Mei Jiang, on the surface, was an honest and even somewhat boisterous aunt in charge of the empress's affairs. But secretly, she was the leader of the Phoenix Feather Guards of Southern Chu.
The Phoenix Feather Guards were a force personally assembled by the emperor of Southern Chu for Du Gu Luanyue since she was five years old to protect her safety.
When Du Gu Luanyue was married off to Northern Yan from afar, this team also quietly followed. This was the first time they were on a mission in Northern Yan.
Outside the Deadwood Forest beyond the imperial capital of Northern Yan, behind a concealed boulder, Mei Jiang was glaring at the secret guard in a towering rage. The horizontal lines on her forehead, illuminated by the firelight, looked like deep ravines.
She roared, "Are you out of your mind? Stabbing your own master in the chest with a knife!"
The secret guard was named Mu Yin, a young man in black. He lowered his head. "It was the princess who ordered me to do so."
Mei Jiang growled in a low voice, suppressing her anger. "Do you know that if your knife had deviated or gone too deep, the princess would have lost her life!"
The combat power of the Phoenix Feather Guards was too formidable. The emperor of Northern Yan didn't allow the empress to bring such a highly lethal team into the harem.
So the Phoenix Feather Guards had been operating a fake escort agency in the imperial capital of Northern Yan.
According to the original plan, the Phoenix Feather Guards had been pretending to be bandits and hiding that day.
Du Gu Luanyue had given the order that if there was no movement, they should disperse; if there was, they should impersonate bandits and act accordingly.
The members of the Phoenix Feather Guards were lying in ambush below the hillside. When they saw the phoenix sedan chair about to fall, they had already made full preparations.
Unexpectedly, not only did the phoenix sedan chair roll down, but there was also a secret - guard assassination.
Just like this, the Phoenix Feather Guards, disguised as bandits, fought with the unknown secret guards, and then the imperial guards rushed down.
Du Gu Luanyue led Huo Wei into the forest. This group of people would reappear and desperately attack Huo Wei. Then Du Gu Luanyue would deliberately get injured while saving Huo Wei.
However, the empress's sudden trip out of the palace caught Du Gu Luanyue and the Phoenix Feather Guards off - guard, so she had given a hasty hint for that knife to be stabbed.
Mu Yin lowered his head even deeper.
"At that time, I was lying in ambush at the back. When I rushed over, the princess deliberately presented her chest. She even pushed the knife in a bit. I was scared out of my wits, aunt. I didn't do it on purpose. It was really the princess's intention!"
Mei Jiang had a splitting headache. She had no idea how Du Gu Luanyue was doing now. She only knew that this princess had always been extremely daring in everything she did, ever since she was a child.
"Go and send people to inquire around immediately. I need to know everything about the princess!" Mei Jiang roared.
Mu Yin nodded and darted into the forest. The entire Phoenix Feather Guards led the imperial guards elsewhere while they themselves were searching for Du Gu Luanyue's whereabouts.
But Mei Jiang was still deeply worried. What if that brute - like Prince of Yuzhang really went crazy and killed her? Then everything would fall apart.
But then she suddenly remembered something Du Gu Luanyue had said last night. She had said that she was going to infiltrate the enemy's rear.
She had also said that in the game of hearts, only the brave could gain everything.
So Mei Jiang gave the order that once Du Gu Luanyue's trace was found, they should not disturb her.
In the cave, the fire crackled. The beauty lying on the dry grass had her eyes tightly closed, her face deathly pale.
Huo Wei pulled out the thinnest hairpin from her coiled hair. After grinding it for a long time, he made a small hole. He squinted at it against the firelight and felt that the thickness was about right.
Huo Wei had taken off all his clothes except a dark - blue close - fitting undershirt. Vaguely, one could see the outline of his strong chest muscles and his straight back.
The rest of his slightly thicker robes were now draped over Du Gu Luanyue. Huo Wei walked over and gently touched her hand. It was as cold as a dead person's.
Now this hot potato had landed in his hands. He didn't dare let Du Gu Luanyue die just like that. After all, everyone knew that the empress had been taken away by him, and she had been fine when he took her.
He threaded a silk thread through the hole in the hairpin, tied a knot at the end, and then lifted Du Gu Luanyue's robes layer by layer.
Du Gu Luanyue woke up hazily at this moment. She wanted to shout, but her voice was weak. She whispered, "What are you doing?"
Huo Wei slowly lowered his fierce eyes and stared at the wound on her chest. "Do I need your permission for what I want to do to you now?"
Du Gu Luanyue gave a charming smile. "No, I'm just surprised that I'm still alive."
Although she knew why Huo Wei couldn't kill her, she still said this to act like a girl who was only full of love and didn't know how to think.
Huo Wei walked over from beside the fire, tore off the last layer of Du Gu Luanyue's undergarment. Her snow - white jade - like skin was clean except for the wound that was still oozing blood slowly.
Huo Wei saw all of her beauty suddenly exposed. His black pupils shrank, his heart skipped a beat, and his lips involuntarily tightened.
He had never seen a woman's body before, and just one glance had stirred his heart.
Du Gu Luanyue frowned slightly. It was the first time she had been stared at by a man like this, and she was still a bit uncomfortable. Her whole body tensed up.
"Huo Wei, now that you've taken advantage of me, will you take responsibility?"
Huo Wei suppressed the slight stir in his heart and said seriously, "I'll take responsibility for your corpse and send your ashes back to Southern Chu."
Du Gu Luanyue: "..."
It was the first time she had ever had such a conversation. She didn't know how to continue.
Huo Wei stared at the wound and stretched out his finger to measure it.
"The area around the wound has been cleaned with boiled snow water. Now I'm going to start sewing. Endure it."
After saying that, he half - sat her up in his arms and leaned her against the rock.
Du Gu Luanyue reached out to push his hand away and picked up the fallen clothes on the ground to cover her upper body.
"I don't want to. You're not a doctor." What if he really stabbed her to death? Instinctively, she resisted.
Huo Wei's rough thumb and forefinger pinched her chin. His eyes were filled with violence and wildness. He casually threw her clothes far away. He was extremely overbearing.
The corners of her eyes turned red. Her jade - like eyes were full of grievance and fear as she looked at him, not daring to say a word.
"I'm used to killing people. I've never saved anyone before. Don't challenge my patience."
In the past, when he got injured, he always sewed up his own wounds. He had never sewn anyone else's flesh before.
Moreover, the woman in front of him was extremely delicate and had never suffered any hardships since birth.
Du Gu Luanyue looked at him pleadingly. "Huo Wei, I'm afraid of pain."
Huo Wei said coldly, "I can sew it up forcefully later. Once you pass out from the pain, you won't feel anything."
Du Gu Luanyue bit her lip and said pitifully and aggrievedly, "You're so fierce... How about you kiss me as a reward for my bravery in letting you stick the needle in?"