Chapter 1195: Chapter 735: The Imperial Palace No Longer Belongs to Him (First Update)

The next morning at dawn.

An Ning took An Youyou and left the Imperial Palace.

Guan Yu and the other three followed by their side.

Lin Zichan was in charge of driving the carriage.

The party went straight out of Xun City, heading toward Wenzhou.

All the way, An Youyou was so excited she almost took off on the spot.

The whole carriage was filled with her nonstop chirping.

An Ning got tired of listening.

So she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

An Youyou felt a bit bored.

Seeing that An Ning was asleep, her short arms and short legs quietly clambered out of the carriage.

Lin Zichan was driving when he suddenly saw An Youyou come out.

He hurriedly pulled back on the reins, slowing the horses.

"Princess, why did you come out? Be careful or you’ll fall." Lin Zichan’s voice carried concern.

"Mother has fallen asleep, I don’t want to disturb her. But I’m really, really bored, so I wanted to come out and play. Guard Lin, will you let me stay by your side and keep you company?" An Youyou’s chubby little face looked pitiful as she spoke.

Lin Zichan’s heart softened.

The corners of his lips lifted slightly. "Then be careful not to fall."

"If I hold on to you, I won’t fall." An Youyou smiled sweetly.

Her little chubby hand grabbed hold of Lin Zichan’s arm just like that, and her little bottom scooted closer, pressing right up against him.

The smile at the corner of Lin Zichan’s mouth seemed to deepen.

He didn’t notice that, at that moment, the carriage curtain was lifted, and the person sitting inside the carriage was quietly watching those two figures, one tall and one short, one big and one small, before slowly letting the curtain fall again.

"Guard Lin, have you ever gone out of the palace to play?" An Youyou was not a child who could sit still; in no time at all she had started a conversation.

"Mm."

"Do you think it’s more fun outside, or in the Imperial Palace?"

Lin Zichan fell a bit silent.

"I think it’s more fun outside." An Youyou didn’t mind not getting an answer and spoke on her own. "Even though I don’t want to leave Father, and my big brother and big sister, I really don’t like the Imperial Palace. The palace isn’t fun at all—this isn’t allowed, that isn’t allowed, and everyone has to kowtow and kneel when they see me. It’s not free at all."

Lin Zichan didn’t say anything, just listened quietly.

"Actually, Mother doesn’t like the Imperial Palace either, but Mother likes Father, so she stays in the palace for his sake." An Youyou sounded a little wistful. "From now on I’ll only be able to leave the palace with Mother once in a while. I really miss the time back in Xuzhou—back then I could do whatever I wanted."

"When you’re born into the Emperor’s family, there are many things you can’t control." Lin Zichan’s voice was a bit low, as if he were comforting her, and also as if he were... explaining. "Maybe your father also wants to wander the world with your mother, but he bears the burden of the realm and the common people, so he can’t just do as he pleases."

"Grown‑ups are really complicated." An Youyou sighed.

So young, and all of a sudden she seemed to have a kind of sadness that shouldn’t belong to her age.

"You just have to believe that your father and mother, and your brother and sister, love you. The things they can’t give you aren’t because they don’t want to, but because they truly can’t." Lin Zichan’s gentle voice persuaded her. "Being able to take you out of the palace once in a while is their way of making it up to you. So you should be a little happier and not let down the kindness they have for you."

"Okay." An Youyou nodded, feeling that what Lin Zichan said made sense.

It was hard enough to get out of the palace; she had to be happy.

She couldn’t be so sentimental.

An Youyou looked at Lin Zichan, at his unfamiliar face, and couldn’t help saying softly, "Guard Lin, I don’t know why, but I always feel like you’re kind of familiar?"

Lin Zichan’s heart gave a little jolt.

His hand holding the reins unconsciously tightened.

"Can you stay by my side from now on?" An Youyou blinked her bright, lively eyes. "When we go back to the palace I’ll ask Father to reward you to me, and you can be my personal guard, all right?"

"I’m not suited to staying in the Imperial Palace. Once I’ve escorted the Princess and the Empress this time, I’ll be leaving."

"You’re going to leave?" An Youyou was obviously reluctant.

"Mm." Lin Zichan murmured, "The Imperial Palace... no longer belongs to me."

An Youyou’s nose suddenly stung.

Just thinking about Lin Zichan leaving her made her feel like crying for no reason.

Lin Zichan also noticed An Youyou’s mood. He explained, "Princess, you said yourself that you like it outside the palace better. How could it be any different for me?"

An Youyou’s round eyes moved slightly.

So Guard Lin was the same as her—he didn’t want to stay in the palace either.

She thought for a moment, then nodded. "All right then, I won’t make things hard for you."