The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 102 Your Highness, Please Have Some Respect!

The sky was overcast.

A carriage slowly drove out of the Xihua Gate of the Imperial Palace, without any imperial guards following or any ceremonial procession clearing the way.

Inside the carriage, Princess Qin sat upright.

Today she wore a light blue brocade jacket, its waist tightly cinched, outlining her tall and voluptuous figure.

Li Jinglong sat opposite her and couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

Though the brocade robe was thick, it could not conceal her shapely curves; though her face was dignified, it could not hide the heroic spirit and natural charm in her eyes and brows.

This woman possesses both the charm of a mature woman and the agility honed from traversing the grasslands.

She definitely has a mature and sophisticated aura.

"Jiujiang," Princess Qin said, "when you meet Li Siqi later, just listen and don't say anything more."

Li Jinglong snapped out of his reverie and nodded: "Today, I will follow the Princess's wishes."

Princess Qin chuckled, reached out and pinched Li Jinglong's chin, lifting it slightly upwards.

"Kid, I underestimated you before."

Li Jinglong was forced to tilt his head slightly and blink: "Your Highness, please don't tease me."

Princess Qin did not stop; instead, she moved her face even closer.

The carriage wasn't large to begin with, and the two of them were already sitting close together. When she moved closer, they were practically touching.

A delicate fragrance wafted over, and looking at the alluring and mature woman's face before him, Li Jinglong's gaze involuntarily fell on her red lips.

"Your Highness, please have some self-respect."

Seeing his embarrassment, the Princess of Qin chuckled, withdrew her hand, but did not step back. She rested her chin on her hand, looking at him with great interest.

"Why are you so nervous? I watched you grow up. When you were little, you fell from a tree at the Prince of Qin's mansion, and I was the one who bandaged your knee. What are you thinking?"

She had the composed demeanor of an older sister teasing a younger brother.

Li Jinglong was immediately embarrassed: "Your Highness, stop playing around. I've grown up now. I'm not that little kid climbing trees anymore."

It's normal for men to react when they see a beautiful woman.

Princess Qin suddenly fell silent, and her previously playful eyes dimmed.

"Men have normal reactions when they see beautiful women? The King of Qin doesn't. He only looks at me with disgust." Tears welled up in her eyes.

Li Jinglong was stunned.

The female hooligan who was just harassing the younger brother has suddenly transformed into a lovelorn and sorrowful woman.

His mood changed too quickly; how could a young man like him handle such a situation?

"I understand even less about marital relationships," he sighed.

Princess Qin raised her head and gave a bitter smile: "Do you know, Jiujiang, that he and I were never truly husband and wife? I am still a virgin."

Li Jinglong: "————"

Is this something you can talk to me about?

"Jiujiang, am I very pitiful?" Princess Qin asked softly.

Li Jinglong shook his head: "Your Highness, you are simply caught in a situation against your will. There are countless people in this world who are caught in such situations. Compared to those who can't even afford to eat, you have lived a good life."

The Queen Consort of Qin was stunned: "I didn't expect you could think of things this way."

Yongchangfang, a small courtyard at the end of an alley.

Outside the courtyard, Ding Xiu led a dozen or so brothers to guard the area.

A carriage stopped in front of the gate. The curtain was lifted, and Li Jinglong jumped down first.

He turned around and reached into the car, where a slender, long hand touched his.

Princess Qin bent down, glanced at the scene at the door, and smiled slightly: "Jiujiang, you're quite the imposing leader of the beggars."

"Are you kidding me?" Li Jinglong lifted his foot and was about to walk towards the door.

Princess Qin did not move, but stretched out her right hand in front of him.

Li Jinglong was stunned.

"What are you standing there for?" Princess Qin glared at him. "Help me and come inside."

She grabbed his arm, and Li Jinglong had no choice but to gently put his arm around her waist and lead her into the courtyard.

Ding Xiu stepped forward: "Sixth Brother, shall I accompany you inside?"

"No need. You all stay outside and no one is allowed to come in," Li Jinglong ordered.

"Yes!" Ding Xiu nodded.

Once inside the courtyard, Li Siqi sat on a stone bench with her back to the gate.

Li Shou stood behind him.

"Old Li, we have guests, aren't you going to get up and greet them?" Li Jinglong shouted.

Li Siqi turned around and was instantly stunned when she saw Princess Qin.

Princess Qin bowed slightly: "Uncle Li."

"Minmin, I didn't expect you to come." Li Siqi's expression was complicated.

Princess Qin straightened up and smiled, "Uncle Li, stop pretending. His Majesty already knows you are the Darughachi of the North Chamber of the Scouts."

Li Siqi was slightly surprised, but not panicked.

He was silent for a while, then he sighed deeply: "I underestimated the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

"Even the Emperor didn't know from the beginning that Uncle Li and my elder brother had set up this scheme, which was indeed unexpected," said Princess Qin.

"It's a pity that your elder brother died not many years after I met him," Li Siqi murmured.

Princess Qin's face darkened: "If my elder brother were still alive, the situation on the grasslands would be completely different."

Li Siqi snorted: "He also promised me a King of Guanzhong."

"Wait a minute." Li Jinglong narrowed his eyes at Li Siqi. "Back then, His Majesty sent you to persuade Wang Baobao to surrender. You made a deal with Wang Baobao, and he promised you the title of King of Guanzhong? You believed that?"

"What? You think Zhu Yuanzhang could hold onto the empire just because he gained it?" Li Siqi sneered.

"Let's not even talk about whether the Northern Yuan can march south again," Li Jinglong shrugged. "Just look at Wang Baobao. Why do you trust him? He told you to cut off your own arm, come back and blow it up, become his Darughachi, and spy on the Ming army for him. Why do you think he won't go back on his word?"

Li Siqi said in a deep voice, "I believe him because of the oath he swore before his godfather's memorial tablet."

Li Jinglong was slightly taken aback.

"You don't know, back then my elder brother and Uncle Li were my godfather's right-hand men," Princess Qin said with a smile. "The person they respected most was my godfather."

Li Jinglong knew that his adoptive father was Chaghan Temur.

At the end of the Yuan Dynasty, the country was in chaos, and Hebei and Henan were reduced to ruins. It was Chaghan Temur who rose to prominence and stabilized the situation in the north with his own strength.

Wang Baobao was his adopted son, and Li Siqi was his trusted and beloved general.

"Old Li, you had already surrendered to the Ming Dynasty back then, and His Majesty treated you well. Why did you still risk losing an arm to conspire with Wang Baobao?" he asked.

Li Siqi sneered: "He's treated me well? I'm just a pawn of Zhu Yuanzhang. Before me, he sent Li Baobao to persuade them to surrender, but Li Baobao poisoned him. Zhu Yuanzhang knew that, but he still sent me."

"Isn't this sending me to my death?"

Li Jinglong opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to refute it.

Wang Baobao was the person Old Zhu loved but could not have.

"There's another layer, Uncle Li can't say for sure." Princess Qin smiled slightly, "Back then, if he hadn't agreed to my elder brother's request, he might have lost more than just one arm."

Li Jinglong paused.