to the carriage and slept with his blanket, not even knowing when Sheng Lin had entered.
The next morning, aside from asking Sheng Lin about the time when he first woke up, Xie Xihai didn’t say a word to Sheng Lin.
In the evening, they arrived in Mozhou and stopped in front of an inn. Xie Xihai jumped off the carriage and saw a silver shop not far away with the sign of a merchant hanging. His steps halted.
Merchants originally rose to prominence in the central plains, and most of their businesses and shops were located there. Considering the speed of riding horses, they might have already entered the territory where merchants dominated. However, due to the slow pace of the carriage, Mozhou hadn’t reached the boundaries of the central plains in Xie Xihai’s memory. It seemed that the merchants had been flourishing in recent years.
Seeing the character “商” 1(merchant), Xie Xihai was excited as if he had seen his mother. He stood there for a moment, contemplating running over. Unexpectedly, he felt a tightening in his chest as Sheng Lin pulled him back. His head was covered with a black veil, which he hadn’t worn for a long time.
“Behave,” Sheng Lin said, grabbing Xie Xihai and leading him upstairs. Xie Xihai reluctantly followed.
Inside the room, Sheng Lin asked, “Were you trying to escape to the merchants just now?”
Xie Xihai showed an expression of being wrongly accused and retorted, “Can’t I take a look?”
Sheng Lin looked at him, contemplating. Just when Xie Xihai thought Sheng Lin had nothing more to say, Sheng Lin opened his mouth and said, “No.”
Fortunately, Xie Xihai, being a man of the mountains, had his own tricks. During dinner, he overheard from the neighboring table that the merchant’s silver shop stayed open very late. He decided to wait until Sheng Lin was asleep, then pretend to be a guest and gather information at the merchant’s silver shop.
“I’m going to bed,” Xie Xihai took the initiative to climb into bed, covered himself with the blanket, and looked at Sheng Lin. “You should rest early too.”
Sheng Lin glanced at him, loosened his clothes, blew out the candle, and lay down next to Xie Xihai.
The bed was quite large, with Xie Xihai and Sheng Lin sleeping under separate covers. Xie Xihai intentionally moved closer to Sheng Lin, erecting his ears to listen for any movements.
Sheng Lin seemed to breathe soundlessly, making it difficult for Xie Xihai to hear. Xie Xihai had to move even closer and use the moonlight outside the window to observe Sheng Lin. Sheng Lin’s eyes were tightly closed, and when Xie Xihai reached out to feel Sheng Lin’s breath, it seemed long and steady. Only then did Xie Xihai secretly sit up, gather his hair behind him, and try to climb over Sheng Lin quietly.
He sat up, bent over with one hand pressing on the bed edge near Sheng Lin’s arm, shifted his weight forward, and placed the other hand on top. Just as he was about to swing his leg over, a force from his waist pushed him backward.
Xie Xihai couldn’t react in time, and his back slammed hard onto the bed. His head hit the edge of the pillow, causing stars to dance before his eyes. When he looked up, Sheng Lin was sitting on top of him, staring down expressionlessly.
“I-I just wanted to take a break,” Xie Xihai said while shrinking inward, trying to find an excuse. “You were exhausted from driving all day and dealing with killing and disposing of bodies. I didn’t want to disturb your rest.”
He spoke louder as he went on, almost convincing himself. However, Sheng Lin didn’t believe him. “Is that so?”
“Of course,” Xie Xihai wriggled, trying to slip out from under Sheng Lin.
Sheng Lin grabbed Xie Xihai’s wrist and asked, “Xie Xihai, what did you say during the day?”
Xie Xihai, anxious and scared, blamed Sheng Lin for always being silent. He had forgotten that Sheng Lin was skilled in martial arts and had such a frightening side.
At this point, he couldn’t afford to be stubborn. Xie Xihai immediately replied, “I said I would behave.”
Seeing that Sheng Lin was still looking at him, Xie Xihai rushed to say, “I’ll be good, won’t run around.”
“Do you think you’re good?” Sheng Lin lowered his voice, leaning closer.
Xie Xihai nervously pursed his lips and whispered, “Yes, good.”
Sheng Lin released his wrist, sat up, and said, “Deduct one flower.”
“No!” Xie Xihai, realizing his flowers were already in debt, sat up and argued, “This flower deduction rule is not something I agreed to! I don’t recognize it!”
The bed in this compartment was against the wall. Sheng Lin pressed Xie Xihai against the wall, getting extremely close. “You say you don’t recognize it, so you won’t?”
Sheng Lin, being a martial artist, practiced pure yang techniques, and his imposing aura was intimidating. Usually, people could feel his pressure even from a distance. Now, with just a fist’s distance between him and Xie Xihai, who had no room to retreat, Xie Xihai started to feel afraid, as if he were stuck in a room with more than a dozen assassins wanting to kill him.
“Um, we can discuss this…” Xie Xihai dared not look at Sheng Lin anymore, bowed his head, and grabbed the blanket.
“How do you want to discuss it?” Sheng Lin lifted Xie Xihai’s chin with one hand, raising his face. Xie Xihai, scared, reluctantly looked into Sheng Lin’s eyes.
Xie Xihai thought Sheng Lin was going to punish him, but Sheng Lin suddenly seemed to pause. The strength in his hand lessened, becoming more like a caress. Sheng Lin’s fingertips were somewhat rough, creating a tickling sensation on Xie Xihai’s chin.
“Don’t always deduct my flowers,” Xie Xihai felt that Sheng Lin was not as angry, so he dared to negotiate.
Due to the previous fear, his speech now carried a hint of a nasal tone. After saying that, he suddenly felt a chill in his chest. Looking down, he found that his clothes had been pulled open, almost revealing the indentation of his navel on his lower abdomen.
Xie Xihai semi-knelt, pushing away Sheng Lin’s hand still caressing his chin. He lowered his head to adjust his clothes and then asked Sheng Lin again, “Is it okay?”
Sheng Lin didn’t say yes or no. He stared at Xie Xihai for a moment and said, “Since you’ve chosen to walk with me, don’t keep coming up with ideas to escape.”
Xie Xihai nodded. “I just wanted to take a look,” he explained when he saw Sheng Lin’s incredulous look.
Not as long as Xie Xilin and Sheng Lin, Xie Xihai had still been with Sheng Lin for a considerable period—longer than half an incense stick.
Despite the lengthy speech, Sheng Lin stayed silent. Xie Xihai complained, “Say something, will you?”
“Say what?” Sheng Lin’s tone seemed to soften a bit but not entirely. He raised his hand to touch Xie Xihai’s cheek and asked, “Why are you crying?”
Only then did Xie Xihai realize that tears had welled up in his eyes. Feeling embarrassed, he wiped his face with the corner of the quilt, turned around, and closed his eyes, saying, “My eyes are tired; they’re watering.”
Fortunately, Sheng Lin didn’t mock him further. Instead, he touched the hair behind Xie Xihai’s head and said, “Go to sleep.”
Xie Xihai’s melancholy didn’t last beyond a night’s sleep. The next morning, he was once again a lively young man.
When they went downstairs for breakfast, the innkeeper opened the door, and outside, several men were carrying huge lanterns. Xie Xihai, curious, went to the door to see and asked the attendant standing nearby, “What is this?”
“It’s lanterns,” the attendant said. “The lantern festival in Mozhou is coming soon, tomorrow night. If you’re not in a hurry, sir, you might as well stay in Mozhou and have a look.”
“Oh…” Xie Xihai turned to look at Sheng Lin and asked the attendant, “What’s interesting about the lantern festival?”
“There’s a lot,” the attendant said, tossing his handkerchief over his shoulder. “On the night of the lantern festival, the entire street in Mozhou will be filled with all kinds of lanterns, very beautiful. The lanterns are painted by famous artists, depicting famous mountains, rivers, rare treasures, and even stunning beauties…”
After listening to the attendant, Xie Xihai walked back to the table, holding his face and looking at Sheng Lin. “Hero Sheng, do you want to see the lanterns?”
“Do you want to see them?” Sheng Lin saw through Xie Xihai’s thoughts without expressing his own interest.
Xie Xihai, concerned about his image, was reluctant to admit his desire to see the lanterns. Nevertheless, he insisted, “Ah, you must really want to see them. This young master will accompany you.”
Originally, Xie Xihai was just talking to take advantage. He knew that Sheng Lin was eager to take him on the road and would not agree to stay an extra day, even if the lantern festival was happening that afternoon.
After nearly a month together, Xie Xihai had a clear understanding of Sheng Lin’s character, even if he was a bit slow to realize it.
With a dejected look, Xie Xihai broke the steamed bun in half, took a bite, and stuffed his mouth full, cheeks bulging.
After finishing his meal, Sheng Lin walked out with his sword on his back. Xie Xihai hastily swallowed the bun in his mouth and called after him, “My luggage is still upstairs. I don’t necessarily want to go. Why are you in such a hurry?”
“So, do you want to go?” Sheng Lin asked, arms crossed, looking down at Xie Xihai, who was still sitting and drinking soy milk.
Xie Xihai pursed his lips and finally said with a hint of uncertainty, “Maybe.”
“I’ll check on Zhuī Yún,” Sheng Lin explained. “It has never pulled a carriage before, and its legs were scratched by a thick rope.”
“Oh? Is it serious?” Xie Xihai suddenly felt a glimmer of hope and immediately showed concern for the horse that had caused him numerous injuries. “Does it need a few days of rest to heal the wounds?”
Sheng Lin shrugged, “It’s not a big deal.”
Xie Xihai was so happy that he wanted to jump. He tossed the steamed bun on the table and excitedly said, “Great! How about we stay in Mozhou for another two days? Hero Sheng must be tired from driving all the time. It’s good to take a short break before hitting the road again.”
Sheng Lin nodded without confirming or denying, then left. Xie Xihai followed him, walking in sync, and went to see the horse. Standing by the stable, he approached Zhuī Yún, pretending to feel sorry as he touched its head and said, “Zhuī Yún, Zhuī Yún, you’ve worked hard on this journey.”
Someone nearby, who was putting grass into the horse trough, overheard Xie Xihai talking affectionately to a horse. They looked at him several times, thinking that he appeared to be a young master but was truly a person who loved horses.
After expressing his deep concern for Zhuī Yún in a lengthy speech, Xie Xihai concluded, “Let’s take a few days off. You can recover from your injuries, and I’ll take good care of Sheng Lin and take him to see the lanterns.”
So, the two of them settled down in Mozhou, preparing to wait for the lantern festival the next day.
Mozhou was bustling with people. While Sheng Lin focused on adjusting his energy in the room, Xie Xihai dared not go out and stayed bored in the room. He decided to go downstairs to feed the horses.
After feeding the horses for a while and soaking up the sun in the courtyard, Xie Xihai, looking around, glanced at the closed windows of their room on the upper floor. Uncontrollably, his feet took him towards the silver shop with hanging banners.
Inside the silver shop, many customers were looking at accessories. Xie Xihai, with a clever and handsome appearance, despite his ordinary clothes, exuded an air of pampered elegance in his every move. As he walked around the hall, a shop assistant approached him respectfully and asked, “Young sir, may I ask what you would like to see?”
Xie Xihai waved his hand and said, “Just take a look around.”
The shop assistant accompanied him around the hall, introducing various accessories and ornaments, talking so much that her mouth went dry. Xie Xihai didn’t find anything he liked, and since he didn’t see anyone familiar who could handle matters, he felt suspicious asking the shop assistant about anything. He decided to look elsewhere, pulled up his sleeves, and walked out.
One day before the lantern festival, wooden frames for hanging lanterns adorned the streets. Various shops had placed small frames at their entrances, hanging self-made lanterns to welcome the festival.
The inn where Xie Xihai stayed was just around the corner from Mozhou Road. The innkeeper was also setting up frames at the entrance. Xie Xihai poked his head out and asked the assistant, “What about the lanterns for the inn?”
“They haven’t been delivered yet,” the assistant replied, finishing the frame and wiping it with a cloth. “They will be hung up tonight.”
Excitedly, Xie Xihai ran upstairs to share the good news with Sheng Lin and suggested, “What do you think about setting up a frame with lanterns in front of our room?”
“What kind of lanterns do you want to put up?” Sheng Lin asked Xie Xihai.
After thinking for a while, Xie Xihai said, “How about a lantern depicting lotus roots? I saw one hanging at the entrance of the silver shop, and it looked very nice.”
“We don’t have those locally,” Xie Xihai touched his wrist and said, “The wind and sand in Hancheng are too strong. Even hanging lanterns would be blown away. But we can hang them in the plum grove behind the royal residence.”
“Really?” Sheng Lin responded casually.
“You can play chess with Xie Xilin in the little pavilion in the future,” Xie Xihai said, as if extending an invitation. “I’ve thought about it for you.”
Sheng Lin paused and smiled at Xie Xihai, saying, “The Crown Prince has considered it very thoroughly.”
This statement should have been a compliment to Xie Xihai, but Xie Xihai felt that Sheng Lin was mocking him. He stared at Sheng Lin, trying to discern something from his expression. However, due to his limited experience, Xie Xihai couldn’t read the cunning mind of this worldly martial artist.
Suddenly, Xie Xihai asked Sheng Lin, “How many small flowers do I have now?”
“One,” Sheng Lin answered without hesitation.
Sensing Sheng Lin’s quick response, Xie Xihai thought he might have randomly picked a number. He inquired further, “How did you calculate one flower?” Sheng Lin explained, “There were originally three flowers.”
If I perform well today, why didn’t I get a reward of a small flower?’ Xie Xihai started to negotiate for more flowers. ‘Not bad, just good,’ he added a reward for himself forcefully. ‘Add two more.'”
Sheng Lin playfully tapped Xie Xihai’s head with his fingertips, making a “clack” sound. Immediately, Xie Xihai rushed to say, “Sheng Lin hit me, add another flower as consolation for the little flower. Now we have four.”
In the next moment, Sheng Lin grabbed both sides of Xie Xihai’s face. Xie Xihai’s face was about to be stretched, tears welled up in his eyes, and he dared not kick him. He could only let Sheng Lin pinch and knead him.
Who asked Sheng Lin to be proficient in martial arts and have a loud voice? He was the boss now.
