Lu Pianpian sighed inwardly, cast a cleansing spell on Huan Changming to remove the dirt from his body, and carefully checked him again to make sure there were no other wounds before speaking, "I will find a chance to take you out of here. Don't do those dangerous things anymore."
Huan Changming suddenly snapped out of his daze, "You want to help me?"
Why help him after seeing his cruel and terrifying appearance?
Shouldn't he be disappointed in him and stay far away from him?
"Shouldn't I help you?" Lu Pianpian retorted to Huan Changming. "I came tonight to visit you in your illness, and I happened to see Huan Mi throw that white tiger demon into your courtyard. You dug out that inner core just to protect yourself."
In Lu Pianpian's eyes, Huan Changming was as weak and thin as a dodder vine, and everything he did tonight was to protect her.
"Since you knew, why did you still stop me from eating that inner core?" Huan Changming's voice deepened. "No one can protect me every moment. I can only protect my own life..."
Even the most delicate dodder will grow sharp thorns when faced with a life-threatening situation, learning to protect itself.
Lu Pianpian felt more heartache or pity for Huan Changming. "Whether you believe it or not, I will protect you."
He left those words behind and turned to leave.
The cat peeked through the crack in the door and saw that the white tiger demon's corpse and inner core were gone from the courtyard. It ran back to Huan Changming's feet and said, "He took the corpse and inner core with him."
Cat thought Huan Changming would get angry, but when she looked up, she found that his gaze was still fixed on the direction Lu Pianpian had left, and he hadn't looked away.
The cat licked its paws, pondering what to say to make Huan Changming happy: "Lu Pianpian seems to really be a good person."
"What good are good people?" Huan Changming's roar made the cat's fur stand on end. "Good people never have a good ending; they're all short-lived!"
The cat quickly hid in a corner. Huan Changming was too unpredictable; it was better not to try to guess his thoughts anymore.
After Lu Pianpian finished arranging the funeral for the White Tiger Demon, she didn't return to the Guifu Mansion. Instead, she stopped a palace servant to find out Huan Mi's residence and went straight there.
Huan Mi was still terrified by Huan Changming's madman-like behavior a few hours earlier. She dismissed the palace maids, lit all the candles in the hall, and huddled on the bed, trembling.
Huan Mi was facing the window, and the candlelight shone on the curtains, where a figure suddenly appeared. Startled, she clutched the blanket tightly, "Who...who is it?!"
"I am Lu Shaoyan. I have a reason for visiting the princess's palace so late at night. Please forgive me."
"What do you want? Did that bitch send you?"
"I'm here just to tell the princess that Changming is no longer someone you can bully at will. From now on, I will protect her."
"Who do you think you are to stand up for her? Do you even know that—"
Suddenly, all the candles in the hall were extinguished by an invisible force, plunging the room into complete darkness.
The moonlight outside the window was soft and warm, and the figure of the young cultivator was reflected in the window screen. She heard his clear voice say, "Changming is soft, but that doesn't mean I am soft. I will not stand idly by if you bully Changming."
Extinguishing the candle through the window—a small gesture that conveys the owner's authority.
Huan Mi's words caught in her throat, and she didn't dare to breathe. She knew that this man, like Huan Juntian, possessed some magical abilities, and taking her life would be as easy as snapping his fingers.
Lu Pianpian felt she had intimidated enough and prepared to leave, saying, "Also, don't let me hear you insulting her with those foul words again."
One month later, the King of Xiye died.
During the reign of the King of Xiye, the two were at loggerheads for many years. When their rival suddenly died, the King of Li was overjoyed. Coincidentally, it was the spring equinox, so the King of Li ordered a spring hunt to be held on the day of the King of Xiye's funeral, to demonstrate the martial prowess of the Li Kingdom.
Those invited to participate in this spring hunt were all sons of officials, each of them of noble status.
Huan Juntian is the most outstanding among them, attracting widespread attention.
His status as a prince was one of the points of interest, but more importantly, upon returning to the capital, he brought down General Suining, solved a mysterious case, and made a great contribution. At the same time, he made the civil and military officials of the Li Kingdom feel uneasy, fearing that the eldest prince's spear would be pointed at them at any moment.
Lu Zhong's rank is not high, so Lu Pianpian should not have attended such an occasion. However, perhaps because he made a contribution to the White Tiger Demon incident and caught the eye of the Prince of Li, he was invited to the spring hunt.
Before leaving, Lu Zhong repeatedly warned him: "Today's Spring Festival Parade is set up by His Majesty to establish the prestige of His Highness the Eldest Prince. You must not rashly step forward and steal the limelight from His Highness..."
"Father, don't worry, my junior brother is very capable, no one can steal his thunder."
"That's good, that's good... But you can call me 'Junior Brother' in private, but in public you should still use the proper respectful form of addressing me as 'Your Highness'."
After a moment's thought, Lu Pianpian agreed, "Okay."
"Then go ahead, but remember not to get hurt and take good care of yourself."
"I understand, Father."
Only then did Lu Zhong feel relieved enough to let Lu Pianpian leave.
The seating arrangement during the spring hunt was based on rank. Lu Pianpian was placed at the end and could see her junior brothers and sisters sitting next to the Prince of Li from afar.
"Today's spring hunt will determine who comes out on top, and I will grant him a reward." King Li was in high spirits. "My fine young men of Li, show me your skills and let me have a good look!"
"Yes, Your Majesty's decree will be obeyed!"
Lu Pianpian waited at the back for her senior sister and junior brother to go hunting together, while the eunuch's sons whispered among themselves as they walked past her.
"I've heard that this spring hunt is not only His Majesty's way of establishing His Highness's authority, but also a way to choose a husband for Princess Huanmi..."
“That’s right, my father also mentioned it to me. But I don’t want to be a prince consort. That Princess Huanmi is willful and capricious. Whoever marries her will never have a peaceful life in the household.”
"Haha, it's not like His Majesty would actually want you to be the princess's husband..."
Lu Pianpian made way for them, and the two bowed to him in thanks.
Just then, her junior brother and senior sister walked over. Remembering her father's instructions, Lu Pianpian said, "Greetings, Your Highness and Holy Maiden."
Qu Surou looked as if she had seen a ghost, "Who possessed you?"
"No, senior sister, I'm just doing as the locals do."
Huan Juntian remained indifferent, revealing no emotion, and simply said, "Senior brother, why should we be so distant here?"
Lu Pianpian touched her index finger with her thumb, somewhat embarrassed, "It's not that..."
"You can talk on the way. If you don't go hunting in the woods soon, your prey will be stolen." The palace servant brought over a horse, and Qu Surou mounted it. "I'm going first!"
"Holy Maiden, wait! This spring hunt has always been for men only; there has never been a precedent for women to participate..."
"It's alright!" King Li ordered from behind, "Since the Holy Maiden wants to try, then let her go. Jun Tian, you must protect the Holy Maiden's safety!"
Huan Juntian and Lu Pianpian exchanged a knowing glance: She doesn't need our protection.
Huan Juntian said, "Your subject understands."
The three siblings rode their horses into the forest. Qu Surou rode in front and asked her junior brothers behind her, "How can we get first place?"
Huan Juntian explained, "There is a wolf king in the forest. Whoever can hunt that wolf will be the winner."
"What? I thought it was some ferocious beast, but it's just an ordinary wolf?"
Qu Surou slowed down her horse's pace, instantly losing interest. Lu Pianpian and Huan Juntian also slowed down.
Lu Pianpian explained, "Senior sister, there are only a few people like us who have studied magic. If we really bring over a ferocious beast, all of us will be in danger."
"I know, I know," Qu Surou teased Lu Pianpian. "In terms of benevolence, neither Huan San nor I are as good as you."
The three walked deeper into the forest and suddenly heard the sounds of a man and a woman confronting each other coming from the bushes ahead.
“Brother Jingyi…you must win first place, otherwise Father will marry me off to someone else.”
Disguised as a man, Huan Mi grabbed Jing Yi's hand and pleaded under the tree. Jing Yi pulled his hand away, saying, "Princess Huan Mi, please have some self-respect. This hunting ground is a place where women like you should be."
“You know this isn’t a place for me. If Father finds out, I’ll be punished! But for our future, I’m still willing to risk my life. I’ve gone to such lengths, don’t you want to face my heart?”
Huan Mi usually presents herself with an arrogant demeanor, but only in front of Jing Yi does she show a bit of a girlish side.
Jingyi, however, was not moved in the slightest by her expression. "I have neither official position nor academic honor, and I am truly unworthy of Your Highness, who is of noble birth. I urge Your Highness to find a suitable match as soon as possible and stop wasting your energy on me."
He was about to leave after he finished speaking when Huan Mi stopped him, "What is so good about Huan Changming? What is it about me that I can't compare to her?"
Jingyi turned around, bowed to Huanmi, and said, "Even if Changming has a thousand faults, she is the only one in my heart."
"Princess Huanmi will never understand this sentiment."
Jing Yi left resolutely, parting the branches to reveal Qu Surou's face. "Miss Qu?"
Qu Surou awkwardly stepped back, revealing Lu Pianpian and Huan Juntian behind her. "The three of us just happened to be passing by and didn't mean to eavesdrop..."
Jing Yi quickly bowed to Huan Juntian, saying, "Please excuse my poor appearance, gentlemen."
Huan Mi's hysterical crying suddenly rang out, and Jing Yi's face darkened even more. Qu Su Rou said to him, "Aren't you going to comfort her?"
“I have no affection for Princess Huanmi. If I were to try to coax her now, all my words just now would have been in vain.”
"Too."
Qu Surou and Lu Pianpian looked at Huan Juntian in unison, "Your sister, aren't you going to take care of her?"
Huan Juntian pondered for a moment, then pulled Lu Pianpian's sleeve and walked towards Huan Mi, "Senior brother, I'm not good at coaxing people, you should do it..."
Lu Pianpian gave Qu Surou behind her several winks, signaling her not to get too close to Jing Yi. Qu Surou nodded perfunctorily, which was taken as agreement.
"Miss Qu, would it be convenient for you to accompany me for a while?" Jing Yi whispered to Qu Surou, "I'm afraid Princess Huanmi will catch up with me again if I'm alone. Alas, I really don't know how to deal with it..."
Qu Surou didn't want to have anything to do with Jing Yi, but Lu Pianpian's reaction made her a little curious and concerned, so she agreed to Jing Yi's request, "Okay."
"Thank you for your help, Miss Qu."
When Huan Mi saw Huan Juntian leading Lu Pianpian over, she cried even more heartbreakingly, "Brother, don't let him come over! He's going to kill me... he's going to kill me!"
Lu Pianpian told Huan Juntian the truth: "I scared her."
"Are you bluffing? You're trying to kill me!" Huan Mi cried, tears streaming down his face. "Brother, let him go! Let him go!"
Lu Pianpian didn't want to put her junior brother in a difficult position, so she said, "I'll go over first, you can talk to her."
After Lu Pianpian left, Huan Mi's emotions calmed down a bit. Huan Juntian looked down at her and said, "Stop crying? I'm leaving."
"I didn't bring any guards, Your Highness! Are you going to leave me here all alone?!" Huan Mi squatted down and grabbed Huan Juntian's sleeve. "Jingyi doesn't like me, does Your Highness dislike me too?"
Huan Juntian had only met this princess a handful of times, and given her arrogant and domineering behavior, it was hard to say whether he liked her or not. "I'll take you back to the camp."
“I can’t go to the camp; women aren’t allowed here.” Huan Mi tugged at Huan Juntian’s robe, sobbing uncontrollably. “Brother, you could just take me out of this forest… And brother, could you let Brother Jingyi win first place? I only want to marry him, I don’t want to marry anyone else…”
Huan Juntian walked forward without looking back, saying, "Jingyi doesn't like you, he won't want to be the first to win."
"But I love him! I will never marry anyone but him in my life!"
“He doesn’t like you,” Huan Juntian repeated. “Why don’t you find someone else to like?”
"How can you just change the person you like so easily!" Huan Mi was determined to only like Jing Yi. "Does that mean you, my brother, can just change the person you like so easily?"
Upon hearing this, Huan Juntian turned and glanced at Huan Mi, "I don't have anyone I like."
Wang Chengli's death caused Wu Yao and Huan Changming to lose contact. Under the guise of this spring hunt, Wu Yao sent people to infiltrate the people who went to the spring hunt and re-establish contact with Huan Changming.
Huan Changming, under Jing Yi's cover, entered the spring hunt and met with Wu Yao's men at the agreed location.