CHAPTER 520: CHAPTER 520: LOVE AND LOYALTY

The Li Family Village is quite far from the town.

The ox had been borrowed by someone, so Li Daniu, the woman’s husband, could only walk to the town on foot.

He went to the pawnshop first.

He needed to pawn the golden hairpin and pearl earrings in order to have enough money to buy a carriage.

The pawnshop assistant looked at him and said, "Yesterday you pawned a golden hairpin, and now you’ve come to pawn more. Our pawnshop doesn’t accept things of unclear origin."

This was clearly implying that the golden hairpin and pearl earrings might be stolen.

Being questioned about his character, Li Daniu blushed with anger.

Though he was poor, he had his pride.

Looking at the assistant, Li Daniu said, "These aren’t mine. I’m pawning them for someone else. I live in Li Family Village. If anything happens, you can come find me!"

"And this hairpin is a pawn with intent to reclaim. The owner might redeem it back!"

The assistant merely voiced his suspicion casually.

After all, the golden hairpin was exquisitely beautiful, crafted with great difficulty, and not something just anyone could wear.

Li Daniu, a rough man, would hardly have had the chance to even see such a thing.

Since he affirmed it wasn’t stolen and it was a pawn with intent to reclaim, the assistant wrote up the pawn ticket and had Li Daniu press his fingerprint as a seal.

Taking thirty taels, Li Daniu turned around and left.

As soon as he stepped out of the pawnshop, he was marked.

Two ruffians leaned against the large, bright red lacquered wooden pillar outside the pawnshop, chewing on blades of grass, clearly up to no good.

Once Li Daniu left the pawnshop, the two quietly followed him.

Carrying the silver in his breast, Li Daniu feared losing it and held it tightly.

Passersby could easily tell he had money, making him rather conspicuous.

But because he held it so securely, the two ruffians couldn’t steal it and directly tried to rob him.

The money wasn’t Li Daniu’s; if he were robbed, he couldn’t afford to compensate.

He fought to protect it, but the purse holding the money was torn, and a few taels of broken silver fell to the ground.

As he bent down to pick them up, he received several punches from the ruffians.

In the distance, government officials were approaching, scaring the ruffians. They hastily grabbed the broken silver from the ground and fled.

Wincing in pain, Li Daniu didn’t dare delay and headed straight to the place selling carriages.

His face bruised and swollen, the seller frowned upon seeing him, but upon learning he wanted to buy a carriage, they smiled.

"What kind of carriage do you want?" the assistant asked.

"I need one that’s a bit spacious," Li Daniu replied.

The assistant helped Li Daniu pick one out, and after some bargaining, he spent sixteen taels to buy a carriage.

After buying the carriage, Li Daniu drove it to buy medicine for bruises, as well as rice and meat.

After loading the rice onto the carriage, Li Daniu drove it forward.

Halfway there, he saw someone selling flower hairpins. After some thought, he stopped the carriage and picked one for both his wife and daughter.

While he was buying the flower hairpins, a man with an injured arm approached.

His vision blackened, unable to see clearly anymore.

Using the carriage for support, the man gasped for breath.

From afar, the sound of horse hooves drew near.

In a single bound, the man leaped into the carriage.

Li Daniu bought the flower hairpins and turned back, satisfied.

Seven or eight men in black rode past on horseback.

Though they were only a short distance away from the carriage, he felt uneasy, fearing the horse might suddenly bolt.

He only felt at ease once he sat atop the carriage’s shaft.

Driving the carriage, he returned to Li Family Village.

As soon as the carriage stopped, cheers spread out, "Mom, Dad brought back a carriage!"

The woman was cooking.

She quickly served the food and ladled a scoop of cold water into the pot.

As she came out, she saw the injuries on Li Daniu’s face and asked urgently, "What happened?!"

Li Daniu shook his head and said, "I’m fine. Just got targeted by two ruffians after leaving the pawnshop, took a beating, and lost five taels of silver."

"Come inside and rest," the woman said.

"Let me first move the things down," Li Daniu said.

The woman pulled him aside.

Li Daniu knew his wife’s temper; once she said something, it was final.

If he didn’t rest as she asked, she’d be upset.

Fortunately, there wasn’t much to move, so he stepped into the courtyard.

After only a few steps, he heard his wife shout, "Da Niu, what’s with this person?"

"What person?" Li Daniu asked.

The woman’s hands froze.

She frantically dropped the carriage curtain and stepped back a few paces.

She thought she had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

Li Daniu went over to lift the curtain and was also startled when he saw the man, "When did this person get on the carriage? I had no idea!"

He took another look and said, "He seems injured."

The woman had black lines on her face.

As long as it was a person, she thought.

But why were they always picking up people these days?

And judging by his clothing, another person of high status...

The small courtyard wasn’t large, and any rustle or commotion was easily heard.

Su Jin walked out and saw Li Daniu and the woman moving the man out of the carriage.

"Where are we going to move him? We don’t have any place left to stay," the woman said.

"Let him stay in the cowshed," Li Daniu replied.

Su Jin, "...."

She seemed to remember the scene when Xie Jingchen was brought in.

Although she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes, she could now imagine the misfortune of this man quite similarly.

It was probably pretty much as Su Jin imagined.

Xie Jingchen’s face turned as dark as the bottom of a pot.

When he saw the man’s face clearly, Xie Jingchen frowned tightly.

Why was it him...

Seeing Li Daniu and his wife carrying the man to the cowshed.

Su Jin raised her hand to her forehead.

This family’s cowshed really is...

The dignified Heir of Prince Zhenbei was kept in the cowshed for half a day.

If this got out, many would probably come to take a look, right?

First in line would undoubtedly be Prince NanAn and the others.

Seeing the man looked like he was poisoned, Su Jin said, "Let’s move him into...."

Before she could finish, Xie Jingchen interrupted, "The cowshed suits him just fine."

What do you mean the cowshed suits him just fine?

Su Jin’s face had a black line.

"You know him?" Su Jin asked.

"We’ve met a few times," Xie Jingchen said.

"Who is he?" Su Jin grew more curious.

"The Eldest Prince."

"...."

Eldest Prince?!

Recognizing him as the Eldest Prince and still letting him be carried to the cowshed?!

The black lines on Su Jin’s forehead instantly thickened.

Is it that unhappy about staying in the cowshed that he wants the Eldest Prince to join him?

So that in the future, when they talk about it, there will be the bond of having stayed in the same cowshed.

Treated by Xie Jingchen in such a manner—

Su Jin started to doubt whether the Eldest Prince was good or bad.

Before she could ask, Xie Jingchen lifted his feet and walked towards the cowshed.

Hmm.

Even though he had the Eldest Prince stay in the cowshed.

Xie Jingchen clearly intended to save him.

Xie Jingchen held no fondness for the cowshed, but because the Eldest Prince was there, he stepped inside.

The Eldest Prince lay on the straw, his lips blackened, and although his arm was bandaged, it was soaked with blood.

Su Jin followed Xie Jingchen closely.

"Is he good or bad?" Su Jin asked.

"Regardless, you should call him Cousin," Xie Jingchen said.

"...."

Su Jin was a bit puzzled.

Where did she get a cousin from?

She only had two cousins in the Shen family.

But Xie Jingchen wouldn’t deceive her, and she wouldn’t leave him to die either.

Su Jin quickly crouched down to take the Eldest Prince’s pulse. The smell in the cowshed was somewhat strong, making one’s head spin.

Feeling the Eldest Prince’s pulse, Su Jin furrowed her eyebrows tightly.

The Eldest Prince was severely poisoned, his lips were dark, and though his arm was bandaged, blood had already seeped through.

Regardless of whether he was good or bad, you have to call him cousin," Xie Jingchen said.

"..."

Cousin?!

Although Su Jin was confused, she knew she couldn’t let someone die.

Even if she couldn’t place how she had a cousin like this, she hurried to get the Antidote Pills.