"I quietly leaned toward Cheng Susu, 'This place is not suitable for lingering. We should hurry back to Gourd Village to retrieve the repair tools. As long as the escape pod can be restored, we won't have to live under the thumb of these people anymore. Being constantly pursued by this group is truly unbearable.'"

"Cheng Susu replied, 'Let’s wait a moment. It seems this Bai Shi is even more formidable than those two officials. Besides, my adoptive father has gone this far for your sake; we cannot simply abandon him. He is practically rebelling now; just leaving him isn't an option.'"

"I said, 'Leaving entirely is out of the question. We can take him with us when we go.'"

Shouts and curses erupted from the courtyard. Outside, Peng Tian and Lian Hai were yelling furiously, "We are here on behalf of Grand Tutor Pang to arrest a fugitive! Whoever dares to spout nonsense and utter filth—you little bastard, come out here!"

"I dare!" Ma Xiaoda stepped out from the courtyard. Though short and small in stature, he carried himself with immense authority, as proud as a grand lord. He glanced at Peng Tian and Lian Hai. "You claim Zhao Qian is a murderer and fugitive, but I say Zhao Qian is a great hero who saved lives! What can you do to me?"

Peng Tian and Lian Hai puffed up their chests at the mention of Grand Tutor Pang, not sparing the person before them a second glance. They knew they were currently at a disadvantage in terms of military strength, but they were imperial officials. They did not believe Magistrate An would risk his entire family’s safety to truly rebel. Thus, they refused to show weakness verbally. "What are you? Your words mean nothing! In the entire Shuangcheng Kingdom, no one is greater than Grand Tutor Pang, save the Emperor!"

Bai Shi’s expression shifted dramatically. He roared, "Insolence! Peng Tian, Lian Hai, you slander the Crown Prince! Your crime warrants death! Guards, seize these men immediately! We will send them back to the capital to be personally interrogated by the Emperor! Exterminate their entire clan!"

Peng Tian and Lian Hai turned pale at the command. Bai Shi’s sudden appearance had already sowed seeds of doubt, but their anger had clouded their judgment. Now, hearing the threat of exterminating nine generations left them bloodless. When they lowered their 'noble' heads and clearly saw the child before them, their terror intensified.

As the Commander of the Left Guard of the Imperial Forest Guard, Peng Tian was responsible for the security of the Imperial Palace; there was no reason he wouldn't recognize the person before him. Lian Hai, the Deputy Minister of the Department of Justice, attended court daily. After such long exposure, how could he not recognize him?

"The... Prince!" The two fell to their knees with a thud. Their earlier bravado was borrowed entirely from Grand Tutor Pang's favor. However powerful Grand Tutor Pang was, he was second only to the Emperor. The only person Grand Tutor Pang truly respected and feared was the Emperor. Now that the Emperor's son, the current Crown Prince, was present, how could they not be afraid? They had just called him a bastard—if the Prince was a bastard, didn't that make the Emperor a bastard too?

Magistrate An broke out in a cold sweat. His impulsive actions earlier now brought regret, but he was too far down the path to retreat. He had intended to force his way through this difficulty, then secretly send the group away, perhaps suffering only demotion. But the situation had turned drastically. The reigning Crown Prince emerging from this shabby shack startled him. This Feiyu County was his jurisdiction, yet he knew nothing of the Prince's arrival. If anything happened to the Prince here, even eighteen generations of his clan would not suffice for atonement.

"So Ma Xiaoda is the Prince," Cheng Susu whispered to me. "Now we definitely won't be in trouble. No matter how powerful Grand Tutor Pang is, he relies on the Emperor’s favor. With Ma Xiaoda speaking up, things will be much simpler."

I replied, "I sensed he was extraordinary long ago. The political insight he displayed wasn't something an eleven or twelve-year-old should possess. Haha, no wonder the bandits were focused on him—that explains it. I also think we are in the clear now. I just slipped and fell earlier and need to change my clothes. Ah, I really miss Qiqi. I wonder how my son, whom I haven't met, is doing. Isn't he a little prince too?"

Seeing a wave of sadness cross my face, Cheng Susu quietly squeezed my hand to comfort me. "There are so many mothers watching over him at home; he will be fine. Perhaps when you return, the little prince will be calling you 'Father.'"

Yun Yao secretly watched us and smiled. Zhou Ni looked a little awkward but remained silent. Linglong pouted and muttered to me, "Ma Xiaoda seems like a big shot. Look at his arrogant official manner."

This was hardly surprising for Linglong, who understood nothing of etiquette. The people of Gourd Village rarely interacted with the outside world. Only Village Chief Wa, looking out for his own and the village’s interests, occasionally took people into the mountains to trade necessities between the two realms. Thus, those inside knew little of the outside world, nor did they wish to know. For a twelve-year-old girl, it was impossible to know much more.

Peng Tian and Lian Hai had been kneeling, but their sharp ears caught Linglong’s words from behind. Seizing them as an excuse, they sprang to their feet. Lian Hai pointed at Linglong, "How dare you address the Crown Prince by his given name! Guards, seize this yellow-haired girl immediately!"

Ma Xiaoda, who had been racking his brain trying to charm Linglong, was infuriated by their behavior. He jumped in front of the two men and slapped each of them, shouting, "Scram! Get out of here! Don't think I won't dare kill you just because you have Grand Tutor Pang backing you! If I give the order, anyone here can take your lives! At worst, I’ll bear my father Emperor’s scolding, but by then, you’ll already be dead, and Grand Tutor Pang won't be able to touch me!"

Peng Tian and Lian Hai broke out in a cold sweat. Ma Xiaoda's words served as a sharp reminder: they were merely Grand Tutor Pang's running dogs. While one should consider the master before beating the dog, if a dog is beaten to death, and the attacker is more powerful than the owner, the owner will likely not openly antagonize the attacker over two dogs. In the end, they would have died for nothing.

The assembled yamen runners were secretly overjoyed to hear the Crown Prince was present. No matter how powerful Grand Tutor Pang was, he couldn't overshadow the Emperor and the Prince. If the Prince gave the order, they were ready to attack the two officials with clubs and beat them severely.

Peng Tian and Lian Hai grasped the reality, and a cold dread washed over them. They subtly glanced at the smug yamen runners; if the Prince truly spoke, these men would show no mercy and might well beat them to death.

Fortunately, the Prince was distracted by his own mischief and wasn't focused on these matters. Seeing Linglong pouting and ignoring him, Ma Xiaoda shamelessly stepped forward. "Fourth Sister Linglong, don't mind these servants. They only know how to cause trouble all day. Rest assured, with me here, your master will be safe. Why don't you let me accompany you to Gourd Village? I'll listen to everything you say, okay?"

Bai Shi's face flushed with embarrassment seeing the Prince groveling, but he bit back his words and swallowed them. He knew speaking up might only earn him a kick from the Prince, so he pretended not to hear anything and let the Prince amuse himself.

Linglong cared nothing for Ma Xiaoda’s high status. She turned her head away. "We aren't taking you! Besides, my master doesn't need your protection. No one here is afraid of those two fellows. If you hadn't stepped out to block them, I was planning to beat them up myself."

Linglong’s words sparked a fire in Ma Xiaoda. He spun around and kicked one official away. "Both of you, scram! Are you not embarrassed enough?"

Peng Tian and Lian Hai acted as if they had received a general amnesty, turning tail with their wounded men and slinking away. As for how they would report this to Grand Tutor Pang, they planned to pin everything on the Prince. No wonder Cai Hua had submitted the case to the Department of Justice; this fellow was indeed hard to deal with. He colluded with Prefect Wu before and is now mixed up with the Crown Prince. This case is now impossible to adjudicate.

Bai Shi quietly followed Peng Tian and Lian Hai to a secluded spot. Bai Shi said, "Your business with me is not over. I will report truthfully to the Emperor upon our return to Shuangcheng."

Upon hearing this, the two immediately dropped to their knees again. "Eunuch Bai, spare us! We truly did not know His Highness the Crown Prince was here. Furthermore, we were merely following orders. If blame is to be placed, blame Cai Hua, the Director of the Department of Justice in Feiying Prefecture. He repeatedly petitioned Grand Tutor Pang, urging him to severely punish the culprit!"

"Hmph..." Bai Shi’s face darkened. "You call Zhao Qian a culprit? Yet he saved the Prince, the Marshal, and me outside Feiying Prefecture! He then led the soldiers and civilians of Feiyu County to resist the bandits and saved the entire city! Would such a person inexplicably murder an unrelated servant of the Cai family? Even if he did kill that servant, the servant must have deserved it first. Good riddance! Excellent!"

Peng Tian and Lian Hai saw that Bai Shi had even used the onomatopoeia 'quack quack' (implying praise), realizing he was openly taking sides. They knew they couldn't rely on Cai Hua to avenge his eunuch-emasculated son if the case went to the Emperor. Bai Shi was technically only the chief eunuch attending the Prince, holding no official rank. However, everyone in the world knew the Emperor had only one treasured son, and the throne would surely fall to the Prince. Once the Prince ascended, this servant would rise with him. Anyone who offended him might find their life forfeit if the eunuch whispered a few ill words into the Prince’s ear later.

"Yes! Excellent! Quack quack!" The two quickly echoed Bai Shi’s words. "Eunuch Bai, what you say is absolutely reasonable. We thought the same before we arrived, but as mere servants, how dare we speak so directly to our superiors? When we report back to Grand Tutor Pang, he will surely discern who is loyal and who is treacherous. We must make Cai Hua pay!"

These two were determined: as long as they lived, Cai Hua would never have an easy time. Wasn't it his fault they were in such a sorry state now? Offending the Prince was a crime punishable by heaven!

Bai Shi’s expression sobered again. "Hmph... Upon returning, you must not mention to anyone that you saw the Crown Prince. Otherwise, even if I wished to intercede for you with the Prince, it would be useless."

The two were momentarily stunned, then grasped the meaning. The Prince must have left Shuangcheng privately. If they reported this truthfully to Grand Tutor Pang, Pang would certainly inform the Emperor. If the Emperor learned of this, he would surely be displeased, which would lead to him 'troubling' the Prince. The Prince would then be unhappy, and when he became Emperor, anyone who displeased him would also have no reason to be happy.

"Yes, yes, yes! Thank you for the guidance, Eunuch Bai. When we return, we will tell Grand Tutor Pang that we have investigated everything—that Zhao Qian is truly a great hero, and it was that dog Cai Hua who framed him. We witnessed it ourselves. Zhao Qian performed great service resisting the bandits and should be heavily rewarded! Very heavily!"

Bai Shi’s face relaxed. "It seems you two know how to handle things."

The two quickly added, "Then, in front of the Crown Prince, Eunuch Bai must shield us a little." These two weren't so much afraid of the Prince pursuing the case, as the Prince, though young, was extremely intelligent. If the Prince pursued them over the case, it would inevitably offend Grand Tutor Pang. But their recent disrespect toward the Prince was a transgression Pang couldn't shield them from. Insulting royal dignity carried the death penalty even for Grand Tutor Pang, let alone them. Luckily, the Prince wasn't concerned with them at this moment; otherwise, they could have been executed immediately.

Bai Shi waved his hand. "Go, go! Stop disgracing yourselves here, tarnishing the dignity of the court. I will slowly explain things to the Prince once he calms down. However, the Prince has not finished his outing, and if the Emperor finds out he left Shuangcheng privately now, he will certainly be angry. So, I must instruct you on what to say when you return. Disperse."

Peng Tian and Lian Hai sighed inwardly: accompanying a ruler is like accompanying a tiger. They led their men out of the city. They dared not remain in Feiyu County; the farther they were from the Prince now, the better, lest he catch sight of them and become angry again.

Magistrate An, seeing Peng Tian and Lian Hai withdraw, trembled as he knelt down. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, this humble county official was blind and failed to greet Your Highness upon your arrival. I beg Your Highness’s forgiveness!"

Ma Xiaoda said impatiently, "Ugh, all of you, step aside! I knew this would happen. Kneeling and bowing all day—what use is it? What we need is a truly strong army and a wealthy nation! Isn't that what I was just discussing with Sister Linglong for? Everyone, disperse! Marshal, tell everyone to go back first. We will discuss matters after I return from Gourd Village."

"What!" Ma Xiaoda said it casually, but it nearly scared Magistrate An to death. Ignoring the muddy ground, he scrambled forward on his knees to block Ma Xiaoda. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, you must not! The road to Gourd Village is extremely perilous. You are the heir to the throne; you cannot put yourself in danger. It was perhaps fine when this county official didn't know the Prince was coming, but if even a small mishap occurs here in my jurisdiction, a hundred deaths wouldn't suffice for atonement!"

Linglong smiled at Ma Xiaoda. "See? It's not that I won't let you come; it's that you, the Crown Prince, seem too precious. Perhaps you should stay home. I need to go inside to prepare a horse for the Master."

Ma Xiaoda followed Linglong into the courtyard. "You can't stop me from coming. I’ll cling to the horse’s tail; see what you can do to me then."

The Marshal said to Magistrate An, "Magistrate An, if there’s nothing else, everyone can withdraw. Return and strengthen the city defenses so the bandits don't get an opportunity. If we need anything, we will contact you. You rendered meritorious service by protecting the Prince earlier; I will put in a good word for you with the Emperor when the chance arises. However, do not mention to the Emperor that the Crown Prince came to Feiyu County to see the Celestial Phenomenon Egg. The Emperor is busy with myriad affairs; don't let him worry over such a small matter."

The Marshal’s words made Magistrate An beam with joy. Who would have thought that something that could have led to execution had turned into a great accomplishment? Ever since acknowledging this adopted daughter, good fortune had been unstoppable.

"This county official understands. That divine artifact is temporarily kept at the county office. Whenever His Highness wishes to see it again, he may come directly," Magistrate An said, recalling that the Prince had visited his office before, though at the time, he hadn't known it was the Prince, mistaking him for his son-in-law's assistant.

After changing clothes and packing the necessary items, I told the women, "Let's go. From now on, we will establish our base in Gourd Village. I have discussed this with Laisski. Since he wants to run businesses and start companies, and what we do often involves life-or-death situations, we cannot associate openly or have public contact to avoid implicating them later."

Yun Yao and Zhou Ni nodded. "You've thought this through very thoroughly. But if you hadn't snuck out earlier, we would have left the city by now, and those two wouldn't have caused this scene, resulting in your clothes getting ruined."

I sighed with a bitter smile. "If only I had superpowers... Alas."

Yun Yao comforted me. "Don't worry. Perhaps this is fate; Heaven is testing your will to see if you can reclaim the five of them with a sincere heart."

I replied with full confidence, "You are right. But is the sky here the same as the sky back home? It seems a different old man is in charge."

Yun Yao and Cheng Susu laughed happily. "It's all the same!"

Ma Xiaoda entered the room and carefully asked me, "Zhao Qian, are you unhappy? Do you blame me for hiding my identity? I didn't mean to; I just get annoyed seeing everyone kneeling and bowing."

I replied, "Why would I blame you? You’re just a Prince. I’ve met people with far greater status than you, and I refuse to kneel to anyone. By the way, I’ll tell you, while we are gone, you must stay safe in the county office. I went out just now because friends of mine captured two bandit spies. According to their confession, this attack on Feiyu County City was specifically aimed at His Highness the Crown Prince!"

Bai Shi, who had just reached the doorway, exclaimed, "Impossible! No one knew the Crown Prince left the palace; how could they have come for His Highness? It must be a coincidence."

I said, "Perhaps, but according to the bandits' confession, their leader received secret intelligence that a very important person would pass through Feiying Prefecture on the way to Feiyu County to see the Celestial Phenomenon Egg. Thus, they stealthily entered Feiying Prefecture’s jurisdiction and successfully captured you. However, the leader became greedy and tried to take Feiying Prefecture, failed, and lost you. Perhaps they tracked the leads and later found Feiyu County, then gathered the remaining bandits to attack the city. When they failed again, they sent spies to gather intelligence, but my friends captured them. Believe it or not, that’s up to you, but there are still over a hundred bandits roaming within a hundred li of the city. If something unexpected happens, this is no joke."

Bai Shi became anxious hearing this. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, we must leave Feiyu County immediately. It is too dangerous here, and I fear the Emperor already knows you left the palace without permission. If we don't return now, our lives are in jeopardy!"

"Leave? Can you leave?" Ma Xiaoda asked. "There are over a hundred bandits watching us outside. Unless they retreat for a day, we cannot safely return to Shuangcheng."

Bai Shi paused. "Your Highness the Crown Prince, do we have to stay in Feiyu County indefinitely, waiting for the bandits to withdraw?"

Ma Xiaoda replied, "Not necessarily. As long as we travel to Shuangcheng with Zhao Qian and the escape pod, we won't fear those hundred-plus bandits."

Bai Shi argued, "Feiyu County likely cannot spare many men to escort the escape pod to the capital. The bandits still number over a hundred; we have no defenses, and we cannot possibly stop them."

Ma Xiaoda comforted Bai Shi. "Don't worry. As long as Zhao Qian is with us, we will be very safe. He has a way."

I said, "Don't trust me blindly. To be honest, I can't even guarantee my own safety, so I won't say more. We must depart."

Ma Xiaoda insisted, "I'm going too. Otherwise, I curse the sky to rain, so you can't leave either."

Boom! A clap of thunder sounded outside. Sure enough, it started raining lightly. Linglong angrily went to hit Ma Xiaoda. "It's all your fault, you foul mouth!"

Ma Xiaoda poked his head out to look at the sky. "No way, that's accurate? I haven't even become Emperor yet, and my words come true."

The intermittent rain only stopped toward evening. As a result, the plan to return to Gourd Village had to be postponed until the next day. That evening, Ma Xiaoda insisted on staying with us, so I reluctantly agreed to take him into the mountains for a look.

The next day dawned clear and bright—perfect weather for travel. Seven people set out from the city on six horses. Although Bai Shi and the Marshal were extremely worried about Ma Xiaoda, he ignored their constant pleas, remaining as determined as ever. However, the two of them repeatedly begged me to guarantee Ma Xiaoda’s safety, warning that if anything happened, we would all lose our heads.

After riding for about ten li along a path that wasn't quite a main road, we entered more rugged mountain terrain. Since it had just rained, the ground was very slick. Fortunately, horses have four legs; otherwise, we would have stumbled countless times.

"Someone ahead!" Linglong, taking the lead, served as our scout and warning system; as a hunter, her eyesight was extremely sharp.

Yun Yao leaped off her horse upon hearing the alert. They were now in a vast forest. She scanned the surroundings; apart from the endless canopy, she saw nothing else. Soon, we reined in our horses before two figures lying on the ground.

Zhou Ni and Cheng Susu raised their laser guns in alert. Dali Wan dismounted to check the condition of the two. He used a stick to turn their bodies upright. I took a close look. "They are bandits!"

Everyone gasped. Linglong searched the area. "Where are they? Where are the bandits?"

I said, "The two on the ground are bandit spies. They are the ones my friend captured yesterday."

Ma Xiaoda jumped off his horse. "I want to see what bandits look like!"

Linglong suddenly hurled a lasso from her horse, wrapping it around Ma Xiaoda's torso, and with a sharp cry, yanked him onto her own mount. "Stop fooling around! If they were feigning death and injured you, my master would bear an unforgivable burden of guilt." Ma Xiaoda chuckled, "It's nothing, nothing. Don't I have my knife right here? If he dares to play dead, I'll just give him a quick stab."

Dali Wan, while examining the figures, murmured to me, "One is dead, his throat cleanly severed. This one has a wound across his abdomen—odd, he's still breathing!"