This Prince Was Different

Ah Yin tilted her head, several question marks seeming to pop up above it.

Her moist eyes clearly said, Wasn't Your Highness the one who wanted to leave? Why aren't you leaving now?

Qian Mochen pointed at the ground. "Do you know how far it is from the village to the nearest town?"

Ah Yin nodded. "About ten kilometers. If we walk quickly, we'll get there in an hour."

She said it as if it were only natural, her expressive eyes seeming to ask, Is something wrong with this prince? Why is he asking about something he already knows?

"As a maid, your foremost duty is to ensure my food, clothing, lodging, and travel are comfortable."

"Watch carefully. I'll only teach you this once."

Qian Mochen brought Ah Yin outside the village, took out a whistle, and blew it. Moments later, a Giant Eagle with a wingspan of over thirty meters descended from the sky.

When the Giant Eagle saw Qian Mochen, it obediently lay down to make it easier for its master to climb aboard.

Qian Mochen gestured toward the Giant Eagle. "See that? If you can arrange a mount, then arrange a mount. When I travel, comfort is what matters."

Ah Yin frowned and subtly rolled her eyes. "It's not like I have any money."

"Take it!"

Qian Mochen tossed Ah Yin a storage pouch.

"There are a thousand Gold Soul Coins inside. If it isn't enough, tell me again. This is the first time I've seen a maid ask her master for money."

Ah Yin did not dare talk back. She merely turned around to show her displeasure.

"Maid, get on. We're leaving!"

Only then did Ah Yin turn back and step onto the eagle's back. Before she could sit down, the Giant Eagle suddenly beat its wings. Her feet slipped, and she let out a cry of "Ah!" as she fell straight into Qian Mochen's arms.

The unfamiliar man's scent and the constantly rising warmth around her made Ah Yin too afraid to open her eyes, though her mouth remained as stubborn as ever.

"Q-quickly, let me go!"

Qian Mochen gave an "oh," a trace of mischief flashing through his eyes. With a shake of his hands, Ah Yin rolled out of his embrace and crashed onto the eagle's back.

Ah Yin braced herself against the eagle's back and was just about to rise when it suddenly accelerated upward. Her body lunged forward with the momentum, and her head slammed into a chest as hard as stone.

"What? Can't bear to leave my arms?"

Ah Yin snorted. No longer embarrassed, she directly pushed against Qian Mochen's chest and sat back down. To keep herself from embarrassing herself again, she summoned several vines and fashioned a seat that secured her in place.

"Oh, I forgot something."

Qian Mochen deliberately sighed. Noticing Ah Yin subtly turn sideways and prick up her ears, he continued, "There seems to be a Soul Douluo stationed in the town ahead."

"Someone might get recognized again and have her true identity exposed."

Ah Yin quietly clenched the hem of her skirt, hesitating over whether to compromise with this hateful man or stand firm on her own.

In the end, she let out a long sigh. Thinking that they were not far from the village yet, she turned around, blinked at Qian Mochen, and spoke in the gentlest tone possible.

"Your Highness, could you help conceal the aura on my body?"

"So this is how you test me?"

Qian Mochen's eyes flickered as he rubbed his chin and considered it. "How about this? Starting today, you wash my clothes for seven days, and I'll help you deal with your flaw. How does that sound?"

"Fine!"

The moment Ah Yin agreed, Qian Mochen immediately tossed something from his storage ring.

"Keep it close."

Ah Yin carefully caught the flower flying toward her. Once she saw what it looked like, surprise flashed through her eyes.

"This... this is..."

"Aromatic Silk Beauty. The immortal spirit energy within it can neutralize the energy fluctuations unique to soul beasts. Once you become a Soul Sage, you won't need it anymore."

Qian Mochen spoke as though he had given Ah Yin some worthless trinket.

Ah Yin carefully tucked the Aromatic Silk Beauty close to her body, using a thread of her unique Soul Power to carefully nourish the immortal herb.

Although she had not interacted with many humans, she knew that an immortal herb like the Aromatic Silk Beauty was not something one could casually take out. Moreover, since Qian Mochen knew this immortal herb's name, he naturally knew its effects.

Yet he had casually given her an immortal herb that even a Titled Douluo would covet, without placing any restrictions on her at all.

Ah Yin slowly began to understand. What kind of injury could make a Titled Douluo lose blood and fall unconscious, only for him to awaken right after she finished treating him?

"You came specifically to capture me, didn't you?"

Ah Yin's gaze sharpened. She straightened her back and leaned forward, as though trying to see through Qian Mochen's disguise.

Qian Mochen nodded lightly and praised, "Not bad. You're not too stupid. I thought you should have realized it when I captured you."

Ah Yin's ears reddened. Suppressing the irritation in her heart, she continued asking, "When did you discover me?"

"The moment you left the forest, my people were already watching you."

"How is that possible? I seriously studied human habits for a long time!"

"Even the village chief and the old ladies never noticed any flaws!"

Ah Yin was somewhat indignant.

If she had been discovered during the past few days, she could have accepted it. But Qian Mochen said she had been discovered the instant she left the forest. Didn't that mean her disguise had been inadequate from the very beginning?

Qian Mochen merely smiled.

Of course, he would not tell Ah Yin that half a year ago, he had sent people to search for places with large numbers of Blue Silver Grass soul beasts. Once they found one, he had people guard outside the Blue Silver Forest every day, waiting for the day Ah Yin came into being.

When Ah Yin saw that Qian Mochen would not answer, she crossed her arms and snorted before turning away in silence.

After a long while, an awkward "thank you" drifted over from Ah Yin's side.

"No need to thank me. I just don't want my maid causing me unnecessary trouble."

"Just make sure you wash the clothes properly these next few days."

Ah Yin softly hummed in acknowledgment, but the words were swept away the moment they left her lips.

The Giant Eagle quickly carried Qian Mochen and Ah Yin to the Spirit Hall branch in the town. Outside the branch, a carriage had already been prepared according to Qian Mochen's preferences.

Qian Mochen inspected the carriage. A shock-absorbing mechanism had been specially installed inside, along with a layer of comfortable cushions. He gave the branch master an approving look and had him send word to those outside that they could withdraw.

Now that Ah Yin had been found, there was no need to delay matters with the Tang Xiao and Tang Hao brothers any longer.

Qian Mochen truly treated Ah Yin as a maid, ordering her to serve tea and water and feed him snacks and fruit. In short, if he could move his mouth, he would never lift a hand.

The next day, all the food Qian Mochen needed had been prepared. Ah Yin doubled as the driver, sitting on the carriage shaft and urging the horses onward.

"Your Highness, where are we going?"

"To a place where many of your companions are."

Qian Mochen kept her in suspense. No matter how Ah Yin questioned him, he gave only one answer.

"The time has not yet come."

Just as Ah Yin and Qian Mochen chatted and laughed along the road, in a town hundreds of miles away, Tang Hao suddenly clutched his chest, his expression turning somewhat grim.

"Hao, what's wrong?" Tang Xiao noticed his younger brother's expression and hurriedly asked.

Tang Hao frowned, confusion in his eyes. "Brother, I suddenly feel uneasy, as if something important has left me."