Rebirth: The Yandere Regent Prince Is Clingy Every Day - Chapter 3

Yellow sand filled the sky, and the howling gale sounded like the roars of wolves, making one’s scalp tingle with fear.

Mu Chengyan’s health was already poor. After traveling continuously for two days, by the time he reached the border of the Song nation on the third day, he had reached his limit. He lay upon his sickbed, his pale complexion devoid of even a hint of color.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Inside the crude, makeshift tent, the sound of his low coughing could be heard from quite a distance away.

The guards escorting him sat cross-legged not far off, warming themselves by a fire and eating their rations.

“The Crown Prince will likely die halfway before we even reach the Song imperial palace. Why don’t we just run? Why should we stay and go to our deaths with him!”

“That’s true. I have no desire to die in an enemy country when I haven’t even taken a wife yet.”

“If you want to get lost, get lost quickly. There’s still time…”

A man in black robes stood there; his hood obscured his face, revealing only the corner of his lips. His entire being seemed to vanish into the night sky.

This person was none other than Yueying, Mu Chengyan’s personal bodyguard since childhood—”like the bright moon in the sky, hidden and intangible.”

At these words, the men threw down their food and fled, one after another.

Who would want to go there to die? Running now was their only chance at survival!

Yueying let out a cold laugh. These wastes were only a burden; having him alone to protect His Highness was more than enough.

In the end, only one man in black robes remained, sitting quietly by the fire with a black sword resting by his side.

“Are you not leaving?”

The man did not speak, continuing to coldly roast a pheasant they had brought from the Yuanqi nation.

Yueying stepped closer, catching a clear look at his face. His expression was as cold as a frozen ice sculpture.

“Are you not afraid of death?”

The man still remained silent, standing up with the roasted pheasant in hand.

“Hey, I’m talking to you are you deaf? You aren’t allowed near His Highness!”

Yueying immediately pursued him, blocking his path at the entrance. His sister had told him that he must not allow anyone near His Highness.

“Yueying, what is happening?”

A gentle voice drifted from inside, exceptionally melodic in the dark night air.

“It’s nothing. Those cowardly, greedy people have simply run off.”

Mu Chengyan’s hand tightened around his quilt. “It’s fine. If they want to leave, let them.” If they left, they might still find a way to live.

“What are you doing? I told you that you aren’t allowed in!”

Yueying guarded the door tightly, but the man seemed determined to enter. The two instantly became locked in a scuffle.

Hearing the commotion, Mu Chengyan struggled to sit up and draped his outer robe over his shoulders. His three thousand strands of ink-black hair hung loosely behind him, with some strands falling over his chest. A look of helplessness appeared on his refined, detached face.

Just as he reached the door, he saw the two figures locked in a fierce fight. Their sharp blades were chillingly cold under the moonlight.

“Yueying… didn’t I tell you not to fight? You shouldn’t be so hot-tempered; no girl will like you like that.”

Seeing Mu Chengyan appear, Yueying became terrified that he might accidentally hurt him. With a pivot, he leaped down from mid-air and landed steadily beside Mu Chengyan.

“Your Highness… what time do you think it is… why are you still saying such things?” He didn’t need any girls; he only needed to protect His Highness!

The man also stopped, sheathed his sword, and took two steps forward.

Yueying blocked Mu Chengyan, questioning, “What are you doing?”

The man held out the roasted chicken. It was wrapped in a withered lotus leaf, clean and neat.

Yueying looked at it with disdain. “Who knows if the food you roasted is even edible? You probably poisoned it. Your Highness, we won’t eat anything from him.” This person had been sent by the palace, so he couldn’t be a good person.

Mu Chengyan pulled Yueying, who was blocking his path, to his side and scolded him earnestly. “Yueying, you cannot suspect others without reason. He is being kind; you will hurt his feelings if you suspect him.”

“Your Highness, how can you know he is being kind? He is clearly not a good person at all.”

Mu Chengyan ignored him. He raised a hand, took the chicken from the man, offered a gentle smile, and nodded at him. “Thank you…”

The man lowered his head, his very fingers betraying his nervousness. It was the first time he had ever met someone so gentle. That light smile made it feel as if flowers had bloomed across the entire world.

Mu Chengyan tilted his head and continued to ask, “I don’t know your name yet?”

“Guchen.” (Lone Dust)

“Lone and singular, born as lowly as dust.”

Mu Chengyan forcibly pulled Yueying to his side. “His name is Yueying, my personal bodyguard. He was rather rude earlier; I apologize on his behalf.”

On Guchen’s face, which had been frozen for ages, a hint of flustered panic finally appeared. His knees bent, and he knelt straight down.

“Your Highness… you needn’t…”

His Highness… a golden branch with jade leaves… and he was merely a lowly bodyguard.

Mu Chengyan helped him up, grabbed both of their hands, and clasped them together, his smile soft. “From now on, you two are good friends. No more fighting.”

Guchen lowered his head. It was the first time someone had actively touched his hand…

Yueying nodded, albeit with deep reluctance. This man was obviously a spy sent by the palace to monitor His Highness’s every move, yet His Highness still insisted on keeping him by his side!

Mu Chengyan watched them with satisfaction; there was no problem that a handshake couldn’t solve.

In the shadows, a small figure crept forward on tiptoe. Seeing the roasted chicken nearby, two small hands reached out.

“Who’s there!”

Yueying’s reactions were extremely sharp. His blade left its sheath and pressed directly against the person’s throat.

“Don’t… don’t hit me…”

A young, delicate voice rang out. Mu Chengyan caught sight of him in the moonlight—a youth dressed in tattered, ragged clothes, curled into a pathetic ball. Yet, his eyes were exceptionally bright.

“Yueying, stop!”

Yueying withdrew his blade, glanced at the person on the ground, and let out a disdainful chuckle. He had thought it was someone of importance. It turned out to be nothing more than a little beggar.

“Your Highness, this little thief has actually stolen from you! Why don’t… I just cut off his hands and see if he dares to steal again!” The Song nation truly wasn’t a good place; they had barely arrived and already ran into a thief.

The youth trembled in terror. “Don’t… don’t cut off Ah-Xun’s hands…”

Mu Chengyan frowned slightly and immediately raised a hand to stop him. “Yueying, you must not.”

Mu Chengyan bent down, helped the youth off the ground, and dusted him off.

The youth looked at Mu Chengyan with burning focus, his eyes filled with an unknown, shimmering light.

“What is your name? Why are you in such a desolate place?”

They were on the border between the Song and Yuanqi nations, where yellow sand danced in the sky and there was not a hint of life.

The youth seemed to recall a painful memory and lowered his head. “Ah-Xun cannot find his way home.”

Seeing how pitiful the boy was, Mu Chengyan handed the roasted pheasant he had just taken to him. “You must be hungry, right? Eat.”

Jun Xun looked up, his deep, dark eyes resembling a massive black hole. “Gege… are you not going to eat, Gege?”

“Your Highness, this is the only food left. If you give it to him, what will you do? Your body…”

“It is not needed; I am not hungry. You eat.”

Before Mu Chengyan could finish his sentence, another violent fit of coughing shook him.

The hand with which the youth held the food tightened, his eyes overflowing with heartache…