Chapter 219: Why Did Things Turn Out This Way

A fine, continuous rain!

The days of overcast rain had soaked the stone walls of the Wangong, and the grey-green curtain of rain hung outside the window lattice of the Queen's bedchamber like a shroud.

Her fingertips, stained with henna, dragged heavily across the velvet curtains, plowing five damp wrinkles into the fabric—this cursed weather made even her bone marrow reek of mildew, and it felt as if moss were about to sprout from the tips of her hair.

Fortunately, she had recently been trying to accept this feeling of decay; it gave her a sense of forbidden pleasure!

Today was different.

The maids were long accustomed to the Queen's habit of shutting herself away during the rainy season; at this moment, the two personal lady-in-waiting waiting outside the corridor did not even notice—the figure behind the layers of curtains was merely a puppet infused with blood energy.

The real Queen was wrapped in a cloak woven from night owl feathers, her dark red hair dyed flaxen with a Potion, and even her usual rose perfume had been replaced by the soap-locust scent common to washerwomen.

The sound of raindrops tapping against the stained-glass windows suddenly grew dense, and a reckless coachman drove a two-wheeled carriage out of the city, whose facial contours actually bore some resemblance to the Queen's chief guard, Lord Weisite.

The Queen inside the carriage felt as if she could hear the faint creaking of her own bones in the dampness, yet her mood was quite good, for a gentleman holding a Little Red Umbrella had appeared opposite her, though she knew not when.

The coachman Weisite's eyes flickered incessantly, as if he were deep in thought, completely unaware that there was one more person inside the carriage.

Deep within the mildew-like clouds, the muffled roar of thunder could be heard faintly.

"How presumptuous, Lord Viscount!" The Queen waved her hand lightly, and a layer of pale red energy enveloped the carriage cabin, then she rolled her large, watery eyes at the man who had appeared so abruptly. "You shouldn't be here!"

Gently stroking the Little Red Umbrella in his hand, Xie Yaoyao crossed his legs and shifted into a more comfortable sitting position.

"I'm just here to protect you! Sailina, I promised to save your life, remember? Haha!"

The Queen naturally did not believe Xie Yaoyao's nonsense and said crossly: "You know, I don't have time to deal with you right now!"

Even so, the Queen felt her breathing grow somewhat heavier.

This damned environment of being alone!

And this old woman's outfit she was wearing was also very inappropriate!

Suddenly, the Queen seemed to think of something; her gaze sharpened, and even her eyebrows almost stood on end.

"You don't mean to stop me from killing that little bitch, do you! Hmph! Have you taken a fancy to her beauty?"

Watching the jealousy and suspicion almost overflowing from the woman's eyes, Xie Yaoyao could not help but sigh once more at how well-behaved his own Xiao Anni was.

"No, of course not! I'm just curious how you'll make the Princess eat an apple given by a stranger."

The Queen looked at the man before her with suspicion again, as if trying to discern whether he was lying or merely changing the subject.

"Hmph! You shall see!"

And about a hundred meters ahead of the carriage, Aoruilian, riding a white steed, looked just like a Prince—if one did not mind his somewhat disheveled appearance from being drenched by the rain.

The disheveled Prince soon stopped at the edge of the Feicui Linhai.

The carriage certainly could not enter the forest.

Sure enough, Weisite, who had followed, also stopped the carriage.

"Your Majesty, we have arrived at the forest!"

The Queen elegantly pushed open the carriage door and stepped down.

"Damned weather!" She looked left and right, confirmed the location, and then asked: "Why are you the only on..."

Before the Queen could finish her sentence, the sound of horse hooves came chasing from behind.

Riding a brown steed, swaying unsteadily, was none other than Nie Yingying; anyone could tell this was a novice Knight.

Once the equally disheveled Nie Yingying arrived, the Queen began to issue orders.

"Alright, this is the most important mission to date. I need you to cooperate with me in the coming actions and not let that group of rude dwarves interfere with my plans; that is my only requirement!"

Weisite, standing to the side, heard the Queen finish her orders and immediately pleaded: "My mistress, please let me follow you as well; I will prove my Loyalty to you."

Who would have thought the Queen would not agree, but instead gave a disdainful laugh.

"Weisite, my guard! I have never doubted your Loyalty; what I doubt is why your strength has never shown any improvement!"

The Queen's words left the loyal guard stunned on the spot.

But Her Majesty the Queen naturally did not care about the feelings of a subordinate; after a twist of her body, the beautiful Queen in her old woman's disguise turned into a very cute red bat, flapped her wings, and dove headlong into the forest.

Aoruilian skillfully turned his horse and followed into the forest.

Only Nie Yingying had a somewhat ugly expression, but she still reluctantly drove her horse to follow; she felt the insides of her thighs must be chafed raw, and riding a horse was not fun at all.

A fine, continuous rain!

Not heavy, but annoying!

The scene, which had previously been filled with human voices and horse neighs, instantly fell silent, leaving only Weisite standing there with a grim expression.

Turning his head to look at the lonely carriage, Weisite also followed closely and ducked into the forest.

When everyone had left, Xie Yaoyao finally stepped out of the carriage at a leisurely pace, gently opened the Little Red Umbrella, and followed the others into the forest in a measured manner.

……

Ailisi's death left Baixue Gongzhu heartbroken; she did not just regard Ailisi as a guard or a subordinate, but as her good friend.

Last night, that powerful Astrologer had turned to ash right before her eyes, and Baixue Gongzhu had once thought she was a jinx, a cursed existence.

"It was me who harmed her..." Baixue Gongzhu buried her face in her knees, the morning dew soaking her skirt hem, "Everyone who gets close to me will... you too!"

"Ha! What curse can hurt a dwarf's muscles?" Geluomu's wild laughter sent sparks from the campfire flying, his hammer clanging against his helmet, and the sparks startled the night owl on the treetop, "Look at these arms! Even a dragon would come crying to its mother!"

"Geluomu is right, no one can hurt a dwarf." Buluomu wiped the ore dust from his shield, and seeing the little Princess's trembling shoulders, his copper-bell eyes softened: "From today on, we will leave three brothers at the camp every day—today, Duomu and I will stay with Fen'en to guard."

The dwarf brothers immediately responded to the second brother's suggestion. After all, protecting the Princess was important, but mining was the life of a dwarf.

The sound of pickaxes striking rock layers came from afar, and the other four had already headed toward the mine.

Fen'en silently added a piece of pine resin wood to the campfire, his blacksmith's apron still stained with sparks from repairing armor the previous night. When the warm glow washed over Baixue Gongzhu's crystal shoes, she finally raised her face and discovered three battle-axes crossed before her in the most solemn dwarf etiquette.

"Sworn by the Ancestor's Hammer," three deep voices echoed in the morning mist, "as long as the heart of the rock does not shatter, the dwarf's promise shall endure forever."

Baixue Gongzhu could not stop her tears from falling; she did not know why things had developed to this point.

A day ago, she was still the most beautiful and noble Princess in the kingdom, but now she was reduced to weeping in these mountains and forests.

Why?!

The King and Queen's stern and resentful faces kept circling in her mind!