Transmigrator meets Reincarnator

Chapter 346 to 350

Ch. 346 Stinky Tofu

Although Chu Lian felt her cheeks burning, she simply disregarded the fiery looks of envy and jealousy shot her way.

For this year's spring hunt, all the military officials residing in the capital, regardless of rank, were in attendance.

Included amongst these were Sima Hui, Captain Guo, Zhang Mai, Xiao Hongyu, and the rest.

He Changdi took Chu Lian out with him to greet their old comrades from the northern border army.

Xiao Hongyu was a troublemaking little fellow, so he had already skipped over to welcome Chu Lian before they had even reached the group.

"Good afternoon, Sister-in-Law!"

Chu Lian smiled at him in reply. Sima Hui was also on her way over to meet them.

Today, Sima Hui was dressed in a white riding outfit. She had a tall figure and a handsome flair to her looks, unlike most of the ladies in the capital, so she looked very eye-catching.

Sima Hui nodded courteously to He Changdi. When her eyes fell upon Chu Lian, they lit up.

"Lian'er, this riding outfit suits you very well," Sima Hui praised generously.

Chu Lian's silver-and-red riding outfit was indeed very complementary with her looks. The sleeves of the top were decorated with many butterfly bows, giving her a mischievous yet cute appearance.

Chu Lian beamed, her eyes curving into smiles of their own. She bobbed in front of Sima Hui and said, "Thank you for your compliment, Sister Hui."

Sima Hui bent her head down and whispered into Chu Lian's ear, "Let's go together later."

Of course Chu Lian wasn't going to reject her offer. She had spent quite some time with Sima Hui in the north. They were close friends now.

Before Chu Lian could reply, she was pulled back one step by He Changdi. He Sanlang stared at Sima Hui with a frostier expression than usual. He said, "No, Lian'er is going to be by my side."

Sima Hui looked up at He Changdi. A smile sprang to her lips. "Marquis Anyuan, you'll have to accompany His Majesty later."

He Changdi's expression grew even more thunderous at her words. She was right. As the administrator of the Department of Appointments, as well as the newly titled Marquis Anyuan, he would definitely have to spend most of his time by the emperor's side during the spring hunt. He didn't have the time to take care of Chu Lian in the meanwhile.

Chu Lian tugged at He Changdi's sleeve, smiling as she said, "Relax. Nothing will happen to me if I'm with Sister Hui."

The crease between He Changdi's brows had by now grown so prominent that it could kill a fly. He sucked in a breath and held it. When he looked at his wife's sparkly eyes, he found that he couldn't bear to tell her his true thoughts- that he was worried precisely because she would be with Sima Hui...

In the end, he had no choice but to leave Chu Lian in Sima Hui's care. Since the emperor had arrived, he had to lead his men to welcome His Majesty.

Not too far away was the living area marked out for the princes and princesses.

The crown prince was standing to the left of Prince Jin, while the fifteen-year-old Sixth Prince was to his right. The eleven-year-old Imperial Princess Leyao stood right behind the azure-eyed prince.

Behind Princess Leyao was Feudal Princess Anmin.

Right now, Imperial Princess Leyao was expressing her contempt. "Hmph! A poor Honoured Lady and a tomboy who can't find someone to marry her! As they say, birds of a feather flock together! Cousin Anmin, we'll have to show them what we can do later on."

Feudal Princess Anmin's reply was so light that even Prince Jin couldn't hear what she said.

He turned his head, catching sight of Sima Hui's tall figure from the corner of his eyes. His gaze rested there for a moment before he shifted it away.

When the Chengping Emperor arrived, dressed in a dark navy riding habit, everyone respectfully bowed or bobbed in welcome.

Due to their status, Chu Lian and Sima Hui were positioned in the outer rings of the entourage.

The emperor was surrounded by so many of his courtiers and nobles that Chu Lian could only see the top of his head from where she was standing.

While the two of them were bent at the waist, Sima Hui asked in a strange tone, "Lian'er, why does it feel like His Majesty is looking our way?"

Chu Lian didn't believe her and rolled her eyes in amusement.

"There are so many people around, why would His Majesty look at us? I wasn't even expecting to be invited. I'm not really related to the imperial family after all, and my title is the lowest-ranked Honoured Lady."

Chu Lian's words made Sima Hui frown. "Lian'er, make sure you don't leave my side later."

This was indeed a little out of the ordinary. Chu Lian didn't have any more knowledge of what was to come. It would be best to be careful in everything she did.

Once the officials from the Ministry of Rites finished the opening ceremony for the spring hunt, the emperor led all the participating members off in a grand procession.

Chu Lian and Sima Hui were riding near the middle of the large group, together with many of the other noble ladies.

Although Royal Princess Duanjia wanted to ride with the two of them, she had no choice but to ride up front with Princess Wei, Imperial Princess Leyao, and the rest of the imperial family members due to her special identity.

At the back of the group were the carriages holding their luggage and servants.

The imperial hunting grounds were located in the outskirts of the capital, so it wasn't too far away. They would likely arrive before 2pm.

He Changdi, Xiao Bojian, Heir Zheng, along with the various princes, nobles, and young noble sons all followed by the emperor's side.

Their proximity to the emperor was normally arranged by seniority and rank, but for some reason, the emperor had specially picked He Changdi to be by his side today.

Since the emperor had named him personally, He Sanlang had no choice but to accept. He controlled his mount and stayed at least half a horse's length behind the emperor. The emperor didn't speak at first, he simply remained silent with a cool and stony expression on his handsome face.

"He Sanlang!"

"Your Majesty, this humble official is here."

The edges of the emperor's lips curved upwards. "It's rare for us to have this chance to talk. Tell us of the sights and scenes of the northern border in Liangzhou."

He Changdi didn't dare to tarry in front of the emperor. After his experience in his past life, He Sanlang understood how the emperor was as a ruler.

He was clear with his rewards and punishments and ruled over the country with a fair hand. He could be deemed a wise ruler. He had a secret spy corps under his control that would seek out underground information for him and listened to his orders alone.

The identities of the emperor's spies were a mystery, and any information about the corps was deeply hidden. Even the crown prince had no clue about what the secret spy corps did.

Sometimes, He Changdi suspected that the emperor knew about almost every secret in his lands, but he simply kept quiet about his knowledge.

His knowledge might pertain to the major politics going on in the background with his courtiers, or be as minor as the battles between legitimate and illegitimate children in the rear courts of his nobles' estates.

Thus, it was best to speak truthfully with as many details as possible in front of the emperor. If one tried to boast or exaggerate, they would likely die in a mysterious way one day.

He Changdi picked out some incidents and began to speak about his experience in the north. They were all little stories which didn't focus on any person in particular.

He couldn't tell what the emperor was thinking from his expression.

The emperor suddenly tugged on the reins of his mount. He held his soft riding whip aloft and set it down against the flank of his horse, which immediately responded by breaking into an all-out gallop.

The guards and courtiers surrounding the emperor immediately urged their own steeds to follow.

For some reason, the emperor seemed to be in the mood for a fast ride. His horse sped on faster and faster, until only his guards and the few courtiers with better horsemanship like He Changdi could keep up.

The party had dwindled down to only ten in number.

Worried, He Lin gave the emperor a reminder. "Your Majesty, perhaps it would be better to wait here for now; the princes and princesses have yet to catch up."

There were only ten people here with the emperor right now. If any assassins were lying in wait, they likely wouldn't be able to escape with their lives intact.

The Chengping Emperor's gaze wandered over their surroundings, with no indication that he had heard He Lin's words.

He finally pulled at the reins and slowed his horse down.

The emperor cast a sideways glance at He Changdi, who had maintained the same distance from him all this time, with a new glint of satisfaction in his eye.

The ones remaining here were all the emperor's trusted subordinates and guards. He wouldn't have to worry about anything he said now spreading elsewhere.

As if realizing the emperor's intentions, a chill sprang up in He Changdi's heart. Even after living an entire lifetime before, he couldn't help but get nervous.

Earlier, the emperor had urged his steed into a gallop on purpose. He had likely been counting on the fact that He Changdi could keep up in order to lure him into this situation.

He Sanlang held on to his reins with one hand, his eyes cast downwards and his mind on full alert.

Suddenly, the emperor said, "When did you get married?"

The strange question made He Changdi freeze up for an instant, but he quickly replied, "The end of August last year."

"We heard the Empress Dowager mention this before, in the sense that your marriage with Jinyi was personally decreed by her. It was something that your grandmother entered the palace to request."

He Changdi's eyes turned dark. Why had the emperor dug up news about his marriage?

"Yes, this humble official's marriage was indeed arranged for by Grandmother and the Empress Dowager."

"Why a lady from the Chu Family then? With your status, you had better choices." While there wasn't any change in the Emperor's expression, his tone had become more stern, even carrying a trace of unhappiness.

Although He Changdi could sense that the emperor was hiding his anger, he didn't understand the source of it. He couldn't say any falsehoods at this point, either; he could only speak the truth.

"Your Majesty must have heard about our He Family's problems. We have too few family members. Grandmother pleaded for a Chu Family bride for this humble official after hearing of their reputation."

"Their fertility?"

He Changdi remained silent in agreement.

The emperor harrumphed. That one sound was enough to make everyone present break out into a cold sweat and wish that they could put some distance between them.

Accompanying the emperor was like playing with a tiger, as the saying went.

The emperor's mood had suddenly changed for the worse after a few questions about Marquis Anyuan's family. They all had confused expressions. No one could understand why the emperor was suddenly so unhappy.

Amongst all the emperor's followers, it was He Lin whose expression ranked as the weirdest.

He Lin was the only person other than the emperor who knew the truth.

Pity welled within He Lin. He glanced over at the oblivious Marquis Anyuan, lighting a candle in prayer for the marquis.

He had married a princess, yet he didn't know how to treasure her. He even said it right in front of the emperor that he had only wanted her as a tool for giving birth to the next generation. In the entire dynasty, only Marquis Anyuan had that kind of daring! Thumbs up! This He Lin admires you!

After a long period of silence, the emperor spoke once again.

"Since it was for the sake of carrying on the next generation, why were you dissatisfied with your bride after the wedding? Why didn't you consummate your marriage and leave the estate directly?"

The emperor's previous questions had only been on the level of gossip, which could be heard from anyone around. However, the emperor had just revealed that he knew about every single detail of their lives down to the most well-hidden facts...

The secret spy corps was indeed a terrifying department.

He Changdi was trying his best to hide the utter shock in his mind.

The gears in his head turned furiously. However, when faced with such a hot potato of a question, he didn't know how to answer.

What exactly was he supposed to say?

Was he supposed to tell the emperor straight out that he had reincarnated into this life again? That he knew exactly what his newlywed wife 'Chu Lian' was like, that she was a wicked woman who had betrayed him? How he hated her to the core and how he couldn't possibly have consummated their marriage?

If he really said the truth, no one would believe him and might even think him mad.

Any explanation that touched on the supernatural would give him a straight path to ruin. He Changdi had no intention of speaking the absolute truth.

"Your Majesty is wise. It was this humble official who didn't see clearly in the past."

The expression on the Chengping Emperor's face turned even more sour upon receiving such a vague answer from He Changdi.

He cast a cold glance over the young man behind him, obvious disappointment in his gaze.

"Do you think that Jinyi isn't good enough for you?"

Alarm spiked in He Changdi. He didn't understand why the emperor would have such thoughts.

He Sanlang shook his head resolutely and said, "This humble official has never thought so."

The emperor didn't continue his line of questioning, but he had already completed his evaluation of He Changdi as a man of ability.

From the day of He Changdi and Chu Lian's wedding, to He Changdi's time in the northern border army, to the great victory over the Tuhuns, the emperor had sent out his spies to dig out all the details of their lives these past few days.

There was no way to hide anything from the fearsome spy corps if they were determined to dig out all details.

The letters Chu Lian had sent to He Changdi, the hint to join under Captain Guo's banner, the beef jerky and snacks, as well as the grape wine that Chu Lian had passed on to He Changdi via courier...

As well as the grape wine being the reason he had caught Great General Qian's eyes.

Following that, the spy corps had also reported about how Chu Lian had opened Guilin Restaurant and how she had found Great Doctor Miao in order to treat Countess Jing'an's illness.

In the most critical period, when there was no one available in the Jing'an Estate, how Chu Lian had volunteered to go to the northern border herself to help He Changdi find the last important ingredient needed for the medicine: the Snow Mountain Mists flower.

All the way down to the design of the snowboats and their making...

Listing down all of the incidents like this, Chu Lian had done many things behind the scenes for He Changdi. She had also somehow saved Royal Princess Duanjia and made friends with Prince Wei's Estate.

Behind every part of He Changdi's success was Chu Lian's shadow.

Perhaps He Changdi had only seen her value after Chu Lian had done so much, and finally acknowledged her position as his legitimate wife and consummated their marriage upon returning to the capital.

That was how the emperor thought in his mind.

It was also precisely because of all this information that the spy corps discovered the emperor's impression of He Changdi's person was... extremely bad.

In the emperor's heart, He Changdi wasn't fit to be the husband of his and Ye Xun's precious daughter.

The gaze he directed into the distance grew icier.

"Did you think up the snowboats by yourself?" He Sanlang heard the emperor ask coldly.

He frowned and replied without any hesitation, "Replying to Your Majesty, this humble official did not. It was this humble official's wife who came up with the snowboat's blueprints and the actual snowboats."

Great General Qian had credited He Changdi as the creator of the snowboat in order to give him extra merits in his military report.

Other than He Changdi, Chu Lian, and a few of her trusted subordinates, no one else knew that the snowboat had any relation to Chu Lian.

Later on, Chu Lian had told He Changdi to take the snowboats to the northern border camp.

Chu Lian had wanted to keep a low profile, so she herself requested to keep the matter a secret.

Thus, when Great General Qian reported the matter, all credit naturally fell onto He Changdi.

Chu Lian didn't care much about such minor details, and their relationship had already changed after that, so she didn't mind it at all.

Unfortunately, this minor matter was completely different in the eyes of a doting and remorseful father.

From the emperor's point of view, he thought that He Changdi had stolen Chu Lian's credit. He had even suspected that He Changdi had earned his title mostly through Chu Lian's own efforts.

He had assumed that He Changdi wouldn't admit to the theft, but He Changdi had surprised him by admitting so readily that it had been Chu Lian who had come up with the snowboat.

The emperor's feelings were now slightly complicated.

He didn't ask He Changdi anything else as they waited for the rest of the hunting party to catch up with them. Other than the sound of their horses' hoofbeats, silence surrounded them, making the atmosphere heavy.

He Changdi was starting to realize that the emperor wasn't happy with him because of Chu Lian, but he couldn't guess at what the relation between the two of them was.

They had set off so happily in the morning, but now that they were close to the imperial hunting grounds, everyone could sense the emperor's gloomy mood, especially the emperor's attendants and bodyguards. They didn't dare to make a sound, even when they were retrieving items from their saddlebags.

They finally arrived at the hunting grounds, where tents had been set up for the hunting party.

Since they were to spend the night on the grounds itself, there were already tents erected all over the area. Of course, the emperor's tent was the most eye-catching and luxurious.

The princes' tents were placed around the emperor's tent.

Only Imperial Concubine Wei had been invited, out of the entire inner palace, so Imperial Concubine Wei and the princesses were situated behind the emperor's tent.

The next ring of tents belonged to the more influential officials, nobles, and military officials.

House Anyuan's tent wasn't too far away from the center, nor too close to the edges. It had a good position somewhere in the middle of the entire party. There was also a natural pool not too far away.

The water in the pool was crystal-clear and pure. They could drink straight out of the pool.

Sima Hui's tent was right next to Chu Lian's, just twenty or so metres away.

Since it was already 12 in the afternoon, when the emperor entered the hunting grounds, he headed straight to his tent to rest. The imperial cooks had already prepared a luxurious meal for the emperor.

The rest of the hunting party dispersed to their own tents for some rest.

The emperor would only bring everyone out to hunt later, closer to evening.

There were still 4 hours until that time.

Chu Lian had only brought Wenqing and Wenlan this time.

They were riding in the carriage with all of their clothes.

By the time Chu Lian and He Changdi had arrived at the camp, they had only just arrived mere minutes earlier.

One of their stewards steered the carriage and parked it next to their tent.

Chu Lian ordered Wenqing and Wenlan about as they unpacked the things they had brought with them.

The steward and two guards were helping to unload the luggage off the carriage. As they saw what their marchioness had packed, the old steward couldn't help the twitch that developed in the corner of his mouth.

Just look at all this!

A specially made metal wok, a strange metal rack with unknown purpose, all sorts of ingredients that a hunting ground would lack, seasonings he had never heard of, jerky, fruits, desserts...

Of the luggage they had brought in that one carriage, half of it was food... As for the other half, they were all things to cook food...

In comparison, look at what the noble madam over there had brought: clothes, accessories, incense, all sorts of furnishings...

The old steward bowed his head in shame, resigned to his fate. He continued helping his noble madam move all sorts of food-related items into the tent.

However, the foodies staring at Chu Lian and He Changdi's tent didn't share the same thoughts.

Before they had even started preparing the meal, there was already a table full of guests in Chu Lian's tent...

Sima Hui and Royal Princess Duanjia were to be expected, since they were both ladies. However, what was with Great General Qian and Old Duke Zheng inviting themselves in? What were these two old beardies doing here?

Captain Guo, Xiao Hongyu, and Zhang Mai didn't have any space to sit.

However, they would rather stand than leave.

Royal Princess Duanjia rolled her eyes.

"Chu Liu, tell your servants to cook a little less, just enough for our table to eat. Ignore those gluttons standing over there."

Xiao Hongyu hadn't eaten breakfast in the rush to leave this the morning. As a young man, he couldn't bear with the hunger and was starving by now. Royal Princess Duanjia's words only made him feel even more stubborn.

Unfortunately, due to the princess' status, he couldn't respond to her provocation.

Chu Lian didn't know whether to laugh or cry looking at the tent full of guests.

For the nobles settling into the hunting grounds, they had brought their servants to cook their meals.

The emperor's meals were taken care of by his attendants, but for the three soldiers, they had to take care of their own meals. It was only if the emperor specially ordered a feast to be held that they would be able to gather for dinner.

Looking at the number of guests, the maidservants they had brought wouldn't be enough.

The sight that first greeted He Changdi when he entered their tent was their table full of guests. His expression immediately turned overcast.

However, he couldn't say anything with Old Duke Zheng and Great General Qian around, since their statuses were greater than his.

Chu Lian looked at the ingredients that the steward had brought and wondered what to cook.

Luckily, the steward had packed extra food just in case, otherwise there might not have been enough to feed this group of gluttons.

Since there were so many people present, Chu Lian told Wenqing to grill some lamb chops and prepare a large pot of sour beef stew.

The sour beef stew contained a lot of mushrooms and vegetables. It was very appetising when paired with white rice.

It was the best dish for a large party like this.

Since they were in the wilderness, they could prepare simple dishes without being too fussy about the presentation.

As Wenqing and Wenlan worked on the lamb chops and sour beef stew, Chu Lian continued looking through the ingredients they had brought.

She lifted the cloth covering a small bamboo basket.

When she saw what was inside the basket, Chu Lian's eyes lit up.

Stinky tofu!

This was what she had made a few days ago with the maidservants when she was bored.

Since it couldn't be stored for long, the cook managing Songtao Court's kitchen had packed it in when the steward had told her to prepare ingredients for the trip.

Chu Lian loved to eat fried stinky tofu the most back in the modern era, especially Changsha's special stinky tofu. The stinky tofu would be perfectly crisp once prepared properly. In order to make it Changsha style, she just had to spread a layer of bright red chilli paste on the outside. If you bit into it, it would be crispy and fragrant, with the perfect crunchiness on the outside and soft tofu on the inside.

While it still stunk to high heaven, it was addictive once you got past the smell and took the first bite.

Stinky tofu was a pretty marvelous food when you thought about it.

Chu Lian stared at the pieces of stinky tofu in the little bamboo basket and frowned.

If she didn't use them up today, it would likely spoil.

Wasting food was criminal.

The weather was slowly warming up again. Fresh foods would spoil faster now.

Furthermore, she hadn't eaten stinky tofu in a long time and she had been craving for it for so long. She checked the time and realized
 that there was still enough time before the spring hunt to cook the stinky tofu.

After a slight moment of hesitation, Chu Lian made her decision.

She took up the little basket and moved over to the stove where Wenqing and Wenlan were preparing food.

Wenlan was in the middle of seasoning the lamb chops.

Seeing that her master had come over, Wenlan quickly set down the things in her hands and welcomed her, taking the little basket from her master's delicate hands.

She even said, "Third Young Madam, please rest and leave all the work to us servants."

Chu Lian couldn't resist bursting out into laughter. "You and Wenlan won't be able to do this."

Wenlan refused to admit defeat. She and her sister had been serving Third Young Madam for so long, and Third Young Madam had never been stingy with sharing her cooking techniques with her handmaids. How hard could making a few dishes for their guests be?

Wenlan blinked and looked at the basket that she was now holding. "Third Young Madam, what's in here?"

Chu Lian noticed her curiosity. A mischievous glint passed through her eyes. "If you want to know, why don't you open it up?"

Ch. 347 How Stinky!

Although the expression in Third Young Madam's eyes was a little strange, Wenlan didn't think too much of it.

She paused for an instant before flipping open the cloth covering the basket.

The refreshing spring wind blew past, helpfully spreading the sour smell from the contents of the basket.

Wenlan immediately pinched her nose with her free hand and held the basket as far away from herself as she could. Aggrieved, her voice came out nasally as she asked Chu Lian, "Third Young Madam, what's this! Why is it so stinky? Has it gone bad on the way here?"

Chu Lian giggled and took the basket from Wenlan's hand. "It's not spoiled; it was like this from the start."

"Ah?" Wenlan didn't dare to stop pinching her nose. She stared at Chu Lian with wide, shocked eyes, unable to imagine how something so smelly could be food.

"Are you sure this is still edible? It's all black and it smells terrible..." The smell alone was enough to drive anyone a thousand miles away in fear, let alone put it in their mouths.

Chu Lian let out a mysterious smile. "Don't judge things by their covers. Once you have a taste of this, you'll be hooked immediately!"

Although Wenlan didn't reply, still in disdain over the stinky tofu in the basket, the blatant curiosity in her eyes betrayed her.

Wenlan watched as Third Young Madam earnestly washed her hands, as if she was really about to cook the stinky tofu. At the sight, Wenlan couldn't help but say, "Third Young Madam, perhaps you should save this dish for another time? We've already prepared enough food for the meal today."

Wouldn't Old Duke Zheng faint if they served such a foul-smelling dish to him?

Considering that the stinky tofu's smell really wasn't for everyone, Chu Lian thought for a bit before saying, "Alright, I'll just cook enough for myself then. Don't serve it to the tent."

Wenqing and Wenlan hurriedly agreed.

They had brought a specially made furnace with them. The furnace was fuelled by charcoal, and there was a custom-made steel wok on top of it.

Chu Lian poured the oil she had prepared into the wok and heated it up. Now it was time to fry the stinky tofu.

The stinky tofu had been chopped into blocks around the size of half her palm. She used a pair of chopsticks to place them carefully into the pool of oil.

When the black tofu entered the golden oil, bubbles formed around the blocks. Soon, the tofu spread out and expanded. Once the outer layer was fried to a golden crisp, it was time to scoop it out.

Since this was purely to satisfy her own cravings, Chu Lian only made a small dish of them, four pieces in total.

She carefully placed the four black and gold pieces of stinky tofu onto a clean, white porcelain dish. Finally, she poured the sweet and spicy chilli paste she had prepared earlier over the tofu.

Other than being a little stinky, the tofu actually looked rather delicious.

The black mixed with red was visually appealing, and there was a certain fried fragrance to it as well.

Wenlan stared with her mouth slightly agape at Chu Lian's familiar actions.

She had thought that Chu Lian had just been kidding. Who could have expected that Third Young Madam would really use that disgusting stinky tofu as a dish? Somehow, it even looked good after plating...

For some reason, the strange smell billowing towards her gave her the urge to have a taste...

Chu Lian didn't have any spare time to care about what Wenlan was thinking. She took up a clean pair of chopsticks and hurriedly picked up a piece of tofu. Then, she blew on it to cool it down before placing it into her mouth.

The unique fragrance of stinky tofu spread across her taste buds. The moment she bit into it, the combination of the gentle taste of the tofu, the crispy exterior, the saltiness of the seasoning, the oil, as well as the spiciness of the chilli paste, brought a whole new kind of experience to her. That kind of taste could make anyone hooked by the first bite and leave them wanting for more.

Chu Lian chewed happily with her cheeks slightly puffed like a hamster. The satisfaction of finally tasting her long-awaited craving made her eyes narrow with pleasure.

Sometimes, it was clear whether someone enjoyed eating something just from their expressions alone.

Chu Lian's expression right now showed exactly how much she was enjoying and savouring her food.

Since she was already used to the modern world's standard of food, Chu Lian had always maintained a calm and normal expression while teaching the maidservants how to cook.

Although the maidservants always exclaimed that the new dishes that Chu Lian had introduced to them were peerless, Chu Lian had never shown any particular reaction while tasting them.

It made them feel as if Chu Lian had grown up eating such exquisite dishes all day.

The handmaids serving Chu Lian always had a minor sense of defeat upon seeing their madam's calm.

Thus, it was rare for them to see Third Young Madam's expression full of satisfaction and nostalgia while eating.

Sometimes, the familiar taste of a certain dish could indeed evoke the joyful memories of the past.

Stinky tofu was one such dish for Chu Lian.

Once a single piece of stinky tofu had vanished down her gut, Chu Lian let out a small sigh of satisfaction.

Wenlan couldn't help gulping down her drool while watching Chu Lian eat.

She thought she must have been possessed. She hadn't even liked the smell of that black tofu earlier, so why did she suddenly have the urge to taste it?

"Third... Third Young Madam, what does it taste like?"

Chu Lian gestured towards the stove next to her with a curve of her lips. "Won't you know if you taste it yourself?"

Wenlan looked at the stinky tofu before glancing back at Chu Lian. Finally, she shut her eyes, took up a pair of chopsticks, and shoved a piece of tofu into her mouth.

Once it sat on her tongue, it wasn't as unbearable as she had thought it would be. When she bit into the piece of tofu, the juice inside burst out and mixed with the chilli paste to create a pool of deliciousness. It was even slightly sweet. The unique flavour completely rewrote her taste buds.

Wenlan had only dared to nibble on it before, but her mouth suddenly started moving faster. Once she finished the first piece, her chopsticks reached out subconsciously to pick up another.

Unfortunately, Chu Lian blocked her attack. "There are only two pieces left, the rest is mine! Go work on the other dishes!"

Wenlan looked back longingly at the two remaining pieces of stinky tofu. She smiled winningly at Chu Lian and said, "Third Young Madam, isn't there still a whole basket of this? Why don't you let this servant fry more after we're done cooking for the guests?"

That was when Chu Lian knew that her handmaid had completely fallen for the charm of stinky tofu. She didn't stop Wenlan and instructed her, "Finish preparing the meal first. Later on, you're free to do whatever you like with the remaining time."

The order made Wenlan cheer up considerably.

Old Duke Zheng had been standing at the entrance of the tent waiting impatiently for quite some time. In his old age, his temper had regressed to become more like a child's.

When he saw that Chu Lian had actually started eating, his whiskers bristled and his eyes went wide. He started striding over with a grim expression.

Just as Chu Lian was about to put the second piece of stinky tofu in her mouth, she was frightened by a sudden shout from behind.

"Jinyi! What are you secretly eating? Have you made something delicious again? Why aren't you taking it out to pay respects to your seniors?!"

Old Duke Zheng's wrinkled face was set in an extremely strict expression. Those unfamiliar with him might really have thought that he was angry!

If she hadn't had enough experience interacting with this old geezer, Chu Lian might also have thought the same.

Since Old Duke Zheng had come, there was no helping it. Chu Lian couldn't just enjoy her delicacy alone any longer. She immediately took out a pair of clean chopsticks for the old duke.

"You've come just in time, Your Grace. I was about to get Wenqing to serve you a portion of this. Since you're already here, why don't you have a taste now?"

Wenlan watched from the side as Old Duke Zheng fearlessly picked up a piece of stinky tofu and stuffed it into his mouth. At first, he chewed slowly, but then his eyes lit up in delight, and immediately thereafter, his chewing speed increased at a frightening rate. Wenlan was dumbstruck by the duke's reaction. Wouldn't Old Duke Zheng have at least questioned the smell?

When he finished the piece of tofu, Old Duke Zheng quickly asked, "What's this? Although the taste is somewhat weird, it's delicious!"

"Stinky tofu," Chu Lian replied calmly.

Old Duke Zheng's eyes widened in shock. "Stinky tofu? So it's spoiled tofu?"

It was Chu Lian's turn to become speechless. "So you could smell it after all?"

Old Duke Zheng rolled his eyes. "Of course, my nose is working perfectly well."

"Then why did you eat it without hesitation when it's so stinky?" Chu Lian needed some time to recover from her surprise. Those who hadn't eaten stinky tofu would normally want to run away when they first encountered the smell. It would be considered pretty good if they weren't scared off, let alone have the courage to take a bite of it.

Old Duke Zheng had already taken the last piece and demolished it while they were talking.

He chewed noisily, clearly unsatisfied.

He cast a glance over at Chu Lian and said, "I've already watched you eat it. You're such a picky eater that you won't eat anything unless it's tasty, and you looked like you were enjoying it so much. That's why I didn't hesitate at all."

Old Duke Zheng might even be able to take the more special dishes like durian or the fearsome Surströmming if he watched Chu Lian eat them, let alone a mild dish like this tofu...

Chu Lian was speechless from Old Duke Zheng's explanation. She didn't know how to reply to that.

"This... what's it called... stinky tofu? Make a few more for me." The old duke left behind these words before happily leaving the tent.

Well, that settled it then. Since the duke had already personally ordered more of the stinky tofu, Chu Lian taught Wenlan how to cook more of it.

When it was time for their midday meal, there were quite a few dishes placed on the wooden table inside the tent.

Although they seemed a little more crude than usual, there was more than enough food and the taste went without saying.

This was well-suited for Captain Guo, Zhang Mai, and Xiao Hongyu, who were used to rougher military fare.

Chu Lian, Sima Hui, and Royal Princess Duanjia sat at another table with a screen separating them.

There were a few extra portions of stinky tofu, which were very popular with all her guests, to Chu Lian's surprise.

No wonder it was one of the most popular street snacks sold everywhere in the modern world.

While eating, Captain Guo slapped He Changdi on the shoulder and said, "Zixiang, do you know what your face looks like right now?"

He Sanlang cast a cold glare at his boss and harrumphed.

Before Captain Guo could continue, Xiao Hongyu had already burst out into laughter. He quickly cut in and said, "Hahahaha! I know, I know! Brother He's expression is just as stinky as this tofu! Don't you guys think so too? Hahaha..."

He Changdi: ...

Zhang Mai picked up a piece of beef and glared at Xiao Hongyu. "Stupid brat, what are you saying?"

Xiao Hongyu gave a silly grin and rubbed his head sheepishly.

"Just focus on your food!" He Changdi warned.

That brat had come to his tent to get a free meal personally cooked by his wife, but he was still boldly speaking nonsense and trying to get a rise out of him! That brat must be tired of living!

Just as the tent was filled with sounds of merry-making and chatter, a guard posted outside the tent came in to report.

He Changdi set down his chopsticks and asked with a cold expression, "What's wrong?"

The guard was one of He Changdi's men, so he replied very respectfully, "My lord, Great Steward Wei has arrived."

By Great Steward Wei, the guard was referring to the emperor's trusted attendant, Eunuch Wei Chenghai.

Why had he chosen to visit during mealtime?

Of course, everyone in the tent had heard He Changdi's conversation with the guard.

They all set down their chopsticks as Eunuch Wei was ushered in.

Eunuch Wei entered the tent with two younger eunuchs behind him, one of them even carrying a container for food.

Eunuch Wei first greeted everyone with a bow before smiling as he began to make small talk. "Ah, what a coincidence; even Old Duke Zheng and Your Highness are here! I wonder what delicacy Honoured Lady Jinyi has made this time?"

Since he had mentioned Chu Lian in his question, the task of answering him naturally fell upon her shoulders. "No, no, it wasn't any sort of delicacy, Eunuch Wei. I only told my maidservants to make a few simple dishes."

The eunuch's smile became even warmer. "You must be joking with me, Honoured Lady. I could smell that fragrance from all the way over there. It was quite particular."

Chu Lian almost choked on her saliva after hearing Eunuch Wei's words.

She shot a nonchalant glance over at the entrance of the tent. Just as the eunuch had said, the emperor's luxurious tent could be seen not too far away. The easterly winds were blowing today as well, and they had been cooking upwind. No wonder they had been able to smell it from the emperor's tent.

If not for Eunuch Wei still present on the scene, Chu Lian might have let herself wear an expression of regret.

He Changdi had been observing their interactions and he found Eunuch Wei's attitude towards his wife rather strange. Before Chu Lian could reply once more, he stepped forward to block her from view. He cut in with, "May I ask what business Gonggong has here?"

A tiny wrinkle developed on Wei Chenghai's brow. He wasn't very happy with the way He Changdi had interrupted his and Chu Lian's conversation. However, he was used to navigating treacherous social waters amongst the officials, so he wouldn't show this little bit of dissatisfaction on his face.

His lips remained spread in a smile as he said, "Well, it's rare for such a chance to present itself. His Majesty would also like to try Honoured Lady's cooking. Thus, I've come over shamelessly."

Eunuch Wei sent a signal at the young eunuch behind him. The young eunuch quickly responded by offering up the food container in his hands. "His Majesty said that we couldn't let Honoured Lady offer up her food without a gift in return, so this is a reward for Honoured Lady."

They couldn't refuse a gift, especially not something bestowed by the biggest boss in the Great Wu: the emperor.

Chu Lian received the box with both hands and made her gratitude known. When she turned around, she shot a reassuring look at her husband.

Chu Lian worked swiftly. Since it was something to be served to the emperor, she had to cook it herself. All Wenqing and Wenlan could do was help with some minor tasks at the side. Furthermore, they had to be very careful with something made for the emperor.

Luckily, the dishes weren't very complicated, and she finished cooking in just forty-five minutes. She handed over the food to Eunuch Wei directly, and he quickly left for the emperor's tent.

Once she was done cooking, the others in the tent had already had their fill. Since they still had some hunting to do in the afternoon, everyone quickly dispersed and returned to their own tents.

When only Chu Lian and He Changdi were left, Chu Lian opened up the box that Eunuch Wei had sent over.

Chu Lian gaped in surprise at the contents. The box was completely filled with birds' nest!

They weren't the normal grade of birds' nest either; these were top quality blood birds' nests, in the most perfect crescent shapes.

Products of this quality were usually used as tributes in the Great Wu, and there were very few of them in number. These were sent over from the Xinluo Country every year and only the most esteemed and respected women in the palace could enjoy these.

Even in the modern world, this kind of birds' nest was considered extremely rare and precious.

Why would the emperor gift her such valuable items for no reason...

Chu Lian stared at the huge pile of blood birds' nests with her eyebrows drawn together. She looked up at He Changdi, who seemed to be brooding over the gift as well, and asked, "Hubby, what do you think His Majesty is thinking by sending over such precious gifts...?"

He Changdi's profound gaze flickered over to Chu Lian. All the events of today had also left him rather confused.

He caressed Chu Lian's cheek gently and shook his head. "I can't discern His Majesty's intentions for now. Let's just wait and watch."

Since she couldn't understand what was going on either, Chu Lian simply set aside her thoughts and ordered Wenqing to put away the top-quality birds' nest.

"Let's give some to Mother when we return."

While Countess Jing'an's illness had already been cured, she had struggled with it for so long that her body was sorely lacking in vigour. The nutritious birds' nest was exactly what she needed to boost her health right now.

Warmth suffused through He Changdi's heart. He pulled Chu Lian over into his lap.

"No need. I just sent some medicinal ingredients to Mother a few days ago," He Changdi explained, raining light kisses down her cheek.

Chu Lian took his hand and started playing with his fingers.

"But I don't have any use for this birds' nest! My body's perfectly healthy; I don't need to eat things like that."

Eating nutritious products like birds' nest when unneeded could instead cause adverse effects to her body and affect her health.

However, He Changdi didn't catch Chu Lian's meaning immediately, and his mind somehow turned on a crooked path instead.

He bent down closer to her ear and let out a low chuckle. "What, are you worried that you'll be overly 'nourished' again? Don't worry. With me around, we can work together to extinguish your fires anytime."

Chu Lian was in awe of how He Changdi's mind could twist anything into something perverted!

Back in the emperor's luxurious tent, Eunuch Wei had returned from his journey and was now laying out dish after dish in front of the emperor.

The emperor's eyes came alight and he pointed at the food in front of him. "Were these all made by Lian'er?"

When there weren't any strangers around, the emperor had already started calling Chu Lian by a nickname instead, as if he could become closer to his daughter just by doing so.

As the emperor's trusted confidante, Eunuch Wei knew exactly why the emperor was so delighted by a few dishes.

He smiled and replied, "Yes, these were all made personally by Honoured Lady Jinyi. She even instructed this old servant about this dish. This new dish is called stinky tofu, and it has a rather peculiar smell. She said to simply take it away if Your Majesty doesn't like it."

The emperor's nose twitched. The smell of the stinky tofu was indeed strange. Although it had already been fried and the smell wasn't as strong as it might have been, that peculiar odour was still much stronger than the rest of the fragrant dishes on the table.

However, since it had been made sincerely by Chu Lian's own hands, the emperor wouldn't hesitate to eat it, even if it was poison.

"No need; We will have a taste of every dish."

Since the emperor had already said so, Eunuch Wei naturally wouldn't try to stop him.

Eunuch Wei called over the poison taster, who was also a eunuch. Once the taster had tried the dish, the emperor quickly picked up a piece of stinky tofu and put it into his mouth.

Just like how it had conquered Old Duke Zheng, the emperor's taste buds were completely taken over by the stinky tofu.

Following that, he tried all the other dishes as well. Since Chu Lian had made them for the emperor alone, there wasn't much in each dish. There was exactly a single bowl's worth for each one, so even if he finished it all, he wouldn't be overly full.

Just as the emperor was enjoying his meal in a great mood, Imperial Concubine Wei and Imperial Princess Leyao arrived.

Even before she had entered the tent, the emperor and Eunuch Wei could already hear Imperial Princess Leyao's voice from inside.

The eleven-year-old Leyao was still a child. Thus, her voice held a hint of a child's clear tones, but it wasn't very likable.

"What's that weird smell in Father's tent? Why is it so stinky? It smells terrible! What are you darn eunuchs doing? How could you let Father stay in such a smelly tent? Do you still want to keep your heads?!"

Princess Leyao's voice had been clear at first, but later on, it turned nasally, indicating that she was pinching her nose closed.

Eunuch Wei looked over at the emperor in alarm. What he saw there made him hunker down into his shoulders like a turtle in his shell and retreat back a step.

His master's face was looking extremely thunderous. This was clearly the calm before the storm!

An instant later, Imperial Concubine Wei's voice travelled over as well. "What are you standing there in a daze for? Didn't you hear what the princess said? Hurry up and bring over some flower dew!"

There was the sound of footsteps rushing away, clearly off to do Imperial Concubine Wei's bidding.

It was only now that someone outside lifted the tent flap, allowing Imperial Concubine Wei and Imperial Princess Leyao to enter.

Upon entering the tent, the smell of the stinky tofu was even stronger.

Princess Leyao was both sensitive to and disgusted by the smell of the stinky tofu. She was also used to being spoiled and pampered, which meant wearing incense-imbued clothes and carrying flower dew essence around with her. She had never before encountered such a strong odour. Her line of sight fell upon the emperor's dining table and she noticed the disgusting, black thing sitting in a white porcelain dish.

The moment she confirmed that the smell was coming from that dish, Imperial Princess Leyao immediately gagged and ended up puking her guts out...

Everything happened so suddenly that Imperial Concubine Wei couldn't stop her, even if she tried.

She could only watch as her daughter dirtied the spotlessly clean Persian rug on the floor of the imperial tent.

The emperor had just been eating his midday meal. Now thanks to Imperial Princess Leyao, he no longer had the appetite to eat even the rarest of delicacies.

Eunuch Wei was stunned speechless.

He admitted that the stinky tofu did live up to its name, but the smell wasn't so bad to that extent, surely? Princess Leyao's action was quite exaggerated...

How was His Majesty supposed to continue eating like this?

He had just been praising the stinky tofu for being delicious...

The emperor slammed his jade chopsticks onto the table and roared, "What's going on?!"

Imperial Concubine Wei's heart almost leaped out of her throat as she noticed the emperor's gloomy expression. She hurriedly instructed her attendants to take care of Princess Leyao as she tried to answer the emperor.

"Please calm down, Your Majesty. Yao'er didn't do it on purpose! She is sensitive to smells and she's just a child, so her stomach is weaker. She couldn't help her reaction when she breathed in that terrible smell in the tent."

"Take her away!" Two eunuchs went up to either side of Princess Leyao, prepared to send her out of the tent.

Imperial Concubine Wei had no choice but to comply. She carefully walked over to the emperor's side and said, "Your Majesty, it was Yao'er's fault. Please forgive her as she's still just a child."

She then cast a glance over the meal laid out on the emperor's dining table. When she saw the black stinky tofu, she immediately began to complain. "Furthermore, this dish is just too smelly! What are the imperial cooks doing? They should be punished!"

The emperor had lost all of his earlier good mood; he didn't want to listen to Imperial Concubine Wei's explanations.

He waved her away impatiently and said, "You're dismissed. We're tired and We want to rest."

Imperial Concubine Wei hadn't thought that the emperor would be this angry over the incident. Even if she didn't want to resign herself, she had no choice but to bob and leave the imperial tent.

Once Imperial Concubine Wei left, she investigated the incident and found out why the emperor had been so unhappy.

Ch. 348 Falling Off Her Horse

So it was Chu Lian who had made that dish!

Imperial Princess Leyao gritted her teeth and was instantly overcome with anger towards Chu Lian.

Concubine Wei lightly patted her daughter's back, then lovingly asked, "Are you feeling better?"

Princess Leyao had puked until her face had turned deathly pale, only managing to stop with great difficulty. Around this time, a palace maid delivered a cup of tea. Princess Leyao took a sip from it and felt a little bit better.

"Mother, does Father hate me now?"

Now calm, Princess Leyao's eyes reddened. After a few more blinks, her tears began to fall.

The emperor had very few daughters, and Imperial Princess Leyao was the youngest of them all. Previously, she had been the most pampered princess, and the emperor had never spoke to her harshly. However, now he had suddenly turned his temper on her, all because of a disgusting dish!

How could the headstrong Princess Leyao accept this?!

Imperial Concubine Wei saw how red her daughter's eyes were and quickly rubbed her head to console her. "Yao'er, how could you think that? Your father has always loved you the most. He's just in a bad mood today, and you got caught up in it."

Princess Leyao sniffled, then buried her face in her mother's soft bosom.

Imperial Concubine Wei gently caressed her daughter's smooth hair, but her mind was incredibly tense as well.

It was apparent that she had underestimated the place that that slut Ye Xun held in the emperor's heart. That girl was merely a lost cause that had crawled out of Ye Xun's belly, yet the emperor valued her so much.

While Imperial Concubine Wei doted on her daughter, she couldn't spend all day with her as there was still the afternoon hunt.

The emperor would lead his officials to the forest to hunt, so she needed to act as the host for the female guests.

A short while later, Imperial Concubine Wei hastily left. She bumped into Feudal Princess Anmin at the entrance of the tent.

"Anmin, take good care of Leyao. That child is in a bad mood today," Imperial Concubine Wei said, assigning this task to her before leaving.

Feudal Princess Anmin respectfully complied.

When Imperial Concubine Wei left, Anmin entered the tent to console Imperial Princess Leyao.

Princess Leyao suddenly made a cry of alarm. Her eyes were blown wide with rage and disbelief. "Cousin, what did you just say?! Chu Lian cooked all the food at Father's table just now?"

Feudal Princess Anmin, who was two years older than Leyao, wore a grave expression as she nodded.

"That's right."

With that information in mind, Princess Leyao clenched her teeth. She wished she could put Chu Lian to death right now.

Having been pampered by everyone in the palace, she was used to being arrogant and domineering. The two times when she had had to suffer the emperor's criticism had both been caused by Chu Lian. Adding on to that her hidden feelings for He Changdi, she truly hated Chu Lian now.

Luckily, she didn't know of Chu Lian's true relationship with the emperor, or she would probably go mad otherwise.

"Ahh! How can that Chu Lian be so vile!" Princess Leyao was angry and frustrated.

Feudal Princess Anmin softly sneered and rolled her eyes. "Cousin, why waste your time in hatred? Since you dislike her, just make life difficult for her. We're ladies of the imperial family; what's there to fear? Remember Chu Lian's identity. At best, she might be called Marchioness Anyuan, but at worst, she's just a child from a third-rate family."

Hearing Feudal Princess Anmin's words, Princess Leyao's eyes shone. "Cousin, do you have an idea that can help me relieve my anger?"

In the afternoon, everyone gathered in the plaza after resting.

The plaza was covered in flattened grass and surrounded by a fence of banners. It was clear that the stewards in charge of the hunting grounds had made proper preparations.

There was an open air stable, an exquisite viewing arena, an archery range, a beautifully maintained polo field, and various other facilities.

The emperor walked at the very front, and personally called out the names of people who were to enter the forest to hunt with him.

Most of them were military officials. He Changdi, Royal Prince Lu Tai, Heir Zheng, and some others were named.

Even Sima Hui, the lady who had never been given a chance to prove herself an equal match to men, was named!

Prince Jin, who had been standing behind the the emperor, suddenly glanced in Sima Hui's direction. He may have looked at her in a low-key manner, but his gaze carried a subtle warmth and smile.

Sima Hui had been raised like a son. When she heard her name, she stepped out and saluted with a smile. Her actions were natural and open, and there wasn't any hint of shyness or embarrassment in her gestures, unlike most ladies.

Her cool action immediately won the eyes and admiration of many young military officials.

The emperor announced the names very quickly. It was already mid-day; they still had to hurry back before it got dark.

Thus, everyone mounted their horses, and they galloped away into the forest.

Right as the emperor left, Princess Leyao disregarded the protests of her servants and guards and jumped onto a horse. She pulled on the reins and followed them into the forest.

Feudal Princess Anmin hid in an inconspicuous spot, watching with disdain flashing across her eyes. Her lips suddenly widened into a smile.

She turned towards an unfamiliar palace maid and said, "Did you see that? Tell Sixth Brother that it's been done."

He Changdi, He Lin, Captain Guo, and several others had been personally ordered by the emperor to stay by his side.

Currently, practically everyone had already hunted down an animal or two. He Sanlang in particular was doing very well. He showed mastery in archery, and never missed. He had only shot five arrows, but every single one had hit a target.

Due to this, the emperor seemed to look upon him with favour.

In the forest, an agile doe was moving about. The emperor raised his bow and took aim. Right as he was about to shoot, he heard the voice of a guard beside him.

"Your Highness, something happened!"

The moment of distraction was enough for the doe to escape into the distance.

In a deep voice, the emperor angrily asked, "What is it?"

The guard trembled, but remained determined to make the report. "Your Highness, Princess Leyao has followed us. She's right behind."

"What?! This is preposterous!" The emperor's face instantly transformed from its tranquil state to anger.

As Princess Leyao had been heavily favoured by the emperor during her childhood, the horse-loving emperor had often brought her to the ranch to relax. Therefore, Princess Leyao wasn't the typical sheltered princess. She had learned to ride at a very young age, and having been trained by the emperor, she was in fact pretty skilled, and was in a different league from a newbie like Chu Lian.

However, even if she possessed exceptional riding ability, that wasn't enough to gloss over the fact that her body was still that of a child.

When she rode horses, she had always been given a very tame and gentle mare, but now she had gotten on a horse meant for hunting, an unruly stallion. Due to her frame, she couldn't control such a spirited adult stallion no matter how skillful she was, so it only made sense that the emperor would worry.

The emperor's brows furrowed. "Yuanzhou, take two men with you and find Leyao. Send her back to be confined to Imperial Concubine Wei's side!"

Yuanzhou was the name of the guard who reported this matter. After accepting the order, he was about to turn around, but he suddenly heard Princess Leyao's young voice.

"Yaaaa!"

The emperor lifted one hand to stop the guard who was about to leave. He waited on the spot with everyone for Princess Leyao's arrival, a thunderous expression on his face. Sure enough, Princess Leyao appeared moments later.

The way she rode the hunting stallion made everyone sweat buckets with worry.

Princess Leyao had obviously noticed them as well. She smiled and waved at the emperor. "Father!"

The emperor now had a headache.

Princess Leyao was still some distance away, but the emperor couldn't help but begin to reprimand her. "Preposterous! Who let you come? You look nothing like a lady!"

Princess Leyao seemed to have predicted such words from the emperor, so she raised her chin at Sima Hui's direction and said, "Father, General Sima is a lady as well, yet she's allowed to be here. You're being sexist!"

The emperor hadn't expected Princess Leyao to refute him like this, and it made his rage swell even more.

Right as Princess Leyao's horse was about to reach the emperor's side, her horse suddenly reared up. It then started to flail around randomly like it had gone mad...

The emperor's eyes widened. "Protect the princess!"

Amongst the people that were in the vicinity, the closest ones were He Changdi and Royal Prince Lu Tai.

They couldn't see what had happened, but it was obvious that Princess Leyao had lost control of her horse.

Due to this abrupt development, Princess Leyao herself started screaming in fright.

She had only ever ridden gentle mares, so she had never encountered a situation where she completely lost control of her horse. In the end, she showed that she was still a child when her face paled and she unconsciously screamed.

Even He Changdi, a reincarnated person, didn't have the time to decide whether to save her or not.

At a crucial time like this, there was simply no time for them to weigh their gains and losses.

He Changdi and Lu Tai both urged their horses towards Princess Leyao.

Everyone watched the dangerous scene nervously, and there was so much tension in the air that their hearts skipped a beat.

The emperor's eyes remained wide. He held his breath.

Unfortunately, He Changdi, Lu Tai, and the other guards were still too slow...

After all, they were too far away, and distant waters couldn't put out a nearby fire.

Before He Changdi and Lu Tai could get to her, Princess Leyao had already been flung off the horse.

The stallion was strong and spirited, while Princess Leyao was merely an eleven-year-old child. Getting flung off a horse like that, even if she survived, she would probably be crippled...

A high-pitched neigh came from the stallion right before it fell to the ground, stirring up a small cloud of dust.

The horse had been slaughtered by He Changdi with a single stroke. It had already gone mad. If he hadn't beheaded it, it might have ended up trampling on Princess Leyao, who had fallen to the side.

Everyone hastily rushed over.

Lu Tai carefully held Princess Leyao up. He didn't make any sudden moves, for fear that it might worsen any injury that she had sustained.

The emperor anxiously rushed to Lu Tai's side. "Yao'er!"

Even if Princess Leyao's character had become displeasing to him, she was still the daughter he doted on most. Right now, his daughter had gotten hurt before his very eyes, so there was no way he could keep his cool.

Hearing the emperor's shout, Princess Leyao seemed to have returned to her senses from her shock of getting thrown off the horse. She looked towards the emperor's direction and began to loudly cry, "Father, Father! I'm scared! It hurts!"

The emperor felt a heart-wrenching pain. The smart, wise ruler was at a loss for what to do when faced with the cries of his youngest daughter.

He could only come up with an awkward attempt at consoling her. "Don't be afraid, Yao'er, I'm here with you!"

After saying that, he roared at the top of his lungs for the imperial physicians.

The imperial physicians were always brought along for the spring hunt, as minor injuries were commonplace. However, they never followed them out into the forest, and they were currently still at the campsite.

He Lin noticed the emperor's grave expression and quickly walked up to him. "Your Majesty, the imperial physicians will take some time to arrive. However, this humble official has some knowledge of medicine. Please allow this humble official to examine the princess!"

The emperor glanced at He Lin, which he took as permission. He Lin quickly went up to Princess Leyao's side and took her pulse.

Princess Leyao stayed still, and He Lin examined her as quickly as he could.

A few moments later, He Lin turned around, his brows tightly pressed together.

"What's the result?!" The emperor was very familiar with He Lin, who was the commander of the Yulin Army. Seeing the expression on his face, he was very much aware that the situation was dire.

Right as He Lin was about to speak, the emperor raised his hand to stop him, then took a few steps to the side, signaling to He Lin to speak softly.

He Lin put his thoughts in order and his expression became even more sombre.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me for being blunt, but I'm afraid Princess Leyao's left leg might be crippled... Even if we find a highly skilled doctor who can save the leg, Princess Leyao will have trouble walking in the future, and that's the best case scenario..."

The emperor sucked a cold breath through his teeth.

What?

His daughter's leg was crippled?

He Lin was an incredibly conservative and competent person and he always spoke appropriately. He would never say something that he wasn't sure of. Since he said that Princess Leyao's leg was truly crippled, the reality might even be worse than his statement.

The emperor shut his eyes, and calmed down soon after.

He walked back to Princess Leyao's side. At this point of time, he had already regained his rationality. Right now, he wasn't just a father. In front of everyone, he was a monarch who wouldn't tolerate any failure.

"Yuanzhou, bring some men with you to take the princess back. At the camp, get Physician Zhou to treat Yao'er immediately."

The guard, Yuanzhou, immediately complied.

Earlier, the emperor and He Lin had intentionally stepped away to speak in privacy, but He Changdi had still been able to hear their conversation with his sharp ears.

He was rather surprised at the condition of Princess Leyao's leg... In his previous life, this hadn't happened at all. Even up till his death, all he knew was that Princess Leyao was living happily and well.

Yuanzhou was about to pick up Princess Leyao from Royal Prince Lu Tai's arms when Imperial Princess Leyao unexpectedly cried out.

With tears streaming down her face and a heart-rending wail, she pointed at He Changdi and demanded, "Father, I want Big Brother Changdi to take me back, wuwu..."

The emperor was stunned. He stared over at He Changdi, who was still holding the longsword he had used to behead the horse in hand. The sword was still dripping blood, and he had an aura of slaughter about him.

Actually, Princess Leyao's demands were very sudden, and even more unreasonable.

Although their rules weren't as conservative as to forbid seven-year-old boys and girls from sitting at the same table, that didn't mean that men and women could freely mix around in the Great Wu.

He Changdi was a married man. While Princess Leyao was eleven, she was already in the process of becoming a lady. In the Great Wu Dynasty, ladies could marry once they came of age. There were even families who began the search for suitors as early as age twelve. So at eleven, it was already necessary for Princess Leyao to keep her distance from men.

Furthermore, Princess Leyao had hit puberty earlier than average. Perhaps due to the good environment she had been raised in, she looked more mature than her age group. Although she was only eleven, she didn't look much different from girls who were thirteen or fourteen.

Once Princess Leyao spoke, many people in the surroundings covertly placed their eyes on He Changdi.

There were some with thoughtful looks, some with jealousy, some with contempt, and some with malicious intent...

He Changdi hadn't expected Princess Leyao to make such an excessive demand at this juncture.

Speaking of his interactions with Princess Leyao, the only one worth mentioning was saving her once in order to grab the emperor's attention. After that, Princess Leyao had somehow gotten the opportunity to meet him several times. At that time, Princess Leyao was only ten, so He Changdi hadn't thought much of it at all.

After that, he had gone to the northern border to fight for merit, and had finally returned with a great victory after New Year's. The last time he had met Princess Leyao was at a palace banquet, and they had only nodded to acknowledge each other's presence.

Although He Changdi disapproved of Princess Leyao's demands in his heart, he didn't think too much of it. In his eyes, Princess Leyao was just a child who had yet to become a woman.

He stood there, motionless, with his frosty countenance and calm disposition as usual.

It was obvious that the emperor couldn't make out what was on his daughter's mind, but he recalled the fact that He Changdi had saved his daughter last year. Thinking about it, perhaps his daughter wanted He Changdi to send her back because she wanted to rely on her savior. He Changdi had saved her before, so he could give her a sense of security.

He glanced at He Sanlang and said, "Marquis Anyuan, send the princess back."

Since the emperor had spoken, He Changdi had no choice but to comply. He took Princess Leyao from Royal Prince Lu Tai's arms, then led Yuanzhou and the other guards as they returned to the campsite on their horses.

The treatment for Princess Leyao's leg couldn't be delayed.

The emperor watched motionlessly as He Changdi left with Princess Leyao for a long moment. No one could tell what was on his mind. Finally, he got back onto his horse and led his many officials deep into the mountains.

Since he had watched his daughter get hurt, he had no mood to continue the spring hunt.

However, he had already brought so many officials and nobles out, so it wouldn't be right to just return like this. He had to keep his spirits up and at least make a round around the hunting grounds today.

Chu Lian and the other ladies were seated under a cool shelter, drinking tea and appreciating the scenery. At this moment, she was seated right beside Princess Wei and Royal Princess Duanjia.

The one in the highest seat was Imperial Concubine Wei, which was to be expected, and then there were the various wives of the princes and imperial ladies after her.

There seemed to be quite a number of people here, and the three viewing shelters were all completely filled.

Royal Princess Duanjia tossed a walnut that Jinxiu had already opened into her mouth, and rolled her eyes in the direction of Feudal Princess Anmin.

Princess Wei noticed her action and glared at her. "Duanjia, don't be rude."

Chu Lian was seated by Royal Princess Duanjia's side, so she turned to look towards Feudal Princess Anmin after hearing Princess Wei's comment.

At this time, Feudal Princess Anmin and the other princesses were deeply engrossed in conversation.

Royal Princesses, Feudal Princesses, Honoured Ladies, and other titled ladies who were related to the imperial family didn't possess any territory in the Great Wu Dynasty. It wasn't like in the Tang Dynasty where ladies could be granted territory. It was possible for small amounts of land to be granted, but the disparity in treatment between men and women was like that of heaven and earth.

Even the closest female members to the emperor didn't hold much power.

Feudal Princess Anmin's mother, Princess Ande, was one such person.

Princess Ande was the eighth daughter of the previous emperor. Her mother had been of lowly birth, and was a palace maid who had been taken by the previous emperor when he had gotten drunk once. After a difficult birth, she had soon passed away.

Rumours in the palace spread that Princess Ande was an unlucky star to her mother, so there was no concubine who was willing to foster her.

She spent her younger years amongst the palace maids, and sometimes, she hadn't even gotten to eat her fill. Later on, when the current emperor had taken the throne, Princess Ande was finally bestowed a title.

However, due to the time that she had languished in the palace, the peak of Princess Ande's life had already passed before she got married. She only managed to give birth to a daughter, Feudal Princess Anmin, when she was almost thirty. Since Princess Ande didn't hold enough power, her prince consort had taken in two more concubines, and they had each given birth to an illegitimate son.

Due to the existence of the illegitimate sons, Feudal Princess Anmin didn't have a harmonious family.

Chu Lian moved her gaze away, and softly asked Royal Princess Duanjia, "What's wrong?"

Royal Princess Duanjia snorted. "I just don't like her face. Chu Liu, remember to stay away from people like her."

Chu Lian recalled the events stated in the book. Feudal Princess Anmin had merely been mentioned in a couple of lines, and there weren't any more details regarding her.

Before Royal Princess Duanjia could explain to Chu Lian why she didn't like Feudal Princess Anmin, they were disturbed by the loud noises coming from Feudal Princess Anmin's table.

The noises were then followed up with laughter from the young ladies.

Everyone could hear a delicate and tender voice giggling, "Imperial Concubine Wei, don't you think that it's really boring for us to just sit here? His Majesty and the others will only return from their hunt later tonight!"

"The one speaking is Royal Princess Nanzhang," Royal Princess Duanjia whispered into Chu Lian's ear.

Royal Princess Nanzhang was Prince Lewen's youngest daughter. Although she was of royal blood, her status was very average. Prince Lewen was the second son of the previous emperor's brother, Prince Zhao.

In actuality, when it came to Royal Princess Nanzhang's generation, she was already considered a distant relative.

However, Royal Princess Nanzhang was a talented speaker. She would often appear at upper-class gatherings, and she left a deep impression on many noble ladies in the capital. Even Imperial Concubine Wei liked her glib tongue.

Royal Princess Nanzhang had earned her royal title from the power of her speaking alone, so from that angle, she was truly talented.

Royal Princess Nanzhang's identity was similar to that of a mere socialite, and she wasn't even worth mentioning in the eyes of those who held real power.

Imperial Concubine Wei, who sat on the upper seat, gave off an elegant smile. "You silly girl, it's only been a short while and you're already bored? Well then, do you have any bright ideas? Come and tell me about it."

"You're truly wise, Your Grace! You've managed to see through me so easily. Since you don't mind, I'll voice my bold suggestion." As she spoke, Royal Princess Nanzhang swept her phoenix eyes around the shelter. She had a smile on her face, which made her seem amiable and approachable to others.

"Although we are of the fairer sex, it's not like we actually lack any strength. We may not be as strong as General Sima, but I believe that practically everyone here can ride a horse! How about we play a game of polo?"

In the Great Wu Dynasty, both football and polo were extremely popular.

As horses were expensive, football became more popular to the masses than polo. Sometimes, young children could be seen playing football on the streets.

Polo, on the other hand, was an activity solely for the rich and noble.

Practically all noble ladies knew how to play it.

Women's polo was a little more gentle than men's polo, and the sticks and balls that they used were different. Their teams used fewer players than men, and they played using only the most carefully selected tame mares.

Generally, there was no danger involved at all.

This game was also an activity whereby ladies could showcase their physical talents.

Imperial Concubine Wei seemed to be swayed by Royal Princess Nanzhang's words. She smiled and said, "Nanzhang has made a good suggestion. Since we're already out, we might as well have some fun. Everybody came here in riding attire, so it would be a waste for us ladies if we don't make use of this opportunity to play."

Ch. 349 Another Fall

With that one sentence from Imperial Concubine Wei, many others immediately voiced out their agreement.

She was the only concubine from the palace that the emperor had brought this time, so it was only natural that many ladies would want to curry favour with her.

Even outside of the spring hunt, there would occasionally be a polo match or two held in the palace. Besides, the spring hunt was such a good opportunity to play.

Since Imperial Concubine Wei had spoken, there would also naturally be people who volunteered to organise things.

Feudal Princess Anmin stood up and looked in Royal Princess Duanjia's direction with a smile. "I've long heard that Cousin Duanjia is skilled at polo, but I've never had the opportunity to see it for myself. Since a chance has presented itself, how about we each lead a team?"

Royal Princess Duanjia was indeed a great polo player. This was something that was well-known in the circles of the imperial family, and there was no need to hide it.

Before Princess Wei and Royal Princess Duanjia could reject the idea, Imperial Concubine Wei followed up.

"I've also heard about Duanjia's skill. Since a rare opportunity has presented itself, Duanjia should show these bumpkins what's what!"

Imperial Concubine Wei had spoken. It was very difficult to reject her at this point unless Royal Princess Duanjia had a real, physical excuse.

Chu Lian had read through half of the original story, so she was aware that Imperial Concubine Wei and Feudal Princess Anmin weren't easy to deal with. This was especially so for Imperial Concubine Wei. Since she had spent many years in the palace, she definitely possessed some wit, along with the power to wield it.

While all this seemed like nothing out of the ordinary, there might be a trap hidden somewhere.

With these kinds of people who plotted many steps ahead, if one wasn't smart enough, the best choice would be to keep a low profile.

But Imperial Concubine Wei seemed to have her sights locked on to Royal Princess Duanjia today. Just what was she intending to do?

Logically speaking, Prince Wei was the emperor's most favoured brother, and Prince Wei never involved himself in politics at all. If Imperial Concubine Wei had some brains, she would behave amicably to be in the good graces of the emperor. She wouldn't do something so stupid as to make things difficult for Royal Princess Duanjia, and she wouldn't dare to make Prince and Princess Wei her enemies.

Chu Lian looked towards Royal Princess Duanjia and blinked. Her intentions were obvious, she was warning Duanjia to be careful.

A slight smile surfaced on Royal Princess Duanjia's lips. She looked quite like Chu Lian when she smiled, and when put side-by-side, the two did indeed look like sisters.

When Princess Wei caught sight of the two, she nearly became entranced by them.

Royal Princess Duanjia stood up. "Since Imperial Concubine Wei has already said so, Duanjia has to step up."

"Great, we'll have an exciting polo match to witness today then. Since it's going to be a competition, there has to be a prize. I shall use this bracelet of South Sea pearls as the prize for the victor," Imperial Concubine Wei happily said.

The older princesses all took out an accessory or two to contribute to the prize pool, putting them on a silver dish held up by a palace attendant.

Soon, the silver dish was filled with a myriad of colours from the many accessories, giving off a dazzling shine under the sun.

"It seems like everyone's excited for the polo match, too. Look, even our miserly Princess Luo has offered up a phoenix hairpin. Duanjia, Anmin, the two of you have to put up a good match! Alright, the two of you, start picking out your teammates. As it's a battle between young ladies, let's keep it between the younger generation, so that us older ladies can rest our old bones," Imperial Concubine Wei joked with a playful smile.

Right after her words, someone immediately rebuked her and praised that she wasn't old at all-- she was only in her thirties, and had many years to go!

However, Imperial Concubine Wei's seemingly harmless words had unexpectedly brought a huge restriction to the formation of their teams.

They weren't allowed to choose older ladies for the polo match. In the Great Wu Dynasty, a girl was considered an adult woman once she hit twenty. Imperial Concubine Wei was only in her thirties, but she had described herself as old, so they were only allowed to choose among the ladies under twenty.

Looking around, the number of ladies under twenty who had come to the spring hunt was pitifully low.

The emperor's generation had vied fiercely for the throne, and many members of the imperial family had died at that time. Until now, there still weren't many members in the imperial family.

The blood relations were getting thinner and thinner, and people like Feudal Princess Anmin weren't even considered core members of the imperial family.

Now that there was an age restriction, the available choices for teammates had dwindled even further.

With that in mind, there were very few people who fit the requirements.

On the other side, Feudal Princess Anmin moved quickly, and managed to form a team in seconds!

Amongst them was the fifteen-year-old Royal Princess Nanzhang, Prince Hexi's twin daughters Dong'er and Nan'er, and Royal Princess Nanyin's youngest daughter, Honoured Lady Xincheng.

This immediately made Royal Princess Duanjia frown.

She looked through the whole shelter, but there were very few young ladies left.

Chu Lian was stumped. She suddenly had a bad premonition. She looked towards Feudal Princess Anmin and saw a faintly pleased look on her face. Chu Lian didn't know why, but she had the feeling that the one that they were actually scheming against wasn't Royal Princess Duanjia, but her.

The opponent's team was completely made up of members of the royal family, and the lowest position among them was still an Honoured Lady.

This move had blocked Royal Princess Duanjia from selecting anybody of lower statuses, such as maids.

She had to select ladies with proper backgrounds, or it would be disrespecting her opponents.

Dignity trumped over everything. If Royal Princess Duanjia failed to assemble her team, there would be no need to even compete. Her side would have already lost, and would be ridiculed.

Royal Princess Duanjia was competitive in nature, and she couldn't stand failure.

Once her competitiveness took over, even Princess Wei wouldn't be able to control her.

Royal Princess Duanjia looked around, and in the end, she dragged three young ladies into this.

One of them was Royal Prince Han's wife, Royal Princess Xu, who had come from a military family. She had already given birth to a daughter, and happened to be nineteen this year, barely making it past the requirements. In comparison, the other side's team was completely made up of royalty that had yet to marry, and the oldest was merely fifteen.

Next, Royal Princess Duanjia requested for Prince Luoyang's second daughter, Feudal Princess Minghui, and Prince Qing's granddaughter, Feudal Princess Xirou.

With that, there were now four people on the team including Duanjia.

However, there seemed to be no way for her to find her final team member.

There were still several ladies of suitable ages standing near Feudal Princess Anmin's corner, but their statuses were too low, and they didn't even possess any titles.

Right as Royal Princess Duanjia was starting to feel anxious, Royal Princess Nanzhang laughed out loud. "There's no difficulty in this at all; isn't Honoured Lady Jinyi a prime candidate? Duanjia, I see that you're pretty close to Jinyi, so why is it that you somehow forgot about her at this time? Could it be that the two of you have fallen out with each other?"

Royal Princess Nanzhang truly had the gift of the gab. Now Chu Lian had no choice but to go. If she insisted on not participating, then there would probably be rumours of a falling out between her and Royal Princess Duanjia once the polo match ended.

Royal Princess Duanjia was angered by Royal Princess Nanzhang's words. Her brows were tightly knit together, and she was about to argue with Nanzhang.

Chu Lian quickly tugged on her sleeves, and subtly shook her head at her. She then turned towards Royal Princess Nanzhang and Feudal Princess Anmin with a smile and said, "Since that's the case, I'll join in to fill the empty seat. However, I've never played polo, so please be gentle with me."

"Our game is just for some entertainment; you'll be fine as long as you can ride a horse, Honoured Lady Jinyi. The outcome doesn't matter at all." Feudal Princess Anmin's smile was incredibly gentle.

Royal Princess Duanjia hadn't thought that Chu Lian would really offer herself up and started getting a little antsy.

"Chu Liu, you fool! Can't you tell that they were just trying to make you jump into a trap?!"

A furrow formed between Princess Wei's brows. She was a wise person, and could obviously tell that Feudal Princess Anmin and the others were doing this on purpose.

However, just what were they trying to achieve?

"It'll be fine, I'll just be careful," Chu Lian softly consoled Royal Princess Duanjia.

Royal Princess Duanjia pursed her lips, determination and vigor shining in her eyes.

She understood that the reason Chu Lian had agreed despite knowing it was a trap was all for her sake. As they were close sisters, Chu Lian didn't want others to be making wild assumptions about their relationship and she didn't want Duanjia's honour to be sullied.

Since her childhood, Duanjia had never had a sister figure in her life. Whenever she attended banquets with her mother, she would witness girls from other families getting bullied, but there was always an older sister who would stand up for their little sisters.

Right now, Royal Princess Duanjia felt that Chu Lian was like her older sister.

This actually gave her a mysterious warmth inside.

Of course, Chu Lian didn't notice this. She just did what she felt was right. She didn't want to act as a coward just to survive.

She didn't know that her nonchalant gesture had touched Royal Princess Duanjia and Princess Wei's hearts.

Just like that, the lineup of both teams was already set.

The two teams entered their respective tents to prepare. They had to remove all of the hairpins in their hair along with the other accessories they were wearing, and they also had to choose a polo mallet and a horse suitable for them.

During the preparations, Royal Princess Duanjia made use of every second to explain the rules of polo to Chu Lian.

Chu Lian kept nodding as she listened. She had a great memory, and it wasn't like she knew nothing at all about polo. After all, polo was still played in modern times; the rules here were simply a little different.

She was now good enough at riding, but she wasn't expecting much from herself. She just had to make sure not to burden the team and keep herself safe, and everything else would be left to Royal Princess Duanjia.

Both Feudal Princess Minghui and Royal Princess Xu were adept at playing polo, while Royal Princess Duanjia was an amazing player. They had a good shot at winning.

Although there was quite a lot of time for them to prepare, it still passed very quickly for Chu Lian, who was still trying her best to commit the details of the game to memory.

Royal Princess Duanjia personally chose a horse and polo mallet for Chu Lian.

Very soon, the two teams entered the polo field, while Imperial Concubine Wei led the other ladies to a viewing platform.

All the members of Royal Princess Duanjia's team had a scarlet-red cloth on their arms, while Feudal Princess Anmin's side had tied a blue cloth on theirs.

The hunting grounds had its own referee. With a loud blow of the whistle, the competition officially began.

The polo ball was thrown up into the air. Royal Princess Duanjia twitched her reins, and her valiant white horse shot forward. When it arrived at the polo ball, it raised its hooves up high with a neigh. Royal Princess Duanjia lifted her hands up and stepped hard on the stirrups; this put her in a standing position with her butt floating above the saddle. Her arm was at a slight angle, and with a slight swing, she snatched the polo ball!

With this swing, the polo ball flew in Royal Princess Xu's direction.

The ball was already gone by the time Feudal Princess Anmin arrived. Since she had missed the chance to possess the ball, she was now at a disadvantage.

Feudal Princess Anmin angrily bit her bottom lip and glared at Royal Princess Duanjia.

Royal Princess Duanjia sat back down on the saddle with her chin slightly raised, wearing a subtle smile as she glanced at Feudal Princess Anmin with disdain.

Chu Lian guarded the left side of the field, watching as Royal Princess Duanjia lead Feudal Princess Xirou in a charge towards the opponent's side of the field.

The ladies raised their tender voices, constantly shouting out to each other, and the competition was abnormally fierce.

It was at this time that Feudal Princess Minghui suddenly charged out from the left, her body bent backwards at what seemed like an impossible angle. She swung her polo mallet, and she stole the ball in a shocking move! The ball was sent flying in an arc, and in two seconds, the ball entered the opponent's net with a 'pop'.

Royal Princess Duanjia's red team had scored a point!

Loud cheers immediately burst out from the ladies on the viewing platform.

Even Princess Wei had a wide smile on her face.

Following closely after that, the red team scored another point, making Honoured Lady Xincheng look at Royal Princess Duanjia in a different light.

The super amateur Chu Lian felt that she was actually going to be carried to victory.

At this moment, at an angle hidden to the others, Feudal Princess Anmin signaled at Prince Hexi's twin daughters Dong'er and Nan'er with her eyes.

Nan'er nodded.

This time, it was the blue team's turn to serve the ball.

Royal Princess Nanzhang landed a heavy hit on the polo ball, sending it flying up in the air and towards the red team's side of the field.

The midfielders, Nan'er and Dong'er, whipped their horses forward and wildly charged into the red team's territory.

In the middle of their charge, Nan'er and Dong'er glanced at each other.

The heads of their horses turned, and they started galloping towards Chu Lian instead.

Dong'er swung her mallet, which caused the polo ball to roll in Chu Lian's direction.

Nan'er twitched the reins of her horse, causing it to speed up.

At this point, Royal Princess Duanjia and the others were still on the other side of the field, and they didn't have any way of getting there before Nan'er and Dong'er.

When Chu Lian noticed that Nan'er and Dong'er were charging towards her, her brows furrowed, as she instinctively felt a sense of danger approaching.

If they wanted to hit her horse, then she just had to dodge.

However, it was right at this moment that the small polo ball coincidentally hit the butt of Chu Lian's steed.

The horse was startled badly, causing it to whinny and rear up. It started to run off without paying any heed to Chu Lian's commands.

Now that her opportunity to escape had been taken away, Nan'er and Dong'er rushed to Chu Lian's side.

In a seemingly accidental manner, they slammed into Chu Lian on both sides. They used their mallets to control the polo ball while Chu Lian was sandwiched between them and unable to move.

When Dong'er and Nan'er were fighting to snatch the polo ball on the ground, their mallets 'inadvertently' hit Chu Lian's horse.

After they galloped away, Chu Lian's horse suddenly flew into a rage, with every intention to fling its rider off.

Chu Lian was still an amateur at horse riding and she hadn't learned enough riding techniques yet. She didn't know how to calm the horse down and control it.

Princess Wei and the distant Royal Princess Duanjia felt their hearts stop. Princess Wei immediately ordered one of her servants who knew martial arts to rescue Chu Lian.

However, it was still too late. They were too far away, and they were about to witness Chu Lian being flung off a crazed horse.

In the end, Chu Lian was thrown off when she lost hold of the reins...

She cried out in alarm, but right at this moment, a majestic horse suddenly charged onto the field.

The horse leapt over the wooden fence surrounding the field easily, and the rider of the horse actually jumped off the horse's back without any regard for his own safety.

A tall and slender figure caught Chu Lian in mid-air, then embraced her tightly.

Moments later, there was the muffled sound of bodies hitting the ground'. The world seemed to go out of focus for Chu Lian as she rolled uncontrollably for a few rounds before coming to a stop.

An unfamiliar chilly fragrance surrounded her, and the embrace she felt wasn't one that was familiar to her.

Once she recovered from the shock, Chu Lian calmed her emotions, and slowly opened her eyes.

What entered her eyes first was a black robe, then fair skin, a prominent Adam's apple, and a clean and smooth-looking chin with slight traces of stubble.

The shape of the chin was very delicate-looking, and not at all what she was familiar with.

Chu Lian was immediately frozen from this. There was fear, shock, anxiety and other negative emotions in her heart.

This man who had suddenly appeared wasn't her husband, He Changdi!

Who was it!?

In the next second, Chu Lian felt the hold on her waist tighten and a stranger's hand impudently caressing her waist.

She then heard a familiar voice from above her head, "My dear Lian'er, are you alright?"

That... That was Xiao Bojian's voice!

Chu Lian sucked in her breath through her teeth. The shock of learning this made her push away the man embracing her with everything she had!

However, the difference between a man and a woman's physical strength wasn't so easy to overcome. Xiao Bojian's arms were like steel clamps locking her in place, she couldn't move at all.

When Chu Lian had been flung off her horse, the audience on the viewing platform was in an uproar. Many of them hadn't expected such an accident to happen in a simple game of women's polo.

Even Imperial Concubine Wei showed some semblance of shock.

Right now, it was already too late for anyone to save Honoured Lady Jinyi. It didn't matter how good their reflexes were.

Just as everyone had determined that Honoured Lady Jinyi was destined to be a cripple, someone from outside the field charged in, and even leapt off his horse to save Honoured Lady Jinyi without any regard for his own safety.

Someone on the viewing platform said with astonishment, "Is... isn't that Scholar Xiao?"

With that reminder, everyone immediately recognized the person who had saved Chu Lian. That person was indeed Xiao Bojian.

Xiao Bojian had been born with amazing features that were unforgettable to anyone he met. He was also the top scholar of the imperial examinations, which meant that he had left an incredibly deep impression in the minds of others.

Practically everybody in the capital knew of him.

It wasn't strange at all for someone to recognise him at this occasion.

Sir Xiao was a man overflowing with talent whose political prowess stood out even in court, gaining the admiration of many.

Although he was of humble origins, his features were beautiful and he had a great reputation. He was now in his early twenties and hadn't yet married. For the sake of respecting his future wife, he didn't even have a single concubine or maid in his home.

He was still a bachelor, but he was already considered a great candidate for a son-in-law in the eyes of the noble madams in the capital.

If the one who had been saved today was some unmarried Royal Princess or Feudal Princess, this could have turned into a fairy tale. All that would be needed was for Imperial Concubine Wei to betroth her to Xiao Bojian, and it would be absolutely perfect.

Unfortunately, the one who was saved was Honoured Lady Jinyi, the wife of Marquis Anyuan, a lady who was already married...

Now the situation was turning awkward...

Looking at them, Sir Xiao seemed to be hugging Honoured Lady Jinyi pretty tightly. The look in his eyes was filled with emotion too, it... it couldn't be that these two had feelings for each other before, right?

Otherwise, why would Xiao Bojian have chosen to risk a serious injury for the sake of saving Honoured Lady Jinyi at a critical situation like this?

Suddenly, everyone's thought processes turned a hundred and eighty degrees, with all sorts of guesses and gossip flooding their minds.

Princess Wei was the first to return to her senses. She angrily watched how tightly Xiao Bojian held Chu Lian, but before she could speak, there was suddenly a loud commotion coming from the rear of the polo field.

Everyone's eyes were drawn towards the direction of the commotion, and it was an incredible sight to behold...

The emperor had returned.

He was standing some distance away with his brows furrowed and his hands behind his back with a dignified expression on his face. He was an incredibly charismatic ruler, and nobody could guess at what was on his mind.

He stood in front of the others, all standing in that corner in a strange silence. Those on the viewing platform didn't know how long he had been standing there, and how much he had seen.

He Changdi was also there at one side. He had also seen what happened alongside the emperor, but they had happened to arrive right as Xiao Bojian was rolling on the ground with Chu Lian in his arms.

His phoenix eyes narrowed with a deep glare in Xiao Bojian and Chu Lian's direction. The air was heavy around him, and his dashing face couldn't get any darker. He even subconsciously held Royal Princess Leyao more forcefully.

Princess Leyao groaned, then with a teary voice, she said, "Brother Changdi, please be more gentle, you're hurting me."

It was this voice that seemed to break the mysterious silence.

Princess Leyao's leg had already been treated. It was now firmly secured by wooden planks.

Princess Wei's subordinate had finally reached Chu Lian's side. When the maid who had been tasked with saving Chu Lian saw how tightly Xiao Bojian was holding Chu Lian, her eyes narrowed. Acting as if she hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary, she said, "Honoured Lady, are you hurt anywhere? Please allow this servant to help you up."

Xiao Bojian finally released Chu Lian, and Chu Lian was supported to a standing position by the maid.

Other than her pale face from the fright and several tears on her clothes, she hadn't gotten any serious injuries and was pretty much fine.

The maid sighed in relief before finally helping Xiao Bojian up.

However, the severity of Xiao Bojian's injuries outclassed Chu Lian's by far.

When they had been rolling on the ground, he had held Chu Lian so tightly and acted as her shield without care for himself. His right leg was sprained and there were heavy bruises on multiple parts of his body. There were likely internal injuries hiding under those bruises as well. He would need some time to recuperate from this.

As the maid helped Xiao Bojian up, he stumbled due to his sprained ankle. Who knew if he had done it on purpose or not? He somehow fell in Chu Lian's direction.

Although Chu Lian didn't like Xiao Bojian as a person and even felt disgust towards him, it was still a fact that he had saved her when she had been flung off her horse.

Since he was going to fall, she couldn't push him away. Thus, she caught him.

However, Xiao Bojian rested his entire body on Chu Lian's shoulder, and his arms directly wrapped around Chu Lian's waist.

Chu Lian stiffened up. She was about to push him away in anger, but Xiao Bojian had already let go before that could happen. Chu Lian didn't speak a word of this, as his action had seemed unintentional.

Chu Lian suspiciously sized Xiao Bojian up, and asked with an unfriendly tone, "Are you badly hurt? Thank you for saving me back there."

Right as she was about to turn away from Xiao Bojian, she noticed the group of people who were in front of her and to the left.

The most conspicuous person, standing at the front was obviously the emperor, with He Changdi right beside him.

Chu Lian's pupils shrunk. She subconsciously opened her mouth with the intention of explaining everything to him.

However... when she looked at him properly, she noticed that there was someone in his arms...

From the size of that person, along with the clothes and hairstyle, it was obviously a lady...

It was at this moment that the woman in He Changdi's arms turned her head. At an angle that He Changdi couldn't see, she gave Chu Lian a wicked smile.

Chu Lian sucked in a deep breath. It was Imperial Princess Leyao!

Any woman would know what Imperial Princess Leyao's gaze embodied; it was a form of provocation, a declaration of war!

Chu Lian couldn't help taking two steps back. Her figure seemed like a swaying willow on the verge of collapse.

Her line of sight shifted to He Changdi, whose deep and chilly eyes stared right back at her. He had a grim expression, like he was an insurmountable statue of ice.

Chu Lian opened her mouth, wanting to explain, but it was then that He Changdi turned away, shifting his gaze elsewhere.

Suddenly, Chu Lian felt as if someone had stabbed her in the heart. Her hands hidden under her sleeves formed into tight fists, her nails digging into her palm, forming deep marks, but she couldn't feel it at all.

Chu Lian's mind fell into chaos.

She had no idea when he had come, and didn't know how much he had seen.

If he had arrived earlier, why hadn't he come to save her?

Was he misunderstanding the relationship between Xiao Bojian and her?

Ch. 350 She Must Be Crazy to Have Fallen For Him

The emperor seemed to be deep in his thoughts. A moment later, he turned to look at He Changdi and said, "Marquis Anyuan, bring Yao'er to the imperial physician's tent first."

He Changdi couldn't reject an order from the emperor, but he still couldn't help but turn his gaze back to Chu Lian again. However, his wife had already lowered her head and was no longer looking at him. He Changdi felt as if something was crushing his heart and breaking it to pieces.

He somehow managed to make a strained noise of affirmation. After giving a reply, he turned around with Imperial Princess Leyao in his arms and left with the imperial guards.

With that taken care of, the emperor strode towards the direction of the polo field as he ordered He Lin to seek the imperial physician.

At this time, Imperial Concubine Wei also arrived with everyone.

Royal Princess Duanjia quickly rushed over, held Chu Lian's hand, and asked about her condition worriedly.

Chu Lian's complexion was as white as a piece of paper. She forced a smile and said, "Royal Princess, I'm fine. It's only a minor injury."

Upon hearing such a reply, Royal Princess Duanjia sternly shook her head. "No, we can't be certain until the imperial physician comes over to check. Chu Liu, you shouldn't move right now."

She personally helped Chu Lian up as she spoke. Then, she told Jinxiu to bring a cushioned stool over and carefully supported Chu Lian to sit down.

The image of He Changdi's back as he carried Princess Leyao away without even giving a second look was still lingering in Chu Lian's mind. She felt perplexed and dazed as Royal Princess Duanjia helped her sit down. Her originally pale face had instantly turned even more haggard.

The emperor and Imperial Concubine Wei came over at this time.

Chu Lian wanted to stand up to greet the emperor and Imperial Concubine Wei, but the emperor immediately stopped her.

A rare trace of concern emerged within the emperor's dignified voice as he said, "Since you're injured, the usual courtesies can be excused. You should get some proper rest!"

After observing the situation, Imperial Concubine Wei also treated Chu Lian in a friendly manner.

"His Majesty is right. You should take a rest. The imperial physician should arrive soon. It was such an unfortunate coincidence. I didn't think such an accident would happen, but we should thank Sir Xiao for his help this time."

Imperial Concubine Wei wanted to continue speaking, but the emperor suddenly gave her an icy look. She was stunned and immediately swallowed her next few words back down.

She had almost forgotten that the Marchioness Anyuan in front of her was no longer just Honoured Lady Jinyi, who she could casually abuse as she liked. Now that she was the child the emperor had with that bitch, she could be considered a legitimate descendant of the imperial family.

After receiving leniency, Chu Lian bowed her head towards the emperor, offering a greeting as much as she was able to.

The emperor looked at Chu Lian in a seemingly nonchalant manner, but he noticed that Chu Lian was in a trance and appeared dispirited.

He looked towards Xiao Bojian and Imperial Concubine Wei again, then slightly narrowed his eyes.

"Xiao Bojian, you have accomplished a commendable deed for rescuing someone this time. We'll keep this in mind for the time being and grant you a reward when We return to the palace. If there's nothing wrong after the imperial physician's examination, then the both of you can go back to your tents for an early rest."

Both Chu Lian and Xiao Bojian replied in agreement.

However, the expressions of the people beside them had all subtly changed.

What was going on? Why was the emperor suddenly favouring Xiao Bojian right now?

What great merit had he achieved? He had merely saved Honoured Lady Jinyi, who also happened to be Marchioness Anyuan. Moreover, he did it voluntarily. Why was he being rewarded for a commendable deed? Although Honoured Lady Jinyi had been conferred a title, she wasn't really a descendant of the imperial family. The emperor didn't need to grant a reward since this matter had nothing to do with him...

Everyone was confused about this situation.

However, they looked at Xiao Bojian and Chu Lian with even more complicated emotions in their eyes.

Imperial Concubine Wei promptly dismissed the audience of ladies.

The imperial physician came to take Chu Lian and Xiao Bojian's pulses respectively. As Chu Lian had insisted, she hadn't sustained any major injuries. She only had some minor scratches and bruises, and she had also suffered some fright. However, Xiao Bojian was heavily injured. He had not only sprained his ankle, but also sustained some internal injuries. It would probably take at least two to three months for him to recover.

Wenqing and Wenlan helped Chu Lian to walk forward. She turned towards Xiao Bojian and bobbed in gratitude.

Xiao Bojian noticed the cold and desolate look within her eyes. A corner of his lips tugged downwards and he whispered, "When did you become so distant from me, Lian'er? Didn't I just risk my life to save you? That was what I promised you earlier."

Chu Lian frowned and gave him a complicated look. She didn't say anything else, then turned around and left.

Xiao Bojian stared after Chu Lian's slender, delicate back until his line of vision was blocked by some tents. His formerly gentle and handsome face instantly turned gloomy and vicious.

He clenched his fists and kicked the cushioned stool that Chu Lian had been sitting on earlier.

Xiao Bojian couldn't control the rage within his heart. It was as if his entire body had been set alight with fire.

"Preposterous! She didn't believe me!"

The imperial physician was shocked by his abrupt actions and lost the ability to respond for a moment.

He couldn't believe that that handsome man, who had appeared so gentle in front of the emperor and Honoured Lady Jinyi earlier, had suddenly morphed into a devil from hell.

He couldn't help but shudder when he saw the infuriated expression on Sir Xiao's face.

Imperial physicians were just low-ranking officials working in a high-risk profession. They had already trained themselves to become sturdy and resistant to shock. Thus, he was only stunned for a few seconds when he saw this unexpected side of Xiao Bojian. After that, he continued to treat Xiao Bojian's injuries like a puppet.

One glanced at the imperial physician beside him, who was treating the wounds while half-kneeling. He whispered to Xiao Bojian, "Sir, you're already injured. Anger won't help your wounds to heal."

It seemed like Xiao Bojian had just wanted to vent out the resentment within his heart. He closed his eyes and suppressed his anger after hearing One's advice.

As soon as the emperor began to make his way back to his tent, he gave He Lin an order. "Find out what happened."

He Lin acted swiftly. After a moment, he had already reported the sequence of events in detail to the gloomy-looking Emperor beside him.

"Nanzhang? Prince Hexi's daughters? Anmin?" The emperor raised his voice as he said those names. He Lin couldn't help but tremble when hearing his tone.

He Lin vaguely knew that those noble misses were going to suffer the consequences, but he didn't dare say anything more.

A moment later, He Lin asked in a soft voice, "Your Majesty, Imperial Princess Leyao's injury..."

"Send someone to notify Imperial Concubine Wei. We're tired, so We're going back to my tent to rest."

"Yes, this servant understands." He Lin quickly left with two imperial guards.

Eunuch Wei had already come to greet the emperor when he arrived at the tent with his imperial guards.

The emperor glanced at Eunuch Wei and knew that he had probably already heard the news. "Don't ask. We'll talk after entering the tent. There's something We need you to handle."

"Yes, Your Majesty. This old servant understands."

Princess Wei and Royal Princess Duanjia followed after Chu Lian when she returned to her tent.

Princess Wei had even found a female physician with good medical skills to examine Chu Lian again. The female physician also inspected the wounds on her body that had been inconvenient for the male imperial physician to examine.

The physician left a high-quality ointment and prescription. Wenqing helped Chu Lian apply the ointment, while Wenlan went to brew the medicine.

Royal Princess Duanjia was sitting beside the bed. She held onto Chu Lian's hand, a tinge of fear still evident in her voice as she said, "Chu Liu, you really scared me. If anything bad had happened to you this time, I would have died of guilt."

Chu Lian forced a smile. "Royal Princess, you shouldn't say that. Who could have thought that such an accident would occur?"

Royal Princess Duanjia frowned. "I didn't have a chance to ask you at the polo field, so tell me more about what happened at that time. Why did those two brats, Dong'er and Nan'er, attack you? If I remembered correctly, you've never interacted with them before."

Chu Lian shook her head. She really didn't have any relationship nor conflict with Prince Hexi's Estate.

Furthermore, Prince Hexi's twin daughters had good reputations in public. They were known to be obedient, intelligent, and talented.

She didn't understand why Prince Hexi's daughters would harm her at this time.

"Maybe it has something to do with Anmin? Anmin is very close with Leyao, so was it Leyao's idea?" Royal Princess Duanjia made a guess.

Princess Wei tapped Royal Princess Duanjia on the shoulder. "Although Leyao is ill-natured and spoiled, she isn't someone who knows how to scheme. This wasn't something that she would think of doing."

Princess Wei was right. To put it bluntly, Imperial Princess Leyao was a brainless idiot. This was a detailed plan that had started with the mention of polo and evolved into an actual polo match among the noble ladies. There was also the limit to the selection of players for the match that had made them pick Chu Lian for the team. Lastly, they had targeted Chu Lian on the field. This was a plan with many linked parts. If any one part within this plan failed, then Chu Lian wouldn't be hurt.

In conclusion, this wasn't something that Imperial Princess Leyao could devise with that brain of hers.

Moreover, Imperial Princess Leyao hadn't been at the scene. Thus, it was even more impossible.

It also couldn't be Imperial Concubine Wei. During the process of Chu Lian being injured and rescued, her eyes were full of surprise and shock. Princess Wei was right beside her at that time. It wasn't something that she could fake.

"Who could it be then! I'll definitely find that culprit to avenge Chu Liu." Royal Princess Duanjia clenched her fist.

Princess Wei sighed helplessly. She patted Royal Princess Duanjia, and then Chu Lian. "Alright, don't be rash. This doesn't seem like a simple matter. We should give this matter some more thought before coming to a conclusion." After saying that, she looked towards her daughter. "Don't worry. I'll definitely find the truth and help you avenge Jinyi."

After hearing Princess Wei's words, Royal Princess Duanjia immediately drooped. Even her shoulders hung low.

Royal Princess Duanjia was guilt-ridden because she felt responsible for Chu Lian getting injured this time.

Princess Wei understood her daughter's feelings. "Alright, Jinyi is probably tired after suffering such a fright. We should leave and let her get some proper rest."

Royal Princess Duanjia helped Princess Wei stand up. She felt reluctant to part with Chu Lian and said, "Chu Liu, you should quickly lie down and sleep. I'll come over to see you tomorrow."

Chu Lian agreed with a voice filled with fatigue.

When Royal Princess Duanjia and Princess Wei arrived at the entrance of the tent, Duanjia abruptly stopped and asked with creased brows, "Where's Marquis Anyuan?"

The guard, who was standing at the entrance, just shook his head in reply.

Royal Princess Duanjia immediately clenched her fists. "That scumbag! Chu Liu is already injured and he's still not coming back!"

He Changdi couldn't possibly be accompanying the emperor because the emperor had already returned to his tent! How could He Changdi still be wandering around outside?!

Princess Wei's expression also turned slightly grim, but she wasn't as impulsive as Royal Princess Duanjia. However, she silently took note of this matter in her mind.

Chu Lian laid down with a soft and comfortable pillow behind her. She was also covered with a warm blanket. However, despite the comforts around her, there was a terrible expression on her face.

She couldn't help but recall the moment He Changdi had turned to leave with Imperial Princess Leyao in his arms.

She rang the bell beside her bed and Wenqing immediately rushed in.

"Third Young Madam, do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? Please bear with it for a little longer. The medicine will be ready soon."

Chu Lian shook her head and looked towards Wenqing, who was standing beside the bed, and asked, "Where's my husband?"

Wenqing was shocked, but she promptly answered with her head bowed, "Replying to Third Young Madam, Third Young Master hasn't returned yet. This servant also doesn't know where he is. Laiyue hasn't come back either."

After receiving Wenqing's reply, Chu Lian feebly waved her hand. "You're dismissed."

Wenqing looked worriedly at the back of the slender figure resting on the bed. She gave a light sigh and quietly went out.

After she exited the tent, Wenqing called over one of the Anyuan Estate's guards and told him to search for He Changdi.

The guard didn't dare procrastinate and swiftly left.

Chu Lian drank the medicine that the female physician had prescribed. The medicine contained medical herbs with a sedative effect, so Chu Lian promptly fell asleep.

She didn't know how long she slept, but the lanterns within the tent were already lit when she woke up.

Wenlan probably heard the movement behind the screen, so she hastily came in.

She walked over to the side of the bed and helped Chu Lian sit up, placing a soft pillow behind her to cushion her back.

"Third Young Madam, are you hungry? Do you want to eat something?"

Chu Lian looked around the tent. "What time is it?"

Wenlan handed a cup of warm water to her. "Just past eleven."

Chu Lian took a sip of warm water. She was slightly surprised since she didn't expect to fall asleep until it was almost midnight.

Wenlan didn't hear her reply regarding whether she wanted to eat something, so she decided to just go out and tell Wenqing to bring the food box in.

"Third Young Madam, we've prepared some shredded chicken and mushroom porridge. We also have the side dishes that we brought over from the estate. Third Young Madam should eat some."

Chu Lian nodded. Although she didn't really have an appetite, she was indeed hungry.

Wenqing and Wenlan were delighted by her willingness to eat.

They found a small side table to serve as a tray to put on the bed, then took the porridge and side dishes out of the food box.

Chu Lian ate half a bowl with much difficulty. After there was some food lining her stomach, she didn't feel like eating any more.

She waved her hand towards Wenlan. "Take them away. I'm already full. There's still plenty of porridge left; you can eat some if you're hungry."

Wenqing looked at the bowl of porridge which was still half-full and was thinking of persuading Chu Lian to eat a little more. However, before she could say anything, her young madam had already retreated back into the blanket, prepared to lie down again.

Wenlan looked towards her older sister and shook her head. All they could do was clean up everything as ordered.

They went out after confirming that Chu Lian had really fallen asleep again.

The sisters' eyes were filled with worry.

"Sister, Third Young Madam must be truly angry this time. She didn't even ask about Third Young Master's whereabouts."

Normally, if He Changdi wasn't at home and she had finished eating, Chu Lian would instruct them to save some food for Third Young Master, or ask when He Changdi would return.

However, Chu Lian hadn't said a word about He Changdi's situation just now. She also hadn't asked when he would be coming back. Moreover, she didn't even talk about whether He Changdi had eaten yet, as if He Changdi didn't exist anymore.

"Ah? Didn't you send someone to ask in the afternoon? How was it?"

Wenlan pursed her lips. "The guard said Third Young Master is in Imperial Princess Leyao's tent... He was stopped outside and wasn't allowed to enter..."

"What?"

Even Wenqing was angry now. Imperial Princess Leyao! Why was that little brat forcibly hogging their master?

"Sister, that Princess Leyao is already eleven this year... Could she possibly..."

Wenqing didn't like to view others in a bad light. She frowned and warned, "Wenlan, don't make rash comments. If it spreads out, it would not only dishonour House Anyuan, but it might also bring disaster upon us."

"Yes, Sister. I was wrong."

Even though Wenqing said that, on the inside, she was even more worried than Wenlan.

The children of the imperial family usually matured earlier. With all the fighting and scheming within the palace, they wouldn't be able to survive if they were too naïve. What actually were Imperial Princess Leyao's intentions? Did she really like their master?

The medicine that Chu Lian had taken in the morning was very effective, so she had already had enough rest. Thus, she laid in bed, unable to sleep for now.

She tossed and turned, but she couldn't fall asleep no matter how she tried.

She finally managed to fall asleep after struggling for an hour.

He Changdi came back after midnight.

Wenqing and Wenlan, who were guarding the entrance of the tent, were abruptly awakened by the soft sound of the tent's curtain being pulled open.

When they realised that it was a dew-laden He Changdi who came in, they finally set down the swords in their hands and stood to the side respectfully.

He Sanlang's cloak was soaked and even his hair was somewhat wet.

His entire body was covered with humidity, so there was also a bone-chilling quality within his voice when he spoke.

"Leave."

Wenqing and Wenlan couldn't help but tremble. Wenlan wanted to say something, but Wenqing pulled her sleeve and dragged her out.

After leaving the tent, Wenlan still felt upset. "Older Sister, what are you doing? I need to make things clear with Third Young Master. Third Young Madam is so pitiful. She suffered a fright in the afternoon and almost died. However, Third Young Master was still outside for the entire day. Let's disregard the fact that he didn't even bother asking about the situation, but he didn't come back until now! Does he even have Third Young Madam in his heart? If I was Third Young Madam, I would definitely complain to his face!"

Wenqing raised her hand and gave Wenlan a loud smack on her head.

"Stop speaking nonsense. What rights do you have to discuss the masters' matters? Don't forget about Third Young Master's temper and be careful of your little head. Third Young Master isn't as soft-hearted as Third Young Madam."

After being scolded by Wenqing, Wenlan unwillingly stopped talking and followed her older sister to rest in the smaller tent nearby.

He Sanlang was frozen to the spot. He had acute senses and was standing inside the tent. Moreover, it was such a quiet night. Thus, he could hear the sound of Chu Lian's gentle breathing from behind the screen.

He stood there, listened for a while, and confirmed that Chu Lian was asleep.

Next, he took off his damp cloak and casually placed it on the back of the chair beside him.

Following that, he quietly walked around the screen and arrived beside the bed.

A dim hexagonal lantern had been lit. It was hung on a lampstand near the head of the bed.

Under the dim light, He Changdi could clearly see Chu Lian's sleeping face.

She was wearing a light pink nightgown embroidered with beautiful flowers, curled up in a fetal position with both of her hands in front of her chest. Her soft hair covered the entire pillow, while two stray locks of hair framed her face.

Her skin was porcelain-white, which should have been a beautiful colour on her. However, she appeared wan instead beneath that certain angle of light.

Her rosy lips were pursed slightly. There was a layer of moisture on her thick, curled eyelashes, which were still glistening.

He Changdi suddenly felt like someone had stuffed a large rock into his heart. It weighed down on him and made him feel terribly uncomfortable.

He reached out with one hand, wanting to touch Chu Lian's delicate face, but her eyebrows twitched. Still in the throes of sleep, she shook her head twice and tears streamed down her face again.

Based on this situation, Chu Lian was obviously having a nightmare.

As if something stung the hand that He Sanlang extended, his hand twitched and drew back.

When he recalled Xiao Bojian saving and embracing her this morning, veins on his forehead throbbed in anger. He couldn't control the jealousy and rage within his heart. He had seriously been fighting the urge to tear Xiao Bojian into pieces. After that, Chu Lian had smiled so sweetly and thanked Xiao Bojian, which was something even harder for him to endure.

He knew that the incident wasn't Chu Lian's fault and that she had to express her gratitude to Xiao Bojian. However, he still couldn't suppress the rage within his heart.

By the time he gradually calmed down, he became even more fearful. He was frightened by his own extreme possessiveness towards Chu Lian.

He couldn't even stand seeing her standing with another man, or even engaging in normal interactions...

She could only belong to him. No matter if she was smiling or crying, her face could only be directed at him alone!

When he thought of this, He Changdi covered his face of fatigue with a hand and rubbed it vigorously.

He Changdi stood beside Chu Lian's bed for a long time. However, when Chu Lian awoke again, he was already gone.

After opening her eyes, Chu Lian looked around the tent instinctively. She still didn't see the person who she had been thinking about for the entire day.

This time when Wenlan came in, Chu Lian couldn't help but ask, "Has He Changdi come back yet?"

Wenlan shot a cautious look at Chu Lian and nodded. "Replying to Third Young Madam, Third Young Master returned at midnight yesterday. He was called out early this morning. The emperor wants to go hunting today, so most of the officials were summoned to the hunt."

Chu Lian was usually a deep sleeper, but she hadn't slept very well last night. If someone had slept beside her, she would have definitely sensed it. Moreover, when she woke up this morning, the bedding beside her was still very neat. Nothing had been moved, so it didn't seem like someone had slept there.

Wenlan was attentive and noticed the look in Chu Lian's eyes. She summoned up her courage to explain, "When this servant brought hot water over this morning, I saw... I saw Third Young Master sleeping on the chaise behind the screen..."

Chu Lian narrowed her eyes. The light in her normally clear, bright eyes instantly dimmed. When Wenlan saw that, her heart felt like it was being crushed and it ached painfully.

She regretted telling Third Young Madam about that matter.

Chu Lian didn't ask any more questions after that. She rested against the bedframe for a while with dull eyes.

An hour later, she asked Wenqing to help her up for breakfast.

The breakfast was on the table in the middle of the tent, so Wenqing helped Chu Lian walk over to the table.

In the middle of the meal, Wenqing softly said, "Third Young Madam, this servant has something to report."

Chu Lian regained her focus and cheered up.

She lifted her head and looked at Wenqing. "Tell me."

"Third Young Madam, Imperial Princess Leyao's leg was injured after she insisted on going hunting in the woods yesterday. The imperial physician said that even after she recuperates, her leg would probably be crippled."

Chu Lian was slightly shocked after listening to Wenqing's words. Imperial Princess Leyao's leg was likely going to be crippled?

She looked at Wenqing again, and saw that she had lowered her head and stopped talking.

Chu Lian sighed helplessly as she understood the meaning behind Wenqing's words.

She was probably helping He Changdi explain. An explanation for him returning late at night and the reason he wasn't concerned about her injury.

However, it simply didn't make sense. Imperial Princess Leyao had only injured her leg. Even if she had injured her head, it still didn't have anything to do with He Changdi.

Why would he return late at night because of Imperial Princess Leyao?

It couldn't possibly be from the emperor's imperial order, could it? That is, unless the emperor had nothing better to do and wanted to make things difficult for him--he, a married young man who already had a legitimate wife.

It was true that Imperial Princess Leyao had feelings for him, but she was still young. Neither Imperial Concubine Wei nor the emperor would be so 'desperate' to choose a married man, who was nearly ten years older than Imperial Princess Leyao, for her.

After Chu Lian finished eating, she set down her chopsticks and stood up. "Alright, I understand. Wenqing, Wenlan, come with me for a walk."

Wenqing didn't think that Third Young Madam would react so calmly. She felt somewhat uneasy inside and didn't dare to speak up again.

Chu Lian pulled aside the thick curtains of the tent that kept out the wind. Then, she looked towards the wide horizon of the clear blue sky.