As soon as they alighted from the carriage, before even having a chance to look around, the people who heard the exclamation of "His Highness Prince Jin" immediately turned their heads.
Hunting was an event that most women were not particularly interested in.
However, in such an occasion, they could often see the most handsome and valiant side of the men they admired.
Therefore, as long as they could attend, they seized the opportunity and rushed over.
To their surprise, as soon as they arrived, they encountered His Highness Prince Jin right at the entrance!
It was seen that His Highness Prince Jin had not arrived by carriage, but on horseback.
He was tall and slender, mounted on a tall horse. His gaze, cold and ruthless, swept over them, making them almost prostrate themselves, even feeling a trace of fear, completely daring not to meet his eyes.
Yet, they could not control their hearts from pounding.
That was love at first sight!
Yun Shu followed the sound and saw Zhan Tianye on horseback. Her heart warmed slightly. She curved her lips, hiding all emotions within her radiant, beautiful eyes.
There were many people below the horse.
They appeared as a black mass.
As his originally indifferent dark eyes swept over the crowd, there was no trace of emotion. However, his hawk-like eyes instantly locked onto Yun Shu.
Their gazes met.
A dazzling light flashed rapidly between their eyes.
As if having telepathy, their gazes quickly turned away the moment they met.
At the same time, Yun Yueyin, who was being helped down from the carriage by Zhen Xu, saw Zhan Tianye.
The moment she saw Zhan Tianye, Yun Yueyin's heart clenched fiercely. Her eyes looked at Zhan Tianye with a hint of fear, especially when she felt his gaze sweep over her.
That glance felt like it was taking her life, pushing her fear to the brink.
Suddenly, she realized something.
She had no reason to panic at all! Li De had told her that she didn't need to fear Prince Ye exposing her identity.
Seeing Yun Yueyin's pale face, Zhen Xu asked with concern, "Zhenzhen, what's wrong?"
"Ah, I'm fine. It must be from sitting in the carriage for too long. I feel a bit unwell, but it's nothing serious," Yun Yueyin replied perfunctorily.
Zhen Xu was relieved.
Princess Ningde, standing nearby, saw Yun Yueyin's sudden pale face and the fleeting fear in her eyes. She sneered inwardly, then pretended not to notice.
Zhen Lin asked Yun Shu softly, "Miss Ning, are you tired? You can rest soon after we go in."
"I'm fine," Yun Shu replied with a faint smile.
She had slept the entire way, and it hadn't taken too long, so she felt no discomfort.
"That's good," Zhen Lin said, relieved.
Princess Ningde sighed inwardly. Her brother truly did not hide his feelings at all, showing meticulous care for Ning Ruan, fearing that Ning Ruan would suffer even the slightest bit of grievance.
But the current Ning Ruan didn't like her brother at all!
Ning De had a headache. How should she proceed?
Carrying their own thoughts, everyone entered the Royal Hunting Manor.
This place was equivalent to another imperial palace, with the living quarters built in an environment almost identical to the imperial palace.
Soon, the group from Prince Pingyang's mansion was arranged in a particular area.
Since there were many people, each family had a small courtyard.
However, looking at it this way, the manor was large enough.
The room assigned to Yun Shu was exactly next to Yun Yueyin and Zhen Xu's rooms.
After she put away her medicine chest, she sat down.
The room was not large.
It was in full view.
However, the sounds from the adjacent room could be heard clearly.
"You saw His Highness Prince Jin today. Do you regret marrying me? Zhenzhen, are you like those other women, thinking that His Highness Prince Jin is as handsome as a deity, unrivaled?" Zhen Xu asked Yun Yueyin.
Separated by a wall, Yun Shu could already hear Zhen Xu's jealousy from the other side.
As a matter of fact, Zhen Xu's jealousy was well-founded. Many years ago, Yun Yueyin had indeed harbored thoughts of marrying Zhan Tianye, but unfortunately, she had run away because she deemed Zhan Tianye to be crippled.
Yun Yueyin seemed somewhat helpless, but she still cajoled Zhen Lin, "Husband, how can you think of me like that? I will always only love you, my husband. How others are cannot shake my feelings for you! You are the one I love the most! Husband, please don't say such things again in the future."
Following that, Yun Shu heard sounds that made one's face flush.
Perhaps realizing that someone was next door, their voices were lowered.
Yun Shu, with a half-smile, toyed with her teacup. It seemed impossible to get a moment of proper rest.
She took out a book and flipped through it somewhat idly.
Although she held a book in her hand, she was planning in her heart that with so many people around now, it was not feasible to meet Zhan Tianye. However, during the hunt, or in the quiet of the night, it seemed possible to try.
Meanwhile.
The group from the Minister's mansion also arrived.
Qin Linglong was personally chosen by His Highness Prince Jin as his secondary consort, so the manor's servants paid special attention to Qin Linglong.
Qin Linglong saw the envious gazes from many people, and she slightly raised her chin, knowing that it was because of His Highness Prince Jin.
"What's there to be proud of! I want to see if His Highness Prince Jin is blinded by greed and now realizes that Qin Linglong is just a little slut, not worth liking at all," Qin Lingyue whispered fiercely to the Minister's wife.
The Minister's wife also could not stand Qin Linglong's smug demeanor and snorted, "Let's wait and see. His Highness Prince Jin might already regret it."
Qin Linglong heard the mother and daughter duo behind her constantly whispering. Although she couldn't hear clearly what they were saying, she could guess with her toes that they were merely jealous of her.
They might even be cursing her.
Even more so, they might think she would be disliked by His Highness Prince Jin.
She would absolutely not let the mother and daughter duo have their way!
She suddenly stopped and turned to face them, saying coldly, "Madam, Lingyue, the fact that you whisper to each other while walking will only make people think you have no worldly experience, and even mock you. It doesn't matter if you lose face, but I am about to marry His Highness Prince Jin, and I absolutely cannot be dragged down by you."
This statement stunned the mother and daughter.
It also startled Xiao Huan and Xiao Jia. They looked at each other; their young lady seemed to have transformed into someone else these past two days.
They heard such sarcastic words for the first time today, and it felt somehow wrong.
Qin Linglong did not care what the people behind her thought. She only felt that she had been too foolish before, and now she was truly living with understanding!
Sometimes, people must not confine their own thinking.
From now on, she would never allow herself to be so cautious again!
...
As the sky gradually darkened.
The entire manor was lit up.
The red light from the lanterns illuminated the entire manor.
Yun Shu pushed open the door and looked at the sky full of rosy clouds.
In a daze, she recalled the scene of the hunt in Dongning Kingdom, as if it were yesterday.
Suddenly.
A series of exclamations came from not far away.
The screams of women.
They sounded jarring and panicked.