Upon seeing her clever and mischievous demeanor, with large eyes, soft skin, rosy lips, wearing a pink silk robe and a princess bun, she was incredibly adorable, like a sculpted little doll. Even Wuqing couldn't help but enjoy watching her.
"Octopus?"
Wuqing looked utterly confused. Little Yu'er immediately giggled, "You have a face full of darkness."
Seeing Little Yu'er's arrogance, Qingyao immediately snorted coldly. The small figure immediately stood obediently to the side and softly called out, "Mom."
Mo Chou and Wuqing in the room sighed in unison. Truly, in this world, there was always someone who could subdue another. Looking at Little Yu'er, no one in the entire Wuqing Valley feared anyone else, except they were afraid of her mother getting angry. If Qingyao so much as snorted, she would immediately become as well-behaved as a little dog, constantly wagging her tail at her mother with a fawning expression.
"Aunty Mo buried Aunty Mei in the peach blossom forest. Do you want to go see, Mom?"
Little Yu'er blinked her eyes, immediately changing the subject.
Mo Chou beside her immediately chimed in, "Yes, Miss, I've buried Mei Xin's remains in the peach forest. Do you want to go see."
"Okay, let's go see together," Qingyao said, looking down at Wuqing. Wuqing smiled and nodded. No matter where she wanted to go, he was willing to accompany her. However, he wondered how long such ordinary, happy days could last.
Wuqing's eyes held an boundless depth.
A corner of the peach forest now had a new grave, marked with a wooden tablet: Tomb of Mei Xin, the Most Loyal Maid.
Qingyao released Wuqing and quietly looked at the new grave, a smile forming on her lips. "Mei Xin, rest in peace. I have avenged you. This place is always spring, with birds singing and flowers fragrant; it is a good place to rest."
In the peach forest, the wind rose, and petals fluttered. Qingyao looked up, gazing at the overwhelming pink. Why did the peach blossoms here never wither? Turning to Wuqing, she asked, "Why do the peach blossoms here never wither all year round?"
Wuqing also looked up with her. His face, as beautiful as an immortal banished from heaven, seemed as delicate as a handful of snow amidst the falling peach blossoms.
"The valley is surrounded by swamps. The temperature within the swamps is warmer, which is why Master decided to plant peach trees in the valley. The soil temperature here is suitable for the growth of peach trees, warm like the spring breeze of March. Furthermore, the peach trees have undergone special treatment, so they never wither throughout the year. They only bloom and do not bear fruit; they shed their flowers and bloom again."
"So that's how it is."
Qingyao sighed. Mo Chou and Little Yu'er both loved this peach blossom forest; it was truly beautiful.
Mei Xin must have liked it too, Qingyao's gaze fell upon the new grave.
The group spent the entire afternoon in the peach forest. In the middle, Little Yu'er suggested having afternoon tea in the forest. Mo Chou prepared some tea and pastries. Time flew by as they drank and chatted, and in the blink of an eye, the sky began to darken.
Two lanterns were hung high on the intricately carved and painted pillars, their light casting a faint glow far into the distance.
There was no moon that night, only a dense spread of stars with faint brilliance. The night wind howled.
Qingyao escorted Wuqing back to his room and instructed Mo Chou to take Little Yu'er back to her room and not to run around.
Although they suspected Wen Yu might take Little Yu'er, no one expected it to happen so soon. Perhaps Wen Yu feared that the longer they waited, the more complications would arise. Just as Qingyao returned Wuqing and they had exchanged a few words, Mo Chou rushed in, panting heavily.
"Master, it's bad news! Little Yu'er is gone."
"What?" Qingyao and Wuqing exclaimed simultaneously, their faces turning extremely grim. They hadn't expected Wen Yu to make a move so quickly. Very well. Killing intent surged around Qingyao, and with a turn of her body, she walked outwards. Qingfeng, hearing the commotion, flashed in from outside and, pushing his master, followed closely behind Qingyao as they walked out.
Qingyao commanded, "Mo Chou, immediately inform everyone. Have Mo You take the children and hold up their lanterns. We must find Little Yu'er."
Wuqing followed behind her and said softly, "Don't worry. They can't get out. I've altered the formation in the peach forest. Escaping it is not easy."
"Oh, that's good."
Qingyao nodded. She had grown very fond of Little Yu'er. With her around, the valley was lively. Everyone was terrified of her mischief, but at the same time, they couldn't resist her small charm.
Within the peach forest, there was the sound of a formation being broken.
Wuqing and Qingyao's expressions changed. With a flicker of their bodies and a light step of their toes, they both leaped into the air. They plucked the lanterns hanging from the beams, one carrying a lantern, the other sitting in his wheelchair, and swiftly entered the peach forest. Upon arrival, they saw Wen Yu and his subordinates trapped within.
As expected, the Third Prince Wen Yu had Little Yu'er on his shoulder. Seeing her deep sleep, she must have been drugged.
Qingyao's face turned dark and cold, her lips pressed tightly together. An intimidating aura radiated from her, and her piercing gaze shot towards him.
"Wen Yu, I can't believe you would do such a thing. What do you want?"
Wen Yu faltered. Being questioned face-to-face like this made him feel incredibly awkward. He couldn't speak for a long time. Moreover, neither of them could break free from the formation. Wuqing, fearing he might harm Little Yu'er, immediately waved his hand. His broad sleeves carried a powerful gust of wind, knocking down a flurry of peach blossoms. The formation receded.
Their figures flashed, and they quickly surrounded Wen Yu and his subordinates.
Qingyao spoke coldly, "Wen Yu, put down my daughter immediately, or don't blame me for being impolite."
A fleeting look of pain crossed Wen Yu's demonic face. He actually liked Qingyao very much. In the beginning, he had even considered living a reclusive life with her, abandoning all political strife.
But now, he could no longer hold onto his past aspirations. He hadn't forgotten that he was the Third Prince of Yun Cang Kingdom, and the world would soon be in chaos. Could he truly abandon his country to elope with a woman? Such a man would be unworthy of being called a man.
"Qingyao, come with me. He is utterly unworthy of you."
Wen Yu's slender hand pointed at Wuqing, his voice deep, and a faint dark aura enveloped him. A demonic gleam flashed in his pupils.
As soon as Wen Yu finished speaking, before Qingyao could utter a word, the little girl who had been sleeping soundly slowly woke up. She opened her large eyes and felt a wave of discomfort in her stomach. She realized she was being carried on someone's shoulder. Enraged, her dark eyes blazed with a torrent of fury, and she cursed.
"Damn it, you scumbag! Look at you, pretending to be a decent human being, yet you dare kidnap me! I curse you, I curse your family, I curse your ancestors for eighteen generations! You were born without a mother to teach you, doing nothing but dog-like deeds. What a waste of a good appearance! Oh heavens, if you have eyes, you must punish this fellow, give him smallpox tomorrow, venereal disease the day after, and an incurable disease the next!"
In the darkness of the night, the small figure seemed like a shrew railing in the street, scolding Wen Yu relentlessly. He was so infuriated that he could only gasp for breath, glaring at the little girl in his arms, wishing he could slap her to death.
Qingyao, standing opposite, also broke into a cold sweat, afraid that Little Yu'er would provoke Wen Yu and accidentally cause trouble. She quickly spoke out to stop her.