Seeing her dazed look, Qi Rong beamed brightly. He lovingly lowered his head and nudged her forehead, saying,
"You were originally the little daughter - in - law designated for me by the Emperor. It's just that everything is back on track."
"Don't you want to marry me?"
His intense gaze made Yun Xi hardly able to look him in the eye.
Her heart was like a frisky rabbit, jumping around wildly and throwing her off - rhythm.
"I..."
She bit her lip, tongue - tied. The words of refusal she originally wanted to say just wouldn't come out.
Qi Rong saw her embarrassment, but at this moment, he seemed reluctant to let her off. He stared straight into her eyes, waiting for her answer.
After a long while, Yun Xi lowered her eyes, looking serious and hesitant.
"I never thought about getting married."
Let alone marrying Qi Rong.
In her mind, she didn't understand what the relationship between a man and a woman was like, and she had no longing for marriage at all.
She only knew that it wasn't all sweetness but rather full of bitterness.
Just like her mother, who insisted on marrying her father for love and then died in melancholy because of her deep affection for him.
Her father wasn't any better. After her mother's death, he lived in the memories all day long and even dared not face the fact that his wife had passed away. Every time on the anniversary of his wife's death, after visiting her grave, he would get himself drunk and cry heart - rendingly in the manor...
Even, she was repulsed by the idea of love.
She was afraid that once she got deeply involved, she would lose control of herself and go crazy.
"Then start thinking from now on whether you want to marry me or not. I'll wait for you."
Looking at Yun Xi's solemn little face, Qi Rong didn't choose to force her. Anyway, he had plenty of time to wait.
Nor did he want to drag her into the whirlpool before he had grown powerful enough!
"Okay."
Surprised by Qi Rong's unprecedented understanding, Yun Xi simply echoed him.
From this moment on, she seriously started to think about whether she should get married and who she should marry.
If that person was Qi Rong, would it be a good thing or not?
At night, it was already the fourth day they had spent here. Yun Xi felt suffocated in the room, so Qi Rong carried her to the yard.
Looking at the white snow and the star - filled sky, Yun Xi exhaled a puff of white air into the air. She nestled her head trustingly in Qi Rong's warm neck and couldn't help worrying:
"Do you think they can find us?"
The continuous heavy snow had completely covered the mountain path and buried all the traces they had left before.
Although the hunter had said he could take them down the mountain, they had to wait for some time because it was extremely dangerous for them, who were not familiar with the mountain path, in such snowy weather.
Moreover, they were still injured.
Thinking about what had happened to Yu Zhu after she left that day, Yun Xi was worried. If Yu Zhu woke up and found her gone, she would surely be scared out of her wits.
And her father, she didn't know if he had returned after paying homage to her mother.
If he knew that she had been so disobedient and secretly run out with Qi Rong and such things had happened, he would definitely be very angry.
He clearly didn't like her being with Qi Rong, but this time, not only had she called herself Qi Rong's wife, but they had also shared the same bed for so many days. Even Qi Rong was going to come to her home to propose marriage in person...
Would her father, out of anger, take away her power of managing the family and never allow her to go out again?
Every time she thought about these things, Yun Xi would have a splitting headache. She really wanted to just keep hiding like this.
Hearing Yun Xi's words, Qi Rong suddenly laughed.
"Isn't it better if they can't find us?"
"In this way, we can live in seclusion in the mountains as an ordinary couple, free from the troubles of the secular world and live a life of farming and weaving."
"I'll be responsible for hunting to support the family, and you can stay at home and take good care of our children. I want a son and a daughter. The boy should be like me, and the girl should be like you. I'll teach them martial arts, and you'll teach them how to read. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"
The more Qi Rong talked, the happier he became. Imagining the scene in his mind, he suddenly felt that nothing else mattered.
Perhaps, that was the life he truly yearned for in his heart, because he would have Yun Xi by his side. That was enough!
Yun Xi blushed to the roots of her hair, stunned by the picture Qi Rong had painted. It was as if they had already lived such a life and were so happy.
She even seriously considered that if no one came to look for them, would she be able to spend such a life with Qi Rong for the rest of her life?
However, imagination was just illusory and not reality.
Early the next morning, before Yun Xi woke up, Qi Rong was already sitting upright by the bedside, staring intently at her.
When he saw her open her eyes, he suddenly showed a faint smile, with a touch of complexity.
"Are you awake? We're going back to the capital today."
Yun Xi was stunned and then asked after a moment.
"Have they come?"
"Yes."
Qi Rong nodded. He helped her up from the bed, naturally fetched the warm clothes for her, helped her put them on, and then tied the belts.
Yun Xi was at a loss, allowing him to do all these things. There was not a trace of happiness in her heart.
She didn't know what was wrong with herself. Even when Qi Rong carried her onto the carriage in front of everyone, she completely forgot to be reserved.
Qi Rong asked his subordinate to generously reward the hunter and his wife with a stack of silver notes and two fine horses. Then he got into the carriage and sat with Yun Xi.
Along the way, Yun Xi was silent and ate very little. Even when Qi Rong talked to her, she wasn't interested.
She felt as if she was sick and more exhausted than in the previous few days.
Qi Rong saw this but didn't ask. He kept holding her in his arms until they entered the capital.
It was only three days away from the Chinese New Year's Eve. The capital was bustling. Every household was busy buying New - Year goods, and there were several times more street vendors than usual.
"Stop the carriage!"
Qi Rong said, and the carriage immediately stopped.
Feeling the jolt of the carriage, Yun Xi, who was still sleeping, suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Qi Rong blankly.
"Are we there?"
Qi Rong smiled at her but didn't answer.
"Your Highness, what are your orders?"
Zhan Feng walked up to the carriage and asked carefully.
Thinking about how they had searched high and low for the past few days and finally found the whereabouts of their master, he never expected that the master would be with the eldest daughter of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
Moreover, their relationship seemed much closer than before, which made him feel annoyed.
But as a subordinate, he had no right to interfere with his master's choice.
Qi Rong wrapped the fox fur cloak around Yun Xi, helped her stand up, and lifted the curtain of the carriage.
Seeing the two get off the carriage, Zhan Feng was surprised and reminded,
"Your Highness, it's still some distance from the Prime Minister's Mansion. You see..."
Zhan Feng was thinking about quickly sending Yun Xi back to the Prime Minister's Mansion so that they could return to the prince's mansion to discuss the matter of the robbery. But before he could finish his words, Qi Rong gave him a cold look.
"Who said I'm going to the Prime Minister's Mansion? Get off your horse!"
Qi Rong ordered coldly, and Zhan Feng didn't dare not obey.
As soon as Zhan Feng got off the horse, Qi Rong picked Yun Xi up in his arms, placed her on the horseback, and then leaped onto the horse himself. In an instant, he clamped the horse's belly and galloped away.
Zhan Feng was stunned, watching his willful master. Yun Xi was startled and quickly leaned into his arms, shouting,
"Where are you taking me?"
Qi Rong curled his thin lips slightly, smiling recklessly.
"Elope with you!"