The little princess was torn, and the demon emperor patched her up

Chapter 47 Her tongue was cut off
Xiao Baojing was curious: "Who is the woman in the painting?"

"She was the woman who played Lady Xiang in the first parade of gods - the elder emperor's younger sister, Princess Wumian." The accompanying official explained, "She married to Xiangshui County forty years ago and became the wife of Prime Minister Ji. At that time, our Xiangshui County suffered from floods for many years, and Prime Minister Ji proposed to hold a parade of gods. That year, Prime Minister Ji and Princess Wumian personally played the roles of Lord Xiang and Lady Xiang in the parade of gods, praying to Lord Xiang and Lady Xiang for good weather and a good harvest. Since then, the county city has really stopped flooding. The annual parade of gods has also become a tradition of our Xiangshui County."

Princess Wumian...

It turned out that the woman was Princess Wumian.

Xiao Baojing counted on his fingers.

Princess Wumian is the biological sister of the late emperor, and her original body was the ninth princess of the current dynasty. In other words, Princess Wumian should be the aunt of her original body?

After wandering around for a long time, it turns out they are a family!

When Xiao Baojing left Madam Xiang's Temple, it had already darkened.

She was thinking about walking back to the ruined temple when a young boy and a girl appeared in front of her.

The boy was about seventeen or eighteen years old. He wore an old gray and white double-breasted shirt and a pair of black cloth shoes. The wind brought out the fragrance of soapberry on his body. He was as energetic as other young men in Xiangshui County.

He smiled cheerfully and said, "Are you the girl who plays the role of Madam Xiang in this parade? I play the role of Lord Xiang. My name is Ji Shanchuan. I played the role of Lord Xiang once two years ago. If you have any questions, you can ask me."

"My name is Xiao Baojing," Xiao Baojing said calmly, looking at the girl beside the boy, "Who is this?"

"I'm his friend," the girl beside him said with a smile, "My name is Linghong! You are from another place, right? Our Xiangshui County has many rivers and streams, and it's easy for outsiders to get lost at night. Where do you live? We'll take you back by boat!"

The girl was only fourteen or fifteen years old. She had been through wind and rain all the time, and her skin was a healthy wheat color. Her eyes were nourished by the mountains and rivers, and looked dark, moist and clear. When she smiled, she looked like sweet dates on the branches of the mountains.

Xiao Baojing did not refuse their kindness.

Ji Shanchuan and Linghong had very steady rowing skills. They lightly tapped the bamboo pole on the water and the boat slowly broke through the water and rowed towards the ruined temple.

An iron lantern was hung on the bow, casting a hazy light on the water.

The shops on the river bank were brightly lit and scattered high and low. Xiao Baojing sat on the boat and watched them recede, as if it were a moving Qingming Shanghe Tu.

"Shanchuan and I were both orphans adopted by Grandma Sun." Linghong's clear voice echoed on the water. "Grandma Sun sold spring pancakes on Wutong Bridge. We lived in a boat. Shanchuan and I grew up on the water. We learned how to row the boat and carry passengers from the older kids to earn some money."

Ji Shanchuan held the bamboo pole and smiled at Ling Hong: "When we have enough money, we plan to buy a courtyard with two entrances and bring Sun A Niang over to live with us."

"Oh, right!" Seeing the wormwood hanging on the eaves of the houses of the people on both sides of the river, Ling Hong said cheerfully, "After the parade, it will be the Dragon Boat Festival. Miss Xiao, you can watch the dragon boat race with me. Shanchuan is the best. The dragon boat he is on always wins first place every year during the Dragon Boat Festival!"

Xiao Baojing nodded seriously: "Okay!"

Finally they arrived at the dilapidated temple with red lanterns hanging on it. Xiao Baojing scratched his head, hesitating whether he should invite them in to sit down.

Although a son will never despise his mother's ugliness, and a dog will never despise his family's poverty, it seems inappropriate to invite a friend I just met to sit in a dilapidated temple when she doesn't even have tea or fruits to entertain him...

While he was hesitating, Ji Shanchuan excitedly brought out a pot and a bag of spring pancakes from the cabin.

Linghong scooped up a large bucket of river water and said, "Miss Xiao, you haven't had dinner yet, right? We brought some spring rolls, shall we eat together?"

As he was speaking, Ji Shanchuan was already standing at the entrance of the dilapidated temple with a pot in his arms, just waiting for Xiao Baojing to give the go-ahead so he could go in and set up the stove.

The two of them were very enthusiastic.

Xiao Baojing didn't know how to refuse, so he could only say yes.

When Ji Shanchuan and Linghong stepped into the ruined temple, she suddenly remembered that Princess Wumian was still in the temple.

She followed in quickly.

It was indeed bound to cause problems if Princess Wumian and the peddler were left alone together.

Princess Wumian was obviously in a bad mood. During the time she was away, three inches of snow had accumulated in the dilapidated temple!
The peddler sat on the box with his hands in his pockets, raised his fox eyes and glanced at Ji Shanchuan with a smile.

Xiao Baojing awkwardly introduced the two parties to each other: "They are Ji Shanchuan and Linghong, he is... my friend. He is a powerful demon hunter, and monsters appear around him from time to time, so there is snow in the temple." Ji Shanchuan and Linghong greeted each other politely and started to build the stove.

Xiao Baojing first glanced at his godmother, then looked around, but did not see Princess Wumian.

She went around to the back of the ruined temple and was stunned.

The originally shabby place has been completely renovated, and is now filled with expensive and gorgeous Hunan embroidery screens and gold-woven Persian carpets.

Princess Wumian knelt gracefully beside the gilded dressing box with Baoxianghua pattern, dressing herself in front of the Pisces bronze mirror.

Xiao Baojing came over, put his palms together and lowered his voice: "I'm entertaining guests outside, please don't let it snow suddenly!"

She was about to leave when she remembered the painting she saw in Madam Xiang Temple and turned back curiously: "By the way, are you Princess Wumian? I saw your portrait in Madam Xiang Temple today!"

The face in the Pisces bronze mirror suddenly froze.

Xiao Baojing keenly noticed that Princess Wumian was in a bad mood.

She froze, too.

Thinking of how Ji Zhengyan would go berserk when he was unhappy, she was worried that Princess Wumian would also create a terrible blizzard.

She waited tremblingly for a long time. Fortunately, Princess Wumian did not bring any wind or snow. She only felt a slight chill all over her body.

After a moment, Princess Wumian slowly turned to Xiao Baojing and opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.

But she didn't utter a word.

Xiao Baojing saw a dark hole in her mouth.

Her tongue was cut out.

The bone-chilling coldness instantly spread throughout Xiao Baojing's limbs and bones.

She was stunned for a long time until she heard Linghong calling her from outside. Then she came to her senses belatedly and looked at Princess Wumian in horror.

Isn’t she a noble princess?
Isn’t she Prime Minister Ji’s wife?
Isn’t he the messenger of God loved by the people of Xiangshui County?
How could she...

Xiao Baojing almost didn't know how he walked outside.

"It's almost done!" Linghong happily flipped the spring pancakes in the iron pan. "Miss Xiao, on the evening of the Dragon Boat Festival, I'll invite you and your friends to our house to eat duck. The Ji family will reward the first place winner of the dragon boat race with a big live duck, and Shanchuan can bring a duck home every Dragon Boat Festival!"

Xiao Baojing picked up the bowl and chopsticks and exclaimed: "Master Ji is really amazing!"

The girl's voice is tender and sweet.

Shang Bingjiu narrowed his fox eyes and said, "I haven't brought any ducks home, but I just gave the little princess a pair of silver bracelets. I heard that girls like silver bracelets. Did Master Ji also give Miss Ling silver bracelets?"

Ji Shanchuan and Linghong are both children from poor families.

How can I afford a silver bracelet?

For a moment, the atmosphere in the dilapidated temple was very awkward.

Xiao Baojing wished he could tap his toes on the ground.

Who asked him?

Who asked him about the silver bracelet?!

(End of this chapter)