"Maybe she really has her difficulties. Just let her stay," Mu Yanming said as he walked up to her, putting his arm around her waist and resting his chin on her forehead.
"Her father is the prime minister. What difficulties could she possibly have?" He reached out and gently tapped Mo Qinghuan's nose.
She wriggled out of his embrace, looked up at him, and asked, "So you mean she came to the prince's mansion for you?"
Mu Yanming tilted her chin up. "What else?"
Mo Qinghuan turned her face away, smiling with her eyes squinted into slits.
"I didn't realize that our prince is so narcissistic."
He led her to the bedside and sat down. Then he leaned over and pinned her down on the bed.
"Qinghuan, do you like children?" he suddenly asked, cupping her face in his hands with tenderness in his eyes.
She lay there, twirling his long hair in circles.
Seeing that she didn't answer, Mu Yanming took a deep breath, gave her a gentle peck, and sat up straight.
Inside a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the capital, a man in black with his face hidden by the hood of his cape stood with his back to a group of people. Behind him stood a row of black - clad men.
"Do you all understand?"
The twelve black - clad men replied in unison, "Understood."
He turned around. Wearing a mask with wrinkles like tree bark, his voice was hoarse. "Good. Our master has said that after the task is accomplished, no brother will be treated unfairly."
"Good, good, good." The black - clad men raised their swords and shouted three times.
The next day was the day of the spring hunt.
Early that morning, before dawn, a figure sneaked out of the back door of the Regent's Mansion.
Taking advantage of the darkness, the figure left the Regent's Mansion and headed towards the city gate.
After leaving the city, the figure tightened the bundle on the shoulder, turned to look at the city gate, eyes full of reluctance.
After being in a daze for a while, the figure took a deep breath, gave the horse a hard kick, and rode away.
Before long, the eastern sky turned pale, with streaks of red like the afterglow of sunset, as charming as the blush on a shy girl's face.
When Mo Qinghuan woke up, Mu Yanming was no longer by the bed. She got up and walked outside the courtyard. Dan'er was talking to Bai Ke. Hearing the sound of Mo Qinghuan opening the door, they turned to look.
"Princess, the prince asked this servant to ask if you'd like to go to the spring hunt. If you do, please change into your riding outfit." With that, she walked to the stone table and picked up the riding outfit prepared by Mu Yanming and presented it to Mo Qinghuan.
"Princess, you might as well go and have a look. It's boring staying in the mansion anyway. Consider it a bit of fun," Bai Ke stepped forward and advised.
Mo Qinghuan agreed. "Sure, I'll go and have a look."
"The prince has already left first. We'll just go there directly later."
Mo Qinghuan looked at Bai Ke. "The prince left first? Then why didn't you go with him?"
Bai Ke lowered his head. "Reporting to the princess, this subordinate has fallen out of favor. The prince took Jinghua to the hunting ground."
Mo Qinghuan smiled.
At the hunting ground.
Mu Yanming rode around the hunting ground on his horse to check for any abnormalities. After making sure everything was okay, he returned to his personal tent.
Before long, people started to arrive at the hunting ground one after another.
The emperor also came to the hunting ground under the protection of the imperial guards.
When Mo Qinghuan arrived, she saw Mu Yefeng talking to Mu Yanming.
"Sister - in - law is here too?" Mo Qinghuan gave a soft "um" and walked up to Mu Yanming. She was wearing a red riding outfit today, which made her skin look even fairer.
She was about to talk to Mu Yanming when Jinghua trotted over.
Bowing his hands, he said, "My lord, the emperor requests your presence."
Mu Yanming reached out and stroked her head. "You stay here for a while. I'll be back soon."
She nodded and watched him leave obediently.
Feeling bored, she walked towards the lake alone.
The sunlight was reflected on the lake, creating colorful splashes.
"Your ladyship is alone? Why didn't you even bring a personal maid?"
Hearing the voice, she turned around and saw Min Feiyan and her maid.
Min Feiyan was wearing a long water - green robe today. Since she was in the early stage of pregnancy, her belly wasn't showing yet.
Zhi'er carefully supported her.
She always looked sickly, so no one would suspect her.
"How have you been feeling these days?"
She looked around, then stepped forward and walked up to Mo Qinghuan.
Mo Qinghuan heard her sigh softly.
"Why are you sighing?"
Min Feiyan looked up at her and grabbed Mo Qinghuan's wrist. Mo Qinghuan frowned slightly, not expecting her to be so strong.
"Sister - in - law, these days, I've always felt a dull pain in my lower abdomen. Is there something wrong with my child?"
Mo Qinghuan shook off her hand and whispered, "As long as you do as I say, I guarantee your child will be fine. But the spring hunt is tiring, and since ancient times, both the autumn and spring hunts have never been peaceful. So you shouldn't have come today."
Min Feiyan sighed again. "Sister - in - law, to be honest, I didn't want to come either. But for some reason, His Highness insisted that I come with him. I couldn't persuade him, so I had to come."
"Anyway, you should be more careful."
She originally wanted to wait for Mu Yanming here, but she really didn't want to continue chatting with Min Feiyan.
Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly heard a shrill cry.
"Guards! Catch the assassin!"
The hunting ground immediately fell into chaos. The guards surrounded the emperor's tent tightly, leaving no gaps, so tight that not even a mouse could get in.
"Assassin! How could there be an assassin?" Min Feiyan's face changed. She reached out to support a nearby tree, and Zhi'er quickly supported her.
Hearing the cry, Mo Qinghuan turned to look at Min Feiyan, who was looking at her nervously.
Helplessly, she went back to Min Feiyan's side and comforted her softly, "The hunting ground is heavily guarded. Don't be so nervous."
Min Feiyan nodded nervously. "I understand, sister - in - law."
She propped herself up and told Zhi'er to help her back.
Mo Qinghuan felt that there was something strange about her.
Just as she was about to go and check, Jinghua ran over.
"Princess, the prince has ordered this subordinate to protect you."
She nodded and looked in the direction where Min Feiyan had left.
"The safety of the hunting ground is under Mu Yanming's responsibility. Where is the prince now?"
Jinghua scratched his head. "Princess, don't worry. The prince is watching over there."
Just as he was speaking, a black - masked man suddenly ran in front of them. He was holding a sword in one hand and covering his chest with the other. He seemed to be seriously injured.
Jinghua was afraid that he would hurt Mo Qinghuan, so he put his sword in front of her.
Bai Ke, who was chasing after him, pointed his sword at the black - masked man. "Surrender. You can't escape."
The black - masked man glanced at Mo Qinghuan. For some reason, Mo Qinghuan felt that his eyes were very familiar, as if she had seen them somewhere before, but she couldn't remember at the moment.
"Bai Ke, let me go!" he shouted at Bai Ke.
Bai Ke was greatly surprised. "Who are you?"
"Don't ask now. This is not the time for us to reveal our identities."
Bai Ke and Jinghua exchanged a look, and Jinghua silently sheathed his sword.
The black - masked man took another look at Mo Qinghuan and then left.