The Crown Prince I’m Raising Has Turned Evil - Chapter 10
Chapter 10: Cold Tenderness
Albeit the constant twists and turns and opposing viewpoints, the two had finally gotten past the initial conflict and began their journey.
The problems arrived not long after they had gotten in the carriage. Xiao Xi held onto the reins and said weakly, “GongZi, there must be an ambush waiting for us somewhere. The only safe option would be returning to the original official road.”
But on the official road were the remains of a fight to the death scene between the two sides. In order to get past them, the carriage would have to trample over the corpses.
Although corpses were everywhere on the ground, there were also a portion of the people that weren’t completely dead but on the brink of death. It would take at least a decent amount of courage to walk over them.
Thinking thus, Xie Lin Lang sighed, then said to Xiao Xi.
“It’s alright, go ahead.”
The people that wanted to harm them didn’t deserve sympathy anyway. Plus, she needed to get used to the current Qin Jue, so maybe trampling over these people will be the first step.
Xiao Xi responded, and soon, the carriage began to move. As they passed through the battlefield, once in a while, there would be sounds of painful groaning coming from beneath. Approximately one-third of the people were still holding onto their last breath.
Xiao Xi tried his best not to step over them, instead using a slow speed to circle around them.
Yet those guards that were still alive glared at them with an extremely bitter and spiteful expression. They only formed incoherent hoarse groans, yet they strained their strength to reach their arms out, as if to pull the carriage down to hell with them!
Xie Lin Lang closed the window, not planning to look any further. But Qin Jue suddenly spoke.
“Can I go down and bid them my farewell?”
After the jade pendant event, Qin Jue’s attitude toward Xie Lin Lang became noticeably calmer. Xie Lin Lang wanting to repay the favor on her free volition was a completely different case from her coming to help him due to the Empress’ request.
Seeing that his tone was no longer aggressive and overbearing, Xie Lin Lang released a breath. At his request, she asked Xiao Xi to stop the carriage and then opened the back of the carriage door.
Just like that, the carriage stopped in the middle of the field of corpses. The parched smell of raw flesh traveled through the air, making anyone that smelled it feel nauseous. But Qin Jue slowly descended from the horse carriage as if the odd smell in the air was absent.
He walked toward the nearest assassin alive, squatted down and asked, “Can you bring me a word to Imperial Concubine Hui?”
Hearing him, the assassin began making a groaning sound. His expression was twisted and was trying his best to move, yet the poison spreading throughout his body rendered him immobile. He could only watch as Qin Jue inched closer and closer to him, speaking beside his ear.
“…Thirty days, because of her, I experienced thirty whole days of torment and almost died. So can you ask her for me, now that I have fortunately survived, is she ready to die?”
Finishing his words, Qin Jue smiled. It was a strange and innocent smile. Then he pulled out the firework from the assassin’s arms, lit it, and released it to the sky.
Xie Lin Lang was startled!
There was another group of people waiting to ambush them. Did Qin Jue plan on showing them the way?
In order to ensure that the assassin stayed alive to bring his words back, he was really doing his utmost, wasn’t he?
Facing Xie Lin Lang’s accusatory glare after sitting back in the carriage, Qin Jue looked at her calmly, “…I almost forgot that we were still being chased. But I heard we’re close to WangJiang Prefecture, why don’t we change our route and hide there?”
Xie Lin Lang was immediately alerted, “WangJiang Prefecture is Mistress Hui’s family’s territory. What are you up to now?”
Hearing her question, Qin Jue laughed softly, “What are you thinking? The most dangerous place is the safest. They will never think that we will go running into their territories.”
Although Xie Lin Lang was also thinking the same thing, if this suggestion was coming from Qin Jue, then it’s obviously a scheme.
But since the firework had already been set off and the enemies were rushing in their direction, it didn’t leave much time for them to make their decision. Thinking this, Xie Lin Lang glared at Qin Jue then told Xiao Xi to change paths to head to WangJiang Prefecture.
Like this, the carriage advanced for a whole night, and finally arrived at WangJiang Prefecture the next morning.
Before entering the city, Xie Lin Lang pressed on a lever in the carriage. After a couple of gear clicking sounds, the outside of the carriage morphed completely: a layer of disguise covering the original design of the carriage, transforming it from a luxurious carriage to an ordinary carriage instantly.
Qin Jue couldn’t help but glance curiously at that lever a few more times. Seeing him, Xie Lin Lang proudly bribed, “Don’t look further unless you are willing to BaiShi: small techniques I’ve invented like this will all be taught to you!”
Hearing her words, Qin Jue simply averted his gaze, not looking any longer, leaving Xie Lin Lang gritting her teeth in exasperation.
Soon, it was their turn to enter the city.
WangJiang Prefecture is the last metropolis in the South on the way to Xiang City. The people from neighboring cities often gather here for commerce, making the city very lively.
Although it’s a big city, as someone who comes from the Capital and from another universe, even the imperial palace wasn’t able to impress her, let alone here. Thus, she merely peered out the window for a few moments until she lost interest.
At this time, Qin Jue was messing around with a couple of bottles and jars, and grinded herbs into powder. Thanks to the guards from before, he had plenty of decent herbal medicine on his hands. Many of them were able to keep someone alive on their last breath, and if he had to guess, they were all gifts of tribute.
But even these life saving medicines could be turned into poison under Qin Jue’s hands. It just goes to show that everything in this world has two sides and even good medicine cannot be eaten excessively.
Thinking thus, Xie Lin Lang scooted over and picked up a bottle. While shaking it, she asked.
“So, what’s in here? Why does it feel like water?”
Qin Jue glanced at her but didn’t respond.
Soon, Xie Lin Lang put down the bottle and picked up another one, even opening and smelling it this time.
“Hey…isn’t this Ginseng? Why does the Ginseng smell so weird? Is it expired?” Then she plugged the stopper back on the bottle and continued looking around and touching the bottles left and right.
Even with her meddling like this, Qin Jue acted like he didn’t see anything and continued to grind his powder.
Seeing that he’s not bothered by her meddling, Xie Lin Lang, who hoped to form a bond with him, then put down the bottle and sat next to him directly, looking to start conversations where there are none.
“Hey, all you do is read books. If you’re not reading books you’re grinding powders. What’s the use for grinding this much medicine? All those people have already been killed…”
Having said that, she suddenly paused and fixated her attention on him, “…Wait, all this powder you’re making, they’re not for me, right? Tell me honestly! Did you poison me? Let me tell you! I…mmph?”
Her voice stopped completely, blocked off by Qin Jue’s hand suddenly stuffing a pill into her mouth.
He took advantage of her mouth being covered and leaned in close.
“There. Now the poison is detoxified. Can you go play somewhere else now? Or go drive the carriage or something?”
His voice remained cold and distant, yet Xie Lin Lang could detect a tiny bit of mischief in the pair of eyes in close proximity…Wait, this naughty kid, what’s with that tone?
Just when she was getting ready to speak, the carriage suddenly stopped. The inertia forced Xie Lin Lang to head straight towards Qin Jue! He subconsciously went to support her, bumping into the short stool he was working on. The medicine trough fell down and the powder inside immediately spilled all over the floor!
Oops! Seeing the medicine Qin Jue spent the whole morning grinding sink into the carpet, Xie Lin Lang saw his whole face turning gloomy at a visible speed. Feeling her skin tighten, she fled!
“Damn! Someone dares block the road! Don’t come out! I’ll go take care of them!” After that, she quickly ran away.
After running out of there, Xie Lin Lang was relieved to see that Qin Jue did not follow her out…
As expected of a kid raised as the Crown Prince growing up. No matter how kind and peaceful he was in the past and how grumpy he currently is, that presence is no joke! His face when he was gloomy was actually pretty frightening…
Seeing her come out, Xiao Xi whispered, “GongZi, these people in front looking for trouble seem to belong to Mistress Hui’s household…”
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