The Ordinary Man's Guide to Fast Travel

Chapter 480 Phoenix Flying 2

Hang Youqi stood aside, holding the corner of Xiao Ruqiu's clothes tightly with his little hands, but his eyes looked at Chao Yao from time to time, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

He really wanted to talk to Chaoyao and get closer to her, but he felt a little strange and timid.

Xiao Ruqiu seemed to see what Hang Youqi was thinking, and whispered in his ear: "My little prince, that's your mother, go talk to her."

Hang Youqi bit his lip, hesitated for a moment, and finally plucked up the courage and pulled Xiao Ruqiu slowly towards Chao Yao.

Walking up to Chao Yao, Hang Youqi spoke timidly: "Mother..." His voice was as thin as a mosquito.

Chao Yao looked at Hang Youqi with a gentle smile on his face and said, "Youqi, what's wrong?"

Hang Youqi looked up at Chao Yao, then quickly lowered his head and whispered, "Mother, I... I don't know what to say, but I want to be with you."

After saying that, he held Xiao Ruqiu's hand tightly, as if this could give him more courage.

Chao Yao felt a pang in his heart and reached out to touch Hang Youqi's head, but Hang Youqi shrank back unconsciously.

Her hand stopped in mid-air, a trace of disappointment flashed across her face, but she soon regained her smile and said, "Youyi, don't be afraid, mother is always here."

Hang Youqi hesitated for a while, and finally mustered up the courage to say timidly: "Mother, I want you to hug me."

As he spoke, he opened his little arms, his eyes full of anticipation.

However, before Chao Yao could make any move, Hang Jinnian suddenly scolded, "Youyi, don't be rude! Your mother is still weak."

Hang Youqi was frightened by the sudden scolding, and his outstretched hand froze in mid-air. His eyes were instantly filled with tears, and his little mouth turned up, and he was about to cry.

Chao Yao looked at Hang Youqi with heartache and said quickly, "It's okay. I'll hug Youqi."

Having said that, he ignored Hang Jinnian's attempts to stop him and gently embraced Hang Youqi in his arms.

Hang Youqi snuggled tightly in Chaoyao's arms, sobbing softly. Chaoyao patted his back gently and said softly, "Be good, Youqi, don't cry."

Seeing this, Hang Jinnian looked a little embarrassed. He opened his mouth and wanted to say something, but finally remained silent.

"He is just a child, only eight years old. I have been away from home for five years, so he must have missed me very much."

Chao Yao's tone was full of pity and helplessness, and his eyes fell gently on Hang Youqi.

"Not really."

Xiao Ruqiu suddenly interrupted, leaving Hang Jinnian stunned.

"Your Highness, Crown Princess, I was the one who took care of the little prince during the years you were away. When he was sick, I stayed with him day and night, and when he was unhappy, I found ways to comfort him. Now he relies on me a lot, so he doesn't feel sad because he misses you too much." After saying this, there was a smug look on his face.

Chao Yao didn't say anything, but instead gave a wink to Lan Yu, the head maid who had been standing beside him in silence.

Lan Yu understood immediately when he saw it, and without saying a word, he slapped Xiao Ruqiu several times.

Lan Yu slapped Xiao Ruqiu in the face and shouted angrily, "How dare you, an ignorant person, be so presumptuous in front of the Crown Princess! You are just a servant who serves the young prince. It is your duty to take care of the young prince. How dare you show off here? Do you really think you are a big shot?"

Xiao Ruqiu's cheeks were swollen and red, with blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, but he didn't dare to fight back. He just covered his face with his hands, his eyes full of fear and grievance.

Lan Yu continued, "In this mansion, the Crown Princess is the master. How can you speak so arrogantly here? Remember this: you must be tactful in what you say and do in the future. If you dare to be so unruly again, I will not just slap you in the face!"

Lan Yu stopped, stared at Xiao Ruqiu fiercely, and continued: "Also, the young prince is the master, you should serve him wholeheartedly, don't try to climb up the social ladder by using the young prince. If you do your job honestly, the Crown Princess may be merciful and forgive you, otherwise, you will be punished!"

Xiao Ruqiu glanced at Hang Jinnian, then at Hang Youqi. No one said anything, so she could only nod submissively, not daring to say anything.

Chao Yao then slowly spoke: "Lan Yu, forget it, don't get angry over this ignorant thing and ruin your mood."

Lan Yu responded respectfully, "Yes, your majesty," and then stepped back to Chao Yao.

Seeing Chao Yao like this, Hang Youqi slowly wanted to leave Chao Yao's arms.

"What happened to my son?"

Chao Yao asked knowingly, gently holding Hang Youqi's hand, and the words he said contained a trace of magical power, which made Hang Youqi relax unconsciously.

"Mother, this aunt is so fierce, I'm afraid..."

Chao Yao gently stroked Hang Youqi's head and said softly, "Don't be afraid, Youqi. Aunt Lan Yu is not fierce. She is just teaching those who don't know the rules so that there will be a positive atmosphere in our house. You are the eldest grandson of the emperor of the Jin Kingdom. You will take on great responsibilities in the future, so you must understand the importance of rules."

Hang Youqi blinked his tearful eyes and nodded, not quite understanding.

"But, mother, I...have always regarded Aunt Xiao...as my own mother."

Hang Youqi sobbed and spoke intermittently.

When Chao Yao heard Hang Youqi's words, her body trembled violently, and her already pale face became even more bloodless.

She trembled slightly, and tried to stand up straight, but her eyes shot straight at Hang Jinnian like a cold blade.

She bit her lower lip tightly, her voice was weak but unquestionable, "Your Highness, what is the reason for this? I am the Crown Princess, the eldest daughter of the general who guards the country, and now I am being compared with a servant? In the five years since I left the mansion, my poor child has regarded a servant as his own mother! This is simply absurd!"

Hang Jinnian was speechless for a moment due to Chao Yao's questioning, with embarrassment and guilt showing on his face. Just as he was about to explain, Xiao Ruqiu beside him beat him to the punch.

Xiao Ruqiu knelt down with a plop and said in a sobbing voice: "Please calm down, Crown Princess. It is my fault. I did not take good care of the young prince and made him recognize the wrong relatives."

Chao Yao snorted coldly: "What's the point of admitting your mistakes now, you slut?"

At this time, Lan Yu, who had been silent all this time, also spoke up: "Your Highness, the Queen has been away from home for so many years, and she has suffered so much. Now that she has come back and sees the little prince like this, you can't just ignore it."

Hang Jinnian frowned and said, "This matter will be handled by the prince himself, so don't say anything more."

Chao Yao held his chest with his hand, took a few breaths with difficulty, and then said, "My son is the eldest grandson of the emperor. How could he grow up in such a chaotic environment? How did you manage the affairs of this palace?"

Her voice was trembling, but still firm: "If you don't give me a satisfactory explanation for what happened today, I will get an explanation even if I have to risk my life!"