Shen Xiao reacted swiftly and soon circled around to the street outside the Qin Prince's Mansion.
Song Yu dismounted outside the Qin Prince's Mansion.
"Your Highness."
"Where is the princess?" Song Yu entered the mansion directly and soon emerged, leading a little girl dressed in red by the hand.
"Liuxi, go to the Ping Prince's Mansion and bring Song Xiyan out. Place her by the street that I and Ahuan must pass."
Song Yu's tone was calm, yet it inexplicably sent a chill down Liuxi's spine.
Whenever His Highness mentioned people from the Ping Prince's Mansion lately, it always felt tinged with a murderous aura.
After instructing Liuxi, Song Yu then looked at Song Shihuan, his eyes softening:
"I said before, if I could achieve the top scholar title, I would let Ahuan accompany me on the victory parade."
In full view of the crowd, Song Yu mounted his horse first, then extended his hand to the little figure beside him.
Using a clever bit of strength, Song Shihuan easily got on the horse as well, sitting in front of Song Yu. One large, one small, their features strikingly similar.
"Resume the music."
Shen Xiao's voice rang out, followed by the sound of gongs and drums, as the parade procession continued forward.
For all to see, the top scholar in the procession wore a smile at the corner of his eyes. His right hand held the reins, while his left hand gently shielded the little one in his arms.
Handkerchiefs occasionally landed on the little girl in his arms, and each time, the top scholar would carefully remove them for her.
Every gesture was filled with utmost tenderness.
"Father, so this is what the top scholar's victory parade feels like. It's so impressive." Song Shihuan chattered excitedly like a little magpie, appearing truly like an innocent young girl.
"Is Ahuan happy?"
"Happy, extremely happy."
Hearing this, Song Yu smiled as well. If Ahuan was happy, then he was happy too.
In a private room of a nearby teahouse, Xu Yayu stared blankly at the parade procession, her gaze empty.
That prince, often labeled a wastrel, who had teased and tricked her many times, actually had such a gentle side.
And, he was actually Guo Feng.
"Miss, the top scholar is about to pass by. Are you still going to throw your handkerchief or not?"
The maid beside her was anxious. Given her young lady's usual temperament, if she didn't throw a handkerchief to the top scholar, the sun would probably rise from the west.
"No, I won't."
Xu Yayu spoke dazedly, watching helplessly as Song Yu passed right before her eyes.
"The Qin Prince is Guo Feng... It turns out he's like this..."
As the procession was about to pass the place where Song Xiyan was, Song Yu leaned down and whispered a few words into Song Shihuan's ear.
Song Shihuan looked up towards a certain direction, where Song Xiyan, gagged, was staring wide-eyed back at her.
"No matter how she bullied you in the past, from now on, it will never be possible again."
Song Yu's words echoed in Song Shihuan's ear. "Now she is the fish on the chopping block, and you hold the knife. Ahuan, no one in this world will be able to harm you ever again."
Song Shihuan smiled.
Song Xiyan cried.
Why, being born of the same mother, could Song Shihuan be protected by the Qin Prince, paraded through the streets with him in his glory as the top scholar?
After today, everyone under heaven would know the Qin Prince doted on his daughter as if his life depended on it.
And her?
She had been reduced to something like a prisoner.
"Second Princess, better save your tears. You'll have plenty more to cry about later."
Liuxi's voice sounded, making Song Xiyan's tears flow even more fiercely.
"His Highness specifically ordered that you keep your eyes wide open and take a good look. See how honorable our Princess Fu'an is now."
Liuxi spat. They were of the same direct bloodline, yet back then they could be so heartless as to abandon the princess. Now, ending up in this situation serves them right!
......
"He's here, he's here!"
Gu Mingzhu was so excited she was practically jumping to the sky.
"Official Shen, I can't see." Gu Mingzhu tugged at Shen Qingping's sleeve. Her father had rushed off to the military camp, and her elder sister was pregnant and it was inconvenient for her to leave the mansion.
Just at that moment, Shen Qingping had appeared at the Gu residence, saying he could take her out to see the top scholar's parade. Gu Mingzhu was overjoyed and immediately followed him out.
But Gu Mingzhu was rather short, and even standing on tiptoe, she couldn't see.
Seeing this, Shen Qingping's eyes lit up with a 'finally' expression. He bent down and whispered, "I'll take you to a spot with an unobstructed view, but you must promise me one thing."
"What is it?"
"Draw a portrait of His Highness and the princess later."
"Deal."
As soon as Gu Mingzhu finished speaking, she was lifted up by the female guard beside Shen Qingping. "Second Miss Gu, can you see now?"
"Yes, I can see!"
Gu Mingzhu waved her arms excitedly. "Your Highness! Princess! I'm here!"
With that, she threw the whole pile of handkerchiefs from her arms towards Song Yu and Song Shihuan.
The father and daughter were showered with a rain of handkerchiefs.
Well done, Gu Mingzhu.
Song Yu maintained the smile on his face while, as if nothing had happened, tossed Gu Mingzhu's handkerchiefs right back at her.
Gu Mingzhu, now covered head to toe in handkerchiefs: "..."
Shen Qingping, who was also caught in the crossfire: "..."
Seeing this, Song Shihuan laughed like silver bells.
She felt incredibly, incredibly happy.
......
After a day of parading, Song Yu's reputation transformed from a wastrel prince to a doting-father fanatic.
And a learned doting-father fanatic at that.
Taking the little princess along even for the top scholar's parade was truly an unprecedented event in history.
Throughout the entire parade, Zheng Fang stood as stiff as a stone statue.
Especially after seeing his former sworn brother pull the princess onto his horse to share the parade.
Lin Xia wasn't faring much better either.
Parading with the top scholar was glorious, but parading with the top scholar prince, flanked by Imperial Guards clearing the way, brought considerable pressure.
When the parade procession stopped once again at the palace gates, the men were asked to dismount.
"The Imperial Banquet is tomorrow. You gentlemen may return to your residences to rest and prepare."
A few moments later, only Song Yu, Song Shihuan, and a dumbfounded Zheng Fang remained at the palace gates.
"What's wrong? Seeing this prince has left you speechless?"
Zheng Fang opened and closed his mouth several times before finally falling to his knees with a thud:
"Your subject pays his respects to Your Highness."
"Tsk."
Song Yu circled Zheng Fang, then reached out and flicked his forehead hard. "You used to have quite the nerve. What's with you today?"
"Hurry back and get your things in order. In a few days, follow Shen the Third and get to work."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Fang abruptly looked up. "Follow... follow Official Shen?"
"Who else?"
A voice tinged with amusement sounded as Shen Qingping approached from a distance, stopping beside Zheng Fang. "Congratulations to Your Highness on achieving the top scholar title."
Then, Shen Qingping glanced at the kneeling Zheng Fang. "Go back and process this. Don't let it scare you stiff."
Zheng Fang staggered away.
Seeing Shen Qingping, Song Yu suddenly thought of something and asked:
"Shen the Third, has your father returned to the mansion?"
"Not yet."
Shen Qingping didn't catch on immediately.
"Then, has Ye Shijie left the palace?"
Hearing Song Yu's words, Shen Qingping's face changed:
"Oh no!"
