The group of carriages left the capital and galloped along the courier road. Prince Yue had been exiled from the capital, so there wasn't much of a commotion. There were only three carriages, traveling light and simple.
/p
This courier road had been built by the previous dynasty, so I didn't know how old it was. The autumn wind didn't seem to have reached this place. The trees on both sides were dense, and the chirping of cicadas was sparse. The swaying of the carriage made people confused, as if they had returned to the beginning of August.
/p
A small stream flowed by the side of the road, so clear that you could see the bottom. Since I had nothing to do, I lifted the curtain and looked outside. When I saw it, I was overjoyed. "We've been on the road for quite some time. Why don't we stop and let everyone rest and drink some water?"
/p
Prince Yue's voice echoed from afar. "Stop the carriage."
/p
The coachman pulled on the reins and brought the cart to a steady stop.
/p
Prince Yue said, "Let's rest."
/p
Everyone's heartstrings calmed down. Everyone glanced at the small stream, and they all put on their childlike appearances and went over to play. The calmer ones took out water bags and filled them with water. Prince Yue was the first to jump off the carriage. I followed closely behind, but I didn't grab his outstretched hand. Instead, I lifted my skirt and nimbly jumped off the carriage.
/p
Prince Yue's eyes were filled with anger. "You just left the house and you're already breaking the rules."
/p
I said, "The mountain is high and the emperor is far away."
/p
Prince Yue bent his finger and gave me a slap on the forehead. "Be careful with your words."
/p
I giggled and shrunk my neck. As far as the eye could see, there were green mountains and flowing water. I let out a long sigh of relief. Prince Yue beckoned to me, and I happily followed him. He found a large rock and wiped it with his sleeve. When it was clean, he sat down.
/p
He sat down, and I sat down as well. However, a prince was a prince after all. With a tug of his arm, I was pulled from the rock onto his lap. I exclaimed in surprise. Jiang Gui and Xiao Yu, who had originally intended to come over to serve us, immediately turned their backs and pretended to leave while chatting casually.
/p
I gave the prince a shove. "You're trying to kidnap a civilian girl in broad daylight?"
/p
Wangye chuckled in his throat and hugged me tighter.
/p
This man's muscles were as hard as iron. I couldn't break free. After trying twice, I gave up. I could only attack him verbally. "Do you want to die? Your face is covered by a mask. Others can't see it, but I still want to save my face!"
/p
People say that people with disabilities hate it when others talk about their shortcomings. I don't think Prince Yue is like that. He likes to joke about his shortcomings.
/p
Prince Yue said softly, "It's been hard on you these past two months."
/p
I was startled. I didn't look at the things in his eyes. Instead, I looked at the sky outside the capital. The blue curtain and white clouds made the sky seem even more majestic and comfortable. I pursed my lips. I wanted to say that it was nothing. But when I opened my mouth, my eyes felt a little sore. I simply closed my mouth and forced myself to look up. It was as if I could pretend that nothing had happened.
/p
Prince Yue said, "Why aren't you talking?"
/p
I said, "How should I explain it? Actually, if you want to blame someone, you can't blame anyone. Just like the second and third branches of the Tang family. They weren't Old Madam Tang's children. They just took the position of the Tang family's seniority. They didn't do anything evil. They were just greedy for small profits. But once they were convicted of treason, even if they were innocent, they would still be sent to prison. They couldn't escape the knife on their neck. What can they do? "
/p
The Tang family had nearly a hundred people. The first branch was the main culprit, but the number of people in the family wasn't that high. On the other hand, the second and third branches, Sun FanMao, didn't have a mother from Guan Zhongsheng Village. They also didn't have great political ambitions. They didn't even have the opportunity to step on the path of becoming an official. They just took advantage of the prestige of the Prime Minister's Tang family to earn some money. But when they were executed, they were implicated and their whole family was wiped out.
/p
I looked at Prince Yue and said seriously, "You have to do what you want to do in your position. You gave me the position of Princess and gave me power, money, and status. So it's natural for me to solve some problems. I don't have anything to complain about. "
/p
Prince Yue laughed softly. He shook my body and said to me, "The word 'reason' is something that can be understood by all living things. You are a person who understands reason, and I have always understood it. But in this world, other than the word 'reason', there is also the word 'love'. In my eyes, you are just a sixteen-year-old girl, a little wife that I will spoil. If possible, I really want to weave my own flesh and blood into a cotton net and wrap you in it. I want to protect you firmly and not let anyone touch you. "
/p
I said seriously to him, "Your Highness has such a heart. Even if I die of exhaustion, I will be able to rest in peace."
/p
After all, we were in a hurry. We didn't stop by the stream to rest for long. Instead, we went back to our original positions and hurried on. The coachman was an old hand. Every night, when the sky was getting dark, he would find a small town with people. He would run to the town and find a place to rest. Although the journey was hurried, he could still enjoy a little sightseeing.
/p
After seven or eight days of traveling, the taste of the dishes gradually became spicy. I knew we were not far from our destination.
/p
The coachman's somewhat guilty voice came through the door curtain, "San-ye, we have been in a hurry these past two days and forgot to tell you this. The roads in this area are all woods. It will take us two days to reach the next town. I am afraid we will have to sleep in the wild woods tonight. "
/p
When outside, Prince Yue called me 'Ye', but when I was called old, they called me 'Madam'.
/p
Prince Yue said, "Then give the order to start the fire."
/p
In my limited memory, I had never slept in anything other than a bed. Hearing this, I rubbed my palms.
/p
Prince Yue's words dispelled my enthusiasm, "You can sleep in the carriage."
/p
I was a little helpless, "I want to look at the stars and the moon outside."
/p
Prince Yue looked even more helpless than I, "You can only feed the mosquitoes and insects."
/p
I was sad.
/p
Prince Yue was a capable soldier. He trained the manservants in the mansion according to the rules of leading soldiers. It didn't take long for them to start a fire and set up firewood in a well-trained manner. Taking advantage of the fact that the sky was not completely dark, a few of them decided to explore the forest to see if there were any wild animals to eat.
/p
When I heard this, I was excited, "I will go too."
/p
All the young and strong men cast their gazes towards their master, Yue Wangye.
/p
No one could see Prince Yue's face, but the black Qi that had gathered around him could be easily detected. A manservant who had been with the prince for a long time saw the gloomy atmosphere and had no choice but to say, "Madam, how about …"
/p
Unexpectedly, Prince Yue compromised first, "You can go."
/p
I was so happy that I went crazy.
/p
Prince Yue continued, "But you have to follow me at all times."
/p
I nodded. Afraid that he would change his mind, I quickly said, "Okay, okay."
/p
Yue Wangye curled his lips into a smile and said to the surrounding youths: "Usually, I only taught you superficial martial arts and some wilderness marching skills. Today, I'll let you show it and let me see who is a capable person who can become a talent."
/p
Young men were young men. With just a few words, they were able to stir up the mood. They all shouted, "Okay, okay!"
/p
Yue Wangye pulled me up to Hongxing. The horse raised its noble head, and the reddish-brown mane reflected the blood of the setting sun.
/p
Prince Yue said loudly, "We will go first!" He squeezed the horse's back and shouted, "Hyah!"
/p
Hongxing neighed to the sky and galloped away.
/p
The wind whistled in my ears and the scenery on both sides flew past.
/p
Prince Yue laughed loudly in my ear. It had been a long time since he was so carefree and unrestrained.
/p
I did not know how much time had passed, but it did not seem to be long. My sharp eyes caught sight of a white creature. I pointed at that thing and reminded the prince, "Master, over there." Prince Yue also had a pair of sharp eagle eyes. He looked in the direction I pointed and held the reins in his hand. He changed direction and galloped towards the prey.
/p
Hongxing was a good horse and it quickly caught up with the prey. I estimated that the distance was about right and reminded him, "Arrow."
/p
Prince Yue asked, "What arrow?"
/p
I suddenly remembered that the prince did not bring any arrows with him when we set out.
/p
Prince Yue touched his waist with his right hand and I saw a cold dagger appear in his hand. He raised his hand and the dagger shot through the air like an arrow. The white creature whimpered and fell down as if it had tripped. Prince Yue secretly said, "Good!" He grabbed my waist and carried me horizontally. He flew down from the horse and rushed to the prey that had been killed by the dagger.
/p
I sighed and said, "Your Highness really is acting cool all the time."
/p
Prince Yue replied, "That is because you are always in front of me."
/p
I immediately blushed and scolded him, "Show-Off!"
/p
At this time, Prince Yue suddenly remembered to put me down, and pulled me to the place where the prey was. When we were on the horse, I did not see it clearly. I only vaguely felt that it looked like a rabbit. Now that I looked closer, it really was a rabbit.
/p
I approached it happily. "Little bunny."
/p
Prince Yue's smile was a little stiff. He squatted down with me and lifted the rabbit's ears to examine it.
/p
I poked the rabbit's huge and soft body with satisfaction. "This rabbit is really fat. This little thing is almost as long as an arm. I'll take you back for a sumptuous meal. You can even take care of the appetites of a few men."
/p
Prince Yue said, "Don't worry about the family. There is something wrong with this thing."
/p
I was puzzled. "What's wrong?"
/p
Prince Yue flattened the rabbit's body and turned its face to me. I immediately jumped up. The rabbit's face was indeed a rabbit's face, but its eyes were clearly human eyes!
/p
Because Prince Yue's dagger was stuck in its stomach, death fell from the sky. It died with its eyes wide open. The pair of eyes were still wide open, and it seemed to have double eyelids. When Prince Yue suddenly raised it in front of me, I was really stunned. Then, I was alarmed. Finally, I swallowed my saliva and asked him, "Can this thing still be eaten?"
/p
Prince Yue said, "Don't think about eating it yet. Take this thing back and compare it with everyone else's goods. Did this rabbit accidentally grow up to look like this, or did everything in the forest look like this?"
/p
I nodded.
/p
The sun was setting in the west and the darkness was wreaking havoc. It was as if the entire forest was filled with pawns of the night. At this time, the human-eyed rabbit was still swaying in front of me. Looking at it, I felt a chill in my heart and couldn't help but shiver.
/p
Prince Yue finally gave up on studying the rabbit. "It's cold."
/p
I told him the truth. "I feel scared."
/p
Prince Yue held the rabbit with one hand and took off his other hand to check the temperature of my palm. "It's so cold. Let's go back and warm up."
/p
I nodded and couldn't help but look at the scary rabbit again. Curiosity always makes people sad, and I can't help it.
/p
Prince Yue's ability to survive in the wild was not something to brag about. Just like an old horse that knew the way, he went straight back. In the camp, a few piles of firewood were burning cheerfully. I hurriedly called Gui Xiaoyu, and drank a bowl of hot spring water. Only then did I feel the chill in my body slightly fade away.
/p
Jiang Gui said, "Madam, what's wrong? Your face is as white as paper."
/p
I asked her, "Is there any movement in the surroundings?"
/p
Jiang Gui said, "There's no movement."
/p
Xiao Yu interrupted, "It's strange that there's no movement. Madam, this servant once went to the countryside with my father and brother. At that time, although there was a forest near the village, at night, we could still vaguely hear the cries of wild wolves and deer. But now, it's already late at night. The forest where we are resting is as quiet as a yamen hall. The quieter it is, the more uncomfortable it is."
/p
I nodded inwardly. The quieter it is, the more strange it is.
/p
The men who went out to hunt happily all came back without saying a word. They gathered around Prince Yue and looked at each other with a solemn expression. Prince Yue said, "I just went hunting with Madam and hunted a monster."
/p
The young men looked at each other and replied, "Prince, we also hunted a monster." Hearing this, one of them took out a human-faced rabbit. "That's it, Prince! We have never seen this thing before, but it's really scary. "
/p
Prince Yue also threw his prey on the ground.
/p
They also threw their prey on the ground.
/p
A few human-sized rabbits were thrown to the ground. Their eyes casually looked around, as if they were waiting for something.
/p
Jiang Gui, who was next to me, trembled slightly. She asked me, "Madam, what are these things? Are they rabbits? How can a rabbit's eyes look like that? "
/p
I couldn't answer her question, so I just kept silent.
/p
Prince Yue said, "This forest is strange. Everyone should be more alert tonight."
/p
No one dared to bring up the matter of more food. Everyone solemnly responded with a "yes" and returned to their positions, ready for battle. Prince Yue glanced at the coachman, who had just joined in the fun and then left to feed the horses. His expression became cold. He went forward and asked, "Old man."
/p
The coachman respectfully said, "Prince."
/p
"Old man often takes this road."
/p
The coachman said, "Yes, yes. This is the only road to Guan Zhongsheng Village. Not only me, but every coachman on the way back to Guan Zhongsheng Village will take this road."
/p
Prince Yue paused for a moment. He reckoned that this old driver would not dare to hide something that everyone knew from him. Thus, he believed his words and continued to ask: "Did that old man pass through this road?"
/p
The coachman respectfully replied, "Yes, yes."
/p
Prince Yue asked, "Is there any taboo on this road? Or is there any strange rumor?"
/p
The driver was on the verge of tears and directly said, "Your Highness, your Highness, the people on this road are either businessmen or lowly people who use their lives to travel. I've never heard of any high ranking officials or nobles coming to this remote and desolate place, let alone someone like your Highness and the other young masters who want to ride a horse and hunt in this forest." In his anxiety, he even forgot to disguise the way he addressed them.
/p
Prince Yue comforted him, "Old man, don't worry. I was just asking."
/p
He couldn't get any useful information from the coachman, so he ran to my side and sat down. He stared blankly at the pile of dead rabbits. I didn't dare to look at those things. I only dared to look up at the sky. Although the forest was strange, the stars were still stars and the sky was still the same.
/p
I said, "Your Highness, please don't blame him. Guan Zhongsheng Village has always been under the protection of the imperial court. It is said to be mysterious and unfathomable. Unless it is a businessman who takes risks to seek riches or a coachman who relies on his knowledge of the road to make a living, ordinary people wouldn't be willing to come here."
/p
Prince Yue said, "I know that there is nothing wrong with the coachman, but he is very strange. Although these things are not common, it doesn't make sense for our group to encounter them the first time we see them. We should avoid them. "
/p
I was also startled. "Your Highness, do you mean to say that someone is watching us?"
/p
Prince Yue sighed. "This is only my guess. But if it is true, it will be very troublesome. The enemy is in the dark and we are in the light. We have no other choice but to be alert. "
/p
"I am an expert in battle," I said, "but I am only curious about that rabbit with human eyes. How did it grow to have such a strange appearance?"
/p
Prince Yue shook his head slightly.
/p
With the moon above my head, I had a strange thought. "Could it be that a human and a rabbit had intercourse and thus gave birth to such a …"
/p
Prince Yue's voice sounded harsh as he interrupted me. "Humans are superior creatures created by Her Highness Empress Wa herself. How could there be a self-degrading evil creature who would do such a thing?" He paused for a moment and thought for a long time. Finally, he squeezed out a suitable word from his mouth. "Something worse than a beast."
/p
I muttered, "There are many beasts in the world. Intercourse with beasts can be considered a good match."
/p
Prince Yue rebuked me with a rare serious expression. "You can't speak carelessly about this matter."
/p
I nodded and sealed my mouth.
/p
Night quickly fell. Everyone was tired from the day's journey. His Highness and I hugged each other in the carriage and fell asleep. We found a mink fur from the luggage and used it as a quilt to cover our bodies. It was still warm, so we quickly fell asleep.
/p
I sleep very well, and rarely have dreams. When I fall asleep, I pass out without knowing anything.
/p
Ding Ling rang out beside his ear, and the sound of chains colliding rang out.
/p
I suddenly woke up with a start.
/p
When I opened my eyes, I saw that Prince Yue had also opened his eyes. His eyes were bright and clear. I suspected that he hadn't slept at all.
/p
Prince Yue put a finger on his lips and made a "Shut up" gesture.
/p
There was a noise outside the carriage. It sounded like the rustling of vines on the ground.
/p
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