Prince Dingbei, donned in military attire, rode on his battle-tested horse, and from a distance caught sight of his little darling, which made him press his horse harder to charge forward speedily.
"Daughter warmly welcomes Father; may Father be blessed," Niu Pan’er lifted the hem of her robe and knelt in front of the horse.
"Your subject pays respects to the Prince."
The guards accompanying Niu Pan’er knelt down all at once.
Song Zhiyu watched the approaching mass of men and horses with intense aura, led by a man in the forefront dressed in military garb, with an intimidating presence. Seeing this, Song Zhiyu gulped, his knees weakened, and he too knelt down.
Oh heavens, how magnificent, how awe-inspiring.
"Hahaha, I knew this girl would come to greet me. Stand up, everyone," Prince Dingbei, Niu Dali, jumped off his horse, walked over with large strides, and personally helped his daughter up.
As he walked, the large saber he wore clinked against his armor, and his steps resonated with a solid thud.
Song Zhiyu saw a pair of military boots and compared them with his hand—what a large foot. A single kick would probably cripple if not kill.
It’s said that Prince Dingbei was born with extraordinary strength, as strong as an ox, hence his very earthy name, Niu Dali.
Prince Dingbei’s life was marked by warfare, bravery, and numerous achievements for the Great Qing, especially in the Northeast. His reputation was one of great respect.
The only regret is that Prince Dingbei, nearing sixty, has no son, only a daughter, Niu Pan’er. But precisely because of this, the Emperor harbors no suspicion; otherwise, he might have sharpened his knife.
Niu Pan’er stood up and looked at her father, whose face showed the fatigue of long travels, and she couldn’t help but feel a twinge of heartache.
"Father, would you prefer to return home first to freshen up or enter the palace to see the Emperor?" Niu Pan’er asked. "I’ve already instructed the household to prepare food and hot water."
Prince Dingbei heartily replied, "No matter how tired, I must enter the palace first to see the Emperor. After that, I will return home to have a meal with you."
Niu Pan’er smiled and nodded.
"Since you’ve been in the capital, you seem to have gotten fairer," Prince Dingbei commented, looking at his daughter’s face with a flash of regret and tenderness in his ox-like eyes.
If not for his life being marked by conflict, what need would there be to raise a daughter, who should be pampered, into a strong woman?
Ah, he feels sorry for her and her mother.
Prince Dingbei’s ears twitched, his peripheral vision catching sight of someone fair-skinned, and looked over, pouting with interest, "Who does this fair-skinned bun belong to?"
Clicking his tongue, he thought, with such delicate skin, a slight pinch would leave a mark, right?
And with such a tidy outfit, aside from the dusty hem, surely a noble young master from a wealthy family, quite handsome at that.
Prince Dingbei’s eyes gleamed, his sharp gaze scanning Song Zhiyu like an X-ray. Obviously, this child came with his daughter, but his daughter usually hung around with rough men, not delicate ones .
Oh my, my daughter has a situation!
Song Zhiyu felt chilled by Prince Dingbei’s gaze, like being fixed upon by some wolf king, and felt like his life was in danger.
He instinctively moved closer to Niu Pan’er, forced a smile, and respectfully bowed with cupped hands to Prince Dingbei: "This young man, Song Zhiyu, pays respect to the Prince. May the Prince be ever prosperous and healthy."
Named Song, from which Song Family?
Prince Dingbei sneered slightly at Song Zhiyu’s antics and asked, "Boy, not married yet, are you?"
No need to ask, definitely a fledgling lad.
Song Zhiyu and Niu Pan’er: "..."