According to the plan, when those people made their move, the people hidden behind Shen Mingzhu would appear and be ready to round them all up. However, the sound of fighting came from outside, completely deviating from the plan.
"Your Highness, hurry and leave!"
A blood - stained hand lifted the curtain, and a voice came, "There are too many of them!"
Shen Mingzhu didn't even have time to think further. She grabbed Chuntao and was about to move forward.
After getting off the carriage, there were an unexpectedly large number of people around. Shen Mingzhu subconsciously took a deep breath and followed the guard away.
Fortunately, the dress she wore today was in an inconspicuous color and even had a simple style. Otherwise, Shen Mingzhu might not even have a chance to escape now.
Holding up her skirt, she was protected by the guard and Chuntao as they fled into the forest. Her face was cold, and her heart sank deeper and deeper.
Fortunately, Shen Mingzhu was just glad that she wasn't so arrogant as to leave herself with no way out. The people she sent for help should already be on their way, and Xie Lang and Li Xiyu in the White Horse Temple were also being guarded, so nothing major would happen.
Shen Mingzhu calmed down. Seeing that the pursuers behind were gradually decreasing, she turned around and said, "We have to find a place to hide."
"Yes!" The guard saw Shen Mingzhu stop walking. Then he stepped forward, gasping for breath, looking disheveled. "Your Highness, follow me."
Shen Mingzhu's heart tightened slightly. Her eyes quietly swept across the blood - stained cuffs and front of the man in front of her. Seeing him limping forward, she gave Chuntao a look.
"Hiss."
After walking a few steps, Shen Mingzhu suddenly gasped and fell to the ground.
When the guard turned around, he saw Shen Mingzhu lying on the ground, covering her ankle and constantly gasping. She looked in great pain.
"Your Highness is injured?"
A flash of joy quickly crossed the guard's eyes, but it was quickly covered by his lowered eyes, replaced by complete concern.
Shen Mingzhu seemed to be in extreme pain. She bit her lower lip tightly, her face pale. Her body trembled slightly, showing a fragility that was rarely seen on her.
"What shall we do?"
Chuntao's eyes were full of tears. Her hand hidden in her sleeve was tightly clenched into a fist. She subconsciously stepped forward and squatted down, protecting Shen Mingzhu in front of her, subtly separating her from the guard. But she pretended to be helpless and hugged Shen Mingzhu with tear - filled eyes.
"Perhaps... please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness. Please let me carry you and run."
Saying this, the guard knelt on one knee on the ground. His face was full of anxiety. He also turned his head and looked, "Your Highness, the enemies are coming."
Hearing this, Shen Mingzhu suddenly looked up at him.
She didn't answer.
Shen Mingzhu was actually curious. If she didn't agree, what would these people do?
She could tell now that the people behind didn't want her life for the time being. A living princess was naturally more valuable than a dead one. It seemed that the people behind were greedier than she thought.
If she died, the forces under her name would surely be divided up by those greedy people. But it seemed that the mastermind behind this was not content with just snatching. They wanted everything.
How greedy.
After figuring this out, Shen Mingzhu felt a little relieved. When she looked up at the guard, she still showed that stubborn look and took a sharp breath.
The wound on her foot did hurt a bit. It was scratched by a tree branch while she was running, leaving a gory wound.
"Whoosh—"
Sure enough, seeing that Shen Mingzhu was hesitating and reluctant to follow the guard, an arrow was shot from not far away and firmly nailed to the tree.
The guard's face changed. He said to Shen Mingzhu, "Your Highness, please forgive my offense!"
Then he picked Shen Mingzhu up on his back and rushed in another direction.
Shen Mingzhu's expression darkened slightly. Seeing the increasingly dense vegetation, her heart sank again subconsciously.
It seemed that these people's plan wasn't as well - thought - out as she had imagined. They couldn't take her away for the time being, so they could only hide her first until the reinforcements came. So she wasn't in that much danger for now, but the guard in front of her was a bit troublesome.
Shen Mingzhu frowned. She subconsciously glanced at Chuntao behind her, then quickly pulled out the wooden hairpin from her hair and stabbed it hard into the guard's neck.
The next moment, when the guard reacted and was about to fight back, Shen Mingzhu took the opportunity to firmly grasp his hand. Chuntao stepped forward and took out a dagger and made a hard slash.
Suddenly, the air was filled with the smell of blood. The guard opened his eyes unwillingly and wanted to struggle, but could only watch his blood spurt out, staining the nearby soil red.
"You... When did you..."
The blood flowed very fast. Shen Mingzhu expressionlessly pulled out the hairpin, stood up and coldly looked at him and said, "I've known for a long time. I've seen so many people like you who are greedy but incompetent and try to set up schemes to get the power and wealth in my hands since I was a child."
"Fool."
The hairpin was stained with blood. After hesitating for a moment, Shen Mingzhu casually threw it on the ground and sneered at him.
"Your Highness."
Chuntao felt under the man's nose to make sure he was dead. Then she stood up and said to Shen Mingzhu, "Let this servant treat the wound on your foot before we leave."
Shen Mingzhu frowned and said to Chuntao, "First, find a place to hide. Otherwise, the smell of blood here is strong. The wild beasts in the mountains will come following the smell, and they will be more difficult to deal with than people."
Chuntao's eyes turned red when she looked at Shen Mingzhu. Finally, she obediently nodded and said, "Okay, then this servant will help you leave now."
Shen Mingzhu subconsciously endured the pain in her foot. After searching for a while, she was lucky enough to find a good place. It was extremely hidden. If Shen Mingzhu hadn't supported the earthen mound beside her, she wouldn't have noticed that there was actually a hidden place here, like an abandoned den of some wild beast.
Chuntao helped Shen Mingzhu sit down. She took out the wound medicine that she always carried close to her body from her bosom and gently applied it on the wound.
After applying the medicine, since the medicine had some pain - relieving effects, Shen Mingzhu let out a sigh of relief. Her look at Chuntao also became a bit clearer.
"Don't worry. Someone will come." Shen Mingzhu leaned against the back and looked at Chuntao a bit tiredly. "This time I was too arrogant."
"No, Your Highness." Chuntao frowned. Her look at Shen Mingzhu was full of pity. "Who could have thought that there were really the subordinates of those people beside you."
Thinking of this, Shen Mingzhu's face became more and more solemn. She began to feel lucky that she had left that letter for Xie Lang before leaving.
Presumably, Xie Lang was already on his way.
Shen Mingzhu felt a bit drowsy. Before closing her eyes, she said to Chuntao, "No... Someone drugged me!"
Before closing her eyes, Shen Mingzhu saw Chuntao open her eyes wide in panic and rush up to hug her, constantly patting her shoulder.
Overwhelmed by the irresistible drowsiness, Shen Mingzhu finally closed her eyes.
...
Zhou Chengyu quietly left after nightfall. Thinking of Shen Mingzhu's guard against him, his heart ached even more.
If he had left earlier, maybe she could have slept more soundly.
After handing the letter to Li Xiyu's maid, Zhou Chengyu mounted his horse, tightened the reins, but suddenly saw someone staring at him not far away.
"Who!"