As an official, what's wrong with raising a few monsters?

Chapter 260 The Show is About to Begin
"really?"

Meeting Mingchen's sincere gaze, Qin Xuan was overjoyed.

To be loved by someone you like—isn't that a blessing in life?

Her eyes were glistening with tears, and the way she looked at Mingchen was as if she were looking at her own future.

Mingchen nodded solemnly: "It's true! I never lie!"

The little bird on the shoulder looked completely bewildered.

They knew each other very well; she could tell whether Mingchen was lying or telling the truth to some extent.

But now she was completely bewildered by this whole situation.

"Tatsuro~"

They saw each other's reflections in their eyes; the man was in love, and the woman was interested in him—it was a beautiful scene.

The next step is to embrace.

However, Qin Xuan seemed to remember something, lowered her head slightly, her eyes glistening with tears, and her face showing a sad and bitter expression.

"Chenlang... I want to marry you, and I'll follow you to the ends of the earth."

She changed the subject: "But I'm afraid reality won't allow it!"

"My father got carried away by the martial arts competition yesterday, but he seems to have regretted it today. He said something to me, but his tone was completely different from yesterday."

“I went to see my younger brother, and I also wanted to see you, but I didn’t find you. My younger brother also doesn’t approve of this marriage. He thinks that the Tian family has made outstanding contributions and that I should be the one to marry the second son of the Tian family.”

"I don't want to marry the second son of the Tian family. He's nothing but an incompetent scholar. Compared to Chen Lang, he's like a firefly compared to the bright moon. How can he compare? Chen Lang, please save me!"

"In the future, my father might use the excuse that the martial arts contest was a trivial matter, a slip of the tongue while drunk, and not something to be taken seriously. He might even send you a few maids to smooth things over. My brother might also try to persuade you, saying that I have someone else in my heart and do not wish to marry you."

"Chenlang, think about it. What would a normal woman choose between you and Tian Erlang? I must be a fool to choose Tian Erlang!"

"If they ever tell you anything about me in the future, you must never believe them; it's all lies."

Qin Xuan covered her face with one hand, holding a handkerchief, on the verge of tears.

She looked like a tragic and sorrowful woman.

"This Princess Beilie may seem glamorous, but in reality, she can't even decide her own marriage; she's nothing more than a puppet on strings..."

"Woooooooo..."

She should be a fierce and arrogant spoiled princess, but now she is showing such a side of herself. How can people not be moved?

She didn't say the rest of her words; she had already stirred up her emotions. She couldn't ask Mingchen to do anything; instead, she wanted Mingchen to think he should do what he believed he should. She was waiting for Mingchen to respond.

There are few men in the world who could remain unmoved by such words.

And it seems that everything is going as she expected.

"Don't cry, don't cry~"

Upon hearing this, Mingchen calmed himself and comforted her, but his eyes widened in anger: "The Emperor's words are the truth, how can they be destroyed?"

"Since I won and took back my bet, how can I possibly get it back?"

"The hatred of having one's wife stolen is irreconcilable! Just because the Tian family is powerful doesn't mean I'm someone to be trifled with!"

"Please rest assured, my dear. Our love is deep and unwavering. No matter what, I will never betray your boundless affection. I will marry you! Even if it means threatening the nation with its military might, I will not hesitate!"

"We'll take you back to Jiqu in a grand sedan chair carried by eight men, in a magnificent display!"

Upon hearing this, Qin Xuan trembled and suddenly raised her head, her eyes filled with surprise and a somewhat infatuated look as she gazed at Ming Chen.

I felt a surge of masculinity coming my way, and I felt as if I were immersed in a honey pot, which was wonderful.

No one else was in his sight; a thousand words could be condensed into two: "Chen Lang~~"

"With your words, I would gladly die right now!"

The woman was so devoted to one man that it seemed she wanted to give him her whole heart.

Mingchen took another step forward, and the two became quite close. Qin Xuan subconsciously took a small step back.

Their eyes met, and Mingchen said with deep affection, "My wife... please don't say such unlucky things! What's with all this talk of death! We still have a hundred years of good days ahead of us~"

He boldly and directly used a somewhat inappropriate form of address.

It was as if the two were already destined to be husband and wife.

"Miss?"

Qin Xuan trembled, her eyes welling with tears, and she looked at Ming Chen, softly calling, "Chen Lang~"

The next step should be to get closer, embrace each other, and confide in one another.

However, Qin Xuan looked around and then looked at Ming Chen with reluctance in her eyes, saying, "Chen Lang, it's getting late! I snuck out, and if I go back any later, people might get suspicious. I should go!"

But Mingchen stopped her, saying, "Don't rush~"

"Young lady, how about this?"

His eyes blazed with passion as he looked at her ardently: "Let's just make it a done deal. I'm not someone you can't offer yourself to! We're deeply in love, and no matter how the Crown Prince and His Majesty refuse, they'll have to accept it."

"what?"

Qin Xuan was stunned upon hearing this, never expecting Ming Chen to come up with such a terrible idea.

This person is truly of great virtue and talent!

How could someone be so reckless as to come up with such a foolish idea?

This doesn't fit the character's persona at all!
Mingchen raised an eyebrow, looking at her with some confusion: "What? You don't want to, Miss?"

"How...how could..."

Qin Xuan took a small step back, fidgeting nervously with her fingers, and looked at Mingchen pitifully: "Chenlang, I...I'm a little scared..."

Mingchen, with the typical scumbag attitude, patted his chest and made a string of sweet promises: "What are you afraid of? I'll hold up the sky for you even if it falls down! Don't worry, you can't go wrong with me!"

"Tatsuro~"

Qin Xuan's mind was quite quick. Her eyes darted around, and her expression seemed even more poignant: "I am not you. You are a genius who can conquer the world, a hero who appears only once in a thousand years. Everyone treats you as an honored guest. You are free and can go anywhere in the world."

"I am just an ordinary princess. Once I leave the palace, I am nothing. Last time I broke into the Tiger Palace, my father beat me half to death."

"Look..."

She reached out her hand to Mingchen, the dark bruises standing out starkly against her jade-like forearm.

Extending backwards, one wonders what lies beyond; it may be even more horrific.

“Chenlang, it’s not that I don’t want to be with you, but… I’m afraid. I’m afraid that after doing this, I won’t even be able to see you again before I’m beaten to death…”

Qin Xuan bit her lower lip, staring intently at Ming Chen, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of resentment and longing, as if a thousand beautiful emotions were hidden within them.

Even though her face wasn't particularly stunning, it still possessed a certain charm.

"This this……"

I've given you so much, and I was even punished for trespassing in the Tiger Palace.

How could you bear to hurt me again, to punish me again?

Do you truly pity me? Do you like me?
Or is it just a one-night stand?
Qin Xuan didn't say these words aloud, but if they were against her wishes, they would obviously be imprinted on Ming Chen.

When masters clash, they meet their match.

Mingchen was shocked, staring blankly at the wounds on Qin Xuan's hands, and murmured softly, "You are the eldest princess, how could His Majesty be so cruel?"

His eyes were filled with disbelief and pity.

"Chen Lang~ Deep within the palace, one's fate is not one's own."

"So what if I'm the eldest princess? People say I'm willful and arrogant, but those are all rumors. I only look glamorous. There are more rules than the sea, and if I make a mistake, I'll be punished."

"Chen Lang, please save me..."

Mingchen looked up, his gaze intense as he looked at her: "Why don't we go? Let's elope!"

“I possess supernatural powers; I can take you directly back to Qian Yuan. The emperor is far away, and the Northern Emperor can't interfere no matter what. We'll be free from all constraints…”

Qin Xuan paused for a moment: "Uh..."

"Chenlang, after all... after all, this is the place where I was born and raised, where my father and brother are. Everything has a beginning and an end. I... I can't do this..."

"Moreover, abducting the princess rashly might provoke hatred between the two countries and cause an unnecessary war. Wouldn't I become a sinner? I don't want that."

Mingchen, who is prone to making mistakes, doesn't play by the rules at all.

Qin Xuan looked at Ming Chen with pleading eyes: "Chen Lang~ please, please~ talk to my brother and father properly!"

Then, she looked up at the sky and said, "The time has come!"

"It's too late!"

Without waiting for Mingchen's reply, she said, "Chenlang, I should go!"

She let go of Mingchen's hand, put on a bamboo hat and veil, and ran towards the imperial city.

Mingchen didn't stop her.

He simply took back the teasing remark he made to her, "Where's the little fox?"

The girl took two steps, then turned back to look at Mingchen, her eyes captivating and full of deep affection, as if all the mountains and rivers had fallen into her eyes.

She gently bit her lower lip, stomped her foot, and finally disappeared into the street.

Mingchen and the little bird were left staring blankly as the other departed.

"This this……"

The play ended, and everything returned to calm, leaving the little bird bewildered.

The world before her eyes seemed to have collapsed, and everything was eerie.

This sticky stuff feels like watching a tragic drama.

Mingchen was not like Mingchen, and this Princess Qin Xuan was completely different from the princess she had imagined.

The whole world felt unreal, yet she couldn't sense anything about it.

A princess is a princess, and Mingchen is just Mingchen.

Human hearts are as vast as the sea... She still needs to cultivate herself.

Could it be... that this princess really has the potential to become her friend?
However, this is not very important.

In comparison...

"Tatsuro~~~"

Why not try out this new trick you just learned?
Birds are good at learning.

Mingchen seems to really like this style~
She stood on Mingchen's shoulder, swaying her hips, her voice even more cloying than the princess's, and she used several different tones.

He has a slight fever. Mingchen: ...

The bird's voice is very pleasant, but the way it imitated sounds really bad.

Well, it gave me goosebumps; it was a bit creepy.

He caught the little bird in his hand. The bird didn't struggle. Its eyes shimmered, and its claws were gently hooked in the air, looking like it had a fever.

Mingchen said somewhat helplessly, "Don't learn random things!"

Stop learning this! Stop learning this!

Even if you want to learn, at least become a human being!
Back then, that clueless little bird absorbed knowledge like a sponge, but instead of learning good things, it learned all sorts of random things. I have no idea what this thing will evolve into in the future.

"Tatsuro~~~"

"What's going on? Is this really the princess's personality?"

These two were clearly even more cloying than she was just now!
Now the young master can't stand her anymore? What a hypocrite!

The little bird has great confidence in its senses.

In her eyes, this princess was the same princess she had seen in the palace before.

But his temperament seems somewhat unexpected.

It feels a bit out of place.

However, it seems understandable that women admire heroes.

My son is worthy of women's affection.

Mingchen tapped her forehead and said fiercely, "Stop calling me Chenlang!"

The little bird just stuck out its tongue: "Hehe~"

Then we'll order it when we're dipping the beans!
Trying this tonight!
"Young master, what do you say? Do you really want to marry her?"

The little bird was very confident in its judgment.
Even now, she has never doubted Qin Xuan's identity.

Seeing that the little bird had finally returned to normal, Mingchen shrugged and said, "Marry her! If she's willing..."

"what?"

“When I made the promise, I always called her ‘Miss,’ but I never called her ‘Your Highness.’”

……

Just as Qin Xuan had said, Mingchen had barely settled in after returning home when the Crown Prince invited him for tea.

We started by chatting casually about daily life, the scenery of Beilie, and how Mingchen felt about his food, clothing, accommodation, and transportation here.
Later, we talked about the canal construction.

Only at the very end did they subtly bring up the matter of the Northern Fierce Princess.

This prince is really willing to go all out.

To portray one's own older sister as spoiled, willful, and unrestrained, and therefore not a good match.

It's said that she already has someone she loves, and marrying Mingchen might bring him trouble.

He also said that his father, the emperor, had regrets.

In any case, the implication of his words was that he was trying his best to reject the marriage proposal.

Mingchen simply sipped his tea with a smile.

There was neither rejection nor pandering; the path was not completely blocked.

He simply said that he would go to see Qin Lou tomorrow, and that everything would be up to His Majesty to decide.

As an outsider, he got along fairly well with Qin Lou and didn't want to go against the supreme emperor over such trivial matters.

If the emperor says it is, then it is; if the emperor says it is not, then it is not.

The Crown Prince observed Mingchen's attitude and sensed that he didn't seem particularly concerned about the matter.

It wasn't as exaggerated as my older sister described.

He figured it wouldn't be good to offend his father, and since he felt he still had room to maneuver, he went to the palace that very night.

……

The palace was ablaze with flickering firelight. The eldest princess remained in her residence, her mood far from pleasant.

Qin Lou had a sudden inspiration and decided to entrust her life's most important matter to Ming Chen, who had appeared out of nowhere.

This person is indeed very good; my younger brother has a very good eye for people.

Those deeds were all truly done by him.

The fact that he has gained the approval of his father and younger brother is enough to prove Mingchen's worth.

But does being a nice person necessarily mean you have to like them?
She had never seen this man, never spoken to him, and never known his personality.

He didn't even know what kind of person he was, what he liked to do, or what he liked to eat...

But can a man's talent and spirit, his unparalleled abilities, cover up all these gaps?

Qin Xuan thought it wouldn't work!

Although she was a noble princess, she lacked ambition and did not wish to be remembered for eternity or to be famous throughout the world.

All she wants is to marry someone she loves who also loves her, and to live a happy and fulfilling life. An ordinary life is fine with her, that's all.

No matter what happens in the future, she will not regret the path she has chosen.

The emperor's younger brother said he would help her, but he wasn't sure about Mingchen's attitude and couldn't guarantee that the matter would succeed.

If Mingchen really takes a liking to him, even if he persuades his father and Mingchen insists, his father will still grant his request.

She had to accept her fate.

The little fox ran away from the Crown Prince's residence again today; the servants searched several streets but couldn't find it.

These past few days have truly been unlucky, as I've been afflicted by bad luck.

Nothing goes as planned.

"Susu."

She sat by the door, quietly gazing at the night sky, feeling somewhat wistful, when suddenly she heard a soft rustling sound.

A flash of red light, and the cute little fox suddenly darted out, leaping into Qin Xuan's arms in a few bounds.

I found a comfortable spot and lay down there.

"Yingxue?"

After the worst comes the best.

The little thing actually came back on its own.

How did this guy manage to get back to the imperial palace?

"Where did you run off to?!"

This was a pet bestowed upon her by her father, the emperor. It was adorable and intelligent, and she loved it dearly.

She was heartbroken when her pet ran away today and is already thinking about getting a new one.

Qin Xuan's face lit up with joy, and she kept pinching its cheeks.

The little fox simply lay on her lap, licking its front paws, seemingly unconcerned about Qin Xuan's question.

They've come back after all.

As Qin Xuan petted the little fox, her bewildered heart seemed to find some solace.

"I believe my father and brother wouldn't let me suffer in Jiqu, which is thousands of miles away, right?"

"What do you say?"

There was no one else around.

I always have so much to say, so I need to vent it all.

The little fox was Qin Xuan's trash can.

Qin Xuan stroked the little fox, rambling on and on: "I still want to marry Tian Yuan, hmph... why does everyone say he's a good-for-nothing?"

"I do not believe!"

"He wrote poems for me! He took me to do so many fun things! It's much more interesting outside than the palace!"

"I think he is a talented person, but his father values ​​martial arts, so he doesn't have the opportunity to show his abilities."

"Besides, so what if I'm not famous?"

The fox was engrossed in licking the woman's feet, completely ignoring her incessant chatter.

"Yingxue...you're always running away, you want to live outside too, right?"

The woman's eyes sparkled, as if she were looking forward to the future: "When the time comes, I will take you with me when I marry into the Tian family."

"You should know Tian Yuan, right? He brought you some dried meat before..."

"Uncle Tian likes me too, and he even proposed to my father! Aunt Tian treats me well, so I don't think any of the elders will make things difficult for me if I go to the Tian family..."

The little fox rolled its eyes upon hearing this.

Go yourself if you want; even a dog wouldn't go to the ditch-covered Tian family's place.

The next day, a startled cry suddenly came from the princess's courtyard.

"Yingxue!!!"

What's wrong with this guy these past few days?

Running around everywhere!

I had a peaceful night at home, but I was nowhere to be found again the next morning.

Qin Xuan felt somewhat helpless.

At least there were traces left when they escaped before, but now they're running so fast that they're nowhere to be seen.

On the other side, on the door frame of the Tiger Palace.

A petite figure lay there lazily, her soft red fur swaying in the breeze.

It basked in the sun, seemingly observant, and looked towards the palace.

His fox-like eyes were narrowed, revealing a hint of cunning.

The show is about to begin.

……

(End of this chapter)