MLIAM Chapter 23
by VolareChapter 23: The Second Prince: As long as you don’t tear a hole in the sky, I can fix it for you…
When Yu Shuli opened his eyes, he found himself lying sideways on a golden carriage.
The wheels were a bit bumpy, but luckily, the surface beneath him was soft, so he was relatively comfortable lying down.
His broken arm had been properly bandaged and medicated. The swelling hadn’t subsided yet, but the intense pain was gone.
The fingernails on both his hands were originally split, but now they were wrapped up, feeling cool and much more comfortable.
The carriage was filled with the smell of medicine. Yu Shuli frowned and turned his head, seeing a young man on the other side, looking down and reading a book.
“Awake?” The young man looked up from his book, revealing a refined and warm smile, “Yu Shuli, your life has really been a burden to me.”
Yu Shuli looked surprised, “Your Highness, the Second Prince?”
“Thank you for saving me, Your Highness…”
Learning that he would have surely died on the broken cliff without the Second Prince’s help, Yu Shuli quickly sat up, wanting to perform a salute, but the young man sternly pressed him back down.
“Forget the salute…” He pointed to Yu Shuli’s arm and said sharply, “This time, you must rest your hand carefully, or it will be useless.”
Yu Shuli’s ability to survive this time was largely due to the warhorse he had tied to a tree.
When the Second Prince’s carriage passed by, a bodyguard recognized the warhorse tied to the tree and reported it to the Second Prince.
The Second Prince was cautious and meticulous, so he sent people into the forest to investigate. The well-trained and disciplined army was fully prepared to enter the miasma, so they obviously wouldn’t be as helpless as he was. Additionally, there was a skilled military doctor among the escorts, which is how Yu Shuli’s life was saved.
Yu Shuli slowly lay down again, then nodded sullenly, “How did Your Highness happen to be at that cliff?”
“The Tatars are treating the princess fairly well. I saw that Yelyu Hong and Ping An were getting along well, so I returned to the Palace early. I wrote it in the letter I gave you, didn’t you see it?”
Royal daughters marrying into foreign lands has been a tradition since ancient times, but now the relationship between the Tatars and Da Liang is quite good, and they also have a common enemy—Xizhao—so on the surface, they are indeed quite harmonious.
Yu Shuli shook his head, his expression becoming more serious, “For the past half month, the letters have been cut off.”
The Second Prince pondered for a moment, “No wonder.”
Yu Shuli’s heart sank, and he asked, “Could it be… someone intercepted the letters?”
The Second Prince shook his head, “It’s more serious than that…” He glanced at Yu Shuli, “I heard that you recently had another confrontation with the Crown Prince face to face?”
Yu Shuli was afraid he would be blamed, so he sighed and could only tell the truth, “It was a chance encounter at the market. At the time, there was a patient causing trouble in the clinic. The Crown Prince probably wanted to take the opportunity to establish himself, so he apprehended the doctor. I couldn’t stand it, so I stepped forward to say a few words for the doctor, and that’s how the conflict arose again.”
The Second Prince heard this and commented, “You did the right thing. Medical disputes always happen, and you can’t blindly believe one side. The patient may not necessarily be a true victim. This matter shouldn’t have been decided so hastily.”
Yu Shuli was happy to see the Second Prince supporting him, so he smiled and flattered him, “Your Highness is truly insightful! You are so upright! It is truly a blessing for this humble one to work under you!”
The Second Prince was amused by him, “Injured like this, and still able to be glib, truly worthy of you.”
“Of course? I am determined to be your best flatterer, Second Prince!” Yu Shuli laughed carefree.
Although the Second Prince was a prince, he was humorous and kind, and didn’t mind his nonsense. Instead, he cooperated and shook his head helplessly, “My butt will be swollen from your flattering sooner or later.”
Yu Shuli’s face flushed red when he heard this, and he suddenly jumped up, “Your Highness… you can’t say such things… This subject doesn’t have such a hobby…” He shyly poked his “Iron Sand Palm”, “It’s too… that…”
The Second Prince then realized the ambiguity in his words. He bit his lip, and his ears also turned red, which was rare. “Yu Ji’an! What nonsense is in your head now? Have you been poisoned by erotic stories?!”
Yu Shuli hurriedly begged for mercy for a long time. After the Second Prince let him go, he returned to the topic, “So… it’s not the letters that had a problem, but the people? Did the Crown Prince do it?”
The Second Prince nodded lightly, “I’m afraid you embarrassed him, so he sought revenge. Knowing that the post station is within your jurisdiction, he wanted to make some trouble. Fortunately, we discovered it early… Have you replaced the staff at the post station?”
Yu Shuli shook his head, “The post station has never made a mistake before. The people who stayed are all old-timers who have been with us for a long time. I didn’t want to alert the enemy, so I didn’t touch them.”
“Then there’s a traitor.” The Second Prince smiled slightly, “Carriages and letters are the foundation of a stable government. Some people seem to be unable to sit still.”
Yu Shuli pursed his lips, “Your Highness, returning to the Capital City now may not be a good time.”
The Second Prince raised an eyebrow at him, “What? Is this Prince affecting your marriage prospects?”
Yu Shuli: …
“Your Highness… was my apology just now not sincere enough?”
The Second Prince smiled, “No, I just heard that your father has been arranging matches for you recently, so I was just joking.”
Yu Shuli slumped sullenly on the horse, “This is not funny.”
“So, our Young Master Yu is unwilling?” The Second Prince sat closer, inquiring with some curiosity, “Why? The looks and manners of the noble ladies in the Capital City are all excellent, why don’t you like them?”
Yu Shuli grunted, “It’s because their manners are all too excellent that I’m scared.” He said, “Your Highness can see from my appearance that I am an untamed person. If I spend all day with people who follow the rules, I’m afraid I’ll get sick.”
“Oh?” The Second Prince feigned probing him, “But now many ministers have the ‘red flag’ still standing at home, while colorful flags flutter outside…”
Yu Shuli’s expression immediately became serious, and he even interrupted him without regard for rank, “Your Highness! Once you decide to start a family, you can’t do such a treacherous thing. It’s really letting down a sincere heart.”
The Second Prince nodded, satisfied and gratified, “Ji’an, you’ve grown up.”
“So, Your Highness was testing me…” Yu Shuli sighed, “Alas… but my father doesn’t seem to think so. He still thinks I only know how to have fun all day long, and hopes I’ll be more stable.”
“You’re fine as you are now.” The Second Prince smiled, and said gently, “As long as you don’t tear a hole in the sky, I can fix it for you.”
Yu Shuli’s eyes lit up, “Really?!” Then he turned his head away, “I don’t believe it.”
“What exactly are you after in me, Your Highness?” He was a little puzzled, and carefully covered his clothes, looking terrified, “It’s not because you fancy my beauty, is it?”
“To be able to think of that, it seems you’ve really wised up.” The Second Prince shook his head and smiled, “Unfortunately, this Prince is after your talent as a general and your martial arts skills. Don’t worry, someone else is after your beauty, I’m not into that.”
“Who?”