In the blink of an eye, Chu Yao swung his whip, wrapping it around Wu Hui's waist, then swung it again, tossing Wu Hui high into the air before he landed steadily on Wushuang's back.
"ah--"
The two cousins' cries overlapped, making it impossible to tell whether they were more frightened or overjoyed.
Wu Hui hugged Wu Shuang tightly from behind, sobbing uncontrollably against her shoulder, "I almost, I almost died, sob..."
Those who witnessed this scene along the forest path couldn't help but applaud, and cheers could be heard from afar.
Although it was just a false alarm, Wu Hui was greatly frightened and cried incessantly. Naturally, she could no longer go to the lakeside to play. So, accompanied by Wang Hongbo and Chu Yao, Wu Shuang escorted Wu Hui back to the camp.
Everything was kept simple on the journey, with the three daughters of the Jun family crammed into a single tent.
Wuyou felt dizzy and unwell for most of the day, and went to bed early after having some porridge in the evening.
Wushuang had been in a carriage and on horseback all day, so she was quite tired and fell asleep as soon as she touched the bed.
After returning to her tent, Wu Hui did not eat anything. She only asked the accompanying imperial physician to check her pulse and drink a bowl of calming tea before falling into a deep sleep.
The medicine was supposed to help her sleep soundly until dawn, but she woke up hungry in the middle of the night.
The two older sisters were fast asleep, and Wu Hui was too embarrassed to wake them, so she quietly got up and went to the low cabinet by the door to look for snacks.
Instead of finding any snacks, I accidentally kicked over a food box next to the cabinet, and a few roast duck buns rolled out.
It turned out to be leftovers from their lunch.
Wu Hui gently straightened the food box. The dusty buns that had rolled out were placed on the top layer, while the ones on the bottom plate were still intact.
She reached out and grabbed a steamed bun, stuffing it into her mouth.
In mid-spring, the weather was neither too hot nor too cold. The steamed buns didn't spoil even after being left in the car for half a day, but the duck meat became a little greasy after it cooled down.
But Wu Hui felt that this was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten in her life.
With each bite, the scene of Chu Yao saving her would replay in her mind.
Every time I recall that moment, I feel no regret and want to eat another roast duck bun.
Before she knew it, she had eaten all seven remaining roast duck buns on the lower level.
If only my future husband could be like the King of Ying, Wu Hui swallowed the last bite of the steamed bun with her cold tea, and then couldn't help but sigh softly.
In the past, although she was somewhat envious that Wushuang was married to a powerful prince, she could still laugh at Wushuang for marrying an old man because Chu Yao was so much older than them, thus comforting herself.
But what happened today made Wu Hui truly feel Chu Yao's most outstanding side.
He was not only of noble birth, powerful and capable, and highly valued by the emperor, but also handsome, agile, and, most importantly, decisive.
Could you find another man like this in the entire capital?
So what if there's a second one?
If someone possesses all of the above qualities, can they be as caring and loving towards their future wife as Chu Yao is, and even extend that care to her family?
During the rest of the journey, Wu Hui would unconsciously keep her eyes on Chu Yao.
She couldn't tell what she was thinking. Was she envious of Wushuang for having a good ending, or was she simply jealous? A jumble of conflicting thoughts made her restless and caused her to lose weight.
Fortunately, after nearly a month of travel, the imperial carriage finally arrived at its final destination.
Chapter 90 | Table of Contents
Chapter 90:
The three girls from the Jun family had just gotten off the carriage and hadn't even had a chance to enter the tent when a eunuch came to greet them.
"Fourth Miss, I have been sent by the First Princess to invite you to come and have a seat."
Wu Hui recognized him as Eunuch Ning, the steward of the eldest princess, but she was unwilling to go.
Ever since the last incident with the startled horse, Wu Hui has been afraid that He Yao might come up with some other tricks to frame him. Whenever he sees her, he acts as if he has seen a ghost and always keeps his distance.
Her horse was killed by Chu Yao, and many young men from noble families witnessed the incident, so it couldn't be kept secret from the Jun and He families. The eldest princess even brought generous gifts to the Jun family to apologize, and He Yao repeatedly emphasized that it was unintentional, and that he was simply drunk and couldn't control himself.
Wu Hui was only frightened and not injured or harmed. Since the eldest princess personally intervened, the old lady had no choice but to give her face. On the surface, the matter seemed to be closed, and the relationship with the eldest princess's family, which was related by marriage, remained harmonious.
However, everyone could see He Yao's spoiled nature, and the Jun family unanimously believed that the less they associated with him, the better.
"Eunuch Ning, please tell the eldest princess that I am too exhausted from the journey to visit her today. I promise I will visit her another day," Wu Hui politely declined.
"This..." Eunuch Ning hesitated for a moment, then said softly, "But the First Princess didn't just invite Fourth Miss for a casual chat; she wanted to benefit you."
He Caiqiong happened to hear this when she walked over, and naturally replied, "It's rare that Her Highness the Eldest Princess always thinks of us, Wu Hui. Our whole family is extremely grateful. However, I wonder if it would be convenient for you to tell us what the benefits are? Young girls are all delicate and ignorant, and they don't have much perseverance. If the carrots in front of them aren't delicious enough, they might throw a tantrum and not be willing to endure any more hardship."
Eunuch Ning had been by the side of the eldest princess for many years, so he had met his sister-in-law He Caiqiong quite often. However, before she got married, He Caiqiong had always been by the side of the madam. Although she occasionally helped with affairs, she was mostly silent, and everyone thought she was a dull and boring person.
Her words—first thanking her, then tentatively asking a question, and finally helping her stepdaughter decline the invitation—were executed flawlessly and smoothly. She neither belittled Wu Hui nor made it seem like she was simply being a "little girl throwing a tantrum." If the eldest princess were displeased, it would appear as if she were arguing with a child who was being unreasonable and childish. Whether for the sake of face or substance, the eldest princess certainly wouldn't want to be criticized like that. He Caiqiong's actions not only helped Wu Hui out of a predicament but also prevented any future trouble for her.
Not only is she quick-witted and eloquent, but she also knows how to handle things perfectly. It's a pity she's a girl. If she had been born a boy and become an official, she would have become a pillar of the Zhongyong Earl's family, bringing glory to the family sooner or later.
Eunuch Ning wiped the sweat from his brow. He had entered the palace at the age of three or four, survived in that cutthroat environment, squeezed his way into serving the eldest princess, and even gained favor. He was a shrewd shrew, and considered his ability to read people to be unparalleled, almost never making a mistake. He never imagined that He Caiqiong could "deceive" him for so many years. Having lived to such an old age, he had finally come to truly understand what it meant to be unreliable. This stung him, who was usually quick-witted, and he hesitated for a long time before finally speaking: "It's not exactly a secret, everyone knows that the eldest princess is going to meet His Majesty."
He deliberately left things unsaid, slightly raising his eyes to stare at He Caiqiong and observe her expression.
He Caiqiong's mind raced. The Grand Princess was Emperor Deqing's elder sister from the same mother. She had married Tuoba Ji, the King of the Northern Frontier, in her early years. One of the purposes of the Emperor's current northern tour was to fulfill the Empress Dowager's wish, so that the elderly Empress Dowager could see her daughter who had married far away again before she died.
As Eunuch Ning said, this matter is indeed common knowledge.