Chapter 102 (2/2)
Now that the third prince mentioned that booklet, the emperor finally remembered. His eyes showed that he was extremely pleasantly surprised. After repeatedly nodding his head several times, he summoned the local officials and important ministers, as well as Li Province's governor, to accompany him to discuss this matter.
The crown prince's complexion slightly changed, but he was smiling as he patted third prince's shoulder. ”Third younger brother, you have extensive knowledge and experience.”
”Oldest brother, you're too kind with your praise.” Zhao Jue cupped his hands and lowered his eyes. ”I've just traveled a lot.”
”What a good job you've done with traveling a lot.” Zhao Zhe narrowed his eyes. ”Your older brother has stayed in the palace for too long and can't be compared with you, third younger brother.”
Zhao Jue seemed somewhat lost in his own thoughts and didn't respond.
Zhao Zhe's gaze wasn't very friendly, but he only turned around and led the other people to continue to look around this area.
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Ning Mingjie felt slightly sleepy. For an inexplicable reason, he kept having a nightmare every time he went to sleep recently. In his dreams, there would be a thick blanket of white fog. It was followed by a voice that continuously shouted, ”You're wrong, you're wrong, you're wrong.”
What had he done wrong? Ning Mingjie yawned, got onto a prepared horse, and went with the two princes and Marquis Moyu as they moved along the riverside.
Even if he had made a horrible mistake, at least tell him what he had done wrong. He wouldn't look back if that voice only continued to shout that he was wrong.
He recalled yesterday's memory. Nie Sangyu had personally prepared the meal. He had simply chosen a table that had three meat dishes and four vegetarian dishes because there was also a jar of Li Province's local rice wine on that table's tray.
He liked to drink wine. While he had been living in Marquis Jingwen's fiefdom, he would frequently be drunk for several days and nights in a row. As a result, his father had said he was lacking in propriety. However, life only lasted for so long. If you always upheld propriety and never relaxed, wouldn't life be meaningless?
He was still reminiscing over yesterday's food. It was so much better than the food cooked by the servants. It tasted sort of like food from the common people's restaurants, but it was made with much more care and thought. If one day, he could freely roam the mountains and rivers in a small boat with a jar of wine while the water reflected the bright moon, and have a person like her cooking for him, wouldn't this life be wonderfully unrestrained?
After thinking about these thoughts, Ning Mingjie started to feel sleepier. He lightly leaned against the horse's neck, but it felt too uncomfortable because of the horse's jolting steps. Just as he wanted to change his position, he heard a distant guard shouting, ”Watch out, a.s.sa.s.sins!”
Mixed in with the crying crowd, there were suddenly several sword-wielding people violently jumping out and rus.h.i.+ng forward towards the crown prince and third prince.
Nie Qingyun hadn't come out with them today because he had a stomachache from eating snacks that Errong made yesterday. Other than the guards, he and Marquis Moyu were the only ones that knew martial arts.
Ning Mingjie furrowed his brow before vaulting over, pulling the third prince from his horse, and protectively placing the third prince behind himself. Nearby, Marquis Moyu had done the same thing with the crown prince.
The group of common people started to scatter in a flurry of screeching, shoving, and kicking. Ning Mingjie and Ning Yuxuan were both in an extremely difficult position. The guards had seemed to be in control of the situation, but then a sound seemed to be rus.h.i.+ng over here from a distance. Ning Mingjie wanted to dodge, but if he did, it would expose the third prince, who was behind him.