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墨書 Inktalez
Yin Luo watched as she walked away without chasing after her. She simply stood by the riverbank, looking at the lifeless rabbit, and could only pile up a small mound of earth to serve as its grave.
The late autumn sky was already quite cold. After burying the rabbit, a cold wind blew, chilling her to the bone.
Yin Luo turned around and silently returned to the tent.
Su Yi was startled to see her come back drenched.
Yin Luo said nothing. After changing into dry clothes, she directly left the tent again.
Su Yi had no idea what she intended to do. She didn't want to follow her, fearing for her safety. In her moment of panic, she could only think of Mu Changqing.
She hurried to Mu Changqing's tent and recounted what had happened. After listening, Mu Changqing's expression darkened as he instructed He Ren, "Send someone to search for her without alarming the Emperor. Also, find out exactly what just happened."
He Ren acknowledged and immediately went out to give orders.
Mu Changqing then turned to Su Yi and said, "You go back first. If the princess returns, inform me immediately."
Su Yi repeatedly agreed before heading back.
He Ren arranged for people to search around but found no one and still had not clarified what had occurred. Just then, a maidservant from Ye Qing Ge rushed in crying, informing Mu Changqing about the recent events. She added, "My lord, the rabbit that the princess had was a gift from the Emperor. Now that it has drowned, will the princess... will she demand Cousin Miss and Ling Xiang's lives?"
"Don't talk nonsense!" He Xin scolded angrily before turning to Mu Changqing and cautiously suggesting, "My lord..."
Mu Changqing's gaze was serious: "Immediately send someone to check by the river; don't overlook any place with water. If anything happens to Qing Ge, watch your heads! Also, bring me some clothes; I will go search myself."
He Xin did not dare to delay and immediately brought him his clothes. The maid who had come to report was still crying there. Mu Changqing, feeling annoyed, kicked her and said, "Get lost."
The maid rolled on the ground in fright and hurriedly left without daring to make another sound.
After getting dressed, Mu Changqing directly left the Camp. The commotion quickly alerted others to what had happened. Upon hearing the news, Mu Fengyan rushed out of the Camp as well and immediately arranged for his Guard to search for Yin Luo. Not only that, he found a horse for himself and, disregarding everyone's advice, headed into the forest alone.
He searched everywhere there was water but found no sign of Yin Luo or Ye Qingge. Later, in the dense forest, he discovered a terrified maid, Lingxiang.
She was soaked and trembling as she hugged her legs. Mu Changqing asked her where Ye Qingge had gone. She looked up and, upon seeing Mu Changqing, immediately burst into tears and said, "I... I don't know. The princess said she wanted Cousin Miss to experience what it feels like to be scared..."
"Scared?" Mu Changqing narrowed his eyes and suddenly thought of something. He immediately ordered someone to bring a horse. He Xin saw this and hurriedly stopped him, saying, "Prince, your injury..."
"It’s nothing. You all stay here; no one is allowed to follow me!"
He rode into the forest at a gallop. After about a quarter of an hour, he finally reached his destination. Just as he had suspected, at the edge of the cliff where they had fallen, Ye Qingge was tied behind a large rock. In front of the rock was an abyss, and behind it was Ye Qingge with disheveled hair, clearly terrified and begging for mercy. Yin Luo stood under a large tree at the cliff's edge, unmoved, merely watching coldly.
Hearing the commotion, Yin Luo looked up and immediately spotted the rushing Mu Changqing.
He seemed to have strained his wound; when he dismounted, there was a brief pause in his movements. However, he quickly approached and untied Ye Qingge from the rock.
As soon as Ye Qingge saw him, she collapsed into his arms and cried out loudly, "Cousin, she wants to kill me..."
Mu Changqing turned to look at Yin Luo, his gaze almost lethal.
"I didn't want to kill her. She killed my rabbit and used playful means; I just wanted her to taste fear as a lesson. After an hour, I will let her go..."
"Shut up! Nie Qingcheng, do you think that just because I took a risk for you once, I won't kill you? Let me tell you, the reason I saved you is simply because I don't like others touching what belongs to me. Only I have the right to decide what stays and what goes, what lives and what dies!"
Yin Luo looked at him, her cold gaze suddenly turning sharp: "A rabbit has a life too. Although she is your cousin, she shouldn't repeatedly act recklessly and harm me. I can overlook it, but she shouldn't target what I care about."
"The rabbit is something I promised to give. What? Do you want to take revenge on me as well?"
Yin Luo's eyes were icy as she stared at him without blinking: "Yes, as long as it's something I want to protect, no one can harm it!"
Footsteps echoed again from the foot of the mountain; it was He Xin and He Ren.
Fearing that Mu Changqing's serious injuries might worsen, they took the risk of punishment to follow him, only to find themselves in such a situation.
Mu Changqing's gaze turned cold: "Fine, you care about tit for tat, right? Then I'll return the favor!"
Mu Changqing shifted his gaze to He Xin and He Ren, who had just dismounted: "You two, tie her up for me and hang her from that tree behind her. Since she insists on taking a life for a rabbit's life, I'll let her experience what true fear is!"
He Ren and He Xin stiffened, glancing at Yin Luo. Then, as if they shared a telepathic connection, they both knelt down simultaneously: "My lord, please reconsider. If anything goes wrong and the princess falls off the cliff, she will surely be shattered beyond repair with no chance of survival. We implore you to calm your anger!"
He Ren now dropped his usual playful demeanor and spoke earnestly: "Yes, my lord. The cliff is right beneath that big tree; it's too dangerous. Please think it over!"
"When did my orders require repeating?"
He Xin and He Ren stiffened at his words but ultimately had no choice but to comply. They stepped forward to retrieve the ropes used to bind Ye Qing Ge earlier and began tying up Yin Luo.
However, Yin Luo would not simply submit.
"Alright, if you truly want to bind me, then defeat me first."
She drew out the long rope that was wrapped around her waist, revealing it to be a whip.
In fact, she had long anticipated such an outcome, but even so, she could not allow herself to be easily subdued. Even if it meant paying double the price, she would never permit anyone to bully her or harm everything she sought to protect.
"Stop!"
Suddenly, a shout came from afar. Yin Luo turned to look in the direction of the voice and was taken aback to see Mu Fengyan approaching!
Dressed in bright yellow, he was particularly eye-catching as he galloped over without hesitation, rushing to shield Yin Luo behind him. He looked at Mu Changqing and said, "Jin Wang, if you wish to punish Consort Jin, I have no objections. However, at the same time, the Ye Qingge in your arms should also be handed over to me for judgment!"
Mu Changqing narrowed his eyes. "Impossible."
"Your punishment of Consort Jin is a family matter that I have no right to interfere with. However, my punishment of Ye Qingge concerns imperial authority and the dignity of the emperor; you have no right to interfere in that."
This direct declaration of war was already the second time it had occurred over the same person.
Yin Luo pushed Mu Fengyan gently; she did not want him to repeatedly create enmity with this person for her sake. Doing so would only make his future path more difficult!
But Mu Fengyan directly pushed her hand away, resolutely standing in front of her. Mu Changqing took this scene into his eyes, his gaze growing colder. "What nonsense is the emperor spouting? How does Qing Ge relate to imperial authority?"
Mu Fengyan stared intently at him, clenching his fists as he said, "The rabbit belonging to Consort Jin was given by me. Anything I bestow upon the world belongs to the imperial gift. The rabbit is an imperial item, yet Ye Qingge drowned it. Is this not a contempt for imperial authority and a challenge to my dignity? It is blasphemy against the sacred will. According to Li Country's laws, Jin Wang should know better than I what punishment entails."
Ye Qingge had originally been sobbing in Mu Changqing's embrace when she heard this. Her body trembled as she raised her tear-filled eyes to look at Mu Changqing and said, "Cousin, please don't..."
Mu Changqing pressed her into his arms and said solemnly, "Don't worry, cousin will not let anything happen to you."
"Since the Emperor has said so, I will obey the imperial decree."
Clearly, it should be a subordinate's respect towards the emperor, but Mu Changqing showed no humility at all. He merely looked at Yin Luo with eyes colder than ice and snow, as if his gaze could strip her of her skin and muscles.
He picked up Ye Qing Ge and directly mounted the horse with her, riding away.
He Ren and He Xin naturally followed suit. Only then did Mu Fengyan turn back to look at Yin Luo, sizing her up from head to toe. "Luoluo, are you alright?"
The coldness in Yin Luo's eyes had not yet faded. Upon hearing this, warmth spread in her heart, and her gaze softened a bit.
She looked at Mu Fengyan and slowly shook her head. "I'm fine, but you have confronted the King of Jin for me twice now; I'm afraid it may not bode well for you!"
Mu Fengyan breathed a sigh of relief and smiled at Yin Luo. "It's fine. I used to hate being this emperor, but now I kind of like it because at least I can use my identity as emperor to protect my Luoluo when it matters most."
He seemed quite accomplished, but as Yin Luo looked at his smile, her heart felt increasingly sorrowful. After all, he was so naive; how could he possibly compete with Mu Changqing?
"By the way, I have something to give you!"
As Mu Fengyan spoke, he took out a golden token from his bosom and said to Yin Luo, "This is a privilege unique to the emperor. With this token, anyone who sees me must kneel, including the King of Jin! At least as long as there are outsiders present, I can keep him in check! Wear this; if he tries to make things difficult for you again when I'm not around, just take this out for your protection. This is a death exemption token that can absolve any crime, equivalent to an imperial decree. I had someone specially prepare this for you. Look here; your name 'Yin Luo' is written on the back, so it belongs solely to you!"
Yin Luo looked at Mu Fengyan for a long time before finally managing to say two words: "Thank you."
Mu Fengyan smiled brightly. "What are you thanking me for? I'm not doing this for your thanks; I just want to do my best to protect you!"
Yin Luo carefully tucked the gold medal away and said, "Don't worry, this time, I won't let anyone ruin it."
She placed her hand over her heart where the medal was kept. Mu Fengyan watched her and smiled again, but a moment later, his smile faded, and his expression turned serious. "Actually, you don't have to offend the Prince of Jin just for a little rabbit. I've heard of Ye Qing Ge's reputation even while in the palace. She's used to being arrogant and domineering, relying on the Prince of Jin to act without restraint. Moreover, with this matter! In the future, your life will surely be unsettled, especially with the Prince of Jin backing her. You must be very careful!"
"Don't worry! No matter what, I will protect my Zhao Qian."
Mu Fengyan nodded. "I'll take you back."
Yin Luo did not refuse and returned to the camp with him.
When Mu Changqing brought Ye Qing Ge back, it naturally caused quite a stir in the camp that Yin Luo, as the princess, was with Mu Changqing. Everyone speculated about what had happened.
No matter how worried Mu Fengyan was about Yin Luo, he could not influence Mu Changqing. After all, Yin Luo was his princess; no matter how concerned he was, he could only return alone.
Upon entering the tent, as expected, Su Yi was kneeling on the ground, but unexpectedly, she was covered in blood.
Yin Luo immediately stepped forward to help Su Yi up from the ground and glared at Mu Changqing. "One person does the deed; one person should bear the consequences. What kind of man takes out his anger on a maid?"
Mu Changqing sat coldly in a high position, dressed in black, exuding an air of nobility and dominance yet as cold as ice. "If she couldn't keep an eye on her master and allowed her to act recklessly and do something outrageous, then it's her fault. For dereliction of duty, according to the rules of the household, she deserves to be punished!"
Su Yi was covered in blood but tightly grasped Yin Luo's arm, shaking her head to signal her not to oppose Mu Changqing. "Princess... it's my fault; I deserve to be punished..."
Yin Luo frowned and said urgently, "Don't speak yet; I'll take you to find the imperial physician!"
After saying that, she picked up the injured Su Yi and tried to walk out but was blocked by He Xin.
"Step aside!" Yin Luo's gaze was cold as she stared at him.
He Xinxin lowered his eyes, remaining unmoved.
Yin Luo turned to Mu Changqing and said, "Is the prince determined to punish someone just to vent his anger? Then punish me! As long as you spare Su Yi, I will accept any punishment!"
"Fine!" Mu Changqing's gaze was steady as he suddenly pulled a dagger from his robe and threw it to the ground. "This prince will take a blade for you. As long as you return this knife to me, I will spare your maid!"
Yin Luo looked at the dagger on the ground; wasn't it the same one he had plunged into the cliff to save them that day? The chip was still there, but this time, it was no longer to save her.
Hearing this, Su Yi grabbed Yin Luo's sleeve and began to cry. "Princess... you don't have to do this for Su Yi..."
"Is it a deal?" Yin Luo ignored Su Yi's pleas and stared directly at Mu Changqing.
"This prince keeps his word."
"Good." Without hesitation, Yin Luo released Su Yi. Su Yi turned pale with fear but lacked the strength to stop her. Watching Yin Luo rise to pick up the dagger, she crawled forward and grasped her skirt, pleading, "Princess... you don't have to do this... please don't..."
Tears mixed with blood from her mouth as Su Yi widened her eyes, looking at Yin Luo. Yin Luo gave her a reassuring look and said, "One must bear their own consequences. This matter has nothing to do with you; I dragged you into it. This blade is my way of repaying you."
After saying this, she grasped the dagger and looked at Mu Changqing. He fixed his gaze on her, seemingly waiting to see if she truly dared to stab.
"If you want to be strong, the first thing is to strengthen yourself. You must be ruthless enough with yourself before you can be ruthless with others! Only by being heartless can you become an undefeated ruler!"
Memories of her past life flashed vividly in her mind; she had done worse things to herself than this. What was one dagger worth? Especially since with this act of repayment for saving her life, after this stab, she would owe him nothing. In the future, she would no longer have to carry any burden regarding this matter.
Thinking of this, she did not hesitate, gripping the dagger and stabbing it into her right shoulder.
The piercing pain seemed to connect with the marrow of her entire body, numbing her all over.
Her legs went weak, and she knelt on one knee, one hand supporting herself on the ground. Enduring the pain throughout her body, she raised her head to look at Mu Changqing, whose gaze was clearly somewhat dazed. Yin Luo did not pay attention to this and spoke word by word: "Now, can I take her away?"
Mu Changqing remained where he was, his gaze shifting from the dagger in her right shoulder to her pale face.
That face, which resembled rosy clouds reflecting off snow, was now resolute and cold, exuding a deadly beauty. Mu Changqing intended to speak but found himself unable to utter a single word, watching helplessly as Yin Luo pulled out the dagger and threw it to the ground, then went to help Su Yi, leaving the tent together.
Blood dripped all over the ground, and the atmosphere in the tent dropped to freezing point. Long after Yin Luo left, Mu Changqing remained in his previous position without moving. He Xin and He Ren, though shocked by the earlier scene, were even more worried about Mu Changqing's reaction.
“Prince?”
He spoke tentatively. Finally, Mu Changqing reacted, coming back to his senses and slowly standing up.
His figure was somewhat unsteady, clearly still injured. He Ren hurriedly went to support him, but he waved his hand and said in a hoarse voice: “Send someone to clean this place up.”
He Ren complied. Mu Changqing glanced at the ground again, his gaze deepening before turning to leave the tent.
Yin Luo, supporting the bloodied Su Yi, exited the Camp, startling those outside. However, they did not go far before Yin Luo's legs gave way, and she collapsed onto the ground.
Su Yi cried out in alarm but had no strength to help her up due to her own injuries. Desperate, she began to cry and pleaded with a nearby Guard: “Please, take the princess to the Imperial Physician…”
Everyone stood around them in a large circle, yet no one stepped forward to help them.
Mu Changqing brought He Ren and He Xin out from inside and happened to witness this scene. He stood at the entrance of the tent for a long time, ultimately expressionless as he spoke, "He Ren, go notify the Imperial Physician."
He Ren acknowledged and turned to leave. Only then did Mu Changqing shift his gaze and turn to leave in the opposite direction.
When she woke up again, it was midnight.
The surroundings were pitch black, and there was no one around. Yin Luo moved slightly, intending to get up, but as soon as she moved, she realized her right shoulder was in excruciating pain.
She took a breath and lay back down, looking around.
Although the night was thick, she could still vaguely see some nearby objects in the room; it was still her tent. She reached out to touch her wound, which had been bandaged, indicating that someone had treated her injuries.
She sighed in relief and lay on the bed for a long time before inadvertently falling asleep again.
Old wounds had not healed before new ones appeared. When she woke up again, it was already bright outside, and there was no one in the tent.
She struggled to sit up and looked around the empty room. The bloodstains had already been cleaned up.
Waking up once more, it was bright outside again, and there was still no one in the room.
She struggled to sit up, feeling intense pain in her shoulder. Looking down, she saw that blood had seeped through her clothes, leaving a large red stain.
Yin Luo had no choice but to sit at the vanity table in front of the mirror, exposing her shoulder as she untied the bandage.
It was truly painful; beads of sweat had already formed on her forehead!
She found some medicine for treating wounds, and as the powder was sprinkled onto her flesh, the pain felt like a dagger stabbing her again. She inhaled sharply, enduring the pain as she fetched new gauze to wrap herself up and changed into clean clothes. After doing all this, she was drenched in sweat.
Exhausted, she took a moment to rest and heard the lively sounds coming from outside. Although it was far away, it was clear that there was a great commotion.
Yin Luo stood up and forced herself to walk to the door, lifting the curtain.
The camp was empty; apart from the patrolling guards, there was no one else around. If it weren't for seeing someone on duty, she would have almost thought everyone had left.
Two guards were chatting and laughing as they approached. One of them noticed her and jolted, pulling his companion's arm. The two hurried over to her.
"Princess Jin, the Prince has instructed that you are unwell and should not go outside."
Yin Luo glanced at them; they were the guards sent by Mu Changqing. She said nothing but turned her gaze toward the source of the voice. After pausing for a few seconds, she let the curtain fall and went back inside.
Taking out a silk cloth, she polished her weapon until it gleamed. Yin Luo lowered her gaze, contemplating her current situation.
It seemed that the hard-won freedom was about to be taken away again; everything would be in vain!
However, she would never be discouraged. She refused to believe that a mere Jin Wangfu could truly confine her!
"Ms. Qing Ge sent me with some restorative medicine."
Suddenly, faint sounds came from outside. Moments later, someone lifted the tent flap, and a girl dressed as a maid, around three or four years old, walked in. Seeing that Yin Luo was awake did not surprise her; she simply placed a food box on the table and said, "Ms. Qing Ge knows that the princess hasn't eaten all day and specially ordered the kitchen to prepare this."
Yin Luo glanced at her and replied expressionlessly, "Thank you."
She finished speaking and turned to walk back, lying down again.
The maid glanced at her, said nothing, and turned to leave, leaving the food box still on the table.
Her injuries and current situation were all thanks to her; no one would believe she didn't hate it. She absolutely knew that Ye Qing Ge preparing the meal was no good thing.
After the maid left, she got up directly, carried the food out, and handed it to the two guards at the door, saying, "Brothers, you've worked hard. This is a little something sent by Ms. Qing Ge. Unfortunately, I have injuries and no appetite, so I can't eat it. Why not take it for yourselves? There's even some wine inside!"
Upon hearing there was wine, the two men brightened up immediately, but then suddenly seemed to remember something and froze without moving.
Actually, there was no wine inside; however, Yin Luo had put a little in. Seeing their reaction, she opened the food basket and took out a small jar of wine, saying, "There's only a little; it won't get you drunk. Besides, it's lively up front now, so probably no one will pay attention to you."
Hearing this, they finally felt tempted. One of them took the food basket from Yin Luo and said, "Thank you very much, Princess!"
Yin Luo smiled lightly and then stood up to turn back inside.
However, it wasn't long before she heard two thuds at the door. When she hurried over to check, she found that the two guards had fainted without her noticing.
It turned out that Ye Qing Ge's intention was to drug her.
What did she want to do? Throw her into the deep mountains and forests?
A cold smile appeared on her lips as Yin Luo extended her foot, preparing to kick away the food. But suddenly, she paused in her actions as a thought crossed her mind, and her eyes brightened.
Based on how her situation was developing now, the next step should be returning to the royal residence. Then she would continue her previous life of being imprisoned again. In other words, not only would she return to the past once more, but she would also be further away from freedom.
Jin Wangfu is a shackle that she constantly wants to escape from, but she cannot just leave like that; her goal is freedom, not fleeing!
Living in fear for a lifetime is far from the life she desires. What she wants is to live openly and truly be unbound.
Therefore, she must find a way to change her current situation.
And Ye Qingge might just be the person who can help her, as long as she uses him wisely and plays along with the plan!
Furrowing her brow, Yin Luo stopped, picked up the food, and carried it into the inner room, pretending to have eaten. Meanwhile, the two Guards at the door were dragged behind the tent with great effort.
Her wound had already reopened. She had prepared some essential medicine for herself and changed into a black outer robe, making it impossible to see the bloodstains.
She lay on the table pretending to sleep. After about half an hour, movement could be heard outside.
She could hear footsteps—two people who didn’t speak. Once they entered, it was clear they had planned this beforehand; they directly stuffed her into a box and carried her out.
Yin Luo curled up inside the box, listening to the sounds outside.
She could clearly hear the noisy sounds from outside the tent gradually fading away, which meant she was moving further away from the camp.
It was hard to tell how long it had been when the box finally stopped. She closed her eyes and pretended to continue sleeping. Moments later, the box was opened, and the voices of two people came clearly into her ears.
“Throw her here; this should be enough, right?”
“It's sufficient. This place is so remote and far from the camp. The banquet won’t end until at least tonight. By the time someone notices she’s missing, it will definitely be night. Once it gets dark, wild beasts love to come out. By then, even if they find her, I’m afraid she’ll just be a pile of bones!”
"Yes... Ah, what a pity for such a beautiful woman."
The other person seemed to be sizing her up as well and replied, "Indeed, it's a shame. She shouldn't have offended Cousin Miss. Such a good princess, just like that, gone. Tsk tsk..."
"Alright, enough talk. If we delay and the plan fails, you and I will be in big trouble!"
"Right, right! I don't want to be on the receiving end of Cousin Miss's methods... I can’t imagine having my arms broken or my eyes gouged out..."
Yin Luo was pulled out of the box and thrown into the thicket. The two immediately lifted the box and hurried away.
Once their voices faded, Yin Luo got up from the ground. It turned out that Ye Qingge wanted to create the illusion that she had escaped and was then eaten by wild beasts. This way, she could eliminate her while clearing herself of suspicion—a truly clever plan.
I must say, if this plan succeeded, no one would doubt its authenticity.
For her to be eaten by beasts, it had to happen at night because the animals in the forest had been disturbed by recent hunting and knew not to come out during the day. At night, they would inevitably come out to move around. This meant that Ye Qingge's plan was to make her disappearance noticed at night.
Therefore, no matter what, before that time came, she had to prevent anyone from discovering her absence, including those two Guards. However, it didn't matter if the Guards found out; the most important thing was to keep Mu Changqing from learning about it.
As long as Mu Changqing didn't know and there were no orders from him, even if she disappeared, no one would come looking for her immediately. She was Consort Jin and naturally needed Jin Wang's command!
At present, although it was afternoon, there was still some time before dark.
Her wound throbbed slightly as Yin Luo pondered and finally came up with a daring idea.
If she acted alone, not many would believe her, but if someone was willing to vouch for her, that would be a different story!
Enduring the pain of her wound, she marked the spot and began to hurry back, following the signs that would help her find her way in the dark later.
The pain from the wound exhausted her, but her willpower was strong, and she managed to push through to the camp.
The banquet was clearly not over; there were still few people in the camp. She sneaked back in and found that the two Guards were still asleep, unaware of how many potions had been used on them.
She quietly slipped into the servant's quarters. Su Yi, like her, had been seriously injured and would certainly not go out to join the festivities. Everything was just as she had expected; when she arrived, only Su Yi was sleeping inside the tent.
Yin Luo woke her up. When Su Yi saw her, she was first taken aback, then filled with joy and cried out, "Princess, I thought... I thought you..."
Yin Luo raised her hand to signal silence and looked at her seriously. "Su Yi, I need your help with something. It might be dangerous, but right now, you're the only one who can assist me."
Su Yi was stunned for a moment, looking at Yin Luo's serious face. She wiped away her tears and said earnestly, "My life was saved by the princess. From now on, I am yours. I will go through fire and water for you without hesitation."
Yin Luo looked at her and reached out to grasp her fingers. "Thank you."
*
As night fell, darkness enveloped everything. The howls of wolves echoed through the night, their cries in the silent forest sounding like a death knell that sent chills down one's spine.
Yin Luo stood alone in the woods.
She knew this was dangerous, but without taking risks, there would be no reward. Ye Qingge was after all Mu Changqing's cousin; as an outsider, if Mu Changqing had to choose between them, he would undoubtedly trust Ye Qingge. Otherwise, he wouldn't have treated her that way over the rabbit incident.
Thus, she had to take bold actions to make Mu Changqing believe her—that she had been drugged and brought here against her will and that someone was plotting against her!
The best way to make Mu Changqing believe her was to let him see with his own eyes that she was alone and in a pitiful situation.
She understood Mu Changqing's nature; she was strong, but he was even stronger. However, if she showed just a hint of weakness, the situation would be completely different. Especially during their time together, she could vaguely sense the subtle position she held in his heart. Whether he liked her or not was uncertain, but it was clear that he cared.
She never allowed herself to become emotional, yet that did not mean she was unaware. On the contrary, she was particularly perceptive about a man's feelings towards a woman. In her past life, she had played many roles, approaching different men for various missions. From each man's reactions, she could discern what kind of feelings they had, especially regarding romantic interests.
Mu Changqing had a faint tendency in this direction towards her, but it wasn't strong. This meant that if she took a step closer to him, the situation might reverse!
Men have a protective instinct, especially for women they care about, and she was exploiting this very point.
Her pitiful state, Su Yi's testimony, and the testimonies of two guards—none of these factors alone might sway Mu Changqing, but combined, they would certainly make him listen.
As night fell, there were indeed movements in the forest. Yin Luo had no weapons except for a gun that could only be used in emergencies; she only carried a sharp stone for self-defense. She tried to hide as much as possible to avoid being detected by her prey.
However, there were many prey in the forest; it wasn't as simple as just avoiding them.
A pair of shining eyes stood out in the darkness, watching her intently from two meters away.
It was a wolf!
Fortunately, this wolf was not large; it was a cub. It seemed to be afraid of her and did not dare to attack recklessly. Instead, it stood there and barked at her.
Wolves are pack animals; if one is present, its companions are surely nearby. If its barking summoned its packmates, she would undoubtedly be doomed.
Without waiting for the cub to respond, Yin Luo quickly launched an attack. With her left hand gripping a hairpin and her right hand holding the sharp stone, she charged directly at the wolf. Startled, the wolf dodged away and barked at her in apparent anger before raising its tail and attacking without hesitation.
Yin Luo could not avoid it; her arm was grabbed, and blood flowed profusely.
With a fierce glint in her eyes, she charged at the wolf again, which also rushed toward her without hesitation. As the wolf leaped to pounce on her, Yin Luo seized the moment, suddenly lowering her body. Thanks to her flexibility, she bent into a complete 360 degrees. When the wolf missed its target, she wasted no time and thrust a hairpin straight into its abdomen.
The wolf yelped in pain. Taking advantage of its moment of weakness, Yin Luo leaped up and directly pounced on it, throwing a stone at its head.
After all, it was just a cub and lacked strength. Seeing that it could not get up, Yin Luo did not linger and immediately got up to escape.
Her right shoulder throbbed painfully. Yin Luo reached up and felt that her chest was completely soaked; when she touched it, her hand was covered in blood.
Gritting her teeth, she realized she could not stay here any longer. If she waited for Mu Changqing and did not make it out alive, she would definitely lose her life. Therefore, no matter how severe her injuries were, she had to find another place.
In the darkness, she ran with all her might. A stone scraped against her foot, but she ignored it; branches scratched her face, causing a sharp pain. Perhaps the more desperate she looked now, the better the outcome would be later.
She ran purposefully toward the direction of the camp. She had traveled this path back and forth twice already, so it was not unfamiliar to her. Based on her calculations and planned route, she knew she would definitely survive; at worst, she would lose too much blood and faint for a few days.
However, she had accounted for everything except one thing: the blood on her body was attracting wolves, especially since she had injured a cub!
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