son, don't mess around

Chapter 450 The Path of Torment

Outside the capital, on a forest path.

The sky was clear, the sun was setting slowly, the spring breeze was blowing, the trees in the forest were sprouting new buds, and the grass was green.

The cold winter has passed and the temperature has risen.

The breath of spring envelops the earth.

An inconspicuous carriage was driving slowly along the forest path.

Outside the carriage, Lin Qingqing, the subordinate, was concentrating on performing his job as a coachman, paying no attention to anything else outside and driving the carriage with full concentration.

She is well aware of the awareness that an excellent and qualified subordinate should have!

Inside the carriage.

The atmosphere was a little tense.

Dull.

Lin Jiangnian sat in the carriage, looking across with an expressionless face.

Just opposite, Xu Lan, wearing a light green dress, was sitting there upright, pouting her lips, looking a little aggrieved, but her eyes were wide open, staring at Lin Jiangnian.

stubborn!

Not afraid at all!
Right next to Xu Lan, the maid named Xiaolu was standing right next to her mistress. She had a worried look on her face as she nervously watched her mistress confront the Crown Prince.

I want to say something, but I can't get a word in!

Very anxious.

Lin Jiangnian felt a headache when he saw the master and servant who suddenly appeared!
No matter how much I planned, I missed this point.

Unexpectedly, Miss Xu would suddenly appear and insist on going back with him. No matter how Lin Jiangnian refused, Miss Xu refused to leave.

Looking at the stubborn little face in front of him, it looked like she was determined to rely on him.

Lin Jiangnian frowned even deeper!

Xu Lan's appearance disrupted his original plan and also made Lin Jiangnian somewhat puzzled. He had been very cautious when leaving the capital this time... How did Xu Lan know his whereabouts?

……

At this time, Xu Lan, who was sitting opposite Lin Jiangnian, stared at Lin Jiangnian with stubborn and dim eyes.

Looking so aggrieved!

If she hadn't been smart, she would have been left behind this time!
Last time, when Lin Jiangnian agreed to take her back to Linjiang City, Xu Lan excitedly found her grandfather. Although her grandfather was a little worried, he finally agreed to let Xu Lan go back with Lin Jiangnian after weighing the pros and cons.

Now the Xu family has lost power in Beijing and is in a precarious situation. Mr. Xu can hardly protect himself, so in this case, it is better to let Xu Lan follow Lin Jiangnian back to Linjiang City than to stay in Beijing.

So, Xu Lan excitedly began to pack up, imagining the scene of the journey back to Linjiang City with Lin Jiangnian.

It was not until a few days ago when Xu Lan came to the Jiang Mansion again that he suddenly realized that something was wrong with the atmosphere there.

After asking around, I found out that something had happened!
Uncle Lin was assassinated?!
Xu Lan was shocked when he heard the news, and immediately wanted to find Lin Jiangnian to inquire about the situation, but unfortunately Lin Jiangnian was not at home at that time.

However, her maid Xiaolu found out from Xiaozhu that Lin Jiangnian arranged for Xiaozhu and the others to go to Jiangnan, while Lin Jiangnian planned to return to Linjiang City alone.

Xu Lan became nervous upon hearing the news. Should he return alone?

Didn't he promise to take me back with him?

Now he doesn’t even plan to take Zhiyuan and Xiaozhu with him?

What about her?
Worried Xu Lan immediately wanted to find Lin Jiangnian to ask for clarification, but was stopped by the maid Xiaolu, who whispered something to her.

So...

After listening to Xiaolu's analysis, Xu Lan's eyes quickly lit up!

This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

Lin Jiangnian planned to return to Linjiang City alone, without even taking Zhiyuan and Xiaozhu with him. If Xu Lan asked, he would most likely not take her with him.

So, don’t ask!
On the other hand, doesn’t this also mean that on the way back this time, there will be no one by Lin Jiangnian’s side?
There is no kite, and no bamboo...

If she could go back with Lin Jiangnian, doesn’t that mean...she could be alone with Lin Jiangnian?
Thinking of this, Xu Lan became more and more excited!

Hence, this scene happened!
Xu Lan has been secretly keeping an eye on Jiang Mansion's whereabouts these past two days. She knows that following Lin Jiangnian is useless, and she also knows that her subordinate Lin Qingqing will go back with Lin Jiangnian.

As a result, with the help of the "traitor" Xiao Zhu, Xu Lan learned about Lin Qingqing's movements in advance.

In the end, he successfully caught Lin Jiangnian off guard.

……

"You lied to me!"

Inside the carriage, Xu Lan stared at Lin Jiangnian with resentment in her eyes, aggrieved: "You promised me that you would take me back with you."

Lin Jiangnian had a headache and sighed, "That was before... Don't you know that something happened in Prince Lin's Mansion?"

"I know!"

Xu Lan nodded: "Uncle Lin is injured, so I have to go back!"

She said as a matter of course: "Uncle Lin is so good to me, of course I have to go back to see him."

Seeing that Xu Lan was determined to follow, Lin Jiangnian was silent for a while, and finally reminded her: "Don't blame me for not reminding you, the journey back this time is very tight, and I won't have time to take care of you. It will be very difficult!"

"I'm not afraid!"

"When the time comes, you'll regret it, but complaining will be useless!"

"I won't!"

Xu Lan raised her eyes, staring at Lin Jiangnian with sparkling eyes, biting her lower lip lightly, and said in a firm tone: "Don't look down on me..."

“I will never complain of being tired!”

"Okay, since you said so, then follow me."

Lin Jiangnian didn't argue with her. Since she was not afraid of being tired, she would just follow him.

He did not intend to change his original plan and planned to continue on his journey as planned. Since Miss Xu insisted on following him, he would let her suffer!
As for whether the pampered Miss Xu would be able to bear it...

If she can bear it, then she will follow. If she can't bear it, then someone will be sent to escort her back alone.

Hearing that Lin Jiangnian finally agreed, Xu Lan's beautiful eyes immediately brightened.

"Great!"

She clenched her fists, looked excited and cheered.

Xiaolu on the side finally felt relieved, it worked!
His Highness was willing to keep the young lady and her, so she would try to create as many opportunities for the young lady to be alone with His Highness as possible, and try to get her young lady to take His Highness away as soon as possible on the way back this time...

Xiaolu made up his mind secretly.

"Don't be happy too early."

Lin Jiangnian glanced at the master and servant and said, "Don't cry for the next two days."

"I won't... stop looking down on others!"

Xu Lan snorted at him twice: "I am also an expert after all... If you are not afraid of getting tired, then I am not afraid either!"

Lin Jiangnian overlooked the fact that this Miss Xu did have some basic skills.

But what’s the use of this little effort?

I'll probably cry for my parents by then!

However, seeing how excited she was, Lin Jiangnian didn't say anything more.

Some lessons can only be understood more deeply and deeply after she has experienced them herself.

After two days, she realized she was wrong!

……

as predicted!

After successfully staying, Xu Lan, who had achieved her goal, was very excited, thrilled and happy at first.

She had even begun to imagine the time she would spend with Lin Jiangnian... It was a long journey, from the capital to Linjiang City, and there were only four of them accompanying her!
...Except for Xiaolu and Lin Qingqing who was acting as a coachman, she was alone with Lin Jiangnian.

Be alone together!
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
How could Xu Lan not be excited?
She is very much looking forward to what will happen along the way!
However, her excitement and anticipation did not last long, and soon it was completely consumed by the continuous journey.

……

After leaving the capital, Lin Jiangnian did not choose to take the official road, but chose a forest path to hide his whereabouts. Compared with the official road, the path was obviously more rugged, and the carriage stumbled along the way, and the bumps made Miss Xu very unaccustomed and uncomfortable.

She lived a life of luxury and had never expected that traveling would be more tiring than she had imagined.

...The last time I came to the capital, everything was fine along the way!
Miss Xu soon felt the danger of the road.

The ride was bumpy and uncomfortable, and the journey became increasingly boring as time went on. When I opened the car curtain, all I could see outside was the dense jungle and the endless road ahead.

The first day was fine. After all, Xu Lan had some martial arts skills, so he was able to hold on. Plus, his excitement hadn't completely subsided, so he kept talking to Lin Jiangnian about this and that, very excited.

But by the next day, her excitement had obviously diminished a lot!
It’s so tortured!

The next day was still a boring journey.

There was no pleasure in sightseeing, and nothing happened as expected. All we did was rush on.

In order to save time, they even traveled day and night. The night before, Miss Xu fell asleep in the jolting carriage.

I slept very restlessly!

I was woken up countless times by the shaking and felt sore all over the next day.

She began to miss the soft bed at home!

By the second night, it was impossible to rest in the carriage any longer, so they camped in the wilderness for the night!

The living conditions in the camp were not good, although much better than sleeping in a carriage! But for Miss Xu, who was used to a life of luxury, it was still a torture!
But perhaps because she was too tired from traveling these two days, Miss Xu fell asleep immediately. When she woke up on the third day, she felt sore all over, had no strength, and looked haggard.

However, when she learned that she had to continue her journey, Miss Xu completely collapsed, and there was no excitement on her face anymore.

It’s so tortured!

She had anticipated that the journey would be boring and tiring, but she had obviously overestimated her ability to endure it.

I also underestimated how hard the journey would be.

Traveling like this?

Who can stand it!

"What? Can't stand it?"

Lin Jiangnian looked at Miss Xu, who was beginning to look haggard and weak after two days of hard travel and asked, "Can you not bear it anymore?"

"Who, who said I can't stand it?!"

Xu Lan, who was originally weak, immediately stiffened up after hearing Lin Jiangnian's words: "I, I'm fine..."

“Not tired at all!”

Seeing that she was still holding on, Lin Jiangnian didn't expose her and smiled: "Okay, then get in the car and continue on your journey!"

"According to estimates, if we keep traveling at this rate, we will be home in another month!"

"A month?!"

Hearing this, Xu Lan's eyes suddenly widened with a look of horror.

Another month?

It's only been two days and she has been tortured like this!
This will take a month?

Is this still possible?
But at this time, Xu Lan could only hold on and not be looked down upon.

"It's just one month, no big deal!"

Xu Lan gritted her teeth, snorted, and continued to hold on.

He turned his head and looked at Xiaolu next to him: "Xiaolu, don't you think so?"

"no……"

The maid Xiaolu beside her looked pale and pitiful: "Miss, I'm so tired..."

Xiaolu's expression was obviously worse than Xu Lan's.

After all, she didn't know any Kung Fu, and the bumpy journey over the past two days almost cost her life.

"Miss, I feel like I'm going to die on the road..."

"It's not that serious, is it?"

"Have……"

Xiao Lu said pitifully: "It's only been two days, and I already feel like I'm dying. If it takes another month, I'll really die..."

"Miss, I have sacrificed my life for your happiness!"

"What nonsense are you talking about? You are alive and well, don't say such depressing words."

Seeing her maid's pitiful appearance, Xu Lan thought for a moment and said, "How about you go back first?"

"do not want!"

Seeing that the young lady was about to abandon her, Xiaolu immediately shook her head and got up from the ground: "I can still hold on for a while... I want to follow the young lady and I won't go anywhere!"

"..."

The carriage continued on the path.

But the atmosphere in the carriage was completely different from two days ago!
The master and servant in the carriage had completely lost the excitement and anticipation they had two days ago, and were left with only torture and despair.

Outside the carriage.

Lin Qingqing continued on her way.

Lin Jiangnian walked out of the carriage at some point and looked at the scenery ahead.

Lin Qingqing secretly glanced at the two people in the carriage, hesitated, and asked in a low voice: "Your Highness, did you do this on purpose?"

"Ok?"

Lin Jiangnian glanced at her.

Lin Qingqing sighed softly: "Your Highness has been doing this on purpose these past two days, is he trying to make Miss Xu give up?"

"Didn't she choose this herself?"

Lin Jiang smiled young and did not deny it.

He did it on purpose.

"If this goes on, I don't think Miss Xu will last more than two days..." Lin Qingqing said.

Being able to hold on for two days has changed Lin Qingqing's impression of Miss Xu a lot.

Traveling all night these past two days was something even she couldn't handle.

"If she can't hold on any longer, send her back."

Lin Jiangnian raised his eyes and looked forward: "I remember there will be a small town ahead, right?"

Lin Qingqing nodded: "There is indeed a small town, and we have people in the town."

"Okay, let's rest there tonight."

Lin Jiangnian spoke, glancing at the carriage behind him: "If she can't hold on any longer, send someone to escort them back."

"Yes."

Lin Qingqing nodded and understood what His Highness meant.

Your Highness wants Miss Xu to give up. The journey back has just begun and there is no telling what dangers lie ahead.

It is indeed inconvenient for His Highness to have both of them with him, and it is also difficult to ensure their safety.

The best option is to escort them both back separately.

However, Lin Qingqing seemed to have thought of something, and couldn't help but glance inside the car curtain and asked, "Your Highness, what if Miss Xu survives?"

Hearing this, Lin Jiangnian did not respond.

Lin Qingqing thought for a moment and asked again: "Your Highness..."

"Ok?"

"Ms. Xu, she should like you... did you know that?"

"..."

(End of this chapter)