Abandoned Woman Busy Farming

Chapter 1299: Chapter 1301 The Capricious Princess_1

Everyone was captivated by the exotic horse the woman was riding, the famous Sweat-blood Treasure Horse from the Western Regions. The breed got its name because of their thin skin, which displayed the blood vessels, and the way their manes appeared to be dyed with blood when they sweated as they ran. The one she rode was among the finest, a pity that her own riding skills were rather average, or else why couldn’t she catch up with the man ahead?

The whole incident happened too suddenly, and everyone had been so focused on the horse that the man had been able to ride past Bai Ruozhu and her company from the side of the road and galloped straight into Gaochang City.

However, the moment he entered the City Gate, he showed a Token to the guards, and he was allowed to pass through unimpeded, which indicated that he was someone with a special identity.

The woman caught up to Bai Ruozhu and her companions and, upon seeing the man had already entered the city, she let out a furious shout and pulled her horse to a stop.

With a swing of her whip, she lashed out violently at the wind and hysterically yelled, ”Didn’t I tell you to stop him? Are you people from Zhongyuan deaf? Not listening to this princess’s order, are you eager to have your heads chopped off?”

Muyu dodged the whip with a swift movement, as no one had any reason to just stand there and take a beating—already showing restraint by not fighting back.

The woman was even more enraged by her missed strike and lashed out with her whip again, but Muyu evaded once more. He speculated that the woman needed someone to vent her anger on, but couldn’t understand why she had singled him out.

”You shouted so suddenly, we didn’t have time to react, so you can’t blame us, right?” Considering the preciousness of the woman’s mount, Muyu thought she might indeed be a princess from the Western Regions, so he spoke very politely to avoid unnecessary trouble.

”How dare you dodge! Men, arrest all of them for me!” the woman roared in outrage. But after she turned around, she was stunned to find not a single person following her, so she clenched her teeth and cursed under her breath, ”A bunch of useless fools, so slow.”

Several Western Regions guards caught up on horseback and immediately dismounted to salute the woman upon reaching her.

”We were delayed, Princess. Are you unharmed?” the guard Team Leader asked.

”Take this Merchant Team into custody. They dared to disrespect me, the princess. Lock them in the prison for a proper interrogation. Who knows if they are spies from Zhongyuan,” Princess Yingtong commanded.

”Why are you being so unreasonable, princess? You suddenly appeared and ordered us to stop that horse-riding man; he had already entered the city before we could even react. You can’t blame us for that,” Muyu complained discontentedly. He rarely spoke, and Jiang Yichun appeared even colder, often becoming the de facto ”spokesperson.”

Bai Ruozhu had not expected such an absurd incident right outside the gates of Gaochang City, so she could do nothing but give Jiang Yichun a look, signaling her to talk with the princess. Sometimes it was more convenient for a woman to deal with this kind of matter.

She bowed with a fist to the woman and said, ”This humble woman pays respect to the princess. Today’s matter is indeed our fault for reacting too slowly, causing inconvenience to the princess’s important affairs. However, we hope for your leniency, considering that we are newcomers to Gaochang City and are unfamiliar with many things—please forgive our ignorance.”

Jiang Yichun’s expression was somber. He felt displeased that his woman had to plead with such a rude princess, making him feel incompetent and as if he had let his woman down.

Princess Yingtong took a closer look at Bai Ruozhu and remarked, ”You speak more pleasantly than they do, and you look dignified. You must be an aristocrat’s principal wife from Danliang Country, right?”

”The princess has a keen eye; he is my master,” Bai Ruozhu indicated Jiang Yichun, who gave a bow and introduced himself, ”I am Bai Shu, at your service.”

Bai Shu was the alias that Jiang Yichun had decided upon beforehand.

”You’re not his concubine, are you?” Princess Yingtong suddenly asked Bai Ruozhu bluntly.

Bai Ruozhu was taken aback. What did the princess want with this question—was she interested in Jiang Yichun?

”No, she is my principal wife, and I intend to marry only her,” Jiang Yichun quickly answered.

Princess Yingtong suddenly burst into laughter, waved her hand, and said, ”You two are not bad, forget it, I won’t bother with you anymore, go ahead and enter the city.”

Bai Ruozhu didn’t expect the princess to suddenly let them go, just because Jiang Yichun said she was his wife and he would only marry her?

Regaining her composure, she hurriedly bowed and thanked Princess Yingtong. The princess didn’t linger to watch them any longer, squeezed her horse’s belly, and led her people into the city ahead of them.

”What’s with the princess?” Muyu was completely puzzled.

”Don’t worry about it, let’s hurry into the city too,” Bai Ruozhu said with a smile to Jiang Yichun. His stance just now showed responsibility and aligned with her expectations.

When the group reached the city gate, Jiang Yichun took out the pass and they smoothly entered Gaochang City.

A vision of the man that the princess was chasing suddenly flashed in Bai Ruozhu’s mind, and she couldn’t help exclaiming, ”I remember now, it’s actually him!”

”Who is ’he’?” Jiang Yichun leaned in to ask.

Bai Ruozhu glanced around, noticed the princess was nowhere in sight, and then lowered her voice to say, ”The man the princess was chasing, I’ve seen him before. It was when I went to Xiva Alley; there was a shop where I bought a brooch. The owner said it was left by his grandmother to be given to someone fated. If someone could wear it correctly, it would be a gift to her.”

The brooch, likely left by a transmigrant like herself, still lay in her space, a pity that its original owner had already passed away.

”That man is the shop owner from the Western Regions that day, I think his name is...” Bai Ruozhu thought for a moment, grateful for her good memory, ”Right, it’s Ao Qi.”

Bai Ruozhu called for Nilu, who was lingering in the back, and asked, ”You know the identity of the princess we just saw, right?”

”She is a princess born to the Queen of the Western Regions, named Yingtong, much favored by the king of the Western Regions Country. That Sweat-blood Treasure Horse was a gift to her from the king,” Nilu explained.

”Are there any aristocrats with the surname Ao in Gaochang?” Bai Ruozhu inquired further.

”Yes, the Ao Family is one of the eight great aristocrat families. The current Grand Princess, sister of the reigning monarch, married the patriarch of the Ao Family. They share a harmonious marriage, and the patriarch of the Ao Family has never taken in a concubine,” Nilu continued with enthusiasm. ”Such a practice of not taking concubines is not common among other sons-in-law in the Western Regions.”

Bai Ruozhu pondered that Ao Qi was very likely a member of the Ao Family, and that Princess Yingtong and Ao Qi were probably cousins. Yet, they seemed to harbor some animosity, for reasons unknown.

The group found an inn to stay at, and soon a waiter came up, saying, ”Dear guests, below is a Young Master Ao seeking an audience with the two of you.”

Bai Ruozhu gave Jiang Yichun a smile, ”It must be the one who was being chased just now. Let’s go meet him, as he almost brought us big trouble.”

Jiang Yichun nodded, took Bai Ruozhu’s hand, and headed downstairs. He was actually more concerned about one thing: if Ao Qi was active in Danliang Country’s Capital City, would he know their true identities and the purpose of their visit?

But since they had already run into him, avoiding him wouldn’t change the chances of their mission being exposed.

The two followed the waiter to a private dining room on the second floor, and upon entering, they indeed saw Ao Qi.