Hearing this, Shen Yi took over the conversation and continued, "But at that time, you were still young, yet extremely picky about food. You could tell even the slightest difference in taste between what Mother and I made."
"Then you'd start crying and shouting, insisting on seeing Mother. You were only seven years old, but your cries could be heard three streets away. At that time, I really had no idea what to do with you. I had to keep trying and remaking the pastries until I finally made them taste exactly like Mother's."
"Yes! Later on, whenever I missed Mother, I'd ask Brother to make pastries for me. After eating them, I'd be obedient." Shen Li was deeply nostalgic for the past, feeling that her childhood days were truly wonderful.
"Now, Li'er, after eating the pastries, will you be obedient and listen to Brother?" Shen Yi looked at Shen Li seriously.
Shen Li looked at the pastries in front of her, nearly half eaten, and said with a smile, "I didn't expect Brother to set up a 'Hongmen Banquet' for me today!"
"It's all because Brother is too cunning. I've already eaten the pastries, so it's too late to back out even if I wanted to."
Shen Yi laughed too. "Then today, Li'er, why not listen to Brother's opinion? Whether you'll follow it or not depends on your own decision."
"Is Brother going to talk about the matter of Prince Xuan Yuan?" Shen Li directly brought up the topic before Shen Yi.
"Before, I told you that the Fourth Prince is not a good match for you, but you never listened to my advice. In the end, you even fell into the water. Fortunately, you woke up later and distanced yourself from the Fourth Prince. I'm really relieved!"
"What I want to talk to you about today is the matter of Prince Xuan Yuan Jue of the Liqin Kingdom. I've noticed that you've been getting closer recently, and I'm afraid you'll fall into someone else's trap again, so I've come to remind you."
Shen Li lowered her head, looking at the pastries in front of her. "I understand everything Brother said, and I appreciate your concern. But Brother might be wrong. There's nothing between Prince Xuan Yuan and me!"
"I have no feelings for him, and he may not even take a fancy to me. The reason we've been together recently is just to handle some matters. I believe that after this is over, there won't be any more connections between us."
After Shen Li finished speaking, she looked up at Shen Yi seriously. Shen Yi looked back at her. He stared at Shen Li's face for a few moments. Not seeing any signs of reluctance or dissatisfaction on her face, he nodded in satisfaction.
"Good! As long as you know what you're doing! Brother believes in you!"
"We shouldn't have had too much interaction in the first place. After this matter is over, things will go back to how they were before."
"Good!" Shen Yi nodded, then shifted his body towards the window on the right. He stretched out his hand, lifted the curtain, and looked outside.
"Prince Xuan Yuan of the Liqin Kingdom happened to pass by!"
Shen Yi saw Xuan Yuan Jue riding on a tall horse, galloping side by side with their carriage.
"Yes, it's really a coincidence! The capital is so big, yet we managed to meet here. It's truly a strange coincidence." Although Xuan Yuan Jue was speaking to Shen Yi, his eyes were fixed on Shen Li sitting on the left side of the carriage through the small window.
"I assume Prince Xuan Yuan has many important matters to attend to, so I won't disturb you any longer!" As Shen Yi said this, he lowered the curtain in his hand, blocking the window and cutting off Xuan Yuan Jue's line of sight.
Looking at the lowered curtain, Xuan Yuan Jue felt a surge of annoyance. Shen Li never once looked up at him.
He had been following Shen Yi's carriage for a long time. From the moment Shen Li started talking about her childhood memories, he could clearly hear the laughter inside. Later, when Shen Yi told Shen Li to stay away from him, and when Shen Li was eager to clarify their relationship, Xuan Yuan Jue heard it all clearly.
Xuan Yuan Jue glared angrily at the curtain on the carriage window, wishing he could pierce it with his eyes and see the person inside directly.
"Yah!" After looking at the curtain for a while longer and seeing no sign of it being lifted, and even the voices inside the carriage had fallen silent, Xuan Yuan Jue angrily kicked the horse's belly, whipped the horse, and rode away first.
...
It was only a journey of a dozen miles, not very far. Riding on horses, they soon arrived.
The group of black - clothed men dismounted one after another and began to search around the pavilion. After making sure that there was no one within a few hundred meters, they reported to the black - clothed man sitting in the carriage.
The curtain of the carriage was quickly lifted. First, a long, strong hand and half of an arm came into view, followed by Xiao Hanzhi, and then the masked black - clothed man.
"The pavilion is secure. Please abide by the agreement, Your Highness!" Prince Liqin dismounted from his horse and said to the black - clothed men standing on the open ground.
"Your Highness Liqin, I can release the Fourth Prince now, but I hope you'll also keep your promise and let us leave safely."
"Alright! Let's count to three together. You release the person, and I'll order my men to step back!" Although Prince Liqin's words sounded like a negotiation, his tone was full of authority.
The black - clothed man nodded and unconsciously tightened his grip on the sword. The other black - clothed men all held their weapons tightly, each standing beside a horse, looking at the people around warily.
"One!" "One!"
"Two!" "Two!"
"Three!" "Three!"
After they both finished counting, Prince Liqin and the black - clothed man started to act simultaneously.
Prince Liqin waved his hand slightly behind him, and then his personal guards all took a step back.
The leading black - clothed man removed the sword from Xiao Hanzhi's neck and gave him a push on the back, pushing Xiao Hanzhi in the opposite direction of their escape route.
Then he immediately mounted his horse and rode away without any hesitation.
Seeing Xiao Hanzhi being released, Xiao Jinnan and Xiao Luochi quickly rushed forward to support him.
"Fourth Brother, are you okay?" Xiao Luochi supported Xiao Hanzhi and asked worriedly.
Xiao Hanzhi had just experienced too much today. His face was pale and weak due to blood loss, and his clothes were all wrinkled, making him look rather disheveled.
Xiao Hanzhi ignored the Seventh and Tenth Princes. After steadying himself, he directly said to Prince Liqin, "Please send someone to capture those thieves."
Prince Liqin simply ignored Xiao Hanzhi's words and changed the subject. "The Fourth Prince seems to be very weak. It's better for Your Highness to return earlier, so as not to worry His Majesty."
"Your Highness Liqin, it's still not too late to send someone to capture them!" Xiao Hanzhi frowned, his face full of impatience.