The charming widow of the Marquis's mansion: The stable boy carries the flag and raises the dra

Wang Long was also hungry, and he ate a chicken leg in three bites.

Seeing that he had eaten, Murong Qing nodded in satisfaction and continued to bury herself in her food.

The two of them squatted in the corner, each holding a beggar's chicken, and munching on it.

Chicken bones were scattered all over the ground, and oil smeared all over hands and face.

Murong Qing had a small piece of chicken scrap stuck to the tip of her nose, but she was completely unaware of it and was still intently gnawing on a chicken wing.

Wang Long couldn't help but laugh when he saw her like this.

This princess was completely different from what he had imagined.

There was no haughty air, no aloof indifference, and none of the innate arrogance of royalty.

She's just a cute little girl who loves to eat.

Murong Qing licked her fingers with lingering satisfaction, her gaze falling on the chicken that Wang Long hadn't finished eating.

Wang Long had been eating with Murong Qing, and had only finished one chicken leg before he hadn't had a chance to continue.

He was amused by Murong Qing's adorable appearance and handed her the remaining beggar's chicken.

"If Your Highness doesn't mind, these are for you as well."

Murong Qing felt a little embarrassed.

"This...this is your lunch, right? I've eaten, so what will you eat?"

Wang Long smiled and shook his head.

"This old servant is not hungry. Seeing Your Highness enjoying your meal makes this old servant happy too."

Murong Qing was taken aback, then her eyes crinkled into a smile as bright as a flower.

"You really know how to talk."

She accepted the beggar's chicken without hesitation and ate it in big mouthfuls, clearly very hungry.

Murong Qing tossed away the last bone, leaned against the tree trunk, patted her stomach contentedly, and let out a loud burp.

"belch--"

After burping, she paused for a moment, then covered her mouth, a blush rising to her cheeks.

"Um... I'm not usually like this, but today is just..."

She stammered her explanation, her voice growing softer and softer.

Wang Long suppressed a laugh and nodded seriously.

"This old servant understands. Her Highness is of noble birth and naturally is dignified and elegant in daily life."

Murong Qing glared at him.

Are you making fun of me, the princess?

"This old servant dares not."

Wang Long quickly waved his hand, his face full of sincerity.

Murong Qing stared at him for two seconds, then suddenly burst out laughing.

"Never mind, let it be a joke. Anyway, I had a very enjoyable meal today."

She stretched, leaned against the tree trunk, and looked up at the canopy above her. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on her face.

"I haven't eaten this much in a long time."

Her voice suddenly lowered, carrying a hint of grievance.

Wang Long hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't resist.

"Your Highness, if this old servant may be so bold as to ask... how could you, as a princess, and the most favored princess at that, be... not having enough to eat?"

Upon hearing this, Murong Qing sighed.

The sigh was soft, yet it carried a heaviness beyond its years.

"I may be favored, but I am still a princess."

She sat up straight, hugged her knees with both hands, rested her chin on her knees, and looked into the distance.

"Recently, my father and mother have been looking for a husband for me. As you know, princesses in the royal family never have the right to choose their own marriage partners."

"In order to consolidate the imperial power, the person I will marry in the future will either be the heir of this king of a different surname or the son of that powerful nobleman."

"After marrying into the royal family, every word and action represents the face of the royal family, and there can be no mistakes."

She paused, her voice lowering even further.

"So recently, the Empress Dowager hired more than a dozen tutors for me to learn etiquette every day."

"How to walk, how to talk, how to laugh, how to sit, how to eat..."

"Even drinking water requires proper posture. You have to hold the spoon high and the bowl deep enough. You can't open your mouth or make any noise while chewing. A meal can take up most of the day, and you're still starving afterward."

She turned her head to look at Wang Long, her eyes slightly red.

"I originally wanted to come and watch the competition today. I've been cooped up in the palace for so long, and it's so nice to finally get some fresh air."

"As a result, as soon as I returned to the palace, my mother dragged me to learn etiquette. I studied for a whole morning without even getting a sip of water."

"This princess couldn't stand it anymore, so I secretly ran away while the tutor was in the toilet."

As she spoke, her nose tingled, and tears welled up in her eyes.

"This princess really wants to cry..."

Looking at her like this, Wang Long felt a surge of complex emotions.

As the most favored princess of the mighty Great Qian Dynasty, she appeared to outsiders to be living a life of luxury and endless glory.

But who would have thought that she can't even afford a full meal now?

What a pitiful child.

As if possessed, Wang Long reached out and gently patted Murong Qing's head.

His rough palms pressed against the top of her head, the movement very light and gentle.

"Your Highness, you've worked hard."

Murong Qing froze.

She stared blankly at Wang Long, at his wrinkled, aged face, and at his cloudy old eyes, which were filled with gentleness and pity.

There was no flattery, no fawning, and no fear.

It's like an elder comforting a child who has been wronged.

Murong Qing's nose tingled, and tears finally streamed down her face.

She suddenly threw herself into Wang Long's arms, wrapped her arms around his waist, buried her face in his chest, and began to sob.

"Waaaah... This princess is so tired..."

"Every day you have to pretend, pretend to be dignified, pretend to be elegant, pretend to be noble..."

"I don't want to be a princess at all. I just want to... I just want to eat my fill, I just want to live freely..."

Her voice was muffled, trembling with sobs, like that of a wounded little animal.

Wang Long was stunned for a moment, then reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her waist.

His palm rested on her waist, and through the thin palace dress, he could feel her body trembling slightly.

He gently patted her back, again and again, his movements very light and slow.

"Your Highness, please stop crying. Your eyes are all swollen from crying, and the nanny will find out when we get back."

Upon hearing this, Murong Qing's crying subsided slightly, but she still refused to leave his embrace.

Wang Long didn't rush her; he just held her close and gently patted her back.

After a while, Murong Qing gradually stopped crying.

She lifted her head from Wang Long's embrace, her eyes and nose red, and her face still streaked with tears.

They look pitiful, yet inexplicably adorable.

"You..."

She sniffled, her voice still trembling with tears.

"Why are they so different from everyone I know?"

Wang Long smiled, took out a coarse cloth handkerchief from his pocket, and handed it to her.

"This old servant is just a horse groom, I don't know much about rules and etiquette. I have lost my composure in front of Your Highness, please forgive me."

Murong Qing took the handkerchief, wiped away her tears, and blew her nose.

"Forgive me for what? I didn't blame you."

She tucked the handkerchief into her sleeve, showing no intention of returning it.

"I'll keep this handkerchief as an apology for making me cry."

Wang Long was both amused and exasperated.

The handkerchief was made by himself from old clothes; it was very rough and didn't even have a pattern.

What would a princess do with such a tattered handkerchief?

Murong Qing didn't think that much about it. She sniffed and suddenly felt something sticky and itchy on her face.

She reached out and touched it, feeling a small, hard object. She pried it off and took a look—

It was a small piece of burnt chicken scrap that had gotten stuck to my face.

Murong Qing's face flushed red.

Was she crying her eyes out with that face covered in chicken scraps?

This is so embarrassing!

Wang Long couldn't help but laugh when he saw the chicken scraps in her hand.

"Your Highness, please do not move."

He reached out, his rough fingers gently brushing across her cheek, from her cheekbone to her chin, removing another piece of debris stuck to her face.

As his fingertips brushed against her skin, Wang Long felt a slight stirring in his heart.

So tender.

So slippery.