After unexpectedly finding a hickory tree, the two of them worked together, one cracking the walnuts and the other picking them up, filling two bags to the brim.

Just after finishing, Zuo Miaomiao pointed to a spot not far away and said, "There seems to be a chestnut tree over there. I'll go pick some chestnuts and roast them tonight."

After saying that, he ran over.

They were afraid of being beaten to it by someone else.

Xiao Qingyin shook her head and tied the walnuts to the horse's back.

Before they were even tied up, Zuo Miaomiao exclaimed, "There's a dead bear cub here!"

Her brow twitched, and she asked, "How long have you been dead?"

"It just died, it's still bleeding."

"Get out of here immediately!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than two angry bear roars echoed through the woods.

Xiao Qingyin rushed over immediately.

Zuo Miaomiao retreated in fright, but tripped over a protruding tree root and fell to the ground.

Two brown bears, each about two meters tall, were running towards Miaomiao from the left, and were about to reach her.

Xiao Qingyin didn't have time to think and fired her crossbow.

One after another, crossbow bolts coated with an antidote that kills instantly pierced the chests of the two bears.

The two bears paused.

Xiao Qingyin ran over quickly and pulled Zuo Miaomiao away.

With two loud thuds, the two bears landed one after the other.

After his muscular body convulsed a few times, it became completely still.

Zuo Miaomiao then came to her senses and hugged Xiao Qingyin with a "Wow!"

"I was so scared, my legs went weak..."

"It's alright, don't be afraid."

Xiao Qingyin comforted her.

"Clap clap clap!"

A loud round of applause rang out behind me.

Xiao Qingyin turned around and saw Emperor Chengtai and the Third Princess leading a group of people toward her.

The person clapping was none other than the Third Princess.

“Father, you saw it, didn’t you? Even ten guards might not be able to defeat the bear, but Miss Xiao dealt with it easily, without even getting her hands dirty.”

The third princess praised it enthusiastically.

Emperor Chengtai's brows furrowed even more tightly than before.

His gaze toward Xiao Qingyin was somewhat gloomy.

Just then, a guard behind him shouted to Xiao Qingyin, "Make your move!"

Then he drew his sword and stabbed at Emperor Chengtai.