CROWN PRINCE'S CONCUBINE

685 Run

The night was getting very late, do not know what time it is because he had walked quite far from the palace. Bai Ying made it out of the palace gate because it happened that a few people in black also came out. He didn’t know how long he had been running, but what was clear was that the worms in his stomach had been screaming with hunger.

“Ouch, why am I so hungry at a time like this” of course he was hungry, as far as he could remember he had never enjoyed a proper meal since he woke up. Porridge, chicken porridge, fish porridge, all kinds of porridge. Bai Ying subconsciously drooled as he saw some people sitting at a roadside stall enjoying the noodle soup with gusto.

Idiot Bai Ying, he cursed, why didn’t he bring the money with him earlier? What is he really thinking? And now, how can he eat? Will he starve to death?

The Pai Hua City that he saw now was far different from what he remembered. There were many buildings two stories high with lots of bright lanterns hanging on the balconies, it looks like the Red Moon Brothel. The young and beautiful women even took to the streets to attract customers to their brothel.

Why are there so many brothels there? In fact, this is a road that is not far from the palace. And the palace, why was the palace gate that was so tall now more like a fortress with many soldiers standing guard with ferocious faces? Nobody would escape their scrutiny, except for the black-clad troupe.

This street used to be a very crowded marketplace for traders, who come from in our outside Pai Hua, but now, he can’t even find the diners he used to go to with the Crown Prince and others.

Bai Ying was exhausted, he better stop and sits down for a while. Besides, where was he going now? Other than the Crown Prince, his Grandmother, his older brother Chen Ming, Elder Yi, and Shin Ya, he didn’t know everyone in his palace right now.

Bai Ying sat by the roadside with his head bowed deeply and supported his head on his knees. He looked around, not only him who was sitting there with a sad face because of hunger, there were so many beggars there. Rich Pai Hua City, lots of beggars?

“Please give us some food sir, I haven’t eaten for two days,” said an old man in shabby clothes with a wrinkled face and skin covered in bones. Some younger kids were also seen chasing the rich nobles who often passed in front of the brothel, no wonder they all gathered here.

.....

“Master, please have mercy on us, master, give us food, please Master”

Some big men dressed beautifully and did not even hesitate to kick the little children’s bodies until their dirty faces fell to the ground.

“Step aside, smelly and dirty, I’ll kill you if you touch my clothes”

“Master please, have mercy, we haven’t eaten since yesterday, please give us money master”

Another little boy came and surrounded the big, beautifully dressed man.

“Damn it, I said don’t touch it, is this beggar very stupid and ignorant, damn it!”

Bai Ying, who couldn’t stand the harsh treatment, finally stood up from his seat, holding the big man’s hand when he was about to hit a child who was twice his size.’

“Master, don’t do that, he’s just a kid” he cried.

The big man turned to Bai Ying who was holding his hand. The gust of wind finally removed Bai Ying’s head covering which revealed the most attractive face among everyone there. The man who was about to push him earlier stood still, swallowing his saliva roundly seeing Bai Ying’s pretty face.

“Wow pretty, where did you come from? Why am I only seeing you now, do you work in this brothel?” he asked, holding back Bai Ying’s hand that was holding him.

Bai Ying swallowed whole, it wasn’t just the man, it was as if all eyes were on him, and it is.

“I-I…”

The man drew closer and pushed Bai Ying’s body until he backed away. Holding his soft delicate hand tightly.

“Wow, I’m so lucky today, your hand is so soft, so pretty” he almost touched Bai Ying’s cheek also not because Bai Ying turned his head.

“No!” bastard, Bai Ying cursed, where was the Crown Prince at a time like this?

“Don’t touch me!” the man almost grabbed Bai Ying’s jaw when the little boy who had been begging him earlier kicked him in his butt from behind.

“Akhhh!” the man groaned loudly. His face was red turning his head still holding Bai Ying’s small hand tightly.

“Let him go!”

That moment was used by Bai Ying to kick the man’s knees and pushed him.

“God damn it!” the man almost caught Bai Ying’s hand again if it wasn’t for the little boy pulling him first.

“Come on brother, let’s run!” he exclaimed.

Bai Ying, who had been stunned, obeyed when the child’s hand pulled him away. They ran as fast as they could before the man whose face was already red with anger woke up and chased after them.

“Damn it! Stop you guys! Damn it where are you going! Pretty kid stop!” Hurriedly the big man ran after Bai Ying who was pulled by the little beggar towards the main road, mingling with the many pedestrians there. In the messy city of Pai Hua, full of masher men and scantily clad women, even the sounds of music and dancing could be heard throughout the streets.

“Stop!”

Bai Ying and the little boy who was pulling him had already run too far outside the downtown area. The two entered the village which was located not far from the bustling center of Pai Hua city.

Bai Ying gasped, he and the little boy slowed down their walking speed.

The sky was starting to lighten, as the boy still hold his hand tightly in the slum area where lots of worn-out tents made of makeshift straw with a few people sitting at the front in miserable conditions. Mist from the cold morning air can be seen drifting along the street, there are fireplaces made by residents to warm themselves or cook their food.

Everyone stretched out their long arms to see Bai Ying passing by. Especially with Bai Ying’s appearance which was far from ordinary. Beautiful long hair with sparkling clothes sticking out from his black robe. The face glows brightly even though there are some stains from dust and such.

Bai Ying had almost stopped in his tracks when some skinny kids in shabby and torn clothes grabbed his feet.

“Brother, please give us food, please brother”

The little boy holding Bai Ying’s hand pulled his hand away to continue on their way.

“Come on brother, let’s just go to my place, come on”

Bai Ying stuttered. Pai Hua citizens, who were prosperous, why are there so many beggars and sick people? There was a sound of coughing almost everywhere.

He obeyed when the little boy pulled him through the village full of miserable people and headed to where he lived, an old house located at the end of the road. It’s not an old house, it’s more like a temple that hasn’t been used for a long time and might be collapsed anytime.

Bai Ying frowned, pausing for a moment as the boy pulled him in, why did he have to go there?

“Eh, this is your house?” he asked.

The little boy nodded. He pushed open the door and entered the old temple grounds with wreckage buildings. Even so, it was actually much more livable than the tents the residents had set up in the front street. The boy seemed to have understood what was on Bai Ying’s gaze before he set foot inside.

“Villagers don’t want to live here because of rumors that this temple has lots of ghosts. And also, there is an order from the palace that says it will kill anyone who is caught worshiping the gods here” replied the boy who entered and pulled Bai Ying’s hand into the room inside. Which turned out to be far from what Bai Ying had imagined.

The inside of the old temple was surprisingly clean enough. Big room with lots of comfortable beds to sleep on, even though it’s only covered with light cloth but the room is quite warm.

Many other children were also there, in the deep part there is a much older kid who sitting near the fire cooking porridge in a very large pot. Lots of younger kids lined up holding bowls in their hands.

“Come on, don’t fight, stay orderly okay, Lu er give way to your sister, she’s smaller than you, you should give her your queue” exclaimed the child whose age may not be much different from Bai Ying’s face. The young man smiled broadly as he took the child’s bowl in front of him and filled it with a spoon full of quite thick porridge.

The child who pulled Bai Ying’s hand approached the table where many bowls were, and with a broad smiling face, he joined in the queue at the very back.

“It’s time to eat Brother, let’s queue”

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