Xiao Chenyan was truly angered by Qing Wu's unrestrained speech.
Anger surged in his chest cavity, and beneath his palm was the woman's smooth skin, her hot breath exhaling into his palm with each breath.
That heat was like the person beneath his palm, invasively and unreasonably intruding.
The warmth snaked through his entire body with his blood, expelling all the Yin Sha Qi, and an uncontrollable desire surged within him, stirring restlessly.
Xiao Chenyan's gaze deepened, and as he suppressed it, about to withdraw his hand, she tightly grabbed it and pulled it down. He didn't let go, but held on firmly.
"Sorry, sorry, I was concerned about you, about your man's dignity. How about letting Situ Jing take a look at your wound?"
The veins on Xiao Chenyan's forehead twitched. He gripped her hand back, and under Qing Wu's confused gaze, he took a deep breath and said, word by word: "No need."
Qing Wu looked at him suspiciously, her gaze darting down.
Before she could ask, "Are you sure?", a killing intent washed over her. She nodded directly: "Indeed, it's just a minor injury, nothing to worry about."
It hadn't even drawn blood, and it wasn't as deep as the stab wound at his waist.
She had underestimated him.
Xiao Chenyan: "..."
His head throbbed, and he closed his eyes, turning around. "What business do you have with me?"
"I'm here to borrow someone." Qing Wu cut to the chase: "I don't trust the Capital Prefecture Magistrate's ability to handle this. Wang Yulang is in a bad situation."
"If it's too late, the person won't be saved."
Xiao Chenyan looked back, his gaze unfathomably fixed on her: "You seem quite concerned about Madam Mu's affairs."
Qing Wu knew he was suspicious. Her eyes were clear, and she didn't beat around the bush, asking directly: "Then will you help or not?"
"I will not help."
Qing Wu choked, staring at him in surprise.
The man's voice was extremely cold: "Mu Ying is a married woman. You brought her back to the Prince's Mansion, and you could use the excuse that she is an 'important witness'."
"The Prince's Mansion has no relation to her. Her son is missing, and helping to report it to the authorities is already doing more than enough. To mobilize more people to help would be overly eager."
Qing Wu pressed her tongue against the inside of her mouth. Touching the coldness in his eyes, it was as if she was meeting this person for the first time.
No relation?
Yes.
To him, Xiao Chenyan, Mu Ying was indeed an insignificant person.
She had misjudged. She still thought he was the same high-spirited Imperial Grandson from ten years ago, full of passion.
She saw the Iris Courtyard, saw the lantern in the courtyard, and thought Xiao Chenyan would at least remember their past relationship.
She had overestimated herself.
Why would she think Xiao Chenyan would love her by extension? No, perhaps in his heart, the Qing Wu, the little county princess of Marquis Zhenguo's Estate who died young in her previous life, was just an ordinary old acquaintance from childhood.
Those affections and past events had long been drowned in the years, their faces unrecognizable.
The warmth in Qing Wu's eyes vanished completely, but a smile crept onto her face. "Prince Yan is right. I was being presumptuous."
After speaking, she turned and left.
Seeing the coldness in her expression, Xiao Chenyan felt as if an invisible chasm had suddenly formed between them.
Her departure felt like she would never look back.
Xiao Chenyan's fingers twitched, then clenched into a fist. He watched her stride away.
Until her figure completely disappeared, Bai Sui finally entered, asking in confusion:
"Your Highness, you already had Doctor Situ Yong bring people into the mountain. Why didn't you tell her the truth?"
Xiao Chenyan's gaze deepened, and he remained silent. Only the warmth of the woman's lips seemed to linger on his right palm, grinding and tickling, refusing to dissipate.
It made his mood exceptionally restless.
Half an incense stick later, a guard rushed in to report:
"Your Highness, the Princess Consort has left the mansion with Madam Mu. They seem to be heading towards Infant Devouring Mountain."
"Nonsense!" Xiao Chenyan's expression darkened. He got up directly, striding out.
A carriage drove straight out of the city.
Hong Rui drove the horse outside, while Mu Ying lay inside the carriage, sleeping soundly.
Lu Qiao served beside her, cautiously stealing glances at Qing Wu, wanting to speak several times.
Qing Wu's eyes were closed, and an aura of "do not approach" emanated from her entire being.
It was more convenient for her to come out alone to find someone, but she was worried that during her absence, people from the Assistant Minister's Mansion would come and take Mu Ying away.
At first, she thought Xiao Chenyan wouldn't stand by and do nothing.
But now she wasn't sure.
What if this man found it troublesome and simply had Mu Ying captured and taken back?
In the end, he didn't trust her.
She didn't dare to trust him now either.
The carriage traveled outside the city for another dozen miles. The sky was already darkening, the Golden Crow setting in the distance, and the sunset clouds filled the sky like residual blood.
They traveled All the Way without stopping until the Great Dao disappeared and a forest blocked their path, forcing the carriage to stop.
Hong Rui: "Princess Consort, we've arrived at Infant Devouring Mountain. The carriage can't go any further."
Qing Wu directly lifted the curtain and stepped out, standing on the carriage shaft, gazing into the distance. She couldn't help but frown.
In the wind that greeted her, there was a faint, fishy smell, but ordinary people wouldn't be able to detect it.
Judge's Brush: "A Wu, this mountain is likely to have some restless things within it."
"I can smell it." Qing Wu's beautiful eyes narrowed: "The Great Mountain has a spirit. This mountain is adjacent to the Capital City, the place where Dragon Qi converges the most. It should be rich in Spiritual Charm."
"But the Spiritual Charm in this mountain is muddled, the fishy wind is causing harm, its divinity is gradually fading, it's quite strange."
"Infant Devouring Mountain, heh, it seems this name is not just a rumor."
Qing Wu had a plan in mind and said to the two women: "You two stay in the carriage and take care of Madam Mu."
The two women were stunned.
"How can that be? Princess Consort, perhaps only one of us should stay, and the other can accompany you..."
"No need."
Qing Wu shook her head, jumped off the carriage, pondered for a moment, and drew an iris flower on the carriage shaft.
Connected to the petals was a line of mysterious runes, a demon-suppressing talisman that Qing Wu had created herself.
"Remember, after the sun sets, do not leave the carriage."
"Don't pay attention to anyone who calls you."
"Even if it's me."
With that, Qing Wu headed directly towards the mountain path.
"Princess Consort—" Lu Qiao was anxious, but in the blink of an eye, Qing Wu's figure had disappeared.
Hong Rui was also helpless: "We should just follow orders. With the Princess Consort's abilities, we might just be a burden if we followed."
"Alright, but the Princess Consort is really concerned about Madam Mu. Isn't she Yun Houxing's daughter? By rights, she shouldn't care so much about Madam Mu."
"Who knows? Anyway, it's good that she's willing to help Madam Mu," Hong Rui said softly. "Madam Mu is Princess Qing Wu's cousin. If the County Princess were here, she definitely wouldn't stand by and watch her cousin be bullied like this."
Lu Qiao nodded vigorously: "We don't have a chance to repay the Little County Princess's life-saving grace, so we must help her take good care of Madam Mu."
As they spoke, the two women felt the ground tremble, as if someone was approaching on horseback, and in considerable numbers.
The two women looked vigilant. When they saw the familiar group approaching in the distance, like an army on the march, they were stunned, especially the person leading them...
"Your Highness?"
Xiao Chenyan reined in his horse with one hand and stopped. "Where is Yun Qingwu?"
Lu Qiao pointed towards the deep mountain: "The Princess, the Princess Consort went up the mountain alone."
Xiao Chenyan frowned. His gaze swept over the carriage shaft, noticing the vividly drawn iris, and his eyes narrowed.
He pointed at the iris: "Who drew this flower?"
"It was the Princess Consort."
Xiao Chenyan's heart tightened. An absurd thought resurfaced in his mind.
In the past, he had taught a little girl to draw irises, hand in hand.
It was too similar, almost identical...
"Leave two people to guard. The rest will follow me into the mountain!"
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