The Dramatic Crown Princess Wants to Poison Me!-Chapter 254: Black Fingerprints

If this news isn’t true, it’s okay for him to take a fruitless journey, but it means Wenjin has one less day. How can he afford to waste any time?

No, no, no, it can’t be false. Didn’t the flower-selling woman say that someone told her that if someone comes to buy those four-numbered flowers, it’s one tael of silver per flower?

How can it be such a coincidence, that it’s exactly those numbers?

Rather than saying he’s convincing himself, it’s more about him giving himself some comfort.

Just when he was troubled, his sleeve was tugged.

Huangfu Jingchen turned around but saw no one.

Looking down at his sleeve, he found a little beggar standing beside him, thin and small, with a sallow complexion, looking at him nervously. His hands covered in mud, a few black fingerprints were left on his sleeve from the moment he tugged it.

Huangfu Jingchen looked at him.

Though he changed into clothes from the quarantine point, when he was about to leave the Town Mayor’s Mansion, Jiang Ning stopped him, suggesting he change into that coarse blue robe; he had no mind for it. But while preparing the horse, Jiang Ning casually brought his robe, reminding him that when going out for business, sometimes clothing can be a deciding factor of success.

Huangfu Jingchen, hearing this, immediately went to change.

At this moment, in his moon-white brocade clothes, the black fingerprints on his shirt were quite conspicuous.

The little beggar, seeing his mistake, was very frightened, subconsciously retreating, with his eyes full of panic looking at Huangfu Jingchen.

Huangfu Jingchen softened his expression, speaking gently, "What do you need?"

Perhaps seeing his mild tone, not seeming angry, the little beggar mumbled, timidly saying, "Sir, I’m hungry, I want... some food!"

Huangfu Jingchen sighed; the myriad faces of life, under Grandpa’s rule, though people live peacefully, there are still those who go hungry.

While he was anxious about Wenjin’s illness, causing fret and yearning; this little beggar, at such a young age, couldn’t even eat, how could he not be troubled? Begging from him, he too held expectations.

Huangfu Jingchen looked around, seeing a steamed bun stall on the front right, the vendor was just taking out a tray of buns, steaming hot, the fragrance wafted over, even making him feel hungry.

He said, "Come with me!"

The vendor, seeing Huangfu Jingchen, immediately beamed a smile, "Sir, would you like to buy some buns?" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Huangfu Jingchen said, "Bring me a tray first!"

The vendor was overjoyed, instantly bringing a steaming tray of white flour buns, a total of ten in the tray. Huangfu Jingchen took one, gesturing for the little beggar to eat too.

The little beggar glanced at him timidly, under his encouraging look, took one, the bun still steaming, with two black fingerprints particularly obvious on it.

The little beggar stuffed the whole bun into his mouth, barely chewing before trying to swallow, nearly choking with eyes rolling up.

Huangfu Jingchen turned to the vendor, "Get some water!" while patting the little beggar’s back to help him breathe.

When the water came, Huangfu Jingchen handed the cup to the little beggar, "Have some water!"

The little beggar drank the water, finally swallowing the bun, Huangfu Jingchen handed him another, kindly saying, "Eat slowly, don’t choke, these are all yours, if it’s not enough, I’ll buy you more!"

After choking a bit earlier, the little beggar ate slower this time, relatively speaking. Huangfu Jingchen asked gently, "How long has it been since you ate?"

The little beggar whispered, "Three days!"

"Do you have any family?"

The little beggar shook his head blankly.

The bun vendor, seeing Huangfu Jingchen dressed and behaving with distinction, half flatteringly and half warmly said, "Sir, you might not know, this Little Black Head is an orphan, no parents or relatives."

Huangfu Jingchen asked, "Your name is Little Black Head? Are you eight years old yet?"

The beggar Little Black Head struggled to swallow the bun, "I am already eleven!"

Huangfu Jingchen was surprised, seeing his thin and small frame, he hadn’t expected him to be eleven already. Probably due to long-term malnutrition, making him look much younger than his peers.

Little Black Head forcibly ate nine buns, his little belly round and full. Huangfu Jingchen ate one, though he hadn’t eaten much since the morning, how could he feel hungry?

With things on his mind, how could he remember such things?

Now if it weren’t for waiting for someone from Shadow Pavilion to contact him, he wouldn’t even think of sitting here.

Huangfu Jingchen asked, "Little Black Head, are you full?"

Little Black Head nodded, Huangfu Jingchen called the bun vendor over, asking, "Are you here selling buns every day?"

"Yes, sir!"

Huangfu Jingchen took out a ten-tael bar of silver, pointing at Little Black Head, "Give him ten buns a day, how long can he eat?"

The bun vendor widened his eyes, it’s silver, and a whole bar at that, a rare sight, if he sold fifteen trays daily and made ten taels in half a year, business would be quite good.

He thought for a moment, ten a day might last more than seven years? However, a sly look in his eyes, he said, "About three years!"

Huangfu Jingchen replied indifferently, "If it’s three years, give him twenty buns a day!"

The bun vendor paused, this young sir may seem inexperienced, but he isn’t easy to fool. However, thinking about it, ten taels of silver for ten buns a day can feed for over seven years, and twenty a day for three years, he’s still making a profit. Immediately, he beamed, "Alright, sir!"

Huangfu Jingchen watched his eyes squint with happiness, raising the silver, proclaiming loudly, "Everyone, I have ten taels of silver here to buy buns from this vendor for Little Black Head for three years. In these three years, Little Black Head can come here daily for twenty buns! Please be witnesses!"

The surrounding vendors looked at the bun vendor with eyes full of envy and jealousy, exclaiming, "The young sir is truly kind-hearted. This little orphan has indeed met a good person."

"Indeed, it saves this kid from constantly stealing our chickens and geese, the sir has done a good deed!"

"Old Li is really lucky, making ten taels all at once."

Understanding the situation, Little Black Head asked Huangfu Jingchen, eyes wide, "Thank you, sir, what is your name? So I can repay you in the future!"

Huangfu Jingchen smiled, "No need to repay me, this is all I can do to help!" It wasn’t that he didn’t want to give the silver directly to Little Black Head for him to buy his own food, but an eleven-year-old child, appearing about eight due to long-term hunger and malnutrition, so frail, giving him silver might just put him in danger.

Little Black Head insisted, "Sir, I’m poor now, but I will definitely earn silver in the future. Tell me your name, so I can find you!"

Huangfu Jingchen was surprised at the determination in the little child’s eyes, casually saying, "My name is Huang Zheng!"