Chapter 010

Chapter 10

The guard went to investigate and returned after a while, reporting, "Your Highness, the carriage is stuck in the mud. We'll have to wait a bit before we can continue."

Yu Xi opened the carriage window and stuck half her head out. "Help them out and get moving quickly."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Snowflakes were swirling in the air, and the sky was darkening. The chill was more biting than during the day, and the snow was almost up to their calves, making it difficult to walk. If they didn't find a place to stay soon, they would struggle to endure the night.

Yu Xi immediately pulled her head back in, but some of her hair on her forehead had stuck with snowflakes. As soon as she entered the carriage, the snow melted, dampening her hair and making her feel uncomfortable. Dong Ling saw this and wiped her hair with a dry towel.

"Princess, would you like something to eat? You didn't have lunch, don't let yourself go hungry."

She wanted to eat too. Her stomach had been growling, and she had woken up from hunger. However, she had eaten vegetarian food for seven days straight and felt weak. She wasn't in the mood for snacks now.

Yu Xi leaned back and weakly shook her head. "Not now."

They could look for delicious vegetarian food after finding a place to stay.

Dong Ling agreed and put the snacks back into the food box. Then, she leaned against the carriage to rest, just like Yu Xi.

The noise outside subsided after a while. A guard ran over, panting. "Your Highness, it's done."

The snow had piled up even more, and the howling wind echoed through the woods like a wolf's roar, instilling a sense of inexplicable fear.

Through the wooden panels of the carriage, Yu Xi spoke softly. "Since it's done, let's get going. Don't waste time."

"Yes, Your Highness."

After the guards tidied everything up, they were about to leave when the owner of the other carriage approached to thank them.

The voice was that of a woman, gentle and polite, and one could imagine her to be a well-mannered young lady.

"We were stuck in the mud earlier, and I'm immensely grateful for your help."

The voice sounded familiar, but Yu Xi couldn't recall where she had heard it. She frowned and lifted her chin at Dong Ling, gesturing for her to deal with it.

Dong Ling nodded and leaned close to the window, saying sternly, "Miss, there's no need to be polite. It's already late, so it's important to keep moving."

Upon hearing that the response came from another lady, Jiang Yaoyao's guard instantly relaxed. She stood outside the carriage and smiled as she nodded. She glanced at the exquisite and luxurious carriage and wondered who the noble person inside was.

But regardless of who it was, it had nothing to do with her. She was heading to Changhua Temple to burn incense for her parents.

With the help of her maid, Jiang Yaoyao left. As she approached her carriage, she saw a group of men coming from afar. The man leading them was tall and handsome, his clothes soiled and slightly disheveled, but his noble aura was undeniable.

Jiang Yaoyao's eyes lit up, and she jogged over. "Sworn brother, you're back. Are you alright?"

Fu Anian grunted and looked at her before glancing at the people nearby, understanding what had happened. The carriage had sunk into the mud, and they lacked manpower, so they had gone to a nearby farmer's house for help. They hadn't expected that the men would come and pull the carriage out.

Fu Anian raised his hand, indicating for Wang Quan to give them money and not trouble them further.

Wang Quan gave them the money and said some pleasant words to dismiss the newly hired men.

"Who are these people?" he asked.

Jiang Yaoyao stood by his side and smiled. "We owe them our gratitude for helping us."

She glanced over and added softly, "Their mistress is a lady."

There were two carriages, accompanied by over twenty guards, each armed with swords and trained, unlike ordinary people.

Fu Anian stared, slowly approaching. His sharp gaze seemed to penetrate the carriage, focusing on the person inside, creating an oppressive feeling.

Yu Xi opened her eyes, her vision blurry. It took her a while to adjust to the darkness. Seeing that the carriage hadn't moved, she could faintly hear voices, piquing her curiosity.

They called him 'sworn brother'?

Speaking of 'sworn brother', she thought of Jiang Yaoyao, who addressed Fu Anian that way.

Curiosity piqued, Yu Xi reached out to lift the carriage panel and peered out. Snowflakes danced around, landing on her eyelashes, coating them white. She blinked, finally able to see more clearly.

In the dusk, the man wore a black robe, his hair slightly disheveled, and his shoes filthy. He stood in the snow, blending into the night. His eyes narrowed, his face cold, seemingly colder than the snowflakes in the sky.

His eyes were as dark as a deep pool, bottomless.

Yu Xi met his gaze, her emotions shifting from shock to confusion, then to delight, and finally a haughty hum.

Fu Anian froze in place, the chill fading, leaving only astonishment. His hand hanging by his side trembled, unnoticed.

He eventually regained his composure, bowed, and returned to his carriage.

-

It being winter and a snowy day, the farmers in the town had closed early and gone to rest, making the area very quiet.

Coincidentally, there was only one inn in town, so Yu Xi's group and Fu Anian's were forced to stay in the same place. With Yu Xi's group being larger, by the time the innkeeper arranged their rooms, only two were left for Fu Anian.

The man remained calm, his smile unchanged. It appeared friendly, but it was filled with distance and coldness.

He looked up at the people going upstairs and smiled. "No problem, we'll take two rooms."

After the rooms were settled, they all headed upstairs to rest.

For this trip, Fu Anian brought along Wang Quan alone, while Jiang Yaoyao had only one maid, Jixiang.

Their rooms were a few turns apart. Once upstairs, they separated. Wang Quan went to fetch water for Fu Anian's bath, while he himself went to his room first to change out of his dirty clothes.

After traveling in the snow and the carriage tipping over, he was bound to be dirty. Yet, he loved cleanliness, and enduring until now was already his limit.

He moved quickly, changing before Wang Quan returned. By the time Wang Quan entered, he had already donned a dark-blue robe.

"Wang Quan, shall we dine?" Wang Quan inquired.

He waved his hand dismissively and asked, "How is the Princess doing?"

Wang Quan had served by his side for over a decade and could read his thoughts to some extent. Knowing that he was curious, Wang Quan had kept an eye on the situation earlier. "Oh, she's having her meal. She'll probably rest soon."

Fu Anian nodded and poured himself a cup of hot tea to warm his body. He gestured for Wang Quan to go about his business while he sat for a while.

The door opened and closed again, and before the cold wind could enter, it was blocked by the door.

The tea was scalding hot, steaming with vapor that rose up and enveloped his face. The steam moistened the tip of his nose and forehead, and even his eyelashes were fogged up, causing his vision to blur.

After taking two sips, Fu Anian felt warmer. Suddenly, there were two knocks on the door, followed by Jiang Yaoyao's faint voice.

"Sworn Brother, are you asleep?"

Fu Anian opened the door and let her in. "Why aren't you sleeping? We still have to travel tomorrow."

How could she sleep? They had run into the Princess Royal halfway through their journey. What would happen in the next few days? No one knew.

Jiang Yaoyao was very bothered by this. She was glad that Fu Anian had accompanied her to pay respects to their parents, but now that there was a princess tagging along, everything seemed different.

Back in her room, she had been restless and unable to calm down. If she didn't come and ask Fu Anian, she wouldn't be able to rest assured.

"Sworn Brother, I can't sleep. I want to talk to you."

Jiang Yaoyao took a seat at the table and skillfully poured herself a cup of tea. Fu Anian watched her actions without speaking, then coldly asked, "What is it?"

"Is the Princess traveling with us?" Jiang Yaoyao mentioned Yu Xi, and her reluctance was evident in her eyes. "Didn't she say she was going to Changhua Temple on the 20th of November? Why is she going now?"

Fu Anian looked at her, understanding her concerns. He turned away and softly said, "I heard she injured her foot, so she changed her plans."

Jiang Yaoyao didn't quite believe it. How could such a coincidence occur? Didn't they inquire about the Princess's schedule beforehand?

She lowered her head to sip her tea, secretly stealing glances at him. Testing the waters, she asked, "Then, did you know that the Princess was going to Changhua Temple today, Sworn Brother?"

This was something she wanted to ask when she saw Yu Xi earlier, but there were too many people around, and she was afraid that Fu Anian would find her nosy. So, she held back until now.

Fu Anian continued sipping his tea, but his fingers gripping the teacup tightened. "I didn't know. It was just a coincidence tonight."

Jiang Yaoyao stared at him intently for a while, as if trying to verify the truth. After observing him for a long moment and seeing no change in his emotions, Jiang Yaoyao finally believed him.

"I suppose so. We wouldn't go around asking when the Princess is leaving."

Her words carried hidden meaning, but Fu Anian pretended not to notice. After finishing his tea, he said, "It's getting late. Go back and rest."

Jiang Yaoyao wanted to say more, but hearing this, she could only rise and leave. "Sworn Brother, take care."

"Mm."

As soon as she left, Fu Anian immediately closed the door.

-

When they woke up the next morning, the snow had stopped. The landscape was covered in a pristine blanket of white, resembling a fairyland.

The chill was more intense, and even hugging a hot water bottle couldn't fend off the cold.

Yu Xi wore a bright crimson cloak, its vivid color accentuating her fair skin and providing warmth. She tucked her neck in, burying half of her head inside. Finally, she was no longer cold.

She stood at the entrance, seemingly waiting for someone.

She had thought about it all night. Since they were on the same route, they might as well travel together for mutual support. Besides, she was a princess, and Fu Anian was a subject; it was his duty to protect her.

Soon, Fu Anian and his group emerged, bowing to her before saying, "It's better to invite than to meet by chance. Does the Princess mind traveling together?"

Yu Xi glanced at him and lifted her chin. "Then, I'll have to trouble Lord Fu to escort me."

She carried herself with an air of superiority, pride, and dignity, appearing unattainable. Upon closer inspection, however, her playful eyes revealed her cuteness.

Yu Xi lifted her skirt and climbed into the carriage. Before the door closed, she caught a glimpse of Jiang Yaoyao's slightly angry expression out of the corner of her eye.

What was she angry about?

Yu Xi didn't dwell on it and fell asleep in the swaying carriage. When she woke up, it was already noon, and they were going to roast meat in the snow.

Before setting off, De Shun had asked the innkeeper for chickens and ducks for them to eat on the road.

Roasting meat was a simple task for the guards, but it was uncomfortable for Yu Xi, who couldn't eat meat. She could only eat dry snacks with hot water, which she was getting tired of.

Sighing, she looked around. They were roasting meat here, while Fu Anian was roasting fish on the other side.双重诱惑，可怜她了。Double temptation, pitiful for her.

"Buddha's feet, yet you kill living beings. How hateful."

Everyone looked at her, confused. Could they still eat the meat?

Yu Xi turned to the guards. "I wasn't talking to you. Eat more, and only when you're full can you protect me."

She then turned back and stared at Fu Anian, who was roasting fish. "I was referring to someone."

She had openly criticized him, and everyone dared not breathe loudly, quickly averting their gazes.

Fu Anian roasted the fish until it was golden brown and crispy, looking delicious. Ignoring her comment, he picked it up and sniffed it. "Mm, it's nicely roasted."