“Ah Zheng, my Seventh Prince, please don’t scare me like this in the future.” It had been several days since that day, but Fang Jing was still frightened and kept complaining, “Look at all the wounds on your body, they are so dangerous. There are soldiers everywhere in Hanzhou City, so there is no need for you to catch the Hu people yourself…”
Yuan Zheng was annoyed by him, kicked away the person who was changing his bandage, and said, “Enough, you keep saying it every day, aren’t you annoyed?”
Fang Jing said confidently, “No, you almost scared me to death.”
“I’m a coward. If anything happens to you, my Fang family will be finished.” Fang Jing said. “Luckily, we have General Cen this time; otherwise, I don’t know what to do!”
When Yuan Zheng heard those three words, he snorted and pulled up his shirt that was open on his chest. “What do you mean what to do? I can naturally come back with the head of the Hu people.”
Fang Jing’s eyes moved over the glaring bruise on his skin and asked, “What happened to that wound on your body?”
Yuan Zheng wanted to save face, so he naturally wouldn’t say that it was Cen Yelan who beat him. That night, the two of them stayed around the campfire for half the night. One man and one rider emerged from the desert as the sky was about to brighten, where they met the soldiers from Hanzhou City, Fang Jing, and others who came out of the city to look for them. They survived the disaster.
Thinking of Cen Yelan’s head down, Yuan Zheng unconsciously put his tongue against the tip of his teeth and glanced at Fang Jing, who withdrew his gaze resentfully.
After a while, he said, “I heard that General Cen was also injured and was ordered to recuperate in bed for two days by Physician Xiao Su.”
Physician Xiao Su—Su Chenzhao is a military physician in Hanzhou City. He is about 26 or 27 years old and still has a round and tender baby face. He looks like a 15 or 16 year-old boy. He doesn’t talk much and looks a little silly, but his medical skills are surprisingly superb. Everyone in Hanzhou calls him Physician Xiao Su.
Yuan Zheng stood up and walked out, saying, “Whether Cen Yelan is injured or not is none of my business.” The two had not seen each other since they returned to Hanzhou. If Cen Yelan used to politely call Yuan Zheng ‘Your Highness the Seventh Prince’ and maintain the proper etiquette between the monarch and his subjects before, now he completely ignored them and turned a blind eye to all their actions.
Fang Jing chased after him and said, “Ah Zheng, what happened to you that night? I always feel that the Hanzhou border army is being weird to us.”
Yuan Zheng was seriously injured and had to lie in bed for several days. Other officials in Hanzhou City came to visit him more or less, but only Cen Yelan had never come once.
Yuan Zheng turned around and smiled, “Nothing.”
Fang Jing whispered, “Don’t lie to me, every time you smile like this, you’re going to do something bad.”
Yuan Zheng said calmly, “What bad thing can I do?” He stretched his body lazily, stretched out his hand, hooked Fang Jing’s neck, and said, “From now on, in this Hanzhou City, we can do whatever we want, I have the final say.”
Fang Jing muttered, “We were beaten by General Cen last time—”
Yuan Zheng snorted and laughed: “He doesn’t dare now.”
Fang Jing opened his eyes wide and looked at Yuan Zheng. Not far away, a group of people was walking over, led by Cen Yelan.
Yuan Zheng also looked over, and Cen Yelan glanced at him inadvertently. When their eyes met, it was as if Cen Yelan did not notice and simply looked away.
Yuan Zheng immediately raised his voice: “Cen Yelan.”
Cen Yelan stopped abruptly and waited for the two to slowly pass by. There was no expression on his face, and he lightly said, “Your Highness the Seventh Prince, Xiao Junwang.”
Yuan Zheng asked, “Where are you going?”
Cen Yelan glanced at Yuan Zheng and said nothing. Seeing this, a man behind him bowed and said, “Your Highness, we are going to the dry well in the north of the city.”
Yuan Zheng’s face looked better, and he said, “I’ll go too.”
Cen Yelan said, “Your Highness is not well yet, take good care of yourself.”
Yuan Zheng tutted his words, laughed, and said nonchalantly, “General Cen, are you concerned about me?”
“I’m really overwhelmed by the favor.”
Cen Yelan had no expression on his face and walked away. “Please do as you please.”
Fang Jing couldn’t help but complain to Yuan Zheng in a low voice, “Ah Zheng, why did you go and provoke General Cen again?”
Yuan Zheng laughed and said, “Which eye of yours saw me provoking him?”
Fang Jing wanted to speak, but Yuan Zheng didn’t want to listen and directly ordered, “Follow me.”
