IDWBE -Chapter 44 Letting Himself Go

Seeing Qin Hu suffer a setback, Luo Han stood there grinning. But when Lin Yi shot him a glance, he was so frightened that he hurriedly ran off.

The room had barely grown quiet when the black-haired hunting dog and the little yellow dog began making a racket again.

One relied on its strength to tease and pester; the other refused to yield. Though younger, it showed no less spirit, baring its teeth and growling.

“A male and a female, and you still fight?”

Lin Yi angrily kicked the hunting dog. “No wonder you’ll be a single dog your whole life—you don’t even know how to court a girl!”

The hunting dog took the kick on its back, whined in grievance, and ran out of the room to play with the old black dog at the Commandant’s Office.

Hong An picked up the little yellow dog and lowered her head. “I’m sorry, Your Highness.”

Lin Yi smiled. “Don’t keep apologizing. You just carry too many worries for a child.”

It was the first time he realized that a child being too sensible wasn’t always a good thing—it made them feel as though they had been born to atone, as if they owed the whole world.

Hong An lowered her head and said nothing.

Mingyue patted her head with pity. “This isn’t like the old capital. You should wash your hair more often here.”

“I understand, Sister,” Hong An said.

She glanced at Lin Yi, then left with the little yellow dog in her arms.

Lin Yi shook his head helplessly, took a sip of tea, and continued, “How is it that there’s still no news of that living ancestor?”

Before entering Baiyun City, Consort Wen had parted ways with them, saying she had something to do. Since then, her whereabouts were unknown.

He wasn’t worried about her safety—if anything, it was others who should worry.

He was simply curious what a woman who had spent her entire life in the inner palace could possibly be doing.

Hong Ying shook his head, indicating he didn’t know.

Lin Yi hadn’t expected him to know; he was only asking casually.

Night fell, and the stars filled the sky.

Lin Yi tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Just as he put his feet on the floor to get some water, the candle on the table was lit.

Lin Yi smiled. “Sorry for waking you.”

No matter how he tried to persuade them, Mingyue and Zixia insisted on sleeping on bedding laid on the floor in his room.

There were many petty criminals in Baiyun City; they had to protect him.

At times like this, Lin Yi keenly felt his own uselessness.

A grown man, needing women to protect him!

“Your Highness.”

Mingyue straightened the chair in front of him, and once he sat down, handed him a cup of cooled boiled water.

Lin Yi asked, “No one’s fallen ill recently, right? In this hot and humid place, remind everyone to keep up hygiene.”

Zixia replied, “Physician Hu is keeping an eye on all that. Everyone is doing very well.”

Lin Yi drank some water, took a handkerchief, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. Smiling, he said, “I had already prepared myself to endure hardship, but I didn’t expect it to be this bitter. You’ve suffered along with me. If you’re willing, I can arrange for someone to send you back.”

The two women immediately dropped to their knees.

Mingyue said, “This servant is willing to follow Your Highness for a lifetime.”

Zixia added, “Without Your Highness’s protection in the capital, people like us would only be meat on a chopping board.”

Even that fool of a physician understood such truths—how could they not?

What if they knew martial arts? They were still women.

Before real power, they were still helpless.

Lin Yi said, “In life, the most important thing is happiness. If you’re not happy, you don’t need to force yourselves.”

Mingyue said, “As long as we can follow Your Highness, we are happy.”

Lin Yi waved a hand. “I don’t like chatting with you two—you always say such gloomy things. Don’t you have anything new?”

Zixia smiled. “This servant has noticed that since coming to Sanhe, Your Highness seems more at ease than in the capital.”

Lin Yi stroked his chin. “Really? Could it be that I enjoy suffering?”

Mingyue covered her mouth and laughed. “Your Highness is joking again. I noticed it too. Perhaps in Sanhe, without restraints or worries, you’ve become more free-spirited.”

Lin Yi nodded. “That does seem true. In this godforsaken place, if I say the table is white, no one would dare say it’s yellow.”

In his previous life, the highest position he had ever held was managing a chat group online; his grandest title was jokingly called ‘pillar of the nation.’

Who would have imagined that in this world he would be born a prince—

And with all four limbs intact, no less.

Now he was practically an uncrowned king of this territory.

Just as Mingyue said—no one to restrain him, free to let himself go completely.

Was he happy?

Of course he was.

Zixia said, “Your Highness, this place is actually quite nice. There are endless beautiful views, and fruits of all kinds that you can never finish eating. I’ve heard that winter here isn’t even cold—you can wear whatever you like.”

Mingyue agreed, “Yes, Your Highness, the fruits here are delicious, and you don’t even have to buy them. And Zixia and I no longer have to learn all those rules—we’re happier than ever.”

Lin Yi said, “I’ve never set any rules for you.”

Mingyue smiled. “Your Highness is kindhearted.”

The matron who had followed them from the palace to Prince He’s residence had not been so easygoing, watching them closely and finding faults even where none existed—otherwise she would have had no sense of authority.

They had not dared to talk back.

If matters reached Consort Yuan, the only outcome would be their dismissal from the residence.

But they could not say such things in front of Lin Yi, or it would sound like they were complaining about Consort Yuan and being ungrateful.

Thank heaven that on the journey to Sanhe, that matron couldn’t endure the hardship and returned on the pretext of illness.

Now she and Zixia were living more freely than ever.

Since the prince had spoken so much with them tonight, the two of them relaxed as well, losing much of their usual gloom.

Lin Yi yawned. “It’s late. Let’s sleep.”

He lay down on the bed and didn’t open his eyes again until morning.

After getting up and washing, he ate while watching Fang Pi and Hong An practicing martial arts in the courtyard.

Hong An was steady and meticulous.

Fang Pi, on the other hand, was like a monkey, restless for even a moment. Whenever Hong Ying wasn’t looking, he would stretch or pound his legs.

“You brat, slacking off already,” Lin Yi said, sipping tea. “If you don’t work hard when you’re young, you’ll regret it when you’re old.”

Seeing Hong Ying looking over, Fang Pi quickly said, “Chief Hong, don’t worry—I definitely won’t be like His Highness! I’ll work hard!”

Everyone knew that Prince He had been afraid of hardship while learning martial arts as a child and now couldn’t even truss a chicken.

Lin Yi’s hand holding the teacup trembled slightly. With a dark face he called out, “Xiao Yingzi!”

Hong Ying hurriedly bowed. “I’m here, Your Highness.”

“He’s still a child, at the best age to learn martial arts—he mustn’t waste it,” Lin Yi said, pointing at Fang Pi. “Without tempering and training, one cannot become a true man. You mustn’t relax with him.”

That brat—pouring salt into his wounds!

“Yes.”

Hong Ying agreed without the slightest hesitation.

Seeing Hong Ying slowly walking toward him, Fang Pi turned and ran, leaping over the courtyard wall in just a few moves.

Hong Ying said calmly, “Hong An, go bring your senior brother back for your teacher.”

Hong An immediately jumped over the wall in pursuit.

“Little Sister An, I bought you fried pastries yesterday—ah, don’t hit me, don’t hit me—”

Then Lin Yi heard a burst of miserable screams.