Lin Yanxi felt a bad premonition rising in her heart.
Shen Yu saw this and also mounted his horse, following her out of the hunting grounds.
"Something happened to the Prince." Lin Yanxi felt a chill run through her body, and her eyes instinctively swept towards the Empress's tent.
The Empress and Shen Qingyun were standing outside the tent, whispering to each other. As if sensing Lin Yanxi's gaze, they glanced in her direction before nonchalantly shifting their eyes away.
"Yanxi, don't worry, the Prince will be safe," Luo Wanwan comforted her.
Shen Qingyun had suffered greatly in prison this time, and had also been deposed as Crown Prince. Now he was a prince without even a fief or official position. He would surely not let this go.
Lin Yanxi raced towards the outside of the hunting grounds, deducing that Shen Muzhou's carriage would surely come along the main road. Even if Shen Qingyun dared to act, he wouldn't dare do so on the main road.
The only place where he could act was off the main road, in a wild bamboo forest outside the hunting grounds. The terrain was complex and the trees were dense, making it the perfect place for a hidden attack.
There was still some distance from the hunting grounds to the wild bamboo forest, and she couldn't ride a horse.
"Luo Qizhe! Stop right there!" The voice of the Third Princess, Shen Huajun, was sharp and high-pitched, immediately drawing the attention of everyone around.
Luo Qizhe was dressed in a white robe with a bamboo-green outer coat, a jade belt around his waist, and a strand of black hair hanging down to his forehead. He exuded an air of refined elegance.
After the Third Princess called out in her shrill voice, he paused slightly. Nearby, there was a row of horses.
At the end of about a dozen horses stood Lin Yanxi, trying to untie the reins of a horse to go to the wild bamboo forest to find Shen Muzhou. Luo Wanwan, startled, quickly stopped her, saying, "Can you ride a horse? If you run out like this, no one can save you."
In Luo Wanwan's eyes, Lin Yanxi had always been a very clever and intelligent woman, but when it came to Shen Muzhou, all her calmness and alertness vanished.
Shen Huajun thought that Luo Qizhe had finally listened to her, and her anger had subsided by half. Luo Qizhe suddenly pulled over a horse, mounted it, and looked down at Shen Huajun from his high perch, passing directly by her and ignoring her presence.
"Here, get on," Luo Qizhe reined in his horse in front of Lin Yanxi and extended a hand.
Lin Yanxi hesitated for a moment. Shen Muzhou might be in mortal danger alone in the wild bamboo forest, so she couldn't afford to worry about anything else. She took his hand and rode away with him on the fast horse.
Luo Wanwan tugged at Lin Yanxi's sleeve and handed her a small bamboo tube, saying, "Shen Yu gave this to me. If you encounter any danger, set off this firecracker. He'll see it and come to your rescue."
This was Shen Yu's only gift to Luo Wanwan, meant to protect her.
She had been reluctant to use it, and hadn't had the chance, but she carried it with her at all times, treasuring it dearly.
"Thank you, Wanwan."
From behind them came Shen Huajun's enraged shriek: "Lin Yanxi!"
The woman's light apricot-colored dress fluttered and swayed on the horse's back, like the wings of a butterfly trembling up and down. Her small hands were placed obediently at his waist, and even with the bumps, she dared not take a single step out of line to hold on tighter.
Luo Qizhe asked from his horse, "Do you care so much about Shen Muzhou? Afraid he'll die in the wild bamboo forest?"
Lin Yanxi frowned slightly. Did this person know how to speak? "Die or not die."
Her tone was displeased as she muttered, "He won't die."
Luo Qizhe nudged the horse's belly with his heels, and the horse suddenly reared up, twisting its body violently. Lin Yanxi quickly found herself about to be thrown from the horse's back. She let out a startled cry, her small hands gripping his waist even tighter.
Feeling the soft small hands on his waist, he said, "Don't be afraid. If he dies, you can come back to Dongyang with me."
Lin Yanxi secretly rolled her eyes at him and deliberately squeezed him harder with her hands.
"Hiss—" He gritted his teeth and twisted his waist.
"I am betrothed to the Prince. Your Highness, please show some respect."
She was in no mood to joke with him, her eyes constantly scanning for Shen Muzhou's traces.
"Bloodstains!" Lin Yanxi pointed to the ground.
Luo Qizhe reined in his horse and said, "Go in the direction of the bloodstains?"
She stared at the bloodstains for a while, then pointed her fair fingertip in the opposite direction, "Let's search that way."
Shen Muzhou would never leave such obvious traces. If there were any, they would be to lure away the enemy.
However, the bamboo forest was vast, and it was difficult to discern directions. Having only a general direction made it hard to find their location. Luo Qizhe rode his horse for a long distance without finding any sign.
"Could the Night Watch have found them and left?" Luo Qizhe stopped his horse and asked hesitantly.
Lin Yanxi was also unsure. In her anxiety, she thought of the Gu worm on her waist. She took down the small glass bottle and tapped its body. The Gu worm inside emitted a faint light, somewhat like a firefly.
The Gu worm lit up intermittently. She held the glass bottle in her hand and tapped its body in different directions. Near a certain valley, the bottle shone the brightest.
She exclaimed excitedly, "They are nearby, go in this direction."
"Giddy up—"
Luo Qizhe galloped towards the location she indicated.
Soon, they saw a woman in ornate clothing cautiously peering outwards.
"They are there," Lin Yanxi shouted.
Luo Qizhe, riding his horse, kicked its belly forcefully. The horse suddenly became somewhat frantic, bucking violently on its back. She tightly held onto Luo Qizhe's waist.
Shen Muzhou was injured and had managed to bind the wound with clean clothes to stop the bleeding. Vigorous movement would still cause blood to seep out, so they had no choice but to hide in this cave.
As Luo Qizhe's horse approached, his gaze fell upon the pair of small hands around Luo Qizhe's waist.
His originally calm and unfathomable eyes flickered with a cold sharpness.
"Shen Muzhou, how are you?" Lin Yanxi was helped off the horse by Luo Qizhe, and as soon as she stood firm, she rushed over to check his injuries.
Shen Muzhou impatiently waved his arm and said, "I'm fine."
Luo Jingxin nestled beside him and dabbed his forehead with an embroidered handkerchief a few times, saying, "With me by your side, Your Highness will surely be safe and sound."
Her gaze swept over Luo Qizhe a few times and she said, "I didn't expect this matter to alarm His Highness. It shows how deeply His Highness cares for Xi'er, personally escorting her here on horseback."
Luo Qizhe shrugged and said, "After all, Yanxi's affairs are my affairs. It's a trivial matter."
Lin Yanxi rolled her eyes at him, "Luo Qizhe, speak properly!"
She wanted to say something more to Shen Muzhou, but he had a gloomy expression, as if he didn't want to talk to her much.
However, it was good that he was alright.
Lin Yanxi took out the firecracker from her sleeve and fiddled with it for a long time, but couldn't ignite it.
Luo Qizhe walked over and said, "You need to pull out the back part."
"Where is it?"
He took the firecracker from her hand, opened the small cover at the bottom, and a white string was revealed.
"Give it to me, let me try." She was quite curious about this little firecracker.
As they chatted back and forth, Luo Jingxin looked at them and said, "His Highness and Xi'er look very well-matched standing together."
Shen Muzhou said nothing. His silent eyes held many emotions: bitterness, vulnerability, loneliness.
He slowly shifted his gaze, his heart aching more than his wound.
After the firecracker was set off, Lin Yanxi and Luo Qizhe sat on one side of the cave, while Shen Muzhou and Luo Jingxin sat on the other.
Luo Qizhe looked at the horses outside and then back at her, asking, "Do you want to learn to ride a horse?"
Lin Yanxi's interest was piqued, "Yes."
"Then when we return to the hunting grounds later, I'll teach you."
She didn't agree immediately. Her eyes looked towards Shen Muzhou. His gaze was fixed on her, making her feel inexplicably guilty.
"Forget it, I don't want to learn."
"Why wouldn't you want to learn? Then what do you want to learn?"
The girl's bright, watery eyes cast a slightly wronged glance at Shen Muzhou's expression. "I don't want to learn anything."
Luo Qizhe followed her gaze across and saw Shen Muzhou's expression, then chuckled.
He was not discouraged and said, "Do you know there's a very precious snow mountain fox on the mountain? This fox is smarter and more affectionate than any puppy, and very loyal. Tomorrow, I'll catch a live one for you to play with."
Her almond eyes brightened; she was clearly very pleased. But thinking of Shen Muzhou's cold gaze, which carried a slight pressure, she could only say, "I... don't want it."
Fortunately, at this moment, Xiao Liu arrived with people from the Night Watch, breaking the tension. Lin Yanxi let out a long sigh of relief. "Let's go back quickly."
As soon as she finished speaking, she stood up, put her arm around Shen Muzhou, and smiled charmingly, her face full of eagerness.
"Hiss—"
Shen Muzhou frowned and gasped in pain.
Luo Jingxin quickly said, "Xi'er, you've touched the Prince's injured arm."
Lin Yanxi glanced at his arm and only then saw that her hand was on the wound on his arm. She quickly withdrew her hand, looking at him with remorse.
Luo Qizhe walked over and teased, "It seems the Second Miss is very good at taking care of people."
Lin Yanxi narrowed her eyes at Luo Qizhe. She realized that although Luo Qizhe appeared gentle and refined on the outside, he was actually a rascal who liked to tease people and was quite wicked.
When she looked back, Luo Jingxin had already taken Shen Muzhou and walked far away.
The group returned to the hunting grounds.
The imperial physician who had been brought along bandaged Shen Muzhou's wound.
The Emperor of Nanmin emerged from his tent and looked at Shen Muzhou's wound, asking, "How is your injury?"
The imperial physician bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I have bandaged the Prince's wound, and there is no serious harm."
The Emperor of Nanmin slapped the table in anger, "What do you mean no serious harm? Someone dares to assassinate my princes? Have they eaten bear's gall and leopard's heart?!"
"Night Watch!"
Xiao Liu, leading the others, knelt and bowed, "I am here."
"Go and investigate! Find out who the mastermind behind this is."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The imperial physician had often treated Shen Muzhou's injuries. Shen Muzhou had faced death countless times and suffered numerous wounds, big and small. Such an external injury was the least serious condition, yet the Emperor paid much more attention than usual.
It could be seen that Shen Muzhou was no longer just an ordinary prince in the Emperor's heart.
He said, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. This old minister will do his best to take care of the Prince and help him recover as soon as possible."
The Emperor of Nanmin glanced at him and gave a low "Mm."
"Little Nine, do you have any clues about the assassins?" Shen Yu asked.
Shen Muzhou knew very well who had made the move, but in terms of evidence, he truly had none.
He shook his head and said, "No. Let the Night Watch investigate this matter for now."
They chatted in the tent for a few words, mostly concerned about Shen Muzhou's injury, and then gradually dispersed.
The tent finally quieted down, leaving only Shen Muzhou. He heard some movement and looked towards the outside of the tent.
He found that the tent flap had been lifted a small gap, and a small head was peeking in.
Lin Yanxi stood outside, peering into the tent, "Your Highness..."