CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

630 Picnic

The Crown Prince took Bai Ying’s hand along the mossy path in the depths of the Pai Hua valley. The fresh smell of wild plants and the air untouched by humans is breathed deeply, and the calm atmosphere only with the sound of the breeze and a few small animals playing clandestinely in the depths of the valley sounds very sweet. The rustling of dense leaves on the tallest tree branches around them sounded romantic as if they were playing soft music in harmony with nature.

Slowly the clouds that were white with the blue sky turned grey, the wind blew harder and dewdrops began to drip a sign the rain will soon fall. Even though it is surrounded by towering trees rainwater will still fall on both of them.

“Ying Ying, it looks like it will rain soon, we have to hurry and find a place to take shelter.”

Bai Ying looked around, the wind was blowing stronger than before, and several small animals had quickly returned to their nests to take shelter. Bai Ying pointed at the rocks not far in front of them, which looked like there was a cave behind the grass and vines that covered it.

“Let’s go there Your Majesty, we can take shelter there” cried Bai Ying who without hesitation grabbed the Crown Prince’s hand excitedly.

Luo Xiang had no choice but to follow him.

“Brat, aren’t you tired from walking since earlier?”

Bai Ying couldn’t get tired quickly, he was very excited at that time and he didn’t feel else but excited.

“Come on Your Highness, I already told my brother that it’s likely that we will spend the night in the valley if it’s too late, Ying er really wants to feel the night here, it looks like it will be so fun”

.....

“How can we spend the night here, what if you scream out of hunger later, how can my Ying Ying who likes to eat missed his very precious dinner”

Bai Ying showed the cloth bag that had been hanging on his left shoulder.

“Relax Your Highness, Ying er has brought lots of sweet potatoes and fresh fruits, we will eat a lot”

Luo Xiang frowned, he had not seen the young man carrying things since earlier. It turned out that it was indeed behind his left shoulder, hanging a cloth bag with a pattern almost the same as his clothes, no wonder he didn’t see it.

The cave, which is located deep in the Pai Hua valley, seems like no human has ever entered. Although several times the Xin Hua soldiers patrolled and ensured the valley was safe from outside intruders, they often passed through the location.

“Be careful Ying, the road is slippery, and this place is so dirty, are you sure you want to stay here?” said the Crown Prince holding Bai Ying’s hand tightly as he walked slowly into the cave.

There was only one place, with some large rocks in the middle of the cave where anyone who had been there before, long ago, probably used to sit. The ground is no longer visible covered by wild grass and weeds.

Bai Ying flicked his sleeves and instantly the wind swept away all the weeds from the ground along with their excrement. In an instant, the cave ground was clean of dust.
“Whossh”

Crown Prince widened his eyes. The young man more and more unhesitatingly showed how great he really was. As if nothing was impossible for him in this world. Bai Ying pulled the Crown Prince’s hand and sat down on the rocks.

“Come on Your Majesty, let’s just sit here, oh this is perfect, our fun picnic”

The Crown Prince was just about to lower his butt onto the rock when it suddenly rained very heavily outside the cave. Some of the sparks even get to Bai Ying and Luo Xiang who was sitting in there.

Bai Ying placed his cloth bag on the ground and sat down beside the Crown Prince. Can’t stop smiling seeing the rainwater that falls without limit as if all the water supplies were spilt from the sky.

“This is so perfect as Ying er’s have in mind”

Luo Xiang looked at the cute face of the young man in front of him who seemed to be enjoying himself even though they were in a dirty and dark room. Which will soon become very dark because the sun is setting.

Luo Xiang shifted Bai Ying’s shoulder to his, stroking the young man’s head who was slowly leaning on his shoulder. He couldn’t stop smiling either.

He remembered a year ago when he saw Hua Bai Ying in his palace at that time. The sweet and cute, beautiful and innocent face of the weak and helpless Hua Bai Ying. That face didn’t change even though he had now become the King of the Realms. Although not as cute as before.

The Crown Prince stroked Bai Ying’s hair and kissed his forehead.

“Ying Ying, there will be a lantern festival soon. Would you like to see it in town?” he asked.

Bai Ying thought.

“Em we can hold it at the palace, Your Majesty, grandma will definitely be very happy with the festival. Granny is like Ying er who loves shopping. Let’s just invite lots of lantern sellers around the palace and fly lanterns from here. The sky of Pai Hua hasn’t been bright for a long time because of the lanterns, everybody must be so excited.”

Luo Xiang nodded.

“Hehe, that’s a great idea. It doesn’t feel like a year has passed, all of that time has gone by so fast.”

Bai Ying nodded. He raised his two arms and hugged the Crown Prince’s waist, who was also hugging him tightly.

“Umh yeah, a lot of things have happened. Heh, Ying er, missing father and mother, shall we be able to stop by their graves when we back to San Po, Your Highness?” he asked, looking up at Luo Xiang with his pair of big round eyes.

Luo Xiang nodded. He kissed Bai Ying’s eyelids gently, one by one.

“Of course, we will stop by there often, as well as stay for a while at the Hua residence, whatever my Ying Ying wants.”

Bai Ying smiled broadly, dropping his head back onto the Crown Prince’s shoulder. The big body that supported him when he was tired, the big hands that held him when he was lost, the big smile that brightened his soul when he was in the dark.

“Your Highness, grandma said that Ying er should stay in the palace until Ying er’s appointment. She said that I can’t go anywhere until I crown as the Great King, it’s really troublesome.”

Luo Xiang held Bai Ying’s fingers and fiddled with each of his slender fingers. Picked them up and kissed them one by one.

“Then, will Ying Ying stay in the palace?” asked Luo Xiang.



???????????????? ???????????????????????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????????????? ???????? ????????????????????-????????????.????????????

Bai Ying pursed his lips, looking at the Crown Prince with sharp eyes.

“How can Ying er stay quietly in the palace while Ying er has to follow His Highness back to Yue Yang? Does Your Highness want to stay here until Ying er’s appointment? Then, after that Ying er also had to stay for at least five years to study all the political affairs and governance of the country. Ying er already had a headache just thinking about it, how could Ying er learn all that? Being a King is really troublesome.”

Luo Xiang held back a laugh, Bai Ying’s face when she said all her complaints looked very cute.

“Well how else, has my Ying Ying dared to go against the will of the palace? Princess will, your great-grandmother?” he asked.

Bai Ying pursed his mouth. Then shook his head.

“No”

But then he nodded.

“Well yeah, Ying er is the King here, all rules are made by the King, and everyone must obey them, and as the King, Ying er will bring up this rule at the next ministerial meeting and have everyone abolish it. It’s easy, right?”

Luo Xiang pursed his lips, he almost choked on his own spit hearing the young man’s answer, as usual, the Young King was very innocent in thought.

“How can it be like that, are you sure all the ministers will obey you?”

Bai Ying nodded.

“Of course Your Majesty, Ying er is their King, if they don’t obey me then who? This is only for Ying er, later when the next Kings step up, the rules will back to as it is” Bai Ying said in a loud voice.

The Crown Prince couldn’t stop looking at Bai Ying’s excited face as he said all that, he was clearly an extremely adorable youngster. Luo Xiang finally pinched his nose fondly.

“Ich this kid, how can you think like that:

“Akh Your Highness!”

Night came. The sky in Pai Hua valley was pitch black without a single light, with dark clouds and heavy rain.

Crown Prince has made a bonfire in the middle of the cave. A few dry twigs in the cave piled up because of the drying wild plants and of course, it’s not hard to get the fire.

Bai Ying was impatiently waiting for the roasted sweet potatoes that the Crown Prince had been roasting over medium heat. The smell was already very tempting for the worms in Bai Ying’s stomach that kept screaming out of hunger.

#######