The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 86 A Battlefield: Taking a Beautiful Girl Out for Fun, and Meeting His Fiancée

Along the banks of the Qinhuai River, the chrysanthemums were indeed in full bloom, a vibrant golden color. Several painted boats floated on the river, the sounds of traditional music faint and intermittent, while the banks were teeming with people, bustling and lively.

Li Jinglong walked ahead with his hands behind his back, while Zhao Qing followed half a step behind.

"Young Duke, look at that clump, it's blooming so beautifully," Zhao Qing pointed.

Li Jinglong casually remarked, "Not as good-looking as you."

Zhao Qing covered her mouth and chuckled, leaning closer to him: "Young Duke, I wonder how many girls you've charmed with that sweet talk."

"I swear to God, I'm not good with words, but I'm telling the truth," Li Jinglong said with a serious face.

Zhao Qing was amused by his expression and burst out laughing. Her clear laughter drew frequent glances from several scholars admiring the flowers nearby.

The two continued walking, getting closer and closer, their arms occasionally touching.

Zhao Qing simply reached out and took his arm, and the two walked side by side, pointing to this flower and looking at that cluster.

"Young Duke, look, doesn't that chrysanthemum look like a lion's head?"

"You know what, it really does look like it, except this lion is a bit fat."

"That's a plump lion."

"Then this lion must be my second brother in disguise."

Zhao Qing laughed so hard she was shaking, her whole body pressed against his arm, her soft breasts pressing against his arm.

Suddenly, Li Jinglong sensed a murderous aura.

He looked up and saw two women standing about three zhang away.

The woman on the left is Xu Miaoyun, dressed in an elegant long dress, with a half-smile on her face.

The girl on the right wore a light blue dress, had a slender figure and a beautiful face, and her eyes were staring straight at him.

To be precise, he was staring at the hand that Zhao Qing was holding onto his arm.

Yuan Qing, his fiancée.

Li Jinglong's brain went blank for a moment.

Oh no, I've run into my fiancée.

Is it too late to stuff Zhao Qing into the chrysanthemum bushes next to us?

Zhao Qing naturally saw the person opposite her. Instead of letting go, she pressed her body even closer.

Xu Miaoyun tugged at Yuan Qing's sleeve, whispered something, and led Yuan Qing over.

There's nothing we can do; they're already right in front of us, there's no way to run away.

Li Jinglong had no choice but to step forward and bow, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

Xu Miaoyun nodded slightly, her gaze falling on Zhao Qing. Zhao Qing's arm was still linked with Li Jinglong's, a very intimate gesture.

"Jiujiang, who is this young lady?" she asked.

"The new maid's name is Zhao Qing."

Zhao Qing, however, was poised and graceful. She released Li Jinglong's arm and bowed slightly to Xu Miaoyun, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness."

She was elegant in posture and proper in manner.

"Li Jiujiang," Yuan Qing said coldly, "you're quite something, buying a concubine during your mourning period?"

Li Jinglong waved his hand: "No, Miss Yuan, let me explain to you, oh no, I mean, I want to explain."

"Explain why you're indulging in debauchery on the Qinhuai River while your father's mourning period is still ongoing? Explain why you, the dignified Young Duke, are calling out to friends and having women on your left and right on your right sides on a pleasure boat? Or explain the background of the maidservant beside you?" Yuan Qing's imposing manner was overwhelming.

Li Jinglong was dumbfounded.

Yuan Qing knows so much? She's been following me?

"Qing'er, don't get too angry." Xu Miaoyun tried to mediate. "Men are all like this. Take my husband, for example. Before he married me, he said that he would only have you in his life and would never look at another woman. It's only been a few years, and he's already taken two concubines in the mansion."

Yuan Qing sneered, "I haven't married her yet."

Li Jinglong: "————"

Zhu Laosi, can't you control your wife? She's even leaking your dirty secrets to support you.

"Zhao Qing is really just a maid, not a concubine," he explained with a smile.

Yuan Qing glanced at Zhao Qing and looked her up and down: "With her looks, figure, and demeanor, it's a pity she's a maid."

""

Zhao Qing, who had been standing quietly to the side, bowed slightly to Yuan Qing upon hearing this: "Miss Yuan, you misunderstand. I am indeed the maid of the Young Duke. It was the kind-hearted young master who took me in when I was in debt and had nowhere else to turn."

"As for me taking your arm just now, it was my fault. There were many people by the river, and I was afraid of getting separated from you, so I lost my composure. If Miss Yuan wants to blame someone, blame me; it has nothing to do with you."

Li Jinglong blinked.

Wow, the tea smells so strong! How did she suddenly become a tea lady?

Xu Miaoyun raised an eyebrow slightly, glanced at Zhao Qing, and smiled knowingly.

Yuan Qing's gaze sharpened: "Oh? Then tell me, how much silver do you owe?"

Zhao Qing's expression remained unchanged: "Five hundred taels."

"Five hundred taels? You owed him five hundred taels of silver, and then he paid it off for you, and you repay him by marrying him?"

Li Jinglong quickly retorted, "What do you mean by 'offering yourself in return'? Can you please not use such an unpleasant phrase?"

"Hateful?" Yuan Qing glared at him. "Then what do you do well?"

Li Jinglong settled in Bengbu.

The autumn wind blows, the chrysanthemums wither, and the ground is covered in sorrow.

Zhao Qing suddenly leaned close to his ear and whispered, "I just saw Zhang Liangbi."

Li Jinglong was startled and grabbed Zhao Qing's hand: "Where are you?"

Zhao Qing gestured with her chin to the left front, then turned and walked quickly in that direction.

Li Jinglong grabbed her hand and followed closely behind, the two of them disappearing into the bustling crowd one after the other.

Yuan Qing stood there, watching helplessly as her fiancé, holding another woman's hand, ran off in front of her in a grand display.

"Qing'er, don't be angry," Xu Miaoyun advised.

"Your Highness, how can I not be angry?" Yuan Qing's eyes were red. "He ran off with that woman right in front of me! I can overlook the mourning period, the maidservants he took, the pleasure boats and lavish banquets, but him—Your Highness, can our engagement still go ahead?"

Xu Miaoyun said with absolute certainty, "Of course! Back then, the Prince of Yan even wanted to annul our engagement, but we still got married in the end, didn't we?"

"The princess and the prince are so in love, how could he want to annul the engagement?" Yuan Qing was stunned.

"Hmph, he had another woman in his heart back then," Xu Miaoyun snorted.

Yuan Qing frowned: "And then what happened?"

Xu Miaoyun smiled: "It is said that His Highness the Crown Prince gave him a beating."

"Huh?" Yuan Qing's eyes widened.

"The Crown Prince said that either he should marry the Xu family girl and become the border prince of the Ming Dynasty, or he should go to Jiangnan to be a carefree prince and never return to the capital."

"His Highness the Crown Prince is so strict with the Prince of Yan."

Xu Miaoyun sighed, "Your Highness, and us noble children, how can we have control over our marriages? All we can do is try our best."

Yuan Qing was silent for a moment, then asked, "What did the princess do? How did she manage to make the prince settle down?"

Xu Miaoyun smiled slyly: "On our wedding night, I'll have the Prince of Yan sleep on the floor."

"Huh?" Yuan Qing was completely dumbfounded.

"Hmph, you think I can't handle him?" Xu Miaoyun raised her chin.

Yuan Qing looked on with admiration, then lowered her eyes and said, "But how can Li Jiujiang compare to the Prince of Yan? Everyone in the capital says he's just a good-for-nothing."

"What do you think?" Xu Miaoyun asked.

Yuan Qing pursed her lips: "He's certainly not a good-for-nothing, but he doesn't have any great ambitions either."