stingy landlady

Chapter 79 The Reason for Running Away from Home

Dazhu naturally had no objections.

"Okay! This place is small and chaotic with so many people. Guizhi, Xu Hong, and Xiaoyun, you two go over there first! I'll come over after I've dealt with things here!"

Guizhi said to Lin Xiaoyun:

"Lin Xiaoyun, you and your father ride horses faster, go ahead and settle the horses and carriages first! Uncle Xu Hong and I will walk slowly, it's so close, we'll be there in no time!"

Xu Hong explained to Guizhi on the way,

"Third Miss! Lin Xiaoyun is the eldest son of the Prince of Zhenbei!"

Because the Prince of Zhenbei was away fighting on the front lines, it was inconvenient to contact the Prince's residence! This time, the army returned victorious, but the eldest son was missing! So they sent people everywhere to search for him!

But the child has been missing for too long, and they fear the enemy might use this as a pretext to capture the child and blackmail the Prince of Zhenbei! They have no choice but to search for him in secret!

"I was once a subordinate of the Prince of Zhenbei, and I noticed that Lin Xiaoyun looks very much like him. I also heard that his surname is Lin. That's why I went to the prefectural city to meet the Prince of Zhenbei, and only then did the Prince of Zhenbei, in disguise, accompany me here to investigate."

Guizhi was genuinely surprised, but she didn't show it on her face. She simply asked:

Did the father and son quarrel when they met?

Xu Hong was surprised, "Miss, aren't you surprised by Lin Xiaoyun's identity?"

Guizhi looked Xu Hong up and down.

"Uncle Xu! I'm very surprised! But I was also afraid you'd mistaken me for someone else!"

Xu Hong chuckled softly.

"Miss is indeed so intelligent! When father and son met, Lin Xiaoyun was very excited and cried for a long time. His eyes were still red and swollen just now!"

"As long as they haven't admitted their mistake, everything's fine! The father and son just need to clear up the misunderstanding! Those two are the guards of the Prince of Zhenbei?"

"Yes, miss!"

As the two were talking, they arrived at the new house, where Lin Xiaoyun and his son were standing in front of the main room.

Five children, three girls and two boys, stepped down from the carriage and curiously looked around.

They all looked thin and malnourished. Their clothes were also those of poor children, thin and patched.

Xu Hong hurriedly said:

"Miss! These are some children I selected from the city; they are all promising talents for martial arts. I'll have them wait in the side room first, and they'll pay their respects to you later!"

Now that Lin Xiaoyun's identity has been confirmed, Guizhi stepped forward to pay her respects to the Prince of Zhenbei.

"Greetings, Lin En! How should I address you?"

Guizhi asked, unsure how to address the Prince of Zhenbei. Since it was a private server, they certainly didn't want to make a big fuss.

The Prince of Zhenbei laughed heartily.

"Xiaoyun calls you 'little sister'! Then you can call me Uncle Lin!"

Guizhi followed suit and called out:

"Hello Uncle Lin! My name is Wang Guizhi! Shall we go inside to talk?"

"it is good!"

Once inside, there were no stools or chairs, so Guizhi had to stand while she spoke:

"Uncle Lin! We haven't moved into our house yet, and the kang (heated brick bed) isn't heated! Please sit on the edge of the kang for now."

Prince Zhenbei waved his hand and sat down on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed). Xu Hong went to arrange for the children to go to the side room and did not follow.

Two guards were at the outer door, while Lin Xiaoyun and his two companions were talking inside.

"Xiaoyun told me that you took him in. Uncle Lin is deeply grateful! I wonder how you would like Uncle Lin to thank you?"

Guizhi thought for a moment and said:

"Uncle Lin! You know we're uneducated and haven't learned any manners! Please forgive us if we've been impolite!"

The Prince of Zhenbei looked at Guizhi, his face expressionless.

"you say!"

Gui Zhi pretended not to notice the pressure from the Prince of Zhenbei, and asked very seriously:

"Uncle Lin! Are you going to take Lin Xiaoyun back?"

The Prince of Zhenbei nodded!

Guizhi continued to endure the pressure, pretending not to know, and asked again:

"Uncle Lin! If I may ask, what is the truth behind your investigation into Lin Xiaoyun's running away from home?"

Uncle Lin, I know this is a bit abrupt. But Lin Xiaoyun is my adopted brother, and I don't want him to be unhappy and miserable after I go home!

If that kind of life is depressing, then I think it's good for him to stay here!

The Prince of Zhenbei squinted at Guizhi, and after a long while said:

"Guizhi! You're just a child! Do you think I can take Xiaoyun away without asking your parents?"

Guizhi smiled and said:

"I picked up Lin Xiaoyun!"

"Does that mean you can make the decision?"

"Uncle Lin! Out of courtesy, I hope Lin Xiaoyun can say goodbye to my family!"

Uncle Lin, would you mind telling me why he ran away from home?

The Prince of Zhenbei remained silent for a moment before speaking:

"If I don't tell the truth, are you going to stop letting me take Xiaoyun away?"

Guizhi said helplessly:

"Uncle Lin! I don't have the habit of prying into other people's privacy! But when it comes to the people around me, I still hope they can live a happy life!"

Of course, you can use your own methods to force him to leave! And if he agrees to leave, then yes, I have no objection!

Everyone has the right to choose their own life!

After a long silence, the Prince of Zhenbei slowly began to speak:

“Xiaoyun’s biological mother passed away when he was six years old. I am a man and I don’t know how to take care of children. Given my family background, I can’t only have one son. Remarriage is unavoidable.”

The Prince of Zhenbei seemed unsure where to begin, having never considered it carefully or spoken of it to anyone.

He thought slowly and spoke slowly:

“Xiaoyun’s biological mother’s family was in the capital, but she grew up in a land of plenty. After marrying into this family, she could not adapt to life here, and after giving birth to Xiaoyun, she was always depressed.”

The Prince of Zhenbei said bitterly:

"I had the right to choose when I remarried, so I chose a local."

Before the wedding, I repeatedly asked her to treat Xiaoyun well, because Xiaoyun must be my heir to the throne! Only then will His Majesty agree to my marriage to her.

The Prince of Zhenbei recalled:

"After the marriage, Xiaoyun's relationship with her stepmother was initially harmonious, until the birth of their children, especially the youngest legitimate son! Her stepmother stopped showing concern and ignored Xiaoyun completely! She must have harbored resentment!"

Lin Xiaoyun seemed to be deep in thought when he heard this!

Guizhi, however, thought it was simply human nature! Between a biological mother and her stepson, wouldn't most people choose the same path based on blood ties?

Then the voice of the Prince of Zhenbei could be heard:

"I shuttle between the military camp and the Prince's mansion. I don't get to spend much time with Xiaoyun when I get home. He's still a child, and I don't know what to say to him!"

This time, barbarians from the grasslands came to the front lines to plunder our grain, and the villagers at the border were massacred! My superiors and I have been unable to contact our families for a very long time!

The Prince of Zhenbei looked at Lin Xiaoyun as he spoke:

"When the army returned victorious, I found out that Xiaoyun thought I didn't want him anymore! He thought that no one in the family really cared about him! No one needed him! So he ran away from home without a care in the world!"

"Xiaoyun! Do you know? During the great victory, your father submitted a memorial requesting that you be made the heir apparent!"