Chapter 20 This woman's expression changes so quickly
Vertical sun.

The sky was sunny and the breeze was gentle, caressing my skin gently.

"Where is the prince?" Huo Aying turned around and asked.

Su Jian hurriedly replied, "The prince has gone to the other courtyard and hasn't come back yet."

"A villa? Can't this huge mansion accommodate him? Why does he have to go to a villa?" Huo Aying was a little confused.

"Perhaps the prince wants to train his troops. He has been in the army for more than ten years with almost no rest. It is inevitable that he can't bear to be suddenly confined in the mansion." Su Jian said.

"That's what you deserve a beating!" Ah Ying teased.

"By the way, my silver hairpin is still with him. Come with me to get it later." It was a relic left by her mother. If she hadn't been so busy these two days, she would have gone to get it long ago.

Su Jian responded, "Yes."

***
Other courtyard.

"Why is it so simple here?" Although Ah Ying had lived in a miserable place since he was a child, compared with the Marquis' Mansion, this villa was really just a place for practicing martial arts. There were training grounds, training equipment, horses, targets everywhere. Before he even entered, he could hear the sounds of training one after another.

Su Jian dusted off the dirt and frowned, "Otherwise Madam wouldn't let the prince come here. This place has not been cleaned for many years. It's not a proper place to live."

Huo Aying was a little curious. She had longed for the heroic story of Mulan since she was young. She just hated that she was only good at dancing but not martial arts.

A servant came running over and said, "Miss Aying, the prince is at the parade ground. Can I take you there?"

"Of course, it's a good opportunity for me to see what our warriors who defend our country look like!" Aying was very interested.

Instead, Su Jian pulled A Ying and said, "Miss, the training ground is dusty everywhere and full of men practicing. After all, you are a girl and a cousin of the Marquis's Mansion. No matter your status or other factors, it is really not suitable for you to go there. It is better for you to go to the side hall and wait for a while. There is no rush." ​​Su Jian always felt that girls from aristocratic families had to be reserved and aloof to a certain extent, so as to avoid some people gossiping about them.

Ah Ying couldn't help but laugh. She had actually forgotten that she was now the cousin of the Marquis's family, and no longer an ordinary woman who greeted people on the street. Naturally, she had to remember to be tactful in everything she did. Moreover, as the cousin of the prince, she had to pay more attention to her manners and etiquette. So, she nodded and said, "Then go to the side hall and wait first."

The servant did not say anything. He first led the two men to the side hall, and then ran to the training ground.

To Xie Chengyi, who was wearing a dark-jujube-colored training suit with a drawstring cuff and aiming at the target with a longbow, he replied, "Prince, Miss Aying is waiting for you in the side hall."

"Swish!" The long arrow shot straight out, and the next second, the guard raised the flag and hit the bull's eye.

Xie Chengyi then turned around and said, "Didn't you tell me I was here?"

"Yes." said the servant.

Zhan Li was a little disappointed. Not everyone could come in here, and she was the first woman invited here.

But, apparently, they don't care.

Zhan Li explained, "Maybe Miss Ying doesn't like the way Zhang Fei, the poor guy, is training in the military field. After all, she is a woman."

Xie Chengyi threw away his longbow with a bored look and said calmly, "Let's go to the side hall."

Zhan Li caught the longbow with a fear in his heart, unable to guess what the prince was trying to do. What was there to see here? Apart from the men, there were horses running happily with their hooves lifted. How could Miss Aying like these?

In the side hall, Ah Ying didn't sit down. She was curious about everything and walked around leisurely.

What was placed on the mahogany lacquered table was not vases or antiques, but various swords and even a short arrow.

Ah Ying picked up the short arrow curiously, looked at it carefully, and murmured: "This short arrow is quite old..."

"Don't touch it! That is the prince's favorite thing!" Zhao Chan, who had just made tea, said coldly as soon as she entered the door.

Huo Aying stared at Zhao Chan for a few seconds. The woman intuitively felt that Zhao Chan seemed hostile to her.

"The villa is not as good as the mansion, so please don't dislike this tea, young lady." Although Zhao Chan said it politely, her tone didn't sound polite at all.

Huo Aying quietly put down the short arrow, looked at Su Jian, and said faintly: "I only heard about the soldiers training in the other courtyard, but I didn't expect that women would become rough and rude after staying there for a long time."

Zhao Chan immediately froze.

Although Huo Aying agreed to enter the Marquis' Mansion, she did not say that she would have to endure the bullying of even the maids. If this person was the prince's sweetheart, then it would be easy to negotiate the price, but is this possible?
"Miss, this short arrow was left for the prince when he went to the battlefield at the age of eighteen. It has a special meaning and no one else is allowed to touch it. I was also afraid that the prince would be angry." Zhao Chan saw that Huo Aying was staring at her quietly, and her heart was beating fast. She softened her tone and explained.

Huo Aying then responded: "Oh? I see, but how can you be sure that I am someone else? What if my cousin can be touched?"

Zhao Chan looked embarrassed and lowered her eyebrows and said, "It was I who overstepped my bounds."

Huo Aying smiled politely and said affectionately, "It's okay. You are loyal. When I meet the prince later, I will praise you in front of him."

Zhao Chan was stunned. She really didn't expect Huo Aying to say that. Although she was suspicious in her heart, she couldn't show it on her face. She bowed to Aying and said, "Thank you for your understanding, young lady. I still have work to do, so I will leave first." Huo Aying didn't stop her. After all, he didn't come to see her. Why should he be angry with her? It wasn't worth it.

Su Jian, on the other hand, glanced in Zhao Chan's direction and said, "We are both servants, but I don't know why she is so superior!"

Huo Aying pretended not to hear.

When I casually looked around, I was attracted by a military book placed beside me. I gently opened it and dusted it off. The more I read, the more interesting it became...

"I didn't expect you could read military books?" Xie Chengyi, who had just entered the room, saw Huo Aying holding a military book and concentrating very hard, and couldn't help feeling a little surprised.

Huo Aying was startled, and reluctantly put down the military book, smiling lightly, "How can I understand a military book? I just want to think about it."

Xie Chengyi only wiped his hands with a handkerchief without changing his clothes. He looked much more capable.

"I don't have any good tea in my villa, so you can just have a sip." Xie Chengyi sat down leisurely.

Huo Aying looked very polite, "Your Highness's servant has already said this just now. However, you seem to be in a bad mood. You should be more concerned about the people around you." Ever since her mother passed away and her brother was sold, Huo Aying no longer put herself in a difficult position, because she had no weaknesses. She simply would not bear the anger if she could. She was not a punching bag, so why should she endure the bullying of others?

Xie Chengyi was stunned, then looked at Zhan Li, who lowered his head.

"I came here this time to get the silver hairpin back. Please get it for me, Prince." Huo Aying said gently.

Xie Chengyi had just sat down and was still sipping his tea, so he said calmly, "I don't know where I put it. It will take some time to find it."

Huo Aying's face hardened when he heard this, "Prince, don't joke around."

Xie Chengyi thought it was funny. "It's just a silver hairpin. The money my Xie family has given you these days is enough to buy a shop with a silver hairpin, right?"

Huo Aying suppressed his impatience and said solemnly, "That silver hairpin is very important to me. Please return it to me, my lord."

"Who sent it? So important? From a loved one?" Xie Chengyi looked at it quietly.

Huo Aying looked at Xie Chengyi's inquiring expression and could not help but secretly complain in her heart, this prince is such a busybody, why does he want to know everything? If she didn't need to make a living from him, she would have turned her face away. After thinking it through, she laughed at herself and said, "How can I compare with the prince? The whole capital is full of your admirers. I am just an ordinary woman who wants to have enough food and clothing. I am not interested in romance. The silver hairpin was given by my family. Although it is not valuable, it is a souvenir."

"Why do these words sound sour to me? I just have a bad memory. My memory is better when I'm in a good mood..." Xie Chengyi picked up the lid of the tea bowl, gently flicked away the foam, and glanced at Huo Aying unintentionally.

It was not until then that Huo Aying finally understood that Xie Chengyi did it on purpose, so he softened his attitude and remained polite, but a little more sad than before. He just wanted to hear nice words. Yiyi said, "This hairpin is the only relic left by my mother, and it is also my last wish. I know how busy you are, and I hope you will think about it carefully."

Xie Chengyi paused while holding the tea, and his throat churned. This was something he had not expected.

Finally, he couldn't bear to tease her anymore, "Zhan Li, go find her!"

Zhan Li immediately turned around and went to the inner room, but as soon as he entered, he saw a silver hairpin neatly placed in a brocade box.

Zhan Li packed it carefully.

"Prince." Zhan Li reported.

Xie Chengyi raised his head, and Zhan Li walked towards A Ying, "Miss A Ying, your silver hairpin."

Huo Aying took the silver hairpin over, bowed with a smile and said, "Thank you, my lord. Aying will not disturb you for now."

Xie Chengyi was speechless and could only look at Huo Aying's back without any reluctance.

I couldn't help but sigh, this person is really, so gentle when asking for help, so cold when not asking for help...

Just as Huo Aying was about to get on the carriage, Zhan Li chased after her and shouted, "Girl, wait a moment!"

Ah Ying was stunned.

Zhan Li ran over, holding a few books, and said, "The prince said that if the girl likes to read these books, she can take them back and read them."

Looking at the military book, Huo Aying couldn't refuse Zhan Li's favor in front of him, so he took it and nodded, saying, "Guard Zhan, please thank the prince for me."

Zhanli nodded.

The carriage started slowly. Xie Chengyi, who was on the roof holding a wine jug in one hand, was looking in the direction of the carriage. What on earth did this woman want?
Inside the carriage.

Ah Ying carefully opened the silk handkerchief that wrapped the silver hairpin, and saw that the hairpin was more shiny than before. Looking closely, the carved pattern was also clearer than before...

Early Early

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