Feng Yexuan remained motionless.
It was as if he showed no reaction at all.
Chu Qianli looked at his retreating back, which seemed to grow colder and colder.
The hope in her eyes slowly turned into disappointment.
Finally, she lowered her head, held onto the wooden pillar by the bed, and slowly put her legs down.
Just as she was about to put on her boots with her bandaged foot, before her foot even touched the boots, her body suddenly felt lighter.
She was lifted up!
Chu Qianli instinctively clutched his collar.
Outside the door, Leng Ji and several guards were waiting.
Fulong was also by their side.
Of the Iron Cavalry, over a dozen people, only he remained alive.
Seeing Feng Yexuan carrying Chu Qianli out, Fulong's eyes sharpened, and he immediately bowed with everyone else and said, "Your Highness!"
Feng Yexuan did not speak. He walked to the horse, lowered his head, and looked at the woman in his arms. "Are you sure you want to follow this prince?"
Chu Qianli tightened her grip on his collar and nodded.
In fact, what else could she do if she didn't follow? He wouldn't let her go.
Feng Yexuan knew this himself, but he still found it hard to believe that this woman was willing to yield to him.
Had she been truly terrified at Black Wind Ridge?
Holding the woman, he leaped onto the horse. The Prince's skills were still as sharp as ever.
However, after witnessing his martial arts at Black Wind Ridge, Fulong was no longer surprised.
In this world, there were always some people who were favored by heaven.
They were always superior in all aspects.
The kind of people you could neither envy nor manage to envy.
Feng Yexuan mounted the horse and had Chu Qianli sit in his arms.
He spurred the horse and commanded in a deep voice, "Depart!"
The convoy followed.
Fulong followed closely behind them.
From Thousand Year City to the Imperial City, it would take three days of continuous travel.
Now, with the Prince traveling so slowly, it would likely take five days to return.
Chu Qianli lowered her eyelids. At first, she tried to sit up straight, but later, she was simply too tired and couldn't help but lean into his embrace.
The moment her soft, small body settled into his arms, Feng Yexuan's eyes deepened, and he couldn't help but look down.
He couldn't see her expression; her small head was buried against his chest.
Her hand, clutching his clothes, trembled slightly at the fingertips.
No matter how strong she was, she was still just a young girl.
After witnessing those terrifying monsters, had her prickly defenses finally softened?
To be so soft in his arms, and willingly so, was something that had never happened before.
Feng Yexuan's expressionless face always made it impossible to discern his thoughts.
However, he still pulled open his robe and wrapped her inside.
His long arm circled her waist and pulled her closer.
His possessive strength declared his ownership.
Chu Qianli bit her lip and let out a muffled grunt.
The embrace was a little too tight, causing her breath to falter.
But fortunately, after that moment, he loosened his grip slightly, still holding her tightly so she wouldn't fall off the horse.
The force was well controlled, and she didn't feel uncomfortable again.
It was merely a warning that she could not escape his control!
Chu Qianli closed her eyes.
In her mind, she thought of what Fulong had said.
You might disdain using those methods to plot against others.
But you cannot guarantee that others will not plot against you.
The saying goes, the early bird catches the worm.
Are those who act later destined to suffer?
Women could rely on many things besides their own abilities.
Did she really have to walk down the path she disdained?
...
Five days later, they finally arrived at the Imperial City.
Fulong had to return to the palace to report, while Chu Qianli, being by Feng Yexuan's side, could not possibly enter the palace for the time being.
The Prince would not allow it.
Before leaving, Fulong took advantage of Feng Yexuan listening to his subordinate's report to quietly say a few farewell words to Chu Qianli.
"The Duke is still in the palace. Regardless of whether you are willing or not, if you want the Duke to be safe, you still have to rely on Prince Xuan."
"After returning to the palace, I will know how to explain to the Emperor. However, you will likely have to explain things to Prince Xuan as well."
"If you don't want to be controlled by others forever, then you can only become strong yourself. Ah Li, I await your news."
He also did not wish to be used as a pawn by the royal family for his entire life.
Having lost over a dozen brothers this time, Fulong's heart had grown cold.
The royal family was heartless, and the most heartless were the emperors on high.
Whether they could live well in the future would depend on themselves.
"Fulong." As Fulong was about to leave, Chu Qianli suddenly called out to him.
Fulong immediately turned back and came to her side. "What is it?"
"When you go back, tell the Emperor that you don't have any information, because only I went down the cliff, and your job was only to keep watch for me from above."
"You're going to take all the blame on yourself?" Fulong looked shocked.
If that were the case, the Emperor would definitely not let her go!
"That's right. Tell him directly that I have a lot of information, but I'm unwilling to tell you."
Fulong shook his head. "No, the Emperor will never let go of such a useful pawn. You will..."
"The Emperor wouldn't let us go anyway after we survived Black Wind Ridge. By telling him that, I just want you to remain in the Iron Cavalry."
Chu Qianli smiled. In the distance, Feng Yexuan and Leng Ji were walking towards them.
She had no time to explain, so she simply said, "Just listen to me, stay in the Iron Cavalry. I will need your help in the future."
Fulong wanted to say something, but Prince Xuan had already arrived.
He glanced at Chu Qianli again, then nodded and said solemnly, "I'll do as you say."
Fulong left, and Chu Qianli followed Feng Yexuan back to Prince Xuan's mansion.
In the mansion, a group of people were waiting to greet the Prince, and also a group of people were waiting to see Chu Qianli's misfortune.
This was because Eunuch Qing had arrived.
"Miss Chu, the Duke woke up today and wishes to see you. Please accompany this old servant to the palace."
Sitting on Feng Yexuan's horse, Chu Qianli's slender body visibly stiffened.
Her hand, without her realizing it, had clutched Feng Yexuan's collar.
Feng Yexuan lowered his head and looked at the small hand that had nowhere to go and finally clutched him.
Her hand was trembling, her knuckles turning slightly white.
She clearly wanted to exert force, but seemed to have no strength at all.
Finally, she let go of his hand. Before Feng Yexuan could make a move, she tried to dismount the horse herself.
Feng Yexuan's brow furrowed slightly, and he said displeasedly, "Did I permit you to dismount?"
"My grandfather is in the palace." Chu Qianli turned her head and looked at Feng Yexuan, biting her thin lips.
She wanted to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.
She just clenched her fists, clearly unwilling, but utterly powerless.
"Your Highness, I don't want to argue with you, but I have an urgent matter right now. I want to get down, may I?"
This time, she was very well-behaved, even docile.
Even Feng Yexuan could tell that she had no intention of arguing with him.
She was just very anxious.
However, his long arm remained around Chu Qianli's waist. He suddenly spurred the horse and rode directly back to Wuzhou Garden.
Following the sound of the horse's hooves, his voice, as cold as a glacier, rang out, "Did the woman who wants to see me ask for my permission?"