However, despite these doubts, Cai Wei never suspected them. She believed that the Dun Zhu sisters must have their inexpressible difficulties and it wasn’t anything else!
Early in the morning, Cai Wei sent Brother Ying to deliver a letter to Nangong Yi, inviting him to lunch at the inn. It was a surprise for him and judging by the time, he should be on his way. Cai Wei hurriedly got up to prepare the meal, bid farewell to Mr. Gou Dan’er and gave them three or four pieces of broken silver to stay over for the days to come.
Nangong Yi has been with the army since he left the capital, busy travelling and raising funds for grains and straws, living and eating with soldiers, he must have suffered a lot. These sufferings might not matter to others, but for him who had been indulged since he was a child, it must have been very difficult!
So, Cai Wei decided to treat him well to make up for it, at least to let him enjoy a good meal before leaving for Lingbei.
The imperial forest army who guarded the capital was intensely searching every nook and cranny in the royal hunting ground, not daring to slack off.
The Emperor’s edict was to carefully look out for Princess An Le or that giant white furred tiger. If anything was left unturned, the whole nine clans of the person responsible would be executed.
As their family clan’s fate was at stake, the soldiers dared not slake and made sure not to overlook a single grass nest or stone crevice, fearing it might bring about a disaster to their family.
"Hey, have you found any clues?"
"Not yet, what about your group?"
The soldiers sighed and continued their search reluctantly.
Two days had passed. Everyone had been searching for two days, eating and living on the mountain. They were nearly eaten alive by mosquitoes, yet not a single clue was found. Everyone knew very well that Princess An Le must have been gone long ago. Maybe even her bones had been chewed and swallowed by the tiger. Where could they find any clue?
Unfortunately, no one could hear their grievances. The rulers of the Great Jin nation were all preoccupied with the rage of the Prince of Liaodan about exterminating him. It was the prince of Liaodan who ordered to search the mountain and announce the reward. As long as it satisfied Prince Saknu, even if he proposed to eliminate the hunting ground, the emperor would agree!
No wonder the Prince of Liaodan was angry. His beautiful fiancée like Princess An Le disappeared and any man in his place would have been disturbed by this. Although the emperor had decreed to marry the Princess Princess Zhao Yang of the dynasty to him, he didn’t care about this true-princess at all. He was still guarding the mountain every day, searching for the whereabouts of Princess An Le with the soldiers.
The soldiers, busy as ants, were observed by Saknu, who stood atop the summit with a gloomy face and said nothing. A close servant approached him and said cautiously, "Master, the Prince of the Great Jin is here. He wants to meet you."
"Refuse! Tell him to get out——"
Saknu’s voice was as cold as the ice on an iceberg, making one shudder.
The guard shivered, carefully continued, "But, master, the prince said, it’s about the marriage alliance between the Princess Zhao Yang and you, I’m afraid... there might be...a change..."
"Ha, wishful thinking!"
Saknu curled his lips and said with a cruel smile, "Unless she’s dead, otherwise, she can only marry me. I will... take good care... of her!"
His last few words were said through gritted teeth, a hideous smile on his face.
"Eh, yes, this subordinate will go to reply to the Prince of the Great Jin"