Chapter 179: Bypassing the City

"It's not that we won't sell you our carriage, but our carriage might be a bit expensive. Are you sure you want to buy it?" Huli raised an eyebrow, stepping directly in front of Liu Ling'er and engaging Xiao Zhen'er in banter.

Xiao Zhen'er said with disdain, "How much could this broken wagon of yours possibly be worth? In this world, as long as it can be bought with silver, I could buy an entire city."

An entire city, just like that? You must think your silver is made of mud, and yet you speak with such absolute certainty. Liu Ling'er thought to herself that if anyone wanted to achieve overnight immense wealth, all they had to do was marry the young woman before them; if she agreed to wed you, instant boundless riches would no longer be a mere dream!

"Wonderful! Such dominance and boldness!" Huli clapped his hands, grinning to reveal a few cute little tiger fangs. "This broken cart of mine really isn't worth much, a mere drop in the bucket compared to a city. I won't overcharge you either; I'll sell it to you at a bargain, for a mere ten thousand taels of gold. And gold only, no promissory notes."

Judging by that tone, anyone unaware would think he was a hawker selling steamed buns at a morning market. As expected of a former bandit, his talent for demanding exorbitant prices had reached the pinnacle of perfection. Compared to this, Liu Ling'er's extortion skills looked like those of a toddler just learning to walk.

"Ten thousand taels? Why don't you just go rob someone! Do you really take me for a fat sheep ready for slaughter?" Xiao Zhen'er was no fool; she knew Huli was deliberately playing tricks on her.

Huli drew his folding fan and snapped it open with a flourish. "How did you know what I used to do for a living? Besides, I just washed my hands in a golden basin today, otherwise the price I quoted you wouldn't be ten thousand taels, but a hundred thousand."

"This is driving me crazy with anger!" Xiao Zhen'er's face turned livid. There had always been only her playing tricks on others; she had never been toyed with like this before. She grabbed Xiao Yixiao's arm. "Second Brother, don't hold me back. No matter what, I'm going to teach him a lesson today."

Xiao Yixiao's wet hair hung loose, the tips occasionally dripping a drop or two of water. Seeing Xiao Zhen'er holding his arm, his eyes showed a look of hesitation, as if he had much to say, but in the end, he remained silent, merely wearing a pitiful expression.

*My dear third sister, if you want to teach him a lesson, go ahead! Just stop pulling my arm. Look, both of my hands aren't moving at all; how could I possibly be holding you back?*

If there were such a thing as divine ancestors in this world, the first in his heart would be his imperial father who was now the Emperor Emeritus, and the second would be his third sister. If he couldn't afford to offend her, he certainly couldn't afford to provoke her. If she wasn't an ancestor, what was she?

Baili Xian, standing to the side, suddenly spoke up, "This must be the apple of the eye of Northern Wei's Emperor Emeritus, the Third Princess! Truly, the rumors are not exaggerated—your temperament is quite forthright!"

Xiao Zhen'er froze for a moment, then asked suspiciously, "Who are you? Why do you know about us? Are you beating around the bush to gather intelligence on us? Do you intend to retaliate against us later?"

Liu Ling'er was left speechless. *Baili Xian saying your temperament is forthright is meant as a compliment, but even I can tell your temperament is utterly domineering.*

"Ha-ha, the Third Princess jests. I am Baili Xian, this is my wife Liu Ling'er, and this here is Huli, a descendant of the Great General of Eastern Chu's Ping Kingdom, who is currently my personal bodyguard."

Xiao Yixiao was startled. "What? You are Baili Xian, recently returned from Eastern Chu? My imperial father often told me that the Wise Prince of Eastern Chu is a dragon among men, and that if the opportunity arose, I should forge a friendship with him. I had actually planned to visit Eastern Chu after this trip to Zhongtong Kingdom, and I never expected to meet you here. What a destined reunion across a thousand miles!"

Baili Xian waved his hand. "Your Majesty of Wei flatters me. A dragon among men? I am merely an ordinary person. We are all heading to congratulate the new emperor of Zhongtong Kingdom on his ascension; you could say we met by chance rather than design."

Strictly speaking, people usually said "enemies meeting by chance," but since they hadn't fought at all, saying they "met by chance" was quite appropriate and fit the situation well.

After some conversation, the group gradually grew familiar with one another. Since Xiao Yixiao's carriage was broken and could no longer be ridden, Baili Xian naturally wouldn't refuse to give them a ride. They hitched Xiao Yixiao's horses to Liu Ling'er's carriage—two horses pulling one vehicle. Although there were three more people, it had no impact at all.

As for Xiao Yixiao's broken wagon, it was naturally abandoned by the roadside; once they reached a market town, they could simply buy a new one with money.

Once inside the carriage, Xiao Zhen'er rolled her eyes, hugged Xiao Yixiao's arm, and coaxed him, "Second Brother, I want to drive the carriage for a while."

At those words, Xiao Yixiao's expression shifted instantly. He pressed Xiao Zhen'er back onto her seat. "No way. Don't even think about such a thing. If I ever let you drive a carriage again, I'll write my name backward! Besides, this isn't even my carriage; you just stay put right here."

There were six people in total, and although Afu and Huli sat outside the carriage, the interior sat four people. While it couldn't be called cramped, there was no spare room left either, and the slightest movement would result in bumping into someone else's legs.

At this moment, Liu Ling'er naturally wouldn't sit next to Baili Xian; instead, the two women sat on one side, and the two men sat on the other. Xiao Zhen'er was as restless as a monkey and couldn't bear the silence inside the carriage, feeling stifled, so she started chatting with Liu Ling'er.

"Princess Consort, my imperial father said you once blocked a sleeve-arrow for the Wise Prince and even nearly lost your life. Is that true?" Xiao Zhen'er asked, her eyes filled with stars of adoration.

Liu Ling'er glanced at Baili Xian and saw his eyes brimming with gratitude as he looked at her. Her face flushed slightly as she nodded at Xiao Zhen'er. "Indeed. But such things aren't anything to boast about. When you meet the person you are willing to block knives and swords for of your own free will, then you will have found your other half. If you ever meet such a person, you must cherish them well."

Xiao Zhen'er remembered Liu Ling'er's words with a dazed understanding, then picked another topic and asked, "This is Eastern Chu territory; why did you end up taking a minor path?"

Baili Xian's expression changed slightly. Xiao Zhen'er's question struck precisely at his wound; his own brother was desperately trying to eliminate him. For the sake of his own safety, taking the minor roads was a last resort—still far better than taking the main highway and being hunted down by countless assassins.

Then she saw Liu Ling'er look gently at Baili Xian, which managed to calm his slightly agitated heart. Liu Ling'er said with coy bashfulness, "Speaking of which, it was because I wanted to see the landscape and scenery of Eastern Chu. The views from the main highway are unclear and lack the natural beauty of the minor paths, so the Prince brought me this way instead. I wonder why Sister Zhen'er ended up on this minor path as well?"

Xiao Zhen'er gave a cough. "Ahem. It's a long story, but ultimately similar to your reasons. I've never been to Eastern Chu either, and I wanted to see its green mountains and clear waters. Yes, that's it."

Xiao Yixiao, sitting on the other side, felt his mouth twitch violently: *My dear sister, please stop twisting your skirt hem when you lie; anyone who knows you even slightly can tell instantly, alright? And besides! You aren't here to see the scenery at all; you clearly wanted to take the minor roads seeking some excitement—like storming bandit dens, fighting wild wolves, or racing carriages recklessly!*

However, an older brother could not expose his own sister's shortcomings, so Xiao Yixiao swallowed those words back down with extreme reluctance. Heaven knew how much he wanted to broadcast his sister's misdeeds to the world.

Conversing all the way, especially among women, once they grew familiar, the volume of words multiplied geometrically. Coupled with Baili Xian and Xiao Yixiao discussing family matters, affairs of state, and the state of the world, before they knew it, the sky was gradually growing dark.

They heard Huli calling out to Afu from outside the carriage, "Hehe, that's Jiangdong City up ahead. Looks like we can find a decent inn to rest properly tonight."

Inside the carriage, Baili Xian's expression shifted drastically, and he shouted toward the outside, "Huli, don't enter the city! We'll bypass it."