Nong Nu Jiao

"This servant greets Your Highness."

Several maids in the courtyard immediately curtsied to him.

Yan Chenghui glanced at them sideways, his brows furrowing slightly.

Huai Jiao's voice sounded as if she had been crying for a long time.

Cen Lingyi wouldn't bear to see him cry like that.

He ignored the maids and slowly climbed the steps.

"What should I do...?"

"His Highness the Crown Prince is back; he'll definitely be furious..."

"We might all be implicated. And she really is something, she's already left His Highness once, and she still dares to run away again..."

The maids whispered amongst themselves, each feeling uneasy.

"Your Highness, please don't cry. These are some snacks left by Nurse Cen. Eat these as if you've seen her, okay? I beg you..."

Da Chen's wet nurse held Yan Huaijiao and paced anxiously in the hall.

Seven days after Cen Lingyi left, the young prince cried for seven days.

Aside from eating something and sleeping when she's tired from crying, she starts making a fuss as soon as she opens her eyes.

The girls who served her closely were almost driven crazy by the noise.

When the Crown Princess heard that the young prince had been crying, she did not come to deal with it herself, but only sent a few servants to the side hall.

What's the use? No one can appease the young prince.

Sigh, Cen Lingyi has already become the aunt of the side hall, and the young prince can't do without her. Why did she have to be so foolish as to secretly leave again?

The wet nurse, Xiao Chen, wiped away her tears, unable to comfort the young prince. They were truly useless; would they soon be kicked out?

"This servant greets Your Highness..."

She glanced up unintentionally and saw Yan Chenghui, which startled her so much that her knees buckled and she knelt down.

"Your Highness..."

When Da Chen's wet nurse suddenly saw Yan Chenghui, she was also greatly surprised.

"Where is Cen Lingyi?"

Yan Chenghui asked in a cold voice.

He had already discerned something from what Da Chen's wet nurse said to Yan Huaijiao.

"Aunt Cen is gone..."

Da Chen's wet nurse swallowed hard.

The last glimmer of fervor in Yan Chenghui's eyes froze instantly.

For the first time, he doubted his own ears.

"Say it again?"

His eyes gradually reddened, and he stared at Da Chen's wet nurse with pursed lips.

"This servant dares not lie. On the night His Highness the Crown Prince went to Dingzhou, Miss Cen left with her sister and Lingzhi."

Da Chen's wet nurse was so frightened that she knelt down and quickly told the truth.

Yan Chenghui's face turned ashen, his chest heaved violently a few times, and his fingers tightened, his knuckles turning white as he made several soft cracking sounds.

She's gone again!

She abandoned him again!

She was quite good at finding opportunities, knowing to leave when he was away on a long trip.

The things she said as she left, the way she looked at him…

It turns out that she didn't realize she was wrong, nor did she want to make up with him; she just wanted to lull him into a false sense of security and prevent him from becoming suspicious!

Cen Lingyi, you are truly amazing!

"Father..."

Yan Huaijiao had her eyes closed and her face was covered in tears. When she heard his voice, she opened her eyes, pouted, and reached out to him.

Yan Chenghui felt a pang of sadness, stepped forward, bent down and picked him up, his eyes red-rimmed.

In just a few days, the little guy lost weight and looked pale.

"mother……"

Yan Huaijiao stretched out her hand, crying as she gestured for him to go find Cen Lingyi.

Yan Chenghui wiped away the tears on his face. Looking at the pitiful little boy in front of him, a feeling of being abandoned again welled up in his heart.

Isn't she the one who loves this child the most? How could she bear to let him cry for so many days?

Cen Lingyi is the most heartless girl in the world!

"Your Highness, I am guilty, please forgive me!"

Xia Qinghe strode into the hall, knelt down, and looked at him anxiously.

She pinched her palm.

After being away for seven days, he returned without saying a word to anyone, neither visiting Consort Sun nor going to the palace to report on his duties. Instead, he went straight to a side hall.

If he wasn't in a hurry to see Cen Lingyi, what else could it be?

It seems that Sun Liangyuan is not as important as Cen Lingyi?

"What crime has the Crown Princess committed?"

Yan Chenghui held Yan Huaijiao in his arms, looking down at her with a sharp gaze.

"Your Highness was ordered to travel far away, and due to my negligence, Sister Cen found an opportunity to leave the Eastern Palace, committing a serious offense. I am willing to accept Your Highness's punishment."

Xia Qinghe lowered her head, appearing to be at his mercy.

Yan Chenghui stared at her coldly, without saying a word, his aura chilling and terrifying.

"Mother, look for mother..."

Yan Huaijiao hugged Yan Chenghui's neck, pointed outwards with her little hand, and frowned, looking extremely anxious.

Father is back, why hasn't he taken him to find Mother yet?

"Your Highness," Xia Qinghe raised her head and looked at Yan Chenghui, "I dare to say a few words on behalf of Sister Cen. She is only concerned about her family and has no ambition for the Crown Prince. This time, Huaijiao has also been weaned. Since things have come to this, why should Your Highness dwell on the past and torment yourself? Why not let her go, forgive and forget, and let each of you live in peace?"

In comparison, in terms of family background and ability, how is she not superior to Cen Lingyi?

Aside from being slightly less attractive than Cen Lingyi, she was dignified, polite, and well-mannered, unmatched by anyone in the capital.

Even her usually picky father praised her for having the demeanor of an empress.

Why doesn't Your Highness cherish the people in front of you?

"I did not say she could leave."

Yan Chenghui's eyes were bloodshot, and his words were chilling.

He can abandon her; she can't leave on her own.

Let go? Forgive and forget?

dream.

He was no longer the incompetent prince she had first abandoned.

This time, he will search to the ends of the earth and dig three feet into the ground to bring her back!

"Your Highness, you..."

Xia Qinghe still wanted to persuade him further.

"Step back, I don't want to hear any more."

Yan Chenghui, with a distant demeanor, interrupted her.

"Yes."

Xia Qing froze for a moment, then slowly stood up, bowed her head, and retreated.

"Cloud Palace".

Yan Chenghui called out.

"Your Highness."

Yun Que entered the hall and bowed, her heart filled with trepidation.

Others may not know how much His Highness cares about Miss Cen, but he knows it all too well.

His Highness may seem to dislike Miss Cen, but he simply can't swallow the anger of being abandoned by her. In reality, His Highness values ​​her more than anyone else.

His Highness must be annoyed that Miss Cen has left so suddenly.

Who wouldn't be angry if they were dumped twice?

But to be honest, he wasn't too surprised by Miss Cen's departure.

Miss Cen is stubborn and opinionated, but His Highness treats her badly, causing her a lot of grievances in front of him. In addition, she is always worried about her family.

He had long anticipated this day would come.

"What did the people watching her say?"

Yan Chenghui had calmed down and asked in a deep voice.

"On the night His Highness left, Miss Cen went to find the Crown Princess and asked the guards of the Eastern Palace to let her pass. After leaving the Eastern Palace with Miss Cen Er and Lingzhi, Miss Cen went to General Song's mansion."

Yun Que spoke the truth.

"They didn't follow?"

He invited Huiwen to a banquet.

"We caught up, but five identical carriages came out of the Song residence. It must have been General Song's idea. We didn't have enough men, so we lost them."

Yun Que replied with her head down.

The reason for sending people to guard Miss Cen was simply to make it easier for His Highness to know her whereabouts at any time; no other plans were made.

Yan Chenghui remained silent for a moment.

"Your Highness, should we mobilize all secret guards and patrol forces to seal off all major land and water routes and conduct a thorough search throughout the country?"

Yun Que asked cautiously.

Now, we don't know where Miss Cen has gone, so we can only cast a wide net like this.

This method is like finding a needle in a haystack.

However, it's just a bit slow; we'll find the person sooner or later.

"No need."

Yan Chenghui already understood.

She was going to find her family; her destination had always been Longyou.

"The navy was dispatched to sail westward along the Huai River, carefully inspecting each ferry crossing."

"Dispatch three thousand elite cavalry to Longyou immediately, and guard all passes and mountain roads leading to Longyou, especially the mountain trails, and block them all."

After saying this, he handed Yan Huaijiao over to Da Chen's wet nurse.

"Father..."

Yan Huaijiao pouted, about to cry again, clutching his clothes and refusing to let go.

"Don't cry. A real man doesn't easily shed tears."

Yan Chenghui reprimanded him.

"Waaah, Mother..."

Yan Huaijiao felt extremely wronged and burst into tears.

He couldn't understand what his father was saying, but his father scolded him anyway.

He misses his mother.

"Father is going to find your mother, you mustn't cry anymore." Yan Chenghui said helplessly, wiping away his tears: "If you keep crying, you'll hurt yourself, and your mother will be heartbroken if she sees you when she comes back."

Even though the child wasn't his, he felt very sorry for it.

Why did he see Cen Lingyi's shadow in this little guy?

Their stubbornness and tenacity left him helpless.

She must have raised him; he inherited her personality and is just as annoying!

Upon hearing his words, Yan Huaijiao pouted but didn't cry, looking at him with teary eyes.

"obedient."

Yan Chenghui touched his little face.

Yan Huaijiao obediently stopped crying out loud, but tears still streamed down her face.

They look even more pitiful.

Yan Chenghui hardened his heart and turned to leave.

"Your Highness, where are you going?"

Yun Que quickly followed and asked.

"Go to the palace to report on your duties," Yan Chenghui replied, then instructed, "Send someone to the Song residence and tell General Song that I will pay him a visit later."

*

"This place is flat, why don't we rest here and have lunch?" Song Mingchi followed the donkey cart, looking around. "We're running low on dry rations, I'll go into the forest and hunt some game."

"it is good."

Cen Lingyi responded to him from the donkey cart.

She carried Cen Chiyao as they got off the donkey cart.

After several days, the little guy had developed some trust in her.

Song Mingchi found a wide-open meadow and started a fire.

"You stay here and don't wander around. Fang Zhuo will keep watch in the shadows. Call him if you need anything."

Song Mingchi gave a few instructions, then carried his bow and arrows and went into the mountains.

Cen Lingyi and her two companions chatted and played with the children, their tense nerves from days of travel finally relaxing.

More than an hour later, Song Mingchi returned from the depths of the dense forest, carrying a bow and arrows.

"Lingyi, look what I brought you!"

The weather was fine. The young man, with his peach-blossom eyes curving into crescents, carried a wild rabbit and a pheasant on his waist, a bow and arrows on his back, and his outfit was slightly dusty. He held a bunch of colorful wildflowers in his hand as he walked towards her, exuding youthful spirit.

He bent down and handed the flowers to Cen Lingyi, his eyes full of smiles.

"It looks beautiful, thank you."

Cen Lingyi took it with delight, sniffed it, and noticed a faint fragrance.

"Don't mention it. The journey was boring, so I'm just giving you this to help pass the time."

As Song Mingchi spoke, he untied the prey from his waist.

Cen Wanrou looked at the two of them with a smile.

General Song is a really good person.

But I'm afraid my younger sister doesn't want to get married again in this lifetime.

"Well……"

Cen Chiyao looked at the two prey with curiosity.

"Bunny".

Cen Lingyi smiled and taught him to speak.

"rabbit……"

Cen Chiyao learned one character.

He spoke earlier than Yan Huaijiao.

Fang Zhuo suddenly strode towards the group: "Young General."

"What is it?"

Song Mingchi took out a dagger, preparing to deal with the two prey.

Let's talk in private.

Fang Zhuo glanced at Cen Lingyi and the others, a hint of anxiety in his eyes.

"Wait for me."

Song Mingchi gave a few instructions and then followed Fang Zhuo into the dense forest.

As soon as they entered the woods, they were surrounded by several soldiers who tied their hands behind their backs.

When he looked up, he immediately saw his father's ashen face.

"father?"

He only had time to call out once.

"evil creature!"

With a sharp "smack," General Song slapped him across the face.

"Take him back."

General Song was furious.

That unfilial son! I told him long ago not to interfere in the Cen family's affairs anymore. Does he have no ears?

Cen Lingyi glanced back. Why hadn't Song Mingchi returned yet?

She felt a chill run down her spine from the eerie silence around her.

Unbeknownst to her, just a quarter of an hour earlier, Yan Chenghui's thousands of cavalry had quietly surrounded the entire valley.

The grass rustled under the horses' hooves, and the three people sitting by the fire looked in the direction of the sound.

Upon seeing who it was, Cen Lingyi's dark pupils contracted sharply, and the color drained from her face instantly. She froze, unable to breathe.

Under the bright sunshine, the person sitting upright on a tall horse was none other than Yan Chenghui.

His eyes were slightly red at the corners, and his dark pupils held a hint of hostility and resentment as he stared intently at her.