Chapter 71: Chapter 71: Son-in-Law

“Cough…” Xia Wenjin choked on her own saliva.

She rolled her eyes, feeling uneasy: “Well, as for the Village Chief of Haotian Village, he has a daughter…”

Huangfu Jingchen saw her hesitating and suddenly realized: “No wonder they made such a fuss and treated you with such courtesy. So they’re trying to catch you to be a son-in-law for the Village Chief’s daughter?”

He glanced up and down at Xia Wenjin. With such handsome features, it’s not surprising that women are attracted. However, for a dead Long Yang, this is indeed a bit difficult.

Xia Wenjin was momentarily surprised, then nodded vigorously: “Yes, yes, they want me to be their son-in-law, but I just can’t do it, so I fought my way out!”

Huangfu Jingchen gave Xia Wenjin another once-over. She was good-looking, no doubt, but she hadn’t fully developed yet, maybe not even sixteen. Is it possible that the Village Chief’s daughter is like Wang Wan’er?

He found it hard to believe.

He sneered: “Are the people of Haotian Village blind? Catching a skinny kid like you to be a son-in-law?”

“Who knows!” Xia Wenjin said with a sigh: “Perhaps it’s because I’m so good-looking, one beauty covers a hundred flaws, so they don’t mind my being skinny!”

“You might as well say their Village Chief’s daughter is uglier than a she-devil!” Huangfu Jingchen couldn’t help but tease her when he saw her looking so smug.

“You’re the ugly one… cough cough…” Xia Wenjin flared up but quickly restrained herself, changing her tune: “Not ugly, but I don’t want to marry!”

Not wanting to marry but not letting people call her ugly, is she sick? Huangfu Jingchen, intrigued, asked: “So tell me, why did they choose you?”

Xia Wenjin rolled her eyes to the sky, her tone proud: “Can’t you see? I’m so handsome and charming, elegant and graceful, unmatched in the world!”

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at her, pursed his lips, and said: “If it makes you happy!” Not even fully grown, and she claims to be imposing? This kid, when boasting, doesn’t blush at all.

After taking a short break, the two continued running.

After all, they were in the city now, and they needed to leave as soon as the city gates opened, getting as far away as possible.

As dawn broke, the two reached the northern city gate.

Slowly, the city gates opened.

Once they were outside, they both breathed a sigh of relief.

Xia Wenjin glanced at the official road stretching far away, then turned her head and said seriously: “Now that we’ve left the city, the road divides, and we should part ways here!”

Huangfu Jingchen replied expressionlessly: “In your dreams!”

Xia Wenjin raised an eyebrow: “What do you mean?”

Huangfu Jingchen suddenly stepped forward, pointing directly at her throat. Xia Wenjin hurriedly took a step back, startled: “What are you doing?”

As she opened her mouth to speak, Huangfu Jingchen flicked a small pill into her mouth.

The pill dissolved as soon as it entered, and caught off guard, Xia Wenjin realized she needed to spit it out, but it was too late. She frowned: “What was that?”

“Bone Corrosive Heart Piercing Pill!”

“Are you crazy, feeding me poison all of a sudden!”

Huangfu Jingchen glanced at her, his expression indifferent: “You want the antidote, fine!”

“So there are conditions, please go ahead!” Xia Wenjin feigned a smile.

“Give me back the Jade Pendant!”

Xia Wenjin paused for a second, then winked and smiled radiantly: “You might as well kill me, the Jade Pendant’s been pawned, a dead pawn. I exchanged it for five hundred taels of Silver, can’t get it back.”

“Which pawnshop?”

“I forgot!”

“Do you think I’ll believe that?”

Xia Wenjin laughed carelessly: “Young Master, when I say I didn’t take it, you don’t believe me. When I say I pawned it, you still don’t believe me! Aren’t you hard to please?” She sighed with a face half in jest: “I’m telling the truth, if you don’t believe me, I can’t help it! Otherwise, search me!” As she approached him slightly.

Huangfu Jingchen instinctively stepped back, his face alternating between green and red, glaring at her with anger. This dead Long Yang, always asking for a body search!

Does she expect it? He refuses, finding it disgusting!

Xia Wenjin nonchalantly said: “I’ve taken the poison, nothing else matters more than my life. Do you still doubt I’m lying?”

She called him “young master” with every breath, positioning herself as a servant, respectful in attitude, gentle in words, and smiling on her face.

Nevertheless, that curved brow and smiling eyes just made Huangfu Jingchen feel a breath caught in his chest, neither swallowable nor spit-out-able, utterly frustrated.

His stifled expression made Xia Wenjin’s eyes curl even more, but her face remained genuinely expectant, with bright eyes that were hard to refuse: “Young Master, the Jade Pendant you want is gone. The poison is redundant too. With your noble character and peerless style, you wouldn’t stoop to controlling me with the antidote, so give me the antidote!”

“In your dreams!” Huangfu Jingchen gave her a chilly glance: “Return my Jade Pendant, and we’re even! If not, your life is mine! If you don’t want to die, return my Jade Pendant soon, and I’ll give you the antidote! Also, don’t stray too far from me, or when the poison takes effect, the antidote won’t save you!”

Xia Wenjin: “…”

She had a phrase in mind, but was unsure if it was appropriate to say!

Xia Wenjin said: “You’re despicable!”

“Thanks for the compliment!” Huangfu Jingchen accepted it graciously!

Facing the proud face of the young man before her, Xia Wenjin didn’t want to say anything more.

Huangfu Jingchen lowered his eyes, seeing Xia Wenjin so angry she was speechless, feeling quite pleased. Continuing with a poker face, he said: “Got nothing more to say? Then let’s keep moving!”

Xia Wenjin was regretful; the kid learned well, previously jumping in anger at her words, now making her jump with his.

Moments ago, she was rolling her eyes, now she smiled brightly: “Where is Young Master heading?”

Does he think a mere poison can make her comply? Once she prepares her own antidote, she’ll be as far from him as possible.

Huangfu Jingchen replied: “Yunzhou!”

He was already a month late from the planned return. Though he had Yan Nan send back word, with no return for so long, his parents would be worried.

Yunzhou?

Xia Wenjin recalled, Yunzhou and Qinzhou were both in the west, one in the northwest, the other in the southwest, on Nanxia’s western border.

There were vast deserts with numerous tribes out there, some forming their own countries, the most famous being Fire Flame Country and Sun-cutting Country.

From their names, one can see: One thrives in the heat, proud of it, while another loathes the harsh conditions, seeking to cut the sun and cool down.

Their customs were fierce, living in the heat where vegetation struggled, and resources were scarce, often raiding across the border.

In a previous life, when Fire Flame Country joined all desert tribes in an advance against Nanxia, the Yunzhou Governor, seeing the irresistible pressure of the approaching army, fled during the chaos.

Contrarily, Prince Cheng Huangfu Yi, stationed in Yunzhou, died fighting, holding steadfast the southwest gate. Yet at that time, the Capital City was in chaos, threatened externally with no reinforcements internally, and after months of bitter defense, they were ultimately outmatched, dying in battle along with his sixteen-year-old Princely Heir, Huangfu Haichen.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep