Your Highness, Please Love Me Tender

118. Arriving in Yanling

Translator: Flying Lines

When Xiao Shengnian and his brother arrived in State Yanling, they were just in time for State Yanling’s war.

Because of State Yanhui’s official passport, the two brothers very easily crossed through State Xi. However, when they arrived at the border between State Xi and State Yanling, they were blocked by State Yanling’s soldiers guarding the border.

“Identify yourself!” A military officer, who was responsible for guarding this area, shouted angrily.

State Yanling had many plains. This country’s citizens were brave and strong, and their soldiers were even more so. As Xiao ShengXian saw the stalwart military officer, he became a little muddle-headed.

However, Xiao Shengnian unhurriedly fished out the documents and said calmly, “We come from State Yanhui.”

“State Yanhui?” The military officer frowned and said, “Wait a moment, I’ll go tell Vice-general Yan.”

The two brothers waited for a good while, but the military officer came back alone, the so-called Vice-general was nowhere to be seen. The military officer yelled from far away, “Tie them both up. Bring them to Vice-general Yan.”

Hearing this, a few tall and strong soldiers surrounded them, and Xiao ShengXian couldn’t help but feel goosebumps forming on his skin.

On the other hand, Xiao Shengnian smiled. He understood that the officer was just putting on airs to intimidate them.

But the officer chose the wrong people to mess with.

Xiao Shengnian’s martial arts were even better than Su Jie’s. When he used just one blow to knock down a soldier, the other surrounding soldiers were shocked at his strength. After all, Xiao Shengnian didn’t look that strong.

Xiao Shengnian knocked down the other surrounding soldiers and said with an elegant smile, “We will walk there ourselves.”

The thunderous looking officer they were walking towards probably didn’t think that his underlings would fail to block even one blow and were knocked down by a feeble-looking gentleman, causing him to feel ashamed. So, he said gloomily to Xiao Shengnian, “Come with me.”

*

In the army tent, Vice-general Yan was currently drawing on the map. Seeing Xiao Shengnian and his brother walk in, he stood up from his seat.

“What hospitality!” Xiao ShengXian couldn’t resist biting out a piercing comment. After all, he was State Yanhui’s ninth prince, the honorable Prince Xian, and he was treated without hospitality when he arrived in State Yanling. If he had martial arts as good as his brother’s, the first thing he would do right now was to punch this Vice-general Yan’s face.

Vice-general Yan was one of Ju Liandao’s seven capable right hand. He was skilled in training soldiers. The reason he was left to guard the border this time was to prevent State Yanhui’s military from attacking Yanling by crossing through State Xi.

Seeing that Xiao Shengnian and his brother were from State Yanhui, Vice-general felt unhappy. However, he didn’t show it. He only flipped through the documents half-heartedly. Then, he said, “You two come from the imperial city?”

“Yes.” Xiao Shengnian answered.

“Coming to Yanling to find someone?” Vice-general Yan felt that the reason written on the documents was funny.

However, Xiao Shengnian nodded in all seriousness, “That’s right.”

Vice-general Yan was a little impatient since Gongsun Ju Lian, the general of the northern plains, was leading soldiers to capture cities and seize territory, and he was left here to protect the borders. That he couldn’t personally fight to seize back the cities occupied by Lan Buhui for His Highness the Crown Prince aside, he still had to deal with these two guests?

Vice-general Yan wasn’t happy about that, not in the mood for any courtesy or hospitality. Add in that the language on these documents was flowery and elaborate, Vice-general Yan couldn’t honestly understand it. He also didn’t meticulously inspect it.

Vice-general Yan casually placed it onto the table, and said, “Recently, Yanling is at a critical moment in time, and so, even the smallest mistakes are not tolerated. Even though you both come from State Yanhui’s imperial city, you have to follow State Yanling’s rules when you’re here in Yanling.”

“What rules?” Xiao ShengXian could no longer hold his temper. When had he ever been treated like this before? If they were in State Yanhui, he would have had someone to behead Vice-general Yan already.

“Since His Highness the Crown Prince has not yet taken the imperial city, you two stay here at the borders.” Vice-general Yan was normally responsible for training soldiers, therefore other than facing Ju Liandao, he was extremely strong and overbearing. He was expressionless and seemed very strict. He commanded to the outside of the tent with a low voice, “Come, have these two people locked up.”

“How dare you!”

Hearing this, Xiao ShengXian was so angry that he had to say something. He was used to being in a superior position due to his noble origin and had an imposing aura around him. And now, when he spat out these three words so strongly, it even made Vice-general Yan freeze slightly. He stared at Xiao ShengXian with a little suspicion, saying, “Why? You have more to say?”

“I…” Xiao ShengXian was just about to say that he was State Yanhui’s Prince Xian when he was stopped by his brother.

Then, these two brothers were locked away in jail where they normally kept prisoners.

“Seventh brother, you know martial arts. Why didn’t you fight?” Xiao ShengXian asked, fuming in anger when they were inside the jail.

“We’re outnumbered. Perhaps you thought that I have the ability to escape from here with you?”

“Then why didn’t you let me tell them who I was? If they knew we were princes, that arrogant vice-general definitely wouldn’t treat us like this!” Xiao ShengXian stood in the stinky prison unhappily. He said with a long face, “Seventh brother, can we even live in this place?”

“Just bear with it. State Yanling is currently going through war. If you told them about your identity as a prince, it would only cause more trouble. At this sensitive time in State Yanling, any officials from our country will only incite fear.” Xiao Shengnian piled the hay on the prison floor together and sat down. He even patted on the spot next to him, indicating for Xiao ShengXian to go over.

Xiao ShengXian simply shook his head. “It’s dirty. I’m not sitting.”

“Well, you can just stand there then.” Xiao Shengnian laughed and laid there as he took a nap. When he woke, he found Xiao ShengXian crouching, his slanted eyes full of profound grievance.

“Come here and sleep a bit.” Xiao Shengnian waved his hands.

This time, Xiao ShengXian didn’t mind the dirtiness. He was so tired. Even though the place was a little crowded, at least there was space to sleep.

Like this, the two brothers slept through the night. Thankfully, Vice-general Yan didn’t maltreat them in terms of food. On the morning of the second day, piping hot food was delivered to them.

“There’s only this pitiful amount? And they’re all vegetables?”

Xiao ShengXian was extremely picky when it came to food, to the point where he could be said to be miserable without meat. And right now, the meal in front of him consisted only of plain vegetables – how could he endure this?

“If I knew it was going to be like this, I wouldn’t have brought you with me.” Xiao Shengnian rubbed his temples as he felt his head ache.

“Seventh brother, the environment here is too bad. I originally wanted to come here to have a stroll but unexpectedly, we were treated like this.”

“… Come here.” Xiao Shengnian fell silent for a few moments and then gestured to the prison guard.

Even though the prison guard didn’t look fierce, he was not, by no means, a kind person. When he saw Xiao Shengnian waving his hand, he lazily walked over and asked, “What is it?”

Xiao Shengnian fished out a note of money from his pockets and said in a mild tone, “We’ll entrust our three meals to you from now on. This is your fee.”

The prison guard couldn’t bear to see Xiao Shengnian using this kind of calm tone. So he spat on the floor and walked away, shaking his head. He didn’t even respond to Xiao Shengnian.

Seeing this, Xiao ShengXian wanted to laugh but also felt that he shouldn’t. He had never seen his brother being humiliated before. At this moment, his mood took a good turn because of Xiao Shengnian.

Xiao Shengnian wasn’t bothered. He put back the note and turned to reveal a helpless expression to Xiao ShengXian, “Just try to make do with it.”

“When we return to State Yanhui, I can also say that I’m someone who’s been in prison before.” Xiao ShengXian sighed loudly.