Chapter 384: Your Highness, you're starting to smell fragrant again…

His actions were so intimate that even Li Qingluo felt a bit flustered.

"Your Highness, if someone were to see us…"

Duan Rongshi turned his head to look at Zhui Yu and the others not far away.

"If they can't even handle this small matter, what's the point of keeping them?" said the prince.

Not far away, Zhui Yu suddenly shuddered.

"You few, move farther away."

"At the slightest sign of movement, immediately lead the person away."

"Over there, keep strict watch; don't let anyone catch a glimpse of Your Highness and the lady!"

"Yes!"

Several figures scattered into the grass and vanished instantly.

Li Qingluo's heart was still pounding 'thump-thump'.

Although the two of them had already plighted their troth, they were still not properly named, and Li Qingluo now felt the absurd sensation of 'having an affair'.

Hiss—it really was somewhat stimulating.

But since things had come to this, Li Qingluo simply turned sideways and suddenly threw her arms around Duan Rongshi.

She pressed herself gently against his chest and sincerely said, "I know, you've worked hard."

"I naturally miss you in my heart."

"But in the future, could you let me know what you plan to do?"

"For example, this bandit suppression—could it be that I only learn of it from your triumphant return, just like everyone else?"

She lifted her head and gazed at him earnestly.

Her eyes even held a hint of pleading.

How could Duan Rongshi withstand such a Li Qingluo?

Was she actually acting coquettish toward him of her own accord?

He had thought he didn't like such clingy ladies.

But as it turned out, whatever preferences he had changed when they concerned her.

What is she like?

What kind of lady does he like?

Duan Rongshi raised a large hand and gently cupped half of her face.

He lowered his head to touch her forehead with a light smile: "Very well, I, the prince, promise you."

The two exchanged a smile; many words need not be spoken, yet they already surpassed countless words.

Suddenly, Li Qingluo twitched her nose.

"Your Highness, you're starting to smell fragrant again…"

She sighed helplessly, then thought: "But Zulya should also be suffering the poison's onset, right?"

Before the two could get intimate, Sha Wu rushed over first: "Miss, that Zhong Liulang has also gone to the opposite riverbank."

Li Qingluo immediately sat up straight.

She had already planned to give this person a beating again today.

But unexpectedly, Duan Rongshi spoke first: "Would you like me to let you watch a good show, Your Highness?"

Here, Cui Jiuniang and her two companions emerged from the woods, while the campsite remained calm and peaceful.

Only the empress had disappeared.

It is obvious that the crown prince's people had secretly taken Pei Zixuan to an unknown place and then informed the empress.

Cui Shiyiang was still very nervous.

Returning to her seat, she didn't even dare to go near her mother's side.

Seeing her like this, Cui Jiuniang felt it was truly shameful, so she simply took her away from the hunting grounds and returned to the Southern Mountain Villa.

"Ninth Sister, how can your courage be so great?"

"You really aren't afraid of my mother?"

"If my father were to learn of this again…"

Shiyiang anxiously paced back and forth.

Jiuniang, however, was still leisurely sipping tea: "Even if they know, what of it?"

Anyway, they never considered her at all.

Although it was for the sake of the whole family, Jiuniang's heart had already gradually turned cold.

She was merely a pawn of the Cui family… but who, even just one person, would truly consider her own life?

Seeing Li Qingluo struggle and carve out her own path, Jiuniang felt genuine envy deep down.

Thinking of Li Qingluo, she hastily rose and burned yesterday's letter she had written to her with fire, reducing it to ashes.

Their correspondence had never been interrupted.

Since Li Qingluo helped Cui Jiuniang call off her engagement to Li Kechuan, the two had privately become confidantes through secret letters.

Cui Jiuniang was then betrothed to the Duke Pei's mansion; although it sounded fine as a crown princess, she was actually a secondary wife.

Unable to control her own marriage, Jiuniang was naturally troubled.

But next month she will have to marry into the Duke Pei's mansion.

However, the Pei duke's mansion is dark and sordid; even there is a dungeon where shocking rumors of many female corpses have surfaced, and she has heard plenty of them.

How could she not have wanted to escape again?

But this person, Pei Jingzhe, truly has no fault to be found.

She secretly also set many traps for him, but he was not interested, not fond of gambling, and besides having no other bad habits, he was everywhere respectful and attentive toward the Cui family.

It is said that his work in the Ministry of War is also excellent.

He is the most promising young master among the younger generation of the Pei family.

A man like that is truly rare in the world.

Cui Jiuniang should have been peacefully awaiting marriage.

Until Li Qingluo sent a letter, asking her to help probe Cui Shiyinian about what exactly happened by the pool of Zhaohua Hall during the palace banquet on the fifth day of the month.

That night at the palace banquet, Cui Jiuniang also heard of two major incidents.

It is said that Pan Li was pushed into the lake by Princess Qin Yu and drowned, yet she was revived.

Also, the twelfth lady of the Pei Duke's residence was murdered and her corpse was dumped in the courtyard of the Pei Duke's residence.

Thinking of this, Cui Jiuniang felt restless and uneasy.

At first, the eleventh lady stammered and was unwilling to speak.

But how could she conceal it from herself?

Cui Jiuniang used a trick, and she honestly confessed.

The truth left Cui Jiuniang shocked.

Princess Qin Yu surprisingly possessed the Crown Prince's token!

And now, the noble lady Pei Zixuan also secretly admires the Crown Prince.

Li Qingluo's letter quickly came with a second one.

This time she asked her again: "Do you want to back out of the marriage once more?"

Cui Jiuniang obviously wants to!

Moreover, she wants to regain control of her own life and return to Fujian.

She even does not wish to marry any young master in Jinling City again.

These dragon‑versus‑tiger struggles, life‑and‑death contests, deceitful battles without bloodshed, are utterly detestable.

Therefore, she, Li Qingluo, and Pan Li coordinated inside and out, causing Pei Zixuan's exposure this time.

She guesses that perhaps another member of the Elder Princess's party is also involved.

As for whom Li Qingluo can persuade, she does not know.

Moreover, this was originally a favor owed to Li Qingluo.

It should have been returned to her.

Now, the Pei family is already in a difficult situation; after much effort, a noble young lady emerged from the palace, and it seemed she would gradually improve things.

But if this noble young lady were to fall headfirst, how hard would it be to recover?

Can the head of the Cui family, who is the eldest uncle of their main branch, see clearly this time and promptly pull this pawn of his out of the Pei family's wolf's den again?

On this side, Cui Jiuniang is weighed down with many thoughts.

On the other side, Li Qingluo's party has already rushed to the forest on the opposite bank of the river and spotted the bear.

It was an enormous massive brown bear.

Although it had been pierced by several arrows and even bound with rope, it was still struggling fiercely, madly trying to break free.

And it simply stood up, gave a casual swipe, and slammed the person who dared approach it hard onto the ground.

Then, with a kick, the person erupted in red and white blood.

The Elder Princess, enraged to the extreme, pointed at the brown bear: "Pull—"

"Give it to me, bring it down until it's subdued!"

"Wretched beast! You dared to take a life; today I will personally skin you myself—"

I must admit, the Elder Princess truly has a fierce spirit.

If she were a man, there would be no Duan Rongyin today.

Duan Rongyin, on the contrary, kept his distance.

Although he held a bow and arrow, he kept talking with the Crown Princess beside him.

A flash of disgust crossed the Crown Princess's eyes; it vanished quickly, but her impatience was already evident.

Suddenly, she turned her horse's head and, accompanied by attendants, left without looking back.

Duan Rongyin shouted uncontrollably: "Crown Princess!"

"Su Miaoyu! Come back to me!"

The Crown Princess rode her own horse and vanished from everyone's sight in the blink of an eye.

Li Qingluo suddenly thought that the Crown Princess might be an interesting person.

But this brown bear, clearly almost riddled with arrows, why could it still stand with such stubborn perseverance?

All things in the world possess spirit.

Whether human or beast, obsession always has a cause.

Li Qingluo, full of curiosity, rode with Duan Rongshi around to the side.

"Your Highness, what do you think that is?" Li Qingluo suddenly grabbed Duan Rongshi's sleeve, pointing at a small gap that occasionally appeared behind the brown bear.

It was the bear's den beneath an old tree root.

Duan Rongshi: "It's a cub."

Inside that den, there was indeed a bear cub.

Li Qingluo's heart was touched.

Even beasts know how to protect their own cubs.

At that moment, a huge "Boom!" rang out.

That brown bear was finally knocked down.

The guards immediately swarmed over and stabbed wildly at its neck.

Fresh blood spurted out like a stream in an instant.

A river of blood flowed beneath everyone's feet.

Li Qingluo gave Sha wu a sign, and Sha wu leapt into the bear's den in the blink of an eye.

Then, he scooped up the wolf cub and pulled it out.

"There's actually a bear cub?"

The Nanping Princess excitedly ran over, "I want it, I want it!"

Zhong Liu Lang asked flatteringly, "Your Highness, Princess, how about using this bear cub's fur to make a foot warmer for you for winter?"

Everyone laughed and chatted, feeling thrilled at having hunted down the brown bear and even captured a bear cub.

However, Sha wu deftly avoided the Nanping Princess and returned to Li Qingluo's side.

Duan Rongshi reached out, scooped up the bear cub, and held it in his arms.

"Older sister, could this bear be given to me?"

The Elder Princess waved her hand nonchalantly: "What's the problem? Just take it!"

Although the Nanping Princess was a bit disappointed, she didn't dare to go and snatch it from her Fifth Prince's maternal uncle's hands.

She could only stare longingly at that fluffy little thing, which ended up belonging to the Fifth Prince's maternal uncle.

Zhong Liu Lang muttered quietly, "It's just an animal. Do you really intend to keep this bear cub?"

Duan Rongshi: "Slap his mouth."

As his words fell, Zhui Yu darted forward and delivered a sharp slap that landed resoundingly on Zhong Liu Lang's face with a crisp 'pa' sound, right before everyone's eyes.

In the Marquis Wen Chang's residence, the Zhong family's sons, almost all of those who had come of age, held official positions in the court.

Thus, the Zhong family's power is now at its peak throughout Jinling City, an undeniably formidable force.

But unfortunately, Zhong Liu Lang didn't realize he had provoked the wrong person.

He had provoked Duan Rongshi, that Yama-like lord whom anyone would dare to kill.

"How dare you show disrespect to our Prince? Do you not want to live?"

Zhui Yu held a knife to Zhong Liu Lang's neck.