Chapter 87 The Love of a Strategist Who Understands

Xie Qingyu carried Ye Miheng back to the camp. As soon as the horse stepped out of the dense forest, the two of them were stunned by the sight before them.

Everyone gathered on the grass outside the tent, making a noisy and chaotic scene. Many people were disheveled and in poor appearance.

The officers and soldiers patrolling outside the camp moved quickly, and shouts could be heard from time to time. There were several times more guards on the edge of the hunting ground than before they left, and they were all on high alert.

Ye Miheng stared in disbelief: "What's going on? What happened?"

Xie Qingyu also stared intently in that direction: "I don't know, but something big must have happened. We need to get there quickly."

The two reined in their horses at the edge of the hunting grounds and dismounted. Upon entering the camp, they were met with a cacophony of noise. Ye Miheng was pulled back by the other advisors of the Fourth Prince as he moved through the area, while Xie Qingyu did not stop and continued forward.

He unconsciously furrowed his brow, searching for someone in the crowd. Perhaps because he couldn't find them, he gradually became restless.

Suddenly, a bright green flashed before his eyes in the bustling crowd.

Xie Qingyu stopped in her tracks, her eyes no longer looking around, but fixed on one spot.

Yue Yining squatted on the ground with her knees drawn up to her chest. From a distance, she looked like a tiny clump, her moss-colored clothes trailing on the ground like a canna lily leaf.

In that brief pause, Xie Qingyu immediately pushed through the crowd and moved forward.

"The bigger man!"

Yue Yining was stunned for a moment, then turned around and was even more surprised to see that the person who came was Xie Qingyu: "Lord Xie? What are you doing here? Didn't you just enter the forest not long ago...?"

She didn't finish her sentence. Xie Qingyu rushed to her side and immediately knelt down, her eyes filled with anxiety: "You're injured?! Where are you hurt? Quick, let me see!"

Yue Yining was stunned: "I....."

"Where's Fu Yao?" Xie Qingyu's brows furrowed deeply. "Why are you here alone? Where did she go? Why wasn't she by your side? Why didn't she protect you—"

"Xie Qingyu".

Yue Yining suddenly called his name, which abruptly brought Xie Qingyu, who was originally anxious, back to his senses and made him realize his loss of composure.

He opened his mouth, then suddenly remembered that this was the first time Yue Yining had called him by his name. In an instant, he forgot everything he was going to say, and all that remained in his ears and throat was the constant, repetitive sound of his heartbeat.

The soft touch on my wrist was from Yue Yining.

She reached out and squeezed his wrist to comfort him.

"Don't worry," she whispered, her voice very close to his. "I'm fine. I just twisted my ankle in my haste when I ran out of the tent."

Hearing this, Xie Qingyu's gaze narrowed again. "Is it serious?"

Yue Yining placed her hands on her knees and squatted there, meeting his gaze. She gently shook her head: "It's not serious. I checked myself, and it will be fine soon if I walk less."

"Yaoyao didn't believe me and insisted on going to get some ointment to apply, so that's why I'm staying here alone."

After calming down, the spot on Xie Qingyu's wrist where she had pinched her suddenly became burning hot, as if someone had burned two holes in it with a red-hot wire.

Realizing that they were alone in this corner, Xie Qingyu dropped his disguise and softly called out to her, "Miss, could you take a look at where you twisted your ankle?"

"I want to see what's going on—"

"Xie Qingyu".

A clear, calm voice called his name again. Xie Qingyu's throat tightened as he noticed Yue Yining propping her chin up with her hand, staring intently at him: "You've regained your memories, haven't you?"

“A well-mannered young master from a respectable family should be more polite than a country bumpkin like me. And this is in broad daylight, in public, for you to ask a woman like me to examine your ankle?” She spoke slowly, her tone irritating. “Don’t you think your request is a bit presumptuous?”

"...Or do you still see yourself as 'Ayu' from Jiulian Town in front of me?"

If it's Ayu from Jiulian Town, you can not only look at her ankles, but also touch them.

Xie Qingyu's throat suddenly became incredibly dry. He recalled the past, the sunlight shining at the foot of the bed, and the woman sleeping soundly on the bed.

Back then, Yue Yining really loved to stay in bed. Eight out of ten times, he had to call her several times before she would get up. After finally sitting up, she would be crooked as if she had no bones, asking him to bring her a basin of water, help her wash her face, and then put her coat on. Finally, he would kneel on the cloth-covered footstool and help her put on her shoes and socks.

Once the floodgates were opened, the memories came rushing back like a torrent. Xie Qingyu couldn't help but recall that delicate touch. Her health wasn't good; the soles of her feet were slightly cool, and there were some scars left from her childhood.

Each time his fingertips traced the scars, he could feel Yue Yining unconsciously flinch. He wanted to warm her more, so the final steps were always slow. And if Yue Yining realized this, she would press the soles of her feet onto his hands to show her displeasure.

For a young master from a prominent family, this was an experience that could be described as humiliating, yet he enjoyed it and became hopelessly addicted. He was obsessed with every moment when Yue Yining relied on him and trusted him, so he deliberately called her in a barely audible voice and deliberately indulged her laziness, all to nurture the ever-growing desires in his heart.

Unfortunately, those days will probably never come again. Thinking of this, a sense of loss and emptiness instantly filled my entire being.

Yue Yining: "What are you thinking about?"

Xie Qingyu suddenly snapped back to reality, realizing what images and memories had just flashed through his mind, and a bright red blush spread across his neck.

"...It's nothing." Xie Qingyu's voice was dry and hoarse. "Miss is right. I didn't think it through."

Yue Yining looked at him, tapping her knees with her fingers, and was about to say something when a shout came from behind: "Yue Yining!"

Yue Yining paused, then turned around to see Ye Miheng running towards her, panting, "I heard that assassins have infiltrated the camp, and one even tried to assassinate the Emperor! How are you? Are you alright?"

Sure enough, the only person who would call her so disrespectfully is Ye Miheng.

Yue Yining smiled and said, "Can't you tell if I'm alright? I'm perfectly fine, I'm not missing any arms or legs."

Ye Miheng: "Then what are you squatting for? Get up, I'll help you—"

He reached out to grab Yue Yining's arm, but his arm was blocked before he could reach it.

Yue Yining paused for a moment, then looked up to see Xie Qingyu slowly pushing Ye Miheng's arm away. He said in a calm voice, "Her ankle is sprained, it's not nothing. And if you pull her like this, you'll hurt her hand."

Ye Miheng was stunned by what he was told. "Oh... I see."

The atmosphere suddenly became strange again.

Yue Yining's gaze swept between the two of them for a moment before she spoke up, "Why are you two back so quickly? It's only been an hour, hasn't it?"

Ye Miheng said sullenly, "It's all because I'm so unlucky. My horse suddenly went crazy for some reason and threw me off its back, then ran off in a flash. I had to ask Lord Xie to take me back first. If I had to walk, I don't know if I would have made it tonight."

"That's really bad luck," Yue Yining teased. "You still haven't told me what you hunted? Lord Ye, with your exceptional archery skills, must be a master marksman, hitting the bullseye every time, right? Why won't you let me see it?"

Ye Miheng's heart skipped a beat. He remembered that he had only shot two rabbits, and the prey was still in the bag hanging from the horse's head. Now they had all run away like that crazy horse.

Yue Yining noticed his dejection. "Oh dear, did you lose it too?"

Ye Miheng said irritably, "Yeah, you guessed it already, didn't you? You're just making fun of me on purpose!"

Yue Yining and Ye Miheng were bickering, unaware that someone next to them had stopped laughing.

Ye Miheng suddenly screamed, "Ah!!!"

Yue Yining was startled by him. Before she could even speak, she saw Ye Miheng in front of her completely slump down.

At this moment, Ye Miheng looked like a wilted cabbage. He squatted on the ground, his face full of tears: "I... my sachet is gone..."

"A sachet?" Yue Yining was also stunned. "Is it the one I gave you?"

"Who else could have given it to me? If someone else had given it to me, I wouldn't have worn it out," Ye Miheng said regretfully. "I didn't even know when I lost it, and I only just realized it now! It's definitely gone forever..."

Yue Yining thought his dejected look resembled that of a stray dog ​​abandoned by someone. Amused by her own thought, she couldn't help but chuckle, which, unsurprisingly, earned her an angry and resentful glare from Ye Miheng.

"You're still laughing!! Are you so happy to see me sad?" Ye Miheng gritted his teeth in anger.

He was genuinely heartbroken. He regretted bringing it out; if he had known it would get lost, he definitely wouldn't have brought that sachet today. It was a gift from Yue Yining, and he treasured it dearly.

Seeing that he looked like he was about to cry, Yue Yining felt sorry for him, so she went over and patted his shoulder, and comforted him gently, "Don't be sad, it's okay if you lose it, it's not anything valuable."

"If you like it, I can make another one for you later."

Ye Miheng immediately looked up at her: "Really?"

Why would I lie to you?

The two were talking to themselves, and no one noticed Xie Qingyu's motionless figure.

He stood frozen in place, the slight joy and pleasure he felt from his successful scheme vanishing the moment he heard Yue Yining's last two sentences.

His mind was filled with Yue Yining's words to Ye Miheng, "I'll make it for you later."

The darkness swallowed the clarity in his eyes, turning them into a deep, dark ink.

Xie Qingyu thought to herself, "It's better that Ye Miheng is dead."

Just seeing the two of them standing together chatting and laughing made the venomous snake in Xie Qingyu's heart spit out its venom.

He lowered his eyes, letting the vicious and sinister thoughts spread and accumulate in his mind. When he looked up, he found that Yue Yining was actually looking at him.

He was startled, and his tightly pursed lips suddenly relaxed. Without caring whether it looked natural or not, Xie Qingyu forced a smile, giving her his usual gentle one, trying to hide the gloom that had just inadvertently slipped out. "What's wrong?"

She still seems to be as gentle and kind as ever.

Seeing his smile, Yue Yining blinked: "...Nothing. Why haven't you said anything? Are you feeling unwell?"

She cared about him; it turned out she had been paying attention to him all along. Xie Qingyu's desolate heart instantly came back to life. His heart pounded again, his chest burning hot and bright, as if those damp and cold mucus had never existed before.

Xie Qingyu said gently, "I'm fine. How about you? Is your ankle still hurting?"

Yue Yining bent her knees: "Actually, it didn't hurt much just now. Squatting for too long isn't comfortable either, so I'll stand up."

Xie Qingyu immediately said, "I'll help you."

To take care of her, he deliberately bent down. Yue Yining did not refuse, and slowly stood up with the help of his outstretched arm.

Ye Miheng watched this scene and, unusually, remained silent.

Yue Yining stretched her ankle. As she expected, the problem wasn't serious, and she had recovered. Yue Yining nodded, a slight headache in her eyes: "Why hasn't Yao Yao come back yet after so long?"

"Perhaps the physician is mixed in with the crowd, making it difficult for her to find," Xie Qingyu said. "I'll ask my guards to help look for her as well."

Yue Yining nodded: "Thank you for your trouble."

Before Fu Yaoren could be found, the crowd near the edge of the hunting grounds started making a fuss again, with people shouting and yelling. Yue Yining and the other two were too far away to hear clearly.

Seeing the crowd, Yue Yining didn't rush to squeeze through. Instead, she grabbed someone and asked, "What's going on over there?"

The man quickly said, "It's the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince! They've come out too, and the Third Prince is injured!"

Yue Yining's eyes widened, and without caring about the crowd, she rushed straight towards the most crowded part of the crowd.

Pushing through the crowd, she finally reached the edge of the hunting grounds. Before her stood two somber-looking imperial physicians and a large group of bustling maids. She recognized the person sitting on the ground, dressed in pale yellow riding attire—it was Wei Ye.

Yue Yining rushed over, "Third Prince! Are you alright? Where are you hurt—"

As soon as she finished speaking, she saw Wei Ye remove his hand from his neck, and she could see the gauze wrapped around his neck and the faint bloodstains seeping from it.

Her pupils constricted immediately. "What happened! Why are you so badly injured?"

Seeing her worry, Wei Ye quickly waved his hand, forcing a still-shaken smile: "It's not serious, it just looked scary and there was a lot of blood, but it's really just a superficial wound..."

The person standing nearby sneered, "Don't listen to his nonsense. If you had been a step slower, it wouldn't have been a matter of being injured; you would have died right there!"

Yue Yining paused, raised her eyes, and met Wei Jing's gaze, who was looking down at her.

He was dressed in a bright purple riding outfit, with thick eyebrows and phoenix eyes, exuding an imposing aura, and his gaze was arrogant. Not far behind him was the Seventh Prince, Wei Xueyu, whose presence was much weaker compared to him.

Wei Jing recognized her too, and narrowed his eyes: "It's you?"

Yue Yining took a step back, pondering what she should say to Wei Jing in this situation, when Wei Ye suddenly stood up and blocked her way.

Wei Ye looked directly into Wei Jing's eyes and said with utmost seriousness, "I am grateful to my fourth brother for saving me today."

Wei Jing's gaze returned to Wei Ye's face. He smirked and chuckled, "Who wants to save you? If you die there, wouldn't I become an accomplice without even knowing why? I just don't want to be suspected of murdering my own brother. Stop daydreaming!"

Wei Ye seemed to want to say something more, but Wei Jing looked like he didn't want to say another word to him and turned to leave.

Yue Yining noticed the slight disappointment on Wei Ye's face and was a little stunned.

"...Your Highness, are you saying that it was the Fourth Prince who saved you from the assassins?"

Wei Ye glanced at her and replied in a low voice, "Yes."

“I fell into the assassin’s trap and was captured. He held a knife to me and demanded that Wei Jing put down his sword and come over, or he would kill me. Fortunately, my seventh brother also encountered us at that time. He shot the assassin from behind, and my fourth brother reacted quickly and fired an arrow after him, which is how I was able to save me from the assassin unharmed,” Wei Ye said softly. “...Actually, I am also very grateful to my seventh brother.”

"As for Wei Jing... I originally thought he wouldn't save me."

Yes, Wei Jing hates him.

Only someone who hates another would bully them relentlessly. Wei Jing had been bullying him since childhood, always mocking him for being a clingy little brother who only knew how to stick to his elder brother.

He never considered any possibility other than dislike.

Yue Yining frowned slightly, then suddenly remembered something. "Where is Her Highness the Eldest Princess? Isn't she with you?"

Wei Ye paused for a moment: "She got separated from me as soon as we entered the woods."

He suddenly snapped back to reality, his heart clenching. How could he have forgotten? Yihua was still inside!

"I have already sent people into the mountains to look for my elder sister."

Yue Yining and Wei Ye were both stunned, because the one who spoke was Wei Xueyu, who had been silent the whole time.

He said, "After I came out, I notified the soldiers that there were assassins lurking in the mountains. I ordered them to go into the forest immediately to find my sister and escort her back to the camp. At the same time, they were to capture the remaining men in black in the mountains, prioritizing those who could be kept alive for interrogation, and killing those who could not be captured on the spot."

Wei Xueyu spoke these words with a calm and composed expression. After speaking, she quickly lowered her eyes again.

Yue Yining then got a good look at his features. Wei Xueyu had oval almond-shaped eyes, which would have looked cute and bright on a girl's face, but on him they appeared effeminate. His indifferent expression and demeanor perfectly neutralized these features, and the deep melancholy in his eyes only suggested a sharp and aloof demeanor, rather than a submissive or ingratiating one.

The sunlight bathed the pale green boy in front of me, dressed in a moss-colored outfit. The color certainly suited him.

Yue Yining looked at Wei Xueyu, and now she understood everything. She understood who set up the stage, who prepared the actors, and who sang on that stage.

It's a pity that she's no longer on the stage.

Yue Yining waited for a long time at the edge of the hunting grounds before Wei Yihua was finally brought out of the mountains.

Wei Yihua was the last to leave the forest, because she had ventured the deepest and had the most abundant prey; she had even hunted a yellow-spotted tiger. Seeing the tiger's ears, Yue Yining thought that Wei Yihua's archery and horsemanship were far better than she had imagined.

There was no doubt that Wei Yihua was the undisputed winner of this spring hunt.

While the official in charge of ceremonies was counting Wei Yihua's prey, Yue Yining stood by, recounting the events to Wei Yihua. Upon hearing that the emperor had been assassinated, Wei Yihua's expression changed drastically: "Assassination?! How is Father now? How is his health?"

Yue Yining said, "Your Highness, rest assured. When the assassin made his move, Lord Rong happened to be beside His Majesty and stepped in front of him in time. The assassin's sword missed its mark, His Majesty was unharmed, and Lord Rong only suffered minor injuries."

Wei Yihua already knew all the famous ministers and fierce generals in the court by heart, but at this moment she showed a confused expression: "Lord Rong...who is he?"

Yue Yining smiled and said, "I only met him today."

The spring hunt of the twenty-second year of the Jiahe era ended hastily.

After returning to the princess's residence with Wei Yihua, it was already dusk. The sun was flushed red, like a faint red brushstroke leaving a round halo on the straw paper.

After dinner, Yue Yining stayed alone in her bedchamber, lost in thought while holding the bronze plate, unaware that Fu Yao had pushed the door open and entered.

Outside the window, the old banyan and bamboo in the courtyard are still lush and green, but they inevitably become damp in the rosy light.

Fu Yao leaned closer to her, "Miss, what are you doing?"

Yue Yining snapped out of her reverie and smiled, "I didn't do anything, I was just thinking about some things."

Fu Yao looked at her, her eyes sparkling with curiosity: "What is it? Is it related to those two 'sachets'?"

Yue Yining chuckled. Ever since Fu Yao learned of the plan behind her sachet, it had practically become a secret code between mistress and servant. This sachet was no longer the same sachet.

She simply went along with the little maid's words, smiling as she said, "Yes, you guessed it again."

Fu Yao cupped her face in her hands: "I saw them both when I came back with the medicine. The atmosphere was strange. What happened? Did I miss something interesting?"

Yue Yining was overjoyed: "There's nothing to see here, it's just jealousy between men."

"Jealousy?"

“That’s right.” Yue Yining tapped the little maid’s nose, her eyes full of laughter. “You told me before that if a man likes a woman, he will be jealous of all the men who get close to her. I saw it today, and it’s true. Yao Yao, you are indeed very knowledgeable, that’s absolutely true.”

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A note from the author:

Yue Yining: Sitting on the mountain watching the tigers fight.jpg

Xie Qingyu: Ye Miheng should go to the spa (^_^)

Ye Miheng: What is spa? Can you eat it?

You should be able to understand, right? Actually, Ningning already suspected that Yuyu liked her on the day she went to pay her respects (she had suspected it before, then dismissed it, and now she suspects it again, hahaha). The original intention of making the sachet was to test Yuyu, and she deliberately gave it to Xiaoyezi to see Yuyu's reaction.

Clever Ningning, with a deep and cunning mind [rainbow praise]