The afternoon in the imperial city is always so lively.

"According to legend, the two daughters of the Wen family's general's mansion are sixteen years old, and they can be called a country and a city, and the sister's name is Mandarin Duck, and the current prince's Royal Highness is a childhood sweetheart, two little guesses, the future princess-to-be princess Niangniang......" The storyteller flicked his gown, opened the fan, and in just three or two sentences, the small teahouse was already crowded with people who had just had lunch or passed by to hear the sound of storytelling.

The owner of the teahouse is called a happy one, every time the storyteller opens his voice, he can always attract some dignitaries and nobles who come out of the restaurant, a private room, and a pot of good tea, which can always make the boss full of money. What knights, what royal children, more or less love to listen to and hear stories.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince in the private room on the second floor lifted the corner of the bead curtain, looked downstairs, and said to the person on the other side of the small table: "This teahouse is really a good place to find people." ”

The man on the opposite side followed the prince's gaze and looked downstairs into the hall, it was really any unexpected person who could find it, the man who was leaning on the pillar and holding a sword and masking his face was not the wanted flower thief Yang Caihe on the market; The one who stood in the crowd and looked at it was not the eighth prince who sneaked out of the palace.

Qin Han's gaze suddenly stayed at the front table of the hall, and a familiar face broke into Qin Han's eyes: "Hey, Your Highness, look, isn't that your little Qingmei?" ”

The person Qin Han saw was General Wen's eldest daughter, the Mandarin Duck, but this Mandarin Duck was too outstanding, even if she was dressed as a man, it was just as eye-catching.

Xia Yuan turned his head, looked at the place where Qin Han was pointing for a moment, and then turned his head back again.

"Let her go, she'll be happy." Xia Yuan's tone was a little helpless, but also a little spoiled, for this girl who grew up together, Xia Yuan knew her.

Mandarin ducks always like to play with people on the rivers and lakes, which may have something to do with being brought into the palace by General Wen since he was a child and being the prince's companion. There are only the old-fashioned Mr. Taifu in the palace, and the palace maid and eunuch who are submissive, which makes the naturally fun-loving mandarin duck really feel bored. When I grew up a little bit, I especially like to sneak out of the palace in my spare time, go to this kind of teahouse and other places to listen to and hear stories, and play dice with those people in the rivers and lakes. The mandarin duck is good-looking and likable, smart and clever, learns everything very quickly, and even has a somewhat sophisticated appearance, and has been favored by many old-timers, and the seniors laugh and joke with each other, and they all want to accept this child as a closed disciple. It's just that every time a senior mentions the matter of accepting apprentices to Mandarin Duck, they are politely rejected by Mandarin Duck one by one.

"It's a shame." Senior Xu shook his head and touched his gray beard, and turned to leave.

When he was a child, Xia Yuan once asked Mandarin Duck: "Ah Yang, why do you always like to play with people on the rivers and lakes?" ”

"Because they're bold and straightforward! It's not like in the palace, where it's always intrigue. Whenever Mandarin Duck mentioned the outside world, his face was always filled with a smile that made Xia Yuan envious, "Look at how boring you are in the palace, in addition to dealing with Mr. every day, you also have to watch out for the eldest prince and the third prince." ”

As he spoke, the mandarin duck took out a handkerchief and wiped the blood on Xia Yuan's hand because he accidentally fell and broke his skin because of martial arts.

"Why are you all stunned? Didn't you see that His Highness was injured? Go and pass on the Imperial Doctor! The mandarin duck raised his head and shouted at the palace maids and eunuchs around him.

"That's why I don't like the palace." Xia Yuan looked at the muttering mandarin duck, and the pain of his injury seemed to be blown away.

"Your Highness? Your Highness? Come back to your senses! Qin Han shook his hand in front of Xia Yuan's eyes, this Royal Highness the Prince, why does he like to be in a daze when he mentions his little Qingmei?

"Huh? I'm sorry Brother Qin, I didn't hear what you just said. Xia Yuan's thoughts were pulled back by Qin Han.

"I say! Will you catch the flower thief at the bottom, or not? He's been staring at your little green plum for a long time! Qin Han was a little tired, this His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was really difficult to assist, he knew that he should not have promised his father to come to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince as a sparring partner, and he was aggrieved. I really want to be like the future princess below, drinking tea with the chivalrous warriors of the rivers and lakes, chattering, and scribbling. It's good now, not only to protect His Royal Highness the Crown Prince who sneaked out of the palace to listen to books, but also to always pay attention to His Royal Highness's little green plums from being targeted by flower thieves. Difficult.

"Brother Qin, don't worry, the flower thief is against Ah Yang, and it won't necessarily be Ah Yang who suffers." Xia Yuan smiled eatingly, looking like he wanted to watch a good show.

But in fact, it was indeed Qin Han who was too careful, nothing happened, and the flower thief left.

Qin Han: "......" is difficult to be a man.

"Brother Qin, it's time to go back to the palace, if you don't go back, it's time for Mr. to complain to his father." Xia Yuan stood up and walked downstairs.

The mandarin duck, who had been paying attention to the private room upstairs, saw Xia Yuan coming down from upstairs, so he said goodbye to the knights around him, passed through the crowd, and ran to Xia Yuan's side.

Xia Yuan reached out and gently pinched the mandarin duck's nose: "Are you willing to come back?" ”

The mandarin duck browled his eyebrows, grabbed Xia Yuan's hand, and did not speak.

Zhang Shen, who was chatting happily with the mandarin duck, looked at the back of the mandarin duck and poked Wang Jiang beside him: "Xu, Brother Xu, this is the same man holding hands?" ”

"Brother Xu looks like a city, and his personality is so bold, it's not an exaggeration to like a man, it's Brother Zhang, can you not look like you haven't seen the world?" Wang Jiang moved two inches to the side without a trace, he really didn't want to know this person.