What?
Bow to him?!
Xiao Jingcheng felt like he was about to crack.
He was still alive, yet these people were bowing to him as if he were a god or a Buddha. This was truly...
Unexpected.
"Once we reach the town and buy cinnabar, I can perform a spell for Your Highness. Your Highness will be able to wake up once every three days. As for how long Your Highness can stay awake, it all depends on the purple aura on Your Highness's body."
"If the people of Dongli Town haven't forgotten Your Highness and bow to Your Highness every day, and the purple aura is dense enough, Your Highness may stay awake for a longer time, perhaps three to five hours, or even one or two days."
"If the people of Dongli Town forget Your Highness's achievements and gradually stop bowing, then Your Highness will have to stay obediently and wait until returning to the capital to be nourished by the dragon vein aura."
"Moreover, after waking up, Your Highness will be no different from a seriously ill person. Your body will be weak and you won't be able to use martial arts. Never let yourself get injured, and don't let the soul container - that is, the physical body Your Highness is currently in - get too far away. Otherwise, it will shorten your lifespan, and there is also a risk of never waking up again."
Xiao Jingcheng listened quietly. He lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, then let out a "woof" sound towards Taoist Yuanzheng.
It didn't matter. As long as he could wake up on the way, he just needed to let that guy Mo Zhizhang know that he wasn't lying there unconsciously all the time, and not to go too far.
Otherwise, that guy Mo Zhizhang would really think he could do whatever he wanted.
Taoist Yuanzheng stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Okay, then when we reach the town, I'll find an opportunity to perform the spell for Your Highness."
...
Perhaps because she hadn't slept on a hard and flat bed for a long time, and didn't have to worry about wild animals approaching, not long after falling asleep, Jiang Mian had a dream.
In the dream, she returned to the familiar capital city. She was sitting in a carriage, heading towards Dingyan Pavilion.
Dingyan Pavilion was a mansion in the capital city. It was said to have been built by a certain prince of the Chu State. After the prince died, this mansion became the private residence of the King of Chu. No one else could enter except the King of Chu.
It wasn't until the Xiao family captured the capital city and took over that this mansion came under the jurisdiction of the Shanglinyuan Supervisor. As long as one drew up a list of the purpose, scale, and guests of the banquet in advance and submitted it to the Shanglinyuan Supervisor, one could hold a banquet at Dingyan Pavilion.
It was spring now. The flowers in Dingyan Pavilion were all in bloom. Everywhere was a riot of colors. It was a great time to enjoy the spring.
Someone was holding a banquet and having fun here today. Besides the beautiful flowers to admire, music was playing everywhere. There were many people gathering in the pavilions and in the attics.
A carriage slowly stopped outside Dingyan Pavilion. The carriage curtain was lifted, and Jiang Mian, wearing gorgeous clothes and jewelry, stepped out of the carriage. The maid reached out her hand to her:
"Miss, watch your step."
After Jiang Mian's feet touched the ground, she led the maid into Dingyan Pavilion. On the way, she met many people, all of them were the young masters and young ladies of prominent families in the capital city. They all nodded and greeted her.
"Miss Li."
"Miss Li is here."
Their attitudes seemed quite respectful.
Jiang Mian in the dream was used to this scene. Even the address "Li" seemed to have accompanied her for a long time.
Before long, she also arrived at the Youran Pavilion in Dingyan Pavilion. The faces in the pavilion were quite strange, but subconsciously she knew that these were her playmates in the capital city.
As soon as they saw her, they immediately surrounded her. "Mianmian, you're finally here. Why are you so late today?"
Jiang Mian said to everyone with a smile, "My younger sister made a fuss just before I was about to go out. She didn't want to let me go. Mother couldn't calm her down. I coaxed her for a long time before she let go."
"Ayuan is three years old now, right? It's the most clingy age. My younger sister is the same. Another day we'll go to the Li Mansion to see her."
"Although there's a reason, you're still late. You'll be punished to play a piece of 'Zhaoyang Moon' for us!"
Jiang Mian couldn't resist them and replied, "Okay, okay, okay. I'll do as you say."
She sat down beside the qin table. Her fingers stroked the guqin on the table and she began to pluck the strings.
The melodious music instantly filled the entire pavilion, and then the music drifted away with the wind, spreading further away.
She was immersed in playing the music when suddenly a whooshing sound rang in her ears. Before she could react, something hit the back of her head!
The sound of the qin stopped abruptly. A cuju ball landed on the strings.
She grabbed the cuju ball at once, covered the back of her head, and glared back angrily with her almond-shaped eyes.
"Who's playing ball here!"
Outside the Youran Pavilion, a man was leaning against a large stone platform under a tree, looking up in her direction.
The man was dressed in black clothes. There were patterns of beasts drawn with silver silk threads on his clothes. His hair was half-tied up with a golden crown, and the rest was scattered behind him.
The man was extremely handsome. His eyebrows were like they were carved with a knife, his nose bridge was straight. Especially those light amber eyes made his olive-colored skin look fairer than mutton-fat jade. There was also a hint of cold and aloofness about him.
But this face was extremely strange to Jiang Mian and the others.
"Who are you? Did you kick this thing into the pavilion just now?!"
One of Jiang Mian's playmates pointed at the cuju ball in Jiang Mian's hand and angrily questioned the man.
The others also followed suit and complained, "You knew there were people in the pavilion. Why weren't you more careful? Do you know that this ball just hit Miss Li on the head!"
The man gently raised his eyebrows, and his gaze fell on Jiang Mian. "Oh? Miss Li?"
The man smiled gently. That cold and aloof face now had a bit more of a wanton and unruly youthful air.
For some reason, seeing the man's gem-like eyes, Jiang Mian felt a strange feeling in her heart.
"Sorry. I'm new here and didn't know there were people here. I lost my aim for a moment. I apologize to Miss Li here."
He didn't move an inch. He propped his chin with one hand and said to Jiang Mian with a smile.
His attitude didn't show the slightest bit of sincerity in apologizing. Jiang Mian's playmates immediately said, "Is this your attitude of apologizing? Shouldn't you come into the pavilion, bow respectfully to Miss Li, and then say sorry?"
"Exactly. Miss Li was hit on the head by the cuju ball. She might even be injured. You should at least show something!"
"We mustn't let this go so easily. You have to offer an apology!"
"I see." Only then did the man sit up straight and jump off the stone.
Just now he was sitting, and there were bushes blocking the view, so everyone didn't see his whole body clearly. Now that he walked out, everyone, including Jiang Mian, was shocked.
He was so tall!
Judging from his height, he was at least nine chi!
Moreover, as he stood up straight, his black clothes clung more tightly to his body, revealing his broad and thick shoulders. His arms looked extremely powerful, and the awe-inspiring aura on him could no longer be concealed.