Suddenly, the sound of a sword being drawn mingled with the pattering of rain. Helian Duo glanced back, then did a backflip into the air, dodging the hidden swords flying from somewhere else.
"Everyone, be careful! There's an ambush!"
The rain enveloped everything, but Helian Duo's voice was as cold and clear as ever.
The people behind him all drew their weapons from their waists and got ready. Helian Duo looked at the increasingly mysterious situation before him and couldn't help shouting, "What on earth are you up to!"
There was no response. All that followed were a series of arrows, whistling one after another.
He leaped into the air, waved his long sword, and a dazzling light flashed, easily deflecting most of the sharp arrows. Sensing a gaze from the dark, Helian Duo flashed out of the battle and entered a desolate area.
Just then, a clear and pleasant voice like a silver bell rang in his ear: "Your Highness!"
He looked in the direction of the voice, but what greeted him was a sharp hidden blade that stabbed straight into his left shoulder. He couldn't avoid it.
"I really didn't expect that you, Helian Duo, would end up like this! How does it feel to be stepped on by others?"
"Your Highness, no!"
Cheng Xiran suddenly opened her eyes. Her forehead was already damp.
Zhuque, who was guarding outside, heard the sound and quickly pushed open the door and ran in. She rushed straight to Cheng Xiran's bedside. "Miss, Miss?"
After calling several times, she finally saw Cheng Xiran glance over and reply slowly, "Oh, it was just a dream. But why did I have such a strange dream?"
Moreover, it was related to Helian Duo's life and death.
Zhuque looked confused. Her voice was soft, not daring to startle her. "What nightmare did you have, Miss? Your forehead is all sweaty."
While asking, Zhuque took out her silk handkerchief and carefully wiped Cheng Xiran's sweat.
Cheng Xiran was still immersed in an indescribable grief and didn't pay attention. She just muttered to herself, "Is he in danger now? They say some dreams are omens. Could this be one?"
Zhuque was busy running around. She added a cup of warm water for her and put a cloak on her. She didn't dare to be the least bit negligent, afraid that she would catch a cold. Her expression was also extremely tense.
After a while, Cheng Xiran gradually calmed down. She let out a soft sigh and then asked, "What time is it?"
"It's just past Mao Shi. Do you want to lie down and sleep a bit more, Miss? It's still early."
"I slept too much yesterday..." Cheng Xiran rubbed her head slightly and then continued, "I won't sleep anymore. Prepare the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone for me. I want to finish tomorrow's manuscript earlier."
Saying that, she got out of bed. Zhuque carefully helped her change clothes and then took out the food box that Nanny Jin had sent from behind the screen. "The kitchen probably hasn't prepared breakfast yet. Miss, you might as well have some of this."
It was a bit similar to the pastries that Helian Duo had brought back from General Cui's birthday banquet last time, but they were more crispy and delicious.
She liked them very much. She ate several pieces in a row and also gave some to Zhuque.
The rain outside had stopped at some point. She opened a corner of the window, thinking of blowing some wind to clear her mind, but a gust of cold wind rushed in and made her shiver. She quickly closed the window and couldn't help muttering, "Is winter coming? Why is it so cold?"
Zhuque covered her mouth and snickered. "Then do you want to wear winter clothes later, Miss?"
Cheng Xiran knew she was joking with her and didn't take it to heart. After chatting with her for a while, she started writing. Having eaten and drunk her fill, her pen flew across the paper. She finished the manuscript in just over an hour.
Seeing that it was getting brighter outside, she couldn't help stretching. Because she was really worried about Helian Duo in her heart, she went to the prince's mansion with Mu Li. She wanted to know his situation.
The mistress and her maid came to the prince's mansion all the way, which really startled the guards at the door.
One of them turned around and went into the mansion to report, while the other stepped forward and bowed. "Why did you come so early today, Miss Cheng?"
Being asked this, Cheng Xiran looked around and only then realized that there were few people on the long street. It was indeed much earlier.
She couldn't help smiling awkwardly. She touched her ears and wrinkled her nose. "Oh, I... I just have something urgent to find the prince. And since I woke up early today, I just came here."
Just as she was thinking about her next excuse in her heart, she heard the guard say indifferently, "To reply to you, Miss, the prince went out to handle some business yesterday. It was sudden, and he didn't have time to tell you."
She was about to ask in detail when she saw Zuo Yan walking over from inside the mansion.
After bowing, he also looked quite puzzled and asked, "Did you come so early, Miss, because there's something extremely urgent?"
Cheng Xiran felt extremely embarrassed. She even wanted to find a hole to crawl into, rather than being thought about by them. If they told Helian Duo later, wouldn't she lose even more face?
"I, I just passed by. Yes, I just came by to have a look!"
Seeing that the guard was about to expose her, Cheng Xiran quickly pulled Zuo Yan aside. "I heard that the prince went out yesterday. Where did he go and when will he be back?"
Zuo Yan smiled and patiently explained to her, "The prince went south to Yangzhou to handle some official business. If everything goes smoothly, he'll be back in two or three days. I wonder if you have something to do, Miss. If it's urgent, I can also send a pigeon to inform him to come back earlier."
"It's okay. What could I have to do..." Cheng Xiran shook her head.
But Zuo Yan stared at her face and was in a daze. "But what's wrong with your face, Miss? Were you framed again? Do you need me to step in and solve it? Although my ability is not as good as the prince's, the prince gave instructions before leaving yesterday, asking me to take good care of you."
It was really rare that he could still remember her even when he was in such a hurry.
Cheng Xiran couldn't hide the smile in her eyes, but still pretended to be nonchalant. "It's okay. It's just a bit of an allergy. I've been using medicine these days and it will get better soon."
"Okay. I also have something important to do, so I won't accompany you..." Zuo Yan took a deep look at Mu Li and then said to her, "A Li, you must protect Miss Cheng well. You mustn't let her get hurt at all."
Mu Li nodded in response. Cheng Xiran finally let out a sigh of relief in her heart. Last night's dream was really just a simple nightmare.
Since she had already confirmed that Helian Duo was okay, she followed her original plan and wandered around the market more. The purpose was to make Qian Youliang back off.
Facts proved that this was indeed a bit useful, but only a little. She overestimated herself. She thought this little trick could make Qian Youliang stop thinking about her, but actually it was not the case.