The villain prince is three and a half years old

These melon seeds are not sunflower seeds, but watermelon seeds. They are very difficult to crack.

He grabbed another handful of peanuts, pinched them, twisted them, and put them into his mouth.

There was a commotion downstairs. It was Eunuch Wu who followed Xia Jing and Ning Xuenian. He was stopped by Ning Chunyou's guards. Both sides were verifying each other's identities.

Ning Chunyou asked the middle-aged man behind him to go and deal with it.

The peanuts tasted very dry, so Xia Jing picked up the teapot in front of Ning Chunyou and poured two bowls of tea for himself and Ning Xuenian.

Ning Xuenian was terrified at the sight of her brother Jing's casual demeanor. She wasn't very familiar with Ning Chunyou, and in her impression, the prince was completely different from the other brothers and sisters. While other brothers and sisters could be addressed by their names, the prince could only be called the prince.

The girl moved her hand under the table and quietly pulled Xia Jing's sleeve, asking the boy to be more restrained.

Ning Chunyou saw her little action and said with a smile: "Nothing, how are you doing with Shouxu on weekdays? It's the same with me."

He quickly regretted saying that.

Ning Chunyou's words were warm and his expression was kind. Ning Xuenian felt relieved. She turned to look at Xia Jing, who nodded. She felt relieved.

The Seventh Princess did not understand the politeness and had a simple mindset: since the Crown Prince said that they could do as they did in Yanghexuan, and her brother Jing also nodded in affirmatively, then she would just do as she did in Yanghexuan.

Ning Xuenian waved downstairs and called Ning Sisi and Yan Yushi. The three girls were chattering in the room, discussing the new things they saw.

Ning Sisi and Yan Yushi brought the things they bought, among which was a red hydrangea. The three girls didn't recognize it, so they kicked it around like a cuju.

boom--

The tea bowl in front of Ning Chunyou was attacked by the red hydrangea for the third time. The tea spilled all over the floor and the bowl shattered into pieces.

Ning Chunyou took the new tea bowl handed to him by Xia Jing, poured a cup of new tea, and turned to look at the three girls who were making a fuss.

He asked Xia Jing in astonishment, "Are they also like this on the Third Imperial Brother's side?"

At this moment, the ninth prince, who was rumored to be the most mischievous, was actually the most obedient one!

"If it were just Sister Nian'er, Third Brother would have been even more extreme than he is now." Xia Jing replied.

In Yanghexuan, Ning Xuenian was not the only one making trouble. Ning Shouxu would occasionally join in. Of course, the Ninth Prince was also there.

"Could it be any more excessive?!" Ning Chunyou couldn't imagine it.

Xia Jing thought, this is just the beginning, we just pushed Emperor Kang Ning's wheelchair!

He picked up a piece of melon and was about to take a bite when the melon came towards him. The red flesh burst and the juice splashed all over the Ninth Prince's face. Ning Chunyou, who was standing next to him, could not escape either, and a line of red lines appeared on his white gown.

"It's broken, run!"

Ning Xue Nian knew that she was in trouble, and immediately called her good sisters to help.

Xia Jing jumped off the stool, grabbed the culprit Ning Xuenian by the collar, brought her to the table, wiped off a handful of watermelon remains, and rubbed them hard on her face.

Ning Chunyou was startled. He raised his hand to stop the Ninth Prince and opened his mouth to appease the Seventh Princess. In his opinion, a fight was inevitable if things got to this point.

However, the Seventh Princess smiled, wiped her face, and rushed towards the Sixth Princess and the Princess of Yan with her scarlet hands outstretched.

After a burst of screams, the three princesses all became clowns.

Ning Chunyou was sure that Xia Jing was not coaxing her. This smearing of watermelon juice was much more excessive than kicking the hydrangea just now!

When Ning Chunyou first saw the three princesses making a fuss, he was at a loss and very worried, and thought they were going to fight. But after watching for a while, he realized that they were indeed just playing and felt relieved.

In Ning Chunyou's impression, play means playing chess, flying flowers, playing the piano and painting. He has only seen others play Cuju, but he has never tried it himself. He dare not even think about the operation of applying watermelon juice.

If Xia Jing knew... there's no need to say 'if', the Ninth Prince knows everything.

This prince is the best of all the test takers. After finishing his schoolwork, he also takes interest classes. He is simply a ruthless study machine.

He and Ning Shouxu were once recognized by all officials as the most outstanding princes of this generation.

Not only were their reputations similar when they were young, but in most plot branches, their circumstances were also similar: Ning Shouxu was disabled and Ning Chunyou was deposed.

Ning Chunyou's later years were rather miserable. In any dynasty and any era, the deposed crown prince would be the emperor's first target of vigilance.

In the later stages of the game, after the player ascends the throne, there is a chance that the plot of the old prince's party rebelling will be triggered. The funny thing is that Ning Chunyou himself was not aware of the rebellion launched in his name.

For convenience, many players will choose to execute Ning Chunyou directly after ascending the throne, thus eliminating the possibility of him becoming a banner of rebellion.

As for what kind of person Ning Chunyou is, not much is directly revealed in the game.

In the few storylines where Ning Chunyou ascends the throne, the Ning Dynasty, though precarious, remains relatively peaceful and prosperous. However, the power of imperial relatives, aristocratic families, and officials expands dramatically, weakening the imperial power and significantly depleting the dynasty's foundation. The dynasty falls from a strong state to a weak one, and within a generation or two, it may be doomed.

This is Ning Chunyou.

During the Spring Hunt, Ning Chunyou's "benevolence" received five-star praise from officials, but it made Emperor Kangning very angry.

This "benevolence" was not a disguise. He was a good emperor who cared about the people, but he was not a qualified emperor.

That was why, after Xia Jing spotted him on the 3D map, he did not run away immediately, but followed him.

Faced with Xia Jing and the other three who sneaked out of the harem, Ning Chunyou not only did not scold them, but also greeted Ning Xuenian's disturbance with a smile.

As an elder brother, Ning Chunyou had no problem doing this, but as a crown prince, as the first heir to the Ning Dynasty, he was unqualified. A person without dignity was doomed to be unable to command his subordinates.

Tolerance should be shown in the heart, not on the surface. Emperor Kangning knew his limits very well. He met with the Ninth Prince several times and although he was clearly having a great time, he would find a reason to reprimand him.

Xia Jing was puzzled, wondering what kind of education the prince had received in his childhood that led to his current personality.

He casually opened Ning Chunyou's character interface.

[Name: Ning Chunyou]

【Age: 19】

[Identity: Crown Prince of the Ning Dynasty]

[Intimacy: 63]

63. Among all the princes, his initial intimacy is the highest.

It can be said that Ning Chunyou is the most brotherly among all the princes.

But this prince who has the strongest brotherly love is the least popular among all the princes. He sat alone at the Qianqiu dinner.

Besides the fact that he was the crown prince and blocked other people's way, it was also because of his mother, Queen Yin.

In the harem, all the concubines with princes have been suppressed by Queen Yin, either openly or covertly. Jingyixuan's initial predicament also originated from Queen Yin's henchman, Concubine Rong.

In addition, the older eldest prince, the third prince, and the fourth prince each have their own support and do not need to rely on Ning Chunyou, while the younger princes have no chance to see him at all, so this situation has arisen.

When Xia Jing first traveled through time, he didn't dare to contact Ning Chunyou, for fear that he would catch the eye of Queen Yin and be targeted. Now he is not afraid anymore, but he just hasn't found an opportunity. Unexpectedly, he met him today by chance.

Queen Yin is the enemy of the Ninth Prince, but Ning Chunyou is not, at least not entirely. If Xia Jing chooses one among all the princes to ascend the throne, apart from his third and fourth brothers, he will support Ning Chunyou the most.

At least I don't have to worry about Ning Chunyou stabbing me.

"Why are you here, Prince?" Xia Jing asked, "Aren't you going to school? Have you finished your homework today?"

The ninth prince took the initiative and asked about Ning Chunyou's studies.

"I left the study a long time ago and have no homework." Ning Chunyouxia said with a smile.

Xia Jing's question made him realize that he should question the four little ones. Although going to the palace for fun was not a big deal, it was not something that could be taken lightly.

He looked at Xia Jing with a serious expression: "When did you leave the palace? When did you return? How did you get past the guards? Who guided you? Does the emperor know? Does Concubine Shu know? Besides these three princesses, are there any other princes and princesses? Did you remember to eat lunch? Where did you eat it?"

A series of questions hit Xia Jing's head. The Ninth Prince felt dizzy and realized that he was in big trouble.

Who would have thought that this prince was actually an old woman? Even Xiao Yue would not ask such detailed questions!

"I suddenly remembered that we haven't finished the purchase yet and haven't used up all the money. I'll be leaving first. Goodbye, Prince."

Xia Jing stood up and tried to run away, but Ning Chunyou put his hand on his shoulder and pushed him back onto the stool.

The prince's meaning was very clear. He would not let her leave until she had finished explaining herself.

Xia Jing had no choice but to start from the beginning.

He spent half an hour, drank two large bowls of tea, and asked three princesses to help him, and finally answered Ning Chunyou's questions.

Originally, Ning Chunyou's initial questions could be answered in just one stick of incense, but he couldn't resist asking more questions. If he had asked about the important parts, it would have been fine, but he actually asked about the hardness of the car seat, the saltiness of the food, the clarity of the river water, the price of goods...

Xia Jing admitted that he was wrong. Ning Chunyou had no friends, not only because of Queen Yin, but also because of himself!

This conversation is comparable to the Ninth Prince's awkward chat on Xiaohongshu when he was looking at the mother list.

It looks fun, but when it’s my turn to deal with it, I feel really overwhelmed.

"...Speaking of Tianxiang Tower, do you know Tianxiang..." Ning Chunyou wanted to continue the topic.

Xia Jing couldn't pretend anymore, so she leaned down on the table and looked at him with despair.

Ning Chunyou smiled awkwardly: "Okay, I won't ask anymore. When you go back, come find me here and I'll take you to the palace."

Xia Jing agreed and turned to run. The three girls were also questioned and were still frightened. They hurriedly followed the Ninth Prince.

The group left the teahouse and were about to return to Xuejia Yanxuan when suddenly a figure jumped out from the shop in front and stood in front of Xia Jing.

As the figure raised her hand, Odazi kicked her down, locked her wrist, and pressed her to the ground.

"It's the one hundred taels just now!" Ning Xuenian recognized the other person, took Xia Jing's hand, and pointed excitedly.

Chapter 172 I am a student, send me

Ning Sisi and Yan Yushi hid behind Xia Jing, and curiously poked their heads out to look at the woman.

They had just heard about the "one hundred taels" incident from Ning Xuenian. This plot, which only appeared in the storybook, made the two of them very curious.

"Now that you have the money, why don't you go and bury your father?" Xia Jing raised his hand to let Xiao Tianzi be gentler.

The woman raised her head, and her appearance was revealed to everyone.

She wasn't pretty, nor was she ugly. She was about seventeen or eighteen, slender, with a narrow face and a pair of eyes that shone brightly black—the only noticeable part of her body. But even that was like a pebble at the bottom of a clear river, washed by the current for decades or centuries, only to acquire a hint of luster. It wasn't a black pearl, much less a black gem.

"Father can be buried later, but my benefactor will be gone soon." The woman looked at Xia Jing with surprise in her eyes.

She was surprised that a child who looked about three or four years old could talk to her clearly and coherently.

Xia Jing was also surprised. She had thought she was just a country girl, but judging by her conversation, she seemed like an educated lady. A country girl couldn't say such a matching sentence.

"We are not your benefactors. You have found the wrong person." Xia Jing shook his head and continued walking forward.

"Sir, please stay. I have seen the people in the teahouse, but they won't let me in! Please tell me, otherwise I will be unable to sleep or eat, and my father will also be unable to rest in peace in his grave!"

The woman was still yelling, but Xia Jing didn't bother to pay attention.

Ning Chunyou doesn't care about the woman's return, and the other party's persistence will only cause trouble for Ning Chunyou.

The Ninth Prince would not cause trouble for his own brother just to satisfy the moral conscience of a stranger. This kind of moral conscience that only causes trouble to others can hardly be called moral.

What's more, what a woman says isn't always the truth. She might be a scammer, or a hypochondriac who imagines scratching the CEO's car and insisting on compensation and an IOU to impress him and make him marry her.

"Master! Master!"

The woman's voice was getting farther and farther away. Xia Jing returned to the carefully selected area of ​​Xue Mansion. Xiao Tianzi handed the woman to the servants of Xue Mansion and caught up with the Ninth Prince.

The three princesses followed Xia Jing, chattering about the woman and talking about the story they had heard about selling themselves to bury their father.

Xia Jing led them into his own grocery store, and the girls immediately put aside what they had just done and concentrated on shopping.

This is the grocery store that Concubine Xian gave to Xia Jing. A few months ago, the Ninth Prince had the store redecorated and decorated, and put some new merchandise in it. It has not yet officially opened, so it is just the right place to receive the girls.

The most eye-catching things in the shop are the glassware.

Ning Xuenian took a monocle, clamped it on her eye socket, and looked around curiously, but after looking around twice, she felt dizzy and sat aside to rest.

Ning Sisi played with the glass beads and liked the smooth feel.

Yan Yushi looked at the glass beads, glass cups and old man's mirror, and asked the shop owner about the origins of these goods. The shop owner was transferred from somewhere else by the Xue family, and he knew nothing about anything.

The three princesses spent a total of one hundred taels in the grocery store, and most of the money Xia Jing gave them went back into his own pocket.

After shopping in other shops, the three princesses soon had empty pockets. But at this moment, Ning Xuenian took a fancy to a hairpin.

On the hairpin, the silver butterfly is lifelike. When the palm is slightly shaken, the wings flap up and down.

"How much silver is this?" Ning Xuenian asked the female shopkeeper beside her.

"Miss, you have really good taste. This hairpin is a top-quality piece from the store, made by..." the female shopkeeper chattered on and on.

Xia Jing felt that this shopkeeper might get along well with Ning Chunyou.

After being forced to listen to Buyao's background story, Ning Xuenian finally got a quote.

"Twenty taels." said the female shopkeeper.

Ning Xuenian only had two coins of silver left, so she found Ning Sisi and Yan Yushi to pool their money together, and finally came up with two taels, three coins, and fifteen coins.