Chapter 9, Return

When the little princess and her companions entered the mountains, they still had some clothing with them. However, after the battle with the giant serpent and the skirmishes in the forest, nearly all their belongings were lost. By the time they emerged, the two were in tattered clothes, their garments having been torn by the thorns in the mountains, and at that moment, there was no clothing available to change into

The little princess ran to the riverbank to wash her hands, and then ran back to wipe them on Chen Nan's body

"Slow down, you little thief, no one is competing with you. Here, there is more." The little princess cheerfully tore off the head and tail of another snow chicken and handed it over.

After a considerable amount of time, the little princess slowly opened the door. At this moment, she had regained the dignity of a royal princess, and she spoke in a calm tone: "Everyone, please rise."

The glistening lotus petals appeared even more dazzling under the rays of the rising sun, and the refreshing fragrance wafted far away to where Chen Nan and others were, leaving the soldiers and officers in awe.

The little princess shouted, "Sister," and then she quickly dashed forward, leaving everyone behind, and suddenly leaped into Chu Yue's embrace.

General Dao: "Do not be afraid, we mean no harm. Stand up and respond."

What are you mumbling about, you scoundrel

Zhao Sheng originally prepared a small sedan chair for the little princess, but the little princess waved her jade hand and said, "No, I want to ride a horse"

The tender and aromatic snow chicken, once tasted, prompted her to exclaim: "The meat is delicate, the flavor rich, fatty yet not greasy, truly delicious"

The general, upon hearing this, walked straight towards the girl's room, stopping three meters in front of the door. He then knelt down on both knees and loudly proclaimed: "Lord Zhao Sheng of Fengning City respectfully welcomes Her Highness Princess Yu back to the court."

I come to ask you, did anyone come here yesterday to purchase an exquisite pearl flower

Beyond the town lies a vast expanse of wilderness, where two hundred cavalrymen are stationed to ensure the safety of Princess Chuyue. Upon the arrival of the young princess and her companions, the two hundred cavalrymen all clasped their hands and paid their respects to the young princess

The owner of the Longxing Inn was utterly stunned, frightened to the point of sitting down on the ground. He never expected that the beautiful girl was actually a princess of the current dynasty, and he hurriedly knelt down.

The soldiers behind Zhao Sheng also all knelt down on the ground

"Ah, why does it seem like a small bite has been taken out of the lotus petal?" Chu Yue laughed, pinching the little princess's delicate nose, and said, "It must be that you, this little glutton, couldn't resist and took a bite yourself, right? Hehe"

As the moonlight, like water, poured into the room, Chen Nan pondered many things. Millennia ago, his family was illustrious, and his status was glorious. Yet, a thousand years later, he inexplicably became a prisoner under someone else's authority. A bitter smile appeared at the corner of his mouth; although he once had a distinguished background, his life was rather dull. He thought to himself: Perhaps things would be vastly different now? ... But that little princess is truly a bit too terrifying ...

Zhao Sheng personally brought over a warhorse for the little princess, and then a soldier also brought over a horse for Chen Nan

Ah, this is..." Chu Yue was taken aback

She quickly stood up from the shore, her small hands constantly rubbing her bottom. She had been thrown to the ground by Chen Nan twice, during which all her internal energy had been sealed, resulting in her bottom making solid contact with the ground both times, leaving her in considerable pain even now. The little princess felt both embarrassed and angry, glaring fiercely at Chen Nan, her eyes nearly shooting fire.

The general's eyes lit up as he said, "Oh, how did you know that?"

Chen Nan whispered: "A demon, yet a princess of a nation. Look at you, with a chicken leg in your left hand, a chicken wing in your right, your little face flushed, and your mouth dripping with grease. Truly..."

Chuyue affectionately patted her head and said, "You, really are quite mischievous, sneaking out of the palace for so long. Both Father and Mother are almost worried to death."

Wow, you filthy thief, how can your clothes be so dirty, it's disgusting. " After saying this, she ran to the riverbank to wash her hands

Ah... Chen Nan let out a cry of anguish, suddenly jumping up from the bed, continuously rubbing his bright red left ear

Being watched by the crowd, the two were extremely uncomfortable and hurriedly escaped into an inn. The little princess took a pearl flower from her head and handed it to the innkeeper, instructing him to pawn it for money, and then ordered him to buy back some suitable clothing.

The general's eyes suddenly brightened as he took a scroll from his subordinate's hands. After unrolling it, he asked, "Is that girl supposed to look like this?"

Well, sister, I won't run around anymore next time, my... my guards all..." At this point, the little princess choked up.

The little princess huffed and said: "Apart from that old man, my master, who else would dare to deceive me? Hmph, that old man tricked me into coming back and then went off to see the Qilin by himself. It really infuriates me. When I return, I will definitely pluck all his beard hairs."

What are you staring at, you scoundrel? Turn your head away

The chicken head and chicken butt were presented before Chen Nan by a pair of snow-white little hands stained with grease. Looking at the little princess's annoying smile, Chen Nan truly wanted to rush forward without a care and pinch her little face, giving it a hard squeeze.

Do not touch that snow chicken

Chen Nan lay straight on the bed, his body extremely stiff. He continuously used his family's inherited mystical technique to impact over twenty blocked acupoints, but the acupoints only loosened slightly. At this rate, even by dawn the next day, he would find it difficult to unblock them on his own. His family's mystical technique was not without its wonders; it was simply that the number of blocked acupoints on his body was far too many. In the end, he had no choice but to give up.

Perhaps having been hungry for a long time, the little princess no longer cared about her royal image. She stuck a wooden stick into the ground, tore off a chicken leg with one hand, and pulled off a chicken wing with the other, devouring them with no regard for ladylike manners.

Hehe ... ...

Hmph, that old fool actually dared to deceive me, " the little princess exclaimed in dissatisfaction

Why would you ask this? The Queen Mother has always been in good health

Indeed, someone has taken a rare pearl flower, but I have already dispatched someone overnight to hand it over to the main store

I ate! Chen Nan was chewing vigorously on the chicken head and phoenix tail, as if he were fiercely biting into the little princess.

The little princess forcefully pinned Chen Nan to the ground, holding a thick, long piece of dry wood and struck his backside three times.

After days of enduring the elements, the little princess was utterly exhausted. It was only after finally lying down on a soft bed that she fell into a deep and sweet slumber. She had not yet risen, still lost in her dreams. It was not until Zhao Sheng called out three times from outside that she groggily opened her eyes. Only then did she hear the sounds of people shouting and horses neighing in the street. By the time she clearly recognized Zhao Sheng's voice, he had already bowed and called out for the fourth time.

At the beginning, guests in the inn occasionally peeked out, but upon seeing a group of heavily armored soldiers, they immediately became frightened and tightly closed their doors and windows, no longer daring to look out.

As the little princess approached him with a fierce expression, Chen Nan was quickly putting the last piece of chicken into his mouth. In order to vent her anger, the little princess went up and, without a word, pushed Chen Nan down to the ground

You wicked person, having treated me that way before and done so many bad things, hmph, I punish you with a three-day fast

"What?" Chu Yue exclaimed.

After the sumptuous dinner was laid out, the two individuals devoured the food ravenously, seemingly forgetting each other's identities, focused solely on eliminating the exquisite dishes before them. Although there are countless wild delicacies in the mountains, they lack the accompanying seasonings; no matter how fresh the wild game may be, it cannot compare to the refined cooking presented before them

Chen Nan got up from the ground, baring his teeth as he looked at the little princess's eating manner. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva and moved forward.

You forgot that yesterday you became a pearl flower, which was treated as a treasure by the pawnbroker and sent overnight to the main store in Fengning City. The owner of the main store recognized the royal mark on the pearl flower and was immediately frightened. He hurriedly reported it to Zhao Sheng, the city lord of Fengning City. Zhao Sheng has been following my orders these past few days, so I quickly learned about this matter and traced it back to you, this little rascal

Upon hearing these words, the general immediately leaped off his horse and strode towards the inn, followed closely by dozens of soldiers. The innkeeper, trembling with fear, trailed behind this group of individuals

The pearl flower of the royal little princess is certainly not an ordinary treasure; both the luster and size of the pearls are of the highest quality. Observing the greedy look in the innkeeper's eyes, Chen Nan knew that this unscrupulous merchant would surely seek to profit immensely from it. However, since the item belonged to the little demon, he felt no need to offer a warning.

Chen Nan was at a loss whether to laugh or cry

The little princess wrapped her arms around Chu Yue's waist and said sweetly, "Sister, I miss you so much"

The little princess nervously asked, "Is Mother’s health any better?"

Zhao Sheng did not dare to raise his head and continued to kneel, saying: "Yes, Princess Yue is outside the town"

The little princess held Chen Nan's contract of servitude in her hand, frowning as she said: "It's so ugly, what a terrible script! It's not even as nice as a spider's web. You, who have not learned anything good, haven't even mastered writing. Truly... sigh, how could our Chu state have someone like you? You are truly a disgrace to the nation, a disgrace to the people"

Be good, do not be sad

You scoundrel, how dare you treat me that way before, you deserve it

"Sister, I have something wonderful to show you," said the little princess as she carefully took out a jade box from her bosom. As she opened it, a wave of fragrance wafted out, revealing a translucent, fiery red lotus petal inside the jade box.

As he thought of the little princess, he felt an unusual coldness in his head, an unbearable discomfort. It was only then that he realized the abnormality of his sleeping position. In his heart, Chen Nan shouted: "This damned little devil actually... actually let my head rest against the iron railing at the head of the bed, I..." He truly felt an impulse to curse.

Ah... Chen Nan could not help but let out a mournful cry: "Your Highness, the princess, you have hurt me. How will you take me out of the mountains?"

A general and a dozen cavalrymen dismounted swiftly and approached the few individuals kneeling on the ground

I, Zhao Sheng, have come to respectfully welcome Your Highness back to the court at the command of Princess Yue

Well, then let's pluck a few less of his whiskers. By the way, how did you find me, sister

Your Highness the Princess ... ... you ... ...

"What are you doing? Stay away from me. Just seeing you, you filthy thief, makes me angry," the little princess shouted discontentedly at Chen Nan.

"It is ... ... it is, the petty person ... ... indeed acted as an exquisite pearl flower for someone yesterday"

The little princess commanded imperiously, "Turn around, you scoundrel!" After that, she took off her shoes and socks, revealing her two smooth, jade-like little feet, and began splashing in the river, skipping stones. Finally, tired from playing, she sat down on the bank, but just as she settled, she suddenly exclaimed, "Ouch, that hurts!"

"You arrogant thief, weren't you quite formidable? How dare you strike me back then..." At this point, the little princess's face flushed with shame and anger. She turned and ran into the woods, and after a short while, returned holding a piece of dry wood as thick as a bowl, shouting at Chen Nan: "Get down!"

The little princess proudly said: "This is the legendary Fire Immortal Lotus, which I specially prepared for my father's sixtieth birthday."

Two days later, the little princess and Chen Nan finally emerged from the mountains

I am just taking my snow chicken." His hand reached for another snow chicken.

The residents of the small town finally breathed a sigh of relief, but the owner of the Longxing Inn was lamenting and complaining incessantly. Before leaving, Zhao Sheng imposed a hefty fine on him, demanding that he pay a substantial sum to the city lord's office within three days, as a punishment for his greed

After everyone expressed their gratitude and stood up, the little princess said, "You may go out first, gather all the troops, and prepare to set off. I will return to my room to make some preparations"

After Chen Nan fell into the hands of the little devil once again, he faced continuous hardships along the way, as the little princess took frenzied revenge for his previous actions

Chu Yue excitedly held the jade box and said: "Truly deserving of the title 'Immortal Lotus', just by inhaling its fragrance, one already feels refreshed and light in body and spirit"

Ah, really?! The little princess quickly closed the door like a child who had done something wrong, muttering to herself: "Oh no, oh no, Father and Mother must be worried sick; otherwise, they wouldn't have sent my sister to find me personally"

You damn guy, you are still eating, what a good appetite!

Chu Yue, dressed in flowing white garments, possesses a tall and slender figure with graceful curves, her delicate form revealing not a single flaw. Her exquisite beauty, untouched by any cosmetics, features a perfect combination of phoenix-like eyes, a jade-like nose, and cherry-red lips, together outlining the unparalleled visage of a beauty. With autumn waters for her spirit and jade for her bones, Chu Yue's elegance truly deserves the term "perfection"

Upon hearing Chen Nan's words, the little princess nearly went mad, exclaiming in anger: "You damned fellow, dare to bring it up again, I will hit, hit, hit, hit, hit!"

Seeing the general in such a hurry, the innkeeper was greatly startled and stammered, "He... he has not left, but is resting in the backyard; however... he may not have gotten up yet"

The general sitting on the horse had a face as cold as water and said coldly, "Did you play the role of a top-quality pearl flower yesterday?"

Chen Nan felt frustrated, but could only vent his feelings internally: "Damn it! It was clearly me who caught the snow chicken. Is the heavens playing a joke on me? Why have I fallen into the hands of this little demon again?"

The little princess's clothing barely covered her body, exposing large areas of her snow-white skin. If Chen Nan, who was walking in front, accidentally tilted his head or leaned to the side, he would be met with a scolding.

"To eat or not to eat? If you choose not to eat, I will throw it away immediately, but then your meal will be forfeited," the little princess said with a mischievous smile

Gazing at the distant unknown town, the two seemed to be in a different world, finally leaving behind the desolate mountains and entering a human settlement. As they walked into the town and observed the bustling passersby, an involuntary sense of familiarity surged within them, feeling that each person was so endearing, though they would never find each other endearing.

Yes, it is this girl

Angels and demons coexist, beauty and evil are intertwined. The little princess possesses the appearance of an angel, yet harbors the essence of a demon. Anyone who sees such a flower-like and jade-like girl would never imagine that she could be a troublesome little witch.

Looking at the little princess's annoying smile, Chen Nan felt extremely frustrated. After spending a night resting his head on the iron railing, he had just fallen into a dream when he was disturbed awake by the little princess.

The little princess looked at the blazing fire fairy lotus and angrily said: "It was originally a complete petal of the fairy lotus. It's all that scoundrel Chen Nan's fault. That despicable, shameless, vile, and filthy thief used tricks to capture me and sealed my acupoints. In order to break free and escape, I had no choice but to take a small bite of the fairy lotus."

Zhao Sheng and others dared not speak any further, quietly waiting outside the door

The little princess mounted her horse and set off first, raising a cloud of dust. Following closely were Chen Nan and Zhao Sheng, the lord of Ningcheng. Behind them were three hundred iron cavalry, and finally the infantry. This grand procession left the small town in a magnificent manner

After finishing their grooming, under the attentive yet anxious hospitality of the innkeeper, the two of them managed to eat a little something

Upon hearing this, the little princess also found it reasonable. She could not possibly carry this fellow on her shoulders. She struck him twice more with force and was just about to throw the withered wood down with the book when, due to the pain, Nan let out another miserable cry: "Little demon, I only tapped you lightly twice, it shouldn't be..."

"That scoundrel, I have already captured him," the little princess pointed to Chen Nan in the distance.

As Chen Nan had anticipated, the valuable hairpin was sold by the innkeeper at an exceptionally low price. However, the clothes purchased in return were shockingly expensive. Overall, the garments were quite splendid and appropriate, transforming the appearances of these two ragged young men.

Chu Yue smiled and said, "One must not be disrespectful to Senior Zhuge; he is a person whom both our father and mother respect"

Chen Nan's rear, just ravaged by Da Mu, immediately made contact with the ground, and a chilling scream echoed through the forest.

The innkeeper pointed and said, "The man is staying in that room, and the girl is in the room next to him"

is ... ... is a pair of young people

Amidst the swirling dust, three hundred cavalrymen charged into the town first, followed by two thousand infantry. The sounds of shouting and neighing filled the air as the town's residents hurried to take cover. The army sealed off all the entrances to the small town. After an officer inquired about the pawnshop from the townspeople, the three hundred cavalrymen surged forward like tigers and wolves, surrounding the pawnshop completely.

Hmm, who is it that should be here

The shopkeeper and two assistants stood up in a flurry of panic

The pawnbroker and his two assistants hurriedly ran out, and upon seeing the hundreds of iron cavalry with their cold iron armor and chilling swords, the three of them trembled like chaff and fell to their knees.

The general shouted, "Who is the manager here?"

After a series of anguished cries from Chen Nan, the little princess cast the thick, dry log aside

After enjoying the delicious meal, the little princess shot a fierce glare at Chen Nan, wanting to unleash her wrath upon him. However, an overwhelming fatigue washed over her; the harrowing experiences in the mountains had left her utterly exhausted, and she had no choice but to relent. In the end, she pressed down on more than twenty major acupoints on Chen Nan's body before finally feeling at ease to toss him into another room

Scoundrel Chen Nan, come here

If that is the case, I lack the strength to walk. In this vast mountain range, would I not become a burden to Her Highness the Princess

Alright, take me to the Longxing Inn immediately

To whom does it belong?

They are a pair of young men and women; the man is around twenty years old, with an ordinary appearance, while the young girl is about sixteen or seventeen, strikingly beautiful

Because he asked me to quote a price, but then had me issue a low-priced fake receipt

"Sister..." the little princess said while twisting her body and acting coy, "Don't pinch my nose, or I won't be as pretty as you."

Your little mouth is as sweet as if it has been smeared with honey

The little princess, having dressed herself, angrily opened the door and exclaimed, "I know, I know! Hmph, it's really noisy."

How could such a ``terrifying'' little demon sit quietly in the palanquin like this

Oh, it's nothing. Chen Nan did not wish to entangle himself with her any further and fell silent.

Seeing the little princess, who was still half-asleep and had a displeased expression on her face, Zhao Sheng knew without thinking that he had disturbed the beautiful dream of this favored daughter of heaven, and he was immediately drenched in cold sweat.

Sister? Has my sister also come?

The small town in the early morning is filled with noise, as large numbers of troops pour in. The residents of the town are anxious and suspect that war is about to break out. After all, the continent has been peaceful for many years; if there were no military conflict, such a border town would never see the arrival of troops

"He is the owner of the Longxing Inn in our town, but... it seems that he is acting on behalf of someone else, as if he has been entrusted with this task."

In the end, the little princess handed the remaining snow chicken to Chen Nan and said: "This princess is being magnanimous, remember to repay me well and diligently carry out each of my commands. And - picture - book"

The general exclaimed urgently: "Where are they? Is it possible to leave?"

Outside the inn, Chen Nan was taken aback. Although he had heard the sounds from outside and knew that a troop had arrived to escort the little princess back to the palace, he never expected such a grand display. Soldiers lined both sides of the street, their bright armor extending to the end of the road, while the center of the road was completely empty. The entire thoroughfare had been sealed off, waiting for the little princess to set off.

"How annoying, I'm already sixteen, yet they still treat me like a child." The little princess instantly broke into laughter again

What do they look like

The little princess's naturally noble demeanor is effortlessly displayed in her every gesture and movement, exuding royal majesty. However, whenever she faces Chen Nan, the aura of the royal celestial maiden completely vanishes. To outsiders, she appears to be a mischievous little fairy, while in Chen Nan's eyes, she is a little devil with a fierce demeanor.

Watching everyone leave the courtyard, the little princess became lively again. She dashed into Chen Nan's room, playfully slapped him all over to unblock his acupoints, and then tugged at his ear, saying: "Good-for-nothing, lazy pig, get up."

Oh, it smells so good, the taste is truly amazing. You scoundrel, you are really uncouth; even if it is delicious, there is no need to chew so hard. The little princess said these irritating words while eating.

Why

Dazed! Chen Nan sat on the ground with a blank expression, feeling both angry and unable to voice it

Suddenly, the little princess caught a whiff of the fragrant roasted snow chicken and couldn't help but exclaim, "How delicious!" As she spoke, she walked towards the fire pit, pulled out the stick that was skewering the roasted snow chicken from the ground, and gazed at the golden-brown snow chicken before gently taking a bite.

Three hundred iron cavalry gallantly rushed towards the Longxing Inn, with infantry also surging in that direction, surrounding the inn so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through. The innkeeper was terrified and scrambled out, hurriedly approaching to say: "Sir... Sir... What orders... What orders do you have?"

Hmph, for now, let's consider it even. When the opportunity arises, I will properly deal with you, you scoundrel

The little princess, feeling weary and confined, lay down on the bed and soon fell into a sweet slumber, her rosy little face adorned with a satisfied smile. The gentle moonlight poured into the room, casting a sacred aura around her, making her appear as a serene and exceptionally lovely little angel who had descended from the heavens.

Hearing the little princess call him, Chen Nan felt a wave of reluctance and walked over unwillingly

In the distance, a slender figure stands alone quietly amidst the morning glow, dressed in white garments as pure as snow. Under the illumination of the rising sun, the entire person appears to be enveloped in a faint golden radiance, resembling a celestial being descending from the heavens into the mortal realm. As the garments flutter, it seems as if they could take flight on the wind at any moment

Yes, yes... it is.

The pawnshop owner hurriedly bowed and said: "I... I... am."

Gazing at the coarse, long, and withered wood that was disproportionate to the delicate figure of the little princess, Chen Nan was nearly frightened to the point of fainting

As he approached Chu Yue and the little princess, Chen Nan was momentarily lost in thought. From a distance, he had only vaguely perceived Chu Yue's unparalleled beauty, but now, so close at hand, her matchless visage left him feeling breathless.

The little princess's eyes twinkled as she revealed a hint of a teasing smile: "Here, this is for you, and this one too"

"Hehe, who is it? How could they deceive our little rascal?" Chu Yue asked with a smile.

Chu Yue gently lifted the little princess's face and said: "You must have endured quite a bit of hardship outside, let me take a good look. Hmm, your skin has tanned a little, and you are thinner than before. Next time, make sure not to run around everywhere, do you hear me?"

The pedestrians on the street looked strangely at the pair of ragged young people. Chen Nan had an unremarkable appearance, attracting the attention of only a few, but the little princess was naturally beautiful. Even though her clothes were tattered, they could not conceal her stunning features, drawing the gaze of the vast majority.