Spring arrives and the land smiles

At the order of the Marquis of Yong'an, everyone stopped.

"Your Highness, the Eldest Princess." Marquis Yong'an bowed to Qingyan.

Qingyan jumped down from the carriage and looked at the heroic middle-aged man in front of her. Although he had taken off his military armor, he was still tall and imposing.

According to seniority, Marquis Yong'an should be Qingyan's cousin. After thinking about it, Qingyan gave him a simple greeting as a junior.

This gesture of courtesy slightly surprised the Marquis of Yong'an.

"I wonder what Marquis Yong'an means by this?" Qingyan asked meaningfully.

After all, he is the crown prince. If the Marquis of Yong'an cannot give a proper explanation, it would be considered insubordination at best, and rebellion at worst.

"It's all a misunderstanding. My men are blind." Marquis Yong'an said lightly, then turned to the guards and scolded, "Get back and receive your punishment."

The guards who attacked Qingyan and her party all retreated, leaving only Marquis Yong'an.

Qing said, "The Marquis of Yong'an wouldn't think I'm so easily fooled, would he?"

Since Marquis Yong'an dared to appear alone, he must have thought about the consequences he would have to bear. Qingyan thought about it and realized that if she didn't make things difficult for him, wouldn't she miss out on a good show?

Marquis Yong'an: "What does the princess mean by this?"

Qing said, "I don't know who the guards of the Marquis of Yong'an mistook me for. They kept chasing me and even injured my men."

Qingyan looked at Luo Qing beside her. The cloth she had just used to bandage his wounds was now stained red. She quickly told Zhui'er to get some medicine and, in front of Marquis Yong'an, carefully tore open Luo Qing's sleeve to re-bandage his wounds.

This action was clearly intended to inform Marquis Yong'an of this person's importance and to warn him that the matter could not be left unresolved and that an explanation was necessary.

Marquis Yong'an frowned. He had specifically instructed that His Highness the Princess must not be harmed, but he hadn't expected that this amorous princess would have a male lover by her side. He had been careless.

"Your Highness, please forgive me. It was my mistake. I received a report from a scout that the wanted criminal had been spotted. It just so happened that the princess and her party were traveling along the same route as the wanted criminal. The princess also concealed her identity along the way, so I mistook her carriage for the one she was traveling in. It was all my fault." Although his words were an apology, Marquis Yong'an made the matter of robbery sound perfectly reasonable.

"Oh? Is that so? This princess is curious about what this wanted criminal looks like that the Marquis is so relentlessly pursuing me." Qingyan naturally wouldn't let the opportunity slip by easily.

Marquis Yong'an clenched his fists at his sides. Soldiers are not good at words or underhanded tactics, so since the princess was so persistent, he simply laid it out: "The young man in the princess's carriage is the wanted criminal."

What? A wanted criminal?

Qingyan just wanted to laugh. Given how much the Marquis of Yong'an doted on his wife, kidnapping her own nephew as a wanted criminal would probably get him kneeling on a washboard when he got home.

"Oh? The boy in my carriage is a wanted criminal? How did you know there was a boy in my carriage, Lord Marquis?" Qingyan said with a smile, wanting to explain, but I won't let you have your way.

"Whether it's true or not can be found out with a simple investigation." Marquis Yong'an stepped forward.

Luo Qing quickly stepped in front of Qing Yan.

"Is Marquis Yong'an trying to rob us by force?" Qingyan said bluntly.

Marquis Yong'an: "I did this for the safety of Her Highness the Princess." This excuse was more respectable than robbery.

"My safety is the responsibility of my people, no need for you to worry, Marquis." After saying this, Qingyan wrapped her arms around Luo Qing's waist, peeked out from his shoulder, and looked at Marquis Yong'an provocatively.

This flirtatious princess is truly troublesome. Marquis Yong'an bowed respectfully, saying, "In that case, Princess, please take care of yourself."

Then he turned around, mounted his horse, and rode away.

Once the Marquis of Yong'an and his entourage disappeared from sight, Qingyan could no longer hold on. Her hand loosened, and she slipped off Luo Qing's back. Luo Qing quickly picked her up and put her into the carriage.

Luo Qing carefully examined Qing Yan's body and found no obvious injuries, which put her at ease. It seemed that Qing Yan was just exhausted.

With Hua County just a stone's throw away, Luo Qing ordered the convoy to speed up, and they soon arrived in Hua County and settled in. Hua County was a garrison town of Jinzhou, very close to Jinzhou; arriving in Hua County was equivalent to arriving in Jinzhou.

"Siyou, notify the local government to come and pick up the emperor." Qingyan woke up and sat on the bed to give the order. If Luo Qing hadn't insisted, she would have gotten out of bed.

"Yes." Siyou obeyed and withdrew, glancing at Luo Qing as she left, secretly chuckling to herself.

The reason given for being intercepted by the Marquis of Yong'an was that the Princess herself wanted to conceal her whereabouts, and it was normal for others to misunderstand. Even if someone were to investigate, the first thing to investigate would be the Princess's concealment. Therefore, when they arrived in Hua County, Qingyan simply revealed her identity. In fact, she also intended to use local administrative power to restrain the Marquis of Yong'an's mansion, which was the only one that was powerful in the southeastern border.

"Brother Luo Qing, I've had enough sleep and want to stretch my legs. Will you keep me company?" Sigh, to avoid arguing, I'll just have to be a little coquettish, Qingyan said.

Luo Qing blushed immediately: "Qingqing, Qingqing, if you want to go for a walk, I, I'll go with you."

"Brother Luo Qing is still the best." Qing Yan smiled sweetly and took Luo Qing's arm as they went out.

As a garrison town, Huaxian County naturally did not have a royal residence. However, because it was a garrison town, Huaxian County was prosperous and bustling, with numerous inns and taverns of a very high standard. At this time, Qingyan and her party were staying at the largest garden-style inn in Huaxian County, Mirror Flower Water Moon.

"Brother Luo Qing, do you think the gardens in Jiangnan are more beautiful or the gardens in Lingnan?" Qing Yan walked through a corridor and reached out to brush the willow branches that were swaying in the wind.

“The gardens of Jiangnan are handsome and elegant, with their rockeries and water features as graceful and pure as a gentle breeze, showcasing exquisite craftsmanship in every detail. As for the gardens of Lingnan,” Luo Qing paused and smiled, “just as Qingqing said, as long as the master is happy.”

"Haha, Brother Luo Qing really hit the nail on the head." Qing Yan laughed too. She stopped and turned around to hug Luo Qing, then stood on tiptoe and planted a kiss on Luo Qing's ear.

Luo Qing was dumbfounded.

"Greetings, Your Highness the Princess." Not far from the two, the magistrate of Hua County and a group of officials knelt.

"Get up," Qingyan said lazily, her arms still wrapped around Luo Qing's waist, rubbing back and forth. Luo Qing remained frozen, motionless, until Qingyan pinched his waist, at which point he snapped out of his daze and looked at her.

Qingyan gave him a look, signaling him to cooperate, and Luo Qing understood immediately.

"Is the princess settling in comfortably here?" asked Bai Lingxian, the magistrate of Hua County.

"Hmm, this garden is barely habitable." Qingyan gave Bai Lingxian a disapproving look.

Bai Lingxian immediately said obsequiously, "Princess, please give me any instructions. I will do it immediately and make sure that Your Highness is comfortable."

"It's nothing much," Qingyan said, half of her body hanging on Luo Qing. "It's just that there aren't enough people to serve us."

After saying that, Qingyan looked at Luo Qing ambiguously and winked at him. Luo Qing immediately understood.

"Princess, are you blaming me for not serving you well?" Luo Qing said, feigning anger.

"Oh dear, how could that be? Brother Luo Qing, please don't overthink it," Qing Yan quickly reassured him. "How about I take you somewhere else to look around?"

Qingyan left everyone behind and went deep into the garden. Before leaving, she gave the magistrate of Hua County a look that said, "You'd better do what you want."