Chapter 260: Chapter 260: Fight, The Better They Battle

Just after the journey began, the Crown Prince had someone guard Xiang Ying alone.

Even the three children were not allowed to follow her.

Xiang Ying had anticipated this, so she instructed Tao Xue and Qi Fengyi to take good care of the children and Aren.

With Jie Chen there to help on their side, they should not suffer too much.

Knowing that she is now a subject of particular “focus” in the eyes of the Nanyue Emperor, Xiang Ying knew she would certainly be watched closely.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince arranged a carriage for her, and riding in it was quite comfortable.

Jie Chen, worried during the journey, rode his horse by the carriage side and peeked inside the window.

Expecting to see an unhappy Xiang Ying, he instead caught sight of her fast asleep, lying down.

Jie Chen was momentarily stunned, then let out a soft sigh.

Indeed, given her strong mental resilience, all those worries were unnecessary.

Waking from her slumber, Xiang Ying discovered the carriage had already entered Shangjing City.

Before she even lifted the curtain, she heard barely contained sobs rising and falling outside.

Glancing out, she saw the soldiers separating some of the prisoners, apparently to imprison them separately.

Many commoners of Nanyue stood at a distance, gawking, while countless government officers lined the roads, all watching these captives from an enemy nation.

Unable to help themselves, they murmured—

“These people have pale faces and broad bodies; we are even thinner than they are.”

“Yes, compared to them, aren’t we the ones who look like refugees?”

“Could it be that the land of Xizhou noursishes its people, hence they grow up this beautiful?”

As the curtain lifted slightly, Xiang Ying revealed half of her fair and beautiful face.

The commoners gasped in shock.

What had they seen!

A fairy-like appearance; could she be seated in a carriage because she is the wife or concubine of some prince?

At this moment, Jie Chen rode over and reached out to lower the curtain.

Xiang Ying blinked her innocent eyes.

She hadn’t even gotten a clear look at the entire marketplace yet, and Jie Chen didn’t want her to see?

If Jie Chen didn’t let her see, then she would just use a drone.

Xiang Ying immediately entered the space and deployed a drone.

First, seeing Skinny Monkey and the others taking away the family members of Xizhou officials like Lin Lingxiang.

Lin Lingxiang was clutching Xiang Li’s hand tightly: “Your Highness, I cannot be separated from you!”

The Skinny Monkey urged, “Hurry up, if the Crown Prince’s men arrive later, you’ll be punished.”

Tears streamed down Lin Lingxiang’s cheeks: “The Nanyue Emperor wants His Highness and the others to enter the Imperial Palace, what good can come of that? I wish to follow His Highness in life and death!”

Xiang Li quickly tried to dissuade her: “Lingxiang, don’t worry about me, just go!”

But then, Lin Lingxiang turned her head and saw the Crown Prince approaching.

She took the initiative to run over and kneel down: “Your Highness, I and Crown Prince Xiang Li have already consummated our marriage, and I wish to stay with him. Please grant us your blessing, Your Highness.”

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes, his lips curling into a scornful smile.

He was probably thinking, is there actually someone willing to court death?

Behind her, Xiang Li scolded: “Lingxiang!”

The Crown Prince, seeing his concern, nodded minutely, his tone playful: “All right, since you’re determined to be with him, your wish is granted.”

He waved his hand, ordering: “Keep her, imprison them together.”

Lin Lingxiang was overjoyed, and turning, she rushed into Xiang Li’s embrace, the two holding each other tightly.

The people around could not help but feel sentimental, such strong affection; yet once in the Imperial Palace, who knows how many more days they could have such happiness.

Xiang Ying, on the other hand, felt little emotion; she always knew that Lin Lingxiang would stand by her brother Xiang Li through thick and thin.

What she cared about most was still the granaries in the Imperial City.

Xiang Ying controlled the drone, flying it directly into the city.

With a bird’s-eye view, the entire map of the Imperial City was printed out using 3D scanning.

At the same time, every granary and grain shop was marked.

No wonder Nanyue was so affluent, when Xiang Ying’s unmanned drone flew outside the granaries, she saw their grain sacks all laid out in the open, carelessly exposed to the air.

In the previous towns, rice and flour were either stored in bags that were piled up in storerooms or kept in heavily locked granaries.

Xiang Ying clicked her tongue twice, noting the key locations on the map.

Waiting for nightfall to come and plunder the place.

The unmanned drone just happened to fly past a jade shop.

As it approached, a ranting and raving could be heard from inside.

“I asked you guys to make a three-foot-high Guanyin, and you only made it two feet. Do you know that I planned to present this Guanyin in the Imperial Palace, as a birthday gift to the imperial concubine?”

“You’ve messed up my business; I’ll smash your shop to pieces!”

The drone passed by the side, and Xiang Ying, through the screen, saw a burly man dressed in fine silk, bossing around imperiously.

The shop assistants kneeling before him were trembling with fear.

The Jade Guanyin near the door, behind him, instantly caught Xiang Ying’s eye.

Such full purple jade was rare anywhere!

Since the man didn’t like it, she’d take it for herself, no thanks!

The drone passed by again, buzzing twice, and took away the Jade Guanyin.

The pot-bellied man, having ended his tirade, turned around and was dumbstruck.

“Where’s my Guanyin? My big, tall Guanyin?”

“Sir, just now, the Guanyin seemed to have disappeared into thin air.”

“How is that possible! There must be a thief, chase after them!” The fat man ordered, and his servants outside burst into action.

Unexpectedly, they hadn’t run far before they bumped into the Crown Prince’s carriage.

It turned out the remaining Exile Team, following the Crown Prince, was about to enter the Imperial Palace.

They just happened to be on this road, which the government officers had already cleared, but the man in front, being the favored imperial concubine’s nephew, they naturally didn’t dare to stop him.

And now that he had run into the Crown Prince’s carriage, he, being the cousin of the Sixth Prince, had to swallow his pride despite his usual arrogance.

“Yo… Your Highness.” He shrank his corpulent body and carefully moved aside.

The Crown Prince, sitting on horseback, looked down, his eyes narrowed calmly but with a cold tone.

“Isn’t this young master from the Zhang family? I just heard you shouting about a thief everywhere, and you’ve bumped into us, what, do you suspect His Highness of stealing your item?”

The guards beside him immediately drew their swords: “Looking for trouble?!”

The young master from the Zhang family hurriedly knelt down, his fat head bowing low.

“I dare not! Your Highness, please calm your anger, I misspoke, please forgive me.”

Against the Crown Prince, he had to conceal his arrogance.

After all, who could stand up to someone with such illustrious achievements and the Emperor’s trust?

Even Noble Princess Consort Zhang would have to nod and smile at him!

The Crown Prince sneered coldly, held his head high, and rode slowly forward.

The young master from the Zhang family was helped up by his attendants, intending to spit at his back quietly.

Unexpectedly, he saw the three-foot-high Jade Guanyin was just placed behind the Crown Prince’s horse!

The young master from the Zhang family widened his eyes.

Wasn’t that his Guanyin?

But looking around at the faces of the people, they all seemed to lower their heads, as if they hadn’t seen the Guanyin at all.

Damn it!

The young master from the Zhang family’s eyes filled with fury.

It was indeed the Crown Prince who took his Guanyin and left him unable to voice his grievances!

He had to find an opportunity to bitterly complain to Aunt Zhang, the imperial concubine!

“Let’s go!” He led his people away, fuming.

Xiang Ying’s unmanned drone parked by the side, and after he was gone, quietly took the Jade Guanyin again.

Opportunistic theft, and even more opportunistic framing, let them fight. The fiercer they fought, the better it would be for her family’s Jie Chen!