What Bad Intentions can the Yandere Crown Prince have?

Chapter 471 - 458: Liangzhou Continued—Tang Ziqian Side Story (Part 7)

It’s as if a long-enduring standoff has ended, and everything has fallen silent.Including Lu Yuan.

She was silent for a long time, then suddenly stood up and patted the grass and dust off her body, "I’m going to eat!"

Before she finished speaking, she was gone.

Tang Ziqian lifted his head.

The direction she left, the setting sun hinted at the end of a day...

...

The next morning, while dressing and washing, Tang Ziqian moved slowly for a moment and instructed, "Go and see what Miss Lu is doing!"

Soon, the attendant reported, "Miss Lu is watching the sunrise on the pavilion roof."

Tang Ziqian paused on his way out the door, then turned towards the east.

The pavilion on the artificial mountain in the East Garden is the highest point in the Governor Mansion, and Lu Yuan loves to watch the sunrise from there.

She once enthusiastically invited Tang Ziqian to join her, but Tang Ziqian ignored her.

When Tang Ziqian reached the bottom of the artificial mountain, he saw a silhouette on the pavilion roof from afar.

Because of the distance, the figure seemed small and fleeting, as if it could disappear in a blink.

But Tang Ziqian closed his eyes briefly, and upon reopening them, the person was still there.

Moreover, she was raising her arm to wave at him.

Tang Ziqian smiled.

He thought she would leave, but she didn’t.

...

After returning to the mansion, Tang Ziqian glanced at the flower field to see if Lu Yuan was still there.

She was still there.

Still busying herself in the flower field.

If it were in the past, the girl would be chirping happily.

But she might still be unhappy; she just smiled and greeted him, then continued to work with her small shovel.

Her small shovel was self-made, delicate and exquisite, and she worked carefully to avoid getting mud on herself.

But she’s a bit clumsy, no matter how cautious, she’d still leave dirt marks on her hands, face, even her chin and neck.

"Seems like she doesn’t know how to take care of herself, yet she’s managed fine till now?" Tang Ziqian laughed.

Lu Yuan never spoke to him; he either had to turn and leave or find something to say.

The girl in white listened, lifted her face, and said earnestly, "I’m very good at taking care of myself. After my father passed away five years ago, I not only took care of myself but also my mother!"

Her words were forceful, yet quite innocent.

Tang Ziqian smiled, intending to reply, but the girl had already lowered her head, ignoring him.

Tang Ziqian was born a favored child of heaven, never having faced such coldness.

Yet somehow, he couldn’t get angry, and just silently squatted down to help loosen the soil.

Without any tools, he drew out his small knife.

Just as he was about to stab it into the soil.

"No!" His hand was held down by Lu Yuan.

She said seriously, "You have no experience, how can you use a knife? What if you cut the roots?" She handed him her small shovel, "Use this!" deftly taking his knife, while gently stirring the soil with the back of the knife, "You should do it like this... a bit gentler..."

Tang Ziqian looked at her hand holding the small knife.

A warrior’s hand, not as delicate as a common maiden’s, but her fingers were long and thin, deftly holding the knife beautifully.

"Aren’t you learning swordcraft? Why don’t you ever carry a sword?" Tang Ziqian asked.

Lu Yuan paused, and quietly said, "I don’t have my own sword yet... This time I came down the mountain to find a sword of my own..." her brows furrowed, her tone melancholy.

Apparently, she hadn’t found one.

"I have quite a collection of swords at home," Tang Ziqian casually mentioned, "There’s Wu Sword, Yue Sword, and Qin Sword, long swords over three feet, and short swords of a foot or so."

Lu Yuan marveled in envy, "You have so many swords at home..."

Tang Ziqian glanced at her, seeing only pure envy, so he went on, "Unfortunately, no one at home practices swordcraft, so they just sit idly."

"That’s quite a pity." Lu Yuan nodded, showing a look of regret.

Tang Ziqian was silent for a moment, then said, "The Palace holds Chengying and Hanging Light swords. You practice Fast Sword; don’t you need a lighter sword?"

Lu Yuan blankly nodded, hesitantly, "Those are swords of the Palace..."

Tang Ziqian chuckled lightly, "What’s wrong with the Palace? No one practices swordcraft there either."

Lu Yuan remained silent.

From this silence, Tang Ziqian sensed rejection, and couldn’t help letting out a snort, "I thought you’d leave."

"I can’t possibly leave the Wine Heart Bud behind..." she mumbled, keeping her head down, not looking at him.

Tang Ziqian’s heart suddenly softened, and continued from her words, "Yes, apart from you, no one would take care of them," suddenly noticing where he had uprooted before was now replanted, "Is this newly planted?"

Lu Yuan glanced where he pointed, "Yes, but I don’t know if it’ll bloom again, we’ll just see."