The Choice Queen's

TCQ 39: The Arrival of the King

In the morning when the sun had just risen from the eastern horizon, people were already noisily gathering near the village gate. Li Fengran who was still half sleepy would inevitably have to get up to see what was really going on. Early in the morning like this, shouldn't they go to the fields or work?

“Who are you? Why did you bring so many people here?”

It was Chen Ping voice, which echoed in the air. Immediately Li Fengran ran down the crowd, then he was extremely shocked when he saw someone standing in the middle of the village gate. His face looked extremely tired, yet as soon as he saw Li Fengran, the hue of his face had returned as if his entire blood was flowing again.

“Your Majesty? Why are you here?” asked Li Fengran.

Everyone who heard his words reflexively widened their eyes, their chin almost falling down due to the open mouth. Her Majesty?

They thought who was so brave to climb the mountain and make a fuss this early. Their village is a village of bandits, ordinary people should not endanger themselves by coming here.

“I came to pick you up, Xiao Feng.”

Nangong Zirui started to smile. He had been riding horses all night for the sake of being able to reach this place. In his stock were his special forces whom he ordered to bring large quantities of food and clothing, which he took overnight from the royal treasury.

It felt as soon as it reached this village, all of its burden disappeared. Being able to look back at Li Fengran, the girl who liked to add to the matter was fine, undeniably making her heart calm down. Along the way he did not stop thinking, he was worried that these bandits were treating him disrespectfully.

But, his guess seems wrong.

Chen Ping who was aware of Nangong Zirui's identity, then immediately knelt down while clenching both hands on his chest and said, “I, Chen Ping, salute His Majesty the King.”

Not wanting to add to the problem, the residents behind him worshiped. Nangong Zirui told them to stand up, then looked at Chen Ping from top to bottom.

“Are you their leader?”

“Answer, Your Majesty, right. I am Chen Ping, the head of this small village. Please Your Majesty forgive for this unfavorable welcome.”

Although Chen Ping was a bandit who liked to rob people but did not kill, against the King, he did not dare to act any further. After all, with his power, the King should have long since eradicated the troubling mountain bandits like him.

But, he did not do that and chose to pretend to be blind, only so that the existence of the village on this mountain was not exposed. Now, he himself had come here to make sure.

“It's okay. I heard about yesterday's incident. Xiao Feng, you did very well,” said Nangong Zirui.

“Your Highness, you won't punish me for breaking orders, right?”

“What command did you break?”

“I split the amount of food and clothing for disaster victims in half and gave it to Chen Ping and his brothers, also instead stay here and do not go.”

“You are indeed guilty, but it doesn't matter anymore.”

Finally Li Fengran could breathe free air with a relieved breath. Since Nangong Zirui had already said it, then there was no need to worry anymore.

Li Fengran only wanted to scold Mo Wei because the man did not deliver his message well. Li Fengran had only told him to tell the situation, not to have him come straight here and shock everyone.

You trouble-making bodyguard!

Nangong Zirui turned to look at Chen Ping again. It seemed, this face was extremely familiar, as if he had met before. Chen Ping only had one eye, so when he knew someone was observing him, his large eyes became extremely alert and the change in his facial expression was very obvious.

“Your Majesty, is there something wrong with me?” chen Ping asked doubtfully.

“Have we met before?”

“This little guy could never have met anyone as great as His Majesty,” Chen Ping replied.

“Maybe, I'm the wrong one to remember. Chief Chen, can you take me around for a while in your village?”

Chen Ping was even more surprised. Besides coming directly to rescue the hostages, he also wanted to go around? All of his understanding of the King who was only concerned with how to reclaim power in the three regions of the state had all collapsed.

The King in Chen Ping's eyes earlier was a King who was not concerned for the people, only concerned about his position and how he strengthened his standing. The stigma is slowly changing.

“Sure, Your Highness.”

Then, Nangong Zirui was guided around the village. Dew still hangs on the end of the foliage, the smell of wet grass blowing in the wind. It drained the coolness not found in the palace. Here, his eyes were free to look at anything he saw.

The simple houses belonging to the residents, the wet dusty courtyard, the former campfire that was still burning, everything was so simple but without thinking for a long time, Nangong Zirui could feel its warmth. The village on the mountain that became the nest of these bandits, was nothing more than an ordinary village whose inhabitants relied on each other to survive.

Li Fengran let Nangong Zirui go around with Chen Ping, while he cleaned himself up. The former campfire last night is still visible in the middle of the village courtyard. He smiled, recalling the warm moment last night. It was like being in a great summer camp.

Chen Ping took Nangong Zirui to the edge of the lake which became the source of the villagers' life. They stood looking at the vast lake, whose opposite edge was a forest with lush and dense trees. The surface of the lake seemed to shine in the morning sunlight.

“I didn't expect, that woman would make someone sitting on the highest seat in the palace come here. Your Majesty, you are not the same as the rumored,” Chen Ping said.

“Your Majesty couldn't possibly not know.”

“Actually, most of those rumors are true. But, as serious as the rumors, still will not be able to beat the character when meeting in person.”

Nangong Zirui was silent for a moment.

“If Xiao Feng does not tell my bodyguard to report back on the situation and say this is my fault, I will forever ignore this place. I will forever not know that far above the mountain that I always look at from this distance, it turns out there is a life that is so alive and calm.”

Chen Ping glanced at him at a glance, then threw his gaze across the lake. Various thoughts covered it again. He lived as a bandit and robbed the rich to support the villagers.

If not for being forced, he would not have wanted to do this job either. With his body, he could at least still be a porters or laborers in the market. But who would dare to hire him? Moreover, he only had one eye.

“It seems, my decision to trust His Majesty once was the right thing,” he said suddenly. Nangong Zirui smiled faintly.

“What did Xiao Feng do until he could make you believe me?”

Chen Ping then took out the jade hanger that he received yesterday. “He gave me this.”

Seeing the jade of his gift was in Chen Ping hands, Nangong Zirui chuckled. That woman can really give anything. In fact, even this priceless collar item was given to others easily. Li Fengran, was completely out of his mind.

“I accept it because I know this is a gift from Your Majesty. He was so brave to act and volunteered to be a hostage, even giving the King's gift to me. If I don't accept and obey his wishes, don't you know yourself too much?”

“It's not a gift. I gave it as a sign of safety.”

“Your Majesty, after knowing this village is a bandit's nest, will you destroy it and imprison us?”

Nangong Zirui immediately shook his head.

“I won't destroy hundreds of lives just for reasons that don't make enough sense. Conversely, if you are willing, you can go down the mountain looking for another job.”

Chen Ping again could not help his shock.

“Chief of Chen Village, I grant you forgiveness for the crimes of stealing, looting, and robbing. Later, you no longer need to be a bandit and live in hiding.”

“What does His Majesty mean?”

Nangong Zirui waved his hand, then one of the bodyguards approached while carrying a wooden box and handed it to Nangong Zirui. The man opened it, then took out the contents and gave it to Chen Ping.

Chen Ping's hands shook and his body was unstable.

“This...Poster of forgiveness and loyalty?”

Nangong Zirui nodded.

“With this, you and the entire population of your village can live blatantly without the need to be labeled as a former criminal or a descendant of sinners again. Chief Chen, the life and death of my people in this village, I leave it to you.”

Chen Ping immediately knelt down and bowed his body. “I, Chen Ping, received the orders of His Majesty the King.”

“Arise.”

Suddenly, Li Fengran's voice startled them. The woman ran to the edge of the lake, approaching Chen Ping and Nangong Zirui. It looks so much better than before. His face was clean and his body was fresh. He looked at the two men in turn.

“Have you guys just talked about secret orders?” tanyakanya.

Nangong Zirui shook his head and touched his forehead with a finger. Li Fengran grimaced slightly as he rubbed his forehead.

“Your mind must be cleansed and reorganized. There are no secret orders of any kind here,” said Nangong Zirui.

“Chief of Chen Village, the help I gave may not be much. I hope, you can live safely and peacefully.”

“I represent the villagers thank Your Majesty.”

The three men then returned to the village. It was late and the sun was beginning to rise. Nangong Zirui and Li Fengran were ushered up to the village gate, while the special guards had just finished putting down crates of food and clothing.

The residents gathered and thanked him, and after that the King's entourage slowly began to disappear down the mountain.

One of the women in their forties who yesterday took Li Fengran and pulled him to cook together approached Chen Ping, then asked curiously, “Who exactly is that woman? Why did the King bother to come here to take him?”

Chen Ping only chuckled and did not intend to answer him, making the woman's curiosity continue to hang.