Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 867: Li Xing’an Extra (01): A Youth Fell from a Tree_3

Chapter 867: Li Xing’an Extra (01): A Youth Fell from a Tree_3

Li Xing’an patted Guoguo’s head with a smile, "Uncle likes Guoguo just fine."

Guoguo shook her head, "No, Guoguo likes Brother Rui. Uncle should find someone else to like."

Li Xing’an frowned, "Little girl, even you’re betraying me?"

Li Yu moved over and sat next to Li Xing’an.

Li Xing’an laughed, "Xiao Yu, no girls like you, right? We can keep each other company."

Li Yu shook his head, "I want to go back to Zhen An Prefecture. I have a lot of playmates there, so I can’t stay with Uncle."

"...," Li Xing’an glared at them, a bunch of ungrateful little brats!

"Don’t be picky, just marry a decent girl already," Li Xingmao advised earnestly as he left.

Li Xing’an wasn’t about to just settle. He wanted to choose carefully.

.

In the afternoon, Li Xingsheng sent someone with a sealed booklet for Li Xing’an.

The Eastern Palace eunuch who delivered it smiled, "The Crown Prince said he meticulously compiled this book himself. The Third Prince must take good care of it."

Li Xing’an turned the booklet over in his hands, puzzled, "For no reason, why send me a book?"

After dismissing the eunuch, Li Xing’an carried the booklet to a pavilion in the mansion and opened the sealed cover.

Upon seeing the words on the cover, Li Xing’an nearly jumped.

The cover read, "Skills for Getting Along with Women."

Li Xing’an huffed twice. Does he need it?

He doesn’t need it!

Li Xing’an tossed the book aside.

But after a moment, he picked it up again.

The approaching servant was puzzled, "Third Prince, is the book good or not? Why throw it and then pick it up again?"

Li Xing’an coughed, awkwardly saying, "Anyway, I’m bored. Might as well take a look." He waved at the servant, "There’s nothing for you here, go busy yourself elsewhere."

He sent the servant away.

The servant glanced at him, scratched his head, and went somewhere else.

Once the servant was gone, Li Xing’an immediately opened the booklet to read.

And what do you know, the content was really interesting.

Li Xing’an quickly became engrossed.

After reading a few pages, Li Xing’an had an epiphany. Were there really so many skills for getting along with women?

How had he interacted with people before?

Flipping to the last page, it stated, "Theory is supplementary, practice is primary."

Obviously, isn’t it?

After reading the instructions, he knew he had to practice.

Li Xing’an stuffed the booklet into his robes, patted his sleeves, and left the mansion.

He didn’t bring anyone along, walking alone towards the bustling East Market.

Practice, practice...

Where to find a girl he liked to practice with?

Passing by a pawnshop, Li Xing’an saw the dark-clothed youth who had barged into the mansion last night arguing with a pawnshop clerk.

Curious, Li Xing’an went inside.

"This is a fine golden hairpin embedded with East Pearl, each pearl as big as a jujube pit. In the capital’s Treasure Pavilion, such intricate hairpins sell for over three hundred silver coins apiece. How come you only value it at thirty?"

"You can ask around; our shop offers the best price in the capital. If you go elsewhere, they’ll give you at most twenty silver coins," the pawnshop clerk said dismissively, with a lazy expression.

The dark-clothed youth said, "This is a new hairpin! It should be worth more."

The clerk sneered, "Once bought, even if not worn for a day, it’s second-hand. Thirty silver coins, not a penny more, brother."

Li Xing’an walked over, examining the hairpin, and commented, "Such a fine hairpin, how can it be worth only thirty silver coins? Brother, he’s cheating you, go pawn it elsewhere."

The youth turned, glanced at Li Xing’an, then at the clerk, and finally back at the hairpin in his hand.

His expression conflicted, he bit his lip but eventually handed the hairpin to the pawnshop clerk, "Alright, thirty silver coins then."

The clerk beamed with joy, passing the hairpin behind the counter, "Alrighty! A second-hand hairpin pawned for thirty silver coins, receipt issued, no refunds once off the counter."

At this moment, Li Xing’an snatched the hairpin, "No pawning! I’ll buy it!"

The clerk glared at him, "Who are you to interfere with Qi’s Pawnshop business?"

"If you have a complaint, find my brother at the Eastern Palace," Li Xing’an retorted, glaring back at the clerk and pulling the youth outside.

The dark-clothed youth looked shocked.

He stared wide-eyed at Li Xing’an.

In the pawnshop, the clerk blinked in confusion, Eastern Palace? Second Brother?

Oh my, isn’t this the Emperor’s third son?

The clerk turned pale with fear.

The clerk from behind the counter urged him, "Gui Zi, hurry and apologize to the Third Prince, lest he punishes you later."

The clerk ran outside, "Third Prince, it’s negotiable regarding the silver. We can add twenty more silver coins, fifty in total, and we’ll pawn it!"

Li Xing’an didn’t look back and waved, "Keep dreaming!"

Just fifty silver coins, might as well be robbery!

The dark-clothed youth kept looking back, wanting to pawn it, "Let go of me, he’s offering fifty silver coins, at this price, I’ll pawn it."

"You fool, such a fine hairpin, expertly crafted, even worth two hundred silver coins when discounted, and you want to pawn it for just fifty? You’re doing charity?" Li Xing’an released the youth’s arm and sneered.

The dark-clothed youth said, "I need silver, with fifty silver coins I can go home."

Li Xing’an looked at the hairpin and at him, "You really need silver?"

The dark-clothed youth nodded, sighing, "Yeah."

Li Xing’an scrutinized him, "Right, you’re not a local. How did you get here? Where are your companions?"

"They..." The dark-clothed youth bit his lip, "My family is forcing me to marry a fifty-year-old granny. I refused and ran away."

"What? You’re so young, and they want you to marry a fifty-year-old granny? They’re mad at you or something?" Li Xing’an was outraged on behalf of the youth.

"It’s not quite enmity, just... My father loves money and asked my cousin to arrange the match," the dark-clothed youth frowned.

After speaking, he glanced at Li Xing’an, looking evasive.

Li Xing’an exclaimed angrily, "That’s too much! Marrying a thirty-year-old might be acceptable, but a fifty-year-old? What can she do, even bearing children isn’t possible." Realizing he said something wrong, he corrected himself, "No, no, no, no, even a thirty-year-old isn’t right. You should marry a young girl of similar age."

"Who doesn’t think so?" The dark-clothed youth said sheepishly.

Li Xing’an looked at the sky, "It’s almost dinner time, let’s eat and talk. Don’t pawn the hairpin, I’ll lend you some silver coins later."

The dark-clothed youth was surprised, "How could I dare to accept?"

"There’s nothing to be embarrassed about, I’m the Emperor’s third son, I don’t lack silver coins!" Li Xing’an pulled him into a restaurant by the road.

The dark-clothed youth felt like crying. He didn’t want to know anyone from the Royal Family.