0p0 Chapter 603 Little Clay Cat
Chapter 603 Little Clay Cat
The prince came back from Liuyunhai City all the way because he had a bad feeling about the rumors in March.
As expected, when the prince returned to the palace, he saw his sick father and his missing mother. He comforted his younger brothers and sisters while taking care of his father and trying to find out the whereabouts of his mother.
The Crown Prince was certain something serious had happened between his father and his mother. His father's expression was sullen and gloomy, and his temper had become violent and erratic. Sometimes the Crown Prince spent entire days and nights with his father. He couldn't openly mention his mother, or else his father's heartache would flare up. The Crown Prince had no choice but to secretly send people everywhere to search for his mother, but he encountered his father's men more than once, and the two sides clashed more than once, leaving the Crown Prince with nothing.
When the Crown Prince accidentally learned that his mother might be hidden by his father, he was in a state of great anxiety. He no longer had to worry about his mother's safety, but what exactly did his father want to do? Did he want to hide his mother forever?
Because the power of the Shi family in the previous dynasty has revived, the prince had to keep a low profile and just wait for them all to surface.
The prince was very upset when he saw a group of women with exquisite masks in Dongde Palace, so he brought a group of people including servants to the villa in the suburbs.
Far from the imperial city, Lijing Villa is located halfway up Phoenix Mountain in the suburbs. It is also the only villa on Phoenix Mountain. There are a few farmers at the foot of the mountain, and few people know that this villa is the private property of the prince. Lijing Villa covers a vast area and has beautiful scenery.
The prince led a group of people to the gate of Lijing Villa and dismounted from his horse. "This is my first time to visit this villa."
Yun En hurried over to take the horse: "Master, don't worry, I have already sent someone to take care of it."
The prince nodded, and a group of people immediately began to get busy, some tying up the horses, some making arrangements.
The prince took Yun En and Mo Xuan and walked slowly along the mountain path. The mountain path was as quiet as emerald. Walking through it felt like being in a fairyland. The light mist was floating and seeping in through the dense green leaves of the forest.
A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, and the prince's mood calmed down. In the scorching summer heat, the quietness of this place was a rare opportunity for the prince to escape from the bustling and impetuous imperial city.
Unfortunately, the prince's good mood did not last long. A sudden "plop" sound from not far away startled the prince. The prince frowned slightly and waved his hand to signal Mo Xuan not to be nervous. He took a few steps forward and saw a small figure lying on the edge of a shallow mud pit. It was a child of five or six years old. The prince pursed his lips and looked at it, then walked to the edge of the mud pit and squatted down. He thought the child had fainted, and was about to speak when the lying little girl suddenly raised her head, and a thin, mud-stained little face came into the prince's eyes.
The pair of bright black, round eyes immediately showed fear when she saw the prince. She retreated backwards using her hands and feet. The prince looked at the little girl's thin neck and suspected that if he pinched the girl's neck with two fingers, he would break her neck with a little force.
"Yun En, bring the handkerchief!"
The prince tried to speak in a gentle tone: "Little Clay Cat, which nearby villa are you from? Why are you here?"
The little girl looked at them for a long time, her eyes sweeping over the prince's face, Yun'en, and the tall man in black. She was sure that she didn't know them, but she didn't answer the prince. She stood up shakily and wanted to leave.
The little girl stood up, and the prince and the other two were shocked to realize how thin the little girl in front of them was. Her skinny little body had no flesh at all, and the head on top of her head looked extremely disproportionate.
A trace of pain passed through the prince's chest: "Wait!"
Because of Lan Qingwu's words and deeds, as well as the influence of Qingciyuan, the prince would help the weak from time to time. He thought that this was just another little girl abandoned by a poor family, and his expression softened immediately. The prince took Yun'en's handkerchief and carefully wiped the little girl's muddy face, but he could only wipe off the mud on the surface.
"Where are you going? Where is your home? I can send someone to take you back. How did you get to this place halfway up the mountain when you're so young? If your home is at the foot of the mountain, I'll send someone to take you back directly!"
The little girl just kept shaking her head and didn't say a word. The prince frowned. Could it be that she couldn't speak?
Yun En's eyes turned: "Master, this little girl might be mute. I have some food here, please take a look..."
The prince directly reached out and took the snack handed over by Yun'en and handed it to the little girl. The little girl seemed to confirm that the person in front of her was a good person. She took the snack and started eating it in small bites. She ate a little faster, but she did not seem flustered. She was very well-educated and did not look like she was wolfing down the food.
The prince smiled and said, "If you have nowhere to go, you can stay at my house for a few days. There is a Qingci Temple in the imperial city. You can go there if you like. Have you heard of Qingci Temple?"
The little girl immediately raised her head and looked at the prince with sparkling eyes.
The prince nodded: "It seems that you are willing, little clay cat, then come with me!"
The prince picked up a "little mud cat" and returned to Lijing Villa. The two maids beside the prince took the child covered in coarse cloth and mud, carefully washed the little girl with hot bath, and changed her into new clothes.
When the prince saw the maid leading the little girl in new clothes coming over, surprise flashed across his phoenix eyes. The child had small and delicate cheeks, picturesque eyebrows, a pointed chin, snow-white and tender skin, and a pair of eyes as bright as black stone. Although timid, she looked straight at him.
The prince, accustomed to seeing all sorts of beauties in the harem, saw this little clay cat as a natural beauty. She wore a light green dress with silver petals that the maid had found on the spur of the moment, which made her look like a delicate, radiant flower bud.
Yun En, who was standing behind the prince, was also stunned for a moment.
The prince's phoenix eyes flickered slightly. He was certain that this was definitely not a child that could be raised by an ordinary civilian family. If the child had adequate nutrition, her appearance would definitely be more beautiful.
The little girl was a little uneasy and lowered her head slightly.
The maid Ran Chunlian lightly moved to the side of the prince. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, "Master, this child's body is covered with scars on hidden parts! On his calves, waist, arms, and armpits..."
Ranchun was the one who was most soft-hearted because of Aunt Qiulan, the head of Dongde Palace. Tears welled up in her eyes when she spoke of this. "Those scars are piled up one on top of another. It's obvious that they didn't just happen in a few days. They must have accumulated over time..."
The prince's brows were slightly cold, and he waved at the little girl, "Come here."
The little girl moved in small steps to the front of the prince, obviously knowing that the person in front of her was the one who could control everything here.