Chapter 281: Each with Their Own Intentions
Zhang Ma held Gong Changan, doting on him immensely. She hadn’t seen Gong Changan in quite some time.
“Zhang Ma, you only needed to wait for me on the mountain. Why did you come down? The mountain path isn’t easy to walk,” Gong Changan said. “Your leg isn’t good.”
“Oh, this little bit of road is nothing! Sang Er and I came down while chatting. Going up is also easy; I can just have them carry me up in a sedan chair. It’s just that I wanted to spend a little more time with you,” Zhang Ma said with a smile. The wind blew the hair at her temples, which was already turning white.
Gong Changan then followed them up the mountain to see the Grand Princess. The Grand Princess pulled him over and hugged him, asking, “Is your mother well? Knowing you were coming up the mountain today, I had Zhang Ma prepare more of your favorite foods. If it gets too late, you can stay here; I’ll send someone to the Capital City to relay a message. It’s no big deal for a child like you.”
Gong Changan had been accustomed to the meals prepared by Zhang Ma since he was young, so naturally, he missed them.
In the Palace, Wen Mingqian also tried various ways to make delicious food for him, but her culinary skills were ultimately inferior to Zhang Ma’s.
“My mother is well, but she misses you and cannot leave the Palace. She asked me to bring you the incense she made for you, as well as some embroidered items,” Gong Changan said, carrying a small bundle tied tightly.
“Tell her she doesn’t need to make these things for me. She’s already busy enough in the Palace attending to the Empress alone, and she still has to look after you,” the Grand Princess said. “Don’t let her get too tired.”
Gong Changan stayed in the Grand Princess’s room for a while before coming out with Sang Er and the others. Zhang Ma went to prepare the meal.
Gong Changan and Sang Er wandered around the mountain. This was his first time on the mountain, so he naturally found it novel.
“Who’s peeking over there?” Gong Changan, with his sharp eyes, saw someone looking towards them from behind the pillars on the outer perimeter.
“Huh, that’s not someone from this mountain,” Sang Er said. She had been here for a long time and recognized everyone from the Taoist Temple on the mountain.
Although the person’s face couldn’t be seen clearly, the clothes they wore were clearly not from here.
Seeing that they had been discovered, the person no longer hid and walked out directly. It turned out to be Ying Tong.
Gong Changan and Sang Er exchanged a glance and then walked forward to greet him.
“Why has the Heir Apparent come here? Where have your followers gone?” Gong Changan, relying on his young age, asked knowingly.
Ying Tong indeed looked a bit embarrassed. He coughed and said, “Changan, you’re here too. It’s been a while. You don’t live in the Palace anymore?”
“I still live in the Palace, but today my mother sent me out to deliver some things to the Grand Princess. I didn’t expect to run into the Heir Apparent here. Is everything well with you now?” Gong Changan replied politely.
“You still think of me. That’s good,” Ying Tong nodded. “Then… cough… you go wander somewhere else. Sang Er and I have something to discuss.”
Gong Changan naturally understood his intentions and, of course, couldn’t expose him. He agreed and left.
Here, Ying Tong and Sang Er stood facing each other. Ying Tong mustered his courage and said, “You probably know about my situation. At this point, I have nothing to defend. In a few more days, I will be leaving the Capital City with my parents. If I don’t explain some things to you, I fear I won’t have another chance.
Ying Tong is unreliable. He will leave the Capital City for Longxi even earlier than I will. I imagine it’s unlikely you’ll see each other again in this lifetime…”
“What exactly does Your Lordship want to say to this servant?” Sang Er sighed, quite helplessly. “I am just a humble maidservant. How dare I inquire about matters between you two Heirs Apparent?”
“What do I want to say to you? Don’t you understand my intentions? You are such a smart person…” Ying Tong said, somewhat anxious and sad. A large part of the reason he hated Ying Bai so much, and even went to such lengths against him, was because of Sang Er.
But he couldn’t tell Sang Er, because the matter was too tragic. If she knew, she would definitely blame herself.
“Your Lordship, please let me go,” Sang Er pleaded. “If people find out that you… you… to me… Alas! I won’t have a good end.”
“I know, I know. That’s why I secretly ran out alone today,” Ying Tong said quickly. “I just wanted to make my intentions clear to you before leaving the Capital City. No matter when it is, I will come back for you.”
“Ying Tong! Stay away from Sang Er!” someone suddenly shouted from behind.
Ying Tong turned around and saw Yu Chao striding towards them.
Yu Chao was two years older than Ying Tong and exceptionally tall. He rushed forward with anger, grabbed Ying Tong’s collar, and pulled him away from Sang Er.
Ying Tong resisted, “Who do you think you are? Let go of me!”
These two had been at odds for a long time, and now they had completely fallen out.
Ying Tong had a somewhat reckless attitude. He had been driven out of the Palace, and many people said he had a malicious heart and was unfit for responsibility.
On the surface, he didn’t care, but in reality, he was always bothered by it.
Yu Chao was very impolite and pushed him far away. “With your character, you still want to marry my younger sister? Let me tell you, don’t even think about it!”
Yu Chao liked Sang Er and naturally knew that Ying Tong also had feelings for her.
However, he also knew that Prince Zhao’s family was determined to form a marriage alliance, which was understandable. But Ying Tong shouldn’t be playing both sides, nor should he be after the same woman as himself.
Gong Changan quietly stepped forward to mediate. “Please calm down, both of you. It won’t be good if the Grand Princess finds out. She is an elder of the Emperor. If she were to reprimand you both, it would be difficult to save face.”
In fact, Gong Changan was the one who led Yu Chao here. Otherwise, with such a large mountain, how could he have found him so quickly?
Ying Tong was naturally unwilling to accept this, but after the incident with Ying Bai, he knew that his impulsive temper was not acceptable.
It was easy to get angry, but not necessarily capable of cleaning up the mess.
In a fit of rage, he had shot and blinded Ying Bai, but this also led to his entire family having to relocate to the Northern Frontier.
The Empress was overwhelmed with worry, and even his highly respected maternal grandfather had to concern himself with it.
His mother had cried countless times by now, and his father was also perpetually dejected.
Although he was not yet an adult, he understood the principles he should.
After they moved to the Northern Frontier, they would have to get along well with the Fenye King’s tribe. As for whether he would marry Zhuola Han in the future, that was another matter. For now, things couldn’t be too strained.
Thinking of this, he suppressed his anger and said, “I have something else to attend to, so I’ll be leaving.”
He then said to Gong Changan, “Aren’t you going to see me off?”
Gong Changan had no choice but to follow him down the mountain.
When they reached the mountain gate, Ying Tong took out a gold-inlaid jade amulet from his embrace. “I’ve worn this since I was little and never took it off. Now that I’m leaving the Capital City, please give this to Sang Er for me, and don’t let Yu Chao see it. We’ve known each other, and there may be a day when we meet again. You can help me with this, can’t you?”
Gong Changan naturally agreed and took the amulet.
He had no intention of giving it to Sang Er. Let Ying Tong dream on!
