Until Emperor Jingping returned to the palace with the princess and princes, Ye Zhi saw the Emperor—a stout man with a beard, not very friendly, rather dignified, and appeared somewhat fierce.
She also saw Noble Princess Consort Xiao, a stunning beauty.
It turns out, the cute little boy relies entirely on his mother’s genes.
You can also imagine the beauty of the Little Fairy’s mother.
Among the crowd, she also saw the Empress, who somewhat resembled an evil stepmother. No wonder the Crown Prince Li Changnian had just a common appearance, a bit prettier than average.
He totally doesn’t compare to the Little Traitor and the cute little boy.
In Ye Zhi’s mind, the Little Traitor is the most handsome, followed by the cute little boy.
...
On the other side.
Yandang Mountain.
It’s the middle of winter, and the climate is cold.
Yandang Mountain stretches from south to north, mostly in the south where there’s no snow, making the paths easier to travel.
The woods in the mountain are endless. As you walk in, the trees block most of the light, making it eerily dark even during the day. The incessant cawing of crows, "Yaa, yaa, yaa," echoes in the air.
In the distance, there seems to be the howling of wolves and the roaring of tigers, making it all the more terrifying.
Lu He, wearing men’s clothing, had a little dirty face. Her clothes and shoes were covered with dirt, as she cautiously moved forward.
The words of the driver echoed in her mind: The mountains are filled with strange rocks and peaks, wild tigers and beasts are abundant, there’s a large pool at the top where venomous snakes abound, and over a hundred hunters and villagers have perished in the mountains, devoured by wild beasts.
Her fear deepens.
It’s the third day since she entered the mountain, and she hasn’t found the Eldest Young Master.
Whether by luck or something else, thanks to her vigilance, she hasn’t encountered wolves or tigers, nor venomous snakes, though she did run into a bear, which she evaded by climbing a large tree until the bear left after an hour.
Now it’s probably certain that the Eldest Young Master is dead.
The endless howling of wolves and tigers can be heard in the distance. Even though she hasn’t seen them, they must exist.
Given how badly the Eldest Young Master was injured, he must have been eaten by wolves or tigers. Poor Eldest Young Master, she wished she could have made a grave for him, but there are no remains.
Lu He touched the Hollow Lotus Patterned White Jade Bracelet hidden in her bosom. Her mother once said this bracelet was significant and the only relic left by her mother. Even when she fainted from hunger on the street, Lu He never thought of selling the bracelet.
She wonders what kind of people her grandparents are—would they acknowledge her as their granddaughter?
Her mother had said that when she left home, her family was strongly opposed. She wonders if they have forgiven her mother now.
Having made up her mind, it’s currently Shen Hour (3 p.m. ~ 5 p.m.), and the sky is a bit dark, so she decides to leave tomorrow.
For tonight, she has to find a stone cave to make do.
Lu He clasped her hands together and muttered to the heavens:
"Eldest Young Master, thank you for saving me on the street back then. I came to Yandang Mountain to collect your corpse. Of course, I also wanted to save you, but there are too many wild beasts here, and I have done my best. You are surely dead, rest well underground and be reborn as a great man in eighteen years."
"I initially planned to search for you for ten days, but I gave up on the third day. Eldest Young Master, I am sorry. You often bullied me when you were alive; we’re even now."
"Safe travels, I’m not looking for you anymore. Don’t visit me in dreams after you die—just pay visits to the master, his wife, and Miss Sun. And if your spirit has any strength, visit your enemies and scare them, for what they did to you."
Afterwards, she stood, bowed three times, hoping the Eldest Young Master would rest in peace underground.
By risking her life to enter Yandang Mountain for three days, she has repaid his kindness with utmost loyalty.