Chapter 51: Stab

Chapter 51

He was an upright gentleman who adhered to proper etiquette. He would never cross his own moral line or get so intimate with an innocent young lady before marriage.

Gu Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As expected, honest people also had downsides when it came to being honest. At critical moments they didn't know how to be flexible. Thê source of this content n/o/v/(el)bi((n))

She had no choice but to make a compromise, "There really are wild beasts in this forest. I didn't intend to take advantage of Master Fu. Let's use our sashes to tie each other's wrists to prevent getting separated. What do you think, Master Fu?"

Fu Xunzhi was embarrassed. He felt like he had embarrassed himself. "Second young lady, you misunderstand. I didn't mean that..."

Gu Ying nimble removed the sash around her waist. She tied the two ends together into a long rope. She tied one end around his wrist and the other end around her own.

Fu Xunzhi's face grew even more flushed. He didn't know where to put his hands.

Gu Ying no longer had any other thoughts. The deeper they went into the dense forest, the more she just thought about how to get out alive. After all, in her previous life, someone had lost a leg to a tiger during a winter hunt.

She had some martial arts skills and could climb trees. But Fu Xunzhi looked like a weak scholar without any fighting ability. If they really encountered a tiger, they would likely end up as a meal.

She pulled Fu Xunzhi along, her gaze firm. "Let's go."

The two walked towards Jixue Cliff again. After about an hour, Gu Ying's biggest worry happened.

The wind and snow suddenly grew stronger and the weather became severe, affecting their hunting progress.

She was still fine alone, but with Fu Xunzhi, it became somewhat difficult.

Before long, the cold wind intensified. The horse under them panicked and Fu Xunzhi was thrown off. In a flash he was gone.

The situation was urgent. Gu Ying could only give her horse to Fu Xunzhi. In the fierce wind and snow, she used all her strength to push him onto the horse's back. She told him to hold the reins tightly and head out of the Black Forest. "Master Fu, I'll go find your horse. Ride my horse out of the Black Forest first. Otherwise when it gets dark, it will be even harder to find our way! This forest is huge and deep. It's impossible to walk out on foot!"

Fu Xunzhi's face stung from the icy wind. The world around them was dark and blurry. He couldn't clearly see the woman's face, but his heart pounded anxiously. "No! Second young lady! I can't leave you alone here!"

Gu Ying didn't care what he said. She slapped the horse's rear and let it take Fu Xunzhi away.

Watching his disappearing figure, she breathed a sigh of relief. But she didn't dare linger and hurried in the direction Rufeng had run off.

After walking for a long time, she felt her strength draining away. She still hadn't found Rufeng.

She decided to just head to Jixue Cliff. There would naturally be hunters there. She could ask them for help getting out.

She had wanted to ask Zhao Changdu to put her down first, but the situation suddenly reversed. A cold arrow flew out from somewhere, narrowly missing her feet and making her heart leap to her throat.

Before she could react, more arrows rained down behind them.

She turned pale with fright.

"Prince, what's going on? Could it be... someone is trying to assassinate you?"

She didn't think she was important enough for someone to ruthlessly attack her like this.

But Zhao Changdu was different. He commanded a powerful army and had long held control of the border. Now he held great power and had just been appointed Supreme Commander by the Emperor. It was no surprise someone resented him. This assassination attempt was surely aimed at him.

Gu Ying didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

What terrible misfortune had she encountered to have so much go wrong since entering the Black Forest?

First Rufeng had run off, she sent Fu Xunzhi away, and was left alone. Just as she thought to head to Jixue Cliff to find help, she had accidentally slipped and fallen.

It was one thing to be saved by the Crown Prince she had tried to avoid. But she never imagined Zhao Changdu would drag her into this deadly assassination!

She did have some martial arts skills, enough to deal with the young ladies of her household. But that was far from sufficient against these trained killers.

To preserve her life, she had no choice but to cling to Zhao Changdu's arm...

The spirited horse galloped swiftly as lightning. The fierce wind and snow stung her delicate cheeks, instantly turning them red.

The man seemed to notice her discomfort.

Even at such high speeds, he freed a hand to wrap her small face in his thick cloak.

Gu Ying's vision went dark, but she felt strangely reassured.

"Prince, you don't need to be so concerned about me..."

"Don't speak."

As always, he was taciturn and cold.