kingnovel Chapter 898 Dalang came back, but she didn’t see the person she wanted to see
Chapter 898 Dalang came back, but she didn’t see the person she wanted to see
"I wonder if His Royal Highness the First Prince will come back with us? He has to come back for the New Year after all!" Jing Chunxi didn't want to bring it up, but Jing Mingyue deliberately brought it up, and put her pretty face close to him, blinking her beautiful eyes, staring at Jing Chunxi with an undisguised teasing look.
"If you really want to know, why not ask the Duke? Maybe they often exchange letters with each other!" Jing Chunxi remained calm and lightly blocked the conversation.
"You're allowed to say something about others, but not even a word about my cousin. How boring." Jing Mingyue, who had intended to tease her but was easily defeated, feigned anger, freed a warm hand from the small hand warmer, and nimbly reached into the crook of Jing Chunxi's neck. "I'll pinch you!"
"So you came to me to keep warm! Fortunately, I'm wearing a cloak, so I'm not cold at all." Although he said that he was not cold, Jing Chunxi was still shocked by the sudden cool wind and immediately pushed her hand away. He subconsciously retracted his neck, which made Jing Mingyue giggle.
"Cousin, guess what kind of rare gift will Dalang bring you after coming back from afar?" Jing Chunxi followed suit and immediately directed the "war" to Feng Jiaojiao who was trying to hide herself aside, and also put on a full teasing and mocking expression.
"The journey is so long. Besides, Lingnan is my hometown. I've seen everything there. Who cares what he gives me?" Although Feng Jiaojiao tried to say this in a nonchalant tone, the blush spread uncontrollably from her cheeks to her ears. The snow-white plush collar made her face look even more delicate and rosy, and her thoughts had already been exposed.
"I bet when Brother Dalang sees Sister Jiaojiao, his eyes will pop out and he won't be able to speak. He'll be incoherent."
"You're still talking about me! Look, the Duke's carriage is right up ahead! Be careful, he might come over and lift your curtain. Let's see if you still keep your stubborn attitude."
"How dare you two criticize me? If Sister Xi sees His Highness later, she'll probably want to rip out both of her eyeballs and give them to him!"
Even though there were only three of them sitting in a car, once they started talking, they instantly started to quarrel. You teased me and I responded to you. When things got exciting, you punched me and I reached out to tickle you.
The sounds of giggles, exclamations and pleas for mercy were intertwined, and the carriage swayed gently, startling the snow balls accumulated on the branches of the dead trees nearby, which fluttered down like another fine snowfall, which was very beautiful.
As a result, they did not even notice immediately when several carriages escorted by the Sanji Light Cavalry came quietly and stopped nearby.
"Sister, Brother Dalang is here!"
"Princess, get out of the car quickly."
From outside the car curtain came the crisp and rapid calls of Jin Jie'er and Xiaoyu, their voices revealing their uncontrollable joy.
The noisy sounds in the carriage suddenly stopped, and then an even louder commotion broke out - Jing Chunxi was the first to lift the corner of the curtain, peeked out with sparkling eyes, laughed out loud, and jumped out of the carriage as nimbly as a deer.
Jing Mingyue was not willing to fall behind, so she jumped down with her skirt lifted up, the pearls and jade in her hair rustling.
Feng Jiaojiao still remembered her mother's repeated instructions to be dignified and reserved before leaving the house, but at this moment, she was swept up in the jubilant atmosphere and had thrown her reserve to the back of her mind. When she was getting off the car, she only received a light support on the wrist from the maid, and as soon as her toes touched the ground, she hurried to keep up with the pace of the two people in front of her.
"Brother Dalang! You have made us wait so long!" Jing Chunxi's clear voice rose up before he even stood still, flying towards the three dusty figures surrounded by the crowd.
She pushed aside Jing Mingzhu and Yan Jie'er and squeezed into the crowd until she could clearly see the faces of the three people tanned by the Lingnan sun - the tallest and broadest-shouldered one in the middle was none other than the eldest son of the Jing family.
He saw them and immediately grinned, revealing a set of white teeth that contrasted sharply with his skin tone, simple and bright. His body seemed stronger than at the beginning of the year, and his dark blue suit was stretched tight by his muscles.
"Cousin, Mingyue, you guys..." His gaze swept across the room, suddenly settling on Feng Jiaojiao's face, panting slightly at the back. His hands, accustomed to holding the reins and swords, rubbed unconsciously, his Adam's apple rolling, and his previously fluent words suddenly faltered. His tanned face darkened noticeably, and he finally managed only three words: "You're here too."
This ordinary sentence seemed to carry a scorching temperature, making Feng Jiaojiao's ears burn.
She subconsciously cried out "Ah!", and the embroidered handkerchief in her hand was twisted and deformed. She suddenly shrank behind Jing Mingyue, with only half of her blushing cheek showing, her eyelashes drooping, and she dared not look over there again.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Jing Chunxi had already taken a good look at the two equally tall young men behind Dalang. He had seen these two men in Xuwen before, and they were both capable captains under Dalang's command.
Her eyes quickly swept across the thin dust on their shoulders, the swords at their waists, and then swept across the five tightly tied carriages behind them that were loaded with Lingnan specialties, and the three horses that were puffing white steam - there was no other figure within her sight.
"Brother Xiaokang didn't come back with you?" She couldn't help but frown, and there was obvious surprise in her voice.
Xu Zize had only written twice since leaving for Lingnan. Ten days earlier, he had written in black and white that he would return before Dalang got married. She had fully expected to see him today, riding alongside Dalang from the Jing family.
"We had originally agreed to travel together," Dalang's voice deepened, his smile fading slightly. "But then His Highness never contacted me again, and I didn't reply to the letters I sent. I even postponed my trip for two days, but in the end, I didn't make it."
He paused, then added in a comforting tone, "Maybe he was tripped up by something important."
This made Jing Chunxi's heart clench, and a vague sense of unease quickly crept up her spine. "Nothing... will happen?" She unconsciously lowered her voice, her fingers curled into her palms.
"What could be the matter?" Dalang immediately shook his head, his tone firm, "Lingnan is very peaceful right now. Leizhou Prefecture, Shibaao, and Cangwu Camp are all heavily guarded. Your Highness is also accompanied by personal guards." He glanced sideways at the entourage behind him, and they both nodded affirmatively.
Jing Chunxi's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, but he didn't see the person he wanted to see. The bright light in his eyes dimmed a little, and the forced smile at the corners of his lips also revealed a bit of loneliness.
"Okay, let's talk about it later when we get home." Erlang, who had been standing quietly beside Tao Chengrui, finally spoke. He was a quiet man, unlike his younger siblings who were always loud and noisy. He just calmly reminded them, "There's a welcoming banquet at home, and grandparents are waiting. Don't keep the elders waiting."
"Let's go back!"
Silang had already run ahead with a few of his classmates. The young man's clear voice cut through the cold air, "Brother Dalang! We've killed a fat pig and two sheep! Grandfather has said that from now until after the New Year, we'll gather around the stove every day to eat hot pot and roast meat. Plenty of food!"