Clear waters and beautiful mountains

Chapter 15

Yu Chi Mingyue thought she was about to return to the Nanling Prince's Mansion, but upon leaving Plum Valley, she saw dozens of riders gathered outside the valley, all dressed in hunting attire. They led fierce dogs, carried eagles, and wielded longbows and short swords, looking quite imposing.

Yu Chi Mingyue was slightly surprised by this scene and asked, "Is this a hunting expedition in the spring mountains?"

The Prince of Nanling laughed loudly, "Haha, it's just the spring mountain hunting season!"

Yu Chi Mingyue frowned and said, "I'm not going..."

“Ah, spring is in full bloom now, and you’ve been cooped up in Plum Valley for a long time. Why not take this opportunity to relax and accompany your grandfather?” Prince Nanling pulled up Yuchi Mingyue and persuaded her.

Yu Chi Mingyue was displeased and asked, "How many princes and nobles have you invited this time?"

"What do you mean by 'invited'?" King Nanling sneered. "Every year when I go hunting in the spring mountains, they all show up uninvited. Just ignore them."

Yu Chi Mingyue looked at him, her face full of hesitation.

At this moment, the Prince of Nanling suddenly turned his head and said to Di Xiu on horseback, "Chief Steward Di, why don't you go and see my hunting grounds?"

Di Xiu was slightly startled and still didn't know how to answer. But seeing that the Prince of Nanling's eyes were gentle and not malicious, he finally remained silent and nodded.

Seeing that he agreed, Yu Chi Mingyue said no more.

After a brief preparation, the swift horses and light carriages sped off to the hunting grounds.

Leaving Plum Valley and passing by the lake, one comes upon a stretch of green mountains. This entire area belongs to Nanling, and these mountains are the hunting grounds of the Nanling King. Although it is a hunting ground, it is usually unguarded, and ordinary people can go up the mountains to hunt and cut wood at will. Only from February to March each year, the Nanling King's Palace holds a "Spring Mountain Hunt," closing the mountains to the public. At this time of year, countless nobles, dukes, and high-ranking officials come to visit.

Half a month earlier, servants from the Prince of Nanling's residence had gone up the mountain to select an auspicious spot and demarcate the hunting area. When the Prince of Nanling and his entourage arrived, the servants had already set up tents and prepared fruits and wine to welcome them.

Yu Chi Mingyue alighted from the carriage and saw that there were indeed dozens of riders in the hunting grounds. None of them were from the Nanling Prince's Mansion, and many of them were young noblemen. They were all riding fine horses with carved saddles and dressed in brocade hunting clothes, and they all looked dashing and heroic.

Upon seeing the Prince of Nanling arrive, everyone dismounted and bowed.

Several familiar princes and nobles greeted Yu Chi Mingyue with smiles of delight and stepped forward to engage in conversation.

Yu Chi Mingyue returned the greetings one by one, but said nothing. She turned around and walked straight towards Di Xiu.

Di Xiu had just been helped off his horse and hadn't even stood up when Yu Chi Mingyue came forward, took his hand without saying a word, and said with a smile, "Let's go sit over there."

Seeing this scene, all the young noblemen were astonished.

Di Xiu naturally noticed the unfriendly gazes. The people in the hunting ground were all royalty, nobles, and high-ranking officials, and the incongruous atmosphere made him somewhat uncomfortable.

This was a world he had never imagined getting involved in. And now, he was making one mistake after another. He didn't even know if he was still the same person he used to be... What was he doing? Playing dumb? Or deceiving himself? He felt lost, and the emptiness in his heart was unlike anything he had ever experienced before.

Yu Chi Mingyue helped him to sit on the soft couch inside the curtained area, and then instructed a maid to bring a thin blanket to cover his lap. After doing this, she sat down beside him and asked with a smile, "Is there anything you'd like to eat? I'll have someone make it."

Di Xiu was lost in thought and did not agree.

Seeing him like this, Yu Chi Mingyue felt a vague sense of worry. During her stay in Plum Valley, she had always felt that he seemed unhappy. Even when he smiled, there was a hint of melancholy in his eyes, and he wasn't as frank and direct as before. Was she overthinking it?

She thought for a moment, then finally asked, "Are you angry?"

Upon hearing this, Di Xiu turned to look at her and shook his head.

Yu Chi Mingyue frowned and pointed at him, saying, "You still say you didn't. It was the same last time; you suddenly stopped talking to me."

Upon hearing this, he recalled what had happened before he had regained his senses. He had not forgotten the lie she had told him that night.

She liked him, she liked him from the very beginning...

How clumsy! And how ridiculous it was that I believed those words.

When he was bound by the Heavenly Fox Curse and in grave danger, she saved him, at Mei Ziqi's instigation. Afterwards, he was injured protecting her. Being simple-minded, she naturally felt gratitude. So now, what she offers is guilt and pity. Or perhaps… even neither guilt nor pity…

Thinking of this, he frowned and remained silent.

"You...you really are angry!" Upon seeing this, Yu Chi Mingyue jumped up and said with dissatisfaction, "Why this time?"

"I'm not angry," he said calmly.

“You do!” Yu Chi Mingyue’s tone was resolute.

“I didn’t!” Di Xiu frowned, her tone slightly displeased.

“You do!” Yu Chi Mingyue reiterated without backing down.

"I don't!"

"You have!"

...

Both of them unconsciously raised their voices, repeating those two meaningless sentences, attracting the attention of everyone around them.

The Prince of Nanling looked at the two men with great confusion and bewilderment.

Mei Ziqi, standing to the side, covered his mouth and chuckled. After a moment's thought, he turned his head to look at the black steed that the Prince of Nanling had ridden when he arrived. He smiled slyly, picked up a small stone, and threw it at the horse.

The sharp pain caused the horse to neigh loudly. The maidservant leading the horse panicked, allowing it to break free. The horse leaped up, overturning tables and chairs, tearing down curtains, and charging wildly. This horse was already untamed, and now, in its frenzy, it was even more difficult to subdue. Everyone knew it was the beloved pet of the Prince of Nanling, and fearing for its safety, they held back even more tightly.

Hearing the commotion, Yu Chi Mingyue stopped arguing to see what was going on. She looked up and saw the black steed charging straight towards her. She was utterly astonished and at a loss for words.

Upon seeing this, the Prince of Nanling immediately took out his bow and arrows and, without saying a word, prepared to shoot the horse dead.

Just then, Di Xiu sprang to his feet, took a few steps forward, and stood in front of Yu Chi Mingyue. He met the horse head-on, using his "Iron Eagle Claw" to grab its neck, then switched to his "River-Turning Hand," pushing it forcefully and pressing it down. The horse lurched to the side, thrown to the ground. The horse, fierce in nature, kicked and tried to get up. Di Xiu applied force with his palm, pinning the horse to the ground. The horse struggled, kicking up dust. After a long while, it finally gave up resisting, lying on the ground, panting heavily.

Di Xiu moved his hand away and muttered a curse under his breath: "You beast, behave yourself."

He stood up and suddenly felt an unbearable pain in his right arm. He then realized that his injury had not yet healed and that what he had just done was reckless.

Yu Chi Mingyue snapped out of her daze, ran to his side in a few steps, reached out to support him, and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

Di Xiu glanced at her, frowned slightly, and while brushing the dust off her hair, said with dissatisfaction, "I'm not angry."

Yu Chi Mingyue was startled and instantly speechless.

Not far away, the Prince of Nanling slowly lowered his longbow, looked at Di Xiu carefully again, and nodded with a smile.

Chapter Eighteen

After the situation calmed down, the "Spring Mountain Hunt" proceeded as scheduled. As the sun began to set, the hunters presented their prey to the Prince of Nanling and each received their reward. The hunt lasted for three days, and the Prince's residence had already set up camp on the mountain for everyone to rest in.

Meanwhile, Di Xiu, having subdued the steed, aggravated his wounds and returned to his tent to rest early. At dusk, Yu Chi Mingyue, accompanied by a maid, brought him dinner and medicine.

Di Xiu lay half-reclined on the couch, helplessly letting the maid feed him his medicine. Yu Chi Mingyue stood by the bed, looking at him with a serious expression.

After finally waiting for him to finish drinking, Yu Chi Mingyue cleared her throat and said, "I have something to say!"

Di Xiu looked up at her, waiting for her to continue.

Yu Chi Mingyue took out a piece of paper from her bosom and handed it to him.

Di Xiu hesitated slightly, then reached out and took the paper. When he saw what was written on it, he was stunned.

The elegant running script states:

One is not allowed to get angry easily.

Secondly, if you are angry, you must give a reason.

Even if you're angry, you shouldn't ignore people.

Yu Chi Mingyue frowned and said, "Let's make a three-point agreement! Words are no proof, let's put it in writing! Let's put our fingerprints on it!"

Di Xiu suppressed the urge to tear up the paper, striving to remain calm. He recognized Yu Chi Mingyue's handwriting; what was written on this paper was clearly from someone else's hand. It couldn't be anyone but Mei Ziqi. He could even imagine Mei Ziqi's expression as she wrote those three lines…

He gritted his teeth, put the paper aside, and lay down to sleep.

"How dare you! How dare you!" Yu Chi Mingyue immediately retorted angrily, "You're not allowed to ignore us!"

He closed his eyes and ignored it.

Yu Chi Mingyue wanted to take his hand and force him to press his fingerprint on it, but she couldn't bring herself to do it because of his injuries. She stood by the bed, deeply troubled.

The maid standing nearby smiled happily. Seeing that she was at a loss, she quickly stepped forward to remind her, "Fourth Miss, the master taught us..."

Yu Chi Mingyue suddenly understood, and she nodded seriously. She reached out and gently nudged Di Xiu, saying in a sickeningly sweet voice, "Good brother, promise me."

Di Xiu suddenly opened his eyes, utterly astonished. He looked at Yu Chi Mingyue, speechless with surprise.

Seeing his expression, Yu Chi Mingyue pressed on, gently pushing him, her voice becoming even softer and sweeter, "Promise me..."

A moment later, Yu Chi Mingyue held up the paper with her fingerprint on it, smiling smugly.

Di Xiu hung his head, feeling utterly helpless.

"Alright, now that you've put your fingerprints on it, you can't break the agreement." Yu Chi Mingyue carefully folded the paper, put it into her brocade pouch, patted it gently, and said with a smile.

Di Xiu glanced at her and couldn't help but laugh.

When Yu Chi Mingyue saw him smile, she was initially displeased, but soon she smiled too.

"Go to sleep," Yu Chi Mingyue said, then tidied the blankets for him before leading the maid out of the tent.

Di Xiu watched her leave, letting out a long sigh. He lay down, but didn't fall asleep, simply staring silently into the void. The silence around him filled him with a sense of emptiness…

He didn't know how much time had passed when suddenly, his mind stirred, and he felt slightly disoriented. Before him, darkness appeared, and within that darkness, a cluster of white light gradually brightened. Within the light was a snow-white fox, its pair of deep blue eyes gazing at him with a smile.

"You've finally made it out of Plum Valley," the fox said.

He was shocked and was about to make a move when he found himself unable to move or even make a sound.

"Hehe, Plum Valley Hermit is quite powerful, actually managing to break my curse," the fox said. "You're quite clever, knowing how to play dumb..."

The fox spoke, slowly approaching. Its eyes narrowed slightly as it looked directly at him. "Hehe, yes, she only likes that silly, foolish you."

It was these words that caused him a dull ache in his heart.

"Actually, I think your original ruthless and unscrupulous self suited me better. What a pity..." the fox said, "Hehe, playing dumb must be hard work, come on, let me help you again..."

After the fox finished speaking, it slowly approached.

As Di Xiu watched the fox approach, his heart was filled with fear and resistance.

Suddenly, his body jolted, and the darkness before him shattered instantly, vanishing without a trace along with the fox. He then awoke, the nightmare leaving him drenched in cold sweat and gasping for breath.

He looked up in bewilderment, glancing around before calming himself down once he was sure he was alone in the tent. He steadied his breathing, no longer feeling sleepy. He simply put on his robe, got up, and left the tent.

The Prince of Nanling's mansion held a spring hunt in the mountains, closing off the area and prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving at will. It was still early at night, and most of the visitors were young, so they gathered in small groups, lit bonfires, drank and laughed, and made quite a lively scene.

Di Xiu felt that sense of alienation again. Just as he was about to walk around, he heard whispers mixed with laughter, which were extremely jarring.

"...He is the steward of Yuchi Manor, named Di Xiu."

"So you're a martial arts expert. No wonder you're so skilled."